Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Twenty
Rhett and Scarlett were soon at BoccaLupo having dinner. For once she repeated her menu order. She had the lasagna again. He followed suit and had the baked fish again.
After dinner Rhett and Scarlett went to Kennedy's. After Scarlett subtly made fun of Ashley, she finally gave him their order. While Ashley was loading the supplies in the back of the wagon Scarlett, Rhett, and Frank had gone out to watch the progress. That amused Scarlett immensely. Ashley, heir apparent, was working like a field hand while three people she knew he thought were beneath him were standing around watching him.
Rhett mentioned to Frank, "Scarlett and I are moving to Atlanta tomorrow. We will be returning to Tara for Christmas dinner. I know that Suellen is going to invite you to come also. If you accept, we can all take the nine o'clock train to Jonesboro together. That way Mr. O'Hara can pick us all up at the same time."
"That is a great plan. I will wait for my invitation before I make any more plans."
Ashley said, "I'm finished, Mr. Butler."
"Very well. Come along Scarlett we have to return to Tara.
Rhett could have gotten all their supplies at Kennedy's, but Gerald had asked them to continue buying some of the supplies from Mr. Dorr. Yes, they had to do what they could to keep Mr. Kennedy solvent, but Gerald didn't want Mr. Dorr to go broke either.
While Rhett and Scarlett were driving through Atlanta, they saw Mrs. Merriwether and waved. The matron smiled and waved back. They saw Mrs. Elsing and Mrs. Meade also. They waved at the matrons and the matrons smiled and waved back. It made Scarlett so happy that she burst out laughing. She said, "You did it, Baby. You did the impossible."
"All for you because you want to live sixty miles from that piece of dirt that you love."
"Thank you so much."
"I will be honest. I didn't think it was possible."
"We will definitely have to travel so you can get all that mocking and teasing out of you."
"Our first trip is in January to New Orleans."
The couple did move to Atlanta the next day. Rhett and Scarlett went to the modiste and the tailor that very after noon. Rhett ordered them enough clothes for a week including everything that they wore underneath.
Scarlett went to visit with Melanie the next afternoon while Rhett went to see his lawyer about his and Scarlett's investments.
During Scarlett's visit with Melly, Ashley's name was curiously missing. Scarlett guessed Melly didn't have anything to brag about in regard to her husband.
Later in the visit Melly invited Scarlett to go calling with her and Scarlett had accepted. When Scarlett went calling all the matrons asked about her husband. Mrs. Bonner verbally invited Rhett and Scarlett to a soiree at her home the next week.
On the way home Melly said, "Everyone tries to bring a food dish for the event."
"Alright. I will get Rhett to get something."
After a week separately Rhett and Scarlett had decided that except for the time they spent together life was going to be very boring in Atlanta.
Rhett went out to play cards and drink whiskey. Scarlett figured he was conducting business in the shadows also. Just as long as he didn't get caught by the matrons. Upon reflection, Scarlett wasn't sure Rhett getting caught would be that bad then they could leave the South and live somewhere else. She just couldn't ask Rhett to move away from Atlanta. He had worked so hard to get himself received for her.
Rhett took Scarlett to a new restaurant almost every evening. She liked the food at all the places Rhett had taken her. Her favorites were BoccaLupo and Francois's which served French food. When she said, "I really like French food."
"Wait until you try it in New Orleans. This is good enough but the food in New Orleans is outstanding. Of course, the food in Paris is even better."
Rhett had gotten a meat tray from the National Hotel kitchen to take to the soiree. He was once again a hero. He later whispered to Scarlett, "We can't have enough good will."
"True."
Frank had sent Rhett a note to the hotel telling him that he would meet them at the train station Christmas morning to take the nine o'clock train to Jonesboro.
Scarlett thought herself blessed that she had not had to talk to Ashley since his return to Atlanta except when she saw him at Kennedy's since their move to Atlanta. She supposed she should invite the Wilkeses and the Hamiltons to supper at the hotel, but she just didn't want to endure an evening with them. It had been bad enough living with Aunt PittyPat during the war. When she found out that India had moved in with Ashley and Melanie, she shelved that idea completely.
Christmas Day Rhett woke Scarlett up with coffee, orange juice, pastries, and lots of presents. She had a delightful time opening them all up. She was thrilled by all of them. There was jewelry, hair pins, a new hairbrush, fabric for underwear, and several books.
Scarlett happily brought out all the presents she had bought for him. Cigars, whiskey, books, material, jewelry, and a couple of suits.
Rhett pushed all the presents off the bed, and they were intimate. It was amazing. Scarlett never let herself wonder how Rhett had become so talented in love making. She didn't want to know.
Rhett and Scarlett met Frank at the train station and rode down to Jonesboro together. In the middle of the trip Frank said, "I am going to buy a sawmill."
Scarlett said, "What about marrying Suellen?"
"She will understand this delay."
"No, she won't."
Scarlett turned beseeching eyes towards Rhett.
"Scarlett, If Mr. Kennedy wants to take the chance of losing Suellen to another man, then that is his choice. Although, Mr. Kennedy, you should know that Will and what is that other man's name, Scarlett?"
"Tony Fontaine."
"Thank you, Dear. Two men have been trying to get her to let them call on her, but she keeps telling them she is engaged to you. Will lives at the plantation so he doesn't really need permission to call on her. He can secretly court her."
"That's right. She always seems to be smiling when Will is around. I know she is getting tired of waiting."
Frank said, "I may have to rethink this. I remember before the war there were always men calling on her at Tara."
Rhett felt Scarlett's nails dig into his arm and said, "Once again there are several men swarming around her like flies to a honey pot."
When Rhett was finished speaking, he felt Scarlett loosen her grip. He knew that she knew that to get Frank to the altar he had to be scared of losing Suellen. Rhett also knew that the young men had not been calling on Suellen but on Scarlett – the belle of five counties.
As the trio got off the train, Frank said, "I am going to get Sue to marry me tomorrow. I am not going to lose her to another man."
Scarlett said, "She can stay in our suite with us."
"We will just live behind the store for a little while until the sawmill starts making a profit."
"Sounds like a good plan, Mr. Kennedy. But don't tell her that you are only marrying her so quickly to prevent her from marrying someone else."
Scarlett added, "She would just deny that she would do something like that because it isn't very proper to be sneaking around behind your fiancé's back. Not that she was really sneaking around behind your back."
"True. True."
Gerald picked the trio up in the wagon. Rhett sat in the back with Frank so the older man would not have time to rethink his decision. Scarlett told her father about the conversation on the train.
Gerald said, "God's nightgown. That was a close one. Indeed, your husband is very clever."
"And very sneaky too."
"Another grand Irish trait."
Father and daughter both laughed.
After the group arrived at the plantation, Suellen joined Frank on the porch. The couple sat in the swing that Rhett had fixed last summer. Rhett had fixed it so he could sit on it with his wife.
Frank said, "Sugar, times are hard."
"Yes."
"I know your father doesn't have a lot of extra money."
"No, he doesn't."
"So, let's get married at the courthouse tomorrow then when we have more money, we can have a grand reception."
With a big smile, Suellen said, "Yes."
"Scarlett has said you can stay in their suite overnight and we can be married first thing in the morning. I know it isn't terribly romantic, but I can't afford to be away from the store for the entire day. Mr. Wilkes is just not that competent."
"That is alright, Frank. I will be glad to help you with the store."
"That will certainly be a blessing. You can work just until you get with child."
"Yes, of course, Dear."
Over the dinner table, Frank said, "Suellen and I are going to be married in Atlanta tomorrow at the courthouse."
Scarlett said, "Wonderful."
Gerald looked at Careen and said, "Only one of us can be gone from the plantation all day. It has been a long time since you have gotten to leave the plantation. Why don't you go?"
"No, Pa, if I go then I would have to take Prissy to ride back with me. You go on and go."
"Alright. Suellen and I will come up on the first train tomorrow morning."
Suellen said, "That sounds wonderful, Pa. One last special time with you."
Scarlett, Rhett, and Gerald had watched while Frank kept giving Will hateful glances. If Will wondered about it, he never said a word. What had helped substantiate Rhett's lie was that when the family sat down at the table, Will had down next to Suellen. It was his normal seat. Nobody else wanted to sit next to Suellen.
The meal was good and there was an ample amount of food. There was fried chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, greens, and rolls. For dessert was pecan pie and buttermilk pie. After the meal was over Gerald, Rhett, and Scarlett walked around the plantation. Gerald told of his plans for the future. Scarlett said, "I guess it was your Irish luck that got you a son left on your doorstep when you needed one the most."
"Indeed, it was, Puss. I think I am going to marry Careen off to him."
"Pa, you can't do that."
"He is in love with her. Fortunately, Careen has given up the idea of becoming a nun and hiding herself away because of her broken heart. She was just fifteen when that Tarleton boy died. It was just a foolish crush like the one you had on…."
"Pa! Rhett doesn't need to hear all that."
Rhett said, "Rhett may not need to hear all that but maybe Rhett wants to hear all about that."
"Hush, Rhett, and don't talk about yourself in the third person. It is just creepy."
Rhett burst out laughing.
Gerald said, "I won't make Careen marry him, but I know now that she loves Tara as much as we do. She would be happy to live the rest of her life right here. Therefore, I will strongly encourage her to marry Will after all like I told you love comes after marriage for women."
Rhett said, "I'm glad you loved me before you married me."
Scarlett linked her arm in Rhett's and said, "Me too."
At three o'clock Frank, Scarlett, Rhett, and Gerald were in the wagon heading into Jonesboro. Rhett and Scarlett were in the back of the wagon. They had sat back there so that Frank could sit on the buckboard. They could not disrespect Frank this close to the finish line.
Frank and Suellen kept waving at each other until the wagon went around the bend. It reminded Scarlett of when she and Rhett had stared at each other until he went around the bend the day they met.
Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "Do you remember…"
"Yes, of course, I remember."
Scarlett beamed at him.