Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and the feedback. Thank you for all the positive comments.

Chapter Seventy-Three

The night of the meeting Rhett was in a very good mood. He was helping Melly make a little money and helping the world see deaf children more positively. When Esau showed Mr. Warner and Mr. Johnson into the parlor all of Rhett's good mood vanished. Rhett instantly disliked Charles Johnson. Mr. Johnson looked so much like the late Ashley Wilkes that he could have been his brother.

Rhett's anger increased when his wife simpered and flirted with the man. Rhett was rude, surly and mocking the entire evening. Mr. Warner was somewhat shocked. This was not the Mr. Butler he had met in his office. This was not the aggravating but charming man that Mr. Clemens had told him about. Mr. Johnson was a little uneasy about this partnership. If Mr. Butler didn't approve of what his … What was the relationship anyway?

About halfway through the evening after Rhett had made another rude, surly, mocking comment. Scarlett was thinking, 'What is wrong with Rhett? He is being rude and cruelly mocking? Rhett hasn't been rude and cruelly mocking since we came back. He is behaving the way he did when they were married the first time.' Scarlett looked at Rhett and saw he had his mask on. Scarlett realized that Rhett was jealous. Rhett was never jealous. He knew that her flirting didn't mean anything. She just did it because she wanted to be the center of attention.' She looked at Mr. Warner and Mr. Johnson and knew why Rhett was jealous. Scarlett almost laughed out loud. After twelve years of happily wedded bliss and repeated declarations of love Rhett was still a tiny bit insecure. She smiled at her husband and thought, 'Her arrogant, narcissistic, vain, egotistical husband still had an ….what was the right word… Achilles heel.'

She got up and said, "Would y'all excuse us for a minute? I need to talk to my husband."

Rhett didn't like the way Scarlett was looking at him. She was acting conceited and smug. He felt like she was seeing something he didn't want her to see. As much as he loved and trusted her, he still wasn't comfortable with her seeing his weaknesses.

When they got in the foyer, she whispered, "I love you and only you. If Ashley were here right now that wouldn't change. Now kiss me like you did when you asked me to marry you."

Rhett smiled his sexiest smile and said, "Which time?" Then he kissed her thoroughly. Several times. She whispered, "Stop. I'm going to faint." She smiled up at him.

When they returned to the parlor, Rhett Butler had his swagger back. After returning to the meeting Rhett was a much more congenial host.

It was decided that Mr. Johnson would not be paid up front but would share in the royalties. He would get forty percent and Melanie would get sixty percent. Mr. Warner didn't know what Mrs. Butler had said to her husband but he had certainly been in a much better disposition after their return to the parlor.

Mr. Warner had said he would get the legal contracts drawn up and bring them by for each of the parties to sign.

Mr. Johnson had said, "I will draw up a few sketches and bring them by to let you look at them to make sure we are thinking the same way."

Melanie Wilkes said, "I would like that very much."

Everyone in the room knew there would be lots of meetings between the partners to be sure the book was correct.

Rhett said, "If this book is a success y'all can write another one."

The partners smiled at each other. Scarlett's heart was divided. She wanted Melanie to have romance and love in her life but she didn't want Melanie to marry at least not until she couldn't get pregnant again.

Careen and Scarlett were regular correspondence. Scarlett usually got a letter from Careen every three weeks. Careen was sending her updates on Suellen's gentleman caller. Mr. Hammond was in his fifties. He was from New York. He had moved South at the end of the war to make his fortune. He had made quite a bit of money right after the war had ended. He had a couple of cotton gins and had a textile mill. He had come into Kennedy's to buy some work shirts. There must have been something about Suellen that he like because Suellen told her when he asked if he could call on her and she had said, 'No.' He just came to see her at the store every day until she finally said, 'Yes.' just to get rid of him. Suellen says he likes George too.

At the end of August, they had Beau's birthday party and they had a full house as usual. Everyone had a good time. The next day Elizabeth and Henry were on their trains back home. Henry had asked Scarlett if it would be alright if he came back as early as December first. She had said, "You can come back whenever you want. You are always welcome. We will be celebrating Rhett's fiftieth birthday in November so you must come for that. I will send you all the details." On the trip back to Atlanta Henry thought 'Maybe.'

It had been Beau's thirteenth birthday and Rhett felt someone should talk to the boy about the facts of life. He knew that Melly would never be able to talk about it with the boy. Rhett asked Scarlett to ask Melly if she wanted him to talk to Beau about the subject. Scarlett blushed and said alright. When she asked Melly they were both blushing but Melly said yes, thank you.

Rhett took the boys out on his sailboat and they spent the afternoon discussing the facts of life. Nate just smiled and thought, 'I wish someone would have told me all that before I had to learn the hard way.' The boys' faces were red a considerable amount of the afternoon but they both had lots of questions. Rhett had to work hard at not laughing at some of the ridiculous things they had been told. It was a productive afternoon.

When the boys, Bonnie, Melly and Ella went back to school Alex looked so sad. At dinner when it was just the three of them Alex told his parents, "I'm going to school tomorrow."

Rhett said to his son, "You are not old enough to go to school but we will hire a governess," Rhett turned to Scarlett and continued, "She can teach Alex, Rachel and Thomas."

"I think Thomas is a little young."

"Alright then just Alex and Rachel."

"I will send a note to the employment agency this afternoon while Mr. Butler is taking his nap." She had smiled at Alex when she said it but it was a sad smile. Just like that her baby was gone. Alex was overjoyed. Rhett had smiled at Alex also but his smile was a proud smile.

Scarlett had requested a woman who knew sign language if possible. There was only one applicant that could sign. Her name was Gertrude Anderson. She was in her late thirties. She seemed to be nice and intelligent.

Scarlett asked, "You can sign?"

"Yes, I can. My son is deaf."

"Illness or born deaf?"

"Born deaf."

"Does he go to the Asylum?"

"Yes, he does."

"What is his name?"

"Ben Anderson."

"My daughter Bonnie attends the Asylum also. She is eight."

"Ben is fourteen. This will be his last year. He will be assigned an apprenticeship that has been arranged through the Asylum. Is your husband Rhett Butler?"

"Yes, he is."

"He is quite the wonderful man with all he does to raise funds for the Asylum. Ben goes there for free. I could never afford to send him. My husband was killed in the war. I never thought I would want to work for Southerners."

"I never thought I would want to be hiring a Yankee." They had smiled at each other.

Scarlett said, "I would like for you to sign and speak when you talk to Alex and Rachel. Alex is my son and Rachel is my housekeeper's daughter."

Mrs. Anderson didn't know of anyone who was willing to educate any member of her staff's children. She was amazed. She started the next day.

When Mrs. Anderson had met Rhett, she gushed over him. She said, "You are so wonderful. You are such a great man. Because of your humanitarian fund raising efforts my son and I can communicate and Ben can communicate with the rest of the world. Thank you so much Mr. Butler."

As Scarlett watched Rhett while Mrs. Anderson was speaking, his head was getting bigger and bigger. He was going to be impossible to live with if Mrs. Anderson gushed over him all the time.

Scarlett said, "Rhett wipe Alex's nose before he starts eating his snot." And just like that Rhett Butler's head was back to its normal size.

After Rhett finished wiping his son's nose, he looked at his wife and she had the most innocent smile on her face. So innocent that it made him laugh. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Well done, my love." He walked out of the play room that was now the school room.

Scarlett had wanted to go overboard for Ella's birthday party that year. She had cake and ice cream. She had hired a clown to entertain the children. She had rented a pony so everyone could have pony rides. She gave out party favors. She had wanted fireworks but Rhett had said no. She had wanted a merry go round and again Rhett had said no. In the end it was a very nice party. They had invited all of her classmates. It was very well attended. As she and another mother were watching the children have so much fun, the other mothers said to Scarlett, "It is so sad. They rarely get invited to anything."

Scarlett smiled sadly and said, "Yes, like they should be hidden from the world."

Both women smiled sadly. Scarlett shook off the doldrums and said, "It is time to cut the cake."

In eighteen seventy-seven Elizabeth Butler and Henry Hamilton went to Hartford in November. Elizabeth went because they were going to celebrate her baby's fiftieth birthday. Henry went because he wanted to spend as much time as he could with Melanie and the boys so when he had received the invitation to Rhett's birthday party he had accepted.

Elizabeth remembered the day of Rhett's birth as if it was yesterday. She had been so young. She had barely turned seventeen the summer before. Her mother had not provided any information about giving birth or about relations for that matter. Luckily her Mammy had been there to help her through the ordeal. After a short amount of labor, she had given birth to her first-born son.

He had been such a good boy until he had turned fourteen then he had become combative toward Charles. Elizabeth had never figured out what had gone wrong with Charles and Rhett's relationship. She did know that Rhett had mock, criticized and infuriated Charles just for the fun of it. Rhett had called his father a hypocrite on more than one occasion. He became cruel and hateful toward his father. Most of what he did including getting expelled from West Point was to make his father mad and shame his father. After the buggy incident Charles had no other choice but to disown him. It was either that or lose their place in society. She had agreed with Charles at the time but she had still grieved for the loss of her son. She was so happy she had gotten these years with him.

Elizabeth liked Scarlett. The more she got to know her the more she liked her. The thing she liked most about her was that she was not intimidated by Rhett. She knew that Scarlett would tell Rhett he was wrong if she thought he was and she was willing to argue with him about it.

She often wondered about her daughter-in-law's relationship with her sister-in-law. They were opposites but they were complimentary to each other. Elizabeth could tell they were very close friends. Elizabeth could tell that Rhett was rather fond of Mrs. Wilkes also. It still amazed Elizabeth that Rhett had welcomed the sister of his wife's first husband into his home. Rhett had always been possessive of his stuff. Elizabeth smiled and thought, 'If he welcomed the first husband's son, I guess the first husband's sister isn't that hard to accept and she is such a kind woman. Rhett and his extended family were happy,' Elizabeth smiled and thought, 'It seems Rhett is not as possessive as he used to be, for now they have welcome Scarlett's first husband's uncle into their home too.' It was fine with Elizabeth for she like Henry Hamilton.

The night of Rhett's birthday Scarlett sat over a hundred people for supper. Elizabeth was very impressed. The food was good and served quickly. The musical entertainment was delightful while still allowing conversation with one's neighbor. Elizabeth had said to Rhett afterwards, "Do you know all these people?"

"Yes, some are business acquaintances, some are part of the deaf community, some are part of the local gentry and some are politicians. The politicians always come out for free food. Excuse me, Mother, I have to go play host."

Rhett had walked off smiling. Elizabeth was proud of her son. She was glad they had left the South. Her son was admired and respected in Hartford which she had always thought he should be. He had been thrown out on the streets with the clothes on his back and the money in his pocket and now she believed he was a millionaire. Yes, she was proud of him. Elizabeth smiled as she looked at Scarlett looking at Rhett. It was easy to see she was proud of him also. And that she was hopelessly in love with her husband which was only right because her husband was hopelessly in love with her. Elizabeth smiled as she looked at them. They seemed to grow more in love with each other as the years passed by.