Um gonna be honest, little scared to look at my emails (I have not in a few months). I feel like there are MANY that are like WHERE ARE YOU. Three scenes just gave me such issues, lol and I have no attention span anymore to sit down and repeatedly try and fail with them.
Also yes, I literally told myself about five new fics during the time that I did not finish this one.
I don't know what or when I'll start posting next. There are a few that are started, but I will do my best to not post any that won't be able to have a new chapter for months.
Let me repeat I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry about the end of this taking so long. I will post the extra scenes that I wrote a while back when I didn't know where I wanted the story to end, but only after most of you read this. Lol so as to encourage everyone who would automatically read them, but really should have just stopped at the end, to actually stop at the end. However, I know a bunch of you are like me and like the extra scenes.
Let me just say thank you so much for taking this lighthearted journey with me.
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Chapter Twenty Five
Calverton
Late April 1871
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"Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Rhett questioned in their room as he sat with Scarlett in his arms before a roaring fire.
"No."
"Are you sure," his hand moved to cover her stomach.
"No, I don't want to talk about it."
"It was at least seven months this time and not the once."
"Other people go years between children."
"Shall I remind you that our son is nearly two."
"Yes and you've used sheathes and not finished with me that is the only reason we have had those two years, other couples try for children for years."
"I for one appreciate our good health."
She grunted at him.
He smiled at her, "I also look forward to finishing with you for several months."
"Absolutely not, we don't know for certain."
He laughed and stood with her in his arms, "I can tell you what I know for certain, if you aren't currently expecting you will be by the end of the night."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Scarlett, that gown," Leticia said as Scarlett entered the parlor where Leticia DeVaughn was awaiting her. Leticia was Scarlett's favorite Northerner, likely because she'd spent so much time in Europe. Leticia's husband had grown up not fifteen miles from Tara, but had already been off at college by the time Scarlett had been born and practically spent decades away until the recent years. The war had made it so the fourth son inherited the family lands and Leticia's northern funds had made it so they could restore the land. They were Rhett's favorite couple to socialize with both in the country and Atlanta.
"Isn't it just divine?" Scarlett showed off the vivid deep purple silk of the robe fringed with lace, the robe was left partially open to show off the loosely fitting lace and chiffon gown underneath.
"Why the gown almost makes me think of a house dress, but it's far to grand. Why it's like a dressing gown and a house dress? Whatever do they call it?"
"I have no idea," Scarlett smiled, "we got it in Paris, I practically had no idea what they were saying to me. My mother would be horrified at how dreadfully I recalled my French. Rhett told me I could receive close visitors in it, I should hardly have taken his word for it, but it's too beautiful to kept it only for family."
"I'm going to have to bring my maid over and we'll figure out a way to copy it. I'll receive you in it, if you receive me."
"Deal."
"Are you wearing a corset?"
Oh how Scarlett enjoyed Leticia in a way she didn't enjoy anyone else. She imagined Leticia communicated in a way that a sister should, only Scarlett's sisters were Suellen and Sister Mary Belina. "I'm not," it wasn't quite scandalous for she had taken to receiving Leticia in a dressing gown the year prior. "I'm expecting again and frankly even if Prissy laces me in loosely in the morning, it's tight by the afternoon." Scarlett dropped a hand to her stomach, perplexed by the child within her.
"I remember those days and frankly I don't miss them. The last four were…I appeared pregnant for at least six years regardless of whether or not I was."
"Rhett promises this is the last one, of course he promised that with the last one," Scarlett gave a chagrined look. Then fixed her face when saw the servant at the doorway with tea. "I called for hot tea, you don't mind do you? I know how trying you find our temperatures."
"I imagine I will be able to survive my tea hot for another week."
"We'll have iced tea and lemonade for the rest of spring. You must try the almond cake, I am certain Betina has done something different to it, it is far superior to the ones she used to make."
"I must admit, I don't recall what the old ones tastes like, but I look forward to it. Do you mind if I close the door?" Leticia questioned as soon as the maid left the room.
Scarlett eagerly looked forward to whatever gossip was about to pass from her friend's lips, "Of course."
"Scarlett there is a reason I came out to the country this week."
Scarlett waited.
"Percy and I took supper two nights ago with the Burkes and the Pricketts were also there. There is the most awful rumor."
"About who?"
"About you my dear."
"Me? Why I haven't even been in Atlanta in over a month." She frowned, "It'll be six weeks this Friday since Ashley's birthday."
"The rumor involves Mr. Wilkes as well."
Scarlett shook her head in confusion, then out of nowhere the pinched face of India Wilkes emerged in her mind.
"You were seen embracing Ashley Wilkes in private."
"That woman," Scarlett's eyes blazed with fury and to think she'd had a moment of sympathy for India Wilkes.
"I assume there is a small grain of truth to this?"
"Ashley was consoling me as I cried."
"Oh my dear," Leticia placed a hand over Scarlett's, "did something happen?"
"It was the first time we had a party for his birthday since," Scarlett felt her throat get tight at just the thought of revisiting that, "last time we had a party, the war was announced."
"Oh my dear."
"He made me think of all the things, no he made me think of all the people. I try ever so hard not to think of," it happened again, she could see their faces, hear their laughter, it was all so fleeting, she couldn't hold on to any of them, not even her mother, tears filled her eyes.
"Oh Scarlett," Leticia squeezed her hand tightly.
Scarlett waved away the concern, "It's the baby, I imagine it was the baby as well then. I'll be fine," she'd be fine that was in another seven months.
"I wanted to come out and tell you. I didn't want you to come into Atlanta unprepared."
"You're such a good friend."
o-o-o
"I'll kill her," were the first words out of Rhett's mouth after she'd disclosed what Leticia had told her.
Scarlett took in the look in Rhett's eyes, as if he were death himself. She was not entirely sure he would not actually kill the woman. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather you didn't."
He regarded her with a coldly focused look.
"I can hardly make your life miserable for getting me with another child if you're locked in jail. Who would rub my feet and my back when I start to grow large?"
"This is a serious matter, Scarlett."
"I know it is."
"She impugned your good name."
"My name is hardly good, after all it is Butler," she smirked trying to lighten his mood. She was well aware her temper was absolutely nothing in comparison to her husband's.
"Do not make light of this-"
"I'm not, but-" she paused as Rhett went to leave the parlor, "where are you going."
"I'm going to change and ride into Atlanta and see Mr. Wilkes about the behavior he allows-"
"She is a grown woman Rhett, he shouldn't be her keeper."
"The fact that he allowed this rumor to spread and neither he nor the honorable Mrs. Wilkes thought to inform us of the rumors circulating around Atlanta. The DeVaughns are hardly in the same social circle as the Wilkes, imagine the number of mouths it must have passed through in order to reach them."
Scarlett paused, "You don't think Melly-"
He swiftly crossed the room back to his wife, clasping her arms, "Absolutely not. She knows you're a good and faithful friend." He watched the distance suddenly grow in Scarlett's eyes. "The past is in the past, is it not? Far in the past?" He found himself more desperate for a yes to pass her lips than he had been after his proposal.
"An old friendly dream of a life that barely seems like it could have ever been mine."
He placed a kiss on the top of her head. He looked at her again, there was simply so much of her youth still in her face. How thankful he had once been at how her cheeks had filled out once more, but they were starting to thin out again as she matured. "Sometimes you are still so impossibly young."
"Only because you're so old," she cheekily remarked with their normal par.
"Then believe your wise old husband-"
"I never said you were wise."
"It comes with age."
She scoffed.
"As the years pass, a man learns the importance of words and rumors. Knows his loyalties to his family and friends. The fact that Mr. Wilkes has allowed his sister to besmirch your name, our family."
"You know Ashley-"
"Cannot act. Yes. I do believe it was my favored trait of his in the past," his thumb traced along her jaw. If Ashley Wilkes had ever been a man capable of action, every moment that had happened between Rhett and Scarlett would likely never have been. "I must go to Atlanta to-"
"We'll go in the morning."
"My dear, I do not want you involved in this, especially in your current state."
"I'm expecting, hardly the invalid they make us out to be. This concerns me far more than it concerns you. No, we'll go in the morning with the children. We will show all of Atlanta how far off the mark their rumors are."
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"Idle gossip?" Rhett repeated Melly's words as they sat in the Hamilton house parlor.
"Of course," Melly said firmly. "Why not a single soul would ever believe such a thing. Why the three of us were like soldiers fighting the world for years. All of the wonderful and unselfish things Scarlett has done over the years."
"That idle gossip has crossed the lips of everyone in Atlanta in order to reach us twenty miles away, but it never occurred to you or Mr. Wilkes to defend your dear friend or inform your wonderful and unselfish friend that she needed to be defended." Rhett's jaw was tense, a clear sign of how very much he was holding back, resisting on letting the full flurry of words in his mind out into the parlor.
"No one of any worth would ever believe such a thing."
"So the DeVaughns are the only ones of worth in all of Atlanta," he turned Melly's words upon her, "since they were the first to actually make an effort to stop the vicious spread of lies about Scarlett."
Melly hesitated for a moment "Addressing those disgusting lies would only give power to them."
"Your silence gave power to them," Rhett retorted. He turned and looked at Ashley, "Hiding does not-" Rhett paused, "You allowed your sister, who lives under Scarlett's roof," for the Wilkes and the Hamiltons all shared Miss Pittypat's house, "to spread-"
"You're right," Ashley stopped Rhett and both women looked at him in shock. "I should have put a stop to my sisters regarding Scarlett a decade ago." He turned to Scarlett, "I apologize." He paused for a moment continuing to speak, only to Scarlett, not to their spouses at their sides. He smiled, "I remember finding it amusing the jealously in their words regarding you when I returned from school. Finding the pettiness of little girls amusing. Only then I saw you in church, you were blooming into a woman, while they remained petty little girls."
It occurred to her that she had only been a little girl. It was so clear to her what a child she had been before the war.
"By the time I returned," he briefly smiled, recalling a sliver in time so long ago, "I imagine they loathed you more than Lincoln." He smirked, "I suppose I should have told India that Stuart would have never married her despite what our families wanted. Brent-" Ashley gave a bittersweet smile, "he would have never-" Ashley shook his head.
"As fascinating as this trip is down memory lane," Rhett interjected. Ashley's winding memories had nothing to do with a resolution to the current situation and frankly he didn't appreciate the fond look on his wife's face when she was supposed to be furious at the other man.
Ashley turned to Rhett, "I should have stopped them then. I let them-" the words clenched in Ashley's throat. "Their pettiness and prejudices have influenced this family for too long. I am ashamed of the man I allowed them to corral me into being. I'll inform her when she returns home that she is no longer welcome in this house and that the decision wasn't Scarlett's, but mine."
"Our decision," Melly said laying a hand over her husband's. Melly turned to Rhett, "We should have taken action weeks ago."
"Better late than never," Rhett nodded, "we'll host you tonight for dinner. Bring Beau, he can spend the night with the children."
"He'll have such a wonderful time, he misses his cousins so much."
"And they miss him," Scarlett smiled, although the children hadn't actually said that to her, she was sure they did.
"The DeVaughns will host us all tomorrow night," Rhett informed them. "I expect by the end of the weekend all of Atlanta will know whose side you are on."
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Calverton
Late September 1871
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"We're missing having a barbeque for your birthday, two years in a row," Scarlett said looking sullen as she sat next to her husband at breakfast.
"We aren't having Daddy's party?" Ella looked across the table at her mother in confusion.
"We are of course having a party my sweet," Rhett said smiling at his daughter seated on his left and looked to his wife seated on his right with Julian still in his high chair between them. "We're just having a smaller party because your mother's expecting your new sibling."
"We can't have a big party and a baby?"
"She gets the absurdity of it," Scarlett nodded.
"We are not going to host half the county so that the entire county and Atlanta will talk about us."
"We haven't been to a party in so long," Scarlett wasn't sure how she could get cabin fever on an estate as large as theirs.
"The baby will be here soon and as soon as you are able, we'll travel to wherever you like," he paused before going to take the bite of ham on his fork, "within reason."
"What's within reason?" Scarlett asked him with a dirty look.
"We'll not be crossing any oceans until the baby is at least several months old."
She huffed, "That hardly seems fair. I've been trapped in Georgia since August and Charleston is even less fun than Atlanta." She gave her only daughter a look, "Ella don't you want to go back to Paris?"
"I like it here," Ella gave her daddy a look.
"As you should my sweet this is your home," Rhett reinforced.
"Mama, Dusty is here."
"Mother will make sure you have a pony wherever you go," she responded to her daughter.
"Scarlett, we'll not be going to Paris before next summer, this discussion is over. We'll go to New Orleans before Christmas. We can stay as long as you like."
"I'm so bored Rhett."
He laughed, "My dear you have at least two more months of confinement. The doctor and Mammy would have my head if I tried to travel with you anywhere."
"I don't remember being this bored with Julian."
Rhett laughed again, "I imagine that's because you'd just spent a year and a half at Tara. You've gotten a taste for the world just as I knew you would."
"Mama we can color," Ella offered.
"Why don't you try painting again?" Rhett suggested.
"Captain Butler, why don't you try painting?" she snipped
"Ella shall we paint with Mother today?" He asked his daughter, ignoring his wife's mood.
"After my ride?" She looked nervously that the answer would be no.
"It's hardly fair that a five-year-old gets to ride and I don't." Scarlett said in a near whine.
"We'll have our ride later, why we'll ride over to Tara and fetch your brothers," he continued speaking to Ella.
"Okay," Ella smiled, "Mama we can paint."
"I don't want to paint."
"What do you want to do?" Rhett asked.
Not be pregnant, Scarlett thought to herself. "We can go for a walk, you can ride your pony Ella," she held back the sigh.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Late October 1871
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"I think it'll be a girl this time," Scarlett said in the large office she shared with her husband, they both still had the large shared desk in this office, only this room also held a sewing machine that had made her the envy of the entire county. She was seated before the modern machine admiring a new item she was working on for the baby's layette.
He had offered a seamstress to create new pieces for Scarlett and the new baby, however her rapidly growing boredom had made him glad he'd not fought her on the subject and allowed her to fashion the items. He had taken on several new business ventures merely to amuse Scarlett talking about them.
"What makes you say that?" He asked seated at his desk.
"The baby is certainly smaller, I'm far less miserable in my own skin than I was with Julian."
"Perhaps you're not as far along as we thought."
"Rhett that is not amusing," she turned her head and gave her husband a dirty look over her shoulder.
"Now what was it you said on our wedding night?"
"That I would lock you out of my bedroom if you got me with two children?" She returned to her sewing.
"Now that was only if it were twins and you my dear are not with twins unless we greatly underestimated how far along you are."
She rolled her eyes.
"I believe it was one boy before two girls."
She turned again, "I hardly said that. You said that." She pushed away from the sewing table and pushed herself up using the arms of the chair.
Her husband was by her side by the time she finished standing, "My dear if you'd just wait for me to help you."
"I'm not so large that I can't get up on my own." Yet. "Why would you bring that up, why would you bring that into the universe. I'm certainly never going through this again Rhett Butler. I don't know what madness came over me that I thought us being more intimate would be worth this again."
He laughed, "I don't know either, but I'm glad it did. I look forward to our little girl. You said one boy before one girl," so I imagine you put this into the universe on the day we wed."
"I meant to be choosing a son over a daughter, not one of each," she grumbled.
"It's nearly over my sweet," he said wrapping his arms around her. "Think of all the wonderful dresses and ribbons you'll be able to buy."
"All of the colors Ella cannot wear."
"There are not that many colors that are unflattering on Ella."
"Our baby will certainly have thicker hair. I don't know what I'm going to do when Ella is expected to wear more than just ribbons and braids. If you ever see anyone with Ella hair color on the street, I expect you to chase them down and buy their hair so I'll-"
He laughed, "My dear we have plenty of time for that."
"One has to prepare for these things. Ella hardly has a shade easily available."
"You know I dislike-"
"I am her mother and I am the one responsible for how she will look to society."
"My dear. Could we save this fight for a decade from now? Get this little girl born before we worry about her sister becoming a woman," he said with a hand on their baby.
"I suppose that does sound sensible."
"Now come sit at your desk, I got the full proposal and financials of that investment up in Pennsylvania."
"The bridges? Why won't you just invest directly in the railroads?"
"The railroads are a boom that are impossible to last. Now this fellow certainly seems clever. I think after the baby we should travel up to meet him."
"Ugh, I don't want to go north Rhett."
Rhett sighed, "He's in Europe quite often."
"That sounds much better."
"Do you even care which country?"
"Not particularly."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
It was the middle of the night when he was awoken by his wife telling him to get Prissy and Mammy. He didn't spend much time at her side before pulling on his pants and sliding his feet into a pair of slippers and went about his tasks of fetching Mammy and Prissy.
Prissy was easy enough, he merely had to go outside to the cabin she shared with the fellow from Charleston that she had met and married while they'd been in Europe and they'd had little choice, but to take him on as staff or lose Prissy to Charleston. But Mammy, well for Mammy, Prissy's husband also had to awaken and dress and ride out to Tara for her.
Rhett returned with Prissy trailing behind him, moving slower in recent months for she was expecting as well. He didn't pay any attention to the servant preparing the bed for the birth as Scarlett stood, bracing against him in pain as the contractions passed through her.
He barely noticed Prissy in the room until he was getting Scarlett back into bed, a sudden desperation and urgency to his wife's voice. How quickly he noticed the hesitancy and anxiety in the younger woman's voice.
He felt a sudden surge of anxiety course through him as well as Scarlett informed them that the baby was coming. His anxiety paled in comparison to Prissy's.
"Miss Scarlett, the baby can't be comin' this quick."
"Tell that to the baby," Scarlett said as another wave began to crash upon her. Pains that barely seemed to have a moment between them.
"I'll jus' go get Betina."
"There's no time," Scarlett groaned.
"I don't know nuthin' 'bout bringin' babies."
"You lazy liar, you've been there three times, you're about to have one yourself-"
"I just did what people yelled at me to do Miss Scarlett. I'll just go get-"
Rhett watched as Scarlett went silent towards the maid as contraction robbed her of the ability to do anything else, but deal with it, "Go get Betina," he told Prissy.
"Don't you dare-" Scarlett yelled, the agony in her voice louder than her words, but the other woman turned on her heel and ran out of the room.
"It'll be fine," Rhett promised.
She didn't speak for several seconds more, until the contraction was finally easing, "This baby can't wait for-"
"Just catch that's what Dr. Meade told you, you see me play with the boys you know I'm more than capable," he attempted to put his wife at ease with humor.
"It's very different catching."
"It'll be fine. I'm more than certain you could do it without anyone if needed."
"Don't you dare be glib, I've seen slugs move faster than Prissy. Open the window and begin shouting for Betina."
"My dear, you wound my ego that you think I'm not capable of helping our child into the world."
"Rhett," her hands began to clench the sheets again and she was robbed of words once more.
It was astonishing the way time seemed to speed up and slow down at that moment. As he took in his wife fighting the contraction and what her body wanted to do, as he had to place a hand upon her clenched knees and she finally allowed her body to do what it needed to do. He'd laugh later about how she gave him orders between contractions, sometimes during.
Somehow though, in what seemed like seconds and hours all at once there was a little boy in his hands, so small, but strong and sturdy and loud, just like his parents when they were in a fit.
His eyes had lifted up to his wife's relieved face after discovering the baby in his hands was a boy, they had flited up a time or two, but mostly they were transfixed in amazement on the red and screaming baby in his hands.
"Rhett!"
He looked up at the strong tone that accompanied his name, suddenly vaguely aware it wasn't the first time she had said it.
"The baby," her arms and hands were out.
"Of course," he said as he handed the baby over.
"Oh he's perfect," Scarlett said taking in his face for the first time, "hand me one of those blankets," she instructed her husband, "you're yelling because you're cold aren't you. Daddy forgot how nice and warm you'd just been." She adjusted the blanket over the baby.
o-o-o
"What should we call him?" Scarlett asked sometime later. After Betina, after Prissy, after Mammy.
The room, the bed, Scarlett and the baby were both clean and tidy, no trace of the frantic arrival. Scarlett's long hair brushed and organized into a braid, looking far too young to be a mother of four.
"I had assumed he would be a she and we would be calling her, Katie," Rhett answered bemused as he sat in a chair next to the bed.
"He's certainly full of surprises," she responded, her mind still in a whirl from how quickly everything had happened.
"Like his mother," Rhett smirked at her. "I suppose Katie is still appropriate, although I imagine he would be rather displeased with it once he enters school."
"You wanted to name the baby after me?" She suddenly thought to question.
"After all the work you have done to bring four into the world, it seems overdue."
She smiled then laughed, "I imagine it would be far more work dealing with a son named Katie."
Rhett laughed as well, "I also thought his eyes would be green."
"I think they'll be blue like my Pa's."
"We're not naming him Gerald," Rhett was quick to respond, very nearly wanting to rip the baby out of her arms, frantic to keep the baby safe for the history of that name.
"We are not," Scarlett was filled with the same thought.
"I did give it some thought, in the very unlikely event that you were wrong." He smirked.
She rolled her eyes.
"That we could name him after you in a less obvious manner."
Her brow lifted.
"Names that mean red or fiery."
"We certainly aren't naming him Scarlett."
Rhett laughed. "Would you like to hear some ideas?"
"To name the baby after me, of course."
"Redmond," he offered.
"Too obvious. They'll think I'm vain."
His brows lifted.
"Continue," she ordered.
"Rufus."
"Sounds like a dog's name."
"It means red-haired king."
"If we ever get a red dog, we have a name."
He laughed, "Keegan."
"Too Irish, it would be a disadvantage."
"I imagine that means Derry and Flannery are out."
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Russell."
"Maybe," she said looking at the baby.
"Perhaps the more fiery names," Rhett pondered, "I suppose that makes sense considering his arrival."
"I do hope it's not an omen of things to come," she looked down at the seemingly sweet and innocent baby.
"He is our child."
She sighed, "Names."
"Tyson."
She pondered.
"Flint."
She smirked.
"Aiden"
"That might be nice," she wondered about it looking at the baby.
"Egan."
"Too-"
"Irish," Rhett finished for her.
"Ignacio."
"Will you be serious," she turned and gave him a dirty look.
He laughed. "Kenneth." He offered the name he knew would best suit their boy, the name he had been sure of the moment he had regained the ability to speak.
"Kenneth," she smiled and stroked his cheek.
"It means born of fire," Rhett supplied.
"Well, I can't imagine any name would suit him more than that."
"Nor can I." Rhett smiled and leaned forward in his seat to lay a hand on the baby.
"Will you get into bed Rhett," she looked over at her husband sitting in a chair at her bedside. "It's the middle of the night."
His eyes lifted up from her and to the clock. He let out a laugh, "So it is." There were four more hours until the sunrise.
"I don't suppose he'll let me sleep till noon." She gave a sorrowful look down at the baby.
"He certainly won't," Rhett answered climbing into bed.
o-o-o
"Do you love me?" Scarlett questioned as sleep was threatening to claim her. Laying down, but tucked into Rhett's side as he sat up in bed holding Kenneth.
"Of course," he said not taking his eyes off the baby, watching as the tiny lips were forming an o and then closing.
"It's hardly an of course."
His gaze automatically shifted away from the baby to his wife at the tone of her voice. "What would it be aside from of course?"
"Well I don't know."
"Lies have no place in our marriage, I've told you I won't abide by them."
Her mouth opened and then closed just like the baby as she wondered what to say, she knew that tone of his, the tone that suggested his brain was working more sharply than her own. "Well I know."
"So would I be lying to you?"
"Well no."
"Are you lying to me when you tell me you love me?"
"Of course not." Her head shook, wondering what she had been thinking to bring it up now of all times, in the middle of the night just after she'd had a baby.
"So then what are you asking?"
"Well are you in love with me?"
"I asked you to marry me and I moved to the country for you."
"Well yes, but-"
"But what?"
"Well you wanted me."
"And I got you well before we spoke any such vows before people."
"Rhett!" Her eyes widened.
"I am merely reminding you of the facts my dear."
"So you are in love with me and not just for the children."
"I love you my dear," he said placing a kiss on the top of her head, for he still had the baby in his arms and she had just had that baby.
"Good," was all she could think to say. Feeling relieved with his answer, but rather foolish for asking.
"Why," he paused, his tone slightly lighthearted, not at all betrayed by his inward emotions, "do you not love me, is that why you asked?"
"I just had a second baby for you," her eyes were wide in shock, "I didn't want anymore after Wade and Ella, but you did."
"I suppose you did marry me as well, when you didn't want any more husbands after the first two."
"That was likely more for all the children that were involved than for you."
He laughed lightly. "You do like our life don't you, even with all the children involved."
She looked up, "We simply have the best life. It's even more wonderful than I'd thought it would be when I was younger and the children are so much better than I expected."
He laughed lightly.
"He's so perfect," she said stroking the baby's cheek.
"Of course he is, he's ours."
"I could stay here forever, exactly how we are."
He smiled looking down at her, in that moment he could see she truly believed that. Love for the new baby had swelled in her heart and pushed away thoughts of anything else. He knew in a few weeks she'd be writing to Estelle to get the house opened up. She'd be tearing through her wardrobe for dresses that fit and would soon fit her changing shape. But in this moment, this was enough for her. "Me too."
She smiled up at him, "I love you."
"I love you too," he said dropping a kiss onto her head.
The End!
Thanks for sticking with me!
