Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Sixty-Three

While Rhett was downstairs in the lobby with his mother, Marvin whispered in Scarlett's ear, "Rhett is not Langston's son."

Scarlett said to her empty room, "Langston? Why would I think something like that? I don't even know a Langston. Wait! Isn't that what Rhett's mother called her husband? What a strange thought. My Rhett would not be illegitimate. How silly of a thought. Besides, if I ever asked Rhett about it, he would get so mad. No, that thought is best forgotten."

And Scarlett promptly forgot all about that silliness.

Scarlett took off her dress and stood in front of the mirror. She didn't see a baby bump, but she said to the mirror, "Are you in there, Bonnie? I hope so. Your daddy can't wait for you to get here." After a minute she added, "I can't either. It is going to be so much different this time. You are going to be raised in a happy home, not in a war zone."

Scarlett heard someone enter the suite and quickly put her dress back on. Rhett would tease her unmercifully if he caught her checking for a baby bump. Although every night as they were getting ready to go to sleep, Rhett rubbed his hand across her abdomen. She knew he was checking for a bump.

Scarlett knew she and Rhett were being silly. She would not develop a baby bump until August.

Soon after Scarlett had her dress back on, Rhett walked through their bedroom door like he had every right to enter the room. It made her smile. It made her want to laugh because he did.

Rhett smiled at Scarlett with what she now knew was a sheepish smile although she was the only person who would see it. She said, "Did you get your mother settled?"

"Yes, her and her maid. Rosemary got married."

"Really? To whom?"

"Derek Jeter."

"Who is Derek Jeter?"

"He currently is the captain of the Yankee guard in Charleston."

An astonished Scarlett said, "He is a Yankee."

"Yes."

"I don't believe that your very proper sister married a Yankee."

"She told my mother that she had been punished for my crime all her life therefore she was going to start doing the crime."

"Oh, my goodness. I can understand that logic."

"You don't know this, but before my father died, I convinced him to let me stay with the family for about three weeks."

"How?"

"By telling him that I had returned in time and that he was going to die soon. I wanted to make amends before that event happened. I wrapped it up in some bible verses I remembered."

"He let you in his home?"

"I asked for forgiveness."

"You asked for forgiveness?! I don't believe it."

"Compared to humbling myself to the Atlanta gentry, asking my father for forgiveness was really not that hard. In truth, he and my family deserved the apology."

"I guess."

"I wouldn't change my actions back then if I could, but my actions did hurt my entire family."

"I agree with that. Tell me more about Rosemary. How is she going to endure being shunned by everyone in Charleston."

"Derek has just received a promotion. He is now the commander over the third district."

"Which is?"

"Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. He will be stationed here in Atlanta."

"She won't be received here either."

"No, she won't. She has chosen to start a new life as a Yankee bride instead of a Charleston spinster. They won't be here that long before Derek is transferred somewhere else."

Scarlett didn't say anything more and Rhett let the silence drag out. He was waiting for her to get it. Suddenly, she looked at him and said, "Your mother wasn't kidding about living with us."

"No, she wasn't."

"Does she know we are moving to Boston?"

"No, she doesn't, but I'm sure she will be fine with it. She can't go back to Charleston. The matrons would snub her again for her child's actions."

"Yes, they would. What about your brother?"

"He and his wife will receive some shunning, but because he wasn't living with Rosemary it will be minor. Besides, knowing Robert he would rather live in Charleston and be shunned than live anywhere else."

"All right."

There was a long silence while Scarlett was waiting for Rhett to ask her to let his mother live with them. This was a critical moment. Rhett would always be high handed, which was alright in minor issues, but he had to consult her in major issues, like his mother moving in with them.

Clarence was in the room. He too was waiting for Rhett's next action. If Rhett just told Scarlett that his mother was moving in with them, Clarence knew he still had a lot more work ahead of him. Rhett had to include Scarlett in the major decisions of their life to get her to trust him completely.

Rhett said, "Well?"

Scarlett smiled and said, "Well what?"

"You aren't going to make this easy, are you?"

"Have I ever made anything easy?"

"No, you haven't."

"Yet, I am worth the time and trouble."

Rhett smiled and said, "Yes, you are. Can my mother move in with us?"

"Yes, if you mean get her a brownstone of her own within blocks of us."

Rhett laughed. He said, "Good idea. We are going to fight, and we are not quiet when we fight. I wouldn't want my mother seeing all that."

"I don't want our children seeing all that."

"So, we will only fight in our bedroom."

"You will have to refrain from throwing out snide comments."

"I will try."

"Good."

Clarence sighed a sigh of relief. He thought Scarlett was almost ready to trust Rhett completely, but he was afraid she would need something to push her over the edge.

Rhett said, "Come kiss me and seal the deal."

"I hope that is not the way you seal deals with other people."

"Since most of my business contacts are ugly, old men, definitely not."

"What is they were beautiful, young women?"

The conversation had changed so quickly from lighthearted to serious in an instant. Rhett walked over to where Scarlett was standing and put his arms around her. He said with supreme seriousness, "You are the only person I kiss whether the other person is an ugly, old man or a beautiful, young woman."

Once again, the conversation became lighthearted when Scarlett said, "Except for your daughter."

"Except for my children."

Scarlett smiled. She said, "Now get ready. We have to take the children to the park. It is too much to expect them to stay cooped up inside this hotel room day after day."

"Yes, let's get Prissy and go."

That night over supper, Rhett said, "Mother, in a month, Scarlett and I will be moving to Boston."

Scarlett said, "You must come with us."

Elizabeth sat there staring at the couple. She had been rendered speechless. Not an easy task. She had always known what to say in any given situation.

Wade said, "We are moving to Boston?"

"Yes, we will be moving at the end of July."

"Will we still visit Tara?"

"Yes, but not as often."

"All right."

Elizabeth finally found her voice. She said, "You are moving to Boston?"

Rhett gently said, "Yes, and we want you to come with us."

"I don't know if I can live in the North."

Rhett continued in the same gentle tone. He said, "Mother, you can't live in Charleston anymore. You don't know anyone in Atlanta."

"I know Emily Jacobson."

"Mother, when was the last time Mrs. Jacobson wrote you?"

"When you got married."

Rhett smiled and said, "Before that?"

"I don't remember."

Scarlett said, "Mother, if you don't want to go, you don't have to go. If you want to stay here Rhett will make arrangements for you. You could even go live at Tara with Aunt Eulalie and Aunt Pauline." Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from scowling. Scarlett smiled and said, "Or you can start a new adventure in your life and move to Boston with us. Boston where nobody cares if your son didn't marry that girl. What is her name?"

"Sarah."

"Thank you. Where nobody cares that your daughter married a Yankee commander. Which personally I think was a really good match."

Elizabeth looked at Rhett and Scarlett. She looked around the restaurant. She looked at the other patrons. She thought about how all the other people in Charleston would treat her. She thought about Eulalie and Pauline's judgmental attitude. She looked at Wade and Ella. She looked at how Scarlett was helping Ella with her food and randomly thought, 'She is a good mother.' Finally, she looked at her son. She smiled. He was anxiously waiting for her response. He really wanted her to go with them.

Rhett said, "Mother, because of my actions we have lost twenty years together. Let's not lose anymore. If Scarlett and I moved to Boston and you don't, we won't get to spend any more time together than we have in the past."

Elizabeth looked into her son's brown eyes which were the same color as her husband's and said, "Yes, I will move to Boston with you, if I can have my own place."

"Of course, Mother."

"And an account at the antique shop."

"No."

Which made the adults laugh.

After a few days, Clarence reported back to Rhett. The angel said, "As far as my inquires, went nobody knows of any demons that planted thoughts in your mother's head. Her demon is letting her torture herself with questioning her actions in regard to her two children."

"Poor Mother."

"Yes, poor Elizabeth."

A week later Rhett and Scarlett had supper with Rosemary and Derek at the Pecan Tree Restaurant. Elizabeth had come along also. At the end of the evening, both Rhett and Scarlett knew why Rosemary had married the man despite him being a Yankee. He was young, handsome, charming, and well-read.

Rhett asked, "Did you go to West Point?"

"Yes, I did. I graduated twelve years ago."

"You are young to have been promoted to commander."

"Yes, I am, but I have worked very hard to be an outstanding army officer."

"The last thing I wanted to be was an army officer."

"Really?"

"Yes, my father sent me to West Point. He thought the discipline would do me well. It did not."

"Really?"

"I didn't know this when I was shipped off to West Point, but I found out that after I graduated, I would have to serve four years in the army. That was not for Rhett. So, at Christmas time I re-enacted the Eggnog Riot of twenty-six."

Derek said, "What?"

"Really it wasn't that elaborate. I smuggled whiskey and cigars into the barracks and offered to sell them to anyone who walked by. I was so blatant about it there was nothing they could do, but court martial me. The trial was in January, but I didn't wait around. They were happy to put me on the train to Charleston.

"Langston didn't speak to Rhett until almost February."

Scarlett said, "Langston? Langston? Was that your father's name?"

Rhett smiled and said, "Yes, it was."

Scarlett looked at Elizabeth. She thought, 'I don't know where that crazy thought came from, but that woman would not be unfaithful to her husband.'

Derek said, "That surprises me. Most people think of it as an honor to attend West Point."

Scarlett said, "Rhett is certainly not like anyone else."

Everyone laughed and the subject was changed.

Later at the little house the army had rented for Derek and Rosemary, he said, "Did your brother really get himself kicked out of West Point?"

Rosemary laughed and said, "That is a minor infraction as far as Rhett is concerned."

Rosemary proceeded to tell her husband about her brother and his actions. At the end of it, she said, "And those are just the ones we know about."

"His wife seems so proper."

"Let me tell you about Scarlett."

At the end of the oration, Derek said, "I guess they are made for each other."

"I hope so. He deserves some happiness."

"I deserve some happiness, also. Come to bed."

"Gladly, Sweetheart."