DixieDavenport

Luke had just picked up the divorce packet to move it 'somewhere' as Lori charged into the bedroom. He couldn't have looked guiltier if Rosco caught him with a thousand gallons of moonshine. Lori knew immediately what was in his hand as she entered the room. "What are you doing getting ready to tear those up?" She reached for them, "I'll be glad to do it!" Luke snatched them back from her grip, "NO, I was actually getting ready to drop them in the mail!" Lori

Luke answered with a loud sigh. "I'd like to go to church with you, really I would. And, I know I SHOULD, but...." Lori jumped to conclusions, "You are ashamed of me!" "No, actually I just might be ashamed of myself, OK?" He said walking off.

B.L wailed into the pillow.."I know but I don't want you to think I'm fat. What if I can't loose the weight after the baby?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cooter took Luke outside, "I think it's safer out here." "Uckle Cooter how come Mom and them act like that?" Little Luke asked. The kids had called him and the others Uncles and Aunts since they could talk. It was easier than going in to the compicated cousin explainations between first and second cousins or you're first cousin once removed. Beside with the Davenports and Dukes if you were family that's all that mattered.

Luke broke the silence by asking, "You about ready? Luke's got school tomorrow." Lori sighed, "Not really, but you're right." "Maybe we can come back out here and camp out before it gets too cold." Luke suggested. Lori looked at him, "I'd like that." ~~~~~~~~~~~ Jesse was reading his paper, when Bo cornered Beth. He must have thought no one could hear them. Jesse had great hearing and Bo was known not to be able to whisper. Jesse thought back to breakfast, if Beth was pregnant again, then they would be welcoming four new little Dukes to the family with in about eight months. Jesse remembered when his brothers and even the Davenport brothers were having children. The births of thirteen or more children had all came with in six or seven years of each other. They had thought that was close, but four in eight months would be really close. Jesse wished things were different especially in Luke's case but the boy was always stubborn. He had been the most responsible of the boys but there were time frames through out his life that being responsible and dependable seemed to get too much for him and he'd go just as far as he could in the other direction. Jesse felt he was in one of those phases now.

Luke was glad to have the cast off, though he expected to be ran through a lot of physical therapy before he'd be clear to jump again and likely he'd have to beg the doc to clear him. Luke finally suggested, "Lori, I don't want to fight, can we do something this evening, like go to the farm? the Boar's Nest? anything to have a good time and not fight? ~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile at the farm, Bo corner Beth, "Sunshine, tell me you ain't?" Beth replied, "I really love you, but I think I've proved that about five times over, so I hope NOT." she waved him off. "If it keeps up I'll go see Doc. No use going for nothing." Bo silently prayed she wasn't. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Lori replied.........

Luke replied, "She's not fat, that's the baby growing." ~~~~~~~~ Beth came out of the bathroom and quietly promised Bo, "You better only hope I'm sick from this cold front moving in, cause if not, you'll be making an appointment you talked me out of making for you about 5 years ago!" Bo swallowed hard and felt the pain in hi manhood at her implication! Dixie asked, "Beth, you don't THINK?" Beth replied, "I only hope I'm wrong in what I think!" Bo swore to himself, thinking, 'Beth had been pregnant enough to know the signs. Surely he had learned to be careful by now.'

Beth blushed and replied, "Ah, well, I thought he'd had just a bit too much to drink, but good isn't the word I'd use. Maybe considering he's an old father of five, after a hundred years of marriage, I'd have to say fantastic would be close." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SIX WEEKS LATER!!!!! Luke was getting ready for his doctors appointment. He hoped that things went well and he'd be free of the cast. He was a bit impatient waiting on Lori to get ready since she was driving, "Are you about ready?" Lori tried the third pair of jeans..... they refused to button. "I'll be there when I get THERE!" Luke swore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie happened to come to the farm this morning for breakfast. Uncle Jesse had as always made plenty. As Beth set the bowl of scrambled eggs on the table, she got a good smell of the normally delicious food, but as soon as it hit her she turned absolutely green! and ran for the bathroom! All eyes went from her, to the bathroom door to Bo!

Luke looked to Cooter and smiled saying, "Told ya I'd be back!" Cooter grinned, "Yeah. Yeah, ya did." Luke grabbed a beer hoping to get to drink it with out Lori or Dixie showing up at least until he finished it for once since this whole mess started. Cooter looked at Luke seriously, "Do you really think ya'll can make a go out of this -- without killing each other?" Luke laughed and said, "............... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie came over for coffee as Jesse was still asleep there. She spoted Beth's neck. She waited until the 'right' time to ask, "Ah, ....... looks like someone, ........ had a good night!" Beth blushed and replied, "

Cooter fell over laughing and said, "Uh-huh, sure you will! I won't see you til tomorrow!" Luke laughed as he made his way up those blamed steps. He closed the door and said, "Now just what EXACTLY did I do? Last I heard was to stop. I did!" He couldnt' see how she could argue with THAT, but she'd find away! Lori....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Jesse was still giving Bo that look that said he had been woken up during the night by him. Bo was at a loss to recall how he had woke Jesse up. He may have to ask Beth. Beth appeared as the thought crossed his mind. She had on a collared shirt and her hair was down, but even Bo could see the 'monkey bites' he'd left last night.

She asked looking to Luke, he smiled and replied with only an evil smile. He walked out the door. Lori asked, "Where are you going?" Luke replied, "Not far." He was heading down to keep Cooter company. If she was going to drive him crazy he'd get her a little hot and bothered then go drink a beer with Cooter. He walked into the garage. Cooter asked, "Did you survive?" "Barely!" Luke said going to the frig for a beer. Cooter shook his head and laughed.

Luke looked to her and smiled, he was being a pest and he knew it as he replied with a laugh, "Might be easier than living with you." Lori....

Luke caught on and calmly said with a sigh, "Fine." He turned to go make coffee. Though he had a good mind to go to the garage and get drunk. Some days he felt like he just couldn't win. ~~~~~~~~~ Once he had gone back toward the kitchen Cooter asked Lori gently, "Little moody this morning?" ~~~~~~~~~ Bo got the idea they had woke Jesse up last night.

Luke caught her just before she landed on the cast hurting herself or him. The way she leaped at him all he could do was catch her and roll to his left side hoping not to hurt either one of them. It not only surprised him but the fear of one of them getting hurt from her surprise attack scared him, "Sh--! Da-- it, Lori! You're gonna hurt one of us or the baby." Lori........... ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning at the Duke farm, Jesse was up drinking coffee when Bo came in the kitchen. He was only up this early because Beth had woke him up. She had went to the shower first. He needed coffee and lots of it. Jesse looked at him once and asked, "I take it you enjoyed your night out?" Bo winced at the loudness of Jesse's voice, "Ah, ...... yeah, ....... maybe a bit too much." Jesse had heard them come in late. it was obvious that Bo had a bit too much to drink from the sounds of Beth helping him to their room.

Luke hugged her back then layed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Lori you got to understand this is a small town, a small county! Dixie and I are going to run into each other. We were talking abut the boys. She was actually waiting to tell you about it until......" he paused, "We were after all in a public place for God sake! Now if you'd have caugth us by the lake alone, then I'd say you might have a reason get a little worried, but you jump to conclusions and want to pack if we are on the same side of the STREET. You are making me a little crazy here...."

Luke looked to Lori in amazement and said, "Your really gonna leave over Dixie coming over to our table to ask me why she was 'cornered' by two five year olds asking her where babies came from? I guess the talk we all had the other night got them curious. She said they said YOU told them to ask me, but they forgot, so they ask her. I thought it was funny! Lori I've tried to stop you from leaving and I've talked to I'm blue in the face. Cooter brought me home. Not Dixie! I didn't go home with her or ANY other female. I'm here with YOU! And judging from what I saw, you came home to be with me. I notice you aren't gone or packed. You were asleep at home." Lori............. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at the Duke farm, Bo was still very unsteady on his feet, so Beth attempted to get him into their room before they woke Jesse up. As she got him into the bedroom he began to kiss her neck. "Bo, Honey, just let me get your boots off." Beth said. He wasn't helping her at all. Bo slurred, "Don't worry about the boots. Come here." Beth did her best to get him undressed and in bed. Bo was more than willing to help her get undressed too!

The others at the table felt it safer just to let BL have her say. ~~~~~~~~~~ Lori smiked and stayed hidden. Waiting to see what Luke did. After a couple minutes Luke went back inside. He figured that she really left with Todd. He noticed Dixie was now setting with a couple friends, so he figured it was 'safe' to go to Bo and Cooter's table. Tossing him the keys hadn't done him any good as he couldn't have driven with the cast on his right leg. So his only option was to go back in. At the table he order his second beer. Bo said, "She really left?" Luke glared. Bo had to have already started having a 'good' time or he wouldn't have been so blunt, "Apparently!" Cooter shot Bo a look to hush. ~~~~~~~ The band started playing. Everyone was having a good time listening to the band, talking and drinking. Bo and Luke were catching up and it appeared possibly running a race to see who could drink more faster. Both were drinking for different reasons. Bo to relax and let go. Luke to 'let go' everything for a couple hours. Eventually, the tables of friends were moved together which put Dixie and Luke at the same table though they were both into separate conversations.

Dixie spotted his curly hair and calmly said to Beth in a whisper, "Look what the cat drung in." Beth nodded. Bo and Cooter were too busy rebuilding the General Lee with something new, in their minds only, to notice Luke and Lori come in. ~~~~~~~~~~ Lori replied, "No, I have no intention of singing." When Todd got closer, she told him as much, "Todd, we are here tonight to hear the band. If I start getting pressure to sing, I want you to do what it takes to get me out of it. The last time I tried this I ended up singing all night." Todd saw the look Luke was giving him and replied to Lori, "You're the boss. It's your career." Lori asked, "Luke do you want to stay here or get a table?" Luke replied, "I see a small table open back there away from 'everybody'." They moved back away from the bar. Luke propped his bad leg up on a chair beside him. Daisy came over being her usual friendly self. She gave Luke a hug and said, "Hey there Sugar! You doing OK? I just haven't had the time to stop by. What can I get you? A couple beers?" Luke smiled and hugged Daisy back, "I'm doing better than I was last week for sure. Yeah, you can get me a beer and a cola." Daisy was so use to everyone ordering beer that she plum forgot about Lori being pregnant. She had the good graces to blush just a bit. "Oops! Sorry. A beer and a cola it is." Lori had blushed just a bit herself at Daisy's embarrassment. She said to Luke after Daisy left, "Well, that went well." Luke heard her but was looking out of the corner of his eye in a totally different dirrection. He said, "Uh-huh."

She smiled and said, "Well, just let me grab a quick shower. I hadn't realized I smelled like aftershave but I do know I'm covered with the smell of smoke and stale beer." Luke nodded. He knew he had been out of line and he was sure Cooter would da-- well let him know it too, tomorrow. He thought that after the week of frustration they had both experienced maybe a night like he had planned several hours ago would be what they needed. Lori on the other hand was having mixed feelings about Luke's possessiveness. It flattered her he cared but didn't like the 'automatic assumption' that she'd been out with someone else. He--, with her job, on any given night she could be grabbed for hug by anyone from 18 to 80 that just happened to have on smelly aftershave. They were gonna have to talk, but not tonight. She felt like a night together may help assure Luke of her intentions to be with him. She got out of the shower, towel dried her hair and combed it out. She was glad Dixie had taken both boys as she wrapped just a towel around her to cross the hallway to the bedroom where Luke looked more relaxed stretched across the bed dressed only in his boxers. As Lori sat down beside him, Luke whispered as he took her in his arms, "I'm sorry, guess I've been a little 'stir crazy' in more ways than one." He had been no further than the garage since being released from the hospital which was topped with the Doc's advice for them not to be together or risk loosing the baby. Now, he may not have planned for a fourth, he--, or even a third child, but he wouldn't do anything to endanger their safety. Lori to some extent knew Luke was right about the mutual trust between them. She had known Luke since they were little and he'd either chased or been caught by every girl in five counties. The thought struck her as funny 'that he was da-- lucky only to have four children'. Lori saw the look of passion in Luke's eyes, she whispered, hoping not to break the mood, "Doc did say for us to take it a little easy." Luke nodded as he moved her closer to him, which was far easier with the cast than moving to her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday mornings in Hazzard started a little slower than most days but if anything they started earlier. The sound of the wrecker pulling in below and the garage door opening was heard by Luke. He had been away for several minutes but wasn't ready to get up yet. Lori never even moved at the sound. Luke heard the soft sound of the radio being turned on downstairs followed by the sound of the refrigerator being opened. He knew Cooter was having his normal Saturday morning breakfast of doughnuts and beer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the Duke farm Bo and Beth were waking up from their own night of passion. Bo said, "Ya know Dixie has either been here or at the trailer since all this started with Luke." Beth replied, "Yeah." Bo decided to make a suggestion, "Why don't I talk to Uncle Jesse and after we get the little ones to bed tonight, see if he'll ride heard on the others so the three of us can go to the Boar's Nest. I saw in town yesturday they are supposed to have a band there tonight and it's not Lori's." He had felt Beth jump in his arms at the word band. Beth then say, "Well, if it's not Lori's band, I'd say I might be able to talk her into getting out for a bit." "She can't just hybernate. She's got to get out some." Bo stated. Beth replied, "I know, but you know she can be pretty stubborn." Bo nodded. Yeah he knew Dixie could be stubborn, just like the lady sharing his bed could be, but he decided NOT to say that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That afternoon, Luke looked at Lori who appeared slightly frustrated with the music she was working on. "Say, how about a break?" Lori looked up, "What do you have in mind?" Luke replied, "Like I said last night, I"m a bit stir crazy from not going anywhere. Do you think it would be 'safe' to try to go to the Boar's Nest?" He remembered the last time he suggested it, she had ended up singing all evening. "I think so. They are supposed to have a band out of Chickasaw there tonight." Luke smiled, "Good. I need a night outta here and a couple beers." Lori silently hoped it was only a couple beers. She could see her trying to get a drunk Luke up all those steps when it wasn't easy for him to get up them sober right now. "Sounds good."

Dixie took the boys to the trailer. Little Luke asked, "Who's house?" Dixie replied, knowing that it would get back to Luke, "Mine and Jesse's." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luke had been about half tempted to go with Lori to the show, but he'd over did it yesturday with a couple trips too many down the stairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile at the Boar's Nest.................

Luke looked to her and and said, "Well?" "Good news, now if I can just live." Lori referred to the trip to the bathroom. Luke said, "Well, come here and stretch out til you feel better." There ws no way she flet like telling him about the show right now. She now felt horrible but was glad she wasn't hurting just sick. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luther heard her from the garage. "She did that with Luke too." Cooter said, "Well, I know Dixie got sick some but I ain't never seen anything like Lori and BL." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie showed up at the garage about noon to get Jesse. Luther noticed that she was really showing. He worried about what Cooter had said about them thinking it could be twins.

Luke quickly made sure Lori was covered. "What is it fellas? I thought you were told to got to bed a long while ago." Little Luke said, "We were but we got thirsty." Luke knew Lori wasn't dressed. He slide out of the bed and hobbled to the kitchen to get them a drink. He tucked the boys in bed and went back to fine Lori almost asleep on his side of the bed. "Honey, can I get back in bed?" Lori moved over letting Luke in bed. She then snuggled up to his shoulder.

Luke closed his eyes and rolled over to her saying, "Yeah, normally I do. But right now, I'm tired and hurting and DON'T want to go take a shower." Lori snuggled closer and put her hand under Luke's T-shirt and continued to rub his chest....

Luke replied, "Worked better than a cold shower!" Lori said, "Let me see if I can get them headed for bed." Luke replied, "If you can't yell." He really didn't want to get up but he would. He knew Jesse 'should' listen and hoped Luke would. His mind drifted back to Dixie and the heated night that led to her pregnancy. Lori was putting the boys to bed when little Luke asked, "Mommy where do babies come from anyhow?" That took Lori a little off guard, "Ah, well, ya'll should ask you Daddy tomorrw. Ok, fellas, night night."

Luke turned about five shades of purple and said, "Ah, ..... well,.... that will be up to the girl now won't it? But, you've got a long way to go before you start thinking on a girlfriend. You know little girls like dolls and smelly stuff. They don't much care for fishin', campin', frogs and all that stuff." Little Jesse replied, "Mommy does." Luke tried to explain, "Son, that's the difference in a little girl and a woman." Luke felt daggers stick him in the back straight from Lori's eyes to his back! He tried to cover, "And, Luke your Mommy doesn't mind getting dirty in the garage or riding in the wrecker.... a lost of little girls wouldn't like getting dirty." Jesse had something else on his mind, "Daddy, I don't want to have a brover or sistur! Why did you and Mommy want want anyway?" Lori whispered set up and whispered for only Luke to hear, "Yeah, Daddy! Why?" Luke glared at Lori giving her a thanks for the support look. Little Luke jumped in, "Well, I sure don't want one!" Luke raised his eyes at Lori......

Luke decided enough was enough. He playfully rolled her over and began to give her a dose of her own medicine. He began nibbling down her neck. Lori was responding more than she'd have like to admit as her own tempature was raising. Luke continued though he was also driving himself crazy too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luther thought for a minute, "Well, if she is, we'll know soon enough." Cooter sighed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Little Jesse said, "I don't know. I'd like staying with you more than having a new brother or sister." He pouted. Little Luke asked, "You're having a new brother or sister?" Jesse nodded. "Who's gonna be it's Daddy? Luke asked. Jesse replied, "I don't know. Let's go ask Daddy." They both headed for Luke and Lori's open door.