AN: I cannot write Mammy, I cannot even begin to have any idea how to do such a thing. So Mammy's comments are simply the summed up version of what she would have said. I know it would be more creative and descriptive than my normal dialogue from anthro classes, but it would be like me trying to write in Spanish. It would take me 3 hours to compose 1 line and it would still be atrocious. So sorry guys, I don't have that level of devotion.

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Part Sixteen

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"He treats me like I'm one of the children," Scarlett said in full rant mode to Mammy after Rhett had forbidden her, FORBIDDEN her from going visiting.

"Miss Scarlett you carryin one of de chilen."

"I have carried three children, not once did I have a single issue."

She had finally, actually, made friends with their neighbors to the east, the DeVaughns. A woman several years older than Scarlett. Oh it had been sweet that Rhett had insisted on driving her and the children over to visit and it was enjoyable having Rhett next to her as she oversaw the fields once a week. It was infuriating how several servants seemed to rush to her side every time she tried to take the main staircase without Rhett at her side.

But FORBIDDING her from visiting her dear neighbor's sister with her, when it wasn't more than an hour by carriage.

"Mister Rhett is doing his best ter make sure that number's four."

"I can take care of myself and this baby."

"You always think yer so invincible Miss Scarlett. Yer been lucky with dem babies, nuttin else. Three healthy babies. Miss Ellen lost three babies, not including babies lost so early she couldn't even name dem."

Scarlett stood, refusing to be moved by her mammy's words. She was right. He was wrong. That woman had no sense of loyalty.

"That tiny life is precious an' fragile and Mister Rhett understands that even though you think you's can't be destroyed."

"He's trying to wrap me up in cotton wool!"

"He's trying ter protect you from yourself. He knows what losing that baby would do to you."

Scarlett covered her stomach, shielding her child from the thought. "He's always so concerned about the children," Scarlett scoffed, "You sound like one of those old biddies back in Atlanta that he's sweettalked."

"That what is this is about lamb? You think the stairs an' the cart and everything else is about Mister Rhett getting another baby?"

"That's what it always is," she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't.

"It's you he wants to wrap in cotton wool. Lamb chile. You Mister Rhett's been looking after, watching over for all these years. The only one who gets to hurt you is Mister Rhett and that's why you have yer mammy. Don't ever know what's going on in that man's mind, but you be sure it's always 'bout you."

"Do you really think so Mammy?" Scarlett said rushing towards her.

"Oh sweet chile," Mammy said holding her baby, wishing just as she always did that girl she raised and kept raising could see through her old mammy's eyes.

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Rhett pressed his horse to go faster as he raced towards their plantation after getting off the morning train from Atlanta. Business had kept him two nights in Atlanta, thankfully he'd been able to strike up a card game at the National that first night and by the time he reached the house he would have slept on the floor he was so tired by the time he crossed the threshold, he only forced himself upstairs because he knew the servants would talk the moment the family returned.

The second night, he woke up in his study the next morning after a long evening discussing business and politics with some new partners. He had seen them out and returned to his study for another glass of brandy before attempting sleep, sleep however found him before he found a bed.

Pork was waiting for him at the front of the house as he rode up, the front door wide open several feet behind him.

Rhett's feet had just touched the ground as, "DADDY!" reached his ears. The word suddenly different than the last year and a half he had heard it, for it was spoken in unison. Two little girls, his two little girls running at full speed launching themselves into his arms. He had them in his arms trying to make sense of the jumble of words that were overlapping each other, while still trying to take in that word.

"I missed you too, I brought you a new book, not a doll, your mother is right Honey can only be a barn cat or a house cat, not both," only then did Rhett look up again, to see Scarlett in the doorway looking on with a contented smile.

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As Estelle shuffled her charges back to Scarlett's parlor to continue their piano lesson and Wade remained upstairs being taught by their only remaining governess after the other one had left in a fit the previous week after Scarlett had reassigned duties to Estelle who was more skilled in the areas than the governesses. Rhett followed his wife into the family parlor, closed the door and swept her up in a kiss.

"I missed you," she confessed, practically forcing herself to look up in such a vulnerable moment.

"I missed you too," he rewarded her bravery with a similar leap, "I always miss you."

"I don't think you should return to your long trips after the baby comes," she put on her bravado, "there will be four young children in the house and Mammy isn't getting any younger."

"I think you're quite right my dear."

"Or even those frequent little trips, you don't need to leave town to play cards. You were the one who decided to become family man. You can't be-"

He stopped her with a kiss, "I will curtail any unnecessary travel," he promised her as he held her to him in a hug.

Her cheek was pressed against his chest as she spoke again, "We need you at home. The children need you at home."

He tilted her face to look up at him, "Have you ever known me to shirk my obligations. I will be there for you and the children. Speaking of the children, Ella-"

"Called you Daddy," Scarlett gave a soft laugh and shrugged her shoulders, "she just started doing it the day you left. Bonnie said Daddy and then Ella said Daddy and she hasn't wavered. I suppose Bonnie says it so often it's surprising we all don't call you daddy."

He laughed softly.

"You've never been anything, but her father. I suppose she just copied Wade for so long. I imagine she would have started calling you Daddy ages ago if Bonnie hadn't been gone so long."

Rhett laughed at his wife's not so subtle remark and pulled her back in close, "Oh I missed you, Scarlett."

Thanks for reading!

AN: We are going to take a break here for a couple of days (I have 1 part written ahead of this, but I like this as a stopping point). We're getting pretty close to the conclusion so I need to figure out what extras should actually make it in or don't serve any purpose aside from keeping the Butlers with me a big longer. I hope you guys have been enjoying the journey so far! I also hope that FFN gets the reviews only being emailed and not posted out soon. I really enjoy rereading them to get me focused.