Passages Six: The Date

“She’s only fifteen, Hutch, we can’t let her go on a car date.”

“Starsk, she’ll be sixteen in two weeks,” his partner replied. “What are we supposed to do, keep her locked up forever?”

“Yes”

“Look, let’s ask Adam on the QT about this boy, Steve, and see if he’s got a good reputation.”

“Hutch, he’s sixteen, what do you think he’s interested in?”

“We’re going to have to let her go sooner or later. If we don’t, she’ll go behind our backs and that would be much worse.”

“I know you’re right, but geez, Hutch, she’s our baby.”

“She’s not a baby anymore. Sandy told me one of her and Adam’s classmates is pregnant.”

“Oh, my stomach hurts,” the dark haired man moaned, clutching his abdomen. “Wasn’t it just yesterday she was playing with dolls?”

Hutch smiled and put his arm over his partner’s shoulder. “Our baby is growing up, dear. We’ve taught her to do the right thing, and protect herself…” Starsky moaned again. “And now we have to let her go.

Saturday Night

“I still say we shoulda been cleaning our guns when that kid picked her up,” Starsky complained, looking out the window for the tenth time in the last hour. “At least he would have known we meant business.”

“Starsk, you had him call you Captain Starsky and you wore your holster. I think you made your point.”

They both started as they heard a car door slam, then tried to look busy as the door was flung open. Hannah stormed in the house, threw her purse on the floor and stalked into the den, flopping down next to Starsky on the couch. The men looked at her in surprise.

“Everything OK, pumpkin?” Hutch asked tentatively.

“Steve Fraser is a pig,” Hannah stated. “I’m never going out with him again.”

“Did he touch you?” Starsky asked. “If he did…”

She sighed and looked at her overly protective uncle. “He kissed me and I let him. Then he touched me where he shouldn’t and I told him to stop and he didn’t so I grabbed his nuts and twisted. He’ll be singing soprano in the choir for a week.”

Hutch’s eyebrows raised and Starsky stared at his niece in shock. Then they all started to laugh. Starsky grabbed Hannah and pulled her into a hug. “That’s my girl.”