by: Essy Jane
Jesse and Bo were driving down the road in the pick-up. They had music playing in the background. Jesse reached over and turned it off. Bo gave him a sour look. It was his favorite song. Bo shrugged it off knowing that Jesse was upset about something.
“So you’re gonna take the SUV and leave me both Generals and the truck?” Jesse asked. Bo nodded.
“The General Lees belong to Hazzard County…not to me. The truck is for farming. Besides, you’re gonna have kids. They’re gonna drive the General,” Bo replied.
“Are you sure about this? I made General two for you.”
“Jesse, I have a lot of memories with both General Lees. You still have yet to find many. Now how are my Grandsons going to race with you if you don’t have a proper car.”
“I don’t have a clue.”
“You see, I’m right.”
“Yeah…I just feel bad.”
“You have no reason to feel bad about this.”
“Yes I do, you’re my father. You’re leaving something I made for you for me. Now what part of that is supposed to not make me feel bad?”
“Jesse, you don’t understand do you? I want you to have something of mine to remember me by.”
“How could I ever forget you? You’re my father. Not to mention you’re a legend in this town.”
“Well thanks for that, son.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell me that guy’s not been trailing us since we left the store.”
“You noticed that too?”
“I’m slow I ain’t dumb.”
“You’re neither.” Jesse turned the corner. The strange truck stayed behind them. As they continued to drive, a car rolled up beside them and started hitting the truck. “What in the world is going on?” Bo swerved the car into them and hit back. The car went back and the truck moved up beside them on the other side.
“Something tells me these two are working together. Dad, can you speed up?”
“Way ahead of you, son.” Bo started swerving back and forth. He sped up as fast as he could go. The truck kept up with them, hitting Bo every time.
“Uh Dad…”
“Wait a minute son.”
“Dad.”
“Jesse, I’m trying to save this truck.”
“DAD! LOOK OUT!” Bo looked towards the front. There was a giant steam roller in the middle of the road. As Bo swerved to miss it, both the truck and the car hit sending Bo’s pick-up rolling down a large hill. Now friends, this doesn’t look good.
Back at the farm, Jose and Jo had diaper duty. “You stick the diaper under, you take the stickies off. You pull the dirty diaper off and you throw it in the pail. You put the baby powder on to keep the wetness out, that’s what it’s all about,” Jose sang in the tune of the Hokey Pokey.
“You are so weird,” Jo mumbled.
“Well, how else would you suggest making it fun. Besides, Cara likes the song.”
“Cammy doesn’t.”
“Yuck! Why do you insist on calling him that? Cammy is pathetic nickname, no child should be subjected to that. Cammy makes my little fourth cousin sound like a wimp. Cam is cool.”
“Cammy!”
“Cam!”
“Cammy!”
“Cam!” Suddenly Cal started crying.
“Look what you did?” Jo and Jose said at the same time.
“Me? Look what you did?” Jose grumbled.
“Why would I wake up my own brother?” Jo asked.
“Who cares? In any case, I changed two, you have to change Cal.”
“Why don’t you want to change him?”
“Because I got to rock with my gal Cara.”
“You are so weird.”
“Nah, Cal just made a stinky.”
“Why do I always have to change those diapers?”
“Because you’re a girl and I am training you to be a wife.”
“I’m not getting married, I would rather be a nun than marry someone like you.”
“Well Sister Mary Jo Anna, change him.”
“You are so cruel.
Jose sat down with Cara. “Angel, oh my Angel the stars have gone to bed so why don’t you rest your head?” Jose sang. He continued humming the song.
“She really likes you.”
“Yeah, I’m going to miss her when I’m gone.”
“I wish Jesse was here, he and Cal bonded really well. When Jesse isn’t here, Cal cries.”
“Yeah, that’s because Jesse knows how to hold him and you don’t.”
“I KNOW HOW TO HOLD A BABY!” All three babies began to cry. “Oh shoot! Here, hold Cammy.”
“You mean Cam.”
“Can you just hold him?” Jose began to sing the song again. Cam began to relax but Cal wasn’t.
“See I told you.”
“You’re not funny, Jose.”
“I’m not trying to be. You don’t know how to hold Cal and that all there is to it.” Jo sighed. “Come to think of it, Jesse’s good with all three of them.”
“Isn’t that the truth. My brother is gonna make a good father someday.” They continued rocking the babies softly. “Jose, I think you will too.”
“I better, Paige wants to have nine kids.”
“Nine? That’s crazy.”
“Hey Jo?”
“Yeah?”
“I think you’ll make a good…”
“Mother?”
“I thought you said you were becoming a nun.” Jo smiled and began to laugh.
“You really test my patience you know that? But you know what?”
“What?”
“I’m going to miss you.”
“Jo, that’s sweet, I’m going to miss you too. I don’t know how I am going to sleep without your rhythmic snoring patterns.” Jose giggled.
“That’s not funny.”
“What? Jesse and you snore. You snore louder though.”
“You would say that.”
“Only because it’s true.”
“Here I am trying to be nice and all you can do is tease me.”
“Oh come on, have a sense of humor.”
“Never.”
“Why? You can’t take a joke?”
“Nope.” With that, the two cousins smiled and got back to tending to the babies.
Back in the pick-up, Bo and Jesse were left hanging in the vehicle upside down. The pick up looked like an accordion. The windows had been smashed in. Jesse’s eyes fluttered open. His breathing was heavy. There was a really bad bump on his head. He could feel the blood rolling down into his eye. Jesse closed it almost immediately.
“Dad?” He whispered. Jesse moved his eyes around, afraid to move his head. He didn’t know what the injuries were. He was suddenly quiet. He wanted to hear if his Dad was breathing. Sure enough, Jesse heard his Dad struggling to breathe. Jesse shook his head. He didn’t know what to do.
The most damage was done to the passenger’s side of the truck. The front had been shoved towards the inside. The air bags were deployed. The front of the truck trapped Jesse’s hands, he couldn’t move them…not even to get into his pocket.
“Dad, are you okay?” Jesse said, a little bit louder. Bo didn’t answer. Jesse swallowed hard. All he wanted was for his Dad to respond. “Dad, come on…wake up. We need to get out of here. I can’t reach my phone or the CB. Dad?” Jesse tried to move his arms but a red haze engulfed him and he went unconscious once again.