Chapter Twenty-Five
When Strength is Needed
A/N – I have to say that the last chapter was fun to write but I hope the one thing you see is no matter what an individual achieves the Bordens and others around them are all about family. And as I mentioned to a reviewer, the whole meeting with the royals just came to my pen and although a little over the top was fun to write, especially the part about Amy doing a house call. We will take a moment to review some of the initial impact of Annie's achievement but will soon get into the remaining summer activities and fun. Business will continue to grow and evolve but thanks to the additions to Amy's team and young Wyatt stepping up, all should be manageable. The company rodeo will be fun and then there is the return to school for many, outside of our main young couple. It is an exciting time for them, not only because of Wyatt's certification but an announcement that is forthcoming from them. I will also mix in some tangential stories over the next couple of chapters along with some challenging times for the family. But as always, the family will handle it together. Sorry for the delay since my last chapter, I have been under the weather and have not had the energy to write. Continue to check up on my work and let me know how I am doing. Thanks to a reviewer who found that I had supplemented Rusty for Jeremy and it has been corrected. Senior moment for sure. Anyway I appreciate all of you joining me on this journey. Mature Content – Enjoy!
As planned the morning after Annie's win per multiple requests, the family agreed to join Annie for a press conference with the Olympic Press Corps and a separate interview by Canadian National Television. Ty, Amy and Georgie delayed their flights to be with Annie but the others were still heading home late morning. Jeremy and Annie decided to stay a few more days but then would come home the morning after the closing ceremonies. Troy and Theo were leaving in a couple of days so hopefully they would be arriving the same time as Annie. The press conference was pretty hectic as the focus was on all of three gold medalist from the equestrian competitions. All three were questioned about how they got where they were and when Annie was front and center, there were several questions about her cousin, mom, dad and their business. Georgie was confronted with a direct question but she politely mentioned that this was about her cousin Annie, who won the Gold Medal. They politely understood and soon the press conference ended with pictures of the winners and their families. Ty grabbed Jeremy for the picture and whispered, "Come on pal, you are family now." Annie heard the comment and blushed leaning into her father whispering, "Thank you Dad." They had time for lunch before the three had to leave for the airport. Wyatt had taken the van back when they left so Troy was going to take them all to the airport with his cousin's SUV he had been using. After a few extra hugs, Amy, Ty and Georgie headed through security. Before they left Ty discretely handed Jeremy an envelope and smiled, "Have some fun this week and we will see you on Saturday. I think Addie and Desi will be picking you up." Jeremy smiled thanking him quietly and realizing that he was now definitely a part of the family and was as happy as he had ever been. The rest of the week for the young couple in love was a lot of fun. They went to a lot of the events, attended some great parties and had several romantic dates. They used the money Ty and Amy had left them to definitely have a great time. The day after they went home, one of Annie's roommates left to go home so Jermey stayed with her until they left. The closing ceremony was amazing and Jeremy watched from the stands with several of the other competitor's families whom they had met over the week. He caught her eyes several times as she looked his way and her smile was bright and full of love. They celebrated a little later than they thought so the next morning the 8:00 wakeup call was rough. They had to catch a 10:00 shuttle to the airport and groggily got ready and waited at the pickup spot. Annie leaned on his chest, "I have never been more tired but it sure has been fun." He smiled yawning, "Well I think a nap on the plane is a definite yes." She sighed snuggling in to him closer. Back home it had been a busy week for the returning family. They all had some catch up to do, especially Addie and Maddie, who made sure they got a date or two in with their boyfriends. Amy and Ty were pleased to see that things had run well in their absence and Amy especially was pleased with the new trainers they had brought in recently. Ty was also happy as Mandy and Ellie stepped up to help Cass and Steven as well although they all were happy when Ty and Wyatt got back. But the one thing they both realized was that business was on the rise again so later in the week, they sat down with Lou, Scott and Lisa to talk through options. Lisa spoke up, "Well an increase in business is also good, but as you know our level of care can't be affected. Let's keep an eye on things and after the summer is over plan to get together with the Board and map out the future." Everyone agreed and Jack who was listening from his chair laughed, "You know the least of my concerns is the quality of everyone's work but I agree. We can't lose focus of the real things, like our family and the people we love. That can't be compromised." Everyone smiled in agreement and were amazed that even as he became more and more feeble his mind continued to be a sharp as ever. Lou spoke up, "Well on another topic. I was contacted by the Mayor's office and the Governor's General office in Calgary. The mayor wants to have a parade honoring Annie and the Governor General's office is going to hold an event honoring all of the Albertan Olympians in a month or so at the provincial capital. Oh and we still wants to do something this weekend correct? Seems our girl is going to be busy." Amy laughed, "Well remember what Georgie had to put up with. I think Annie might be a little more accepting because you know Georgie was not into it at all." As she finished, a voice came from the kitchen as a smiling Georgie came in, "You bet I wasn't, it was silly. But you are right, I warned her and she will do great and I am up for a family party for sure." Ty joked, Well this is going to be fun!" They all laughed and went on their way as it seemed the Olympic energy would be around for a while.
The next few weeks were at the least hectic. As there was still a business to run the parades, ceremonies and events were frequent. Although they were all fun and overwhelming, Annie and the family had to admit the parade in Hudson was their most rewarding. Being around their neighbors and friends was very rewarding and the mayor and her team went all out. After the parade there was a huge reception at the city hall and it seemed everyone from the town came by to congratulate her. She smiled a lot even commenting to her family that her mouth was starting to hurt. But for Annie and the rest of the family, although a lot of fun they all yearned to get back to normal, work, school and most importantly getting ready for the Company Rodeo, which was a highlight for many of the employees, especially those competing. Also school would be starting soon, the twins and Maddie had birthdays coming up and a certain young vet to be was being certified soon. Ty and Amy were lying in bed one night after another busy day. She smiled leaning into his strong chest, "I am so tired, we have been so busy and although it was fun celebrating Annies gold medal, I for one am happy that things have kind of returned to normal." They laid there quietly as Ty spoke quietly, "It was fun but you know the vet team is really busy as well. With all the new clients, an increase in the demand on the Rehoming Center and everything at the clinics, we have been really putting in long days. Wyatt is doing well and I talked with the people at the Equine School and I think they are satisfied and ready to certify him. I thought it might be cool to do it at the Company Rodeo. We need to get Lyndy involved and see if it is Ok with her." Amy smiled, "I think that would be cool and I am sure she will be good with it." They laid there a little longer just happy to be close. She giggled, "So how tired are you?" She leaned into him from a deep kiss as they slowly undressed each other. Ty could tell that although her heart was into this she was tired so he whispered, "Lay on your stomach, let me give you a massage." She raised her eyebrows and rolled over propping herself up on her elbows. Ty moved over her and positioning himself on top of her straddling her upper thighs. He moved his hands softly along her shoulders and upper back, increasing tension as he went on. Amy succumbed and laid down flatly moaning softly and whispering her lover's name. He continued to move over her entire back with his hands, applying pressure where he felt tension. He moved to her lower back and she shifted, obviously enjoying herself and the touch of his hands. He playfully cupped her buttocks and she sighed deeply and he continued his sensual attention. He then moved down to add his lips to the massage. He started at the base of her neck kissing and whispering to her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. Needless to say he was getting aroused and it was evident to her that he was enjoying the massage as much as her. She giggled, "Seems you are having fun too." He whispered, Even though I know every inch of your beautiful body I still can't help myself, like I told you so long ago at the fishing cabin, you are beautiful and I love you completely and forever." She felt a warm tingling in her stomach and rolled over to face him. He moved to enter her and began making love to his wife and partner. There movements were familiar but still were exciting and new. As they increased their lovemaking the moans increased and their bodies reacted to each other. Their breathing increased and a light sheen of moisture coated their skin. They reach a mutual climax as Ty increased his thrust and Amy met them with equal lust and passion. As they slowed they fell into each other embrace, completely satisfied and in love. After a few minutes, they were able to speak as Amy whispered, "Well I guess I am tired now, that was amazing. You are quite a catch." He laughed, "I am the lucky one in this match, you are beautiful, caring, passionate, an amazing mother and a perfect friend. I love you more and more every day." She sighed deeply as she moved closer to him. They were both startled when there was a rapid knock on the door and Amy's phone bussed with a text. They got dressed quickly as Ty went to the door and Amy grabbed her phone.
As he opened the door he saw a very distressed JT with Maddie standing behind him. She spoke quickly, "Daddy I heard him yelling in his room and as I woke him he was in tears and said he needed to see mom. He hasn't said anything else so I brought him to you." JT was looking frantically for his mom and saw her on the phone talking quietly. He ran to her jumping into her lap, hugging her tightly, "Mommy, it's GG, something is wrong." Lyndy and Wyatt joined them as the twins were close behind. Wyatt noticed that Amy, who had Ty by her side, was wide eyed listening and giving one word responses, acknowledging what was being said on the other end of the phone. He looked at Lyndy and they knew what they needed to do. He picked up a frantic JT and he and Lyndy quietly told everyone to head down to the kitchen for a drink and snack so Amy and Ty could be alone. JT struggled until Lyndy smiled at him and whispered, "Come on let's give them some space. I know they will be down to talk to us as soon as they can." They headed down hesitantly and sat around the table. Maddie made some coffee and JT had a glass of milk. She also found some cookies and leftover donuts so she set them out, although no one was really hungry. Amy and Ty sat close as she listened to Lou on the other end of the phone. When she hung up, she collapsed in tears holding on to him tight. She finally spoke quietly, "We need to get to the hospital." He held her and asked no questions and helped her get dressed as it seemed she had no energy. Downstairs, The kids were silently still in shock from what had happened. Annie pulled JT closer, "Do you want to talk about what happened." He took a deep breath, "Well I was with Grandma Lilly and Marion catching up on things. Annie they are so proud of you. Then GG Lyndy appeared out of the mist with a frantic look on her face, one I had never seen on her because she is always so happy and comforting. I could tell she was crying and finally after Grandma Marion asked her if something was wrong with her father. She took a deep breath and told us that he had a stroke and is on the way to the hospital in an ambulance. She also told me that I have to go see mom right away. I woke up and went right to their room." They all sat for a minute silently trying to digest the detail of what he said. Finally JT broke the silence, "Wyatt, what is a stroke? Shawna told me once her grandma had one and just had a little trouble talking but otherwise was Ok." Lyndy grabbed his hand as he spoke, "Well I am just an almost vet but animals can have strokes and what it means is that the flow of blood to a part of the brain is cut off or reduced and the function that area handles is affected. In her grandma's, the area affected was her speech and I do know that a lot of times it can be fixed with therapy and if it is caught early enough even cured." He tried to comprehend it when Maddie added, "Is I worse if you are older like GG, I mean he is over 90." Wyatt took a breath, "Well I will not lie to you guys. That is true Mads and also other conditions like heart rate, cancer and age can impact how bad they are. But we shouldn't think of the worst case here. Jack is a tough dude and has weathered many health setbacks, so let's wait to hear whet your mom and dad say and then whatever it is make sure that he is the priority, You know that last thing he would want would be all this worrying about him." Addie smirked, "Yea, he would be ticked off for sure." They talked a little more when all at once they heard and then saw their mom and dad coming down the steps. Right away they noticed that they had a backpack more than likely with some clothes in it and that there mom needed their dad to help her down. As they went to the living room to be more comfortable they then noticed that her eyes were watery and red. They sat in silence until their dad spoke up, "Guys we have to go to the hospital and mom will probably stay for a while. Your GG has had a stroke and is in the intensive care unit. He is stable but not conscious. They are running a lot of test and once we have any news we will call Lyndy. I know you guys are worried but if you need anything have Lyndy text me. I have no idea how long we will be there but once we know anything I will let you know. Georgie and Katie know and you all can let the staff know in the morning. Lisa called Max and he is flying up in the morning." They got ready to leave when JT blurted out, "Mommy, I knew, GG Lyndy told me." Amy looked at him and pulled him into a hug, "I'm so sorry sweetie. But can you do me a favor. When you talk to them again ask them to look out for GG, okay." He smiled a little and hugged her tightly, "Before I came to see you, Grandma Lilly said they would." As they left Ty spoke quietly, "I know it is going to be hard but you need to all try to sleep and we will all see what the morning brings." After a round of hugs they went on their way and the kids retreated to their rooms. JT went to sleep with Lyndy and Wyatt as he didn't want to be alone.
Amy and Ty were quiet but she sat close to him during the ride. As they pulled up they saw Scott in front waiting to meet them. He went to embrace them both and smiled gently, "Lisa and Lou are with him, it seems he is stable but still unconscious." Amy asked quietly, "Scott, what happened?" He spoke up, "We were settling from the day and Jack seemed a little off. Lisa called from their room for Lou saying something was wrong. Jack was sitting on the edge of the bed complaining of a really bad headache and he felt dizzy. Lou asked him when he started feeling bad and he looked up and told us earlier but he didn't want to ruin the party." He hesitated, "Then, things got worse. He said his left eye was blurry and he started to mumble and lose consciousness, While Lisa and Lou tended to him I called an ambulance." They all were quiet as Ty spoke up, "Scott I know what Jack means to all of us and I bet it was tough." Scott smiled leaning into Amy as she sat in silence. "Well he means a lot to everyone but let's go see him. I am sure Lou and Lisa will be relieved to see you two." Back at the house, Lyndy finally got JT to fall asleep but the rest of them couldn't so Wyatt offered to stay in the room with him while the girls went to the kitchen to support each other. They sat silently each lost in their thoughts, remembering everything that their GG had meant to them. Finally Addie spoke up, "I know he will be Ok, he is the strongest man I have ever known. He won't let this bring him down, he knows what he means to this family." Maddie and Annie smiled in agreement but Lyndy decided to take the oldest sibling role. "Guys we have to understand, although he is strong willed, he is over 90 and has had a few health issues. Although it is unthinkable, he may not recover and not be then same." She hesitated and looked down, "We all know it but he could die." They sat silently holding each other as tears began to form in their eyes. Lyndy took a breath, "But we won't think that way, we will just think of him and make sure we do everything we can to help him, no matter what." Their attention was turned when they saw Wyatt, carrying a sleepy JT walk in the room. JT complained, "You guys are too loud." They all laughed as he joined them in a hug, "And GG will be Ok, I know it. But I also know that he will need us more than ever." Lyndy again spoke up. "Well we all need to try and get a few hours' sleep, tomorrow, I mean today is going to be hard." Back at the hospital, Ty and Amy went to give the women a break as Jack's condition was still the same. They all met the doctor and his team in the hall and he explained that they wanted to keep him sedated to let the body settle so they could determine next steps. He spoke confidently, "We don't know the extent of the damage from the stroke but several things are a concern. From what I understand, he had been feeling off for a while but kept quiet. To be honest that is not uncommon because a person having a stroke can confuse it with something else. But Jack is over 90 and has had heart and cancer issues in the past. Now we don't see any concern with his heart and there are no signs of cancer. This doesn't demean the possible impact of the stroke and hopefully once he stabilizes a little more we can start running some test. I expect he will be out for a few several days, even weeks and I will warn you when he wakes up he will be confused." Ty smiled, "Thank you doctor and we think you ladies need a break so Scott and I will sit with him. If he wakes up we will let you know that the two guys he threatened to stay away from his granddaughters were the first people he saw when his eyes opened." They all laughed lightly and after kisses and hugs the women headed to the cafeteria. They said they would contact the kids and Lisa was going to call Max. Lyndy's phone woke her up and she quietly answered the message from her mom and laid back down. Wyatt and JT were out and she smiled warmly as she saw her fiancé providing support for her little brother. A little over an hour later she felt the sun coming through their window and also heard some quiet chatter in the kitchen. She put on her robe and headed downstairs. When she turned into the kitchen she was surprised to see Soraya, Mallory, Caroline, Camilla, Trent and Shawna working on breakfast. Mallory saw he first and smiled, going to hug her. "She whispered, "Jack is the most onery person I know, he will be Ok." Soraya joined in the hugged with the smile everyone loved, "Go get you siblings, breakfast is almost ready." Shawna giggled, "Can I go get JT, I love waking him up, he is always crabby." Lyndy laughed, "We is in our room, so you can wake him and Wyatt up. I think you should jump on the bed." She laughed scampering up the steps. Slowly the girls and an annoyed Wyatt came downstairs. JT was excited to see his two best friends and didn't mind the wake up call. They enjoyed breakfast even though they realized it would be a difficult day for everyone.
It was early morning at the hospital and they all decided to get some breakfast since Jack was still out of it but stable. They talked quietly as Lou huffed, "I wish we knew more?" Scott smiled, holding his wife's hand, "Lou, we just have to be patient, Jack needs time to recover enough where we will know what is up. The doctor is pleased that he seems to be stabilized and is showing some signs of brain activity and to certain stimulus." Amy smiled, "Wow Scott I am impressed. You seem to be pretty knowledgeable." He laughed, "Well I can't lie, I spoke to the lead doctor at length and you know Google is a big help." They had a good chuckle as Amy spoke up again, "Well everyone one should be getting up and going back home, I expect that we will be getting some calls soon." Ty laughed, "Well I spoke to Caleb and Cass, they are going to keep people at bay for now." Lisa looked up, "Oh shoot, I need to call Casey and Max will be up this afternoon." Amy smiled, "I spoke to Casey, she is going to go to the Ranch to help where needed and said to let her know how things are going. As they were finishing, one of the nurses came up to them, "Someone is kind of awake but is confused, so it might be best is his wife and granddaughters come in alone for now." Everyone understood as they quickly cleaned up and headed to the ICU. Lyndy thanked Soraya and Mallory for breakfast as everyone went on with their morning. Everyone had things to do and felt the need to keep busy. As they all walked to the barn, Lyndy pulled her sisters and brothers into a huddle and with Wyatt by her side she spoke to them softly, "Guys we just need to keep busy and focus our thoughts on GG and his well-being as well as mom and dad. They all went about their work and there were questions from the staff about Jack and mostly they told them what they knew, which wasn't a lot. The chatter around was if the Company Rodeo would be postponed or even cancelled. Caleb walked up on several ranch hands talking quietly about it and stepped in, "Gentlemen what's up?" One of them spoke with respect, "Well we figure that the Rodeo will be delayed or even postponed, it is only a few weeks.' Caleb smiled, "Be assured there will be a Rodeo and I believe it will be our best ever. I have known Jack Bartlett since I was a young lad like you and trust me, he would be violent if we called it off because of him. He is the bravest and kindest man I have ever known and since I never had one, I consider him my father. And you have to figure, we need to have it so he can tell us all what we did wrong." They all chuckled as each had been the recipient of Jack's observations over the years. Caleb spoke in a fatherly fashion, "Let's get to work but take a moment everyone once in a while to pray for Jack and his recovery. Now get to it because if her finds out you were slacking her will bring his wrath down on you for sure." They all laughed and headed off appreciating Caleb and his guidance. Amy had spoken with Lyndy several times and Lou also kept Katie and Georgie updated. As news came to them they shared it with the staff and friends. Max was due to arrive after lunch and Casey volunteered to get him from the airport. After that they would go directly to the hospital. The hospital group was taking turns sitting with Jack allowing the others to check in at home. After his brief waking up the medical team decided to sedate him and allow more time to heal, and the family agreed. Lou, Amy and Lisa were being inundated with texts and calls from family, staff and even members of the media. Even Maryanne Trudeau had heard about Jack from Haley and called Amy for support and they talked for a bit. It was very settling for Amy to talk to her and she thanked her and said she would keep her posted. Jack was still peacefully sleeping and the doctors assured them that for now it was the best. After Max and Casey arrived and were filled in they each spent time visiting him. By midafternoon, the medical team told them that he would be out as long as needed and told them they should go home for a bit. They decided that Lisa and Max would stay with him and that the rest of them would go home to fill everyone in and have dinner with their families. Lisa would call them in the morning with an update and they would heads over after the day got started. Casey had picked up some things for Lisa and Max had his travel bag so outside of Jack's room, they said their goodbyes with a lot of hugs and assurances that they would call with any updates during the night. Lou and Amy sent text that they were heading home in Ty and Amy's SUV. Casey left her vehicle for Lisa and Max and went with them too.
After dropping Lou, Scott and Casey off at Heartland they came up on a waiting group of family on the porch, Amy and Ty headed home. As they pulled up, they saw all the kids, along with a few others waiting for them anxiously. Amy and Ty were exhausted but their eyes lit up when they saw the kids heading their way, hopping out to hugs and kisses from them. Soraya and Mallory joined in after as Mallory smiled, "You know Jack is a tough old dude, I know he will be fine. And we have dinner ready so I expect you guys are starving." Both Amy and Ty realized that outside of coffee they had hardly eaten. Amy smiled, "Thanks you guys, we are kind of hungry." Cass laughed, "Come on Amy, you know that the rest of us were just helpers, Mallory ran this show for sure." Mallory put her head down as tears came to her eyes. She went to hug Amy tightly, "I had to do something for Jack, I love him so much." The rest of them headed in as Amy and Mallory sat consoling each other on the porch. The next few days or weeks would be challenging for all of them. After Ty and Amy gave as much detail as they could the family and friends talked quietly. Caleb mentioned the conversation he interrupted about the Company Rodeo and everyone agreed that the last thing Jack would want would be to cancel the Rodeo and JT then spoke up, "I know GG is going to be Ok, but maybe we should name the rodeo after him. I mean we have Grandma and Great Grandma's name on stuff, maybe it's time to add him?" Amy liked the ideas along with the girls. Mallory smiled, "It would be easy to make the change in all of the communications since it is an internal event. Maybe you guys should talk to Lisa and Lou and see what they think." Amy got quiet, "First things first, we need him to wake up and see how he is. The doctor said we can't fully understand how the stroke affected him until he can talk us, or not." They sat silently understanding how critical this situation was. After some quiet moments Mallory spoke again, "Well for now we will continue getting ready for the Rodeo as we already have a lot of people signed up. Wyatt, I didn't see your name, I hear you may want to relive your Rodeo glory, like your future father in law." Everyone laughed, as Wyatt scoffed as Lyndy kissed his cheek, "Well, I wasn't that bad but I don't think so. Let me get my final certification and I guess plan a wedding." He smiled as it was Lyndy's turn to scoff, "Oh sorry our wedding is such a burden." They banter helped everyone relax and laugh a little more. Mallory continued, "So Annie, is Jeremy ready. I hear he is a pretty good roper and bronc rider." She frowned, "Don't remind me, I blame Caleb and Rusty for encouraging him. If he gets hurt Caleb, it's on you." Caleb threw his hands in the air as Soraya, Cass and Dillon razzed him a little. "Why am I always blamed, the guys are the ones who have been working with him and to be honest, he is pretty good." The conversation continued as they finished and cleaned up. Amy was exhausted so she said her good nights after all the guests left and it was just family. Ty sat with the kids and talked about tomorrow and the upcoming days. Of course they wanted to see him so he committed that they would talk in the morning at breakfast before they headed back to the hospital. Ty headed to their room and when he walked in the lights were low and Amy was soundly asleep in their bed. He quietly got ready and slipped in behind her pulling her into his arms. She was not awake and took a deep breath, pushing herself back into him. Close was not enough so Ty held her tightly and whispered, "Tomorrow will be a good day Amy, we just need to be there for him. The kids want to come see him and I think we should let them, just them and Georgie and Katie." She took another breath, "Yea, they need to see him, even JT. He will be able to handle it, look how he was with your mom." She smiled in agreement and yawned heavily, "I am exhausted Ty, today was so hard. I'm sorry, I am not a lot of fun." He smiled, "Hmm, I thought I might get lucky tonight." She smiled, "Rain Check?" He turned her to face him, "We both need some sleep and to be honest I am the luckiest man on the earth. I am married to the most wonderful woman on earth and have an amazing family." He smiled as he saw that she was sound asleep as he whispered, "I love you Miracle Girl." Wyatt rolled over and noticed that Lyndy wasn't there. He waited as he assumed that she was in the bathroom, but after a bit she didn't return so he went to look for her. He tried to stay quiet as he looked downstairs and on the porch. Sometimes he would catch her outside looking out over the ranch late at night. She always said it calmed her if she was having trouble sleeping. Then it dawned on him, he knew where she was. He walked up to JT's door and opened it slightly. What he saw warmed his heart as he saw his fiancé and sister of JT lying close holding him tightly. They were both sound asleep with calm look on their faces. He was tempted to kiss her gently but he just stood there instead smiling for a few minutes. He gently closed the door when and when he was turned he was startled to see Annie there. "She whispered, "Checking up on him aren't you? Well I guess Lyndy beat me to it." He smiled and opened the door slightly as she glanced in. Annie smiled and whispered, "Look how cute they look." They stepped back and she giggled, "You know maybe next time you are wondering around the house full of women you should put a shirt on." He blushed and covered up, "Sorry." She poked him, "I mean you aren't bad but you aren't even close to my hot cowboy, good night."
After a decent night's sleep, the kids got breakfast ready and saw their dad coming down. Maddie spoke up, "Good morning Daddy, where is mom?" He smiled grabbing a cup of coffee, "She is on the phone with Lisa, she will be down in a minute. When she does we will talk about what is going on today. Just to let you know, there were no changes overnight and GG is still critical but stable." They set the food out and Ty encouraged them to start eating. Just after they started, Amy came down and seemed Ok. Lyndy noticed some tear tracks on her face and went to hug her mother. Being the first born, their bond was special and the others watched them support each other. Amy joined them as each of her kids gave her hugs and eventually JT sat close to her. Amy calmly went over the report from Lisa. Much to their delight, she said that the medical team felt that visit from the great grand kids would be beneficial. She smiled, "You have to know that GG is not well and more than likely will not respond. The doctors have him sedated and will keep him that way as long as they need to. It will allow his body to stabilize and when he is ready, he will be taken off sedation and be allowed to wake up. In the meantime you need to talk to him just like you always do. Tell him about your day and what is going on at the ranch. Annie giggled, "I think I will tell him about Jeremy and his rodeo dreams." JT added, "I will talk to him about fishing and that since Max is here maybe the three of us can head up to the fishing cabin." Lyndy joined in the fun, "Well I think I will talk to him about our wedding and how much fun it will be." She put her head down sadly as she began to tear up a little, "I'll make sure he knows he was a seat right up front and I can't wait to see him there." The group got quiet realizing that in fact he may not be there but Maddie jumped in, "Well I think we should just be certain he will and act that way with him. I am confident if we are positive, he will fight even harder. GG is the toughest man I know." The all smiled shaking their heads in agreement. Addie laughed and smiled broadly, "Well I have been doing some research and if he is unable to walk or get around there are some really cool scooters that I can modify that will allow him access to everywhere. That will allow him to harass everyone like he always does. So, if needed, I will have it ready to go." Ty and Amy went on their way and told the kids they would let them know when they can visit. When they arrived they found a tired Lisa and Max in the lounge area outside of the ICU. After hugs and greeting Lisa spoke up, "Well not much of a change from last night. Although the last MRI and EKG showed activity a little more elevated from last night. It more than likely means is that he is closer to being ready to wake up, and it is better than the results going down. But I must warn you, it doesn't mean that he will come out of this unscathed but I am more optimistic. And one more thing, our scans have shown that he has had mini strokes in the past, that were more than likely not noticeable. By the status of the scarring it has been happening for a while, but keep in mind that is not unusual for a man in his early 90s." Luckily, Lou, Scott and Casey had shown up and caught much of the conversation. Lou spoke up, "So what's next, my daughters and their husbands want to see him and I expect Amy's kids do a well." The lead doctor smiled, "I think that would be great but only a couple at a time. And I think our two overnighters need to head home to rest and get a way for a while." Amy and Lou shook their heads in agreement. Casey spoke up, Well, Lisa can you take me in to see him and then I will take you two home for a while, I think Jack is going to be inundated with a lots of great grandchildren that love him a bunch." Amy and Lou immediately called home as Ty and Scott took Max to get a coffee. Lyndy was startled when her phone went off. She was talking with a client about her horse and excused herself. "Mom is everything Ok. Is GG alright?" Amy smiled, He is much the same but the doctor wants you guys to come and visit with him. So, you, Wyatt and JT head on over and then when you head home the other girls can come and visit. Talk to Georgie and Kaite so you guys can carpool. Katie and Clay can go with you guys and Georgie and Steven with the girls." Lyndy shared the news with her siblings and called Ellory to see if she could come to the ranch with a few of her team to help. Wyatt got his truck as Annie and JT loaded up. They picked up Katie and Clay, who had just dropped their kids at Day Care and headed to the hospital.
Over the next couple of weeks, Jack continued to show signs of moderate improvement but the doctors still kept him sedated. Jack basically had visitors constantly and he was begin kept current on the workings of the business and family. Mallory visited and gave him an update on the Company Rodeo and reminded him that he needed to be there, since it was going to be named after him. She laughed when she told him, "Oh shoot, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that so keep it between us." As she laughed she didn't notice his lip curl up slightly. Back at the ranch business carried on and others stepped up so family and some staff could visit the leader of the family and company. JT convinced Max and his parents to visit with some of the fishing group and they spent almost two hours telling fish stories and planning a trip before the weather got to cold. Little by little several of the visitors saw slight reactions as they spoke to him. The doctors noticed it as well and set up a meeting with the family. Lisa, Lou, Max, Casey, Ty, Amy, Scott and Lou sat nervously in a conference room with the medical team. The lead doctor spoke as they settled, "First I have to tell you in all of my years I have never seen the amount of family support that Jack has received over the last two weeks. It has been extraordinary and I believe has accelerated the healing process. He seems to be loved and respected by all." Ty smiled, "Well, Jack Bartlett has impacted everyone in this room, the rest of the family and a lot of our staff. When they wrote the definition for patriarch, they should simply put his name there. When I first met him he told me he would keep an eye on me and his two granddaughters to make sure I let them be. Well Scott got the same lecture and look at us now." Ty put his head down, "I really never had a father figure but Jack Bartlett fill that role for me." Scott smiled, "Me too, I got the same speech and although it took a while, well here we are. In the Cree Nation, Jack would be the Head Chief of the tribe and considered the most respected elder. He is our chief and leader and someone we all look up to and seek guidance." The women were teary eyed listening to the two men that Jack admired the most. The lead doctor sat for a seconds to allow them to gather themselves and continued, "Well we definitely can see that with everyone who visits. So, we believe it is time to bring him back. Although we can determine the impact of the stroke to his body we will not know until he wakes up. We would like to begin weaning him off slowly, but we expect him to come to later this afternoon. If I may be so bold, Lisa, Amy and Lou, we think you three should be the only ones there to limit the impact when he awakes. I have to warn you, he may be completely disoriented and not even remember you initially. But we expect he will eventually. We also have no idea if he will be able to speak clearly and he will get frustrated so you three will need to be patient and not overwhelm him." Lisa chuckled, "Well you can be assured, when my husband wakes up he will be filled with spit and vinegar. He is the most determined man I have ever know." They all laughed and shook their heads in agreement. The family went home to check on things and catch up with the kids and other staff. They were inundated with questions and well wishes for Jack's recovery. Mallory sat with them and updated the Bordens on the Rodeo which was ready to go. It was scheduled in two weeks, just before the kids went back to school and everything was on schedule. Mallory laughed nervously, "This will be the biggest ever and almost all of the staff and families are coming. But I know everyone would give it all up if Jack would be there to open things up." The group got silent when JT blurted out, "Well I know that if GG can, he will be there for sure." Everyone smiled hoping for the same. Amy and Ty got ready to leave and would be meeting the others at the hospital. The doctor in charge had spoken with Lisa and said that they would be stopping the sedation medication at noon and if all goes well he should start waking up in 4-5 hours. The ride there was quiet as Amy laid into Ty for support. She thought of her grandfather and what he meant to her over all of these years. He was the only stable man in her life until Ty came along. As she daydreamed, she leaned into him more and he smiled and whispered, "Jack is a tough guy, no matter what, he will be as Ok as he can. And I have to say, our kids are amazing. They have been so strong and supportive of both him and us." As they walked into the hospital they met the others and headed into the waiting room. It was time.
Amy, Lou and Lisa sat patiently as they watch life return to Jack under the attentive eyes of several members of the hospital staff. He had been breathing on his own for a while so they made sure his vitals were stable as he came back. The lead doctor also commented and made notes on his activity as he awoke. At first it was just twitches in his eyes and face. His head moved slightly and the doctors talked between themselves and made more notes. They three women wanted to ask questions but kept quiet to let them do their job. After about 10 minutes Amy was the first to notice his right eye starting to open and look around. His left eye did too, but not as wide. His eyebrows furrowed as it seemed he was confused as to why people were looking at him so intently. The lead doctor spoke up, Mr. Bartlett do you hear me? Do you know where you are?" He seemed to take a while to understand what he was saying. The three women that meant everything to him were alarmed as he seemed as if he was struggling to understand what was said. Finally Lisa couldn't wait almost pleading, "Jack, honey, it's Lisa can you hear me?" He seemed to gather himself and tried to smile buy only the right side of his lip curled a little as he looked at the doctor. The next thing that happened finally allowed Lou, Lisa and Amy to breath. It was a mumble and hardly understandable but he grabbed the doctors arm with his right hand and whispered, "My name is Jack." At first the doctor couldn't understand him but Lou immediately spoke for him, "He is telling you his name is Jack, it is kind of his thing." The entire group laughed cautiously and Jack, although still confused seemed to settle. It seemed like it took every bit of energy he had to mutter those four words and he closed his eyes looking exhausted. Amy and Lou went to hug him and say hello. He seemed calm but still looked a little out of it. The doctor reassured them, "Well it's a good start and keep in mind, wherever he gets to will take time and patience both from Jack and everyone else." He turned away and spoke to the three of them quietly, "It seems that he has limitations on his left side but his right side is much better. This is normal for a stroke of this type but he did speak and had the mindset to answer my question, which is good. Stay with him for a while but he needs his rest. Tomorrow after we will look him over we can consider letting him have some visitors for sure. I think the great grandkids would be a great start especially your son Amy. Jack seemed to be most active when he is here." Lisa was joined by Max and Casey to spend the night as Amy, Ty, Lou and Scott headed home to fill the kids in. It was after dinner but the girls kept food warm for their parents. Amy spoke quietly, "Well, GG has woken up but is a little confused still. But the doctor feel that visits from the great grandkids would be very helpful to his recovery. So like last time, get with Georgie and Katie and visit in two groups. The doctor has new request. JT you need to come with the first group as they feel he seems to react more when you are around." They all smiled completely understanding. That night they all slept fairly well and were excited but nervous about helping their GG recover. Over the next week and a half when the Company Rodeo the family remained diligent in being there for Jack's slow recovery. Each day he became more aware and understanding of the world around him. As expected, outside of Lisa, Lou and Amy, JT always sparked a little more energy from him and the doctors made sure he spent a lot of time with him. Their parents noticed how amazing their kids were and the kids learned how to be patient and understanding, especially when Jack became frustrated and even angry. Amy and Lou felt that what they were experiencing would be something they would never forget. It was a couple of days until the rodeo and Jack had made some major steps in his recovery. Although he hated it he was becoming comfortable with the wheelchair that would be a big part of his life. The doctors confirmed that the major impact was Jack's left side, so his left arm and leg were not working well but the most noticeable effect was his speech, which he struggled with. The kids were very patient and completely understood their role and it was obvious that Jack realized it too. On the afternoon before the rodeo, JT and Shawna were taking Jack on a walk outside to the garden area. It had become a favorite place for him and others that visited. As they sat, JT was going on and on about the rodeo and all the preparation. As usual Jack was smiling but quiet, still adjusting to his new world. Shawna, got JT's attention and smiled, "JT lets got get a drink and fill up GG's cup. We'll be right back GG." She kissed his cheek and gave him a sweet smile." As they walked she whispered to JT, "You need to chill about the Rodeo. I am sure he is upset that he can't be there." JT looked at her. "Oh my, you're right. I bet it really upsets him." They got the drinks and headed back and saw him talking to the lead doctor, who had seen him sitting peacefully. The doctor smiled when they approached and they both noticed a smile on Jack's face. The doctor spoke up, "Well we have been talking about the Company Rodeo tomorrow and have an idea." Jack grabbed their hands and smiled again talking very slowly, "I am going to need some help tomorrow, I am going to a rodeo." Tears came to both of their eyes as they jumped into his lap. They didn't see it but a tear had also came to the old rodeo legend's eye as well.