A few days later, Daisy and Gaby sat at the bench outside watching as Bo Luke and the other guys were trying to out shoot each other with the bow and arrows. Eventually they all came
and sat down to join them.
"So Darlin' what d'ya reckon?" Bo grinned at Gaby.
"Not bad" Gaby smiled back. "I might have seen better"
"You have Huh?" Bo grinned moving closer.
"Mm huh" She replied teasingly as he gave her a peck on the lips.
"So, what ya got planned for later. Y'all gonna join me and Cooter at the Boar's Nest for dinner and a couple of beers." Luke asked
"Sounds good to me" Bo replied wanting to spend time with Gaby and Luke and he was still worried about his cousin. "What d'ya think Gaby."
"I think it sounds like fun" Even as a newcomer to the Dukes she could see how important family was to all of them
"Not me, fellas" Daisy declined. "Enos and I are goin' to the theatre in Atlanta. I might be back late."
Bo and Luke exchanged a look of devilment and had Daisy been paying attention she would have seen it. Bo was the first to speak as he leaned on Luke. "Ya know Cuz. It seems to me
that our cousin is spendin' a whole heck of a lot of time with a certain lawman lately"
"Ya got that right" Luke teased with a grin. "What with picnics...."
"And drives......."
"And trips to the theatre ......"
"Would you two just cut it out" She shook her head at their banter. "You know Enos and I are just old friends. And it's just nice to catch up a little"
"Ain't y'all caught up by now?" Bo continued.
"Is there some kinda history there?" Cypriano asked earning him a dirty look from Gaby.
"Is there!" Luke proclaimed "Enos has just had the hots for Daisy pretty much their whole lives"
"Luke!" Daisy reached out and slapped his arm.
"Well, he has. Ain't he?" Bo stated. "And ya nearly married him twice"
"That's as maybe" Daisy stood up "But that was a long time ago." Daisy picked up one of the bows "Gaby, I think it's time we taught them how to use these things"
Gaby smiled "I think so" And took the other one from Bo.
The guys all jeered as the girls went over and set them up. Bo tried to tell Gaby how to use it, but she just put her hand on his chest and gently moved him back a step or two
They fired and both arrows flew straight into the centre of the target, by passing all the others that were close but not close enough. Daisy and Gaby laughed and gave each other a high
five.
"OK Daisy I ain't gonna tease ya any more about Enos" Luke smiled holding up his hands in his defence.
"Where d'you learn to do that?" Bo said in shock to Gaby
"School" She replied with a smile handing his bow back.
Cypriano grinned "Don't under estimate my sister"
"I sure ain't gonna do that" Bo said putting an arm round her and giving her a hug.
.
Daisy stormed into the house the following afternoon, dropping her keys and her crash helmet on the table.
Luke came in "Daisy what's up?"
"Nothing" She snapped.
"I thought you were supposed to be having lunch with Enos at the Boar's nest"
"I was" She snapped again.
"Wanna talk about it?" Luke asked calmly standing with his arms folded.
"No I don't wanna talk about it" She paced the kitchen ranting "Why would I wanna talk about it? What is there to talk about anyhow? If Enos is so caught up with other women to even
notice I'm there, then I may as well not be there."
Bo had joined them in the kitchen and he and Luke exchanged a look. This was more serious than either of them had imagined.
Bo caught hold of her and hugged her "What happened?" He asked gently as they all sat at the kitchen table.
Bo had his arm round her still and Luke was holding her hand as she told them. "We went to Capital City this mornin', to do a little shoppin' and his phone just kept ringin'. "
"Maybe it was his work" Bo suggested hopefully
"Uh uh. They know he's on leave"
Bo smiled "The whole of LA knows when Enos has a day off"
"Bo!" Luke pulled a face at him for interrupting "Go on darlin'."
"It weren't work that was callin' him. It was all these different women. The woman from the Mayor's office. The loanshark. Heaven knows who else."
"What did they want?" Luke asked.
"I don't know. Enos didn't answer. But then we gets to the Boar's nest for lunch and all of a sudden he's got half the Hazzard women followin' him around and Alice from the bank is all
over him like a bad case of hives."
"So ya left?" Bo enquired.
"You bet I left" Daisy exclaimed jumping up.
Luke lent back in his chair looking thoughtful "Daisy, did ya talk to Enos about what happened."
"No, he was too busy"
Bo looked at Luke before continuing. "Are you sure Enos wanted all this attention?"
"Well, he didn't stop 'em"
Bo continued "Enos ain't like that, Honey. You know that. He's too nice a guy to just turn a girl down flat. He took you didn't he. It's you he wanted to spend time with since y'all have been
here"
"Maybe, but I ain't gonna be played like some old song. I've been there and I ain't goin' back"
"Nobody expects ya to Honey" Luke said standing and walking round the table to join her and Bo. "Especially us. But I think ya should talk to Enos about how ya feel."
"Do you know how you feel?" Bo asked quietly.
Daisy looked up at him with tears in her eyes and shook her head. Bo wrapped his arms round her and hugged her tightly exchanging a look with Luke. This had always been Uncle Jesse's
job. Comforting a heartbroken Daisy was full of landmines waiting to blow and Bo and Luke had always made themselves scarce until it was all over. But now they were all she had and
they weren't kids anymore. She needed them. Truth be told they all still needed each other.
Luke rubbed Daisy's back, "D'ya know how Enos feels?"
Daisy shook her head again into Bo's shoulder, before looking up at him. "One minute he's as sweet as always, the next he's real distant like he don't wanna be there."
"Maybe he's tryin' not to get to close this time" Luke suggested.
"Yeah, you've been breakin' his heart since you were eight years old." Bo smiled. "He's had to sit back and watch guys fallin' all over you your whole life."
"Then you up and married LB. There's only so many times you can do that to a guy Daisy before he moves on" Luke continued.
"I know" Daisy sighed "But Enos has always been there"
"And you'll always be friends but I think you have to accept that perhaps Enos just doesn't feel the same anymore" Bo added.
"And that's my fault. I'm gonna go for a walk" She hugged them both "Thanks fellas"
Bo and Luke looked at each other as she left. "She's really in love with him" Bo stated surprised.
Luke smiled "She's always been in love with him. She just didn't know it"
"I guess, seein' him with other women made her realise just how much" Bo slung an arm round Luke's shoulders
They heard a car pull up outside. "Enos is here" Luke said moving the curtain slightly.
"Well, we'd best leave them too it " Bo sighed "Ya wanna finish that game of checkers?"
"Ya want me to beat ya some more?" Luke smiled
"You wish" Bo grinned. He loved being back here.
.
Daisy had just walked out to the tree by the barn when Enos pulled up. He walked over to join her.
"Daisy, can I talk to you?" He said gently.
"Yeah, of course. I need to talk to you too. I need to apologise Enos for runnin' out on you back at the Boar's Nest"
"You don't have to do that, Daisy. I'm sorry for not payin' ya any attention, but ever since I've been back Alice has been tryin' to get me to buy her a drink. I thought if I just bought her one
she'd go away" He frowned.
Daisy smiled "The boys were right, you just can't say no. Enos, I shouldn't have behaved like that. You have a right to to buy as many drinks for as many women as you want. I don't have
no claim on you. " Enos phone rang and he fumbled with it as he tried to make it stop. Daisy gently took it from him. "And if you want to talk to " She looked at the screen where it said
'Missed call from Tami' "Tami, you can. I ain't gonna stop ya"
"That's OK Daisy. You know ya don't get much of a reception here in Hazzard anyhow".
"What I'm tryin' to say Enos. Is that I understand that you've moved on and I'll always be your friend."
"I've always been your friend, and I always will be. These other women ain't important to me, Daisy. I don't even know why they wanna hang round with a fool like me."
"You ain't no fool Enos. Look at what you've done with your life. How people look up to you."
"I just do my job Daisy. But you've always been important to me."
Daisy looked puzzled "Then why half the time we've been here together you've seemed like you wanted to someplace else"
Enos looked down at the floor. How he felt about Daisy had never been a secret, but having to admit to her how he felt made him feel awkward. That hadn't changed over the years. Or
had it.
He looked up at her and spoke confidently. "Daisy, it ain't no secret that I've been in love with you since we were little kids. Everyone in Hazzard has always known. I'll love you my whole
life you can be sure of that. But as much as I've enjoyed every minute of spendin' time with you again I know in a couple of days, we'll say goodbye again and it'll all end. Just like it always
does. I have to prepare myself for that Daisy. I have to make sure that this time I don't get caught up in a dream of what coulda been"
Daisy looked at him in shock. "Enos, why didn't you say this before.?"
"Because it didn't matter. I didn't want to make you feel bad about me when you went back to your life. You should just go back and forget about me."
"Enos, I can't ever forget about you. Who am I gonna call when I need someone to talk to, when I need a friend" She gasped. "I have never been there for you, have I? It's always been
just you there for me"
"Daisy, just by wantin' to call me was enough. I didn't need to tell you anythin'. It was just great hearin' from you once in a while, even though I knew that's all it was ever gonna be."
Daisy stepped forward "Enos, I'm so sorry. All these years ........I've been so awful to you."
Enos put his hand on her arm "Don't be sorry, Daisy. Just be yourself................... I'm gonna book a flight back to LA for tomorrow morning. It's been wonderful seein' you again." Enos
leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek "Good bye Daisy"
Daisy stood looking stunned as he walked away. Whatever there was between them, she didn't want him to just walk away like this. There had been too much for just a peck on the
cheek and a quick goodbye.
"Enos!" He stopped and hesitated before he turned around to look back at her.
"Don't leave like this." She walked over to join him. "At least let me buy you dinner, to say goodbye properly"
"I don't know Daisy. I ain't sure that's such a good idea."
"Please Enos. Just two friends having dinner"
"OK" He agreed quietly. "If you want"
"I'll meet you at your place at eight" She smiled.
Enos nodded and headed for his car. Daisy looked thoughtful as she watched him go. She was going to have to change things. She had a lot to do to make things up to Enos.
.
Dinner that night was strained to say the least. Daisy and Enos made small talk but the laughter was polite, they tried to avoid each others eyes and they picked at their food.
"How's your meal Daisy?" Enos asked politely.
"Fine" Daisy replied "How about yours?"
"Good" He replied before the uncertain silence over took them again.
Daisy suddenly put down her cutlery and looked at him "Enos, what happened to us?"
Enos sat back putting down his own cutlery. "How d'ya mean?"
"Look at us. We can't even speak to each other. After everything, all these years."
"That's just it Daisy. Too many things. Too many years." He sighed, long ago accepting that was just the way he and Daisy would be.
"Why did we never get married Enos?" She asked with a sigh of her own. "We could've had a little house in Hazzard and a couple of kids"
Enos smiled briefly at the thought that had run through his head so many times. "It would never've worked Daisy. It just weren't meant to be."
"Maybe it was, Enos. Maybe the hives and LB showing up was just testin' us. And we failed."
"Maybe we was both just to scared to see if reality was as good as the dream" Enos agreed quietly.
"I ain't scared any more" She fixed her eyes on him.
"Of what?"
"Gettin' married. LB swept me off my feet in a whirlwind of romance that didn't last. Even the weddin' was all hearts and flowers. But you've always been strong, dependable.........truthful"
"Shucks Daisy. I just wanted to treat you right"
"I know you did..........Enos, Let's get married, for real this time"
"Possum on a gum bush Daisy. How much wine did you drink?"
"It ain't the wine, Enos. It's us. Don't ya see? Whatever happens, wherever we go, we always end up back where we started."
"In Hazzard?" Enos stopped following after Daisy suggested getting married. His heart as always jumped at the chance, but his head was trying to present reason.
"With each other" Daisy smiled and grabbed his hand across the table "Enos Strate will you marry me?"
The tables around them went quiet as they overheard and the approaching waitress stopped in her tracks.
Enos looked round nervously aware that they now had an audience and they were all waiting for him to answer.
He took Daisy's arm as he stood up "Come on...........We'll be back in a moment" He said to the waitress as he passed.
Out in the hallway, Daisy looked him square in the eye "Enos, what are you doin'? You could've just said no"
"Daisy, why? We tried this twice before. What makes ya think this time's gonna be different?"
"Because I love you Enos" Her look softened "I always have and I always will. And I don't ever wanna see you walk away from me again the way you did this afternoon. I don't ever
wanna think of you not bein' there. You're my best friend, you know me inside out and if you don't like what you see, you have the perfect chance to end it right here right now. But I was
stupid to not marry you years ago when I had the chance. " She stepped closer and put her hand on the side of his face. His head was rapidly loosing the battle. "Enos, I just wanna be
with you. And if you say yes I ain't gonna let anythin' stop us" She smiled "Not even us"
"Are you really sure this is what you want, Daisy?"
"I'm really sure this is what I want"
Enos took a deep breath "Then, " He dropped to one knee "Daisy Duke I would be honoured to marry you"