Hi Everyone! Glad everyone is glad that I didn't kill Jackie. Who could think I would do such a thing? Anyway, thanks for the feedback and the reviews. I really appreciate them.
Just a quick note: I've been battling lousy internet service and a migraine for the last week, so if I've missed anyone or have been slow in my response, please forgive me. Hopefully, both will clear up soon.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
BALANCING THE BOOKS
CHAPTER 11
THE RECOVERY
Over the next several days, Jackie continued to improve. Her condition was upgraded, and the doctor announced that she was expected to make a complete recovery.
Having given her statement to both Rosco and the FBI, she was told that there were no leads in the case. It appeared that an inexperienced bank robber got an itchy trigger finger. Unfortunately, in their haste, they hadn't left a trail of clues to follow. As Jackie became more lucid, she told herself that she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, though something still didn't feel right. Yet, thanks to Bo's almost constant presence at her side, Jackie began to heal emotionally, too.
After several days as a guest of Tri-County General's, the doctor entered her room at the same time the Duke family arrived. Not expecting him to say anything that required privacy, she wished they had been alone.
"Well young lady, you were mighty lucky and it looks like you're well on the road to recovery. The good news is that you can be released, provided you have someone to stay with you."
It should have been good news, but stranded in a town that wasn't home, it wasn't. "I don't," she said, not knowing if they would send her to another facility or keep her there.
"Of course you do," Uncle Jesse piped in. When Jackie looked at him with a questioning expression, he softened his. "Us. You've got us, and the four of us will keep a real close eye on her doc."
"Well that's wonderful, then. I can let you go as early as this afternoon," the physician stated, scribbling something down on her chart.
"No," she cried, as five pairs of eyes looked at her. Realizing that it sounded like she was being ungrateful or didn't want to stay with the Dukes, she knew she needed to clarify what she meant. Softening her tone, she continued. "I appreciate the offer, but I can't impose like that."
"Impose?" Uncle Jesse repeated. "Who's imposing?" he laughed. "We sort of think of you as family already, but I guess I could understand that you might not think of us the same way."
"Oh no, that's not what I meant," Jackie hastily replied. "I just think that I've already been a lot of trouble, with the accident and all. It just wouldn't be fair to all of you, and I'm not about to kick someone out of their bed."
"Oh sugar, you can share my room," Daisy offered.
"Or ours," Bo laughed, wiggling his eyebrows, to which Luke became agreeable, too.
"Well, I'm sure you don't want to share mine," Uncle Jesse stated, "and letting you share with the boys would only end up doing more harm than good, but Daisy's willing, so it's all settled."
"C'mon sugar. It'll be fun. The boys have always got to share a room, but I've never had another female in the house. It'll be like we're friends having a sleepover, or sisters!" Daisy exclaimed.
"C'mon, what do you say?" Luke asked.
Jackie didn't even have to look at Bo to know that he'd be leading the quest. She hadn't cried since she'd woken up. She was a strong person, and she was dealing with what had happened to her. She could even deal with the pain she was having to live with, but the kindness of this family was a little more than her emotions could handle. Looking down to hide the tears in her eyes, she nodded. "Thank you," she said, as the cousins crowded around her, and Jesse talked to the doctor about any arrangements that they'd need to make.
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By that night, Jackie was moved into Daisy's room. The doctor told her that she couldn't go home for at least three weeks, depending on how everything went, so it looked like she was there to stay for a while. She felt totally worthless, having been restricted from doing much of anything, and she knew she had to find a way to repay the kindness of the Duke family. She thought that maybe since she couldn't do anything physical to help, she might be able to help them in a different way
She hadn't been trying to eavesdrop, but the house wasn't that big. Totally by accident, she'd heard Uncle Jesse talking to Luke about the fact that their mortgage payment was going to be hard to make that month, and it gave her an idea. Of course, that led to another thought; one which had to be dealt with too, but still caused her to shudder.
"You okay?" Bo asked.
"Yeah," she said, shaking the thought from her head.
"I think we should go in," Bo said. "We don't need you getting cold or anything, and it is getting a little chilly."
She smiled, thinking that he could sound just like a mother hen when he wanted, which is not something that she would have ever thought him capable of doing. He helped her up from the porch swing and into the house. Settling next to Bo on the couch, she tried to pay attention to what was on the television. Instead, she found herself observing her hosts instead. Their lifestyle may have been simple, but she'd never seen a family who loved each other more. She'd left Hazzard and Bo, believing that it had nothing to offer her. Though she still firmly believed that her job and home was who she was and what she wanted, she was beginning to see that this way of life had its own advantages. It wasn't hers, but for the next few weeks, she was free to enjoy it.
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"You let her do what?" Uncle Jesse screamed at his oldest nephew.
"I didn't let her do anything," Luke said, trying to defend himself. "It wasn't like I knew that she was going to do this."
"How could you let her go back in there, for any reason?" Bo wanted to know.
"Enough boys! Enough!" Jackie shouted, stopping the arguments that she feared were about to escalate. When Luke said he needed to go to town, she asked if he minded taking her car so she could tag along. The doctor had never said she couldn't ride or walk. He was being nice, and all he'd gotten for his trouble was more trouble. She wasn't about to let his family wail on him for something that she had done. "That's better," she said, as both Uncle Jesse and Bo stopped to look at her. "First of all, Luke didn't know anything about this. He was doing me a favor by taking me into town, which I asked him to do, so please, stop yelling at him. If you want to yell, you need to yell at me." She gave them a minute to decide if they wanted to scream at her in lieu of Luke. When they didn't say anything, she turned to Uncle Jesse. "I wanted to do this. This is the second time that you have taken me into your home. You've given me a place to sleep, you've fed me, and you've taken care of me while I've been unable to care for myself. Now, I thought this was a pretty good trade off. I knew you'd never accept anything directly from me, so I decided to make your next couple of mortgage payments."
"But we can't take this from you, young lady," Jesse argued.
"Why not?" she questioned.
"Well, it wouldn't be right!" he announced.
"But it's okay for me to sleep under your roof and eat your food, and not even be able to help with the chores? Does that sound right?" she asked him back.
"Well sure, you needed help and we we're glad to do it."
"But you won't accept mine in return? What's the difference?"
"Huh?" Uncle Jesse asked. "You're confusing me. I'm not as educated as you are," he stated, trying to wiggle his way out of the situation.
"You're a lot smarter than you're letting on right now," Jackie told him, and they both grinned. "Mr Duke..."
"Uncle Jesse to you," he reminded her, pointing his finger in her direction.
"Uncle Jesse," she repeated, liking the way that sounded. "Uncle Jesse, if you think it's wrong to accept my help, how can you expect me to accept yours? I would not be able to stay," she finished, hoping that he could see her point.
They stared at each other while she waited for his answer, and Jesse knew that she wasn't the only one waiting. If he called her bluff, and she did leave, it would break Bo's heart. "That's blackmail," he told her.
"No it's not. It's called negotiating."
"I call it blackmail, and I don't like it, but I'm not about to let you leave so if that's what it takes to get you to stay, we'll deal with this later," he told her in a gruff voice.
"No, we won't," she giggled, then turned to Bo. "Now, as far as Luke letting me go into the bank, he didn't. Contrary to popular belief, my legs still work just fine. I walked over there all by myself, and it wasn't like I told him where I was going, so unless you believe that your cousin has ESP, please, let it go. He had nothing to do with it, Bo. Besides, I had to go back in there sometime, and you know what? I did it. I walked in, I faced it, and I'm standing here, fine. I feel like I confronted my demon, and that feels pretty good. So, let's stop yelling at Luke, okay?"
Pausing a minute, he gave in. "Okay," he said, grinning at her, then turning to his cousin. "I'm sorry, Luke."
"No, I understand. Believe me, I wasn't too happy, myself, when I found out where she went or what she had done."
Slipping away with Daisy, the girls let the Duke men commiserate with each other that they had been tricked by the best, while the only female Duke congratulated her on her victory.
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By the second week, Jackie had been cleared to do very light chores like gathering eggs and helping with meals. She couldn't, however, vacuum, dust, do laundry, or anything else that involved lifting, stretching, or bending.
"Like I said, that means I'm virtually worthless," she scoffed.
"Not to me, sweetheart," Bo told her, kissing her lips.
"At least my lips haven't been put on restriction, too," she giggled, as Bo released her and walked back out to the barn.
Uncle Jesse had given her a big pot of peas to shell, and she was sitting on the porch trying to look useful. Snapping the pod in her hand, Jackie's eyes swept the yard. Clothes were drying on the line and animals were running around making noise. It couldn't have been more opposite of the life she knew in the big city, but every day she stayed, Chicago lost a little more of it's appeal.
She watched Bo working with his cousin, and knew that as hard as the farm and the family would be to leave behind, the thought of leaving the blonde was becoming harder with each passing day. Changing gears, she tried to picture Bo in the big city, and immediately chuckled. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. Though the image was still fuzzy, she was beginning to be able to picture herself at the farm, and that surprised her. It went against everything she'd ever wanted in life, or thought she wanted. Telling herself that she had just grown comfortable, but that it would never last, it was getting harder to convince herself that she wasn't where she belonged and wanted to be.
A black sedan pulling up to the house brought her back to the present. She suspected that the car was a government issue, and when two men in suits got out, she knew for sure. It was the FBI agents who had visited her in the hospital and were assigned to her case. From the serious looks on their faces, she doubted they were there to inquire about her recovery.