Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Three

A week later Mr. Taylor sent Rhett a message that his will was ready to sign.

Rhett went to Mr. Taylor's office after dinner. He took a moment before he signed the new will. It was an incredibly sad moment for he was revoking an earlier will. A will that had left everything to Bonnie except for the trust for his mother and sister and ten thousand dollars to Ella and Wade each. He had made Scarlett the trustee over Bonnie's money until the child had turned twenty-five. He had known that his clever wife would have figured out a way to get access to the money. He had also known that Scarlett would have ensured that the bulk of the estate remained intact. Rhett knew that where Bonnie was now, she didn't need any money.

He shook off those thoughts and quickly signed the papers. After they were witnessed, he took all his papers and left the office.

It was midafternoon. A perfect time to go to Belle's. Nobody was there at that time except the drunks which Rhett felt was an appropriate time for him to visit. He was just a sober drunk right now. As he walked in, he said to Moses, the bartender, "Is Belle in?"

"In her office, Rhett."

Rhett gave the door a perfunctory knock and walked into the room. When Belle saw Rhett, she got up and gave him a hug. Rhett hugged her back. Rhett had always liked Belle. She had been fun and entertaining. She had been warm, welcoming and comforting. She had been everything that Scarlett had never been. If Rhett had a conscience, he would feel bad for the way he had used her, but as it was, he decided that it was just one more sin he would have to atone for.

"Rhett, it has been so long since I have seen you that I thought you had left town."

"I have been staying home. Scarlett and the children need me. They are all heartbroken over the death of Melanie Wilkes. It is even harder with it following so closely after….."

"The children I can believe but Scarlett, I sincerely doubt it."

"She was very fond of Mrs. Wilkes."

"You mean she was fond of Mrs. Wilkes's husband."

"I didn't come here to talk about my wife."

Belle thought, 'That would be a first.'

"What did you come for? Do you need a girl?"

"No, I don't need a girl. I came to give you this," Rhett handed Belle the transfer of ownership papers. He continued, "It is a piece of paper giving you full ownership of this saloon."

Belle smiled broadly and hugged Rhett again. She said, "Really Rhett?"

Rhett nodded and said, "Really."

Belle hugged Rhett once again. She said, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

"You need to find someone you trust to read for you or maybe learn to read yourself."

"Naw. I'm too old to learn to read. Moses knows how to read, and I trust him."

"Goodbye, Belle."

"Sure. I will see you when you decide to stop playing nursemaid to that cold-hearted bitch."

"Bye."

Rhett walked out the door of the office. He waved at Moses and left the saloon for the last time. If things got bad between him and Scarlett again, he would not stay in Atlanta. Rhett had wanted to object to Belle calling Scarlett a cold-hearted bitch but he himself had called her that so very often that he couldn't be that big of a hypocrite.

He rode his horse to the mansion. When he joined the children in the playroom Ella said, "What is that smell?"

Wade said, "Yeah. It stinks."

Rhett said, "I don't smell anything."

Ella leaned forward and sniffed. She said, "It is you. Why do you stink?"

Rhett knew what that smell was. It was Belle's perfume. Rhett said, "If I stink let me go get cleaned-up."

As Rhett left the playroom, to change his clothes he told himself, 'I am only changing clothes because I don't want to stink. I'm glad Ella told me." He refused to acknowledge the truth. The truth that he didn't want Scarlett thinking he was spending time with Belle again. He continued his denial when he picked up all the soiled clothes and carried them down the stairs. He continued denying the truth of his actions, even when he gave the clothes to a maid and told her to take them to the laundry room and have them washed immediately.

His brain was not ready to acknowledge that he felt anything more for Scarlett than kindness and compassion. His brain insisted they were just friends.

Ella wanted to talk about Melanie and Bonnie. She had all sorts of questions. Some very innocent like 'What do you think Bonnie and Aunt Melly are doing?' or 'Do you think Bonnie and Aunt Melly are watching us?' or 'I miss Bonnie and Aunt Melly'

To more in depth like when Ella asked, "Why did she have to die?"

Scarlett said, "She did something she shouldn't have done."

"Why did Bonnie have to die?"

Scarlett said in a matter-of-fact voice, "She did something she shouldn't have done."

"That is a pretty big punishment for doing something wrong."

Scarlett continued in the same flat voice, "Yes, it is baby. Sometimes we don't know something is wrong until after the fact."

Over supper one night while they were eating their dessert Ella said, "Are we going to have a party for my birthday?"

Rhett said, "No, baby. We are in mourning so it wouldn't be proper for us to have a party. You can have a small celebration at Tara with your cousins. Would you like that?"

"Yes."

Rhett said, "Your mother will make all the arrangements."

Ella got up and hugged her Uncle Rhett and said, "You will come with us, won't you?"

Scarlett held her breath. She was afraid to leave Rhett alone. She was fearful he would take that opportunity to run away. Rhett looked into Ella's green eyes filled with so much love for him and nodded his head. He said, "Yes but we aren't going to spend the night. Now go get ready for bed and I will be up to read you a story."

"Alright. I am going to go talk to Bonnie and Aunt Melly."

After the children left the dining room, Rhett walked around the room several times while running his hands through his hair. Scarlett just watched him. She knew he was pacing to keep himself from breaking. She knew Ella's innocent words had hurt him. She knew he would not leave them until after Ella's birthday party because he had promised the little girl, he would attend her birthday party.

She knew he wanted to leave the house and go to Belle's, but he wasn't. He hadn't drunk in the last month. Rhett had told her, "It is too easy to lose myself in the bottle. No matter how much I drink the pain is still as bad."

He was eating again. He was sleeping through the night. He had lost the weight he had gained during his drunken bender. Yet Rhett still didn't look healthy.

Suddenly Scarlett knew in that moment Rhett was dying. She also knew that Rhett didn't know he was dying. Rhett was ignoring all the signs because he didn't want to admit the truth. She had to get him to see a doctor. If he left, she knew he would be dead within six months. She couldn't let that happen. She had to keep him with her. She had to take care of him. She owed it to him to take care of him. She owed him much more than that, but it was all she could do to atone for her actions now. She owed it to her children to keep the only father they had ever known close.

After five minutes when Scarlett thought Rhett was calm enough, she said, "Do you want me to read the story?"

"No, I will be able to do it. I will meet you in our bedroom."

"I will retire. When you come to our bedroom, I will tell you some stories from my childhood. Hopefully, they will be so boring they will put you to sleep."

Rhett smiled and took her hand. At times when he looked at Scarlett, he felt such anger at her for what her stubborn devotion to Mr. Wilkes had cost him. Most of the time though when he looked at her, he saw compassion and his pain mirrored there. Before Miss Melly's death, that mirror had only made his pain worse but now it was strangely comforting.

They went down to Tara. Scarlett had sent Suellen some money to make a cake and buy balloons. It was nice. While they were standing on the porch, Rhett commented, "It is beautiful here."

Scarlett had smiled, "My favorite place on Earth."

Rhett had smiled a smile that was almost his cocky smile. He had said, "I know how much you love this piece of earth. Enough to do very unladylike things."

Scarlett had laughed. The first time she had laughed in an exceptionally long time. Rhett had joined her. In that moment she saw that arrogant, blockade runner again then just as quickly he was gone. She saw the anguish on his face. She touched his arm and said, "Bonnie would want us to be happy especially at a party."

"True." Although his face didn't reflect his words.

Rhett felt such guilt to be laughing with Scarlett when their baby was cold in the ground, yet he felt strangely refreshed that he could laugh over anything. He also knew it was a sign that they were beginning to heal from their tremendous loss, but he didn't know if he wanted to heal. He wanted to rip the wound open, but he wouldn't. If he did that, he would be no help to Scarlett and the children. They definitely needed his help.

Mammy joined the party and hugged Ella and Wade. She had even hugged Scarlett and Rhett. She had soon gone back to her cabin. She had not looked good. Mammy's death was going to devastate everyone. Scarlett had to keep Rhett with her and the children. They would need him so very much when the older woman passed away.

That evening after they had returned to Atlanta after Ella's birthday party, Scarlett had asked Rhett, "Please stay until Wade's birthday. It will be so much easier if you are here. The children need you so."

Rhett had said, "I will stay for the children."

"Thank you, Rhett."

Rhett agreeing to stay gave her more hope about their future together. She didn't know what she would do if he left. She needed him to stay and be her companion.

By the first of November, Scarlett was very worried about Wade. Her sensitive son was taking his aunt's death and subsequent departure of his cousin awfully hard. He never talked about Bonnie, Beau or his Aunt Melly. When Scarlett had tried to gently ask him about his feelings he had said, "I am fine, Mother. Thank you." The way he said it was in such a flat voice that it worried Scarlett.

Scarlett knew that Melly was more a mother to Wade than she ever had been. She could make excuses for herself in regard to Wade. She was too young, she was too busy supporting everyone, she was too busy finally having fun, but the truth was she had been an adequate parent to her son at best. Yes, she had always kept him close. Yes, she had a few moments when she had been an amazing mother, but they were far too few. She had always provided him with food and a roof over his head. It had been Melly and Rhett that had provided him with love.

It was Rhett that Wade was turning to for love and comfort which was natural, he was the one who had always provided that love and comfort. Wade's mother certainly hadn't provided any love or comfort. She resolved to do better and the first thing she was going to do was sell the store. She didn't need it. If she wanted to run a business after Rhett left, she could buy another business. She for once was going to put Rhett and her children first.

The very next day Scarlett went to see Uncle Henry and told him to sell the store. She set-up a trust fund for her aunts. She never wanted to hear from the women again. After she left the lawyer's office she smiled when she thought, 'I feel freer than I have in an exceedingly long time.'

Scarlett thought about Rhett staying with her. She sadly smiled when she thought about Rhett. She had destroyed him, and she hadn't even known she was doing it. She was as obtuse as he had always accused her of being. She felt compassion for Rhett. She felt pity for Ashley. They had both caused the death of someone they loved. She was glad Ashley had moved away. She no longer wanted to take care of him. She did miss Beau, but she thought it was better he was in Virginia. She didn't miss India.

Scarlett had taken Wade to visit Aunt PittyPat a couple of times, but they were not happy visits. Scarlett knew that the older woman had thought of Charlie and Melanie as her children and Beau and Wade as her grandchildren. Nonetheless it had stretched all of Scarlett's patience when the old woman would cry non-stop during their visits. Aunt PittyPat had begged them to not forget all about her. Scarlett wondered if that was more about the monetary gifts Scarlett always left or true affection by the older woman. Cynic that she was Scarlett was quite sure it was the monetary gifts. Either way Scarlett would try to continue calling on Aunt PittyPat. After all Aunt PittyPat was the only person in polite society that still received her.