I am a religious person and respect religious teachings. I get that its a bit off that I'm using a nun who's betraying the vow she made before becoming a sister. I didn't think of it right away, believe me, because I knew it would offend a lot of people, but I needed a shocking turning about, someone that's completely opposite from Scarlet. Although it will be a lot to digest this crazy idea, I hope you guys still like this. I'm at least going to give Vivian a good reason to walk away from the convent. Well, hopefully I think of something good. Anyway enjoy!

Vivian

How strange it is of Mrs. Wikes' sudden illness. I could have sworn she was quite well the minute I met her..I wonder what made her act so strangely. And those tears, why in the world was she crying when she saw my face?

Mr. Wikes returned from his labor and went inside the bedroom. The doctor was with Mrs. Wikes inside. Their dear son soon came downstairs, looking a bit tired. Father Petersburg remained sitting on an armchair, reading his bible silently. Feeling great pity toward the poor boy's parents, I went over to him and picked him up in my arms.

He looked at me confused. "Who are you, Miss?"

"I'm Sister Winston, little one. Did you sleep well?"

He rubbed his little eyes and nodded. "Yes, Miss...Where's my mother?"

I bit my lip hard. Oh he's too young to understand the meaning of death. "She's taking a little nap, little one. Your father just came back but he wants you back upstairs to your room," I lied with a weak smile.

"But I'm not tired anymore. I want to see mother."

"Your mother is very tired. You wouldn't want to wake her now, do you?"

He shook his head and yawned. "No, Miss."

"Good. Now let's go upstairs. I can read you a book if you like."

"I like that very much, Miss..But why are you wearing that veil?"

"It's what nuns must wear when they're outside of church. Its appropriate for women like me to wear. Just like its appropriate for your father to remove his hat when he walks inside a church. Now let's go to your room."

He embraced his arms around my neck as I slowly went up the stairway. It took a whole hour to rock that little boy back to sleep. But I didn't mind. I lied down beside him and he fell sound asleep beside me as I read the book he wanted me to read aloud. I slowly closed the book and silently crawled off the bed. I went back downstairs. Father Petersburg is not here anymore. Oh dear, then its true. Today is the last day for dear Mrs. Wikes.

When I was about to sit down, the door opened. I quickly turned around. It's Mr. Wikes. His eyes are pooled with tears, his jaw trembling, trying to swallow his sobs. I went over to him and removed a handkerchief out of my sleeve. He took it and gave me a nod. "Thank you, sister."

"Is it time for her?"

He slowly nodded again. "...Yes.."

"I am so sorry, Mr. Wikes. You must be in great pain."

"Thank you again, sister..."

"Your son woke up an hour ago, but I send him to his room. He's sound asleep now..I wish for the best for you and your son."

"I don't know how to tell Beu. Oh he is still too young and still needs a mother, not just a weak father like me." Large tears drops fell down his cheeks. He crumbled my handkerchief in a fist, the other hand clenching his collar as if the room is suffocating him.

I placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Mr. Wikes don't say that. She will at least be in peace with God. For now, she is still living, even though she will leave this world, you need to stay strong for her and your son's sake. It will be hard. But continuing to live as a good father you are is not impossible..If you wish to grief. Then grief. If you wish to cry. Then cry. But don't let yourself go for too long, your son needs you."

"Oh sister, thank you for saying those words...I hope God would at least keep my beloved wife in peace and happiness. I never got a chance to be there for her when I was gone at war. When I came back, I swore to myself that I will never stop spending a damn minute without her..Forgive me of my language, sister."

I shook my head. "There's no need. Is Father Petersburg inside?"

"Yes."

"Well, then please do sit down. You don't look so well. Come now." I grabbed his arm lightly and led him to the sofa. He sat down, his expression still pitifully the same.

I sat down on the armchair and removed my gloves. It's a bit too warm in here. After trying to help Beu sleep in his room, I been holding the temptation not to remove this veil but now I cannot bear it no longer. I placed my gloves on the side and then slowly lifted the veil off my head. I carefully placed them on my lap.

"Mr. Wikes, is there anything I can get you?"

He shook his head. His eyes remained on the floor.

"How about your other family members?"

"They're inside. I asked them to be quiet, in case Beu might hear them."

"Did she call for your son?"

"No. But I can tell she wants to. But she and I know that it'll only hurt Beau to say goodbye to his mother...I'm planning to keep this matter quiet and tell him in a few days."

"That is understandable."

He slowly lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes shining with fresh tears. "I can't thank you enough –"

His eyes suddenly widened when he saw my face. He gasped at the sight of it. He was behaving almost exactly like Mrs. Wikes before she collapsed. His mouth fell slightly ajar, and his body froze as if a curse was cast upon him.

I cleared my throat and tried to bring him back to his senses. "M-Mr. Wikes? Mr. Wikes are you alright?...Why are you looking at me like that?"

"S-S-Scarlet?..How is this possible?"

Scarlet? What in the world is he talking about? Am I mistaken for someone else?

I shook my head. "Mr. Wikes, its me Sister Winston. Who is this Scarlet?"

But he didn't listen to me and continued. "It really is you. Oh great mercy, how is it that you been risen from the dead?"

Before I can say anything else, the door opened. Father Petersburg came in. "Sister Winston, Mrs. Wikes wishes to see you."

"Alright, father." I slowly rose to my feet. Mr. Wikes' eyes remained to look straight at me. I uncomfortably went toward the room and went inside.

Two women who I'm guessing are part of the Wikes' family left the room, their eyes covered with tears. When the two women left, Father Petersburg left the room with the doctor and closed the door. That's odd. Why in the world does she want to see me alone? She hardly knows me.

Mrs. Wikes is in bed in her night gown. Her skin is grey and death seems to be over taking her body very soon, her dry hair is held inside a night cap and her lips pale and its skin peeled.

I went to her side and took both her hands, not fearing to catch what sort of illness she is suffering of. "I'm here, Mrs. Wikes?"

"Oh...Thank you. Thank you, sister."

"There's no need to thank me..What is it that you want to tell me?"

She suddenly looked at me as if I was someone she known all her life. "...Y-You look so much like her. Are you sure you are who you think you are?"

"Of course, I do. Mrs. Wikes, who do I look like to you exactly? When your husband saw me he reacted the same way you did when you saw my face."

"Oh dear, sister. You have no idea do you." She paused and started to cough harshly.

"Do you want some water?"

She shook her head. A few drops of sweat fell down her forehead. "No. No please stay where you are...I can feel my very own soul leaving me now. Please stay where you are and listen to what I have to say."

She hesitated for a moment. Her eyes blinked a few times, still looking straight at my face. "Sister...Sister I wish God will give me just a little more time so I can explain to you. But I don't have such precious time no more, so please I know what I have to say is against your own will..Against the Church and God Himself. But I must say this for the sake of my dear friend's life." She paused again to cough.

I rubbed the top of her hands. "Take it easy, Mrs. Wikes."

"...Can you promise me something, and never forget it?"

"Of course, Mrs. Wikes."

"..Please, sister. Please I beg of you, please save Captain Butler. He is a man trapped in a corner, all full of pain in misery after the death of his wife..Please save him. He's killing himself each day that passes. He won't eat nor sleep nor behave like a real human being. Please save the man from his tormenting agony. That's all I ask for."

"Mrs. Wikes I will pray for the man, of course."

She shook her head. "You don't understand. That is not what I mean."

My heart almost stopped...She certainly doesn't mean..No. No. Even though she is unwell, she is still fully aware of who I am and what I do. I cannot promise something like that.

"Mrs. Wikes, I-I don't know what you mean?"

"You resemble so much like his wife...I know its too much to ask, sister. But even when I was alive, I tried my best to get poor Captain Butler back to his feet. Everything I did was not enough to save that man to get back to being himself...I should be struck down from God to ask you of this, but for the greatest sake for my friend, I ask you – no I dearly beg of you to save him."

"Mrs. Wikes you're not possibly asking me to be his wife?..My Lord, that is something I cannot promise."

"Again I am sorry to ask you of this. But it is the only way. It is the only way..." She paused again and her heavy eyelids came to a close.

I waited for her eyes to open again, but they never did. She is gone. I slowly released her hands and headed to the door. I grabbed the door knob. But before I turned it to open it, I stopped for a moment...She wants me to be his wife? To fool a vulnerable man that his wife was alive all this time? It is touching for such a woman to care for others even though she is the one in greater pain. But asking of me doing this is something I cannot do...It is wrong for me to break God's laws and let myself to be with a man..However..However it is also wrong to treat her last promise so lightly and easily give up on it. I'll be breaking God's laws also by refusing to accept her promise..But either way I am sinning toward God. Oh dear Father, what am I suppose to do? Give me a sign. Oh give me a sign.

After a long moment, I looked back at Mrs. Wikes again, she looks so peaceful in that bed. I quickly turned away and opened the door. Everyone was there. I lowered my head and stepped aside. The doctor came to me.

I whispered low under my breath. "She's gone...I am so sorry."

Almost everyone went in the room, along with Father Petersburg to say a prayer. Mr. Wikes was not there. I went over to the armchair I was sitting in earlier and picked up my gloves and veil. I slipped them on – except for the veil, its still too hot in here - and went to the next room to look for Mr. Wikes. I could hear a conversation starting in the other room. I slowly walked in. I peeked through the door. Mr. Wikes was by the bar standing with a gentleman. He was handsome but has a slender figure, his clothes proved to be high class, his black hair smooth and is a little gray, and above his lips has a fully grown dashing mustache. Who is that? Maybe one of Mr. Wikes' relatives.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ashley. Melly was a great woman. The best of all."

Mr. Wikes took a sip of his brandy. "Thank you...I appreciate that you came all the way here."

"It would have been rude for me not to come here. After all she was the one who took care of me. I'm sorry that she had to be apart from you because of me."

"Please, Rhett, no need for apologies. She wanted to help you after all."

I slowly walked in and gave a little knock on the door. Mr. Wikes looked up. He gasped when he saw me. The other gentleman sat down on the sofa, and pressed the cool glass of his brandy on his forehead. Mr. Wikes walked quickly toward me; it looked like he was shielding me from the gentleman. "W-What is it sister?"

"I just wanted to tell you that your wife finished saying her farewells."

"Dead?"

"Yes. Father Petersburg is in the room saying a few prayers. Your relatives are in there as well. Perhaps you should go to, Mr. Wikes."

"Yes, of course." He suddenly took me by the arm and tried to turn me around. But before the two of us took a step forward, the gentleman from behind spoke up. "Who is that, Ashley?"

Mr. Wikes closed his eyes, hesitating the decision to just escort me outside or turn around to introduce me to him. Before he turned me around, he whispered something softly to me. "Wear your veil."

"Why?"

"Please just do it, sister."

I obeyed. Mr. Wikes took one look at me and he slowly turned me around and walked toward the man. The gentleman stood up and took my hand.

"R-Rhett this is Sister Winston. Sister this is Captain Butler, Rhett Butler."

My eyes widened by the sound of that name. This is the man Mrs. Wikes was speaking of. Oh dear Lord, this is him and still Mr. Wikes let me meet him in person!

He shook my trembling hand. I sighed in relief that he can't see my expression through the veil. "I-It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain."

For some reason, he melted by the sound of my voice..Am I too much like his beloved wife? He looks like he's about to embrace me in the spot by the sound of my voice. "..It's a pleasure to meet you too, Sister Winston."

I thought he was going to release my hand, but he didn't. "Well, sister, what brings you here?"

"I came here with Father Petersburg to collect the donation for the Children Orphanage."

"Oh, it was a charity matter. Well then, let me donate as well."

"Thank you, Captain, the Church would appreciate that."

He released my hand and took out his checkbook out of his pocket. He unclipped his pen and scribbled down the number he wishes to offer. After a quick second, he ripped the page off and handed it to me. I didn't bother to look at how much he offered, I just want to get out of this room.

"God bless you, Captain Butler...If you'll excuse me I think it is time for me to return to the church."

Captain Butler nodded and curved a smile. Mr. Wikes placed a hand on my back and escorted me outside. When we were in the other room, Father Petersburg was by the door, waiting for me. Before I went to him, Mr. Wikes stopped me. "Sister, I beg of you, I must see you again."

"Mr. Wikes."

"Did my wife tell you everything?"

"Not exactly everything, but enough to shock me...Please Mr. Wikes I must go."

"Just tell me where I can see you again."

"I'll return here again. Goodbye, Mr. Wikes."

I turned around and went toward the door. Father Petersburg stepped outside and headed to the next house. I followed behind him, not daring to turn back.