When Mother entered the study, I could tell by the look on her face that she intended to Speak her mind. She sat down a tray of tea, took a seat, and then patted a spot beside her.

I took the seat and the cup of tea.

“My dear boy,” she said. “You have been acting strangely for over a week. You have neglected your Mary and you have been avoiding your friends. Has something happened?”

I shook my head. “It is not so much that something happened as that my view of things has changed.”

“What do you mean?”

I rubbed my face, considering my words for a moment. “Have you ever went to bed at night with worries only to wake in the morning knowing exactly how to proceed?”

She smiled. “I have.” She looked at me for a second and then patted my leg. “I have and I understand, but you must keep the world around you in perspective. Mary needs to hear from you. You cannot abandon her without a word after the amount of time the two of you have spent together.”

I nodded and sipped my tea. As I considered what I would say when I saw Mary, I fell so far into my thoughts that I did not note my Mother leaving the room.

Tonight, I would talk to Mary. Tomorrow, I would speak to Carl. Finally, on Saturday, I would call upon Samantha and speak to her father. I would pursue her the proper way, treating her as a lady. I would treat her as she deserved to be treated.