DaisyMaeDuke

"Well, we'll get the swelling down some...than wrap em sp the muscles have a chance to calm down..." said Luke knowingly, with the experience of a former boxer. He sat down beside him helping him adjust the ice. "So why you mad?"

"Well, we'll get the swelling down some...than wrap em sp the muscles have a chance to calm down..." said Luke knowingly, with the experience of a former boxer. He sat down beside him helping him adjust the ice. "So why you mad?"

Luke nodded though a slight sigh of relief escaped his lips. "I don't think they's broke, but hold this ice for a spell...it should take the swelling down...you can move em right?"

"Cmon...we need t get some ice for yer hands...you should know better Bo," he added softly with a fatherly tone in his voice. He led him back to the kitchen and fixed a towel of ice handing it to Bo, and sitting him down carefully looked over his hands, talking softly as if he were addressing Abi. "You don't pummel the bag for no reason. And where's Cassie? " he asked, as always quickly putting 2+2 together.

Luke stepped between him in the bag taking his gloved hand in his shaking his head. "What's wrong Bo?" he asked softly as he took off the gloves able to see that he likely damaged his hands the way he had been wearing them.

Luke frowned hearing the familiar thumping. Quietly he snapped out of his trance and went out to the barn. "Bo?"

Luke meanwhile sat in the chair still staring at the fire, remembering the many nights he and Sara would just cuddle together before it. He sniffed slightly resting his eyes as he rocked. It was days like today he felt 50.

Luke sipped his coffee as he turned going to the living room. With a heavy sigh, he sat down in Jesse's chair with his mug, staring into the fire that Sammy must have lit, just thinking over the day.

Satisfied that all his loved ones were safely asleep, he turned to the kitchen, going there and fixing himself a cup of coffee.

Sammy lay asleep on her and Bo's bed. Flowers adorned the room, as well as expensive trinkets Bo bought from his travels. he thought nothing too good for Sammy and liked her to know he thought of her when he was away.

Luke eventually tore himself away going to the other bedrooms, checking fiirst on TJ, and then on Sammy.

Luke nodded trying to look happy for Bo's sake. "Yeah."

Luke sat beside her, starting to sing the lullaby he had written just for her. If anyone had told him ten years ago that his music career would consist of lullabys about crickets chirping and doves cooing he would have said they were out of their minds. Of course, ten years ago he was a different person altogether.

Soon enough, Luke arrived home. He carried Abi into her room, laying her gently on the bed. Taking off her little boots, he carefully covered her and just stood there stroking her hair. She was a miracle-that's what she was. The doctors had told him not to expect the baby to live, but she had been born with Sara's zest for life and Luke's stubborness and had surpassed their expectations. Of course the warnings from the doctors still consumed his thoughts. She had been born so early, with so many problems. It was bound to effect her in some way... But thus far, she was fine- a healthy, beautiful six-year-old... and Luke silently vowed to do everything in his power to keep her that way.

ice

Widow Baxley Clover Crossing Hoyt Axton

Luke nodded tears welling in his eyes. "Will be."

Luke nodded a little knowing Bo didn't want to talk about the troubles any more. "Yeah," he said softly.

Tears dripped down the eldest Duke's face, not at all like having to be taken care of. He felt useless in every sense of the word.

"How?! How you gonna run...the farm...an' work...an pay a mortgage....an...an ..." he started to tremble the worry of all those things plaguing him.

"Can't afford all this...can't..." he said shaking his head.

Luke didn't notice he had left them. He didn't think about it. In fact, nowadays Luke would be the first person to tell you that his mind was elsewhere 99% of the time. And usually it was on the little girl asleep next to him.

Luke shook his head tears escaping his eyes despite his efforts to hide them. "I'm just addin'...t' the trouble," he said miserably seemingly reading Bo's thoughts.

Quietly, Luke headed back to the truck he had driven in, strapping Abi in before getting in himself and heading to the farm. It had been quite a day for both of them.

Luke nodded a little staring down at his hands, blinking so his tears wouldn't fall.