Author's Note: I want to thank Therese for betaing chapter 3 for me. I hope everyone finds the story easier to read now. The editing so far, because of Therese's help has gone well.
Chapter 3: The Talk
Scarlett had forgone her Aunts' house to stay at a Hotel. The last thing she needed was for Miss Eleanor to learn of the twins from her two very good friends. Besides that, they wouldn't understand why Rhett hadn't been made aware of their existence.
Scarlett still couldn't believe she had actually planned on telling Rhett about their children. What must she have been thinking? That perhaps Rhett would come home? Well that was impossible now; Scarlett knew Rhett had chosen a path for his life that didn't include her. It hurt beyond words, to know Rhett would rather spend his life with another woman, than with her.
The sooner she was out of Charleston, Scarlett knew she could start to think again about her future, one that didn't hurt so much without Rhett in it. Perhaps she should take Ashley up on his offer of marriage, that he had made a few weeks ago? That would serve Rhett right; after all he was getting remarried, wasn't he?
No, she wouldn't do that. It would only prove to Rhett that he had been right about her all along: that she had never really loved him, and that was one thing Scarlett could never stop doing.
Of course there was the fact she would never be happy with Ashley, that also played heavy on her mind. Her Father had been right, like should marry like. Just like Rhett and she had. Scarlett couldn't help but wonder if Rhett would be happy with that little girl he was about to marry? He had said he was happy, and Scarlett wanted him to be just not with Anne. Was it too much to ask, for Rhett to be miserable without her?
A cry from one of the twins brought Scarlett out of her thoughts. It wasn't like thinking about Rhett was going to help anyway. It amazed Scarlett, how for once in her life she was trying to be like Melanie, and do something for someone she loved without thinking of herself. But it hurt so much, and her mind couldn't help but think of the nightmares, and waking alone to an empty bed, knowing it wouldn't be if only she hadn't been a fool.
Finding Gerry screaming at the top of his lungs with tears running down his tiny face, Scarlett picked her son up. He looked so much like his Father, she couldn't help but hug him close to herself for a second before asking a question she knew there would be no answer to. "What's wrong Gerry, are you hungry?"
Hearing his Mother's voice, the baby boy stopped crying and looked into her emerald eyes. Scarlett could almost believe that he, like Rhett, could read all her emotions from them at that second. He gave his Mother the biggest sweetest smile he had given in his young life.
"Don't worry about me Gerry, Mommy's fine. How could I not be?" Scarlett asked, as she took her son back into the sitting room with her. The sun hadn't come up yet, and Scarlett was glad for his company. "I have you and Cat, whatever do I need Rhett for?"
With a fake smile on her face Scarlett held her son closer, and watched as the sun came up onto this new day.
/
Rhett was sitting in his office. Sleep having not come to him last night, he decided to get some work done. Thoughts of Scarlett though, kept him from actually getting any work done. The look on her face when he introduced Anne was haunting him. Pain, shock, and finding the whole thing unbearable funny, were the emotions playing out on his Wife's face at that moment.
Rhett rested his head against his hand, as he tried to push all thoughts of Scarlett out of his mind. He should be thinking about Anne, and when they could marry, not about his soon to be ex-Wife.
Laughing, Rhett faced defeat. No man once having seen Scarlett O'Hara could ever forget her. It went beyond that though, Scarlett and he had shared a life together and a child. Bonnie would always be a part of him. No matter if Anne gave him a dozen children, they would never take the place of his Bonnie Blue. It wasn't just because Scarlett had given him Bonnie, it was because at one time his little girl was the only reason he woke in the morning. Bonnie had been his whole life, and when she died that part of his life that held Scarlett dear died with her.
Or was it just all his emotions that died that day as well? The only time he had felt any emotions again, was that weekend he spent with Scarlett. All the old feelings had returned, and it had taken him over a week before he crushed them away, with memories of Scarlett's actions and her cruel behavior.
Even that didn't work, to stop his heart from beating twice as fast as normal, every time he remembered Scarlett's words to him that day at the train station. "Always remember I love you, Rhett Butler," those words mixed with her tears. And no matter how he felt towards Scarlett himself, he knew she loved him.
But did she love him enough to let him go? That was the question Rhett kept asking himself. Because once upon a time, he had himself done just that, and found himself running back to Scarlett. Of course he had never done it out of love, it always was to save himself from Scarlett.
Scarlett was his past, that was a fact, Anne was his future. All of Charleston was abuzz with the news of their upcoming wedding. It seemed Anne's reputation had restored his already. Something Scarlett's never could do. Of course it was his fault Scarlett's reputation was as blacked as it was. He had encouraged her to always speak her mind, and never give a darn about what people thought. All to get her to fall into his bed, which in the end didn't work without marriage. It was something even Scarlett wouldn't do, which was endearing to a point.
"Stop it," Rhett ordered himself as his whole mind filled with images of Scarlett, and the look of love she gave him the first morning of their weekend together.
A knock at the door gave Rhett a much needed distraction. "Come in," he called out, and wondered who was up at this hour in the morning.
Rosemary opened the door slowly, seeing Rhett sitting at his desk and she couldn't help but smile at her much older brother. When he sat behind that desk like he was now she couldn't help but think of their Father, and how much, even if Rhett didn't want to admit it he looked like him.
"Whatever are you doing up this early Rosemary?" Rhett asked, as he watched his sister wipe sleep out of her eyes.
"I need to tell you something Rhett but before I do, I just want you to know I'm truly sorry, and from here on after I will always mind my own business." Rosemary said, taking a seat in front of Rhett so she was facing him.
"This can't be good, if you're apologizing before you've told me what you've done," Rhett teased. He was hoping to get a smile out of his sister who seemed very upset about something she had done to him. Whatever it was, Rhett felt it couldn't warrant Rosemary to be this upset.
"It isn't, I'm afraid. I've done something I'm ashamed of." Rosemary felt her heart start to race, as fear of Rhett's reaction stopped her from being able to speak. Getting her courage back Rosemary took a deep breath and continued. "Rhett, I know you're not divorced from Scarlett, and before you ask how I know I'll tell you."
Holding up her hand to silence Rhett, Rosemary thought a quick second on what she should say next "A few days ago, I came into your office looking for you but you weren't here. Instead I found some papers lying on your desk. I didn't know they would be divorce papers, or I would never have picked them up and read them."
Rhett didn't say a word, his face was unreadable. And that's what scared Rosemary so; she had never seen Rhett look that way before, or act so cold either. "Go on, seeing as those divorce papers you're talking about disappeared that same day. I take it you took them?" Rhett asked.
Nodding her head Rosemary finished in a whisper "I sent them to your Wife. That's why she came, Scarlett must have just received them."
Rhett pushed the chair he was sitting on back away from his desk, and cursed under his breath. Getting control of himself Rhett smiled at his baby sister. While he did have a reason to be angry with her, he couldn't treat her badly as she was, after all, only trying to help him.
"Rosemary, there was a reason I wasn't going to send those papers until yesterday or today. If I had, they would have arrived on Scarlett's birthday, and I don't think asking for a divorce is a good birthday gift for one's Wife." Rhett said, anger laced in though he did try to stop it.
Rosemary looked ill at hearing that, she hadn't meant to hurt Scarlett. In fact having never met her sister in law before last night, she had been able to pretend that the woman who had stole her brother's heart was a heartless witch. But seeing Scarlett, face to face last night, showed Rosemary how wrong she had been. It was easy to see when Scarlett looked at Rhett, that she was in love with him, and was deeply hurt by Anne.
"I'm sorry Rhett, please forgive me? I didn't know she was in love with you." Rosemary asked in a heartfelt way. "I never would have sent them if I had known"
"It's not your fault Rosemary, this is a mess I made when I didn't tell everyone I was still married to Scarlett last year." Rhett said, choosing to ignore her comment on Scarlett being in love with him.
Walking towards the door Rhett stopped when Rosemary asked "Where are you going?"
"Well I believe you owe Scarlett an apology, but since she thinks I'm the one who sent her the divorce papers on her birthday, I will apologize for you," Rhett said, needing some fresh air to help clear his mind.
/
Knowing Scarlett like he did, she would not have stayed with her Aunts the night before.
After deciding to give him his divorce, she wouldn't want to be answering their questions.
Rhett had decided then, to take a walk towards the finest hotels in Charleston knowing she would be staying at one. It was too early for the train back to Atlanta, so Rhett was hoping to ask Scarlett and the children out to breakfast. He hadn't gotten to see Wade, and was looking forward to seeing how the boy had grown in a year's time.
So to say he was surprised to see Scarlett in front of the Hotel with a carriage, getting her bags loaded on it was an understatement. It couldn't be a little past six, and the train left at nine. What was she planning on doing for three hours?
"Mrs. Butler, may I have a word with you?" Rhett asked, as he walked up to Scarlett.
Scarlett gave Rhett one of her best fake smiles, and couldn't help but be relieved she had left all four of her children upstairs. It looked as if she hadn't made her escape fast enough. What could Rhett want now, hadn't she already cleared up the matter of ending their marriage?
"Of course, Mr. Butler," Scarlett answered, letting her dimples show hoping that would cover her anxiety.
"Perhaps it would be better if we went to your hotel room. I would love to see Wade, and we all could have breakfast together," Rhett offered as he held out his arm to his wife.
Scarlett went stiff, and tried to think up a believable excuse for not allowing Rhett into her room. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Rhett. It's going to be hard enough telling the children about the divorce, without having them remember just seeing you. I know Ella is already going to blame me, but I'm hoping Wade won't."
"If that's what you think is best," Rhett said, taking into account what was best for the children.
"Thank you. So if I may ask, what brings you here Rhett?" Scarlett asked, as she took Rhett's offered arm.
"You did actually, Scarlett. I feel I must apologize for something I didn't do, but you think I did," Rhett said, as he led Scarlett down the street away from the hotel. "It seems my sister Rosemary sent you some papers I had sitting on my desk, which I wasn't going to send until after your birthday."
"I should have known you weren't such a cad Rhett. But I must say, being married and engaged at the same time, does make you a scoundrel." Scarlett said, flirting with her soon to be ex-husband.
Laughing, Rhett picked up Scarlett's hand and kissed it. She was the only woman he had ever met that could make him at times forget himself. Letting her hand go Rhett tried to pretend he hadn't done what he just had that Scarlett and he weren't walking down a street looking like a happily married couple.
"It does, doesn't it my pet," Rhett agreed, laughing again without being able to stop himself.
"Of course I knew you were a scoundrel when I married you, so I guess it was only a matter of time before you proved me right," Scarlett said, as they slowly turned around and headed back to the hotel and to her waiting children.
"Scarlett," Rhett said as he pulled them to a stop "Will you tell Wade I said hello, and I'm sorry I didn't get to see him this time?"
Scarlett's heart skipped a beat, Rhett had said 'this time' which meant he thought there were going to be other times, when he would see Wade in the future. Other times he could learn of the twins. She couldn't allow that to happen. Once Rhett was married to this Anne girl, there was a good chance he could take her babies away from her. And that was something, no matter how much she loved and wanted Rhett to be happy, she could never let happen.
"Rhett, I know how much you love Wade and Ella, and they love you. But I don't think after we're divorce you should see them or me," Scarlett said, not wanting to ask this but knowing she had too.
Rhett, as he had during their marriage, didn't show any outward sign of emotion at her request. Taking his arm away from Scarlett's, he just turned and walked away. Leaving Scarlett standing there, watching him walking away, knowing this was the last time she would ever see him.
After a few minutes passed, Scarlett remembered her children we're waiting on her to come and get them for breakfast. After breakfast they would be leaving for the train station, where they would wait for the next train to Atlanta.