by: Trix

Jesse Duke was woken up to the sound of the phone ringing. He got up and
walked downstairs to answer it. He had hoped it would stop ringing but it hadn’t, which
meant that it could only be bad news. He picked up the phone and said, “Hello…yes, this
is he…oh, oh dear…of course I will…alright, see you then…’bye.”
Jesse turned to see Bo, Luke and Daisy standing behind him. They were instantly
worried when they saw the sad expression his face. Bo said, “What’s wrong Uncle Jesse?”
Jesse sighed and said, “Do you remember my old’ friend Bry Dalton?”
“Sure,” Daisy said. “He used come over all the time when we were kids. Lived
here until his wife and youngest son died.”
“Yes, that’s him.”
“They moved to New England, where her family was, shortly after. Was that what
the phone call was about?” Luke asked.
Jesse nodded. “He and his other boy, Gus, was killed in an car accident a week
ago.”
“Oh Uncle Jesse, I’m sorry,” Daisy said, going to stand next to him.
“Well, they left someone behind…”
“Huh?” Bo asked. “Who? I thought it was only Bry and Gus.”
“Seems that shortly before leaving Gus got Shelley, from the store, pregnant. I
guess she couldn’t handle raising their daughter, Khas. So she found Gus and Bry and
dropped the baby off with them.”
“Shelley and her family moved away about three weeks after they left, I remember
that,” Daisy said. “Poor thing. How old is she now?”
“From what the lawyer said she’s 16.”
“They givin’ her to the state?” Luke asked.
Jesse shook her head. “No. She’s coming to the farm.”
The three were silent for a few minutes until Bo said, “Not to sound rude or
nothin’ but why here?”
“Because, me and Bry both promised each other that if something ever happened
to either of us and we had family, we’d look after them as long as we were needed. It’s in
my will…and his.”
“Well, I’d be happy to have her here for as long as she needs us,” Daisy said. Luke
ad Bo agreed.
Jesse smiled at them. Happy they agreed to Khas coming to the farm. Him and Bry
were best friends for a real long time, and anybody Bry thought was important normally
was. And Jesse was glad that Bry had written often, and once or twice mentioned Khas.
Jesse would try to help her with this loss. “Good. I’ll pick her up by myself at the airport
tomorrow. I hope she likes it here.”
The next morning Jesse got up and went to the airport. Bry’s lawyer had said he’d
bring her so that they could get the legal stuff over. He was told that Khas was definitely a
Dalton. That meant that she had brown or blond hair, with blue or green eyes, and was
between 5’3 and 5’10. And, ten minutes after showing up, Jesse saw the lawyer, Mr.
Unton, and Khas. She was definitely a Dalton.
She was about 5’4 and had dark blond, light brown hair with blue eyes. Eyes that
were the saddest shade of blue he’d ever seen. They were dark and clouded from her pain
and looked as though they’d ever light up again.
“Khas,” Mr. Unton said, “this is Jesse Duke. You’ll be staying with him.”
She extended her hand to him and he shook it. Poor girl, even when she’s grievin’
she got manners. Definitely a Dalton. “Hello there young lady. I’m honored to have Bry’s
granddaughter stayin’ with me and my family.”
She tried to smile at him but she didn’t have a smile in her. Mr. Unton said, “Now,
I have the papers with me…Khas will you wait for us over there and have a seat? This’ll
only be a moment.” And she did as he asked.
“Where do I sign?” Jesse said, without hesitating.
“Now, Mr. Duke, let me finish with what I was saying. I have the papers here but
you don’t have to sign them now.”
“What?” Jesse said, confused.
“I know you’ve just met her and she’s lost a lot in her 16 years. If you have her for
a month or so and decide you don’t want her…”
“My Unton, that girl needs me right now. I know what I’m doing…”
“Mr. Duke, I know you know what you’re doing. But this is her life, I need you to
be sure.”
It was obvious that the lawyer had been close to the family, and Jesse decided that
he’d let him have his way with the papers. Although Jesse knew he’d love for her to stay
already. “Alright then, I’ll hold off. But those papers will be signed by me by the end of
this month.”
“Be careful with her.”
“I will.”
With that, the lawyer said goodbye to Khas and got on the plane back to New
England. They got Khas’s three bags and packed them in the truck. For the ride to
Hazzard she was real quiet. Then again, so were Luke and Bo after their parents had died.
But Khas had lost all her family. Including her mother, who hadn’t wanted her.
“I hope you like Hazzard. Yer family sure did. And the people of Hazzard have
missed the Dalton’s.”
Khas nodded and looked out the window. Maybe this is what I need, to be where
daddy and grampa loved to be.
“Now, the farm is small but I’m sure you’ll love it. You’ll be sharing a room with
my niece Daisy fer now.”
“Daddy and grampa mentioned you had family living with you,” she said, in a
quiet voice. “Will I be a lot of trouble?”
“No, no,” Jesse assured her. “They can’t wait to meet you. Luke and Bo too.”
It was quiet for the rest of the trip. When they arrived at the farm, they took her
things inside. No one was home at that time, which Jesse decided was a good thing at the
moment. He settled her things in Daisy’s room. “You hungry?”
Before she could answer, a car pulled into the yard. “That’s Bo and Luke.”
She followed Jesse down the stairs and was met by Bo and Luke in the living
room. “Khas,” Jesse said, standing close to her, “these are my nephews. That there’s Bo
and this is Luke. Boys, this is Khas Dalton.”
“Well howdy,” Bo and Luke said, extending a hand. She took it and also Luke’s.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Welcome to our home,” Luke smiled. “I hope you like it.”
“Heck, I’m sure she will,” Bo added.
“Now what was saying before we were interrupted…oh yes. Are you hungry?”
Khas shook her head. “No thank you. Not much of an appetite lately.”
“Understandable,” Jesse said. “There anything you need?”
“No. Just need to get used to this.”
“Sure ain’t New England is it?” Bo asked.
She shook her head.
“Well,” Luke said, “how’d you like a tour of our farm?”
“Okay.”

Later that night, Daisy and Khas got her things situated. “Sugar, this shirt is
beautiful. Where’d you get it?”
Quietly but loud enough for Daisy to here, Khas answered, “I went to Mexico with
my friend one year.”
“Well, it’s beautiful. Maybe I’ll borrow it one day,” she smiled.
“Maybe.”
In the middle of the night Daisy was woken by the sound of Khas crying. She
immediately went to her. “Khas honey, you okay?”
Khas sat up and looked at Daisy with tear-filled eyes. “I don’t know how to live
without my family.”
Daisy wrapped her arms tightly around the young Khas. “Oh honey. You’re not
alone. Just let those tears go. It’s okay, I’m not letting you go.”
Jesse, Luke and Bo heard the crying and went into Daisy’s room. Jesse said, “Is
everything okay in here?”
Khas kept her arms around Daisy and didn’t, couldn’t, look up at them. But Daisy
did, still holding her tight. No words came to Daisy. All she did was shake her head. Her
eyes told them that this girl was in a lot of pain. And it was gonna take a whole lot
of…something to help her back up from her fall.

The next two weeks were rough on Khas. She had cried all her tears, there were
no more to cry even if she wanted to. She didn’t really talk, just when spoken too. Daisy
spent a lot of time with her, so did Jesse. The boys kept her company when Jesse and
Daisy were gone. She seemed to like Luke’s company a little more than Bo’s. Which Luke
said was because he didn’t badger her and talk non-stop. But Daisy was Khas’s shoulder.
The third week she was there, she had met most of Duke’s friends, and
non-friends. She preferred the farm to town though. One day, on that third week, they
were eating breakfast when Khas asked, “Dad and Grampa said that no one bought the
farm they owned here. Is that true?”
It took Jesse a moment to answer, it was the most she’d said at one time. “Yes.”
“Can you take me to see it? They talked of it non-stop and seemed to bring them
such joy when they spoke of it.”
“Of course,” Bo said. “Me and Luke will take you if you want.”
“Actually, I was hoping Jesse’d take me. You knew my family and it would mean a
lot if you took me there.”
“Of course I will, “ he laid a hand on hers. “Right after breakfast.”
Khas just felt she should say something to Bo and Luke. They had tried hard not to
let her fall face first on to ground because of her grief. But, she didn’t know what to say.
But she knew what she could do. And, genuinely, she looked at Bo and Luke…and
smiled. For the first time in a month, she truly smiled. And her blue eyes became their
natural color. A mix between sky blue and baby blue.
They were all shocked speechless. Now all I need is my laugh.
“Girl,” Daisy hugged her, “show that smile more often!”
“Yeah,” Bo smiled, “Light up a room more often!”
The Duke’s laughed as she smiled. She was almost okay, Jesse thought to himself.

True to his word, Jesse took Khas to her family’s old farm. Most of it was run
down but Khas seemed to think it was beautiful. “No wonder they loved it here. It feels
like a home.”
“That it was. Dalton’s were a fine family. Be proud of yer blood.”
“I am.”
It was then that Jesse remembered the papers. “Uh Khas. We need to talk.”
“What?”
“When Mr. Unton dropped you off with me, he had papers for me to sign. I didn’t
sign them because he didn’t want me too. Thought I wouldn’t want you with me at the
farm. It seemed to mean a lot to him so I didn’t sign them.”
Khas’s eyes filled. “You don’t want me anymore?”
“Oh darlin’, no. We want you to stay…”
“But you didn’t want me before?”
“Yes, I did…”
“It’s okay. Lost everyone else why not you!” she shouted and ran out of the
Dalton house and just kept running.
“Khas!” Jesse ran to the truck and picked up his CB. “Bo, Luke.”
“What’s the matter Uncle Jesse?” Bo asked.
“I tried to explain the legal papers to Khas and she misunderstood me and thinks
we don’t want her. She ran off.”
Luke and Bo looked at each other. “Don’t you worry Uncle Jesse, we’ll find her.”
After fifteen minutes, they spotted her walking down the road. Bo pulled over and
Luke got out. He jogged up to her. Her face was tear-stained.
“Khas, what Uncle Jesse meant…”
“I know what he meant Luke. I’ve been thinking about it and I know you want me
to stay.”
Luke smiled. “Good. For awhile there me and Bo thought we’d have to tie ya to
the car.”
Bo laughed and added, “Well, if you weren’t leavin’ where are you going?”
Khas smiled at him and a soft laugh came out. A sound that was sweet to Bo and
Luke, it meant she was going to be fine. “I, uh, have no idea where the farm is.”
At that Bo and Luke laughed.
“Well, y’all have too many roads,” she said, smiling at the fact she’d grown a small
accent.
And they laughed harder. Bo said, from the car window. “C’mon, lets get you
home.”
Khas smiled. “Only if I can drive the General Lee?”
“Well,” Luke sighed, “Alright. Bo get in the back.”
Bo looked shocked then smiled and went to the backseat. He teased her, “Good
thing we found ya or Daisy’d have our hind ends!”