Rhett laid in the bed puffing on a cigar, smiling to himself, "No, I'm sure she wouldn't have done it", he chuckled aloud, but he wasn't going to tempt her.

As he turned around, he had looked into blazing green eyes, hovering over a pistol, an old pistol, and her red lips pursed together. The nose of the pistol shook slightly, as she said, "Get out."

Rhett tried to hide his sardonic smiled, which would make her crazier, he knew.

"Now, Scarlett, put that away."

"I said Get out, you vile cad!" her voice was harsh and smooth.

"Put it down, and I'll go back to my room. I don't want you to hurt-"

"The only person I'm going to hurt is you, now go!"

Rhett had slowly opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, and then stifled his giggles, until he got to his room and poured a drink. He heard the bell ringing off the cord, and then the door open and closing again.

"Mammy, come undress me, and I don't want to be bothered tomorrow morning!"

"Miss Scarlett, what if that pistol doing out?"

"Don't you mind, I'm putting it away. Now, come on."

Mammy unlaced her corset, freeing Scarlett to pull her gown over her head. Walking over to the nightstand and taking out the mahogany tea box, she slipped the pistol back in it's hiding place and flopped on her bed.

"Where's Mr. Rhett?"

Scarlett curled up on her side, "I suppose he's in his room, lock my door on the way out!"

Mammy glanced at the ball in the bed, and did as she was told, but went down the hall and knocked on Rhett's door anyway.

The door opened as Mammy was meeted with a puff of smoke, "Mammy?"

"I's just checkin' to see if you need anything?"

"I'm quite well, Mammy, thank you."

"Are you goin' out with the children tomorrow, again?"

"No, I think I will have a late morning, just coffee and toast in my room."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and Mammy, Is Miss Scarlett well?"

"Yes?"

"And did she put the gun away?"

Mammy slurred out a "Yes, sir."

Rhett laughed heartily, "Good."

Things were "good" the next few days, Rhett and Scarlett's paths seldom crossed except for dinner where the conversation consisted of Scarlett's admonishing of the children, and an occasion sighed or noise in reaction to one of Rhett's stories. Following dinner, Scarlett made her exit with the children to the nursery to check Wade's homework or help Ella with her reader. This left Rhett to rattle around the house or go out, which he seldom did anymore. He had a sore spot with Belle for coddling and allowing Ashley to disgrace Melanie's memory.

It was the end of the first week, when Rhett announced at dinner of the activities for the following day.

"I would like everyone's attention."

Scarlett placed her wine glass down and looked up at his smug smile, and wondered, 'What's he up to now?'

Ella dropped her fork with a clatter and asked, "Is it somethin' good Uncle Rhett?"

Wade met his mother's eyes, and sighed.

"Yes, yes Ella it is! We are going on a family outing tomorrow!"

"But, Rhett-" started Scarlett, it was the first two words she had directed at him in a week.

"Now, Mrs. Butler- you have been to the store everyday this week, even Sunday. I will not take 'no' for an answer."

"Where are we going?" asked Scarlett flatly.

"Somewhere, nice, but it is a surprise."

Wade rolled his eyes, and stuffed another stack of noodles in his mouth."

Everyone was silent, and then Ella piped up, "What should I where?"

Rhett's eyes gleamed, "Your prettiest dress, and a warm coat, it is supposed to be cold tomorrow."

Scarlett exchanged glances with Wade, who pursed his lips together, "Well, I hope mother can go, since it a family outing."

Rhett repeated, "Yes, she is, I told you I won't take 'no'"

"Wade, if your Uncle Rhett has planned an outing, and he has insisted I go, I'll be there."

Wade mumbled something under his breath, and shot piercing dark eyes at his mother.

"What did you say?" Scarlett demanded.

"Nothing," Wade spat out.

Rhett saved him from her wrath, "I believe Wade said,'Yes, mother.'", and winked at Scarlett.

Draining her glass, Scarlett stood, "Since it's Friday, I believe I will turn in early, since the children don't have school tomorrow."

Rhett stood, "Yes, get a good night's sleep for tomorrow."

Scarlett muttered a "Good Night." and walked toward the stairs. She could hear, Ella pleading with Rhett to play a game of checkers before bed, and Rhett admonishing Wade for his rude behavior. She need time alone, if she was going to have to spend the entire day with the children's behavior and vile Rhett, was going to try her patience.

Scarlett had drifted to sleep in her chair and the rukus of the children and Rhett hurdling up the stairs, woke her, and finding her magazine on the floor, she stood to ring the bell to get ready for bed. Her eyes were drowsy and sleepy as she tried to focus them on the path to the bell. It was a quick knock on the door that startled her and she blurted out, "Yes!"

"Scarlett, can I speak with you, in the hall." Rhett's voice was hushed and low in the door crack, and she hestitantly, opened the door and stepped outside the threshold.

Her eyes were red and drowsy, as she searched his face, her hair coming down from the pins around her shoulders. Rhett saw she had been sleeping, and squinted his eyes, "Are you well?"

"Yes, I fell asleep, I guess."

"You have been working long hours at the store, I hope it isn't on my being here. You need to rest more."

"What do you want?" Scarlett asked, eager to avoid his suggestions.

"I just wanted to remind you, to wear something nice and warm tomorrow, and I hope we can have a good day. I know we haven't spoken since you, er, pulled the gun-"

"Don't joke about it-"

"Merely stating a fact, my pet. I hope we can all have a pleasant day, and I wanted to apologize for my rude behavior last week."

Scarlett sneered, she had him where she wanted him, "You're forgiven, I know you can't control your jealousy when it comes to Ashley."

Rhett's color drained, and he stared at her, hoping she had nothing more to say.

They stood there in silence, Scarlett holding the trump card, and Rhett waiting patiently.

Scarlett unhooked the door, and quietly said, "Good night, Rhett."

As he started off to his room, he heard the door latch shut. He chuckled, she was still afraid even though she was cocky and brash.

The next morning, the children were down to breakfast earlier than they come down for school. Scarlett joined them, and heard Ella's high pitched arguing with Wade, and as she entered the dining room, Wade shut his mouth and kicked his sister.

"Please, get all your arguing finished before we leave."Scarlett spat at the children, as she sat at her place at the head of the table. Ella glared and Wade, and he shook his head.

"Mother, Ella is being ridiculous."

Scarlett laughed, "How so Wade?"

"Well, she says, you and Uncle Rhett are taking us to see a new house that looks like a castle, because we are moving away."

"No, I don't think Uncle Rhett is planning that, I don't know where we are going either. This house is plenty big and comfortable for us all."

Rhett made his entrance and looked at the pouting Ella, "Why the sour face, Ella?"

"Wade is being mean!"

"Oh, come now. We are going to have fun today, no pouts, no mean words, and no arguing." Rhett smiled at Scarlett, who met his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Uncle Rhett, tell us where we are going?"

"Wade, patience is a virtue, you should try and get some. I want to have a nice breakfast, and then we will leave in the carriage."

"Are we going very far? Do I need a trunk?" Ella asked, sitting on her knees.

"Ella, we aren't moving!" fussed Wade.

Rhett laughed, "No, we will be back for supper, Ella. Unless you want to stay behind?"

"Without you and Mother? No!" Ella's hazel eyes got wide and the expression was Scarlett's surprise.

The carriage made it's way out of town and turned in the direction of Jonesboro, Scarlett pulled the blanket higher on her legs and spread it out towards, Ella. Wade looked out the window, and asked, "Are we going to Tara?"

Scarlett looked up at Rhett, and narrowed her eyes.

"No, we are going to Fayetteville."

"Why are we going there?" Scarlett asked irritated, "There isn't anything to do there!"

"Mrs. Butler, precisely observant."

"You went there before, Mother?" Ella asked.

"Yes, I went to finishing school there, for about two years."

Wade rolled his eyes, "We are going to see a girls' school?"

Rhett cleared his throat, "We are going to see a circus!"

Scarlett looked dumfounded, and Ella squirmed out of her grasped and clapped her hands, " YAy! Like my books, Are there elephants?"

Rhett chuckled, at Scarlett's expression and Ella's excitement.

Wade smiled, too, "I never seen one before! They have lions, too!"

"Yes, Yes and yes! There is a lot of open land in Fayetteville, and the Circus decided to set up the tents and perform for the next few days!"

Scarlett smiled, relieved it wasn't something worse, "I saw a circus once when I was about Wade's age. We had went to Saratoga for the summer, and Pa saw the posters, and brought us to the circus. I loved the acrobats, but Suellen was so afraid of all the animals, and Careen was barely six, she fell asleep halfway through the show."

"Well, I'm glad you have fond memories, dear." Rhett's smile was triumphant.

As they exited the carriage and walked towards the fairgrounds, Scarlett was glad she wore her leather boots, and Rhett took her arm to help her through the grass and mud. Luckily, it was had cold and dry since the beginning of the year, so the ground was hard and firm. Wade and Ella ran up ahead and waited at the ticket booth for Rhett and Scarlett to catch up.

As they entered, a trainer was cross the midway with a small elephant, and Ella started to yell and jump up and down. Scarlett grabbed her arm and hissed, "Control yourself, Ella." The tone of her mother's voiced quieted Ella, and Wade took her other hand, "Ella, come on, you are going to scare the animals."

Rhett touched Scarlett's shoulder, "Let her be silly, it's a fun day."

"Rhett, she's so excitable, she makes a spectacle of herself."

Wade took his sister's hand and walked her over to the trainer who had stopped with the elephant for the children to see. Of course, Ella shrieked and ran back to Rhett when the elephants started flapping his ears. Rhett took her in his arms and walked over to the elephant, about the size of the St. Bernard of Wade's and helped calm her fears as she pet him. Scarlett marvelled at the baby elephant, never seeing one up close, it was amazing the softness in the animals dark eyes.

The trainer had an Irish brogue, "The performance under the big top doesn't start for another few hours, but make sure you see the side shows and visit the animals. There is also treats for the children to eat."

Wade's eyes lit up, "I want something to eat!"

Rhett chuckled, "I'm sure you all do, in time, Wade."

As they strolled through the train cars which housed the animals, Rhett and Scarlett stood back as Wade and Ella approached the cages, and the trainers answered the silly endless questions from Ella.

"So, Rhett, have you ever been to a circus?"

"Yes."

"Really? Were you in love with a dancing lady. maybe the one on the horse?"

"No, I wasn't," Rhett's voice was flat, "I was in love with Bonnie."

"Bonnie?"

"Yes, when we went on our trip, there was a circus, and I took her. She loved the acrobats, and the dancing dogs. She cried when we left, she wanted me to buy her one," Rhett chuckled remembering Bonnie's blue eyes, wet with tears and her little fists punching the carriage's leather seats, yelling for the white poodle in the pink dress.

"I'm surprised you didn't come home with one."

"Well, I got her Kitty."

"Of, course," Scarlett snorted, "Kitty."

"But when she was at the circus, she kept saying,'I wish Mother was here, and Wade would love the lion or Ella would love the dancing horses.' I promised her, we would all go someday."

Scarlett was quiet, as she wipe tears away from her eyes, "I wish I was there, too."

"I know, I did wrong by you and Bonnie."

Wade came up to Rhett and pointed at the side show, "Let's go in there."

Ella was trailing behind him with a carrot top she picked up from the ground, "I fed the pony!"

Rhett scooped her up, "If it is scary, just hide your eyes with your hands, Ella."

Ella nodded, and Scarlett looked up at him, "Scary?"

Rhett chuckled, "You can do the same, if you are afraid?"

"What do they have in there?"

Wade looked at Rhett, "Bizarre animals, and people."

Scarlett rolled her eyes, and took Wade's arm as they walked in the tent, "Fiddle dee dee, most of Atlanta is bizarre."

The tent was quite dark, and the lights were torches. Each area had drapes and roped off walls, with words scrawled across in smelly, fresh paint. Signs read, "Crab girl", Smallest Man" and "Duck Boy". Scarlett went in first with Wade, and the first sight made her gasp, a girl stood in front of a mirror with hair past her feet pudding behind her like a bridal train. Scarlett didn't find it scary, but quite amazing, and she wondered 'How does she brush her hair?' The next section was a lady in dark pantalets and a dark blouse crawling on all fours, but her legs were on backwards. Wade giggled and Rhett coughed a laugh, Scarlett stared and suddenly her bones hurt her, but Ella cried out, "I'm sceered!" Rhett pet her back and shushed her, as he moved on, leaving Scarlett behind as she studied the position the woman was in, and found herself in awe over this "crab girl". Wade pulled on her sleeve,"Mother, come on, the best is coming up?"

Scarlett lingered for a while, and smiled at the pitiful girl, and she smiled back. Scarlett heard "Dixie" playing as she rounded the next room, as people were clapping and shouting. In the center of the circle was a man, dressed in red, white and blue, but he stood no taller than her knee. His face was wrinkled as a newborn and his bald head shined in the gaslight as he danced. Scarlett's mouth was open, Ella was clapping and laughing at the little man, and Wade's eyes were large.

Rhett called over the noise, "Close your mouth, dear, you may swallow a fly!"

Ella giggled, "He's smaller than me!"

Scarlett couldn't take her eyes off of the little man, he was amazing. As the music came to an end, the curtains closed and the people moved on to the next amazing display.

As they walked out into the bright sunlight, Scarlett squinted and shaded her eyes, she was quiet for a while, and it was Rhett that broke the silence, "Run along Wade and Ella, here," he handed Wade a dollar and Ella, too. They shouted, "Thanks!"

"Go and buy whatever you like, enough candy to make you sick!"

Scarlett was still walking, and became very quiet.

Rhett held out a penny, "Here, one for your thoughts."

Scarlett looked back at Rhett, "That was like a museum of poor, sick people, Rhett."

"Naw, they aren't sick," Rhett smiled, "Like Wade said 'bizarre'."

"Did, you, er, ever see anything like that?"

"You mean with Bonnie, no."

"I mean ever?"

"In Europe, they have some poor unfortunates like that, but they are begging in the street. Come, now, Scarlett, have you developed a conscience?"

"I, I just think it was sad. That girl, the crab girl, she was so young, and that woman with the hair on her face-"

"The wolf woman."

"Rhett, it just disturbed me."

"I hope you weren't scared."

"No, I was disgusted. I guess these people have no folks, to-"

"I think their "folks" may have put them here. What would you have done with a child like the two headed girl?"

"Rhett, please, that isn't what I'm-"

"You wouldn't have dressed her in frills and had tea parties with her?"

Scarlett was quiet for a minute, thinking how many times she found scattered Ella so imperfect, what would she have done if she was physically grotesque, and she finally sighed, "I guess they have to be somewhere?"

"Well, here I'm sure they have money to eat, and they are clothed and taken care of, instead of being in some asylum."

Scarlett nodded, but the weight of disgust still held heavy on her shoulders, but she smiled as Wade and Ella ran back with a large fluffy of cotton candy and candy apples, as well as trinkets.

Rhett walked over and bought a bag of popcorn for he and Scarlett and joined them in the big top tent. Scarlett's eyes were blazing and bright as they brought on the dancing bears, the prancing poodles and the beautiful woman on the horse. Ella cheered and clapped and reached over and kissed Uncle Rhett on the cheek. Wade was fascinated at the fire eaters and the acrobats had the group gasping and cheering.

As they got in the carriage, the children laughed and talked excitedly about their day, and Scarlett settled in for a ride back to Atlanta. Rhett looked at the children who still glowed with excitement, as Ella inspected her 'gypsy ring' as she called it, and Wade marvelled his new knife with gem "cabochons" and a snake from India, and Scarlett yawned as she sat back and cuddled under the blanket with Ella, and a small smile crept across her face, and Rhett knew he had done something right.