The date you have been waiting for…
Chapter 19
Hutch arrived home in time to shower and straighten up his place some for his date with Wanda. He took a few minutes to set out some candles and some glasses. He had a couple of nice bottles of wine chilling and a corkscrew. He folded some of his extra clothes that he had been meaning to put away for a few days. After showering, he took extra care while shaving, making sure he erased any trace of his 5 o'clock shadow. He reflected on how nice it was to be a man. So little planning went into how he looked for a date. Women had things like make-up and nails, legs to shave and clothes to be just right. Yes, he would rather have the hassles of being a man, he thought as he finished up his shaving and got a shirt on.
He was eager to start the evening. Everything was ready, so he decided to water his plants, just to keep himself busy. He almost jumped out of his skin when there was a knock at the door. A deep breathe…
He opened his door with a genuine smile on his face. His smile dropped quickly.
"Starsky. What the hell are you doing here?"
"I just needed to borrow a couple of beers. I'll be out of your way in a second. She's not here yet, is she?" Starsky asked as he went over to the fridge.
"No. And what's wrong with the store?"
Thinking quickly, Starsky tossed over his shoulder "I'm out of money. I'll get you a case the next time I get paid."
"Fine, take what you want, and leave. Wanda's going to be here any minute." The last thing Hutch wanted was his partner here when his girlfriend showed up.
"Thanks buddy. You only have three left, and a couple of bottles of wine."
"Take the beer, don't touch the wine, and leave."
Starsky laughed. "I'm going. Hey, I'll pick you up on the way to work?" He asked as he crossed the room.
"Sure, whatever." Hutch said with a frown on his face. He opened the door and practically shouted, "Leave."
And there stood Wanda, looking gorgeous with a couple of bags in her arms and a big purse slung over her shoulder. Hutch was so taken aback, that he forgot his manners and just stood there.
"You want me to go?" Wanda asked.
"N-no. Not you. Him." Hutch said, unable to recover smoothly.
"Oh. Hi again. Were you staying for dinner? I only planned a dinner for two."
"He was just leaving." Hutch said while taking the bags from Wanda. Hutch glared at his partner from above the grocery bags. He mouthed Get OUT! silently and so that Wanda could not see.
"No." Starsky said. "I was just leaving. Sorry to interrupt. Can I help with anything before I go." He directed towards Wanda as he walked out the door. He motioned downstairs, indicating that he would help bring anything else up.
"No. I brought everything up from the car. Thanks." She smiled at him as she came in the apartment, but it lacked warmth. "It was good seeing you again." She added as she closed the door. "Good night."
The door shut with a click, and Starsky headed home for a night of pizza and beer with a movie.
"I'm sorry." Hutch said as he helped Wanda pull the ingredients out of the bag. "He just stopped by for a couple of beers to go with his pizza."
"What's wrong with the store?" She asked.
Hutch thought it was cute how she seemed to think just like him.
"Out of money."
"Oh." She said knowingly. Turning to dinner, she asked if he had a cutting board and knife. Hutch pulled them out, and set the carrots on the board while he went searching for his sharp knife that he liked to use on vegetables. He thought she looked better tonight than she did last night.
"Are you interested in some wine?"
"Sure. What do you have?"
"I've found a Côtes du Ventoux. It's a combination of red wine, rosé and white. It's mostly red though. It's kind of a fruity wine."
"I've never heard of it, but I'm game. Do you have a frying pan? I'd like to sauté some onions."
"I keep it beside the stove." Hutch replied while opening the wine. He loved the slight clinking sound as the bottle touched the glass, and the throaty sounds the bubbles made with the first pour from the bottle. He poured just a little in the glass and gave it to her to try. She sipped it, and awarded him another of her brilliant smiles. Hutch could not help himself, and he leaned over to kiss her. Wanda returned the kiss with a fervor that caused Hutch's breath to leave and his blood to rush. It was a dizzying kiss and he loved it.
"I need to serve this wine all the time!"
Wanda only laughed and returned to cutting the vegetables. The pan sizzled as she added the onions to some butter she had melted. The carrots she chopped and threw into a pot with some water.
"Do you like steak?" She asked.
"Sure." Not really, but I'll try it for you. Hutch thought. The apartment was beginning to smell good with the onions. Just to make small talk, he asked, "What are you making?" Wanda looked at him and smiled. "It's a surprise." She looked in one bag and then another. She then went back to the first bag. Hutch could tell she was missing something.
"Can I help?"
"Oh, Ken, I forgot a bottle down in the car. Would you mind getting it for me? It must have fallen out of the bag. It should be in the front seat." Wanda asked.
She's so beautiful. Hutch thought. "Sure. Where are you parked?" She told him and gave him another long kiss.
"That's for helping." She said. Hutch began thinking that he would make sure he was very helpful when she was around. Setting his wine down, he headed for the door. He did not see the vicious smile that played along 'Wanda's' lips.
"Hey Ken!" She called when he reached the door.
"Humm?" He turned slightly.
"You'll want the keys." She said and tossed him a set of keys. "It's the long gold one…"
Hutch ran downstairs and found the bottle where it had rolled up under the passengers seat. It was olive oil. Probably for the vegetables. He took a second and looked closer at the bottle. Cold press, extra virgin. It was an expensive oil. Too good for cooking. Probably for a salad. He liked the way this girl cooked.
When he returned to his apartment, Wanda had set out a plate with crackers topped with a dip of the onions and a chopped up herb that Hutch could not identify.
"That's an interesting appetizer." Hutch stated while taking the one Wanda handed to him.
"It's kind of a tradition in my family. On special occasions you start your meal with these crackers. They're slightly bitter, and you follow it with lemons with sugar on top. It is supposed to bring you luck." She smiled. "You ready for this?"
"Bring it on!" Hutch said and took a bite. It was bitter! Hutch tried not to make a face because he did not want to hurt her feelings. Wanda took a bite and made a face, and then she quickly turned and got the lemons. She bit into hers, and Hutch followed suit.
"We have to eat all of the cracker for the luck to work!" She popped the other half of her cracker into her mouth and then bit into the lemon again.
Hutch took a deep breath and popped the last of the cracker into his mouth. It was really bitter! The sugar on the lemon cut through the aftertaste. It left his mouth tingling.
He smiled and took a cracker without anything on it.
"Weird huh?"
"Anything for good luck. What's in it?"
"Well, I used some of the onions, mixed with yogurt, and the bitterness comes from Gentian. It's an herb that helps stimulate the appitite. It's something that has been passed down from my great-great-great grandmother. It has always been in the family garden."
"Is the rest of the meal going to be as interesting as that?" Hutch hoped it would taste better.
Wanda laughed. "Oh, I think it will be very, very interesting. I've included all of my favorite recipies." There was a distinctly fierce look to her face. It softened as soon as Hutch noticed it. It seemed to strike a memory, one that recalled the girl with Rob. He looked at her again. There was nothing else that remind him of Julie though. She did not fit the physical profile.
"I like the wine you chose. Where did you find it?"
As Hutch described the location, the thought of Julie slipped from his mind. He picked up his wine and took a piece of cheese. The bitterness remained in his mouth. Not as strong, but still there. It changed the taste of the wine a little. The cheese tasted good though.
They made small talk about the weather and jobs for a few minutes while Wanda worked. She dumped the lot into a roasting pan and put it in the oven. She turned around, and said, "We now have about 45 minutes until we eat. Shall we go sit down?"
"Sure. You want your wine?"
"Please." Wanda sat down on the couch and watched Hutch. He swayed as he walked, spilling a bit of the wine. "Oops!" Wanda just laughed, took her glass and set it aside. She then reached up and pulled Hutch down to join her. Hutch was feeling a little tipsy, but he readily responded to her kiss. Being in her arms felt so good. His skin tingled when she ran her fingers along his face. He did not know how much time had passed, but all of a sudden it occurred to him that his tipsy feeling was intensifying.
"I need to go to the baffroom." He said and tried to stand up. The room began to spin and he sat back down. "What have you done?" He shouted at her.
"What's wrong?" Wanda asked in feigned alarm.
Hutch put his head in his hands. "I'm ok."
"No you're not. What's wrong? Are you alergic to anything? You should have told me. Here, lay down, I'll get something for your head." Wanda helped him stretch out on the couch and went into the bathroom. Hutch knew he wasn't alergic to anything, and felt like he had been drugged. He was beginning to relax though. His feelings of alarm were fading to be replaced by a sense of calm and acceptance as his arms and legs became numb.
"You're feeling better." His eyes wandered up to find Wanda's face. Her voice echoed around in his head.
"Betrr" Hutch mumbled. He felt strangely detached from what was going on around him. He wondered if it was possible to feel calm dread. He knew something was wrong, but he was helpless to do anything about it.
"My sweet baby." Julie purred. "You've got a big party ahead of you. I am going to enjoy it." Efficiently she checked him over to make sure the drug had taken full effect. He was flushed and sweating. His speech was blurring. If she had gotten it right, he would be under in a few minutes. PCP was originally used as a surgical anesthetic. They stopped using it because during recovery, patients often became restless, delusional, and unreasonable while recovering from its anesthetic effects. Now it's only legal use was in veterinary settings. It was a good thing she still had her connections in the veterinary world. The stuff she gave Hutchinson was pure, uncut and almost guaranteed to give him a bad trip. She watched him to see if he would go rigid. From what she understood, he would still be conscious, he just would not be able to move. She would move him to another spot where they could have a wonderful time together. While she was waiting, Julie took the time to search his pad. She smiled when she found his handcuffs. She would need them soon to keep him in one place when the anesthetic effect wore off.
"Ken, how are you feeling?"
Hutch simple stared straight ahead at nothing, his muscles stiff and unmoving except for his rapid breathing. He was helpless. Julie was elated.