“Heart Sight”
Chapter Seven
The horror that ran through me froze my limbs, almost dragging me underwater. I took in a lung-full of air to cry out his name again, when the hurtling mass that was my partner streaked through the window and into the night. After clearing the opening, he tightened the best he could into a ball, the smoke from the burning room had clung to him and was streaming from his clothes. Looking back, I realized he looked like a shooting star.
It was one of those unearthly moments in life when things seem to happen in slow motion. I watched him streaking toward me. He was so certain where my voice had been coming from, I had to push myself a few strokes out of the way before he landed directly on top of me. Just before he struck the water, I lunged, getting a handful of his shirt. His momentum pulled us both under, but I slowed his descent and we managed to make our way to the surface. He coughed harshly, both from the smoke and the water. I could tell he was trying to control his panic, fear warring with relief as he tried to stay above water and get enough air.
“You did it, Starsk. Take it easy now, I’ve got you. Trust me, I won’t let you go.” I tried to calm him as I maneuvered quickly behind him. I wrapped an arm across his chest, then began a sidestroke to pull us both toward shore.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to swim far before several firemen jumped in the water to help us. I was grateful, uncertain that I could’ve kept it up much longer, and I knew Starsky couldn’t have that much left either.
As soon as we were brought up onto the bank, we were wrapped in blankets and given oxygen. Neither of us fought it, and we were content with just sitting there in the damp grass, giving ourselves a few moments to depressurize. Eventually, one of the firemen looked over the cut on Starsky’s arm; he wrapped it and then splinted my leg. Starsky managed to stop coughing after a few minutes and simply leaned against me, both for warmth and the contact we both needed at that moment.
I threw an arm across his shoulders, pulling him close. “Nice exit there, Butch.”
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We found out later that night, or morning, rather, that Matowski had received only a graze to his calf when he was shot, and somehow managed to elude the three extortionists when they began firing on me, then called for help. That, at least, raised him up a notch in my estimation. I still wanted to wring his neck for leaving Starsky alone in the dining room once the fire started, but my thoughts of revenge would have to wait.
Dobey gave me three kinds of holy hell for going out on the call, let alone taking Starsky with me. Of course, his anger at me was nothing compared to my own. I refused to let myself think about how close we’d come. Again.
We spent two more days in the hospital for smoke inhalation. It turned out I hadn’t broken my leg as I originally thought, but had a deep bruise that ran the length of my calf. Starsky took a few stitches above his brow from where he had plowed into the window frame during the explosion, and a few more on his arm. More tests showed no additional damage to his eyes and skull. Starsky slept most of the two days we were guests at University Hospital. The few times he woke up, he’d always check and make sure I was there. His voice was getting stronger, even though it was a bit raspier than a few days before--an aftereffect of the smoke.
On the third day we were released in the afternoon, and I took Starsky back home. Edith Dobey had been by and the place was spotless. Several precooked meals were in the fridge with a note of instruction taped to each. You gotta love that woman.
After an early dinner feast of homemade lasagna, Starsky rasped out that he was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and wanted to stretch his legs. I suggested an easy walk to the park, but he declared that we needed another trip to the beach. I agreed, but only on the condition that he took it easy. I won’t repeat what he said to that, but we went anyway.
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We made it to the beach with plenty of daylight to spare, not that the lack of light would have bothered Starsky. Lately, the nighttime just seemed lonelier to me.
We took an easy walk down the shoreline, with the waves slipping across our bare feet. The silence was comfortable as we listened to the song of the gulls and the endless waves. Starsky stumbled once and slowed down, though I didn’t see anything that would have tripped him, so I attributed it to fatigue. I reached out for his arm to steady him, and he didn’t pull away as he had in the past. Eventually, I released his elbow, content to let him go at his own pace, both of us knowing I’d be beside him if he needed me.
Gradually, Starsky slowed to a stop and awkwardly sat down in the sand, facing the waves and the setting sun. I backtracked a few paces and sat down next to him, drawing my legs up and resting my crossed arms on my knees. The wind had picked up a bit and ruffled our hair. After a few more minutes of silence, I began to describe the sunset without him asking me to.
“There’s a lot of color tonight. There’s a streak of orange the color of fire, and it blends away to amber. Around the bottom, closer to the waves, there’s a bit of lavender and…”
“Red…”
His voice was raspy, and there was a wetness to it that almost sounded like a sob. I turned to see two tears streaming down his cheeks, his blue eyes filled, and the biggest smile… “What did you say?”
He turned to me, his smile brightening even further. “There’s red in the sunset.”
I scrambled to my knees and grabbed him by the shoulders. “You can…?”
He nodded, laughing. “Everything’s blurry, but colors, shadows…”
I pulled him up as I stood and bear hugged him so hard that I lifted him right off his feet, both of us laughing. I let him go when he started coughing. I kept my hand on his shoulders as he wiped his eyes. In a minute my own would spill over. For a brief moment our foreheads touched as they sometimes do, a silent communion between us that we’ve never shared with anyone else. “When?”
“Just as we were coming up the beach. All of a sudden I could start making out shadows.”
I nodded. It must have been why he stumbled. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I wanted to be sure. I was afraid it really wasn’t happening.” Starsky peered intently at my face. One trembling hand came up to the side of my head, cuffing me gently, then his thumb wiped away the tear that finally spilled over. “Hutch…”
I broke out in a smile, and he grinned back in response. He grinned because he saw me smile! I was overwhelmed again and drew him to me again, pounding him on the back. “Come on, partner. What do you say we go interrupt a certain trio of doctors’ dinners and get them to meet us at the hospital?”
Starsky drew away from me laughing and nodding. His grin turned mischievous as he dangled the car keys he had slipped out of my jacket pocket in front of me. “Sure, but I’m driving!”
Even if he couldn’t clearly see the expression of horror on my face, he knew it was there. With a bark of laughter, he turned and began pounding through the sand in the direction of the parking lot. I laughed and sprinted toward the car as well. He glanced back at me once, not to make sure I was there, but just to share the sheer joy of the moment with me again. His blue eyes couldn’t have shown any brighter than they did right then.
When I caught up with him, I didn’t take the keys away, that would come later. Right now it was enough to run beside him.
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The End
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