CHAPTER 54

On the ride back to the Butler Mansion, Suellen was still curious about Steven and India. "Chandler, I don't understand why Steven doesn't like India. I thought she was fairly comely when were growing up together. Doesn't he want a new wife?"

Once again Chandler broke out into uncontrollable laughter. "Sue-Sue, when exactly is the last time you saw Miss India? I would not exactly describe her as comely. She is more like a bitter old maid with her hair pulled up into a bun so tight that it looks like she's got a pine cone sticking out of the back of her skull and she's a sour puss on top of that. I'd rather he'd stay a bachelor the rest of his life than marry her and believe me, he feels the same way."

"I guess it's just as well. What with you becoming Scarlett's brother-in-law, she probably wouldn't be crazy about India being in the Breckinridge family. I never had a problem with India, but she…." Suellen suddenly stopped herself from spilling the beans about Scarlett taking Charles away from India and ended it with, "let's just say they never say saw eye to eye on much of anything."

As they rolled along, Suellen stared out of her window and took in the scenery of the neighborhoods around her starting to change back to elegant homes as they drew closer to the Mansion. She almost had to pinch herself that she would soon be living in Atlanta full time. While she'd love the gracefulness of Tara, there was so much more to do in this city and soon she'd be part of it all with her very own husband to enjoy it with.

Chandler turned down a cobble-stoned street lined with blooming magnolia trees and Suellen commented, "Hope Scarlett and Rhett are finally up."

"I'm just glad they're finally back. I can't take this waiting for you to become Mrs. Breckinridge very much longer, Sue-Sue. You and Scarlett better get busy making plans for the wedding, darlin'."

Suellen coyly gazed at Chandler and smiled, knowing full well he was referring to their wedding night. She studied him when he wasn't watching her and realized she was anxious for their wedding night to come soon, too. When she'd met Chandler, it was during cooler weather and his physique had been hidden under a heavy lamb's wool coat and sweaters. Now the weather was much warmer and the shirts he wore revealed mounds of muscles pressing against clinging cotton fabric. She felt a tingle of sensuous expectation of what lay ahead for her on their wedding night. Back in Clayton County, before the war, there were plenty of potential male suitors, but in comparison to Chandler, they were just a collection of well-heeled, panty-waisted gentlemen. She'd always thought Scarlett was darn lucky to have Rhett just for that reason.

As the carriage came to a stop and he helped out her out, they headed up to the mansion full of excitement about Rhett and Scarlett's return.

When they walked into the mansion, Mammy came out of the kitchen and greeted them. "Miz Suellen, I needs fo youse to go a knock on yore sister's door. Her and Capt'n Butler's bin snorin' de affanoon away and here we'se fixin' to have our suppa in 'bout anotha hour or so! Lord have mercy! Wit dis much sleepin', I'se don't know hows de intends to git any sleep tonight!"

"Who says they've been sleeping?" Chandler asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Aw youse hush up now, Chandler. Don't youse come into dis house wit fiffy tings on youse mind! Youse saves dat stuff fo yore hunymoon!" Mammy scolded before she started laughing so hard that tears came spilling from her big brown eyes.

Suellen headed towards the stairs to oblige Mammy, but before she took her first step up the sweeping crimson staircase, she spotted Rhett and Scarlett at the top. "Scarlett!" Suellen cried out.

"Suellen!" Scarlett yelled back. "We heard the news about you two." She started to run down the staircase to greet Suellen, but Rhett grabbed her wrist to slow her down as he flashed back to her fall.

After they reached the bottom of the stairs, they spent several minutes hugging everyone. Finally, Mammy interjected with her announcement of the menu for the evening meal. "Lissun up! Dinna's just 'bout done. I'se made pot roast, wif scalloped taters and a special corn puddin' dat I learns how to make frum my granny when I'se a little girl back on a plantayshun en Mississippi. Now all youse start gitten washed up and ready. I ain't spent all day in dat der kitchen just to have all da food grow cold by the times youse people gits to da table."

"Yes general," Chandler replied as he saluted her. "My day would not have been complete unless we were following your orders."

"Young man, youse best be respectin' Mammy," Mable Rose replied in a stern voice, completely believing Chandler was sassing Mammy on purpose.

"What did I say? I've always been okay with Mammy being bossy. Everyone knows who the real person in charge is around here," he responded, taking delight in Mable Rose's reaction.

"You'd BETTA be a respectin' me when youse comes to visit here!" Mammy chimed in with a grumpy expression on her face.

Chandler turned beet red as he doubled over in laughter. "You two are too much! Mable Rose, you've known me since I was in diapers, you should know by now when I'm kidding around and by the way, so should you Mammy!"

Neither Mable Rose nor Mammy knew how to respond to Chandler so Suellen finally broke the silence. "Well, well …looks like I'm going to have to be prepared for being married to quite the mischief-maker."

"Well, darlin', it ain't too late to change your mind," Chandler responded with a serious tone of voice to try and get her goat, too.

"Well, if Chandler's decided I should change my mind, then perhaps that what I should do," she replied quietly with a wan look on her face.

"Oh, fiddle-dee-dee!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Suellen, you know Chandler was made to be your husband. You weren't exactly a goody-too-shoes growing up and I bet Ma would agree with me, too."

All of the sudden Suellen shook with laughter and replied, "I know we're perfect for each other. I love pranks just as much as he does and I just wanted to see what he would do, you silly goose!"

Chandler laughed outwardly, but inside he was relieved because he'd felt like maybe his teasing had gone too far, but he loved discovering Suellen could not only take a joke, but could give back as good as she got.

Rhett finally spoke up. " You two are in for a great marriage. That was the trouble with me and Scarlett our first time around. Everything was just too serious. I'd like to think that's changed greatly. Scarlett's a very funny lady, but I didn't get to see that side of her back then.

"Rhett, I think you're right. We used to laugh an awful lot when you came to visit me during the war, but that all sort of went away after our marriage."

"Youse all saves yore funnies fo' latah. Everybody do what Chandler say tado and follows my orders and git ready for dinna now!"

Everyone in the room let out a collective laugh and scampered off to their quarters to do just that.