Thanks to all who have read this story, as I draw it to a close know that I may seem like it is not finished but it is where it should be. I wrote the ending to this "Short" story back in March and then it got extended but I never thought I wanted to change the ending even though it very well could have been changed. I hope you enjoyed it and for all of you who were hoping for more I am sorry. For everyone who saw it ending differently Jwell I think for a first time writer and this being my first story it went better than I could have ever dreamed of.
Chapter 37
"What are you talking about Lou", said Amy. "I am in the middle of a very important conversation can't it wait a while."
"I guess it could, it is just that Katie found something in your closet and it makes me wonder just how truthful Ahmed has been with you. And from how Georgie explained your attitude when you came home I wonder it maybe it might not be even more so. "
"You too, it seems that everyone is ganging up on him tonight, did Ty put you up to this? Yes I was upset but that is for me to deal with and you guys need to just stay out of it said a visibly upset Amy."
"Did I put who up to what" asked Ty?
"Blaming or finding fault with Ahmed."
"No I have not and Lou will tell you the same thing we decided to step out of your relationship life as I just shared with you so why would we do something that goes against that?"
"What he said" said Lou into the phone.
"Seems this kind of goes with what we have been talking about so I think it is time to take a trip to Heartland" said Caleb happy to be anywhere but sitting at this table with all the talk he had been listening to.
"We are not through here though so let's all go in one vehicle" said Ty. "Besides we are all finally talking and I don't want us to have any side conversations just yet. We are in a better place but still have a way to go before we can say we are ready to part ways tonight."
"That's one man's opinion" said Caleb.
"And the only one that counts at the moment" said Ty. As he again tried to regain control of the group as he was not ready to let this opportunity get away from him.
"Are you crazy we all own trucks" said Amy. Just thinking about trying to stack all of them in a truck seat was not her idea of fun or anything she wanted to do at this moment.
"Yep and we are going to take mine!"
"It is the smallest of them all" said Sonya. "I will stay here before I sit on someone's lap!"
"No you won't we are going and we are going together "All" of us" said Ty again trying to enforce that fact that he was in charge.
The three most important people in Ty's life stopped and stared at the man standing there giving orders. This was not the man they knew and they even asked each other if maybe some alien had kidnapped the real Ty and left them with a clone.
"Hey is anyone still listening, said Lou loud enough she could be heard even though she was not on speaker phone. She was as confused at the other three listening to all the conversations and wondered if maybe she had interrupted a more important conversation.
"Yes Lou I am still here, see what you started! You are sure that what you found is important enough to break this up?"
Lou stopped and thought about it then somberly said, "Yeah Amy I think that it is."
"I guess we will see you in about 20 minutes then if we don't kill each other on the way."
Sonya looked at Ty and said "sorry to step on your illusion of I am in charge here Ty, but Amy and I will ride in her truck and you two can ride in yours."
"Whoa, there Sonya I did not know you were ready to take him on like that." said a smiling Caleb. As he watched for Ty's reaction to what she had just told him. As Ty opened his mouth to speak Amy chimed in "Ty I think you better let this line of conversation stop right here. I agree with Sonya and we are taking my truck you can stand here and argue with yourself or you and Caleb can follow us."
As they got into the truck Caleb looked over at Ty, "well that did not quite turn out the way you thought it would huh. I did not know that Sonya could be that strong."
"Not really, and you are right I did not expect Sonya to take such a hard stand, but then maybe I pushed her buttons just one time to many. I guess I was thinking of me when I started this conversation tonight and I think that I may have opened a lot of feelings with everyone and don't know what to do with them now that I have gotten everyone to open up."
"You may not know what to with them but I for one thank you Ty we, that is Amy, you and I, because I really don't know Sonya, have danced around the truth of years. We have found ways to not say what we are feeling because either we don't want to hurt someone's feelings or we just don't want to have to deal with it. For me it has always been just move on to whatever is next, never saying what I truly felt. It actually feels good to get it out and talk about it."
"Yeah I think we have all done a good job of only saying what we had to say for too long. It well may have cost me one girl and now it may cost me another, but no matter what happens I am fed up with tip toeing around issues."
"I thought you said we were not going to have any sidebar discussions on this drive "came Amy's voice from the seat next to Caleb.
"Ty looked over at Caleb and as he pulled back and shrugged his shoulders said "she made me do it" pointing to the phone.
"You coward grow a pair" came the tart reply over the phone.
"I am glad you were listening" said Ty "I think we need to be thinking about why we are all headed to Heartland. If Lou thought it was important enough to ask you to come knowing the level of what we were talking about it sounds serious. Do you have any ideas at all Amy?"
"Only that she said Katie was playing in my closet and found something in a pocket of the robe I wore home from Ahmed's that night."
"Could not have been much because there was not much to the robe or what you had on underneath for that matter."
"That was uncalled for Ty Borden" came a very curt reply of Sonya's voice over the phone!
Ty was about to reply and he realized she was right and though the picture of Amy running to him and throwing herself in him arms was not one that a man would quickly nor likely to forget. "You are right. Sorry Amy.
"What was I wearing, or from the sounds of it not wearing that night" said Amy happy that the boys were in the other truck. I don't remember any robe that would be like the one you seem to be describing."
"Okay, enough about the robe already guys get your heads back on the subject at hand. Did Lou say anything else asked Sonya?"
"Only when that when Georgie saw it she said she remembered seeing me get it, and then she said there was also the note!"
"I see why you needed to get home this sounds like a mystery that needs to be solved" said Ty.
….
They pulled up in front of the heartland house and as they got out of the vehicles Lou met them at the door. "I am so sorry if I interrupted you guys it sounded like you were having a very deep conversation. But this I think is important enough that it needed to be taken care of. Though I did not expect all of you to come as I am not sure that Amy is going to want share what she sees with you."
"We were but it sounds like this may be pretty important as well or you would not have felt you needed to call" said Amy. "And at this point I think I am ready to put everything behind me and since it seems that you feel it could affect all of us I want to let everyone in on it."
"No one piece of this information would probably have caused me to think it was that important, but with all of it together at one time I began to think about the goings on over the past few weeks and Ahmed saying that he did not care and now him saying he does and then from the looks of the contract Lisa and I saw he does not again or he has some other motive."
"Yeah that had crossed my mind as well" said Amy. "It was one of the things we were talking about when you called. I am so confused and after listening to you and Ty always putting him down I will admit I am a bit of a skeptic when it comes to information about him from you guys so if this puts everyone on the same page about Ahmed then I am all for it."
"That is understandable, not very sound reasoning, but understandable," said Lou. "Only this time you don't have to take our word for it. I have proof and you can decide for yourself."
"Well at least you say you have yours, Ty seems to have gotten rid of all of his or so he says." Amy felt herself becoming angry all over again. Was this the way it was going to be for the rest of her life two people she loved and cared for, were never going to be able to accept the fact that Ahmed was not the evil person they thought him to be. Sure he had her confused but he had never been anything but good to her and even though the contract was suspicious and she could not understand the dress or phone call today she cared for him and they would just have to as Ty said accept it. "Let's see this evidence you say you have that is so incriminating!"
Lou looked at her and said "on the kitchen table"
Amy walked in and saw on the table a white very sheer robe and even more shear nighty, a piece of paper, a piece of jewelry and the computer paused on a video of her and Ahmed.
"I want to take you through this step by step Amy" said Lou. "Watch the video first then you may look at each of the other items in the order they are laid out on the table. I think when you are through you will see how Ahmed has been lying to you about not liking you though you will see that he was right that you seemed to have fallen for him."
"You sure you don't want to do this alone? It is very personal so we can step outside said Sonya, after all this is not about us and we don't need to know."
There was a fear that gripped her as she looked at the items on the table and that fear came from realizing that she was beginning to remember more from that night more than she wanted to. "It is ok I have a feeling that I am going to need all the support I can get when this is over" as she started the video.
They watched as she and Ahmed sat and laughed and shared what looked to be a glass of wine and then he presented her with a necklace and they kissed. Amy was back on that couch and she remembered the kiss and the feelings that followed. She looked down at the necklace on the table and picked it up holding it she remembered how she had felt when he gave it to her and what had happened next. She was remembering and she went from a feeling of peace and being loved to one of anger as she did not even have to open the note she remembered what it said and now she was on her way to the Princes room again and this time she heard his voice as if he were standing in front of her.
She sat down at the table and began to cry. How could she have been so cruel to her family and to Ty. She sat there and relived the past winter and all that had gone on. She remembered how she had shut out the people she loved because she did not want them to know what she was up to because she was sure they would not approve. She recalled how she had come home and not even thought twice about not calling her family and letting them know she was there and that had been before the night. Then she thought about the night with Ahmed and how she had felt and realized that she had not cared if her family ever accepted him because she was in love and she was going to do what she wanted to do. After all he loved her so how could it not be right.
She had dumped Ty without as much as I though other than hoping he was ok because he was holding her back. She had lived the life of a princess and now as she sat there she realized how she had been played and how she had made decisions that would affect the rest of her life. She would never be able to get back what she had lost.
She knew she would be loved by her family they were family after all, but those relationships and the trust that had always been there was damaged parts of it probably beyond repair.
Ty, looked at Amy and for the first time he had to come face to face with the fact that Amy had gone there with Ahmed. Even though it had been pretty evident that night he had put it in the back of his mind trying not to face one more hurt. But here it was and as Ty stood there looking at her, he said "I am sorry I need to get a little fresh air."
As he turned to leave Lou, started to say something to him but Amy gaining a little composure held up her hand and said. "Let him go sis I think I finally have broken any chance of us ever being anything more that friends if I have not just broken that link as well."
Amy looked at each of the people standing there in the room and realized that she had let a lot of people down. But mostly she had let herself down. She had let her desires for something better to overtake her good sense and in the end her something better had left her empty, and feeling alone as she had hurt all of those who loved her. And until now had looked down on them because she thought they did not care about her feelings and it was just that they had not liked Ahmed.
After a few more minutes she looked at all that was on the table and she stood up grabbed the stuff on the table and stuffed it into her vest pocket and headed out the door. As she was about to step off the porch She turned around and gave Lou a hug and said "I am so sorry Lou that I ever doubted you, we will be back in few minutes and then I think I would like to come home for the first time as me and we could make it as it should have been. I understand if no one but you wants to be around me and you probably only because you are my sister!"
"If you were coming home for the first time I would have thrown a party" said Lou!
"I don't know about a party but at least I can come home with the right attitude and begin to make things right. The way it should have been when I called you that night instead of the way it has been all these months."
"Why do we need to go somewhere then said Caleb if we are going to party let's get started!" Trying to lighten up the mood.
"Thank you Caleb but there is one more thing that I need to do. I would like Ty and Sonya and you to come with me if you would" said Amy as she left the house. Looking at Ty hoping he would at least look at her after what he had just faced. She could see he was visibly shaken but he nodded saying. "I don't know why but I think maybe I need closer and maybe what you have in mind with do that for me as well.
"Give me your keys then Ty", she said opening the door to his old pickup.
"I thought you said there was not enough room for us all to get in my old truck!" Said a still visibly shaken Ty, not quite understanding what was taking place in Amy's mind but seeing that she was determined to go and wanted them all to come along. So he said "I guess we are taking my truck getting Ty sitting behind the wheel said looking at Amy "where to, and why are you not getting in since you are in such a hurry to go?"
Amy standing at the driver's door looked at Ty, "remember I asked for you keys now move over I am going to drive."
Ty looked at her and could not help himself. "You sure you remember how now that all you drive is automatics and new one's at that he said sarcastically, besides when you were learning you just about ground all the teeth of gears and there are not that many left!" The words were that of one trying to make light of her driving ability but sounded dead serious.
Amy smile then punched Ty and shoved him over causing Sonya to have to sit on his lap as there was not enough room for all four of them to sit on the seat. Amy started the old truck and put it in reverse and kicked gravel at Lou who was still standing by the truck. Amy stuck her head out the window and said "Sorry sis see you in a bit" As she put it in gear and dropped the clutch again spitting gravel out behind the truck as they headed down the drive.
"Easy Amy you know there are not many parts available for this truck out there anymore" again said the serious Ty.
The boys soon realized where they were headed and Caleb said you sure about this Amy, I have a feeling that nothing good is going to come of this visit!"
"Yep I am, just a couple of things I need to do and then I can go home begin again!"
When they pulled up to the Mansion, Amy was reminded that there was the party going on that she had not been invited to. That night as the Prince was going to be entertaining VIP's from his country and probably some of their friends from Europe. Their friends, hmm she doubted that she would have many friends when this night was through.
Amy knocked on the door and the servant opened the door and she just barged her way in.
They all followed her wondering if they we going to be able to get her out of this place in one piece.
She looked around and saw Ahmed sitting with a woman on the couch. She saw the necklace and was ready to kill. As the tears began to form in her eyes as his words about all the horsey girls and how they always fell for the necklace.
The prince looked up and asked "what are you doing here?" Before he could continue Amy interrupted him.
"Oh just returning a couple of things" she said through the tears. She pulled out the nighty holding it up for all to see and handed it to the girl. "He probably has already laid one out on your bed upstairs. He usually does that after he gives you the necklace you have on. Kind of like this one he gave me, she said digging the matching necklace out of her pocket. And of course there will probably be a note on them if not here is the one he left on my bed inviting me to come to his! Only to find him telling everyone about what we had done the day before and making fun of how all of us horsey girls seemed to fall for the necklace."
The Prince stood up and said "you need to leave!"
"Oh and if you are thinking about using being shot at or trespassing to get at my friends here let me say I know enough that I can share to make sure no one ever looks at you the same." Then Amy looked right at him and said "so now that I have said that I will gladly leave after just one more thing". Amy had not kicked that hard in her whole life. She was not trying to stop when she made contact with his groin but rather she did not want her foot to stop till it hit the ceiling.
The prince went over backward and curled up in a ball unable to even moan.
Amy looked at the girl and said" if you know what is good for you take the necklace cash it in and find someone who really cares about you."
"Let's go I am finished here," said Amy to the group who had come in with her!
As they drove home there was a smile and calmness like they had not seen on Amy's face for months. No one was sure what to say so they rode in silence trying to figure out what was going to come next.
When they got back to Heartland Lou met them at them and wanted to know what had happened.
"Let's say Amy just showed the prince a new way to get a kick out of life" was Caleb's reply.
And maybe I can now begin to build my life up again from the Ashes of the bridges I have burned" said Amy as she did see maybe a new beginning.
The End