Chapter 7
A week had past slowly for the child who seemed forgotten. Another week without her mother who she had not seen for months prior, even her father had abandoned her. Though Bonnie missed her father terribly she did not want to be around him for he had hurt her mother.
Melanie had told Bonnie her mother was getting better but it was going to take time for her to be fully well. With the news Bonnie had insisted on going back home, but Melly refused to let her. Bonnie needed to stay out of the house to let Scarlett get her rest. Beau was a more than willing playmate for Bonnie and even took her on his play dates with the Elsing, Picard, and Bonnelle children.
The play organized play times every day did nothing to bring out the spark of the innocent child. The only thing she wanted was her mother. After days of the same children and adults, Bonnie had a tantrum that no one could sooth. She ran to where the other children had been playing and knocked down their blocks and threw their toys. Bonnie's small mind couldn't comprehend how these people could go along with their lives when her mother wasn't there to make the world right. Ashley had accompanied the children to that particular play date and had quickly snatched up Bonnie to console the child. But that did not help, she only cried louder.
When they returned to the house on Ivy Street, Bonnie had fallen asleep and slept through the night. Or so that is what Ashley and Melanie thought. What they did not know nor did they expect that Bonnie would run off in the early morning.
Bonnie left the house of her Aunt and Uncle as the pink rose in the sky. She was in her night gown and held her doll close to her bosom. She walked through the back garden and into Aunt Pitty Pat's yard then she walked down the street further where the front gates to the house were left open. She wandered up the brick path to the front door and pushed it open just enough to slink inside. Upon entering her home, Bonnie took notice of how dark it was and quiet. She made her way up the stairs and along the corridor so she would not be seen by the bears that lurked in the dark.
A sound was made somewhere in the house, spooking Bonnie so she ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the door that was gently cracked opened. A light was lit on the side table of the bed allowing the child to see part of her mother's face and her father's back sitting in the chair.
"Mommy." Bonnie whispered so not to disturb her father. Her tiny arms hugged the doll tighter to her body.
Not getting a response from neither adult, Bonnie inched into the room further until she was on the opposite side of the bed. She climbed up by putting her small feet on side board and grabbing onto one of the posts. She crawled on the bed to get closer to her mother. Bonnie sat on her knees hovering over Scarlett and placed butterfly kisses on her face.
The bruising on Scarlett's face had started to fade away leaving a jaundice coloring to her complexion. Bonnie did not notice the changed appearance of her mother, the glee of being near her was enough for the child.
"Mommy." Bonnie whispered into her mother's ear. "Wake up. I miss you. Mommy."
"Go to sleep Bonnie" Scarlett murmured not opening her eyes.
Bonnie snuggled down in the covers and lay next to her mother resting her head in the crook of Scarlett's neck. Bonnie closed her blue eyes to go to sleep as her mother said.
Rhett awoke as the bright morning light sprung into the room. He hated sleeping in the chair but he hated more the idea of not being there for Scarlett should she need anything during the night. He stretched his sore, stiff limbs making a grunting sound as his joints cracked.
Over the last week Rhett had spent an hour at most away from Scarlett every day. Her improvements came slowly. Her bruises were healing and the swelling was going down. Scarlett still had a fever but it remained low. The doctor said it was her body trying to repair the broken limbs and tissue. Scarlett had to stay lying down in bed for at least another week, but that all depended on how well her ribs were healing, and sitting up would only be allowed with assistance so she did not further damage her arms.
Looking at his wife, who looked so peaceful, Rhett noticed the black mass of hair that belonged to their daughter was nestled next to Scarlett. How Bonnie got there, Rhett was not sure since she was supposed to be at the Wilkes' home. He would find out what happened, but first thing was to remove Bonnie from the bed so she did not injure Scarlett.
Rhett leaned over Scarlett and started to untangle Bonnie from Scarlett's side. As he lifted his daughter into his arms, the child let out a blood curdling scream. Stunned from the unexpected noise and the loudness of the scream, Rhett nearly dropped his daughter on top of Scarlett.
"What happened? What is going on?" Scarlett said now wide awake and in a panic. If it weren't for the pain that would shoot through her body she would have sat up instantly.
"Mommy! Mommy, take me." Bonnie said as she wiggled in Rhett's arms. Her cries piercing his heart.
"Rhett put her back on the bed. She was fine." Scarlett told her husband.
"I will not. What if she causes you more pain or injury? I will not have this. Bonnie is supposed to be at Melly's until you are better."
"I am better, not my former self but I am getting there. Bonnie won't cause a problem, will you sweet heart? Besides I have not seen my daughter in nearly four months. Leave her."
Bonnie managed to wiggle out of Rhett's arms and onto the floor where she ran back around the bed and climbed up to lay next to Scarlett. Bonnie continued to cry on her mother's shoulder as she tried to melt into her side.
"Rhett, go see about breakfast."
"What about Bonnie? You can't handle her."
"She will be fine." Scarlett responded, her eyes blazing. Rhett knew there was no point in arguing. She made a valid point about the time apart from her daughter. Any more time of this discussion she would bring up her fall, a topic they have avoid for over a week. Rhett turned to leave the room and head to the kitchen.
"Bonnie, calm down, you don't need to cry. Daddy is only concerned. Stop your crying, darling." Scarlett said comfortingly to her daughter.
Bonnie lifted her body to sit on the bed and locked eyes with her mother. The child's eyes were glittering with tears and she sniffled. "Daddy is mean, he hurt you, mommy. Don't let him come back."
Scarlett was taken aback by her young daughter's words. How did Bonnie know what happened to her? She couldn't know, Mammy had taken the child to the play room during her argument with Rhett.
"Bonnie, your daddy isn't mean. He loves you so much. Don't be mad at him." Scarlett did not know what to say. The way Bonnie spoke was as though her father was an evil villain. Yes he could be but he never laid a hand on Bonnie to give the child that idea.
"He pushed you, and you fell. He killed you." The tears returned to the child's eyes as well as Scarlett's.
Scarlett would love to be able to reach out to her child and comfort her properly. Damn the bandages on her arms and damn her bones for giving up on her. "Daddy did not push me. I slipped on the stairs and fell. My accident wasn't daddy's fault."
"Why he not catch you?"
"It happened so fast that he couldn't. Oh darling, please don't cry. I will get better. If you would like you can stay with me."
"Could we have tea parties?"
"Of course, baby." Baby! That word struck Scarlett like a match. Her baby was gone, and it took her over a week to realize it. How could she have wanted that child so badly only to forget she lost the baby in her fall? Tears started to fall from her eyes and rolled into her hair.
"Don't cry, mommy." Bonnie patted her mother's cheeks with her tiny chubby hands. "I make you sad?"
"Never, you could never make me sad. I am very happy you are here. I have missed you so much. Give mommy a kiss." Scarlett wanted to contact with her daughter since she herself could not physically do it.
Rhett returned to the room with a tray of food for his family. Scarlett was able to eat some solid food as long it was fed to her. Rhett made sure both Scarlett's and Bonnie's food was cut up into bite size pieces before handing his child a plate of hotcakes. Rhett held Scarlett's plate as he fed her each piece of hotcake.
"Princess, be more careful not to get food on the coverlet." Rhett said in his sing song voice to his daughter.
Bonnie looked up at him with a look that she could only get from Scarlett. It was a look of rage and hatred and fear mixed together. He had never seen this look on the sweet child's face before. What could Scarlett have told the child?
"I no princess!" She nearly shouted.
"You have always been my little princess, why not now?" His daughter's words were baffling to him. She had always been his princess. It was a grand title for his child, but what caused this changed in her liking to the nickname.
"Princesses don't have mommy, they have step mommy and they are mean. I want my mommy, I no princess." Bonnie moved to be closer to Scarlett, almost afraid her mother would vanish at any moment.
"You do not have to worry, baby, mommy won't be going anywhere." Scarlett said with a pain at Bonnie's explanation.
This was the love Rhett had talked about. Unconditional love from a child that was so pure. Love that did not have to be bought like Scarlett had always thought. Bonnie could teach her to love as she taught Rhett. Then maybe they could be happy like they once were before Bonnie was born, when they were first married. Scarlett had Rhett's love but did she love him, neither her heart nor mind could figure that out. Luckily he did not ask her if she loved him nor is pressuring her for an answer.
The rustling of skirts sounded in the hallway followed by the heavy foot falls of Mammy. Rhett turned his attention towards the door to see Melanie and Mammy were standing in the doorway.
"Good morning, Mrs. Wilkes'" Rhett commented as he stood from his seat, placing the plate of hotcakes on the bedside table.
Melanie ignored his comment and looked directly to the bed to see Bonnie cheerfully sitting there. "Bonnie Blue Butler! What has gotten into you? Uncle Ashley and I have been worried sick with fright when we awoke this morning to find that you were not in the room with Beau. How could you leave in the middle of the night when I told you next week you could come home?"
The child's body shrank into the bed to hide from the scolding. "Mommy needs me." She said while looking down at her night dress.
"Melly, please don't be upset with Bonnie. She misses me and couldn't stay away any longer. It was her way of telling us that it was time for her to return home since we would not listen." Scarlett pleaded with her sister-in-law. "Bonnie, apologize to your auntie."
"Sorry, Auntie Melly. But I want home, I want mommy." The child was not good with apologies since in her own mind she did nothing wrong because others did not understand the way her mind worked.
"Thank you, Bonnie, but you must learn to be patient. Another week would have been better." Melly started wanting to lecture the child since it was obvious her parents would not. Though Melly was a gentle soul and mother, when she disliked a child's actions, which was rare, she became another person and wanted to teach said child a lesson of how their behavior was unacceptable.
"Melly, please not now. Bonnie is fine and won't run off again. Please could you have her things sent home and inform Ashley of Bonnie's whereabouts." Scarlett did not want the moment with her daughter spoiled. Normally she too would have been upset but at the moment, Scarlett did not care.
"I will come by to see you in the next few days. Have good day, Scarlett, Captain Butler." Melly made her exit from the room.
Mammy had stood in a corner grumbling about how unfitting the situation was as well as how much like her mother Bonnie was. "Come child, we need to get you cleaned up." Mammy expertly said lifting Bonnie from the bed.
"It will be fine, baby, you can come back when Mammy is done. Mammy could you also bring her tea set in later?" Scarlett gave her daughter a reassuring look. Once the two were out of the room and the door was shut she looked at Rhett who started to clean up their daughter's mess. "Bonnie thinks you pushed me down the stairs." Scarlett did not want to bring the subject up but she had to.