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 27 ……….Hand Me Downs
"Them boys are growing taller everyday," Rita smiled as Bo and Luke ran around the yard with Cooter. Jesse had dropped them off to spend the Saturday playing with Cooter.
"Growing so fast I don't know how I'm gonna be able to keep track of them," Jesse nodded with a smile. "Seems like yesterday when Bo was naught but a baby, an' Luke just a toddler."
"Well, ya know Jesse, I just packed up some of Cooter's old clothes, an' I don't know what to do with it. Boxes full, just collecting dust, his cousins have grown outta them as well."
"They do grow outta them clothes fast," Jesse mused.
"Well, how about ya take them clothes fer the boys?" Rita suggested. "We got no use fer them anymore, and it don't make sense to just let the boxes sit there."
"Maybe not, but I ain't so sure I should do that," Jesse said thoughtfully.
"Of course ya should, don't make sense any other way," she winked at them. "Sides, I kinda let it slip to the boys, an' they seemed pretty exited."
"Yer sneaky," Jesse grinned. "Alright, I can't say it won't take a load off my mind. Make enough on the shine to keep them well clothed, but I don't always figure when they need it in time."
"It ain't easy Jesse," Rita sighed softly. "And no one should have to raise kids by themselves either, just don't seem right. Especially not with children like them that has lost so much already."
"I sure don't know as much as I've ought to about it all," Jesse stated. "I keep forgetting about things I should've done, I'm sure glad I have them though, they bring something special to life."
"That they do," Rita nodded. "Come Jesse, let's put them things in the truck before ya get the boys, an' then I made a pie y'all could have fer dessert."
"Did Bo put ya up to that?" Jesse smiled amused.
"Not at all, but they were really thrilled they got some before. I adore them children Jesse, and right now there might be a few things I can for both you an' them, so I want to. In a little while, there won't be nothing I can offer anymore, so ya let me do it now ya hear," she grinned.
Jesse grinned, chuckling lightly. "Just don't let Bo hear ya say that, he's gonna be all over ya begging ya to make pies every day."
"He loves sweets that one," Rita agreed as she went to show Jesse the boxes with old clothes. "And he knows how to charm an' old lady to give them to him, just flash ya a smile and turn them big blue eyes to ya."
"They sure are hard to resist," Jesse agreed amused. "An Daisy's not far from it in them pretty little dresses when she goes to them after church. I don't think those two will ever lack fer anything. Worries me though, the way them two can get cookies and sweets from just anyone, an' does get it, I sure hope Luke don't start to getting jealous."
"Don't worry about that," Rita assured him.
"But that boy has such a temper, I ain't seen nothing like it on someone so young," Jesse explained.
"Jealousy ain't really in him though," Rita stated. "An' he has his means to get what he wants, they's just a bit different. They do take pity on that little girl, an' Bo can charm their cookies right outta the oven, but Luke can make it so ya give him the jar, an' thinks he did ya a favor."
Jesse chuckled as he put the box in the back of the pickup, three boxes, that should keep the boys clothed for a while. "Ya got a point there, don't know what scares me the most with that boy, his smarts or his temper," he grinned. "I have to really watch myself with that one."
"Ya go ahead an' call them over, an' I'll go fetch that pie," Rita grinned. "When ya get back home, look over them clothes, an' see what fits them, then ya can just put the rest aside a little, until they grow into it."
"I'll do that," Jesse nodded. Luke stood Cooter just about to the shoulders. Neither he nor Bo was really big for their age, kind of average. Daisy was average for her age as well, but her dainty, feminine way made her seem smaller at times. Luke needed a bit more width in his clothes than Bo did, because Bo was off a more slender build.
"Come on ya little rascals, git in the pickup," Jesse told them as they came running over.
"Do we have to go home yet?" Bo asked pleadingly, turning those aforementioned blue eyes towards him.
"Yes Bo, we have to get back home so we's can git supper ready an' eat." Jesse explained.
"Can eat supper here," Bo explained to him, hoping to get to stay.
Luke knew they had to head home, and so he stepped in to help his uncle. "Well Bo, do ya wanna eat supper here more than ya wanna eat pie at home?" he asked.
Bo shook his head, perking up. "We's got pie home?" he asked.
"We's gonna have, but we can't rightly eat pie at home unless we's there, can we?" Luke challenged, and Bo shook his head.
"Tell Cooter goodbye now," Jesse urged them.
"Bye Coot," Luke told him, smiling.
"Bye Coot," Bo repeated, using the same phrase as his older cousin had, but with a twist, like throwing himself in Cooter's arms. He'd go home, but he'd have his hug first.
Cooter gave him a good hug, then spun him around and hung him upside down for a brief spell before handing him to Luke who put him in the pickup.
"Cooter, do ya wanna take the bikes down to the pond tomorrow?" Luke asked as he climbed in himself.
"You bet," Cooter grinned as he waved.
"Take care now y'all," Jesse stated as he got in and put the pickup into drive. He didn't get many yards before Bo gave a small yawn and crawled up to sit in Luke's lap rather than on the seat.
"Ya tired sprout?" Jesse asked as Bo leaned his head against his older cousin and stuck his thumb in his mouth.
"There was a monster last night," Bo mumbled.
"So ya had a bad dream that made it hard to sleep huh?" Jesse asked and Bo nodded. "Didn't ya take yer afternoon nap?" He had put the boy down in bed for it, but it hadn't been long before the boy was up and out of bed again.
"Couldn't, the monster was there," Bo explained.
"What kind of a monster?" Jesse asked. Bo could stay afraid for nightmares for some time. You had to really make him see that there was no monster there.
"Monster that took Luke from me," Bo told him. "But then I went to Luke to sleep, an' then the monster was scared of him, so it had to go, but when Luke was outside the monster was in our room."
"Why didn't ya tell me, I could have made it go away," Jesse told him softly.
"It told me not to, it wouldn't let me," Bo stated. "It's only real scared o' Luke, I need him to make it go away."
"Well, ya know Bo, when I ain't at home, my ol' teddy bear is the official monster scare awayer," Luke told him with a small smile.
Bo had a very livid imagination when it came to those things, and other things as well Jesse reminded himself. He could always come up with a reason why the monsters were, or why they were hiding out in strange places. If he was scared of something, there often was a monster story about it to explain it. Whatever it was, from the time monster in the clock, to the nightmare monsters that sometimes kept him from sleeping.
Luke could make up stories to make Bo feel safe, he could take Bo and his teddy bear, and quite seriously instruct the bear to keep the boy safe, and it worked, because Bo put so much faith in his older cousin. He didn't think Luke could ever do wrong on anything, and if Luke told him that his bear could keep the monsters away from Bo, then Bo would take it as the plain truth, the bear could do that.
"Can I nap in yer bed if it tries to come back?" Bo asked, turning his face upwards. "Cause then yer bear knows how to make it go away."
"Sure ya can Bo," Luke nodded. "When we get home, I'll tell my bear that no one can be there but you, so that all monsters will keep away."
"Love ya Luke," Bo brought his arms up around his neck, jamming a wet thumb into his ear, and kissing his cheek as he pulled Luke's head down.
Knowing Bo was really tired Luke carried him inside, and let him sit in his lap while he did his homework. It was just a very little anyway, and Jesse had let it wait so he and Bo could go to Cooter. Jesse wasn't worried, if you gave the boy the trust that he'd do them when he got home from his friend, then he did, and Bo couldn't be up so late that Luke could always do the homework first and go to play later.
The pie had Bo all awake though, and all three kids were begging for seconds of it, which Jesse let them have. Dividing the last remains of it into three equal shares, two to go in lunch boxes, and one for Bo to have with his lunch. The boxes with Cooter's old clothes was in the living room, and that would give him and Bo something to do the following day, then when Luke got home, he could go over it as well. Right now, it was time to give Bo his bath and then put him in his pajama for a bedtime story so he could go to bed and sleep.
As soon as Bo was in bed, it was time to get Daisy ready, and then Luke, and Jesse ended the day with a prayer for his children.
In credit of the man that never could make us a full meal when Mamma wasn't home….
TBC
Please review, the Cricket is hungry…….