Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Six

They called him Patrick Gerald Butler. Scarlett named him after her Pa. Her Pa's name had been Gerald Patrick O'Hara. Rhett truly didn't care although he had vetoed Patrick getting the middle name 'Rhett'. His wife and his child were alive and well. That was all that mattered. He had also nipped calling the boy Paddy in the bud. That was too Irish for Rhett. So, he guessed he did care.

Mammy cleaned the baby up then came over and handed him to Rhett. She said, "Go show your son to your other children. Whilst I clean up the room."

Rhett smiled at Mammy and said, "Yes ma'am." He took the baby and left the room. Wade was thrilled it was a boy although he refrained from making any remarks about little sisters. Ella and Genie were thrilled with their little brother also and they refrained from making any comments about mean brothers. Wade stroked the baby's arm, Ella stroked the baby's arm, and when Genie reached for the baby's face Rhett was prepared this time and simply stopped her hand from reaching Patrick's face. Rhett said, "Don't touch his face. Just touch his hand or his arm."

When Melanie told Rhett the room was cleaned up, he went to see Scarlett with the baby in tow. He kissed her. He said, "Thank you. I love you." Scarlett smiled at him. That is what she always did when he told her he loved her. He was still working at earning her love, but he was also making himself accept that what they had was good enough.

Scarlett looked at the baby. She said, "Finally a child that looks a little bit like you. Although I wish he had red hair, so Ella wasn't the only one with red hair."

"Yes, but Ella supposedly got that red hair from Frank, so it is just as well."

"Yes, that is true. It makes me happy that he looks sort of like you. Are you sure you don't want to call him Rhett?"

"No, I don't deserve the honor. I never will."

"But I do think you deserve the honor. You were a horrible man before we got married. In the last four years, you have become a man with morals and integrity. A man I could love.

Rhett sat on the bed with a thump. He sat and stared at her. Finally, he said, "Are you telling me you love me or that you might someday love me? I'm alright either way."

"I am saying that you have been a good husband and a good father. I am saying that your apology went a long way to healing my hurt from you taking advantage of me. Since our wedding day you have protected me even from myself. I am saying I don't know how after all the awful things you did to me, but you have made me fall in love with you."

Rhett smiled and said, "I'm just that charming. I knew you would eventually."

With that Scarlett shook her head and she smiled at her arrogant jackass, for he was definitely her jackass.

Rhett then turned profoundly serious. He said, "There must be a divine power because that is the only way I could have received this miracle. I certainly don't deserve your love, but I am never going to take it for granted. Thank you, Scarlett."

"Oh Rhett, you are going to make me cry."

Rhett reached into his pocket and got his handkerchief. He handed it to her with a smile.

Prissy came into the room with Scarlett's meal and the somber mood was broken. Rhett talked to Scarlett until she finished her meal. He let her go to sleep, not that he could have stopped her. He went in search of a footman to send for the wet nurse that he had forgotten all about until that very moment.

Several days later while visiting her baby, Scarlett saw that there was a silver rattle in the bassinet. She knew, without asking Rhett, that it was not the rattle he had bought for the other baby. She didn't know where that rattle was. It was probably hidden in Rhett's sock drawer. She also knew that her sentimental husband would never get rid of it.

The next week Rhett had gone to The Painted Lady to play poker and drink his one glass of whiskey. He knew he should quit completely but he still enjoyed a glass every now and then. He had cut back considerably. All they had at home was brandy which he wasn't that fond of. He refused to let himself buy a bottle of anything else and he refused to drink more than one drink when he came to play poker.

Rhett talked with Belle about what was going on with the business and collected his share of the profits which were always quite nice. As he looked at the money, he made a split-second decision. He said, "Would you like to buy my half of the business?"

"I don't knows. How much do you want?"

"Two hundred and fifty dollars."

"I can afford that."

"I will arrange it with my attorney. I will let you know when the papers are ready to sign."

"Thanks Rhett. Congratulations on your son."

"Thanks. He looks mostly like Scarlett."

Two weeks later Rhett was no longer the owner of a brothel. He felt good about it. He was going to start liquidating his assets and converting them to gold.

Six weeks later after they had resumed their marital relations, Rhett said, "We have to try harder to ensure you don't get pregnant again."

"No, we don't. You do."

Rhett had laughed and said, "You are right."

The next day the matrons came by to see the baby. Luckily Melly came over every day to see the baby, so Melly was there to help Scarlett entertain the ladies.

They celebrated Christmas with the Wilkes and Hamiltons. Melanie had insisted on holding Patrick while she ate her Christmas dinner. Fortunately, he was asleep so Melly could manage the child. After dinner as the ladies were talking Melly said, "It is wonderful that you survived your miscarriage."

Scarlett said sharply, "Don't do what you are thinking, Melanie Wilkes. You won't survive."

"Of course, I wouldn't do anything foolish like get pregnant. Although doctors have known to be wrong."

"They aren't wrong this time."

"I won't do anything"

The men joined them shortly thereafter. Scarlett knew her hardheaded sister-in-law was going to do something stupid and there wasn't anything she could do to prevent it. The only person who could prevent it was Ashley Wilkes and she didn't have any faith that Ashley would have the strength to say 'no.'

As Rhett and Scarlett were lying in bed later that night, she said, "Melly is going to try to have another baby."

"Mr. Wilkes won't let her."

"You have more faith in Ashley than I do."

"We will just have to pray for Miss Melly."

"You don't believe in that."

"I believe more than I thought I did after I got my miracle."

"Rhett."

"Besides, it is our only chance to save Miss Melly's life."

"You are right. She can be very stubborn."

"You would know stubborn."

"As would you."

"Enough talking about something we can't do anything about. Come here and give me my Christmas present."

Scarlett giggled and said, "It's not much of a Christmas present when you get it all throughout the year."

Rhett smiled and said in a very solemn voice, "Every time with you is like you giving me a present."

"Oh Rhett."

Rhett kissed her and Scarlett stopped thinking about anyone or anything but Rhett Butler.

In June of seventy-three Rhett was in his back yard, he was smiling at his daughters on their ponies. They were such pretty little girls. He loved them and his sons so much. Wade, Ella and Genie loved to aggravate each other and him. Surprisingly, none of the children tried to annoy their mother or Mammy. They tried to charm their way around their mother and Mammy, but they never annoyed those women.

In the spring Rhett had introduced the children to jumping their ponies. Wade had not really enjoyed it but both girls had loved it a lot. Ella and Genie got such a thrill over jumping higher and higher. A couple of weeks before Rhett had let Ella raise the bar for her pony. Genie was mad that he wouldn't let her raise her bar also. Rhett had patiently explained, "Ella's pony is bigger and therefore can make the jump whereas your pony isn't big enough to make the jump. Also, Ella has been riding a lot longer than you. She is a much more experienced horsewoman than you."

"Daddy, Mr. Butler and I can make the jump."

Rhett had patiently smiled at her while she was giving him her opinion. Two thoughts struck him. The first one was how arrogant his daughter was to think that at age four she knew better than her father. The second thought was that in this respect she was just like her mother. She wanted to do what she wanted to do despite advice to the contrary.

Genie continued trying to get her way the rest of the week. Just like with her mother it was his duty to protect her even from herself. So, Rhett was strong and continued to say no for the next week. After another week Genie asked, "When am I going to get a bigger pony?"

Genie certainly hadn't liked Rhett's answer. He had said, "When you get bigger."

Although Ella and Genie got along amazingly well, they were not above aggravating each other. Therefore, Rhett was not surprised when he heard Ella say, "Face it, Pipsqueak, you are just too small to be jumping as high as I do."

Rhett had wanted to sigh for he knew what his youngest daughter's reaction was going to be. Genie had gotten mad. She was so mad she had almost stormed off in a huff, but she stopped herself in time. Genie walked over to her pony and with Rhett's help had gotten back on her pony. When she saw Ella smirking at her, Genie had screamed at her, "Just stop it, Ella."

Rhett said, "No, screaming while you are on top of your pony. It will frighten the animal."

Genie replied quietly, "Yes, Daddy." Genie then forced herself to ride her pony calmly to the barn. She certainly didn't want to get grounded from Mr. Butler.

The hardest rule as far as the ponies were concerned was: The ponies always had to be taken to the barn and brushed down.

Admittedly the children didn't do it by themselves, but they had to honestly help, or they were not allowed to ride their ponies for a week. This had been the rule ever since Rhett had bought Wade his first pony. All the children had found out one by one that the Head Groomsman would quickly tell their father if they had not made a genuine effort to help.

The Head Groomsman loved horses a lot more than he loved human beings and he would make sure the ponies were treated right.

The worst part of being grounded from one's pony was that they had to stay home while everyone else got to go riding.

Once Wade and Ella were out of school Rhett and the children went riding every morning before it got too hot. Patrick rode in front of Rhett just like the girls had. Rhett was the only one who still called the boy Patrick. Everyone else called him Paddy. Genie at age three and a half had started it as a nickname for her little brother. It had started as 'Patty' then somehow it had become Paddy. Rhett knew that was Scarlett's influence. Rhett had asked Genie not to call her little brother Paddy but since she was his daughter, she had done it that much more. Everyone else had picked it up. Although Rhett had tried extremely hard to not let it show that it annoyed him. Those predators that were his children knew it bothered him, so they did it that much more. Of course, Scarlett hadn't helped by embracing the nickname also. When Rhett had told her to stop calling his son that name, she had laughed and said, "It is too late, Honey. His name is Paddy now."

Scarlett may have been right, but Rhett refused to give in gracefully. Another wonderful trait he shared with his wife.