Sally turned icy eyes to the detective. "You promised that my cousin would have a good time tonight. I think it's rather obvious she didn't." Turning abruptly she exited the apartment closing the door just slightly harder than necessary.
Now Starsky turned icy eyes to his partner and up until now best friend Ken Hutchinson who was nonchalantly cleaning up beer bottles and snack bowls. "Thanks for nothing."
Hutch walked the bottles to the trash. "Hey, don't pin this on me. I was just trying to do you a favor."
"Making the girls get up and leave. I shoulda gotten someone else to double with Sally and Jenny."
"Well, we're in total agreement there, partner." Hutch sounded irritated. "I mean they're the ones who brought that stupid game over in the first place. Too bad they can't handle it."
Starsky looked to the board game that was still strewn on the floor: HONESTY. The big block letters on the box lid summed up the whole thing.
It was one of those new couples games. Players drew cards that instructed them to do something or admit something. And the response had to be honest. Hutch reflected that he had been totally honest in his response to the instruction on the card he drew.
"You were supposed to kiss Jenny." Starsky's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"That's not what the card said." Hutch did not really want to rehash the events that led to the early departure of the young ladies.
"But you know what it meant," the other man insisted.
The blonde man reached down and picked up the game card in question. Sticking it under his friend's nose he said flatly, "It says, 'kiss someone you love'. And that's what I did."
"You were supposed to kiss Jenny," Starsky repeated.
"The game is called HONESTY," Hutch reminded him. "The card said to kiss someone I love. Not someone that I just met to make her happy because her cousin is dating my best friend."
"You just did that because you didn't want to play the game in the first place," Starsky couldn't help saying. "You wanted the evening to end early."
"You're right. I didn't want to play that game in the first place. But..." Hutch sighed, exasperated. "I... did... what ... the .... card .... said." He emphasized each word.
"Maybe you didn't want Jenny to find out you're a lousy kisser."
"Is that a comment on my technique?"
"What technique?"
"Maybe you're just embarrassed that I gave you a kiss in front of your girlfriend."
"Come on. You know better than that."
"Well, sorry if out of the people in the room you're the one that I feel love for."
And that had been the argument that erupted during the game as well. The argument which led to a rather abrupt departure of the two young ladies in question.
Hutch threw up his hands. He'd always hated these "touchy feely" games. Not that he had anything against telling the truth in regards to how he felt he just never considered it a subject for an evening's entertainment. Under the glaring eye of his friend he silently began putting away the offending game.
He'd folded the game board, stacked the little cards and was just nesting everything into their proper places in the box when a knock at the door broke the uneasy silence.
Dave hoisted himself from the chair into which he had plunked himself to sulk while he watched his partner clean up. He shuffled to the door and opened it.
"I left my game," Sally said her voice devoid of emotion.
Starsky allowed her entry with a gallant sweep of his arm. She stepped passed him.
Hutch placed the lid on the box and attempting a pleasant appearance smiled at the young lady. as he handed it to her.
Sally snatched the box from the blonde man before turning on her heel and heading for the door, where she stopped suddenly.
"All the pieces are there," Dave assured her.
"Oh, what's the use," she said in mock frustration. She turned to face her boyfriend. "I can't really pretend to be mad anymore."
"Huh?"
Sally looked down at the box in her hands, then back to Dave. "One of the reasons I like you so much... well..." She glanced to Hutch and back. "Your friendship." There was a pause. "I mean it's not like I've never seen you two kiss. I explained it to Jenny. She doesn't like it but she understands." Her eyes went back to Ken. "She wanted a kiss from you." Hutch opened his mouth to say something. "I know," Sally reassured. "You just did what the card said."
"That's what I tried to tell everyone," Hutch sighed.
"So we're okay here?" Starsky was a bit puzzled by the sudden turn of events.
Sally nodded shyly. She stepped forward and gave the man a kiss on the lips, then another which lasted longer. Smiling she backed toward the door, looked at the game box in her hand and tossed it aside before leaving.
Hutch grinned and shook his head as he moved in front of his friend to close the door. "How about that?"
"Yeah," Starsky grunted.
Hutch was in disbelief. "You're still mad." He crossed back to the couch. "Sally made up with you and you're still mad at me." He flopped to the cushions.
The dark haired detective sneered in his friend's direction. He wasn't sure he was still mad but, heck, he had not quite gotten all the satisfaction he could have from a good perturbed mood. Sally had spoiled his plan of glaring silently at his partner for at least another hour... or until he gave up trying to be pleasant to his unreasonable self and went home. Starsky would then brood for another hour or so just for good measure, then go to bed. In the morning he would pick Hutch up for work and offer a small smile along with a cup of coffee as an apology. Hutch would drop a hand to his shoulder and give a slight squeeze indicating that he'd accepted. Then they would continue through their day like the disagreement had never happened. Sally's sudden burst of understanding had spoiled everything.
"Starsk?" Hutch's voice interrupted his thoughts. He still remained silent. The blonde rose from the couch. "Maybe I'd just better go."
Starsky's mind played quickly. If Hutch left now his original scenario would stay in tact.
"You know," Hutch began as he picked his jacket from the rack by the door. "If I had to do it all over again.... I'd do exactly the same thing."
Damn he was making it hard to stick to the program. He watched as his friend placed a hand on the doorknob. "Wait," he heard himself say. Hutch turned. Now that Starsky had his attention he found himself unsure of what to do next. He thought of throwing a grin and sending his buddy off with a slap on the back. See everything is okay, back to normal. But somehow what Hutch just said left him thinking. He'd do exactly the same thing. Silently he moved to where Sally had cast aside the game box. Puzzled Hutch watched as his friend opened the box and sifted through the cards, the very cards that started the evening on this downhill spiral to begin with. Finding the one he wanted he presented it to Hutch.
Kiss someone you love.
Hutch had to chuckle. "You sure?" he asked. "I'm not going after Jenny, you know."
Starsky swallowed. "I know." There was a pause. "Well, what are ya waitin' for, Blondie, an engraved invitation?"
Hutch held up the game card. "I think I already got one." There was another pause. "I love you, my friend," he said before pressing his lips to Starsky's forehead. He wasn't surprised to feel lips touch his own cheek in return. Hutch went to put the card back with the rest of the game and changed his mind. "I'm going to hang on to this." He started to explain but it was unnecessary. "See ya tomorrow."
"Night, blintz."
Before retiring for the night Dave Starsky had one more thing to clean up from the evening. The game box with all its contents landed with a thud into the trash can.
THE END