THE BOY WITH A THORN IN HIS SIDE

ATLANTA MEDICAL CENTER

Smell of disinfectant, tidy floor, white walls.

After entering the E.R., Enos stopped and fought against the sense of nausea overwhelming him: did he really arrive to the place, severely injured, just some months ago?

Catching his tight features, Daisy grabbed his hand, "Enos! Are you OK?"

He squeezed her hand and the nausea left him. He looked at her and smiled, "Don't worry. I don't remember the E.R., but it smells like the I.C.U.; Hospital's smell, I guess. Just pesky memories, don't worry for me, we are here for Gus and Sarah."

They walked to the counter where a nurse was talking with a young man and they waited their turn. They finally reached the counter.

Enos talked for Sarah, "Please, Madam. A man, Gus McCormick, has been brought here because of a heart attack… or… what looked like a heart attack." He pointed at Sarah, "She is his wife, Sarah McCormick, and we," he pointed at Daisy and himself, "are close friends."

The counter and the nurse behind it recalled Daisy the nurse and counter in the Atlanta Medical Center's hall. She recalled uncle Jesse's hands on the counter while he asked about the unidentified man brought there some days before; she recalled what was going on in her heart and mind, in that moment, and also in the heart and mind of the boys and uncle Jesse: the coroner's refrigerating room was their worst fear.

The nausea that previously attacked and then left Enos, still hovering in that room, now attacked Daisy like a rabid animal, sinking its teeth into her calf and spreading that ice from her legs to her chest and nape. She glanced at the former unidentified man who laid in the I.C.U., now safe and sound, she squeezed his hand and she kicked the beast away.

The nurse gently smiled and gave Enos a form and a pen, "Please, complete the form. I'm going to inform the doctor that Gus McCormick's wife is here." She pointed at the plastic red chairs of the waiting room, "Wait there and be patient. We'll call you as soon as possible."

Enos took the form and pen from the nurse's hands, "Thanks, Madam."

A voice called him, "Deputy Strate!"

His eyes open wide in surprise and confusion, Enos turned to the woman's voice. He stared at the young woman with a long blond pigtail; she dressed a yellow t-shirt, jeans and yellow sneakers. He blinked, trying to remember where he met her, 'cause her face wasn't new to him. He finally recalled her, and blushed, "Nurse Dolly!"

Dolly smiled, "WOW! What a coincidence! I'm here waiting for a colleague, after my morning shift, and the last person I thought I was goin' to meet is you." She glanced at Enos' hands and her smile faded, "Are you injured?" Her eyes moved from Enos' hands covered with white bandages to Daisy's forearm, "And you too, Miss Duke?"

Enos shook his head, "Nothing important. Just some burns," he chuckled in embarrass, "we had some problem with a fire, but we are OK. We are here because of a friend, "he pointed at Sarah, "her husband; we are waiting for news. Does your colleague work in the E.R.?" He wasn't happy to face another witness of his staying in that Hospital, especially someone who saw him in his worst look; though he knew it was pretty normal for nurses, he couldn't help but thinking of what they saw of him and how, and, no matter what, his shyness made him feel like he was naked and vulnerable even now.

Dolly smiled again, "I'm happy you are fine, and I hope your friend is going to feel better." She finally answered his question, "No, my friend doesn't work here, but in a different department. The I.C.U. and her department are at the opposite sides of the building, and since the E.R. is the center of the whole building, sometimes we meet here and then we have lunch at the Hospital's coffee bar."

In that moment, Dolly's friend walked in the E.R. waiting room, "Hey Dolly, I'm ready."

Enos looked at the brown haired woman coming closer Dolly.

Dolly smiled at her friend, and, before to leave, she turned to Enos and said him goodbye, "Bye. Glad you are fine."

Enos looked at the two women leaving the waiting room; he caught Dolly approaching her lips to her friend's ear, whispering (more than a whisper, since Enos heard it), "Hey Ellen. That man, look at him; the man I was talking to when you arrived. He is the man who stayed in the I.C.U. for a while, called John Doe until we identified him!"

Ellen turned to Enos and glanced at him, then she said something to Dolly but they were too distant, now, to let Enos hear their words.

By his side, Daisy smiled, "You are famous, Enos. It looks like you have a fan."

Enos blushed and shrugged, "I don't like this kind of fame." He looked at Sarah, "May I help you, Mrs McCormick?"

Sitting on a chair after giving the completed form to the nurse, Sarah shook her head, "I'm fine, don't worry. You know, my sister Susan lives in Atlanta, so I could ask her to stay at her home while Gus is staying in Hospital. I don't think he's goin' to come back home so soon. But what 'bout our farm and animals? What a mess!"

Daisy walked to the red chairs and sat by Sarah's side, her arm circling the older woman's shoulders, "Don't worry, Sarah. While you and Gus are here in Atlanta, Enos and I can take care of your farm."

Sarah smiled, "Oh thanks. It's a great help. You can stay at our farm, meanwhile."

Daisy shook her head, "We don't want to invade your home, Sarah. The cabin is enough for Enos and me, and it's nearby your farm. We can work at the farm and then go back to the cabin."

Sarah nodded and walked to the phone, "OK, I'm goin' to call Susan."

Enos sat by Daisy's side and sighed, "Poor Gus. And poor Sarah."

After talking with her sister Susan, Sarah called Enos and Daisy. She waited for them coming near her and grabbed again the receiver, "I am goin' to warn your uncle Jesse 'bout what's goin' on. Whatever is goin' to happen in Hazzard, he can call me while I'm stayin' at my sister's place."

Daisy nodded, "We are goin' to call you every evening from your farm's phone in order to know 'bout Gus; and, if something important happens to Hazzard, you'll tell us when we'll call you, OK?"

Sarah looked at Daisy, thoughtfully, "If you call me at my sister's place, it's better you don't use your real names. Susan knows you, and she knows also 'bout your supposed death, because of my younger sister Hannah. You know, Hannah lives in Hazzard; the day of the fire at your barn, she called my sister Susan crying of your death, and my sister Susan called me." She chuckled, "And when I saw Gus arriving with you safe and sound, I almost fainted."

Daisy laughed amused and rested her hand on Sarah's shoulder, whereas Enos scratched his nape in discomfort. Daisy squeezed Sarah's shoulder, "OK. When we'll call at your sister's place, we'll use fake names: Catherine for me and Sonny for Enos."

Enos blinked and kept on scratching his nape, muttering, "Catherine? Sonny?"

Sarah dialed the Dukes' farm and waited for an answer before to speak, "Jesse, I'm Sarah. We are at the Atlanta Medical Center because of Gus. I think he's had a heart attack."

Silence. She pressed the receiver against her ear.

She glanced at Daisy and Enos, talking in the receiver, "Don't worry. I am not alone. I am with two good friends, a kind guy and a kind young woman who are goin' to take care of my farm while I'm goin' to stay at my sister Susan's place."

Silence. She smiled at Enos and Daisy, hearing uncle Jesse's voice.

She nodded, "Call me at Susan's for news about Gus, or for anything else." She glanced at Daisy and Enos with a knowing look and she told uncle Jesse the telephone number of her sister Susan.

She finally put the receiver down and sighed.

The nurse at the counter called her, "Mrs McCormick!"

HAZZARD

Uncle Jesse put the receiver down, his nephews' eyes on him. He answered their silent question, "Sarah McCormick. Gus is at the Atlanta Medical Center because of a heart attack. Enos and Daisy are with her, and they are goin' to take care of Gus' farm while he stays in Hospital and Sarah stays at her sister's place, in Atlanta."

Bo shook his head in disappointment, "Poor Gus. We really didn't need this."

Luke folded his arms, "The only positive thing in it, if we can find something positive, it's that now Enos has a reason to stay there. Until he takes care of Gus' farm, he won't come back to Hazzard."

Bo and uncle Jesse nodded.

ATLANTA MEDICAL CENTER - early afternoon

Daisy walked to Gus' truck, "I'm glad Gus is fine. He has had a heart attack, you were right, but it seems it isn't so serious, fortunately, less serious than it could be. He is goin' to spend some time in Hospital, anyway."

Enos opened the door of the truck and nodded, "Yeah, poor Gus." He sat at the driver seat and waited for Daisy at the passenger seat, staring at her, "Catherine? Sonny?"

Daisy smiled and shrugged, "When I was a child I liked to play the princess, and I have always thought of Catherine as the name of a princess. About Sonny, I had a muppet fur, a funny dog I liked very much, and its name was Sonny."

Enos frowned, "Oh, thanks. So, you called yourself with the name of a princess and me with the name of a muppet fur. You should have chosen a name more…" he started the ignition and entered the Atlanta's traffic, "… macho, as Butch, or Hunter, or – "

Daisy burst out laughing.

Enos' frown turned into a shy smile and then into an amused laugh.

SOMEWHERE, IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS - late afternoon

Daisy placed a cup of steamy tea on the table, in front of Enos, "Now, what did happen when you were 8 year old?" She sat in front of him.

Finally in the cabin, outside the rain still pelting down, Daisy couldn't forget his words before Sarah's coming. She avoided that talk during their way back from Atlanta, but she couldn't wait any more. She sipped her tea and looked at him, waiting for his answer.

He stared at his cup of tea, "Do you remember 'bout my uncle James and my aunt Iris? Oh, well, you were too young for remembering them, but for sure you have heard about them along the years." He had a sad smile.

Daisy blinked, surprised of that talk. Of course, she knew about Iris, the young sister of Enos' mother, and her husband James; everybody in Hazzard knew about it. She nodded, "Your uncle James killed your aunt Iris and got arrested."

Enos had a big breath before to talk again, "OK. You know, everybody loved my uncle James: he was kind, funny, and smart. My aunt Iris was more silent and secretive, somehow sad; some people thought she was a bit…" he shook his head in discomfort, "… crazy. Time before the tragedy, she reported her husband for beating her, but then she retreated her statement. After all, nobody believed her, 'cause my uncle was more believable than her. He was the kind and caring husband, and she was the crazy wife. My mother too was confused about what's happening. When the tragedy occurred, people changed their mind 'bout who was crazy." He sipped his tea, forcing it down his dry throat.

Daisy stared at him, waiting for more.

He kept on talking, "When I was 7 year old, I saw my uncle slapping my aunt. Just one time, he didn't know I was seeing him. Just one time. I was shocked, I didn't understand what's goin' on. My uncle wasn't my uncle anymore, as if he was putting his mask down. Just for a brief moment, I saw what was behind the mask, but I didn't want to believe it. My uncle James was kind to me, and funny. I loved him. I couldn't believe what's goin' on, I decided to not believe it, to take it as a nightmare, to…" he frowned, disgusted, "… to think it was my aunt's fault, 'cause she drove my uncle crazy. At that time I didn't know 'bout her reporting my uncle for abuse, it happened years before. So, I took it for myself, I didn't talk to anybody 'bout it. When the tragedy occurred, I felt it was my fault, just my fault."

Daisy couldn't stop her surprised question, "Your fault? Why your fault?"

Enos blushed, ashamed, "I lied. Omitting what I saw, I lied. And because of that lie, my aunt got killed. If I had talked to someone, maybe things would have been different: maybe the Sheriff would have believed in my aunt's words, maybe everybody would have believed her, maybe she would have left my uncle thanks to people and her family's understanding; maybe, now, she would have been alive. It's what I thought, at that time."

Daisy shook her head, "Enos, it's absurd. You were just 8 year old when it happened. It was too much for a child; you couldn't understand it. You loved your uncle so much you were confused about what's goin' on."

He smiled, sadly, "Growing old, I realized my aunt was just a victim. You're right, I was just 8 year old and I couldn't do very much. Probably, if I had talked, my uncle would have found the way to change my perspective and so my words, letting me, and people, think I misunderstood everything. He would have found an excuse to justify what I saw. He was very good in it, very good in changing the truth. NOW I know it, but when I was 8 year old, it shocked me to the point I had nightmares for months. At that time, I decided I wasn't goin' to lie any more, and I was goin' to protect people. I decided to become a cop. Though, growing old, I realized it wasn't my fault, though I realized things would have probably gone that way, some way or another, I didn't change my mind 'bout bein' honest and becoming a cop. Even now, that memories are like a thorn in my side, it hurts me if I don't act straight." He sighed and shook his head, "What a pitiful story, don't you think?"

Daisy rested her hand on his one, "Not pitiful, just sad, really sad. For your aunt, for you, and for your family." She stood up and leant forward. She kissed him, and, this time, he didn't reject her kiss.