Hard Work and Planning
"Hey there sleepy-head", said Amy, as she pulled away and stood there in her work clothes ready for chores, her straw colored hair blown about her face by the occasional mountain breeze blowing in the later afternoon.
"Amy?... Amy" as Ty cleared his head of the dream he had been having, "what time is it?" Amy took a quick look at her watch, "about 6:45 pm on a Saturday night".
Ty winched..."I must have fallen asleep when I got back from my ride on the Norton. We baled all of yesterday and all morning today prior to my motorcycle ride."
Now more awake, Ty saw that Amy had saddled two horses from Erhardt stables and rode one horse while leading the other up the roadway to the Richards.
Amy said, "how about we go for a trail ride... I covered your chores this evening". Ty said, "Sure, that should be fine..." and smiled at Amy.
Peter and Lou were out in the paddock area when Scott arrived. "We are so happy to see you Scott, something is wrong with Harley and we thought we better call you".
"Glad you called... I owe Ty a lot and looking in on his horse is the least I can do", said Scott.
Scott unboxed his equipment and started checking Harley. "Have you heard from Ty this week?" Scott wondered.
"No news is good news I guess... I know grandpa has heard from Ty a couple times", said Lou.
Peter and Scott looked to each other, and Scott continued his exam of Harley.
Lou noticed the look between Peter and Scott, "What is up you two? Why the quiet male treatment regarding Ty?"
"Just wondering if I will get my intern back from Colorado", claimed Scott.
"Yea, right", said Lou as she spun on her heel to head to the house.
Peter said to Scott, "I really hope Amy listened when we talked on my visit".
Scott concurred, "And I think Ty was listening to me. If we every get those two to settle down and bury that stubborn trust problem, maybe another wedding is in the future".
Amy and Ty rode their horse along the trail down to the barn and followed it along the aspen grove toward the west, past a couple cabins and then turned up the slope following an old fire road. Alongside this road, Amy and Ty noticed an abandoned makeshift ski lift.
Laughing, Ty said, "looks like an attempt to open the next ski resort failed here".
Amy added, "or they decided to build their own private ski slope".
They continued to make progress up the slope until they reached the plateau and a grassy knoll. The view back along the trail showed it intersection with Rist Canyon road. In the distance, the view was spectacular with the sad exception of patches of pine beetle kill trees.
Amy noted, "its such a blotch on the landscape" and Ty agreed, "Sure is".
Amy stated, "this may not be Heartland, but the views here are almost as lovely".
Ty added, "any place I can trail ride is lovely as long as it includes you Amy Fleming".
Amy coyly smiled, "why Mr. Borden, are you complimenting my riding skill or something else?", already anticipating another flattering comment.
As the horse stood side by side, Ty looked at Amy and smiled, "you know how to put a man on the spot... but if you must know..."
Amy chimed in, "I must...", giggling at Ty.
"My evenings are special to me because I spend them with the loveliest and most honest woman I have known", said Ty.
Amy leaned over toward Ty and took hold of his shoulder to pull him closer and they kissed each other. Ty whispered to Amy, "flattery must be getting me somewhere..."
Amy whispered back, "someday with the right circumstances, it will certainly get you more than somewhere...", and she kissed him again.
They rode their horses back to the Erhardt stables, did a night check after unsaddling their horses and Amy drove Ty back to his home with the Richards. A good night kiss was shared and both retired for the evening.
The following week was an all out haying week with dry weather and lots a mature grass hay fields. A couple of the evenings, Amy and Brigitta called Ann Richards and found the location of the field where Dean and Ty were working and joined them to help.
On Friday evening, the last field of hay at Stratton Park was finished and Ty was moving the haying equipment back to Mountain Meadows, when Amy popped over in Brigitta's SUV. Ty pulled up on the tractor and baler just as Amy got out of the SUV.
Both Amy and Ty walked up to the front porch and took seats in the rocking chairs there. Ty kicked off his boots and socks and rubbed his sore feet. Amy looked at Ty with a bit of sympathy, "Ty - I think you could use a night just to stay home and relax".
Ty leaned back and quickly agreed, "I'm going to be counting hay bales in my sleep..." and he leaned back and shut his eyes. Within a few seconds, he was deep in a slumber.
Amy smiled at her appreciation for Ty's hard work. The idea to bring Ty to Colorado to help Dean Richards was hers, but Ty had made this work his responsibility and priority. And still, Ty had found time to be with Amy as part of his life these past 3 weeks.
Amy whispered aloud, "Sleep well love..." and then jotted a note and left it in Ty's t-shirt pocket. The note said, "call me later... love Amy".
Around 9 pm, Ty awoke when Dean finally came out to eat a bowl of ice creme before bedtime. Dean said, "I want to thank you Ty for all the hard work this week and since you have been here".
"Not a problem", said Ty, "the work is something I enjoy and being here close to Amy at the same time as made the time at work fly by each day".
Dean said, "sounds like love to me... any future plans with the young lady?"
Ty smiled, "lot of my closest friends and adopted family has been asking me that question in sorted ways..."
Dean shared some obvious wisdom, "You know Ty, I hear to talk often about Heartland being you adopted family... seems to me while not your biological family... they still are your family... perhaps you could take that first step in admitting that fact... and move on to the next step". Dean smiled at Ty and was about to leave him to think about it...
Ty sat and stared at the mountain ridge, considering what Dean had just said.
"Ty... the weekend is yours... Ann and I will handle shores... take off and try to relax or do something for yourself..", said Dean as he headed indoors to the bedroom.
Ty stayed out on the porch in the cool evening air, breathing in lungful after lungful, almost in a meditative state of mind. His thoughts drifted to Heartland and how the people there had shown him the love of friendship... not sure that... the love of family.
Ty said to himself, "how could I have been so closed minded to what was right in front of me..." Ty realized Dean's advise was indeed true... family was more than biological... family were the people at Heartland.
Ty's thoughts were drawn to his shirt pocket as he rose to go back to his guest room for the evening... a piece of paper stuck there. The note said, "call me later... love Amy". Ty's heart skipped a beat and he went to the phone in the kitchen to dial the stable loft phone number.
Amy was laying in her hide-away bed, reading some of her assigned material from a textbook on basic equine medicine. Amy looked up from her reading and gazed at the horse painting and photos arranged there. The phone on her nightstand broke her thoughts.
"Hello" answered Amy.
"Are you the mystery girl who leaves notes in my pocket, proclaiming to love me?", said the voice at the other end.
"Sweetie, I love you all the time...", cooed Amy.
"Nicely played, did you learn all your better sweetheart lines from your grandpa Jack?" asked Ty as he laughed lightly.
"My grandpa has his moments; nonetheless Ty - I do love you", said Amy.
Ty moved the conversation to the coming weekend and his time off, "so how would you like to live outdoors for the weekend? Of course this assumes your studies are caught up".
"Well actually, I am in fine shape with classwork... as to living outdoors... are you referring to camping?", asked Amy.
"That is exactly what I had in mind... perhaps even a little fishing if possible...", mentioned Ty.
"Well fishing is more grandpa's thing, but camping sounds fine and if you catch anything, and that is a big if... I can cook those trout", bragged Amy.
Well fishing by myself sounds dull, so perhaps we can invite someone else?", asked Ty hoping Amy would not find other people coming along to be some distraction from their time together.
Amy said, "Great idea... Brigitta's husband just made it to Colorado from Germany last night, so I think it would be a nice way to get to know him... and Ty?"
"Yes Amy..."
"Don't think for a moment I will not be looking for some romance from you Mr. Borden... I am expecting some cuddling and special attention whenever possible", challenged Amy.
"Prepare to be romanced Amy Fleming...", promised Ty... "get back to me with a time to go in the morning... we will let the Erhardts decide the place and time".
"Sound great... call you in the morning... goodnight Ty... love you...", cooed Amy.
"Love you too." and Ty hung up the phone, heading to shower off the day's dirt before hitting the bed.