How Will I Know

Chapter Forty-Five: Robin's Secret

"Hello this is the van Persie household... Elena speaking," she said answering the phone, she was home alone since Robin was locked away in a hotel until after the match against West Brom and the children were with her parents. 

Elena hadn't been expecting any calls and she was enjoying her quiet morning while she had the chance, she could only imagine what would happen when Robin's family came to visit next week. 

"This is Charles Lewis... I was wondering if I could speak with your husband, Mrs. van Persie?" the man said making Elena frown, she could tell it was urgent and his accent made her wonder why someone from London was calling Robin. 

Everyone knew that Robin was away playing in a match, all his close friends from London were footballers as well and they all had matches to play just like he did. 

"I'm sorry he's not here at the moment... is there a message that I could give to him?" Elena replied carefully picking up the pen and paper that lay near the phone while she heard the man on the other end mumble something to someone. 

"Could you tell him that Police Sergeant Charles Lewis called... and that he needs to call back as soon as possible," Charles said making Elena nod as she wrote down the man's details; she wondered why a Police Sergeant from London was calling her husband. 

Once she had disconnected the call, Elena stared at the details that she had written down and tried to figure out what the man wanted with Robin; the brunette knew that it couldn't have been good if he wanted Robin to call him back.

***

"Maybe it's something to do with Ewan, he's a police officer right?" Coleen suggested sitting next to Elena, who nodded as they watched their husband's warm up for the match against West Brom on the television. 

Elena had confided in Coleen about the phone call when Coleen had joined her to watch the match at home since Elena's parents were taking the children to the match; it was strange to have some time to themselves for once. 

"I don't know... I feel like he's keeping something from me lately," Elena mumbled making Coleen furrow her brow concerned for her friend; she didn't want the young woman's marriage to fall apart especially after everything that the couple had been through. 

Forcing a smile as she looked at Coleen, the players on the television prepared for the start of the match, Elena watched for a moment before shaking her head; she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something. 

"It's been ever since my parents were in that crash, he's been so over attentive," Elena insisted making Coleen nod remembering something that Wayne had said about Robin's behaviour since the couple had returned to Manchester.

The two friends were silent for a moment before Coleen looked at Elena, wondering if Elena remembered reading something in the news a couple of years ago. 

"Do you remember back in 2006, just after that media storm about him being arrested for rape?" Coleen asked making Elena furrow her brow trying to remember the story that her friend was talking about. 

When it was clear that Elena didn't remember, not that Coleen blamed her it had been six years ago, Colleen set down her glass before she tried to jog Elena's memory.

"It was just after New Year January 2006... Robin had been out to celebrate something with Bouchra and two of their close friends; when the man driving lost control of the car," Coleen revealed making Elena stiffen recalling what her friend was talking about and it made her a little nervous. 

Robin's friend who had been driving had crashed the car, which killed his fiancée while Bouchra walked away with minimal injuries; Robin had fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot and had missed most of the season due to his injury. 

Elena nodded attempting to remember the names of the man that had been driving and the woman that had been killed; she had been working at the hospital where the crash victims had been rushed and had worked on one of the victims. 

"The man driving tried to blame Robin for what happened... but he was charged for drunk-driving and death by dangerous driving," Elena mumbled making Coleen nod, she wondered if that had been the reason that Robin had become so protective of Elena; that he was worried that the man would come back for her. 

Elena tapped her fingers as she tried to recall the man's name, it was going to annoy her until she figured it out; she wanted to know what was going on.

***

Arriving home Robin sensed that something was wrong as Cookie rushed to greet him, he furrowed his brow wondering where his wife could be; he was glad to be home and he knew that his in-laws still had the children.

The match had been a success and Robin wanted nothing more than to hold his wife; he had missed her while he had been locked away in the hotel for the night. 

"Charles Lewis phoned for you," Elena revealed making Robin jump as she appeared behind him, the footballer paled slightly at the name; this was clearly going to be a long talk. 

Staring at his wife as she leant against the archway that led into their living room from the front hall; Robin had a feeling that she wanted answers. 

"I can explain," Robin mumbled softly setting down his bag, he knew that he shouldn't have kept this from her but he had done it for the right reasons. 

"Elena, I didn't want my past to haunt us," Robin insisted moving into the living room with her so that they could sit down on the couch and have this talk. 

Robin sighed sitting down on the coffee table across from her and ran a hand through his hair, he had prayed that this day would never have to come.

"I wasn't driving... we had gone out with Ewan and his fiancée Francesca to celebrate me and Bouchra working through our problems at Bouchra's insistence and we'd all had a bit too much," Robin said recalling the night that had changed his life forever and he knew it was time he talked about it. 

It slowly started to dawn on Elena that Ewan had been behind a lot more than she had realised, she felt sick and she hated to think what could have happened. 

"Ewan swore that he was okay to drive and I let him... we were about half way home on a snowy road when he lost control and ploughed straight into a tree. Francesca was killed on impact," Robin continued imagining how mangled her impaled body had been as he had been pulled from the car and Bouchra's screams still ringing in his ears. 

Elena watched him sadly as it all fell into place, Ewan blamed Robin for the crash, even though he had been the one driving that night and had killed his own fiancée. 

"It's okay," Elena whispered moving to comfort Robin, she wrapped her arms around him as he sobbed; he was lucky enough to get away with a fractured fifth metatarsal. 

"It wasn't your fault Robin," Elena reassured hating that he blamed himself for the crash, she kissed the top of his head as she held him; she loved Robin and didn't know what she would have done if he had died in the crash.