Chapter two
I don't owe anything regarding Gone With The Wind
The world faded before Rhett's eyes; all he could see was this little beautiful girl he was holding, who managed to steal his heart within seconds, it was faster than her mother had achieved years ago. The little Miss Butler was born with dark brown hair and baby blue eyes and without the normal signs from being pushed through a tiny birth channel, therefore her beauty was beyond most infants her age. To Rhett, she was the spitting image of her mother; he was too humble noticing that no one would ever deny she was indeed Rhett Butler's child as well.
Scarlett hadn't taken her eyes of the baby, she was amazed, but then she remembered that all men wanted sons and she reluctantly turned her eyes to look at her husband. She was surprised with what she saw, Rhett had lost himself in the baby, she searched her mind but couldn't remember ever to have seen Rhett look this utterly happy and expressing nothing but pure love. Scarlett felt a pang in her heart
"Why, he has never looked at me that way. Why do I care? I don't love him! I love -Ashley."
Scarlett was choked; for a tiny bit of a second she had forgotten the name of her true love; Ashley
"I must be more tired than I thought"
She dismissed thinking more about the matter, she would do that tomorrow.
"Are you disappointed Rhett"
Scarlett asked in a small voice, abruptly Rhett lifted his head and stared at her "Why, would I be disappointed my pet?"
"Well, all men want sons as firstborn"
Scarlett retorted with a trembling voice.
Rhett cast his head back and laughed hard and long
"You should know by now Mrs. Butler, that I am not as most men. No, I am lucky to have a daughter, boys are nothing but troubles."
Lifting a bow he jested
"My firstborn. Are you suggesting I will have more children Mrs. Butler?"
His eyes held that old, odd, searching look
"You perfectly well know that I never…"
Scarlett didn't finish the sentence
"Pray, continue my pet!"
Rhett's face had turned hard at her reply. Focusing her eyes on her hands Scarlett continued
"I am just not so fond of pregnancy"
Her answer was emotionless and sounded more mechanically than convincing but Rhett, too angry and hurt, never noticed.
"Rhett would you mind giving me some peace to sleep?"
Scarlett wanted to be alone, it had been a confusing day; starting with her anger of discovering she was in labour, the hate of the pain the baby caused her. She had hated Rhett for forcing her to endure this. Just few hours later that hate and anger had turned into gratefulness for all his help during the birth and now she felt something she didn't understand for her youngest daughter.
"Of course Mrs. Butler. I will take the baby and find Mammy"
"No! I will not have you going anywhere with her, give her to me Rhett Butler at once!"
Both Rhett and Scarlett were surprised with her outburst, avoiding Rhett's alert eyes Scarlett reached her arms out for her daughter; she wasn't ready to be separate from her tiny daughter just yet and she didn't want to be questioned why just now or to think about why herself.
"I will think about it tomorrow or some other day, when I have some spare time"
She told herself. Rhett kissed his perfect daughter and placed her in her mother's waiting arms, his eyes searched Scarlett's face for a clue of what went through her pretty head but found no answers.
Rhett found Mammy in the hall; she had just bid doctor Meade goodbye. "Mammy we must celebrate. Come with me into the dining-room for a glass of port, I won't take no for an answer. It's not every day a Butler baby comes into this world."
Rhett opened the door and waited for Mammy to enter, he quickly followed her and poured two glasses of port.
"Have you ever seen a more beautiful baby Mammy?"
"Well Mizter Rhett, Miz Scarlett was a beautiful baby"
Mammy chuckled
"No, never, have I seen such a beautiful baby."
Rhett had won her heart; never before had she seen a gentleman helps his wife through labour. And never before had she met a man worshipping his newborn baby girl more than her master did. He was indeed a fine gentleman.
"Have another glass Mammy"
Mammy took the glass but didn't drink it
"I better check on Miz Scarlett."
Scarlett couldn't take her eyes off her baby, an unknown feeling rushed through her veins, a feeling that consumed her and seemed to have everything to do with her baby. For the first time in her life Scarlett wasn't thinking of herself but only of the bundle in her arms. Scarlett felt she would do anything in her power to protect this baby, her baby. She had always provided Wade Hampton and Ella with shelter, food and clothe but this baby would be provide with more, Scarlett just didn't know what. But her feelings for her youngest child were strong and unlike any feelings she had ever felt before.
When the baby started to fuss Scarlett knew she was hungry, a frown appeared on Scarlett's face she had always hated this part, breastfeeding, it was hurtful, boring and deeply embarrassing. Knowing she couldn't escape it Scarlett opened her night grown and placed her daughter to her left breast, the baby didn't take the nipple right away but kept fussing, gently Scarlett looked down upon the child
"Here let mommy help you"
She pressed the nipple into her daughter's hungry mouth and was rewarded with a quiet, sucking baby. Strangely, Scarlett felt no pain only peace and content, she couldn't help smiling at her daughter.
"You sure like this baby darling. Hungry as your mother, I would say"
Giggling gently, Scarlett relaxed and enjoyed this private moment with her daughter.
The tiny Butler baby fell asleep at her mother's breast content with the closeness and love from her mother. For most babies this was a normal course of events, from coming into the world but not for Scarlett's babies. Usually, Scarlett never felt any connections to her babies and only tended for them when it was unavoidably, meaning at feeding times. For unknown reasons to Scarlett, this baby was different and she didn't try understand why, she was simply too tired. Mammy walk in upon this scenery and was take by surprise, her favourite child admired her daughter with utterly love; never hearing Mammy entering the room, Scarlett was startled when Mammy spoke.
"Miz Scarlett let me take that child to the nursery. My lamb need to sleep."
In a swift movement Scarlett raised her head
"You will not do such a thing! Go fetch her crib and place it next to me" Mammy stared at Scarlett before she waddled out of the room.
Scarlett sank deep into the pillows and yawned, she was tired but yet not ready to break the tight connection with her daughter
"You wouldn't like to be in the nursery away from mommy, would you honey?"
Watching Mammy placing the crib at the end of the bed Scarlett was not satisfied.
"Move it closer to me Mammy. How do you expect me to watch my daughter when the crib is in the other side of the room?"
"You like this baby Miz Scarlett?"
"Why, what kind of a question is that Mammy. Of course I do. Now leave us alone."
Scarlett placed the baby girl next to her in the large bed and closed her eyes.
Downstairs Wade Hampton was scared, he was sure his mother was about to die, no one had taken the time to explain what was happing with Scarlett, they had just pushed him away and told him to play elsewhere. He wandered around in the big house when he saw light coming from the dining-room, as fast as his small legs could carry him he ran to the door and looked inside. It was his uncle Rhett sitting at the table with a glass before him, uncle Rhett looked happy but very distant; maybe it wasn't that bad with his mother. "Uncle Rhett would never smile if his mother was deathly sick, would he?" Uncle Rhett is Mother sick?"
Startled Rhett look to where the voice came from
"Wade Hampton do come in"
Wade Hampton didn't need a second invitation but ran to uncle Rhett, without thought Rhett reached down and place the boy on his knee.
"You Mother is fine, she just had a beautiful baby girl Wade Hampton"
"Oh, a girl"
Wade Hampton was disappointed, he already had one younger sister and she wasn't much fun.
"Uncle Rhett, don't you like boys better?"
Rhett laughed
"Wade Hampton I wouldn't change your baby sister for anything in the world. I like girls"
"Wouldn't you prefer a son uncle Rhett?"
Rhett heard the anticipating and tenseness in the little boy's voice, smiling at Wade Hampton Rhett stated
"Why would I want a son when I already has the best son in the world"
Wade Hampton beamed with happiness, he loved his uncle Rhett and he was the only father he had ever known, but aunt Melly always wanted him to be his death father's son and Wade Hampton loved his aunt Melly, but he loved his uncle Rhett more. He wanted most to be uncle Rhett's son.
Stepping quietly into the bedroom he shared with Scarlett Rhett scanned the room looking for his daughter, she hadn't been in the nursery and Mammy had disappeared. First his eyes fell on the crib next to Scarlett but it was empty, then he looked at his wife's sleeping form and finally he found his precious daughter, peacefully slumbering next to Scarlett. He smiled, when he noticed that Scarlett had a protective arm around their newborn, the smile turned into a frown.
"Who is Scarlett trying to fool? She has never been much of a mother."
Rhett was on his guards, this was a Scarlett he didn't know and he couldn't tell what she was up to as he normally could. After undressing he sneaked into the bed and lye his daughter to sleep on his chest, he wanted to be as close to her as he could. Scarlett opened her eyes when the baby was taken away from her; she felt a pang in her heart until she saw where her daughter had gone. Rhett felt Scarlett's movement smiling down at her he said.
"Go back to sleep my pet, I will watch over her"
Scarlett smiled back and closed her eyes
"Don't place her in another room Rhett, I want her near."
Scarlett never saw the emotions of hope, love and adoration in her husband's face.