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Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Yesterday I stopped receiving emails from Fanfic. I went into the site to check if I had any reviews. When I did, I found this in one of the ribbons. It is under account settings.

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I don't understand why it has to reset every 6 months but any way I hope this helps people with the same email problem I had.

Chapter Fifty

Later that afternoon, Scarlett shared with Rhett Melly's strange behavior. Rhett smiled and said, "I don't think Miss Melly wants to be your friend anymore."

"Why?"

"You have everything, and she has nothing. She used to have a husband you wanted but she doesn't anymore. She knows you no longer believe yourself in love with Mr. Wilkes anymore therefore she can no longer manipulate you into carrying him. She needed you to carry Mr. Wilkes and if you aren't going to carry him then she has no need of you."

"Oh."

"She will pretend to maintain the relationship with you to stay in touch with her nephew and to maintain the friendship that Beau and Wade have."

"That makes sense. A couple of months ago, she asked me to let her raise Wade and I told her emphatically no."

"I guess she has admitted defeat and will stop trying to cause trouble between us. I would bet money she will never come to the mansion again."

Scarlett looked at Rhett. She now knew that Rhett had threatened to kill Melly that day after they had just gotten back from Europe. That was why Melly had looked so bad when she left the house. Scarlett smiled at her husband who would do whatever it took to get her and to keep her. She now believed he had killed Frank simply because he had been tired of waiting for the man to die. She guessed it should appall her that Rhett was that much of a predator, but it didn't. No, Scarlett marveled at who Rhett, the husband was. Rhett, the husband did what she needed in that moment. He made her feel loved, safe, and secure. She smiled. The first three years of their marriage it was Rhett's love that carried them through. His love and his friendship.

Scarlett knew she was beginning to hate Melly because Melly had tried to ruin what she and Rhett had for her own personal gain. She would be quite happy to no longer pretend to be friends with Melanie Wilkes or Ashley Wilkes for that matter.

Over supper at Hamilton House, Beau went on and on about the great food he had that day for dinner. Towards the end of the meal, Ashley said, "I cannot go because I can't be away from the bank that long but why don't you ladies and Beau go have dinner at Picard's Bistro tomorrow. I'll get you the money later Melly."

"Thank you, Ashley."

"You are welcome."

Ashley was feeling generous to the ladies in the household because tonight he was going to The Painted Lady.

Later Scarlett said to Rhett, "I can't pull any of those practical jokes if Melly never comes to the mansion."

"No, you can't."

"That is so sad."

"Maybe you can get the dress made."

"No, I don't think she is going to invite me into her parlor ever again."

"Maybe we can think of something else."

"I'm not very optimistic."

"Me either."

PittyPat, India, Melanie, and Beau did go to the bistro the next day. The ladies all agreed with Beau. The food was delicious. Melly thought, 'Maybe Ashley being a teller wasn't so bad. He was happy all the time now and they had the money to do special things now.'

Beatrice and Jim did come to Atlanta the first Monday in August. Rhett and Scarlett met them at the train station. The quartet went to the horse auction. While they were inspecting the horses for sale, Rhett discovered that Beatrice Tarleton did know how to spot good horse flesh. Every horse that Rhett was considering, she pointed out to him. To test her he pointed out a horse that he thought was more flash than substance. She had shaken her head emphatically no. As the auction was going on Rhett had bid on one horse and had expected to get overbid. He wasn't. He was surprised at his good luck. With that savings he was able to buy three mares instead of just two. They ended up buying a stud horse and three mares. As the foursome left the auction area, Rhett said, "I will finish up here then we can go have dinner."

"Alright, Dear."

"I will join you at the carriage."

Beatrice and Jim exchanged at look but didn't say anything.

Within thirty minutes, Rhett joined them at the carriage leading four horses. With Jim and Jethro's help Rhett tied them to the back of the carriage. He said, "We will go have dinner then I will ride with you and our horses to Fairhill. Scarlett will need to go home and check on the children."

Jim said, "We don't have money to pay for dinner. We will just eat when we get home."

"Nonsense. I will just put the cost of the meals on your account. You can pay me later," At the Tarleton's expressions, Rhett laughed and said, "I was just kidding. I can treat my partners to a meal. Do you like French food?"

When the couple nodded, Scarlett said, "This food is so good you will think you are in Paris. Let's go. We have to get there early, or they might run out of food. Let's get in the carriage," After the four were settled in the carriage, Scarlett continued, "It is just the quaintest thing. The bistro is inside a general store."

After the foursome got into the General Store, Scarlett saw Fanny and said to Rhett, "Order me whatever you get. I need to talk to Fanny."

After Scarlett joined Fanny, she said, "Do you ever go home?"

"Why should I? Louie is with me, and I can tutor him here as well as at home. Claude and Rene are teaching him French in the morning while they are preparing the food. It is easier here than at home. I don't have to listen to Mother telling me to stop meddling with the stores and find a husband. We get something to eat from Claude and then Louie and I are off to the other store."

Scarlett smiled at Fanny. She said, "Good for you. Got to go. My meal is waiting."

As Scarlett walked away, she wondered if Claude was sweet on Fanny also. Because Scarlett was a happily married woman, she wanted everyone else to be happily married also, except India and maybe Melly.

The food was good as usual and judging by the crowd of people in the kitchen business was good. Scarlett saw that several people had brought their own pans and were going to take their dinner home with them. Rhett said, "Rene you need to get that patio and awning built before fall."

"We can't afford it yet."

"We will loan you the money. You need the space." Just like that Rhett took out his wallet and gave Rene five twenties. He said, "I will get Mr. Powe to add it to the contract and you and Claude can come by and initial the paperwork."

"Thanks, Rhett. We will get started on it this weekend."

"Perfect.

As the group walked out of the general store, Scarlett said, "Let me get a cab back to the mansion. I need to check on the children."

"Of course, Dear. Let me get you one."

Scarlett had to hurry home to nurse Gerry. He would never be able to wait until she got back from Clayton County.

As Rhett rode back from Clayton County, he was pleased with his life. He would never forget that he had received not one miracle but two no three. Gerry being born had been a miracle also. He was happy that he and Scarlett were doing all the good they were doing. They had to give back. Admittedly they had started doing good to make sure Miss Melly didn't try to pressure Scarlett into giving Mr. Wilkes the job as manager but now they seemed to be doing it just to do good. Maybe all that going to church was having a positive effect on both of them.

August passed by uneventfully for the Butlers. They went to Clayton County and collected Scarlett's loan payments. They checked on the mares and so far, none of them were pregnant which wasn't surprising. Mares only went into heat once a year. Usually in the spring. Scarlett got Wade and Ella ready to go back to school. Scarlett had taken the children to a birthday party.

Soon it was the first day of school. Scarlett took the children to school on their first day. She did it to help Ella relax. Scarlett was able to understand Ella's feelings a little bit more when she thought of all the other little girls' parties she had gone to as a child. She had not been shunned but she also had not been welcomed because even then she had been different. She had not understood it because Suellen and Careen had been welcomed with open arms but not her. Scarlett knew she wasn't a good mother like Melly, but she did love her children and she did want them to know that.

When the carriage got to Wade's school, he jumped out and said, "See you this afternoon."

"Alright."

When the carriage got to Ella's school, Scarlett got out and helped Ella out of the carriage. She said, "I wonder who we are going to see first Vera or Lottie."

"Or Jenny or Beryl. Beryl was at Clara's party, and we played together. She was nice."

As it turned out Beryl was the first friend Ella found. The little girls hugged. Scarlett recognized that Beryl was a little shy and a little afraid also. Good. Two needy people found each other. How wonderful!

As Scarlett got in the carriage, she did something she had never done before. She thanked God that Ella had a friend. A friend who needed her as much as Ella needed the friend.

Scarlett picked the children up from school. Both of them were talking over each other to tell her how wonderful their day was. Maybe for the first time ever, she knew she was glad she was their mother.

The fall of seventy-two passed fairly uneventfully. Beau and Wade still had play dates but not nearly as many as they had in years passed. Melly and Scarlett rarely socialized. The women actually hated each other now. Scarlett for what Melly had tried to do to her and Rhett's relationship and for all the times Melly had used her. Melly because Scarlett's life was so wonderful, and Melly's was so God damn awful. The worst part about her life was that it was never going to get any better. Ashley was happy with his life. India was getting more and more bitter and angry. Aunt PittyPat was getting more and more ditzy every day. To Melly the worst part of her life was remembering how superior she had felt that Ashley had married her over Scarlett. In truth, Scarlett was the person who had dodged the bullet that was Ashley.

Ella was loving school and had invited every child in her class to her birthday party. They all came. Rhett had said, "Ella every one of your classmates came to your party. That is because you are such a likeable girl."

Genie had some moments when she behaved like a brat. Rhett stepped up and straighten the little girl's behavior out. He wasn't raising a brat. He knew that he was Bonnie's favorite. Just as he knew that Scarlett was Gerry's favorite.

In November, Scarlett had a birthday party for Rhett, but it was a somber affair despite the food, the alcohol, and the band. The Republicans had been voted out of office. After January most of the people at the party would have moved away from Atlanta. After the party was over, Rhett said, "How much longer do you want to stay in Atlanta?"

"Not much longer. Mr. Stanley and Mr. Livingstone have paid off their loans. That just leaves Fanny and Rene. They will have them paid off in another six months. They can just make their payments to Mr. Powe to put in the children's trust fund."

Scarlett sat down on the bed to remove her stockings. Rhett let her have a moment to get her emotions together. Finally, he said, "Baby, I know you are willing to move away from the South for me and I am…"

"No! Not for you. For my children. If we didn't have children, we could live in Atlanta and associate with whoever we wanted to associate with. We could have a good life. Yet, we want our children to be received into the finest homes in the city and that won't happen in Atlanta. I don't remember exactly what you said to Ashley that day I told him I had sold the mills, but it was something about a rigid and cruel system that severely punishes anyone for going against the norm. Our children will go against the norm. I don't want them to be punished for doing that."

"Shall we go to New York for the holidays?"

"No, let's go to Boston. I have never been there. I will tell Rene and Fanny to make their payments to Mr. Powe since we won't be back by the first of the month."