Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Eighteen

Three days later, the letter arrived at Middleton Acres. When Rosemary saw the letter Scarlett had been right, she knew what information was inside it. Elizabeth and Marshall had each seen the letter as it sat in the foyer of their home. It was on a side table that had a large tray on it. All the family's mail was placed in that tray. Both of Rosemary's parents had thought about taking the letter and destroying it. They had both wanted to spare their baby that pain, but they knew they couldn't. Death was part of war. They felt better knowing Rhett was safe in Atlanta. At least as safe as Rhett was ever going to be because he took far too many chances with his life. They hoped that girl in Atlanta would make him not want to take chances with his life anymore. Now if they could just get Robert home, they could start to rebuild their lives.

Rosemary took the letter and went to her bedroom. She had never shared the room with Luther which for right now was a good thing. She had lived in this room almost her entire life except for the two years she had lived at Luther's family plantation, Willow Glen. She looked around the room. She hadn't even redecorated when she moved back in with her parents. It still looked like the room of a young girl.

As Rosemary looked at the letter from her brother, she knew once she read the letter she would never be a young girl again. She thought about her daughter, Meg. The little girl was going to be four in December. She would never know her father. Rosemary guessed a lot of children in the South were going to suffer a similar fate.

Rosemary chastised herself for dawdling. She thought, 'Just get it over with.' She ripped the envelope open and there in the first paragraph her worst fears had been realized. Luther was dead. He was buried in Virginia with two hundred other Confederate soldiers. She gasped when she read that it was a mass grave and therefore, she couldn't even go and get her husband's body. In some ways to Rosemary that was the worst part. Her husband's body had just been thrown into a hole in the ground and covered up. Her precious husband. She was not crying. She guessed she had been preparing herself for this since she had found out from his childhood friend that Luther was missing.

Rosemary sat there for a long time. Finally, the tears had started to flow, then there was no stopping them. She cried for the loss of her husband, she cried for the loss of Meg's father, she cried for the loss of her hopes and dreams, but she didn't cry for the loss of that shrew of a mother-in-law. With any luck she would never have to talk to the woman again for the rest of her life. Mrs. Bradberry better not try and take Meg away from her. She would fight until her last breath to protect her child from that awful woman.

When Rosemary had not emerged from her room after several hours, Elizabeth had knocked on the door. Rosemary told her to come in. She knew it was her mother. Her mother who would try to provide love and comfort.

Elizabeth said, "Dear, is there something I can do to help you."

Rosemary didn't reply. She just handed her mother the letter. After reading the letter, Elizabeth said, "I'm so sorry, Honey."

"Oh Mama, my life is over."

Elizabeth let her daughter cry for a little while then she gently said, "No, your life is not over. You have Meg and you have your family."

Finally, Rosemary stopped crying. She said, "Yes, I do. Mother, would you write Mrs. Bradberry for me."

"Of course, Dear. I will do it tomorrow."

"Mother, do we have any money to buy black material."

"I will see what I can find. We may be able to scrape together enough money for you to at least have one mourning dress."

"That is all I will need. I will only wear it when I am off the plantation."

"Alright, Dear. Do you want me to tell Meg?"

"No, I will do that."

Mother and child sat on the bed for a long time. Finally, Elizabeth said, "Wash your face. You need to come down to supper. I know you don't want to eat but you have to in order to keep your strength up. None of us can afford to miss a meal."

"Alright, Mama. I'm not going to tell Meg right away. I have to get to where I can tell her without breaking down crying myself."

"Of course, Dear."

That night over supper, Rosemary did manage to get most of her food down. She also managed to keep it down because her mother was right, she couldn't afford to miss any meals. No one really spoke to Rosemary, but she was happy they didn't. She spent most of the meal watching her daughter, Luther's legacy. Rosemary was so very happy that Meg favored her father. It would be a happy reminder of the man she loved.

As Rosemary went to bed that night, she knew she would get through all of this because she did have the support of her family. She just hoped they didn't lose Robert too.

Two days after the arrival of the letter that changed Rosemary's life a package arrived for her at Middleton Acres. As Rosemary looked at the package, she saw that the return address was Rhett's in Atlanta. She smiled. She knew what was in the package. It was black material.

After Rosemary had opened it, she showed her mother and Daphne. She said, "There is enough material here for at least two dresses maybe even three depending on which patterns I pick. There was a note in the package from Rhett. It said - This material will not ease your pain but at least you can honor Luther by dressing as a widow, at least in public. There was fabric and lace. Everything I would need."

Elizabeth said, "That was very kind of Rhett."

"He has always been a great older brother."

"Yes, he has."

Elizabeth thought, 'You don't know how great an older brother he truly is. He married a woman he didn't love for your sake.' As she looked at her daughter-in-law she continued her thought, "Maybe for Robert's sake also.'

Elizabeth was so happy that Rhett had sent the fabric because she had not wanted to give up any of her money to buy black fabric with, but she would have for Rosemary's sake. Now she didn't have to.

Ten days after Rhett's arrival in Atlanta, Scarlett said to him, "Will you take me to Tara for the day? Actually, Twelve Oaks."

"You know we can't be alone together that long."

"We will take India with us."

"I would have thought you would want to get away from her."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you live together, and you work together."

"I like India and I don't mind spending time with her. She helps me with Aunt PittyPat. I would hate to have to live with Aunt PittyPat alone. I don't know how Melly did. Aunt PittyPat is the one I want to get away from."

Rhett smiled and said, "Miss Melly didn't know any different. She had lived with Miss PittyPat her entire life."

"That is true. The only thing that India does that annoys me is that she is always mentioning her dead fiancé."

"Let me tell you why she does that."

"Why?"

"Miss India is mentioning her fiancé dying all the time, so everyone knows that she is only an old maid because her fiancé died in the war."

"Oh! That makes sense. That will make it more acceptable."

"When shall we go?"

"Let's go on March the eighteenth for Melly's birthday."

The next day as Scarlett and India walked to the hospital, Scarlett said, "Would you go with Rhett and me to Twelve Oaks to chaperon us? I want to go down there for Melly's birthday."

"Yes, I would like to see my family."

"Great! I will make all the plans."

Somehow Rhett had gotten Scarlett sugar, flour, and two eggs. Scarlett had hugged him so hard. She even offered him her face and he accepted her offer and kissed her passionately. He thought, 'This was a better present than a diamond ring. After all, one cannot eat a diamond ring.'

On the morning of March eighteenth, Rhett, Scarlett, India, and PittyPat headed down to Clayton County. Although, none of the other people in the buggy had wanted PittyPat to come along there was no way to exclude her from the trip. Sadly, PittyPat coming along meant that Prissy did not get to come. That meant that the teenager was not going to be able to visit with her mother. Unfortunately, Scarlett couldn't tell PittyPat that Prissy was more important than she was even though Scarlett would much rather have Prissy on the trip than PittyPat. Scarlett had thought about telling PittyPat that she couldn't go because she needed someone to change Wade's diapers but, in the end, Scarlett just couldn't do it.

As Scarlett walked Rhett to the door the night before after a nice meal to celebrate Scarlett's birthday courtesy of PittyPat's secret admirer, he said, "I rented a four-seater buggy for us."

"I wish you had rented a coach so Prissy could have gone."

"Why can't she go? There is just you, me, and Miss India," When Rhett saw the expression on Scarlett's face, he continued, "Don't tell me that dingbat is going also."

"Hush, she might hear you."

"So?"

"I won't tell you because you already know she is."

"Dammit!"

"Don't cuss."

"Dammit! Tell her she can't go."

"I just can't, Rhett. She would be so hurt and disappointed."

Rhett sighed. He opened the front door and said, "The things I do for you. Good night, Mrs. Hamilton."

Rhett kissed Scarlett and was out the door before she could speak but nonetheless when he had reached the street she said from the doorway, "Good night, Rhett. See you in the morning at nine."

Rhett turned and shouted back, "My entire day?!"

Rhett didn't wait for a reply. He turned back and started walking down the street. He never even looked back. Scarlett smiled as she locked up the house. She wished he would hurry up and ask her to marry him. She was getting tired of waiting on him.

As the foursome left Atlanta, Scarlett said, "We will go to Tara first and leave Wade with my parents."

"You don't think Miss Melly is going to want to see Wade?"

"I will ask my parents to bring him over to Twelve Oaks. India, if you get tired of holding the cake let me know. I would hold it, but I have to hold Wade on my lap. I can't take a chance of him falling out of the buggy."

"Of course, you have to hold Wade. Holding the cake is not an inconvenience to me."

India had been leery of visiting the family plantation. She was afraid her father would make her stay. She felt she was safe because she hadn't brought any of her clothes. She was having fun living in Atlanta and working at the hospital. Yes, it was hard work, and it definitely was emotionally challenging seeing the wounded every day especially the ones that weren't going to make it but it was so much more fun than being stuck at the plantation. At least, at the hospital there were lots of men to socialize with. She had even flirted with a few. Alright a lot. After India had seen Scarlett doing it, she had thought, 'Why not?' It was wonderful the number of men that flirted back with her. India smiled at Scarlett's back. Not as many men flirted with India as flirted with Scarlett but enough flirted with her to make her feel pretty especially when she wore her new dress.