IN THE BEGINNING

By BeeBeeGee

Part 2

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Fortunately, company was always welcome at Uncle Jesse's. He would have no difficulty in fitting two more folks at the table for supper.

Arlene was content to watch Jesse prepare dinner until he suggested that she pitch in and peel the potatoes. Arlene agreed, stating, "I may not be much of a cook, but I peel a pretty decent potato if I do say so myself."

The kids did their best to stay out of the adults' way. Daisy and Luke amused themselves outdoors, while Bo settled into the soft cushions of the living room sofa. Bo rearranged the pillows so that his broken arm was well supported, until he figured he was as comfortable as he was going to get. Evidently his body agreed, as he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. By the time Uncle Jesse called from the kitchen to announce, "Supper's on," Bo was half-asleep. He wasn't very hungry, and decided to ignore Uncle Jesse in hopes that he could stay where he was.

Jesse frowned when Bo did not join them in the kitchen. He looked at Arlene, who made no move to leave her place at the table. Jesse offered, "I can go get Bo, if you'd like."

Arlene waved off Jesse's concern. "If Bo don't feel like eatin', he don't feel like eatin'." She shrugged and added, "Won't be the first time he's gone without."

Jesse did not like Arlene's answer one bit. He thought about the situation while Luke and Daisy joined them at the table. It was obvious Arlene did not want to force the issue of Bo's absence from their table. However, to Jesse's way of thinking, a body, like a car, needed fuel to function.

He rose from the table and politely excused himself. "I'll be right back."

Jesse paused to observe the sleepy boy on his sofa. He was almost tempted to leave him be. However, close inspection revealed that the boy was already too thin. Jesse didn't figure it would do Bo much good to miss a meal.

Bo jumped, startled when he woke up enough to become aware that he was not alone in the room. Based on previous experience, the fact that Bo had ignored the supper announcement and the implied order to go to the kitchen meant he was in for a whipping in the presence of an adult male. He braced himself for the expected blows. They did not come.

Jesse was greatly disturbed by the way Bo flinched and tried to make himself smaller as the older man approached. 'Damn! You'd think I was gonna hit the boy, the way he's acting.' Jesse felt a small ball of anger grow larger at the thought. He tried not to let his anger show, as he had no desire to frighten Bo any more than he already had. He now had a nasty suspicion as to how Bo had come to hurt his arm, and why Arlene and her son were on the run from the law. Jesse vowed then and there to get to the bottom of the situation. If Arlene was somehow responsible, Jesse would turn her in himself.

Jesse dropped to his knees at the side of the sofa, putting him on a level with the boy. Bo's eyes widened in surprise. Jesse was pleased when the boy did not pull away. He smiled. "Hey there, Bo. You're looking really comfortable."

Bo nodded his head slowly, unsure of what exactly was going on as Jesse continued.

"I expect you don't feel like moving. I don't blame you. I broke my arm once, and it hurt like the devil." Bo seemed more awake and willing to listen, so Jesse continued. "One thing that always helped me when I was a young 'un and feeling poorly was my Ma's fried chicken. Well, I'm sorry to say that my Ma's not here." His smile dimmed as his heart was reminded of the gap left when his mother died. He patted the side of the sofa. "Lucky for both of us, she left me her recipes when she passed on. Some of the best fried chicken you'll ever taste is waiting in the kitchen. How about I help you up and we go get some?"

Bo was too amazed by the unexpected kindness of this stranger to do more than nod in agreement. Jesse gently removed Bo from his pillowed perch, and actually carried him into the kitchen, despite the awkward weight and position of the cast on his right arm.

Bo's speechlessness continued as Uncle Jesse seated him at the table, rearranging the table's contents so that Bo could rest his arm on the table and keep it elevated just like the doctor had ordered. Heck, he hadn't even needed to tell Uncle Jesse what the doctor had said. The man just seemed to know what he needed.

Bo's speculation on Uncle Jesse's psychic powers was given further fodder when Bo tasted his fried chicken. For the first time in the past hour, the young boy managed to find his tongue. "You weren't kidding! This chicken is the best!"

Jesse laughed and everyone present at the table relaxed after Bo's display of enthusiasm. They hadn't realized that they'd been waiting for Bo to pass judgment.

Luke proceeded to occupy Bo's time for the rest of the meal, talking twice as much to make up for the fact that Bo was too busy eating to speak more than one or two words.

Luke explained, "Uncle Jesse's good at a lot of things, not just cooking. There's this old tractor in the shed that we've been working on together. By the time we're finished, we'll have it running good as new." Luke took a bite of chicken, swallowed, then continued, "And Speckles, that's our dog, she's got a litter of three pups. Wait'll you see 'em!"

Daisy agreed. Her face went all soft as she clasped her hands together and gushingly exclaimed, "They are just the sweetest things, and so cute!"

Luke rolled his eyes at Daisy's pronouncement, silently acknowledging her right to her girlish behavior even though it made him cringe. Luke smiled at Bo's expression when he saw that it was similar to his own. He decided to add a kind word for his young cousin's benefit. "And I guess they're kind of cute, too."

Jesse was pleased to see the young folks getting along so well. With Luke and Daisy's help, Bo should be able to settle right in. Jesse was less hopeful when he looked over at Arlene. With her teased blonde hair and her heavily made up face, she looked more like a resident of the town's bordello than a farm wife. No one had been surprised when she'd left Hazzard. The only surprise was that she'd ever returned.

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Bo managed to stay awake long enough to finish two large servings of chicken. By the time dessert was offered, Bo was having trouble staying awake.

Jesse took pity on the young boy.

"Bo, it looks like you're ready for a bit of a lie-down."

Jesse turned to the oldest child. "Luke, how about you set up the cot in your room for Bo?"

Luke was feeling sorry for their young guest. Although he'd personally never broken so much as a finger, he reckoned a broken arm had to hurt quite a bit. He offered, "I'll go get the cot, but I think that Bo needs more room for that cast of his. I'll sleep on the cot, and Bo can have the bed."

Bo's eyes widened at the comment. He couldn't believe that Luke was willing to put himself out for someone he didn't hardly know. As much as he would have preferred the bed, he replied, "Thanks, but I don't mind sleeping on the cot."

Everyone present could see the logic behind Luke's offer, and they were easily able to persuade Bo to take the bed.

Bo followed Luke into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and watched as Luke began to set up the cot. Luke left the room to get bedding for the cot. While he was gone, Bo decided to change from a sitting to a lying position. It was the last thing he remembered doing.

When Luke returned, he saw that Bo had fallen asleep. He thought, 'I guess he really was tired,' when he saw that Bo hadn't bothered to remove his shoes. The younger boy's sneaker-clad feet were dangling uncomfortably off the side of the bed.

Luke decided to help out his new friend. Much as he'd done for Daisy when she was little, Luke untied Bo's shoes and gently shifted Bo's legs so that his feet rested upon the mattress. Luke pulled up the covers and tucked them around Bo's thin shoulders before he finally left the room.

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When the boys went off to Luke's room, Daisy took herself off to her own room. The two adults were left alone in the kitchen. Arlene sat at the table chatting while Jesse cleaned up the kitchen. She asked, "So, where am I gonna sleep?"

Jesse poked his head out from the dish cupboard and replied, "I guess you can sleep in my bed."

Arlene raised her eyebrows and with a sly wink replied, "Why Jesse Duke, are you offering to sleep with me?"

Jesse slammed the cupboard door and quickly turned around. His reddened face reflected his embarrassment. He waved his hands to emphasize his point as he hastened to explain, "No, no, Arlene, that's not what I meant!"

Arlene leaned back and placed her hands on her hips. "And why wouldn't you want to sleep with me?"

Jesse couldn't believe how quickly this conversation had gone to hell. He began to stammer out a reply, "No, that's … That's not what I mean! That is …" He was saved from having to verbally dig himself a deeper hole by a bright peal of laughter from Arlene.

"Oh, Jesse, I know exactly what you meant, and I thank you kindly. It's just so easy to get you going; I'm sorry I couldn't resist." Genuinely curious, she continued, "So, if I'm sleeping in your bed, where will you be sleeping?"

Jesse hurried to share his original plan with his houseguest. "I can sleep on the sofa. It won't be the first time, so I know from personal experience it's more than comfortable enough."

Arlene stood up from the table and joined Jesse where he stood by the sink. She placed one hand on his shoulder and leaned in to place a soft kiss upon his cheek. "You're a good man, Jesse Duke. I know I finally done something right when I showed up on your doorstep.

"If you don't mind, I'll leave you to do the cleaning up. It's been a long day, and I'm plumb tuckered out." She squeezed his arm and turned to leave the room, wishing Jesse a "Good night" as she departed.

Jesse wished her the same. Once Arlene had left the room, Jesse glanced up toward heaven. "Lord, when I said I wanted a woman living here with us, I'm thinking I should've been a little bit more particular."

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TBC