Katherine

  "Hi Ma. It's me, Davey."

   "Yeah, I'm fine. Or as fine as I can be since...well, you know. Sorry, I'm calling so late, lines have been busy all day. The Blintz says this is the busiest calling day of the year, everybody callin' their moms, ya know."

   "Yeah. That's it. Happy Mother's Day, Ma."

   "I'm glad, too, Ma. During these past months, I didn't know if I'd ever do this again--no, don't cry. I'm sorry. I just think about it sometimes. How close I came to losing...I didn't mean to upset you..."

   "No, not right now. I sent him to get us a pizza."

   "I know. He'll be sorry he missed ya. But we've been tryin' all day. He finally got through to his Mom about an hour ago, so he said he'd get the pizza so I could keep tryin' to get ya."

   "I'm glad, too, Ma. I couldn't let the day go by without talkin' to my favorite girl."

   "I'm doing great."

   "No, really. The doctor says I can go back to duty in a couple of weeks. I'll be glad when I'm back on the streets. Desk duty and paperwork--they just aren't for me."

   "Oh, Blondie will kill me if I forget to ask. Did you get the flowers? Are they pretty?"

   "Good. Yeah, he helped me order them. You know I'm not much on flowers. He sent his Mom some, too. She started cryin' when he was talkin' to her, telling him how pretty they are."

   "Oh, Ma. Don't you start, too. Come on. It's okay. I'm glad you like them."

   "He did? Really? On the card? He didn't tell me. That's okay, isn't it? He says he feels like he's your son, too. Especially after you came to see me when I got out of the hospital."

   "Yeah, I know. He knows that, too, Ma. But I'll be sure to tell him, just to remind him."

   "So how was your Mother's day? How's Nicky? Did he come by today?"

   "Took you to lunch? Really?"

   "Yeah, it sure was. I'm proud of him. Was it a nice place?"

   "Oh. Left his wallet at home, huh? That's too bad."

   "I know, I know. It's the thought. I just wish he'd thought to bring his wallet."

   "Okay, Ma. I'll try. He's my little brother, you know. I just think he could do better than he does."

   "No, Hutch doesn't stay here anymore. He moved back to his place a couple of weeks ago. But he calls me every night to make sure I'm okay, and he spends the weekends here, so I won't overdo."

   "Yeah, I told him I should get him a Mother's Day card, since he's been such a Mother Hen."

   "Yeah, I thought it was real funny, but he didn't. Sometimes he just has no sense of humor."

   "Sorry, Ma. Hold on just a minute will ya? Somebody's at the door."

   "Uh, Ma... Yeah, I'm okay. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

   "No! I gotta go!"

********

   "Hi, Ma. It's...it's Davey."

   "Yeah, I'm okay. I...I.... I'm at the hospital... Ma, it's Hutch. "

   "Sorry. I'm okay, really. It's just that...Hutch...they don't know...."

   "No. I'm okay. I'm sorry. I don't want to upset ya."

   "No one knows for sure...he...he was in the pizza place...picking up that...that pizza...I had to have pizza...nothin' else would do..."

   "Uh, where was I? Uh...some junkie came in...tried to rob the cashier...needed...needed money for a fix."

   "Yeah, I'm okay. Honest. The junkie was crazy, really hurtin' bad, I guess. Hutch tried to talk to him...the kid...he was just a kid, Ma, lost it and started waving a gun around. Hutch was trying to get his gun...the junkie shot him...Hutch is hurt bad, Ma. The doctors...the doctors didn't think he'd make it through the night."

   "What? Oh, they picked him up. I hope they bury him under the jail."

   "Okay. I'll try. When I know Hutch is okay, I'll try to be charitable. Not till then though."

   "I just wanted to let you know what's goin' on. Captain Dobey was at my door when I was on the phone with you. That's why I practically hung up on ya. I knew it was bad. I knew it was...it was Hutch. I just knew."

   "Ma, could you do me a favor? It's Hutch's Mom. I just talked to her...she's really upset. She really came unglued on the phone, and Mr. Hutchinson is out of town. She's alone, and I...I thought maybe if you called her...maybe you could talk to her?"

   "Thanks, Ma. It's just not fair, ya know. Hutch has worked so hard, takin' care of me. And now I'm finally feelin' well enough to stay by myself and getting ready to go back to work...thanks to him..."

   "Yeah, I know. Life ain't fair. It probably ain't supposed to be. But why Hutch? He's such a good guy, and he's the best friend I've ever had. Anybody ever had. It's...it's...."

   "Sorry. I'm okay. Really. It's just so hard. And the doctors don't give us much hope."

   "Yeah, I know. Here we go again. Hutch told me he had to call you when I was shot. Ma, if he felt like this when I was shot, I don't know how he could stand it. It hurts, Ma. Like I'm the one who's bleedin'... It hurts really bad, Ma."

   "He did? Right there on the phone, while he was talkin' to ya? I didn't know that. He's was always real steady and calm when he was with me. He was like a rock, ya know?"

   "Listen, Ma. I gotta let ya go. The doctor's comin'. Please call Mrs. Hutchinson for me?"

   "Thanks, Ma."

   "Yeah, I'll be sure to let ya know. I love you, too."

********

   "Hi, Ma. Huggy said you called the nurse's station earlier."

   "No, we don't know anything yet. He's still alive, but the doctors are still worried. The bullet did quite a bit of damage, and he lost a lot of blood."

   "I don't know. They say they'll know more tomorrow. It's like, the longer stays alive, the better his chances of surviving. Doctors..."

   "I can see him every couple of hours. He's in Intensive Care..."

   "Ma...he looks so pale...so small. And he's hooked up to all these machines...I don't think I can ever watch a Frankenstein movie again..."

   "He hasn't waked up yet. That's...that's one of the reasons the doctors...they say he should have waked up by now. The longer he's out..."

   "I know. Hutch told me you wouldn't give up on me. He didn't either. Did I tell you that he started dancin' with one of the nurses when I came out of the coma? There I was, lying there, barely conscious, and he's dancing around the room. If it hadn't hurt so much, I'd a laughed myself silly."

   "Yeah, I hope so, Ma. Did you talk to Hutch's Mom?"

   "Good. Is she okay?"

   "Oh, he did? Good. She said she hoped he could get a flight home. I haven't called her again. I wanted to wait until I knew somethin' either way, ya know?"

   "Wait a minute, Ma. The doctor...hold on, okay?"

   "Uh.... Ma...Ma I need you to call the Hutchinsons. Okay? Tell them...tell them they're taking' Hutch back to surgery. He's bleedin' internally. They don't think...they don't think..."

   "Mrs. Starsky, this is Captain Dobey. Your son can't talk to you right now. I'm sorry. He's pretty upset."

   "Yes, we all are. The doctors feel that they have to operate, but they don't think Hutchinson is strong enough to survive. But they have to operate to stop the bleeding; they haven't been able to stabilize him."

   "Yes, I'll be here with David. I promise, I'll take care of him, no matter what."

   "All right. I'll tell him. And, please tell the Hutchinsons...uh...tell them..."

   "Thank you."

********

   "Hi, Ma. Sorry I haven't called. It's been pretty hectic."

   "He's alive, Ma. He survived the surgery. It was really close. They let me stay with him last night. They didn't think it would hurt and they said it might help, so they waived the rules for us."

   "Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't call. He was in ICU. They don't have phones in there...I couldn't leave...I was afraid he'd... Well anyway, he came through. He's real weak, and it'll be awhile before he can go back to work, but he's alive. He's gonna make it, Ma."

   "Yeah, I already called them. They were both cryin' on the phone. I was cryin' too. They moved him to a room a little while ago and I called from there. He just lay there with a silly grin on his face. Told me I was turnin' into a human water works."

   "He's asleep, now. The doctor said he needs lots of rest. He lost so much blood."

   "I don't know, Ma. The doctors all gave up on him. Everybody did. He's more stubborn than even I knew. The doctor says that's what saved him. Pure stubbornness. Said Hutch should be dead."

   "Yeah, I'm goin' home. I need to rest up, so I can take care of Hutch. Like he took care of me, ya know?"

   "Nah. She doesn't need to come. I'll take care of him. We're friends. We've watched each other's backs for years. I...love him. Nobody will take as good'a care of him as I will, not even his own Ma."

   "No offense, Ma, but it's the same with him. No one else could take care of me like he did. Now, don't be hurt. I'm not sayin' you wouldn't take good care o' me. But it's not the same. Hutch and me, we're like two halves of a whole, ya know. When one of us takes care of the other one, we're making ourselves feel better, too. I can't really explain it, but I just couldn't let anybody else take care of him."

   "Yeah, I'll do fine. I told ya, I'm just about well. I'll just delay going back to work for a few more weeks while Hutch gets back on his feet. I already cleared it with Dobey."

   "I'd love to see ya, and I know Hutch will, too. But wait a bit, huh? The Hutchinsons want to come out, too, but I told 'em to wait until Hutch is feelin' better. Maybe you could come at the same time. Oh, and Ma, don't bring Nicky, okay?"

THE END