by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 22: Epilogue

 

-Epilogue-

It was a warm, sunny, spring day at Hazzard Pond, and Enos thought they might actually score a fish dinner tonight with the luck they’d had. He’d given up his own line some time before, finding it more entertaining to watch the kids than worry with catching any more himself.

A little girl with long, nut brown hair climbed up into his lap and sat down. “Daddy,” she said, “why do fish like worms?”

“I dunno, sweetpea,” he answered, “maybe they taste good. Have ya’ ever eaten one?” He laughed at the expression on four year old, Lilly’s, face.

“Ew! I’d never eat a worm!” She thought for a minute. “Ya’ know, momma says you are whatcha eat. If I ate a worm, would I turn into one?”

“Well, I reckon you eat fish an’ you ain’t turned into one, yet…wait…,” he looked closely at her, “You know, Lil’, I think ya’ might be lookin’ a little green an’ scaly…”

She laughed. “Daddy, you’re so silly.”

Enos ruffled her hair as she bounced away, going over to her mom around the other side of the dock to no doubt ask her the same questions. His eyes met Daisy’s and they grinned at each other. Turning back around, he watched puzzled as nine year old Zachary threaded his fourth worm onto his line.

“Son, you know puttin’ more worms on there ain’t gonna catch ya’ a bigger fish.”

“Jenny’s dad said that he caught a 18 pound bass in here last summer.”

“Jenny Davenport?” Jenny was the result of Cooter finally moving back to Hazzard and settling down…with a girl fifteen years his junior. “I think her dad’s been drinkin’ th’ pond water again if he thinks he caught a fish that big in here, Zach.”

“Dad, can she come over from school on Monday?”

Enos groaned. “Go ask yer mom. She’s th’ one’s gotta put up with th’ two of ya’.” He ran off. “An’ don’t tell her I said ‘yes’ this time!”

A horn honked behind him and Enos looked back to see ol’ Hank Wilson’s red pickup stopped on the bank above them. He stood and walked up the from the dock towards the road.

“Hey, Mr. Wilson,” he called, “how’s th’ plantin’ goin’?”

“Oh, just fine, Sheriff. Y’all catchin’ anything?”

“A few. They were jumpin’ earlier, but not much th’ last hour. Say, tell your wife we really appreciated the pie she dropped by the station last week. Sure was mighty fine.”

The man looked pleased. “I’ll tell her. She’s right proud of them grape pie’s of her’s. Well, I’ll let ya’ get back t’ yer family. Tell Daisy I said ‘hi’.”

“I will. You take care now.”

The truck drove off and Enos turned towards the pond again, smiling as he watched his wife and children, and thinking just how lucky he was to have them.

()()()

Chapter 21: Love’s Full Circle

 

 

“…Don’t anyone wake me
if it’s just a dream,
’cause she’s the best thing
that ever happened to me.

All you fellows,
you can look all you like,
but this girl you see
she’s leavin’ here with me tonight…”

-Jeff Healey Band

 

Enos wasn’t sure what had woken him. It could have been the sound of an animal, or the moonlight which spilled in through the window, or the bed that wasn’t his own. Perhaps it was an unconscious need to assure himself that reality had not fallen away into some crazy dream and that Daisy was still there, lying beside him. She slept quietly, facing him, her face pillowed on her hands. Face to face, he watched her, his mind still trying to sort out all that had happened over the last twenty-four hours.

Nothing between them had ever been clear cut, not since they were kids. Things had gotten confusing and complicated and though he wished he could go back and read between the lines, he’d always had a blind spot when it came to Daisy. Most people had probably forgotten or never known how close they’d been at one time, and it worried him that those who didn’t know their history would think she’d done something rash – simply up and eloping with the man who’d rescued her.

Would Uncle Jesse and her cousins think the same – that she’d married him for the wrong reasons, like she’d almost done four years earlier to keep him out of prison? He reached over and brushed her hair back from her face, selfishly grateful that it was too late for them to change her mind or make her wait to be sure. He fell back asleep, thinking of Daisy and the future that at long last burned brightly before them.

 

In the still, silent moments between sleep and wakefulness, Daisy smiled, instinctively knowing that this morning, something was different. Gradually the world of dreams dissolved into the reality of a bright, sunny Friday morning. A storm of thoughts, feelings, and a hundred memories past and present assaulted her senses as she opened her eyes and found to her satisfaction that the night before had not been a dream.

She watched Enos as he slept next to her, peacefully oblivious to her scrutiny, and wished he’d wake up. What would he say? She certainly hoped he wouldn’t shy away from her – she’d had more than enough of that.

Her eyes rested on the scar she’d seen briefly while bandaging his gunshot wound. A scar she could see where began now that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Just above his right clavicle was a thick, crooked line which traveled across the top of his shoulder, angling down towards the inside of his arm, just missing his brachial artery before twisting back around and tapering off near the end of his forearm. She tried to shut out the thought of someone carving him up on purpose, but she knew it would be naïve to think otherwise, and couldn’t stop the niggle of guilt in her heart still whispering that ultimately, she had been the reason for it.

It was hard to imagine all that he must have seen and done in Los Angeles working with SWAT and then homicide investigation. Lost in his dreams, he looked so sweet and innocent, and despite all the time that had passed between them, she still found him as adorable as always.

The light shining through the curtains had been moving slowly across the bed with the rising of the sun and now fell across his face. He stirred and opened his eyes, momentarily confused by his surroundings until he remembered and knew where he was. He yawned and ran his hand through his hair, then rolled over to find Daisy gazing at him.

“I had th’ strangest dream last night,” he said, smiling lazily. “I dreamt you married me, Daisy Mae.”

“Funny ’bout those things,” she said, happily, “ya’ never know when they might come true.”

He sighed contentedly and brushed his fingers across her cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”

She leaned over and kissed him gently until he pulled back with a sigh.

“We’re gonna be in so much trouble…,” he said, only half teasing. “I reckon ya’ better enjoy bein’ married while it lasts, ’cause when your cousins find out, they’re gonna kill me. An’ then your Uncle Jesse’s gonna kill me. Any way ya’ sift it, I figure you’ve only got a few hours ’till you’re a widow.”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinkin’ about that,” she told him. On one hand, she was old enough that it wasn’t anybody’s business if she wanted to up and get hitched in the middle of the night. On the other, she’d always believed trouble was better avoided in the first place. “When’s your next day off?”

“Um, well let’s see…th’ Sheriff has t’ take Flash to th’ vet on Monday an’ he’s takin’ Lulu to Capitol City Tuesday. Cletus is off Wednesday, so prob’ly next Thursday.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why?”

“Well, I figure it’d be easier not t’ tell anyone right yet. We’ll just have a weddin’ Thursday.”

“Daisy…I ain’t lyin’ ’bout what happened.”

“It’s not lyin’ tellin’ ’em we’re havin’ a weddin’,” she reminded him.

“That’s splittin’ hairs,” he complained.

“‘Sides,” she continued, sweetly, “You don’t aim t’ break Uncle Jesse’s heart now do ya’? I reckon he’d like t’ believe he saw me get married.”

“Daisy…”

“It’ll be fine, Sugar. It’s only a week…”

“Dai-sey!” he whined, throwing himself face down into the pillow, knowing he’d lost the debate even before it started.

Daisy felt a pang of guilt for how easy it had always been to get her way with Enos, but it couldn’t be avoided if they didn’t want to cause a ruckus with everyone else today. At least now she had some way to make it up to him, she thought wryly. She kissed his shoulder, making her way slowly across his upper back until she felt his breath catch.

He rolled back over, pulling her into his arms. “I ain’t gonna stay away from you for a week.”

“I never said ya’ had t’ stay away. We’ll just have t’ be…”

“Sneaky?”

“I was gonna say creative.”

“We’re gonna get caught,” he assured her. “An’ then you’ll be libel t’ have a husband fulla buckshot.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll make sure you die happy, Enos…”

 

“Daisy sure is takin’ her sweet time getting’ here,” complained Bo. He, Luke, and Cooter were gathered back at the garage sharing out a breakfast of dough-nuts and beer. “I thought ya’ told her t’ come early.”

Luke glanced up at the clock which read 9:25am. “Well, she’d better get here ‘fore long,” he said, “she’s gotta work at noon.”

“Ya’ know, I’s just jokin’ ’bout her an’ Enos last night,” said Bo, “but I ain’t never known her t’ be this late. You don’t s’pose they were really sneakin’ around do ya’, Luke?”

“I reckon we’ll know pretty soon,” he answered. “Enos ain’t that hard t’ read.”

 

It was nearing 10:00am when Daisy and Enos finally headed on their way to town. “It’s my day off, ya’ know. Rosco sees me dressed like this, he’s libel t’ find somethin’ that needs doin’,” Enos said as he buttoned his coat. “If you’d’ve told me all your plans for yesterday, I would’ve brought a change of clothes,” he teased.

“My plans?” she laughed. “You started it. ‘Sides, you knew you were stayin’ th’ night.”

“You were a might lackin’ on th’ details. What did Luke say when ya’ called last night?”

“Uncle Jesse was lookin’ for me…”

“What?.!”

“Sorry, not lookin‘…just askin’.”

“So…what’s th’ plan?”

“I thought we’d tell ’em tonight about havin’ a weddin’ next week.”

“You’ want me t’ pick ya’ up after work?”

“That’d be fine…”

 

Luke was leaning against the wall outside Jake’s when the General Lee finally pulled up in front.

“‘Bout dang time!” he shouted.

“Sorry, Luke,” said Enos as he climbed out the window. “Guess we lost track of time.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” muttered Luke under his breath. “I thought it was your day off, Enos? Why ya’ dressed like that?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I need t’ go an’ change, y’all. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He walked up the outside stairs to the loft.

“You comin’?” asked Luke when Daisy made no move to follow him in.

“I’ll be right there,” she said, “I’m gonna wait for Enos.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

It wasn’t more than a few minutes before he came back down, now dressed casually. His ring caught the sun as he held onto the railing.

“Enos,” said Daisy, quietly, “you’ve gotta take your ring off, honey. I reckon it’d be hard t’ explain.” She was glad she’d waited for him.

He looked sadly at the gold band on his finger before removing it and putting it in his shirt pocket. “So what’s been goin’ on around here that I can’t see?”

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand in hers.

Cooter and Bo, hearing voices from the garage, straggled out of the office.

“Say, where’s Enos” asked Cooter, “Don’t he wanna see his surprise?”

“What surprise?” asked Enos as he and Daisy walked into the garage.

“There y’all are!” exclaimed Bo. “We done waited half th’ mornin’ for ya’. What th’ heck took ya’ so long?”

“Shucks, Bo,” said Enos, “we warn’t gonna speed t’ get here.”

Daisy laughed, and it took Bo a few seconds to realize that he hadn’t answered his question at all.

“Are we just gonna stand around or what?” asked Daisy. “I’ve gotta get t’ work.”

“Uh, well…,” started Bo.

“What Bo here’s tryin’ t’ say,” interrupted Luke, “is that we’ve been tryin’ t’ figure out how t’ properly thank ya’, Enos, for what’cha did, savin’ Daisy an’ all.”

“Ah shucks, fellas, I’s just doin’ my job,” he said, but he put his arm around Daisy’s shoulders, belying just what he really thought about it.

“Shoot, Enos, it was a hell of a lot more t’ us. An’ I reckon it was t’ you, too,” said Bo.

Luke elbowed his cousin. “An’ if Bo here’d shut up, you could see what we thought up for ya’. Come on over here.”

Enos released Daisy and followed Luke with the others. Luke pulled the tarp off to reveal the now shiny, sapphire blue Javelin with white racing stripes.

For a moment, Enos could only stare, not believing it could be his car. “Possum on a gum-bush…” He reached out and ran his hand lovingly over it’s roof. “This is really mine?” he asked them.

Cooter clapped him on the back. “All yours, Buddy-roe.”

He laughed nervously. “I…I don’t rightly know what t’ say. You fellas didn’t have t’ do this!”

“Shoot, Enos,” said Bo, “we know we didn’t have to, but it looked so gosh-darn awful… We figured you’d better look th’ part if you’re gonna give th’ General a run for his money on th’ track’.”

“Wow…”

“Oh!” said Luke, “I almost forgot! Climb in, we’ve got somethin’ else t’ show ya’.” Enos tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “It ain’t a patrol car, Enos, it’s a racin’ car. We welded th’ doors shut.”

Enos climbed through the window into the driver’s seat of the car. Luke climbed into the passenger’s seat, and reached into the backseat where a loop of the same color vinyl as the interior was connected to the bottom section of the seat, near the floorboard. He pulled up on it, and as he did, the rear seat opened to reveal a hidden compartment nearly two feet deep and as wide and long as the back seat.

“Wanna know what we found in there?”

“Gosh, I’m afraid t’ guess,” said Enos.

“In there, my friend, we found twelve gallons of grade A, number 1, prime moonshine,” he grinned at the shock on Enos’s face. “Bet ya’ never thought you’d be running ‘shine, now did ya’?”

“Don’t that beat all?” he laughed. “I’s lookin’ for a car that could pass for a runner when I found it. Didn’t know it was already stocked.”

“Key’s are in it. Take it for a spin.” Luke climbed back out of the car, and Daisy leaned in the window.

“Hey sugar, can I come?”

“You’d better. Hop in an’ I’ll drop ya’ at th’ Boar’s Nest.”

Daisy turned to her cousins. “Hey, would you fellas take Dixie home for me tonight? Enos can pick me up from work.”

Bo and Luke shared confused looks.

“Um…”

“Uh, yeah, I guess so, Daisy.”

Enos turned the key and the car roared to life as Daisy hopped in.

“Don’t wreck it!” hollered Cooter as Enos peeled out of the the garage and squealed the tires on the pavement.

The three of them stared after the car as it circled the square and then disappeared.

“Well, y’all, it’s sure been fun, but I’m gonna miss my flight if I don’t shake a leg,” said Cooter. “I’ll catch y’all later.”

“You take care, Cooter,”said Luke, patting him on the back.

“Yeah, hey, don’t be a stranger now, ya’ hear?”

“Oh, I’ll be around, Bo. We’ll see y’all.”

Cooter backed his pickup out of the drive and rolled down the window, gesturing down the street where Enos and Daisy had disappeared. “If I’s y’all, I’d keep tabs on them two,” he said before driving off himself.

Bo looked out at the empty road. “What’d ya’ reckon that’s s’posed t’ mean?”

“I think we best give ’em an escort home tonight,” said Luke, “…make sure they actually get there.”

 

While Bo and Luke were helping Jake pull the dents out of the General Lee, Enos dropped Daisy off at the Boar’s Nest and tried to find something to do with himself for the next eight hours. He didn’t especially want to go back to Jake’s and listen to the Duke boys speculate on what happened the night before. He was terrible at keeping secrets and if he spilled the beans to Bo and Luke about being married, Daisy’d kill him…if her cousins didn’t first. Driving by rote, he wasn’t surprised to find himself turning off towards Hazzard pond. He pulled up at the bank and climbed out to better inspect his car. Gosh, but it was pretty…he laughed, remembering what Luke had told him about it’s hidden cargo.

“You like t’ve got me in big trouble,” he told it. “S’pose it was a good thing I didn’t pull over for Rosco th’ other day.”

 

Bo and Luke were already at the Boar’s Nest when Enos pulled in at 7:00pm. He was an hour early, but he’d already exhausted everything else he could figure to waste time doing, including climbing back into his car and taking a long nap. Besides, there was always something interesting going on at the bar, and he could watch Daisy to his heart’s content. He frowned as he pulled up next to the General Lee, wishing her cousins weren’t there to pick on him.

Being a Friday night, it was crowded, and the only seat left was at the bar, which was where he’d rather be anyway. He took a seat, waving politely at Bo and Luke a couple tables away.

“Hey there Enos!” shouted Luke.

Daisy heard her cousin and looked around until she spotted Enos and flashed him a radiant smile. She walked back over behind the bar and down to his spot.

“Hey Enos, you want th’ regular?”

“Sure thing, Daisy Mae.”

“Be right back, sugar.”

Luke, who’d been watching the two, groaned.

“What?” asked Bo.

“Didja hear what he called her?”

“No, I wasn’t payin’ attention.”

“He just called her ‘Daisy Mae’,” said Luke. “He ain’t called her that going on twenty years.”

“So?”

“So, you can best bet that if he’s callin’ her that again, there’s definitely somethin’ goin’ on between ’em. An knowin’ them two, trouble ain’t likely t’ be followin’ too close behind.”

“What? Daisy an’ Enos? Ain’t neither one of them apt t’ get into too much trouble.”

Luke laughed. “You ain’t old enough t’ remember what they was like growin’ up. You get both of ’em apart, they’re regular saints, but ya’ get ’em together, there ain’t a scrape they didn’t get into when they were kids. Did ya’ know that when Daisy was eleven an’ Enos was thirteen, Cooter found ’em hitchikin’ up on the Georgia, Tennessee border?”

Bo nearly choked on his beer. “What!.?”

“It’s true. They’s dang lucky Cooter was comin’ back from makin’ a run and saw ’em. Lord knows what would’ve happened to ’em otherwise.”

“Well, how th’ heck did they get up there in th’ first place? That’s a hell of a long way from Hazzard County!”

“Don’t know, they wouldn’t tell anyone,” he said. “Enos got grounded from leavin’ home for a month, though.”

Bo thought as far back as he could remember, but he was nearly eight years younger than Enos, and his memories of the two together as kids were sketchy at best. “So, if they were that close, what th’ heck happened?”

Luke shook his head. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but it sure looks like they fixed it.”

Bo took another glance over at Enos and Daisy who were talking and laughing easily with each other, like they’d been best friends their whole lives.”

At a table near the door, two men who’d had their limit and a little over, began to yell for more beer.

Daisy rolled her eyes at Enos. “Sorry, honey, I gotta take care of th’ riff-raff.”

Enos had made a habit of coming by if Daisy was working Friday or Saturday night. There were at least a few drunks by late evening and inevitably a fight would break out. He was always worried about her getting caught in the middle of it since drunks in a scuffle didn’t generally look around to make sure they weren’t hitting the bystanders instead. He watched her as she walked back around the bar and over to the other table.

“I think you fellas have had enough tonight,” she told them, but when she leaned over to take their pitcher off the table, the one sitting closest to her grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap.

“Hey, babe, how ’bout I just take you instead,” he leered.

“Get your grubby paws offa me!” she shouted, but the man just held her tighter, groping at her.

Enos wasn’t even aware he’d gotten off of his stool until he found himself standing in front of the man, his eyes flashing with fury. Bo was about to get up as well, but Luke held him back.

“She said t’ let her go,” Enos seethed.

He tossed Daisy aside onto the floor and stood up. “What? You gonna do somethin’ about it, hayseed?”

Enos didn’t bother to answer him, just gave him a right hook.

The man picked himself up and ran at Enos, knocking him backwards into a table and both men went down. The atmosphere in the Boar’s Nest was electrified as the patrons got to their feet to watch the fight – it wasn’t everyday that Deputy Enos Strate was the one scuffling around on the floor…in fact no one could remember him ever having done so. Chants of “Come on, Enos!” and “Get him, Enos!” filled the room. The other guy had him pinned to the floor, but Enos hadn’t survived the LA beat without learning a few tricks. He head-butted the guy, stunning him and causing him to release his grip. The second he moved his hand, Enos caught him with another punch. Before the man could right himself, Enos grabbed his arm and twisted it back behind him and hauled him to his feet.

Everyone cheered as he tossed the man towards the door and shouted, “Don’t mess with my…my…”

“…wife.”

At first, Enos thought he’d been the one to say it, but the voice wasn’t his. He turned around, unaware that the crowd had fallen silent, to see Daisy standing behind him.

“Isn’t that what you meant to say?” she asked, quietly, her eyes riveted on his.

“What happened t’ not tellin’ yet?” he asked, as she stepped into his arms.

She shook her head, smiling softly up at him. “You were right, Enos, it was a bad idea.” She reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his ring, then took his left hand in hers and slid it back onto his finger. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks – I love you, Enos Strate, an’ I’m proud t’ be your wife.”

As their lips met, a flurry of whoops and people banging beer mugs on tables echoed through the room. Bo and Luke just stared in shock at Enos and Daisy kissing each other passionately in the middle of the Boar’s Nest.

“Luke…,” said Bo, finally, “did she say wife?”

“Oh Lord…”

The two finally pulled away from each other and Daisy spoke up. “Well, y’all,” she called to everyone in the bar, “I s’pose th’ cat’s outta th’ bag. Last round’s on th’ house.”

Most everyone cheered, except Bo and Luke who were making their way though the crowd of people trying to congratulate them.

“I think y’all need t’ come outside so we can talk,” said Luke to Daisy and Enos.

Enos frowned. “If you’ve got somethin’ t’ say, Luke, just say it.”

“Come on,” Daisy said quietly, tugging on Enos’s hand to pull him back from Luke. The tension between the two was palatable.

“Alright, Daisy,” he whispered, and let her guide him out of the bar.

The air outside the Boar’s Nest was cold but not enough to cool Luke’s temper which was focused on Enos. Regardless of how much Daisy felt for the guy, he just wasn’t quite prepared for the fact that Enos had run off with Daisy in the middle of the night. He was the oldest, the one who was supposed to protect her – only to find his job suddenly stolen away from him without a word. He shoved the Deputy up against the brick wall. “What have you done?”

“Luke!” shouted Daisy and Bo, pulling their cousin back, “Stop it!”

Daisy moved to stand between Luke and Enos. “You cool it right now, Luke Duke!” she told him.

“Luke, just hear ’em out,” urged Bo.

“Fine…I’m listenin’.”

Luke grudgingly backed up a step and Daisy’s expression softened. “We never intended t’ just run off, but after we nearly got killed by a drunk up on Ridge-runner Road comin’ home, things got put in a different perspective – ‘specially considerin’ what happened last month,” she added.

Luke’s anger disappeared immediately, replaced by concern – everybody knew Ol’ Ridge Road might as well be called the ‘road of death’. “You never said nothin about bein’ up on th’ ridge, an’ you told me it was just a busted taillight an’ a couple dents,” he reminded her.

“It was a little closer shave than th’ damage made it look like,” she admitted, looking away.

“Geez, Daisy…” Luke wrapped her in a hug, only now aware that the same road that had claimed his father had almost claimed his cousin and friend as well. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

He released Daisy and looked back at Enos. “I’m sorry, Enos, I didn’t mean nothin’ personal towards you by it,” said Luke, “It just…took me by surprise is all.”

“That’s okay, Luke,” he said, shaking the hand Luke offered. “Kinda took me by suprise, too.” He grinned at Daisy.

“So now wait… you two really ran off an’ got hitched?” asked Bo.

“Yep, already done did it,” said Enos, amused now that it seemed he wasn’t about to be executed.

“Shoot…Well dang, come ‘ere, girl.” Bo grabbed Daisy and gave her a bear hug as she laughed.

Luke stood back, looking at Enos and Daisy for a long moment before shaking his head and giving them an amused snort . “If you two don’t beat all…”

“You know,” said Bo, “I reckon we’d best be getting’ home ‘fore someone calls Uncle Jesse t’ congratulate him.”

“I’ll kick everyone out an’ lock up,” said Daisy. She kissed Enos on the cheek and went back inside.

 

Uncle Jesse knew something strange was going on as the parade of three vehicles pulled up outside and Bo, Luke, Daisy, and Enos got out. “Must be somethin’ big,” he mused to himself, looking out the window, “th’ whole Calvary’s a-comin’.”

He sat down in the chair by the fire and waited for them to come in. As they filed past the kitchen and into the living room, he knew immediately it had something to do with the two that walked in holding hands, looking like they’d just done something that was gonna get them in trouble.

“Alright, you two,” he told them, “don’t bother beatin’ around th’ bush. Ya’ look guiltier than a fox havin’ chicken dinner.”

Daisy and Enos shared a glance between themselves.

“Uh, well, Uncle Jesse,” began Daisy.

“We got hitched,” finished Enos.

Jesse just looked at the two of them. “Well,” he said, finally “did ya’ mean to?” He watched as their faces turned from nervous to confused.

“Well… yeah, we meant to,” said Daisy. Enos nodded his assent.

“What?” said the older man, looking around at the stunned faces. “Now don’t tell me y’all thought you was gonna shock ol’ Uncle Jesse. ‘Specially not th’ way you two’ve been wandering around here with yer heads in th’ clouds.” He gestured at Enos and Daisy.

“I thought you’d be upset about me not havin’ a proper weddin’,” explained Daisy.

Uncle Jesse got up and walked over to his niece and took her gently by the shoulders. “Daisy, I’m more interested in ya’ marryin’ th’ right man, an’ for th’ right reasons – not how fancy it is when ya’ do it.” His kind blue eyes met her tear filled ones. “Can tell me ya’ did both of them things?”

She nodded her head. “I married Enos ’cause I love him, Uncle Jesse.”

Her uncle hugged her tight. “Then I’m more than happy for ya’, baby girl.”

He let her go and patted her cheek gently before turning to Enos. “Yer pa’d be awful proud of ya’, son,” he told the younger man. “Just like all of us have always been.”

Enos had to clear his throat before he could speak, “Thank you, Uncle Jesse,” he said, quietly. “I won’t let ya’ down.”

 

Jesse Duke got up early Saturday morning and made his way quietly through the house into the kitchen. Bo and Luke still slept and Daisy and Enos had gone back to town the night before. He looked around, thinking how quiet it would be without Daisy living there. Instead of starting breakfast, he opened the cabinet and felt on the top shelf until his fingers found the small flask of clear liquid stashed there. He didn’t make much moonshine anymore, only a few gallons every couple years – for medicinal purposes…and special occasions such as today he reckoned to himself as he tucked the flask in his pocket. Picking up his keys, he left the house, catching the screen door on the way out so as not to wake his nephews.

The old Pine Ridge Cemetery up in the depths of the Blue Ridge foothills was still and calm that morning. The head stones sat like sentinels, guarding the memories of many long forgotten, and some not so much. It wasn’t used very often anymore, containing mostly the old families – those that had known these hills for generations, and time was already dragging it back into the wilderness from which it had been carved. All the kids’ parents were here, save Bo’s mother who had been buried in New Friendship, closer to town. Uncle Jesse supposed some day, he’d rest here as well.

He visited his own family first, raking the leaves away from the base of the stone that read Martha Lavinia Duke and the small one next to it where rested the only child he and his wife had ever had – a baby girl, stillborn. He wasn’t ashamed of the tears in his eyes, he was old enough to know better, and he still missed her somethin’ fierce. She would’ve been happy to hear her two favorite trouble makers had finally found each other again.

After a few more minutes, Jesse got up and dusted off his overalls, adjusted his hat, and made his way on towards the back corner of the graveyard. There were five head stones grouped together here around an old monument, mostly eaten by lichen and weather, upon which read the surname “Strate”. He stopped at the one on the end, removed the flask from his pocket, and took a swig.

“Well, Otis my friend, I s’pose somewhere’s you’re lookin’ down havin’ a good laugh at me right about now,” he said. “An’ I s’pose you’d be in th’ right since this means you won that bet fair an’ square.” He moved the flask over the grave as if toasting an unseen friend. “Here’s t’ our kids finally gettin’ hitched…” Jesse poured the remainder of the flask over the ground at the base of the stone. “You always said they’d run off together some day…an’ so they did – though quite a bit later than you thought they would. I s’pose they had a lot t’ sort out, but it sure is good t’ have ’em back together.”

[Fine.]

 

by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 20: The Next Chapter

 

“On this day, to be standing here with you –
there’s no doubt I know this love is true.
See my tears, only you can understand
this state of grace –
I feel blessed to hold your hand.

…With your love I’m not alone.
In your world, I’m never far away from home.
A life I thought I’d never find –
In your eyes I see all that I am,
with your love.
-Journey

 

The passing car caught the General Lee on the left rear quarter panel, spinning them around 180 degrees to rest in the direction they’d come from. The drunk, either unconcerned or unaware that he’d hit anything, continued on up the road, taillights never flashing.

Enos killed the engine, flipped on the dome light, and turned to Daisy. “You alright?”

She still clutched the seat and armrest in a death grip, and he could hear her rapid breathing as she met his eyes. “Yeah,” she said, “I think so. How ’bout you?”

He gave her a slight smile. ” ‘Scared about ten years offa me, but otherwise I’m fine.”

They sat, staring at each other across the console while long seconds ticked by, before falling into each others arms – neither saying a word, but knowing how close they’d come to disaster.

At last Daisy sat back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I guess we’d better see how much y’ owe Bo an’ Luke for repairs, Hot Shot.” She grinned, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes, and she knew she wasn’t fooling him.

They climbed out to inspect the damage and found that it wasn’t too bad, the other car had just clipped the side panel, busted a taillight, and left a cantaloupe sized dent below it.

“Well, I don’t think yer cousins are gonna let me borrow th’ General Lee again for a while, but it coulda been a heck of a lot worse, that’s for dang sure,” said Enos, kneeling down by the rear tire. “You’d better b’lieve I’ll be up here t’morrow lookin’ for a car with orange paint on th’ front.”

Daisy glanced at the dent in the rear panel, only five feet down from the driver’s side door, and said nothing. Instead she walked to the far side of Ridge Road and looked out over the ravine. She hugged Enos’s coat around her, but she shook from more than the chill of the night air. Stooping, she picked up a medium sized rock from the side of the road and dropped it over, watching by the moonlight as it hit another and dislodged it, starting a cascade of gravel, dirt, and debris tumbling into the darkness below. In her mind she saw the General Lee, careening over the edge, flipping end over end. When she was younger, she would have laughed at having skirted death, now…well she supposed she wasn’t a kid anymore. Enos’s arms around her startled her out of her grim meditation.

“Standin’ here lookin’ down there ain’t gonna make ya’ sleep good tonight.”

She leaned back against him, and he tightened his embrace. “We both managed t’ grow up an’ get outta these hills, Enos, but they’re still tryin’ t’ find ways of killin’ us.”

Her words recalled more ghosts than he cared to remember. “I’d be mighty obliged if they’d stop tryin’,” he said, quietly.

They’d both lost more than their fair share of family to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Daisy herself was an orphan, something most people tended to forget since Jesse and Lavinia had taken her in when she was just a baby. Bo’s parents and Luke’s father, Enos’s own father and grandfather, an aunt, the list went on and on – these hills were soaked with the blood of Dukes and Strates, and all the other families who’d scraped out a living running White Lightning through them.

With a heavy heart, Daisy turned around and hugged him tight. The way the General had been hit – if they’d been a split second slower, the drunk’s car would have smashed into the driver’s side instead of the taillight, and regardless of what would have happened to her – Enos by all rights would probably be dead.

“I can’t stand anymore of almost losin’ you, Enos,” she said, tremulously. “I nearly did two weeks ago when ya’ got yourself shot savin’ my life.” She drew back and fingered the silver Hazzard County badge on his shirt. “An’ don’t think I don’t know th’ chance you take every time you walk out th’ door in this uniform. I’ve thought about it since you were nineteen, worryin’ someday I was gonna have t’ put you in th’ ground, too.”

The pain and sadness in her tone was laced with anger, though Enos knew it wasn’t directed at him, but at life itself for what it was – simply a game of chance with an uncertain future. He smiled sadly at her. “I don’t mean t’ worry ya’, Daisy, but that’s just th’ way of things – ya’ take a chance every time ya’ wake up an’ get outta bed. Heck, a million things could go wrong b’fore breakfast. Why, I heard of a guy…”

“Enos…,” she stopped him, knowing his ramblings were just a defense mechanism for not having to talk about things he found uncomfortable.

He sighed. “Daisy, I don’t wanna think about either of us losin’ each other. I came close enough t’ that already, an’ I still hear ya’ screamin’ out in them woods every night I go t’ sleep…’cept in my dreams I never make it to ya’ in time.” he added, his voice rough.

She put her hand against his cheek and he covered it with his own. “I’m so sorry. I sure wish I could send ya’ some sweet dreams.”

Her words cleared the gloom from his face. “You already do, Daisy… everyday I’m with ya’s a dream come true.”

“Oh Enos,” she said, smiling shyly up at him, “I could live th’ rest of my life an’ never get tired of hearin’ your sweet words. You always make me feel like I’m somethin’ special.”

“You are special, Daisy. You’ve gotta heart of gold – more than anybody I’ve ever known.”

Her smile faltered. “Enos, you’re th’ last person who oughta be sayin’ that about me.”

“No,” he said, “I’m th’ first person. Th’ way I figure it, everything ya’ did was ’cause ya’ thought ya’ were helpin’ me in some way or another.” He put his hand over her mouth before she interrupted him. “I’ll grant ya’ they were terrible plans,” he said, honestly, “but that don’t mean your intentions weren’t good.”

Daisy took his hands in hers, and looked up into his eyes. She said nothing for a long time, but stood watching him in the semi-darkness, her heart full of love for the man in front of her who could forgive twenty years of heartache so easily. She wished there was someway she could fix what she’d broken between them, once and for all – not only because she felt she owed it to him, but because she loved him more than life itself, and if something happened to her tomorrow she would want him to know that she had truly been his – heart, mind, body, and soul forever.

He waited patiently for her to say whatever it was that was on her mind. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, barely louder than the wind and full of emotion.

“Enos, I…I want t’ know that if somethin’ happened tomorrow, we’d have made right what’s been wrong between us first.”

“You tell me how t’ do that, an’ I’ll do it. Anything…I swear it.”

She took a deep breath and looked up at him, her heart pounding. “Would you marry me…tonight?”

Her request caught him off guard, and he laughed nervously, his mind automatically believing she was teasing him, though he couldn’t remember her ever looking so serious in all his life. Regardless of how it sounded, he had to ask, “Y..you’re not…not shuckin’ me, are ya’?”

Her eyes never left his as she shook her head slowly. “No… I’m not.”

A memory came to his mind of another day, covered long ago by the dust of time. It had been here in these hills the first time he’d held Daisy in his arms – though as a boy of fifteen he’d no understanding of the emotions which were only whisperings of what he would grow to feel for her in the years to come. He still didn’t know how she’d found him that day, standing at the edge of the old L&N railroad trestle, terrified that if he backed away his legs would betray him and he would hurl himself into the river below – and he knew everyone would think he’d jumped on purpose. She’d pulled him back and thrown her arms around him, screaming at him the whole time for scaring her to death.

They were two souls – separated for so long, yet never meant to be apart – and for the first time in over half his lifetime, he could see not only the woman, but the girl he’d always loved shining through her eyes. Oh, but how he’d missed her…

He cupped her face in his hands and leaned in close, his breath warm against her cheek. “How am I gonna say ‘no’ t’ what I’ve always wanted?”

 

Jesse Duke put down the phone for the third time that evening without an answer. He checked his watch. It was 9:45pm, not all that late but still odd that Daisy wasn’t at home since she had to work the next day. He wasn’t sure if he needed to worry – or just wonder, about the Deputy Sheriff that he was fairly sure had something to do with it.

 

“Enos, town’s th’ other way.” They’d taken Cedar Point Road off of Ridge down to Mill Road, but instead of turning towards Hazzard, he’d turned left, towards the farm.

“If you think I’m gonna wake Rosco up an’ get him t’ marry us, you’ve done lost yer mind, Daisy Mae.”

“So where’re we goin’?”

“Ain’t Judge Druten still livin’ up on Drexel Road this side o’ Hollister?”

“Last I knew. What? You mean we’re gonna go knock on his door?”

“Gotta better idea?”

“Nope,” she laughed.

Drexel Road took off north of Partridge Farm and ran through the northern tip of Hazzard County to the tiny town of Hollister, just over the border in Drexel County. It was nearly ten o’clock when they pulled in front of the old Victorian style home. It had always struck Enos as odd to see such a grand house in the middle of farm county, but he reckoned the judge could build whatever fancied him. He and Daisy climbed out of the Charger, but he caught her by the hand and pulled her back to him before she could go any further.

“Hold on a minute,” he said, tucking his shirt into the waistband of his pants. “I look like I got mugged.”

Laughing, she ducked back into the car, grabbed his hat from the back seat, and put it on his head. “There. Good as new, Deputy Strate.”

“You sure this is what’cha wanna do?”

“Are ya’ tryin’ t’ talk me out of it, Enos, or d’ya’ think that’s what you’re s’posed t’ ask someone before they run off an’ get married in th’ middle of th’ night?”

He grinned. “Well, I sure ain’t gonna try an’ talk ya’ outta marryin’ me, no matter what time a day it is, Daisy Duke.” His comment earned him a kiss.

Hand in hand, they made their way up the gravel drive to the lit porch.

 

It was 10:05pm when the phone rang at Jake’s garage. They’d finished the paint on the Javelin two hours ago and were killing time, waiting for it to dry enough to put the trim back on.

“I’ll get it y’all,” said Cooter, hopping up out of his chair and picking the receiver up from the phone on the desk. “Oh, hey, Uncle Jesse. Yeah, they’re still here, hold on I’ll get one of ’em.” He handed the phone to Luke.

“Hey, Uncle Jesse. What’s goin’ on?” It was late for his uncle to be calling, of course on the farm things pretty much shut down when it got dark, so late was sometimes relative.

“Nothin’ in particular,” said Jesse. “Just wanted t’ see how things’re gettin’ along over there. ”

“Not too bad,” replied Luke, “we’ve gotta couple more hours of work, but we should have everything wrapped up before too long.”

“Oh, well good…good…”

Luke knew his uncle well enough to know there was something else on his mind, but he didn’t ask what. He’d heard that tone of voice one too many times growing up – usually when it turned out his uncle’d found out about something he’d done to get himself in trouble. He swore th’ old man had eyes in th’ back of his head.

“So, how’s Holly an’ th’ folks?”

“Oh, they’re fine…just fine.” He paused. “Say, is Daisy around?”

“No, she’s back at th’ farm.”

“Well, I reckon she ain’t. I’ve been callin’ over there all evenin’. Ever’thing alright?”

“Uh…” Luke wasn’t used to having to cover for Daisy. “As far as I know it is, Uncle Jesse. She picked up Enos after he got offa work, but I ain’t see her since then.”

“Huh.” There was a pause before Uncle Jesse continued. “Well, I just wanted t’ check an’ see how it was goin’. You boys be careful drivin’ back, an’ I’ll see ya’ tomorrow.”

“Will do, Uncle Jesse,” he said. “We’ll see ya’ then.”

He hung up th’ phone and walked back over to where the other guys were.

“Hey cuz,” laughed Bo. “It’ too late t’ be thinkin’ that hard about somethin’. What’s goin’ on?”

Luke shook his head, perplexed. “Nothin’, Uncle Jesse was just lookin’ for Daisy. I guess she an’ Enos ain’t at th’ farm, yet.”

Bo glanced up at the clock. “Kind of a late night.” He grinned back at Luke. “Or maybe they just ain’t answerin’ th’ phone.”

“That’s a downright disturbin’ thing t’ be sayin’, Bo Duke,” said Cooter, getting up out of his chair. “I think I’ll go an’ check th’ paint.”

 

Enos shot Daisy an amused look as he rang the doorbell. “Well, I reckon this is one thing I never thought I’d be doin’.”

She squeezed his hand. “That makes two of us.”

The door opened to reveal a short, balding man, with wire-rimmed glasses in a well-worn, red plaid robe and blue slippers. Enos began to apologize for bothering him, but the older man beat him to the punch.

“I’d tell ya’ that th’ jail’s th’ other way, Deputy, but it ain’t th’ first time I’ve seen that dopey look you two’ve got in yer eyes,” he sighed. “Come on in outta th’ cold.” He held the door until they’d stepped inside and then shut it behind them.

“I’m right sorry ’bout disturbin’ ya’, sir,” said Enos.

The judge sighed and smiled kindly at them. “Oh, that’s alright, son. Ever since I retired, it’s about th’ most fun I get.” He looked curiously at the two of them. “Though I gotta say it’s usually th’ younger kids who do this sorta thing.”

He motioned them to follow him into another room which was set up as a sort of library with a long table in the center and a desk with bookshelves in one corner. Enos lay his hat down on the table and Daisy took Enos’s coat off and draped it over a chair.

“How’s yer Uncle Jesse, Miss Duke?”

“He’s doin’ just fine, sir,” Daisy answered.

“Ain’t seen him around much lately. Don’t get in t’ Hazzard much in th’ winter, though. Specially not with th’ storm we had.” He turned to Enos. “Read about what happened in th’ paper. That was some mighty fine work ya’ did, Deputy…or should I call ya’ Detective?”

Enos smiled self-consciously and told him the same thing he told everyone who insisted on lavishing praise on him on that account. “I’s only doin’ my job, sir. An’ I’m just a Deputy, unless th’ State of Georgia needs th’ other.”

“Well, welcome back t’ Hazzard then. Don’t know as I’d fancy out west, either, though I s’pose this young lady had somethin’ t’ do with your comin’ back.”

At that Enos gave him a true smile. “Yes, sir, she did.”

“So…” The judge walked over to a short desk and removed a paper from one of the drawers. “You’ll need’ t’ fill this out with your full names, an’ sign below.” He lay it down and fished a pen out of another drawer, handing it to Enos. “I’ll go rustle up Martha, an’ I’ll be right back.”

Enos took the pen and scowled. “Full name, huh?”

“Oh, Enos,” Daisy chided him, “there’s nothin’ wrong with your given name. I think it’s cute.”

“Tellin’ me it’s ‘cute’ don’t make me like it any better,” he grumbled as he filled in his part of the license and signed it. He handed the pen to Daisy, who added her name to the paper as well.

Judge Druten reentered the room, followed by a plump, cheery-faced woman in her sixties, with pink rollers in her hair and a floral housecoat. Martha Druten had been Daisy’s Sunday-school teacher when she was little.

Daisy looked at her sheepishly as she came over to them. “Oh, Ms. Martha, I’m real sorry we got ya’ outta bed.”

The woman smiled brightly at Daisy and hugged her. “Oh now, Daisy, y’ain’t got nothin’ t’ be sorry for. Why, it gets so dreadfully quiet ’round here since our girls done grown up and flown away, an’ I love weddin’s anyhow, even if they are a little spur o’ th’ moment,” she laughed. “How’s Uncle Jesse an’ th’ boys doin’?”

“Oh, just fine, gettin’ everything ready for th’ spring plantin’.”

“An’ nice days for it this past week, too. How many acres do y’all have still?”

Charles Druten interrupted her. “Martha, y’all can catch up later. I for one wanna watch th’ news ‘fore I hit th’ hay.” He looked at Daisy and Enos. “Now, do I need t’ go over th’ usual admonitions with ya’ like I do with th’ kids that show up thinkin’ this ain’t th’ real thing?”

“No sir,” said Enos, “I reckon we’re countin’ on that. It bein’ th’ real thing, an’ all.”

“Well, alright then.” He picked the license up from the table with their names on it and looked it over. “Do ya’ want t’ do this th’ right way, or d’ya just want me t’ sign at th’ bottom?”

They looked at him, confused.

“Never mind,” he chuckled, “I don’t get many takers on th’ just signin’ option. Well then, kids, we’ll do this th’ right way. Face each other and hold hands.”

Enos took Daisy’s hands in his and they turned towards each other. She grinned up at him, wide-eyed and a slight blush staining her cheeks. He was so caught up in thinking about how beautiful she looked, he missed the first part of what the Judge was saying.

“…have come here with an intention to marry one another and join hands forever in a sacred bond of unity.” The Judge looked at Enos, who thankfully now appeared to be paying attention. “Do you, Benjamin Enos Strate, take Daisy Mae Duke to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising from this day forward to be her faithful husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as you both shall live?”

Daisy gave his hands a gentle squeeze. “I do,” he said, relieved that his voice sounded normal. He vaguely remembered practicing those words once upon a time and wondered briefly now why he’d ever thought they’d be hard to say. He beamed at Daisy, whose eyes seemed to be suspiciously watery – unaware that his own were as well.

The Judge turned to Daisy. “Do you, Daisy Mae Duke, take Benjamin Enos Strate to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising from this day forward to be his faithful wife, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as you both shall live?”

Daisy barely noticed the tears that slipped down her cheeks as she stared up into Enos’s eyes. “I do,” she said, softly.

“You don’t happen t’ have a ring do ya’?” the Judge asked Enos.

“Huh? Oh! Actually we do,” he said. “That’s what I had t’ go back up for when ya’ dropped me off earlier, Daisy.” He looked back at Judge Druten. “They’re in my coat.”

“I’ll get it, honey,” said Martha, walking over to the chair his coat was on.

“They?” asked Daisy, confused. “How many rings have ya’ got?”

Enos flushed. “Well, I didn’t have much time, so I just grabbed the box. It has both in there.”

Martha, having found what she was looking for, handed Enos a small, white ring box. Daisy’s breath caught when she saw it. She knew that box, it was the same one that had held the rings they’d picked out four years ago at Boss’s jewelry store. Enos opened it and took out three rings – an engagement ring with a half carat diamond, the gold wedding band that matched it, and a man’s simple gold ring.

“Enos,” she whispered in disbelief, “you kept them…”

He shrugged. “I couldn’t bring myself t’ return ’em.”

Truth be told, he could of used the money back then, having bought them with the insurance settlement he’d gotten from when Frank Scanion had blown up his car, but returning them would have put the last nail in the coffin of his dreams. So he’d kept them – a tenuous link to a past he could never hope to forget. He handed his ring to Daisy.

“Okay, good. Well then,” said the Judge, “place the ring on her finger and say: With this ring, I thee wed.”

Enos slipped the engagement and wedding bands onto her finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Daisy placed Enos’s ring on his finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” she repeated.

“I, Judge Charles Druten, by the power vested in me by the State of Georgia, now declare you man and wife.” He smiled at them. “You may kiss your bride.” Judge Druten left them and went over with his wife to the table to sign the marriage license.

Enos wiped the tears from Daisy’s cheeks and kissed her softly before gathering her into his arms and hugging her tight.

The Judge walked back over to them and handed the marriage license to Enos. “This needs t’ be filed at th’ courthouse. Technically I’m s’posed t’ take it there myself, but since you’re a police officer, you’re authorized to do it. I expect you’d rather take it than me handin’ it t’ Rosco.”

Enos took the paper. “I’m mighty obliged, Judge.”

“Oh, it’s not a problem,” he said. “You two run along now, I’m kickin’ ya’ out.”

“Yes, sir.” Enos grabbed his hat and Daisy his coat and his hand and pulled him out of the room and then out the front door, thanking the Judge as she passed him. She stopped when they got to the car and turned to Enos, the momentousness of what they’d just done beginning to sink in.

“You ain’t havin’ second thoughts are ya’?” he teased as she hugged him tight.

She shook her head. “Huh uh.”

“Good, ’cause it’s too late, Mrs. Strate,” he said, hugging her back. “An’ I think we’d best get outta th’ Judge’s yard, ‘fore he comes an’ shoos us off.”

“Alright, let’s go then.”

He leaned in through the passenger’s side window and stuck the license in the glove compartment before helping Daisy into the car.

It was less than a ten minute drive from Hollister back to the Duke farm. The house was eerily quiet and deserted as Enos parked the General Lee outside. They climbed out and Daisy waited until Enos met her at the front of the car.

He looked nervously up at the farmhouse and around the yard. “You’re sure no one’s comin’?”

“Shouldn’t be,” she told him.

He gave her a look. “That’s not sure enough.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got that figured out. I’ll check up on th’ boys. Let ’em know ya’ wrecked their car,” she said, nudging him with her elbow.

He stepped in front of her. “They find out what we just did, they’re gonna have a fit.”

She grinned up at him. “Well now, I don’t aim t’ tell ’em that…not tonight at least.” She put her hand against his cheek. “Quit worryin’, Enos. Come on, an’ I’ll get hold of Luke.”

They went inside to the moonlit kitchen.

“Possum on a gum-bush, it’s nearly as cold in here as it is outside,” said Enos. “Th’ fire must be nearly out. I’ll check on it while ya’ call.”

“Okay.” Daisy picked up the receiver and dialed Jake’s garage as Enos walked past her towards the living room and the fireplace.

“Jake’s, Cooter Davenport speakin’.”

“Hey Cooter! How’s it goin’?” she asked, cheerfully.

Cooter lowered his voice. “Daisy Duke! Where you been, girl?”

“Uh…is Luke there, Cooter?”

“Yeah, he’s here. Hold on just a minute.” He handed the phone to Luke.

“Daisy?” asked Luke. “Where in th’ blue blazes you been? Uncle Jesse called lookin’ for ya’.”

“What did ya’ tell him?” she asked, nervously.

Now that question was about as suspicious as it got comin’ from Daisy, thought Luke. “I told him you picked up Enos an’ I hadn’t seen nothin’ of ya’ since.”

“We had a wreck.”

“What! What happened? Are y’all okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine, just a busted taillight on th’ General and a couple dings. Nothin’ Jake can’t pull out in an hour. How’re things goin’?”

“We’re about done here.” Luke thought for a second. There wasn’t any reason for Daisy to call this late at night about something like a busted taillight…unless she was just makin’ sure they were still there. He figured there was one way to test that theory. “Maybe we should see if Jake can give us a ride back tonight…”

“No! I mean…it’s just a dent, nothin’ t’ bother Jake about tonight.”

Luke laughed on the other end and rubbed his tired eyes. “Daisy…did ya’ really call about th’ car or just t’ check up on us?” The tables had been turned – when they were younger and wilder, it had always been Luke or Bo callin’ Daisy to make sure Uncle Jesse wasn’t out lookin’ for one of them.

There was only silence on the line for a moment. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about Luke,” she said. “I’ll pick ya’ up in th’ mornin’.”

“Make it early,” he joked, but she’d already hung up.

 

Daisy hung up the phone and sighed. She’d have to endure her cousins’ teasing tomorrow, but at least they wouldn’t be showing up tonight. The living room was still dark, except for the fire that was now burning brightly in the fireplace and at first she didn’t see Enos. He was sitting on the floor, his back to the coffee table, staring absently into the flames in front of him.

He glanced at her when she sat down beside him and gave her a slight smile but turned his attention back to the fire. Daisy thought perhaps what they’d done was finally sinking in, but he didn’t look nervous, just deep in thought. She waited patiently, knowing he would eventually say whatever was on his mind. The light played across his face and brought to her mind the night at the cabin, when she’d thought he was asleep and had poured her heart out to him, unaware he was hearing every word. Somehow he seemed younger now though, a testament to the stress he’d been living with when he found her. He was a bit rough around the edges tonight as well, which was something she didn’t usually associate with him in uniform, but they’d had a strange last six hours. Honestly, she thought it made him endearing.

“I kept expectin’ somethin’ t’ happen to stop us,” he said quietly, still not looking at her. “‘Cause ya’ know, nothin’ seems t’ go off without a hitch ’round here, an’ ‘specially not for me.”

“You’re not sorry it didn’t, are ya’?”

He turned to her finally. “No, I’m not sorry,” he reflected, catching a strand of her hair and twirling it through his fingers. “Just surprised, an’ I reckon I’m a bit overwhelmed. I keep wonderin’ when I’m gonna wake up…’cause this has t’ be a dream.” His eyes met hers, and he moved his hand to trace the side of her face and then her mouth with his fingertips.

His touch sent a shiver through her. “It’s not a dream,” she assured him.

“Well, maybe it is, an’ maybe it ain’t.” He gave her a sly grin. “It wouldn’t be th’ first time I dreamed about ya’, Daisy.”

She blushed, not only because his tone and the look he gave her left little doubt as to what he’d dreamed, but because she’d never heard him talk like that. “Well, I reckon if this is a dream, you’d better make th’ most of it.”

He must have agreed because he leaned forward and kissed her slowly and gently, deepening it as she looped her arms around his neck and pulling her towards him.

His mind focused only on her, he was completely unaware of her hands unbuttoning his uniform until his arms were forced down as she tugged it off of him, and then her lips were stolen from his as she pushed him back to remove his undershirt. Instead of finding hers again, they found their way to her neck as he trailed soft kisses downward. He was thwarted by her shirt which was in the way and it was a long moment before he realized he needed to unbutton it. The thought stopped him in his tracks and he leaned back.

She met his eyes. “It’s not gonna unbutton itself, sugar,” she whispered, gently.

She ran her hands from where they rested on his shoulders, down his strong arms until she caught his hands in hers. She brought them up and placed a soft kiss on each in turn before guiding them to the button at the top of her blouse. He hesitated, then swallowed hard, and with trembling fingers unbuttoned the first button, and then the next, until he’d undone them all. She slipped it off, looped her arms around his neck, and lay back, pulling him down with her. Enos hovered over her, his eyes full of amazement as though he’d only just discovered his dream was real.

“…you’re really mine…” he breathed with wonder.

Daisy smiled up at him, not knowing how she could have stood to live a single day without him. “All yours…forever,” she whispered back.

[…]

A/N:  First, about the memory that Enos had of the railroad bridge. I know I’ve been throwing out memories and snippets here and there throughout this story about the past I’ve created for Enos and Daisy. I’m actually writing a sort of prequel which is called “The Story of Us”. I’ve created such an elaborate backstory that I’ve been drawing from that I think writing it all out would really enrich this one, hopefully some of y’all will want to read it.

Second, Enos’s name. I’m one of those crazy people who loves genealogy. Just ask my husband –spending 8 hours at the Historical Society is my idea of a good time (and I’m not even old!). Anywho…one thing you learn is that, especially in the deep south, it’s extremely common for people to have kind of a common ‘family’ name for a first name that they never use and go by their middle name. (Except on marriage licenses, which is a pain in the rear end to look up if you don’t know the actual first name of the person you’re looking for.) Usually it’s something like David, William, John, Charles, etc. Enos isn’t really a very common name to have for a first name, so I chose one for him that I thought fit. Actually, Rosco calls him “Benjamin” twice in “Sittin’ Dukes” so I’m pretending it was a Freudian slip.