Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Thank you for the reviews. I love my reviews. I love the suggestions for the plot. I love when people let me know that something is not as clear as I thought it was. Thank you.

Margaret Mitchell was a great writer but she was not a mother nor was she around small children. MM writes that Bonnie was so charming that everyone forgave her for being a brat. In the real world it doesn't work like that. No child is that charming.

A lot of women today feel that if they can't have children they are less of a woman. Things were even worse one hundred and fifty years ago. It was quite shameful to be barren. It was always the woman that couldn't have children not the man being unable to sire children. It was actually acceptable to divorce one's wife because she couldn't bear one children.

Chapter Eleven

When Scarlett and Melly were coming home from another sewing bee one day after Ashley had sold the mills Melly said, "I know it was you that was slipping money into my purse. I knew it wasn't my money because I didn't have any money and then suddenly there was five dollars in my purse. I wanted to give you back your money but we desperately needed the money so I put my pride aside and accepted your gifts. I never told Ashley I just pretended that I was a brilliant shopper. We will pay you back someday. We already owe you too much."

Scarlett said with a smile, "I don't know what you are talking about but if I was that person, I would tell you that I couldn't let y'all starve. I have plenty of money but true friends I only have one of those." Melanie didn't need to know how close she had gotten to Cora May.

Melanie laughed and said, "I know that everyone knew we were struggling financially but the only person who did anything to help us was my only true friend."

Scarlett smiled back at Melly and she knew what Melly had said about her being her only true friend was the truth. It made Scarlett feels so good that she had helped Melly. It also made her mad and sad that none of these sanctimonious witches helped in any way.

After she dropped Melanie off Scarlett wondered why she never talked to Rhett or Melly about her friendship with Cora May. She decided that her relationship with Cora May was too precious to talk to anyone else about it. She was afraid Rhett would say something unkind about her friend. Melly was just too genteel to understand Scarlett's need for a friend that wasn't prim and proper. Cora May was the friend she had always wanted. She loved the outrageous things that her friend said. She also loved the scornful comments her friend made about the Peahens.

Scarlett and Rhett had a birthday party for Wade in the middle of January. Rhett and Melly convinced her to invite every child in polite society. Scarlett did it just to find out who liked her and who didn't. Cora May and Melly came of course but surprisingly almost every child in polite society attended the party. Scarlett didn't understand. She guessed Rhett was more persuasive than she had ever known. Scarlett had one of those moments where she knew what she knew was the truth. She and Rhett were both immune to each other's charm. They could charm anyone else on the planet except each other. She almost started laughing but she was afraid she would not be able to stop.

She had followed Cora May's advice. She plastered a smile on her face and never let it falter. Rhett made Scarlett walk around with him the entire party and he acted like he was crazy in love with her. All the ladies told her what a wonderful party it was.

Scarlett and Rhett repeated the event two weeks later with the same results. They were celebrating Bonnie's birthday. It made Scarlett smile when she thought about how happy Rhett had been on the day of Bonnie's birth. She wished she had been as happy but she was busy wondering how quickly she could get her figure back. She had been so shallow. Cora May and Melly came and every child in polite society. She was happy Bonnie was received.

Once more she plastered a smile on her face and never let it falter. Again, Rhett made Scarlett walk around with him the entire party and he acted like he was crazy in love with her. Yet again all the ladies told her what a wonderful party it was.

Around the first of February when Scarlett stopped by for a visit, Cora May was acting really nervous which Scarlett didn't understand until Cora May asked, "Can I spend the day with Ella?"

Scarlett said, "Of course you can. I noticed that you spent a lot of time with her at both of the birthday parties. I will bring her over Saturday. What time? I would like for her to call you Aunt Cora May. If you are okay with that."

Cora May said, "Of course I am. Bring her before dinner and I will bring her back to your house before supper."

Thus, began Ella's relationship with her favorite Aunt. Scarlett was pleased. Now Ella had someone who thought she was special too. When Ella came home from her first visit, she had a beautiful new doll that Cora May had given her.

It marked a change in Rhett and Bonnie's relationship also. Bonnie had wanted to play with Ella's doll. When Bonnie had demanded to play with the doll Rhett would not let her. Rhett told Bonnie, "You have lots of beautiful dolls you can play with. That doll is Ella's." He also didn't go buy Bonnie a doll just like Ella's. Rhett was beginning to realize that giving his daughter everything she wanted was not what was best for her. His daughter was beginning to behave like a brat. Rhett didn't have time to put up with a brat. He needed to take care of Scarlett.

Scarlett never let any of the other children go to Cora May's house because she wanted it to be something special between Ella and Cora May.

A couple of weeks later there was a St. Valentine's Day themed fund raiser being given by one of the committees and Rhett bought tickets. It was a supper and dancing event. After dinner one night while they were in the library Rhett asked Scarlett if she would like to go and she said, "No but I will be happy to go with you if you want to go."

Rhett came and sat down beside her and said, "Yes I do want to go. It has been a long time since we have been dancing."

Scarlett looked at him and said, "Alright. When is it?"

Rhett said, "This Saturday."

Scarlett nodded her head and went back to reading her book. Rhett continued to sit beside her and he reached down and took her hand. She wrapped her hand in his but she never looked up from her book. Rhett was pleased she had held his hand.

Rhett was still amazed that Scarlett had become such a voracious reader. Although Rhett took her to the book store every week if she wanted a new book before it was time for their weekly visit, she would go by herself. Scarlett rarely left the house by herself these days but the book store was enough of an attraction that she would go by herself if she had to. Fortunately, Wade was usually happy to go with her when Rhett couldn't escort her though. After all Wade loved the book store too.

Scarlett had started reading books to escape her sadness but now she was reading because she enjoyed it. There were so many things she wanted to learn and know about now. She was reading the newspaper also because she found the articles and the ads fascinating. She didn't understand it all but she really enjoyed reading them and the more she read the more she understood. She decided she was a lot smarter than she or anyone else had ever thought. Since Rhett didn't care how educated she was she was going to learn as much as she could.

The night of the event Rhett was expecting Scarlett to be all dolled up but when she joined him in the parlor, she looked plain and drab. She was wearing a plain gray dress and the only jewelry she had on was her engagement and wedding rings. She had always sparkled like a gem among rocks now she looked like a rock. Rhett said, "No. You are not wearing that. Let's go upstairs and pick something else out." He took her arm and led her back to their bedroom.

He dug through her dresses and finally found something that he thought would be small enough. He found the dress he had bought her back in the fall and had her try it on. He had the dressmaker make the dress a little on the small side so he thought it might fit. It was a day dress not an evening gown but it came close to fitting. It was just a little big and she looked beautiful in it. He was not letting her turn herself into a frumpy woman. He picked out jewelry to go with it and was satisfied by the results.

As they were leaving the room Rhett said, "No more of these plain, drab, old-maidish dresses. You may still be mourning the baby but you are going to start dressing happy at least. You know I hate seeing you dressed in mourning clothes."

Scarlett gave him a sincere smile and said, "Yes my husband." After that evening Scarlett did start wearing bright, colorful clothing. It didn't matter to her what she wore but she found she was happier wearing the brighter colored dresses. She had a few more of her dresses altered to fit her.

They had a good time at the supper and dance. All the men greeted Rhett and the women were a little cold. Everyone greeted Scarlett chagrinly like they were embarrassed for the way they had treated her for the last three years. Scarlett did notice that some of the women were very cold to Rhett but everyone spoke to him. Scarlett wondered what was going on. Every time lately she and Rhett had interacted with the Old Guard, they had been overly nice to her and very cold to Rhett although they did continue to speak to him. Rhett continued playing the part of the besotted husband who was trying to win back his wife's love.

Scarlett wished the Old Guard would go back to ignoring her then she wouldn't have to make conversation with them. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She spoke as little as possible but it was still more than she wanted to. She didn't trust them. She let Rhett do most of the talking. She knew sooner or later they would turn on her and be mean to her again.

The food was good and Rhett nagged her about eating more until Scarlett said, "It is like Mammy is here."

Rhett smiled at her statement and said, "Then I'm doing a good job of nagging you." They had champagne but she would only drink one glass. She got drunk on champagne too easily.

When the dancing started and Rhett took her out on the dance floor, she felt like she was seventeen again and they were at the hospital bazaar. Rhett saw the first truly happy smile he had seen on Scarlett's face since when? Since before she told him about Bonnie. 'Had she been unhappy that long?' he wondered. He knew without a doubt she had been unhappy most of their marriage. He tried to keep her on the dance floor for the rest of the night. He even got her to drink a couple of more glasses of champagne but he made sure she didn't get drunk. He was afraid that if she got drunk, she would get morose and start crying. He definitely didn't want that he just wanted her to be happy for a little while.

As they rode home in the carriage he sat on the same side as she did. She seemed to be happy and they were actually having a conversation. It was about the children but it was the most she had freely spoken to him in a long time. He walked up the stairs with her and into their bedroom. He helped her get undressed and put her nightgown on. Rhett was getting undress and Scarlett said, "I would like to resume our marital relations. I would like to try to make a baby. You said you would be faithful to me. You must be faithful I won't be one of many."

"I will be faithful to you. I will never have relations with anyone but you ever again. The only woman I want is you. I lied to you that day. I could never grow tired of you."

"If that is true why didn't you initiate relations?"

"I wanted you to want me not just accept me."

Scarlett said, "Oh" She was amazed. She then wondered if Rhett was lying. She would never know since he was such an accomplished liar. She was going to choose to believe him.

"Are you well enough to carry a baby?"

"Dr. Meade said we could resume marital relations any time we wanted. I wouldn't get pregnant until my body is ready. If we don't make a baby tonight, we can just keep trying until we are successful."

"You are too thin. If we start trying to make a baby you have to start eating a lot more. You have to eat like you are eating for two. I don't want your health put in danger."

"I will try to start eating more."

Rhett locked the door and finished getting undressed. He then got in the bed with Scarlett and made love to the woman he loved so very much. He didn't hold any part of himself back and when he climaxed, he told her he loved her.

Scarlett had a very, very good time. They would definitely do that again and again. They would do some of those other things that Rhett had always been wanting to do. She was going to play and have fun with Rhett.

The next morning when she woke up, she decided to wake her husband up and have some more fun. As she was getting amorous the thought crossed her mind again why wasn't she happy about being barren. Dr. Meade had told her that she probably would never get pregnant again. There was too much damage to her insides. To think of herself as barren hurt so bad which she couldn't understand. She should be happy she could not get pregnant. She had never wanted to be pregnant except that last time. Once Rhett responded she stopped thinking about anything and simply started feeling all the wonderful sensations he was invoking in her body. He was rather good at love making.