She was beautiful: shy and sweet with a gleeful joy sparkling in her blue eyes. Terry Roberts had introduced them, back when she ran the special needs sports program at the Marshall Center. Terry and Starsky had insisted Hutch meet her, if only because of their shared last name. After all, how many Hutchinsons were there in the world?
More than you’d think, Hutch had wanted to say back then.
He’d been charmed by the softspoken Kristen. Now, long after Terry’s untimely death, he and Starsky still went over to the Marshall Center monthly, to hang out with the students there. They always brought a few games and treats to share. Kristen wasn’t one for basketball or soccer, but whenever Hutch banged out some tunes on the battered upright piano, she was right there at his elbow, singing along.
Maybe it was the season, maybe it was some cosmic fate that destined that this was the time. He’d never know.
Kristen had a clear soprano, with perfect pitch. When Hutch closed his eyes, playing O Little Town of Bethlehem from memory, he could hear his mother. Opening his eyes, he looked over at Kristen in her red velvet Christmas dress, and could almost see his mother.
But how could that be?
Sure, they had the same last name, but Hutchinson wasn’t that uncommon. Sure, they were both blond with blue eyes, but again, not that unusual. Particularly in people with Down Syndrome. Hutch had noticed that a predominance of the Down Syndrome students at Marshall had blond or light brown hair.
So why did Kristen remind him so much of Elizabeth Hutchinson, and why did his chest suddenly tighten with a sadness he couldn’t explain if he tried?
He sang along on the last verse, an octave lower than Kristen’s. Their voices blended seamlessly.
“Another one, Hutch?” Kristen asked hopefully, tapping one of the piano keys.
“Another one!” Tommy echoed, turning unerringly in Hutch’s direction even though he was blind.
“Santa Claus,” Preeti said, holding up one finger. The only finger she had on her right hand.
“All right.” He grinned, glancing around the festive room. There were people everywhere, students and teachers alike, helping out. Starsky and his elves had transformed the all-purpose room from utilitarian into holiday finery. A silver-and-green garland hung from the ceiling with little gold foil bells hooked here and there. The tree in the corner wasn’t large but it was festooned with student-made construction paper chains in a rainbow of colors, bread dough ornaments, and strings of popcorn. The table was groaning with cookies, chocolates, popcorn balls, and assorted treats including Kulkuls, a specialty from India that Preeti’s mother had brought. Starsky was stacking the collected gifts near the tree to give out to every Marshall Center client.
Launching into Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Hutch kept his eyes on Kristen, wondering why, after years of knowing her, he felt like he had just met her anew. She wasn’t one of the students at the school, she was a permanent resident. Marshall Center housed about fifty people year round, either because they had no family or their family couldn’t handle their particular needs. The residents ranged from teens to middle age.
Youthful looking, Kristen stood about five feet one inch. Hutch had never asked but he suspected she was over thirty, maybe close to his age. The idea, forming unwanted in his brain, terrified him. Did he have the right to know what he abruptly suspected, on this day in mid-December?
“That was terrific!” Starsky said enthusiastically. “Gang, Miss Lawton is ready! Present time and then we’ll eat before Hutch and me have to go.”
“Why’d you have to go?” Kristen asked. “I thought you’d read the Santa Claus poem like last year.”
Preeti and Tianyu led Tommy to the forming queue, all giggling in anticipation of the gifts.
“We will,” Hutch assured, giving her a one-armed hug. “On Christmas eve. Remember we told you we’d have that day off for another party? But this one is for both students and residents, before the school students take their holiday break.”
“I know.” She nodded wistfully. “I just like havin’ you here. Like a big brother.”
The knot in his chest tightened. Felt like he was choking, and yet, there was a warmth, a hope there, too. We all need family.
While Miss Lawton shepherded the group across to the gifts, Hutch intercepted Starsky from joining them.
“Hey.” How did he broach the subject? It was so unexpected, so very sensitive.
“Hey, yourself.” Starsky nudged him affectionately, munching on cookies decorated with icing and silver balls.
They couldn’t be demonstrative, as they would be at home, so the brief brush of elbow against his side was as good as a kiss. “What do you see when you look at Kristen?”
“Huh?” Starsky swung around to peer across the crowded room. “What do you mean? Kristen looks the same as she always has. Adorable. Sweet.”
“Do you think she looks like a Hutchinson?” Hutch whispered fiercely. The hubbub in the room was enough to keep their conversation private. He and Starsky had just visited his family for Thanksgiving for the first time ever, finally being open about their relationship.
The revelation had been accepted well by all, thank goodness. Hutchinsons of every stripe had been there for turkey and stuffing. Not just Hutch’s mother, but uncles, aunts, and cousins. His father had passed the previous year, which had made the trip all the more bittersweet. Was this why he had his mother on his mind? A coincidence?
“She is a Hutchinson…” Starsky trailed off, staring at Hutch as if catching his meaning. “She’s blond and blue eyed. But doesn’t half of Minnesota look like that?”
“She doesn’t live in Minnesota,” Hutch said, his heart rate speeding up as the implications piled on. “She…do you think she resembles me?”
Starsky took a breath, examining his face solemnly. “She’s got Down Syndrome. She looks like that,” he said stubbornly.
“That doesn’t change inherited traits,” Hutch countered. The Volsted twins weren’t in attendance, but Starsky would know who he meant. “What about Andrea and Andy?” Both had been preemies from what Hutch had heard from their teachers. Andrea had cerebral palsy and Andy had Down Syndrome. Aside from Andy’s rounder face and tilted eyes, they were alike as two peas.
“True.” Starsky nodded, watching the happy group unwrapping gifts.
A philanthropic society had donated books, and every recipient was excitedly holding up theirs, including Braille books for the blind kids. The people who couldn’t read well sidled up to another friend who could to hear their new story.
“But how?” Starsky bit his bottom lip, clearly coming around to Hutch’s side of things. “I mean—why?”
“I need to learn her history. Do you know her birthday?” Hutch asked. Starsky was better at remembering that sort of thing than he was.
“Not the date. Remember about two years ago, there was a party for the summer birthdays. She got a candle on the cake, but I don’t know if it was for July or August.”
The fact that their birthdays might be in the same month was even more of an incentive. Hutch beckoned Starsky out of the room. “Let me talk to Annette in the office. I’ll be back for one of those cookies Preeti’s mom made.”
Starsky clasped Hutch’s hand silently and headed back into the merrymaking.
Walking briskly down the hall, Hutch went left into the main hub of the Marshall Center. As there often was, a nervous looking family with a special needs child were there to register for classes. Annette, the program director, gave Hutch a friendly wave.
“How’s the party?” she asked. Annette was in her late sixties if she was a day, with softly waving gray hair and lively brown eyes. “I made some sugar cookies, and wanted to taste some of those Kulkuls.”
“They look good,” Hutch acknowledged. “Were yours the yellow star iced cookies?” She nodded. “I know for a fact that Starsky already ate two of them.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Would it be possible for me to look at Kristen Hutchinson’s file?” He inhaled to bolster his courage and really wanted a beer, not some of the Hawaiian punch available for the festivities.
Annette folded her hands, her expression troubled. “I’ve always wondered why you never asked about her.”
Stunned, Hutch sat down on the chair beside her desk. “What do you know?”
“I’ve worked here for over thirty years.” Annette stood to open a drawer in the file cabinet. “In the forties, doctors counseled mothers and fathers to put kids with disabilities into a center like ours.”
“Even to the present,” Hutch agreed, his heart breaking. Another cop at Metro had recently given birth to a child with severe anomalies. She’d refused to relinquish the baby and was raising him at home. “Where was Kristen born?”
Annette located the file she was looking for and flipped open the page. “She was born in Salem, Oregon on…”
Hutch wanted to cry. To hit something. To run and hug his sister. “August 28th,” he said very, very quietly.
“Yes.”
They were twins. Twins. He wasn’t sure he could keep his emotions on an even keel. “My father had just gotten out of the military, in forty-five, and was looking for work in Oregon.” He swallowed tightly. “Then, when I was less than a year, they moved to Duluth so Dad could work nearer his family.” And left Kristen in Oregon. The pain of that parting must have been devastating, but neither had ever said a word about it.
Annette closed the file, holding it between her hands as if she were praying. “The first time Terry and Starsky brought you here, to play basketball, I wondered if I was imagining the resemblance.”
“You never said anything in five years?” he asked incredulously, his eyes burning with the need to shed tears.
“Every family has their own reasons, and I didn’t know for sure,” Annette responded with a diplomatic smile. “I don’t judge. I’ve known Kristen since she was brought here at the age of one. I adored her. Little babies are cuddly anyway, and she was so chubby and soft, like holding a rag doll. I was a volunteer then.” She blinked, obviously remembering.
“I need to talk to my mother.” Hutch clenched his hands into fists. “Was this called Marshall Center back then?” He’d mentioned helping out here a time or two to his family, but his mother had never indicated she’d heard of the place.
“Home for Retarded Children.” Annette raised her eyebrows. “A different time. We were affiliated with a similar place in Oregon that closed down and shipped all their residents to us. The name change was about 1969.”
Different time, different place. But why? He wanted to demand to his mother. Why would you separate us?
“How do I tell her?” Hutch said aloud.
“Tell Kristen?” Annette asked wisely. “Or your mother?”
“Both.” Hutch let out his breath in a rush. “Kristen.” He wanted to get to know her better. Celebrate her life. Include her in his. Make up for the thirty-six years they’d been separated. Absolute love, what was the old Greek word? Philia. Filial love for his sister replaced the strangulated sensation in his chest.
“I think Kristen knows.” Annette stowed the file away again. “You’ve always been her favorite. Keep doing what you have been.” She laughed with sudden delight. “I have some old baby pictures of her. I’ll dig through the center’s boxes of pictures from past parties and assemblies, make a photo album for her—for you.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” Hutch said gratefully. He had a new family. A new purpose. He and Starsky could start some new holiday traditions to include Kristen. They’d sing together again, and laugh. As a brother and sister did.
And he’d call his mother. Tonight.
Not to demand answers, but to tell her he loved her. She’d made an agonizing choice once upon a time. Times changed, like the seasons. Like life.
She’d accepted Starsky as his mate. She’d welcome her lost daughter back into her heart.
Of that, he was sure.
Fantastic picture! You rock! The whole family together and Kristen looks so pretty!
I’ll pass it on, thanks.
Oh my goodness. What an emotional roller coaster of a story! Thank you!
Thanks for reading. I’ve had this idea in the back of my brain for years.
Oh, Dawn! Please tell me this is a teaser for the looooooong story to come? Either way, it’s lovely.
Thank you! I don’t know that there is currently anything else to write because the catalyst was Hutch’s revelation and discovery of Kristen, but they’ll have a great family from here on. I have had this idea in my brain for probably a decade but never knew how to start it until in November it demanded to be written.
Oh oh oh–I am crying here. Absolutely lovely and true and real. All the feels. And I’m so glad for Hutch and Kristen. Starsky too because his favorite person is even happier!
Thank you! I was worried I’d make people cry. I know lots of people with Down Syndrome and think we should all know more people with differences.
That was beautiful. Heart breaking for a while yet so happy in the end. Great job!
I love the picture, elves!
I’ll let them know. Thanks.
Thanks. I’ve known Hutch had a sister with Down Syndrome for a while now but wasn’t sure how to write it down until in November, all was revealed!
Oh gosh, what an emotional story. I loved it.
Thank you. Hutch, Kristen, and their mom will get together and Starsky will have fun planning the event.
This is really lovely, and his acceptance and understanding of his mother’s decision really moved me. I loved that his family were accepting of them as a couple, too – I love a bit of Nasty Hutchinsons but it’s comforting to have an alternative to imagine too!
Thanks! I tend to push away those Nasty Hutchinsons and have a wistful yen for some less than perfect Starskys.
Dawn, this was so touching. And a lovely story for Christmas. I love the idea that S&H are still spending time at Terry’s school, and that H has found a sister he didn’t know he’d lost. And that he’ll cherish her from now on.
So nice!
I spend so much of my life with special needs kids, I like to spread it around to Starsky and Hutch. Thank you for reading!
Wow Dawn! I really relished this story, from the concept through your execution. Deeper than I expected, not just H’s realization, but his understanding of his parents’ choices. I also appreciate Starsky’s realistic response that today I’d see as ignorant, that she looks like a person with Downs, how could she look like Hutch? Thank you for sharing this gift, and thank you to the elves who added the picture! Merry Christmas!
I do love a wee Down Syndrome baby–and I ‘see’ the syndrome immediately since I encounter them so often, so I am surprised how often family members do not. They only see the familial resemblance. Hutch, Kristen, their mom, and Starsky will forge a new family together. Thank you.
So nice to see Terry’s school and the special needs kids in your fic, Dawn! And indeed, the pic is perfect 💖
Thanks–I imagine the school names a wing after Terry or the basketball hoop. Starsky and Hutch have to go by and say hello when visiting Kristen.
Oh my goodness! That was a wonderful story! It holds a special place in my heart because I taught special children for over 30 years. That episode reminded me of some of my kids. I love the idea of Hutch having a lost twin with special needs and he and Hutch taking her into their family. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am happy it gave you fond memories. I read a book a long time ago about a similar found family and have wanted to give Hutch a sister for a long time.
oh my gosh, that was such a beautiful story, Dawn. And so lovely that Hutch wasn’t angry with his parents, but understanding of how they must have had to make a heart-wrenching decision.
But I didn’t start crying until I saw the pic at the end.
I’ve always loved how the show included children with Down Syndrome in the basketball scenes in Starsky’s Lady and how all the kids loved Hutch and hugged him and held his hand.
You gave me a big smile. That picture is awesome, isn’t it? Perfect! I know lots of Down Syndrome kids, but that picture IS Kristen. Hutch and his mom, and Starsky, will fold her into the family.
A lovely story for Christmas. It’s always heartwarming to see Hutch & Starsky’s family expanding, even in this unusual way. And it’s wonderful to see more of S&H with Terry’s kids, too.