Chapter 4

Wade was sitting in the window of the sitting room stroking the black and white cat that Bonnie had been given when he saw a carriage pull up in front of the house. The boys face was filled with mixed emotions when he saw his step father step out and then he saw Rhett help an older lady down who Wade recalled vaguely from when Bonnie died Rhett's mother Mrs. Butler. "Mammy," Wade hollered, "Mammy!"

"Wha' you hollerin' fo Master Wade?" Mammy came huffing into the entry hall. "I dun tol you, an tol' you not to yell in the house, an –" Mammy's grumbling suddenly ceased when she saw the front door swing open, "Lawd Mister Rhett, 'bout time you come home!"

"Mammy", Rhett's face drained of color if Mammy had came back from Tara something must be wrong.

"Mister Rhett, we sure is glad you'z home!" Pork welcomed him.

"Take my mothers' things to the guest room will you Pork?" Rhett watched his mother be escorted upstairs and then turned to Mammy. "Now Mammy what is this about Scarlett being ill?"

"Well Mister Rhett, Miss Scarlett just taint herself. She don eat and she has asked Mister Hamilton to take care of de store, she cries all the time tho she tries to hide it." Mammy confessed all her worries to Rhett but at first he didn't see this as urgent. But he also felt relief that Scarlett was not dying. That thought had brought him extreme anxiety.

"I'll go up and see Scarlett. Try not to worry Mammy."

Rhett knocked at Scarlett's bedroom door.

"Go away Mammy, I told you to leave me be," Came Scarlett's strangled sob. And Rhett felt as if his heart was being ripped out from his chest.

Rhett knocked again then turned the knob; it was locked, so he knocked louder. Then there came a rustling sound and tiny footsteps the door was unlocked and swung open.

"Mammy I told you to leave me-"Scarlett didn't finish the sentence when her eyes fell upon Rhett.

Rhett breathed in sharply at the figure before him. Scarlett was sickly pale, her lips looked gray where they once were almost red, and she was thinner than she had been when she visited him in the jail for the taxes on Tara. Upon his assessment Scarlett pulled her wrapper tighter about her body.

"Rhett when did you arrive," Scarlett asked in a voice that was almost inaudible like it took a great effort to produce.

"Just this hour, my Mother has come for a visit. Pray join us for supper?" Rhett could now see why he had received the telegram Scarlett was almost unrecognizable.

"I, well Rhett, I-"Scarlett stammered her eyes suddenly tearing she just wanted to shut the door and lock it again. She couldn't break down in front of Rhett.

"Come Scarlett it's just supper and my Mother would like to see you again," Rhett smiled reassuringly but he could see Scarlett was becoming distressed. "Scarlett can I come in and we can talk?"

"Rhett, " Scarlett could not stop them, the tears just came rolling out like a down pour and sobs racked her tiny frame physically causing her to bend forward sinking to her knees doubled over in a ball.

"Scarlett," Rhett could not believe the pain he heard in her voice. He knew that this was not acting or fake tears. Scarlett was experiencing soul splitting pain. "Hush, Scarlett it's going to be alright." Rhett helped Scarlett to stand then carried her to her bed where he placed her gently. Her crying never stopping though he tried to comfort her, she curled tightly in a ball on her side hugging her knees to her chest. Scarlett looked so small in the huge bed like a scared frightened child. Rhett watched Scarlett for a few moments her sobs slowly died away as sleep overtook her; never before had he thought to have seen Scarlett in such anguish.

Rhett stood, looked around the room that had once been theirs, he ran his hands threw his hair, Scarlett's face coming to mind. The portieres were drawn closed tightly not a sliver of light eased past. It was very stagnant in the room. Thankfully it was just December or it would have been unbearable without a breeze. The room looked as though it had not been cleaned in sometime. Had Scarlett really holed herself up in here? Rhett's gaze was caught by something sticking out from the cushions of her chaise. When he removed it his breath caught in his throat it was the picture of them from when they were on their honeymoon in New Orleans. Rhett himself was looking at the camera but just before the flash Scarlett had looked up at him, he remembered the camera man had been upset with her but they had not cared. If one didn't know the two, the look on Scarlett's face looked as though she worshiped her 'darling' husband people had commented on her look. Behind this picture were one he hadn't seen and he felt his heart skip a beat, it was one of all three of the children. It couldn't have been taken long before he took Bonnie to Charleston; he wondered why Scarlett had never showed him this one? Laying the photo's back he saw crumpled pieces of paper in and around the waste bucket; he picked up one and uncrumpled it seeing his name scrawled in Scarlett's unmistakable script.

"Rhett, what can I say that will make a difference to you? You told me you don't love me anymore that your love for me wore out? I just don't believe it, can't believe it. This can't be the end-"

Another such paper read, "Rhett, damn you, and damn me too-"he snorted at that one. The next started not addressed to anyone, "I have lost everything, everyone whoever loved me is gone, and it's my entire fault. Rhett was right I only hurt everyone who's ever loved me." These words caused Rhett to flinch. "I don't know where I am going from here, if I continue like this-"And the words stopped there. Scarlett after years and years of being strong had finally cracked under the strain.

Rhett folded the few pieces of paper and tucked them in his inside pocket. As Rhett turned to walk out the door he met Wade and by the look in the boys eyes Rhett suddenly felt shame.

"I was just coming to check on Mother."

"Wade could I have a moment with you son?" Rhett placed his hand on the boys' shoulder turning and walking down the hall towards the stairway. They walked silently to the parlor.

Wade looked torn between conflicting emotions they played across his face much like his mother's and Rhett noticed that the furrow of Wades brow and set of jaw were all Scarlett.
"Wade I can see something is bothering you, if you have something you would like to say to me just say it I won't be angry."

"How could you? How could you leave us when we needed you?" Wade started off easy and escalated in tempo frustrated tears stinging his eyes he wiped them away furiously.

"Wade I," Rhett stammered when Wade interrupted him.

"You left just when Aunt Melly died, you didn't even come to her funeral. Mother hasn't been herself; she doesn't eat, or go to the store anymore. She just stays in her room and cries. She won't listen to Mammy; I have begged her and Ella too, trying to get her to eat. She doesn't even want to go home to Tara anymore. Nothing helps her, nothing makes her happy. I am scared; we are all scared that Mother is going to die!"

"Wade it is going to be alright. Your Mother is strong she is going to be fine you will see." Rhett took Wade in his arms at first Wade struggled to be free of Rhett, "It's your fault! You don't love her anymore and now she just wants to die!" Wade kicked and screamed and cried until he could not fight Rhett's grip anymore and he hugged Rhett's waist and sobbed.

"Wade are you done now son?" Rhett asked turning the boys face up to his. "Will you listen to me now?" Wade nodded his head yes.

"We are going to help your Mother Wade all of us, you, Ella, Mammy, my Mother and I, we are going to help your mother get better do you hear me son?"

Wade nodded his head and wiped his eyes and Rhett handed him his handkerchief making Rhett smirk despite himself. Like mother, like son he thought always without a handkerchief.

"Why don't you go rest for a bit before supper? I will see you there?" Waded nodded and went upstairs.

Coming from the kitchen with a cookie skipped Ella her eyes falling on Rhett and they widened along with her smile. "Uncle Rhett!" the child ran to him and he scooped her up into his arms her little ones snaking around his neck. "Finally you are home! I knew you'd come! Wade said you wouldn't, but I knew you would!"

Rhett felt bitter sweet feelings holding one of his little girls and hearing that she had faith in him, a faith that he did not have in himself.

"What has my girl been up to?" Rhett sat in a chair in the entry with her on his knee.

Ella smiled lovingly at him. "We went to Tara and Mammy came back with us!"

"I saw she was here. I bet you are glad to have her back."

"Yes. Mammy said she was just sad after Bonnie died, but her home was here with Momma and us!"

Rhett was thankful when his mother came down the stairs. "Mother, I hope you found your room accommodating?"

"Oh yes Rhett my room is more than satisfactory." Eleanor smiled this was a site she longed to see more of Rhett with his family. If only he and Scarlett could mend their marriage and continue building their family. "Hello Ella. Do you remember me?"

"Yes, you are Uncle Rhett's mother!" Ella smiled brightly at the lady with her Uncle Rhett's smile.

"Ella would you like to call me Grandma? I would so like if you did!" Eleanor smiled at the girl.

"Ok, Grandma!" Ella beamed and ran into the ladies soft embrace.