Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Five

A month later Rhett realized that nothing had changed in his relationship with Scarlett which was good and bad. Good that she so far had not tried to use his love against him; bad that she seemed to not be any fonder of him than she had been before his declaration of love. After Rhett had thought that he smiled and thought, 'At least she still doesn't hate me.'

One night in late March Rhett was edgy and restless. Finally, Scarlett said, "I feel like a tea kettle you are watching and waiting to boil. Get out of here. I can't guarantee I won't have another miscarriage but you constantly watching me is not preventing it."

Rhett stood up and said, "If you need me for any reason just send a footman to get me."

"Go! Please!"

Rhett walked over and kissed her. He was soon walking to the stables to get his horse. It was fortunate that Rhett had gone to The Painted Lady that night for he ran into a man that was from Australia. The man's name was Mick Dundee. Rhett could not help but recognized the man's Australian accent. Mick had come to the United States in forty-nine to clean-up in the gold mines near San Francisco.

Mick had said, "I found it easier to clean the miners out of their gold than to find gold."

Rhett had laughed and said, "I did too. A few drinks and they were betting too much on lousy hands."

"The most I ever had to buy the miner was two."

"I had to buy a few three. That's how green they were they never wondered why I was buying them the drinks."

When Mick offered Rhett a cigar, Rhett was tempted but he shook his head no. He did accept the whiskey Mick offered to buy for him. After the drinks arrived Rhett said, "Just warning you I am no green miner."

When Mick offered to buy Rhett another drink, he shook his head no. When Mick looked at him questioningly, Rhett said, "One is my limit." Rhett didn't feel the need to give any more of an explanation.

After two hours of playing cards, Rhett put his money in his pocket. He had broken even. He was okay with that. Mick said, "You are not going home so soon, are you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Why?"

Rhett smiled and said, "I don't believe I need to give you an explanation of my movements, but I will. My wife likes for me to be home early."

"You don't strike me as the type to be henpecked."

Rhett roared with laughter. He said, "Hardly, Mr. Dundee. Come to supper tomorrow night. Once you have met my wife you will understand why I try to keep her happy. 210 Peachtree Lane at six. Be on time. My wife doesn't hold a meal for anyone."

"Sure."

"Bye."

Mick watch the man he now knew as Rhett Butler stroll confidently out of the saloon. Mick thought, 'No, that man was definitely not henpecked.'

The next night Mick did join the Butlers for supper. Once Mick met Mrs. Butler, he knew indeed why Mr. Butler would want to keep this woman happy. The woman was not beautiful, but she was striking. More than that the woman oozed sexuality.

The children were eating in the nursery for Rhett and Scarlett didn't want them to know about their plans to leave Atlanta until it was absolutely necessary.

Mick told the couple all about Australia. Mick said, "I was born in the Outback in a little town called Walkabout Creek."

"What is the Outback?"

"It is mainly in the interior of the island. It is a vast, unpopulated, arid territory."

"Which cities have you been to?"

"I have lived in Sydney and Melbourne."

"Which is better?"

"Sydney is older and warmer, but Sydney was once also a penal colony. Melbourne has more culture while Sydney's people are friendlier."

Mick spent the rest of the meal telling them stories of his life in Australia. Scarlett said, "Why did you leave?"

"There was this girl and she married someone else, so I decided to start a new life far away from her."

Scarlett said, "How sad!"

"Yes, very sad."

After Mick left for the evening Scarlett said, "When we move, we will move to either Sydney or Melbourne and if we don't like it, we can move again."

"I believe that Australia is the best place for us also."

"It is highly unlikely any of these Southerners are going to travel half-way around the world."

"None of the people we are trying to avoid could afford to move to Australia."

"That's true.

'So, two years more at most?"

"I think it will be all over in two years."

"What do you mean?"

"I really don't know."

Rhett laughed and Scarlett laughed a little self-consciously. Then she shrugged her shoulders and turned to the staircase. Rhett quickly caught up with her and escorted her to their bedroom. They were having relations a lot because this was the perfect time. Scarlett was already pregnant, so Rhett didn't have to practice coitus interruptus, and Scarlett was neither sick nor was she so large that she was uncomfortable.

For their fourth anniversary, Scarlett told Rhett to take them to Sanborn's which was Rhett's favorite restaurant. Scarlett said, "After all, it is your anniversary too."

"Indeed, it is, my love."

They had a splendid time, and they went dancing afterwards. As they were dancing Scarlett thought, 'He is such a good dancer. I am so lucky. So many of my beaus had two left feet.'

They stayed out later than usual because both of them were having such a good time. Scarlett loved it when Rhett gave her tidbits of historical information. He always made all that boring stuff interesting.

That night in the throes of passion Rhett told her he loved her and again she did not respond in kind, but he certainly had felt wanted in that moment.

The summer was long and hot for Scarlett, and she cursed herself for her insane idea of willingly having another child. There was lots and lots of ice cream for everyone.

In September of seventy-two Rhett was mostly a happy man. He was about to be a father again and nothing had changed in his relationship with Scarlett. She had not tried to use his love against him. Rhett was making himself be happy with the fact she was fond of him and didn't hate him anymore.

Scarlett at the same time was an unhappy lady. She was at the end of her pregnancy. It seemed to her that her last month was nine months long. She was hot. She was uncomfortable. She was huge. She had to go to the bathroom all the time. She had false labor starting in August. She was cranky.

Every night as she got in the bed she said, "Why didn't you talk me out of this foolish idea?"

Rhett would patiently say as he massaged her back, "Because you felt the need to replace the baby we lost. I knew I couldn't talk you out of that idea."

"What poppycock. What was I thinking? No, you couldn't."

He would then rub the cream into her baby bump and assure her that her skin wasn't ugly or disfigured. Rhett could honestly tell her that because he really didn't think her skin was ugly. It had been his children that had caused the stretch marks on her stomach. He was now willing to admit that he could be as big a hypocrite as anyone else, but he couldn't be that big of a hypocrite to be unhappy about the marks on her skin because he had caused those marks.

They would talk about names, and they finally settled on Louisa Elizabeth and Patrick Gerald. Rhett didn't care what name they decided on for a boy because he was sure they were going to have another girl.

Somehow Rhett was cheerful through the entire summer although she did notice that he went out to play cards more often than usual. At least he did until she started having false labor then he was constantly at home. She appreciated all his efforts to keep her happy but there was sometimes she just wanted him gone. She would smile at him and say, "Please, go play cards or something. I just want to be alone."

Rhett would smile and say, "Are you sure?"

She would nod her head and say, "Yes, completely sure."

Soon Rhett would be out the door. She would always smile at how quickly he left the house after she kicked him out. Yet, he was still home early. She would smile at him when he returned. It was another sign that Rhett was a better man than he had been when they got married. She knew Rhett was worried about her surviving the delivery of this baby's birth. She also knew despite his flippant response he would blame himself if anything happened to her.

She wanted to live for so many reasons not the least being she wanted to stay with Rhett. Yet she had to live for Rhett's sake. He would blame himself forever if she was to die in childbirth even though she had been a willing participate in all their activities. She knew that the man he was today felt such shame and guilt for the way he had treated her. She also knew he always would. She wished he could forgive himself for treating her so badly, but she knew he never would. If she was honest, she never wanted him to be guilt free. For him to be guilt free he would have to be the amoral man that he was, and she never wanted him to be that man again.

Scarlett went into labor in the early morning of September twenty-six. The contractions had woken her up. She smiled when she heard Rhett say, "What is wrong?"

"I am in labor."

"I will go get Mammy."

"Not yet."

"I will send a footman to get Dr. Harrison."

"Not yet."

"I have to do something."

"Then just hold me."

Rhett did hold her for about five minutes then he got out of the bed. He said, "The contractions are too close together. We can't wait."

"All right. Send for the doctor and get Mammy."

Scarlett smiled as Rhett practically ran out of the room. She already knew that Dr. Harrison would not get there in time. She smiled as she thought, 'I wish I had time to tell all my children that I love them and Rhett too. But I will survive. Rhett will make sure of that."

When Rhett returned, he said, "Mammy is on her way."

He got his clothes on, but he didn't bother to shave. For a brief moment she wondered what he would look like with a beard then she decided she wouldn't like him to have a beard. With the next contraction she wasn't thinking at all. As Mammy entered the room Scarlett said, "And I thought Genie had been in a hurry to enter the world. This one is coming even faster."

Mammy looked at Rhett and said, "Go sit by her head and pat her brow with this towel."

Both Mammy and Scarlett knew he wasn't going anywhere until this baby was born. No, Rhett would no longer accept being relegated to waiting outside this bedroom and she was glad. Rhett being in the room gave her strength.

Almost as if the baby had decided to wait until everyone got there the contraction slowed down.

When Melly walked in the room, thirty minutes later she just looked at Rhett. She didn't say anything. She too knew he wasn't going anywhere.

Soon Dr. Harrison was there also. He didn't even acknowledge Rhett's presence. He said, "There is no point to give you any chloroform. By the time it took affect you will have delivered this baby."

Scarlett said, "Alright."

Even in her pain Scarlett had smiled when Dr. Harrison had not even tried to force Rhett out of the room.

Almost as if the baby decided that everyone was there that needed to be there the contractions sped up. They were soon coming one on top of another. When it was time to push Dr. Harrison said, "Mr. Butler get behind her and let her push against you."

Rhett quickly got behind Scarlett and had held her while she pushed their child out. It was a boy.

Their second son looked like Scarlett with blue eyes, but he looked like Rhett also. Rhett laughed when he saw the child. He was happy. It was about time one of his children looked at least a little bit like him. Although he was disappointed it wasn't another girl, his son would never know it.