Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Ten

The rest of the summer, Scarlett and Melly worked at the hospital with the wounded. Wade was very mobile by this time. Scarlett, Melly, and Prissy were constantly telling him no. He would much rather play with PittyPat's balls of yarn than the blocks he had gotten for Christmas. The old cat hid under PittyPat's bed any time the boy was awake.

In September Scarlett decided to go visit her family once again. She would take her mourning clothes to Careen in case she wanted to wear them. Scarlett wasn't sure if Careen's grief was that severe, for she knew that Careen was no longer enthralled with Brent.

Gerald pick Scarlett, Wade, and Prissy up at the train station in Jonesboro. As they got into the buggy, Scarlett looked around the town. She could tell the war was having an effect upon the town. It looked worn which she knew was a strange thing to think about a town but that was how she felt.

After the group got to Tara, Wade was once again swept up into Gerald's arms and taken somewhere. Scarlett found her mother in her office going over the books. After a short conversation, Ellen left Scarlett in search of her grandson. Scarlett just smiled and shook her head as she walked to the parlor.

When Scarlett saw Pork, she said, "Would you get someone to get my trunk out of the buggy and put it in my room?"

"Certainly, Miss Scarlett. I will take care of it myself right now."

"Thank you."

Once the O'Haras were all at the dining room table the conversation was pretty lively. They talked about the war and all the boys who died in the war. When Careen talked about Brent, Scarlett could tell she was not heart broken. She was just thinking of Brent as an old beau. Maybe the same way Scarlett thought about Charlie. She was simply recalling all the good times they had.

Later while Careen and Scarlett were in the parlor, Scarlett said, "Are you not heartbroken over Brent's death?"

"No. I will miss him, but I now know that he was more fantasy than he was my true love. I probably would never have married him. His writing was horrible. He had already told me that reading was a waste of time. I cringe when I think of the stupid things, he used to say that even I at thirteen knew were stupid."

Scarlett burst out laughing. She said, "You don't know how hard it was for me to not mock him when he would say something stupid. The only thing that stopped me from doing it was that he probably would not have known I was mocking him and would have taken my statements seriously."

Both sisters laughed.

Careen said, "I will probably end up an old maid because so many men have been killed in the war."

"Not necessarily. Tony Fontaine and the Calvert brothers are still alive. Now that I am no longer on the market you could probably snag one of them."

"What do you mean you are no longer on the market?"

"I'm going to marry Rhett."

"When did he ask you?"

"He hasn't asked me yet, but I know he will."

Suellen playfully said, "Another one of your feelings?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

Scarlett hadn't even known she felt that way until the words came out of her mouth. Once she heard them, she knew they were true. Some day she and Rhett would be married. That gave her a boost of confidence regarding her relationship with Rhett.

Scarlett turned to Suellen and asked, "How is Mr. Kennedy?"

"Fine. I don't get mail from him very often, but he is with Johnston now."

Teasingly Scarlett said, "I guess he isn't a good correspondent either."

Suellen laughed and said, "No, he isn't."

"Careen, I have brought you some books. Rhett brought them to me and Melly. We have already read them, so I brought them down here for you."

"Thank you. Are they romances?"

"Mostly. Although I threw in a few adventure stories for you."

"You let a man know you liked to read? That is unbelievable."

"No, no. Of course not. I told Rhett the books were for Melly."

All three of the sisters laughed. Careen and Suellen knew that was a deep, dark secret that Scarlett would never reveal to anyone.

The next day, Careen and Scarlett called on the Tarletons for Scarlett to pay her respects. The sisters found Mrs. Tarleton outside her home in the paddock although there weren't any horses in it. They walked over to her.

Scarlett saw one of the Tarleton sisters coming to join the group. For the life of her she couldn't remember which girl went with which name. Beatrice said, "What brings you to Fair Hill, Scarlett?"

"I wanted to convey my sympathies over the loss of your sons. I have such fond memories of all the times we played together as children."

"Thank you, Scarlett. And thank you for the kind letter you sent telling me they were dead. If you hadn't told me, I still wouldn't know."

"That is so sad."

Hetty said, "Yes, it is."

Beatrice said, "If Boyd's friend hadn't written to us, we still wouldn't know he was missing in action."

Hetty said, "We are pretty sure he is dead also."

Scarlett said, "I guess after all this time that is all you can think."

Careen said, "If he had been alive, he would have contacted you by now."

Beatrice said, "Unless he is in a prison of war camp but from what I have heard that is almost a death sentence."

Hetty said, "Between the lack of food and disease, I doubt any of the captured soldiers will survive."

Beatrice said, "How is everyone at Tara?"

Careen said, "Fine. So many slaves have run off it makes it hard for Pa to harvest the cotton."

Beatrice said, "We have lost a lot of slaves also. Hopefully, we have enough to harvest the cotton."

Hetty said, "Picking cotton is not an easy task."

Scarlett said, "I'm glad we don't have to pick it ourselves with being ladies and all."

Beatrice said, "Me too. Thank you for stopping by. It makes it easier knowing that my boys will be missed by everyone. Careen, had Brent gotten up the courage to ask you to marry him?"

"Not yet. I will miss him the rest of my life."

Beatrice gave Careen a watery smile and said, "I would have been proud to call you, my daughter-in-law."

"And I would have been proud to call you, my mother-in-law."

Scarlett said, "Now we must go. We have chores to do at home."

"Of course. Thank you for stopping by."

After Hetty got the box of dresses from the back of the buggy Scarlett and Careen drove away. When they were out of earshot, Scarlett said, "Which one of the sisters was that?"

"I don't know."

Both the women laughed.

The rest of Scarlett's time at Tara was pleasant enough although along with her sisters she had to do chores around the house. Everything from shucking peas to helping with the laundry. After two weeks Scarlett returned to Atlanta.

On her last night at Tara, Ellen said, "Why don't you leave Wade here with us. I'm sure it will be more fun for him to be able to be outside more."

Scarlett had smiled and said, "Where I go, my child goes."

"Very well."

While Scarlett had been at Tara, Melly had nursed one of the dying soldiers. She had written down the boy's last words and his feelings about his family and their farm. After the boy had died, Melly wrote that down as well. She informed his mother that her son died peacefully, and he was not alone when he died.

Two weeks later Melly received several yards of gray material from the boy's mother. There was a note: I was going to use this material to make Hiram a new jacket, but Hiram doesn't need a new jacket now. Hopefully, you know someone who does. Thank you for being there for my boy in his final moments.

Melly looked at the gray material and sighed. Yes, she would make Ashley a new jacket, yet she didn't know how she would get it to him.

In the middle of November, Melly got a letter from Ashley telling her he was going to get a Christmas furlough. Scarlett was pleased for Melly, and it would be good to see Ashley again. Hopefully, he wouldn't say anything to her about his unwanted affections again. Scarlett quickly realized that she didn't need to worry about Ashley saying anything to her. She was going to be at Tara for Christmas.

When Scarlett got Rhett's telegram on December tenth telling her he was back in Charleston, she got excited. That meant he would come visit soon. She got another telegram later that day. All it said was: On the train.

Scarlett was so happy that meant Rhett would be in Atlanta by the next day. This year when Rhett took her anywhere, she was going to wear her green hat. Let the matrons write her mother she didn't care. She wanted Rhett to see her in her green hat. She wanted to wear her green hat. She had waited over a year to get to wear it. She wasn't going to wait any longer.

The next day while at the hospital, she couldn't stop smiling. She was cheerful and happy. She teased and joked with all the patients. She even joked with Dr. Meade. Scarlett was Dr. Meade's favorite assistant. She was his favorite because she did what he told her to do. Some of the other ladies, where too compassionate to always do what had to be done. Not Scarlett Hamilton.

Finally, it was time for Melly and Scarlett to go home. Outside the hospital Rhett was waiting for them. He said, "Let me get us a cab back to Hamilton House, so you don't have to walk all the way home."

"Thank you, Rhett. Welcome back."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Butler. And I agree welcome back."

Rhett was able to get them a cab fairly quickly. The trio chatted fairly amiably all the way back to their home. Scarlett had sat on the same side as Melly because it was what was proper. Rhett had just smiled at her.

Melly, tell Rhett your news."

"Ashley is getting a Christmas furlough. He will be here on the twenty-third."

"Ashley's family is coming up from Twelve Oaks. I will be going to Tara for Christmas on the twenty-third to give them more room in the house."

"I guess I will be returning to Charleston on the twenty-third also," Scarlett flashed Rhett a smile. He continued, "I will go back to Charleston and sell all my ships to another blockade runner. His name is George Trenholm. Have you heard of him?"

The ladies both said, "No."

"Well, he is a big deal in South Carolina. He has over fifty ships. If he buys mine, he will have sixty. Hopefully, he will keep the crews on."

"Rhett, I don't understand why you are selling your ships. Won't you need them for your shipping business."

"I can't do any shipping until after the war is over. There won't be anyone to watch the ships and maintain them. My business partner has passed away. Which is another reason I wanted to sell them, so I can give his widow his share of the investment. If I want to start the shipping business again then I can buy more ships. I am going to make one more run then, I will sell them."

"Is what you are going to do in the future safer."

"Yes."

"Good."

When the trio got to Hamilton House, Scarlett said, "Would you like to come in?"

"No, I will be back for supper."

"That will be wonderful but be prewarned we don't have a lot of food."

"You will find when you go to the kitchen that Miss PittyPat's secret admirer has arranged another delivery of food. Go ahead and invite Mr. Hamilton."

"Thank you, Rhett."

The driver opened the cab door and helped the ladies down. Melly turned and said, "See you at six."

"Yes.