Present Lives

Jonathan was sitting next to Martha’s bed; in the wheelchair they gave him. The wheelchair was more precautionary then necessary, when Clark walked into the room.

“Dad,” Clark said, Jonathan looked up at him, “how is mom?”

“The fever is still high, they said they need to get it down as soon as possible, but so far they haven’t been able to,” Jonathan told him. He looked so tired and worn out.

“Dad… Luke is here, he’s in your hospital room waiting… he isn’t happy,” Clark told him.

Jonathan seemed to freeze for a moment, daze off and look into nothing, as if he was thinking, when he told Clark to go ahead and wheel him to the room.

Luke was sitting on a chair in Jonathan’s hospital room, when Clark wheeled his dad in.

“Clark give me and Luke some time ok,” Jonathan looked at Clark, giving him a ‘no ease dropping look,’ as Clark wheeled him next to where Luke sat.

“Ok,” Clark told him leaving the room, then opening the door again quickly looking at Luke, “I’ll be right outside the door,” then closing it again.

“Luke, let me…” Jonathan began.

“No, your not talking yet, I am,” Luke looked at him standing up. Jonathan stood up as well, “how could you… how could you not call and tell me that Bo* was here with you!”

“He hasn’t been here long, just a couple of days, 3 I think,” Jonathan told him, “I wasn’t trying to keep you from knowing Luke… I just wanted a chance, a shot…” he added.

“From what Clark said you almost got it, and that Bo* did get shot,” Luke told him, Clark had told him everything that had gone on, on the way to the hospital, “I don’t think I can forgive you for this,” Luke said.

“Don’t you dare… don’t you dare!” Jonathan shouted at him, “come here, and tell me about forgiveness and about keeping secrets from you, you had him for 21 years Luke! 21 years! I had him for 2 days, and I’ve not even had more then a few moments with him!” Jonathan shouted back.

“We can’t keep doing this, we cant keep throwing things in each other’s face,” Luke told him.

“You’re the one who ran back to Hazzard Luke, you’re the one who left, and didn’t give me a chance after you learned of Clark,’ Jonathan told him.

“I didn’t know what to do Bo*, I was angry, and I think afraid,” Luke told him.

“He’s a good boy Luke, he is,” Jonathan walked closer to Luke, “and I wanted a chance to see Bo* as a good boy.”

“Bo* is a good boy…” Luke said walking over to the door, and opening, “come in, I want you to hear what I have to say,” Luke told Clark. Clark walked in and closed the door behind him.

Clark stood next to his dad, who was sitting now on his hospital bed, with Luke standing at the foot of the bed.

“Bo suffers from Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Avoidant Personality Disorder. It began around the time his ma died. He takes medication for it. He stopped taking them when he learned we were coming. He says he couldn’t handle coming here, he rather he not think straight when he came. At first you don’t notice a chance, but as time goes by, it gets worse. Arguing, fighting, and in cases of extended misuse or failure to take the prescribed medicine… become dangerous. I didn’t see it; I didn’t think he would have stopped his medication. I didn’t know he would have that much of a problem coming to see you. I should have noticed it,” Luke told him.

“So you’re saying that we should forgive, and forget that he came here and tried kill my dad because he stopped taking some pills?” Clark said.

“I’m saying try to understand his side,” Luke told him, “and try to understand why you should have called me Bo*,” Luke looked at Jonathan.

“So he would rather let himself get sick, then see me,” Jonathan said looking at Luke with a face that showed Jonathan felt the most painful realization he had ever known.

“It’s not your fault dad,” Clark said, “if it’s anyone’s fault, its his,” Clark looked at Luke, “you’re the one who wanted to play judge and jury and punish my dad, when you had no reason or right to,” Clark told him.
“Your right,” Luke told him, “but it doesn’t matter whose fault it is anymore, the only thing that matters right now is Bo*. He’s lost, and confused, and until he can come back, until he can go back to being the Bo* I know, the fun loving, carefree Bo* that I know he is, he needs help. And then maybe you might get your shot Bo*,” Luke looked at Jonathan, “I’m sorry to hear about Martha,” Luke then said, “I’ll be staying here for a while, if that’s ok with you. The boys are coming up soon too. Should be here by tomorrow afternoon. Bo* has always been comfortable, carefree with his cousins. He has no fear of anything with them, except over what happened when we came here. He had already been off his meds for a while as well by then.”

“Great, we don’t do anything wrong, and now you and yours are gonna come and help ruin things worse? My mom’s sick, my dad will be in here at least another day. We don’t need you all to come and cause us more…”

“Clark… please…” Jonathan said, “will you do this for me? Will you try and understand what Luke has said? If not for Bo*, for me?” Jonathan got up and walked over to Clark, “whether Bo* ever comes to accept me, or not, you will always be my son, and I will never love you any less,” Jonathan told him, holding him by the shoulders.

Clark hugged him and said, “ok, I’ll try.”

Meanwhile back at the house Bo* was changing his clothes. Krypto had gone and chewed up one of Bo’s* restraints, enabling him to untie the rest of the ropes, and get let himself loose. He was annoyed at the fact that Luke had left him tied up.

He put his shoes on, and left Clark’s room… and left the farm.