Ok, so here is my next story. I have been working on this for a while, trying to figure out where is should go. Read it and tell me what you think. Set during Scarlett the book, about two years after Rhett left Scarlett in Charleston. Scarlett is now living in Ireland with Wade and Ella.
Scarlett was setting at her desk going over ledgers in her office when Mrs. Fitz came in. "Mrs. O'Hara there is a man here to see you."
"I'm not expecting anyone, who is it?" Scarlett had no idea who would be visiting her in the middle of a work day.
"I'm not sure who he is. He said his name was Mr. Kinnicut and that you would want to see him." Mrs. Fitz hoped the name would make Scarlett remember the man. She hated to leave Scarlett alone with a stranger.
Scarlett rolled the name around in her head for a moment trying to remember where she had heard that name before. "The name sounds familiar, I just can't place it. Where is he now?"
"I asked him to wait in the parlor." Mrs. Fitz didn't say anything but she had an odd feeling about this man. He seemed too arrogant and self assured. She figured nothing good could come from him.
Scarlett decided if Mr. Kinnicut took the time to come to her house he must have something important to say. "Please tell him that I will be there in a minute, I need to make myself more presentable."
"Yes ma'am."
After a few minute Scarlett returned downstairs composed and ready to face whatever this stranger had to say. Yet when she walked though the doors she found the one thing she was not ready for.
"I'm sorry it took so long I just wasn't expecting you Mr. Kin…" Before Scarlett could finish the mysterious man turned around, revealing to Scarlett his true identity.
"Hello, my pet. How are you?" Rhett asked with his ever present sarcastic grin on his face.
Scarlett had to grip the back of the couch to keep her from falling, for her knees were giving out. "Rhett…What, how…I mean what are you doing here?"
"Well what a way to greet an old friend." Rhett ignored Scarlett's question.
Scarlett was still trying to regain some control. She gave Rhett the best smile she could muster, "I'm sorry Rhett, but you just shocked me. Please sit down."
"It's all right Scarlett. I suppose my visit is quit unexpected." Rhett knew Scarlett could have no idea he was coming.
"Rhett, but what are you doing here?" Scarlett just couldn't get over the fact that her ex-husband Rhett Butler was in Ireland, standing in her house.
Rhett was surprised that Scarlett was being so frank, "I have been visiting a friend of mine, Sir John Moreland."
"You mean Bart?" Scarlett had become good friends with John Moreland over the past few months.
Rhett nodded, "Yes Bart. He and I have been talking about horses. He was telling me the other day about this charming woman who had the most beautiful stables. He said that she was one of the most interesting women he has ever met and that she is from the America, the south. Now this woman reminded me of you, but when he told me that her name was Mrs. O'Hara, I knew it had to be you."
"All right so you found out where I live. That still doesn't exactly explain why you are here." Scarlett wanted to know why he had shown up out of the blue.
"I just thought that I would stop in and see how your were and the children. It's been over two years since the last time I saw you. I also wanted to see for myself if it was really you who people are talking about, about resurrecting this ghost town. How did you ever wind up in Ireland, if you don't mind my asking?" Rhett tried not to admit that he had truly worried about Scarlett.
Scarlett had hoped his answer would have been different but she excepted it, "I had to get away. I couldn't stand staying in the south any more. When my cousin Colum mentioned going to Ireland I jumped at the chance. Besides I didn't have any reason to stay in America."
Rhett knew Scarlett was referring to his leaving her but decided to ignore it. "And what about the children, what about Wade and Ella?"
Scarlett was confused, "What about them?"
"Where are they? I have tried to get in touch with them but I couldn't find them either." Rhett was afraid Scarlett had sent the children off somewhere.
"They are here with me of course. Do you really think I would move off to another country and abandon my children?" Scarlett was hurt that he really thought she would do that.
"I just thought… Oh it doesn't matter. How are they, well I hope?" Rhett didn't want to make Scarlett mad by implying that she was a bad mother.
Scarlett knew Rhett didn't think she was a good mother, but she liked to think that over the past years she had became a better one. "They are fine. They're at school right now."
"Do they enjoy Ireland as much as you seem to?" Rhett hoped Scarlett hadn't dragged the children here against their will.
Scarlett thought on the moment for a bit, "I like to think they do. They are accepted here and they have more freedom. The rules of society here are much different than in America. They accept you for who you are here. People respect me for working and providing for my family."
"It's seems as though it's the perfect place for you, my pet." Rhett hated the fact that it sounded like Scarlett would stay in Ireland forever.
Before either could continue they were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and two noisy children coming in.
"Mama, we're home." Ella announced their arrival.
The sound of her children made Scarlett's face light up. A change not missed by Rhett. "I'm in here darlings."
"Mama you'll never gue… Uncle Rhett!" Ella ran to Rhett and threw her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek.
Rhett was happy that Ella seemed glad to see him, "Hello Ella sweetheart. How is my favorite girl?"
"I'm fine Uncle Rhett and I'm even better now that you're here." Ella still loved her step father very much.
Wade stood next to his mother and his face held a hint of anger in it. Rhett didn't miss this look either. "And how are you Wade?"
Wade ignored Rhett's outstretched hand. "I am fine Mr. Butler."
Rhett was shocked at Wade's reaction. "I know it's been a while Wade, but surely you can still call me Uncle Rhett or Rhett if you would like."
"No I can't do that. That would mean that you were my friend or family member and you are neither." With that Wade turned to his mother, "Mother I will be in my room if you need anything."
Even Scarlett herself hadn't realized how much hate Wade had gained for Rhett. "All right darling." With Scarlett's permission Wade quickly left the room and Scarlett turned to Ella, "Now Ella honey why are you two out of school so early?" Scarlett looked oddly at Ella as she realized that Ella was soaking wet.
"Oh yeah that was what I was going to tell you. It started raining and the wind blew so hard that it messed up the roof so bad that everything was getting wet. So Ms. O'Neal told us we could all leave early." Ella told this story with excitement and happiness.
Scarlett looked out the window and realized that while she and Rhett had been talking a storm had brewed outside. "Well I suppose you have lucked out for a day. You should go change out of those wet things now before you catch a cold."
"Yes Mama." Ella began to walk quickly from the room.
"Ella will you please make sure Wade has changed also?" Scarlett worried he was too mad to think of changing.
"Yes." Ella replied over her shoulder as she started up the stairs.
When Ella was safely out of earshot Rhett spoke up. "What in the world has gotten into Wade?"
Scarlett had an idea but wasn't about to share it with Rhett. "I don't know. Maybe he is still mad that you left us."
"I left you Scarlett, I didn't leave them. I tried to stay in touch with them, but I didn't know where they were. Besides you'd think he would be over that by now." Rhett didn't think about what he was saying before he said it, but when it came out he instantly regretted it.
"Oh I am so sorry I was mistaken. I'm sorry your leaving me got in the way of trying to get Wade and Ella to love you more. I'm sorry that we don't cope with things as quickly as you. My god Rhett you act as if what you did was a small thing. I…I…I believe it is about time for you to go, Mr. Butler." Scarlett stood as if to show Rhett to the door.
Rhett touched her shoulder trying to get her to look at him. "I'm sorry Scarlett I didn't mean it that way. I was only trying to say that I had planned on staying in contact with the children."
"Take your hands off of me this instant and get out of my house." Scarlett didn't want to hear another word from his mouth.
Rhett opened his mouth as if he were going to say something but apparently decided not to. He went to the front door and opened it. As soon as he opened the door there was a loud crack of thunder and the rain began to pound harder. Rhett looked back at Scarlett, "Are you seriously going to send me out in this?"
"Damn rain. You can stay here until it lets up but after that I want you out. Now if you will excuse me I have work to do." Scarlett was mad that Mother Nature wasn't working on her side today.
While Scarlett was working in her office she heard Ella return back downstairs. "Ella darling would you come in here please?"
"Yes mama what is it?" Ella came into the office and sat in the chair in front of Scarlett's desk.
Scarlett walked around to Ella's chair and kneeled in front of it. "Where were you going?"
"I was going to see if Uncle Rhett was still here. Is he?" Ella had hope written all across her face.
"Yes he is. But before you go talk to him I need to ask you something." Scarlett hoped Ella would understand what she was going to ask of her.
Ella wondered what her mother could want, "Sure mama what is it?"
"Well you remember all that has happened over the past couple of years. I just want to ask you not to mention some of it to Uncle Rhett. Can you do that for me?" Scarlett was pleading in her eyes and praying Ella understood.
Ella was a little confused, "You mean you don't want me to tell him about the baby?"
"Yes that is what I mean. Can you do that for me?" Scarlett was glad Ella seemed to understand.
"I guess I can do that, but why mama?" Ella was still too young to understand Scarlett's reasoning.
Scarlett thought hard of a reason to tell Ella, "I just don't want to tell him yet, that's all."
"All right mama I won't say anything, I promise." Ella felt older because her mother trusted her with this.
Scarlett was singing silent praises in her head. She reached up and gave Ella a big hug, "Thank you baby. You're such a big girl."
"You're welcome. Can I go see Uncle Rhett now?" Ella was anxious to tell Rhett everything about Ireland, of course minus a few parts.
Scarlett stood and smoothed her skirt, "Of course, you run along." Scarlett followed Ella half way down the hall and watched through the open door as Ella ran back into Rhett's open arms. Scarlett couldn't help but think about how Rhett would have been with their baby. A tear escaped Scarlett's eye and ran down her cheek. When she came back to her senses she had to remind herself, 'That will never happen. Rhett will never know and that is the way it should be.' Scarlett went to talk with Wade about keeping quite. She knocked on his door and waited for a response.
"Who is it?" Wade only liked to let certain people in his room.
"It's mother. May I come in?" Scarlett hoped some of Wade's previous anger had faded a little.
Wade jumped from the bed and opened the door. "Of course, come in. Have you been crying?"
Scarlett frowned at how well Wade could read her. "I'm fine, darling."
"You didn't know he was coming did you?" Wade motioned for his mother to sit down on the bed.
Scarlett accepted Wade's gesture. "No I didn't know he was coming. It was as much a shock to me as it was to you. Anyway I came in here to talk to you about something."
"I think I already know what you are going to say. Don't worry I'm don't plan on saying anything to Rhett, much less anything about that. Did you tell Ella?" Wade's face lit with anger when he said Rhett's name.
It startled Scarlett to see so much anger in her son. "Yes I told her. When did you get to be so grown up?"
Wade sat down beside his mother and took her hand in his. "Well first of all I am 15 now and over the past few years I've sort of had to grow up a little."
Scarlett patted Wade on the cheek. "I'm sorry about that. I guess things have been a little hard lately and with Rhett being here everything is just a little more complicated."
"How long is he going to be here?" Wade didn't want Rhett in their house longer than needed.
"I told him to leave as soon as the rain stopped." Scarlett paused for a moment. Wade's expression turned to disappointment and Scarlett saw this. "I couldn't just turn him out in that cold ran. I may not want him here but I can't be that mean."
Wade's face lightened a bit, "I know, it's just that I hate the fact that he is down there in this house."
"He will be gone soon enough. Lunch should be in about an hour." Scarlett wanted to get Wade's mind off of Rhett.
"Is he still going to be here for lunch?" Wade silently hoped he wouldn't be there.
Scarlett knew he didn't want Rhett there. "I'm not sure, but he won't be joining us if he is. We are still going to have our usual family meal and he is not in this family anymore."
