Rhett didn't know why Charleston was calling to him that day when he left
Scarlett at the door of their Atlanta home. He had always hated Charleston
and everything that it stood for. He had never been accepted
there...people just didn't understand his type which was one of the reasons
he had loved Scarlett. He had once told her that they were both
alike..."selfish to the end". She understood him and he understood her.
Never had two people been so alike. Perhaps that is what caused their
marriage to crumble. Neither of them had been willing to give an inch.
Marriage is hard enough, but having both parties unable to tell the other
how they really felt was sheer stupidity. They were so worried about the
other finding out what was in their hearts that they pushed eachother
further away.
But he had seen something different in her that day he left. Something he had never seen before. He had seen fear in her eyes. And mixed in with that fear was the love for him that she had never been able to admit to herself or to him. How many times had he cursed himself for still leaving after her admission. He should have taken her upstairs and made love to her for days. But he had been stubborn and not looked back even as he heard her sobbing.
When he had shown up on his mothers door, she'd been happy, but surprised to see him. She knew right away that something was wrong. He hadn't shaved and his clothes were rumpled. Never before had she seen him in such a state. Her son always prided himself on his appearance. She'd begged him to tell her what was wrong, but he refused to say anything. Instead, he locked himself in his room for days, drunk on the whiskey he had the servents leave outside the door. Until one day, when no bottle appeared and his mother knocked on the door and demanded he let her in. When he unlocked the door she marched in and threw open the curtain and opened the window. Rhett winced when the light hit his eyes. And he winced further when his mother began to scold him like a schoolboy. It was then that the story of what happened between him and Scarlett came pouring out. He was relieved, if not a bit surprised, that he had told her. But, now that he had, he was glad. She had made him bathe and shave and told him she expected him downstairs for dinner in one hour and had never spoke of it again. Rhett had never let anyone take over his life for him before. But, just the fact that Eleanor Butler did just that, made him love all the more.
That had been two months ago. And now as he sat on the veranda, as he did every night, enjoying a good cigar and watching the harbour lights, his thoughts turned to Scarlett. Many a night was spent deep in thought out under the stars. And many of those thoughts were about her. He had heard through a letter from Mammy that she had gone back to Tara. He was glad that she was at the home she loved. He hoped she was at peace and happy. He wondered when and if he would see her next. The Season was starting soon and knew it would be hard for Scarlett to stay awayfrom all the parties. No matter what she was always ready to dance, something that he hadn't done with her often enough. But, then again, that might be wishful thinking. Why would she come to Charleston anyway. Atlanta would be more likely. He didn't know how he would react if they were ever face to face again. But, he presumed they would be one day. He recalled a day about two weeks after he'd arrived back home. He'd made up his mind to go to Tara and get her...tell her that he loved her too. When he had reached Clayton County, he's stopped to water his horse and ask for directions. And then he'd seen her. From across the street he watched her and who he decided must be Will Benteen, come out of a store carrying paint. Her hair had been down and she'd had on a pretty green dress. And as she twirled the lacey parasol over her head she'd been laughing....something he hadn't seen her do since before Bonnie. He had wanted to call out to her, tried to call out to her, but all that came out of his mouth was a whisper. "Scarlett." And so all he could do was watch the old wagon make its way down the dusty road and out of sight. He'd nearly killed his horse that day, riding as fast as he could, putting as much distance between him and Scarlett as possible. He never told anyone where he had been that day. Only that he had been visiting some old friends. He had then spent a sleepless night tossing and turning. He finally got up at dawn and vowed to never break down like that again.
He dropped his cigar on the ground then, covering it with his foot to make sure it was out. Tomorrow was a special day. His younger sister, Rosemary was coming back home after visiting some relatives in Savannah. It had been many years since he had been her last. But despite the large age difference they were very close sharing many of the same traits, in looks and in character. He would be meeting her at the train station the following morning. He was grateful for her return home...more grateful then anyone would ever know. Having Rosemary around would help him take his thoughts away from his wife.
But he had seen something different in her that day he left. Something he had never seen before. He had seen fear in her eyes. And mixed in with that fear was the love for him that she had never been able to admit to herself or to him. How many times had he cursed himself for still leaving after her admission. He should have taken her upstairs and made love to her for days. But he had been stubborn and not looked back even as he heard her sobbing.
When he had shown up on his mothers door, she'd been happy, but surprised to see him. She knew right away that something was wrong. He hadn't shaved and his clothes were rumpled. Never before had she seen him in such a state. Her son always prided himself on his appearance. She'd begged him to tell her what was wrong, but he refused to say anything. Instead, he locked himself in his room for days, drunk on the whiskey he had the servents leave outside the door. Until one day, when no bottle appeared and his mother knocked on the door and demanded he let her in. When he unlocked the door she marched in and threw open the curtain and opened the window. Rhett winced when the light hit his eyes. And he winced further when his mother began to scold him like a schoolboy. It was then that the story of what happened between him and Scarlett came pouring out. He was relieved, if not a bit surprised, that he had told her. But, now that he had, he was glad. She had made him bathe and shave and told him she expected him downstairs for dinner in one hour and had never spoke of it again. Rhett had never let anyone take over his life for him before. But, just the fact that Eleanor Butler did just that, made him love all the more.
That had been two months ago. And now as he sat on the veranda, as he did every night, enjoying a good cigar and watching the harbour lights, his thoughts turned to Scarlett. Many a night was spent deep in thought out under the stars. And many of those thoughts were about her. He had heard through a letter from Mammy that she had gone back to Tara. He was glad that she was at the home she loved. He hoped she was at peace and happy. He wondered when and if he would see her next. The Season was starting soon and knew it would be hard for Scarlett to stay awayfrom all the parties. No matter what she was always ready to dance, something that he hadn't done with her often enough. But, then again, that might be wishful thinking. Why would she come to Charleston anyway. Atlanta would be more likely. He didn't know how he would react if they were ever face to face again. But, he presumed they would be one day. He recalled a day about two weeks after he'd arrived back home. He'd made up his mind to go to Tara and get her...tell her that he loved her too. When he had reached Clayton County, he's stopped to water his horse and ask for directions. And then he'd seen her. From across the street he watched her and who he decided must be Will Benteen, come out of a store carrying paint. Her hair had been down and she'd had on a pretty green dress. And as she twirled the lacey parasol over her head she'd been laughing....something he hadn't seen her do since before Bonnie. He had wanted to call out to her, tried to call out to her, but all that came out of his mouth was a whisper. "Scarlett." And so all he could do was watch the old wagon make its way down the dusty road and out of sight. He'd nearly killed his horse that day, riding as fast as he could, putting as much distance between him and Scarlett as possible. He never told anyone where he had been that day. Only that he had been visiting some old friends. He had then spent a sleepless night tossing and turning. He finally got up at dawn and vowed to never break down like that again.
He dropped his cigar on the ground then, covering it with his foot to make sure it was out. Tomorrow was a special day. His younger sister, Rosemary was coming back home after visiting some relatives in Savannah. It had been many years since he had been her last. But despite the large age difference they were very close sharing many of the same traits, in looks and in character. He would be meeting her at the train station the following morning. He was grateful for her return home...more grateful then anyone would ever know. Having Rosemary around would help him take his thoughts away from his wife.