Over 14 hours had passed before the baby was born at 7:54 p.m. on June 27. Scarlett wouldn't allow the doctor to tell her the sex; she wanted Rhett to do it. "It's a girl, sweetheart, a beautiful baby girl!" Diana Melanie Butler, as they named her, was as small as Bonnie was when she was born, with a pale complexion and was born with emerald eyes.
When Rhett handed Scarlett her daughter, Scarlett's eyes filled with tears. She was holding Rhett's daughter, something she could only dream of a year and a half ago. "She looks just like you, my darling. She may be the only person that could come close to being more beautiful than you." He leaned over to kiss Scarlett, and Diana cooed. Rhett laughed and smiled down at his daughter. Diana had filled part of the hole that Bonnie's death had left in his heart.
Scarlett recovered from the birth slower than she usually did, but she still recovered very quickly. In 2 hours, she was able to eat a huge meal, though still very weak. She had decided against a wet nurse. She wanted to have every experience as a mother.
Wade and Ella were thrilled with their new sister, especially Ella. She loved holding the new baby, although either Rhett or Scarlett had to be there to help her.
***
When Diana was 2 months old, the family went to Atlanta to spend time at their Atlanta home, which Rhett had secretly refurnished to suit Scarlett's new taste. They visited Suellen and Will in their new home. It was near their Peachtree Street house. It was small, and the furniture simple, but it was neat and homely. Scarlett knew that Suellen hated having her sister so rich and having only this house. Suellen's daughter was thrilled with her new cousin, although Scarlett couldn't let her hold her because the child wasn't very gentle. Suellen didn't say much besides congratulations to her sister. She was bitter and jealous. Scarlett was rich, with a wonderful husband and beautiful children. Will was a good husband, but they weren't rich, and Sally wasn't what she would consider the perfect child. She envied her sister's wonderful life, not understanding all the hurt Scarlett had been through. Suellen wasn't as upset at their father's death since Scarlett was such a daddy's girl. She wasn't close to Melly, and her husband had never left her, although Scarlett had stolen Frank from her. She had never loved Frank the way that Scarlett loved Rhett.
Scarlett and Rhett also went to visit Ashley, although Rhett wasn't excited about it. "Ashley is my friend. He's the only link to my past left. I have to visit him. Besides, Melly made me promise to take care of him and Beau, and I want to see his face when I tell him Diana's middle name."
"Scarlett, do you really think I'm going to want you to visit a man that for 12 years you fantasized of marrying, even when you yourself was married? I saw the way he looked at you when we visited him before Diana was born, and the way he looked at me. He loves you, Scarlett, and he hates me and is jealous of me for marrying you and for having a baby with you. You must not have seen his face when you kissed me or put your hand over mine. His eyes were slits, Scarlett.
"And I'm also not all that sure if you ever got over him," he continued. "You say you never loved him, but when you're with him, you're so much happier than usual, and you laugh so easily. I don't want to lose you, Scarlett, and especially not to Ashley."
"So that's what it's about? You don't TRUST me?" Scarlett stood up as she yelled at him, her eyes cold. "I Don't love him, Rhett. I thought I did, but I was young, and I didn't know what love was. It was a crush that all young girls get. I wasn't to warm and at home when I was with him like I am with you, and I didn't spend every second away from him dreaming of the time I'd see him again. I thought about him, yes, but not every second of every day. I love you, Rhett, and I wouldn't leave you for anyone, not Ashley, not anyone. Why can't you believe me?
"And even if Ashley loves me and is jealous of you," she went on, "that doesn't mean I'm going to cheat on you."
"OK, Scarlett. Let's go and get it over with."
Scarlett and Ashley pretty much forgot Rhett was in the room as they talked all night. Rhett hated being there and they left as soon as he could break the conversation to say it was getting late and Diana would be getting restless.
"Scarlett, we aren't going to Ashley Wilkes's home again."
"Rhett Butler, you can't tell me who I can and who I can't associate with. I will talk to Ashley whenever I want. Goodnight."
***
A week later, Scarlett got the news that she was once again pregnant. She would have been happy to be having the baby a month ago, maybe a week ago, but she hated the idea of the nausea and thickening waist just to please the controlling man in the next room. She would have done anything not to have to bear this child.
"Scarlett, you look pale. Could you be ill?" Rhett inquired coldly.
"No, I'm not ill."
"Well, than what is it?"
"I'm just...I'm pregnant. She looked at him with cold eyes as he ran next to her. "Yes, I'm pregnant, and no, I'm not happy about it. Why would I want to bear your child and have it turn out like you? You're controlling, and I know you've been sleeping with that horrible Watling woman..."
Rhett grabbed her arm. "Don't you ever speak of Belle like that. She's more of a lady than you'll ever be, though you have given a good impression of it this past year. You'll have the baby and be happy about it. Now go upstairs and get some rest. Besides, maybe it's not even my baby. Maybe it's Ashley's baby. You wouldn't mind it quite as much if that was the case, would you?"
"How dare you insinuate that I have been cheating on you with Ashley. We're good friends, but that's it. I don't love him!" With that out, she stormed up the steps to lock her door as Rhett laughed.
"There's no use locking the door. I could open it if I wanted to, my dear!"
***
Nine months later, Rhett Kinnicut Butler was born. Scarlett and Rhett still weren't on very good terms, although they each loved the new baby. Then, one morning, when Scarlett looked lovingly in the cradle, she noticed Rhett didn't seem to be awake or moving. He wasn't breathing either. "Rhett!" she screamed. "Rhett!" Then, she fell to the floor from shock.
Rhett came running up the stairs to see what the matter was, not knowing what would cause Scarlett to scream for him like that. When he entered their room, he ran to Scarlett sprawled on the floor. When she began to recover, he got up to check on his son. Then, he saw why she had screamed. Little Rhett's face was blue, and he was lying crumpled in a corner of the cradle. Scarlett, still in shock, picked up the baby and began to rock him, as if he were still alive. Tears trickled down her cheeks as the reality that he was gone set in.
***
It was a quiet day that Scarlett's third lost child was buried. Scarlett, not knowing where to turn for comfort with Rhett so distant, turned to Ashley. Rhett hated seeing them together and Scarlett crying on Ashley's shoulder. He didn't think their marriage could be saved, although he badly needed her. What he didn't realize was that Scarlett was also wishing for him to lean on. She knew she loved him. She just didn't know how to show her love.
***
Scarlett finally couldn't bear being so distant from Rhett. One day while he was reading the paper, she sat on his lap and cried into his shoulder. Rhett was surprised at the showing of emotion. "Scarlett, what's wrong?"
"Oh, Rhett, I miss our baby. I wan him back. I want you back."
"I miss Rhett, too. But why do you want me back? You have Ashley, and you have me as well."
"I love you Rhett. I know I haven't shown it well, but I do."
"I love you too."
***
A year later, their new son was born. "What shall we name him?"
"I want to name him Gerald O'Hara Butler. That way, Gerald O'Hara will once again rule Tara."
I know, it sucked, but that's it. I finished. I had no idea how to end it, so I stopped there.
When Rhett handed Scarlett her daughter, Scarlett's eyes filled with tears. She was holding Rhett's daughter, something she could only dream of a year and a half ago. "She looks just like you, my darling. She may be the only person that could come close to being more beautiful than you." He leaned over to kiss Scarlett, and Diana cooed. Rhett laughed and smiled down at his daughter. Diana had filled part of the hole that Bonnie's death had left in his heart.
Scarlett recovered from the birth slower than she usually did, but she still recovered very quickly. In 2 hours, she was able to eat a huge meal, though still very weak. She had decided against a wet nurse. She wanted to have every experience as a mother.
Wade and Ella were thrilled with their new sister, especially Ella. She loved holding the new baby, although either Rhett or Scarlett had to be there to help her.
***
When Diana was 2 months old, the family went to Atlanta to spend time at their Atlanta home, which Rhett had secretly refurnished to suit Scarlett's new taste. They visited Suellen and Will in their new home. It was near their Peachtree Street house. It was small, and the furniture simple, but it was neat and homely. Scarlett knew that Suellen hated having her sister so rich and having only this house. Suellen's daughter was thrilled with her new cousin, although Scarlett couldn't let her hold her because the child wasn't very gentle. Suellen didn't say much besides congratulations to her sister. She was bitter and jealous. Scarlett was rich, with a wonderful husband and beautiful children. Will was a good husband, but they weren't rich, and Sally wasn't what she would consider the perfect child. She envied her sister's wonderful life, not understanding all the hurt Scarlett had been through. Suellen wasn't as upset at their father's death since Scarlett was such a daddy's girl. She wasn't close to Melly, and her husband had never left her, although Scarlett had stolen Frank from her. She had never loved Frank the way that Scarlett loved Rhett.
Scarlett and Rhett also went to visit Ashley, although Rhett wasn't excited about it. "Ashley is my friend. He's the only link to my past left. I have to visit him. Besides, Melly made me promise to take care of him and Beau, and I want to see his face when I tell him Diana's middle name."
"Scarlett, do you really think I'm going to want you to visit a man that for 12 years you fantasized of marrying, even when you yourself was married? I saw the way he looked at you when we visited him before Diana was born, and the way he looked at me. He loves you, Scarlett, and he hates me and is jealous of me for marrying you and for having a baby with you. You must not have seen his face when you kissed me or put your hand over mine. His eyes were slits, Scarlett.
"And I'm also not all that sure if you ever got over him," he continued. "You say you never loved him, but when you're with him, you're so much happier than usual, and you laugh so easily. I don't want to lose you, Scarlett, and especially not to Ashley."
"So that's what it's about? You don't TRUST me?" Scarlett stood up as she yelled at him, her eyes cold. "I Don't love him, Rhett. I thought I did, but I was young, and I didn't know what love was. It was a crush that all young girls get. I wasn't to warm and at home when I was with him like I am with you, and I didn't spend every second away from him dreaming of the time I'd see him again. I thought about him, yes, but not every second of every day. I love you, Rhett, and I wouldn't leave you for anyone, not Ashley, not anyone. Why can't you believe me?
"And even if Ashley loves me and is jealous of you," she went on, "that doesn't mean I'm going to cheat on you."
"OK, Scarlett. Let's go and get it over with."
Scarlett and Ashley pretty much forgot Rhett was in the room as they talked all night. Rhett hated being there and they left as soon as he could break the conversation to say it was getting late and Diana would be getting restless.
"Scarlett, we aren't going to Ashley Wilkes's home again."
"Rhett Butler, you can't tell me who I can and who I can't associate with. I will talk to Ashley whenever I want. Goodnight."
***
A week later, Scarlett got the news that she was once again pregnant. She would have been happy to be having the baby a month ago, maybe a week ago, but she hated the idea of the nausea and thickening waist just to please the controlling man in the next room. She would have done anything not to have to bear this child.
"Scarlett, you look pale. Could you be ill?" Rhett inquired coldly.
"No, I'm not ill."
"Well, than what is it?"
"I'm just...I'm pregnant. She looked at him with cold eyes as he ran next to her. "Yes, I'm pregnant, and no, I'm not happy about it. Why would I want to bear your child and have it turn out like you? You're controlling, and I know you've been sleeping with that horrible Watling woman..."
Rhett grabbed her arm. "Don't you ever speak of Belle like that. She's more of a lady than you'll ever be, though you have given a good impression of it this past year. You'll have the baby and be happy about it. Now go upstairs and get some rest. Besides, maybe it's not even my baby. Maybe it's Ashley's baby. You wouldn't mind it quite as much if that was the case, would you?"
"How dare you insinuate that I have been cheating on you with Ashley. We're good friends, but that's it. I don't love him!" With that out, she stormed up the steps to lock her door as Rhett laughed.
"There's no use locking the door. I could open it if I wanted to, my dear!"
***
Nine months later, Rhett Kinnicut Butler was born. Scarlett and Rhett still weren't on very good terms, although they each loved the new baby. Then, one morning, when Scarlett looked lovingly in the cradle, she noticed Rhett didn't seem to be awake or moving. He wasn't breathing either. "Rhett!" she screamed. "Rhett!" Then, she fell to the floor from shock.
Rhett came running up the stairs to see what the matter was, not knowing what would cause Scarlett to scream for him like that. When he entered their room, he ran to Scarlett sprawled on the floor. When she began to recover, he got up to check on his son. Then, he saw why she had screamed. Little Rhett's face was blue, and he was lying crumpled in a corner of the cradle. Scarlett, still in shock, picked up the baby and began to rock him, as if he were still alive. Tears trickled down her cheeks as the reality that he was gone set in.
***
It was a quiet day that Scarlett's third lost child was buried. Scarlett, not knowing where to turn for comfort with Rhett so distant, turned to Ashley. Rhett hated seeing them together and Scarlett crying on Ashley's shoulder. He didn't think their marriage could be saved, although he badly needed her. What he didn't realize was that Scarlett was also wishing for him to lean on. She knew she loved him. She just didn't know how to show her love.
***
Scarlett finally couldn't bear being so distant from Rhett. One day while he was reading the paper, she sat on his lap and cried into his shoulder. Rhett was surprised at the showing of emotion. "Scarlett, what's wrong?"
"Oh, Rhett, I miss our baby. I wan him back. I want you back."
"I miss Rhett, too. But why do you want me back? You have Ashley, and you have me as well."
"I love you Rhett. I know I haven't shown it well, but I do."
"I love you too."
***
A year later, their new son was born. "What shall we name him?"
"I want to name him Gerald O'Hara Butler. That way, Gerald O'Hara will once again rule Tara."
I know, it sucked, but that's it. I finished. I had no idea how to end it, so I stopped there.
