When she got downstairs, Cathy and Maureen were sitting in the kitchen sipping tea and talking. "Scarlett darling, are you all right? You look quite pale."
Scarlett sat down at the large worn out table and put her hands in her lap. She tried her best to put on the most grief stricken face she could muster, which wasn't hard considering the news that she had just been handed. She looked up at her two best friends, who looked eagerly back wanting to know what was going on. "Cathy, Maureen, I'm afraid that I have some bad news."
"You're not leaving us, are you Scarlett?" asked Cathy, tears already coming to her eyes.
Scarlett could feel the tears coming up in her own eyes as she found the perfect explanation, "I have just recieved word that my husband back in America has died."
"Oh Scarlett," cried Cathy coming to her side to comfort her, "What happenned?"
In between small sobs Scarlett managed to say, "He became very ill shortly after I left, but he didn't want to say anything to ruin my fun. And he became worse and worse, and now he's dead."
"Oh Scarlett, and you with child and everything." Cathy held Scarlett tightly, and Scarlett returned the embrace, with a feeling of friendship that she had not felt since Melanie was alive. They three women spent the remainder of the afternoon crying and talking and conforting Scarlett.
That evening Scarlett came down for dinner ready to tell her family about her decision to stay in Ireland. The whole family had gathered to comfort Scarlett in her time of need, and thus Scarlett felt that this was indeed the best time to inform them. She walked into the kitchen, and the room went instantly silent, as everyone slowly came up and hugged her, one by one. Eventually Scarlett made her way over to her spot at the table, where she was presented with her favorite Irish foods. Scarlett ate like the world was going to end, as the family asked her questions, for the first time since she had been there, about her husband and life back at home.
When the meal was over, and there was a moment of silence Scarlett said, "I know what I'm going to do, about the baby I mean. If its alright with all of you, I would like to stay in Ireland, permanently. I feel that this is the best place where I could raise my child. I'm so incredibly happy here, and I think that raising my child in this place would make it just as happy as I am."
The expression on everyone's face brightened considerably, and everyone rushed over to hug her once again. "Oh Scarlett, of course we would love to have you!" exclaimed Maureen.
"Oh but Scarlett, if you are going to be here permanently, you must come and move in with Sean and I. We can go through childbirth together, and raise our kids, and oh it will be so fun!"
"Oh Cathy, thank you for the offer, but if I'm going to be here forever, I do think that I would like to have my own little house, somewhere nearby, of course where I can raise my child."
"Oh of course! But at least let me help you look for one!"
"Of course."