7.
The rain hadn't cooled down Saratoga. In fact, the puddles of water still left in the potholes of the backside only simmered and steamed, as though helping to push along the rising humidity. Cindy could feel the heavy air as she walked back from the track, tugging at her flak jacket and shedding it as quickly as she could as though she couldn't breathe with it on. Everything was stifling and sweaty. When she got back to the office, she bypassed David without a word and opened the small fridge by the desk, grabbing a bottle of water and gulping down half of its contents.
She stopped when she saw his amused look and pulled the bottle from her mouth, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "What are you so amused about?" she asked him. "You who gets to sit in the air conditioning."
"Hey, I'm not always sitting in the AC," he defended. "It's murder out there. I know."
Cindy collapsed in one of the chairs opposite the desk and drank again as the phone rang. David moved to pick it up, which Cindy regarded without interest. She finished off the rest of the water, letting her eyes wander over the win photos hanging across the wood paneled walls.
It had been a week since the Amsterdam. Lucas and Jack were long gone. Cindy had anticipated a quiet house afterward, but didn't get her wish. Ryan had extended his stay for the Travers, and with that decision ultimately came the bickering between himself and Laura. Through the past few days, Cindy had had enough of their arguments and found herself at the track longer than usual. The two were impossible to get through. Usually there was always something for them to argue about, and having the two in close quarters for most of the day was more than Cindy could bear.
Cindy took another drink and found a magazine to fan herself off with, enjoying the cool breeze she managed to make. The only thing that could stop her from cooling off was her cell phone, which began to persistently ring on the desk in front of her. Before she could react, David snatched it without blinking and tossed it her way as he talked to the nameless identity on the phone.
"Hello?" Cindy asked as she put the little phone to her ear, getting up and regretfully leaving the office to walk down the shed row. There were large fans working over time, but the stables were partially open to the air and that meant they were no shelter from the heat.
"Hi, honey. This is dad," she heard Ian respond on the other end. "How are you?"
"Hi, dad," Cindy said, taking another sip of water. "I would be tired of the heat and humidity, and working Sunday Punch to the King's Bishop. What's up with you?"
There was a small pause before Ian said, "Do you think you've got some extra room in the house up there?"
Instantly Cindy shut her eyes and suppressed a groan. "You're coming up to Saratoga with Adriatic?"
"No, we're leaving Adriatic and a fleet of other horses in California for the rest of the summer," Ian answered her. "After he won the Swaps at Hollywood Park we're going to point him to the Pacific Classic before the Breeders' Cup starts out at Santa Anita. Ash wants to stay with him out there."
"Then who are you bringing to Saratoga?" Cindy asked, sitting down on a bench outside to watch a few of the last string come back to the barns for a walk and a bath. "Wonder of Roma?"
"No, he's staying out in California for a couple of turf races," Ian said. "I'm bringing a few of our two-year-olds out to Saratoga with Josie.
"Two-year-olds," Cindy muttered, thankful that at least Ashleigh wouldn't be making an appearance. At least, that was her assumption if two of Whitebrook's big guns were being aimed at the west coast. Fleet Goddess' son, Adriatic, was a monster on the dirt, and Wonder of Roma was burning on the turf. "Okay, I'll bite. Who are you bringing?"
"We've got three stars this year," Ian said proudly. "War Hero, Heliacal, and Angelica Tree."
Cindy nodded mutely. She knew the names and their pedigrees through phone calls from Josie and Ann . These three were the cream of their crop, and Cindy had been hearing about them since their birth.
"Okay," Cindy said. "I think there is room for you and Josie in the house. I've got Ryan Lockridge staying with us for the summer, also. His colt will be running in the Travers later this month. But, Josie and I can bunk together so you can have your own room."
"Sounds good," Ian said, sounding like he was shouting over something. Cindy figured he must be immersed in the traffic around the track. "We'll be shipping out tomorrow. I hope you'll be around."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Cindy asked, laughing lightly and trying to cover up her worry. It was nothing against her parents, but she didn't like the idea of herself and Whitebrook racing in such close quarters. It wasn't just the memories that made her uncomfortable. It was the notion that at some point Whitebrook's three young stars would start to shine and Ashleigh would most likely want to fly in for their races. The last time Cindy had seen Ashleigh was at the Breeders' Cup two years ago, when Res Mira raced against Bosta and won handily. Cindy had Ashleigh's smug look of importance after that race ingrained in her head forever.
"Great," Ian interrupted Cindy's increased seething. "Our flight should get in around one."
"Do you want me to meet you at the airport?" Cindy asked, watching as Streamline was walked by, his chestnut body dark from sweat.
"No need, Cin," Ian said. "We can meet up at Saratoga. We're going to be stabled at barn 24. Now that I think about it, Josie and I will need some help unloading the horses and getting them settled. Hero and Angelica have those wild personalities. You could be a great help."
"Sure," Cindy said, saying it automatically. She caught herself after she had agreed so easily, thinking back when she had said yes without hesitation to anything involving the horses at Whitebrook. She had been young then, and painfully horse crazy. She half laughed, marveling at how quickly dreams could hit the dirt and die.
"Okay, honey," Ian said, the classic point when she knew the phone call was almost over. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Sure," Cindy confirmed, saying her goodbyes and punching the end button.
"God damn it," Cindy said to no one in particular, turning around to look at Sunday Punch and Wonderment, who were stabled next to each other in the shed row. The chestnut was casually ripping hay from the net at his door and the gray was listlessly rubbing his head against the wood of his stall, trying to scratch an itch. Cindy watched them for a minute and then turned around, striding back into the office. As soon as she walked in, David was putting the phone back in the cradle.
"Cindy," he greeted. "Who was that on the phone?"
"My dad," Cindy told him. "He's coming to Saratoga with some horses. I have to meet him tomorrow."
"Might want to cancel that," David said.'
"Why?" Cindy asked, giving him a look that told him she was flustered and easily pissed if he pushed the right buttons.
"Because Lucas wants you back at Belmont tomorrow to work a horse," David told her, standing up and walking around the desk to look at her.
Cindy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "What horse? Can't someone else do it?"
"He wants you," David said. "The owners are requesting that you be the horse's regular rider and Lucas wants you to work his first breeze."
"When did I get so freaking popular?" Cindy asked, groaning.
"So you don't want to ride him?" David returned.
"I have to ride him, apparently," Cindy sighed, running her hands through her hair. "Who the hell is he, anyway?"
"Silvan," David said. "An Unbridled's Song colt. He's new to the barn and being pointed to the Woodward. Lucas wants you do get a feel for him."
Cindy sighed and nodded. "Alright. Tell Lucas I'm on my way home. I'll be at the track tomorrow morning," she said, pointing her hand that held her cell at him before turning and walking to the door.
"Bright eyed and bushy tailed?" David asked, and Cindy swung around for a second, scowling.
"He'll be lucky if I'm a quarter of that," she swung back, and then pounded out of his office.
"Testy," she heard him mutter under his breath, to which she promptly yelled over her shoulder at him to shut up.
By the time Cindy opened the door to her apartment in Brooklyn she was tired, hungry, and pissed off. Her father and Josie would be at Saratoga tomorrow afternoon and by the time they had landed she would be rushing back north to find them. Laura had put up a fit about more people living in the house after Cindy suggested she share a room with Ryan. Even though Cindy had calmly pointed out that her father owned the house and deserved his own room, the argument had ended when Ryan offered to take up the couch in the living room. Cindy had thanked him as she was halfway out the door to her car.
Now she was home to an empty apartment that stared dully back at her. She flicked on the lights as she walked through, her shoes echoing on the hard wood floors. Everything seemed heavy and dark to her, and it didn't surprise her when she saw rain clouds appearing on the New York horizon.
"Great," Cindy muttered, crossing her arms and staring out the large bank of windows. "That's just perfect."
She turned her back on the windows and found a frozen dinner in the freezer. She popped it into the oven and fell down on the couch, closing her eyes, and thought she should be happier. She was in New York, with Jack, but even knowing that much wasn't enough to get over the fact that her father would be into Saratoga tomorrow. As much as he seemed to promise her that Ashleigh wouldn't make an appearance, Cindy knew better. There was no way she wouldn't come to watch her horses run, and even though Cindy knew she shouldn't be upset about it she found herself upset anyway.
Suddenly the phone rang and she picked it up off of the coffee table.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Cindy?" she heard Jack on the other line.
"Yeah?" Cindy brightened, a smile forming on her face that seemed just enough to break her dim mood.
"What's up?"
"I've got a frozen dinner in the oven," Cindy informed him.
"Take it out," he demanded.
"What?" Cindy asked.
"Take it out," Jack said. "We're going to dinner."
"Are we?" Cindy asked, playing coy.
"We are," Jack replied. "I'm down in the garage. Come down. I don't care what you look like. I don't care if you're in pajamas, sweats, nothing at all. Just get your butt down here."
"You don't want me to dress up?" Cindy asked.
"Well, I'd prefer nothing at all if that's good for you."
"Shut up," Cindy laughed.
"Pajamas are good, too," he conceded.
"I'll be down in a minute," she said, and hung up the phone before grabbing her keys and racing out the door. She was back two seconds later, darting to turn off the oven before she ran out again, slamming the door and locking it after her.
"So they're back," Jack said, sitting across from Cindy in one of Manhattan's finer restaurants. Cindy nodded as she took a sip of her wine.
"Well, my dad is coming up at least. And Josie. You would like Josie."
"Good looking?"
"I don't know," Cindy rolled her eyes at him. "And she has a boyfriend. She wouldn't be interested in you."
"I don't think you're taking all of my good qualities into consideration," he kidded, and Cindy glared at him over the top of her wine glass as she took another sip.
"What good qualities?" Cindy asked playfully.
"The qualities that you seem to like so much," he answered, and in response Cindy found herself blushing furiously.
"You're so mean," Cindy said, putting her glass down and giving him one of those frustrated looks. Right now she couldn't express how much she hated the playful banter, because she knew he was kidding and part of her wished he was serious. The way he was looking at her now almost hurt.
He smiled at her, and she smiled back as she played with her napkin.
"Okay," he said, and she perked up. He was letting go of the playfulness for a second, and she appreciated it more than he knew. "Honestly, Cin, I don't think having your dad and your cousin up to Saratoga is going to be that bad."
"But it means that Ashleigh might come up for race days," Cindy said. "They're bringing three heavy hitters, Jack. They're going to start hitting baseballs out of the park and Ashleigh's going to want to be there to see it."
"Since when did you start talking in metaphors?" Jack asked her, laughing.
"You know what I mean," Cindy said, sitting back as their food was brought out and laid in front of them.
"Cin, you did fine when they came up last time."
"No," Cindy shook her head. "I didn't. I was having nightmares, Jack. Nightmares."
"Nightmares? Are you kidding?" he asked her, giving her one of his precious incredulous looks.
"No," Cindy said. "I'm actually not kidding. And I was crying and confused and angry..."
"You're showing emotion," Jack said, pretending to be shocked.
"Yes, I'm showing emotion," Cindy said, pausing to scoop up some pasta on her fork and slip it into her mouth. "It's not that surprising," she added when she swallowed.
"You really have no idea," Jack said, grinning at her.
"Oh, and I'd like to see you act serious for once," Cindy shot back at him. "I'll be overly emotional and you can act serious."
"Then hell could melt over," Jack sweetly informed her.
"Exactly," Cindy said, pointing her fork at him. "That would be one strange universe."
They ate quietly the rest of the time, talking about New York as they listened to the rainfall outside. The storm had hit the city just as they had left Cindy's apartment, and it hadn't let up more than an hour later.
"It seems like a rainy summer," Cindy muttered almost to herself, watching the rain streak down the glass that separated her from the street.
"Rainier than most," Jack agreed. "Lucas won't like it for Silvan's breeze. He's not a big lover of deep turf."
At the mention of Silvan, Cindy perked up and asked Jack what he knew of the colt.
"Four years old," Jack shrugged. "He's by Unbridled's Song, and out of Heavenly Choir. She's one of those Dynaformer mares."
At the name of the mare, Cindy nearly choked. She stopped eating and pinned Jack with her eyes. "Heavenly Choir? She's a Whitebrook mare."
"Not anymore," Jack shook his head. "She was sold at an auction at Belmont a few weeks ago. In foal to Cryptoclearance."
"Damn," Cindy sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"What?" Jack asked her, finishing off his wine.
"I just always liked that mare," Cindy shrugged, conveniently forgetting to mention Joy. Silvan was Joy's half-brother, and it surprised Cindy that she hadn't been told that the mare had been sent to auction. Of course, after Joy had died Ashleigh had never tried to keep Cindy updated with the mare and her foals. Josie and Ann would keep her updated whenever a foal had been born or sent to auction, and many were. But Ashleigh was easy to never mention Heavenly Choir. It was almost as if Ashleigh was trying to get rid of any reminders that Cindy and Joy had even been at Whitebrook.
"She's at a farm in New York," Jack told her. "Actually, she's in Saratoga Springs. Her owners sent her to board at McMahon."
Cindy sat dumbfounded by the news. The mare who had given her Joy was standing as a broodmare in Saratoga, just miles from her parent's house. Cindy just stared at Jack, trying to find words.
"Really?" she wound up saying, hardly believing it.
"Really, really," Jack answered as lightning cracked across the sky and brought with it a new downpour. "You'll have to go visit her."
"I'll have to," Cindy agreed, nodding. "Thanks for finding that out."
"No problem," Jack said, getting back his credit card after paying the bill. He hadn't let Cindy touch it. "Now let's get out of here."
That morning, Cindy was up early while the rain still drizzled down from dark skies. Horses were jogging through the sloppy dirt track, as others breezed on the firmer inner turf track. Dogs had been set up away from the rail in the grass, the small cones marking an invisible rail to run around.
Cindy stood inside Lucas' main barn, feeling at home and oddly not. The track was still technically closed, but races would commence in September. Horses were being walked through the light drizzle, their bodies steaming as they came back from the track.
Behind her, Jack was tacking up Silvan, a big gray colt that thankfully didn't remind Cindy of Joy. She had been afraid that she would walk into the barn at Belmont and straight into a replica of her prized Thoroughbred filly. Instead she had walked into a big, burly colt. Silvan was paler than his half-sister, with splotches of light gray. Also unlike Joy, who had a rainbow of grays in her coat, his mane and tail were pure white. The only thing truly dark about him was his muzzle and eyes, which seemed nearly pitch black in the dim light of the barn.
"Lucas is waiting up at the timing stand," Jack told Cindy over his shoulder as he tightened the girth and pulled out the colt's legs. "He wants a five furlong breeze on the turf. They've got the dogs up, so be careful around them."
"I saw," Cindy nodded, rubbing her hands together. Unlike Saratoga, the rain in New York seemed to have sucked away most of the heat in the morning, leaving Cindy almost chilled by the difference. She found herself wearing one of Lucas' burgundy windbreakers over her tank and flak jacket.
"Okay," Jack said, nodding to the groom who held the colt. "Let's get down to the track."
The three walked down out of the barn, the nearly white colt dancing and swishing his bleached tail. Cindy eyed the colt carefully, watching for any similarities between him and Joy. He seemed well behaved and eager to work, his dark-tipped ears pricking at the track as he let out a quick whinny of excitement.
"We're pointing him to the Fourstardave Handicap in a week," Jack said. "The same day as the King's Bishop."
"I guess I'll be a little busy that day," Cindy commented. She already had four other rides lined up on other horses besides Sunday Punch in the King's Bishop. Baffert had her up on Fifty Shy, one of his hopes in the Travers. Between Lucas and Frankel she had three other rides in high-class allowance races.
When they stopped at the gap, Cindy got a leg up into the saddle and quickly took stock of her situation. Silvan was a big, well-made colt. As she pulled away from the gap and made her way to the inside track, she discovered his sweeping stride. It was easy to relax in the saddle, and Cindy let the colt warm up quietly. He wasn't pushing for more, and Cindy was glad to let him roll down the outside rail before she moved him to the inside and asked him to pick up the pace.
That was when Silvan burst. The big pale colt took one stride forward and then extended himself at Cindy's urging, shooting down the path of thick grass as they danced down the invisible rail set by the dogs. Cindy gripped onto the rubber reins as the drizzle stung at her cheeks, happy that she had goggles on to save her eyes from the spitting rain.
They pounded down the turf track, Silvan hitting the grass hard and ripping it up behind him. Cindy found herself smiling as the colt tossed his head up and leaped out, playing instead of running. She gripped the reins harder and corrected him, flying by the last marker as the gray colt lowered his head and seemed to glide down to a canter.
"Minute and two flat," Jack said when they got back to the gap, and Cindy grinned in response. "You look like you enjoyed the ride."
"It was excellent, I've got to admit," Cindy said, jumping off of the colt and walking him through the slop of the dirt track and through the gap. "When are you taking him up to Saratoga?"
"Probably a few days before the race," Jack said. "That was Lucas' plan, in any case."
"Well, I just can't wait," Cindy laughed, as the colt butted her hard in the side and rubbed his white forehead against her hip as they walked back up to the barns. Silvan grunted and shook himself thoroughly, drizzling them with a small shower of rainwater just as the light shower turned into a larger storm.
"Looks like a piss poor day," Jack sighed, pulling off the colt's tack and letting the groom walk him out after throwing a sheet over the colt's back. Cindy agreed with him quietly.
"And crap," she added, looking at Jack's watch. "I've got to get back up to Saratoga. My dad and Josie are landing in three hours. I've got to head out of here."
"Drive fast, Cin," Jack laughed as she gave him a quick hug and dashed for her car.
"Don't worry about that," she grinned back at him, pausing at the door of the barn. "And tell Lucas I loved Silvan."
"Will do," Jack called. "Now get the hell out of here."
Cindy laughed and darted for her car in the rain. She jumped into the Audi and slammed the door before taking off for the highway, the tall skyline of New York towering through the rain in the distance.