Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Eighty-Nine

After Ellen finished waiting on the customer, she looked up and saw her grandchildren. She squatted down and threw open her arms. She said, "Come here, my darlings."

Tommy and Grace raced over to their Mee-maw and hugged her. Ellen said, "Would either one of you like a piece of candy?"

Both children nodded their heads up and down. Neither child looked at their mother, they were not going to give her a chance to say no. Ellen gave Tommy and Grace a piece of candy. She said, "Gerry is in the back if you want to go play with him."

Ellen came over to Scarlett and took Jude out of her arms. She said, "He looks more like Rhett every day."

"I'm so happy he didn't lose his Irish eyes."

"His blue eyes according to Rhett. He just can't help himself but point out they aren't Irish eyes even though they are."

Both women laughed. Rhett wasn't really discriminatory against the Irish, but he was a Charleston snob. Scarlett said, "Harrison and I have an idea for the free soup."

"Yes."

"We want to serve it out front."

"In front of the store?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. That will bring in trade. People will be beholden to us for the free soup thus they will buy merchandise from us."

Sourly Scarlett said, "Rhett gets all the credit."

"Of course. Of course, but with Careen and I serving the soup we will get credit also."

"You have to tell people the soup is thanks to Rhett. Something like 'The soup is famed blockade runner Rhett Butler's way of giving back to his community in their time of need."

"Something like that or exactly that."

"Exactly that. Rhett has to be the hero in all this."

"Why? He isn't doing any of the work."

"Mother, he is paying for almost everything."

"Not the vegetables."

Scarlett bit back the sharp retort she wanted to say. Ellen laughed and said, "You never could take a joke."

"I don't think it is funny that my husband does not get the credit he deserves."

"Calm down. I promise I will make sure Rhett gets the credit even if I must make all the people swear how great Rhett is before they get their soup."

"Mother!"

"Calm down, Scarlett. It was a joke."

"It wasn't funny."

Ellen thought to herself, 'That girl never has had much of a sense of humor. It is amazing Rhett found one at all.'

"Very well. Tell me the entire plan."

Scarlett stood there as prickly as a cactus. Finally, she took a deep breath and began to explain the plan. She and Harrison would bring the chicken and the kettle over early in the morning. They would get some water from Ellen. They would build a fire under the pot and keep the fire burning at a low flame. They would keep putting wood under the pot. The vegetables would already be prepared and after they were sure the chicken was done; they would add the vegetables. They would let it cook for a couple of hours, then serve it to anyone who wanted some who had a bowl to put it in. They would not supply the bowl. The people could buy a bowl from Ellen if they wanted to.

Ellen after listening to the plan said, "I will have Dilcey here in case you need something. Like advice."

Scarlett scowled and said, "You don't need to bother Dilcey, I will bring Nancy. …. And Benson."

"Whatever you think is best, Dear."

Scarlett scowled again. She said, "Let me have Jude. Tommy! Grace! Come along Harrison. We will return Mother."

"Thanks for the warning."

Scarlett scowled deeper and stalked off to the carriage. Ellen said, "She has her moments when she can get high and mighty. Most of the time Rhett keeps her humble, but he isn't around. Therefore, someone must humble her. I am probably the only person besides Rhett who can get away with it. Although, I have often seen him having to coax her back into a better mood. You can thank me later."

Harrison just smiled although he wanted to laugh. If Scarlett heard him laughing, she would then be mad at him. He was going to try to avoid that at all costs. He knew he would never be able to coax her into being happy with him again. He said, "Let me get the children."

"Sure."

"Tom! Grace! Let's go."

The children hurried out of the back. Gerry said, "Can't you stay a little longer?"

Grace said to Harrison, "Can Gerry come home with us?"

"Go ask your mother while I ask his mother."

Careen who had been listening to the conversation, said, "If it is alright with Scarlett, it is alright with me."

Grace came back in and said, "Mama said it was alright. Aunt Careen?"

"Yes. I will walk over and pick him up after we close up for the night."

Harrison said, "When Steven drops Rosemary off, we will send Gerry home with him."

"Perfect."

Almost four weeks after Rhett left, the Butlers and the O'Hara started giving away free soup outside of Bubba's General Store. The making of the soup was a trial for everyone. Finally, Nancy sharply said, "Miss Scarlett, go away! You are in the way. The O'Haras' cook said, "Miss Ellen, just get her away from us."

Ellen took Scarlett inside and settled her down. Finally, the older woman said, "Honey, cooking is not what you are good at."

"What am I good at?"

"You are good at looking beautiful. If you don't believe me, just ask Rhett if you aren't beautiful."

Scarlett beamed.

Nobody knew how many people would show up. They had not told anyone except a few Confederate veterans. Soon the people walking by stopped to see what was going on. At first out of curiosity then because they had heard there was going to be free food. When the soup was ready, Scarlett announced, "My husband the famed blockade runner, Rhett Butler, wants to give back to the people of Charleston. Therefore, every Saturday we will be giving out free bowls of soup. If you don't have a bowl, Mrs. O'Hara will be glad to sell you one. We will do this again, next Saturday. If you can donate a vegetable, it will be greatly appreciated. Just leave it with Mrs. O'Hara."

People went home to get their bowls. People went inside to buy a bowl. People were selling their bowls to other people once their soup was finished. Of the people that showed up many were thanking Scarlett for her husband's generosity. She was being worshipped and adored like a great lady. Harrison and Ellen were both glad to see it. It meant Scarlett would do it again next week. It also meant she would be in a good mood for the next week.

All the veterans who had showed up were disfigured in some way. Harrison talked to them about prosthetics. He at first had mainly been interested in replacement legs, but he quickly saw the need for artificial arms as well. One of the gentlemen had a prosthetic leg that his parents had bought for him. He said, "It was expensive. It is uncomfortable and completely useless. It looks like a leg but neither the knee nor the ankle bend. It is made of metal and wood. I can hardly walk in it."

The next day Harrison talked his ideas over with Rosemary. She was able to give him a complete lesson on joints. Once she was finished, he had some ideas of how he was going to create his prosthetic legs. He decided he would work on the legs first then move on to the arms.

Rosemary knew a lot about joints because of Steven's library. He had copies of manuscripts written by Leonardo Da Vinci. They had been gifts from his father. Steven never looked at his vast library without thinking of his father's words. That Steven's place in life was because of slavery. He would admit it, but he was going to put the knowledge and opportunity to good use.

Da Vinci had been dissecting objects for many years before he dissected his first corpse. He dissected oxen, horses, a bear, and some birds. It was believed that the artist had dissected at least thirty bodies. Of importance to scientists like Rosemary and Steven, it gave them insight into what was beneath the skin in the human body. By this time Rosemary and Steven had seen more knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists than they had ever wanted to see. The knowledge was going to help Harrison create limbs as close to humans as possible.

Later in the week, Scarlett asked Nancy, "Will you make some bread for the Saturday soup give away this weekend?"

"No, Miss Scarlett, that would be too much work. I will make some hardtack."

"What is hardtack?"

"Hard tack is a biscuit that is made with flour, water, and salt. It is fairly inexpensive. It lasts forever. It is used on long ocean voyages and long land migrations."

"How do you know about it?"

"Years ago, when I still lived on the plantation when we were given our monthly allotment of flour my mama would make hardtack with it. It kept the weevils out. It is quite hard in its natural state and last forever. To restore it all one has to do is soak it in water or broth. If one soaks it in broth it takes on the flavor of the broth. It is quite tasty and filling."

"Yes, good idea, Nancy. Let's make some hardtack. How can I help?"

"Can I have Benson instead?"

Scarlett smiled a tight smile. She was not used to being rejected. She said, "Yes, and Harrison and my children. Except Jude, of course."

"Don't bar him from the kitchen. He so wants to be like his brother and sister."

Scarlett paused and said, "And they so want him to be like them. Thank you, Nancy. If I have never said so thank you for staying."

"Benson made that decision without my input."

"Isn't that just like a man. Although I can't say that I am sorry he did."

Nancy smiled.

Scarlett had a birthday party for Jude. He was one. Rhett was not there. He had sent her a telegraph two weeks ago stating he was leaving Plymouth. She knew he had tried, but he had not been able to get across the ocean in two weeks. She hoped Rhett was there for all the rest of Jude's birthdays. They had cake even Jude although Scarlett normally didn't allow the child sugar. She would nurse him before he took his nap and before he went to bed tonight, but after that he would be completely on table food. He got some presents, but not very many. Money was tight for everyone, and Jude didn't know any different.

Harrison had taken Rosemary out to Magnolia Restaurant. She had wanted She crab soup, but it was not available. There was still too much activity in the harbor. Instead, she had crab rice and Harrison had Frogmore Stew. Harrison had given Rosemary a stethoscope as her birthday present. It had been more expensive than he should have spent, but the look on her face made it all worthwhile. She said, "Now I won't have to put my head on the patient's chest."

"That was the plan."

Rosemary laughed.

Later that night Harrison and Rosemary had a lovely time in their bed. Harrison didn't know if it was harder to have relations with just one leg because he had been a virgin when he and Rosemary had married. She had been too, of course. Everything seemed to be working just fine and Rosemary seemed to be happy, so he guessed he was doing something right. He could not believe that this wonderful woman had taken him back. He also couldn't believe how utterly happy she was treating wounded patients.

Rosemary had once said, "It will be so boring once Steven and I go back to treating patients with running noses and bad backs."

Harrison had replied, "No, it will always be exciting to you."

Rosemary had smiled a magnificent smile. He would do whatever he had to do to keep that smile on her face.