Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Sixteen
February second Rhett and Scarlett were legally divorced. It was a happy day for Scarlett. She had invited Henry to supper. Scarlett had invited everyone supposedly to celebrate Bonnie's sixth birthday with a celebratory supper.
Scarlett certainly wasn't morose. In fact, anything anyone said was funny to her. She was so happy because she had bested Rhett, something she would never have thought possible.
At the end of the meal Scarlett stood up, she said, "Today would have been Bonnie's sixth birthday. I am sure she is celebrating in heaven. In other news, as of today, Rhett and I are no longer married."
The group's reaction was mixed. PittyPat was a little distressed because now she was living with a divorced woman. Henry and India were pleased because they both thought getting Rhett Butler out of their lives a wonderful thing. The children were not quite sure what to think. India said, "Wonderful, Darling."
Henry said, "You will be able to weather this storm. It will be a five-day wonder but then it will be over."
Scarlett said to the children, "With my divorce," At seeing the children's puzzled faces, she added, "The process to become unmarried, you will go back to school. You will also get to visit with Uncle Rhett two times a week. On Wednesday and Sunday in the afternoon."
Ella looked at Wade. Wade had nodded and he had said, "Do we have to?"
"Unfortunately, yes but I will be there, and I will make sure he doesn't say anything ugly to you."
"Thank you, Mama."
All the children went back to eating their dessert which was peach cobbler, one of Scarlett's favorites.
It was the worst day of Rhett's life. Not only was his divorce final today but it would have been his baby's sixth birthday if he hadn't been so weak-willed. If he hadn't been more concerned with being Bonnie's friend than being Bonnie's father.
The day was even worse than when his father had disowned him. Even worse than the day Bonnie had died. It was the worst, because he had thrown away happiness with both hands while crying for the moon. The exact same thing he had accused Scarlett of doing. He had what he had wanted so very badly. Scarlett as his wife. Now he had nothing. He had told her in his little speech the night Miss Melly had died 'if she could have given up her stubborn devotion to Wilkes, they could have been happy.' He knew now, he had never given her a reason to give up her devotion to Wilkes.
Rhett could admit to himself that he had not cared about the state of his marriage because he had always thought Scarlett would have to take whatever he dished out. That Scarlett would always be there when he wanted to return to her. That because of her desire to not be a divorced woman she would remain married to him no matter what. He guessed she hadn't had to take it. He guessed that he had made her life so unbearable that being divorced was better than being married to him. Rhett smiled. All she would have to do is get married again and she would no longer be a divorced woman. Scarlett finding another husband would not be hard for her.
Rhett now realized he had been the child. He had behaved like a four-year-old who hadn't gotten what he wanted. Yet, unlike a four-year-old he hadn't even let Scarlett know why he was angry and frustrated with her. In all fairness, although his anger and frustration may have been a natural outcome of his situation, she had never promised to love him. All she had promised was access to her body in exchange for his checkbook. Up until she had told him she didn't want any more children she had fulfilled her part of the agreement. He was the one that had foolishly expected the relationship to turn into something more. He smiled to himself when he thought, 'After only two weeks' and he had punished her for his ludicrous fantasy not coming true. He also knew that if he had refused to give up his marital rights, she would never have denied him access to her body. In truth, that was all she had been doing before the no-baby incident. Allowing him access to her body.
Rhett now knew that he had done nothing to accommodate Scarlett's wishes and desires. He knew now that he should have shown her his charm and charisma. He should have subtly made fun of Mr. Wilkes. He damn sure should never have kept talking about how perfect Miss Melly was. He had only done that to irritate Scarlett. Yes, he had irritated Scarlett, but he had once again done more damage to himself.
Rhett had sat in his room at the National hotel and had gotten drunk. He would never get drunk in public again. He would never use a whore again, not that his member required that much action these days. He would never leave Scarlett again. He was going to buy a house and settle down in Atlanta. He was going to be there at each and every one of his scheduled visits. He would create a relationship between himself and his stepchildren. He would sell anything and everything that required that he travel. He would never leave Atlanta again unless Scarlett was by his side.
The next day after Rhett had recovered from his hangover, he telegraphed all of his attorneys and told them to sell his holdings. He told them to get as much money as they could, but the main thing was to unload them. All the proceeds were to be deposited in his Atlanta bank account. Rhett didn't remove Scarlett from any of his accounts. If she needed money, he wanted her to be able to get it. He truly didn't want her ever marrying again for money.
Rhett had been going to The Painted Lady to help Moses with the books several times a week. The man, indeed, did know how to add up numbers. The first time Rhett had helped Moses balance the books was when Rhett realized that Belle had been skimming money off the top. Moses had two piles of money. One was quite a bit larger than the other. Rhett looked at the two piles and said, "What is this?"
Moses had pointed to the large pile and said, "That is how much money we took in and," Moses pointed at the other pile and said, "That pile is for insurance."
"How much is in the insurance pile?"
"Twenty-five dollars. It is always twenty-five dollars."
Rhett had smiled. Yes, Belle had been making an extra twenty-five dollars a week. Rhett smiled even bigger. He'd bet his last dollar that Belle bought his share of the saloon from him with the money she had stolen from him. He started laughing. He had been so sure that he was so much better than her. She must have laughed heartily at him as she rode out of Atlanta. No, she had been laughing at him for at least the last thirteen years. Ever since they had become partners. She definitely had the last laugh on him. She stole his money and sunk his marriage. Not bad for an illiterate, stupid whore. He now knew that she was not an illiterate, stupid whore. She was a literate, smart, sophisticated woman that had been playing the part that everyone had expected her to be. Just like Scarlett had until her world had collapsed around her.
Rhett knew he would never be able to find Belle. He didn't know where she was going. All she had said was she was going home. He didn't know her real name. She said her name was Belle Watling but that was as fake as her hair color. She had probably made it up on the spot when he had asked her what her name was in that New Orleans brothel. Once again, he had been hoisted by his own petard. His own arrogance. His own hubris.
Rhett had just said, "Let me show you an easier way."
After all, Moses didn't have to steal money, all the profits were his.
As soon as Scarlett's divorce was finalized, she wrote to her aunts and told them 'I am a divorced woman.' She also wrote in the letter…I don't need to hear your criticisms of me and my actions. If you feel honor bound to write to me and express your opinions in any way, I will feel completely within my rights to stop sending you a monthly check. Maybe you can get money from your good friend Elizabeth Butler.'
Scarlett had signed the letter, Scarlett Butler. She had debated for a long time whether to keep Butler or not. She had finally decided to because she didn't want to be Mrs. Kennedy, that made her think of Frank too much, and she didn't want to be Miss O'Hara, that made her think of her wonderful childhood especially the last two years when she had been the belle of five counties. She sighed with the thought, 'That truly was a lifetime ago. I am now nothing like that young girl.'
Scarlett's aunts did not even reply to the letter, but they did share the information with their friend Elizabeth. After Eulalie had shared the information, Elizabeth had stood up and said, "I'm not feeling well. I must go home."
On the way to Elizabeth's townhouse on the Battery, she thought, 'Thank God Langston is dead, and he doesn't have to live through this shame also.'
After Elizabeth had gotten home, she went to the parlor and had two brandies in quick succession. When she heard Rosemary enter the townhouse, she called to her daughter. She said come into the parlor. After Rosemary was in the parlor, Elizabeth handed her a glass full of brandy. She said, "You are going to need it."
"What has Rhett done now?"
"He has divorced his wife."
Rosemary swallowed the drink down in one gulp. She then stuck out her hand with the glass in it for a refill which her mother provided. Elizabeth refilled her own glass. The ladies sat on the sofa and sipped their liquor. They didn't speak. They just stared off into space. One more blow delivered by Rhett and there wasn't anything they could do about it. The only plus was that Rhett was sending them a support check. They would have had to bear the shame whether they were being supported by him or not.
Scarlett had intentionally worded her letter the way she did because she knew that Rhett would get the blame for it. Yet, she had not said the divorce was his idea. She could not help what people believed. Furthermore, when the Atlanta gentry had jumped to the wrong conclusion about whose fault certain things were Rhett had never corrected them. She was just following Rhett's script.
Now that Scarlett and Rhett were legally divorced, the children had gone back to school. It was good. All three children liked socializing with their fellow classmates even if they were Yankees. Yankee children were the children whose parents could afford to send them to school.
When Scarlett had gone to the school to register the children, she said, "Let me give you my new address."
"Of course, Mrs. Butler, I don't know why Mr. Butler didn't do it when he dropped by last month."
Scarlett was not surprised Rhett had visited the school looking for information. She also knew that he had honestly believed he could charm her out of continuing with her divorce suit. He certainly did think more highly of himself than he actually was. Scarlett smiled. Just like Ashley said. Rhett thought I should be grateful he had married me, and I thought Rhett should be grateful I married him. We probably both should have been grateful that the other one married us but both of us thought too highly of ourselves to be grateful to anyone.
Scarlett smiled and said, "Rhett always does like to keep secrets."
"Men. What is it?"
"412 Jackson Street. Thank you."
"We will send you a bill as always."
"Of course."
Later Scarlett had wondered why she had not told the school that she and Rhett were divorced. She decided that the less people who knew the better. Although it truly didn't matter, soon everyone would know.