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CHAPTER 67

Miz Scarlett! I needs yore help!"

"What is it, Mable Rose?" Scarlett asked uneasily.

Mable Rose put a finger to her lips and meekly gestured for Scarlett to follow her to the end of the hallway so they could have some privacy before she answered her. "Miz Scarlett, I gots to tell you sumthun, but I needs yore help afore we both tells Mammy."

Scarlett looked back quizzically at Mable Rose. She wondered if Mable Rose was planning to leave to go to work for Chandler and looking for the courage to tell Mammy.

"Miz, Scarlett, Pork is dead!" Mable Rose blurted out. "Mammy's just gonna be plum' asides hersef, so I'se needs youse to help me tell her. Youse know how long deyse bin togetha. So long dat Pork is like her kinfolk."

The rosy color drained from Scarlett's face and her emerald eyes transformed to a dark, olive shade. She clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle her shocked gasp. She realized instantly that she'd been with Pork a long time herself and he was like family to her, too. She only wished Mable Rose hadn't told her about his death so abruptly. She tried to regain her composure and asked Mable Rose, "Where is Mammy? I know she always beats the sun up every morning. Are you sure she doesn't already know?"

"Mammy done heard from Missuh Wilkes yesterday dat Beau was feelin' poorly so she offer to go early and watch him 'til Miz Pitty Pat come to stay wif him lata on today. She don't suspect a thang."

"When did you find out Pork passed away?"

"Well, Miz Scarlett, I'd ask Pork last night ta come and help me move my dressa dis mornin' so I'se could get behind it to do some dustin'. He say he would come and do it early since he was headin' into town dis morning. I waited and waited and I knows it ain't like Pork not to keep a promise so I wents to check on him a little bit ago and dats when I founds him out stone cold wif no breaf comin' frum him."

By now, Rhett had started coming out of the bedroom and saw Scarlett and Mable Rose huddled together. He looked down in their direction and was wondering what was going on. As Scarlett spotted Rhett's silhouette emerging from the bedroom door she went racing towards him.

"Oh, Rhett!" she cried out breathlessly as she finally lost her composure and tears started spilling down her pale cheeks. "Pork is gone!"

Rhett sighed as tears filled his eyes, too. On some level, he'd always taken Pork's presence for granted and his unexpected departure made Rhett fathom what a treasured soul he'd been despite his unassuming disposition. He wrapped his arms around Scarlett and held her warmly to reassure her. "Scarlett, I am so sorry. I know Pork's been a part of your life since you were a baby. I know you will surely miss him, as will I. It goes without saying that Mammy is besides her with grief."

Scarlett pulled away from Rhett's embrace and looked at him soberly, "Rhett, Mammy doesn't know yet!"

"Why not?" he asked in disbelief.

"She left early this morning to take care of little Beau at Ashley's since he's not feeling well today."

"I'll go into town right away and find an undertaker. It is so hard to believe that we had a festive wedding celebration just a few short days ago and now this happened. When is Mammy coming back?"

"She'll be back later on this morning after Miss Pitty Pat arrives at Ashley's to take over for her."

"Capt'n Butler, I'se so worried 'bout how we'se gonna break da news ta Mammy," Mable Rose uttered forlornly between sobs.

"Don't you worry, Mable Rose," we'll all get through that together. I just hope I can get the undertaker over here before Mammy returns," he replied as he turned towards the bedroom to get ready to leave.

As Scarlett watched the door close behind Rhett, she realized how trivial and selfish her ongoing argument had been with him. She finally grasped that she was quite fortunate that Rhett was trying to lead a proper life now, especially when they had another child on the way. She also thought back to those dreadful, long months when she thought she'd lost him forever. She decided she would ask Rhett about having Reverend Wallace officiate at Pork's funeral. She thought it would help mend their rift and had to admit the thought of having him preside over the funeral was more comforting to her than using a priest she'd never met.

About an hour later, Rhett returned with the undertaker and his helper. Scarlett, Careen, and Mable Rose went out to the verandah while the men attended to Pork. After they left, Rhett came out to check on them. "I thought you ladies could use a cup of tea and some of these delicious oatmeal raisin cookies Mammy made yesterday," he announced, trying his best to sound cheerful as he placed the tray down on the table before them.

"Well, tank you fo' being so thoughtful, Capt'n Butler," Mable Rose said gratefully as she reached for some cream to add to her steaming cup of tea.

"Yes, thank you, darlin'," Scarlett said sweetly. "Now that the undertakers have come and taken Pork away, I guess we should start making our plans for the funeral. How do you feel about Reverend Wallace performing the service?" Scarlett asked Rhett pointedly.

Rhett's eyes lit up at the prospect of having Wallace do the service. "Scarlett, my love, I think that is an excellent idea! I think you, Mammy, Mable Rose, and I should go and talk to him about that this evening. I'm sure he'll want to know as much as he can about Pork before he does the service."

"I agree and now I have to figure out how we're going to contact Big Sam and Prissy about the funeral," Scarlett mused. "If we send a telegram, that won't do much good because neither of them can read."

"Maybe I can make arrangements with the livery service and send Careen down to bring them back," Rhett quickly suggested.

"Careen, would you be okay with that?" Scarlett asked nonchalantly, just assuming she would be.

Careen hesitated before she answered. "I think I'd rather see if Nicholas can take me down instead of a livery driver."

"I'll take you into town so you can ask him," Rhett responded warmly.

Careen smiled brightly at him and quickly downed her tea and announced she was ready to go. As she flew through the verandah door, Scarlett suppressed a snicker. "That young lady is becoming more like me all the time. That is exactly what I would have wanted to do, too."

Mable Rose chuckled in agreement and told Scarlett that no would one ever stop missing Pork, but that it looked like there was going to be a whole lot of new people to love coming their way.

Scarlett smiled in agreement as she pictured all the children that would soon be filling her life, from her own to Paddy and Fiona's and Chandler and Suellen's and hopefully, Careen and Nicholas', too.