Chapter 36: The First Few Hours as Man and Wife
The men all helped to put the chairs that had been arranged in front of the archway for the ceremony back around to the tables for the reception. Pauline was busy seeing to the food and had all of her helpers that she'd recruited place the dishes out for the guests. Fortunately, she was well practiced in feeding the large family for the annual meal. The additional guests did not cause any real difficulties for the matriarch of the family. After all, once you get past a certain number of folks sitting down to the dinner table together, a few more doesn't really make much difference.
As that was being done, the family and friends walked up to the newlyweds and offered their congratulations to them. Both Kim and Bo were surrounded by the well-wishers but somehow, Cooter got to the head of them and, being Cooter, had to tease the youngest Duke Boy just a bit.
"Buddy Roo, I'll tell ya. I never in a million years thought that you'd go through with it. Marryin' a doctor no less. I guess you finally found a way to look forward to havin' a physical now." Cooter winked as he chuckled. Kim blushed a bit but laughed along with the mechanic and her new husband. "In fact, I noticed I ain't been in for a checkup in a while." Cooter bounced his brows up and down suggestively.
"I'll make sure that I pass that along to Kim's Uncle," Bo said only half joking. Next was Enos who had come for the wedding.
"Congratulations, Bo. Kim, you too. It was great ceremony."
"Thanks, Enos," Kim said as thanked the deputy.
"Enos, you joinin' us for the reception? There's plenty of food," Bo asked before he saw that Enos was staring at where Daisy was talking to Darcy.
"I don't think so, Bo. Thanks for askin' but I really need to head on out to my folk's farm. They're waitin' on me to start the meal. I just wanted to come over a give ya my best."
Enos gave his trademark smile before heading on off to where he'd parked his car. Kim sort of felt sorry for him. He'd been pining away for Daisy for as long as she'd known him. Sometimes, things just don't work out the way you wished they would. Feeling a squeeze on her hand, Kim turned her attention back to Bo and their families that still encircled them.
Jesse was watching his nephew with eyes just a bit misty from across the yard as Bo joked with his friends and the family who had just witnessed the impossible. The baby boy of the family had gotten married. And to someone who would be good for him, too.
"This family's changed a lot in just four years, hasn't it?"
Jesse turned to see his youngest brother coming up to him. "Who would have thought that we'd have three weddings in that time frame?"
"I certainly wouldn't. But it sure is good to see them all so happy. It's funny though, the way Jebb always has been big on talk like the rest of his cousins; he still hasn't gotten used to being affectionate in front of folks. If his mother or I walk in on him just nuzzling Kira, his face practically goes red from embarrassment. He's a lot like his momma like that. Can't stand the thought of gettin' caught," John shared with his brother.
"He always wanted to keep up with the rest of the boys but, in that area, he was just seemed a bit more reserved. It's only right, I suppose considerin' that Pauline has always been like that too from what I remember you tellin' me when ya'll were first married. Jebb learned from his momma." Jesse and John chuckled at the mere thought of a reserve Duke Boy. Even slightly. "Shoot, I can't tell you how many times I caught Bo or Luke in the barn with one girl or another. Now, Bo, he always seemed a bit proud of himself even though he knew that he'd be gettin' switched for it. Durin' his teen years, he was downright bold when it came to bringin' girls around."
John laughed as he remembered the countless hours that they'd discussed all of the boys over the years. "Guess he figured he'd better make it worth gettin' the switch for it. Though he wasn't the first Duke Boy to get caught in the barn."
"I don't know what you're talkin' about," Jesse said with a slight grin.
"Sure ya don't. You don't think them boys might have acted a bit more like you at that age than just plain actin' out? I remember the Duke Boy that you were before Lavinia. Don't be playin' innocent with me," John said as he kidded his oldest brother, "I know better."
Jesse smirked as he gazed across the yard to hunt for his other charge who had only recently settled down.
Just like the bridal couple, Luke and Jo both were approached by family members, too, since they all wanted to hold the new baby. Eventually, Jo snuck off to put Faith down in the boys' crib since they'd been put down in their parents' bed and were even now waking up from their naps. By the time she'd gotten back downstairs, everyone was getting ready to line up at the tables to get their food buffet style with the bride and groom at the front of the line. Jo joined Luke who had to make a joke.
"You know, I think I figured out why Bo wanted to get married today. He just wanted first dibbs at all the food."
Jo shook her head at Luke's joke. Instead of responding, she grabbed a plate and started to pick through the ample food that had been laid out for the reception. With it being Thanksgiving, the typical holiday foods were there along with some of the other family favorites that are only served at special occasions. Including Jesse's Crawdad Bisque and John had even made some rattlesnake chili. Jo and Luke each filled their plates and found their seats near the bride and groom since they were in the bridal party. Jebb and Kira had their own plates and each had one of their boys in their laps as they ate and allowed the twins to sample the rich food that Pauline and the other women had prepared for the special day.
Daisy was sitting with Darcy who looked a little uncomfortable around so many of Daisy's family; especially when Jesse sat across from the two with his own lunch. Darcy groaned inwardly though he supposed that it could have been worse. It could have been Luke. Daisy had whispered to him while they were getting their food that Luke knew that she didn't go home last night. Luke most likely knew that she'd spent the night with Darcy. He could only hope that the head of the family hadn't talked to the oldest of his nephews about that yet.
"Darcy, it was good to see you come for Bo's weddin'."
"Thank ya, Sir."
"I was a mite surprised that you didn't go to your parents for Thanksgivin' Dinner, though."
"My dad surprised my mom with a trip that he planned for their anniversary. They've been married for thirty-five years last week. He'd been hinting to her that she wouldn't have to worry about goin' to a lot of trouble this year. Then the day of their anniversary, he snatched her away on a trip to the coast."
"Well, I'm sure she's enjoyin' her day off. How have you been keepin' busy?"
"I..." Darcy exchanged a look with Daisy. Her uncle knew that when he wasn't dusting crops that he flew the commuter plane from Capital City to Atlanta and back. "Well, you know the usual. Nothing special really."
Daisy just shrugged as Darcy caught her eye with a questioning look. She wasn't sure why Jesse suddenly had such an interest in how Darcy spent his time either.
"Well, I guess you were lucky that they didn't call you in to fly today then. But frankly, I'm surprised that Daisy has been able to drag you to yet another weddin'. I know married men that wouldn't escort their wives to a weddin'. Much less men that are only keepin' company with a woman."
Darcy studied the older man before he responded. "I reckon I don't mind bein' drug too far by Daisy."
He caught the slight smile that crossed the white haired patriarch of the family's face before he changed the subject and allowed Darcy to eat. And here he thought that it was Luke that he'd have to watch out for today.
"Pauline, everything is fine. Folks can serve themselves. Now come on and get yourself a plate," John said as he tried to pull his wife away from her duty of ensuring that everyone ate well and enjoyed their food. "Karen and George have saved us some seats."
"I have to refill the punch bowl first. Then-"
"I'll take care of the punch bowl. Go and sit. The rest can wait a while. You've been goin' full steam since about four o'clock this mornin'. Go."
John had to chuckle as his wife finally relented and headed off to eat her own lunch. He knew that part of Pauline's zeal for ensuring that Bo's reception went off without any problems stemmed from the fact that Jebb didn't have one of his own. John headed on into the house and got the frozen punch ring from the freezer and put it out in the half empty bowl and chipped the ice a bit before joining his wife at the table. It was only once the family and guests started to finish up their main course that John allowed Pauline to head back off to get the desserts ready. Most importantly, the small wedding cake. With so many other desserts, it was decided that a small cake would be sufficient. The top would be saved for the couple just the same as if it was a larger cake, there just wouldn't be as much of it.
Pauline had been surprised when Kira had volunteered to bake the cake herself since it was for her brother's wedding. And as much as she might have tried, Pauline didn't see anything to criticize about the cake. The type was an unusual choice but Kira had only baked what Bo and Kim had asked for. Kim's favorite, an orange spice cake. As the desserts were all laid out, a few jugs of moonshine were brought out and glasses were poured for the upcoming toasts. Bo went over and got his and Kim's glasses as Jo came over to ask Kim how she was doing. After all, happy occasion or not, weddings were stressful. Especially with the added baggage that she had when it came to weddings and marriage in general.
"Alright. My cousin, Tina, has been getting on my nerves though ever since she's been in town. Uncle Irving had to run interference when she came over to congratulate me and Bo. But then again, I know she always did have a thing for Ted so I guess it was to be expected."
"Well, look on the bright side, just a few more hours and you two can get out of here. Then by the time you get back to town, all of your relatives will be gone," Jo said as she gave her friend a smile.
"Then let's get this over with," Kim giggled. "Then I won't have to worry about seeing her for another whole year."
"That's the spirit," Jo looked up as she spoke and saw Bo returning with two glasses of 'shine. She made her way to intercept him on her way back to Luke and asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea? You saw how she acted after just a few daiquiris Monday night."
"Trust me." Bo grinned as he kept walking towards his and Kim's table up in front of the rest of the folks gathered. Once all of the 'shine had been handed out to the adults, (juice given to the children) Luke got up to toast the bride and groom.
"Well, I've been sittin' here still tryin' to come up with a toast that would really fit for today. Basically, I keep rememberin' how you claimed at my weddin' that you weren't anywhere near ready to get married. So that leads me to the obvious question. Whatever happened to the man who claimed that he had no desire to follow me down the aisle? Or did you get lonely in that room of yours once I moved out?" The family laughed as they remembered Bo's own toast at Luke's wedding.
"At least now I'll have a roommate that's as good lookin' as me," Bo hollered back from the head table. The family was used to the two men baiting one another and sat back to see just how far they'd go this time. Even though most were sure that they wouldn't go too far with Jesse within striking distance of Luke.
"You sure that you want to live with a man as conceited as Bo is, Kim?" Luke motioned to the bride. "It might not be too late to rethink this whole thing."
"Hey! It ain't conceit. Not when you really do look this good. I just feel sorry for Jo. Now it's her that has to look at that ugly mug of yours every mornin'."
"Boys," Jesse said in a slight tone of warning.
"Sorry, Uncle Jesse," both men muttered as they both snickered.
"Well, seein' as how it don't look like the new Doctor Duke is goin' to have second thoughts on tryin' to tame that wild cousin of mine," Luke said as he raised his glass. "Why don't everyone raise a glass and join me in wishin' the newlyweds the best." Glasses all around were lifted as cheers went up for Bo and Kim. "To Bo and Kim!"
As everyone took sips from their moonshine, Kim gave Bo a questioning look as she realized that her glass didn't have whiskey in it. "Water?" Kim asked quietly.
"Kira put a jar of 'shine in with our stuff in the trunk of the General. We'll toast our weddin' just a little bit later. Didn't think you'd want to get too much 'shine in ya with the family around."
"Thanks," Kim said as she put her glass down.
There were other well-wishers that gave toasts and by the time they were ready for the cake nearly the whole glass of mock-shine was empty. Kim knew that if she'd been drinking real whiskey she'd be completely lit by now. Apparently, Kim wasn't the only one in her family that had such a low tolerance for alcohol. Kim briefly heard her cousin, Tina, belting out a few comments about how Bo must like left-overs since he was only going to get what Ted had left behind. She started going off about how she doubted that Kim would stay with Bo any longer than she did with her first husband. Kim wasn't sure just what to say in response. Thankfully, some other family members took Tina off towards the house before she could say much more.
After a couple of awkward seconds, Cooter belted out, "I guess that's what happens when a woman is left on the vine too long. She gets bitter."
The rest of the family turned to Cooter and laughed at his weak joke that he'd used to lighten the mood. The reception then got back on track and Bo and Kim got ready to cut the cake. The two cut the cake together and put a couple of slices on a small dessert plate. Bo picked up one of the pieces of cake and got a look in his eye that Kim wasn't sure that she liked.
"Bo Duke, you wouldn't dare," Kim said as the crowd cheered. "You better be nice."
"Nice ain't fun, Darlin'," Bo replied with a grin on his face. Kim took a step backwards to avoid a face full of cake but her heal of her shoe caught the hem of her dress which caught her off balance.
Kim was certain that she was going to land flat on her rear but Bo had reached out and kept her from falling over. When Kim was once again righted on her feet, she looked down and saw that somehow when Bo had reached out to catch her, the cake that had been in Bo's hand had found its way to the front of her bodice of her dress and was smeared on her cleavage that was straining against her top.
"Bo! Look at what you did to my dress."
Bo looked down at where the cake that he'd been holding ended up after he reached out to keep his new wife from falling backwards. He laughed but leaned in and said as he chuckled, "Well, I can clean it up for ya." Bo wiggled his eyebrows.
"Beauregard Duke! There are children around. You better keep that in mind," Jesse said when he saw the look on his nephew's face.
"You're the one that always taught me that Dukes don't waste food. Ever." Bo turned grinning since he knew that his uncle must have a fast track on his line of thought about how he might have cleaned the cake up from Kim.
"Bo!" Jesse said with a warning tone.
"Alright," Bo said with his hands up in surrender. Meanwhile, Kim took a towel from Daisy and she started to wipe the cake off. Once Kim finished wiping the cake away, Bo picked up the remaining piece of cake off of the small plate. He saw Kim's look of doubt so he said smiling, "I'll be nice this time. I promise."
Bo figured that he could still have some fun that no one else could find much wrong with it. He lightly crammed some of the cake into Kim's mouth then leaned in and kissed her while she had her a mouthful of cake. Sure it wasn't the tidiest way to eat a piece of cake, but it was fun. Not to mention, he knew that no one, Kim included, had expected him to get his own bite of cake in quite that fashion.
The rest of the family were then allowed to each get the desserts of their choice once the bride and groom had finished with their bit of fun. Pauline brought over a small plate with other various treats for them to eat their fill of. As she dropped the plate off, Bo stopped her and gave her an unexpected hug and dropped a kiss on top of her head.
"What was that for?"
"For all the hard work you put in today. Thanks, Aunt Pauline," Bo said with a small grin. Despite anything else that might make the woman hard to deal with from time to time, he knew that his aunt loved all of the Dukes. She had worked hard to help today go off without any problems and he loved her for it.
"Well, I only wanted everything perfect is all," Pauline said as she returned Bo's hug. "Now, enjoy your day. You've certainly waited long enough for it."
Pauline headed on back to do another check on the food before grabbing a dessert of her own. Looking out at the large number of family and guests, she saw that everyone was having a good time. Before sitting down, she walked over to check on her grandsons. Mikey had been given a small bowl of chocolate pudding and was sitting on his mother's lap as he got most of it in his mouth. Jay, however, was eating a piece of pumpkin pie.
"Kira, that pudding will never come out of that dress," Pauline said as she sat down across from her son and daughter-in-law.
"That's the whole point," Kira said with a smile. She didn't intend to wear the pink dress again so she wasn't really worrying about keeping it clean. Her son was having fun. Right now, that was all that she cared about as far as the dessert was concerned. Not the fact that she now had pudding in her lap and some on the bodice of the gown. Before Pauline could respond to the comment, Luke once again got everyone's attention.
"Alright folks, it's time for the first dance. Now I couldn't believe what song Bo admitted was the first song that he and Kim danced to when they first started dating. I think that when the music starts, ya'll might find it a bit funny, too. The only thing that could have made it funnier would have been if it'd been 'I fought the Law and the Law Won'," Luke chuckled.
Bo and Kim made their way to the small area that had been set aside as a dance floor and began to sway to the music as the song that would from now on be considered their song began to play; the song by Alabama, 'Love in the First Degree'.
When the song was over, they were joined by others from the family and Jesse even cut in and danced with the bride. The afternoon went by fairly fast and Bo knew that he and Kim would be leaving out soon. There was only the garter toss and the throwing of the bridal bouquet so Bo figured that now would be a good time to put some real 'shine in Kim's glass since they'll be leaving before it fully got into her system. She was taken aback when she got her first taste of the family's moonshine.
"Bo, I thought I was drinking water," Kim whispered.
"It's almost time to leave. We couldn't leave without toasting our marriage could we?" Bo replied as he began to look forward to seeing Kim tipsy from the 'shine. "Come on, let's get this over with." Bo said as he downed his own glass of 'shine which encouraged Kim to do the same despite the fact that she wasn't used to the fiery drink.
"Bo, aren't we going back to the chairs for this?" Kim asked as she saw that he was taking her out to the middle of the dance floor to remove the garter belt.
"Nope," Bo said with a wink.
Seeing that Bo was ready to toss the garter belt, Cooter hollered for all the single men to gather around. The three remaining single Duke Boys steered Daisy's date to the center of the group of men as she sent Luke a questioning look who only shrugged and smiled as if he didn't have anything to do with Darcy being singled out by their cousins.
Once everyone was in place for the toss, Bo knelt in front of Kim while leaving her standing over him. Bo slipped his hands up the skirt of Kim's dress. Bo couldn't see the exact location of the belt, (since he let the skirt stay down given the fact that Kim was a bit modest) so he got to look for the garter by feel alone. The whole time, Kim's face was red. Both from the whiskey and the shivers going up her spine as Bo used the cover of her skirt to hide just how far up he'd gone in search of the garter belt. The fact that he first went to the wrong leg during his search upwards was purely an accident; well that was his story at least. Finally, Bo began to lower the scrap of lace and Kim had to put her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance as she lifted her foot up for him to finish removing it.
When Bo stood up, without even looking over his shoulder, he flung his treasure that he found after his brief search for it. When he turned around, he saw where the men had split up like Moses had parted the Red Sea. All of them had jumped away from the garter. Instead of any of the men catching it, the belt landed on Daisy's Jeep. Shrugging, Bo made a joke about how he thought that Daisy's Jeep Dixie was female but maybe she thought she was Herby instead.
Next, all of the single women gathered around to try to catch the bouquet. Kim turned around once all the women were in place and gave a light toss over her shoulder. Hearing Daisy's scream, Kim knew who caught the bridal bouquet before she turned around.
"Looks like Daisy will be marryin' her Jeep," Bo chuckled.
"I'm sure that she wouldn't be the first Duke that loved her car more than anything else," Kim replied as she slipped her arm around Bo's waist. She was starting to feel the effects of the powerful whiskey so she knew that it was time for them to be getting out of here. They still had to drive to Chickamahoney County where they had reservations in the Honeymoon Capital of Georgia.
The family and guests then all gathered around as the couple headed over to where the General Lee was parked. After a couple of seconds of ignoring the bird seed that was being pelted onto them while he took in just what his cousins had done to the beloved race car, Bo lifted Kim up and helped her into the passenger's side window. Once she was inside, Bo hopped up on the hood of the car and walked over to the driver's side and slipped in behind the wheel. Giving a blast on the horn, the engine was revved up and then Bo put the orange car into gear and tore out of the yard for the first time as a married man.