Reunited

Chapter 1 Welcome Home

Angela was glad to get out of California and away from her husband who was wanted for murdering a cop. She couldn't wait to get back to Hazzard. Angela passed a sign that read "Welcome to Hazzard." She had always known that someday she would return but it had been six years. She wanted her daughter to know who her real father was. When Angela first found out that she was pregnant, she was too scared to say anything to anyone, so she left without saying a word to anyone, especially the Duke family. Angela knew it was time for Jessica to know the truth.

"Mommy, are we there yet?" Jessica said from the backseat of the car.

"Almost." Angela said as she looked in the rearview mirror at Jessica who wore piggytail braids with blond hair and blue eyes.

Angela turned down a dirt road that lead to the Duke farm. She was started to get nervous hoping she didn't have to see Coy right a way. She was happy when she noticed that the familiar racecar was not there. She saw that Uncle Jessie and Daisy were outside. She pulled into the dirt driveway and parked her car beside Daisy's white jeep. Jessie and Daisy stopped what they were doing as Angela opened the car door and stepped out.

"Angela!" Daisy and Jessie said excitedly with huge grins on both of their faces.

"I'm sorry I didn't call or write. I wanted to surprise all of you," Angela said while opening the back door to her car. "Sweet heart, wake up, were here," When Jessica woke up she climbed out of the car. Jessie and Daisy were shocked to find out that Angela had a daughter. "This is my daughter, Jessica," Jessica looked at Daisy and Uncle Jessie and smiled, "I named her after you, Uncle Jessie."

"She's not related to us and you still named her after me." Jessie said with a smile on his face.

"Actually, Jessica is related to you, she is your great-niece." Angela said while waiting for Jessie to get upset with her.

"My great-niece?" Jessie said with a shocked expression on his face.

"Yes," Angela looked away, not wanting to see the disappointment in Jessie's face, "Coy is Jessica's father."

"Are you sure?" Jessie said, still not sure if she was telling the truth.

"Let's go inside the house, I'm sure you two are hungry." Daisy said while they followed her and Jessie inside the house. When Angela walked in the door to the kitchen of the three bedroom farmhouse, nothing had changed. Angela and Jessica sat at the kitchen table while Daisy made sandwiches, Jessie got a pitcher of lemonade out of the refrigerator and four glasses out of the cabinet above the kitchen sink.

"So," Jessie said as he poured lemonade into each of the glasses, "How long are you planning on staying?"

"I'm here to stay, I bought the house I grew up in. I want to fix it up." Angela said after taking a drink.

Jessie's eyes widened, "I was wondering who had bought that house. Boss Hogg was wanting to tear it down."

"Maybe Coy & Vance can help you fix it up." Daisy said.

Angela got up and put the plates and glasses in the sink. "I've got to get going. I got to get back to the house and start cleaning. My furniture is getting delivered this afternoon."

Jessie got up from the table as Daisy started washing the dishes, "I want you and Jessica to come over for supper. The boys will be surprised to see you."

"Thanks, we will." Jessie walked Angela and Jessica to the car. He watched as they pulled away.

He went back inside the house and went in the living room and sat down in his chair and started reading a magazine.

Later that evening Jessie and Daisy couldn't wait to see the look on Coy's face when Angela arrived with Jessica. Coy and Vance came inside to get cleaned up for supper. "I wonder who Uncle Jessie invited over for supper." Vance said while drying his hands on a towel.

"I don't know, I've never seen him this happy in a long time." Coy said as he washed and then dried his hands. There was a knock at the door. Jessie went to the door and welcomed Angela and Jessica inside.

The boys went into the living room to see who Uncle Jessie invited for dinner. While Coy buttoned up his shirt, he walked in the living room and saw Angela standing there. "Angela!" Coy said as he went to hug her.

"Hello, Coy."

While still looking at Angela Coy said, "Uncle Jessie, why didn't you tell me Angela was the one you invited over for dinner?"

"I came by earlier today and saw Uncle Jessie and Daisy. Jessie insisted that I come over for dinner and surprise you."

Coy looked at Jessica and said, "What's your name?"

Jessica looked at Coy with a shy smile, Angela said, "Honey, you can tell him your name."

Jessica said, "I'm Jessica."

Vance said, "Angela, she looks just like you."

"Supper won't be ready for about another thirty minutes or so, I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about." Jessie said as he looked at Angela. Angela knew that The sooner Coy knew about Jessica, the sooner she knew if he still had feelings for her after six years.

Angela followed Coy to the kitchen door, he opened the door and walked out behind her closing the door. When they were outside they started walking toward the barn. "I'm glad you're back," Coy said with a smile on his face. "How long are you planning on staying?"

"For good, I bought the old house down the road."

"What made you decide to come back after six years?"

"Have you seen the news lately?"

"No." Coy said while leaning his body on the trunk of General Lee. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"No, it's not me, It's my ex-fiance'. He killed a cop. He said that he was framed and that he didn't do it, so he escaped from prison and he made friends with a bounty hunter. They are afraid that I will call the police and turn him in."

"He should be in prison for killing a cop. What if she tried to kill you and Jessica?"

"That's why I came here, to get away from it all."

"Why would he want to kill his own wife and child?"

"I could see him wanting to try and kill me, but Jessica isn't even his child."

Coy looked at her and said, "Does he know that?"

"Yes, he knows."

"How old is Jessica?" Coy asked.

"She's six. Before you say anything, there's something you need to know. She's your daughter." Coy sat there and didn't say anything, Angela couldn't tell if he was upset with her or happy, "Coy, I'm sorry I never told you I was pregnant. I knew Uncle Jessie would be crushed to find out that you were going to be a father before you got married, that's one of the reasons why I left. I never meant to hurt you. I know you must hate me for keeping this secret from you all this time."

"I could never hate you," Coy said, "Angela, I love you, I've always loved you."

"I love you, too." He tilted his head toward her, he let his lips gently brush against hers. Angela started shaking in his arms, then she stopped shaking when he wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer to him. Reluctantly, he pulled away, stopping himself before he got carried away and let things get too far. It was too soon.

They both were relieved when they heard Jessie tell them that supper was ready. They both went inside the house and sat at the kitchen table as Jessie said grace, "Lord, we want to thank you for bringing Angela and Jessica here safely to us, we also want to thank you for this food we are about to eat, amen."

As they were eating Daisy said, "Angela, do you have a job yet?"

"I was going to go out tomorrow and fill out applications." Angela said as Vance passed her the bowl of mashed potatoes, she scooped a spoon full on Jessica's plate then her own and she passed the bowl to Coy.

After taking a bite of steak, Daisy said, "I can get you a job at the Boars Nest, they are always looking for waitresses."

"I appreciate that."

After they ate dinner, Uncle Jessie and Vance took Jessica out to the barn to see the animals. Daisy left to work the evening shift at the Boars Nest. Angela and Coy were alone at the kitchen table. Angela took a drink of lemonade and said, "How do you really feel about me being back here and finding out that you have a child?"

Coy smiled and said, "I'm happy that you came back. I can't imagine how hard it must've been on you to have her and raising her with another man."

Angela got up from the table, she didn't want Coy to see the tears that were in her eyes. He followed her outside. They saw Jessica riding a horse with Vance. Jessica said, "Hi mommy."

"Are you having fun?"

"Yeah." Jessica said with a smile on her face.

"You have ten more minutes and then we have to get home."

Sadly Jessica said, "Okay."

Angela looked at Coy and said, "Do you think Uncle Jessie would get upset if I asked you to stay the night with us?"

"I would like that a lot, hey, Uncle Jessie, do you care if I stay the night with Angela and Jessica tonight?"

"I don't mind." Jessie smiled and said.

Coy was surprised that Uncle Jessie agreed. Vance came back to the yard with Jessica. He climbed off the horse and then he lifted Jessica up and stood her on the ground. Angela took Jessica's hand.

As they started walking toward Angela's car, Daisy said, "You are going to be here for breakfast."

"Daisy, I miss your cooking." As they drove away, no one noticed a guy on a motorcycle. Reno followed Angela's car. When Angela pulled into the driveway, Reno parked his motorcycle behind some bushes. He watched as Angela, Jessica and Coy went inside the house. Reno took his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed a number.

"Bobby, it's Reno. I followed Angela to a small town in Georgia called Hazzard. I think she came back to see an old boyfriend. She just went inside a house with Jessica and a guy with blond hair."

"We've got to get to her before she tells anyone anything about you. We don't want Dutch to find out that you are here and follow you."

"Don't worry, I'm going to come up with a plan. Meet me at a bar called 'The Boars Nest' " Reno ended the call and put the phone back inside his jacket. He started the motorcycle and headed to the car.

When Bobby pulled into the parking lot, he sat in his car until Reno showed up. When Reno got there he parked his motorcycle beside Bobby's Hummer. They both went inside the bar. They sat down at a table in the corner of the room. Daisy came over to their table and took their order. She left for a few minutes and then returned with their beers.

When Daisy left the table Bobby said, "Why would Angela want to come to a dead town like this?"

Reno took a drink of his beer and said, "I don't know, maybe we can get that waitress to answer a few questions, excuse me, miss."

Daisy came over to their table and said, "What else can I get ya?"

Reno said, "Nothing right now, but I'm hoping you can help me and my partner, we're looking for this woman," he showed her a picture of Angela. From the expression on Daisy's face, they knew she recognized Angela's picture. "Anything you can tell us would be helpful."

Daisy lied and said, "I haven't seen her in six years."

Bobby said, "Okay, thanks." Daisy walked toward the bar.

"I think that waitress knows something and she's not telling us." Reno said while taking the last drink of his beer. They left and headed to the motel room.

Angela filled the bath tub with water so she could give Jessica a bath. Coy was sitting in the living room on the couch. He noticed a picture sitting on the table next to the couch. It was a picture of him and Angela sitting on the hood of the General Lee. When Angela came back in the living room she saw Coy looking at the picture.

"Did you know that I was only one month pregnant with Jessica when that picture was taken?"

"No."

"That's why I kept it. I think we should tell Jessica the truth tonight."

"Are you sure she's going to be able to handle it?" Coy said with a smile on his face.

Angela took a deep breath, "Now is as good as time as any." Angela went back to the bathroom to get Jessica out of the tub and get her dressed in her pajamas. When she was dressed Angela brought her back out to the living room and sat her on the couch next to Coy. Angela looked at Coy as she sat on the other side of Jessica. Angela looked at Jessica, "You know I love you very much. I've done something that I'm not proud of."

"Mommy, what do you mean?" She looked at Coy and then back at Angela.

"I have lied to you about your daddy." Angela had tears in her eyes.

Jessica said, "Mommy, I know who my daddy is, you don't have to cry."

"Reno is not your daddy, you are sitting next to your daddy."

Jessica said as she looked at Coy, "You're my daddy?"

Coy smiled and said, "Yes, sweet heart, I am."

Jessica started crying and said, "Are you mad at mommy?"

"No."

Jessica looked at Angela and said, "Well, I am." She climbed off the couch and ran to her room and closed the door.

Angela started to get up from the couch to talk to her, Coy firmly grabbed Angela's hand and said, "Leave her alone for right now. She needs time to adjust."

"I can't believe that I made her think that Reno was her father all this time." Angela had tears in her eyes.

Coy looked at Angela and said, "Do you want me to try and talk to her?"

Angela said, "You can try." She got up from the couch and went to her bedroom.

Coy got up from the couch and went to Jessica's room, knocked on the door and said, "Jessica, can I come in?"

Jessica said, "Yes." When he opened the door, he saw her sitting on the bed holding a stuffed animal and crying.

Coy went in her room, sat on the edge of her bed and asked, "Are you mad at me?"

Jessica looked at Coy and said, "No, I'm mad at mommy."

"She didn't mean to lie to you, she loves you." Coy opened his arms for her to give him a hug. She leaned over and laid in his arms and started crying harder.

Jessica wiped her eyes and said, "Do you love me?"

Coy said, "Of course I love you, your mommy loves you, too."

Jessica climbed off her bed and went to Angela's room, Coy followed her and stood in the doorway. Jessica climbed up on the bed and gave Angela hug and said, "Mommy, I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you."

Angela hugged her and said, "Baby, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Jessica turned around to see Coy standing in the door and said, "I love daddy, too." Coy came in the room and sat on the bed and they both started hugging Jessica.

Angela said, "Jessica, it's been a long day, you need to get some sleep, let's get you in bed."

"Can daddy put me in bed?" Jessica said while rubbing her eyes.

Angela looked at Coy and said, "Sure."

Jessica climbed off the bed and Coy followed her to her own room. When Jessica climbed into her own bed Coy covered her up. Jessica looked at Coy and said, "Good night, daddy."

Coy kissed her on the cheek and said with a smile, "God night, sweet heart."

"I love you, daddy."

"I love you, too." Coy turned Jessica's light off and went back to Angela's room. When Coy came back in the room he closed the door. He had a smile on his face as he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off.

"She's getting used to calling you daddy already," Angela said while Coy got in bed next to her. "thanks for talking to her."

"You're welcome." Coy said as he leaned over and started kissing her. A little while later they fell asleep in each other's arms.