22/06: Chapter 18
Chapter 18
“You boys have done gone madder then a rabbit full of rabies thinking you could sneak off and not get caught. Boy you had your mother worried sick, she’s on her way here with Uncle Jesse, and Luke, she went over there to see if you,” he looked at Jesse, “had gone over there.”
“I’m sorry dad,” Jesse told him.
“Your gonna be sorry, no bike, no television, you boy got lots of work to do this week. Your gonna paint the fence, rake the leaves, do the dishes…” Enos was interrupted by giggles coming from the boys.
“What are you three laughing at… you just wait and see what you get,” Enos told them, “go to your room Jesse, get in bed, being as its almost 2am, your lucky to get any sleep cause your getting up at 5am,” Enos added.
Jesse looked at the boys before heading to his room.
“Where are they!” Luke shouted from outside.
“Your dad’s here…” Bo said looking at Luke and John.
“You think?” Luke said.
“Dad… we…” Luke began as his dad walked in.
“Don’t you dad me, your momma near had a heart attack when I called to see if you where over there, she was going to come but I told her I found ya, and that she can come in the morning,” Luke said, “bright and early if she wanted because you 3 will be up and scrubbing the floors, raking leaves, hay, cleaning the barn, doing the laundry, dishes, and anything else we think of,” Luke told them.
“Your lucky you aint getting a wiping,” Jesse said to them, “almost gave this old man a heart attack,” he added.
“Where is he?” Daisy asked as she came in.
“I sent him to his room, told him to go right to bed,” Enos told her, “don’t you go in there and let him talk you into being on his side neither,” he added.
Daisy looked at him, then at the boys, “now you gonna tell us what in the world were you thinking? Where did you run off too?” Daisy asked.
“We uh…” John started.
“They went with me to get something I had lost, I figured if we waited, someone might find it,” Bo answered.
“What could be worth all the trouble you caused, and will be getting at home!” Uncle Jesse scolded.
“It was a l...” John got elbowed by Bo.
“Bo!” Luke scolded, “what was it?”
“I’m sorry uncle Luke, I can’t tell you,” Bo replied. Luke looked at Uncle Jesse, Daisy, Enos, and the boys.
“Fine then, don’t say, but you’ll be sorry you didn’t, get out into the car right now!” Luke ordered.
That week the boys hardly did any talking to one another. Luke and Uncle Jesse had Bo, Luke, and John working on the farm like crazy. Each doing a different thing at all times, only doing a few things together, but still working. When they weren’t working they were eating at the dinner table, if they weren’t to tired and not gone to bed right away, or sleeping. Jesse was getting his own punishment as well. It wasn’t until a whole week later that the boys got to get together. Their punishment was over, except they still couldn’t have their bikes.
They had gotten together, and went walking around into the woods by the Duke Farm, complaining about what they had to do that week.
“Can you imagine what everyone would say if they knew we had to do laundry? And hang clothes up on the line? And sheets like girls?” John complained..
“It didn’t help any that you kept dropping everything in the dirt, and having to wash it over,” Luke said.
“At least you 3 where together, I had to do everything all by myself,” Jesse said.
“We hardly did anything together,” Bo told him, “no be quiet, we don’t want anyone to see where we are at,” Bo told him.
“Why not?” Jesse asked.
“Bo’s gonna burry his letter,” Luke told him.
“What?” Jesse exclaimed.
“Yeah incase you know, he gets the idea of mailing it again,” John said.
“Then changing his mind, and having us have to get it back, and in trouble again,” Luke added.
“Oh shut up… help me dig a hole,” Bo said to them. And they did. They picked a spot under a big tree root that stuck up from under the ground a bit, and started to make a hole. They kept on digging until Bo thought it was deep enough and smashed his letter into it.
“See this small green ribbon… we’ll tie it to something here, and like that we’ll know where it is,” Bo said.
“Fine, lets just get this over with,” Luke sighed, “I’m tired.”
“Me too,” John said.
“Me three,” Jesse replied.
Bo took the ribbon and tied it, and covered the hole.
“Ok lets go,” Bo said. They headed back to the house, a few yards before getting there they were ambushed.
“Look who it is, the dumb boys,” Lewis shoved John.
“Don’t touch him!” Luke pushed Lewis back.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Rodney, Lewis’ 16 yr old brother warned grabbing Jesse by the arm.
“Let go!” Jesse hollered.
“Why don’t you go be jerks somewhere else,” Bo said, “leave him alone.”
“Fine,” Rodney shoved Jesse down a small slope. John went after him to see if he was ok.
“You’re a son of a…” Bo began.
“Guys! I think Jesse broke his arm!” John yelled up. You could hear crying coming from Jesse.
“You jerk!” Bo rammed into Rodney, followed by Luke. Lewis tried to grab Luke off of Rodney and slipped, spraining his ankle.
“You little bastards!” Lewis called out, “Rodney help me.”
Rodney shoved Bo off him and went over to help Lewis up, “you got it all wrong Lewis, Luke here isn’t a bastard, he’s a son of a…”
“Owe!” Lewis hollered out.
“Quiet,” Rodney told him, “as I was saying, only one a bastard here, isn’t that right Bo?” Rodney told him.
“Shut up!” Luke told him.
“Your daddy,” Rodney sat Lewis on a rock, and walked around Bo as he spoke, “took off and left your mamma, he didn’t want you,” Rodney teased.
“His dad don’t know about him!” Luke said.
“Guys!” John reminded, “we need to get Jesse back to the house!”
Rodney continued to walk around Bo. Bo growing angrier.
“In 13 years you think your uncles haven’t told your dad about you? Your Uncle Jesse, and Uncle Luke probably told your dad from the start, hoping he would come get you. You think Luke who has 2 kids of his own wants to deal with you? Or an old man like Jesse want you? They just put up with you. They told your dad, and he plain just don’t want you. You’re a bastard, and will always be one,” Rodney laughed as he got his brother up and walked away.
Luke went over and put his hand on Bo’s shoulder, “you know that’s not true…” Bo didn’t respond he just kept glaring at Rodney, “Bo?”
Suddenly Bo took off and ran after Rodney jumping on his back knocking him and Lewis to the ground. Rodney managed to roll face up, but Bo was there on him punching him over and over in the face.
“Bo! Stop!” Luke came running over trying to get him off of Rodney, but Bo shoved Luke to the ground and kept on hitting Rodney. Over and over he punched Rodney in the face until all the shouting and Jesse’s crying finally caught the attention of Luke who had just come out of the house. He ran over to where he heard the yelling and saw Bo on Rodney. He ran and grabbed Bo pulling him off of Rodney.
“Bo!” Luke tried to calm him down, Bo was furious, “I don’t know what happened, but you boys best get going before I call your daddy,” Luke told them.
“He hurt me!” Rodney said.
“I’m sure he had his reasons, now get!” Luke told them. And they did. Rodney running to his bike, and Lewis limping as fast as he could, wondering how he would ride his bike. Luke held onto Bo until they were out of sight, then turned him around and looked at him.
“Beauregard Duke, what was that about?!” Luke demanded an answer.
“Leave me alone!” Bo tried to run off but Luke grabbed him, and Bo started to fight him, trying to get loose until Bo started to cry and went limp in Luke’s arms.
“What is it Bo? Tell me” Luke hugged him and Bo buried his head into Luke’s chest.
“Dad…” Luke walked over, “Jesse I think broke his arm, John’s over there with him, few yards away,” Luke said.
“Go on and help John get Jesse to your uncle Jesse,” Luke told Luke Jr. as he stayed there on his knees with Bo still crying.
Bo never did tell them what had happened, and neither did Luke Jr. After that Bo never tried to mail another letter, and took the ribbon off they had placed where they had buried his letter. He didn’t need to know where it was anymore after that, he didn’t want to know.
“You boys have done gone madder then a rabbit full of rabies thinking you could sneak off and not get caught. Boy you had your mother worried sick, she’s on her way here with Uncle Jesse, and Luke, she went over there to see if you,” he looked at Jesse, “had gone over there.”
“I’m sorry dad,” Jesse told him.
“Your gonna be sorry, no bike, no television, you boy got lots of work to do this week. Your gonna paint the fence, rake the leaves, do the dishes…” Enos was interrupted by giggles coming from the boys.
“What are you three laughing at… you just wait and see what you get,” Enos told them, “go to your room Jesse, get in bed, being as its almost 2am, your lucky to get any sleep cause your getting up at 5am,” Enos added.
Jesse looked at the boys before heading to his room.
“Where are they!” Luke shouted from outside.
“Your dad’s here…” Bo said looking at Luke and John.
“You think?” Luke said.
“Dad… we…” Luke began as his dad walked in.
“Don’t you dad me, your momma near had a heart attack when I called to see if you where over there, she was going to come but I told her I found ya, and that she can come in the morning,” Luke said, “bright and early if she wanted because you 3 will be up and scrubbing the floors, raking leaves, hay, cleaning the barn, doing the laundry, dishes, and anything else we think of,” Luke told them.
“Your lucky you aint getting a wiping,” Jesse said to them, “almost gave this old man a heart attack,” he added.
“Where is he?” Daisy asked as she came in.
“I sent him to his room, told him to go right to bed,” Enos told her, “don’t you go in there and let him talk you into being on his side neither,” he added.
Daisy looked at him, then at the boys, “now you gonna tell us what in the world were you thinking? Where did you run off too?” Daisy asked.
“We uh…” John started.
“They went with me to get something I had lost, I figured if we waited, someone might find it,” Bo answered.
“What could be worth all the trouble you caused, and will be getting at home!” Uncle Jesse scolded.
“It was a l...” John got elbowed by Bo.
“Bo!” Luke scolded, “what was it?”
“I’m sorry uncle Luke, I can’t tell you,” Bo replied. Luke looked at Uncle Jesse, Daisy, Enos, and the boys.
“Fine then, don’t say, but you’ll be sorry you didn’t, get out into the car right now!” Luke ordered.
That week the boys hardly did any talking to one another. Luke and Uncle Jesse had Bo, Luke, and John working on the farm like crazy. Each doing a different thing at all times, only doing a few things together, but still working. When they weren’t working they were eating at the dinner table, if they weren’t to tired and not gone to bed right away, or sleeping. Jesse was getting his own punishment as well. It wasn’t until a whole week later that the boys got to get together. Their punishment was over, except they still couldn’t have their bikes.
They had gotten together, and went walking around into the woods by the Duke Farm, complaining about what they had to do that week.
“Can you imagine what everyone would say if they knew we had to do laundry? And hang clothes up on the line? And sheets like girls?” John complained..
“It didn’t help any that you kept dropping everything in the dirt, and having to wash it over,” Luke said.
“At least you 3 where together, I had to do everything all by myself,” Jesse said.
“We hardly did anything together,” Bo told him, “no be quiet, we don’t want anyone to see where we are at,” Bo told him.
“Why not?” Jesse asked.
“Bo’s gonna burry his letter,” Luke told him.
“What?” Jesse exclaimed.
“Yeah incase you know, he gets the idea of mailing it again,” John said.
“Then changing his mind, and having us have to get it back, and in trouble again,” Luke added.
“Oh shut up… help me dig a hole,” Bo said to them. And they did. They picked a spot under a big tree root that stuck up from under the ground a bit, and started to make a hole. They kept on digging until Bo thought it was deep enough and smashed his letter into it.
“See this small green ribbon… we’ll tie it to something here, and like that we’ll know where it is,” Bo said.
“Fine, lets just get this over with,” Luke sighed, “I’m tired.”
“Me too,” John said.
“Me three,” Jesse replied.
Bo took the ribbon and tied it, and covered the hole.
“Ok lets go,” Bo said. They headed back to the house, a few yards before getting there they were ambushed.
“Look who it is, the dumb boys,” Lewis shoved John.
“Don’t touch him!” Luke pushed Lewis back.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Rodney, Lewis’ 16 yr old brother warned grabbing Jesse by the arm.
“Let go!” Jesse hollered.
“Why don’t you go be jerks somewhere else,” Bo said, “leave him alone.”
“Fine,” Rodney shoved Jesse down a small slope. John went after him to see if he was ok.
“You’re a son of a…” Bo began.
“Guys! I think Jesse broke his arm!” John yelled up. You could hear crying coming from Jesse.
“You jerk!” Bo rammed into Rodney, followed by Luke. Lewis tried to grab Luke off of Rodney and slipped, spraining his ankle.
“You little bastards!” Lewis called out, “Rodney help me.”
Rodney shoved Bo off him and went over to help Lewis up, “you got it all wrong Lewis, Luke here isn’t a bastard, he’s a son of a…”
“Owe!” Lewis hollered out.
“Quiet,” Rodney told him, “as I was saying, only one a bastard here, isn’t that right Bo?” Rodney told him.
“Shut up!” Luke told him.
“Your daddy,” Rodney sat Lewis on a rock, and walked around Bo as he spoke, “took off and left your mamma, he didn’t want you,” Rodney teased.
“His dad don’t know about him!” Luke said.
“Guys!” John reminded, “we need to get Jesse back to the house!”
Rodney continued to walk around Bo. Bo growing angrier.
“In 13 years you think your uncles haven’t told your dad about you? Your Uncle Jesse, and Uncle Luke probably told your dad from the start, hoping he would come get you. You think Luke who has 2 kids of his own wants to deal with you? Or an old man like Jesse want you? They just put up with you. They told your dad, and he plain just don’t want you. You’re a bastard, and will always be one,” Rodney laughed as he got his brother up and walked away.
Luke went over and put his hand on Bo’s shoulder, “you know that’s not true…” Bo didn’t respond he just kept glaring at Rodney, “Bo?”
Suddenly Bo took off and ran after Rodney jumping on his back knocking him and Lewis to the ground. Rodney managed to roll face up, but Bo was there on him punching him over and over in the face.
“Bo! Stop!” Luke came running over trying to get him off of Rodney, but Bo shoved Luke to the ground and kept on hitting Rodney. Over and over he punched Rodney in the face until all the shouting and Jesse’s crying finally caught the attention of Luke who had just come out of the house. He ran over to where he heard the yelling and saw Bo on Rodney. He ran and grabbed Bo pulling him off of Rodney.
“Bo!” Luke tried to calm him down, Bo was furious, “I don’t know what happened, but you boys best get going before I call your daddy,” Luke told them.
“He hurt me!” Rodney said.
“I’m sure he had his reasons, now get!” Luke told them. And they did. Rodney running to his bike, and Lewis limping as fast as he could, wondering how he would ride his bike. Luke held onto Bo until they were out of sight, then turned him around and looked at him.
“Beauregard Duke, what was that about?!” Luke demanded an answer.
“Leave me alone!” Bo tried to run off but Luke grabbed him, and Bo started to fight him, trying to get loose until Bo started to cry and went limp in Luke’s arms.
“What is it Bo? Tell me” Luke hugged him and Bo buried his head into Luke’s chest.
“Dad…” Luke walked over, “Jesse I think broke his arm, John’s over there with him, few yards away,” Luke said.
“Go on and help John get Jesse to your uncle Jesse,” Luke told Luke Jr. as he stayed there on his knees with Bo still crying.
Bo never did tell them what had happened, and neither did Luke Jr. After that Bo never tried to mail another letter, and took the ribbon off they had placed where they had buried his letter. He didn’t need to know where it was anymore after that, he didn’t want to know.
