OTA Chapter 26
Amy was happy that Caleb had come it would make being with Sonya and Ty a lot easier. "I drop you so now you are setting me up with a blind date" chuckled Amy, instantly she felt an uneasy quiver in her stomach. What was she thinking well maybe she was not thinking or those kinds of statements would not have escaped her lips? She could not believe she just said that! Waiting for Ty's response hoping she had not ruined the evening before it had even started.
"I don't know that he is blind! I think sometimes he has a little trouble seeing what is right in front of him so he just needs a little help getting around." Now it was Ty's turn to feel a little uneasy though he enjoyed joking around but was this taking it a bit too far.
A big smile came over Amy's face as she watched Caleb take off his hat and hit Ty with it. Maybe this was the beginning she was looking for. Closure and beginning at the same time what could be better, if this was what fate had in store for her she was more than ready. At least that interaction after what each of them had said showed that they were at least trying to move on and get back at least to being cordial and hopefully friends something she could use plenty of at the moment.
"Amy would you help me, and you two do you think you can stop acting like little boys long enough to get washed up , we will have the food on the table in a few minutes."
"Yes, mom" came the joint reply, this way Caleb I wanted to show this anyway as he disappeared around he side of he house. When the boy came back the table was set with a red and white checkered table cloth the paper plates and plastic utensils made it look like a picnic.
"Looks nice thanks" said Ty.
"You and Amy" can sit over there said Sonya as she played the part of Mom to the group.
"I want to sit next to him" said Caleb in a playful voice.
"No you to are going to get separated or all the food will be on the ground instead of eaten"
"Have you been talking about me to her" asked Caleb with a smile?
Amy now chimed in. "She does not need to be told anything just a minute of watching you two told he all she needs to know."
"Do you have the feeling we are being improperly profiled," Asked Ty.
"I don't really care what is happening to us let just sit down and eat I am starving" was Caleb's reply.
The four friends sat and talked the night away so much laughter and kidding Caleb telling stories about Amy and Ty. Not to be out done they both returned in kind a few of the stunts that Caleb had pulled. There was plenty of "I did not say that's and but you don't understands" as Caleb Ty and Amy shared some of their past and collectively.
Sonya laughed at the antics and stories, wishing that she had been there and hoping someday to be able to tell a few of her own stories. She did share the story about Ty's cooking and both Amy and Caleb just looked at her and shook their heads saying they had eaten Ty's cooking and if she thought it was good maybe she needed to have her taste buds checked out! When she told them what and how he had cooked it Amy looked at him, he just shrugged.
"You never fixed me anything but hot dogs and microwave dinners!" Thinking the only thing they had ever shared was simple meals. Then maybe that was because he never had to cook and Lou kind of kept everyone at bay in the kitchen, or maybe it was the fact that he had seen her attempt at cooking when she had tried to make him the birthday cake. Memories so many memories and as she remembered them she saw how most of them had been memories she would always cherish.
Ty was just about to say that she had never inspired him too cook anything different, as he opened his mouth he saw the look on her face and caught himself and just smiled and then said. "I have been trying a lot of new things lately."
Feeling the tension Caleb said "But he always had beer in the fridge"
"I don't drink" said Amy!
"That is not what I heard, I heard about you being a little tipsy one night and attacking him on the couch and getting caught by Jack! " Caleb chimed in! That is probably why you don't drink. Then realizing he may have just let his alligator mouth over load his humming bird ass as the old saying went. As he looked around he was actually happy to see Amy drawing back to punch him and Ty just shaking his head.
As she was drawing back to punch Caleb she looked at Ty "Maybe I should aim this one at you , you told him about that !"
"I am pleading the 5th on that one," said Ty with a smile. The thought of that day was still vivid in his mind. He remembered how he had had friend over from college and Amy had felt so out of place then she had been slipped a drink by someone who had his eyes on her.
Sonya had spent time with Amy and her family but had hardly known Caleb. Watching the three of them had helped her to see how maybe they could all be good friends. It was something that they all needed and wanted badly. She was beginning to feel a bit more at ease being around Ty and Amy together. Though she had to admit that having Caleb here helped a lot, she also realized that there would always be a thing between Amy and Ty just because of their history and she was learning that she could be alright with that as well.
Ty looked across the table at Caleb and Amy taking Sonya's hand held up his bottle of beer and said, "I would like to propose a toast. To the best friends a man could ever have, to my future wife who makes each day the best day of my life! To the woman who was my best friend and when I needed someone, you were there for me to lean on Amy; you helped me through many a rough time. Amy may you find the love of your life and may he help you fulfill what God has set in store for you, Caleb, we have shared many good times and have fought many a battle both side by side and at times we have fought against one other but in the end you are my best friend . Caleb may you find that person that makes you want to come home at night and give you the love you so desire. May this be the beginning of a friendship that we all can enjoy together as we are now?"
Amy and Caleb just stared at Ty and then at each other. "To a new start for all of us" said Caleb as they clinked their glasses and bottles together. Turning to Amy, Caleb said "Amy I wanted to do this differently but since Ty drug me here, in front of these friends I would like to ask if you I would like to spend time with me, I want to find out if what we once shared could have been the beginning of something real or if it was just two young people who did not know what they wanted. Either way I want to continue our friendship."
Amy looked at Caleb and thought for moment thinking on what she had shared with Sonya earlier. It was as if the boys had been listening in on their conversation, maybe this was the beginning she was looking for, or maybe just the stepping stone to help her out of the pit she had placed herself in. Either way she was ready to take that first step. "I would like that Caleb, right now though I want, no need, us to just be friends!"
"That is fine with me as long as we can go and do things, like this once and a while. If it would make you feel better we can always be with other people!"
"No, need I just need a little space, in other words don't call me every day!"
Ty and Sonya sat and watched this banter and smiled as they saw two people they cared deeply for setting up ground rules for being together. That was always a good place to begin they were already friends and knew a lot about one another.
Sonya looked at Ty; "I am holding you to making sure that Caleb abides by his promise since you are the one who seems to have set this up."
"I can't… You had better or you will answer to me and to Amy, do I make myself clear Ty?"
"Very clear, Caleb you get me in trouble in I will do things to you that we will not speak of in mixed company!"
"Wow, twice in one day, Jack and now you! You I am not worried about but Jack, I know he would follow through without even blinking."
….
Sonya, Amy and Ty waved as Caleb left."What a night I never would have thought that the four of us would have such a wonderful night together said Sonya."
"So what did you girls talk about all day?"
"We just caught up on things and then we shared some concerns and talked about them."
"Like what" Ty really wanted to know.
"Sorry Ty that is confidential between us. Maybe someday we will share with you but right now we have to work through them."
"What about your concerns?"
"Tied to Amy's so I can't talk about it now either."
Amy sat there listening to the conversation and realized what a good friend Sonya was. She was able to deflect Ty's questions yet she showed how much she loved him at the same time.
"What can you talk about?"
"She is going to help me with the wedding plans Lou and Lisa may help as well!"
"I think I will stay out of that one said Ty with a chuckle. I am happy for you I know how much you need to have friends, having ones that you can feel comfortable with planning our wedding is even more special."
Picking up the plates and cups from the table Amy said. I will do the dishes then I Think I will turn in, it has been a really long day, night guys."
"Thanks the trash can I just inside the door" said Sonya.
"Night" they said as Amy entered the house.
"Ty took Sonya's hand and led her over to the swing, "think I need a little cuddle time. Sonya sat down by Ty and laid her head on his shoulder. Could it really be this easy to forget all he and Amy had gone through? Having Sonya next to him gave him strength to face anything. She completed him in ways that he never knew he needed to be completed. Sitting there on that swing he knew they were no longer two but had become one in purpose and mind. It had been a long time since Ty had felt this content; maybe he never had. He had found what he truly believed was his life partner, he had the job he had dreamed of and worked so hard for years to get, and now a new home in which he hoped someday to raise his family!
In many ways now he felt for Amy. They had all these plans before she had broken up with him, though it never seemed that either of them was completely sold on it being with each other. Amy had hedged at even accepting his proposal not once but twice. She and he had never really agreed on many of the things that would have made a marriage work. Most of all they had kept secrets and even lied, for what they felt were good reasons, to each other. It had taken Sonya in his life for him to see how it would have never worked between them. He did realize though he wanted to have Amy in his life as a friend. It had always worked well when they were just friends and she had been very instrumental in him getting to where he was in his life. Yes even the fact that he was with Sonya was because of her in the weirdest of ways. Knowing that she and Sonya got along and seem to want to continue being friends made it that much easier.
The next morning everyone was up early, Amy and Sonya were busy fixing breakfast and Ty had been up for some time working on the foundation forms for the Sauna, shower and hot tub. He had built two forms to make holding tanks of concrete that had been placed at the outlet of each spring. Once they were completed he would run pipes from them under what would be a concrete platform for building the sauna, shower, also the outside area around the hot tub keeping it warm and the snow and ice melted off the concreted year around.
Sonya opened the back door walking out on the deck that surrounded the whole house, called Ty. "It's time to eat we have to be at work in an hour" she said. The morning was filled with laughter and good times as the three friends sat and talked about what they saw in their futures.
Amy was happy that she had stayed yet there was a part of her the wished she had not because she now realized what she was missing in her life. As much as it hurt her now and had hurt Ty she realized that their breaking up had been the right thing to do. She loved Ty and always would but she could now see that they were never meant to be more than good friends. No, not good friends best friends someone that you knew you could count on to be there no matter what. How the breakup had happened, well that would always haunt her as there should have been a better way that could have been handled but then sometimes things happen in certain ways for a reason.
…
Ahmed was furious he had been trying to find Amy all weekend and she was not to be found. He had been told that she had not been at her apartment all weekend and he wanted to know why? He had tried not to contact her much since they had come home from the trip as he knew what had been said after the session with the Dr. that Amy was taken back a little. He never knew that his feelings for her were so deep until she had said that she was going out with Caleb. Now she disappears for the weekend and did not even tell him where she was going. He picked up his phone and did what he said he would not do for this reason; he called Amy because he had to hear her voice and know that she was ok.
"Hello Ahmed sorry I am late I just spent the most wonderful weekend with my family and friends and I am over at Ty's place now and will be there in about 30 minutes. What do you have on the agenda for the day?"
Ahmed was not sure what to make of this information. He was sure that he had seen the last of Ty and that what they had had was broken forever now she was with him and sounding happy? He felt a rage growing within himself that he could not fully understand but he answered Amy with a very stern" I don't pay you to be away from Hillhurst when you should be working . I will see you in 30" and hung up the phone.
Sonya could tell by the look on Amy's face as she came back to the table that something was wrong, "what's up?"
"That's what I would like to know" said Amy. "That was Ahmed and he seemed to be very upset at me about not being at work. That is not at all like him I don't understand I guess I will find out when I get there. Bye guys and thanks for the weekend."
To be continued