Shaking his head and sighing in frustration, Ty walked away from Bob. Bob would not get off this kick of extending their time with Vets without Borders. Bob knew that Amy was pregnant and that Ty wanted to be home before the baby arrived, but he just kept nagging Ty about it.
Ty lay on his cot, the latest argument replaying in his head. He didn't understand how Bob could be so uncaring about his situation. But then it clicked: Bob had no one to be responsible for back home. He had no wife or family to worry about, so he couldn't relate to Ty and Amy's marriage or his impending fatherhood. He could only think of himself and the plight of the Gobi bears. Ty had a stake in them as well, but he couldn't extend his time even if he wanted to.
His computer started ringing, and he opened it up to see Amy's picture. Wondering why, as they had just spoken a couple of hours ago, he instantly thought the worst. Something had happened to her or the baby, and that's why she was calling again so soon.
"Amy, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" He asked.
The face looking back at him wasn't Amy. He looked closer to see it was—Mallory? She was sitting in the loft, arms crossed. His shoulders sagged in relief.
"Hey, Mallory! Good to see you!"
She gave him a tight smile. "Good to see you too! How have you been?"
"I'm fine. Are you at Heartland?"
"Yep. I'm here visiting for a few days."
"Ok, so, it's really good to see you again, but I have to ask why you're calling me from Amy's Skype account."
Mallory's eyes narrowed. "Funny you should ask that question, Ty. I have a question for you, too. What are you doing in Mongolia?"
Ty scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm over here with this organization Vets without Borders, and we're working to…"
Mallory rolled her eyes and made an exasperated noise. "I know that, Ty. I'm asking you why the heck you're over there!"
Ty shrugged, holding his hands palms-up in a helpless gesture. "Mallory, I just told you why I'm over here, or at least I tried to tell you before you cut me off."
"Ty, I know why you're there; Amy explained everything to me. What I'm asking you is why you're there and not here with your very pregnant wife. What kind of a man does that to his wife and child?"
Ty sat stunned. He hadn't seen Malloy in years, but she hadn't changed a bit. She was as outspoken as ever. She obviously didn't understand the reason behind his decision to go or the fact that Amy was okay with that decision. "Look, Mallory—"
"No, you look, Ty." She raised her eyebrows and flung out a hand. "How could you possibly think it was a good idea to go halfway around the world while your wife is pregnant? Did you ever stop to think what kind of stress that puts on her, not to mention on the baby? I can't believe you, Ty!"
Ty felt his stomach begin to churn as Mallory threw all of his doubts in his face. "Mallory, Amy and I talked about this. She was fine with the decision; in fact, she was the one that convinced me to go."
"How stupid can you be? Of course she encouraged you to go. Think about it. Didn't you encourage her to go to Europe? But you weren't pregnant, were you? Are you that careless and thoughtless, or what? Can't you see how much she needs you? Are you sure you're ready to be a father?"
Ty went to respond when the screen went blank and he heard the call drop. He sat speechless, Mallory's words replaying in his mind. "What kind of man are you? Are you ready to be a father?"
Her words cut deep. Ty immediately thought of memories of his absent father when he was a kid. He had vowed to himself that he would never be like that. He would always be there for his children. But here he was, halfway around the world while his wife and child were home.
He wasn't there for them. Instead, he was missing all the important milestones of her first pregnancy, forcing her to have to attend prenatal classes with Tim, of all people. What was he thinking? Malloy was right. Was he really cut out to be a father?
Not wanting to rehash the whole argument of extending their time, he pretended to be asleep when Bob came in. He wanted to sleep; he needed to sleep; but he couldn't stop thinking about what Mallory had said.
Ty quietly packed up his gear, not wanting to wake Bob. He hadn't slept much, thinking of what he needed to do. The conversation with Mallory had played over and over again in his mind. He also thought of his last call with Amy. She'd been so upset about the barn fire and the loss of so many horses. He needed to go home. She needed him, even if she wouldn't admit it. He missed her too, and he had to admit it was getting tougher the longer they were apart. It made his heart ache to listen to her talk about her doctor appointments and her prenatal classes and the fact that the baby was keeping her awake with all the kicking. Those were events he really hated missing.
The ride across the desert was long and hot, giving Ty too much time to think. He was glad he'd decided to go on this mission. They'd managed to save one bear in the time he was here and even catch the poacher. But it didn't mean there wouldn't be other hunters looking for a thrill in the future. Unless the government did something to protect the bears, the species would become extinct. That was something he couldn't do anything about; it was up to the people of Mongolia.
He said his goodbyes to Gavin on the ride to the airport, apologizing for leaving early but explaining that he needed to be home with Amy. Gavin understood and thanked him for the time he'd sacrificed to help the cause, wishing him good luck on becoming a father soon. Ty smiled, not really sure if he deserved to be a father. That was something he was going to have to prove to himself, his wife, and their child.
The flight was long and exhausting. He wasn't able to shut off his mind and sleep. Mallory's questions constantly ran through his mind. He managed to call Jack at one of his layovers, letting him know he was on his way home and would let him know when he was back in Canada. Jack told him he would pick him up and wouldn't take no for an answer. He promised Ty he wouldn't reveal to anyone that he was on his way home.
…..
Amy had a rough night. The fire and the loss of all the horses tore at her heart. The baby moved so much she couldn't sleep, and seeing Ty and hearing him admit he'd taken her shirt to help him fall asleep broke her heart. She was a mess, shutting off the alarm and just lying there, tears pooling in her eyes. She was so lonely. She rubbed her hands over her swollen belly, talking to their baby.
"I know, I wish Daddy was home too, Nugget." The tears streamed down her face as the name Nugget reminded her of Ty. She didn't want to get up, but she had to pee, so she couldn't lie there much longer. She made her way to the bathroom in the nick of time.
She walked over to put the kettle on for tea and rummaged around to find some Clementine's to eat. She didn't know why her body craved them so much, but it did, so she made sure to always have some in the house. She sat curled up on the couch, drinking her tea and thinking about taking the day off. She really didn't have anything pressing that needed to be done, and she was just too tired and depressed to do much of anything.
She heard Georgie and Mitch down in the barn talking and knew they were doing the morning chores. It was so nice to have Mitch working on the ranch. He did a lot of the work, making sure she didn't over do things. She often wondered if Ty had talked to him about her before he left.
The thought of Ty made her tear up again. Why was she so emotional today? She couldn't even think about Ty without crying. She was pretty sure she hadn't cried this much in her entire life. But then, everything she thought about lately made her tear up—Ty, her mom, and becoming a mom herself.
Was she really ready to be a mom? It scared her thinking about having this little life totally dependent on her for its every need. She questioned her ability, but she knew deep down that Ty would be right beside her and would support her. She just wanted him home, she thought as the tears began to flow again.
Ty had landed in Toronto and was waiting for his final flight to Calgary. He'd called Jack with the flight number and time of arrival. He was getting anxious to be home. He couldn't wait to have Amy securely wrapped in his arms. It had been too long, and he needed her more than she knew. He'd tried to imagine what she would look like now. His thoughts were interrupted by the call to board.
Jack left a note on the fridge, telling everyone he was off to run some errands and would be back in time for dinner. Not wanting to tip anyone off, he didn't mention there would be another person sitting at the table tonight.
Jack was not the patient type; he paced at the bottom of the escalator after hearing the announcement for Ty's flight. He was anxious to see his grandson-in-law; it had been far too long for Jack's liking. He knew in his mind that Ty was okay, but he wanted to see it for himself.
Ty made his way off the plane and through customs and headed toward the baggage claim, eagerly scanning the faces of the people waiting at the bottom of the escalator. Finally seeing the familiar hat and mustache of the man he had come to think of as his mentor and adopted father, Ty made his way down and hugged the old man, neither saying a word. Finally they separated, Jack looking Ty over carefully.
"Well, I'm happy to see you made it back in one piece."
Ty shook his head and smiled, not able to speak for fear his emotions would betray him. They walked toward the baggage carousel, waiting for Ty's bags to arrive. Each of his bags had made it.
On the ride home, they talked about Mongolia and the bears. Then Ty asked Jack about Amy.
"Ty, I can't lie to you. The longer you were gone, the harder it was for her. She wouldn't admit it, but she's struggling to keep working. She's too stubborn to admit she can't do it anymore. We're all worried about her, but she made us promise not to tell you anything. She didn't want you coming home because of her."
Ty shook his head. Mallory's call made sense now. He was pretty sure no one knew about that call. The two continued to talk about Heartland and the goings on over the course of the last several months. Jack talked briefly about the accident. Ty knew Jack well and figured he was upset over the loss of the truck but wasn't surprised to hear him say, "There are more important things than a truck. I'm just glad everyone was okay."
They fell into a comfortable silence as they made their way back to Heartland. Ty grew more anxious the closer they got. His heart beat faster with the thought of finally be able to see his wife in person and not through a computer screen. He needed to hold her.
As they drove under the Heartland sign, all his emotions bubbled to the top, and he had to keep blinking his eyes to hold back the tears. He asked Jack to drop him off at the barn so that he could take his stuff up to the loft and freshen up before heading over to the house. He wanted to clean up before he saw Amy. Jack pulled up close to make sure no one was in the barn. He helped Ty get his stuff out of the truck and then drove over to the house.
Ty made quick work of putting his vet bag into the office and then headed up to the loft. When he reached the top step, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes blinked furiously to keep the tears at bay as he gazed at Amy sleeping peacefully on the couch. Setting his bags down, he walked slowly over to her, sitting on the coffee table to just stare at her.
His hand carefully brushed her cheek. "Amy, I'm home."
Amy stirred but thought she was dreaming. Ty's voice sounded so close. Her eyes slowly opened to see those very familiar green eyes looking back at her.
Ty smiled through his tears. "Hey, beautiful. How are you doing?"
She heard his voice and saw his lips move, rubbing her eyes to make sure it was him. "Ty, is that you?"
"Yes, Amy. I'm here, right here." His lips brushed across hers.
"You are here!" She bolted upright.
His arms came around her, pulling her carefully into him. He held her tight as she buried her face in his neck and cried. "Hey, it's okay." He nuzzled his face into her neck and breathed in her familiar scent. God, it felt good to hold her in his arms.
Her tears subsided after a while, and she raised her head to look at him. "I missed you so much. I can't believe you're home." Her hands cupped his face as her eyes searched his. "Why didn't you let me know you were coming home? How did you get here? Are you okay?"
He brought his lips to hers, covering her mouth and kissing her passionately. Her body melted into his. He finally broke the kiss, coming up for air. Her face was flush with color as she rested against him, the sound of his heart beating in her ear.
He stood, bringing her up with him before holding her at arm's length. "Wow, Amy! His hands touched her belly. She looked up at him, and then a smiled crossed her face as she slowly turned to the side so he could see her shape. His eyes grew wide as he saw her figure for the first time in months. "Wow, our little Nugget has really grown!"
She laughed, rubbing her hands over her very large belly. "Nugget isn't so small anymore." She placed her hands over his, watching his face for a reaction.
"Was that the baby?" he asked her.
She nodded. "Yes, that would be your child playing on my rib cage right now."
Ty leaned down and put his lips to her stomach, kissing it softly. "Hey, Nugget, Daddy's home."
Amy smiled as the tears welled up in her eyes. She'd waited so long for this moment.
Knowing how excited he would be, Ty pulled her into his arms again, trying to control his own emotions.
"Amy, I'm so sorry I left you. I missed you so much, and I hate that I missed so many things with you and the baby that I'll never be able to get back. Can you ever forgive me?" His tears began to fall.
Amy put a hand on his chin and looked into his eyes. "Ty, it's okay. You were a part of a cause that needed you, and I was the one who told you to go. I am really glad you're home though. We've missed you so much." She stood on tiptoe, placing a kiss on his lips, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I love you."
Ty texted Jack to let him know they would not be over to the house for dinner. Amy had put the kettle on for tea while Ty took a shower. They sat on the couch talking for hours before the lack of sleep finally caught up with them. Amy's head rested on his chest as she slept. Ty didn't want to wake her, but he knew they should go to bed. He was trying to figure out how to get her to the bed when he heard someone coming up the steps.
"Amy, are you…." Ty hushed Lou, trying to keep her from waking Amy. Lou covered her mouth, muffling the shock and joy of seeing Ty. He asked her to go pull back the covers so he could carry Amy over and lay her down.
Lou nodded and hurried over to pull the blankets back. Ty slowly lifted Amy off the couch and carried her to their bed. He tucked her in and turned right into Lou's open arms.
She hugged him tightly. "It's so good to have you home. Amy really needs you now."
Ty hugged her back and walked her over to the stairs. "Thanks, Lou. I'm happy to be home too. I missed her so much." They talked for a few minutes more and then Lou told him she would see them in the morning and left.
Ty turned off the lights as he made his way over to the bedroom. He crawled into bed, pulling Amy into his arms and kissing her cheek.
"I love you, Amy." His hand rested on her belly as he drifted off to sleep.
He was finally home.