STEAMING SOUP

"Enos, sugar," Daisy knocked at the door, "it's me, with your dinner," sweetness and happiness in her voice, her way to cheer him up.

She waited for him, but from his room at the Boarding House just silence: was he at Police Department with those detectives, planning their actions for the next day? A possibility. After patrolling, was he preparing a police block with Rosco, so spending the night there? Another possibility. Daisy moved nervously in front of the door as her idea of having dinner with Enos, a quiet and sweet dinner with him, was fading away.

She had a deep sigh and she tried again, "Enos?" doubt in her voice.

Was he already sleeping, exhausted after the previous sleepless night and after that day?

Right answer: Enos opened the door, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Daisy… I wasn't waiting for you… sorry… I'm in …" he looked at himself with discomfort, "…ehm… already in my pajamas."

"Don't worry, sugar," she came in and she rested the bag in her hands on the table, then she turned to him who was still standing at the door, closing it and keeping on rubbing his eyes, "Anyway, it's more normal sleeping in your pajamas than naked," she laughed with affection glancing at him as he blushed and looked again at his pajamas (white t-shirt, black trousers of an old overall and white socks).

"Oh, shucks, Dais. If I was sleeping naked, for sure I wouldn't open the door before to dress up," he blushed even more and he looked away, "Besides… I don't sleep naked, usually, so stop joking, please. It's… embarrassing…" he shook his head trying to wash away his discomfort.

Daisy laughed amused, "OK. OK. I don't want to joke if it embarrasses you, Enos. Did you have dinner? I know you had a hard day, and a sleepless night before this hard day, so I brought you something to eat," before his answer she carefully kept a pot from the bag and she walked to the little stove, "Soup. I'm goin' to heat it up. And after soup, some sandwiches. Are you hungry?"

Enos' stomach grumbled, a clear answer to Daisy's question, clearer than any word.

"Yeah, you're hungry," she took a spoon and she stirred the soup, its scent filling the little room and making Enos' stomach grumble for the second time, "you shouldn't go to sleep before having a good dinner, Enos. I know you're tired, and I know also that, when you're tired, you just want to sleep to the point you forget about eating," keeping on stirring the soup, she turned to him, "but after a good dinner you're goin' to sleep much better, trust me."

He simply nodded, still confused by her sudden presence in his room, "You're spoiling me, Daisy. Breakfast… dinner… it seems you fear I could starve," he smiled and he started to set the table.

"Yeah, in effect, I'm worried," the spoon stopped its circular movement and the soup's steam hit Daisy's face, "It's ready." She turned the stove off, looking at him, "How's your head?"

"My… head?" Enos stared at her in confusion, then he realized what she was looking at, "Uh… this," his hand touched gently the small bandage on his right eyebrow and he smiled shyly, "just a small cut. I slipped because of some water on the floor in the locker room, and I hit my head against the sink," he shrugged, "I'm used to these little accidents. And Doc Appleby too is used to," his smile grew wider, "since I was a child."

Daisy smiled at his genuine and sincere answer. Luke was right: if those detectives had been responsible of that "little accident", Enos wouldn't have been so quiet and open in his talking about it.

"OK, the soup is ready," sighing in relief she turned to the small cupboard and she took two plates, filling them with soup, "for you, sugar, I hope you like it."

Enos took his plate from her hands and he sat down at the table, "Everything cooked by you is great, Daisy. And, yeah, you're right. I'm hungry, so hungry I'd eat everything."

Sitting in front of him, her plate too on the table, she observed him stirring the hot soup and then sipping it, "everything cooked by me… when I don't use salt instead of sugar… or sugar instead of salt," she sniggered, thanking uncle Jesse for the lucky escape.

"Salt is OK, Daisy. The soup is just a bit too hot, now," he smiled and he stirred the soup, sniggering.

"Thanks, chef Strate, I'm glad you think I used salt properly, this time," she laughed at his brief sniggering, and they kept on laughing for a while as the soup in their plates grew cold.

Enos ate everything (soup and sandwiches), and Daisy was satisfied and relieved by his appetite but less satisfied by his look: he was exhausted, so exhausted he was nearly going to fall asleep as he was eating, his head lolling from time to time and his eyelids heavy.

She knew her mission was already failed: she was there to convince him to talk, but he wanted just to sleep, he needed to have a good rest and she couldn't prevent his resting (she didn't want to prevent his rest). She told herself that, at least, they had a good dinner and he wasn't going to sleep empty stomach, and it was already a success, a little success but a success to her: being able to take care of him, even if with a simple dinner, stirred her heart.

Being his fiancée. It was what being his fiancée meant: she was taking care of him, giving him what he needed to, and now he needed just a good dinner and a restful night, so she couldn't force him into a talk he couldn't face.

He rubbed his eyes and he yawned.

"I think it's time to go to sleep, now, Enos," she glanced at his unmade bed where he was already sleeping before her coming, "Sorry if I woke you up, but now you can sleep all night long. I won't disturb you any more."

He stood up, "Sorry? Oh, Daisy, I'm glad you woke me up. Your soup and sandwiches are great, and after eating for sure I'm goin' to sleep much better. You're right," he walked to the bed like in a sort of trance, and he cuddled up under the blankets, but after few seconds he suddenly opened his eyes, looking at her, "Wait, wait. I'm goin' to get up, dress up and escort you at home. I don't want you drive back to the farm, it's dark, and that bomber could be out there, somewhere. He could be dangerous," he sat up and he rubbed his face with both hands, "give me some time to go to the bathroom, wash my face, dress up and…," he yawned, unable to stand up and realizing his inability, "… or… you should stay here for the night, I'm goin' to sleep on the couch."

"Enos, don't worry. I'm not alone. Bo and Luke are waiting for me," she walked closer him, she sat on his bed and she caressed his cheek, "You're such a gentleman, sugar," she kissed his forehead, "Thanks for your offer, but you need to rest, so, please, sleep, have sweet dreams and don't worry for me. You can't sleep on the couch, it's too much small for you, and I know that if I stay here for the night you won't let me sleep on the couch, so it's better to go."

Like a doll in her arms, he let her help him to lay down, tuck him in and look at him apparently falling asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow, showing her his total weariness. She gently caressed his hair, her touch reaching his conscience so he opened his eyes.

"May I stay here for a while, sugar? I'm goin' to clear the table and to check everything's OK before to leave," she smiled.

"OK, but, please, Dais, while I'm sleeping don't steal my pillow and don't try to strip me naked," he smiled amused, temporarily putting his weariness aside and showing her his both funny and innocent sense of humor, then he yawned and he buried his face against the pillow, "Good night", his voice muffled by the pillow.

"What?" Daisy stared at him, her mouth wide open, her mind finally realizing his teasing her, "Enos, you're such a…" and her words turning into laugh, a surprised and amused laugh. When she stopped laughing, she realized he was finally sleeping, deeply sleeping.

"She's already coming out the Boarding House," Bo glanced at Daisy walking to the General Lee and then he turned to Luke, "I think her mission failed."

When Daisy came closer the General, she confirmed Bo's supposition, "He's so exhausted he's already sleeping. He nearly fell asleep while he was eating, so we had no time to talk. At least he had dinner."

"Yeah, at least he had dinner, and for sure he enjoyed having dinner with you," Bo smiled, "you'll be able to convince him to talk about everything happened to him, some day or another. OK, time to go back to the farm, I'm hungry, Luke and I haven't dinner, yet."

Daisy nodded, "Yeah. You and Luke should go back to the farm," she looked at the Boarding House as she could see Enos through the wall, averting her eyes from her cousins as her cheeks turned red, "whereas I think I'm goin' to stay here for the night. Enos was so exhausted I don't want to leave him alone… just in case he feels sick… or he abuses of Vicodin because of pain. I don't know what could happen to him after a sleepless night and a hard day like today, not just physically but psychologically too. I prefer to stay by his side, if it's OK for you."

Luke glanced at Bo and Bo at Luke, a knowing smile on their face.

"I think it's a good idea, Daisy," Luke looked at the Boarding House, following Daisy's eyes, "I too prefer you stay with him, for any eventuality. Call us if something strange happens. OK?"

"OK. Thanks Luke. Bye," Daisy turned to Bo and Luke, smiling, the red on her cheeks gone, "See you."

Their eyes on her as she walked back to the Boarding House, Bo and Luke were thinking of the same thing, and finally Bo verbalized it, "Daisy really loves Enos. I sincerely thought it was impossible, but after her talking with Doc Appleby at the farm, that day, I've realized how much she cares for him and how much she loves him. Enos is a lucky man. And for Daisy's sake and happiness, we have to protect him."

"We have to protect Enos also 'cause he's our best friend, he's the most honest deputy in Hazzard, and he's a great guy. He deserves Daisy and Daisy deserves him," Luke patted on Bo's shoulder, "and now, go to the farm, uncle Jesse is waiting for us. And I'm hungry."

Entering Enos' apartment, Daisy moved silently in order not to wake Enos up.

She opened his wardrobe and she stared at his shirts as her fingers touched them lightly, finally stopping on the red-checked one, her mind driven to the night she stayed at the Boarding House because of Nervous Norman. She smiled, she took the shirt from the wardrobe and she headed to the bathroom: since she was planning to stay there for the night, she needed something cushy to dress, and that shirt was what she was looking for.

When she came out the bathroom, just his red-checked shirt on, she looked at him: he was still sleeping, crouched up on his right side, the same position he had when he fell asleep.

She smiled and she looked alternatively at his bed and at the couch.

She knew he needed rest, so she opted for the couch: she took a blanket from the dresser and she reached the couch, switching the light off.

She could hear his regular breathing and it relaxed her: she was there for any eventuality, as Luke told her.

As soon as she fell asleep, a distant grumble woke her up and her heart skipped a beat. She remained still, holding her breath until other grumbles followed the first one, mixing with the sound of a violent wind and of the rain hitting the windows.

She had a deep sigh realizing it was just a storm and not a bomb, but her relaxing faded when Enos shivered under the blankets and had a soft moan.

Was he having a nightmare?

Silently Daisy got up and she walked to his bed: he was still gently shivering during his sleep.

She recalled a similar night at the farm, a similar rain hitting the windows as Enos slept in the guest's room. That night she fought against the desire to hug him, but this night she wasn't so strong (especially after what happened during day, and especially recalling his confusion and pain the previous evening).

Her desire won, she didn't even try to fight against it: she carefully climbed over his body and she lied down by his side, between him and the wall, spooning him.

He didn't move, so lost in his deep sleep he didn't even realize she was behind him.

Her forehead against his shoulder, she fell asleep.

"PLEASE, STOP!"

Daisy ran to detective Colt, her heart beating furiously in her chest at the sight of the blond detective kicking Enos as he was kneeling down.

Enos rolled on his back and detective Colt kept on kicking him as he tried to protect at least his head from the detective's hits.

No matter how much she tried to run, Daisy could barely move her legs, as she was stuck on the ground.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!"

Detective Molise suddenly popped up behind her shoulders, grabbing her, his strong arm circling her neck, his face near hers, his breath in her ear, "It isn't your business, Miss Daisy. Don't mess with us. We have a score to settle with your fiancé."

Detective Molise's hand pressed on her mouth preventing her to shout while she looked horrified at detective Colt kicking Enos as he lied on the ground, his kicks causing thuds followed by moans.

Struggling against the detective who was grabbing her from behind, his hand still on her mouth, she cried hopelessly, her eyes opening wide as she saw detective Colt taking a baton from Enos' patrol car.