Moon FireStar: Um great job at reminding me, I meant to have a scene with people remarking about Nicky's looks to Rhett. Lol. This chapter is longer solely because of you.
Guest: Yea, this fic is very that last 9% of the novel. So she had a few major spirited moments, but mostly very mellow.
AN: Um I hope everyone just had a normal crappy Monday and not a 2020 crappy Monday. And I hope Hump Day is just being long and not exhausting.
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Part Thirteen
Early May 1872
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"Congratulations Rhett," Dr. Meade said in the hallway outside of Scarlett's room.
"So quickly? Nicky isn't even 5 months old." They had only been trying for six weeks and she was still nursing Nicholas. Rhett had been waiting in the nursery playing with his son and daughter while the doctor had been in with Scarlett. He had the three-year-old hanging around his neck and the four and a half month old baby was drawing his tiny fist into his mouth repeatedly and leaving the slobber all over Rhett's coat. He had to focus on the doctor to drown out his daughter's words and his son's babble.
"Well you know once is all it takes and Scarlett is a very healthy woman."
He certainly knew once was all it took, the child in his left arm was proof of that. He had hoped for longer with this child. He should have known that was a foolish dream with how quickly Scarlett had fallen pregnant with Bonnie while he'd been trying to avoid getting her with child.
"It's still early though, make sure Scarlett takes it easy."
"Of course," he nodded.
Bonnie shrieked in his ear because of her confinement in his arms, it startled Nicky so that he started to cry.
"Good luck Rhett," Dr. Meade said with a nod.
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"Hello stranger," Belle said as she walked up to Rhett as he was standing with his cigar looking around the room, pondering what to do next.
"Good evening Belle."
"I can't even recall the last time I saw you in here," she smiled.
Truthfully, he couldn't either. He hadn't been foolish enough to stay out of the house while his wife had been allowing him in her bed. He'd made a few attempts at looking busy, but never enough to actually discourage his wife. They'd been in bed by 8 nearly every night they didn't go out. On the nights they did go out, Scarlett often didn't leave her bedroom until it was noon. Those six weeks had been better than their honeymoon.
He'd been lost in the last week trying to figure out how to occupy himself in the evenings now that Scarlett's goal had been accomplished. They had been going out or entertaining at home at least twice a week, he'd agreed to four events this week just to give himself something to do. They were becoming a sought after couple to socialize with.
Today they'd taken the afternoon meal with the Wilkes and he hardly trusted himself to remain in the house and not overindulge with brandy and try to convince his wife to continue to share her bed with him.
She still adored Ashley Wilkes, Rhett could see it every time they talked. He continued to be her moon. Ashley and Scarlett could fill the entire meal with conversation with no help from their dining companions. The children, all four of them now, adored him as well. The three that could talk were always eager to fill their Uncle Ashley in on what he had missed in their lives. Rhett had walked into the house for dinner and found Ashley on the couch holding Nicky in one arm, while balancing Bonnie on his knee while Melly and Scarlett looked delighted.
Long and agonizing hours passed as they did every other week when his wife insisted on hosting her in-laws for a meal.
In the hours since he had been in a tavern, a pub, a bar and now Belle's sporting house. He'd hardly been in the mood for cards and the company at every venue had gotten rather old rather quickly. He generally never allowed himself to behave in such a restless manner, but he couldn't conceal it today.
"The children," he gave a nod, explaining his long absence from her establishment.
"Of course, the children. Your little boy's still the talk over the town. Everyone says he looks just like you."
"I don't know, I rather think he had Scarlett's ears, perhaps her nose."
She laughed lightly.
He knew for certain it was still the talk of the town. Before for most of the town it had been word of mouth, from people that had gone to visit Scarlett or from the few daytime social events Scarlett did with Nicky. Everyone else had needed to then confirm it with him that his son looked like him. There had been a never-ending stream of women coming to talk to him at the bank, at Kennedy's or on walks with Bonnie. Men had even approached him about it. In the recent change to good weather people were finally getting to see Nicholas Butler themselves. People occasionally walked into each other on the street while looking at Nicky in his pram.
"I was out with Lily last week, we saw you out with Scarlett and your children," she paused, "and the dog."
"We've walked a few times to greet the oldest when school gets out now that the weather is good."
"Certainly, looked like you had your hands full."
Those walks certainly had moments of chaos. Scarlett always wanted to take Ramsey, which Rhett had to agree was the best way to get Wade excited to have them meet him. Bonnie always wanted to walk Ramsey, he was well aware that allowing a three-year-old to walk a dog that weighed five times what she did, would end in disaster and Wade loved that dog more than he loved his siblings, likely combined.
So he'd often end up holding the dog's lead while carrying his daughter to stop her tantrum, depending on the day he'd also be carrying Ella as well. There had yet to be a walk where he hadn't ended up carrying them both, at the same time. All while Scarlett had to do was simply push the pram.
The ordeal should have been exasperating.
It wasn't though.
It was nice.
Fun even.
One of the girls was always laughing about something and they were so easy to make laugh.
He and Scarlett had taken to discussing the mills and Kennedy's. He'd thought originally it would tempt her into returning.
There were moments when she'd get overly involved, but she never asked for them back and he doubted she would now with the new baby. Talking about them with her reminded him of just how in sync their minds were. They were a perfect match.
"Nothing I can't handle."
"Glad Scarlett let you back in her bed again."
His brows lifted.
"I take it you decided not to teach her how to avoid another little one so soon."
"How-"
"How you were looking at her, everyone knows Scarlett's the least delicate thing there is in Atlanta. You were looking at her like she was made of porcelain."
"Scarlett wanted Nicholas to have a playmate." He wouldn't go into Scarlett's past with Belle, he had on occasion, but never to the point where he truly told the woman just how damaging Scarlett's past had been. Belle had always thought he'd been a fool when it came to Scarlett. She was strong, but she had been damaged there were chinks and cracks all throughout her. Chinks and cracks that hadn't healed and mended, but were covered by a new layer of paint. Rhett imagined he often looked at Scarlett as if she were made of porcelain. He put up with a great deal that most husbands would have never.
"The girls still don't play with each other?" Belle remarked with a frown finding that odd, "They're getting older. I'm sure they will soon. Will Bonnie even be four when the new baby is born? You might want give Scarlett a break after this, poor girl's averaging a baby every other year, I imagine she has a lot of clothing going to waste."
He paused for a moment, recalling his own words to Scarlett regarding how young Nicholas still was. As it was, for all the strife in their marriage, Nicholas had been conceived just 2 years past his older sister being born. Bonnie had been born when Ella was just past two years old. That was an awful lot of children in a very short time. Belle was right with this baby, the average was Scarlett would be having a baby every other year with the last four.
He should probably be grateful she had kicked him out of their bedroom because he'd always heard how women often didn't conceive while they were nursing and he'd have likely used that as an argument, yet his wife was currently pregnant. Scarlett would have slit his throat while he slept if she'd conceived before Bonnie was 5 months old.
"As I told you Belle, this was Scarlett's decision."
"You certainly do seem to enjoy being a family man now."
"I waited long enough to do it; I might as well enjoy it."
"Hope Scarlett knows how lucky she is," Belle smiled.
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Mid-May 1872
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"Wasn't the photographer just here?" Rhett questioned as Scarlett informed him that she had booked the photographer for later in the week. They were taking a late supper together, a rarity for them, to be taking a meal alone. He'd been delayed in town and he'd certainly not admit to Scarlett that he had already eaten when the meal had been set out, awaiting his return and his wife had been in formalwear. He had said he'd be home for supper, he had meant the earlier one.
He imagined he wouldn't be going out tonight. He would ask her she wanted to retire to the parlor after the meal, or perhaps a game of billiards. She'd enjoyed learning when they were first married, especially since it was so unladylike.
"He was here in February," she informed her husband.
She had moved up their previous schedule with the photographer because she'd wanted photographs of Nicholas. His mother had been delighted upon his visit to receive a picture of her grandson. As it was though, even though he'd sent his mother a picture of their family three times a year, she'd only had two of the photos displayed in the public area of her house. He imagined it was still only two as she'd wait for Nicholas to be older. It was one of the few vulgar displays of their wealth that he actually appreciated that Scarlett insist they indulge in. He knew his mother did as well, she simply kept them in her private rooms and only shared them with Scarlett's aunts and his sister.
"It has not been four months Scarlett, three times a year-" Most people he knew didn't have photos taken once a year, he imagined his wife would have the photographer out once a week if allowed.
"Bonnie and Nicky are changing so quickly," she defended.
"Which is likely why we should have remained on your previous schedule, which was April, August and December."
"We would have missed Nicky-"
"Unable to hold up his head," he retorted before she could finish her statement.
"One day the children will be grown, and you'll be grateful we had the funds for such an indulgence."
He smiled recalling how long it had taken Scarlett to get Nicholas' gown to cover the fact that her waist had not recovered from having him. He wondered if this advance in their timeline was to show off her trim waistline before it was once again lost. The next photo would take ages to hide the growing swell of their baby "We will not be taking photos more than four times a year, no matter what argument you come up with next year."
She smiled, pleased with his agreement. "You could always take up photography as a hobby."
He laughed taking a sip of his wine as he imagined trying to control Bonnie in room full of chemicals.
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She was happy in a way she didn't think she'd ever be again.
Rhett was so kind and considerate.
He hadn't returned to nearly every night out at Belle's even though he hadn't returned to her bed since they found out about the baby.
She had missed his attention that way, but she'd never dare to admit it.
She finally had something he wanted again, his children.
He seemed almost happy to be married to her again.
She would keep having children. Truly having them wasn't so bad when it made Rhett so happy.
She suspected he would actually spend time with her this confinement.
Perhaps it would pass in a series of bawdy stories and novels being read aloud as her confinement with Bonnie.
She didn't think she would mind that too dreadfully.
She finally had the power, it wasn't his love for her, but the children. She was crucial to that as their mother. She had let Bonnie be taken by Rhett too easily, she wouldn't make that mistake again.
Oh he'd be a happy besotted fool in a few years, covered in babies giving him drooling kisses.
He would do anything for her then.
Thanks for reading!