Heartbreak Highway 1 Read Free

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,