A/N - Hey ya'll! I think this is a little 'lighter' chapter, so hopefully, you won't need the tissues this go around.
Thanks for all the reviews. They are certainly appreciated.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
BLOOD BROTHERS
CHAPTER 5
HOLIDAY CHEER
By the following week, Bo was determined to go back to school and to resume as many chores as possible. His family worried that it was making him tired and would have preferred that he listened to them about not pushing himself, but that wasn't Bo's style. Luke and Daisy talked to a few of their cousin's friends without his knowledge, asking them to keep their eye on Bo while he was out of their sight. Understanding his desire to maintain some normalcy and control over his own life, they slightly turned one blind eye, keeping the other closely zoomed in on their patient.
Those same friends of Bo's had been dropping off his homework, and thanks to his cousins, he caught up quickly. He thought it was funny that he was up to speed just in time for Thanksgiving break. He didn't care, he was glad that everything was finished and he had a few days off while he was feeling good. Luke had ordered the motor pieces they were missing, and they were scheduled to arrive just in time for Thanksgiving break. The Duke boys were planning on using that time to start compiling all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle into the most powerful engine in the county. The whole family was looking forward to the upcoming holidays.
For dinner that year, it was only to be immediate family, Cooter and L.B. Many of the relatives called to say that they were planning on coming for Christmas instead. The house, however, was anything but empty on turkey day as people came and went all day long. Never before had so many friends and neighbors come calling.
As they watched the parade of people, Bo blurted out that it reminded him of a wake. He apologized immediately when he saw the expressions of horror cross the faces of his family. He hadn't meant anything by it, but he knew what they were thinking: the most likely wake to occur next in the Duke household was his.
Daisy went all out for their dinner. Despite the fact that it was only the six of them, she made an extremely large turkey. They all loved leftovers so it wouldn't go to waste. Complete with all the trimmings, they couldn't remember ever enjoying a better meal. Daisy had her own ulterior motive. She wanted to see both of her cousins eat, a lot. Luke had already gained back a few of his pre-war pounds, but Bo was getting thinner everyday and he didn't have anything to spare.
Gathered around the table, they were all dressed in their Sunday best. Jesse would normally never allow anyone to wear a hat at the table, but he made an exception for Bo that day. Having Bo jittery and nervous would have put a damper on everyone, and he didn't want that. When Daisy finally set the last of the serving dishes down and joined them, they lowered their heads and waited for their patriarch to say grace. Jesse Duke had never been so torn for words. It was a day for giving thanks, and it wasn't that he wasn't grateful for what he had at that moment; he was just afraid how long he'd be able to keep it in tact. Concentrating on the present, he simply said a prayer of the thanks to the Good Lord for bringing his family back together and for sending Luke home to them. Jesse wanted to pray for strength in the days to come, and really wanted to ask for some type of miracle, but he couldn't; not in front of Bo. Saying all he could, Daisy, Luke, and the Davenport cousins raised their eyebrows at the uncustomarily short speech.
Bo knew that he was the reason for the simple and incomplete grace. At first, he couldn't bring himself to look at anyone, feeling guilty for being so much trouble. Luke reached over and hugged his cousin, wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving. Bo returned the embrace, never embarrased by his willingness to show affection to others. Not having any hair or being a burden to his family, well that was a different story.
December arrived, bringing with it colder weather and the Christmas spirit, but not necessarily in that order. Bo claimed that he felt fine, though his physical stamina was only a fraction of its normal vigor. Between getting ready for Santa and working on a motor that was starting to resemble something that looked like it belonged in a car, the boy often fell into bed at night simply exhausted. It made Bo feel wonderful, useful again, but continued to concern his family. As long as he didn't suffer any negative consequences, he hoped they'd let him get away with until they completed their task. At the rate they were going, he didn't think it would take them that long. Yet, Bo could feel himself being changed, from the inside out, and he knew that his family saw some of those changes, too, no matter how hard he tried to hide them.
Daisy always made sure that he was dressed warmly before she let him out of the house.
"You know, you're turning into Aunt Lavinia," Bo told her one day, reminding her how their beloved fill-in mom had always bundled them up whenever they got a cold spell.
"Thank you," Daisy said, totally taking him off guard. "You know she was an amazing woman, and regardless of what Uncle Jesse says, she was the brains and the brawn in this family."
"Yeah, she was," the boys agreed, smiling as they remembered how the small woman could put Jesse Duke in his place like no other.
She smiled as she watched her cousins make their way to their new home away from home in the barn. When Bo stopped suddenly, neither she nor Luke understood what was going on. Walking back to where she was standing on the porch, Bo leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"Thanks, Daisy," he told her, leaving before she could respond.
"You're welcome, Bo," she whispered, though she knew he couldn't hear. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she thought of her family. She, too, could remember her aunt overdressing them whenever the weather turned cold. Sometimes, they'd protest, but most of the time they'd let her do it, then discard the clothing when they thought she couldn't see them. They didn't realize that she'd been aware of them doing it, but at least it forced them to take their coats in case they got cold. She missed her aunt, and hoped that the time wasn't coming when she'd be standing there missing her cousin, too.
Daisy began to recall Bo being young and running through the leaves that had fallen from the autumn frost as her cousin's feet trampled underneath on their journey. The reference to their aunt had been said in jest, but this wasn't exactly the same thing. Because of Bo's blood disease, he was always freezing, and he couldn't afford to catch a cold that could turn into something much worse. They'd laughed, but Luke told her that many times, the boy was still cold even with the several layers of clothing she sent him out with.
Luke had started to notice the little things like that, but than, he knew Bo the best. His cousin was always on cloud nine whenever they were working on the barn's assembly line. Enjoying working side by side with his cousin, Luke learned quickly that Bo really couldn't stand up for extended periods. The first day they really worked together for any length of time, Bo had made himself so tired that he literally couldn't move. Luke, however, hadn't noticed until it was too late. He caught Bo right before he went down, his legs simply giving out, then held him as the boy's body demanded a nap right there and then. He was fine afterwards, but Luke now made him sit while they worked. Bo agreed, on the condition that Luke didn't tell their uncle about the little episode.
In conjunction with the secret project taking place in the barn, there was an air of anticipation throughout the farm as they tried to embrace the spirit of the upcoming holiday. Daisy was busy baking every kind of Christmas cookie that either of her cousins liked, and that year she was making double batches. Normally, she had to scold them for eating them too fast. Increasing her portions, she could let them eat as many as they wanted. Looking at each other skeptically when she first offered her creations, they didn't need to be asked twice. What she didn't tell them was that half of the cookies she had secretly stashed away so there would still be some left on Christmas. If they'd known, she feared that they'd eventually find them and clean her out of house and home. She was glad that Bo could still enjoy them, and she enjoyed making them. All the baking she was doing kept the house filled with a delicious aroma.
Christmas of 1973 would also mark a year when the Dukes decided to try something different. Though stout with tradition, it was something that their youngest had always tried to talk them into doing. Since Bo had been little, he'd always questioned why they did all their decorating on Christmas Eve. He complained that his friends' families did it early, and that way, they got to enjoy it longer. Jesse had just always told him that was the way the Dukes did it. Suddenly, concepts like rituals and traditions just didn't seem all that important. If Bo wanted decorations longer, he'd get decorations longer. Once it was finished, no one could decide whether they liked it better or not, including Bo. Yes, they got to admire them longer, but only after they were in place did they realize how much fun they always had on Christmas Eve putting them up. Not always having a lot of presents, it gave them something to do.
Gifts usually presented a problem in the Duke household. Good will and tidings may have been plentiful, but money wasn't. Everyone always got a few purchased items, normally small or needed things, but many of the wrapped packages under the tree were handmade. It didn't matter to any of them. They were made with love and Bo really just liked the suspense and ripping up the paper.
"Bo, you're the only kid I know that would probably be happy to open lumps of coal just as long as you had lots to open," Luke had told him one Christmas. He'd even got Bo to momentarily agree, until he really thought about it.
"Don't get any ideas, cuz," he'd finally responded.
Though he never admitted it, the following year, he'd been a little apprehensive of just what he would find from his cousin. He didn't have to say it, Luke knew. He started laughing at him as soon as he'd opened his first gift and discovered that it wasn't the dreaded rock he was expecting.
"You were thinking it," Luke told him.
"Was not," he pouted, until he couldn't stuff the laughter, and admitted that he had been worried.
Regardless of what was under the tree, the Duke household held as much secrecy and intrigue as anyone's, and that year was no exception.
Luke asked his cousin several times what he really wanted from Santa that year. For once in his life, he had enough money to make any wish his baby cousin had come true, or so he thought. His cousin, however, was frustrating him to no end. Never really having been asked that question before, now all he could say was that he had everything he wanted or needed.
"Bo! Uggh! There's got to be something you really want."
"Luke, the best present I ever got was you coming home."
The sincerity in the admission caused Luke to freeze. When he regained his composure, he told Bo that wasn't what he meant, and pressed on for a gift idea.
Bo hadn't meant to say it; it just slipped out thanks to his cousin's persistence. "Time," was what he whispered, regretting it immediately.
Luke stopped dead in his tracks for the second time in a few seconds. At first, Bo couldn't even bring himself to look at his oldest cousin. Hearing no noise and seeing no movement from the corner of his eye, Bo finally looked up to find Luke standing there staring at him. He wished he could take it back. They'd been having such a good time together in the last few weeks, he didn't want it to end. This wasn't a subject that either of them had brought up, yet. It wasn't that they weren't aware that it was with them every minute of every day; they were. Perhaps they were simply hoping that if they didn't acknowledge it, it wouldn't seem so real and so ominous. So far, it had been working.
Luke wished that he'd never pressed Bo into that spontaneous response. He was now feeling bad for pushing his cousin into saying it, and Bo was feeling bad for saying it. He knew that they coudn't avoid it forever, but now still wasn't the time, Luke told himself. Without another word, the dark haired boy walked over, sat down next to his cousin, and wrapped his arms around him. Bo laid his head on Luke's shoulder, wrapping his own arms around his waist. They sat like that in silence for a long time.
Christmas arrived right on time, bringing with it Dukes from everywhere. Many relatives had promised a visit when they'd been invited for Thanksgiving, and a Duke's word was good, even if they didn't live in Hazzard. Vance, Coy, and Jeb were among the first to arrive. They were followed by so many that it sent shivers up and down the spines of Boss Hogg and Rosco P. Coltrane. Hazzard had been invaded.
Except for Luke, the rest of the family had seen many of them right after he had went back to VietNam. Jesse had sent out a call, and they had responded. Unfortunately, they hadn't provided the hope that the Hazzard Dukes had been looking for.
Even if your last name wasn't Duke, you were welcome at the farm, and half of Hazzard accepted that invitation. It was difficult to find an inch of space anywhere in the small farmhouse in the few days prior to Christmas, but the atmosphere was cozy as well as crowded.
Bo and Luke shared their room with Coy, Vance, and Jeb. The boys offered to share one bed so that one was free, but the visitors refused. They were well supplied with their sleeping bags. The five cousins had experienced a few sleep overs when they'd been kids, and that's exactly what they felt like again. Talking and laughing all night long, Jesse had to tell them several times to get to sleep. If there hadn't been other people in the house that they were keeping up, he might not have cared. Each time he had to tell them, he grinned, thinking that his warnings were working about as well as they had when they'd been children.
At least with all the company, Daisy had ample help in the kitchen. More people meant more food, and a larger variety. No one was complaining. Someone was always volunteering to sample something as a valiant effort to protect the health and well-being of the others.
The night of Christmas Eve was special. Jesse spiked the punch with some hidden shine he kept on hand so everyone was in an exceptionally good mood; the egg nog he left alone for the kids and non-drinkers. With so many guests and so many packages, the Dukes were glad they'd hung the decorations early. Jesse commented that if they hadn't, they would have been there until the next Christmas. It was an innocent remark, but it doused everyone like a cold shower. The natural thought in the back of everyone's mind was whether Bo would be with them the next time December 25th rolled around. It was exactly why everyone came in the first place, knowing that there was a real possibility that this would be the youngest Duke boy's last Christmas. Unfortunately, once said, it couldn't be taken back. Using the excuse that it was late and time for bed, relatives scurried to their assigned sleeping quarters.
By the next morning, it may not have been forgotten, but it was able to be ignored. Concentrating on the present, hugs abounded as the family members wished the others a very 'merry Christmas.' The day was enjoyable, but went by in a blur. A scorecard was needed to keep track of everyone there. Even the Hoggs showed up for a little while, all differences put on hold.
The family breathed a sigh of relief as Dukes started leaving by early evening. The ones that lived the furthest away were spending another night, but the occupancy of the house diminished significantly by bed time. It had been fun, but they all wanted their house back, to just themselves.
Bo was starting to feel like a side show in a carnival. As the youngest, he'd always been the one that everyone hugged the most. Despite now being the tallest, he was still bestowed with the most hugs, kisses, and pinched cheeks; ruffled hair was something they couldn't do that year. He knew that there was another reason behind their motives, but all he could do was go along, thanking them for their concern and promising that he would fight the good fight. As soon as the last Duke left, the boys made a bee-line for the barn.
"I thought they'd never leave," Bo observed.
"Me neither," Luke agreed.
"Now we can get back to the really important stuff like this here motor."
Turning his attention to the project they'd devoted every spare minute they could find to, the blonde was surprised to find yet another pair of arms going around him.
"Merry Christmas, Bo," Luke told him, squeezing him harder than any of the other relatives.
"Merry Christmas, Luke."
As the final holiday of the season approached, feelings were mixed. New Years usually provided opportunities for new beginnings, but no one knew if the upcoming year would offer a beginning or an ending. They didn't know whether to hang on to each current day or to dare to reach out for upcoming ones.
There was always a big dance and celebration in town for New Year's Eve. Miss Tizdale even loaned out her taxi cabs free of charge for anyone overindulging that needed a safe ride home. She'd started the designated driver program in Hazzard long before the issue gained national popularity. Unfortunately, she'd never been able to convince Hobie that he should participate. That year, however, the Duke family decided to ring in 1974 by themselves, at home.
The evening went well. Keeping to a light dinner of crawdad bisque and simple, finger foods which could be snacked on throughout the evening, no one went hungry. All of the Dukes loved Jesse's famous bisque, but no one more so than Bo, and Jesse and Daisy were doing their best to make sure that they made foods they knew he liked. As long as Bo would eat it, they would make it for him.
Retiring to the living room, the kids took up a heated game of Monopoly while Jesse read and they watched how other parts of the world welcomed in their own New Year. It was just a cozy night at home with the fireplace roaring, chasing away the unusually cold temperatures. Daisy and Bo fully expected Luke to win; he always did. Though a cross between a good ole boy and southern gentleman, competing against Luke meant taking your life into your own hands. He was fiercely competitive and it brought out a ruthless side to him. His family had always told him that should he decide to leave the farm, there was a place in the business world for him with his cunningness.
A little before the stroke of midnight, Daisy left to get out her aunt's champagne glasses that were protectively stored on a high shelf. Jesse went to get another small quantity of hidden moonshine which never seemed to run out. The last time they had used the stemware, someone pushed it too far back in the cupboard and Daisy was having trouble reaching for it. Bo was checking out some of the left overs and volunteered to help. Standing on a chair with his height, he was sure to have no trouble at all reaching in the back. He didn't, and handed them to her one by one. He'd felt it coming on, but didn't want to say anything, hoping that it wouldn't start until he was off the chair. It only cooperated to a point. By the time he jumped down, the nosebleed was in full force.
"Oh sugar," Daisy cried, reaching for the closest clean cloth she could find. He tried to take it from her, but she wouldn't let go. In spite of her size, she managed to push him down to a chair, still holding the cloth in place. "Put your head back, honey," she soothed.
Jesse returned with his finest, only to find his niece supporting Bo's head and holding the now soaking wet cloth. "Uncle Jesse, can you get me a fresh one?" she asked.
Hearing what was going on, Luke joined the rest of his family. It wasn't that they weren't used to it; it had been going on for quite some time, even before they knew why. Now that they knew what the cause was, it was more concerning, especially since each new one seemed to be worse than the one before.
Fate intervened, allowing the flow to stop soon enough for the family to count down the seconds as they watched the ball drop in New York. Having confiscated some party hats and noise makers from the previous year's party in town, four people proved that they could make a lot of noise. One by one, they wished each other a happy 1974.
"Happy New Year," Luke said, pulling his cousin close.
"Happy New Year to you, too, Luke."
That was the last thing Bo remembered. He opened his eyes to find himself cradled in Luke's arms, and three very anxious faces looking down at him.
"How ya feel, Bo?" Luke asked.
"Okay," he lied. The truth was he still felt incredibly light headed.
"I got you some juice, sugar," Daisy informed him.
"Let's get you up on the couch, cuz," Luke said, doing most of the work to get his cousin to the intended destination.
Bo drank the juice that Daisy handed him, and felt better within a few minutes. "Thanks," he said. "Sorry bout that," he apologized.
"Bo, ya ain't got nothing to be sorry about. You didn't plan it, did ya?" Luke asked.
"No."
"Well then, why ya apologizing?"
"Just didn't mean to ruin your night."
"My night wasn't ruined," Daisy corrected him. "Was yours Luke?"
"Nope."
"How bout yours Uncle Jesse?" she asked next.
"Nope."
"Well, see there, none of our night's were wrecked. In fact, I had a great time, especially since I finally beat Mr. Banker," Daisy giggled, and everyone joined in.
After a
few more minutes went by, Jesse suggested that they get to bed since
it was late. "Maudine
don't care whether it's a holiday or not,
and neither do them chickens."
Luke helped Bo to their room, keeping one arm around him, as Daisy and Jesse locked up and turned off all the lights. Bo knew that after his little swoon, he'd be confined to the couch most of the next day. His family always did that to him over every little thing, and with the combination of the nosebleed and fainting spell, he knew they wouldn't consider that little. He told himself that it was a good thing there was a lot of football games on so at least he'd have something to watch.
As the Dukes went to bed, they wondered what the new year really had in store for them.
