by: Marty Chrisman
The next two weeks passed much too quickly. Sierra started appearing at the Boars Nest that Monday and was doing one show a night three nights a week. By now everyone in Hazzard knew about Luke and Sierra. And even though some of the local girls were jealous that Sierra had won Luke’s heart, everyone was happy for them. Luke usually sang at least one or two songs with her at the Boars Nest. They even sang a couple that they had written together years ago. Their voices blended together in perfect harmony and they played off of each other’s natural talent with ease and confidence. Luke spent most of the time they had together in town with Sierra (and he did it with Uncle Jesse’s blessing)
All too soon it was time for Sierra to start getting ready to head back to Nashville. Two days before she was scheduled to leave, they were at the farm having supper with the family. Conversation soon turned to Sierra’s impending departure. Smiling secretively at each other, Sierra looked at everyone else at the table and said, “I have to go back to Nashville to lay down some tracks for my new CD but after I do that, I’m planning to come back here for awhile.”
“That’s great!” Daisy said. In the short time they’d known each other; Daisy had come to love the pretty singer as if she were her sister.
“Yeah,” Luke said with a grin, slipping his arm around Sierra’s shoulders. “We figure she’ll be back just in time for a September wedding.” Everyone gasped and began congratulating them but none of them was really too surprised at the announcement. They’d been expecting it.
Luke spent the rest of Sierra’s time in Hazzard with her at the RV. Although he would have liked to have gone back to Nashville with her as she had originally asked him to, he couldn’t leave the farm right now. There was too much work to be done this time of year. She would only be gone for a few weeks before she returned and she promised to call every night and Luke promised to try and get away for a few days to join her in Nashville after the rest of the planting was done.
The morning she left, Luke felt as if his heart was leaving with her and in a way it was but this time, he knew that she’d be coming back to him and that was enough to give him the strength to watch her climb on that RV to leave town. But he still had a lump in his throat as he watched her pull away. He watched until the RV was out of sight, then turned and slowly walked back to The General Lee to head for home.
Three days later, Luke and Bo was the barn cleaning out stalls and listening to radio. Daisy and Jesse were both in the house, also listening to the radio. Daisy was doing the dishes from lunch and Jesse sat at the table enjoying a second cup of coffee. Suddenly, the DJ cut into the song that was playing and said “It’s has just been announced that Country Music Super Star, Sierra Dawson and her road manager, Toby Jones, were killed early this morning when a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed head on into their auto just outside of Nashville. Miss Dawson and Mr. Jones were both pronounced dead at the scene. This station will report further information about this tragedy as we receive it.”
“No!!” Daisy screamed and dropped the plate she was washing on the floor where it shattered. She burst into tears and ran from the room. Jesse bounced to his feet, immediately concerned about Luke. He hurried from the house and almost ran across the barnyard to the barn. Bo was kneeling beside one of the stalls, holding Luke in his arms. The oldest Duke boy was on his knees, doubled forward and retching violently, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. Bo looked at his uncle with tears glistening in his eyes and running down his face.
Jesse immediately knelt beside his two nephews, ignoring the cracking of his knees. Gently, he reached out to rub Luke’s back soothingly, trying to calm him down. Glancing at Bo, he said quietly “Go call Doc Applebee.” Bo nodded and gently turned his cousin’s care over to his Uncle as he ran towards the house to make the call. Jesse pulled his oldest nephew into his arms as Luke’s retching finally stopped and he began to moan instead. Jesse held him gently and rocked him back and forth just as he had done when Luke was a child and got hurt at play. But he knew that this wasn’t a childhood hurt that could just be kissed away. Luke continued moan and the sound tore Jesse’s heart apart. He knew the depth of Luke’s pain much too well. And he knew that there was nothing he could do to comfort his nephew except to hold him the way he was holding him now and let him grieve.
Bo came running out of the house and told Jesse that Doc Applebee was on his way. He shifted nervously back and forth from one foot to the other, wanting to help his cousin but not sure what to do. It wasn’t long before Doc Applebee arrived. Forewarned about what was going on by Bo’s phone call, he had come prepared. He already had a needle in his hand when he came into the barn. Kneeling beside Jessie and Luke, he gently touched Luke’s shoulder but the young man didn’t even seem to notice. In a quiet voice he said, “Luke, I’m going to give you a shot. It’ll help you sleep for awhile.”
Since Luke already had taken his shirt off while cleaning out the stalls, all Doc had to do was inject the drug into Luke’s shoulder. He glanced at Jesse and Bo and said, “You need to get him into the house before that sedative takes effect. I gave him a pretty strong dose so he should sleep for at least twenty four hours.” He shoved himself to his feet “When he’s better, make sure and tell him how very sorry I am….”
“Thanks, Doc.” Jesse said. As Doc left the barn, Jesse motioned for Bo to help him with Luke. “Come on, Luke….” Jesse said gently “We need to go in the house now.” Luke gave no sign of hearing Jesse’s voice. He was no longer moaning, he wasn’t doing anything, including responding to his Uncle’s voice. Between the two of them, Bo and Jesse managed to get Luke to his feet, each of them draping one of Luke’s arms around their neck, while they each wrapped an arm around his waist. Luke stumbled forward, guided by his Uncle and his cousin. They got him into the house and up the stairs to his room.
Gently, they laid him down across the bed. Luke’s eyes were already glazing over and starting to close. Bo pulled off his boots and Jesse gently covered him with a light blanket. Quietly, they left the room to do their own grieving, not just for the pretty young singer that they’d barely had time to get to know but also for Luke and the pain he was going to have to learn to live with.