Chapter Two

Scarlett had told Pork to close up the house and pack up all the personal items in the house. She told him to send all of hers, Wade's, and Ella's items to Suellen at Tara. She was going to be away for a long while. He was to pack up Mr. Butler's and Bonnie's items and put them in this storage locker. Scarlett had stacked up a bunch of paintings and told Pork to put these in the storage locker also. She told him where it was and how to get into it. She gave him the key to the storage locker and told him to put the key in this envelope when he was finished and be sure to seal the envelope. Inside the envelope was a letter to Rhett and her engagement ring. Scarlett asked him to pack up all of Rhett's books and take them to Mrs. Wilkes. Give Mrs. Wilkes both envelopes, one was for Rhett and one was for Melly. She told him she would not be back for a while and then Pork looked at her with such compassionate eyes Scarlett almost lost her composure. She patted his arm and walked away unable to talk.

Scarlett had one of the servants take down the picture of her in the blue dress. She had it carried out back and burned.

Mammy and the children thought they were going to Tara. Bonnie was so excited because she had never been allowed to go to Tara before. While Scarlett was at the train station with Mammy, she turned to Mammy and told her she wasn't going with her to Tara.

Mammy said, "Oh my little lamb. I will pray for you. Just send me back to Tara and I will be fine."
Scarlett nodded her head and said, "I love you Mammy."
Mammy looked at Scarlett with the tears in her eyes and knew Scarlett was finally growing up. She was finally putting someone before herself.

Mammy replied, "I'll be okay. Put me on the train to Jonesboro. I love you too."
While they were waiting for the train Scarlett asked Mammy, "Who was Phillipe?"
Mammy knew it was time to tell Scarlett her mother's story. "He was your mother's true love. Your Grandfather would not let them marry. Phillipe went to New Orleans to obtain a fortune instead he was killed. She found out the night before she accepted your pa's proposal. Before Phillipe died, she was very much like you full of spirit and life. Afterwards she was just a shell of a woman. Don't let him steal your spirit, my lamb." Scarlett didn't ask any questions. She hugged Mammy again and told the children to hug her.
Mammy got on the train. She didn't want to know anything.
Mammy went to Jonesboro. Scarlett had bought tickets only to Macon. When they got to Macon Andi would buy tickets to New York in her disguise as a man. Scarlett and her three children boarded the train in Atlanta and disappeared. Scarlett told the children they were playing a new game, Hide from Daddy. As long as Daddy/Uncle Rhett didn't find them they were winning. Everyone needed to be looking for Daddy/Uncle Rhett. If they saw him before he saw them, they were still winning. Miss Brown and Mother were even going to wear disguises. Isn't this fun?
Andi joined them once the train had left Atlanta. Nobody in Atlanta knew they were traveling together. Once they debarked from the train in New York they were a married couple with three children and one on the way. Scarlett was amazed at how well Andi could act like a man. If she didn't know differently, she would have sworn Andi was a man.

They were fortunate to get a ship to Nice, France right away. Andi was able to get them a two-room suite. Andi had her own room and Scarlett and the children shared the other room. Up until Rhett started working at the bank in the afternoons Scarlett had never spent much time with her children. Then Scarlett started always coming home for dinner. She did it at first to spend time with Bonnie without Rhett around but she found she enjoyed all her children. After Rhett had run away with Bonnie she then reached out to Wade and Ella and started forming a relationship with them. They had welcomed her with open arms, admittedly scared, cautious open arms but they had welcomed her none the less. They didn't expect her to be perfect they just wanted to spend time with her. Once she started treating them like valuable people it became much easier. She even began to enjoyed their company. Bonnie was obeying her mother because she wanted to be with her. While Daddy always had time for her Mother rarely did. So, getting to spend this much time with her mother was exciting to Bonnie. She knew she would have to obey Mother because Daddy wasn't here to make mother give Bonnie her way. Scarlett had realized she needed to be a mother her way, not Melly's way, not her mother's way, not Rhett's way but her way. Once she stopped trying to be someone else, she relaxed and the children relaxed and they were a peace in each other's company. Now that they were on the ship Scarlett decided the mother, she thought she could most be like was Mrs. Tarleton. Scarlett laughed a truly happy laugh. She could see her and Bonnie teasing each other like the Tarleton girls teased with their mother. She could actually see her being tease by Wade and Ella too. Once they knew it was okay to tease her, they would do it.

The five weeks on the boat were life altering for Scarlett. She bonded with her children. She found she enjoyed Andi's company. She was even enjoying some of the other women's company. She realized she had been an uncaring person in regard to other people's feelings. It was a horrible enlightenment for her.
It was an incident with Bonnie that showed her own deficits. Bonnie wanted a toy that another child had. Bonnie threw a fit. She had rarely been told no. She threw herself on the floor crying and moaning. Scarlett was trying to get her to move on when Wade said, "Bonnie you need to learn you can't get everything you want." Scarlett finally got Bonnie to accept she couldn't have the toy because it didn't belong to her and Daddy wasn't here to buy it for her.
Later that night with her children all in bed with her she thought I have never accepted that lesson. Pa never made me learn it. I can't get everything I want. I wanted Ashley but did he want me? I didn't care. I didn't care what he wanted just what I wanted. The day of the Barbecue I didn't care about those boys except as pawns to make Ashley jealous. I didn't care about them, I didn't care about the other girl's feelings, I didn't even care about Ashley's feelings. I never have. All I cared about was my feelings. I have thrown myself at Ashley all these years never caring what was best for him. Always just what I wanted. Rhett was right I have made Ashley's life a living hell.
For that matter I didn't care about Rhett's feelings just how those feelings affected me. I made his life hell also but unlike Ashley he struck back. Actually, neither one of us cared about the other's feelings in themselves just how the feelings affected us.

Rhett had spent three weeks in New Orleans having fun. He had done some business and seen his ward but mostly he had tried to scratched an itch. He wanted Scarlett. Even more now that they had been together recently. He had been with a few women but he was never completely satisfied like he was the night of Ashley's party. He was returning to the house of horrors. Maybe she would be happy to see him. If for no other reason than to take Bonnie off her hands. Rhett arrived at the train station in Atlanta. He left his trunk at the station and walked to his home. It looked different. He didn't know why but it did. He walked up to the front door and his key didn't work. Did the bitch change the lock? Never mind. He would bang on the door until someone answered. Someone answered rather quickly but Rhett didn't recognize him. When he tried to enter, he was told to wait in the foyer the master of the house would be down to see him. What? He was the master of the house.
As Rhett stood there, he noticed items were missing. A stout man of about sixty came to greet him. The man said, "I'm Allen Wainwright.

Rhett said, "I'm Rhett Butler. What is going on?

Mr. Wainwright said, "I'm the new owner of the house. When Mrs. Butler told me to pick up the keys from her lawyer, I was afraid I was going to have to be the one to tell you the house is no longer yours Mr. Butler. I bought the house six weeks ago. I had it checked out legally and everything is kosher. Your wife had the legal right to sell the house."

Rhett thanked the man and left the house. He wanted to know what Scarlett was up to. Where was his stuff. Where was she? Rhett went to Belle's and found out more than he ever thought possible. Scarlett had surprised him.

Belle told him that Scarlett and her children had left Atlanta the day after he did. At first most people thought she had gone to Tara. A few romantics thought they had gone to meet him. Her going to Tara seemed confirmed when all the clothes and all the animals except for Rhett's horse had been shipped to Tara. Rhett's horse had been brought here and was in Belle's stable. The stable boy's only comment was I was told to bring it here. People figured she planned to be gone a while when the house was prepared to be closed up. What people couldn't understand was all the boxes being taken to storage. When all your books were taken to Mrs. Wilkes's house everyone was dumbfounded. Someone suggested that y'all were getting a divorce and neither one of you could face the shame which made sense to most of Atlanta. About a week ago two things happened that sent the Atlanta busy bodies into a flurry. Mr. Wainwright and family moved into your house which confirmed you were getting a divorce. The second thing that happened was Will Benteen came to Atlanta to purchase supplies. When he was asked if they should send the bill to Mrs. Butler as usual the clerk was told to send it to Henry Hamilton. The clerk asked if Mrs. Butler was okay and Mr. Benteen told the clerk he had no idea. The clerk said, 'Isn't she at Tara with the children?' And Mr. Benteen just said, 'No. We don't know where they are.' Rumor has it she sold everything she owned and took the money in cash. Now people are whispering that you killed her and the children.
"Really Belle! I would never kill Scarlett." Said Rhett.
"They say Scarlett accidentally killed Bonnie then you went into a murderous rage and killed her. You killed the other two children to cover up your crime." Said Belle
"And after having escaped I stupidly came back to the scene of the crime. I guess I need to go see Henry Hamilton. Maybe I am getting a divorce and just don't know about it yet." He laughed after saying it but Belle could tell he didn't really think it was funny. In fact, he looked worried.
Rhett walked to Henry Hamilton's office. Mr. Hamilton greeted him coldly. He didn't like Rhett personally and especially didn't like how Rhett had pushed Scarlett down further in order to be accepted by Atlanta society. When Henry saw Rhett he said, "I don't know where she is. She is no longer my client. I just administer three trust, Tara, her aunts and one for my sister. If the trust is no longer needed the money is to be returned to you."
Rhett asked, "Was it my money in the first place? Did she sell everything she owned in Atlanta?"
Henry said, "Yes and yes"
Rhett then saw what he thought was Wade's sword and asked, "Is that Wade's sword?"
Henry said, "Yes."
Rhett saw the hat box. The one he had brought from Paris that had contained a pretty green hat. He had to know. "Is there a green hat in that hat box?"
Henry said, "I don't know and I don't care. My niece asked me to keep it for her until she could come back for it. That is a personal matter between my niece and I. I don't legally have to tell you anything about it. I don't like to interfere in people's love lives but I regret not strongly telling her not to marry you. I will regret it until the day I die. Good day Mr. Butler."
Maybe he could wheedle some information out of Mrs. Wilkes. He would just turn on the charm. He would have the entire story out of Mrs. Wilkes within 30 minutes. Unfortunately for Rhett Scarlett had not told Mrs. Wilkes anything. She had not even known Scarlett was gone until the books were delivered. He had assured her he didn't want his books back. Mrs. Wilkes did give him an envelope that had his name on it in Scarlett's script. Rhett found himself on the outside of Mrs. Wilkes's house before he knew it which made him wonder who had out charmed whom. He didn't go back because Mrs. Wilkes would not tell him anything even if she knew more.