A/N: I'm going to make this short and sweet, because I kept you waiting for so long. Thanks again for all the reviews. :)
Chapter Five
A Royal Offer
"Moo-viee! Moo-viee! Moo-viee!"
The twins chanted loudly as they drummed their little fists on the table. Amy stood in front of the microwave, waiting for the popcorn to finish popping. They were having a movie night tonight, one of their weekly traditions. It was the one time that guaranteed the twins wouldn't put up a fight about getting their pajamas on and going to bed. Amy glanced over at Ty, who was pouring milk into two identical sippy cups, one purple and one green.
"Gee, do you think they're excited?" Amy couldn't help, but ask with a laugh.
"I don't know, I can't hear over the shouting," Ty said, smiling, as he screwed on the tops of the sippy cups. Amy laughed.
Lily and Jackson didn't get the whole meaning of family movie night, they just knew they got to have a treat and sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. Bath-time went by fast and smoothly, because of their excitement. They both picked out their favorite pajamas to wear; Lily's purple My Little Pony jammies and Jackson's green camo jammies. Now, they sat at the table, impatiently waiting to start the movie. The microwave beeped, and the twins cheered, each saying they wanted a piece of popcorn now.
"Hold on, it's really hot right now," Amy told them as she opened the steaming bag of popcorn and poured it into a blue, plastic bowl.
"How about we go upstairs and start this movie already?" Ty suggested, coming around the island to the twins.
"Yeeeaaahhh!" both twins exclaimed as they scrambled down from their chairs. Lily insisted that she walk on her own, but Jackson wanted to be carried. Ty handed him his cup to hold and picked him with one arm. Amy started to follow them with the popcorn bowl when her cell phone started to ring. She pulled out her phone and recognized the number immediately, even though it's been a long while since she talked to this person.
"I'll be up in a minute!" Amy called to Ty. Ty peeked back into the kitchen and nodded, before turning his attention back to Lily, who was already climbing the stairs by herself. After they had disappeared up the stairs, Amy answered the phone.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hello, Amy?" came a familiar, Indian accent. "I'm sorry to be calling so late."
"No, it's fine," Amy smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "Ahmed, how are you? I haven't heard from you in a long time."
"I am fine, thank you for asking," Ahmed replied, and she could tell he was smiling as well. "I trust, you are fine as well?"
"Well, yeah, a little stressful," Amy admitted. "But that comes with the territory, right?"
"Right, the new family," Ahmed said. There was a small pause before he continued, "Listen, Amy, I don't want to keep you, I just wanted to ask if we could meet up someplace tomorrow? I have a proposition for you."
"What kind of proposition?" Amy asked, curiously.
"Ah, you'll have to wait for tomorrow, if you'll agree to meet me. I would like to do this properly." Ahmed said. "So, what do you say?"
Amy hesitated for a moment, then said, "Okay, ok, I'll meet you," They spent the next five minutes, hashing out the details, when and where they should meet. By the time, Amy hung up the phone, she wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was anxious to know what Ahmed wanted, but then again, she hadn't heard from the prince in two years and now, all of a sudden, he calls her, wanting to talk to her. Amy shook her head, deciding not to think about that right now.
As Amy ascended the staircase with the bowl of popcorn in her hands, she could hear the beginning of the movie the twins had chosen, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. It was one of their favorites, the one they could actually agree on. When she came into her and Ty's room, Lily was lying at the foot of the bed, on her belly, kicking her feet through the air.
"Mommy, look!" Lily exclaimed, pointing at the television. "Spirit comin!"
Amy looked at the TV, just in time to see the palomino mare in the midst of labor. They had both seen the movie enough times, to know the buckskin foal, to be named, Spirit, was coming. Ty smiled at her as she placed the popcorn bowl and crawled onto the bed next to him and Jackson, who was lying cuddled next to his daddy. Both twins lunged for the popcorn bowl at the same and it would have spilled if Ty hadn't caught it in time. They each sat on one side of the bowl, stuffing popcorn into their little mouths and staring at the TV.
"So, who was on the phone?" Ty asked, when they were settled back against the pillows again, his arm holding her close.
"Oh, it was Ahmed, if you can believe it," Amy answered, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth.
Ty's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? You haven't heard from him in years," Ty stated what she already knew. "What did he want?"
"I don't know," Amy said. "He wants to meet tomorrow and discuss something with me. I agreed to meet him at Maggie's after lunch. That's okay, isn't it?"
"Of course it is," Ty told her. "I should be done work by then, so you don't have to worry about what do with the kids."
"Have I told you how wonderful you are, lately?" Amy asked him, snuggling deeper into him.
Ty thought about it for moment, then said, "Not that I can remember." He grinned as leaned down and captured her lips with his. The kiss was sweet and innocent at first, then their passion took control. Amy hooked her arm around Ty's neck, her fingers sliding through his hair. She pulled him down on top of her, forgetting for the moment that they weren't alone. Ty hands roamed up down her sides, pushing up her shirt. She moaned deep into his mouth, not wanting him to stop. But childish laughter brought them back to reality, and Ty sat back up, leaving Amy suddenly cold without his body heat to warm her. Amy sat up as well.
Lily and Jackson were pointing and laughing at the scene, where Spirit was sliding down the snow-covered mountain and spraying the other horses with snow. Amy and Ty smiled as the twins, who were now lying on their bellies at the foot of the bed, watching the movie they've seen at least ten times. Ty lied back down against the pillows pulling Amy down with him, his arms around her tightly. Amy laid her head on his shoulder, resting her hand on his chest. She felt his lips brush her temple and Amy closed her eyes, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips. Ahmed and whatever he wanted to tell her was the furtherest thing from her mind as she lay in bed with her husband and children.
~OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~
The next morning dawned clear and sunny with the smell of pancakes in the air. Ty was at the stove, flipping some and Lily was in her booster seat, shoving as much as she could into her mouth. Amy told her to slow down before she choked, and Lily only looked up at her with her big, green eyes and sticky syrup around her mouth. Amy laughed and pulled the two-year-old's hair back into a ponytail, before the syrup ended up there as well. Lily squirmed away from her hands, wanting to continue eating her breakfast.
"Jackson, come in here and get your pancakes before your sister eats them all!" Ty called to the little boy as he put a new plate down on the table. Lily seemed to eye the new plate hungrily. "Hey, you still have a pancake on your plate. You eat that, then you can have more." Lily beamed and put another forkful in her mouth.
Meanwhile, the sounds of a child imitating fire trucks and police cars were coming from the living room, where Jackson was playing. "I'll go get him," Amy told Ty as she started to leave the kitchen.
Jackson was sitting in the middle of the living room floor, a fire truck in one hand and a police car in the other. He made the sounds of the sirens as he pushed them over to where Lobo lay, sprawled out. Amy watched as he unfolded the ladder from the top of the fire truck and put it up to the dog's belly. He, then, had his little fireman climb the ladder and 'walk' along Lobo and 'look' into the dog's ears and eyes. All the while, Lobo was aware of the toddler, but didn't move and allowed him to do whatever to him.
"Hey, Jack, what are you doing?" Amy asked him as she came over and knelt down in front of him. Jackson looked up at her and pointed at Lobo.
"Doggie hurt," he answered.
"He is?!" Amy feigned surprise. "Are you going to fix him?"
Jackson nodded. "Like daddy," he replied.
Amy smiled as Jackson went back to 'fixing' Lobo, which really just meant, touching different parts of the dog with the toy fireman. When he finished, Jackson dropped the toy on the floor and held out his hands.
"All better!" Jackson said, all proud of himself.
"That's great!" Amy replied, sharing in his excitement. "Would the brave doctor like some pancakes now?"
Jackson nodded, excitedly, and scrambled to his feet. Amy followed him into the kitchen and lifted him into his booster seat. He picked up his fork and started eating vigorously. Amy and Ty had just sat down with their own plates, when Lily dropped her fork onto the table.
"All done!" Lily announced. "I play now." She started to, unsuccessfully, unbuckle herself from the booster seat.
"I thought you wanted more?" Amy asked her.
Lily shook her head. "I full," she said, patting her belly.
"Okay, sit there until we're all done and you can get cleaned up," Amy told her. Lily gave a small whine and pouted, but slouched back in her seat, waiting.
"So, what time are you meeting with Ahmed, today?" Ty asked, after he took a bite of pancake.
"Around two o'clock," Amy answered as she used her fork to cut her pancake into bite-size pieces. Ty nodded, and continued eating. They ate their breakfast in companionable silence with occasional chitchat. At times, Jackson put in his two senses as well and Lily started banging her legs against her seat in impatience.
After the table was cleared and the kids were cleaned, Amy stood in the living room, kissing Ty goodbye. A part of her didn't want Ty to leave, but another part wanted him to hurry up and go, so that she could find out what Ahmed had wanted. They shared one more kiss and then Ty pulled away.
"I really have to go," he said, picking up his vet bag. Amy just nodded as he headed for the door. "I'll be back soon."
Just then, Lily and Jackson came running into the room, crying for a kiss and a hug. Ty knelt down and hugged and kissed both of them. He straightened back up, putting his bag over his shoulder. Amy came over to hold the twins back, before they decided to follow him out the door. Ty leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and Amy smiled.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too."
~OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~
Later that afternoon, Amy walked into Maggie's and looked around. She spotted Ahmed immediately, sitting at a table by one of the windows. He sat, staring out the window, but he looked up when he heard Amy approach. Ahmed smiled the warm, easygoing smile Amy remembered and he stood up to greet her.
"Amy, hello, I'm glad you could make it," Ahmed said, taking her hand in his. "I see motherhood has treated you well."
Amy smiled as she shook his hand. "Thank you, and I have to say, I was curious to know why you called out of the blue," Amy replied as they both sat down.
"Before we get into that, can I get you anything?" Ahmed asked her, ever the gentleman.
"Oh, just a water will be fine," Amy answered. Ahmed got up to go put in her order and was back at the table in less than a minute. "So, what is it?"
Ahmed gave a short laugh. "I see you haven't changed that much," he noted. "Ok, since you left my stable, things haven't been the same. Zeus is fine, but I've gotten a couple of new, young horses and their training has hit a wall."
"What do you mean?" Amy asked.
"I mean, I want you to come back and work for me again," Ahmed answered, clasping his hands together on the table in front of him.
Amy was surprised and didn't know what to say at first. "Um—I..." she stumbled over her words, trying to find the right ones to say. "I don't know. It's not really the right time right now."
"Of course," Ahmed said, a little to understanding. "You have your twins, and I heard you started your own ranch. Miracle ranch, is it called?" Amy nodded. "Your barn is probably full to capacity with everybody wanting you to help their horses. I was selfish to think you'll actually have time to work for me."
"No, that's not it," Amy corrected him. She thanked the waitress, when she set the glass of water down in front of her. "Actually, I don't have a lot of paying customers at the moment. The twins take up most of my free time."
"You wouldn't have to come everyday," Ahmed persuaded. "A few hours a week will be fine with me. If you're interested?"
"Well, of course, I'm interested," Amy grinned. "But I'll have to talk to Ty first. We'll have to figure out how everything can work, what to do with the twins and such."
"Of course, take all the time you need," Ahmed said, giving her a wide smile. "Though, I have to say, I would like to have you on my staff again, and I hope you decide to come back."
Amy smiled back, wanting to tell him yes. But she knew, she had to talk Ty first before she made any big decisions. Though, she had to admit, it was tempting. She had just been wanting to find a way to go back to working with horses, and then Ahmed's offer just falls into her lap. It was almost too good to be true. Amy hoped they would figure out a way for her to take this job. Ty would want her to take it, wouldn't he?
~OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~
"I think you should take it," Ty said, later that night as the two of them cleaned up the kitchen after dinner. Lily and Jackson were in the living room, playing nicely together. Ty handed her two dirty plates he'd picked up from the table. Amy took the plates from him and put them in their places in the dishwasher.
"Are you sure?" Amy asked, when she straightened back up. "I mean, it'll only be a few hours a week, but what will we do with the twins?"
"Well, I can take them for the afternoon for now," Ty answered easily. "But we should probably think about hiring somebody to look after them for when I get called out on an emergency."
"You mean like a nanny?" Amy questioned, picking up some utensils from the sink and putting them in the dishwasher as well. "But I thought we agreed, we weren't going to have our kids raised by other people.
"Amy, we have to be realistic," Ty said. He put down Lily's plate he'd been in the middle of scraping food off of into the trashcan and came over to her. "There's going to be times when I have leave on short notice, and if you're going to be working someplace else, we have know the twins are going to be taken care of. And we can't just drop them off on Jack or Lou at the last minute."
"You're right," Amy gave in. "You're right, it's the best solution. I'm sure, we can find someone, who can fit into our lives."
"See, and Lily and Jackson will just see it as their getting a new playmate," Ty laughed, assuring her more. Amy laughed with him, thinking that the twins would probably think that. Ty put his arms around her and pulled her close. He gave her a light peck on the lips, before saying, "You know, I just want you to be happy, right?"
"I know," Amy said, laying her head against Ty's chest and breathing in his familiar scent. "And I am." She looked up at him and gave him a smile.
"Good," Ty replied, capturing her lips with his again. The kiss only lasted half a minute, when fighting erupted from the next room. They broke apart, smiling. "It was only a matter of time before they started again. I'll go settle that and you call the prince, you can't keep His Royal Highness waiting with your answer."
Amy watched him leave and heard him start to distract the toddlers from their little disagreement. Finally, she pulled out her phone and punched in Ahmed's number. "Hello, Ahmed? It's Amy,... yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I've made my decision. I'll take the job."
A/N: Again, I apologize for the long wait and I promise the next chapter will be up sooner. Please review! :)