Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW. I am not making any money on this writing.

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

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A week after the Butlers had supper with the Townsends, Rhett and Scarlett showed up at the school to be given a tour. Stuart greeted them at the door and escorted them to his office.

As the couple looked around the room, Stuart said, "It used to be the butler's pantry."

Rhett said, "Good use of space."

"Thanks. I can't show you any of the classrooms because it is still class time."

"Of course."

"I took this home that I got at a cheap price and fixed it up. The parlor is a classroom, the library is a classroom, upstairs all the bedrooms have been turned into classrooms. The only two rooms that have retained their previous role are the dining room and the foyer. The foyer is where Kellyanne greets people."

The tour continued and Stuart took the couple outside. The boys were playing. It just so happened it was Wade's class. Scarlett waved and Wade waved back.

Wade loved his mother so much. He loved Dad, but not like he loved Mama. He loved Dad like he loved Aunt Melly and Beau. He really didn't love Uncle Ashley that much. The man was always standoffish with him. Wade had noticed that Uncle Ashley was that way with Beau also. Wade felt sorry for Beau. Wade had so many people who loved him a lot and all Beau had was his mother.

The reading lessons with John had started off slow. John could tell that India really didn't want to be there, but he felt like she was trying her best. He soon realized that she wasn't a teacher, but she could help him, nonetheless.

Fortunately, for the couple John had a quick and nimble brain. He basically had taught himself to read. Yet, India realized after a couple of weeks that John had gaps in his education.

One day India said, "Let us start at square one. It will be tiresome, but it is the only way we will learn where your gaps are. The positive is that we should be able to speed through the primers until we get to one of your gaps."

"Great idea!"

The couple would talk. One day India was bemoaning how horrible her life was when John said, "Let me tell you what a horrible life is. It is when a person is born on the wrong side of the blanket. I have nothing to do with the circumstances of my birth, but I am the one who bears the title bastard."

India stared a John. He was right. His circumstances were worse than hers. She said, "You are right those would be worst circumstances."

About two weeks later, India was complaining about Scarlett stealing her one true love from her. John said, "What did you do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you fight to get him back?"

"Fight?! What could I do? He had left me for her."

"True. He left you for her. What was stopping him from leaving her for you? Nothing."

"Nothing?! In order to get him back I would have had to behave improperly."

"Did Scarlett behave properly when she stole the man away from you?"

"No, she didn't."

"And that's why she got the man."

"I suppose you don't behave properly, either."

"Why bother? I already have two major strikes against me. I am a bastard and ugly."

"You aren't ugly. When you smile, it lights up your face."

John smiled and said, "Thank you. I think that is the first time I have gotten a compliment on my looks."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six."

"Ashley says you are a great salesman. How?"

"I don't know. Just a gift, I guess. Ashley is a lousy salesman which is alright. He is good with the paperwork."

"He does like to cross all the t's and dot all the i's."

"He does but soon he will be teaching full-time, and I will have to run the store by myself. I am hoping to open another store."

"That would be amazing. Ashley can't leave until he gets a full-time teaching job."

"I must be prepared. Let's get back to my lessons."

"Of course."

After that conversation, India saw John in another light. Yes, he was a bastard, but that wasn't his fault. That was Frank Kennedy's fault. India didn't even give John's mother, Rose, any of the blame. It was all Frank's fault for not doing the right thing once he found out Rose was with child. No, it was all Frank's for seducing a woman into having relations before marriage.

Although India truly did wonder how someone as unattractive as Frank could have seduced any woman. Unkindly, she thought, 'Maybe there was some money involved.'

It was June and the Butlers were hosting a lavish party. Everyone always wanted to attend a party at the mansion. Rhett asked Scarlett to add some people to the guest list. She said, "Who are these people?"

"People who don't mind doing business with Yankees and Republicans."

"Scallawags?"

"No. These are people who might have once been considered part of the gentry."

Scarlett looked at the list. She saw the names: Tim and Faith McGraw. She pointed at the names and said, "Rhett, these people are part of Southern society."

"True, but they are ready to leave the past behind and move on. You will notice that Alan and Denise Jackson are on the list also."

"What are you doing, Rhett?"

"Seeing if there is any way we can be received into a form of Southern society."

"What do you mean? Small words, Rhett."

Rhett smiled. He said, "I know you don't want to leave Georgia. The only reason you are willing to leave is so your children will be received into proper society. Before we move away let's be sure there isn't a way to belong to the new Southern society. We will not be received in the Merriwethers' home or the Meades' home, but I have a feeling that those people are not going to be important in the near future."

"Why do you say that?"

"They are broke, all of them, thus unimportant to rich and powerful people."

"It would be wonderful if you could make it happen. I really don't want to leave."

"I know. It speaks to your love of your children to be willing to leave everything you love behind."

"I wouldn't be leaving everything I loved behind. You and the children would be with me."

Rhett smiled and leaned forward and kissed Scarlett. He said, "True."

On the night of the party, everyone Scarlett had invited showed up including the governor of the state of Georgia. None of the guests were offended by his presence. Not even Scarlett. In fact, she had a lengthy conversation with the man about the South. She found out that while he was born in New York state in a city called Bethlehem, he had moved to Augusta in sixty to manage the Southern Express Company. He had served in the Confederate Army. He had been a Lieutenant colonel in the Quartermaster's Office.

Scarlett said, "How did you get elected governor?"

"I played a key role at the Constitution Convention. I rode that to being elected governor. Although, I probably will not be re-elected once Southerners get the right to vote back."

"That is what Rhett says. They will elect the same people who got them into this mess in the first place."

"True."

"Excuse me, let me play hostess."

As Scarlett walked away, Rufus thought, 'That is one hell of a woman.'

As Rhett and Scarlett were getting into the bed, she said, "Everyone showed up. I am so happy."

"Me too."

Rhett then rolled over and started kissing his wife. Soon she wasn't thinking about her party and who had shown up.

In July Georgia was admitted back into the union. Soon after that the white men got the right to vote back.

It was September and Scarlett was miserable. Melly had come to visit every day, but even though she was bored Scarlett was even more bored by Melly's visits. One day Scarlett said, "What are you reading?"

For the first time in a long time Scarlett saw Melly animated. She was excited about something. Scarlett thought it was sad that the only excitement in Melly's world was a book.

After school had started, Melly told Scarlett how excited Ashley was to be able to teach again. If enrollment stayed up Stuart had promised Ashley a full-time position.

Melly said, "India is teaching John to read."

"John?"

"Mr. Kennedy, Ashley's partner."

"How is he doing?"

"Very well according to India, but she always says he has a long way to go before she can stop tutoring him."

"How did India become his tutor?"

In the most glowing words possible Melly told Scarlett how it had all come about that India became John's tutor. As Scarlett listened to Melly speak, she wondered, 'Is she brain dead? I know India and there is no way she would have volunteered to tutor a bastard.'

Scarlett didn't say anything. She let Melly continue living in her shadow puppet world. She knew what a shadow puppet world was now. Rhett had explained it to her in ridiculously small words. It was living one's life removed from the real world. After Rhett had explained it, he smiled and said, "You could never live that kind of life."

"No, I couldn't. I enjoy living life to much for that."

Melly had left soon after that. Melly was not her only visitor. The Scallawag wives came by. The Republican wives came by. Gracie Burns came by. Kellyanne Townsend came by. She usually brought her son, which always made Bonnie happy to have someone to play with. The children did get along, despite Bonnie bossing Brent around all the time.

One night in the middle of September while rubbing her baby bump, Scarlett said, "Do you stay in touch with your mother?"

"Not really. She writes to me once a month and tells me everything that is going on in her life. I return her letters telling her everything going on in my life. She has never asked me to bring either you or Bonnie to Charleston so she can meet you."

"Oh Rhett."

"I know it is sad, but don't despair. It is all a result of a decision I made over twenty years ago."

"If you could, would you do things differently."

"At one time, I might have said yes, but not since you told me you loved me. Everything that happened brought us together.

"Rhett, you have a vulgar vocabulary. I couldn't believe all the words you said to you when you were still in my mind."

Rhett sat down next to his wife and put his hand on her baby bump. She said, "The baby isn't doing anything."

"I know. I just like touching your baby bump." Rhett and Scarlett were both quiet until he said, "Yes, I have a vulgar vocabulary. Most of the men I have associated with since I left home couldn't put a sentence together without cussing. I had to cuss too so they would take me seriously. So, they would not think of me as a weak gentleman."

"You certainly aren't weak."

"I was young also which also led to men not having confidence in me."

"You certainly aren't young now."

Rhett burst out laughing. He said, "What gave my age away? My wrinkles or my gray hair."

"How old are you?"

"I was thirty-three the day we met."

"I was sixteen."

"I decided that."

"So, you are now…" Rhett sat there quietly while Scarlett did the math. She continued, "Forty-two."

"Yes, I will be forty-three in November."

"Oh. Of course."

"How old are you?"

"A lady never reveals her age."

"What does what a lady will or not do have anything to do with you not telling me your age?"

"Jerk."

Rhett smiled his cocky smile and said, "I know you are twenty-five."

"How?"

"I did the math. You just told me you were sixteen when we met. That was nine years ago, ergo you are twenty-five."

"Ergo? What does that mean?"

"It means therefore."

"Just say that next time."

"Yes, Dear. No tell me about the book you are reading."

"I am reading a biography on Isaac Newton. Did you know he had three laws of motion?"

"Yes, I did, but you tell me about them."

Scarlett started telling Rhett all about Newton for the next thirty minutes. He was so glad he had coaxed her into being a reader.