The Life Of Robert Peterson

by Paul Kelly

  A week later she was sitting in the cafe staff room about to arrange a visit to see Cameron when Jenny came crying to her again.

  “Jenny, whatever is the matter? You haven’t heard from that creep again, have you?”

  Jenny broke down and sobbed on Freya’s shoulder.

  “I’m pregnant,” she said with a broken voice and sobbed all the more.

  “But ... but how can you tell, Jenny? You told me only last week that it was six weeks since you were with this guy. Surely you can’t be sure if you are pregnant or not in this short time?”

  “I’ve done a pregnancy test with one of those things you buy at the chemist,” Jenny replied and Freya made her sit down. “It looks as though old Buggerlugs is gonna be lookin’ for another waitress after all, isn’t it?”

  Freya patted Jenny’s hand and suggested she should have a coffee and a long rest in the staff room before they discussed the matter any further, as she was sure ... or at least HOPED she was sure that Jenny was mistaken, when she thought of the intended visit of her friend to Robert at his flat. Things seemed to be in such a mess, just when she was thinking that everything was turning out alright again. It couldn’t be Robert, she told herself . . . It just couldn’t be ... she repeated in her mind again and again, but there was no final conclusion to her thoughts.

  Sometime later when the cafe was less crowded and as she approached the rest room quietly, she could hear Jenny snoring loudly and to her amazement as she turned round, she could see Robert standing in the doorway of the cafe and for a moment she didn’t know what to do. She could hardly interrupt Jenny’s sleep, but on the other hand, she couldn’t ignore Robert. He smiled at her as he walked towards one of the tables in the corner of the cafe; the one near the window where she had first met him.

  “I didn’t expect to see you today,” she said, “What with Cameron being just out of hospital and ...”

  “Rita is with Cameron at the moment,” he replied. “I had no idea she was coming, but apparently she went to the hospital and found he had gone home. Then she wheedled my address out of the authorities there as only she could,” he went on, but Freya felt guilty when Robert said that, for hadn’t she done exactly the same? “So you see Rita is spending a few hours with the boy,” continued Robert “and I thought as you’d been fired ...” Freya froze where she stood.

  “I think you may have wasted your journey, Robert, You see Jenny is not on duty at the moment,” she lied to him wondering what on earth she was doing. She wanted to know what was going on between Robert and Jenny and this was her perfect chance, but she was afraid. She didn’t want to know what Robert did in his spare time any more. It was his business and none of hers, she concluded, but before she could think of any further excuse, a voice could be heard at the other end of the cafe,

  “I’m feeling a lot better now Freya, so if you want a break, I can take over from here.”

  Jenny stood as large as life in front of Freya with a broad smile on her face. “Can I get you something Sir?” she asked, spotting Robert immediately who was already sitting at his table and he ordered a large coffee, black with little sugar.

  “Certainly Sir and would you like anything to eat?”

  “No thank you,” he replied and Freya looked from Jenny to Robert and back again, just as Jenny went off to get the order.

  “Is that Jenny?” asked Robert, “Is she the girl who needs some help, which I don’t think I can give,” he asked, but Freya smiled.

  “No, Robert. She’s alright now. I think she went to a professional consultant somewhere in the city with her problem and she seems to be O.K. now. I’ll just go and see that’s she’s O.K. if you will excuse me. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  Freya could have jumped for joy when she went into the kitchen, but instead, she threw her arms around Jenny and kissed her on the cheek.

  “What the hell’s that for?” asked Jenny, but all Freya could answer was, “That’s for just being you. I love you.”

  Jenny laughed. “Is that the guy you asked me to look out for some time ago? He’s a cracker, that’s for sure.” she said and rubbed her hands with glee.

  “I thought perhaps that he was the one who made a pass at you, Jenny. I’m sorry.” said Freya, but Jenny laughed even more.

  “If he had,” she went on, “I wouldn’t have let him slip through my fingers and that’s for sure too. Go for it, Freya. Go get him girl.”

  Freya could hardly contain her happiness, as she skipped back into the cafe to the table where Robert was sitting.

  “Jenny will be back with your coffee in a moment,” she said, realizing that it was she herself who should have brought the coffee to him, but she was totally in a daze and wasn’t thinking properly.

  “I hope Jenny has got over her problem, Freya. She seems a rather nice girl, but so different from you.” said Robert and Freya looked at him in surprise,

  “Different from me,” she asked, “In what way different?”

  “Well she talks a lot more than you do for a start and I know when I came in here once before and was looking for you, she was reluctant to let me leave the cafe, even after I’d paid for my coffee and was anxious to go.”

  “Yes, Jenny is more friendly than I am, I suppose. She is a very lively character and we get on very well.”

  Robert did not answer as he rose to leave the cafe, but as he was standing by the door, he turned to look at Freya again.

  “If you would like to come and see Cameron, just let me have a time that suits you. I am not working until he is completely well again,” he said and Freya agreed.

  “I shouldn’t have any trouble arranging a time now, as Mr. Haggerstone understands the situation, so I should be O.K., but please, if it is not suitable to you or to Rita, just let me know.”

  “Rita will pose no problem. She will soon be off again when she knows that Cameron is well. Bye,”

  “Bye, Robert. See you again soon.”

  Freya shot into the rest room to give Jenny her good news, but found her crouching in a corner.

  “Jenny, Jenny, whatever is the matter. Let me help you up.” she screamed, but Jenny kept on feeling her stomach as she groaned.

  “Is it ... .?” asked Freya and Jenny nodded,

  “I told you a little white one, Freya,” she said in a weepy voice. “I’m not six weeks gone. I went to a clinic yesterday and when they examined me they told me I was more than six weeks pregnant. I think it’s more like eleven or even twelve weeks,”

  “But I thought you said you and this guy who should be the father were together only a short time ago?”

  “That was another guy,” said Jenny, “Please don’t be angry with me Freya. I was with a guy a long time before this last one that I thought was the father. I think I know who the father is now, but I can’t trace him.”

  “Jenny ... You worry me. I do wish you would be more careful. Did this chap ... the one you think might be the father, give you his address or telephone number where you could contact him?” asked Freya, but Jenny grinned.

  “Do they ever?” she snarled, “Once they get into your knickers, you might as well say T.T.F.N as you’ll only see them again when they want more, but they never leave any trace of how or where you can find them.”

  Freya ran her fingers through her hair.

  “Jenny ... if you know all this, why do you take the chance and go with them? Surely you can find some decent chap who will stay with you?”

  “Where can I find a decent chap? Do you know any?” asked Jenny with a sad look in her eye and Freya smiled.

  “I might do, but I’m not sharing,” she replied.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Freya tried to make a telephone call one morning when she was at home in the flat, to see if she could arrange to visit young Cameron, but it was a few moments bef
ore she could get an answer ... and when she did, she was delighted to know that it was Cameron himself who spoke. She recognised the sweet little voice immediately.

  “Cameron, I know that’s you,” she said, “How are you darling? daddy told me you were getting better, but I thought it would be nice just to phone and speak to you myself and then I would know that you were O.K. You sound as if you are well again and I am so glad.”

  Freya could hear a little cough before Cameron spoke to her.

  “Yes, Freya. I am fine now and daddy has been very kind since I came home from the hospital. You could speak to him yourself if you like. He’s playing next door in the lounge.”

  Freya was confused for a moment when Cameron told her that his daddy was ‘playing’ in the lounge until she could hear the faint strains of a violin in the background.

  “Oh! don’t disturb him darling. I can speak to him another time. I just wanted to know how YOU are and if I could come and visit you sometime.”

  “That would be nice,” Cameron replied. “You can come any time. When will that be?” he asked and at that moment the sound from the violin stopped.

  “Is that you Freya?”

  Freya smiled and wet her lips. She was delighted to speak to Robert again.

  “I was just phoning to see how Cameron was,” she said, but in her heart, she was glad that Robert had come to the phone himself,

  “He’s a lot better now, thanks and I think you were trying to make a date with him. Is that right?” Freya laughed, assuring Robert that Cameron was her best boy at the moment and that she would love to see him anytime.

  “Will tomorrow be O.K. Say anytime after ten?” he asked.

  “Yes, that’s fine ... Oh! and whilst I’m speaking, Will you play something for me on your violin when I come?”

  There was another silence for a few seconds and then Robert came back.

  “Cameron says yes, you can hear me play, but only if you are a good girl ... and you’re tone deaf ... is what I would say.”

  Freya laughed again. “I’ll do my best to behave myself and I’ll wear my Sunday best hearing aid,” she said, “and I look forward to my visit tomorrow. Bye Robert, Bye.”

  ***

  The following morning couldn’t come soon enough for Freya and that evening before the visit, she sat up in bed, wondering what she would wear; what she would say and what she should bring the little boy.

  ***

  As she approached the flat, she opened her handbag to glance at her face in the mirror, before she checked to make sure she was at the right address, but as she came nearer, she saw Cameron in the doorway, waving frantically at her and she grinned with pleasure.

  “I just didn’t want you to go past our flat,” he said and his eyes lit up as Freya approached.

  “I wouldn’t do a thing like that,” said Freya, “Not with such a handsome boy inside, would I?”

  At that moment, Robert appeared in the doorway and welcomed her inside.

  “He’s so excited at meeting you again,” he said and Cameron grabbed Freya’s hand as he led her into the lounge.

  “I’ve got a pet to show you,” he shouted with glee as he danced around the room, “But you’ll have to come into the garden as we can’t keep him in the house. His name’s Frankie and he’s so lovely.”

  Outside in the little garden at the back of the flat, Freya could see a hutch in the corner where two large eyes stared at her as she came near.

  “Oh! he’s beautiful,” she said, as she came nearer to the rabbit. “And he’s so white and clean looking. Do you look after him yourself?”

  Cameron assured her that he did, but that daddy had to keep an eye on Frankie when he was being fed, since he was inclined to go for a run around the garden and could quite easily go for a visit to the next door neighbour and might not want to come back.

  “Oh I am sure he wouldn’t want to run away from you, Cameron. I’m sure he loves you.”

  “Yes, I think he does because I love him and daddy lets me take him out for a little walk around the house sometimes in the evenings when he’s practicing his music.”

  “That’s lovely and I’m sure Frankie likes it.

  At that moment Robert appeared and offered Freya some tea, but she declined the offer, saying that she would like a cuppa but only if she could have a musical background, preferably someone playing the violin and Robert bowed in front of her.

  “I’ll get the tea made first, he said, “I’m better at that than playing,” he added modestly.

  “Daddy plays the violin beautifully Freya,” added Cameron with great enthusiasm, “and he’s teaching me how to play too.”

  “Well now, I’ll be able to hear two musicians this morning, instead of one then, won’t I?”

  Cameron grinned but Robert blew a raspberry as he brought a tray into the lounge.

  “Have you been playing long?” asked Freya and Robert smiled.

  “Too long,” he replied, but Freya was persistent. She really wanted to know more about this man than he was prepared to tell her. They drank their tea and Freya got herself settled comfortably on the sofa whilst Cameron sat beside her, but his legs seemed to move in her direction until he eventually was half on her knee.

  Robert snuggled his violin under his chin and lifted his bow. Within a few seconds, Freya heard him play and she was amazed. She had heard the violin being played before, but it always sounded like a screechy noise and she was reluctant to tell Robert what she thought of violin playing in general, which was a very good thing for her, as she would have had to make a very great apology and feel ashamed of herself. Robert did play beautifully, just as Cameron said he did. The notes were clear and pure and although Freya had heard the piece he played somewhere before, she could never have told him who composed it or anything else about it for that matter. She knew she was ‘illiterate’ with regards to classical music, but she simply loved what Robert played and after a few moments, he stopped.

  “Did you recognise it?” he asked and it was Cameron and not Freya who answered. “The Romance, by Dvorak ... now can I play please?” he shouted and Robert grinned with enthusiasm when he handed the violin to his son.

  “Now stand up straight, just as I have told you,” he said, “And get the violin under your chin as you know how,” he added handing Cameron a little handkerchief to stick under the violin before he put it under his chin.

  “Are you ready?” He asked Cameron and the little boy nodded, making the violin shake a little.

  “Alright now. Take your time and do exactly as I have taught you,” said Robert and he turned to Freya. “Cameron tends to rush into things and I keep telling him you have to crawl before you can walk ... but he wants to run all the time.”

  Robert sat on the sofa with Freya as Cameron stood in the middle of the room and coughed before he started to play ... as all good musicians do, but Freya was equally amazed at the results of Cameron’s ‘immature’ playing on his dad’s violin. Certainly there was a variation of notes, that made Robert cringe, but on the whole, it was agreed that Cameron had improved and he got through his ‘Romance’ with little difficulty. It was when he insisted in giving a rendering of an Irish jig that Robert had to help him out and everyone laughed.

  “Have you been teaching violin for a long time, Robert,” Freya asked and Robert looked to the ceiling as if he would have to think hard before he could answer her question.

  “I studied the violin when I was eleven, but I should have started much earlier than that,” he said. “Some of my pupils are as young as seven or eight.”

  “And do you teach in a school? I mean, you must be a school teacher, are you not?” Freya asked and again Robert paused before he answered.

  “No, not exactly. Yes, I teach, but not in a school. I teach in five schools as I am self employed
.” he said and Freya looked at him in admiration.

  “Do you ever get a pupil who really excels, as I am sure there must be many who just don’t come up to the mark. The violin is a very difficult instrument to master, I should imagine.”

  Robert laughed when Freya asked him that question.

  “You need a good handful of aspirins to teach the violin, I can tell you. There’s more screeching than playing, but you have to expect that.”

  Cameron looked at his dad when he said that.

  “Yes,” he said, daddy is right. There’s an awful lot of screeching when you’re learning, but when you’ve learned, it is quite beautiful to listen to.”

  Robert cocked his head to one side.

  “There you are, “ he said, “Just what I told you.”

  Freya patted Cameron on the head and he grinned with delight.

  “It’s alright for you professionals to talk like that,” she said as Robert turned to her and stroked his violin with apparent pleasure.”

  “I would have chosen some other ‘vocation’ in life, had I known what music was going to do to me ... to my soul.” he said and Freya faced him with curiosity.

  “But you are so talented, Robert. You must be very happy and content with your art and the fact also that you can pass that on to your little boy.”

  “It has its compensations,” he said with a furrowed brow, “Yes, I will grant you that, but it has also brought a lot of pain, Now are you going to drink that tea or not?”

  Freya looked intently at Robert when he said that, but she was too absorbed to think of anything so mundane as tea...

  “If I could play as beautifully as you do, I would be in an ecstasy with joy. I could listen to you forever and a day and never get bored or tired.”

  Robert put his violin back into its case and suggested to Cameron that he might like to play in the garden with Frankie for a little while, but as the little boy left the lounge, Robert turned to Freya.