Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Scarlett and Melanie continued being friends, but Scarlett always made Melly and Beau come to her house. Scarlett would say, "So I don't have to see India and I don't embarrass Aunt PittyPat." Scarlett was always happy for the woman when Melly told Scarlett about something wonderful that Ashley had done or when she saw Melly in a new dress or when Melly had a new hat.
During the summer, Rhett took the family to Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Scarlett would not have to go into a confinement in the North. They brought Mammy with them to watch the children while they went out at night. Rhett had business to conduct in Boston and Chicago. The family enjoyed seeing the historical sights of Boston and Philadelphia. They enjoyed the landmarks of Chicago.
Rhett and Scarlett attended several social functions in Boston and Chicago. The couple had spoken to Mr. Powe about living in Boston. Afterall, the man had once lived there. Mr. Powe told them about good restaurants, the best hotel, and local landmarks. He had not been much help with introductions to local people for he had not been that social of a person.
While in Philadelphia, Rhett said, "I don't know anyone who lives here."
"That surprises me. You always know someone."
"I have never done business with anyone in Philadelphia and that is usually how I meet people. Or I meet them through someone I have done business with."
"We will just explore the city and try some of the restaurants."
At the end of their trip the couple had agreed that they would move either to Boston or New York. Although both people were leaning towards New York. Mainly for Rhett because it was so much more innovative than anywhere else in the United States. He, like Scarlett, would have like to live in Paris or London but he wanted to be days away from his family not weeks. For Scarlett it was because the women there liked her. She had about a half a dozen women she corresponded with regularly.
In September of seventy Alexandria Katie Butler was born. Melly and Mammy were there to help her through the ordeal although the only person Scarlett was really concerned about being in the room was Dr. Harrison. Dr. Harrison and his wonderful chloroform.
Mammy cleaned the baby up and Melly took her to Rhett. When Melly entered the nursery, there was Captain Butler sitting in the middle of the floor playing with all the children. When he saw her, he gracefully got to his feet. He walked over and took the baby out of her arms. He said, "Scarlett?"
"Is fine? They are fixing her a meal. I will come get you when the room is cleaned up."
"What is it?"
"A girl."
With those words, Melly quickly left the room. She just hoped Captain Butler wasn't too disappointed it was another girl. As Melly walked down the hallway, she felt the tears prick her eyes. She would wait until she got home to cry. She was so jealous of Scarlett. Not for all her worldly goods but because the woman could have child after child. She was also mad at her for the woman didn't want to have any more although she did appear to love the ones she had.
After the room was cleaned up and Rhett entered it with his second daughter in his arms he said, "Can I have this one all to myself?"
"You know you can't. She's my baby too even if she does look a lot like you."
Rhett smiled and Scarlett smiled back. He said, "Love you."
"I love you, too."
As Scarlett looked at her newborn baby, she knew it was baby Melanie reborn or the closest thing Genie could give her. Alexi was born on baby Melanie's birthday, she had blonde hair and green eyes, and the clincher to Scarlett was she looked very much like her father. She would probably develop Rhett's personality also. Baby Melanie had looked like her father and had his personality, but Genie could not give Rhett and Scarlett's child Ashley's looks or his personality. That would cause too many problems for Scarlett. So, she did the next best thing. She gave Alexi her father's looks and personality. Scarlett was so happy. She had all her children back.
Scarlett would make the family go get their portraits taken on each person's birthday. Rhett once said, "It is a good thing I am a millionaire, or I would not be able to afford all this taking of pictures."
"Silly man. When you proposed you said I could have access to your checkbook."
"I didn't really mean it."
Scarlett would kiss him and say, "Yes, you did. You just want me to be happy."
When it was Ella's birthday, the photographer had come to the house because Scarlett was recovering from the birth of Alexi. Scarlett had not wanted to have her picture taken while her waist was still large. This was not the first time Marshall Potter had to deal with a vain woman. Mr. Potter had arranged to have Genie and Ella sit on their mother's lap and Wade sit beside her. After they were posed, Rhett assured Scarlett that nobody would ever be able to tell her waist was any larger than it normally was. With that reassurance she had agreed to have her picture taken. Rhett joined them with Alexi in his arms. Rhett had thought at the time, 'She is such a vain woman, but I knew that when I married her.'
Scarlett absolutely refused to have a picture taken of just her and Rhett until the photographer made a pose suggestion. He suggested that Rhett be seated and then for Scarlett to stand behind him. As large as Rhett was all that could be seen of Scarlett was her head and shoulders. Scarlett had agreed with that recommendation.
Rhett had Mammy's picture taken with the children and he gave Mammy the picture. Mammy thanked him warmly. It was not Rhett's charm that had softened Mammy's heart towards Rhett but her little lamb's obvious happiness. Rhett also had Pork, Dilcey, Prissy, and Flynn's picture taken. Flynn was Pork and Dilcey's son.
In passing Scarlett wondered how Pork and Dilcey had only one child. She then remembered what Genie had said when she asked how Ashley and she only had one child. 'That's just the way it happens sometimes.'
For the next six months, Rhett was beginning to understand the monster he had created in his eldest daughter. His eldest daughter who was very annoyed that she was having to share her daddy with another baby. Genie had known she was her daddy's favorite but now there seemed to be another favorite in the nursery.
When Rhett had taken all the children to the park when Alexi was six weeks old on a warm November day, Genie had tried to get him to leave the baby there. Only by telling Genie that her mother would not be happy if he didn't bring the baby back home was Rhett able to get the little girl to accept that the baby had to come home with them.
When Rhett had been rocking Alexi after Scarlett had nursed the child, Genie had tried to push the baby out of his arms. It was the first time Rhett had spoken harshly to the little girl, but he had to stop her before she hurt Alexi.
There had been the time that Genie refused to come sit with him as long as he was holding Alexi, so Rhett had let her pout in the corner.
Scarlett had bought the girls matching outfits for Christmas. Genie was fine with her mother having given her and her sisters matching outfits. No Genie was not jealous of the time her mother devoted to Alexi or Ella. Rhett knew that it was because Scarlett had never been overt in her favoritism towards Genie even though he knew she loved his daughter more than her other children.
If Rhett had shared that belief with Scarlett, she would have smiled and thought, 'There is my conceited, vain, egotistical imbecile.' Scarlett loved all her children the same. They were all her children after all.
At Genie's third birthday party, she had gotten mad at her daddy for holding Alexi while she was opening her presents. Genie had thrown herself on the floor and had a temper tantrum. Scarlett had spoken harshly to the three-year-old. She had said, "Eugenia Victoria, I will be happy to throw all these gifts and this birthday cake in the trash if you cannot behave yourself."
The child had immediately stopped and had picked herself up. All she had said was, "Yes ma'am."
When Scarlett had sat down next to Rhett she whispered, "You are going to have to talk to her."
"I suppose I must. She doesn't appear to be getting over this."
Rhett knew that Scarlett was right. After five months Genie was still not accepting Alexi in their lives. That was not true. Genie liked Alexi. She just didn't like having to share her daddy with her. Genie was alright with sharing everyone else with Alexi just not her daddy. Rhett had hoped she would grow out of her possessiveness of him, but he guessed he had done to good a job of letting her know she was his favorite.
The next day, Genie and Rhett went to the park alone. Once they were there, he sat her down and explained to her that as much as he loved her, he loved Alexi just that much. Alexi was his daughter also. Alexi was in their lives forever and she just needed to accept it.
Genie was not happy about that information, but she did begin to accept she was no longer the favorite. She soon discovered that except for having to share Daddy, she still got everything she wanted. Everything she wanted except what Mama had already said no to.
Genie still remembered how mad Daddy had gotten at her when he found out that she had asked him for something Mama had already said no to. It was the only time she had ever seen Daddy not happy with her much less mad at her. Daddy had lectured her on the value of always being honest with him. She would never do that again. Genie didn't understand it, but Mama and Mammy always seemed to know what she was up to.
Genie would have been surprised to know how Mama and Mammy were always one step ahead of her. It was because Genie was doing all the same things Mama had done when she was a little girl.
In the middle of March when Scarlett heard of Melly's plans to throw Ashley a surprise party. She got a horrible pain in her stomach. She wondered how she could get out of helping decorate and even attending the party itself. She wished she could talk to Genie about it but in order to get to bring the spirit out of the bottle, she had to give Rhett the bottle. She still wasn't ready to explain everything to Rhett. She still didn't want him to know that she had in another timeline been married to Ashley.
Scarlett finally decided that she could help decorate but then pretend to get a sick headache. A headache so bad they would not be able to attend the event. She would make it up to Melly by having the Wilkes over to supper later the next week. That had been too disastrous an event to even take the chance of repeating it. Although so far, they hadn't repeated any of their mistakes. Her because she knew what she had done wrong before and Rhett because she had guided him away from the dark side.
That is what Scarlett did. She went to Melly's the day of the party to help decorate. She watched as Melly manipulated Archie into doing what she wanted him to do. Scarlett paused and wondered how many other people Melly had manipulated into doing what she wanted them to do. She remembered being annoyed that she wasn't going to be in the receiving line and now she knew why she could not be in the receiving line. She remembered how excited she had been about getting to go see Ashley at his sawmill. She would never understand why. She saw him every week at his mills while she went over the books. She remembered her conversation with him. She remembered thinking he was behaving like the Ashley from before the war. She had remembered him taking her hand and her not feeling anything. She had remembered how he had continued to talk about the boys who had died in the war even after she had asked him to stop. She remembered him offering her comfort and her ignoring the sound of footsteps. She stopped her thoughts. She didn't want to think about the rest of what had happened that day.
Suddenly, she felt so sick. She didn't have to pretend to be sick. She was sick. She had to go home right now. She didn't see Melly, but Scarlett couldn't wait for her to return. She had to get out of that house right then. India said, "Scarlett, are you alright. You look as pale as a ghost."
Scarlett croaked out, "No, I'm not. I must leave. Tell Melly I'm sick and I probably won't be back tonight."
While they were decorating, Scarlett had spoken kindly to India and surprisingly India had spoken kindly to her. She trusted India to tell Melly what had happened.
As Scarlett was getting her purse, Melly found her. Melly said, "Darling, you look awful. Go home now. Hopefully, you will feel well enough to return this evening."
"I hope so."