NOTE: This is a re-post of the original chapter 80. I have included a couple of brief scenes that gives additional details. I was originally concerned with making the chapter too long.
There are two sections in BOLD PRINT in this chapter which were written by JadedPhoenixBurning after we talked about how I planned to write the ending to the motocross race. My story for several chapters has been built on this basic idea and was elaborated on from there. The first part of the three she wrote was in Chapter 77. You will see that Chapter 80 is unusually long, because she had thought that all three parts would go in the same chapter, but there was so much to tell that it just didn't work out that way. As I've said, I had permission to use some of her characters for this story and she even wrote these parts for it. After getting the idea in my mind I had to stick with it, there was no other way to write it for me. At one point she asked me not to include these sections but, because the rest of the story had been planned around these sections I had to use them. I'm sorry they were not added as she thought that they would be, but I couldn't just leave these parts out. Very few words were changed in her original writings so they would fit into the story line better. After this chapter, unless otherwise noted, any use of Kira, Ben or some of Jeb's biker friends will be my idea of those characters and should not be reflect on Jaded's idea of them. The primary reason for this introduction to Kira and Ben was to get you interested in reading the series that Jaded has been working on, which I co-wrote one of them and we've bounced ideas off each other for other parts of them. This also give you some early Jeb / Kira background. I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter! Reviews welcome!
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Chapter 80
While the race officials checked out the cars from the previous event, Jeb was able to give his bike a once over then headed over to the starting gate. Jeb's starting position would be right in the middle of the other fifteen bikes that would be lining up side by side. On his left was Kevin Windham, who had raced several years longer than anyone else in today's race. To Jeb's right was the bike to beat, Blake Horton.
As the racers all approached the starting gate Benjamin Kyle had to smile as he watched the young girl beside of him show an interest in something other than books for the first time since he'd met her this past Christmas. He'd heard about the races this weekend and thought that it just might be worth checking out. Kira would be going back to the hospital later today for another round of treatments beginning tomorrow, so this would be the last chance she'd get to be up and about for a while. Ben hoped that by the time she was back up on her feet again the adoption papers would be pushed through so they could have a proper celebration. Not just celebrate the adoption but (he hoped) that the cancer that the young teen had been fighting had finally been beaten back.
Earlier, while the racers had been giving their bikes and cars a final check he'd seen not just one but two of the teenaged boys try to flirt with Kira; as inexperienced as she was though she never even noticed. Of course Ben also saw that she did seem to watch one of the boys in question a bit closer than she did the rest of the racers in the first two races. Now the third race was about to start and once again it didn't take long for Ben to see which of the racers had caught her eye.
Smiling, he figured that dating and flirting was one part of his young charge's life that wouldn't take long to become part of her normal life once the rest of the hazards of her life were settled.
Bo, Daisy and Luke had found a place where they thought they could get the best look at most of the track. Luke was feeling much better after getting over his earlier coughing spell, but that may have been due to the shine laced lemonade he was still sipping on.
With all the racers ready the starting pistol fired, the gates dropped and the bikes were off in a blur leaving only a cloud of dust in their wake. By the time they got into the first turn the riders had spread out some as the riders who were slower to react at the start of the race and the slower bikes began to fall back. In the front of the pack of riders Charlie Sun, Matt Kinnison, Kevin Windham, Blake Horton and Jeb Duke were all still neck and neck as they took the turn five wide. Coming out of the first turn they headed toward the first jump, Matt and Blake were the first two to hit the dirt ramp followed by Jeb and Kevin. Around the next curve the track took them up a hill climb then cross country out of sight of most of the spectators.
At a high rate of speed the riders headed into a sharp turn Jeb had Blake in front of him and he was intent on getting around Blake as he cut to the inside of his friend and leaned deep into the turn. Kinnison was about a half of a bike lenght ahead of Jeb on the inside when he saw his chance. He gunned his bike a bit harder causing his rear wheel to slide into Jeb's front tire which was knocked to the right causing the bike to flip to the left and roll. As the bike flipped, Jeb was thrown off the bike landing on his left shoulder. Reaction and momentum caused Jeb to continue to roll away from the track to try to avoid being hit by the other riders.
As the rest of the riders passed Jeb, he stayed tucked into a small ball. As the sound of the engines faded Jeb knew he'd took a hard spill. He'd layed bikes down before and he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him, but not like this. Jeb was hurting all over as he tried to see if he was injured.
The race spotter ahead radioed in after the riders passed him, "This is Spotter Ten, I only had fifteen bikes come by me."
From where the Dukes were at they began to see a flurry of activity among the race officials as the riders came back into view. "Where's Jeb?" Daisy asked.
After taking a second look for his cousin, Luke counted the bikes. "Fifteen. He's not there."
Bo seen a race official near by, "I'll see what I can find out."
As Bo walked up man, he heard the officials radio, "We found him. We're between nine and ten. Send me an ambulance out here." That was enough information for Bo as he headed back to Daisy and Luke, "Come on." Bo said urgently.
The three hurried to Luke's car as Bo started off cross country toward the location he heard mentioned. Bo pulled up to see two bikes parked to the side of the track and two spotters standing by Jeb who was still laying at the side of the track, then he seen Jeb's bike several feet away from his cousin.
Seeing that Jeb was still on the ground got Luke's full attention. He heard his own words replay in his head, 'Ok, so don't say anything about it...As long as no one mentions any different they may just assume you are going with us. We'll be good until after the race at least.' He had encouraged Jeb to not tell anyone that he was racing this weekend.
The ambulance personnel pulled in and hurried toward Jeb as the other Dukes got to their cousins side. To their relief Jeb was awake and talking. Seeing the young man the ambulance worker asked, "How old are you?"
"Sixteen." Jeb replied.
"I'm going to need parental permission to treat him." The worker said.
Luke frowned. This is something they all had not thought of when they had decided it was a good idea not to tell Jeb's parents he wanted to race this weekend. "His parents aren't here. Can I give you permission?"
"Who are you?" The man asked with a sigh. This was why he hated these events.
Luke replied, "I'm his cousin."
"How old are you?" The man asked as he studied the young man before him who didn't look much older than the patient.
"Eighteen." Luke replied as he reached for his wallet to get his ID. He had seen the man doubt his age. "There is no one else here."
After checking the offered ID, the man said, "Sign here."
Luke signed the form.
"Alright, so where are you hurting?" He asked Jeb.
Jeb replied to the care giver, "All over, I think I can get up, but these guys told me not to."
"Right. Just stay still and we'll do the work." The other man said as they set about putting a neck brace on Jeb for precaution. They began to put him on a back board.
While being moved Jeb couldn't help but cry out in pain when his left shoulder was moved.
Luke heard Daisy trying to hide a sniffle and knew she was crying. He reached out and put his right arm around her.
After being placed on the cot and put in the back of the ambulance Jeb was off and heading to the hospital in Atlanta, since it was closer to the track than Tri-Counties with the other three Duke cousins following behind the ambulance.
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Pauline was taking full advantage of the twins nap time with the house otherwise to herself, she had taken her crocheting out to the porch with a glass of ice tea for some rare 'her time'. The day was warm but a cool breeze was gently blowing to make the weather picture perfect. The birds chirped and played in her bushes near the porch. The hound dog was curled up asleep on the top step. The cat was washing herself as she sat on the porch banister safely away from the dog that usually ignored her.
As Pauline started another row on the blanket she was working on she heard the phone ring. Laying the crocheting down on the swing she headed to the living room hoping the phone wouldn't wake the girls. "Hello, Duke residence."
"Aunt Pauline, ..." Luke hesitated in what he knew he had to say, as he tried to figure out a way to not scare his aunt. "Jeb is alright, but there was an accident at the track and Jeb was hurt. Can you come over to the hospital in Atlanta?"
"Accident? What on Earth happened? How could Jeb get hurt when Bo was the one racing?" Pauline processed Luke's vague information. Then, not waiting for Luke to answer her she added, "I'll be right there." After hanging up with Luke, Pauline called her sister in law, Grace. "Grace can you come over here quickly? I just got a call from the hospital. Something is wrong with Jeb."
Grace replied, "Let me turn off the stove and I'll be right there."
Pauline took the time to grab her purse and went to pick up the keys to her car, only to remember that Daisy had taken it to that blessed race track. She never liked driving Karen's car but it was the only thing there with John David's truck in Hazzard, so she picked up those keys and headed toward the front porch as Grace pulled in. "The girls are asleep in the living room."
"Do you know what happened?" Grace asked.
"No, all my nephew told me was that there had been an accident out at that fool race track and that my baby had been injured." Pauline said as she started off the porch.
"Be careful and don't worry about the girls." Grace said as she seen Pauline heading toward Karen's car. Grace shook her head at her sister in law's comment about Jeb, he was nearly grown and still at times she liked to treat him as if he we two.
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Jesse was also trying to enjoy his afternoon of peacefulness as he sat on the porch in his favorite rocking chair peeling apples to put down for the winter. Though he'd never admitted it to any of his kids, he'd found himself in the middle of a very one sided conversation with Maudine more than once today. He was a bit relieved when the phone rang to have another human to talk to as he answered, "Duke Farm, Jesse Duke speaking."
Luke let out the deep breath he was holding before beginning to speak, "Uncle Jesse, ..." Luke was cut off in mid sentence.
Hearing Luke's voice and the tone of dread that Luke used in those two words set off warning bells in Jesse's mind, "Now Luke you best not be calling to tell me that you are in jail for some blamed foolishness!"
That response was not the one Luke had expected from his uncle, "Umm, No, Sir. I was calling to tell you there was an accident at the track." Luke said, forgetting his planned speech to try to keep from worrying Jesse.
"Bo! Is he alright?" Jesse assumed that it was Bo who had been involved in the accident since he was the one racing.
"Yes, Sir. Bo is fine. It's Jeb that is at the hospital in Atlanta." Luke managed to get out.
"Jeb? Hospital? How in tar-nation?" Jesse asked.
Luke hoped that a brief reply would work, but he knew when the whole thing came out in the wash that he was going to be in a heap of trouble, "There was a couple of racing events that was for dirt bikes and, ..."
"Dagged nabit! And that dern fool just had to race in them! Is he alright?" Jesse asked.
Luke replied, "He's in with the Doctor now."
Jesse asked, "What about Pauline?"
Luke sighed, he dreaded his aunt's arrival, "She's on her way over here now."
"Well, so am I. I'll be over there just as soon as I can get over there." Jesse said as he hung up the phone and headed for his pickup.
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At the moment Jeb was not a very happy camper. If he learned anything today about wrecking a bike in an official race, it was that he should have taken his helmet off before the spotters got to him. The ambulance crew explained to him on the way to the hospital, that since he had a helmet on when they got to him that it was better to leave it on him until he got to the hospital. Not only was his helmet still on him but so was his racing suit which even in the air conditioning it was keeping him uncomfortably warm.
The way they had him tied down, about all Jeb could move were his feet and hands and right now he didn't even want to move a finger on his left hand. After the adrenaline left, Jeb had felt every time the ambulance, cot, or he moved. With his arm laying across his chest even the movement of breathing hurt his arm and he was feeling every heart beat in his shoulder.
He had been glad to see the familiar face of Doctor Greenwood when he came in the room. Jeb had hoped by now to be a bit more comfortable, to his displeasure Doc had told him that he'd have to deal with his situation just a bit longer until the needed X-rays were done. Jeb wasn't sure who was moving the gurney down the hallway and they better hope he never found out. Going into the X-ray room the door came back and hit the gurney causing shape pains throughout Jeb's shoulder and arm. He let fly a wave of curses that he was certain would not have been acceptable to any of his family's adults.
The trip back to the emergency room went much like Jeb's trip to X-ray. Now, he was thankfully left alone and still to wait for Doctor Greenwood to return.
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Bo paced the waiting room impatiently.
Daisy had a magazine that she was trying to concentrate on but could not tell you the first thing in it.
Luke had found the most comfortable chair in the waiting room, which wasn't saying too much because it wasn't the least bit comfortable. Jeb was still back with the doctor. Pauline and Jesse had been called and now Luke was currently blaming himself for the events of the last hour or so. How many times had he been told in his life that he was the oldest, that it was his responsibility to keep the others out of trouble and safe. Now, Jeb was hurt and most likely in every bit of trouble that Luke knew that he would be in just as soon as Jesse Duke found out that he'd not just let, but encouraged, Jeb to not tell his parents that he was racing. Then, of course there was Bo who would be in his fair share of trouble too. After all he did know of the conversation and went along with it. Luke was sure that there was enough trouble coming down the pike to go around to all the boys. 'Daisy might, just might be the only one not in trouble with Jesse by the end of the day.' Luke thought as he rubbed his aching left shoulder and neck muscles with his right hand.
Even in the busy waiting room the voice from down the hall was unmistakable to the three cousins.
Pauline had went straight to the first nurses desk she saw when she came in the hospital, "I'm Pauline Duke, I understand you have my baby boy here. He was involved in some sort of accident."
The nurse wasn't familiar with any children coming in from an accident but asked, "What is your child's name?"
"Jeb Stewart Duke." Pauline replied.
The nurse checked her records, "Yes, Ma'am, he is here. He is in with the doctor now. I'll be sure to tell the doctor you are here just as soon as he comes out."
Pauline was about to ask the nurse what Jeb's condition was when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Aunt Pauline." Luke said gently.
Pauline turned to see Luke, Bo and Daisy looking nervous, worried and very guilty, especially her oldest and favorite nephew. It was him she directed her inquiries. "Luke, tell me just how is it that my baby boy ended up here? Is he alright? What happened?"
Luke suggested as he guided his aunt toward the waiting room with his right hand while absent mindily still supporting his left side with his left arm, "Let's go in the waiting room. I'll tell you what I know."
They headed to the least crowded area of the room where Luke began, "We were at the track and there was some races that were motorcycle races and, ..."
"Motorcycles? What does that have to do with Jeb? He's never even ridden a motorcycle!" Pauline exclaimed nearly appalled at the thought of her only son doing something so dangerous.
This was going to be far worse than Luke had figured and he was going to have to deal with his aunt for several hours until Jesse got there. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Bo hoping for help. The look his younger cousin gave him told Luke that he had no idea how to get him out of this conversation. Having no other choice, Luke replied, "Jeb entered some of the races."
"How on Earth did he do that? He doesn't have a motorcycle!" Pauline said.
Luke wasn't about to tell everything he knew about Jeb being in the process of buying the bike that he was riding, so he said, "As far as I know he borrowed one from a friend of his."
"From a friend? Jeb's friends at school are good boys. None of them ride those things. Why I would know! None of them were those hideous leather jackets or have those horrible tattoos! There is certainly none of 'their kind' anywhere around Tranquil!" Pauline insisted. She grouped everyone who ever road a motorcycle into her idea of what a biker was and she certainly wouldn't allow Jeb to be around anyone like that.
Luke held up his hand in defense, "I wouldn't know anything, ... about that, but he had a bike, and entered the races. On the last race of the day, the track went out away from the fair grounds, ... so we couldn't see what happened. A spotter found Jeb and called for an ambulance. We went to him and followed the ambulance here. Then, I called you and, (cough) Uncle Jesse. He's on his way too."
"Well, do you know how badly Jeb is hurt?" Pauline asked worriedly.
"All I know is he was awake and talking. When they asked him where he was hurting he said everywhere, but that was right after the wreck. When they moved him though, it sounded like he was in pain." Luke may have tried not to have given much detail on the race, but he tried to give Pauline as much information about Jeb's condition as he could, but in truth he didn't know anything.
Before Pauline could ask anything else, Dr. Greenwood came in the waiting room. "Duke family?"
Pauline and the others turned toward the voice. She recognized Dr. Greenwood as their family doctor from Tranquil, "Doctor Greenwood?" She said in surprise to see him here in Atlanta.
"Pauline. I just happened to be working over here today when Jeb came in. Since I was familiar with his medical history I took care of him." Dr. Greenwood explained briefly.
"Thank you. I'm glad that you did." Pauline said, then asked eagerly, "How is my boy?"
"Yes, yes, of course, well other than maybe a busted shoulder, some bruises and likely a wounded pride he should be fine in a few weeks. Right now I've sent him down to X-ray which will take awhile because I want to make sure that he doesn't have any other injuries, but right now the only thing he's really complaining of is his left shoulder." Dr. Greenwood advised.
The Duke family let out a collective sigh of relief. They were thankful that Jeb wasn't hurt any worse.
"As I said, it's going to be awhile if you want to grab something to eat or coffee. I'll let you know just what we're dealing with after I see the X-rays." Dr. Greenwood suggested.
"Thank you again, Doctor." Pauline said.
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Jeb's X-rays had been taken to Doctor Greenwood in his office to read. Doctor Greenwood studied the X-ray intently before letting out a relieved sigh as he cut the light off behind the X-ray of Jeb's left shoulder. He would first stop and talk to Jeb's mother, then head down to the Emergency Room to make his patient more comfortable.
Pauline and the others were in the waiting room when Doctor Greenwood came back in. Pauline stood up to meet the doctor followed by her niece and nephews.
Doctor Greenwood gave her a reassuring look as he greeted Jeb's mother. "Pauline, Jeb will be fine. As I suspected he has a busted shoulder and there is a break in his left arm about here." He pointed to a place on his own arm about half way between the shoulder and elbow.
"When can I see him?" Pauline asked fighting to contain her emotions.
Doctor Greenwood explained, "I'm going down now to make him more comfortable and get his arm set. I'd like to keep him here tonight, but you can see him when he gets in a room."
"Yes, yes of course." Pauline said before going on a rant, "I just don't know what got into that boy! Racing! and a motorcycle no less. He could have been killed or worse! I just don't know how I'm supposed to keep him from getting hurt worse with John David not at home." Pauline rang her hands as she spoke.
Doctor Greenwood had known Pauline Duke for years. He knew that she was worried about her son. He had seen her like this several times over the years when the kids were hurt or sick. "Pauline just sit down and don't get yourself so worked up." He guided her to a nearby chair, then gently added, "The sooner I get Jeb fixed up the sooner you can see him."
Pauline tried to pull herself together, but with John and Karen being in jail of all places and now Jeb being hurt, her nerves were getting the best of her.
Luke assured the doctor, "We'll be here with her and our Uncle should be here anytime."
Greenwood silently thanked them, then headed off to take care of Jeb. As he walked down the hall, Pauline's words about Jeb not getting hurt worse stuck in Doctor Greenwood's mind. Thanks to all the new modern treatment methods of injuries such as Jeb's, they usually only required a brace or support with a sling to limit movement of the injury, some pain and anti-inflammatory medications and a lot of rest. There was the key thing, rest. Doctor Greenwood knew that trying to get a teenaged boy to rest and limit his movement, at least the Duke boy in question would be difficult if not impossible.
Doctor Greenwood stopped by his office again for another look at the break in Jeb's arm and shoulder. They were bad breaks but with proper treatment shouldn't cause any further problems later in the young man's life. However, if the patient didn't follow strict instructions, he could have pain and problems with this injury for years to come.
Considering his patient, the injuries and any and all alternative treatments, Doctor Greenwood sighed. He knew what was the best treatment for his patient, though it may not be a very popular, but being the old-fashioned doctor that he was he was going to do what he thought best. He was sure Jeb would appreciate it later in life.
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As long as Jeb didn't breath real deep, the pain from his left shoulder was almost bearable as he waited for the doctor to return. Thankfully it wasn't a long wait.
"Alright, Jeb I have some good news for you, ..." Doc said as he entered the room.
Jeb cut the doctor's sentence off, "Good, I could use some good news about now."
Dr. Greenwood continued, "But, I also have some not so good news. First, Nurse Jones has a shot for you which will get you feeling better." He knew that Jeb was not fond of needles and usually protested them to the end.
A shot was not the best thing that Jeb heard, but if the medicine made him feel better he wouldn't say a word about a needle this time. Without any protest of the shot, Jeb asked, "And the bad news?"
The lack of protest by the patient told the doctor just how much pain Jeb was in. "We're going to get your helmet and suit off you and get you off that back board, then I'll have to set your left shoulder and arm which even with the medication won't be at all comfortable until we're done."
After the helmet was off, the straps from the back board were released. Jeb heard the nurse say, "Just hold still, I promise not to cut you."
He turned to see a rather pretty nurse with a pair of scissors in one her hand and the sleeve of his racing suit in the other. "Woah! Wait a minute. You can't cut that." He protested.
"It's the only way to get it off you without hurting your shoulder and arm." She said.
Jeb was already reaching for the zipper with his right arm, "Never mind the pain, you ain't cutting this suit!" Several minutes later Jeb was now out of the suit and in a hospital gown and jeans. The throbbing in his arm and shoulder currently made him regret insisting taking the racing suit off instead of letting it be cut, but he knew how expensive they were and how much trouble he'd had getting this one without his parents knowing. "Oh, no!" Jeb moaned as he sat on the gurney, then thought, 'Now they will know everything.' He wasn't sure if it was that thought or the pain from his injuries, but suddenly he urgently told the nurse, "Goin' be sick!"
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Out in the waiting room, Daisy was doing her best to get Pauline to settle down, but it seemed after she had found out that Jeb was going to be alright that her mind was playing out all the unthinkable things that could have gone wrong for Jeb, as well as Bo.
Bo was alternating pacing the waiting room with stepping out side to see if his Uncle Jesse had arrived yet.
Luke was fine with everyone just ignoring him. The shine he'd sipped on earlier had left with the adrenaline of Jeb's accident not to mention that Bo had not at all taken it easy getting to Jeb cross country. After finding out that Jeb was going to be alright, Luke hadn't felt good at all. He was currently trying to chalk it up to dreading facing his Uncle who was due anytime now as he rubbed the back of his aching neck.
"There ya'll are! I've been all over this blamed hospital a'looking for ya'll." Jesse fumed as he headed to the vacant seat beside Pauline, "How is Jeb?"
Jesse arriving had been like opening a flood gate. Pauline never handled bad situations well, and thanks to John David and Jesse she never had to handle them alone. Up until now, she felt she had to remain strong for the kids. As Pauline started to tell Jesse that Jeb would be alright the tears began to fall, "Doctor Greenwood is our family doctor and is here today. He is taking care of Jeb. He said that Jeb's shoulder was busted up and his arm is broken, ..." By the time she finished Pauline was nearly wailing.
Jesse put his arm around his sister in law and turned his attention to his oldest. "Now, Luke can you tell me just what in tarnation happened?"
For a hospital with air conditioning, the waiting room was suddenly a lot warmer now that Jesse turned his attention toward Luke than it had been when they first got there. In fact he felt himself break out in a full sweat as he began to speak. "Uncle Jesse the last event today was a motocross race that Jeb entered in."
"You let him enter in it without telling any of us?" Jesse asked.
Luke looked his uncle in the eyes and said truthfully, "No, Sir. He was already pre-registered when we got there." Luke left out that he knew Jeb was pre-registered for the race before leaving Hazzard.
That made Jesse feel a bit better about Luke's involvement in this situation, but when Jeb was feeling better he'd be sure to have a long talk with that boy, not to mention getting to the bottom of all this with Luke. But for now, he said, "Go ahead."
Luke continued, "After the first jump and hill climb, ..."
Pauline raise her head from Jesse's shoulder, "Jump! and hill climb? What on Earth do you mean?"
Jesse motioned for Luke to tone the race details down a bit, "Never mind all that, Luke."
"Anyway the track went outside fair grounds so we didn't see what exactly happened. When the bikes came back into view we didn't see Jeb..." Luke paused to catch his breath, "Bo, ... (cough) went to check with a race official and, ... over heard his radio talking about a crash and wanting an ambulance. So, we, ..." Luke began coughing nearly as bad as he had at the track earlier.
Hearing Luke coughing got Bo's attention. He came over to Luke to see what was wrong. Luke would cough several times, then try to take a breath, then return to coughing again like he had earlier at the track.
Jesse looked at Bo, "What's the matter with him?"
Bo replied, "He had a coughing spell like this earlier at the track. Luke are you all right?"
It was everything Luke could do not to curse from the pain the coughing was causing.
Doctor Greenwood, the orthopedist, and Nurse Jones had finished setting Jeb's arm and shoulder and additional medication was given to reduce Jeb's pain from his shoulder and arm being set. Now Doctor Greenwood came in the waiting room in time to catch the last of Luke's coughing spell. "Pauline?" He said with a questioning look at Luke.
Pauline had turned her attention to Luke also, "Luke, Dear?"
Luke was supporting his left side with his left arm as best that he could while coughing. As he looked up at his aunt he noticed that all eyes were on him. "I'm, ... alright, ... it's just, ... hot in here."
"Hot? I've been freezing since I got here." Daisy said dressed in jeans, tank top and long sleeve shirt over it.
Doctor Greenwood stepped over and layed his hand on Luke's forehead. He was very hot. "Has he been sick recently?"
Jesse answered before Luke could deny being sick. "He's got a couple broken ribs."
Doctor Greenwood frowned as he put his stethoscope on and listened to Luke's back then his chest. Without a further word, he stepped outside the waiting room and came back with a wheelchair. "Get in son."
By now Luke was breathing better and had stopped coughing, "What? What's that for?"
"It's not what's it is for, it is for a who, that just happens to be you." Greenwood said.
Surprised, Luke said while still having some difficulty getting his breath, "For me? Why? It was just a bad, ... coughing spell, ... it's over now." Luke said between gasps of air.
Hearing Luke's wheezes, Dr. Greenwood asked, "That maybe, but I'd like to get a chest X-ray. Have you been out in the night air or in air conditioning since you've had the broken ribs?"
Luke frowned not only at the question but the fact that he was also now wheezing as he breathed in, "The only air conditioning is here and I think it's broken. It felt like it was on high when we first got here, but it feels like the heat is on now. As for the night air, we were out at the track last night until after the fireworks were over."
Doctor Greenwood nodded knowingly, "Yes, that would about do it."
"Do what?" Jesse asked in concern. He hoped that the doctor wasn't thinking what he was.
"Well, as I said I'd like to do an X-ray just to rule out pneumonia." Greenwood said.
Luke frowned, "Pneumonia? Really Doc, ... I'm fine."
"Well just hop in and we'll go make sure." The doctor insisted.
Luke looked up from his chair wanting to decline, but he seen the warning look from his Uncle Jesse just before he heard Jesse use 'that' tone when he called his name.
"Luke." Jesse said.
Knowing that he wasn't going to win, Luke winced as he got out of the chair and into the wheel chair. Once in X-ray he was told to strip down to his jeans and put on a gown, then in front of the chest X-ray machine Luke was told to stand facing the machine with his arms up in the shape of a goal post, then turn around and do the same thing from the other side. The next thing Luke knew a pretty nurse just a few years older than him was at his side to help him get back in the wheel chair. Once in the wheel chair, Luke was sure someone had turn the air conditioning way down. He was now visibly shaking from the cold. The nurse asked, "Can I get you a warm blanket?"
Normally Luke would have preferred a very warm nurse, but replied in defeat, "Yeah, two if you have them."
The nurse went to the blanket warmer and got the handsome young patient three warm blankets. "Here, Hon these should make you feel better."
Luke readily took the warm blankets. The blankets warmth made him chill more and he could feel his teeth chatter as the nurse bent down to tuck the blankets around him, showing more cleavage than the trophy girls at the track. Luke's muscles began to ache as he pulled the warm blankets tightly around him.
Just as the nurse started to take Luke out of X-ray she heard him say, "Gonna be sick!"
Quickly thinking the nurse grabbed a nearby waste paper can and handed it to Luke who promptly lost his lunch in it. As he coughed, heaved and gagged; Luke prayed one minute for relief and cursed the pain the next.
The young nurse saw her patient's condition declining and quickly grabbed the phone to call the emergency room and ask for assistance.
Before Luke knew what was happening, he was put from the wheel chair to a gurney, an oxygen mask was put on his face, he was rushed down the hall back to the emergency room, and he began feeling several needles sticking both arms. The trouble with all this was, there wasn't much Luke could do about it. He felt like he could not fight his way out of a wet paper bag.
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Doctor Greenwood had just been about to tell the Dukes about Jeb's condition when the call had come from the X-ray room. He had then hurried off to check on his second patient. About an hour had passed before he got Luke stabilized and resting.
With Luke resting, Greenwood returned to see four very concerned Dukes. "Both the boys will be fine. Jeb should be in his room by now. As for Luke, we're monitoring him in the emergency room for awhile longer. He's resting now, but with his injuries, the night air last night and the air conditioning here, he just didn't stand a chance. I'm afraid he has developed a rather nasty case of pneumonia. We've got him on IV antibiotics as well as something to make him rest. I'd like to keep them both at least until at least tomorrow."
Jesse and Pauline readily agreed. Neither liked the idea of the boys not being under their roofs, but wanted the best care for them.
Doctor Greenwood told the Dukes they could stop in the emergency room for a minute to check on Luke, then could visit with Jeb until Luke was brought up to the same room later. As they walked, he explained, "Luke managed to give our young X-ray tech a bit of a scare earlier. He had gotten sick while in X-ray. The pain from his ribs from throwing up effected his breathing, so we've still got him on Oxygen which he protested until the medication put him out."
Looking at the younger two cousins, Doctor Greenwood felt the need to add, "He's also on a couple monitors just so we know what's going on with him while he rests and we've got him on antibiotic medication through an IV. The machines and things may look a bit scary, but he is doing much better than he was earlier."
As they stepped into cubical of the emergency room where Luke was, the Dukes now realized why Doctor Greenwood had tried to prepare them for what they would see. Luke, who had just a few hours ago been working on his car and enjoying himself, was now in bed, flat on his back, with an IV on one arm, a gauge patch on the other most likely where blood had been taken, an Oxygen mask on, a blood pressure cuff on one arm with another gaget on his pointer finger and several patches stuck to his chest with wires running to a small television like monitor with numbers and wavy lines on it.
Daisy and Pauline both let out a gasp at the sight of how pale Luke looked laying against the snow white sheets.
"Uncle Jesse?" Bo said in concern.
Jesse, himself was taken aback by his oldest nephew's condition, but if Pauline trusted the man with her family, he must be in good hands and he had said Luke was doing better. "Bo the Doc said Luke will be fine. Now, you all run along and see Jeb, I'll be along directly." Jesse said. He had no intention of leaving Luke until he was asked to do so. He stepped closer to Luke's side and seen several blankets that were on him. Jesse reached out and touched his oldest forehead and found him still very hot and feverish as he brushed a couple of stray hairs off Luke's face. He silently sent out a prayer to his maker for both his nephews as he remembered when they both got well that he had some unfinished business with them both.
Pauline Duke wasn't sure what she had expected when she walked in the hospital room, but the sight of her son wasn't it. The very first thing she noticed was the shiner Jeb had under his left eye. Then she followed Jeb's face downward, the sheet and blanket were pulled up to Jeb's chest over the hospital gown, but even under the covers and gown Pauline Duke could tell by Jeb's picture perfect posture even while asleep that he was wearing a rather large cast under the hospital gown.
Doctor Greenwood had been just down the hallway and seen the family going in Jeb's room, so he went to further explain to Pauline, Jeb's condition. "Pauline." He said quiet and gently to avoid waking Jeb.
Pauline turned toward the family doctor with tears in her eyes.
"He'll be fine. I was trying to tell you earlier when your nephew became ill about the treatment I have chosen for Jeb. First off, his injuries are pretty bad breaks which should heal with no lasting effects with plenty of rest and restricted movements. Now, we both know your son and how well it would set with him to have to limit his actions. I could have used a brace or support with a sling to limit movement of the injury but you would have been constantly trying to keep him in them and keep him still. So I figured that casting was the best opinion at least for a few weeks until the injuries begin to mend. The cast covers his entire left arm from the wrist up and over the injured shoulder down to about the top of his jeans which will keep his arm and shoulder totally immobilized. I'll warn you, Jeb wasn't real happy about the cast, but I also didn't tell him there was other treatment options, because this seemed to be the only suited for him."
Pauline Duke felt a bit better that Jeb's injury wasn't as bad as the large cast made it look. She would have to agree with the doctor, Jeb would have tossed any brace or support and the sling right in his dresser and never worn it again once he got home. "Thank you Doctor." She said as she turned her attention back to her first concern and her nephew, "Bo Duke what happened to Jeb's eye?"
Bo looked at his cousin. For a moment he had forgotten all about the fight where Jeb had got the shiner that was now standing out. He grimaced before he could stop it. He knew Luke would have likely implied that it happened in the wreck but he knew his aunt would never buy it now.
Unseen or heard by anyone in the room, Jesse Duke had walked in quietly just in time to hear the doctor tell about the cast. He cleared his throat to let Bo know he was standing behind him.
Bo sighed loudly before replying. "From what Jeb told us, one of the guys he had beaten earlier wasn't real happy about it."
"Oh, my heavens! Jeb was in a fight too!? I should have known better than to let my baby spend the summer with you all! I knew it, I just knew it, that with Luke in jail for fighting that Jeb should have come back home where he'd have been safe and not being corrupted!" In Pauline's rant she had said somethings that she didn't really mean but they had just come out.
Bo didn't like some of the things his aunt said, especially about Luke and he was just about to tell her so when he seen his Uncle Jesse give him a look to keep quiet.
"Now Pauline, there's no need in going over all that again." Jesse said, "Jeb here is going to be fine."
Pauline reached in her purse for a handkerchief, "I'm sorry Jesse. It's just that I'm not so sure how much more I can take right now."
"I know Pauline. Why don't you let Bo pull you up a chair so you can sit by Jeb. I'm going to go find a phone and make a couple phone calls to get the farm's chores taken care of tonight and in the morning. If it's alright with you I'll just stay at your place tonight so I'll be closer to the boys tonight." Jesse suggested.
"Where are my manners? Of course you and Bo are welcome anytime at the house. You are right there is no need in driving back to Hazzard tonight and then all the way back here and back home tomorrow." Pauline said a bit embarrassed that she hadn't offered Jesse to stay sooner.
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Shortly before the night's visiting hours were up, a nurse asked the Dukes to step out to the waiting room a few minutes. They were bringing Luke up and wanted to get him settled.
When they were allowed back in the room, Luke had been put in the bed beside Jeb. Thankfully, most of the monitors, wire and machines had been removed, but Luke was still pale.
Doctor Greenwood came in to check on his two patients before heading home for the night. He gave the Dukes and updated progress report on Luke and told them that both boys would likely sleep through out the night.
"Can I stay with them?" Pauline asked. None of her children had ever spent a single night in the hospital without her being there and she didn't want to start now.
"Pauline, you have the other children at home. You won't be any good to anyone if you don't get your rest. Now, I've put both boys in here together. They are both nearly grown young men, so no I'm not going to go against hospital rules so that you can stay tonight when it won't do anyone any good." Doctor Greenwood said, then added. "In fact, they will both be here at least until I come in at three tomorrow, so there is no need in getting here before say four. If there is any problems, the nurse will call you right after she calls me."
Pauline started to protest and Jesse wasn't far behind her, but he knew the doctor was right.
The adults could also tell that the younger cousins weren't a bit happy with their older cousins spending the night alone in the hospital either.
"Trust me Pauline, Jeb will be back out there racing that motorcycle before you know it." Doctor Greenwood tried to reassure the worried mother.
Pauline's sharp reply was only, "Over my DEAD BODY!"
Jesse, Bo and Daisy grimaced feeling really bad for Jeb when his mother got a hold of him once he was healed up.
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Doctor Greenwood was right, the boys would likely have slept through out the night had it not have been for Pauline's out burst. Then a few minutes later the nurse came in to tell the family that it was time for them to go.
Even with most of the conversation being in hushed tones the familiar voices called through the medication induced sleep to Jeb as he began to stir.
Pauline immediately moved from where she had been talking to Doctor Greenwood and was back at Jeb's side, "Jeb, Jeb Darling? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"
Jeb was awake but his eyelids were too heavy to get open right at the moment. Instead, he faintly replied, "I'm alright Mother." Though at the moment Jeb found himself feeling anything but fine as he finally got his eyes open to the bright light of the hospital room.
On the other side of the room, Luke also was hearing the voices of his family. When Luke opened his eyes he was a bit disoriented mostly due to the medication that had been ordered for him to help him rest. His chest felt tight, in fact it felt like his car was parked on top of him as his hand automatically went to the Oxygen tubing.
Jesse seen Luke's hand move toward the Oxygen just a split second before he realized that Luke was awake. "Luke." Jesse warned. "Don't mess with that, it needs to stay there." He said as he gently moved Luke's hand back away from the tubing.
The head of Luke's bed had been elevated as Luke slept, but Luke was trying to scoot up to be able to sit up farther so he could get his breath better or at least that was Luke's hope.
Daisy jumped to help him, "Here. Luke I'll raise the bed up if that's what you want." She picked up the bed control and raised the head of the bed more. "Is that better?"
Luke nodded 'yes' as he tried to swallow the cotton ball in his throat, at least that is what it felt like after having the Oxygen on while he slept. "Thirsty." Luke managed to get out.
Again Daisy was the closest to the water pitcher and quickly reached to pour some into the cup at the bedside.
Jesse held up a hand to hault her, "Doctor Greenwood is it alright that Luke have something to drink?"
"Yes, that's fine and if he wants anything from the Coke machine before you all leave that's fine but Luke you may want to to stick with something clear. Jeb you can have something too, but I want you both to stay in bed tonight so let someone else get it for you." Doctor Greenwood said.
After taking a couple sips of water, Luke said, "I'd like to have a Sprite, ... if you can."
Daisy offered, "I have plenty of change. Jeb what would you like?"
Jeb had been trying to figure out how he was supposed to move in the cast that Doc had put him in, but stopped to reply, "Anything will work, thanks." Then he turned his head toward his Doctor, "How am I supposed to move in this blamed thing?" The aggravation clearly showed in Jeb's voice.
Doctor Greenwood replied, "Well, Jeb that's most of the reason that you are in a cast to begin with. The breaks you have in your shoulder and arm are pretty serious as I told you earlier. The main thing to help them heal properly is limited movement and rest. Actually, had most any of my other patients had the same injuries I'd likely have used less restrictive methods."
"Less restrictive methods?" Jeb asked. His mind was still a bit foggy from the medication.
"Yes, most of my patients would have been good with a brace and sling, but I felt it was in your best interests to use this method so that I am sure that your shoulder and arm don't move at least until they start to heal." Doctor Greenwood explained. Then added, "As for moving around tonight, you can use the bed controls to help you sit up farther. If either of you have to get out of bed ring for a nurse. The medication you were given earlier should have kept you both resting for hours, so you'll likely be unsteady on your feet as well as the weight from the cast will have you off balance until you get used to it."
Jeb had heard enough of the doctors explanation to become even more aggravated with his situation, "You mean to tell me I'm trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey because, ..."
"Because we all know you, Jeb Stewart Duke. That brace and sling would have been in your dresser never to be worn again ten minutes after you got home." Pauline said.
Jesse was standing in between his nephews beds, "Jeb you know that your mother and Doctor Greenwood are right. There ain't a one of you boys that can follow doctors orders if it means sitting still. Just look at Luke there. He's been hurt since the middle of June and ain't don't himself any favors in getting better since then."
"Yes, that's about how I heard it when I talked to Doctor Applebee earlier." Doctor Greenwood said.
It was Luke's turn to groan out loud, "You've talked to, ... Doctor Applebee?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. I called him earlier when you were in the Emergency Room to find out your medical history." Doctor Greenwood turned and directed his next comment to Jesse Duke, "Doctor Applebee also told me to tell you, that once I let Luke out of here and you get back to Hazzard with him to stop by his office. It seems that he has a bed waiting on him there."
Luke started to protest as best he could though he was still having problems catching his breath, "But, ... that's not necessary, ... Uncle Jesse can, ... take care of me, ... just fine."
"That may be, son, but it's the only way I'm releasing you from here tomorrow." Doctor Greenwood said.
Luke grimaced. He knew how stubborn his Uncle and Doctor Applebee were and it looked like Doctor Greenwood was cut from cloth.
Jesse tried unsuccessfully to hide his grin at how Doctor Greenwood handled his nephew's stubborness.
Doctor Greenwood checked his watch. Visiting hours had been up ten minutes ago but with the boys awake he hadn't pushed the issue. "Alright folks, these boys and you all need rest. I'll give you ten more minutes then you need to head on out." He looked dead at Pauline, "That's twenty minutes more than I should have let you stay. No arguments."
It was times like this that made Pauline Duke wonder why she had chosen this man as her family's doctor.
Jesse knew that there was only three men that he knew of that had ever dared to handle Pauline so firmly. One was his young brother, now Doctor Greenwood and of course himself.
After saying their 'goodbyes', Jesse herded Pauline, Daisy and Bo out of the boys room to head toward Pauline's for the night.
Luke found that his near sitting position helped his breathing and was about as comfortable as he could hope to get. He was just about to doze back off when Jeb voice caught his attention.
"I just can't believe that Doctor Greenwood would make me wear this thing!" Jeb fumed finding most of his upper body unmovable. In fact it was still a struggle to sit up using the bed controls and his good arm which was also sore from being bounced around in the wreck. When he managed to get sitting up his back was held perfectly straight. "Do you believe this?"
Luke sighed letting out what little breath he had in his lungs, "Yeah, ... I do. Remember, ... he called Doctor Applebee! He already promised, ... to put me to bed, ... at the clinic, ... if I so much as left, ... the front porch for a week, ... two weeks ago."
"Do you think Uncle Jesse can talk Mom into letting me go back with ya'll?" Jeb could only hope.
Luke said as he dozed off, "Wouldn't count on it."
"Yeah." Jeb sighed. It was bad enough being hurt or sick without having to be hurt or sick at home where he'd be lucky to get out of bed to go to the restroom. Not to mention that his room was right beside the twins room. Jeb shook his head. This was going to be a summer to remember, ... to remember how not to ever spend another summer like this one. He tried his best to get as comfortable as he could, however everytime he moved he found something else that hurt.
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About the time Jeb thought he'd just closed his eyes, he heard the nurse talking in hushed tones as she took Luke's vitals. Jeb was trying to ignore the sounds when he heard the older nurse speaking to him, "Mr. Duke I've got to get your vitals, Dear."
Jeb still felt like he'd sipped a little too much shine the night before as he opened his eyes. After the nurse took his blood pressure, temperature and respirations she reached for the bed controls, "Here, I'll just help you get sit up. Breakfast should be here soon." She said much too cheerful for Jeb's liking.
It took a bit of work on Jeb's part, but soon he found himself sitting posture perfect straight up against the raised bed behind him. He watched the nurse walk out then said lowly, "Luke?"
"Yeah." Luke replied.
"I was just checking on you." Jeb said.
Luke replied tiredly, "I'm fine. Third bag of medication,... still got this blessed Oxygen on."
Just as both young Dukes were nearly dozing off again, a far too chipper nurse came in with two breakfast trays. "Here we are, ... a nice big breakfast."
Luke opened his eyes to see a tray that only equaled a breakfast from the Hazzard jail. There was an unrecognizable meat with something that looked like gravy over it on a piece of bread with what looked like applesauce, juice and milk.
Jeb looked at his tray that was the twin of Luke's. He prompty replaced the cover over what the hospital called food.
Luke shot him a look and frowned, "Cuz, if you are planning, ... to sleep in your own bed tonight, ... you will want to rethink that." Luke said as he picked up his own fork and tried to decide figure out what was the safest part of the meal adding, "They will monitor what you eat, ... or don't eat."
Jeb had mostly stirred and messed his meal up to hopefully appear that he had eaten at least some of the food before pushing the bedside table away.
Luke had stomached a few bites, drank his milk and juice which he figured that they couldn't have messed up too badly in the sealed cartons before he pushed his own tray back. He soon grew bored of watching Jeb flip the television repeatedly through the channels and closed his eyes.
Jeb had found little on the television to keep him occupied. Trying to move within the large cast had been futile. Jeb was currently looking out the window on the upper floor of the hospital at nothing but an occasional bird passing by when he heard someone ease in the door. Figuring it was the nurse picking up the breakfast trays Jeb paid little attention.
Trying to be quiet and not disturb whoever was his friends room mate, Blake eased in the hospital room, "Duke?"
Luke looked up to see a man about his age who was a fairly good looking guy with dirty blond hair about six feet tall that he didn't recognize. He looked over at the other Duke in the room.
Jeb had turned to see the familiar face of his buddy Blake standing there nervously. "Blake?" Jeb said a bit confused to see his friend there at the hospital.
"Did you really think that I could have just headed back to Fulton County without coming to check on the man responsible for getting my only real competition eliminated for the rest of the season? And to tell you that you sure missed a heck of a party last night." Blake said.
"Competition eliminated? What are you talking about?" Jeb asked.
Blake went on to explain with a grin, "Well, the officials seen what ever little stunt that fool pulled behind me that ended up with you here. They also remembered that run in that you had with Kinnison earlier. I guess they figured you'd be out the rest of the season, so they also suspended Kinnison until next season."
Jeb wasn't sure whether to laugh or grimace because he knew when they met on the track again that whatever had happened on the track this weekend was far from being over.
Blake pulled out an envelope, "There was also the matter of bringing you these."
Jeb looked in the envelope at the checks inside for the two races that he had placed in. "Are these what I think they are?"
Blake said with a grin, "Yeah, it's your winnings for the races that you placed in and the way I figure it, ... if you are still interested, ..."
Jeb cut off Blake's sentence as he fumbled one handed with the envelope and checks, "Go get me an ink pen."
Blake was almost surprised at his younger friend's comment, "You mean after all this, ..." he motioned toward Jeb's large cast, "you still, ..."
Jeb nodded, "I figure if I made it through that crash, I can deal with my mother about the bike. Go get that pen. I figure that most of this is yours."
Luke wasn't sure that Jeb didn't have some sort of head injury after that crash, "Jeb?"
"It will be alright, Luke." Jeb said as Blake came back with a pen, "Just one thing, ... you see I'm not gonna be riding anytime soon, ..." Jeb signed the back of the checks, "So how about you take MY bike back to Atlanta with you for safe keeping from my mother. At least until I'm able to tangle with her about it and can come get it."
"Sure thing, but are you alright?" Blake said with concern for the first time really taking in the cast the Jeb wore as he tucked the checks in his pocket and handed Jeb a few bills as change. It looked to him like the injuries to his friend had to be pretty bad and he knew how close he'd himself came from ending up in similar situations.
Jeb gave him a true Duke grin, "From what I get, it looks worse than it is, but that hasn't really helped much."
"That's good to know. Now there is only one other thing left to do." Blake pulled out a Sharpie pen and moved the hospital gown off Jeb's injured shoulder so that he could write in bold lettering, 'You still have a way to go to catch me! I'm still #1! Blake'
Jeb read the message as he wrote it, "I'll get you next season. Count on it." Jeb said with a laugh.
"Yeah, well you just take care. You know where YOUR bike is when you are ready." Blake extended his hand to Jeb's free one they did their best to do a one handed version of their fancy hand shake. "Later, Duke."
"Yeah later." Jeb replied.
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With nurses in and out since the wee hours of the morning checking Luke's vitals and having him doing breathing exercises, Jeb had been going out of his mind in his room and had been all too eager to leave it when the nurse suggested that he could go to the common room that had been set up for the adolescents in the hospital. In the room set up for the kids there were areas for both young kids but an area set up for teens as well. Jeb saw a T.V. set up along with various games. But it wasn't that caught Jeb's attention when the nurse wheeled him in; it was the fact that he saw the same girl that had given him the cold shoulder at the race was sitting in one of the chairs reading a big thick text book. When she looked up at the sound of the nurse setting him up in front of the T.V. Jeb gave her a smile only to have her look away much in the same way she had done at the track.
Jeb couldn't believe it! She'd dismissed him not once but TWICE! And this time Jeb figured that he deserved at least a little sympathy. What with being trussed up in a cast that covered nearly his whole upper body! What was worse, Doc Greenwood put him in this blasted thing when he admitted that if it'd been anyone else he might not have but he'd figured that with Jeb being a Duke; the only way to make sure that he healed properly was to immobilize him. Then his Uncle Jesse and his mother AGREED with the doctor that worked part-time at the hospital but worked out of Tranquil the rest of the time.
Not being one to let a girl just dismiss him like that Jeb decided that he wasn't about to go back to his room without finding out what this girl's problem was. After all, there wasn't anything else to do right now. One of the other teens was watching cartoons on the T.V.
"Hey," Jeb said as he tried to get the girls attention. When she looked back up Jeb gave her his most devastating smile. "My name's Jeb." When the girl just looked back down at her book Jeb could feel his dander get up just a bit. "You know, when folks introduce themselves most people do the same."
Kira sighed as she closed her book, "And most people would take the hint that I don't want to talk."
"So she speaks after all." Jeb gave the red headed girl with short hair a lopsided grin. "I saw you out at the race didn't I?"
"Probably. I was there yesterday. I see your stunt out there worked out real well for you. You know, if you can't ride a motorcycle then you probably shouldn't be out there trying to race them."
Jeb's eyes grew wide. Did she just insult his riding? "Who says that I can't ride?"
"Oh, you're right; you can ride, you just can't take a curve on that bike worth a hill of beans." Kira opened her book back up hoping that the blond would take the hint and leave her alone. She didn't like speaking with a lot of folks (she didn't trust them) and after talking to him it was clear that he was better to look at than to actually talk with.
"I didn't see you out there racin'. Do you ride?"
"Well, no but-"
"Then don't be tellin' me how to do it," Jeb's jaw set and he started to grind his teeth. "If you can't ride then what do you know about racin'. I'd like to see YOU do better."
Kira saw the challenge in the boy's eyes and she'd just LOVE to tell him that she planned to meet that challenge. Of course first she had to make sure that she didn't have to have anymore extended stays here at the hospital. But as soon as she was well again…Well, Ben HAD been asking her if she wanted a car to drive around in after she'd turned sixteen this past spring. Maybe she'll ask for a motorcycle instead.
"I'll keep that in mind. Of course I can't do any worse of a job at it than you did yesterday. That third race looked like amateur hour out there on the track."
"Hey now! That is not fair! Anyone can have a bad day! It's not my fault that Kinnison cut out in front of me!" Jeb felt his blood boil just a bit at the idea of someone insulting his ability on the bike. After all, no one else in is division had placed as well as he had in their first event. When it came to riding or driving; there weren't no one better than a Duke!
"Sounds like you're making excuses." Kira snickered as she kept reading her book. She didn't know why but she could tell that the fact that she didn't even look back up at Jeb got to him; which made it even more fun to act like she was ignoring him.
"I am not," Jeb kept working his jaw as he saw that the yet to be named girl started to LAUGH at him under her breath.
"I'm just pointing out some facts that you clearly aren't aware of since YOU DON'T RACE!"
"Well for the rest of the season it looks like you won't be neither," Kira looked up to see Jeb's face as she pointed it out. "And by the sound of your mother, I doubt that she'll be letting you get on a bike again anytime soon." Kira happened to have been near enough in the crowded waiting room to hear some of Pauline's rants the night before.
Jeb wanted to argue with that but he knew that his mother likely would kill him if she knew that he'd arranged it with Blake to buy the bike off of him. His mother thought that he had just borrowed it for the race. When Blake came to sign his cast Jeb asked Blake to keep the bike out at his place in Atlanta for now; he had no idea how after this accident he was going to explain to his parents that the bike was his. He'd hoped that after the race it be obvious just how good he was on a bike. He hadn't figured on doing the exact opposite instead. Jeb had shown his mother just how dangerous riding on a motorcycle can be.
Over at the door Ben shook his head as he watched the teens bicker with one another. So much for thinking that it wouldn't take long for Kira to pick up on flirting. Here she was picking a fight with the very same boy that had caught her eye the day before. He'll have to explain to her that making a dig at a boy's ability to ride on a motorcycle isn't a good way to start off a friendship or anything else with him. There was one thing about the small argument with the blond haired boy though; Ben saw a glimmer of a fight in Kira's eyes that he had to admit was good to see. When he first met the girl she'd all but given in to the cancer that coursed through her system. Seeing her willing to fight, even this strange boy, was something to be thankful for; though Ben figured that he just might want to rescue that same boy right now since he didn't look like he'd be able to fend for himself right now. As he walked up he could hear that the two were still bickering over the race that had caused the boy to be admitted into the hospital the day before.
"Like I said before, you've never raced so you don't know what you are talkin' about. Come back when you've even been on a bike!"
"You don't think I'll do it do you? I'll bet you that come next season I'll have learned how to ride better than you ever have!"
"Talk is cheap. I'm willing to bet that you'll never even set foot on a track again." Jeb started to look around for a nurse to wheel him back to his room. Why should he stay in here just to have this girl make fun of him for wrecking his bike? "I might have had a bad race but I think I still proved that I was the best rider out there in my division. When it comes to racin', ain't NO ONE better than a Duke."
"You'll eat those words-"
"That's enough Kira." Ben walked over to the teens to end the argument. "I see you're already starting to make friends." Ben had to suppress a chuckle as both teens shot him a look that clearly said that neither was interested in being friends right now. Kira rolled her eyes and shrugged before turning back to her text book.
Jeb was still hot and didn't want to drop the argument but it was clear that after just a few words from the man that must be her father the girl just dismissed him again. At least now he had a name for her though.
"Mr. Kyle?" A nurse came walking up to the three in the T.V. area of the room. "We're ready for Kira now."
Ben nodded as he went around to the back of Kira's wheel chair and started to wheel her towards the door. But not before she looked up at Jeb and gave him a look that he took to mean that she fully intended to follow through on her words. Maybe he won't be surprised to see Kira Kyle out on the track after all in another year or two. Though he doubted that she'd be half as good as him.
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Vector426 - Thanks for reading and reviewing. As for the racing, I was trying to make it a 2 day event that would encompass several types of racing because racing was such a big part of the DOH. I also had to have motorcycle races for Jebb to be in, so I figured I'd show drag racing, round track and overland racing. This is based on Duke Fest in Bristol, VA when the Spring Nationals were going on at the drag strip (they even dragged the General Lee on the drag strip), Duke Fest in the valley below, and the parade of the General Lee's on the NASCAR track.
I got to tell you that your timing is spot on with you encouragement! Yes, you are right about there being several Firsts through out the story. I hadn't planned it that way in the beginning, but once a couple happened I've leaned toward making it a story about more that just Luke's first time. Which really it started as Jesse's first time getting a call from the jail in the middle of the night from one of his 'kids', not a sibling. Since before starting this chapter I have been fighting derailment, but like Luke and the rest of the Dukes I'm pretty hard headed. But it is reviews like yours that make it worth while and tell me that little voice inside me is right about how MY story should be written. If I wrote it how someone else sees it, then it would be just me typing their story. Thanks, again for the encouragement, it goes a long way.
I hope the few additions clear up any that a couple readers mentioned.