Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Forty-Eight

While packing their trunks to go to Tara, Scarlett said to Rhett, "When I said, 'One silly reason or another.' I didn't think you were going to take me so literally."

"I wasn't firing them because of the plan, I was firing them because they are incompetent. I truly hope Mammy wants to return with us. I am beginning to believe she is the only competent nursemaid in the South."

"Maybe she will return with us for no other reason, but to help train the new nursemaid."

"I hope so."

"You will have to get us a cabin or something. Faith is going to need privacy to nurse Tommy."

"If Mammy comes back with us, we are just going to keep her until your mother comes to get her. I can't afford all this."

"Next time it won't be as expensive because next time we go visit my family Tommy won't be nursing."

"Very well."

"But I agree with your plan to make mother come get Mammy."

Scarlett and Rhett hosted a birthday party for Tommy. They had the party at the Moons home so Daphne could attend. There was just family. After all, Tommy didn't have any friends. There was no cake because Mammy had informed Rhett that Tommy was too young to have sugar. There were sandwiches, raw vegetables with some dressing, lemonade, and tea. Rhett carried the little boy around all throughout the party. Tommy had started walking and had started making sounds. Scarlett would smile when she would hear Rhett trying to get the little boy to say 'Daddy.'

That night as Rhett and Scarlett were getting in the bed, he said, "I would like to have a little girl."

"Not on purpose."

"I don't get a say in the matter."

"No, not until you are the one carrying the child."

"You are being unreasonable. You won't even talk about it."

"There isn't anything to talk about. When our prevention method fails, we will have another one. You yourself told me the iron sulfate is not one hundred percent. So, you better start hoping it fails."

Rhett rolled over with his back to Scarlett. She said, "Are we not going to be intimate?"

"I'm not in the mood."

"That's fine with me, but I would like to point out that you can't get me with child if we aren't intimate."

Rhett rolled back over and sighed. He rolled over some more until he was facing Scarlett. He smiled and said, "You have a very good point."

"I love you."

"And I love you, too. Which is why I am tolerating your unreasonable behavior."

Scarlett didn't think her behavior was unreasonable. She wished Rhett could experience what it was like to carry a child, labor, and delivery. He might be more understanding of her desire to not have any more children.

After Scarlett was asleep, Rhett wondered if there was some way he could trick Scarlett into thinking they were using the iron sulfate when they weren't. Rhett was as amoral as Scarlett when he was going after his goal. He had no qualms about tricking his wife into having another child just because he wanted a daughter despite the fact his wife was a lousy mother. He thought of just pouring the iron sulfate out and replacing it with water. No that wouldn't work. The iron sulfate solution was green. Besides if Scarlett ever caught him doing that, it would be a long time before she allowed them to be intimate again, if ever. He considered watering the solution down, but on this issue, Scarlett was eagled-eyed. She would just make another batch of the solution. She had done that before when she didn't think the solution looked right. He finally decided he would just rub the cloth on the sheet before he inserted it into her. Maybe there wouldn't be enough iron sulfate on the cloth for it to do its job.

Soon Rhett, Scarlett, Tommy, Faith, and Mammy were on their way to Tara. Rhett had gotten them a small cabin. Its only purpose was to give Faith privacy while she nursed the baby.

The trip was long. There was trouble on the rails and the train had sat in the same place for an hour. Finally, they got to Atlanta. Rhett had the cab driver take them to the Ellis Hotel. It was the same one they had stayed at the last time they were in Atlanta. There was enough food left over from the train trip for everyone's supper. Scarlett had made sure there was by packing twice as much food as she thought they would need.

Scarlett said, "The town has grown since last year."

"That is usually what happens."

Rhett got the group two rooms. One for Mammy, Faith, and Tommy and one for Scarlett and himself. Scarlett had gotten some of the food out of the box and then given the box to Mammy.

The next morning after breakfast, Rhett, Scarlett, and Tommy had gone to visit with Melanie. Mammy and Faith had remained in the hotel room. Melanie and Scarlett had visited for about thirty minutes then Melanie had taken them down to Matty's bookstore. The foursome had visited for another thirty minutes. Scarlett noticed that Matty had hired a clerk and commented on it. Matty said, "I am now making enough to hire someone. He only works in the morning."

"That is wonderful. We have to go we have to be on the eleven o'clock train to Jonesboro. My parents are meeting us in Jonesboro."

Melanie said, "Will I get to see you again before you go back to Charleston?"

"I don't think so, but I would appreciate a ride back to the hotel to pick up Mammy and Faith."

"Certainly, I will even take you to the train station. Goodbye, Sweetheart."

"Goodbye, Matty."

"Yes, goodbye everyone."

With Melanie's help the group got to the station with plenty of time to board the eleven o'clock train. Gerald and Ellen were at the station to meet them. There were hugs all around. Tommy was once again taken out of Rhett's arms. It would only be for ten days, but it was going to be a long ten days.

Fortunately for Rhett's disposition, Scarlett had given him her special thank you the night before.

In the carriage, Ellen said, "I have exciting news. Tom Tarleton and Cathy Calvert eloped."

"I knew Tom had asked her. She wrote and said they were going to get married next spring. She asked me to stand with her."

"I don't know why, but for some reason she and Tom didn't want to wait."

Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "We will have to go visit her."

"Tomorrow afternoon while Tommy is napping."

When Tommy heard his name, he looked at his daddy. He then reached out for his daddy to take him. He was no sooner in his daddy's arms when he started reaching for Scarlett. She smiled and said, "Come here, my little man." She said to Rhett, "No, tomorrow morning. I want to show off my son."

Rhett smiled at least she is proud of her son.

Scarlett turned back to her mother and asked, "Where are they living?"

"At Fair Hill."

After the carriage got to Tara, both Careen and Suellen came out to meet them.

Suellen was wearing the yellow dress. It seemed that Suellen had blossomed since Christmas. She now filled the dress out quite nicely. Fortunately for Suellen, she and Ellen had not been able to go into Atlanta until March. By March Suellen knew her bodices were getting tight. Therefore, instead of having the yellow dress taken in, she had a few of her others let out.

When Scarlett saw the smug expression on Suellen's face, she smiled. It seems Scarlett's gift was not worthless. She said, "Suellen, how pretty you look in your new dress. Who is calling on you?"

"I don't have any callers yet."

"Once the men see you in that pretty dress, they will start coming to see you."

"Thank you, Scarlett."

Both Suellen and Rhett knew that Scarlett was only being nice for her parents' sake. Soon everyone had been assigned a room. Careen had moved into Suellen's room while Rhett and Scarlett were visiting. Mammy had found a room in the servants' quarters. While Faith and Tommy had moved into Careen's room.

Over dinner, Gerald said, "With me now having a grandson, I suppose we will have to add on another couple of rooms."

Ellen said, "That would probably be a good idea."

Scarlett said, "What is the news in the county?"

"Joe Fontaine has decided to not take over the management of Mimosa. He is going to be a doctor instead like his father and grandfather. Alex will take over the management of the plantation."

"What about Tony?"

Gerald said, "I hear he is going to train with Charlie Hamilton to become a lawyer."

"That is a nice respectable job. Melanie wrote me and told me Charlie had married a girl that lives in Atlanta. Jen something."

Suellen said, "Honey was quite upset about Charlie marrying someone else and she is blaming Ashley for it."

"I don't think Ashley is to blame exactly. I think it is just unfortunate circumstances. I don't think Charlie was ever really interested in Honey. He spent most of his time with me at all the social events."

"It is sad. Like me Honey has not had any gentleman callers."

Rhett said, "Rosemary, who just turned fifteen, has only had two gentleman callers. It is not that unusual."

Scarlett didn't say that she had been having a slew of gentlemen callers since she was fourteen. She didn't say anything because her parents were sitting right there, and her mother would have censured her.

Gerald said, "This might be of interest to you, Scarlett. John told me the other day that Julia Franklin got married."

"Who?"

"Julia Franklin, Ashley's former fiancé. According to John, she slimmed down and almost became attractive."

"Who did she marry?"

"Dexter Morgan. He is a doctor in Lovejoy."

"That is nice for her."

Careen said, "It is nice she found love."

Ellen quickly said, "Yes, it is."

"Brent asked if he could call on me, but Mother said I wasn't old enough."

"Soon. You will be fourteen in January."

"Yes."

"Which university is he attending now?"

"He and Stuart never went back to school. They are helping their father at Fair Hill."

Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "I will have to send Cathy a note right after we finish eating."

"Alright."

The next morning after arising Rhett notice there was a stain on the sheet where he had rubbed the cloth to get the iron oxide solution off it. He would have to be careful to not rub the cloth in the same place all the time. He would make sure the sheets on their bed were changed weekly.

Shortly after nine o'clock the Butlers were at Fair Hill. Cathy had come out of the house to greet them. She said, "Is this your son?"

"Yes, his name is Tommy. Isn't he handsome."

"Yes, he is. Come sit on the porch. Let me get us some lemonade and find Tom."

"Alright."

In a short amount of time, Cathy had returned with her husband and some lemonade. After everyone was settled, Scarlett introduced the two men. Tom said, "Yes, I remember you from the barbecue."

"Yes, that was an exciting time."

"Cathy told me about how you had to get married because Scarlett's aunt couldn't keep her mouth shut."

Scarlett said, "That is true. Although it has all worked out for the best. Rhett and I are happy together, but it could have been much worse."

"That's true. We could have been fighting all the time."

"True now we only fight half the time. Cathy, tell me why you ran off to get married."

"It is simple. My stepmother was taking over the arrangements. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Father supported her and told me to do what she told me to do. After I told Tom…"

"I went back to Fair Hill and got the carriage and we drove into Jonesboro."

While blushing Cathy said, "We then spent the night in Jonesboro, so Father would have to let us stay married."

Scarlett said, "I don't suppose Mr. Calvert was happy about that."

"No, he wasn't. I quickly packed my trunk and moved in with Tom. It has been great living here so far. Tom's mother has let me take over the running of the household."

"Really? Despite her having four daughters."

"I don't think any of my sisters-in-law wanted to take on the responsibility. Also, with Tom the heir apparent, I will someday be the mistress of Fair Hill."

Tom said, "I think it is so my mother can spend more time with her horses."

"Probably. She does love her horses."

Scarlett found out that Boyd was apprenticing to be a lawyer with an attorney in Atlanta. The attorney's name was Arnie Becker. She also found out that Alex had finally asked Dimity to marry him. And on and on the gossip went until Tommy started fussing. Rhett stood up and said, "It is time to return to Tara."

As everyone walked to the carriage, Scarlett said, "Congratulations again."

Cathy and Tom both said, "Thank you."

A week later, Rhett knew his wife was not with child. Scarlett would still not take care of his needs for him, but she would lie next to him and kiss him while he was taking care of the matter. Which he guessed was progress.