Scarlett held fast to Rhett's hand as the train made it's way to Jonesboro.
Cat was sleeping peacefully on the opposing seat. They had come straight
from Charleston to the Atlanta depot and then onto the train. Scarlett
thought thankfully that they hadn't seen anybody they knew. The one night
they had spent at Eleanor's house had been a little tense between Rosemary
and Scarlett, but Rhett mediated and nothing had happened between the two.
Of course Rosemary adored her niece, it was impossible not to. Eleanor had
declined the invitations to Tara and opted to remain in Charleston.
Scarlett had dashed off a telegram to Will requesting that he meet her at
the train station, but she hadn't mentioned her husband or her daughter.
"Oh Rhett I'm so nervous." Scarlett whispered. "What will Wade and Ella and everybody think? Maybe I should have written Will before and explained things to him. It'll be quite a shock for them. And I feel horrible for leaving the kids with Suellen and Will for four years. They must hate me, Rhett."
"Nonsense, my love, despite all your former best efforts your children do not hate you."
"I hope so. What if they don't want to come live with us in Atlanta, though? I came back once when Cat was a baby, you know, when I saw you on the ship. I came to Tara and I was all ready to bring the kids home with me but they didn't want to."
"So that was why you were on the ship. I always wondered about that."
"Yes, I came to cut all my ties from the South. I sold the businesses and I was going to sell the house. But for some reason I couldn't bring myself to do it. It had a hold over me; I couldn't get rid of it. So I told Uncle Henry that he could tell your lawyers I had left it for you. Of course I wouldn't have if I had known that- that you would live there with Anne." Scarlett stopped as the pain of Anne living in her home, in her bedroom even, returned.
"I'm sorry about that Scarlett. It was a huge mistake. It wasn't fair to you or to Anne either. Not all of what I told you was true though. Anne didn't have your bedroom, nobody did. I didn't allow anyone to go in there, it's like you never left. I thought it would be easier for you to think that Anne had your room then to know the truth. Because surely then you would have known that I still loved you, and I knew that would hurt you. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, Scarlett, but I didn't do a very good job at it."
"So she wasn't in my room?" Scarlett asked. "It was still stupid of you to live there, Rhett. But I forgive you, I could never stay mad at you. Oh, we're almost there! I can't wait to show Tara to you. I always wanted you to see it. It means so much to me, it's such a big part of who I am."
"Well if it's like you then I can guarantee you that I'll love it." Rhett smiled. Scarlett kissed him quickly before the train pulled to a stop. Rhett picked up Cat and walked outside with Scarlett on his arm. Will was lounging against his wagon out at the depot. He smiled and waved as Scarlett did the same, but then his look turned perplexed as he took in the sight of Rhett and Cat. Scarlett led the way over to Will and they embraced. Rhett stood a little apart, waiting for Scarlett to introduce him.
"Will, I'd like you to meet my husband, Captain Rhett Butler. And this-" She said as she pushed a stray hair off of Cat's face. "This is our daughter, Cat." Will was obviously shocked and mystified at his sister-in- law suddenly showing up with a small family.
"So you're Captain Butler." He said, remembering himself. Rhett and Will shook hands. "Wade is constantly talking about you, Captain."
"Please, call me Rhett."
"Scarlett I must say I'm surprised. I mean- the last I heard you were… Please excuse me, it's none of my business."
"No Will, it is. You're one of my dearest friends and Rhett and I have nothing to hide. We were divorced, for four horrid years. But we remarried about a month ago in Ireland." Scarlett smiled at the memory of their wedding.
"Well I guess congratulations are in order then!" Will said as he digested the information. He kissed Scarlett's cheek and shook hands once again with Rhett. "We should be gettin along home. I left Wade in charge of the plowin' and I should get back."
"Wade in charge of plowing? He's probably grown up so much I won't even recognize him. I still can't believe he's sixteen." Scarlett said as she thought about how she had grown up along with her firstborn. "Let's go then, I can't wait to see my home again. It's been far too long since I've been to Tara." Once everyone was situated in the wagon Scarlett asked about Wade and Ella.
"They've been doin' very good. Wade is a great help to me and Ella's a great girl."
"Will you don't think they'll object to moving back to Atlanta, do you? I really want us to be a family again. But they didn't want to come to Ireland with me."
"I'm not sure, Scarlett." Will said uneasily. "You'll have to take that up with them. I know they love Tara. But you are their mother, after all."
"Yes, but I was never much of one." Scarlett said softly. Cat began to stir in Rhett's arms and Scarlett turned her attention to her daughter.
"Where are we?" Cat asked, looking around her.
"We're going to Mommy's Tara, darling. You know the one I always tell you about. And remember you're going to meet Wade and Ella and your Uncle Will and Aunt Suellen? And your cousins?" Scarlett said, taking Cat onto her lap. "This is your uncle Will." She told her. Cat smiled at Will and began bombarding Scarlett with questions about Tara and her siblings. Before Scarlett knew it they were almost to Tara, it was just over the hill. She thought back to how she had come over this same hill so long ago, not knowing if she would find her childhood home burned to the ground. Scarlett automatically reached for Rhett's hand, wanting to be near him. She gave him a weak smile, visibly nervous at her imminent meeting with her children. Rhett put an arm around her waist and drew her and Cat to him. He lightly kissed the top of Scarlett's head, wordlessly reassuring her. Suddenly, Tara came into view.
"Tara" Scarlett whispered, a smile on her face. All her worries seemed to melt away as she looked over her beloved Tara. "Oh, Will, it looks better then it has in years!"
"Well Wade's been helping me ter fix it up. Like I said, he's been a great help."
"It looks almost as good as – as before the war." Soon they had pulled up to the big white house. Will and Rhett hopped down and Rhett handed Scarlett and Cat down. Wade walked up from the fields, covered in dirt. He had heard Will approaching and came to see his mother.
"Uncle Rhett?" his voice came from behind Scarlett. "What are you doing here?" Scarlett turned and walked over to her son. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She couldn't get over the fact that her son was now towering over her. "What's Uncle Rhett doing here, Mother?" he asked her quietly.
"Rhett and I got married last month, Wade." Scarlett said gently. She turned and pointed at Cat who was now standing next to Rhett. "That our daughter, your sister, Katie. Everyone calls her Cat, though."
"Your daughter?" Wade asked incredulously. "You and Rhett have a daughter? Since when?"
"She's 3 and a half. She was born when I first went to Ireland, before I came here that one time."
"Why didn't you tell me and Ella?" He sounded almost angry now.
"It's a long story, Wade. I don't want to go into it right now." Scarlett said. Rhett saw Wade and he was approaching the two of them.
"Wade, good to see you." He said, extending his hand to his stepson. Wade just looked at it, not taking it.
"I can't believe this." He said with a shake of his head.
"Wade – " Scarlett whispered, upset at how her son was acting.
"What do you expect me to do? Do you want me to be happy for you?" Wade said a little too loudly.
"Yes, I do. I don't know why you're upset about this, Wade. Rhett's been like a father to you."
"He's not my father!" Wade shouted. He looked steadily at Rhett. "And I can not forgive you for what you did to my mother. But if you want me to be happy for you, then good luck. You'll both need it." And with that he walked back to the fields. Scarlett sighed and looked up at Rhett.
"Well that didn't go so good." She said dejectedly.
"It's alright, darling. He'll come around."
"I'm not so sure. He's pretty mad at you, Rhett."
"It is a lot for someone to take in. Oh, don't be upset, my dear. I think it's sweet."
"Sweet?"
"Yes he hates me for leaving you. See, you don't have to worry about him hating you." Scarlett sighed and thumped Rhett on the arm.
"You, Mr. Butler, are the most aggravating man on the face of the earth."
"Aah, but you love me despite my faults! What an angel my wife is." Rhett jested.
"Oh, do shut up!" Scarlett smiled. "Come on, one down one to go. We should go find Ella."
"Oh Rhett I'm so nervous." Scarlett whispered. "What will Wade and Ella and everybody think? Maybe I should have written Will before and explained things to him. It'll be quite a shock for them. And I feel horrible for leaving the kids with Suellen and Will for four years. They must hate me, Rhett."
"Nonsense, my love, despite all your former best efforts your children do not hate you."
"I hope so. What if they don't want to come live with us in Atlanta, though? I came back once when Cat was a baby, you know, when I saw you on the ship. I came to Tara and I was all ready to bring the kids home with me but they didn't want to."
"So that was why you were on the ship. I always wondered about that."
"Yes, I came to cut all my ties from the South. I sold the businesses and I was going to sell the house. But for some reason I couldn't bring myself to do it. It had a hold over me; I couldn't get rid of it. So I told Uncle Henry that he could tell your lawyers I had left it for you. Of course I wouldn't have if I had known that- that you would live there with Anne." Scarlett stopped as the pain of Anne living in her home, in her bedroom even, returned.
"I'm sorry about that Scarlett. It was a huge mistake. It wasn't fair to you or to Anne either. Not all of what I told you was true though. Anne didn't have your bedroom, nobody did. I didn't allow anyone to go in there, it's like you never left. I thought it would be easier for you to think that Anne had your room then to know the truth. Because surely then you would have known that I still loved you, and I knew that would hurt you. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, Scarlett, but I didn't do a very good job at it."
"So she wasn't in my room?" Scarlett asked. "It was still stupid of you to live there, Rhett. But I forgive you, I could never stay mad at you. Oh, we're almost there! I can't wait to show Tara to you. I always wanted you to see it. It means so much to me, it's such a big part of who I am."
"Well if it's like you then I can guarantee you that I'll love it." Rhett smiled. Scarlett kissed him quickly before the train pulled to a stop. Rhett picked up Cat and walked outside with Scarlett on his arm. Will was lounging against his wagon out at the depot. He smiled and waved as Scarlett did the same, but then his look turned perplexed as he took in the sight of Rhett and Cat. Scarlett led the way over to Will and they embraced. Rhett stood a little apart, waiting for Scarlett to introduce him.
"Will, I'd like you to meet my husband, Captain Rhett Butler. And this-" She said as she pushed a stray hair off of Cat's face. "This is our daughter, Cat." Will was obviously shocked and mystified at his sister-in- law suddenly showing up with a small family.
"So you're Captain Butler." He said, remembering himself. Rhett and Will shook hands. "Wade is constantly talking about you, Captain."
"Please, call me Rhett."
"Scarlett I must say I'm surprised. I mean- the last I heard you were… Please excuse me, it's none of my business."
"No Will, it is. You're one of my dearest friends and Rhett and I have nothing to hide. We were divorced, for four horrid years. But we remarried about a month ago in Ireland." Scarlett smiled at the memory of their wedding.
"Well I guess congratulations are in order then!" Will said as he digested the information. He kissed Scarlett's cheek and shook hands once again with Rhett. "We should be gettin along home. I left Wade in charge of the plowin' and I should get back."
"Wade in charge of plowing? He's probably grown up so much I won't even recognize him. I still can't believe he's sixteen." Scarlett said as she thought about how she had grown up along with her firstborn. "Let's go then, I can't wait to see my home again. It's been far too long since I've been to Tara." Once everyone was situated in the wagon Scarlett asked about Wade and Ella.
"They've been doin' very good. Wade is a great help to me and Ella's a great girl."
"Will you don't think they'll object to moving back to Atlanta, do you? I really want us to be a family again. But they didn't want to come to Ireland with me."
"I'm not sure, Scarlett." Will said uneasily. "You'll have to take that up with them. I know they love Tara. But you are their mother, after all."
"Yes, but I was never much of one." Scarlett said softly. Cat began to stir in Rhett's arms and Scarlett turned her attention to her daughter.
"Where are we?" Cat asked, looking around her.
"We're going to Mommy's Tara, darling. You know the one I always tell you about. And remember you're going to meet Wade and Ella and your Uncle Will and Aunt Suellen? And your cousins?" Scarlett said, taking Cat onto her lap. "This is your uncle Will." She told her. Cat smiled at Will and began bombarding Scarlett with questions about Tara and her siblings. Before Scarlett knew it they were almost to Tara, it was just over the hill. She thought back to how she had come over this same hill so long ago, not knowing if she would find her childhood home burned to the ground. Scarlett automatically reached for Rhett's hand, wanting to be near him. She gave him a weak smile, visibly nervous at her imminent meeting with her children. Rhett put an arm around her waist and drew her and Cat to him. He lightly kissed the top of Scarlett's head, wordlessly reassuring her. Suddenly, Tara came into view.
"Tara" Scarlett whispered, a smile on her face. All her worries seemed to melt away as she looked over her beloved Tara. "Oh, Will, it looks better then it has in years!"
"Well Wade's been helping me ter fix it up. Like I said, he's been a great help."
"It looks almost as good as – as before the war." Soon they had pulled up to the big white house. Will and Rhett hopped down and Rhett handed Scarlett and Cat down. Wade walked up from the fields, covered in dirt. He had heard Will approaching and came to see his mother.
"Uncle Rhett?" his voice came from behind Scarlett. "What are you doing here?" Scarlett turned and walked over to her son. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She couldn't get over the fact that her son was now towering over her. "What's Uncle Rhett doing here, Mother?" he asked her quietly.
"Rhett and I got married last month, Wade." Scarlett said gently. She turned and pointed at Cat who was now standing next to Rhett. "That our daughter, your sister, Katie. Everyone calls her Cat, though."
"Your daughter?" Wade asked incredulously. "You and Rhett have a daughter? Since when?"
"She's 3 and a half. She was born when I first went to Ireland, before I came here that one time."
"Why didn't you tell me and Ella?" He sounded almost angry now.
"It's a long story, Wade. I don't want to go into it right now." Scarlett said. Rhett saw Wade and he was approaching the two of them.
"Wade, good to see you." He said, extending his hand to his stepson. Wade just looked at it, not taking it.
"I can't believe this." He said with a shake of his head.
"Wade – " Scarlett whispered, upset at how her son was acting.
"What do you expect me to do? Do you want me to be happy for you?" Wade said a little too loudly.
"Yes, I do. I don't know why you're upset about this, Wade. Rhett's been like a father to you."
"He's not my father!" Wade shouted. He looked steadily at Rhett. "And I can not forgive you for what you did to my mother. But if you want me to be happy for you, then good luck. You'll both need it." And with that he walked back to the fields. Scarlett sighed and looked up at Rhett.
"Well that didn't go so good." She said dejectedly.
"It's alright, darling. He'll come around."
"I'm not so sure. He's pretty mad at you, Rhett."
"It is a lot for someone to take in. Oh, don't be upset, my dear. I think it's sweet."
"Sweet?"
"Yes he hates me for leaving you. See, you don't have to worry about him hating you." Scarlett sighed and thumped Rhett on the arm.
"You, Mr. Butler, are the most aggravating man on the face of the earth."
"Aah, but you love me despite my faults! What an angel my wife is." Rhett jested.
"Oh, do shut up!" Scarlett smiled. "Come on, one down one to go. We should go find Ella."