Double Duke Trouble

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. nods completely understanding those kinds of feelings,she'd felt that way when her Daddy had died a couple of weeks after a coal mine cave in and then her Mama had to be put in a hospital because she never got over the loss of her husband. Sure B.L.'s older brother L.B. had done a good job raising her but it wasn't the same as having at least one parent.

"Bo, Lord knows with all you've been through it'd be a miracle if your faith in God wasn't shaken"

Luke wraps his own arms around Daisy feeling comforted in her embrace

"Thanks Daisy I'm lucky to have ya.....I know I don't have to be strong all the time it's just usually the way it happens but I just can't right now........I know that Bo's here most of the time too and I'm hopin after Doc sends this syringe off he will be again."

Jesse looks down the hall where the soft murmuring is coming from and then out the kitchen window to the barn starting to fret wishing someone would let him know what's going on.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded and looked away again.

"Don't tell Uncle Jesse that though...."

Daisy nodded and squeezed his shoulders.

"I'm here anytime sugar...now come on we best get back 'afore Uncle Jesse starts to worry."

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. shivers dramatically at the sheer thought hoping to at least get Bo to smile

"Ya think I'm crazy enough to do that? He'd holler so loud the house'd come crashin' down around all our ears"

Luke nods standing up and taking Daisy's hand knowing that he's about to ask Daisy something that's always been hard on all of them and that was to keep something important from the Uncle.

"Do me a favor Daisy and don't tell Uncle Jesse none o' this he's worried enough and he's still worryin about Bo the last thing he needs is ta worry about how I'm takin things. I don't want him ta know about the syringe either till I know somethin from Doc Appleby either"

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded, knowing that that would be oh so very true.

Daisy gasped and shook her head, standing up pointing her finger at Luke.

"Oh no you don't! I wont tell him how your feeling, that's up to you, but dont you dare ask me to keep that syringe a secret from him Lukas Duke. Bo is his SON as far as Jesse is concerned and he has a right to know what's going on with him Luke! I will not keep that from him, no way no how."

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L sits back flat on the floor once again her back leaning against the bed just letting Bo know she's there with her presence. While trying to figure out a way to help him win the battle and get his life back completely the way it was.

Luke gives Daisy a pleading look,knowing there wasn't much chance of changing her mind when he heard his full name used. Jesse just couldn't know it wouldn't help to worry him over the syringe. His voice sounding desperate

"Please Daisy....I don't want to worry Uncle Jesse anymore we can tell him about the syringe after we see what Doc Appleby finds out. It'll just get his blood pressure up if he keeps worrying so much. Please just wait a few days then I'll tell him ok?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo rolled back onto his front and buried his face into the pillow again.

Daisy sighed.

"Luke he knows somethin' is goin' on.....don't ya think knowin' that and no one tellin' him the whole truth is gonna make his pressure go up anyway? I won't do that to him Luke, I won't."

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. leans her head back on the bed looking up at the ceiling counting the cracks still no closer to an answer to help Bo.

Luke sighs he knew that it wouldn't do any good but he had to try and get Daisy not to tell,nodding sadly he starts to walk out of the barn

"Ok you win I'll tell 'im after supper before we go to Doc's cos he'll wanna know where we're goin' and when he finds out where he'll wanna know why anyway."

Ridiculously he suddenly felt like a kid again having to own upto something as he asks

"You'll stay with me when I tell him right?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy nodded and walked forward, picking up the basket and reaching for his hand, squeezing it gently as they walked back to the house.

"Of course I will Luke, I promise."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke smiles his thanks as they cross the yard stopping at the door sighing before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"Here goes nothin"

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy nods and grips his hand again once more before letting go and entering the house, smiling gently at Jesse.

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke takes another deep breath letting it out in a woosh before looking Uncle Jesse straight in the eye doing his best to hold that gaze without looking away.

"Uncle Jesse I need ta talk to ya about somethin me 'n Bo found today when we was out ridin' around."

[BoJamesDuke]

Jesse regarded his oldest with a firm but gentle gaze, telling him that once he started with this there would be no getting out of it. If Luke wasn't telling him everything he would know. He motioned Luke into the living room, smiling his thanks to Daisy who he knew Luke had confided in first and pointed to Bo's room where B.L and Bo were.

Daisy shook her head and followed Luke, signalling silently that Luke wanted her there.

Jesse nodded silently and watched her as she leaned casually on the doorframe, watching.

"Alright....what's this about Luke."

HE said while sitting down in his armchair.

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke swallowed hard he knew once he started there was no going back and there would be no leaving anything out or he'd get the lecture of his life. Taking a seat on the edge of the couch Luke clears his throat speaking haltingly

"Well Uncle Jesse.....me and Bo decided to go race around up at Mudd Flatts and ah.....uh ya know that old abandoned cabin that Mr. Flatt has up there? Bo seen it and his mood changed from bein' happier than he's been for weeks to kinda subdued.......he wanted to go there so we did......he uh got real quiet as we went in there was uh a pool of blood and some ropes. Uncle Jesse its where them men held him."

Pulling the syringe out of his pocket and unwrapping it he shows it to Jesse

"Bo pulled this out of the stove he knew right where to find it. I want ta have Doc Appleby send it to Atlanta and get it analyzed to see what was put in it. I believe it could tell us how Bo got the chest infection maybe...."

Falling silent Luke waits for Uncle Jesse's reaction

[BoJamesDuke]

For a moment he just sat looking at the syringe in Luke's hand, taking in all that Luke had said. He didn't have a clue what to say, what to do or how to feel. He supposed he should feel angry at the boys for going up there in the first place, but it had obviously been productive for the both of them, they had come back much more at ease, much happier.

Eventually he managed to find his voice and said gruffly.

"I think its a good idea that you get it checked Luke....then perhaps we can clear this up once and fer all....but if you ever try and keep things like this from me again I will take you out to that barn and give ya a switchin'...ya ain't tooo old fer it...."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke let's his gaze fall from Uncle Jesse as he concentrates on carefully rewrapping the syringe. There's no doubt in his mind Jesse's threat is more of a promise. Debating whether or not to tell Uncle Jesse about Bo's feelings of dispair knowing Bo'll probably be mad at him if he does but Uncle Jesse's anger if he doesn't would be alot worse to bear. Still not looking at his Uncle Luke folds his hands studying them now. His words coming out in a rush

"Uh there's somethin' else ya should know......Bo's had a slight set back in his mood since we got back here. I let him help me do a few of the chores" *Luke is quick to forestall a chewing out after that statement if possible* "I was watchin him real close and he wasn't doing anything heavy. But all of it put tagether was just too much and he tripped over the chickens and fell hitting his head on tha tree. He's ok though just a goose egg sized bump on the back of his head and a small cut.....that ain't what worries me though" *looking back up at Uncle Jesse for the first time* "Bo's afraid he's gonna be sick and weak the rest of his life that this is as good as it's gonna get that he's gonna be on medicine the rest of his life ...I don't know how to help him he tole me he's just too tired to fight anymore so he's just accepted it as bein' so. That's partly why I want Doc to analyze the syringe to see if it had some disease in it like the doctor at the hospital said might could be the reason for the infection and if so maybe he can treat it better and get Bo well."

[BoJamesDuke]

Jesse immidiatly bristled when he heard about Bo doing chores but waited until Luke had finished before setting off.

"Luke! I specifically told ya not to let him do anythin' that might put him in that position! I told ya that he wasn't ready yet, ta give it a few more days! What has gotten inta yer head boy?!"

He took a deep breath, knowing in his heart that Luke meant well, that in fact in the beginnning before he fell Bo probably felt more normal, at ease with life again. He calmed slightly but sat forward and fixed his eldest with a firm stare.

"Now I ain't surprised Bo's feelin' like this....I've been expectin' it ter happen since he got taken inta hospital and I don't want you thinkin' that you's let him down. If he quits fightin' and resigns himself to this it ain't yer fault there is nothin' that you can do about it. All you can do is support him and try to show him what he's thinkin' ain't so. But under no circumstances do you even blame yerself one bit fer any of this, do I make myself clear?"

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke shrinks back a little as Jesse scolds him looking down at the floor again shame faced he knew better than to let Bo do chores. Speaking softly.

"I'm sorry Uncle Jesse,he just wants to get back to as normal as possible and chores is a part of that normalcy."

Luke listens to the rest of what Uncle Jesse has to say knowing in his head their Uncle is right it ain't his fault if Bo decides not to fight anymore but his heart is still heavy at the thought responding quietly again.

"Yes sir"

B.L. raises her head off the bed cocking it to one side trying to catch what's being said as Jesse's voice seems to ring with anger.

[BoJamesDuke]

"Now I know that this is gonna be hard on ya Luke, and i ain't gonna like seeing Bo givin' up neither. But if he says he can't do it no more, then we have ta accept that until he's ready ta fight again. It could just be that he's too tired at the moment to fight right now,."

He stood up and knelt down in front of Luke, placing his hands on Luke's shoulders and asks him to look at him.

"I know he wants everythin' to be back to normal, we all do, but takin' foolish risks to achieve that ain't gonna help none. We's just end up with the results we got today. Let him do chores, but dont let him do too much, watch when the first signs of tiredness set in and then get him ta stop....Luke....I know its difficult, we went through the same thing with ya just after you came back from 'Nam....you remember? You wanted ta do everythin' and everythin' when you's was recoverin'...but we took it slow and look at ya now...."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke nods he knows that Uncle Jessse's right that Bo's probably just tired and will be ready to fight again after a rest it's just so hard to see him give up.

Luke looks up at Uncle Jesse as he kneels with his hands on Luke's knees swallowing hard he's so dang tired of his emotions getting the best of him unexpected.

"I know Uncle Jesse it's just so hard to tell him no when he really wants to do something that he used to do. I did tell him he shouldn't be doin chores but when he looked at me the way he did I just gave in he'd been so happy all day and I didn't want to take that away by makin him feel like an invalid so I let my heart rule my head and let him do chores......" *Luke grins as he remembers his own stubborness about getting back to normal when he should have been taking it easy* "I remember how it was I started out just as stubborn and determined as Bo is to get back to normal but finally realized I had to get better first no matter how slow it was in coming."

[BoJamesDuke]

Jesse nodded gently and patted Luke's knee, standing up and ruffling his hair a little.

"The good lord has reasons for doing as he does. Sometimes they aint always clear, but reasons there are Luke. Just be prepared for whatever the outcome is of these tests....alright?"

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke stands hugging Jesse

"Yes sir I will....I think I'll go check on Bo,I may have hurt his feelings when I walked out after tryin' to get him ta keep fighting"

[BoJamesDuke]

Jesse returned the small hug, patting him on the back.

"Good Boy....B.L's in there with him too..."

Daisy smiled, Luke hadn't really needed her there at all although it was nice to think that he trusted her enough to think he did. She gently winked at him then turned back to the cooking.

It appeared that Bo had fallen asleep in the silence that had filled the bedroom, but in fact, no matter how much he wanted to, he wouldn't let himself, thinking that whenever he closed his eyes, he would wind up seeing Luke and his family dead again....

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke nods and heads back to the room he's shared with Bo all their lives,not hearing any noise coming from within he opens the door quietly to find Bo seemingly asleep and B.L. staring at the ceiling. Nudging her foot with his own Luke asks quietly when B.L. looks at him

"He asleep?"

B.L. shrugs her shoulders standing to stretch she'd been sitting in the floor for forever it felt like. As she stretches her hands above her head the tanktop she was wearing came up showing her stomach slightly. Luke feeling better after talking to Uncle Jesse reaches out and tickles the exposed skin causing B.L. to step back quickly as she stifles a squeal.

"I'm gonna go help Daisy with the rest of supper"

She pats Luke on the shoulder as she passes on the way out the door,finding Uncle Jesse in the livingroom reading his newspaper as she continutes on into the kitchen.

"What can I do to help Daisy?"

Luke sits down on the side of Bo's bed just watching him a minute before speaking hoping Uncle Jesse is right and Bo will fight again but if not Luke is prepared to just be there for his 'brother'.

"Bo you asleep?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy smiled and looked up at B.L

"Could you set the table? Its almost done now..."

Bo shook his head

"No I ain't."

[B.L. Davenport]

"Sure"

B.L. gets the things from the cabinets and drawers,setting the table and then putting the milk from the fridge in the center of the table.

Luke turns slightly to face Bo

"Listen Bo I'm real sorry I walked out on ya earlier. I just ain't used ta hearin you give up on somethin and I didn't know how to deal with that. I talked to Daisy though and got my head back on straight,I just want ya to know that I'm here for ya cousin no matter what."