Dear CC

Dear CC

Dear CC,

You're probably somewhere over the Grand Canyon by now, and I miss you already. Saying goodbye to you just now was one of the toughest moments of my life. I hope the flight is going smoothly and you have a good movie. I wish you didn't have to go, but your sister needs you and I'll survive. It's going to be a long month, though.

Starsky says to say hi and bring him back some saltwater taffy. Sorry about that. I'm sure you won't have time to go looking for gutfillers for old Gordo here.

Well, I'm getting a little carsick (don't tell Starsky!) so I'll sign off for now. We're heading back to Metro, some little old lady is asking for S. More later tonight.

Love,

Dear CC,

I tried to call you this morning but there was no answer. Hope everything's okay. I'll try again later. How was your flight? Did the change of planes go okay in Chicago? Did anyone meet you at Logan, or did you have to take the bus as you thought?

We're on a stakeout tonight, helping out Martin and Reyes. You haven't met them yet. Good guys, but a little rough. I think you'll like them, though. Martin's wife is an English teacher—you ladies could probably talk up a storm.

I wish you were here, now, sweetie. I'd put my fingers in your hair and pull your face close to mine, and kiss you so hard that you'd never think of leaving me again. I'm already planning your first night back. You'd better sleep on the plane, because once I get you home—

Starsky's yelling. You know how he gets when he's hungry. Maybe I'll have time to write some more tonight.

Love,

Later. We're on stakeout now, and we're having an argument. Starsky says your hair is reddish brown, but I say it's Brazilian bronze with caramel highlights. He says that's ridiculous and sappy and don't I have anything better to do with my time than make up names of colors for hair. Well, no, I don't. Can't think of anything else right now at all. Well, I can think of a few something elses, but I'll tell you about those later.

Hey, CC, it's me, Dave. You better get home soon. This big lug is gonna make me crazy. All he ever talks about now is your seafoamy eyes and your liberty bell hair. How's your sister?

Well, that was Starsky, as I'm sure you figured out. Only two more hours on this shift. Two more hours until I can get home and call you and hear your voice. I miss you, baby.

Love,

CC,

I'm so sorry I missed our call last night. By the time you get this you'll have heard from me though, and you'll know why. When Starsky gets hurt, it's like the rest of the world just disappears. He's going to be OK, of course, but still, there just isn't any way I can describe the feeling I get when I see him down, and blood on him. You have no idea how much it means to me to be able to talk to you about it. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to fall to pieces when he's hurt or upset, but you always know what to say to make me feel better. And make him feel better, too. God, I wish you were here. I need you in my arms. I love you.

Hi Sweetie,

I just got back from the hospital. Starsky's got the nurses all falling over themselves giving him baths and bringing him their special cookies. Big surprise, huh? They're discharging him tomorrow but I have a feeling this time he'd just as soon stay there. He's having the time of his life. We got the scumbag, too, so things are calming down.

You sounded more relaxed this morning. I'm glad Anne is feeling better. She's so lucky to have you there. I wish my sister and I were closer.

I like your idea of having Annie come back with you for a while, if she's up to traveling. I didn't say anything to S, didn't want him to rip out any stitches, because I think he's going to like the idea, too. They can recuperate together. Does she like old horror movies?

Only one thing, though, she'd better not expect to see you for a good 24 hours when you first get back. I have Plans.

Hugs and kisses,

Hi CC,

Well, my patient is home and all tucked up. I've got some soup heating for him and thought I'd take some time to say hello. Remember I told you about when he got shot at the restaurant a couple of years ago? He told me that night that he played Camille in high school, and I thought at the time he was making it up, but now I think I believe it. OK, I know a knife in the belly isn't a good thing, but it's not like it hit anything important. It went in maybe an inch. He's going to be sore for a while, though.

Did you talk to your sister about visiting? Starsky's all for it. Thinks you both should just get on a plane now and get back here, and I agree. Maybe the airline could make some kind of special arrangements for her? Well, I'm being selfish. I just want you here. I want to hold you and feel your skin against mine and your lips parting for my . . . Well, this is torture. Do you have any idea how hard this is for me? In more ways than one, I promise you. I want to hug you breathless, kiss you all over, see you smile, hear you laugh.

I hope you have better distractions than I do.

The soup's ready. I'd better go before Camille starts yelling at me from his sickbed.

I'm back. He's asleep finally. He's going to make me crazy, I swear. But then, I think how glad I am that he's here to drive me nuts, and I stop being annoyed with him. Does Anne make you nuts, too, or am I all alone in this? I have a feeling she behaves a lot better than S does. Just a feeling.

I picked up a book for you today, Starsky sent me out with a list of reading material he has to have, and I saw this on the sales table. It was a bestseller a couple of years ago. It's called The Choirboys. I want to read it, too, and we can talk about it.

I have a feeling you're thinking, what if I got stabbed, or shot, or something happened to me on the job. Or maybe I'm the one thinking about it? I can't say it won't ever happen, but I can't live my life worrying about it either. Starsky and I never really think about it. Or at least I never did much before you came along. Yeah, it's out there, and we've both gotten hit pretty bad, more than once, but anyone can get shot or stabbed, or in a car wreck. You couldn't have kept Anne safe by worrying every time she got in a car, and it's the same with us. I'm probably more likely to get hurt or killed off duty by some accident, than when I'm working, because at work I'm paying more attention, being more careful. And, I've got Starsky watching my back. I don't want to think of what kind of shape I'd be in right now if he hadn't done what he did. So, all I can say is, try not to worry, and you know you can always talk to me when you feel scared. I'll always listen.

Uh oh, he's awake already. That didn't last long.

I love you so much,

Hi Baby,

I can't believe I missed your call. Starsky got it in his head he wanted powdermilk biscuits, can you believe that? Have you ever tried to find a recipe for powdermilk biscuits? No more Prairie Home Companion for him. He's going to have to settle for Bisquick. Don't tell him.

So you put him on the phone with Anne, I hear. You doing a little long-distance matchmaking? He looked like the Cheshire Cat when I got back. Must have been a good conversation.

He said Annie was able to walk a little way on her own today. You all must be so relieved. Starsky, on the other hand, still has to have help getting to the bathroom, brushing his teeth, stirring his coffee. You can barely even see the Dreadful Wound anymore. He complains all day about how bad it itches.

Well, I think I'll make the "powdermilk" biscuits and go get some paperwork done down at Metro. S said I could call you back at 7 so I will.

Love,

Hey Love,

Don't tell Starsky, but he's going to get a commendation for bravery. That ought to make getting stuck in the gut worthwhile. Knowing him he won't want it, though. He'll be embarrassed. We can have a guest for the presentation and Dobey said he'd wait until you and Anne get here, so you'll be able to go to the ceremony. We can all go out to dinner afterward.

Only two more weeks. After we talked the other night I kind of lost it for a while. Don't know what got into me but I just missed you so much. S said something that got me thinking though. He said he's never seen me like this, and that maybe I should take a closer look at how I feel about you. So I did. And CC, I think, I want to know, I don't want to be away from you again, oh hell, I think we should take the next step, don't you? I think we should move in together. Will you think about it? I don't want to pressure you, but please think about it. I love you so much. Please think about it. And say yes.

Love,

Me.

CC,

You're probably going to kill me but I got you a welcome home present. Not going to tell you what it is, but it's red, and S said I really got it for me, not you. I think he's right.

Did you get my last letter yet? Are you deep in thought, or have you already made up your mind?

I finished reading The Choir Boys. Good book but I don't know if you'll like it. Starsky's reading it now, and swears he'll be done by the time you get home.

I'm just waiting for the dryer to finish. I'm still doing Starsky's laundry, don't ask why because I can't give a good reason. Should have let his mother come out to visit like she wanted to when I called her.

I talked to my mom last night. She says to say hi and sends regards to Anne, too. My father was off on some business trip as usual, so I didn't get to talk to him.

I can't seem to write coherently today. I just keep wondering what you're going to think when you get my last letter, and what you're going to say.

Work is kind of boring this week, you'll be glad to hear (grinning). Starsky's still on desk duty but he has his medical tomorrow. Hopefully we'll be back out right afterward. There's only so many days you can do paperwork and make phone calls for other detectives while they're out in the field.

I heard that James Taylor song you like on the radio this morning, Love Songs. I'm going to work out the chords tonight so I can sing it to you. I like the line about the slow, steady glow in her eyes. That's you, baby.

Clothes are dry so I'm heading home. I'll write more later.

Hey Cecil, it's me, Dave. You should tell Hutch not to leave your letters around if he doesn't want me scribbling on them. How's Anne? Tell her that movie she likes is on next week. If you get back in time, I'll treat her to a pizza and you and Hutch can go open up your . . . oh wait, I'm not supposed to spill the beans. Almost did. Oh great, I just got a look at my laundry. You'd think a grown man would know how to separate darks from lights. Terrific, just terrific. Well C, gotta go he's trying to drag the paper out from unde

Starsky's worse than a kid, I swear. Sorry about that. Why do I always apologize for him anyway?

Love you, honey.

My darling CC,

Does that sound too melodramatic? I can't help it. I'm so happy I could burst. I can't believe you said yes. Well, I can believe, I believe. You said yes! There's so much I want to tell you. I think this will be the last letter I send because you'll be home before any others would get to you. You'll be home soon! We have so much to look forward to, my darling girl. You won't ever be sorry, I promise.

I have to go now, my darling. We have to go interview some witnesses and Starsky wants to stop and get a burrito first, but I'll call you tonight. I love you I love you I love you

Hi Sweetie,

I'm not going to mail this but I'm still going to write it. It's only a few days until you're home and we can start looking for place to live. I know you said you love this apartment, and so do I, but it's not big enough for both of us, and your place is even smaller. Starsky said he was thinking maybe he'd move in here, sort of keep it in the family. He's always liked the morning light in the greenhouse. You never saw the place I had right on the canal. I'd love to be back on the water, but we'll see. I'm watching the paper.

It's so hard to be patient for a few more days. This has been a very long month. I've got a couple of songs to play for you, and some things to show you, and one or two things I plan to do for you. Or to you. Let your imagination run wild, mine has been. Maybe we can find a place with one of those old claw foot tubs, room for two. . . . So now you have some little idea of where my imagination is going. I could wash your hair, and, well, I'd better stop now or I might embarrass myself.

Starsky's been busy getting ready for Anne's visit. Got a stack of pamphlets and things so she can pick some places she'd like to visit. We'll be lucky if we ever see her once she gets here. Wouldn't it be funny if they end up hitting it off? He's been talking to her a lot on the phone, did you know that? More than I've talked to you, I think. He said he's all ready to play nursemaid and Chief Escort. He even rigged up some kind of contraption for the Torino so she can rest her foot. He loves taking care of people when they're sick. He's good at it, too. Not so good when he's the patient, though. On the other hand, you'd never know he got stabbed only a couple of weeks ago. Don't worry, he won't wear her out.

Well, guess I'd better get some sleep. Early start tomorrow, we have to go to San Diego. Won't be back until pretty late. Sleep well, sweetheart.

Love you, honey.

Dear CC,

I dreamed about you last night after we got back from San Diego. I'm sorry I didn't write but maybe that's why I had the dream. You were on your way home and I went to the wrong terminal. It took me hours to find you and when I did I saw you far away, sitting on your luggage. I thought you'd be angry, but you looked up and smiled, and all the rest of the people in the airport disappeared. Then, all of sudden, I was standing right in front of you, I don't know how I got there, and we were here in my bedroom but not really my bedroom. Everything was stark, like a play with no set, just you and me in the world, and you stood up into my arms and we kissed. I felt your hands on the back of my head, and I pulled you close, and, well, I think maybe I'll just show you the rest instead of telling you. I keep thinking of the dream, and of you.

Good thing we're just doing paperwork and some telephone interviews today. I might not concentrate very well. You're on my mind, and I'm not complaining.

Only two more days . . .

And now only one more day. Tomorrow you come home to me. Starsky says I'm acting like a swooning 17th century lady awaiting the return of her ship captain husband. He's probably right, but I don't care, that's how I feel. If I had a turret, I'd go stand on the very top of it, and gaze off into the horizon, looking for a glimpse of your ship (or plane).

You drove me crazy last night. Your voice on the phone, saying those words to me, when I couldn't reach you or touch you. You have a little bit of an evil streak. It's one of the things I love most about you. I'm going to make you pay for that torture, you know I am, and I am going to make you pay more than once, my darling devil.

Down to hours, maybe even minutes now. I'm in the gate area waiting for you. Guess where Starsky is? Yep, at the concession stand. He was making fun of me yesterday, but you should see him now. He's acting like it's the day before his birthday and mommy said he could open his presents early. He's practically vibrating, he's so wound up. He's already half in the bag for Annie, I don't think she'll need a lot of string to tie it closed. We've got a wheelchair ready so she doesn't have to walk all the way back to the car. We have everything all worked out so you girls can have some time to relax and get settled, maybe take a nap, but after that, well, I'm in a public place so I'd better not go into any more descriptions.

They just put up the new Arrivals board. You're already at the gate. I'm going to stop writing now, my sweetheart, because I can't concentrate on the page anymore. Only minutes until I have you in my arms again.

Goodbye, my love, and . . .

Hello!

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