I hope you all are having a Happy Easter with you and yours! I chose to spend mine with the Dukes.
Chapter 93
Bo indeed contacted Luther Davenport to see if he'd checked into the possibility of Cooter being in an accident. Luther advised that he had made all the normal phone calls between Hazzard and the race and all the way up into Tennesse.
Bo frowned but had to ask why he'd have checked up in Tennesse.
That is when he was told of Cooter's trip up to Moore County, Tennesse for Boss Hogg just before he left out for the race that he never made. Luther then advised his son's friend that he and Rosco couldn't help but think that where every Cooter was that he was with Beverly Hibbs. Luther felt that for whatever reason Cooter had planned to leave and be gone to make a living as he had taken all his own tools from garage. He also advised that if Bo knew anything at all that it would be a good idea for him to tell him now, as Rosco was also looking for the two and that he'd much prefer to find them first.
Bo nearly let the swear that crossed his mind be voiced out loud as he said, "Ah, Man!" Bo exclaimed. "If I think of anything, I'll let you know.
Luther thanked the young Duke and hung up.
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After Cooter kicked, fought, cursed and yelled his pent up energy and frustrations out on the small cell that he was in, he managed to calm his temper down to a slow boil as he continued to pace like a caged tiger. No one had so much as came upstairs to check on him since he'd heard Beverly calling for him. He could only hope that she wasn't still here somewhere.
Hours after being forced to leave the jail without seeing Cooter, Beverly noticed a flurry of activity and two large trucks that could only be described as moving vans as her father pulled the car into their yard in Hazzard County.
Her father pulled up to one of the men and handed him a slip of paper as her mother came out to the car. Her father also handed her mother a slip of paper, "Here's the address. I'll see you there when all this is done here. We're going on ahead."
Beverly's mother took the paper from her husband but made eye contact with her daughter, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Mother. What is going on here?" Beverly said with tears in her eyes as she feared that she knew.
"Your father will explain all that to you, Dear." Mrs. Hibbs said to her daughter, then to her husband, "We should be on the road within the hour."
Mr. Hibbs nodded and turned the car to leave.
Beverly asked, "Where are we going?"
"Nevermind that." Mr. Hibbs said.
Beverly said wide eyed, "But, my things, my friends?"
"You was willing to walk away from all that for that grease monkey, so none of that should matter." Her father said.
"But, where are we going to go?" Beverly asked hoping it wasn't far or that she could find a way not to go.
"Nevermind all that, just get some rest. It's going to be a long trip." Mr. Hibbs said as he pulled back out onto the road.
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Cooter spend the rest of the evening and all night worrying about Beverly. He had only seen the Deputy that brought him his dinner in a plastic tray which he sat on the bunk that he didn't see himself sleeping on. The rest of the night he paced, cussed, prayed and even cried in frustration at his and Beverly's situation. He had been told by her father that Beverly had called him because she had changed her mind about marrying him. Cooter thought back to the hours before he went to work at Wayne's. The memories of those few hours with his wife told him another story. Yet, he couldn't help wondering if Beverly had not called her father, then just how did the man find them here in Tennesse? There were so many questions he had and no answers for them.
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In Placid County, Jeb Duke hadn't left his room since the night before except to go to the restroom. So far he'd managed to miss meeting his mother face to face. But, today had dawned a new day, breakfast would be ready soon and he was expected to be at the table.
With difficulty caused by his casted left arm and shoulder, Jeb dressed for the day. He would have given almost anything to not have to go downstairs and face his mother after the incident with Anna, Angel, Angie, ... whatever her name was. It was still several days before his father would be home, so hiding out in his room until then wasn't an option. Jeb waited until he heard Karen leave her room for breakfast before he opened his door. He could only hope that his mother would not bring up the events, or at least the details, of last evening in front of his sister.
Once Jeb entered the kitchen he was met by a glare from his mother which caused the temperature in the room to drop at least ten degrees! Jeb promptly dropped his eyes to the floor finding his shoes very interesting as he felt himself turn a bright red as his face grew hot from embarrassment.
Pauline Duke was the first to speak, "Jeb Duke, the events of last evening are not a breakfast topic. You can just plan to keep that seat you are in until we've had ourselves a nice long talk and you hear me out, ... AND while you are at it, you need to be thankful that you can still set in it!" she added the last part as she got louder.
Jeb cringed at his mother's words. He had only thought he was in trouble before coming downstairs - now he knew he had underestimated the situation badly.
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After checking on Luke early the next morning, Doc was satisfied that the eldest Duke boy was finally showing some healthy signs of improving. Doc hung a fresh bag of the strong antibotics then went to see to getting Luke a breakfast of really 'solid' but easy to digest foods for breakfast.
Luke was more than happy to see scrambled eggs, toast, banana, milk and juice on his tray along with the dreaded, ever present gelatin. He was pleasantly surprised to find that who ever made the meal had also seasoned it just right to wake up his sleeping taste buds.
Doc was glad to see that Luke had cleaned his plate. He hoped it was because his appetite was returning, instead of finishing the food to avoid wasting food. "So, how are you feeling this morning?"
Luke began to assess himself before answering his life long doctor, "Honestly, ... I think I feel better than I have in weeks. In fact, if there was a bite more of those eggs, toast and a bit of mayo - I think a scrambled egg sandwich would hit the spot."
Doc smiled. Nothing insured that a patient, especially a growing Duke boy was on the road to recovery like a healthy appetite did. He nodded toward the pillow Luke used to do his breathing exercises, "How about you doing a round of your breathing exercises while I rustle those eggs up. I'll be sure to bring that cough syrup back with me. Then, by the time you've eaten and taken a nice long nap I'll see about getting you a bit of lunch before I call Jesse and sign off on your release papers - that is, ... if you think you can listen to your Uncle and me for the better part of the summer." Doc paused to let that sink in, before adding, ... "Or, ... you'll end up right back here flat on your back, unable to fight your way out of a wet paperbag - much like when Doctor Greenwood admitted you to the hospital."
Luke didn't have to be reminded of how bad he had felt the night he was put in the hospital. He replied, "No, Doc. I'm done with all this attention. I just want to feel better."
Doc reminded, "Then you'll be more than willing to do those exercises several times a day, ... the more you do them the stronger you'll feel and you'll be less likely to have those coughing fits."
Now that was something that could actually make Luke want to do the dreaded excersises. "Really?" He questioned.
"Really." His life long doctor assured him.
Luke picked up the pillow to do the excersies as he thought to remind the doctor, "Just be sure you don't forget that cough syrup until then."
Doc gave the young man a confident nod. "Right here." He patted his pocket where he had the small bottle.
Seeing no way out of the exercises and truely wanting to feel better Luke put the pillow in place to begin his exercises.
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Karen got up from the breakfast table to begin clearing the dishes for her mother, when Pauline said, "Dear if you wouldn't mind. I'll get the dishes, if you'd just go check on the twins. They should be waking up wanting their breakfast and a change soon."
Karen tried to hid the frown. She really wanted to know what Jeb had done last night and knew unless her mother got loud she'd never hear any of the conversaton from the twins room. "Yes, Ma'am." she replied as she took the bottles and headed out of the room hoping to hang out in the living room until she heard the twins wake up so that she could maybe hear some of the conversation with her mother and little brother.
Jeb really dreaded this conversation with his mother as he watched his older sister desert him.
"Jeb Stewart Duke just what were you thinking, ..." Pauline began but was interrupted by the phone ringing, "Who in the world would call at this time of the morning?"
Jeb couldn't think of anyone he knew that would be calling at this hour either but who ever it was he was grateful to for the delay.
"Duke Farm." Pauline answered the phone then waited for the now familiar recording to give her the option of accepting the call from her husband.
As Jeb watched his mother accepting a call from his father he noted that he owed his father big time for the interruption.
After Pauline answered the phone, she was a bit surprised when her husband asked to speak to Jeb. She frowned just a bit as she handed the phone to her son, "Your father wants to talk to you."
For a split second Jeb was happy to be talking to his father instead of the conversation he expected to be in with his mother about now. "Pop! I'm I ever glad to hear from you."
John was glad that his son couldn't see the smile that crossed his lips as he tried to be serious with his son, "Son, ... I talked to your mother last night."
"Ah, man! She told you!" Jeb said with a defeated sigh.
"That's what I'm calling about. There was a lot that your mother didn't / wouldn't say to me last night. Why don't you walk into the pantry so she and Karen can't hear us." John suggested.
Jeb again was relieved as he stood to go out of the kitchen to the phone cords farthest point away from his mother, "Ok, Pop." he said once in the limited privacy of the pantry.
John began, "Son I'm not exactly sure what was going on when your mother came around the corner of the barn, ... but she did state that she was sure there were or should be still laws against it on the books. After several hours of serious thought, I think I know what was going on, ... and if I'm right, son, ..."
Jeb now wasn't so glad that he was indeed having this conversation with his father.
"There may actually be laws still on the books against it in this state. Now, I know that you are still under age and I figure that the girl is too, but that is beside the point. Now, son I know you are a healthy, red blooded male Duke and you are at the age where you are going to want to experiment, ..." John had began, but was stopped by his son.
"Pop, ... would you believe me if I told you I was nearly as surprised by what happened as Mom was, ... ummm, ... not that I'm complaining or anything." Jeb honestly told his father.
John nearly laughed out loud at the picture that his son had put in his mind. He knew that his wife had kept Jeb as sheltered as possible. John Duke may have been married to Pauline for years but he certainly wasn't a saint by any meaning of the word when they had met. John had been around and experienced many things before marrying his wife. "Why don't you just tell your mother that we had this talk and that I handled it. We'll talk more about it when I get home." John suggested.
Jeb really wished that he could have hugged his father through the phone line. "Really?! Alright!"
"Not so fast there, son. We will talk more about it when I get home, but I figured if your mother couldn't or wouldn't talk to me about it, that I'd try to save her and you from talking about it today before I get home." John explained.
Jeb held his sigh, at least that talk was a ways off. "Thanks, Pop. I'll tell her."
"Alright, good. Now let me talk to her so I can try to get her off your case until then." John said.
"Really?!" Jeb exclaimed. "Thanks again, Pop." He hurried toward his mother in the kitchen who was looking expectantly at the pantry. "Pop wants to talk to you."
"John Daivd." Pauline said, ...
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