Carreen looked around her room. Nothing had changed
since she had left as a young girl. Her old dresses still hung in the wardrobe.
She pulled out one of them. Nope, she wouldn’t be able to button up over her
ample breasts now. She heard a rush of footsteps coming up the stairs.
“CARREEN!”
SueEllen
ran across the bedroom and scooped up her baby sister.
“Look
at you!” She screamed. “You look absolutely ravishing! You look like mother!”
Carreen
laughed. ‘I can’t believe it’s been so long.”
“Yes,
it’s been a while. The boys have grown since you saw them last time in
Savannah.”
They
embraced and chatted when Scarlett burst in carrying a dress.
“Oh I
see you weren’t going to invite mean Scarlett to the reunion”.
“Of
course you are invited, Scarlett.” Carreen soothed. “What’s that?”
Scarlett
held up a red silk dress. “This is my old red dress I had re tailored to fit
Carreen. She’s going to wear it tonight.” Scarlett held it up for Carreen to
see. The sleeves had been removed. The dress was completely off the shoulder.
Carreen would only have a hope and a prayer between her bosoms and freedom at
the gala.
“She’s
not wearing that, Scarlett. You’d be prancing her out as a prize mare!”
SueEllen protectively argued.
“Nonsense.
This is the fashion in France.”
“This
isn’t France, Scarlett.”
“No,
but we need to let the eligible men of Georgia know that a O’Hara woman is
available for marriage.”
“Thanks
for discussing this with me first, Scarlett.” Careen frowned.
“Well,
Carreen, you are already 34. You need to be thinking about a husband. You can’t
live here at Tara for the rest of your life as an old maid.” She walked over to
Careen and measured the dress up to her back.
“I
won’t stand for this. Carreen is not like….” SueElllen stammered.
Scarlett
looked up. “Who, SueEllen? Who is Carreen not like?”
“It’s no
secret about your reputation, Scarlett.”
“Oh,
you two, stop arguing. I’ll wear it. I have a black lace shawl and black lace
gloves to wear with it. I am a grown woman and can handle myself.” She took the
dress from Scarlett. “Don’t sell me off yet, Scurvy.”
“Well….”
“Well,
what?”
“I may
have set you up already.”
“With
who?”
“A
politician.”
Carreen
and SueEllen looked at each other.
“Who?
“John
Tyler Cooper.”
“The Republican from Marietta?” SueEllen gasped.
“Yes.”
“But
he’s married.”
“Not
anymore. His wife died.” Scarlett said over her shoulder as she searched
through Carreen’s undergarments.
“Why
are you setting Carreen up with him?”
“Cause”
Scarlett explained.”He wants to run for Mayor of Atlanta and it would be good
to have Carreen on his arm. We’d have access to higher social functions and
business opportunities.”
SueEllen
shook her head. “I should have known you’d be getting something out of this.”
“We
have to think about our family, SueEllen. We always need to be aware of what we
can do to make sure our children are taken care of when we are gone.”
“Tara
is the largest farm in the area and you are the wealthiest woman in Atlanta not
including Rhett’s money. What more could you want?”
“Oh
SueEllen, hush. Go home and get ready for the gala. Prissy’s been cooking for
three days and the servants have decorated the first floor so lovely. Let’s all
just enjoy the season as a whole family.”
SueEllen
frowned and looked back at Carreen.
“No
impropriety, Scarlett.” She turned and walked out the room.
. They
watched her walk out of the room.
“Mercy!
SueEllen is such a worry wart.”
Carreen
looked at Scarlett. “She’s just protective.”
Scarlett
looked at her sister pensively. She really did favor mother more than anyone
else.
“Mr.
Cooper is very handsome, Carreen. You might like him if you give him a chance.”
Carreen
smiled. “I’ll be cordial, Scarlett.”
