Scarlett woke up a few hours later, feeling much better. She opened
her eyes expecting to see Rhett, but he was not there. She smiled to
herself when she realized that she was sleeping in his bed. Scarlett
thought to herself 'Thank goodness Rhett didn't make me sleep in that
terrible room. I had to stay in there for so long that it feels like jail
cell now.' Then she sighed and decided to stay in bed for a while to enjoy
the moment. 'Oh. I really have fallen in love with Rhett. Did I really tell
him that I love him?' She wondered. 'He has not mentioned anything about
it, so maybe it was just a dream. It seemed so real though. Maybe his not
mentioning it means that he does not love me and he just does not want to
hurt me. No, that cannot be. He is treating me so well. I can feel his love
for me. I can see it in his eyes.' Scarlett sighed and decided that it
would be best if she stopped thinking about it.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Rhett was eating lunch with the children. He had begun to feel badly about the fact that he neglected them, and now that Scarlett was better, he decided it was time to include them again.
"Daddy, when do we get to see mommy again?" Bonnie asked sweetly as she put her fork down on the red tablecloth, "It's been so long since I have seen her. Is she still sick? I thought she was going to come out of her room today."
"No Bonnie, darling, mommy is much better. She is just weak, and she got worn out very quickly this morning. Your mother had to rest for a little while. When mommy wakes up, we can see if she is strong enough to come downstairs and sit with us. Does that sound good Bonnie Blue?"
"Yes daddy, thank you. May I be excused, now? I would like to ride my pony before mommy wakes up. Do you think she will want to watch me if I am not finished by the time she comes downstairs?"
"Yes Bonnie, I'm sure she would love to watch you. You may go now. But make sure that someone is outside with you while you are practicing."
With that, Bonnie ran out of the room to get Mammy to watch her practice riding. Rhett stayed to finish his lunch with Wade and Ella. A few minutes later, he heard Scarlett calling out for him. He jumped from his chair, knocking it over onto the floor, and ran to the stairs. He was surprised to see that she was standing at the top of the staircase looking very healthy. The devastated look on Rhett's face gave away the fear that had entered his mind.
Scarlett laughed at him. "Oh, I'm sorry darling." She giggled again, "I didn't mean to scare you. I only need help walking down the stairs. I didn't want to risk hurting myself again."
Rhett chucked to himself partly because he found his misunderstanding funny and partly because he was so relieved. "Of course I'll help you darling. I never thought I would live to see the day where you willingly asked for my help. I must be honest, it is nice."
"I'm glad you think so, now can you come get me please?"
Rhett bounded up the steps taking two at a time and was by her side in seconds. He scooped Scarlett into his arms and had her at the bottom of the stairs in mere moments. "Was that quick enough for you my darling?"
Scarlett let out the breath she had been holding. "Oh, yes, that.. that was fine."
Wade and Ella tentatively walked to their mother. "Hello children," she said, "may I have a hug?" They obliged and walked to meet their mother in an embrace. They could see immediately that something had changed in their mother because she had lost the baby. She was kinder and more aware of others. The loss of the baby that she had loved dearly without even knowing and the threat of losing her own life had caused her to look at the world in a different way.
"We are happy that you're better, mother. Will you stay with us for a while this afternoon? Bonnie was asking for you just a few minutes ago. She wished for you to watch her ride her pony." Wade asked.
"Of course, Wade Hampton. There is nothing I would like more."
Rhett knew that she had changed, but he was still surprised at the way she was treating her children. He was very pleased to see this change in her. He began to think that things might really work themselves out.
"Where's Bonnie now?" Scarlett asked.
"She's already outside riding her pony. She'll be in, in a while." Rhett answered.
"Why don't we go outside and surprise her? It's so nice out."
"Your wish is my command, Mrs. Butler."
Scarlett laughed at Rhett's words. Quietly she said, "It's been a long time." Rhett heard her and knew exactly what she meant. She was right. It had been a long time since he gave her whatever she wanted. He had long ago passed all of his loving energy into Bonnie.
The family sat outside in the warmth of spring for a little while before Ella and Wade got bored and ran off to play. Bonnie continued to ride her pony for another hour while Rhett and Scarlett talked before she followed after Wade and Ella. Prissy brought Scarlett and Rhett a letter from the Meades. "This'n jus comed in the mail."
Rhett read the letter aloud to Scarlett.
"You are cordially invited to the Remembrance Ball, in honor of all
those who lost their lives for the Cause on April 28 at 6:00 p.m.
Scarlett gasped and sat up straight in her chair. "Oh Rhett, it's been so long since we've gone to a ball. Oh can we please go?"
"Darling, I don't know. It has not been that long since your accident. You only began to leave your room today and even that takes a lot out of you."
"But Rhett, the ball is weeks away. I will be fine by then. You know I recover quickly. Besides, Dr. Meade is having the ball. Why would he invite me if he didn't think it would be good for me?"
Rhett sighed. "You have a good point. We can go, as long as you are feeling up to it."
"Thank you, Rhett! Thank you so much. I need to have a new dress made. It will be green of course. And jewelry. I need new jewelry." Rhett chuckled. "What are you laughing at, Captain Butler?"
"You, my dear. You may have changed, but when it comes to material items, you are still the same."
"Yes, but you still.."
"I still?"
"I'm not sure what I was going to say." Scarlett lied.
Rhett knew that Scarlett was lying, but he let it go. "We have been outside for quite a long time. Do you need to rest now?"
"No, not yet. We have just been sitting here. I am enjoying myself."
"You said that this morning, then you collapsed."
"If you will remember, there were extenuating circumstances then."
Rhett laughed heartily, "Right you are my pet. Right you are. In that case, what would you like to do now?"
"I don't know. I am enjoying just sitting here with you."
"Well then, my pet, we shall continue to sit here until you grow tired of me."
Scarlett and Rhett continued to sit outside for a while longer, in silence. When the sun began to set, Scarlett realized that she had not eaten all day. "Rhett, darling, I am hungry. Let's go inside and have dinner after we watch the sunset." Scarlett sighed. "It's been so long since I have seen the sun set. I can't believe we stayed outside so long today."
"Me neither, but I enjoyed every moment that I spent with you."
After the sun set, Rhett helped Scarlett back inside the grand house. The two of them had a private dinner together. Scarlett talked excitedly about the Remembrance Ball all through dinner. "Do you remember the first time we met at Twelve Oaks? When I thought I was in love with Ashley? I can't believe how much things have changed between all of us since then."
Rhett was surprised to hear Scarlett say that she no longer loved Ashley. He was thinking about that, when he noticed that Scarlett looked extremely tired. "Scarlett darling, are you feeling all right?"
"I think I wore myself out with all the excitement of the ball. I am just tired." She answered him.
"Well then," he said, "I am going to take you up to bed now. I don't want to take any chances that you might get sick." With that, Rhett carefully scooped Scarlett up in his arms and effortlessly carried her up the expansive staircase. After Rhett helped Scarlett get settled in her room, he went back downstairs and had a small drink before he continued to his own room. Both Scarlett and Rhett had a terrible night's sleep without each other.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Rhett was eating lunch with the children. He had begun to feel badly about the fact that he neglected them, and now that Scarlett was better, he decided it was time to include them again.
"Daddy, when do we get to see mommy again?" Bonnie asked sweetly as she put her fork down on the red tablecloth, "It's been so long since I have seen her. Is she still sick? I thought she was going to come out of her room today."
"No Bonnie, darling, mommy is much better. She is just weak, and she got worn out very quickly this morning. Your mother had to rest for a little while. When mommy wakes up, we can see if she is strong enough to come downstairs and sit with us. Does that sound good Bonnie Blue?"
"Yes daddy, thank you. May I be excused, now? I would like to ride my pony before mommy wakes up. Do you think she will want to watch me if I am not finished by the time she comes downstairs?"
"Yes Bonnie, I'm sure she would love to watch you. You may go now. But make sure that someone is outside with you while you are practicing."
With that, Bonnie ran out of the room to get Mammy to watch her practice riding. Rhett stayed to finish his lunch with Wade and Ella. A few minutes later, he heard Scarlett calling out for him. He jumped from his chair, knocking it over onto the floor, and ran to the stairs. He was surprised to see that she was standing at the top of the staircase looking very healthy. The devastated look on Rhett's face gave away the fear that had entered his mind.
Scarlett laughed at him. "Oh, I'm sorry darling." She giggled again, "I didn't mean to scare you. I only need help walking down the stairs. I didn't want to risk hurting myself again."
Rhett chucked to himself partly because he found his misunderstanding funny and partly because he was so relieved. "Of course I'll help you darling. I never thought I would live to see the day where you willingly asked for my help. I must be honest, it is nice."
"I'm glad you think so, now can you come get me please?"
Rhett bounded up the steps taking two at a time and was by her side in seconds. He scooped Scarlett into his arms and had her at the bottom of the stairs in mere moments. "Was that quick enough for you my darling?"
Scarlett let out the breath she had been holding. "Oh, yes, that.. that was fine."
Wade and Ella tentatively walked to their mother. "Hello children," she said, "may I have a hug?" They obliged and walked to meet their mother in an embrace. They could see immediately that something had changed in their mother because she had lost the baby. She was kinder and more aware of others. The loss of the baby that she had loved dearly without even knowing and the threat of losing her own life had caused her to look at the world in a different way.
"We are happy that you're better, mother. Will you stay with us for a while this afternoon? Bonnie was asking for you just a few minutes ago. She wished for you to watch her ride her pony." Wade asked.
"Of course, Wade Hampton. There is nothing I would like more."
Rhett knew that she had changed, but he was still surprised at the way she was treating her children. He was very pleased to see this change in her. He began to think that things might really work themselves out.
"Where's Bonnie now?" Scarlett asked.
"She's already outside riding her pony. She'll be in, in a while." Rhett answered.
"Why don't we go outside and surprise her? It's so nice out."
"Your wish is my command, Mrs. Butler."
Scarlett laughed at Rhett's words. Quietly she said, "It's been a long time." Rhett heard her and knew exactly what she meant. She was right. It had been a long time since he gave her whatever she wanted. He had long ago passed all of his loving energy into Bonnie.
The family sat outside in the warmth of spring for a little while before Ella and Wade got bored and ran off to play. Bonnie continued to ride her pony for another hour while Rhett and Scarlett talked before she followed after Wade and Ella. Prissy brought Scarlett and Rhett a letter from the Meades. "This'n jus comed in the mail."
Rhett read the letter aloud to Scarlett.
"You are cordially invited to the Remembrance Ball, in honor of all
those who lost their lives for the Cause on April 28 at 6:00 p.m.
Scarlett gasped and sat up straight in her chair. "Oh Rhett, it's been so long since we've gone to a ball. Oh can we please go?"
"Darling, I don't know. It has not been that long since your accident. You only began to leave your room today and even that takes a lot out of you."
"But Rhett, the ball is weeks away. I will be fine by then. You know I recover quickly. Besides, Dr. Meade is having the ball. Why would he invite me if he didn't think it would be good for me?"
Rhett sighed. "You have a good point. We can go, as long as you are feeling up to it."
"Thank you, Rhett! Thank you so much. I need to have a new dress made. It will be green of course. And jewelry. I need new jewelry." Rhett chuckled. "What are you laughing at, Captain Butler?"
"You, my dear. You may have changed, but when it comes to material items, you are still the same."
"Yes, but you still.."
"I still?"
"I'm not sure what I was going to say." Scarlett lied.
Rhett knew that Scarlett was lying, but he let it go. "We have been outside for quite a long time. Do you need to rest now?"
"No, not yet. We have just been sitting here. I am enjoying myself."
"You said that this morning, then you collapsed."
"If you will remember, there were extenuating circumstances then."
Rhett laughed heartily, "Right you are my pet. Right you are. In that case, what would you like to do now?"
"I don't know. I am enjoying just sitting here with you."
"Well then, my pet, we shall continue to sit here until you grow tired of me."
Scarlett and Rhett continued to sit outside for a while longer, in silence. When the sun began to set, Scarlett realized that she had not eaten all day. "Rhett, darling, I am hungry. Let's go inside and have dinner after we watch the sunset." Scarlett sighed. "It's been so long since I have seen the sun set. I can't believe we stayed outside so long today."
"Me neither, but I enjoyed every moment that I spent with you."
After the sun set, Rhett helped Scarlett back inside the grand house. The two of them had a private dinner together. Scarlett talked excitedly about the Remembrance Ball all through dinner. "Do you remember the first time we met at Twelve Oaks? When I thought I was in love with Ashley? I can't believe how much things have changed between all of us since then."
Rhett was surprised to hear Scarlett say that she no longer loved Ashley. He was thinking about that, when he noticed that Scarlett looked extremely tired. "Scarlett darling, are you feeling all right?"
"I think I wore myself out with all the excitement of the ball. I am just tired." She answered him.
"Well then," he said, "I am going to take you up to bed now. I don't want to take any chances that you might get sick." With that, Rhett carefully scooped Scarlett up in his arms and effortlessly carried her up the expansive staircase. After Rhett helped Scarlett get settled in her room, he went back downstairs and had a small drink before he continued to his own room. Both Scarlett and Rhett had a terrible night's sleep without each other.