Beauty is Only Skin Deep

Chapter 11

It was seven months later that the trial of Nick Gionelli began with Maddie being one of the star witnesses to the case, and Bo and the rest of the Dukes were by her side every step of the way. Even though the trial lasted well over three weeks, it only took the jury a couple of days to decide Gionelli's fate of being guilty of several cases of First Degree Murder. He was promptly hauled off to prison to await the judge's decision of whether or not he would be spending life in prison or if he would be facing the death penalty.

During those seven months, Bo and Maddie were seen together almost as much as Bo and Luke were. All of them were glad and relieved when the trial was finally over and they were able to head back home. Once they were back and Maddie had come over that weekend for Sunday dinner following the trial, Bo officially declared his love for her by asking her to marry him, which she immediately accepted, shocking the entire Hazzard community that one of the Duke boys was actually settling down.

Eight months later, the day of the wedding finally arrived and Bo and Maddie were both nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Luke, Bo's best man, watched his cousin with amusement as Bo struggled with the cuff of his tux, trying to get it straight so that he could use the cufflink to secure it. After dropping the cufflink back for the third time, he growled in anger and was just about to throw the rest of it when Luke moved to grab his hand.

"Will ya take it easy?" Luke ordered as he bent over and picked up the fallen piece. I swear you're actin' like a seven year old."

"Is anythin' gonna go right today?" Bo asked in frustration as Luke clipped the cuff for him.

"It hasn't been that bad," Luke consoled.

"Not bad? Luke, the General got a flat on the way here, which I had ta change by myself 'cause ya went with Jesse and Daisy ta pick up Maddie."

"Well I offered ta come with ya but ya ordered me ta drop Daisy and Jesse off here at the church and pick up Maddie, her mother, and her sister," Luke said in his defense. "Cooter would have been more than happy ta have picked them up for ya."

"In his tow truck?" Bo asked in astonishment. "Oh yeah, that would have gone over real big. Besides, the rest of her family needed ta follow ya ta the church."

"First of all, Cooter would have driven Maddie's car instead of his tow truck just like I did instead of Dixie, and second, he could have led the way for her family, ya know," Luke answered in exasperation.

"I know, I know," Bo sighed. "It's just that after I fixed the tire, I ran into one of Rosco's speed traps and he started chasin' me, causin' me ta be even later than I should have been."

"Well ya know he did that just ta wish ya well," Luke offered. "Your last chance ta run away a free man."

Bo turned and gave him an "are ya kiddin' me?" look. "Somehow, I don't think so. If he had his way, the weddin' would have taken place in the jail, with Boss officiatin' it just sos that he could charge for performin' the weddin', and let's not forget ta mention the bail money."

"You've got a point," Luke chuckled. He slowly took a few steps back and looked at his cousin. "I still can't believe that my little cousin is gettin' married. Never thought that ya would be the first one. I always figured it would be Daisy."

"Yeah, me too," Bo smiled and then a look of sadness came over his face. "Ya know with me movin' in with Maddie, I'm sure gonna miss not havin' ya around all the time. Ya gonna miss me?"

"Me? Naw. I'll finally get my own bedroom after all these years," Luke smiled mischievously. "It'll be nice not hearin' ya snore all night long."

"Like you don't?" Bo chuckled.

"I don't snore," Luke protested.

"Oh ya should hear yourself."

Luke was about to answer when there was a knock on the door and Jesse came in, all dressed up in his own tux. "My, my don't ya look nice all gussied up," he said as he looked at his youngest.

"Thanks Uncle Jesse," Bo said slightly embarrassed, before a frantic look crossed his face. "Is everythin' alright out there?"

"Everythin's fine, just fine," Jesse soothed. "Maddie's family is all set and waitin' for the big event, all of 'em excited about their youngest getting married."

"Yeah, they sure seemed ta be," Bo smiled.

"Seems that ya made a pretty good impression on 'em," Jesse grinned.

"Ya don't know how nervous I was when we went ta see her family that first time. I'm not sure who was more protective, her four brothers or her sister."

"They all seemed ta like ya though."

"Maybe it's the fact that ya were the one that saved Maddie's life when Gionelli tried ta shoot her," Luke said with a shrug.

"Maybe. Anyway, I'm just glad that they could all make it. Hey, how's Maddie doin' by the way, Uncle Jesse?"

"Oh, she's just a bit on the nervous side," Jesse answered. "She's worried that you're gonna back out on her."

"I'm gonna back out?" Bo yelled out in surprise. "I can't believe that she would think that I would do that ta her." He started heading towards the door. "I better go have a talk with her before everythin' gets started."

"Now hold on Bo," Luke cried out as he grabbed his cousin's arm effectively pulling him back into the room. "Don't ya know it's bad luck ta see the Bride before the weddin'?"

Besides, she's only got weddin' day jitters just like ya do," Jesse smiled back.

"I'm not nervous," Bo answered looking at Jesse, doing his best to hide how scared he really felt.

"Sure your not," Jesse laughed. "So how come ya had trouble findin' your keys this mornin'?"

"That don't mean that I'm nervous," Bo said in explanation.

"Ya had them in your hand when ya was lookin' for 'em," Jesse grinned.

"Oh."

"Or the fact that ya only ate half of the breakfast that ya normally do," Luke chipped in.

Bo couldn't help but grin sheepishly. "I think that had somethin' more ta do with the last minute bachelor party you, Cooter, and Maddie's brothers threw for me yesterday."

"Oh yeah," Luke said with a shrug, still feeling the effects of that party himself.

"Besides, your Aunt Lavinia and I were the same way when we got married," Jesse encouraged. "Everythin' that could go wrong did and it still was the most wonderful day of our lives. We spent thirty-two wonderful years together before the Good Lord took her from me. The best thirty-two years I'd ever known. Now don't ya go a worryin' about what else could go wrong today. Ya just get yourself married ta that girl. She's a keeper in my book."

"Thanks again, Uncle Jesse. I really appreciate it," Bo said as he hugged his uncle. He then turned to Luke. "And thanks Luke, for everythin' that you've done." He also gave his cousin a hug.

"Anytime Bo," Luke smiled. "And I mean that. Ya call me anytime that ya need my help."

"I will."

"Now do like Jesse says and go get yourself married," Luke ordered as he patted Bo on the back and then gave him a serious look. "Ya know somethin', I'm kinda jealous of ya."

"Of me?"

"Well yeah. You're marryin' a great girl there, Bo. The kind of girl that I hope ta marry someday."

"Don't worry, Luke, ya will. I know that you'll marry a girl as wonderful as Maddie," Bo smiled.

"Thanks buddy," Luke grinned. "Now let's get ya married."

01 01 01 01

"Maddie, will ya please stand still," Daisy cried out in exasperation. "We can't fix your train if ya don't stay still." Maddie was nervously looking at herself in the full-length mirror trying to watch as her mother, her sister, and Daisy fixed her dress.

"I'm sorry, Daisy," Maddie cried out, tears trying to form in her eyes. "It's just that everything is going wrong."

"Leslie, if you don't calm down, I'm going to sock you one and a black eye will definitely make for a lovely wedding picture," her sister Ann said as she tugged on her arm making her stand up straight once again.

"Ann, leave your sister alone, she's just nervous," Mrs. Bergman ordered her eldest daughter.

"I know that, Mom. Why do you think I'm talking to her like that?" Ann grinned back. "If I treat her any differently than I normally do, she'll only get worse."

Mrs. Bergman gave Ann a look that would rival Uncle Jesse's but ended up smiling at her knowing that Ann was right and that she was just trying to calm her sister down. "Alright Leslie, just take a deep breath and try to relax."

Maddie did as she was told but ended up taking a shuttering breath instead. "I can't. I just can't help but think that Bo is going to back out on me. What if he does? What do I do then?"

Daisy stood up and grabbed Maddie by the arms and looked directly into her eyes. "Sugar, Bo has no intensions of leavin' ya at the alter. He loves ya too much ta do that."

Maddie looked back at Daisy and saw the sincerity in her eyes. "A...are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure," Daisy smiled back. "I've never seen Bo like this with any other girl he was with. He's hooked and he's not about ta let ya go."

Maddie couldn't help but return the smile. "Thanks, Daisy. I think I needed to hear that. It's just with everything going wrong, I was beginning to think that Bo was next."

"Oh honey, everything that's gone wrong today means nothing," Mrs. Bergman said as she took her daughter's hand in hers. "I can just feel it. You two are going to be so happy together."

"Thanks Mom, thanks Daisy, thanks Ann," Maddie said as she hugged all three women. "I don't know what I would have done without you today."

"Probably fall apart," Ann laughed back as she stood up with her hands on her hips, giving her sister a stern look. "Now stand still so that we can fix that train and get you married!"

"Okay!" Maddie shouted back at her sister, a big smile plastered on her face.

01 01 01 01

After all the fuss and worrying about everything going wrong, the wedding finally started. Bo stared in awe as Maddie walked down the aisle towards him and Maddie herself was proud of the fact that she didn't trip as she headed towards the altar. The ceremony itself was short and simple, just the way the two of them wanted it, and when the pastor finally introduced the couple to the rest of the guests, a large cheer went up through the church on the Duke side, soon followed by an equally resounding cheer from Maddie's side of the family. Bo and Maddie couldn't help but laugh at how their families and friends were carrying on. Bo's smile was so wide as he escorted his new bride back down the aisle that Luke thought he was going to bust.

The reception was held at the Boars Nest, much to Boss' delight, even though Lulu wouldn't allow him to charge the Dukes the full price like he wanted to. Boss wasn't too upset about that though. In fact, he was in such good spirits that day that he offered his best batch of shine, free of charge in celebration of the big event, only charging each guest a dollar for the use of their glass.

Jesse himself was in such a good mood that he alternated dancing between Mrs. Bergman and Ms. Tizdale all afternoon, both women smitten by his Duke charm. The rest of the day went by quickly and soon Bo and Maddie were on their way to the Atlanta airport to catch their flight for their Alaskan Cruise honeymoon--the day turning out to be perfect after all since Bo and Maddie now had each other in their lives.

No, it's not over with yet. One more to go!