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Chapter Forty-Eight

Bonnie was well enough to be moved back to her bed but she had to stay in bed for another two weeks. Once Bonnie was back in her own bed, Wade stopped coming into the room again. He quickly lost that worried expression and returned to being a happy little boy again.

Scarlett worried about Wade and his fear of disaster looming everywhere. When she talked to Rhett about it, he said, "He had an awful thing happen to him before he was even born. He lived through a year and a half of starvation. His uncle died. His mother almost died. Now his sister has almost died. It will be his nature for a while to always expect the worst but his personality is basically a happy one so he will be fine. He is resilient like his mother. He will always survive and probably triumph like his mother also."

That statement made Scarlett so happy. It made her so very proud. Rhett so rarely gave her compliments from the heart. Yes, she knew he loved her. Yes, she knew he was proud of her. Yes, she knew he thought she was wonderful. Every now and then she would like to hear him say it. The only compliments he ever gave her were on her looks. Sadly, she thought I never compliment him on anything but his looks either. He knows how much I need him but I should tell him more often.

Rhett made Scarlett go see the sights of Florence while he stayed with Bonnie. As Rhett stayed with Bonnie while she recovered, he recalled Wade's words the day Bonnie was born, 'It is the one thing you can't protect her from. Mama being ill.' He hadn't been able to protect Bonnie from it either but he was not going to grieve for the loss. He was going to be glad that Bonnie was alive and seemed to be as alert and smart as ever.

When the group went to see the statue of David Melanie, Elizabeth, Scarlett, Sally, and Evie giggled like schoolgirls and Esau covered up Prissy's eyes and made her walk away. Wade and Beau didn't understand what was so funny. Alex at eighteen months just wanted his Mama. When Scarlett and Rhett got in bed that night Scarlett whispered in Rhett's ear, "I love you. More importantly I need you. You take care of me and do everything you can to make me happy. You were so strong during this crisis. I was able to draw off your strength."

"I thought you were the strong one and I was drawing off of your strength."

"Oh, Rhett."

After a little bit of kissing she said, "I saw the statue of David today."

Rhett smiled really big when he felt his wife touch his member. He kissed his wife very passionately. He just hoped he measured up to the statue of David.

They did not continue their tour of Europe. They went straight to New York to the teaching hospital there. Rhett used his money to get Bonnie an appointment with an Otolaryngologist in the hospital in three days.

While they waited for the appointment Scarlett made Rhett show them the sites of New York. Rhett took Beau, Wade, Melly and his mother to the Museum of Natural Science. Scarlett, Prissy and Bonnie went shopping at Lord and Taylor's, Macy's and Bloomingdale's while Evie, Sally and Esau took Alex to the park. They all went to the menagerie of animals at Central Park. They all went to the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Rhett took them all to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Nobody could believe how opulent and beautiful the cathedral was.

When they got to the receptionist, Rhett said, "We are here to see Gary Zerlin."

The receptionist said with a kind voice, "What is the patient's name?"

Rhett replied, "Bonnie." At the same time Scarlett said, "Eugenia Butler."

Rhett said, "Yes, her name is Eugenia but she goes by Bonnie."

The receptionist nodded but didn't ask any questions. She could tell this couple was from the South. They did unusual things down there in the South with their names. Like all those double names.

The receptionist said, "Just have a seat and you will be called back to his examining room in a minute."

They talked quietly. Rhett kept Bonnie entertained. At last, they were called to go back to the examining room. When they were shown into the room there were several men there. The man that seemed to be in charge was a middle-aged man standing next to a long table. The rest of the men were young. They were in their early twenties. They reminded Scarlett of her first husband when he was earnestly explaining to her why he was going to join Wade Hampton in South Carolina. She wondered why she thought that.

The middle-aged man said, "I'm Gary Zerlin. I am the doctor that will examine your daughter. These gentlemen are students at the medical school. Tell me what brings you here."

Rhett said, "My daughter had Meningitis and it has left her deaf in her left ear and with only partial hearing in her right ear. We are hoping you can restore her hearing."

"Please place the child on the table."

After Bonnie was sitting on the table, Rhett continued to stand next to her and Scarlett stood next to him. She couldn't move away. She needed to be touching him to stay strong.

Dr. Zerlin seemed to be playing a game with Bonnie but Rhett could tell he was examining her at the same time. When he was finished, he gave Bonnie his stethoscope to play with.

The doctor turned to Rhett and Scarlett and said, "She has permanent hearing loss. She is completely deaf in her left ear and I would say has fifty percent of her hearing in her right ear. I can see that the little hairs inside her left ear are gone and in her right ear they are damaged. There is no treatment. I'm sorry."

Rhett picked Bonnie up and they walked out of the examining room. As they walked out the students were asking Dr. Zerlin all kinds of questions. That made Rhett mad. To the students their daughter was just an interesting patient. He felt Scarlett's hand tug on his arm and she said, "Come on, baby. She is just a freak to them." Rhett nodded his head and they walked out of the building.

They both knew their lives were never going to be the same ever again. Their lives had been drastically changed forever.

They returned to the hotel and told everyone the news and that they would leave to return home tomorrow. Elizabeth took Rhett aside and handed him two tickets to the opera for that night. She said, "It's not as grand as La Scala but I hear the Grand Opera House is nice. Your new life has begun. Take your wife out and enjoy yourselves. I'm sure Mrs. Wilkes and I can handle all the children. Before you ask, I got the tickets with liberal use of your money. I promise the hotel portier a nice tip if he could get you these tickets. The cost of the tickets will be included in your final bill."

"Thank you, Mother. This is perfect."

Rhett and Scarlett went to an opera called Faust. Rhett had a great time. Scarlett enjoyed getting dressed up and wearing her tiara. Wearing her tiara made her feel like a queen. They went to supper and the opera. They forgot all their troubles and just enjoyed their evening together. Rhett teased and Scarlett laughed. Rhett made mocking comments about other people in the audience and Scarlett laughed. Rhett even made up a few stories about these people that were pretty earthy that made Scarlett laugh nonetheless she did blush a couple of times.

The next day everyone went home. Elizabeth and her maid to Charleston and the rest of them to Atlanta. There was no point in staying away. Fate had not taken their little girl but it had left a lasting blow. They never heard of any other child dying so they decided the twist was Bonnie surviving but being deaf.

When they were almost back in Atlanta Scarlett said, "We could have stayed in Atlanta and still saved Bonnie's life"

Rhett replied, "You don't know that. Yes, she got sick but she might have gotten sick and died if she had been in Atlanta."

Scarlett just stared at Rhett. She finally said, "Are you serious?"

"You have no conclusive proof that my belief about her dying if she stayed in Atlanta was incorrect."

"Please go get me some coffee." If Rhett didn't leave, he was going to die whether he was in Atlanta or not.

"I would be glad to get you some coffee." He got up and walked to the dining car.

She thought, 'Talk about stubborn. He was just a stubborn mule. Just like Mammy had said all those years ago.' She did allow herself to giggle at his audacity but that was her Rhett.

All three of the adults did what they did in a crisis. Scarlett took control of the situation and took everyone but Rhett to Tara. Rhett had research to do. Within two days he was at Tara also. He would take the train every morning into Atlanta but he was back at Tara every evening. Rhett went to the book stores and the library and read every book on deafness. He interviewed every doctor in Atlanta. He checked on his investments. All the adults were concerned while trying not to show it for the sake of the children. Melly held Bonnie and loved on her. Scarlett and Rhett spent a lot of time with the children also. Scarlett and Rhett were always saying, "Don't cry because she is deaf, rejoice because she is alive" to each other and everyone else.

Scarlett arranged to have Suellen's children come to Tara. Rhett brought them down with him on one of his day trips.

Gerald kept looking at Bonnie with a pensive look on his face. One day at breakfast he stood up and said, "Come Katie Scarlett. Let's walk to our special spot."

Scarlett stood up and said, "Yes, Pa."

When her Pa asked her to walk to their special spot with him, he usually had something to talk to her about. They walked up to the bend in the road. It was a small rise and they could see all of Tara from there. They stood there for a few minutes admiring the view.

Gerald said, "Your husband is a fine man. I like him a lot. He will never be happy living in the country."

"I know, Pa. We all can't be perfect like you and me."

"It's the English in him I suspect."

Scarlett smiled and waited.

Gerald said, "I have made a decision. I have been thinking about it for a while. With the Bonnie Lass's illness, it has made me decide to do it. I am going to change my will. I want Tara to stay intact. I am leaving it all to Careen and Will. They both love Tara and they both are happy living in the country."

Scarlett stood there for a long while looking at Tara. She thought about her happy childhood at Tara. She thought about selling herself to Frank for three hundred dollars to save Tara. She thought about Rhett never going to Tara with her the first time they were married. She thought about Ashley and all his visits and a sad smile came to her face. She thought how much stronger she had gotten at Tara after her divorce. She wanted to scream 'no' because Tara was her home. She thought about how much Wade loved Tara and how she had wanted to leave it to him. She looked at her Pa and remembered what Ashley had said that day so long ago. 'Tara was what she loved more than him.' Yes, she had loved Tara more than Ashley but she didn't love Tara more than Rhett. Pa was right Rhett would never live at Tara and she would never live anywhere without Rhett. What was best for Tara was to let it go to Will and Careen. They loved it as much as she did. Maybe more.

Gerald put his arm around her and had watched the emotions play across her face and had known the minute she had accepted that Tara belonged to Will and Careen now. She smiled sadly at her father and said, "That is what is best for Tara. Will and Careen will take good care of Tara because it is theirs. You are right it is better to keep Tara intact."

"I will go into Atlanta tomorrow and talk with Mr. Hamilton."

"Alright Pa. Are you going to talk to Suellen?"

"Suellen doesn't care about Tara. I sometimes wonder if that girl has any Irish in her at all. She must be all English."

Scarlett laughed and they walked back to the main house.

Later that day Scarlett decided that Pa didn't like Suellen very much which she thought was very sad. He loved her because she was his child but he didn't like her. As Rhett had said Suellen was not a likeable person. Suellen had always been a whining, tattle telling, person who told their mother every time their Pa had done something their mother hadn't wanted him to do. She had told on Scarlett all the time also. Their mother had not been close to any of her daughters but the one Ellen had seemed to like the most was Careen. Probably because Careen looked the most like her. Pa had liked her best. Mother had liked Careen best. Where did that leave Suellen? Nowhere good.

Scarlett soon forgot all about Suellen. She was still not a deep thinker and although she was a more caring person, she only cared about the people she liked.

She went to play with her children. They were playing tag. A game Bonnie could easily play. Melanie and Careen were playing also. Soon Scarlett joined in. They passed the rest of the afternoon playing games with the children.

Scarlett knew that it was best that Careen and Will inherit the plantation. Pa was right it needed to stay intact. She also knew that once Will thought of Tara as his own, he would take even better care of it than he did right now. Tara was in good hands. She knew she would grieve for the loss of Tara for a long time. At least in this timeline with Careen being the mistress of Tara she would always be welcome.