And Babies Make Six

Part 3

 

            Over the next few days, the two couples unpacked the remaining boxes and all of the rooms were put in order, except the rooms that were going to be the baby’s rooms. Starsky and Hutch wisely left the decorating to their wives, simply saying that they would go along with whatever they wanted. Since the sex of their baby’s wouldn’t be known until their birth, the two women chose an egg shell white for the walls. They decided they would put trim around the top and add decals and other accents after their children were born.

After the painting was finished, Micki looked at her friend. “Well, all we need now is the baby furniture.”

The blonde grinned. “I guess that means we go shopping tomorrow.”

Starsky looked over at his friend and winced. “I can hear my credit cards crying now.”

Hutch nodded. “I know what you mean, buddy. Oh well, it can’t be helped. No one ever said raising a family was cheap.”

Micki looked innocently at her husband. “If you’re worried, you can go with us. Or, you and Davy can go and we’ll stay home.”

Hutch looked stricken. “No, that’s okay. I’m not sure my nerves can handle shopping in a store filled with pregnant women. You and Tracy can go and have fun.”

When Micki turned and winked at Tracy, Hutch muttered quietly under his breath. “Just don’t have too much fun, please.”

The next morning, Tracy pulled her blue and white Ford Galaxy to the curb a block from The Stork’s Nest and put the gear shift in park. She looked over at her partner.

            “Well, we should have known we wouldn’t find a parking space close to the shop. I wonder if Jerry delivers.”

            Micki shook her head. “I don’t know, but if he doesn’t, we can just let him know which crib we want, and then Davy and Ken can pick it up later.”

            Tracy nodded. “That sounds good to me. We can pay for everything all at once then take the bedding with us.” She giggled. “I can just see the guys putting the cribs together. I’m sure they didn’t cover that in the Academy.”

            “Yeah, I think we should make sure we’re out of the house when they tackle both cribs.”

            The two friends got out of the car and walked slowly down the street. As they passed a small pawn shop, Micki frowned and slowed down, glancing behind her. Tracy watched her curiously.

            “What’s the matter?”

            “I might be imagining things, but I’d swear that guy back there had a gun.”

            Tracy looked around at the other pedestrians on the street. “What guy?”

            Micki kept going until she was a few doors down then pointed behind her. “There was this guy in the pawn shop back there. He was talking to the clerk behind the counter and I think he had a gun.”

            Tracy turned and walked back to the edge of the store. She carefully looked in the window then stepped back.

            “You’re right. He’s aiming it at the clerk and he doesn’t look happy. What do you want to do?”

            Micki looked up and down the street then pointed. “There’s a phone booth. I don’t know anything about that shop, so there’s no guarantee that there’s a panic button under the counter. You can’t tell anything is wrong from out here, so I doubt anybody’s called the cops yet.”

            Tracy nodded and crossed the street with Micki right on her heels. She fed the coins into the slot then dialed the number for the station.

            “BCPD, 9^th Precinct, this is Sergeant Collins speaking. May I help you?”

            “Charlie, this is Tracy. We’re on the corner of 7^th and Broadway, and there’s a 211 going down at Rae’s Pawn Shop. From what we can see, there’s only one suspect, but he’s armed and there’s at least one hostage in the store.”

            “OK, Tracy, I’m putting it out on the wire now. Stay on the line, please.”

            The two girls waited, dividing their attention between Charlie and the shop. A few minutes later, Charlie came back on the line.

            “Tracy, I’ve got two cars on the way. They should be there in five minutes. Stand by; I’m going to patch Hutch through.”

            Tracy made a face. “He’s patching Ken through. How much do you want to bet that they heard the call?”

            Micki sighed and held out her hand. “That’s great. Of all the times for them to be in the car. I thought they were going to be at the station all day.”

            Before Tracy could answer, Micki heard her husband’s voice. “Micki? Where are you?”

            “We’re in a phone booth, across the street from the pawn shop.”

            “OK, we heard the call. For God’s sake, just stay put! Don’t get in the middle of this. We’re right behind the squad cars.”

            “Don’t worry. We’re not going any where near that shop. The perp is still in there, and so far, we haven’t heard any shooting. But you’d better tell them to come in quietly. If that guy hears a siren, he’s liable to panic.”

            “We’ll tell them. Stay where you are and we’ll be there shortly.”

            Micki heard the click on the other end of the line and hung the receiver back on the hook. She turned to her partner.

            “They’re on the way. But what if he decides to make a get away? We can’t risk any of these people getting in the middle of a shoot out.”

            Tracy looked around thoughtfully then snapped her fingers. “Come on; I’ve got an idea.”

            She led the way across the street, and stopped on the other side of a car that was parked directly in front of the pawn shop. Using a door handle for support, she lowered herself to the street and took out her gun. Micki nodded once in understanding and followed her lead.

            Tracy kept her voice low. “If he comes out before the squad cars get here, we can wing him without endangering ourselves and any passers-by. That is, if he hasn’t got an accomplice waiting in one of these cars.”

            Micki looked around her. “I don’t see anyone that’s paying a lot of attention to us. We can’t read minds, Trace. We’ll just have to keep watch. Back up should be here in a couple more minutes.”

            As promised, the two squad cars pulled up to the curb a few car lengths down from the shop. One of the officers that got out of the car was Bryan Mallory, a seasoned officer that knew Micki and Tracy. He nodded once and motioned to let them know he was taking over. Tracy put her gun away and sat down on the pavement. She grinned at her friend.

            “It’s easier than getting up and we’re still out of the line of fire.”

            Micki laughed and sat down beside her. “You’ve got that right, partner.”

            They peeked around the front of the car and watched as the suspect finally exited the shop. He backed out slowly, right into the waiting arms of Brian and his partner. Before he knew what was happening, the unlucky perpetrator was unarmed and his hands were cuffed behind him. The two women slapped their palms together in a high five as Brian put the young thief in the squad car.

            “Are we enjoying the show?”

            Micki ducked her head and winced as she recognized her husband’s voice. Grinning sheepishly, she looked up.

            “Hi, Honey. We didn’t hear you drive up.”

            Two strong hands reached down and helped her to her feet. David Starsky smiled mirthlessly at Tracy as he pulled her up.

            “I thought we told you to stay put. Either somebody moved the phone booth or you’ve got mighty long arms.”

            Tracy gave him her best smile. “We just didn’t want him to get away before back up got here. So, we hid behind the car in case he tried to run. We’re fine, Davy. He couldn’t see us, and we were close enough to get a shot off without anyone getting caught in the cross fire.”

            Starsky and Hutch shared a resigned look and shook their heads. Hutch herded his wife toward the Torino.

            “Come on; let’s get down to the station so you can write your reports. Then we’ll take you home before you manage to find more trouble to get into.”

            Micki pointed at the small store. “But, what about the cribs and stuff?”

            Both men glared and replied together. “Tomorrow!”        

            An hour later, Micki and Tracy were putting the finishing touches on their report regarding their part in the foiled robbery attempt. Mick sighed as she sent the file to the printer.

            “Thank goodness that’s over! I can’t believe we’ve been gone all day and still haven’t picked out the cribs. Man, my feet are killing me! It feels like my shoes are on the wrong feet.”

            Tracy turned her chair around so she was facing Micki. “It doesn’t look like they are. Put them up here where I can see.”

            Micki raised her legs and rested her feet on the chair beside Tracy. The blonde looked the small tennis shoes over carefully.

            “Nope, they’re on the right feet, but I know how you feel. It feels like my shoes are two sizes too small all of the sudden.”

            Micki scooted over in her chair. “Maybe you’ll feel better if you put your feet up for a bit.”

            Tracy did as she was told and sighed with relief. “Ah, that’s much better! But, your shoe’s untied. I’m surprised you didn’t trip over your shoelaces.”

            “Well, if you’d let me take them out like I wanted to, they wouldn’t be untied.”

            “Micki, you can’t wear tennis shoes with no shoe laces. It looks tacky.”

            “Tracy, I’m pregnant. I can’t even see my feet, let alone tie my shoes. I don’t particularly care how I look.”

            “Oh, for Heaven’s sake, I’ll tie it for you. I tried to get you to buy the brown loafers like mine, but you had to have those sneakers. I swear you’re worse than David and his Adidas.”

            She tried to tie the offending laces, but the gentle swell of her stomach got in the way. In an effort to maneuver, she pulled Micki’s shoe closer to her lap. The smaller woman yelped in surprise and held onto her desk to keep from being pulled off her chair.

            “Tracy, watch it! My legs aren’t as long as yours.”

            Tracy giggled unrepentantly. “Sorry, I guess I don’t know my own strength. There, now your shoe is tied and you won’t fall flat on your face when you get up.”

            Micki wiggled her foot experimentally. “Hey, that feels pretty good. It’s not too tight. Thanks, partner.”

            “Anytime, partner. Now, I wonder where the guys went. I’m hungry, I’m tired, and I want to go home.”

            “I think they went down to the commissary to get some fresh coffee. Let’s go find them.”

            Micki held out her hand and Tracy pulled her gently out of the chair. She stood up and stretched with her hands on her back. Then she walked around Tracy’s chair and stood behind her.

            “Ready?”

            Tracy nodded and held onto the desk for support. Micki put both hands on her friend’s back and pushed slowly as Tracy rocked forward. The taller woman stood up and smiled over her shoulder.

            “Thanks.”

            “Don’t mention it.”

            The two mothers-to-be walked out of the office in search of their husbands. Micki looked over at her friend.

            “Tell me again why we’re doing this?”

            “We wanted kids, remember?”

            “Oh, yeah.  Only five more weeks to go.”

            Tracy rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “God help us all.”

 

            A few days later, the two couples went back to The Stork’s nest. Starsky and Hutch decided to accompany their wives, if only to keep them out of trouble. By that afternoon, both nurseries were completely furnished, and everything was ready for their baby’s arrival. After discussing it with their husbands, Micki and Tracy notified Captain Dobey that they wanted to go on Maternity Leave at the end of the week. Both fathers-to-be breathed a sigh of relief. If their wives were home, they would be less apt to have another adventure.

One evening, Hutch came home to find his wife in the green house. He stood for a moment, simply looking at her. Micki was humming softly, watering the plants as she moved slowly around the room. The baby she was carrying gave her an awkward grace as she bent her head to smell one of the fragrant plants. Finally, she noticed him watching her.

“Ken! I didn’t hear you come in. Why are you just standing there?”

He crossed the room and kissed her. “I was just thinking that I had the most beautiful wife in the world.”

She grinned. “Yeah, if you like beached whales, I’m your woman.”

His eyes shone with love as he shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you more beautiful.”

She put her arms around his waist. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Sergeant Hutchinson.”

 

 

David Starsky opened the front door and called to his wife. “Tracy, I’m home!”

He heard an unhappy voice coming from the kitchen. “Damn it! I’m in here, Davy!”

He walked into the room, and tried not to smile at the scene that greeted him. Tracy was standing in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by dishes lying on the floor.

“What happened, Sweetheart?”

“Oh, I can’t do anything right! I was trying to get a bowl down from the cabinet, but my stomach got in the way, and everything fell out all at once.” She sniffed. “I feel like a water buffalo!”

Starsky pulled her from the pile of dishes. “You are NOT a water buffalo. I think you’re gorgeous.”

She looked at him with tears swimming in her eyes. “You think I’m gorgeous? You don’t think I’m ugly?”

He laughed gently. “I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world. I also think you have a pretty good case of the baby blues, but that will pass soon enough. Why don’t you go sit down and let me take care of dinner? You’ve been taking care of this house since we moved in, and that’s not right. It’s time for me to pull my share of the load.”

She wiped her eyes and smiled slightly. “I am kind of tired.” She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thanks, Davy. You’re just what this stressed-out pregnant lady needs.”

He turned her around and kissed the back of her neck. “Go on, woman; get out of my kitchen so I can whip us up something to eat.”

Starsky watched her go then breathed a sigh of relief. “Another crisis averted. Dear God, if these babies don’t come soon, I don’t think we’re going to survive.”

 

Three weeks later

 

Tracy dried her hands on a towel and answered the phone on the second ring. She listened to the voice on the other end then nodded.

            “OK, Ken, we’ll see you in a little while.”

            She turned to Micki. “They should be home in an hour or so, and they’re bringing dinner.”

            Mick sighed. “Thank God! I sure don’t feel like cooking after going through all of those boxes. It won’t matter if these babies are girls or boys. They’ll have enough clothes to last them until they’re two years old.”

            Tracy surveyed the boxes stacked in the front room. “When Mom said some of her friends had baby clothes we could have, I didn’t think she meant this. It looks like we robbed a nursery store.”

            “Well, you know what Mom said. Babies go through a lot of clothes in a day’s time. The more we have, the less we’ll have to buy. Anyway, I think I’ll splash some water on my face and wash my hands before the guys get home. We’ll get this stuff separated and Davy can carry some of it to your house after dinner.”

            Tracy was setting the table when she heard Micki say something from the bathroom. She walked up to the door.

            “What did you say?”

            “I said my water broke!”

            “Well, don’t worry about it. I’ll get you another- wait a minute. What water?”

            “What water do you think?”

            Tracy’s eyes widened. “Oh, no! Are you sure?”

            “Of course I’m sure! I’m soaking wet and I’m not standing in the shower. I think that’s a good clue. Could you please get me some dry clothes?”

            Tracy paced around the room, wringing her hands. “OK, Ken will be home in a little while. Oh, no, what if he decides to stop somewhere else on the way?” She rushed back to the bathroom door. “Micki, I’m calling Ken!”

            “Fine, call him! But would you mind getting me some clean clothes first?”

            “What? I can’t hear you? Come out of there so I can understand what you’re saying.”

            “I’m not coming out until you get me some dry clothes! Ohhhh!!”

            “What? What’s going on now?”

            The voice from the other side of the door was scathing. “I think it’s called a contraction! Now, would you please get me some dry clothes?”

            “Oh, for Heaven’s sake! Hang on a minute.”

            Tracy ran to Micki’s closet and grabbed the first pair of maternity pants that she saw. She flew back to the bathroom and knocked on the door. As soon as Micki opened it, she thrust the pants into her hand. The door shut and everything was quiet. Then she heard her friend’s voice again.

            “Wait a minute! These don’t match my shirt. Couldn’t you find another pair?”

            “Are you nuts? Put them on and get out here, NOW!”

            Micki grumbled and after a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom. “This looks ridiculous. I’m going to get a different shirt.”

            Tracy rolled her eyes as she headed for the phone. Dialing quickly, she started talking as soon as Charlie answered.

            “Charlie, I need to talk to Hutch, right away! Can you put me through to Dobey’s office?”

            “Hutch just left, Tracy. I heard him telling Starsky that he called an order in to the Holman House so it would be ready by the time they got there.”

            “Oh, wonderful! Well, can you patch me through to their car? I really need to talk to him, now!”

            “Sure, stay on the line and I’ll patch you through.”

            A few seconds later, she heard Hutch’s voice. “Tracy? What’s the matter?”

            “Ken you need to come home. The baby’s coming!”

            “Which baby?”

            “Your baby! Micki’s in labor.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “OF COURSE I’M SURE! Her water broke. Forget the food and get home right now!”

            “OK, we’re on our way. Have Micki get her suitcase and be ready to go.”

            Tracy hung up the phone. “Micki, do you have your suitcase packed? Ken said they’re on their way.”

            “You know I do. We packed both of them last week. Now, where did I put it? Owww!”

            “Did you have another contraction?”

            Micki glared at her. “Yeah, it’s normal to have more than one. How far apart were they?”

            Tracy goggled at her. “You’re asking me? How do I know? They’re your contractions!”

            “You’re supposed to be timing them!”

            “Don’t yell at me! I forgot. Besides, I’ve been too busy calling your husband and getting your dry clothes to keep track.” She took a deep breath. “Never mind, we’ll start timing them now. Ken should be home in a few minutes. Let’s find your suitcase so you’ll be ready when he gets here.”

            They found Micki’s suitcase beside her bed and laid it on the mattress. The two women were going over the contents when they heard footsteps thundering up the sidewalk. Ken Hutchinson burst through the door followed by his partner.

            “Micki, where are you?”

            “We’re in here, Ken.”

            The blond detective rushed into the bedroom and stopped suddenly when he saw the two women.

            “What are you doing? I thought I told you to be ready to go.”

            Micki started putting the items back in her luggage. “I wanted to make sure I had everything. It’s OK, Ken. I’ve only had two contractions and this is my first baby. Dr. Sawyers said I would be in labor for a while. We’ve got plenty of time.”

            Tracy dropped the robe she was holding, and her eyes widened. “Oh, my God, I forgot to call Dr. Sawyers!”

            Micki shook her head. “You don’t have to call him. Remember what his nurse said? When we get to the hospital, we go to the admission’s desk and they’ll notify him.”

            Tracy sighed with relief. “Oh, yeah, she did say that. Well, I think we have everything, so are you ready to go?”

            “Hold on a minute. Who’s going to call my mom, and my sisters? And we need to call your mom and Dobey, and –“

            Hutch stepped in and picked up the suitcase. He handed it to Starsky and turned to his wife.

 “We’ll call them when we get to the hospital! Right now, we need to get going!”

“Why is everyone in such a rush? And why are you all so excited? I’m the one that’s having the baby. Owwww!”

Tracy looked at her, panic stricken. “You’re having another contraction already? That can’t be! It’s only been a few minutes since the last one.”

Micki’s voice raised two octaves. “Tell this baby that!”

Hutch muttered a curse and fixed his wife with a glare. “That does it! We’re going to the hospital! If you don’t move right now, I’m going to pick you up and carry you to the car myself.”

Micki picked up her jacket and threw a scathing look at her husband. “You’re in real danger right now. If I were you, I’d watch it.”

As Tracy followed her partner out the door, Hutch cast a bewildered look at Starsky.

“What did I do?”

The brunet sagely patted his friend on the shoulder. “It’s okay, buddy. She’ll forgive you in a little while.”

“Forgive me for what?”

 

Fortunately for Hutch, Doctor Sawyers was already at the hospital, delivering another baby. When the nurse sent word that Micki had arrived, she was immediately taken to a room to be examined. Dr. Sawyers came in half an hour later.

“Well, Micki, I think this baby is ready to make an appearance. It seems like you’re further along in your labor than I first thought. That’s very unusual. The first baby usually takes much longer to deliver. Are you sure your labor started right before you came to the hospital?”

“Why does everybody keep asking me if I’m sure? I was in the bathroom when my water broke. I had a contraction right after that. Tracy called Ken then we came to the hospital.”

Dr. Sawyers rubbed his chin. “And you didn’t have any lower back pain before that, or any abdominal pain?”

Micki looked pensive. “Well, I did have indigestion, but I just thought it was something I ate. Everything gives me indigestion these days.”

Sawyers smiled. “Well, the indigestion was probably the onset of labor. The good news is this baby should be here in a few hours. David and Tracy, why don’t you make yourselves comfortable in the waiting room down the hall? There’s a phone in the room if you want to let Micki’s family know she’s in labor. Ken you can stay with your wife until we take her to the delivery room. The nurse will be checking her progress and I’ll stop in from time to time.”

He walked to the door then turned back and smiled. “Relax everybody, you’re in good hands. We’re going to have a baby tonight.”

Micki’s labor progressed as the day wore on. Tracy notified her family and they all stopped in periodically to give her encouragement and wish her well. Through it all, Hutch stayed by her side and reminded himself often that birth was a natural process and had been going on since the beginning of time. As promised, the nurse kept a close eye on Micki’s labor and Dr. Sawyers dropped in to check her progress.

            After examining her again, he smiled at both expectant parents. “Well, you’re coming along nicely, Micki. I don’t think it will be long now. I’m going to notify the delivery room staff and have them stand by. I’ll check on you again in about thirty minutes.” He patted them both on the shoulder. “Keep up the good work, you two.”

            Hutch sighed with trepidation as he watched the doctor leave then turned back to Micki. He soaked a washcloth in cool water then wrung it out. He mopped his face then gently wiped Micki’s with the comforting cloth.

            “Did you hear that, Mick? Dr. Sawyers said it’s almost over.” Blue eyes rolled skyward. “Thank God.”

            Micki licked her dry lips. “It won’t be soon enough for me.”

            She squeezed her eyes shut as another contraction washed over her. Hutch tried not to wince as she caught his hand in a vise-like grip.

            “Easy, Micki. Breathe through it like we learned. Look at me, Mick. It will help if you focus.”

            The middle finger of her left hand rose up as she snarled, “Focus on this!”

            Hutch blinked. “That’s okay, we’ll focus later. Is there anything I can get you?”

            “How about an epidural?”

            “I thought we were going for natural childbirth.”

            Green eyes blazed at him. “Change places with me and we’ll go for natural childbirth. I want an epidural!”

            Hutch scooted his chair back and reached for the call button. “I’ll tell the nurse.”

            Finally, Dr. Sawyers ordered Micki taken to the delivery room. Hutch bent down and kissed his wife on her forehead.

            “I’ll see you in a little while, Micki. I love you.”

            “Go. Away.”

            Hutch straightened up, baffled. Dr. Sawyers smiled and patted him on the shoulder again.

            “It’s nothing personal, Ken. It will all be over soon then she’ll forgive you.”

            The bewildered father-to-be spread his hands, confused. “Forgive me for what?”

           

            Micki was prepped for delivery then given the epidural. The relief from the pain of labor was immediate as she prepared for her baby’s arrival. Dr. Sawyer walked into the room, clad in surgical scrubs. He studied the fetal monitor carefully.

            “Your baby is doing well, Micki. The heartbeat is good and strong. Are you ready to meet your son or daughter?”

            “I was ready three months ago, Doc.”

            Dr. Sawyers laughed. “Then let’s have us a baby. When I tell you, I want you to start pushing with each contraction.”

            Micki took a deep breath. “OK.”

            Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Sawyers grinned at Micki. “I can see the head. Now, push as hard as you can. That’s it, push!”

            Micki strained with every ounce of strength she had. Dr. Sawyers looked down at the small human being in his hands.

            “It’s a girl! You have a daughter, Micki.”

            Micki laughed as she relaxed on the bed. “Is she okay? Can I see her?”

            He was quiet for a moment as he cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the baby in a blanket. “Sure. We need to examine her and get her cleaned up then you can hold her for a minute.”

            The doctor gave the baby girl to his nurse, and she carried her to the small table across the room. Dr. Sawyers turned back to Micki.

            “Have you thought of a name?”

            Micki started to answer then paled suddenly. “I don’t feel so good.”

            One of the nurses saw the blood pooling at the foot of the delivery bed. “Doctor, she’s hemorrhaging!”

            Dr. Sawyers started issuing orders calmly and efficiently, working quickly to stop the bleeding.

            “Doctor, her blood pressure is down, to ninety over sixty. Pulse is 120 and thready.”

            The doctor increased his efforts, drawing on all of his knowledge and expertise to stem the flow of blood. His concern was evident in his eyes.

            “Come on, Micki. Don’t do this. You have a brand new baby girl and a husband that’s depending on you.”

            After what seemed an eternity, but were actually only a few minutes, the bleeding slowed and then stopped. The nurse sighed with relief.

            “Her blood pressure is rising, one ten over seventy, now one twenty over ninety. Her pulse and respirations are normal now.”

            “Thank God. Good work, everybody.”

            Seconds later, Micki stirred. “What happened? Doc, what’s going on?”

            “You started hemorrhaging but we’ve got it stopped. You gave us quite a scare, but you’re okay now. How do you feel?”

            She laughed shakily. “I’m tired. How’s my baby?”

            “She’s doing great. She weighs five pounds and twelve ounces. She’s tiny, but healthy. If you’re up to it, you can hold her for a minute, with the nurse’s help. You’re too weak right now to hold her by yourself.”

            Micki smiled with tears in her eyes when she saw her daughter for the first time. “She’s perfect!”

            “Yep, she certainly is. Now, we’re going to introduce her to her daddy, and I want you to get some rest. I’m going to keep you in recovery for a while so we can monitor your vital signs. Then we’ll get you in a room so you can get some sleep.”

            Micki nodded and kissed her baby on the cheek then closed her eyes. Dr. Sawyers took the baby girl from the nurse.

            “Come on, little girl. I know some people that are very anxious to meet you.”

           

            Ken Hutchinson paced around the waiting room for the tenth time, running long fingers through his hair.

            “What’s taking so long? I thought he said it the baby was coming.”

            Carrie Gentry smiled tolerantly. “Babies come when they come, Ken. Relax. Micki’s going to be fine.”

            Micki’s older sister leaned over to Edith Dobey. “Micki’s going to be fine, but if that baby doesn’t hurry, I don’t know about its dad.”

            Edith smiled. “He’ll live. As soon as he sees his child, he’ll forget all about the waiting.”

            Moments later, the door opened and the doctor came in, holding a small bundle in his arms.

            “Ken I have someone that I think you’d like to meet.” He pulled back the pink cover. “This is your daughter.”

            Hutch’s smile went from ear to ear. “It’s a girl? Wow, I have a daughter.”

            They all gathered around the sleeping baby. Dr. Sawyers looked at the blond. “Would you like to hold her?”

            “Uh, I don’t want to drop her.”

            The doctor smiled. “Here, I’ll show you. Hold her close to you and support her head. There, that’s it. Have you thought of a name?”

            Hutch looked down at the tiny figure in his arms. “Yeah, Alison Kay, Ali for short.”

            Starsky peeked over Hutch’s shoulder. “Welcome to the world, Princess Ali. She looks just like her momma.”

            Carrie smiled. “Yep, except for that red hair.”

            Hutch looked closer. “Red hair?”

            Carrie touched Ali’s head gently. “If that’s not red fuzz on the top of her head, I’ll kiss you.”

            Tracy looked at her unofficial niece and giggled. “Oh, God, a red-headed Micki. Are you in trouble!”

            Hutch laughed then looked at the doctor. “How’s Micki?”

            “She’s tired, and a little weak, which is understandable. She had us worried for a moment, though.”

            “Why? What happened?”

            “She started hemorrhaging after the delivery. It’s normal to lose a small amount of blood, but Micki lost almost a pint. But, we got it stopped and now all her vital signs are normal. It could be just a fluke, perhaps a burst blood vessel or something. We’ll do some tests later, but she’s fine now. You can see her for a few minutes, if you’d like. Then I want her to get some sleep, and I don’t want her out of bed for twenty-four hours. She needs to regain her strength.”

            Hutch tenderly kissed his daughter on her forehead then handed her back to Dr. Sawyers. He followed the nurse to the recovery room. Micki was lying on her side with her eyes closed.

            She opened them and smiled when he kissed her on the cheek. “Hi! Did you see our baby? Isn’t she perfect?”

            “She certainly is. She’s just as beautiful as her mother. How are you feeling? Dr. Sawyers told me what happened.”

            “I’m fine. Don’t worry, Ken. I’m not about to leave my baby and my husband to fend for themselves.”

            “I’m glad to hear that. I’m new at this parenting stuff and I can use all the help I can get.”

            “That’s okay, we can learn together. Are you disappointed that we had a girl?”

            “Are you kidding? She’s beautiful, and she’s healthy. That’s the important thing. I hope she grows up to be just like her mom.”

            Micki giggled. “Be careful what you wish for, Ken. You just might get it.”

            The nurse came into the room. “Sergeant, your wife needs to rest now. We’ll be taking her to a room soon and then you can stay with her.”

            Hutch sighed then took Micki’s hand. “Well, they’re kicking me out. I’ll let you rest now. I’ll see you in a little while. I love you, Micki Hutchinson.”

            “I love you, too, Ken Hutchinson.” As he bent down and kissed her, she whispered to him. “We’ll have your son next time.”

            He grinned. “Well, let’s wait until Ali’s a little older, okay? I think we’ve got enough to handle right now.” He kissed her again. “Get some sleep.”

 

            Ken Hutchinson stood at the window of the nursery, gazing at his daughter. Ali was sleeping peacefully, the pink blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon. Sleep tight, Ali. Right now, you don’t have a care in the world. I’ll do my best to keep you safe, if you’ll let me.  He smiled to himself. But if you’re anything like your mom, that won’t always be easy.

            He touched the window with the tip of his finger then turned away. Micki had been asleep when he went out for coffee, but they would be waking her soon for breakfast. As he neared her room, he heard her talking loudly to some unfortunate soul and quickened his steps

            “What’s going on here? Micki, what’s the matter?”

            Micki sat in the middle of her bed, her green eyes flashing. “Ken, this- person won’t let me out of bed! I want to see my baby, now!”

            Hutch motioned for the nurse to go. “Mick, you know the doctor said he wanted you to stay in bed for a while. You lost a lot of blood last night. You need to get your strength back before you go traipsing around the hospital. They’ll bring Ali here later, so you can feed her.”

            She pouted and crossed her arms. “And just how long am I supposed to stay in this bed?”

            Hutch pointed a finger. “Until Dr. Sawyers says you can get out, that’s how long. And you can quit pouting now. It’s not going to work.”

            She flopped back on the pillows. “Well, can I at least have some breakfast? I’m starving.”

            “If you think you can survive for a bit longer, they’re getting ready to bring the trays in now.”

            “OK, I guess I can wait a few minutes. I’ll be glad when we can take Ali and go home. I’m already sick of this place.”

            He softened his voice and sat down beside her on the bed. “I know. But you need to rest all you can right now. When we go home, you’ll have Ali to take care of, and new born babies need a lot of attention.”

            She grinned. “I can’t wait.”

            Tracy’s voice piped up from the doorway. “You can’t wait for what?”

            Micki laughed and motioned her and Starsky in. “I can’t wait to get out of here. They won’t let me out of bed, I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday, and I haven’t had my morning coffee yet.”

            Tracy winked at her husband. “If you’re complaining already, I think you’ll live. We just stopped to see our niece. She’s doing great and she’s behaving better than her mother is.”

            “She’s not even a day old. She doesn’t know any better. And I don’t think it’s fair that everyone gets to see her but me.”

            The nurse came in with Micki’s breakfast. “You’ll get to see your baby as soon as you eat. Doctor Sawyers gave permission for us to leave her with you for a while, as long as you have help. He said you can get out of bed after lunch, but not before.”

            Micki looked at the three eager faces standing around her. “Oh, I think I’ll have plenty of help.”

            The morning passed too quickly as the four gathered in Micki’s room, enjoying the new addition to their family. A steady stream of visitors paraded in and out, bearing gifts and cooing over Ali. That afternoon, Micki was finally released from her horizontal prison, and allowed to take a shower under Tracy’s watchful eye. With clean clothes on and a full stomach, Micki’s spirits improved greatly. She was holding Ali when Dr. Sawyers came in the room.

            “Well, I’m glad to see you’re all here. Micki, we’ve studied your test results, and you’re doing fine. I would say that the hemorrhaging was an isolated incident, and you shouldn’t have any problems in the future. I’d still like to keep you here one more day, to insure that you’re strong enough to take care of Ali. She can stay with you until it’s time for bed. Then I want you to get another good night’s sleep. You’ll need all the energy you can muster when you go home.”

            Micki started to protest then looked at her husband. “Well, okay, I guess I can take one more day of confinement. Whatever you say, Dr. Sawyers.”

            “Excellent. Trust me; you’ll thank me when you get home. I’ll stop in tomorrow morning and see how you’re doing.”

            Hutch stretched and stood up. “Now that we know you’re spending another night, I think I’ll go home and grab a shower. You and Ali have clothes to wear home, but I don’t. Will you be all right for a while?”

            Micki nodded. “Mom’s coming over in a little bit, so she can help if I need anything. Go head, I’ll be fine.”

            Starsky stood up, too. “Don’t forget that we came in my car. We’ll give you a ride back to the house and you can drive your car back.”

            Hutch grinned sheepishly. “That’s right, I did forget. Thanks buddy.” He kissed Micki. “I won’t be long.”

            The three detectives walked out of the hospital, with Tracy between the two men.

            “While we’re there, I think I’ll go over the nursery one more time, just to make sure we have everything.”

            Hutch nodded, “That’s a good idea. I don’t want to leave Micki alone for too long, at least for the first few days. I’ll have to go back to work soon, but Dobey left exactly when up to me.”

            They were almost to the Torino when Tracy stopped suddenly. Her blue eyes widened as she looked down at the concrete. A puddle of water was growing under her feet.

            “Oh, no! My water just broke!”

            The two men exchanged looks of alarm. In the same instant, they each put a hand under Tracy’s elbow and lifted her off the ground. Turning sharply, they marched back into the building, with Tracy between them. They didn’t put her down until they were safely in Admissions.

The receptionist took one look at her wet clothes and calmly asked, “May I have your name and your doctor’s name, please?”

Twenty minutes later, Tracy was in one of the labor rooms, with Starsky at her side. Dr. Sawyers had been called on his car phone, and was on his way back to the hospital. The nurse helped Tracy put on a gown then helped her into bed. She turned to a pale Starsky.

“The doctor should be here soon, Sergeant. Your wife and baby are doing fine, but I think you need to sit down. We don’t want you to faint before she delivers, do we?”

“No, we don’t.”

The nurse smiled. “It’s okay, Sergeant. We’ve delivered hundreds of babies and we haven’t lost a father yet. Just sit with your wife and if she goes into labor before Dr. Sawyers gets here, push that button and we’ll come running.”

Starsky smiled uncertainly. “Thanks. It’s my first baby and we’re a little nervous. Oh, sorry, I mean, it’s our first baby and I’m a little nervous.”

“I understand, Sergeant. You won’t be alone, though. You’re in the right place and you’re in good hands.”

Dr. Sawyers arrived just as Tracy’s contractions started. After he examined her, he turned to Starsky.

“Well, it looks like we’ll have another new addition to the clan tonight. You’re keeping me very busy, Tracy.”

Tracy smiled briefly. “Well, you know Micki and I always did things together, Doc. I didn’t want her to hog all the attention.”

“Don’t worry; we have plenty of nurses to go around. I’ll keep checking your progress through the night. I’ve examined you, and you’ve dilated to a three. I think it will be a while before anything happens, so I’m going to grab a bite to eat and a shower. I’ll be in the hospital if you need me.”

The next few hours were long for the two expectant parents. Tracy’s labor slowly intensified, and so did Starsky’s apprehensions. On the other hand, Hutch was busy running between Tracy’s room and Micki’s, keeping his wife updated on her friend’s condition, and trying to bolster his partner’s confidence.

“I lived through it, Starsky, and so will you. After you see your baby, all of this will be just a memory.”

Starsky cast a baleful look at his friend. “Oh, that’s right. You’re an expert on childbirth. After all, Ali is how old now?”

“Very funny, Starsky.” He leaned closer and whispered in Starsky’s ear. “Just remember, what ever she says, agree with her. Tracy’s usually mellower than Micki, but being in labor is a whole new ballgame. There was a moment when she was in labor that I thought Micki’s head was going to spin completely around. But she’s back to her old self again, and Tracy will be too, after the baby’s born.”

“Gee, thanks, Coach. I’ll remember you said that.”

Hutch shrugged and walked to the door. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m going to let Micki know what’s happening and see if I can keep her quiet a little while longer. I don’t think even Dr. Sawyers is brave enough to try to keep her in her room when Tracy goes into delivery.”

“I hope that won’t be long. Tell Micki that I said behave.”

Hutch laughed derisively. “Of course she will.”

Several hours later, Tracy’s contractions were coming closer, but she hadn’t dilated any more. Starsky held his wife’s hand, bathed her face with a cool cloth between pains, and prayed silently that it would end soon.

After one particularly hard contraction, Starsky winced as he felt the bones of his hand grind together.

“Breathe, Trace. Remember how we did it in La Mas class?” He started panting rapidly, as the instructors had taught them.

Tracy reached out with one hand, gathered his shirt collar in her fingers and pulled him close so they were eye to eye.

“It feels better when I don’t!”

Starsky gently, but firmly extricated himself from her hand, coughing slightly as he got his breath back. “OK, we’ll try something else. Why don’t you picture yourself in a nice, warm pool, totally relaxed? Imagine the pain as waves washing over your body, and disappearing.”

Tracy glared at her husband as another contraction hit. “Why don’t you picture yourself going over to that window and jumping out? Imagine yourself disappearing as you fall seven floors!”

He patted her hand tentatively. “Why don’t I just sit here and be quiet?”

“I think that’s a very good idea.”

Three hours later, Tracy was still not making progress. Dr. Sawyers examined her again then looked at the couple. “Tracy, you haven’t dilated past four yet, and it’s been several hours. The problem is your pelvic bones aren’t moving as they should.” He held up a hand. “I’m not saying that anything is seriously wrong. I just think we should consider a Caesarean section.”

“But I wanted to have my baby naturally!”

“Tracy, we do C-sections every day. That doesn’t mean you’re not normal. I think if we wait too much longer, it could cause your baby distress. You don’t want that, do you?”

“No, of course not. Will I have to be knocked out?”

“No, we can give you an epidural, like Micki had. You’ll be awake, and you’ll see your baby as soon as it’s born. You’ll have to stay in the hospital an extra day, but your baby can stay with you. I don’t want to minimize this. You’ll have more pain than with a natural birth, and you’ll have to take it easy for a few days after you go home. The most serious complication that can occur with a C-section is a pulmonary embolism. But, I think that’s highly unlikely with you. You’re a young, healthy woman, with no history of serious illness.”

Tracy turned to Starsky. “What do you think?”

He stroked her cheek. “I think we should listen to the doctor, Sweetheart. He’s never steered us wrong before. He wouldn’t be suggesting this if it wasn’t for the best, for you and our baby.”

She sniffed slightly. “OK, I’ll have a C-section. But I want to be awake.”

Dr. Sawyers smiled and patted her hand. “I’ll notify my staff and have the nurse prepare you. David, you can tell Ken and Micki what we’re going to do. Micki can sit with you in the waiting room, as long as she doesn’t tire herself out. The nurse will come in shortly with your shot, Tracy. I’ll scrub up and meet you in the delivery room.”

Starsky bent over the bed and kissed Tracy. “I’ll see you in a little while, Babe. I love you.”

Tracy looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Davy.”

He tenderly dried her tears. “Sweetheart, you don’t have anything to be sorry for! I don’t care how you have the baby. All I want is for both of you to be healthy.”

Starsky went to the waiting room, where everyone had gathered once again. Edith Dobey smiled and squeezed his hand.

“I think we just did this a few hours ago. How are you holding up, David?”

“I’m fine, but Tracy has to have a C-section. Dr. Sawyers said her bones aren’t moving right, or something. She can still be awake, but she’ll have to stay in the hospital an extra day.”

Tracy’s mom put an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t worry, David. I’ve known lots of women that had C-sections and they were fine. The good part is if you and Tracy decide to have another baby, she won’t have to go into labor at all. They’ll just pick a date and take the baby when it’s time.”

Micki piped up from her chair. “Well, that’s not fair!”

They all laughed then Starsky turned serious. “She was really disappointed. All this time we thought she’d have a natural childbirth. We didn’t have any idea something was wrong until Dr. Sawyers told us.”

Edith smiled encouragingly. “It happens that way sometimes. I’m sure Dr. Sawyers is a capable doctor and knows what he’s doing.”

Less than an hour had passed when Dr. Sawyers came into the room, carrying a small bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.

“I know you’re all anxious to meet this little guy. Congratulations, David. You have a healthy, seven pound twelve ounce baby boy.”

Starsky’s grin lit up the whole room. “I have a son? Can I hold him, Doc?”

The doctor gently put the sleeping child in Starsky’s arms, and pulled back the blanket. Starsky saw a miniature image of his own face, crowned by a head of dark curls. Micki stood up long enough to look over his shoulder.

“That boy is David Starsky made over! There’s no way you can deny him, Davy.”

Starsky smiled lovingly at his son then turned to Dr. Sawyers. “How’s Tracy?”

“She’s tired and she’s going to be very sore, but she’s doing well. She’s been a real trooper through the whole thing. You can see her in a few minutes, as soon as we’ve got her settled in a room.”

He looked at the proud father. “Have you picked out a name yet?”

Starsky nodded. “Kenneth Lucas Starsky.” He looked up at Hutch and winked. “We’ll call him Lucas, to avoid confusion.”

Hutch looked from the sleeping baby to Starsky, his eyes glistening. “That’s quite a son you have there, Dad.”

Dr. Sawyers held out his arms, and Starsky reluctantly released his son. “We need to get Lucas checked out and give him a tour of the nursery. The nurse will bring him to Tracy’s room this evening so she can feed him. Oh, by the way, I took the liberty of moving you to the same room as Tracy, Micki. I thought it would be more convenient for everyone if you were together.”

Hutch grinned openly at the doctor. “And it would be easier on your nurses if they didn’t have to constantly chase Tracy or Micki down. That’s a good idea, Doc.”

Dr. Sawyers grinned back. “I’ve been a doctor for over twenty years, Ken. I know what battles to fight, and when to surrender gracefully. It was either put them together or risk a mutiny by my whole staff.”

Micki feigned offense. “Now, was that nice?”

Hutch grinned and motioned for his wife to sit in the wheelchair. “He’s being truthful, Mick. After all, he’s survived being your doctor for this long. Come on, Mom, it’s time you went back to bed.”

Starsky followed the nurse to the recovery room then walked in quietly. Tracy was lying on her back, her eyes closed. She opened them and smiled when she saw him.

“We have a son, Davy. Did you see him? Isn’t he perfect?”

“He’s the most perfect baby I’ve ever seen. Doc Sawyers said you were a real trooper today. How are you feeling?”

“I’m still a little disappointed that I couldn’t have him naturally, but he was worth every minute of pain. He’s as handsome as his father.”

Starsky blushed slightly. “Yeah, well, I hope he’s more like his mother than his dad.”

Tracy smiled up at him. “I don’t. I happen to think his father is a wonderful, caring man, and I intend to make sure Lucas knows it, too.”

Starsky sat beside his wife and held her hand. “I think his mom is pretty neat, too. I love you, Tracy Starsky.”

“I love you, David Starsky.” As her eyes closed, she whispered. “Next time, we’ll have a little girl for you to spoil.”

Starsky kissed her as she fell asleep. “And she’ll be just as beautiful as her mother. Only, let’s wait a while, OK? I don’t think my heart can stand another pregnancy too soon.”

 

That evening, when both sets of parents were safely in their room, Harold Dobey stood at the nursery, watching the babies sleep. Edith walked up beside him.

“What are you thinking about, Harold?”

He turned and kissed his wife, smiling. “We have a new generation of Starsky’s and Hutch’s. I was just wondering if the world was ready for that.”

Edith laughed and took her husband’s hand. “Ready or not, here they come!”

 

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