Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you so very much for all the reviews.
I read every review and ponder what the person has written. I often rewrite parts of the story based on a person's review. I often rewrite to clarify my intent. For example: In the last chapter I tried to make it clearer that Scarlett was not suicidal. She does want to not go on but she still feels responsible for her children.
In response to Scarlett's lack of emotion Rhett is going to do what Rhett does. His first response would be to try to make her mad. The second response would be to buy her something to make her happy. Eventually Rhett will gain some insight and grow emotionally also.
It makes me incredibly happy when someone tells me that they read all of my stories. I feel so honored!
Chapter Three
The next morning Bonnie was in his room waking him up which didn't happen very often. He ran her off so he could get dressed. He went downstairs and the children were sitting at the breakfast table as usual. They were eating and talking as normal. Scarlett wasn't there but that wasn't unusual. She usually had a tray in her room.
Later Rhett took the children to the park. They came back and got cleaned up for dinner. Wade asked Mammy where his mother was and she said, "In her room."
Before anyone could say any more Wade walked rapidly away towards his mother's room. The door was open and he knocked and walked in. Rhett heard Wade's laughter from Scarlett's room and then Wade was back.
Wade said, "She's not going to eat with us. She is feeling very tired so she is going to rest until your meeting with Uncle Ashley. I need to go arrange a tray for her for dinner. She won't eat it but we have to keep trying." Wade left to find one of the maids.
Was Scarlett not eating? Rhett was trying to remember how much she had eaten last night for supper. He hadn't paid any attention to her supper plate. How long had it been since he had paid any attention to her activities?
Rhett took the girls downstairs for dinner. After dinner Mammy laid the girls down for their nap while Wade read a book in his room.
When Rhett got to the parlor Scarlett was there with a cup of tea. She was reading a newspaper and gave him an ugly look. He wondered what that was about. She looked perfectly put together but her dress didn't have its usual over the top decorations. The dress she was wearing look similar to mourning attire but it wasn't black. The only jewelry she had on was her wedding ring. She didn't even have her engagement ring on. He had never known her to take her engagement ring off. Even when Dr. Meade had told her to take off her rings when her hands were swollen while she was pregnant with Bonnie. Before Rhett could ask her about the scowl The Wilkes arrived. There was some pleasant conversation. Rhett noticed that Scarlett was not participating. He also noticed she wasn't paying any attention to Mr. Wilkes. Finally, Ashley said, "My dear, I would like to buy you out of the mills."
Scarlett said, "Alright. Rhett do you have the papers?"
Rhett said, "I have them right here."
Scarlett said, "Great." She took the papers and signed them without even reading them.
Rhett said, "You should have read them before you signed them."
Scarlett looked at him and said, "I trust my spouse."
Ashley scanned and signed the papers. He handed her the check. Rhett passed around some wine and then he said, "I suppose you'll turn the convicts back right away."
Ashley said while avoiding eye contact with Scarlett, "Yes, they'll go back immediately."
What Scarlett was thinking when she heard that was, 'What a damn fool. He will be bankrupt in less than a year.'
Rhett was watching Scarlett intently but the expression on her face never changed. When she didn't say anything Ashley's head shot up for him to see her expression. When he looked right at Scarlet she said, "If you need help, please, do not come to me. I need to distance myself from anything to do with you or the mills. I'm sure Rhett would be able to help you though." Both of the men stared at Scarlett like she was someone else. Scarlett hated everything to do with the mills. They had been her salvation in her time of need. She had built them from nothing. She had fed over thirteen people with the profits from the mills. She had done things that she was ashamed of doing. If her mother had been alive, she probably would have disowned her. She had unsexed herself and ruined her reputation because she had done what she thought she had needed to do to keep all those people fed. The only people who had been grateful for her actions were Melly and Mammy. Now the mills were nothing to her because it was were Ashley had ruined her. That is where he led her to believe that he still loved her and she should turn Rhett out of her bed. That is where he mortally wounded the last of her reputation. He had cost her so much but she had allowed it to happen. She hated him and was so angry with him but she also held herself in contempt. He had misled her but she was the one that never listened when people told her about him.
She walked over to where Melly was sitting and sat down next to her. Melly was the only good person she knew. It amazed her that Melly loved her. She didn't know why except Melly had to be a saint. Scarlett felt so much shame for all the ugly things she had thought and said about this wonderful woman. Scarlett asked her quietly, "Do you need a ride to the committee meeting tomorrow?
Melly said, "Yes darling I do."
Scarlett said, "Do you and Beau want to walk over here and we can go from here? I will get Joseph to drive us."
Melly said, "That sounds wonderful." Melly looked intently at Scarlett. "Darling are you not feeling any better?"
Scarlett gave her a weak smile and said, "I'm fine, sweetie. Don't you worry about me. What is the latest news around town?
The ladies continued to talk while Ashley and Rhett struggled to carry on a conversation. Finally, it had been long enough that Ashley felt they could make their departure. After they had left Scarlett handed Rhett the check and said, "When you go to the bank will you deposit this into Wade and Ella's trust fund?"
Rhett took the check and nodded. Scarlett then showed Rhett the ad in the paper for sheaths. She said, "Is this a form of pregnancy prevention?"
Rhett said, "Yes, it is."
Scarlett said while looking right at Rhett, "I guess you really were tired of me otherwise you would have suggested using these instead of separate bedrooms."
Rhett said, "You wanted your own bedroom so you could dream of Mr. Wilkes."
Scarlett said, "I didn't need my own bedroom to dream of Ashley. You know I hated being pregnant. You also know I could never say no to you once you started kissing me."
Rhett didn't know how to answer so instead he ignored her statement and he said, "Aren't you concerned about what Ashley is going to do with your mills?"
Scarlett looked at Rhett and shook her head then she said, "They are not mine. I sold them."
Rhett said, "I'm sure you are going to miss your daily contact with the Little Gentleman."
Scarlett said with some anger, "If I never saw Ashley Wilkes again for the rest of my life it would be too soon. He ruined my life with your help." And she left the room.
Rhett was so surprised he couldn't speak. She was gone from the room before he even knew it.
Scarlett knew Rhett had given the Wilkes the money for Ashley to buy her out. That was the kind of sneaky thing he would do but she didn't care. What she didn't understand is why. Probably for Melanie's sake. He liked and respected Melanie. She would think about it tomorrow when she had more energy. All she wanted to do was play with her living children, read books and stare out into the lawn and not think about the loss of her baby, her parents, her friends, her reputation, her life before the war and everything she had done to survive.
When Scarlett put Bonnie to bed, she was happy sleeping in the nursery. She rarely had a nightmare. Her mother treated her like a big girl which Bonnie liked very much. She liked spending time with her mother. Daddy always had time for her but Mother never had. Recently Mother had been spending a lot of time with her, Ella and Wade. Bonnie hoped Mother would continue spending lots of time with them.
Ella came and got in bed with Scarlett most every night. Rhett went out most nights but he was home before midnight. Scarlett had all the decorative mirrors in the house removed because she no longer wanted to see her reflection. Scarlett spent more time with her children. Rhett and Scarlett avoided each other. When they couldn't avoid each other, Rhett continued to throw out barbs at Scarlett even though all Scarlett did was stare at him when he did. That is all that happened for the next ten days.
On the tenth day when Rhett came back from the bank, he found her on the veranda staring at the lawn. She had a book on her lap. He knew she spent a lot of time on the veranda. He said, "I have found a buyer for your store."
Scarlett said in a flat voice while continuing to stare at the lawn, "Can he come to the house and sign the papers?'
Rhett said, "Don't you want to know how much he is offering?"
Scarlett shook her head and said, "Not really."
Rhett stared at her and said, "I will see if he can come to the house tomorrow night."
Scarlett said, "Perfect." And she just continued staring at the lawn. Finally, Rhett walked off. Since she had come back from Tara neither one had really spoken to the other one. Rhett knew there was something wrong with Scarlett but he was sure she would snap out of it and revert back to her normal self soon enough. What was strange to him though was she wasn't reacting to any of the barbs he had been throwing out. He had always known how to get a rise out of her but now those barbs were bouncing off of her.
The next day the man, Jack Johnson, signed the papers and Scarlett gave him the key. After Rhett had walked Mr. Johnson to the door. He returned to the parlor and found it empty. He headed towards the veranda and there she was staring at the lawn. He knew she couldn't see anything because it was too dark but he left her there. It was where she seemed happiest. Rhett left the house to get a drink.
Rhett returned from Belle's around midnight. He had yet to go upstairs for some female companionship. He was not enjoying himself at Belle's anymore. It was the same thing every night. He had mainly been doing it to anger Scarlett but she wasn't angered by him leaving any more. She wasn't anything anymore and it really worried him. As Rhett was walking down the hall after his return, he heard Scarlett crying quietly and he went to her room to wake her up. He reached over and pulled her to him. This wasn't the same nightmare she had before. She kept saying 'My baby' over and over again. Rhett held her and made comforting sounds. She finally got herself together and Rhett said, "Do you want to tell me about it?"
Scarlett tore herself out of his arms and she laid down on the bed. She turned her back to him and flatly said, "No."
Rhett took off his shoes, coat, vest and shirt and laid down beside her. He pulled her to him and cradled her in his arms. She didn't resist she just laid her head on his chest and went back to sleep. Even though he knew she was asleep he said, "I grieve for the baby also and I am sorry for what happened."
He thought about the last few months. When she hadn't called for him after the miscarriage, he had decided that he was a fool and Scarlett would never love him. He didn't know about her loving him but he was worried about her. She was behaving so very unlike herself. It was like all the fire was gone out of her. No matter what he said or did she didn't get mad. What had happened to her infamous Irish temper? He had always been able to trigger her temper. Now she was practically ignoring him without even trying.
He decided that she was grieving the loss of the baby. Even though that didn't make sense. Scarlett had never wanted a child. She was crying for her baby though and she was referring to that baby as a boy. Dr. Meade had told him the lost baby had been a boy. Whether she was grieving for the baby or someone else she was definitely melancholic. He would have to cheer her up. He would buy her some new jewelry and some other little gifts. She always liked getting gifts. That would make her happy.