Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rhett had the cab driver put his trunk on the porch while he carried his and Scarlett's carpetbags. He set the bags down on the porch and paid the driver. Scarlett picked her bag up. Rhett picked his bag up and his trunk. They then entered the house. As soon as they entered the house, Wade ran out of the parlor and screamed, "Mama."

Scarlett screamed, "Wade." She dropped her bag to the floor. She then squatted down and picked her son up. She turned to Rhett and said, "Up the stairs, first door on the right. I have to go tell the cook we will be one more for dinner. I guess also that you are living here now."

Rhett grabbed her bag and said, "Alright, I will go on up and start unpacking my clothes."

"Just move my clothes around to make room for yours."

"Sure."

Dinner was potato soup with crusty bread. As the family was eating, Rhett said, "This is really good."

"It is one of Paula's best dishes."

"I agree. When should we hire servants?"

"Not until we actually get into the house. Well, maybe the day before."

"Melly, do you know anything about General Sherman's activities."

"Ashley said that General Sherman is in South Georgia and will probably get to Savannah in less than two weeks."

Scarlett said, "When will the war be over?"

"Not until Generals Grant and Sherman have crushed the people's will to fight."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry to say this but Jefferson Davis and the generals will not surrender until every man, woman, and child has been crushed into the dirt."

Scarlett and Melly looked at each other. Scarlett said, "I was so mad when Charlie said we were moving to New York that I didn't speak to him for several days, but he was right to get us out of the Confederacy."

"I would never have said anything to Ashley, but I thought he was wrong for us to abandon the Confederacy but now I know he was right. And you were right, Rhett. The South was not prepared for war."

"No, Melly, they weren't. Yet they have managed to not be defeated for almost four years. That speaks of how determine the Confederate generals were to not lose."

"Rhett, I don't understand why we ever went to war on what President Lincoln might do. We should have waited for him to do something before we seceded."

"Yes, Baby, we should have. Unfortunately, the South is going to have to pay for its arrogance."

Scarlett and Melly gave Rhett a sad smile of acknowledgement that what he had said was correct. There wasn't very much conversation after that. Scarlett with Wade in her lap coaxed her son into eating more of the potato soup. Soon she got up and said, "I will lay him down for his nap."

"Be sure and take him to the privy first."

Scarlett resented Melly telling her what to do with her son but, in truth, Melly knew Wade much better than Scarlett did.

After Scarlett came back downstairs after she had laid Wade down for his nap. Rhett came out of the parlor and said, "If it will make you feel better, I will take you down to your shop so you can do the books, but I am not letting you go there alone. You would spend all day."

"No, you were right I need to spend today with you, Wade, and Melly. The books will still be there tomorrow."

Rhett and Scarlett spent Wade's nap time playing cards while Melly did some of her chores. Once Wade woke up from his nap, Scarlett and Rhett took the boy for a walk. Before they left the house, Melly said, "I think it is too cold for Wade to be outside."

Scarlett said, "No, it is a bright sunny day and Wade is all bundled up."

Scarlett got her stroller and she, Rhett, and Wade left the house. When Rhett started pushing the stroller, Wade said, "No, Mama."

Scarlett said, "Let Daddy push you."

Wade scowled but he didn't scream.

After a few minutes, Scarlett said, "You are going to have to get me a nursemaid. Melly acts like Wade is her son."

"Melly strikes me as a woman with a lot of love to give. Also, Wade is her last connection to her brother."

"True."

"If you are going to get a nursemaid, we will have to do it as soon as we move out of the house."

"True. I wish Mammy could live up here with me."

"Your mammy is still fulfilling the role of mammy. Weren't you and your sisters past the age of needing a nursemaid?"

"Actually, she was fulfilling the role of our conscience and enforcer of proper behavior. She was my mother's mammy. She loves my mother so much."

"I'm sure she would like to take care of your son, but she has the same problem you do. She would have to cross a war zone."

"She may be dead. They all may be dead."

"Let's not talk about that. We don't know and we have no way of finding out."

"As soon as it is safe to travel, we must go find out."

"Alright, Darling. We will probably be away from New York for over a month."

"Coco and the girls will have to manage without me. I have to find out about my family.

"We aren't going to move there. Remember what I told you about not being able to live in the South."

"No, I don't want to live in the South. I like living in New York. Women aren't always talking about me."

"Let's walk to our house."

"Is it already ours."

"Not quite. Today is their last day in the house. I will pick up the key tomorrow. I will hire a locksmith to change all the locks. Have you heard anything about our furniture?"

"A couple of pieces have come in, but the furniture store has been kind enough to hold them for us. After you finish with the locksmith tomorrow, you can go by the furniture store and arrange to have them delivered."

"I suppose I will be the one waiting for the delivery men to show up."

Scarlett giggled and said, "Yes."

"I'm fine with it. I need to write all my investments and give them my new address."

It took them about ten minutes to get to the yellow house. It was obvious that the little house was deserted. Scarlett said, "Since this isn't going to be our forever home just go to Mrs. Stewart's shop and pick out fabric for the drapes, order the screens, and get some shades installed but don't get them painted. When we move, we will take the shades with us. We can get them painted then."

"You are going to trust me to pick out fabric for our drapes."

"You know what I like so you will pick accordingly. The best part is that I know it will be something you can live with."

"Alright. Let's go back to the house. Melly was right. It is cold out here."

"Yes, but we won't tell her so."

At five-forty-five the Butlers left the house. Rhett got them a cab and they headed to Tommy's Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar. After they were seated, Scarlett said, "You are going to have to order for me again."

"Gladly."

"We will share an order of stuffed mushrooms as our appetizer."

"What are they stuffed with?"

"Crabmeat."

"Alright."

"I am going to get you a broiled seafood platter. It contains scallops, trout, tuna, and shrimp. That way you can try a lot of different things."

"That is a good idea. And for you."

"I am going to have stuffed snapper."

"What is it stuffed with?"

"Crabmeat."

"What is a crab, scallop, and shrimp."

"They are all three shellfish. Scallops are a type of bivalve mollusk meaning the interior muscle is surrounded by two shells. The shell has a fanned shape to it."

"Alright. And the crab and shrimp?"

"Shrimp have an elongated body with a thin skin. While a crab has a hard shell with the meat inside. I will take you down to the fish market and let you see them in the raw."

"Alright. Can we go on Sunday?"

"I think you need to take one day off a week besides Sunday so I can show you the sights of New York."

Scarlett started to say she couldn't afford to take a day off every week, but she looked at Rhett and something told her that this was important to him. That it was important that she demonstrated that he was more important to her than her business. And why not? The business was on a solid footing. They had a good staff. She said, "I think you are right. I will start taking Thursday off every week. I will encourage Coco to take Wednesday off."

Rhett smiled a big smile. He said, "You can help me pick out the fabric for the drapes."

"No, that is all on you, Sweetheart. I don't want to argue about it and if I go with you, we will argue about it."

Scarlett enjoyed all the food that she and Rhett were served. He gave her some of his snapper and she liked that also. He said, "You really do like just about anything."

"As far as food is concerned."

The waiter had brought Wade a plate and Scarlett served him off of her plate. Rhett gave the boy some of his snapper while being extremely careful there were no bones in the meat he had put on Wade's plate. They shared a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. They then went home.

After the Butlers had left the house, Ashley had said, "I know you are going to miss Wade but remember he is Scarlett's son. Therefore, he lives with her."

"I know but that doesn't mean that I won't miss seeing my nephew every day. When I didn't think I could have any children I would pretend that Wade was my son. I guess I am still thinking that way."

"It will get easier to think of him as your nephew once they move out."

"I suppose. Did you turn your book into the magazine?"

"Yes, Chapter One will appear in the January issue. I am going to go ahead and start working on my next novel. If it took me over a year to write my first novel, then it will probably take just as long with my second novel."

"Good idea, Sweetheart."

"You could write a novel also."

"No, I prefer to just be a reader."

"Suit yourself."

Ashley and Melanie both picked up their books and started reading, which was their usual nighttime activity.

Scarlett and Rhett managed to keep Wade awake on the ride home, but it wasn't easy. Scarlett didn't even bother to undress the little boy. She put him to bed fully clothed. She just took off his shoes.

After Scarlett and Rhett had made love, which she thoroughly enjoyed, she put her nightgown on. He said, "Why?"

"Wade comes into my room every morning to wake me up."

"When does he usually get up?"

"Usually around seven."

"I usually wake up around seven myself."

Scarlett smiled a knowing smile and said, "I will hug him good morning then send him downstairs for Melly to give him his breakfast." There was silence while Rhett stared at her. She continued, "Then I will lock the door and enjoy all your skills that Mrs. Taylor was kind enough to teach you."

Rhett started to tell Scarlett that Mrs. Taylor had not been his only teacher when he decided that was best not said. Instead, he said, "I would enjoy that."

"Yes, you will."

That is what Rhett and Scarlett did the next morning. As she was lying there catching her breath, she thought, "Thank you, Mrs. Taylor wherever you are."

Rhett went to Mr. Matlock's office and picked up the key. He got a locksmith to change the locks. He arranged a delivery date for their furniture. And finally, he went to Mrs. Stewart's shop and chose fabric for their curtains. He also ordered the screens and the shades. He found out from Mrs. Stewart the name of a general contractor. He hired the man, Calvin Hobbs, to come to the house and paint the walls. He didn't think it mattered what color the walls were as long as they weren't beige. He chose a light blue for the parlor, a lavender for the music room, a gray for his office, a white for the dining room and a light green for the library.