The First Dinner
"KK knows that both you and Matt are here for dinner. I'm sure that she's expects something to happen, but I don't think she knows exactly what. I also need to update you on what has happened since KK was in school today.
I was about ready to leave the school with KK in tow when Daisy called me. She told me that the hospital was trying to reach me because Luke needed emergency surgery because he had a condition called hydro…" Uncle Jesse tried to pronounce it but couldn't remember what exactly it was.
"Hydrocephalus," Matt chimed in. "Water on the brain."
"Thank you, Matt," Uncle Jesse said. "By the way Steve, Dr. Jorgensen was impressed that she knew the term, but does a seven year old need to know that?"
"These two did a report on brain injury for a science project this year. They impressed me with it as well," Steve said, trying to deflect any blame in teaching his students as much information that he could.
"Anyways," Uncle Jesse continued, "KK went on to tell him that if it wasn't treated it could cause irreversible damage to the brain, and that the doctors had put a shunt in the brain to help with drainage."
A few minutes of silence had passed. "I'm sorry Mr. Duke," Matt suddenly said. I didn't know that by doing the science project on brain injuries would cause her so much pain."
"Matt, come here," Uncle Jesse said.
Matt went around the table to where Uncle Jesse was sitting and stood in front of him. Uncle Jesse put his hands on Matt's arm and looked him square in the eyes, "Never apologize for becoming intelligent. How were you supposed to know that this was going to happen? There was no way you could – it was just a fluke. Okay?"
Matt nodded his head yes.
"Matt, you're her best friend and best friends are supposed to always work together. That's how Bo and Luke and Coy and Vance are," Uncle Jesse said and few moments later Matt went back to where he was sitting.
After Matt sat down, Uncle Jesse continued speaking. "She's upset that we weren't able to see Luke today. The doctor said that he was still in recovery and didn't know when he would be back in the I.C.U. so they suggested that we go home. She didn't know how to take that news. I believe that was her breaking point of the news finally becoming reality to her. She was so frustrated at people telling her no or depressing news that all she wanted to do was scream her head off and run for the hills. Then after I had calm her down a bit I try telling her that the doctor knows best and then she interrupted me."
Uncle Jesse had to stop for a moment to regain his composure so he wouldn't start crying in front of everyone. It hurt that his baby girl was in so much pain and he didn't have the magic words to fix her world. There weren't any words that he could tell her that could convince her and him that Luke and Bo would be both okay. He silently prayed to God that Luke would be himself again after all this, even if it would take years to accomplish.
"What did she have to say, Mr. Duke?" Matt asked, bringing Uncle Jesse back to reality.
"I told her that the doctor knows best and she was worried about not being able to tell Luke goodbye. She felt that he would stay alive and in pain waiting for her to say goodbye. She also said she needed, if the time came, to tell him that she could survive in this world without him and that she didn't want him in pain. Now what seven year old would think of that?"
Silence. Daisy decided dinner needed to be checked and stated that it would be ready in about thirty minutes.
"I'm extremely worried about how KK will handle the news that I am inviting Coy and Vance."
"Who are Coy and Vance?" Matt asked.
"They're more cousins of KK's." Uncle Jesse had almost let it slip to them that it was Coy that had found KK so many years ago and convinced him to take her in. Not that KK ever asked about her parents, but he didn't want to have to tell her the truth about her parents. He just felt that her life was complicated enough with everything else going on that information wasn't needed at the moment.
"Okay," Matt said.
"Steve, how long did it take her to warm up to you?"
"It took a while."
"Well, yeah, after the loony toon Ms. Kingman," Matt said.
"She doesn't take kindly to strangers until she is positive that they are not going to hurt her in anyway. The plan is to be her support when I do tell her. We'll eat first and then I'll tell her afterwards. At least when she runs for the hills she'll have something in her stomach. Anyways, KK understands that the farm needs to be tended to but I don't think she's counting on the boys staying here to help out. I know she's not going to be pleased about all of this and will need time to adjust to this. This way, since you guys are here you'll know and understand the situation. All I want you guys to basically do is be her support system. Be there when she is ready to talk about what she's feeling. She'll also need someone to talk to when they're driving her nuts."
Daisy got up to check on dinner and asked for help setting up the table.
"Would you mind boys and help Daisy with getting dinner on the table while I get KK up and going."
As Uncle Jesse left the kitchen to get KK he silently said a prayer for everyone involved that the transition would be a smooth one. He also hoped KK would understand that this was only temporary and that it was necessary in order to keep the farm going.
He knew that trying to get KK up and going would be a difficult task. She had been so exhausted by the last 24 hours that she really didn't want to get up. "I know sweetie, but its dinner time and you need to eat." Still no movement from her. Uncle Jesse than picked her up and carried her into the kitchen.
When Uncle Jesse entered the kitchen with KK resting on his shoulder, Steve commented, "When you want her to sleep she won't and when she's shouldn't she does," Steve commented. "Would you like me to take her?"
"Sure if you won't mind. I can help Daisy with dinner."
Steve took her from Uncle Jesse and sat in one of the two chairs that were the closest to the back door of the farm house. KK settled herself in on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder and tried to fall back asleep.
KK had not realized that Matt had sat in the chair next to them. KK had her back to Matt and when he spoke she jumped and grabbed on to Steve for dear life.
"Hey, K. It's only Matt," Steve said and which eased the tension a bit.
Matt then repeated the story about kicking a homerun and also kicking a ball into the face of one of their classmates. He said that he felt bad about it. He continued by also saying that Steve had assigned each student two states to do reports on. One of KK's eyes opened up and gave him an evil look. "Steve picked for you. He said that you would want Michigan and Georgia. I got stuck with North and South Dakota. What's so interesting about the Dakotas?"
Steve had not wanted Matt to bring the subject of school and reports that he assigned his students to do. He had wanted to talk to KK privately about it since she struggled when it came to reading and writing. He knew that she had made tremendous progress this school year, but it was still difficult sometimes for her to put a simple sentence together.
KK sat in her usual spot which should had been Uncle Jesse to the right and Luke to the left. Instead Steve sat there which KK wasn't too sure that she liked, but it wasn't like he was trying to replace him she thought to herself. She also began to think as to why did Uncle Jesse invite them to dinner anyways?
KK didn't really listen to the dinner conversation. Everyone knew that she wasn't really pay attention to what everyone was saying because they were completely ignored when they would speak to KK. KK was lost in her own world. There had to be a reason as to why Matt and Steve were here. If no one else got the message, Uncle Jesse did. He knew that the wheels were churning in KK's head as to why he had invited Steve and Matt to dinner. At least though he was going to tell her and not keep it a secret from her. That had to win some points against the negative points that he was about to incurred for this plan.
After dinner was done and dishes were in the sink Uncle Jesse announced that he wanted to have a family meeting. He looked at KK who was at the edge of her seat. At this moment Uncle Jesse just wanted to get this over with. He really wished he could get her to understand that this was not a plan to replace the boys. He needed to this so that they could keep the land that they were living on. He also was nervous about telling her that Coy and Vance would be sleeping in the boys' room and staying with them. Who knows what kind of backlash he would get for this but she would just need to understand that it was only right for him to offer room and board for family that are willing to come and help out on the farm.
"First of all – KK you and I need to see Roscoe to talk to him about the accident," Uncle Jesse announced.
"Oh yeah," Matt said. "I have to talk to him too. We can do that together KK if you want."
"I guess so. I don't have much to say except for what I saw after the accident happened," KK responded still not sure what was happening.
"The reason why I invited Steve and Matt, KK was for your benefit."
"What do you mean my benefit?"
"KK," Uncle Jesse said, "You're not gonna be happy with me but I have to have help with the farm chores."
"Yeah, I expected that," not sure what conclusion he was going to get at.
"You have two cousins named Coy and Vance who I would like to call and see if they can stay with us and help out on the farm," Uncle Jesse said.
When Uncle Jesse said "can stay with us" he put emphasis on it so that it stood out in the sentence. This lead to KK realizing why Matt and Steve were actually over for dinner. They were here to help ease the blow that KK was receiving. "Why would they have to stay here?" she asked, as if pleading with Uncle Jesse to forgo this crazy idea.
Uncle Jesse got up from his seat at the kitchen table and walked over to where KK was sitting. Crouching down so he could be at her eye level he said, "K, I can't ask them to help and not offer them a place to stay." It hurt to break her heart because he knew that she felt that the boys' room was sacred ground but he also knew that Coy and Vance would have to sleep somewhere.
The tears were again forming in KK's eyes. She had finally put the pieces together and she didn't like the way the puzzle was looking like. "And I guess the only place that they can sleep is in Bo's and Luke's room?" KK broke away from the grip that Uncle Jesse had on her and ran out the door to get out of this nightmare.
Steve and Matt both wanted to chase her down and bring her back here but Uncle Jesse told them to let her go. "Just let her go. She hasn't been able to scream her head off about what has happened. She just needs time to be able to understand everything on her own terms. I promise you she'll be back soon."
The looks on Matt's and Steve's faces showed Uncle Jesse that neither one was convinced that KK would be okay, but they respected Uncle Jesse's decision. "Now boys," Uncle Jesse said catching both of them off guard, "I know you feel the need to go and chase her, but she's needs time to figure her feelings out. She has been hushed all day long and she needs time to scream out her own feelings. Luke told me that if she's allowed to throw what he described as a temper tantrum to relieve the pressure building inside of her then she would be okay and able to accept whatever was thrown at her. It's like she figuring something out in her own language. I believe that the severity of the situation is now just hitting her.
KK ran as fast and as far that her legs could carry her. She figured that she was a mile away from the farm. She looked from where she came from and saw no one chasing her from behind. "Finally," she whispered to herself and climb up the nearest tree she was standing to. As soon as she was high enough and hidden so no one could find her KK let the tears flow.
"Mr. Duke, do you believe that this is the best way to help KK through this?" Steve asked.
"I do. Let her come to you. Don't try and force her to talk to you because she won't."
"That's if she'll ever speak to us again," Matt commented.
"Matt, I wouldn't worry about that," Steve said.
"You're not her best friend. She'll probably think that I knew why I was invited here in the first place, knowing what the plan was all along."
"But you didn't," Steve said.
"Does it matter? Have you ever tried to get something through that thick skull of hers? She definitely has the stubbornness of a Duke."
"Boy, does she ever!" Daisy said. "I thought I was stubborn, but she has me beat and she definitely has Duke's blood running thick in her veins."
"KK is definitely one of a kind," Uncle Jesse said. She has always been bound and determined to do anything that she's wants to no matter what obstacles are in her way."
Thirty minutes later the household had been quite for some time. The only sound that could be heard was Daisy doing the dishes in the kitchen. Matt started to do his homework and Uncle Jesse was showing Steve some family pictures.
KK had climb up in the tree, making sure that no one could see her from any angle. Luke had taught her many survival skills that he was taught as a Marine and his experience in Vietnam. Being alone and away from any eyes watching her she was able to deal with this crisis in her own way. A chance to sort out her feelings about what was going on in her life. She knew that Luke would be alright. That strange feeling that always told her what would happen in the future told her that Luke and even Bo would be alright. It had never failed to tell her the truth to her yet. Granted it would be a long and bumpy road but in the end everything will be okay. She just hoped that her feeling wouldn't be wrong this time.
Matt and Steve left the Duke's after be assured that KK would eventually come home and that everything would be fine with KK. KK had ran before but she was always home before it was dark outside.
Once they left, Uncle Jesse sat on the couch and called his sister-in-law Rosetta1, where Coy and Vance were at. Since his brother Irv had leased the farm out and the lessees had hired their own hands Coy and Vance were free to come over and stay awhile with Uncle Jesse.
"Yes, Jesse I have already told both of them the situation and there willing to come over to keep the farm going. I explained that you don't want KK to know how she came to live in Hazzard until she's ready to hear it. Coy's excited in any case to see her."
"Did you explain to them about her autism?"
"Yes, I did. They're not sure how to react to KK."
"It don't matter because she doesn't know how to react to them. I told her tonight and she took off. She probably won't have a high opinion of them nor will they probably be able to speak to her for a long while. She's easy to hurt and offend."
"Do you want to speak to them?"
"Yeah, I need to explain what to expect tomorrow."
KK had lost track of time. She was in deep thought about the past two days events that she didn't even realize that it was getting dark. She knew that Uncle Jesse had to hire or ask for help for the farm. He couldn't do it all by himself but why did they have to stay at the farmhouse? So what if they were family? She knew it was being polite but she also felt they would try to replace Bo and Luke. No one could replace them – they were KK's knights in shining armor. She thought to herself, "Would life would be worth living if they didn't make it but then again life does go on."
"Hi Uncle Jesse," Coy said.
"Do you understand the situation over here?"
"Yeah"
"Coy, I've never told KK how you found her nor about her family in Michigan. She's never asked so I've never felt the need to bring it up."
"I know, I promised I won't tell her anything."
"She's upset as it is. She doesn't need another issue to compound her stress right now. Don't feel offended if she doesn't warm up to you right away. She doesn't talk to anyone until she really knows that person."
"I promise."
"What time are you two planning to be here?"
"Probably around 10 in the morning."
After Uncle Jesse said good-bye to Coy and hung up the phone, Daisy put the book down that she was reading and said, "Uncle Jesse it's getting dark and there's no sign of KK."
"Daisy, she's fine. She probably doesn't even realize it's getting dark yet. I'll go out and search for her."
Before Uncle Jesse had a chance to say something she walked to her room and shut the door to change into something.
As soon as Daisy closed her door, KK came running in from the outside, saw Uncle Jesse sitting on the couch and made a beeline for him. Uncle Jesse put her on his lap and held her as tears rocked her body.
End of Part 9
1 I know when Coy and Vance came to live with Jesse and Daisy they came from another Aunt and Uncle but I can't remember what there names were so I had to create them but it suppose to be the same Aunt and Uncle.
