Tomorrow…is Another Day
Written By AsianChick and SL23
Disclaimer: We do not own Gone with the Wind or any of the characters. The only thing we own are the books.
Author's Note: Hello there everyone! I, SL23, and AsianChick are revising this chapter. We truly apologized that we have not updated the story at all. We hope that updates will be more frequent. We would like to thank those kind reviewers for their encouragement to continue. We hope that you like this version; it should be more understandable and hopefully filled with few errors. Please tell us what you think of it. On with the story….
Chapter One
Over the city of Atlanta hung dark rain clouds from which rain poured down fervently. The weather perfectly complemented this depressing day. A fairly sizable crowd could be seen gathering in Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery. The crowd consisted of the Old Guard, who were dressed in black and held umbrellas over their heads, a weak attempt to stay dry. In the group stood India Wilkes, staring at the small group of mourners on the far side of the cemetery. Sectioned off from the others stood two women and three children huddled up together under two separate but large umbrellas.
One of the women shed not any tears. She had vowed to herself that she was through with crying and mourning. One would think her as a heartless and cold person. She stood with her head held high, quietly comforting the other woman, who was silently shedding tears. She held one of the large umbrellas over the pale woman. Next to the two females stood two boys near the same age and a young girl-perhaps two years younger than her male companions-under another umbrella. Young Beau Wilkes stood watching bewilderedly as the funeral came to an end. Wade Hampton stood next to his best friend, watching as the minister summed up his prayers. Ella Kennedy watched her mother's blank face.
Quickly, the funeral came to an end, and now the body of the decease was being lowered into the snug little hole in the Atlanta ground. The coffin in which the person was confined to looked bare and desolate. The plain pine box held Ashley Wilkes, the late husband of Melanie Wilkes.
The pale and weeping woman of the two women gave a cry. "Nooo!! Ashley!!" The other woman held her sister-in-law back, murmuring soothing words to the distressed woman.
"Shh, Melly! Come on let's go home. Just remember that you have Beau to think of, Melly. Ashley wouldn't want you to neglect your son just because you were crying over him. Come, let us return to my home," said the woman, in a voice that held compassion in it for the first time.
"You're right, Scarlett," said Melly, composing herself, trying her best to put aside her pain. "Besides, my pain must not be as great as yours, sister."
Over on the other side of the small plot of land called a cemetery, stood two old ladies. Dolly Merriwether and Caroline Meade stood together, watching Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler. They shook their head at the woman. All throughout the funeral arrangements, Scarlett's face was as blank as a piece of paper.
"Look at her. I pity poor Melanie, being comforted by the likes of Scarlett Butler. I wonder where her husband is?" questioned Caroline Meade.
"He probably didn't want to be around his wife at a time like this. Everyone knows that Scarlett and Ashley Wilkes probably…," but Dolly Merriwether was cut off by Caroline Meade.
"Don't talk about the dead like that Dolly Merriwether," reprimanded Caroline.
India Wilkes couldn't help but over hear the conversation. She was still mad at Scarlett for taking Charles Hamilton away from her. She also blamed the belle of Georgia for the death of her dear brother.
"I wouldn't put it pass that Scarlett. No doubt she seduced Ashley. Poor Melanie just doesn't want to believe it," said India bitterly.
The people around her agreed with her statement. The thought had been running through everyone's mind for the past few days.
Over at the other side of the cemetery, Melanie followed Scarlett to the awaiting carriage. Along the way, Scarlett passed her youngest child's grave. She stopped for a brief moment, and then hurried along after Melanie and the children.
Uncle Peter, the coachman, held open the carriage door for them and closed it shut as the final passenger was seated inside. As Peter climbed up to his position, he heard Scarlett order him to drive toward the huge mansion, instead of to Aunt Pittypat's.
When they reached the huge mansion that Rhett had built for Scarlett, everyone descended from the carriage in a hurry to take shelter from the pouring rain. Over the last couple of minutes, the rain had turned into a raging storm. As the fivesome entered the house, Scarlett immediately ascended the stairs. The waves of grief and pain had finally hit her and she wished to be alone when shedding her tears. Though she had vowed not to cry again, she at least would not let anyone see her tears.
"I'll be in my room. Please make yourself at home, Melly," she said, biting her lip.
Melanie, however, hadn't heard what Scarlett had just uttered. She felt a huge wave of pain hit her. She was for to distraught to think of the children who know stood by her side, wondering what they should do. The huge mansion made the children feel scared. As Melanie slouched onto one of the Victorian chairs, her thoughts were on her late husband.
'What shall I do with my life now that my dear Ashley has gone? How will I live without him? My poor Beau, our son, needs a father. Why did Ashley have to leave life so soon? Beau needs a father and not any father, he needs Ashley. Most of all, I need Ashley.'
She started to whimper and dug her teeth into her quivering lips to retain a shout of pain and misery. She looked about herself and saw that the children were standing stiffly, waiting for some command to be given.
"My dear children, how hungry you must be. I'll fetch you something to eat," she said, getting up and walking to the kitchen to see to it that food would be served to not only the children, but Scarlett and herself. On the way, her thoughts were fixed on Scarlett.
'I should console poor Scarlett. She has been such a dear, arranging everything. She really loved my dear Ashley as the brother she never had. The poor soul needs comforting and here I am acting foolish. How selfish of me to think only of myself.'
Upstairs, Scarlett entered her chambers, Thinking that she would find solace in the dark, she opened her bedroom door to find it not only lit up with light, but someone was in her room.
End of Chapter One
A/N: Tell us what you think of it!! Do you like it?