Dating Again

Back at Heartland, Jack was settling in for a quiet evening when a knock at the front door came... as Jack answer the knock, he broke out in a big smile, "howdy stranger".

Lisa Stillman had decided to visit after her trip back from France. "Hi Jack", and she gave him a kiss.

"Well come on in and tell me how the trip was", said Jack.

"Nothings news worth to report, other than I missed you."

Lisa continued, "So how are you getting along without Ty? I assume Ben has been over to help once in awhile?"

Jack frowned, "Ben makes an occasional appearance... but things are going well".

"I'll try to talk to Ben... but I have to say you are taking Ty's absence well." said Lisa.

"Ty is a man now and I need to give him the space and opportunity to find his way. His absence here is a small cost to pay if he and Amy can move forward..." Jack explained.

Lisa sat a bit dumbfounded, "Jack Bartlett - are you saying you trust Ty... the same angry young man that 4 years ago you told and I quote, 'If any part of you comes within 10 feet of either of my daughters, I'll remove that part'... is that the same Ty?

Jack snickered... "At the time, I thought I made a good point."

Lisa continued, "Amy and Ty... would you have every thought they would grow up to the young lady and gentleman they have become..."

Jack lamented, "nature has a way...", but Lisa interrupted, "and that force of nature is a old man whom I happen to love."

Jack and Lisa sat quietly listening to the radio as it played the song, "A Thousand Miles"... the lyrics echoing in Jack's thoughts of the past years with Ty in the family.

1000 miles I would run if I had to ... and I would never look back

1000 pounds of rubble I would dig through ... to find the needle in the stack

Amy and Ty found a grassy spot under a shade tree with a few other families scattered around them. Ty spread a blanket on the grass for them to sit down. Let than 50 feet away was an ice cream stand, so Ty asked Amy, "should I get your favorite flavor?"

"How about changing it up", as Amy thought for a second, "let's try strawberry cream".

Ty smiled, "change looks good on you", as he walked the short distance to fetch the ice crème. Amy smiled and watched the crowds gathering for the concert... the stage about 75 meters in front of them. Amy enjoyed watching the families coming in with baby strollers and youngsters clinging to their parent. Lou was a mom now and Amy could see her older sister and Peter enjoying an evening like this.

Ty returned, ice crème in hand, "here you go Amy". Amy licked a few times at the cold treat and smiled. "This is good... change is good".

Ty laughed and the music started playing... Amy swaying to the music and laughing as Ty held her hand. She thought about their discussion of growing up... and how their trust in each other had grown so much stronger...

The song-writing performer Jess Campbell started to play one of Amy's favorite songs... 1000 miles and the lyrics began to melt her heart...

No span of time, nor speed or pace

Could get me close enough to you

It's not the distance I would go

But that I gave my heart to you

The concert was finished around 9 pm as darkness was settling on the downtown. Amy and Ty walked together back towards the parked truck. They talked about the next couple days and planned a motorcycle ride for the weekend.

Upon approaching their truck, Ty noticed some young men hanging around the parking lot. As Amy and Ty reaching the truck, one of the fellows yelled over "hey there Canuck, are you lost?"

The slang term was not lost on Ty, who ignored the comment. Ty helped Amy into the truck as the young fellow walked over brazenly and said to Ty, "are you hard of hearing Canuck? Maybe you need some help finding you way north..." as he laughed.

Ty advised him, "You've drunk to much... perhaps you better get home".

This made the fellow even more riled, "yea maybe I should go home and your girlfriend here could join me..."

Ty keeping his calm stepped around and reached for the truck's driver side door handle, when the young man taunting Ty tried to push him back and away from the truck. Ty instinctively secured the wrist of the young man and in a spinning action pinned his arm to his back, kicked the area behind his knee and sent him to the ground.

Ty gently said, "you've been drinking and are being rude and disorderly... go home with your two friends and I will forget this happened... otherwise, I would not wish to have you embarrassed in from of the fair lady".

The young man, less brazen and stunned, agreed to Ty's terms and relented. With a lesson learned, the youth walked away shaken, and Ty got into his truck and apologized to Amy. Amy said, "Ty... you showed a lot of restraint... and dealt with the problem... you even called me your fair lady", giggling a bit.

Ty chuckled, "Call it a positive change in my life."

Ty drove Amy back home and had her dropped off about 10 pm. Ty kissed Amy good night, something that lingered for what seemed like minutes. Ty broke the kiss and looked at Amy... "Tomorrow is another work day and you have school young lady".

"OK, I get it... and I do have some reading to do for tomorrow". said Amy, "we'll see each other this weekend. Amy hopped out and came around to the driver's side door. "Thanks Ty... and goodnight", giving him another lingering kiss.

Ty waited for Amy to get inside the stable loft, and as Amy waved goodbye from the upstairs loft window, Ty backed his truck around and started for his Colorado home.

Ty and Dean worked the hay fields in the canyon meadows on Friday and all of Saturday morning. Work was progressing nicely and the equipment was working well this hay season.

Ty showered up around 1pm and ate a late lunch with the Richards. Later in the afternoon, Ty decided to take his Norton for a ride to scout out some of the roads of the foothills. For Ty, riding his motorcycle was as much a form of recreation and relaxation as wrenching on motorcycles.

Ty pointed his Norton up the Rist Canyon road and west to Stove Prairie Road and then south toward Mechanicsville. Several gravel fire roads offered themselves as routes, but Ty stayed true on the paved road to highway 34 and the to Estes Park. Estes was a tourist destination, so Ty followed the backroads down toward Loveland.

Around dinner time, he stopped at a little eatery and had some green chili soup with a lemonade. Some other bikers stopped and admired the Norton. Ty felt some pride in his mechanical abilities as he enjoyed working on old bikes and trucks. This was something he shared with Jack.

As Ty was getting on his bike, one of the other cyclist whistled, "Nice ride there".

"Thanks man", said Ty.

Putting his helmet on, Ty was given a flyer. "If you are interested, there is a motorcycle poker run in a couple weekend for charity that goes up the Poudre River rode and some of the foothill roads". The gentleman smiled and said, "we meet at the coffee shop in LaPorte around 9 am".

Ty nodded and said, "Maybe, we'll check it out".

Ty fired up the Norton and headed north to Fort Collins and home for chores at the Richards' place.

Ty found himself speeding up the Poudre River road chasing what appeared to him to be a couple 4x4 trucks pulling horse trailers. No matter how hard he tried to catch the group, he could not seem to narrow the distance.

Ty could hear Amy's voice calling to him, "come on, you are falling behind... I don't want to lose you... not again".

Ty continued up the road as it twisted and wound its way following the Poudre River and its water rapids in various places.

Ty kept pace with the group of trucks and horse trailers...

All of the sudden, Ty felt his lips tingle... how odd he thought. In moments the road, horse trailers and his motorcycle were a distance memory and he found himself on the Richards' front porch with a lovely strawberry blonde kissing him.