CHAPTER 6

"I don't know why Daisy decided to go to L.A. with Enos. Just a couple of days and he'll be back. Besides, Enos is able to take care of himself; he stayed in L.A. for nearly two years, proving everybody his value," Bo came out The General and walked to the farm, "Enos too was surprised but… he can't say no to Daisy," Bo smiled.

"Don't forget the reason why Enos is goin' to L.A., now, Bo. His colleague, and friend, died," Luke opened the living room's door, entering the farm, followed by Bo, "and Enos is shocked. So, I confess I'm glad he won't be alone in L.A., in such a moment. Daisy can help him, also 'cause she met Turk when she went to L.A., some years ago."

Uncle Jesse walked from the kitchen to the living room, "And I too met Turk when Enos stayed in L.A. An honest and good man. I'm praying for his soul and for his family," he walked to the armchair and he sank into it, "God knows how many times I prayed for Enos when he was in L.A., after having realized how big and violent that city is. I thought of Enos as a fragile glass surrounded by stones, and I feared he could die in the line of duty, as it happened to Turk and his colleague. Fortunately Enos came back safe and sound, showing he isn't a so fragile glass, after all, or maybe he was just lucky."

Bo sat on the couch, "You know, uncle Jesse, it's exactly what Enos told us this morning. He said that if he had been still Turk's partner, he probably would have died. So, he was shocked not just 'cause of his friend's death, but also 'cause he was realizing what he risked in L.A. When he stayed in L.A. he didn't want to think of it, but, now, the news of Turk's death slapped him, showing him what could have happened to him too."

Uncle Jesse rubbed his beard, thoughtfully, "What a strange coincidence," his mind driven to Daisy's nightmare.

"What coincidence, uncle Jesse?" Luke stared at his uncle, waiting for his answer.

Uncle Jesse shook his head, "Just a thought, never mind," his eyes moved from Luke to Bo and then from Bo to Luke, "Now, if you think it's strange Daisy decided to follow Enos, I suppose I should explain you what's goin' on with that girl."

Daisy's boots and long legs reflected in the tidy floor of Atlanta's airport as she walked to the wide bathroom.

Looking at her tight features and tired eyes in the mirror, she took her lipstick and blusher off her bag and she made up her face, a soft make up just to hide her paleness and tiredness; along the trip to the airport, she couldn't help but remembering her nightmare, giving it a new meaning: if Enos had stayed in L.A. she would have probably really cried on his grave, if he had been still Turk's partner…

She shook her head: it was just a nightmare, a nightmare where Enos was her husband and where they had a daughter, so nothing related to reality and to Enos' past in L.A. But that black tombstone kept on giving her chills.

She came out the bathroom and she walked to Enos, sitting by his side and waiting patiently for their flight's boarding, at 1 p.m.

She glanced at him, not knowing what to say; since they left Hazzard he was lost in his thoughts and grief. Her eyes slid all over him: black shoes he usually wore with his uniform, blue jeans, checkered brown shirt, blue jeans jacket. When was the last time she saw him in civil clothes? Easy answer: the day of their nearly wedding he wore those same clothes, aside from the jacket.

Her eyes caught the watch on his left wrist, and her right hand automatically reached the small daisy of her necklace; she poked at the small pendant and she looked at her body: brown boots, blue jeans, checkered pink shirt, brown leather jacket. Aside from the jacket, she was wearing the same clothes of that day, as Enos.

"WOW," Bo smiled happily, "I didn't know Daisy…," he looked at Luke by his side, "I was sure Daisy thought of Enos just a close friend. If that day she had told us about her real feelings for Enos, I would have dragged Enos to the altar despite the hives, for Daisy's happiness."

"If Daisy had told us, and Enos!, about her real feelings, for sure Enos wouldn't have stopped the wedding because of the hives," Luke folded his arms and shook his head.

Bo's smile faded, "You're probably right. Enos would sacrifice his own happiness, and life, for Daisy's sake," he looked at uncle Jesse, "but why didn't Daisy say what she really feels for Enos, that day?"

Uncle Jesse shrugged, "Probably 'cause Daisy too was confused 'bout her real feelings, that day. Too much things happening, those robbers out there and you weren't able to catch them, Enos risking to go to jail and Daisy having to testify against him: she simply caught the only chance to save him, the only chance to avoid to testify against him. And we also were confused because of her sudden decision, and then because of her decision to marry Enos even after you caught the robbers. I suppose she was following her heart, desperately, trying to catch the chance to marry Enos; it was what her heart was asking her, but she realized it after Enos cooled down her confused excitement."

Bo looked at the floor, a sad look on his face, "I feel a bit of guilty 'bout it, uncle Jesse. We all tried to stop Daisy, whereas… if we had understood what was goin' on in her mind, we could have helped her to…"

"Bo," uncle Jesse stopped his youngest nephew, "now the most important thing is that Daisy has finally realized her love for Enos. That day we ALL were confused, especially Enos. I bet that boy spent that day trying to understand the real reason why Daisy asked him to marry her."

"And since, at the end, he stopped everything, his conclusion is clear. He thought what any of us was thinking, after all," Luke had a deep sigh while uncle Jesse and Bo nodded.

On the plane, Daisy focused her attention to people around her: where were they going? She looked at people talking each other: Families? Friends? Husbands and wives?

If people around her had looked at her and Enos, what would they have thought? Friends? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Husband and wife?

If she had married Enos, that day, she would have asked him to go to L.A. for their honeymoon: she wanted to see again the big city where Enos stayed for two years without her, she wanted to meet again Turk simply 'cause he was a close friend of Enos. She was so used to have Enos by her side, to know everything about him, that the decision to go to L.A. was her way to take part, even if late, of the time of his life he spent away from her, to know from him everything about that time, looking at things he looked at that time and knowing people he knew. She wanted to catch every thing she missed of him when he was away.

If she had married Enos, that day… But she didn't marry him, it wasn't their honeymoon, and she couldn't meet Turk any more.

During the long hours on the plane, Daisy slept for a couple of hours, she nibbled at a sandwich, she sipped a cup of tea, and she glanced at Enos whereas he simply slept, from time to time waking up, looking around him, realizing where he was and falling asleep again.

Daisy wondered if he was really sleeping or if he was desperately trying to sleep in order to forget the reason why they were going to L.A.: his desperate escape from reality.

Before to leave Hazzard, Daisy thought she was going to spend some time with Enos in order to finally talk about them, but now she felt that thought as totally selfish and disrespectful to Enos' feelings and to Turk: that time and journey were for Turk, not for her, and she had to help Enos through that grief, forgetting of everything else.

Uncle Jesse, Bo and Luke sat silently at the kitchen's table, their hands joined in prayer and their minds to Turk Adams.

When they finally started to eat their supper, they remained silent, that typical silence due to the slow awareness about something important.

"It's strange, but… it's like I'm realizing just now what's happened."

Uncle Jesse nodded at Bo's words, "Yeah. A tragedy occurred, even if far away from us and even if it didn't touch us directly. But it touched Enos, and touching Enos is now touching us."

"Do you remember when Enos left Hazzard, uncle Jesse? When we knew Boss fired Enos, we were so sad and angry we weren't able to sleep," Luke stood up, resting his plate in the sink.

"Nobody was able to sleep, and we stayed here, in the kitchen, drinking milk, blaming Boss because he fired Enos and trying to find a way to give Enos his job back. We blamed Boss 'cause he treated Enos as if he was one of us," Bo looked at ceiling, remembering that night.

"And Daisy said that, in effect Enos was one of us," Luke smiled, "and she was right," his smile faded, "I've thought of Enos' words, today, about him being dead if he had stayed in L.A., and this idea makes me feel sick. The idea of losing a so close friend scares me, and I'm finally realizing what Enos is feeling now."

Uncle Jesse stood up, "Daisy is with him, and that girl knows how to help Enos, despite the pride and sudden silences where he hid himself when he's hurt or sad."

The big city.

Walking in L.A. streets, Daisy felt like lost, a country girl lost into a labyrinth of streets, cars, traffic-lights, horns…

Chaos. Just chaos.

Daisy missed Hazzard's quiet square, where she was Daisy Duke, everybody knew her and every man looked at her: in L.A. she was nobody, and nobody looked at her (pretty different from the stylish and refined women around her).

Enos' arm circled her waist, guiding her along that labyrinth. His way to guide her was soft, his arm around her waist gently pushing her in the right direction along those chaotic streets: his natural and unconscious way to protect her.

When they finally arrived in front of a Hotel, the Dolphin Hotel, his protective gesture moved from his unconscious to his conscience, he realized he was circling her waist with his arm and she parted from her.

"Before to leave Hazzard I called this Hotel for a room. I'm going to ask for another room."

Looking at him walking to the reception, Daisy had a deep sigh: "asking for another room," so typical of Enos, a gentleman.

When he walked back to her, after a brief talk to the young man behind the counter, he was scratching his head, "Uh. Daisy, the Hotel is full. So, in order to find two rooms, we should check other Hotels."

Daisy looked at clock on the wall, "Enos. It's already 7 p.m. If you don't mind," she fought back her blushing, pretending simplicity and smiling gently, "I may share your room with you. Did you ask how many beds are in the room?"

He scratched his nape, looking at the floor, "Just one, double-bed," his voice a whisper.

Daisy looked at the small hall around her, the shiny rosy floor and the black counter reflecting in it: it was a small but tidy Hotel.

"Double-bed. Perfect. It's enough large for both of us," she walked to the counter, smiling and taking his hand in hers, "don't forget I slept in your room at the Boarding House, last year, and I know you're a gentleman, so, please, don't drag me along L.A. streets for hours looking for another Hotel, I'm tired and I like this one. For me, there's no problem in sharing the same room."

Unable to say "no" to her, and too tired to wander along L.A.'s streets, Enos followed her.