DixieDavenport

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.

Little Jesse said, "Yeah, my Daddy is your Daddy." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cooter remarked, "Well, I know she's bigger this time than last time." Luther replied, "Well, I guess that happens." "Luke said that he counted the heart beats in the hospital and he counted almost double what it should have been, but she claims that Doc said it was an echo." Luther was worried now. He wondered if Dixie would lie about it. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Lori started nibbling on Luke's neck and ear. She knew it drove him crazy.

Luke swallowed hard and said, "Lori, don't, please, huh?" He paused and then said, "When do you go back to the doctor anyway?" Lori replied............. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Luther laughed, then sobered up and asked, "What are those three, going to do with four kids?" Cooter replied, "They were lucky it's only four, Dixie thought for a minute there she was going to have twins." Luther said...

Luke could also see the boys. He wondered what it would be like in a few months with four children. If he'd get to see the four of them together. He truely wished that he could settle down with ....... sh--! he was doing it again. (He was about to say to himself with one of them, but he didn't say to himself which one!) and have all four kids together. He knew it would never happen. He saw what Lori was doing out of the boys sight, "You are doing THAT on purpose!" Lori asked, "What?" Luke said playfully, "You know da-- well what!"

Luke laid back watching through the open door, Jesse and Luke playing when he heard Lori mumble something about a good time. "What?" He had been thinking about how much they looked alike and how he'd like to have them both around each other and him all the time. Lori shrugged, "Nothing. Nothing at ALL!" Luke sighed. It was going to be a long night. He didn't think he'd need a cold shower tonight. The temperature in the room had dropped twenty degrees in the last five minutes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luther looked at Cooter hearing the raised voices above. He couldn't make out what was said but could hear them. Cooter shrugged his shoulders. Luther asked, "They always like that?" Cooter said, "Sometimes more sometimes less."

Luke sighed, "Lori, please don't get hysterical on me here. You know I care about her and sue me, we had some good times, but I'm here." Lori............ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie and Beth began to unpack things, Dixie finding some of her and Lukes things Beth looked to her with a smile, "I know you still love him." Dixie nodded, "Yeah, I do, but what good does it do me? When he doesn't love me back."

Luke sighed, "Yeah. Just thinking is all." Lori knew what he was thinking about -- Dixie. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth saw her sort of stumble, "Hey, there, 'Mom' you alright?" Dixie said, "Maybe a little tired. But, that kick took me by surprise." It wasn't much of a kick sort of a flutter but it sure felt different than Jesse had. Maybe beacuse there was two in there or maybe bacause she wasn't expecting it, but it certainly felt different. Beth said, "Well, you got this stuff packed and all today. Leave it til tomorrow to unpack it." Dixie agreed, "Ok."

Luther looked at Cooter, "What in Sam's Hill has been going on around here?" Cooter began, "I'm just trying ot stay out of the line of fire. When Dixie found out about Lori and Luke, I ran into Luke at the Boar's Nest. He was well on his way to getting really drunk. I told him he could stay here for as long as he needed. The next thing I knew Lori moved in. Then, she moved out. Luke was in the accident and she moved back in while he was in the hospital. You know it's dangerous around here with all them pregnant at the same time." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the Duke farm, Dixie had most of the stuff in her room packed. Bo had already got the power and water ran so she was ready to move in. Daisy came by the door, "When you get ready, you holler and we'll move these boxes to the truck." Dixie replied, "Thanks, you know I want to move in to our own place, but I don't want to leave ya'll." Daisy said, "You're only moving across the yard!" Dixie smiled, "I know, but I'll still miss being here."

Lori also added, "Luther isn't happy. I figure he'll be by before he leaves." Luke nodded. Lori noticed he was awfully quiet. She looked to Little Luke's room and asked, "What's Jesse gonna do? Stay tonight or go home." Luke replied, ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, Cooter and Luther were talking in the garage.

Luther asked, "What BL said earlier? Is it true your pregnant again by him?" Lori nodded, "Yes." Luther said.............

Dixie was packing a box of her things at Jesse's when Daisy called her, "Dixie, your Dad is here." She replied, "OK!" Then, mumbled to herself, "Great, just what I need." She stopped and brushed her hair a little to stall the meeting. Luther was on the porch with Jesse. They hadn't had a chance to talk any before Dixie arrived on the porch. Luther looked at her. He was no expert but she looked at least six or seven months pregnant. "Can we go for a ride?" Dixie sighed but decided to show him the trailer, "Sure there is something I want to show you." They went out to Luther's vehicle and Dixie directed him across Jesse's property. "Ain't this going to the back 40?" He asked. "Sure is." Was all Dixie said. He had to ask, "So is the baby Luke's?" "You are the second person in two days to ask that. Yes, the baby is Luke's." She said with a bit of attitude. Luther asked, "So how far along are you?" Dixie replied, "About four months. Should likely be here right around Little Jesse's birthday." He looked a bit surprised, "I would have figured you were farther along." "Thanks! Just say I'm fat!" Dixie exclaimed. Luther knew he'd stuck his foot in his mouth, "So what happened? Why is Luke in town?" Dixie replied simply, "Lori came back to town." "He knew about the baby?" Luther asked. Dixie nodded, "Yes, Doc confirmed it the day Lori came back." Luther stated, "I understand Lori is also pregnant?" Dixie replied, "Yeah. Pull right up here." She said as Luther stopped the truck. "I took what Luke pays for child support for Little Luke and I took three times that amount for Jesse, the baby and myself and put a down payment on this." Luther nodded. Yeap his daughter was a smart one. He................

Enos was still standing close by watching the events with Lori's new manager and with her and B.L. He looked like he'd just lost his best friend as he stepped closer to Luke still holding the divorce packet, "I'm sorry, Luke. I didn't want to bring those over but the Sheriff made me." Luke nodded and said loud enough for Luther to hear, "It's alright, Enos. I was sort of expecting Dixie to file them. I just wasn't sure when." Enos nodded and walked off. He hated certain parts of his job and this was one ot those parts. Luther spoke up, "So, Dixie has finally came to her scenses and is divocring YOU?" He smirked. Luke replied, "If that's the way you want to look at it." Luther asked, "So where is she?" Luke replied, "She said she'd write a note for Jesse to get off the bus here, but if you wanted her she'd be at the farm." "So she's with your family and your with hers?" Luther asked in amazement. "It's kind of complicated, "Luke said. Luther looked at BL, "Well, I gathered that when I heard what BL had to say."

Back at the farm, Dixie filled out the needed information on the forms the lawyer provided. She would take them to him early and hopefully, Luke would be served tomorrow. Jesse watched from his chair. He wished things could be different! As he did not believe in divorce.

Dixie replied, "That's fine. Cooter if you'll get Jesse off the bus I'll send a note with him tomorrow. I'll come get him or someone can run him home, that is if He doesn't talk Luke into letting him stay." She decided to just wait til tomorrow. The papers would be typed then. Her attorney would call Rosco or Enos to serve Luke with the devorce notice and his answer packet. Dixie knew she was likely being a bit evil, but thought it would be funny for Rosco to show up looking for Luke, while Luther was there, with divoce papers. But then again hey, he made his bed let him lie in it, cause when yousleep with dogs ya get fleas! She laughed for seemingly no reason. Cooter looked at his sister, "What?" Dixie replied with only a bit of a smirk left on her face, "Nothing." Cooter mumbled as he walked back around the car he was working on, "Nothing my foot." Dixie looked at Lori, "Tell Luther if he wants to see me, "I'll be at the farm. Catch ya'll later." She said going to meet Jesse and Bo at the trailer to get a list of things she needed to get in order to get the power and water hooked up.

The lawyer looked to Dixie and said, "You do understand that I have to ask some personal questions in order to do you justice." Dixie nodded, "Yes, that isn't a problem. My life is all over the County by now." The lawyer smiled to put her at ease, then said, "I see that you are having a little one. Is it your husbands?" Dixie replied, "Absolutely." He then explained, "I had to ask in case he says you were going out on him." Dixie stated, "Would it help to tell you that since before we were married, my husband has been paying child support for his first son to my cousin? And, that she is currently pregnant with his let's say 4th child." "Can you explain the 'let's say 4th child'?" he asked. Dixie sighed, "I don't want this out right now, but I am carrying twins." The lawyer asked, "The first child has his last name?" "The first child has his first and last name and I have the records of the paid child support." Dixie replied. The lawyer took a deep breath and said, "Ok, I'll need you to fill out these forms with your marriage date, full names, place of marriage, owner property, income etc.... When you get them back we'll type it up and serve your husband for him to fill out a response. After he replies, we'll get a court date. If everything is settled easily that date, the divocre will be final in 30 days." Dixie nodded and took the papers in her shaking hands. This was possibly the hardest thing she'd ever done. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luke sat back down and calmly said as he reached for the phone, "What's Luther's number?" Lori exclaimed, "Oh he'll just LOVE this whole thing. Not just the Ricky thing but US!" Luke replied, "Yeah, don't I know it!" He dialed the number. Luke had 'dealt' with or attempted to deal with Luther when Dixie was 16 from behind bars. They had since resolved those differences and he'd given Luke his blessings and told him not to hurt Dixie six years ago when she returned to Hazzard. Though they had managed to get off to a rocky start after less than 24 hours. Luke had owned up to the situation with Lori. Paid the price for the fight with Ernie Ledbetter and breaking Lori out of jail for breaking him out of jail. Seeing his niece hurting rather than his daughter, Luther had went on the road with Lori to Nashville and helped her find a manager to insure the record label was on the up and up. Luke knew she had the new deal signed. They wouldn't drop her because she didn't have a manager or had a different manager. "Luther, this is Luke Duke." "Luke I trust Dixie and the boy are well? Have you seen Lori and little Luke?" Luther asked eagerly, thinking that Luke could only be calling about Dixie. "Well, Grandpa is there any way you can meet me at the garage in the next day or so? I'll arrange to have both boys here and we may have a bit of news for you too. I'd also like to talk to you about Lori's manager. That guy rubs me the wrong way." Luke gave enough deatils to get Luther there without giving too much information out over the phone. "Well, let me see, I can be there about noon tomorrow." Luther said. Luke said, "The kids get out of school at 3, but we can talk til then." Luther said, "Deal. See ya then son." Luke replied, "Yeah, .... ah, ..... see ya then."

"Ricky? What are you doing here?" Lori asked. Luke had his leg proped up on the couch in the living room and could see the door. "Ricky, old buddy. Come right on in." Luke said far friendlier than he felt. Lori looked back at Luke with a questioning look. Luke was smiling. But, he didn't appear happy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie walked into the office of the local attorney. His office was never crowded. He was usually used for land or other transactions more so than legal advice. "Is Mr. Walls in?" The young lady replied, "Yes, have a seat and he'll be right with you. What's the nature of your visit?" Dixie replied, "Information concerning a divorce." The young woman looked at her obvious state of pregnancy, but didn't say a word. Then, she said, "I just need you to sign in." Dixie noticed the raised eyebrows when she glanced at the tablet Dixie signed in on. She obvious knew she was married to Luke and had likely heard the rumors.

Luke's last thought before going to sleep was it was going to be a LONG pregnancy for him! He had been glad to get in the shower though the water was a bit on the cold side. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie was glad to actually have a house of her own even though it needed porches, water and power yet. It had came largely furnished and she was thankful for that also. She also planned to go to town and talk to the local attorney to see about starting the divorce. If Luke didn't want her then she da-- well didn't want him or so she tried to tell herself as she drifted off to sleep.