Chapter 79

After taking care of the morning chores, Jesse Duke spent his early morning drinking coffee and catching up on all the local news in the Sunday paper before getting ready to head off to church. This would be one of the few Sunday's that Jesse Duke would be alone in the Duke pew. He knew many around Hazzard may not agree with him, but his kids were good kids, even if they did try his patience from time to time. All considered none of the four, including Jeb who was spending the summer with him, asked for much so Jesse felt that occasionally it wouldn't hurt to allow them to miss church for a race. Besides, if they were racing on a track they weren't at the lake racing illegally, but he still had a nagging pain in his big toe. Shrugging his shoulders, Jesse chalked it up to the possibility of the weather. 'Maybe we're gonna get some bad weather this week.' He said to himself as he headed out to church.

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Cooter and Beverly had spent the morning in each other's arms, then drifted back off to sleep. Cooter had now been awake for several minutes before nature caused him to have to leave his wife's arms and their bed.

Beverly said sleepily, "Where are you going?"

"Not far." Cooter replied.

"Good." She said as she snuggled closer to Cooter's side of the bed and dozed back off.

At the sink, Cooter washed his hands and face then turned to look at the clock. It was nearly one in the afternoon. His thoughts went to his friends at the race track as he wondered how each was doing. He couldn't help but hope that his not being there hadn't cost any of them any money. Cooter knew that they all counted on him being around on race day in case they had mechanical problems or needed a tow home. One glance at his wife in his bed and he was pretty certain that any of the guys at the track wouldn't blame him one bit for choosing to be so close to a real, live woman than to be at a race track with them. He grinned widely at the thought as he put on his pants, then sat on the bed near Beverly, "Sugar, it's nearly one o'clock."

Beverly replied without opening her eyes, "Uh-huh." She frankly didn't care what time it was, she had more than enjoyed herself last night and this morning and was fine to stay right where she was at the rest of the day.

"Come on Darlin' we need grab a bite of lunch and see if we can find a few things in town for the room so that I'm ready for work bright and early in the morning." Cooter said halfheartedly. All he really wanted to do right now was to join his wife under the covers again.

"Can't we just stay here a little longer?" Beverly asked.

Cooter grinned widely but offered a compromise, "The sooner we get things done the sooner we can be back here. Besides, I'll need to turn in early tonight to be up so early in the morning."

Beverly shot him a wide grin, "I like the part about going to bed early, but I'm not so sure I like the part about getting up early in the morning."

"Well, you don't have to get up early in the morning, but I do." Cooter said gently. He knew that the money they had wouldn't last them long.

"Oh but no. It's my duty as your wife to make you regret leaving me all alone all day and try to convince you to stay home with me." Beverly grinned with a bit of an evil grin.

Cooter made a mental note to himself to set the clock at least an hour before he had originally intended to, so that he was sure he'd be on time. If his wife planned to try to distract him, he may as well plan time to enjoy it. "Come on now, get up so we can get back here."

Beverly tossed the covers back exposing her nudeness. As she stood up, she took Cooter's hand and pulled him off the bed and behind her toward the bathroom.

Before Cooter knew what was happening his pants had hit the floor and he was being pulled into the shower behind his wife. Maybe he should set the clock for two hours before his normal wake up time in the morning!

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"Second! Luke did you see that? Bo finished second!" Jeb exclaimed as he nudged Luke with his right elbow. In Jeb's excitement, he had forgotten about Luke's injuries.

Jeb's excited nudge nearly put Luke to his knees in pain as Jeb's right elbow connected with the left side of Luke's rib cage. Luke couldn't help but to gasp at the pain, which sent another way of pain through out his injured ribs which set off a horrible wave of couching.

Jeb swore to himself when he seen the pain he had carelessly caused his older cousin as he apologized repeatedly.

Bo had gotten Luke's car parked a short distance away to prepare it for the next event. When he didn't see either of his cousins there, he started to where they would have watched the race. He saw Jeb first who was trying to apologize to Luke and ask him if he was alright as Daisy looked on with a frightened look on her face. Then he saw Luke nearly purple and coughing, Luke then gasped for air, followed by him hoarsely cursing before the next wave of coughing doubled him over. "Luke!?" Bo exclaimed in concern, "What's wrong?" He asked all of his cousins.

His reply was Daisy and Jeb talking as fast as they could, relieved that Bo was there to help. While Luke continued to suffer from the coughing fit.

Bo wasn't able to make out a word either Jeb or Daisy said and finally waved them off. He figured that whatever happened it didn't matter at the moment as he turned his attention to Luke, "Are you gonna be alright? Do you want me to get the ambulance over here?"

Luke was finally able to get a little control over his coughing as well as his breathing while he tried hard to calm himself down. Hearing Bo's concern, he shook his head 'no' and held up a hand for Bo to 'wait'. He hoped that if he could get the coughing to stop and be able to breath normally, well at least as normally as he had been for the last couple of weeks. Part of Luke wanted to curl up in a ball but bending over hurt his ribs worse. He knew laying down wasn't an option because he couldn't breath well laying down, but at the moment standing didn't seem like a healthy option either as he legs felt like they were going to give way. He gasped, "Got, ... to sit, ..."

Bo looked around and spotted a picnic table close by, "Jeb let's get him over there."

Daisy did the only thing she knew may help, she went to a nearby concession stand and got a cold lemonade.

Once Luke was sitting on the picnic bench attached to the picnic table he was able to lean back against the table and somewhat recline while still sitting upwards. After what seemed like a lifetime, Luke had stopped coughing as he was trying to breath slowly, but not too deep and not too fast.

"Luke I got you something cold." Daisy said.

Luke reached out for the large cup of lemonade and took a couple drinks. He finally got his breath back and his normal color was coming back. "Somebody drink about half this, ... then Bo pour the rest of that Mason jar in it."

Daisy frowned at what Luke had said. Surely, he had not brought any shine across the County line and didn't plan to drink it here in public at the track.

After sipping a few drinks of shine laced lemonade and recovering for a few minutes Luke knew that there was no way he'd be able to load for Bo and ride shotgun like he had orginally hoped to do. "Jeb can you load for Bo?"

Jeb was a bit surprised. Not only was Luke letting Bo drive his car, but he was now planning on sitting out of the one event that he had been insisting that he could do. Concern showed in the younger Duke's face as he replied, "Sure, Luke I can load for you, but are you sure you don't want to go get checked out?"

Luke waved his cousin's concern off. "Just load for him and ride shotgun." Luke took a few more breaths and reminded Bo, "Ya'll need to check the fluids in the car."

While Bo and Jeb went about checking out the car, Luke continued to give them both advice on how to run the race. Before they knew it the announcement was made for the drivers and loaders to report to their loading areas.

Knowing that Luke had really wanted to at least be able to ride along in this event, Jeb asked once more, "Are you sure about this?"

As much as Luke wanted be involved in this race, he did not want to spend anymore time stuck at the farm or worse yet as Doc's guest. "Yeah, ya'll just be careful."

As Daisy and Luke watched the cars pulling up to the loading areas they saw that not everyone would be racing or at least not against each other. Looking around Luke noted that Faykus and Folley's cars were on their car carriers.

The rest of the drivers had teamed up with each other so only four cars would be running against each other. Bo and Jeb had drew the fourth and last starting place. Mark McCormick and Dobro Doolin had teamed up together in the third position. Luke knew that they both had ran their share of real shine and both raced out at the lake often. Ahead in the second position was Brodie and Enos and in the first stating position was Ernie Leadbetter and Adam Lilly of Chickasaw County.

Bo, Mark, Brodie and Ernie were beside the driver's door of the cars, while their loaders were beside a table with three boxes and ten jugs of water. At the sound of the whistle, the loaders began loading the shine into the boxes, then the boxes in the trunks. The first person loaded was the first person to be able to pull out. Thanks Luke's tips, Jeb was able to get loaded first and he and Bo were off, followed a short distance away by McCormick and Dobro. It didn't take Enos long to load their jugs as he'd been helping his father load since he could carry a jug. Lilly seemed to have the most difficulties, causing Ernie to be the last to leave.

Once off the track the cars took various paths, trails, and dirt roads to try to get to the first check point first.

The announcer advised, "We've just got our first report from the first check point, Bo Duke was the first driver through, with McCormick right behind him. They were closelly followed by Brodie Smith and Ernie Leadbetter."

Daisy was beaming with pride as she turned in time to see Luke still supporting his left side. She couldn't hide the frown on her face.

Luke managed to catch Daisy's look. He knew she'd caught him showing far more weakness and pain than he intended to do in front of her. Luke forced himself to straighten up. This was the first time that Luke could remember he'd be glad when today's events were over.

The loudspeaker came to life again and the announcer said, "Check point two has just called in. Mark McCormick checked in first, followed by Brodie Smith, then Bo Duke and finally Ernie Leadbetter."

"Dang it Bo what are you doing out there?" Luke fumed.

A couple of miles out, Bo Duke was cursing himself while Jeb told him, "I told you that short cut was a bad idea."

Bo replied, "Well, now tell me something helpful." As he grab another gear trying to make up time and position.

Jeb had the map of the are provided by the race officials. "This looks like a straight shot, hang a hard left NOW!"

Bo didn't have time to second guess his cousin as he made the hard left turn.

The announcer at the third check point reported, "Mark McCormick was first, Bo Duke second, Ernie Leadbetter third and Brodie Smith last."

As soon as the third check point radioed in and the announcer reported the current positions, the crowd began to move to the finish line to see for themselves who would win this event. Luke and Daisy moved to where they would be in good position to see the end of the race just before the cars came into view.

When they heard the powerful engines, everyone looked up to see Bo Duke running neck and neck with Mark McCormick.

Luke couldn't help himself as he moved even closer to the roped off area. He was spouting off unheard advice to Bo as the finish line came closer.

The loud speaker came to life just as the cars crossed the finish line, "The unofficial results are: Bo Duke, Mark McCormick a close second, followed by Brodie Smith and Ernie Leadbetter. All car report for inspection. The final results will be posted soon. Now, we need all competitors to report for the Moto Cross event."

Luke exclaimed, "Alright!"

Daisy was beaming and bouncing, "He really won!"

"UN-officially so far, but yes." Luke replied.

Jeb was out of the car as soon as it reached the race officials, "I'm in the next race event, do you need me here?"

The official replied, "No you're good to go, we just need to check the car out a bit."

"Catch ya later, Bo." Jeb said.

Bo replied, "Yeah, you just be careful and have a good run!"

"That's the plan." Jeb said as he headed for his bike.