Comments about this story may be sent to: elizabeth@barrett20.fsnet.co.uk
By Liz B.
From his vantage point he had the perfect view, could see, but couldn’t be seen. His partner, dressed in shorts and a dark blue t-shirt, strolled on the sand, pausing every now and then to stare out to sea. He was barefoot, and obviously enjoying feeling the warmth of the sand on the bottoms of his feet.
Starsky had survived, beaten the odds, and for Hutch, watching him perform the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other was enthralling. Giving him his independence back was proving much harder, allowing him to rebuild his life again and knowing that soon he would return to work were things he didn’t think about too often.
Cooking, cleaning, shopping for groceries had become a routine for Hutch, and he accepted them all willingly. Now that these were no longer necessary he felt slightly at loose ends.
As he stood on the boardwalk shielded from his partner’s view by a candy stall, he realised that he really hadn’t succeeded in letting go at all. Why else was he standing here on a Saturday afternoon when he could have been watching Kiko play in his team’s baseball match? What did he think would happen to Starsky on a beach? A landlubbing shark possibly? Perhaps a patch of quicksand? He smiled to himself. He was here because he wanted to make sure that nothing happened to his partner again and for no other reason.
Hutch was brought back to the present by the sight of a man of medium height, dressed in jeans and a windbreaker, walking towards Starsky with his hands deep in his pockets. He fought the urge to immediately run down the beach. A thousand scenarios were running through his head. A mugger, a rapist, a killer….
Starsky had stopped walking now and appeared to be conversing with the stranger. The man took one hand out of his pocket. Hutch felt his stomach lurch. Had he made the wrong decision? Should he have acted on his first impulse?
The man pointed back along the beach the way he had come. His other hand was now visible and he appeared to be demonstrating the size of something. Hutch peered harder wishing he was closer. Starsky seemed to shrug and then shook his head. They passed a few more words back and forth and then parted company.
Hutch released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, and leaned against the candy stall. He felt dizzy, and his heart was hammering in his chest. Was the rest of his life going to be spent like this? Watching? Waiting? Every time Starsky met someone, talked to someone, went out of his apartment for a loaf of bread, was he going to be there hiding in the shadows?
His partner was moving back up the beach now, heading for the small restaurant and car park where he had left the Torino. Hutch had a clear view of him from where he stood. His arms and legs were beginning to tan again, and he struggled less to walk short distances. He rarely even paused now to get his breath back even when walking on the soft, dry sand.
Starsky suddenly stopped and let his head fall backward. He was enjoying the feel of the sun on his face. Another moment passed, and he moved on again, kicking the sand up in front of him as he walked.
He reached the boardwalk but instead of returning to his car, walked directly toward the candy stall. Hutch slid round the other side, out of view. A minute passed, maybe two. The only sound he could hear was the screeching of the gulls overhead. The temptation to peer round the corner and down the boardwalk was overwhelming, but he resisted the temptation. Still nothing.
Another minute passed, and finally he couldn’t stand it any longer. He slid along the wooden building and peered round the corner. He came face to face with Starsky, who was grinning from ear to ear at the shocked look on Hutch’s face.
“What a weird coincidence! You come here often?”
Hutch swallowed, but said nothing.
“You should have said you were coming down here this afternoon. You could have saved on gas and come with me. You want a drink?” he added, pointing a finger back over his shoulder in the direction of the restaurant.
Starsky began to turn slowly back the way he had come, and then stopped. He took Hutch’s hand. “Come on goofball” he said fondly.
Hutch let himself bed led along the deserted boardwalk. He felt embarrassed at being discovered so easily, and annoyed with himself that he hadn’t been more careful.
Starsky gently released his hand as they approached the restaurant door. He pushed it open and went inside in to air conditioned comfort. He wandered up to the bar and ordered two beers.
Hutch found a booth and sat down still lost for words. When Starsky returned, he sat down beside him.
“So you going to spend every weekend trailing round after me?” he patted Hutch’s leg under the table.
“You knew?”
“I ain’t a detective for nothing, partner” Starsky declared, smiling at him. “You don’t hear me complaining though, do you?”
Hutch shook his head.
“Its quite nice actually, knowing that I have my own guardian angel watching over me. I bet the guy on the beach made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end didn’t he?” Starsky paused as a very young and pretty waitress delivered their beers.
Hutch still said nothing but picked the glass up and drank.
“Lost dog. That’s all it was. No maniac this time” Starsky understood the discomfort that his partner was feeling. He lowered the tone of his voice.
“I…I kinda like you following me around, you know?”
“Yeah?” Hutch replied putting his glass back on the table.
“Yeah. Don’t you ever stop either, y’hear?” Starsky took Hutch’s hand in his and gently squeezed it.
Outside, the man who had been on the beach walked by with his dog on its lead. He was wagging his finger at the hound who appeared to take no notice at all. Then he stopped, crouched down and picked the animal up in his arms and cuddled it. The look on his face was sheer jubilation at being reunited with his friend.