Chapter 75 - Independence Day!

Cooter hadn't got up early and headed for Placid County this morning like most of his friends had and like he was supposed to have done, but he'd had a very busy morning. He had gotten up early and packed a bag with a few changes of clothes. Then, he had gotten to the garage long before his father would be there to open. Cooter parked his Camero that he should be racing in a few hours outside the garage, unlocked the door to the office area and went into the dark office. After turning on the lights, Cooter went to the cash register and opened it. Under the empty change tray Cooter saw that his dad had left his pay envelope right where he needed it to be. He took the cash out of the envelope and put it in his wallet with the cash he'd made last night hauling a load of moonshine up to Tennessee for Boss Hogg. Cooter had right about four hundred dollars in his wallet as he headed to the work bay.

Out in the bay Cooter got his tool box off the work bench after checking that all his tools were in it. Then he picked up a couple of boxes of specialty tools that he'd bought over the past few years. Cooter took one more look around to make sure that he wasn't forgetting anything, cut off the lights, locked the garage up, stored the tools in his trunk, made sure his tank was full of gas and headed out of town just like anyone would expect him to do on a race day when the race was out of town.

As Cooter drove toward the County line he knew that he had no other choice than to do what he was doing. He had went over this time and time again in his mind since talking with Beverly on Tuesday, then when he took her out on Wednesday night they had planned to meet up this morning. That was where Cooter was heading right now, to meet Beverly out near the lake.

Cooter was first to arrive as he'd hoped and planned to be as he parked his car just off the road in the planned meeting spot.

Beverly barely saw Cooter's car as she approached place where she was supposed to meet him. She parked in the road as Cooter had told her to do.

Cooter went to the driver's door, "Morning, beautiful."

Beverly smiled at the greeting and replied, "Cooter, I've got something to tell you."

"It can wait, go get in my car. I'll just park this out of the way." Cooter said.

Beverly got out of her father's Dodge that her parents thought she was taking to her friends in Placid County for the night where they were supposed to go to the fairgrounds and watch the races.

Cooter parked the car off the road in a wide spot that wouldn't be seen from the road. He left the keys in the ingnition and locked the car up after getting Beverly's bag from the trunk. After putting the bag in his trunk, Cooter got in his car and turned to Beverly, "Ready?"

Beverly closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "Cooter we don't 'have to' do this..."

Cooter cut her sentence short, "Darlin' I know we don't have to, ... I want to."

"That's not what I meant. I was scared, I paniced..." Beverly said before again being cut off.

"And, for that, I'm sorry. But, there is nothing to worry about, I'll take care of everything." Cooter said trying to comfort her.

Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes and saw how much he cared for her. It made her smile as she continued, "I know you would, but you don't have to, ... Cooter, I'm not pregnant, ... I started Thursday."

Cooter had not expected to hear anything like this today. Before he could respond he thought about what he would say as he heard Beverly's words in his mind again. "Cooter, I'm not pregnant, ... I started Thursday." Cooter was sure that his heart has stopped and restarted several times since talking to Beverly in the same place Tuesday evening. Now as his heart again started to beat, he had a choice, ...

Beverly added, "We can go on to Placid as planned. You can run the race. I'll stay with Jenny. We can come home tomorrow like nothing ever happened."

Cooter heard Beverly, part of him was relieved, yet, ... somewhere deep down, ... part of him was disappointed. Very disappointed. Cooter took in a deep breath and began to speak, "Beverly you are right about all that and you may think I'm crazy, I've been accused of it many times, but hear me out." He paused, "Every since we talked Tuesday, ... well Ok, let me change that, ... every since I woke up on Wednesday, I have thought of nothing but being with you. I've worked extra hours, taken extra jobs and I've checked into a few things. There is a place in Tennessee that we can go, we can get married without your father's permission. I can get a job at this little garage there. I've got more tools in the trunk than they have there... Beverly, I love you. I don't care if you aren't pregnant. I still want to be with you." Cooter paused a long moment before swallowing the lump in his throat and continuing as he took her hand, "Beverly Hibbs I love you with all my heart, will you marry me? ... Today? We'll go right now, just like we planned."

Beverly had figured as soon as she told Cooter she wasn't pregnant that he'd have jumped for joy and ran the other way. She had not been prepared for the words of love he had just spoke to her. She was speechless for a long moment before saying very quietly, "You really mean that?"

Cooter wasn't sure where his mouth had gotten all those words, but replied, "Yeah, ... I really mean all that."

Beverly was trembling from the inside out as she tried to think rationally. There was no reason that they couldn't wait now that she knew that she wasn't pregnant. She'd be eighteen soon and then her father wouldn't have any say so at all. Then she remembered the night at the lake in Cooter's arms. Suddenly, thinking rationally had went out the window as she smiled at him and said quietly, "Let's go."

It was something Cooter had never imagined himself saying or doing, but if he'd pictured him ever proposing marriage to a girl he was sure that it would have been much different. But for now, those two words were all he needed, "Let's go." he heard Beverly again in his mind. Cooter didn't need to be told twice as he fired up the powerful engine and headed as quickly as he dared toward the County line and beyond that the Tennessee border some six hours away.

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After finding out that the track was giving the winners a bit more time to go over their bikes and cars for the next round by letting the losers of each division race another round, the Dukes decided to head over to Tri-Counties jail for a short visit with John and Karen. Luke let Bo drive his car since he was being joined in the backseat by Amber. Jeb left his bike, well the one he was borrowing from Blake with him and road to the jail with his cousins.

On the way to the jail the boys explained to Amber a bit about why John and Karen were guests at the jail. Once they were at the jail, Amber waited in the car while the boys went to visit their family. After getting checked in they were told they could visit both John and Karen for twenty minutes each. The boys figured to save time and give Jeb some privacy with both Karen and John by having both called at he same time. Bo and Luke would visit with one for ten minutes while Jeb the other, then trade booths with Jeb.

The visitation booths were small rooms with a metal and glass wall between the inmate and the visitor. There was a small mesh area for sound to pass through but nothing else. A door separated the visitors for some privacy, while the inmates were separated by a cinder block wall with a locked steel door behind them.

Karen had been brought down first and put in the booth where Bo and Luke were waiting. Of course, Jeb did stick his head in and tell her he'd be over there to see her in a few minutes.

John was then locked in the booth beside his daughter, which was unknown to him at the time. Jeb was in the other side of the booth waiting to see his father.

After a very short, very awkward visit Karen and John were returned to their cells and the boys were back on their way to the race track.

Bo decided to break the silence as he drove, "What do you think about Sharon Jones being in there with Karen?" Karen had told Luke about his friend's girlfriend being there and on her way to being gone awhile.

Luke sighed a long sigh before replying, "I've been trying to tell him she ran around with the wrong bunch for awhile now. Hopefully, he'll find someone else while she is gone and forget all about her."

Bo nodded, 'yes', "Maybe." He replied as they stopped at the gate and showed they had already entered the events.

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Once they got parked the boys were off to the registration tent to see what they had missed since they had been gone. In the first race, Andrew Short had raced Jeff Ward from Chickasaw County that Jeb had previously beaten. Jeff Ward had won that race and would move on to race again.

In the second race, Bobby Moore had raced Jill Dobbs brother, Jamie Dobbs. Bo was glad to see that Jamie had won that race.

In race three, Jeremy Lusk who had been lucky to get to the finish line in his first race, was beaten by Mark Jones who had been beaten earlier by Jeb and Blake's friend Kevin Windham.

In the final bike race, James Stewart from Hatacapee had some how managed to loose to Greg Wilson who Blake had beaten earlier. Jeb knew he'd only ran a couple of races before this event, so his win took Jeb by surprise.

In the cars, Ernie Ledbetter had beaten out Matt Spies to move on. Luke swore under his breath when he seen that Ernie would still be lurking around.

In the second race, Turk Folly came out on top of Jake Peters from Placid County, who according to Jeb was pretty good. So that should indicate that Turk may have lost the first round but should be watched if Bo or Luke ever went up against him in the future.

Bo seen that in the last race Joe Fox who had jumped the light on him, had also lost to Adam Lilly of Chickasaw County.

The next round of events wouldn't start for some time now so the boys and Amber headed off toward the vendors for a light lunch, before the boys changed back into their racing suits for the afternoon's events.

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At the Duke Farm in Placid County, Daisy had been helping to get the wash done as well as other household chores that needed to be done. She had never figured that two small babies could dirty up so many diapers, clothes and linen.

Pauline sat down a platter of garden vegetables to go with the cold cuts and cheese that Daisy had gotten out with a pitcher of iced tea.

As they sat down for a bite of lunch while the twins napped, Daisy said, "Aunt Pauline I saw the paper yesterday about all the stuff at the fair grounds this weekend. I know I'm here to help you and all, but would you mind if I went over later this evening to watch the fireworks?"

Pauline suddenly felt really guilty. She knew that her niece would likely have been out at the fair grounds all day with the others if it weren't for her being home alone with the twins. She replied, "We're pretty much done here for the day. After lunch if you help me get Jeb's room set up for the boys you can go on out."

"No, I'll wait until we get the girls fed, bathed and down for the evening before I go." Daisy said, then added, "Sure I'd like to be there to see Bo race, but the big races aren't until tomorrow, so I'm good just seeing the fireworks."

"Ok, Dear, if you are sure." Pauline said.

Daisy replied, "I'm sure, really."

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For the first time in a long time Jesse Duke was home on the farm alone. The morning chores had been taken care of before the boys left this morning and most anything the boys could have done early already had been done. Jesse had checked the garden and brought in some green beans which he was now sitting on the porch with a glass of iced tea as he cleaned them. Before long he found that he was having a regular conversation with Maudlin who was beside the porch having a bit of lunch. "Sure is nice and quiet around here today ain't it girl? Yes, Ma'am, you and old Henrietta over there don't have to worry about any of those danged fool kids come sliding in here today and scaring you both. Nope they shouldn't be back until late tomorrow night. Even that blamed Cooter was going to enter his car in the race and he has trouble walking up right some days, so you all can just relax and have the run of the place." Jesse frowned, and then looked around to make sure no one was watching him, "The kids haven't been gone half a day yet and I'm sitting out here having a conversation with a blamed mule!"

Maudlin promptly brayed, 'Eeyore, eeyore.'

Jesse finished his tea and began picking up the beans, "I think I'll just head over to the Boar's Nest and have a bit of lunch before people think I've gone plumb loco."

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By early afternoon Cooter and Beverly had crossed into the small Tennessee County where more than a little Hazzard moonshine had been bought. Cooter had never paid the sleepy little place much attention until he'd made a run up there Friday night for Boss Hogg and while he was he'd managed to check into a few things.

Cooter pulled up and parked on Main Street at a parking meter. From the car he could see the house he'd been told about with the sign on the porch reading "Justice of the Peace". As Cooter cut the engine he saw another sign across the quite street that interested him, "Pawn Shop".

Beverly had felt butterflies in her stomach from time to time since she'd left her house this morning but since she and Cooter had crossed into Tennessee the butterflies now felt like bats. She could feel herself trembling as Cooter shut off the car.

Cooter turned in the seat and took Beverly's hand in his left as he put his right arm around her shoulders, "Are you sure about this?" Cooter asked as he also was having issues with butterflies of his own. He was sure he'd felt Beverly tremble. As Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes, suddenly his butterflies left and he was more sure of his plans today than he had been of anything in awhile.

Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes and said just above a whisper, "I'm excited... I'm nervous... I'm happy... I'm scared... But, more than anything, ... I love you."

"That's enough for me, the rest we can deal with together. Beverly, I love you and want you to be my wife. After we're married and after you turn eightteen there won't be anything your father or anyone else can do about it." Cooter said.

"I hope you are right. Daddy has 'friends' that like his money that can make things happen." Beverly said.

Cooter replied, "I've heard about your father. Trust me, it will be alright."

Beverly nodded 'yes', "Alright, so what do we do first?"

Cooter smiled back at her, "I think I want to head over to the pawn shop first."

Beverly replied, "Alright." Though she didn't have a clue why Cooter would want to go there. She was surprised to see that Cooter had taken them right to the jewerly counter of the small shop.

At the counter, Cooter asked the man to see the wedding bands. "Pick out what you like." he said to Beverly.

"Me?" she asked surprised.

"You are the one going to be wearing it after all." Cooter said.

Beverly replied without thinking about her reply, "You're not going to wear a wedding band?"

In all truth, Cooter had never thought about it one way or another, he had wanted to give his bride his ring.

The man behind the counter spoke up as he noticed the girl wasn't wearing an engagement ring, "I have a few really nice sets. Here let me show you."

Before he knew what happened Cooter found himself looking at and buying a ring set. As he handed the man the hundred dollar bill Cooter knew he had just spent about four times what he'd planned on when he walked in the door, but if it made Beverly happy then he'd just have to watch his spendings a bit closer than he planned. He watched as Beverly was happily looking at the small diamond on her left hand. Cooter couldn't explain how proud of her he was right now as they made their way across the street toward the Justice of the Peace's home and office.

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The loud speaker came to life, "I need all riders that won in the first motorcycle event this morning to get lined up for their next round."

Jeb took a drink of his lemonade and handed it off to Bo, "That's me. I got to go."

Bo and Luke both spoke together, "Good luck." "Be Careful."

Jeb threw up his hand in response as he was already heading toward his bike. Jeb would be running the first race against Charlie Sun. Jeb had met him through Blake and knew he was pretty good.

Charlie took off his hat showing his muddy brown hair as he stuffed his hat in his racing suit before putting on his helment.

Jeb had just pulled up to get set up.

Charlie knew the bike Jeb was on. It was Blake's. It clearly had more horses than his did, but the younger man was just learning to race. Charlie knew that this race was going to be pretty equal if the kid could keep that bike under him.

Jeb managed to be first off the line and did indeed keep the bike under him all the way to the finish line just a split second in front of Charlie Sun. This meant that Jeb would advance to Round Three and Charlie would move to the Loser's Bracket to run the winner of the last Losing Round. (Name will be in RED on chart on Live Journal. See profile page for link.)

In the next round, Matt Kinnison beat out Josh Grant to move on.

No one that knew Kevin Windham was surprised when he finished a good distance in front of Gary Jones who was just lucky to keep his bike on two wheels so far the whole day.

In the final race of this round Jeb's buddy, Blake Horton beat out Blair Morgan from over in Hatacapee County and would move on to race Matt Kinnison in the next round.

Once again the loud speaker crackled to life, "Well, ALRIGHT! It looks like our four winners will move on to race each other tomorrow. Now, I need the winners of the car races this morning to line up for us one more time."

In the first race Enos Strate would be lining up against Mike Faykus. With the money that Faykus's family had sunk into the car it was no wonder that he left Enos sitting still and moving to the Loser's Bracket.

In the second race, Mark McCormick was able to hold off Dobro Doolin for the win.

Bo looked over to his right as he tightened the strap on his helmet. Beside him was his childhood friend, Brodie Smith. Bo knew deep down that Luke's car had more horsepower than Brodie's ride. Part of him would have at least liked for his friend to have a fighting chance, but Bo was out to win and make a name for him and / or his cousin. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter with determination as the lights signaled 'go'. When the dust had cleared, Bo was the winner by a half track, leaving Brodie to move to the Loser's Bracket.

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As the racing action continued in Placid County, Cooter knocked on the door of the Justice of the Peace. When the door opened he was greeted by an older gentleman that could have passed for Burl Ive's twin.

The older man asked, "Can I help you?"

Cooter advised, "We'd like to be married, today."

The older man sized up the young man and the girl that appeared to be a bit younger. "Come on in." Once the couple was inside his office the older man asked, "Do you have proper identification?"

Cooter advised, "We both have our drivers license and birth certificates. I was told that is all that we would need and that we could get the license from you since the courthouse is closed on Saturdays."

The older man gave him a small smile to try to calm the young man down a bit, "Yes, that is correct, you've done your homework." He took the birth certificates and licenses from Cooter. As he studied them carefully, he said, "I take it that there will be no family joining you for the ceremony?"

Cooter merely replied, "No."

"Is there a reason for being in such a hurry to get married today? Are you two running away or what?" The Justice asked.

Cooter thought quickly remembering the date, "No, Sir. Actually, we plan to move here. We couldn't think of a better day to start a new life together and want to stand on our own two feet."

"Well I guess that July 4th is as good a day as any to be independent. The identification is in order, I'll just fill out the license and get the Mrs. as a witness and we'll be ready." The older man said as he opened his desk for the license, "There is an additional fee for the license and I'll only be able to give you an unofficial copy of the marriage license. I'll file the official one at the courthouse on Monday, then you can get an official copy with a seal on it to be able to get the young lady's name changed and such."

Beverly spoke up a bit confused, "So, we won't be legally married until Monday?"

Cooter listened carefully, this was something he really wanted to know, especially having an underage girl with him across more than one state line.

The older man tried to hide his amusement. "Oh, no you'll be legally married in every sense of the word, it's just you won't have an official document until Monday."

Both Beverly and Cooter breathed a bit easier as they watched the Justice fill out the paperwork.

As the Justice wrote he mentioned, "We tend to get a lot of folks from other parts getting married here. I reckon maybe it has to do with the age requirements being just a lower here."

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Live Journal will be updated soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing.