Chapter 1

"Luke Duke and Bo Duke!" Daisy Duke, standing in the middle of the Boar's Nest, her hands on her hips, casted an angry look at her cousins, "I CAN'T believe you've done… this!" her right hand pointed at the figure sitting at the counter, his head resting on his folded arms.

"It isn't our fault. Enos drank MY cocktail! It's HIS fault," Bo looked at Daisy and then at Luke, looking for help.

"Oh, yeah, and I suppose you didn't warn him it's an alcoholic cocktail," her hands still on her hips, Daisy had a deep breath and shook her head, "you should've stopped him."

"Bo's right, Daisy," Luke tried to help his younger cousin against Daisy's rage, "Enos asked Bo to taste that new cocktail, and he drank it all before we could warn him 'bout its… alcoholic level."

"But, after drinking my cocktail, he was so kind to offer me two cocktails. Sometimes Enos is really a gourmand, but he's a kind guy, so he wouldn't have ever drunk my cocktail without offering me another one… and another one for him too, since he liked it," Bo smiled but Luke's gentle jab against his chest warned him it was a lot better stopping that explanation.

"Oh… WOW… so you let Enos drink TWO alcoholic cocktails! Congratulations!"

Bo glanced at Luke, finally realizing his older cousin's warning, and then he looked at the bartender, pointing at him, "Hey, John, why do you prepare that kind of cocktail? Chocolate and cream hide alcohol's taste. You should warn people it isn't simply chocolate," evasive tactic.

Daisy turned briefly to John who stiffened, scared by Daisy's fierce eyes (everybody in Hazzard knew what Daisy Duke could do if angry), and then relaxed when the young woman turned again to her cousins, "Don't blame John for it, Bo. YOU knew it's an alcoholic cocktail, and YOU should have warned Enos, preventing him to drink it."

Evasive tactic failed.

"But… Daisy… you know that sometimes Enos is a sort of… ostrich. He asked me to taste my cocktail 'cause it had a good smell and look. I simply told him - yeah, BUT - … and he was already drinking it, not realizing it was an alcoholic cocktail. Ask Cooter how many times Enos ate his doughnuts while he's at the Garage because of his patrol car."

Bo's new evasive tactic, but Cooter, carefully sitting at a distant table, raised his hands as soon as Daisy turned to him, "Hey, this time I have NOTHING to do with it. I was drinking my beer, and Enos knows beer is alcoholic. And, yeah, Enos usually eats my doughnuts when he's at the Garage, one day yes and another day… yes, " Cooter sniggered, trying to find a similar sniggering in his friends, but they weren't in the mood of sniggering, not with Daisy looking at them that way. Cooter coughed, so hiding his lonely sniggering, "Oh, yeah… but ol' Enos brings me coffee and cookies, from time to time, to repay me of my doughnuts. He's a kind guy. But… Bo's right, sometimes he's a sort of ostrich."

"And he probably has a strange taste. It's probably why he didn't realize the cocktail was alcoholic. If he hadn't a strange taste, he wouldn't eat lemons as he does," Bo shrugged, "I've never understood how he can eat lemons that way, as they are apples."

"BO! Enos isn't an ostrich and he hasn't a strange taste! Stop blaming his appetite and his liking lemons of what's happened!" Daisy blushed both for embarrass and rage: how could they define sweet Enos an ostrich? "Enos lives alone and he works a lot. So, sometimes he's simply hungry. Beside, there's nothing strange in liking lemons."

Another evasive tactic failed, and Bo stared at Luke, looking again for help.

"Stand back, stand back. In the middle of my room, I did not hear from you," Enos' soft voice surprised everybody with that singing out of tune, and it finally distracted Daisy from her attack to Bo and Luke, driving her to him like a mommy to his crying puppy.

"Oh, sugar, are you OK?" she gently caressed his nape.

Enos slowly turned to her, his eyes sleepy until he realized her presence, "Uh, HEY, DAISY! HI! How are you? Do you want a cocktail? John prepares a GREAT chocolate cocktail."

"I don't want a cocktail, now, sugar," she smiled and she rested her right arm on his shoulders, "and I think you too should avoid it."

"Why? I think you'd like it. It's really sweet," he blushed and had a brief nervous laugh," … like you, it's sweet like you."

Daisy blushed, and her embarrassed, but pleasant, blushing turned into an angry blushing when she heard her cousins and Cooter sniggering, a sniggering immediately frozen by her cold glance to them.

"Bo, Luke, help me to bring him home. He can't drive," her annoyed and angry tone turned into her usual sweet tone when she looked again at Enos, "Come on, sugar, it's time to go home. You need to sleep. It's late."

Enos rubbed his eyes, "I suppose you're right, Daisy. I want to sleep, and I think I've caught a cold since I feel my head heavy and my legs weak. Do you think I have a temperature?" he touched his forehead and then he grabbed her right hand, "I can't understand if I have a temperature, I need your help."

Her hand pressed on his forehead, Daisy held her breath, surprised and shocked by Enos' total nonchalance in his touching her, so distant from his usual shyness and avoiding human touch (especially her touch).

"Maybe you're right, Enos," Luke came closer his friend, "maybe you've caught a cold, and you need to go home and have a long sleep. Probably tomorrow you'll have a bad headache, but don't worry, after some strong coffee you'll feel fine," he patted on his shoulder, smiling.

Freed by Enos' touch, Daisy looked at her cousins helping Enos to walk to the door and then to get in The General Lee. She followed them and she sat in the back seat, Enos by her side, his head on her shoulder and his eyes closed whereas Bo drove to the town.

Strange feeling: his head's weight on her shoulder, his hair tickling her nose and his shampoo's scent remembering her when she stayed at the Boarding House for the night, sleeping in his bed as he was sleeping, obviously, on the couch.

He turned his head to her face, "I hope you aren't goin' to catch a cold because of me, Daisy," his warm and alcoholic breath in her ear making her shiver.

"Don't worry, Enos," Bo glanced at Enos and Daisy sitting in the back seat, an amused smile on his face, "Daisy didn't drink that cocktail, so she isn't goin' to catch a cold."

"Shucks, Bo," Enos parted from Daisy, looking in confusion at Bo, "you can't catch a cold because of a cocktail, unless you drink it from an infected glass."

Bo laughed amused and Luke shook his head, whereas Daisy looked at them unsure if punching them or laughing with them.

Finally at the Boarding House, Enos' head still on her shoulder, she woke him up and she followed Bo and Luke, Enos between them as they help him to walk, until they reached his apartment, they opened the door and they walked to his bed.

"Maybe it was better to bring him to the farm…" Daisy folded her arms and she looked at the small room: was it a good idea to leave Enos alone for the night? That doubt started to poke at her mind.

"Nobody's ever died because of a drunk, Daisy," Luke glanced at her, smiling, "Bo and I are perfectly alive, for example. And you too."

Daisy had a deep sigh in order to calm herself down, "OK! You're right. But uncle Jesse helped you… and me," she blushed, "… when we felt sick. We didn't die, but it isn't pleasant to sober up when you're alone, nobody preparing a strong coffee for you or… you know… I don't want to talk 'bout such a thing."

"Sober up? Drunk?" Enos' eyes lingered on her before to focus on Luke, "I've caught a cold, buddy, so I don't know why you're talking 'bout bein' drunk."

"Sorry buddy, you're right. You've simply caught a cold," Luke's voice was calm and indulging, "and it's why Bo and I are helping you to get undress and to go to bed."

"Oh thanks, you're REALLY good friends," Enos' voice cracked, "I'm so happy to have you by my side, buddies. I LOVE you," he sniffed.

"Oh Enos," Daisy rolled her eyes, not knowing if crying or laughing, whereas her cousins seemed more prone to laugh at Enos' losing any emotional inhibition.

"And I love you too, Daisy," Enos turned to her, "though in a different way."

She blushed furiously because of that plain admission, and she blushed even more at the sight of her cousins slowly undressing him and putting him to bed, just his boxers on.

"Daisy, if you're really so worried for him, I think you should stay for the night. Call if you need us. OK?" Bo's voice woke her up from that strange dream, and she realized Bo and Luke were already at the door, ready to go.

"OK. Explain uncle Jesse what's happened. See you tomorrow. Bye."

Finally alone, Daisy sank into the couch, sighing and closing her eyes, Enos' gentle and regular snoring the only noise in the room.

Just a short and funny story. One chapter left.

It's a gift to a friend, hope she's going to enjoy this light and happy story.