Chapter 10
Scarlett's dreams were not pleasant that night. She dreamed of Rhett laughing at her, mocking her as she told him Katie was his. He was standing there with Anne at his side and little Butler children running around everywhere. He laughed at her saying "Come Scarlett, why are we still playing games after all these years? Have some decency. Who does the poor child really belong to? What poor soul did you trick into fathering her? Although I have to say you were smart enough to pick someone with features similar to mine. Of course that just fits your conniving ways."
Then Anne stepped up into Scarlett's face "You can not have him. He's mine. He divorced you and married me. I gave him everything you couldn't. Stability, respectability and a house full of children. So go away and tell some one else your lies".
Scarlett awoke in a drenching sweat. She sat there with the morning sun streaming through her bedroom window and cried. She cried because she knew in her heart that she still loved Rhett and that he'd never be hers again. And she cried for Katie. Katie was a loving young woman who deserved her fathers love. But Scarlett was sure that would never happen either.
Later that morning Scarlett made her way from the building where Duncan's shop would be to the printers to order stationery for him. After placing the order she decided it was time to make a stop she had been dreading. After stopping to pick up two bouquets of flowers she headed out on her journey.
At the end of her journey she found herself standing at the gates of the Oakland Cemetery. She slowly walked down the main path and then went to the right. She approached Melanie's grave slowly. She stooped down and placed a bouquet against the headstone.
"Oh Melly, I do miss you so much. I know I never showed you while you were here, but I did, no I do love you. You were my dearest friend. I know it's been so very long since I visited, but I know you know why. And I know you understand. You always understood me. Even better than I did myself. I hope you're happy that Ashley is happy. I know he will always love you, but he needed someone in his life. I thought Harriet would make him a good wife. So I played matchmaker. I knew you'd understand." Scarlett stood up then added "Well I better go for now. I promise I'll visit again for I leave. Please take care of Bonnie for me." While saying those last words Scarlett's voice broke. Clearing her throat she continued quietly "That's how I've gotten through all these years of not having her. I knew she was with you. That you were taking care of her." Scarlett kissed her fingers then touched the top of Melanie's tombstone.
As she turned to walk away she did not notice the figure watching her from the tree line.
Scarlett made her way on down the path and turned right again. Several feet away she could see the still too tiny headstone. It seemed dwarfed by all the other massive stones around it.
She made her way up to the stone and sat down beside it, uncaring on the any damage it might do to her skirt. She placed the flowers against the stone and slowly ran her fingers across the smooth headstone, feeling the letters in Bonnie's name under her fingertips. For several moments she just sat there remembering Bonnie. She had been so beautiful and so like Rhett.
"Oh my beautiful baby, Bonnie. I miss you so very much. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of you and wonder what kind of woman you would have become. I know you would have been such a beauty. Sometimes when I look at Katie, I wonder if that's what you would have looked like. You would have been such a wonderful big sister." Stopping, she pulled a handkerchief from her bag, dabbed at her welled up eyes then continued "I also wonder what would have happened if you hadn't. died." The last word was still hard to say even after all the time that had past. "Would Rhett still be with me, with us?"
Scarlett took her handkerchief and wiped away some of the cut grass from the little headstone. "Mother's sorry, darling. I didn't mean to make it sound like I blame you for how my life turned out. I don't. I just miss you so." She stopped and quietly added "And your Daddy too." As she talked to Bonnie's grave Scarlett had not noticed that the figure had followed her from Melanie's grave to Bonnie's. He stood just far enough under the cover of the trees that Scarlett could not see him. However he could make out most of what she was saying.
Standing up Scarlett wiped her eyes again. As she turned around she caught her breathe. There standing no more than two feet away from her was Rhett.
Both stood and stared at one another for what seemed like forever.
Scarlett finally coming to her senses noticed the pained look on Rhett's face. She assumed it was because of where they were meeting. That it was because his beloved little Bonnie lay just a few feet away. There was no way Scarlett could know that it was only part of the reason.
Seeing Scarlett there before him had almost floored Rhett when he first saw her at Melanie's grave. He had come to the cemetery to pay his respect to Miss Melly and to visit with Bonnie. Then standing there listening to Scarlett's words to first Melanie then Bonnie, Rhett had wondered if this truly was Scarlett. She sounded so different. She sounded so caring. There was not a trace of the self-serving girl he had once known.
Scarlett finally found her voice and spoke "Hello Rhett." She tried to keep her voice and appearance calm and even. But inside was a different story. She was sure Rhett could see her heart beating rapidly and hear it screaming "I still love you".
"Hello Scarlett" Rhett said as he continued to stare at her. She had hardly changed at all. Yes, she was older. Rhett detected a few fine lines but she was still beautiful. And there was something else, something Rhett could not quite put his finger on. There was an air about her. Once he had never seen before.
Finally moving he walked past her and laid another small bouquet of flowers on Bonnie's grave. Turning to look at her he said "You're looking well."
"As are you" Scarlett said as she put her handkerchief back in her bag. This did not go unnoticed by Rhett.
"I see you finally started carrying your own handkerchief" he said with a small smile on his face.
"Yes I had to. You weren't around to lend me yours". Scarlett regretted the words the moment the came out of her mouth. And seeing the pained looked on Rhett's face just made her even sorrier she had said it. So to try to cover it up she added "What in the world are you doing in Atlanta, Rhett?"
"I'm here on..business" Rhett answered almost too quickly.
"I see. Well..I don't want to keep you from it, and I need to go by the printers and pick up some stationery I ordered". Although what she really wanted to do was throw herself into Rhett's arms Scarlett knew she needed to get away. For she was afraid if she stayed any longer, she might do just that.
Rhett still did not answer. Finally Scarlett spoke again "It was good seeing you, Rhett."
This time Rhett was able to answer back "It was good seeing you too, Scarlett."
It took all of Scarlett's will power to make her feet move. Slowly she walked past Rhett. As she did she could smell the familiar smells that she knew as distinctly Rhett. As the smells circled her head she felt a lump form in her throat. Scarlett picked up her pace knowing that she had to get away from him less he see or hear her break down.
Rhett watched as Scarlett walked pass him and down the gravel lane. Even if he had wanted to, he could not have taken his eyes off her. She was still so striking. And now there was something new about her, something Rhett could not yet quite define. He had wanted to so badly reach out and pull her to him. To encircle her in his arms. How many nights had he dreamed off doing just that?
Finally Rhett scolded himself 'Get a hold of your self man. You can never get lost in her web again. You did several times before and it almost cost you your sanity.'
Rhett wondered as he left the cemetery 'would a sane man have come to Atlanta knowing just how dangerous it could be?'
Scarlett's dreams were not pleasant that night. She dreamed of Rhett laughing at her, mocking her as she told him Katie was his. He was standing there with Anne at his side and little Butler children running around everywhere. He laughed at her saying "Come Scarlett, why are we still playing games after all these years? Have some decency. Who does the poor child really belong to? What poor soul did you trick into fathering her? Although I have to say you were smart enough to pick someone with features similar to mine. Of course that just fits your conniving ways."
Then Anne stepped up into Scarlett's face "You can not have him. He's mine. He divorced you and married me. I gave him everything you couldn't. Stability, respectability and a house full of children. So go away and tell some one else your lies".
Scarlett awoke in a drenching sweat. She sat there with the morning sun streaming through her bedroom window and cried. She cried because she knew in her heart that she still loved Rhett and that he'd never be hers again. And she cried for Katie. Katie was a loving young woman who deserved her fathers love. But Scarlett was sure that would never happen either.
Later that morning Scarlett made her way from the building where Duncan's shop would be to the printers to order stationery for him. After placing the order she decided it was time to make a stop she had been dreading. After stopping to pick up two bouquets of flowers she headed out on her journey.
At the end of her journey she found herself standing at the gates of the Oakland Cemetery. She slowly walked down the main path and then went to the right. She approached Melanie's grave slowly. She stooped down and placed a bouquet against the headstone.
"Oh Melly, I do miss you so much. I know I never showed you while you were here, but I did, no I do love you. You were my dearest friend. I know it's been so very long since I visited, but I know you know why. And I know you understand. You always understood me. Even better than I did myself. I hope you're happy that Ashley is happy. I know he will always love you, but he needed someone in his life. I thought Harriet would make him a good wife. So I played matchmaker. I knew you'd understand." Scarlett stood up then added "Well I better go for now. I promise I'll visit again for I leave. Please take care of Bonnie for me." While saying those last words Scarlett's voice broke. Clearing her throat she continued quietly "That's how I've gotten through all these years of not having her. I knew she was with you. That you were taking care of her." Scarlett kissed her fingers then touched the top of Melanie's tombstone.
As she turned to walk away she did not notice the figure watching her from the tree line.
Scarlett made her way on down the path and turned right again. Several feet away she could see the still too tiny headstone. It seemed dwarfed by all the other massive stones around it.
She made her way up to the stone and sat down beside it, uncaring on the any damage it might do to her skirt. She placed the flowers against the stone and slowly ran her fingers across the smooth headstone, feeling the letters in Bonnie's name under her fingertips. For several moments she just sat there remembering Bonnie. She had been so beautiful and so like Rhett.
"Oh my beautiful baby, Bonnie. I miss you so very much. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of you and wonder what kind of woman you would have become. I know you would have been such a beauty. Sometimes when I look at Katie, I wonder if that's what you would have looked like. You would have been such a wonderful big sister." Stopping, she pulled a handkerchief from her bag, dabbed at her welled up eyes then continued "I also wonder what would have happened if you hadn't. died." The last word was still hard to say even after all the time that had past. "Would Rhett still be with me, with us?"
Scarlett took her handkerchief and wiped away some of the cut grass from the little headstone. "Mother's sorry, darling. I didn't mean to make it sound like I blame you for how my life turned out. I don't. I just miss you so." She stopped and quietly added "And your Daddy too." As she talked to Bonnie's grave Scarlett had not noticed that the figure had followed her from Melanie's grave to Bonnie's. He stood just far enough under the cover of the trees that Scarlett could not see him. However he could make out most of what she was saying.
Standing up Scarlett wiped her eyes again. As she turned around she caught her breathe. There standing no more than two feet away from her was Rhett.
Both stood and stared at one another for what seemed like forever.
Scarlett finally coming to her senses noticed the pained look on Rhett's face. She assumed it was because of where they were meeting. That it was because his beloved little Bonnie lay just a few feet away. There was no way Scarlett could know that it was only part of the reason.
Seeing Scarlett there before him had almost floored Rhett when he first saw her at Melanie's grave. He had come to the cemetery to pay his respect to Miss Melly and to visit with Bonnie. Then standing there listening to Scarlett's words to first Melanie then Bonnie, Rhett had wondered if this truly was Scarlett. She sounded so different. She sounded so caring. There was not a trace of the self-serving girl he had once known.
Scarlett finally found her voice and spoke "Hello Rhett." She tried to keep her voice and appearance calm and even. But inside was a different story. She was sure Rhett could see her heart beating rapidly and hear it screaming "I still love you".
"Hello Scarlett" Rhett said as he continued to stare at her. She had hardly changed at all. Yes, she was older. Rhett detected a few fine lines but she was still beautiful. And there was something else, something Rhett could not quite put his finger on. There was an air about her. Once he had never seen before.
Finally moving he walked past her and laid another small bouquet of flowers on Bonnie's grave. Turning to look at her he said "You're looking well."
"As are you" Scarlett said as she put her handkerchief back in her bag. This did not go unnoticed by Rhett.
"I see you finally started carrying your own handkerchief" he said with a small smile on his face.
"Yes I had to. You weren't around to lend me yours". Scarlett regretted the words the moment the came out of her mouth. And seeing the pained looked on Rhett's face just made her even sorrier she had said it. So to try to cover it up she added "What in the world are you doing in Atlanta, Rhett?"
"I'm here on..business" Rhett answered almost too quickly.
"I see. Well..I don't want to keep you from it, and I need to go by the printers and pick up some stationery I ordered". Although what she really wanted to do was throw herself into Rhett's arms Scarlett knew she needed to get away. For she was afraid if she stayed any longer, she might do just that.
Rhett still did not answer. Finally Scarlett spoke again "It was good seeing you, Rhett."
This time Rhett was able to answer back "It was good seeing you too, Scarlett."
It took all of Scarlett's will power to make her feet move. Slowly she walked past Rhett. As she did she could smell the familiar smells that she knew as distinctly Rhett. As the smells circled her head she felt a lump form in her throat. Scarlett picked up her pace knowing that she had to get away from him less he see or hear her break down.
Rhett watched as Scarlett walked pass him and down the gravel lane. Even if he had wanted to, he could not have taken his eyes off her. She was still so striking. And now there was something new about her, something Rhett could not yet quite define. He had wanted to so badly reach out and pull her to him. To encircle her in his arms. How many nights had he dreamed off doing just that?
Finally Rhett scolded himself 'Get a hold of your self man. You can never get lost in her web again. You did several times before and it almost cost you your sanity.'
Rhett wondered as he left the cemetery 'would a sane man have come to Atlanta knowing just how dangerous it could be?'
