Scarlett smiled at Colum she knew it would be awhile before she saw him
again.T omorrow Rhett, she, and Cat and Miss Eleanor all left to head
home to the south. While Scarlett couldn't wait to see her older children
again she would greatly miss her O'Hara kin here.
She was leaving Ballyhara in Mrs. Fitz's hands. Scarlett knew she could
count on Mrs. Fitz to look over her beloved house and town in her
absent. Scarlett hated to leave this land it had become a part of her
almost as much as the Tara she grown up on was.
Being Mrs. Butler once more was worth it. Just being able to talk to
Rhett, take his hand in hers it was a dream come true. Nothing seemed
important compared to the knowledge that Rhett loved her. Yes it still
hurt to think he had while loving her divorced her and married
another. How could she bring that against Rhett when he hadn't brought up
Ashley's name once since they had remarried.
"So this is what a happy Katie Scarlett looks like." Colum teased his
cousin. He would miss her but it was for the best, both for Scarlett and
the Brotherhood .A time was coming Colum knew when the red coats would
come. Scarlett and Cat didn't need to be here for that.
Scarlett just smiled and nodded her head. How she was going to miss these
talks they shared. Colum was the only other person then Rhett, Scarlett
could be herself around and know he wouldn't think ill of her. But
Atlanta and her father's Tara were calling to her. "I shall miss you
dreadfully Colum, you're the brother I never had growing up. You must
promise me you'll come for a visit."
"How could I decline such a offer from my lovely cousin." Colum
replied. "It seems like only yesterday, aroon, you came here for a visit."
"Yes, and I liked it so well I stayed what four or five years?" Scarlett
asked jesting "I will miss it here Colum don't doubt that. But this isn't
my home as much as I love it. I feel the south calling me and I'm afraid
I can't ignore it any longer."
Scarlett looked at Colum hoping she hadn't upset him. But the truth was
still the truth no matter how much she wanted it not to be. The south was
a part of who she was, and it was time Scarlett stopped hiding and went
home.
"I understand Scarlett, no need for you to worry about my feelings.
don't know how you've stood it being away from your homeland so long.If
it wasn't for Cat I'm sure aroon, you would have went home along time
ago." Colum stated he didn't want Scarlett to think he felt betrayed by
her leaving.
"Beside if I recall correctly you were just waiting here until your
husband came for you.I must admit Mr.Butler went a around about way of
doing it, by he did come for you, Scarlett so now it's time for you to
go home."Colum said this last with tears in his eyes.He wouldn't be able
to see them off tomorrow.So today he was doing his goodbyes.
"Rhett and I, never did do things the easy way" this Scarlett said in
laughter. "It's time for me to bid you farewell Colum until we meet
again.I still can you believe it have packing to do?" Scarlett said with
tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks.
Both stood up and embraced."Tis a honor to have known the O'Hara but
more of one to have met Scarlett Butler.May all you days forth bring you
nothing but happiness Katie Scarlett." with those words Colum pulled
away.He still had to do this with Cat and he knew it wasn't going to be
easy.
"The honor was all mine Colum, I couldn't have wished for a better
brother.Don't forget you promised to come visit I'll be waiting for
you." Scarlett said eyeing Colum "Go ahead Cat's waiting for you.I
believe she has the whole day planned for just the two of you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colum knew saying goodbye to his namesake was going to be harder then it
had been with Scarlett.
Cat was the child he was never going to have.He was one of the first
people to hold her after she had been born.He had known Cat her whole
life. longer then the girl's father had.But Katie Colum like Scarlett
belonged with Rhett Butler back in American.
"Colum" he heard the child voice yell as she came running towards him.
"Cat, your Mother told me you had a day planned for us.So where do you
want to start first ?" Colum asked as he picked Cat up and held her in
his arms.
"I thought we could spend some time with Ree, I'm leaving him
behind but Daddy promised that if I wanted later he could come live
where we're going." Cat explained as she wiggled her way out of Colum's
arms. He was acting weird, Cat thought, Colum had never hugged her that
long before.
"That sounds wonderful to me, let's go see that pony of your's."
Hand in hand they walked to the stables.Cat finally understood why Colum
was different today.Just as she was going to American and leaving
Mrs.Fitz, it was the same with Colum he wasn't coming on the ship with
them like her Grandmother Butler.
If he wasn't coming that meant she wasn't going to see him again for a
long time.But how could that be? Colum had always been there to play
with.What was she supposed to do without him?
Colum couldn't believe his ears as they stopped at Ree's stall Cat was
doing something he had never witness the little girl do since she was a
infant she was crying.
"Katie Colum what's wrong?" he asked as he bent down on his knees so he
was eye level with Cat.
"I'm leaving you.I don't want to, can't you come too?" Cat asked looking
at Colum with hopeful eyes.
"I can't go Cat."Colum said then stood up he couldn't stand to see her
start crying again and know it was because of him.
"Why can't you come?" Cat asked instead of letting more of her tears
fall.
"Cat this is where I belong, you on the other hand little Miss Butler"
Colum paused at Cat's new last name the one that always had rightfully
been her's. "Belong in American with your Mother and
Father."
Cat wiped her eyes thinking over Colum's words.She smiled suddenly and
asked cheerfully "Since your staying too, promise me you're watch Ree
for me?"
Colum smiled and wished he had the same power to bounce back like all
children had."Of course I will.Now I believe Ree is waiting for us"
"I'm going to miss you Colum" Cat said before turning to look at her
pony.
"I'll miss you too my goddaughter" Colum whisper as Cat's attention was
lost on Ree.
again.T omorrow Rhett, she, and Cat and Miss Eleanor all left to head
home to the south. While Scarlett couldn't wait to see her older children
again she would greatly miss her O'Hara kin here.
She was leaving Ballyhara in Mrs. Fitz's hands. Scarlett knew she could
count on Mrs. Fitz to look over her beloved house and town in her
absent. Scarlett hated to leave this land it had become a part of her
almost as much as the Tara she grown up on was.
Being Mrs. Butler once more was worth it. Just being able to talk to
Rhett, take his hand in hers it was a dream come true. Nothing seemed
important compared to the knowledge that Rhett loved her. Yes it still
hurt to think he had while loving her divorced her and married
another. How could she bring that against Rhett when he hadn't brought up
Ashley's name once since they had remarried.
"So this is what a happy Katie Scarlett looks like." Colum teased his
cousin. He would miss her but it was for the best, both for Scarlett and
the Brotherhood .A time was coming Colum knew when the red coats would
come. Scarlett and Cat didn't need to be here for that.
Scarlett just smiled and nodded her head. How she was going to miss these
talks they shared. Colum was the only other person then Rhett, Scarlett
could be herself around and know he wouldn't think ill of her. But
Atlanta and her father's Tara were calling to her. "I shall miss you
dreadfully Colum, you're the brother I never had growing up. You must
promise me you'll come for a visit."
"How could I decline such a offer from my lovely cousin." Colum
replied. "It seems like only yesterday, aroon, you came here for a visit."
"Yes, and I liked it so well I stayed what four or five years?" Scarlett
asked jesting "I will miss it here Colum don't doubt that. But this isn't
my home as much as I love it. I feel the south calling me and I'm afraid
I can't ignore it any longer."
Scarlett looked at Colum hoping she hadn't upset him. But the truth was
still the truth no matter how much she wanted it not to be. The south was
a part of who she was, and it was time Scarlett stopped hiding and went
home.
"I understand Scarlett, no need for you to worry about my feelings.
don't know how you've stood it being away from your homeland so long.If
it wasn't for Cat I'm sure aroon, you would have went home along time
ago." Colum stated he didn't want Scarlett to think he felt betrayed by
her leaving.
"Beside if I recall correctly you were just waiting here until your
husband came for you.I must admit Mr.Butler went a around about way of
doing it, by he did come for you, Scarlett so now it's time for you to
go home."Colum said this last with tears in his eyes.He wouldn't be able
to see them off tomorrow.So today he was doing his goodbyes.
"Rhett and I, never did do things the easy way" this Scarlett said in
laughter. "It's time for me to bid you farewell Colum until we meet
again.I still can you believe it have packing to do?" Scarlett said with
tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks.
Both stood up and embraced."Tis a honor to have known the O'Hara but
more of one to have met Scarlett Butler.May all you days forth bring you
nothing but happiness Katie Scarlett." with those words Colum pulled
away.He still had to do this with Cat and he knew it wasn't going to be
easy.
"The honor was all mine Colum, I couldn't have wished for a better
brother.Don't forget you promised to come visit I'll be waiting for
you." Scarlett said eyeing Colum "Go ahead Cat's waiting for you.I
believe she has the whole day planned for just the two of you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colum knew saying goodbye to his namesake was going to be harder then it
had been with Scarlett.
Cat was the child he was never going to have.He was one of the first
people to hold her after she had been born.He had known Cat her whole
life. longer then the girl's father had.But Katie Colum like Scarlett
belonged with Rhett Butler back in American.
"Colum" he heard the child voice yell as she came running towards him.
"Cat, your Mother told me you had a day planned for us.So where do you
want to start first ?" Colum asked as he picked Cat up and held her in
his arms.
"I thought we could spend some time with Ree, I'm leaving him
behind but Daddy promised that if I wanted later he could come live
where we're going." Cat explained as she wiggled her way out of Colum's
arms. He was acting weird, Cat thought, Colum had never hugged her that
long before.
"That sounds wonderful to me, let's go see that pony of your's."
Hand in hand they walked to the stables.Cat finally understood why Colum
was different today.Just as she was going to American and leaving
Mrs.Fitz, it was the same with Colum he wasn't coming on the ship with
them like her Grandmother Butler.
If he wasn't coming that meant she wasn't going to see him again for a
long time.But how could that be? Colum had always been there to play
with.What was she supposed to do without him?
Colum couldn't believe his ears as they stopped at Ree's stall Cat was
doing something he had never witness the little girl do since she was a
infant she was crying.
"Katie Colum what's wrong?" he asked as he bent down on his knees so he
was eye level with Cat.
"I'm leaving you.I don't want to, can't you come too?" Cat asked looking
at Colum with hopeful eyes.
"I can't go Cat."Colum said then stood up he couldn't stand to see her
start crying again and know it was because of him.
"Why can't you come?" Cat asked instead of letting more of her tears
fall.
"Cat this is where I belong, you on the other hand little Miss Butler"
Colum paused at Cat's new last name the one that always had rightfully
been her's. "Belong in American with your Mother and
Father."
Cat wiped her eyes thinking over Colum's words.She smiled suddenly and
asked cheerfully "Since your staying too, promise me you're watch Ree
for me?"
Colum smiled and wished he had the same power to bounce back like all
children had."Of course I will.Now I believe Ree is waiting for us"
"I'm going to miss you Colum" Cat said before turning to look at her
pony.
"I'll miss you too my goddaughter" Colum whisper as Cat's attention was
lost on Ree.