Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Seventeen

All too soon it was Friday, and the Butlers were on the train to Atlanta. They had a wonderful time in Charleston. They saw the sights and ate great food. When they were in their private car, Scarlett said, "If I keep eating like that, I will gain my ten pounds back in no time."

"Remember we are going back to Tara so the meals will not be so bountiful."

"That is true. Thank you for returning to hades with me."

"Tara is not hell, my love. It might be purgatory but not hell. Hell is being in the Confederate army. Sleeping on the hard ground without even a blanket for a cover after having marched all day on an empty stomach while hoping to dream about the woman one loves while knowing that dreaming about her will make the ache in one's heart and in one's loins that much worse."

"Oh Rhett. I missed you so much too. Fortunately, I just had the ache in my heart and not the ache in my nether regions."

"Was that because you didn't know what delights awaited you in your marital bed?"

"Yes."

"And now?"

"Now I often have an ache down there."

"Are you saying I don't keep you satisfied?"

"Rhett, I would never say that. It is just I want you all the time."

"I want you all the time also. Do you know what purgatory is?"

"Of course, I do. I am Catholic."

"Yes, you are. Tara is like purgatory for while we are suffering, we both know we will move on to a better state of being."

"Together."

"Yes, together."

"What religion are you?"

"I was raised in the Presbyterian church, but I would not say I was any religion now."

"What do you mean?"

"I am not sure there is a God."

"Rhett, of course there is a God. You are so foolish sometimes."

Rhett smiled and said, "Whether I believe in God or not once we start having children, we will raise them in a church."

"Can it be the Catholic church?"

"Yes, it can but let us go visit a few other churches to make sure that is the one we are most comfortable at."

"Alright."

"Here is your news magazine for you to read while we are traveling."

Scarlett frowned but she took the magazine from Rhett and like a good wife started reading it. Afterall, she didn't have anything else to do. She just knew he wouldn't talk to her while he wanted her to read the news magazine. She actually found a news article that she got interested in. In fact, she found three articles that were interesting enough to read.

After they arrived in Atlanta, Rhett and Scarlett got them a room at the National Hotel. After they were settled in their room, he said, "Normally when I stay at a hotel, I get a suite, but it is only for one night and we don't need more than one room. Whatever room you are in is the room I will be in."

"Me too. Let's go get supper."

"Alright but I want to see if one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta survived the war."

"What is its name?"

"BoccaLupo."

"What do they serve?"

"Italian food."

"What is Italian food?"

"Food that is from Italy," After Rhett laughed at his little joke while Scarlett scowled at him, he continued, "Italian cuisine is remarkably diverse. It can include meats, fish, vegetables, and some fruits. When most people think of Italian food they think of pasta."

"What is pasta?"

"It is a type of dough that is cooked by boiling it in water. It will be easier for you to understand once you see it. Do you want to change your dress?"

"Yes, and wash my hands and face."

"Me too. You go first. I am not going to change clothes."

After fifteen minutes the couple was in a cab heading toward the restaurant. Rhett had been right. It had been easier to understand once Scarlett saw the food. She let him order for her. He had ordered her lasagna and for himself he had ordered baked fish served on a bed of spaghetti. She like the food but her favorite part was the garlic bread. At one point Rhett said teasingly, "You have garlic breath."

"Does that mean you aren't going to kiss me?"

"Are you crazy? Of course, I am going to kiss you and a whole lot more."

Rhett had already decided that he was going to introduce Scarlett to oral sex that night. Definitely receiving but hopefully giving also.

Later that night as Rhett listened to Scarlett breathing, he thought about their sexual session. He had not suggested that she pleasure him with her mouth because it had taken all his powers of persuasion to get her to allow him to pleasure her in that manner. He wasn't worried about her never doing it. He knew he could eventually talk her around.

The next morning at ten Rhett and Scarlett were at the Hamilton House. Gerald, Melly, and Suellen had not arrived yet. After PittyPat admitted them into the house, Scarlett said, "Let me run upstairs and get my strong box and anything else that I want to keep."

"Alright, my dear. Don't be long. I will be counting the minutes until you return."

Scarlett giggled. She knew that Rhett would not be counting the minutes because he was missing her but because he was having to make conversation with PittyPat.

After Scarlett got to her room in the Hamilton House, she looked around the room. Except for her strong box there wasn't anything in the room she wanted. There was hers and Charlie's wedding picture, but she would give that to Aunt PittyPat. She would pretend she was making the noblest of sacrifices, of course.

Rhett had given Scarlett a twenty-dollar gold piece to leave in Melly's room. As Rhett had said, "Just a little something to help get them through these hard times and with that monetary gift Miss Melly and her son are no longer our responsibility."

Scarlett had replied, "Of course, Dear." While full well knowing Rhett would always feel responsible for Miss Melly and her son.

As Scarlett was walking down the stairs, she saw her gold shawl. She had missed it last winter but on that August night they had escaped from Atlanta the last thing on her mind was a shawl. She grabbed it and was about to turn around to go into the parlor when Melly entered the house.

The ladies gave each other a quick hug. Scarlett hugged her father and her sister. Soon everyone was in the parlor and introductions were made. Although in truth the only people who didn't know each other were PittyPat and Suellen. Rhett stood up and said, "Shall we leave? We have a lot of shopping to do."

Scarlett said, "I left Charlie's and my wedding picture in my room. I know that you two really want it because it was the last picture ever taken of Charlie," Here Scarlett smiled at Rhett and went on speaking to PittyPat and Melly. She said, "Rhett would just as soon not have a picture of my first husband in his house."

Rhett smiled and said, "I know it is petty of me but no I don't."

Melly said, "That is understandable. Thank you, Scarlett for leaving it with us. That is so kind of you."

"Think nothing of it."

Gerald said, "Let us go," After Gerald, Scarlett, Rhett, and Suellen were back at the wagon, Rhett said, "Do you need help getting in the back of the wagon, Suellen?"

"Yes, I do."

Suellen was not happy having to ride in the back of the wagon but at least she would get to see Mr. Kennedy.

The foursome had started off going to Frank's store. He had a lot of the items they needed but not all of them. It was a little bit nauseating to watch Suellen preen over Frank Kennedy. She was allowed to while Frank's hired hand loaded all of the purchased supplies in the back of the wagon. As Scarlett and Rhett were waiting, they walked around the store. When they were far enough away that Scarlett was sure the couple couldn't hear her, she said, "Mr. Kennedy is our only hope of any man ever taking Suellen off our hands."

"That's true. Has she always been such a whiner?"

"It is hard to say. Before the war she didn't have as much to whine about, but she has always whine more than Careen or me. She liked to tattle also. Mostly on Pa and me."

"At least she can't do that anymore. She doesn't have anybody to tattle to."

"Finally, something positive about my mother being dead."

Rhett laughed. He said, "Yes, Mr. Kennedy is your only hope of a man taking her off your hands. She is pretty enough," Scarlett scowled at Rhett, and he added, "Not as pretty as you, of course. Or even Careen. Yet, it is her negative personality that is the most off putting."

The couple saw Gerald walk into the store. He said, "Let's go. All the goods have been loaded in the wagon."

Frank walked out of the store with them. When he found out that Suellen was having to ride in the back of the wagon, he said, "That can't be very comfortable. Why do you…."

Suellen said in the tone of a martyr, "It is alright, Mr. Kennedy. Someone has to ride back here. It might as well be me."

"Mr. Butler, you should…."

"No, it is alright. Don't make Rhett give up his seat."

"Let me get you a cushion at least."

"Thank you, Mr. Kennedy. You are so kind."

Rhett, Scarlett, and Gerald exchanged looks that said, "Can you believe her?"

Frank was quickly back with a cushion. He said, "I got you the softest cushion in the store, Sugar."

"Thank you. You will need to come down to Tara and take it back."

"I will be down tomorrow."

Rhett said, "Mr. Price at the Feed Store will drive you out. Don't do what I did and walk."

"I know. I used to live in Jonesboro."

"Great."

"Let's go Pa."

Suellen said, "Bye Mr. Kennedy. See you tomorrow."

After they had driven away. Suellen said, "It would have been polite if we had offered to pick him up at the train station."

Rhett said, "We didn't know when he would be arriving."

"We could have asked him."

"I wish I had thought of that."

Which brought a smile to Gerald and Scarlett's lips.

The group had gone to two more general stores before they managed to buy all their supplies. They went to Dorr's store and Mr. Dorr had said, "Why did you buy from someone else?"

"Suellen is engaged to Mr. Kennedy, so I want to be sure he stays in business."

"I'd like to stay in business also."

"Of course. Of course. Let me tell you what we need."

Mr. Dorr never warmed toward Gerald while they were there, which had made Gerald sad, but he had to keep Mr. Kennedy in business. Mr. Kennedy had to marry Suellen. He just had to.

On the way back to Tara, Scarlett said, "Are the soldiers still coming?"

Gerald said, "Yes, probably for the rest of the summer. Tom Tarleton is back home. He survived the war."

"How wonderful for the Tarletons. Did they ever get Boyd's body home?"

"No, Boyd's body is probably buried some place in Virginia. Isn't that where he went missing."

"Yes, at the second battle of Manassas. That must be horrible for Mr. and Mrs. Tarleton. Never truly knowing if their son is dead or not."

"I think they have accepted he is dead. They bought a headstone for him."

"With what? They aren't any better off than we are."

"I don't know. The prisoners of war will probably continue returning home throughout the fall. Most of those men had to get well enough to travel home before they could leave the North. Then they will be given a train pass but there aren't very many tracks in working order. We are just lucky the tracks between Jonesboro and Atlanta didn't get destroyed."

"I guess I was lucky the tracks between Atlanta and Charleston weren't destroyed or I would not have been able to get here so quickly."

"Or return to help your mother. Pa, do you want me to write Aunt Eulalie and Aunt Pauline about Mother."

"Fhraoigh and Bairseach don't need to know about your mother dying. Those vindictive shrews don't need anything from us."

"Gerry, what does Fhraoigh and Bairseach mean?"

With a twinkle in his eyes, Gerald said, "Witch."

"Witch?"

"Witch or something similar to that. Maybe it was a word that started with a b, Boyo."

The three people laughed. While Suellen could hear that the others were talking, she could only hear parts of the conversation. She didn't know what they thought was so funny and she would not ask. She knew she would not find it funny. Scarlett, Pa, and Rhett were such low-class people.