by: Essy Jane

Well, Laurel and Paige got up that morning. They looked at their room. “You do realize this is the last time we’re goanna actually sleep in the same room together?” Paige asked her sister. Laurel laughed. She stretched and looked out into the dark horizon that was portrayed through her window.

“You know, I was so excited about getting married,” Laurel answered. She looked at the picture sitting on the mantle in her room. It was of Jose, Jesse, Paige and herself. “Now I wonder if I’m ready.”

“Oh come on, you drive as good as a Duke.”

“This is true.”

“You and Jesse were in archery class together, you got that part down. Besides, you and Jess are always finishing each other’s sentences. You have the same likes and dislikes.”

“I know and he was my first kiss when I was four. I love him…I just wonder if he feels as nervous as I do. I’m afraid I won’t make a good wife. I’m afraid of the D word.”

“Divorce?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to marry a million and three guys. I want this one to be long-lasting.”

“I know what you mean. I was frightened about that. You know what Jesse told me?”

“Jesse gave you advice.”

“Uh huh. Jesse said: if you worry about divorce your whole marriage then it will probably happen.” Laurel shook her head and smiled.

“Sounds like him.”

“Oh there’s more. He said that he loves you more than life its self. Jesse told me to walk into marriage with both eyes wide open and when you get into marriage, you need to keep your eyes half closed.”

“What does he mean by that?”

“Know who you’re marrying and when you get into it, do it with a whole heart.”

“What about the whole spur about eyes half shut? What does that mean?”

“Well after you’re married, don’t always look for the faults. Look for the goods.” Laurel smiled.

“Well he has a lot of those.”

“Jose says Jesse snores a little.”

“Jesse says Jose talks in his sleep.” They looked at each other and laughed. “You haven’t given Jesse any tips on me have you?” Paige’s eyes shifted. She winked.

“Don’t worry Laurel, he has to find something out about you. I wouldn’t ruin your experience as a married. I did tell him one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Watch out, you jump cars just as good as he does.” Laurel smiled and walked over to her sister’s beds. “Oh, you know what is going to be funny?”

“What?”

“Not only will they be cousins…”

“But they’ll be brothers now. I never thought of that.”

“I’m goanna miss you.”

“Hey, I’m a phone call away. You will never have to worry about missing me.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” They gave each other a big hug.

Back at the Duke Farm, Jose was more nervous than a dog that needed to go outside. Now let me tell you ladies and gentlemen, that’s pretty dang nervous. Jesse was watching him as he got dressed. He couldn’t help but laugh. “What? What is so funny?” Jose questioned.

“Well, we’re goanna go and do some last minute farm work,” Jesse began.

“Yeah I know.” Jesse began to laugh even harder than before. He shook his head. “JESSE! Don’t laugh at me. Why are you laughing?”

“No reason in particular…”

“You better tell me!”

“You’re too tense, why don’t we go down stairs and cook something?”

“I have been baking all night. I went to bed at two in the morning.”

“Yeah, I heard you stomp in. No wonder the pantry door was ajar.”

“Tell me!”

“Tell you what?”

“Why were you laughing at me?”

“Oh alright.” Jesse pointed down to what he was wearing. Jose went red in the face. “You’re already wearing your tux. Unless you want a grubby tux, I suggest you take it off and put on some old fashion jeans. If someone comes over, they’ll think a movie star has come over to do our farm work while we’re getting married.”

“You’re not funny.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Look, I have a bad feeling about today…it’s in my gut and it won’t go away. Tell me Jess, is your toe sore?” Jesse nodded softly.

“That could mean anything.”

“No, something’s goanna happen.”

“Nothing’s going to happen during our wedding…Paige and Laurel will come down the aisle and we…”

“Are goanna get rain…that’s gotta be it.” Jesse shook his head. Jose glared at his cousin. “How would you know? Maybe that’s it. Maybe we’re goanna get rain.”

“Jose, you’re paranoid.”

“No, this is Hazzard County my friend. When Daisy was goanna get married…”

“I know, Dad fell and hit his head.”

“When I was goanna get married…”

“Dad and I were in a car accident.” Jose nodded his head as his eyebrows rose. “Jose, it means nothing.”

“Oh you just wait Jesse, you and I are goanna get into some sort of trouble before we get to the Boar’s Nest.”

“Let’s talk about something else umm, how does your farmland look?” Jose thought about it for a minute.

“Like farmland. It has a house and it has chickens. We have a barn. It is pretty quiet except we might get hit by a tornado and…” Jesse began to laugh once again. Jose was getting impatient.

“You don’t want to leave Hazzard do you?” Jose shook his head no. “Oh good grief Jose, you want to call off the wedding don’t you?” Jose pulled his hair back and shrugged. “Jose, you wouldn’t dare do that would you?”

“You were right Jesse, I don’t wanna leave Hazzard.” Jesse took a deep breath and let it our really slow. He knew that his Dad was having trouble. Bo kept stomping around the house even after he had everything sent off to LA. Now Jose was having problems. “Everything happens here. I would rather be in Hazzard County the rest of my life then riding twisters.”

“Okay listen to me, the reason people leave Hazzard is because things happen other places. More schools, more people to meet.” Jose shook his head softly.

“I don’t want to do it anymore, I just want to stay here.”

“Hey think about it, you get to have a whole new experience.”

“A farm’s a farm. A Hazzard Farm is there but you still have the rest of Hazzard to explore. Fighting for truth and justice is fun.”

“You can do that over there. Sign up and be a sheriff if you like to seek and destroy.”

“Forget that.”

“You were the big New Yorker and then you came here.” Jose smiled as he looked at Jesse. “You said it was a hick town and we would do nothing but pick up road kill. Now you were blue jeans and boots with the best of us.”

“You think I can make it in Kansas?”

“If Dorothy and Toto don’t get a hold of you, you should be fine.”

“Thanks Jess.”

“You’re welcome Jose.” They hugged for a minute and suddenly let go. Jose smiled suddenly.

“You know, after this we will be brothers.”

“By law.”

“Not a bad ending huh?”

“Correction, not a bad beginning, this certainly isn’t the end. You know, Kansas isn’t that far from Georgia and you can visit. It’s not a law that you stay there forever.”

“Very true.”

“Hey, you get redressed and I am going downstairs.” Jose nodded softly. Jesse walked out of the room but popped his head back in. “You cook the best when you’re nervous.”

“Get out of here!”

“Alright, you make sure you put one pant leg on at a time.”

“Oh I have seen you get dressed, why are you giving me tips?”

“Don’t forget to do up the top button of your shirt.” Jose threw a pillow at his cousin. Jesse grabbed the pillow off his bed and began hitting Jose with it. “Got you, Jose, now I’m the best!” Jose hit Jesse back.

“You were saying?” Pretty fun to watch a man in a tuxedo pillow fighting…those boys would never grow up.

“I was saying…” Jesse hit Jose in the nose. “That I am most definitely…” Jesse hit him again. “The best!”

“You can’t expect me to believe that!” Jose hit Jesse in the back. The cousins were both whacking each other with all their ability.

“Why not?”

“Because, you know as well as I do, I am king of the pillow.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“Well take this!” They both hit each other hard, at the same time. Jesse and Jose were on the floor panting.

“Now what would Batman say to this?”

“I don’t know.” Jesse stood up and stretched. Jose did the same.

“Ah…”

“Yeah, you better get redressed. Dad’ll be expecting us to work.”

“Your land?”

“Well let’s not go that far yet. Its Dad’s for one more day.”

“A few more hours it will be yours you mean.”

“I guess so.”

“You, Jesse Duke running a farm, too funny…for once you’ll have to be serious.”

“Never!” Jesse laughed as he walked down the stairs.