Chapter 4

It's 6:25 am that same morning.

"Did you see that!? How many cars is that?" Amy excitedly asked as they turned the corner.

"I wasn't paying attention." Scott lied, reaching for his stethoscope and trying to hide a smile. "But I'm pretty sure we picked up at least three more since that last intersection." He admits, finally. "Apparently, seeing a horse being transported on the back of a very large tow truck isn't all that common."

"Apparently." Amy replies and then adds. "I guess seeing two people harnessed to the back of a tow truck with a horse isn't all that common either". They both stare back at the line of cars and then Scott gets busy checking Harley's heart, lungs and then various places along his side. Pulling the stethoscope from his ears, he takes a moment to examine Harley's legs, at least what he can see of them, looking for any sign of instability or nerve damage. He's done this at least a dozen times, since they left the accident site. Amy simply watches him, looks where he looks and then anxiously looks at him for any sign of concern. "

"I have to admit, riding like this is a new experience for me." Scott shares. Then, looking at her, finally answers the question she's been anxious to ask. "Too soon to tell, Amy. I'm getting a little bit of activity from the gut, but it's still not where it should be. And…" pausing for a moment "I think I'm okay with that. Frankly, if it came back too soon, I'd be worried. I don't see any weakness in his legs but I'm not allowing him to put any weight on them. The lungs are better. I was picking up sounds of gurgling when we first got him up, but I don't hear it anymore." We just have to wait and see how his system responds.

Thankful for the bits of good news, Amy manages a resigned "I know." Then thinking a bit more. "I can check my mom's journals to see if she had cases like this. I know there are herbs to aide circulation but maybe there's more."

"Can't hurt. Just remember my rule." Scott says as he scans the area around them.

"I know. I won't give him anything until I've checked with you first."

"I trust you, Amy. You know I do. But while the animal is in my care. I'm responsible for him."

"Yeah", she agrees. Then forces a brighter disposition as she reaches out to Harley, scratching his neck and talking to him. Each time, Amy notes his behavior and level of response. She's pleased when he turns her way, at least as much as he can, allowing her to scratch both sides of his neck and spots on his head that he likes. He's not showing any sign of distress or pain so she takes some comfort in that.

All three were standing on a metal deck mounted at the rear of the tow truck. For safety, both Scott and Amy were wearing harnesses allowing them to stand, but affording little left or right movement. A stipulation was that the top speed for their trip was 20 miles per hour. Harley was held in place by two straps supporting his weight and allowed his legs to just touch the deck.

Scott made this arrangement for the safe transport of the animal in his care. That was Harley. He also requested that the tow truck driver quickly pull over if Scott hit the horn button twice. The harnesses allowed Amy to reach Harley's head and neck while Scott focused on the rest of him.

Immediately behind their tow truck, with lights flashing, is a police car with its lights flashing, followed by Jack driving Scott's truck and towing Hartland's red horse trailer. And after that is a growing parade of at least a dozen cars, all curious as to where the tow truck is going with a horse and people on the back.

They've been on the road for about 20 minutes and things were starting to calm down. Harley seemed to be handling the ride okay. Ty was being transported to the hospital and there really wasn't anything to do besides keep Harley calm and watch for any issues.

Staring at the road behind them, Amy gets caught in her thoughts for a moment. "I panicked when I first saw him, Scott. Grandpa hadn't cleaned all the snow off yet and most of his body was still buried." Turning to Scott, she continues. "I thought for a moment he was dead. Just like I thought Ty was…. for a moment." Saying those words aloud for the first time brings on a flood of emotions that threaten to overwhelm her. "I don't think my heart can take this twice in one day. First finding Ty hanging upside down and then Harley practically buried in snow. I just…. I wasn't ready to… I" She falters, grabbing onto the nearest strap to steady herself and closes her eyes.

Hearing her words and the enveloping sadness, Scott immediately switches into Big Brother mode and puts his hand on her shoulder. Her admission surprised him and he couldn't help but feel for her. He's known for a long time just how committed Amy is to healing and caring for horses. For any animal, actually. And he'd witnessed many moments when she was able to reach a horse that they all thought was a lost cause. Having that compounded by her love for Ty and fear for his safety, was almost too much.

"Hey, you're stronger than you think. You had every reason to wallow when your mom died, but you didn't. Not only did you move forward, you developed your gift and used it to heal a seriously troubled horse. And you have built a very strong bond with that animal. And last night, you didn't hesitate. When you saw Ghost, you knew what you needed to do and you did it!" Looking up over Harley for a moment, he adds "And you have a very strong and ever-growing fan base! Look… at all of those cars!" He proclaims with a grin.

"Very funny." Amy shares, wiping away an escaping tear.

"But here's the thing, Amy. Harley would never have done what he did if he hadn't felt a strong bond with both you and Ty. There's no better clue as to the character of an owner than to see how the horse responds to them. I've never seen anything stronger than what you have, Amy. Never."

Amy turns toward Scott and they hug for a moment. Or do as much as the harnesses allow.

"Thanks, Scott. That means a lot. I've been so focused that I just pushed the emotions out of the way."

"It's a necessary skill. Especially for people who work with animals. Sometimes, you cannot let your emotions inform your decision on what's best for the animal. Other times, they're what push you to find a solution."

Pulling back from each other, they spot people parked along both sides of the road waving and honking their horns.

"Don't these people have jobs?" Amy wonders aloud.

"Hey, how often do you get to see a horse on the back of a tow truck?! And besides, outside of ranch hands and restaurant workers, not many people are up at 6:00 am."

"Still, how did they…"

Looking all along the road on his side, Scott posits "I think this is the Internet effect."

"Oh my God, you don't suppose someone has posted about it?"

Looking from the crowd to Amy. "You are the Miracle Girl." Scott reminds her. "How long did that take?"

"Not long. I guess we'll find out." Amy says, answering her phone.

"Hey, Lou."

"Hi, Amy. I just got to the hospital. Ty is being evaluated in the ER. They plan to transfer him to a private room and will be doing more tests throughout the day. How are things there? How's Harley? How are you?" That last sentence comes out in a manner that suggests Lou meant to ask it first.

"Slow down, Lou. I'm strapped to the back of a tow truck with Harley and Scott. All three of us are doing okay, under the circumstances. Scotts a bit grumpy but he's harnessed just like I am so he can't get away."

Feigning indignation, Scott puts the stethoscope to his ears and places the listening cup on Amy's forehead. "Yeah, I got nothin!" He shares with a mischievous smile and a rather loud voice.

Hearing Scott's words, Lou starts to worry. "You're strapped to what? Who's got nothing? Is Harley okay? What's going on?!"

Sticking her tongue out at Scott, Amy explains.

"Calm down, Lou. That was just Scott messing with me cuz I called him grumpy. Harley's doing okay. Showing some signs of improvement but as Scott just told me, we have to monitor him and see how his system responds."

"Good. That's good, Amy. A nurse is coming over. I'll call you when I hear more. You do the same, okay?"

"I will, Lou. Anything you want me to tell Scott?"

"Yeah, tell him not to be grumpy. I love him. Be careful. And don't put the stethoscope to your forehead again."

"How did you…" Amy asks as the line drops.

"That was Lou, Ty's in the ER yet being evaluated."

"Good. Hopefully the worst he'll have to deal with is some nasty blisters."

Ignoring his comment, she added. "And she said that she loves you and not to put the stethoscope to my forehead again." Looking at him sorta sideways, she can't help but ask. "How did…. Is that something you do often?"

"Only to people who call me grumpy. Or get riled up about things that usually amount to nothing."

"Yup, that would be Lou." Amy agrees. Then they both scan the crowd along the side of the road for a bit before Scott checks on Harley again. Lungs are clear. And hearing a bit more noise from the gut but way below where it should be. He repositions the listening cup in several other places along the horse's digestive path but it's all silent.

Looking serious for a moment Scott gets Amy's attention. "I've said this once already but you deserve to hear it again. You did the right thing. I'm sure the results will prove it. If you'd not gotten to Ty when you did, he'd be much worse off than he is."

"The EMT said the same thing. I understand why Ty felt like he had to continue driving. It's something he and I need to talk about. As for Harley…." She pauses, feeling guilty for even saying the words to herself. "To be honest, I never really thought about him after I stood up on him to get on top of the truck. I needed to get to Ty. I guess I figured. Or maybe hoped that he'd be okay. He must have moved to the other side of the truck, as soon as I got inside."

"I definitely wasn't expecting to see him like that. Lou only told me that I needed to come and get him. When Jack and I got to him, his whole body was covered in snow like you saw. And still, he wouldn't move. Not until he saw you."

"And then we wouldn't let him."

"Too many ways for things to go wrong if he'd tried to stand, Amy."

Hearing Scott talk about it brings several emotions to the surface for Amy. She once again reaches for Harley, bringing his head near hers, seeking to share what she's feeling with him. Scott simply watches the parade of cars and waving people for a bit. Then he puts the stethoscope to his ears and checks on Harley.

90 Minutes Earlier – At the crash site.

"Jacob said to come see you if I have questions. Well, I have questions."

Skipping introductions, Scott stands up, backs away from Harley and gets right to business. "Thanks for coming. I'm going to need several things. First, is it possible for you to pull the truck away from Harley?"

"Sure. Do you want me to haul it to a repair shop?"

"No. When I give you the okay, I need you to slowly pull it back. Once it's about three feet, you can shift it off someplace out of the way. Then I need you to back up so that you can lift him."

Surprised by the request. "You want me to lift a horse?"

"Yes."

"Oooookay. I have to say that's a new one. So, you need the truck out of the way so I can back up and lift Harley."

"Correct."

"And what happens after I lift him?"

"If the lift goes well, I need you to haul him and us back to my clinic."

"And what if the lift doesn't go well."

"Let's not go there."

"Agreed. But, you're gonna to have to get permission from the authorities to ride on the back of the tow truck. I can rig some harnesses but it's not something they're big on."

"No problem. I've been here long enough that I know just about everyone involved in law enforcement."

"Good. Cuz you're going to have some 'splaining to do, my friend."

"I'll get us a permission slip and you get set up to move the truck. But don't do it till I give the okay."

"Got it. I'm Dozer, by the way." The driver shares, extending his hand.

"Scott Cardinal. And I'm sure there's a great story behind 'Dozer'".

"There is. For another time."

"Oh, yeah. Once you lift Harley, do you have anything he and we can stand on?"

"That might take a bit. I do have some metal decking I've used when hauling vehicle parts and items I can't tow. It attaches to the tow bar and can be adjusted up or down, forward and back."

"That should work. What do you need for that?"

"Just to call the shop and have one of the guys bring it out. It's one inch thick steel so they haul it on a truck with a mobile forklift on the back. I'll call him straight away."

"Call your shop and then come find me when you have the truck ready to move. I'll go talk with the RCMP and be back here monitoring the animal."

Scott finishes talking just as he sees Amy come around the side of the truck and rush over to Harley. Given the timing, he doubts whether the EMT's had any time to check her out. He also finds it curious that she's only wearing a shirt under the blanket the EMT's gave her.

"Oh my Gosh! Harley? What did you do?" She asks in a surprised and somewhat panicked voice. Jack moves out of the way as she quickly sits down, Indian style next to Harley's head. Unsure just how much she should move him, she gently strokes his head, from his nose all the way to his ears with her right hand while rubbing his neck with her left. She talks to him gently, offering words of thanks and encouragement as tears fall. Having fully accepted her own risk in finding Ty, seeing Harley like this adds an unexpected layer which Amy finds almost overwhelming.

Leaning forward, she whispers "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want to bring you. I didn't." She admits aloud for the first time; making it all the more real and causing another flood of tears. "But you were so brave, Harley. You got me here and you saved us. You saved me and you saved Ty. You saved Ty."

Harley's lack of reaction to Amy's words only increases her concern for his wellbeing. No ear movement or any other visible acknowledgement confirmed that he was not in a good place. She knew it as soon as she saw him but this was a sure indication. Amy forced herself to stay optimistic and continued talking to him. Hoping to see some response.

Ever watchful of his granddaughter, Jack couldn't help but feel the ache in Amy's heart as she was dealing with the second traumatic event of the day. Sitting down next to her, he simply put his right arm around her to let her know that he was there. After another minute or so, Harley lifted his head and Amy wrapped both arms around him and hugged him to her. "You are my very brave horse, Harley."

Having successfully negotiated horse and people transport via tow truck with the RCMP, Scott was back and focusing solely on Harley. Moving his stethoscope along the animal's body, he listened for sounds that he knew wouldn't be there.

Maintaining his poker face, Scott made a mental list of the possible issues they would have to deal with. The first and most critical was the potential for reperfusion injury. The impact of lifting the horse and allowing blood to once again circulating in places it couldn't. A number of conditions could come of that. Then there was loss of blood to the back legs. This could cause lameness and muscle death. And beyond that was possible nerve damage. The one saving grace in all this just might be the cold weather.

Standing back and assessing all the possible ways that things could go bad, Scott's thoughts are interrupted by a very loud snort and a vigorous head shake from Harley. Pulling himself away from Amy, Harley lifts his head and looks around as if more than ready to get on with the show.

"I think he's had enough of this sitting business." Scott declares. "That's a very good sign, Amy. Let's get things moving."

Amy skritches Harley's neck a few more times before pulling him in for one more hug before getting up.

She helps Jack up and they both walk over by Scott who's buried in his thoughts again.

"So, what's the plan?" Jack asks.

"The tow truck driver is going to pull Ty's truck away from Harley and then off to the side. Amy, when that happens, I want you sitting next to Harley and reassuring him so that he doesn't get startled.

"I can do that." Amy shares, while accepting her coat from one of the EMT's in exchange for the blanket.

"I don't know how Harley is going to react since he hasn't seen Ty. I think you being here will make it okay but I don't want to take any chances."

Looking between Jack and Amy, Scott continues. "The most important thing is that you not allow Harley to try and stand up. Jack, if you need to, lay on him. In fact, get a couple other people to help. Amy, if he looks like he's going to try, I need you to lay on his neck and hold him down."

"But won't that cause more problems."

"That's a risk we have to take." Scott replies. Not wanting to share too much about Harley's condition, and worry Amy even further, he summarizes. "What we have to avoid is Harley trying and failing to get up. If he falls, he could further injure himself, making recovery even more difficult."

"We definitely don't want that." Jack confirms, making eye contact with Amy. Then he looks around for possible volunteers.

"Once Ty's truck is out of the way, I'm going to have the tow truck driver lift Harley. I have some straps in my truck. Lifting him is going to be a slow process as I'll be monitoring his vital signs all the while. I may have the driver lower him if I don't like what I'm hearing."

Pausing for a moment and then looking directly at Amy, "I need you to be prepared. Lifting Harley is going to allow blood to flow to places it's not been able to get to for the two hours he's been sitting. This may cause his blood pressure to drop or other complications and things may turn out bad. I just want you to …"

Amy interrupts. She knows things could go bad and doesn't want to hear any more. "I trust you, Scott. I don't want Harley to suffer. If you think that's where he's headed, do what you need to do." Then she turned around, walked over by Harley's head and sat down.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"This is difficult for everyone, Scott. As Amy said, do what you need to do. I'll go find us some volunteers." And with that, Jack heads over to a group of people standing around.

Working out the details in his head one more time, Scott checks Harley with his stethoscope before walking around the other side of the truck to talk with Dozer. Finding him at the hoist controls on the side of the tow truck, he watches for a moment as Dozer expertly adjusts the two cables hooked to the underside of Ty's truck.

"You almost set?"

"Yes, I'm good to go. Both cables are secure and positioned so the truck should pull away as you wanted."

"Good. I think the horse is ready also. I'm going to stand over on the side so I can keep an eye on the horse. As long as I give you a thumbs-up, go ahead and slowly move the truck. If I drop my hand, stop."

"I'll be watching for your signal."

"Thanks for this, by the way. I know it's more than you bargained for but know that the Bartlett's are good people and they appreciate what you're doing."

"No problem. My wife's a horse lover and she'll be thrilled when I tell her about it."

Scott heads back to the other side where Jack is now standing with two other guys.

"We're ready to move the truck. You guys ready?" Scott asks, looking at the group.

"All set, Scott." Jack replies.

"Amy, you set."

"Yes."

"Okay. Remember what I said."

Scott then takes his position so that he can see Harley and the tow truck driver. He then gives a thumbs-up and they all watch Ty's truck magically move on its own.

Harley is startled by the movement and tries to shift but Amy holds on to his head, talking to him. "Hey, it's okay. You stay here with me. Ty is safe now so you stay here with me."

Having dropped his hand at Harley's reaction, Scott watches as Amy calms him with her voice and gentle touch. Then raises his hand again and the truck continues to move back. Once it's about three feet back, it stops.

Dozer than quickly reattaches both cables to the front and back tire rims. This allows him to lift the truck using the rotator, slide it to his right and further off the road and out of the way. Once that's done, he disconnects from the truck. Turns the rotator so it's once again pointing straight back and then slowly backs the truck up so it's about six feet away from Harley.

Exiting the cab, Dozer finds Scott looking at the boom end of the rotator.

"How quick do those cables move?"

"Well, it's all hydraulics so any movement is based on engine speed. I can adjust it to a degree, depending on what you need."

"What we need to do is slowly lift the horse. You have two cables on the end of that boom. I assume you can operate them separately."

"Yes."

"When I say slowly. I mean sloooooooowly." Scott uses his voice to emphasize the point.

"If you want that fine of control, we can loop the cables and put a pulley on each one. It'll halve the movement and give you about the best control you can get from a rig like this."

"That should work. Our best hope for that horse is that we lift him slowly, and gauge his reaction. If we lift too fast, we may loose him and nobody here, especially Amy, wants to see that happen." In a quieter voice he adds "She risked her life, and the life of that horse, to get to Ty."

"Then we'll do what we need to do. Once we get your straps under the horse, we'll attach them to the hooks on the pulleys. Then I'll stand next to you with the remote and you tell me which cable to raise and when. Once the horse is high enough. We'll get the steel platform installed and get all three of you hooked up."

"Perfect. If this works, you will have some very grateful people and I suspect, a good bit of PR from it."

"That's more than I could ask for."

And that's what they did. Scott retrieved the two eight-inch-wide straps from his truck. While Amy kept Harley calm, he used what looked like a three-foot-long cable tie to thread two skinny cables under Harley. One, just behind his front legs. The other, just ahead of his rear legs. The second one took longer as they had to move Harley's rear legs a bit to get the cable through.

The straps were then laid out perpendicular to the horse and positioned where they were intended to go to support his weight. One end of each cable was attached to the closest end of each strap. The other end of each cable, on the opposite side of Harley, was attached to a pulley.

Slowly, the cables and straps were pulled under Harley's body. Coating on the cables and straps were designed to minimize any friction and bruising. This seemed to be true as Harley shifted only twice.

Once the straps were where they needed to be, the thin cables were removed and stowed. Then both ends of each strap were attached to their respective pulleys and the rotator cables adjusted to remove any slack.

Dozer grabbed the remote from the side compartment on the tow truck and walked over by Scott. Neither wanted to stand between Harley and the tow truck so they stood on the other side, where they wouldn't get crushed if the straps failed. Or at least they'd have people to pull them out of the way.

Turning to face the growing crowd behind them, Scott announces. "Here we go folks. This is going to be very slow and very steady." After making sure that everyone understood, Scott turned to Amy. "Amy, you stick by Harley's head and keep him calm and encouraged, like you've been doing. If you see him begin to fade or you get any indication that he's under stress or in pain, call out. We can lower him till he recovers and then come back up."

"Harley and I are going to be a team. Aren't you, my good boy!"

Armed with his stethoscope, Scott kneeled by Harley's side, getting a baseline reading for heart and respiration. He then spent more than a minute listening to Harley's gut.

Looking up at Dozer, he said, "I'll say 'Up front' or 'Up back' and 'Stop'. If Amy or I think there's a problem, we may need you to lower him. All up movement should be as slow as you can make it happen." Pausing to think for a bit, he added "Just follow my instructions. I'll be listening all the while you're doing that so be prepared to wait a bit. I don't think he'll wanna pee or empty his gut but I cannot rule it out, so be prepared."

"Understood."

"I'm sorta flying by the seat of my pants here. Oh, yeah. When we get Harley's body off the ground and high enough that he tries to get his legs under him, just bring him up fast and high enough that his legs don't touch the ground. I don't want him putting any pressure on them."

"Tell me when and I'll raise the boom. That'll get him up more quickly."

"Good."

Looking at Amy one more time. "We'll do it slow and it'll be okay, Amy."

"I trust you, Scott. Harley and I will be just fine. Won't we, boy! My very brave boy!"

And so it started….

With stethoscope cup in hand, the commands started. Scott continuously checked heart rate, respiration and gut on a rotating basis. As Harley's front half got about a foot off the ground, his breathing changed.

"Scott?" Amy called out.

"Stop." Came the command to Dozer. "Just give him a second, Amy. He's getting high enough that his lungs are starting to expand. I'm picking up a bit of fluid and I'm sure he feels it. Let's give him a moment."

After a minute or two, they resumed lifting. Thirteen inches. Fourteen inches….. Sixteen inches…. When his front half almost two feet off the ground, they stopped again. "Lungs should be almost fully expanded now. Time for another break." Scott announced.

A bit concerned by a new gurgling sound, Scott honed in on one area, moving the stethoscope in a circular pattern almost like a clock dial. Amy kept one eye on Harley and the other on Scott. When she noticed his expression change, all sorts of worries exploded in her head.

As if reading her mind, Scott looked at her. "It's okay, Amy. I'm hearing gurgling sounds in his lungs but it's just the accumulated fluid pooling in the bottom. Once his circulation is going like it should be, that fluid will be absorbed. "

Relieved by Scott's answer, she focused her attention back on Harley. Stroking his neck and telling him what's going on and that it was okay. When he got high enough, she took it upon herself to extend both of his front legs and start massaging them. Scott just looked at her and smiled.

Satisfied that the front half was doing okay, Scott now worked on getting the back half off the ground. The thing he feared most was damage to the rear legs due to loss of circulation. Based on time estimates, Harley was sitting for almost two hours. Surgery on horses is usually kept to two hours max, so as not to cause circulation or reperfusion injuries like he was now facing.

Fully aware that there was nothing he could do until he knew, Scott gave the command and, very slowly, Harley's back half began to rise. Scott stopped his upward trek about a half dozen times, often asking for quiet as he listened for any unexpected sounds and for those he hoped to hear.

It wasn't until Harley's body appeared to be floating that Scott heard some initial sounds from his gut. It was a good sign so they kept going. When Harley was about two feet off the ground, Scott gave the command and Harley was lifted up until his feet were fully extended and just barely touched the ground.

Amy joined him and they spent another two minutes doing a full evaluation, including checking the legs for any signs of trauma or injury. Once done, they both agreed that they'd done the best they could.

"I think we're good, Dozer. Well done. Can we get that deck installed and get us underway?"

"Sure thing."

…..

Back on the road…

Amy's phone rings again and she reluctantly pulls away from Harley.

"Hey Caleb!"

"Amy, are you actually riding on the back of a tow truck with a horse right now?"

"Yes, Caleb. I'm riding next to Harley. Scott's here too."

"Hey Caleb." Scott replies after Amy moves the phone closer.

Taking the phone back, she asks "How did you find out?"

"I got a text message from a buddy of mine. Then Soraya sent me a link to a Facebook page with Harley's picture on it. People are posting comments, giving updates as to where you are and where they think you're headed."

"Yeah, we kinda figured that after seeing the line of cars on the side of the road and those following us."

"So what happened? Amy are you and Ty okay?"

Amy explained the current state of things, answering no more than two of Caleb's questions before asking a favor.

"Can you post on that Facebook page that Harley is being transported to Scott's clinic. Tell folks that we'll post updates on Harley's condition as soon as we have news."

"Will do."

Scott adds "Caleb, ask them to stay out of the parking lot at the clinic. We're going to have to pull this rig up to the building so we'll need room to maneuver."

"I'll let folks know. Amy, is it okay if I come over later?"

"Sure, but I'm not sure when anybody is going to be there. Grandpa is following us in Scott's truck and Lou's running point at the hospital. I'm going to be at the clinic helping get Harley settled."

"Okay." Caleb laments. Feeling suddenly out of the loop as to what's transpired with his two best friends.

"You know what, though. Grandpa and I are going need a ride from the clinic to Heartland. Why don't you head over there, but park way off in the corner or across the street.

"Sounds good. I'll head there after I do the posting." Caleb replied in a more enthusiastic voice.

"Thanks, Caleb."

Amy puts her phone away and resumes talking with Harley and rubbing his neck and head. Scott, busy with the stethoscope, notices a slight tremor in Harley's left rear leg. The one closest to him. He watches as the muscles twitch for several more seconds before settling. He makes a mental note of it and is grateful that Amy hadn't noticed.

The remainder of the trip to Scott's clinic goes smoothly. The parade of cars simply drives past the tow truck after it pulls up to the building. Most honk their horns in a show of support. A few exuberant "Harley!"'s are heard as well.

Once at the clinic, they make quick work of transferring Harley from the tow truck to a special support frame inside one of the recovery stalls. Scott takes several minutes making adjustments, confirming that Harley cannot put more than a minimal amount of pressure on any of his legs. Satisfied, he then draws blood to test for any unforeseen issues.

A phone call from Lou informs them that Ty has been moved to a private room and is being sedated. He won't be allowed to have visitors for at least 24 hours as they monitor the injuries to his hands and feet.

Amy spends another minute or two with Harley. Then heads outside to help Jack unhitch the horse trailer from Scott's truck and connect it to Caleb's. After checking with Scott one more time. The three of them head to Heartland.

Once there, Amy takes a quick shower and then heads off to bed. But not before making both Jack and Caleb promise to wake her if there's any news. Jack and Caleb head to the kitchen to make sandwiches.

…..

It's late afternoon when Lisa's car pulls up to the ranch house. After shutting the engine off, she dons her gloves, sticks her phone in her coat pocket and gets out. Grabbing an over-night bag from the second seat, she heads inside.

"Hello." She calls as she turns and closes the door tight. Turning around, she comes face-to-face with Amy.

"Hey, Lisa! Welcome home! I thought you weren't coming back for another week?"

"Amy, it's good to see you, sweetheart." Lisa shares as she pulls Amy in for a hug. Then steps back to look at her. "You've had an eventful day. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine, Lisa. Better now that Ty and Harley are being tended to."

"I can imagine! How is Ty?" Lisa asks as she keeps eye contact while removing her gloves and unzipping her coat.

"They just transferred him to a private room. The doctors are going to meet with us tomorrow after they've had a chance to evaluate his injuries. They said it would have been a lot worse if I'd not gotten to him when I did. I was so worried, Lisa." She admits, feeling her eyes welling up.

"Oh, honey. That's all done now. Everybody is safe. That's all that matters." She pulls Amy in for another hug. This one needed moreso than the first. This is the hug from a mother to a much loved and admired daughter. "I'm proud of you." Lisa whispers.

Separating again, Amy steps back, giving Lisa room to finish removing her coat and boots.

"Are you hungry? Lou made a fresh batch of chicken vegetable soup. Homemade biscuits will be ready in about 10 minutes. I just put them in the oven." Amy shares, walking back into the kitchen to check the timer.

"Sounds perfect. I had a salad on the plane but that was over four hours ago." Still with her coat and boots on, Lisa peers into the kitchen and then the Family Room.

"Have you seen Jack?" she asks.

Amy thinks about it for a moment. Then registers surprise when she realizes that it's way past Noon and that she hasn't. "No, I haven't. He must be in the barn. Probably taking care of the horses or fixing something."

"I'm going to go say "Hi". Do me a favor and dish me up a bowl of that soup and save me a biscuit or two." Lisa zips up her coat, puts her gloves back on and heads out to the barn.

Amy watches from the kitchen window as Lisa heads to her car, reaches in and grabs something from the center console. Then closes the door and heads to the barn.

Her arrival being unexpected, Amy cannot help feeling a sense of peace now that she's here. Lisa has very gently stepped into the role of mother in her life. An infinite source of love, wisdom and comfort.

Amy peaked at the rolls in the oven, making sure they weren't getting too dark, then set the table. Reaching into one of the upper cabinets, she brought out the soup tureen and set it by the stove. Lisa had seen it in a small shop in Italy and had fallen in love with it. Said the blue pattern reminded her of the Currier and Ives plates and bowls she grew up with. So, she brought it back and it wound up under the Christmas tree last year.

…..

Peering through the almost closed barn door, Lisa spotted Jack leaning against Paint's stall, having a deep discussion about something. His back to the door. Paint being the consummate listener, nodded occasionally as if actively participating in the conversation. Lisa couldn't help but smile at them.

Not really wanting to intrude but getting cold, Lisa pulled the door open.

"You know, if that horse ever learns to talk. You're in big trouble!" She announces with a very warm and slightly mischievous smile.

"Hey Lisa! Welcome home!" Jack says, immediately turning and walking over for a hug. Then he pulls back and closes the door.

"You didn't fly all the way back from Italy, did you? Ty's going to be okay. He'll probably have some healing to do but he's not in any danger."

"I know. But you know I had to be here. Right? Your family is my family, Jack. If you or any of them are hurting or in trouble, I need to be here."

Softening his tone, he continues. "I appreciate that, Lisa. I really do." He pulls her into another hug and shares "It's been kinda a whirlwind couple of days. You should probably go check on Amy. She's had her emotions all tied up in knots. Happy she found Ty then frightened about his prospects and now she's… Well, I don't know where she's at. And Lou's been playing air traffic control with people asking about Ty, when they can visit and making arrangements to have his truck towed back here."

"I've already seen Amy and she's doing okay. Holding up well, under the circumstances. And Lou is Lou. She'll be "On" until Ty is back home and everything is settled. If there's a crack, it'll happen then and I'll see to her. She's the one that sent me the text about Ty. Not sure why you didn't. But… I came back to check on you, also. You are my family too, Jack. And a very big part of my heart. And I'm worried about you."

No longer accustomed to being the focus of concern, Jack countered. "Me? I'm okay, Lisa. Like I said, Ty's going to be okay."

"I know that and you know that, Jack. But I also know that when you weren't sure…. especially when Amy took off..." There was a pause as Lisa gauges her words carefully. Jack's brave façade was not easily pierced and you were unwise to attempt it callously. But there was a wound there and, in her heart, she knew it. The fact that he was here in the cold barn confirmed it.

Lisa understood Jack's sense of pride and his need to be the rock of the Bartlett family. From talking with family members and friends over the years, she'd learned just how strong a foundation he was during those moments in life where he could have and maybe should have cracked.

She continued, gently and with all the love she could project. "You were hurting, Jack." That's all she said as she touched his cheek with her right palm. And after a moment, she saw it. The slight change in his expression. A tinge of sadness in his eyes. "You cannot love your children like I know you do….. and not hurt for them when you're afraid they've been injured… or worse."

Feeling the emotions creeping up on him, Jack tries distracting himself by pulling away from her and walking over by the feed bins. He opens one of them and uses the scoop to move the grain around. "I've been in this situation more than a few times, Lisa. It's just part of being family." He parlays. But she expects it, then walks over by him and counters.

"That's true. But this one's different. And I think it's why you've been here in the barn talking to your old buddy Paint, and not in the house having some of Lou's wonderful chicken soup."

"I was going to head in there in a bit. I was just having a chat with …" Jack, offered. Still trying to reassure Lisa that he was okay. But moreso that he didn't like the idea of her worrying about him. It was just something he was not used to anymore. But Lisa had come to know his heart well and she knew when things weren't right.

"When Lyndy died…" Lisa interrupted; keeping her voice gentle. "…you had to stay strong for Marian, who happened to be pregnant with Lou at the time. You took care of the funeral arrangements for Lyndy. Accommodated all the people who'd grown to love her music and came to pay their respects. All while helping Marian heal and move on with her life."

Dropping the scoop and closing the bin, he turned to her. "I had too. Tim was on the rodeo circuit and had made commitments to promoters that he couldn't get out of. Marian held strong till Lyndy died and then fell apart."

"And when Marian died, you had to do the same thing. Handle funeral arrangements while staying strong for Amy and Lou. And getting the two of them to learn to get along, from what I hear."

"They did butt heads a bit but they worked it out. Lou handled a lot of the arrangements. Guess she did a lot of planning and meetings at her job in New York." Jack again countered. Still holding on.

"Knowing Lou, I've no doubt that she took care of much of it. But Amy told me what you said when she got home from the hospital. How she had to get on with her life. Go back to school. She also told me that you never once faltered. And just so you know, Jack. She didn't offer. I asked." Lisa paused a moment after that to make sure that he understood. Getting a slight nod, she continued. "Scott told me that it was you who decided to bring Spartan here after he was rescued. You wanted Marion's loss to count for something. Give Amy a path forward and a way to connect with her mother.

And you set Ty straight when he and Amy split and he foundered. I know how you felt about him at the time and that had to have hurt, knowing that he could decide as you did, to head out on his own.

It was you, Jack. You were the foundation that supported them. And you still are."

Putting her hands on his side and turning him toward her she catches his eye and lays it out. "But this time, it's different. This time, there is no one that you have to be strong for. Yes, nobody died, but while Amy and Ty were missing, I know you felt it. I was thousands of miles away and I felt it. And again, here you are trying to stay strong. Or maybe getting Old Paint here to give you a pep talk."

When they first met, Jack was unaware of just how savvy a business person Lisa was. A lot of that was her knack for gentle persistence. She didn't haggle, she merely suggested a financially sound course of action that, to the other party's chagrin, turned out to be a pretty sweet deal for both of them. It often took a bit for that other party to come to that conclusion, especially with thoroughbred horses. But they always got there. And then they came back for more. Lisa's gentle persistence was just one thing that Jack came to love about her. And darn if she wasn't using it on him here and now. Returning her gaze confirmed it, and her love.

Knowing that he'd met his match and suddenly feeling emotionally drained, Jack takes Lisa by the hand and walks into the office. She closes the door and then sits in a chair next to his. Anything shared stays between them. Feeling a bit warmer and slowly getting accustomed to Lisa's care, Jack takes his gloves off, leans forward and stares at his hands as he rubs them together. Something he often did when he needed time to think.

Lisa sat quietly by his side as he waded through all of the emotional stuff that he'd kept tucked away all these years. There was more there than he realized but it didn't take long to find the biggest wound.

Having no idea how to start, Jack simply shared the thoughts in his head. No editing. Just feeling every bit the heartache he felt way back when and putting voice to it.

"This isn't how I imagined it." He pauses, trying hard to not let emotion overtake him. "I always figured, if anything, it'd be me coming home all busted up. I never thought I'd lose my wife and daughter."

Hearing the ache in his voice, Lisa slides her right hand into his left and he holds on. "Marion's death hit me the hardest. Like a bronc with a move I never saw coming." The words coming slowly. Risking a look at her, he added "Knocked the wind right outa me, Lis. … The phone call that night mentioned only an accident. When I got to the hospital and they told me that she was gone…. I just stopped inside. It's like my brain and my heart just quit. I figured they were both gone and I quit. But then they said that Amy was in the ICU and I started back up again. And I guess I've been going ever since."

Lisa saw the look in his eyes and knew he was fighting it hard. Giving him a moment to pull back and collect himself, she fills in for a bit. "With Lyndy, you had time to come to terms with it. She was sick for over a year, and, from what I read, was still touring long after the initial diagnosis."

"Yeah, she wasn't one to slow down. Especially when it came to singing for a grateful audience. I think Lyndy handled her passing better than I did. She was always trying to cheer me up and kept singing for as long as her health allowed. A lot of times, we just sat together on the couch holding hands in front of the fire. Toward the end, it was me with the guitar, singing to her. I guess one bright spot was the look on her face when she fell asleep to one of my songs." Sitting up, he turns to her and adds "She looked so peaceful."

If there was ever a moment to see into someone's soul, Lisa experienced it then and there. When Jack turned to her, she looked right through his eyes, all the way back to that moment where he finished his song and she saw Lyndy as he did. She felt everything he felt. Then her breath caught. And the moment is gone. Jack looked away. Back down at his hands.

It was Lisa's turn to try and rein in her emotions. They'd come on so quickly with that single look. Sadness, heartache and longing all rolled into an overwhelming feeling of the love he had for Lyndy. She squeezed his hand a for a moment after that and a tear formed. But she pushed it down as she didn't want to become the focus.

They sat there a while longer. Jack holding fast to that moment with his first love, Lyndy. Lisa, holding fast to the moment Jack fully opened up to her. She lets him decide how much more he wants to share as she continues to hold his hand. "It sounds like you did right by her. You supported each other. She helped you and you helped her find peace. I think that's a special gift."

"When Scott told me that Amy was gone….. I looked out the window at the storm and part of me worried that I'd be getting another phone call." And there it was. A memory from the past, coming back to haunt the present. So strong and so powerful, it kept him away from the house long after Amy had returned and Ty was being looked after. There were no phones in the barn.

Lisa couldn't help but tear up at that point. Jack had opened up and told her more than she could have hoped to understand. After a moment to catch herself, she stood up and pulled him up to face her. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she locked eyes with him and with all the love and affirmation she could give told him "Your children are safe. Your fears are now my fears and we will shoulder them together. And your heart is safe with me, Jack. Always. I love you." A gentle and lingering kiss confirmed everything she said.

"Love you too, Lisa. Glad you're here."

"How about we go have some of that wonderful soup. I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

To be continued.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Again, there was a lot of detail involved in getting Harley from the accident site to Scott's clinic where he could recover. The issues with horses sitting down like Harley did were researched. But the lifting was all my invention.

I want to say "THANK YOU!" again for your patience. Life has been particularly busy and emotionally challenging these past few weeks. Hug the ones you love.