So, as it always is – I don't own any of these characters, MM does. Here we go again, not so sure about this one. Next chapter will give us a hint of some letter Rhett and others wrote before this rendezvous.
It was a rainy afternoon and people were rushing through the train station to avoid the dampness and wed showers coming with vigor from the gray skies. The noise of the rain entwined with trains halting and whistle blowing was almost unbearable. It was a sharp contrast to observe the small woman stood standing like a statue at the far side of the dock. She was small indeed covered with a long black cape from which a striking pink skirt was peeking out.
"Scarlett! You'll catch your death standing there!" and elder heavy woman scolded her.
"Good Afternoon Mrs. Whiting, I am waiting for the train from Augusta to come in". Scarlett's face was wet from the rain, and yet she seemed unbothered. She noticed that the lady's eyes widened at the sight of her pink skirt. Nevertheless a second later Scarlett nearly knocked lady down when she called "I'm here!"
With few long strides a tall dark man in his mid-forties came to her and rather impatiently grabbed her arm "You should have waited under the shed on the other side of the station."
Despite the chill her laughter was carefree "But I said I'd stand here, hadn't I?"
"I wrongfully would have attributed you some common sense to stay away from these Georgian showers my dear. The least you could have done was take an umbrella with you, don't you think"
Nearly dragging her by the waist he led them to the shed.
"Stop it this minute Rhett Butler, or you'll have me believing that you are indeed an old man. Besides, it's of no use; we are going to get wet anyhow."
He stood on his heels suddenly gazing at the smiling bright woman beside him and despite himself a smile crept to his face. His eyes softened "I see you are wearing that ghastly gown you bought on New York."
Her smile widened and drew out her dimples "Solely in your honor! As to show you that it did not go to waste. It also proves that some things never change."
She turned her back on him and began walking trying to avoid the muddy puddles surrounding the station.
"To what do you refer, my dear?"
"I thought it would be an obvious joke regarding my dreadful vulgar taste, as acutely emphasized during our stay in New York. Or was it vulgar dreadful? I can't remember the order of the merits you so gallantly bestowed rightfully upon me, my love."
The term of endearment was spoken in an even tone with no mockery as to relieve its meaning.
"Are you joking at yourself? And you are trying to convince me that nothing had changed?" She turned her face to him and threw him a wide mischievous smile.
After a short silence he added "I owe you an apology. You've been nothing but charming and patient with my foul mood in New York."
She stumbled and kept her back to him. A small smile of victory adorned her face for a second but she wiped it to keep the bland look she'd practiced during the past weeks.
"You've written that already, and as you see I accepted your apology. I hope you don't back down on the rest."
He paused and answered "I'm not. I meant what I wrote."
"Let's hurry, Wade has been sulking for days given he can't jump fences on rainy days"
Two horses were standing at the front of the station.
"Where is the carriage?"
"I lent it to India for the week. She is supposed to bring it back tomorrow. They are having some sort of project that I don't remember it's details, in the school. You don't mind riding, do you? This way we could pass though the lot and I can give you a peek at all the preparations, it really is amazing. You don't mind the rain, do you?" Her green eyes were radiating when she talked of the lot.
He supported her waist as she aimed to climb the horse on her side saddle, "Did you jump the fence on this saddle?"
"Of course not! I have been using a pair of your riding trousers and, well, and your saddle and stallion for jumping. You don't mind, do you? The riding skirts are ever so awkward. I could have had something made but…"
His eyes looked at her admiringly "Only if you show me"
"The jumping?"
"The pants on you. Well, both if you insist."
She gave him a coquettish smile from the top of her mare "I just might, if you behave."
"If I don't behave, you meant to say." Smiling he mounted his stallion.
The trot was a short one, the lot stood not very far from the station. Scarlett pointed out that the proximity to the station would make the place even more suitable for offices, perhaps even a hotel, and a shopping center.
"An indoor shopping center?"
"Yes. I've seen in Chicago two of these, it would be impossible to go through those streets at winter. For Georgia the same may be said about August and the rainy seasons. Oh, and I saw café houses up in Boston, it's part of the plan."
"When have you been to Boston?"
"In between. With Wade."
She rushed her mare leaving a rather stunned Rhett Butler behind.
She slowed her mare as they passed by the huge lot that had been straightened. Huge machines were standing erect waiting to be handled. She waited silently as she saw him observe the place with a concentrated look.
'Don't seek for compliments' she berated herself silently.
A lightning shone in a faraway point and a thunder roared startling both horses.
"Let's head home, it's becoming worse" she said.
She silently turned her mare and started heading towards Peachtree Street. Her leg began to hurt. The doctors had told her that she'd feel pain in changing weather. Yet, it was the first time she had felt it. Her ribs were in pain as well. She smiled reminding herself that she had broken two ribs in the past. It was at the same time that they had arrived at the stables. She saw his questioning look, and gave him a dismissing smile, not willing to share her pains.
Nevertheless when she slid from her mare her foot crumbled for a second, she gasped still smiling and took his offered hand "My leg is making a statement these past few days due to the rain. Nothing that a warm bottle of water and some ointment wouldn't solve."
He chuckled "Well, now I know your pride is intact. You still hate showing weakness, don't you?"
"You're a fine one talk." The words came harsher than she meant for them to come, but the pain was evident in her face.
"Touché, Mrs. Butler"
"What does this word mean, Rhett? I never asked." She was leaning on him with most of her weight on his arm gasping for air, and she stood to gather her breath.
"The literal meaning is touched, but it basically means something like being even." He easily put his other arm under her knees and raised her smiling brightly with a smile she forgot he could have "this is just so I don't fall too far behind you".
The proximity was odd. Being carried like that was even more. She decided to savor the minute with all her senses closing her eyes inhaling the special scent she's been dreaming of for months.
She did not dare touch him. After a few steps he halted "Come on Scarlett, you are not a child, put your arms around my neck so I don't break MY leg."
She raised her head and did as told. She tried to smile at him but instead she murmured "I'm so tired, Rhett."
"Who'd blame you? You've been roaming around the nation in the past months like a lunatic, breaking your leg, starting this huge project, and God knows what else."
'Trying to live without you' she thought silently.
At the parlor he put her on a wide cushioned chair by the fire and moved backwards, the house seemed vacant. It had few lights in the grand entrance and was rather silent. No sound of servants' feet walking in haste as was usual for this time of day.
She raised her head and to his amazement she called strongly "Wade! Rhett's home"
"Where's Ella? And where are all the servants Scarlett?"
She dismissed the question with a hand "I have the servants only in the morning and Prissy comes for one more hour in the evening. This way we can actually not think of what we do around the house the rest of the day. And Ella's with India and Beau, she'd be back after dinner. It's their regular day, and I wasn't sure if you'd actually arrive, so I didn't want her … "
Wade came running down the stairs "Don't run down these stairs" she yelled with a hint of panic in her voice. The young boy ignored her and jumped down the last five stairs –
"Ma, it's fun." He hugged Rhett and leaned to kiss his mother.
Her temper rose, Rhett saw it coming but then she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes hard for a second "Wade, I told you, you may do whatever you want with those stairs when I am not watching."
The young boy surprised him when he sat cuddling with Scarlett, moving her with his body. It seemed as if he was used to this position "But you said that frights should be conquered, and it's not as if I am carrying a child at the moment."
Rhett was speechless. Scarlett drew her eyes down with embarrassment "Wade, Honey, do be an angel and fix me with two, no, three bottles of hot water. My leg is practically singing praise to this dreadful weather."
"Why three?" asked Wade as he stood and headed for the kitchen.
"I need two, and one for Rhett who got a wet welcome from Atlanta."
"I hate this weather" pouted Wade as he ran toward the kitchen.
Rhett sat in front of her, but she carefully stood and fixed the fire so that it would be stronger, giving him her back. She decided to address it of her own initiative –
"One day he ran down and I yelled like crazy. He got so scared."
She poked in the fire causing it to send sparks. She moved backwards stumbling a bit.
"I explained that I fell down the stairs while carrying a child. I asked him not to do it in front of me."
"But you didn't ask him not to do it?"
"No. It wouldn't be fair" her last words were no louder than a whisper.
She turned to him. He saw tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Here's the thing. Wade has been with me through it all. He was born when I was practically a child. I'll never let Ella marry before she is twenty two at least. I was married to you by my twenty-second birthday. Could you imagine?"
She sat back on her chair and gazed at the fire –
"You know why I reacted the way I have at Rough and Ready? It was because he said he was scared. All of a sudden I felt as scared as he was."
His eyes were observing her –
"You never used to talk about these things."
"Why would I? If I could I would have erased them from my memory, washed them with boiling water, as I used to…" She bit her tongue.
"You were young, Scarlett."
"I still am. Wade starved when he was a toddler, and got parasites, even lice. I couldn't save him from that fate. He was there when the Yankees tried to burn Tara. He fainted. I was sure he was dead and it broke my heart. The only thing he hadn't seen me do was murder the Yankee, he was upstairs at the time with Melly. He had such a haunted look for years. You once told me it was my fault."
She saw his face grimace -
"Don't take it back. You were right. I can't take the starvation on me, but a great deal of it was me. When Melly died and you left it was as if the sky fell on him. Ella was sad, but not like him. I had to reach to him. You had the possibility to leave me, he doesn't have that."
He rose from his seat and took her in his arms, with some effort he smiled as he saw Wade trotting back with three hot bottles of water.
Scarlett eased back on the larger sofa and put one on her sore leg and another on the aching rib.
Sometime later Prissy came and rang for dinner. The three went to the dining room.
"Welcome Mista' Rhett. You be staying in you' ole room? We ain't prepared it properly, sir. Should I light some fire sir?"
"Thank you Prissy, don't bother, I'll be residing with Mrs. Butler".
***********Yours Truly***************
