What Child Is This

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Hutch’s girlfriend introduces him to her young son, and Hutch finds himself questioning who the boy’s father is, and why he connects with him in such a profound way.

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Hutch slid his hand gently up her bare arm. “Rae,” he spoke softly, “are you awake?”

Rae Newhouse made an annoyed sound and scrunched her eyes tightly closed against the daylight. She turned her head slightly away, just enough to find a shadow to give her that glorious darkness again. Her breathing smoothed once more, and she seemed to slip back into slumber.

“Rae?” His voice was slightly stronger this time. “Honey, wake up.” He lightly rubbed her upper arm.

Her eyes blinked open for a brief second, and she gave a protesting moan and she shut them tight again. She rolled onto her back then into his arms. “Ken,” she murmured sleepily. “How can you possibly want more? Where the hell do you get this energy?” Her body language and her sleepy Cheshire smile gave Hutch a completely different message. She was curling into him, running her hand up his flank. “I swear to God, I’m flushing all your health food down the toilet. And I’m spiking your meals with saltpeter.” She gave his backside a squeeze.

“Whoa there, honey,” he smiled and kissed her head. “You asked me to wake you up, remember? You said you wanted to get home before Mike does.”

His words stilled her hand. “Shit. What time is it?”

Hutch was already slipping out of the bed. “Relax. You’ve got plenty of time. I’ll make you some breakfast. You can hop in the shower.”

“Alone?” She rolled into the spot he vacated, face down, feebly reaching in his direction. He was already halfway to the kitchen. She groaned in earnest this time. “Rats.” Fully awake now, she pulled herself from the bed, appearing quite reluctant. “I finally get an entire night to spend with you and I still have to run out early. It’s not fair.”

“It’s not that early. At least I got to wake up with you in my arms.” Hutch came up behind her and wrapped his free arm around her. In his other hand was a hot cup of coffee. “Actually, I think this works in my favor. ‘Always leave them wanting more’…”

She took the cup with gratitude shining in her eyes. “Oooo, thank you. I need this.” Sipping the hot brew, she gave him a happy look. “I shouldn’t complain. It was an incredible night.”

Hutch smiled back at her. “The dinner?” he asked. Then he added mischievously, “Or what came after?” He probably wasn’t masking the lust in his eyes, but he didn’t care.

“Well,” she hedged, slipping from his arms. “I’m not sure I should tell you. If I praise one, I might not get the other.” She scooted into the bathroom, closing the door playfully in his face.

Hutch went back to the kitchen, and started pulling out the knife and cutting board. “You know,” he called after her, “we could skip breakfast and have another go around. If we run late, I can give you a police escort…” He sliced the oranges in half, and started crushing them into the pointed orange juicer. He knew well enough that she would reject his suggestion.

Rae poked her head out of the bathroom door. “Don’t tempt me, Ken,” she warned before ducking back into bathroom. Moments later, he heard the shower come on.

Hutch continued squeezing the oranges, cheerfully humming to himself as he worked. It wasn’t long before she came up beside him, fully dressed, hair still a bit damp.

“Whatcha singing?” she asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“I could drink a case of you, and I would still be on my feet …” He smiled as she rolled her eyes. “And I would still be on my feet…”

“Geez you are insatiable.”

He kissed her, handing her a glass of juice. “Oatmeal? Or granola? Or I’ve got some yogurt and fruit.” She crinkled her nose, and he sighed.

“Haven’t you got any leftovers?” she asked. “I’m starving. How about some eggs?” She pulled open the refrigerator door. “Ah ha!”

His heart sank when he saw her pull out the Chinese take-out container. “No, no,” he snatched the container from her hands. “You don’t want that. I don’t know how long that’s been in there.” He saw the disappointed look on her face and caved in. “Look in that cabinet over there.”

She pulled open the cabinet and let out a delighted squeal of surprise. “Ken! You’ve been holding out on me!” She tore the cellophane off a Twinkie and took a big bite, savoring the sweet treat. “Now you’re talkin’.” She washed it down with the orange juice.

“They’re my partner’s.” He cocked his head at her disapprovingly. “That stuff is awful for you. Do you know what’s in that creamy filling?”

She held up her hand. “Stop. I don’t want to know. I love these things.” A few more bites and she polished it off.

“Look around in there. You might find something else you like. Hopefully something that makes a healthier breakfast than a Twinkie.”

“Pop Tarts!”

Hutch groaned. “I’m never going to introduce you to my partner. You two have way too much in common.” He watched her bring the pseudo-pastry to her mouth, about to take a bite. “Hey, aren’t you going to toast that first?” She shook her head and quickly took a bite, grinning at him without the appropriate amount of remorse.

Looking at the clock, she sighed. “I have to go.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Last night was wonderful. I will try to make this happen more often. I promise.”

“Do what you can,” he requested. “I know it’s not easy.” He held her tight. “You better go, or I’m going to pick you up and carry you back to bed.”

“Uh huh,” she pulled back. “Insatiable.” Kissing him one more time, she grinned. “I love that about you. Now give me another Pop Tart for the road.”

He grinned, handed her another toaster pastry, and playfully swatted her on the backside. “Go.” She grabbed her purse and scooted out the door.

~*~

Hutch walked into the squad room and dropped a small grocery bag into Starsky’s lap. “A present for you.”

Starsky opened the bag with a suspicious look to Hutch. He paused, then sat up and asked, “You bought me Twinkies and Pop Tarts?”

“Rae raided your stash. I thought I’d replenish it.” He slid into his own chair and propped his feet up on the edge of the desk.

“Oh! Then why don’t you just keep them at your place? I’ll eat them there.”

“I did. I bought extras. I thought you might enjoy a snack.” Hutch shrugged. “Consider it interest.”

Starsky smiled. “Thanks!” He ripped open the box of Twinkies and took a generous bite. “Mmm. Breakfast of champions.”

Hutch smiled. “You and my girlfriend have the same taste in breakfast food.”

“Rachel?” After Hutch nodded, Starsky asked, “You’ve been going out for a while now. Getting serious?” Hutch shrugged evasively. “You met the kid yet?”

He shook his head. “He doesn’t know about me. It’s a whole other ballgame when a kid’s involved. She’s going to see if we’re compatible, before she ever brings her son into it.”

Starsky leaned forward, his arms crossed on the desk and his chin resting on his arms. “You ever think about walking into a ready-made family? Would you want that?”

Hutch considered the question. “I wouldn’t mind a ready-made family. But it’s a little early for that. I don’t even know if he’d like me. If he didn’t, I wouldn’t stand a chance. They’re a package deal.”

Starsky gave a snort. “Of course he’ll like you. Why wouldn’t he? Kiko likes you. Molly likes you. Their friends like you. Why wouldn’t her son like you?”

He gave Starsky an appreciative smile. “Thanks, Starsk.”

Starsky’s expression changed, and Hutch realized he had given away more than he intended. “You’ve been thinking about it,” Starsky deduced.

Getting up to get a cup of coffee, he sighed. “Sure I think about it. I wouldn’t still be going out with her, if I wasn’t open to the possibility.”

“No, I mean you’ve been thinking about how he’ll react to you. If you’ll have a place in his life, too. You’re thinking about more than just the here and now.” He grinned. “You are getting serious.” Starsky shook his head. “Shoot, I’ve gotta meet this girl.”

“Relax, Starsk,” Hutch sipped his coffee. “We’re not there yet. I’m still off the radar, if her son doesn’t know about me yet.”

Starsky looked at him dubiously. “You’re not off the radar, pal. You’ve been going with her since before the company picnic. At least a few months. She wouldn’t still be with you, if you didn’t cut the mustard.” He came over and nudged Hutch. “So when do I get to meet her, huh?”

“I’ll introduce you,” Hutch mused. “One of these days…”

~*~

“So that’s the grand tour,” Rae proudly announced to Hutch. “What do you think?”

Hutch took her in his arms. “It’s charming. And so homey. You’ve got a real knack for decorating.”

She smiled happily. “I’ve really come to love this little place. I’ve been dying for you to see it. It was such a sad little place when I first found it. I’ve put a lot of work into it.”

“You’d never know it looked sad. It looks like a well-loved home. It’s great to finally see the place you talk about so much. I’ve always liked these Craftsman bungalows.” He liked the sparkle in her eyes when he talked about her home. “You did a great job with the garden, too.”

“I’m so glad you said that. I’ve been thinking of throwing a party, a little barbeque or something, out in the back. I wanted it to look nice.”

He kissed her. “It will look beautiful.”

She looked up at him entreatingly. “Will you come?”

“You want me to come to your barbeque?”

Rae looked uncharacteristically shy, and a little nervous. “Um, I was thinking, maybe you’d want to come…and meet my son.”

Hutch smiled broadly. “Rae, I’d love to meet your son.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He could feel her tension dissolve.

“I thought it might be a good setting. You know, kind of informal, a group thing.”

“Do you think it would help if I invited Kiko and Molly? They’re just a little older than Mike, and I think they would hit it off. Molly is kind of a tomboy, and pretty athletic.”

“That’s a great idea,” she replied thoughtfully. “Might help to break the ice.” Her face took on a worried look. “Ken, would you mind if we just acted like friends around Mike? I’d like for him to get to know you, without any pressure…”

“Rae,” Hutch spoke softly. “You handle this whatever way you think is best.”

“I’ve never involved him in my relationships, and I don’t know how he’ll react to this. It’s always just been me and him, for as long as he can remember.” She seemed to study his face. “Will that hurt your feelings, to act like we’re just friends? I just don’t want to smack him over the head with this.”

He kissed her again. “Stop worrying. I don’t have a problem with it, and I understand. We’ll take it slow and easy.”

~*~

“So who is this Rae chick anyways?” Molly asked. “She your girlfriend or something?”

Hutch detected a slight edge to her voice. “She’s the one’s who’s hosting this shindig,” he answered. “She said her kid collects baseball cards, so I thought you two might hit it off.” Then he looked to Kiko in the back seat. “He plays football and basketball too.”

Molly looked wary. “Is he one of those cocky jock types?”

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “I’ve never met him. But hey, if you guys would rather go back to your house, that’s okay by me. I’m sure your mom would put you right back to work on cleaning out that garage.”

Molly and Kiko exchanged looks. “No, we’ll go.” She nudged her hat back off her forehead. “I’ve never been to a barbeque before.”

“Your mom doesn’t barbeque?” Hutch questioned.

“She does too,” Kiko countered. “We just haven’t done it since Molly came to live with us.”

“What about that foster family? The Wilkins?” Hutch prompted. “Didn’t they ever barbeque?”

Molly shook her head. “Williams. No. You kidding? Mrs. Williams would never deal with something so messy. Or fun. That place was a boot camp.”

Hutch smiled. “Well then, you’re in for a treat. I hear there’s going to be burgers, hot dogs, brats, sloppy joes…”

“Cheeseburgers?” Molly asked.

“I’m sure we can slap some cheese on yours,” he conceded.

He pulled into Rae’s driveway. There were several people there already. “Come here, you two,” Hutch directed. “You guys carry this in.” He reached into his trunk and snapped open the large chest cooler inside. He pulled out two buckets of vanilla ice cream and handed them to Molly, then two buckets of chocolate and handed them to Kiko. Hutch grabbed the grocery bag. “It’s always polite to bring the hostess something. You guys give her the ice cream, and I’ll give her the cones.”

Rae answered his knock on the front door. “Hey Hutch,” she smiled happily. “Who are your friends?”

“Rachel, this is Kiko and Molly Ramos,” he introduced them.

“Whatcha got there?” Rae inquired. “Looks like you need the kitchen!”

“We brought you some ice cream,” Kiko announced.

“We’ve got vanilla and chocolate, and Hutch’s got the cones,” Molly added.

“Thank you, Kiko and Molly! Follow me.” She led the trio into the kitchen to stash the ice cream in the freezer. “My son Mike is out back with some other kids. They’re playing Frisbee. You’re welcome to go join them. If you stick around here, we’re liable to put you to work cooking.” The two scurried out the back door.

Rae and Hutch watched as they ran up to the group of kids in the yard. Molly dashed right up and caught the Frisbee in mid air, and in one swift turn whip it off to a boy across from her. Kiko patted her on the back and the two were absorbed right into the game.

“All girls should get along with their brothers as well as she gets along with Kiko,” Rae laughed.

“They’re two peas in a pod, those two,” Hutch smiled. He looked to the boy with the dark brown curly hair. “Is that Mike?”

“That’s my Mikey,” she said quietly. She reached over and squeezed Hutch’s hand.

“Handsome boy,” Hutch noted. He looked for Rae’s characteristics in the boy, but he must take after his father. Rae was fair, with long, straight blonde hair and green eyes, but Mike was dark, with dark, curly hair. “He kind of looks like my partner,” he chuckled. “They have the same hair.”

“What I wouldn’t do for curls like his!” she laughed. They went outside to join the rest of the party.

~*~

Hutch was drinking lemonade in a large plastic cup, listening to Rae’s best friend Allie talk about their recent trip to Carmel. As she rambled on, Hutch caught a glimpse of Mike playing touch football with the rest of the kids. He caught a pass from Kiko, and ran it in for a touchdown. Hutch smiled. It was funny to watch him. With his dark curls and similar build, he not only looked a lot like Starsky, but he had the same funny way of running, kind of windmilling his arms about, to help him keep balance as he dodged the other players. He was very fast, and graceful, but in his own suspenseful way.

Allie’s voice trailed off, and Hutch quickly snapped back to the conversation. “That sounds like it was a lot of fun,” he offered.

“You’re watching Mikey, aren’t you,” Allie noted in an understanding tone. “Have you had a chance to talk to him yet?”

“No, not yet,” Hutch answered.

“He’s a sweet kid,” Allie commented affectionately. “You don’t have to worry, Hutch. He’s his mother’s son. He’s going to adore you.” She squeezed his shoulder.

Hutch reached up and squeezed the hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, Allie.”

A breathless Kiko ran up, with Molly, Mike and another boy hot on his heels. “Hey Hutch!” he called. “We’re trying to get a game of hoops going. We’re short. You wanna play?”

Hutch shook his head and opened his mouth to decline, when Molly dropped down next to him, hands folded on this leg in an entreating fashion. “Please, Hutch?” She looked to him with those big, hound dog eyes.

He looked at her and hesitated. “Who’s team am I on?”

“MINE!” she shouted.

“Well, okay then,” he smiled and ran back with them to the hoop over the garage. “Who’s on our team, Pete?” he asked Molly, using her old nickname.

“We’ve got Steve here; he’s really fast. And Julie; she’s awesome at blocking. Mike’s a killer shot. Watch out, though. He’s a leftie, and you’ll get an elbow in the eye if you aren’t paying attention. And you gotta watch out for Tina on their side. She’s really good. When you get her together with Kiko, they play like you and him play together. That guy over there is her dad. He throws like a girl. The kid over there is Joe. He’s not that good. And the other girl is Hannah. She’s an unknown.”

“Got it.” Hutch suddenly stopped. Mike was right across from him, and close up for the first time. Hutch nearly did a double take. The kid didn’t just resemble Starsky, he looked just like him. It was like looking at an old photo of his partner. The similarities were extraordinary. Hutch mentally shook off the thought, and put his mind on the game at hand.

The game was very competitive, and fairly well matched. Hutch had no trouble keeping pace with their youthful enthusiasm. Tina’s dad was not in good shape, and ended up being substituted by Hannah’s father, who played far better. Hutch found that he had a natural rapport with Mike. The two had similar styles and pace, and seemed to always be aware of the other’s position. Hutch had to repeatedly shake off the surprise he felt when he looked over expecting to see his best friend, and seeing this adolescent lookalike instead.

“Come and get it!” Rae cried, bringing an instantaneous end to the basketball game. The ball hadn’t even hit the ground yet, and the kids were all scampering for a plate. Hutch collapsed onto a picnic table bench and waited for the line to go down. Soon he was joined by Molly and Kiko. Molly brought him a plate with a huge cheeseburger with all the fixings and a large portion of chips. “Molly, this is the best hamburger I’ve ever tasted,” Hutch praised.

“Least I could do for the MVP,” she nodded proudly. “Thanks to you we kicked their butts.”

“I don’t think winning by two points qualifies as kicking our butts,” Kiko protested. “We gave you a run for your money.”

Mike came up and sat down next to Hutch. “That was a great game. Kiko, you played a good game.”

Kiko cheered up. “Thanks, Mike.”

Mike looked up to Hutch. “So are you Kiko and Molly’s dad?”

Answering for Hutch, Kiko explained, “Hutch is my big brother. You know, like Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Bay City.”

Mike nodded in understanding. “Cool.” Once again he turned to the adult beside him. “Do you work with my mom?”

Molly shook her head. “Hutch is a cop!” she announced proudly. “He saved my life.”

“Hey, I helped!” Kiko gently reminded her.

She smiled at her brother. “Yeah, you did. Kiko’s going to be a cop someday, too.”

“You really a cop?” Mike asked. He sounded impressed with this revelation. Hutch nodded. “You carry a gun?”

“Yeah, it’s part of the job.”

“Did you ever shoot somebody?” Hutch paused before answering. In his peripheral vision, he detected Molly slowly reaching out to steal some of his chips. “Only when they try to steal my food!” he exclaimed, simultaneously clamping a hand down on Molly’s outstretched arm. The kids burst out laughing at the unexpected move. Molly shot out her free hand, and snatched up the desired chips, popping them into her mouth triumphantly, a great big crumbly grin on her face.

He grabbed her hat and slid it forward so the bill of the baseball cap came down on her nose, and mashed it playfully into her face. While she reached up to right her hat, Hutch traded his plate of potato chips for her empty one, and got up from the table. Catching a glimpse of Rae, he looked over and gave her a happy smile. Her eyes twinkled at him affectionately.

As Hutch poured himself another cup of lemonade, Allie walked up to him. “Looks like you and Mike were hitting it off,” she observed. “I saw him come over and sit with you.”

“Yeah,” Hutch grinned. “I didn’t expect that. I feel real comfortable with him.” He shook his head. “I guess I was worried about nothing.” Looking back to Mike and Molly and Kiko, he heard them all burst out laughing again, and Hutch froze. Mike looked up with his eyes shining mischievously and a bright crooked smile on his face. He’d know that crooked smile anywhere. “Allie, what do you know about Mike’s father?”

“Chris? He was great guy. What a tragedy! They were so young, and they were just starting out.” She shook her head. “Rae was devastated. Mike was just a baby at the time. I don’t think he was even walking yet.”

“Hey, Allie! Come give me a hand with this ice cream, will you?” Rae called out. Allie touched Hutch’s arm to excuse herself, and went inside to assist her friend.

Hutch looked back to Mike and sipped his lemonade thoughtfully.

~*~

“Here you go, Hutch,” Minnie handed him the file. “I couldn’t find a Christopher Newhouse, but I did find a Christian Newhouse. Looked under Newhouse, Bay City, car accidents, ten to twelve years ago. This was the only hit that came up.”

“Thanks, Minnie.” He eagerly flipped through the pages until he came across the driver’s license photo. Hutch sighed in frustration. The fair skin, the hazel eyes and the straight sandy hair stared back at him, confusing him further. He kept searching the features, but saw nothing of the young boy in this man’s face. He dug through the file, hoping to find something to tell him he had the wrong man, until a familiar name jumped out at him. Under the listing for next of kin, he saw the name he hoped not to find.

Rachel Newhouse.

~*~

“Hutch?” Starsky prompted. “You still with me, partner?”

Hutch snapped back to the moment. “Sorry, Starsk. Lost in thought.” They were sitting in the Torino, waiting for a snitch that was supposed to show up 45 minutes ago.

“You haven’t heard a word I said. You’ve been doing that a lot lately. Something wrong?”

“No. Nothing’s wrong.”

Much to Hutch’s irritation, Starsky pushed. “You and Rachel have a fight?”

“No, we didn’t have a fight. Can we drop this?” Hutch regretting saying the words, the minute they left his mouth. Asking Starsky to drop something was like waving a red cape in front of a bull.

“Sure. I’ll drop it right after you tell me what’s up with you. Spill.”

Hutch considered his options. Finally he decided to just come out and ask him. “Starsk, did you ever date a girl named Rachel Newhouse?”

“Rachel Newhouse?” Starsky stared at him. “Is that your Rachel?”

“Or Olson. Rachel Olson?”

“What the hell are you asking me, Hutch?”

“Do you know her?”

“You know I’ve never met her. And I think I’d remember dating someone named Rachel. It’s my mom’s name, you know. I wouldn’t easily forget that. So what’s going on?”

“Are you sure? Maybe a one-night-stand or something? Maybe you didn’t know her last name?” Hutch was grasping at straws and he knew it.

“Hutch, you’re asking me if I’ve slept with your girlfriend?” He looked stunned. And pissed. He suddenly reached for the ignition and started the car. “Give me her address. Now.”

“Starsk, I swear to you, I’m not going to be angry. I just need to know…”

“Tell me her address or I call the precinct and get it from them.” He started to back the car out.

“No.” He grabbed Starsky’s wrist in a death grip when he tried to reach for the radio.

Starsky yanked his arm free and threw the car back into park. “We’re going over there right now and straighten this out. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it now.”

Hutch gritted his teeth. “Turn off the car. I’ll tell you.” He pulled out his wallet and slid a photo from its sleeve. Handing the picture to Starsky, he asked, “Do you know her?”

Starsky examined the photo carefully. He shook his head. “Hutch, I’ve never seen this woman before in my life.” He continued to stare at her. He shook his head again, with finality. “No. I don’t know her.”

Hutch grabbed the photo and inhaled deeply. He wasn’t sure if this was good news or bad news, but it didn’t solve his mystery. He stared blankly out the passenger window, gathering his thoughts. Starsky just waited silently.

He looked back and faced his friend. “Starsk, it’s Rae’s son. I would’ve bet my life that he was your son.”

The anger drained from Starsky’s face, replaced by a blanched astonishment. Suddenly he laughed. “Are you kidding me? You think I fathered your girlfriend’s kid? Have you flipped your lid?” Hutch stared intently at his best friend, until the laughter subsided. “You know how crazy this sounds, right?” Finally the smile was gone. “Hutch, come on!”

“Starsk, name one person that knows you better than I do. Name anyone that knows you inside and out like I do. I know what you think, how you move… Hell, I even know how you breathe. If I sit here and tell you, that kid rings as true to me as you do, why the hell would you question me?”

“Hutch, I swear, I’ve never seen her before in my life.”

“None of this makes sense,” he muttered.

Starsky sharply shook his head, as if to clear it. “Wow. I’ve got to meet this kid.”

“No.” Hutch looked up with a determination in his eyes. “But you will meet his mother.”

~*~

“Tell me about the kid, Hutch.” Starsky’s tone wasn’t asking, he was insistent.

Hutch stopped what he was doing and faced his partner. “I’m not going to tell you anything, yet. I want you to meet her without knowing what I’m seeing. I don’t want to affect your behavior. I want to see if she sees it, too. After tonight, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Starsky nodded his agreement. “You know he can’t be mine, right?”

Hutch decided to answer him honestly. “I don’t know what I know. Right now, I just need to find out if she picks up on it too.” He got out of the car and headed for the entrance of the bowling alley. Pulling the entry door open, he stopped and faced his partner apologetically. “Hey, I’m sorry if I came off like I was accusing you the other day. I’m not. I just need some answers.”

With a pat on the back, Starsky said, “Come on, buddy. I’ll buy you a beer. I think we both need one.”

The two men went up to the counter to rent their shoes and pay for their games. After getting set up with shoes and balls, and finding out the lanes where their precinct was playing, they headed over to the bar to settle their jangled nerves. It wasn’t long before Rae and Allie walked in and spotted them.

Rae scurried up and threw her arms around Hutch. She kissed him thoroughly. “God, I’ve missed you!” she purred.

“I’ve missed you, too,” he was lost in her eyes. After a long silence, Starsky cleared his throat, catching Hutch’s attention. “Um, Rae, I want you to meet my partner, Dave Starsky.”

“Hi, Rachel, I’ve heard a lot about you,” he nodded.

She smiled. “Hi, Dave.”

“And Starsky, this is Allie, Rae’s friend.”

“Hi, Dave.”

“Honey, you don’t mind that I brought Allie along, do you? I was able to get Violet next door to babysit, and I was feeling a little nervous about meeting your work friends.”

“Of course not,” Hutch assured her. “This is just a casual thing. A lot of people bring friends or dates. Besides, this gives us a foursome.”

They met up with the rest of the precinct and settled into their lanes. While Hutch was filling out the score sheet, Allie turned to Rae and whispered, “Hey Rae, you know who he reminds me of?” Rae instantly hushed her, and the statement was left hanging. Hutch secretly caught Starsky’s eye but said nothing.

The players were growing very competitive, and playing more seriously. After making an extremely difficult split shot, Starsky walked back to the group with a cocky strut and a huge grin on his face. Rae took one look at him and gasped audibly. Allie gave her foot a swift kick. This was not lost on Hutch.

As the evening wore on, the alcohol was having its affect. Starsky was teasing Rae, when she turned to him and said, “Mike, you wouldn’t dare!” When Starsky’s expression changed, she put her hand to her mouth and said, “I’m sorry, Dave. It’s just that you remind me of my son.” Starsky looked at Hutch expectantly.

“You see it too?” Hutch asked her carefully.

“Oh my, yes!” she exclaimed. “How could I miss it?”

“I look like your son?” Starsky asked.

Allie raised her glass, “Honey, you don’t just look like him. You smile like him, you talk like him, you walk like him, and you act like him.”

“It’s really uncanny!” Rae marveled. She snatched up her purse and pulled out a photo from her wallet. “Take a look.”

Mike’s school photo showed the same crooked smile that had been so striking to the rest of the group. Starsky paled. He studied the picture for a long while then asked in a horse voice, “Rae, who’s his father?”

“I…I…uh…I don’t…” Her eyes filled with tears and she couldn’t complete the sentence. She grabbed her purse and fled.

“Rae!” Allie cried, dashing after her.

Hutch started to follow, but Starsky firmly stopped him. “Let them go,” he ordered. “She needs time. Let her come to you.” When Hutch stopped chomping at the bit, and settled back into his seat, Starsky sank down next to him. He still had the photo of Mike in his hands, and he intently stared at it again.

“Now do you get it?” Hutch asked gently.

“Hutch, he looks exactly like me. This could be my school picture.”

Hutch stared off into space. His voice was very quiet. “You know when we’re entering a crime scene, before we’ve established if the scene is clear… Even if we’re separated, I can still feel you. I sense you. I know where you’re at, I can anticipate how you’re going to move, what you’ll look for, what will catch your attention…” He looked at Starsky and his eyes regained their focus. He stared right into Starsky. “I can sense him that same way.”

~*~

“Rae, wait!” She finally slowed, and Allie was able to catch up to her. She grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Keys! Give them to me!” Allie demanded.

Rae pulled the keys from her pocket and slapped them into her friend’s palm. Allie wrapper her arms around her buddy and hugged her. “You okay?” She saw her friend’s hands, trembling badly. “Let’s get you out of here.”

The drive was quiet, and Allie did most of the talking. She was careful not to delve too deeply into this, but she knew it would be futile to pretend that the events hadn’t happened. “I still can’t get over watching Dave. Geez, that smile! Every time I saw it, my jaw about hit the floor! Did you notice he was left handed, too?” She pulled into Allie’s driveway. “I’ll ask Vi to keep Mike overnight. Is that okay?” At Rae’s nod, she got out and went over to the neighbor’s house as Rae went into her own home.

Violet had no problems keeping Mike overnight. Allie offered to give her a bonus for the unexpected extension, but Vi refused. “He’s just going to be sleeping anyway. I’ll just send him back home when he wakes up.”

Allie returned to her friend’s home. “Rae?” She found Rae curled up on the couch crying. “Aw sweetie, why are you so upset?”

“What if he’s his father?” Rae sniffed. “What if he wants to fight for custody?”

“You don’t know that,” Allie reminded. “Why don’t you call Becky?”

“No,” she shook her head adamantly. “I don’t want to involve her. I don’t have to. I have the original birth certificate.”

“What! What’s it say?” Allie demanded.

“I’ve never read it,” Rae admitted. “It’s been sealed all this time.”

Allie pushed at her leg. “Well what are you waiting for, girl? Go get it!”

Rae didn’t budge. “I can’t. It’s in a safe deposit box.”

Shrinking onto the couch’s edge, Allie sighed. “Crap. Tomorrow’s Sunday. Well, I suppose it’s just as well. You’re kind of a basket case. Maybe a little time and a good night’s sleep will do you good.”

Groaning sadly, Rae whined, “What am I going to tell Ken?”

“Simple. Tell him the truth.”

“Tell him I don’t know who the father is? Tell him I’m not Mike’s biological mother? Tell him his guess is as good as mine if Dave is the dad? Oh yeah. The truth sounds just peachy.”

“Hon, just tell him about Becky.”

~*~

Hutch woke up to Starsky banging around in his kitchen. He was about to berate him for waking him up, but the enticing aroma of coffee made him forget his irritation. He followed the scent into the kitchen. Before he could open his mouth to ask for some, Starsky slipped a mug into his hands. “Thanks.”

“You hungry?”

“No thanks,” Hutch muttered. “I just want the coffee.”

“Okay.”

Ignoring his refusal, Starsky slid a plate of eggs and toast in front of Hutch. Automatically, he picked up his fork and started to eat. “This is good.”

“Thanks,” Starsky grinned. He grabbed a plate for himself and joined Hutch at the table.

Hutch finished the eggs and put the fork down dejectedly. “I can’t stand this waiting,” he complained.

“Hutch, you know she’s protective, and she doesn’t move quickly when her kid’s involved. Look how long it took her to introduce you to him. She’s not going to come over here without a moment’s thought and tell you about her family secrets.”

“I didn’t intend to scare her off,” he said wearily. “I was trying to make sense of this, why I connected with this boy.”

“Maybe it doesn’t matter who the dad is,” Starsky offered. “Maybe you just accept it for what it is. Maybe you relate to him because we look alike or act alike. Nothing more.”

“There’s nothing on this earth that will convince me he doesn’t have your blood in his veins.”

“Then you don’t need to hear it from her,” he said pointedly. Hutch pondered this, then looked up and met Starsky’s eyes. He grinned, and nodded.

A quiet knock broke the silence in the room. Hutch sprang from the chair and hurried to the door. He opened it to find Rae standing there with a large envelope in her hands. Hutch pulled her into his arms and embraced her before she set foot in the apartment. “Hey,” she whispered.

Hutch pulled back and guided her into the room. “Hi Dave,” she called to the kitchen.

Starsky waved back. “I was just leaving.”

“No, stay,” Rae insisted. “I wanted to talk to you both.” They all took a seat in the living room, and Rae nervously played with her bracelet. “I’m sorry I ran out the other night,” she began. “I was kind of shocked about meeting you, Dave, and it raised a lot of questions for me,” she glanced from one to the other, “as I’m sure it did for you, too.”

Hutch took her hand in his. “Rae, if you don’t want to talk about this…”

“No, I do,” she said eagerly. “I want to get this out in the open.” She looked to Hutch. “You’ve probably figured out that Chris was not Michael’s father.” When Hutch nodded, she continued. “What you might not know is that I’m not his biological mother.” Hutch looked to Starsky, who gripped the arm of his chair very tightly. “When Chris and I married, I knew he could not have kids. He had had cancer when he was young, and the treatments left him infertile. But right after we were married, my younger cousin found herself in trouble. She lived out east, and her parents sent her to stay with Chris and I until the baby was born. We adopted her boy. At the time, she gave me this envelope with his original birth certificate, but I never opened the envelope.” She held it up, and it was still sealed.

“So you don’t know who the father is,” Hutch said softly.

Starsky stood and paced a few steps, then turned back. “What’s your cousin’s name?”

“Rebecca Fellows. Becky.”

Shaking his head, he looked helpless. “I don’t remember,” he whispered.

Rae reached for the envelope. To Hutch’s surprise, Starsky stepped forward and laid his hand on the envelope. “Rachel, you don’t have to open this if you don’t want to,” he assured her. She looked up at him, confusion evident in her eyes. “Just tell me something. What’s Michael’s middle name?”

“David,” Rae answered. “Becky gave him his name. She said he was named for his grandfather.”

Starsky jumped, he pulled his hand from the envelope. He sank back into his chair and dragged a hand over his face. “Why don’t I remember her?” he whispered.

Hutch leaned closer to Rae and nodded his head in Starsky’s direction. “His father’s name is Michael David. His parents reversed the names when they named him.”

Rae gasped when she heard this and picked up the envelope, quickly running her finger under the flap. She pulled the papers out and swiftly scanned over them. Her brow furrowed. “It’s not you,” she said, disappointment audible in her voice. She looked at Hutch, then to Starsky. “Who’s Nicholas Marvin Starsky?”

“Nicky!” Hutch and Starsky exclaimed at the same time.

Starsky laughed. “Now it makes sense.”

“Who’s Nicky?” Rae asked.

“Nicky is my little brother,” Starsky told her. “He lives in New York.”

“There’s a strong family resemblance,” Hutch shared.

Starsky stood and offered a hand to Rae. She rose, and Starsky wrapped his arms around her. “Welcome to the family,” he told her, giving her a tight hug.

“Rae, there’s something else in this envelope,” Hutch discovered. “You should take a look at this.”

Reading the paper Hutch handed her, she visibly sagged in relief. “Oh thank God. He signed away his paternal rights. He can’t take Michael away from me.”

Starsky reassured her. “Rachel, that wouldn’t have happened. I’d have seen to that. You’re Michael’s mom, and nobody’s got any say in that.”

Rae looked contrite. “I’m sorry, Dave,” she told him. “Ever since this started, I’ve been afraid Mike’s father would come back into his life and try to take him away from me. I didn’t mean to offend you, by being relieved to find that document.”

Hutch looked to his partner. “What are you going to do now, Starsk? Now that you know?”

Starsky turned to Rae. “My brother obviously already knows about Mike, since he signed away his rights. I don’t feel obligated to tell him anything at this point, unless you want me to.”

“I’m not sure, Dave. I’d like to think about it.”

Nervously, Starsky asked, “What about me, Rachel? Is there room for an uncle in Mike’s life?”

“That might not be a bad thing,” she mused. “Mike’s never had much family besides me. I think there might be a place for a doting uncle.”

Hutch added, “There’s also the matter of your mother, Starsk. Mike has a grandmother.”

“A grandmother?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding very intrigued. “I didn’t think about that. Mike doesn’t have any grandparents. It’s something that’s always made me sad. I had a great relationship with my grandparents.”

Starsky grinned broadly. “I gotta warn you, though. If I tell my mother about Mike, she’s liable to be on the next flight out here.” He chuckled. “I think you’d like her, though. And as the first and only grandchild, Mike would be spoiled rotten. Naming him Michael David is just like putting a big old bow on top.”

“A grandmother,” she repeated, sinking into the couch. “I’ve always thought of Mike’s biological family as a threat, a negative entity. It never occurred to me that there could be positives involved.”

“Starsky’s mom is named Rachel too,” Hutch informed her.

Understanding shone in her eyes. “That’s why you never call me Rae! I’ve been wondering why you’re always so formal with me.”

“I like the name Rachel. It’s a nice name,” he defended.

“This is so much to absorb,” she sighed. “I really need to process everything.” She turned to Starsky and asked, “Do you mind if we just let it all soak in for a bit? I’d like to test the waters with Mike and see how he responds to all of this. I promise you that you will have a part in Mike’s life. But what that is, and what it entails, I’d like to let that evolve over time. I don’t know how receptive my son will be, and I don’t want to push him into something that he doesn’t accept or isn’t ready for.”

“Thank you, Rachel,” Starsky replied. “That’s a great plan, and I’m honored to be included in any way.”

~*~

Starsky tossed aside the dust rag and the furniture polish and jogged over to answer the knock at the door. To his surprise, Rae stood in his doorway. “Hey, Rachel! What are you doing here? Come on in!” He pulled the door open wider, but she did not step forward. Instead, a dark haired boy with curly hair stepped in front of her.

“Dave Starsky?” the boy inquired. “I’m Mike Newhouse.”

Shocked, Starsky looked to Rae, but couldn’t tell what this was about from the tentative smile on her face. “Well hi, Mike!” he answered cautiously. “Are you guys looking for Hutch?” He stared at the confident adolescent in front of him. He could see so much of himself and his brother in the boy, that it was hard to tear his eyes away.

“No sir,” Mike turned to his mother and held out his hand to her. Rae slipped a flat package to him, which he in turn extended to Starsky. “I came to bring you this.”

Curiosity piqued, Starsky took the wrapped gift that he was handed. “What’s this?” He pulled away the paper and opened the box. Pulling out the cloth, he unfolded it and held it up. It was a t-shirt that read, “I’M THE CRAZY UNCLE EVERYONE WARNED YOU ABOUT.” Starsky burst out laughing.

“Show him yours!” Rae encouraged.

“Oh yeah!” He unzipped his jacket, and held it open to show off his own shirt. His read, “IF YOU THINK I’M HANDSOME, YOU SHOULD SEE MY UNCLE.”

“This is terrific!” Starsky beamed. “You know, Mike. I’m pretty excited. I’ve never been an uncle before.”

“I’ve never had an uncle before,” Mike grinned. “is it okay if I call you Uncle Dave?”

“I insist!” Starsky exclaimed. “Hey, this calls for a toast. Do you like black cows, Mike?”

Mike’s face crinkled in confusion. “Cows?”

“Not cows,” Starsky said in a conspiratorial voice. “Black cows. You know what that is?” When Mike shook his head, he explained, “It’s when you put some ice cream in a tall glass, and you fill it up with root beer.”

“Oh, you mean a root beer float?”

“Yeah, but that’s not what we call it my neck of the woods. You want me to show you the secret to making a great black cow?” When Mike nodded, he motioned for him to follow into the kitchen. “Come on, I’ll show you. You get the ice cream and the root beer and I’ll get the glasses.” Starsky set three glasses on the counter. “You scoop. Don’t be stingy with that ice cream! The trick is to use ice-cold root beer. Then it gets into all those nooks and crannies in the ice cream and freezes up, and you get these great root beer crystals in your ice cream. That’s the best part! Yeah, fill them right up to the top. Go on, really pack it in there.” As he worked, Starsky put his arms around Rae and embraced her warmly. “Thank you, Rachel.”

“As soon as he heard he had an uncle, he wanted to run right over here. Well, after we hit the t-shirt store, first. He’s quite excited.”

“Me too,” Starsky admitted. Then to Mike he said, “That’s good, Mike! Now fill ’em up! Pour slow, though. It really foams up. There’s straws in the cabinet above you.” While Mike made the black cows, Starsky pulled off his shirt and replaced it with the new ‘crazy uncle’ shirt that Mike brought him.

Rae snapped her fingers and said, “Dang it! I meant to bring my camera!”

Nodding to the shelves, Starsky said, “Over there. I’ve got one. It’s always loaded.”

When Mike had finished making the black cows, Starsky walked over and picked one up for himself, and handed another to Mike. He put his arm around the boy and they lifted their glasses.

“To family!” Mike toasted, as Rae snapped their picture.

The End