by: Susan Porter

That evening the entire Duke family spent time around
the dinner table, discussing the plans for Daisy’s
high school reunion and the opening of the Civil War
chest, both events having been scheduled to take place
at the same time. After dinner Bo and Luke went off
for their turn at duty guarding the chest while Enos
and Daisy did the dinner dishes and talked to Uncle
Jesse until the older man yawned widely and left the
younger ones to their fun. Enos wiped the last of the
dishes and looked over at Daisy who looked like she
hadn’t slept in days. “Why don’t you do out on the
porch and get some fresh air. I’ll finish here and
bring us some coffee.”

Daisy left the house, Sarge at her heels. The
crickets greeted her, breaking the stillness of the
evening. “Quite a guy, isn’t he?” she smiled,
reaching into her pocket and pulling out a cellophane
wrapped apple peel. She traced the S-shape with her
fingernail, remembering the words Enos had said to her
nearly one year before. “‘We belong to each other,
even fate says so. I’ll just have to wait til you
grow up.'”

“I’m grown up now, Enos.” she whispered.

“Did you say something, Daisy?” The screen door
opened and Enos emerged, two steaming cups of coffee
in his hands.

“Just talking to myself.” she accepted a cup from him
and took a sip, relaxing as she felt the caffeine
coarse through her system.

His eyes fell on the peel. “You kept it, the apple
peel, I mean.”

“Yes,” she nodded, smiling, “and I read your letters,
all 476 of them. They kept me company on cold winter
nights when I was missing you. Reading those letters
made me feel so close to you. I wish you had sent
those letters when you wrote them.”

“Would they have changed anything?” he set the porch
swing in motion, not looking at her.

“Yes, I think they would have. With each word, each
line, each letter, I missed you more. Loved you more.
Every line made me want to be closer to you. I’m
ready to be your wife now, Enos, if you still want
me.”

“I’ll always want you, Daisy, you know that. But are
you sure you’re ready?”

Daisy set her cup on the porch railing and crossed the
porch to kneel in front of Enos. She put her hand
over his and looked into his face. “Enos Strate, will
you marry me?”

“Daisy…”

She leaned her forehead against his. “Say yes, Enos.”

“Yes.”

Relief flooded Daisy’s face. She melted against him
blindly, her mouth seeking his. “I love you so much,
Enos Strate.”

He moved her to sit beside him on the swing, her legs
across his lap, her head resting on his chest. “I
love you too, Daisy Duke.” he laughed, a deep rumble
that vibrated against Daisy’s cheek. “It must be love
to make me willing to go through this a third time.”

Daisy laughed too. “We would have been married years
ago if it weren’t for your case of hives.”

His arm tightened around her. “No. Neither of us was
ready for marriage then.” He rested his chin on top
of her head, inhaling the honeyed scent of her hair.
He was thoughtfully silent for several minutes then,
“I have always loved you. That’s the reason I left
Hazzard and went to L.A.. I thought I could never
have you. I even told myself I could forget you. And
I tried, I really tried. But it wasn’t long before I
found myself comparing every woman I met to you. I
knew I had to try for your love. I bought your
engagement ring five years ago and I’ve been wearing
it on a chain around my neck. Speaking of which…”
he fumbled in the dark for a moment then dangled her
engagement ring in front of her. “I believe this is
yours.”

She gasped, “You told me you put that in a safety
deposit box.”

“I did. I got it out before I came to get you, hoping
that I could put it back on your finger where it
belongs.”

He slid the ring from the chain and onto the third
finger of her left hand, turned her hand over and
kissed her palm, sending shivers through her. “This
time, Daisy,” he whispered, “I won’t let you go.”

Daisy let out a harsh breath. “I’m counting on that.”

They sat in silence for several moments, his arms
securely around her, her cheek nestled against his
chest. He looked down at her, “Daisy?” and got only
a soft snore in response. Smiling, he stood with her
in his arms and carried her upstairs to her bed.
Covering her with an afghan he kissed her forehead and
told her, “I love you, Daisy. Goodnight.”