Chapter Six

Always There For Each Other

A/N – Well we shall see what JT's dream was about. I know what most expect but I am still working through this important event for all of them. I had hoped to set the foundation for the start of the year and build on some different storylines. The interaction with the high end client kind of came out of the blue but it was fun to spend some time getting back to what this family does day to day. I plan to come to a conclusion on the clients and there may be a little drama, but we may see future interactions on the way. I have a good idea of where I will be going up until our key players graduation. A lot of things to cover but it will be fun. Please don't stop letting me know how I am doing. A system note – I still am not getting a count on Views and Visitors since the middle of September. Review and private messages are all I am getting so keep them coming. Heavy Emotional Content – Enjoy!

RRR (Reader Reviews Responses) – I have continued to receive review from readers I can't respond to, so I would like to respond here moving forward. Paul, again I appreciate your in depth comments. I for one really laughed at Ty's 2 minute rodeo career and I agree with you about the kids. I have really enjoyed watching them grow up through my story and expect to see even more. As you may have seen my pen kind of goes on its own sometimes but usually there is a reason. THANKS!

Ty and Amy didn't sleep well after JT's emotional discussion from the night before. As they got up for breakfast Maddie and JT joined them and he still had a concerned look on his face. He immediately spoke up, "Did you call Grandpa Max?" Amy smiled, "Not yet honey and we will soon. So can you tell us what happened?" He gathered himself and leaned into his sister for support. She smiled and kissed his forehead, "You got this buddy." He took a deep breath, "I saw grandma and great grandma last night. We went on a trail ride up to the ridge. We talked but I noticed they were a little distracted. Grandma leaned over and whispered something to her mom and they smiled. We got off the horses and laid out a blanket to have some cookies and hot chocolate. We kept talking and then they both stopped and looked at me. Great Grandma Lyndy pulled me into her lap and hugged me." She whispered, "JT we need to talk to you and remember we love you very much. Your Grandma Lilly is not well and in fact is very sick. We don't know what will happen but there is a chance she may not pull out this time. Honey, we know you are strong so we wanted to tell you. We think you should go see her because she really needs you right now." Grandma spoke up then, "JT you are our courageous warrior and we know that you will do what is right. She loves you so much, just like we do, but right now she needs you and your family. Do you understand?" Amy held him tighter as he continued, "I told them yes and also said that I had bad feelings while she was here, she seemed a little weaker than normal. We talked but she never led on that she was struggling. But I knew it. I then looked at them and asked if she was going to die." At this point Maddie was in tears in Ty's arms as they listened. He reach over and grabbed her hand wiping her tears, "It's Ok Maddie, grandma loves all of us and knows we are here for her." He gathered himself, "We talked a little more and they said I needed to talk to you guys. Dad, mom, I need to see her and that's why I asked you to call. She is too proud to ask but she needs us right now." Ty, unable to speak shook his head and asked Maddie to get his phone. She walked in and handed him finding it difficult to speak, "Dad, you missed a call from grandpa Max." He took the phone as his hands shook and returned the call. He spoke softly to Max mostly acknowledging his words that were mumbled for the rest. He said Ok and told him he would let them know when they would be there. He hung up and looked at Amy, "Babe, JT and I need to get down there, can you book flights. Once we get there Max will have someone pick us up." She smiled and hugged her husband holding him tight as he shook with tears. JT smiled with relief, "Great Grandma said that they both would be with us and that more than ever we need to be strong for her. Dad, can I ask a favor?" He smiled pulling him in for a hug, "Can Maddie go to. Maddie can you go with me?" Maddie smiled, "Of course I can if mom and dad are Ok." Amy smiled, "Well I guess I will book three tickets and I will let Helena know there will be three Bordens heading their way, I will leave JT and dad's tickets open for return, but honey you need to come back on Friday, you have that meeting for the Rodeo on Saturday with the Ridgeways and Lou." They all smiled in agreement and the three travelers went to pack. Amy got on the computer and phone and they were scheduled on a 1:00pm flight. With the situation the airline was very accommodating. Amy then texted the rest of the kids, Jack and Lisa telling them to fill Lou and Soctt in only. Amy and Ty decided to keep things on the down low for now even though there would be questions about them being gone. Finally she called their schools and filled them in and of course they completely understood.

Everything was set so Amy and Ty had a few hours to spend time with the Ridgeway horses. Amy and Ty discretely filled in Steven, Georgie, Katie ad Ellory on what was happening and Ty called Scott to be on call while he was gone. Then they met with the Ridgeways assuring them that with Ty gone everything would be covered and mentioned that there was a family matter that he needed to attend to. They were satisfied and wished Ty well. Georgie and Katie had already begun to work with Hope and Glory with Rich with Richard watching intently. Rich Jr's was really interested in the join up process and asked Katie, who was standing by them if he could try. She smiled, "Well actually when you get back to your place we will insist you do it regularly. Join up isn't a onetime thing, we all do it with our horses all the time to solidify our bond with them." He smiled blushing a little with the attention she was giving her. She stepped back in with Georgie as Caleb, Clay and Steven wandered over. It seemed the high end clients were getting a lot of attention from the staff. They greeted the Ridgeways as Caleb introduce himself and Clay. As they watched, Clay noticed Rich Jr's eyes focused on Katie. He smiled warily, "Those two are something aren't they?" Rich Jr. smiled, "The sure are but they don't look to much like sisters, I mean they are both beautiful but different." Steven spoke up, "Well Georgie was adopted by Lou and her ex-husband Peter when she was 11 but Katie is a Fleming through and through." They were silent for a second as Caleb noticed his focused eyes as well. He poked Clay's ribs and spoke up. Yea those girls are pretty good looking and married as well. Steven here is married to Georgie and they have 4 kids. And my man Clay is married to Katie and they have two kids, one a brand new one. So they are wives, mothers and still pretty hot. I am kind of like their uncle and we are very protective of our women here." Getting the message, Rich Jr. turned a little ashen until Georgie yelled over, "O'Dell hush, everyone knows this family is run by us women so keep your trap shut." That even brought out a little smile from Mr. Ridgeway as he poked his son. Georgie was making great progress with Hope and Katie had taken up with Glory. They alternated lunging them since they had continued to see their bond. After about an hour Georgie turned away and Hope cautiously approached her from behind and nuzzled her shoulder. She confirmed his approach as they Ridgeways looked in astonishment. Mr. Ridgeway spoke calmly, "That is amazing, look how content she is." Katie was next and as Georgie and Hope watched she got Glory to join with her as well. Again they were overwhelmed as Georgie approached them. "Well let's turn them out for a bit and tomorrow we will work on saddling and maybe a ride if you two are up to it. Still overwhelmed, they agreed as the headed over to the other pen to watch Fred and Ginger. The staff all went back to their work as they had several horses to work with today.

Amy and Ellory were still working with their horses as they got a little later start. Before she started, she went to check on the travelers. They were packed as Lisa and Jack would be taking them to the airport in about an hour or so. Ty was on the phone talking quietly and Amy heard him say mom once or twice. Realizing it was Lilly, she went to hold him while they talked. His voice was soft as he assured her that they were coming even if she didn't want them to. JT walked in and immediately saw him talking to his grandma. He asked for the phone as Ty handed it over as the young boy talked in a controlled manner, "Hi Grandma, we can't wait to see you. I hear you aren't feeling well. I hope we can help you because we all love you so much." He went silent as it seemed she was crying. After a few minutes, they heard her talking, "Grandma, I can't wait to see you and I love you so much." He handed the phone back to Ty and fell into his mom's arms sobbing quietly. Amy and Ty decided to head over to the barn so Ty could check in with Steven. In order to keep thing low key Maddie and JT waited for Jack and Lisa at the house. Amy went to see Ellory and the Ridgeways and as Ty stepped away to see Steven she kissed him one last time with a promise to see her before she they left for the airport. As Amy approached Ellory stood with Evelyn and Eloise and asked, "Is everything Ok Amy." She took a second, "No, Ty, Maddie and JT are heading to Colorado to be with Ty's mom." She hesitated as Ellory understood why, but Evelyn asked tentatively, "Amy is everything Ok with his mother?" She smiled meekly, "Well no, she has cancer and our son had a dream that she was not doing well. We received a call early this morning and Ty decided they needed to head down today, their flight leaves in a few hours." Evely put her hand on Amy's shoulder, "I am so sorry, I hope she is Ok. If we need to delay or reschedule no problem. Amy smiled again, "No there is no need for anything more right now but thank you for understanding." After a quiet moment, Eloise spoke up, "You said you son had a dream?" Seeing that Amy was struggling, Ty, who had just approached, answered, "Well our son JT has the ability to talk with Amy's mom and Grandma in his dreams along with other deceased members of our family, including horses." Amy laughed as he continued. "He speaks with them and they tell him things that only he hears. He had had this ability for a while, in fact he is in a program with the university where they are studying him. Amazingly most things he hears come true and last night they were all on a ride and they told him that his grandma Lilly needed him. They are really, really close. Well his vision or dream was true as my mom's husband called this morning." Evelyn and Eloise stood in stunned silence until Evelyn finally spoke, "Wow that is quite a gift and I expect quite a burden as well. If I may ask, how does he cope?" Amy had gathered herself, "JT is an old soul and has always been. There are times he is calm and open about it, as it never seems to affect him. But this time, when he came to see us last night, it was different, he was visibly shook." They all got quiet as Ty hugged Amy, "Well our ride is here, so we need to go. I will keep you posted and have a group text all set up." Evelyn and Eloise wished him the best as she hugged him gently. As he headed to the waiting car, Caleb, who had loaded the bags with Jack hugged him tightly. Amy looked at their clients, "Well let's get to work." At the University, all four of the kids had received the text from their mom and at lunch decided that she should not be home alone, a rarity in the Borden's life. Lyndy spoke up, "Wyatt and I are going to stay at the house the rest of the week with mom. We don't know what is going to happen so we want to be with her." Annie added, "Well Adds and I are going to come home tonight and stay there too. Anything we have we can do on line or will just drive in for it." Wyatt smiled, "You Borden girls are amazing. Although mom may scoff at it I really thinks she needs us right now, like we have always needed her." They all agreed and hugged each other and went their own ways. It would be a challenging time, but the family would be there for each other.

Maddie was always a little nervous when flying but today her focus would be on her brother and her dad. They boarded the plan and got to their seats which due to the late booking were not together. The desk attendant was aware of their reason for the late booking and before they departed worked with a few other passengers to get the Borden's in the same row, which Ty appreciated thanking them all. JT wanted the window seat which was perfectly fine with Maddie as she took the aisle seat, letting Ty sat between them. They were in the middle of the plane and the flight attendants went out of their way to get them whatever they needed. Again the passengers around them understood that the three of them needed to be attended to. An older women sat across from them and spoke up to Maddie. "Hello young lady, are you going to Denver for fun?" Maddie took a breath, "Well we are going to see our grandma, she is sick." Understanding the situation she smiled, "Well I bet when she sees you and your little brother, you will make her day." Looking at Ty she continued, "I hope all goes well son and by the way, you have a beautiful daughter and a handsome son over there." Ty smiled, "Thanks and actually there are four more at home and thank goodness they get their looks from their mother." The four of them laughed but Maddie interrupted, "Well my friends think my dad is kind of hot too." Ty poked her as the woman chuckled, "Well I agree but I have to be careful, my husband is next to me." The woman reach over to grab Maddie's hand giving her a reassuring smile. For the rest of the flight they sat in silence caught up in their own thoughts. The pilot announced their descent into the Denver airport as Maddie braced, she hated the landing the most. The women next to her looked over and gave her a reassuring smile. As they taxied to the gate, Maddie sighed as they pulled up to the gate. The next thing that happened was astounding. The flight attendants asked the remaining passengers to remain seated and helped the three Bordens gather their stuff and deplane first. Again no one complained as the all figured something was up with them and the extra attention was needed. As Maddie got up, the woman next to her stood and gave her a big hug without words. It was something she needed. As they headed toward baggage claim, JT was the first to see Max's daughters motioning to them. They headed their way and were greeted with smiles and hugs. Helena spoke up, "Lilly is so excited you are hear, she can't wait to see you guys." They waited for their bags as Sienna texted her husband who would meet them outside the door. Ty was overwhelmed with how they were so focused on making sure everything went well for them. As they walked to the SUV, he leaned over to Sienna and whispered, "Thank you for doing this." She smiled, "You are family and we all love Lilly so much. We are here for the kids and you so don't forget to take care of yourself." He understood as a tear came to his eye as he realized the severity of the moment. They loaded up and headed out for the silent ride to Max and Lilly's house. Helena sat in back with Ty and quietly gave him an update. It seemed that Lilly had been getting sicker before the holidays but was adamant to be there for JT's birthday. When she returned they rushed her to the hospital directly and once stabilized they brought her home. A full time hospice nurse was there to care for her and make sure she was comfortable. When they woke up that morning the nurse let Max know that Lilly was getting increasingly weak so he decided to call. Ty explained JT's dream and how they were getting ready to call Max when his phone rung. She looked at him in amazement after she heard the story, as they both looked at the kids who had their ear buds on listening to music. Maddie really wasn't and listened to the conversation realizing that her brother would need her more than ever. She grabbed his hand and smiled as they near their home.

Amy and Ellory began working with Fred and Ginger back in the round pen. She explained that today, they would do another join up and them start trying to saddle them. Evelyn and Eloise wondered why the process was a little arduous and Ellory explained, "We are starting from the beginning, rebuilding their confidence. Physically there are more than fine, but emotionally they are scared and confused. If we take our time they can rebuild their confidence at their own pace, which will make them stronger in the end." Eloise smiled, "You guys talk like you are working with people, not horses." Amy smiled, "Well we have found that horses and humans are very much alike. They have the same likes, dislikes, fears and things that excite them. They are amazingly intuitive and read our emotions and anxieties. But the one thing about horses I have found is that they are forgiving and really open to change, which at times is difficult for you and me." They shook their heads understanding what she was saying. After a quick lunch, Amy and Ellory joined up again with Fred and Ginger, toady having an easier time. With Eloisa and Evelyn's help, they got the saddles out and tacked up both horses. Fred was pretty content but Ginger was a little skittish. Amy told them to be patient and before they tried again, she jumped on Fred and cantered around the larger fenced paddock they were using. She wanted Ginger to see that it was Ok and on cue she watched her partner intently. After 15 minutes, Amy pulled over to the group as Ellory looked at Eloise and they got the saddle. This time she was less resistant and they tacked her up. Ellory jumped on and joined Amy as the cantered around the pen. They pulled up as Amy spoke to one of the ranch hands. She smiled, "Well the four of us need to go on a trail ride and on cue, the ranch hand walked up with Amy and Ellory's horses all saddled up. "Ladies, hop on your horses and let me show you some of our beautiful property along with a special treat." The Ridgeways smiled as they grabbed some waters and blankets and headed out. Amy took them around the ranch property as well as Heartland. They laughed when they saw the Llama herd again, which for Eloise was a favorite of hers. She looked at her mom meekly as Evelyn interrupted her visual plea, "Ellie, we are not getting Llamas." They all laughed and they headed toward the wildies who had continued to roam the easter side of the property that was not developed. When they came out from the brush, Evelyn and Eloise's eyes opened wide. All they could muster, was "Wow." They hopped off the horses, tied them off so they could graze and set up the blankets. They sat right on front of the swing that Ty built so many years ago for Amy. Amy told the story of how the horses came to them almost 20 years ago. The herd had remained stable and was well established. She mentioned that when it got too big they would rehome some of them. Amy smiled beaming, "And I can tell you where every one of them went." They sat for a while silently when Eloise spoke up, "What's with the swing in the middle of the woods?" Ellory laughed, "Well you two get ready for some infamous Amy and Ty love talk." Amy blushed and poked her. She settled and told them the story of the swing. When she finished they were all misty eyed as she recalled the story. Evelyn finally spoke up, "Amy, you and Ty, your kids and everyone at this place are beyond amazing. Everything we have heard about this place has been proven to be true. But what you and Ty have can't be explained but I am sure it is the reason that this place exist and is so well thought of in the Equine world." They all choked up as Ellory broke the emotion, "Well let's get these guys back for a good brush down and snack. And maybe you can check up on the jumping group, I have to go do some work." They all picked up their stuff and headed back to the Equine center.

The ride to Max and Lilly's house did not take too long and to their surprise when they pulled up they saw Max, standing next to Lilly, who was in a wheelchair on the porch. Behind Lilly was a nurse and an IV attached to the wheelchair with a tube running into her top as she was covered in a heavy blanket. JT still could see a smile on her tired face nonetheless and couldn't help but smile, realizing that he needed to be there. The SUV pulled up to the stairs leading up to the porch. Maddie and JT jumped out to go see their grandma followed by Ty and Helana. Sienna and her husband grabbed their bags since they would be staying at the house with them. Helana had been staying there as well to be there for her dad and Lilly and many of the other family members dropped by often. It seemed that Lilly had been declining a little longer that she led on which made Ty get a little more emotional. After he hugged his mom and Max, he said good bye to Sienna and her husband, thanking them. He excused himself as the others headed into the house. JT stayed on one side and Maddie on the other as Lilly was wheeled in the house. Ty got his phone and decided to call Amy as he texted her when they arrived. She picked up on the first ring and spoke softly, "Hey, I figure you are at the house." Ty broke down moving to the corner of the porch unable to speak. "Ty, it's Ok, you are there, please talk to me." He gathered himself and finally was able to speak, "Amy, I don't think we have much more time with her. She looks so tired." Although they both knew the reality of things, those words stung them both. Amy was with the group and tearily excused herself to the office closing the door. Caleb smiled assuring her she would have her privacy and stood guard. She spoke quietly, "Ty I am sure she is really happy you guys are there and you need to let me know if you need anything from me or the kids. They are already coming home most nights so I am not alone. Wyatt also texted me and said he was going to talk to JT tonight. How are JT and Maddie doing?" He cleared his throat, "JT has been pretty quiet but as soon as he saw her he ran to give her a hug. She was so happy to see him. Maddie is good and has really been here to support him and me. On the plane she befriended a nice older woman across from her and she had some very nice things to say. When we landed that asked everyone to wait so we could deplane first, it was pretty amazing." After a moment of silence, she continued, "And how are you, I know we have been prepared for this but I know it is hard." He chuckled, "You know all the bad times she had to deal with in life and now that she is the happiest she has ever been we come to this. I am prepared but still the thought of losing her is hard for me to comprehend right now. It's so unfair for her, you, Max and the kids, heck everybody." She spoke interrupting him, "Ty it unfair for you too but we all have to be strong for Lilly, Max and each other. Lilly is a strong woman and I know she will be more worried about everyone else except herself." After another quiet moment he spoke a little more composed, "Well I better get in there, I will call later." She laughed a little, "Well expect a family video call after dinner. Let me know if Lilly is Ok with it and we can set it up. The girls and Wyatt really want to talk to her." He answered, "Thanks Amy, I love you so much." She sighed, "I love you too Ty."

Amy walked back to the group and her body language told everyone how her call went. The four of them headed over to the jumping ring, where Georgie, Katie and Rich Jr. were working with the horses. They were saddled as well but were only using ground poles. Georgie believed they needed to get comfortable with the patterns, not necessarily with the jumps. She spoke to the two of them, "I am confident that they can jump, in fact Steven says they are in outstanding shape physically. This is a confidence thing and I want to get them to a certain point before we take those first jumps. From what they are telling me, the fire made them nervous and they are doubting themselves. I think by tomorrow we can start jumping lower heights and I expect they will both respond well. I want Katie to take Glory and my niece Annie to jump Hope. Once I think they are ready we will jump with you two. They equate you with the fire and we need to get them show us they can jump with them before we move to you guys." Mr. Ridgeway smiled gaining a lot of trust in Georgie's ability to read and help his horses. He smiled, "How can I not trust and Olympic Champion and Coach. I think the plan makes sense." He looked over at Evelyn and smiled again as Amy approached him. "She's not too bad you think and wait until you see my daughter Annie jump." Georgie piped in, "Heck she is better than me and Katie and will shine when she goes to the Olympics." They finished up and Eloise and Rich took them in for a good brush and snack. Georgie and Katie looked at Amy and saw her face understanding that she had spoken to Ty. They walked over to her and the three of them hugged as tears followed. After a few minutes Amy gathered herself and walked with them and the Ridgeways to the office to debrief. On the way Clay brought a smiling baby Amelia to her mom. "Sorry, it seems our little girl needs her mom, she was a little fussy when I went to see her at the Day Care." Katie smiled kissing his cheek and headed into the office carrying the now content baby. Evelyn cooed over the little baby telling Katie how cute she was. Katie laughed, "Yeah, this little girl knows when to put on the charm, especially around her daddy. Do you want to hold her?" Evelyn smiled brightly amazed at how amazing this entire family was. She snuggled into the baby and whispered, "You are a very lucky little girl." They got settled and Amy offered everyone coffee and a snack. Eloise laughed, "You guys have snacks everywhere." Georgie laughed, "You just met Amy but she eats a lot and look at her. She is in pretty good shape for an old woman." Amy smacked her, "I'm not that old." Eloise blushed, "Well if I had a hot husband like you I would stay young too." Evelyn opened her mouth, "Young lady, watch your mouth." Katie laughed, "Well Dr. Borden ain't bad looking, he's no Clay but he is Ok." Georgie added, "You mean he's no Steven." Evelyn laughed again, "You three are a hoot but I have to say, they aren't even close to my Richard. He has kept up well." As Richard and Rich came into the office, They all broke out in laughter as Eloise blushed, wishing she never brought it up. Amy stepped in, "Ok, so let's talk about the rest of the week with our four babies." She got a little solemn, "I want to have everything mapped out since I may have to leave based on how things are going with Ty's mom." Georgie took over, "Well I think tomorrow we will start with a join up and then Katie and Amy's daughter Annie will ride them over the course with the jumps at half the normal height. Annie said she has a break in her day and can be her for several hours. Based on what we see, we may want the two of you to take them through the course also. If all goes well, we will rest them a day and then go full cycle with jumps set at the normal heights they are used to. Again, Annie and I will jump them first, then you guys. After that I feel they will be ready to go home, but we will make that decision together." They all smiled as Amy spoke up. "Well Fred and Ginger are defiantly improving and I think tomorrow, after join up with you two participating, we will do a light dressage routine. Ellory will ride Ginger and since I am not a dressage rider, I am going to bring Haley Trudeau, who works here to ride Fred. She is an accomplished dressage rider as well. We will increase to competition level the next day and like your jumpers, we can decide as a team where we are." She hesitated, "If I can't stay, Ellory will take the lead working with you." They all smiled as Richard spoke up, "Well we think that is a great plan and we can't thank you enough, especially you Amy with everything going on. But did you say Haley Trudeau like the PM Trudeau." She laughed, "Well actually it is Soloman now, she married our lead ranch hand Rusty a short time ago. So just a warning, there may be a security person there as well." He was about to ask more when Georgie stepped in, "Yeah they are tight with the PM and his family, definitely a story for later." They all laughed, said their goodbyes until tomorrow and headed out.

In Colorado, the visit was going as well it could. JT was with Lilly non-stop as the bedroom was set up to meet all of her needs and guests. She needed a nap and JT joined her allowing Ty and Maddie to spend some time with Max, his daughters and their husbands. Max spoke softly, "Maddie I know you are not a kid but if you want you don't need to sit with us." She grabbed his hand as the others smiled warmly, "Grandpa, I am good and I want you to know that dad, JT and I are here for you too." He hugged her and called over Nurse Joy, who was the hospice nurse. "Well Joy here has truly been a joy for us. She has been there with Lilly since after she was hospitalized when we decided that we needed extra help." Joy spoke up, "Actually, Lilly is doing as well as can be expected. Her cancer is highly advanced and has moved to other parts of her system. I have to say, when she saw that little guy it was like a light turned on and her vitals spiked. But as Max and the family here know, in my role I am here to do two things. First care for Lilly and make sure she is comfortable because frankly, I believe her days with us are numbered. As Max will tell you I need to be candid and straight forward which is the second thing I do. I promise all of you that I will keep you undated as things progress and I expect that soon our decisions will be made for us." They all sat quietly as the scope of the issue became very relevant to Ty and Maddie. Finally he spoke, "Well we all just want to do what is best for my mom. As you may know before Max and his family came into her life she had years of abuse and challenges. But now, she is as content as she has ever been and if this makes sense is ready. We may not be, but knowing she is makes this more bearable." They sat silently as he continued, "Tonight my family at home wanted to Skype her, will that be Ok?" Joy smiled, "Dr. Borden, of course it will be Ok. And in fact she will love it. You know Ty she is an amazingly strong woman." They all smiled as the nappers were waking up. Ty called Amy to give her an update and set a time for the call after he confirmed it with Max and his mom. Back home Amy was heading over to the house when she realized she might be alone for dinner, which was a little depressing. As she walked over slowly, when noticed Wyatt's truck pulling up and when it stopped her three daughters came tumbling out. Her frown went quickly to a smile as they hugged tightly with Wyatt professing, "Do you have room for us for dinner?" Amy was unable to speak as they walked to the porch. Georgie called over walking their way with Hannah and Noah on her heals. She spoke up a little breathless, "Dinner at Heartland, you all are coming." The group headed inside and got ready to head over to the family homestead. As Amy was in her room her phone rang and she noticed it was Ty. Before answering she took a breath saying, "Hello my love, how are things." They talked quietly for a few minutes and Amy heard the stress in his voice. She wished she could be with him but he did appreciate her talking to him. She was always his foundation and rock. He mentioned the call time and Amy lightly chuckled, "Well I thought I would be eating by myself until a truck of our kids showed up from school and Georgie said that we were all having dinner at Heartland. So it looks like a few more people may be on the call." Ty smiled into the phone, "I thing mom will be so happy but you have to tell everyone that she is very sick and we can't overwhelm her. Amy, this may be the last time some of them get to talk to her." The phone went silent as she heard him quietly sobbing. After a minute or so a familiar voice came on, it was Maddie. "Hey mom I have been next to dad and we will make sure we are ready for the call." Amy tearily smiled, "Thanks baby, how are you and JT?" We are Ok mom, grandma is happy we are here, especially her best buddy. Dad says he loves you and so do we. Talk to you soon." She put down the phone and began to cry. Lyndy, Annie and Addie were in the doorway and came to her. The held each other until Wyatt interrupted, "Ladies, your chariot awaits.

JT made sure he sat next to Lilly as they got ready for dinner. She was in her wheel chair and it fit just right under the table. She was very week and needed help but he had pledge to help her with everything she needed outside of the bathroom, that was Joy's thing. Joy sat on the other side of her and the rest of the family gathered around. Max's daughters and most of their families were there to, except the ones that lived away or were at school. The last thing anyone did was focus on Lilly's condition, rather interacting with their guest and other members of the family. Over the last few weeks she would have a quiet dinner with Max in their bedroom, but when she had the strength, she would join the group and relish in the fact that they were there for her. Joy leaned over to whisper to Ty who was next to her, "Ty, the love your two families have for your mother is astounding. She is not well but look at her. This gives her strength, even when that strength is fading. You need to enjoy this for her, she loves you very much." Lilly chuckled and looked over to them, "Joy what are you telling him." The table laughed as JT held her hand. "Grandma, I am sure it is all good and how do you know they are talking about you." Lilly smiled leaning into him as the others chuckled and marveled at the young man's composure. For a ten year old, his maturity and caring spirit for his grandma was simply overwhelming. Maddie reminded everyone that the call would be coming in an hour from Alberta so they began their meal, serve by Helena, Sienna and their husbands. As Wyatt's truck approached Heartland, the Borden's could already see a lot of activity. The Weber and Foster kids, less little Amelia were anxiously waiting for them. As they got out of the truck they were surrounded by hugs and hellos. Even though the family got together a lot, it was still special to all of them when they did. Special hugs were given to Amy as the older kids understood what was going on. As the group walked in they saw the kid's parents, Jack, Lisa, Lou, Scott and surprisingly Casey. She like Lilly and they had always had a bond due to the issues they both faced. Jack and Lisa had long hugs for Amy and then the kids. Nothing was said but their actions showed them that they were there for them. Amy smiled as this definitely was much better than eating at home by herself. Dinner was fun and the food as always was amazing. The main table was filled with the adults but Annie and Addie decided to join the kids at their table. A lot of laughing and joking filled the room as they enjoyed their meal. About ten minutes before the call Wyatt and Clay slipped away and set up the large television in the living room to handle the call so everyone could see it. Before the call the Georgie and Katie told their kids to be respectful of the fact that GG Lilly was very sick and that they needed to be quiet and controlled. They understood in their own way. The tables were cleared at both homes and coffee was handed out. They decided desert would follow the call so they were all ready. Amy texted Ty and then Clay made the video call. As the screen opened up at both locations smiles abounded at the number of people. JT was holding Lilly's hand as she gleamed with joy, realizing this was all for her. Max spoke up, "Well look at all of you, Lilly and I are so happy to see you all. Each of the adults at Heartland, less the little ones greeted everyone in Colorado, ending with Lilly of course. She was weak and looked very tired so a smile was more than acceptable for her. Amy noticed the strain on Ty's face and as the group from Denver said hello she watched him closely. She wished she could reach through the phone and hug him and decided to call him privately later. JT talked about how everything was going and how amazing Grandma Lilly was. Amy and Georgie talked about the four horses they were working with and the family that was gaining their trust. Georgie joked how Hannah and Noah had taught the very stoic father how to do T-Touch and Lilly smiled and weakly spoke, "Just like their mother, aunts and cousins, it's a family thing." Everyone noticed that how much effort it took and carried on while she gathered her breath. Joy stood behind her keeping an eye on her and how she was doing. She looked over to Max and he understood it was time for her to go rest. Max spoke up, "Well we have some dessert and coffee waiting for us so we better go. But let me introduce Nurse Joy, she is Lillys and for that fact all of our caregiver." Joy smiled and spoke up, "Hello everyone, I have to say that I have been with many patients in my career but I have never seen such a large group of people show so much love and support for one person. Lilly and I talk and I know she loves each and every one if you very much. Although I can't lie, Max and JT are close to the top for sure." Everyone laughed and Lilly weekly smiled leaning onto JT. Joy continued, "I want to thank you for the privilege of being with the fine woman and family. Not to state the obvious pun but it has truly been a Joy." They said their goodbyes and went to have desert. JT, Ty and Max went to be with his grandma after Joy got her ready for bed. JT stayed as the others kissed her goodnight. As everyone headed out, the mood was somber but pretty upbeat as it was a good call for Lilly. As the two families readied for bed they all knew sleeping would be challenging as everyone's thoughts were with Lilly. Amy and Ty had a good call using each other to soothe their heartache as they always did. Amy asked about Maddie and especially JT and Ty said that the two of them were making sure he was Ok, along with Max. He whispered, "Amy he is a rock and so in control with his only focus on my mom. Her attitude always changes when he is around but I know he is struggling a little." Amy smiled through the phone, "I am so happy the girls and Wyatt are here, it was really a surprise when they showed up and then finding out we were all going to Heartland was even better. They kids will be here all week and commute as needed to and from school. Annie is going to ride one of the jumpers with Georgie on the course and we thought it would be best that she did it. It was actually Katie's idea." They said their good nights and I love yous. As everyone in both home bases went to sleep they all were aware and understood the gravity of the situation. As they slept their minds were on Lilly, Max, Ty and JT and how they would be there for each other through this trying time.