So here's part two. Thanks to the one person who reviewed. Thanks also to those who read.
"Bo, Luke," Cooter greeted. Though both were tall with blue eyes, that was all they had in common. The dark haired one was shorter and stockier than the blond who was a couple inches taller and leaner. Lizzy was instantly wary of the blond but wasn't sure why. At least not until he spoke.
"She's cute, Cooter. What's she doing with a guy like you?" The blond asked.
"Bo!" the dark haired one snapped. Lizzy figured he must be Luke if he was snapping at Bo. "I'm sorry Miss; my cousin has a horrible tendency to talk before thinking things through. I'm Luke Duke and this is my cousin Bo."
So Lizzy had been right about who was who. "With friends like Bo," she said to Cooter, "I can see why not many girls hang around."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bo snapped.
"Before you opened your mouth, your blond hair, blue eyes, and charming smile told me that Cooter rarely ever stands a chance against you. Then you opened your mouth and not only did you insult your friend and his good judgment but you also insulted the girl and 90% of them won't want to stick around for that." Lizzy answered.
"Well, no offense but you're not running for the hills," Luke said.
"I've got three older brothers; I'm made of tougher stuff than that. Are you two friends with Cooter?"
"He's like family."
"Then have a seat."
"We wouldn't want to intrude," Luke said.
"It's no intrusion really," Lizzy said. Both boys looked at Cooter who smiled weakly. "Come on Coot, I've got all summer to get to know you and the best way is seeing you with your friends."
"We really wouldn't feel right interrupting your date here," Luke told her.
"First off you already did and secondly ew, that is wrong on a whole lot of levels."
"Lizzy's just a real good friend."
Lizzy stared at him wondering why he would say that but went with it since he knew his friends better than she did. "I've known him for a while and he's like family. I live over in Chickasaw but I'll be spending the summer here." Bo and Luke took seats at the table. They took turns telling stories about themselves and Cooter and by the end of the night Lizzy felt like they were old friends. Well, old friends she was just starting to get to know again. As they walked out to Cooter's truck to head home, Lizzy spotted something she couldn't believe she was seeing. "Oh, no way, is that really what I think it is?"
"What?" Cooter asked.
"That orange car, is that really the General Lee?" Lizzy explained still in deep shock.
"You know about the General Lee?"
"Of course I do. Almost everybody in the tri-county area knows about the General. Is he really a '69 Charger?"
"Would you like to meet him?" Bo asked, suddenly appearing beside her.
"If that's really the General Lee, I'd love to race him," Lizzy answered, looking up at Bo. "It's just too bad my car's in the shop."
Bo led her over to his car and Liz took a peek inside the car. "Oh, you meant against him. I'll have to take you up on that someday."
"He's beautiful. Is it true he's never lost a race?"
"Yup."
"Would you mind firing him up?" Bo reached through the window and started the engine. A chill ran down Lizzy's back as the car came to life. "There is almost nothing sweeter than the sound of horses thundering underneath a hood unless of course it's real horses thundering."
"You race horses?" Bo asked.
"Barrel race. Thanks for showing me. He really is a sweet car."
"Maybe one day I can show you what he can do."
"Well, I am in town all summer."
"I'll see you later then."
"Luke, it was a pleasure," Lizzy said, turning to the other cousin.
"Sure," Luke answered.
On the ride back to his farm, Cooter looked at his sister. "What was that all about?" he asked.
"What? Me and Bo?" Cooter nodded. "Nothing, just an appreciation for a very nice car. It's like seeing the Batmobile or Herbie the Love Bug in person. Just a nice car. If I was flirting it was only so later he'll show me the engine or let me drive it just once."
"Seems a little mean."
"Would you rather I go out with one of your friends?"
"Point taken."
The next day Liz returned to Chickasaw to pack a bag and check on Diablo. "How's he doing, Todd?" Lizzy asked as she walked into the barn where her horse was in his stall. Todd was watching the horse from a distance almost as if sizing him up and wondering what to do about him.
"Being his ornery self."
"Aw, don't say that, he's a sweetheart." She approached her horse in his stall.
"To you," Todd answered as his sister took the horse's face in her hands and stroked his nose.
"He likes you too Todd, you know it." Lizzy glanced back at her red haired brother.
"The best of our brothers maybe, but he's still an ornery pony."
"Only because you keep calling him that. If you didn't, he'd show you some love too." Diablo bobbed his head in agreement and Lizzy laughed.
"What's it matter? I don't have to deal with him."
"Actually I was hoping you'd be an amazing big brother and look after him for me this summer."
"I am an amazing big brother and I do love you but—"
"Please Todd? I'd ask Sean but he travels all summer with the rodeo. You work with Dad and you're good with horses, please?" Lizzy begged.
"You know the rule. Horses first then boys. You agreed to it when we bought him."
"I'll promise you my next two prize checks."
"Deal!" Todd agreed. Even with souping up his car and feeding her horse he'd still have plenty to go out with his girlfriend a few times. "How did the meet go?"
"Okay I guess."
"Your biological parents weren't mad?" Todd asked.
"They're, um, dead." Lizzy stared at her horse to avoid her brother's prying eyes.
"I'm sorry. I know how tough that is." Even though Todd had been six when his parents had died, he didn't remember much about them and by the time he was old enough to fully comprehend everything, it had hurt to find out that he couldn't learn that much about his time before the Jacksons.
"Yeah. I mean I didn't really know them so I can't be too upset about it but they still gave birth to me."
"Then where are you going this summer if they aren't around? Did they leave you their place to dig through?"
"Kinda," Lizzy paused, taking the moment to lean forward and rub her horse's nose again. "I have a brother. A biological brother. His name is Cooter. Don't you dare." Lizzy glared back at him to keep him from making fun of her brother. Todd innocently held his hands up. "He's about Sean's age, maybe older. Anyway I ..." she sighed and told him what she had found out.
"Sounds like they fell on real hard times and couldn't afford two children. They wanted you to have better and I'm sure they loved you very much."
"Thanks. I guess I just want to get to know my brother. I grew up with three very amazing brothers and though I don't need another, having one wouldn't hurt."
"If he's not as great as we are?"
"At least I'll know right?"
"Good luck, Mouse. You know had I known that was the reason you'd be out of town this summer, I'd have done it for free, but you've already promised your two checks so I guess you're stuck."
"Or you could be the best big brother ever—"
"Oh please, Sean and I both know we don't—and can't—hold a candle to Henry. He takes you to NASCAR races and he taught you to drive."
"Worth a shot." Lizzy shrugged.
"You know I love you, kid," Todd answered. If she kept pushing he would eventually do it for free, he certainly wouldn't mention the checks again, but he knew she would drop it.
"I know Todd, and no matter what happens with Cooter, you three will always be my brothers. I hope you know that."
"I can't believe you actually have a sibling, by blood." She was the only one that did.
"Thanks again."
"Sure and your car is done. Dad has the bill."
Lizzy took Diablo for a ride then picked up her car and drove off, back to Hazzard.
"Whoa!" Cooter said when Lizzy pulled up outside of the garage.
"Hey, Coot," Lizzy said, sliding out of the car. "Meet the Mouse-mobile."
"Nice car."
Lizzy popped the hood and they both looked at the engine. "3 speed auto."
"Very nice. Solid engine work, nice paint job. I love the mouse." Right on the hood of the car was a grey cartoon mouse.
"My mom drew it, my dad enlarged it to a stencil, and I painted it. I've had to replace it twice. First time I crashed it into a fence post and the second time someone dropped a piano on it. Don't ask I can't explain it."
"Okay." Cooter smiled. "I can see him as a definite competitor."
"Thanks."
Lizzy did eventually get to see under the General's hood when the Duke boys brought him in. "What do you think's wrong?" Cooter asked his sister.
"I've been here for two weeks, you should know by now I can diagnose almost any engine problem by listening to it run. And they have a busted radiator. That's not going to be cheap to fix."
"How much were you looking at?" Luke asked.
Lizzy told him the price and he swallowed sharing a look with Bo. Bo gave Lizzy a grin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He led her away from the car and smiled again. "So you'd love to see what he can do."
"Yeah but I ain't trading that for labor costs."
"No, I was thinking that Friday after you finish maybe we could take it for a little test drive."
"Sure," Lizzy answered. "Can I ask ya a question?"
"Fire away."
"Do you really think there is anything you can say to distract me from what your cousin is saying?"
"I was hoping, not because I don't think you could handle it or because of what you'd think, I just know how Cooter gets and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea of him."
"Okay." Lizzy let go of the subject with Bo but picked it up with Cooter. "You let them get away with only paying you the price of parts plus a couple of beers?"
"They're family, Liz."
"The only thing Dad let me get away with was using his tools. If he did the work the labor cost is full price."
"You told me there was a 40% family discount."
"If Todd does the work and that's only because he tells my dad I helped him."
"It's complicated Lizzy. Please, don't," Cooter nearly begged. Seeing he wasn't going to give in, Lizzy sighed and let the subject go until two days later when the sheriff's bill was paid off with three of Cooter's unpaid parking tickets.
"How do you even make money? The sheriff pays his bills with your citations, the Dukes get free labor. I'm not trying to judge you, Coot, but things are sure different in this county."
"Oil changes, towing fees, things of that nature."
"Oh. Okay."
"Are you going out with Bo tonight?"
"We're not going out; he's just showing me what his car can do."
"If you say so."
Lizzy was impressed by how he flew; down dusty back roads, around curves, and over ditches. The car could really fly.
Two more weeks passed and Lizzy really got to know the Dukes and Cooter but one day Lizzy had to propose a deal to Cooter because he wouldn't stop asking about her and Bo and what was going on between them. "You don't ask about me and Bo, I won't ask about your labor costs."
"Deal," Cooter agreed. Not long after that Bo and Luke stopped by to invite Lizzy to dinner and they wouldn't take no for an answer. Lizzy finally agreed, not knowing she'd find the answer she was looking for that night.
After a fabulous dinner made by Daisy, Lizzy volunteered to help with the dishes but Daisy refused stating the boys would help her so Lizzy sat down on the couch in the living room staring at her hands as the radio played softly in the background. "The boys tell me you have good car." Jesse said as he sat down in the armchair.
"Yes sir. He can tear up the backroads like nobody's business but he doesn't exactly fly like the General."
"Everyone around here calls me Uncle Jesse."
"Yes, sir."
"So do you race?"
"Powderpuff league. It's not quite as competitive but it fills my summer. I've got a race over in Hatchapee this weekend. The Stacy Gillman stakes race."
"Good luck. How long are you going to be in Hazzard?"
"Until the end of August. That's when most of the barrel races move back to the south." Jesse nodded and the living room went quiet again. "Mr. Duke," Lizzy said two songs later. At his insistent look she corrected herself, "Uncle Jesse, Cooter told me that growing up he and Luke were close. Luke is one of his best friends."
"Yes, you could say that."
"Then you knew my parents?"
"I did. It was a true shame when Martin and Helen died. Cooter wasn't the same for weeks after the funerals."
"I know things were tough back then, sometimes families go through rough times, but why would a family give up their youngest child and not their oldest?"
"I was there the day you were born. Cooter was so excited to have a new sibling. There are almost as many years between Bo and Luke as there are between you and Cooter. Because Cooter is so much older than you, your parents worried about how it would affect him to be put up for adoption. He knew what adoption meant and he had strong memories of both of them. They fell on really hard times but—"
"They didn't want to hurt Cooter emotionally because he was old enough to understand they were giving him up."
"Yes, they only wanted what was best for you."
"Thank you, Uncle Jesse."
"So where exactly are you staying while you're in town?" Bo asked as he made himself comfortable next to her.
"With Cooter. His farmhouse has plenty of room."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Bo asked.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Luke asked.
"I told you Cooter was family. By that I meant he's my brother. I don't know why he didn't tell y'all but it's no big deal."
"How come you didn't ever tell us you had a sister?" Luke asked gently, looking at Cooter.
"Times were tough when she was born. As much as my parents loved her they couldn't make it with two kids."
"They gave me up for adoption because they didn't want to hurt Cooter. A 10 year old gets adopted and for the rest of his life he wonders what he did wrong. A baby on the other hand may never know."
"Are you upset?" Cooter asked.
"No, their reasoning makes sense and I was happy." Lizzy smiled at her brother and he nodded.
"So what are you going to do now that you know the reason?" Bo asked.
"I could go home but that is only part of the reason I came out here so I guess I'm still going to stay to find out all I can about my big brother. I mean I've missed 21 years, I don't want to miss any more," Lizzy answered.
By the end of July, Lizzy and Cooter got along great. She still had yet to race against the General but she was okay with that, for the most part. Then in the first week of August on that Thursday Lizzy got a phone call that shattered her world.
"Hazzard Garage," Lizzy answered. She was helping Cooter lock up for the night when the phone had rung.
"Mousey, it's Mama."
Leslie rarely ever called Lizzy Mousey, she usually called her Lizard. "What's wrong Mama?"
"Your father was working in the garage when he slipped on some motor oil. He's gone into a coma."
"What? How?"
"He must have hit his head. Knocked himself out. I'm sorry, Mousey."
"Where is he?"
"Tri-county hospital."
"I'm on my way."
"Sweetheart," Leslie started.
"I know he wouldn't want me to make a fuss, but I have to."
"Okay."
Lizzy hung up and rushed out to her car. "Liz? What's wrong?" Cooter asked.
"My dad ... I have ... I gotta go," Lizzy answered.
"What?"
"Later." She fired up her car and tore out of town.
Well there you have her reaction to Bo, Luke, and Jesse. Will her dad be okay? Will she ever come back to Hazzard? Any other questions you want to know the answer to? Just review and let me know.