Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Chapter Thirty
Beau went to the University of Georgia and then to Harvard Medical. Beau had never forgotten the miracle that saved his mother's life. He wanted to be part of saving lives. He would never tell his mother but he thought she had been very foolish to risk her life for the sake of having another child. Thank goodness his Aunt Scarlett had rescued her. His tuition was always paid by an anonymous source. He knew it was his Uncle Rhett but if he wanted to be anonymous Beau would let him be anonymous. He ended up marrying one of his Burr cousins.
When Ella had come out at fifteen, she was very popular. She was still a sweet, kind young lady. She had grown into her face and with some tips from her mother had been popular. Rhett had received several requests for her hand in marriage. One of them being from Beau Wilkes. Rhett had subtly asked Ella about her feelings for Beau. Ella had said, "I liked him when we were children but now, I would like to marry Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson was a shy young man. Rhett felt he would never screw up the courage to ask for Ella's hand in marriage. At the October fund raiser, he had bid one hundred and fifty dollars to lead the reel with Ella. Rhett had smiled. He later asks Scarlett if she had given him the money and Scarlett had said, "Of course. It's time to pass the torch." Rhett had smiled at his lovely wife. Robert's love for Ella had made him bold enough to court her in the most spectacular way. When he finally asked Rhett for her hand in marriage Rhett thought 'It is about time.' Rhett knew that Ella loved him so he said yes. So, in eighteen eighty-four their first child was married. Scarlett again was disappointed in the wedding. Ella had wanted the same thing as her Aunt Rosemary. Scarlett had planned their wedding accordingly. They had the ceremony in the backyard with a small supper party inside. Scarlett had signed the store over to Ella as a wedding present. Robert was a very good manager and had expanded the business by opening another store.
Wade went to Georgia State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in Athens in eighteen-eighty. After he graduated, he moved to Tara Too. Wade had bid one hundred and fifty dollars to lead the real with Bridget Harrison at the October fund raiser. The next year in eighteen eighty-five he was married to Bridget. They had a nice wedding in the home of her parents and a supper afterwards. She was the daughter of one of the Yankee transplants that settled in the area during reconstruction. Bridget was born in Atlanta which would make her a southerner but her parents were Yankees. Scarlett couldn't decide if she was a Yankee or not. Rhett told her, "It doesn't matter. Wade and Bridget are married so we should just welcome her into the family. After all the next thing you know they will be having children and you will be a grandmother." Scarlett got up and walked out of the room. It was several days later that Rhett finally coaxed her into talking to him again. He knew she was mad because he had used that ugly word, grandmother. Yes, she was still vain.
Rhett enjoyed watching Bonnie as the belle of the ball, every ball. She reminded him so much of Scarlett that all he could do was smile. At one of the balls he thought about Gerald O'Hara and smiled even more. He was walking the same path as the Irishman and probably not doing much better at controlling his daughters. As he was standing there his still beautiful wife joined him and smiled that special smile she saved just for him. Rhett had noticed that Bonnie only had eyes for one young man and he sighed. It would not be long before he would be walking her down the aisle. Ethan Rogers had bid one hundred and fifty dollars to dance with Bonnie at the October fund raiser. Rhett had liked the trend that was happening. He knew his wife had given Ethan the money. It was very romantic. Within three months of the fund raiser Ethan Rogers had asked for his daughter's hand in marriage. Rhett had checked him out and there was nothing wrong with him so he said 'yes.' In eighteen eighty-seven he gave Bonnie away in marriage. Scarlett again was disappointed in the wedding. Bonnie didn't want to have a big wedding either. She was following the trend of her Aunt Rosemary and her sister. The ceremony was in the back yard with a small supper party in the house.
Lizabeth came out when she was fifteen. She was so pretty and charming. She never lacked for suiters but none of them interested her. Lizabeth so reminded Rhett of her mother at that barbeque with all the men vying for her attention and Scarlett had been so bored. Finally, when Lizabeth turned eighteen, she met the man of her dreams. Scarlett said, "Lizabeth's suitor reminds me of you when we met at that barbeque." Rhett should be used to Scarlett getting these memory flashes by now but it always startled him. Then Scarlett said, "Except he doesn't have that look of pure lust on his face. I remember telling Cathleen Calvert that you were looking at me like you knew what I looked like with just my shimmy on."
Rhett took her hand and linked their arms and said, "I was wrong. You looked much better than I imagined you looked with just your shimmy on. You were the most entrancing woman there. You still are."
Scarlett smiled at him and she said, "Thank you. Have you had Jessie Franklin checked out yet?"
Rhett smiled down at his wife and wondered when she had gotten to know him so well and he was still amazed by her insight. The insight that was so missing from her when they were first married. He smiled at the memory of how obtuse she had been. Then he smiled even bigger when he thought of his discomfort when he really realized she knew he was lying to her. He had laughed when he thought of how easily she had been able to lie to him after her memory loss. Fortunately, she rarely felt the need to lie to him. At least he thought she rarely lied to him. Rhett replied, "Yes. I have. If he asks for Lizabeth's hand in marriage I will say 'yes.'
Scarlett said, 'Oh my baby.'
Rhett patted her hand and said, "You say that every time one of your children gets married."
Scarlett said, "As I said to Bonnie all those years ago, they will always be my babies."
Rhett pulled her close and said, "I know. They are my babies too."
Scarlett said, "They always have been."
After Jessie Franklin had bid one hundred and fifty dollars to lead the reel with her, their youngest daughter had agreed to marry him. They were married in eighteen ninety-three.
Lizabeth had wanted a big wedding and had made her mother so very happy. Lizabeth and Scarlett had spent hours discussing everything. It was held in their backyard and all of polite society had been invited. They had fireworks. They had a buffet because there were so many people. Scarlett had outdone herself. At the end of the night Rhett wrapped his arms around her and said, "I'm sorry our wedding couldn't have been this wonderful."
Scarlett said, "I don't remember our wedding but it was wonderful because we got married. We have been together twenty-five wonderful years."
When Rhett started to argue with her, she put her hand over his mouth and said, "I don't remember anything but you loving me and me loving you. Wonderful times."
Rhett kissed her and said, "Twenty-five wonderful years."
In eighteen ninety Nick went to the University of Georgia to study economics. He was planning on returning to Atlanta and helping his father with managing his father's large fortune. Nick had been courting Camilla Jenkins since she had come out. It was obvious to a blind man they were in love but he continued the family tradition and had bid one hundred and fifty dollars to lead the reel with Camilla. When he graduated in eighteen ninety-four Nick and Camilla were married that same year. Nick had been Scarlett's last child to marry and he and Camilla had a big wedding and her parents invited everyone in polite society. Scarlett was happy that Wade had been Nick's best man. It made her happy that her sons were good friends.
Bernard Wilkes had gone to the University of Georgia and returned to work at the newspaper. Bernard's tuition was always miraculously paid by an anonymous donor. One day, Melanie asked Scarlett if she knew anything about Beau and Bernard's tuitions being paid. Scarlett said, "I don't know anything about it." Which she didn't. Scarlett was sure her sneaky husband had taken care of it but he had never discussed it with her.
They had an empty nest. They sold their home and bought a little house down the street from Melanie and Ashley. It was a four-bedroom house with the master bedroom downstairs. The stairs were getting a bit much for Rhett. Rhett laughed at the fact that his wife didn't want to live more than five minutes from Melanie Wilkes. The woman she had hated and now adored. As she said, "My second-best friend."
In eighteen ninety-five Hugh Elsing stopped by to see Scarlett. Scarlett welcomed him into the parlor. She said to him, "I was sorry to hear about your sister."
Hugh said, "She never got over Tommy's death. She always blamed you for it. She told me on her death bed that she was the one who burned down your mansion. She was angry that we were struggling and you were living a very good life. She wanted to take something from you that would hurt you. After she killed your children's pony, she felt so guilty but she felt like y'all were even then."
Scarlett said, "I would never say my mansion or my children's pony was equal to her husband and I have always felt bad about my part in his death. I have been very fortunate in my life since I married Rhett. Thank you for telling me. What is your nephew going to do with his life?"
Hugh said, "He has a job at that new factory out on Decatur. The one where your mill used to be."
Scarlett said, "Good for him. How is your retirement?"
Hugh smiled and said, "Good. I go fishing every day. My wife hates it but I love it. I just wanted you to know who burned down your mansion and killed your children's pony and why."
Scarlett got up and walked Hugh Elsing out the door. She thought, 'That is one mystery solved.'
When she told Rhett he said, "I knew it was one of your enemies." And Scarlett glared at him and swatted his chest. He just laughed.
Nicholas had taken over the managing of Rhett's vast fortune and Rhett checked on it only once or twice a month. Nick was doing a great job. When Rhett passed away the entire fortune would go to Scarlett in trust. When she passed away it would be divided evenly between their five children.
Rhett and Scarlett marveled at the friendship between Nick and Wade. There was ten years difference between their ages but now that they were adults they were great friends.
They also marveled at the fact that Ella and Bonnie were so close because their personalities were so different. They had chosen to share a room until Ella got married and moved out. They decided that during the day Bonnie protected Ella but at night Ella protected Bonnie.
Rhett and Scarlett welcomed their grandchildren and enjoyed them. Rhett more than Scarlett but that was the way it always had been.
As Rhett reflected on their life, he could not be sorry that Scarlett had fallen down those stairs. Her memory loss had been key to them being happy. With her forgetting her childish crush on Mr. Wilkes and all those other tragic memories, they had become a loving couple. Her having gained so much insight after her fall and her having the ability to tell when he was lying had been fundamental to them openly talking. He did think it was funny that after her memory loss, she was much more emotionally mature than him. She was the one that had guided their reconciliation. He loved her but he hadn't been brave enough to tell her or show her. She had always made them sit down and talk their problems out. She had always made him work with her to reconcile their differences. She had been strong enough and courageous enough to guide them into a loving relationship.