Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
I know a lot of readers want to know more about Patrick. All I will say is: Patience.
Chapter Eleven
Aunt PittyPat, Uncle Henry, and Beau had come to Boston for Christmas. Scarlett had sent them the tickets as her Christmas present. Which was good because she didn't know what else to get them. Everyone had an enjoyable time. Henry and PittyPat had met Patrick and they had liked him. Both the older people had said that Patrick reminded them of Charlie. Scarlett didn't disagree with them. She let them have their dream. The dream that Charlie had been Scarlett's true love.
The Hamiltons had talked about what Ashley was up to. When they had talked about her once true love, she had felt nothing but pity and kindness. If she felt herself getting mad at Ashley because he had not told her the truth sooner, she would push it away. She would remember that he had been a broken man since he came back from the war. Maybe since he had been incarcerated in a Yankee prisoner of war camp. No, he had not been broken until he came back to the South and saw that his world was gone. She guessed she had always known the truth and that was why she had carried him for so long. For her to admit that Ashley wasn't the man she thought he was would have been admitting her world was gone also. She also knew that when she married Rhett, she thought she would get that carefree life back. The perfect life of a daughter of a wealthy planter.
When Patrick had found out that Henry, PittyPat, and Beau were her first husband's relatives, he had asked, "How many husbands have you had?"
"Three."
Patrick had teased, "So if we were to marry, I would be putting my life at risk.
Scarlett had swatted him and said, "Don't be silly."
Scarlett took everyone to the portrait studio, which had become an annual thing also. It had been tough last Christmas because Patrick had not been there. The older couple offered her sincere sympathy. The first time anyone had offered her genuine sympathy in a long time. Probably not since she found out about Charlie's death.
That first year Scarlett had Wade's picture taken with his great aunt, great uncle, and his cousin. She had one of just Beau and Wade. She had one of everyone then she had one of just her and her children. She promised to mail copies to the older couple and Beau in Atlanta as soon as they were ready.
Scarlett and Patrick had gotten married the next March. It was probably quicker than was proper, but they weren't in the South after all. Patrick had moved into her Brownstone because it was larger than his. Patrick had lived with Alice, his first wife, and Noah, his son, in the other Brownstone. Scarlett didn't want those memories in her home. They had quickly sold his Brownstone to his brother, Connor. That way Connor and his family were in the neighborhood also.
Scarlett noted that Josephine, Connor's wife, had quickly redecorated the brownstone. When she and Patrick were walking home from Connor's home, Patrick would often say, "I liked the way Alice decorated it more." Scarlett knew she had been smart to not move into Patrick's brownstone.
Patrick knew what it was like to lose a child. Patrick had known what it was like to lose someone he had loved. Patrick had once said that Alice was his true love. Scarlett had been mature enough to accept that a man had preferred another woman to Scarlett O'Hara. It was alright for Patrick to have loved Alice more. He loved her an awful lot also. She loved Patrick but she was afraid Rhett was her true love although she would never give him a chance to hurt her again. She and Patrick were so comfortable together and they always had been.
If Rhett Butler had been the worst thing that had ever happened to her then Patrick Green had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. The ironic part about her relationship with Patrick was that he was so much like Rhett. Patrick was who Rhett would have been if he had not been disowned. He was never mean or cruel. He had yelled at her a couple of times, but he always apologized afterwards. He teased her but he never mocked her. She had occasionally lost her temper with him, but she had always swallowed her pride and apologized. He had encouraged her to read books and learn. Patrick had been a telegraph operator and he had enough money to support her, but he was by no means wealthy.
The Greens were not part of polite society and to Scarlett it was refreshing. She spent time with Cathy, and she had met women through her. She liked Patrick's sister-in-law and Josephine seemed to like her. She and Patrick had socialized with other couples, and she always had an enjoyable time. Here in the North the women didn't seem to hate her upon sight. She didn't know why that was, but she had decided it was because she was not the selfish, self-centered, man-stealing brat she had been while living in the South.
Scarlett and Patrick had met a lot of people through Ella and Wade's friends. To Scarlett there was comradery amongst the people who lived in the neighborhood. Just like there was a bond between the people who lived in the county.
No, Patrick hadn't been rich, but she had not worried about money. Despite the fact that she could have provided them with a much better lifestyle she had lived on Patrick's money. In her maturity she had known she had to do that for Patrick's pride. She occasionally would sneak money into the household budget when someone had wanted something special.
Scarlett had immaturely never worried about Rhett's pride. If she had ever considered it, she would have thought Rhett's pride was so great it couldn't be wounded. She now knew that she had wounded Rhett's pride time and time again. She sighed. Every time she had thrown Ashley up to him as being better than him. She didn't want to think about Rhett so instead she thought about her wonderful Patrick.
She was doing alright. Between the money she had gotten from selling the mansion, the mills and Rhett's divorce settlement she had been very financially well off before she had married Patrick. She had taken all that money and bought gold and gems with the money. Something that was easy to hide and easy to sell. She had learned that from Rhett. Ways to keep one's true worth secret.
Patrick had a life insurance policy. It wasn't enough to support her the rest of her life, but she would pretend to the outside world that it was. She would honor Patrick in that way. The truth was that because of Rhett's settlement check, she would never have to worry about money again. She knew that Patrick would have wanted to leave her better financially, but he had done something that nobody else had ever done since August thirty-first eighteen sixty-four. He had made her feel safe. He had made Wade and Ella feel safe.
For a moment she let herself think about Rhett. Something she normally did not allow herself to do. It just hurt too much when she remembered all her mistakes. Yes, she had been such a fool. Her devotion to Ashley and never seeing that Ashley was not devoted to her. Never acknowledging Ashley had married another woman over her. Not thinking about what Ashley actually said to her. She now knew that Ashley in his gentle way had time after time tried to tell her he wasn't the man she thought he was. Not realizing sooner that Rhett loved her. Ignoring everything she hadn't wanted to think about. Ignoring all the clues Rhett had given her. Letting Rhett move out of their bedroom. Time and time again not swallowing her pride and reaching out to Rhett. Not realizing that, when Rhett said things in a joking way it was what he really meant. Like when he had jokingly told her he loved her when he proposed. She had never wondered why Rhett hated Ashley so much. She had never wondered why Rhett was so cruel and mean. Never really wondering why Rhett had married her.
There were so many things she understood about Rhett now, but she would never understand why he had deliberately been cruel and mean to her. Rhett Butler had so many demons. She was glad she didn't have to deal with them. She didn't know how.
She sighed. His greatest gift to her had been divorcing her. For if he had not, she would not have had the last seven years of happiness. It was not the happiness of passionate love, but it was the happiness of knowing she was safe. She had needed to feel safe more than any other thing in this world. Yes, she had her money from Rhett stashed away but Patrick made her feel safe. He held her in the night like Rhett had once done when they were in New Orleans. After New Orleans, Rhett had never made her feel safe. After New Orleans, she knew he would always run away when there was a crisis. She had been right.
No, Patrick had not been handsome, but he had been kind and loving. Patrick never said anything rude, mocking, or cruel. Patrick always spoke in plain easy to understand sentences. Admittedly Patrick had not been a great scholar. In fact, she thought she had been smarter than him. There were many times that she had to subtly explain things to Patrick. Yet, she had not needed her husband to be smart. She had needed to feel safe and be genuinely loved. She had needed to love and respect her husband.
Scarlett got up and left the parlor. It was time to kiss all her children good night, even Wade. He thought he was too old for that nonsense. Maybe he was but she wasn't ready to quit hugging and kissing him goodnight. She had missed out on his hugs for the first twelve years of his life therefore, she had a lot of catching up to do. She would continue hugging him goodnight until he told her no. Despite his words, Wade always hugged her back.
Ella didn't even pretend that she didn't want hugs from her mother.
Melanie and Tricia, of course, wanted her hugs. Her daughters looked like Patrick, but she loved them so much. She had finally matured enough to love her children no matter who they looked like. She loved them just because they were her children.
Wade and Ella had carried her through the dark days after Rhett's departure. The six months after Melly's death they were practically the only people who provided her with any support. Her children and her loyal servants. It always amazed her that despite her neglect of her children and her servants they had still loved her. She guessed that was what love was all about – continuing to love someone when they weren't so lovely.
As Scarlett walked to her room, she wondered what the lost baby would have looked like. Like her or like Rhett. It didn't matter. He was with God and Bonnie now.
A week later, a man appeared in Rhett's apartment. Rhett didn't know how he had gotten there. If Rhett could have moved rapidly, he would have gotten his gun. In truth, he didn't care if this man killed him. It would be an easier death than what he had in front of him. He did care that this man not hurt what's her name. Over the last five years she had been good to him. She had never balked at pretending to be another woman. She had never balked at taking care of him once he had gotten sick.
Before Rhett could speak the man had said, "Tonight is the night you are scheduled to die but I have come to make you an offer."
"Who are you? The Grim Reaper?"
"It doesn't matter who I am. Would you like to right the wrongs of your life?"
"I very much would. What will it cost me?"
The man had smiled and said, "That is what I like about you, Rhett. Everything is dollars and cents with you. You think you can buy anything you want. It will cost you your soul if you fail to win Scarlett's heart."
"What makes you think I want to win Scarlett's heart?"
"Rhett, I know all about you. The two things you truly regret are allowing your daughter to die and not having accepted Scarlett's love when she had finally wanted to give it to you."
Rhett paused. He decided that he could win Scarlett's heart. Despite everything he had done to her in the end she had claimed to love him. He had just not been able to believe it. He definitely could make her love him this time. He knew all the mistakes he had made. He said, "Yes, I accept your bargain."
"I will send you back to the most important moment of your life."
"Thank you."
There was flash and lightning and Rhett was back in eighteen sixty-six.
As the man had watched Rhett Butler disappear, he had smiled a mean smile. What Butler didn't know was that Scarlett was being sent back in time also. The Scarlett who was returning to sixty-six was a woman who had been badly hurt by Butler. A woman who wanted nothing to do with Butler in the least little bit. It would be a miracle if the woman ever talked to Butler again much less fall in love with him.
Rhett woke up and found himself on a cot at the Fire House. How in the world had this happened? He had somehow been given a second chance in his life. A second chance to correct all the mistakes he had made in his life. What was today's date? Had Scarlett come to see him yet? When she came to see him, he would assure her that he would get the money for her. He would tell her of his love. He would ask her to marry him. They would get Bonnie and the other baby back.
Rhett was surprised he had not been returned to Charleston during that horrible buggy incident. He guessed that wasn't the most important moment in his life. Turning Scarlett down had been.
Later that morning Rhett found out the date. It was the day before Scarlett came to see him. Good. Good. He would stop smoking and drinking. He would be honest and open with Scarlett. He would allow himself to show her how much he needed her.
Rhett knew the next twenty-four hours were going to be the longest of his life.
