18.

Cindy sat in the backseat of the truck, listening silently to the music shouting through her headphones as she stared out the window. The cityscape of Los Angeles flashed by her, but she took no notice of it. Instead she watched the rain drops trickle down the glass, curling up on her side of the truck to effectively ignore Faith.

They had gone to the airport over two hours ago to collect Faith from her flight, and Cindy was still steamed that she had had to go in the first place. Ian had made it a point that she go to greet the new girl, and Cindy had forced a smile to the redhead when the younger girl arrived in the terminal. Now they were driving to the hotel to get Faith settled in and Cindy could feel her impatience for the girl rising.

The truck splashed through several large puddles. The rain had edged off since Faith's plane had landed, but the cold was there to stay.

"Cindy," she could barely hear her name above the music. She knew someone was trying to get her attention, but she pretended for a while to not notice.

"Cindy!"

Sighing, Cindy shut off her music and ripped the headphones from her ears. Josie was looking at her from the front seat as Ian turned into the parking garage of their hotel.

"What?" Cindy asked, listening to the squeak of wet tires on the smooth cement.

"We were talking about room arrangements," Josie said. "Since Ann moved in with Jason, we were thinking of having Faith move into our room."

Cindy opened her mouth to let out a scathing comment, but she closed it quickly enough to cut off her irritable response. She couldn't very well say no to the girl, even though every particle of her wanted to say just that. Instead, Cindy glanced between her cousin and the redhead sitting next to her. Faith was picking up her things as Ian parked the truck, trying not to look Cindy's way.

"Yeah, sure," Cindy said curtly, throwing her CD player in her purse and throwing the bag over her shoulder. "But I get my own bed."

"Fine," Josie said, hopping out of the cab and pulling the seat forward for Faith to crawl out. Cindy followed suit and jogged into the hotel lobby, shaking the cold rain drops from sinking into her sweater. She walked to the elevator without looking back at those following her and stood stationary in the corner as it gently carried them to the fifth floor.

When they got to their room, Cindy casually cleared a place for Faith to set her things and flopped on the bed, rolling over to look at the Daily Racing Form she had picked up on the way to the airport. The front page was all about the Strub Stakes that would be run tomorrow. Warrior was entered to run, as well as several of his big name competitors. Vertrando and Spyro were back to try to ruin the colt's chances, as well as a recently heralded colt from Ireland, Half Seas Over.

Cindy skimmed the article with disinterest, her eyes catching on Ann's name more than once. The two had been avoiding each other for days since Angel's accident. Cindy knew that Ann was spending a lot of time with Angel at the clinic, but time apart was not healing any wounds. Whenever Cindy caught a glimpse of Ann on the track the other girl would turn her head the other way, completely ignoring Cindy's presence.

With the Las Virgenes coming up quickly, Cindy was more than happy to let Ann's anger with her slide. She had better things to do than fight with Ann, and she was just fine with letting everything simmer between them. Ann wouldn't be riding Joy in any of her races, and Cindy was happy with her decision.

"When are we going down to the track?" Faith asked, starting to put her things away.

"Later," Cindy muttered monosyllabically. In truth she needed to get down to the track soon to check up on Joy. The filly was being worked up to a breeze, and Cindy was planning on doing it soon if not tomorrow.

"As soon as we can, Faith," Josie replied, giving Cindy a warning glance and Cindy only rolled her eyes at. "I want to get down there to check on Warrior. He put in a fantastic work for Ann yesterday. I think he's really ready for the Strub."

"I'd like to see the horses I'm riding," Faith said enthusiastically, pulling her already short hair back out of her face. "I've never really exercised on a track before. I'm really looking forward to it."

"It's pretty simple..." Josie started to say before Cindy cut her off.

"You haven't?" Cindy asked, looking up from the Daily Racing Form. "You do know what you're doing, right?"

Josie threw Cindy another look, but Cindy wasn't having any of it. If Ashleigh's big idea was to punish both herself and Ann by bringing in a novice rider, then Cindy was going to have her say.

"I know what I'm doing," Faith said, frustration and anger showing up in her voice for the first time. Cindy frowned in response. Faith scowled back at Cindy before turning on her heel and walking out of Cindy's sight, obviously flustered.

"Really, Cindy," Josie groaned. "Can't you freaking give her a break?"

"If she doesn't know what she's doing," Cindy started, standing up, "why on earth should Ashleigh give her valuable horses to exercise on the track? Someone could get injured. Me, Joy, Warrior, you..."

"Cindy," Josie sighed. "It's Ashleigh's decision, not yours. She's been riding at Whitebrook while you've been gone, and you don't even know what she's capable of. I've seen her ride. You obviously haven't. Why don't you just shut your mouth and give her a chance before condemning her for life, okay?"

With that, Josie left the room after Faith, grabbing her purse and keys before letting the door slam behind her. Cindy raked her fingers through her thick hair and tossed the paper off the bed in anger, falling back on the bed to stare at the ceiling.

"Great," Cindy said to the walls. "That's just great. No one freaking listens."

The next day, Cindy sat hunched in the saddle as she warmed up Joy around the track. She could see the dark outline of Warrior and Ann jogging around the first turn, the big black's body jerking along the rail as he fought Ann for rein. Further behind him, Cindy could see Faith and Josie working on Fast Trick and Returning Sound, the two girls jogging side by side. Cindy frowned and kept Joy to the outside as she passed them by. She was in no mood to talk.

Joy leveled herself out on the track and darted for the inside when Cindy finally let her pick up speed. The gray filly was tearing at the reins, her dark tipped ears flicked back to listen as Cindy chirped softly to her, moving her hands up the filly's neck.

At the command, Joy blew forward, galloping full speed down the track. Cindy rose over her filly's withers, feeling the power Joy was thrusting into each stride as she dug up the dirt before her. Cindy blinked rapidly as the filly's mane flipped back to sting her face, the cold wind numbing her cheeks and lips. Nothing seemed to faze them, and horse and rider continued through the furlongs, ticking off seconds without realizing it.

For the first time in days Cindy could feel a real smile curl up her mouth. Joy was eagerly taking on the work load she had piled on her from the moment the Santa Ynez had been lost. This was their first breeze since then, and already Cindy could feel a dramatic difference. Joy was raring to go after the five furlongs were up, and Cindy found herself fighting the filly as they galloped out the last furlong.

"Yes!" Cindy shouted to the filly, slapping her hand against Joy's sweaty shoulder. The gray seemed just as pleased with herself and shook her mane, lifting herself to dance back to the gap.

"How was the time!" Cindy called to her father as she pulled the filly up next to him, jumping down and giving Joy several pats on the neck and face.

"I've got to say I'm impressed, Cin," Ian said, nodding. "She did the five furlongs in one minute and one flat. She galloped out the last furlong in nearly fourteen."

Cindy couldn't help letting her grin get the best of her. She let out a little squeal and threw her arms around her father, still holding tightly onto Joy's reins as the filly tossed her head and skittered lightly on her hooves.

"I knew those long works would do her good," Cindy grinned. "This is fantastic."

"Looks like you're becoming quite the trainer," Ian said, giving Cindy a squeeze before nodding to Joy. "Now take her up to the stables and get her cooled out. She'll need a little rest after that."

"Sure," Cindy said, suddenly feeling like a giddy kid as she collected Joy and led her up to the stables, the filly still hyped up from her breeze and feeling the rush of adrenaline.

Cindy cooled the filly out and found Faith and Josie washing off their mounts outside the stables. Grinning, Cindy walked by Josie, telling her all about Joy's breeze.

"That's great, Cin," Josie said, turning back to Sound and sweeping a sopping wet sponge over his back, letting loose a torrent of bubbles and water over his coat. Sound grunted and shifted his weight, enjoying the warm water. Cindy frowned at her cousin's dismissive comment and turned back to Joy, letting a groom hold her as Cindy gave her a quick cleaning with the bucket of warm water that had been waiting for them.

Everyone stood in silence, the horses grunting every once and a while. Cindy found herself irritated that the uncomfortable silence had eaten away her glorious moment with Joy. First Ann was mad at her, and now Josie was being cool toward her about Faith. As far as Cindy was concerned she didn't see how she was in the wrong, so she let the silence continue. Quickly scraping off Joy, she led the filly into the stable and into her stall, waiting several minutes to check on her legs and spread a sheet over her back. By the time Cindy was done obsessing over the filly, she looked up started when she saw Faith leaning against the stall door, looking down on her.

"What do you need?" Cindy said defensively, straightening by Joy's shoulder. The light gray filly was busy kicking at her stall, pushing the new bedding to where she liked it.

"I saw you and Joy," Faith said, "and you two looked really great together."

That had been the last thing Cindy had expected, and she found herself smiling at the compliment. No one else besides her father had seemed to take notice, so she decided to open up a little.

"Thanks," Cindy said, patting Joy. "I'm really excited about it. She's my first real training prospect."

"You should be proud," Faith said, stepping away from the stall as Cindy let herself out and fixed the filly's hay net. "I hope you do well with her in the Las Virgenes."

"If she responds well to the changes I made, I think we'll blow the fields away," Cindy responded, feeling her ego rise to the challenge. She glanced back at the younger girl and found Faith looking at Joy quietly. The gray filly stepped forward and investigated her visitor, nudging the girl's arms and finally sniffing at her flaming red hair. Faith giggled softly and pushed the filly's inquiring nose away.

"She's a sweet filly," Faith said, patting Joy on the neck before turning. "I've got to go back down to the track, though. Mr. McLean has me working Tea Rose next."

"Hey," Cindy said suddenly, a little taken aback that she was even saying something. Faith jumped and stopped, looking at Cindy questioningly.

"Tea Rose has a sensitive mouth," Cindy said. "Be careful to not tug on her too hard or she'll try to toss you and bolt."

"Okay," Faith said, smiling faintly. "I'll remember that. Thanks."

"No problem," Cindy said, turning away and not watching Faith walk out of the stable. Cindy frowned and leaned against the stall door, letting Joy lean her head against her shoulder. Cindy absently rubbed her fingers through the filly's mane as she dwelled over Faith.

"So maybe she's not all that bad," Cindy admitted to the filly, who cocked an ear her way. "If she likes you she must have taste, right?" Cindy laughed to herself before giving the filly a parting kiss and leaving the stable.

Later that day, Cindy stood in the paddock wearing a sweater, woolen coat, and freshly pressed slacks. The afternoon hadn't warmed up Santa Anita any, and Cindy was shivering in the cold. Faith and Josie stood next to her, the three of them silent as they watched the eight well-bred colts circle the paddock.

Warrior was being a handful, straining against the groom and wheeling out his hindquarters, finding a sliver of an advantage every few moments to rear up, scattering admirers far and wide. The big black colt was something else to look at, with his gleaming coat and white-ringed eyes. However, he was second choice in the betting, behind the Lucas-trained and much more manageable Spyro. The bay favorite was prancing up a storm on the other end of the paddock, his jet mane lifting in the cool air. Between the two of them it was a hard decision at the windows, and as the colts spent more time in the paddock Cindy watched the money bet on them skyrocket.

"I think we've got a good grasp on the strategy for this race," she could hear Ian telling Ann behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the jockey stiffen as two figures walked out of the mass in the paddock. Cindy sighed noticeably and got a little nudge from Josie. The Townsends were making their grand appearance.

Whenever winter rolled around was when Lavinia Townsend most likely spent the most money. Cindy eyed the woman's fur coat and glittering diamond necklace, wondering how much the woman had spent on such pointless objects. Brad wasn't much better, in this tailored thousand-dollar suit. Cindy rolled her eyes at Lavinia's first comment, willing the paddock procedures to move more quickly.

"Isn't he just a beautiful specimen?" Lavinia asked Brad as Warrior walked by, jaunting and snorting at the crowds of people.

"That he is," Brad said, turning to Ian. "I hope you've got the strategy right for this one."
"I think we've got the strategy fine tuned, Brad," Cindy heard Ashleigh as the older woman walked up from out of the crowds. "Ann and I went over it last night."

"You know I wanted you to look into finding another jockey for him," Brad said, seemingly irked that Ann stood in front of him with the green and gold colors of Townsend Acres draped across her. Cindy winced at his tone, feeling sorry for Ann no matter how angry she was with the other girl herself. She had been on the receiving end of Brad's malice, and she would sympathize with anyone who had to deal with it.

"I did understand your request, Brad," Ashleigh replied sharply. "However, I don't believe switching riders would have any effect on his performance. Warrior has been riding with Ann since the beginning, and I think Ann knows how to handle him better than most."

Brad seemed to draw himself up at Ashleigh's tone of voice and frowned. "We'll see how this race plays out," he said simply.

"Yes, we will," Ashleigh responded, moving so Warrior would be brought in between the co-owners. The big, blue black colt shied out toward Lavinia, jerking when the woman stumbled back and let out a startled scream.

"Damned animal," she muttered, visibly soothing her ruffled feathers as Warrior was led away from her and circled. Cindy snorted, sharing small smiles with Josie and Faith. Even Ann seemed to smile as Ian gave her a leg up into the saddle.

Warrior grunted and squealed at the weight on his back, moving past them at Ann's command. The rest of the field was moving easily around the paddock and to the track, the crowd's noise gathering. Cindy rushed up to the grandstand with everyone else, slipping into their reserved boxes just in time to see the horses launch into their warm ups.

In the far turn, Warrior was easy to spot with the blue-black coat and the green and gold silks. He was moving easily under Ann, striding out and warming up like a professional.

Ahead of him, Spyro and Vertrando were trotting up the track. Cindy opened her program to look at the names of the horses, her eyes flitting over names and pedigrees. She caught on three others on the card and darted her gaze out to find them. Syntax, a dark bay, was a Baffert trainee and looked sharp. With Exception, a chestnut with a distinctive blaze, was impressively bred and trained by Todd Pletcher. However, the entry Cindy was interested in the most was a local one. Running Groom, trained by Marcus Smith, was a tall, leggy gray colt by Silver Charm. He had been racing mostly in the ungraded circuits, but today he was trying the Swaps after a ten length win in his last attempt.

Cindy raised an eyebrow and locked her eyes on the colt, wondering who Marcus Smith was as she started to wonder what the colt could do. Normally she overlooked horses who raised in the ranks from the ungraded stakes circuits, but as she watched the stride on the dappled gray she couldn't help but nudge her father to ask a question.

"Who's Marcus Smith?" she asked him when he looked down at her, showing him the gray.

"Southern California and Louisiana trainer, mostly," Ian shrugged, pointing the man out in the crowd. Cindy locked eyes on him. "His entrant in this one is capable, but I hardly think he's up to the competition."

Cindy nodded, gluing her eyes on the gray in any case.

The race went off without a hitch, and Cindy followed he path of the gray as the eight horses pushed for position past the grandstand. Running Groom was up in third, and Warrior was last rounding the turn. That was how it was throughout the rest of the backstretch, the gray holding his own as the field swept down to the homestretch.

Cindy watched Warrior roar around horses, his black legs pumping as he rose and fell upon the field of horses. The race was over at the quarter pole as the black exploded down the stretch. As Warrior pulled away to win by six, Cindy watched the rest of the race unfold. Running Groom pulled a gutsy maneuver on the side, dodging by a tired Spyro to emerge in second, his lanky gray body covered in girt to the point where he looked brown. There was a whoop of excitement coming from March Smith's box, and she saw a group of men raising their fists in the air as though they hadn't seen the black horse so far out front.

"Let's get down to the winner's circle, Cin," Ian said to her, nodding for the stairwell down. As Cindy stood in the winner's circle, with Warrior standing sweaty and dirty next to her, she could see Running Groom out on the track, his back steaming as his crew of trainers and owners clustered around him happily. Cindy could see the grins on their faces, and wondered to herself if she would ever be that happy. As she watched the commotion over the gray, she caught one of the men, she assumed an assistant for Marcus Smith, looking back at her. One if his hands rested on the colt's sweat soaked neck, and another was grasping the reins as the gray shifted around him. She felt her eyes widen a bit at the surprise of being caught, accompanied by the hot flush in her cheeks when he grinned at her. She looked quickly away.

The pictures were taken and Warrior was led out of the winner's circle, his own body steaming in the cool, winter air. Cindy watched as the black was led out of the winner's circle and back down the track to the barns. Running Groom had been led back already and his entourage was gone. Cindy stared out at the track for a moment, her family filing out of the winner's circle around her, before she let the gray vanish from her mind.

Nearly a week later, Cindy stood quietly underneath the barn as the rain poured down. It had been raining for two days, and the track had been such slop that the horses could barely do more than jog. Cindy had worked Joy over the inner turf course, trying to get her prepared for the Las Virgenes while the dirt track sat demolished on the outside.

Cindy frowned out at the rain, leaning against the stable opening as the water came down in sheets. Inside the barn, she could hear the horses shifting silently in their bedding, warm and dry. Cindy could feel the spray from the rain drifting into the barn and hitting her in the face as she stared out quietly. Inwardly, she worried about how Joy would take the cold mud in the Las Virgenes. It was a given now that the rain would continue through the weekend. Joy had never been asked to run through such muck, and now Cindy found herself questioning everything.

"Hey, Cin," she heard Faith call her. Cindy turned around and saw Faith approaching with Josie in tow. "We're headed out to the clinic to pick up Ann. She spent the morning with Angel."

"Want to come along?" Josie asked, acting like she already knew the answer. Cindy and Ann hadn't been speaking since Angel's breakdown, but Cindy didn't particularly care anymore. If the other girl wanted an apology, Cindy sure as hell wasn't giving her one.

"You know, I think I'll skip that," Cindy said, and Josie shrugged.

"You guys are going to have to come to terms eventually," her cousin stated, giving Cindy a concerned look. Faith stood silently, watching Cindy sigh.

"I just made a decision countless trainers have made before," she said, shaking her head.

"If she can't handle that, then screw it. I'm not going to deal with her anymore."

"Cindy," Josie replied, drifting off before she threw up her hands. "Fine, I'm not going to beg either of you to get over it. Faith and I will be at the clinic picking up Ann, if anyone asks."

"Fine," Cindy said, turning away and not looking back as they left.

The next day, Cindy stood in the paddock of Santa Anita, watching her filly with a grin on her face. She could barely make out the drizzle in the air, but the muddy track and the cold didn't worry Cindy. She could only see Joy.

"I assume you know your strategy," Ashleigh said as Cindy practically bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.

"I know it," Cindy said disinterestedly to Ashleigh. Joy was shaking her dark mane, her smoky body dancing over the paddock walkway. The filly was gorgeous, even compared to the chestnut beauty of Ambience and Creating Bliss. Ambience was the easy favorite, and she acted her part. The chestnut walked collectedly along, the white star radiating through the drizzle. Sunday Stroll and Light of Stars, who had raced against Joy in the Santa Ynez, were also receiving looks from the bettors.

"Ready, Cin?" Josie asked she walked up. Cindy nodded, looking down at herself in the colors she had chosen for her own personal stable. Granted, it was a one horse stable, but she already had dreams of running fleets of horses under her gray, blue, and white silks.

"Absolutely," Cindy nodded eagerly, watching as the fillies began to circle toward their stalls. Ashleigh silently gave Cindy a leg up into the saddle, telling her a few tips that Cindy already knew and therefore did not listen to. Joy snorted and flicked her ears back to listen to Cindy, who readied herself in the saddle.

"Good luck," she could hear Ashleigh behind her, and Cindy only nodded, feeling Joy stride out purposely toward the track.

The moment they set foot on what was supposed to be the dirt of the outer track, Joy's hooves sank into deep mud. Cindy frowned as the filly's feet made sucking noises each time she lifted and put down a hoof. Joy swept her ears back, not liking the feeling.

The field began to warm up in the far turn, and Joy began to settle into the feeling of getting mud kicked up at her as other fillies jogged up the track to the starting gate. As the field slowed at the finish line, where the starting gate was set up for the mile long race, Cindy slowed with Joy and waited for the field to move into line.

Sunday Stroll and Light of Stars moved into the one and two posts. A large Deputy Commander filly named Goddess of War settled into gate three, while a big, local favorite named Pink Diamond slid into gate four. Joy moved easily into gate five, her dark tail swishing casually as Cindy went to work above her. Ambience and Creating Bliss were the last to load, and then the gates banged open.

Joy was off like a shot with Cindy pushing hard against her neck. The splotched white and gray filly flew to the lead, settling on the rail as Cindy let up a little, raising in the saddle to let the filly run at her own pace. The rest of the fillies chased after Joy, but Cindy had a small smile on her face. Joy was running easy.

The race went by quickly, and already Joy was flying unchallenged into the homestretch. Cindy nearly laughed out loud as she felt the filly switch strides and power forward. She pulled out the crop and flicked it by the filly's eye before reaching back to slap Joy a few times to drill home her point. Joy flew, her head stretched out to the wire.

Then Cindy gasped. To her outside she saw Ambience appear as easily as though she were walking on water. The mud was not deterring the other filly in the slightest, and all of a sudden Joy was shoved into a duel to the finish.

"Come on!" Cindy shouted, reaching back again to slap Joy on the hindquarters. The filly's reaction was to pin back her ears and surge, trying to shake free from the chestnut. Ambience kept on at Joy's side, not phased in the least.

Cindy flicked the crop by Joy's eye and then back to slap it against her side, pushing hard with her hands. Joy gave all she had, and pushed her nose forward as the wire slipped overhead.

Rapidly the fillies slowed down, and Joy did so faster than Ambience, who slid past easily to slow down in the turn. Joy snorted and decreased her speed quickly, lowering her head and slipping tiredly in the mud.

"Whoa," Cindy said, slowing the filly and putting a hand on Joy's soaked neck. The filly was steaming all over, but she let Cindy turn her and head back to the grandstand. At the sight of the grandstand before her, and the winner's circle partially in view, Cindy grinned at the near future. She couldn't wait to get her filly in the winner's circle.

As they trotted back to the people's cheers, Cindy waved and laughed. Joy stumbled in the mud and caught herself quickly, slowing in front of the gauntlet of reporters and shying out of pure fatigue. She lifted her head up and blew out of red rimmed nostrils, eyeing the stands out of white ringed eyes. Cindy only patted her filly's neck and urged her into the winner's circle.

(The end, in an incomplete way.)