Welcome back everyone. Sorry its taken so long for me to post a new update. Thank you so much to Igenlode and Isabelle for taking the time to review the story.

Chapter 21

On the first afternoon of March, a loud knock came on the door of the Tara mansion. Scarlett's eyes grew into big emerald saucers and she ordered Prissy to open the door as she ran up to her room to change into more suitable attire for meeting Rhett face to face. All of the sudden, her bravado began to melt and the beating of her racing heart filled her ears at the thought of Rhett lurking around downstairs.

Minutes later, as she emerged from her room and proceeded with uneasiness down the hallway towards the staircase, she heard a familiar voice greeting her ears with a sound that was as welcome as a morning songbird.

"Mammy!" Scarlett cried out joyfully as she rushed down the remaining steps towards her.

"Honey Chil'!" Mammy responded as tears welled up in her eyes. "Youse come gives yore Mammy some sugah!"

Scarlett happily complied as she scampered towards her. "Oh, Mammy! This is certainly a delightful surprise," she gushed with the merriment of a child on Christmas morning. As she hugged Mammy tightly, she glanced over her broad, pillowy shoulders and spotted Mable Rose and Chandler standing behind her.

"I see you brought Mable Rose and Chandler with you! Well fiddle-dee-dee! I declare this surprise just gets better and better! Mable Rose it is always a pleasure to see you, honey and Chandler I declare you just get handsomer and handsomer every time I lay my eyes on you. I just might need my smelling salts if I gaze upon you too much longer," she teased.

"I might just need you to save me some of those smelling salts if I keep looking your way, darlin'!" Chandler teased right back. From the time Scarlett had been married to Frank Kennedy they had always engaged in this sort of banter. They had considered it harmless fun, but there were times Frank had gotten upset with their exchanges; especially since a mere touch from Frank would often make Scarlett visibly cringe.

"Why don't ya'll make yourselves comfortable and I'll have Prissy prepare some refreshments for you to enjoy after your long trip from Atlanta. Prissy can you please bring them glasses of that lemonade you made this morning and some of those praline scones I brought back from the Merriwether Inn?"

"Yes, Miz Scarlett," Prissy answered, beaming brightly as she departed for the kitchen. She was very happy Mammy and Mable Rose had come to Tara and was looking forward very much to visiting with them during their stay.

"Where's Miz Suellen and Miz Careen?" Mammy asked Scarlett.

"Oh, they'll be along shortly. They had Big Sam take them into town to pick up some things they need. So I'm just dying to know what prompted ya'll to come and visit me?" Scarlett asked with pleasant curiosity.

"Well Miz Scarlett, we'se was worried about you since we'se knows Capt'n Butler was comin' down here to Tara for to ask youse for a divorce!" Mammy answered candidly.

"Oh, my stars! How do you all know that? Goodness me! Now I just remembered…Ashley sent me a telegram warning me about Rhett coming here. I suppose he must have been the one to tell everyone."

"Well…to tells youse da truth, Scarlett Capt'n Butler showed up out of da blue at your house in Atlanta one mornin' rights afore dat big blizzard and he was actin' mighty strange. He was a carryin' a big black briefcase with some papers and I'se wrote down some of da letters off dem papers and had Missuh Ashley to reads me back what dey say. Af'er he read it, he marched right down to the telegraph office to warns you what Capt'n Butler was up to so youse could be prepared. I hopes you don't hold it against us for doin' such a thang!"

"Oh, heavens no!" Scarlett responded quickly. "Thank you, Mammy for letting me know ahead of time and please let Ashley know how much I appreciated his help. I've had about enough of Rhett pulling the rug out from out me all these years so my sisters and me went and stayed for a while at the Merriwether Inn, just outside Bullochville. I told Big Sam to tell Rhett he didn't know where I was when he got here and that if he had anything further to discuss, to talk to my attorney – which – the funny part is he doesn't have any idea who that is!" Scarlett giggled.

"Well, Miz Scarlett, I reckon you got him good dat way for him wantin' to sneak up on you, but we'se wants to know what happen when he did come?" Mammy asked almost impatiently.

"Mmm…well Big Sam did what I asked him to and Rhett gave him a note before he left Tara. When I got home a few days ago I read the note and it said he'd be coming back in early March. Goodness me! I thought for all fire sure that was him at the door when ya'll got here and even though I thought I'd be ready to face him, I wasn't. I have to confess not only I am so very glad to see all of you, I'm also relieved you weren't him."

"Scarlett, you don't need to worry anymore," Chandler chimed in. "I have a feeling he's going to show up while we're here and I think you'll feel a little bolder with us here supporting you. By the way, I had the unique opportunity to meet your husband while he was in Atlanta and I think between Mammy and myself, we may have succeeded in laying some groundwork to help him rethink this whole divorce idea of his. I hope you're okay with that…"

Scarlett tilted her head to the side thoughtfully and looked intensely into Chandler's concerned eyes before she spoke, "Of course, I'm fine with that, but please read this note he left and then let me know if you think I have any reason whatsoever to get my hopes up," she said as she reached over to retrieve it from the end table and handed it to him.