Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Four

That night in his bedroom, Rhett said, "I still can't believe how happy my family is to have me in the house. I can't believe Robert reinstated me as head of the Butler family."

"Everyone seems so happy to have you home. Like you are a modern-day version of the prodigal son."

"True. Robert was my best friend most of my life. We were always getting in trouble together."

"You can be best friends again."

"No, I have another best friend now. I like playing with her much more than playing with Robert."

"I think you are referring to me but what you said was just creepy."

Rhett laughed and said, "Robert and I never played that way. Believe me. I don't like men. I only like women."

For a moment, Scarlett started to ask Rhett a lot of questions in regard to that statement, but she decided she didn't want to know. Instead, she said, "I only like playing with you. Let's play again."

The next morning at about eight, Mr. Jasper, the funeral director showed up at the Butler's home with the body. It was laid out in the parlor and Mr. Jasper set up the rented chairs.

By ten anyone who was anyone in Charleston was in the Butler's parlor. The family was sitting on the front row. There was a lot of conversation by the other mourners. All the Butlers knew it was about Rhett sitting on the front row with the rest of his family. Since Rhett had been disowned, he should not have been allowed into the house much less allowed to sit with the family.

At last, Robert stood up. He looked back at Daphne, and she gave him a smile of encouragement. When he got to the front of the room, he paused and took a deep breath. He looked at Rhett and smiled. He started speaking and he said, "I know I am supposed to give a eulogy for Langston Butler, but I will not be praising the man. I instead am going to speak of a great injustice that happened because of Langston Butler and Michael Douglass," Robert paused as there was a collective gasp throughout the room. He continued, "Both men managed to ruin their own child's life because of their own personal ambition. In the spring of fifty, my older brother took a young lady, Sarah Douglass, on an innocent buggy ride. They left Miss Douglass's house at two in the afternoon which should have been plenty of time for the couple to be back before dark. Unfortunately, the wheel broke on our buggy. My brother and Miss Douglass got back after dark. Mr. Douglass told everyone what had happened trying to shame my older brother into marrying his daughter. If Mr. Douglass had not told anyone or if he had accepted the obvious evidence of the broken wheel. It might have been a three-day wonder but soon everyone would have forgotten about it. Much to my father and Mr. Douglass's dismay, Rhett refused to marry Sarah. He refused to marry her because he hadn't done anything wrong. He had the broken wheel and he and Miss Douglass had looked like they had walked five miles down a dusty road. That didn't matter. He got her back after dark. Langston Butler chose Charleston society over his own flesh and blood. He chose to disown his first-born child because Rhett would not be forced into a loveless marriage. A marriage that Langston Butler wanted to further his own social position. Mr. Douglass wanted to get his daughter married into the rich Butler family despite the fact it would be a loveless marriage," Here Robert paused. He was obviously trying to get his emotions under control. Finally, he went on, "I agreed with my brother at the time, and I did not disown him then nor will I disown him now. During my short time as head of the Butler family, I reinstated Rhett back into the family. His name is back in the family bible. Because he is the oldest son of the oldest son, he is the head of the Butler family. If you choose to shun me and my family, we are alright with that," Here Robert smiled at his wife. He then went on, "If you choose to shun my mother and my sister, they are alright with that. We will not disown our loved one over a broken buggy wheel. I would also like to remind you all that Sarah Douglass has been dead for over thirteen years. In fact, all the Douglasses have been dead for over thirteen years.

For those of you that believe that what Rhett did was wrong. That is fine you are entitled to that opinion but let me ask you this. How long should someone be punished for a mistake he made? The rest of his life? No, I believe he has been punished enough. You know sometimes people just make bad choices. They regret their choices, but they can't turn back the hands of time, so they live with their decisions.

My brother who was not received into any decent household in the South risk his life running the blockade to bring needed goods into that same South. Because of his love of the South my brother gave up his blockade running at great expense to himself to take a job with the Confederate government to make sure supplies got to the troops. And my brother left his wife and her family in Georgia just before Sherman marched through to join the Confederate army. I have heard he told his wife that although he was just one man and probably would not make any difference in the outcome of the war, he could not sit the rest of the war out. He had to go and do his part.

I don't know about you all, but I have suffered enough loss because of the war. I am not going to voluntarily suffer anymore. Thank you for coming. There will be no food at the reception because we couldn't afford to buy any. Thank you."

Rhett was sitting there in a state of shock. Scarlett squeezed his hand and hurried off. She found her aunts. She said to the older women, "Stand up. Although your part is small it is critical. By showing support for my husband, you can make the difference between him being accepted or not accepted." Once the ladies had stood up, Scarlett pushed the chairs out of the way. She then put her hands in the small of their backs and pushed them toward her husband. As Scarlett was moving forward, she said, "If you ever want to see another penny of Rhett's money you better get over there and treat him like the prodigal son. You better make sure all of Charleston believes you support bringing him back in to the fold."

Eulalie Boykins and Pauline Billings were not stupid women. They knew they had no other choice but to play their part in this farce, and they would play it to the best of their abilities. Once they had reached Rhett, in a loud voice, Eulalie said, "Next time you and Scarlett are in Charleston, you must come to supper."

Pauline said in a loud voice, "We would have you tomorrow night but that wouldn't be proper with the recent death of your father."

Rhett stood up and smiled at his spirited wife. He said in an equally loud voice, "I'm sure Scarlett and I would enjoy that. Maybe you could prepare us a Savannah favorite."

"Of course."

When the older women took their leave, Eulalie said, "She looked just like Ellen had when she confronted us for our role in Phillipe leaving Savannah."

"Yes, that scene still gives me nightmares from time to time."

"I think this one is going to give me nightmares also."

"There is no doubt that she would have been happy to cut us off without a penny."

"She would have cut us as coldly as Ellen did until Ellen married Mr. O'Hara."

"Ellen only forgave us then because we helped convince Pere it was the best thing for Ellen to marry Mr. O'Hara and move to Georgia."

"Just remembering that time makes me shudder."

"I hope Rhett is received by Charleston again. I wouldn't put it past our niece to somehow make it our fault and cut us off anyway."

"That cold determination she gets from her father."

"That middle-aged, Irish peasant did get a Robillard to marry him."

"Yes, he did."

The ladies laughed and started talking to other people about how poor Rhett had been punished enough for his foolish, youthful decision.

Within the first fifteen minutes after Robert's eulogy, about half the mourners spoke to the Butlers, one of them being Ned Davenport. Mr. Davenport said to Rhett, "I have always thought you got a raw deal. It obviously was just a broken buggy wheel. After you are out of mourning for your father, we will have supper together. This is my wife, Julia."

"Nice to meet you. This is my wife, Scarlett."

Slowly but surely people spoke to the Butlers including Rhett. One of Rhett's cousins who was closer to Rosemary's age said, "We will need to go play cards one night after we are out of mourning."

"Of course. This is my wife, Scarlett. Scarlett, this is my cousin Herbert Crawford."

"Nice to meet you."

After an hour Alfred Butler walked across the room with his wife, Gladys. Alfred was Langston's younger brother. The only one of his brothers that was still living. When he reached Rhett and Scarlett he leaned forward and said, "Langston always was a stick in the mud. On your next trip to Charleston, I would like to talk to you about an investment possibility."

"Uncle Alfred, don't wait until then you might miss your opportunity. Come by my mother's house sometime next week."

"I will, Son."

"Uncle Alfred, Aunt Gladys this is my lovely wife, Scarlett. Scarlett, Uncle Alfred was Langston's younger brother."

"Nice to meet you. Aunt Gladys when Uncle Alfred comes to discuss business with Rhett, please, come with him. We can visit in the parlor."

After the older couple walked away, Rhett whispered, "Mother is not going to be happy that you invited Aunt Gladys to come over. She finds her sister-in-law a bore."

"It doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is that everyone sees everyone else embracing us."

"True."

By the end of the reception, it was clear that the good citizens of Charleston were not going to shun the entire Butler clan.

After an hour Mr. Jasper came to take the coffin to the cemetery. Mr. Jasper said some words over the body then Langston Butler was lowered into the ground and was no longer important to anyone especially not to his wife and children.

When the Butlers got back to their home, Fran had dinner ready, and they all sat down to eat.

Rhett said, "Mother, Rosemary, did you two know what Robert was going to say today?"

Rosemary said, "Of course, we did. Robert wanted to make sure that we were going to stand behind him in his decision."

Elizabeth said, "Although, I think he was going to do it with or without us." Elizabeth turned and smiled at her younger son."

"I was, Mother. It was the right thing to do."

"Of course, it was."

Rhett said, "All I can say is thank you. Now, Robert, where are we with the plantation?"

Robert shook his head, and said, "We weren't able to keep it. We couldn't even pay the taxes on it. Besides, it is no longer a viable operation. We would need extremely cheap labor to make it profitable. What's more the bay has reclaimed a lot of the land because the Yankees broke a lot of the levees."

"What are you doing for a living?"

"I sell machine parts for Schmitt. I do quite well at it. I guess all the Butler charm."

"I am beginning to believe that is Kennesaw charm."

Both men looked at their mother and smiled. She smiled back and said, "Maybe. Probably. I never found Langston very charming."

Both the men said at the same time, "Neither have I."

Which made everyone at the table laugh.

As Robert and Daphne were leaving, Rhett said, "When am I going to meet my nephews and nieces?"

"Tomorrow. I didn't let them attend the funeral because I wasn't sure how everything was going to turn out. I didn't want them seeing people being rude to us."

"You are a good father."

"Thank you. My children are particularly important to me. They are excited about meeting you."

"They know about me?"

Daphne said, "Of course, they do, Robert is always bragging on you to them."

"Then I will have to return the favor and brag on Robert to his children."

As Robert and Daphne were leaving, they kissed Elizabeth, Rosemary, and Scarlett on the cheek in way of goodbye. Rhett kissed Daphne's cheek. Then the men once again hugged for a long time. Finally, Robert and Daphne left the house."

After the door was shut, Rhett took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the tears off his face. He said, "It looks like I'm just turning into a complete cry baby."

Which made all the ladies laugh for the only person who would dare to call Rhett Butler a cry baby was Rhett Butler.