Chapter 5: Revisiting The Beginning

As Ty enters the house he is greeted by a cheerful Lyndi who says, "Dad you are going to love the dinner that Lou has prepared for your homecoming. And I helped her with the desert which you are going to love. Dad, did you get a chance to go through some of the pictures mom and I put in the loft?"

Ty replies, "I can't wait for dinner, especially dessert, and yes I had a chance to go through some of the pictures and I remember some of the events surrounding them."

Amy approached Ty and asked, "Did you get any rest?" to which Ty replied, "Amy no I didn’t, but I have to tell you that I am recalling some events and times in our life. Those pictures are stirring up emotions and feelings about our relationship that I can't wait to discuss with you."

Amy, "How about we take some time after dinner and go to the loft and talk about it."

Ty, "That is great. I can't wait! Lou, where do you want me to sit."

At the table was Lou, Peter, Katie, Jack, Lyndi, Amy, Tim and Shane. As Ty looked around the table he recognized Lou and Tim from his earlier recollections. Addressing Tim, Ty asked, " So Tim, I recall some strained relationship between you and Jack. Now you are sitting at the table. Obviously, those feelings have been resolved, right?" Jack in his usual manner chimes in, "We have come to tolerate each other". To which Tim replies, "Come on Jack, we have become best friends and business partners! Ty, we have and I saved Jack's life twice!" Jack, "Here we go again, yes Tim did save my life when I had a heart attack some years ago, but he caused it! Both guys started laughing and continued eating.

Ty, "So Lou, this is a great dinner. Thank you so much! So Lou, I remember you left New York after Marion passed and you came to Heartland to take over the business. What is going on in your life?" So Lou starts with introducing her family, "Ty, this is my husband Peter, we have two daughters, Katie here, and Georgie who is preparing to compete in the Olympics and will be home in the next few days. We live at FairField Estates, the stable that Jack's wife Lisa owns. Peter and I run the stable business, our dude ranch, and Maggie's downtown. Do you remember any of that?"

Ty, "Jack, you are married, wow, who would have thought! Lou, I really only recall a few things from my past about you. I was looking at a picture of when Amy won the fall challenge and the guy that Amy and Marion rescued Spartan from came to the event to take him back. You were able to hold him off until the end and when he came to reclaim his horse, you presented him with a bill and a card from your New York attorney. If I am not mistaken, he threw the ownership papers back at you and that is how Amy wound up owning Spartan for good."

Amy, "Do you remember that? What else do you remember from that day?

Ty, "Yes Amy, I do remember that day! I left you to go find my father and try to patch things up with him. But I am not sure how I made it back to Heartland." Jack, " Ty, that is a long story for another time."

Amy, " I agree"

Tim chimes in after being a bit reserved, "Ty I would like you to meet Shane my son. Shane came into my life some years back when he was 10 or 11. His mother and I had dated when I was divorced from Marion, Amy's mother, and to my surprise some 10 years later I found out we had a son. Now Shane and I run the cattle business between Heartland and Big Sky, my ranch that is on the west side of Heartland."

Ty, "Well, I do remember the first time we met was at the party after Amy's clinic. You were in the barn with Pegasus and Jack came in and sent me away. I also remember you gave Amy Marion's ring to wear during her event at the fall challenge and she was so excited that you did that for her. Wow, that just came to me as I was talking!" Amy welling up as she listened to Ty was holding back her excitement as best she could.

Jack: "Ty, I want you to know that Lyndi wanted to go and visit her father almost every week. She was faithful to the core and she would tell you stories from that book that Amy had worked up that had many of the events of your lives together written down. Also, the day you woke up, she and I were going to see you and she told me that today was the day you would waken from your coma. And guess what, you did!" This little girl has been by your side and in your corner from the beginning, and I am really proud of her!"

Lyndi: "Dad, that is the book that is on your table in the Loft."

Ty: "Lyndi, thank you so much for your effort and I would love it if you could come and tell me some of the stories you told me when I was asleep."

Lyndi, "I would love to".

As the family is finishing up dinner, Lyndi says," Now for the desert. I fixed it myself. Well, I did have some help from Lou. Syscodine Pie, your favorite."

Ty" Lyndi, this is awesome, I was thinking about that as we passed Maggie's on the way here today.

Lyndi, "Well, then I will confess. We went and picked it up from there!"

Peter and Lou finish up the dishes as Amy heads back to the loft with Ty. Amy tries hard to hold back her enthusiasm about Ty's recollection but can't help asking some questions. "Ty. So how much do you recall? Is it singular events and the time that surrounds that event, or are blocks of time with events unfolding in it?"

Ty thought for a moment and answered, "I am not sure. I remember pretty much the day that you won the fall classic and much of the events that surround that day. I remember that my dad had sent me a letter asking me to come see him. I remember Clint coming and releasing me from probation. So I guess those were days that surrounded that event."

Amy, "Do remember leaving to go to your father and coming back 4 months later.

Ty responds, "Amy, I think there are some sad memories that surround those times and my mind just won't go there." "Interesting, you don't remember the bad things, only the good." she says with a smile on her face.

Ty, " Maybe that is a good thing! " and he laughs.

Amy and Ty get settled on the couch in the loft and Ty begins to ask her some questions. He gets up and goes over to the picture of the jumping track. Ty, "Amy, I remember building this for you. I felt so bad that you did not have your own place to practice and I knew you needed one."

Amy with a smile, "Ty, that is when I first started thinking you weren't such a bad guy after all!"

Ty, "You see this picture of you sitting on the horse during a clinic, I remember how awesome it was to see you work out that horse's temperament problem and how you handled that woman and her daughter when you got her horse to jump. That day was an awesome day! You even were jealous when you questioned me about taking a ride with that girl on the Ducati."

Amy, I wasn't jealous. You are not remembering that correctly…" and they both laughed.

Ty: "Amy, tell me the story behind the plaque."

So Amy begins to explain, "Well, you don't probably remember this, but you studied real hard and got your GED. You graduated top of your class! Then you began working with Scott, our veterinarian, learning about the medical side of animals and fell in love with that career path, so you applied to college, then vet school and graduated with honors from both. You and I loved working together and one of our dreams was to open up a business that not only serviced the medical needs of horses, and other animals, but their emotional and homeopathic needs as well. The day you graduated from Vet school, I bought you a desk and chair, the one down in the office and that plaque with our name on it."

"Wow, Amy. Did we go into business?

Amy, "not exactly then! You see, Scott the vet that you interned with offered you a partnership right out of college and we put off our business for several years. But when Lindi came along, you decided it was time to follow our dream and we started up our business at that time."

Ty was taking everything in that Amy was saying but was having trouble getting his mind around those events. He looked at Amy and smiled and said, "I think we need to call it a night. I don't think my mind can handle any more stories. Can we do this again tomorrow".

Amy, getting up from the couch asks, "Ty, would it be all right if I hugged you before you go to bed?" Ty, not wasting any time, reaches over and pulls Amy to him. He whispers into her ear, "Amy, I am so sorry for leaving you all those years. I know it will take some time, but I promise to get us back to the place we were before the accident, I promise." He picks up her head and kisses her on the forehead like he had done so many times before.

Amy missed that touch of Ty, the way he embraced her, the way he gentled her, all of the sudden reclaimed those feelings and said, "Ty, I have always loved you from the moment we met. We have gone through some really tough times and have always made it through. I have missed being in your arms for so long! I know that we will get through this, I love you!"

Amy left the loft and went back to the house to go to bed. Back at the house Jack was sitting by the fire drinking his evening coffee hears Amy come in the back door. "Amy, so how is it having Ty back at Heartland?"

Amy, "Grandpa, I have missed him so much! But mostly, I have missed how Ty would embrace me and comfort me. I think of all the memories of our lives together, the one that sticks out the most is how Ty could comfort me and make me feel that everything would be alright. Just like you, Grandpa! Maybe that is why I love him so much!"

Jack, " I love you Amy. You go get some sleep, it has been a long couple of days."

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