by: Marty Chrisman

After only a couple of hours sleep, Daisy, Jesse and Cooter were up again. Jesse and Cooter did the morning chores that the boys would normally have done, while Daisy made breakfast. After they had eaten, they went to the Tri County Medical Center to check on Bo. When they went into his room, they were surprised to see that Bo was awake. He was groggy and drowsy but he was awake.

“There’s my, boy….” Jesse said, smiling happily as he grabbed his youngest nephew’s hand.

“Hey, cousin…” Daisy said smiling brightly. “How ya feeling?”

“Unc’ Jesse…….” Bo slurred, trying to focus his eyes on his family and Cooter.

“That’s right. It’s your Uncle Jesse.” Jesse told him gently with a smile. “Now, don’t try to talk too much….you been in a bad accident…but you’re gonna be okay.”

“Luke….” Bo whispered “Where’s…..Luke?”

Jesse and Daisy exchanged glances. Neither one of them wanted to be the one to tell Bo how badly Luke was hurt. Finally, Cooter took matters in his own hands and said, “Don’t you worry none, buddyro. Luke’s in the hospital too….and the doctors are taking real good care of him.”

“Luke….died…” Bo said, slowly shaking his head back and forth. He looked at Jesse “But…you made…’em…bring him back.”

Daisy felt a cold chill run down her spine. The strange, almost psychic connection between Bo and Luke seemed stronger than ever. How else could he have know what had happened to Luke?  “Luke’s alive, sugar…” Daisy told him quietly “So don’t you worry none…”

“Had the…strangest dream…” Bo said, struggling to stay awake and tell his family what he had experienced while lying in a coma. “Me and Luke…both was dead…”

“Bo, it was only a dream.” Jesse said soothingly.

“No…” Bo said shaking his head stubbornly “I saw us…in our coffins….in the living room…at the farm…everyone was so sad…”

“Bo, honey, it was just a dream.” Daisy said trying to reassure him.

“No….” Bo said “Too real…” he closed his eyes unable to fight the drowsiness any more and drifted off to sleep.

“Uncle Jesse?” Daisy said looking at her Uncle with wide open eyes.

“Now, Daisy…it was just a dream. Just like the nightmares Bo used to have when he was little.” Jesse told her reassuringly.

“But how could he have know what happened to Luke?” Daisy asked

“I don’t know, baby. I just don’t know.” Jesse admitted “He must have sensed it somehow.”

“Don’t surprise me none.” Cooter said “Not as close as them two have always been. I swear they can read each other’s minds sometimes.”

Jesse had talked to Doctor Anderson before they went in to see Bo. He had told Jesse that they had surgically repaired Bo’s broken ribs to restore the rigidity of his chest wall. He would still be in a great deal of pain for awhile but his condition had been upgraded from critical to good and as long as his condition remained stable, he would be moved out of the ICU within the next couple of days. However, it would probably a couple of weeks before he would be strong enough to go home. But at least it looked Bo was out of danger, which meant the family could concentrate their energies more on Luke who needed them the most right now.

Jesse knew that Bo had to be told just how badly Luke was hurt but not until he was a little stronger himself. Jesse knew that as soon as Bo found out about Luke’s condition, he would demand to see him. And that just wasn’t possible yet.

Bo woke up again but not until later that evening. He was a little more alert but still heavily medicated because of the pain from his recent surgery. The first thing he did was ask about Luke.

“How’s Luke?” His voice was raspy and barely above a whisper.

“Luke’s hurt pretty bad too…” Jesse told him, not really wanting to go into much detail.

“Where is he?”

“He’s at a hospital in Atlanta.”

“Atlanta?” Bo said, anxiety and fear creeping into his voice. If Luke was at a hospital in Atlanta instead of in the same hospital he was in Bo knew that his cousin had to be hurt a lot worse than he was. “How bad is Luke hurt?”

“Now Bo,” Jesse said trying to keep his youngest nephew calm “Just settle down now…don’t go getting yourself all worked up.”

“I ain’t getting myself all worked up” Bo said in an irritated voice “But I’m about to if somebody don’t tell me how bad Luke is!”

Jesse took a deep breath. He knew Bo wouldn’t let it go until Jesse told him about Luke. “He’s hurt bad….real bad. Do you remember the accident?”

“Not much.” Bo admitted “Roscoe and Enos were chasing us and a tire blew out…that’s about all I remember.”

“You hit the side of the mountain, buddyro.” Cooter told him “The impact was on Luke’s side of the car.”

Bo inhaled sharply and his eyes darkened with pain. “Is Luke gonna die?” he asked in a barely audible voice

“We just don’t know yet….” Jesse told him “We had a pretty bad scare already……but they brought him back. All we can do is pray cause it’s in god’s hands not ours.”

“I wanna see Luke…I gotta make sure he’s gonna be okay…” Bo said, starting to get more and more agitated.

“Now Bo, I said settle down!” Jesse said firmly “You ain’t in no dang condition to go anywhere. You were hurt pretty bad yourself.” Jesse paused until he was sure that Bo had himself under control “Now, as soon as you’re strong enough to get out of here….…you can see Luke but not until then.”

”What if he dies before I get a chance to see him?” Bo said, tears gathering in his eyes.

“You can’t be thinkin’ like that” Daisy said

“Daisy’s right.” Jesse told him “And I ain’t gonna have you jeopardizing your own health just because you’re worried about Luke.”

“Yes, sir.” Bo muttered somewhat sullenly. He knew Jesse was right but he hated to admit it. He couldn’t even move without feeling like his chest was being torn apart. And he couldn’t move his left arm either. But his overwhelming fear for Luke was enough to make him forget his own discomfort.

“We’re gonna go so you can get some rest.” Jesse told him “Now I want you sleeping not worrying about Luke all night.”

“Yes, sir.” Bo said in a resigned voice

“We’re gonna go to Atlanta tomorrow to see Luke but we’ll be here to see you tomorrow night.” Jesse told him

“You tell Luke I’m praying for him and that he better hang on till I can come see him myself.” Bo said

“I will.” Jesse promised