by: Marty Chrisman
Late the next afternoon the Duke family was just sitting down to supper when the telephone rang. “Now who would be interrupting a man when he’s tryingt to talk to his lord?” Jesse grumbled as he shoved himself to his feet and to answer it. “Duke farm. This is Jesse Duke speaking.” He listened for a moment, then said “Shelby, it’s for you.”
Shelby looked surprised as she stood up and went over to the phone. She couldn’t imagine who would be calling her. She said hello and then listened for several long minutes without speaking. Luke immediately sensed that something was wrong, very very wrong. Shelby’s face went white and she swayed slightly and then said something into the phone so quietly that none of them could hear her side of the conversation. Luke jumped to his feet and went to her side just as she hung up the phone. “What’s the matter?” he asked in a concerned voice.
Shelby looked him blankly for a moment, then whispered “Cory’s dead.” Then she collapsed in his arms, in a dead faint. Jesse, Bo and Daisy immediately jumped up from the table, as Luke gathered her up into his arms and carried her over to the couch.
“What happened, Luke?” Jesse asked worriedly
“She said that Cory was dead and then she fainted.” Luke said. He turned his attention to Shelby, gently saying her name as he rubbed his fingertips along her cheek. “Open your eyes, Babe.” When she didn’t respond, he tried again as the rest of the Dukes watched anxiously “Come on, honey…open your eyes.” Shelby’s eyelids fluttered and she slowly opened her eyes.
Luke felt a lump in his throat as he saw the pain in her eyes, a pain that he remembered much too well. Suddenly, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his shoulder and crying as if her heart was breaking. And Luke knew from painful experience that it was.
“Luke, why don’t you take Shelby to her room so she can lay down for awhile?” Jesse suggested, recognizing the first signs of hysteria.
Luke nodded and picked Shelby up in his arms, carrying her to her bedroom. The rest of the Dukes tried to go about their normal routine without worrying too much but it was hard to do. After supper, Jesse went to Shelby’s room and gently eased open the door. Luke was lying on the bed holding her protectively in his arms and they were both sleeping. Jesse quietly closed the door. This was one time that he was willing to ignore his own rule about the boys sleeping with one of their girlfriends under his roof without being married to them.
Sometime during the night, Shelby awoke with a start. Luke instantly awoke himself when he felt her jerk in his arms. “Luke?” she whispered when she realized that he was lying in her bed with her.
“I’m right here, babe.” He whispered back, gently stroking her hair. “You wanna talk about it?’
“That was my lawyer who called.” She told him in a ragged voice. “He said Cory killed himself. He wants to see me in his office tomorrow….he said he’d tell me all the details then….” She began crying again, not as hard as earlier but still obviously upset.
Luke gently cradled her in his arms, letting her cry until she couldn’t cry anymore. Then he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and lightly brushed his lips across hers. He felt her slip her arms around his neck, seeking out his mouth for another kiss. Luke knew that she was seeking comfort in his arms by wanting and needing to make love. It was a way to deal with her grief and prove to herself that she was alive and okay.
Luke gently let his hands caress her body both soothing her and giving her pleasure. He focused on her needs more than his own. And she responded by returning the favor. Luke closed his eyes, enjoying the feelings that surged through his body as she touched him, caressing and stroking, until they came together in a moment of intimacy more satisfying then either of them had ever experienced. They fell asleep cradled in each others arms.