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-Eight

It was September twenty-sixth, and Scarlett woke up in the early morning. She was in labor. She woke Rhett up and said, "Send for the doctor, Mammy, and Melly in that order."

Rhett shook the sleep out of his head and said, "Let me put some clothes on."

"That would be a good idea. You would scandalize everyone if you walked around naked."

"It would be very inconvenient also. Beating off all those women."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Just send for Dr. Harrison and his chloroform."

"I thought he used ether."

"He did, but he has since found out that chloroform gives the same pain relief as ether and doesn't smell so bad."

"That is good. I didn't think we were ever going to get that stink out of the room."

"It wasn't pleasant having to inhale those fumes, but it did give me relief from the pain."

"That is all that matters, that you get relief from the pain."

"That's right. Without the pain being eased, we would have had a much more serious discussion about the interrupt thing."

As a contraction hit Scarlett, Rhett said, "Let me stop blathering and get dressed. The sooner I do the sooner Dr. Harrison, and his chloroform can get here."

In less than three hours, Scarlett was a mother again. It was a boy. Mammy once again let Melly take the child to Rhett. Melly proudly said, "It is a boy."

Rhett hid his disappointment. He had wanted another girl, but his son would never know it. What had Scarlett said they were going to call him. He remembered. They were going to call him Gerald Rhett Butler. He had wanted to give the boy the middle name Kennesaw. He liked the name, and it was his middle name. It was his mother's maiden name, but that was of no importance. She would never see the boy. He would never take his family to Charleston to be snubbed, and his mother would never come visit him in Atlanta.

When Rhett had suggested Kennesaw and why, Scarlett had said, "We will save Kennesaw for our next son."

Peevishly Rhett said, "We may not have any more children much less another son."

Scarlett had smiled, "We will have more children, but you are right about not having any more sons. Nonetheless, I want to save Kennesaw for our next son. You won't let me name any of the boys Rhett, Jr. so this is the best I can do to be able to name my son after the man I love."

Rhett had sighed and said, "Alright."

"I remember the days when I was suggesting names, and you would say I don't care."

"I did care, but I was hiding all my emotions then."

"True. Luckily, you were telling me the truth."

Rhett laughed and said, "I still can't believe that happened."

"Nor can I."

"But I am so glad it did."

"So am I."

Rhett was involved with Gerry as he had been with Bonnie. As he still was with Bonnie. He could often be found in the nursery in the morning. Scarlett once again was glad she had chosen to breast-feed her child. It truly was the only time she got to hold her son for any length of time.

When Gerry was first born, he too had blue eyes then they had turned green. He didn't look like Rhett exactly, but there was no doubt who his father was. He had his mother's nose, forehead, and her smile along with the dimples, of course.

When Gerry was six weeks old, Scarlett sent Careen a note asking her to arrange the boy's baptism for two weeks hence.

Scarlett had already written Suellen telling her about the birth of her son and his name. Suellen had not written back. Once Careen informed Scarlett of the time and day of the baptism she wrote Suellen and invited her to the event. Suellen wrote back and said that she, Will, and the children would be there the night before. Could they stay with Scarlett again?

Scarlett wrote back telling her yes.

On the afternoon the Benteens were arriving, Scarlett sent Grady to the train station to pick them up. The first thing out of Suellen's mouth was, "I can't believe you named your son Gerald also."

"I too wanted to honor Pa."

"But the cousins can't have the same first name."

"Why not? We aren't going to spend so much time together that I can't name my son Gerald also."

"You have a point, but I still don't like it."

Scarlett smiled and said, "You don't have to like it. Just accept it. Did you bring the gown?"

Suellen smiled and said, "You are right. Yes, I brought the gown. What time do we need to be at the church."

"One."

"I see you have already gotten your shape back."

"Yes, the miracle of breast-feeding one's child."

At supper everyone was at the table except the two Gerrys. Neither Suellen nor Will wanted to feed their baby. When he could feed himself, he would start eating with the family. Gerry Butler was asleep in the nursery. Mammy was happy to take care of the boys.

The adults talked about a lot of things. The men getting the vote back, Governor Bullock, President Grant, how much longer they thought they would be under martial law, and last, but not least Tara and the managing of the plantation.

The next day at the reception following the baptism there were quite a few more people there than were at Bonnie's reception. There were Careen, the Wilkeses, the Hamilton, the Burns, the Jackson, the McGraws, and a few Yankee transplants. There was a guest that Scarlett had not invited. Actually, two guests. India had come to the reception, and she had brought her friend, John.

The Benteens once again left early so they would not have to return to the plantation in the dark. Careen had ridden with the family to the train station, then Grady would take her to the convent.

As the group was riding along, the conversation was without stress or strain. Careen could tell that her sister loved her husband. More importantly, she could tell that Will loved his wife. Careen felt a twist of jealousy. Not because Suellen had Will, but because Suellen had a man who loved her that she loved in return. Careen was pleased that her sister got her happy ever after. Yet, she would always be regretful that she hadn't gotten her happy ever after with Brent.

Later after everyone was gone and the children were turned over to Mammy for the night, Rhett asked Scarlett, "Is India seeing John socially?"

"No, Melly said they were just friends. They can never be anything else. But India and John enjoy spending time together."

"Why can't they be anything else?"

"You know why. India would never be able to marry a man that was a….. If she did, she would never be received in polite society again."

"True. John isn't rich enough or good looking enough for her to defy the social rules."

"I don't think it matters. I don't think India could ever bring herself to do anything improper, much like Melly."

"I will take your word for what she would or wouldn't do. I don't know anything about her."

"Do you want to?"

"No. When I was in your mind and you had nasty thoughts about her, I didn't care enough to get the entire story."

"What?"

"If I wanted to know your memories of someone all I had to do was ask you who they were. Then I would see your memories of the person. Kind of like pictures. I felt your emotions about each picture also."

"Did you ask about yourself?"

"Yes, that is when I knew you loved me, but were scared to tell me because you were afraid of what I would say or do if you admitted that you loved me."

"I thought you would mock me and make my life even worse than you were."

"You had no reason to believe that I would welcome your declaration of love or even at the very least treated the declaration kindly."

"Thank goodness that is behind us."

"Yes, thank goodness that woman sent me to live in your head. I'm pretty sure our marriage would have been a train wreck."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Yes, with you not showing me anything and me not seeing anything." She stood up and said, "Let's retire. We have an hour before Gerry will need to nurse again."

"What a brilliant idea."

India went to the store every afternoon, even Saturday. John truly didn't need any help reading anymore, but neither he nor India suggested that the lessons stop.

India and John were the best of friends. She had started helping him check the waybills while she was there in the afternoon. In fact, she was doing most of the checking while the men were out front selling. She told herself she was doing it to make Ashley's life easier, but it really was to enmesh herself in the store's operations.

John was an amazing salesman, but Ashley had gotten pretty good at selling. At the end of seventy, John and Ashley decided to open another store. Ashley would manage one store and John the other. While Ashley was teaching, George would be in charge of the second store. The men agreed to hire India to check all the waybills for both stores.

The salary they were paying her wouldn't be very much, but the men were sure she would be happy with some pocket money. Neither man felt any guilt when they agreed to pay India much less than they would have paid a man to do the same job. It didn't matter they couldn't afford to pay her any more than what they were paying her. Sadly, India would have done it for free because she didn't value her work or even realize what an asset she was to the company.

Scarlett hosted Christmas dinner at the mansion again. She wasn't surprised when John showed up. They may claim they are just friends, but everyone felt there was something more. They all thought it was sad, that was all they would have. Rhett knew what the couple had right now was the best they could have. India would never marry John. Partly because Ashley was willing to support her, but also because of the way she was raised.

Scarlett served a goose, cornbread dressing, turnips, greens, mashed potatoes, rolls, and Rhett and PittyPat's favorite – yams with brown sugar. Ashley, Melly, and Wade always looked at the yams with disgust, but they never said a word about the vegetable being on the table.

For dessert Scarlett served pecan pie and peach cobbler. She had gotten both the pecans and the peaches from Suellen on her last visit to Tara. Suellen and her servants had canned the peaches and accumulated the pecans. Scarlett's kitchen staff had to shell the pecans. They had to shell enough pecans for two pies.

When Scarlett hosted a party in January, she invited the Wilkeses and the Hamiltons. She told Melly, "Most of the people there are the parents of Ashley's students. It would probably do him good to get to know the parents."

"I agree, Darling."

"India and John can come too."

"Scarlett, they aren't a couple."

"No, they aren't, and they never will be."

At the party, Scarlett saw Melly talking with a lot of different women and thought, 'This is good for the Wilkeses. They need to associate with happier people.'

Scarlett also saw India and John in attendance. They did their best to portray they were just friends, but their feelings bled through. Probably just like Scarlett and Rhett before they had declared their love.

Before long Gerry had turned one and the family had a small get together with family and friends. It was September of seventy-one. The boy still looked a lot like his father, but less and less every day. He still had his mother's nose, forehead, and smile, though. He now had brown eyes.

After Scarlett was herself again after she had suffered through her milk drying up, Scarlett said, "Do you have a picture of your family?"

"No."

"Write your mother and ask her for one."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know who Gerry looks like."

With a smile Rhett said, "He looks like my father which is not surprising to me. I favor my father also."

"That must have been hard on you."

"Yes, it was. Every time I look in the mirror I am reminded of my father. Increasingly since I have reached my forties."

"But you aren't him."

"Damn straight."

"Rhett!"

Rhett just smiled. As he had said, 'He would cuss, and she would tolerate it because she loved him.'

Scarlett said, "Rhett, when you were cussing yourself out, you used a word I had never heard before."

Rhett smiled and said, "Have you been waiting to ask me all this time?"

"Sort of. It would pop into my head occasionally, but you were never around. It now finally popped into my head while you were around."

"Go on. What word?"

Scarlett whispered, "Fucking."

"It is a very crude, vulgar, derogatory word."

Scarlett whispered, "Yes, but what does it mean?"

"It means two people having intercourse."

"Like what we do."

"No, there is nothing crude, vulgar, or derogatory about what we do. We make love."

Scarlett smiled at Rhett and said, "Yes, we do. Let us go upstairs. Bonnie and Gerry are napping, and Wade is at school."

"I will never say no to that offer."