I'm on a working (or learning) vacation of sorts this week. Vacation from the job, but going to classes for the fire department two counties away from home. Got to the resort just before the big snow hit. My other guys had classes yesterday and today but I've had them, so I've had two days free for some R&R. My classes start tomrrow, so I'm posting today while I had some time to write and proof it. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 57

After cleaning up the kitchen and helping get the girls ready for bed, Karen headed off to her room finally. She would really liked to have called at least one of the others to see if their court dates were at the same time, but with everything that had gone down with Danny this morning, Karen knew that there was no way that she would be allowed any privileges for a long while.

Alone in her room, Karen almost felt like she may have well been in a jail cell as to be here. She wasn't allowed to listen to her stereo, use the phone, have friends over or go out. Then, she thought about going out last night and Danny. Both times they were out with their friends, things seemed right, felt good. The trouble was maybe she had let herself feel just a bit too good for her own good. Karen knew that ever since she had learned that her mother was pregnant with Emily and Emma, that she had given her mother grief. It hadn't helped that she wasn't just pregnant, but pregnant with TWINS no less. Now, even if her parents hadn't chosen to let anyone else know, Karen knew that in a few months there was going to be another crib in the nursery.

At age eighteen, Karen was sure she and her friends were doing exactly what was expected of them to be doing at their age, however, for her parents to be doing the same things at their age, well that was just repulsive! Then, she thought about Jeb over in Hazzard for the summer. He was younger than her, yet he got a 'vacation' away from here and their parents to spend the summer with their Uncle Jesse and cousins, Bo, Luke and Daisy, while she stayed here and changed diapers and got spit up on!

Karen felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she layed her hand on her flat belly. She prayed that she was not pregnant. Sure going out with Danny had been 'fun' and felt 'good' but she wasn't at all sure that she liked him and heaven forbid that she wanted to marry him. Karen was thankful for one thing, Jeb was out of the County and she hoped that he had heard nothing about her current situation. With luck she would get a large fine, take on a part time job, pay it and be done with this whole mess before he got home. Jeb may be younger, but he surely treated her as if he were the older, protective brother.

'Friday, Friday afternoon. Oh, Lord.' Karen thought as she suddenly felt deathly ill and ran for the bathroom! As she threw up, memories of the few hours she and her friends had spent behind the locked steel bars flooded her mind.

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After Karen headed to her room and John helped Pauline get the twins settled for the night, he took his coffee cup out to the porch swing and began some soul searching himself. As he gently moved the porch swing back and forth with one foot, John thought back to last weekend. Specifically, the twelve hours or so that he and Campbell were locked up downstairs in Rosco's Iron Bar Hotel. It was nothing that he hadn't been through before, though it had been fifteen or so years since he'd found himself as a Sheriff's overnight guest. Not that John was looking for a repeat reservation or anything, but at this point he could not discard the possibilities of such a stay. He could only hope that at this point, that come Monday he'd be a few dollars poorer.

When Pauline had the twins taken care of, she poured her a cup of coffee and headed to the porch.

John moved so that she could join him on the swing. Both sat there listening to the crickets and the occasion squeak of the old porch swing chain as they gently swung. Finally, John said gently, "Are you going to Hazzard with me?"

Pauline was a bite surprised by John's question. All the times he'd gotten a bit too wild at the bars, Jesse had always been the one to go with him and handle things. She answered honestly, "I haven't given it much thought."

"You know you and the kids are welcome on the farm. You could visit with Jeb and with all the extra hands around it may be easier with Emma and Emily, than with only you and Karen home." John reasoned.

Pauline turned a bit to quickly towards him, "John David you aren't telling me that you expect to go to jail for this mess do you?"

John looked at the porch floor a full minute before he looked up at his wife and mother of his children, "I'm not really sure right now what to expect, Pauline. It has been a number of years since I've showed myself, but if that Judge digs up my file, ..." He left the sentence unfinished. "The circumstances were a bit different, but you remember we have a nephew who just cooled his heels for ten days over a fight."

"But, John David, that was different, he'd been doing all sorts of fooliness along with fighting." Pauline reasoned.

John was silent for a long while before he added, "Yeah, he had been, but I, ... swung first this time Honey."

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In Hazzard, Jesse was also enjoying a bit of cool air on the front porch swing with a cup of coffee and the occasional sound of a whippoorwill.

That's where Jeb found him, when he'd been able to slip off from Bo and Luke, who were up to their elbows in a car engine. Jeb took a seat on the porch banister and pulled his feet up to his chest balancing on only the small board.

Jesse waited a few minutes, but when Jeb hadn't said anything at all he asked, "Something wrong?"

Jeb shook his head no ever so slightly, "Nah, why?"

"It's not often any of you three would rather spend time sitting with me out here rather than workin' on a car." Jesse said.

Jeb frowned for two reasons: One, his Uncle Jesse was dead on the money, there was something bothering him. And, two, the three of them would normally be doing anything other than sitting still for five even five minutes on a Saturday night.

NARRATOR: "And Jeb's five minutes was up five minutes ago."

For the first time Jeb admitted to his Uncle Jesse what he'd told the others awhile back, "Well, Bo and Luke are the ones all fired up about cars Uncle Jesse."

Jesse looked at Jeb, "So just what gets you all 'fired up'?"

Jeb shrugged his shoulders and smiled slowly, "Dirt bikes."

If Jesse would have reached up and touched his head he could have picked out those new grey hairs he just felt coming in. "Dirt bikes?" Jesse asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Sir." Jeb said trying to hide the grin he felt at seeing Jesse's face.

"Well, now what in tar nation got you interested in them?" Jesse asked.

Jeb admitted, "I've got a couple friends, who have a couple of friends, and I've been there when they get together to race their bikes."

"Now, just hold up here. You not only like dirt bikes but are wantin' to race them?" Jesse asked.

Jeb smiled, "Oh, no. I'm not wanting to race them."

Jesse breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, that is better."

"I've already been racing 'um." Jeb clarified.

"You've WHAT?" Jesse exclaimed louder than he meant to. He knew that there was no way Pauline would approve and he wasn't real sure John would either.

Jeb added, "And, I'm pretty good at it, too. In fact, the money I've won racin', along with what you give me this summer should about have Blake's old bike paid for."

"Blake?" Jesse asked, "Now, who is the Blake person?"

"It's my friend's, buddy. He just got a bigger bike and all, and he knows how much I want to get my own, so he said he'd hold the other one for me." Jeb said. He wasn't sure how this conversation had gotten started, but Jeb figured that it was largely due to him choosing this topic over what he'd really come out to talk to Uncle Jesse about.

Jesse asked slowly after taking a drink of Luke warm coffee, "Your folks know about all this?"

Now, Jeb was regretting starting this particular conversation, "Ummm, ... well, ... you see, ..."

"What I see is that you have been out doing things and takin' risks without them even knowing about it." Jesse said. "Now it's one thing to know your youngins' are out doing foolish things and might get hurt, but it's something totally different when you think they are out havin' an ice cream soda and they get hurt racing a motor-cic-le."

Jeb wasn't sure that he understood the difference. He could trip and fall and break an arm in town just as easy as he could racing, and either way his arm would still be broke, but he'd go along. "Yes, Sir."

"Now, what is really bothering you?" Jesse asked.

Jeb looked out at the lights of the barn a long while before he turned back to his Uncle, "Karen called the other day, to tell me something that she thought I should know, ... Mom's pregnant, again."

Jesse couldn't stop the smile on his face. He loved having babies around and by the looks of it his youngest brother did too. "Well, now that is fine news."

"No, it's not, besides it sure has Karen worked up." Jeb said.

Jesse thought for a minute, "Jeb why do you suppose Karen called you and not your folks? Did they tell her and not you?"

"Well, I really don't think that she has been officially told, but she said she was sure she heard the 'P' word the other day." Jeb explained.

Jesse frowned, "The 'P' word?"

Jeb said with just a hint of a grin, "Pregnant, Uncle Jesse."

"Oh, ... Oh, ... Ok, I see. So, she overheard this information and passed it onto you before your folks actually talked to her? I spoke to Karen briefly last night when I called your Pa, she told me she was grounded from the phone. Was she grounded when she talked to you?" Jesse asked because he wondered if she was already previously grounded or had gotten grounded for telling about her mother's condition without her parents talking to her.

Jeb didn't want to rat on his sister but he'd been asked a direct question and knew better than to lie to his Uncle, "I'm pretty sure that she was grounded when she talked to me, but it was something she felt was important I know and it was only a couple minutes. Uncle Jesse, please don't let Mom and Dad know she called. From what I gathered she is in enough trouble."

Jesse took a sip of his now cold coffee, "So what did she tell you that she did to get herself grounded?"

"Well, she didn't tell me anything about why she was grounded, but when I called around to a couple friends I pretty much got the story. Ya, see Uncle Jesse, Karen never gets in trouble except for maybe talking back to mom or not doing her chores right or something simple like that. What I found out, well it makes Luke's fight small potatoes especially considering it was KAREN!" Jeb stressed his sister's name.

"What did she do?" Jesse asked.

There was only one way to tell it, Jeb stated, "She got arrested."

"ARRESTED!" Jesse both exclaimed and questioned. "For what?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly but from what I heard happened, it can't be good." Jeb said.

Jesse asked further, "What did you hear?"

Jeb actually felt himself blush as he began, "Well, it seems Karen and some friends went to the movies, afterwards they decided to go to the lake. Once they got there, someone had some alcohol. I heard it was beer, and one thing lead to another, and, ... um, ... well it seems the girls and guys had gotten pretty drunk and pretty close, then the law showed up."

Jesse replied, "When did all this happen?"

"From what I hear, the same night that Dad was arrested, which is likely why Mom wanted him back in Placid pronto." Jeb said.

"It's likely part of it." Jesse nodded, as he began to study his brother's situation. Life with Pauline under these circumstances had likely not been pleasant. Jesse figured he'd make a point to try to talk to Judge Hardcastle tomorrow after church. He still had a gut feeling that he still hadn't gotten to what had made Jeb seek him out. "So, are you ready to tell me what is really bothering you?"

Jeb looked at his uncle for a moment before asking, "Is there anything you don't know about us?"

Jesse gave him a wink and a grin, "Well, right now it is what exactly is eating at you."

With a sigh, Jeb began by summing it up in one word, "Mom."

Jesse remained silent to let Jeb continue.

"I'm here. Mom has the twins, assuming Karen was right, and is pregnant again. If things go bad for Dad on Monday, ... Karen will have to go to court too, ... Then, what about Mom?" Jeb asked.

Jesse smiled at his nephew. He was proud of the boy for his concern for his mother. "Jeb I'm proud of you for thinking about your mother, but this is your summer off from school and other than helpin' out around here you should be worrying about enjoying your summer. Leave the serious stuff to us adults while you can."

"It's just that takin' care of the twins isn't real easy, believe me I know." Jeb replied remembering the first times he'd had to watch his sisters alone.

"I'm sure that it's not easy, but you have to remember that your mother is a bit more experienced with babies than you are, so its not as hard for her." Jesse reminded. "As for your father, this is the first time in years that he has gone before a Judge and with Karen it is her first time, so I'm figuring things may not be as bad as you think they may be."

"You really think that it will be alright?" Jeb asked sounding a bit hopeful.

Jesse reassured his nephew, "All we can do is wait and see, but whatever happens we'll get through it, together. Your mother sometimes tries to keep her distance from us Dukes, but she is a Duke and we take care of our own. So why don't you just head on back out to the barn and be a teenager while you can. Because before you know it you know it you'll be an adult and have worries of your own.

"Thanks Uncle Jesse." Jeb said as he got down from the banister and headed back to the barn. He had to admit, he did feel some better after talking to his uncle.

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As the congregation was leaving the small church in Hazzard, Jesse Duke managed to catch up with Judge Hardcastle. "Milt can I speak to you a moment?"

Hardcastle turn to see Jesse Duke, "Sure Jesse. What is it?"

Jesse began, "I'm sure that you know that my younger brother, John Duke, has court with you in the morning."

Hardcastle had already gone over his weekly docket before leaving for church. "Yes, I believe he does."

"I just found out that I also may have a niece that you might have seen over in Placid County." Jesse added.

"A niece in Placid County?" Hardcastle questioned.

Jesse replied, "Actually it is John's daughter, Karen Duke."

Hardcastle thought for a minute, and then remembered that he had seen another Duke on the docket. She had been one of the girls in a group that had been caught at the lake. "Yes. I remember now. From what I remember they were actually arrested on the same night."

"That's the way that I heard it too." Jesse admitted. "Look Milt, I know you have a job to do and will do it. I'm not trying to even ask you not to, but John and his wife also have infant twin daughters at home. Their son is here with me for the summer. If everyone is gone from the home at the same time, my sister-in-law will more than have her hands full."

Hardcastle understood completely, "Say no more, I can see what you mean. I'll have to see what happens in court but I'll see what I can do."

Jesse replied, "Thanks, Milt. Anything you can do is appreciated."

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Ok, now it's your turn. Please review to let me know if you all are still with me out there. There is a few things that need to happen before they get to court to get this all worked out but dooms day is near!