Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Two

Rhett walked cheerfully down the hallway. He found Melly in the playroom with Wade and Beau. Rhett saw her wistfully looking at Wade and knew that she still missed her brother. Rhett supposed it hurt Melly a little bit how Scarlett was going on with her life. Yet, he knew that she cared enough for Scarlett to want her to go on with her life.

Rhett said, "Melly, are you ready to go."

"I'm sorry I forgot to bring the bassinet with me earlier.

"It is alright. The walk will do me good. Hattie, did Mrs. Butler speak to you about her nursing our baby?"

"Yes, Sir. She said for these first few weeks, she would be taking care of the baby herself."

"Has she talked to you about traveling with us to Savannah and Charleston?"

"No, Sir. I don't think I want to do that."

"It is part of your job."

"With all due respect, Mr. Butler, I will try to find another job before your departure date."

"We plan to leave on November first. You will be missed but I can understand not wanting to return to the South. You can take some time off in the mornings to go by some employment agencies.

"Thank you."

"Melly, Beau, let's go."

"Daddy, Daddy, I want to go."

"Alright but you will have to walk all the way back. I can't carry you and the bassinet."

"Alright, Daddy."

As it turned out Rhett could carry Wade and the bassinet. He ended up having to, when on the way back Wade sat down in the dirt because his legs hurt so bad, he couldn't walk another step.

After Rhett and Wade had returned to the yellow house, Wade was left with Hattie while Rhett took the bassinet to his bedroom. Once there he found his wife asleep. He saw that his baby was sleeping on top of his wife.

Rhett placed the bassinet beside her side of the bed. Scarlett could move it if she didn't like the location. He gently lifted the child off of his wife being sure to hold the baby's head. He smiled when he remembered how Melly had told him to hold the baby's head like he didn't know anything about babies which he guessed was true. The only babies he had ever been around had been Rosemary and his cousins but that was a long time ago. Fortunately, Scarlett had been through all this before.

Rhett saw Scarlett wake up with a start when the baby's weight had been taken off of her. He quickly said, "He's right here. I'm putting him in his bassinet. Go back to sleep."

"Don't let me sleep more than an hour or I won't sleep tonight."

"Alright, Dear."

After Rhett had place Gerry in the bassinet, he stared at his son. This was something he never thought would ever become true for him. It was something he really hadn't thought that he wanted. His father's betrayal had wounded Rhett more than he thought possible. It was one of the reasons he was often sarcastic, mocking, and rude. It kept people at a distance. If he never let anyone else in, then they couldn't hurt him.

Rhett glanced at Scarlett. He hadn't let her in. She had broken down all his defenses with a single, haughty, confident look. The look that had looked right through him. He had been of no importance to her at that barbecue especially after she had found out he was unreceived. For a moment, he wondered why she had let him call on her. Probably because she had thought he was safe because he didn't want to get married. Safe, handsome, rich, and fun.

Rhett looked back down a Gerry. Did the baby look like Scarlett or him or who? Hopefully not like his father. That would be horrible for his son to look like the man he despised. It wouldn't matter Rhett would love him anyway. Just like with Scarlett, he couldn't help himself.

Rhett decided that he would have a celebratory whiskey. Maybe he should cut back on his whiskey consumption. Definitely on his cigar consumption. He ended up having several whiskeys and several cigars but that was alright. He would start cutting back tomorrow.

After an hour Rhett returned to his bedroom and woke Scarlett up. If she couldn't sleep, she would make sure he didn't sleep either. Selfish and self-centered to the end and he wouldn't want her any other way.

After a month, Scarlett could not believe how baby crazy her husband was. It was a little bit embarrassing for a man to be acting the way he was acting. She often had to tell him to put the baby in the bassinet so the baby could get good sleep. She certainly was glad she was nursing the child. It was the only time she was guaranteed at least thirty minutes of baby holding time.

According to Rhett Gerry was amazing which stunned Scarlett because the baby didn't do anything but eat, sleep, and poop. Even if, she did agree with Rhett that their baby was the best baby in the entire world. They did make sure to not say things like that around Wade, though.

Of course, Melly was just as baby crazy as Rhett. She came over every day to see the baby which Scarlett thought was insane. Gerry didn't change that much from day to day. Admittedly, Melly got to see Wade every day also, but Gerry was definitely one of the reasons she came over.

Rhett was happy to see Melly and Beau because then Wade had someone to play with while Rhett played with his son. Since Hattie had left their employment, Rhett was finding out that taking care of a small child was a lot of work.

Scarlett laughed as she remembered a conversation between Rhett and Melly. He had said, "I am disappointed the baby doesn't have Scarlett's green eyes."

"Rhett, all babies are born with blue eyes. They may turn green, yet.'

Scarlett had said, "Or his eyes might turn dark brown like yours, my love. Wade was born with blue eyes but by six months his eyes had turned brown."

Melly said, "Right now, it is just a wait and see game."

After two weeks Hattie had found another position. Scarlett was sad to see the older woman leave their employment, but she also understood the woman's fear of returning to the South. Besides, Scarlett planned to bring Mammy back with her, so all was good. The nursemaid was dearly missed though.

Scarlett was pleased that she had her figure back. She had laughed at Rhett the night before when he said, "Are you sure we have to wait six weeks? Isn't four weeks good enough?"

"I don't think so, Baby. If four weeks was good enough Ina May would have said four weeks."

"This is killing me."

"Let me help you feel better."

"Thank you."

Scarlett had been ready to resume their intimate life at four weeks also, but she was afraid of damaging something and then them not being able to have an intimate life.

The staff would spend the next month packing up the household. Rhett had already bought them a larger house. A much larger house. It was almost a mansion. It was closer to Chanel's but further away from the Wilkeses, which was alright because Melly was talking about them buying a house. Scarlett thought the house was beautiful. It was in the Neoclassic style, which was a little bit plain to Scarlett, but she knew it was what Rhett was comfortable with and she wanted her husband to be comfortable in his home. They would not move until they got back from their trip to Georgia and South Carolina.

The families' trunks were almost packed. They would be leaving in four days. As soon as Scarlett closed out the month of October. Scarlett smiled.

Coco had come by every day since Gerry had been born with the books. Every few days she would mention a problem and Scarlett would tell her how to fix it. A week ago, Scarlett had suggested they create a logo. Coco had not known what she meant. Scarlett had explained. She said, "A logo is an image that is identifiable as a certain person's product. For example, a Chanel original is our money maker, but I think if we had an identifiable mark on the dress, it would make it more desirable. Especially when it was resold."

"What would our logo be?"

"I don't know. You think about it. It could be as simple as 'CC' embordered on every Chanel Original."

"I don't know."

"You think about it. Talk to Pierre. I won't be back for at least a month."

"Scarlett, you are a business genius."

Scarlett blushed and said, "I can be a business genius because you have provided me with such a fine product to sell."

Scarlett had told Coco about her mother's death, her father's break with reality, and her sisters' new life. Coco said, "Scarlett, I will be praying for you while you are gone."

"I need all the prayers I can get. I have no idea what I am going to find once I get to Savannah."

"Lean on your husband. You don't always have to be strong. He wants to take care of you."

"I know, Coco. I am so lucky to have him."

"Yes, you are."

"I will need all of his strength in the next month."

"Yes, you will."

"Oh Coco, how can Mother be dead and Pa crazy?"

"I don't know. I don't know how Pierre's mother can always be so spiteful to me either."

The comment had made Scarlett laugh as Coco had intended but in truth Coco didn't understand how her mother-in-law of almost twenty years could still treat her so badly. Thank God she had her dress shop. Thank God Pierre made his mother watch the children so she could run her dress shop.

On November first, Scarlett went to the dress shop to close out the month of October. Rhett would not let her take Gerry with her because as he said, "You aren't going to be down there that long."

Scarlett had sighed and simply said, "Yes, Dear."

Once Scarlett got to the shop, the other ladies were disappointed she hadn't brought the baby with her. Instead of telling them that Rhett wouldn't let her bring Gerry with her because she didn't want them to know how baby crazy her husband was, she told them, "I thought it was too cold for him to be outside."

The ladies agreed but they were still disappointed they weren't going to get to see him. Louise asked, "Who does he look like?"

"He looks mostly like Rhett, but I see a couple of my features on his face."

"Nice."

"Let me close out October then I have to go. I don't know if Coco told you, but I am going to be gone the entire month of November. Now that Gerry has been born, I can go check on my family."

Thelma said, "Good luck with all that. I know that is going to be hard on you."

"Luckily I have Rhett."

With those words, Scarlett walked toward the office. She had told everyone about her family so everyone knew it was going to be a rough month for her.

As Scarlett looked around the back of the shop, she smiled. It was beginning to get messy again. Thirty minutes later the month of October was closed out. They had once again made a nice profit. It was a little bit more than fifty dollars.

As Scarlett walked to the front of the store she stopped by where Coco was sewing on a dress and told her the results and how much their profit was. Scarlett then told Gabrielle to clean up the back area. She stood around and talked with the other ladies until her breast began to hurt. She left the dress shop and thought, 'Rhett was right. If I had brought Gerry with me, I would have stayed at the dress shop all day.'

On Scarlett's way back to her house, she passed a store and saw a Moses basket in the window. She decided that would be the perfect thing to carry Gerry around in. It would be difficult to get the stroller on and off the train along with their trunks and the bassinet. She couldn't stop right then because she was sure Gerry was already going to be crying because of his hunger. Rhett would be so mad if she stopped to do some shopping while Gerry was waiting on her. Maybe she could get Rhett to go buy it for her.