How about this. Melly is not dead and Ashley is a doting dad. Will Scarlett see that Ashley is not her man and that Rhett really loves her?
It was a heavy birth, again. Melanie had small hips and her body was not made for natural birth. It was her luck that the war was over. Ashley was at her side, and Dr Meade helped her bringing the birth to a good end.
"Another boy" said Ashley, proud as punch.
Rhett looked at his wife. Her look puzzled him. He never saw her look at Ashley this way before. It wasn't love, that was sure. "How is Miss Melly?"
"She is well, but she needs to rest for now. And she can never have another baby. It was a close call again, and I don't want to loose her. We have 2 healthy boys and I really can't cope without her."
Scarlett saw the way Rhett looked at her. Did he know? He always knew her better than she did herself. She also saw how happy Ashley looked with little Beau in his arms. He was not the man for her.
Dr Meade came out of the bedroom. Sweat trickled down his face and his looks were worried.
"Is she alright?" asked Scarlett.
Dr Meade nodded. "But she needs to rest, and no visitors are allowed. I come back later today to see how she is doing. She is asleep now, I gave her a sleeping draft.
Scarlett nodded and got up. "Let's go Rhett and pray for the best."
Rhett left with his wife. "Are you alright?"
Scarlett could not answer. She had no idea. "Can we talk?"
"Ofcourse we can. What is wrong? Is it Ashley?"
"Yes and no"
Rhett poured them both a large brandy. Scarlett drank it in one sip. "Can I have another one please?"
"Pray Mrs Butler, do you want to talk or get drunk?"
She heard the irony in his voice. "Just fill my glass will you."
He did as she asked and sat down. "So you wanted to talk."
She nodded and noticed that her hands were shaking. She took another sip and looked at her husband. His face gave nothing away. She saw curiousity, but also irony. That damned Ashley. She prayed it was not to late for her and Rhett.
"Well Mrs Butler, for someone who wants to talk you are very quiet. Do you really want to talk or is it something else."
"I owe you an apology, " she started.
"What for? For wanting good old Ashley?"
"Damn you Rhett Butler. That is not what I want to apologize for. And please let me finish and have the decency to listen. Or, at least pretend that you listen."
Rhett stretched his long legs under de table. His curiousity grew. This was not the Scarlett he knew. "Go on, I listen."
"I have been such a fool. I thought..." Hot tears fell on her cheeks.
Rhett made no attempt to comfort her. He just looked on. Had it really come to this? Her tears did nothing to him.
"I thought I loved Ashley, but I was chasing a dream. Today I realized that he and Melly are made for eachother."
Rhett nodded. "Go on"
"I have been so selfish. I was always about me."
"Are you serious?" he asked.
She didn't seem to hear him and went on. "Always I placed myself first. I never thought about others. I have hurt so many people over the years. Even my dear Mother. And you."
"Me?"
"Yes Rhett. Even at the library at Twelve Oaks, when we first met."
He smiled and thought of that day. How beautiful she has been. How he had loved her from the moment he saw her. She was so young and full of life.
"I am so sorry Rhett."
"Appologies accepted. Is that all?"
She looked up. Terrified that he would leave after all.
He saw the fear in her eyes. Was she serious about this? "What do you want? Money?"
"No. I was wondering what I would get if I sell the store and mill".
"What! Are you out of your mind? It is the last thing you would do. You love both more than anything, except Ashley."
"No. You are so wrong. There is one thing I love more than all of them."
"Are you sick? Have you fallen off the stairs?"
"No, no. Please listen. It is you I love. More than anything in the world."
Rhett was speechless. "I hope you are not playing with me Scarlett."
She jumped off her chair and walked over to the window. The street was quiet, but she didn't notice.
He saw her move. Something was not right. This was not the Scarlett he knew. "You are serious aren't you?"
She turned around and nodded. "I want to start again. Live my life with you, not through you. I have been so selfish, I never thought of others. But I want to change that. I want to be the wife you deserve. The wife you can be proud off."
While she spoke, he got up and walked over to her. "You are serious."
She heard the change in his voice and smiled, just a little bit. She took his hands and kissed them. "I want to start again. Leave this monstrous house."
"Monstrous? But you loved it."
"It is all about me. There's nothing of you in the house. Only the little study. I want to have a house for us togerher. I want to go places, leave Atlanta. There's nothing for me here."
"And what about Ashley?"
She couldn't help but hearing the intonation of his voice. He was still scared to loose her. "Ashley has his own family. He must do what he thinks is right. I don't care any longer. I want to be with you. Please Rhett, I am serious about this."
Her plea was clear, and so was her face. She had finally changed into the woman he knew she was.
"I want to go and see places. You once asked me to run away with you. To London or Paris."
He remembered that day well. She had fled the hospital and was scared of all the things that happened around her. He nodded. "Alright my pet. I see you are serious."
She almost jumped with joy. "Oh Rhett, I have been so stupid. We could have been so happy."
"Let's not talk about that now." He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. "I am so happy to have you back. Promise me one thing Scarlett."
"Anything my love."
"Don't ever leave me again. I felt so alone, knowing you loved another man."
She kissed him and said "I will never leave you, unless I die before you do."
He held her close and felt his heart beat with happiness. "Scarlett."
"Yes?"
"I want to make love to you."
Her cheeks went red and she smiled. "Like last time?"
He shook his head. "No, I want to make proper love to you. I wish to forget that time."
She giggled. "I loved it. You were so rough. It was fabulous."
He blushed. "I want to make love like a husband with his beloved wife."
She kissed him and they walked off to their bedroom. There, Rhett was true to his word. There never was a lover more tender than he. Scarlett never felt so loved. With Charles, Frank and even Rhett himself she did her duty as wife. But this was something else.
Scarlett also was true to her word. She sold the mill and the store for a nice price.
Rhett took her to all the places she wanted to see. London, Paris, she saw it all. With the man she loved at her
