Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Nineteen

While staring out the window that afternoon while the couple was returning to Atlanta, Scarlett said, "Do you ever think the countryside is ever going to not look like a war zone?"

"Sort of. It won't look like a war zone, but the scars will always remain."

"I want a house built like a Swiss Chalet."

"No."

"But it is beautiful."

"No, it isn't."

"Rhett. You won't even consider it?"

"No."

"What style do you think we should get?"

"We will drive around Atlanta and look at different styles, but I am leaning towards a Georgian exterior."

"No."

With a smile Rhett said, "You won't even consider it?"

"No."

"We might just rent something for now."

"Why?"

"We will be going to London in six months."

"Why?"

"For you to have our baby."

"Why do you think I am already with child?"

"You are probably the most fertile woman in Georgia, if not the South."

"Why do you say that?"

"You got with child with Wade after only two weeks. You got with child with Ella within the first month of marrying Old Frank."

"How do you know that?"

"You told me. You said that you and Charlie only had two weeks together before he went to Columbia to join up with Wade Hampton. You also told me that you were a widow within two months which meant Mr. Hamilton never returned home after he left you."

"I know I didn't tell you about Frank."

"No, but you told me you came to Atlanta looking for three hundred dollars in January of sixty-six. I don't know what Ella's birthday is, but I know she isn't any younger than three."

"She will be three in October."

"Exactly. That means you got with child by Old Frank immediately also. And my final point of evidence is you haven't had a flow since we got married."

"I might get it next week. Or I might be late."

"If you get your flow, I will buy us a house. If you don't, we will make our plans to go to London."

"I can't go to London for six months. I have a business to run."

"You can just leave what's his name in charge."

"No, Hugh would bankrupt me in six months."

"If you don't go to London, you will have to go into a confinement and Hugh will bankrupt you anyway."

"No, I can get Hugh to bring me the books every week."

"I will make you a deal. We will go to London, if the doctors there have a way to ease your labor pains. If not, we might as well stay in Atlanta."

"How will you find out?"

"I will ask the doctors."

"I will agree with that."

"If you are afraid of Hugh bankrupting you while we are in London, go ahead and sell the store. You should change the name?"

"What?"

"I don't want my wife to be running a store that bears her second husband's last name."

"I won't call it Butler's."

"Perish the thought. How about Caveat Emporium?"

"What does that mean?"

"Buyer Beware Shop."

"That's not funny."

While grinning Rhett said, "Maybe just a little bit."

"Not at all. I will stick with Kennedy's."

"You could change it to The Emporium."

"I am not changing the name to The Shop."

"Alright. I will think of something else."

Scarlett was annoyed at Rhett and his superior attitude. He just declared to her that she was with child, like he knew everything. On top of it, she knew he was right. She knew she was with child also.

After the couple had been quiet for about ten minutes, Scarlett said, "I'm not having a child every year. Even if you have to sleep on the couch."

"If either of us is going to sleep on the couch, it will be you. I am not going to have my playmate taken away from me and be uncomfortable sleeping on a couch, also. Besides, I wouldn't fit on a couch, I am too big. You would fit quite nicely on the couch."

Indignantly Scarlett said, "I'm not sleeping on the couch."

Rhett smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. Neither one of us is going to sleep on the couch. You would miss me too much if I wasn't in your bed every night."

Scarlett stared at Rhett then got up and stalked out of the room. Rhett just smiled. He would coax her back into a good mood in a little while. He would let her sulk for a while. No, this time nobody was sleeping in another room. Ever.

When Rhett and Scarlett arrived in Atlanta it was after seven at night. The couple agreed that they would not pick up the children until the next morning. After all, both children were already asleep. They would be next to impossible to get back to sleep at this point and time.

The couple had decided to wait and eat supper once they got back to Atlanta. Rhett took Scarlett to Main Street Bistro which she liked a lot. He had let her sulk for about an hour, then he had gone into their room and teased her back into a better mood. She wasn't as prickly this time around. Of course, this time around, he wasn't deliberately making her mad just to punish her for loving another man. She had the chicken fried steak. He had been right. She really did like it. He just had a steak. They had red wine with their meal.

After drinking a glass, Scarlett said, "I don't like that wine. It is too dry for me."

"Then we won't get it again."

"Thank you, Rhett."

"But you probably should stop drinking altogether now that you are carrying my child."

Scarlett frowned at him and said, "Stop saying that."

"Whether I say it or not, doesn't make it any less true. Besides, if this is the only one, I am going to get, I am going to enjoy every minute of it."

"Just stop talking about it until we know for sure."

"Alright. Did you enjoy your time in New Orleans?"

"Yes, it was wonderful. Thank you for showing me such a fun time."

"You're welcome. What did you enjoy the most?"

"I don't know."

The couple spent the rest of the night talking about New Orleans and where they were going to go when they traveled to Europe. As the couple was leaving the restaurant, Rhett said, "We need to travel to New York also."

"Someday."

The next morning over breakfast, Rhett said, "Can you pick the children up by yourself?"

"Yes."

"I need to check on my investments, especially the bank."

"You invested in a bank."

"If managed correctly, a bank can make a lot of money. If not, it can cost a person a lot of money. That is why I keep a close eye on that investment."

"Alright."

"I will be back in time to take you and the children to dinner."

"Are you going to buy us a buggy?"

"I will when we get back from Europe." Scarlett looked daggers at Rhett. He just smiled back. He continued, "Are you finished?"

Scarlett curtly said, "Yes."

"Let me pay the check then we can walk to the front of the hotel."

"No, I have to go back up to the room to get the present we got for Melly for watching the children."

"You go on up while I am paying the check."

"I will meet you out front."

"Sure, Dear. Let me have the key."

"Here. You keep that one. I will get another one when I get back."

"Thank you, Honey."

Scarlett kissed his cheek then left the restaurant. Rhett watched her go. He was wondering, 'Is there any way we can get Bonnie back? The timeline is all wrong. She was conceived in April of sixty-eight and we are now in September of sixty-nine. I don't think so, but I can always hope. If we do get her back, I will not let anything bad happen to her.'

Rhett found the waiter and paid his bill. He spoke with the doorman, Ned Wertimer, while he was waiting for Scarlett. Ned had been with the National Hotel for a long time. He was an older man who survived mostly on tips. Rhett said, "There is Mrs. Butler now. Will you get her a cab?"

"Of course, Mr. Butler."

"Rhett, I need some money."

"How much do you need?"

"A dollar should be plenty."

"Here take two."

"Thanks, Honey."

"Your cab is here, Mrs. Butler."

"Thank you." Scarlett kissed Rhett's cheek and stepped into the cab with Ned's help.

After Scarlett's cab drove away, Rhett said, "And a cab for me."

"Yes, Sir."

As Scarlett was riding to Melly's house, she thought, 'I am glad that I knew he was such an aggravating man before I married him, but one of these days I might lose control and shoot him like I shot that deserter.'

As soon as Scarlett walked into Melly's house, her children were all over her. With difficulty she made her way to the couch in the parlor. The children were hugging her legs and would not let go. Finally, she was able to sit down. Wade and Ella sat down next to her. There was no space between them and her. She just kept hugging them.

Melly came and sat down on a chair across from the couch. She said, "Tell me about your trip."

Scarlett told Melly all about the proper parts of the trip. She was glad she hadn't blushed when she thought about the improper parts of the trip. That might be improper, but she was never doing without it again. Rhett was right. She would never make him sleep on the couch. She wasn't doing without her playmate either. Her extremely experienced playmate. She would never ask Rhett how he got so good at love making. She knew how and she didn't like to think about him being with other women.

Melly brought Scarlett back to the conversation when she said, "Ashley said his new boss Mr. Greene was an extremely hard man. Every day he is out at the sawmills checking the books and making sure Ashley and Johnny aren't stealing."

"Johnny is stealing from him. I just couldn't figure out how. I also didn't know who would run that sawmill if I fired him."

"Ashley has been having to go out and sell lumber every day. He is having a tough time finding men who need to buy lumber. He is afraid Mr. Greene is going to fire him. After all, the man has no loyalty."

"What will Ashley do if he gets fired?"

"We don't know."

"If he gets fired, I will ask Rhett to get him a job. He is a part owner of Atlanta National Bank."

"That would be so kind of both you and Captain Butler."

Scarlett opened her purse and took out a small jewelry box. She handed it to Melly, and said, "This is just a little something that Rhett and I bought you as a way of saying 'Thank you' for taking care of our children."

Melly took the box and said, "Our children?"

"Rhett wants us to be a family. He wants the children to call him Dad."

Wade said, "He let us start doing it as soon as he and Mama knew they were going to get married."

"As Rhett said he is going to fulfill the father role in the family therefore he wants the title also."

"But Wade called Frank – Uncle Frank."

"True. Frank was alright with that. Rhett is not. This is what Rhett wants so this is what we are going to do."

"Of course, Darling. You must obey your husband."

Scarlett thought, 'Not if I don't want to.' She said, "Open the present."

Melly opened the present. It was a cameo. She said, "Scarlett this is beautiful. Thank you so very much."

"No, thank you."

"I will cherish it always."

"Thank you, Dear. Now that I no longer own the sawmills, I have time to go calling with you."

"You are more than welcome to come calling with me but be advised that India goes with me also. And Aunt PittyPat."

"I will try it for a couple of weeks, but if India gets to be too annoying for me, I will just stop going. I don't need to torture myself. I have been tortured enough in my life already."

"Of course, Darling. I understand."

Scarlett stood up and said, "Let me go see if Mercy has everything packed up."

"Of course."