Bonds of Blood |A Heartland Fanfic

Chapter Five

Her whole body was a dull ache now, she knew she was in a bad mood and that had Jack worried. There was a message on her phone to schedule another blood test, and that meant a few more days of taking the meds and waiting.

Unable to stay cooped up in the house Lisa bundled Lyndy into her snow suit and pulled on her own coat. She was getting used to carrying the little girl on her left hip, just like she was getting used to changing and covering the bandage.

Lyndy chattered excitedly as they crossed the yard, a child after her mother's heart the girl reached out towards the horses watching them from the gate. Georgie started at Fairfield on Monday but was spending her weekend with the horses, she'd had two emails from Lou, one about bringing Georgie up to see Katie and another about an assignment the girl needed to do.

Amy and Ty had taken Georgie up to the hospital this morning and the teenager had rolled her eyes at the homework reminder; assuring her the work was done. For now, Phoenix and Georgie worked in the round pen, she'd come out as soon as she had gotten home from the hospital; Ty had gone in for a shift and called Amy to go with him on a field call.

Tim had dragged Jack off to help with some of the kids at the rodeo school, her husband had gone reluctantly. Lyndy squirmed and kicked until Lisa let her down; holding little hands as the girl tried to walk on her own. While Georgie finished with her horse she took Lyndy over to see the ponies.

"We should brush Monty, he's rolled again." Georgie sighed as she joined them, the small horse sticking his nose through the rails to see if they had treats.

"Let's take him in the barn then." She carried Lyndy as the teenager led the pony in.

Amy had purchased little brushes that Lyndy could hold, Lisa used them on one side as Georgie brushed the other; they both tried to make Lyndy be gentle. Monty startled when Georgie's phone buzzed, the teen frowned as she answered. "Hi Katie, I just saw you."

"I know. But mom and dad are busy." Georgie held the phone so she could see it, and they were both treated to a dizzying view as the other image spun around to show part of Lou and Peter standing across the room. "Is that Monty?"

As Katie talked excitedly to her pony Georgie tried to keep her phone from being chewed; the pony clearly recognized Katie's voice. Lisa finished grooming as Georgie pulled Lyndy into her lap; the baby didn't know Katie wasn't talking to her.

When the call ended, and the pony was back in the field it was time for all of them to get in out of the cold. "Why don't we make some hot chocolate to warm up?"

The suggestion was met eagerly but as she started to make it she had to stop and put the kettle on; she'd better have tea. The dairy alternatives she had tried so far were not pleasant, and she wasn't going to ruin the girls' treat with them.

Hands framed her shoulders as her husband stepped in behind her. Lisa shrugged quickly, as much as she wanted him to rub her shoulders she had to remind him not to, his thumb already brushed the IV; it was a habit they were struggling to break. "Lis…"

"It is for the girls, but you could pour the kettle for me." She didn't need to be reminded, and she wasn't taking any chances. Hoping it wasn't something she had done that had extended their waiting period; surely the doctor would have told her that.

Jack poured them both tea as she added lots of milk to Lyndy's and made sure the lid was on the sippy cup. She tried to ignore the way her stomach was turning as Jack tried to get Georgie to tell them what she was thinking for school. She knew he was sympathetic to what Georgie was weighing out, but she had said her piece on that; at some point Georgie was going to have to make her own decision.