Scarlett awoke the next morning feeling unusually happy. She felt as if a load had been taken off her chest. The moment her mind became fully awake she felt a sudden giddiness and relief that she hadn't in months. She and Rhett had talked last night, and she just knew that the horrible and dividing silence in their home between themselves was at an end. And her suspicions were confirmed when she looked next to her, and saw Rhett still sound asleep. He was still here. This was the first time in months that she had awakened next to him. She smiled a tired smile and looked at him for a moment.
He was a cad. She smiled wickedly. She was so glad that everything was all right again. She had her best friend and most trusted confidant back. She got up slowly, so as not to wake him. When she was out of the bed, she looked at him to make sure he hadn't stirred. He hadn't. 'Goodness', Scarlett thought, 'He must be tired. He is usually such a light sleeper'. She went into her dressing room and picked up one of her dressing gowns and started downstairs for some breakfast. She had eaten so little the night before because of her distress over Pa that she was about to starve.
Scarlett arrived downstairs and took breakfast, and started back up the stairs to get dressed. Once she entered the room, she immediately saw Rhett. He was leaning over in front of her vanity, fixing his cravat. He heard her enter and without looking away from the mirror, asked, "Did you have a good night's rest?"
She smiled slightly at his question. "Yes."
"No more nightmares?" He looked at her seriously.
"No." She smiled a little wider.
Rhett smiled too. "I was planning on taking the children to the park. It has been a while since we last went. Do you want to come along?" He was still smiling and his eyes were so kind. He hadn't treated her so sweetly in so long.
She became excited at his proposition, but restrained it somehow. But Rhett noticed how her eyes sparkled when she spoke.
"Yes, I would like that. When do we leave?"
"About an hour. That will give you enough time to dress?"
"Oh, yes. That is plenty of time." She instantly headed for her dressing room.
By the time she was ready, it had been almost exactly one hour. She knew that the children were probably already waiting downstairs with Rhett. Before heading downstairs, she instinctively looked in the mirror and pinched her cheeks. When she walked outside of her room, she couldn't help but think that her normally very dark and solemn home seemed a little brighter this morning. She smiled when she thought that it was really just that she was happier this morning, and as she walked down her grand staircase she couldn't help but feel like she was floating.
She heard the children and Rhett before she saw them in the parlor. Wade was enthusiastically retelling some event that had taken place between himself and Beau, and when she walked into the room she laughed outright when she saw Rhett lying on the floor with Wade straddling over, on top of him. Rhett had a look of mock fear on his face and Wade was laughing.
"Then Aunt Melly took the gun-but really it wasn't a gun, it was a broom- and she pointed it to Beau's heart and said 'Lee, this is the last straw for you'. But then Beau pushed her off, and took his gun-it was a cane-and said 'I don't think so, Sherman. You aren't burning Atlanta today!' "Rhett laughed and said.
"Did he push her off like this?" Rhett instantly flipped Wade over him and laid him on his back on the floor, careful not to hurt him with the landing. Wade laughed out loud at this and Ella instantly chirped in, yelling, "Oh, me too, Uncle Rhett!" She reached her little hands up to him and he laughed and took her and did the same to her. A shrill laugh came from her lips and Bonnie protested at the noise with a small cry. Rhett, still laughing, stood and walked over to Bonnie, murmuring something to her about feeling left out.
At that point Scarlett walked into the parlor. Rhett's head was bent over the baby, and when he heard her approaching he looked up at her and smiled a mocking smile.
"Ready?" He said it as if to say, 'Finally, it took you long enough'.
She couldn't help but smile too. She was too happy today to get upset or stung by his mockery. "Yes."
"I ordered the open carriage for us so that we could enjoy the day on our ride there." Rhett said.
"Well…why don't we walk?" Scarlett suggested.
Rhett looked at her in disbelief. The park was about three miles away. "Are you sure? You know that walking there means we have to walk back." He looked at her, waiting for her answer.
"Well…we could get them to bring the carriage out to bring us home. Oh, please Rhett! It is so pretty out, and I want to walk." She put her hands together as she pleaded.
Rhett laughed and said, "Oh, alright. Come on children. Your crazy mother says we are walking." The children got very excited when they learned this information.
They were the picture of the perfect family. Wade and Ella were walking ahead of Scarlett and Rhett. Rhett was pushing Bonnie's stroller and Scarlett had her arm hooked through his. The day was beautiful and Scarlett felt content. She took a deep breath.
"Oh, Rhett! Isn't it a beautiful day? I remember days like this from when I was at Tara. I used to love days like this." It surprised her how easily she was just able to recall her past. Usually it hurt to remember. She knew that the reason she could now recall it as a bittersweet memory was because of the conversation that she and Rhett had had the night before.
At this thought, she looked at him with gratitude and, as they walked and he looked straight ahead, she kissed him on the cheek. Rhett looked at her with surprise clearly written in his eyes and his gaze quickly swept over her face to see if the reason for the unexplained display of affection was written there.
She smiled at him and said, "Thank you, Rhett. For talking to me last night."
Rhett simply smiled at her and turned back to face the road, still smiling.
The walk, though long, was a pleasant one. Scarlett even endured the prattle of the children. And she noticed that the more she let them talk, the more they did talk.
Ella seemed to speak more than Wade. Telling her about her dolls, and about her friends. Eventually it got to the point that the young child was just rambling random things to her and everyone, and sometimes just to herself. Scarlett had never seen the girl so outspoken before, and it was a surprise.
Ella talked until they finally got to the park. The carriage was already waiting for them. They had sent lunch with the driver and told him to hold it for them. Wade and Ella instantly started chattering about how hungry they were upon seeing the basket of food. Rhett laughed at them and told them that they would eat in due time. But they would not be silenced.
"Please, Uncle Rhett! Please!" Both the children came up to their stepfather's side, their hands clasped together and their innocent eyes pleading with him to let them have their own way.
"Oh, alright." They cheered. "Now, you are sure? What if you get hungry later?" Rhett asked inquisitively.
"Well, then we will eat again!" Ella said with her tiny, shrill voice. Rhett and Scarlett both laughed at this.
Rhett retrieved the basket from the carriage and brought it over to the place that the children had chosen to sit. They had chosen a spot that was right in the middle of the park, with a huge oak tree to rest underneath for shade. Rhett took the blanket that was in the basket and laid it out right next to the tree, so that Scarlett could sit with Bonnie in the shade. As soon as Rhett had the blanket laid out, the children sat down ready to eat. They were still chattering. They were so excited about the family outing that they were having, they couldn't seem to stop. Wade, in spite of his teaching in etiquette, was even talking with his mouth full of food. Scarlett softly scolded him. But when he did it again, she didn't say anything. She couldn't help but think of the days when he had had no food to eat. And she thought how she wouldn't have minded if he had talked with his mouth full then, just as long as his mouth was full. When these thoughts entered her head, she decided to let him be.
They talked about so many things. Scarlett didn't say much. She just sat there, with Bonnie in her arms, watching Rhett interact with her children. She knew that she would probably never relate to them as he did, and it stung her a little. But there was little to be done about it. And Scarlett refused to dwell on things that were of no use dwelling on.
Wade started recalling a time when he and Rhett had gone to New Orleans, and they had gone to a park there. He told them of every game played and every tree climbed. Then Ella piped in with a story about how she and Rhett had gone to a play just a few weeks earlier. After she retold every aspect of the play (this disappointed Scarlett a little because she had wanted to see that play), she and Wade talked about the many times that they had come to the park with Rhett.
Ella turned to Scarlett and spoke to her directly for the first time since they had been seated for lunch. "Mother, I wish you would come with us to the park more. You shouldn't be so busy and come with us." She nodded matter-of-factly.
Scarlett smiled slightly, not knowing what to say. "Well, I'm not that busy and you all have never asked me before."
Ella looked suddenly confused and looked at Rhett then back at Scarlett. "But Uncle Rhett said that you couldn't come last time because you were too busy. He said that every time when we said you should come." Ella sat there looking at Scarlett.
But Scarlett wasn't looking at Ella. She was looking at Rhett. And he was looking at her. But there was no emotion in his face. His bland mask was in perfect place, refusing to reveal any aspect of the secret man within. She was sure that her face was contorted with some sort of disgusted look.
Rhett suddenly stood up. "Wade, Ella, I think it's time that we pack up. We should be heading back." Both children nodded silently, noticing the change in atmosphere. They got up at what seemed to be a very slow pace and started helping Rhett to collect the things from off the blanket, placing it back in the basket.
Rhett was bent over, retrieving the plates when he spoke to Scarlett. "You should go ahead and take Bonnie to the carriage. We will be over in a moment." He spoke without even bothering to look at her.
"Gladly." She grinded out the words and stood, less careful with the baby than normal.
Once they finished cleaning their lunch site, they all climbed into the carriage and started for home in silence. Rhett had seated himself on the opposite side of the carriage, facing Scarlett. She kept her head down and looked at Bonnie the whole ride home. But she could feel his eyes on her. Once his knee slightly touched hers, and she jerked from her position so quickly that she disturbed Bonnie.
Once they reached the house and they were inside, Scarlett handed Bonnie directly to Mammy and headed up the stairs. She heard Rhett telling the children to go play outside. She was at the landing about to start up the second flight of stairs when she heard him call her. She ignored him and kept climbing the stairs. She saw him from the corner of her eye taking the steps three, maybe even four at a time. She started to walk up faster, but it was of no use. By the time she reached the top of the stairs where she could really start running, he had caught up with her and had caught her arm and had turned her to face himself.