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.