The Life Of Robert Peterson

by Paul Kelly

  Robert gave a sigh of relief as he wiped his brow with his handkerchief and then he had an afterthought.

  “But I thought Jenny was off sick and that she was also on the complimentary shift to you at the cafe, so how could she be off at the same time as you are?”

  “Old Buggerlugs ... oh! sorry, Mr. Haggerstone has taken on another girl now that both Jenny and I are having problems ... well for the moment at least.”

  “Thanks, Freya. You think of everything, but I think you’ve had a wasted journey.” Freya stared at him, wondering what was to come next and expecting from what he said that the news wouldn’t be very good. “They took me to the cleaners in there. I had a very hard time,” Robert concluded.

  “But I thought ...”

  “It doesn’t matter what anyone thought, Freya. I know it would seem that everything would go in my favor as it was Sarah who walked out on me and started all this hullabaloo.

  “But surely the judge must realize that?”

  “They don’t consider the moral issue as I have already told you. It’s all a matter of getting things done as quickly as possible and dividing out what we each have.”

  “And what did you get then?”

  “Nothing as yet”, he said wearily “I have been told that I would hear from the court in about two or three weeks time and I will have my decision then.”

  “Does that go for Sarah too?”

  “Yes, she will have to wait for the results also, but her lawyer, that Maurice Cohen was a bastard.”

  “How, why?” Freya asked and there was anger in her eyes.

  “He made out that I was lingering with my complaint and that I wasn’t at all ill and could have done more to keep the marriage together”

  “But it was Sarah who ended the marriage, not you, Robert. She is the one who could have kept the marriage together, if she had wanted to do so. I only hope that this barrister or whatever he is, will never struck down with MS. That will shut him up with his stupid views.”

  “Nothing so radical, I hope,” added Robert, but Freya just pooh-poohed the idea with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “Will you have to go in there again today?” she asked but Robert shook his head.

  “The hearing is over for now,” he said slowly. “It’s the next few weeks that will determine everything with regards to my future and then I’ll know what to do with my life. At the moment, I’m standing on my head and can’t make any decisions at all. I can’t even say if I’ll have a home in a few weeks time and I’m worried for Cameron.”

  Freya took his hand and he didn’t pull away.

  “There’s my flat and you know you will always be welcome there,” she said, “Cameron too, if it comes to that. It’s a small place but we’ll manage if we have to.”

  Robert rose up from where he was sitting.

  “Crumbs, I forgot about Cameron. I hope he is O.K. and we’d better get back to him now or Jenny will think we’ve abandoned him, won’t she?” he said, but as they were about to leave the court, Freya took Robert’s arm and assured him that everything would be alright and that he shouldn’t worry about anything.

  “Who knows what could happen,” she added, “And you could worry yourself into the grave for nothing. I’m sure this Sarah bitch will get what she deserves and I wouldn’t like to be in her shoes. After all, Robert you know what people say, don‘t you?””

  Robert looked at Freya with a question in his eye,

  “What’s that?” he asked, “all this philosophy that I know you have in your head about what people say?”

  “”What comes around, goes around,” she replied and Robert grinned

  “I always thought it was the other way round,” he said and Freya looked at him without knowing what he meant.

  “Whatever goes around comes around,” he explained and Freya smiled,

  “The cart before the horse,“ she said, “but it doesn’t matter., does it? You know what I mean, don’t you?”

  Cameron was fine when they got back to the flat, with Jenny on her hands and knees with Cameron on her back pretending she was a circus horse.

  “Look daddy,” he exclaimed joyfully, “I can stand up too, just like they do in the circus.”

  Cameron proceeded to stand on Jenny’s back, but Robert pulled him down, just in time for Jenny to collapse, giggling on the lounge carpet.

  “You’ll hurt Jenny,” Robert called out, but Jenny continued to giggle and tell everyone what a great time she and Cameron had together.

  “You’ll be ready for some tea now, I guess,” said Freya and she went into the kitchen, followed by Robert.

  “Freya,” he said as he stood close to her.”Freya, I do feel bad with you doing so much to help us in this way ... but please remember what I said and again, please don’t feel hurt. She looked at the kettle as she plugged it into the wall. “I don’t want to get too close to anyone,” he went on, but Freya seemed to ignore him as the kettle started to boil.

  “Will we have tea or coffee?” she asked and prepared the tray with the mugs.

  “Freya ... Did you hear what I have said,” he continued, as Freya carried the tray into the lounge,

  “Many, many times,” she said as she looked around her. “I don’t know who wants what to eat, but if you will just tell me, I’ll do what I can,”

  “Doughnuts,” screamed Cameron as he grabbed Jenny’s hand, but Robert looked grave as Freya smiled and made her way back into the kitchen to oblige.

  It was nearly six o’clock that evening when Freya made her way back to her own flat, walking with Jenny by her side.

  “What did Robert mean when he said that?” asked Jenny and Freya looked at her in surprise.

  “Said what?” she snapped and Jenny coughed, thinking she might have said something that perhaps she shouldn’t have done.

  “It’s just that I heard Robert ...”

  “Well you heard wrong ,” Freya snapped, “and I don’t want to speak any more on that matter, if you don’t mind ... “

  Freya said nothing more as they travelled home, but Jenny knew from the answer she received, or did NOT receive that Freya was in love with Robert ... and she envied her. It was two days later that Freya spoke to her in the cafe.

  “What did you really think of Robert, Jenny,” she asked as she rubbed her brow with shaking fingers.

  “Who, your Robert?” asked Jenny in surprise at having been asked such a question.

  “He’s not MY Robert, stupid,” Freya retorted angrily,”You know who I mean, OUR FRIEND, Robert Peterson.

  “Oh! THAT Robert ...”

  “Yes, that Robert.” repeated Freya, “What do you think of him?”

  Jenny smiled demurely and shook her shoulders.

  “I think he’s a bit of alright, seeing as you ask me, but you know that don’t you? You don’t have to ask me. You’re in love with the guy and anyone with half an eye could see that.”

  Freya blushed and fidgeted where she stood.

  “Is it THAT obvious?” she asked and her blush became deeper as she spoke.

  “I would bet on it,” added Jenny, “but why are you asking me this question? It’s him you should be speaking to, not me.”

  Freya knew it would be useless telling her friend of her experiences with Robert and how he had resolved never to get married again ... nor even to allow himself to get close to any woman after his experiences through his marriages, but she knew in her heart that she would never give up trying. She knew too and without a doubt that Robert was a special person in her life and she wished with all her heart that he would look on her in the same way.

  “How’s the new girl getting on?” asked Freya trying to change the subject, but Jenny just nodded and shrugged her shoulders again.

  “Well we both know i
t’s not rocket science work, don’t we?” was all she would say as she walked away into the kitchen.

  The following day, as Freya was about to finish her shift and had given her notes to Jenny, she had a telephone call from young Cameron which alarmed her. He told her how his father had been awake most of the night and that Sarah was making a visit to their flat later that day and Freya wondered if the intended visit was the reason why Robert had had a sleepless night.

  “Did she say what time she would be coming to see daddy?” she asked and Cameron said he thought it might be around three o’clock, but he wasn’t absolutely sure. Freya told Cameron that she would come round later that day about 2.0 in the afternoon in the hopes that she might be able to help in some way, although she rather doubted that she could, nevertheless she shoved her old and battered tape recorder into her hand bag again and patted it lovingly ... knowing what Sarah was like, she thought it might come in handy.

  “More trouble?“ asked Jenny as she was about to leave the cafe and Freya could only sigh. Trouble was beginning to be her middle name.

  “It’s Sarah again,“ she said softly, “She’s making trouble and when she does that, there seems little if anything we can do, but I‘ll get round there and do what I can. Thanks for your concern Jenny.”

  Jenny shook her head slowly from side to side, but she had a strange smile playing around her lips.

  Freya arrived at ten minutes to two and Cameron opened the door to her almost before she had knocked on the letter box lid. He jumped up at her and flung his legs around her waist.

  “Hey there, laddie. You’ll have me on the ground if you do that too often. You’re getting to be a big boy now.” she laughed as she spoke, but Cameron dragged her into the flat without comment.

  “What’s the rush?” asked Freya as she looked around to see where Robert

  would be in the room, but there was no-one there but Cameron. “Where’s daddy?” she asked impetuously.

  “He’s out. I think he went to do some shopping as we don’t have much to eat in the flat and with Sarah coming. You know what she’s like. She eats like a horse.”

  added Cameron and Freya giggled at his description of the ‘witch’

  “Has he been gone long, Cameron?”

  “About an hour ago. He should be back anytime ... oh! Freya ...”

  “Yes, Cameron?”

  “I didn’t tell him that I phoned you this morning. I tried your flat number, but you had an answering machine. I didn’t want to leave a message on that so that’s why I phoned you at the cafe. I hope that was alright?”

  “Yes, that was O.K. Cameron. I was nearly finished my shift anyway and besides, everybody there knows me and there’s no difficulty, but why all the rush? Sarah might be coming to see you and daddy for any number of reasons, mightn’t she?”

  Cameron shook his head and looked at Freya in surprise.

  “You know as well as we do, what that witch is like, Freya, surely. She wouldn’t come here unless she wanted to start some trouble or other.”

  Freya reflected on what Cameron had said and she knew the little boy was right, but she didn’t want to alarm him by telling him that she agreed with what he said.

  “Do you think daddy will be angry if he sees me here?” she asked and Cameron grinned.

  “Oh! no, he likes you Freya ... and so do I, but I don‘t need to tell you as you already know that, don‘t you?” was the reply she got which pleased her, even if she thought that Cameron had exaggerated the facts a little.

  “If he IS angry, shall I go then, O.K?” she asked and Cameron nodded as he crossed his little fingers behind his back.

  Ten minutes later Robert returned, with a large plastic shopping bag clutched to his chest.

  “Can you grab this, Cameron,” he asked, without seeing Freya in the first few moments of coming into the lounge. “I get out of breath carrying anything heavy like this.”

  Cameron obliged, but even he looked around to see where Freya had gone.

  “Tea for two,” she called out from the kitchen and appeared with a tea tray, complete with three mugs. “Shall I be mother?” she asked with a smile and Robert stared at her with wide eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, but Freya noticed there was no anger in his eyes as he asked his question and she was pleased.

  “I just happened to be passing,” she said, trying to appear very polite, “and as it was my afternoon off, I thought I might just drop in and see if you were alright.”

  Robert shook his head.

  “It’s nice to see you Freya,” he said, “But I don’t think you can stay long. You see, we ... I have a visitor this afternoon,” but before he could utter another word, Cameron jumped up in the air, “Sarah is coming to see us, Freya. You remember Sarah, don’t you?” he asked with a knowing look in his eye as he stared at Freya to ensure that Robert didn’t know that he had phoned Freya beforehand.

  “Yes, I remember Sarah,” she replied, “ but Robert, you shouldn’t be carrying heavy weights for one thing and I thought you and Sarah had settled most things in court.”

  Robert lowered his head and asked Cameron to go into the kitchen to fetch the biscuit barrel.

  “And furthermore,” said Freya, “I didn’t think you would be allowed to discuss anything further about the case either with Sarah or with anyone else for that matter as it hadn’t been concluded in the court as yet?”

  Robert took a deep breath and looked seriously at Freya as she was speaking.

  “I don’t want her to come here,” he snapped, “You must realize that. I never want ever to see her again unless it’s in a wooden box, but how can I stop her coming here if she is insistent on doing so. Sarah was always a one to do exactly as she pleased and no one could ever stop her.”

  Freya could understand Robert’s position, but she still felt there was a danger in Sarah coming to see him and in particular of what she might say, which could incriminate Robert further when the court was next in session.

  “Would it help if I stayed here until she came?” she asked, but Robert threw his hands in the air.

  “That would only make her more than angry and God knows what she might say then,” he said, but Freya would not be deterred.

  “If she says anything out of place, I could be a witness to that and surely that would prevent her saying anything that would make further difficulties in both your lives?”

  “Do you think Sarah would take the slightest bit of notice of you?” he asked and Freya turned on him suddenly.

  “You know,” she said and her lips were firm as she spoke, “Do you know ... You don’t know much about women at all, do you? She will be wary of anything she might want to say, if there is a possible witness around. Any woman with revenge in her heart would be like that, but if she is as angry and as vicious as I think she might be, she might let something slip that would be useful information to you, Robert. Have you thought of that?”

  Robert thought for a moment of what Freya had said. He looked at Cameron and nodded

  “Alright, but Freya, I don’t want Sarah to say anything that might hurt you. She can say what the hell she likes about me, but she is a jealous woman and jealousy can do all sorts of things and usually anything that is said will be meant to hurt. She is evil, I tell you so for God’s sake watch and listen carefully to what she says and also what YOU might say to her.”

  Cameron chimed in at this point by adding that he also knew that Sarah was an evil cow, to which Robert gave him a dark look.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Sarah arrived exactly at two fifty; ten minutes earlier than Cameron had thought she might. She was all in black, as if she was in mourning and Freya hoped that wasn’t a sign of impending danger. The lady witch, as Cameron called her, threw her fur wrap over the arm of the sofa and enquired
immediately why Robert was not there to meet her, but before the little boy could say anything, Robert opened the bedroom door and walked into the lounge.

  “I don’t know what you are doing here,” he snapped, “You know we are not supposed to be in contact with each other until after the court hearing.”

  Sarah smirked as she twisted her heavily rouged lips.

  “I thought we might have a little tete-a tete, to make sure we each have our questions and answers correct,” she snarled and Robert looked at her with anger in his eyes.

  “Just tell them the truth. That will do nicely madam, if you are able to do that, of course,” he replied and Sarah ignored his remark with a grunt.

  “Oh, I’ll tell them the truth, alright,” she answered, “Of how you couldn’t stand on your feet some nights when you were blind drunk and blamed it on this silly excuse of yours to be ill. Whoever would believe that rot?” At that moment Freya appeared from the kitchen and Sarah spun round on her. “What’s SHE doing here?” she snapped and Freya smiled.

  “I came to see Cameron ... Do you mind?” she asked and Sarah turned away from her as she walked towards Robert.

  “Get rid of her,” she snarled, “I don’t want any third person here when we’re discussing our private lives and certainly not THAT ONE,” she added, pointing a finger at Freya.

  “I have my guests here whenever I wish,” said Robert, “Freya was invited. You weren’t.”

  “Well, she might be wishing she’d stayed away when she hears what I have to say,” added Sarah as she threw her hair away from her face.

  “And what is that, if I may ask,” enquired Freya, watching the reaction on Robert’s face. Sarah turned to face her and sneered.

  “You think you know this man, do you?” she hissed, “but you don’t have a clue. I could tell you things that would make you run out of this flat, I could ... that is if you have the stomach to hear what I have to say.”

  Cameron stared at Freya, but she put her hand out and touched his shoulder.

  “That is no way to talk in front of Robert’s son and you should know that” she said and Sarah laughed.