Outside the pen in front of the barn at Heartland.
Tim Fleming comes tearing down from the hill, comes to as stop when he notices Amy working with a new horse.
"Hi Amy, I see your new client horse arrived."
"Hi dad yeah just been getting a feel for him. The owner said after awhile the horse becomes a bit high strung and becomes uncontrollable. They're afraid to get near because he might injure someone."
"Okay but just be careful," Tim concerningly expresses.
"Where's grandpa, weren't you checking the fencing together dad."
"Yeah we were but these days your grandfather is unbearably ornery. So I left him to brood on the way back and high tailed it outta there as fast I could."
"Do you need him for something because I got to tell you Amy, you don't want to be asking him anything in the mood his in."
"Believe me dad I know what you mean, he'll do what you ask but so indifferently. It makes you wonder where his head and heart is at these days."
"We both know where its at. Whatever happened between him and Lisa after the heart attack really took it out of him. I know with Lyndy's miraculous rising from the ashes act a couple months after that, we thought he would get back to normal but that hasn't been the case."
"Dad!" Amy chastises him.
"What! Its the truth Amy."
"That he misses Lisa like crazy isn't rocket science. We've been here before when Lisa travelled. But then he always had those phone calls to look forward too. More important than that was as much as he missed her, he knew it was temporary and was placated with the phone calls and that made all the difference to him."
"I know dad but its different now. Grandma is back and I thought things would go back to how they used to be when I was a little kid."
"I don't know about you Amy, but I remember exactly how Jack was in those days. He was taciturn and crusty and not to mention a veritable hermit. The first time I met him even after a decade he was that way but this time there was a touch of softness in those eyes. I thought it was because of him mellowing with age but I was wrong. I found out from Hudson's finest spy, that's the first time he laid his eyes on Lisa."
"And just who is Hudson's finest spy, that thinks they know this."
"Really Amy you don't know. Come on! Hudson's finest spy is none other then our own Mallory Wells! Who knows and sees all, especially when it concerns Jack."
"I thought having grandma back would focus him, give him something to live for after Lisa. He was so grief-stricken when grandma died. I thought they'd pick up where they left off."
"You mean supposedly died," Tim sarcastically offered up. "She decided to allow that pharmaceutical company to fake her death."
"Only because she didn't want grandpa to suffer any more then already he was with all the cancer treatments she was going through."
"The treatment was done in eighteen months Amy. Eighteen months Amy! She decided not to come back after she was cured, wanted to live her own life and be free. She let Jack continue believing she was dead Amy! So it might have started out as altruistic trying to spare him but after getting a second chance, she didn't want to be in Jack's or Morion's life or yours or Lou's for that matter," Tim bitterly proclaims.
"But she's back now dad and we should give her a chance. Grandpa should forget about Lisa and concentrate on grandma," voiced Amy earnestly.
"He can't just erase Lisa from his mind or heart Amy, don't you think his tried. Lyndy was the one that left," Tim holds up his hands staving off her defence of Lyndy and continues. "I know you going to say she did it for him but Amy, she didn't want to continue her life with Jack after she was cured. And you know what a funny thing happened, eventually Jack moved on and found someone to love and I'm glad he had someone to be there for him. What are we suppose to do Amy, pretend that Lisa doesn't exist that Jack didn't love her. Because I don't remember anyone pretending Lyndy didn't exist when Lisa was around. She had to live with the knowledge of how much Jack loved Lyndy and I didn't ever see her complain or get upset about it."
"Why would she complain or be even be upset about it. She wasn't in grandpa's life how could it even affect her," Amy naively retorts.
"Can you honestly say that you wouldn't be hurt Amy if the situations were reversed and Ty had a first wife, kid and grand children and was widowed. You were his new girlfriend and had to continually put up with his past and the memories, traditions, mementos that came with it."
Tim contemplates telling Amy a secret. "I'll tell you a secret Amy, I get upset sometimes because it its feels like no matter what I do, it feels like I will never be beloved to Casey as Hank was. They had a wonderful life together and she has memories, traditions and keepsakes that remind her of her love for him. It hurts a lot Amy but there is nothing I can do about it. If it wasn't for Lisa, Casey and I would have ended long ago. I always admired the way Lisa never denied Jack and all of us for that matter, indulging in our memories or traditiuons of Lyndy and Marion and never guilted any of us about it. Can you imagine what that must feel like Amy?"
"I guess I never even thought about how it made Lisa feel. I guess she had to put up with it if she wanted grandpa as part of her life. But you're right if I was in Lisa's shoes I know would it would hurt me and like you said maybe I'd feel that I come second Ty's heart or in Lisa's case third or forth maybe sixth with mum, me, Lou and the girls taking precedence as well." Amy deep in thought whispers, "Lisa must have really loved grandpa because we weren't the most welcoming bunch."
"Yeah Jack was a lucky guy to have someone love him, especially with everything that came with him already having a family."
"Anyway you're right we can't pretend Lisa didn't exist. Grandma kinda noticed that grandpa dotes on Lightening Dexter even though she doesn't know why."