Chapter 6: Sorrow

All of a sudden Scarlett didn't want to be in the same room as her husband. Turning around Rhett could see something had changed in her eyes. Trying her best Scarlett tried to avoid his eyes.

"How-how long do you plan on staying?" Scarlett asked as she tried to shake the past few moments from her mind.

"I'm not sure maybe a week or so." Rhett answered "Don't worry my pet; I won't bother you for long," While he got into his left pocket to reveal a thing of papers.

"What are these for?" Scarlett asked as she held the papers in her hand all the while looking down at them.

"A divorce my pet," Rhett replied

Scarlett's head shot up. A divorce! Rhett couldn't be serious. The only reason Scarlett left was to get away for a while. To get away from Atlanta, to get away from Rhett just a short while, "Rhett, you don't really mean this, do you?" she questioned still trying to grasp his answer from the previous question.

"I assure you Mrs. Butler I do." Rhett answered back as his tone changed. He began to leave the room when Scarlett spoke.

"I won't have you leaving now just because of this. I will have Farah make a room up for you."

"I will have my bags brought in." he left moments later to leave a sad Scarlett.

Holding the papers to her chest Scarlett couldn't believe this was happening. She knew Rhett and she were having some troubles, but she didn't think this would resolve in a divorce. "What have I done?" Scarlett asked herself as she could feel tears clinging to the tips of her eyelashes.

"Daddy, Daddy, now can we play?" Bonnie asked as she met her father in the hall.

"Of course we can Bonnie," as he picked his daughter up and went to play games.

Watching as her husband and daughter go out back and play Scarlett could feel the tears spill from her green eyes. Leaning against the door frame she felt as if her heart had been ripped out.

Still gripping the papers she fell to her knees and sobbed for a few minutes. This was not like Scarlett. Normally she was the kind of woman to just dust herself off and go on with her life. She didn't love him anymore, right?

"Daddy, why did mother leave for?" Bonnie asked as they began playing with a red colored ball.

Rhett didn't know how to answer his daughter. Yes he loved her very much but he didn't want to give her the wrong impression. Sitting her on his knee he began. "She no longer loves me,"

This caught Bonnie off guard. "Do you still love Mother?" she asked as if she didn't hear the other answer.

"Yes, I do very much," still found himself saying this. How could he still love Scarlett for everything she had put him through, but then again look at all the stuff he put her through? Yes he still loved her very much.

"Then why doesn't she love you?" she wanted to know this. After all at such a young age she had a lot of questions to ask.

"I'm afraid she hasn't loved me in quite a while," Rhett answered his daughters question as he could still hear Scarlett's words within his head.

Bonnie thought about this for a moment and then asked another question. "Is that why the light in her eyes isn't there anymore?"

"What do you mean Bonnie?" Rhett asked looking down at her.

"When she looks at me I see this light in her eyes, but when she looks at you I don't see it anymore."

"I guess that's why you don't see it anymore Bonnie," as he put a hand through Bonnie's black curly hair. "I know one thing is for certain. I will always love you."

"I love you to Daddy," Bonnie said with happiness. She knew both her parents loved her, but why couldn't they love each other? This never made since to Bonnie. Then again she was only four so not a lot of things made since at that age.

Meanwhile Scarlett had made it to her room before she fell apart all together. Sitting at her vanity she looked into the mirror. The reflection looking back at her wasn't the Scarlett she knew. No the Scarlett she knew was a fighter and wouldn't give up no matter what. If it wasn't for her marrying Frank then Tara would have been sold to that overseer of theirs. If it wasn't for saying she would never be hungry again she would have given up a long time ago.

That's right Scarlett was a fighter and she wasn't going to give this up without a fight. She wouldn't Rhett leave here with those Divorce papers sighed.

A knock came moments later. Scarlett's blood went cold when she looked over at her door. "Who is it?" she asked almost in a scared voice.

"Your husband," Rhett's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Come in," she called out just glancing over her shoulder.

Rhett came in moments later and saw Scarlett sitting at her vanity. "Why so glum Pet?" as he walked over towards her "It can't be becomes I'm here. I'm sure."

"It is because you are here." Scarlett said in her head. "Yes," as she tried to avoid his eyes.

Silence fell over the room until Scarlett spoke again. "What's the true reason why you're here Rhett?" as she began messing with her hands.

"I told you my reason." Rhett said sitting down in an arm chair across from Scarlett.

"No, there has to be some other reason you came here." Scarlett shot back as she rubbed her head. Her head was killing her.

If Scarlett was going to be this way then so be it but she didn't have to take it out on him. He stood up before answering. "I came here because I got a telegram saying you had fainted and Farah thought you weren't going to make it." Two could play at this game and he would be the one to win.

Looking at him through the mirror she somehow didn't believe him. "I don't believe you." she said crossly as she shook her head back and forth.

Getting into his left jacket pocket he handed her the telegram. How many things could he carry in those things? Scarlett asked herself taking the letter. Opening the telegram she began reading it. It was true. Rhett had got this letter telling him how pale she looked. Looking up she handed it back to him.

"As you can see my pet, I am here for you." Rhett corrected as he put the telegram back in his pocket.

"Now that does seem to surprise me." Scarlett said as she reached for her brush.

"How can you say such a thing?" Rhett asked taking her wrist before she could get the brush.

"When I had that miscarriage I cried out for you, but you didn't come." Scarlett cried as she jerked her wrist free from Rhett's grasp. "I wanted you there Rhett, no one else and yet you didn't come. I prayed that you would come, but you didn't."

This had never occurred to Rhett that that's what she wanted. He was getting himself drunk in his study as Scarlett cried out for him. "Scarlett I never-"

"Just go," Scarlett said shutting her eyes as she sighed with sorrow.

For once he listened to her. He left the room and went to his own and got a drink and drank himself sick.

Feeling some tears fill her eyes. "No, I'm not going to cry." She said out loud as she put her hand over her mouth. However those words didn't stop them. They came within moments of Scarlett saying this.

Before retiring to his room Rhett could hear Scarlett's cries. He wanted to turn around and go back in there and tell her everything was going to be okay. As he found his hand reaching for the knob he thought against it and decided that Scarlett needed some time to herself.

Heading to his room he didn't look back and thought of what the afternoon would bring.