Okay, I have battled with this chapter on and off in my head, but I so wanted to update this story, it is my most popular. And I decided to find some new drama to help propel the story, so I hope this makes everybody smile.

So right before we say good riddance to 2016, here it is...

ENJOY, as always!

The wine glass was cool and smooth as Scarlett turned it in her hands, looking out from the Veranda, and over the tall levee, at the smooth brown water rippling in currents. The smell of fresh bloomed sweetness, and mud filled her lungs, and it brought her back to childhood evenings, sitting on the porch, catching frogs in the early spring with her Pa, and screeching sisters. She was brought back to the present, with a heavy, gentle hand on her shoulder, "Thinking?"

Scarlett turned and reached up, closing her hand over his, "Yes, it's so peaceful here."

Rhett crossed and sat stretching his long legs and lighting up a cigar in the lavender twilight.

"It is peaceful, I have to admit."

"I love it, Rhett, let's do it."

Rhett's eyes stayed hooded, "You have pondered this for all of a few hours, and-"

"Yes, I have. You said that it was grace and beauty, and this is so much like-"

"Tara?"

Scarlett stopped, "Why did you say it like that?"

"Scarlett, you can't recreate the past. This isn't like Tara, this isn't a working farm, we would only own the land with the house, and perhaps a few acres out back for a stable, and my horses."

"I know, but it would be grand to fix the house up, the children will love-"

"There isn't a school for them here, you will need to hire a tutor, or board them in school in the city."

Scarlett pouted and put her glass down on the table between them, "Then, why did you say anything!"
"You asked, and I admitted, this is the grace of the old south, that I rejected and the natural beauty that I learned you cannot buy with artificial happiness. I was bred to live like this, and be the master of the house, but I rejected it and pursued a life of risks and underhanded deals, but had I not, where would I be?"

Scarlett glared, not wanting to be trapped to talk of Ashley, so she said, "Like the respectable Southerners, poor and sad over what they lost."

"Exactly, and I probably had run scared and looked down my nose at you." Rhett laughed to ease the insult, not meeting her eye, then he felt her pale, soft hand on his knee.

"Rhett!" Scarlett shouted, exasperated, "Don't you see!" Rhett turned his head looking at her face lit up with a sort of mania, "We are the survivors, the new builders of the South. It is our duty to use our money to restore the old way, only," she bit her lip, watching his mouth twitch into a grin, "make it better, we can restore the grace and beauty, yet, make it better by learning from the old guards mistakes."

Rhett threw his head back as a roaring laugh rolled from his gut to her lips. Tears came from his eyes, and he turned seeing her face, red and hot either from the humidity or anger, he could not help himself to contain it. He felt a swat on his shoulder, and smell of lemon pass him in a flurry of skirts. Rhett sat for several minutes, trying to control the after tremors of laughter that renewed in ripples after Scarlett had left.

It was extremely quiet in the suite, when he entered in the French doors, and he saw Scarlett wrapped in a thin muslin robe, asleep on the chaise, she had a long day, awoken at dawn to ride out to the country, and then their activities from the afternoon, and dinner, had left her exhausted. He bent down, and kissed her cheek, right below the full dark lashes that laid delicately on her pink face. As he stood back, he chuckled, "Learn from mistakes! Isn't that the duck calling the chicken an egg layer, my sweet hypocrite."

His chuckled awaken her for a moment, and her eyes fluttered up to his tanned smiling face, "You are a skunk", she said drowsily, "Are you ready to be nice?"

"I'm nice, dearest Scarlett." Rhett scooted her legs over, and sat on the chaise, "I was just observing, you want to learn from "mistakes", and have you learned from any of yours?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes, "Yes, I have , and I have paid for them!"

Rhett nodded, "Yes, I guess you did, none worse than you deserve."

Scarlett stretched, and had a peculiar look on her face, and Rhett held her hand in alarm, "Is anything the matter?"

Scarlett's face relaxed, "I don't think so, I just have a few aches and pains."

"From the gazebo?" Rhett whispered.

Scarlett pursed her lips, "Probably, my back is aching."

"Come and lay in the bed."

Scarlett let him lead her to the bed, and she stretched out on the pillows, as Rhett turned to leave, her voice was acid, and she said, "Don't hurry to bed, Rhett. I'm going to sleep, and I'll probably lie in tomorrow."

Rhett's face was flushed, and he looked at her, her eyes were closed, and her mouth was a line of defeat, he lowered his head, "I see."

Scarlett turned on her side, and her shoulder shuddered softly, in either a sigh or a muffled sob.

The next morning, Rhett sat and ate breakfast alone on the back porch overlooking the land he hoped to build stables, if they decided to buy the property. He had finished his eggs, and his second cup of coffee, when Scarlett appeared at the door with the maid.

"My dear, I thought you-"

"Well, I didn't have to after all. I felt better enough to get up." her mouth was still in a tight line, but her eyes had a tiny spark of light, perhaps hope in them.

Rhett watched as the maid poured her a healthy cup of coffee, and set down a heaping amount of eggs and toast. Rhett eyed his wife, and saw no trace of illness of the female sort or pregnancy.

"Well, I can't say I understand such matters, but if you say you feel well-"

Between bites of eggs, "Yes, I do."

"I'll have the horse hitched up to the carriage, and we can take a ride around the property, maybe pack a lunch?"

Scarlett nodded, "Yes, that would be lovely, Rhett."

Rhett left his famished wife to her breakfast, and went off to the kitchen in inform the maid about their plans for the afternoon. The maid was whispering with the old man, when he interrupted them, and at his wishes the old man hurried down to hitch up the horses.

When he returned, Scarlett sat with an empty plate, and sipped her coffee with a tune humming in her head. Rhett eyed her carefully, and asked, "Well, are you, Scarlett?"

Scarlett stopped mid sip, and replaced the cup with a clang, "I don't know." her voice was steady, and chipper.

"You had three- four children, what do you mean, 'I don't know?'"

Her eyes became wide, and round, "You are so vile, you shouldn't ask such things, it- isn't-"

"Proper? Since when have I been 'proper'? Tell me."

Scarlett lowered her voice, "I told you, I think I need to see a doctor."

"WHy?" Rhett almost yelled over the table, "Are you miscarrying?"

"Lower, your voice," Scarlett said between clenched teeth, "You are so-"

Rhett grabbed her arm, as gentle as he could, and pushed her into the closet in their suite, among towels, and linens, the smell of fresh grass, and the slats on the door casts tiny beams of light over her furious green eyes, and his dark orbs, widened in concern and frustration.

"Now, tell me, what is wrong?"

Scarlett bit her lip, "Well, last night I had pains, and a few symptoms, so i thought today-"

"Are you bleeding?"

"Rhett!"

His hand tightened on her arm, "Well?"

Her face went crimson, "No, not today."

"But yesterday?"

"Just a little."

"Just a little? Did I hurt you?"

"No, I tell you, it's how it works."

"Why do you want to see a doctor?"

"Because, this has happened a few times since, the, er,,accident, and it was nothing, but I want to know if I can have anymore children, instead of waiting and worrying.'

"Dr. Meade said-"

"He is only one doctor in Atlanta, and yes, he said I could."

Rhett looked around, he heard the maid moving and clanging the dishes around, and he quietly opened the door. He turned and kissed Scarlett on her forehead, "You will stay in bed today."

"But, Rhett-"

"Go, get back in your robe, and rest."

Scarlett shrugged, and removed her shawl, as she headed towards the bed. Rhett asked the maid in a low voice, "Is there a doctor in these parts?"

The woman's wide grin showed her teeth, "No worries, sir. I know one, he lives down the river."

It was late afternoon, Rhett had went out for a ride, alone, and as he handed the horse back to the old man, a carriage with two men stopped in front of the porch. Two tall gentlemen stepped out carrying bags. The first was a young man, in his twenties with golden red hair, and red faced with piercing blue eyes, and the second was a tall man, slightly humped over, well into his senior years, with a tuft of white hair, pomade back and the same blue eyes, looking through thick black glasses.

"Good afternoon," called Rhett.

"Good afternoon," smiled the older man,"Are you Mr. Butler?"

"I am, but I'm afraid, it's my wife who I called you about."

"Yes, I know, Maisie called me, I'm Dr. Michoud, and this is my grandson, Dr. Prejean."

Rhett looked at the two men and shook their hands, obviously his daughter's son.

"I'm studying with my grandpa, sir. I'll be a doctor in about a year."

"Well, good to have you, my wife is upstairs, resting."

"Is she very ill?" Dr. Prejean asked.

Rhett grinned, "It is of a female nature, I'll let her tell you."

The young man reddened, and the older doctor nodded detached, and followed Rhett to the upstairs veranda. Scarlett laid in the bed, in a mist of muslin, and thin sheets, and she sat up, when the door opened, and the three men came inside.

"Oh?"

"Dear, I called a doctor to see to you."

Scarlett's face was blushed, and she pursed her lips, "Really? I told you-"

"Now, Mrs. Butler", the old doctor started in a gruff voice, "Your husband says it is a female problem, would you feel better if the maid came and sit with us?"

"No, she's not my maid. We are only staying here for a few days, but I'll tell you, alone."

Rhett and the younger man nodded, and Dr. Prejean hurried out in front of Rhett. Dr. Michon called back, "Nicholas, get back here, you are a doctor."

The younger man sulked his way in, and the older man told Scarlett, "Thinks he doesn't need to treat women, he can't be a country doctor without treating everybody!"

Nicholas sat on the edge of the chaise, observing his grandpa interviewing Scarlett.

"Now, tell me your problem."

"Well, I thought was courses were starting yesterday, but then it stopped today."

The doctor nodded, "When was your last?"

"Last month, on the 15th."

"And today is the?"

Prejean croacked, "The 18th, grandpa."

"Mrs. Butler, have you had other children?"

"Yes, I had three, and I - er, lost a baby about eight months ago."

" Has this ever happened before?"

"Well, yes, I told my husband, a few times before the accident, but then-"

"You see, my husband and I were recently reunited about three weeks ago."

The younger man leaned in to hear her quiet voice, as this story unfolded.

"So, before when this happened, you had no chance of being with child?"

"Yes, and you see, I fell when I lost the baby, but the doctor said I could have more children, but I just don't know if I can."

"Do you want more children?" the younger doctor asked.

Scarlett's eyes widened, "Yes, I do. Mr. Butler and I lost our daughter as well as the baby last year."

The old man's eyes softened, and he patted her shoulder, "Let me examine you, and we will see what is going on."

The doctor came down with the young man walking behind his with his bag closed, he saw Rhett with a glass in his hand waiting by the stairs, "Doctor, how is she?"

The younger doctor blushed, as his grandpa pushed his forward to explain, "You need to learn to do this son."

"Mr. Butler, your wife is in no danger, but with our examination, your wife seems to be in the very early stages of a pregnancy, perhaps a few weeks, or days. It is just too soon to tell, perhaps another month, we would know better."

Rhett's face was white, as he looked over to the older doctor, "Probably not the most oppurtune time, it would have been better to wait perhaps another six months with the accident so new."

Rhett's face grimaced, "I told her that!"

The old doctor grinned, "Well, she seems quite a persuasive lady. However, there will be no more of that, and no traveling, until either we can confirm her condition, or she has the baby."

Rhett nodded, then his mind snapped, "What?"

"You heard me, no more relations for at least a month of six weeks, and then if she is with child, she can't be moved. Her inside are working properly, but she is very sensitive to any exertion or rough movements, it could cause her to miscarry again. The organ that holds the baby, isn't tightly closed, and she will probably have the baby early, if it gets quite big, fast. But we will know more in a month."

Rhett's eyes felt wet, and his ears had a slight burn inside, "Can she die?"

"Being she had three healthy babies, it's unlikely, but there is no promises. The baby is in more danger then the mother."

Rhett paid the doctors, and bid them goodbye, until two week, and he went up to see Scarlett.

She was curled in the bed with her back to the door, and as the door opened she turned, her face was blotched, and she had been crying.

"Scarlett?" Rhett's face was gentle, as he strode over to the bed, and leaned over her, her face was white with fear, and her hands felt cold, as she grasped his.

"Oh, I should have listened to you. Why did I do it?"

"We both did it, and yes, I should have listened to myself, learning from mistakes, eh?"

"They said the baby, could come early, and it would-"

"Shhh!" Rhett squeezed her hand, "It is going to be a beautiful, healthy baby, and it has quite good taste, it looks like we will be here for the next year."

Scarlett's nose ran, as he wiped it with a handkerchief, "Oh, my, I didn't realize-"

"No worries, I'll explain the situation, we may be able to pay by the month to stay on. No worries."

Scarlett wiped her nose on her own, and tucked the handkerchief back into her sleeve, "Dr. Michon said it could come as early as November or as late as December."

Rhett nodded, "Well, I would travel with you or an infant until early spring, at least."

Scarlett eyes filled with tears again, and her crying started anew, "You know, when I miscarried, the baby was going to come in December, I hope it's not bad luck."

Rhett wanted to chuckle, but he didn't, he careful sat next to her in the bed, afraid of jiggling her, and he pulled her close, as she laid her head on his shoulder, he lifted her hand, and kissed her fingers gently, "Don't be so Irish, Scarlett. Luck is neither good nor bad, we'll make our own luck."