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This is another small chapter! Don't be mad! The next one will be bigger.
I own nothing. All characters belong to Margaret Mitchell.
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Chapter 13: Waiting
While living with the Benteens was suddenly becoming unbearable to Scarlett, Rhett was reaching Jonesboro with a wild smile plastered in his face. He was the happiest man in the word, or would soon be the happiest man in the word. Scarlett hasn't said yes, not in so many words but she wanted him, he had no doubts about it now. She was just… nervous. She would come around. He was sure of it, there were no doubts in his mind.
As the week unfold his self-assurance started to fail. First, he got a letter from Scarlett. The letter was very short, very businesslike, only informing him that she would arrive in the following week and would like to meet him in the park, at four in the afternoon. She signed the letter only with her name. No 'love', no 'yours', only Scarlett. After that, he went calling on Miss Pitty and found out that Scarlett was looking for reliable labor to build her a new house and asked Pitty in her most recent letter to inquire about it in the city. Apparently, Scarlett's relationship with her sister was difficult and she was planning to have a house at Tara for her and her children, apart from her sister's house. Why was she making long term plans to stay at Tara? If they were planning on getting married, shouldn't she include him in the decision of where would they settle down? Suddenly, he couldn't pretend anymore that she had given him an answer. She hasn't said yes yet. On the contrary, she almost said no, listing reasons of why she shouldn't marry him. As the days passed, the warmth of her embraces was fading in his mind and slowly being replaced by the cold feeling that her impending rejection would leave him with. Rhett became very quiet and pensive. He was trying to understand the mixed signals Scarlett was giving him, when he suddenly thought that even if she didn't want to say yes, she might have to say yes in a few weeks. She could be pregnant. What would they do? He wouldn't let her face disgrace alone; he would marry her… But he didn't want her to marry him because she needed to. He wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her.
Rhett spent the rest of the week in this confused state of mind and when the day of Scarlett's arrival came, he couldn't wait for the afternoon to talk with her. He decided to wait for her on the train platform and get her answer once and for all. The expectation was killing him and he couldn't take it any longer. He waited and maybe he was too caught up in his thoughts and didn't notice his presence or maybe Ashley arrived only when the train was pulling in the station. The fact was that Ashley was there to greet Scarlett when she stepped off the train, and what a breathtaking smile she was bestowing on him. A smile that said pure joy. Scarlett offered her face for Ashely to give her a peck and they left the station together, leaving a crushed Rhett Butler behind.