Chapter Three

They arrived back home and Bo, still quite angry with Jesse and Luke, didn't go into the house with them.

Instead, he walked to the barn and climbed up into the hay loft to be alone.

Just to make sure Luke wouldn't bother him, Bo pulled up the old ladder and laid it on the floor of the loft, with that done, Bo took a seat and drew his knees up to his chest as the tears started to fall.

All of his fears and loneliness washed over him, and Bo suddenly felt very alone.

He had felt this way when he had first come to stay with Uncle Jesse and Luke, but their love for him had made him forget about his past fears of lonelieness, until now.

Thirty minutes later, Bo lifted his head when he heard the tell-tale snapping of twigs that signaled that young Luke was riding his new bike.

Going to the loft door, Bo peeked out and saw Luke do a wheelie, right infront of Jesse, who was fixing up Luke's old bike.

'Why that bike?' Bo wondered, 'Didn't Luke know that I wanted that one?'

Jesse laid down his tools and raised his hands to his face and yelled, "BO!"

Bo moved to the ladder, lowered it and climbed down into the barn itself.

Dusting himself off, Bo trudged over to Jesse, who held Bo's bicycle helmet in his hands.

"Here ya go, Bo. Luke's old bike is now yers." Jesse said.

Bo wordlessly took the helmet, slipped it on and rode the old bike back to the small shed where they stored their bikes.

Bo dumped the bike there and flung off his helmet. He hated the bike!

It was old, rusting at the seat was a mess! How could Uncle Jesse have given this piece of garbage to Bo?

Bo looked around the shed until his eyes fell on his bike, the one that his father had bought for him when he was younger.

It still was in great shape, since Bo had always taken care of it, but now it sat, barely used, resting against the shed wall.

The tears started to flow as Bo crossed to the bike and ran a loving hand over the handle bars.

'I miss you daddy! Why did you and mom have'ta die?' Bo questioned.

His first memories were of his parents.

Of them riding with him in the park, of going for walks and of eating ice cream in the park and on the beach.

But all of this had changed, when two years ago someone had cut the brake lines to their car.

Bo's parents had tried to stop the car, but they ended up driving off of a cliff.

The car had burst into flames before it had even hit the bottom.

Thankfully, eleven year old Bo had been with his friend Troy at the time of the accident.

When the state had come to 'collect' Bo, he had been frightened and confused.

All of the new people had scared the small boy, but Bo had been brave, knowing that was what his father would have wanted.

When Bo came to be with Jesse and Luke, he had been scared and very unsure of himself, but Uncle Jesse and Luke had showed him so much kindness that Bo, for the first time since being with his parents, felt that he actually belonged there.

Turning, Bo left the shed and entered the house.

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That night Bo picked at his dinner, not really having the appetite to eat.

Uncle Jesse, noticing this said, "Bo, eat yer dinner. We don't waste food here."

Bo shoveled some of the chicken and rice into his mouth. The food went down ok, but his stomach was soon churning and Bo had no choice but to lay down the fork and stand up from the table.

"Sorry Uncle Jesse, I think I'm gettin' sick." Bo admitted.

Jesse nodded his head and said, "If yer gettin' sick, go take yer bath and get ready fer bed."

Bo glanced at the clock with only read 5:45 p.m.

If Bo went to bed now, he'd be tossing and turning all night, but Bo was never one to disobey the family patriarch.

Turning, Bo trudged down the hall to his bedroom.

He grabbed some clean clothes and headed off to take a warm bath.

Once in the bathroom, Bo stripped and looked at his face in the mirror.

His eyes were puffy from crying so much, his cheeks were pink as if he had a small fever.

A coughing fit overtook Bo and it took him five minutes to get it under control.

Once it was over, Bo was disheartened that Jesse hadn't come banging on the door, asking if he was ok.

Climbing up on the counter, Bo reached into the medicine cabinet and withdrew the thermometer.

He took of the cap and withdrew the thermometer from it's casing before popping it into his mouth.

After five minutes Bo took it out and looked at it.

'102, no wonder I feel so hot!' Bo thought as he turned to the tub and ran some cool water.

Bo dipped himself in and washed himself before stepping back out and toweling himself dry.

Once that was done, Bo took his tempature again and was dishearted when it read 102.5. His fever was climbing.

Bo quickly got dressed and went back into the kitchen.

He got a glass of water before heading into the den where Luke and Jesse were playing checkers.

Bo stood there, watching the game, hoping that someone would take notice of his illness.

When no one did, Bo turned and went off to bed, making his mind up.

When Jesse turns out the lights that night, that was when Bo would make his move.

Sickness or no sickness, Bo was leaving, leaving to find a better life for himself, even if that meant joining his parents up there in Heaven.