DaisyMaeDuke

Hard Luck Jones

Promise Lane Hazzard Airport Cy Cobb

This time Troy didn't latch on. he just stayed higging his bear, thumb still in his mouth watching him.

Troy moaned a little behind his thumb before opening his eyes. They lit up immediately seeing Bo.

Troy's peaked face looked very pale next to his brown bear. His arm moved slightly his thumb going to his mouth and sucking it gently.

Troy was sleeping softly in his bed his little arms wrapped around his bear.

"Okay son," he said softly.

Jesse smiled and nodded softly.

"No..." sighed Jesse softly. "But ya got Luke...an Daisy..."

Jesse sighed hard knowing that he had just dropped a few pegs in the view of his youngest.

Jesse sighed. "I'll tell ya somethin else too. I kick myself every day for bein so selfish...cuz that's all it was. There I had a little tyke, needin a daddy...an' there I was...so caught up in my moonshinin an' my own agenda that..." he swallowed hard. "f it weren't for your aunt, Luke wouldn't be a Duke today. In fact, " his voice quivered. "I had driven him to the orphanage...and though he forgave me...I never forgave myself..."

Jesse sighed. "I loved him...but...but I had my doubts about bein' a parent...I ain't never been one...an suddenly I got a little one I'm responsible for...an one so sad that wouldn't hardly say two words at that."

Jesse squeezed his hand. "You know...Luke...was Troy's age...when he came t' me..." reflected Jesse softly. "An...an I felt much the same you do."

"What do you ...want...to do...in youre heart...forget your head...and what you think...what ...do you want to do...?"

Jesse looked at Bo seeing as always his baby boy. "There's ...some...choices...a man has t make...fer himself."

"You'll be there for each other...an Daisy...be the family...I taught ya t be."

Jesse looked to him looking as old as he felt. "I've been fighting a long time son....I'm tired."

Jesse looked at Bo thinking he looked even younger than he was. "Not my choice..that's up to my maker."

"Son...people wear out...just like cars do...now I had a good life but I'm tired son..."

Jesse sighed and squeezed his nephew's hand gently. "I'm an old man Bo...with an old heart."

"Now Bo...I didn't know that things...would get...so bad...I though...was just a sick fancy...that'd pass...an'...when we found out it wasn't...well...I didn't wanna worry ya...I'm sorry."

Jesse sighed. "I didn't...wanna...worry ya son...Luke...knowin...was bad...enough."

Jesse opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to see who was in the room with him. He was surprised to see Bo. "what are ya...doin here...son?"

Jesse lay in the bed resting as an IV snaked from his arm. A monitor beeped steadily.

"Room 114. Are you a family member?" she asked softly.