Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews. I love all the feedback. Thanks.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The reason Scarlett was doing all this for Mary, a woman she barely knew, was because she remembered vividly how it felt for everyone to believe India's lies and she was not going to let that happen to another woman. Scarlett had developed empathy for other people after all the bad things that had happened to her. She clearly remembered no one giving her sympathy when Bonnie and Melanie died and how much that hurt. She now felt compassion and pity for people instead of contempt.
Mary and her husband, Dave, did attend the party. Rhett, Scarlett, Melly and Aunt PittyPat attended the party also. Either Melanie or Scarlett stood beside her all night long. One would stand beside Mary and her husband and the other would tell everyone the true story. Rhett spent his time visiting with the matrons and waxing poetically on how things are not always what they seem. PittyPat Hamilton stood beside Mary Clark also but it wasn't by choice. It was because neither Melanie nor Scarlett would let her leave their little group.
Fortunately, in this timeline Hugh Elsing did not act guilty. In fact, Scarlett never knew he had so much backbone. As the gentry saw that Melanie Wilkes, Scarlett Butler and PittyPat Hamilton were going to stand beside Mary Clark many of them began to accept the innocent explanation of what happened. Thelma Burnett helped more than she knew. Thelma was a little bit ditzy and even though she had heard the gossip she went over to talk to Mary Clark anyway. Thelma and Mary made quilts together and Thelma had needed to ask Mary's advice. She went over to talk to Mary about the quilts never realizing that she was breaking up the log jam concerning talking to Mary. A lot of people were beginning to believe Mary's story that it was an innocent hug but they didn't want to be the first one to receive Mary. Once Thelma had broken the ice then several more ladies came over to talk to Mary. Slowly more and more women came over and spoke with Mary Clark. By the time the party guests sang 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow' even Mrs. Merriwether was saying that she was sure it had all been innocent but Mr. Elsing and Mrs. Clark should remember the proprieties of proper society and this sort of thing wouldn't happen. With that Mary Clark's reputation was in good shape. There would always be questions but Mary could live that down.
After they had dropped PittyPat Hamilton off at her house Rhett had quipped, "If the Elsings invite us for Easter dinner, please, decline the invitation. That is going to be one very chilly meal."
To which both ladies laughed appreciatively.
After the group got home, Rhett and Scarlett went to their room and had relations. They conceived their son. Their relations were very, very good but there was no dark passion involved which was a little bit disappointing to both of them but they could not summon that dark passion because there was no darkness in their lives or their marriage.
The next day, Rhett and Scarlett talked about the mill incident. It was the first time they had ever spoken about it. They remarked about the similarities to the last time. They couldn't understand what was going on. Rhett did comment, "The difference was that you ask Mary Clark for her side of the story. Nobody asked you last time what had happened. Not even me."
"In the first timeline my reputation was so bad it wouldn't have mattered if anyone had asked me. Nobody would have believed me."
Rhett said sadly, "No they wouldn't have. Not even me."
"Stop second guessing yourself. I didn't give you any reason to trust me when I was with Ashley." She reached over and hugged him. He hugged her back. Shortly thereafter they went on with their day.
Soon after the incident Hugh got another job working as a shipping clerk for a railroad. Frank decided to sell the mills instead of replacing Hugh. Frank sold the mills to Brad Wallace. Brad was going to manage the mill while Peg managed the store. Peg told everyone she didn't think she could do it but she was going to try. The truth was that Peg knew she could manage the store while Brad managed the mills. The siblings were determined to never be poor again. They wanted a lot of money so they could control their destiny. Nobody commented on the fact that Peg was no longer calling herself Peg Stewart but was now going by Peg Wallace.
Frank sold the mills because he wanted to concentrate on his store. The store brought in enough money to support his family and the rest of the residences of the Hamilton House. He like being at the store where he could bring Ella and George to work with him. He would have been happier if Suellen would have stayed home but he never had the courage to tell her so. They didn't open another location of Kennedy's and they still hadn't built their house. Melanie was not happy with them continuing to live in her house.
In June Dr. Harrison confirmed she was pregnant. From that day forward she would not go up or down the stairs without somebody beside her. Mammy and Melanie thought she was being strangely overcautious but helped her up and down the stairs nonetheless. Rhett was happy to help her up and down the stairs and he always seemed to be right there when she needed him.
Elizabeth also thought Scarlett was being overly cautious also but helped her up and down the stairs when Rhett wasn't there. She spent two months with them in the summer. She was excited about them having another child. She said she would be back before the baby was born.
It was the first of September and Scarlett was five months along. Her head had hurt so bad for the last two days that all she had been able to do was lie in her bed. In the last week all she had done was vomit and feel like vomiting. Her hands looked like man hands and she didn't want to think about her feet. They had been so large that she had not been able to get them in her shoes. She wanted to cry and she knew whose fault it was. That rat-bastard Rhett Butler. She knew she was being illogical about Rhett but it was his fault that she hurt so bad. Only his child would cause her to feel this bad. Only his child would hurt her so much physically. Not that it was the baby's fault. Rhett would make everything alright. He always did. She had been so glad that Rhett had insisted that they send for the doctor. That Yankee doctor that had delivered Bonnie. She hoped that Rhett was going to be with her when Dr. Harrison examined her. She needed Rhett to hold her hand, her man hand. She didn't want him to see her hands. He had always said her hands were perfect. He had said they were so tiny and delicate. Not now. Now they were ham hocks. That made her want to cry. Maybe he would hold her instead. She really wanted him to hold her but that wasn't proper. She wondered where Rhett was. Didn't he know she needed him?
When Rhett walked in with Dr. Harrison, Scarlett thought, 'Finally Rhett is back with the doctor. It took him long enough.'
Dr Harrison checked her over as Rhett sat down in the chair that was next to the bed. He held her hand although it was awkward because of the distance between them and the doctor stood between them. Neither one would let go though. The doctor asked her, "Your husband says that you have been vomiting for the last week and you have had a headache for the last two days. Is that correct?
"Yes, and my stomach hurts."
"I can see that your face is swollen. May I see your hands?"
Scarlett gave him the hand that Rhett wasn't holding and tighten her grip on Rhett's hand. Dr. Harrison looked at her hand and said, "Your hands are swollen also. When was the last time you made water?"
"The last time I went to the privy was yesterday."
"Has your vision changed?"
"I can't focus on anything long enough to read it."
"Have you experienced dizziness?"
"I don't know I haven't gotten out of the bed."
"Are your thoughts confused?"
"My thoughts are muddled."
"I need to get Dr. Washington over here. Captain Butler would you send one of your servants to fetch Dr. Washington."
That scared both Rhett and Scarlett. Rhett got up and pulled the bell cord to summon a servant. After Rhett told the servant to fetch Dr. Washington, he sat back down in the chair next to the bed. Scarlett extended her hand and he quickly took it.
While they had waited for the other doctor to arrive Dr. Harrison had taken her blood pressure. She thought he had just done that. She looked at Rhett and he had a worried expression on his face. That really worried her. Rhett never worried about anything. He always had everything under control. Each minute that went by Scarlett had gotten more scared.
When the doctor arrived, he introduced himself as John Washington. He was a young man of about thirty. He was a Yankee too. Dr. Washington examined her and asked the same questions that Dr. Harrison had asked. He looked at her hands and at her feet. The doctors conferred. What Scarlett really didn't like was they kept turning to look at her. As Dr. Washington and Dr. Harrison talked Scarlett got more upset. As the doctors were conferring Rhett had moved closer to the bed. He was still holding her hand but now he was standing right beside her. When she looked at their clasped hands Scarlett couldn't help but notice that her hand was as big as Rhett's hand. Admittedly Rhett had small hands and feet for a man but her hand still shouldn't be as big as his. She wanted to jerk her hand away. She didn't want him seeing her big hands but it felt too good for him to hold her hand that she couldn't remove her hand from his grasp.
When the two doctors turned to Scarlett, she knew they had bad news. She said, "Am I going to die?"
Dr. Harrison said, "Maybe. If you don't take care of yourself and stay in bed the rest of your pregnancy."
Scarlett said, "Rhett!"
Dr. Washington and Rhett both scowled at Dr. Harrison. Rhett wished the doctor had not been so blunt but maybe that was for the best. The only thing that would keep Scarlett in the bed for four months was the possibility of her death.
Rhett sat down on the bed and gathered Scarlett up in his arms then he turned to face Dr. Harrison. He knew it wasn't proper but he didn't care. Rhett looked at Dr. Harrison and said, "Go on."
Dr. Harrison said, "You have pre-eclampsia. It is a disease that only affect women who are pregnant. The only cure is delivery of the child."
"Rhett!"
"Try to stay calm, my baby. Let's find out everything we can about this disease."
Scarlett said, "You listen to what the doctor is telling us. You are so much smarter than me. I just need you to hold me."
Dr. Harrison said, "As I was saying, Mrs. Butler, you have pre-eclampsia. It is a disease that only affects women who are pregnant. The only cure is delivery of the child. You will have to stay in the bed for the next four months. You will be extremely sick. You must stay away from all stressful situations. If you get overstressed you will die. You have high blood pressure and excessive fluids. Your vision will fluctuate. If you need to go to the privy get someone to walk with you in case you get dizzy. You will have to stay in the bed until the baby is born," He turned to Rhett and continued, "She could die and take the baby with her. She will need to be on a special diet and take some medicine. No relations! You will need to remove her rings, today. I will be by to see her every day.
Rhett had paled at the doctor's words. Scarlett could tell that Rhett was stunned. He wasn't moving. Scarlett said abruptly, "Rhett show the doctors out and find out about the special diet. Thank you, Dr. Washington and Dr. Harrison." As they were walking out Dr. Harrison had to smile only a southerner would be so proper as to thank him for coming by even though she had just found out she might die.
Author's Notes: I have used the disease pre-eclampsia in one of my previous fanfics but I chose to use it again because it is one of the few disorders associated with being pregnant that doesn't require blood test or modern equipment to diagnose. I wanted to use gestational diabetes but that doesn't have any clear symptoms. Furthermore, diabetes itself was not discovered until eighteen ninety-nine.
