The present.
Starsky took a brief walk around the block to do some thinking. He entered the apartment and observed Hutch biting his lower lip, something he did when highly stressed. Starsky waited a moment, then decided.
"Hey, Blondie, want some company on your trip?"
Hutch started, then turned to Starsky with a look in his eyes that told Starsky he had wanted to ask him to come but hadn't.
"You don't want to be around a bunch of Hutchinsons, do you?"
"I might as well meet them. That is, if you want me along."
Hutch, who could chase down suspects without batting an eye sighed. "I know it is stupid, but I am . . . scared. I'm not sure why. They will all be there for Ingrid's funeral – we always called her Ingrid, and not grandmother. All the get togethers, and then the fighting over the will . . . I am just not up to it. Mickey and I loved her more than anyone else . . . such a classy lady. I'm gonna to miss her so much," and his lip trembled. "She was more a mother to me than my own. She was so sweet, so encouraging, never made fun of me. She did her best to attend at my baseball games, track meets – as well as Mickey's. She asked us over to her house and we went as much as possible. She encouraged me in music, gave me piano lessons and guitar lessons, bought singing lessons for me as well." His bright blue eyes misted over. "I will miss her so much," he whispered.
That did it. Starsky said, "I'll book a seat on your flight, buddy. I can pack fast. I don't have to dress to impress, do I?"
"You can dress any way you want, just not at Ingrid's funeral. You can be another Mickey – who never cared what the family thought of her. I used to envy her, wish I could be like her and not care. But I did care . . . Mickey always said I was the most sensitive one in the family."
"Lots of uncles, aunts, and cousins like I do? Did you interact with them much?"
"Some. I was the youngest boy in the three families and Mickey the youngest girl. Neither one of us could compete with the others – we were too young. I know Mother had hopes that Mickey would become like Judith, beautiful, social, a pillar of society. For me – the stammering, awkward boy who loved to read, I think they just hoped I wouldn't be a disgrace to the family."
"How do they feel about policeman?"
"Plebian. You're going to see a lot of elite-minded, class-conscious, and appearance-conscious family. Sure you want to come?"
"If it gets too bad, we can fly over to the Bronx and you can meet my numerous cousins and family."
"Maybe I would fit in better there."
Starsky let loose with a loud belly laugh. "Not hardly, Blondie. You'll be the only Nordic blonde in the whole group."
"Wonderful," Hutch muttered, finishing his packing. Still he kept thinking it would be better than what he was going to see in his family. If it wasn't for respect for Ingrid, and Mickey, he would be tempted to skip the reunion.