Chapter Four
Author's Note: In this chapter Bonnie talks better than most 2-and-a-half-year-old.
Rhett left the bank and went to his warehouse. All this surprised Rhett. He didn't know Scarlett had known that much about his holdings in Atlanta. When he got to the warehouse the watchman let him into the main building. He used his key to get into the storage unit. Everything that he had ever considered his from the house of horrors was in the storage unit. All of Bonnie's belongings were there too. There were paintings in one corner. When he flipped through them, he realized they were all his paintings but only his paintings. She had known which paintings he would want to keep. What amazed him was he couldn't remember ever having discussed them with her. The only picture missing he would like to have was her in the blue dress that had hung in the family room. He wondered where it was. Maybe she sent it to Tara but he didn't think so.
Then he noticed there were no photographs. Rhett had pictures taken all the time. Did she take them all? If so why?
Rhett was so tired he was going to the hotel. He would have dinner, take a bath, have several drinks and try not to think about where his family was at that moment.
Rhett's family was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean sleeping soundly. That night after everyone was in bed Scarlett had started a pillow fight. Bonnie jumped right into the fight with Wade then Ella quickly following. Wade and Ella were still a little shy but fortunately Bonnie just jumped right in. When they were all laying on the floor giggling Ella laid her head on Scarlett's baby bump. Ella sat up and cried, "What is that? Are you okay? Are you going to die?"
Scarlett pulled her nightgown taut over her tummy. She said, "That is a baby. Mother is going to have another baby in late January or early February. His birthday will be around Wade's and Bonnie's birthdays. Mother is very excited."
Wade and Ella smiled because Mother was happy. Happier than they had ever known her to be. Bonnie said, "Daddy better hurry up and find us or he will miss the baby's birthday."
"That is true but we don't want to lose the game either. So be on your toes." Scarlett said.
"Okay, my darlings, time to go to sleep." Scarlett said. As she was turning the lamp down low.
Bonnie said, "I'm not the baby anymore. Turn it out."
"Okay Bonnie. If anyone gets scared, they can get in bed with me." Scarlett said.
"Mother we left all the monsters in Atlanta." Wade said.
"That's right! I forgot for a moment." Scarlett said.
Scarlett laid there in the dark. She was with her children almost all the time and she wasn't unhappy about it. She had grown up since Ashley's party. She realized that her children were the people who loved her just as she was. She had a chance to create relationships with all of them. This was the first time since she was fourteen that she wasn't trying to figure out how to get a man's attention; Ashley, Rhett, the Clayton county boys, the soldiers. All the things she was always doing to attract a man's attention. She could finally relax and do what she wanted to do with her own personal little group of admirers. She smiled. Then she heard Bonnie say, "Mama"
"Yes Bonnie. Come here and get in my bed. We don't want to wake Wade and Ella." Scarlett said.
Bonnie crawled in the bed and said, "Don't go away again." Bonnie said.
"Bonnie I've never gone away and I never will." Scarlett said.
"You did mama. At Grandmother's house. You slept with me. You would go away. Ask Daddy for you. He got his mad face and tell me to stop asking for you. The next day I ask Daddy and he would get his mad face on again. Do you think he's still mad at me?" Bonnie said.
Now Scarlett knew why Rhett had dropped Bonnie off and left. Mr. Perfect Father had not known what to do about the little girl he had spoilt. Rhett didn't understand that healthy discipline was a good thing. A very important thing. She was going to think about this some more after she got Bonnie back to sleep.
"No. He's not mad at you. I think he was mad at someone else, never you. Can you go to sleep now?" Scarlett said.
"I sleep here." Bonnie whispered.
"Just for tonight. You don't want to make Wade and Ella sad because they don't get to sleep here, do you?" Scarlett said.
"Wade and Ella not sad." Bonnie said. Bonnie got in her own bed.
"I'm so proud of you. Already acting like a big girl." Scarlett said.
Now she knew why Bonnie had not been asking for Rhett constantly. She thought he was mad at her.
Scarlett thought about Rhett and his gift giving. He likes to give gifts but is he giving the gift to make that person happy or buy that person's affections. That what's happened at the beginning of our marriage. He showered me with presents to buy my love and then got mad at me for not understanding the bargain. She thought that is a major fault of Rhett's. He has a plan but doesn't tell anyone the plan then gets hurt and mad at the person for not participating in the plan. That is sad. I don't need to worry about it until Rhett finds us. Scarlett floated off to sleep.
The next morning Rhett was at the Atlanta train station. Rhett asked the ticket seller if he remembered Mrs. Butler.
The ticket seller said, "Of course I remember Mrs. Butler. She is quite attractive who could forget her. She bought a ticket to Jonesboro for her mammy and four tickets to Macon. Yes. I watched Mrs. Butler while she was talking to her mammy. She so easy on the eyes. Their conversation seemed sad. I could tell because Mrs. Butler got out her handkerchief and dapped at her eyes. Those are some beautiful eyes, aren't they? When the train to Jonesboro arrived, her mammy got on but never looked back. Mrs. Butler wasn't watching her mammy either. It was like they both knew their goodbye was over. Sad huh?"
Rhett wanted to snarled and yell at this man for ogling his wife. Instead said, "Yes. Then what happened?"
The ticket seller said, "Mrs. Butler sat down on that bench there. It was harder to see her over there but all I had to do was lean forward and then I could see her quite clearly. All her children sat down next to her and hugged her. Her youngest daughter looks just like Mrs. Butler so much so anyone could be her father."
Rhett yelled, "I am her father!"
The ticket seller looked at Rhett and decided to not talk about Mrs. Butler's beauty anymore. Mr. Butler seemed to be out of sorts. Jeez you would think he would be proud to have such a beautiful wife. The ticket seller continued; "Your" the ticket seller stressed the word "daughter wiped her hands across your" again he stressed the word "wife's face. Your wife hugged your little girl and then hugged her other two children. The train to Macon got here and they got on."
Rhett asked, "Was anyone else with them?"
The ticket seller said, "Not that I noticed."
At that Rhett said, "Of course not you were too busy ogling my wife. Give me a round trip ticket to Macon."
The seller told him the price. Rhett shoved some money at him and got the ticket. Fortunately for him the train arrived within 15 minutes.
When Rhett got to Macon, he went to the ticket seller and confirmed he was working on the day in question.
Rhett asked, "Did you see a very attractive woman get off the train from Atlanta?"
The ticket seller said "No."
Rhett said, "That's it. You don't have any more information."
The ticket seller said, "Sir, I do not watch people get on or off the train. Unless I am doing my job, I have my nose in a book. My wife doesn't like me reading instead of paying attention to her. The only time I get to read is here at work. Good day."
Rhett asked, "Who would watch the people get off the train?"
The ticket seller said, "Joey. The darkie over there."
Rhett went to talk to Joey.
Rhett approached the young man and asked, "Are you Joey?"
Joey nodded but never looked at Rhett.
Rhett took out a coin and said, "Here is a dollar. Give me your attention."
Joey smiled and said, "Yes sir" and looked at Rhett.
Rhett smiled and said, "Three weeks ago on a Tuesday did a very attractive woman get off the train with a boy and two girls.
Joey said, "There was a woman that got off the train with a boy and two girls but she definitely wasn't attractive. She was ugly. She had her husband with her too."
Rhett was grasping at straws but asked away, "What did she look like?"
Joey said, "I really don't know. Once I saw that huge wart on her nose I stopped looking."
Rhett turned around to walk off and Joey said, "It sure would help if you had a picture."
Damn it. That's why she took all the pictures. Rhett said, "I have a picture of one of the little girls."
Rhett handed Joey the picture. Joey looked at it then handed it back. He said, "I really didn't look at the kids. I mean I stopped at the mother's nose and that wart."
Rhett thanked him and returned to Atlanta. It was a little after one when he got to the Atlanta train station. He bought a ticket to Jonesboro. When he got to Tara it was around 3 PM. Rhett had never been to Tara before but he had to admit it was beautiful. Rhett thought to himself, 'you really are a selfish bastard. This is the most important thing in the world to her and you can't even go visit. You can't say she never invited you. She invited you every single time she went. You wouldn't even let her take her own daughter.'
When Rhett rode up the place was quiet. He hoped somebody was home. A woman came out of the house with a scowl on her face she said, "What do you want?"
Rhett thought this must be Suellen. With the bad blood between the sisters maybe she would tell him something to help him find them.
Rhett got off the horse and gave Suellen his most winning smile. She just scowled deeper. Rhett swept his hat off and bowed. He said, "I'm Rhett B.."
Suellen said, "I know who you are. What do you want?"
Rhett said, "I wish to speak to Mammy."
Suellen gave a mirthless smile and said, "Then go down to the family plot. She died last week. She had a heart attack. She was dead before she hit the ground."
Rhett was stunned. Was Suellen making a cruel joke? Mammy can't be dead.
A man walked up at that point. He looked like a plain, nice man. He must be Will Benteen. He loved Tara enough to be married to that witch. The man held out his hand and said, "Will Benteen"
Rhett automatically stuck out his hand and said, "Rhett Butler"
Will said, "My wife could have been kinder when delivered that news but indeed the sisters' mammy is dead. I will walk with you to their family plot. Fortunately, several years ago Scarlett made sure everyone knew that Mammy was to be buried in the family plot. Even with her location unknown I'm not going to disobey her. Scarlett even had a fancy dress made for Mammy to go to heaven in. So, everything was ready for Mammy's departure."
By this time the men had reached the family plot. There was a marker with Mammy on it.
Will said, "Nobody knew what her real name was since she had been known as Mammy for so long. I will leave you here to say your final goodbyes. Rhett, we didn't know she was planning on running away. The first we knew was when Mammy showed up in Jonesboro. Scarlett didn't even send a telegram asking us to pick up Mammy. Scarlett always remembers to send the telegram. There was a letter to Suellen asking for Suellen's forgiveness for all the times Scarlett had been mean to her. She said she was sorry for everything from Frank Kennedy to pouring ink on Suellen's new rabbit fur hat. It was written like a farewell letter."
Rhett looked at him and said, "It was a farewell letter. Scarlett isn't planning on coming back. Thank you, Will. I will leave when I am finished here."
Will turned and walked away leaving Rhett with another hole in his heart and another dead end.