Chapter Three
Balladeer: Well folks we're back and things don't look good for Luke I'm afraid, so stick with us now as we find Bo and Stephanie at the hospital with Uncle Jesse and Daisy waiting for word on Luke's condition.
Bo paced around the waiting room as Daisy, Uncle Jesse, and Stephanie sat in chairs around the little room, Every time one of them would try to approach him he'd brush them off and soon they just gave up altogether. Bo stopped when he spotted Dr. Johnson walking towards them from down the long corridor. Stephanie, Uncle Jesse, and Daisy all caught sight of him too and stood up.
"How is he Doc?" Bo asked, as the doctor stopped next to Uncle Jesse. "Well that young man is lucky to be alive and he's lucky that you and your girlfriend came along when you did, otherwise you may have lost him." Bo gasped and looked away and locked eyes with Stephanie where she stood with her arm around Daisy. He longed to run and maybe go for a ride in The General but he knew that Stephanie or Daisy or maybe even both girl's would follow him, and he needed to be alone.
"Can we see him, Doc?" Uncle Jesse asked, asking the question that was on all their minds. "Look he just came out of surgery so it'll be awhile before he's back in his room so why don't y'all go an get somethin' to eat and when ya get back then ya can see him one at a time." He said. Uncle Jesse nodded and started down the hall assuming the others would just follow him but when Bo hesitated Stephanie went back to his side.
"Bo?" She said, her voice soft, as she gazed up at him. Bo looked down at her and wanted to bury his face in her hair and cry but he had to be strong for Luke. "You go ahead." He said softly. Stephanie looked back at Uncle Jesse and Daisy who stood waiting for them. "Bo you know Luke wouldn't want ya to starve." She said quietly. Bo whirled on her making her jump a little. "Don't you tell me what Luke wants, he's laying in there right now and he might be dyin' an you're concerned about me eatin'." He yelled.
Uncle Jesse came back over and grabbed Bo's arm pulling him back away from Stephanie a few feet. "Now you listen here Bo, none of this is your fault or Stepahnie's, now you can't see Luke until the doc says so you come along with us and git a bite to eat an you can see him afore the rest of us." He said. Bo sighed. "Yessir, Uncle Jesse." He said and followed his Uncle and pretty cousin down the hall.
Stephanie followed them with her head down. Bo had never yelled at her before and if he'd ever start to raise his voice he'd quickly apoligize but this time as he followed Uncle Jesse down the hall he wouldn't even look at her. Daisy waited at the door for her and then wrapped her arm around her waist. "It'll be ok darlin', Bo didn't mean it." She said, reading Stephanie's mind. Ever since the two girl's were young they'd been able to read each other's minds. Maybe that was why they were such good friends.
When they got back to the hospital Bo went to see Luke but when he saw the shape his cousin was in he wanted to turn and run the other direction...for Luke looked like he was dead. He was hooked up to all kinds of machines and oxygen...Gauze was wrapped around his head...He didn't look like Luke at all.
Bo finally turned and went back to the waiting room where Uncle Jesse and Daisy were sitting and Stephanie stood nearby staring out the window though she turned to look at him when she heard him clear his throat. "Bo?" Daisy asked. Bo shook his head and stepped over to the window next to Stephanie though he didn't say anything. Daisy looked at Uncle Jesse. "I'll go next." He said. The others nodded though no one said anything.
Once Uncle Jesse was gone Daisy looked at Bo and Stephanie who were both silent, though they only stood inches apart. "I'm gonna go to the little girl's room." She said, and thought she saw a small nod from Stephanie and headed down the hall. Once Daisy was out of earshot Bo turned to look at Stephanie. "This is all your fault." He said. Stephanie stared at him her eyes full of heart.
"Why?" She asked. "Because if ya hadn't insisted on us gettin' them new struts for The General today this never would've happened." He said. Stephanie's temper was starting to flare and she stepped up so she was nose to nose with Bo. "I would never hurt you or Luke, you know that Bo." She snapped, her eyes starting to fill with tears. She turned to walk away from him but he reached out and caught her arm.
"It's your fault." He said. Stephanie yanked her arm from his grip and turned away from him and before Bo could stop her she ran down the hall.
Daisy was just coming out of the bathroom and saw Stepahnie run past her. "Stepahnie." She called, but the girl kept going.
When Daisy reached Bo he still stood in the same spot as when she left. "Where was Stephanie going?" She asked. "This was all her fault." Bo said. Daisy shook her head. "Bo Duke sometimes I don't think you have any sense at all, if you lost her for good I'm gonna make you wish you were the one laying there in that bed instead of Luke." She said and stalked off down the hall.
Stephanie stood next to her car in front of Cooter's Garage as she said goodbye to Daisy who had caught up with her. "Will ya be back?" Daisy asked as she hugged her friend. Stephanie shrugged. "I might." She said ,and then climbed in and waved goodbye to Cooter and Daisy.
Balladeer:Well folks we got some trouble in Hazzard, with Luke in the hospital, Stephanie leaving town, Daisy mad at Bo, and Bo blaming everyone, who's left to investigate the accident? Hang on for you haven't seen the last of Stephanie.
