{"id":209,"date":"2019-12-14T04:54:22","date_gmt":"2019-12-14T04:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=209"},"modified":"2019-12-22T18:39:46","modified_gmt":"2019-12-22T18:39:46","slug":"december-14th-hope-springs-eternal-part-2-french-fries-and-promises-by-m-h-e-priest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=209","title":{"rendered":"December 14th- Hope Springs Eternal Part 2 – French Fries and Promises by M H E Priest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click here for Part 1<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Terry sits on the bench between the two best men in her life, enjoying the heat from the sun and them, the squeals and laughter from the other people who\u2019d decided to come to the amusement park today, and the simple pleasure of breathing. Still breathing. That\u2019s good<\/em>. The smile already on her face grows larger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha thinking, honey?\u201d asks Starsky. She hears the concern and fear beneath the sparkle in his tone. In different circumstances, she might have said yes to his proposal and they\u2019d be celebrating their engagement in the privacy of his bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thinking I\u2019m hungry. Could you get me some French fries, please?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure. Anything else?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She shakes her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHutch?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI could use a soda.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComin\u2019 up. After I, uh, use the facilities.\u201d Both she and Hutch laugh at his admission and waggling eyebrows. \u201cBe back soon as I can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky kisses the tip of her nose before he removes the arm he has draped over her shoulders and stands. \u201cDon\u2019t get any ideas about my lady while I\u2019m gone, Hutch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGet outta here, you nutball,\u201d Hutch says teasingly. \u201cFor even thinking<\/em> I\u2019d make a move on your charming and gorgeous lady, get me some fries, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky pulls a face and says, \u201cGood thing Christine had to go to work so I have enough cash to fill your belly.\u201d He leaves, energetically dodging through the throng of people as if he were running through blockers in an effort to score a touchdown. They lose sight of him quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Terry turns to Hutch, who has replaced Starsky\u2019s arm around her shoulders with his. \u201cHutch, we need to talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He turns toward her, curiosity and worry tainting his hesitant smile. \u201cWhat is it, lovely lady? Do you need to go to –\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, I\u2019m fine.\u201d She adds, \u201cReally,\u201d when reading the doubt on his face. \u201cI want to talk about you and Dave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about me and Star- uh, Dave?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get right to the point, because I\u2019m not sure when he\u2019ll be back and this is strictly<\/em> between the two of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. Just between us.\u201d He sounds unsure, almost anxious.<\/span><\/p>\n

She inhales sharply and grimaces at the stab of pain in her forehead that vanishes quickly, but not before Hutch gently squeezes her shoulder. \u201cIf this hadn\u2019t happened, Dave and I probably would be planning our wedding in the near future. I love and adore him, and he feels the same about me, and I want to be with him as his wife, even knowing how he feels about you. And how I think you feel about him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The furrow between Hutch\u2019s eyebrows deepens. \u201cWhat are you saying? That he loves me and you\u2019re not sure I return that love? If that\u2019s it, then you\u2019re mistaken, Terry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She sighs. \u201cSorry. Guess I\u2019m not doing a good job conveying my thoughts.\u201d She shrugs then continues. \u201cYou two have a special connection, a special kind of love. I can tell Dave wants to\u2026 express that love in a way society doesn\u2019t exactly condone. I\u2019m not sure he\u2019s admitted that to himself, though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou th-think Starsky wants to, uh, m-m-make love to me?\u201d Hutch\u2019s voice rattles like a maraca.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shyly, Terry says, \u201cI do. I see the way he looks at you. Touches you. Hangs on every word you say. Talks about you as if you\u2019re the most important person in the world to him. I\u2019m perfectly happy being second fiddle; you do have the first claim on him, you know. And I\u2019m more than fine with his love for you because there can\u2019t be enough love in this world. I love you, too, Hutch. You\u2019re the twin brother I always wished I had. And who better to share him with? He has more than enough love in that big heart of his to go around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Terry studies Hutch\u2019s stunned face for a few moments. \u201cDo you feel that<\/em> way about him, Hutch?\u201d She knows the answer is yes, but also knows Hutch is blocking those feelings much more than her David.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh.\u201d There\u2019s a long pause while Hutch considers this new, startling information. \u201cI\u2019ve never thought about it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Terry stands up to the hard, searching look Hutch gives her. \u201cWhy are you telling me this, Terry?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She looks down at her hands, then back to him. \u201cWhen I\u2019m gone, I think he might\u2026 allow his desires to come through and I\u2019m afraid for him in case you don\u2019t reciprocate. If you know how he feels now, this\u2019ll give you time to search your feelings and figure out how to respond to Dave. Promise me you\u2019ll do that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to say anything, Hutch. Just promise you\u2019ll think about it and if it comes about, do what\u2019s right for the both of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He crosses his heart. \u201cPromise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The pair start when Starsky arrives back at the bench and says, \u201cHey, why so serious? Somebody tell ya your mama wears combat boots?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They both laugh, glad to have finished this private conversation in the nick of time. Hutch relieves Starsky of one of the trays of fries and his soda. Starsky immediately withdraws a huge candy bar from a pocket and says, \u201cLookit this! A frozen <\/em>Snickers! Who\u2019da thunk it, huh? Whoever thought of this deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsky, I think the sun has fried even more of your meager brain cells.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The trio begins to eat and resumes people-watching. A sidelong glance at Hutch tells her Phase One of her two-part plan to move them toward acting on their higher love is a success; she\u2019s got him thinking. Her only wish is that Phase Two isn\u2019t necessary because she lives long enough to see that special, unique love reach its full potential.<\/span><\/p>\n

And it will, she is certain. Hutch has promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

To Be Continued in Part 3: Diamonds & Change<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Author\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/strong>Part 2 inspired by ChocolateEgg\u2019s wise thought: There\u2019s love, and then there\u2019s Starsky & Hutch love.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click here for Part 1 Terry sits on the bench between the two best men in her life, enjoying the heat from the sun and them, the squeals and laughter from the other people who\u2019d decided to come to the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fic","category-sfw","category-slash"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=209"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":537,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209\/revisions\/537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}