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Part Eleven

September 8th

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She felt oddly empty as she realized her courses had begun. She dealt with the matter and went about her day, but her hand kept dropping to her stomach and a baby that wasn't there, that had never been there.

She had gotten used to the idea. Resigned to the fact over the last few weeks.

She would have another baby. They would marry for the baby. Marrying for the sake of a baby was certainly far better than any of her previous reasons for marrying. It would have disappointed her mother, but there would certainly be no alternative to marriage.

She would have been a far better wife to Rhett than she ever was to Frank. She'd certainly not make such decisions that would ever lead to her wearing widow's rags for a year. Rhett could have her body and a baby. He knew exactly what he wanted and he held no idealized versions of her.

He certainly entertained the children far better than she did, the early evenings would be far less occupied by the children if he were with them. Even with a third there was a chance she would be far less occupied with them if Rhett were around.

He was so wonderful with the children. Every time she arrived at Calverton with Ella, how the toddler squealed with delight at seeing him and flung her entire body into his arms. How proud Wade looked as Rhett brought him home from school on his stallion. The pride and joy on Rhett's face as Wade rode on his little pony. Listening to Ella and Rhett's laughter as he held her in the saddle as he walked her around on her pony.

He never hesitated to dirty his beautiful clothing playing outside with the children or lay on a carpet to entertain them, sometimes he would just swing his watch for Ella and that would be enough to occupy her, she simply adored him so.

Scarlett saw the flash of disappointment in his eyes as she informed him that there would be no baby, then it was as if a carefree mask was placed on his face and the emotion disappeared.

He had wanted that baby that had never existed.

As the day went on as he ran after birds with Wade with Ella in his arms.

As they took tea with her aunts.

As he settled down Ella who was getting fussy, getting the child to fall asleep against his broad chest as they did their errands.

He deserved a child for all he did for them. One child, not now, maybe a year or two. He was already a wonderful father. She supposed she owed it to the children as well for how poorly she had picked their actual fathers in the first place. She owed them a father like her own. He was far better than any stepfather she'd ever met or heard of and even better than most fathers she knew. Certainly, all fathers that had been brought up in the upper class.

It wasn't quite impulsive when she said the words for she'd been thinking them for hours, "We should marry before we leave, we have far more family here than back home."

Elizabeth Butler smiled from across the table, "What a wonderful idea. Your aunts and I would love nothing more."

"What of that ballroom I'm building you with enough room for 50 to dine underneath?"

"We can throw a barbeque instead of a wedding next year when it's done."

"You'd like to get married in the next three days."

"We have far more family here. It makes more sense."

He stood abruptly.

"Where are you going," she questioned, suddenly wondering if she had misinterpreted everything.

"To the dressmaker we went to the other day. She was working on a cream dress that would certainly suit the occasion."

Relief washed over her, "I imagine that dress was for someone else."

"I am fairly certain that I have more money than anyone in Charleston. They can wait a few more days. I will be back with the dress and dressmaker within the hour. Enjoy the rest of dinner."

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September 10th 1868

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"Are you my uncle now?" Wade questioned with a frown.

"I am your stepfather, my boy," Rhett answered his stepson and he held his stepdaughter on his lap as the entire family was floating around the bottom floor of his mother's suddenly too small house. His brother had even come with his family, Scarlett's aunts and her step-cousin existed on the same level of proper society as Elizabeth Butler, the gossip would have haunted Reginald if he had refused to be a part of the day, it would do far more damage to his children's prospects than attending the wedding of a scoundrel. "But I suppose you're asking if you should call me Uncle Rhett now," Rhett's eyes flicked up to his wife, who was talking to her aunt Eulalie.

Wade nodded and made no effort to resume playing with the metal balancing horse and rider that had been occupying him for most of the day when the adults bored him.

"Did you want to call me Uncle Rhett?" he questioned as he continued to look down.

Wade shrugged.

"Your cousin, Alfred calls me mother," Eulalie supplied.

Wade looked blankly at her.

Rhett let out a laugh, "He's her stepson, dear boy. Although I imagine your mother would be rather annoyed if you also called me mother."

"I think what Aunt Lalie is saying Wade is you could call Rhett, father if you liked," Scarlett told her son. She was grateful to her aunt for saying the words, it would have taken her ages to figure out how to ask Rhett about it.

"I already have a father, my father is Charles Hamilton, he was a war hero."

"Yes, but Rhett does all the things that a father does. He got you your pony and he works with you on your alphabet and your spelling. He takes you fishing. He-" she stopped herself, she could go on for hours for all the ways that Rhett treated her son as his own.

"But I have a father," Wade repeated.

"Yes and great gentleman he was," Rhett smiled, "you can call me whatever you want my boy."

"Well I called my father, Pa," Scarlett supplied.

Rhett frowned, fairly certain he'd prefer Captain Butler.

"Pere or papa," Eulalie supplied.

Rhett and Wade both frowned.

"I believe Rhett is more of a Dad or Daddy like his brother," Elizabeth Butler said having overheard part of the conversation.

"Daddy," Wade's eyes went wide, "that's what Gus McClintock calls his father."

Rhett knew that Gus was the only child younger than Wade in his school and one of the few with a father. His boy was still young, he liked the idea of being Wade's daddy for a while before becoming his dad.

"Daddy it is," Scarlett smiled. "You're going to have to help Ella learn to say that."

Wade frowned, "Can I get my own room at Ca-Daddy's?"

"It's our house now son. Your mother and I need you to share the nursery with your sister for a while longer. She needs her big brother so she won't feel scared at night."

"Fine," he said with a pout and went back to his toy looking up with a glare as the adults laughed at him.

o-o-o

"Rhett, you know that we can't-" Scarlett said pulling away from Rhett's kiss. He had entered her room at her aunt's so silently or perhaps she had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him for what she imagined was some time. She had eventually felt his gaze upon her and had turned to see him in the doorway. He had pulled the door closed behind him and had quickly crossed the room to sweep her up into his arms.

"I'm fairly certain we can," he said in regard to her courses, "but I will as always respect your wishes in that matter."

"I've heard you're more fertile during it. So we most certainly won't."

He laughed and swept her up into his arms before sitting down in an armchair with her in his lap. "I promise to do my best to keep the children at only two."

It seemed like the right time to tell him, to force herself to make the vow, to give Rhett Butler what he wanted after all he had given her and her family. "We can have one," she told him and when his smile grew bright she quickly continued on, "not now. Not months from now. Likely years. One or two at least. And just the one."

"Just one," he repeated.

"If you get me with two children, you'll find yourself sleeping in a different room," she threatened him.

"What if I get you with twins? I could hardly-"

"Rhett Butler, if you dare get me with twins. Why- You've seen Mrs. Tarleton."

He let out a laugh.

"I don't know what would be worse my waist or two babies crying at once." She was instantly filled with dread, the idea of a baby in each arm, trying to nurse a baby in each arm. Why she'd likely have to feed one while listening to the other cry. She imagined Prissy setting them up at her breasts as if she were a sow.

He pulled her close to him as he laughed some more. "There are no twins in my family, nor are there any in yours. I imagine we'll be safe and it'll be just the one."

"Well now I'm not sure I want to risk it being just one," she continued to look miserable at the thought.

"Put it out of your mind my sweet. As you said it is many years in the future."

She pouted.

"Did you enjoy today?" he said hoping to change the subject to something that would make her smile.

"It was rather wonderful," there had almost been a part of her that hadn't wanted to enjoy the day, but then there had been her dress, the flowers, the delicacies. "Your nephews are quite handsome." She savored the feeling of being in his arms again, being in his arms for more than a fleeting moment or two. There was such comfort in his arms, the days had been so long and trying without the true reprieve she found of resting her body against his.

"Niece looks like her mother," he dryly added.

"She does, rather pinched," Scarlett nodded.

"My father obviously made the match. There could be no risk of fun ever again in our family."

Scarlett laughed, "After having you as his eldest, I am hardly surprised. Wherever did you get it from?"

"I am what they call a throwback. All of their refinements and breeding were lost upon me."

"Breeding and stock. Why it's like we're at Calverton."

"I imagine I have more respect for the animals at Calverton than I do-"

"Our family?" Scarlett questioned with a raised brow.

"Our family, I have the utmost respect for. The children are far superior to their aunts and uncle."

"Thank you for letting Wade call you Daddy."

"Why ever would you thank me? Did your Mr. Kennedy refuse such an honor?"

"Why no," Scarlett said thinking back, "I don't suppose it ever occurred to any of us to have Wade call him anything, but uncle."

"Because he was never meant to be anything more than a fleeting figure in your lives. I can think of no boy finer than Wade, certainly not one I'd ever father."

She laughed.

"When we do have that singular child. I suspect we should both pray for a girl, why even twin girls would likely be better than one boy."

"Twin girls," Scarlett rolled her eyes, "you're impossible enough with Ella. I can't imagine what you'd be like with two more."

"Two more of you, I imagine I'd rather like that. Although you may be right, I do recall you that first day we met."

"Neither of us would fair well," she agreed.

"So one boy before two girls."

"One boy before one girl," she frowned at the way that sounded, "one boy instead of one girl."

"We could handle one girl Scarlett. I have Ella well in hand."

"She isn't even two and she has a pony," Scarlett remarked.

"Would you prefer if I didn't spoil the children?"

"No," Scarlett said with a smile, "my father spoiled me."

"My dear, I imagine that should stop me from spoiling the children.

"Will it?" she asked looking up.

He smiled looking down at her, "No my dear, it will not. Nor will it stop me from spoiling you further."


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