It didn't take long for all of Hazzard to find out about Luke

Here you go…the next chappie in less than a month!! Yay me. Please let me know what you think.

It didn't take long for all of Hazzard to find out about Luke. News spread like wildfire that, come Friday, there would no longer be "the Duke boys." There would only be Bo... that was, of course if the youngest cousin would survive without his best friend. Those who knew him best would not bet on it.

The whole town seemed to shut down, as if in mourning itself. Cooter closed the garage for the week. He didn't have the heart to fix cars, and truth be told, without Bo and Luke around, there were far fewer cars to be fixed. Of course the county buildings didn't close officially, but no one was ever there. The one place that remained open as usual was the Boar's Nest, but even then nothing was as it had been. Now, instead of coming for a good time of drinkin' and jukin', the good folks of Hazzard just gathered, talking about Luke and Bo.

"I just can't eat Rosco," said Boss sadly pushing away the plate of pork jowls. "I just ain't hungry."

Rosco sighed as he held Flash in his arms. "I know whatcha mean little fat buddy…Flash…she won't eat any of her doggy num-nums…she just moans an' groans."

As if on cue Flash let out a mournful bark, her eyes drooping sadly.

"You know I remember when Jesse and Lavinia first got Luke…such a quiet, shy little thing…he was only about four years old." began Miz Tisdale, sipping her drink and wiping her eyes under her glasses. "Jesse had brought him with him to get the mail…"

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"Emma…Emma there's someone I'd like ya t' meet," said Jesse cheerfully as he and Lavinia came into the post office.

"Take a number," answered the postmistress without turning around.

"Emma there ain't no one else here…"

"Jesse I'm sorry but regulations is regulations…even for you."

Jesse exchanged a look with his wife. Lavinia just shrugged with a smile, holding the little baby Beauregard in her arms. Everyone in Hazzard knew that Emma Tisdale had had an eye for Jesse Duke since they was knee high to grasshoppers. Lavinia thought it a great joke. Jesse did not.

"Alright… alright…" He took a number and stood waiting.

"Seven," called Emma.

"That'd be me," said Jesse handing her the number.

""ID please?"

"Emma what in Sam Hill…you's known me since…"

"Regulations, Jesse. Regulations," answered Miz Tisdale in a no-nonsense voice.

Jesse fumed before taking out his driver's license.

Miz Tisdale looked it over, and then looked up at him. "Ya always were such a handsome man… if you ever get tired of him Lavinia, send him my way…"

Jesse growled to Lavinia's chuckle. "I'll do that."

"No mail today," informed the post-mistress.

"Well that's alright… we had someone we wanted you to meet," answered Lavinia.

"Oh?"

Jesse nodded. "Luke…boy come on out here and say hello."

Miz Tisdale peeked over the counter. There, hiding behind his aunt's skirt, was a small child, no more than four or five.

"Who've we got here, Jesse?" asked Miz Tisdale, coming out from behind the counter.

"This is Luke… Jacob's boy," said Jesse a hint of sadness on his lips.

Miz Tisdale nodded her understanding. Everyone knew about the tragic accident that had claimed the child's parents, not 6 months after another accident had claimed little Beauregard's. "Well hello there Luke…."

The little boy didn't turn around, his unruly dark curls becoming more mussed as he hid further into his aunt.

"Shy little thing ain't he?" she began. "I like your shirt Luke…are those trucks on it?"

"Cars," came a soft whisper from the depths of the gingham dress Lavinia wore.

Lavinia patted his soft curls encouragingly. The little boy never had been much of a talker, and now, since the accident, he had scarcely said anything to anyone.

"You like cars?" continued Miz Tisdale.

Little Luke gave a small nod.

"How 'bout motorcycles?"

Again Luke nodded.

"I've got one…you wanna see it?"

Luke peeked out from behind his aunt.

"You can even sit on it…if it's ok with your aunt an' uncle…"

Luke sucked his thumb, as he always did when nervous but looked at her, his desire to go look getting stronger.

"So…what d'ya say? You wanna come see it?" She held out her hand to him.

Luke looked up at his aunt and uncle to find them smiling and nodding at him. Swallowing behind his thumb, he put his free hand in hers. Miz Tisdale put up her out-to-lunch sign and led Luke to the back of the post office where her bike was kept, letting him sit on it and play with the switches until even his curious mind was satisfied. For that one hour, Luke forgot his troubles with the elasticity of any other child, forgoing his sadness with wonderment of how a radio worked and what made motorbikes sound so much different than cars.

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"He had the most beautiful blue eyes…" she added softly, always having had a tender spot in her heart for Luke. "Such a handsome young man…it's a shame."

"What I'd give t' get hold of the fellas what done this…" said Enos softly. His big grin was gone from his face. Luke had been a close friend. "I 'member the first time I really talked to him…we was in school…I was gettin' bullied a little bit…"

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"Enos is a 'fraidy cat! Enos is a 'fraidy cat!" taunted Ernie Ledbetter in the middle of the school yard, after having stolen Enos's lunch for the third day that week…it was only Wednesday. "C'mon Momma's boy! You want me to stop takin' yer lunch?! Make me!!" With that he punched Enos hard, the boy falling to the ground, about to cry at any moment.

"He ain't gotta do nothin' Ledbottom," retorted Luke, seeming to appear out of nowhere. "Now…you give his lunch back an' apologize."

"Who's gonna make me-you?!" he laughed.

Luke felt the tips of his ears growing red with anger. He had always had a problem with his anger. Its root was the loss of his parents. He had learned to control it pretty well, but with Ernie Ledbetter he didn't even bother to try to calm himself. He punched first and punched hard, right smack dab into Ernie's nose. Something cracked as the blood began to gush but Luke didn't care. He tackled Ernie to the ground, rolling around with him, the two fighting like banny roosters.

Enos simply watched, tears falling down his cheeks.

Finally the teacher had come, tearing them off of each other. Luke had a split lip and had torn his best shirt. Ernie had a broken nose, and a rapidly swelling eye. Both were sent home for the day for fighting in school, and of course Jesse had held true to his word that if the boys got in trouble at school, they'd be in twice the trouble when they returned home.

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"He didn't sit a week after that," remembered the deputy. "But when I asked him…why…why he done it…he said I was his friend…an' no one picks on his friends…he…he barely knew me…but…he called me his friend…" The deputy sniffed.

Lulu Hogg sat at a table with her husband, eating the hog jowls he had lost his appetite for. Lulu tended to eat when she was upset, and since all this with Bo and Luke started, she had gained fifteen pounds.

"It didn't matter what I was wearin'…or how I looked…Luke always made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the room!" she cried, muffling her sobs with a jelly donut.

"I always wished he was on my side," said Boss Hogg softly. "That boy could think his way outta anything…well…almost…" he added with a sniff, knowing that even Luke couldn't out-think death. "That poor, poor family…."

Such went the conversations, well into the night, until gradually the sad and weary patrons went home.

Meantime, the minutes ticked away towards the final goodbye.

Please continue the encouraging words…you can see they help a lot (at least to post quicker!)