A Hazzard County Love Story
Christmas Eve...
"Will you git that?" shouted Luke, who was busy trying to get the Christmas tree to stand straight up in its holder.
Bo, who was already on his way to the door after hearing the knock, wondered who could be knocking on their door so late in the evening and on such a night as tonight. When saw who was standing on the Duke doorstep a huge smile broke out on his face. "Enos Strate! What are you doin' here? Come on in!"
Enos, his smiling face bathed in the dim light of the front porch light, had flecks of the new falling snow on his jacket. "Evenin', Bo!"
"Well don't just stand there! Come on in before you freeze out there!"
Enos, still smiling, walked into the Duke home. It hadn't changed much since Enos has first seen it as a child. He was glad that the more things that changed in this world, the more Hazzard stayed the same.
Bo gave Enos' shoulder a friendly squeeze as they both made their way into the living room where Luke was still unsuccessfully trying to get the tree to stand up straight. But he forgot what he was doing when he saw Enos. "Enos! I didn't think you were comin' home this Christmas." Luke saw the snow on his jacket and said, "Betcha now wish you'd have stayed in sunny California."
"No," said Enos smiling sheepishly, "Well they say there's no place like home for the holidays."
"No truer words were ever spoken," agreed Bo.
"Hey, can we get you somethin' to drink. You must be cold."
"No, no thank you, Luke." Enos hesitated a moment. "I...um...I was wondering if Daisy was home."
Luke and Bo tried their best to hide their smiles. Was this what had brought their friend so many miles home this Christmas? Or did he just happen to be home and want to see their cousin? Their friend's infatuation with Daisy had long been a subject of playful banter between them all, heck the whole county. It was still a wonder, to everyone in Hazzard County, how the two had never gotten married, how they seem to avoid something that seemed so right and obvious to so many people.
Before Bo could utter anything, Luke said, "Daisy, just went out for a walk. She shouldn't have gone far. I'm sure she'd be happy to see ya."
Enos nodded his head, "Thank ye, Luke. Bo." And then Enos walked outside in search of Daisy.
"Do you think he'll ask her to marry him?" asked Bo.
"Nope," said Luke repressing a sigh. He was sure Uncle Jesse was still rolling in his grave that the two of them still weren't married..
"No?" asked Bo.
"Remember Enos said he'd wait until Daisy was ready. I think he's too much of a gentleman to rush her. He'd wait his whole life for her if he had to."
Bo just shook his head and went to help Luke with the Christmas tree. "You know Uncle Jesse always liked the idea of Enos and Daisy."
"I know. I know. We can't interfere. Just have to let things go at their own pace."
"Even if it's slower than a snail's pace."
Luke laughed with Bo. "Yes, even if it's slower than a snail's pace."
A few minutes later, Enos found Daisy where he knew he'd find her-at the small family cemetery a little ways from the Duke house. "Evenin' Daisy."
Daisy turned and smiled. "Why, Enos you didn't tell me you were comin' in town for Christmas!"
"Well, I was able to get someone to cover me for a few days so I could come home for Christmas,"
explained Enos.
Daisy slipped her arms around Enos' neck and he around her waist. They gave each other a tight hug that they both reluctantly let go of after a few seconds.
Enos turned to look at the gravestone Daisy had left fresh flowers at. "He's missed by everyone."
Daisy nodded sadly. "It's hardest around the holidays. It's a hole in all our lives that will always be with us. I don't know where Bo, Luke, or I would be without having him to guide us, to look out for us after we lost our parents..." Her words trailed off.
Enos sat down on his haunches and put his gloved hand up against Uncle Jesse's tombstone. He could feel the cold stone through his gloves. "I still remember the day the three of you came to live with Uncle Jesse. That skinny, little girl with pig tails with her two cousins."
Daisy chuckled softly as fond childhood memories went flashing through her mind. "Yes, well I wasn't the only skinny, little person. I still remember all of us playing together while your dad and my uncle did their moonshine runs."
Enos stood up and looking at Daisy said, "You remember that day I found you crying. You must have been about eleven and Bo and Luke had been teasing you."
"Yes," said Daisy smiling. "And you told them you'd whoop them if they ever laughed at me again."
"And I promptly got whooped by both Luke and Bo."
Daisy laughed with Enos. "Yes. It was after that incident that Uncle Jesse use to tell Bo and Luke at least twice a week to look after me. And they always did. I can still here him, 'Boys, look after Daisy.'"
Enos looked up at the moon thinking out loud. "It's funny cause of all the boys that ever chased you Bo and Luke never told me to stay away. Now they got the better of me a few times while I was the law here," Enos said smiling exaggerating a bit, "but never on account of you, Daisy."
"Well," said Daisy trying not to smile and failing miserably, "I guess they knew you were always a gentleman and would never be a threat."
Enos just smiled and said nothing for a few moments. It was so peaceful standing there in the quietly falling snow next to the woman he had loved since he had first laid eyes on her years and years ago. In his heart, he felt it might be a hopeless yearning, that Daisy would never return his affections. They had almost married twice but all that had amounted to the same thing. She was living here in Hazzard and he was off in L.A. She had even married a man named L.D. Enos' heart ached at the thought. His blood boiled at how her ex-husband had treated her. Daisy had said she wasn't ready to marry again, that was why she couldn't marry him then. Didn't she know he would never treat her that way? That he would have done anything to make her happy, worship her the way he always had. He told her he would wait until she was ready. He was determined to keep that promise. He had given his heart to Daisy so long ago that he never got it back, never felt the urge to give it to someone else. He had to leave before he said something he shouldn't. "Well, I guess I should be headin' back now. You probably want some more time alone."
"Wait, Enos," said Daisy anxiously putting her hand on Enos' arm.
Enos' heart beat furiously. He hoped she couldn't hear it. "Yes, Daisy?" He couldn't control the tiny squeak in his voice. How was it that she could make him feel this way after so many years.
Daisy calmly linked her arm with Enos. She put her free hand on his arm. Inside, she had butterflies in her stomach. It was strange how he could do that to her after all these years. "I'm glad you came home for Christmas. I had been thinkin'...thinkin' bout vistin' you."
"Really?" asked Enos. Could this be it? Could all his waiting be over? Was he even ready for that????
Daisy nodded. "I know things haven't always been the best between us. You left Hazzard. I left Hazzard. Bo and Luke left Hazzard. I came back. Uncle Jesse died...."
"You got married, Daisy," said Enos quietly. It wasn't an accusation. There was no anger or bitterness in his voice. Only sadness. The one time the only woman he ever loved got married and it wasn't to him. Did she still love him? He felt that maybe he never, at least in her mind, be good enough for her.
"I know. I know," said Daisy equally sad. "I had met L.D. at school and I had thought it was love. But I was confused. I let him dazzle me and I forgot what was important. He left me and that was the was the best thing that ever happened in our relationship because it made me realize what was important. Family is important. My heart is important. I realized I had given it away long ago to a skinny, little boy who more than anything wanted to grow up and be a law man so he could protect people."
Enos felt his arm that Daisy held tremble. He felt dizzy, overwhelmingly dizzy with happiness. He tried to look at Daisy but he failed and instead looked at her arm in his. Finally he spoke, "Daisy,
you know how I've always felt about you. I think the whole county knows it. But..."
Enos looked up to Daisy's face. Their eyes locked. She knew what he wanted. He wanted confirmation. He told her he would wait and he always kept his promises. He would wait until she said the words.
Daisy's lip trembled. "Enos, you told me you'd wait for me. Wait until I was ready to get married again."
Enos temporarily lost his breath and then repeated his promise, "I told you I would wait."
Daisy felt like crying from happiness, but also from the fear of Enos' reaction to what she would say next. There was no backing out now. This was it. Daisy said quickly, "I'm ready to get married to you but I'm not ready to leave Hazzard. I don't want to leave Hazzard." There. She had said it. And her stomach, or was it her heart, felt empty and hollow. What if he chose L.A. over her? Was it fair of her to make him make that choice? He had her heart but her heart was also here in Hazzard, in the people and places she knew and loved. She didn't want to live in a big city. She wanted to live here with him. She knew he loved it here. It was his childhood home, but how much he loved it, she did not know. She knew he had a great job that he loved in L.A. She didn't want him to give up that and yet she didn't want to live in L.A.
Enos blinked. It was too much to handle, too overwhelming.
Daisy knew she had just laid a lot on Enos' shoulders. She quickly said, "I know I've given you a lot to think about. It's a lot to ask. And...and if you say no' I'll understand. It won't change the way I feel about you. I will always love you. You are the love of my life. You always bring me joy but I can't see myself being truly happy being away from the place I also love. I know it's wrong of me to ask you to chose. It probably all sounds silly to you..."
Daisy was silence by the shaking of Enos' head. "It's not silly, Daisy. Not silly at all. Truth is I stayed away because I didn't want to pressure you."
Daisy felt her heart breaking. Did she even deserve such as man as this after the way she had treated him? "Are you sure it wasn't because of me callin' off the wedding like that?"
"Callin' off the weddin'?" asked Enos with that shy smile that she loved. Teasingly he said, "I just thought it was postponed. Shoot, I'd better head back to those Beverly Hills." He mockingly turned to go.
"Enos!" laughed Daisy. "I'm being serious!"
Enos face lost its humor but none of it's tenderness. "So was I Daisy. Maybe it did hurt. A little."
Daisy knew it was more than a little.
Enos finally said, "But I knew it wasn't me. I know when L.D. showed back up, you were scared,
scared of getting hurt."
Daisy nodded in agreement. "L.D. had left me. I didn't know why. Maybe someday you too would realize you didn't love me. Or maybe someday I might hurt you, Enos. I was scared I couldn't take that chance."
"Daisy, L.D. is a..." Enos would have swore but Daisy was present, "he's the worst kind of person. I can't imagine how dumb he must have been to walk out on you. As for the hurt, the only thing that hurts is me not bein' with you. You are this county to me, Daisy. You have my whole life wrapped up in those eyes of yours. My life is where you are." Enos got down on his knee and took Daisy's hand. He took off her glove and his heart leapt to see the engagement ring on her finger, the one that he had given her the first time around, told her to keep when she said she needed some time. "Do you think you are ready to take that chance now, Daisy Mae Duke? Do you think you could love me?"
Daisy leaned down close to Enos and whispered, her heart too full of joy, tears coursing down her face, she could barely speak but managed to say, "I've always loved you, Enos. And if you are askin' me to be your wife, then...then the answer is yes!"
Both hearts leapt at once as Enos, trembling, leaned his head up as Daisy bent hers down. Their lips met in a slow, tender, gentle kiss that it was acheingly sweet. It was a kiss so full of love and devotion that Daisy's heart melted right on the spot and Enos' did much the same. When they parted both faces were smiling shyly but happily.
Enos stood up and intertwined his hand with Daisy's. They both didn't want this moment to end and just continued to gaze at each other which seemed like eternity but in reality was only a few moments later. They were both covered in the increasingly heavily falling snow. When Daisy shivered, Enos said, "Daisy you're freezing. We'd better get you back inside the house."
Daisy smiled and nodded. The two walked hand in hand back to the Duke house with Daisy's head from time to time leaning upon Enos' shoulder. By the time they got back to the house, Bo and Luke were on the porch waiting for them anxiously.
"It was gettin' so dark and heavy out there we thought we were gonna have to come and look for you," said Luke.
But Daisy and Enos emerged out of the darkness into the light of the porch bulb, silly smiles and holding hands, Bo and Luke's hopes were confirmed.
"Yeeee Haaaaa!" said Bo clapping his hands.
Bo and Luke when down the steps offering their congratulations and bringing the two into the warm house to celebrate just at the clock struck midnight.
Christmas Eve...
"Will you git that?" shouted Luke, who was busy trying to get the Christmas tree to stand straight up in its holder.
Bo, who was already on his way to the door after hearing the knock, wondered who could be knocking on their door so late in the evening and on such a night as tonight. When saw who was standing on the Duke doorstep a huge smile broke out on his face. "Enos Strate! What are you doin' here? Come on in!"
Enos, his smiling face bathed in the dim light of the front porch light, had flecks of the new falling snow on his jacket. "Evenin', Bo!"
"Well don't just stand there! Come on in before you freeze out there!"
Enos, still smiling, walked into the Duke home. It hadn't changed much since Enos has first seen it as a child. He was glad that the more things that changed in this world, the more Hazzard stayed the same.
Bo gave Enos' shoulder a friendly squeeze as they both made their way into the living room where Luke was still unsuccessfully trying to get the tree to stand up straight. But he forgot what he was doing when he saw Enos. "Enos! I didn't think you were comin' home this Christmas." Luke saw the snow on his jacket and said, "Betcha now wish you'd have stayed in sunny California."
"No," said Enos smiling sheepishly, "Well they say there's no place like home for the holidays."
"No truer words were ever spoken," agreed Bo.
"Hey, can we get you somethin' to drink. You must be cold."
"No, no thank you, Luke." Enos hesitated a moment. "I...um...I was wondering if Daisy was home."
Luke and Bo tried their best to hide their smiles. Was this what had brought their friend so many miles home this Christmas? Or did he just happen to be home and want to see their cousin? Their friend's infatuation with Daisy had long been a subject of playful banter between them all, heck the whole county. It was still a wonder, to everyone in Hazzard County, how the two had never gotten married, how they seem to avoid something that seemed so right and obvious to so many people.
Before Bo could utter anything, Luke said, "Daisy, just went out for a walk. She shouldn't have gone far. I'm sure she'd be happy to see ya."
Enos nodded his head, "Thank ye, Luke. Bo." And then Enos walked outside in search of Daisy.
"Do you think he'll ask her to marry him?" asked Bo.
"Nope," said Luke repressing a sigh. He was sure Uncle Jesse was still rolling in his grave that the two of them still weren't married..
"No?" asked Bo.
"Remember Enos said he'd wait until Daisy was ready. I think he's too much of a gentleman to rush her. He'd wait his whole life for her if he had to."
Bo just shook his head and went to help Luke with the Christmas tree. "You know Uncle Jesse always liked the idea of Enos and Daisy."
"I know. I know. We can't interfere. Just have to let things go at their own pace."
"Even if it's slower than a snail's pace."
Luke laughed with Bo. "Yes, even if it's slower than a snail's pace."
A few minutes later, Enos found Daisy where he knew he'd find her-at the small family cemetery a little ways from the Duke house. "Evenin' Daisy."
Daisy turned and smiled. "Why, Enos you didn't tell me you were comin' in town for Christmas!"
"Well, I was able to get someone to cover me for a few days so I could come home for Christmas,"
explained Enos.
Daisy slipped her arms around Enos' neck and he around her waist. They gave each other a tight hug that they both reluctantly let go of after a few seconds.
Enos turned to look at the gravestone Daisy had left fresh flowers at. "He's missed by everyone."
Daisy nodded sadly. "It's hardest around the holidays. It's a hole in all our lives that will always be with us. I don't know where Bo, Luke, or I would be without having him to guide us, to look out for us after we lost our parents..." Her words trailed off.
Enos sat down on his haunches and put his gloved hand up against Uncle Jesse's tombstone. He could feel the cold stone through his gloves. "I still remember the day the three of you came to live with Uncle Jesse. That skinny, little girl with pig tails with her two cousins."
Daisy chuckled softly as fond childhood memories went flashing through her mind. "Yes, well I wasn't the only skinny, little person. I still remember all of us playing together while your dad and my uncle did their moonshine runs."
Enos stood up and looking at Daisy said, "You remember that day I found you crying. You must have been about eleven and Bo and Luke had been teasing you."
"Yes," said Daisy smiling. "And you told them you'd whoop them if they ever laughed at me again."
"And I promptly got whooped by both Luke and Bo."
Daisy laughed with Enos. "Yes. It was after that incident that Uncle Jesse use to tell Bo and Luke at least twice a week to look after me. And they always did. I can still here him, 'Boys, look after Daisy.'"
Enos looked up at the moon thinking out loud. "It's funny cause of all the boys that ever chased you Bo and Luke never told me to stay away. Now they got the better of me a few times while I was the law here," Enos said smiling exaggerating a bit, "but never on account of you, Daisy."
"Well," said Daisy trying not to smile and failing miserably, "I guess they knew you were always a gentleman and would never be a threat."
Enos just smiled and said nothing for a few moments. It was so peaceful standing there in the quietly falling snow next to the woman he had loved since he had first laid eyes on her years and years ago. In his heart, he felt it might be a hopeless yearning, that Daisy would never return his affections. They had almost married twice but all that had amounted to the same thing. She was living here in Hazzard and he was off in L.A. She had even married a man named L.D. Enos' heart ached at the thought. His blood boiled at how her ex-husband had treated her. Daisy had said she wasn't ready to marry again, that was why she couldn't marry him then. Didn't she know he would never treat her that way? That he would have done anything to make her happy, worship her the way he always had. He told her he would wait until she was ready. He was determined to keep that promise. He had given his heart to Daisy so long ago that he never got it back, never felt the urge to give it to someone else. He had to leave before he said something he shouldn't. "Well, I guess I should be headin' back now. You probably want some more time alone."
"Wait, Enos," said Daisy anxiously putting her hand on Enos' arm.
Enos' heart beat furiously. He hoped she couldn't hear it. "Yes, Daisy?" He couldn't control the tiny squeak in his voice. How was it that she could make him feel this way after so many years.
Daisy calmly linked her arm with Enos. She put her free hand on his arm. Inside, she had butterflies in her stomach. It was strange how he could do that to her after all these years. "I'm glad you came home for Christmas. I had been thinkin'...thinkin' bout vistin' you."
"Really?" asked Enos. Could this be it? Could all his waiting be over? Was he even ready for that????
Daisy nodded. "I know things haven't always been the best between us. You left Hazzard. I left Hazzard. Bo and Luke left Hazzard. I came back. Uncle Jesse died...."
"You got married, Daisy," said Enos quietly. It wasn't an accusation. There was no anger or bitterness in his voice. Only sadness. The one time the only woman he ever loved got married and it wasn't to him. Did she still love him? He felt that maybe he never, at least in her mind, be good enough for her.
"I know. I know," said Daisy equally sad. "I had met L.D. at school and I had thought it was love. But I was confused. I let him dazzle me and I forgot what was important. He left me and that was the was the best thing that ever happened in our relationship because it made me realize what was important. Family is important. My heart is important. I realized I had given it away long ago to a skinny, little boy who more than anything wanted to grow up and be a law man so he could protect people."
Enos felt his arm that Daisy held tremble. He felt dizzy, overwhelmingly dizzy with happiness. He tried to look at Daisy but he failed and instead looked at her arm in his. Finally he spoke, "Daisy,
you know how I've always felt about you. I think the whole county knows it. But..."
Enos looked up to Daisy's face. Their eyes locked. She knew what he wanted. He wanted confirmation. He told her he would wait and he always kept his promises. He would wait until she said the words.
Daisy's lip trembled. "Enos, you told me you'd wait for me. Wait until I was ready to get married again."
Enos temporarily lost his breath and then repeated his promise, "I told you I would wait."
Daisy felt like crying from happiness, but also from the fear of Enos' reaction to what she would say next. There was no backing out now. This was it. Daisy said quickly, "I'm ready to get married to you but I'm not ready to leave Hazzard. I don't want to leave Hazzard." There. She had said it. And her stomach, or was it her heart, felt empty and hollow. What if he chose L.A. over her? Was it fair of her to make him make that choice? He had her heart but her heart was also here in Hazzard, in the people and places she knew and loved. She didn't want to live in a big city. She wanted to live here with him. She knew he loved it here. It was his childhood home, but how much he loved it, she did not know. She knew he had a great job that he loved in L.A. She didn't want him to give up that and yet she didn't want to live in L.A.
Enos blinked. It was too much to handle, too overwhelming.
Daisy knew she had just laid a lot on Enos' shoulders. She quickly said, "I know I've given you a lot to think about. It's a lot to ask. And...and if you say no' I'll understand. It won't change the way I feel about you. I will always love you. You are the love of my life. You always bring me joy but I can't see myself being truly happy being away from the place I also love. I know it's wrong of me to ask you to chose. It probably all sounds silly to you..."
Daisy was silence by the shaking of Enos' head. "It's not silly, Daisy. Not silly at all. Truth is I stayed away because I didn't want to pressure you."
Daisy felt her heart breaking. Did she even deserve such as man as this after the way she had treated him? "Are you sure it wasn't because of me callin' off the wedding like that?"
"Callin' off the weddin'?" asked Enos with that shy smile that she loved. Teasingly he said, "I just thought it was postponed. Shoot, I'd better head back to those Beverly Hills." He mockingly turned to go.
"Enos!" laughed Daisy. "I'm being serious!"
Enos face lost its humor but none of it's tenderness. "So was I Daisy. Maybe it did hurt. A little."
Daisy knew it was more than a little.
Enos finally said, "But I knew it wasn't me. I know when L.D. showed back up, you were scared,
scared of getting hurt."
Daisy nodded in agreement. "L.D. had left me. I didn't know why. Maybe someday you too would realize you didn't love me. Or maybe someday I might hurt you, Enos. I was scared I couldn't take that chance."
"Daisy, L.D. is a..." Enos would have swore but Daisy was present, "he's the worst kind of person. I can't imagine how dumb he must have been to walk out on you. As for the hurt, the only thing that hurts is me not bein' with you. You are this county to me, Daisy. You have my whole life wrapped up in those eyes of yours. My life is where you are." Enos got down on his knee and took Daisy's hand. He took off her glove and his heart leapt to see the engagement ring on her finger, the one that he had given her the first time around, told her to keep when she said she needed some time. "Do you think you are ready to take that chance now, Daisy Mae Duke? Do you think you could love me?"
Daisy leaned down close to Enos and whispered, her heart too full of joy, tears coursing down her face, she could barely speak but managed to say, "I've always loved you, Enos. And if you are askin' me to be your wife, then...then the answer is yes!"
Both hearts leapt at once as Enos, trembling, leaned his head up as Daisy bent hers down. Their lips met in a slow, tender, gentle kiss that it was acheingly sweet. It was a kiss so full of love and devotion that Daisy's heart melted right on the spot and Enos' did much the same. When they parted both faces were smiling shyly but happily.
Enos stood up and intertwined his hand with Daisy's. They both didn't want this moment to end and just continued to gaze at each other which seemed like eternity but in reality was only a few moments later. They were both covered in the increasingly heavily falling snow. When Daisy shivered, Enos said, "Daisy you're freezing. We'd better get you back inside the house."
Daisy smiled and nodded. The two walked hand in hand back to the Duke house with Daisy's head from time to time leaning upon Enos' shoulder. By the time they got back to the house, Bo and Luke were on the porch waiting for them anxiously.
"It was gettin' so dark and heavy out there we thought we were gonna have to come and look for you," said Luke.
But Daisy and Enos emerged out of the darkness into the light of the porch bulb, silly smiles and holding hands, Bo and Luke's hopes were confirmed.
"Yeeee Haaaaa!" said Bo clapping his hands.
Bo and Luke when down the steps offering their congratulations and bringing the two into the warm house to celebrate just at the clock struck midnight.