Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Twenty-Six
At the end of August Melanie invited Wade to Beau's birthday party. Scarlett said, "Are there going to be other Southerners there?"
"Yes."
"Then I will have to decline. I will not allow my son to be snubbed because of his parents' actions. How about we have supper together with Uncle Henry and Aunt PittyPat at the Hamilton House? I know they would like to see Wade but will not call on me at the hotel."
"Yes, Scarlett that sounds like a fine idea."
"I will buy a ham and drop it off for Cookie to fix."
"Scarlett, that is too much."
"Melly, let me put some of Rhett's ill-gotten gains to good use."
"Alright but that is all."
"Of course. Be sure and invite India. The poor dear probably would enjoy the event."
The supper was fine, and Scarlett made a point of not sitting anywhere near Ashley. She also made a point of keeping Rhett with her all night.
As they were sitting down to eat Scarlett sat her and Rhett beside India. The old maid glared at Scarlett. Scarlett smiled at India. She was no longer going to keep the war with India going. She couldn't stop India from continuing to treat her badly, but she was not going to treat India badly. Scarlett did smile when Rhett attempted to engage the woman in conversation and India ignored him.
Everyone else at the table talked to Rhett and Scarlett. Rhett behaved himself and didn't make any mocking comments. The food was good, and everyone had a lovely time.
As the evening wore on Rhett finally saw that Scarlett's relationship with Mr. Wilkes had not been one-sided. The man kept staring at Scarlett and Scarlett for her part ignored Mr. Wilkes. Uncle Henry and Aunt PittyPat spent a lot of time talking to Wade. Scarlett could tell Wade liked all the attention.
Against Rhett's objections, Scarlett had left Ella and Genie at home. Scarlett won the argument by telling Rhett, "The supper party will not be over before Genie and Ella's bedtime. Our daughters are not pleasant little girls when they are sleepy."
It was actually the first time Scarlett and Ashley had been in the same room together since Scarlett's appearance in this new timeline. She was afraid she would feel awkward around Ashley considering they had been intimate in the previous timeline but she wasn't. Probably because she pitied Ashley and considered him such a pathetic man.
Scarlett understood Ashley a lot better now. He was a man who had never wanted to interact with the world. He had kept most people at bay but his attraction to her had made him call on her and he had been calling on her no matter what he tried to claim now. Her idolizing him had been wonderful for his conceit. He knew he was doing her wrong, but he selfishly kept doing it anyway. When he had come back from the war and his perfect world was gone, he had become melancholic. Only her pushing him, carrying him, and worshipping him had kept him going. And Melanie and Beau's love, of course. Ashley enjoyed being with Scarlett in small doses, but she would want too much of him if she was with him all the time. Just as she had in the previous timeline. He could enjoy thirty minutes to an hour of her company every other day or so, but when she got to be too much for him, he would need to retreat back into his private world.
Sadly, Ashley wanted their relationship to go back to the way it was. Just as he wanted their world to go back to the way it was. That was why he was always talking about the past. He was trying to recreate that world. He might have been able to accept their lot in life was to be cold and hungry, but he could not accept the destruction of their perfect world which, in fact, was not that perfect. Scarlett was sure the hardest part for Ashley to accept was that they had done it to themselves.
Scarlett had lost all respect for Ashley when he had slapped her. For a man who had kept stringing her along by claiming he was too honorable to leave Melanie that was quite the duplicitous thing to have done. She could never feel anything but shame for such a man.
Once Rhett and Scarlett were alone, he asked, "Why does Miss Wilkes hate you? She seemed to be more hostile than most women towards you."
Scarlett scowled at Rhett. She flippantly said, "I stole her beau before the war started. She hasn't gotten over it."
"Was it her only beau?"
"Yes, but he died at Gettysburg so she would have ended up an old maid anyway."
Rhett just smiled at the way his wife had dismissed India Wilkes's feelings as of absolutely no importance. He smiled bigger when he thought, 'Miss Wilkes's feelings truly are of no importance to her.'
In September, Wade began going to school. While they had been in London, Scarlett had worked with Wade teaching him his letters and his numbers. Wade had to wear a uniform. It was a blue jacket, white shirt and tan shorts or pants. Scarlett took Wade to school on his first day. She walked him into his classroom and told him goodbye. He didn't notice she was gone. He was already involved in meeting all his classmates who happened to be almost all Yankees, but he didn't know that. He couldn't recognize a Yankee by his accent. Wade had spent the last year and a half in London and upon their return had spent most of his time with his family. He was enjoying the opportunity to meet new boys who might become his friends. It was a great day for Wade.
It was not such a great day for Scarlett. In this timeline she had tried extremely hard to be a good mother to her children because when she had been Ashley's wife, she had enjoyed spending time with her children. Something she never thought she would enjoy. She was finally mature enough to be a good mother, secure enough to be a good mother, and financially well off enough to be a good mother. When she had gotten back to her buggy, she had wanted to cry. Her baby had looked so grown up amongst those other boys. Scarlett didn't cry because someone might have seen her crying and that was not to be borne.
The family had moved into the house in the middle of September. As soon as she had moved in, she had gone to Tara and invited Pork, Dilcey, and Prissy to come work for her. They had all agreed. Probably because they would actually get paid for their labors. Suellen was not happy but there wasn't anything she could say about it. They were free people, and they could do what they wanted to do.
Scarlett had her crush in the first part of October and invited all the Scallawags and Republicans. She had even invited Governor Bullock. She had not invited any of the old Atlanta gentry not even Melanie and Ashley. She had said to Melanie, "I will have you and Ashley over for supper and you can see the house, but I don't want you associating with that scum. You are too good for that."
"Scarlett, you shouldn't associate with them either."
"Ah but, Melanie, they treat me like I am a queen amongst commoners. Besides, they are so much fun, and I do so enjoy fun."
Melanie had smiled at her sister-in-law. She did love Scarlett and she loved spending time with her, but she was always grateful to be able to return to her peaceful, quiet house and her books.
The Crush was amazing. Everyone Scarlett had invited had attended even Governor Bullock. She knew now why everyone of the Atlanta gentry had been appalled at her having the Governor in her home. It was because he was a symbol of their subjugation. As far as Scarlett was concerned, Bullock was the way for Rhett to make a lot of money. She had certainly spent a lot of money on this house that Rhett would need to replace. Not to mention the jewelry Rhett had bought her for the occasion.
Scarlett was walking around being sure everyone was having a good time, that there was plenty of whisky, and that there was plenty of food. She saw Rhett talking to several men with one of them being Bullock. Yes, soon Rhett would have made all the money back that he spent on the house.
Scarlett saw Mamie Bart across the room and wondered not for the first time if she had really been a Madame in a brothel in New Orleans. Rhett had not told her that information this time, but she remembered him saying it last time. This time Rhett was not rubbing his past in her face. This time it was like he didn't want her to know how decadent and immoral his lifestyle had been before they married. He didn't care if she knew how unscrupulous and ruthless, he had been at that time in his life. Scarlett smiled. The truth was that he was still unscrupulous and ruthless but that was her Rhett.
The weather was cool, and Scarlett had opened the doors to the patios to let the fresh air in. There were a lot of men smoking inside. A few people had wandered out on the patios and into the gardens. Scarlett had gone out on the patio to get a breath of fresh air and just relax for a moment. A few minutes later a man had come up and put his arm around her waist. She turned with her hand ready to slap the man's face when she saw it was her husband who had his arm around her. Rhett laughed and said, "I am glad you won't let just anyone put his arm around you."
"Nobody but you."
Which had made Rhett smile bigger. He said, "Let's go take a walk in our gardens. I hear there is a maze in there."
"Yes, there is.'
Rhett was walking hurriedly into the garden and then into the maze. When they got to one of the dead ends, Rhett started kissing her. He whispered, "Have you ever made love when there were hundreds of people just on the other side of the bushes?"
"Rhett, no."
Rhett didn't answer her, he just continued kissing her. He pressed himself against her and she was not surprised he was already hard. With his hand he rubbed her through her dress. He lifted up her dress which she helped him do. It was then he rubbed her with his hand against her flesh and he felt her go over the edge. He kept rubbing her until her orgasm was over. She dropped to her knees, and she unbuttoned his fly. Soon she had him in her mouth and he was enjoying himself very much.
Rhett said, "Stand up now!"
Rhett pulled her up and was attempting to get inside her in seconds. He said, "Hold on to me and put your legs around me."
Scarlett quickly did as instructed. Rhett pushed into her then pushed them against the bushes. For the first time ever, she climaxed with him inside her. That was too much for the thin thread of control Rhett had and soon he was going over the waterfall with her.
They stayed like that for a while until they were no longer one. Scarlett giggled and said, "I have to put my legs down."
Rhett smiled down at her as he felt her slide down his body. While holding her pressed up against him Rhett said, "I have to button up my fly."
Neither person moved. Scarlett's dress was still bunched up between them, so they were pressing their naked flesh against each other. They just continued holding each other close and staring at each other. They whispered words of love. Finally, they heard voices and they quickly got their clothes back in order. Scarlett whispered, "Let's go back and be good hosts."
"I doubt if anyone has missed us."
That day marked a change in their intimate life. It was the first time Scarlett had not burst into tears after having orgasmed. She would occasionally after that but less and less as the weeks went by. As they were walking around talking to all their guests.
Scarlett knew they would be intimate again later that night for she had something planned. Although their intimate time wasn't always great for Scarlett, it was always wonderful. She always felt loved and cherished.
The Crush lasted into the wee hours of the morning but that didn't stop Scarlett from going through with her plan. Scarlett got into the bed with nothing on but her jewelry. She whispered, "I want to thank you again for my lovely, new rubies. Now where was I before you stopped me."
When she started kissing his chest and stomach on her way down south, Rhett did not offer a word of objection. Their intimate time was almost as good as their time in the bushes. As the couple was falling asleep Rhett said, "We will have to do it in the bushes again."
"Yes, we will."
"Next time we have a social event."
"No, Rhett."
Rhett wasn't worried. He knew he could talk her into doing it again during a party. He smiled. He didn't actually talk her into doing anything. He just started kissing her and she never stopped him.