I laid in bed listening to the silence interspersed with the regular ticking from the clock on the bedroom wall. I opened my eyes to focus on the clock face, it was just after 9am, and I had slept for almost nine straight hours. That was unusual for me as I normally operate on around six hours maximum a night, even then I can wake with a thick head at times. Today I laid in my bed, I looked around seeing the empty space where my wife would have been normally. But these weren't normal times. I sighed as I recalled the events of the past few days and beyond. She wasn't here and probably hadn't really been here for some time in truth. That thought saddened me. The ache in my chest started and my eyes misted with tears for my loss. The loss of my friend and lover, my life, my marriage, my future too. I sobbed as the tears flowed freely, I could not move as my heart broke. The grief overcame me for several minutes as I mourned my loss.
The phone rang, a persistent and annoying ringing, breaking into my reverie and interfering with my misery. The ringing kept on, why won't the machine kick in I thought. Then I roused myself and threw the duvet aside as I swung out of bed and grabbed the handset.
"Hello!" I snarled.
"Rick, you OK, its Patty."
"Sorry Patty, I didn't mean to snap. I am fine really, well no I'm not really it's all been a bit much to handle, I just feel lost or something. I will be OK." I replied not really convincing myself or her.
"Are you up and dressed? If not get dressed and come on over we are having a late breakfast, you need to eat and look after yourself now. We can talk about what you want to happen next, so come on get moving. See you soon we are expecting you."
With that she put the phone down, I stared at myself in the dressing table mirror, man I looked like shit. I sat staring at the gaunt face looking back at me before I shook myself out of the fug and went to shower and get dressed. Fifteen minutes later I grabbed some orange juice from the fridge and gulped it down as I headed out the door. The drive over to my friend's place was strangely relaxing, the window open and my radio pounding out ACDC cooled my mood. As I drove I had time to think about the kids. With all the goings on I had not given either of them much in the way of conscious thought. I would have to do something to contact them both and fast. Ryan was away on a football tour and was due back at the end of next week but I needed to tell him that things had changed dramatically at this end, but how do I tell him what his mother had been doing?
Rachael was another problem she was on holiday with three of her girlfriends kicking up their heels before going off to Uni. I would have to try her mobile but there was no telling if I could get through. The thought of spilling the beans on their mother was not something I relished, they were old enough to understand what she had done but if I couldn't understand why then what chance did they have?
Patty met me at the door, hugged me like a long lost brother, I needed that. She made me feel like I was human and not a failure as a man somehow. She looked at me holding my face so I couldn't avert her eyes.
"You are a lovely man, don't you forget it. Just because Helen has fucked up royally don't think it was your fault or that all women are that way."
"Patty, put the poor man down. Rick come and grab some breakfast." Alfie rolled his eyes at his wife as she stood her eyes misting up.
We sat and ate a hearty breakfast, it was just what I needed after the tension of the past few days.
"Well we are still here mate, no police or anything so maybe things will stay that way, let's hope so." Alfie sipped his coffee as he looked at me.
"Yeah, thanks for everything mate, I really appreciate it, you too Patty. I love the pair of you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah that's enough of all that crap we need to work out what's next."
"Well, I still haven't seen Helen's car arrive home yet so that needs to be sorted. I don't know if I get it towed to her parent's place or just leave it where it is. I don't know how I feel about her at this moment."
Patty looked at me and put her hand on mine.
"Look Rick, it has been a hell of a few days. Maybe you need to take a breather before you do anything else. The first thing is to make sure that George isn't going to cause any further problems and of course you will need to talk to the kids and Helen too. After that are you going to work it out with her or what?
"Patty, I can't get past what she did. Even after last night she still went into this willingly and cheated on me with the two of them and maybe others for almost six months. I can't forgive that however much I love her and hate what she did I couldn't just leave her to be abused could I?"
"Thing is Rick, she may well have submitted to that willingly, we don't really know do we?"
I stared at her as her words sank in, she was right Helen may have wanted to be used like that. It was incredulous to me as she had never shown any signs of wanting that sort of sex before, I had no idea. I began to wonder if I knew her at all.
I sat and stewed over her words.
"That is what worries me if that is the case then I don't know her at all and if she has chosen that sort of lifestyle then I am not a part of it. We are done. I have already started the ball rolling to hit back at her from several directions at once because I can't get past what she has done already without thinking things could get any worse."
"You are going to have to speak to her sometime Rick." Alfie chimed in.
"I don't have to Alfie, if I need to know anything I can talk to her parents or go through my solicitor. The wheels are turning there already as well as the chaos I started amongst her work colleagues and friends. I am trying to decide if her family need to know any more details about what she is like, I did speak to her father and I sent him the e-mail with all the information but I don't think he will look at it unless Helen spins him a real sob story. I will leave that for now but if she pisses me off they will see exactly what she is. My concern now is the kids, luckily they are both away and I don't see the point in telling Ryan until he gets home next week although thinking about it there is always a chance he could hear something through one of the coaches. I will have to contact him urgently I think. Rachael is way back packing and I don't expect another call from her until the end of this week. I will e-mail her and get her to contact me ASAP."
"Want me to call her parent's see how things are Rick?" Patty asked.
"No, that's OK I need to do it. I will fill them in on my plans to tell the kids at the same time."
I sat in the home office and dialled Helen's parents' number, her father answered after two rings.
"Hello, how are things this morning there?"
"Helen is still sleeping, probably a good thing. We will get her cleaned up when she wakes and see what her version of events is. I am sorry son, thank you for what you did last night I hope you don't get into any bother over it though."
"I don't think that will happen, the guys know I mean business now. The fact that I broke up their little party before it got really started I hope will warn them off. We will have to wait and see but there were no police waking me at home this morning anyway."
