Secrets blown: 1
Deletion of Wolf-Child: ?
Earlier today:
"Carreen, I think it's time to send Beau back to his parents."
Silence.
"I don't know, Scarlett."
"Well... he belongs there..." -Definitely not here. No children belong here, unless they pay rent. Not even mine.
No response. I tried again. "It's his home."
"Some people think home is where the heart is."
Uh. What? I had never heard that bullshit before.
"I just think he's doing so well over here, and he likes it so much here..."
"Does he?" I raised an eyebrow. I supposed it was very awesome for those on the free-meal-receiving end.
"I think he's grown bigger... and I think he's looked after a bit more over here... not that I blame Ashley. I mean, I understand he's going through a lot... I just think it would be nice if he had some help."
"You know, I thought that would be nice, too-except he can't afford. it."
I pressed my lips together. Somehow, I didn't feel Mellie's passing was an excuse for his letting himself go. "I think his home is calling. Don't you think a child should be with their parents, anyway?"
She squinted her eyes at me for a second, before regaining her nun-like composure, but in that millisecond, we both knew what she was thinking: "where are your children?"
I thought of how to change the subject, but she took the liberty to bypass the unwanted topic.
"Did Ashley say he wants Beau back?"
"I think so." ...Lies. Ashley had only asked every now and then how Beau was doing, thanked me, and dropped more M-bombs. He never once asked for his spawn back.
I began feeling irritated, realizing Ashley was really being shitty. Rhett would never do that. He wanted to be around Bonnie. He wanted to see his children. I know that a) had I died the day I slid down the staircase, and b) had Bonnie survived, he would not have fallen apart. He'd have stayed strong-for Bonnie.
The contrast made me grimace at the thought of Ashley. I briefly recalled my past obsession with Ashley and shuddered. I had lost a good man with my stupidity.
I was brought back to this earth by a prodding voice. "-Well, maybe Ashley can come by more often? Or I'll take him to see Ashley every other day. I have nothing else to do anyway-"
I could sense desperation in her voice, and like a shark smelling blood, I could never resist pouncing on any handicaps or weaknesses-even if it was just for fun. "-or you can go with him to Ashley's house," I said, smiling.
She gave me a surprised look. "You know that isn't proper..."
I laughed to myself. Oh, if she only knew half the things I did to get Tara. I was toying with her.
"Alright, we can send Prissy to stay at the Wilkeses and watch over Ashley and Bobo."
That's right, I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone:
1) delete Wolf-Child
2) rid myself of the most annoying and useless "help" in all of history.
The nun interrupted my fantasies. "-but he also needs a proper governess."
Dear, God. Did everyone view me as some open wallet? "I can't afford that," I responded flatly.
When she stared back in shock, I don't know why I attempted to explain myself. "I can't go around paying everything for everyone."
"-but he's family!" she exploded. Ugh, that godawful word. I had hoped I'd never hear it again.
"It's Rhett's money, Carreen. Have you forgotten we live in a patriarchal society?"
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Where is Rhett, anyway?" Ugh.
"Traveling the world," I responded. -aka avoiding me.
"When will he be back?"
Silence. Uh, maybe never?
"Can you write him and ask?" She was persistent, I'll give that to her. Persistent and annoying.
I shrugged and said I'd try. I began to truly regret the day I revoked her allowance.
Then, as if uncovering a new gem, she asked excitedly, "Scarlett. Don't you receive your own income from the shop and tenants? Can't we set something aside for him?" Her words were like sand paper to my soul.
"Gah!" I exploded. "Carreen, he's not my son! And the new construction on the house is taking up most of my own income from the shop+B&B!"
"What construction?"
"Are you blind?! We're putting in more wash rooms for the guests!"
She pressed further. "Surely, you can't put bathrooms over our nephew!"
-Our nephew? I didn't know Carreen could be so determined.
She pleaded, and it began to make me uncomfortable. "You have the money, Scarlett. You're super rich and married to one of the wealthiest men in the South. Why can't we help him? Are you so heartless?"
-WE? Last time I checked Carreen had 0 money. I had sold my soul to buy Tara, fucked a man I didn't even like, bore his child I can barely stand, then accidentally killed him/ensured my passage to hell-JUST to ensure my family would not be starving and aimlessly scattered across the South-AND THEN what did I do? I gave it to that POS Suellen, so she could keep a roof over her head.
Somewhere underneath this snake skin, ice cold blood began to simmer.
I whispered angrily. "Yes, well, last time I checked, this is NOT a Communist country. My financial state does not mean I must go about adopting all the penniless children of Georgia and bestow a 'proper lifestyle' upon them... Is this what they teach you in the abbey, Carreen? Because it's not happening here."
I was so angry that I was shrieking. The war and all the shit times flashed before me, and all I saw was red. "This isn't God's house, Carreen. It never has been, and it's never going to be."
I remembered Rhett telling me he had gone in search of gentler and more beautiful things. He had asked me if I knew what he was talking about. I hadn't, and I still didn't. Those things were all swept away with the war, and I never thought about them again. Tears fell down my cheeks. Angry tears. Hot tears. Sad tears.
"Scarlett-"
"CARREEN! Just shut the FUCK up!" My blood had boiled and was sending off lava-like bursts thoughout my veins. I was shaking in anger. "RHETT LEFT A LONG TIME AGO!"
Shit. I hadn't intended to tell her.
She took a step back and stared with an expression as if I had hurt her. Exasperated, angry, tired, and sleepy from all the fighting and baby-talk, I didn't know what to do. Then, I saw a blue-grey flurry hurl itself in my direction. She latched her fingers together around my back and placed her face tightly against my chest.
I sighed before uncomfortably patting her on her back and attempting to gently extricate myself from her grip, but she wouldn't budge.
"Scarlett... I... that must be why you've been so cross and unemotional the past few weeks. You were sad. I should have noticed."
Wtf. I rolled my eyes, knowing she could not see me. Why couldn't people just accept I am who I am? No, I'm just bitchy. period.
"That must be why you had to cut off my allowance...! Oh, Scarlett. Of course... I should have known. And here, I had thought-oh, nevermind!"
She desperately clung to me. I didn't know what to do. I was still angry, shaking. And I was now irritated that she was taking the news worse than I had.
She whispered something, as if I wasn't supposed to hear. "I knew Suellen was wrong."
And then, she said something that surprised even me: "Scarlett... I've been such a burden to you. I..." she inhaled sharply and expressed surprising resolve. "I'll go with Beau to Ashley's."
I thought about her statement for a moment. I considered dusting all 4 of Ashley, Beau, Carreen, and Prissy off my hands. I thought of my mother. Then, I looked down at my sister. Her bonnet had fallen off. I sighed.
I couldn't let the nun do that, knowing how much her propriety meant to her.
Minutes passed until the words sliced across my lips. "I'll... think about it, Carreen..." Verbal diarrhea.
I teetered on my feet, unable to hug my sister back, whether due to defeat or because Suellen wasn't so wrong this time, I wasn't sure.
Regrets for revoking sister's allowance: 98173792332.
Christmas spirit: totally dead
Christmas sucks.
Author Note: I am attempting to gauge viewer interest in the series to assess further continuation. If you are enjoying it, reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and the guest reviews thus far, and I hope you've had a few laughs.