HORRENDOUS MIX-UP
CHAPTER 12
GOOD-BYES
A/N - Hello everyone! I'm sorry I've gotten so far behind in everything. Thanks for the reviews, and see the longer a/n at the end of this chapter. Take care!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
This wasn't the way Luke Duke wanted to spend his last day home. If Bo had gotten his way, this wouldn't have been his choice, either. Yet, things had spiraled out of control and there wasn't much that could be done about it.
Cooter and some of Luke's other friends had planned a send-off party for the Marine at the Boar's Nest. The problem was they hadn't told anyone, including the guest of honor, until the last minute. By then, it was too late, and while he could have thought of better ways to spend his last few hours, Luke couldn't very well hurt their feelings.
Bo was scheduled for his follow-up appointment with his regular physician, Doc Appleby. He wanted his uncle to re-schedule it or to cancel it entirely, saying he didn't need it, but Jesse wouldn't. Luke wanted to go with them, but couldn't. The appointment time coincided with the party. So Luke and Daisy went off to the Boar's Nest, and Jesse and Bo promised to meet them there shortly. Both boys were being dragged somewhere that they didn't want to go.
"I'm sorry," Amos Appleby said to his patient and his guardian.
Jesse Duke sat in the chair staring at his long-time friend while Bo looked down at the floor. "Are you sure?" the older man asked, unable to believe that a follow-up visit could result in such drastic news.
"Yes Jesse, I'm positive. When Bo was in the hospital, Doctor Brady noticed some areas of concern. He had the tests ran, twice, just to be sure. He forwarded the results to me, and they are conclusive."
"So, what do we do now?" Jesse asked, with a crack in his voice.
"Well, we put together..." That was as far as the country doctor got before Bo interrupted him.
"Can we do this later?" Bo asked. Seeing his uncle and his doctor looking at him dumbfounded, he continued. "Look, Luke's waiting for us at the Boar's Nest. This is his last day home. I want to spend the time with him. It ain't like we're gonna do anything right this minute, anyway, and I doubt it ain't gonna hurt nothing to wait a couple days. Will it doc?"
"Well no, probably not, but we can't wait too long, Bo."
"Yeah, I understand that, but just not today."
If Jesse hadn't been in shock, he would have given Bo a lengthy and gruff speech about his foolishness. He was in shock, though, and couldn't articulate his thoughts if his life depended on it.
"Jesse, it's ok. Tell ya what, come back day after tomorrow. That way you can see Luke off, and then we can concentrate on this, okay?"
"Is this really ok, Amos?" Jesse asked.
"Yes," the doctor nodded, rising to his feet to mirror his impatient patient's actions.
Bo found himself having to help his uncle to the truck as he seemed to have aged ten years in ten minutes. He would have offered to drive, but Jesse climbed in behind the wheel first leaving Bo to the passenger seat. Jesse started up the engine and pulled the truck out of it's space. It wasn't until after he'd driven a couple of miles that he noticed his baby staring out the window. He'd been so taken off guard and lost in his own thoughts that he had forgotten all about Bo. Reaching over, he laid a hand on the blonde's shoulder.
"Bo..."
"Uncle Jesse, you can't tell Luke," Bo said in a voice that sounded calmer than Jesse felt.
"What? I ain't never lied to you kids, and I don't plan on starting now."
"I ain't asking you to lie. I'm just saying that you can't tell him. Shoot, even if it is lying, you gotta do it anyway."
"Bo..."
"No listen," Bo instructed, taking a firmer tone than Jesse Duke would normally allow one of his young-ins to speak to him with. "If you tell Luke, it's only gonna upset him. He could get distracted, and that could get him killed!"
"But...,"
"Please!" Bo begged.
Jesse sighed, understanding that there was a lot of truth to Bo's words, though he didn't like it one little bit.
Seeing that he had his uncle at a disadvantage, Bo pressed on. "Please, Uncle Jesse, you know I'm right. I couldn't handle it if something happened to Luke cause of me!"
That comment hit a nerve for the Duke patriarch. If they told Luke, he would be upset and that wasn't a good thing to be when one was fighting each minute just to stay alive. He also knew that if he went against Bo's wishes and something did happen to his cousin, Bo would give up on himself. He hated the deception, but both of his nephew's lives depended on it. Giving in, he agreed. "Okay Bo, I won't tell him."
"Thank you," his youngest said as they pulled into the Boar's Nest where the party was already in full swing. Taking a deep breath, he climbed out of the truck, going over to the driver's side door to help his uncle. "Ya ok, Uncle Jesse?"
Old eyes looked at young ones, thinking how ridiculous of a question that was. He was supposed to be taking care of Bo, and instead Bo was taking care of him. His eyes filled with tears as he pulled Bo into his arms. "I love ya, son."
"I love ya, too," Bo replied, biting his lip to keep his own emotions in tact. He couldn't break down, and he couldn't let his uncle, either, or Luke would surely know that something was wrong. "C'mon on now. We gotta go inside, and you gotta act as normal as possible, though in Hazzard, who knows what that really is!"
The older man had to chuckle at his nephew's accurate observation. Somewhere along the way, his baby had grown up in a lot of ways, showing a strength he never thought he'd see from his youngest. "Yeah, c'mon," he said, patting Bo on the back.
Luckily, by the time they walked in, most of the crowd had been enjoying beverages with some type of alcohol in them. Though watered down, they still had enough of an effect to have everyone in a festive mood and not quite as observant as they might otherwise have been.
"Uncle Jesse! Bo!" Cooter called, meeting them as they stepped inside and slapping the blonde on the back.
"Hey Cooter!" Bo replied, giving him the most sincere smile he could muster.
"Cooter." Uncle Jesse acknowledged the family friend by saying his first name and nodding, not trusting his voice to say anything more.
Cooter raised an eyebrow when he wasn't reprimanded for using the title of 'uncle.'
Luke got off his stool and went to meet the rest of his family. He'd been watching the door for them ever since he'd arrived. Though grateful to his friends, it was his family that he really wanted to be with. "Hey! How'd everything go with Doc Appleby?"
"Fine!" Bo said, sensing his uncle's eyes upon him.
Luke had always been sharp, and he hadn't missed the not so subtle glance. "You sure?"
Bo breathed a sigh of relief, being saved by one of the Hazzard locals.
"Come on, honey! Dance with me!" the black haired girl demanded, whisking Luke away.
Bo and Jesse let Cooter escort them to two stools that had been saved. Daisy was behind the bar, ensuring that everyone had drinks. The owner, Boss Hogg, had been trying to get her to come work for him as a waitress since the day she had graduated, but the Dukes and Hoggs were on opposite sides. She always claimed that 'pigs would fly' before she'd work for him, but that day, the bar was short handed and the party was for her cousin.
"Hi Uncle Jesse! So Bo, did Doc Appleby give you a clean bill of health, sugar?" she asked her cousin, reaching over and ruffling his blonde tuft.
"How bout something to drink, darlin?" Bo asked, trying to subtly change the subject.
Daisy nodded, grabbing a beer mug which she slid under the spicket while her other hand pulled it forward. As the glass filled to the top, Daisy's eyes darted between Jesse and Bo. Luke always got the credit for being smart, but Daisy Duke wasn't dumb. She had noticed that her baby cousin hadn't answered her question, and she couldn't help but think that Uncle Jesse didn't look quite right. Setting the beer in front of her uncle, she poured a cola for her under-age cousin.
"Thanks, Daisy," he told her, taking a big gulp before allowing himself to be led in Luke's direction by another Hazzard lovely.
Walking out from behind the bar, she planted herself next to Jesse. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she asked again if everything was all right.
"The Good Lord always looks after us," he replied solemnly. He just couldn't bring himself to lie to anyone in his family.
The cryptic message told Daisy that something was wrong, but that her uncle wasn't willing, ready, or able to discuss it at the moment. Considering where it was they had been that afternoon, she could only guess that it had something to do with Bo. Knowing better than to push, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. He reached up and patted her back in response.
Jesse was watching his nephews dance with partners that had selected them. Both his boys were young, vibrant, and good-looking. Members of the opposite sex were attracted to them. Luke was in the prime of his life, and Bo wasn't far behind, only having one more year of schooling left. They should have had their whole lives to look forward to. Lives that including taking over the family business, finding the loves of their lives, getting married, and raising families. Instead, each of them was preparing to do battle with an enemy that couldn't always been seen.
Bo was doing his best to have a good time, trying to look as cheerful as possible. Concentrating on a pretty girl normally wasn't difficult for the young man, but today he couldn't keep his mind from wandering.
Luke wasn't having much better luck. His eyes kept darting between his baby cousin and the rest of his family. Bo looked happy enough, but there was no denying the somber look on his uncle's face or the way that Daisy was clinging to him.
Relieved when the dark haired girl finally got tired of being ignored and left him standing alone, he tried to make his way back to the bar. It was impossible, as someone or something prevented him from getting too farwith each step. As the guest of honor, it wasn't unusual, but it was annoying.
The party hadn't been planned to last so late, but more and more people kept arriving. Many brought food with them, turning the afternoon get together into an all out dinnertime extravaganza. Time dragged on. Finally, it was Luke that announced he really had to go. He hadn't finished packing, and he was leaving early in the morning.
Bo knew that his cousin had questions, and he feared that his uncle just might reveal something that he didn't want him to. Shocking everyone, Bo suggested that Luke ride home with Daisy while he went with Jesse. Luke's time in Hazzard was now being counted in hours, and anyone that knew Bo would know that he wouldn't have allowed himself to be separated from his cousin without a very good reason.
"Daisy, do you get the feeling that something's going on?" Luke asked.
She did, but she didn't know what to say. Not wanting to alarm her oldest cousin without hardcore proof, she tried to think of some reasonable explanation. "I think everyone's just upset about you leaving tomorrow. I think Bo's trying to act big and strong when he's feeling anything but."
Luke nodded, thinking about her words. While they were possible, he really thought there was more to it than that.
Meanwhile, in the truck, Jesse was watching Bo carefully. "How ya doing, kiddo?"
"I'm ok, Uncle Jesse," Bo responded, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
When they reached the farmhouse, Jesse announced that he was going straight to bed, saying that he was tired and morning was going to come early. Bo breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his uncle retire to his room. With him tucked away in the far corner of the house, his secret was safe.
Keeping up the pretense, Bo helped Luke pack. Trying to keep himself together, he chattered like a chipmunk, preventing his cousin from changing gears. That alone was enough to put Luke on high alert. The night before he left last time, Bo had been very quiet and very sad. This chipper Bo wasn't normal.
"Bo, did something happen this afternoon?" he finally asked, when his baby cousin ran out of air.
"Yeah, I should say so. We had the best party ever! You sure have a lot of friends."
"Bo, that's not what I meant and you know it!" Luke snapped. "I get the feeling that you're not telling me something...something important."
Bo wanted to say something witty, something funny, but he made the mistake of looking Luke square in the eye, and suddenly he just couldn't. "I don't want you to go," he whispered.
Whatever else was going on, Luke knew that the admission was true. Thinking that maybe Daisy had been right, he pulled Bo to him. "I don't want to go," he whispered back, holding his cousin as he felt the boys' reserves slipping away. The last time he'd left, Bo had been a child, not thinking twice about showing his feelings or fears. The present Bo was somewhere between child and man, having the same feelings as a child, but trying very hard to act like a grown up. By the time Luke got home in two years, Bo would be a man. Luke suddenly realized that he may never witness anything like this again from his cousin, and while he hated being the source of his pain, he relished what could be his final moments with the Bo that he'd grown up with.
Once Bo started crying, he couldn't stop. He didn't have to try, assuming that Luke believed it was solely attributable to his imminent departure. Not thinking twice about a ritual they'd performed thousands of times, Luke squeezed himself into Bo's twin bed alongside his cousin.
In terms of age, Luke may have been an adult with Bo not far behind, but in those fleeting minutes, they reverted back to the Bo and Luke Duke of yesterday; nothing more than kids, and both of them scared.
Going back and forth between tears and talking, sleeping was the furthest thing from their mind. Realizing that they may never see each other again, resting wasn't a top priority. Reminiscing about the past and discussing plans for the long range future, neither wanted to dwell on the present and the upcoming two years that awaited them. Bo, however, was more determined to steer clear of that subject, only increasing his cousin's apprehension. The time went too quickly, as four eyes constantly glanced over at the clock whose hands were moving too fast toward the moment both were dreading.
Uncle Jesse tapped on their door, announcing what the boys already knew; it was time to get up. He wanted to send Luke off with a big breakfast, doubting that his eldest would see another good meal for twenty four months. He doubted that any of them would be blessed with hearty appetites that morning, but he needed to keep some hint of normalcy around the homestead that he doubted would ever be normal again.
After watching his kids pick at the food he had prepared for them, he informed them that it was time to go. They were driving Luke back to the base where Cooter had picked him up a lifetime ago, and it was several hours away. The military didn't expect punctuality, they demanded it, and if Sgt. Duke wasn't back on time, he might as well run away to Canada; he'd be listed as AWOL just the same. Jesse slid behind the wheel, not surprised that all three of the kids opted to sit in the bed of the truck. Jesse watched the odometer tick off the miles as the clock continued to tick off the seconds. Before they knew it, Jesse's pickup was parked in front of the large, gated compound. The civilian Dukes couldn't go any further.
Luke grabbed his duffel bag as the members of his family watched him. Hugging his uncle and female cousin, he told them that he loved them and told them that he'd see them in a couple of years. Turning to Bo, he used his free arm to grab him around the shoulders, leading him away from the others. Their goodbye needed to be private.
"Bo, I want you to keep up with your school work. I know you don't like it, but you've only got one year left, and I expect you to graduate." When his cousin didn't reply right away, he continued. "Don't make me take back your graduation present."
To that last remark, Bo had to grin "You could try," he told him.
"And keep looking for those parts. If you find something, buy it. I trust your judgement, and you're on the account now, too."
"Okay, Luke."
Turning Bo to face him, he looked up into the downcast blue eyes. "Bo, I will be back. I promised you then and I'm promising you now, I will come back, alive. Trust me?"
"Always," Bo whispered.
"It'll be over before you know it, and if you need me, I'll always be here," Luke said, laying his hand over Bo's heart. "We're blood brothers, forever."
"I know, Luke. And, I'll always be with you, here," Bo told his cousin, mimicking his gesture.
Luke's eyebrows shot up. It wasn't so much what the blonde had said, but the way he had said it that instilled a sense of worry in him. As he opened his mouth to inquire, a voice from within the compound bellowed through the air.
"Duke, you got two minutes to get your butt in line-up or it'll be mine."
"I love you, Bo," Luke said, grabbing his cousin for dear life.
"I love you, too, Luke. Always remember that," Bo said, clinging to his cousin.
With more strength than he knew he had, Luke slapped Bo on the back than made a dash for the entrance, yelling and waving goodbye at his family. He was let inside where he continued to rush to a building off to the side.
Bo ran to the fence, grabbing on to the chain links and watching his cousin hurry away. He saw Luke pause when he reached the door, looking back at him one final time before disappearing from view.
"Bye Luke," he whispered. He knew in his heart that Luke would keep his promise and return. He was just grateful that Luke hadn't made him promise that he'd still be there when he did. "I love you, cousin. Always remember that."
The End
A/N - Please read on before you alert me about this. It is not a typo or an error. The mix-up has been sorted out so this really is the end of this story. I intended on doing a sequel, but now I'm not so sure if I should keep going or not, so I've decided to let you guys decide whether there should be a follow-up to this. This one was a lot of fun, and fairly easy to write. Much to my surprise, I've had a lot of readers that seemed to enjoy it. My fear is that a follow-up will probably pale in comparison. I think you already get the jist of the story, and I guarantee there's not that much action or cliff-hangers in it, so I'm not sure if anyone wants to read it. It'll probably be a tear jerker. I also don't want to cause anyone any undue stress or health related issues. So you tell me!
A big thank you to all of you who have stuck with this story, and for all the kind words. I entertain all kinds of suggestions (get your minds out of the gutter!) within reason, of course, so if you have any or have any ideas for a story, let me know. This is my second fic so I still consider myself to be a novice. Anyway, I appreciate all of you and look forward to hearing your final thoughts.