Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Four

Rhett found Gerald on the porch drinking a glass of water. Gerald looked disheveled. All he had on was a shirt with the arms rolled up and a pair of pants that Rhett knew had seen better days. Rhett said, "What have you been doing?"

"Checking on the field hands. One of the slaves is their overseer. Big Sam seems to be able to keep the field hands working. I have to go check on them several times a day. I also have to pick some cotton with them. It seems to make their attitudes better in regard to the work.

"That is good. Do you have enough field hands?"

"No, although I wonder if it really matters because I have no way of getting my crop to the gin much less to market."

"Why not?"

"All our horses are dead."

Rhett didn't want to offer his fine horse to pull Gerald's wagon to the gin and then to market but he did. He said, "You can use my horse."

"Thanks. Let me find out if there is any point. Nobody is buying cotton because nobody can get it out of the Confederacy."

"True. I was looking for you to find out if you have any whiskey."

"No, I don't."

"Any moonshine?"

"No. Come on, Rhett, let me show you the plantation."

Rhett didn't want to see the plantation again but because he was trying to make nice with his father-in-law and he didn't have anything else to do, he said, "Sure."

Gerald and Rhett left the house through the back door which was through the kitchen. Once they were out the door Gerald said, "Let me show you the barn."

The men walked towards the barn but instead of going into the barn Gerald walked them to the back of the barn. Gerald said, "Ellen doesn't like me to drink therefore I keep my drinking secret. I didn't say anything in the house because anyone could snitch on me to my wife. Even my daughter Suellen." Gerald pointed to the jug and said, "Help yourself."

Rhett and Gerald each had a swig of moonshine. They started talking. Once again, they were equally convinced that both men were made from the same cloth. The only real difference was that one was born into the lap of luxury and the other was born in poverty. The men continued to talk for almost an hour. With each taking a couple of more swigs of moonshine. Rhett had told Gerald about his time in San Francisco in his youth. Gerald had told Rhett about why he had to leave Ireland. Rhett mentioned his starting a shipping line. Gerald told Rhett about getting a man drunk then getting him to bet his plantation and his slave on a lousy hand. Rhett told Gerald about buying the gold miners two or three drinks so they would bet more freely. Gerald made sure to mention that he had killed a man and had finished his statement by saying, "If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you."

Gerald wanted his son-in-law to know that if he hurt Katie Scarlett, there would be a price to pay for that action. Although Rhett had no intention on hurting Scarlett on purpose, he knew he would throughout their marriage, but Rhett also knew that wasn't what Gerald meant. Gerald meant if Rhett brought shame on his wife Gerald would kill him. By the time the men returned to the main house, they had the start of a begrudging friendship.

Scarlett had spent the time moving her personal possessions from her old room to her new room. She unpacked their trunks. She could have gotten one of the slaves to do it but she didn't know who was still here. Prissy was in Atlanta and Mammy was taking care of Wade. Besides, she would have to move everything any way. Rhett was very particular about where his possessions were kept.

Rhett and Scarlett had been living together for three days and Scarlett had all her possessions all over the room. Rhett had said, "Scarlett, you should keep your hairbrush, mirror, hair pins, moisturizer in the same place all the time then you will always know where they are. It is much more efficient." It was then that she noticed that Rhett had all his possessions very neatly laid out. Over the weeks she had noticed that his possessions were always in the same place. She had also noticed that he would reach for something and not even look to be sure it was there because he knew it was there. She was not as diligent about keeping everything in the same place, but she was much more diligent about not just leaving her clothes and other possessions anywhere she wanted. She knew this was going to be an area of conflict between Rhett and her. She knew she was a slob, probably because she had always had someone to pick up after her, and Rhett was an extremely tidy person. She thought, 'Maybe we will just have separate bedrooms.' Then she giggled. She continued her thought, 'Rhett would never go for that at all. I guess he is just going to have to tolerate me being a slob. I will try to do better because I want him to be happy but there is only so much, I am willing to do for him.'

Scarlett went down to the nursery to make sure Wade was settled. As she walked in the door, she heard Mammy saying, "Master Wade, do you need to go poo poo?"

The little boy said, "No."

"Do you need to go pee pee?"

"No."

"Let's go try anyway."

"Alright."

Scarlett quickly backed out of the room and went into the next room. She stood at the door and peaked out the doorway. She heard Mammy, "If you pee pee in the privy, Mammy will give you a piece of candy."

Scarlett was amazed by Mammy's treatment of Wade. She was also amazed Mammy still had a piece of candy. Scarlett had slipped into Careen and Suellen's bedroom. Suellen had been in her room. When Scarlett didn't speak to her, she said, "Scarlett, what are you doing?"

Scarlett had been so intent on hiding from Wade that Suellen's voice startled her. She turned and said, "The short answer is hiding from Wade."

With a puzzled look on her face because Scarlett would never hide from Wade unless they were playing a game and Suellen was pretty sure Wade wasn't old enough for that yet. Suellen said, "Why?"

"Mammy has started to potty train Wade. She was taking him to the privy for him to try. If he saw me, he would forget completely about going to the privy."

"I am amazed at how much you love Wade especially considering how you always said you didn't want children."

"I don't want nameless imaginary children, but I do want mine. If Rhett and I never have any children, I would be happy although I'm pretty sure it would be a great disappointment to Rhett."

"I am always amazed when one of your feelings come true. I wasn't exactly surprised yet I was when Pa told us that you and Rhett had gotten married and so fast."

"I wasn't letting him change his mind. I wasn't giving him a chance to get cold feet."

"From now forward I will take all your feeling seriously."

"Please do. I have never been wrong."

"I know. Do you remember Clyde Johnson?

"Yes. He called on me a couple of times, but I guess he didn't like being one of many therefore he soon stopped calling."

"That and it was an hour ride for him to come to call."

"He was handsome though not as handsome as Rhett."

Suellen smiled at Scarlett's statement then she said, "Anyway, he has started writing Careen."

"What?! I didn't know Careen even knew him."

"She knew who he was, but she had never spoken to him. I guess he had admired her from afar."

"Of course, she was too young to receive callers before the war."

"True. He wrote that once she gets over her grief for Brent that maybe she would consider letting him call on her. She wrote back and told him that for now they would correspond, but she wasn't making any promises."

"How exciting."

"She told me that she wanted to know how smart he was before she committed to letting him call on her."

"How smart of her. Have you heard from Mr. Kennedy lately?"

"Yes, he was injured. He got a bullet in his arm, but the doctor was able to save the arm. He is now trying to find food and horses for the troops."

"Good for him. I hear Wade out in the hallway. I have to go."

Scarlett was out the door without giving Suellen a chance to say goodbye. Suellen was happy that her sister was happily married. Scarlett deserved the best. Suellen was also glad because Scarlett would no longer be the competition and she was some tough competition.

Scarlett walked back into the nursery. When Wade saw her, he ran over to her. He started talking to her excitedly. She only understood a couple of words but since she knew what had happened earlier, she said, "Did you pee pee in the privy?"

"And pooed too."

"Amazing."

Mammy said, "Yes, it is. Such a good boy."

"Candy."

Mammy laughed and said, "Let me get it for you."

Scarlett followed behind and Mammy said, "I am not going to let you know where my secret stash is."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Alright we will wait right here."

When Mammy came back, she gave Wade the tiniest piece of candy Scarlett had ever seen but Wade seemed happy with it, so all was good. Mammy said, "I forgot to tell you and Prissy that when you are potty training a child you need to ask them ever thirty minutes if they need to go to the privy. Sometimes they don't realize they need to go until you mention it. Also don't be surprised, if they pee or poo about five minutes after you ask."

"Thank you, Mammy. Hopefully, you will have Wade fully potty trained before Rhett and I leave."

"Where are you going, Child?"

"I don't know. Rhett wants us out of the Confederacy. Rhett is letting me stay until Melly has her baby."

"It is going to be a hard labor and delivery."

"I am so glad she is going to have you and Mama to help her through it. We are going to go get her from Twelve Oaks tomorrow."

"That is best. She is definitely going to need an experienced mid-wife."

"Yes, she is. I am going to find either Rhett or my parents."

That night over supper, Gerald said to Scarlett, "Cade Calvert is back from the war."

"That is good. Was he injured?"

"No, but he has TB."

"Oh, no."

Rhett said, "Cade Calvert?"

"Cathy's brother."

"Don't be going over there to visit Cathy. You have to think about Wade, Melly, and her baby. They don't know how people contract TB, so I don't want you near anyone who has it."

"Rhett, people contract TB by having bad lungs."

"Did Mr. Calvert have bad lungs as a child?"

"No."

"Then you will not go over there." When Scarlett didn't respond, Rhett said, "Did you hear me, Scarlett?"

It was the first time Rhett had ever spoken to Scarlett in that dictatorial way and she didn't like it. When she looked at Rhett his face was hard. She somehow knew that he was holding all his emotions inside him. She also knew that this was one of those times she should not argue with him. She said, "I heard you, Rhett. I won't go over there."

The news had made her sad. Soon Cathy would be on her own.

That night in Rhett and Scarlett's bed, he said, "I'm sorry your friend is sick."

"He was one of my suitors."

Bitterly Rhett said, "Of course, he was. Who wasn't?"

"Alex Fontaine, All the Tarleton boys except Brent …."

"I don't want to know. That was a rhetorical question."

"Oh. I'm sad about Cade but I'm worried about Cathy. She is soon going to be all alone in the world."

"That is sad but it is not your worry. You have enough worries of your own."

"I guess I do."

Rhett wrapped her up in his arms. He didn't do anything more but kiss her and the kisses were not that passionate. They were tender, loving kisses. At last, Rhett said quietly, "Baby, not everyone is going to make it through these hard times. What is sad is things are going to get worse after the end of the war. Remember, I will always take care of you and Wade."

Scarlett whispered back, "Thank you, Rhett. I know you will."