Author's Note: This is a story I wrote about the Dukes and their first years at the farm. I tried to keep it with them from the point where they got to the farm, and carry on throughout a couple of years. It's a growing and learning experience for all of them. There are also notes at the end of each chapter, a credit of sorts to a father from his son.
Warning: The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.
Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix….
Learning To Love…
Chapter 6: …..Girls
"Aunt Martha!" Luke came storming in through the kitchen door, stomping inside furiously. "Aunt Martha!"
"Luke, ya know better than to come inside the house yelling like that," Martha came out of the bedroom scolding him softly. She had been putting clean sheets in the beds while Bo was napping.
"Daisy's got Teddy an' Billy," Luke declared, not shouting anymore but it was easy to tell how angry he was.
"Now Luke, that ain't no reason to act like that. Daisy is yer cousin, ya should let her play with yer goat an' yer bear." Martha chided him gently.
"Teddy an' Billy's mine, she can't just go take them." Luke insisted. "She won't give them back to…."
"If ya weren't playing with them, then what harm is it if she does?" She shook her head, it seemed as if the first big argument was up. "Don't ya know better than to be greedy like that?"
"But she didn't even ask me." Luke objected. "She just took them not even asking, an' she wont give them back to me."
Martha frowned, Luke would have to learn to share his toys, but it wasn't right of Daisy to borrow them without asking either, and if she did that and Luke wanted his toys back, then she should give them back.
"Luke, I want ya to calm down now," she told him softly but sternly. "Daisy should ask ya before borrowing them, now, I'm gonna go an' talk with Daisy an' tell her that. But Luke, yer gonna have to let her borrow them at times, do ya understand that."
"She didn't borrow them, she took them, an' I couldn't find them. I was looking all over for them." Luke pouted.
"Not right now Luke, but later if she wants to borrow any of yer toys, ya have to let her," Martha insisted hoping that he understood.
"Not if she just takes them," Luke declared stubbornly.
"Alright Luke, we will talk more about this later," she decided. Maybe it would be easier for her to take that with him when he had his bear and his goat back. However as she got outside she suddenly understood why Luke was so upset. The ground was still wet and a bit muddy after the last rain and Daisy had his bear and goat on the ground, getting them quite dirty.
"Daisy, did Luke say ya could play with those?" she asked, mainly to figure out what she was doing. When Luke said she hadn't asked him she believed him.
"He was playing with his cars," Daisy declared happily. "An my doll can't play outside, cause she can't get dirty."
"Daisy, taking Luke's toys outside so yer own won't get dirty isn't very nice at all." Martha sighed.
"But my doll don't like getting dirty," Daisy was still smiling. "Goats don't mind."
"Luke minds when ya get his Teddy an' his goat dirty," Martha told her. "Ya's been kinda mean to Luke here Daisy. Ya need to ask him before ya borrow something of his."
"But what if he says no?" Daisy wondered.
"Then he says no, an' then ya can't borrow it right then." She picked the two stuffed animals up. "Now come on, we need to wash these for him, an' yer gonna have to apologize to him."
"Do I have too?" Daisy complained.
"Yes Daisy, ya really have to." Martha nodded.
Luke ran forward when he saw his animals. "They's all dirty," he exclaimed.
"Me an' Daisy are gonna wash them." Martha promised him. "Now Daisy, what were ya supposed to tell Luke?"
"Sorry?" She looked up at her smiling as she asked the question.
"Yes, but ya are supposed to tell Luke that." She encouraged her.
"Sorry," Daisy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Luke hugging him. While he wouldn't be happy until his animals were all cleaned Luke hugged her back.
"Bo should be sleeping Luke, me an' Daisy are gonna wash these so they are all clean again, if Bo wakes up ya let me know, okay?" Martha asked him.
"Okay," Luke nodded, if Bo was sleeping he could slip in there with a book and read while his cousin slept. He had a story book with plenty of pictures in it. He took the book and sneaked off into his aunt's and uncle's bedroom. Sitting down on the floor beneath Bo's crib. The baby was making soft noises as he slept and Luke thought it was really peaceful. Then the baby started fussing and Luke stood up looking at him wondering what was wrong.
Bo had opened his eyes and was waving his arms around, not looking too happy.
"What's wrong?" Luke frowned reaching his hand into the crib and stroking his cheek. Then he wrinkled his nose. "I'm gonna get Aunt Martha," he stated hurrying out of the room.
His aunt was in the kitchen with Daisy and washing the two stuffed animals. "I think Bo needs to be washed too, he smells yucky," Luke declared.
"Oh, I think I know what the problem is," Martha stood up drying of her hands. "I'll take care of it, Daisy, ya keep washing Billy an' Teddy now."
"Okay," Daisy was grinning as she dunked Billy under the surface to pull him up and wring it out. Luke hurried out of the room, not wanting to see his goat being tortured in that way.
It wasn't hard for Martha to guess that Bo simply needed to be changed. It didn't take her long to take care of it either, and when she was done Bo wasn't interested in napping anymore. He was wide awake and seemed to want to stay that way. In fact, he seemed to be very active refusing to be still. She put him down on the floor and he started doing his half crawl.
"I think someone wants some exercise," Martha smiled. "Luke, could ya keep an eye on him so that he don't pull anything down?"
"Okay," Luke squatted down on the floor in front of him.
"Billy an' Teddy are just about clean now, I just need to hang them out to dry," she assured him.
"Good," Luke declared as Bo reached him, grabbing a hold of his jeans and pulling himself up to sitting. He frowned a little at the baby but deiced he didn't mind. Right now he wasn't too happy with Daisy though. No matter what Martha said about sharing toys she had no right to take his bear and his goat and get them all muddy.
While they were drying Martha suggested that he and Daisy should take their naps. Luke wasn't all that tired, but it sounded a little nice and he couldn't think of anything else to do right then so when she told them they could have milk and cookies after it he agreed.
He wasn't really sleeping but he was nodding of when Daisy came sneaking into his room.
"Luke," she stood up on tip toe and tapped his arm.
"What?" he frowned wondering what she wanted now.
"I had a bad dream, can' I sleep with ya?" she turned pleading eyes to him.
"Why?" Luke wasn't sure what he thought about that.
"Yer big, please Luke, please…" Daisy pleaded and Luke gave in.
"Okay," he nodded.
"Thank ya Luke," Daisy scrambled up on his bed and hugged him before slipping down under the cover.
There was one thing about little kids Luke figured, it was kinda hard to stay mad at them. When Daisy curled up to him like that, and even as young as he was he knew that she trusted him to keep her safe, well, it was kinda hard to stay mad then.
He wasn't tired though so when he didn't feel as if he could stay still any longer he slipped out of the bed. He padded out of the room quietly so he wouldn't wake her.
"Done napping?" Martha asked him as he came out into the kitchen.
Luke nodded, "I couldn't sleep, but Daisy ain't awake yet."
"Did ya check on her?"
"She came an' wanted to sleep with me," Luke explained. "Said she had a bad dream."
"That was nice of ya Luke," Martha smiled at him. "Is it okay if ya wait with milk an' cookies till she's awake though?"
"Okay," Luke nodded. "I'll go outside an' play."
"Hold it one second," Martha shook her head. "Where's yer boots?"
"They's in the bedroom, an' if I go in there I might wake Daisy," Luke explained to her.
"Luke, it's wet outside, ya can't go outside without yer boots."
"Why not?" Luke frowned, he didn't mind being barefoot when it was wet.
"Yer gonna get all wet an' muddy," she explained.
"I'd get wet an' muddy anyway," Luke frowned.
"Can't ya play inside instead?" she asked.
"I wanted to go outside," Luke pouted but went off into the living room, feeling as if the rest of the day just had gotten ruined. He liked to play outside when it was muddy, at least every once in a while. Instead he headed off into the living room, finding a small corner between the furniture and crawled in there with one of his cars.
He didn't even notice that Bo was making his belly crawling until the baby nearly bumped into him. It seemed Bo had figured out he didn't have to stay where they put him down anymore.
"Hey," Luke smiled at him and pulled him up in his lap. He didn't feel like he was in a very good mood anymore, and a baby to hug was just what he needed. It was even better when Daisy woke up and came out into the living room, she came over and hugged him as well.
"Do the two of ya want yer milk an' cookies now?" Martha asked looking into the room. At first all she could see was the back of Daisy's dress as she was hunched. Approaching them she saw Daisy leaning against Luke, and Bo was curled up in Luke's lap.
"Cookies?" Daisy turned around smiling brightly while Luke didn't say anything, He was resting his cheek against the top of Bo's head, and the baby had one of Luke's cars in his lap. He was patting the roof with the flat of his hand as Luke sat embracing him.
"Luke, do ya want some milk an' cookies?" Martha repeated and watched as the boy shook his head. "Luke, even if ya wanted to go outside, that ain't no excuse for ya not to mind me. Now, I asked ya a question."
"I don't really want any," Luke pouted.
"This isn't no way to behave just cause ya didn't get what ya wanted Luke," Martha stated wondering just how firm she should be with the boy.
Luke sighed and crawled out, bringing Bo with him, though he had to put him down since he couldn't sit at the table with him.
Daisy was bouncing up and down until Martha lifted her up. Luke really knew better than to pout, but it was also hard to understand why things was so different. His Mama would let him run out to play, so why wouldn't aunt Martha do it. She had told him that she and his uncle Jesse would raise him just like his mama and papa would have, but that wasn't what they were doing.
Down on the floor Bo started fussing because he wanted to be held again, while Daisy was bouncing waiting for the cookies. Martha shook her head, how was one woman supposed to cope with three children at one and the same time. Scoping up Bo she started putting the glasses on the table, getting the pitcher with the milk she filled them and put one in front of each child, getting two cookies for them each from the cookie jar. Then she took one of the baby bottles and filled it with water for Bo to drink.
"Can't he drink milk?" Luke asked feeling sorry for the baby who had to settle for water.
"He can, but he need some water too," Martha explained patiently.
"Can I have another cookie?" Daisy wanted to know having finished hers.
"No Daisy, no more cookies right now," Martha shook her head.
"She can have one of mine," Luke offered.
"Yes please," Daisy immediately started reaching for the cookie.
"No, I said only two for now, I don't want ya kids to ruin yer appetite fer the supper." Martha shook her head. "Ya can't give her yours Luke."
"Okay," Luke sighed and put the cookie on the table.
"I want more cookies," Daisy whined.
"Not right now Daisy," Martha shook her head. "Now, I need the two of ya to behave yerself."
"Can I go out an' play now?" Luke asked.
"Finish yer milk an' yer cookie first," Martha instructed him.
Sighing Luke did as he was told, drinking all the milk and eating both cookies.
"Now ya may go out and play, but only if ya put yer boots on, an' don't get dirty."
Luke sighed again, it wasn't a very good day, but at least before he went to bed Teddy and Billy was dry again.
In credit of the man who didn't always make any sense…..
TBC
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