Chapter 19

Amy pulled up to the Cotter's ranch and smiled at Finn who was sitting outside on the swing with his eyes closed.

"I think Finn might be napping sweetheart."

"Should we wake him?"

"What do you think?"

"Yes!"

She got out and immediately opened the back door for Lyndy to escape from while she returned to the front door and smiled at her daughter.

"One." Amy said.

"Two." Lyndy followed.

"Three!" They yelled together before slamming the doors shut.

"Go on, go say hello." Amy said as she reached into the bed for a bag of groceries she had picked up along with a prescription for Al.

"Lyndy!" Finn called out.

"Hi Finn!"

"I was really starting to miss you, come on, give me a hug and we can swing." He said opening his arms.

Amy smiled coming up the stairs. Finn and Lyndy connected early on and the banter between them was cute. She sighed and said to herself "check that one off."

"I'm going to start dinner Lyndy, you can help set the table when it's done, I'll be back once it's in the oven."

"We're gonna look at horses on the computer." Finn said opening the laptop to a page he was looking at before.

"Have fun." She said smiling while awkwardly getting through the screen door with her bag.

"I thought I heard someone." Al said walking over "Here, let me take that from you Amy, you get your coat and hat off."

"Oh, thank you Al, herb roasted chicken for dinner. Potatoes, baby carrots and green beans."

"Sounds great, I'm all for home cooking."

"How've you and he been?"

"Oh, we're fine, we've always gotten along, besides, he's discovered a farrier forum online that he's been reading."

"The man is obsessed with horses' feet, oh well, if it makes him happy Al, who am I argue." Amy said laughing and turning on the oven to pre heat before splitting a whole garlic and shoving it into the carcass followed by several sprigs of thyme, 2 halves of onion and a squeeze of lemon juice from a lemon she'd halved.

"You cook a lot Amy?"

"Depends on the time frame of my life I guess; when I lived in the loft with Ty, I did a lot of cooking and learning. I was not domesticated at all when I got married. Someone else always cooked in the ranch house." She said laughing. "Ty knew more about cooking than I did. I fixed horses Al, that was my job from I don't know when. Chores and horses. So, when I moved out of the ranch house I had some rudimentary cooking skills to improve on. I recommend You Tube and a recipe file."

"We'll, it looks like you took to it, that'll smell awful good."

"It'll taste even better, it's Lyndy's favorite to boot so you get to see and hear that little spectacle." She said as she spread melter butter mixed with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper over the chicken body and then gently under its skin."

"That looks awful complicated to me Amy."

"Nah, this is nothing." She said washing her hands and then reaching for a bowl she filled with baby potatoes and carrots and then drizzled with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. She then grabbed the big roaster from the counter, used a pair of tongs to lay the chicken in the pan and then surround it with the potato and carrot mix.

"This'll be about an hour Al, I'll steam the beans when it comes out to rest, how about you join us on the porch for a visit, it's a beautiful afternoon." She said washing her hands again after slipping the pot into the oven.

"Sounds good to me Amy. Oh, and we have half that pie you brought by the other day for dessert."

"Let's you and I save Finn from Lyndy."

Al followed Amy out onto the porch where Lyndy was sitting on Finn's lap as they discussed the horses on the screen and Finn was trying to show her the different muscles on a horses body.

"Hi Mommy."

"Hello sweetheart, dinner in an hour or so, you can have a clementine in the meantime if you're hungry."

"You didn't kiss Finn."

Amy smiled "No I didn't because I had a bag full of groceries and had to get dinner in the oven. I sent you, did you kiss Finn?"

"And a hug but it's not the same."

"It's not?"

"No, you should kiss Finn hello."

"And what's your part in this whole conversation Finnegan Cotter?"

"Me? I haven't said a word." Finn said before crossing his heart and mouthing "not a word."

"Ok" Amy said, "How about you go say hi to Grandpa Al and give him a kiss and hug and I'll visit with Finn for a while on the swing?"

Lyndy smiled and nodded before slipping off Finn's lap and skipping past Amy to Al.

Finn smiled and tapped the swing next to him.

She was there a moment later and leaned in to kiss him then smiled and kissed him again before wrapping her arms around his closest and leaning her head against his shoulder after Amy saw Lyndy lean against Al's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How about you come with me and we check on the horses Lyndy?"

"Can I give Night an apple?" She asked looking at Finn.

"I think he'd love that and seeing you again."

They watched Al and Lyndy head off the porch and towards the barn before Amy let go of Finn's arm and reached over to kiss him again.

"How was your day Finn?"

"Restful and boring but I found an interesting website to explore and it's been nice hanging with Grandpa."

"So you're good for another week?"

"I guess I'll have to be."

"Well, I was thinking that next week we could try a picnic, maybe just you and me for lunch while Lyndy's in school?"

"I would love that Amy."

"Then we'll make that happen."

"Well, whatever's wafting through that window smells real good."

"Herb roasted chicken. Lyndy's favorite and usually a crowd pleaser."

"Sounds like it'll please me. How's the center going?"

"The kids have been great, they all send their regards and Renata her love. Cass and I took care of some of your preliminary class work. The apartment's almost done, curtains are up and whatever furniture we have already's going in this weekend. Almost there."

"Two more weeks?"

"I'd say closer to three so that third weekend, Saturday I guess is probably moving day."

"Excited?"

"Getting there."

"Really?"

Amy smiled "I'm excited, Lyndy too."

"Still getting blowback?"

"Well, Grandpa and my dad still aren't too thrilled, but I think the women have my back."

"Still doing it?"

"Hell yeah." Amy said "I mean I've got you on my side right?"

"Always." He answered leaning over and kissing her head.

"Besides, it would break Renata's heart."

"Well, we definitely can't have that."

Amy laughed "I honestly think she'd haunt us at this point."

They sat quietly swinging and holding hands after that. They shared the occasional kiss and glance but basically they just shared space and the peace of the afternoon on an Alberta farm. They both smiled when Lyndy came out of the barn and turned towards the house and porch while holding Al's hand. Neither Amy or Finn could hear what they were talking about but at one point Al's hand dropped hers and moved around her shoulder pulling her in for a brief hug.

"We gave the horses treats and made sure they had hay and water." Lyndy said when she was back on the porch.

Amy straightened up and reached out her hands for Lyndy to climb into and lift herself into her mother's lap. settling with Amy's arms around her.

"Bet Night was happy to see you." Finn said.

"Oh, he was, I gave him an apple and then T-Touch like momma taught me."

"Maybe one day this week you and your mom can take Night and one of the other horses out for a ride. You can ride Night, he's very sweet and gentle and he'd love the exercise."

"Can we momma?"

"I think so sweetie, we'll try our best." Amy said as the alarm on her phone sounded to let her know that the chicken was almost done.

"Come on Lyndy, you can wash up and help set the table while I get the green beans cleaned and steaming."

"Ok momma." Lyndy said sliding off Amy's lap and heading straight to the porch door.

"Dinner in about 20 minutes guys, can I get you anything in the meantime?" Amy asked disentangling herself from Finn's arm around her and into her hand.

"I'm good." Finn answered still lightly holding her hand as she pulled away.

"I'm fine Amy, thanks." Al answered.

Amy nodded at both and headed in to find Lyndy coming down the hallway towards her.

"Ready Momma."

"Good come on and I'll give you settings and napkins for the places."

Amy started by laying out everything Lyndy would need to get the table ready, plates, cutlery, napkins and glasses. She then sat down and grabbed her bag of green beans to clean and get into the steamer which she set on the stove simultaneously with her second alarm indicating the chicken should be done.

"Let's get ready for dinner please" Amy announced through the kitchen window to the porch a moment before she pulled the chicken roaster out of the oven and shook the steamer with the beans. Opening the roaster let loose a blast of steam that filled the house with the perfume of roasted garlic and herbs and brought a big smile to Lyndy's face.

"That smells amazing Amy." Finn said coming through the door.

"It's my favorite!" Lyndy announced as Amy lifted the chicken out onto the cutting board and checking to make sure the juices ran clear. She covered the chicken with a loose tent of foil and began scooping the potatoes and carrots out into a beautiful glass bowl with a ying-yang design that separated them and placing the steaming bowl onto the table with two serving spoons.

"Would one of you two gentleman care to carve the chicken or should I?" She asked checking on the beans which needed another minute or two.

"I'd be honored." Al said getting up from where he had sat at the head of the table. "It's a beautiful effort Amy."

Amy smiled as Al honed the blade a few times against the tool alongside the knife and then sliced the first strip off the breast. The bird skin was all a dark finished brown and as he sliced the juices were released onto the grooved cutting board as Al layered the breast slices and then the legs and wings onto the serving platter Amy lay next to him. She turned from her watching to lay the green beans into a separate bowl and place it onto the table alongside the other sides bowl before easing herself past Al to sit across from Lindy and next to Finn who was at the opposite end of the table from where Al was sitting.

"Nothing like a good home cooked meal enjoyed with the family." Al said sitting after clearing the board away. "I can't thank you enough for doing this Amy, it really hits home, how about you serve?"

Amy smiled "I can do that."

"Me first!" Lyndy announced clearly looking forward to eating.

"You first but you'll wait until everyone's been served." Amy answered with a smile tempering her daughter's exuberance.

Once served they all took their first bites and Amy was glad to see the smiles reach across their faces as they ate.

"I really can't remember a meal tasting this good." Finn announced, "I can see why this is Lyndy's favorite."

"It just melts on the tongue." Al agreed popping a roasted potato into his mouth immediately after.

"I'm glad you all like it." Amy said smiling around the table "it's really nothing."

"I said it once and I'll say it again, meals like this are what brings family together, sharing food and good memories and I'll remember this meal for a good long time Amy, well done."

"And tomorrow we can have chicken sandwiches!" Lyndy said with her mouth half full.

"Swallow first sweetheart or you'll choke."