Paralyzer

Good News Or Bad News?

Balladeer: After four hours of waiting, you’d expect horrible news. Well folks I do, how ‘bout you?

“Is this the family of Beauregard Duke?” Getting up to reply, Jesse dreaded the worst. Luke beat Jesse to saying anything; he had jumped at the sight of the doctor. “This is the Duke family, and friends, I’m Luke his older cousin and if you don’t mind he prefers to be called Bo. Speaking of which, how is he doc?”

Anxious as Luke was, he didn’t want to find out how bad his cousin really was, he wanted him to just walk out of the doors and up to Luke and give him a great big hug. Luke knew that would never happen, so he hoped that Bo only had a few stitches, anything more would break his heart; even though he already knew of his bruised ribs.

“Well, Mr. Duke Bo isn’t off that bad, all we had to do was stabilize his breathing, he had been choking from over-heating, his ribs are bruised; all they need is ice, and he may have sprained his ankle; running possibly.”

Luke let out a sigh; Jesse saw it and could definitely tell Luke was relieved. “Bo usually tries to talk things out with us, if not me, before storming off. This time was different, Bo had wanted to talk with me and I hadn’t been able to talk. I was brought here about two or three weeks ago and well he wasn’t able to speak with me, I was unconscious so he ran away. Two weeks ago he ran away from visiting me in the hospital, he was missing for two weeks, I found him and now I am visiting him.” Luke finished his monologue just as a tear snuck away from Luke’s sapphire eyes.

Daisy heard her older cousin blame himself for this tragic event, she went over and tried to comfort him. “Oh sugar, you couldn’t have known he was going to run away, and no one knew what the entire cause was for this, but we figure it’s got something to do with a girl. You see we meant to ask you but I think we forgot.” “Lukas Keith Duke you tell me right now what it is exactly you know about why Bo might have run away. I can probably guarantee that’s what he wanted to talk to you about, and I can guarantee that it ain’t your fault!” Jesse spoke his words calmly but very meaningfully.  

Luke slowly slid into his thoughts. “Uncle Jesse, Daisy; Bo told me this himself, he finally found his true love, someone he has had his eyes on for over ten years, and she has no interest in him. He went to ask her out and she rejected him, leaving him heartbroken. With him being heartbroken already, having me in the hospital most likely made everything worse and harder for him.”

After Luke’s story ended, everything in the hospital was dead silent for a good fifteen minutes, until the doctor returned that was. “I forgot to tell you folks, you could go inside an’ see him now.” “Thanks Doc Applebee” Jesse replied, just as everyone got up and walked into Bo’s room.