Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Fifty-Four

Ella quickly adjusted to living in New York. She made friends with all of her classmates, but Hazel was her best friend. Luckily, it appeared that Hazel thought of Ella as her best friend also. Even after being at school all day together the girls still wanted to spend time with the other one. Violet's children and Scarlett's children all got along which was nice because Violet and Scarlett spent a lot of time together.

It took Wade a lot longer to accept their move to New York. For once it was Scarlett that provided Wade with the most comfort and advice. She would sit and talk with the boy. She would share some of her losses in life and how one just had to carry on. She would sit and listen when Wade talked about his feelings. She never snapped at the boy when he repeated himself. Nonetheless, she knew he just had to come to terms with their move and his loss of Beau and his Aunt Melly.

The Brooks were Methodist, and the Butlers had attended their church, but Rhett and Scarlett were more comfortable in the Episcopal Church, so they found one to join. They met a lot of people at the church. When Rhett and Scarlett were trying to be nice, they were an extremely charming couple. They joined committees to meet more people. Rhett joined the planning committee and Scarlett joined the committee to help widows and orphans.

Soon summer came. While not as hot as in the South it was still hot. Rhett and Scarlett talked about buying a summer home but decided to wait until the family was more settled.

Rhett bought a yacht and took the family sailing often. Everyone liked to be out on the water even Mammy. It was always cooler on the water. Scarlett made everyone take swimming lessons even Rhett. He claimed to know how to swim but she saw no evidence of it during their classes. She even made Mammy come with them. Mammy refused to put on a bathing suit or get in the water. Scarlett thought it was enough that Mammy had come with them.

Wade's friends from school were always inviting him to their houses to play. One of his friends, Barney, had a tennis court and Wade learned to play. After Wade had been playing the game with Barney for a couple of weeks, Wade asked Rhett if they could install a tennis court in their back yard. Rhett had agreed because it was the first thing Rhett had seen Wade excited about since their move.

Everyone in the family learned to play. Ella and Genie were pretty evenly matched. Scarlett and Rhett would play, and he usually won. Wade and Scarlett would play, and they were pretty evenly matched also. Wade would invite his friends over to the house to play tennis. Scarlett would invite Violet and her family over to play also. Ella and Hazel would play, and they were evenly matched also. Genie and Lee would play, and it was hilarious to watch the five-year-olds play tennis. The net was taller than they were. Nonetheless, Genie and Lee enjoyed playing tennis.

When school was out for the summer, Wade had finally accepted that his life was in the North now.

Rhett rarely went out at night alone anymore. His playing poker was no longer that fun or exciting. He could no longer take a foolish man's money. Besides, he and Scarlett had a continually active social life. As he was getting older, he needed to rest on the nights Scarlett wasn't dragging him to one more social event. There was so much more to do in New York also. Traveling lectures, operas, concerts, theatre troupes featuring ventriloquist and hypnotist, plays, poetry readings, comedians, choirs, and orchestras, the circus, art exhibitions, and always dancing.

One day in June while out on the yacht, Genie had been running on the deck and she slipped and fell into the water. She was able to swim to the ladder on the back of the boat thanks to her swimming lessons. When she got on the deck, she said, "That was fun. Can we go swimming in the water?"

"Sure, let me anchor the boat and we will all go swimming."

When Rhett had seen Bonnie fall into the water, he remembered what his future self had said about her dying in his first lifetime. He thanked God that didn't happen this time and he thanked God for this third chance.

Everyone got in the water but Mammy. Scarlett laid Gerry on his back in a life preserver ring, but he soon had to go back to Mammy. He kept trying to sit up.

Scarlett and Wade had gone out and bought Beau a birthday present. They talked while they were shopping. Wade was telling his mother of his memories of Beau. It was sad to Scarlett because her son was talking about his cousin like his cousin was dead. Scarlett decided that in a way Beau was dead. The boys would never have the close relationship they had once had. Wade finally chose a knife to give to Beau. They packed up the gift and all Wade's hand me downs and shipped it to the Hamilton House. As mother and son were leaving the post office Wade said, "I hope he likes it."

"I'm sure he will."

Morosely Wade said, "I'll never know. He will write and thank me for it. He will tell me he likes it, but I will never know if that is the truth, or he was just being polite."

Come on. Let's go get your sisters and Gerry. We will go get ice cream."

Wade brightened up and said, "What about Dad?"

"Him too if he is home. He has been so busy lately with his business deals."

"Alright."

Soon it was September. Wade and Ella went back to school. This time when Scarlett took the children to school on their first day, Ella jumped out of the carriage and told her mother goodbye. She didn't wait for her mother to walk with her. In fact, Ella ran away to catch up with another little girl.

Scarlett had a birthday party for Ella in October. The lawn was overrun with children. Every child in Ella's class had been invited and all their friends' children had been invited. Scarlett allowed Wade to invite a couple of his classmates. Everyone had a good time.

Of course, Violet, Dean and their children were there. Rhett and Dean had become friends. Mainly because they were so much alike. They both like to make teasing and mocking comments especially towards their wives. They both were shrewd businessmen. They both were extremely attractive men. They both thought they were God's gift towards women. The final reason was that neither one truly trusted other people even each other.

Scarlett saw Rhett pick Gerry up and walk around with him but far too soon for Rhett the child wanted to get down. She walked over and said, "Soon you will have another baby to carry around.'

"Are you with child?"

"Yes."

"When is it due?"

"April. You owe me a diamond parure."

"Why?"

"You said if I gave you another child you would buy me a diamond parure."

Rhett smiled. He knew that wasn't what they had said exactly but he truly didn't care. She was having another of his children. Therefore, he said, "Shall we go shopping tomorrow?"

"Yes. You will have to find me a doctor who gives the mother chloroform during labor."

"You don't want to return to London."

"Yes, I do but I don't want to disturb the children's lives."

"I will have to go to Zurich to have the procedure done. I also need to check on my businesses there."

"I guess you can go by yourself."

"I don't believe that I can. I don't believe I could be away from you for two months."

Scarlett smiled. She said, "I don't think I could be either."

"It will be the last time we disrupt their lives."

"Alright. We can go after Genie's birthday."

"Alright but make sure Dr. Hickman is still alive."

"Alright."

Rhett decided he would make sure Dr. Schmid was still alive also. He was sure there were other doctors who could perform the procedure, but he knew Dr. Schmid did a good job last time. Fortunately for Rhett and Scarlett the two doctors were both still alive.

The next day, Rhett and Scarlett did go jewelry shopping. He bought her a diamond parure that included a necklace, ear bobs, a bracelet, and, of course, a tiara. He even bought her a new wristwatch. He bought himself a new ring and a new necklace. The ring had to be sized so they left it. On the way home, Scarlett said, "The ring and the necklace are your birthday presents."

Rhett laughed but he didn't say anything. He knew he was a hard man to buy gifts for.

Scarlett and Rhett waited a week before they told the children there would be another child in the household sometime next spring. The children's reaction was as expected. Gerry didn't know what that meant, Genie and Ella were excited, and Wade didn't care.

Wade said, "Are we going to go to London for Mama to have her baby?"

Rhett and Scarlett wished Wade hadn't ask that question yet but nonetheless Rhett went ahead and told Wade what the boy already knew. Rhett said, "Yes, we will leave after Genie's birthday."

"Alright."

"You won't go to school. I am just going to get you children a tutor."

"I like that idea, Dad."

Ella said, "After Mama has the baby will we return here?"

"Yes, Dear."

"Alright."

With that everyone went back to eating their supper.

After the children were in bed, Scarlett said, "Maybe we can hire Eunice again."

Happily, Rhett said, "Maybe she will be willing to move to New York with us this time."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Maybe, Dear."

A few minutes later, Scarlett said, "I want a croissant."

"I will go buy you one tomorrow morning at Bonucci's"

"Be sure and buy Genie one too."

"I will buy an assortment of pastries. I will take Wade with me."

"Good idea."

"It will give him a chance to ask questions about where babies come from."

"No, Rhett, he is only eleven."

"I will not go into great detail. I will just answer his questions."

"Alright. It will be so embarrassing."

"What?"

"Him knowing we do that."

Rhett burst out laughing but didn't answer his wife. After a while, Scarlett said, "Fanny married Claude."

"How wonderful."

"Yes, it is. Get this, Rhett, Claude just moved into the Elsings' house."

"That must be one crowded house."

"Yes, Mrs. Elsing, Hugh, Fanny, Louie, Anna Beth, Claude, and Basil."

"Who?"

"Basil, Hugh's son."

"Do you want to talk about names for the baby?"

"Oliver Rhett for a boy or Olivia Katie for a girl. For your grandfather."

"I told you I can't name my child after my grandfather without also naming him after my father."

"Pish Posh. Nobody in Charleston is ever going to know our child's name. Nobody in New York knows your father's name. None of our children know your father's name. We will just tell everyone the child was named for your grandfather. Nobody needs to know any more than that."

Rhett smiled and said, "I believe you are right. Yes, I like those names. Thank you."

Scarlett hosted a birthday party for Rhett and invited fifty of their closest friends. As Rhett sat at the table talking with some of his acquaintances, he marveled at how well received he and Scarlett were here in the North. They could never have achieved this level of acceptance in the South. He knew now that he would never have remained received in Atlanta until Bonnie turned sixteen. In truth he would have had to remain received for the rest of his life or it would have shame Bonnie. He quickly stopped his thoughts because he was beginning to think about how many times, he had shamed his amazing wife just because she dared to love another man. He instead started thinking about what an amazing job she had done hosting this party. Everything had been perfect. In truth, all her parties had been perfect.