Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rhett and Scarlett did go house hunting the next afternoon. They looked at all the houses on the list Tom Jefferson had given Rhett. There were several houses that Rhett liked better than the one they chose, but Rhett knew his wife wanted to be on the cutting edge of fashion. The house he agreed to rent was a house in the Queen Anne style. One of the things Rhett liked about the house was the staggered staircase.

As the couple was going back to the rented house Scarlett and Rhett were sitting on the same side of the carriage. She had her arm linked in his arm. They were sitting extremely close to each other. Quietly she said, "I still can't believe you stopped me from falling down the staircase."

"I was so scared you were going to fall down the stairs when you attacked me. My fear must have given me a lot of strength."

"I'm glad you saved me. It was foolish of me to attack you."

"It was foolish of me to mock you."

"You know you saved our babies also."

"I'm so glad I did."

"I wanted the baby from the moment Dr. Meade told me I was with child.

Rhett smiled and said, "You still do, or you wouldn't have run away with Kenny."

The couple was quiet for a few minutes until Rhett said, "I'm sorry for running out on you."

"It is alright, Rhett. You couldn't stand the pain living with me was bringing you."

"I was one thin thread away from breaking."

"You had the sword of Damocles hanging over your head."

"I am surprised with your reference, but yes, I did. If I believed you and your love had not been true, I would be a broken man."

"I regret losing five years with you, but maybe we needed those five years to grow up. I know I did. I finally grew up."

"I finally grew up also. Kenny saved me."

"Kenny's love?"

"Yes. Why did you come to Cambridge?"

"I was moving there. Wade took the entrance exam for Harvard with a bunch of his friends. He was the only one to have passed it." Rhett heard the pride in Scarlett's voice and was glad to hear it. In the short amount of time, he had been with her he knew she loved her children very much now. She had finally become a good mother. She continued, "Wade went to Estes Preparatory School. I had been socializing with Yankees for over three years. I found out they were nice people. I had made a lot of friends amongst the women. I was tired of being snubbed for what I had done after the war, for associating with Yankees and Scallawags, for who I had married and a thousand other things I had done. So, I decided to move to Cambridge and start a new life."

"I'm so glad you did. I'm so glad you stole Kenny away. I'm so glad you are willing to give our marriage one more try."

With solemnness Scarlett said, "I will always be willing to give our marriage one more chance."

"Thank you, Baby. I love you."

"I love you, too."

On Sunday afternoon, while Scarlett and Rhett were talking in the parlor, one of the twins came into the room. He was wearing the shirt that Gerry had on earlier in the day. Rhett said, "Did you and Gerry change shirts to play a joke on me and your mother?" After Kenny nodded, Rhett said, "Go get your brother."

When both twins were in the room, Rhett lectured them on trying to fool him and their mother. Rhett finished his lecture by saying, "Neither your mother nor I find that the least bit funny. Don't ever do it again. Now you two change your shirts back and your mother and I will take you to the park."

Scarlett had gotten Ella and all five of them went to the park that was just three blocks away. As the adults were watching the children play, Scarlett asked him, "How did you know that was Kenny?"

Rhett smiled and said, "I would like to tell you I am just that observant, but the truth is Kenny cut himself with a piece of glass when he was three. He has a tiny scar over his left eyebrow."

"How did he get cut?"

"Banging on a glass door."

"Huh?"

"He kept slapping the glass door until it broke."

"Why didn't the nursemaid stop him?"

"She knew better than to tell Kenny no." At Scarlett's scornful look, Rhett added, "I am going to do much better with your guidance."

"Yes, you are, my love. Did you fire the nursemaid for letting Kenny get hurt?"

"Of course not. What do you think I am a hypocrite?"

"You?! Of course not."

"I did fire her a couple of days later for another reason."

"What was the reason?"

"I don't remember. That was over two years and many nursemaids ago."

Scarlett smiled. Rhett smiled back. They were doing that a lot these days.

Once Scarlett was looking for the scar, she saw it too. She sighed a sigh of relief. She now had a way of telling her sons apart.

A week after hiring Emily as a part-time employee, Scarlett made her a full-time employee. She had decided to only work in the morning. Although she still enjoyed working and talking with the customers, she wanted to spend time with Rhett more.

Over supper one night, Rhett said, "I am enjoying this fish. What is it called?"

"The fish itself is called Pearl Perch. Donna calls it Brown Butter Perch. She does something with the butter then she fries the perch in it."

"It is incredibly good. We will definitely keep it on the list."

Rhett looked at his sons mostly full plates and said, "Three bites of everything, not just the rolls."

Scarlett said, "Thank you, Rhett. The Pearl Perch is native to Australia. It has a robust body and is gray in color, but each scale has a brown spot on it."

"Where did you learn that?"

"Donna."

Scarlett said, "Eat up boys. You definitely want to get to eat the candy sticks that your father bought you. Wade, how is being a policeman?"

"I am working with an older officer, and he is showing me how to do the job, therefore right now it is boring."

"I hope it gets better."

"If not, I can go to college."

"True, so true."

While looking at Rhett, Wade said, "I like the perch also."

It was the first time Wade had freely spoken to Rhett. Wade was beginning to believe that his mother could be happy with Uncle Rhett.

As the family was packing things up to move to the larger house. Rhett said, "Do you really need all these hats?"

"Yes, Rhett, I need every one of them."

Rhett then noticed the hat box. The hat box he had brought back from Paris. It was a unique box. It was pink and it had the logo of the Paris fashion house that he had bought it from on it. It was the first gift he had ever given Scarlett. He said, "You have kept it all these years."

"Kept what?"

Scarlett looked at Rhett and saw what he was staring at. She said, "Yes, I kept it all these years. It was the first gift you gave to me. So many gifts you gave me I had to repurpose, except the gold shawl. That I just gave away to someone who didn't deserve it or appreciate it. He lost it when he went to the prisoner of war camp. I can't bring myself to be mad at him because I don't know what he was going through at the time."

Rhett walked over to Scarlett and said, "I don't know what hell he went through at Rock Island or what he had to do to survive. I'm sure nothing a gentleman would do."

"That was why he held so close to the gentleman code."

"Yes."

"I am surprised you can show Ashley any compassion."

"I'm not an insane, jealous idiot anymore."

Scarlett smiled. She said, "Let's continue packing."

"Yes, let's. Not that you really have that much stuff. If we go back to the United States, we won't have that much to sell."

"Nonetheless, it doesn't matter. My husband is an excellent negotiator."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Yes."

"I don't think you have ever paid me a compliment before."

"I haven't, but I will more often in the future."

Later in the day Rhett marveled. He thought, 'She kept it all this time. It almost makes up for giving Wilkes the gold shawl.'

After the family had moved into the bigger house, Rhett said, "Let me give you some suggestions for our meals."

"Suggestions?"

"I found out that planning the menu for our meals was a thankless task. I don't know if you have as much trouble as I did planning our meals, but I had trouble deciding what to have for supper a week in advance."

"It is hard."

"My suggestions will be things that I always like to eat." Rhett smiled and said, "Like fried chicken or fried fish or steak. It is a meal you can always serve me without complaint. As long as it is not every night."

Scarlett smiled. She said, "Thank you, Rhett. It is so hard here in Sydney. Between what Donna can prepare and what is just not available here in Australia.

Because the family was not one hundred percent committed to staying in Australia, they didn't get any pets. They also didn't get any horses, carriages, or buggies. They either walked or took a taxi.

Wade had to work on Christmas Day. As he was walking to the police station, he thought, 'Another thing I don't like about this job. That and having to always wear long sleeve shirts. I thought this job would be exciting. Admittedly there have been some moments, but most of the time it is just boring.'

The twins were up early. They went down the hall to wake their parents up and found the door locked. Kenny knocked loudly on the door.

Rhett shouted through the door, "Go away. Your mother and I are still sleeping."

Gerry said, "We want to open our presents."

"Go away. You two can wait until your mother and I get up."

Kenny said, "No, you two come out here."

"You don't get to boss us around. We get to boss you around. Furthermore, the more you two argue with me the longer we will stay in this room. Go eat some breakfast."

"Alright. Let's go wake up Ella."

"Yeah, she will entertain us with her stories."

By this time Scarlett was awake also. She rolled over and kissed Rhett. He kissed her back. She whispered, "It has to be fast because our sons have very little patience."

"Alright."

It was fast, but both people had a pleasurable time.

After Rhett and Scarlett had gotten up and gotten dressed, he stopped her from leaving the room. He handed her a present. She said, "What is this?"

"Open it and see."

After Scarlett had opened the package, she saw that it was a green shawl. She said, "It is beautiful, Rhett. Thank you. For the shawl and for the forgiveness."

"You have forgiven me much worse sins. Now, come on. Let's go downstairs and put the children out of their misery."

There were toys for everyone. There was fabric for everyone. There were books that Scarlett took Wade and Ella to the bookstore to choose. There were books for Kenny and Gerry to practice their reading with. There were books for Rhett to read to the boys. There was jewelry for Rhett and Scarlett. Dinner was a small meal. They would have their big meal after Wade got home.

Scarlett took everyone down to Bondi Beach. Sid had told her about it and that it was relatively safe to wade in the water. Ella, Gerry, and Kenny did, but Rhett and Scarlett did not. He said, "We need to get bathing suits to wear while we are on the yacht."

"Did you find one that you wanted to buy?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure I will. I'm looking for a bargain."

"Just so you can best another man."

"I do enjoy it so."

Scarlett smiled at Rhett. He looked so pleased with himself.