Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Eighteen

Scarlett did ask Steven to supper. It was clear to Scarlett that Steven was not comfortable around children. That was not a problem. He would never become the children's stepfather because she would never remarry again. She was finally free. Not just of Rhett but of all men.

Supper was delightful. Steven told them stories about some of his more interesting clients. Most were funny but a few were sad. It didn't matter the women had enjoyed his stories. Everyone at the table was well acquainted with Steven. Since the divorce, he had come to call on Scarlett two to three times a week.

After supper, Steven sat with India and PittyPat in the parlor while Scarlett helped the children get ready for bed. Her part was to give them all hugs and kisses. They all needed them. She needed them. She wondered how she could have ever thought her children were a nuisance or an inconvenience. She also knew that her complete disregard for her children and their feelings had been an indicator of how selfish she truly had been. She would never admit it to Rhett, but she had been a bad mother. Of course, her mothering skills had not been one of the reasons Rhett had wanted to marry her.

Steven talked with India about the books they had read. Scarlett smiled. She would get Steven to start calling on India once he asked her to marry him and she turned him down. In fact, as she thought about it, India and Steven would be a good match. That is if India could overlook him being a Yankee which she probably would. After all Scarlett knew that India still wanted to get married and have children.

An hour later Scarlett walked Steven to the door. She smiled at him that special smile she had that made a man feel like a million dollars. It certainly made Steven feel that way.

Rhett stood in the shadows smoking a cigar. He watched Mr. Cavalier leave Scarlett's home. When he saw Mr. Cavalier enter Scarlett's home, he had wanted to know the extent of their relationship. So, for the last two hours he had stood in the shadows across the street waiting for the lawyer to leave. Rhett was spying on his wife who wasn't his wife. That was how far he had fallen. He had become a man hiding in the shadows.

Rhett sadly smiled. He remembered when she had given him that special smile. During the war years, when she had been married to Frank, on their honeymoon before the sigh, and even in their first year of marriage. Yes, she had given it to him before he had overreacted to her saying she didn't want any more children. After that she had never given it to him, but he had never given her enough attention to know if she was giving him that special smile. So maybe she had but he had not noticed.

Rhett smiled as he watched that cut-throat attorney turn into a bumbling fool after receiving that smile. He smiled again. No wonder Mr. Cavalier had worked so hard to get Scarlett divorced. He wanted to marry her himself. Rhett knew that if the man got Scarlett to be his wife, he would treat her like the treasure she was. Not like she was his worst enemy.

After Mr. Cavalier left, Rhett knew he didn't need to follow him. The man was going home to his boarding house or wherever he called home. That man would never dream of spending his nights in a brothel. That man would never dream of a madame being his friend. That man would never dream of disrespecting his wife by comparing her to a whore and the whore coming out better.

Yet Rhett couldn't help thinking/believing that Scarlett would never be happy with the mundane life of proper people. He decided that his Scarlett would not but what if he had destroyed his Scarlett with all his abuse.

Rhett wouldn't let himself believe that. His Scarlett the girl at the barbecue that wore an afternoon gown to a morning event. His Scarlett the girl that threw herself at a man. His Scarlett the girl that threw a vase across the room in a fit of rage. His Scarlett that accepted his offer to dance despite the fact she knew she would be criticized for it. His Scarlett that had gotten herself, Melly, the boys, and Prissy across a war zone to get home after he had selfishly abandoned her because he was feeling shame for not having fought for the Confederacy. His Scarlett that had survived eighteen months of starvation and had dragged all those parasites with her. His Scarlett that had married a man just for his money. His Scarlett that had built up her sawmill enough to be able to buy another sawmill. His Scarlett that could never leave anyone behind no matter how ungrateful they were. His Scarlett who had married him when she really hadn't needed to. Rhett knew now that Scarlett had not married him for his money. Rhett remembered what Scarlett had said in his dream. What he had always known. She had married him because she had thought he would always keep her safe and secure.

With a wry smile Rhett knew he had done the exact opposite because of his insane jealousy of a nothing of a man. Yet in his arrogance and egotism he could not accept she could prefer anyone over him. He realized in that moment that he had disregarded her feelings in so many ways. Not just about not having any more children but about not valuing her feelings towards Mr. Wilkes. Yes, they had been false, but she had believed that she loved Mr. Wilkes. Rhett wondered if he had made her feel safe and secure, would she had been able to let go of her dream to return to her life before the war. Probably.

Rhett would never know but in his heart he knew. If he had made her feel safe, eventually Mr. Wilkes would have faded from her heart.

Rhett knew the situation his life was in was all his fault. Yet, that didn't mean he wasn't frustrated by the situation. Or that he wasn't frustrated by Scarlett's lack of response to him. She ignored him completely. When he was speaking, she didn't even turn and look at him. He had gotten himself into this mess and hopefully he would be able to get himself out. He just couldn't accept he had no chance.

As Rhett walked away from Scarlett's home, he was going to get himself something to eat then he would go to The Painted Lady and play cards for a couple of hours. He was not playing cards for the money. He was playing to have someone to talk to.

At Rhett and the children's second Wednesday together, Scarlett had brought a magazine with her to their meeting. It was one of the magazines he had taken while they had been married. He said, "When did you start reading that periodical?" Scarlett had not even turned to look at him or acknowledge that he was speaking. He continued speaking, "I will be happy to help you invest your money. I have a real flair for making money."

Rhett had let the children run off without him. They still weren't completely comfortable with him yet. He would have to gently get reacquainted with them and them with him. Besides, it gave him a few minutes alone with Scarlett.

At that point Beau had come running up and said, "Uncle Rhett, come see what we have found. You too, Mama."

Rhett said, "Of course."

He offered Scarlett his hand to help her stand up, which she ignored. She simply stood up and followed Beau to the spot. There was a colony of baby rabbits. Rhett said, "You didn't touch them, did you?"

Wade said, "No, Uncle Rhett, we remembered what you said about not touching anything in the wild."

The group chatted happily with Scarlett standing off to the side. This was the children's time with Rhett. She was not going to get involved in it. She only came to make sure Rhett didn't steal her children and run off to God knows where and to make sure Rhett didn't say anything ugly about her.

The visits were nice enough. The children were beginning to relax around Rhett. He was once again their fun-loving, kind, friendly Uncle Rhett. Rhett was pleased that at least, the children were beginning to soften towards him. Scarlett thought as she watched the children interact with Rhett, 'I now know why Rhett likes children so much. They are always willing to give a person a second chance. Of course, they have yet to learn that some people don't deserve a second chance.'

On the Sunday before Scarlett's birthday, Rhett handed her a present. He said, "Happy Birthday."

Scarlett looked at the present. So many thoughts flooded her brain, all the presents he had given her during the war, the horse he had given her when she was driving back and forth to her mills while she was carrying Ella, the presents he had given her in New Orleans, the presents he had given her their first Christmas together, and sadly the lack of presents from the day he had moved out of the master bedroom. Not even that first year on her birthday, which had only been a couple of days after his departure from the master bedroom. She had known he had already bought her present, but she guessed he had taken it back instead of giving it to her. That had hurt but, of course, she had not let Rhett see her pain. He had not even wished her a Happy Birthday.

Scarlett remembered that first Christmas after their separation when she had not received a single present. That had hurt also but again she had not let Rhett see her pain. The next week she had bought herself an emerald parure, a broach time piece that was almost too gaudy for even her, and the most garish buggy she could find. And a new horse for her new buggy, of course. She had made a point of wearing the parure every day for the next month. Rhett had never commented. She rubbed the gaudy time piece which looked totally out of place on her black dress, but she wore it to spite Rhett. He certainly couldn't miss it on the black background. She hadn't worn it in years, but she dug it out to wear for Rhett's benefit. She had remembered the scowl he got on his face every time he had seen it the next year.

Every Christmas there after she had made sure there were a lot of presents under the tree for her. There was always gaudy jewelry. She smiled. She wondered if Rhett ever realized she had always taken the jewelry back and bought something more tasteful. She and Rhett had been such stupid children.

As everyone was standing around looking at Scarlett, she smiled. She said to the children, "There is a story called the Odyssey. The Trojans and the Greeks were fighting. Almost all the Greeks pretended to sail away. The few remaining Greeks pretended to want to make peace with the Trojans. They gave the Trojans a huge wooden horse in tribute to the goddess Athena. The Trojans were happy to take it into their home so to speak. But the horse was not empty. It was filled with Greek soldiers. While the Trojans were sleeping the Greeks got out of the wooden horse and killed all the Trojan soldiers. Thus, arose over time the saying Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." With a cold face Scarlett turned to look at Rhett. She continued, "It means don't trust people who are suddenly nice to you. Thank you, no."

Rhett gave Scarlett a half-smile. She stepped into his space and had whispered so only Rhett could hear, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. You have fooled me much more than twice but never again."

"Scarlett…"

She had already walked off, so Rhett turned to the children and said, "Let me put this back in my saddle bag then we can explore the park some more."

The children didn't answer. They were watching their mother walk towards a park bench.