A/n: Just when I was all pleased with myself for finishing this story on paper, I reread what I wrote. Will soon be holding the annual "Story burning, dancing around the flames, and marshmallow roast". Anyway, hopefully back on track and reworking what did make sense…or, whatever.
Disclaimer: not mine! All you lovely people who do own Dukes of Hazzard, please don't hunt me down and hurt me! I honestly didn't mean this as an insult.
Anyway, moving on…
It was with varying degrees of enthusiasm that the members of the Duke family got themselves ready and piled into their respective vehicles on the day of Lulu Hogg's Charity Ball.
In a way, Bo and Luke were almost glad when the day of the dance came, because that meant the General Lee's rebel flag could once more wave proudly on the roads of Hazzard. The General had been grounded during the days leading up to the dance. After Daisy had gotten the General shining like a new penny, she'd clipped his wings so he'd stay that way. She'd given the boys strict orders that General Lee couldn't leave the farm unless there was an emergency, and unfortunately for the boys there hadn't been one. Bo and Luke had consoled themselves by borrowing an old clunker from Cooter and giving it a mud bath. But still, it wasn't the same, and both they and the General Lee knew it.
You know, I don't blame Daisy none. Them boys coulda found a way to wreck that wax job on their way to Sunday sermon!
As for Uncle Jesse, he dragged his feet like he was headed off to his own execution. If ever a man looked like he wanted to back out of a commitment, it was Jesse Duke, but he'd given his word and wasn't about to go back on it. But he had made it clear that he'd meet Miz Tisdale there, so she wouldn't insist on him riding with her on her motorcycle. His nephew's craziest stunts in the General didn't unnerve him half as much as Miz Tisdale's antics on that machine. At least in the pick-up he'd have a chance to keep his heart rate down before he got on the dance floor. A slim chance admittedly, but still a chance.
Bo was a little worried about going as well. Not that he regretted agreeing to accompany Lulu Hogg to the dance; it was more Boss Hogg that he and Luke were worried about. The concern that Boss might take the situation as a personal insult and strike back with something equally as personal weighed heavily on their minds. But, the boys couldn't see spending the entire evening jumping at shadows, so they decided to try to put it from their minds, but keep one eye open for any potential plots from Boss Hogg.
Since so many folk had decided to participate, Lulu's dance was gonna be held in one of Boss Hogg's converted barns, rather than at the Boars Nest. Of course, the only thing that was really converted about that barn was the name on the deed, after Boss foreclosed on the property.
And there Lulu Hogg stood waiting outside as the Duke vehicles pulled up.
Despite the fact that Luke was proud of his younger cousin for agreeing to come with Lulu to the dance, and that he would have done the same in Bo's position, Luke couldn't resist ribbing him a little as Lulu hurried over to greet the Dukes.
"Well, Bo, there's your date," he said softly while Jesse and Daisy went to meet her halfway. "Just remember to tone that blonde charm down a bit. Miss Lulu ain't exactly as available as them girls ya usually go out with." Luke gave Bo a look full of mischief. "Course, I think I'd pick Lulu over most of the girls you go out with anyway!"
Bo threw his cousin a dirty glare. "Cute, Luke, real cute." He sighed to himself, not feeling like going at it with Luke over his choices in women like he normally would. This situation wasn't what he would have chosen for himself. But Lulu was the one who was most affected by Boss Hogg's refusal to come, he reminded himself sternly, and he and the rest of the Dukes didn't want to see her hurting any worse than she already was. And seeing her smile through her tears the day of the auction was worth a little discomfort on the dance floor today, Bo decided.
Both boys walked over to where Jesse and Daisy stood with Lulu Hogg. Lulu smiled at their approach. "Oh, boys, I was just tellin' your Uncle Jesse how much I appreciate all ya done for me. I don't know what I'd a done without ya, what with J.D. and all…
Jesse Duke cut in, seeing that Lulu was beginning to grow upset again at the thought, "Now Lulu, think nothing of it. There ain't nothing a Duke wouldn't do to help ya out, if it's in our power to do so. We's just glad we could—"
Jesse broke off as the sound of a motorcycle's engine cut through the quiet of the early evening. The cyclist popped a wheelie and grated to a stop mere inches from Jesse, whose collar and tie suddenly felt like they were dangerously close to cutting off his oxygen intake.
"Emma!" he cried, rattled to his core by her dramatic entrance. "You watch what you is a doin' on that dang contraption!"
Miz Tisdale dismounted from her bike and pulled off her helmet, patting her hair back in place. It was, as always, pulled back into a bun, but she didn't want to take any chances this evening. She smiled at her date for the evening, who in turn tugged at his still-too-snug collar anxiously.
"Don't worry none, Jesse. I wasn't about to hit you." She sidled up next to him and tilted her head up to look dreamily into his eyes. "Especially not when I have ya all to myself for an entire evening! C'mon, let's go have some fun!" Giggling quite schoolgirl-like she grabbed his arm and began to drag him in the direction of the building.
Getting hit by Miz Tisdale's motorcycle suddenly seemed a more attractive prospect to Jesse Duke. Jesse threw his kids a pleading glance as Miz Tisdale led him away.
Bo, Luke and Daisy all shook their heads, smiling in amused sympathy at their uncle's plight. Then Luke caught sight of Mabel arriving and hurried over to meet her, and Enos approached Daisy a few minutes later with a big bouquet of wildflowers and an even bigger grin on his face. Daisy took his proffered arm with an answering smile of he own and they headed inside, leaving Bo alone with Miss Lulu.
Not knowing what else to do, Bo held out his arm for Lulu to take. "You want to go inside now, Miss Lulu?" he asked her hesitantly.
"Oh that's all right; you go on ahead without me. I just want to make sure I collected all the money from the auction," she answered, patting the small money bag she'd gotten from Boss Hogg's bank for that purpose.
Bo grew slightly alarmed at the sight of it. "Are you sure ya want to be carryin' all that money around like that?" he asked anxiously.
Lulu Hogg laughed at his concern. "Now, you don't got to worry none, Bo! My baby brother Rosco is gonna be pickin' it up later on tonight in a big presentation to take over to the orphanage. I reckon he'll keep it safe enough!"
Yeah, when he and Boss Hogg is dividin' it ' tween themselves!
Watching her as she tried to reassure him of the charity money's security, Bo couldn't help feeling sorry for Lulu. Somehow, she still couldn't quite see the two people she loved most in the world, her husband and her brother, for the corrupt and dishonest men they had turned out to be. Bo had heard that love was blind, and Lulu sure enough turned a blind eye to what Boss and Rosco had up their sleeves, most of the time. At that moment, Bo Duke resolved not to let her out of his sight while he waas with her, and he figured he and Luke—mainly Luke—could come up with a way to keep Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco honest when it came to the auction proceeds.
But what ol' Bo didn't know was that Sheriff Rosco was part two of Boss's big plan. And part one ain't let him and Lulu and the money bag outta their sight since the Dukes and Lulu got there. Them Dukes is fixin' to get themselves in a pretty tight spot, an' it's bound to get tighter 'fore it's all said and done. As Bo and Luke would say, "Hang on, y'all!" It ain't done yet.
a/n: Still trying to figure some things out in the rewrite, so please forgive me for taking so long to get this out. I really, really hope I don't disappoint over the next few chapters. If you like it, let me know. If you don't like it, let me know why. I can only get better. (I certainly can't get any worse.)
