Chapter Eleven

Melanie's suitors all reminded him of Ashley Wilkes. Scarlett told him, "It is who makes her happy not you." Rhett didn't like this statement and he made a very cruel mocking statement to Scarlett for her to mind her own business. Scarlett sat down in his lap and said, "What is the matter? That is the first time you have been cruel or mocking with me in years. And my daughter is my business."

Rhett brooded the rest of the evening but Scarlett sat with him in the sitting room and worked on some mending the rest of the night. Finally, when Scarlett said, "I'm going to retire now." She stood up but extended her hand to him. He accepted it and walked with her to their bedroom. He helped her undress and undressed himself. They got in the bed and Rhett pulled her close. Scarlett had learned over the years that eventually he would tell her everything. Tonight, he wasn't ready to tell her yet so she snuggled into him and went to sleep. The next morning Rhett woke her with kisses on her mouth and neck. He made slow luxurious love to her. She enjoyed herself immensely. Rhett smiled and said, "My love, I can't imagine my life without you."

All Scarlet said was, "Me either."

As they were getting dressed Rhett said, "He had such an influence over you that I never thought we would be rid of him. I hated him for so long even after all these years that we've been happy together I still hate him."

Scarlett said, "He's dead, you know."

Rhett laughed and said, "That's what so totally irrational about my feelings."

Scarlett said, "Would you like to dig up his corpse and beat him up?"

Rhett said, "Yes. How crazy is that?"

Scarlett said, "It is pretty crazy. He loved Melanie but wouldn't tell me so. I thought I loved him but I really didn't. You knew you loved me but weren't showing me. Belle loved you. And Melly all oblivious to what was going on. But who ended up with the beautiful maiden?"

Rhett said, "Me."

Scarlett said, "Exactly"

Scarlett started walking to the door and said, "Come on. I'm hungry."

Rhett laughed and said, "When aren't you hungry?"

Scarlett swatted him on the chest and left the room. Rhett followed her through the door and decided he was one lucky bastard.

Rhett decided to relax about Melanie's suitors. She was only 14 there was plenty of time for her to find the perfect husband. Melanie didn't care about any of these suitors and that made her father very happy. Rhett discovered Bonnie wasn't entertaining any suitors and that made him suspicious. He decided to follow Bonnie on one of her afternoon walks. If he had been a weaker man it would have brought him to his knees. When he got home, he went to the sitting room and fortunately Scarlett was there. She could tell immediately that he was not alright. Scarlett said, "Do I need to call a doctor?" Rhett said, "No, a funeral director." This panic Scarlett and she said, "Rhett, Rhett What is the matter?" Rhett said, "Bonnie is seeing Beau!" Scarlett paused for a minute to make sure she had heard him correctly.

Scarlett said, "So?"

Rhett said, "She is secretly seeing Beau Wilkes."

Scarlett again said, "So?"

Rhett said, "I will not allow her to marry Beau Wilkes."

Scarlett sat down and tried really hard not to laugh. Rhett was being ridiculous. She got herself together and said, "Maybe we can get them to wait and get married on April 15, 1891, thirty years to the day that I threw myself at Ashley Wilkes."

Rhett looked at her and said, "What are you talking about?"

Scarlett looked at him and said, "I thought we were spouting out insane statements."

Rhett looked at her incredulous and said, "Scarlett, this is serious!"

Scarlett said, "Rhett, Listen to yourself. You won't let Bonnie marry a young man because his father once lusted after your wife."

Rhett said, "It was a little bit more serious than that, my pet."

Scarlett said, "Yes. It was. But Beau didn't have anything to do with it. Beau is more Melly than he is Ashley. So, this is not an Ashley and Scarlett union. And they aren't us. As much as Bonnie looks like me, she is your daughter through and through. All the traits you ascribe to me are your traits too. So maybe this is a Melly Rhett union."

Rhett said absurdly, "I was never attracted to Melly."

Scarlett burst out laughing and said, "Not important right now! He is a nice young man from a good family. He is interested in her not her father's money. He is infatuated enough to sneak around to see her. I'll bet that wasn't his idea. Let's invite him to dinner. You can interrogate him. I mean visit with him. Find out what his intentions are. Find out why he thought it was okay to sneak around behind your back. He is going to graduate soon from Harvard Medical. If you aren't careful, she will marry him and move to Atlanta and we will never see her again."

Rhett sighed thus acknowledging the truth of her statement. He said, "Make the arrangements to have him for dinner this Sunday."

Scarlett said, "Whatever makes you happy sweetheart."

Rhett looked at her and smiled.

Beau did come to dinner that Sunday. He was relaxed but he knew that Uncle Rhett really didn't like him. Beau felt it had something to do with his father and Uncle Rhett's dislike of each other. Luckily Aunt Scarlett did like him. Everyone was there including Miss Andi. The conversation was flowing and everyone was participating. And for a minute Scarlett sat there and was truly at peace with her life. It was wonderful. She looked over at Rhett and as usual he knew just what she was thinking but she smiled because she knew what he was thinking also. He agreed with her. This was wonderful.

After dinner Rhett asked Beau into his office. Scarlett linked her arm with Bonnie's and said, "It is going to be alright but you hurt him by sneaking around behind his back so you need to apologize for that."

Bonnie looked at her mother and saw the truth in her mother's eyes. Bonnie thought I hope I have as good a marriage as my parents.

Andi went upstairs to read in her room. Scarlett sent Wade and Bridget home. She sent James, Melly and Elizabeth to their rooms. Scarlett and Bonnie pretended to read magazines and talk.

Finally, Rhett and Beau exited his office. Beau looked happy and Rhett looked resigned. Beau said to Bonnie, "Your father has given his permission for us to marry."

Bonnie turned to Rhett and said, "Oh Daddy, thank you so much. I'm so sorry I went behind your back. I should have told you I liked Beau."

Rhett cupped her chin in his hand and said, "Yes you should have. Now run along. I need to inform your mother how much money she can spend on your wedding."

Rhett took Scarlett's hand and they walked up the stairs leaving Bonnie and Beau in the foyer.

Rhett was still holding Scarlett's hand as they walked into their bedroom. He whispered in her ear, "A thousand dollars and not a penny more."

Scarlett kissed him and said, "Thank you."

And nothing else was said for a long time.

Later that day as Rhett was smoking his cigar Scarlett asked, "Why did you say 'yes?"

Rhett said, "He loves her the same way I love you. He started telling me all of her faults and then said I love her not in spite of her faults but because of her faults. How could I say no after that? He was pretty accurate on her faults."

Scarlett said, "You made her very happy."

Rhett smiled and pulled his wife closer.

A year later Beau and Bonnie were married. It was a beautiful wedding. Rhett couldn't believe how totally involved Scarlett was in planning the wedding. Then he knew that this was the wedding she wished she could have had. Although she had been married three times, she had never had her dream wedding. They saw the bride and groom off on their honeymoon at the reception. When they came back from their honeymoon they moved into Beau's old room. They were going to live with them until Beau graduated next year from Medical School. Bonnie never went back to Radcliffe but nobody was surprised. Rhett had a man to man conversation with Beau about how to prevent pregnancies. Rhett wanted Beau to be finished with school before they started a family.

It was six months later when Andi suffered a fatal heart attack and died. Scarlett was filled with grief. Her longtime companion was gone. They laid her out in the parlor and had the funeral the next day. Rhett would not let Scarlett change Andi's clothes. He said she looks fine the way she is dressed. Rhett really didn't want Scarlett to know Andi's secret if there was one. Rhett bought a plot and they buried her. The only mourners were the Butler family. Scarlett at that point understood she had never known anything about Andi's past. At first Scarlett was upset that she hadn't cared enough about Andi to inquire about her past. Rhett assured her that Andi didn't want to share her past and Andi greatly appreciated the fact that Scarlett didn't pry. Scarlett had loved her and accepted her just as she was. She had made Andi part of her family. While Scarlett was in deep mourning Rhett had cleaned out Andi's room and gave her belongings away to charity. There was nothing in the room to shed any more light on Andi and her past. Scarlett was sad for several months but she recovered her good humor soon enough.

Starting when Melly was fourteen boys had been coming by to ask for her hand in marriage. She assured her father she was not interested in any of them. When she sixteen Rhett noticed a change in Melly and he suspected there was someone who Melly wanted to marry. So, he had James escort her to the balls, soirees and dinners. James reported back there was no one that Melly seemed interested in. According to Melly James spent more time flirting with the girls than he did accompanying her. Finally, Rhett told Scarlett they were going to have to attend one of the balls for the sole purpose of watching Melly. They needed to find out who she was interested in. Scarlett made her face into a pout and said, "Does that mean we aren't going to dance?" Rhett quickly assured Scarlett that they would dance. Scarlett was afraid Rhett would be distracted by his spying on his daughter to pay proper attention to his wife and she pouted more. She loved all her daughters and she was glad Rhett was such a diligent father but sometimes his wife needed attention too.