Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Forty-Five

All the women went to the general store that Gerald worked at to buy fabric and patterns. They were going to make new clothes for everyone. The dresses were not the height of Paris fashion but instead were something that women of the working class would wear. They were clothes that the women could get in and out of by themselves. There were no maids to help the women dress anymore. Gerald and Ashley would now just need shirts and pants. There would be few occasions when they would need to wear a suit. Probably just to church on Sunday.

Everyone needed new clothes except maybe Rhett and Scarlett. The O'Haras and the Wilkeses had not had new clothes since the war started except Melly who had gotten some material from Rhett, but she had gotten very little because soon she was at Twelve Oaks. Therefore, all the women sewed in the afternoon.

Elise and Scarlett had liked each other very much during the groups stay at the Welles home. The ladies had set up several play dates over the next several months. While the boys were playing the two ladies had become friends.

Fortunately, the boys like to play together. It was the first time Wade had a playmate his own age. To make things even better for Scarlett Homer was completely potty-trained inspiring Wade to continue using the privy.

Wade's pride and happiness were so apparent when Scarlett gave the boy his first pair of pants. Scarlett would not have believed that Charles Hamilton's son could strut around but Wade was proving that he was Rhett's stepson.

Within a month Albert had gotten a job with a Yankee family. They were willing to pay him a good salary. Everyone wished the former butler well and were happy that he had found gainful employment. Albert was so very happy because for the first time in his life he was going to get paid for his labors.

Although Ashley never verbalized this thought he was happy that he was no longer responsible for Albert. He was also proud that Albert had took it upon himself to find a job.

About the same time Albert was leaving the household Rhett said to Scarlett, "I think we are both back to our normal weights so let's go get our wedding picture taken."

"We are not completely back to our pre-war weights but close enough for us to get our picture taken."

"I want to get our family picture taken before Wade gets much older."

"Of course. What about our wedding rings?"

"Let's both put on at least another ten pounds before we choose rings."

"I am not gaining another ten pounds. Five at the most."

"Of course, Dear."

The couple did get their wedding picture taken and the family picture. After seeing the picture, they both agreed they would get another picture taken in six months. Everyone in the pictures still looked too gaunt.

Rhett had invited the Welles for Christmas dinner. Somehow Mrs. Cloud had managed to find a goose. Scarlett had approved of her serving yams, mashed potatoes, greens, salad, and rolls. They had pecan pie and peach cobbler for dessert. Christmas dinner was a fun and joyous occasion. Everyone was lively and happy.

Over dinner the men discussed Sherman's marched through Georgia. He and his troops had lived off the countryside which Rhett had translated to everyone what that meant. He said, "Sherman and his troops stole everything edible from the people of Georgia. He left them nothing to eat."

Everyone gasped! Scarlett looked at all the stricken faces and said, "Thank God, you got us out of Georgia before that happened or we would have starved to death."

Ellen said, "I have often wondered if that walk was worth it but now, I know it was."

"Yes, Mama it was. Rhett was so smart to insist that we leave Georgia."

Gerald said, "I guess I have a very wise son-in-law."

"Yes, you do, Pa."

Ashley said, "You always have a plan and that one was a very good one."

"Thank you, Ashley. Thank you for the kind words but it took all of us to make it a reality, especially Albert. He was the only one of us who knew how to kill and dress a chicken."

Scarlett laughed and said, "If it weren't for him, I'm sure the chicken would have tasted much worse."

Melanie said, "And we wouldn't have known what we were doing wrong."

Suellen said, "After he killed the second chicken, I made him show me how to do it but I am so glad I never actually had to do it."

Orson said, "How do you kill a chicken?"

Suellen said, "You don't want to know."

Everyone laughed.

Scarlett said, "Maybe we should give Mrs. Cloud a raise."

Rhett said, "Ssh. Ssh. I already pay her far too much."

Everyone laughed but no one argued with Rhett. He could pay the cook what he wanted to pay the cook. Rhett made Ashley and Gerald ante up for the cost of the food but not for the cost of the servants or the rental of the house. As Rhett had said to both men, "Whether you were here or not I would be paying the servants, but I would not be buying as much food."

Elise finally knew the O'Haras well enough to invite the ladies to go with her to a few teas and sewing bees. She had to be sure the women were not going to embarrass her.

At first, all the ladies attended the teas and sewing bees but soon Scarlett and Ellen quit going. Scarlett was glad that Careen and Suellen were still going.

Soon everyone in the house was being invited to social engagements in the evenings. Careen and Suellen always happily attended the events. Scarlett, Melly, and Ellen not as much. Gerald and Ashley were too tired from having worked all day to attend many social events. Rhett found them boring. As he had said to Scarlett on more than one occasion, "Just a bunch of hypocrites agreeing with each other."

Scarlett knew she would never completely understand Rhett's feelings in regard to proper society. She knew he hated them and yet he wanted to be a part of that society. In a moment of insight rare to her Scarlett knew that Rhett would like to tell proper society to go to hell, but he wouldn't. At first for his mother and sister then for her and Wade. She knew he would continue to play his role in this farce his birth had assigned him to because he wanted the best for her and her children. Their children.

Scarlett had a small birthday party for Wade on January twentieth. He was three years old. Rhett got him a pony. There weren't very many children at the party just Homer and a couple of other little boys whose mothers Scarlett had recently met through Elise. There were games, there were sandwiches, there were balloons, and there was even a chocolate cake. Wade was the center of attention but then again, he usually was. His parents adored him, his grandparents idealized him, his Aunt Melly dearly loved him, and his aunts Careen and Suellen worshipped him.

The night after Wade's birthday party when Rhett and Scarlett had retired as she was brushing out her hair, she said, "We need to give Wade a sibling."

"I have been trying."

"I have too."

"Hopefully it will happen soon."

"Not until we get settled."

"Where would you like to move to, Baby?"

"We could stay here."

"No, New Orleans has earned the nickname 'City of the Dead' for good reason. Every summer they have a yellow fever outbreak and probably a tenth of their population is killed. Pick somewhere else. Maybe Texas."

"Where in Texas?"

"I don't know."

"I would like to live by the water."

"Of course, Dear."

"Galveston is on the water."

"Tell me all about it."

"I will tell you what I know and find out more. I do know that it is the fourth riches city in Texas."

"That would be a good place for us to settle so we can show off your wealth."

"Of course, Dear."

Rhett told Scarlett everything he knew about Galveston, Texas. As he had been talking, she got into the bed. When he saw her cover up a yawn, he smiled at her.

Scarlett smiled back and said, "Let's work on that sibling."

"If I must, I must. You know I am only doing this for Wade's benefit."

Scarlett laughed. She said, "Me too, Sweetheart."

In the middle of February, Rhett was sitting in the library staring out the window. Scarlett had been looking for him but when she called his name, he did not respond. She saw a newspaper in his hand, but he was not really holding it. It was more laying in his lap. Scarlett took the newspaper out of his hand and read the headlines. He did not try to stop her. It said: SHERMAN BURNS COLUMBIA TO THE GROUND.

Scarlett knew where Columbia was. It was in South Carolina. That was where Charlie had gone to join up with Wade Hampton. With dread in her heart, she said, "Rhett, what does this mean to your family?"

Rhett turned and looked at Scarlett like he had just realized she was standing there. He said, "What did you say?"

"What does this mean to your family?"

"What it means is that Sherman is punishing the state of South Carolina for being the first state to secede from the union."

"What do you mean?"

"Sherman is going to do everything he did in Georgia but also destroy the infrastructure of the state."

"Infrastructure?"

"The basic structure of the state. Roadways, railroads, rivers, and lakes."

"Homes?"

"Most definitely homes especially manor houses."

"Rhett, your family."

"Are going to be in a world of hurt but I cannot do anything to help them until the war is over."

"Except pray for them."

Rhett smiled at Scarlett and said, "You pray for them, Sweetheart."

"Alright."

At the end of February, Rhett said, "General Sherman has left South Carolina. He is now destroying North Carolina."

"Any word from your parents?"

"No, they have no money to waste on telegrams. I wish I could have gotten them out of the Confederacy also."

"Would your father have left?"

Rhett laughed a bitter laugh and said, "No. I knew that. I guess that was why I didn't try."

"I am surprised my parents left Tara especially Pa."

"I think he did because you and your sisters were leaving."

"Do you think Mama made him?"

"No. I think she let him make the final decision. Just as you will."

"Don't be so sure about that Mr. Butler."

Rhett laughed but it wasn't his normal happy laugh. She guessed he would be worrying about his family until he knew if they were alive or not.

In March Scarlett and Melly celebrated their birthdays. It was Scarlett's year, so the party was held on March seventeenth. They had a supper and peach cobbler. Everyone said the cobbler would have been better if the peaches had been from Georgia which made Rhett smile because he thought the cobbler was pretty darn good just as it was.

In April several things happened that were not good for the people of the South. General Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. Admittedly there were several more generals who would need to surrender before the war was completely over but with Lee's surrender the rest would fall like dominoes. The worst thing to happen was that Lincoln was assassinated. Rhett had explained it to Scarlett. He said, "Now the North has a martyr for their cause. They are going to make the South pay for starting the war."

"Just as General Sherman made South Carolina pay for being the first state to secede."

"Yes, then there will be all the abolitionist who will make the South pay for being slave owners in the first place."

Soon they were hearing about other generals surrendering. Jefferson Davis was still on the run but nonetheless by May ninth the civil war was over, and the Confederacy was no more.