Chapter 110

A silence fell between them. Scarlett breathed easier now. "Now that we have decided to part on good terms- I've always wondered- My Mother was such a Lady and she worked hard and raised us right. But the war came and everything we knew, everything we were supposed to be- all the familiar roles, familiar places-everything disappeared. So, my Mother was wrong. And when my Mother was wrong, what chance do I have? The only thing I can do is to pick up the pieces- her pieces- polish it until its gleaming again and-"

"Scarlett-"

"Let me speak, you must listen to me. Now that we have decided to part, you can't hate me. I was only so hard on myself and others because I thought that was all I could do. And your lack of seriousness-"

"You were too serious! Just because you acted high and mighty-"

"That was only because you were constantly making fun of me! The things you said and the things you did- telling others about me, ruining my reputation-"

"You needed taking down a peg or two, Madam!"

Scarlett breathed hard and continued. "Our arguments have toned down a little, haven't they? I know that you will never change from your stand and I wont ask you to. But I would like to change the way you phrase certain words. Like "being mules dressed in horse harness"- Maybe that sounds like a great joke to you. Maybe you can laugh at it and laugh at yourself. But that doesn't make you a better person than me Maybe I can be stubborn and want to have things my way. But I don't think I would like to think of myself as a mule. And you have to tolerate my standpoint. I prefer to take life a little more seriously than you."

"I am serious where it matters-"

"I am not asking you to change your opinion. I only want you to tolerate mine. Or do we all have to think like you to be respected?"

Rhett threw up his hand and looked away.

Scarlett smiled. "Ahh, so you appreciated when I stepped up to take care of my plantation and my family. I know because I understand now what you saw in me. But even you must agree that if I was all that, then I couldn't also be enjoying the pleasures of the flesh.. as you so coarsely put it-"

Rhett shot her a look of cynical amusement. "It is what it is"

But Scarlett continued unfazed. "You have got a wild reputation,Rhett. And more people have seen you at Belle's sporting house and you know what you truly mean- But I don't have your experiences. Why must I call those things by your coarse terms for them?"

The smile on Rhett's face slowly disappeared.

"If you were able to have wide experiences and know what certain things meant and still remained unaffected by them, then its good for you. It's who you show yourself to be. But from that place, you expect me to give up myself for you- I would say you were a little cowardly, won't you? Instead you could accommodate me? I can like the same earthy things you like and be as coarse as you please and still gather the good qualities in me and be accommodated by you, couldn't I?"

Rhett remained silent.

"We could get along just fine if you didn't demand the truth all the time. You could accommodate me instead. I with my differences and you with yours-" She saw him curtly open his mouth and cut him with - "But its too late now and I know we can never make amends. I understand that too. We would have to have something in common- something to do together and now that Bonnie is gone, we have lost that chance. So, you couldn't possibly accommodate me-"