Here comes another chapter. I don't own the characters they belong to Margaret Mitchell.
PainScarlett found it hard to sleep that night. She was restless. At one point during the night she thought about getting into the bottle of brandy she had stored in the closet. She had only taken a few sips of it since she had been at Tara. Scarlett was up and walking towards the closet when there was a knock on her door.
"Momma, momma?" Came a little voice that belonged to a tired Ella.
"Ella," Scarlet was saying as she walked to the child, "what are you doing up?"
"Momma, I had a bad dream can I sleep in here with you?"
"Oh of course you can Ella" Scarlett told the child as she took her hand and walked her to the bed. Where they both climbed in. It took a few moments for them to get situated. But soon mother and daughter were fast asleep in each others arms.
That morning Suellen and Scarlet went downstairs and into the kitchen together. They were surprised that Mammy wasn't in there already. "That's odd, Mammy is always in here before we are." Scarlett was saying about that time the door swung open and Maggie walked in. Since they had been there Maggie's duties had became to help care for the children. "Have you seen Mammy this morning?" Scarlett asked. "No ma'am I haven't. She is probably still asleep. She told me just the other day that she was having a hard time falling asleep at night. She probably fell asleep just a few hours ago. I'll go wake her." Maggie was saying as she walked out the door. "Wait," Scarlett was saying, she looked at Suellen, "let's just let her sleep. If any one deserves to sleep in it would be Mammy." "Yes, ma'am" Maggie said, "I'll just go attend to the children now." As Maggie was walking out of the kitchen Scarlett said, "oh Maggie, Ella is in my room. She couldn't sleep last night so she came there." Maggie nodded and headed out.
Scarlett and Suellen went to making breakfast. They talked up a storm while they were cooking. "When I told Will last night, he was so excited. He wants a boy so badly. You've seen the way him and Wade are together."
"I've noticed the two of them getting really close. You know Rhett never wanted a boy. He told me so, after Bonnie was born said, boys were nasty creatures." Scarlett stopped talking and looked out the window. "Well have you thought about names?" Scarlet asked quickly not wanting to get on the subject of Rhett and Bonnie. "No, we haven't. We decided to tell the children after dinner." The two sisters talked about good baby names as they made breakfast.
After breakfast Mammy still hadn't woke up. Scarlett was beginning to think that Mammy was going to be mad at them for not waking her, but Scarlett knew that Mammy was getting older and need her rest. When the plates were being cleared Scarlett spoke to Wade, "Ella and I are going to write a letter to Uncle Rhett. Would you like to write a letter with us?" Scarlett hoped that he would she wanted to get closer to her eldest child. "Ella told me last night that she was going to write him, so I wrote a letter last night. Will you mail it for me Mother? I'll go get it, I have to hurry I have to help Uncle Will." With that said Wade ran up to his room and grabbed his letter and gave it to his mother, and then ran out of the house to catch up with Will. Scarlett read the letter.
Uncle Rhett,
I've missed you. When will you come and see me? I've been working hard with Uncle Will. I think I will be a man soon. I think Ella and Mother need you.
Wade
Scarlett was perplexed, Wade said in his letter that Ella and Mother needed him, but what about Wade. Scarlett was beginning to think that her son has begun to resent Rhett. Scarlett didn't have long to think about that because Ella was beside her ready to write her letter. Anna and Mary sat at the table watching as Scarlett helped Ella write her letter.
Uncle Rhett.
Where are you? I miss you. Why haven't you come to see me? Mommy is helping me write you. When you come home will you bring me a doll? I love you.
Ella
When she was done Ella ran off with Anna and Mary. Scarlett pondered with the idea of writing Rhett herself but decided against it. She told Suellen that she was going into town to mail the letters and she set out on her way. Scarlett rode swiftly to town. She enjoyed the ride. "I don't think I've enjoyed a ride this much since Pa was a live." Scarlett informed the old farm horse. Once in town Scarlett mailed the letters and was walking back to the old horse and she got the urge to go into the General Store. Once inside Scarlett found several items she wanted to purchase when she suddenly realized that she couldn't carry all the items back with her. So she left but told herself she would come back with the wagon and pick up the items. Scarlett took off for home. Most of the way she kept the horse in a walk, she needed time to think.
She had been at Tara for almost two month and Rhett hadn't even attempted to contact her. That hurt her but most of all it angered her. Scarlett refused to believe that Rhett didn't love her. Even Melly said that he did. She wasn't going to give up, but if he thought that she was going to come to him and beg him to come back he was wrong. She practically begged him to stay the night Melly died and she wasn't going to do that again.
Scarlett was coming down the drive and she noticed that Wade, Ella, Anna, Mary, and Maggie were on the porch. And Maggie appeared to be comforting the children. "Oh no, what if…Suellen!" Scarlett kicked the horse into a run. She basically jumped off the old creature and ran into the house. She saw Will standing there looking at his feet. "Will, what happened, where's…" before Scarlett could finish what she was saying she saw Suellen coming down the hall from Mammy's room. "Scarlett, Mammy…" Suellen couldn't finish what she was saying. "No, no, no!" Scarlett yelled as she ran to Mammy's room.
It was cool and lit by the early afternoon sun in the room. Mammy was laying in her bed. Scarlett kneeled down beside the bed. Tears were flowing out of her eyes uncontrollably. Scarlett reached out and put her hand on Mammy's cold face. She moved her hand up and smoothed down the few stray hairs. Then Scarlett arose walked out of the room. She found Will and Suellen in the den comforting the children. Wade and Ella had experienced death but this was a first for young Anna and Mary. When Scarlett walked in Suellen and Will looked up at her. "Will would you mind riding into town and sending a telegram to Rhett for me. He would want to know," Scarlett said each word slowly trying to hold in more tears." "Yes, I'll do that right now," Will said as he handed Mary, who was in his arms, over to Maggie. Scarlett turned and walked back in the room with Mammy.
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Rhett had recently returned from Charleston and was now staying in the Atlanta Hotel. He stopped by the peachtree house once not long after he returned to see if Scarlett had returned. When Rhett found that she hadn't he was surprised that Scarlett had lasted that long back at Tara. It was late at night when he came by the front desk. There was a young man working the desk at this late hour.
"Are there any messages for me?" Rhett asked the boy.
Rhett had been staying here for a long time the boy new him well. "Yes, Mr. Butler. A telegram came for you." He said as he handed him his telegram.
Rhett stepped away from the desk as he read the telegram.
*****Rhett****Stop***
****Mammy has died****Stop***
****Signed Will***Stop***
Rhett crumpled the letter in his hand as he ran to his room to get a few things. When he gathered what he needed he ran back down and hitched up his horse and made his way towards Tara. He would be there by morning. As he rode a thought came to him. Scarlett would do anything to get him back. He hoped she wasn't cold enough to tell such an awful lie to get him back.
