CHAPTER 9

Daisy's fresh hand gently touched Enos' forehead.

"Enos, sugar"

He opened his eyes slowly, trying to talk but only a sort of hoarse sound came out from his dry throat.

"Here's some fresh water, Enos"

Fresh water, exactly what he needed to. He sat up, Daisy's hand on his nape like a mother supporting his baby's head, and he drank all the water in the glass despite it was like he was swallowing thousand needles. After a deep sigh he lied down again, exhausted simply by his sitting up and drinking the water, his bare chest rising up and down as he breathed deeply.

"Oh, Enos, finally you woke up. You really scared me. When I woke up, this morning, you were burning with fever. I didn't know what to do; I don't know anyone in this town, and I didn't know how to search for help. Fortunately Sheriff Cox came here when he didn't see you at the Courthouse, so he called Doc McCain who gave you a shot"

Daisy's words and the itching on his left arm (where Doc gave him the shot) remembered him, even if in a confused way (he spent the most part of the day sleeping), 'bout Doc McCain and Sheriff Cox, their moving around him and their soft voices.

"Flu. I've a bad case of flu. It's what Doc McCain said", Enos got surprised from his own voice, still hoarse but at least comprehensible instead of that sort of sound he emitted few before.

Daisy nodded, smiling, "Yeah, a bad case of flu. And for sure all that snow outside and your goin' to my rescue in that ditch didn't help you. I'm sorry, Enos".

Enos closed his eyes under her fresh touch, enjoying her hand on his face.

"There's nothing to forgive you, Daisy. I think I was burning with fever since yesterday morning. I wasn't feeling well since I woke up. I'm really glad you're here now".

Daisy smiled, her hand still on his forehead, brushing his hair away.

"I'm really glad to be here and to help you, Enos", she sighed, shaking her head, "but I should have understood you were burning with fever yesterday instead of thinking I was simply feeling your skin so warm 'cause my skin was still cold".

"Don't worry, Daisy. It's only flu. How's your ankle?"

Daisy looked down at her swollen left ankle, "I've only twisted it. Nothing's broken. Doc McCain told me I need some rest and pain killers".

Enos chuckled, "So, Sheriff Cox and Doc McCain had to rescue both of us, me burning with fever in my bed, and you jigging 'bout trying to help me. What a scene. I bet Sheriff Cox was really surprise to see you here". He gave Daisy a curious look, trying to figure out what exactly Sheriff Cox asked her (and for sure he asked her a lot of things) and what she answered: did she tell Sheriff Cox 'bout the real reason why he left Hazzard?

Daisy looked away from him, a touch of red on her cheeks, "I told him I'm a close friend coming for a visit. And I told him 'bout our … adventure … in that ditch, to explain him how I twisted my ankle. But I think he wasn't satisfied of my answer since he asked me if I was the reason why you left Hazzard. He talked 'bout a …" she sighed, "… broken-heart".

"Oh, no", Enos put his hands on his face, "did he really ask you if you broke my heart?"

Daisy nodded, the red on her cheeks deepening, a red meaning embarrass (to talk so openly to him 'bout their feelings), rage (why did he open his heart to a stranger and not to her?), and sadness ('cause she didn't understand his confusion after their near wedding), all mixed together, "Yeah. It's what you let him think 'bout your leaving Hazzard, isn't it?"

Enos lowered his hands from his face, swallowing and looking up at the ceiling, ashamed of his lies to Sheriff Cox, the man who helped him and who trusts him.

"Don't worry, Enos. I didn't tell Sheriff Cox 'bout the accident you had in Hazzard and 'bout your dreams. I simply told him we had a sort of misunderstanding. But now", she swallowed the lump in her throat, "… everything's clear between us"…"Isn't it?".

The silence filled the little bedroom as Daisy started to think back at the night before, at his way to confess her the real reason why he left Hazzard (or, it's better to say, at her finally realizing the real reason of his pain and confusion): in effect it could be said he left because, somehow, she really broke his heart, unintentionally but incontrovertibly. A total misunderstanding (so, somehow, Daisy didn't lie to Sheriff Cox) because of their escaping from a clarification 'bout their near wedding: Enos fearing to know Daisy was marrying him for pity, and Daisy still trying to understand her real feelings for Enos, feelings for him confused since she was only a teenager, and maybe even since she was a child, feelings finally totally clear in her mind, thanks too to Enos's new way to approach her, his new closeness and his new way to kiss her.

His new way to kiss her, and not only to kiss her: redness on Daisy's cheeks turned almost to a purple shade, and Enos caught it.

"Daisy, are you OK? I hope Sheriff Cox didn't bother you with embarrassing questions 'bout … us", a similar shade of redness appeared on Enos's cheeks.

Daisy hastened to shake her head, a way to try to reduce her cheeks' burning, "Nothing embarrassing, don't worry. Sheriff Cox is very kind". She sighed, her cheeks still burning despite her shaking head, her mind trying to find another escape, "If you don't mind, Enos, I need a warm bath. I'm a bit tired after … everything: my ankle, that ditch, you burning with fever, Sheriff Cox and Doc McCain…Then, I'm goin' to cook dinner, don't worry, I'm not goin' to let you starve to death. Or did you prefer…?".

"Make yourself at home, Dais. And don't worry for me, I'm feeling better now. While you have a bath, I'm goin' to take a nap, so, take all the time you need to, it's been a long day. We'll have dinner later". He smiled sweetly at her then he huddled under the blankets, burying his face in his pillow to hide the blushing on his cheeks.

Sitting in the little bathtub (fortunately the little house's bath had not only a shower but a little bathtub too), her knees near her chest and her head resting on her knees, Daisy enjoyed the feeling of warm water on her skin while the steam filled the room like a relaxing fog, a perfect situation to think back to the previous night.

A shiver rose all over Daisy's spine as she remembered Enos' hands on her skin, his hot touch (hot not only because the fever) and his fingers exploring her body as he knew very well where to touch her: a way to touch her like if it wasn't the first time. Daisy wondered if in his dreams he had known her in such a private and deep way, a strange and somehow scaring hypothesis; she liked his new way to touch her, she couldn't deny it, but she would have preferred to find a common way to know their respective bodies, step by step, attempt by attempt. But, if Enos hadn't known her in his dreams, maybe he wouldn't ever have found the nerve to approach her with that self-confidence and with that knowing 'bout her body; everybody knew Enos was the oldest virgin in Hazzard (oh, well, virgin no more after that night), so it was supposed he shouldn't have known so well a woman's body (no woman's body), but he seemed to know Daisy's body inch by inch. And what 'bout the hives? After a night like that it would have broken out, but there were no red marks on his skin that morning: did his system get used to happiness thanks to his dreams?

The more Daisy thought 'bout it, the more she was confused. Thinking of his body adhering on her she blushed furiously, not because of embarrass but because of something else, something totally new: "excitement" and "love" didn't even come close to the new feelings echoing through her. Jealousy and impatience all mixed together, followed by … lust. She wanted him, every inch of his soul and every inch of his body: he was HER Enos, no other woman could have him.

HAZZARD – SOME DAY IN THE FUTURE?

"Enos, are you OK?"

He slowly opened his eyes when Daisy's fresh hand touched his forehead.

"Yeah, I'm OK", he got surprised by his hoarse voice, "my throat is burning and my head's breaking, but I'm OK. Only a flu, don't worry"

"Daddy's got the flu. Daddy's got the flu", Beth's shrill voice pierced his head like a drill, and things went even worse when she jumped on the bed crashing exactly on his belly.

"Little brat. I've just said you your dad has to rest. So, hush, come with me in the kitchen and help me to prepare an apple-pie. Do you like my apple-pie, don't you?", uncle Jesse's sharp but loving voice from the threshold, or more probably the promise of an apple-pie, had the power to distract Beth from his daddy.

"Apple-pie. Apple-pie. I like apple-pie"

Beth's voice followed uncle Jesse to the kitchen, like a siren finally going away from Enos' throbbing head as he cuddled up, his hands pressed on his belly, "Possum on a gum bush. She almost killed me".

Daisy burst out laughing, "Hazzard's best deputy killed by a child and flu. What a hero". She sat on the bed near him, as near as possible because of her grown belly (the baby was almost ready to come out), and she caressed his hair, "Oh, Enos, you're really something else".

Wrapped in Enos' bathrobe Daisy came out the bathroom, a new awareness in her. She looked at Enos who's peacefully sleeping under the blankets, his breathe regular and slow; she touched his cheek to feel finally his skin was fresh: Doc McCain's shot was efficacious.

Outside the window the moonlight reflected in the snow so that everything seemed to be bathed in a magic light. In front of the window, Daisy looked amazed at the scene, the snow sparkling under the moon and the unreal silence all around, broken only by the irregular dull thud of the snow falling down the trees. When a draught made her shiver, she folded her arms across her chest and she turned to the bed, a new smile on her face as she looked at Enos' figure huddled under the blankets; she popped into bed coming closer him and spooning him, her arms around his waist, her chest pressed against his shoulders.

"Enos"

Her warm breathe on his nape and her whispering his name woke Enos up. He felt her body pressed against his back (totally adhering to him, no bump between them), her arms crossed on his belly (which didn't hurt any more despite ... Beth's jumping on him?). He needed a little time to understand he wasn't dreaming, Daisy's body pressed against him totally real, as real was the bathrobe soft cloth on his naked (except for his underpants) skin. He thought of his dream, this time setting in … Hazzard? Why? He closed strongly his eyes and he winced trying to remember every part and every single word of that dream.

"Enos, I love you"

Daisy's words melted his tension and his confusion: all those dreams hurt him 'cause he thought they couldn't become true, but after Daisy's words (it was the first time she's telling him those words, words he was waiting for since the seventh grade) and after last night everything changed between them: no more doubt, confusion and pain.

Enos' heart started to beat furiously in his chest both because of her words than because of her warm breath on his nape. He rolled on his back and he turned to her to look into her sparkling eyes.

"I love you too, Daisy Duke".

Daisy slid her hands all over his bare chest and flat stomach as her lips approached his ones.

"Let's get married, right here, right now. I can't wait any more. I want to be your wife. Tomorrow. Here in Dillard", her lips pressed on his ones taking his breath away. He took her bathrobe off as he kept on kissing her, his hands now sliding on her velvet-like skin.

Outside the window, the moon and the snow were sparkling like they were celebrating the upcoming wedding, their milky-like light penetrating in the little room, caressing Enos' and Daisy's joining bodies like a gentle touch of congratulation.

"Ok, bye Daisy".

Uncle Jesse slowly put down the receiver as Bo and Luke entered the farm.

"News from Daisy and Enos, uncle Jesse?", Luke came closer the fireplace rubbing his hands, his eyes fixed on his uncle's face.

"They're fine. She told me Enos got the flu and she twisted her left ankle because of snow, but now they're fine. They're goin' to come back as soon as possible: Enos's a deputy there, and he's promised he's not goin' to leave till Sheriff Cox finds another deputy. Daisy decided to stay there and to wait for Enos instead of coming back soon", uncle Jesse shook his head, sighing, "Anyway, because of her ankle, she can't come back soon. She also told she likes snow, and she's enjoyin' all the snow there"

"Daisy… enjoyin' snow? The same Daisy who always complains for cold during every winter and who always says she loves summer? The same Daisy's just twisted her ankle because of… SNOW?", Bo chuckled, "All that snow is freezing her brain".

"I don't know, Bo. Daisy's temper is so hot that some freezing cold could be good for her", Luke smiled looking at Bo, but it didn't prevent him to catch a shadow of worrisome crossing uncle Jesse's face before he turned away heading to the kitchen.

"Uncle Jesse, what's the matter?"

Leaning against the doorpost, his arms folded, Luke looked at uncle Jesse standing in front of the kitchen's window, looking outside.

"Nothing to worry 'bout, Luke. I'm glad Enos's fine and Daisy's coming back with him. But I'm goin' to be happier when I'll see finally them back". In his words all the truth: uncle Jesse preferred to see Daisy and Enos coming back as soon as possible, and for sure the shading of excitement he caught in Daisy's voice that morning didn't calm him down. And there was no way to explain Luke why exactly he didn't like to think of Enos and Daisy living together in Dillard; no way to talk to him 'bout Enos and Daisy clinging on the couch that day, Enos lost in his dreams and Daisy… he didn't know even now what Daisy was really thinking in that moment.

"I prefer to see them coming back as soon as possible, 'cause I fear Enos could run away again from Dillard. That boy could be very stubborn and unforeseeable sometimes. And if Enos decides to run away again, I don't want Daisy starts a sort of hunt all around Georgia, and not only Georgia", a pitiful lie to justify his previous words.

Luke's unsatisfied eyes stared at uncle Jesse's shoulders and nape as he kept on talking, "If Enos's here, we can keep an eye on him to check everything's OK". In effect, this one wasn't a lie.

"And I can keep an eye on Daisy too, before that girl decides to do something fool". With this thought in his head, uncle Jesse sighed.

Outside the window, the frost was sparkling in the winter light.

Daisy slowly put down the receiver.

"Did you tell him…?", Enos's question remained in the air as Daisy turned to him taking his breath away: she was beautiful in her rented wedding dress. He couldn't get used at that sight.

She shrugged, "It's not something I can simply tell him by phone. I'm goin' to tell my family when we'll come back to Hazzard. Don't worry, uncle Jesse's not goin' to kill you, Enos". She grabbed his husband's tie and she drew him to her, an amused smile on her face as she kissed him. "… Maybe, he's goin' to kill me. For sure, I need to explain him a lot of things… but not now, and not by phone".

She wrapped her arms around Enos' neck and she got lost in his deep kiss.

He was totally HER Enos, now. And forever.

I hope you enjoyed (again) a bit of fluff. But, besides the fluff, I think things are becoming interesting, don't you think?

Stay tuned to know what's goin' to happen in Hazzard when the new couple comes back, more surprises are waiting for you. And (again) more fluff, LOL. What do you think 'bout Enos' dreams? Simple dreams? Premonitions? Mmmhhh, the plot is now quite clear in MY head.

And don't forget to REVIEW, please...