Amy Hatches a Plan
Jack and Ty finished up chores for the evening and said their "good evenings" to Caleb before washing up for dinner. The phone rang not long after dinner and Lou picked up the receiver.
"Hey Amy... great to hear your voice. How are you?", said Lou, in her somewhat dramatic voice. Lou listened to Amy thank her for the care package and asked to talk to grandpa.
Lou hands the phone over to grandpa.
"Hi grandpa. Hey, I have some news I thought you would like to hear. Earlier today, Dean Richards was injured in a mountain lion attack..."
"How bad was it Amy?"
"He was really fortunate grandpa, his horse was spooked and Dean fell off, but the mountain lion ran off. He has a broken arm and 3 cracked ribs... some bruises and small cuts", Amy continued... "and not so fortunate grandpa... Dean is a lot like you... stubborn..."
"So, that makes us survivors... how does that make him unfortunate?", asked Jack.
"Well, Dean's work involves doing the hay work for the canyon here and according to Brigitta, we are talking 4500-5000 bales of grass hay... and the haying season is just getting into full swing this July for the next couple months."
"Well, I'm sure the neighbors can help out...", queried Jack.
"Sure, we and others are helping out, but haying has been a one man job for the past 10 years... Dean's equipment and labor... I think you see the problem grandpa."
"Yeah, being stubborn can put you in a bind when you get bucked off you horse..." said Jack.
Amy smiled at the other end of their phone connection.
Jack continued, "Well, I am going out on a limb here and going to say... you have a plan"
Amy smiled as she recalled how both her grandpa and Ty knew her too well at times. "Don't I always?"
Jack said, "and let me guess, this 'plan' involves a certain young man we both know..."
"Perhaps... its just a thought, but I was wondering if Ty might be willing to pick up the extra work?", Amy carefully suggested. "Ty is capable of doing the haying work with Dean..."
"Sure, but I end up losing a hired-hand for a couple months... how do we make up that difference Amy?" asked Jack.
"Grandpa, you are usually good with plans yourself... I am betting you have a plan for finding help with work there for a while..."
"Let me think this through Amy...", said Jack, "and exactly where did you think Ty was going to stay while there... cause he is not bunking with you..."
Amy replied, "come on grandpa... you know we are responsible, but nonetheless, I have that figured out too already. Dean and Ann Richards have a guest room from a few years back when they ran a bed and breakfast... Ty can stay there... and to sweeten the deal, tell Ty that the guest room has indoor plumbing."
"Alright Amy... give me a chance to figure out the logistics and we'll see if this is going to happen... in the meantime keep up on your studies and tell Dean we are thinking of him."
As grandpa hung up the telephone, Lou smirked... and her grandpa Jack said, "what are you so smug about there?"
Lou said, "you know grandpa, it seems to me a bit of destiny that Amy is going to be with Ty... and in the near future if you ask me."
Jack almost cringed, but the words his eldest granddaughter spoke rang true. "Thanks for the obvious wisdom Lou..."
Jack found Ty the next morning, a Friday. It has been four weeks since Amy left for summer school and he was settled into a regular schedule. He had not received his regular email from Amy the day before and nothing this morning. Ty wondered what was wrong.
"Hey Jack...", Ty greeted him, "ready for another day - are we building fence on the south property line today?" Ty enjoyed working for Jack, especially when together and they could talk about motorcycles or other areas of interest.
"Well I think we will work on the fence today, but I need to talk to you about a possible job opportunity away from Heartland."
Ty's heart sunk a bit at the prospect of being offered work away from Heartland. There was plenty to do here, so the prospect confused Ty a bit. "Jack, there is plenty of work here, what did you have in mind?"
"Well its haying work... and a friend of mine has about 5000 bales of work to do over the next couple months", explained Jack.
"And how am I going to fit that into my schedule here with Heartland's work load?", Ty said somewhat angrily... "I can't do that Jack... Amy would not be at all happy with me leaving work undone here."
Jack smiled at the mention of Amy and Ty grew suspicious, "Ty - this is not extra work, if you agree to take this job on, you'll have to relocate for a couple months... your work here will have to wait".
Ty grew worried now, "How can you expect me to leave here and send me off like this Jack?" "I have to think of how Amy would react... my decisions have consequences and that's a lesson I have learned well this past year".
Jack then spilled the beans, having worried Ty long enough, "Ty, what if I told you Amy had already approved your working away from Heartland?"
Ty said, "OK Jack, now how would Amy know about this summer job of yours"?
Jack grinned... and gave a sideway stare indicating Amy was the one behind this plan.
Ty sighed and smiled widely at having been so dense at the hints Jack was throwing his way... like a slow pitch software game and Ty had struck out. "Let me guess Jack, this 2 month summer job, it wouldn't happen to be say near Fort Collins, Colorado? And let me guess once more... this summer job is Amy's idea, right?
Jack shook his head in the affirmative, smiling and asking, "And it just so happens to be helping out my old friend Dean Richards... So what do you say? are you up for working down south for room and board? and being neighbors with a certain young lady who set this whole deal up?"
Ty grinned, "Gee Jack, let me have some time to think it over..." and after a second's pause, Ty jumped forward and extended a hand to Jack saying..."I wouldn't say no to that". Jack took Ty's hand and pulled him into a hug.
Jack told Ty he would call Amy and get in touch with Dean Richards to make sure we have all our bases covered... if it all works out, you can be on the road Monday morning.