Chapter 8
Bo sighed contentedly from the passenger seat of the General when they sped past the sign welcoming travelers to Hazzard County. He twisted in his seat to offer Cooter a smile when the mechanic patted him on the shoulder but his smile quickly turned to a frown when from the rear window he saw the lights of Rosco's police car take up chase behind them.
"Looks like we got company," Bo said as Cooter turned and Luke checked the side view mirror.
Luke frowned too. "I wonder what he wants?"
Bo turned back to the front and grabbed the CB. "Let's ask him." He tuned the CB to the proper channel and then said, "Uh Rosco, this is Bo Duke. Ya got your ears on?"
"Kew, kew! Bo Duke!" There was no mistaking the glee in Rosco's voice and Bo couldn't help but smile. "Now you tell that cousin of yours to pull over ya hear?"
Bo's smile didn't last long. "What for Rosco? We ain't done nothing wrong! Heck, we just entered Hazzard!"
"That's right Bo and that means you're under arrest! Your travel pass expired days ago and you're violating your probation!"
Bo groaned. "He can't be serious!"
"Oh he's, serious alright," Cooter said still watching out the back window as Rosco's car bumped the back of the General's.
Luke cast an angry glance back at the Sheriff. "Don't worry cousin, the only place you're headed for is home." And with that he pushed the gas pedal to the floor.
Bo laughed and picked up the CB one last time, "Bye bye Rosco!"
From behind the General Rosco watched as the car sped away and he giggled gleefully. "I love it! I love! Hot pursuit!" He too floored it and took up the chase.
Luke knew exactly where he was planning to shake Rosco as he led the Sheriff through the back roads of Hazzard at high speeds. As they fishtailed around a turn putting them on path that led directly to Hazzard Pond, Cooter braced himself for what was to come. Luke tapped the horn and they hit the small incline perfectly and the General sailed over the pond with ease and grace. "Yeehaw!" Bo yelled with delight. They hit the otherside with a thud and Luke stopped a few yards away so they could all see Rosco's attempt.
Rosco did not fare as well as the General and its occupants. His cruiser made it only about three quarters of the way where it landed with a large splash several yards short of dry land. Luke, Bo and Cooter were all smiles and laughter when they heard Rosco hollering.
"Looks like he's ok to me," Cooter said amused.
Bo bent down and picked up the CB, "You ok Rosco?" he asked just to make sure.
The response was a bit garbled and made Rosco sound like he was underwater but it was clear enough to understand, "Welcome home Bo!"
Bo laughed aloud as he replaced the CB. "That was great Luke!" he exclaimed.
Luke smirked. "I doubt it's what the Doc had in mind when he said you should take it easy."
"Whaddya mean Luke?" Bo asked. "I thought you were taking it easy, we coulda cleared that pond by another five feet or so!"
All three laughed as Luke steered the General back towards home.
Rosco was still gingerly making his way to shore from the hood of his car when J.D. pulled up alongside the pond. "Rosco! You peabrain what are you doin' in the pond?"
Rosco glared. "Well what's it look like I'm doin' Boss! I ain't fishin' that's for sure!"
"Well get over here! We gotta get to the Duke farm and pronto!"
As Rosco finally set foot on dry land he looked at Boss Hogg quizzically. "What for Boss? You weren't serious about arrestin' Bo were you?
"No Rosco no!" He said frantically. "The deed! We gotta get that deed back before they find it!"
"The deed?"
"The deed to the farm you dodo! The one you so geniusly said I should give away and then hid in all them muffins!" Boss explained sarcastically.
"Oh the deed!" Rosco hurried to climb into the back of Boss's car still dripping wet.
"Ack! Rosco you numbskull, you're getting' me all wet! Sit in the front will ya!"
"It ain't my fault!" Rosco cried as he climbed back out of the car and then got into the front seat.
As soon as the door was shut Boss yelled. "Go! Go! Go!"
The white Cadillac's tires kicked up dust and rock as it sped off for the Duke farm.
Daisy and Uncle Jesse came flying out the screen door the second they heard the General pull up into the yard. Bo barely had time to pull himself out of the General when Daisy attacked him with a hug.
"Oh Bo!" she whispered as she buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply. "You smell so good."
Bo let out a surprised laugh. "I doubt that Daisy," he said softly as he stroked her hair. "I haven't had a decent shower since I left Hazzard.
Daisy looked up at him, "No, Bo Duke you smell and look just perfect." A single tear fell down her cheek and Bo lightly touched the side of her face with his hand. They looked at each other a moment and then Daisy stepped aside to join Luke and Cooter who watched from the sidelines so Uncle Jesse could have his turn.
Uncle Jesse had waited while Daisy and Bo had had their moment but the second Daisy moved aside he rushed in and embraced Bo tightly. "My boy!" he sobbed as Bo returned the hug just as fiercely. Being able to hold his nephew in his arms again was nothing short of a miracle to Uncle Jesse and he raised his eyes heavenwards and whispered a quick thanks. After a moment he pushed Bo out to arms length so he could get a good look at him. Aside from the obvious bandage still wrapped around his head, the boy looked fine and for that Uncle Jesse was grateful.
"How's yer head?" he asked.
"I ain't gonna lie Uncle Jesse, it hurts a might. But it's so good to be home that I hardly notice."
"Doc said he needed to take it easy and see Doc Appleby on a daily basis," Luke piped in.
"Well then you oughta go in a lie down a spell. You've had a long trip," Uncle Jesse said.
Bo sighed. He usually hated to be coddled but he was expecting all three of them to be acting like mother hens for awhile. He knew he would have had it been one of them. He let Daisy take him by the arm and all five started to head inside when Boss Hogg's car came barreling to a stop next to the General.
Luke groaned and Cooter frowned. "They can't be serious about arrestin' Bo can they?" Cooter asked.
"Arrestin' Bo!" Uncle Jesse fumed. "We just got im' back, they'll take him over my dead body!"
Jesse strode up to where Rosco was struggling to help Boss out of the car and yelled "J.D. if you think I'm a gonna let ya arrest Bo, ya got another thing coming!"
"Arrest Bo?" Boss Hogg asked innocently. "Heavens no! Rosco and me just came to welcome the boy home," J.D.'s voice dripped with enough sweetness to give Uncle Jesse a toothache.
Jesse's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That's it?" he asked.
J.D.'s smile reminded Jesse of a weasel he once saw. "Scout's honor Jesse," Boss said holding up two fingers.
Jesse backed up a bit to let them through. "Alright then J.D., I guess yer welcome then."
"Oh good, good." Boss said and strode past Jesse. To everyone's surprise he also walked right past Bo and straight into the house. "All this excitement really has me famished," he called over his shoulder. "Say Jesse, you still have any muffins?"
The rest of the group followed Boss Hogg inside and watched with bewilderment as he started throwing muffins from the large basket all over the room.
"What are you doing?" Luke asked flabbergasted.
Boss paused slightly. "I gotta find the perfect muffin Luke! I'm on a diet you know, I only get one…well maybe two."
He continued to throw the muffins haphazardly around hitting Rosco in the chest with one of them. Rosco caught it in his hands and regarded it thoughtfully. "Looks perfect to me," he muttered and bit into it.
When Boss Hogg finally got to the bottom of the basket he spotted the piece of paper he had been looking for and tried to inconspicuously slip it into his pocket but Bo who had been standing closest it to him snatched it out of his hand. "What's this?" he asked as he studied the document.
"It's nothing!" Boss Hogg exclaimed as he snatched it back from Bo and slipped it into his pocket. But Bo had already seen enough and he looked at Boss incredulously.
"You was gonna give Uncle Jesse the deed the farm?" he asked a bit touched by the gesture.
Boss Hogg scowled. "Of course not! I don't know how that got in there! What sort of man do you take me for!" Before anyone could say anything more Boss Hogg grabbed Rosco by the arm and practically ran out the door. He paused only momentarily to stop and say, "Welcome home Bo!"
As the white Cadillac sped away, Bo and the others laughed. It sure was good to be home.
Two days later, keeping with his promise to the doctor to take it easy, Bo and Luke found themselves up at their favorite fishing hole enjoying a lazy sunny afternoon. It had been a whirlwind of visitors wishing all their best to Bo the last couple of days and this was the first time the cousins had had any quiet time to themselves. Bo yawned lazily and cast a glance over at Luke who had been unusually quiet all afternoon. He knew his cousin had something on his mind but Bo also knew that Luke would tell him when he was good and ready. He didn't have much longer to wait.
"Bo?"
"Yeah Luke?"
"I don't ever wanna lose you again."
Bo turned to regard his older cousin. He had always looked up to Luke, admired his intelligence and his strength. Luke was always there for Bo when he needed him but Bo was only just started to realize that Luke had come to rely on Bo just as much. They were cousins, brothers, best friends and partners and right now Luke needed Bo's strength. Bo reached up and put an arm around Luke's shoulders.
"Luke, if I can help it, I'll never go anywhere again." He squeezed Luke's shoulder tightly. "I love ya cousin and I'm sorry ya had to go through what ya did."
Luke put his head down. "I love ya too Bo. I wish I coulda been there for ya when that fella attacked ya."
Bo thought a minute. "Uncle Jesse has always told us that things happen for a reason even when we don't know why. I guess we were all right where we were supposed to be."
Luke looked up and nodded. He reached over and the two cousins hugged. When they let go of each other Bo sighed. "It's getin' late. We should head back. I got me a date with Becky May tonight!"
Luke groaned. "You aren't still interested in her are ya?"
"Luke I tell ya, she's the purtiest girl in Hazzard still!"
"She looks like a buck tooth beaver!"
"She's better than that Eliza Greenhouse you're seein! That girl is skinnier than a reed and her eyes bug out of her head like a frog!"
"At least her hair doesn't look like she stuck her finger in a light socktet!"…
"Well folks it looks like things have returned to normal in Hazzard or at least what passes for normal in Hazzard. Although things never stay quiet too long when the Dukes are around so ya'll come back real soon now ya hear?"
A/N Well folks that's it! I hope you enjoyed it! It was fun to write, hard to write at times, but fun! Maybe I'll do another one soon! Thanks for all your comments and support! I really appreciated all the positive feedback! Thanks again!