Heartbreak Highway 1 (2 page)

“Hello you two!” he said in a boisterous voice that didn’t match the feebleness of his physique. “I can’t tell you how terribly; terribly sorry I am for ya’ll’s loss.”

Marshall shook his hand first and then Eva took it. His hand felt like parchment paper and Eva was afraid if she held onto it too hard, it would crumple and tear.

“Ya’ll come on in and have a seat,” he said, leading them into his office. They sat in the chairs in front of his big oak desk quietly and watched as he shuffled around to the other side. He finally reached his destination and as he sat down, he picked up a folder that sat in front of him. Opening it up he said,

“If anyone knew Henry well, it was you two. Where ya’ll might be a little surprised at what I’m about to tell you, others would be downright shocked.”

“There ain’t much that Granddaddy could do that would surprise us,” Marshall said.

Vierra laughed and said, “I think even in passing, he was still trying.” He reached over and picked up his glasses. Perching them on the end of his mottled up nose he began to read from the paper in his hand. It said,

My dear Marshall and my sweet Eva,

If this old codger lawyer of mine is reading this to you, it means that I have passed on and am now in charge of harassing St. Peter as I stand begging him to allow me in through those pearly gates. I’m hopin’ that Vierra didn’t do nothin’ stupid like passing on before me, otherwise you might now be sittin’ across from one of them new age lawyers, and ya’ll know how I feel about them.

I know you both and I know that you wear your hearts and your emotions right out there on your sleeves. Yes, Marshall, even you. So, let me apologize to you for dying. I’m sorry that my passing has made you sad. I loved you both like nothing else in my life. My sweet Annie, Granny to you was my soul mate, and I hope to be dancing with her in Heaven by midnight tonight. But, my loves, the two of you were my life. You were what breathed new energy into this old man’s body for the last thirteen years Eva and you Marshall….you were the light in my eyes.

I know that when someone you care about dies, especially down here in the south, that the traditions are strong. Ya’ll all go over to the Baptist church and while my dusty old body lays in a box up in the front of the church, dressed in a suit I wouldn’t have bought at a yard sale for a buck, you all listen to the preacher and talk about me and cry. Then you go on over to the cemetery and you cry again as you watch them lower that expensive box laden with flowers that cost more than my first house and holding me in that damned thousand dollar suit down into the ground. Then it’s back to the house and the church ladies like Miss Penny and Miss Mavis bring over their casseroles and chocolate cakes and everyone tells stories about what an ornery eccentric old coot I was and secretly wonder who I left all the money too. Did Marshall get it all? What about Eva? Did he leave some to the staff? What about the church that he loved to create blasphemy in?

As pleasant as all that sounds, ya’ll I’ve decided to circumvent it. You remember when Granny died and instead of a funeral we took her ashes for a cruise and then up to see Niagara Falls? Well, my dears, that’s something similar to what I would like ya’ll to do for me. Only this time, the ashes will be scattered once you get to your destination. I couldn’t bear to part with Granny, but ya’ll don’t need to be looking at me in an urn for the rest of your natural lives.

You can pick up what’s left of me in an urn that matches your Granny’s at the crematorium. Ask for Larry, he has all the instructions. There will be no funeral, no memorial, and no wake. What there will be is life. The two of you will pack a bag and climb into that beautiful blue Caddy and drive my ashes out to California. I met your Granny out there, in Huntington Beach. That’s where I want you to leave me. There’s a map in the glove compartment in the car. I’ve highlighted the stops I’d like you to make along the way…there were still some things in this great country of ours I hadn’t got to see.

Do this one last thing for me kids, please. Know that I will be with you both every step of the way. Carry me always in your heart, but most of all as you drive across this land that men like me made free for youngsters like you remember how blessed you both are. Look at each other now and remember how blessed you both are.

Eternally and Forever,

Granddad

Eva and Marshall were both staring at Vierra with their mouths wide open, “Is he serious?” Marshall asked, speaking first.

“A road trip?” Eva said. “I really don’t know if I can afford two weeks on the road. I’m already unemployed as of today.”

Vierra’s eyes disappeared under rolls of skin once again as he said,

“First, yes Marshall, he’s completely serious. He had this witnessed, notarized, the whole ten yards. He also has a will, but he’s instructed me not to read that until ya’ll are back from your trip. Secondly,” he said, looking at Eva, “Henry has left three thousand dollars in cash for each of you to spend on the trip. He said that the map he’s left you with, gives specific instructions about your activities and where you should stay and where you should eat, etc. He has it pretty well down to the penny what you will need. He even allowed for souvenirs if you so desired.”

“Jeez, the old man was crazier than I thought,” Marshall said, rubbing his hand across the ever-present five o’clock shadow on his face. Vierra handed them separate envelopes, presumably with the cash inside. The front of Eva’s said,

“Travel safe my beauty, you were the best granddaughter I never had.”

The front of Marshall’s said, “You made me proud…mostly. I gave you an extra fifty. Please use it to get a haircut and a shave.” Marshall couldn’t help but laugh when he read it. He looked over at Eva; she still looked like she was trying to process it all.

“What do you think?” he said.

Eva looked up at Vierra and said, “When are we supposed to do this?”

Vierra said, “He’d like you to leave within twenty-four hours of his death. So that would be by nine p.m. tonight.”

“Oh my God,” she said, feeling like she was caught in some weird movie or sitcom. She looked at Marshall and he said,

“You know, it might be fun. I haven’t been on a road trip in a long time.”

“Yeah, I guess I don’t really have a job to hold me back, and Granddad took care of the finances.”

“So, are we going?”

Eva looked at him and nodded, and then she giggled. This was crazy, only something that Henry could have come up with. But, that was what made it so great. Then she had a terrible, awful thought….

“What about Simone?” she asked. Simone was Marshall’s girlfriend. She was a dancer with a perfect body, a perfect face, perfect hair and teeth, fake boobs and the worst personality of practically anyone Eva had ever met. She couldn’t stand her, and when Henry had been alive, neither could he. Henry knew that Eva was in love with Marshall, he told her a few years back that he’d known all along. Eva had made Henry swear that he would keep it between them, because somehow, Marshall didn’t know.

He had promised, and he never broke a promise to her but he encouraged her all the time to “Go for it,” especially once Marshall started dating the superficial, narcissistic, loose morale woman that was Simone. Eva loved Marshall beyond reason, but she feared that if she told him how she felt, it would change their relationship. She couldn’t bear to lose him, and she’d rather have him as just a friend, than not at all.

Marshall looked like he was pondering it and then he said, “I’ll just ask her to go with.” Eva forced a smile that she hoped looked more real than it felt and said,

“Oh, good idea.” The both looked back at Vierra then and said, “Is that it?”

“That’s it….Oh, except that he said to tell you that he has a lot of surprises for you along the way. You just have to look for them as you go.”

Marshall and Eva thanked Vierra and left the office. They walked quietly to the car, both of them caught up in the silent thoughts of a crazy old man who had made both of their lives bearable for so long.

* * *

When the kids were gone, Vierra shuffled his walker over to the door in the far corner of his office. He pushed it open and said,

“They’re gone.”

The man who had been hiding inside stepped out and said, “It looks like they bought it, huh?”

“It looks that way; I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Oh lighten up; this’ll be an adventure they’ll never forget.”

“But when they’re done, will they ever speak to you again?”

The other man shrugged and said, “It was a chance I had to take. Those two kids belong together. I could tell ‘em that, but it won’t work unless they both see it for themselves. Ain’t nothin’ better than a road trip to put things in perspective.”

Vierra shook his head again and said, “This is your ruse, Henry, I guess you’ve thought it through. By the way, whose ashes are they picking up?”

Henry looked sad and then he said, “Granny’s. She always wanted to be buried in California. I was too selfish to let her go so far from me when she died, so I had her cremated and kept her captive. As long as the kids are going on the road to discovery, they can set Granny free for me at the same time.”

Chapter 3

M
arshall and Eva picked up the ashes from Larry at the crematorium. Larry issued his condolences as Marshall reverently carried the sealed urn to the car. It was brass, significant of his grandfather’s balls, no doubt. The lid was held on by some kind of sticky glue and there was a note attached that told them how to open it when the time came. Marshall laid it in the backseat carefully and they both stole glances at it over their shoulders on the way home. When they got to Eva’s house Marshall turned to her and said,

“Is your Mama going to give you a hard time about this?”

“No, she’s too busy planning her wedding to notice me these days,” Eva told him with a smirk. Marshall tried to keep a straight face, but finally he said,

“She’s not getting married in the next two weeks is she?”

“No,” Eva said, “Not unless she’s afraid he’ll back out, and then she’ll drug him and prop him up with a broom or something.”

Marshall had to laugh at that. Then he said, “Well, that’s good. You’ve been at all the weddings so far. I’d hate for you to have to miss one.” Eva had told Marshall a long time ago that her mother had been pregnant with her when she and her father got married. It was always the source of one of their biggest fights, her father would scream at her that she had “trapped” him and her mother would scream back that she wasn’t the one who had stuck his dick in her pussy without a raincoat. It was quite disgusting to listen to when you were ten years old. Eva had learned to laugh at it all, without a sense of humor, life would have driven her mad by now.

“Yes, I’d hate to miss one,” she said, “I still have space for photos in my “Ma’s wedding’s” album.” She stepped out of the car and said, “What time will you be back?”

He looked at his watch, it was just after six p.m. “Eight?” he asked.

“Perfect, see you then.” Eva watched him drive away. She was heartbroken over the loss of Henry, but she couldn’t help wondering if Granddad had done this specifically to get them to spend more time alone, together. She turned to go in the house and let out a little laugh. Poor Henry would turn over in his urn if he knew that Marshall also planned on taking the evil Simone along.

When Eva walked into the house, her mother who was sitting at the dining room table looked up excitedly. Once she saw it was her daughter, she looked disappointed and went back to her text message. Eva sighed; there must be trouble in her mother’s new found paradise.

“Hi Mama,” Eva said.

“Hey baby,” her mother said, without even looking up.

“You okay?”

“Doin’ fine, honey. I ain’t had time to fix any supper” She jerked her head up and looked at Eva then and said, “Wait, why are you home so early? You usually don’t get home ‘til eight. You didn’t lose your job did you? Honey I’m gonna need your part of the rent money to put towards my weddin’ dress.”

Eva usually controlled her impulses where her mother was concerned. She’d discovered long ago, and again with Granddad’s help that arguing with her mother was a waste of time and oxygen. She just couldn’t control herself though as she heard herself say,

“Henry died last night Mama, so yeah; I kind of lost my job. I probably still have enough in my savings to give you, but here’s an idea…How about you actually pay the rent with it this time so I don’t have to give Miss Jones more cash when she knocks on the door on the tenth and wear one of your four previous wedding dresses instead?”

Her mother was looking at her like she had two heads. Then suddenly, she jumped up and threw her arms around Eva and squeezed her. “Oh honey, I know how much you loved that old man. I’m so sorry for your loss. When are they reading the will?”

“What?” Eva said, pushing away from her. “Are you kidding? You think he left me money and that makes you happy? Guess what, Mom. We already went to the will reading,” she lied, “He didn’t leave me a dime.”

Her mother looked like she wanted to cry. Instead with a snarl she said, “You should have set me up with that old man years ago. We’d be set for life.” Eva opened her mouth, and then she closed it again. Turning on her heel she forced herself to go into her bedroom. She slammed the door behind her and locked it. One of these days, her mother was going to be the death of her.

Eva only allowed herself a few minutes to stew over her mother’s ugliness before she pulled it back together and started packing. Two weeks was a long time, she would have to take a lot of clothes. She began laying her things out when her phone beeped. It was her Facebook notification. She checked it and saw that she had one new message waiting and a friend request. She checked the friend request, it was from a woman named Helen and the message said,

“Hi Eva! I’m a friend of Henry’s that lives out West in California. Henry asked me to friend you before you go on your road trip. He said there might be questions I can answer for you along the way. I’d love to be your friend. Henry speaks very highly of you. I hope you post a lot of happy pictures as you make your way across this great country.”