The next morning Scarlett woke and for once her head wasn't pounding. She remembered last night and realized that it was because she never had the chance to have a few drinks before bed. As she got up, she looked in the mirror and realized how puffy her eyes were. "Great," she thought, "I guess I won't be going to the store or mills today."
Just then she had a strange thought. She was disappointed at not being able to go to the stores, but was she upset about not going to the mills? Every time she went it was just a chore. She would have to solve every little mistake that Ashley made, plus she had to make smalltalk with him and bite back her annoyed retorts at him for his carelessness and lack of business sense.
"No, I don't feel upset. I feel relieved."
She began to wash her face, hoping for the water to help her eyes. Just then she felt her stomach flip. Luckily having not eaten dinner there was nothing to come up, though she instantly worried as to what was wrong. Because she hadn't drank anything last night it couldn't be from that, and she didn't feel sick in any other way. Although, perhaps she did feel a bit sluggish.
It was just then that her stomach flipped again and she felt the need to ring the bell for Mammy and crawl back into bed.
Mammy slowly opened the door, "Is you ready ter get ready for the day?" she asked.
"No Mammy, I actually rang because I'm feeling quite nauseous and was hoping that you could help me in some way.
Mammy trudged over feelings Scarlett's cheeks and forehead. "I's don' feel nuthing wrong with you, yous don' look pale and yous don' have a fever."
"But Mammy, there has to be something I ca-." Just then it waved over her again.
"I'll call for the Doctor."
Doctor Meade arrived and was gone shortly after giving Scarlett the shocking news. He quickly left, not wanting to deal with Mrs. Butler's wrath should it arrive.
After Dr. Meade left, Mammy sent Pork to go get Melly and she arrived quickly and gracefully. With a short hello to Mammy, Melly headed straight upstairs.
Melanie couldn't really see Scarlett. Except for the top of her head, everything else was covered up by the blankets. Melanie pulled a chair up and patted the top of her sister-in-law's head. "Scarlett darling, Mammy told me that Dr. Meade was here. Is everything alright?"
Scarlett slowly removed the blankets from over her face. She looked at Melanie for a moment, seeing in her face only love and support. There was a calm that fell over her as she looking into Melanie's eyes.
Scarlett soon looked down, unable to meet Melanie's eyes as she told her what the Doctor had said. Her cheeks became shade pinker than before as Scarlett mumbled, "he told me that I am with child." Then she started to cry. She felt as though that's all she ever did lately.
Scarlett wasn't sure how it had happened but she found herself in Melanie's arms, she was now sitting next to her in the bed.
"Oh Scarlett don't cry. Mr. Butler I'm sure will be home soon and you can share in this joyous news with him. Don't cry dear, this is a good thing. Just wait and see, it will all be wonderful.
Scarlett's tears slowly stopped and she found herself able to sit up on her own. "Thank you Melanie, I'm just so concerned. What if he doesn't come back in time?" Fear sparked in Scarlett's eyes as she finished the sentence.
Melanie stood up about to make her departure, "Oh hush now, he'll be back. After all he loves you so. He'll be back. Now get some rest, you had a long day yesterday and today was not much better. You and the child both need to rest." And with that Melanie left, after placing a kiss to Scarlett's forehead, leaving her to think about what she had just heard. Rhett loved her?
Once home, Melanie made a decision she didn't know if Scarlett would be happy about. She had known Rhett was in Charleston visiting his mother. She received word from him a couple weeks ago, asking how Scarlett was, but wishing her not to say anything of his inquisition.
This time Melanie didn't write of how strong Scarlett was, this time she decided to tell Mr. Butler the truth. Scarlett needed him, and needed him home now. Melly decided to add in there what had happened at the sewing circle, hoping it would strike a chord and help to sway Rhett into coming home, though she made sure to tell him to not say anything about it to Scarlett. She wrote the letter quickly and sent Uncle Peter right away to have it sent off.
She hoped it would get there quickly, for she didn't know how much longer Scarlett could handle Mr. Butler's absence.
Scarlett over the next week didn't leave the house much. Both Mammy and Melanie felt strongly that it was a bad idea and Scarlett, not wanting to fight it, gave in. Melly would often be over, for almost the entire day. She would bring Beau with her to play with the children while she would keep Scarlett company.
Scarlett was grateful for Melly's company, for it made the house feel less dark and empty.
Being confined to the house made Scarlett realize just how depressing the interior was. Using her store to her advantage she began to redecorate. Mammy and Melanie only said she shouldn't leave the house, which she wasn't. Though she knew they had really meant to rest, how was she supposed to just sit around all day everyday and let her mind just remember her lack of husband.
No she wouldn't do that. Within a couple days the whole house had transformed. She had turned the walls into pretty cream colors, and the furniture too became beautiful creams. She didn't touch Rhett's room, both because she thought he should make his choices for his room and it hurt too much to enter.
But soon the house was done and she felt empty inside once more. By the end of the week Scarlett wanted to scream, why must she always feel so alone?
She had been eating dinner in bed, trying to respect Mammy's wishes for her bed rest, but Friday night she needed to be up and at the table. She decided to have dinner with her children, ready to listen as intently as she could manage to their stories of the week.
"Mother?" asked Ella. "Can Beau come over every week? We had so much fun with him here."
As Scarlett was about to answer, she heard the front door open. She assumed it was probably Melanie, checking up on her again, though it didn't make sense at this time of night. But then she heard a little girl's laughter, and instantly recognized it as her youngest daughter's.
She turned around just as Bonnie ran through the doorway and jumped into Scarlett's arms, with Rhett close behind her. His face was completely smooth, as he looked at her she thought she might've see a flicker of something, but it was gone so quickly she thought she must've been mistaken. She smiled up at him but he averted her gaze and went straight to the children.
Mammy, having seen the way Bonnie leapt onto her mothers lap started to scold the girl, "Bonnie you must be more careful with your mother, for she-" but Scarlett cut her off with a sharp look. Confusion crossed Rhett's face, but he didn't ask any questions.
"Mommy, I missed you so much." Bonnie said as she hugged her mother around her neck. Scarlett's eyes started to prickle with tears threatening to spill and she told Bonnie how much she loved her.
A look of regret came over Rhett and he exited the room. Pain crept into Scarlett's heart as he left, but her attention was soon taken back to the child in her arms.
"Oh Mother I had so much fun though. Grandma was completely wonderful, I hope next time I visit you can come too! And guess what? Grandma helped me with my fear of the dark and I'm not afraid anymore. I even slept in my own room while I was there, you would've been so proud of me. Do you think I can sleep in the nursery now?"
Pride filled Scarlett's chest as she nodded and asked Mammy to find someone to move a bed now. She also had her grab some extra plates for dinner and Bonnie moved into her own chair.
After dinner, Scarlett tucked all three of her children into bed and read them a story. Once it was done she looked up to see Rhett watching her from the doorway. She smiled at him, then stood up to turn off the light. Feeling a sense of pride in her little girl for overcoming her fear.
Once out in the hallway she turned to Rhett, but wasn't sure what to say. Luckily he started. "I like what you did with the place, it feel very homey now. It's welcoming."
She looked up to see if there was any teasing in his eyes, but they only seemed to hold kindness. She looked down at her shoes and whispered her thanks, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
"Well Scarlett, since the children are asleep I guess I'll be going out. Don't wait up." Just like that he was walking down the stairs.
"Wait Rhett, I have to tell you- never mind it can just wait until tomorrow." Scarlett didn't want it to seem like she was telling him of the pregnancy to try and get him to stay, though that's exactly what she wanted him to do.
He looked up at her, but too tired to try and figure out what was going on in her brain he shrugged and continued walking until the door was shut behind him. Once he was outside he stopped for a moment, wishing he hadn't chosen to leave, but he didn't know what to say and he had to get out of there. With that he continued to Belle's.
As soon as Rhett closed the door Scarlett grasped her chest and started to uncontrollably sob. He couldn't bear the thought of being with her so strongly that he had to leave the house as soon as his daughter was asleep.
Once Scarlett gathered herself she went downstairs for a drink. She hadn't had anything for a while, but she knew tonight she would need it.
Once she was on her third glass and her body felt warm and fuzzy, she decided to go upstairs. She was about to enter her room, but something pushed her to continue down the hallway.
She found herself at Rhett's door, and ended up pushing her way through. She hadn't gone in here in she didn't know how long, but she decided to go out onto his terrace and finish her drink. It was a beautiful night and the brightness of the moon helped her forget the empty feeling her husband caused her.
Once she finished her drink she stood up, ready to walk to her own room, but she stopped and looked at his bed. She thought to herself, "maybe I'll just lay on it for a moment." she hoped that it would make her feel close to him.
As she laid her head on the pillow his scent surrounded her. The first time in a month she felt totally relaxed, and before she remembered to get up to go to her own room she'd fallen asleep, still in her clothes from the day.
"Scarlett?" She began to flutter open her eyes, she looked around confused as to where she was until she saw Rhett's figure standing about her. Then last night came rushing back to her and she realized she was in his room. She blushed and refused to meet his gaze. "Scarlett what are you doing in here?"
He looked amused and a swell of anger came over her. But it disappeared quickly as her heart once again leapt in her chest as she looked into his eyes. "I-I-I," she stammered, "I must've fallen asleep here. I'm sorry, it wont happen again." She averted her gaze as she tried to walk out of the room.
He caught her arm as she walked by and pulled her in front of him. "Yes, but Scarlett. What were you doing in here to begin with?" She was worried he was angry, but as she looked at him it didn't seem like it.
"I decided to have my night cap on your terrace and," she didn't really know how to finish.
"You have your own terrace off your room," he said calmly. She wanted to leave but he still had a firm grasp on her arm.
"I just wanted to feel close to you," she whispered, refusing to meet his gaze. The shock of her statement caused his grip to loosen, which she took advantage of and made her exit.
She went quickly to her room and began to get ready for the day. After she'd changed and fixed her hair, she heard a light knock on the door and assumed it was Mammy with breakfast.
"Come in," she called. She turned around, but was shocked to see it was Rhett. He too had new clothes on.
"Last night you, you tried to tell me something, but I walked away. What was it?" She froze. How was she supposed to tell him? He'd obviously wanted to forget that night, choosing to leave the day after.
"Well," she began, "last week I wasn't feeling very well and Mammy ended up calling for Dr. Meade." She stopped and looked up at him, but his eyes urged her to go on, "well, he told me, um, he told me that-that I'm, well we, um, I'm with child." He froze.
Finally he collected himself and said, "I'm very sorry Scarlett, I know you didn't want any more children. That night was incredibly selfish of me." Was that shame on his face? Before Scarlett could figure it out he had turned around and was walking away.
She went after him, he was halfway down the stairs when she called to him, "Wait Rhett." He stopped and looked back up at her, but when she didn't say anything else he continued to the bottom, that was when she found her voice. "Rhett I," she began to go down the stairs as well, "Rhett I do want it. I want the baby. Our baby."
He turned to look at her but quickly his face changed to pure fear, she didn't understand why until all of the sudden she was falling. It seemed like time stood still and she just kept going, until she felt the floor beneath her and pains everywhere. Then it all went black.