Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own plot; everything else goes to Margaret Mitchell.
Chapter II
Two days after receiving the letter from Charles in which he gushed about how excited he was about the upcoming birth of their child, Scarlett woke up with her stomach churning. She threw her head over the side of the bed, barely making it to the pot next to the bed for nighttime bathroom needs before her stomach hurled everything inside it, back up.
Scarlett continued to throw up for another five minutes before she was finally able to sit up again and wipe her mouth. "Stupid baby." She thought as her hand rested on her stomach.
For the days that followed, Scarlett continued to become ill every morning, and sleep in the afternoons. Her family was overjoyed that she was with child, and for the, as well as for her own reputation, she had to put on a face of complete joy. The women who came to visit wanted to do nothing but talk of babies, and how it would be such a wonderful thing to have a new baby at Tara. Scarlett smiled and nodded, all the while wanting to run out of the room screaming at them to shut up. Her only time of comfort was at night, when she was by herself, and she could imagine that the child growing inside her womb was Ashley's, and that he would be coming home to her and their child. Her daydreams and muses were here only comfort now.
The letters continued to come from Charles, always loving and always supportive. He would talk of how he missed her still, and how he wished he could be there to see her belly swollen with their child. He would ask her what she spent her days doing. He asked how she was feeling. Sometimes, he would mention the war and his activities. When he did, he mostly mentioned his commanding officer and what a wonderful man he was and how he wanted to be like him. Wade Hampton was the model Captain in Charles' eyes.
By October, Scarlett was clearly showing, her stomach swollen out in front of her. She was miserable and her back hurt. She always needed to go to the bathroom, and she was hot. Even with three months still to go in her pregnancy, Scarlett was ready for it to be over. She wanted this horrid baby out of her so she could go back to being the beautiful girl with the tiny waist again.
In November Melanie came to visit her, much to Scarlett's dismay.
"Why Scarlett, you look beautiful." Melanie said as she enveloped Scarlett in her arms.
"I look fat, Melly. I'm huge and my back hurts. I don't know what women see so wonderful about this." Scarlett said. She was overly crabby today, and having Melanie come here and tell her lies wasn't helping her at all.
"Oh, but Scarlett, this is what you're supposed to look like. Babies are such miracles. Besides, when you hold your little baby in your arms, it will all be worth it. I just wish…. That is, you're such a lucky woman to have gotten with child so quickly. I know Charles is so happy. The baby is all he talks about in his letters."
"Yes, I know. How much longer do you suppose this war will go on, Melly?"
"Charles always says that he doesn't think it will last much longer, but Ashley seems to feel differently. He doesn't see the war ending until next year sometime." Melanie sighed heavily. "I was hoping they would be home for Christmas, but the Cause is more important that having them home for Christmas. They will be home next year I'm sure."
"How is Ashley, Melly? Is he alright? He's not been wounded or ill?" Scarlett had been dying to ask how he was since Melanie had first walked through the door, but she knew she couldn't ask until he had been brought into the conversation by Melanie.
"He's quite well. It's so sweet of you to worry about him like that."
"I'm glad he's well. I would hate for anything to happen to him."
Melanie smiled and hugged Scarlett tight. She was so glad to finally have the sister she had always wanted.
December came and Scarlett was even more miserable than she had been before. Her stomach was to the size that doing anything was difficult. She never got any sleep, she waddled instead of walked, her back felt like breaking at any given moment, her feet and hands were swollen, the baby was constantly kicking her and moving around and it hurt sometimes. She was very ready for this whole thing to be over and done with and then she could never have to feel like this again. She was determined to tell Charles, as soon as he arrived back from this blasted war, that she wanted no more children. She would tell him that she was happy with the child they had, and that she didn't want to spoil their family by adding any more children. If she knew anything about mild little Charles, he would agree to keep her happy. Especially if she put her foot down and got angry with him. Yes, she was having no more children after this. No child was worth this kind of pain and misery. She was tempted to just write Charles and tell him of her decision, but she thought that maybe this was something better discussed where he could see her face and know that she was serious. Scarlett also wanted this agreement, because no more children meant no more embarrassing nights spent in bed with her husband. She could keep her dignity this way, as well as keep her sanity. Besides, if she wasn't going to have Ashley's children, what good was having children? Ashley would be the only exception to her decision. If she could have Ashley's children, it would all be worth it.
A/N: What do you think of this new chapter? Please review and let me know how I'm doing. =D
~Cat~
