Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the many reviews and the feedback.
Chapter Twenty-One
Melanie had been dead almost a year. With her death Rhett and Scarlett knew that Miss Laveau's prediction of their children's deaths was going to come true. The only way they could prevent it from happening was to go a hundred years into the future. Rhett had spent the last year liquating their assets and buying loose gems with the profits. Finally, they were ready to leave Atlanta forever. They would take Beau with them for to all extents and purposes he was their son. He had even started calling Scarlett Mother. They knew that even if he survived the epidemic, he would not be living the life Melanie would have wanted for him.
One night in April as Rhett and Scarlett sat on their porch hoping for a breeze, Rhett said, "What about Mr. Wilkes? Do you want to try and take him with us?"
Scarlett was silent for a long time. She finally said, "We would be doing him a kindness by letting him die. He, in truth, has been dead since he came back from the war."
Rhett who by this time only felt pity and compassion for Mr. Wilkes said, "I believe you are right, my love."
They sat on the porch for a long time, Rhett finally said, "I feel such pity for Mr. Wilkes."
Scarlett stood up and said, "It is a safe night. Let's retire."
Rhett dismissed any thoughts of Ashley Wilkes and quickly followed his wife up the stairs.
Several days later Rhett asked, "What about Mammy and the other servants?"
"Pork, Dilcey and Prissy will be fine. We will get them other employment before we leave for New Orleans. We can lie and say we are going to travel for a while. With us selling the mansion that would make sense."
"And Mammy?"
"I will leave her with Suellen. She would not be happy in the twentieth century. The children will have problems adjusting and their brains are young and flexible. No, Mammy would want to stay with her Miss Ellen and because I love her, I will let her stay in this century. She will be contented living the rest of her life at Tara even if she does have to live with Suellen.
Rhett put his arms around his wife. He gave her comfort without speaking a word. Rhett knew that her emotions were too raw to speak about them. He said, "I love you, baby."
"I love you too."
"They are worth it."
"If I didn't know that I would not be able to do this."
"I know. If I could take your pain for you I would."
"Thank you, Baby. You will miss your mother and Rosemary."
"Yes, but I gave them up when I chose to be disowned. I think they will be happier just receiving a monthly check and not having to put up with my presence."
Scarlett would have liked to object but she knew what Rhett said was true. She would not insult him by spouting a bunch of empty statements. They both knew that his relatives were ashamed of him and if they hadn't needed his financial support, they would have never spoken to him again.
Scarlett said, "It makes it easier to go."
"Yes, I wish we could take our pictures."
"Maybe we can find them later."
"You know we won't be able to find them. Instead, I will buy a small case with a handle to put them in. The worst that could happen is that the pictures will be left in our hotel room in New Orleans.
Scarlett said, "It is a safe night."
Rhett smiled and said, "Then let's retire."
They had a marvelous time. Of course, Rhett always reached satisfaction but what he enjoyed the most was the way Scarlett made him feel loved and cherished.
When Rhett told Scarlett he had received an offer on the mansion, she didn't ask him how much the offer was. She already knew that Rhett was selling it for less than he had paid for it. She knew she was probably the only person in Atlanta who would want the Swiss Chalet design. Instead, she said, "When we build our next house you will have to give me your input on everything."
"Of course, my love."
April thirtieth Rhett signed the papers selling the mansion. That night Scarlett told Mammy, "Rhett and I have sold the mansion. We plan to travel for the next several years. You may come with us if you wish, or you may remain at Tara with Suellen. It is your choice."
Mammy smiled and said, "Now that I have gotten Mr. Alex out of diapers, I think my work is done. I will return to Tara."
"I will miss you. When we return to Atlanta, you will have to move back."
"Of course."
As Scarlett looked at Mammy, she saw how old the woman was. For the first time she wondered what her age was. It was time for her to return to Tara and live out the rest of her life in relative comfort. Scarlett was going to miss her, but this was what was best for Mammy.
The first of May Rhett informed the staff that they had sold the mansion. The new owner, Robert Burns, would take ownership of the mansion on June first. Mr. Burns had stated that he would continue to employ anyone who wished to remain working at the mansion. Of course, they were free to find other employment if they wished.
The first Sunday in May during their weekly visit, Scarlett said, "Rhett and I have sold the mansion and we plan to travel for the next several years. We, of course, would like to take Beau with us. Ashley, are you alright with this?"
Ashley gave Scarlett his lazy smile which at one time had thrilled her and said, "Of course. While I do want Beau to continue living with me, I also would love for my son to see the world. Will you be hiring a tutor?"
Scarlett thought that was a strange statement because Beau didn't live with Ashley now, but she didn't understand most things that Ashley said so she dismissed it. She said, "Rhett will tutor them. He has a fine education."
"He has the education of a Southern gentleman. His is probably as good as mine."
Scarlett thought, 'Better.' She said, "Yes, it is. We will leave for New Orleans the last Sunday in May after our visit."
Scarlett asking Ashley for permission to take Beau with them had been a mere formality and everyone in the room knew it.
In the middle of May, the family went down to Tara with a photographer. They were just going to spend the day. They went in their carriage, and they would return by train. Scarlett would leave the carriage with Suellen. Before they boarded the train the first week in June, Will would come to Atlanta and get Mammy. They would return to Tara with Scarlett's horse and buggy. The photographer mainly took pictures of Tara. He took one family picture of all of them. There were snide comments made by the sisters. They just couldn't help themselves. Nonetheless it was a good visit. The only thing they told the Benteens was that they were going to be traveling over the next years.
Rhett and Scarlett knew this was not a guarantee their children would survive for their children could still die in the next century. Yet the fact was they knew their children were going to die in this century. The only chance they had to save them was to take them into the twentieth century.
During the first week in June of seventy-four, the family was in New Orleans, and they were visiting Marie Laveau. Scarlett said, "Has your life been good since we last saw you?
Marie said, "Some good some bad. I got married, got with child, then he died in a carriage accident. I have an almost two-year-old daughter now."
"Does she have red hair also?"
"Yes, she does. How did you know?"
Scarlett smiled and said, "I just knew."
Rhett said, "Do you remember our conversation from two years ago?"
"About you wanting to be sent into the future one hundred years?"
"Yes, can you do it? It must be permanent."
"Yes, I know how to do that now."
Rhett handed her the handkerchief. Wade, Ella, Genie, Alex, Beau, Scarlett, and himself had all left part of themselves on the cloth.
Marie said, "Let us be on the safe side and everyone lick the cloth again."
Once they did Rhett handed her the handkerchief and a hundred-dollar bill. Rhett said, "It must be permanent. Are you sure you can make it permanent?"
Marie smiled and said, "Yes, it will be permanent." Marie looked at the hundred-dollar bill. It was a small fortune. It was enough for her baby, her mother and her to live on for at least a year.
Rhett said, "I have set-up a trust fund for you and your descendants. It will pay you at least twenty-five dollars a month until the money runs out. If the investments pay off like I think they will, you and your female descendants will be getting money from the trust fund for many years. I have set it up were every year your payments will be increased based on inflation."
"Inflation?"
"Don't worry. It is a good thing for you. Good day Miss Laveau. I hope you have a long and fruitful life."
"Thank you, Mr. Butler."
"Rhett."
"Thank you, Mr. Rhett."
"Come along Scarlett, children. Shall we get some food to go from Tujague's one last time?"
"Yes, dear. That would be wonderful."
Marie thought, 'If I get twenty-five dollars a month for the rest of my life, I am going to stop telling people their future. Like Mother I don't like seeing people's ugly futures and not being able to do anything about it.'
Rhett had figured out a couple of ways to get their fortunes into nineteen seventy-four. They had converted most of their money to gems. Scarlett had sewed all the gems into her dress, Rhett's clothing, and her children's clothing. They had used some of the money to endow the trusts for their relatives which he left in his attorney's care. When those trusts were no longer needed the money would go to a Catholic charity. Rhett had taken ten thousand dollars and set-up a trust account with Rhett being the beneficiary. Their first day in New Orleans Rhett had set the trust up with JP Morgan. They would administrate the trust. They were informed to expect Mr. Butler to collect his money in June of nineteen seventy-four. To have ten thousand dollars uninvested for Mr. Butler to withdraw at that time. That had made the bank officer's eyebrows rise but Rhett had not elaborated.
Rhett had left detailed instructions on which stocks to buy and when to sell those stocks. Rhett had invested in Sears, Xerox, Levi Straus, JC Penney's, Bayer, Tylenol, Dairy Queen, and numerous others. He had also left instructions of when to sell these stocks. In September of nineteen twenty-nine Rhett's trust fund was to sell all their stocks and bonds. When the stock market crashed in October of that same year the trust fund would be in fine shape. Two years later the administrator would start buying stocks and bonds again. In nineteen fifty the administrator was to find Margaret Sanger and give her ten thousand dollars for research on an oral contraceptive for women. The bank officer squawked at those instructions. Rhett simply told him that it was not illegal to research oral contraceptives, and it was his money.
Rhett's wallet and her purse were stuffed full of mint condition bills and coins. They also had the money from nineteen sixty-eight and their IDs.
They were in the same hotel for they knew the building would still be intact. That night after everyone had changed into their twentieth century clothes Rhett and the older boys took their one trunk out to the alley and set fire to it.
After the children were asleep Rhett told Scarlett "I told the desk clerk that we were leaving very early in the morning to catch a train to San Francisco."
"Why?"
"So, nobody would be looking for us and worrying our families. The trusts have already been put in place and Mr. Taylor and Mr. Mobbs will send out checks monthly. By the time anyone finally realizes that we are miss it will have been at least a year."
"Do you think they will assume we have run afoul of a bad men and are dead?"
"Yes. They will mourn us for to them we will be dead."
"I'm sorry for their pain."
"The only person who might truly feel some pain would be your Mammy."
"Sad but true."
Scarlett had all the children in the bed with them. Rhett smiled at her because he thought she was being ridiculous, but he didn't stop her actions. He didn't stop her actions because he had a little belief that she wasn't being ridiculous but wise.
Everyone was dressed in street clothes. Rhett and Scarlett were dressed in the clothing they had brought back with them when they returned to eighteen sixty-eight. Scarlett had given the dressmaker instruction on how to make clothes similar to what children would wear in the twentieth century. Scarlett and Rhett did not sleep. They talked all through the night about what they wanted their new life to be like. They were too excited to sleep.
In the morning, Scarlett wouldn't let anyone get out of the bed. As expected, the walls started shimmering. Scarlett grabbed her purse and her youngest child. Rhett grabbed his wallet and his daughters. Wade grabbed the picture case and his cousin. Scarlett moved to put her arms around Wade and Beau. In no time at all they were in a decrepit old building. Everyone had managed to come with them. The pictures had come with them. The gems had come with them. Scarlett and Rhett looked at each other and said together, "I love you. Let our new life begin."
Rhett said to the room at large, "This is going to be hard for you to understand but you are going to have to trust us. We have been moved one hundred years into the future. Let's slowly go down the stairs. Genie take your mother's hand. Wade hold Ella's hand. Let's go."
The group slowly went down the stairs. Genie, Alex, and Scarlett in the lead with Ella, Beau and Wade in the middle and Rhett bringing up the rear. As they got to the ground floor, Ella said, "I'm going to vomit."
Scarlett said, "Try not to. We will get away from the smell in a minute."
Rhett said, "Watch where you step."
Wade said, "Definitely, Dad."
As soon as they were out of the building, they walked to a busy intersection. Rhett hailed down a cab and he told the driver the Wilson's address.
Rhett said, "We are going to drop in on some old friends of ours. Their names are Marshall and Jasmine Wilson."
"I hope they remember us."
"It doesn't matter. Either way Jasmine will know it is us."
"That is true.