CEILINGS

FLASHBACK

Enos slowly opened his eyes; his eyelids were heavy and his mind was foggy as after waking up from a long and deep sleep.

He looked at the ceiling, a white ceiling with neon lights on it: nor the ceiling of the Boarding House neither any other known ceiling.

A strange but regular beep pierced his ears.

He tried to move but it was like being underwater, so he started to panic: he couldn't control any function of his body, especially his breathe.

The strange beep quickened, pacing his heartbeat.

The face of a middle-aged woman with brown short hair and the face of a younger woman with a long blonde pigtail entered his visual field, and their voices superimposed upon those scaring beeps: "Keep calm, deputy Strate;" "Dolly, call Doctor Hunt;" "Don't worry, you're going to feel better."

He stared at a syringe in the hand on the older woman moving across his visual field, then his eyelids suddenly became heavier and heavier and he was sucked into darkness.

When he woke up again, the beeps were gone and his breath was easier.

He relaxed and he looked at the faces around him: beside the two women's faces, now a man with a short and brown beard. Everybody was carefully staring at him, then the man started to talk to him, "I'm Doctor Hunt. This is the Atlanta Medical Center's I.C.U."

Enos listened to him in shock: Atlanta Medical Center… gunshot wound and head trauma… Rockdale County… coma… Dukes…

Dukes: the only calming word among the other ones.

He forced his voice through his hoarse throat, holding back his tears, "The Dukes… call them… please;" he wasn't going burst out crying in front of those strangers (he was a man, and he was a cop), neither in front of the Dukes (he didn't want them to look at him with pity).

He closed his eyes and he fought against his panic while his febrile and confused mind tried to recall what happened to him: blank page.

"A long corridor and a woman crying," Luke glanced at uncle Jesse, "what does it mean, uncle Jesse?"

"We don't know what Enos felt or heard during coma. Maybe that long and dark corridor is his way to recall the days spent in coma, and the woman crying…" uncle Jesse glanced at Daisy "… is Daisy. When Daisy saw Enos in the I.C.U. for the first time, she cried a lot, and probably Enos felt her crying." He shrugged, "her tears reached him in that long and dark corridor, though he didn't recognize Daisy. But I can't be sure about it."

Daisy bowed her head, avoiding any eye contact and so to be involved in that talk; she controlled her voice and she glanced at Bo, "Pass me the milk, Bo, please."

Bo opened the fridge and gave Daisy the milk's bottle, staring at her while she added the milk in the bowl and stirred the mixture. His eyes followed her walking to the stove and taking a frying pan; he came closer her and he simply rested his hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it, "Forget 'bout the Hospital, Daisy. Enos is safe and sound and he's peacefully sleeping in the guestroom."

Daisy shook her head, "I'm not thinking of the Hospital, but just of our breakfast, Bo."

"Are you sure?" Bo took the large frying pan out of Daisy's hand and gave her a smaller one, "This is a lot better." He smiled, a wide and sweet smile, both playful and tender: Bo's smile.

Daisy answered Bo's smile, "You're right. So… please, stop talking 'bout the Hospital, now. I can't stand it, I admit." She averted her eyes from Bo and she focused on cooking, "Enos is goin' to wake up, and he needs a good breakfast. Stop talking 'bout the Hospital, my tears and Enos' coma," her mouth turned dry, "OK?"

Enos rubbed his eyes and sat up.

The sunlight was filling the room, pushing away his night of nightmares and pesky memories of the Hospital. From the kitchen the sizzling of the breakfast on the stove and a delish scent: pancakes.

He stared at the ceiling and he had a deep sigh, ashamed of how he woke the Dukes up during that first night at the farm, and even more ashamed of how Daisy and uncle Jesse undressed him and helped him to slip under the blankets.

He got up and he walked to the door, he came out the room and entered the bathroom.

He recalled his confusion when he woke up in Hospital, his blank memory and his hope the Dukes could help him: the Dukes always knew what to do, they were always right and they always had a plan. Unfortunately the Dukes didn't know what happened to him, nobody knew it; Rosco visited him, and also Rockdale County's Sheriff, everybody wanted to know what happened to him, but he couldn't be helpful.

Looking at his pale and pitiful image in the mirror, he shook his head and he opened the sink's tap, "Come on Enos, make yourself decent. Since you aren't helpful, at least don't annoy people with your problems. Since the Dukes are so caring and kind, don't let them worry too much for you."

She kept on repeating how much she loves you every time she stayed by your side in the I.C.U.

He couldn't help but keeping on thinking of nurse Emily's words: did Daisy really use the word 'love'?

"He's awake," Daisy wiped her hands and walked to the guestroom; "Enos, may I come in?" she knocked at the door and she waited for his answer.

"Yeah."

She opened the door and she entered the room, then she closed the door and rested her back against it, looking at him: seated on his bed, he was putting his shoes on.

"Good morning, Daisy," he smiled.

"Good morning, sugar," she walked to him and she sat by his side. His bed was unmade, like that day at the Boarding House; she pushed away any thought about everything happened since that day and she stared at him: his hair was damp and he was clean-shaven. She gently pinched and then caressed his smooth cheek, smiling, "Pancakes for breakfast."

He nodded and looked at the floor, avoiding her eyes as his smile faded, "Sorry for waking you up that way, Daisy. It is …" he casted a glance in her direction and he looked again at the floor, "… embarrassing."

Daisy shook her head while her hand slid from his cheek to his shoulder, "Don't apologize, Enos. You had a nightmare, and it's absolutely understandable. Bo, Luke, uncle Jesse and I are really glad you are at the farm, so don't apologize for your nightmare."

"I hate to be so useless and troublesome. I really hate it, Daisy."

She opened her mouth and eyes wide, staring at him, "ENOS! How can you say something like that? You have been seriously injured, and you have NOTHING to apologize for."

Enos nodded and remained silent.

Daisy had a deep sigh and she gently touched his chin, turning his face to her, "Enos, look at me, please." His eyes into hers, she kept on talking, "Uncle Jesse, Bo, Luke and I were terrified to know you could be dead. I can't explain what we… what I felt when I saw you for the first time in the I.C.U., Enos. I was shocked, but also happy you were alive. I can't explain how I felt, sugar. Bo, Luke, uncle Jesse… everybody was worried for you and prayed for you. So, STOP telling you are useless and troublesome! We are HAPPY to have you at the farm and to help you."

He looked away, "I know what you are talking 'bout. I couldn't see and hear you, but…," he glanced at her, "… nurse Emily told me 'bout your staying by my side in the I.C.U."

She smiled, "So, you should know how much we care for you, honey."

Enos parted from her touch and stood up, walking to the door, "I know you care for me, Daisy. Thanks." He grinned, "Pancakes, right?"

Daisy caught the shade of sadness and disappointment in his voice, nobody but her could know him so well. She stood up and grabbed his arm, blocking him, "Enos! What's goin' on? You want to talk 'bout the Hospital, don't you? Come on, spit it out." She didn't want to talk about the Hospital, but if it could be helpful to him, she would have stood it.

She waited for his answer, staring at him who looked at the floor and remained silent.

"OK," he finally looked at her, "it's something nurse Emily told me. Daisy, did you ever say you love me while I was in coma? I mean…," he looked away and his voice turned into a whisper, his previous sudden self-confidence and courage fading away, "… I mean… nurse Emily told me you kept on repeating how much you love me while I was in coma," he blushed and shook his head, "never mind. Nurse Emily is probably wrong. Forget about this talk."

Daisy was surprised of his question, and her surprise turned into a sweet smile and a soft blushing, "Oh Enos!" She took his face into her hands, she stood on her tiptoes and she kissed him.

The kiss deepened and their tongues met, their second real kiss beside the one they shared at the lake when she asked him to get married. When their lips parted, she wrapped her arms around his neck and she held him tight, whispering in his ear, "Of course I love you, Enos."

A gentle knock at the door and Bo's voice interrupted them, "Enos, Daisy, are you OK? Breakfast is ready."

Daisy freed Enos from her hug and looked at him, laughing happily at his surprise and confusion. She grabbed his wrist, "Come on," and she turned to the door, speaking up, "Everything's OK, BO!"

His hand in her one, they walked to the kitchen.