~Not To Marry~
Starsky entered his apartment followed by Hutch, they both had their wedding tux’s over their arms. “Man, you weren’t leaving my side this time.” Starsky joked.
“Yeah, this was the day it all started,” Hutch smiled.
“Well, we aren’t having a repeat performance.” Starsky laid his tux over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Hutch hung his over the door.
“What time to we need to be a the church?” Hutch said checking his watch.
“Two, the ceremony starts at…” Starsky trailed off as he saw a white enveloped banked against a box that looked very much like the box that Cole’s engagement ring came in. The envelope had his name written on it in Cole’s neat penmanship. Starsky picked up the envelope and undid the flap, it hadn’t been sealed only tucked inside the envelope. He slip out a single sheet of paper with more of Cole’s writing on it.
“What have you got there?” Hutch asked curiously.
“It’s a letter from Cole.” Starsky said as fear crept into his stomach. He looked at the box on the table as he handed him the letter, “You read it, I can’t.”
“It’s probably just some last words before you get married.” Hutch said taking the page of stationary.
“And the box?”
Hutch ignored Starsky’s question and looked at what was written on the paper, it started out, Dearest David.
“Out loud.” Starsky said as he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.
Hutch sucked in a breath of air and began to read. “Dearest David, I know this is going to be as hard for you to read and it is for me to write. I would say it in person but I am a coward and if I was looking into your eyes I don’t think I would say it. I want to start by saying you are the love of my life and you always will be, but there is always a but, isn’t there? But, I just don’t think that marriage is the right thing for us. I don’t want one of us to end up hating the other.”
“I don’t understand, I thought we were happy?” Starsky said stunned by what Hutch was reading.
“As you know, I have had so many issues in my life, my parents, my brother’s death, my partner, my boss and the list just goes on and on. I don’t even know who I any more. I don’t want to be just, Mrs. David Starsky, I guess it should be enough but I need to find out who Cole Jacobs really is.” Hutch stopped for a moment then went on. “I can’t do that being married right now. David, I’m so sorry and I should have called off the wedding before now. I’m leaving my job and going home to my parents for a while. Please don’t follow or call, it’s just better to make a clean break of it all. I’ll love you forever, Cole.” Hutch handed the letter back to Starsky and picked up the box from the table. He opened the lid slowly, inside was the diamond ring that Starsky had given her.
Starsky re-read the letter unable to believe that Cole, after everything they had been through had just walked out on him. He crumpled the note and tossed it across the room then he took the ring box from Hutch snapped it shut and threw it also. It hit the far wall with a bang and landed on the floor.
“I’m sorry, buddy.” Hutch said as he squeezed Starsky’s shoulders in his hands. “Better to find out now than later.”
Starsky nodded, “I can’t believe that Ma came all the way out here again for nothing.”
“I’m sure she won’t be sorry, she gets to see you and Nick again.” Hutch pulled up a chair and sat down next to his friend. “Now what, are you going to go after her?”
“No, I’m done. We are over.” Starsky put his head in his hands.
There was a knock at the door and for a split second Starsky though that perhaps Cole had changed her mind and was coming back to him. Hutch got up and opened the door to find Nick already in his tux standing in the doorway. “Come on you guys you are going to be late to the church.”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding, Nick,” Hutch said quietly.
“What? What’s going on?” Nick moved toward his brother but he could tell by the look on Starsky’s face it was no joke.
“She is gone, Nicky.” Starsky said as he tossed the envelope with his name on it into the air, it fluttered to the floor.
“Well then, screw her!” Nick exclaimed, surprising both of the detectives. “I didn’t want to wear this money suit anyway.”
Hutch smiled in spite of what was going on. It was the same thing Starsky had called the tux when they had first tried them on. For two brothers that were so different they were the same too.
“Yeah, screw her!” Starsky said getting up. “Just because I’m not getting married doesn’t mean we can’t have a party.
Hutch could tell that his partner’s heart was not in his words but what ever he needed to do get over her was okay with him. He would be there for Starsky when he crashed just like Starsky was always there for him.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Nick said as he striped his bow tie from his neck and undid several of the buttons.
Starsky looked at Hutch, “I’m going to be okay.”
“I know you will, buddy, I know you will.”
The End