Ya know, these keep getting harder and harder to write, so I am hoping that the chapter doesn't show how much I struggled here….
"Y'ain't a freak, Bo," began Luke, rubbing Bo's back gently, "but there's a few things I'd like t' call Sara Jane."
Bo paid no attention to him, too busy hearing her words over and over and over.
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"Ya know Bo, ya should consider yaself lucky," she began, twirling a strand of blond hair around her finger.
"Why lucky?"
Sara Jane shrugged. "Well, most girls wouldn't waste their time with ya anymore."
Bo swallowed. "Why wouldn't they?" sounding more like a hurt little boy than the offended man he was trying to be.
"Yer high maintenance Bo…face it. Yer gonna have this the rest of yer life. Why would someone want to date you when there are guys without problems like yours?"
"I'm the same person I always was," faltered Bo.
Sarah Jane shook her head. "The Bo Duke I know used t' be one of the best drivers 'round…"
"He still is…"
"Well, like I said before, ya shouldn't ask a girl on no date if ya can't even take her no where."
Bo swallowed. "I'm sorry… I just…"
She sighed. "Save it Bo." She smiled waving to some friends in the corner. "Don't get me wrong…yer a nice guy an' everything, this just ain't gonna work."
"Sara Jane…"
"See you 'round Bo."
With that she went to join her friends, leaving Bo alone with his soda.
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"Bo… Bo listen t' me…she ain't worth yer time buddy."
Bo said nothing.
"Bo… dontcha let some dumb girl bring ya down like this…"
"You don't get it Luke! If it ain't Sara Jane sayin' things like that, it'll be someone else! Ain't no one gonna wanna date someone they gots t' babysit all the time."
"Ain't no one babysittin' ya Bo…" began Luke hesitantly, not wanting to provoke his cousin more than he already was.
Bo didn't answer.
"She shouldna said those things Bo… it was just downright mean."
"But she did… she said it… an she ain't the only one thinkin' it."
"Bo…people say stupid things…." began Luke, about to give his cousin the not-worth-your-time speech again when he saw Bo cowering down as if someone had struck him and the tears rolling down Bo's cheeks. His heart ached for him. "Oh Bo…" Taking the trembling boy in his arms, he rocked him gently, trying to soothe him. "I'm sorry Bo…God, I'm sorry."
Bo just clung to him. This was one problem Luke couldn't solve.
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Three weeks later...
"I'm worried bout him, Uncle Jesse," muttered Luke watching as Bo excused himself from the dinner table and went back to their room, leaving his half-eaten dinner plate behind him.
"Ain't like him t' not eat," ventured Daisy.
"No it ain't. Ain't like him at all… he said anything to ya?" Jesse asked.
Luke shook his head. " Not really… not since that thing with Sara Jane. He ain't been sayin' much of anything'."
"Ya reckon it's all 'bout that?"
Luke thought a moment. "No… I mean, he was upset about it, but I don't think Bo'd let anyone bother him that much, no matter what they said."
"Luke's right, Uncle Jesse. S'gotta be somethin' more to it," answered Daisy her gaze concentrating on her uncle's set jaw.
Jesse nodded. "Question is what?"
"I could try talkin' t' him again," offered Luke though he had been trying every day for the past few weeks, to no avail.
Jesse shook his head. "No, you've been trying. No I think maybe Daisy'd here have a better chance of getting' through t' him."
"Me?"
Jesse nodded.
"I'll try." Slowly, she got up from the table and, taking Bo's uneaten piece of apple pie and a fork with her, knocked on his door. "Bo, it's me honey."
There was no answer.
Daisy opened the room a crack, the silence and darkness of the room making her quake. She opened the door the rest of the way and crossed over to Bo who lay on his bed. "Brought ya some pie, sugar."
Bo didn't look at her. "No thanks."
Daisy sat beside him. "What's botherin' ya honey?" she asked, brushing the blond hair that fell over his ears.
"Nothin'" muttered Bo looking up at the ceiling.
"Bo," began Daisy softly. "Honey, we're worried 'bout ya. Ya don't go anywhere anymore, ya don't eat, you've lost so much weight ya could hide behind a fence post…"
"S'nothin' Daisy… just leave me be, alright?"
"Bo…if it's Sara Jane that's botherin' ya, I'd be glad t'…"
"S'not her."
"Well, if it ain't her then…"
He sighed. "I…just…dang it all!" yelled Bo as tears started forming in his eyes. "Look…just go, Daisy, please. Will ya please just go?"
Frowning, Daisy swallowed and squeezed Bo's hand tightly. "Ya know where I am if ya need me." She turned and left the room, returning to the kitchen, now clearly worried. Bo had always been the more emotional of her two cousins, but lately… she hadn't seen his trademark grin since she didn't know when. She missed him.
"Nothin'?" asked Jesse, as he looked up from the dishes he was drying.
"Nothin'. He asked me t' leave. He started cryin' again."
Jesse shook his head worriedly.
"Somethin's wrong…" began Luke, his voice heavy with concern.
Jesse nodded. "But he's stubborner than Maudine on bath day. He ain't gonna tell us til he wants us t' know…"
"When'll that be?" asked Daisy.
"I have no idea," answered Jesse softly.
It was a cool autumn evening a few nights later. Daisy was at work, and Jesse had gone to some neighbor's to help birth a calf. Luke had run into town to get some things and truth be told, he had needed to get away. Bo's depression was starting to wear on him.
As Luke was driving home, he felt a familiar jolt and pulled to the side of the road: a flat tire. At least it wasn't anything he couldn't fix, though it would be a lot quicker with Bo there to help him. He opened the trunk and, to his dismay discovered that the spare was also flat. Swearing under his breath, he radio'd Cooter on the CB.
It was nice being alone for once, thought Bo later, as he lay on the couch. He was tired, which seemed the norm for him anymore, and he just wasn't feeling well, as he had told Luke earlier.
He was sad. The littlest things seemed to upset him anymore. The casual bantering between him and Luke was gone. Every time they had tried, Bo had ended up crying, so Luke didn't try anymore. He couldn't take teasing any more. His interests changed too.
Whenever someone brought up cars or the General Lee, Bo ended the conversation abruptly, commenting on the weather or some other silly thing.
Talking about the weather instead of cars? Now friends, this is serious…
The phone rang and Bo slowly got off the couch to answer it wondering why they couldn't invest in one of them new fangled answerin' machines he had read about.
"Duke Farm…Bo Duke Speakin'…"
"Oh hey Bo…it's Enos… I was wonderin'…uh that is… could I speak t' Daisy please?"
"She's at the Boar's Nest, Enos., but if ya…."
"What's that? Bo I lost the last part ya said…Bo?" He swallowed, hearing a large thud as if something heavy dropping to the floor. "Bo? Bo! Possum on a gumbush!" He dropped the receiver, leaving it hanging from the cord on his desk and rushed out to his patrol car, and using his CB called any Dukes out on the Hazzard Net.
"Ya got Luke here Enos…"
"Luke...tell me yer at home…please…."
"Almost just got the General's tire fixed…had a flat on the way to…"
"Luke…who's at yer place?" interrupted Enos.
"Just Bo…why?"
"Get home buddy… I think…I think Bo's in trouble. I got an ambulance comin' now."
Luke didn't remember what else was said. He put the pedal to the floor and rushed towards the farm, praying Bo was alright as tears of guilt streamed down his cheeks.
I know…I know… another cliffie…. Well, they are just like birthdays…. They have a way of sneakin up on ya… whether ya want em or not…so fer those who don't like em, I'm sorry, fer those who do, enjoy, and as always, please let me know what you think. Thanks!