Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Four

On Scarlett's first Thursday off, Rhett took her and Wade down to the fish market. It was loud and chaotic. Rhett was telling her the name of every fish they walked by. He pointed out the crabs, scallops, and shrimp.

Scarlett said, "How do you know all the names of all the fish?"

"I have lived almost all of my life by or on the water."

"Oh."

"Besides I like seafood."

"I do too."

On December twenty-second over supper Ashely said, "Sherman has arrived in Savannah. There on the dock were 25,000 bales of cotton that he confiscated as war supplies."

When Ashley said the last part, Scarlett looked at Rhett. Rhett said, "I will wire my London attorney tomorrow. I think this is a good time."

Scarlett said, "Me too."

Ashley said, "John has invited us to have Christmas dinner at his home again this year."

"Rhett and I are going to have to say no."

Melly said, "Why, Dear?"

"If Paul was there, it would just be awkward."

"I suppose."

Rhett said, "Is that how you met Paul Newman?"

"Yes, he is Ashley's friend John's cousin."

"What a small world."

"Indeed. What were the odds that we would meet again in a park in New York City."

"True."

Melly said, "I suppose I can get Paula to fix us a roast chicken for Christmas dinner."

"No, Melly, you, Ashley, and Beau go on to John's house. You enjoy it so much."

Ashley said, "I will drop by the bank and ask John if his cousin is going to be there. If he isn't then you and Rhett could attend."

"Alright."

The next evening, Ashley said, "It seems that Mr. Newman has gone to San Francisco for the holidays."

Scarlett looked at Rhett and he nodded his head. She turned back to Ashley and said, "Then we would be delighted to have Christmas dinner at the Robertson's house."

After Scarlett had put Wade down for the night, she returned to the parlor. Rhett and Ashley were involved in a discussion about a book they had both read in their youth. Scarlett was always amazed at how much the men had in common. While they were talking, Scarlett picked up the paper to read the headlines.

After a few minutes, Rhett turned to Scarlett and said, "After the first of the year, we should let Wade sit in his own chair."

"He is not tall enough to reach the table."

"Get him some books to sit on. Or pillows."

"I will think about it."

"Alright, Sweetheart."

"The walls have been painted, the drapes hung, the screens installed, and almost all our furniture has been delivered. I even went to a general store and got dishes and utensils. When do you want to move?"

Melly said, "Don't move until after the first of the year."

Scarlett said, "That sounds like a good idea. Let's move in on January second and we can celebrate our one-month anniversary in our new house."

"Great idea."

"Have you hired the staff?"

"Not yet."

"The employment agency we used was one recommended by John's wife Maureen. It is called At Your Service. We need a cook, a nursemaid, a maid, and a scullery maid. We don't need anyone else unless you want to get a butler."

"No, we don't need a butler. We will start off with just those servants. I will go to the agency tomorrow and arrange for them to start working for us on January second. We will start the new year in our new home."

"Wonderful, Darling."

The Wilkeses and the Butlers opened up their presents together Christmas morning. Paula had made a coffee cake for the occasion the day before. Everyone on the staff was given the day off in honor of it being Christmas. They were spending the day with their families. Scarlett had managed to make a pot of coffee and Melly had been able to scramble some eggs. It wasn't fine dining but at least they weren't starving.

Scarlett again gave Melly a hat and purse that matched the dress Ashley had given her. Melly gave Scarlett a book by Jules Verne. Ashley again received a new suit from his wife. Wade received toys and clothes. Scarlett gave Rhett a piece of jewelry and Rhett gave Scarlett a piece of jewelry. Hers was gaudy, his was not. Beau got clothes and a couple of toys. Everyone had a good time.

After the group had arrived at the Robinsons, as Scarlett was getting out of the carriage she said to Melly, "This year you will have a baby too."

"Yes, I do."

Christmas dinner was lovely at the Robinsons. The guests were Abner and Maude Robinson, Don and Judy West, Zachary Smith, The Wilkeses, The Butlers, and Paul Newman.

Much to John's surprise, Paul had walked through the door with his parents to celebrate Christmas with his cousin and his cousin's family. Paul had been raised by Abner and Maude starting when he was twelve. His parents had died in an epidemic. Maude had been his mother's sister. Therefore, Paul had a parent and child relationship with Abner and Maude. Unbeknownst to John, Maude had reached out to Paul and asked him to come home for Christmas. Because Maude was one of the few people in the world that Paul loved, he had agreed to her request.

It was not awkward between Scarlett, Rhett, and Paul. The trio behaved the same way they had at the supper back in July. Nobody acknowledged anyone.

Sadly, the reason Maude had asked Paul to come home for Christmas, after she found out from John that the Wilkeses were coming to Christmas dinner, was because she had seen how smitten he had been with the young Mrs. Hamilton and how smitten the widow had been with Paul. Maude knew that Paul had stopped seeing Mrs. Hamilton but she didn't know why. Therefore, she hoped that them seeing each other again would rekindle that romance. Maude hoped Paul would finally settle down. Much to Maude's chagrin when Scarlett had introduced her husband to Maude and Abner, the older woman knew why Paul had stopped seeing the young widow. Judging by the looks of love on Scarlett and her husband's faces, the young widow had made the right choice.

The meal was good. When the ladies left the men to enjoy their whiskey and cigars, Rhett changed seats and sat down next to Ashley. Rhett said, "This may be the only time I can ask you, so I am going to make it fast. How did you get Scarlett to forgive you?"

"I don't know if she has forgiven me per se. It was right after she stopped seeing you that she started talking nicely to me again. We had also just found out the names of all the dead from Gettysburg. A lot of our childhood friends had been killed. If I was to hazard a guess, I would say she was in so much pain she couldn't continue to be at war with me."

"At least one of us benefited from my actions. Let us join the other conversation."

The men's conversation was about the war, politics, and Lincoln's second term. The women's conversation was about their children and their husbands. All Scarlett said about Rhett was that he was amazing. Melly bragged about the book that Ashley had written that was going to be featured in Monthly Anthology.

Maureen said, "Melly, have you heard from your family?"

"No, the last time I got a letter was before Gettysburg."

"I hope they are surviving just fine."

Scarlett said in a sad voice, "Nobody in the South is surviving just fine. We can only hope that they survive. We just have to keep praying that God protects them. Maureen, once again I want to tell you thank you for taking four strangers into your home back in sixty-one."

"You guys were wonderful house guests. You are wonderful guests."

"Thank you."

Judy said, "I like your dress, Scarlett."

"Thank you. It is a Chanel original. My partner designed it."

"Your partner?"

"Yes, I own a dress shop, Chanel's over on Beaver St. Well, I own half of a dress shop."

"I supposed now that you are married to Mr. Butler you will sell your half."

"No, Rhett said I could continue to work."

"That is very enlightened of Mr. Butler."

"Like I said he is an amazing man."

Soon the men joined the ladies, and everyone was leaving. It was nap time for all the children, so their parents had to take them home.

In the carriage, Melly was all smiles. Ashley didn't know how he had gotten his wife with child, but he was glad that he had because now she was no longer despondent after they had attended social events. Since she had survived giving birth to Beau without any damage, he was alright with them having another child, but he certainly wasn't going to let her have one every year. That was hard on a woman's body. Melly wasn't strong enough for that.

Every time Ashley looked at his son, he wondered if Beau would be the same Beau, they had during his first timeline. This Beau had been born on August thirty-first also. He hoped so. That Beau had been a smart, charismatic, proper, well-behaved young man.

The Thursday after Christmas, Rhett and Scarlett started moving their clothes to the yellow house. He had bought Wade a wagon for Christmas. They would fill up one of the trunks with clothes, put it in the wagon, then empty it at the new house.

When Scarlett went back to work, Rhett continued moving clothes. On the last day of the year, almost all of their belongings were in the yellow house. He had told the servants that their first day of work was December thirty-first. Therefore, the servants were getting the house livable. The new nursemaid, Hattie McDaniel, was an older woman of about fifty. When Rhett had met her, she heard his accent and said, "Are you from Charleston?"

Rhett flashed her a smile. He said, "I was born and raised there but I haven't lived in Charleston in over fifteen years."

"I was once a slave."

"Did you escape or buy your freedom?"

"I escaped thanks to the underground railroad."

"You were fortunate that you made it safely."

"There were some close calls."

Sadly, Rhett said, "Unfortunately, my mammy wasn't so lucky. She was killed while trying to escape."

"Far too many slaves were."

"Yes, that soon won't be a problem. There will not be any slaves anymore. My wife is from Georgia. Will you be able to work for Southerners?"

"Of course, I need a job. I don't have anyone to support me but me."

"We have an almost three-year-old son."

"Why are you here?"

"We enjoy living in the North better than living in the South.

"That is unusual. Most Southerners believe that the South is far superior to anywhere else on earth."

"My wife and I feel the exact opposite. No one is more backward than Southerners. Now that you are here, I will go get my son from his aunt's house. So, he can meet you."

"Good. Where is my room?"

"It is on the third floor. You are the first servant to arrive so you can choose any room you want."

"You don't want me in the room next to your son?

"No, if he needs something in the middle of the night my wife and I will see to his needs."

"Alright."

Rhett walked back to the Wilkeses' home. He got Wade and walked back. He had to assure Melly that he would have the boy back in time for lunch and his nap. Scarlett was right. They had to make sure that Melly understood that Wade was their child and not hers. Rhett was just glad Melly had a child of her own.

When Rhett got back to the yellow house the cook, scullery maid, and maid had shown up. They didn't need a lady's maid. All the dresses that Coco designed could be gotten in and out of by the woman herself without any assistance. Although if she did need assistance, Rhett would be happy to get his wife dressed. Not as happy as he would be to get his wife undressed, though.

The cook's name was Rachael Ray, the maid's name was Hazel Booth, and the scullery maid's name Lorretta Swit. Wade met Hattie and seemed to like her well enough. After thirty minutes in the house, Rachael informed Rhett what kinds of pots and pans she needed. Hazel had informed him that there were no sheets and blankets in the house. He was also informed they needed wood to heat the house. Rhett had asked Rachael which general store she liked to shop at. He was told that she liked to shop at Gristedes.