Enter Sandman Ch 04

The Bates Estate was the biggest place in town. It was a mansion that everyone called the White House because it was so large. I was headed back to the city to find Susan when I had heard that she was actually at her parents place. I knew her parents fairly well due to the time I had dated their daughter during high school. Her parents were ok to me but I knew they hadn't considered me good enough to marry Susan or anything else for that matter. Susan often told me while we were dating that her parents just wanted her to slum it with me to 'get it out of her system'.

I got to the main house and there was Susan Peterson sitting out on the porch. I climbed out of my car and went over to the porch.

"I heard a rumour you were in town, trouble in paradise?"

"I could say the same to you Susan and no I'm just here to help my dad close up his business"

Susan didn't look real good. She looked pale and nervous. She offered me a drink and I accepted. A nice cold beer was just the ticket. Susan asked me what I was doing there.

"Susan I'll get straight to the point, is Doug fucking my wife"

"Jesus you don't mess around Roger"

"Yeah well it's all around town"

Susan started crying. She explained that she had left Doug and was now living back here. The divorce was only a matter of time. Susan explained that they were forced into marriage and both of them resented the other. Doug began fucking around with other women straight away and didn't hide the fact. In fact I got a nice tip from Susan that he actually had a swank apartment near his office where he bedded his conquests.

Susan being Susan then started having affairs to throw in his face. What a mess. Doug had been persisting in the last two years for a divorce but Susan refused on the advice of her Mom and Aunt. Everything came to a head a week ago when Doug admitted that he was sleeping with Kelly and would be a matter of time before Kelly took her side of the bed over. Enough was enough and Susan packed up and left.

Susan and I talked some more she shed a few tears for Doug's role in my marriage problems but I was beyond caring about sympathy from a Peterson or a Bates. Susan vowed to make Doug pay but again I wanted to exact my measure of revenge on my terms. I wished Susan well and was hopeful that would be the last time I ever spoke to her or saw her ever again.

When I got home my folks had gone out for dinner and there was a note saying Kelly needed to talk with me urgently. I thought to myself fuck that and grabbed a cold beer and sat out on the deck. I switched my mobile phone back on and sure enough there were several missed calls and messages. I couldn't deal with any more today so I switched the phone back off. My folks got home around 10pm by then I was my 9th beer. The phone had been ringing non-stop all night so I ended up taking it off the hook. Dad ended up having a beer with me and I then staggered off to bed.

Next morning I woke with a headache and the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. God bless all the Mothers of the world! I got up had a shower and then sat down with my folks for breakfast, I then headed to the store with Dad to do the final handover with the new owner. We said a sad farewell to the store and were back home in time for lunch.

After lunch dad and I headed out to do some fishing. We had a good talk and he agreed with me that I should confront this business head on and be done with it. The fish weren't biting so we headed home early. When we got home Kelly's new BMW was sitting in the driveway. I steadied myself and walked in the house with Dad. Kelly was on the lounge with a box of tissues and had been talking with my Mom.

Mom looked at me and asked Dad to take her to the store and then they would call around to their friends the Brown's for dinner. When my parents left I asked Kelly if she wanted a drink she said no. I got up and grabbed a beer from the fridge. As I was coming back Kelly ran into my arms and started crying. She said she needed to talk to me.

Kelly started by saying how Susan had phoned her yesterday and told her about the upcoming divorce and wanted to thank her for making me available again. Kelly asked her what she meant and Susan told her that Roger knew all about why Doug was calling late meetings. With that she started calling me straight away leaving endless messages, of which none were returned. Kelly then took a couple of days off and drove straight here to talk with me.

The waterworks started again but I had hardened myself for the truth. I asked her straight out if she was having an affair with Doug. Kelly swore to me she did not have an affair with Doug and they were genuinely late meetings with several other executives also in attendance. I then confronted Kelly about the rumours around town that Doug had started. Kelly was prepared for that as well she said it wasn't Doug but Susan starting those rumours to break us up. Kelly claimed that Susan still loved me and only broke up with me in high school due to the pressure placed on to her by her parents. Kelly also said she had spoken with Doug and would no longer be attending any late night meetings.

Well the story sounded good in theory but I thought it was a bunch of horse shit. Firstly I'm no expert on women but I knew Susan did not love me; I was just a cheap thrill during high school. Susan loved money and power and I offered neither. Secondly I knew Doug Peterson and he hated me and would do anything to spite me. Thirdly the Bates women had a track record as cheats and whores. No this was a fantasy story and I now needed evidence to throw at her. In my mind Kelly was now the enemy but I had to play my cards close to the chest and let her believe all was forgiven and I was no longer suspicious.

I gave Kelly a kiss and a hug and suffice to say the performance I put on, all was soon forgiven. I took Kelly out for dinner that night and thankfully she was too tired to make love. Next morning she left early, happy and smiling after talking to my folks about Christmas arrangements.

I told her I loved her and would see her in a couple of days after we had finalised the arrangements with the store. Dad looked at me funny but was smart enough not to say anything.

With Kelly gone I then placed a call to Sandman, it was time to get him in the game and get his help with surveillance on Kelly.

End of Part 4