Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
That night as they got into the bed Scarlett told Rhett, "I have decided we should move to London. It is what is best for the children. We can always visit Georgia when I get to missing Tara and Melanie too much."
Rhett held her close and said, "Yes, We can."
When Rhett felt Scarlett's chest shaking, he didn't say anything. He just continued to hold her until she had cried herself to sleep.
Rhett laid there thinking, 'Yes, my Scarlett is all grown up.'
Once the decision was made things moved rapidly. Rhett wanted to be in London before the outbreak of cholera in Charleston. They made all the arrangements. They sold everything they owned in Atlanta. As Scarlett had hoped Mr. Jackson was quite willing to move to London with them.
Much to Rhett's unhappiness Mammy was quite willing to move to London with them also. Even after five years of marriage Mammy still didn't like Rhett Butler. She was still making snide comments at Rhett's expense. After five years of being his most charming Rhett had still not melted Mammy's heart toward him. When Rhett had told Scarlett privately that Mammy was not going with them to London Scarlett had said, "Who will take care of the children if Mammy is not going with us to London?"
"We can hire another nursemaid."
"No, Mammy wouldn't like that."
"Mammy will be at Tara."
"No, Mammy will be with us. I don't know what I would do without Mammy."
Rhett had relented because he figured Mammy was old and she probably wouldn't live much longer. He could tell Scarlett was getting ready to dig in her heals on this issue.
As he was thinking all that Scarlett said, "Who will deliver my baby if Mammy isn't there? I have never had a baby without Mammy. This baby that you forced on me with all your foolishness."
"I know you enjoy that foolishness also."
"I would like it better if I didn't get pregnant every time."
"You know it isn't every time."
"It seems like it is every time."
When he saw his wife beginning to tear-up he knew he had lost the battle. He said, "Of course, Mammy will go with us to London." He thought, 'Maybe she will fall overboard in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Rhett wrote his mother. He wrote: Scarlett and I are moving to London in May. You and Rosemary must come spend the summer with me and my family. You could stay until the baby was born in September. I could take you and Rosemary to Paris and Florence. Maybe buy y'all some new clothes.
Elizabeth wrote back: Rosemary says she will be glad to go with you to London, but I have too many obligations to spend that much time away from Charleston, especially in the summer.
Rhett wrote back: I really want you to come to London this summer. If you do not accompany me and my family to London, I will cut off your funds.
Elizabeth wrote back: "If you feel that strongly about me accompanying you to London then, of course, I will go.
Rhett wrote back: Please extend an invitation to Robert also.
Elizabeth wrote back: Robert says no.
Rhett didn't have any leverage with Robert, so he had to accept his brother's no. Rhett hoped that Robert and his family survived the cholera. He didn't know if they had survived in the first timeline or not. Rhett didn't want his mother and sister in Charleston in the summer of seventy-three. If he could prevent their deaths, he would.
The family went down to Tara the first of April. Everyone had a good time. Scarlett knew that of all of her children Wade was the one most bonded to this piece of land. Scarlett let Wade stay at Tara until they were ready to leave Atlanta.
In a moment of kindness, Scarlett told Mr. Jackson that they would meet him in Charleston on May the first. In Scarlett's mind it was one last time for the couple to be together. She was not aware that her husband was making other plans for his mother and sister.
Scarlett had hired some extra women to help with the packing. Rhett was amazed at all the items Scarlett was packing to take with them to London. He sat her down and said, "We are only taking items that cannot be replaced. For example: pictures, jewelry, clothing, ragdolls, or a special toy. It will cost too much to ship all these items."
Scarlett stared at Rhett and said, "I love our furniture."
"We can buy new furniture in London. It will fit the décor of our new home better."
"I guess I can send all those kitchen items to Tara."
"Yes. I'm not even shipping my library. We can give those to my good friend Mr. Wilkes."
Scarlett smiled at his joke. She said, "Can I send the piano to Tara?"
"Yes."
"I guess I can stop all this packing then. Will your attorney sell all the items we leave behind?"
"Yes, including the horses and carriages."
"Alright."
She got up and walked out of the parlor. Rhett hoped this wasn't a big mistake. Scarlett was looking sadder and sadder every day.
Two weeks after Scarlett had let Mr. Jackson go to Charleston to spend time with Rosemary Rhett got the final letter from his mother agreeing to go to London with them. Rhett said to Scarlett over dinner, "My mother and Rosemary have agreed to travel to London with us for the summer."
Scarlett said, "That's nice. I will enjoy their company on the voyage."
"I'm sure Mr. Jackson will too."
Rhett got the expected scowl. They finished their meal in silence except for Ella and Vicky's chatter. Scarlett did wonder about the man that was Rhett Butler. She decided that the reason she could never truly understand him was because he was such a contradiction. He could spend time with the scum of the earth and then spend time with his children with equal ease. She watched him interact with the girls while sitting there with Kenny on his lap.
Samuel and Rosemary were having a lovely time together in Charleston. They were making their plans for the future. Samuel had told Rosemary that he loved her, and Rosemary had told him the same. Rosemary actually planned to stay in England. She was going to do something very unladylike. She was going to ask her brother if she could live with him. She would miss her mother and other brother, of course, but she was dreadfully tired of the Charleston way.
Since the decision was made to go to England, Melanie and Beau had come to Scarlett's home every day. They talked and Melanie help pack. She took books home every day. Beau played with Ella and Vicky. Beau liked the girls. Not as much as he like Wade but Wade wasn't there.
Finally, the end of April was upon them. Scarlett and Beau went down to Tara to get Wade. They were not going to spend the night. She was just going to get Wade and return. She thought Beau would enjoy the train ride and spending time with Wade. She hoped Beau's company would help Wade not get sad as they left Tara.
Will and Wade picked them up in the wagon. The boys chattered all the way to Tara. Will didn't say anything which didn't surprise Scarlett. Scarlett was fine without any conversation. She just wanted to soak up as much of the scenery as she could.
Scarlett joined Suellen in the parlor and her sister said, "Thank you for the piano and all the other items you have sent down."
"Do you remember singing in the winter with Mother playing the piano?"
"Yes, it was one of the few times I think she was just having fun."
"Yes, she was always busy."
"I'm not like that."
"Me either."
"Something went wrong when I had my miscarriage. I can't get with child anymore."
"Oh Sue, maybe it hasn't been long enough."
"No, it has been almost two years. I just know there won't be any more children for me."
"Sue, I'm sorry."
"I have mixed feelings. I really don't want any more, but I also don't want to not be able to have any more."
"We always have been contrary people."
Suellen smiled and said, "I tell you all that to explain why I am going to ask this next question. Will wants you to let us keep Wade. He loves the boy and he and the boy both love Tara. It won't be as grand a life as you can give him, but he is going to inherit Tara someday. The girls don't like living in the country any more than I do except maybe my youngest. So, one day I will let you buy me out and Wade will have it all."
Scarlett didn't speak. She looked at her younger sister who looked five years older than her. Everything Suellen had said was true but Scarlett would never voluntarily be separated from her children. Even if it was what was best for her child. Although she didn't think this was best for Wade. If after Wade was grown, he wanted to return and live at Tara, she couldn't stop him. For now, the answer would be no.
"Sue, I could never stand to be separated from my child for an extended period of time. It is all I can do to let him spend this time with you."
"I knew the answer would be no, but I had to ask. No hard feelings."
They had dinner. As Scarlett and the boys were getting in the wagon to returned to Atlanta, the sisters hugged each other. They would never be best friends, but Scarlett felt they had become friends. On the trip to Jonesboro, Will didn't speak nor did Scarlett. There wasn't anything to say. The boys were chattering away in the back of the wagon. They got on the train and Scarlett hoped it wasn't the last time she ever saw Tara.
On their last night in Atlanta, they had supper with the Wilkes. All the children were at the table. The conversation was noisy and rambunctious with everyone trying to talk at once. Everyone had a particularly good time.
Scarlett had arranged with Melly for her to come to Scarlett's house and supervise the closing up of the house. Scarlett made Melly promise to take all the books and all the leftover food to her house. At the end of the evening the women hugged goodbye and finally Rhett and Ashley had to gently pry them apart. As Melanie was leaving, she said, "For the children."
Scarlett nodded her head and said, "Yes, for the children."
Melanie then turned and walked to their buggy. She got in and never looked back. Melanie knew her looking back would be her undoing.
To Rhett's surprise as soon as they pulled out of the Atlanta station on their way to Charleston, Scarlett brightened up. She smiled and laughed. She played with the children. She corrected Vicky's behavior and praised Ella for being so well behaved. She hugged Wade and let him be sad. In fact, in Rhett's opinion the train trip to Charleston was quite delightful. As Rhett watched all of this, he knew why Scarlett had brightened up and was happy now. Atlanta and her life in Georgia were locked behind a closed door now. Not Tara or Miss Melly though, she loved them too much to be able to lock them behind a closed door.
As Scarlett and Rhett laid in their bed on the train, Scarlett asked him, "Do you want another girl or another boy?"
"Girl. What about you?"
"I don't know."
"In London you won't have to go into confinement."
"I have mixed feelings about that. I don't want anyone to see me in that grotesque shape, but I will like being able to still go to social events.
"I think you look beautiful when you are pregnant."
"Thank you dear."
Rhett knew that his statement still hadn't made any difference in her opinion of her pregnancy shape.
Scarlett said, "I am glad you think I am beautiful when I am pregnant since it is all your fault I am in this condition."
As Rhett laid there in the bed with his wife and child pressed up against him, he knew now was not the time to argue with her. Maybe he was finally growing up also.