Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Nineteen

The ride to Tara was pleasant. The weather was perfect. It was that rare time in Georgia when it wasn't cold or too damn hot. It was a perfect spring day. Rhett could tell that the roads used to be in much better shape than they were now but there weren't that many ruts. Once they turned on Tara land, Rhett saw Scarlett come alive which was really saying something for she was already a fairly lively person. Rhett smiled at her while she was pointing out all the landmarks. When they started to go around the bend she said, "Stop. Let me show you the view from the bend, Rhett. You two can see it too if you want."

India smiled and said, "I have seen it a couple of times."

PittyPat got out of the carriage with Rhett's help and managed to stand between Scarlett and Rhett. Scarlett barely stopped herself from giggling when she saw Rhett's annoyed expression. Rhett said, "It is a lovely view."

"You can see practically all of Tara from here."

Soon the trio was back in the carriage and pulling up in front of the main house. Once they were stopped, Rhett said, "Let me carry him in the house for you."

When Rhett picked Wade up out of Scarlett's arms the little boy had smiled at the man and had said, "Pa."

Rhett froze. Scarlett just continued getting out of the buggy. She turned to the other ladies and said, "We will be just a minute."

"Alright, Dearie."

Ellen came rushing out of the house. Without a word, she took Wade out of Rhett's arms. Some sounds came out of Wade's mouth, and Ellen said, "I am going to have to decide what I want my grandson to call me."

"I would have thought you would want him to call you Grandmother like we call you Mother."

"I only made you do that because of my Savannah breeding. I would much more have preferred you girls to call me Mama."

"It is not too late to change, Mama."

Ellen stared at her daughter and said, "I guess it isn't. I will tell your sisters to start calling me Mama also. Maybe I will have him call me Mee-maw," As Gerald came out of the house, Ellen turned to her husband and said, "What do you want Wade to call you?"

"Grandpa."

Ellen said, "I think that is a good choice, Gerald."

"Thank you, Ellen."

There was a lengthy pause in the conversation as Ellen and Gerald stared at one another. Wade reached for Gerald and said, "Pa."

That made Rhett relax. Wade was probably just calling all men Pa. Although Rhett refused to acknowledge the disappointment that flooded his body. Finally, he said, "We need to get on over to Twelve Oaks before the icing melts."

"Mama, Pa, excuse my bad manners. This is my friend, Rhett Butler. Rhett is from Charleston."

"Please to meet you Mr. and Mrs. O'Hara. My mother is friends with your sisters, Mrs. O'Hara."

"Your mother is Elizabeth Butler."

"Yes, ma'am she is."

"It is nice to meet you, Mr. Butler."

Gerald stuck out his hand and said, "Indeed, nice to meet you."

The two men sized each other up immediately. They both agreed they were cut from the same cloth. They would do whatever they had to do to get ahead. They would also do whatever they had to do to protect their loved ones. Gerald also knew that Rhett Butler loved Scarlett although that didn't mean he wouldn't bring shame upon her.

Rhett said, "We really need to go now."

"Wait. Rhett, would you get the box of books out of the back of the buggy. Once Careen has read them, will you get someone to take them to Twelve Oaks for the Wilkes to read. Probably most of them will only be read by Melly and Honey because they are romances."

Gerald said, "I don't think Honey would even know how to open a book. That girl is…."

"Gerald!"

As Rhett placed the box on the porch, Scarlett said, "We can go now. Mama, Pa can you all bring Wade over to Twelve Oaks after dinner?"

"What about his nap?"

"He will have to miss his nap. We have to be back in Atlanta before it gets dark."

"Alright. Of course, we will bring him over to Twelve Oaks."

Gerald said, "As long as you promise us a piece of that cake."

"Of course, Pa," Rhett helped Scarlett into the buggy. Once she was seated, she said, "Bring Suellen and Careen. Bye, Mama. Bye, Pa."

"Of course, see you this afternoon."

Ellen said, "Wait! Scarlett that is a beautiful hat you have on. Where did you get it?"

"Rhett gave it to me for my birthday."

"Scarlett, you know that is not an appropriate gift for …"

"Mama, don't lecture me on what is proper and what isn't proper. It has been so long since I have had a new hat or practically anything new that there is no way I am going to turn it down."

Ellen looked at her daughter with her chin jutted out. The chin she had inherited from her father. She knew once that chin was jutted out there would be no talking the person out of the idea. Instead, she, said, "Happy Birthday, Scarlett."

"Yes, Happy Birthday, Puss."

"Thank you, Mama and Pa."

"Scarlett, we don't have any money."

"Nobody does Mama. Save your money to buy food with."

"We have a lot more chickens now. Enough for us to actually eat one now and then."

"Next time we are here we will have to have chicken for dinner."

Rhett said, "Lately I have come to truly enjoy eating chicken."

After Rhett made his statement, he smiled his smile that Scarlett knew was his secret smile. She knew there was a joke involved but she also knew he wasn't going to tell her. At least, this time she didn't feel like the joke was on her.

In less than ten minutes, the buggy was at Twelve Oaks. Rhett said, "Your plantations aren't very far apart."

"They border each other."

"Maybe what I should have said was the main houses are not very far apart."

"No, there not. India, let me get down and I will take the cake from you. I should have taken it once we left Wade at Tara."

"It is alright, Scarlett."

Soon Scarlett was taking the cake from India and Rhett was helping the other ladies out of the buggy. Melly came running out of the house with Ashley shouting behind her, "Don't run, Melly. You might fall."

Suddenly the cake was back in India's hands and Scarlett was running across the clearing. Soon the ladies were hugging. Finally, Scarlett drew back and said, "You are absolutely glowing."

"Thank you for lending me your maternity clothes. I already need them. I love your hat. Was it a gift from…"

"Yes, another hat from Rhett."

India and Pittypat walked over to the women. Melly hugged both of the women. Melly said, "India, Aunt PittyPat, I didn't know you were coming also. This is such a lovely surprise. Such a lovely birthday surprise.

Rhett said, "Scarlett, let us go in the house."

"Of course."

"Happy Birthday, Miss Melly."

"Thank you. Mr. Butler, this is my husband, Ashley Wilkes. Ashley, this is Rhett Butler, Scarlett's gentleman friend."

Rhett wasn't sure he liked being labelled as Scarlett's gentleman friend, but he knew that Miss Melly had done that to let her husband know that Scarlett was already taken again which made him smile. Yes, indeed, Scarlett was already taken again.

Rhett said, "I believe we met at the barbecue the day the war started but it is nice to see you alive and well."

Ashley said, "Yes, you are the man who made the comments about slaves, cotton, and arrogance."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Nobody remembers anything about that day but that the war started and what you said, Rhett."

"I guess they will be infamous words. I just wished I hadn't been right."

When Scarlett and Rhett made eye contact, she knew he was lying. She also knew he was proud that everyone knew he had been right. She linked her arm in his and said, "Let's go inside the house. Rhett was able to get me some more flour, sugar and two eggs so Cookie made you a cake. We have to save some for my parents and my sisters. And probably Mammy also. They will be bringing Wade over after dinner."

Melly said, "It is not just my cake but yours also. We will just wait to cut the cake until your family gets here.

Ashley said, "Did you bring us some books to read?"

"We brought Careen some books, and she will bring them over once she has read them. There are a couple of adventure stories but there are mostly romances. The romances Rhett specifically bought with Melly in mind, but the adventure stories are ones that Rhett bought for himself."

"Beggars can't be choosers. I have read everything in our library, but I am reading them all again."

"I remember your library was quite extensive. I am impressed that you have read everything in it."

Rhett had not intended to remind Wilkes that he had been in the library when Wilkes had proposed to Scarlett but when Wilkes' cheeks turned pink, Rhett knew that he had. Yet, Rhett could not feel sorry about it. The man had wanted Scarlett as his wife and that was certainly not acceptable. Scarlett was Rhett's woman.

With that statement Rhett had manage to remind Wilkes that Scarlett had turned him down in order to marry his cousin Charlie. A man that Rhett knew that Wilkes thought was less of a man than himself.

Ashley recovered himself and said, "Yes, it is."

As the group walked into the house, Rhett said, "I admire your courage Mr. Wilkes. It took a lot of bravery to so openly abandon The Cause."

"Thank you, Mr. Butler. I just couldn't shake the feeling that if I went back to the front, it would be the worst mistake of my life. I couldn't get the thought out of my head that if I wasn't with my wife she and my child would die somehow. I don't know how me being here will prevent it, but since I have been back I am not worried that my wife and child will die. Well, any more than I normally am in these difficult times."

"Amazing."

By this time, the group had settled into the parlor with India saying, "Let me take this to the kitchen."

"Oh, India, I am sorry. I just keep dumping that cake on you."

"Not a problem, Scarlett. I will be right back."

When India got to the kitchen the cook and the scullery maid welcomed her with open arms. Being former slaves neither woman was going to say an unkind word about Miss Melly or Miss Honey, but they had certainly missed Miss India. The former slaves' happy smiles made India feel missed. The three people talked for a while. India was in no hurry to return to the parlor. She too would like to spend some time away from PittyPat.

As India walked into the parlor, she looked at her brother. She remembered that day after the barbecue when over dinner Charlie had announced that he was marrying Scarlett. Melly had squealed than run around the table to hug her brother. In all that commotion Melly had missed the shocked then disappointed expression pass over Ashley's face.

India knew that Ashley had been calling on Scarlett for two years before he married Melly. The two years after Scarlett had come back from finishing school. India also knew that Scarlett had made no secret of her desire to marry Charlie much to Honey's frustration. India felt sorry for Honey but in truth it had just been an arrangement between Father and Uncle Charles. Charlie had never shown any interest in Honey. Charlie probably would not have married Honey even if he had not married Scarlett.

As soon as Melly sat back down at the table, Ashley had said to her, "Let's go ahead and get married also."

"Of course."

India had often wondered if Ashley would have married Melly if he had known Scarlett would be a free woman in less than three months. Although India knew that Scarlett would never have married Ashley. Scarlett's friendship with Melly was just too important to both women for Scarlett to hurt Melly that way.