The next generation

[Jamanda]

Of course, everyone's parents had to watch the big game. Luke and Amy sat with Enos and Daisy and little Tommy. Bo and Jill also watched while holding onto Daisy Mae. Cletus and Avery showed up with their wives. Dobro Doolin also came with his wife and five other kids, all girls except the youngest, who was just a year old. Cooter arrived with Emery and Mabel Potter. Ol' Brodie came last with his wife and two daughters.

On the other hand, a lot of other parents were there to watch the school team. Louie was the son of Honest John Ledbetter, who was the campaign manager for Hughie Hogg. Hughie was also sitting in the stands with a blond teenage girl next to him.

Jethro didn't let the school team intimidate him and told the others to play as best they could, if only to "wipe that smirk off of Louie's face for good!"

It was a really close game. Lily managed to catch Louie's fly ball, which would have given the school team the lead. Then Lucas was able to get on base for the tying run. Lily was up to the plate with Lucas on second. She winked at her brother.

One thing the Strate kids had in common with each other was speed. Lily hit a fast line drive down the middle and took off. The kid out there didn't catch it right away and she kept going, as did Lucas.

"She's stealing second!" Louie shouted.

But Lily slid into second just as Lucas ran home. The game was tied and T.J. was up.

"Atta girl Lily!" Enos cheered.

"Go get 'em!" Cooter crowed.

T.J. looked at Lily, who winked at him. He swallowed hard and waited for the pitch.

CRACK!

It was gone.

"He did it!" Cooter yelled, jumping up. "It's outta here!"

T.J. cheered as he ran the bases after Lily. Then he caught up with her and cheered.

"Lily Strate I could kiss you!" he laughed. "What a play!"

"Watch it now," said Lily. "My dad's a cop remember?"

T.J. watched Lily calmly walk away and wanted to kick himself for saying that out loud. Everyone else was jumping up and down. Lucas was shaking soda cans and squirting everybody.

"Hey wait a second," someone called.

Lily turned around and saw Louie Ledbetter.

"What?" she asked.

"You know," he said. "You're a good ball player."

"For a girl?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"For anybody," he said. "I bet you could make the school team."

"No thanks," she said. "I really don't care to play that much."

"Well," said Louie. "What do you care to do?"

"Right now," she said. "I wouldn't mind being left alone."

She turned and walked off leaving yet another boy looking after her. She didn't see the other girl going up to him.

"Louie," she said. "You just got beat by a bunch of kids and two girls."

"I know," he said. "And I don't aim to take it sitting down."

"I know you won't," she said. "But if getting back means making a play for that one, let me remind you that her dad is running for sherriff against mine!"

"Regina honey," said Louie, putting his arm around her. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"Should I be?"

"Of course not," said Louie, watching Lily. "I don't intend to fall for some girl after she makes a fool out of me. I'm just gonna do enough damage to make sure she doesn't do it again."

"Oooh Louie," Regina giggled. "I like it."

[Jamanda]

The excitement of the game died down fairly quickly as election day rolled around. Hughie ran a rough campaign, but since he couldn't find any dirt on Enos, he wasn't able to discredit his opponant except by saying that Enos hadn't lived in Hazzard county for the past 17 years.

On the other hand, Enos didn't discredit Hughie at all, even though everyone else said he should have. Instead, he focused on telling the people about how he was going to use his experience, both from Hazzard and L.A., to fulfill the office of sherriff as best he could. He didn't know it, but Bo and Luke also had a secret campaign going on behind his back that reminded everyone of Hughie's past attempts to gain power for his own profit and that Enos was the only lawman who had ever served in Hazzard that couldn't be bought.

On election day, Emery Potter ran the polls, and despite Hughie's demands for a recount, Enos won by a landslide. He stood up in the square and made his first speech as the Hazzard County Sherriff.

"I just want to thank ya'll," he said. "For using your right to vote and letting me serve ya'll as sherriff of this fine county. I give you my solemn promise that I will do my best to uphold the law and establish justice here in Hazzard. Now a lawman's job ain't supposed to be makin' speeches, so I'm gonna hand it over now to your county commissioner, Ms. Lulu Coltraine Hogg."

"Thank you Enos," said Lulu. "Let's give our new sherriff a hand!"

Everyone clapped and cheered. Lulu gave a nice speech about how she was supportive of the new sherriff and encouraged everyone to welcome him and his family. After the speeches, there was a large potluck dinner and a square dance. Enos stuck close to his wife while everyone congratulated him. Lucas wandered off with the other boys to play ball in the street. Tommy and Daisy Mae ate cake under the bandstand while Amy and Jill looked frantically for them. Cherry climbed a tree to eat her fried chicken in peace.

"I guess this means we're staying," Lily said to no one in particular.

"Is that a bad thing?" asked T.J., who was munching on potato chips.

"I guess not," said Lily. "It's not so bad."

"You gonna play ball again?" asked T.J. "Or was that a guest appearance?"

"Maybe," said Lily, looking at him sideways. "I may not mind filling in until someone else comes along."

"Well I 'preciate that," T.J. grinned. "Course you know, it may be a while."

"Don't matter none," Lily sighed. "I may be stuck here a while."

Lily walked away and T.J. looked after her. Then he shook his head and ran off to play ball with the others.

Lily sat down by the bandstand with a piece of watermelon. She was trying to figure out how the other kids were spitting out the seeds when someone sat next to her.

"Hey there," said Louie.

"Oh hi," said Lily.

"I guess I should congratulate you," he said. "Your dad's the sherriff now."

"Congratulate him," Lily said, not looking up. "It's his job."

"I'd rather congratulate the pretty one in the family," said Louie.

Lily gave him a look, the one she used when she was trying to figure out the difference between flattery and a sincere compliment.

"So what grade are you in?" asked Louie. "School starts next week you know."

"I'm a junior," she said. "You?"

"Senior," he said, with a hint of cockiness in his voice.

"At least you can leave in a year then," said Lily.

"True," said Louie. "But then, why would I want to leave when suddenly staying is all the more appealing?"

Lily gave him that look again, trying to figure the guy out. She'd heard plenty of lines before, but not from anyone this good-looking.

"Who's that Lily's talking to?" Enos asked.

"Louie Ledbetter," said Cooter. "Honest John's boy."

"Should I be worried?" Enos asked.

"Dunno," said Cooter. "I never had to raise girls."

"Wasn't he on the school ball team?"

"Yeah?"

"Hmmm," Enos muttered.

Enos didn't like to be judgemental about people, but he never liked to take chances where his daughter was concerned either.

[Jamanda]

Lily didn't care much for her first day of school. First she had to walk Tommy down to start kindergarten (Tommy wanted to run). Then she couldn't get her locker to open and Cherry had to help her (this one ya gotta kick it in the left corner). She was late to class and the teacher introduced her to everyone as "The Sherriff's Daughter", which Lily found particularly embarrassing. Then at lunch, she couldn't find anyone to eat with and had to sit by herself.

"This town really bites," she muttered to herself.

"Hey there," someone said. "Mind if I join you?"

Lily looked up and saw Louie Ledbetter.

"I don't care," she said.

"You know," he said, sitting next to her. "Some things in life just don't make any sense at all."

"Like moving away from L.A. to a puny podunk town like this?"

"Like a pretty girl sitting by herself," said Louie.

"Right," said Lily, poking at her food.

"It's not that bad," said Louie. "Just be sure to bring your lunch on Thursdays."

"What's on Thursdays?"

"Roadkill on a stick," he said.

Lily almost spit out her milk.

"You've got to be kidding!"

"I am," said Louie.

"Of course I wouldn't be too surprised," said Lily.

"Oh we ain't that bad," said Louie. "But I was serious about Thursdays. I think the cooks just throw everything together from the week before and call it tuna salad."

"But all schools do that," said Lily. "You sure there's no roadkill involved?"

"Scouts honor."

Louie was also in Lily's next class and continued being perfectly friendly. However, T.J. was also in that class and didn't seem to care for it.

"Hey Lily," he said, after Louie was off to his next class. "Wait up."

"Oh hi," said Lily. "What?"

"I'm just gonna warn ya," said T.J. "Be careful around Louie Ledbetter. He's bad news."

"I think I can take care of myself," said Lily coldly as she walked off.

T.J. stared after her.

"You're not jealous are you?" asked someone from behind him.

T.J. spun around and saw Regina Hogg.

"Shouldn't you be?" T.J. sneered.

"Oh I broke up with Louie last week," said Regina. "She can have him for all I care."

"He's not good enough for her," T.J. muttered.

"So you are jealous?" Regina teased.

"I am not!" T.J. snapped, turning red.

"Although I can't say I blame you," Regina said smoothly. "I mean what's a little grease monkey like you compared to Louie anyway?"

"Better a grease monkey than a pot-belly pig," T.J. sneered.

"Tsk-tsk," said Regina. "Such language. But then one can't expect anything clean to come out of a garage."

She flounced away, leaving T.J. madder than a hornet trapped in a jar. He kicked the wall, stubbed his toe, said a few curse words, got a detention when the hall monitor heard him, and stormed off to class.

[Jamanda]

As T.J.'s day was going downhill, Lily's was already there. Tommy kept jabbering on and on about kindergarten when she picked him up. She had to hunt Lucas down as he forgot which door he was supposed to meet her at. Then they got picked up on the corner in the sherriff's patrol car.

"So how was it?" Enos asked.

"That was fun!" said Tommy. "We got to play with play-doh an' crayons an'..."

"How about you two?" he asked over Tommy.

Lucas shrugged and looked at Lily.

"You don't want to know," Lily scowled.

"That bad?" Enos asked, raising an eyebrow.

"An' we had a snack an' we got to nap an' play outside an'..."

"Is it to late to move back?" Lily groaned, mostly to herself.

"Sorry," said Enos, starting the car. "The votes are in and the people have spoken. We stay."

Lily went up to her room as soon as she got home, saying she had homework. She really only had two small assignments, which she'd already finished, but she didn't want to be disturbed.

"Why did we have to come here?" she said out loud. "Why?"

[Jamanda]

"So how was Lily's day?" Daisy asked after she got Tommy to go play in the backyard with Lucas.

"Bad," said Enos. "She didn't want to talk about it."

"How bad?"

"Remember your first day of high school?"

"That bad?"

"I think so."

"I don't believe it," said Daisy. "I don't think anybody's first day could be as bad as that."

"She's got a lot of you in her Daisy," said her husband. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"She's your daughter too," said Daisy, stroking his hair.

"I know," said Enos, sighing. "I just...I just don't understand teenage girls you know? I ain't ever had to deal with this before."

"Sure you did," said Daisy. "You were just a teenage boy at the time."

She put her arms around him and he had to smile.

[Jamanda]

<FLASHBACK TO 1970>

Everyone was staring as the new freshman came into class. She wore overalls, had her hair in braided pigtails, and carried worn second-hand books. But that wasn't what everyone was snickering at.

"Hey Daisy," sneered a pretty blond girl. "What'd you do? Walk into a door?"

"Leave her alone Emily," said another girl.

But even those trying to be nice were staring. Daisy slid into the back row and tried to hide behind a book, but it was no use. Everyone had seen her lovely black eye.

It was like that all day. Emily Hogg seemed to appear everywhere, taunting her and coming up with different ways that she had hurt herself.

"She stepped on a rake," said Emily. "It swung up and smacked her right in the face. Watch where you're going Daisy!"

It was hard to tell where she was going between crying and trying to hide her face. Daisy did her best to ignore Emily Hogg, but it never seemed to do any good. She couldn't even escape in the girl's room.

"What did happen Daisy?" Maybelle asked.

"Bo and Luke were horsing around," Daisy sniffed. "One of them hit me by accident."

Maybelle tried not to giggle.

"Did they get it from Uncle Jesse?"

"Oh yes," said Daisy. "He tanned both their hides, but I still had to come to school today. What a way to start high school!"

"Oh there you are Daisy," said Emily, coming in. "I was just telling my cousin Cletus how you tripped over a pig and hit your eye on a hog trough."

Maybelle tried not to giggle as Daisy rushed out in tears. She was so adamant about getting away from Emily, she ran into someone else.

"I'm sorry Daisy," he said. "Are you okay?"

Daisy was too busy crying and trying to hide her face to even see who it was.

"Possum on a gumbush Daisy," he said. "What's wrong? Your cousin Luke told me what happened to your eye, but it can't be that bad."

Daisy sniffed and looked up at him. The boy was the same age as Luke, but shorter and thinner. He also had a black eye, as well as a number of other bruises and scratches on his face and arms. But then again, he usually looked like that.

"See now Daisy?" he said. "It ain't that bad. It'll clear up by tomorra if ya just put a little bit o' cold hog fat on it before ya go to bed. Best thing for shiners like that."

Daisy sniffed a little more and managed to smile and the boy did too. He had a huge grin, despite the fact that two of his teeth were missing, and it made Daisy laugh.

"I'm sorry Enos," Daisy giggled.

"Shucks Daisy," said Enos. "As long as I kin git you ta smile again."

He helped her up and picked up her books.

"Is it okay if I walk you home Daisy?" he asked shyly. "Luke's at football practice and I wouldn't want you ta walk home all by yourself."

"Okay Enos," said Daisy.

They were about halfway to the Duke farm when they heard a lot of yelling.

"What the...?" Daisy asked.

"Oh not again," said Enos. "Stay here."

Of course, Daisy followed him to where a large senior was intimidating a group of Junior High kids. One with blond hair was trying to stand up to him.

"Bo!" Daisy gasped, running over to them.

"Well what have we here?" said the senior, looking Daisy over.

"Leave her alone Rufus!" Enos said, getting between them.

"Butt out pipsqueek," said Rufus.

"Make me."

Rufus took a swing at him. Enos took the punch while yelling out at the same time.

"RUN!"

Daisy grabbed Bo and took off. The other kids dispersed just as quickly. Daisy glanced back only to see Rufus pummeling Enos.

"You run on home," she told Bo.

"But Daisy..."

"Git!" she said and Bo ran off.

Daisy snuck back around. She waited until the bully had jumped into a car and driven off, leaving Enos on the ground.

"Oh Enos," she cried. "Why'd you do that?"

"I had to," he moaned. "He was going to hurt those kids."

"But..."

"Daisy," said Enos, sitting up. "I don't want you to worry about me. I'm used to Rufus beating me up by now."

"But it's not right," Daisy cried.

"It ain't," said Enos. "But that's just how he is. And I'd rather he beat me up than a bunch of little kids who can't take it."

"Oh Enos," said Daisy, helping him up. "I don't know how much more of him YOU can take."

"Please don't worry about me Daisy," said Enos, trying to turn away. "I'll be okay."

"Well where you going?," Daisy asked. "Ain't you gonna finish walking me home?"

Enos looked at her.

"Oh yeah," he grinned. "I almost forgot."

He walked her back to the farm, but didn't want to stay.

"I gotta go now Daisy," he said.

"But Enos..."

"I told you not to worry now," he said. "I'll be fine. I'll uh...see ya Daisy."

"Hold oh Enos."

He paused as Daisy touched his arm. Then she lightly kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said.

Enos blushed as Daisy ran into the farmhouse.

[Jamanda]

<Back to present>

Cooter pulled up at the garage and found his son sulking by the gas pumps.

"Hey there boy," he said. "How was your first day?"

"I got a detention."

"That bad huh?"

"Dad," T.J. said. "What do you do when someone you know is hanging out with someone rotten, but they won't believe you when you tell 'em so?"

"Hmmm," said Cooter. "Well...If it's someone I really care about, I keep warning 'em."

"And when they won't listen?"

"Well," said Cooter shrugging. "Sometime ya gotta let yer friends learn stuff the hard way."

"But Dad," T.J. protested. "I don't want her to learn the hard way! She's gotta know now!"

"Oh so it's a girl," Cooter grinned.

T.J. cursed under his breath.

"Don't think I didn't hear that," said his dad. "Now you listen to me. If this girl is the one I think she is, I wouldn't worry."

"Why?"

"Cuz her dad would make life downright miserable for anyone messing with his daughter," said Cooter. "Believe me. I'd be more worried about Louie."

"How'd you know it was Louie?"

"Well I know for sure now," Cooter grinned. "But believe me...The Sherriff ain't gonna stand by and let Lily be taken advantage of."

"I guess not," said T.J. "I just wish she'd listen to me."

"Give her time," said Cooter. "She's still getting used to being here."

"She certainly warmed up to Louie fast enough."

"Course I think somebody's a little jealous."

"I AM NOT!"

"Sure kid," said Cooter. "Sure y'ain't."

"Hey," said T.J. "How'd you know I was talking about Lily?"

"Just cuz I'm old don't mean I'm blind boy," Cooter laughed. "I seen the way you look at that girl. Yessir...that's the same look ol' Enos used to have whenever Daisy went by..."

Cooter strolled into the garage to get back to work, leaving T.J. with his own thoughts.

"I'm not jealous," he said to himself. "I just don't want to see Louie do to her what he's done to other girls. Maybe I should warn her dad..."

[Jamanda]

The rest of the week was a little better for Lily. Louie was perfectly friendly with her, although she kept getting annoyed whenever T.J., Jethro, and Cherry would try to warn her about him.

"I can take care of myself," she kept saying.

"Don't say we didn't warn you," Cherry said.

T.J. was tempted to tell the sherriff about Louie, but his dad beat him to it.

"Bad character eh?" Enos asked.

"He's ol' Honest John's kid," said Cooter. "What do you think?"

"I'll keep an eye on Lily," said Enos. "She's not gonna like it though."

"Ya'll two don't get along?"

"We just don't...connect," Enos said. "She's trying to be own person and I'm having trouble letting her...She's so much like Daisy."

"Well you're the one who married a Duke," said Cooter.

"I know," said Enos. "Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing."

"Course you did," said Cooter. "You wouldn't have lasted much longer if you didn't."

"I know," said Enos. "I know."

[Jamanda]

After Math class, Louie caught up with Lily in the hallway.

"Hey," he said. "You got any plans this weekend?"

"No," she said. "Why?"

"Well," he said. "I was wondering if you'd like to come to a little get-together at my house Friday night?"

"I dunno," said Lily. "I'd have to ask."

"I sure hope you can come," said Louie. "See ya later."

Lily had to think carefully. Her dad didn't like parties as he'd made plenty of arrests for underage drinking and drug use among other things.

"Hey Mom," she said when she got home. "Is it okay if I go out with some friends tomorrow night?"

"You know the drill," said her mother. "As long your dad knows about it, where it is, the phone number, and that you're home by midnight."

Lily tried not to grumble out loud. She really didn't want to tell her dad.

"Oh," she said. "I was just gonna go to the movies with Cherry and some other girls."

"You know the drill," said Daisy.

"Oh I'll be home on time," said Lily.

The next evening, Lily left the house in the direction of the Duke farm, but then a convertible pulled up.

"Well hey there," said Louie. "Need a ride?"

"Cute and punctual," said Lily, getting in the car.

[Jamanda]

<Warning: PG-13 for adult situations>

Louie's house was a spledid affair and his parents were gone. Guys were sitting around playing guitars and banjos. Girls were dancing to the music in short skirts and tank tops. And Lily didn't know any of them.

"You'll fit right in," said Louie, handing her a glass. "Here. Try this."

"Water?" asked Lily.

"Oh that ain't water," said Louie. "Just take a small sip."

"Woah," Lily coughed as she tasted it. "That's strong! What is it?"

"Whiskey," said Louie. "Moonshine whiskey. Great stuff."

"Isn't it illegal?"

"What?" asked Louie. "You gonna squeal to your daddy?"

"No," said Lily, frowning. "He'd kill me if he knew I was here."

Louie took her around and introduced her to the others. Most of them were from other counties and she didn't remember any of their names. The whiskey was already getting to her head.

"Hey Lily," said Louie. "How 'bout we go upstairs?"

"Sure," said Lily. "What's upstairs?"

"My room," he said, leaning closer to her.

Suddenly, one of the other kids burst into the room.

"THE COPS ARE COMING!" he shouted. "EVERYBODY OUT!"

Everyone yelled and ran out of the house through various methods, the front door, back door, front windows, wherever they could. Louie was also running, but a deputy grabbed his collar.

"Another shindig eh Louie?" asked Cletus. "Good thing your dad told us to stop by. He gave us permission to hold you too until he got home."

The other kids had jumped in thier cars and sped off, but the law was ahead of them. Enos just radioed the other counties with the makes, models, and liscense numbers to round them up. Then he looked over the rest of the house.

"Looks like they're all gone," he called out to Cletus. "You go on and take him."

"Right Sherriff," said Cletus. "Come on Louie."

Once they left Enos went over to the couch, where a girl had passed out. He tenderly picked up his daughter and carried her out.

[Jamanda]

Daisy was about to throw a fit when she saw them.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Don't worry," said Enos. "She's just passed out from drinking."

"And I'm not supposed to worry about that?"

"It could've been worse," said Enos. "I'm gonna put her to bed."

"What about...?"

"We'll think about that tomorrow," said Enos.

Lily woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. Remembering the events of the night before, she groaned.

"Oh I am so dead."

"You're not that lucky," said her dad.

Lily jumped to see him sitting at the foot of her bed. His head almost touched the ceiling.

"Drink this," he said, handing her something hot.

Lily took it and sipped it. It tasted terrible.

"Aw yuck," she spat.

"I wouldn't complain if I were you," Enos said. "Drink it."

Lily drank the strong coffee as her dad watched her. He didn't look angry. Just sad.

"You lied to us Lily," he said finally.

"I know," she said. "But I didn't think you'd let me go."

"Oh you're right about that," he said. "I wouldn't have."

"You never let me do anything."

"Because I can't trust you," said her dad. "Now you're grounded for two weeks."

"Two weeks!"

"Do you want to make it three?"

"Okay," said Lily.

"Now get up," he said, climbing down. "You've got chores to do."

Lily didn't speak to her dad the rest of the day as she painted the house, cleaned the kitchen, and looked after Tommy.

"You've been bad," said Tommy.

"Oh shut up," said Lily.

"Were you really drunk?"

"Do you want me to lock you in the outhouse?"

"I'll shut up now."

"Good idea."

[Jamanda]

Now Lily didn't just get grounded for going to that party. Her parents believed in old fashioned discipline, which meant she had some quality time out in the woodshed with her father and a switch. But she didn't tell anyone else about that when she went back to school.

"Grounded?" Louie asked.

"Yep," said Lily. "What about you?"

"Oh I just had to clean up," he said. "My dad's a pushover."

"Mine's not," she said. "Sometimes I wish he'd at least get mad, but he just gives me that disappointed look that makes me fell guilty."

"You don't fall for it do ya?" Louie asked. "Cuz you know, that's just something they do so you stay under their thumb."

"Right," said Lily, not sure what to believe. "Right."

"So how long you grounded for?"

"Two weeks."

"Well," said Louie. "Once those two weeks are up, maybe we can do a little something different...something the ol' man won't be able to catch."

"Like what?"

"You'll see."

[Jamanda]

Lily stayed on good behavior for the next two weeks, if only to see if Louie's plan would work. She hang out with Cherry, but still didn't listen when they tried to warn her.

"You sure you're not hanging around with Louie too much?" she asked.

"We just talk in class," said Lily. "I don't intend to go to any more of his parties."

"Well that's good," said Cherry.

But Lily didn't say that she wasn't going to see Louie elsewhere. After the two weeks, she waited a couple of days, and then asked if she could go to the movies with some girls.

"They'll come pick me up," she said. "You can even meet them first if you want."

"Good," said her father.

The three girls were friends of Louie's from Choctaw county and passed the parent inspection. They agreed that Lily would be back at a decent hour and took her to the movies, where Louie met up with them.

"Louie," said Lily. "You're brilliant. He doesn't suspect a thing."

"Come on," said Louie. "Let's sit in the back."

Louie and Lily didn't see much of the movie. Afterwards, he took her out to a remote area.

[Jamanda]

<Warning: Rated PG-13>

Cletus was on night patrol. He didn't care for it much as it usually involved breaking up make-out sessions in parked cars, which is what he saw going on now. He pulled up and rapped on the window.

"All right," he said. "Get on out of there."

He opened the door and wasn't surprised at all to see Louie stumble out of the car and zipping up his pants. He was surprised to see the girl, who was frantically trying to cover herself.

"Buzzards on a buzzsaw!" he gasped.

He had a hold of Louie and ordered Lily to get in the police car. Lily managed to do so while getting her shirt back on.

"You get home now son," Cletus told Louie.

Louie jumped in his car and drove off.

"Young lady," said Cletus, as he got in the car. "You are in a peck of trouble."

Lily wimpered.

"We didn't do anything," she said in a small voice.

"But you were about to," said Cletus, picking up the CB. "I hate to do this to ya but..."

Lily sank down in the backseat.

"Deputy Hogg calling Sherriff Strate...Come in Sherriff."

"What is it Cletus?"

"Are you driving?"

"Yes...Why?"

"You might want to pull over."

There was a pause.

"All right...what is it now?"

"I just apprehended a couple of kids parking."

"Yeah...so?"

Cletus held back the CB.

"One of them was your daughter."

Lily covered her ears as the yelling came over the other end.

"WHAAAAT???!!! WHO IN THE NAME OF SAM HILL DID YOU CATCH WITH MY DAUGHTER!!!?????"

"Louie sir," said Cletus. "I sent him home."

"Where's Lily?"

"In here with me."

"Take her home...I'll take care of the boy."

"Yes sir."

Cletus hung up the CB as Lily uncovered her ears.

"I take that back," said Cletus. "You ain't in trouble, you're dead where you stand. Then again, I wouldn't wanna be Louie right now."

Lily wimpered as the car took her home.

[Jamanda]

The next day, Lily was rubbing her backside again at school. She was trying to find Louie to explain that she was grounded again. Oh but her dad had been mad.

Lily turned the corner and saw Louie talking to a blond girl, whom she recognized as Regina Hogg.

"So what happened?" Regina was asking.

"I told ya," said Louie. "The Sherriff was practically threatened me. Said if I ever touched his daughter again that he'd make sure I got sent to a military school."

"But the sherriff can't do that right?"

"Nah," said Louie. "My ol' man's been giving me that line for years, course the sherriff had it out with him too."

"You didn't do anything with her right?"

"No," said Louie, holding his fingers and inch apart. "I was this close when the cop showed up."

"Good," said Regina. "You told me you wouldn't get too involved with this girl."

"Well I gotta get involved," said Louie. "You gotta get their hopes up before you come back and crush 'em."

Lily gasped.

"I know," said Regina, fluffing his hair. "I'll just be glad when you're done dealing with her and we can get back together."

Lily snapped and stormed right up to them. Without saying a word, she drew back and...

POW!

Louie was on the ground, squealing like a stuck pig.

"YOU TWO-TIMING, DOUBLE-CROSSING, DECEITFUL PILE OF COW DUNG!" she yelled, along with some other words not fitting to be written down.

Unfortunatly, the principal was right there and Lily was sitting in his office in two-seconds flat. Even more unfortunate was that her mother wasn't home.

"They're calling your father," said the secretary.

Lily groaned. She was REALLY in for it now.

Enos came in and was silent as the principal explained what happened. Lily was suspended for three days.

"All right," said Enos. "I'll take her now."

Lily followed her father outside to his police car with half the school watching. It wasn't until they were inside that he said anything to her.

"It was that boy wasn't it?"

Lily nodded.

"He was playing me Dad," she wimpered. "He was using me to get back at me."

Enos nodded and started the car.

"You can say it," Lily said.

"Say what?"

"I told ya so."

"You said it," said Enos. "I didn't. But I'm sure glad it was you and not me."

"Why?"

"I would've shot him," said Enos.

Lily could've sworn she saw a slight grin on his face.

"Did you hit him good?"

"He's gonna have a black eye."

"Good," said Enos.

"But I got suspended."

"I'll admit," he said. "It wasn't too smart to hit him right there in front of teachers...should wait 'til school's over...then hit him."

"You ever hit anybody Dad?"

"You have no idea."

Lily smiled and her father put his arm around her as they drove home.