Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Eight

In October almost six months after that fateful night, Rhett had finally screwed up the courage to tell Bonnie no. He refused to buy her a new doll like the one Ella had just gotten for her birthday. He had explained to his child, "No, that is Ella's special present for her birthday. When it is your birthday, you will get special presents at that time."

Bonnie did cry and have a fit, but Rhett never backed down. Eventually she accepted his answer. It, in fact, went much better than Rhett expected. He guessed after six months of Bonnie consistently hearing the word no, she was beginning to accept that answer.

At the end of October, Scarlett found out from Melly that Ashley had been fired from his job at the sawmills. Although Mr. Greene could not force Ashley to sell his half of his sawmill, Ashley had because his relationship with Mr. Greene was very hostile. Melanie told Scarlett, "My dear, Mr. Greene is a Yankee and I think he fired Ashley just because he was a Southerner. That is something a Yankee would do. And we both know Ashley was an excellent manager."

Scarlett's first thought was, 'No, he fired Ashley because Ashley is not a very good businessman.' Her second thought was, 'I wish I had known I would have bought Ashley's share of my sawmills.' She said, "What is he going to do for a job? You aren't going to go to New York, are you?"

"Right now, he is working for Uncle Henry two days a week and we have the money he made from selling the mill to live on for a while, but we might have to move to New York. Ashley's friend will probably give him a job in his bank."

Scarlett thought, 'That should be my money.' She said, "You can't do that. I would miss you too much. I will ask Rhett to get him a job at his bank as a teller."

"Would you, Dear?" Melly was gleeful. If Scarlett asked Captain Butler for a favor for Ashley that would make Captain Butler jealous and angry. Working for someone beside Scarlett would not be the best situation for Ashley. Scarlett would forgive Ashley all his mistakes. If Scarlett gave Ashley a job that would make Captain Butler jealous and angry also. Of course, I think Ashley would like to work as a clerk at your store better."

"I no longer own the store. I sold it at the same time I sold the mills."

"Then a job at the bank would be wonderful. I know Ashley and I would hate to have to move to New York."

"I will ask Rhett tonight."

As Scarlett was driving home in her buggy, she wondered how she was going to ask Rhett to give Ashley a job. They had not spoken about the Wilkeses since their conversation on the train to Charleston. During dinner, Scarlett said, "Rhett, can I speak to you before you go to the bank."

"Of course, my dear."

After the new nursemaid assistant, Jasmine, had taken the children away for naps or whatever, Scarlett said without looking at Rhett, "I know you are going to say I am rescuing him again and I guess I am, but I just can't let them starve."

"Who, Honey?"

Scarlett swallowed and looked up at Rhett. The expression on his face was so kind and loving Scarlett just couldn't say Ashley's name. She just couldn't ruin everything. She just silently stared at her husband. Finally in a whisper she said, "Ashley."

Rhett's voice had gotten colder but his face was still open. He said, "Has Mr. Wilkes lost his job?"

"Yes."

"Did you go visit the Wilkeses today?"

"Just Melly. Ashley wasn't there."

Although Rhett continued to give her a loving look, his voice had gotten extremely cold. He said, "So Miss Melly asked you to give her husband a job?"

"Yes, she wanted me to give him a job at the store, but I explained to her that I no longer own the store and that the only job I could help Ashley get was a job at your bank but only if you want to. If we can't get him a job, they will have to move to New York.

"Yes, I will get him a job as a teller at my bank but that is all. We aren't going to rescue him again."

"Thank you, Rhett. I'm sure Ashley will do great in the job."

"We will see," Rhett stood up and walked to Scarlett's end of the table. He bent down and kissed her. It was a soft gentle kiss. Scarlett would never know the rage burning inside Rhett at Miss Melly.

As Rhett rode to the bank, he thought, 'Miss Melly, was once again trying to saddle Scarlett with Mr. Wilkes. She also threatened to take Mr. Wilkes away from Scarlett by moving them to New York. Now I know that the woman has indeed been manipulating my simple, trusting, loyal wife.'

Rhett would get Wilkes the job but sink or swim the man was on his own. He would make it clear to Mr. Stone, the man that would be Wilkes' boss, that if Wilkes couldn't do the job to cut him loose.

After the cotton was harvested Rhett took his family down to Tara. Scarlett, Wade, Ella, and even Bonnie were so excited to be going to Tara. Scarlett kept saying, "I can't believe you are going to Tara with us."

When Scarlett said that the first couple of times Rhett had said, "I need to find out what is so special about it."

Towards the end when Scarlett said it, Rhett just smiled at her.

Once the family got to Jonesboro, they went to the feedstore. Scarlett asked Mr. Price to take them out to the plantation in his wagon. Mr. Price agreed to do it for a fee. Rhett was fine with paying for the ride.

Rhett didn't say a word as Bonnie got in the back of the wagon with her siblings. Rhett still wanted to be her entire world, but he knew he wasn't doing right by his daughter by encouraging that attitude. He had to get her to bond with Scarlett, Wade, and Ella. They would be all she had when he was gone. After they had walked in the main house Rhett wanted to laugh when Suellen greeted them by saying, "Who did you steal him from?"

"Suellen, as I have told you on numerous occasions, I would have given you the man, all I wanted was the money. In fact, now that I think about it I did you a favor by marrying him. He was a lousy husband."

"He would have been a perfect husband for me."

"You have a perfect husband."

"That cracker."

"Suellen don't speak that way about Will. He was probably the only man on the planet who would have married you. Of course, we all know he only married you to stay at Tara."

Will said, "Ladies, let us play nice," He turned to Rhett and stuck out his hand. He said, "Will Benteen."

Rhett shook his hand and said, "Rhett Butler."

Scarlett said, "Rhett, let me show you Tara."

The family spent the morning walking around Tara. They had dinner. After dinner, Will drove them into Jonesboro. After they had gotten into the wagon, Rhett said, "Is this the wagon I stole?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe it is still standing."

"I can't believe it made it all the way to Tara."

Rhett quickly said, "Will, how are your neighbor's doing?"

"Same as us."

Scarlett let Rhett change the subject. She didn't want to rehash that night either. She just wanted to enjoy her day. She was with Rhett, and she had just spent the entire day at Tara. The next thought she had was, 'It doesn't get any better than this.'

Even after the family had gotten on the train, Scarlett had experience not one minute of conscience that she was being unfaithful to Ashley with that thought.

Rhett could tell that everyone but him came alive just by being on the plantation even Bonnie. He would have to bring them down here more often and maybe spend the night. No, that wouldn't work. He couldn't stand to be around Suellen that long. She really was a bitch. Not a bitch like his wife who was exciting in her bitchiness. No, just a cold-hearted, mean tempered virago. Although now that he was treating Scarlett right, he rarely saw her bitchy side. Although he knew her bitchy side was alive and well because he had deliberately provoked Scarlett just to see it but certainly not to the extent he had in the past. What he had found out by this visit was that if he wanted to see Scarlett mad without making her mad himself, he just needed to bring her down to Tara. It seems Scarlett's sister could set her off by just entering the room.

Scarlett made a point of rarely socializing with the Wilkeses. She didn't want to be around Ashley while their spouses were around. Rhett and Ashley didn't get along and she could only take so much of Melly and her perfectness. She would never admit it to anyone, but she found Melly and Ashley boring with all their properness and all their talk of books they had read. Also, Rhett was always very grumpy after they had spent time with the Wilkeses. Scarlett didn't like grumpy Rhett. She liked sweet and thoughtful Rhett.

Scarlett didn't really want to spend time with Melly either. She was tired of listening to her praise her husband. The man that should have been Scarlett's husband except for Ashley's honor. That thought irritated Scarlett but not enough to make her think about it for awfully long. Scarlett preferred to spend time with the Republican and Scallawag wives. Rhett had been right. They treated her like a queen, and they were always so much fun. She also learned so many amazing things that no proper lady of the South would ever learn.

Rhett was happy not spending time with the Wilkeses and even happier with Scarlett not spending time with Miss Melly alone. He didn't want the woman to influence his wife in a negative way.

Scarlett had talked about going to Charleston for Christmas and Rhett had sadly said, "My mother won't eat Christmas dinner with me because my siblings will not sit down at a meal with me. She will choose to eat with Rosemary and Robert and Robert's family."

"That is so sad."

"It is one of the things I chose to give up instead of marrying Sarah."

"Who?"

"The girl in the buggy incident."

"If you could go and marry the girl, would you?"

"This is going to sound strange, but I regret not marrying Sarah but given the same circumstances I would do the same thing."

"Isn't that what you told me the day of Frank's funeral?"

"Yes, it is. Do not be sad for me. I am rich, I have you, Bonnie, Wade, and Ella. I also have the bonus of having a shrew for a sister-in-law."

Scarlett laughed and the somber mood was broken. Scarlett said, "Let's go to New Orleans instead."

"Perfect. I will make the arrangements.

Scarlett and Rhett had such a good time there when they had been on their honeymoon except for that one night. Rhett had thought it was a good idea and the family spent two weeks in New Orleans. It was different from Christmas in Atlanta or even the Christmases of her youth. As it turned out everyone had such a good time that they had done it the next year also. Rhett knew the city of New Orleans. He had explained to Scarlett, "I used to visit New Orleans a lot during the first years of my being disowned. I made a lot of money here."

Scarlett had wanted to ask him how but decided she didn't want to know.

Scarlett had them go out of town for Christmas to avoid having Christmas dinner with the Wilkeses. Now that Scarlett had accepted that she couldn't be with Ashley until Rhett and Melly died, it hurt too bad to see him especially with another woman. It was also very awkward because of the strife between Melanie and India. Not to mention the strife between Scarlett and India.

Rhett had been happy to take Scarlett and the children to New Orleans. He didn't want to eat Christmas dinner with the Wilkeses any more than his wife did.

The less time Scarlett spent with the Wilkeses the less time she found herself thinking about either one of them. She certainly didn't think about Ashley when Rhett was around. She never wanted to see cruel, mean, hurtful Rhett again. She wanted to keep fun loving, playful Rhett around.