DixieDavenport

Luke stood watching her for a couple minutes. He saw the brusies and scars. He promised to get even with Mr. Todd. He walked over and put his arms around her shoulders. Lori reached up and held his forearm to her face as she cried. Luke let her cry, figuring that she'd talk when she was ready. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning Luke was awake when he heard the wrecker pull in. Actually, he hadn't slept much at all. He left Lori sleep in the big bed as he got out of Little Luke's twin bed and headed down the outside stairs to meet Cooter. Cooter said, "Ah, good morning?" Luke replied, "Yeah, well it's morning that's for sure." Cooter was giving him a questioning look. He knew Luke had plans to talk to Dixie about the divorce. Luke answered the unasked question, "I slept in Luke's bed. She's in the big one. Yes, I plan to see if Dixie will talk to me." Cooter

Luke shook his head. Two could play at this game. "Have it your way." He went to Little Luke's room and layed down on the twin bed. If Lori wanted to be stubborn, he'd let her and he'd let her have the bigger bed. At least he'd be close if Todd remembered the garage. He'd been there before. Lori sighed and rubbed her eyes as she watched him go to Luke's room, "Well Luke, now Dixie knows that you got this for me and what do you think she'll think if she sees me awearing it, she's already going to be fit to be tied cause i stayed with you." Luke said from the bedroom, "I really don't see her getting mad over a necklace I got you a hundred years ago. Hey, what do I have to loose, she's already filed for divorce." Lori

Lori snorted and relaxed back on the couch Luke looked to her and said, "Since when do you let men tell you what to do?" Lori asked, "Would you rather I go with Cooter?" Luke replied, "No, but you can sure hold your own with me. It just seems strange to see you tremble in fear around that @$(&_@." Lori had heard Luke curse before but not like that.

Luke said, "Yeah, well, then explain to me why you haven't done something about it sooner. Do you like getting the He-- beat out of yourself?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luther said, "BL we just need you to hang close by Lori. I don't know what Luke's plans are but he stepped into it at the Boar's Nest."

Luke looked to Lori and said, "To tell you the truth, I had planned to talk to Dixie this weekend. But, no matter what I still don't want anything to happen to you of the kids." Luke turned to the phone to call Cooter as he heard the wrecker pulling in. Cooter came in the garage doors and saw the General Lee parked inside. "Ok, ya'll it's me. Luke, Todd looked a little worse for wear there Buddy Roe." Luke replied, "Not as bad as I wanted him to, but I was in a bit of a hurry." Lori.....

Luke answered, "Well maybe ya figured wrong. I told you before you left in such a hurry that I wasn't going back. Sure I've talked to her and seen Jesse, but I'm still over the garage when I'm home. I went back to work." Luke tried to give her an update as he drove back to the garage. Once there he opened the downstairs and backed the General Lee inside, then closed the doors back.

Luke walked over to her and once again taking her in his arms saying, "Yes you can. Tell me. Tell me HOW he's hurting you. I know something's wrong. If it hurts you, it hurts our child and likely Luke too. Please tell me for thier sake if not your own." Lori continued with her lie, "Luke, I'm fine. Just emotional due to this." She pointed at her growing belly. "I'm not buying it Lori." Luke said. "I don't know what you think you want to hear Luke, but nothing is wrong. Now leave or I'll have Rosco remove you." Lori said fighting the tears. She was lying, she knew it, Luke knew it and she knew he knew. Luke replied looking her in the eyes, "I ain't never been afraid of Rosco when I was doing something I believed needed done." "Just leave!" She was almost hysterical with fear that Todd would return but she wasn't saying that. Luke nodded and said, "Ok, I'm leaving but I will be close by and I'm watching that creep. I knew from the get go he was trouble." Luke left slamming the door on his way out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luke went to the bar and ordered a beer. He was setting there when Cooter came in. Cooter walked over to Luke who said, "Coot there is something really wrong here and if he's hurting her like I think he is, then tell me you don't want to know about it." Cooter nodded, 'no', "What makes you 'think' he's hurting her? Luke we all know you didn't like Todd from the start." "I'll give you that, but have you ever seem Lori tremble? or cowar down?" Luke asked. Cooter replied, "He-- no!" "Well she is now." Luke said as another familiar face walked in. It was Luther Davenport. Luther walked over to his son and said loud enough for Luke to hear, "You still hanging around him after all the trouble he's caused?" Cooter replied and asked, "Yeah. Hey what's with Lori? She seems different. Scared?" Luther replied quietly, but Luke heard what he said, "Something is up. I've seen things but can't prove it that's why I was glad we were playing here. Cooter I've seen her wearing dark glasses too often when the sun ain't shining." Luke finished his beer, stood up and walked out. He drove to the farm. Without saying anything to anyone he went to his and Bo's old room. Jesse saw him and let him be he saw the 'I'm on a mission look'. Luke opened his old closet and pulled out his old foot locker from the Marines and began digging through it. Jesse motioned Bo to go see what Luke was up to several minutes later. What Bo found scared the life out of him. Luke was holding a familiar .357 Magnum that he said he had given away when they were put on probation all those years ago. Finding this gun in the house would have meant prison for him and Luke. Bo said quietly, "Luke?" Luke continued to clean the weapon with a gently caring touch similar to the one he gave the General Lee when working on him. Bo tried again a little louder, "Luke?" Luke reached for the shells to load the gun. Bo reached out for his hand, "Luke, stop! What are you doing?" "He's hurting her! I'm going after him!" Luke said with a determined voice. Bo was shocked. He had never seen Luke like this. "Luke you can't be serious." Luke looked at him. Bo knew the look. Luke was serious. It shook Bo to the core. "Come on Luke. Give me the gun." Luke tightened his grip. It took Bo two hours to talk Luke out of the gun which he reluctantly gave Bo. He hoped Bo wouldn't tell Jesse, but he knew he would. Bo stated after getting the gun, "Luke she ain't worth it. You jump in and she'll be back with him tomorrow. I thought you were going to try work things out with Dix before the divorce hearing." Luke huffed, "I planned to talk to her. Yeah I wanted her to drop it, but if he's hurting Lori I have two children in danger. Bo I swear to you if I see him hurt her or hear of him hurting my kids I'll kill him." Bo knew Luke wasn't blowing smoke. "I hear you! But, it's her choice to stay with him." "Maybe, maybe not!" Luke answered. "I think she's staying cause she's scared."

Luke walked toward Lori. 'What was she doing here?' he thought. By the grace of a case of flu Dixie and Luke's divocre hearing had been post poned until next Friday. A week away. He had hoped to talk to Dixie this weekend and now Lori shows up. Seemed they were all just constantly pushing each others buttons. When Luke started toward Lori and Todd, ..............

Luke looked confused. "Lori? How?" Dixie said, "Seems she sent the money by Cooter." Luke nodded and sighed. Dixie said, "Lori called me yesturday." Luke nodded and said, "I know she called from the jail." "And?" Dixie asked. Luke replied, "And, what?" Dixie said, "I'd just like to know where I stand." Luke replied, "Well, I'm going back to go to the garage." Dixie nodded, "Still not coming home?" Luke asked, "Is that really an option?" Dixie nodded, "I'd like that if its what you want, but Luke I can't go through this again so please make da-- sure what you want." She turned to go down the courthouse steps and suddenly gasped as a pain hit her and she doubled over. Luke.......

Luke then decided that he would give himself some time to think about what he truely wanted. He thought if he went after Lori she'd just keep going. He felt if he went back to Dixie it may not be the right move either. He would call Jesse in the morning and see if he'd come bond him out. Then, he'd go back to Cooter's for awhile and see what happened from there. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie waited until morning before going to the jail. She hoped to get there before the judge did. She was prepared to bond Luke out but she wanted to talk to him first.

Jesse watch Lori pull out. "Well, I guess she was serious." Dixie said, "Yeah. I guess she was." This actually pleased her. "Do you think I should go talk to Luke?" Jesse said, "I think I'd give him some time." Dixie nodded. She really didn't want to wait but understood Luke needed time. She wasn't wanting to get him back just because he didn't want to be alone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile Luke was kicking himself for Lori leaving. He layed on the bunk and thought.

Dixie looked to Uncle Jesse who stomped in the house. She followed him inside. Looking a bit less excited. Dixie gave Jesse a few minutes to calm down, then asked, "So, what do you think I should do?" Jesse sighed, "Have a glass of tea, calm down, and give it sometime." Dixie replied, "Ok. You know I want him back but I don't want to go through this again if he changes his mind again. I don't think I could handle it."

Luke glared at Lori and said, "Lori don't. Please don't." Lori replied, "Too late!" Luke nodded, "Going to Billy Ray ain't ya? Using the fact you heard Jesse tell me my wife still cares about me as the reason to go where you wanted to in the first place!" Lori........................ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie was out the door and heading toward Jesse's to see if he knew what would bring on this from Lori. She wanted more information before even considering anything further.

Luke looked Jesse in the eyes, "So, I'm being a jerk?" Jesse almost laughed, "No, son, you're not being a jerk. Possessive though, very possessive." Luke nodded, "Yeah, I guess. But, Hell, I get bi---ed at for thinking of Dixie, let alone touching her!" "Maybe all three of you are being too possessive." Jesse said. Luke looked to Jesse and said, "Three? He--, sure ain't seen Dixie acting possessive. She's the one who filed for divorce." Jesse asked, "Isn't that what you want?" "Yes!" Luke paused, "No. Hell, I just plan don't know especially right now!" he said more in frustration than in actual truth!

Luke, hearing his voice, instantly got up and went to the bars, he looked at Jesse and then looked at teh floor. Jesse asked, "Want to talk about it?" Luke smiled a weak smile and nodded, "Not much really to talk about. Billy Ray showed up, I let him know Lori and I was together. Then, I called her down. She LET him 'pet' her hair......" Jesse saw Luke's jaw set as he visibly tensed. Luke continued, "She let him do it right in front of me. We all had words. Billy Ray left. Lori and I had momre words, I went for a drive and happened to see HIS Car." Luke hissed, "At the Boar's Nest. So I stopped." Jesse stated, "You went looking for a fight?" Luke looked to the floor again, "Yeah, you could say that. Well, I found it right about the time Rosco walked in. So I'm here as usual. Billy Ray ran out like the chicken he is." Jesse sighed, "Luke.....

Lori put both boxes of things back into the closet. She needed to think. She really would like to talk to someone, but there was only one person she could think of. She reached for the phone. The familiar old voice said, "Duke Farm." Lori smiled, "Uncle Jesse is Dixie there?" Jesse replied, "No, she 's not." "Good." Lori replied, "I was thinking about bringing Little Luke over but I didn't want a scene." Jesse replied, "Actually, I just happen to be alone right now." This was a rarity these days. Lori nodded, "Sounds good we'll be over in a few minutes." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once at Jesse's Lori sent Little Luke to the front yard to play where they could see him from the porch. Jesse got them both a glass of ice tea and said, "Looks like the little one is starting to grow." Lori smiled but blushed just the same. She was wearing stretchy pants and a large T-shirt, "Ah, yeah it is. Won't be able to wear these much longer." She looked down at the porch. Jesse waited. Lori began, "Luke's in jail."

Luke sighed, "I didn't turn anything into something complicated. I just told him that we were together...." Rosco added, "So that's why you threw the first punch, huh?" He giggled. Lori yelled, "You did WHAT?" Luke said, "Thanks a lot Rosco!" Then he turned to Lori noticing for the first time she was wearing a necklace he'd given her years ago. "Where in the world did that come from?" He asked about he necklace. Lori.........

"What?" exclaimed Lori. "What for?" He half wished he'd called Jesse instead of Lori. Luke sighed again, "Can we talk about that later? You know Rosco'e in a hurry to get me behind bars." Lori sighed, "I'll be right there." she hung up the phone. "Sh--!" She said as she went to tell Cooter where she was going. Luke was placed in the cell by a gloating Rosco. "I love it, just love it!" Luke wasn't in the mood for him right now. Rosco added, "Judge won't be in until morning too." Luke stood looking at the bars, "Figures!" Lori rushed in hoping to post bond to bond Luke out..........

He caught up with Billy Ray at the Boar's Nest. Luke saw the car. He parked the loaner, got out, and walked in the Boar's Nest. Luke was looking for trouble and he'd just found it setting at the bar. He walked over to the bar and layed his hand on Billy Ray's shoulder, "I'm telling you once and for all, Lori and I are together. We've got a son together and in case you are wondering, she's carrying MY baby!" Luke glared. He was ready for what ever Billy Ray had.

He marched up there and said frankly, "I made my choice. I was YOU. In case you forgot I love you and the kids, but I'm not going to stand there and watch him try to get you back and NOT do something about it. I'm going out and give you time to make your choice. If you care anything about him, you better HOPE I don't run into him!" He picked up the keys to the loaner which just happened to be a 1972 Road Runner much like Daisy's old car. Cooter had worked on the engine and it was HOT!

Cooter nodded, and Luke louder, "Calm down HELL! You know you've got some da-- nerve, Lori. You pitch a Bi---, if I so much as think of Dixie, yet you stand there in front of Me and LET him touch you like that!" He had half a mind to go after Billy Ray, but he figured that Billy Ray's time would come. Cooter was still standing in between Luke and Lori.

Cooter had also moved quickly to where Konrad was trying to intercept Luke. He jumped in front of Luke and took the wrench out of his hand but not without a lot of effort. "Luke, Da-- It! Stop it before you get Rosco over here!" Luke had let Cooter take the wrench back, but he was by no means any calmer, "Cooter we're friends, but you best move!" He didn't like the scene he was seeing beyond Cooter and he was intent on stopping it.

Luke glared at him and asked as he hit the bottom of the outside steps, "Look what the cat drug in. What are you doing back in town?" Cooter was under the hood of a car, but heard Luke's annoyed voice. He raised up and headed toward the outside to see who Luke was talking to in such a manner. He hoped it wasn't a costomer. He saw....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Upstairs Lori hadn't heard Luke or Billy Ray...............

Luke smiled and took Little Luke to the back to the bathroom sayin to Lori, "Honey, when I get done I need to start packing a few things for next week. Where is the suitcases?" Lori had completely forgot about the box she put in small closet. "They are in the small closet." She had several things on her mind right now. Luke leaving for a week, the new baby, his divorce, several songs she should be working on, what Dixie was 'wanting' from the divorce, and her new contract. After cleaning up they all enjoyed supper together, then Little Luke went to play in his room for awhile. Lori was picking upthe kitchen as Luke figured it was as good atime as anyto get his things together. He opened the small closet to get a suitcase or duffle bag which he preferred. As he was looking around for what he wanted he managed to hit something which caused an avalache of items. One of which was the box Lori had put in the closet the night before. As Luke bent down to pick up the spilled items from the box he noticed a picture of Lori and Billy Ray. Luke looked at teh picture a full minute before asking, "AH, Lori, what's this that spilled out in the closet?" Lori..................

Dixie started by sending Little Jesse out to play with Bo's children. Once there was only Jesse, Bo, Daisy and Beth in the kitchen, she placed the envelope on the table with copies of her petition foe divorce and Luke's response. It also contained the date for the divorce hearing. "Uncle Jesse, I know you don't believe in divorce. I know I never wanted it to come to this. It doesn't look like he's coming back. I really can't see staying married to him, but if I go through with it, then he's free to be with Lori." Jesse heard the mixed emotions statement. "Dixie like I've told you all from the beginning. What you all do is your buisness. You are right, in my day, when such things happened, and they did, you worked it out." "How?" Dixie asked. Jesse smiled, "There are ways, but then there is no guarantees either. If you want Luke back you may need to go after him. If you only want to prevent him from being with Lori, then it would be worse on you both and the children if you just stayed married to keep him from moving on." Dixie nodded, "That is what I thought at first too, but the closer the end gets the more I wonder if I'm doing this for the right reasons." Jesse added, "Only you know your reasons and feelings. Honey you two lived here for five years, but what went on between you two was your business unless either of you involved us." "I know that and I for one appreciate that you all didn't take sides when we had problems. Thanks, ya'll." Dixie said. Daisy asked, "Say why don't you two stay here tonight?" Dixie replied, "Yeah I think I will."