Mrs Wilson 10: What Can I Do to Help?

Mrs Wilson is worried when she hasn’t seen Hutch for a few days.

Part of the Mrs Wilson series.

Mrs Wilson looked out of her window. Ken’s car still wasn’t there; that was two nights that he hadn’t been home. Unless he’d come home around midnight and gone out again before six, which was of course a possibility. She knew he kept crazy hours, but a funny feeling settled into the bottom of her stomach. She hoped he was okay. As she went to make her breakfast, she thought to herself that she might give Dave a call tomorrow if Ken didn’t come home tonight.

It was four pm when she saw the red and white Torino, belonging to Dave, pull up outside the apartment opposite. She breathed a sigh of relief. As she went to turn away, she spotted that Dave was hurrying around to the passenger side of the car to help his partner out. Ken appeared to have his arm in a sling. Mrs Wilson hesitated for only a moment. Then she went and put a light jacket on and headed out and across the road, just in time to see them disappearing inside.

She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.

“Mrs W, good to see you. How are you?” Starsky asked as he kissed the elderly lady on the cheek.

“I’m well, my dear, but I was wondering what had happened to Ken.” She peered past Starsky to see the object of her worry sitting on the couch, looking pale. “I saw you arrive home. What have you been up to?”

Hutch held out his hand to her, inviting her to come and sit beside him.

“I’ll put the coffee on,” Starsky said.

Mrs Wilson settled herself on the couch and looked at Ken enquiringly.

Hesitating slightly, Hutch said, “Nothing to worry about but I got shot in the shoulder. The hospital has patched me up. I have to wear the sling for a week or so then I can start doing some gentle exercise and light duties at work.”

Mrs Wilson held his hand and her eyes looked wet but she nodded as she asked, “What can I do to help?”

“Um…thank you. That’s a kind offer but-”

“-Don’t say you don’t need help because you will and helping is the least I can do after you were so kind when I broke my leg…How about I come over every day this week and make lunch for you? And if you need washing done or any little chores I could do that too.”

Starsky had just returned with three coffees on a tray, which he put on the table. He bent down and kissed Mrs Wilson on the head.

Before Hutch could protest, Starsky said, “You’re an angel, Mrs W, and Hutch would love that. And I’ll be much happier knowing someone’s checking in on him while I have to be at work.”

Starsky gave Hutch an expressive look to which Hutch nodded after a few seconds. The look said, “She needs to be useful and I need to know you’re okay.”

Hutch gave in gracefully: “Thank you, that would be very kind of you.”

Mrs Wilson beamed.

“I will only do what you ask me to do and if you’re tired and you want me to go, say so. I don’t want to drive you crazy. Deal?”

“Deal,” Hutch said with a smile.

The three of them drank their coffee and then Mrs Wilson stood up.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Ken. Hope you can get some healing rest tonight.”

Starsky walked her to the door and whispered to her, “Thanks. You’ve really put my mind at ease.”

Mrs Wilson patted his hand and smiled as she headed out. It was good to feel she could be useful to Ken and to know that she was helping Dave too. The first thing she would do was get cooking – chicken soup and a carrot cake should help the patient on the road to recovery. And of course, Dave never said no to cake even if it had carrots in it.