Monday morning found Luke heading out to work with the pups.
Dixie had called Dr. Quinn, and set up an appointment later in the day for BL and figured to do her check up at the same time. By setting the appointment later in the day, it meant that they could both sleep in awhile.
Across the hall, BL burrowed deeper under the covers, she had called Ellen Sue last night to come into work at the Post Office this morning.
Bo had gone out to the farm to help with the chores but was now changing into his work shirt, “you sure you don’t want me to take the day off and carry you to your doctor’s appointment?”
“No Dixie’s already off, no use in you missing work when she’s already off. You said you have a delivery up that way, meet us there if it’ll make you feel better,” BL replied.
“Ok see you later, love you,” Bo kissed BL then left so she could go back to sleep.
Dixie was up and moving. As she showered, she was thinking of things she wanted to do today. Other than BL’s appointment. One thing that she wanted to do was start looking at flea markets and consignment shops near Doc's office for some larger clothes, maybe even maternity clothes for later.
The one thing she needed to shop for today was a bra. She could tell that her cup size was changing even if Luke hadn't been pleasantly bringing it to her attention.
BL got up, let Sadie out then turned the coffee maker back on to heat what coffee was left over from Bo and Luke filling their travel mugs to take to work. The automatic shut off was great for days like this, they didn’t have to make two pots. BL let Sadie back in and caught a whiff of the warming coffee and normally a pleasant smell, this morning it made her stomach do a flip flop. Clenching her teeth, BL refused to give into the nauseous feeling, going outside to get away from the smell, she instantly felt better.
Dixie managed to find some casual pants and blouse that wasn't joggers but wasn't real dressy either. She brushed her hair and resisted the urge to put it in a ponytail but took a hair tie with her.
Coming downstairs she smelled the coffee. Fixed herself a cup and called "BL? BL where are you?"
"I'm out here." BL called back.
Dixie went out and perched a hip on the porch rail, "I'm ready when you are. Is Sadie going with us?"
“She’s not gonna like it but no Sadie ain't going. Give me ten minutes, I was warming the coffee back up while I waited for you to get done in the bathroom. I hope Doc Quinn can find out what’s wrong with me. The smell of the coffee was making my stomach do flip flops, so I came out here. Think I'll go around front and in, it's a straight shot upstairs,” BL replied.
Dixie looked at BL confused, and then laughed and said, "If I didn't know better I'd say you were the one pregnant."
"Funny," BL said, rolling her eyes. Going around the house and in the front door, straight to the bathroom for a quick shower. Towel still wrapped around her, BL went back into hers and Bo’s bedroom, putting on her jeans and a 3 ⁄ 4 length sleeve top. Pulling back the sides and front/top of her hair, clipping it with a barrett. Back downstairs BL went out to the car and the two were off.
Dixie pulled up in front of Doc's office. Just as she and BL got out of the car, Bo pulled in behind them in the work truck. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd almost think he likes you a little."
BL laughed as Bo walked up
"What's so funny?"Bo asked, giving BL a kiss.
"Private joke." Dixie said.
Bo frowned, "I hate those."
As the trio came in, the Sara Jane at the front desk said, "I'm sorry. We were just about to close for lunch."
Dixie smiled a bit, "I called Doc directly. She is expecting us."
“Come on back, I’ll let her know you’re here,” the Sara Jane said, coming out of her office, opening the door separating the waiting room from the hallway of exam rooms.
Dixie sat down in a chair by the door, BL gave her cousin a confused look, assuming Dixie would come back with her, same as she had gone back with Dixie.
“I’ll wait here, those rooms aren’t big enough for all of us,” Dixie explained.
BL and Bo were put straight into an exam room instead of getting BL’s vitals first, since all the nurses had left for lunch already.
Dr. Quinn came and spoke to BL. She asked her all the medical questions. Everything was normal and routine except BL reported that she had been sick and fainted.
Doc took her vitals herself. They were normal. "Alright, let's draw some blood and I need a sample." She said as she sat the test cup down. "After we get the samples, I'm gonna do a quick check on Dixie and by that time the test results should all be done."
“Be back in a jiffy,” BL said, picking up the cup, heading to the bathroom. Doc went to get the supplies needed to draw a blood sample in the meantime, leaving Bo alone in the exam room. BL returned just ahead of the doctor, “Alright let’s get to the bottom of this. Pull up your sleeve please,” Doc said, pulling on a pair of exam gloves. “Gonna be a little pinch,”
“I hate needles,” BL said, gripping Bo’s hand tight as Doc poked the needle into her arm. It was over before BL knew it though and Doc was saying,”I’ll have the results when I come back from Dixie’s checkup,” Doc then left the room with both samples.
“I hope whatever’s the matter with me stops causing weird symptoms. I reheated the coffee while Dixie showered and the smell made me nauseous so I went outside hoping not to get sick,” BL said then added “Dixie laughed and said if she didn’t know better, she’d say I was the one pregnant.”
Bo replied with a laugh, "Right."
Doc ran through a few questions with Dixie. Checked her vitals, which were normal. "Alright, well get your weight and be almost done."
Dixie felt a bit embarrassed, "Do we have to get my weight?"
"Yes, we do." Doc insisted. "At this stage in your pregnancy, some women lose weight, and become anemic. Your weight will let me know you and baby Duke are healthy."
"Oh, we are healthy. Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna starve at work if I'm busy or lunch is late." Dixie said as she stepped on the scales.
While Doc adjusted the scales, she said, "You won't starve, but take healthy snacks to keep your blood sugar level up." Doc wrote the weight down. Like Dixie's last visit, her weight was in the higher part of the normal brackett. "You are perfectly normal."
Dixie said, "That's a first. Perfect and normal. Davenports is seldom either. Now, to go buy some new bras when we get done here. Luke actually seems to be enjoying that I'm beginning to overflow the cups."
Doc laughed, "I just bet that he is."
After finishing up with Dixie, Doc got BL’s test results and went back to BL’s exam room. Making her expression neutral before going in.
”What is it, something transmitted by these Pterodactyl mosquitoes we have?” BL asked.
Doc shook her head 'no'.
"I bet it's because she's been working too hard." Bo said.
Doc again shook her head 'no'.
BL asked, "So what is wrong with me?"
"It's nothing serious is it?" Bo stood up and stepped closer to BL as if to defend her.
Doc shook her head 'no' as she began to speak, "No, it's nothing that time won't fix. Like nine months and eighteen years and she should be just fine."
Neither BL or Bo was following Doc and both gave her a confused look.
"BL you are pregnant." Doc advised.
“Pregnant!” BL exclaimed. “But I'm on birth control. I know you said that alone it wasn’t 100% but I’ve never known anybody on it to get pregnant,” BL continued.
“Have you been taking it, just like the directions say?” Doc asked.
“Yes ma’am to the letter,” BL answered.
BALLADEER:Friends you are witnessing something very few have ever seen…Bo Duke at a loss for words.
Bo hadn't heard any of Doc and BL's conversation since Doc first uttered the word 'pregnant'. He was trying to form the word and get it past his lips. He had sorta gotten used to the idea of waiting to have kids later. Images started flashing in his mind as his head felt like it was spinning. Bassinet, the General Lee with a car seat, baseball games, football games, graduation, wedding, grandchildren. Bo suddenly found his knees weak and very wobbly.
“Do you have any questions? If not, let's figure out when this baby is due,” Doc said, getting her little cardboard wheel out.
Bo still hadn’t heard anything as Doc got ready to give them a due date.
BL looked over at Bo, he looked a million miles away, “earth to Bo,” BL waved a hand in front of Bo’s face. “Doc’s about to tell us when the baby is due.”
“Huh? Sorry,” Bo tried to rein in his thoughts and focus.
“Ok, when was your last period?”Doc asked.
“August 19th,” BL replied.
Doc did some adjusting, then held the wheel so the couple could see, “your last period was on August 19th, conception would have been September 15th, so your due date is May 25th, that means you’re about 6 weeks along” Doc said.
BL did the math, "That's less than two months between Dixie and me. They will be more like siblings than cousins."
Doc noticed that Bo seemed even more unsteady. She pushed a chair closer to him, "Sit down, Mr. Duke. Are you alright?"
Bo was hearing words and phrases that he had heard before but they were very foreign to him when they were being talked about in his own little world. 'Due date' he understood that it was May 25th. Five days before Memorial Day and the big race that kicked off the main racing season. Five days before any big race usually found him, Luke and Cooter elbow deep in the General Lee's engine. Bo hadn't noticed but his breathing was getting shorter and faster.
Doc was watching the young man. He was on the road to hyperventilating. She reached in her desk drawer, grabbed a paper bag and formed a mask like opening at the opening in the bag and gathered the bag at its neck. "Mr. Duke breathe into this bag." She handed the bag to Bo and guided him to put it over his mouth and nose.
Bo did as instructed and held the bag to his face for several breaths.
Doc advised, "Remove the bag and breathe normally."
BL asked, "Is he alright?" She noticed that Bo had sort of a green tint to him.
“I’m fine Darlin’.” Bo said, doing his best to sound normal, so BL wouldn’t worry.
“Do either of you have any questions?” Doc asked.
Bo and BL both shook their heads ‘no’. “Alright well I reckon we’re done, see you next month BL,” Doc said.
“Thanks Doc, see you next month,” BL replied, she and Bo headed back to the waiting room.
When they got in the waiting room, Bo still didn’t look quite right, Dixie noticed.
“Something wrong with Bo, he looks a little green around the gills,” Dixie said.
“Only that he almost hyperventilated when Doc said I was pregnant.” BL replied.
Dixie laughed genuinely, "I forgot to tell you that Doc has a sense of humor. She was kidding, right?”
“Well if she was, she’s good. She never missed a beat and went right on with calculating a due date, which is when Bo started to hyperventilate,” BL said.
That was a lot of information to process. At first Dixie wanted to laugh at the image in her mind of Bo nearly hyperventilating, but with the additional information from BL, she'd do her best to save the image for a good laugh later. "Soooo? Really? You are pregnant? That is great!!"
BL smiled, genuinely happy even though she and Bo hadn’t exactly planned to start a family yet, “Unexpected but still good.”BL said wrinkling her nose then added, “I can do without the fainting and being sick as a dawg like I was Friday night.”
“Me too,” Bo piped up, he had sat down, his legs weak again as the girls talked, adding “I better get back to work, there’s baby stuff to get ready for the little guy and then diapers once he gets here.”
“Might be a she,” BL replied.
There was that mental image of a pink car seat in the General Lee again. Bo tried to blink it away. Bo kissed BL and headed back to his truck to see where his next delivery was. He picked up the clipboard and found he had a rather long drive. He checked the address again and smiled. The delivery was really close to Luke's base camp. He tried to put the doctor visit out of his mind and just drive. Driving always helped.
Outside, once in the car, Dixie asked, "So where to, Mama?"
Bo wasn’t the only one with images in his head, BL saw a mini Bo riding his tricycle down the stairs. The tricycle was General Lee orange thanks to Uncle Cooter’s paint job.
“You’re driving I’m with you, so wherever you need to go,”
Dixie replied, "Alright. I need to make a stop for some bras that fit."
BL said, "You have been the same size for years."
"Well, then the cups have shrunk in the wash." Dixie replied, as they pulled up in front of a McRae's department store.
“I bet Luke’s not complaining,” BL said, getting out of the car.
Luke's team and the pups were just taking a late lunch break outside when he saw Bo's work truck pull up. He told the others, "I'll be back in a few." As he walked toward Bo he saw a look. It was a look he hadn't seen on his cousin many times in his life, "Bo? What's wrong? Is everyone alright?" Luke asked, full of concern for his family back in Hazzard.
“Everyone’s fine,” Bo assured Luke.
Luke replied, "Alright? So what brings you all the way over here?"
"I got a delivery not too far from here, it's lunch time and I figured you wouldn't be too busy," Bo replied, hem hawing about the real reason for visiting.
Luke shook his head.
It was then that Trixie heard Bo and made a beeline to him, followed by Scrapie.
Bo picked the little dog up and began to stroke her fur while hugging her like his life depended on it.
"Alright, so you had a delivery close by, I'm not busy, and Trixie needed you to pet her, but do you care to tell me why you need to pet her?" Luke asked.
Bo seemed to calm down as he stroked Trixie’s fur.
“You know Dixie was taking BL to see her friend the doctor for Tri County jail. I had a delivery close by, so I met them there. BL’s pregnant,” Bo said, without much of a pause, afraid he couldn’t get it all out if he stopped too long.
"Alright. BL's pregnant." Luke said.
Bo looked at Luke like he was acting as if he hadn't heard him, "Luke! Didn't you hear me? BL is pregnant! That means there's a baby on the way! BL is gonna be a mother. And, .... and, .... I'm gonna be a .... father. Luke I just don't know about this! It's all happening way too fast."
Trixie was licking Bo's face as he talked and stroked her fur.
"Oh, believe me I totally understand and feel your 'pain' but it's too late now." Luke said.
Back in town Dixie replied to BL, "Luke is absolutely enjoying the fringe benefits of my being pregnant. The bigger they get the more attention he gives them which I think is making them get even bigger."
BL laughed, "Oh come on, you seriously think that?”
“How come you’re not a basket case then, if you understand,” Bo asked.
“Because I can’t change it and there are benefits in it for you,” Luke replied, thinking about Dixie’s growing breasts.
Luke got Bo's attention, "Benefits? For me? Do tell."
"Her breast will get bigger. Make a good handful," Luke replied, neither woman was flat chested but they weren't Dolly Parton either.
Bo asked, "Really?"
Luke nodded, "Really."
Bo being Bo had to ask, "Luke ain't you afraid Dixie will get fat? And you know, stay that way?"
Luke replied, "I promise you, if Dixie grew three more heads and was the size of a blimp, I'd still love her. If she picks up weight from carrying my child, to make sure my child is healthy, there is no way I could fault that."
“You gonna love BL any less if she gets fat and stays that way?” Luke asked, turning Bo’s question back on him.
“No of course not, even if she gets as big as Miss Lulu,” Bo answered.
"Ok, so what are you fretting about?" Luke asked
“She’s due May 25, that’s 5 days before the big race that kicks off the racing season. Me, you and Cooter are usually elbow deep in General Lee’s engine, what if BL goes into labor?” Bo asked.
Luke had to laugh. "Your wife is going to be having your child, and you are worried nine months early about getting a car ready to race? Really Bo! We'll make it work."
”Hey Bo I gotta get back to work, can we finish this talk at home?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, I got another delivery to make,” Bo replied.
Trixie gave Bo one more lick from chin to forehead then followed Luke back to the crew. Bo headed out to his delivery destination, feeling better now that he’d talked to Luke.
The afternoon was warm and sunny. Daisy had gotten the last of the wash in and put it away. She took a picnic basket out to her roadrunner before finding Jesse on the porch with a bushel basket of beans and a pot of coffee. "Are you sure you don't want my help?" Daisy asked.
"No, no you go on and enjoy yourself. Tell Darcy to come by soon for supper." Uncle Jesse said as he gave Daisy a hug before she left.
"I will do it." Daisy said. There weren't many days and evenings that she had free. She hoped Darcy wasn't too busy for a little fun.
At McRae’s after leaving the tri county clinic Dixie and BL looked through the ladies department looking for Dixie a new bra. “I reckon I should go ahead and get a new bra now while we're here instead of later,” BL said while Dixie hunted her size.
“Wouldn’t hurt,” Dixie replied.
While shopping Dixie asked, "So, when are yall gonna tell everyone the news?" Dixie knew how this had taken BL and Bo by surprise.
“In a day or two maybe, give ourselves a little more time to process it,” BL replied.
Daisy had convinced Darcy to take the afternoon off and go on a picnic at sunset lake.
“How about some dessert sugar?” Daisy asked, taking an apple pie from the picnic basket.
"Daisy, honey that pie looks amazing but that ain't the dessert that I had in mind." Darcy said as he gave Daisy a kiss.
"Well, let's cut the pie first, then we’ll talk about what type dessert you wanted." Daisy said as she began cutting the pie.
Luke wasn't at all surprised to see the General Lee at the Boar's Nest as he came by there. No one else was there yet so he decided to take the pups home and get the girls and come back or come back alone. Something told him that no matter what Bo's mood was that he would be inclined to over do things tonight.
Dixie heard the pickup then the pups. She met Luke out back, "I figured you'd stop at the Boar's Nest on your way in."
"I brought the pups home to hang out with Sadie. Are you and BL gonna come out with us tonight? Something tells me that you might be driving the pick up home tonight." Luke explained. "Bo stopped by Base Camp."
Dixie nodded. "Alright. I'll yell and see if BL wants to go.”
BL was in the laundry room, putting hers and Bo’s sheets in to wash. Usually Saturday was sheets wash day but they had stayed in bed until Cooter showed up and then she’d been out of the house until Saturday night but by then she wasn’t feeling good and there hadn’t been time today before her appointment.
Dixie opened the back door and Sadie ran out ready to play with Scrapie and Trixie.
“Hey BL, I’m going to catch a ride back to the Boar’s Nest with Luke, he brought Scrapie and Trixie home,” Dixie called. “You going?”
“Yeah,let me get these sheets going and I’ll holler at Bo on the CB, tell him stop and get me on his way, if he hasn’t left work already,” BL answered.
“He’s already there, Luke said, but you can ride with us if you want,” Dixie replied.
“Sure, thanks. We don’t need all 4 vehicles there, we all live in the same house,” BL said.
After putting the dogs inside, the three young people headed to the Boar’s Nest to relax and unwind.
Luke, Dixie and BL all walked into the Boar's Nest. Bo was seated at the bar. Luke could tell it wasn't Bo's first beer.
"Join us at a table?" Luke asked but also suggested.
"Sure thing there Luke Ole Buddy." Bo said with a slur.
Once seated Lori Mae came over to get their order, “What can I get ya’ll,
Luke replied, "beer for me, tea for Dixie.”
“I’ll have tea too,” BL said.
Ordinarily Lori Mae might speculate about BL’s order her and Bo being newlyweds but in light of Bo’s condition already, Lori Mae figured BL knew she’d be driving home. “Be right back.”
In just a couple minutes Lori Mae brought their drinks.
Luke asked, "What's the special tonight?"
"Fried polish sausage, potatoes, onions and peppers with a side and corn muffin." Lori Mae said.
"What do ya'll think?" Luke asked, nodding towards Bo. He hoped to get Bo to stop drinking and eat something.
Dixie replied, "That works for me. Shopping makes ya hungry."
“It sounds ok to me, I can’t think of anything at home I’d rather have,” BL replied.
“How about it Bo, we’ll all just eat here, so the girls ain’t gotta cook?” Luke asked.
“Ya’ll go ahead, I ain’t hungry,” Bo replied, taking another drink of beer.
“Did you have time for lunch after meeting me and Dixie?” BL asked, careful not to say where Bo had met them, it would only get gossip and rumors started.
Bo thought about it for a minute, "Nah, when I left ya'll I went by Luke's base camp, then on to my last delivery.
Luke nodded, implying that he had the situation under control. He motioned Lori Mae back over, "Give us four specials but put one back to take home."
Lori Mae replied, "Sure thing. What are your sides?"
Dixie replied, "Cottage cheese."
Luke replied, "Brown beans."
Dixie thought about it, "Brown beans would be good with the potatoes, but I wanted cottage cheese."
Luke saved her the decision, "Add a side of brown beans to Dixie's order."
Lori Mae looked to BL for the other sides for her and Bo's dinners.
“Make it easy, 2 more brown beans,” BL said.
Lori Mae wrote it all on her order pad saying, “be back shortly.” Lori Mae then went to place the orders.
“I need to go to the bathroom, this tea is going straight through. Dixie you comin’?” BL said.
“Yeah,” Dixie replied.
Even tipsy Bo watched BL like he and Luke always had watched the girls when they left the table.
Luke took the minute alone to ask, "So are you crying in your beer or celebrating?"
“A little of both I reckon,” Bo admitted with a sigh then added, “Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to see and hold my child but I’m scared to death, I won’t be a good enough father. Hearing the doctor say BL was pregnant I started seeing images, bassinet, the General Lee with a car seat, then baseball games, football games, graduation, wedding, grandchildren.”
Luke laughed out loud, "Grandchildren??? Ain’t you rushing things a bit?"
"Awe, Luke, I reckon I am but, after we got through the time we thought she was, .... then, with the medicine, I thought there was nothing to worry about, then ka-blew-ie!"
Luke repeated, "Ka-blew-ie?"
"Yeah, ya know. Dynamite. Ka-blew-ie!" Bo said.
“Bo just simmer down and find the joy in this, it’s not how you and BL planned but there’s no changing it, what's done is done. BL is just as surprised and scared as you I bet but she’s choosing to be happy instead of crying about it,” Luke said.
“You’re right Luke, just because she’s smiling on the outside don’t mean she’s ok on the inside,” Bo replied, in one of his rare moments of insightfulness.
"Right." Luke said, glad that maybe Bo's mood had changed for the better.
It had and Bo replied with a bit of a slur, "Yeah, Luke. You are right. Let's have a beer to celebrate."
Lori Mae came back with their orders just as BL and Dixie returned to the table. “4 specials with brown beans, 1 with cottage cheese as well.”
“Can we get a couple more teas please, Lori Mae?” BL asked, looking at Dixie’s glass.
“A couple beers too,” Bo slurred.
BL looked at Luke, hoping he’d slow Bo down. Her husband was on the road to getting drunk but she was afraid to say anything because in his current state, Bo might accuse her of henpecking.
“Be right back,” Lori Mae replied, heading to the bar.
Luke replied, "Alright, Bo. I'll have this last beer with you, but then we need to head home before Sadie decides to eat your pillow. We've all had a big day and tomorrow comes early."
Dixie added, "Scrapie wasn't real happy being left home either. You might need to worry about your own pillow."
"With Scrapie I just have to worry about getting my pillow back. He tends to think the bed ain't soft enough and thinks it's better to sleep on my pillow." Luke claimed.
"So is that why I never have a pillow?" Dixie asked.
"Nope." Luke replied. "You never use a pillow, so there's no sense in it going to waste."
"Oh. Well, true." Dixie replied.
Bo frowned. "You don't sleep on a pillow?"
Dixie replied as Lori Mae walked up, "I have something better than a pillow."
Bo asked, "What?"
Luke replied, "Me."
“Here are your drinks,” Lori Mae said.
“Thanks Lori Mae,”Luke replied.
After finishing their meal and drinks the 4 parents to be decided to go home. Luke had given Dixie his keys, so the girls took the truck and Bo and Luke took General Lee that way Bo could talk more if he wanted to get anything else off his chest. Parking the truck, Dixie and BL heard the dogs barking as soon as they stepped up on the porch. Dixie opened the door and stopped in her tracks exclaiming, “oh my goodness!”
“What’s wrong?” BL asked, looking over Dixie’s shoulder. The living room was covered in toilet paper and there was a stream of it coming down the stairs, “what in the world…” BL said in disbelief looking at the mess.
The guys weren’t right on their wives heels so saw the room in all its white glory when they came in. Scrapie and Trixie were prancing around, wagging their tails obviously proud of their decorating skills, which evidence of still stuck to their paws.
Bo shook his head, atleast Sadie had behaved he thought, until he went into the bedroom to get stuff for a shower. “My pillow!” Bo exclaimed, looking at the feathers all over the bed and on the floor beside it. Sadie lay in the chair a picture of innocence except the one small feather stuck to her wet nose.
Luke was still picking up bits of paper in the living room, "What did you say, Bo?" "My pillow." Bo repeated.
Luke called toward the girls in the kitchen, who were getting the trash can, broom and dust pan, "BL. I think Bo needs something."
Dixie handed Luke the dustpan, “hold this and I’ll sweep.”
BL went upstairs picking up the toilet paper cascading down the stairs as she went. Turning at the top of the stairs, coming to a halt beside Bo just inside the door of their bedroom, surveying all the feathers on the bed, it looked like somebody had been plucking chickens,”What am I supposed to sleep on?” Bo asked. “You can have my pillow,” BL replied. “What about you?” Bo asked another question. “I’ll just take a page from Dixie’s book and use you. I’ll get the vacuum, you go ahead and get a shower,” BL said heading to the downstairs closet where they kept the vacuum.
Bo gathered his pj bottoms, underwear and a t-shirt, then went to take his shower.
Meanwhile, Sadie, Trixie and Scrapie watched with the most innocent faces as their humans were picking up all their pretty decorations.
After BL sucked up all the feathers with the vacuum she looked over at the chair where Sadie lay watching innocently.
“Sadie, why did you eat Bo’s pillow,” BL asked, hands on hips which had no effect on Sadie who woofed a couple times as if saying, ‘I didn’t’.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t, this feather on your nose says you did,” BL plucked the evidence off Sadie’s wet nose. Then BL took the vacuum back to the closet.
Dixie and Luke had put the downstairs back together and Luke was currently outside having a 'cuss and discuss' with the two trained pups who very well knew better.
Trixie and Scrapie listened attentively, while all the while giving a look of total innocence.
Dixie brought Luke a beer and sat down beside him sipping her tea, "I think they wanted to go with us."
Luke sipped his beer trying to be serious for the pups benefit, "Don't take their side."
Dixie hid her grin, "I'm not."
BL returned upstairs to find Sadie on her side of bed, the side that Bo normally occupied. Sadie looked up at her with the saddest eyes
BL sat down beside Sadie saying, ”we got to have a talk. I know you probably think I don’t love you anymore because Bo gets to sleep in your spot. I still love you but I love Bo too, so you’re just going to have to learn to live with him, he still lets you sleep on the foot of the bed.” BL was now laying across the bed, hugging Sadie.
“In a few months there’s gonna be a baby you will have to share me with too,”
BL couldn’t be sure Sadie understood what she had said but it seemed like Sadie knew exactly what she was saying most of the time. Bo had taken a long shower, only getting out when he had used all the hot water, he had a lot on his mind and a hot shower was his second favorite thing to do, driving being the first, when he had some serious thinking to do.
Sadie listened to BL and snuggled closer to her, then gave the chair a sad, sideways look when BL mentioned that Sadie got to sleep on the foot of the bed.
Luke, Dixie, Scrapie and Trixie eventually made their way back into the livingroom and curled up together, all four of them on the couch to find a movie. It was still pretty early for bed and they figured to give Bo and BL some space also.
Elsewhere in Hazzard, Cooter was driving the wrecker back to the garage with Crystal by his side, she had the evening off but he had the wrecker so she had decided to hang out at the garage and go on calls with him.
Darcy hadn’t been able to get the whole afternoon free, he still had a few crop dusting jobs before the harvest season so after their picnic, Daisy had spent the afternoon in the clouds with Darcy while he worked. Now they were headed for a shower and a different kind of fun.
After getting dressed and comfy in his PJ bottoms, Bo had gone back to the bedroom where he’d found BL and Sadie cuddling on the bed. Joining them, Bo was propped against the headboard on BL’s pillow, BL’s head on his outstretched arm, Sadie on her other side. Looking up BL asked, “Bo is something wrong? You haven’t been yourself since Doc Quinn said I was pregnant. Aren’t you happy?”
“I’m sorry darlin’ of course I’m happy, just wasn’t expecting it. To tell you the truth I’m scared to death,” Bo replied.
“I wasn’t expecting that diagnosis either but it is what it is. I could have cried because things are going to change in a big way, whether we like it or not but crying won’t help it’d just give me puffy eyes and a snotty nose,” BL said, adding with a grin “not a real attractive look.”
Bo chuckled at this and kissed BL’s head, running his fingers through Sadie’s fur, forgiving her for destroying his pillow.
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BALLADEER: Saturday morning came. The four Dukes in town were up dressed and ready to head out to the farm. It was the time of year that the garden needed to be cleaned out before any frost hit. Luke saw that Dixie had dressed in work / play / comfy clothes. "Remember we are all going out to the Boar's Nest tonight." Dixie picked up a small travel bag, "I've got it covered. I even have you a change of clothes. Luke gave her a kiss, "That's why I love ya." “Mind you don’t get too hot in the sun darlin, don’t want you fainting,” Bo cautioned BL with a kiss. “I’ll be careful, I ain’t felt woozy headed in days so maybe I’m past all that,” BL replied. Luke, Dixie, Scrapie and Trixie loaded up in Luke’s truck and headed out with Bo, BL and Sadie coming up quick behind Luke, in General Lee. At the Duke Farm, Jesse was sipping his coffee as he heard both Luke's truck and General Lee. "Why do those fool kids bring two vehicles out here instead of riding together?" Then he heard the reason as three sets of paws hit the ground and were off on a barking, running chase. Luke was the first in the door as he yelled over his shoulder, "Scrapie don't be finding something bigger than you that I have to rescue you from." Then he said once inside the kitchen getting a cup of coffee, "Morning Uncle Jesse." Dixie gave Uncle Jesse a kiss on the cheek as she went by him to a seat at the table. "Good Morning." BL and Bo brought up the rear, Jesse noticed all the kids had dressed in old clothes ready for a day of work. “Morning Uncle Jesse,” Bo said, pouring himself a cup of coffee before taking a seat at the table. “Morning Uncle Jesse,” BL said as she sat down at the table, hanging an old hat of Bo’s on her chair. It was going to give her hat hair but maybe it’d keep her head cool enough she wouldn’t faint. Once they were all situated Jesse said grace and the food was passed around. The chatter and banter was lively as they all ate. A few minutes later, they were joined by Daisy, who had closed the Boar's Nest and had gotten in late but the commotion had woken her and the smell of bacon wasn't letting her go back to sleep. "Morning ya'll." "Daisy, good morning. We was gonna let you sleep a bit." Jesse said. "I know. Thanks, but the bacon smelled amazing." Daisy said. After breakfast the girls started gathering up the dirty dishes, as usual there wasn’t many leftovers, just a few biscuits and a couple pancakes. “You fellas go on out and get started, we’ll be out after we get the kitchen cleaned up,” Daisy said. “Alright, we’ll go get some buckets. “Come on boys,” Jesse replied, getting his red cap off the hook by the door. Once outside, there wasn't a dog in sight, "Scrapie, Trixie, Sadie!" Luke called and whistled. From out of nowhere, here they came bouncing and chasing one another. "Alright. I was just checking on ya’ll. Go play." Luke said. The three pups did loops around the humans and head off again at full speed. Bo got the tiller out to till up the potatoes. Luke headed to the corn and was joined by Jesse with buckets, bushel baskets and such. Inside BL said, “Dixie if you wash I’ll rinse.” “Ok,”Dixie replied. “I’ll dry and put things where they go,” Daisy said. In no time the kitchen was back in order and the girls headed outside to help the men. Buckets in hand the three girls headed to the bean patch, a somewhat good sized field where Jesse grew butter beans, pinto beans and peas. After a while the sun seemed to be blazing down but they’d made halfway decent progress and came in for a break. “I’m thirsty, anybody else want some lemonade? BL asked. Dixie replied, "Sure. I bet the others would too." A short time later, the girls were headed back to the garden with lemonade for everyone. Daisy called, "Are ya’ll ready for something cold to drink and a break?" “You betcha,” Uncle Jesse said. After a break to rest and cool down, everybody got back to work, finishing up just in time for a late lunch of sandwiches and potato chips. With the promise of a hearty supper of some of the fresh vegetables they’d gathered. After lunch the group moved to the front porch to shell the butter beans. About 3:00 Jesse put down the paper in his lap that he’d been using to hold unshelled beans, “I’m gonna go start supper.” “Need any help?” Daisy asked. “No I got it,” Jesse replied. Jesse took out a ham for tomorrow's dinner. He trimmed a bit of ham pieces off and put them in a large Dutch oven. Then he thinly sliced cabbage, potatoes, onions, carrots, some yellow squash until the lid barely fit, then added butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. He put the lid on and turned it on to fry while he mixed up a big batch of cornbread. Then he put on a fresh pot of coffee and made a pitcher of tea. “Looks great Uncle Jesse,” Bo said when they all sat down to eat. Jesse said grace and it was another meal filled with laughter, banter and the sounds of silverware scraping on glass plates as the young and old alike ate their fill after a hard day’s work. After supper the girl’s cleaned up the kitchen, the men took the opportunity to get ready to go to the Boar’s Nest. Jesse was even going for a bit, in hopes of finding a game of checkers to go with his beer. Bo was out of the shower and Luke had just gone in the bathroom. Dixie asked Daisy, "What time is Darcy picking you up?" "He was busy today too, so we've got time." Daisy replied. "Well, if I can use a robe, I'll jump in the shower when Luke gets out, if you don't mind," Dixie said. "It's on the back of the bathroom door. Go ahead. I'm gonna go find something to wear." Daisy said. With that information, Dixie knew she had plenty of time to shower. Once showered, Dixie joined BL and Daisy in Daisy’s room to get ready. She took her underwear and bra out of her bag and put them on, then gave Daisy her robe back. Dixie dug her elastic waisted jeans and top out. BL somehow had managed to get a shower between Bo and Daisy and had just finished blow drying her hair when Daisy said, “Dixie you’ve put on some weight.” BL stopped messing with her hair, to look at Dixie. BL hadn’t noticed any changes in Dixie’s weight and they lived together. Dixie smiled a bit, "Maybe, just a little." Daisy was so excited about the new baby, "Stand up. Let me see." Dixie stood up. Daisy looked this way then turned, "There might be the start of a little bump, but I can tell you've gotten wider." BL chimed in helpfully, "She went up a cup size too." Dixie admitted, "I've changed pants size at work too. Of course they are men's pants and don't fit right anyway, but yes, I think I'm getting wider instead of showing." BL was glad she wasn’t far enough along to be growing anywhere yet, still not exactly sure when she and Bo planned to share their news. Dixie put on the stretchy pants and a top that was a bit loose with a flowy bottom that she hoped disguised her widening hips a little. “Daisy, Darcy’s here,” Jesse called a bit later. “Coming Uncle Jesse,” Daisy answered. Dixie and BL came out of Daisy’s room with her, all ready to go. The 3 young men had been catching up while waiting for Daisy. “We’ll see ya’ll there,” Daisy said, on her and Darcy’s way out. “What about the pups are we gonna come back for them or run them home on the way?” BL asked. Luke replied, "We can drop them off after we have a nice talk about pillows and toilet paper." Jesse gave Luke a questioning look. "It seems our three little friends decided it would be a good idea to get into toilet paper and then eat Bo's pillow." Luke explained. “You should have seen it Uncle Jesse, the livingroom looked like we’d got snow there was so many little pieces and mine and Bo’s bed looked like somebody’d plucked all your chickens,” BL chimed in. “Scrapie, Trixie, Sadie come on babies let’s go,” Dixie called and the three dogs came around the house at top speed. The remaining Dukes got in their vehicles. Jesse headed for the Boar’s Nest the back way while Bo, BL, Luke and Dixie in General Lee and Luke’s truck headed for town to drop the dogs off at home. “Bo if you don’t speed up Rosco will give you a ticket for impeding traffic,” BL said. Bo was driving like the older generations who used to take Sunday drives. Bo said, "I'm just being careful." BL said, "Well, the speed limit is 55. You can be careful at 40." "Cute." Bo said as he shifted up a gear. In the truck, Luke was having a very one sided talk with Scrapie and Trixie as Dixie was trying to hide her amusement at a grown man trying to reason with two dogs. "Scrapie, you know better and Trixie you are learning. Now, I don't care if Sadie does tell you it's alright to trash the house and eat pillows. It is very much not alright. Are you two listening to me?" One look at the pups said they were listening. "Ya'll got to play outside and had the whole farm to run wild. So, now it's time to go home and be good puppies and take a nap or the next time we have to leave you at home you'll have to go in the cage. You know the cage in the bedroom that you have never used Scrapie? Yes, that cage." Dixie was laughing so hard to herself that she was nearly in tears by the time they got home. Bo and BL pulled into the driveway a good 5 minutes behind Dixie and Luke who were still getting Scrapie and Trixie settled with plenty of water and some food in their bowls. The bathroom door was shut so the toilet paper wouldn’t be a temptation. “There ya’ll are,” Dixie said, coming back downstairs. ”Bo was being a Sunday driver,” BL replied. Luke gave Bo a questioning look, he never drove below the speed limit. “We better get going before our usual table gets took,” Bo said. BL squatted, taking Sadie’s head in her hands, meeting Sadie’s eyes, “no eating pillows while we’re gone. Or destroying anything else in the house for that matter.” BL stood back up and they all left, the three pups were stretched out on the couch and loveseat. Bo even peeked in the window on the way to the General Lee, "They are still on the couch. Do you think they will stay there?" Dixie replied, "If Luke's talk with Scrapie and Trixie works, yes." She couldn't contain the slight giggle, but waved BL's unspoken question off until another time. “Practicing your Uncle Jesse talks, Luke?” Bo asked “Cute Bo,” Luke replied. “Hey Dixie, wanna ride together and let the fellas ride together? The Boar’s Nest will be closed before me and grandpa Jones gets there if I ride with him,” BL said. "Ok by me if you are driving." Dixie grinned widely. Luke replied, "Well, I reckon we're taking General Lee." “Funny darlin,” Bo said in response to BL’s grandpa Jones remark as he climbed through General Lee’s driver side window. Luke climbed in the passenger side, shifting the General into reverse after Bo turned the key, moves that were second nature. BL and Dixie got in BL’s GTO and BL said as she backed into the street,”Ok what’s this about Luke giving Scrapie and Trixie a talking to?” Dixie began, "Alright, we know all the pups are trained pretty well and that my husband is very logical, but he was trying to reason with Scrapie and Trixie, like he was talking to us. Then, he reminded them that there is a cage in our room if they don't listen. He really used the 'c a g e' word." Dixie said, spelling out the word cage. BL laughed “I thought Rosco was bad, talking to Flash the way he does but Luke actually gave the dogs threats of consequences like they were kids in trouble?” “Yep,” Dixie replied. Still laughing, BL swung her car into the parking lot, Bo parked General Lee beside BL’s car. As quick as they could, both men slid out of the General to assist their wives and escort them inside. Uncle Jesse had found a checkers opponent in Clyde Davenport, Luther sat straddling a chair backwards, watching. “King me Jesse,” Clyde said, jumping 2 of Jesse’s checkers, landing in the bottom row. The newlyweds all went over to say ‘hi’ before going to their usual table where Daisy and Darcy were. “Watch him Uncle Jesse he cheats,” BL said, grinning. “Now hold on there, I always won fair and square,” Clyde protested. “Yeah but what about all those games I won? I wasn't all that good? In sports throwing a game is cheating,” BL replied. “That’s different, I was building up your self confidence,” Clyde said. In the meantime Jesse had won while Clyde was distracted. The ‘kids’ went over to where Daisy and Darcy sat. They could hear Uncle Jesse and Clyde bickering like an old married couple as they walked away. Daisy asked, "What in the world has got them so worked up?" Luke replied as he shook Dacy's hand and gave Daisy a kiss on the cheek, "Checkers." was the only explanation needed. Everyone took a seat and placed their drink order. Lori Mae had just brought drinks back to the table, when LB came in and joined the rest of the young folk at the table, giving Lori Mae a kiss before sitting down. “One second and I'll get you a beer hon,” Lori Mae said. “Ok,” LB replied. As Lori Mae turned to get LB a beer, Cooter walked up and much to everybody’s surprise he had a young lady with him that could only be the mysterious Crystal, judging by the way they were holding hands. Cooter said, “everybody this is Crystal Walker. Crystal this is Daisy Duke, Darcy Kinkaid, my brother in law and Daisy’s cousin Luke Duke and also my sister Dixie’s husband, my sister Dixie, my cousin BL, her husband and also Luke and Daisy’s cousin Bo and last but not least my cousin LB. he’s also BL’s brother.” “Nice meeting all of you,” Crystal replied. “Can I get ya’ll a drink? I was just going to get LB a beer,” Lori Mae asked. Cooter looked at Crystal, “beer’s fine,” Crystal replied. “Be back in a jiff, I’m Lori Mae,” Lori Mae said heading to the bar. Between Bo and Luke, they knew every female in at least three counties. A look between the two, said that neither had even heard of her. Luke said casually, "Where are you from Crystal?" “I moved to Placid county from Finchberg,” Crystal replied. “Placid huh. Do you know a Jeb Stuart Duke?” Bo asked. “No, I’ve only just moved there about 3 months ago,” Crystal answered. “How’d a pretty little thing like you get mixed up with Cooter? Bo asked next. “Bo she ain’t on the witness stand in court, ease up,” BL said, rescuing Crystal from Bo’s third degree. “Sorry Crystal,” Bo apologized. Lori Mae came back with 3 more beers asking the group, “can I get ya’ll anything else?” All said they were good. LB being the only one at the table without a spouse or date had been watching the others and noticed BL was drinking tea while everyone else had beer, curious he asked, “how come you’re drinking tea sis?” BL looked at Bo to judge whether or not he was ready for them to share their news. Bo’s unspoken answer to the unspoken question was to look at the older men saying, “Uncle Jesse, Clyde, Luther would you come over here a minute, me and BL got something to tell all of you.” Once the older men had come over BL looked at Bo then settled her gaze on Clyde and Jesse, “I didn’t feel so hot on and off all weekend long.” “She was real sick Friday night and then passed out Saturday night,” Bo interrupted. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?” Clyde asked, his brows knitted in worry already imagining the worst. “I’m fine Daddy. Doctor said I’d get over it in about 18 years, the worst of it will be the next 9 months,” BL replied, looking around the table all but Dixie and Luke looked confused. “Well what’s wrong?” LB asked impatiently. “I’m pregnant,” BL replied. Daisy hugged BL, "Oh, wow! Now I'll have two babies to help with. I just can't wait!" Jesse shook his head light heartedly, " Do you two have to do everything together!?" Jesse hugged BL and Bo, "but, I agree with Daisy. It has been far too long since there's been a baby at the farm." “You’re happy about it now but you might feel different the first time you spend the night at the house and you get woke up several times in one night ,” BL said to Daisy. “Nuh uh, no way,” Daisy replied. “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” LB said, expressing his surprise but it didn’t sound like that was his intent. “Longstreet Broderick Davenport! What a thing to say about your niece or nephew,” Clyde scolded his son. Kissing the top of BL’s head he asked, “when exactly am I gonna be a grandpa?” “Sometime around the end of May,” BL replied. “Well now this calls for another round of drinks. Lori Mae can we get another round over here, make 2 of those tea for the Mama’s to be,” Cooter hailed Lori Mae. “Make mine coffee, I got the wrecker tonight,” Luther said. “Coming right up,” Lori Mae replied, fetching the drinks. BALLADEER: The Duke news spread around the table into the bar, which meant that by morning, everyone in the county would know that there would soon be two more Dukes. That would not be at all comforting to such people as Boss Hogg, Rosco and any police in the Tri-County area, and all the teachers and principals may start looking into early retirement. As the evening progressed the older crowd headed out for home while the rest continued talking, laughing and swapping tall tales. A minute after the older crowd left, Dobro’s brother David and sister in law Jeannie Ann came in, “Howdy ya’ll” David greeted. “Hey David, Jeannie Ann. Still no babies yet? I swear them kids is gonna be half grown by the time they get here,” Bo said. “Ya’ll started something or it’s the water, Bo and BL found out earlier in the week, they're expecting,” Luke chimed in. “Congratulations,” David and Jeannie Ann both said to the latest of Hazzard's parents to-be. Joining the group, the men were having a conversation about cars and the women discussed all things baby. BL and Dixie were asking Jeannie Ann all sorts of pregnancy questions. They had been talking for sometime when Jeannie Ann felt a tightening in her belly but brushed it off as a muscle cramp and kept right on talking. Several minutes went by and Jeannie was convinced it had just been a muscle spasm or cramp until she felt another that hurt this time causing her to take in a sharp breath. “Jeannie Ann are you alright?” BL asked. “Yeah, yeah fine, just a muscle cramp or spasm,”Jeannie Ann replied. Several more minutes went by before Jeannie Ann felt the sensation again, now deciding it must be contractions she said, “David I think we better head to the hospital.” David was a picture of calm as he helped Jeannie Ann to her feet and to the car. Bo watched them leave the Boar’s Nest with his eyes but in his mind he was seeing BL at the big race that started the racing season, she was holding her very pregnant belly and bending over double. His breathing was short, fast gasp just like Monday in the doctor’s office. As David helped Jeannie Ann to her feet, they were surrounded by best wishes and offers to help in any way. After they left heading toward the hospital, the table was a bit quiet with everyone in their own thoughts. Luke looked over at Bo and saw him rather pale with his breathing 'off'. "Bo? Bo? Earth to Bo? Are you alright?" Luke asked. BL said, “He’s hyperventilating again, he looked and acted just like this when Doc Quinn said I was pregnant. Bo honey, try to breathe normal.” Luke got Bo's attention and got him to breathe in and out more slowly and in a couple minutes had him fairly calmed down. He finished his beer and suggested, "Are ya’ll ready to head home?" Dixie replied, "I am. It's been a long day." Between BL and Luke they made sure that Bo's feet were under him as they started for the cars. Meanwhile at the table Daisy cooed as she snuggled up to Darcy, "Ain't it exciting? All the new babies coming. I just can't wait to hold them all." “I reckon it’s exciting,” Darcy said but what he was thinking about sounded a whole lot more exciting. Finishing his beer Darcy put his arm around Daisy and the two left to find a private place for that excitement Darcy was thinking about. “Why don’t we get outta here too babe.” Cooter suggested and he and Crystal followed Daisy and Darcy, headed to someplace quiet and secluded. Left alone LB moved to the bar til closing then he waited in the parking lot until Lori Mae headed home.
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