The Life Of Robert Peterson

by Paul Kelly

  “But she walked out on him,” Freya explained, “She was the one who committed adultery. Surely that must mean something in the eyes of the law, SURELY?” she went on vigorously trying to prove her point, but old, Adams just shook his head.

  “You’re wasting your time and mine,” he said “together with any money you might have to get any further with this case. Once the law has stated the case, there can be no change.”

  “And there was enough money spent in losing this bloody case,” she said in anger. “I’m sure if Robert had known the outcome of this ridiculous farce, he would have walked away and saved himself a fortune.”

  “That’s what he should have done,” agreed old Adams, but his dismissal didn’t appease Freya.

  “If I murder the bitch, would it make any difference? Would she still be the innocent one then?” she asked and the solicitor laughed.

  “Don’t try that or you might find the law will be very much against it,” old Adams said but Freya collected her notes and tape recordings to leave his office as swiftly as she could.

  It seemed that all her efforts were fruitless and yet Freya knew in her heart that any woman who could treat a man as Sarah had done to Robert would have to suffer the consequences of her actions. She felt sure it was only a matter of time before that happened, but Freya was impatient. She despised Sarah as much as she loved Robert, but it seemed that her actions and her desire to help Robert had turned sour. She felt sure the law was indeed an ass as she went back to her flat to contemplate what else she might try and strangely enough just as she went in through the door to the flat, the phone was ringing.

  “Hello ... Hello,” Freya called out but no one was there to answer her call. “Hello,” she called out again even more loudly and a faint little voice asked if she was speaking to Mrs. Peterson ...

  Freya delayed a little before she could think of the best way to answer her call. It was confusing and she wondered who on earth would want to speak to her, IF she was Robert’s wife. “I am a friend of Robert, I am not his wife,” she replied and the voice at the other end of the telephone answered more positively this time.

  “I am Mrs. Smithfield,” she said, “Mrs. Sheila Smithfield. I am the wife of Sarah’s first husband, Tony ... I have heard of the circumstances regarding Robert and his wife but I would prefer not to say where I got the information. Sufficient for me to say, that when this individual was married to Tony, she led him a dog’s life and went off several times during the time they were married.”

  Freya stood still for a while with the telephone in her hand, unable to believe what she was hearing.

  “You are the wife of Sarah’s first husband, is that correct?” she asked and the answerer came back in the positive, with a little more than Freya expected, but she had guessed from what Sarah had told her in the past, even if she knew that it was Sheila Smithfield who was speaking to her.

  “Yes, my name is Sheila” replied the caller “but Sarah was only married to Tony for six and a half months before she walked out and left him for someone else”

  Freya sighed with relief. Was this the news she was waiting for? Was this the gateway to Robert’s release and if Sarah had done to Tony Smithfield what she had again done to Robert, wasn’t this a weak link in her chain?

  Freya already knew much of what Sheila Smithfield had told her and she knew that the same Sheila had written to Robert, hoping to help him and sympathize with his problem. Cameron knew all of this and had happily passed the information on to Freya ... she remembered with delight.

  “You are very kind to let me have this information, Sheila. May I call you Sheila. I don’t know you,”

  Sheila was quick to come back with her answer “Please do,” she replied, “and I would also like to tell you that Sarah never wanted children in her marriage to Tony, although Tony did and now Tony and I have two children of our own since we got married. Apparently Sarah makes a habit of doing what she has done to Tony and Robert and we honestly believe she has done it even before she married Tony. She certainly has had many affairs both before and after she married my Tony and I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t have affairs when she was married to Robert.”

  Freya could have jumped for joy when she heard that.

  “Sheila, she left Robert very soon after they were married and now she has gone off with a man much older than herself, but she says that she is living with a female friend ... for the court purposes of course.”

  “I am so sorry to hear that, but I am not surprised,” said Sheila ... “By the way, I have been so annoyed and disgusted with what I heard that I have forgotten to ask your name. I am sorry.”

  “My name is Freya and I am just a friend to Robert. He is very upset about the breakup of his marriage, although he would never have Sarah back again, even if she begged him. He is very low at the moment and he tells me he will never marry again ... and who can blame him for thinking like that. Sarah just got up, one morning in the house they shared and gave Robert a note which said she was leaving him and that she would not be coming back, but she did not add that she was seeing another man,”

  “The story is very familiar,” said Sheila. “Tony got a shock when he discovered the note just as I am sure that Robert did. Tony didn’t suspect there was anything wrong with his marriage to Sarah until this same thing happened to him.”

  “I think,” Freya went on, “well, I’m sure that Robert was in love with Sarah when she walked out on him, because even now he doesn’t like anything said about her, but ...” Sheila interrupted Freya at that point which made her raise her eyebrows in added surprise.

  “Tony felt exactly the same and for a while I found him in the same frame of mind about a future marriage as you tell me that Robert is experiencing, but I was deeply in love with Tony and very soon he realized that he loved me too. Our marriage is nothing like the one Tony had with Sarah. We really love each other and our lovely children.”

  Freya smiled. How beautiful it was to hear those words.

  “You are very lucky, Sheila. I too am in love with Robert, but he says he would never marry again and although we are close ... in a sort of friendship way, I don’t think he will ever change his mind. He has been so hurt in what Sarah has done to him and it has put him against women in general ... with regards to anything as close as marriage, anyway.”

  “I am sorry about that,” replied Sheila, “but I can understand how he feels. Freya can I ask you a question ... a very private question please?”

  “Yes of course you can.”

  “Are you REALLY in love with Robert Peterson?”

  Freya sobbed as she tried to answer Sheila’s question. She dried her eyes and spoke as closely as she could into the phone.

  “Yes, I am very much in love with him and he knows it. I have told him how I feel, but I don’t want to be demanding.”

  “Do you think he could be in love with you, regardless of what he says about women in general?”

  Freya dried her eyes and thought for a moment before she replied, “I think so from some little things that have happened between us, but then he pulls away quickly and gets drawn into his own thoughts.”

  “Freya, from what you tell me, I would say that he DOES love you but you may have to be a little more patient. Women like Sarah can hurt any man who thinks he is in love with her and that hurt goes very deep as I have found out with Tony, but don’t give up. Be there when he needs you and even if it seems that he doesn’t need you.”

  Freya was delighted to hear what Sheila had to say to her.

  “Thank you Sheila. Can I tell Robert that you have phoned me? I don’t suppose he will know you, but I think he knew that Sarah had been married before and that the marriage hadn’t worked out.”

  There was a long silent pause before Sheila spoke again.

  “Freya, I have already written
to Robert as I thought it might be a help to him in the divorce court, but of course, by all means tell him that I have been in touch with you. Here’s my phone number and I already have yours. Tony knows I am phoning you and he says he wishes Sarah in hell. Give our love to Robert.”

  Before Sheila could ring up, Freya swiftly asked her how she got her name and how did she know to contact her on the matter.

  “The little boy’s name is Cameron, isn’t it?” Sheila replied before she put the phone down.

  Freya scribbled the telephone number she was given into her phone pad and danced her way into her kitchen to make a cup of tea.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Freya wondered if she should tell Robert about her telephone call from Sheila and thought if she did, it might get young Cameron into trouble, as he obviously was the source and bone of contention when it came to Sheila getting in touch with her. She had wished she had asked Sheila to get in touch with the lawyers dealing with the case as her information and experience could well stand Robert in good stead, but then again ... did Robert know Sheila, even if she was Sarah’s first husband’s wife. Did he even know Sarah’s first husband other than just to have heard that he did exist?

  Freya knew she would have to tread lightly on what information she had, but she had more of a footing with Robert with all that she knew and she was pleased about that.

  She was just debating with her thoughts when the telephone rang again and a little voice called out to her, “Its me, Freya, the handsome man in your life,”

  She laughed into the phone, “I thought that young man in my life would have been at school today,“ she replied “and I hope I am the only woman in your life, Sire,” she replied to which Cameron stifled a giggle for a moment before he shouted into the telephone “I’m home for the weekend and you’re only six hundred and sixty at the last count,” he screamed, “The other six hundred odds are still at that old school,” and Freya pretended she was about to cry. “You are so unkind Sire. Why only yesterday I was five hundred and something. You must be very popular indeed with the ladies, that’s all I can say, but tell me, are you alright and is your daddy feeling any better today?”

  That last remark made both she and Cameron a little more composed and the little boy replied in a more serious note that his father was indeed much, much better than he had been the day before, but that he knew that a certain lady in his life was missing and he also knew that his daddy would love to see her again soon. Freya listened to the ‘plea’ as she shuffled to struggle into her coat. Within half an hour she was at Robert’s flat and Cameron came to the door with his usual greetings. Robert had just come out of the bath as she arrived and he apologized for being half dressed, but he really only had a dressing gown on and everything else was missing.

  “I was feeling a little down this afternoon,” said Robert as he tightened the belt on his dressing gown, “and I thought a good soak might help me to get through the day a little better.”

  Freya raised her eyebrows as she glared at Robert’s ankles and gave a low whistle.

  “I would have got dressed had I known you were coming round,” he said, but Freya waved her hand in the air.

  “It was a last moment thought,” she said as she turned to look at Cameron who was sitting on a cushion by the door and she began to think how best she could present her ‘problem’ to Robert. She already knew that Robert had received a letter from Sheila and that referred to Sarah and her marriage to him, so why did Sheila ring her about the same problem? It was all a mystery, unless Sarah wanted to cause further trouble where she was involving young Cameron into the picture ...

  “Robert,” Freya did a twirl around the room in front of the fireplace, trying to think of the best way to tell Robert what was on her mind. “Robert, you told me that you had received a letter from the wife of Sarah’s first husband, I think his name was Tony, am I right?”

  Robert yawned as if whatever he was about to hear would be old hat and very much history, but he nodded and added that Tony’s wife was named Sheila.

  “Sheila,” said Freya as she turned to face Robert, “that’s a nice name for a girl,

  don’t you think?”

  “Yes, I suppose it is, but why all this interest in Sheila and Tony?”

  Freya sat down beside Robert as she cocked her head to one side.

  “I had a telephone call from Sheila this morning and I wondered why she should want to get in touch with me as I’ve never met her and would never have even known about her if it wasn’t for you.”

  Robert threw back his head and snorted aloud.

  “That’s my wizard of a son Cameron again, I’m sure,” he mumbled as he ran his fingers across his lips. “Cameron, could you please leave the room for a few moments? I need to talk privately to Freya.” Cameron walked away in silence, but he gave Freya a strange look as he left the room. “and close the door behind you,” added Robert.

  Freya looked into Robert’s eyes as she crossed her legs and waited for an explanation.

  “The culprit is Cameron. Of course, it must be him. Who else could it be?” asked Robert, but Freya touched his hand and asked him not to be angry with the boy.

  “Robert, Sheila told me quite a lot and some of the things she said would certainly go down well for you in the court,” she said, but Robert shook his head slowly.

  “A woman can do things in a court room that would be considered impossible anywhere else,” he said, “and even when the judge is herself a woman, it doesn’t seem to make any difference. Freya, Sarah has cleaned me out. She has won. She can have the flat and anything else she wants. I just wish she would clear out of my life for good. I wish she would leave me alone. I’m sick of her. Even her name makes me want to vomit.”

  Freya listened carefully to what Robert had to say and she wished she had some way of helping him. Everything seemed so dark and then she remembered it was always darkest before the dawn. It was that exact moment that the telephone rang and Robert stretched across the settee to answer it.

  “Hello ... Hello ... Yes, I am Robert Peterson ...”

  Freya sat back in her chair waiting for what was to be heard from this telephone call and from the look on Robert’s face it seemed to be important; very important indeed.

  “I can’t understand what you mean, Sir,” Robert went on as he reached forward to get some writing paper and a pen from the little table nearby, “Can you just say that again please?” At that moment Cameron appeared from the bedroom and looked anxiously at Freya who put her forefinger to her lips to prevent Cameron talking. Robert put the telephone down and stared into space.

  “Robert, are you alright?” asked Freya as Cameron looked about him in confusion.

  “Daddy ... are you alright? You look so pale.”

  Robert stretched his right hand out to touch Cameron and held Freya close to him with his left.

  “I ... I have had some bad news and I should have gone to the police station, but.”

  Freya rubbed his hand in hers. It was cold.

  “Let me drive you there,” she said hastily, without thinking that she hadn’t driven for some time, but Robert shook his head slowly.

  “It’s no use now,” he replied, “Sarah has had an accident ... well the police think she has. They have found something that belongs to her and she is in hospital with serious head wounds.”

  Freya gasped and Cameron held his breath.

  “What ... how did this happen?” Freya and Cameron asked their question simultaneously, but Robert kept shaking his head.

  “Cameron, can you get me a glass of water please?” he said and the little boy rushed into the kitchen as Robert turned to Freya.

  “The police are coming to see me this morning,” he said, “They think I am still her husband.”

  “But surely that cannot be. Not after all th
is divorce business that’s going on,” snapped Freya, as if she was personally annoyed at the suggestion by anyone that Robert and Sarah were still an item, but she stopped talking as Cameron returned from the kitchen with a glass of water for his dad.

  Five minutes later there was a knock on the outside door and Freya went to answer it only to return seconds later with two burly men who were obviously from the Law.

  Robert sighed and drank his water while Cameron scratched his head and asked if there was anything else he could do.

  “”That’s a good boy,” said Freya, “perhaps you and I should go into the bedroom for a little while, yes?” She nodded towards the bedroom door as she spoke and hoped Cameron would get her meaning.

  “Do you mean that we should ...?” Cameron stammered and Freya took him by the arm before he could say any more.

  “Yes, that’s right,” she replied and guided the little boy into the bedroom before she closed the door behind them.

  “Is daddy alright in there with those two men?” asked Cameron and Freya nodded as she gestured for Cameron to keep his voice low.

  “We might be able to hear what’s going on, if we keep quiet and with our ears to the door,” she said and both she and Cameron crouched down on their knees.

  “Sometimes it’s better if you hold a tumbler to the wall,” whispered Cameron and Freya looked at him in surprise.

  “Where did you learn that trick?” she asked and the little boy touched his nose with his forefinger,

  “We do it at school sometimes when one of the boys is being questioned by one of the masters.”

  “Well we don’t have a tumbler, but there’s a vase over there with some flowers in it. Would that do?”

  Cameron looked around the room before he answered.

  “It could have done I suppose if the flowers were artificial as then we wouldn’t have any water to throw out.”