Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Thirty-Six
In April of seventy-seven, the couple went out for supper, dancing, and spent some time in a hotel room. Rhett and Scarlett had a lovely time, but they had returned to their home before midnight. Rhett knew he was getting to be a persnickety, old man but he liked sleeping in his own bed best of all. That is as long as Scarlett was sleeping beside him.
That summer when Scarlett was informed that her Aunt Eulalie had passed away, the entire family went to the funeral. Rhett had said, "We will stay in Charleston and visit with my mother for a week or so then we can go on to Atlanta and Tara."
"Sounds wonderful. I'm sure your mother will love to see the children."
"In small doses. My mother was never an on-hands mother. She left the raising of us to Mammy."
"So did my mother. I think that is what is considered proper in the South."
"In England also."
With a laugh Scarlett said, "In New York also. All our friends look at us strangely when we tell them we have supper most every night with our children."
"I personally enjoy it."
"I would like it better if one of them wasn't always turning their milk over."
Rhett smiled and said, "Are you excited about seeing Tara again?"
"You know I am. I am excited about seeing Atlanta, also. I sent Pork a telegram informing him of our impending visit."
"Did you notify Miss Melly?"
"Of course, Dear."
The funeral was awful with everyone snubbing Rhett. In fact, Scarlett thought that a lot of people spoke to Mrs. Butler just so they could pointedly ignore Rhett. Every time they did Scarlett squeezed Rhett's arm.
Rhett and Scarlett had gone to the graveside but had quickly left as soon as the body was in the ground. All Scarlett had said to Pauline was, "The check will continue until your death. The amount will not be reduced. That is thanks to my husband's generosity and kindness."
They returned to the hotel where the children were staying with the nursemaid, Daisy. Rhett said, "It didn't matter twenty years ago, and it doesn't matter now. I have you and the children."
"Rhett, you asked me once what happened to not make me care about my reputation. I told you at the time I didn't want to talk about it, and I still really don't. I do want to say this. I threw it away because I couldn't stand another minute of boredom much less a lifetime. I might have been able to handle it if you had been there but with you being in Europe, I would have died from boredom. You would have come back and found a corpse where your lively fiancé should have been."
Rhett laughed and said, "I'm so glad you did. My trip to Europe would not have been as fun if you were in Atlanta."
The family stayed five days in Charleston. On the sixth day, they were on the train to Atlanta. They were planning on spending a month in Atlanta. They had not been back to Atlanta in over three years. As they got off the train their arrival in Atlanta did not make the rounds as quickly as it had when they returned from London in sixty-eight. Nobody in the Atlanta gentry really cared about Scarlett and Rhett Butler now. They were Yankees now.
The house was in good condition. It was plain to see that Pork and Dilcey had taken care of the house. It was also plain to see that Pork was no longer a young man. Scarlett sent a note to Melanie asking for permission to call on her the next day. Later in the afternoon, Melanie sent a note back saying she would be happy to receive her the next day.
Supper was fixed by Dilcey and while it was good it was not great. It was just plain ordinary fare. After supper, Rhett read the younger children a story while Genie, Wade and Ella were allowed to amuse themselves in the family parlor. Ella spent some time teaching Genie a new song on the piano. Once the younger children were asleep, Scarlett asked Rhett, "Are you going out?"
"No, there is nothing I left behind in Atlanta."
"Maybe you can go out tomorrow while I go visit with Melly."
"I would rather go visit Miss Melly."
"Alright, Dear."
Rhett, Scarlett, and all the children when to the Wilkes the next day. When they arrived, the family found only Melly and Beau. Melly had insisted on holding Emma. Although she didn't get to hold her for long. At almost two the girl was a wiggle worm. There was a lot of exchange of information that afternoon. Mrs. Merriwether had passed away. Rene and Maybelle were running the bakery now. They had changed the name to Picard's Bakery. They sold a lot more things now than just pies. Dr. Meade had passed away, but Mrs. Meade was still going strong. Mrs. Elsing had been very embarrassed when Fanny married a Yankee but since Hugh was still struggling to support the family, Mrs. Elsing had welcomed her new well to do son-in-law into the family. The Bonners were still getting by.
Melanie said, "Ashley is doing very well in his job and these days he comes home happy. India and I are tutoring Beau. He plans to become a lawyer. Ashley's boss, Mr. Burns, offer to train him in the law. Starting in September, Beau will go to work with Ashley every morning. Beau and Ashley will come home for dinner and in the afternoon, I will teach Beau other thinks."
"How wonderful, Melly! How are Uncle Henry and Aunt PittyPat?"
"They are fine. They would love to see Wade."
"Why don't you arrange a supper for us with them?"
"Of course, what about Saturday?"
Scarlett looked at Rhett and he nodded his head. They had been planning on going to Tara on Saturday, but she guessed they could go on Sunday instead. Although they would not be spending the night for there was no room for them now. Suellen had six little girls so the main house at Tara was full.
Scarlett said, "Let me give Cookie some money to buy some chickens. Nobody in the North knows how to fry chicken."
"The meal will be here, and we don't need your money. We can afford to buy enough food for the supper."
"Are you…."
"Of course, Miss Melly, you can afford to buy the food. I think Scarlett's concern is that our children all have very hardy appetites."
"Yes, thank you, Dear. Sometimes I think they eat more than a small army."
"My cook and I will plan accordingly."
"Thank you. In the fall, Rhett is going to send Wade to Hartford Academy for Boys. They have a ninety-five percent success rate of their graduates getting into Harvard. Wade has his heart set on attending his father's alma mater," Scarlett smiled at Wade. Scarlett knew that Wade wanted to go to Cornell with all his friends but being the smart boy he was, he didn't correct his mother. She continued, "He knows it would be what Charlie would want."
The truth was Wade Hamilton who went by Wade Butler now could care less about what his biological father would want. He had affection for his Hamilton relatives, but he could no longer bond with them. Mama had always been the most important woman in Wade's life and when she started paying attention to him no other woman stood a chance of ever being first in his heart. After their year in London when he was five years old, Dad became the most important man in his life. What they thought and felt was much more important than what these antiquated people of the South thought.
Melly asked, "Are you sending the girls to school?"
"Yes, mostly for the social aspect. Although all the girls are doing well academically. They go to St. Mary's Parochial School."
The supper was nice. Scarlett and Rhett had let all the children attend. As they sat at the table, Scarlett looked at everyone. Everyone looked old including Melly who Scarlett knew was only a year older than her. When she turned to her husband, he read her thoughts which was not something he could often do anymore. He whispered, "No, my love, you look ten years younger than her. Despite Mr. Wilkes's success, she has had a much harder life than you."
"Thanks to you."
Rhett had smiled and bowed his head in acknowledgement of the compliment.
The next day they went to Tara. Big Sam picked them up in the wagon. When Scarlett saw him, a big grin passed over her face. She said, "Big Sam! How are you doing?"
"I am doing fine. Me and Liberty have been married almost nine years now. We have three boys and one little girl."
"How wonderful. Big Sam this is my husband, Rhett Butler. Rhett this is Big Sam… What is your last name now?"
"O'Hara. What else could I choose."
Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "Sam O'Hara. Big Sam was the man that saved me when I was attacked."
"Then I owe him a debt of gratitude."
"Big Sam, do you remember my son Wade?" With Sam's nod, Scarlett went on. She said, "This is Ella, Genie, Alexi, Gerry, he was named for Pa, and our youngest child, Emma."
"Nice to meet you. Come get in the wagon. It is not extremely comfortable, but it is better than walking."
"Indeed."
As they went around the bend and Scarlett saw the main house, she gasped. The sight broke Scarlett's heart. It was in worst condition than it had been three years ago. Big Sam said, "Mr. Will is doing the best he can with the money he has. He doesn't make much of a profit from what I understand."
Sadly, Scarlett said, "No, there isn't much profit."
The younger children played with their cousins while Rhett, Scarlett, and Wade walked around the grounds. Rhett knew that Scarlett and Wade were getting gloomy. He said, "Baby, spend the money to get it fixed up like it once was. I don't care."
"But I do. It will never be the plantation of my youth. Nothing in the South will ever be the same and maybe that is a good thing. Nonetheless, it will never be the thriving plantation of my youth. It will be a bunch of men eking out a living until the end of time. I will not throw your money away on a lost cause," Rhett had smiled at her word usage.
Wade said, "I get stronger when we come to Tara. Yet, I hate coming here because it always makes me remember that awful time in our lives."
Scarlett linked her arm in her son's arm. Her son that was taller than her now. She said, "Let's go home."
Wade said, "I hope you mean New York."
"I do, my son, I do."
Mother and son turned to walk back to the house. Rhett followed behind. He did not interfere. They were giving Tara a final goodbye. He would never understand their love of the land. No, not their love of the land, their love of this particular piece of land. He guessed because he wasn't Irish.
Dinner was a tedious affair with Suellen and Scarlett exchanging snide comments.
After dinner Scarlett and Rhett visited with Mammy. The older woman looked good. It was clear to see Suellen was taking good care of Mammy. That at least brightened Scarlett's heart.
As the family got back in the wagon to go to Jonesboro, Mammy hugged Scarlett and said, "Don't come back, Child. It hurts you too much because you remember what it looked like before the war."
Scarlett replied, "No, I never will." She never wanted to see Tara again.
Later as they laid in their bed, Scarlett said, "I sacrificed so much to save Tara and now it is just a farm. Let's go home. I don't want to come back ever again. It is too painful to see what has happened to all these proud people. Knowing we did it to ourselves."
"Do you want me to sell the house?"
"Yes."
"What do you want me to do about Pork and Dilcey?"
With a sob Scarlett said, "I don't know."
"Do you want me to handle it?"
"Yes."
"Come here. You are safe. You did right by everyone that was at Tara that awful year after the war. You continue to do right by that shrew that is your aunt. Give this to me to handle. Trust me to handle it in the best possible way."
As Scarlett laid wrapped up in Rhett's arms, she felt safe. After ten years of being in this timeline Scarlett finally felt completely safe. She finally trusted her husband completely. She knew he would take care of everything. She could let go of the responsibility of all the people that were at Tara after the war. She said, "Of course, you will, my love."
Rhett held her close. Although he wanted to make love to her, he didn't. All she needed and wanted in that moment was to let go of her past completely. It seemed that Scarlett had other plans. She pulled his head down to her and kissed him passionately. Scarlett so rarely initiated romance between them that he was definitely not going to turn her down. Besides, he wanted to make love also.
Rhett was not surprised when she had her nightmare that night despite the fact it had been many years since she had that horrible dream. He was gratified as always that she was calling his name.
Rhett woke her up and held her close. He lit the candle although it was difficult with her clinging to him. Nonetheless he would not push her aside. After she was calm, she said, "Do you still have the bag of pecans?"
"Yes."
"Are they the same pecans?"
"Yes."
"Rhett, those are bad by now."
"Maybe but they are better than nothing, true?"
She smiled at him and said, "True but let's get some new ones before we return to New York. We certainly can't get Georgian pecans up North."
"I will send Pork out tomorrow to buy us some fresh pecans that I hope we never need. Now do you think you can go back to sleep."
"Yes, but…"
"I will leave the light on until you fall asleep.
Just before Rhett fell asleep, he thought about how Scarlett was letting him see her vulnerability by asking for a light. He knew then how safe he made her feel. He never got up and turned the light out. He would sleep with the light on for her to feel safe.