EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL
Five months after Starsky is shot.
Atta boy, Starsky. You just toughed your way back into life and the loving arms of your family and friends.
As one of the many celebrations of this miracle, Hutch decided to purchase a special present for the whole Hutchinson/Starsky clan to enjoy.
Two presents, actually.
The first was a very large plastic backyard pool with all the accessories, big enough to snugly hold four adults and four kinda little kids. It worked with a bit of squashing, which nobody minded.
It didn't exactly hold Hutch. He'd ease his butt into it and hang his double length legs over the side, resembling nothing so much as a blonde-headed praying mantis.
The other present was a personal, smaller sized pool for Starsky, located very close to the larger one. This one had small handles on the side so that Starsky could lift himself, with no help, over the edge and into the water.
After The Really Really Really Bad Time, as Starsky was slowly on the mend, this allowed him to participate in the pleasure of the sun, the bright sky and the proximity of the assorted blue eyes of his family and friends.
Today Sivvy and Becca had taken Kenny and DC to the park, as per their sons' non-stop begging. The boys could gang up very well as a tag team against their mothers.
"Two sets of pleading puppy dog eyes," mumbled Sivvy.
"Remind you of anyone else we know?" Becca gave a rueful laugh.
This meant Daddy/Daughter Day for Starsky and Hutch. A 'Saturday off work' day for Hutch. He had made his famous blueberry pancakes, with slurpy wet pieces cut up for Ollie and Bella. A gallon of coffee for the men. Very little in the way of clothes, all around. And then everybody into the pools.
Seated in their respective pools, Starsky and Hutch liked to trade daughters sometimes. They could each look at their own treasure in their friend's arms.
Ollie was around five years old now. She was as delicately lithe as a butterfly. Hair turning more and more reddish, to Hutch's delight. She and her daddy were absolutely dotty about each other. In Starsky's arms, she could gaze over and flirt wickedly with Hutch. And he was just helpless.
Today Ollie was glorying in her Uncle Starsky's furry teddy bear of a chest.
Bella, on the other hand, was a little toughie like her big brother Kenny. She was three and a half. A head of Starsky curls, a shade or two lighter than her daddy's. Her mama Sivan's stained glass blue eyes. Her little butt proving that she was from the Tribe of Starsky. Her daddy would make an enormous effort to swing her around tush-side up and lustily carol out "Tradition! Tradition!...Tradition!" like Tevye from "Fiddler on the Roof'.
Starsky was currently making goo-goo eyes at his little girl in Hutch's arms. She was giving back as good as she got.
"Got that technique from your mama, huh?" he grinned. "How lucky can one man be, Goosy?"
Goosy. The nickname to end them all, as beloved as 'Uncle Huck'. Bella was an infant in her crib the first time Starsky leaned over and cooed, "My little Bella LaGoosy."
"It's Bela LaGO-see, you nimrod." That was Hutch. He never missed an opportunity to rag Starsky about his mispronunciation.
Starsky blithely ignored him. "What does HE know. Right, Goosy?"
Bella jabbed Hutch in the side. "Stop making fun of my daddy."
"Oooof," winced Hutch. "Who taught you THAT? Not that I don't know." He fun-glared at Starsky, who turned his eyes skyward and unsuccessfully tried to look innocent.
Ollie knew better than to jab Starsky anywhere, but her own glare warned Starsky that he was treading on thin ice.
Never mess with a girl's daddy.
While still grasping Ollie, Starsky bent down to scratch his leg and Ollie suddenly noticed the three scars on her Uncle's back. Not that she hadn't seen them before, but this was the first time she consciously became aware of them. There were three smaller scars on his chest.
Suddenly Ollie reached down and planted three kisses, one on each of those chest scars.
A startled Starsky shifted and looked at her.
"Daddy says," explained Ollie seriously, 'that kisses make everything better, Uncle Davey."
Starsky's eyes met Hutch's. Hutch was grinning softly and nodding, his hair flapping in the breeze. Then he puckered his own lips directly at Starsky.
Starsky ducked his head, as if he had been punched in the jaw with love.
The end