Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

I don't believe in the canon it ever says how much Rhett Butler net worth was. If anyone can tell me where in the canon it tells his net worth, please send me a PM with the page number. I have read from other sources that he was worth 50 million dollars but that is an unbelievable amount to me.

Chapter Twenty- Three

Rhett had an appointment with Johnny Walker every week to go over his investments. Investing money was the same yet it was different. There were a lot more rules and regulations than there were in the last century. Mr. Walker had recommended some magazines and newspapers for Rhett to read. Mr. Walker was incredibly happy to meet with Mr. Butler every week for he was making money on managing Mr. Butler's money. Mr. Walker had even given Mr. Butler a line of credit to build his house. Scarlett and Rhett had raised their monthly allowance to two thousand dollars a month. Afterall, they weren't going to scrape by in this century either.

After Rhett came home from one of these appointments, Scarlett said, "Rhett, how are we going to sell all the gems we brought with us?"

"Very slowly. It will probably take us several years to sell them all, but we have more than enough to live on until then."

"Why do we have to sell them so slowly?"

"I don't want anyone to question why we have so much money in gems and gold."

"Yeah."

"We have to slowly spend it, so nobody is suspicious. Remember we have to live unnoticed."

"Yes, you are right."

Soon everyone in the family had a lot of clothing. Rhett had even bought some clothing that was not black, white, or gray.

Rhett had a house built in the same subdivision as the Wilsons. Their house was definitely the largest in the subdivision. Rhett and Scarlett discussed and argued about the style of their home. They hired an architect and he presented them with some ideas. The one both of them like had a Frank Lloyd Wright feel to it. It was large. It had lots of windows. It had porches. It was two story. It had six bedrooms. It had a tank-less water heater. It didn't have any fireplaces. It was built up to resist flooding. It had a three-car garage. It had central air and heat. They had two AC units. One for the upstairs and one for the downstairs. It was beautiful and unique. Everything Rhett and Scarlett wanted in their home.

They argued about the décor as much as they had argued about the outside of the house. One day while the couple was arguing about the décor Beau said to Wade, "Doesn't all there arguing bother you?"

"No, it is just the way they are. They both want to be in charge and they both think they are always right. Usually, the result of all that arguing is pretty terrific."

Beau said wistfully, "My parents never argued."

"They had entirely different personalities than Dad and Mom do. I don't think either Dad or Mom would be happy if the other didn't argue back."

"I miss them. I sometimes miss our old life."

"I miss Aunt Melly and Uncle Ashley also, but we would have died if we had stayed in the last century. Your mother and father did die."

"I am so glad Mom and Dad took me to Atlanta so I could see my father's grave. Until I saw the grave, I didn't completely believe that my father had died in August of seventy-four."

"It surprised me how many people died in that epidemic. Even our Aunt PittyPat and Uncle Henry."

"I didn't notice."

"They were buried in the Hamilton plot. I went to see my father's grave one more time when Mom took Ella to visit her father's grave."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were upset enough about your father. It was neat seeing all the changes in Atlanta."

"I like the restaurants we stopped at going and coming. What were their names?"

"Dairy Queen and Hires. Mom liked them a lot too. Dad not so much."

"Yep, Dad can be a food snob sometimes."

"No, Dad can be a snob period."

They both laughed.

The first summer they were in the twentieth century the children had lots of questions. Rhett and Scarlett tried to answer their questions but often they didn't know the answers either. They had the Wilsons to dinner at least two to three times a week and the children peppered them with questions. Jasmine and Marshall did a better job of explaining things but sometimes even the Wilsons had to say, "I don't know."

Marshall had gotten Rhett in touch with a man that would create complete back grounds for Rhett and Scarlett and the children. Marshall had assured Rhett that all that was necessary, and that John Smith (Not his real name.) was the best at creating false paper. It had cost Rhett about a thousand dollars, but Rhett soon learned that indeed Marshall had been right. Rhett had applied for a Visa and a Master Card, but he didn't let Scarlett carry them around with her. That would have just been foolish.

Scarlett and Jasmine took the children to the local library, and they were amazed at all the books available. Everyone got a library card even Alex. Wade and Beau checked out books on electricity, air conditioning, automobiles, and American history. Ella checked out books on dogs, cats, and flowers. Scarlett found books for Rhett to read to the children.

That summer Scarlett and Jasmine took the children to the neighborhood pool every day during the summer. Scarlett even allowed herself to get out in the sun and get a tan. After a week of going to the pool, Rhett went with them. When he saw his wife in a red one-piece bathing suit, he wanted to tell her to cover herself up, but she was actually wearing more than the other women. When he saw the other men staring at his wife, he wanted to tell them to stop eyeballing his wife. When she turned and smiled at him, he knew he was the luckiest man that had ever lived. He smiled back and let Scarlett a mother of four enjoy being ogled by other men. Despite having been married over five years and many sexual sessions, Rhett had to move his towel over his nether regions for his body was reacting to seeing that much of Scarlett's body. She smiled at him like she knew what affect her body was having on his body. Thank God he would be able to be with her again tonight. Rhett would never have believed how much of a turn-on it was to him to see her tan lines. To know that he was the only man that was seeing that incredibly white skin. He had to stop thinking about it or he would never be able to sit down.

Rhett was certainly enjoying reading The Joy of Sex with Scarlett. There were even drawings which always embarrassed Scarlett, but she pushed through it and asked him all sorts of questions.

In July, while having dinner with Jasmine and Marshall Rhett said to the other man, "I think I will go to that World Series of Poker again and see if I can win it all again."

"It is entirely different now. They have a lot of qualifying rounds and during the final showdown they play Texas Hold'Em."

"What is that?"

Marshall explained the game and Rhett said, "Never mind. Besides my poker playing skills are very rusty. I haven't really played in about four years. Not since we leaped back."

Scarlett said, "Of course, you would win but, my love, you can't go. We cannot attract any attention to ourselves."

Rhett flashed her a quick smile and said, "You are right. We can't be anything but ordinary."

"My love, you will never be ordinary."

"Nor will you."

School started in September. Wade had been enrolled in sixth grade, Beau in fourth grade, Ella in second grade, and Genie in kindergarten. Genie was only going half days.

When Rhett picked her up from school before lunch, her teacher, Mrs. Hines, gave Rhett a strange look.

Mrs. Hines said, "Are you a single dad?"

"No."

"Where is your wife?"

This line of questioning was strange to Rhett, but he said, "At home."

"Was she too busy to pick up your daughter?"

"No, she is just reading a book. How was her first day?"

"Good except she doesn't like to stay in her chair."

"I will talk to her about that."

"Thank you."

"See you tomorrow."

"Are you going to pick her up every day?"

Rhett smiled and said, "Of course, how else would she get home? She is too young to walk by herself."

Mrs. Hines gave Rhett another strange look. Later that night when Rhett asked Marshall about it over dinner, he said, "Most fathers are not as involved in their children's lives as you are. In that respect you are a modern man."

"I was involved in my children's lives in the last century also."

"As I said a very modern man."

Jasmine asked Wade, "How was your first day at school?"

Wade didn't make eye contact, but he said, "It was good."

"And yours Beau?"

Beau also avoided making eye contact, but he also said, "Good."

Scarlett said, "Dears, what is the matter?"

They both said together, "Nothing."

Rhett caught Scarlett's eye and shook his head.

Jasmine said to Ella, "How was your first day of school?"

Ella happily told everyone about her first day of school and how much she had enjoyed it. Genie told about how much she had enjoyed her day also. Alex at two and a half just stared at his sisters until he lifted his plate up. Scarlett said, "Do you want some more?"

Alex nodded his head.

Scarlett said, "Then say, 'more, please.'

Something came out of Alex's mouth which could have been 'more, please.' It didn't matter. It was enough for now. Scarlett served him some more chicken.

Sophia held up her plate and said something which Jasmine decided was 'more, please.' Jasmine gave Sophia another serving of chicken which she happily started eating. The adults started talking about other things.

After the Wilson's left and the nanny had taken the younger children to get them ready for bed. Rhett said, "Wade, Beau let's go in the den and talk."

Scarlett said, "What is the matter? What happened at school?"

Neither boy spoke. They looked at each other but they didn't speak.

Rhett said, "We can sit here all night if we have to."

Beau said, "There are girls in my class."

"That is normal in this time. Boys and girls go to school together."

It was plain that was not the only issue. Rhett and Scarlett sat there and waited. Finally, while looking out the window into the darkness Wade whispered, "There are darkies in my class."

Rhett and Scarlett remembered Jasmine and Marshall telling them about the integration of the schools when they had talked about civil rights. Scarlett gently said, "The correct term is Blacks, Dear."

"I am not going to go to school with a bunch of…."

"Don't say it! Don't use that word. I wouldn't have tolerated you using that word in the last century and absolutely not in this century."

"Yes, ma'am."

Rhett said, "This is one of the things that has changed a lot from then to now."

"One of the things. Everything has changed."

"Not everything. Your father and I still love you both a great deal. We loved you enough to leave everything behind so you and your siblings will live."

"I know, Mama. It is just so different."

"I agree. It is quite different."

"How did this happen? You never told us."

Scarlett and Rhett looked at each other and Scarlett said, "We have to tell these two something. They are too old to just accept this change blindly."

"I suppose you are right."

"Go ahead."

Rhett smiled and said, "Let me figure out how to tell it where I come out looking good."

Scarlett laughed and Rhett smiled.

Rhett said, "We went to see a fortune teller on our honeymoon. She read your mother's future and it was horrible. For reasons you don't need to know she sent your mother and me into the future."

"Dad, did you say something to make her mad?"

Scarlett burst out laughing. Rhett smiled and said, "Maybe but that is not important to the story. We ended up in this century. Luckily for us Jasmine recognized us and took us in."

"How did Aunt Jasmine recognize you?"

"She is a historian with her specialty being in the civil war and reconstruction. She and Marshall are civil war buffs?"

"Buffs?"

Scarlett said, "People who know a lot about a subject. Go on Rhett."

"We didn't think we were ever going to return to our century so we learned all we could about this time. We were going to make a life for ourselves in this time. After we were returned to the nineteenth century we went to the fortune teller, and she read your mother's future again. Beau, she told us that your mother was going to die and then that all of you were going to die in an epidemic in the summer of seventy-four. We tried extremely hard to prevent Miss Melly from trying to get with child, but we were not successful. After she died, we knew we had to return to the twentieth century with our children which included you, Beau. We convinced the fortune teller to send us into the future so everyone would live."

"Was that the woman we went to see with the curly red hair like Aunt Jasmine's?"

"Yes."

"Is Aunt Jasmine related to her?"

"Yes, she was Aunt Jasmine's Great, Great, Grandmother."

"Can Aunt Jasmine see into the future?"

"No, the gift has been diluted through the years."

"Please don't tell your sisters or your brother any of this. They won't remember their earlier life so let's not confuse them with all this information."

"Sure, Dad. About going to school with…. Blacks."

"Just the way it is these days. They are citizens of the United States now and they deserve all the rights as citizens."

"The standards are very different now than they were in our original time."

"How do you know we aren't going to return to our time?"

"Because Miss Laveau said she knew how to send us into the future permanently. The last time she had just sent me into the future for six months to punish me for saying something unkind to her."

Wade said, "This is so fantastical that it is hard to believe but we have to believe it. We are in the future after all."

"No, Wade, we are now in our present."

The boys smiled.

Scarlett said, "That is enough for you to get your minds around. Go on and get ready for bed. You still have to go to school tomorrow morning."

As the boys laid in their beds, Wade said, "That was the most incredible story Dad told us."

"If we weren't in this time, I would not have believed it."

"I am having a tough time believing it even so."

"Me too."

"I thought Jules Verne wrote such fanciful stories."

"I guess truth is stranger than fiction."

"I guess. When I grow up, I think I am going to be a writer then I can write fanciful stories also."

"I am going to be a doctor. I am going to find out why my mother died and then find a cure for it."

Neither boy said the other was crazy. They just turned over and went to sleep.