In mid-April 1868, relatives gathered at the Butler estate to celebrate Bonnie's past one year anniversary. The family from Atlanta, Melanie and Ashley and Beau, Carreen and Will from Tara with his little son, Mrs Butler and Rosemary.
They had decided to have a barbecue in the garden and Scarlett was sitting in the shade of a large tree, on a wicker chair, wearing a white muslin dress so similar to the one she had worn 7 years ago. She held her little daughter in her arms, stroked her dark curls affectionately, and remembered all that was irretrievably gone. Parents, friends, beaux, previous life...There was a slight sadness in her eyes, but she also knew that now she had much more. A beloved man, a house with children's laughter, a son and a daughter, her husband's family, which she could consider her own, Melly and her sisters. Life went on.
She felt his gaze on her before she even turned round. That gaze she had first felt that day at Twelve Oaks. Her heart quickened its rhythm and a moment later she felt his arms around her waist, embracing her.
"Sweetheart..." he gently reached for her neck with his lips.
Scarlett blushed and started to look round. "Rhett Butler, you're incorrigible! It's indecent, someone will see!" she hissed, adjusting her straw hat and strocking Bonnie's curls.
Rhett only chuckled and sat down next to them, asking, "How are my girls doing? Why are you alone, Scarlett?"
"Everyone's really gone somewhere, Rhett. Your mother's gone to check the kitchen preparations, and Melanie and Rosemary have gone off on their own. By the way, I'm going to be jealous of Melly soon, because she came to stay with us, but she's always spending time with Rosemary, forgetting about me," Scarlett pouted.
Rhett chuckled and said, "It seems to you, Scarlett, I can safely say that your place in Miss Mellie's heart is a special one. You know it yourself, Honey, you're just being cranky today."
"Rhett, stop it, I'm not a child!" she belligerently began to say.
He, mesmerised as always by the sparkle in her green eyes, raised his hands in defeat and then reached for her lips. Kissing her tenderly, he stroked Bonnie's curls and said, "I have news, Sweetheart. But, I'll tell them to you when everyone's gone, in a couple of days and..."
"Rhett Butler, don't you dare do this to me! I won't fall sleep with curiosity! What news, Rhett? Please tell me..." Scarlett finished with a sly smile.
Rhett smirked again and said to her in a kindly tone, "All right, dear wife, I'll tell you now, because I'm afraid if I don't do it and keep quiet, I'll wake up at night with a knife at my throat and threats," he finished with a laugh.
"Rhett, you have terrible jokes," Scarlett exclaimed, adjusting Bonnie's bonnet.
"All right, all right, Honey, I'm sorry. Anyway, we're leaving at the beginning of May. Me, you, Wade and Bonnie."
"Where are we going, Rhett?" she asked with interest and surprise.
"Back then, five years ago, I dreamed of showing you,Paris, Scarlett...Back when I almost lost you. I remember not being myself in that city of love, pushing away the thought that I might lose you. Now I want to show it to you and our children, Sweetheart," he finished quietly, walked over to them, stood behind her chair, leaned over and kissed her neck softly.
Scarlett hesitated, a little worried, she said to him, "Rhett, would that be comfortable? Such a long journey..."
"Don't worry about a thing, Scarlett, I'll take care of everything."
Such simple words, but Scarlett had always appreciated that about her husband. She and the children were the most important thing to him, she felt it every day of their life together.
"Thank you..." she said quietly, and then she turned to him, kissed him gently on the lips and whispered, "I love you, Rhett."
His answer was a kiss even deeper and more tender. A kiss of love.