Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Eighty-Four

Scarlett had started training the girls on how to run a household. Rhett was surprised there was so much involved with running a household. He was amazed. It was another moment when Rhett had not appreciated Scarlett's abilities. In their first timeline the household had run like a well-oiled clock and Rhett had taken it for granted. He had taken it for granted that his humidor would be full and the decanters of alcohol would be full. That breakfast, dinner and supper would be served on time. That his clothes were always washed and put away in his chester drawers. That when he reached for something or wanted something it was always available. In all honesty he had taken it for granted in this timeline also.

After her graduation from Hartford Academy there was little change in Ella's behavior. She had always behaved like a lady even when she was three but she did have more confidence after she graduated. Rhett was pleased.

Rhett was not pleased with the change in Bonnie since her graduation. Bonnie had indeed become Eugenia and she would no longer answer to Bonnie. With a stubbornness and determination that would have made her father proud if he hadn't been so frustrated by it, she had become Eugenia. She was tired of explaining her nickname to Northerners who didn't understand even after she had explained it.

Eugenia had transformed herself into a sophisticated, poised young lady. She was no longer a tom-boy and she was no longer Papa's little girl. Eugenia no longer wanted to go sailing because her hair always got so knotted after they had been out and she didn't want to ruin her skin. Eugenia was willing to wear that hat now.

Ella and Eugenia were doing what all young ladies of their station did between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. They were searching for a husband. They didn't want to go sailing because they had too many gentleman callers to waste time with sailing which meant Scarlett had to stay home to chaperon the girls. Rhett really didn't like that. Not only were his daughters not going but they were robbing him of the pleasure of his wife's company with this single-minded pursuit of finding a husband. To make matters worse as far as Rhett was concerned both of the girls were very popular. That meant there were always gentleman callers at his home.

Rhett had made it clear to all of Eugenia's gentleman callers that his daughter was very precious to him and he would not allow her to marry just anyone. The man that would someday be his daughter's husband had to prove himself worthy of that honor.

Eugenia and Ella were alright with going horseback riding and they would invite their parents to ride with them but they had to ride at a leisurely pace so they could be seen by the right people. Rhett did not care about being seen by the right people which he knew meant the right men. When the girls went for a walk in the park, they would invite their parents to go with them but it frustrated Rhett to walk with them because they had to stop and speak to everyone. When Rhett started making rude, mocking comments his wife drug him back to their home.

No, Rhett hadn't liked all of this husband hunting that his daughters were doing.

What he really didn't like was the way the young men were looking at his daughters. Rhett would say to Scarlett, "I know what they are thinking and I don't like it."

Rhett was equally frustrated with Scarlett for encouraging this behavior. One night while Rhett and Scarlett had been in the family parlor, he had said, "You have encouraged Bonnie and Ella in this behavior and I don't like it."

"Eugenia. What behavior?"

"This behavior of wanting to be a lady."

Scarlett had smiled and said, "Rhett love, despite what you would wish they are no longer your little girls. You will always be their first love but they are ready to find a husband and have their own life without us."

"Ella is too young. She is barely sixteen. Didn't you say we weren't going to let them marry that young. Eugenia is definitely too young to get married. She is only fourteen."

"Ella will be seventeen in three months and you know she has her heart set on Mr. Moore. Hasn't he already asked you for her hand?"

"Not yet. He might be intimidated by me."

"Do you wear your mask around him?" When Rhett smugly smiled Scarlett continued, "Of course, he is intimidated. Rhett, he loves her so much. Be nice."

"Maybe. Eugenia is definitely too young."

"She is almost as old as I was when a handsome, swarthy, renegade looked at me with lust and wanted to make me his mistress."

"That's different. This is my baby."

"I was someone's baby also and he even gave you permission to court me. He was even fond of you. You became his favorite son-in-law although I think Will would argue with you about that honor."

Rhett still hated that phrase, fond of you. He sat down next to her on the sofa and laid his head in her lap. He looked up at her and said, "There isn't anything I can do to stop them from growing up is there?"

"No, my love, there isn't."

"I refuse to be happy about it."

"That is fine. Eugenia and Ella are still moving on whether you are happy or not."

"So, I am a handsome, swarthy, renegade?"

Scarlett giggled and smiled at her still handsome husband. She knew it would take him some time to accept the truth that his little girls were no longer his little girls but he was well on his way. She did make him feel like a million dollars later that night.

Three months later after Ella turned seventeen with much prodding from her Jacob asked Rhett for her hand in marriage. Rhett had wanted to make it extremely difficult for Jacob but Rhett knew he loved Ella so very much. He gave his permission. Rhett then told his wife how much money she could spend on the wedding and she pouted. She was used to spending as much money as she wanted. Rhett knew he had to put a limit on the wedding expenditures or Scarlett would make it too outlandish.

After a year and a half of courting in June eighteen eighty-four Wade introduced Alice to his parents. The family had come to Cambridge to attend Wade's graduation. In that moment Scarlett remembered what her mother-in-law had said that day so long ago when they were in Philadelphia. She had said, "…. someone else will be first in his heart." Scarlett knew he was a young man ready to embark on his future with the woman he loved. Scarlett looked at her son who had always looked just like Charles Hamilton but now she saw that he didn't. He had the O'Hara chin and the O'Hara determination. She suspected he had the O'Hara ruthlessness.

After he had been accepted to Harvard Law, Wade asked Alice to marry him and she accepted the first time he asked. She was not going to play coy. She loved Wade and wanted to marry him. Wade Hamilton was a great catch. Rhett helped Wade buy Alice a nice size diamond. It pleased Scarlett's greedy nature that Alice's diamond was nowhere near in size to hers which Rhett had known it would. Which was why Rhett made sure the diamond he helped Wade buy was much smaller than Scarlett's diamond. When Alice showed her engagement ring to Wade's parents, Rhett saw the gleam in Scarlett's eyes and thought, 'She is a lot more refined these days but underneath it all she is still that same girl from the barbeque.'

The last day of October in eighteen eighty-four Ella changed her name for the second time to Ella Moore.

Jacob's father owned one of the largest gun manufacturing sites in Hartford. Jacob was in the design department. One doesn't need to hear to design and make guns. Jacob had an older brother who was being groomed to take over management of the company which suited Jacob just fine. He was happy designing new guns. His father was planning on leaving fifty-one percent of the company to his oldest son and forty-nine percent to Jacob. Their father knew his sons were the best of friends and he also knew that his eldest son took counsel from Jacob. Ella would be well provided for the rest of her life in addition to the money Rhett would leave her.

Scarlett went to talk to Ella about what to expect on her wedding night. She told Ella the same thing she had told Careen all those years ago. Scarlett said, "Have fun. It is a time for you and Jacob to play and have fun. There is nothing wrong with enjoying your marital bed. I have for many years. Just remember once you close that bedroom door what you do behind it is yours and Jacob's business. Nobody else's. Don't let other people's opinion of what is lady like and what isn't steal you of one of the most fun parts of marriage. It is not a chore. It is not your duty. It is an expression of your love for one another.

You will fight but always treat Jacob with respect and don't let your pride stop you from doing the right thing. Don't let pride destroy your marriage. I had a friend once who couldn't say 'I'm sorry' and her husband couldn't say 'I'm sorry.' It destroyed their marriage.

Scarlett continued, "Baby, several years ago, Suellen reached out to me and asked me to give you these on your wedding day." She held out her hand and revealed the blue earbobs.

Ella replied, "Those are my grandmother Kennedy's earbobs.

"Yes, your Daddy wanted you to have them. Suellen sent them to me to give to you on your wedding day. They can be your something blue."

Ella stared at them for a long time.

Finally, Scarlett said, "She did a kind thing by sending these to you. If you wear them you will be honoring the Kennedy side of your heritage. You will be honoring your Daddy and his mother that is all."

Slowly Ella reached down and picked them up. Ella said, "This doesn't mean I have forgiven her. She gave me away. Even if I am a lot happier living with you and Papa, she still gave me away. She didn't even tell me goodbye." Scarlett heard the emotion in Ella's voice.

"No, she didn't. She was in a lot of pain that day because our Pa hadn't left her anything in his will. Our Pa never did treat Suellen right. That doesn't excuse her for not telling you goodbye or explaining to you what was going on. I just don't think she could bear any more pain that day. I know that she gave you to me so you could have a better life than she could give you," There was a long silence. "Evie's mother sent her away so that she would have a better life here in the North. Prissy left her entire family so Rachel and Thomas could have a better life. It is what mothers do. They sacrifice so their children can have a better life.

You get to choose whether to forgive her or not. I am not going to tell you what to do. I will say that forgiveness is a gift you give to someone who hurt you. Do they deserve it? Probably not. Papa hurt me and I forgave him. I hurt Papa and he forgave me. We used to hurt each other all the time. We could not have moved on without giving each other forgiveness. We still hurt each other but we forgive each other because of our love for the other."

"I have seen you and Papa snap at each other but I have never seen you argue. Why do you always go to your room to argue?"

"We argue in private because we don't think you and your siblings need to see all that. We still say things we regret. We still forgive each other because our relationship is more important than words said in anger. Your Papa and I both lash out in anger. Yes, it hurts but we know the other is sorry. Our relationship is more important than our pride. We lash out and regret doing it. Us forgiving each other is what makes our relationship stay strong. Your Papa and I have too much pride but we try not to let it become more important than the other person.

"I can't forgive her for giving me away."

"Then don't but forgive Jacob when he says something stupid or does something stupid. And he will. Hopefully he will forgive you when you say or do something stupid."

Ella smiled. She reached out and took the blue earbobs. She put them in her ears. Scarlett thought she was a beautiful bride.

It was a beautiful wedding. The ceremony was conducted in sign language. It was only right for over half the guests were deaf. It was much larger than Ella had wanted but Scarlett explained to her that Rhett and her soon to be father-in-law had a lot of business contacts they had to invite. Scarlett also explained that they didn't want to leave anyone out especially all their deaf friends. In the end Ella learned what Careen had found out all those years ago. Scarlett doesn't help. Scarlett takes over. Ella did insist that Eugenia be her only attendant which Scarlett was fine with. Jacob had his brother stand with him. Jacob and his brother, James, were very close. Ella was very happy with her wedding. There were lots and lots of pictures. As she and Jacob left the reception, she fingered the blue ear bob in her right year and felt like her Daddy was smiling down on her.

Rhett's emotions were too close to the surface that entire day. He had snapped at Scarlett all day. To everyone else he was the perfect host. Scarlett just smiled. She had already forgiven him but she did wonder what he was going to buy her.

As they laid in their bed that night Rhett said, "I'm sorry for snapping at you today but it seems like we just got her back and now she is gone."

"Not gone, my love, just moving into another stage of her life."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I."

"I miss my mother. She should have been here today."

"I miss my mother and Pa. Let's not think about anything but us."

Scarlett proceeded to make her husband very happy. When all was said and done, he pulled her close and held her for a long time. He finally started telling her about his childhood in Charleston. Rhett had a happy childhood. He had wonderful stories but as usual he didn't tell her any stories from when he was fourteen to when his father disowned him. Not for the first time Scarlett wondered what went wrong between Rhett and his father. The buggy incident wasn't the first event. It was the culmination of a life time of events. She knew that everything Rhett did from fourteen on was to punish his father even him becoming rich and infamous. She also knew that whatever had happened had affected their marriage negatively. It had made him afraid to tell her he loved her.

In a week Rhett had bought her a new green hat. She was so happy that her husband had good taste.