I had been living with out Rhett for quite some time now. Yes, I miss him desperately, but I had grown to live without him…for now.
As I sat in front of the mirror in my enormous bedroom, I stared at my complexion. My beautiful face had become more strong and determined in life. I had seen things in this life that no one could possibly understand. I had lost two loves because of my own selfish matter, I had lost two husbands before that, and I had seen war. I lived in the war. The war that separated the North and the South. Papa always told me to wait for this war. It was going to happen. And look what happened.
We lost everything.
I wasn't planning on going to Tara until I finished packing my things, which would most likely take days. I had so many clothes, shoes, furniture, and accessories to be taken back. Already, one third of my stuff was on its way to Tara.
I was bleeding from an unfortunate past. I had watched men die before me, I watched most of them get amputated, and I felt people that I had once knew die in the hands of the Yankees. How could this have happened? Wasn't the Confederacy once a powerful nation? We had everything that we needed.
Except supplies. Robert E. Lee didn't have enough weapons and men to defeat the Yankees. We had a wonderful winning beginning, but that didn't last forever. The unfortunate battle of Gettysburg led to our downfall. Ashley returned home, unharmed (at least not too severely), and met his baby and dying wife. Melanie died too quickly. All of us knew that. No matter how much she irritated me so, I loved her like a sister. She brought out the sweet side in me, even though it only lasted for a small amount of time. Melanie was my best friend, and I had lost her too.
I decided to take a walk through time. It all led to people whispering the rumors of me as I traveled through the streets. I kept my eyes straight ahead, never once showing them the attention I had toward their rumors. I never heard any of what they said, but I sure knew what they were saying.
Everyone in town knew of Rhett leaving me behind. Rhett and I were to be divorced (a horrible position to be in), but I never got around to the paperwork. Rhett would send me angry letters, telling me how much he needed me to the sign those papers, but I would throw all the letters away. This was the only way I was at least close to him, or in contact. I needed some part of my heart to be in amends.
As I glanced ahead of me, I noticed a dark figure next to a carriage. He was speaking to the driver, either speaking to him because they knew each other, or about to pay him for his work. The man was quite tall, full of brown hair, and his lean body was lovely, yes. But, the way his left leg slumped a little to the side, so it made him push most of his weight to his right foot, was recognizable. I froze in the middle of the street, a few carriage drivers cursing under the breath at me. But, one man in particular, decided to scream at me, yelling: "Move out of the way you filthy wench!"
I turned to the man and glared, knowing whom this man was. He was the husband of a woman that was not found of me. She was telling her husband the news of me, no doubt.
The man beside the carriage was staring at me when I turned back into that direction. I found his dark green eyes laying upon me, making the little butterflies in my stomach fly the way they use to. He noticed my little shake that I did whenever I got the butterflies, so he grinned a small smile. I knew he was satisfied about something, but I knew he seemed a little surprised to see me. He was leaning against the carriage, watching me intently, like he did the first night we met. I stared into his eyes. His eyes…those eyes…
Rhett.
I put on my cheerful smile, the smile I put on whenever I wanted something, which was almost every time I smiled. Rhett knew. I could tell by the way he cocked an eyebrow. I skipped toward him, yes, I skipped. My childish smile always made the men crawl, but somehow Rhett always knew it was because I had a scheme in my mind. I had finally got him back, I thought.
"Why hello, Rhett!" I exclaimed as if I was surprised to see him.
"Scarlett," he acknowledged, but not changing his neutral expression at all.
"Why ever are you here?" I asked. As if I care! Fiddle dee dee! I knew he was here because of me.
"Wishing to visit some people here in Savannah. Why, is that a crime?" he asked, that usual fun grin on his face again.
"No, not at all. Who did you wish to see?"
"Any of my friends from here. Why? Were you expecting me to be looking for you?"
"Why not!" I asked, laughing.
"All right, maybe I did come to see you," Rhett chuckled.
"I knew it!"
"I want to make sure you signed those damn papers once and for all!" he exclaimed, his voice going scratchier and his eyes going harsh.
I cowered back into the shadows. "But…Rhett…."
He burst into laughter until tears crept into his eyes. "My word, Scarlett! You were awfully frightened, weren't you, my dear?"
I put on a pout, a face he always loved, and gave into. "No!"
"Don't be upset, darling! Please! I did want to ask you to the ball, this evening."
My eyes enlarged. "The ball?"
"Yes, everyone in Savannah is going! Would you care to go with me?" he asked, holding out his hand.
The sly smile returned to my face. "Of course, Rhett."
He took my hand and kissed the top of it. "See you in front of the ballroom, then."
I gave him my favorite, truly happy, smile that burnt a little twinkle into my eyes. "Of course."
Rhett gave me the wink he used to when he knew he did something good and turned to walk away. I watched him move along, feeling happiness warm into my heart again. He knew I was staring at him because he turned his head a little to the side so he could look over his shoulder. I blushed, maneuvering away from that sight in town.
As I traveled back through town, I felt every pair of eyes on me, their mouths dropped open. I smiled a cunning grin. I was powerful once again.
Once I returned home, I washed myself quickly, and then throwing on my favorite green velvet dress that Rhett bought for me before he left. It cut just above the lower part of my breasts and it fit closely to my body. I beamed at my reflection in the mirror, almost giddy with excitement. I had never felt so happy before, which was abnormal for me to be this happy anyway.
I arrived at the ball after everyone was already inside, knowing I could make a grand entrance with my recent husband at my side. I found Rhett leaving against the wall, close enough to me that I could run and jump into his arms. But I revived myself. He finally noticed me, so I beamed in amusement.
"My, Scarlett, you look lovely," he said.
I curtsied. "As do you."
"Shall we?" he gestured toward the ballroom.
"We shall," I smiled, taking his hand and entering the ballroom along with him.
Rhett and I danced for hours, so long that our feet were starting to ache. On the last dance we did that night, a slow dance, he held my hand, resting a hand on my back and I leaned my head against his chest.
"I missed you, Rhett," I sighed, listening to his heartbeat, stopping the tears from pouring.
"I missed you too, darling," Rhett said, checking over the room for whatever reason he did that for.
I put on a wimpy smile (from holding back my tears) as I continued to listen to his heartbeat.
He walked me home that night, but he left me on the doorstep. My heart ached. I wanted him to stay with me, so I felt safe in his arms once again.
"I'm afraid I must bid Adieu," Rhett said, bowing.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" my voice squeaked from holding back the tears.
"You will," he grinned, then bent down and kissed my cheek. I closed my eyes as he did this, wishing that it would never end.
He left me there. But, I still had hope. I had to only wait till morning. I hurried to my bed to sleep so the morning would come faster than I expected.
While I slept, a loud crash echoed through my large, empty house. I shot up into a sitting position, glancing around my dark room before I moved. It came from downstairs. I found one of my lanterns and edged toward my stairs.
Fear edged through my body with every step I took, afraid that this person would be dangerous, or worse, a Yankee. I shivered as I moved down the stairs, not being able to see anywhere in front of me. I heard the door click shut, so I knew that whoever the person was, was now gone. I exhaled in relief, but still was determined to glance around to make sure they didn't steal anything.
At the bottom of the stairs, near my front door, was a table that filled with flowers and papers. I crept toward that, wondering if they were looking for papers.
Everything was in place, so I knew no one really stole anything. I moved toward the front door to lock it again, but I saw something on the table out of the corner of my eye. I swung my lantern over it, squinting my eyes to see, and smiled, a smile I never had experienced. It was small, but sweet, showing all my happiness in one tiny little moment. I set my lantern on the table.
A single pale red rose sat in a thin glass on the table. I knew it was Rhett. Rhett always knew that red roses are my favorite flowers. I never told anyway, not even Ashley. It was one of the secrets that I shared with Rhett, no one else. He wanted to know one day, so I told him.
I took the rose out of the glass, careful not to hurt myself with the thorns, and held the pale rose close to my heart. I had never been happier than this moment. I smiled, content, as I snuggled the flower.
Rhett loved me.
Rhett was mine again.