by: Marty Chrisman

            “So, where are we going?” Kelly asked, as she settled back in the front seat of the General beside Luke.

“Some place quiet.” Luke repeated without really answering her question. He kept his eyes on the road, concentrating on his driving. But he could still sense Kelly’s closeness to him in the confines of the car and smell the faint aroma of her perfume. Asking her to go some place with him so they could talk had been an impulsive gesture on his part. But watching her on the stage tonight and singing with her the way they used to do, brought back old memories and emotions that he knew he had to deal with once and for all. Not only for his sake but for Kelly’s sake too.

When Luke turned onto a deeply rutted dirt road and began driving slowly along the path to the east, Kelly knew exactly where he was headed. Hazzard Pond. It was one of the boys’ favorite fishing spots (not to mention a favorite skinny dipping spot for the local teenagers) Luke was right about one thing. It was quiet alright.

Luke pulled The General up close to the edge of the pond and turned out the headlights, surrounding them with darkness. Staring out through the windshield, he tried to gather his thoughts and put into words what he was feeling. It was harder than he thought it would be. When they were younger, they could share their most private thoughts with each other, but Luke had changed over the years. He had learned to close off a part of himself, to protect himself from the intensity of his own emotions. He sighed softly, while Kelly waited patiently for him to say whatever he had to say.

            After Kelly had disappeared, Luke went half crazy missing her and blaming himself for not making her stay with him that night. And what made it even worse was that he didn’t have anyone to talk to about what he was going through because nobody knew about his true relationship with Kelly. He had never told  anyone about the days he had spent searching the woods around her parent’s shack looking for a shallow grave, praying that he wouldn’t find one and yet, terrified that he would. He had a ring that he planned on giving Kelly but never got the chance, a simple gold band. Instead, he now wore on the pinky finger on his right hand. His pain over losing her had prompted him to join the Marines and leave Hazzard for four years.

*   *   *   *

            “Luke?” Kelly said softly, cutting into his thoughts.

“I’m sorry” Luke said, realizing that she had been waiting for him to say something. “I’ve had a lot of time to think since the other day……..about what you told me…….about us.” He paused just long enough to gather his scattered thoughts “I was hurt because you never told me about the baby.”

“Luke, …” Kelly started to say something more, but Luke stopped her with a look. Gently, he put his fingertips against her lips to stop her from speaking.

“Let me finish.” He told her with a lopsided smile “Or I’ll never be able to get it out.” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I was hurt because you never told me about the baby.” He repeated “I had the right to know. For years I blamed myself for what happened that night, for not making you stay with me instead of going home.”

“You couldn’t have stopped me, Luke.” Kelly told him, breaking her silence. “Nobody could have. I didn’t intend for what happened to happen.”

“When I found out that you were alive and not dead like I thought all these years, I was hurt about that too and I was angry. But at the same time, I was never happier about anything else in my life.” He pulled his gaze away from her face and stared out through the windshield again. “When you told me everything that happened that night, I didn’t know how to deal with it. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel……..” He fell into an uneasy silence for a few moments before continuing    “I’m still not sure about that part.”

“I never meant to hurt you, Luke.” Kelly said softly

“I know that.” Luke told her, turning his gaze back to her face. He shifted positions in the seat so that he was facing her, resting his right arm on the back of the  seat behind her. “There’s part of me that understands why you did what you did and there’s another part of me that wants to shake the daylights out of you“

“Does that mean you forgive me?” Kelly asked, tears pooling in her beautiful eyes.

“There’s nothing to forgive.” Luke told her quietly “There never has been.”

“I was afraid that you’d hate me when I told you the truth about everything.” Kelly admitted, the tears slipping from her eyes and falling down her cheeks. “That’s the biggest reason I was scared to come back. I couldn’t have handled it if you hated me.”

With a gentle smile, Luke wiped the tears from her face, letting his fingertips linger on her cheek for a few moments longer than was necessary. “I could never hate you, Kelly.” He whispered “I love you………..I’ve always loved you and I always will.”

Kelly began to cry as she heard Luke say the words she had convinced herself that she would never hear him say again. Without a word, Luke put his arms around her and held her while she cried. He made gentle soothing sounds as he gently rubbed her back.

Kelly’s sobs slowly quieted as she sat there, leaning her head against his chest, comforted by the warmth of his embrace. Finally, she raised her head to look at him questioningly.

“So where do we go from here?” she asked

“Take it one day at a time……” he said quietly, looking deeply into her eyes, eyes he could easily and willingly get lost in. “Get to know each other again.”

Tilting his head towards her, he let his lips gently brush against hers. For just the briefest moment, Kelly tensed in his arms, then relaxed, as his mouth became more insistent. Luke kissed her deeply, savoring the warmth and the sweetness of her mouth. His arms tightened around her waist as he pulled her closer. Reluctantly, he pulled away, stopping himself before he got carried away and let things go too far. It was too soon.

Kelly looked at him, understanding just as she always had. The emotional bond between them was still there, just as strong as it had ever been. And this time, there would be no hiding and no secrets.

THE END (FOR NOW)