Scarlett didn't know what was going on. The only thing that she was
aware of was that she was in pain. Scarlett tried to remember what had
happened, but the pain was so bad that she couldn't think. She couldn't
even sleep, because it was so bad. 'Rhett. I want Rhett.' Was all Scarlett
could think, but she couldn't get the words out. She kept trying to ask for
him, but the only response she got was from Melly, who kept saying, "It's
ok, Scarlett. Everything will be just fine." Every time she heard this,
Scarlett thought, but what happened?
Finally, a few days after the accident, Scarlett remembered that she had been pregnant. 'The baby! What happened to my baby?' she asked herself.
"Rhett." She said weakly. "Rhett?"
Melanie, who was sleeping woke abruptly when she heard Scarlett's voice. "Oh, Scarlett, darling. Rhett." She trailed off. How was she supposed to tell Scarlett that Rhett was off drinking at Belle's? That he was usually gone and when he was there, he was so drunk that it wouldn't be good for him to see her? Sure, it was because he was so distraught about what had happened, but that didn't make it any better. "Rhett left early this morning to run some errands Scarlett. He'll be back soon and I'll send him in. Do you want some food? You haven't eaten in days."
"My baby." Scarlett looked at Melanie with sad eyes, because she knew that there was only one reason for her horrible pain.
Yes, dear. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Scarlett simply said, "Rhett" and turned away from Melanie.
Melanie knew what she had to do. She sent her husband to stay with Scarlett while she went to get Rhett Butler at Belle Watling's. She had to make sure that he went to Scarlett. And that he was sober when he saw her. Scarlett had done so much for Melanie throughout the war and even afterwards. Melanie owed her so much, and if she had to go into Belle's bar, then so be it. She would do anything her sister. She didn't even put the in-law on it anymore, because she felt Scarlett was like a true sister, not a girl who happened to marry her brother.
"Mrs. Wilkes?" Someone asked, after Melanie walked into Belle Watling's. Melly turned and saw Belle standing a few feet away. "I never expected a woman like you to come into my establishment. Is there anything that I can help you with?"
"Hello Mrs. Watling. I have come to retrieve Captain Butler. As I'm sure you know, his wife had a terrible accident a few days ago. She has been asking for him, and seeing how he hasn't been home too much, I thought it necessary to come get him. Could you please point me to him?" Melanie asked politely. Even though Belle had chosen an unladylike career, she was a very kind woman and Melanie had respect for her.
"Oh, why yes Mrs. Wilkes. Please follow me. I hope you don't think that Rhett has just deserted his wife. You see, he didn't think she wanted him. He's been here drowning out his sorrows."
"There's no need to explain, Mrs. Watling. I have seen enough of Captain Butler these past 3 days to know how upset he is. And I've also seen enough of him the past few years to know how much he loves Scarlett."
Belle had led Melly to a door. " This is it." She said, " Just knock and he should let you in. He's alone and decent. just sad and drunk. I think you'll be able to handle him just fine though. He respects you a great deal and would do anything in his power not to offend you. Good bye." With that, Belle walked back downstairs.
Melanie knocked on the door, but got no response. "Captain Butler?" She called, "May I come in? It's Melanie Wilkes." There was still no response, so Melly slowly opened the door, preparing herself for what she would see.
_____-----_____-----_____-----_____
"Rhett?" said a weak voice that was barely audible that Ashley barely heard it.
"I'm sorry Scarlett. Rhett isn't home yet. Melanie said that he should be back soon. Is there anything I can do for you? Melly said you haven't eaten in days. How about some broth? You need nourishment to keep you healthy."
"I want Rhett. That's all."
Ashley was surprised that he wasn't upset that Scarlett didn't seem to care whether he was there or not. He would have expected himself to be jealous. Instead he felt protective of Scarlett. Like he was her big brother and should challenge Captain Butler because of how he was hurting Scarlett. Ashley spoke to Scarlett softly, "Scarlett darling, don't you want to be stronger when Rhett arrives? If you eat now, you will feel better soon. You will have more strength to talk to Rhett."
Scarlett thought about that for a moment. But she didn't want to talk, she only wanted Rhett by her side, to hold her hand and tell her that everything would be ok. That would give her all the strength she needed. Scarlett looked up at Ashley then and saw the worry in his eyes. She sighed softly and said, "Ok, Ashley, you're right. I'll have a small bowl of broth then I'll take another nap." Ashley started to walk away to tell Pansy to bring up some soup, but Scarlett stopped him. "Ashley?"
"Yes Scarlett?"
"Is he coming back?"
Ashley smiled at her and answered, "Of course. He'd be crazy not to."
Finally, a few days after the accident, Scarlett remembered that she had been pregnant. 'The baby! What happened to my baby?' she asked herself.
"Rhett." She said weakly. "Rhett?"
Melanie, who was sleeping woke abruptly when she heard Scarlett's voice. "Oh, Scarlett, darling. Rhett." She trailed off. How was she supposed to tell Scarlett that Rhett was off drinking at Belle's? That he was usually gone and when he was there, he was so drunk that it wouldn't be good for him to see her? Sure, it was because he was so distraught about what had happened, but that didn't make it any better. "Rhett left early this morning to run some errands Scarlett. He'll be back soon and I'll send him in. Do you want some food? You haven't eaten in days."
"My baby." Scarlett looked at Melanie with sad eyes, because she knew that there was only one reason for her horrible pain.
Yes, dear. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Scarlett simply said, "Rhett" and turned away from Melanie.
Melanie knew what she had to do. She sent her husband to stay with Scarlett while she went to get Rhett Butler at Belle Watling's. She had to make sure that he went to Scarlett. And that he was sober when he saw her. Scarlett had done so much for Melanie throughout the war and even afterwards. Melanie owed her so much, and if she had to go into Belle's bar, then so be it. She would do anything her sister. She didn't even put the in-law on it anymore, because she felt Scarlett was like a true sister, not a girl who happened to marry her brother.
"Mrs. Wilkes?" Someone asked, after Melanie walked into Belle Watling's. Melly turned and saw Belle standing a few feet away. "I never expected a woman like you to come into my establishment. Is there anything that I can help you with?"
"Hello Mrs. Watling. I have come to retrieve Captain Butler. As I'm sure you know, his wife had a terrible accident a few days ago. She has been asking for him, and seeing how he hasn't been home too much, I thought it necessary to come get him. Could you please point me to him?" Melanie asked politely. Even though Belle had chosen an unladylike career, she was a very kind woman and Melanie had respect for her.
"Oh, why yes Mrs. Wilkes. Please follow me. I hope you don't think that Rhett has just deserted his wife. You see, he didn't think she wanted him. He's been here drowning out his sorrows."
"There's no need to explain, Mrs. Watling. I have seen enough of Captain Butler these past 3 days to know how upset he is. And I've also seen enough of him the past few years to know how much he loves Scarlett."
Belle had led Melly to a door. " This is it." She said, " Just knock and he should let you in. He's alone and decent. just sad and drunk. I think you'll be able to handle him just fine though. He respects you a great deal and would do anything in his power not to offend you. Good bye." With that, Belle walked back downstairs.
Melanie knocked on the door, but got no response. "Captain Butler?" She called, "May I come in? It's Melanie Wilkes." There was still no response, so Melly slowly opened the door, preparing herself for what she would see.
_____-----_____-----_____-----_____
"Rhett?" said a weak voice that was barely audible that Ashley barely heard it.
"I'm sorry Scarlett. Rhett isn't home yet. Melanie said that he should be back soon. Is there anything I can do for you? Melly said you haven't eaten in days. How about some broth? You need nourishment to keep you healthy."
"I want Rhett. That's all."
Ashley was surprised that he wasn't upset that Scarlett didn't seem to care whether he was there or not. He would have expected himself to be jealous. Instead he felt protective of Scarlett. Like he was her big brother and should challenge Captain Butler because of how he was hurting Scarlett. Ashley spoke to Scarlett softly, "Scarlett darling, don't you want to be stronger when Rhett arrives? If you eat now, you will feel better soon. You will have more strength to talk to Rhett."
Scarlett thought about that for a moment. But she didn't want to talk, she only wanted Rhett by her side, to hold her hand and tell her that everything would be ok. That would give her all the strength she needed. Scarlett looked up at Ashley then and saw the worry in his eyes. She sighed softly and said, "Ok, Ashley, you're right. I'll have a small bowl of broth then I'll take another nap." Ashley started to walk away to tell Pansy to bring up some soup, but Scarlett stopped him. "Ashley?"
"Yes Scarlett?"
"Is he coming back?"
Ashley smiled at her and answered, "Of course. He'd be crazy not to."