Three months had passed since Rhett Butler passed through the familiar streets of Atlanta.
"Daddy, are we there yet?" Bonnie said joyously. She desperately wanted to get home and see her mother. It had been so long since she had seen her mother, causing the child to miss her. Not only did she miss her mother but she also wanted to show off her new kitten.
"In just a few minutes, princess. Sit still and hold the kitten. We don't want him getting loose now do we?" Rhett said in his normal tone with Bonnie. He was scared to death to face his wife. She had information that could break him, if she chose to use it would kill him. On the train ride from Savannah he decided that after dropping Bonnie off and making sure she was settled in again he would leave to venture up to the North.
The rest of the ride from the train station was quiet except for the little mummers from Bonnie to the kitten. Sending his child back to a hateful mother worried him, but he knew that Scarlett knew if she laid one hand on the child there would be consequences. Though if Bonnie wanted to be with her mother then that was fine with him. Rhett would do anything for his little girl, whatever pleased her he would give her. If she wanted the moon, he would do anything and everything in his power to give it to her.
Bonnie was ecstatic as the carriage pulled into the drive of the Peachtree Street house. The moment she saw the house, the girl wanted to jump out and run as fast as she could to meet her mother. Rhett stopped his daughter from opening the carriage door as the driver drove up the drive. Each turn of the wheels caused Rhett to become more uneasy with is meeting with Scarlett. It was something that had to happen.
"Alright, Bonnie, go run and get your mother." Rhett said knowing the child would be disappointed when she found that Scarlett wasn't home. It was mid morning, a time that Scarlett was at the mills, flaunting over Mr. Wilkes.
The child ran to the door only pausing to push open the large heavy door. As she entered the house Bonnie kept saying as loud as she could: "Momma. Were home Momma." Bonnie started to run up the stairs to her mother's room clenching the kitten to her bosom.
Scarlett appeared at the top of the stairs, not believing her ears. Her daughter was home! After three long months of being alone, she finally had her daughter back. Scarlett traveled down the stairs to meet her daughter with open arms. Never had she thought she would miss some one as much as she had Bonnie…and Rhett.
"Bonnie! Oh, Bonnie, baby, I'm so glad you're home." Scarlett praised as she adorn her child with kisses, holding her close. "Are you glad to be home, darling?"
"Yes, Momma. I missed you so much." Replied the child. "Look, Grandma got me a kitten!" Bonnie then lifted the gray and white tabby kitten up so her mother could view it.
"Oh, what a darling creature." Just then Scarlett saw Rhett over Bonnie's head, paying the cab driver. As her eyes traveled to his face, her eyes met his dark pools that held nothing. The smile she held on her face fell as her husband entered the house. "Mammy, will you take Miss Bonnie to her room to get situated." Scarlett said knowing that whatever was to come was not good.
"Yes, Miss Scarlett. Now come along child, lets get you out of your traveling duds." Mammy took the child by the hand up the stairs and down the hall. It was good to see life in the house again, even if it just arrived.
"….maybe you'll have an accident!" Rhett said to Scarlett, at the news she was going to have another Butler baby. This was said without knowing of the audience he had.
Scarlett was furious. How could a man that loves children so much, say such despicable words at the news of his own child? Did he not think the child she was carrying his but that of another man? Suddenly the want for the child turned into a want to be rid of it. Only a miracle would allow her to naturally miscarry, though an abortion would end her misery. For now the desire to claw that smirk off his tan face. To feel his blood would seethe her anger.
Thrusting herself forward with her freshly buffed nails spread out ready for damage. The whole weight of her body fell towards him. Scarlett's foot slipped off the edge of the top step covered in lush crimson carpet causing her body to shift downwards as Rhett tried to avoid her assault. Panicking, Scarlett's hands tried to grasp her something, anything to stop her, but there was nothing but air. Rhett watching as his wife tumbled down the grand staircase. He was paralyzed there at the top of the stairs unable to do anything to help her.
"Momma!" Said the little blue-eyed girl, who just arrived home. Bonnie had appeared in the hall after depositing her kitten in her room. After being gone for a few months, Bonnie wanted her mother to play tea party with or to go riding. When she saw her parents talking more loudly than normal, Bonnie halted where she was, remembering her manners for once. It was hard for her to stay quiet, her patience was eating away at her.
Then what she witnessed next frightened her. From behind her father's broad frame, she saw him pull back and her mother started rolling down the stairs after a terrifying scream. Her father who kept the monsters away and kept her safe stood and watch her mother tumble down the stairs.
Without thinking Bonnie's little legs made it the rest of the way to the grand stair case, tears were already cascading from her eyes. "Momma!" She cried following her mother's falling body down the stairs, hoping she could get to her and stop the rolling. By the time the toddler made it to her mother, she was already laying face down at the landing, not moving.
"Momma! Momma, wake up!" Bonnie practically demanded as she nudged her mother's unconscious body.
Rhett just about flew down the stairs to examine the damage done during the fall. It hurt him to know that Bonnie had seen this. He knew that the child would be traumatized if her mother died. Rhett carefully rolled Scarlett's body on to her back and lifted her into his arms.
"Bonnie go back to your room. Now!" Rhett nearly shouted. Never had he raised his voice to her.
"No. Momma?" She protested still not knowing why her mother wasn't answering. New tears came when her father yelled at her.
"Now, Bonnie. Get up to your room." Rhett said as he started his way to Scarlett's room. "Mammy!" He yelled, knowing Dr. Meade had to come.
Bonnie instantly ran to the front door, slowly opening it. Faintly she could hear her father yelling for her and trying to give instructions to the servants. Her little legs ran as fast as they would let her. Once she made it to the end of the drive she was tired and her legs were sore, but she didn't want to go home. Bonnie ran further and further not wanting to stop, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to catch her breath and cry at the same time. The child had no idea where she was going or where she was or how long she had been gone.
"Bonnie!" A soft voice called from behind a rose bush. Melly was glad to see that Captain Butler had seemed to finally returned, though it puzzled her to see Bonnie out here alone and crying. As quickly as she could Melly made her way to the blue-eyed child. "Bonnie, darling, what's wrong? Oh, darling you can tell me." She said embracing the child.
"Momma!" was all she said burying her face into her Aunt Melly's bosom.
"What about your mother, Bonnie? What happened?" Panic traveled to Melly's mind, she knew something was wrong, this was not a child to be so upset and running the streets alone. She picked Bonnie up and carried her to the porch, sitting in the rocking chair.
"Dead." A sob racked through the child as Melly tried to comfort her.
"Who's dead, darling? Tell me who died?" This was starting to confuse her.
"Daddy…killed… momma." The child finally got out holding onto Melly tightly, never wanting to let go.