BoJamesDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Daisy did the same, walking happily and silently next to him. Just walking along with her eldest cousin in the peace and quiet in the soothing rain was enough to keep her happy. If Luke wanted to talk then she knew he would start it, if not, she was just as content to keep the silence and just wander through Hazzard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 As was custom, Luke didn't say much. His mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts, most of which he had already voiced to Daisy. There seemed to be no need to continue. Besides, it was enough just to be outside with Daisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 They continued to just walk in the rain, sometimes under the shelter of the trees, sometimes just down the deserted back roads. Sometimes it was just nice to see the place you lived in in another way. In this case, slowly instead of racing around in a car without sirens blairing behind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 "We better head back," said Luke eventually. He turned around and started back towards the farmhouse still holding Daisy's hand in his own. A low rumble sounded across the hills. "And fast." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Daisy looked up at the darker than usual sky, nodding a little."Yeah guess we better had..." she said softly, heading back with him, not overlooking the fact that Luke still held her hand protectivly in his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Half-walking, half-running they hurried through the rainstorm. A loud crack of lightning sounded above them. The sound, as it always did since he came back from Nam, made Luke jump inside his shirt but he only squeezed Daisy's hand tighter as they ran towards the farmhouse, rain now pouring down on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Daisy hurried with him, noticing the change in him as the lightning cracked across the sky and the rumble of thunder sounded not too long after. The squeeze on her hand told her more than Luke ever would...that he was scared and she could almost feel the pulse in his wrist racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Luke had never told anyone about Nam, about the things he went through, no one that is except for Bo, and even then many of the things he shared were watered down, like Boar's Nest beer, because Luke didn't like to hurt anyone without a good reason, intentionally or not.As such no one knew why the sound bothered him so much; no one could see him swallow hard in the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Daisy didn't say a word, not wanting to make Luke uncomfortable or make him act wierd around her by asking what was so frightining now about something he used to - when he was a kid - find so facinating. When they were younger, Luke didn't like school as many kids didn't. But it wasn't because of the work load, it was simply because he was bored. He didn't need to go over things for weeks to understand them, he could have his homework done in ten minutes and still have time to help Bo with his within the same hour. He got bored eaisly so channeled that boredom into more fun activities...like filling Hughie Hogg's locker with water balloon's, helping Enos with the kids that picked on him, playing pranks on the teachers with Bo and teasing Daisy about guys she liked.But if there was one thing Luke wasn't, it was dumb. He used to revel in finding out new things, liked to study and work at things that captured his attention. Like his Uncle teaching him how to use the farm equipment, drive the tractor, learn to drive. He used to always ask his Uncle questions about the world around them, how things worked and why things occured. But as soon as he came back from Nam, all that stopped. It was like Luke had shut away that interest in understanding things instead of being afraid of them. In many ways, out in Nam, Luke had learned exactly what fear was and why there were reasons to be afraid of it...or so he thought. Daisy thought in reality Luke just associated bad things with the things he used to understand...and yet he would never talk about it like he used to do. Instead he kept things locked away inside his head..not sharing his fear with anyone and not letting anyone help him understand that it was no longer something to be afraid of.Daisy missed that about her cousin, missed his hunger for wanting to explore and discover...upset that instead of going out and doing all the wonderful things in the world he could be doing, he was leashed to Hazzard County by a probation he should never have really gotten, fighting each day to keep out of prison because of his probation and the underhanded schemes that threatened to break it...using his keen mind to figure ways for his family to get out of trouble instead of making a proper life for himself.In a lot of ways, Daisy still mourned for the life Luke could have had if the government and Nam had never taken it away. But never would she let on to Luke...and only once had she ever really spoken to Bo about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 By the time they reached the porch rain was pouring down in a full-fledged storm. With each boom of thunder, Luke's insides quaked, his heart racing all the more. "Well...we...escaped ...the worst...of it..." he said trying to catch his breath as his heart thumped madly. "Guess...I'm outta shape..." he made excuse.Outta shape...what a sorry excuse that sounded like, even to Luke. He knew that physically he was in his prime. Between the conditioning he had received in Nam and the daily routine of farmwork, Luke was more muscular and in shape than he had ever been. He hoped that Daisy accepted the lame excuse for his panting...for his pounding heart...because although he loved Daisy like his sister, there were things that he doubted she and Bo would ever understand... and his time in Nam was one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Daisy looked up at him as he said it, nodding a little as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist softly."Yeah...gotta lay off them pancakes in the mornin huh?" she said jokingly, just playing along with what she knew Luke wanted her to believe although the muscles quivering and tense under her arms told a different story altogether. Besides, she didn't need Luke's pounding heart to know he was scared when he made such lame excuses like that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 "I guess," he said shakily. "S'yer fault...for cookin' so good." Her arms felt nice around his waist as he hugged her back in return. His heart was still thumping so loud he was sure that she could hear it, but he said nothing about it. Instead he opened the door, once he could do so without his trembling hands giving away his nervousness, and held the door open for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Daisy nodded a little, murmuring a soft apology, squeezing him just a little more as he opened the door before heading inside quietly. Whether or not she could say it out loud to him, she hoped Luke knew she'd always be there to just listen or walk quietly through the rain with. That's what family did, that's what brother and sister did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Luke led her quietly inside, their uncle being away at Old Mr. Perkins' place helping to birth a cow. "You best go get dry..." he said, looking back out the window, not really wanting to go back out in the storm but knowing he should check the stock. "I need to make sure the barn is tight..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Daisy nodded a little as she looked back at him from the lounge."Make sure you come in soon an' dry off though...last thing we need is you gettin' sick on us an Zack..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 "Be as quick as I can," promised Luke, as he took a deep breath and opened the door back up.Lightning continued to flash across the sky, thunder rumbling low. He gulped and hurried to the barn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 With that, Daisy nodded and went to her room to get some clothes out, going to the bathroom to take a quick warm shower before Luke got back in so he could have a turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 In no time at all Luke had the barn sorted and was bak inside the house. He locked up too, but left the porch light on for Bo, just in case. e then stood in front of the fire trying to warm himself and rid his mind of the things he was thinking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 It wasn't long after Luke came in that Daisy stepped out the bathroom dressed in her nightclothes and robe, her damp hair trailing down her back. She smiled a little as she saw Luke standing by the fire...although it wasn't really a happy smile...it was more a sad one. Seeing Luke standing there like that made him look like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, made him seem far older than he should look.Sighing gently, she stepped forward and rested a hand on his shoulder gently."Luke...I know you don't like talking about what happened...but if you ever just...want to get it off your chest or...just need someone to listen while you talk about it...me, Bo and Uncle Jesse are always here...we're not afraid Luke...and we're not children anymore. We won't leave or distance ourselves...we just want you to be happy..." she said softly as she moved her hand to rub his back a little before pulling away and saying quietly as she headed to her room."The shower's free...I left enough hot water for you...please don't stand there trying to dry in front of the fire..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Luke bit his lip as he felt her hand, and listened to the soft words. "Thanks Daisy," he said quietly turning to go into the bathroom himself.In his mind though, sharing some of the things that bothered him just wasn't an option. Heck,telling them about Zack and what he wanted to do had upset the happy family enough...he wasn't about to make it worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Daisy nodded a little at the thanks before going into her room and shutting the door quietly. Hanging her robe up, she carefully slipped between the warm sheets of her bed and just lay looking out the window up at the moon and the stars as she cuddled a toy to her stomach gently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Luke emerged from the show half hour later, his hair a mass of tight, wet curls, wearing only his boxers as he dried off with a fluffy towel, before going to his room and slipping under the warm blankets.He stared at the ceiling and wondered what Bo was doing, and thought about the things Daisy had said. Did Bo really feel that he was being replaced by this little homeless boy? And what about the whole circumstance with Judd? Why is it that he was just now finding out? Didn't Bo understand that he was Luke's brother more than Judd could ever be?He wondered if, right now, Zack was sleeping or if, like Luke, he was lying awake thinking about things. He smiled a little imagining what the little boy must look like when he slept, imagining him hugging George close as he did.Just then a loud crack of thunder shook the house, causing Luke to cling to the sheets white knuckled. He never used to be afraid of storms...not until Nam... He wasn't in Nam now though...he had a roof above him...Jesse and Daisy nearby...he was home, he told himself. No need to be afraid. He wasn't cold under the warm blankets, but his body still shivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Daisy sighed softly as she watched the rain drops splatter on the window, watching the patterns the falling raindrops made on the cool glass, not able to fall asleep while it was going on and also because she too had too much to think about.Zack meanwhile was sitting back at the window, curled up with George. He liked thunderstorms, watching the lightning light up the sky and hearing the thunder rumble like the voice of the giants in some of his stories. His dad had once held him through the night as they watched the thunderstorm together by his bedroom, his mom making hot cocoa to keep them warm. Watching it made him feel a little closer to them...whereever they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyMaeDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Luke yawned, his eyes beginning to close. It had been a long day...and it was starting to catch up with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJamesDuke Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Eventually Daisy was doing the same and fell asleep to the sound of the pattering rain on her window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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