Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Forty-One

While the family was in Clayton County, Nick had agreed to keep an eye on their gardens. He had suggested Rhett and Scarlett take down the hedges that separated their properties. Rhett had thought it was a great idea, but Scarlett had nixed the idea. As she said, "For now we need to keep our interest separate."

"Of course, Dear."

"Isn't that what you said when we got married?"

"Yes, I did say that but that was when I was doing a bunch of iffy business deals that I didn't want you to know about."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Silly."

Nonetheless as soon as the family got back from Tara, Rhett was tilling the ground not only in his back yard but Scarlett's also. Rhett, Scarlett, and Ella were planting vegetables. PittyPat never did any manual labor in the garden. She just flirted with Mr. Weber, who didn't even notice.

After Scarlett returned from Tara, she resumed visiting Rhett again. She couldn't believe how much she had missed being intimate with him.

Rhett and Scarlett went to all the Southerners' fund raisers because there was always dancing at these events. They certainly loved to dance. Although they were not warmly received, they weren't snubbed either. The word had gotten around that Rhett was looking for businesses to invest in which meant men were willing to talk to him. Everyone needed investors.

Rhett was making money in a legal manner. He was investing in other people's businesses. He would give money to just about anyone who had a sound business plan. He was doing it so the men would talk to him, but he wasn't foolish with his money. So far about ninety percent had been successful. These were more loans than investments. Rhett didn't want a long-term commitment. He was still optimistic that he could get Scarlett to finally leave Atlanta if not permanently then for extended periods of time.

Scarlett was still hosting her monthly suppers, and everyone still needed a good meal once a month. Besides, the events were fun. Everybody got to socialize with everyone else.

Julie was still transporting food from Mr. Butler's home to Mrs. Butler's home. Anything that helped feed the family was done. Dennis, the second oldest child in the family, had started taking on odd jobs.

Julie had a man calling on her. He was eighteen and apprenticing with a printer in Atlanta. He would not be able to take a wife for several years now. That was alright. Her mother actually wanted her to stay in the household. At age fifteen, Julie was able to do a lot of manual labor in regard to the washing of other people's clothes, but her mother usually gave those tasks to her younger brothers. Julie was very skilled with a needle and could repair almost anything. Julie was also teaching her eight-year-old sister how to repair clothing. Furthermore, her mother could leave Julie in charge and production never suffered. No, her mother was not in a hurry for her to marry and move out. Her mother was not in a hurry for any of her children to move out. She loved them but she also needed their free labor.

PittyPat was so distressed that Scarlett was letting Captain Butler call on her again that she didn't know what to do. She was so upset by it that she went to talk to her brother about it.

Henry said, "There isn't anything you can do about it. Since Scarlett has custody of both Wade and Beau, if she chooses to, she can kick you out of the house. She is also supporting you. You have no other means of support. I am able to scrape up enough money every now and then so you can buy a new dress, but I don't have much more money than that. Besides I'm pretty sure nobody is going to be talking very badly or loudly about Scarlett Butler. Furthermore, everyone will continue to invite her children to all the birthday parties their children have. She won't get invitations into their homes but in truth I don't think either she or Captain Butler care one way or another. Go home and enjoy your soft, cushy life. I wish I had it as good as you do."

The children did continue to be invited to the gentries' children's birthday parties. Scarlett continued to give clothes, shoes, and a small toy. The children weren't that excited about the presents, but the parents certainly were.

All the parties Scarlett hosted for her children were for their classmates. Because Beau's birthday was before school started, Scarlett would wait until the middle of September to actually have the party. They were always well attended. Yet those parties were always supposedly given by their stepfather, Rhett Butler. Who actually was no longer their stepfather and he had never been Beau's stepfather.

There was gossip about Rhett and Scarlett among the Atlanta gentry. Everyone was wondering if Rhett and Scarlett were going to get married again. Nobody knew for sure. Everyone thought they were a couple in love, and they were incredibly happy together. Yet, one never knew with Rhett and Scarlett Butler.

One night as Scarlett was sneaking back into the house, she ran into PittyPat. The old woman said, "Where have you been?"

"I had to tell Rhett something before I forgot all about it."

"I hope nobody finds out that you were in Captain Butler's home unchaperoned. It would ruin your reputation."

It was all Scarlett could do to not burst out laughing. She managed to choke out, "Well, don't tell anyone I can't afford for my reputation to be ruined worse than it is."

"Of course not, Dearie."

"What are you doing still up?"

"Warming up some milk to help me sleep."

"Good luck with that."

Scarlett hurried up the stairs and quickly got into the bed. She wished she could take her extra pillow with her when she went to visit Rhett then when she slept, she could hug it and it would make her think Rhett was beside her again. Scarlett refused to let herself go down the road of regrets. There were no redoes in life but maybe there could be a do over for her and Rhett. But not remarriage. What she and Rhett had was good enough. She would lose too much if she married Rhett again.

Scarlett got into her bed and quickly fell asleep. She dreamed of her and Rhett which was nice because Rhett was dreaming of him and Scarlett.

Soon it was the end of August, and the family was having Beau's birthday supper. Henry, Steven, and India were all invited to the supper. They all attended. The family had fried fish and French fries. They had strawberry cake for dessert which was made from strawberries from Rhett's garden.

The conversation was lively, and everyone participated. India said to Scarlett, "The committee for the Beautification of Confederate Graves is having a fund raiser at the end of September. If you come, you can sit with Steven and me."

"Of course, we will be there. Rhett and I love to dance."

"Yes, we do."

After the children had been back in school for about a week, Rhett stopped by Scarlett's house while she was eating breakfast. This was not unusual. He usually came by two to three times a week but never on the weekend and never on Wednesday. As he sat down at the dining room table, he had a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. After pleasantries were exchanged, he said, "Want to go upstairs?"

Scarlett surprised him by saying, "Yes but we can't. Too many people are awake."

"True. Let's go drive by the mansion."

"Why Rhett? The mansion only holds pain and sorrow for us."

"We have banished all our other ghosts let's banish that one. We can walk around the outside." Very casually Rhett said, "Maybe into the backyard."

"It won't look at all like it did that day. The new owners have changed everything."

"Who did you sell it to?"

Scarlett smiled and said, "The state of Georgia. They have turned it into the governor's mansion."

"Wow! That is shocking to me on two levels. One I didn't know it was the governor's mansion and two you were that good a negotiator."

"Again, I learned from the best."

Rhett sat there for a moment and said, "I'm no longer doing shady deals in the shadows with crooked politicians that is why I didn't know it was now the governor's mansion. In fact, I don't even know who the governor is."

"James Smith"

"Look at you! Knowing useless information like who the governor of the state is."

Scarlett slapped his arm and said, "Hush. Go tell Uncle Peter to get my buggy ready. By the time it is ready I will be ready to go."

The couple chatted happily on the drive over to the mansion but as they got closer and closer to the building their conversation petered out. Finally, they weren't talking at all. Scarlett had moved closer and closer to Rhett.

When Rhett and Scarlett pulled up in front of the mansion, he said, "That circular driveway was a good idea."

"Thank you. Probably the only one I had."

"You just fell victim to fashion magazines and a dumb, stupid, idiot that thought you should be able to read his mind."

For a moment, Scarlett was stunned by Rhett's words then she said, "I did keep asking your opinion."

"True but you have to admit you were quite happy when I kept saying, 'Whatever you want. It is my gift to you."

Scarlett burst out laughing. She said, "I would not have been happy if you had actually offered your opinion."

"In truth when the mansion was being built, I didn't think I cared. It wasn't until we moved in, and I realized it was nothing like I wanted did I start to care. What did you do with the furniture?"

"Refurbished Hamilton House."

"That is our old furniture."

"It looks so different without all that red wallpaper."

"What about your ugly divan? I would have recognized that."

"I had it reupholstered. It is blue now."

"Really. That is my favorite chair."

"It is really comfortable, isn't it."

"Maybe I like it best because you are sitting beside me."

"How you do go on?'

Rhett smiled. She had flirted with him, and it felt good. He smiled and said, "Let's get out and walk around."

"Yes, let's."

This time when Rhett offered her his hand to help her down, she accepted it. Then she didn't let go. He didn't let go either.

Rhett said, "They removed the porches."

"Yes, I don't like it as well, but I imagine you like it better."

"No, I liked the porches."

The couple walked around the mansion while talking about the changes to the outside. They walked around to the back yard. It didn't look at all like the backyard that had existed when they had lived in the mansion. There were more shade trees and tables everywhere.

Rhett said, "There would have been no room for the jump if you had landscaped it this way."

Scarlett smiled up at him and said, "Silly man. You would have torn all this out to make room for the jump. You were so excited about teaching her how to jump. She loved it too."

"You would have stopped her from making that jump if I had given you a chance."

"No, Rhett, I wouldn't have. In truth, Sweetheart, all I thought was going to happen to her was she would fall off her horse and get some bumps and bruises. The worst thing I thought could happen to her was she might break her arm. I never even considered she might break her neck which I should have bearing in mind that Pa died that same way."

"This wasn't a good idea. Let's leave."

"Yes, let's go get some flowers and visit Bonnie."

"Alright."

Rhett and Scarlett did visit their daughter's grave. They talked to her, and they talked to each other. On the way to Hamilton House, Scarlett said, "We did banish that ghost. You have to quit second guessing yourself. You made a bad decision. That's all it was."

"Maybe one day I will agree with you."

Scarlett didn't say anything else. Rhett said, "Something I have been meaning to ask you for a while did you read Odyssey."

"No." Scarlett then giggled. She said, "Much like you Ashley said that quote about Greeks bearing gifts. I made him tell me all about it."

"I have noticed you have started doing that to me also."

"I can't understand what you mean, if I don't understand the words coming out of your mouth."

Rhett smiled and said, "I guess not."

Scarlett started talking about Beau's birthday party and what they were going to do. Rhett already knew he was going to be the host again. He enjoyed doing it. For a while he could pretend, they were a happy little family.