Life Changes
Summary: Life has a way of changing sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. One Duke boy's life is going to change forever.
Rating: T- just to be safe.
Disclaimer: This was written for the sole purpose of entertainment. I lay no claim on the characters of The Dukes of Hazzard.
Welcome to Hazzard County, Y'all are witnessing a rare sight here, as a winter storm blew through the area last night and the resulting snow is outta place here in Georgia.
"Morning Uncle Jesse. "Bo greeted the family patriarch as he and Luke emerged from their room that morning for breakfast.
"Morning boys; Sit down and have breakfast, we've gotta check the barn and make sure everything is secure from the storm last night."
Breakfast was leisurely, and afterwards everyone went about their chores; including checking for damage from the storm.
Bo and Luke had just finished nailing up a couple boards that had been blown off during the storm; when a small noise from the corner caught their attention.
"What was that?" Bo asked.
Luke just shrugged, "Sounds like a whimpering pup to me."
"We ain't got any pups in the barn." That was true the last litter of puppies they had had all been given to good homes.
"It sounds like it came from the corner."
"Well let's check it out." Luke said as they moved towards the corner that the noise had come from. "Uh, Bo; I think we've got company."
"Is that what I think it is?" Bo asked in disbelief at the sight before him.
In a pile of hay was a tiny baby no more than four months old, wrapped in a pink blanket. Touching the baby's tiny arm, Luke was shocked at how cold the baby is.
"It is. And she's freezin'. Let's take her inside and try to get her warmed up."
Picking the baby up, Luke held her close to his chest trying to share warmth with the tiny baby.
"Uncle Jesse!" Bo called out as the boys entered the house.
"Would you look at that. Where did the baby come from?" Jesse asked, once he saw his elder nephew walk in to the kitchen with a tiny bundle cradled close to his chest.
"We found the lil' lady out in the barn when we were finishin' the repairs to the east side wall. Looks like somebody left her in the barn last night."
"She's as cold as ice, Uncle Jesse." Luke said feeling the cold seeping through his shirt. "I think we should take her to Tri-County Emergency."
"Daisy, why don't you get some extra blankets; we'll see if we can't get her warmed up a little." Uncle Jesse said as he placed a hand on the back of the baby's head, not liking the cold temperature of the baby's skin.
Daisy was already headed towards the linen closet to get the blankets. When she returned, Daisy placed the blanket over the baby before allowing Luke to place the little girl in her arms.
"I think maybe you're right, Luke. We'll get her to the hospital so they can get her warmed up and make sure she's not sick." Uncle Jesse said; knowing that as cold as the baby is the chances that she had pneumonia are very likely.
Without wasting a minute, the family goes outside and gets into the General Lee. Daisy and Luke in the back trying to keep the baby warm, Uncle Jesse riding shotgun and Bo at the wheel.
Once they get to the hospital, the baby is immediately taken back to be examined, Leaving the Dukes to wait in the waiting room.
After pacing the floor a few times, Luke left the waiting room and wandered down the hall to the restroom. Once inside, he locked the door behind him, before reaching into the pocket of his shirt and removed the piece of paper he had found with the baby.
Opening the note, Luke read the contents; his gaze never wavered from the words in front of him. A part of him was tempted to wad the paper up and throw it in the trash. But the logical part of him knew he should show it to his uncle.
After all if anyone would have an idea on how to deal with the information given in the note it would be Uncle Jesse.
Leaving the restroom, Luke went back to the waiting room just in time to hear the doctor explain about the baby's condition.
"…The baby suffered hypothermia, and we're running tests for possible pneumonia. We have her temperature stabilized, but a fever is slowly setting in. Had she been out there much longer, she wouldn't have made it."
"Oh no," Daisy mumbled under her breath.
"The baby needs to be hospitalized to fight the fever." The doctor continued, "Hopefully soon, the fever will break and she'll be able to recover."
"What'll happen to the baby if she gets better?" Bo asked.
"She'll probably go to the orphanage in Capital City, they're able to take care of infants better than the Hazzard orphanage can."
Most people that knew Luke would not have be able to notice the slight change in Luke's demeanor at the news of the baby's condition. But, Bo was not most people. He noticed the slight tensing of Luke's shoulders, the crinkling of his brow, and the tightening of his jaw; all signs that Luke was worried about something. But the question is what exactly that something was.