Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Sixty-One

Later that night when Rhett went to the privy, he called for Clarence. Rhett said, "Buddy, is there anything I can do about Peggy?"

"No, the only thing you can do is continue to not overreact."

After Rhett was finished with the privy, he headed back to the hotel. Clarence said, "Do you want to know what the most critical moment in your life was?"

"The buggy incident?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"When you wouldn't apologize to Buddy?"

Sharply Rhett said, "Go away, Clarence. I don't need you anymore tonight. I am going to make love to my wife."

Clarence didn't say a word. He just dematerialized. He had not been surprised at Rhett's response. It was what he had expected. Clarence was actually glad at the response Rhett gave him. The incident still bothered Rhett. If it hadn't bothered him that would have meant Rhett had buried the incident too deep in his mind for him to get help concerning his emotions involving it. Clarence knew that Rhett had to work through his emotions related to the incident in order for him to be happier in his future life.

Clarence knew that was one of the things he had to learn. When to push and when not to.

A week later when Rhett came back from the privy, Scarlett was in a very skimpy nightgown he had bought her in New Orleans. Clarence, who wasn't going anywhere and leave Rhett unprotected, started flipping through the dictionary he had in his mind.

After Rhett had pleasured Scarlett orally and she had gotten her satisfaction, he moved back up to her head and whispered in her ear, "Do that to me."

"Do what?"

"Take me into your mouth."

"All right."

Scarlett moved down to Rhett's nether regions. For now, all he wanted her to do was take him into her mouth. That would be a major accomplishment. She did and moved her head up and down. She also started sucking on him. He was in ecstasy, but he soon had to drag her off of him. He rolled her over and they finished in the missionary position. At that point in time, all he wanted was relief as fast as possible.

After Rhett and Scarlett had caught their breath, she said, "I know you are wondering. You taught me that the night of Ashley's birthday party."

"I did?"

"You did. Don't you remember?"

"I don't remember much. I remember telling you I loved you. I remember it being wonderful to be with you and there not being anyone between us."

"I remember feeling that wonderful feeling many times. And learning that relations was more than you just putting your penis in me."

"How did you.."

"You forced me to do that. You also provided instructions."

"Instructions?"

"Very explicit instructions. I didn't understand most of the words you were using, but I understood what you wanted me to do."

"Oh."

"Let's find another way to refer to that night. I don't want to refer to it as the night of Ashley's birthday party anymore."

"How about 'the night."

"The night?"

"The night."

"All right."

"Thank you. That was amazing and so unexpected. So wonderful."

Scarlett rolled on top of Rhett and kissed him. She continued kissing him for a short time. Finally, she said, "I would like to go visit Tara."

"I love the fact that you never miss an opportunity to get something you want."

Innocently Scarlett said, "What are you talking about?"

Rhett burst out laughing. He said, "I am happy to make you happy."

"When?"

"In a couple of days. I have a couple of business meetings over the next couple of days. Let me arrange everything for Saturday."

"All right. I will send Careen a telegram."

Rhett, Scarlett, Wade, Ella, and Prissy went down to Tara. They took their buggy. When they got to Tara, Wade was out of the buggy almost before it stopped rolling. Ella would have been right behind him if Prissy hadn't grabbed her dress to keep Ella from jumping out of the buggy. Actually, Ella had jumped, but she didn't go anywhere because of Prissy's grasp on her dress.

Nobody was in the clearing, but that was not surprising. Rhett helped Scarlett out of the buggy. He said, "When do the bolls burst open?"

"Not until it is almost time to harvest them in late July."

"Let's plan on moving to Boston the first of August."

Ella and Cassie were happily playing in the nursery. As Scarlett watched the girls play, she said, "I am sorry to move Ella away from Cassie. She and Susie were not that close last timeline."

"Probably because you and Suellen were hostile towards each other."

"Yes. I didn't come to Tara as much then as I am now. I was still running the sawmills and trying to make a million dollars."

"You have to risk your life by running the blockade to make a million dollars." Scarlett smiled at Rhett. He continued, "And steal the Confederate gold."

Scarlett laughed.

Over dinner Scarlett looked at her aunts. She felt pity for them. They were once at the top of the social structure in Charleston and now they were just poor relations. She suspected that if something happened to either one of them, the surviving sister would give up the will to live. In truth, Scarlett wondered if both of them had given up the will to live.

Scarlett, Will, and Careen talked about Tara while Rhett engaged the sisters and Wade in conversation. Eulalie said, "We got a letter from your mother. She was quite shocked to find out that you had gotten married."

"I am not used to being in a position where I can correspond regularly with my mother. Between my father not allowing her to receive my letters and me not having a permanent address I have gotten out of the habit of sharing big news with my mother. What did she have to say about my matrimony?"

"She was shocked to say the least. She wanted to know all about Scarlett. We told her everything we knew which was a lot considering we live here."

Rhett stopped himself from groaning. It wouldn't have mattered if he had written to his mother with the news. She would have written to her good friends to find out all about Scarlett. After all, his wife was their niece. He looked at the old busybodies and saw the spiteful expressions on their faces. He knew they had not said anything nice about his wife.

Rhett was surprised at the disappointment that flooded his body. He guessed he was old fashioned enough to want his mother to like his wife. It wouldn't have mattered what the old hags wrote about Scarlett, his mother would not have liked Scarlett. No, his mother was too proper Charlestonian to like anyone not from Charleston.

Rhett reached over and put his hand over Scarlett's. Her hand had been resting on the table. She had turned and smiled at him. He thought, 'Maybe we won't stop in Charleston on our way out of the South.'

Rhett heard Scarlett say, "Congratulations."

Scarlett jumped up and ran around the table. First, she hugged Careen then she hugged Will. She turned to Rhett and said, "Isn't it exciting. Who would have thought this would happened that day so long ago when you rescued Careen?"

"Certainly not me."

Rhett didn't know what was so exciting. He had been thinking about his mother's reaction to Scarlett. His mother's judgmental attitude toward the woman he loved. One thing for sure, he would not tolerate anyone saying unkind things about Scarlett, his wife, the mother of his child, his true love. He had tolerated that far too much in the early timeline. He had said far too many ugly things about the woman he loved in the early timeline. That was what he was most ashamed of.

Rhett heard Scarlett say, "When is the wedding?" He then knew what was going on.

Careen said, "Probably in November after harvest is over. I know you are planning on moving to Boston, but please, say you will come."

"Of course, we will be here. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Will we, Rhett?"

"Of course not."

The rest of the family's time at Tara was spent talking about the harvest, the wedding, and the acreage they were planning on clearing in the fall. After Ella got up from her nap, Rhett loaded up the buggy and off to Atlanta they went.

On the way back to Atlanta, Scarlett said, "Prissy, Rhett and I are moving to Boston in August. Do you want to go with us?"

"Yes ma'am. I do." Scarlett was surprised at Prissy's definite response, but she was pleased also. Prissy added, "I will miss my mama and Pork, but this is a great opportunity for me, so I am going to take it."

"What do you mean?"

"I hear that in the North a woman like me can get educated."

"Is that true, Rhett?"

"Yes, they have schools for people like Prissy."

"Maybe I can meet an educated man and I can become something more than a houseni…."

"Do not use that word! Under any circumstances. Do not refer to yourself that way and do not use that word in front of my children."

A downcast Prissy replied, "Yes ma'am."

Rhett said, "Prissy, Scarlett was short with you because she wanted to be sure you never called yourself that. That is not what you are. You are a citizen now. What is your last name?"

"O'Hara. That is my last name because Mr. Gerald bought me from Mr. John."

Scarlett had control of her temper now and she gently said, "Prissy, I objected to you using that word to describe yourself because you are now so much more than that. Now that you are free, you can choose your last name."

"Really, Miss Scarlett?"

"Really."

"Then I want my last name to be Sherman because he freed us."

"He also left you to starve. Don't forget I am the one that kept you alive after Sherman marched through Georgia stealing and destroying everything."

"Yes, Miss Scarlett. Then I guess I want my last name to be Butler like yours Miss Scarlett."

"How about…."

Rhett cut Scarlett off by saying, "Wonderful idea. Everyone in the buggy's last name is Butler."

Wade said, "Even mine Daddy?"

"Even yours, my son."

Scarlett said, "Melly…."

"Will never know."

"What about when he goes to visit his relatives at Hamilton House?"

"How many times again has he gone to visit the Wilkes without you since they got back from New York again?"

Scarlett smiled and said, "None."

"Exactly."

Rhett and his family walked into the lobby of the National Hotel. On his way to the front desk to get his messages, a tall, attractive blonde woman with sapphire blue eyes stopped him. The woman put her hand on his arm. Rhett turned to look at the woman. He stopped walking. He said, "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"I doubt I will receive an invitation to come to visit so I came uninvited. I have come to meet my newest daughter in law."

"How did you find out I got married?"

"Rhett. You are infamous. Within forty-eight hours of you getting married I had three of my friends drop by to ask me about my latest daughter-in-law. Of course, I didn't know for sure, but I suspected it was that girl, Scarlett, that you had been talking about when you came to visit. Eulalie and Pauline's niece."

"Yes, Scarlett is now my wife. Come, she is right over here. I have a thousand questions."

"We will have time to answer all yours and my questions. I have a thousand questions also. Right now, let me meet her."

"Of course. Did Rosemary come with you?"

"No, I came by myself with just my maid. I was able to get a private car. You will have to pay me back for that. After all, I am on a fixed income. I have exciting news about Rosemary also."

"Of course, Mother."