A new life in a better way by Soña Binzarmet.
Chapter 12: For Andromeda.
I'm back now and I want to thanks all the people who had reviewed. It helped me to improve.
I will say as I did in the precedents chapters that the characters belong to Mrs. Margaret Mitchell and Mrs. Alexandra Ripley.
This story is dedicated to Maitane and Andrea, fans of Gwtw too.
Big kiss to my other cousin Lorea too!
I did a search about telephone and I'm please to say that the conversation between Andromeda and Wade could possibly happen. Indeed Mr. Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1862. This technology was not exploited since 1878. Only well off people could beneficiate of it since...1881.
And 1881 is the creation's date of the National Telephone Company (N.T.C) and in more it's the time period of my story. I'm lucky!
Are you ready to read another of my chapters?
The family arrived in Montgomery on a torrential rain.
Henry Kilevan was waiting for them at the crammed station
During the long and painful journey, you can guess Wade's worries.
"What is the news," he quickly said to Henry since he was able to apperceive his girlfriend's father.
"Her temperature is still important, she's so feverish. Wade. Doctor Seamus Freidan told us if the fever can't down, we must be preparing for the worst and all we can do is pray and nothing more.
He was stoic, without any visual emotion but he was so deeply hurt inside.
The whole family fixed horrified Kilevan.
It couldn't be true, it couldn't be!
Rhett and Scarlett were thinking at the beautiful long and blond hair with blue eyes teenager.
Cat was so sad and wanted to find a way to comfort her big brother but couldn't find one.
Ella cried in her brother arms, who were pale but worthy and strong. He was pain of course but he didn't want to show it and above all he was totally to let this pain express.
Andromeda, her angel, her princess; God was not so cruel to call her in his paradise yet.
Wade had already lost many people he loved: Charles, Bonnie, Melanie
"You don't need to stay here in these cold and rain added Henry;"
The grey hair man invited the Butler to go in his carriage to join the house.
"Adeline, I want to say that I'm with you during this hard event!" said Scarlett.
With mixed feelings of sadness, gratitude shinned in Mrs. Kilevan's eyes.
Wade asked permission to go upstairs and see Andromeda.
Her parents noticed and Wade went. With the formal order of Adeline Kilevan, Cat and Ella were in the kitchen to take a copious snake.
The adults were speaking about the health of the teenager.
Adeline cracked with sobs in her sad voice.
"I can't let her leave! I just can't! If only I was able to do something but I just can pray!"
Rhett proposed to Henry to go join Wade for looking after Andromeda with him.
Same if the teenager was unconscious, the astronomer man agreed.
Wade was petrified to discover the real health state of his beloved girlfriend.
The pale girl bed ridden wasn't his radiant sunshine.
She was looking and sounding so bad, Wade was oblige to sit down with the emotion it given to him.
Something or someone was clutch on his brown trousers.
A dog barked sadly. It was the Setter Andromeda told him about. He smiled at himself. Andromeda had finally success to make cease her mother about the dog.
"Hello you, I'm glad you look after my princess for and with me."
"Its name is Bandy." Said Mr. Kilevan.
Rhett caressed affectionately the Setter, observing the feverish and feebly Andromeda.
"I want to say that I really sympathize but you have to put in head that she's ill but alive. So there's hope."
"Thank Scarlett, but when I see her I'm unable to forget we risk losing her every minute."
"Lost a child is the most horrible failure a parent can have but it won't happen to you."
"Don't you think so?"
"Yes, observing the feeling my son had for your daughter I decided to gauge her and I deducted she's so strong to let the illness win. Andromeda will put through, I'm certain. "
"Thanks Mrs. Butler, you're so a strong and fortifying person. I hope you'll have right."
"Excuse me but when you were talking about the failure of losing child, it seemed as you lived it. Am I wrong?"
"By the way, don't be so formal with me and call me Scarlett."
"So call me Adeline, Scarlett."
"Yes, you're true. I had lost a child seven years ago now but it's seems to me it was yesterday..."
"Do you want we speak about it?"
"Her name was Bonnie and she was 4 years old. She should turn about eleven today. Her passion was riding and jumping with her pony. One day, Rhett and I gave her permission to move her jumping bar higher and jumping she fall and never wake up more." Scarlett sighed painfully.
Adeline was horrified to hear that. "Poor parents, they must feel horribly guilty!"
"I guess it was a hard stapes for you."
"The hardiest thing of all my lifetime. In more I just was going to be recovered of a miscarriage."
"It should be terrible Scarlett."
"I was but I don't know why I'm disturbing you with that. It's past. You don't need it especially now."
"You're excused. You needed to speak of this terrible event with someone. Sure you don't speak of it everyday."
"You're truth. I evoke it sometimes with my husband but I think only woman could comprehend what I was feeling."
"I understand you would like to share it with a feminine point of view. But don't forget to share with Rhett; after all he was the father of your daughter."
"We do, Adeline, we do. Him too had suffered of this lose."
A silence followed this talk.
"Scarlett?" said Adeline Johnson Kilevan after a few moments.
"Yes, what it is?"
"Is possible to surmount the lost of a child?"
"Honestly no. But it's possible to bury the pain it's give you to keep only the best. It's what I'm doing."
"When did you know you succeeded to keep only the best?
"When I stopped to dream about the fall for dreaming when she woke up again saying: "momma, do you want to play?"
"Scarlett, thank you so much to confide in me."
"Adeline, you're a great friend and don't worry you will not lose Andromeda."
"God listen to you, dear Scarlett. I go upstairs to see my daughter."
"I go with you." Scarlett commented.
It was precisely the moment the doctor Friedman choused for hit at the Kilevan door.
"Hello doctor Friedman, I'm glad you're here. Let me introduce you Mrs. Scarlett Butler, a friend of the family."
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Butler, I'm coming to see my patient."
"All right, Scarlett and I rightly planned to do the same as you."
"I follow you."
"Doctor, we were waiting for you!" chorused together Henry, Rhett and Wade."
"Her temperature?"
"Still important Doctor." lamented Wade.
Friedman was quickly on Andromeda's bed head but before ha had sent everyone in the corridor during he was examining the girl.
During half hour, the people waited anxiously outside the door's room.
Friedman's face looked serious and bad.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kilevan, I'm not going to lie to you. Andromeda is in a very critical health. I scare to say that if the fever don't down around midnight, she'll leave us before one a.m. Please forgive for being so crude and cruel but I must give you the truth.
The epidemic was too much strong and important, so powerful. I had already done all what I was able to do."
Scarlett held stronger her sun with Rhett's support. She was also holding Adeline with her other hand.
The woman had her husband's hands on her shoulders. Ella and Cat which had coming back from their snake were crying in each other arms.
"Do you want to say that we had reached the no return point?" said Henry with dignity.
"I regret to say it's seems so, Mr. Kilevan."
Sad sigh traveled thought the corridor... and silence tears too.
Friedman announced they better go to Andromeda's bed head to say her goodbye just in case.
He auctioned saying he will be here since the end.
"Thank you very much Doctor Halifax. You were and are still precious succeeded to say Adeline between two sobs."
Scarlett decided to make the first move.
"Rhett, could you telephone to Marius and Polly. They must come and bring Janis with them; she's journeyed in their home."
"Ok. I see for it."
Wade was so deep hurt by the news that he left quickly the corridor for crying in another place more safe and out of view.
"I want to tell her a last goodbye!" said solemnly Adeline, suddenly collected herself."
Thereupon, she entered in her youngest daughter's room.
"My darling, you recognize me, aren't you. It's momma, Meda. If God call you in his place, it will be hard but you had prove to us that you're a fighter. If you have to go, go in peace my angel." Then, slowly she began to cry near the oak's bed.
"Why her, God? She is the tendered person I ever seen. So young and so sick shouldn't be. Take me in your paradise but not her. She's so full of project for Wade and her. If it still possible makes her alive and healthy."
Henry entered in the room too, on his look was writing despair. He seemed reading in his wife thoughts.
"We must be strong for her." He said laconically almost resigned to lose his daughter darling.
On knees, near the bed with around them the colored room Andromeda occupied, they were remembered her birth, her first steps, her first word: "MOPA" as momma and papa, her little childish blunders, their arrival in Georgia her first and only love Wade. Adeline called to mind how much she had hoped for her third child and her second daughter.
"Sweetheart, do you hear us? It's daddy, you know I'm not a talkative man but I want to tell you now how much I love you."
"We love you both!" completed Adeline Kilevan.
"Wade, where is Wade?!" exclaimed Ella Lorena, worried.
"Since the doctor told us about Meda, I didn't see him said Cat to her sister."
Scarlett was speaking with the parents of Andromeda tried to comfort them, she didn't pay attention to what her daughters were talking about.
The girls decided to not worry her and organized themselves the look after Wade.
Down upstairs, they find him in a dark vestibule and unable to stop crying.
The vestibule was narrow but Ella found a way to come in the black piece with her older brother and so did Cat.
Both wanted so much to erase his pain if it was possible. Same just a little was good.
"Wade, be strong. She would like you were. In more, she isn't gone yet."
"Have you heard what the doctor told us?"
"I can't let her go, I just can't!"
"You will must to. Again be strong! You must go upstairs and say goodbye to her ordered kindly Ella, adding he can count on her to surmount this cruel step. Cat dragged Wade's trousers to say him he can count on her too.
Finally collecting himself he admitted how much he was lucky to have so great little sisters.
"You know what Wade?" said Ella after a little time of silent.
"What Ella?" retorted Wade, noticing that her sister was now above to cry.
"I always think that Juliet and neither Romeo should die at the end."
He smiled feebly. "You're so smart, did I tell you she found that-t nickname funny?"
"Find!" claimed suddenly little Cat's voice.
"She's not in the sky yet so speak in present time."
"You're true Cat!" said conjointly Ella and Wade.
To support this too cruel nightmare, the three, in the dark of the little vestibule, the three held each other to give to his other sibling the strong necessary to be prepare at mourning.
The cocoon they just weaved was broke by the adult's voices.
"Wade, where you are son?" asked Rhett.
"I'm here Dad, I'm coming." Retorted Wade.
Two seconds after their older brother, Ella and Cat went out of the vestibule too.
Wade went to the left right and his sisters went to the right.
"Do you take it, son? I'm worrying about."
"It's truly hard Dad but it less because I've my family by mi side and close to me."
"I'm happy you're saying that. We want nothing more than supporting you."
"Thank you very much." He only said.
Now Ella and Cat were still in state of shook cause their conversation with his brother and were crying in their mother's arms.
"Why she has to go?" was their main question.
"I don't know, maybe God needing angel in his place."
"Can't he take someone who doesn't belong to our family?"
"Sweetheart, she doesn't really belong to our family." Rectified Scarlett.
"Well, it just like to!" chorused the girls.
"I know, I have the same feelings as you."
What could she do more to appease the pain in Ella and Cat's eyes?
It was now 5: pm.
Adeline had the impression to live a race against the clock and an inescapable loses fight against death.
Rhett had announced that Marius and Janis were here as soon it was possible.
Cat was sad and disappointed more than the other because her parents had forbid her to go in Andromeda's rooms.
They explained her that scarlet fever was a contagious illness and that nobody.
"But Ella and Wade can see her and I can't. I love her too and I wish see her, momma."
"We know that but Wade and Ella can't be sick because the scarlet fever, they already have it when younger. You hadn't got it yet and your father and I don't want you take any risks."
"You said Ella and Wade got it before and they're alive. So Andromeda will not died too, she'll be better."
Scarlett sat her daughter on her knees.
"It not if simple, darling. There's different level of illness and the level of Andromeda's illness is higher than Wade or either Ella."
Cat didn't answer anything to her mother's words.
"What are you thinking about aroon? You understand what I try to explain you?"
"Yes, I just was thinking how much it's sad and unjust."
"Yes you're right Kitty Cat. World is like that but there's one thing true: I love you and always will and so do and will too your father and your siblings and all the family."
"Me too, momma. Is that the principle of a family? Be together when things turn bad?"
"Yes and when things are good too!"
Cat kissed her mother and went played alone in the garden.
Gilda, the house servant of the Kilevan's family used of all her power to oblige the family and the guests to eat something.
She assured she'll be on Andromeda's bed head during their meal, like this they will not worry.
The dinner was the more sinister they have seen, appetite was not here tonight; only sorrows and sadness.
Succulent potatoes weren't enough to forget the mourning waiting to arrive.
Wade Hampton asked permission to go quickly upstairs to stay a last time alone with Andromeda.
Of course, the young man received the plenty agreement of every people.
Candles burned with high flames in the beige Andromeda's room.
"It's me honey, how do you feel? I know I must let you go but I just can't. It's just too hard."
He was now lengthening on Andromeda's bed just near her, close to her.
"Please fight my princess, do an effort for me, for us. Don't you remember the project we had together? You wanted to live in Tara's with me and having a dozen of children. You must live, my love, you must live...I love you and always will."
He kissed her on her forehead, her eyes shank with tears, looking at her a last time he went outside the room, crying.
It was too hard emotionally.
That was how began the longest night every people of the house had liven.
Cat was her room with the formal order to not move of it. Of course she had toy to play with but she was bored at stiff and more than everything she was worried.
Gilda, Henry, Adeline, Rhett, Scarlett, Wade and Ella were sitting on chairs, observing Andromeda's states at every moment.
Andromeda's parents wanted her to a leaving full of love as much it was possible. Reunificating a last time their last strongs , they was singing to her all her favorite songs. Ella who was doing there and back with Cat's room's succeeded same to play miniature piano for her but the girl stayed always mute.
Now we turned about 21:30 pm and big sweat's drips runned to Andromeda's forehead. The now sixteenth teenager seemed suffer a lot. Friedman announced that it was a symptom announcing the beginning of the pain.
It needed to be strong to endure the sentence of the patrician. Seeing her struggle against one thing that she couldn't escape now was so cruel that Henry asked to the doctor if he could abbreviate her dolor and let her go.
Adeline screamed feebly; the woman was now prepared and almost resign to lost her youngest child.
Wade cried silently, he should and must be strong, he still taken Andromeda's hands.
Scarlett held Ella stronger Ella and advised her to go to see how Cat was.
Gilda hidden, dried them with her big white apron.
Rhett closed his eyes and prayed since a long time in his life.
Doctor said he wasn't able to "make her sleeping away" because cause of the fever the pinprick will be with no effect.
22:30: the doctor said sadly that we were near to the end.
One horrible hour were just end to see Andromeda leaving the world and everyone wanted it end soon.
Now she was consciencous but still in a critical condition and there was so few hope that it killed the joy to hear and be hear from her. "Momma, my hair are embarrassing me, please can you attach them please." It was say so difficultly. "Treasure, I give you my black hair filet. The black one you always wanted when you was a little girl. Do you remember?"
"Andromeda, I'm with you now and it will be okay. My whole family is here for you too."
"Thank you Wade, I love you. Thank your parents and your sisters for me... I just can't."
"Will you be quiet? You will be able to thank her yourself. I love you too."
"I'm feeling so bad, Wade.." she articulated again difficultly.
God was so cruel to make her so suffering. Scarlett was thinking when Mammy was ill the sentences she had addressed to the so powerful Lord. "Why do you make her dying when she's sleeping, I will never more yield to you since I will live."
Sharing Andromeda's hands with Adeline Wade didn't stop to repeat how much he loved her.
23 pm and Scarlett recognized the sound of the death, the death rattle. She was so pale.
"Soon, it will be over, soon it will be."
But the dolor's didn't seem to want to let Andromeda in peace before to go.
Scarlett went to see her daughters in Cat's rooms and observed that the girls were now deeply but sadly sleeping.
"It's better" she thought.
Midnight, Third April 1881.
"Is it possible that day as the last of Andromeda?" was everyone though.
One thing was sure, she didn't merit a so long and cruel agony; she was so young, so full of live and so in love, so kind.
Neighbors came to the Kilevan to express their sympathizes, the family was just arrived since January but yet very much loved and knew around Montgomery. Adeline was so moved when her pupils had offer to her a card everyone had signed wished her to come back quickly teaching and Andromeda reestablishment soon.
Andromeda had stop to lament she hadn't say anything since ten minutes. Now she looked as appeased.
All were observing the mute Andromeda, then Wade. No doubt, she was gone for good now. It just missed the doctor's official statement. Wade suddenly understands.
"No, it can't be that, she's not, she's not!" he repeated, screaming stronger each time.
Rhett tried to hold back his son by the cutting and so did Scarlett.
"You can't do anything for her now, she's gone."
Wade didn't try to dissimulate his sorrow and his tears. And so did the parents and the servant.
Rhett and Scarlett were feeling so hurt by the decease too.
The worst stayed: Indeed Doctor Seamus Friedman came near Andromeda's body to make official the decease.
The seven people present in the room were in attempt to see him recovering the body with the white coverage to confirm the death. The man was thinking it was the awful moment of his medicine's life.
To his surprise and the other surprise too, joyful exclamation came to his mouth.
"Listen, we were thinking she's gone but she's gone, but the only thing it gone is the dangerously of her illness. She's again ill but safe and I'm almost certain of what I'm advancing but I can't explain how it was just happen."
Happily exclamations followed the doctor sentences. Friedman said he was happy too but added they better stop all the happy noise in order to not wake up his patient.
Henry thanked the doctor and announced that everyone could go to bed, he will look personally after his daughter for the rest of the night.
Everyone cried now of joy, they were all immensely relieved.
It was now 1 am.
Rhett just fall asleep but Scarlett couldn't.
Watching the sky the immense window of her room, she again apperceived the blue star.
"Of course, you were too with your brother and his girlfriend Bonnie. Hadn't you?"
Now, another star keep Scarlett's attention. She was visually correct instead the clouds and discreet. She married very well the grey of the sky; indeed she had the same color.
"I'm sure it's you Grainne, thank to have saved my future daughter in law."
Little by little, Andromeda recovered health. She received many cards for her reestablishment.
She was reading the one who came from Covington. As you had guessed it was the Beenten's family. The Wilkes had sent to their best regard to her and her family, given her a pictures of the twins with Beau and Billy.
Many friends wrote to her too and some come to visit her.
Now, Wade and the Butler could come back home safety.
Andromeda knew that they'll be always near her if needs and especially Wade.
The illness had reinforced their beautiful love that always goes stronger.
END OF CHAPTER 12! Did you like it? I can't wait for more reviews of you!
I had said I was planning to update after Halloween but I was less busy than I was though.
Again happy Halloween! This story is for my 3 girls: Maitane, Lorea and Andrea.
Tell me what you think. That important to me.
See you soon on the web: With all my love: Soña Binzarmet.