Sorry, there will be no balladeer in this one… I'm trying to keep the story serious I guess…
Chapter 1She couldn't believe it… she was free. The young woman slowly yet hurriedly made her way to her car and opened the door. With one look back at her apartment, she took a bite out of the granola bar she grabbed on her way out and got in the car, leaving her life behind.
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She'd been driving for almost a day straight. Any normal person would've fallen asleep at the wheel by now, but when a woman was bound and determined – especially this one – there was no stopping her. Finally, she passed a sign. Welcome to Hazzard County. "Hazzard… sounds interesting…" she mumbled for a while sarcastically to the air around her.
After about 20 minutes, there was a town in sight. She drove down 'main street' and pulled up by some bar that went by 'Boar's Nest'. Encouraging. She looked in the mirror and fixed her hair and applied makeup. I look horrible… I guess I ought to after what I've been through… After sitting for a moment, she gathered up her nerve and walked right in. After spotting an empty table in the corner, she ordered a giant ice water and headed over to it. She sat and rubbed her temples, then looked up into the face of a desperate cowboy gazing at her.
"Go away." But he only scooted his chair closer to her. "Please…" she closed her eyes and rubbed her head, but he grabbed her wrist. She flinched, for her wrist still ached.
"Ah, come on, sweetheart… you're a pretty little filly, ain't ya?" Before she had a chance to respond, the man lifted out of his seat in pain. The waitress set the girl's water down and pulled him by his hair and pushed him back to his table.
"Try for someone on your level… maybe that basset hound that seems to have made Cooter's it's new home?" The man rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Miss Daisy, I'm much obliged." He sarcastically bowed and ran when she started after him.
Daisy looked over at the girl who looked like she was about to collapse. She sat down and rubbed the girl's shoulder. "Sorry about that… I hope you don't get an aweful first impression of Hazzard. I'm Daisy." She held out her hand, but it was not met.
The young woman looked at Daisy with her tired eyes and then at the outstretched hand. She then began to drink from her glass. Daisy pulled her hand back and kept on looking at her, having dealt with this type of person many a time. The girl looked up. "You got a staring problem, beauty queen?"
"Sorry… I just wanted to make sure you were doin' all right. Are ya?"
The girl shook her hand and ran her hand through her hair. "No, no… I'm sorry… I guess you could say I've been having a rough couple of weeks. I'm Rosalyn, but you can just call me Ross." Daisy smiled at this little breakthrough and Rosalyn laughed, which startled her. That hadn't happened in at least 2 weeks.
"Well, I'm a good listener if you wanna talk…"
"No, I'm all right… Well, not quite, but I do know I'm not ready to talk about it just yet…" She took another sip of her water.
"It's okay, at least we've established there's an 'it' that needs to be talked about. I'll hold you to it." She joked.
Ross smiled again – man, how she had missed that feeling – and decided maybe this person was half-decent….
"Would you like to come to dinner with me and my uncle? I'm about to leave work."
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Daisy made a stop at the hotel on the way, getting Ross a free room (you can guess how). She went ahead and gave her a ride to the farm and would take her back that evening. As they stepped into the kitchen, Jesse called out.
"Daisy, that you?"
"Yes Uncle Jesse! I brought a guest for dinner!" She heard him hang up the phone and come into the kitchen happily.
"Pleased to meet ya, Miss…"
"Scott, Rosalyn Scott. You can call me Ross, though."
"Well, Miss Rosalyn, welcome to the Duke farm. You'll be joining us this evening?" Ross nodded hungrily as she smelled the pot roast inside the oven. Jesse laughed and pulled out an extra plate and silverware.
"Daisy, you'll never guess who I was just talkin' to."
"Bo and Luke?" He scowled and she laughed, "Oh come on, I wanna hear what they got to say!"
Uncle Jesse continued on, "Well, they says they got to Houston just fine, and their first race is tomorrow."
Daisy noticed the slightly confused look on Ross' face and explained, "Bo and Luke are my cousins, and they like to race a lot. That car's all they live for."
"That and finding ways to get into trouble nonstop…" Jesses mumbled as he took the roast out and smelled it before cutting up part of it.
Daisy laughed and continued. "Well, they qualified for a big race down in southern Texas, as you heard, and hopefully it's a big prize. Bo refused to tell us how much he could win!" Jesse set one of the plates down and dipped up some mashed potatoes and green beans, then continued onto the next plate.
Ross sat at the table and gazed longingly at the two, wishing she could be that happy. But after what she'd been through…. Oh stop daydreaming, Ross… you're stuck like this…