Chapter Two

Blood Red Roses

Bo and Luke were back in Hazzard the next morning running another errand for their uncle at the hardware store. Luke carried two boxes of nails as they came out of the store while Bo was empty handed. When Luke headed for the driver's side of the car, Bo quickly slid across the hood of the General effectively cutting him off. He deftly climbed through the window planting himself firmly in the driver's seat. His triumphant smile quickly turned to a grimace of pain as he found himself sitting on something sharp.

When Bo yelped, Luke asked with concern, "What's the matter?"

Bo reached under him and carefully pulled out a bouquet of blood red roses. He looked closely at them and exclaimed, "They've got thorns!"

"Of course, they got thorns. They're roses." Luke said trying to hide a smile. "That must smart."

"Just pricked me some. My jeans mostly saved me."

"Serves you right, trying to beat me to driver's seat," Luke said no longer able to hide a smirk.

"I did beat you and you ought to thank me or else it'd be you sitting on these thorns."

Exasperated by Bo's logic, Luke said, "It wouldn't be me sitting on nothing except the seat of my pants 'cause I'd've been more careful and would've seen them before I got in."

"You wouldn't've seen them yesterday when you were in such a hurry and beat me to the driver's seat so don't be so sure you'd've seen them today. You ought to thank me for saving your behind."

Luke shook his head at his cousin, amazed once again at Bo's unique perspective. He asked, "Where'd they come from anyway? Who's giving you flowers?"

"I don't know. Could be any number of girls. I've got so many admirers." Bo smiled at Luke who just shook his head again. "Let me see if there's a card."

Bo found the attached card among the roses and ripped open the violet envelop. He read the note and smiled broadly.

Luke asked curiously, "So who's giving you flowers?"

Bo said, "They ain't for me, cousin."

"They ain't? Someone leave them for Daisy?" Luke asked without considering the obvious answer.

"They ain't for Daisy."

"Then who are they for?" Luke asked again with irritation.

"For someone as smart as you, you ain't got a clue sometimes. They're for you, cousin," Bo answered with a giggle.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. Are you keeping a secret? Who's she?" Bo asked with a widening grin.

"Let me see," Luke said with disbelief as he grabbed the card out of Bo's hand. "I ain't never got flowers from a girl before."

"Always a first time," Bo said as he tossed the flowers out the window.

Luke instinctively caught them, dropping the boxes of nails. He yelped in pain.

"Dang those thorns are sharp. I meant I wanted to see the card," Luke said with annoyance. "Who'd be sending flowers with thorns on them anyway? Shouldn't you take them off before you send them to someone?"

Bo said, "It ain't signed but sounds like you know her. Who're they from?"

Luke turned the card over in his hands as if expecting to find an answer somewhere on it. "I don't know," he finally answered. He read the note aloud.

My Dearest Luke,

These red roses symbolize our everlasting love. I know you love me. Love you forever. L.D.

"I know you love me?" Luke repeated. "I don't know who could've sent these, Bo. I don't see no signature and I don't recognize the handwriting. You think the 'L.D.' is her initials?"

Bo laughed. "I think the 'L.D.' is your initials. She's saying she loves you, Luke Duke, though I can't figure why. You sure you don't know who sent them? Are you holding back on me? Having a little secret romance?"

"I ain't having no secret romance with nobody," Luke said, shaking his head as he continued to examine the card. "It don't look like it came from the flower shop. There ain't no name on it. It smells pretty though—like lilacs."

"Let me see," Bo said as he extended his hand. He took the card from his cousin and looked it over. He sniffed it and said, "It does smell like lilacs."

"Seems like someone went to a lot of trouble," Luke said.

"You got yourself a secret admirer," Bo said. "I guess there ain't no accounting for taste."

When Bo saw the troubled look on his cousin's face, he added, "It ain't a bad thing, Lukas. Somebody likes you though I don't know why."

"I just wish I knew who sent them. Why didn't she sign the card?"

"Well, Luke, that defeats the whole purpose of the secret admirer."

"I suppose," Luke answered. "But it feels weird not knowing. I don't think I like it—somebody knowing me but me not knowing her. It's like somebody's watching me."

"And it's gonna make you crazy till you know who," Bo said, knowing his older cousin better than anyone else.

Luke took the card from Bo and examined it again as if a name would magically appear. He finally said, "I guess I ain't gonna figure it out now. Let's get on home. We got that fence to mend."

Luke bent down to pick up the nails and walked around to the passenger side of the car. He climbed through the window, carefully holding onto the roses so he wouldn't prick himself again. He was quiet on the way home, still racking his mind for an answer. The note sounded like he already knew her but he wasn't involved with anyone and he certainly wasn't in love. Bo tried to start a conversation several times but finally gave up knowing his cousin wouldn't stop thinking about the roses until he figured out who sent them. They completed the drive in silence.

When they arrived at the farm, Bo climbed out of the car and hurried over to Jesse and Daisy who were sitting at the picnic table. He yelled, "Hey, y'all, guess what? Luke's got a secret admirer."

Luke quickly climbed out of the car, worried that Bo would make too big a deal of the flowers. He reached back in the window for the bouquet of red roses. When he got to the table, he put the bouquet down.

As she picked up the flowers, Daisy asked, "Are these flowers for me, sugar? They're real pretty."

Luke blushed and said, "No, they ain't. They're for me. Be careful. They've got thorns."

"They usually do, sugar," Daisy said as she examined them more closely. She asked, "What happened to them? They look a little squashed."

"Don't ask," Bo answered.

Luke grinned. "Bo sat on them."

"Ouch. That must've hurt," Daisy laughed.

"It did," Bo said with a grin as he rubbed the seat of his pants, finally able to see the humor in it.

Jesse looked at the roses noticing the small card in the middle of the bouquet. "You say they're from a secret admirer? Can I see the card?"

Daisy handed Jesse the card. When he read it, he frowned and turned towards Luke disapprovingly. "Are you sure you don't know who wrote this?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't have no idea, Uncle Jesse, 'cept maybe her initials are L.D., but Bo thinks those are my initials."

Jesse looked at Luke skeptically. "Because it sounds like she knows you and she knows you real good. What's this about 'love you forever' and knowing you love her?"

"I don't know. I don't know who sent them, Uncle Jesse. I swear," Luke insisted.

"Now don't be swearing, boy," Jesse scolded lightly. "Maybe you should be thinking about all the girls you've been dating lately or just flirting with."

"I ain't seen nobody since Ellen and me broke up and I ain't been flirting either," Luke insisted defensively. "And I sure ain't been telling nobody that I love her."

Bo felt familiar guilt again, knowing that he was mostly responsible for Luke's breakup with Ellen. He knew for a fact that Luke hadn't dated anyone since her. He hoped that this secret admirer would be just what Luke needed now that he was fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in the fall down the ridge. He needed to start dating again. Selfishly, Bo knew it would make him feel better.

Recognizing the distress on his oldest nephew's face, Jesse got up and patted Luke's shoulder. "All right, son. I was just asking. I believe you. I just don't want you leading no one on and breaking no hearts. I know how you boys are."

Luke shook his head. "Maybe Bo would but not me."

"Hey," Bo said. "Don't go blaming me for nothing. Those flowers were for you. Not me, cousin." He giggled and teased, "It ain't my fault you're irresistible to women."

Daisy stood up with the bouquet in her hands. "Well, I think it's very romantic. I'm gonna go and put the roses in a vase. And Luke, I can understand her interest. You are irresistible, sugar."

Daisy kissed Luke's check as he blushed at the compliment. "Besides, she'll let you know who she is when the time's right. Meanwhile, enjoy the mystery. It could be fun. I'd love to have a secret admirer. You should be flattered."

"I'll try," Luke answered doubtfully. "Thanks, Daisy."

"What bothers you about it?" Daisy asked, not understanding Luke's apprehension.

"She says she loves me and she knows I feel the same. There ain't nobody right now," Luke answered. "It's not like she said that she'd like to meet me. She makes it sound like we already know each other and we're in love. It's unsettling."

"Maybe it's someone from your past," Jesse offered.

"I don't know, Uncle Jesse. I don't think so. I don't recognize the writing."

"Well, I still think it's romantic," Daisy insisted. "She'll let you know who she is when the time's right. Enjoy it, Luke."

"I'll try," Luke repeated without enthusiasm.

Daisy playfully smacked Luke's shoulder as she walked behind him. "Try harder, sugar. Don't look so miserable."

Luke sighed. Maybe they were all right and it was a good thing to have a secret admirer. Maybe she'd let him know who she was and they'd start dating. Maybe. But he doubted it. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wished he never got those blood red roses.

Daisy brought the roses in the house. After arranging them in a pottery vase, she gave them a place of honor on the mantel.