Chapter 8: The Ball
Mellifluous noise filled the ball room; crystal chandeliers were incandescent, casting a luminous glow upon all; glasses clinked and children took delight in throwing grapes from above.
Old ladies were chatting; young maidens dancing, filling the room with laughs and smiles. The layers of dresses swept the floor, adding a whoosh now and then, the gentlemen sat talking business. Young boys were dancing, escorting the ladies.
Meanwhile, Scarlet glided through this all, greeting and talking to all, and then, stopped to dance with Laurie. Laurie, it seemed was now her best friend; omniscient about her life, about everything.and yet he still accepted her as a friend.and perhaps more.
"You stepped on me on purpose," laughed Scarlet.
"I did no such thing, mademoiselle. You know perfectly well that I can't dance," teased Laurie.
"Ha! Says the man who has endlessly twirled women through out the evening. What will be your next claim?," jeered Scarlet, clearly delighted with the evening. It had been a while since she had danced and she remembered her first ball in Atlanta...with Rhett."
Oddly enough, Rhett arrived at that moment and watched Scarlet from a distance. "Husband number four. Took no time.then again, I didn't either," thought Rhett turning his gaze towards his new wife, Anne Hathaway Butler.
"Miss O'Hara, delighted to meet you again. I believe you've never met my wife; this is Mrs. Butler," said Rhett charmingly as he approached a flustered Scarlet. "Is this your husband?"
"Oh no, um.Mr. Butler. This is Laurie.um, that's not his real name, that's just what I've been calling him since I was four. Laurie's my best friend. His real name is Theodore Lawrence. Um, very nice to meet you Mrs. Butler. That's a very lovely dress," mumbled Scarlet, taken aback that Rhett had taken so little time in replacing her. "I can't believe this.then again I can. Oh, I wish I had never fallen in love with Ashley.I've lost Rhett forever.maybe if I talk to him."
"Mr. Lawrence, it is a pleasure to meet you," replied Rhett, happy to see the proud Scarlet fall off her mighty throne. She had nearly killed his soul.she wouldn't do that again.
"Yes, well, I've heard quite a bit about you Mr. Butler," Laurie replied curtly. "Please excuse me."
"Bye Laurie. Well uh, Mr. Butler, could I talk to you in private for just a moment? I promise you that this won't take long. It's about my estate in Atlanta and I hear that you've taken an interest in it. Please, I promise, I won't detain you long," pleaded Scarlet.
"Very well, but I do wish this conversation to be short. I do not like to discuss business during balls.I find it very improper," replied Rhett.
With that Rhett followed Scarlet to the library. "Rhett please listen to me. I know I have hurt you and I apologize to you with all my heart and I know I have been selfish and I know you have the right to never forgive me. But please, I love you. I know it's too late but.Rhett."
"Scarlet, I'm sorry. I am old, and I've tried everything to get your love. Now that I have it, I don't know what to do with it.I don't have the strength to chase after you and fulfill your every desire. But more than that, I've changed.my heart has changed. Just as your heart did."
Sobbing Scarlet said, "No Rhett. Oh.I am sorry about all this. Keep everything.the house, the money.I'm going to stay in England. Have a wonderful life, I mean it. You deserve everything and anything after what I put you through.goodbye."
Rhett turned to leave when Scarlet whispered, "I loved you.but sometimes love isn't enough. I lived precious moments without knowing they were precious. I let my life slip away not knowing that it was gone, and I loved a thing that wasn't really there. I was living in a dream, Rhett. The only thing real was you."
The tears suppressed in his eyes suddenly fell from Rhett's eyes. He didn't turn back, but said, "I loved you too. But you're right; sometimes, love isn't enough. We'll always have memories Scarlet.memories of Bonnie and of us. We'll always have Atlanta.and that place will be sacred in my heart.I promise you that." Rhett kept walking.
Mellifluous noise filled the ball room; crystal chandeliers were incandescent, casting a luminous glow upon all; glasses clinked and children took delight in throwing grapes from above.
Old ladies were chatting; young maidens dancing, filling the room with laughs and smiles. The layers of dresses swept the floor, adding a whoosh now and then, the gentlemen sat talking business. Young boys were dancing, escorting the ladies.
Meanwhile, Scarlet glided through this all, greeting and talking to all, and then, stopped to dance with Laurie. Laurie, it seemed was now her best friend; omniscient about her life, about everything.and yet he still accepted her as a friend.and perhaps more.
"You stepped on me on purpose," laughed Scarlet.
"I did no such thing, mademoiselle. You know perfectly well that I can't dance," teased Laurie.
"Ha! Says the man who has endlessly twirled women through out the evening. What will be your next claim?," jeered Scarlet, clearly delighted with the evening. It had been a while since she had danced and she remembered her first ball in Atlanta...with Rhett."
Oddly enough, Rhett arrived at that moment and watched Scarlet from a distance. "Husband number four. Took no time.then again, I didn't either," thought Rhett turning his gaze towards his new wife, Anne Hathaway Butler.
"Miss O'Hara, delighted to meet you again. I believe you've never met my wife; this is Mrs. Butler," said Rhett charmingly as he approached a flustered Scarlet. "Is this your husband?"
"Oh no, um.Mr. Butler. This is Laurie.um, that's not his real name, that's just what I've been calling him since I was four. Laurie's my best friend. His real name is Theodore Lawrence. Um, very nice to meet you Mrs. Butler. That's a very lovely dress," mumbled Scarlet, taken aback that Rhett had taken so little time in replacing her. "I can't believe this.then again I can. Oh, I wish I had never fallen in love with Ashley.I've lost Rhett forever.maybe if I talk to him."
"Mr. Lawrence, it is a pleasure to meet you," replied Rhett, happy to see the proud Scarlet fall off her mighty throne. She had nearly killed his soul.she wouldn't do that again.
"Yes, well, I've heard quite a bit about you Mr. Butler," Laurie replied curtly. "Please excuse me."
"Bye Laurie. Well uh, Mr. Butler, could I talk to you in private for just a moment? I promise you that this won't take long. It's about my estate in Atlanta and I hear that you've taken an interest in it. Please, I promise, I won't detain you long," pleaded Scarlet.
"Very well, but I do wish this conversation to be short. I do not like to discuss business during balls.I find it very improper," replied Rhett.
With that Rhett followed Scarlet to the library. "Rhett please listen to me. I know I have hurt you and I apologize to you with all my heart and I know I have been selfish and I know you have the right to never forgive me. But please, I love you. I know it's too late but.Rhett."
"Scarlet, I'm sorry. I am old, and I've tried everything to get your love. Now that I have it, I don't know what to do with it.I don't have the strength to chase after you and fulfill your every desire. But more than that, I've changed.my heart has changed. Just as your heart did."
Sobbing Scarlet said, "No Rhett. Oh.I am sorry about all this. Keep everything.the house, the money.I'm going to stay in England. Have a wonderful life, I mean it. You deserve everything and anything after what I put you through.goodbye."
Rhett turned to leave when Scarlet whispered, "I loved you.but sometimes love isn't enough. I lived precious moments without knowing they were precious. I let my life slip away not knowing that it was gone, and I loved a thing that wasn't really there. I was living in a dream, Rhett. The only thing real was you."
The tears suppressed in his eyes suddenly fell from Rhett's eyes. He didn't turn back, but said, "I loved you too. But you're right; sometimes, love isn't enough. We'll always have memories Scarlet.memories of Bonnie and of us. We'll always have Atlanta.and that place will be sacred in my heart.I promise you that." Rhett kept walking.