(Disclaimer: OH wow... Thanx to: beej96, baseballfan44, Bo Schneider, SamWiseAtHeart, foxette, Elvisina Of Greeceland, ackeberlynn, Alykitty, HazzardHusker, HazzardGrl, Sparkle731, daisyduke80, and Kimduke-79. You Guys Rock! I started this the day you guys reviewed... ON TO CHAPTER 2! I own nothi-ing!)
Winter in Georgia:
Chapter Two
Luke barged into the kitchen.
"Uncle Jesse..." Seeing the serious expression on Luke's face, Uncle Jesse asked,
"Luke? What's wrong?"
"Bo's sick!" Luke said sharply half-dragging his younger cousin out from behind him.
"Uncle Jesse!" Bo protested, "I'm fine! Really! I swear!" Bo started to cough. Jesse Duke had heard enough,
"Bo! Sit down now!" He demanded gruffly. Bo had no choice but to obey his uncle.
"Now Bo, you tell me honest, what's wrong with ya'." Bo fidgeted, uncomfortable with all this sudden attention. It was just what he had been trying to avoid.
"Sir, it's nothin' really, probably just a small cold..." Jesse frowned. He sensed Bo wasbeing stubborn. He turned to Luke,
"What do you think is wrong with Bo?" Luke paused for a moment,
"I'm afraid I don't rightly know, but he's been actin' strange and he was sniffling and sneezin' since we went to pick Daisy up at the Boar's Nest. He seems paler than usual too."
Bo sighed, he wasn't going to get out of this easy. His fears were confirmed as a loudsneeze burst out of him,
"HETCHOO! ...excuse me." Bo flushed beet red at being found out. Jesse pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to Bo with a
"Hmmph..." Luke rolled his eyes,
"Bo, how long did you think you could hide this from us?" He asked matter-of-factly.
Bo sighed again, but didn't answer. He blew his runny nose into the hanky. Knowing his protective family, he asked sheepishly,
" I guess you want me to get in bed, huh?"
Uncle Jesse nodded and said,
"I'll be up in a minute with some hot tea for ya'."
Bo turned and trudged up the stairs, with Luke following close behind. As soon as they had gone into the room the boys shared, Bo flopped down onto his bed next to the window and asked his older cousin with a grin,
"I can't put anything over on you can I, cuz?"
"No you can't. Now get under the covers before Uncle Jesse comes up here and sees ya, he'll declare you're asking for pneumonia." said Luke chuckling a bit.
"Yessir, Mr. Duke, sir!" teased Bo in his best soldier voice. Mirth disappeared as Bo let out another gigantic sneeze and shivered.
"ATCHOOO! Brrr...Luke? I don't feel so good." Luke sobered quickly and pressed the flat of his hand to Bo's forehead.
"Well you should be feelin' poorly, you got a fever..." Bo shivered again and Luke pulled the quilts up to Bo's neck, tucking him in like he used to when Bo was little. Bo's eyes were closing involuntarily, and he let out a dry cough.
A few moments later, Jesse came in with a mug of hot tea for Bo. Seeing Bo was asleep, he set it down on the night-stand, then he motioned for Luke to follow him out of the ill boy's room. Once outside he asked,
"How is he?" Luke shook his head.
"He's runnin' a pretty high fever, I'd say. And now he's got a cough to boot... I just don't know when he'll learn that he's gotta take better care of himself." The older Duke boy sighed. Some things just never change.
Luke snapped out of his thoughts and said,
"I'd better head down to the general store and pick up some medicine for Bo." Jesse nodded,
I'll get a cold compress on him meanwhile."
Luke peered in at his sleeping cousin one last time before turning to leave.
(Tee-Hee! Was this the update you expected? I hope not, 'cause I rewrote this thing about five times since Monday. This could keep going but I need some suggestions so Read & Review, puh-lee-as! Feel free to flame, I come with fire insurance. P.S. My computer's being demented with the font, sorry if it looks crappy.)