Chapter 87
Their alarms sounded early and Amy turned and scrunched into Ty's side as he lifted his arms and stretched only to bring them down around her.
"Morning Ty."
"Sleep Ok Ames ?"
"Mhmmm." She murmured into his side.
"I have to grab a shower, our ride will be here at 7:00."
"Pat meeting you in the city ?"
"In a stretch I think for all of us, Trev's in the city checking the townhouse for next week, he'll meet us at the tailors."
"I have a faculty meeting, two doctor's appointments and a practical, your trip sounds more fun."
"How about a quick all business shower ?"
"All business ?" Amy asked kissing his chest softly.
"We don't have time Ames, rain check ?"
Amy sighed "rain check my love, c'mon" she groaned turning and standing into a stretch "ahhhhhhh, Ok, business shower, let's get 'er done !"
Amy, Betty and the girls waved to the chopper as it took off with Ty, Tom Carmichael, Wyatt, JT, Cars, Bobby, Bert, John, Charlie and Chuck. They were heading in for wedding suits for them all and haircuts for the boys., the afternoon before, Brin, Maddie and Charlie were on the phone with both the tailors who thought it was amusing that these girls were choosing fabrics and styles and later with Sara Nicole, the tailor shop polar opposite who loved planning with them. They had also consulted with Wyatt whom they trusted to not let the men's choices railroad theirs.
Amy had tried to convince Shane to join them but he couldn't get away from school so with Charlie's help she arranged for his suit from a tailor in Ottawa. After speaking with Jacquelyn, Shanes now fiancé Amy was confident they would both be dressed just fine. Lisa would handle making sure Jack was dressed well. Lisa promised to get him a new nice suit in Grey, Amy was fine with him in a black hat. Casey would deal with Tim.
They had gone back and forth with the wedding party. As he had said John Enchino was Ty's best man and as such it was easiest to have Trish as her "official" maid of honor. The rest were fine with it under the circumstances and didn't really care about the honorific, they all considered themselves wedding party and Amy decided not to make an issue of it.
They had also decided on a sweetheart table for her and Ty with blood family and kids to their right and friends to the left. They'd have a table of colleagues from Alberta, a table for colleagues from Cornell, and the rest, assorted tables of friends put together based on an elaborate seating plan that Betty, Lisa, Meg Koenig and Erma were working out for Amy's approval. Lisa handled Alberta, Betty and Erma local and clients with Meg dealing with the politics of academics and Cornell.
Amy received a text from Ty when they landed and right before Amy headed out to Cornell for a morning meeting before the medical center. The meeting which concerned her prolonged absence from school through December last about 90 minutes and after checking her office and the faculty mail for her and Ty she headed out and drove around campus to the Medical Center for her first appointment.
Pat greeted Ty and the party with coffee and juice boxes and drove them to their first stop, Seville Haberdashers on the 48th floor of the Wang building on 3rd Avenue and 49th Street. There would be a small breakfast buffet there, bagels and such, they'd get done, have lunch at the Smith and Wollensky Grill across the street after which Ty and Tom would get the boys, Wyatt and Chuck to their hair appointments while Charlie, John, Trev and Bert lounged and relaxed at the Cornell Club.
Amy sat down facing Dr. Porter and reached across the small coffee table between them to hand him her journal. He opened the book, turned a page then got up and scanned the two pages she had written before handing the book back.
"You're not going to read it ?"
"Not now, no, I'll read it in a couple sessions, maybe after you've rewritten it, we'll see, let's continue on with your grandfather and the third year since your mom's death. You and Ty were a couple now, you were in your Junior year of high school and he worked at the ranch and with Scott while he applied to colleges."
"Well, I was in that process as well."
"We'll get to that after the Miracle Girl incident. Overall a good year for you two ?"
"I guess, we were busy, I was busy, they, my dad and grandpa had a herd to deal with again, Ty and I were together, a couple bumps here and there, my insecurities about us and relationships, Lou was with Peter."
"How did your grandfather handle your increased success and notoriety ?"
"He stayed out of it, Lou and my dad were in business mode and Grandpa was as always non-confrontational, there was the plane crash and he was there when Ty bought the motorcycle, helped him, bonded over it. Grandpa had a motorcycle when he was young, the perfect father son activity. That it was done without so much as a mention or a thought to me didn't occur to either of them."
"Why do you think that is ?"
"Truthfully I think a lot of men are just wired that way and I allowed them to do it, I was in no position to say anything and when I did it was like everything else back then, Ty told me no, no it's not what I thought and I lived with it and then watched him drive away again with that damn bike staring at me strapped to the back of his truck. His short trip to find himself took 4 months."
"Let's focus on your grandfather."
"If he had anything to say he didn't say it to me, maybe he understood Ty's point of view or understood what Ty was feeling, you asked about my notoriety, Grandpa may have had his rodeo fans but Grandma Lyndy was famous and she quit singing and the road, whatever, I don't know why she did it, he was silent on the issue, all the issues. I think they probably spoke when Ty got back, I don't know."
They went back over some things using Dr. Porter's notes, the Ring of Fire, the quarantine, Victor's reappearance in her life. In the end they arrived at the same point as they had grown accustomed to, "And in that year, through all of this is there one ultimate good ?"
"I don't even know Barry, at this point our relationships were so muddled, I know he had no real control over Ty's leaving after the Ring of Fire but as always there was no one else to really question what Ty wanted, not that I know of at least."
"And you expected your grandfather should have at least tried ?"
"I don't know what I expected but I wore his ring and perhaps the father might have or should have said something to the son about riding off and leaving it behind and his responsibilities. Apparently all that bonding is for shit, bonding is for buddies, parents are supposed to parent."
"Do you think that had Jack told Ty not to go he would have listened ?"
"I don't really know, I certainly didn't want him to go and told him. He left because after pushing me into the Ring of Fire and standing by my side,…well….. the fact that I'd won shook him, that, along with the whole Miracle Girl thing, he began this whole holding me back attitude that I never understood."
"Let's start with that question again on Thursday but I have another assignment for you."
"Great, I can't wait." Amy muttered standing and turning to him as they walked to the door.
"Ask Ty if Jack talked to him before he left and find out what was said."
"Well, that should be fun." Amy said "thanks Barry, see you Thursday."
"It's not supposed to be fun Amy or everyone would want to do it."
Ty was surprised how formal the men's haberdashery was compared to Sebastian's place. He went first and was given a choice of three fabrics that were selected by Brin and the twins. He was also shown several others in the same scheme. All in shades and tones of grey Ty focused on the swatches the girls chose and after a few minutes looked over at Charlie, Trev and Bert, "can I just get all three and they'll decide when I try them on ?"
They all laughed "sure thing buddy, no sweat." Charlie said and nodded at the tailor. Ty was measured which took a few minutes as the numbers were called out by one and noted on the order by another. He was then shown the suit style the girls had picked and again several others somewhat more formal. Ty stuck with the girls choice.
"For what it's worth Ty, I'm getting the same style, you'll look great in it." Wyatt told him.
"Agreed, nice youthful look, you'll be able to wear these out after the wedding Ty." Trev added.
Ty tried one one off the rack for the final adjustments, while waiting for the tailor to finish he moved around a little "be great for dancing."
"Looks that way." John agreed.
Jackson came next and after discussing his surgery and that he'd be wearing a cast the manager suggested that rather than one leg just be cut short that it be made with a zippered seam so that once over the cast they could just zip it down. More important than it making sense to Ty, Jackson loved the idea and they went with it.
They did Bobby next, Cars and then Wyatt, Bobby also got the same design and both he and Wyatt went with a Grey suit in the same shade palette as Ty's but with a discreet pinstripe, Bobby's was blue and Wyatt's a darker grey, both hardly showed but served to bring out their eyes. Chuck got the same suit design in solid Charcoal.
In the end Trev decided to go with the same style as Ty with Bert and Charlie opting for a slightly more conservative cut.
While each was fitted for two shirts as well, Ty was fitted with 8, two white and several others in blues, grays and green tones.
When the boys were done Tom grabbed them for a walk in the city and Bobby, Chuck and Wyatt headed out to wander as well, all with instructions to meet at the restaurant at 12:30.
Ty and the other four headed down the hall to get Ty fitted for his shoes and a pair of boots. Where a mold used to be necessary they now used digital imaging to create the shoe and boot lasts which would be used to perfectly recreate the interior of the shoes to conform to his feet.
Amy met Erma and Trish in the lobby. Erma had lunches with her so they headed off to the cafeteria to eat before Amy's next appointment.
"You Ok sis, you're pretty quiet."
"I've been talking to Dr. Porter Erma, now he wants me to talk to Ty about something."
"You figured on skipping all of that did you ?"
"I've already had it out with Ty over the important stuff, we were idiots and young and dragged everything out to shit. I was as wrong as him and that's good enough for me. The shit that happened between us when I was 17 and 18, a dozen years ago ?"
"So what's the point ?"
"Because Ty went on a trip for a few weeks to find himself and pushed it to 4 months and the good dr. Wants to know if my Grandfather talked about that idea with him before he left ?"
"It's like pulling teeth with you Amy, so what's the point if you're good with Ty ?" Erma asked.
"Because this isn't about Ty it's about my Grandfather and I don't know that I want to know."
"Because ?"
"Because Erma, because I'm sure he did and talked about him and Ty and Grandpa's past and not me, the effect it would have on me."
"You think he didn't love you ?"
"I'm sure he always loved me but I was never going to be his son and I was never going to disappear or worse implode and head down a dark path."
"You did disappear Amy." Trish said softly.
"I had no choice, they gave me no choice Trish. Can we not do this, I'm about to have surgery."
"Surgery" Trish laughed "I can remove that thing with a pocket knife and a pig nosed pliers."
"That would be something to see huh sis ?" Erma said laughing.
"I'm going with surgery, there's a knife and a bandage and blood. I hate doctor's offices and hospitals, let's just eat please ? Tell me about the costumes Erma."
"Cars chose Harry Potter and April and JT are Ron and Hermione. Oh and you know he invited Stephanie who's Ginny Weasley. The twins, Brin and Bobby are all Charlie Chaplin which is cute. Brin and Meg are helping, we're almost done."
"You and Ty ?"
"John gave me permission to wear one of the girls vests so I'm a biker, Ty's a cowboy, which is so weird a concept I can't even convey it. No one looks more uncomfortable and out of place in a cowboy hat than Ty Borden."
"Betty's Mary Poppins and Harold is Bert the Chimney Sweep."
"That's adorable." Trish said "Who else at the table ?"
'That girl from the twins party, Tracy Monroe and her folks who both work for Cornell , Evelyn and Thomas. We've had them for dinner, they're nice."
"Meg and Sam not going ?"
"Meg's got a gig in Rochester that night, old friend asked her to fill in a few weeks ago."
"Sounds like a fun time."
"You could have come Erma."
'I know, it's hard to give up a Saturday this time of the year."
"It's time Amy." Trish said looking at her watch a moment before Amy's beeped.
She smiled as she thumbed the button and took a second to run her fingers over the crystal.
"Still feels special ?"
"It'll always feel special Trish."
Amy signed in at her gynecologist's office, Dr. Miriam Goldstein was the wife of Daniel Goldstein, her practice partner and Bert's college roommate at Cornell. She was not only her gynecologist but she treated virtually every woman Amy knew including the girls so it wasn't surprising that she popped into the room herself after seeing Amy had signed in.
"Escorted by an Army Major and a dairy farmer, how many you bringing when you go into labor ?" The doctor laughed. "Come back all of you, we're just here for the removal right ?"
"That's it, if you're not interested Miriam, Trish offered to remove it with a spoon and a fork."
Erma laughed "I think it was a pocket knife and a pig nosed plier sweetie."
"Take off the blouse Amy, this isn't a guessing game." Miriam said laughing and holding the lidocaine syringe in her hand.
Amy complied and Trish and Erma each took a hand.
"Look at Trish Amy, you'll feel a little prick, there that's it and now we'll wait a minute for the area to numb, tell me about the wedding plans so far" the doctor said and with Amy looking at Trish and talking about plans firming up and her arm numb the Dr. removed her implant.
As she wiped it clear and lay the bandage over Amy turned "what are you doing, didn't you miss a step ?"
"Nope, you did, we'll bill your insurance, go make babies."
"That's it ?"
"Except for the bruise which for you will look nastier than it feels, go get ice cream. Oh here, a gift."
"I love gifts what is it ?" Amy said peeking in the bag.
"Three pack of pregnancy tests, have fun, regards home oh and I have an appointment with your niece ? Uh, Georgie ?"
"Oh, she called, good, you'll like her, she's sorta like me with more energy."
"That's almost scary, the save the dates and invitations are beautiful by the way, Dan and I will definitely be there."
Unprofessionally but still behind closed doors she hugged all three and saw them into the waiting room.
Ty and his entourage found the other two groups waiting in the bar area of the grill which was off on 49th street, smaller and noisier than the Smith and Wollensky main dining room. Charlie had arranged for a large table for the group in the back room away from the bar.
"What do you want Jackson ?" Ty asked as he scanned the menu.
"Burger, fries and a cherry coke please."
"Me too !" Cars announced.
"There are no kids dishes, the burger is a half pounder, how about you guys split it ?"
"Sure thing !" JT said with Cars nodding along.
As the waiter took their orders Jackson leaned over "I need to pee."
"Let's find a bathroom then."
"Around that corner Ty" Charlie pointed.
"Come on Jack, Cars, you better come too."
"I'll take them Ty." Bobby volunteered.
"We won't get lost you know." Jackson said.
"Not the kind of restaurant for two kids to be wandering around in alone Jackson, go with Bobby."
"Yes sir."
"I trust you both, I'm sure Tom would agree that we don't need a waiter bumping you accidentally with his arms full of plates."
"Come on guys" Bobby said smiling at Ty and shepherding the boys through the tables, one palm on each shoulder.
"You're good with him Ty."
"Thanks Tom, he's a good kid, they both are, makes it easier. Still scares the hell out of me, I mean how do you know if you actually, whatever."
"You never really know Ty, you just have to do what you think is best, in the moment and for the kid or kids you're dealing with." John said.
"And Amy trusts you, she's a pretty good judge of character these days." Trev added.
"They're done by the way buddy, Trish texted, you're uhm, playing without a net."
"Really John ?"
"What's that about ?" Wyatt asked with Charlie and Trev looking on.
"What ?" Ty said grabbing a piece of breadstick and a sip of beer.
"Trish and Erma took Amy to see Miriam after lunch."
"Is nothing sacred to you ?"
"Who's Miriam ?"
"OB GYN, she's married to my college roommate, he went to med school, me vet school." Bert said.
"Oh, Georgie told me she made an appointment with her. So Amy went to her, what's up, is something wrong ?"
"Nothing's up Wyatt and nothing's wrong, everything's fine."
"Then I don't get it" then after a moment's hesitation "oh wait without a net, she had her implant removed, Georgie mentioned that was a thing."
"No secrets, there are no secrets in my life."
"Mom hates secrets." Jackson said climbing up "washed and everything." He said to Ty turning his hands when he looked over.
"I wasn't going to ask Jackson."
"Sure does take a long time to get a burger around here."
"I'm sure it'll be right out, this is a pretty busy place and most of these guys don't seem in a hurry to get back to work." Ty told him.
"Guess they don't work for your mom huh Jax." Carson said elbowing JT and laughing.
When the food arrived the waiter was nice enough to serve two plates to the boys with everything split and each with their own ketchup. Even halved the burger was enormous and Ty smiled looking at the boys faces.
"That's pretty big."
"You guys don't have to finish." Tom said.
"We can take it with us."
"I don't know JT, we're going for haircuts." Ty said.
"Well, we'll see how this goes." Jackson said opening wide for his first bite.
"Hold up, what's going on ?" Ty asked.
"Ok, so there's this man asking for money outside to get lunch and we have none so we can share what we don't finish."
Ty smiled, "How about we get one of these to go and you can give it to him ?"
"Oh that would be great." Cars said.
Except for John, the men ordered an assortment of steaks as this was a steak house. Ty, Wyatt, Chuck and Bobby all got sliced steaks sandwiches, Trev, Bert and Charlie, filet mignon and John a vegan burger one of several vegan options on the menu. They skipped dessert opting instead for a stop on the way to the heliport later. When the waiter stopped to check on things Ty asked for the takeaway order which showed up along with the check as they were finishing.
Outside Ty and Tom walked the boys over to the man sitting on the metal milk carton.
"Here you go mister" Cars said as Jackson handed the bag over. "It's a burger and fries, really big so you can probably save half."
"We made sure they put ketchup and stuff in and two bottles of water." Jackson said.
The man looked at Jackson and Cars and put out his hand "Thank you, I'm sure it's perfect." The boys each shook his hand and the man looked up at Ty and Tom and nodded.
"Come on guys, let's let him eat in peace."
Pat took Ty and crew for their hair appointments and Charlie grabbed a cab for the rest to the Cornell Club.
"About 90 minutes Ty ?"
"No idea Pat, that's probably close, I'll text when we start the last."
"That'll work, no pick-ups ?"
"We'll be back next week, I'm sure there'll be loads. We have to stop at the candy place on the way out, Halloween. I did promise a stop at Orvis though."
"Orvis in Midtown and then Economy Candy, on Orchard Street."
"That's it, later Pat."
It was a few minutes wait in the lounge waiting for Sara Nicole to get ready before she came out with a big smile and spotted Ty. She unabashedly hugged him and shook hands with the rest as Ty introduced them.
"Let's go back and get started, who's first and would anyone like anything ?"
"Coke please."
"No coke please Jackson, one is more than enough." Ty said.
"How about a black cherry seltzer Jackson ?" Sara suggested.
Jackson looked up at Ty who smiled "fine thank you Sara, Carson ?" He asked looking over at Tom who nodded.
"Sure that'll be great !"
Bobby and Wyatt opted for water while Tom took a beer after Ty did.
"Who's my first subject ?" Sara asked standing by he chair.
"I'll go" Jackson volunteered climbing up after handing her his bottle which then went into a small holder on the side of the chair.
Sara hit a button with her foot and the chair rose which made Jackson giggle "so Jackson, I have some drawings I made and you can pick and we can make changes."
"I talked to Brin."
"Ok, so you like any of these ?"
Jackson looked them over and then showed Cars "this one."
"Really, that one huh ?" She said looking up sidelong at Ty with a smile. The picture JT had chosen was clearly as close to a youthful version of Ty's as you could find, part, sides and that overlick of hair on his forehead. Sara thought he'd look great, she'd cut Jackson longer and fuller. Brin had mentioned that Amy tended towards letting him grow his hair longer which JT preferred. It would be perfect in a month which was the goal of all of these and Ty's touch up the following week.
Sara was quite able to keep up a running conversation while cutting and loved the constant back and forth banter with JT.
The FaceTime call came as Sara was cleaning up Jackson's ends. "Hey Sabrina, done with school ?"
"For the day, I'm with Mad and Charlie."
"Well, Jackson's done, say hi JT" Ty said turning the phone.
"You look awesome Jack !"
"Thanks Mad, we're going to Orvis and then Halloween candy after."
"I heard, pick good stuff bro. Brin and Charlie need to talk to Sara now though."
"Here Carson, look at these I did for you while I talk to the girls about Bobby." Sarah said tearing off Carson's drawings and handing him the sheet.
"Where am I supposed to be ?" Tom muttered.
"Might as well stick with Cars Tom, nothing you say will matter over there." Ty told him sitting down with the boys "let's see Cars."
"I'm a farmer Charlie I want to wake up and go to work not do my hair."
"A dab of cream and run your hands through Bobby, ask Ty."
"Ty, help me out here."
"I can't buddy, it really is a dab and run your hands through."
"You know, fine, who am I kidding, a choice, ha" Bobby said muttering and climbing into the chair.
Tom and Ty smirked at each other and Ty took the phone from Sara.
"How did the suits go Papa ?"
"Fine Mad."
"Which of the three did you choose ?"
"One of each, you can vote."
"We can have a runway show, I can play."
"We aren't doing that Brin. Bye girls, kiss your mom for me when you see her."
"Bye Papa, Ty."
As soon as Ty closed the app Bobby looked over "what is that, I mean why ask my opinion at all ?"
"If you had a real serious objection Bobby they would have seen that." Tom said.
Ty took over "do you have a real objection to the cut Bobby 'cause now's the time."
"No, I'm fine with it actually it just would have been nice to have been asked."
"Don't hold your breath buddy" Wyatt said.
"Are we done boys, look straight ahead Bobby and let's get this done."
"Sorry Sara." Ty said.
"Yeah, sorry." Bobby added.
Bobby's hair was cut on a short center bias on the left side, it was a razor cut so the ends weren't completely finished and the nature of Bobby's hair showed some nice reddish tones on the tips. When done and out of the chair Bobby handed his phone to Ty "go ahead, take the pic."
Ty smiled and Bobby sent it off to Charlie who sent back a stream of beating hearts to him.
Cars was a simple cut, his hair almost naturally fell to a center part and when Sara was done, with the exception of full on red coloring he actually looked a lot like Ron Weasley.
Sara talked to Wyatt for a few minutes and she agreed that a trim for him would be best. She asked him to trust her and she used the razors to get his ends done as well. The small whisps she left on the ends softened his look. She also tightened up his sides and in the end after examining himself in the mirror Wyatt declared his hair perfect and thanked Sara.
Against Ty's objections Tom insisted on handling the boy's expenses as he did their suits. "Tom, Amy and I can…"
"Ty, Sally and I do very well, I'm an attorney and my biggest client has me working almost full time on their new residential property at $350 an hour, aside from having my hand in the new Pegasus Center and the land reclamation up in Massena. The farm pays most of our expenses, we're good, really."
"Sorry, it just seems, I don't know."
"I get it, I do, but this isn't a hardship for us. You guys are family and being a part of your wedding is our pleasure. Besides, I can't even imagine what marrying those two twins off is going to cost you." Tom said with a chuckle and smile and his hand on Ty's shoulder following the boys into the elevator down.
Pat dropped Ty, Tom and the boys and then swung over to drop Wyatt at the Cornell Club for the time being and park and wait until it was time to get everyone downtown. At 3:00 Pat picked up the Cornell Club crew first, then swung by Orvis and then down to Orchard Street where everyone but Charlie and Trev went into the huge candy shop.
"We'll be along in 20 minutes or so." Charlie said "gotta grab dinner."
Ty was dumbfounded walking into Economy Candy and looked around at a minimum of several hundred bins of what used to be termed penny candy and now sold by the pound. There were racks upon racks of all kids of candy Ty had never seen or even heard of before and wandered with his bucket after the boys who were in heaven. They filled one bucket with specific Halloween candy and then a couple of other buckets of favorites. Ty, not one for sweets chose several nut type candies and a bunch of what he assumed were the Rockets he grew up with but were called Smarties down here.
Tom also grabbed his favorites and then a bucket for Erma and August's favorites and a Halloween bucket for them as well.
Chuck and John filled buckets for the club's Halloween party. Bobby stayed close to the boys and Wyatt judiciously filled a bucket for him and Georgie and a small Halloween bucket figuring they might get trick or treaters, at least the ranch kids, as that was a thing he'd heard. It was also a thing for the kids of Professors and students to go office to office at Cornell so they'd each have a bowl in their offices.
Charlie and Trev were both in the limo when Ty and company came out of the candy shop and climbed in for the trip to the Helipad. The limo was full with the distinctive odor of Chinese food. Pat loaded the candy which was packed into several cardboard boxes into the trunk.
"What is all that ?" Ty asked nodding at the square thermal bags between Trev and Charlie while getting settled across from Jackson and Cars each chewing noisily on a piece of taffy.
"Best Chinese food in these parts, some for the trip, some for home, here have a roasted ciao siu bao, sweet pork bun, they're heavenly." Trev said passing one to Ty and then everyone else.
"These are awesome" Cars said holding his up before taking a big bite.
When they unloaded at the chopper the crew followed Pat for the load of stuff they had to pack, Trevor and Charlie held onto the Chinese food. Before Pat left Charlie handed a small bag to him "Peking duck and the works. See you next week."
"Thanks Charlie, I'm switching cars and heading home from here, I'll text for them to wait for this."
They ate the easy stuff on the way home, it was packed towards the top along with vegan selections for John and others who wanted. 4 different kinds of dumplings, Egg Rolls and spring rolls.
The chopper landed in a pool of light Ty never knew even existed, spots placed along road edges, the garage and the house he just hadn't noticed. Amy was uncomfortable with night landings and it was a far exception that this chopper landed when it did but there was no helping it.
They had waited dinner and John and Trev handed off the bags to Betty and Trish who checked temps and warmed as necessary, the thermals were very efficient, still the soup and rice dishes needed some warming and Betty set them up in the confectioners oven for a few minutes while the crowd settled and examined the candy haul and of course the haircuts.
After a quick kiss from Ty. Amy hugged Jackson and held him at arms length looking at his hair.
"It's cool right ?" JT said looking at her face until she smiled while. "Very cool Jackson, looking pretty grown up."
"Think April will like it ?"
"April will love it I'm sure, go get washed up so we can eat, if you have any room left."
Amy then joined Sally, and the twins who were examining Bobby.
"Well Charlie ?"
"I love it Bobby" she said running her hand over the hair on his ear and leaning forward to kiss him.
"All better now son ?" Tom asked chuckling.
"Yeah, still the whole choice thing is ridiculous though."
Sally loved Carson's haircut and Amy approved as well "she does nice work."
"She really does." Sally agreed, "Bobby looks, I don't know."
"He's very good looking Sally, there no way around it."
"I guess, can't wait to see him in that suit."
"They'll be here soon enough, being delivered to the townhouse in 10 days and they'll come to us for any alterations we need."
"Weird to say but you couldn't have planned this surgery any better with the wedding plans."
"It is weird Sal, but I would really have preferred him walking down the aisle."
"And this will be fine, he loves rolling around in that chair of his. He'll do wheelies and spins down the aisle."
"He will definitely not do that." Amy said smiling.
Dinner for the boys was quick, Bobby, Cars and JT had homework to deal with and left the table early. Soon after dinner, their guests gone, Amy and Ty sat in their bedroom with the twins on the couch. Jackson joined them when he was done and Charlie checked his homework. Betty was tired and excused herself early.
It wasn't long before Jackson assumed his ready for sleep position on Ty's lap against his chest.
"Did you have a good day Jackson ?"
"It was fun, I like my haircut. What's that man going to eat tomorrow ?"
"I don't know Jackson, I'm sure he'll find something."
"What man ?"
"I guess he's homeless, he was asking for money for lunch so me and Cars were going to split our burger with him but we got him his own instead."
"That was nice of you JT."
"And Cars Mad."
"And Cars, I didn't mean to exclude him sweetie."
"So we're staying at the house in Manhattan ?"
"We are Charlie, Trev checked it yesterday and stayed over to meet the household services coordinator and the caterers."
"I'll be at the hospital most of the time anyway."
"That's the point I guess sweet boy, go get washed and into bed."
Half an hour later they were alone and back in their chairs. Both were reading and sat holding hands across the short space between them.
"So you guys had a good day ?" Amy asked not looking up.
"We did, got everything done and everyone home safe, you Ames ?"
"Well, a good meeting with Acky and Loren this morning. They're ready for my absence I think."
"That's good, Bert intimated there wouldn't be much of an issue."
"Saw Barry, had lunch with Trish and Erma and then surgery."
"John got a text from Trish, was that Ok ?"
'Yeah, pretty minor, it was out before I knew it actually."
"So ?"
"So, batter up big boy." Amy said laughing "You Ok with this ?"
"I haven't changed Ames, I'm fine, you about ready ?"
"Very ready" she said getting up and stretching and then falling against him when he stood."
"Barry went Ok, did he grade your assignment ?"
"He didn't even read it, it's more an exercise in writing out my thoughts than him getting anything. I'm sure he'll read it eventually."
"So no assignments this week ?" He asked as they split to their bed sides and slipped under the thick down blanket and then across to each other where Amy turned on her side and Ty sidled up and pulled her against him.
"You comfortable, any pain from the extraction ?"
"No, I'm fine actually, slightly annoying."
"So back to assignments ?"
"I uhm, have a question for you."
"For me ?"
"About Grandpa."
"Shoot."
"Now ?"
"Why not ?"
"Well procrastination for one." Amy chuckled.
"I thought we weren't gonna do that."
"Yeah, when you went on the road to find yourself is that a good way to put it, after the plane crash and the Ring of Fire, I assume you told him you were going, did he ask you about it, say anything ?
"Seriously, that was so long ago and it's all wrapped up with the aftermath."
"Yeah, this isn't really about that and us."
"Kind of hard for it not to be."
"Eventually, I guess but this is about Grandpa and I Ty, not you."
"It's a hard question to answer because there's a conversation that took place before that."
"What kind of conversation ?"
"A conversation that took place a year before, after our trip up to the fishing camp to bring hay, when I got sick and there was the storm."
"I remember Ty" she whispered "what was the conversation ?"
"It basically revolved around no kissing and running this time."
"So a year later ?"
"We were together and I was leaving."
"Not running ?"
"Oh, we're being honest."
"It helps."
"The Miracle Girl gentled a horse in 3 hours. I talked myself into a bunch of crap, Caleb fed the fuel, I don't know Ames."
"This isn't about you Ty, tell me about Grandpa."
"He heard me out, that I needed some time to travel, see something other that what I've seen, get by as an adult on my own, prove myself, I don't know, it was bullshit."
"Ok ?"
"He asked if I remembered that conversation we had and if I realized how my absence at Heartland over the summer would affect things."
"Things ?"
"The ranch and you I guess. I told him that Caleb would handle the ranch stuff and that we'd be fine, that I wasn't running just taking some time to myself. I had the idea that it was the mature thing to do, I've come to hear that it's a common thing before or in college, to be on your own, in charge of yourself. Georgie once told me that what I did was the opposite of mature."
"Hindsight is always 20/20."
"No she's right, I actually said it to Jack and your Dad over the whole Blair coming back thing. Why can't two mature people just be friends. I was an idiot, I should have gone with you."
"You were young and inexperienced, I was younger, naïve and socially inept and two mature people can have that relationship Ty, it requires mutual respect not maturity, they very often don't go hand in hand."
"I guess, what else ?"
"Did he tell you not to go, did he mention me ?"
"He didn't tell me not to go, he warned me to be careful about my choices and that being an adult came with responsibilities to others as well as yourself. I guess that was about you too. You know Blair and I never."
"I know Ty and I don't care, you, Ash, Kerri Ann, Mindy Fanshaw, Kit, the cast of dozens after I left, Helena, I don't care. Anyway, I expected he didn't tell you not to go or heaven forbid mention me."
"Well he sort of did."
"Well, actually, he sort of didn't Ty, we'll see how you react when Bobby and Charlie go at it one day."
"Not Brin and Mad ?"
"You'll react differently, you may feel the same but you'll react differently."
"What did you expect him to say Amy ?"
"I expected him to say that you made him a promise and me a promise with that ring and were you sure this is what you wanted to do and understood the implications of your actions to me. That maybe Ty it wasn't the best course of action to take because of me."
"Well he did that in a Jack sort of way. I don't think he could have stopped me from going, you couldn't have stopped me."
"Ok, without getting deeply into that, I got my answer."
"What answer ?"
"He didn't take me into consideration Ty, he should have been my advocate, I was supposed to be his priority. I could care less whether he understood your motives or not, that's the problem in all of this. In every one of these tantrums we threw his participation or more likely lack of it dealt with understanding you rather than me, my desires, my needs, my pain. You said weeks Ty, not months, you had to know I wasn't happy, it wasn't my place to tell you to come home, but he should have stepped in, he gave you permission to go, you don't take the job of dad only to stamp approved on every stupid decision."
"I don't know what would have happened to me that year without him Ames, I was lost, confused, I acted recklessly and behaved badly, what he did brought me back."
"What he did, I'm lost Ty and I'm tired."
"Let's leave it then, it'll probably come up soon enough." He whispered followed by a gentle kiss to her neck. Amy leaned back and awkwardly touched her lips to his before falling forward giggling."
"Night Ames."
"Night Ty."