Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter One Hundred and Five

Rhett walked out of the kitchen. He left the house and went down to his mother-in-law's store. When Rhett asked, "Where is Careen?"

"Upstairs. She is resting. She is so tired these days."

"Any day now. Did Steven get her some chloroform?"

"Yes, he has a whole bottle. Whatever Careen doesn't use he will give to Scarlett. There is no telling how much she may need. I understand she has the rest of Rosemary's bottle also."

"Hopefully Careen's ordeal will be over soon."

"Yes, what brings you down to the store?"

"Ribbon. I need to buy a spool of blue, green, and brown."

"A spool of each?"

"Scarlett plans for the triplets to each wear a different color of ribbon so we can tell them apart."

"Good plan. I know you will be happy when this is all over."

"I'm in no hurry. They still need to stay inside a few more weeks."

"You are lucky. I have all three colors."

After Rhett had made his purchases, he started to leave the store. He heard Mammy cry out, "Miss Ellen, go get Dr. Steven."

Rhett said, "You go on up. I will go to the hospital."

"The soup needs to be made."

Rhett started to say they can starve, but he knew they were already. Instead, he said, "Harrison and I will handle it." At Ellen's skeptical look, he added, "I will bring Nancy back with me."

Ellen hurried up the stairs while saying, "Sam, put the closed sign out and go home."

"Of course."

Sam Walton was a young man in his late teens. He had lost a leg in the war. He had been one of Harrison's first customers. Harrison knew from the Sunday dinners that Ellen needed help in the store. It was too much for Careen to be on her feet all that time. Harrison had gotten Sam hired at the store.

Sam had started working only in the afternoons, but he quickly moved to full time because of his work ethic. Also, because it was nice to have a man around to move all the boxes and large merchandise.

A feat Sam was only able to do because of his prosthetic leg. It was a model that was above the knee. To Harrison's surprise Sam's father had not balked at the price.

No, Thomas Walton had thought two hundred dollars cheap to make his son whole again.

Sam's joy of living had returned along with his pride in himself with the artificial limb and the job.

Sam said, "Mr. Butler, let me go ahead and get the water boiling. It takes a while to heat up that much water."

"Thanks."

Rhett went to the hospital and told Steven Careen was in labor. Rhett then went home and told Harrison that they would be responsible for the soup completely that day, so they had to go. He told Agnes to get Jude and come with him. She would have to help serve the soup. He told Nancy to get herself and the hardtack ready. He told Benson to get the chicken from John. Last he ran upstairs to tell Scarlett what was happening. He found her there in labor. He stopped in his tracks. He switched gears and said, "Let me get the brew from Nancy. I will be right back."

Rhett stopped by the foyer and told the group they would have to go on without him. He and Nancy would follow in a few minutes. Something had come up.

Harrison said, "Let us go. We haven't got time to waste. Fortunately, it isn't that long of a walk."

Rhett went to the kitchen and told Nancy, "Scarlett is in labor. She needs another mug of the brew."

"Right away, Mr. Rhett."

Benson said, "I will go on without you."

"No, wait on Nancy."

"I have the chicken."

Rhett smiled. He said, "Harrison just left. He has Jude walking with him so I'm sure he isn't moving too fast. Give him the chicken and hurry back. Women aren't safe on the streets these days."

Benson left the room. Rhett sat at the table and thought about his plan to get the better of Potter.

Although Rhett's mind wasn't on Scarlett, it was. Nancy looked at the man, his body was that of a man who was completely helpless. A man who needed God's help. She prayed God gave him that help.

Soon Benson was back. Nobody spoke. Nancy and Benson were worried about Miss Scarlett. Nobody wanted to give Mr. Rhett false hope, so they said nothing at all.

Ten minutes later, Nancy put the mug down in front of Rhett. She had added a splash of brandy in the mug. She had heard that brandy would stop a woman's labor. She had decided, "It wouldn't hurt.'

As she placed the mug in front of Rhett, she said, "Benson, you need to go see Jezebel. We need more spice."

Rhett stood up and said, "Thank you."

He left the room. Scarlett was in active labor, but she forced herself to drink all of the brew. In thirty minutes, the pains were less, but still consistently happening. In forty-five minutes, the pains were weaker and less frequent. An hour and a half later the contractions had stopped once again.

Scarlett said, "I'm so tired."

"Rest."

"Rhett, why did that woman give you the brew?"

"She is something that one doesn't find very often a truly kind person."

"What are you doing for her?"

"Somehow buying her freedom."

"That's nice."

"And her granddaughter's"

Scarlett looked at Rhett questioningly. He said, "She won't leave her behind. They are all the family either one of them has."

"They are lucky neither one of them was sold."

"You don't know the half of it. The man that owns them is Henry Potter."

Scarlett gasped. She said, Mr. Potter is not a nice man. I have heard rumors. I heard he tried to kill his wife by setting fire to their home. I have also heard she no longer will share a room with him."

"I heard that too."

"Whatever you are going to do, be careful. You are going to have to outsmart him. It will be hard. Not that you are not smarter than him, but he is immoral. There is no bottom to his depth of depravity."

"Where did you learn all that."

"Alexander Dumas."

"Which one?"

"The Count of Monte Christo."

"That was a good novel."

"And Uncle Tom's Cabin. I now know there are far too many men like Simon Legree and far too few like Uncle Tom."

"I agree. Can you sleep?"

"Yes, if your children stop having a party in my womb."

Rhett leaned forward and playfully said, "This is your father. Settle down in there or you are going to be in trouble." Scarlett smiled at him and his silliness. He said, "Careen is in labor. Your mother and Mammy are with her. I have to go take care of the soup."

"Hug me first."

"Of course."

The couple hugged each other like they would never see each other again."

By the time Rhett got back to in front of the store, Agnes had everything organized. Rhett just smiled. The woman made everything run smoothly. The soup was bubbling away. Rhett saw chunks of chicken and lots of vegetables in the soup. He saw the hard tack on a table within easy reach of the line. After one got their bowl of soup, it was easy to grab the hardtack and just plop it in. He saw lots of people sitting around. He felt a little bit of shame that he had been fine with them starving. He wondered what they did for food the rest of the time, but he couldn't worry about them. He had his hands full worrying about his relatives and servants. There was Baby Percy who was just a week old. Doing well, but not out of danger. There was Rosemary. Recovering, but not out of danger. There was Careen and her baby. In terrible danger he now knew. It was just a wait and see right now. There were his children and his servants. There was Jezebel and her granddaughter. There was Scarlett and his babies. They were in terrible danger and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

The woman who could do a damn thing about keeping Scarlett and the babies healthy was doing her best. She had done her part for no other reason than she was a kind person despite the hardship she had endured in her life. Now he had to do his part. Tonight. He would get Jezebel and Athaliah. Fair was fair.

And if Rhett was honest, he wanted Jezebel in that room gently moving his babies around. Surprising to him, he did want to save Athaliah from being raped by old man Potter. That thought enraged him. It also shamed him. He had known for years it was a common practice, but he had never let it concern him before. He didn't know what he could do for all the other women, but he could save Athaliah. He would think about all the other women later.

Ellen came out about four o'clock and announced, "Careen has had her baby. It is a girl. Mother and child are doing well."

"What is her name?"

"Depends on who you ask. If you ask her father, the child is named Caroline Irene for her mother. If you ask Pawpaw, her name is Bonnie. Bonnie means blessed or beloved in Gaelic. The child is beloved, indeed."

Rhett said, "Harrison, can you take care of cleaning all this up?"

"Can you leave Agnes, Grace and Tom? They are great helpers."

"Sure. I have to take Nancy so she can fix dinner, but Benson can stay and help you."

"Sure, Great. Alright with you Benson?"

"Sure. Sure."

"Come on Jude. You get to go home with Daddy."

"Stay."

"No, you must go home with Daddy."

When Jude started crying, Rhett just picked the boy up. Jude cried until the buggy drove off. He stopped crying because he knew that he had lost.

Rhett took Nancy and Jude home in Scarlett's buggy. He left Jude with Inez. As Rhett was walking back to his room to check on Scarlett, he thought about finding a guardian for his children. After the babies were born, he and Scarlett would have to name someone. That would be a big decision. Who could afford six more children? His children would be wealthy. No, who would want six more children. For whatever reason Melanie Perry popped into Rhett's mind. That was strange because he barely knew her. What he did know was she had desperately wanted children, but fate had only given her one. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He couldn't worry about that now. He had to get through supper without Scarlett suspecting anything.

Supper was enjoyable. The family talked about the soup giveaway and all the people who had attended. They talked about Careen and her baby girl. Everyone agreed that Gerald O'Hara would prevail, and the child would be called Bonnie. It was fine. She was beloved. Soon Scarlett was drooping. Rhett tried to get her to go upstairs, but she refused to go until dessert was served. Tom said, "I will bring you some dessert, Mama."

Scarlett held up her hand with two fingers extended, she said, "Two servings."

"Yes, Mama."

"And a piece of fruit. Baby One always wants fruit."

Grace said, "I will get you a piece of fruit."

Rhett gathered Scarlett up. She had both her arms around the baby bulge. He helped her up the stairs. Soon he knew she would have to stay in bed all the time, but he could not deny her this social outing yet. He wished he could sweep her up in his arms, but her weight was too much for him to carry, much less walk up the stairs with her in his arms.

After Scarlett had hugged all her children and eaten both her desserts, she decided to save the orange Grace had gotten for her until in the morning. After Rhett got her settled in the bed. Rhett said, "I have to go out."

"Please, be careful. I am in no shape to storm into a brothel and rescue you."

"What makes you think I am going to do something dangerous?"

"You have your mask on."

"My mask?"

"Your mask. Like you are gearing yourself up for battle."

"I guess I am. Scarlett…"

"I don't want any details. That will make me worry more."

"I will be careful, I promise."

"Kiss me passionately one more time."

Rhett kissed Scarlett with all his passion, with all his love. She kissed him back with just as much passion and just as much love.

When Rhett was almost out the door, he heard Scarlett say, "Like we could ever be celibate."

Rhett chuckled. No, they could never be able to be celibate until his pecker no longer worked. He was confident they would find other ways to make each other happy when that occurred. It made him smile until he left the townhouse. He got into Scarlett's buggy and decided he was going to have to buy himself a horse. No, he was going to have to buy Scarlett a bigger buggy.

Author's Notes: As I was doing research on triplets, I saw a picture of a woman who was eight months along. I was shocked by how large her baby bump was. I guess the correct statement was her babies' bulge. I read that each child equals twenty-five pounds of weight with the placenta and the amniotic fluid. Which with triplets would means seventy-five pounds of additional weight for the woman to carry. I was shocked and amazed.