Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The next morning with the announcement that Gerald and Ellen were going with them to New Orleans the intense planning started. Once Mammy, Pork, and Dilcey heard Ellen and Gerald were going they agreed to go also.

The group had two wagons and two horses. There were twelve adults and two children going. They would need clothing and food. If they had room, they would take pillows and blankets. They would find room for anything they thought could be sold or bartered. It was also made clear to everyone that most people would be walking all the way. The two horses they had could not pull that much weight for that long.

Scarlett said, "Rhett, Melly can't walk that far. She just had a baby."

"Melly and her baby will be riding in one of the wagons. Mammy and Wade will be riding also."

Mammy said, "You don't think I can walk that far?"

Rhett smiled his charming smile and said, "Scarlett and her mother and probably her sisters would skin me alive if I tried to make you walk that far. Besides someone has to take care of Wade. He certainly can't walk that far. You and Wade will be in one wagon and Melly and her baby will be in the other wagon. You all cannot be in the same wagon. We have to spread the weight out."

Mammy smiled and said, "You may have a point there Mr. Butler."

All the O'Hara women were smiling. Rhett knew he had been right the O'Hara women would not have let their mammy walk all that way. Although the truth of the matter was that Rhett didn't think Mammy could walk that far.

Scarlett said, "How long do you think it is going to take us?"

"Probably a month."

"Alright."

"Anyone who wants to back out can do so now."

Later that afternoon, Pork said to Dilcey, "I have had a good life with Mr. Gerald."

"He was kind enough to buy me and Prissy from Mr. John so we could be together."

"Yes, he was."

The couple was quiet for a few minutes. Pork said, "But I don't want to walk to New Orleans. For once I want to do what I want to do."

"We won't be able to survive on our own."

"I bet we could."

"I certainly think we should try instead of walking five hundred miles without any guarantees our lives are going to be better."

"Alright. I will tell Mr. Rhett tonight."

"Yes. Afterall, we are free."

This was still a hard concept for the couple to truly grasp. They had both been slaves all their lives. Admittedly to be free had been a dream of both of them but at the same time they were scared of the unknown. Ironically, they were scared of being totally responsible for their own lives.

That evening after supper, Pork went in search of Rhett. Pork thought it would be easier to tell Mr. Rhett because Pork had no strong feelings for Mr. Rhett. Rhett had been sitting on the porch with Scarlett hoping for a breeze. After Pork came out on the porch he said to Rhett, "May I speak to you?"

"Go ahead."

"Privately."

"No, whatever you have to say you can say it in front of Scarlett."

"Dilcey and I don't want to walk all the way to New Orleans. I don't think these old bones can make it."

Rhett said, "If that is what you want, you can stay here. You are free Pork. You can do whatever you want."

"Mr. Rhett, I don't want to relocate again. I was born in South Georgia. At age fifteen I was sold to Mr. Desmond's father. He gave me to Mr. Desmond after he had graduated from college along with this plantation. After he took over the running of the plantation, his family moved to Charleston. Mr. Desmond didn't like living on a plantation, so he spent most of his time in Charleston and Savannah. He was a young man and like most young men he spent too much time in sporting houses. He played poker and drank too much. His father had been wealthy, and Mr. Desmond didn't have much value for a dollar because he could always get more. As you know he lost me and this plantation in a poker game over a lousy hand. I don't know what happened to Mr. Desmond."

"Desmond White?"

"Yes sir. How did you know?"

"We traveled in the same circles in our youth. His father died and that was when Desmond found out that his father did not have an endless amount of money. Mr. White was up to his eyeballs in debt. Mrs. White moved to Valdosta. She moved in with her sister. Desmond tried to make a living at playing poker. To make a living at playing poker one has to be extremely good and very lucky. Desmond was neither. One also has to be able to hold one's liquor, something else Desmond couldn't do. He put a marker in the pot. When another man won the pot, he asked Desmond when he could get his money. When Desmond told the man that he couldn't make good on the marker the man was not understanding at all. He killed Desmond right there in the saloon."

Scarlett gasped.

Pork said, "I'm sorry to hear that about Mr. Desmond. He was always good to me. Just like Mr. Gerald."

Scarlett said, "Don't worry, Pork, Pa will understand you wanting to stay here. You can stay here by yourselves, or I can take you over to Pine Bloom. You could live with the Calverts. But you must know that Cade Calvert has TB."

"Let me talk to Dilcey but I think we will take our chances with the Calverts. As Mr. Ashley said we are stronger in numbers."

Rhett said, "I will take you to Pine Bloom tomorrow. It is best to get this over quickly. I'm sure Miss Calvert could use your help."

"Thank you, Mr. Rhett."

Scarlett said, "I will ride over in the buggy with you. Also, Pork, I will tell Pa, so you don't have to."

"Let me go talk to Dilcey right now."

Rhett said, "We will wait for you here."

Pork hurried off. Rhett and Scarlett didn't speak at first. Finally, Rhett said, "Southern society is such a small group, isn't it."

"Yes, that is so sad about Pork's former master."

"I didn't tell Pork the rest of it."

"What?!"

"After Desmond was killed, Mrs. White died six months later. Technically I think she died of typhoid fever, but I think in truth she gave up the will to live. She had outlived all of her children."

"Oh Rhett. That is so sad."

Meanwhile, Pork and Dilcey were talking. He said, "Do you want to stay here or go live with the Calverts at Pine Bloom?"

"With all these Yankees around, I think we would be better off under the protection of some white folks."

"Even white folks with TB?"

"We can always go into Atlanta and get jobs."

"True."

"Prissy will know who needs help."

"I will go tell Mr. Rhett. We will go tomorrow."

"Fine."

After Pork told Rhett and Scarlett their decision and left, Rhett said, "Do you want me to tell your father? I won't get all emotional."

"No, I will tell him, but I need you with me."

"I will always be by your side."

Scarlett smiled her thanks and stood up. She said, "Let's go get it done."

The couple found Gerald in the parlor. Gerald looked at Rhett and couldn't tell anything from his expression, but Scarlett's told an entire story. Gerald said, "Just tell me straight out."

Scarlett couldn't talk. She couldn't utter the words. She looked at Rhett. He said, "I will tell him. Pork and Dilcey do not want to go with us to New Orleans. They don't want to walk all that way."

Gerald said, "They can't stay here by themselves."

"No, Scarlett and I are going to take them to the…." Rhett looked at Scarlett.

"The Calverts."

Rhett continued, "They are going to live at …" Rhett again looked at Scarlett.

"Pine Bloom."

Rhett continued, "They are willing to take their chances with TB over walking five hundred miles."

Gerald said, "They are probably the smartest people of the group. When?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Yes, it is best to get these things over quickly."

Ellen said, "That is a good choice. The Calverts are probably the only people who would be willing to take them in. Everyone else already has too many mouths to feed."

"True."

That night Gerald said to Ellen after they had retired, "Am I too old to go? Will I just be slowing the group down?"

"Gerald O'Hara, you are going and that is final."

"Yes ma'am."

Gerald smiled as he got into the bed. Ellen made him feel loved in so many little ways. He had never had any regrets about marrying her.

The next day there were quite a few people in the clearing in front of the main house who had misty eyes, not the least being Gerald and Pork. Ashley said to Rhett, "Tell Cade that he can have all the cotton that we managed to pick. It is in the cotton bin at Twelve Oaks. Someone should benefit from our labor."

"I will do that."

Fairly quickly Rhett got everyone loaded in the buggy. While he was driving to Pine Bloom, he said, "Don't even think about getting out of the buggy."

"I wasn't."

"You may not have been thinking about it, but you would have done it."

"No, Rhett. I can't get close to Cathy and Cade. I didn't save Mama and Pa just to kill them with TB."

"I'm glad you understand."

"Of course, I understand, Rhett. I'm not stupid."

Rhett stopped the buggy in front of the house. He and Scarlett started shouting for Cathy or Cade. Finally, Cade came out of the barn while Cathy came out of the house.

Cade said, "Don't come any closer."

"My former slaves need a new home. We are leaving and going to New Orleans. We are going to have to walk all the way. Pork and Dilcey don't want to walk that far. They don't want to be alone. They are willing to take their chances about getting TB. Will you take them in?"

Cade said, "We haven't got much but what we have we will share. It will be nice to have some other people around to share the workload. Come on down, Pork and Dilcey. My name is Cade Calvert. My sister's name is Cathy."

"I remember Miss Calvert from her visits to Tara."

"I remember you too, Pork."

Cade continued, "Our overseer's name is Mr. Hilton."

Rhett said, "Ashley said that the cotton bin at Twelve Oaks is full. If you want to go get the cotton, you can have it. I know the cotton bin at Tara is full also, but I would appreciate you not coming to get that cotton until we have left Clayton County. We are leaving the first of October."

"We will go to Twelve Oaks either today or tomorrow. We will wait to get the cotton from Tara."

Scarlett said, "Goodbye everyone. I will be praying for you."

Cathy said, "We will be praying for you too. Goodbye Scarlett."

Scarlett shouted back, "Goodbye." Then Scarlett urgently whispered, "Drive off. Drive off."

"I'm going, Baby. I'm going."

Scarlett held Rhett's arm tightly. He knew it was the first of many bitter goodbyes.

Ashley, Gerald, and Rhett had started carrying a hand pistol with them. When Scarlett had asked why Rhett had said, "There are deserters roaming around the countryside. They mostly want to steal items but if they can steal your virtue they will do so."

Suellen, Careen, and Gerald had taken to searching the countryside close to the house. On one search they found a cow and her calf and brought them back to the plantation.

The group had about ten chickens and Rhett had volunteered to build a crate to keep them in, but he had said emphatically, "I am not cleaning up any chicken shit."

All the ladies but Scarlett had gasped with Rhett's word usage. Scarlett had just smiled and said, "Of course, Dear, you don't have to clean up after the chickens."