Chapter 2

'But I'm happy with him!'

Daisy didn't arrive home that night until late...very late. Uncle Jesse and the boys waited up in the kitchen.

"This isn't like her." Luke said breaking the silence around the table. "She's usually home before midnight. Where could she be?"

"She's out with her new fiance o' course." Uncle Jesse replied as he took a sip of his warm milk. "Probably talkin' wedding plans together."

Bo, who was in the corner fuming, finally spoke up. "Uncle Jesse how in the heck can ya stay so dag-gone calm 'bout this!" He ranted. "Yer twenty-year-old niece is marrying a Jackson! She's gonna be Mrs. Daisy Jackson!"

"Bo what have I told you 'bout hollerin' in the house?" Uncle Jesse said calmly.

Bo rolled his eyes. "I know I know. But what 'bout..."

"Ryan Jackson is a changing man." Uncle Jesse interrupted. "Yall might not see it yet, but I have. I've noticed a difference in him ever since his first outing with our Daisy. He's not the same..."

"But he is the same!" Bo hollered. "He and his brothers set the Post Office on fire just last weekend!"

Luke nodded his head in agreement.

"And the weekend before that, he blew up Mrs. Beurtrums outhouse! And and..."

"Yer just gonna have to accept it boys." Jesse said calmly. "Daisy Mae is happy with him. And he's happy with her. And that's that." He finished.

"But...but..."

"Go to bed you two, obviously they ain't back yet, no use staying up all night." Uncle Jesse ordered as he pushed in his chair and headed off to bed.

Luke nudged Bo. "Come on."

Bo felt defeated. He emptied his glass of milk in the sink, and followed Luke down the hall.

It was seven in the morning and Daisy was up cooking breakfast for the family. She didn't get more than two hours of sleep last night and was a little groggy this morning, but since her days in the Duke home are limited now, she didn't want to miss out on extra family time. Typical Daisy.

Uncle Jesse was the second Duke up. He changed into his over-alls and boots and sat himself down at the head of the table.

"Good morning sweetheart." He said cheerfully, pouring himself some orange juice. "Sleep well?"

"Yes Uncle Jesse." She lied, handing him a napkin. "What 'bout you?"

"Well-rested and ready fer a long days work!" He replied. "But no day's a good day without a stack of Daisy's famous pancakes."

Daisy laughed and sat down next to him. "They'll be ready soon." She said. "Um...Uncle Jesse?"

"Yes darlin?" He said helping himself to some sausages.

"I didn't know if you knew..." She began reluctantly. "Or maybe you already knew, or...maybe you don't wanna know..."

"Spit it out Daisy dear."

"R.J asked me to marry him last night." She blurted.

Uncle Jesse gave her a soft look. "I know."

"You know?"

"I know."

"Well...how?" She asked. "Were you at the Boars Nest last night? I didn't see you. That's where he asked me. He got down on one knee and everything! Oh Uncle Jesse it was so romantic!"

He smiled andpatted her hand. "Did he tell you he came by and asked me for my blessing?"

"He did?" Daisy shrieked. "How sweet of him! That's how you knew!"

Uncle Jesse nodded. "I couldn't be happier fer you two."

Daisy was so relieved! She figured no one in her family would be too thrilled about the idea, but her Uncle Jesse was, thank God.

Daisy could hear Bo and Luke stagger down the hall to breakfast. 'Oh great.' She thought. 'This is gonna be fun.' Daisy knew her cousins were aware of the engagment, she remembered seeing them last night. 'Maybe they'll take it as good as Uncle Jesse did?' she thought hopefully. But, probably not.

"Morning boys." Daisy said cheerfully. "I made yer favorite pancakes!" She was trying to beat-around-the-bush, but from the looks on her cousins faces...it wasn't working.

Luke had talked to Bo last night about keeping his temper when Daisy came home. 'Ya know her feelings git hurt real easy, Bo. Try and talk some sense into her in a calm matter.'

Bo remembering what his cousin had said, managed to sit himself down without a word.

"Mornin' Daisy." Luke said, sitting down next to Bo.

Daisy knew the boys were trying to contain themselves the best they could, and she was grateful for that, but she also wanted to get everything out in the open too.

She served them their pancakes, then sat down with her own stack. "Dig in boys." She said.

Everyone tucked into their breakfast silently. A very, uncomfortable silence.

After a few unspoken minutes passed by, Daisy couldn't take it anymore. "All right yall." She said loudly dropping her fork. "I know yer not happy about this. I know you and R.J don't git along, but I'm in love with him! And he makes me happy! And yall should be thankful fer that! Why can't ya be huh?"

Bo and Luke stuffed their faces as fast as they could. It was a good excuse for not answering. 'I can't because my mouth's full!' It's worked plenty of times before. But this time, Daisy wanted an answer.

"Come on, say it!" She said. "Git it out in the open, come on, now's the time."

Luke glanced at Bo. He kept forking in sausages into his already packed mouth. "Fine, I'll go first." Luke whispered.

"Daisy," He began, choosing his words very carefully. "We're glad yer happy, but...but," he struggled. "You can be happy without, R.J, ya know?"

Daisy glared. "Can I?" She said coldly.

"It's just..." He continued nervously. "You can do better than him, everybody knows that. Yer a beautiful, sweet girl! And he's a...a..."

"A Jackson!" Bo interrupted.

"SO!" She hollered. "He's a Jackson! So what?"

"Daisy honey settle down." Uncle Jesse said patting her hand.

"But Uncle Jesse! They don't want me to be happy! They just want me to stay here and cook for them all my life!" She protested.

"How can you say that Daisy? You know it ain't true!" Bo said. "We just want the best fer ya, and Ryan Jackson is far from it!"

A tear fell down Daisy's sweet face. "Fine." She said quietly. "Be that way. But I'm gittin' married whether you attend the ceremony or not!"

And with that, Daisy ran out the flimsy screen door, and into her white Jeep.

"Daisy WAIT!" Luke hollered. But it was too late, Daisy was gone.