Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Wade's Epilog

Author's Notes: Just an idea that came to me after reading Truckee Gal's review.

Wade's parents were celebrating twenty-five years of marriage and as Wade sat at the table with his wife, Abby, he marveled over his life. His life had started off bad and had gone downhill from then until Mother had married Papa. Actually, his life had not started to get better until Bonnie had been born.

He had been born to a seventeen-year-old widow who was not ready to be a mother. His mother was a diva and always would be. She had been the belle of five counties before she married his father. He had heard enough of the rumors to know she had only married him because everyone else was getting married. Maybe they would have had a happy marriage because his Aunt Melly was her best friend and everyone says Charles Hamilton was just like his sister. They would never know. He died of measles two months after they were married. His mother hadn't even known she was pregnant when her husband died. Lucky for him Aunt Melly had wanted to be a mother and she took care of him his first years of life. His Aunt Melly and Aunt PittyPat. He smiled at the memory of the dear ditzy old woman who drove both his Mother and Papa crazy with her antics. Them and his Uncle Henry.

Although he was only two and a half, he would never forget their escape from Atlanta that night Papa had somehow gotten them out of Atlanta. He would never forget the year and a half that followed. He still remembered how hungry he was, his mother crying by his bedside when he was sick and there was no money for medicine, his mother standing up to that soldier to save his sword, and the constant look of anguish on his mother's face. He also remembered Aunt Melly being so kind and loving during those times. He had needed both of them to get through those years.

He didn't want to think about the years they had spent with Uncle Frank. He had heard his mother tell Aunt Suellen that she was lucky she hadn't married Uncle Frank for Uncle Frank was a horrible husband and Wade had always agreed. His strongest memory of Uncle Frank had been of the man insisting that Wade eat everything on his plate including the yams. He hated yams. He still hated yams. That year after the war they had eaten yams almost every meal. Sometimes that had been the entire meal. He would never eat another yam again. Like his mother and his Aunt Melly yams would never be served at his table. No matter what his mother said Uncle Frank would not back down from making Wade eat all of his yams. His mother had stood there time after time and eaten the yams for him in front of Uncle Frank. That was why he would always love his mother. No, she wasn't warm and fuzzy but she would always protect the ones she loved.

Things weren't much better after Mother had married Papa. Wade knew she was still worried about ever going hungry again. That she was worried about someone stealing her money like Uncle Frank had. That she was worried about the unexpected. The unexpected like getting pregnant when she didn't want to have any more children. He knew that at the time children were not a blessing but just another mouth to feed. Wade knew that she had loved her children but she had been too worried about the future to show that love. At the time Papa had not understood that. He had lots of money and he would take care of her but she didn't trust anyone but herself and maybe Aunt Melly.

Then something changed after Bonnie was born. Not right away but after a while. In fact, things got worse between the two of them and Mother got even more anguished. Even Wade could tell that Mother needed someone to tell her everything was going to be alright. It seemed Papa was doing the opposite.

After they had gotten back from the trip to Charleston things got a lot better between them until they were acting loving toward each other. Papa had stopped speaking to Mother in a rude tone of voice and Mother had started listening to Papa's advice. After they all got back from Paris Wade rarely saw his parents fight. Oh, they had spats but he knew even then they both enjoyed their verbal squabbling.

One of the best days of his life was when he had overheard them fighting about him taking riding lessons. He had just turned eleven and Papa had said to Mother, "Wade is going to start taking riding lessons.

Mother had replied, "No he is still too young."

"Every other boy his age is taking riding lessons."

"No, he is too young. He is my son and I will decide what is best for him."

"No, Scarlett, he is my son too. He is the only son I am ever going to have since it appears, I can only produce girls. I have made up my mind. We will speak of this no more."

At that Mother had flounced out of the room. When she got to the foyer she turned and said, "Are you coming?"

With that comment Papa had smiled a cocky smile and said, "Of course, my dear."

Wade had not understood it at the time but a few months later he knew what they had been going upstairs to do. The arrival of his youngest sister nine months later filled in the puzzle for him.

He remembered walking in on his parents while they were having relations in the library when he was thirteen. His mother had been sitting on top of Papa and at first, he had not known what they were doing. He just stood there and stared at them. He continued to stare as his mother started moving and saying obscene things. Finally, he saw Papa waving him out of the room. The conversation he had later with Papa was embarrassing. It had luckily opened the door to him asking questions to Papa. After that they started going riding together every Wednesday. Papa had said, "We men needs sometime to ourselves. I don't know about you but if I don't get away from all those women sometimes, I will go insane."

Wade smiled as he thought about living with his five sisters. Thank goodness he had his cousin Beau, Papa, and he had attended an all boys' school. The giggling and the screeching had been the worst. Somebody was always fighting with someone. Somehow, he had been designated the peace maker. They were all coming to him with all their problems with their sisters. Ella had probably gotten the worst of it because she was such a gentle person. She hated fighting with anyone. She would let Bonnie and Alex take her stuff without more than a mere quiet protest. Papa always seemed to know when to step in and defend Ella. The other four would fight to the death over some of the silliest things. He remembered Alex slapping Charlotte one time because Charlotte wouldn't give her back her favorite ribbon. There had been some hair pulling and a broken necklace before it was all over.

Wade smiled when he thought of Mother's often repeated comment to Papa, "You wanted all these girls. Deal with it."

Papa would smile at his wife's retreating back and set about restoring order.

Wade thought about all the men who had become his friend just so he would introduce them to one of his sisters.

Nonetheless he had missed all of them when he had gone to Harvard and Harvard Law School. When he came home for the summers, he was so happy to see all of them. He was also happy to be going back to school in the fall. He had been busy working in Uncle Henry's law office but even so after a while the giggling, the screeching, the whispering of secrets and leaving someone out, the gentleman callers, and the vying for Papa's attention was all too much and he was ready to return to the peace and calm of his life in Boston.

Wade laughed out loud when he remembered Mother's anger when he brought home his bride. His very Bostonian, Yankee bride. He had the foresight to marry her in Boston and therefore when his mother found out about the marriage it was already too late. His mother was ranting and raving about her being a Yankee and how could he shame the family this way. Papa had been watching Mother the entire time and when she stopped to take a breath he had said, "If we want to talk about shaming the family let's talk about a seventeen-year-old widow dancing when she was barely out of full mourning."

"That was for the cause."

Which made Papa laugh and he said, "My love, they are married. For all we know they may already be expecting a child thus making you a …"

"Rhett Butler! If you want to live to see another dawn you will not finish that statement. Welcome to the family, Abby. Let's go." Mother stormed out of the parlor and Papa just smiled happily and followed her.

No, Abby had not been with child thanks to Papa's teachings on how to prevent a pregnancy. Wade was happy that it was Ella that had made their mother a grandmother not him. Ella had been so happy about being with child that even their mother had to be happy for her. Six months later they had presented her with another grandchild. Three months later Bonnie had given their mother another grandchild. Within one year his mother had three grandchildren. She was alright with having grandchildren but she always referred to them as Rhett's grandchildren. His mother was still vain. She chose to have them call her Nana. She said, "It doesn't sound so old."

Wade looked at his wife all dressed up for the occasion. She was so beautiful to him. He was proud of Abby. She never started a fight with her sister in laws but she didn't back down from one either. Abby never fought with her mother in law because after the initial poor start the women got along famously. He was a fortunate man and he knew it. He over all had a good life. He had a wonderful wife, two sons, great parents, great sisters and luckily a male cousin almost his age. He could not ask for more except to gain Papa's talent for always picking out the perfect presents for the ladies in his life. When Wade had asked Papa how he did it. Papa had said, "I just hear what they want in my head." Papa had smiled that smile he smiled when he had a private joke that he wasn't going to share.