Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
At the beginning of the book there is a line which I don't remember exactly but basically said 'Scarlett was constitutionally unable to accept that a man did not love her more than any other woman.' This story arose from that line.
FYI: I have recycled a few of my short stories into this fan fic. The first stories I wrote that now make me cringe when I read them. I wanted to update them and edit them, but I didn't have the energy. I also wanted to develop them more fully and this was the perfect vehicle.
Chapter One
Scarlett leaned against the door jamb and watched her husband. For the last two weeks Rhett had been behaving like the silliest of men. Every day they had a new nursemaid for Genie. Rhett kept firing them for one silly reason or another. She didn't bother to learn their names now. She was staring at him now because he was holding his daughter while talking to Mammy about what was best for Genie.
What had surprised her was how much Rhett obviously loved the two-week old little girl. This was the same man that whenever she had asked him, "What do you want to name the baby?" had always replied, "I don't care. Whatever you want to name the child."
Rhett was so engrossed by his daughter that he had not paid any attention to Scarlett these last two weeks. That would just not do. He was her husband, and he should pay attention to her only. She decided that was a little selfish, but he should definitely pay more attention to her than his child.
Admittedly he still held her while they were sleeping, and he hadn't said a word about how fat she still was although she had lost most of her belly.
No, this would not do at all. Scarlett had never lost a man to another woman, and she certainly wasn't going to lose her husband to another woman even if that woman was his daughter and was only two -weeks old.
Scarlett said from the doorway, "Have you already fired the nursemaid today? Did I miss it?"
Rhett turned towards his wife, and he said, "Not yet. She is helping Ella get dressed. Her name is Eliza."
"If she is here in a week, I might try to remember it."
Scarlett walked over and took the child from Rhett's arms despite his frown. She said, "Don't fire the wet nurse. They are too hard to replace quickly."
"Alright."
"Dear, why don't you let the new nursemaid take care of Wade and Ella and let Mammy take care of Genie. I know Mammy wants to take care of the baby. In truth Wade doesn't need a nursemaid so that would leave what's her name taking care of Ella. Ella really doesn't need that much watching."
"Alright."
"But if you want to continue firing the girls go ahead."
Scarlett walked over to Genie's crib and gently place the child in it. She rubbed the baby's back until the child settled down. She turned to Rhett and said, "Come down to the parlor and talk to me. We haven't talked in such a long time."
Rhett was suspicious. Scarlett was being nice to him and a little flirty. It had been a long time since she had truly paid him any attention except when he made her mad. He would go along with her and see where this was leading.
For the next week, Scarlett was flirting with Rhett. She was paying attention to him. She had the cook prepare his favorite meals even a couple that he knew she wasn't very fond of. He was touched that she knew what his favorite meals were. He had made a couple of unkind comments and she had just laughed them off. What she did that was the most surprising was that when they retired for the night, she would close the gap between them. Before he had always had to pull her to him, and she hadn't even helped in the process.
That night, when Rhett was getting ready to go out, Scarlett had kissed him goodbye. Not a peck on the cheek but a real kiss. When she pulled back, she had been breathless. She finally said, "Have fun."
Rhett had smiled and kissed her again which he knew she had enjoyed.
Genie was three weeks old. Scarlett and Rhett were in the nursery with the baby. For Scarlett it was perfect. She could pretend to be visiting her baby also when in fact she was just there to win Rhett's attention back to her. She had noticed in the last week that Rhett had started watching her again which was a good sign. Now that she knew he could feel love and show love she was bound and determined to win his heart.
Scarlett had always thought Rhett didn't have the capacity to love another human being but now she knew she was wrong. If he could love Genie, she would make him love her. Scarlett never considered the unkindness of what she was doing. That she was trying to make a man love her when she loved another man.
Scarlett teasingly said, "You are making a fool of yourself with all of this display of affection for Genie. It is unmanly. I don't understand why you are doing it."
"No? Well, you wouldn't. The reason is that she is the first person who's ever belonged utterly to me."
She said with a smile, "She belongs to me, too!"
"No, you have two other children. She's mine."
"What does that mean, you silly man? I had her, didn't I? Besides, I belong to you."
Rhett looked at her over the black head of the child and smiled oddly. He said, "Do you, my dear?"
"Of course, I do. I'm your wife aren't I."
"Yes, you are my wife."
Crossly Scarlett had added, "And you are my husband. Don't forget it."
Just as Melly had walked in, Rhett had said, "No, Dear, I would never forget I am your husband."
When Rhett asked if Genie was going to have green eyes Melanie said, "They are going to be blue, like Mr. O'Hara's eyes as blue as – as blue as the bonnie blue flag."
"Bonnie Blue Butler," laughed Rhett and he had turned to Scarlett and asked her "What do you think my dear?"
"No, Rhett. I don't want to call my daughter anything that would make me think of the war. You know I want to forget about the war. Genie."
"As you wish."
Melanie took the baby out of Rhett's arms and said, "Genie is such a pretty name."
"She was named for two queens, after all."
"Indeed, my dear, she was. She will be the queen of our hearts."
That statement had pleased Scarlett. Rhett was including them together in something.
The next three weeks were peaceful with Scarlett pursuing Rhett and unknowingly falling in love with her daughter.
Finally, it was the day that Scarlett could be released from her confinement. This having been her third pregnancy she was not surprised that she had gained an inch in her waist. In fact, she had several dresses made just in case she did. When her waist had measured twenty inches, she decided that she just wouldn't have any more children. Although Genie was such a cute baby. She had started smiling and she smiled just like Rhett. That had made her happy for Rhett that he would be able to see himself in his child. She had remembered how happy she had been when both Wade and Ella had her smile.
Scarlett got dressed in one of her new dresses. It was blue and had a high waist. It also had a little jacket. She thought she looked quite nice in her new outfit. She put on her new jewelry. Rhett had given her a sapphire pendant necklace as a thank you gift for giving him Genie. The color matched the child's eyes exactly, and she had thought it was a nice touch. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Rhett had just given it to her the night before after they had gotten into the bed. He had said, "I hope you find this a worthy compensation of all your pain and discomfort these last months."
After Scarlett had opened the present and looked at the necklace, she said, "It comes close," She had then smiled and added, "It is lovely."
Scarlett had leaned forward and kissed Rhett. He had kissed her back then gently pushed her away from him. She had laid down before he saw the victorious expression on her face. She just knew she was getting Rhett to fall in love with her.
As Scarlett drove herself to the store, she thought about how she was going to accomplish not having any more children. She really didn't have any ideas, but she would think of something. She already knew that Rhett would not be as easy to manage as Frank. She also knew that Rhett wouldn't give up his marital rights. Afterall, that was the reason he married her. She would have to ponder this the rest of the day.
Scarlett at the store found out that Hugh had made a nice profit while she was in her confinement, she next went to Johnny's mill and he too had made a nice profit, she then happily turned her buggy towards Ashley's mill.
As Scarlett left Ashley's sawmill, she was so happy. She was so happy because of what Ashley had said to her. She began to think about what Ashley said. Yes, it was so wonderful, so right, that they both be chaste for each other and give up all that foolishness.
Scarlett really didn't want any more children and she had already planned to tell Rhett they weren't having relations anymore. Well, she had thought about telling him she didn't want any more children, but she would have to consider how she would approach him about no longer having relations. He would not be happy. Truth be told, she would not be happy about it either. Giving up her marital relations with Rhett would be a sacrifice. He had introduced her to so many risqué acts. Things that at first had appalled her but had been very pleasurable for her and she guessed Rhett too for he was no longer just going through the motions. In fact, having relations with Rhett was something she truly enjoyed in her marriage. She had certainly missed it these last several weeks. Having relations with Rhett was the only time she forgot all the bad things that had happened to her and all the bad things she had done to survive.
Scarlett realized the other good thing about sleeping with Rhett was that when she was in bed with him, she did not have the nightmares. She was not sure she wanted to give that up. He always made her feel safe and secure. She also enjoyed the stories that he would tell at night while he was smoking his cigars before they would go to sleep.
Furthermore, if Scarlett was going to get Rhett to fall in love with her, she would have to continue having relations with him. No, Rhett would just have to figure out a way to not get her with child. She bet he knew a way! No, if Rhett knew a way, he would not have gotten her with child. Afterall, she had told him that she didn't want any more children.
Suddenly with extreme certainty, Scarlett knew that despite her not wanting to have any more children, Rhett had wanted children therefore he had disregarded her feelings and he had done what he had wanted to do. She would put an end to that once he confessed his love for her.
Scarlett suddenly realized that there was no way Ashley would know if she was having relations with Rhett or not. The only way he would know is if she got with child. If she did, she would just tell Ashley that Rhett had forced himself on her.
That was what Scarlett was going to do. She would find some way to prevent getting with child, and then she could pretend that she was as chaste as Ashley. She could continue getting Rhett to fall in love with her. If he loved her maybe, he would be willing to not have relations because of his love for her.
Ashley was willing to not have relations with Melanie and he didn't even love her. Not that Ashley had any choice about the matter because of Melanie's situation. In fact, he wasn't giving anything up to be chaste with her. Furthermore, she wasn't going to unnecessarily suffer when she had suffered enough in life already. No, she wasn't going to ask Rhett to sleep in another bedroom. She could barely make it when he was away traveling on business. But he would have to figure out how to not get her with child.