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 37 …..Flight
Luke shifted on the bed as they left, feeling rather bad. The doc had told him he was suffering a bit of shock, and that it would make him feel bad, only he had said it in a strange way with a few complicated words. He felt bad though, so that part he had gotten right. He was scared, and he felt almost car sick lying in the bed. The scared made him want to cry, and the sick feeling made him want to curl up under the cover.
He had been mad when she kept pushing him, and he remembered going to the window, she was shouting at him, and he started shouting back. They had a pretty fiery argument going when she came running forward and pushed him real hard, sending him flying and he never realized just how. It wasn't the first time someone pushed him so that he went sailing through the air, Ernie did that whenever he got the chance.
It was when his boot hit something and shards of glass flew through the air that he realized she had thrown him right out the window. The shock hit him so hard he couldn't even scream, and then he landed on the ground with a hard thud, all the air was forced out of his lungs and tears came to his eyes as he tried to get a full breath. He nearly panicked when it was hard, but then he was able to breath again, even though it hurt a lot.
A part of him figured to get up and back inside, but when it moved it hurt, and so he just lay there struggling with the tears. It took an awful long time before a teacher came. Up in the class room everyone was too scared to run and let anyone know.
Luke didn't know how long he was lying on the grass, but it hurt more and more. His arm, his leg and his head, and just everywhere. When the teachers finally came they were all of them screaming things. One of them wanted to know if he could get up, and they pulled him to his feet, he tried to walk, but he fell down when his ankle gave out, and then he hit his arm again and refused to try to get back up. One of the male teachers picked him up and carried him inside, putting him in a chair while they called the doctor. Luke had never been happier to see Doc Appleby, knowing that he would take care of him.
The family doctor was a kind old man that Luke trusted, and he was happy to go with him to his practice, especially since he didn't try make Luke walk or nothing, just drove him there while Luke sat sniffing holding his arm close. The doc tried to talk to him though, to keep him focused, before he took him in to examine him. While he worked with setting his arm and binding his ankle, he kept telling him funny stories like he did with Bo who was more afraid of even a simple examination.
He also gave him something for the pain before he did anything much, and Luke really appreciated that, but not as much as he appreciated getting to lie down to rest while he waited for his uncle to come and pick him up.
The truth was Luke was still a bit scared and upset from realizing he was falling out a window, it really had given him quite a shock, and he was scared. Very scared.
"Uncle Jesse!" he called pushing himself up to sitting and looking towards the door. "Uncle Jesse!"
"Ya okay there Luke?" Jesse asked worriedly as he opened the door.
"I don't wanna sleep Uncle Jesse," Luke mumbled.
"Don't feel very good, huh?" Jesse asked him softly sitting down on the bed.
"No, I'm kinda scared," Luke admitted. "It was awful Uncle Jesse."
"Well, ya need to rest, an' a bit of sleep if ya can, how about if I put ya on the couch instead, an' then I'm gonna be in the kitchen?"
"Better," Luke agreed. "That okay?"
"Sure Luke," Jesse brushed his hair softly. "I understand it's a nasty experience, so if ya don't wanna be alone, that's okay."
"I don't," Luke agreed.
"Come on then," Jesse picked him up and carried him out to the living room instead.
"Uncle Jesse, it's hurting more an' more now," Luke told him once he was settled on the couch.
"Reckon we should see if we can give ya some of that pain medicine the doc gave ya," Jesse decided. "Ya settled comfortable there Luke?"
"Yeah," Luke nodded. "Much as possible I reckon."
"Okay, I'll go check the pain killer then," Jesse promised, going to the kitchen counter where he had the bottle. He checked the instructions that the doc had given him against his pocket watch, and it wasn't quite time yet, and not even close enough he felt comfortable giving it to him anyway.
"Can ya hold out a bit longer?" he asked going back to Luke.
"If I have to," Luke stated, not sounding too happy about it.
"Think some ice cream might take yer mind off it?" Jesse asked hopefully, smoothing down his hair. "I'll call Bo back inside, an' then ya can both have some."
"Okay," Luke agreed.
Going to the door Jesse spotted Bo and called him over, the small child coming running hurriedly. Bo wasn't very big, but he sure had a smile a mile wide.
"How'd ya like to keep Luke company for a bit?" Jesse asked as he knelt down so as not to tower above the child.
"Wanna," Bo declared, holstering the cap gun in his pocket.
"Think I'd better take that then," Jesse reached over and took both the cap gun and the hat. "Luke's hurting a bit, so I want ya to be real careful with him Bo," he explained.
"Will," Bo bobbed his head up and down.
"I figured maybe some ice cream would take his mind off it, what do you think?" Jesse smiled as he was already reaching for two bowls.
"Lotsa, lotsa ice cream," Bo declared as he started jumping up and down.
"Slow down son," Jesse ushered him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Easy there, yer gonna have to be careful remember?"
"I do," Bo agreed. "Give Luke lotsa ice cream."
"Yes, we'll give Luke lots of ice cream," Jesse agreed. "Now why don't ya go in there an' keep him company while I get the ice cream?"
"Kay," Bo bounded into the other room, stopping by the couch. "Luke, can I sit with ya or is that not being careful?"
"Can ya hug me without making it hurt?" Luke asked in return, and Bo once more bobbed his head so that his blonde curls were dancing.
"Come then," Luke agreed, wanting the comfort.
Bo climbed up carefully and wrapped his small arms around Luke's neck. "Hurts?" he asked softly.
"Nice," Luke told him, it only hurt a little, and he really wanted the hug, so he preferred it that way.
In credit of the man with the ice cream…
TBC
Please review, the Cricket is hungry…..