Chapter 28: The healing begins

Over the following days, the girls got caught up in the excitement and preparation for the race. It was easy to get caught up in their problems with their carburetors, timing chains, and miss-matched vacuum hoses. They had their own problems at home too, and the girls were also at ease offering their own suggestions and support. Maria and Marie had no shortage of young men interested in them also.

In their evenings together at the Café, the girls grew fond of the camaraderie and knew they were going to miss Barcelona when this was all over. The girls were given their own motorcycles to use back and forth from the track to the Café or Hotel. Maria was giddy about getting to ride from the track to the Café at night. There seemed to be a growing number of young girls who were eager to meet the mostly-eligible young athletic riders, and were shocked when she removed her helmet and shook out her long reddish brown hair down past her waist before she strolled into the café. A number of photographers were able to sneak in to get photos of the young riders. Pictures of Maria and Marie in their riding gear started to show up in their local newspapers back in the states. It would be hard to be anonymous back in school the next semester.

Jenny worked her butt off trying to do better as a rider, but finished last on the day of the race. But in the end, she didn't really care. She had done her best. She and her daughters had come together and overcome some difficult times. In the end, none of the riders cared either. They were glad to have Jenny and her daughters who did not ask for any special treatment or sympathy for their horrible treatment.

Although the riders would claim total ignorance, Carlo and his friends had been killed a few days after the race. The story in the newspapers claimed the men were killed through rival gang warfare. Although nobody would admit anything, the cell phone pictures that had been circulated, and the photographs of the girls at the outdoor café were enough for the local riders to identify enough of the gang members who under intense torture revealed the identities of the rest of them. None of the girls heard about any of it, because they were back at home by then. The girls all promised the riders they would be at the next Motorcycle Grand Prix if they were out on summer break. The girls all went home much stronger mentally than when they had started the summer. When the girls back home asked what was such a big deal about motorcycles in Barcelona, they would mention that: If you have never been in a Grand Prix Motorcycle race take into account we are talking about 800cc motorcycles, over 210 horse powered engines and a weight under 150kg, add a unbelievable acceleration from 0 to 100 in less than 2 seconds and that in barely 4 seconds can reach 200kph. Of course, nobody knew what they were talking about.