Chapter 82
In Hazzard County a chain of events had started at the Hibbs breakfast table. After finding Beverly not at home, Beverly's mother had indeed called Beverly's friend that she was supposed have stayed with on Saturday night. Beverly had given Jenny some information about what her and Cooter planned to do, but hadn't given enough details that if the girl decided to tell her parents that it would be enough to be able to find Beverly anytime soon.
Jenny had indeed out right lied to Beverly's mother and said that Beverly had stayed both Saturday and Sunday nights, but had left just a little while before hand and was headed home. Jenny felt guilty as she lied to her friend's mother, but wanted to give Beverly as much time as she could to get settled into married life before having to deal with her parents.
In town, Cooter Davenport's father, Luther was impatiently waiting on his nephew, LB to arrive at the garage. He could only hope that LB knew more about where Cooter could be than he did at the moment.
When LB arrived he could tell by the look on his Uncle's face that the man wasn't happy as he walked into the garage area.
Luther was just opening the cash register where he'd left Cooter's pay envelope Friday evening. Until now he hadn't had a reason to look under the change tray to see if Cooter had picked up the money. Lifting the change tray out he saw the familiar envelope with Cooter's name on it, which was empty, so Cooter had been here since closing on Friday. Turning to LB, Luther asked, "Have you seen or heard from Cooter since Friday evening?"
LB sighed. He hated being put on the spot like that especially when he did have some information that he knew his Uncle wouldn't like at all. "I passed him really late Friday night. We both stopped and talked a few minutes. He said he'd be heading out early Saturday morning for the race."
Luther frowned, "What was he doing out that late Friday night if he was leaving early Saturday morning?"
Now this is the part that LB had hoped to skip having to tell. "Well, ... Uncle Luther, ... " he stalled, "Cooter was just coming back into the County from hauling a load of shine up to Tennessee for Boss Hogg." LB managed to take a couple steps backwards away from his uncle as he spoke.
"He did WHAT?" Luther exclaimed as his face turned a shade of purple, "That boy knows better than to be out there hauling shine, ESPECIALLY for JD Hogg. And to go all the way up to Tennessee, is he crazy?" Luther frowned again and added before LB could speak, "Wait, .. don't answer that! Da-!" He pounded the work bench causing his coffee to slosh out of its cup.
LB dutifully obeyed his uncle and didn't answer.
Luther continued, "LB you said earlier that you hadn't seen Cooter 'since he was supposed to be going to that out of town race'. Is there any reason that you can think of that he wouldn't have gone to the race?"
"N-huh, I can't say that I can." LB said.
Luther decided to dig deeper, "Alright, ... I know for a fact he's not with the Dukes, he's not at home and he's not here. Would you have any idea where he could be?"
LB frowned, "Well, there is lots of places that he could be Uncle Luther, ... the post office, the bank, the lake, ..."
"Never mind all that LB! If that danged fool didn't go to the race like he said he was, and he didn't come home like he said he was on Sunday, ... this being Monday morning do you have any ideas where he might have gotten off to?" Luther tried to be more specific.
"Oh." LB said as he began to think.
Luther also added, "OR do you have any idea who he might be with?"
LB looked up. That question was a might easier, "The only people he hangs out with are the Dukes, BB and me. He's not with BB, I just left him. Other than that, I've only seen him with that one girl, Beverly, ... Hibbs, I think is her last name."
Luther nodded. He knew the girl LB was talking about, he'd seen his son with her a couple of times. Changing the subject, Luther told LB of Luke being sick and Jeb being hurt and that Jesse needed the farm chores taken care of this evening and in the morning.
LB agreed to take care of the chores for Jesse and headed out to leave Luther to try to figure out where his wayward son was at.
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Beverly had rinsed the coffee pot out, straightened up where she and Cooter had hurried to fix his lunch, straightened up the bed as best she could, put the dirty towels on the sink and headed out of the motel room. The first place she went was to the Courthouse to get the official marriage license. She would feel much better having the official marriage license with her if and when her father found out where they were. She had heard stories about her father and if they were only half true he wasn't a man to cross. She had done so by not only continuing to see Cooter but by marrying him. The fact that she was not yet eighteen would only add fuel to the fire.
She found out that the Justice of the Peace had just dropped off his copy of the license and it would take a little while for it to be formally recorded before they could issue the official copy of the license. Beverly opted to wait. Nearly an hour later she had the official document and was headed back to the motel.
By the time she returned to their room the maid had cleaned the room and made the bed. Beverly left the door open and opened the curtains. She took turns looking at her rings and the marriage license still finding it hard to believe that she had actually defied her father and married Cooter. She still felt the butterflies turning in her stomach just at the thought of facing her father.
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As four o'clock got nearer at the Tri Counties jail, the eight young men and women were anxiously awaiting the time that they would be released from jail. They had all missed a weekend of parties, racing and various festivals where they would all have much rather been. Larry, Roy, Frank and Danny had all been split up in different cells only seeing each other briefly when they were outside for a short time each day. The girls were a bit luckier since they had all been put in a cell together and at least got to talk to each other all weekend.
When the call was made for outdoor recreation John saw that Danny and several of the others heading toward the door. Now, he had not been much for going outside dressed in the black and white stripes that he had worn for the last week, but he felt the need to go outside today. He got up from the table and followed the younger men out to the main hallway where they were made to get against the wall and patted down then escorted up the stairs and out onto the caged in cat walk that lead to the small recreation yard. John walked out onto the yard (if you could call it that when it was nothing more than asphalt with a twenty foot fence around it) and took a seat on one of the benches.
John watched as Danny met up with his friends who all would be released in an hour or so. He didn't have to hear the conversation to know what was being said, ... each young man was discussing their plans for later today and possibly tonight after they were released. For now John opted to just enjoy a bit of sun and fresh air as he watched the young men talk for awhile.
Seeing that they would soon be called back inside, John got up from his seat on the bench and walked over to the young men, "Gentlemen." John addressed the four young men.
From across the yard, Dean was watching Karen's father as he addressed the younger men. Something was up, he just wasn't real sure what. The older man hadn't went out but maybe one other time in the week that he'd been here.
The four young men turned to see John Duke standing behind them with his hand on Danny's shoulder.
"Now, I know that you all will be out of here in a little while, ... AND, ... so will my daughter." John paused to let that sink into the young men's thoughts. "I may not be walking out of here with you fellas, but trust me I will be keeping tabs on my girl." Again John paused. "Danny as you know, you are still not off the hook with me yet, ... so I trust that a repeat of the other night won't be happening."
To everyone else John's hand may have looked like it rested easily and friendly on the young man's shoulder, ... Danny knew better as he felt the strong grip of John's hand as he waited for an answer. The best answer he could give at the moment, considering just a moment before he was telling how he'd like another shot at Duke's sister, was to squeak out a, "Right."
John squeezed harder, "What was that?"
Danny tried not to show it as he gritted his teeth against the strong squeeze of John's hand as he replied, "Sir. Right, Sir." Only now did John let loose of the tight grip of the muscle in Danny's shoulder.
"That's better, son. You're learning. Just think, ... about how you'll see my way of thinking in fifty or so years if your actions cause you to be my very first son-in-law." John said smuggly as he walked away from the young men.
Danny had beads of sweat popping out on his forehead as he swallowed hard before he was able to return to the previous conversation.
Roy looked over at his buddy, "Man alive, I am sure glad Peggy's father don't know me."
Danny muttered as he wiped the sweat off his forehead, "Yeah, well, ... Karen's father didn't know me until that second night we took her home, either."
The other three men looked at him with just a bit of sympathy.
Dean had watched the entire exchange. He knew right about now, Danny felt very unlucky. Dean couldn't help but think just how lucky the man was, ... first he'd bedded Duke's sister and secondly he was still lucky her father had let him live, but the fool was fool enough to brag about it. Knowing what he knew now, Dean wished he'd given Duke's sister a 'try' himself. He knew if he had, that he wouldn't have been standing here in these blamed strips for the better part of a year. No there would have been no way he'd let himself be taken away from a honey like that for that long. He readjusted his underwear as he thought about just how long a year it was going to be as images of Karen Duke ran through his mind causing him even more difficulties with his current clothing. Nothing worse than being a very excited man in a jail where all women were very out of reach. Dean gritted his teeth more and hoped to be able to get to the one shower first when they went back inside. He had never been a fan of cold showers before, but he couldn't remember the last hot shower he'd taken before going to court.
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The closer four o'clock got the more fidgety each of the girls became. Two because they knew what the other four was thinking about doing once they got out of here and that they couldn't do for well over a year now.
Karen and Charlene were the only two trying to convince themselves that they should not allow themselves to get into the same situation with Danny and Larry again, but with the conversation going on around them and the memories of the other night both were becoming a bit hot and bothered.
Karen in fact felt like she had ants in her pants as the guard opened to door and said, "Ladies just put your mattresses out here in the hall and we'll take you down to get processed out."
After brief good byes and promises to write to Sharon and Patty, each eagerly put their mattresses and linen out in the hallway and followed the guard down to where they could change back into their street clothes.
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It was a few minutes before four when Jesse arrived at the Tri-Counties jail. He, Pauline and the twins had taken Pauline's car and were followed by Bo and Daisy in Luke's car. Jesse insisted that the others remain in the cars while he went up to check on Karen's release. He was told that it would be a few minutes yet. Jesse had noticed that it was visiting hours so he requested a visit with John.
Jesse took his place on his side of the glass as he waited for John to be brought to the other side of the glass.
A few minutes later John stepped inside the visitation booth and the guard locked the door behind him. John was a bit surprised to see his oldest brother on the other side of the booth, "Jesse?" He frowned, "What's wrong?"
Jesse sighed. His brother knew him well, maybe too well. "John, Pauline and the girls are outside. We're here to pick up Karen."
John nodded. Nothing Jesse had said was real news to him, "Go on."
"We're on our way over to the hospital in Atlanta, ..." Jesse paused to let that much information sink in. "The races at the track yesterday, ... It seems Bo wasn't the only Duke racing, ... Jeb, ..."
John had just barely heard his son's name before he joined in the one sided conversation, "Jeb? Hospital? Jesse what's wrong?" John asked full of concern for his only son.
Jesse held up his hand to try to stop John's questions, "Jeb should be fine in a few weeks." Jesse wanted to let his brother know that his son would be alright before he told him of the motorcycle wreck. "It seems he borrowed a motorcycle and entered the races. From what Bo and Luke said he took a pretty bad spill. Doctor Greenwood was at the hospital and treated him when he was brought in. Other than some scrapes and bruises, he has a busted left shoulder and a broken left arm."
John sighed loudly, "He's alright?"
Jesse replied, "His pride will likely bother him more than his injuries after a couple days."
"Pauline?" John asked.
Jesse took a minute before replying, "John, ... you know how she can be when her kids are hurt."
"That's what I'm afraid of." John said honestly.
Jesse said, "I've done the best I can to keep her calm and focused on other things. I came over last night and stayed with her and the kids at your place. After we go pick up Jeb and Luke, I plan to stay tonight too before heading back. I just don't think that Luke needs that long of a ride tonight."
"Luke? What's wrong with Luke?" John asked concerned for his oldest nephew.
Jesse began to explain, "You know Luke had some broken ribs from a fight the last time you was over. Well, the dern fool has managed to develop pneumonia from being out at the race track in the night air then being in the air conditioning at the hospital with Jeb. So they both were roommates at the hospital last night."
"Great. All this has to happen when I'm stuck here and you and Pauline have to deal with those two." John said.
"Now don't you worry about them boys none, John. They will both be fine even if I have to hog tie them until they get better." Jesse said just a bit annoyed at Luke for making himself sicker than he had to be.
John hated to think about this, but had to ask now that he knew Jeb would be alright, "How much of a fit did Pauline through about Jeb racing a motorcycle?"
Jesse frowned, "Well, I think Jeb has just gotten the side winds since she was so worried about him, but I'm sure he'll hear his fair share about it while he mends."
"Yeah, him and me both most likely." John added. "Ya know she never liked me driving Traveler even when she thought that I was just out racin' him let alone being out there with you." John was careful not to mention that he and Jesse had been running moonshine when Pauline thought that he had been out racing Traveler for extra cash. After all he was in jail and you just never knew who was listening.
"Yeah I know she has always given you a hard way to go over Traveler. I'll do what I can to run Jeb some interference but I'll be heading out in the morning. Looks like Jeb's summer at my place is going to get cut short."
John frowned, "Why's that?"
"John, Pauline didn't want Jeb to stay once she learned Luke was in jail for that fight. Do you really think she's going to let him go back with me after 'I let' him get hurt?" Jesse asked.
"Oh for Pete's sake. You let that boy of mine get hurt about as much as you 'let me fall' into the pond that warm April day that caused me to be in bed with the flu for a week when we went fishin' as kids." John reminded Jesse of the time they had went fishing as kids and John had insisted on going swimming. Jesse had insisted that the water was still too cold for swimming even though the day was warm. No amount of talking had stopped John from finding a perfect place to 'accidentally' fall into the water and once in he might as well swim awhile. The result had been him stuck in bed with the flu and missing a week of school.
"I told you that the water was too cold for swimming that early in the season." Jesse said.
John nodded, "Yes, you did and I listened about as much as that boy of mine does when he sits his mind to something."
Jesse and John had to laugh at the Duke stubbornness that they had both been victims of once or twice and even now John suffering from the consequences of his own stubbornness and pride. "For what it's worth, if you don't have your hands too full with the others, as far as I'm concerned Jeb can go back with you. I know he'll be taken care of just fine there."
Jesse was glad that his brother felt that way but knew how Pauline would be, "Well, you know I'd take care of him just like I did you all and like I'd do for my kids, but I just don't see Pauline letting him out of her sight just yet."
"Well, if that is the case once I get out of here I'll see to it that he gets to come back down for a spell before school starts up again if that's alright with you?" John said.
"You know that my door is always open and I can always add another potato to the stew any time you all want to come over." Jesse said.
Both brothers heard the key being put in the lock on the other side of the door behind John. John said, "Thanks Jesse for the invite and letting me know what was going on with my boy, not to mention being here to pick up Karen. It means alot to me. Tell Pauline I'll call tonight late so that will give you all time to get home from Atlanta."
"I'll do it. Take care John." Jesse said.
John's eyes met Jesse's for a long moment before he turned to go with the officer. He finally replied, "I will."
In that moment, Jesse saw his youngest brother much younger than he was now, being taken away to spend his first night in jail after being arrested on several driving charges. It had cost John a night in jail before bail was set the next morning but it had kept Jesse one step ahead of the law with a trunk and back seat full of shine. They had managed to get the load through but the look in John's eyes that night had hurt Jesse because he knew if either should have been behind bars that night it should have been him not his baby brother. Jesse finally walked out of the visitation booth and was told that he could wait for Karen out front.
Karen had been told before being let out the door of the jail that someone was waiting on her out front. She wasn't really sure who to expect with her father locked up somewhere in the same jail that she was being released from. She knew her mother would have the twins and even with Daisy out at the farm with her mother, Karen didn't see her mother letting Daisy pick her up.
When Karen and her girl friends walked outside a few minutes ahead of the guys, Karen was surprised to see her Uncle Jesse standing a short distance from the doorway. "Uncle Jesse?"
Jesse smiled at his niece, "Karen."
Karen walked over to her Uncle and saw him reach out to hug her. Karen couldn't help herself as she wrapped her arms tightly around her Dad's brother. Jesse wrapped his arms protectively around her. She wasn't sure where the tears came from or why, but in her Uncle's arms she felt as safe as she had always in her father's arms. With everything that had been going on with her and her family lately Karen couldn't stop the tears from coming out and soaking the front of her Uncle's bibbed overalls.
Jesse pulled out a handkerchief, "Here Honey."
"Thanks Uncle Jesse, I don't know why, ..." Karen began to try to explain her outburst of tears.
"Never mind that, just get yourself straightened up before we get to the car where your Mother is at." Jesse said.
"Mother? Is here?" Karen asked surprised.
"Yes, she is in the car with the girls. Bo and Daisy are here too." Jesse replied then added before Karen could ask why everyone was there, "We're all on our way to the hospital in Atlanta."
Karen cut Jesse's statement off, "Hospital why?"
Jesse tried his best to not scare Karen any worse than she already was, "Jeb will be fine, but he was in an accident yesterday at the track and Luke is there with him."
"What sort of accident?" Karen asked hoping that she didn't already know.
Jesse began to explain, "It seems Jeb borrowed a motorcycle and entered a couple of races out at the track this weekend. According to Bo and Luke he took a pretty good spill. It looks like he's gonna be layed up awhile with a busted shoulder and broken arm but he should be alright soon enough."
Karen nodded but didn't give away that she knew Jeb had been riding bikes for sometime now. "So why did Luke stay with him?"
Jesse explained as they walked to the car, "Luke's still having problems with his ribs. It seems the night air at the track didn't help him anymore than the air conditioning at the hospital did. He's got a nasty case of pneumonia, so he was Jeb's roommate last night."
"I've been here three days and it seems like three years." Karen said just before they were close enough for her mother to have heard her remark.
Jesse said once they were close to where both cars were parked, "You can ride with Bo and Daisy, Darlin'."
Karen turned toward Luke's car when she heard her Mother, "Karen Ann Duke. Now if you ride with them I expect you all to be right behind us when we pull in at the hospital. You are to go no where else. Is that understood by all three of you?"
Karen replied, "Yes, Mother."
Bo and Daisy replied, "Yes, Ma'am."
Karen made it into the safety of Luke's car and Bo pulled out behind his Uncle, "Just where in the he- did she think I'd be going? I'm as worried about Jeb and Luke as anyone else!" Karen fumed. "Are they alright?"
Bo replied, "Luke wasn't doing so good last night. He was having trouble breathing and seemed to be hurting. By the time we seen Jeb, I think they had given him something for the pain but he looks like he's about half dressed for Halloween as a mummy."
"Bo!" Daisy scolded. "That's not funny! They put Jeb in a cast on his left arm and shoulder."
Karen didn't see where that would be so bad as she only expected to find him in a cast that covered his arm and shoulder.
The three cousins talked as they rode behind Pauline's car. Bo knew better than to pass his Uncle even though he would have liked to have driven a bit faster.
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At the jail, the guys were finally let out the door a few minutes after the girls. Frank, Larry and Roy all headed toward the girls standing on the parking lot. Danny frowned not seeing Karen.
Frank and Roy took Jackie and Peggy in their arms for a long passionate kiss. Larry stepped near Charlene only to see her step back, "My folks are parked right over there."
Larry had wanted to see what it was like to make it with a preacher's daughter, well now he seen just who she was when her father was near by. She was not the girl he was with at the lake. "Can I call you later? maybe we can go out again sometime."
Charlene said, "It may be better if I call you when they aren't around, if I live that long. Look I really got to go." She turned to Jackie and Peggy, "I'll talk to you all later." As she opened the car door her Mother was the first to greet her.
"You'll talk to them over my dead body! Don't you think you have embarrassed this family enough this last couple of weeks? You'll be spending the rest of your summer as a proper young lady." Mrs. Murphy said.
Her father had yet to say anything but she was sure that when he did there would be many Bible verses quoted to point out the era of her ways.
The other two girls parents picked them up, leaving Frank, Roy, Danny and Larry standing alone in the parking lot of Tri-Counties jail which was pretty much out by itself. Just when they figured they would have to walk back to town Roy's brother pulled up in Roy's truck. All the guys climbed in and they headed off toward town.
Roy's brother said after being on the road a few minutes, "Hey fellas that cooler back there is stocked."
Soon all five guy had a cold beer including Roy who was glad to be behind the wheel of his truck as he took a turn off down a side road that would lead up to the lake.
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Doctor Greenwood walked into the Luke and Jeb's room. He was pretty much relieved to find Luke asleep and appearing to be breathing better. The nurse had already told him that Jeb was down the hallway at the common room.
Doctor Greenwood figured to examine Luke before the nurse got back with Jeb. He woke Luke up and began his examination.
When the Doctor was finished, Luke asked, "I thought, ... we'd be out, ... of here by now." He paused to catch his breath, "It's nearly five, ... what happened, ... to four?"
"Well, I spoke to your Uncle earlier and he explained that four o'clock was time conflict with something else he and Jeb's mother had to do. He actually wanted to pick you two up earlier, but I wanted you to get another round of medication before being released. It should be around six before they get here." Doctor Greenwood said.
"Six!? Ah, Man! Doc come on. It's bad enough you have me trussed up like this but to have to stay here until six!" Jeb complained and voiced the objections that Luke was still to short of breath to do for himself.
Doctor Greenwood explained to his regular patient, "I could have been ready to let you go about four, but your Uncle called trying to get you released sooner. I wanted Luke to get another round of medication so he said they would be her around six."
Jeb looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn't even five yet. He stood up from the wheelchair the nurses had insisted that he be in and took a seat on the bed. "Can we get this over with so can get dressed in something other than this gown?"
Luke couldn't help but wonder where Jeb's mouth was coming from. He knew Pauline would have been mortified if she'd heard Jeb say half of what he'd said and how he said it to the family Doctor. Of course, he was sure that his cousin wasn't at all happy about his current situation spending most of the rest of his summer in a cast that covered most of his body from the waist up.
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By late afternoon, Beverly would have plenty of time to have gotten home even if she hadn't left Jenny's until after her mother called. Her mother checked the clock again for the hundredth time. Her husband would be home from work soon and she still had no idea why Beverly wasn't home. She knew it wouldn't be good if her daughter didn't get home before her father arrived.
The phone rang nearly sending Mrs. Hibbs through the ceiling of the kitchen. "Hibb's residence." she answered.
"Can I speak to Beverly?" Debbie asked.
Mrs. Hibbs replied, "She's not at home right now. Who may I ask is calling?"
"This is Debbie. I was just calling to see how the races and her trip to Jenny's went." Debbie said.
"I'll tell her that you called when she gets home." Mrs. Hibbs replied.
"Thank you, Ma'am." Debbie said and hung up.
Mrs. Hibbs now had no idea what to think. If Jenny said she had been there and Debbie knew she was going there, she could only conclude that her daughter had both intended to go and had went to Jenny's and the races. She considered heading out to see if her daughter had some sort of car trouble on her way home from Jenny's, but it was late enough now that she had finish the dinner she had started because her husband was due home in the next few minutes as her housekeeper only worked a half day on Mondays.
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After Doctor Greenwood left the boys room to get their discharge papers ready, both boys were more than happy to actually be able to get dressed in something other than a short gown that tied in the back that left more of their body showing than either wanted. Luke reached in the bag and took out his jeans managing to get them on with minimal difficulty. Then he looked at the IV still in his arm as well as the many cords and cables still hooked to his chest. There was no way he'd be able to get his shirt on until some if not all of them were removed.
Jeb also took the bag with his cloths in it and dug around one handed to find his jeans and shirt that he'd worn under his racing suit. It took some effort but Jeb had managed to get his jeans on one handed, but the trouble was he didn't have a clue as to how he could get them snapped or zipped. It wasn't that he hadn't tried, even laying back on the bed he tried to zip the jeans together enough to be able to snap them. After awhile of trying, Jeb seen that it just wasn't going to happen. Jeb swore out loud.
Luke turned to see what Jeb's problem was. At least he wasn't hooked up to cords, cables and hoses like Luke was. "What is it?"
Jeb struggled once more to try to zip his jeans one handed without them being snapped. The jeans were far to tight of a fit for him to be able to accomplish the task. He sighed and swore again, "I managed to get the jeans on, but with only one hand I can't get them zipped or snapped."
Luke knew that he had helped all his cousins get dressed from time to time when they were younger. He'd also helped tie a tie or straightened a collar in recent years, but this was a bit different. He came around his bed and said with a bit of a blush, "I'll give you a hand, ... but if anyone ever asks, ... I'll deny it to, ... the bitter end."
Jeb was doing his own amount of blushing too, "Like I'd really tell anyone!"
Both cousins worked quickly to get Jeb's jeans suitable to leave the hospital. Jeb then looked at his T-shirt. "Ya know I really don't see a point in even trying to get this shirt on. It was tight to begin with so I'm not even sure it will go over this cast."
"Wouldn't worry about it. ... With that thing, ... on ya it's like, ... having a shirt on ya, ... all the time." Luke said as best he could with the pain and his breathing still not back to normal.
Jeb agreed with Luke. He found himself standing at the door of their room wondering where the girl he'd seen at the track and earlier that day was and why she was here.
Luke had found a position on the bed that sit him up much like he would be in a recliner at home. He looked at the bag of medication dripping ever so slowly into his arm, then at the clock. He figured that Doctor Greenwood had pretty much scheduled the medication to run out just about the time that his uncle would arrive.
Soon dinner arrived, if you could call it that. It was a piece of processed turkey, something that was supposed to be dressing and some slime that was likely supposed to be gravy, a bit of lettuce, a half of a pear and milk and coffee for Luke and a small can of Coke for Jeb.
Jeb was hungry but not for this stuff. He opened the Coke and took a sip.
Luke wasn't all that hungry but especially not for this stuff, but he wanted out of here so he took a bit of the lettuce that had a splash of Italian dressing on it.
Both boys were picking through the dinner and trying their best to make it look as if they had eating more than they had as Jesse, Pauline, Bo and Daisy arrived with the twins.
The nurse arrived right behind the boys relatives. Luke was the first to ask, "So are, ... we out of here?"
The nurse smiled warmly at the young man, "I was just coming to tell you that I've notified Doctor Greenwood that your family is here. He'll be up in a few minutes to talk to you all."
Luke looked at Bo, "Eat this, ... or get rid of it, ... or something."
Bo reached out for Luke's tray, planning to dump it in the near by toilet.
Jesse read both boys minds, "At! Stop that Bo!"
Bo froze.
Luke swore to himself.
Jesse said, "The doctor is going to want to know how much they ate and drank. And as much as I want them both at home, if it's not what's best for them then they will be staying her until it is what's best for them."
Luke wasn't at all happy about his uncle's determination, but he had some of his own too as he took a rather large bite of turkey, gravy and dressing. He tried hard to chew it without tasting it before he forced himself to swallow it.
Jeb followed Luke's lead as he took large bite off his tray and nearly gagged as he tried to swallow it.
After another couple of bites each, both boys managed to rinse down the food with the milk that had come in a sealed container and was about the only thing that tasted near normal.
Doctor Greenwood came in and checked out the boys dinner trays. They had eaten much more than he had actually expected seeing the contents of the trays. "Jesse, Pauline if I could ask you all to wait outside in the hall for just a couple minutes I'll give the boys a once over and go sign their release papers."
Jesse, Pauline and the others made their way to the hallway.
Doctor Greenwood asked Jeb if he was having any pain.
Jeb replied, "I'm sore, ... all over, ... but no where more than any other place."
Greenwood nodded. He had expected as much. "Luke, how about you?"
Luke tried to choose his words carefully. He wasn't well by any means but he didn't want to stay here another night. "I'm sore, ... most likely from coughing. ... Nothing really major, ... I've hurt far worse, ... since I've been hurt."
Doctor Greenwood figured as much. He had also talked to Doctor Applebee and knew the Hazzard doctor planned to put Luke to bed in the clinic a couple of days once he got back to Hazzard. He opened the door for Pauline, Jesse and the others to come back in. Looking at Jesse Duke he asked, "Do you plan to drive to Hazzard tonight?"
Jesse replied, "Since it will be so late by the time we get there, I had planned on staying tonight in Placid County then driving home in the morning."
"Good. Very good. I'll order a couple medications to hold the boys over until you all can get a prescription filled tomorrow. I'll send them up with the release forms. Oh, and Mr. Duke don't forget that Doctor Applebee will be expecting you at his office tomorrow. In fact I'll call him and let him in on your plans and up date him on Luke's progress." Doctor Greenwood advised.
Luke groaned as the man in the white coat left the room. "Ah, man, ... this is just great."
Jeb glared at him, "Would you rather trade places?"
Luke frowned at his cousin but promptly held his tongue with his aunt so close by.
After getting three shots each, the Duke boys were released and on their way by wheel chair to the front of the hospital.
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