Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Forty-Nine

One month later the former Georgia citizens were in Galveston. Rhett's lawyer, Tom Selleck, had a friend who lived in Galveston. His friend was able to send Tom a list of houses that were available to rent. There was one that had eight bedrooms and Rhett rented it for a month sight unseen. If he and Scarlett liked the house they could continue living in it until their home was built. Rhett already knew Scarlett's taste would be out of step with everyone else's in Galveston. She might call it unique and avant garde, but he knew it would be completely different than anyone else's in the Galveston area and probably in the South. He would just make sure their home wasn't ugly.

It had not been easy getting everyone to Galveston. Rhett had not been able to get a private car. He had also not been able to get their sleeping berths together. Because of Scarlett's concern that Wade might either fall out of the berth or wander off, she would not let him sleep alone. Therefore, for the first time in their marriage Rhett and Scarlett slept separately. At least, they started off sleeping separately. After an hour when he had not been able to get to sleep, he just got into Scarlett's berth. She had not been asleep either. Within minutes of him getting settled, the couple were both asleep.

The train trip took over twenty hours. The group had boarded the train in the afternoon after dinner. They had arrived in Galveston just before dinner the next day. The group sat on the train and talked or stared out at the scenery. Everyone had to work to keep Wade and Beau entertained. Everyone had to work at keeping themselves entertained. Some people talked. Some people read books. The men talked about the future of the South.

Scarlett had taken the opportunity to tell her mother that Rhett had kindly agreed to send her sisters a check each month to cover their living expenses. Ellen had smiled and said, "Thank you so much, my dear. That is so kind of you. Unfortunately, they cannot come live with us. Gerald would not like that at all."

Scarlett had smiled and said, "No, Pa certainly wouldn't."

Neither woman voiced what they were thinking, 'Neither would I.'

The highlight of the day was when the group went to supper. Although Rhett had paid for everyone's train ticket, Gerald and Ashley insisted on paying for their families' meals. Of course, the group could not all sit together for the biggest table only held six people. The O'Haras sat at a table for four while the Wilkeses and the Butlers sat at a table for six. Neither Rhett nor Ashley ever wanted to sit next to the other one which honestly rarely was a problem. Scarlett and Melly always wanted to sit near each other. They also both wanted to keep their son near them.

There were not that many choices on the menu. There was roast beef, fried chicken, and fried trout. There was, of course, lots and lots of vegetables to choose from. Scarlett got Wade fried chicken and she got fried trout for herself. Melly got Beau fried chicken also, but she chose the roast beef for her entrée. Rhett got the fried chicken, but this time Scarlett hadn't stared at him in surprise. Ashley chose to get the fried trout for himself. Ellen and Suellen got the roast beef and Gerald and Careen got the fried chicken. The food was extremely good which was only right for the cost of the meal while not expensive certainly hadn't been cheap.

Their rental house was on Post Office. It was not ugly, it was just plain and boring. Even Rhett thought it was boring. It was serving its purpose, though. There were eight bedrooms. One for the nursery, one for Rhett and Scarlett, one for Melly and Ashley, one for Gerald and Ellen, one for Marshall and Elizabeth, one for Robert and Daphne, one for Rosemary, and one for Careen and Suellen. The rental house had come with a skeleton staff. They had a housekeeper, a butler, a cook, a couple of scullery maids, and a washer woman. Scarlett's first task would be to hire more staff. She was going to hire a full staff now that they were in Galveston.

One of Rhett's first tasks would be to buy them a horse and buggy. Rhett visited a couple of buggy makers until he found the one, he wanted to buy. It was a four-seater with a top. It was black but it had red wheels. He knew Scarlett would love that part. He would buy a carriage in a month or two after he got everyone settled.

The first week most everyone got settled into the house and relaxed into their life in Galveston. Rhett and Scarlett had opened another checking account. This time it did not give Rhett a surreal feeling. He had thought, 'Yes, Scarlett's name below mine on the signature card is the way it should be. And always will be.'

During the first week Ashley went out and found a job with an attorney. He had a letter of recommendation from Mr. Selleck. He had once again been hired as a law clerk and secretary. His new boss's name was Perry Stone. Ashley didn't say anything about his desire to become a lawyer. He would wait until he knew Mr. Stone better before he shared that information with him.

During that same week Gerald had found a general store for sale. The owner, a widow, wanted a hundred dollars for the building and what stock she had. She and her children were going to move to Houston and live with her brother who had just lost his wife. She was going to keep house for him and help raise his children. Gerald went back to the rental property. He told Ellen all about the deal. She said, "Let's ask Scarlett for the money."

"No, I have never taken a handout in my life, and I'm not going to start now."

Ellen looked at her proud husband. A man she truly did admire. She said, "You are right. You would never be happy if you did that. I don't think I would be happy either."

"We will get Ashley's boss to write up a contract."

"Of course."

"Let me go talk to her."

Gerald found Scarlett in the family parlor. She was sewing on clothes for herself, the baby, and Wade. Careen and Suellen were helping her. The clothes were mostly for Wade and the baby. Scarlett was already beginning to show but for now she was just wearing her high waisted dresses. She planned to create nine dresses and that was all. The maternity dresses were so shapeless and without style that they all basically looked the same.

Gerald said, "Careen and Suellen, I need to talk to Scarlett privately."

"Of course, Pa."

After the girls had left the room, Gerald said, "I need you to loan me some money so I can buy a general store."

"I will give you the money, Pa."

"No, that could cause hard feelings."

"Pa…" When Scarlett saw her father's jaw jutted out, she knew there was no point in continuing to argue. She had a passing thought if that was the way she looked when her mind was made up about something. She would ask her mother about it later, if she remembered. She said, "How much do you want to borrow?"

"I need one hundred for the business and probably another hundred to buy stock."

"Alright. Let me go get it."

"No, we will get Mr. Stone to write us up a contract."

"No, Pa. We are not going to spend the money. We will just get a piece of paper and write it up."

"Rhett and Mrs. Butler can witness it for us."

"Pa!" Scarlett then sighed and said, "Of course, Pa. Let me go get the money, a piece of paper, Rhett, and Miss Elizabeth."

"Alright."

Scarlett had walked out of the parlor and Gerald had sat down. Rhett's parents had told her to call them Mother and Father respectively and Scarlett said, "I can't do that while my parents are still living."

"Of course, Dear."

Rhett had no problems calling Ellen and Gerald Mama and Pa, so he continued to call them that. In truth, Rhett had more problem calling a woman younger than him Mama, but he had known of lots of people who had nieces and nephews that were older than them.

Before long Scarlett was back in the parlor with the paper, Rhett, and Elizabeth. Scarlett had written on a piece of paper: Gerald O'Hara has borrowed two hundred dollars from Scarlett Butler. He promises to pay it back in full at the earliest opportunity.

Gerald and Scarlett both signed the paper then Rhett and Elizabeth signed it. Scarlett then took the paper and handed it to Rhett. She said, "Would you please put this with your important paperwork?"

"Yes."

Scarlett handed her father the money and said, "Here you go, Pa."

"Thank you, Puss."

"You can continue living here as long as you want."

"No, there are some rooms above the store that we will be moving into as soon as I can afford furniture."

"Alright, Pa."

As soon as Rhett had bought their horse and buggy, Scarlett started looking for a doctor to give her pain killers during labor. She had tried to interview a few doctors, but she got tired of talking to the men because they always started lecturing her on her not knowing what was best for her. They would often say, 'I am a trained professional. I will decide what is best for you.'

Elise had told Scarlett that when she got to Galveston, she needed to find a doctor that would give her anesthetic for the labor pains. Elise had also said, "There are several types, but they are all gases. Queen Victoria used chloroform with her children but there is also nitrous oxide. I used the nitrous oxide. I think both are acceptable. You still feel the pain, but it is not as severe. Of course, nitrous oxide is called the laughing gas. I can assure you it does make one laugh."

"Thank you, Elise. I appreciate the information."

"Yes, I wish more women knew and therefore didn't have to suffer the pain of labor and delivery."

After having been told by the doctors that they knew best five times, Scarlett asked Rhett to find her a doctor who would give her anesthetic during labor. At first, he wasn't sure her inhaling a chemical was what was best for her. She said, "Then go interview the doctors and see what they say."

By the end of the week, Rhett not only agreed with Scarlett about getting an anesthetic during labor but had found a doctor who would administer it to her. Dr. Ben Casey for now was going to be their family doctor. Now she was set. She would have Mammy, her mother, and the magical gas. Scarlett didn't know why but she wished Rhett could be with her through everything.

Rhett's family had arrived in Galveston one week after the New Orleans group had arrived. It had taken the Yankees longer to repair the tracks between Charleston and Atlanta because Sherman and his troops had done more damage. Their time on the train was much the same as the Butlers, Wilkeses, and O'Haras time on the train.

Rhett for once took pity on his father and tried to make his stay in the home as comfortable as possible. Rhett knew his father was a proud man therefore, Rhett knew that Marshall Butler would be ashamed and embarrassed that he was forced to take a handout from his son. The truth was that Rhett was surprised his father had let go of his pride long enough to agree to move to Galveston and take Rhett's charity. That was when Rhett had decided that things must be very bad in Charleston and South Carolina if his father was desperate to leave the state.

The first thing that had to be decided was which Mammy was going to be in charge of the nursery. It seemed more logical that the Butler mammy be in charge since she had more charges. Scarlett knew her mammy would not be happy if she wasn't in charge. For now, it was decided that the Butler mammy would be in charge of the Butler children and the O'Hara mammy would be in charge of Wade. Nothing was decided about who would be in charge of the baby that was both Butler and O'Hara. Scarlett was just hoping that everyone had moved out before her baby was born. Although it wasn't very likely that was going to happen.

After Rhett had learned that his mammy had not only stayed with the Butlers but had come with them to Galveston, he went out and bought her five yards of taffeta for her to make herself a petticoat. He had remembered her often saying, 'When I gets to heaven, I hope the Lord will give me a red taffeta petticoat.'

After Rhett had given his mammy the material he said, "I don't presume to think of myself as the Lord, but I am so pleased that you have stayed with us that I bought five yards of red taffeta for you to make a petticoat." He turned to Scarlett's mammy and said, "I am also pleased that you have stayed with us therefore you deserve a red taffeta petticoat also. Thank you both."

Both women were smiling as he left the nursery.