It had been two weeks since Scarlett returned to Atlanta from Tara with Wade and Ella after her horrific near death experience falling down the stairs, causing her pain, both physically and emotionally. Twisting her body ever so slightly would still create pain where her ribs were fractured or bones were badly bruised. Sleep tormented her as she saw her fall down the stairs over and over until she awoke in a cold sweat with her blankets tangled around her body. Scarlett knew in a short time all the physical pain would be a memory of yesterday, but the emotional suffering would last till her dying day.
Bonnie was running her pony up and down the lawn, tearing the grass out of the ground. How the grass was able to ever grow back to fill in the missing chunks bewildered Scarlett. Maybe she should talk to Rhett about putting in a dirt ring for Bonnie to ride her pony in.

Wade was playing with toy soldiers, trying to teach Ella Napoleonic strategies of war taught at West Point. Something Rhett must have taught him or at least given the boy a book on the subject. It was an amusing site to watch. Every time Wade would set the toy soldiers in formation, Ella would move them to face each other and make them start having conversations. Ella's words were more of mumbles and only made sence to her. Ella could care less about how Napoleon defeated his enemies. She would rather set the little standing toys up for her miniature dolls in her doll house to have a tea party.
The day was bright with no white fluffy clouds blanketing the crisp blue sky. The birds sat in the trees and bushes singing romantic melodies to one another. Cats lazily sprawled out on the patio basking in the hot Georgia sun switching their tails every now and then. The soft reds, yellows and oranges on the trees gently swaded as a calm breeze passed through. The robust Georgia pine dropped dead needles and pinecones from their canopy branches to the ground below.
Scarlett like the cats was basking in the sun sitting in a wicker chair, and her feet resting on the matching ottoman covered with a soft plush blanket for comfort. She held a bone china saucer in one hand while she lifted the matching cup to her lips. Since her recovery, Mammy had forbid her mistress of having coffee saying the varieties of teas helped the healing process.
Rhett walked out on to the veranda, taking a seat next to his wife. It was a weekday, and like most weekdays recently, he has been working only half the day to take the children to the park or toy store, or just some where for a few afternoons to allow Scarlett some quiet time to rest or go over her accounts with the store and mills. Hopefully soon his plan to have Ashley buy the other share of the mill from Scarlett will take place this month or in the next week.

Rhett walked out on to the veranda, taking a seat next to his wife. It was a weekday, and like most weekdays recently, he has been working only half the day to take the children to the park or toy store, or just some where for a few afternoons to allow Scarlett some quiet time to rest or go over her accounts with the store and mills. Hopefully soon his plan to have Ashley buy the other share of the mill from Scarlett will take place this month or in the next week.

"How are you feeling today, Scarlett?" Rhett asked with genuine concern. So many moments over the years he wished he could just hold Scarlett to let her fears and discomforts run free of her. But with the way their relationship is and has been over the years, Scarlett would find him weak and find some way to use his comforting skills against him for pure amusement on her part.

Maybe its about time I forget my pride, let Scarlett see what I want from her. Now after the fall, she probably thinks I wouldn't mourn her if she ever died. She needs to know I care for her and love her. Rhett thought as he intensely watched his wife place the teacup on the saucer to hold it in her lap.

"Much better than I was last month, thank you." Her words sounded crass. Scarlett did not mean to sound so angered at Rhett for his question, it was habit to speak to him in that tone when she felt there was a hidden agenda. "Maybe next month I'll be able to go to the store and per haps the mills a month later." Scarlett quickly added the latter quickly with merriment in her voice. The last thing she wanted was for them to have an argument just because of her tone of voice.

"I'm glad to hear you are feeling better, and that you are not trying to do too much too soon." Silence fell between them. It felt awkward to not know what to say to one another. Rhett broke the silence by inhaling deeply before he spoke. "I think we should talk, Scarlett. Really talk, and not get into an argument."

Scarlett was watching Bonnie lead her pony in a trot then a gallop and back down to a trot. "Bonnie, come here, darling?" Scarlett's voice was laced with kindness as she ignored her husband.

"Yes, Momma?" Bonnie said pulling the reins back to stop the pony in front of her mother. "You look mighty pretty, today.

"Thank you, baby, you look precious on your pony. Now, darling go put Mr. Butler in the stalls and go find Mammy, its time for a nap. Ella you too go find Mammy. You need a nap too before you fall a sleep on the lawn. And I mean it to go straight to Mammy. No hiding behind or under furniture."

"One more jump first!" Bonnie said persistently.

"No you are too tired to jump, maybe after your nap you can jump before supper." Bonnie stuck her bottom lip out in protest, and then shined her blue eyes to her father for support.

"Do as your mother said Bonnie. Only the best jumpers jump when they are full of energy and not in need of a nap. " Rhett knew Scarlett was right about the child being tired, and it gave them an opportunity to be alone.

Without another word from Bonnie she turned her pony around and headed towards the stables to let Sammy brush the pony down and put him up.

Ella got up from the ground walked over to her mother and gave her a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek before walking off. Wade stayed behind to pick up his soldiers so they don't get stepped on before retreating to the house most likely to the study or to his room to read a book.

With all the children out of earshot, Rhett stood, extending his hand inviting Scarlett to take. She accepted his invitation and received his help up from the chair. She moved her arm to rest in his as they started walking down the few steps to the lawn, and walking leisurely to one of the small gardens behind the house to sit on a rod iron bench for more privacy.

After they were seated on the bench, and sat in silence for a few minutes Scarlett stood and picked a flower across from her and smelled it before returning to the bench.

"What did you want to talk about Rhett?" Scarlett said twirling the flower between her thumb and pointer finger.

"I want to apologize for what I said to you before you fell. I was a cad and shouldn't have said what I did. I'm so sorry for what I said Scarlett, you have no idea how much I regret those words."

"Thank you Rhett. It means more to me than you think to hear you say those words. I have come to terms with what happened. It's in the past Rhett. We shouldn't dwell on it."

"It's my fault you fell. If I hadn't said those words and hadn't moved you wouldn't have fell. And the baby wouldn't have died. You almost died Scarlett. If you had died, I would be lost without you." Rhett's chest contracted as he remembered those days pacing outside her bed chamber doors in a panic, not knowing if she would live or die. The baby, he knew was already lost. He often wondered in the past few months if she was unknowingly in the process of losing their child, or it in fact died as she tumbled down the stairs. When she had been carrying Bonnie, he couldn't remember her looking so sickly. Not even with Ella. Scarlett had always looked vibrant during pregnancy.

"Rhett, please it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. And I didn't die. It will take more than a tumble down the stairs to kill me, I'm afraid." Scarlett looked up from the flower with a smirk on her face, hoping he would find amusement and not sorrow.

"I love you, Scarlett." Rhett sat there in utter astonishment. How he wished to leave his body and punch himself in the jaw. He felt so stupid for unthinkingly spewing those three words from his mouth. Rhett hadn't even been thinking of the phrase.

"No. If you loved me you would have never said what you have. That day on the stairs or anytime since we met. No one I have known has said anything close to the vulgarity you have bestowed in my presents. You are just saying you love me because you are guilty. I guess everyone including the mighty Rhett Butler has a conscious."

"Why is it you wont believe I love you. People do stupid things when in love, my pet, and I guess I'm the idiot of the village when it comes to love."

"That doesn't explain why you are always so mean to me. You give garbage on the street more respect than you ever have me. If we weren't having this conversation and nothing of the past few months happened and I came to you and said I love you would you believe me? No you wouldn't. you would laugh and make some comment about Ashley. Ever since that day in the library, you have thought everything I say or do a joke to you at my expense."

"You, my dear, are afraid of love. You don't want the commitment love brings."

"Commitment? I'm married; and to you nonetheless. And I have three children. What does commitment have to do with love?"

"Yes I'm aware of your status Mrs. Butler. The last time you claimed to be committed in love, you were turned down and foolishly married a boy you had no feelings for. Even after years of being devoted to showing your love for a man that didn't want love from you, you are still naïve. You don't know what you really want other than money. But what you don't want to accept is that we already have more than enough money to live comfortably for the rest of our lives and send the children to the most expensive schools in the world. You don't ever have to worry about money again. You are afraid to love someone and accept love."

"I'm not afraid!" Scarlett stubbornly stomped her foot on the mason brick in protest.

"Oh? Then why have you always been afraid to be yourself?"

"Shall I go inside to get you a mirror to ask yourself that same question? You claim to love me but why have you always been so mean to me, Rhett? Be honest with me for once and not twist it around on me. Tell me why you are always a cad." Scarlett's patients was running thin and both knew it. Her tempter was starting to rise the moment he announced his love for her, and it rose even further when he said she was afraid.

"Alright, I'll be honest with you, pet. I know my words confuse you, and so have my actions. Truthfully I've never wanted you to find out I've fallen for you. I also didn't want to believe me, the non-marrying type, could fall in love. By treating you as I have in the past, it seemed easier not to be sincere. If I didn't seem involved I thought it would to easier to leave and not come back. But it was impossible, Scarlett. I always had to return to see you, to hear your voice, even if you were angry with me. I have also lied to you so many times over the years to protect me."

"Protect you from what?"

"You."

"Why would you need to be protected from me?"

"Is that something I need to answer? You the belle of the South capturing every eligible bachelor with one shy look and batting your eyes ever so charmingly. I always thought myself somewhat of a genius when it came to you. You could say I had my fingers crossed with all the insults I said to you. Whenever I insulted you out loud, in my mind I wanted to kiss you. Instead of hateful words being spewed at you, I wanted to tell you I loved you and ask you to run away with me. Whenever I was blockading, I imagined you next to me. Well my pet, you should proud to have captured my heart, Scarlett; I know you've always wanted to have sole possession of my heart. No other woman has."

"Am I really that horrible of a person to where you would go to such great lengths to hide your feelings from me? You made me believe for so long you only wanted me for my body. That's why I thought you married me, you knew I would never become your mistress and marriage was the only way to get me in your bed."

"No, Darling, you are not at all horrible. I'm the horrible one. I'm the one that helped mold you into the person you are if it weren't for my influence you would be a different person, a lost person searching for something that you would never find. Since I've known you I've turned into a demon, and you were a nymph in my game of lies and deceit."

Scarlett took the flower she'd been twirling and placed it the eyelet on the breast of his jacket. Her hand rested there a bit longer as she felt his heart beat under her palm. "That's an interesting way of putting things. If it helps, I never thought of you as a demon. You have been there for me when I need you the most. I felt safe in your presence which is why after we married, my nightmares went away. For the first time in years, I was able to sleep peaceably with you next to me. The nightmares returned when I banished you. After I banished you, I felt lost again and needed to find you but I couldn't so those dreams came back. I would spend my sleepless nights while you were gone with Bonnie sitting in your room to be comforted but it wasn't the same. When I found out about the baby, it dawned on me what I have been searching for all my life - you! It was a comfort to know that the baby was a part of you; it felt as if you were there with me though you really weren't."

"I wasn't always there for you, Scarlett. If I had been you wouldn't have married Frank, and you wouldn't have been in bed when you were ill all alone. I so desperately wanted to be by your side, giving you the strength you needed to survive, but I was a coward and couldn't face you to see what I have done to you." Rhett paused remorsefully, wishing he could turn back time, to catch her from falling, or instead of accusing her of adultery when she told him of the baby he should have kissed her." Scarlett, did you want the baby?"

"You can't keep blaming yourself for my ignorance. When I was at Tara , I learned to forgive you for that afternoon when I fell. When I was well enough to understand what had happened I was devastated about losing the baby. I also learned that child was not meant to be. As a child mother said things happen for a reason and at the time you won't understand why it had to happen but in time you will. The purpose of our baby was to bring us together and be honest with one another."

"I'm glad you are finding good after this. Maybe it will be best if we take a holiday. Take the children with us and have a second honeymoon and start anew. We can go to Italy , France , and England , Ireland , anywhere you want to go."

"That sounds wonderful. I would like to go to Ireland . Though could we hold off our honeymoon until the spring or next summer? With Wade and Ella in school I don't want them to miss out on their studies. Also I would prefer traveling in the warmer months, and I should be fully recovered by then."

"Yes, darling we can wait until summer. You would be miserable in Ireland in the winter. The summer months feel like our spring. It will be relaxing to get away from the summer heat." Glad to get some of their skeletons out of the closet, Rhett pulled his wife close to him, letting her head rest on his chest as he kissed the crown of her head.

Rhett," Scarlett sweetly said with sleep in her voice as she broke the peaceful silence.

"Yes?"

"Are you always going to be nice like this for now on?"

"I'm no gypsy so I couldn't say what our futures hold for us. I know nothing will be the way it has been the last few years. We can be kinder to each other if we try. There is no promise we won't have arguments, we are bound to have them, it's in our nature to argue even if you know you are right or wrong."

"Thank you, Rhett." Scarlett lifted her head up from its resting place on Rhett's chest, leaning into him pressing her lips to his, and then retracted to rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired now. I think I could use a nap."

"Would you like me to help you up to your room?" Rhett ask kindly, wanting to make sure she made it safely to her chambers for a nap.

"Yes, please. Would you like to take a nap with me in our room since you are home early?"

"Are you trying to use your Southern simper to lure me into your bed?" Mischievous danced across Rhett's dark swarthy face at her invitation to a nap.

"You, Mr. Butler, have the wrong idea. I want to sleep in my husbands arms. It's much too soon for any seduction to take place." Scarlett said in a playful tone, not wanting to get angry for thinking she wanted him in her, their, bed to make love so soon after her accident.

"Does this mean I'm invited back into your room?"

"If you keep referring to our room as mine you won't be."

"Fair enough, milady." Rhett stood, and then stooped down to scoop Scarlett into his strong arms, thinking the walk to their room would be too exhausting for her. Not trying to protest about being carried across their backyard and through much of the house for the servants to see, Scarlett nestled her head on her husband's shoulder, deeply inhaling his manly scent.

Their room. That would take some getting used to. In his opinion it wouldn't really be theirs until they consummated this new leaf of their life together.

A truce has been set between them, or maybe it was more than a truce. Hopefully now, the demons will stay at bay in the shadows, not to be rekindled to capture the nymph under their devilish spells for amusement. Now the thought of sitting in rockers together when they were both wrinkled with gray hair watching the world pass by them, seemed like a reality and not a hopeless dream.

********

"Demons" by Guster
My words confuse you
My eyes don't move a blink
Cause it's easier sometimes
Not to be sincere
Somehow I make you believe
Believe
When I speak I cross my fingers
Will you know you've been deceived?
I find a need to be the demon
A demon cannot be hurt
Honest is easy
Fiction is where genius lies
Cause it's easier sometimes
Not to be involved
Somehow I make you believe
Believe
When I speak I cross my fingers
Will you know you've been deceived?
I find a need to be the demon
A demon cannot be hurt
When I speak I cross my fingers
Will you know you've been deceived?
I find a need to be the demon
A demon cannot be hurt
When I speak I cross my fingers
Will you know you've been deceived?
I find a need to be the demon
A demon cannot be hurt