Chapter 2

''Hey Amy, how are you?'' Layla greeted Amy as she walked into the office.

''Hi Layla, I'm good, thanks. How about you?'' Amy replied as she sat down on the couch that Layla was sitting on.

''I'm... I'm okay,'' Layla murmured, hesitation clear in her voice.''Hows school going?''

''Really good! We have you finals next week, and the nature studies project I told you about last week went really well,'' Amy said enthusiastically, her eyes shining brightly.

''That's great!'' Layla said smiling, her smile didn't reach her eyes though.

''Layla, I know that somethings on your mind. You don't have to tell me what it is, but everything will turn out to be okay in the end, alright?''

''Okay,'' Layla said meekly. ''My family... My parents, my sibling and their spouses, and my husband and I got into a massive argument on Saturday, and basically non of us are talking to each other, as in I'm not talking to my siblings and parents.. Why my family? Why does my family have to be this messed up?!'' she continued, rivers of tears streaming down her cheeks.

''Layla, calm down! Everything will turn out fine in the end,'' Amy soothed, ''Take a deep breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.''

(x)

''A few weeks ago you said to me

'Be helpful. When you see a person without a smile, share yours with them'

and I have never heard a quote that is more true than that one, Layla. Over these past couple of weeks that I've been coming here, I have learned much more about life than I have ever imagined. I grew up mentally, and I have you to thank for that,'' Amy spoke, ''I came here to get help, to open up to somebody that'll understand what I'm going through and to assure me that it's not my fault. Yet, here we are, we're both opening up to each other, helping one another. Layla, you might be the professional here, but you have a life too, and sometimes, it's much easier to talk to somebody who isn't a family member, somebody who wasn't there to witness any of it,'' Amy said.

''Wow. That was quite the speech,'' Layla chuckled. ''First things first, you are very welcome, Amy. You're right, about it is easier to talk to somebody that wasn't there to witness whatever happened, yet to somebody who knows what you're going through; somebody who understands. Maybe I should be thanking you, especially after today. Thank you for listening today,'' she continued, pulling Amy into a tight hug.

''Thank you for listening whenever I needed to talk,'' Amy replied.

(x)

''See you next week, Amy,'' Layla said as she and Amy got up and headed toward the door.

''See you. Bye Layla!'' Amy said, a grin making way onto her face. With that, she headed out the door and into the hall.

Amy took her cell phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contacts until she reached Lou's name.

'Hey Lou! Layla and I are done, can you pick me up from Maggie's in 40 minutes please?' she typed. 'Love,Amy.' Amy finished and pressed 'send.'

Amy made her way to Maggie's Diner, which belonged to Soraya's mom, Maggie Duval.

''Hey Soraya,'' Amy said as she sat down on one of the stools next to the counter.

''Hey Amy, how are you? Can I get you anything?'' Soraya asked.

''I'm good, what about you? Yes, actually, can I have a chocolate milkshake, please,'' Amy replied. Soraya wrote down the order and handed it into the kitchen.

''I'm good, just tired, mom and I stayed up late organizing goods. And that shake is on the way,'' Soraya said smiling, ''and I'll be back in a minute,'' she continued before taking two menus and making her way to a table.

When Soraya went to the diner's new customers, Amy felt her phone vibrate. She took her phone out of her pocket to see that Lou had replied to her text.

'Hey Amy! Of course I can, I'll be there in 30 minutes :) Oh, and can you order me a chocolate shake to go? I'll pay you back – Lou' the text said.

While Amy read Lou's text, Soraya came back to the counter, and put Amy's milkshake in front of her.

''Thanks Raya,'' Amy said looking up.

''No problem, I can get you anything else?'' Soraya replied.

''Actually, can I have a chocolate shake to go for Lou in about 20 minutes, please?'' Amy asked.

''Sure,'' Soraya said chuckling, ''That'll be $8 please.''

''Here,'' Amy said as handed Soraya a $10 note. ''Keep the change.''

''Thanks Amy,'' said Ms Duval as she passed.

''You're welcome Ms Duval,'' Amy said.

''Got any gossip?'' asked Soraya when her mother was out of ear shot.

''Actually, I do,'' said Amy grinning. ''Lou has a thing for Scott!''

''What!? We need to set them up!'' Soraya said excitedly.

''I know! That's what mom said!'' Amy said.

Time passed quickly for the girls as they chatted. Hurriedly, Soraya looked at Amy's watch and went to the window to the kitchen, and ordered a chocolate milkshake to go.

''Shh. Lou's coming!'' Soraya whispered.

''Hey Amy, hi Soraya,'' Lou greeted the girls when she walked in.

''Hey Lou,'' the girls said in synchronization.

''Here,'' Soraya said handing Lou her chocolate milkshake.

''Thanks,'' Lou said smiling as she took it from her. Meanwhile, Amy finished her own chocolate shake. ''Ready to go?'' she said looking at Amy.

''Yeah. Raya, you need to come over soon, call me when you have time?'' Amy asked.

''I will,'' Soraya said, ''Bye Amy, see you Lou,'' she continued.

''Bye Raya,'' said Amy.

''Bye Soraya,'' Lou chimed.

(x)

''….Thank you, Dr Harper,'' Amy and Lou heard Tim say as they walked into the house.

What's going on? Amy thought, while the words running through Lou's mind were; Somethings wrong. I know it is.

''Dad, what are you dong here? What happened!?'' Lou exclaimed as she ran into the kitchen, no longer able to remain calm.

''Girls, you might want to sit down for this,'' Tim said softly. Amy and Lou cautiously sat down at the round kitchen table. ''I just got a call from South Health Campus in Calgary, and I'm afraid that it isn't good,'' he continued when he sat down in a chair between Amy and Lou.

''Dad, what's going on? I thought Grandma Beatrice had her first round of chemo this morning?'' Lou asked.

Amy stayed quiet. She realized what happened. She saw the tears in Tims eyes.

''Lou, Amy, Grandma Beatrice didn't make it. She died 10 minutes ago,'' Tim began, tears streaming down his cheeks, ''The doctor said that her body couldn't handle it anymore.''

''Oh, dad,'' Amy said, already sobbing. She got up and wrapped her arms around Tim.

Tim wrapped his arms around his only daughters.

''Why dad!? Why?! We already lost Grandma Lindy, and now Grandma Beatrice too,'' Lou said, sobbing, her head buried in Tims shoulder.

''I don't know Lou, I don't know,'' Tim tried to comfort Lou. ''She's not in pain anymore, okay? Think of it his way.''

''Okay.''

''I should probably go home and tell Shane,'' Tim says after a long moment, ''I'll come over again later, okay?''

The two sister nodded with a grief-stricken expression on their faces. Before Tim left, he kissed them both on the forehead.

When Tim walked out the door, he saw that Jack was walking toward the house from the barn.

''Hi Jack,'' Tim said when Jack was withing hearing distance.

''Hey Tim,'' Jack greeted. ''What's wrong?'' he asked when he noticed Tim's heartbroken expression.

''My.. My mother.. She died, about half an hour ago,'' Tim said, holding back a sob. Without warning, Jack wrap his arms around his former son-in-law.

''Thanks Jack,'' Tim said after a moment.

''No problem,'' Jack said, smiling lightly at Tim.

''I'll come over again later to see the girls, they already know. I should go home,'' Tim croaked.

''Okay, see you Tim,'' Jack said.

''See you later, Jack. Take care of the girls,'' said Tim as he walked down the stairs of the front porch.

''I will,'' Jack said.

(x)

''Grandpa, I'm going to Ty's for our weekly study session!'' Amy yelled as she pulled on her worn pair of Justin Boots.

''Okay,'' said Jack as he walked into the kitchen, ''what are you two studying this week?''

''Biology, Math and English,'' Amy replied as she made sure that she had everything she needed.

''Ty's here,'' Jack said when he saw Ty's navy 1956 GMC pickup truck coming down the Heartland drive.

''Okay. I have my phone, if something comes up, I'll call,'' Amy said, ''See you later.''

''See you Amy,'' Jack called out.

''Hey you,'' Ty greeted as Amy opened the passenger door of his truck.

''Hey,'' Amy said smiling. When Amy put on her seat belt, Ty began driving.

''How are you keeping up?'' he asked.

''I'm doing okay. I think it's worse for Lou, she knew Grandma Beatrice better than I did,'' Amy replied. ''What about you?''

''I'm pretty good,'' Ty agreed. ''Ready to do some Math, English and Biology?'' Ty asked with a laugh.

''Don't remind me,'' Amy laughed.

Hi Heartlanders! Sorry that I made you all wait for so long to put this up, this chapter was pretty difficult for me to write for the reason of it being very personal to me. I hope you enjoy! Please favourite, follow and review! Until next time, Heartlanders! Love, Elly x