Chapter Three - After the Loving

It had been one month since little Bonnie's unfortunate fall from her pony Mr. Butler. Thankfully, the little miss was strong and she was very determined to get well. The sprain was all but healed and she was up and playing with her brother and sister, Wade and Ella, along with Beau, her Aunt Melanie's son. Mammy was keeping a keen eye on the children in the nursery while Scarlett visited in the hallway with Melanie whom had become a dear friend, despite all the past jealousy Scarlett had felt when Melanie had married the man Scarlett had thought she had loved with all her heart, Ashley Wilkes.

Scarlett was holding baby Rhett in her loving arms as Melanie admired the precious boy. "I think he looks just like his daddy," said Melanie with a bright smile.

"Yes, he does," Scarlett agreed. "Except he has my eyes."

"Ohhh yes, he does have your emerald Irish eyes, that's for sure," Melanie agreed as she knelt down to gently kiss the baby's cheek.

"Please... can I hold him?" Melanie asked with longing.

"Sure, of course you can," Scarlett said as she gently handed the baby to her dear friend.

"He's an angel."

"I think he's going to be a little devilish, just like his father," Scarlett said, blushing slightly. "Lately... well, shall we say, Captain Butler is eager ... to- to..."

"Ahhhh..." Melanie said as she caught on. "Perhaps you should go pay a little visit to Dr. Meade, just to make sure everything is in order, before..."

"Before- before..."

"Yes, I would be glad to watch little Rhett for you," Melanie stated. "He's so darling. Babies are so precious."

Scarlett's heart hurt for her dear friend. Dr. Meade had said there must be no other babies for Melanie, not after her difficult birth of little Beau, whom Scarlett had delivered herself. Beau's painful birth had nearly killed Melanie. The doctor said another baby was likely cause Melanie her life, so he had advised against another pregnancy.

"Ohhh Melanie, if only..." Scarlett said as her own longing grew for Melanie to experience the joy of another baby to love.

"Don't worry, Scarlett ~ dear. All will be well, I promise. Just go see Dr. Meade. Everything will be fine. You'll see," Melanie said mysteriously.

Scarlett hugged her friend, then she rushed off to visit Dr. Meade at his practice. She usually had a servant call the good doctor to her side, but she didn't want Rhett to know how eager she was to return to the marriage bed. She knew she should be embarrassed about such things and unwilling to resume their physical relationship, but in truth, she was just as eager as he appeared to be. It had been far too long!

As Melanie cared for sweet baby Rhett, she was greeted by Captain Butler himself who was looking for his lovely wife. "Hello, Miss Mellie,' he said as he greeted her with a charming smile. "You're looking so beautiful... you are practically glowing..."

Melanie blushed. "It must be this sweet baby in my arms. I do declare, he's so incredibly adorable."

"He has his mother's eyes, just like little Ella," Rhett said proudly. "And where is Scarlett?"

His eyes searched the halls, but he didn't see Scarlett anywhere and he wondered if she was in the nursery with the children.

"She... uhhhh... had to pay a little visit... to Dr. Meade."

"Ohhh did she now? Is my beautiful wife sick... or...?"

A question hung in the air. "Actually, she was just checking to see that she'd completely well after the birth of your son," Melanie explained as she looked down lovingly at the child in her embrace.

"I see," said Rhett as he sat down next to Melanie. "My dear, if I might be so forward, could I ask you for advice...?"

"Sure, Captain Butler. I shall try. I am not sure I am the best at advice, but I promise to do my best."

"I knew you would," he said as he paused as if in search of the proper words to explain his dilemma. "You see, Miss Mellie, my dearest wife loves our children, all of them, but I think... well, I know, she isn't eager to ... you know, have another baby, and I..."

Melanie cleared her throat. "Are you asking how to prevent another little miracle?"

"Yes, I suppose. I know there are methods... some perhaps dangerous and rather unpleasant, but I know..."

"Captain Butler, I say you should try again... at least once more. Why, Ashley and I, we are trying again... just once more," she quietly admitted.

"But... I thought it was dangerous. I thought Dr. Meade-," Rhett said with worry.

"Forget Dr. Meade. He doesn't always know what is best. The heart knows what is best. I want another child and so does Ashley... and well, it's already too late."

Lovingly, she placed her hand on the small swell of her stomach and Rhett couldn't help it. He smiled with all his heart, giving Melanie his congratulations. "I hope it all works out for you," he said sincerely. "You deserve so much happiness."

"And so do you and Scarlett. She is my dearest friend and like a sister to me. She may say she doesn't want any other babies, but I see one more in my mind's eye for you. In the future, you'll be a father again..."

Rhett raised one eyebrow. Scarlett would probably have his head on a platter if he impregnated her again. He remembered the moment she found out she was carrying Bonnie. It wasn't pleasant. The baby in Melanie's arms was the only one she had been pleased to carry of her four children.

Rhett reached out for his son and took him in his arms. "This handsome young man will be sleeping in his crib tonight," Rhett announced. "I want my wife back... in every sense of the word... and she better be ready."

Melanie hid a little giggle behind her hand. "I think she is, Captain Butler. As soon as I offered to watch the little one, she rushed on out of here."

"She did, did she?"

"Ohhh yes," Melanie confirmed.

"I can't wait till she's back," Rhett said with a dashing grin.

~*~o~*~

Hours had passed and Scarlett finally returned. All the children had already been fed and put to bed. Only the infant was awake as he was hungry. He was fussing as Rhett tried to comfort him.

Scarlett walked into her bedroom to see Rhett walking the floors with their son. "I'm so sorry, Rhett. I went to see Dr. Meade and he was busy... doing what he does best. He was delivering a baby."

Rhett gently placed the baby into Scarlett's arms. "I believe our son is famished."

She had already unbuttoned the bodice of her gown so her infant son could nurse. She sat down in a chair next to her bed as she placed the dark-haired babe to her breast. "He missed me," she said as the baby latched on hungrily.

"Yes, he did. And I missed you, too," he told her fondly. His eyes were on her loveliness as she nursed their son.

"Mammy fed the children and got them into bed," he stated.

"I didn't get to tuck them in," Scarlett said a bit sadly.

"There's always tomorrow night," Rhett said as he stared into her gorgeous green eyes.

"Yes, there is," she said breathlessly, feeling excitement as she continued to feed their son. Once the baby was satisfied, they could put him in his crib... and then finally, they could resume their physical relationship. She just couldn't wait. How eager she was to be in his arms.

"What did Dr. Meade say?" Rhett asked softly. "Is my lovely wife well?"

"Yes, I am very well."

"And did he say you are able to... resume...?"

"Rhett!" she said in a little gasp.

"Well, darling, if we can't talk about it as husband and wife... how will we...?"

"It isn't proper!"

"I never said I was a gentleman," he gently reminded, watching as she moved the baby carefully to the other breast. Yes, the tiny boy had been famished. He needed his mama, but Rhett needed her even more. He longed for her.

"How much longer?" he asked, becoming a bit impatient.

"Rhett, your son is hungry."

"So am I," he said huskily. "I am hungry for you. I'm eager to make love to my beautiful wife."

"Rhett!" she cried out, a pink tinge settling upon her creamy cheeks.

"Please hurry, baby Rhett," he coaxed the baby and as if his son heard his plea, he was finally sated.

After she burped the baby, Rhett took him from Scarlett's arms. "He's going to Mammy now. Tell him good night," he urged.

"Must he? All night long?" Scarlett asked, looking at her son with tenderness.

"Yes, all night long, because I intend to have you... until you fall asleep in my arms..."

"But Rhett," Scarlett lightly protested. "I'll get pregnant again... I'll..."

"What's one more baby?" he asked, as he cuddled their son against his broad chest. "You love this one with all your heart and soul."

"I do... but my figure..."

"It's perfect. Your waist is extra small and your breasts are full and firm."

"Rhett!" she gasped.

He only chuckled. He was carrying the infant from the room. "Take off all your clothes... and I do mean everything. I will be back soon,"

He blew her a kiss... and then he was gone.

Suddenly her mind was on the night their son was conceived. So it was going to be like that then? Blistering, unbridled passion. She felt exhilarated as she removed every single garment, casting it all aside. She climbed into her bed, waiting for Rhett's return.

~*~o~*~

Rhett placed the baby in the crib and kissed him good night. "The baby is sleepin in the crib this night, Cap'n Rhett?" Mammy asked as she blew out the lamp at Bonnie's bedside.

"Yes, it's time the little tyke start sleeping in the nursery with his siblings."

"But what if he cries in the night, needing to suckle?"

"Call for a wet nurse," Rhett suggested. "Scarlett will be occupied... all night long..."

Mammy nodded. She knew what that meant. The nursery was filling up fast.

"Cap'n Butler," she said before he left. "I don't know how we'll be fittin another crib in here, iffin Miss Scarlett..."

"Then I'll build a bigger nursery,' he chuckled as he rushed out the door.

~*~o~*~

Scarlett was waiting in her bed for him when he returned. "Eagerly waiting up for me, my dear Scarlett?" he asked as he stripped very slowly.

"Yes, Rhett," she said, swallowing hard as she gazed at his impressive body. Would she ever get used to making love with the lamp on as Rhett had always insisted?

Her other two husbands, Charles and Frank would have never... But Rhett was certainly different. On her wedding night with Rhett, she had first experienced the passion and fire. She had cried when he had given her first taste of ecstasy. She couldn't wait to feel it again. How she longed for his strong arms around her!

"Rhett, please..." she said as he stood there naked, but had not joined her upon the bed.

"Please what?"

"Make love to me," she practically begged.

"But after I do... you might be pregnant."

"I know... and that's a chance I'll take."

"I can hardly believe you're saying that, Scarlett. Are you sure you're my wife?" he asked as he finally climbed into bed with her and slipped under the covers.

Under the warmth of the comfy blankets, Scarlett snuggled up to her beloved. "Why, Rhett... you said you would be happy with one child... or twenty."

"That's not what you said. You didn't even want one."

"I know... and I am very sorry for that," she said contritely. "I love them all. Truly I do. Wade, Ella, Bonnie and baby Rhett... and if I get pregnant again, I'll be happy. I promise."

He smiled, his eyes twinkling. "You want to have one more?"

"Maybe one," she said as she slid her body against his, letting him feel the curves of her nakedness.

"A little girl then. A daughter with absolute fire... just like her mother."

"Can you really handle that, Rhett?" she asked. "You can hardly handle Bonnie..."

"I want another little girl," he said. "Just one more."

"Alright then," she said as she melted against him. "No more talk of babies. Make love to me, Rhett. Make love to me all night long."

His hands explored her lusciousness. His fingers were skillful as they glided over her naked skin. "I love you so much, Mrs. Butler... far more than anyone... or any thing... EVER."

"I love you, too, Rhett. I am glad you came back to me... and Bonnie, too...and we had the baby... and Bonnie wasn't hurt badly when she fell from the pony... and..."

He stopped her words with a passionate kiss. There would be no more words as their breaths and bodies mingled. He made passionate love to her for hours, until sheer exhaustion overtook her and she fell into a glorious sleep.

When she awakened in the morning, she was sore, but bursting with vitality and happiness. She awoke to find him beside her, grinning like the cat that had just devoured quite ruthlessly the sweet, little canary. "What's that grin for?" she asked as she stretched, wincing a little at the aching and tingling. He had thoroughly taken her to the heights of ecstasy.

"You look absolutely beautiful... and you're mine... for always," he said.

"Always," she agreed as she kissed him.