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Is There A Doctor In The House
(Part 1 in the 'Judith Kaufmann' Series)

By

Sue M

   "Flight 432 to Mobile, Alabama is now boarding at Gate 5." The announcement came over the PA system as David and Hutch were saying goodbye to Dr. Judith Kaufmann.

   It had been an exciting week. Hutch had been exposed to the Plague and was only twenty-four hours away from dying. During the time that the epidemic had been spreading, Doctors Kaufmann and Meredith had been assigned from the Disease Control office in Mobile to try and find a cure.

   Before Hutch had gotten sick, he had started to find himself falling in love with Judith. During the time that she was in the lab working on various theories, she began to think about Hutch a bit more than usual.

   During one of her visits to the isolation room, she watched him from the other side of the glass. She commented how much he looked like a little boy sleeping in his bed. The sweat in his hair was starting to make his pillow wet. He looked so innocent and vulnerable lying there.

   Now that they were able to save his life, Hutch stood before her asking her to spend the weekend with him.

   He pleaded, " Can't you spend the weekend?"

   She answered, "I am a working lady."

   "You are a coward."

   David looked up from his newspaper, "That's nothing to say to a lady."

   Hutch looked at his best friend, "Who asked you?" He gave David a dirty look and led Judith away about five feet from David. "We have no windows separating us. You are afraid to take a chance, is that it?"

   Judith looked at him," "You don't believe that, now do you?"

   Hutch pleaded with her, "Well, then stay and prove me wrong."

   They called her flight one more time.

   Judith looked at David, then Hutch, and then said. "Gentleman, it has been exciting."

   Hutch continued, "I am a healthy man. There is still time for you to change your mind, if you think you can handle it." She kissed him. "Does that mean yes?"

   "Yes." She looked into his baby blue eyes. I could get lost in those eyes. She was a dedicated scientist, but she was also a woman. "I need a break from test tubes and blood tests and laboratories. I need to see what real life is all about."

   "Did you say what I think you said?" Hutch asked hopefully.

   "Yes. Work will always be there."

   "That's my girl," he said. He gave her a kiss. He gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Let's get out of here."

   Fortunately she had not checked her luggage in yet. David and Hutch each took piece of her luggage. They headed toward the front of the airport where David had parked the Striped Tomato.

   "Where to first, Hutch?" David asked as he started up the car after everyone was in. Judith climbed into the front and Hutch snuggled in beside her.

   "How about my place and Judith can drop off her luggage."

   "Okay."

   When they got to Hutch's house, everyone helped her with her luggage. After the task was completed, David did not hang around. He knew that Judith and Hutch needed some time alone to get to know each other.

   When David was gone, Judith asked, "Well, what would you like to do first?"

   "How about some lunch or something?"

   "Hey, I know this great French restaurant around here and they serve a pretty good lunch."

   "I love French food." Judith answered.

   "Okay. Well, if you would like to take a shower, feel free to do so. There are clean towels in the linen closet in the hall."

   "Thank you, Ken."

   He drew her in for a quick kiss. "I am glad you changed your mind."

   "Me, too." She broke the embrace and said, "Well, I had better go and get ready or we will never get out of here."

   "Good idea." He gave her a great big smile.

   She went and took her shower. When she got out, she found her favorite dress. When she was packing for the trip, she was wise enough to pack a few dresses. In case I get asked out. This dress was a short red cocktail dress with spaghetti straps and a matching long sleeved jacket.

   While she got dressed, Hutch took his turn. When he was dressed, and she saw him in what he was wearing, her heart skipped a beat. He was wearing a medium two-piece suit that really made him look great. With his blond hair and baby blue eyes, he couldn't help but look sensational.

   When they were ready to leave, they left by the front door. Since the restaurant was only several blocks away, they decided to leave his non-descriptive car in its place in front of the building and just walk to the restaurant. The place was not really busy for a Friday noontime. They were able to get a table right away.

   They enjoyed their meal, getting to know each other. Hutch ordered a bottle of French Bordeaux wine and they enjoyed it with their lunch.

~~~~~~~~~~

   They walked back to Hutch's place after lunch. Hutch was still feeling the effects of the aftereffects of the Plague and he was still feeling a little bit tired. So he decided to take a nap. Judith swore by her homemade meatloaf. While Hutch slept, she made a trip to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. For dinner, they had meatloaf, corn and mashed potatoes.

   After dinner, Hutch just lit a fire and they spent the evening playing the ever-popular Monopoly and drinking wine. Hutch found Judith to be a better player than his usual partner - Starsky.

   When it was time for bed, Judith looked into Hutch's baby blue eyes, "Please don't take this the wrong way but there is nothing I'd like better than to have you make love to me, but I am not ready for that yet."

   "Judith, I can understand how you feel. We have all weekend to explore that part of our relationship."

   "Ever since the first time I laid eyes on you in the isolation room, I knew there was something special about you, Ken."

   "Thanks, this day has been special for me, too." He smiled at her.

   Hutch offered to take the couch. He pulled her in for a quick kiss and said, "Good night, Judith. See you in the morning."

   "Good night, Ken?"    

   "Would you like me to tuck you in?"

   "I have not been tucked in since I was a little girl."

   "Well, then let me do it."

   She went into her suitcase and found her nightclothes - a very lovely flowing baby blue nightgown.

   "I am ready" she called when she was ready. He came into the bedroom and he was wearing a pair of light green pajamas that looked really good on him with his baby blue eyes and blond hair. He smiled when he saw her.

   "Okay, did you go to the bathroom? Or get a drink of water? Or brush your teeth? Or have your snack? It is time for bed, young lady."

   She got into bed and he pulled the sheets over her. He leaned over and kissed her on the lips, and said, "Good night, Judith."

   "Good night, Ken."

   He turned off the light behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~

   The next day was Saturday. Judith was up early. She decided to make breakfast for Hutch. However, when she looked in the cupboards and found there was nothing to make the usual breakfast. She was puzzled. Just then, he came into the kitchen.

   "Good morning, Beautiful," he said.

   "Hey yourself, Ken. How did you sleep last night?"

   "Really well. My couch is really comfortable. How did you sleep?"

   "Quite well. It was good to sleep in a bed instead of on a couch in a hospital waiting room."

   "Well, what would you like to do today?"

   "I had not really thought about it."

   "Well, I could think of a few things." He gave her a big grin and pulled her in for a quick and passionate kiss.

   "Well, Ken, I told you last night I am not ready for that yet, but when I am ready, you will be the first to know."

   "Judith, I can understand your feelings. When you are ready to take our relationship one step further, let me know."

   "Thanks, Ken, I am glad you feel this way."

   "Okay." He smiled at her.

   "You don't have anything for breakfast. I was going to make breakfast for you."

   "I don't eat that much for breakfast - usually a shake of goat's milk, sea kelp, wheat germ, Vitamin E and a few surprises."

   She gave him a surprised look and said, "Sounds interesting."

   "Want some?"

   "Listen, I will try anything once, within reason, of course."

   "Okay." He kissed her and he went into the fridge to get the stuff to make the shake.

   After breakfast, he asked her again, "What would you like to do today?"

   "Well, I know a day of shopping and running around would not be in the best interest for you."

   "Okay, Doc."

   "How about a day at the beach with David? I would love to get to know him a little bit better."

   "Okay." Hutch looked at his watch. "10 am. Starsky loves to sleep in on his days off. So let me give him a ring and see if he is up. If not, time he got up anyway." Hutch went over to the phone and dialed David's number. "Hey, Starsky… Yeah, it's me… What are you doing today? Judith and I were thinking of going to the beach. Wanna come? … Okay, an hour is fine… See you then." He turned to Judi. "Starsk is gonna come. He will meet us here in about an hour."

   "Good."

   "I did bring stuff for the beach. I was thinking of taking a few days off after the crisis was over to maybe unwind."

   "Hey, I love a woman who thinks ahead." He pulled her in for a quick kiss.

   "And I love a man who likes a woman who thinks ahead."

   He kissed her again. "Well, we had better get ready or we will still be doing this when Starsk comes."

   "Yeah." She broke the embrace and started to get ready. She put her bathing suit underneath her clothes and put her panties and bra in a small bag. Hutch brought several towels, suntan lotion and odds and ends. They decided not to bother to pack a lunch. "There were plenty of places we can get something to eat when we are hungry"

   David came by about an hour later to pick them up. Since the beach was not far from where they were, it did not take David long to get there. Hutch and Judith just got into the front seat and cuddled close during the ride.

   The day was pretty uneventful. Hutch was content to spend part of the day just lounging in his lawn chair David had brought several lawn chairs and spent part of the day sitting and talking with Judith and Hutch. Hutch and Judith spend some of the day walking on the beach, holding hands and kissing as the tide came in and out. At lunch time, there were hot dog stands and they just ate there. David, of course had to show Judith his terrible eating craving and he had chili, mustard, ketchup, and sauerkraut on his dogs. Judith just looked at him and gave him a shake of the head. She laughed to herself. At about sunset, they decided to head home. Judith and Hutch took one last walk on the beach as the sun was going down.

   "Awwwww, time to go home," Judith said with a sigh of regret.

   "You can come back here again sometime, I promise," Hutch said.

   "Oh okay." She gave him a kiss on his lips.

   They headed towards the car.

~~~~~~~~~~

   The next day was another lovely day. Judith, when she got up, made the shake for Hutch. She also had a decision for him when he got up.

   "Ken, I have made a decision." She looked into his baby blue eyes. They were sitting at the table enjoying their shake and some granola cereal.

   "Doc."

   "This was the happiest weekend of my life."

   "Really."

   "Yes. I have fallen in love with you."

   "Yes."

   "I have decided to go back to Mobile this afternoon."

   "But I thought you were in love with me."

   "Yes. I am. I am going back to give my two weeks notice?"

   "Doc."

   "I have decided I want to move to Los Angeles to be with you."

   "Really?"

   "What about a job? You don't have a place to stay."

   "I've thought of this. I do have a degree in medicine and I do have experience."

   "Oh, I did not know that."

   "I could even try getting a job in a clinic."

   "Ken, aren't you going to say anything?"

   "Doc, I love you."

   "Ken, I love you, too."

   After breakfast, Judith packed her bags. She was able to get a flight early in the morning going east.

   When they got to the airport and were waiting for them to call her flight, he took her in his arms. "This is the thing I was regretting most, " she confessed.

   "But you will be back in two weeks."

   "But I am still going to miss you."

   "We can call each other every night."

   "True."

   He held her as they called her flight to Mobile. He kissed her as if there was no tomorrow.

   She whispered in his ear, "I don't really want to go but I will be back in two weeks. They are going to be the longest two weeks of my life."

   "Me too, Beautiful, me too." He kissed her again. Judith looked into his baby blue eyes and she could tell he was getting tears in them.

   They called her flight one more time. She broke the embrace. She kept holding his hand and she said, "Good bye, Ken. I want you to rest this afternoon. You still are feeling the effects of the plague and I want you well and strong and healthy when I return."

   "Yes, Doc." He let go of her hand and gave her a military salute.

   "Bye, Ken. I love you."

   "Bye, Doc, I love you too."

   He watched her disappear into the corridor leading to the plane. He headed home and took her advice and spent the better part of the day resting.

THE END