Disclaimer: I don't own the boys but thought they would enjoy this story. All errors are my own.
Dedication: To the NYC Fire Fighters, PD, and all those affected by that day and to my brother, a first responder.
Background: Years 2001- 2006 - In my S&H world, the boys survived Gunther to return briefly to the streets, married women who came to them in the aftermath of Gunther, then left the streets but not the force upon the birth of Starky's twins. Starsky married the head social worker, Angela; he met through his rehab process. Hutch met his future wife through the Gunther trial, Megan was an Irish born lawyer working as a researcher for the DA's office, but didn't connect with her until she became friends with Angela through their gym membership years later. Both wives embraced the bond the guys shared and fiercely protected it because they knew it kept them alive. Starky has firstborn twin daughters, Sara and Rachel and a son, Kenny, who was the same age as Hutch's first born son, Davey, and boyfriend to Hutch's daughter, Bridget. Hutch also has niece, Caitlyn, who he adopted after the tragic death of Megan's youngest sister. Starsky's mother, Rachel is still alive and doing well in the Bronx.
September 11, 2001"Dadddyyy," came the high-pitched scream of his eldest as Dave Starsky answered a pre-dawn phone call from New York.
"They'rebombingus, they'rebombingus, Ican'tfindRachel," sobs obscured the rest of the message as Starsky grabbed for his glasses and nudged his wife awake.
"Sweetheart, calm down, daddy can't understand you, sweetie please take a breath, " he waited in terror as his daughter's words started to separated themselves and process in his sleep laden brain. "Now tell me again, where is Rachel?"
"She went to class but the city is being bombed and I can't find her," again sobbing took away the frightened girl's words and breath.
"Angel, turn on the television to CNN," Starksy asked figuring if someone had declared war on New York it would be on the all news network. Sara continued to sob, as her father quietly tried to calm her and make sense of what she had told him until his wife gasped and he turned to see what she caused her to cringe n horror. On the screen was the twin towers on fire and within seconds of turning to see it, Starsky understood his daughter's hysteria as the second plane struck the towers.
"Ohmygod," Starsky gasped as his wife took the phone and demanded that her daughter tell her where she was. Assured that Sara was physically safe, she asked her to explain where she thought Rachel was. Once the distressed child told her that she had gone to class at Barnards College where she was enrolled, Angela calmed and told her to get dressed and keep calling or texting her sister until she reached her. Coming back to his senses, Starsky listened to his wife who was able to calm his daughter enough to get facts from her. "Tell her to go to mom's," he directed as he started to get dressed, picking up his cell phone, he dialed his other daughter's number and could only leave a message also directing her to get in touch with Sara and to go to his mother's place in the Bronx. Upper most in his mind, getting his precious children out of Manhattan but also to get them to the one person on the east coast that he cared about as much. Damn, why did they all have to be so far away!
Starsky took the phone from his wife before Sara hung up so that he could again assure his daughter that all would be well if she followed his directions and stayed in touch. Starsky's voice broke; however, when his daughter tearfully told him that she loved him. "I love you too sweetie pie, tell Pumpkin and Mama that I love them too," he answered as tears fell freely down his face. The terrible realization hit him as Angel wrapped her arms around him for comfort that he could lose part of his family if this was truly war. Wrapped up in each other for a few moments each parent drew strength from the other before Starsky broke the embrace to call his mother.
"Ma," was all he got out before his mother broke down in tears, fear for her granddaughters overwhelming her. "Mama, please listen, I'm not sure what's going on there but I know it's bad. Sara was able to call, but Rach went to class. Mama, are you listening sweetheart?"
"Yes Davey, I'm listening but Davey my babies are in that city, they're not safe."
"I know Mama, I know, I told them to go to you. Do you understand, the girls are coming to stay with you as soon as they can get out of the city."
"Yes, yes, yes, tell them to come to their Mama," Rachel senior babbled overcome with the shock of the attack on New York.
"Ma, the girls will call you and tell you they are on their way when Rach gets out of class okay, do you understand? They will call you," Starsky calmly repeated to his overwrought mother. "I have to go now so stay by the phone, just wait for the girls to call you okay?"
"I understand, Davey, I'll stay right here and wait for their call, I understand," she said more calmly knowing that her oldest was trying to control his own fear and that she needed to help him as well as the girls.
"Thanks ma," Starsky said with some minor relief.
"Davey, I love you," Rachel said as she prepared to say good-bye, "tell Angela and Kenny I love them too."
"I love you too ma," Starsky whispered as he hung up. Immediately he dialed Sara's number to see if she had reached her twin, meanwhile his wife watched for a message from Rachel on both the home and cell phones. He hung up when he got a busy signal and reached for his wife. Sheltered for a moment from the shock of the situation, they failed to hear Kenny come into the bedroom. Only his gasp of horror broke their huddle when they turned to see him watching the news coverage from New York.
"Kenny, don't watch that, come here," Angela said in a soft voice that brooked no denial. Slowly, the teen walked to his mother's side with his back to the television and sat between his parents as they made room on the bed for him.
"What's going on, I heard you talking to grandma?" he asked softly, afraid for his sisters clearly written in his tear filled eyes.
"There's been a disaster in New York. Someone flew two planes into the World Trade Centers and son, there's no easy way to say this, many people may die there. They have also attacked the Pentagon and there … might be more to come," Starsky explained factually and as unemotionally as he could to his now trembling son. "We spoke to Sara and to Mama and Rachel was in class so we know they are safe," he stated emphatically.
Stiffly sitting between his parents, Kenny stoically asked, "Is there anything I can do?"
Smiling warmly at the burgeoning young man, with the little boy face, Starsky said, "I know you and your sisters have secret email addresses so that your mother and I can't spy on you," he paused to watch his son's face turn to him in surprise and then watched him blush deep red. Chuckling, Starsky said, "Use them now and see if you can reach either of them to see if they have found each other."
"Sure dad," Kenny said softly as he began to rise. Putting his hand on the thin shoulder, Starsky stopped him as Kenny raised questioning eyes to him.
"First, let's say a prayer for everyone," Starsky said as he drew Kenny and Angel into a tight circle of love. Then, he sent his son off to the computer after kissing his forehead and telling him that he was loved. Angel scooted over and again took her husband into her arms as he reassured her that her babies were in good hands. The doorbell and opening of the kitchen door caught their attention and they knew it was Hutch, an early riser and no doubt already informed of the tragedy occurring as they slept.
"I'll go make coffee, why don't you get a shower while I listen for the phone," Starsky whispered to Angela who was reluctant to let go of him.
"Okay but you'll get me if the girls call?"
"Absolutely sweetheart." Slowly she rose and left for the bathroom to shower and dress for the day as Starsky walked down to his kitchen to meet his other half. While deeply in love with his wife, Hutch was still the owner of part of his heart and soul. Stepping into the brightly lit kitchen, he saw Hutch finishing with coffee maker. Turning as he heard his buddy, Hutch simply opened his arms as Starsky stepped into his embrace. Hugging him tightly, Hutch assured him that all would be well, that his daughters were strong and resourceful and would be able to take care of their grandmother no matter what came. By the time, Kenny finished with his messages and Angela her shower; Starsky and Hutch had breakfast underway; although none of them were sure they could keep food down. For the next the next half hour they huddled in the family room watching the news, listening for phone calls, and watching for emails on the nearby computer. Little food was consumed but much coffee passed by already nervous lips.
Finally, an hour later, a call came from Rachel senior saying that the girls had found each other and were meeting at the university before riding their bikes to the Bronx to their grandmother's house. She had also heard from Nicky who was in Florida with his own family and had reassured him that everyone was safe … or as safe as they could be under the circumstances. Relief was palpable in the room as Kenny unexpectedly burst into tears, Starsky reached for the boy and said, "I couldn't have said it better," as tears flowed down his face. Hutch slipped out of the house unnoticed as the Starsky family faced yet another crisis together.
Crossing the backyard to his own house on the next block, Hutch found his wife, Megan, waiting with coffee. Just as he had embrace Starsky silently, Megan simply embraced him and held him as his tears soaked her robe. When he calmed, she asked if everyone was accounted for and he assured her that they were accounted for but still in the city, which was in chaos. She assured him that she knew God would protect the girls they loved as much as their own. Together they faced their children, Davey, Bridget, and Caitlyn, who had just woken up for school and tried in vain to remain calm as they explained what happened in New York, Washington and by that time, Pennsylvania. In the living room, Davey and Bridget huddled with their father in front of the television and watched the replays in horror at the destruction and loss of life, while Megan kept their five-year-old adopted niece, Caitlyn, in the kitchen away from the news that was beyond her young psyche. The gloom was broken just a bit when the Starskys arrived and Hutch left his family to dress and go to work. Davey and Kenny sat on either side of Bridget as they held hands and actually prayed aloud while the adults were in the kitchen; it was the only way they could think to keep the twins and Mama safe. When Hutch appeared in the kitchen with his captain's uniform and gun in place, Caitlyn clung to him and begged him to stay. Although she wasn't sure what was going on, she knew everyone was scared and she was sure her adopted daddy should stay home where it was safe. It was Angela who was finally able to convince her that "the men" had to go keep the whole world safe and that they would bake them brownies while they were gone. As they drove away, Starsky and Hutch knew their wives and children would comfort each other and maintain contact with the twins and grandmother they dearly loved.
During the days following the 9/11 attack Starsky and Hutch were busy with security issues in Bay City and the greater Los Angles area. Luckily they also were able, due to their security clearance level, to fly to New York on one of the first flights out of LAX. Within weeks of the attack, they were eating breakfast with the twins and Rachel and arguing about whether the girls should return to LA and enter the fall term at Berkley. While the girls had refused to leave their father's sight for the first twenty-four hours after he arrived, they were now clearly in their grandmother's camp. They argued that they needed to be there for Rachel and that they were safe with her, especially since the country had not been attacked in the weeks since 9/11. After two days of obligatory consulting with the NYC police and meeting with other family members and neighbors, they surrendered the fight with the twins. In the end, it was Starsky's concern for Rachel, who refused to leave her home that made him relent and leave the girls in New York. He was a strong man and he had backup with Hutch but even they were not able to separate his eighty-year-old mother from the only home she had known for sixty years. It was with fear in his heart, but trust in God and a strong hand on his back that got Starsky back on the plane to LA.
The duo was unexpectedly met by US State Department agents when the plane from NY landed. Refusing to go with them until they saw their families, a compromised was reached when they were told they only needed to spend an hour with the federal agents and then were free to go home for the next two days while other officers and agents were organized. Although it was their rank that attracted attention from the upper echelon, it was their legendary reputation for effective command that plucked them from the police department and set them on a path with the federal commission of Homeland Security. Despite their protests, they could not turn down an opportunity to be part of the forces that took back the country from terrorists. For the next two years they worked long hours hand-in-hand with the military, Homeland Security and the local police forces to protect and serve southern CA. Finally they were allowed to return to a more normal life or as normal as life and crime were in the inner city of Bay City. Their return to the force was welcomed by some and rued by others who knew Starsky and Hutch's exacting standards would again make life in the precinct interesting to say the least.
Starsky, Hutch and families welcomed the return to "normal" with a celebratory trip to New York for both families to see the first Starsky daughters graduate from Barnards and NYU in June and to move Kenny and Davey to New York to start school there in the fall. Kenny was pursuing a career in music at Julliard, while Davey was planning to attend to NYU but wasn't sure if he was going to pursue law or social work. Both were spending the summer with Rachel, partly to help her out doing work needed around the old brownstone and partly to enjoy being away from home before they started school. Bridget was devastated by the loss of Kenny, her "boyfriend" of two years, but was also comforted by the return of her "big sisters", Rachel and Sara. Little Caitlyn was excited by all of the changes and willing to trade the boys who often treated her like a football for the twins who treated her like a dress up doll!
Bruised but not bowed, the years after the 9/11 attacks changed the country and the lives of the nation and only years afterwards the scars started to heal and the fears calmed. The young adults in the country looked at the future in a different way and chose some different paths than their parents expected. The children of friends of the Starsky's and Hutchinson's joined the armed forces and some did not return. Funerals were held and hard lessons were learned by the younger children in the family and neighborhood. Life went on in more stressed world, as it shrunk with the growth of the Internet and global economy. No longer did a career mean moving across the country but sometimes moving to a new country. Caitlyn was studying about the middle east in school in a way unlike the older kids and all of the younger generation practiced Spanish at home – much to Starsky's frustration. In his stilted attempts to learn, he was convinced that the children did it just to keep secrets.
"Dadddyyyy", came the breathless scream of his eldest again years later but not in terror but in joy the day she got engaged to her long-term boyfriend. Sara was his shy daughter, the one who kept her own counsel and her sister in line. She was the one who unknowingly followed in the footsteps of Starsky's first love, Terry, when she turned her Psychology degree into a teaching career with special needs students in a new field called "autism". She had moved to San Diego to work in a new school where she fell in love with a fellow teacher. Her early morning call jumpstarted Starsky's heart in an entirely different way than that horrid day years ago but the memory would not be erased.
September 2005By 2005, life had moved on for everyone, Sara was teaching and engaged, Rachel was a young officer on the local police force much to the horror of her father, grandmother and favorite uncle, and Kenny was still at Julliard. Hutch's son, Davey, was pre-law with a plan for career in international service, while his daughter, Bridget, was trying to convince him that the Air Force needed her while she also studied pre-law at Berkley. While it pleased him that she wanted to "protect and serve" in her own way, it scared the hell out of him every time she brought the subject up, but he knew she would do as she wanted in the end. (He knew those flying lessons were not a passing fad as he had hoped.) Caty was only ten so her biggest concern was what to wear to school and how to convince Uncle Starsky to help with her science project. And finally, Rachel senior started to consider moving to CA as she started to slow down and friends moved and other friends died, but she was still thinking! The adults were making vague plans for retirement although no one was really serious yet, so life went on.
As usual Davey and Kenny called home on Saturday morning assuring families of their safety and following the Starsky family tradition of bonding long distance. On a Saturday in September both boys mentioned that they were running a 5K the next day paying tribute to Stephen Stiller, a NYC firefighter who lost his life at the towers. They were doing it with friends from the local fire department by Rachel's house along with friends from both colleges. They learned about it when Rachel told them that she and other ladies from the neighborhood had organized an early morning breakfast before the Tunnel to Towers Run. Then they questioned their friends at the fire company down the street and from there recruited friends and acquaintances from their classes and dorms. Both sets of parents were pleased with the civic mindedness of their boys and their mothers had tears in their eyes when they got off the phone. As husbands teased them, Angela and Megan knew their husbands may not have had tears in their eyes but their chests were puffed out just a bit in pride for the young men they had raised.
As the two families shared an impromptu potluck dinner that evening, Starsky shared his knowledge of the event that the boys were running in the next day. Starsky, trivia buff that he was, probably knew more about the events of 9/11 then many a New Yorker having read and watched everything he could find after the terrible attack on his hometown. He explained who Stephen Stiller was and described how he was on his way home from his shift at the fire station to go golfing with his brothers when he heard the call for help. How, unable to go any further in his truck, he had run from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade center in full 60 pound firefighter gear when he heard help was needed only to lose his life saving others. Leaving behind a wife and five children, his extended family had chosen to honor his life with the Stephen Stiller Run in 2002. They continued to host it each year to remind others that while Stephen was a hero, his loss was not in vain as they urged other to follow his example to help other in any way they could. The community support had grown each year with local support, corporate sponsors and fire fighters from around the country. Community groups were helping with fundraiser and raising the awareness that everyone had a hero inside of them if they took the time to look for opportunities to help their neighbors. As Starsky talked, Caitlyn started to put together the vague memories she had of 911. She thought about that day and all she had learned in the last four years in school about the happenings that day when they held a moment of silence in school each year. Her most vivid memory was of everyone keeping her away from the news and baking brownies with mom and Aunt Angel. During the day, she had used the Internet to do a little research and was so horrified that she stopped reading. It was then that she understood why her parents did not allow her to watch television that week and had taken her to the movies, played games and in general occupied her time. Both families had been inseparable for weeks to come, while the twins stayed with Rachel for a few weeks until commuting to their classes became too difficult and she urged them back to their dorms.
That Sunday morning, they all got up early, gathered at the Hutchinson house, watched the live telecast of the race, and quietly grieved as they watched the cameras pan the banners with the pictures of the fallen fire fighters held by family and fellow fire fighters along the route. Silently they watched as families, friends and strangers walked, jogged, and ran in Stephen Stiller's footsteps. On one couch, Hutch sat with one arm around Caitlyn and one around Megan who's tears he could feel when she turned his face into his shoulder. Starsky and Angela sat across from them on the love seat also cuddled together in shared grief. The twins and Bridget sat on the floor wrapped in robes and blankets with coffee cups clutched in their hands as they quietly avoided looking at each other. All of a sudden they were taken by surprised to see the "California" boys as they ran by one of the reporters. Their grumpy sisters, who only got up to please the fathers, even yelled and cheered their brothers on as if yelling at the television would make a difference. Starsky and Hutch each noticed that they were running side by side and not trying to outrun each other even though it was a "race". Pride and remembrance filled their hearts as their eyes met over the heads of their families. Excited at seeing the boys, the grief was crowed out as the laughing families rose when the race ended and had breakfast together in the large dinning room of Hutch's old farm style house.
At breakfast after much consideration, Caitlyn asked if she could go to NYC to run with her brothers (she never distinguished between Starsky or Hutchinson kids, she was adopted by all of them when she was just a toddler) next year. Hutch just smiled and hugged her saying she would have to ask her brothers. She did not surprise him when she said she would and that she would start training so she could keep up with their long legs. Egging the older girls on, Starsky praised "Shamrock", his pet name for Caitlyn, for her ambitions and patriotism, noting that her sisters would never keep up with the boys. Rising to his sexist comment as he knew they would, there was an all out shouting match challenging him and Hutch to do the race against them next year. Laughing, the husbands were thoroughly trounced by all of the women in the family as everyone went off to start their day. Little did they know that the littlest one would be a catalyst for another family trip to NYC.
"Dad, Dad, Daddy! Listen I'm here and Dave's here, you don't have to get on a plane this minute. Give me an hour and then I'll call you and tell you how Mama is. The doctor promised that he would come and talk to us then. Dad, are you listening? Oh, Uncle Hutch, yeah, Mama is in the operating room now, the doctor said he would be out in an hour to talk to us. Please don't let dad get on a plane yet. Let us handle this and we'll get back to you as soon as we know more."
"Okay, Kenny, I'm going to stay with your dad until we hear from you again, call us on his cell. Thanks for calling and son, thank you for being there. Talk to you soon," Hutch said as he hung up the phone on Starsky's desk and placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder.
"Let's clock out and go home, we can wait there for the boys to call," Hutch said quietly and turned and picked up the phone up again to tell the shift commander and their secretaries that they would be leaving to attend to a family emergency. He turned around and found Starsky across the room speaking softly to Angela on his cell. Once he turned back to him, Hutch took the two steps over and enfolded him briefly in his arms and then turned Starsky towards the door to leave. The drive home was filled with Starsky's chattering on about what arrangements they had to make and how Hutch would need to fill in for him while he was gone. Hutch quietly let him run on about trivial nonsense because he knew it was calming his anxiety about his real concern for his elderly mother. Angela wasn't home from work yet but Megan was and waiting at the Starsky house with lunch and coffee ready when they walked in the door. She knew Starsky probably wouldn't want anything but would need it if he had to go straight to the airport. Twenty minutes later, Angela sat next to her husband at the kitchen table with the Hutchinsons as they waited impatiently for the phone to ring. As talkative as he was on the way home, Starsky was completely wrapped in his own thoughts now as the other quietly made plans.
"Dad, it's good news, Mama had a minor heart attack and they put a stint in and she is resting comfortably," Kenny reported.
"Thank god! Have you seen her yet?" Starsky answered as his wife listened in.
"No, she's still in recovery, the doctor said it would be two more hours before she's allowed visitors but even then she might be out of it. But Dave and I are going to stay," the young man reported with an air of relief.
"Kenny, thank you and thank Davey for me. I'm going to call the airline now and see when I can get there. I'll call you when I know more," Starsky said gratefully. "I love you and tell Mama I love her too."
"I love you too dad, see you soon," Kenny said before hanging up. Davey, like his dad was a few inches taller than his friend, easily wrapped his arms around his best friend as Kenny sagged against him after the long hours of drama for which both young men were unprepared. Who prepares children for the near death of a grandparent? Supporting him gently, Davey walked Kenny over to the waiting room and deposited him on the couch before dropping down next to him still with an arm around him. Glancing at the clock that read amazingly eleven o'clock, he registered how long they had been dealing with this emergency and at the same time, thinking how quickly everything passed. Both dozed off, exhausted by the drama of the early morning call of Rachel's cleaning lady who found Rachel at the kitchen table unable to breath properly at six in the morning on a beautiful April day.
As Starsky and Angela embraced in shared thanksgiving and concern, Megan and Hutch went to the living room to book a flight on the Internet for them to NY. Knowing Rachel's condition was stable allowed they a bit more flexibility and they were able to book a non-stop at 6:15 am the next morning rather than taking the red-eye at midnight that stopped in Houston first. After printing the flight information and discussing what needed to be done while they were gone, Megan and Hutch left for home. Walking across the yards to their own house, they were silent, both thinking of their own elderly parents in Minnesota and Ireland and wondering when they would get that same type of phone call.
When Dave and Angela finally reached the hospital the next day, they were surprised to find Davey and Kenny there, assuming they had gone home after they saw Rachel the night before. Starsky's first questions were about Rachel's condition thinking that things had taken a turn for the worst. Their last discussion the night before was a reminder from him to the boys to go to class, he didn't want them to miss any more school. Both boys answered the rapid-fire questions and assured Starsky that they had in fact been to class and reminding him of the time difference. They were in fact skipping their late afternoon classes, but there was no need for their father and uncle to know that, they wanted to be there for him and Angela. After they saw Rachel and talked to her doctor, they settled down to visit with her and the boys although it was tight fit in the small hospital room. By dinnertime, Rachel ordered them all of her room claiming she needed her beauty sleep, although it was her son and daughter-in-law who looked exhausted. Kissing her and holding her hand a bit too long, Starsky drank in her face and noted, not for the first time, how she had aged since he left the boys with her a few years ago. Agreeing to leave her to her rest and telling her in no uncertain terms that he would be back the next day, Starsky asked about whether a local restaurant near the hospital was still open and as good as he remembered it. Rachel assured him it was and insisted that he take the boys with him even though it was on the expensive side. Eyeing their typical college boy attire, he started to say they weren't dressed for a fancy place, but his mother cut him off reminding him that her friend Mrs. O'Malley still cooked there and to just use her name if anyone objected to her babies eating there! Off the family went as Rachel relaxed and fell asleep from the exertion of their visit.
"Uncle Dave, I think you're right, we're not dressed for McClarney's Pub. Why don't we just go back to our dorm and you and Aunt Angela can have a peaceful dinner?" Davey said knowing the place was pretty expensive, especially given the appetite of two college boys.
Clapping him on his back, "Are you kidding, Mama wants you boys fed well and would kill me if I didn't make sure Mrs. O'Malley fattened you both up!" Starsky laughed and headed them off a few blocks to the pub. Angela dominated most of the conversation at dinner as she supervised that her boys ate enough to last for the next week; she thought they were both too slim for her liking agreeing with Rachel. Starsky, relieved but still concerned for his mother's health, sat back and enjoyed the banter and watched as the boys were as cowed by his wife as he had always been by his own mother (not to mention his wife). So much for men being the stronger sex!
Slipping money into his son's hand, Starsky tried to hail a cab for the boys but both begged off saying the subway was a better choice. They walked off as Starsky and Angela got in the cab for the short ride to Rachel's house, only later realizing that Kenny had not given him the money back!
After visiting with various relative in-between visits to the hospital and arranging for a home health aide, ongoing house keeping, and the visiting Physical therapist, Starsky and Angela reluctantly boarded the plane back to LAX when his mother was home and in satisfactory condition. They had enjoyed being with the boys and Rachel but needed to return to their twins and jobs. At least they knew that they had made a small inroad with Rachel in convincing her to move west now that the boys were close to graduating and at least one granddaughter was close to marriage (and great grandchildren). While she had seen her grandchildren twice yearly, it wasn't the same as living on the same coast. She loved when they came to NY and she didn't actually hate her visits to CA, so maybe….
"Daddy," came the quiet voice of the youngest child as Caitlyn sat in the front seat of the family car as they drove to the airport to pick up the boys at the end of the school year. They would be home for the summer before their last year of school at Rachel's insistence, she didn't want them waiting on her every minute the way they had since her heart attack. She told their parents in no uncertain terms that they needed a break and since neither had been able to get a summer job in NY, there was nothing keeping them with her. Nicky had even backed her up by planning his vacation to visit her while the boys were away.
"Yes, Shamrock," Hutch asked, wondering what the eleven-year-old had on her mind.
"Do you think the boys will let me go back to NY with them so we can run that race?"
"What race?"
"You know the one we watched last year. You said I could run the race if the boys said yes and I've been practicing every day to lengthen my stride like the track coach at the high school said I had to if I wanted to match their long legs."
"When did you talk to the track coach?" her father asked in surprise glancing over at the upturned face of his youngest who never failed to amaze him.
"He came to school to start recruiting the seventh graders and I saw him after class so I asked him. So can I?"
Trying to process this information, he retuned to the original question, "Well you still have to ask the boys and you would have to miss school. Did you really think it be okay the miss school? Seventh grade is a pretty tough year," he hedged, not wanting to be the one to crush her ambition but also not wanting the boys in that position either.
"I checked the airlines, we could fly the red-eye on Thursday, stay with Mama and then I get a day to rest and practice before the race on Sunday. We can leave on the red-eye on Sunday and I'll only miss school on Friday. I would fly alone so you and mom don't have to miss work but I am too young according to the airline, I called them. Bridget can't go because she has school and Sara and Rachel are working, so you or mom would have to go too which I know is more money but I could work extra this summer," she reported breathlessly as her father cut her off.
"Whoa, whoa, Little One, let's take one step at a time and we'll talk to mom and the boys and see if we can work this out. Maybe not this year but maybe next year." Hutch noted pragmatically as he watched the traffic around the airport come to a standstill.
"Nooooooooo, it has to be this year!" the disappointment was evident in her voice as her natural Irish brogue emerged and Hutch glanced over at her again noting the tears that pooled suddenly in her bright green eyes.
"Why?"
"Because the boys are graduating and they won't be there next September," she explained tearfully.
"Oh, I get it, this is your only chance to race against the boys because they might have jobs after this year."
"Yes, now you see, it has to be this year. I'll neverrrrrrrrrr, get to do this again," she said plaintively, dramatically waving her arms as only a soon-to-be teenager can.
"Shamrock, it seems you have put a lot of thought into this and some research so how about we talk about it when we get home. Look there's the boys." Hutch smiled as she was placated by the appearance of her brothers in front of the airport entrance. Maneuvering the SUV into the flow of traffic next to the curb, the boys dumped their luggage in the back and slid in the back seat so that Hutch could get them back in traffic as soon as possible. Pulling on her braids as Caitlyn knelt on the front seat facing them as they slowly made their way to the exit, both boys kissed her hello before her father insisted that she sit back down, as they got closer to the freeway. On the ride home, the talk settled around Rachel's health, their mothers' and sister's well being and nothing of the upcoming race.
A week later the boys settled into the family routine again and found temporary jobs with Megan's office and Angela's hospital. They considered working for their fathers but didn't want to file paperwork and bring them coffee – although this was essentially what they were doing at their mother's offices, it seemed less onerous for their moms. All their free time was spent at the beach courting various girlfriends from high school who they had not seen in the last three years, much to Bridget's consternation, so Caitlyn had little time to approach them about the race. Now that they were home and she saw them run again, she was suddenly intimidated and less sure that she could keep up with them.
By the end of her own school year, Caitlyn got over her initial shyness around the boys, the result of the three years of only occasionally visits, and got back to her plan to race with them in the Stephen Stiller Run. She began to recruit her sisters and talked to her mother and aunt about how they had to show "the men" that they were just as fast and strong. Being the sharp cookie they knew her to be, Shamrock didn't approach the boys until she was sure the women of the family were behind her! As the family gathered together for the Fourth of July barbeque, she decided it was a good time to bring up the NY trip so she managed to find a seat across from the two boys at the picnic table. Using her sweetest voice and best smile, she complemented the boys on their race which pleased them no end. Davey blushed a bit and Kenny's smile could not be wider at the hero worship look she was giving them. Then she pounced with part request to run with them and part challenge that she could keep up.
"You know if you are going to do the race again this year, I bet I could keep up with you if I had the chance to run," she enthused as they smiled indulgently at her.
"I'm sure you could Shamrock but you know this is our last year in NY and you have to stay here for school, " Davey said kindly, thinking that would end the discussion.
"Well, I could come to NY just for the weekend and only miss a day of school. I checked the airlines and Mama said I could stay with her. And I have been practicing," she plowed on breathlessly, "and mom and all the girls in the family think we could beat both of you!"
Both boys looked at each other and then to their parents for rescue but found none forthcoming.
"Well, I don't know Shamrock, we're pretty fast you know. We didn't even really try to win last year but this year, we have a bet with some friends, so we'll have to give it our best. I don't think you could keep up and we couldn't watch out for you. It wouldn't be safe for you to be running by yourself," Kenny stepped in with a soft smile, which only served to inflame the ire of the budding young women.
" I can so keep up with you, I've been practicing and the coach said that I had already lengthened my stride and can match his now," her voice not so sweet and with an edge that only a pre-teen can effect.
"Coach Carrier?" Davey asked wondering what his high school coach would be doing with a middle school student,
"No, his assistant Coach Kate, Coach Carrier said he was too busy this season but he's going to work with me in the fall," Caitlyn shot back, all but sticking her tongue out.
"Shamrock, you 're a four feet nothing girl, I don't think you could keep up, we're guys and our legs are twice a long as yours. I don't know," Kenny started doubtfully and finally his mother stepped in with what he expected would be help.
"Being shorter and being a girl has nothing to do with winning a race. It's speed and endurance and desire! Being male does not automatically make you better," Angela quietly commented igniting a good-natured shouting match between the boys and older girls at the table.
By the end of the evening of badgering, the boys surrendered when they realized their mothers and sisters were in on the conspiracy. They conceded that if Caitlyn could convince their parents to make the trip, they would let her start with them. They told her that she had to bring someone with her so she was not alone when they out distanced her. In true pre-teen form, she assured them that they would eat her dirt because she planned to beat them.
It was only the next day that both boys noticed that neither father had been involved in the discussion. Both fathers, as they drove to work the next day, commented on the conspiracy by the women in the family. At first they were indulging them with little concern for the actual event …they should have known their wives better!
September 2006"Daddy! Daddy! Thank you, thank you, thank you," an excited Caitlyn enthused as they disembarked with the entire family at JFK on a warm Thursday evening in September of 2006. Her parents had decided that their honor student daughter could miss more than one day of the seventh grade. Hugging her and kissing her on her head, Hutch said, "You should really thank your mother and your sister and Aunt Angela and Sara and Rachel. They were the ones to work this all out!"
"I know, I already thanked them before we left. But you came and that's why this is so special!" Caitlyn whispered back bringing tears to her dad's eyes.
"I'm happy to be here Shamrock, happy to make you happy! Let's go find our bags and get the car," he replied as he took her hand, she was after all only four feet nothing, easily lost in the crowded airport.
Meeting up with the Starskys, both families grabbed luggage and headed for the rental counter to pick up the van that would fit all of them. Still a little surprised to find himself in NY again, Starsky just smiled as he gave his credit card to the clerk, proud that he did not did even flinch at the price. He heard the babbling behind him as all of the women of the families talked about seeing Mama and their boys. He and Hutch were still not sure how this trip had transpired but they knew their determined and frugal wives had worked it all out before they could even protest. They just had to give in but had their own surprise that they would spring on them on Sunday. While the intent of this trip was to fulfill Shamrock's wish to run with her brothers in the Stephen Stiller Tunnel to Towers Run, it would actually serve another purpose, as he was there to put his mother's house on the market and start the process of her moving to CA. He knew this was going to be difficult but he knew it was the right move for her. Most importantly, she was ready if not entirely certain.
The weekend moved quickly and the brownstone was entirely too crowed with eight adults and a child but they managed with sleeping bags and blow up mattresses. Friday and Saturday were fairly busy days with lots of food and relatives in between practice runs in the local park. Caitlyn and her sisters helped Rachel bake for the breakfast for the neighborhood firefighters, while the adults interviewed realtors. Starsky and Megan met with one neighborhood realtor, while Hutch and Megan met with larger company from downtown. Then they switched and by noon on Saturday, they had interviewed six different realtors and picked one of the local ones. Saturday night, Rachel filled them with homemade pasta and blintzes and they all headed for an early night to be rested for the run the next day.
While their wives, sons, and daughter argued about who would come in first among the family members, they didn't notice that Starsky and Hutch, who deliberately lagged behind, registered as runners. Approaching the group as they pinned on their numbers, Caitlyn was the first to notice them and began jumping up and down yelling, " Look, look, daddy and Uncle Stars are going to run too!"
Everyone turn to gawk at the sixty something men who joined their fifty something wives who already had their numbers pinned on.
"Hey don't look at us like that, we work out all the time, besides do you think we're going to let these two punks show us up?" Starsky replied with full Bronx accent pointing to the snickering boys.
Turning innocent faces to their mothers, Davey and Kenny, just smiled. It was one thing to run against their mothers who already told the boys and the older girls that they didn't have to hold back, that they would watch out for Caitlyn if she fell behind, it was another to run against their fathers with whom they had no agreement. They had seen their dads in action and knew they might be competition if Starsky and Hutch wanted it to be.
"Yeah," Hutch agreed, "if Shamrock can keep up, I think your old man can too!"
"Now, now, there'll be none of this talk of old," Megan interceded with her Irish brogue more pronounced, "we came to run and may the best man or woman, young or old win!"
"Hear, here!" Angela agreed with a warning look at all of the children, "now let's get in place."
Joining the multitudes at the starting point, the families joined hands and wished each other a good race. They began with a brisk pace eventually letting the boys, Caitlyn, Rachel and Bridget race ahead to be sure Caitlyn did not feel cheated of an actual competition. Sara, and the parents kept a respectable pace, then fell behind but within sight of the others. While in good shape, the elders of the group were not looking for a heart attack. Mama was waiting for them at the finish line with her local nieces and nephews who had come with their children to cheer on the California Starskys, several equipped with camcorders.
Cheers filled the air as the boys and their sisters approached the last few feet before the finish line. Knowing they would lose the bet with their friends but holding family as more important, both the boys and Rachel dropped back a pace or two enough to grab Caty's and Bridget's hands. The news would show the crossing of the five Californians with Caty in the middle with brothers to each side and sisters on their others side. Pictures of Davey swinging his Shamrock up to his shoulders afterwards also made the news as the five yelled and cheered their parents and oldest sister on. Ironically all of the parents and Sara had unconsciously also joined hands, although they did not have to change their pace as they had jogged the entire way at pretty much an equal pace. A reporter's dream shot got her nowhere when the families simply replied that they were there to support the firefighters at the youngest daughter's request but refused a more extensive explanation of their participation. They did say they came from California for the event but that they had familial ties to the great city of NYC. Cheering family and a weeping, laughing Rachel senior greeted them as they watched the rest of the race, then wandered over to the park to participate in the other festivities.
Weary but happy, everyone returned to Rachel's before getting ready to go to the airport. Relaxing a bit, she insisted on a late evening snack that was more like an entire meal plus more blintzes.
"Ma, that was great, you're still the best cook I know," Starsky said as he slipped his arm around her waist as she walked by him to put yet more food on the table. "Don't be silly Davey," Angela is a wonderful cook," she admonished with a small smile.
"No Mama, you're a much better cook," Angela responded. "Maybe when you come to live with us, you can show me some of your recipes."
"Maybe, I could show you the old ones that I learned from my mother," Rachel said with little enthusiasm and a slightly sad smile.
"Mama," Sara said, " I know you are still sad about leaving your house but we're really going to love having you close by. Besides, I'm going to need your help too."
"You want to learn to cook too?" Rachel said a bit surprised that a modern woman would need her help.
"Well yes, but you might need to baby sit for me too," Sara said quietly as she let her words sink into the entire family. While she told her twin and her parents, her brother and the Hutchinsons did not know anymore than Rachel. The look on her grandmother's face would stay with her for the rest of her life and she would often tell her daughter about this day.
"Why didn't you tell me before this," Kenny said with just a bit of hurt in his voice when all the congratulations and hugging subsided.
"This trip, especially today were for Caitlyn's so I didn't want to take this away from her but now that she proved that "girls" are as good as "boys", I wanted to share the news to give Mama another reason to move. After all," she said as she turned to Caitlyn who was next to her, "Mama needs to be there to see if it is another girl who can run as fast as her taller brother!" High fiving her sister, the boys started to protest that it could be a boy who will take care of his little sister too.
Hutch slapped Starsky on his back as the wives hugged each other, quietly conspiring, "let's hope it's a boy, we're outnumbered here!"
Laughing the grandfather-to-be whispered, "From your mouth to God's ears!"
All too soon, it was time for the Hutchinson's and the twins to leave for the airport. Saying good-bye to Rachel and Angela who was staying along with Starsky to work with the realtors, was a lengthy affair with tears and laughter as hugs were exchanged. Davey and Kenny looking more like their fathers everyday walked to the subway after packing the luggage in the van. Starsky drove the travelers to the airport where he hugged everyone goodbye with an extra tight hug for Sara, Rachel and Hutch. He was never good at the airport goodbyes so he rushed off to trade the van for a smaller car for Angela and himself for the next two weeks of getting the house ready for sale. He knew it would still be awhile before Rachel would arrive in California but at least he could start the process.
"Daddy," came a sleepy voice as Caitlyn used his shoulder as a pillow, "thank you for today. It was perfect."
"You're welcome, Shamrock. You know, the boys said you almost beat them and when you get taller, they think you'll be faster than them."
"Oh no," tears welled in the sleepy green eyes, " I don't want to be faster, I just want to run with them. They're my brothers," she replied worriedly.
Chocking on the sudden emotion her words provoked, "Well I'm sure they will be relieved and enjoy just running with you too. They love you very much and were very proud of you today."
"Really?" her sleepy voice was fading as he watched her eyes close.
"Really, Shamrock. You and I are very lucky to have such loving, amazing families," he whispered although he knew she was asleep only to feel his wife squeeze his hand in agreement. Smiling over at her on his other side, he whispered, "thank you for raising such perfect children."
"Thank you for giving them to me," Megan replied with a smile in her eyes.
Fifteen hundred miles east, a similar conversation was taking place as Starsky and Angela snuggled in his childhood bedroom. Both men knew they were blessed with wonderful wives; what they didn't always realize was that their wives believed that, despite long hours at work. missed meals, and missed ball games and recitals, they had pretty terrific husbands and fathers to their children.
"Daddddddy," Sara's awed voice brought tears to Starsky's eyes as she held her son to show him minutes after his birth. Michael Starsky had his grandfather's curls and blue eyes (as do all babies) but his own father's fairer coloring. Everyone stared in wonder before Starsky in true form drawled in his best Bogey, "Hello, schweet heart," as he watched the baby curl his finger around his larger one and blink back to sleep in Angela's arms. Rachel watched as her baby's baby stared at her baby boy with the same look David had when she was born (followed by surprise when her twin interrupted his thoughts). She was sure that was the same awed look of wonder on her own face when David Michael appeared because she had seen it reflected in the first Michael's face when he also used his best Bogey to greet his son.
September 2010"Come on we're going to be late," Starsky bellowed as he hurried children along after putting the infant seat in the car. "Grandpa's leaving," he warned just to because he loved hearing "grandpa", amazed that he made it that far. Boys, girls, babies, boyfriends, girlfriends, a fiancé, a great-grandmother, wives, and his best friend were piling in to cars to join their latest Stephen Stiller Tunnels to Towers 5K Run. This yearly event had grown as the family had grown but this time it was in LA where they found a group that had been holding their own event to celebrate Stephen's life and promote the goals of his family's foundation to do good wherever you could.
What Starsky and Hutch thought started as a little girl's wish to run with her brothers had become the foundation of a family commitment to follow in the footsteps of a 9/11 hero. What they didn't know was that deep down, their families thought of them, but were smart enough not to say, as heroes too.
After all helping your neighbors and doing what's right is what heroes like Stephen Stiller do everyday.