Evidence
The next morning Luke woke up, smiling as he looked over at Bo still
sleeping in spite of the ringing alarm. Getting up he went to Bo's
bed, stopping in shock at the bruises covering his cousin's back.
Reaching out to gently shake Bo's arm to wake him, he got another surprise.
"Please Kathy Sue don't, I'm sorry, please stop. Don't hurt me."
As Bo jerked awake he turned onto his side, surprised to see Luke standing over him. Suddenly realizing that he wore no shirt, Bo hastily pulled the covers up.
"Bo...did Kathy Sue give you those bruises?"
"It's not like you think Luke, it was my fault. I messed up and she..."
"Did you attack her?" Luke interrupted, trying to stay calm.
"No."
"Then there is no way it was your fault Bo, nothing could justify her beating you."
"Just leave it alone Luke, it's my life, let me live it. I'm gonna go take a shower."
After Bo left the room Luke sat, stunned by what he'd learned. How
could he get Bo to see the truth? He couldn't believe Bo would let
anybody treat him like this, how could he believe it was his fault? Sure
did explain a lot though, he supposed there was one good thing about it,
it wasn't Uncle Jesse hurting him. That was it! He had to talk to Uncle
Jesse after breakfast, surely between the two of them they could figure
out a way to get through to Bo.
Once breakfast and chores were done Bo asked if he could take the truck to the lake. After Bo left Luke went to find Uncle Jesse, finding him in the barn tending to the goat, Luke stood there, unsure of what to say.
"You gonna stand there all day Luke? You got something to say it's best to just say it and be done."
"Uncle Jesse you remember when I told you I was worried about Bo"
Getting a nod from his uncle, Luke continued. "Well turns out I was right
to be worried, when I got up this morning Bo was still in bed and when
I went to wake him... Uncle Jesse his back was covered in bruises and
when I tried to wake him, he started mumbling, asking Kathy Sue not to
hurt him. I tried to talk to him, but he says it was his fault. Can't
figure out how, he admitted he hadn't hurt her, but he still says it's
his fault."
"Are ya sure it was Kathy Sue that hurt him? Did he admit it?"
"Yes Uncle Jesse I'm sure and he admitted it. How are we gonna get through to him?"
"Well maybe you already did. Could be this is the only time it's happened and he's off talking to her right now."
"He may be talking to her Uncle Jesse, but I don't think this is the first time it's happened. Since I've been home I've noticed how quiet he is, and I've seen him flinch if somebody moves in a certain way. Just like a whipped dog, expecting to get hit again, I even..."Luke trailed off, unsure how to say it.
"What Luke? You even...?"
"I even wondered for a while if maybe you had hurt him. Thought maybe with you getting older ya just couldn't handle a teenager. I'm sorry Uncle Jesse, I had no right to think something like that about you."
To say he was shocked would be like calling Sherman's march through Georgia a little hike. Jesse Duke had never thought he would live to see the day that one of his kids could think something like that about him.
"Luke, son how could you even think I would...?"
"I know Jesse and I'm ashamed of myself, I just couldn't imagine Bo letting anybody else get away with hurting him, and I was sure somebody was."
"Well I suppose I can understand that and I can't really blame you
for worrying about your cousin. We'll talk to him when he gets home,
don't you worry Luke we'll figure out some way to get through to him.
If this is ongoing we'll find a way to stop it."
When Bo came home that afternoon, Jesse asked him to come into the living room. As soon as he came into the room and saw Luke sitting there he knew what was going on.
"Uncle Jesse I don't know what Luke's been telling you but it ain't what he thinks."
"Alright Bo, if it's not what Luke thinks why don't you tell us what it is. Why would you let Kathy Sue beat on ya?"
"It was my fault, I made her mad. I've been making her mad a lot lately and it just got to be too much."
"So how many times has it got to be too much Bo?" Luke asked, fighting to stay calm.
"Never Luke,...Uncle Jesse this is the first time she ever hit me.
Heck you don't think I'd let a little thing like Kathy Sue beat on me
do ya? Only reason she got to this time is cause she surprised me."
Jesse sighed in resignation, "Alright Bo if you say it's the only time it's happened I'll believe you, but I think you should stay home tonight."
"No, Uncle Jesse please, I've got a date."
"Bo I think you two need a break from each other, and Bo if she ever does this again, remember you can always come to me."
Storming out angrily, Bo let the screen door slam behind him, leaving Jesse and Luke in tense silence. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Luke broke the silence.
"Uncle Jesse you don't really think this was the only time she's done this do you?"
"I don't know what to think Luke. Maybe you're right but they've
been together almost a year and I haven't seen any bruises before now.
So maybe it was just one time and they just need a break."
"Uncle Jesse let me ask you something, how many times have you seen Bo with his shirt off in the last year? Don't you think he could've hidden the bruises? Plus the way he acts all quiet and shy, that ain't the Bo Duke I know, is it the one you know?"
"No it isn't, I just hope you're wrong Luke, for Bo's sake."
A while later Bo came in and called Kathy Sue to tell her he had to stay home and couldn't take her out. Jesse paused outside the room as he heard Bo's end of the conversation, fearing from what he heard that Luke was right.
"Don't be mad babe please. I didn't mean to mess everything up, I'm sorry. Please Kathy Sue I know I don't deserve you, but I love you. Please don't break up with me,...thank you babe, you won't regret it you'll see."
Walking away with a heavy heart Jesse Duke went to find Luke to tell him it looked like he was right. Finding Luke they began to talk about the situation, and how best to get through to Bo.
Meanwhile Bo was in his room going back over his talk with Kathy Sue.
She was so mad at him, he thought for sure that she would break up with
him. God he couldn't believe how stupid he'd been, letting Luke see the
bruises. He'd really messed up this time, he was lucky Kathy Sue still
wanted to be with him. Lord knew he didn't deserve someone as beautiful
and smart as her. He sure couldn't figure out what she saw in him, he
was just glad he hadn't blown it completely this time. Looking up he
was surprised to see Uncle Jesse and Luke coming into the room.
"Bo, son we need to talk. I heard you talking to Kathy Sue, this isn't the first time she's hit you is it?"
"No, but it's only happened a couple of times and it's my fault."
"How Bo, explain to me how those bruises I saw are your fault"
Luke asked in exasperation.
"Cause I was late, I knew it'd make her mad and then I made it worse.
When she accused me of pouting cause I was being quiet, I tried to explain
I wasn't pouting. But I messed up and made her think I was blaming her
for me being quiet, on top of me being late it was just too much."
Luke snorted in disgust, "Bo listen to yourself, she was mad cause you were a couple of minutes late, that's no excuse to hit you. Would you hit her if she made you mad?"
"Of course not Luke, but that's different, I'm a man. I'm bigger than her and besides I'm lucky she'll have me."
"My God Bo, what has she done to you? She beats you and you're lucky she'll have you? Sounds to me like she's the one who's lucky that a guy like you would stay with her when she treats you so bad."
It was Bo's turn to snort in disgust. "Yeah right a guy like me. Sure,
I'm stupid and clumsy, I ain't never gonna have anything, I'm pretty
much worthless, what a catch?"
Luke sat down on his own bed and looked at Uncle Jesse. Begging with the look in his eyes for his uncle to fix this.
"Bo, son she's wrong, you're not stupid or clumsy. You dang sure ain't worthless, Bo you can't let her do this to you. Ya can't let her treat you like some kind of mangy dog. You're a Duke boy and I didn't raise you to be a doormat for anybody, man or woman."
Seeing that they'd get no further tonight Jesse motioned Luke to follow him as they left Bo to his thoughts.
TBC
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