CHAPTER 9
Bo stared at the rain outside the window, "Do you think Enos and Daisy are talking about their wedding?" he glanced at the clock on the wall, "they should be back to the Hotel, after the funeral."
"I don't know. It's a pesky situation," Luke added some wood to the fireplace, "I don't know if Daisy is goin' to talk to Enos about something like that in such a moment. Probably Enos isn't in the mood for it."
"Though they aren't goin' to talk about their nearly wedding, what happened to Turk and his colleague for sure is a shock, for them, and it's goin' to make them wonder 'bout life and 'bout the importance of not wasting their time," uncle Jesse, sitting on his armchair, lowered the journal in his hands, looking at his nephews, "whatever is goin' to happen between Daisy and Enos, for sure their relationship will be different when they'll be back: the terrific tragedy happened to Turk and the time spent in L.A. will change them, and they'll be closer."
Bo glanced at the phone, "What are they doin', now?"
"Don't be impatient," Luke smiled and folded his arms, looking at his younger cousin, "tomorrow you'll know it."
The rain kept on ticking against the window, a violent and lashing rain.
"Where do you want to go?" Daisy glanced at the rain, not very happy to go out and to leave that quiet and comfortable room. She didn't want to see people around her, 'cause people remembered her of the people she met during the funeral; she wanted to stay by Enos' side, enjoying his presence, nothing else. Beside, despite her longing for life after facing the death of someone close to her, she felt insensitive to go out for dinner after a funeral: not the most appropriate time for a romantic date.
"I don't want to go out, I confess," Enos glanced at the rain, the same discomfort of Daisy at the thought of going out, "two years ago I stayed in a small apartment nearby, so I know there's a great pizza place really close to this Hotel. If you don't mind, I may ask the Hotel's receptionist to give me its phone number. I bet that boy knows it pretty well, if things haven't changed very much this Hotel is still one of the most faithful customer of that pizza place, and also I."
Daisy smiled, happy of that decision: she looked at the small wooden table near the window and she felt her heart full of joy for the upcoming evening and for the time she was going to spend with Enos.
"All this rain is tempting me to have a hot shower, then I'm goin' to ask the receptionist that number," he got up and he headed to the bathroom.
Lying down on the bed, Daisy kept on looking at the ceiling, hearing the noise of the water in the shower mixed with a similar roar outside the window.
She glanced at the phone on the night table: what were uncle Jesse, Bo and Luke doing, at the farm?
When the phone rang, Bo was glancing at it, again, "Daisy, I bet," he smiled at Luke and uncle Jesse.
Uncle Jesse rested the Hazzard Gazette on the small table in front of the armchair and he walked to the phone.
"This is Jesse Duke speaking," the receiver pressed against his ear, he smiled at Bo, "Daisy! Are you OK?"
Bo and Luke came closer their uncle.
"I know, Daisy. That little girl broke your heart, and Turk's mother too. It's a tragedy," uncle Jesse's eyes lingered on Bo and Luke, his voice softened into a sweet whisper, "our family faced a similar tragedy years ago, sudden and unexpected deaths that tore us apart. But we are a family, and we survived with God's help and with our faith. The families of those cops are goin' to survive. God is goin' to help them, and they'll find the strength to move on. It's what a family should do: stay close during the storm, hugging each other against the wind. Like us."
Luke rested his hands on Bo and uncle Jesse's shoulders, nodding.
"Daisy, it was just a nightmare," uncle Jesse gently shook his head, "stop thinking of it. Stay by Enos' side and hug him: for sure he's more shattered than you."
Bo glanced at Luke who shrugged: what nightmare was uncle Jesse talking about?
"OK, have a nice dinner and enjoy your time in L.A., even if for a so sad occasion. Grab any chance of happiness, and remember that the light can't exist without the darkness. See you tomorrow."
Uncle Jesse slowly put the receiver down, looking at his nephews, "Don't worry, your cousin is OK, and Enos too. Come on, it's time to cook dinner. Tomorrow evening you'll ask Enos and Daisy whatever you want."
When Daisy put the receiver down, Enos came out the bathroom.
Dressed with his civil clothes, he sat on the bed in order to put his shoes on, "I'm goin' to the reception and ask that number."
"Call the reception," she took the receiver, smiling, "by phone."
He turned to her and took the receiver from her hand, "Uh… you're right. There's no need to go to the reception if I can simply use the phone," he blushed, scratching his nape.
Daisy laughed and walked to the bathroom, "I'm goin' to relax before dinner, OK? The cold out there entered my bones. I'm happy there's no need to go out, I hate rain."
His eyes on her, Daisy entered the bathroom and closed the door.
Grab any chance of happiness, and remember that the light can't exist without the darkness.
Uncle Jesse always knew what to say and how to say it. She loved him, and she loved Bo and Luke too; she loved her family. And, now, she loved Enos.
Uncle Jesse was right: her family faced several losses in the past, but they survived thank of their faith in God and thank of their strong love for each other.
They were a family, a solid nucleus whose link was made of love, respect, honesty and mutual help. The Dukes have always had a strong and inner sense of family and justice, spreading it all around them. They helped each other, they protected friends and innocents; they protected also foes if foes were in danger or victims of injustice; it was their way of living. It was what uncle Jesse taught them, it was what their ancestors taught uncle Jesse.
Kneeling near the bathtub, Daisy opened the water-tap letting the bathtub filled of hot water. She rolled her right sleeve up to her elbow and she dipped her forearm into the water filling the bathtub, moving it gently, sort of thoughtful row, and staring at the small waves on the water's surface.
When the water reached the level and temperature she wanted to, she closed the water-tap, she stood up and she undressed: the warm steam in the room caressed her naked skin before she entered the bathtub.
Enos shared her family's values, he was Bo and Luke's best friend and he had uncle Jesse's total respect: a perfect fusion with her family's nucleus.
"I'm eager to see Daisy and Enos after their staying in L.A.," moving inside the kitchen as he set the table, Bo's mind was still in L.A., "thinking of them as a couple… it's strange."
"I hope you aren't goin' to spy them," stirring the soup, uncle Jesse glanced at his nephews, his right eyebrow raised, "the way you usually spy Daisy and her crushes."
Bo and Luke burst out laughing, well knowing their attitude to be overprotective on Daisy, especially when a man came close her, too much close for their taste: since they perfectly knew what men wanted from women and how they reached their goal (they were men, and they've had a lot of women), they didn't like the idea of Daisy being the woman (woman in THAT sense) for a man. Along their lives, they've always had a special attention on men coming closer Daisy (hard task, since Daisy attracted men as honey attracted bees), spying her and her crushes and trying to prevent other men to do what they usually did with women, sometimes with hilarious consequences: they looked like jealous lovers, and Daisy showed them her strength and independency (and it meant, from time to time, flying frying-pans and slamming doors).
"You know, uncle Jesse," after laughing, Bo folded his arms and shook his head, "thinking 'bout it, though it's strange to think of Enos and Daisy… that way… I'm not jealous the way I'm jealous when Daisy dates other men."
Uncle Jesse stared at the soup, keeping on stirring it, "Enos grew up with you, Luke and Daisy. So, you don't see him as a stranger who can bring Daisy away from you and our family. You, Luke and Daisy are really close since you were children, so close you can't accept to be parted, some day or another. But Enos is somehow part of our family, and it's why you don't see him as a threat to your closeness. In your mind, Daisy isn't goin' to become Mrs. Enos Strate, but Enos is goin' to become Mr. Daisy Duke," uncle Jesse smiled, and Bo and Luke smiled with him, perfectly aware of the truth in uncle Jesse's words: they couldn't be jealous of Enos 'cause Enos was one of them, their putative cousin.
"Thanks," Enos closed the door, a bag in his hand. He turned to Daisy who was coming out the bathroom, no more her violet dress on her but her jeans and shirt, "Pizza," he raised the bag, "and coke… or beer, if you want beer."
"Beer for me, thanks, sugar," Daisy smiled and walked to the bed, reaching him who was sitting down, "but I suppose you aren't goin' to drink beer."
"Me? Beer? Possum on a gum bush, Daisy, I don't drink beer. Unfortunately the pizza place has no buttermilk, so I have to content of coke."
After she sat by his side on the bed, he gave her the beer, then he took their dinner out the bag: as soon as he opened the pack, pizza's scent made Daisy's stomach grumble.
"OK, you are hungry as much as me," Enos had a brief laugh.
Daisy opened the beer's can and drank a long sip in order both to cool her throat (thirsty because of the steam in the bathroom) and to hide her embarrass. The beer refreshed her and calmed her thirst.
"This is for you," Enos passed her a piece of pizza on a napkin.
Resting her beer on the night table at the side of the bed, Daisy took the pizza from his hands, "Thank you, sugar."
While they ate their dinner, piece by piece, sipping their beer and coke, they remained silent, in the room just the noise of the rain against the window.
The pizza was delightful; Daisy ate it slowly, enjoying any scent and any flavor, bit after bit (everything was perfect: tomato, cheese, dough, oil… everything: the most simple and delightful pizza ever eaten). From time to time she glanced at Enos, happy to realize he was eating, finally, after nearly two days starving, and he was enjoying that dinner as her.
She looked at their legs on the bed, her right leg touching gently his left one.
Finally sated, she slowly stretched out on the bed, her right foot reaching his left one, their feet side by side.
Her bare foot near his bare foot: her foot gently touched his one and he gently shivered, moving his foot away from hers.
But when she rested her head on his left shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist, he didn't move.