Author's Note: Y'all didn't forget about me, did you? Review and tell me how I'm doing with this story.

Chapter 3: Brenda's House

Cindy's car pulled up in front of a white-colored house with dark shutters. (The boys couldn't tell the color in the dark.) As Luke parked the General behind Cindy's vehicle, he shut off the ignition and turned to face his young cousin.

"You ready for this?" he asked. Bo looked down at his fidgeting hands and sighed.

"No." Luke nodded in understanding. There was nothing else he could think of to say, so he just got out.

"Come on." Slowly, Bo followed, and they walked behind Cindy into her mom's house.

"Mom?" she called, tossing her keys on the table as she came in. The boys looked around the house, feeling a bit intimidated by its tidiness.

"Cindy, that you? In here, honey," a deep woman's voice answered from the living room.

"Mom," Cindy motioned for the boys to follow her into the room, then went in and hugged an older version of herself. A little heavier, with darker hair and fierce, piercing eyes. "Mom, I met these boys at the diner tonight. This is Luke Duke and this is Bo Duke. Fellas, this is my mom, Brenda Wheeler."

"Howdy," Luke greeted, a little shy. Bo said nothing, just stared at a spot on the beige-carpeted floor.

Brenda nodded and smiled at Luke, but when she saw Bo, she gasped and put her hand over her heart. Stepping forward, she put fingers under his chin and gently lifted his head. Their eyes met, and neither could look away, drawn by curiosity and a past filled with shadows and secrets.

"By God, you got your mama's eyes", she whispered. Then wrapped her arms around him in a motherly embrace. "I'm glad you came."

Stepping back, she looked them over again and sighed. "Well, you boys look worn out—have you eaten?"

"They ate at the diner, mom," Cindy reminded her.

"Oh, well you boys bring your things on in here an' we'll get you set up in the guest room. There's two futons in there that are all ready for ya."

"We was gonna stay at a hotel," Bo replied stiffly. Luke elbowed him in the side, but Brenda didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, nonsense! Why stay in a hotel when you can sleep here for free? Come on, now, get your things."

"Ow," Bo grumbled as they pulled their bags out of the trunk of the General.

"I don't even wanna hear it," Luke replied sternly.

"What?"

"Ya could at least try an' be friendly," Luke explained in an exasperated tone. "She's only savin' us a ton of money by lettin' us stay in her house. We coulda been sleepin' in the General tonight."

Bo just glared at him as he slammed the trunk closed. 'What did he know, anyway? He didn't just find out that his father had been alive after all these years, then have to attend a funeral and stay with perfect strangers who act like they know him.' Luke had a point though, and as they headed back inside Bo forced out a smile at Brenda as he walked past.

Half an hour later, they were unpacked and lounging around the guestroom. Bo had been laying on his futon across from Luke's, resting his eyes, when Brenda suddenly walked in.

"Hey---oh, sorry," she apologized as she startled Luke from his reading. "What's that?" she pointed to the familiar-looking paper he held.

"It's the letter you sent Bo," he answered quietly, casting a look over at his cousin, whom he knew was now pretending to be asleep. Brenda sighed.

"It was so hard to write that letter. I didn't know what to say. I'm just so glad he decided to come. Maybe now we can all finally get some closure." Luke nodded, then changed the subject.

"Thanks for lettin' us stay here."

"Oh, it's the least I can do. You two are cousins, right?"

"Yes, ma'am." It was her turn to nod. Then she chuckled anxiously.

"I wish he were awake so I could talk to him...but I'll let you boys rest. Ya look tired. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." Then she left, closing the door softly behind her.

Bo, who'd kept his eyes shut tight when she walked in and then fell into a light doze halfway through the conversation, was suddenly and violently jolted awake by a large, soft, flying projectile.

"Oooff!" he grunted, as the pillow Luke had thrown hit him square in the face. He pulled it off and looked accusingly in the direction from which it was thrown. "What?" he demanded when he saw Luke's scowl.

"Brenda was just in here lookin' for ya."

"Yeah? So?"

"So, she wants to talk to ya. An' I know ya weren't sleepin', so get that innocent look off your face."

"Well, maybe I don't wanna talk to her," Bo hissed, trying to keep his voice down. Immediately he was slammed with another pillow missile. "Dang it, Luke! What is your problem!"

"You're my problem! We came here to get some answers. I didn't know I'd have to be holdin' your hand the whole way."

Balladeer: Now friends, them's fightin' words.

Bo's eyes narrowed. "Well that's fine. Ain't nobody forcin' ya to stay. Ya can leave anytime, Luke. Anytime ya want to!" Luke sighed. This was going nowhere.

"No...look, I didn't mean to fight. Geez. I'm sorry, alright? I just—I can't do this for ya."

"Ain't nobody askin' ya to."

"Then go talk to her."

"I will," Bo retorted, but he didn't move. Luke caught something in his eyes—dread.

"What're you so afraid of?" he asked quietly. Bo sighed, stood, and walked over to look out the window.

"I don't know. It's funny, when I was little I always wondered what it'd be like havin' a mom an' a dad. Now I got a chance to know at least what mine were like, an' I'm scared."

"Ya gotta face it sometime," Luke said gently. Bo looked down at his feet and nodded.

"I know. I guess I'll go talk to her." He felt foolish now, really. What had he been so afraid of? It wasn't like Brenda was a mean woman. He was just in a bad mood, he figured at last. And with the day he'd had, who wouldn't be?

"Good. While you do that, I'm gonna get some shuteye."

"You ain't comin'?" Bo asked. He figured maybe Luke wanted to come.

Luke answered him with an uncharacteristic whine. "Bo, I drove all day today, an' I was up late last night, too. I'm beat." Bo gave him withering look.

"You was up late 'cuz you was smoochin' with Nancy Jane, an' ya drove today 'cuz ya wanted to."

"Exactly, now will ya just go?" Luke hastily begged, waving his hand.

"Fine. I'll tell ya about it in the morning." Then he stalked out of the room.

Balladeer: Them boys is worse than two ornery 'ole cats with their tails tied together, fussin' like that. I wonder if they're ever gonna get anythin' done.

Author's Note: Not much to say. Tell me if you like it, and tell me what I can work on.