The Return of Rosie Malone
By
Tooki
Chapter 1
“Are you alright?” Starsky questioned looking at the pain-etched face of his daughter.
Hannah nodded as she sat two-year-old Rosie on her feet. She grasped her daughter’s hand and walked toward the gravestone with her grandfather’s name embossed into it.
Starsky lingered behind; Hannah stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. “Go on I’ll be here.”
She nodded and proceeded toward the stone that protruded from the ground. This was the first time since his death that she had been back to Mexico. Next to his grave was that of her mother’s grave that was where she laid the wrapped flowers she carried.
Rosie looked up at her mother and frowned at the tears running down her face. “Sad?”
Hannah knelt next to Rosie, “This is your grandmother sweetie.” Hannah said gently knowing that Rosie was far to young to understand. Rosie turned to look at Starsky she knew that he was her grandfather she wiggled her fingers at him. Hannah pointed at the stone next to her namesake. “This is was your great grandfather.”
Rosie frowned then pulled her hand from her mothers. She looked back at Starsky again then ran as fast as her chubby legs would carry her toward him. Starsky knelt as she approached and scooped her up in his arms. “Take your time.” He called to Hannah.
Hannah turned back to the two graves and stared at them. She had been tempted many times to move her mother to the states as she could not stand coming to this place. But she knew her mother loved Mexico and the Indians there so Hannah let her mother remain. It hurt Hannah that she couldn’t visit her mother’s grave more often but that would mean she had to look at her grandfathers too. She was not ready to forgive him and wasn’t sure if she ever was.
A woman watched from a distance she had seen them pull up as she has been walking from Frank Malone’s gravesite. Now she stood rooted as if she were part of the tree she was peering around. She was surprised to see the little girl she look so much like the young woman whose hand she clutched. But the woman’s breath caught in her throat when she had seen the curly dark headed man. He hadn’t changed a bit, maybe a gray hair here and there in his curling locks but other than that he was just as she had remembered him. She smiled as she watched the little girl run into the man’s arms, she knew that they were both being well taken care of, that was just the way he was. She wondered where the blonde headed partner was; it was unusual to see them apart. But he was probably back home doing double duty so that he could be here with his daughter. That was just the way they were. Sighing the woman in the white dress and floppy hat faded into the background and disappeared.
Hannah looked back at her mother’s grave, “I miss you so much,” she whispered. “You would love little Rosie.” She kissed her fingertips then pressed them on the cold stone. “I’ll try to come back more often mommy.”
As she turned to head back to her family Starsky carrying Rosie was already striding toward her. He put his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “Want to get a motel for the night?”
Hannah shook her head, “I just want to go home.”
“I know this was hard honey.”
She shrugged, “I thought I could…” The words caught in her throat she swallowed hard willing herself not to cry she didn’t want Rosie to see tears again.
“Forgive him.” Starsky finished for her. Hannah nodded. “Maybe you just need to let it go maybe there is nothing to forgive.”
Hannah shrugged again. “I guess.”
THREE MONTHS LATER
“Higher,” Rosie squealed as Hannah pushed the swing. It had been a perfect day, the sun, good food and her two favorite men.
“Want me to take over?” Hutch questioned.
“Would you mind, I think my arms are going to fall off,” Hannah smiled at him.
Hutch pushed Rosie a few times more then stopped the swing and whispered in her ear. Rosie jumped out the swing. Hannah sighed she had been trying to get her daughter out of the swing for the past hour. Hutch winked at her, “The promise of ice cream does it every time.”
“Now why didn’t I think of that?” Hannah laughed.
“Want to come with us?” Hutch asked pointing to an ice cream stand not far away.
“You two go on.” Hannah plopped down on the blanket next to Starsky.
“What about you Starsk? Ice cream?” Hutch offered.
Starsky shook his head and lay back. Hannah plucked a fuzzy dandelion and blew it into her fathers face. Starsky sneezed, “Rotten kid,” he teased.
Hannah laughed as she watched Hutch and Rosie walk hand in hand toward the ice cream stand. That was when she noticed a woman also watching them intently. A hat shielded the woman’s face but Hannah could tell that the stranger was watching the pair. Hannah sat up, not out of alarm she knew that as long as Rosie was with Hutch she was safe but she was curious about the woman. There was something about her, Hannah had seen her some where before but where? Hannah watched as the woman strolled closer to Hutch and Rosie. They had reached the stand and Hutch was ordering them cones. The woman was standing directly behind them now.
“What’s wrong?”
Hannah looked at Starsky, “That woman standing behind Uncle Hutch and Rosie.”
Starsky sat up bracing himself on his elbows. “What woman?”
Hannah looked back to the stand. The woman was gone, she looked around but there was no sight of the stranger. “There was a woman at first she was watching them then she was standing in line behind them.”
“I think you have been in the sun too long.” Starsky laughed at her, he picked up the end of her hair and tickled her nose with it.
“Mommy!” Rosie shrieked as her ran toward them, chocolate ice cream running down her arm. She plopped down in Hannah’s lap dripping ice cream on her mother’s bare legs.
“Thanks Uncle Hutch,” Hannah exclaimed but she was smiling. Rosie was a lucky little girl to have so many that loved her so much. She surveyed the area again but the woman was nowhere in sight. She made a mental note to ask Hutch later if he had notice the woman in the big hat.
She had almost been caught she had noticed the child’s mother eyeing her. The time would come that she would show herself but not now she had to figure a way to do it.
The woman hated spying but she wanted to see them, longed to be in their lives, longed to hold her granddaughter. Rosie Malone adjusted her hat and walked in the opposite direction her family was sitting.
Chapter 2
Rosie hadn’t even realized she had a granddaughter when she had seen Starsky and Hannah appear at the cemetery. She had only been there to visit her father’s grave something she did once a week. She would dress up leave the village stand at her father’s grave for an hour or so then go back into seclusion. But this last time as she had been standing there she had seen a car driving slowly toward her. Instinct had told her to hide which she had done. It had taken ever ounce of her self-control not to run to embrace her daughter.
Now her heart had gotten the best of her and she had followed them back to Los Angeles. Rosie wasn’t sure how she was going to approach any of them. It was going to be a shock since they all thought she was dead. How could she explain to her daughter that she had done what she felt was best for her?
Faking her death hadn’t been all that hard. She had friends, knew people that were loyal that knew how to keep their mouths shut. A doctor friend to tell her how to fake the symptoms of Malaria then him to confirm that was what she indeed had. A little Huichol herb so that she appeared dead. Rosie’s heart broke to have to do this to her father and especially her daughter but she knew it was the only way that Hannah would ever get to meet her father.
Over the years Frank Malone had broken his daughters spirit, a bit of her had died the day she had left David Starsky standing in the park, choosing her father over the father of the child she knew she was carrying. Many times she had begged to just write a letter to let him know that Hannah had been born. She had even written one letter but two days later her father furious had come into the nursery waving the letter. That was the last time she tried to contact Dave.
Now Rosie was creeping around the city following every moved they made. She thought that perhaps Hutch would be the best one to contact. He could break it to them gently instead of her just showing up on their doorstep. She decided that it was going to have to be soon before they spotted her.
“Uncle Hutch?” Hannah called he had just come in the patio door from that back yard where he had been helping Starsky get the grill ready.
Hutch smiled at his goddaughter then frowned seeing the look on her face. “What’s the matter Hannah?”
Hannah shrugged, “Probably nothing but did you see that woman behind you in line at the ice cream stand this afternoon?”
Hutch thought for a moment then shook his head. “No I don’t remember a woman. Has she bothered you?”
“No, it’s just she seems to be watching us.” Hannah answered.
Hutch brow furrowed. “Have you seen her before?”
“I have been racking my brain because I swear that I have seen her some place before but I can’t remember where.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing honey but I’ll keep an eye out okay?”
Hannah nodded but she still had a feeling that something wasn’t right.
Hutch was the first one to arrive at work the next morning. A slip of paper was lying on his desk; it was a message that was taken by somebody in the office. He read it quickly then stuffed it in his pocket when he saw Starsky open the squad room door. “Morning Starsk,” Hutch said.
“Hey Hutch,” Starsky said going to the coffee pot.
“I have something to do at lunch time buddy.”
“I don’t mind going with ya.” Starsky said sitting down at this desk.
“Thanks but it won’t take long. How about if I meet you at that taco stand you like so much.”
Starsky shrugged, “Sure.”
The time drug slowly, Hutch glanced at the hands of the wall clock several times. Any other day they would have been out of the office but today was there day to catch up on paper work. Finally it was noon and Hutch slipped out before he had to try to explain to Starsky again where he was going. He had suggested the dreaded taco stand because he didn’t want him anywhere near Huggy’s bar. The note he had gotten had asked for a meeting at the bar…alone.
Hutch squinted in the cool darkness of the bar as he allowed his eyes to adjust from the bright sun light out side to the dim smoke filled building. Huggy was behind the bar and waved as Hutch entered.
“Hey were is your better half?” Huggy joked.
Hutch pulled out the crumpled note from his pocket. “Did you send this to me at the station?”
Huggy took the note and read it. “Can’t say as I did. But maybe that lady over there did.” Huggy said pointing to a woman with a large hat on sitting near the back of the room.
“Why do you say that?” Hutch asked.
“Just a feeling buddy.”
Hutch sighed as he stuffed the note back into his pocket. He made his way to the booth where the woman was sitting with her back to him. “Are you looking for me?”
The woman jumped then nodded her head. “Please sit down.”
The voice was familiar, Hutch slid in across from the mysterious woman. “Can I ask you what this is about?”
She pulled the hat from her head to reveal her face. Hutch gasped, there were a few gray hairs and wrinkles that hadn’t been there before but it was unmistakable who was sitting across from him. “Rosie?”
“Hi Hutch,” Rosie smiled at him. “I know this has to be a shock.”
“So you are the woman that Hannah has been seeing.”
She nodded. “I hope I didn’t frighten her or the baby.”
Hutch smiled as his shock faded. “Rosie her name is Rosie after her grandmother.”
Rosie smiled as tears pricked her eyes. ‘”It has been so hard to not just scoop her.”
“I’m confused,” Hutch said. “I thought you were dead.”
“I am,” Rosie frowned at Hutch. Then she told him how she had faked her death so that Hannah could see Starsky.
“I always thought you were an amazing woman Rosie Malone.” Hutch said taking her hands. “But once you father died why didn’t you come forward?”
Rosie just shrugged, “I really don’t know. I guess I was afraid that both Hannah and David would hate me.”
“I don’t think either of them would or could ever hate you.” Hutch said as he looked at his watch. He was not only late to meet Starsky he was late back work. “Damn, I was suppose to meet Starsky for lunch.”
“Don’t say anything yet.” Rosie pleaded. “I need to figure out a way to do this.”
“I think the best way is just to do it. I don’t think you can make the shock any softer.” Hutch advised.
Rosie nodded, “I know I guess I just need some time.”
“I won’t say anything but you need to keep your distance. Hannah is suspicious of you and she is going to be watching Rosie closely.” Hutch said. He grabbed a napkin and wrote his phone number on it. “Call me when you are ready. Just don’t take too long.”
When Hutch arrived back at the station Starsky was at his desk. “Kind of late aren’t you buddy?”
“Look Starsky I ran late I’m really sorry.”
Starsky waved away his apology, “I was just worried partner you could have called me.”
Chapter 3
“Come on Rosie,” Hannah called to her daughter who was eyeing several stuffed animals in a toy store. “We have to meet grandpa.”
Rosie pointed to one of the animals, “Dog,” she said to anybody who would listen. She pulled the stuff dog from the shelf and hugged it to her.
Hannah sighed, as she started toward Rosie her cell phone rang. Hannah fished in her purse and pulled out her phone. “Hello?”
“You like doggies?”
Rosie looked up to see a woman standing next to her. She nodded.
“Can I see?”
Rosie nodded again and handed the stuffed animal to the stranger.
“Your mommy liked stuff dogs too.” The woman smiled.
Rosie glanced at her mother who was talking on the phone. “Dog.” She smiled at the woman.
“Yes it sure is.” The woman reached out to touch Rosie but the little girl backed away. The woman smiled she had been taught well by her mother. “I won’t hurt you honey.” She handed the dog back to Rosie.
“We will be there in about ten minutes Daddy,” Hannah said then closed her cell phone. She looked up to see a woman reaching out to touch Rosie. “Get away from my daughter.”
The woman stood up and backed away shielding her face that was when Hannah realized this was the same woman she had seen at the park. She ran forward snatching her daughter up in her arms. Rosie began to cry scared by her mother grabbing her so quickly. The dog she had been holding fell to the ground.
“You stay away from my daughter or I’ll call the police,” Hannah called after the woman who disappeared around the end of the isle. After they were gone, the woman picked up the stuffed dog and went the cashier.
Starsky was already seated at the restaurant when Hannah rush in her face flushed and Rosie still whimpering. Alarmed he got to his feet, “What’s wrong?”
“That woman that I said I saw at the park? Well she was trying to touch Rosie in the toy store just now.” Hannah said close to tears.
“Are you sure?” Starsky asked.
“Yes I’m sure and I know I have seen her some where else before too.”
“Maybe we should take you down to the station and look at female child abductors.” Starsky suggested.
“Oh Daddy do you think somebody is going to try and kidnap Rosie?” Hannah asked looking around the restaurant.
“I’m sure it was just some lady trying to be nice but it wouldn’t hurt to file a report and check out some mug books. I’ll check and see if there might have been anybody got out of jail with a vendetta against Hutch or me.”
“Daddy you are scaring me.”
“Don’t worry like I said it’s probably nothing. Let’s enjoy lunch then we will go to headquarters.”
An hour later, Rosie was sitting on her grandpa’s lap while Hannah went through mug books. She had just closed the last one with no luck when Hutch walked into the squad room.
“What are you doing here?” Hutch asked alarmed.
“Some woman was bothering Rosie at a toy story in the mall.”
“What did she look like?” Hutch asked but he already knew the answer.
“Mommy.” Rosie piped up, but the adults weren’t paying any attention.
“I didn’t get a good look at her, she had that damn hat on. Who is she?” Hannah asked. “I don’t like her stalking my daughter.”
“She probably doesn’t mean any harm,” Hutch said.
“That is what I told Hannah,” Starsky said “but I’m going file a report just the same.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Hutch said. They both looked at him. “If it will make you feel better.” Hutch sat down at his desk and took out one of the forms they fill out and put it in his typewriter. “Ok shoot.”
Hannah described the woman best she could since she never got a look at her face. But she knew it was the same woman she had seen in the park. Suddenly Hannah’s mouth fell open. “Oh my God, I know where I have seen her before.”
“Where,” Starsky asked shifting Rosie to his other knee.
“Mexico the cemetery. There was a woman standing off in some trees but I didn’t think anything about it.”
“Are you sure?” Starsky asked.
“YES I’m sure.”
Hutch frowned as he looked at the paper in the typewriter. Rosie was running out of time. He fought with the idea of just telling them. Hannah was so upset and if she got Starsky started no telling what would happen. “Hey why don’t you let me look into this?” Hutch offered.
Starsky stood up and held out Rosie to Hannah. “You two go on home I’ll help Hutch we will get to the bottom of this.” Starsky handed his daughter his car keys.
“Starsk I think I can handle this why don’t you make sure they get home okay Hannah looks a bit rattled.” Hutch suggested.
Hannah smiled at Hutch, “Uncle Hutch I think I can get home.”
After she was gone Starsky looked at his partner. “What is going on?”
“What do you mean?” Hutch said rolling the unfinished document out of the typewriter.
“How long have we been partners?” Starsky asked. Hutch gave him a look. "A long time, I know you I know when you are hiding something. So give. Does this have something to do with your errand at lunch the other day?”
Hutches got up from the desk, grabbed Starsky by the sleeve of his jacket and drug him out of the squad room. “Lets get out of here.”
“Where?”
“Let me make a phone call first.” Hutch said cryptically.
Thirty minutes later they arrived at a motel not far from the Starsky home. A tingle of fear ran though Starsky as he wondered what they were doing here. Hutch pulled into one of the parking spaces, glanced at the numbers on the doors then pointed to one on the second floor. “Come on.”
Hutch hesitated outside room 225 he looked at his partner. “Please hear her out.”
“Here who out?”
“Just promise me.”
“Ok ok I promise. You are scaring me Hutch.”
Hutch knocked softly on the door. They wanted a few moments then the door opened a cracked. Hutch pushed it open and the two men stepped into the dim room.
Starsky could see the form of a woman sitting at the desk. Little did he know he would soon be shaken to the core of his being. “Why are you stalking my daughter and granddaughter?”
“Starsky!” Hutch admonished.
“Ok, you said to let her explain, so explain.”
They could both hear the woman take a deep breath. Then she turned so that the light from still open door could shine on her face.
Starsky breath caught in his throat. For a moment he thought he was seeing things. He took a step closer to the woman and squinted his eyes thinking that would clear his vision. For what he was seeing before him was impossible.
“Yes David it’s me.”
The voice was unmistakable. “Rosie?” Starsky was incredulous then he shot a look at Hutch. “You knew about this?”
“Don’t blame Hutch, I begged him not to tell. But I can see that things were getting out of hand so I had to make my presents known. I wanted to break it to you and Hannah gently but I guess there is no way to come back from the dead gently is there?”
Chapter 4
Starsky stood staring at the woman that he had love so much, the woman that it had taken him so long to get over, the woman he thought was dead. “Why?” That was the only thing he could think to say.
Rosie got up and came toward him but Starsky backed away. “I’m sorry David I know this has to be a shock but if you will let me explain.”
“Explain why you let your daughter think you were dead?” Starsky exploded still in shock.
“Starsk sit down and let Rosie explain.” Hutch coaxed his partner into a chair. Rosie sat back down in her chair.
“Ok I’m sitting is it going to sound better this way. I lost eighteen years with my daughter because you couldn’t stand up to your father. Do you have any idea who many times you daughter has needed you in the last nine years.”
“She has had you,” Rosie said softly.
“Yes she has had me and what horrible thing has Hannah done that she doesn’t deserve both of her parents?”
Tears slid down Rosie’s face. “I did the best I could. You don’t understand.”
“I understand that your father was a bitter controlling old man up until the day he died. And he almost took me with him.” Starsky spit out at her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know.” Rosie stammered.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know. How Hannah was almost killed, how she was raped, how she lost the father of her child and where were you? Starsky eyes blazed with anger.
Rosie was taken aback she knew that he would be upset, that Hannah would be too but she didn’t expect this hatred. “David I’m sorry, I did what I thought as best.”
“For who?”
“Damn it,” Rosie jumped to her feet. “I wish you would let me explain.”
“What is there to explain?”
She sighed. “I just wanted to see the baby.”
Starsky glared at the woman he had loved so many years ago. “I’ll call you when she is eighteen.” He jumped to his feet and stormed past Hutch.
Hutch stared after him opened mouthed. Then he looked back at Rosie. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault it’s mine. I just seem to keep making mistakes.” Rosie said wiping the tears from her face.
“Let me talk to him.”
“And what are you going to say? Make excuses for my stupidity?” Rosie said bitterly.
“I can make him listen to why you did what you did.” Hutch answered as he left to find his partner.
Starsky was sitting on the hood of Hutch’s car still fuming. “Can you believe that?” he yelled the moment he saw Hutch. Then his anger turned on his partner. “Just how long have you known Rosie was back from the grave?”
“A few days.”
“And just when were you planning on telling me?”
“Rosie asked me to wait for a few days.” Hutch explained. “Would you please get in the car so I can explain what happened.”
“What happened? I can tell you what happened.”
“Get in the car,” Hutch ordered. “Rosie might not have done things in the right way but she had the best interest of Hannah and you in her heart.”
Starsky yanked open the door and flopped down in the front seat. “What the hell am I going to tell Hannah?”
“How about the truth when you hear it?” Hutch said.
Hannah had just put Rosie down for the night when she heard the front door close. She rushed into the room. “Did you find the woman?”
“Hannah sit down,” Starsky asked.
Hannah looked from her father to Hutch. “What is wrong you are scaring me.”
Starsky took a deep breath. “We found the woman that has been watching you and Rosie.”
She released the breath she was holding. “Thank god. I thought you were going to tell me something awful. Did you tell her to stay away or she would be arrested?”
“Not exactly.” Starsky said. He was having a hard time getting the words out. “Hannah I don’t know how to break this to you.”
“What?” the worry returned to her face.
“Sweetheart, your mother is alive.” Starsky said as he took her hand.
A confused look crossed her face the face that looked so much like her mothers it broke Starsky’s heart. “My mother? B-but she is dead.”
Starsky shook his head. “No she is alive and here. She is also the woman you saw at the cemetery in Mexico. She was at Frank’s grave when we drove up.”
“No,” Tears filled Hannah’s eyes. “Why would she fake her death why would she do that to me?”
He pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry baby.”
Once again Hutch told the story that Rosie had relayed to him. Hannah sat with tears streaming down her face. She was angry, confused and hurt.
“She wants to see you and Rosie,” Starsky said.
“NO,” Hannah said jumping up. “She doesn’t deserve to see either of us. She deserted me, I needed her and she wasn’t there when she could have been.”
“Sweetie she didn’t know what you were going through or I’m sure she would have come out of hiding before she did. It was only an accident that she saw you and Starsky,” Hutch said.
“And if it wasn’t for that accident then I wouldn’t have known my mother was alive. Well I wish I had never gone to Mexico. She is no better than grandfather.”
“Your mother is a good woman,” Starsky said strongly not only surprising himself with his words but the rest of them.
“But…” Hannah started.
“I have had some time to think.” Starsky interrupted. Hutch smiled at his partner. He had been hoping that Starsky would come around. “You need to see her.”
“Daddy I don’t want to see her, she let me think she was dead.”
“Hutch explained why she did it. Your mother did the only thing that she thought she could do.” Starsky wasn’t sure he really wanted Hannah to see Rosie what if she wanted to go off with her mother and leave him alone with nothing again. But Starsky knew in his heart that Hannah needed to make peace with her mother.
“Your dad is right Hannah,” Hutch agreed.
“Fine!” Hannah stormed at the men in her life. “But I’m not changing my mind about her.”
Thirty minutes later they arrived at the motel, Hannah took a deep breath clutched Rosie to her and followed the two detectives to her mother’s room. Hutch knocked on the door, but there was no answer. After knocking several more times he turned to Starsky, “Maybe she went out to get something to eat.”
“I’m going to check at the front desk. Maybe she left a message.” Starsky said. He made his way to the motel office where he found a clerk behind the desk reading a newspaper. “I’m looking for the woman in room 225.”
The kid looked up, “She’s not in here.” He quipped.
“I can see that,” Starsky glared at the young man. “Did she leave a message?”
The boy turned to look in the cubbyholes behind him. “Nope.” He went back to reading the paper.
Starsky reached over the desk and snatched the paper from the boy’s hands. “Listen would you please help me?”
The clerk snatched back the paper; he slapped it down on the desk then punched a few keys on keyboard of the computer. “Checked out.”
“Check out? When?” Starsky demanded.
He looked at the screen, “About an hour ago.”
“Do you know where she was going?”
“Do I look like the National Enquire?”
“Listen smart ass,” Starsky pulled out his badge and flashed it in the clerks face. “If you know where she went tell me.”
“Fine! You don’t have to go all ballistic on me.” The kid answered. “She went to the airport.”
“Shit!” Starsky dashed for the parking lot. “Hutch, Hannah, Rosie is headed for the airport.”
They saw Rosie Malone walking down a corridor to her flight. Hannah swallowed the lump in her throat suddenly she wanted her mother. She handed her daughter to Starsky and ran after Rosie who had almost reached the waiting room.
“Mommy!” Hannah called out.
Rosie stopped and turned. She had been so heart broken when Hutch and Starsky had left. She knew that Starsky would be upset but she hadn’t figured on him being so upset that he wouldn’t want her to see Hannah or her granddaughter. If his reaction was that bad what would her daughters be? Rosie had packed her suitcase and called a cab. She would just disappear again she presumed that if Hannah ever wanted her she would know where to look now.
“Mommy!” Hannah called again. Rosie held open her arms to her daughter Hannah fell into them.
“I’m so sorry baby for everything.” Rosie’s tears mingled with that of her daughters.
Hutch and Starsky caught up with them. “There is somebody who would like to meet you.” Starsky said. “Rosie this is your grandma.”
As if little Rosie knew she held out her arms to her namesake. Rosie took her granddaughter in her arms and kissed her cheek. Then she looked over the little girl’s head her eyes locked with Starsky’s. “Thank you.”
THE END