Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Four

Scarlett stayed mad the rest of the night, when they got in the bed, she turned her back to Rhett. He said, "Come on and lay on top of me like you always do."

"I'm not in the mood."

"I know. Just lay on top of me."

Scarlett complied and crawled on top of Rhett. He lit his cigar and started telling his stories. Crossly, she said, "You said you would quit smoking, but you haven't. I bet you haven't even cut back on your drinking."

"As a matter of fact, I haven't but let me wait until we get to London. You will be grouchy because you will be miserable."

"I will, but why do you say that?"

"Because my child will be so big, and you are so small."

"How do you know our baby is going to be big?"

"Because all Butler babies are big babies."

"If I am already going to be grouchy you will just make me madder."

"True, but it won't be much worse. I will be grouchy also. I have smoked cigars and drank whiskey since I was sixteen."

Scarlett lifted herself up and said, "How old did you say you were on your birthday?"

"Forty-two."

"So, you have been smoking and drinking for twenty-six years."

Rhett laid there thinking. He had been forty-five when he had been returned in time, so he had smoked and drank for thirty-one years. This timeline he was twenty-two when he returned, and he was forty-two now so twenty more years of smoking and drinking. Quitting smoking and drinking was going to be hard for him, but he was going to do it for his wife and children's sake. He got a second chance in life. He wasn't going to cut it short by getting sick from smoking or drinking.

Rhett said, "Besides when we get to London, I'm going to stop doing questionable deals. I have to do everything I can to stay alive. If I am going to remain the best husband ever, I have to stay alive."

Scarlett squeezed Rhett and said, "Thank you. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come kiss me."

Scarlett did and suddenly she was in the mood.

After Rhett and Scarlett were finished, he softly said, "What made you so mad? I know it wasn't what I said exactly."

"When you laughed at me you made me feel like a naïve, foolish child."

"Sweetheart, after everything you have been through isn't it wonderful that there are things that you can be naïve about. Especially things regarding the ugly side of people. You don't want to become hard and jaded like me."

"Don't laugh at me again. Even if I am being foolish and naïve."

"I will try not to, but it was just so delightful to me. Besides, when I am with you, I always feel like laughing because I am so happy."

Sleepily Scarlett said, "Don't laugh at me."

Although Rhett knew Scarlett was asleep, he said, "I will try not to, but sometimes I can't help myself."

Yet Rhett knew what Scarlett wanted. She didn't like him teasing and aggravating her, but she could let those comments roll off her back. It was the comments that mocked the parts of her that she was already sensitive about that hurt her feelings. He really would try to avoid making those comments. Unfortunately, he knew he would fail. Just as he knew he would fail at coitus interrupts. Luckily, Scarlett had learned of a less invasive method of prevention.

The next day the family returned to Atlanta, later that night, Rhett said, "You should probably stop using Old Frank's last name when verbally combatting with your sister."

"Why?"

"You don't want Ella to hear all the things you are saying about her father."

"You are her father. Her name is Ella Butler."

"You don't ever plan to tell her that I am not her real father?"

"You are her real father. Frank was nothing to her. If she had been important to Frank, he shouldn't have put his life in danger for honor. It was his actions that robbed Ella of her father. You are the man fulfilling the role of father, therefore you are her father"

"I follow your logic. What if someone tells her that I'm not her father?"

"Nobody will. Nobody cared enough about Frank to tell Ella about him. Of course, it is a totally different story with Wade. Those Hamiltons aren't going to let him go. They have their claws in him. I sometimes wish we never had to see them again."

"He is all they have left of Charlie and in a lot of ways their traditions."

"Rhett, I don't want them filling up his head with all that nonsense."

"You mean all the bull shit."

"Rhett, don't talk that way."

"Why that is what it is. While it is just you and me, I will speak anyway I want, and you will tolerate it."

Scarlett giggled and said, "Because I love you?"

Rhett grinned back and said, "Yes, because you love me."

"I do love you, so I guess I will tolerate it."

Scarlett went to Hamilton House to give Cookie some money for the meal for Wade's birthday. It was easier to have it there. The other people were not comfortable eating in a restaurant because of the expense. After Scarlett gave Cookie the money, she said, "I don't want you to worry about the future so I will promise you that I will take care of you and Peter."

"Thank you, Miss Scarlett."

"You're welcome."

After the women discussed what Scarlett wanted to serve, she left the House. She knew PittyPat wasn't home. She had come to talk to Cookie while PittyPat was out calling on people.

At Wade's birthday supper, the same people were there that had attended the Christmas dinner. Neither Scarlett nor Rhett was surprised when India and her scowl showed up. As everyone was eating their cake, Scarlett said, "Ashley, how is the new job going?"

"Amazing. I have stacks and stacks of transactions to file every day."

"Do you like your coworkers?"

"I don't know. I rarely talk to anyone. I even stay in the file room to eat my dinner so I can read my book in peace and quiet."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I am making a little bit more than I did at the sawmill. I am going to keep my part of the sawmills. We will use that money for special things."

"Good idea."

Scarlett thought that it was very strange to not to want to interact with other people, but that was what Melly had said that Ashley wanted. Thank God he married Melly and not her.

Melanie said, "Ashley is taking everyone to the fund raiser that the Monument Committee is having on February fourteenth."

"How wonderful."

Ashley said, "If you and Captain Butler would like to go, I can get tickets for you two also."

"That would be…."

Rhett talked over Scarlett and said, "We don't know what our schedule is? I think we already have plans for that evening."

Melly said, "If you find you can make it, they will be selling tickets at the door."

"We will see if we can make it. What do you think about President Grant?"

The men discussed politics then the conversation moved on to other things.

Later that night Rhett said to Scarlett, "Mr. Wilkes only offered to buy our tickets to be polite, besides I am not going to spend an entire evening with those people if I don't have to."

"Oh. Alright, Dear. I just wanted to go dancing."

"I will find a ball to take you to go dancing."

"Thank you, Dear. I have decided to sell the store. I asked Uncle Henry over supper to find me a buyer."

"What made you decide to sell it?"

"I would be worrying about it the entire time we are gone. If I want to run a business again, I will just buy another one. Are your deals all completed?"

"All but one and it should be completed by the end of the month."

"Once the store sells let's go ahead and leave for Europe. That will give us some time in Charleston to spend with your family."

"Alright, but if you die from boredom that is not my fault."

Scarlett laughed.

One night Rhett saw Lorne Greene at the Blue Moon. He walked over and said, "How are those sawmills working out for you?"

"Good. The profits are good. Not as good as in the beginning, but still good."

"I know of another business for sale. It is a general store. It will give you a nice steady income."

"Why is the current owner selling the store, if everything is going well?"

"She is going to Europe with her husband and doesn't expect to be back for at least six months."

"How much does she want?" Rhett named a price and Lorne said, "Do you think she will take less?"

"No, she doesn't want to sell them in the first place."

Lorne smiled and said, "How do you know so much?"

"She is my wife. The only thing holding her to Atlanta is her store."

Lorne smiled and said, "Maybe you will give me a better price to get me to buy them."

"No, I don't interfere with Scarlett and her business."

"You are interfering telling me about the store."

"No, I am just telling you of a business that is for sell. Whether you buy or not is up to you. Whether she sells the store or not is up to her."

"Where is it located?"

Rhett told Lorne where the store was located and ended by saying, "It is called Kennedy's."

"The first thing I will do is change the name."

"Scarlett was thinking of changing the name to Caveat Emporium, but she decided to sell it instead."

"Caveat Emporium. I like that."

"If you are interested contact her attorney, Henry Hamilton."

"Thanks, Mr. Butler."

"You are welcome, Mr. Greene."

As Rhett rode to the hotel, he chuckled about Mr. Greene actually naming his store Buyer Beware Store. He would never know because he and his family would be long gone. He might find out when they returned after Bonnie's birth.

Mr. Greene decided to buy the store. Lorne and Scarlett quickly signed the papers. Before the February fourteenth fund raiser, she was no longer a store owner. She took that money, and she set up a trust fund for the support of PittyPat and her aunts. As she was leaving Henry's office, she said to Henry, "We should be back before that money runs out."

"Thanks, Scarlett. I hope you have an enjoyable time in Europe."

"Thank you."

On Valentine's Day, Rhett and Scarlett were having supper at Main Street Bistro. She said, "This is such good food."

"Wait until you try the food in Paris. You will love it."

"Will we have time to travel to Paris before the baby arrives? You have to rent me a house, Rhett. I refused to have my baby in a hotel."

"I will rent a house as soon as we get there."

"When are we leaving?"

"March first. You don't have to go into your confinement until April first so as long as we are out of the South before then you are fine."

"What did your mother say about our visit?"

"She is looking forward to meeting you. We will have to visit with your aunts."

"Have your mother invite them to supper, there will be safety in numbers."

"I don't believe that to be true, but I'm sure she will be happy to do so. Not on the same night, my brother and my sister and their families come to the townhouse. That would be just too much snobbery in one room. Not to mention the amount of boredom there would be."

"Yet, we could suffer through it and be done with it."

"I see your point, but no it will not just be one night. It will be a long and boring three weeks, but we will do it." Rhett would later reflect that those three weeks had been far from boring.