Chapter 8 : Scarlett has an Awakening Moment
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and do not intend on making any money off this story.
Story Line: Takes place after Scarlett falls down the stairs.
The next day as Scarlett paced about in her bedroom like a caged animal she pondered on how she could save Melanie. If she was already with child it could be impossible. Scarlett banged her temples with the palms of her hands. What if Melanie would not let her help, what if she was willing to just face the inevitable and allow god to do what he would? Scarlett's anger flared, and what if god wanted her to join him. Well he could not have Melly! Not when she herself needed her more. Finally Scarlett decided to visit with Doctor Meade. If anyone could help surely he would. So she sent Pork with a message for Doctor Meade.
The elderly man looked worried as he entered her room. "What is the matter Scarlett? Are you feeling ill?" He looked winded and overly tired.
Scarlett had found Doctor Meade of little help. When she tactfully asked some questions about woman's doctoring and difficult child birth, he went in to a fevered lecture.
"Scarlett, you have suffered a lot of trauma. It is best you wait a year or so before you even think about this subject."
"Are there any doctors that specialize in extreme cases?"
"Scarlett, I will not have anymore of this talk. You are getting as bad as Miss Melly."he stammered and collecting himself he bid her good day. And took his leave in a exaggerated manner.
Well Scarlett was infuriated beyond reason now. She would have to find someone that knew of this stuff.
Doctor Meade left Scarlett with no choice but to seek Rhett's help. No one but Rhett would ever believe she wanted to help. They would just tell her, Matters such as these are in God's hands, but she could not leave it to God. She had to do something. Oh but it would not be easy to seek such advise from Rhett, he might be cruel and throw in her face that Melanies death is what she had wanted from the beginning. Not that this had not crossed her troubled mind. Was god punishing her know, giving her what she wanted all along? But it is not what she wants know! Her heart cried out in moral anguish. She had to save her only friend. And so she did the one thing she did not want to do.
Scarlett decided to ask Rhett. But that was easier said then done. She went through in her mind several times how she wanted to come out with her plan. None of them seemed politically correct to her. She fumbled and mumbled. Her palms suddenly became slick She stood outside the door to Rhett's office playing it out in her mind, when suddenly the door opened. Rhett smiled in pleasant surprise.
"Scarlett, did you want to talk to me?" Rhett asked a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth.
"Well, is it beyond reason that I just wanted to come see how my husband's day is going?" she smiled coyly showing her dimples.
"Well for some reason, I don't believe for a minute that is all your seeking me out for." he returned her smile.
"Rhett your not going to be mean to me are you? After all I just wanted to have your company for awhile." Scarlett pouted.
"What is it that you'd like to talk about my pet. My dear enchanting little nymph.
"What are your plans for today?" Scarlett changed her tactic.
"Well today my pet I have nothing planned it is Sunday after all." he grinned at her.
Sunday Scarlett thought, no wonder Doctor Meade was so huffy, she had more than likely called the doctor away from his family. She did not even realize it was Sunday today. The Sabbath is usually a day of rest for all. She was suddenly embarrassed that she had called him away from home for such matters.
"You seemed troubled, my dear?" Rhett asked worriedly.
"Well, Rhett I need your advice." Scarlett looked imploringly at him.
"Any way I can help, I am at your beckon call." he smiled a reassuring smile.
" Rhett, I ..." Scarlett started then stopped.
"If a ..." she turned around and grasped at the straws that were her thoughts.
"Scarlett, I have never seen you at a loss of words. What could be troubling your mind so, that it would put you at a utter loss of words?" he looked at her in a new perspective.
At Rhett's words Scarlett decided to have done with it. "Rhett, if a woman has had trouble giving birth but wants to have another baby are there things doctors can do to make it easier?"
Rhett was taken a bit aback at first. "Well I have heard some tales of things that have been done, but why are you asking about this, Scarlett ?"his heart was taking him down many vistas
" I think Melanie is going to have another child Rhett. And I don't want her to die. Dr. Meade said last time another child would kill her. But you know Melly as well as I do, she loves children. She would risk her life for another child." Scarlett looked off into the distance remembering her past woes. She her self didn't want children, they would ruin her figure. Oh she could be such a fool. And a pang of guilt swept through her, thinking painfully of little Robert who was in the cold ground. He would never have a family of his own, a life. A silent tear ran down her cheek.
Rhett saw this look come across Scarlett, and as always he could read the book that was her face clearly. His thoughts too were shifted to the little boy he never knew. Compelled to comfort his wife and seek that comfort only the mother of his son could provide he put his hand on Scarlett's shoulder.
There was comfort in his touch and for once Scarlett did not turn defensive. She turned and smiled a knowing smile. They stood transfixed in that moment for what seemed like forever. Just looking at each other knowingly. After what seemed like forever Scarlett spoke, "Well Rhett where do you suggest we find someone to help Melanie?"
"Well, what I know may not be what you want to here." Rhett scowled and paced the floor a couple times.
" And I don't know if Melanie would allow it my pet or if the law would allow such methods either."Rhett sat in a chair and lit his cigar his mind racing back in to his past.
"What tell me Rhett, I would do anything." Scarlett looked as a child would upon her father.
"The only people I know that would have such modern knowledge, would be a shaman." Rhett said in a very serious manner. "But I don't know if I would allow such a thing."
"Who is Mr. Shaman?" Scarlett asked. " Is he from Europe?"
Rhett chuckled lightly not wanting to hurt Scarlett's feelings when she was seeking his advice on such matters. "No, my dear. A shaman is a 'medicine' man of a Indian tribe. The Indians actually know a great deal about healing. They have cures to many ailments if only we would take time to learn from them."
Rhett's mind took him back to a distant time. He was taken back to his river boat gambling days. He could hear still the screams echoed by the woman, a fine woman, a lady. And so he told Scarlett his story. "She was called the River Enchantress, the belle of the Mississippi. She held people of all walks of life. Rich business men, gamblers, saloon girls, there was a deacon and his wife on the boat that day too. They were headed for Mankato. The deacons name was Henry Stein and his wife Elisabeth was carrying there first child. Do to her condition she stayed in there cabin most of the time, but one day Rhett had met her on the deck. She was the most polite woman he had ever chanced meet. The river boat had capsized on the banks of the Mississippi one night during a terrible storm. He found himself banked on the beach and fifty yards from him he could hear the agonizing moans of what he thought was a dying animal. When he finally gained his strength and searched out the source of this noise. When he came upon the delta of the disruption he found it was the Elisabeth Stein. She was in the throws of child birth. The thin pale woman with golden locks lay drenched writhing in pain. She was shivering as he was from the cool water she had been subjected to. Rhetts mind whirled, as he drifted into unconsciousness. When he awoke minutes, hours, days, months, later he found himself inside a domed structure with a huge fire in the center which exited the building via a large whole in the ceiling it smelled like cedar chips. Outside noises drifted to his ears, the sounds of rhythmic chanting, unidentifiable to his foreign ears." Rhett stopped. To take a breath and let Scarlett gather herself, she sat a willing listener to the story.
"What happened to Elisabeth?" Scarlett swallowed hard. "Did she die?"
"Well Scarlett, when I woke up in these strange surroundings I had all but forgotten her. Until I heard the most blood curdling scream, it near turned my hair white." Rhett said noting the look of total concentration on Scarletts face. "Then I remembered that Mrs. Stein had been in the throws of birth. And I ran to where the screams had come. I was met by a group of men with long black hair and red skin. They were half naked, and painted. When they approached me they spoke in change tongue. They told me what I know was, ' Be patient white man, your woman is in limbo.' which meant stuck between our world and the next. She was dying, they also informed me that the child was stuck, her hips being to narrow for safe passage to our world. I know this because there is one man in the tribe his name is Gray Eagle he was taught our language from missionaries. You see back then the Indians were peaceful, I am still at peace with them, however they are not with the united states."
"When I entered that room Elisabeth was in I could not believe what they did, it looked so barbaric. But it saved her and the child." Rhett concluded sparing the gory details.
"What did they do?" Scarlett asked.
"Well they had her stretched out tied down, they had to you must understand because it is very dangerous they had to keep her immobile. The Shaman or medicine man, used gun powder and some salve mixed together rubbed it down in a straight line across her swollen belly. And then he took a sharpened arrow head and placed it in the fire to clean it. What happened next I could hardly believe. He took the arrow head and split her open, and layer after layer he cut until he brought forth a pink child. With in moments some ladies of the tribe washed the baby and swaddled him he began to cry almost immediately after being bathed in the water. Turning indignantly red at this treatment. I would never thought this possible, and soon the shaman with a needle made from the rib of a deer and horse hair sewed the woman up again." Rhett finished his story.
"My goodness Rhett, did she live after all that?" Scarlett asked amazed by this story.
"Yes as matter of fact, I seen her and the child last year. Her husband had died in the River Enchantress and so I kinda took it upon myself to care after her and the boy. I set her up in a nice house in New Orleans." Rhett smiled a knowing smile. " No, Scarlett, she is not my mistress this woman is a good and pure woman. And the boy is the one I told you of. He is my ward."
"Oh," Scarlett exclaimed almost forgetting that once she had wanted to know who this ward was, now knowing the full story it did not bother her to say the least. She found it touching. "If there is such knowledge out there Rhett why aren't they learning this from the Indians so to help our people more?" Scarlett asked the question Rhett asked himself often.
"That is my pet a very astute observation, one I have pondered myself many times. However, most people in our society view them as savages and would never willingly take it upon themselves to learn or listen to these great people." Rhett said with compassion for his friends.
"Rhett can I meet Gray Eagle?" Scarlett asked or more so begged.
"Maybe my pet. But the hostilities between them and the government might make it difficult." Rhett explained.
"When was the last time you saw them Rhett? How long did you stay with them?"
"Well Elisabeth was weak and needed the shamans help. We were there living amongst them for nearly a year. I have not seen them since." Rhett reflected back to the time.
"My goodness look at the time." Rhett said looking at the clock on the mantel. "It is time for dinner my dear, shall we round up the children?"
"Oh, but Rhett I want to hear more about Gray Eagle, and the shaman." Scarlett pouted.
"Maybe as a bedtime story my pet. For now I am famished. Lets eat." Rhett chuckled.
"A bedtime story?" Scarlett pondered. On there honey moon Rhett used to tell her about his blockade running days. She thought a bit to herself. And concluded she liked this side of Rhetts life better. Scarlett's mind began running frantically. Would this 'Shaw man' be able to help Melanie? How would Scarlett ever get Melanie to agree to this, she had to find a way. There was no doubts about it.
"Scarlett, what on earth is going on in that vexing mind of yours?" Rhett laughed whole heartedly.
"Nothing, Rhett. Lets go eat I am starved!" she giggled.
For a starved person she ate little. She just picked at her plate and stared off into space. Her mind was digesting everything she was told. Rhett would never take her out there at this point, although her strength was coming back she was still pale and sickly. More so then ever at any point in her life.
"Mother", Wade commented. "Are you not well, this is your favorite, and you have hardly touched a bite?"
At Wades assumption Rhett noticed to that Scarlett had just been pushing her food around her plate maybe a bite of everything. If she did not eat she would surely die, he could not allow this to happen. Maybe he should not let her go on this wild goose hunt. Searching for a savor for Miss Melly. But he could not blame Scarlett he did not want Melanie to die either. Rhett did not know what had occurred or how, but suddenly Scarlett realized just how good Melanie was and she wanted to save her. But he could not risk losing Scarlett to save Melanie. But Scarlett was not easily hindered. She was like a raging bull when she wanted something her determination matched his own at times, if not excelled. This would be more difficult than he realized. So Rhett set his mind to the course at hand.
Rhett was brought out of his thoughts by Bonnie who not liking the lack of attention, shouted even more indignantly because her father had seemingly ignored her. "DADDY!"
"Hmm..." Rhett came around, "What is it Bonnie baby?"
"You and Mother are ignoring me!" she stated.
"Oh, no were not Bonnie, we were just off in our own thoughts." Rhett soothed.
"I want to go ride Mr. Butler today!" Bonnie stated.
At the mention of the horses name Scarlett came to life. "Bonnie, I really would rather you did not ride your horse anymore. We can find something to do together as a family instead."
"Never, never ride Mr. Butler again? But why Mother, why do you hate Mr. Butler so?" Bonnie pouted.
"Mother doesn't like horses, Grandpa Gerald died jumping his horse you silly goose!" Ella exclaimed as if the fact was so plain.
"Grandpa Gerald died jumping his horse?" Bonnie's little eyes widened and she took a deep gulp. "No one ever told me Grandpa Gerald died jumping a..ah...horse."
"Yes, Bonnie" Scarlett stated tears forming in her eyes. "He fell off his horse and died." Scarlett said not wanting to go into details. She could not believe Ella even knew about the event. For once she was grateful to Ella. She had single handedly turned Bonnies thoughts from jumping.
"Did you ever know Grandpa?" Bonnie asked Ella.
"No, he died before I was born." Ella stated poking a few peas with her fork and stuffing them in her mouth.
"Did you Wade?" Bonnie looked toward her older brother.
"Yes, I knew him, I don't remember much. I just remember he was a sad man, he missed Grandma very much. I think he wanted to die so he could go be with her in heaven." Wade said sullenly looking at his mother, he knew that he was right he could see it in her tear filled eyes.
"That is so true son." Scarlett smiled.
"What was Grandpa like Mother?" Wade asked. " I mean when he was well?"
"Oh your Grandfather was a boisterous man, a jolly man. He loved you Wade he was so proud of his first Grandson. He would have loved both Ella and Bonnie too. He was a very proud man, but a kind man. When I was young before the war we used to have large parties and everyone would come from miles around. The best parties were held at the Wilkes plantation Twelve Oaks, it was a beautiful place. They would have barbeque pits full of delicious meats, and plenty of food for everyone. The food was cooked over large pits by the Negro's. All the ladies would where beautiful gowns with large hoops. The men would all gather in the library in the afternoon and sip mint juleps and talk politics, while the women retired upstairs to nap. It was a gentler time." Scarlett's hardened face transformed to a serene one as she succumbed to the spell of the times past. She looked like Rhett had first seen her that day at Twelve Oaks.
"Oh, I want to go see Twelve Oaks!" Bonnie exclaimed.
"You can't." Wade said flatly.
"And why can't I ?" Bonnie asked huffily.
"Because the damn Yankees burned it down!" Wade exclaimed in rage.
"Wade Hampton!" Scarlett exclaimed in shock. "You do not use those words in this house!"
"Well the boy only spoke the truth my pet." Rhett chuckled a bit.
"Why did they burn it down?" Bonnie asked.
"Because we were at war, and that is what you do during war." Wade explained.
"War, is terrible!" Ella put her two cents in.
"Twelve Oaks is the name of the place Uncle Ashley grew up on. It is the home my Grandmother Hamilton was raised in." Wade added.
"How did you find that out Wade?" Scarlett asked a bit ashamed she knew nothing of the Hamilton's she could tell him.
"Well, Uncle Henry told me most. And Aunt Pitty, and Aunt Melly told me some too." Wade stated.
"What about my fathers parents?" Ella asked.
"Well sweetheart, your father and I were married in difficult times I didn't learn to much about his family history. But I can certainly look into it for you if you want me too darling?" Scarlett offered hoping her daughter would forgive her for her lack of knowledge.
"Okay, Mother. I would like that." Ella smiled happily.
"Well what should we do know?" Scarlett asked the children.
"Can we go for a ride in the country?" Wade asked. And the girls exclaimed there agreement.
"Okay we will go for a ride in the country." Rhett smiled at his family. "Where are we looking to go?"
"Well, do you think we could drive out to where Twelve Oaks was?" Wade asked.
"Wade that is along ways, we would never make it back before dark." Rhett explained.
"We could stay at Tara couldn't we?" Wade suggested.
"How about we plan that trip for two weeks from now. We will take Beau with us and us men will camp out at Twelve Oaks while the ladies stay at Tara?" Rhett propositioned.
"Okay, can Uncle Ashley come too?" Wade beamed.
Rhett didn't like the idea of taking Ashley along but agreed for Wades sake. "Sure why not, it should be fun."
Rhett thought to himself, "My god what have you gotten yourself into?"