It didn't take long for Cherokee and Heather to fit in and start to feel right at home.
The Dukes made sure of that.
It was a few days after their arrival and Cherokee had just woken up from a nap.
She wasn't usually one to take naps but the doc had told her that with her concussion, a nap a day would help her back on her feet in no time. And so far it seemed to be working.
She checked herself over in the mirror to make sure every hair was in place before she stepped out of the room that she and Heather shared with Daisy.
As she entered the living room she came upon Daisy folding the laundry. She quickly went to help.
"Oh Cherokee, you don't have to do that." Daisy said.
"It's alright, I want to"
"Ok, if you insist." Daisy replied with a laugh.
Cherokee laughed with her before getting serious. "Daisy, I really appreciate what your doing for us"
"Honey, don't you worry none. I enjoy having you and Heather around, it gives me someone to gossip with." They both laughed.
"Where is Heather anyway?" Cherokee asked.
"Oh, Luke took her on a picnic"
"They sure have been spending a lot of time together."
"Don't I know it. He's sure showing a different side of himself. Bo to for that matter"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, take Bo for instance. Why, he ain't hardly been out at all. And he used to go jukin almost every night. It seems odd"
"Why is that?"
"Well he usually has a different date every night. Lately there's only one girl he's been seein"
"Really?"
"Yep and the way Bo goes on and on about her, you'd think she hung the moon. I hear tell she's some kinda pretty, very intelligent, and she's got the nicest disposition you ever did come across"
"Wow, she sounds great. Who's the lucky girl?"
"You are"
Cherokee almost choked on her own tongue. "What?"
"Yep, I ain't never seen Bo this far gone on a girl before"
"Why me? There are plenty of other girls out there who have way better qualities than me. Especially looks. I ain't the prettiest. Why, there must be 100 girls out there just waitin' for him to give them the slightest sign of interest. All of em' better than me by far"
"Honey, looks aren't always the case with Bo. I mean, looks matter some but not much. It's what's inside that counts. Besides, Bo has been known to date women a whole lot uglier than you ever thought of bein"
"I don't know Daisy, that's a pretty hard task. There ain't no one uglier than me. "
"Now hold on. I don't want to hear you talk like that. You are very pretty"
Just then Bo came walkin in and Cherokee wondered how much of the conversation he had over heard. She didn't have to wait long cause Bo spoke up almost instantly
"Your not pretty"
"That's right." Cherokee replied as her heart started to sink at the thought of Bo's opinion.
"Your beautiful" Bo smiled that cute country smile and walked away.
Cherokee's face had never turned so red so fast. But inside her heart soared. Bo actually liked her.
"I told you so. " Daisy gloated.
"Ok, you made your point." Cherokee laughed as they went to take care of the laundry.
Meanwhile Luke and Heather were on their picnic. They had finished off their chitlin sandwiches and lemonade long ago and were just watching the sun slowly sink over the horizon.
Luke was leaning back on the blanket propped up by his elbow, chewing on a blade of straw.
Heather sat next to him, her knees pulled up with her arms wrapped around her legs.
She sighed "The view is so pretty"
"It sure is" Luke replied never taking his eyes off Heather.
Heather looked at him with surprise on her face. " Luke….."
"Oh, you meant the sky. I'm sorry my eyes were drawn to the more beautiful of the two. "
"Luke stop it." Heather laughed.
"What? I'm just being honest"
"Yeah ok"
"Well I am"
"I said ok. Let's not talk about me"
"Why not? I want to know all about you"
"All about me?"
"All about you"
"Well it all started on a warm spring night. My momma was in a lot of pain and I was charging through"
"Very funny, you know what I meant" Luke laughed.
Heather laughed with him. "You said all about me"
"Your right I did but I reckon that ain't exactly what I meant"
"Ok, ask me. What do you want to know?"
"Well for starters why have you been on the road for a year and what made you go in the first place?"
"We had some circumstances back home that we needed to get away from and we been on the road so long because it's hard to find a cheap place to live when the only money we got is whatever we get for doing odd jobs from town to town. That ain't much to live on. So we just keep gas in the tank and keep on movin"
"Well ya'll can stay with us as long as you want"
"We appreciate it but we've intruded enough already. Soon as we can work off enough of our debt to you. We'll be movin on"
"You aren't in debt to us at all. You don't owe us a thing and as long as your willing to stay, we're willing to keep you"
"No, I won't let ya'll take care of us, it's not right. We take care of ourselves"
"Boy, you sure are independent"
"Your darn right I am"
"Well, in that case the old Whittaker Place is the next farm over from ours. It's been abandoned for a good year or two now. You could get jobs here and settle in Hazzard. With a little wheelin and dealin, I'm sure you could get a good price on it"
"A farm? How would Cherokee and I ever run a farm? We don't know the first thing about it. All we know in that area is horses"
"Ya'll are good with horses?"
"Yeah, we been riding all our lives"
"Well great, you could buy some horses and start ya a trail ridin' operation. Bo and me could help ya with the rest"
"You seem awful anxious for us to stay"
"I am"
"Why?"
"I don't know, something's come over me since you came to town. I ain't never felt this way about a girl before and believe me I've had my share of girlfriends. But there's something about you. Your special"
"You're a sweet talker"
"It may be sweet talk but it's true. In the short time that you've been here, I think I've started to fall for you" Luke said as he looked at the straw in his hand shyly.
"Luke, do you mean that?"
"I ain't never meant anything more in my life. I don't think I could stand to see you go"
"I'm not sure I could stand to go"
At that Luke's head shot up till his eyes met hers.
"Does that mean you'll stay?" "I don't know, I need to talk to Cherokee but I'd sure like to try"
As soon as Heather finished the sentence Luke was on his feet picking up the contents of their picnic.
"Well let's git on back to the farm and have a talk with her"
"Ok" Heather laughed at Luke's excitement as she helped clean up.
They jumped into Daisy's jeep and headed for home.