A Set-Back

Hutch is making a good recovery from the plague. Then he isn’t.

Thanks to HutchisGorgeous for the idea.

Hutch was improving day by day. His partner kept a watchful eye, whilst trying to look as if he wasn’t. No-one was fooled, least of all Hutch. He endured the regime of gentle exercise and rest that Starsky supervised with surprising grace: a grace founded on profound gratitude. He knew that Starsky had done more than go the extra mile to achieve the impossible. His partner had visited Roper in his lair, not caring for his own safety. Hutch knew Starsky would have sold his soul if it would have helped save his partner. What he had been through had left a mark on them both but it had strengthened their friendship, adding a whole new layer to their ‘me and thee’ bond.

Hutch smiled as Starsky appeared in the doorway and asked, “Ready?”

Hutch nodded vigorously and then put his jacket on.

“Feeling a bit stir crazy, huh?” Starsky said.

“Yeah. Can’t wait to get out and feel the breeze on my face.”

They walked down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. Setting a steady pace, Starsky walked in the direction of Hutch’s local park. It was a lovely day and there were mothers with young children playing on the grass and over by the swings and slide.

They had managed almost a complete circuit of the park before Hutch started dragging ever so slightly. Starsky noticed but kept quiet. As they neared a convenient bench, Starsky suggested they sit down and enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes. He asked Hutch if he wanted a drink or an ice-cream from the food truck parked near the entrance.

“Just a water,” Hutch said. “I’m trying to avoid unhealthy foods. I’ve got to get back into my normal healthy regime to build up my immune system.”

Starsky nodded and headed off to buy bottles of water. Hutch watched a pair of small boys chasing each other. As the smaller of the two ran by, he tripped and fell and then began to wail. The older one ran off. Hutch looked around for a parent and saw a lady, carrying a baby, making her way over. He waved to her before helping the boy up and dusting him down.

The boy had a scrape on his hand and cried as Hutch tried to comfort him. The mother arrived and placed a gentle hand on the child’s head.

“Thanks,” she said to Hutch. “Aw Brady, you’ll be okay. It’s just a little graze. We’ll get it cleaned up at home.”

At that moment Starsky appeared with the two bottles and Hutch pulled out a clean handkerchief and offered to clean Brady’s wound.

“Oh thank you. That would be kind.”

“Why don’t you take a seat?” Starsky said politely to the woman.

“Thank you, I think I will. The baby is getting heavy. Brady, come and sit next to me.”

Hutch lifted the little boy onto the bench and knelt in front of him. He gently cleaned the wound with the water and handkerchief.

“There. Nearly good as new.”

The little boy jumped off the bench and then hugged Hutch before going to stand next to his mother. She thanked them and the three of them exchanged names and chatted for a moment. Then Mandy said she should be going to give Brady and the baby their lunch. The family headed off.

“Time for lunch for us too,” Starsky said. Before Hutch could accuse him of mother-henning, he added, “I’m starving.”

Hutch drank what was left of the water and said, “I actually feel like eating today.”

Starsky grinned, counting that statement as another milestone – Hutch’s appetite had been slow to return. Both were feeling contented by the time spent in the sunshine as they headed back to Hutch’s place.

*****

Starsky was just getting his jacket on when the phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Starsky, I don’t feel so good.”

“Hold tight. I’ll be right over.”

Starsky raced out of his apartment and into the Torino. He gripped the steering wheel as he drove straight to Venice Place. He leapt out of the car and slammed the door shut behind him then jumped over the hood and ran up the stairs. He found Hutch lying on the sofa, looking pale and sweaty.

Starsky placed his hand on his friend’s forehead. “You got a temperature. Any other symptoms?”

Hutch coughed. “Runny nose and a bit of a cough. I guess it’s just a bad cold.”

“Maybe but we’re getting you checked out at the hospital.”

Hutch stayed quiet as Starsky helped him up. Starsky could feel the fear radiating from his partner.

“Hutch, it’s probably nothing…but if it is a relapse, they know how to treat it now. Don’t worry. Okay?”

Hutch nodded.

Starsky tried to calm the hammering of his heart. He knew he needed to take notice of his own reassurances so he could keep Hutch calm. He prayed whatever this was, it wasn’t the plague rearing its ugly head again.

*****

“Measles? How could I have measles?”

“Well, your immune system is very low,” Dr Meredith said. “Have you had any contact with young children recently who might have been infected?”

Hutch looked at Starsky. “I’ve only been near children yesterday and they didn’t look like they had measles, did they?

“Not that I saw. What’s this mean, Doc? Is Hutch going to be okay? He’s just recovering from the plague. Now this!”

Dr Meredith smiled reassuringly at them both. “I know it’s a set-back but, Ken, you’ll be fine. You’ll feel rotten with cold symptoms for a few days. You may get watery eyes and develop a sensitivity to light. Wear sunglasses, even at home, just to make sure there is no damage to your eyes. The rash will appear in three to five days and stay around for a few days. All you can do is manage the symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest.”

“Okay,” Hutch sighed. “Thanks.”

Starsky drove his friend home and set him up with fruit, water and cold medicines. He offered to stay the night but Hutch insisted Starsky went home and got some rest as he was due in work the next day.

*****

Starsky let Dobey know that Hutch wasn’t well and his boss kindly suggested desk duty so that Starsky could visit Hutch before work and during the middle of the day. When he checked on him before work, Hutch was still in bed, very sleepy, snuffly and feeling generally sorry for himself.

When it got close to lunchtime, Starsky drove towards Venice Place to check on his partner again. He found a very floppy Hutch sitting at the kitchen table, undoing lids on pots and pouring the contents into the trash can. An aura of despondency hung around him. As Starsky approached, he could see Hutch was throwing away vitamin pills and powders. His lecithin and jars of mineral extracts were next in line. He sat down next to his partner.

Cautiously, Starsky asked, “Hutch, what are you doing?”

“None of this stuff works. What’s the point of it? It didn’t stop me getting the plague. It didn’t stop me getting the measles! Why bother trying to be healthy?”

Starsky reached across and placed his hand on Hutch’s arm, gently stopping his friend from throwing away anything else.

“Hutch. Look at me.” Hutch raised watery eyes to meet his. “First off, no vitamin could stop you from getting the plague. It was bad luck or bad genes. I don’t know why you got it and I didn’t, but it had nothing to do with whether you eat healthy or not.”

Hutch shrugged.

“But all that healthy eating meant you were strong. You started off stronger than other people and that’s why you’re still here when some others didn’t make it. Getting the measles now is just horrible bad luck and your immune system is still shot so you’ve gotta do everything you can to build it back up so you don’t go down with anything else.”

Hutch’s eyes looked even more watery. “I’m so sick of being ill! I thought I was getting better!”

Starsky put an arm around his friend and drew him close. “I know, pal. It’s just a little set-back, like Meredith said, that’s all. Let’s get some lunch sorted and then you’re going to rest. I’m going to stay over tonight and cook dinner and keep you company. On the way back over here, I’ll buy replacements for everything you’ve just thrown away. Okay?”

Hutch wiped at his eyes. “Okay…Thanks.”

“Won’t be long and we can go outside again…although I think we’ll go to the beach and steer clear of people, especially small children!”

For the first time since Starsky had walked in, Hutch smiled. “Sounds like a good idea.”

“Good. Now go lie on the sofa while I clear up this mess and get lunch ready. You are such a troublesome patient!”

“Sorry nurse. Won’t happen again.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Starsky cleared up and put some soup on low. He filled a glass with water and then walked to Hutch’s bedroom. He came back, carrying a pair of aviator sunglasses.

He handed the water and sunglasses to Hutch. “Wear these, Hutch. We don’t want anything else going wrong, okay?”

Hutch nodded and quietly said, “Okay.”

Starsky tousled his hair. “Good boy.”

If Hutch had had the strength he would have thrown a pillow at his partner. Instead he settled for a hard glare and raising the Hutchinson finger.

Starsky chuckled as he walked away to check on the soup.