Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Four

Six months after Bonnie's death Scarlett found a dress box on their bed. The note said: Our official time of mourning is over. We will mourn our daughter's death forever. I still hate seeing you in black. Wear this tonight. Rhett

When Scarlett joined Rhett in the parlor. he was wearing a lovely gray suit. His waistcoat had a gray and mauve design on it. He was wearing a mauve ascot. Scarlett paused for a minute to study Rhett without him being aware of her presence. He had lost the weight he had gained. His face had that chisel looked to it again. He was looking handsome again, yet something still wasn't right.

She smiled and said, "Thank you for the lovely dress. You have such wonderful taste."

"You're welcome."

Scarlett walked over and straightened his ascot that didn't need straightening and said, "I like your new suit."

"Thank you. Shall we go. I had Pork bring the carriage around. It is getting cold in the evenings now."

"Let me get my wrap."

"Don't bother. I will keep you warm."

It reminded Scarlett so much of the roguish man he had been that she did forgo getting her wrap.

That evening the couple went to a traveling lecturer on Charles Darwin's theories. It was something Rhett was interested in. Interested enough to get him out of the house. They had run into Mrs. Elsing and Fanny. Mrs. Elsing pointedly ignored Scarlett. She looked only at Rhett and said, "How are you doing Captain Butler?"

"I am fine."

"Let me know if you need any help. Anything. I know this is a sad time for you."

"Mrs. Elsing there is something you could help me with."

"Yes"

"Could you get the good ladies of Atlanta to mind their own damn business?"

Mrs. Elsing grab her daughter's arm and they stormed off.

Scarlett and Rhett shared a smile. Scarlett said, "Did you enjoy that?"

"I think that is the first thing I have really enjoyed since….."

"For an exceedingly long time. You have wanted to do that for probably over three years."

Rhett looked at Scarlett and said, "Yes, I have."

They proceeded into the lecture hall and took their seats. Rhett did manage to keep Scarlett warm all night long.

A few days later as she looked at Rhett over the dining room table. She knew his color wasn't right. He coughed too much. She couldn't think of a way to get him to go see a doctor. She had thought about having Dr. and Mrs. Meade to supper but Rhett would see right through that. Under normal circumstances the Meades would never accept an invitation from her for supper.

She would just have to keep Rhett with her. She would think of a way to get Rhett to go see a doctor. She was doing everything she could to keep Rhett here with her. She did love Rhett. He had been her best friend. He had seen her for who she really was, and he had loved her anyway. She smiled when she thought, 'I have seen the worst of Rhett and I still love him anyway.' She would take care of Rhett if he let her. She just wasn't in love with him, but he didn't need to know that. She didn't need him to love her. She needed to care for him and take care of him. She needed him to care for her and take care of her. They needed to be each other's best friend. She thought, 'For the first time I think we actually like each other. We need each other. Nobody has a secret purpose.'

She knew she could make a life for herself and the children after Rhett was gone. She would stay with Rhett until his time ran out. Scarlett knew Rhett was extremely sick even if he didn't know. It made her so incredibly sad yet there was nothing she could do about it. Rhett continued to smoke cigars. At least he was no longer drinking and visiting the brothels. She would like to be intimate with Rhett. He had always made her feel so special during those moments. She knew that Rhett could no longer achieve an erection and that made her sad for Rhett. She knew that was why Rhett was alright with sleeping with her. If he had been able to perform, he would not be sleeping with her. He would make sure that he didn't get her with child. He no longer wanted to have any more children. As he had said, "He wouldn't risk his heart again."

The couple always started off going to sleep without touching except his hand covering hers and her foot touching his calf. In late November, they had rolled into each other in the middle of the night. The first time Rhett woke up with Scarlett in his arms it was bittersweet. It reminded him of the early years of their marriage when she had always ended up in his arms sometime in the middle of the night. He stopped his thoughts. He didn't have the strength for anymore recriminations. He barely had the strength to make it through the day.

As Rhett saw the Christmas decorations going up around town, he felt the grief of facing the season without Bonnie. He thought, 'I have to get the family out of town. Nobody is going to be able to handle celebrating Christmas in that house without Bonnie. Poor Scarlett. This is going to be especially hard on her, Christmas was always her favorite time of year.'

The first of December Rhett said, "Make arrangements to be out of town from December fifteenth until January seventh."

"Alright. Where are we going?"

"We will spend Christmas in New York."

"I don't know if I want to spend Christmas in the North. It won't be the same."

Rhett smiled and said, "That is the point. I want Christmas to be totally different than any we have experienced in the past."

"That is a great idea. I sometimes forget how smart you are."

Rhett thought, 'I think that is the first time she has ever given me a compliment. I really liked it. I like it because it was a true compliment. Not something said just to flatter my conceit.'

Rhett said, "You will love the shops. I may have to purchase another trunk after you finish cleaning out the stores."

Scarlett stuck out her tongue at Rhett, but he could tell she was happy about the prospect of shopping in New York.

At supper when Rhett said, "We will be having a white Christmas this year."

Wade said, "How do you know, sir?"

"I know because we will be in New York."

Scarlett watched her children's faces hoping to see a little happiness.

Ella said, "What is New York?"

"It is a big city in the North. They have what is called a menagerie of animals. They have wild animals in cages. It will be very exciting to see. They will be animals that we have never seen before," Rhett turned to Wade and said, "They have a museum there that deals with natural history that I think you and I would enjoy visiting. We can visit it while your mother and Ella go shopping. Although I don't know if I trust her alone with my checkbook."

Scarlett smiled at Rhett's comment. It was so much like a comment he would have made in the early years of their marriage. She thought, 'Yes, this was an incredibly good idea Rhett had to get us out of Atlanta.'

Rhett told them of other places of interest there were to see in New York. It was the most emotion Scarlett had heard in Rhett's voice in a long time.

That night as they sat in the parlor, Scarlett asked, "Which servants do you want to take?"

"I think Prissy and her husband will be enough."

"I agree. We don't need to bring the nurse maid."

"You may consider letting her go now that Ella is seven. We really don't have a need for her anymore."

There was an awkward pause as they both absorb the true meaning behind Rhett's words. Scarlett rushed to fill the void. She said, "I think Prissy and Dwight would enjoy the trip. Prissy has settled down so much now that she has married him."

Rhett made himself respond to Scarlett in the same light tone. He said, "I'm sure Dwight will enjoy getting away from Dilcey. She really dislikes her son-in-law."

"She should be happy that anyone wanted to marry Prissy much less such a hard worker as Dwight."

Rhett started telling Scarlett about an article he read in one of his periodicals. He was very touched that Scarlett listened to him the entire time.

The week before their departure Scarlett received an offer from Hugh Elsing to purchase the store. He wanted to make payments over the next five years. She talked it over with Rhett. He told her he thought it was a good deal. She decided to accept Hugh's offer.

She was going to do someone a good turn for no other reason than to do good. She knew that Hugh was the sole support for himself, his mother, his sister and his nephew. He had so many people he supported that he couldn't afford to get married.

Scarlett still felt bad for her part in getting Tommy Welburn killed although she still felt she was not responsible for getting Frank and Tommy killed. She knew she still believed in heaven and hell. She still believed in God. She had been cold, hard, and greedy before Bonnie's death. She knew she had a lot to atone for if she wanted to get into heaven.

Scarlett felt good after she had signed the papers. She knew her good deed would not soften the matrons' hearts toward her, but she didn't care. That wasn't why she did it. She did it to soften God's heart toward her.

Before the family left to go to New York Scarlett went to Aunt PittyPat's with a Christmas present and to inform her of their plans to be out of town. Scarlett gave Wade a choice of whether he wanted to go with her to visit his aunt. Wade said, "Of course, I do."

"I wasn't sure you would want to go with all her crying."

"Her crying can be annoying, but I am all the family she has left in Atlanta except for Uncle Henry, of course." Wade said and gave his mother a rare smile.

"You are a good boy, Wade."

"Thank you, Mother. When shall we go?"

"This afternoon."

The visit was trying for both Wade and Scarlett. Aunt PittyPat fainted when she found out that Wade was going to be out of town for Christmas that year. After a sip of brandy Aunt PittyPat wailed, "Who am I going to have Christmas dinner with?"

Wade smiled kindly and said, "Maybe Mrs. Merriwether would be kind enough to invite you to dine with her family."

"Maybe."

"I'm sure she would be happy to have you. Didn't you once tell me that Mrs. Merriwether was your best friend," Then Wade showed Rhett's influence by adding, "Or there is always Uncle Henry."

"You are right. I am sure Dolly would be glad to have me."

They stayed a few more minutes and Scarlett was sure Aunt PittyPat would be fine without them for the Christmas Holidays. It didn't matter. They couldn't stay in Atlanta and Rhett would never allow her to bring Aunt PittyPat with them.

Rhett got them a private car and on the way to New York he told them about all the landmarks along the way. While they were in New York, everyone was happier. They stayed at the Central Park Hotel. They had a lovely view. Rhett took them everywhere. Their three weeks in New York had been full of activities. They had gone ice skating. Nobody was particularly good at it, but they did enjoy themselves. Scarlett was happy that Rhett had allowed other people to see him in an undignified state.

Wade and Rhett had gone to the Museum of Natural History while Scarlett and Ella had gone shopping at Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Bloomingdale and several other little boutiques. Scarlett couldn't believe all the ready to wear clothing they had for sale. Scarlett bought a few items including a new dress to wear to the opera that Rhett wanted to attend but mostly she just enjoyed window shopping.

The family went to see the bridge that would connect Brooklyn to the other boroughs. They went to St. Patrick's Church. Scarlett was impressed with the grandeur of the church. Rhett whispered in her ear, "This is gaudier than the mansion." Scarlett smiled at Rhett. There had been no meanness in his statement. Just some good-natured teasing which made Scarlett happy that Rhett was in a good enough mood to tease her.

Rhett and Scarlett went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art while Prissy and Dwight took the children to the menagerie of animals. When they were at the Museum Scarlett slipped her hand in Rhett's hand. They held hands the entire time they were at the museum. Rhett gave Scarlett a running commentary on the artwork. He made a few mocking comments about the other patrons which she was able to smile at. One comment she laughed at which seemed to please Rhett a lot.

There were a few painful moments for the family, but they didn't let those moments bog them down. Someone seemed to always be there to cheer the other ones up.