by: i1976

Enos came close to Daisy, but he didn’t know exactly what to do or to say.

“Daisy… why are you crying? There’s no need to cry. It’s something happened so much time ago”

Daisy shook her head, “You don’t understand, Enos. I’m crying ‘cause you didn’t tell me something so important”.

Enos was looking at her, shocked, “But… I didn’t tell you anything ‘cause I didn’t want you worried ‘bout it. If I had told it, you’d have come to L.A. Oh yeah, I’d have liked to see you, but… your work here… and the farm….. You know, Daisy, I care for you more than for anyone else here in Hazzard, and you know that I usually tell you everything ‘bout me”

After his words Enos blushed, realizing that he was somehow telling his love to her.

Daisy turned away, hiding her face, “You usually tell me only the good things, but when you have a problem you draw away from me. It’s not the first time”

“I draw away from you ‘cause I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t want to put you in danger”, Enos tried to explain, blushing more and more, “Please, Dais, don’t be angry”.

Meanwhile night was falling and streetlamps were spreading light all around; the clouds, the same clouds the wind swept away that day, were coming back; an unwelcome comeback.

There’s silence in the small room, Daisy with her back towards him, and Enos behind her, silent.

But few after that silence was broken by thunders coming closer and closer, and the rain started to thump the windows like a machine gun fire.

Suddenly a thunder burst like a bomb, and the darkness fell on the room previously filled by streetlamps light.

“A black-out”, they whispered.

Daisy looked outside the window: the town was totally lost in darkness.

“Maybe a lighting fell nearby, but I should have some candles somewhere”.

Daisy heard Enos’s voice behind her, then his tread, a thud and a moan.

“Enos, what are you doin’?”, she couldn’t help but smiling, guessing that Enos, clumsy as usual, knocked against furniture; it was impossible to be angry at him.

Finally, after several opened and closed drawers, a dim light filled the room.

Daisy wiped away her tears, gave a deep breath and she committed herself she wouldn’t have been angry anymore.

Then she turned to Enos, “I’m glad you have these candles, sugar. I don’t like darkness”.

Enos sighed in relief, thanking that black out even if, as Daisy, he didn’t like darkness.

They sat at the table, the candle in front of them.

“I’m sorry”, they both said, then they burst out laughing.

After that laugh Daisy calmed down, “Enos, I know that it’s something ‘bout your past, but I’d like you tell me what happened that day in L.A. At that time I wasn’t close to you, but somehow I’d like to be close to you now”.

Enos sighed (what a stubborn woman), “Oh well, you really want I tell you everything. That day I was on shift with Turk, and our chief called us and told us ‘bout a robbery. When we arrived, the robber was coming out the shop, with a gun in his hand. We’re coming out the car when we heard a shot. It was all so quick. I don’t remember much more, only a pain in my shoulder. Then I wake up in the Hospital. Nothing to say more. This scar is the only memory”.

Enos didn’t tell her everything ‘bout that period: his fear, his wish to come back to Hazzard and to see Daisy again. He remembered his awakening in the Hospital; at that time he committed himself to tell Daisy he loved her, but then that initial courage fell down, blocked by the fear she didn’t love him back. So he decided to stay in that sort of relational limbo instead of risking to lose her.

Daisy tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry, “It’s a serious thing, Enos. If you’ve been injured worse than….”, she stopped, her mouth more and more dry, her breath broken by the thougth she could have lost Enos forever.

“But it wasn’t a so dangerous injury, so don’t think ‘bout it anymore. Please, forget ‘bout it”.

Daisy shook her head, “Maybe you’re right. It’s better to forget ‘bout it. I hope you didn’t suffer too much your stay in the Hospital. I know you fear needles, syringes and so on”, she tried to smile.

Finally Enos smiled her back, “Yeah, but it wasn’t so bad to stay in Hospital. There was a very nice nurse who’s taking care of me”.

Meanwhile Enos was telling her ‘bout this beautiful nurse, Daisy was trying to be calm, but in spite of her best intentions she was getting more and more angry.

In his immense naivety, Enos didn’t realize that he was risking to die, killed by his beloved Daisy.

“ENOS STRATE” (again his whole name, and Enos was wondering why) “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN OF THIS…. CINDY… MINDY… OR….. WHAT THE HECK HER NAME IS”

Enos was confused.

He was naive and he had also a high fever, so his thought wasn’t so fluid, “But.. Daisy…. You asked me to tell you everything. You should be happy knowing that someone was taking care of me when I was in the Hospital. Mindy was very kind……. Somehow she looked like you”.

In his recklessness, Enos said what a man shouldn’t say.

Daisy had a homicidal instinct, and she rushed to the door to avoid to put into practice this instinct, “WELL, CALL CINDY AND TELL HER TO COME HERE AND BE AGAIN YOUR NURSE”.

Enos tried to stop her, “Her name his Mindy, not Cindy…. And she lives in L.A. She’s a nurse only in the Hospital. Anyway I prefer…..”.

He didn’t complete what he was saying because Daisy turned to him and gave him a slap in the face, perfectly in sync with a thunder.

by: i1976

Whereas Enos was finally in his bed, Daisy looked  at  the small room, quietly, without the previous agitation.

Everything was tidy, except Enos’s uniform on the couch (he probably undressed swiftly that morning before to go to bed because of flu).

Daisy couldn’t help but smile looking at her pictures on the dresser mirror: there were a lot of pictures of her, since her childhood, on the mirror. A part from something so “personal”, the room was very tidy and somehow featureless: it was very strange to see a room so tidy for a man who lived alone, but, obviously, Enos was used to live alone; Daisy sighed, “If Bo and Luke’s room was tidy less than half than Enos’s room, I’d have less work to do at the farm; they should learn to stay alone”

She accurately folded his uniform, then she decided it was time to cook.

She opened the fridge and she understood Enos didn’t cook very often, or anyway he didn’t cook anything very laboured; she shook her head, “He’s not so different from Bo and Luke ‘bout cooking; well, today I really have to go grocery shopping”

So Daisy left Enos’s apartment in a hurry ‘cause she didn’t want to leave him alone for a long time.

Meanwhile Enos was trying to sleep, exausted.

Between sleep and wake, a lot of images were flowing in his mind, sometimes beautiful images and sometimes terrific images.

His sense was garbled because of fever.

He felt like the walls of his small room were crashing on him, and a few later those walls were quickly  moving away; the blankets were protecting him, and a few later he felt like those blankets were choking him.

When Daisy came back after the shopping, she saw him turning and tossing in his bed, his breath slowing down and then quickening.

She wondered what he was dreaming of.

She touched gently his forehead to check if he had fever, and her fresh touch calmed him down.

Finally Daisy began to cook, and sometimes she looked at him in his bed, to check he was sleeping.

Slowly a good scent entered Enos’s confused dreams; it was something from his past and it was calming him down; he remembered his grandmother and his previous house (things were no more), and he slowly opened his eyes.

He sat up, confused; only after various minutes he remembered where he was and what’s happened.

Daisy was cooking with her back towards him.

He remained seated in his bed, his back against the wall, looking at Daisy; it was his dream coming true: Daisy and him in the same house, sharing housework and life; no more alone.

He thought that flu wasn’t so bad at all.

“You should inform Bo, Luke and uncle Jesse you’re here”, he said whispering (at that time he knew he’s loosing his voice).

Daisy started realizing he was finally awake.

“You’re right, Enos. Why did I forget something like that? They’re waiting for me at the farm, and maybe they’re looking for me”.

She rushed to the phone.

Enos was looking at her; he couldn’t help but looking at her, and fever made him feeling like he was in a water bubble and everything was like in slow motion.

He was hearing Daisy’s voice, hypnotized.

“Uncle Jesse, it’s me…..”, a pause, “Yeah, I know I’m late, but there’s a hitch….”, a pause, “Don’t worry. I’m fine. I’m at Enos…”, a pause, “He’s caught the flu, and he feels sick. I’m helping him…..”, a pause, “I’m taking care of him, I’ll be back home when he’ll feel better”.

When Daisy turned to Enos, after the call, she was smiling.

She came near the bed, nearly twittering, “Bo and Luke were going to look for me. Fortunately you remembered me to call them. And now, sugar, it’s time to eat something; I cooked a special broth, then a delightful stew, and finally ice-cream; your favourite flavour: vanilla”.

Enos blushed, “Thanks Daisy”.

Few later, sitting at the table, Daisy took a careful look, noticing something she didn’t notice before, too much busy in helping him when he fainted; something she couldn’t notice when he was under the blankets.

“Enos, what’s that scar?”

Enos froze, “Scar? Uh,”, he skimmed his hand over a scar under his right collarbone, “This scar?”

Daisy nodded, “Yeah, that scar. I don’t remember you injured your shoulder”.

Enos shrugged, embarrassed, “Uh…. well….. an accident when I was in L.A.”, then he kept on eating his ice-cream.

But Daisy wasn’t pleased with his answer, “Accident? What kind of accident? You never told me ‘bout it in your letters”.

Her voice’s pitch hinted Enos that he couldn’t avoid her questions anymore, “I didn’t want to worry you. I stayed in hospital for a week, then I had some problem moving my arm, so I worked in office for awhile. Only office duties, so boring. Anyway, nothing serious”

He stopped, thinking Daisy was now pleased from his words, but her look, angry and worried at the same time, told him he had to keep on talking.

He sighed, “It’s an year ago, Daisy”.

“What’s this accident exactly, Enos Strate?”

Daisy calling him “Enos Strate” was a bad sign.

Goodbye ice-cream (but at least he arrived to eat a bit of ice-cream before Daisy’s anger)

Enos regretted he didn’t wear a t-shirt before to seat at the table.

“Uh….. that day….. on duty…. a shooting…. only a injury… that’s all”

“WHAT?”, Daisy stood up, “Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you tell me ‘bout it? What the heck were you thinking?”

Enos was waiting for Daisy’s anger (and he knew very well Daisy’s anger), but he wasn’t able to answer back, “But… Daisy…. It wasn’t a bad injury… I didn’t want you to worry”.

Daisy put her hands on her hips, “Enos Strate… you’re impossible”.

Enos thought Daisy was going to leave, slamming the door; he knew Daisy was disappointed ‘cause she didn’t like people (especially people she cared for) excluded her from their lives.

But Daisy didn’t leave, she started crying.

Enos looked at her, surprised, his mouth open.

He would have preferred a slap to her tears.

by: i1976

In her bed, finally alone, Daisy closed her eyes, thinking ‘bout events of previous days….. and in particular ‘bout one.

——————————————————————————————————————–

It was a cold day, that kind of wintry day that people would prefer to spend at their home.

Unfortunately, duties don’t allow people to stay at their home when they want to; so, that day, Daisy was going to the town to buy a few things.

The sky was clear and the sun was shining, but it was a cold day because of a pesky wind; fortunately that wind was moving heavy clouds away.

“I hate wind”,  Daisy was talking to herself while driving her jeep, “it causes me headache; fortunately it’s stopped raining”.

Finally, Daisy arrived to the town and she parked her car.

In Hazzard’s  square there were several citizens even if it was cold; everyone was reaching shops all around the square. Nobody wanted to stop to talk to other people because of that cold wind, but nobody forgot the usual kindness, so people were greeting each other while they were coming in or out the shops.

Daisy headed to the bakery, greeting with a smile people around her.

She saw Rosco’s patrol car stopping in front of the Court House.

The sheriff came out the car, putting his foots in a puddle.

Daisy giggled, and Rosco looked at her a bit angry, “There’s no need to laugh, Daisy Duke”, then he headed to the Court House, “Gee…… My new shoes, splashed with mud. It’s all Enos’s fault. That dipstick. I have to do not only my duty but his one too. I’m running here and there like a spinning top”

Daisy, in front of the bakery’s door, heard Rosco’s words, so she turned and she reached Rosco, stopping him, “Enos? Where’s Enos? Why isn’t he working?”

Rosco answered her with a annoyed voice, “Enos is at his home, under blanket. And I’m here, working. Doc Petticord told him to rest for a few days”.

Daisy, a stubborn girl, wasn’t satisfied by Rosco’s words, “Under blanket? Why? What’s happened?”; it was typical of Daisy to worry ‘bout people, especially ‘bout Enos (she didn’t know why she had a so strong affection for him: perhaps because of their friendship since childhood, perhaps because she knew Enos had a crush on her, or perhaps because that boy was so clumsy that he needed someone looking after him).

Rosco burst out, “If you want to know ‘bout him, go to his home. He’s caught the flu, and this morning he almost fainted, so I called Doc Petticord, and….”, Rosco was keeping on talking, but Daisy, forgetting ‘bout Rosco and ‘bout shopping, was running to Enos’s boarding house in order to visit him.

Rosco was now all alone, grumbling, “She asks me a lot of things, then she doesn’t wait for my answers. Those Dukes…..”

While Rosco was still grumbling at Dukes, rain, puddles and shoes, Daisy was already knocking on Enos’s door, “Enos, it’s me, Daisy. Open the door”.

After few minutes (that seemed like hours to Daisy because of her impatience), Enos opened the door.

The deputy was rubbing his eyes, he was uncombed and he was wearing only his pajamas pants; well, he was very different from usual and he had a creased look.

Daisy wasn’t affected by his look and she entered the room, “Enos!! You should have told me you’ve caught the flu. I’d have brought you something to eat. I bet you haven’t eat anything yet. How can you stay here all alone? You can’t nearly stand up. Rosco told me you almost fainted this morning.. Why are you so stubborn? You never want to call for help because you don’t want to annoy people”.

Daisy kept on talking, walking in the room, opening the fridge to find something to cook and then opening the window to let fresh air enter the room; meanwhile Enos was looking at her, with a surprised look.

He was very happy to see the woman he loved, but he was a bit embarrassed ‘cause his look wasn’t so good (it wasn’t his best look), and, moreover, he had a bad headache.

Enos usually liked Daisy’s voice, but in that moment her voice was like the buzz of a big fly; his headache was like a hammering in his head, and, mixed with Daisy’s “buzzing”, it was like if a enormous fly was banging towards a window, …………. bzzz ……. sbam ……. bzzz…… sbam…….

Finally also Daisy heard a SBAM, but it wasn’t a fly, but Enos on the floor.

Daisy rushed by his side, “I’m right. He can’t stay alone. Enos, sugar, open your eyes. Oh my God, he’s burning with fever”.

Few minutes after Enos was lying on his bed, thank to Daisy’s help and to one of his neighbours’s help (called by Daisy).

When he opened his eyes, Daisy was by his side, smiling (her sweet smile Enos loved so much), “How do you feel, sugar? Try to rest, I’m going to take care of you until you get well”.

Enos shivered; he didn’t know exactly why he was shivering: fever? embarrass? fear?

——————————————————————————————————————-

Turning over, in her bed, Daisy sighed, “What the heck I’ve done?”

by: i1976

Uncle Jesse knocked softly at Daisy’s door, the he opened it slowly.

His niece was lying down on her bed, her back turned to the door.

The Duke patriarch called her, almost with a whisper, “Daisy….”.

Only her light jerk made him understand she wasn’t sleeping, but she was looking at the pouring  rain outside the window.

Daisy didn’t answer to her uncle, so he sat down on her bed, “How do you feel?”.

She sighed, “I’m feeling bad. Obviously. I’m feeling like if my bones are breaking”.

Daisy’s rough answer didn’t discourage him, “Did you sleep a bit?”

The young woman shook her head, “Not at all. My head is exploding, and I’m feel sick”.

Uncle Jesse sighed, touching her forehead, “Yeah. You’ve got again a temperature”.

“Yeah”, she repeated.

Bo and Luke came in Daisy’s room, “How is our sick little cousin goin’?”

Daisy’s answer was a bit sour, “Your cousin is goin’ bad, and all because of this rain and because of Enos. And now, you two, get out of here!”

Uncle Jesse pretended to reproach her with his crusty voice, “And now why are you blaming that poor boy? He didn’t have a good time lately”

Daisy was more and more bad-tempered, “Yeah, indeed it’s all his fault if I’ve caught the flu. I’ve caught it from Enos”.

Bo poked Luke, with a knowing smile, “You’ve caught the flu from him ‘cause you stayed glued to him, playing nurse….. or  playing his wife?”

Daisy threw him a pillow, “GET OUT OF HERE!!!!”

Uncle Jesse stood up, “Come on guys. Let Daisy rest a bit. I’m going to cook chicken broth; it’s the best thing in a rainy day like that”

Finally Daisy was alone in her room; she closed her eyes and she tried to sleep, but it wasn’t easy with that pounding headache.

“Playing her wife….”, she sighed, “Bo doesn’t know he hit it”, then she covered her face with her bed’s sheets, even if she was alone in her room and nobody could see her blushing.