Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next week was a busy time in Atlanta. Ashley, Melanie, and Beau had traveled to Atlanta. They were going to spend a week in the city visiting with Aunt PittyPat and Uncle Henry. Scarlett and Melly had gotten a chance to talk but not privately.
On the second night, Melly came to Scarlett's room. Scarlett knew that Melly wanted to ask why she and Frank had separate bedrooms, but Melly was too polite to ask.
Melly said, "Scarlett, are you sure there isn't a job you can't get for Ashley?"
"I don't know of anyone who is hiring."
"You could give him a job as manager of one of your sawmills."
"No, I already have managers at my sawmills. They are both doing an excellent job."
"Ashley could be a salesman."
"No, that is my job."
"He could do it while you are in your confinement."
"No, Hugh and Johnny are going to cover for me."
"I thought you would want to do more for us especially considering we are family."
"As much as I would like to hire Ashley there just isn't a job available."
"Very well."
"Maybe Frank will be able to give him a job."
"Maybe."
Scarlett watched her good friend leave her room. She wished there was a way for the Wilkeses to stay in Atlanta, but Ashley needed to go to New York and build his own future. He needed to be away from the South, so he didn't have to see the destruction of his perfect world every day.
Melly left Scarlett's room and walked across the hall. After she had closed the door, she said to Ashley, "No, she doesn't have any openings."
"Frank doesn't have any openings either."
"We can walk around Atlanta tomorrow looking for help wanted signs."
"Yes, let's do that. Anything to avoid moving to the North."
Melanie and Ashley were each wondering about Scarlett's change in attitude towards Ashley. Separately they had both thought that when Scarlett had found out that Ashley was going to move to New York City, she would have found him a job in Atlanta. Melanie had known Scarlett had a crush on Ashley and Ashley had believed Scarlett would have done anything for him. Maybe, anything but give him a job.
After a week of searching Ashley didn't have a job in Atlanta. The next day, Ashley, Melly, and Beau got on the train to New York. They knew they probably would never see Georgia or their relatives again.
Ashley was thinking, 'I guess Scarlett has outgrown me. Not only did she not help me find a job, but she also actually seemed bored while I was talking to her."
Melly was thinking. 'I guess Scarlett no longer has a crush on Ashley. I know she did before she got on the train to find three hundred dollars. From what she has said she didn't even ask Captain Butler for the three hundred dollars. Just a loan to buy her first sawmill on Peachtree Road. Strange.'
Melly and Ashley both thought, 'I hope I like living in New York.'
Careen wrote Scarlett.
Scarlett,
There is a convent in Atlanta. It is called St. Bethany's. It is not extremely big, but an opening has recently come open. They can take me in on July thirty-first. I will be on the train on the thirtieth.
Careen.
Scarlett wondered why she hadn't thought of Careen entering a convent in Atlanta in her last timeline. Scarlett knew why. She had never cared about another human being. She hadn't cared until everything had been stripped away from her. Everything she had always thought was so important wasn't and what she had always believed to be worthless were the most valuable items in the world.
Careen arrived on the thirtieth. Scarlett picked her up at the train station. The sisters had a lovely day together although they spent it going from job site to job site. Careen was amazed at her sister's ability to sell. They had a lovely supper at the house and spent some time talking in the parlor. Around nine everyone went to bed.
The next morning, Scarlett dropped Careen off at the convent. After her sister had walked through the gates, Scarlett told Big Sam to leave. Big Sam simply started the buggy rolling. No words were spoken, which wasn't unusual. Big Sam and Scarlett rarely spoke.
Scarlett made a few sales in the morning then she checked in with her managers. She assured them that if they needed her help to stop by Hamilton House and she would be happy to help them.
The next day was August first and after supper Rhett stopped by. Scarlett served tea again. Everyone socialized but it was not like it had been in the first timeline. That had been more Rhett and Scarlett socializing and Frank being a third wheel. Although Frank had been in an extremely good mood for the last week. Scarlett didn't know why, and she didn't care. She was just glad he was. It made her life easier.
When Scarlett gave Rhett her fifty-dollar payment she said, "Now I just owe you two hundred dollars."
"Yes, that is correct."
Frank said, "Captain Butler, did you know the Wilkeses?"
"I knew Mrs. Wilkes during the war. I met Mr. Wilkes briefly at that barbecue we all attended the day the war started but I would not say I know him."
Scarlett gave Rhett a quizzical look. She thought, 'Rhett already hated Ashley before he had even truly met the man. I should have picked up on that.'
When Rhett saw Scarlett's quizzical look, he wondered if he had given too much away. No, it was Scarlett.
"They have moved to New York. It is funny. So many Yankees moving down here and so many Southerners moving up North."
"That is funny."
"What is Mr. Wilkes going to do in the North."
"They are moving to New York City. He has a friend who has a father that owns a bank. His friend got him a job as a teller."
"A good starting point."
Scarlett said, "That is what I said."
Rhett replied, "I guess great minds think alike."
"How you do go on."
Scarlett and Rhett laughed. Frank just stared at the two of them and wondered if something was going on between them. It wasn't the first time he had thought that thought. He was going to have to keep a close eye on Scarlett. He wasn't going to let her shame him further by people speculating on whether or not Scarlett was having an affair with Rhett Butler.
Frank already knew that he was a laughingstock because his wife was behaving so mannishly. Although nobody had ever said anything to him about it. He just knew it to be true. He regretted marrying Scarlett more than he could express to anyone.
Nothing much happened in the next two and a half months. Rhett still came by for his monthly meeting. When Scarlett made the payment on the first of October she said, "Just a hundred dollars more."
"I will have to find something for you to buy, so you will have borrowed money from me again."
Scarlett laughed and Frank frowned.
Far too soon but not soon enough, Scarlett was in labor. All of a sudden, a baby girl was born. All Scarlett could see was that she had red hair. She knew that was her Ella. She had her Ella back.
After getting the baby cleaned up, Mammy took her to Frank. Frank reacted the way most nineteenth century males would react. He said, "I was hoping for a boy."
Nonetheless, Frank took the child and held her until the room was cleaned up. He went to see his wife and as soon as he was in the room, he gave the baby back to Scarlett. She was not surprised. That was the way he had reacted last time.
Scarlett said, "I'm sorry it isn't a boy."
"It is alright. Next one will be a boy."
"There will not be a next one. I told you. I never want to have relations again."
"I could divorce you for this."
"Go ahead. The scandal would ruin you."
"If I divorce you, I could take both of your sawmills from you."
"As I said go ahead. The scandal would ruin you. No decent woman would ever marry you."
"I've got to go. I've got an appointment."
Frank left the house. As Frank rode along he brooded about Scarlett and his new baby girl. He sourly thought, 'Ella will probably grow up just like her mother selfish and self-centered. A woman who just uses people to get what she wants. At least, I know she is mine and not Butlers. She looks just like me.'
Four weeks later Scarlett and Ella were on the porch when Rhett rode up. He got off his horse and stepped onto the porch.
Rhett said, "He's not bad looking."
"It's a girl."
"God help you then she will be with you forever. She…"
"Is sweet."
"I was going to say she looks just like her father."
"When she grows up, she will be striking."
Rhett stiffened and he casually said, "How do you know that?"
Scarlett had noticed Rhett stiffen and wondered what was going on. She certainly wasn't obtuse now. She said, "Just hoping, I guess."
Rhett told Scarlett what he had been doing while she was in her confinement. She laughed at all the appropriate times. In truth, she was having a wonderful time. This was the Rhett she had fallen in love with. Unfortunately, she knew that hateful man was inside that body, so this would be all she would risk.
After Rhett had said goodbye and was off the porch, he said, "It would be a good idea to keep your husband home at night."
Scarlett knew what Rhett meant but she said, "Frank wouldn't cheat on me. He is too much of a gentleman to do that."
"Lots of gentlemen cheat but what I meant keep him from attending clan meetings."
"Frank is in the Klan."
"Yes."
"That polecat. That simpleton. He is putting all my hard work into jeopardy. It is those Wednesday night meetings. Those are clan meetings, not political meetings."
"They may be both."
"Thanks, Rhett. I will try. I can't afford to lose everything I have worked so hard for because of Frank's foolish actions."
"I agree. Good afternoon."
Rhett would be happy for Frank Kennedy to die by doing something stupid like going on a clan raid. He just didn't want Scarlett to lose everything she had worked so hard for. He just might have to help the man to the other side. He was getting tired of waiting for Scarlett. He had already waited long enough.
Later that night as Rhett walked home from Belle's he was thinking about Scarlett. He thought about her comment about Ella's looks when the girl got older. He didn't know about Ella looking striking. He had only seen her one time after the night of Miss Melly's death when he had been standing outside their Boston home. He hadn't been able to get a good look at Ella's face. In truth, he hadn't been concerned about Ella's looks after he had seen that Scarlett was with child. He focused on the comment instead. He wondered, 'How would Scarlett know what Ella was going to look like in the future unless she had returned also?' He then laughed out loud. It was incredible that he had returned in time, much less both of them, but it would certainly explain her strange actions. As he got to his hotel, he laughed at his foolishness. If Scarlett had returned in time, she would have told him. She couldn't keep a secret.
Nothing much changed in the following months. Rhett made money, Scarlett made money but not as much as Rhett, Frank made money but not even close to what Scarlett made. Scarlett was saving a lot more money because she didn't have as many people to support. Also, Hugh was doing better than just covering costs.
Scarlett and PittyPat heard from Melanie. They were doing fine. They had their own home that they were renting. Ashley had been promoted to Head Teller. Ashley had asked India to join them in New York. He had done it because Melly had needed help with the household chores. The Wilkeses could not afford servants.
Nobody heard from Careen, so they assumed she was happy. `
