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.