Wife and Mistress

Author's Note: I do not own Gone with the Wind, and am making no money off of this story. Please do not post this story anywhere else without getting the okay from me.

Chapter One

The noise of a carriage had gotten young Wade Hamilton out the door before anyone could stop him. His Mother wasn't as fast as she had once been, and Aunt Melanie was busy feeding Beau something to eat. Grandfather Gerald was out of the house doing who knows what.

Uncle Ashley was working in the fields all day long, and Wade had overheard his Uncle telling Aunt Melly just yesterday about a job offer he had up north. That they would be moving up there as soon as he had enough money to get the train fare. Wade had also heard Uncle Ashley saying something about taking Wade, himself, with them. But that was just silly, Wade wasn't going to leave his Mother and the new baby that was coming. Aunt Melly had said the same thing to Uncle Ashley that Wade belonged with his Mother.

Wade hoped whoever was visiting stayed longer than just a few minutes. They hadn't had company for many months now that stayed longer than a few minutes. Wade wasn't sure why, though, but it always made his Mother sad after someone stayed for a few minutes.

Aunt Suellen was always angry, she would look out the windows of the house as if she expected someone to be coming up. When that did not happen, she would be extra mean to his Mother as if it was her fault no one came to see them any longer.

It was all too much for a young child Wade's age to understand. He just knew that something had changed, he wasn't really sure what. Wade kept hoping that Uncle Rhett would return, when he was around things were a lot more fun. And his Mother smiled a lot more, too.

So a smile so wide it seems to take up all of Wade's small face appeared as he had seen the carriage stop in front of the house and Rhett Butler stepped out.

And Wade yelled out at the top of his young lungs "Uncle Rhett"

Scarlett heard Wade's yell and froze in her step, as she had been making her way to the front window, so she could see who was coming to call on Tara. Something that hadn't happened in many weeks, no one it seemed wanted to visit with the O'Hara's any longer.

It wasn't like they had any good friends that lived close by, all of them had lost everything during the war or after the war when they couldn't pay their taxes any longer. The only reason Tara was still in O'Hara hands was because Rhett had paid the extra taxes.

Scarlett forced herself to move towards the window, wanting to see if it was truly Rhett. Had he returned after all these months? Slowly she made her way to the window and her breath caught in the throat as she saw her husband holding Wade in his arms. He was carrying her son towards the house.

Panic filled Scarlett, along with happiness that the man she loved had finally come for her. What would Rhett think of the addition to their family, she thought as she looked down at her very extended stomach. Would he be happy about the baby?

Rhett always got along very well with Wade, so Scarlett hoped he would welcome the news that he was to become a Father soon.

"I had hoped to never set eyes on you again" were the words Rhett heard spoken behind him.

Bending down to let Wade feet hit the porch of the house, Rhett said softly to his step-son, "Why don't you go inside and see if you can find your Mother, let her know I am here"

"Okay, Uncle Rhett" Wade replied, not liking Uncle Ashley's words at all. Why didn't Uncle Ashley want Uncle Rhett around? He was always fun to have around, Uncle Rhett told the best stories and played the best games. And even gave Wade candy when no one was looking. He couldn't see how anyone would not like Uncle Rhett.

"Mother, Mother" Wade screamed after entering the main house of Tara. He didn't have to go far, as he found his Mother standing by the setting room window. He ran to her as fasted as his little legs would carry him.

"Mother, Uncle Rhett is here" Wade informed his Mother even though Scarlett had already seen that for herself out the window she was setting in front of. "And Uncle Ashley is being mean to him"

Now that Scarlett hadn't known for sure, but when she had seen Ashley walking up behind Rhett, she wasn't holding her breath for the two men to get along well. Ashley had made his point of what he thought of Rhett very plain to his sister-in-law.

In fact, Ashley had made his point about what he thought of said sister-in-law as well. He wasn't very happy with her at all. Scarlett thought perhaps some of that was because her childish love for Ashley Wilkes had worn off, and he didn't like that at all.

Without her childish crush blinding her to Ashley faults, they really didn't have anything to talk about. Ashley was such a bore, how dear Melanie put up with him, Scarlett wasn't sure. That man could quote things for old books, but didn't have the ability to count numbers correctly at all.

Scarlett knew she should go out and stop the conversation between Rhett and Ashley, but she wasn't wanting her husband to find out he was going to be a Father in front of Mr. Wilkes. Scarlett wasn't confident that Rhett would be happy about the baby, and she didn't need an audience for that. On the off chance he was happy, Scarlett wanted to enjoy that alone with her husband as well.

Still deciding what to do, she was surprised to feel a hand on her shoulder "I'll go and get Ashley, so you can talk to Captain Butler alone" Melanie Wilkes gently told her sister-in-law.

"How did you know?" Scarlett tried asking but saw Wade in the doorway with a guilty look on his little face. Just how long had she been standing here, Scarlett thought to herself. If Wade had left the room and went upside, and I hadn't even noticed?

"Scarlett," Melanie said kindly smiling at her, "everything will be okay. I'll tell Captain Butler to meet you in here. So you can talk to him alone"

Nodding her head, Scarlett softly replied "Thank you" as she slowly took a seat on the sofa, trying to decide if she should wrap a blanket around herself to try to hide her enlarged middle or not.

"Come along Wade, let's go get Uncle Ashley" Melanie said as she took her nephew's hand. Knowing the conversation between Scarlett and Rhett was something Wade did not need to be a part of.

"Alright" was the small reply the young boy gave as he turned to look at his Mother. Whatever happened next, Wade hoped that Uncle Rhett would be staying with them and not go away again anytime soon.

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