Anniversary
By Monika11
Chapter two
"Not too bad." Approvingly Starsky looked around. "Seems that a little diner over there belongs to the motel. Don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Starsky scrambled out of the car and stretched his limbs.
"'kay, let's check in and put our bags in our room. I could do with a good meal, too," Hutch agreed.
While he went into the office Starsky unloaded their bags and was about to follow Hutch when he saw a young woman standing next to a car in the parking lot. He didn't know why he kept his glance on her. Dark brown hair fell into her face as she fumbled with a key.
"Can I help you?" Starsky stepped nearer and put the bags down. Intense green eyes looked up at him sparkling with annoyance.
"Thanks, but I'm trying to get into my car and the damn key doesn't fit!" She tried it again – without success.
"May I do it?" Confidently Starsky took the key from her hand and inserted it into the lock. He couldn't turn it round.
"It seems you took the wrong key Miss…," he smiled at her.
"Roberts, my name's Roberts." Confused, she shook her head.
"I've just checked in and left a bag in my car."
She frowned.
"My God, this isn't my car! My bag should be on the back seat." Her gaze went around and she blushed deeply.
"My car is in the next row. It's the same color and type. I thought… I'm so sorry, Mister…"
"Starsky, but you can call me David." Starsky couldn't avert his eyes from her.
"You can call me Terry." They both shook hands and startled hearing Hutch's voice behind them.
"Did I miss anything?"
"Everything's all right." Starsky smiled, his eyes twinkling at Terry.
"This is Hu…, hm, I mean, Ken, my best friend and partner." Starsky snaked his arm around Hutch's waist and looked fondly at him.
"Nice to meet you," Terry reached out her hand to take Hutch's. She looked at both men making her own decision about them. She didn't care about different lifestyles but felt a little sorry that the dark haired guy was inaccessible for her. He had his lover by his side.
She turned to leave till Starky reminded her: "Terry, you forgot something – your bag from the right car!"
"Thanks!" She blushed even more and approached her car in the next row.
"The right car?" Hutch whispered questioningly and Starsky made a meaningful gesture.
"Later. I'll tell you later. Do you mind if I ask her to have dinner with us?" Starsky looked into Hutch's grinning face.
"You're the best!"
Terry took her bag out of her car and wondered why the two men were still standing on the parking lot looking expectantly at her.
"Miss Roberts, hm, Terry, would you have dinner with us? Or are you in company?" Starsky's smile was irresistable and Terry nodded.
"Yes, why not."
"Hutch, what do you think of her? Not too bad, is she?" Starsky let himself fall onto the full sized bed and put his hands behind his head.
"Something wrong with her car?" he heard Hutch ask from the bathroom and Starsky smiled. "She tried to open the wrong car. Could have been you."
"Oh, then she's my type obviously. Sorry for you, pal," Hutch snorted emerging from washing up.
"You want to grab a shower or take a nap before we have dinner?"
"Naah, only a little relaxing. Terry said she'll have dinner about eight." Starsky looked at his watch. "Time enough to see what's on TV. Get some rest, Blondie."
"Be right back," Hutch said. "Just fetching some maps for tomorrow from the car."
He was gone and Starsky switched the TV on searching through the channels.
When Hutch returned soft snoring came from the bed while the TV was still on.
Quietly Hutch sat down on his bed unfolding the maps to check their next day's route.
"She's sitting over there near the window!" Starsky pointed in the direction of where they'd entered the diner. Terry smiled when both men sat down opposite her excusing themselves for being late.
"Starsky's always late. This time blame his hair on it. It's still wet, isn't it?" Hutch curled his finger round a wet ringlet onStarsky's neck. Starsky had decided to take a shower in a rush after he'd woken up.
"No big deal, is it?" Starsky swatted Hutch's hand off and beamed at Terry.
"What're we gonna eat?"
Soon they had an opulent meal in front of them.
Starsky watched the woman as she told them about her trip to San Francisco where she was about to attend a course on disabled children. The way she spoke and smiled and put forward an opinion fascinated Starsky. He just wanted to ask her some more personal things when she addressed herself to them.
"And you're living together – where?" She was curious, wanted to know if they were lovers. Puzzled glances came her way.
"These are two questions. We're from Bay City and we have our own apartments but last year…" Hutch couldn't go on. Forcefully he was remembered of the weeks, no months, after the poisoning when Starsky hadn't slept at night. He hadn't told Hutch and had gone to his apartment pretending he was fine. After some weeks he looked like death warmed over. The last straw was when they had been in a traffic jam and Starky's head suddenly hit the steering wheel. He had fallen asleep. Hutch remembered Starsky's embarrassment after Hutch had woken him up. Only then Starsky had admitted that he was afraid to be alone at night, always in fear of another attack or nightmares. Hutch had moved in with him, banishing the haunting nightmares by his mere presence.
"Hutch wants to say that I had a hard time last year," Starsky helped out. "You know as police officers, shit happens. Now we're on the way to Sonoma to relax a week." He tried to lighten the mood and Terry understood that they were partners at the police department, not lovers.
"I was in Sonoma last year. It's a place where you can enjoy the landscape, the wineries and where you can find the peace to recover." Somehow Terry felt drawn to these two men. They came across as trusting people, especially the curly haired man seemed to be interested in her. All his attention was on her when she spoke, she realized.
"Excuse me," Hutch got up from the table to go to the bathroom. Starsky was in good hands and he wanted to call Huggy to tell him that their plan had worked getting Starsky away from the job for a short time.
Waiting for the connection of the call, Hutch overheard a conversation at the bar.
"This is one of my best. Listen! There are two gangsters hanging around at a bar. Says one of them…" Hutch frowned. Something sounded familiar to him about the speaker. Then he spoke to Huggy and forgot about what he'd just heard.
On his way back to their table Hutch gazed at the bar – and couldn't believe it! It must be Sammy Grovner with his lady sitting there and entertaining the barkeeper!
"Excuse me, but we know each other, don't we?" Hutch stepped nearer and now he was sure that he had the old comedian Sammy Grovner in front of him, the man who was trapped with him and Starsky in the Italian restaurant when two gangsters had planned to kill Vic Monte and had shot Starsky instead.
"Sure, I know you. You're the blond who bailed us out. Sammy, you remember the two cops, one of them got hurt badly and lay in the office. That crazy guy, Joey, had shot him." The woman took Sammy Grovner's arm and squeezed it tenderly.
Sammy's face lit up recognizing Hutch.
"I remember, Mr…" He reached out his hand and Hutch took it.
"How's your partner? We were worrying that he wouldn't make it," Sammy said softly and put his arm around the woman. She leaned against him and Hutch wondered if she had changed her attitude toward her old companion.
As if he had read Hutch's mind, Sammy Grovner said:
"We got married last year. What happened in the restaurant helped us to rethink our life."
His wife nodded and added:
"We aren't performing in clubs. Sammy has written a book about his experiences and now we're presenting it in libraries and in colleges – for the secondary growth."
"Well, let me introduce you to my partner," Hutch pointed to the table with Starsky and Terry Roberts. They agreed and soon they were all sitting together, listening to the old comedian who explained some tricks to them and told some jokes that raised a little smile on Hutch's face and a big grin on Starsky's. Terry now sat by his side and he enjoyed their body contact.
It was far past midnight when the little circle decided to split up.
"Thanks again for helping us," Mrs Grover said gratefully to Hutch.
"And all the best to you," she addressed to Starsky who held Terry close.
"Gentlemen, wait a moment." Sammy Grovner fumbled in his bag and had a book in his hand.
"I'd like to give it to you. Maybe you like to read about the life of an old guy and his tricks and performances during the years."
"I'd really like it," Starsky said receiving the book and leafing through it.
They said their goodbyes and watched the couple leave.
"Hutch, those were the people you told me about after the shooting. The lady who tried to get out of the restaurant by flirting with anybody, right?"
"Yeah, but she's learned her lesson, I think," Hutch said turning toward the exit.
Starsky and Terry followed him slowly. Outside it had cooled down and a fresh wind made them shiver. Protectively Starsky took off his jacket and put it over Terry's shoulder.
"I'd like to see you again," he said seriously. In the dark he was only able to catch a glimpse of a smile on her face. She reached into her bag, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it.
"My phone number. And if I have a little time left after my course, maybe there's a chance that I can come over to Sonoma for the weekend. Where are you staying?"
"I'll ask Hutch. Be right back." Starsky hurried after Hutch who had almost reached their room. Hutch gave him the name of the resort and noticed the spring in Starsky's steps. He's happy at last, Hutch thought and had to admit that it was time to go on with their lives, meeting women again and losing the fear of uncontrollable things. He looked back and smiled fondly at the sight of his friend standing close with a pretty woman and embracing her.
"Hum, it's getting cold at night, I'm freezing my ass off!" Starsky rushed into the room closing the door.
"Was a nice evening, never expected to meet such interesting people." Full of vim Starsk paced the room.
"Hey, come down, you make me dizzy running around like this," Hutch said jokingly. He was already undressed and lay under the covers. The bedside lamp was on and gave just enough light to let him read in the book he had taken with him.
"You're right, tomorrow is another day." Starsky got rid of his clothes and dove under the covers. Hutch switched off the bedside lamp and turned on his side.
"Night, pal. And no nightmares!"
"Never when I'm with you," mumbled Starsky drawing the spread over his shoulders.
Hutch was almost asleep when he heard:
"Hutch?"
"Hmm?"
"Terry is nice, isn't she?"
"Sure, though I thought she's more my type. Ya know choosing the wrong car…" Hutch chuckled.
"Hutch?"
"Hm, what is it, buddy?" Hutch yawned broadly.
"First she wasn't sure about us, I think. I mean when we said we were partners she gave us a look as if she believed.."
"…That we're gay?" It was nothing new to them that people assumed they were involved with each other. They had always been touchy – feely and that they spoke of each other as "partners" often gave the wrong impression.
"I promise not to kiss you in front of her," Hutch laughed, "unless you want to get rid of her."
"Don't you dare!" Starsky growled. Then it was still and Hutch heard Starsky breathe evenly.
Everything was okay and the next day they would reach their destination.
Hutch set the alarm and was asleep within seconds.
TBC
7