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NOTE: All you Bo and Luke fans just hang on, I promise they will get in more trouble than you can shake a stick at real soon! Right about here ...
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Chapter
7
It May Be Even Hotter In Hazzard!
(Sounds of Whippoorwills and crickets in the background.) Luke is setting against a tree with Dixie snuggled beside him watching as the small campfire begins to die down.
Dixie takes a sip of Jesse's finest and whispers, "This is so peaceful, so perfect. Like we are the only two people on Earth."
"Yes, it is." Luke replies.
"I don't want this night to end. I could stay right here forever." Dixie sighs.
Luke replies, "Well, Honey, I'm afraid we'd get mighty chilly like this, this winter."
Playfully, she gasps, "Luke, honestly!"
"Well, we would." he says, "As a matter of fact, I need to tend this fire before it goes out, if you'd be so kind as to give me my arm."
"I'll let you borrow it!" she laughs.
Luke rises up and places a few small pieces of dry wood on the fire. It begins to burn brighter. He sets back, facing Dixie.
Dixie asks knowingly, "Luke, What's on your mind?"
He smiles, "Shows, huh?"
Dixie nods her head yes.
"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this evening, I went to all the trouble of getting you out here alone so we could talk." Luke explained.
Dixie smiles, "Good idea."
"These past few days have been like a dream, but ..." he pauses, "But we all know, reality will come back all too soon."
Looking quiet worried, Dixie whispers, "Yeah, I know."
Luke sees the look, "I don't think you're following me. What I'm talking about is, we haven't talked at all about our jobs. I'm not even sure what you are doing these days and I don't know if you know about my job."
"Luke, you're right, it just hasn't seemed important." looking a little more at ease because she had not known where he was going with this conversation. Trying to avoid her part of this conversation though, she says. "You go first, I've heard the others mention that your job is quite exciting."
Luke shakes his head, "Well, you might say that it CAN be. I work as the Senior Smoke jumper for the Georgia Forestry. I've had a few days of total vacation coming. But at midnight tonight I go on call. When called, I'll have to get back to the base camp. I almost set this season out to help out at the farm, but Jesse wouldn't hear of it. Bo and the others convinced me they could handle it while I was gone. So I made arrangements to only be called if things get really bad, and they will. I could be gone for a week or more at a time."
"Wow, all those years chasing the Hazzard Volunteer Fire Department finally paid off." she states.
"Well, maybe not as much as the experience I had parachuting out of perfectly good planes for the Marines."
"So let me get this straight, you now jump out of perfectly good planes into a FIRE?" she asked amazingly.
"Yep, that's about the size of it." he says calmly.
They both burst out into gut wrenching laughter.
Dixie pours them another glass of shine and takes a long sip, as Luke says, "So what are you doing these days? I've heard you mention people you work with but not what your doing." She takes another sip of shine considering her words. Luke is watching her. "Hey, easy there. I'm beginning to think you're a paid arsonist who has been setting forest fires."
She shakes her head no, "Well, my job may not be as well received, by a lot of people,... here, ..." she pauses, "including, ... You."
Luke looks at her, "Dixie, do you like your job?"
She replies, "Yes."
"Well, is it anything you are ashamed of?" Luke asks.
She thinks a minute, "Not until I stepped foot, back into this county, again. The little incident at the Boar's Nest, the other night, really made me wonder if I am a trader."
Luke looks at her confused but says, "Darling, I know you better than that. You are no trader. If you are happy with your job then I'll back you all the way. So, out with it."
She takes another sip of shine, "Well, Ok, but... I warned you, that you might not be real happy about it. For the past few years I have worked in my county, as a ... Correctional Officer..."
"A correctional officer? ... You? ... Why?" Luke looks at her in disbelief.
"Well, I don't know. I think maybe at first, it was because of you." she continues.
"Because of me? Now, I'm really confused." he states laughing.
Dixie smiles and nods, "Yes, you and the way this county's law has been out to get you and the others since you turned eighteen. I think I figured that if I did my job and did it well, I might make up in some small way, to others who may have gotten shafted."
Approvingly, Luke nods, "I know you, if your going to do a job it will be done well."
She smiles, "Well, I do my best."
Luke picks up a stick and begins poking at the fire as he quietly says, "Dixie, I have pretty much planned on being in Hazzard full time except in fire season. Even though he'd never admit it, the farm may be getting to much for Jesse to handle alone." He pauses, "I don't know if this is possible. Or even if you'd consider it, but I'd like for you to be around, so that we can see where we stand." Luke looks up to see tears filling Dixie's eyes.
Dixie smiles through her tears, "Luke, I came back here hoping that we could at least take sometime to see if our feelings were the same for each other." He wipes her eyes as she continues, "I did some checking into the possibility of transferring to this districts Jail. It is possibly and would be close enough to drive."
Considering this information, Luke says, "I don't know where this is going, but can you handle me being away during fire season?"
"There's something you need you consider too." Dixie replies, "If I transfer to this area, and Rosco gets lucky... You do know that the jail serves Hazzard, Chickasaw, Orly, and Bowlen Counties. I'd have to do my job, Luke."
Luke nods, "Understood." He reaches out to pull her closer to him. "Looks like we both have a lot to consider." He gives her a long passionate kiss.
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Back at the farm:
Bo
climbs into the pick up. He pulls out heading for the orphanage.
Eager to get there to try to smooth things out with Jill he hurries
down the dirt road. Up ahead, parked in his usual spot behind a big
Oak tree is Cletus. As Bo speeds by he turns on the siren in pursuit
of him. Bo down shifts and speeds up attempting to ditch him.
NARRATOR: "And Luke just thought Bo didn't need the General Lee! Bo's gonna have to do some pretty fancy driving since he is at disadvantage in the pick up."
Cutting through a field and into a near dry creek bed, Bo leads the chase throwing water onto Cletus windshield. Cletus hangs on. Bo turns out of the creek and through another field. With a full moon lighting the field Bo shuts off his lights and circles back to the creek and parks under a bridge. Cletus takes the bridge onto the road heading back to the farm.
Bo laughs, "Still hasn't figured that one out!" Bo sets still just long enough to make sure Cletus doesn't catch on. With his lights still out he crosses the field taking a short cut to the orphanage.
Arriving at the orphanage, the pick up is muddy from the chase through the fields and creek. Bo shakes his head, knowing a dirty truck is not going to help Jill's mood at all. Jill walks out on to the porch with her arms crossed. She looks at the truck, and back to Bo. He looks from her to the muddy truck and back to her and slightly hangs his head walking up to the porch steps. "Jill, ..."
She cut him off, "Bo Duke! You haven't changed one bit!"
"Now, Jill, just..." Bo says calmly.
"Don't 'Now Jill' me!" she exclaims.
He reaches out for her hand, "Come on, we'll take a drive or wa..."
She pulls back and states, "A drive, in that dirty work truck? No way."
Bo looks at her with slight disgust, "Jill, I was going to say 'drive or walk'. I do think that you are wrong about something, though, I have changed. You have too. You've gotten worse! Years ago I would have put up with it, but not now. If you ever grow up and can stop looking down on me, look me up." He turns, walks away, and gets in the pick up and burns out.
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