Lyndy & Jackson
Ch 10-20
By; mike hurley
Ty had never fought a foe with such overwhelming & absolute power........
Amy felt sick to her stomach; this was developing into a nightmare, way worse than she ever imagined!! She called out for her husband.......Ty!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 20........
Ty!!!!!!!
How are you?? Um, I'm good!! Amy, are you ok?? Yes, I'm good Ty!! Wow!! It's been a while since we talked!! Amy, I'm so sorry about everything!! I'm sorry Amy!! I can't think of anything, anyone except you!!
Ty, I'm so sorry I blew up at you!! I really am!! I'm so sorry, I know I've hurt you Ty. I never ever want to hurt you. Ty......I love you, only you Ty!!
Amy, do you have any idea how much I miss you??
Ty..........
I miss you you so much Ty. My heart hurts!!
Amy, I've been scared!! Ty, nothing scares you, what do you mean?? Are you ok, oh God!! Please tell me you're not near the fires!!
No I've been scared of losing you. Ty......I made a vow to you remember?? I promised to love you all my life. I'm not going anywhere Ty!! I love you. I know things were hard with your family Ty, but Lyndy and I are your new family & we're crazy about you!!
Ty, I need you to listen to me honey; are you listening?? Yes. Ty I will never leave you, ever!!
What if I make another bad decision & hurt your feelings??
Ty...... I know what's in your heart, and I know you love me and you would never intentionally hurt me. I know that Ty. Our marriage must be stronger than mistakes and misunderstandings. Ty I wasn't sleeping good for weeks, I've been exhausted. I had so much fun at Jim & Millie's with you, but when we left I was so tired everything hurt, then I blew up at you!!! Oh God Ty!! I can still see you standing by your truck looking at me. I saw the hurt in your eyes. I was having nightmares again about losing you in Mongolia. I woke up terrified every night, all wet from sweating. I was so embarrassed I didn't tell you or even Grandpa. That's what started all this, I hid my nightmares from you. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you!!
Amy was up in the front of the cargo hold where she had a little privacy. She was standing by a window.
Amy knew this call was going to be hard.....
Ty was searching for something to say, he felt overwhelmed with emotions and basically shut down. He couldn't say anything........
..........Ty, please talk to me, please!! ........say something!!!
Ty was so worried he would hurt her feelings again someday. Visiting his childhood home had a been an awful mistake, it brought back so many memories. He remembered Henry & Bart's talks with him. Bart told him, men are strong physically, but sometimes not so much emotionally. Bart challenged Ty to step up and tell Amy how he felt.. Bart had left the Polaris & walked a few feet away to give Ty some privacy.
Ty took a deep breath and willed himself to be strong........
........Amy, it's not fair to you that I drag all my families baggage into our marriage, From now on I'm going to protect you from it. I think we had a big misunderstanding and we need to.....just love each other. I need you here Amy, I need you so bad!!
The operations chief motioned to Amy to hang up the phone & take a seat. They were on the runaway & the pilot was ready to take off. Then the co-pilot made an announcement on the overhead, asking everyone to take their seats for takeoff, he mentioned the weather ahead and they would make a slight detour over the US & Canadian border, and deploy anti-terrorist Rangers, from 12,000 ft., over North Dakota.
'Canadian Forces C-130, you are clear for takeoff to altitude 17,500' then check in.
Fly safe & please come back soon'.
Roger Tower, thanks and good day.
Ty heard all the overhead announcements & tower chatter, he asked Amy where she was & what she was doing. Amy, it sounds like you're on an airplane???
Amy knew if she told Ty she was coming to him by parachute, he would go absolutely nuts; ......... there would be another fight!!!
Amy, .....Lyndy said she missed you; where are you?? Amy!!??
Ty, Honey, I have to go, um, something, um, I have to go Ty. Ty......I love you .......Ty. Please be strong for us
Amy I miss you so much!! I wish you were here........
Amy hit the end button, and whispered; I'm coming Ty...... She sat down, fastened her seat belt & tried to hide her tears. Her emotions were all over the place. She missed Ty, she missed Lyndy, she was stepping up to help her marriage. She was doing the best she could, the very best she could. Amy wiped away several tears, she felt awful for hanging up on her husband. Amy looked at his promise ring on her finger. She would be strong for him and for their little girl. She needed him so bad. Amy needed Ty's strength; he was brave and courageous when things were scary. If he were here, everything would instantly be better. She loved Ty so much. She wanted her tears to come, but she was on an Air Force Plane. So far, she had not seen anyone crying at the Air Force. She forced herself to be tough and resilient.
The Pilot shoved all 4 throttles forward & the big cargo plane roared down the runway......
19,000 Rolls Royce horsepower and large wing flaps enabled this workhorse aircraft to take off and land on short runways. It can be off the ground at the same time as a fighter jet.
Amy looked out the window at the trees flashing by, just before the pilot rotated the nose up & off the ground. She stared & couldn't believe her eyes; 1 horse was racing 19,000 horses. Ghost was galloping so fast right next to them, his legs were a blur. Amy had no idea what or who Ghost was. Several hours ago she saw him standing on a small island in Lake Michigan. Now he was racing a cargo plane. Why?? Why did Ghost follow her and seemingly watch out for her. She thought for a moment & the answer became obvious. He was Ty's friend, & she was Ty's wife. Ghost was protecting her because she was important to Ty........
In a way then, Ty was right there with her......
Amy stared at the white horse as it galloped over 100 mph. Just as the plane jumped into the air, Ghost disappeared.
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Jim watched Amy from the rear cockpit window. He saw her talking to someone on the phone & saw her tears. Jim heard Millie's voice in his mind from a few nights ago.......
......Jim, I'm full filling a promise to my best friend to be a grandma to Amy, in a way that makes you her Grandpa. You were Lyndy's friend too. Please step up and help Amy and Ty in any way you can!! Jim hugged his wife, he knew she was worried about Amy.
Millie had lost her best friend years ago, & Jim knew she was terrified of losing Amy.
He looked her in the eye & promised to take care of both Amy & Ty.
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Roger Tower, climbing to 37,000 ft. & will contact Minot in 1 hour. Thanks for your hospitality.
Jim asked if he could go downstairs, the pilot said looks all clear to Minot, ND, should be fine to stretch your legs.
Jim climbed down the cockpit stairs and walked toward Amy. She was sitting in her seat, arms crossed, staring at nothing. She looked drained, like she had just been through something difficult.
Jim had planned on surprising Amy at the back deck & then jump together. But he felt she needed someone to talk to. Amy saw Jim, unhooked her seatbelt and ran to him, she buried her face into his chest and hugged him. No more tears she had decided. What are you doing here??
Surprising you!! At least that was my plan but are you ok, you look a little....rattled. Amy smiled and said, I just called Ty, it was our first talk since I, since we had that fight. It was hard Jim!! I love Ty so much, I would die if anything ever happened to him!! Ty is an amazing man and husband......, but he's a ......man, and marriage is hard sometimes. She smiled & said; and some days I don't understand men!! Jim laughed and said Millie says the same thing!!
Amy looked up at him and smiled. Jim hugged Amy and asked if Ty was worth it. Amy smiled and said, I would climb 100 mountains for him!! Even if he's a man?? Yes, he's my man, and I would do anything for him. Anything!!
Jim laughed and said he hoped she had some good climbing boots! Amy felt a lot better after Jim hugged her; she felt awful hanging up on Ty & there was no way she was going to tell him she was sky diving in. They sat
down and talked for over an hour about sky diving, Navy ships, forest fires, and marriage. Amy was amazed at how easy Jim was to talk to, his wisdom and his gentle spirit. ........he reminded Amy so much of her Grandpa Jack!!
Many people had encouraged Amy since she began her journey, some in small ways they did not even realize.
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Ty told Bart what happened in his call with Amy. Bart thought for a moment and then replied. Ty, I hope you won't be upset with me, but Amy called me yesterday. She had no idea who I was, but she called my number after it showed up on her caller ID. Ty asked what she wanted. She was worried about you Ty, and asked me how you were. I told her you were ok and that you missed her and loved her, I also told her a couple things I mentioned to you about relationships. Is it ok I spoke with her Ty?
Ty pretended to punch his friend and said sure, and I appreciate your friendship Bart!!
Ty looked at Bart and said; so, what did you think of her??
Bart thought for a moment and replied. I've got thousands of hours of counseling under my belt Ty. I heard every line of bullshit there is. Your Amy is the real deal. She loves you man; I mean she really loves you, big time!! I found her quite intelligent, she was in charge of her emotions, she as being brave, and she was truly worried about you. What more could a guy want in a woman?? Ty added; she's beautiful too!!
Bart continued, I got an impression from talking to her that if you turned up missing someday she would spend the rest of her life looking for you. Many guys wish they had a woman like that. You're a lucky man Ty!! Don't ever take Amy for granted. She is an amazing woman.
Ty looked out the window and said; I love her Bart. I've loved Amy since the first time I met her. She was telling me off and I was like, damn she's beautiful. I've never once, even for a second, stopped loving her. She's made me mad a few times, and drives me crazy every once in a while, pretty much because she's a woman. But, hands down, Amy is the best thing that's ever happened to me.
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Kyle had maps and reports spread across his office. He studied each one and studied new ones that were brought to him every 2 hours.
About 4 hours after Ty and Bart left, one of the firefighters heard Kyle swear. He never swore, so everyone became tense. Kyle used the intercom and called Clive in the front. Clive set up a call to the NAFC as Kyle asked, and patched the call back to Kyles small office.
Mary Thomason was the on call and said hello. Kyle said hi and calmly told her the Caravan needed something. Mary was all ears and asked what Kyle would like dropped in at next flyover in 12 hours. He replied: A tank.
Mary replied back; a tank?? Yes, a tank. Kyle I don't have a tank parked in the garage!! Well the army has a couple I'm sure, and I need one ASAP. Why?? Mary asked. Kyle sighed, he was used to people getting what he wanted without an inquiry.
Mary, in a few hours, my only surgeon Dr. Borden, my chief, Bart, and you know Jim is dropping by for a visit in a few hours, oh and Santa Claus is having tea with us. People in the Fort heard the anger in Kyles voice. Making Kyle mad was not a smart thing.
Well Kyle, you still haven't told me what I need to know: why do you need a tank. Or maybe this is a joke to amuse yourself. Kyle stood up and demanded Mary listen to him.
In a few hours a fireball will be rolling through the forest up here, headed toward 3 of my people, actually 2 of mine and 1 of yours but regardless, a souped up 4X4 is not going to save them. I want an M1 tank brought in here now with a crew who can drive it to hell and back, to rescue some of my firefighters.
Mary this is not a discussion, I need a tank and if you cannot process that, I'll call the White House. Ok Kyle, just calm down..,,
Mary, I am calm!! Ok let me get back to you in 15 minutes. Kyle hung up and swore again.
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Ty sat in the Polaris & stared up at some cumulus clouds that floated by. He was puzzled as to why Amy was on a plane, and he heard dogs barking too.
Bart found a branch & was trying to carve it into something. Ty watched little wood chips flying here and there. He asked Bart what he was making. Oh, I haven't decided yet; sometimes I just start carving & whittling on a piece of wood, then it sort of talks to me & tells me what it wants to be. Ty watched a couple butterflies chasing each other around the Polaris.
Bart, you haven't told me much about your wife. Well, her name is Jolene; phycologist at Children's Hospital in London. Like PhD?? Ty asked. Yep, Dr Jolene Matthews. Wow!! That would be intimidating!! Ty replied with a roll of his eyes. Bart laughed and said she never pulls that on me, except for when we first met!! What happened then!? Ty inquired. Bart grinned and explained how according to Jolene; all men were alike, and all had the same single thought in their minds!! Ty laughed and said, let me guess, ......something about men being attracted to women!! Bart grinned and said, well, this is what happened...... Ty stretched out as best he could, stuck his legs out the window & was curious who the woman was who married this very perceptive, and caring man. He had a hunch, Bart's story was going to be a good one!!
Well, it was first day of a Psychology class, at the University of Western Ontario in London. I had been out of high school 6 years and was working as a nurses aide at The Children's Hospital in London. I was taking nursing classes, but also was pursuing my counseling interests too.
Jolene was moving from Quebec to Ontario and her transmission went out north of Toronto. She left her car there at a tranny shop. Rented a pickup and towed her U-Haul trailer into London the night before class started. She didn't have time to unpack, so pulled out a box of clothes and put on whatever she found in the box!!
Class starts & there is one chair left, right next to me. 10 minutes later this early twenties & beautiful brunette noisily enters the classroom & makes her way over to sit next to me. She walks toward me wearing short shorts, and a low cut top, and old tennis shoes, with holes in the sides. Dude!! Nothing matched, the college has a lot of big Corporations recruiting there like 3M, and General Dynamics.
So everyone is dressed a tad more, you know, business like.
She sits down next to me like she had just walked in from running a marathon. Those tranny mechanics called her that morning and jerked her around too. But she was a very pretty girl!! She wore no make up, & had no business ever wearing any. She smiles at me and apologizes for making so much noise. I'm thinking; no worries!! Where have you been all my life!! Ty laughed!!
The teacher had just passed out an assignment to be done by groups of twos. I showed her the paper and asked if she would want to work together to answer the questions. She smiles again and says sure. As she is reading the first question, which was asking for a discussion of the differences in the male & female psyche, she accidentally knocks her pen on the floor. I go to pick it up but she beats me too it. Long story short, I'm bent over staring down her very open blouse top, admiring the scenery. It was all by accident & I'm blushing a little & she says: wow!! What my mother said about men only having one thing on their mind is very true!! She smiled but she really thought I was being a little too 'guy like' for a university class. Then she says; do you always stare down girls tops?? I'm thinking; hello, .....maybe you should be wearing something more modest then!! She was pretty frazzled after all she had been thru. I replied; it was an accident!! I was trying to grab your pen and then there they..., I mean there your ..... shirt was!! The more I said, the worse it got, and her eyes had me nailed to the wall. I apologized and stopped talking!!
I about choked at her comment about me staring down her shirt & you won't believe what came out of my mouth!! I looked right at her and said; you know, London has a bunch of nice museums where lots of people go to see beauty; but I would rather admire the beauty right around me. She bursts out laughing and says; I could tell you are a very sophisticated man who appreciates fine works of art! Then I laughed, & thought to myself; yes indeed!! They looked mighty fine to me!!
So, we answered a few more questions and she looks at me and asks; So, is it true that guys only have 1 thing on their mind?? I looked her in the eye and said; well, right now, I have two thoughts in my mind. She says; .....that's so impressive!!
We finished the assignment & listened to the professor talk about the many differences in how men and women think. I watched her doodle and draw a man and a woman. Under the woman she writes: sophisticated, enlightened, positive attitude, striving for knowledge, confident, seeking perfection, superior intellect. Under the man she writes; gutter dweller, and roving eyes.
You know, any other guy would have tripped over himself getting away from that!! But, I sensed she was stressed and tired, and deep down I saw a high quality woman with an awful lot of kindness, and caring for others. So, I didn't run!!
Class ends and Jolene says to me; what's the second thought in your mind?? I said; I'd like to ask you out to dinner tonight. She smiled and quickly told me about her transmission fiasco, U-Haul needing to be unpacked, then move into her apartment. She sighed, looks at me and says; Look, I'm sorry for being mean earlier!! I'm just a little stressed out. Oh my gosh, she had these two little dimples, a smile that could melt kryptonite!! She was the kind of girl, guys dream about!! Being a resourceful guy; I never let an opportunity slip by!! So, ........
Long story short; I helped her move in, unpacked & put away all her kitchen stuff while she unpacked her bath & bedroom things. I took the U-Haul back to a nearby rental place. The stove was a mess, so I cleaned that all up plus the oven and wiped out the fridge. There was no way she could have done all that by herself.
I ordered us pizza, we talked about an hour about our favorite movies and our families. We finished unpacking around midnight. We walked a few blocks to a little coffee shop for a quick cup, came out to a thunderstorm, I held an umbrella over her while I got soaked walking back to her place. She thanked me and I said goodnight. I'm walking to my car, she runs after me, wraps her arms around me and kisses me.
She smiles and says; you're really nice for a guy!! She walks halfway back to her front door, then runs back to me. She kissed me again and tells me; I'm the nicest man she's ever met.
She grabs my shirt and pulls me close and says; let's see, .....you pick up girls pens, look down their tops, help them unpack, clean their ovens, buy them pizza, and coffee, plus, you get soaked while you keep them all dry in a downpour!! You are a very talented man!! I grinned, and asked her if I could see her Friday. She says to me; I can't wait till Friday! I walked her back to her front door, and gave her a properly passionate kiss goodnight!! Ty grinned and said; a properly passionate kiss eh?? That sounds interesting!! Bart smiled and replied; it's the kind of kiss you never forget!! Oh yes!! Amy & I have quite a few of those!!
I gave Jolene an engagement ring 6 months later!! She's the best thing that's ever happened to me!!
Ty looked at Bart, smiled and said; so did she catch you looking down her shirt anymore?? Bart laughed and said; yes!! Lots of times!!
Ty cracked up laughing!!
Bart hit the music app on his I-phone and selected the Beatles hit from 1964: 'She Loves You'. Ty thought of Amy & the first time he danced with her. Bart thought of Jolene & the first time she took his shirt off.
Ty imagined Amy was standing in the meadow, in front of the Polaris, wearing his promise ring, and her pretty long green dress. She smiled at him. Ty walked up to her, kissed her on the cheek, then wrapped his arm around her waist, he held her small hand, and danced with her. Then he kissed Amy passionately with a kiss they would always remember.........
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Jack & Lisa walked down the bolt, nut, & screw aisle at the Okatoks Home Hardware. Jack needed a unique size bolt to repair one of the legs on Amy's desk in the barn office. Lyndy was all eyes as she noticed everything hanging in the aisles from her Stroller. Marvin's great nephew Steve was the manager and came over to say hi. He handed Lyndy a Big Bird balloon and was all smiles to see his uncle Marvin's best friend. They chatted for a while, then Steve took them into the back room to see something. Jacks eyes lit up when he saw Marvin's parents' solid oak kitchen table. Steve had spent the last 6 months refinishing it, the old table sat 12, weighed a ton but was beautifully re-done in a red oak stain. It brought back tons of memories for Jack starting when he was just 5 and spent the weekend with his new best friend Marvin & his family. Steve asked Jack to look under the table at the underside of the top. Jacks knees groaned as he crawled under and followed Steve's finger pointing to some faint carving. Jack looked closer & Steves flashlight illuminated some old initials. Jack burst out laughing and said he and Marvin had used his new pocket knife, & carved their initials in that table when Marvin's mom was busy canning. It was a rainy day & the boys were bored. Jack figured they were about 7. They chatted for a few minutes & Jack told some old stories from his favorite memories of spending time at Marvin's house as a boy.
They left Home Hardware & walked to the ice cream store and bought a certain pretty little lady a strawberry scoop in a Captain Crunch cone. Then, Lisa slipped her hand into Jacks and they walked through town for a little while. Jack loved the town of Okatoks. Lyndy was positive they had the best ice cream in the whole world!!! 🍦
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Jen smiled and hugged Mrs Tazmienski in the waiting room, ......you can see him in about 10 minutes in recovery; a nurse will come find you; she said. Everything went well, you know your husband is in wonderful physical shape for someone 69 years old & that helped the surgery, and he will heal faster than most. Make an appt with my office for 10 days for a follow up visit, I'll see you then!! Oh, and homemade pie always helps the patient heal faster. Jen laughed and confessed Mr Tazmienski told her to say that!!
Jen smiled, turned and started to walk away. Mrs Tazmienski called out to her and said; Dr Peterson, thank-you for everything, and for your kindness to my family!! Jen smiled and blushed just a little. She was just a doctor and being kind was how she was raised. She waved good bye and walked to the Physicians Lounge for a quick break before her next surgery.
Jen had been thinking of her dad. Her mom's death had been hard on him, very hard. Just like a typical man though, Jason always smiled and said he was fine. Jen had no idea where he found the strength to comfort her, and her sisters, but Jen had seen the sadness in his eyes for months. She saw him last night, she and her dad go on a 5 mile walk every Thursday evening. It had been several years since her mom passed. Jen wondered when the ache in her heart would lift. Aunt Millie told her it fades but never really goes away. Jen stared out the window at nothing in particular. She didn't understand why death took loved ones. She had looked death in the face more times than she cared to remember. She had operated on more hearts than she could count, she held several medical degrees, but Jen had no idea how to help heal her own fathers heart.
Jen heard her mother's voice in her mind again as she replayed her mom's last request. Several day before she passed, Jen asked to have a few minutes alone with her mom. They visited some, smiled, laughed, and cried. Jen had been trained to help others process death; but how do you process your own mother leaving. Much was said, in that hour. Jen found it ironic that her mother had been the strong one, and consoled her. She figured that what moms do; always loving their children. But her mom had one favor she asked of Jen. She asked Jen to promise her that in a few years she would help her father find a new love. That was the moment Jen couldn't control her emotions any longer. She laid her head on her mother's chest and sobbed. After her tears, she kissed her mother's cheek and promised she would help her father find someone.
Her mom explained that Jason was shy around women when it came to dating, she faintly smiled and said, trust me I know. Jen smiled; she loved her father. Jen found it hard to believe there was something he didn't excel at. She saw more irony in that her dad was an Air Force Colonel. How do you attain that rank & be shy around women.
Making that promise to her mom was one of the hardest things Jen had ever done. She reminded herself that her father was her super hero. All the things he had done for her over the years. It was her turn to step up and help him. She missed the sparkle in his eyes and the spontaneity in his laugh, maybe finding someone new would help heal his heart. Her mother amazed Jen again, even at her death, she wanted only happiness for her husband. Jen told herself to remember that lesson in life.
She watched a passenger liner descending through clouds, on its way to the Billings airport & her thoughts jumped to Illinois. She wondered where Amy was going; Jen heard some dogs barking in the background; big dogs. She really didn't know Amy well, since they grew up and grew apart, but she sensed a woman who was sincere and faithful to her word. She assumed if Ty Borden married Amy, she must be a high quality person like Ty.
Jen would try to call her mother in law Judy tonight. They had been playing phone tag. Judy was Jen's 2nd mom; she would know what to do, to help her dad begin dating. But Jen was dreading bringing up the subject with her dad. She still missed her mom, and this thing she had promised to do would only reopen her old wounds. Judy had tried her best to be a good mom to Cal and to Jen.
Jen loved Cal's entire family; it was like they adopted her and Jason too into their family. Cal took Jason back to Traverse a few months ago. They joined Cal's dad on a sailing trip with a neighbor who had a bigger sailboat. They sailed to Isle Royal, a National Park Island in Lake Superior. Jason was like a little boy when he and Cal walked off the plane. He talked nonstop for days about their trip. He loved sailing and fishing, Lake Superior was beyond amazing and hiking on Isle Royale was awesome. Deep down Jen wondered if her dad relished the company of the other men, they helped take his mind off his precious MaryAnn.
Jen wiped a single tear away and walked to her next surgery.
On the way, Jen's phone showed a text from Cal....
.........Hey Jen, our network is down, I'm going home, & will have to come in Saturday for a few hours. I called your dad, he & I are going to play a round of golf at 3:00. I'll have dinner ready when you get home. See you tonight!!
I Love u!! ❤️
Ps: I love our little one too!!
One of Jen's greatest joys in life was how close Cal and her dad had become. Her two favorite guys were best friends!! She knew her mom would really love that.........
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Amy and Jim walked back to see the paratroopers and dogs. They knelt down on the deck & chatted with several jumpers & met their dogs. Jim said he had seen dogs jump on their own before & it was an amazing display of human & canine bond. Terry, one of the jumpers explained; the human / dog bond is encouraged and taught in situations and training that elevates that bond so high, a dog will follow its partner anywhere, even jumping out of a plane. They start with buddy jumping where each dog is latched to its partners jumping harness and progress to the dog standing right behind their partner and jumping from a tower together where they both land on trapeze type netting. Training progresses right up to the dog wearing its own chute and following its human out the door.
We also bring in experienced teams of paratroopers & their dogs who jump while the dogs in training watch. Dogs learn an awful lot from each other. Another integral facet of our training, well, it isn't really training. It's the love between the dogs and the men. I would say, that love is the strongest part of our teams. Without love, what do we got??
Amy hugged one of the dogs & thought about what Terry just said. His words: 'what do we got', reminded her of a difficult conversation she had with Ty years ago. They were both desperately seeking a way to reconcile. After he rescued her from the bear attack, it was very obvious to Amy; Ty would still do anything for her. For years their names were carved into the walls of her heart. There was no way to remove Ty's name, he meant everything to her!!
Amy was amazed at how calm the dogs were. They knew they would jump in a few minutes and fall into uncertainly below. Their mission could turn deadly. Watching Ghost on the little island, and then race alongside their airplane showed Amy just how far Ghost would go to protect her. In a few moments, Amy's heart had changed, she put her fears and uncertainties behind her. Just like Ty was determined to win her love again when he returned to the loft years ago, this was her turn to risk uncertainties and dangers for him.
Ty was willing to risk losing his future as a vet to get Lightning Dexter back for her. Amy would now risk the uncertainties she would find when she landed in the middle of no where.
Amy would do anything for Ty.........
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Mary waited to be patched into Kyles office. She had run ins with the tall, muscular tank commander before. They ended poorly for her. But this time she would come out with guns blaring; she was tired of losing battles to this man who thought he was the all powerful Oz. She figured when Jim retired from NAFC, Kyle would get the promotion to replace him as field supervisor. That was a position she had cherished for years. In reality, with no field experience, intimidation and kissing up were her only strategies. She was determined to get the job.
Kyle picked up the phone & immediately heard Mary going off about how out of touch with reality he was. He let her ramble on and on for a minute. Kyle had medals in his closet at home, from scarier times. Twice, years ago, he crawled out of his command tank and dragged wounded infantry men to safety. Kyle was anything but all powerful. He followed Dwight Eisenhower's tenants that all members of a team are equal on the battlefield. All have important parts to play, from the Private First Class to the General. Some die, some live, but they fought together to preserve freedom.
He listened as Mary rambled on:
Kyle, the tanks in our countries arsenal are busy protecting all of us from real threats; changing their mission so a fireman can play army in the forest would be a reprehensible lack of poor judgement. Do you understand Kyle?? Kyle stood up in his tiny office, took a deep breath, then politely told Mary he understood completely. What he did next would not surprise anyone who knew Kyle well.
Mary, thank-you!! Could you hang on for just a moment please..... Kyle picked up the intercom, and asked Clive to terminate the call with Mary and connect him to The White House. Clive heard Mary screaming into
the phone something about Kyle being insane, you can't call The White House!! Clive hung up on her rampage and mumbled: 'Mary, you are the insane one'. He dialed: 202-456-1111 and listened to ringing, followed by a pleasant voice who was very sane......and asked how she could help.........
In just a few minutes, a woman from Homeland Security & a man from The Office of the Prime Minister of Canada were bridged on a call with Kyle. The Prime Minister also listened to Kyles predicament and mission details, on speakerphone and instructed his aide to get Kyle whatever he needed. Several minutes later another person joined the call: Major General Terrance Rommbolt, from an HMCS Army Base in Calgary. The General assured everyone on the call, an M1 tank would be loaded onto a flat bed and hauled up the same road the Caravan had been traveling. His best guess would place the M1 near Ty and Bart's position in approximately 12 hours. It would be manned with a highly experienced crew. The General also took care of any needed refueling and other supplies the tank crew would need. He gave the callers his personal cell phone and asked them to contact him day or night, should they need anything else.
Kyle thanked everyone, hung up and asked Clive to inform Mary via a text message, their updated status. He made sure Clive thanked Mary for her ongoing support.
Kyle went to the kitchen and invented a bologna & pickle sandwich on rye with sauerkraut, and olives'. He named it the Mr Prime Minister. He told Augusta it was the best sandwich he had ever eaten. Augusta cracked up!!
Kyle used some of the same tactics from the battlefield in real life. He always treated the enemy with respect. Just like Civil War General Robert E Lee, Kyle made it his business to understand the entire battlefield, and area surrounding it. Many firefighters saw only the burning building. Kyle saw the entire neighborhood and was constantly aware of who could be in danger, if the fire expanded. Lastly, boundaries were established; once an enemy crossed the line, he sprang into action. But, like both General Ulysses S Grant, and Gen Lee, Kyle was always a gentleman!!
Augusta knew Kyle as an incredibly loyal friend who would do anything for anyone. Generous was Kyles middle name. The London firefighters were always happy when Kyle was on duty. He not only kept an eye on his partner, but he watched out for everyone on a fire call. She also knew, Kyle was not someone to trifle with, especially when he was protecting those he cared for.
His family, friends, and fellow firefighters meant everything to him. Anyone playing games with him or those he loved, would soon regret it.
Augusta had only briefly thought about warning Mary to be careful. She changed her mind and realized that wasn't her place, she was loyal to Kyle. Mary was playing in the big leagues now, she would soon discover, trying to intimidate a former tank commander was a very poor strategy.
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The C-130 out of Cold Air Base contacted the Caravan with their eta, Ty and Bart were added to the call and turned on their transponder. The planes navigator confirmed he saw their location & would drop their pallet within 15 minutes. Right on time Ty and Bart watched a cargo plane fly over and a pallet was pushed out the rear cargo hatch on a parachute. The medical supply pallet landed on target, right in the center of the big clearing. As they drove over to retrieve it, Bart had a thought.
Ty!! Jim is scheduled to parachute in here in approx 2 hours; an unidentified 'guest' is coming with him. Has Amy ever parachuted before?? You know, the airplane mystery; like why is she on a plane?? Ty smiled and said; it all adds up except Amy is terrified of parachutes, like many people are afraid of spiders, but much worse. What does she do?? Asked Bart. We went to an air show once, I was parking the car & she spotted 4 parachutes in the sky, over the control tower. She slid down the seat, covered up with a jacket and waited till they were gone. She's a little embarrassed by it, but it's a real phobia. She wouldn't let go of my hand the rest of the day.
So, no, Amy is like the last person on earth who would parachute in here!!
The guys drove the Polaris over next to the pallet, started cutting lines & loading up the supplies for the trip back to the Caravan.
How is Jim and his guest getting to the Ranch. Ty asked. Well, the current plan is for them to walk about 4 miles from a clearing south of the Ranch. Will they make it to the Ranch by dark?? That's the plan, but you know how plans go, Bart replied. Could we pick them up, then return to the Caravan?? Ty asked.
Not sure Ty, but let's mention that when we head in.
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The paratroopers and their dogs were lined up and ready to jump. Every dog was sitting behind their man. The crew chief was acting JumpMaster and stood 4 feet from the open rear cargo door. Amy was on the opposite side; she had been asked to stow their static lines as each one jumped. Amy couldn't help smile, she was happy; in about 2 hours she would begin the final phase of her journey. She was excited to watch the jumpers, especially the dogs. She was also pleased the JumpMaster asked her to help stow the static lines!! It meant the world to Amy that everyone on board recognized her as a certified Jumper. The soldier she met was based out of Quebec, Peter was fluent in 5 languages: French, English, German, Chinese, and canine. Amy was pretty good communicating with dogs too. Peter's dogs name was River, she was an Austrian Shepherd; beautiful & athletic, highly intelligent, and she adored Peter. She never took her eyes off him. Amy was so happy to meet them both. She waved to Jim who stood in the back and was chatting with the last paratrooper. They had checked each other's equipment, and every dog was checked by 2 men. The JumpMaster picked up the flashing intercom & was told by the navigator in the cockpit, .........Jump in 60 seconds. He started his stopwatch and motioned to Peter to get ready. Every dog stared at the JumpMaster, he gave the canines a hand signal they all recognized. When he held up his right hand with palm facing them and 4 fingers up, every dog immediately stood up. Peter walked to the front and stopped next to the JumpMaster and 2 feet from the edge of the door. Amy looked out at the countryside below. The pilots had not slowed down, this group was very capable of jumping out of a C-130 at 600 MPH.
The JumpMaster tapped Peter on the shoulder, he immediately stepped forward and dove out of the plane. River walked up and curled her front toes over the edge of the door; her nose was outside the plane, she stared straight ahead through her specially fitted goggles. She felt a tap on her shoulder and leapt out of the plane. River immediately fixed her eyes on Peter, a second later her chute opened and she felt the decelerating tug of the special canine chute she was certified to use. River was among a very unique group of dogs in North America, less than 300. The Governor of North Dakota was actually participating in this exercise. He was being held hostage by 30 highly armed mock terrorists. The twenty Canadians and Americans along with their dogs would eliminate the terrorists and recover the Governor in under an hour. Amy reached out and grabbed the last of the jump lines and stowed them in a harness. She had watched 'Harry', the last dog jump out of the plane. Harry would not hesitate to give his life to protect anyone on his team. He was highly skilled at eliminating a threat from any direction as they approached their target. The cargo door closed and Jim and Amy began checking all their equipment and reviewing their plans. In 1 hour and 49 minutes they would jump.
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Jim was called to the cockpit to take a call from Minot Tower. It had been patched through from the NAFC office in Calgary.
Jim said hello, and heard a frantic Jack Bartlett say hello back...........
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Ty and Bart had their cargo secured and called the Caravan to report their return. Ty started the engine just as Clive asked them to stay in place and he would call them back in 5 minutes. They had a situation developing......
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Master Sergeant Rudy Garcia stepped out of the big GMC Tractor & looked at his cargo on the trailer. He turned on his radio, tuned to the channel he had been instructed to use. His 2 crew mates; Sergeant Tom Shint and Corporal Wendy Mann stepped out of the back doors of the tractor. They walked back to the trailer and climbed up to the bed; then crawled about 20 feet and opened a hatch and climbed a 3 foot ladder into the belly of an M1 Tank.
In a moment Rudy was talking with the Communications tech from the Caravan. The Tank Crew has arrived at their checkpoint, about an hour south of the Caravan over an hour early. Private Daniel McGrath carried the nickname of Leadfoot proudly. Son of a long family history of truckers; GMC, Peterbuilts, and FreightLiners were in his blood. Speed limit signs were just suggestions. Any cop wanting to argue could discuss the matter with a large machine they had secured behind them. Tom Shint walked around the tank, methodically releasing 18 special clamps that held the 62 metric ton beast securely to the trailer. After starting the engine and testing all on board systems, Wendy crawled out the top hatch and deployed the flag of her country. A 1 foot Maple Leaf began waving proudly.
Rudy scribbled some notes and a GPS coordinate from Clive and said they would be on their way in 4 minutes. Ty and Bart had no idea an M1 Tank was heading their direction; but Ghost watched it back down the trailer and heard it's turbine engine rev up. Rudy waved to Daniel and ordered him to drive carefully back to the main highway, and don't pick up any girls!!
The private had a wry smile and gave a proper crisp salute to the flag on the back of the M1, as it lifted up a cloud of dust and disappeared into the forest. He didn't see the white horse that trotted behind.
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Amy hugged Jim goodbye and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He asked if she would be ok jumping by herself. She smiled and said; yes!! I'll be fine, and Jim thank you for everything!!
Without your help I wouldn't be standing here. Jim marveled at how much Amy looked and acted like her mother. She had a confident look on her face, that he was so happy to see. Amy held his hand for a second and looked into his eyes, I pray everything will be ok!! He smiled and said I'll send you a text as soon as they let me see her.
Jim walked up to the open cargo door, waited for the Jumpmasters signal, and jumped out. Amy watched as his parachute auto deployed over the city of Calgary.
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Amy looked out one of the planes windows and saw the rugged Rocky Mountains approaching. She heard the engines rev up as the pilot climbed to fly over the peaks. She whispered; Ty, I'm coming as she felt their names on her bracelet.
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Clive hit the call button on the short wave radio & Bart answered. Hey Bart, I have good news and not so good....give me the good first please!! Bart replied. Ok, well this is not so good,.......Jim is not coming, but his guest is arriving in about 30 minutes. Bad news is we've got sparks from the big fire west of us, igniting timber all around you & the ladies prior jump point. Can you and Ty wait half an hour & we will have the C-130 drop her off above your position. You should have room for her. Oh but she probably has a whole box full of makeup and clothes!! Oh give me a break!! Bart laughed and continued: worst case she can sit on my lap!!
Clive started laughing and asked for a photo!!
Ok, one more thing, where that lady was supposed to land with Jim is all ablaze & 3 miles from the Ranch. The fire is moving toward the Ranch at 5 MPH. Command has called in 50 Smoke Jumpers from Australia!! They'll be dropping by in about 24 hours.
Damn their bringing in the Marines!! Bart replied. He whispered to Ty: Australian Smoke Jumpers are the best there is!!
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Ghost was racing from the Ranch to Ty & Bart's position. Almost to a fast flowing river near where the Polaris was parked; he stopped and looked. He had heard whimpering; and climbed over a bunch of fallen trees and saw them.......
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Amy was 2 feet from the open cargo door. The JumpMaster gave her the 60 second warning sign. She checked her FDD one last time and saw her jump point approaching. She saw the tiny clearing right next to a river. She scrolled down to the notes section and read: 'this river is very cold, deep, and fast running. Avoid crossing at all costs.' Amy scanned the screen for a tall single tree to use as a marker to guide her down. She saw one a few feet from the the river and memorized its location. She did some calculations in her head earlier and decided to rip between 8000 and 5500 feet. She would decide during her jump based on how well she was on target. She would use some of the skills from her Lake Michigan jump here. She needed a precision landing, the clearing was 180 feet by 250 feet across. They were tall trees that would require a 200 foot climb down, if Amy's chute hit their upper branches. Landing in the river was not an option. There were no Navy men to help her land. Amy was all alone.
The JumpMaster closed his fist and pushed it forward; Amy stepped forward and dove out, just like the 101st Airborne units often did. She spotted the river, and was scanning for her tall marker tree, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye, and looked to her right.
She was in shock to see Wolverine dropping 120 MPH, right next to her. What the hell she said to herself. She yelled to him, what are you doing here?? Wolverine yelled back; Ghost asked me to help you!! I don't need any help!!
Amy replied. Wolverine's feelings were hurt just a little, but Amy was his one and only friend and best friend. The very best, best friends were always there for their friends, regardless of the circumstances or how welcome they were made to feel. Are you for real?? Amy hollered to him?? Wolverine held his paw out and said: pinch me!! Amy kept looking at the clearing, the river and that extra tall tree. Do you know how to use a parachute; she hollered at him. I read the directions in the box, he yelled back. Amy rolled her eyes and briefly thought of her father doing inept things at times. Ok!! When I say RIP, you pull your ripcord and follow me in!! Ok!! Replied Wolverine.
Amy was right in line with the clearing, her visual glide slope matched the one on her WDD. She was at 6500 feet, she waited 2 seconds, looked at Wolverine, put her hand over her ripcord handle and yelled to Wolverine: RIP!!
In a second Amy heard her chute open, she felt the deceleration tug of her harness. She scanned the horizon and stopped at a large Red Polaris with 2 men beside it, about 1/2 mile away. She pulled her tethered binoculars out of her pack and looked at them. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw her husband looking at her. She zoomed in on his face just as he raised a pair of binoculars. They stared at each other; Amy waved and she saw that Ty was rather shocked. She read her name on his lips; he waved back and fell to the ground. She saw the shock and disbelief on his face. Amy whispered to him; I love you Ty Borden!!
Then Amy realized, the river, she was warned was too dangerous to cross ran between her landing spot and Ty. Suddenly Amy was scared!! She yelled his name:......Ty!!!!!!!
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Ty was happy and upset. He watched Amy float behind the trees, then disappear. Seeing her hanging under her greatest fear and phobia then waving to him was surreal. He figured this had to be a dream!! Ty could not grasp how Amy went from parachute phobia to embracing one and dropping in like a pro all by herself!!
Bart radioed in they were on their way to pick Amy up. That's who it seemed had landed, according to Ty. A guy knows what his wife looks like after all. He had seen another tiny parachute land closer to the Polaris. Bart realized Ty was too shook up to drive. He got his friend into the vehicle then took off toward where he saw the tiny chute drop and then to pick up Amy. Bart was worried though, he sort of remembered a mean looking river on the map. Certainly Amy would be on this side of it!! In a couple minutes Ty spotted the drop chute and the little box with Amy's stuff in it. He jumped out and picked it up. He missed Amy so bad he thought of kissing the box, but simply set it in the back seat. Bart took off to where they last spotted Amy. He drove quickly, but the forest was getting denser, his speed now a crawl, having to pick his way around fallen logs and too many trees. Ty was getting nervous and anxious, he turned to Bart and said, do you mind if I go the rest of the way on foot?? Bart's biggest concern was losing Ty in the forest. But he realized Amy had to be close. He tossed Ty the spare radio and a flashlight, dusk was upon them. The two friends now shared a bond deeper than friendship; in a way they were becoming as close as brothers. Ty stepped out and Bart grabbed his arm. They looked at each other and in seconds had a plan and back up plan all figured out, without a single word being said, except: Ty!! Please be careful!! Ty smiled and closed the Polaris door. He ran into the forest to find the woman who meant absolutely everything to him.
Bart watched him go, the way Ty ran, told Bart everything he already knew about Ty's love for Amy. In a second, the forest swallowed Ty. Bart called in their new position and looked for a way through the forest. The Polaris groaned but obeyed as he drove it over a few logs.
Bart had a tear in his eye. His only brother had been killed in Afghanistan a few years ago. Shot by a sniper as he tried to free some local villagers who were being held hostage. Bart said a prayer for Ty, he was not ready to loose his new brother.
Bart wondered if Kyle would have approved of what he just did, letting Ty run off into a forest that could be ignited by sparks at any moment. Firemen always had a plan and several back-up plans. Ty had none of those; ......all he had was love. Bart saw smoke blow overhead. He hoped love would be strong enough to get the 3 of them to safety.
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Ty never knew he could run so fast; he jumps over dead tree trunks and branches and twists & turns to squeeze between trees. In several minutes he stops inches from a turbulent & fast flowing river that is at least 1000 feet across. He looks to the far side and scans the forest. After a few seconds that seem like hours, he spots a parachute, then Amy.
He forgot the binoculars but even at such a distance, his heart jumps as his eyes remind Ty, just how pretty his wife is. He yells and waves his arms to no avail, Amy!!!!!!!! She is fussing with her chute and her pack........ Amy!!!!!!! Ty realizes why Amy screamed his name, she is isolated across a monster of a river. Ty has always protected Amy, he considers crossing the class 4 river. He removes his boots, socks, and shirt. Ty empties his pockets and wades out into the water, thinking only of Amy, .......bears, and mountain lions.
Ty tests the water by slowly creeping out about 15 feet, suddenly his feet slip on some smooth rocks and Ty is up to his neck in the ice cold mountain water. In seconds he is carried downstream a few hundred feet. Ty is pushed and pulled down the river and ends up in a swirling pool of water 15 feet across. The little pools surface is rotating counter-clockwise, Ty tries to swim to shore but feels an undercurrent trying to pull him down into a freezing cold, swirling whirlpool, 18 feet deep. Amy is standing on the far shore watching and crying as her husband is fighting a force way too strong for any man to conquer. It's almost dark & she can barely see him. Ty has never fought a foe with such overwhelming & absolute power, he is being pulled down, and in an instant disappears below the waves........
Amy screams Ty's name over and over. She feels sick to her stomach; this was developing into a nightmare, way worse than she ever imagined!! Ty!!!!!!!!!!
❤️❤️Note: Chapter 21 preview.............
...........Ty was almost across; Amy had waded out several feet into the river, she could almost touch him. Seconds seemed like hours and finally, she grabbed his legs and buried her face into his jeans. She looked up at him, and could see he was exhausted. Ty insisted he be first to go across. Amy stood back as Ty dropped to the ground. He fell forward, she caught and steadied him. Amy guided his tired body to the ground. She wrapped her arms around Ty, & rested his head against her shirt. She felt his shivers and knew he was still cold from his battle with the whirlpool last night. He nuzzled his head deep into her breasts and cried. He had never missed Amy like this before, his entire being ached for her. Amy held him tight, he felt so good, he was solid and strong just like she remembered. She massaged his sore arms and tried to warm him, she snuggled against him and sobbed. Amy vowed she would never let go of Ty again. Her hand grabbed his shirt collar, and held onto to him so tightly. They were finally together again, where they belonged. ❤️❤️
To be continued......
Edited by; Jim Clark and Kimberly Heffernan.
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