Well This Is Just Swell
Chapter 11: Conversations
Bo sat under the old tree in the yard, a piece of straw between his lips, when Luke walked over. The younger man looked blue as he leaned against the tree. It was understandable. Even though Bo hated chores, Luke knew his cousin didn’t like feeling useless.
“Afternoon chores are about done,” he told his younger cousin as he joined him on the ground.
“That’s good.” Bo replied, shutting his eyes. The pain medication made him unusually tired. “Did you and Beth Ann have a good time at the dance last night?”
“Had a great time,” Luke told him. “She griped about the country music bein’ all that was played, but we had fun. I noticed you and Kendra were gettin’ kinda close.”
“We’re just friends.” Luke was informed. “I’m a little wary of taking her to any more dances though. She told me she wants to be more than just friends.” Bo opened his eyes and looked at his cousin.
“Sorry to hear that, although you would make a cute couple.” The statement earned Luke a punch to the shoulder with Bo’s left fist. It made him laugh. “Alright, alright!”
“Nah Luke, I sorta told her how I feel ‘bout Hil.”
“I didn’t think you’d ever tell anyone else about that.”
“I think the medication is helpin’ to loosen my tongue.” Bo shut his eyes again. “She wants to help me get a date with her.”
“Well, why don’t I give you a ride to go see Hil later on today?”
“Because, cousin, you know that when I like a pretty girl as much as I like Hil, I get scared.”
“I still don’t know of what your scared of.”
“Bein’ turned down, breakin’ her heart, gettin’ mine broke.” Bo shrugged. “Hil don’t like guys like me.”
“You don’t know that for sure, and I think if you really care about her, it would be worth the risk.”
“Yeah I do know it Luke. She doesn’t date players… and I just know I won’t be able to stick with one woman.”
“Bo, cousin, I think it’s time we both grew up.” Bo opened his eyes and looked at Luke again. He was surprised to hear those words. “You gettin’ hurt opened my eyes. It’s time we both look for women we could settle down with, instead of just havin’ a good time with. I have the same fears. I’ve never dated a single girl in my whole life. We ain’t kids no more. It’s my fault you got shot.”
“No it’s not. You had no way of knowin’ it would happen.”
“Bo, it is. It’s my fault you chase the girls. You started doin’ it ‘cause I did it. You wanted to be like me and….”
“Cousin, it was my choice. I knew it could happen.”
“Tell ya what Bo. If you can go six weeks without a woman, then I think you should ask Hilery out. Ain’t neither of us gone that long in years.”
“Oh yeah, piece of cake.” Bo grumbled.
“And if you don’t ask her out within two weeks of gettin’ out of that cast, I’m gonna tell her how you feel.”
Bo plucked the piece of straw from between his lips and tossed it out into the yard. “And what about Cooter? It ain’t like he don’t know ‘bout our love lives, Luke.”
“He also knows about where it got ya, and that you would be lookin’ to turn over a new leaf. Now c’mon, Daisy’s fixin’ lunch.” The brunet Duke boy stood up and offered his cousin a hand. Bo gladly accepted the help up before they went inside.
It was settled. Luke had given Bo a deadline to ask out the woman he loved, and Kendra wasn’t going to let him back out.
Around dusk, Luke decided to take a drive to clear his head. Bo had gone to bed early because of his medication. The recent events bothered the older Duke boy immensely, but it had opened his eyes. What he’d said to Bo earlier that day had been true. Being grown men, it was time they changed their ways. A different girl every day of the week wasn’t working any longer. It hurt, as growing up often did, but, it was best for both of them.
Luke drove for over an hour before he discovered he was on Jessup Road. He decided a visit to the Davenport farm would be a good idea. He hadn’t seen Cooter or Hilery at church that morning… and that, was highly unusual.
Luke pulled the General over next to the teal blue 1967 Shelby Mustang and climbed out. He couldn’t see the pickup truck Cooter used when he didn’t need the tow truck, but wasn’t too worried about it. There was a chance that no one was home, but, he had a feeling that wasn’t the case.
The Duke boy was even more troubled when the door opened and a very tired Hilery stepped outside. She didn’t look at all well, and her face was really swollen. “Hey,” he said gently as he climbed the steps.
“Hey Luke,” she replied. “Cooter’s not here. He went into town to pick up somethin’ to eat for dinner.”
“Yeah, I can see why. You look like hell, Hil. You okay?”
“Doctors seem to think I am, but I ain’t so sure. I spent the night in the Emergency Room. I had some sort of allergic reaction last night.”
“And you’re still swollen?” Luke found that kind of strange if she had had the reaction shortly after leaving the dance.
“Yeah. Doc said it was just an allergic reaction, but I agree, I shouldn’t still be swollen like this.” She took a seat on the swing on the porch, curling her legs under her. “How’s Bo?”
“Good.” Luke replied. “He already went to bed ‘cause of the medication. He’s still in a good deal of pain without it.” Luke had decided to lean against the porch column as they spoke.
“I can imagine. I slept all day, and poor Cooter almost didn’t leave to go pick supper up. It’s like all this has him paranoid.”
“I can understand why.” Luke seriously could see why, although he didn’t know about Ruth. He hadn’t seen Hilery look like this since… well since she’d had her wisdom teeth pulled; she had swelled up worse than the average person. “Why did you leave the dance early last night?”
Hilery was surprised that Luke had noticed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Hil, you know you can tell me anything, just like you can Bo and Cooter.”
“Sugar, I just… I couldn’t stand seeing Bo and Kendra bein’ so sweet toward each other,” she admitted after a few moments of lip chewing.
This didn’t surprise Luke. He just nodded. He had wondered if that had had something to do with it. There had been times in the past when he’d caught her watching Bo when she’d thought no one was looking. The fact that she changed the subject anytime Bo brought up a date was also a dead giveaway… although, she really did hide it quite well.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you.” Luke told her finally.
She looked at him rather quickly. “Never said I was jealous.”
“Sweetheart,” Luke said, sitting down next to her. “I’ve known how you feel for a while now. I don’t know who else knows, but, I can honestly say, it’s not very noticeable unless you know what to look for.”
She looked away. “Please don’t tell anyone, especially Bo or Cooter.”
“Hey now, I promise I won’t tell no one.” His voice was gentle as he spoke, soothing really.
“Cooter’s always… always thought I had more sense than to fall for someone like one of you boys.”
“Ya can’t always help who you fall in love with, Hil,” was the reply. “And if it helps any, Bo and I have agreed to stop chasin’ almost every woman in Hazzard.”
“Really… I wonder why…”
That made Luke smile. “’Cause, it’s getting’ too dangerous, that’s why!”
“I can imagine.”
They both looked up at the sound of Cooter’s horn as he pulled into the yard. Both stood up and Hilery stretched. Luke really could understand why his cousin had a thing for the young woman. She was beautiful. If Bo hadn’t called dibs on her, he probably would have asked her out long ago… well that and if Cooter weren’t so protective.
“Listen, I’ll leave you two to supper. I’ve gotta be gettin’ home for evenin’ chores.”
“Yeah, thanks for comin’ by to check on us,” she responded.
Luke smiled. “Yeah. The fact that you two weren’t at church was a good giveaway somethin’ wasn’t right.” He leaned over and gave her a light kiss on the forehead before walking down the steps.
Hilery watched as he exchanged a few words with Cooter, before climbing into the General Lee.
When Luke was gone Cooter grabbed the bags of food out of the pickup and walked to the front porch. “How’re you feelin’?” he asked.
“I keep tellin’ you, I’m fine.” She grabbed one of the food bags from him and went into the house. Cooter followed her. She could smell the fried rice. Not only did Hazzard’s only Chinese family own and operate the CB store in town, they also operated Hazzard’s only Chinese food takeout shop… and Chinese was by far Hilery’s favorite meal.
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