CHAPTER 19
 

When Cassie stepped out of the shower she headed for her bedroom and threw on a pair of jeans and a button up shirt in a matter of just a few moments.  Starsky had been waiting for his turn in the shower and when he heard her bedroom door close he excused himself from his partner and took his coffee cup with him as he headed for the bathroom. As she stepped from her room and down the hallway, Cassie found Hutch sitting at the kitchen table by himself sipping on his coffee and reading from a magazine that he had  found resting on one of the chairs.

“Dave in the shower?” Cassie asked as Hutch looked up and gave her a weak half-smile before turning his attention back to the article he had been reading.

“Yeah…” He answered her as he kept his eyes on it.

“I’m gonna make breakfast…scrambled ok?” She asked as she walked into the kitchen and pulled a frying pan from under the cabinet and proceeded to grab a few things from the fridge.

“Yeah…fine.” He said still engulfed in what he was reading.

Cassie watched him as he focused his full attention to the article…he barely noticed her as he answered her questions and so she tried to get his attention with another remark.

“I don’t have any orange juice…tomato juice ok?

“Yeah…” Hutch said as if he hadn’t even acknowledged the question.

Now she knew he was clearly ignoring her…whatever he was reading…it had made him totally oblivious to her and everything around him…after all…tomato juice and eggs was totally disgusting. How could he agree to it?

About five minutes went by in complete silence except the small amount of noise she was making as she worked steadily in the  kitchen. She glanced over at him several times and each time, he looked as if he were in another world…as if his brain was on vacation.

“You know my third period teacher says I’m failing Math…” She told him as she waited for a reaction and beat a few eggs in a bowl to prepare them.  She hoped that he would respond to the remark since he knew she had always been a straight A student.

“That’s nice…” He said in a calm tone after a few moments as he continued to ignore her.

Frustrated now she felt compelled to take drastic measures…if he didn’t respond to her next comment with more than a vague remark…she would just have to give up.

“You know Stacey says that as long as a guy wears a condom …there’s no way a girl can get pregnant.” She said as she poured the eggs into a saucepan and waited for a response…but what she heard startled her so much that she almost knocked their breakfast onto the floor.

“BULL…SHIT!!” Starsky’s voice rang out as Hutch raised his eyes suddenly in the direction of his partner and then over to Cassie.

Hutch jumped at his partners sudden remark because he was so engulfed in his reading that he hadn’t noticed when he came from the bathroom and was now standing just about two feet in front of him.

“What?…” Hutch said startled.

“What kind of conversation are the two of you having without me?” Starsky asked as he cast his eyes at one and then the other.

“I don’t know…we were just talking about eggs.” Hutch said with an innocent look.

“I…I was just trying to get his attention.” Cassie confessed. “He was ignoring me.”

“Well…don’t listen to what your friends tell you…you want a straight answer…just ask me.” He told her as he walked over to the coffeepot to fill his now empty cup.

“I was just kidding…Stacey never told me that…” She said as she placed a few eggs on a plate and pulled the toast from the toaster and began to butter it. “Hutch was so wrapped up in whatever he was reading…I just wanted to see what it would take to get him to snap out of it.”

“I’m sorry Cas…but it was really good.” He told her. “I think I’ll take out a subscription.” He said as he held it up in front of them. He hadn’t bothered to look at the cover…or anything else for that matter but the page that had had him entranced.

Cassie let out a laugh as she got a good look at the front cover…and Starsky had to smile before making his next comment.

“I guess it’s true what they say…” He said with a small chuckle. “They do have good articles.”

Hutch caught the funny looks they gave him and flipped the magazine over to see the front cover. Then as his face turned a bright shade of red he sat it down suddenly as if he had found something crawling on it.

“I shoulda known…” He said a little disgusted. “You should keep these in your room with Cassie around.”

“I put it there…I found it under the couch when I was cleaning.” Cassie told him. “I was gonna give it back to him.”

“It’s not mine.” Starsky said puzzled. “I wonder how it got there?”

“Well don’t look at me!” Hutch told them with assurance. “It’s not mine.”

A knock at the front door ended their conversation as Starsky walked around the corner to answer it.

“Who’s there?” He asked as he held his left-hand on the door knob.

“The Bear Man…let me in..” Huggy’s voice came from the other side.

Starsky opened the door slowly and motioned for him to step inside. Huggy carried three wrapped presents in his hands and as he entered he sat them down on the nearby end table near the couch and removed his jacket.

“Hutch here?” He asked as he waved hello to Cassie through the opening in the wall between the two rooms. He couldn’t see Hutch since he was still seated at the table by the wall.

“Yeah…he’s here…want something to eat?” Starsky asked as he led him into the kitchen

“Naw…I can’t stay long…just wanted to stop by for a minute to wish ya a Merry Christmas.” Huggy said as he reached out his hand to Hutch and they exchanged a friendly greeting.

“Hi Huggy…” Cassie said as she smiled at him. “I have something for you.”

“Yeah…me too.” Starsky told him. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

“I have to get mine out of the car.” Hutch told him. “I’ll be right back.”

As Hutch stood up to make his way to the front door he knocked the magazine from the table and it fell face up in front of Huggy’s feet. He glanced down and then bent to pick it up slowly as he kept his eye on the picture on the cover.

“Cassie found it under the couch….” Starsky began.

“Hey…I haven’t seen this in months.” Huggy told them as he opened it up and flipped through the pages quickly. “It’s the issue with Farah Fawcett…”

“Really?” Starsky asked as he walked over to him to peer over his shoulder at it.

“Yeah…I thought I lost it.” Huggy added.

“It’s yours?” Starsky asked curiously.

“Yeah…unless you had a copy.” Huggy questioned him…and Cassie gave him a curious look.

“Nope…must be yours.” Starsky said suddenly. “I don’t buy those things.”

“That’s a shame.” Huggy told him as he pulled the Farah Fawcett centerfold open… so they could both get a good look at it. “They’ve got great  articles.”
 

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  Chapter 20
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