Scarlett and Rhett were on the outs at the time. It was after their daughter died, and Rhett ... he was done. I don't think he felt like there was anything holding them together. Rhett was my friend, though. We kept in touch, and when he fell ill I made him an offer.
[She gives a small shrug.]
Perhaps it was me balking at the idea of spending an eternity with Scarlett as the only person who knew me before I died, and knowing that my husband was not an option. Perhaps it was the fact that Rhett had always been kind to me, even when he didn't have to. I don't really know anymore. But he said yes, and I followed through.
[There's a small, half-laugh at that. Why not her husband? Well, there are a few answers to that.]
Ashley Wilkes had never met a fence he wouldn't sit on, particularly when it came to the women in his life. I felt it wouldn't be prudent to spend eternity with a man that made a habit of leading other women on to believing that he had feelings for them, particularly Scarlett, simply for the attention. He would let Scarlett believe he was going to leave me and they would be together and then never actually leave me.
[And the idea of spending forever with a vampire version of that man? Absolutely not.]
I didn't think that extending the uncomfortable love triangle between the three of us beyond what we dealt with in life was the right choice. I valued Scarlett's friendship far over my husband's love, as little as it was.
That must've been hard, knowing he always kept her torch lit, even while committed to you and your family. I take it he wasn't subtle about his -- fence-sitting.
He liked to think he was, but the wife always knows.
[Ashley is the type who thought he could have whatever he wanted to boot.]
Honestly, he's fortunate that I came to care dearly for Scarlett, otherwise things would have ended much differently.
[Smarter wives would have driven a larger hurdle between the two of them, but Ashley no longer seeing Scarlett means Melanie no longer seeing Scarlett, and she couldn't have that.]
Scarlett O'Hara saved my life on more than one occasion. If I was going to keep either of them, it would be her.
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everyonelives2023-10-16 07:09 pm
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[She gives a small shrug.]
Perhaps it was me balking at the idea of spending an eternity with Scarlett as the only person who knew me before I died, and knowing that my husband was not an option. Perhaps it was the fact that Rhett had always been kind to me, even when he didn't have to. I don't really know anymore. But he said yes, and I followed through.
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( He's never asked this either, never known much about her past - besides a movie and a novel, both of which were only based in reality. )
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Ashley Wilkes had never met a fence he wouldn't sit on, particularly when it came to the women in his life. I felt it wouldn't be prudent to spend eternity with a man that made a habit of leading other women on to believing that he had feelings for them, particularly Scarlett, simply for the attention. He would let Scarlett believe he was going to leave me and they would be together and then never actually leave me.
[And the idea of spending forever with a vampire version of that man? Absolutely not.]
I didn't think that extending the uncomfortable love triangle between the three of us beyond what we dealt with in life was the right choice. I valued Scarlett's friendship far over my husband's love, as little as it was.
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( He can only imagine the type. )
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[Ashley is the type who thought he could have whatever he wanted to boot.]
Honestly, he's fortunate that I came to care dearly for Scarlett, otherwise things would have ended much differently.
[Smarter wives would have driven a larger hurdle between the two of them, but Ashley no longer seeing Scarlett means Melanie no longer seeing Scarlett, and she couldn't have that.]
Scarlett O'Hara saved my life on more than one occasion. If I was going to keep either of them, it would be her.
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( Her situation is really fascinating. )
Explain to me, what's so haunting about this haunted hayride.
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[Because that certainly feels like a haunting enough.]
I think it's supposed to be the scarecrows.
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Scary.
( Not so much. )
Do you think about him much, Ashley?
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[But otherwise, no. She doesn't spend a lot of time lingering on him.]
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( He cheers his hot cider, huddled close to her on their hayride. )
Happy Halloween, Melanie.
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Happy Halloween, Damon.
[And with that, they will enjoy their hayride like the old friends they are.]