Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the many reviews and the feedback.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The last week of June Scarlett had rushed into Rhett's office and said, "Where is your gun?"
"Why?"
"Melly is pregnant."
"And?"
"I'm going to do the world a favor and get rid of that waste of flesh."
"Please, don't. I would not want to have to visit you in prison."
Scarlett had smiled and said, "I know. Who would take care of your needs if I was locked up in prison?"
"Exactly. And your needs would be going unmet also. It would just be a nasty business."
Scarlett had laughed as Rhett had wanted. Then she had burst into tears. Rhett had gotten up and led her to the couch. He sat down on the couch with her and let her cry. When she had calmed down some, he got her a glass of brandy from the swoon bottle.
Rhett finally said, "Let's pray she pulls through."
Scarlett had nodded. Neither person was extremely optimistic.
For the next several weeks, Scarlett was at Melly's house if Ashley was not there. She wouldn't kill him although the urge was still there. Nonetheless she still didn't trust herself not to say something hateful to Ashley. She didn't care about Ashley's feelings, but it would hurt Melly.
One night Scarlett got a message from Ashley to come to the house immediately. She and Rhett had been sitting in the family parlor. They had not been talking much because all Scarlett could think about was how bad Melly had looked that afternoon. She stood up and said, "Let's go."
"Of course."
Scarlett was glad that Rhett had agreed so quickly. She knew she would not be able to handle it alone. As soon as she got there Dr. Meade came out of Melly's room and told her to go into it. Scarlett had clutched Rhett's arm and started walking toward Melly's room, but Rhett had not walked with her. She turned back to him, and he said, "It wouldn't be proper for me to enter Miss Melly's bedroom."
Scarlett looked at PittyPat Hamilton, Ashley, and Dr. Meade and nodded her head. She walked into Melly's bedroom. She saw Melly in her bed and wondered how she could have shrunk some much just in a matter of hours. Scarlett had thought she always looked like a twelve-year-old playing dress up but now she looked like an extremely sick five-year-old.
Melly had smiled at her and stretched out her hand. Scarlett had taken it and couldn't help noticing how cold it was. Scarlett sat down on the bed.
Melly said, "I guess you were right."
"Let's not talk about it now. I will scold you later."
Melly smiled and whispered, "Charlie loved you so."
"I would have made him a good wife if he had lived. Nonetheless, he gave me you and Wade. Charlie would have been so proud of Wade."
"He never would have known."
"Known what?"
"Known that Wade wasn't his son. I have always known that you didn't love Charlie. My brother was so socially awkward you the belle of five counties would never have married him for him. It had always puzzled me how much you hated Captain Butler, but you still let him call on you and you were contemplating marrying him. One afternoon when I saw Captain Butler playing with Wade I just knew."
"Melly…."
"No, I don't want the details. My brother had died happy. He had gotten the fabulous Scarlett O'Hara to marry him, and he was going to have a child. You would have been a good wife to him. You were a good wife to Mr. Kennedy. You are a good wife to Captain Butler."
"Thank you for never saying anything."
"It wouldn't have done any good and it would only have hurt that sweet boy that I do love as my nephew."
"Why did you accept the dances?"
Melly gave a weak smile and said, "Because you wanted to dance so badly."
"Thank you. How did you know?"
"I just knew. One last favor."
"Anything."
"Take care of Ashley and Beau."
"Of course. Although India will come from Macon to take care of them."
Melly made a face and said, "I know you are right, but you watch over them too."
Melly closed her eyes and Scarlett knew that she would not be scolding Melly later. She said, "I will take care of them. Let me get Ashley now."
Scarlett somehow managed to not start crying as she walked out of the room.
After Scarlett told Ashley that Melly was calling for him she went into Rhett's arms despite the improperness of it. She said, "Take me home. I will return tomorrow to take care of everything. Ashley will be useless."
"Come along, my lady, our carriage is right outside."
As soon as she got in the coach, Scarlett started crying. Rhett handed her his handkerchief. He said, "My dear, how is it that you never have a handkerchief in a moment of crisis?"
"I do have a handkerchief. It is in your pocket."
Which made Rhett laugh and Scarlett give him a watery smile. Rhett pulled her close and let her be morose. In fact, Rhett was pretty morose also.
They went home and found all their children asleep. They both kissed all their children goodnight and went to their room. They didn't speak. They just got undress and got in the bed. For a while, they just held each other. They were grieving the loss of a fine woman and an absolutely wonderful friend. As they laid in their bed that night, Rhett said, "I was so afraid that was going to happen to you when we lost our baby.
"I had your strength to carry me through. Ashley had no strength to give Melly."
"That is true. Also Mr. Wilkes did the proper thing and stayed out of her bedroom so even if he had strength to give to Miss Melly, he wasn't there to give it to her."
"It was such a comfort to me that every time I woke up you were there. Did they try to run you out again?"
Scarlett could hear the smile in Rhett's voice as he said, "No neither Mammy nor Dr. Harrison were stupid enough to think they could keep me out."
The next day Scarlett was at the Wilkes' home. PittyPat had prepared the house according to the customs in regard to death. Scarlett was glad she had done something. The old woman was sitting in the parlor and Scarlett said, "What else have you done?"
"Nothing. I haven't got any money, so I didn't want to make any decisions."
"Have you sent any telegrams?"
"No, Ashley sent one to India and Honey yesterday. They will be here on the ten o'clock train."
"Go with Uncle Peter to pick them up then go to the Western Union and send all your relatives a telegram."
"Most of our relatives live here in town."
"That is good. Go on now. You don't want to be late to pick India and Honey up. Where is Beau?"
"In his room."
"Take him with you and drop him off at my house. Tell Rhett you are leaving Beau with him. Rhett will know what to do."
PittyPat got up and left the parlor while calling for Beau. Once they were out of the house, Scarlett went to Ashley's room. When there was no answer, she opened the door and said, "Come on out to the parlor. We have some arrangements to make."
"You decide. You are going to have to pay for it. I have no money. It shames me to admit it," With an embarrassed smile, he continued, "I will have to accept your charity once again."
"I haven't even offered it but for Melly I will pay for everything. Not for you."
"Do you hate me so much Scarlett?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Scarlett looked at Ashley. In that instant, all her anger washed away. She knew she felt nothing for him. He was a weak man and she had always had contempt for the weak. She knew he had loved Melly, yet he hadn't the strength of character to not yield to Melly's demands. She smiled and thought, 'He has always wanted to avoid conflict.'
Suddenly Scarlett realized that him not marrying her was the greatest gift he could have given her. She would have been miserable being married to him. Scarlett smiled kindly at Ashley and said, "No, Ashley, I don't hate you. You are one of my oldest friends. We will get through this together. Come out to the parlor and let's decide what we want for Melly's funeral."
Ashley and Scarlett made most of the decisions and when the callers started arriving Scarlett excused herself. She went to Melly's room and got a dress for Melly to be buried in. She went to Melly's jewelry box and got the cameo Scarlett had given her upon their return from New Orleans. Melly had worn the cameo all the time. She was going to wear it one final time. Scarlett went to Jeter's Funeral Home.
Scarlett was not surprised to find Rhett waiting for her at the funeral home. He knew she would need his support. She said, "What did you do with Beau?"
"Left him in the playroom playing with the children. Mammy's there so she will provide comfort to anyone who needs it."
When it came time to choose the coffin she clung to Rhett in an extremely improper way. She somehow made all the final arrangements including buying two burial plots. She knew Melly would want to lie next to Ashley for eternity.
She went home. The funeral would be the next day. There really weren't any out of town mourners except for India and Honey. The ladies were already here so there was no point to delaying the service.
On the day of the funeral, Scarlett put on a stylish black dress that had just been made for her. She saw Rhett had a new black suit on. They smiled sadly at each other. They had both known that Melly Wilkes was a determined woman when she wanted something. Scarlett had a new black suit made for Wade also. She wanted him to look stylish also.
The couple had planned to only take Wade with them to the funeral. As they were getting ready to leave Ella had said, "I want to tell Aunt Melly goodbye also."
Genie had said, "Me too."
Rhett said, "I think we should take them. It will make it easier for them to understand she is gone."
"Alright, Rhett. Come on get in the coach."
The viewing and funeral were in the parlor of the Wilkes home. Rhett said to Scarlett, "You and Wade go view the body. I will stay here with the girls."
"I don't want to."
"But you should."
Rhett then looked pointedly at Wade. Scarlett said, "Of course."
After viewing the body, mother and child spoke to Ashley. Incredibly neither India nor Honey spoke to them. When they joined Rhett, he whispered, "I feel like I am back in Charleston with all these people snubbing me."
Scarlett had almost burst out laughing but she controlled herself by putting her hand over her mouth. To the other mourners it looked like she was overcome with grief.
As Scarlett sat at the funeral listening to Uncle Henry drone on about Melly and how kind, proper and genteel she was. Scarlett thought, 'He didn't know the funny, practical, irreverent, loyal person that was the real Melly. The Melly that very few people ever got to see.I will always miss my best friend. Melly was no longer my only friend, but she had definitely been my truest friend.
At the reception afterwards Rhett said, "You put out quite the spread."
"Only the best for Melly."
Rhett had smiled. He had put his arm around Wade. In normal circumstances Wade would not have allowed Rhett to put his arm around him in public. It would have made him feel like a baby, but Wade was hurting too badly not to take the comfort offered him.
Scarlett held the girls' hands. She had sadly smiled as she watched the mourners gorge on the food. It was probably the first decent meal they had in a long time.
Soon Mr. Jeter was there to take the coffin to the cemetery. When Beau and Wade stepped forward to help carry the coffin out of the house. Rhett quieted everyone by saying, "They need to do this. Neither one is a little boy anymore."
After the coffin was put in the ground and everyone was leaving the cemetery, Scarlett told Ashley, "I am taking Beau home with me. I will bring him to your house tomorrow."
Ashley had just nodded his head and allowed India to lead him to his coach.
After the funeral Rhett and Scarlett encouraged the children to talk about their Aunt Melly. They had Beau over at their home a lot and encouraged him to talk about his mother. All the children talked about Melly but although Rhett encouraged Scarlett to talk about Melly, she didn't
About a week after the funeral Ashley moved in with Aunt PittyPat. India had come for the funeral and was going to stay a while to help with Beau. Scarlett knew that India was never going back to Macon. Ashley was such a weak man, and he would need a woman to take care of him. India would be happy to take care of him. Happy to once again have a purpose in life.
Scarlett and India cleaned out Melly's house although neither woman spoke except when it was absolutely necessary. Scarlett packed away all Melly's dresses. She had sighed when she saw that most of them were threadbare, but Melly had refused to let Scarlett buy her anything new. Scarlett told India that she was going to donate them to charity but instead she took them home. She was going to make a memory quilt.