Heartbreak Highway 1

by Harper Whitmore

  Simone looked shocked at the way Marshall was speaking to her. She proved that she wasn’t a fast learner however by going on to say,

  “I wasn’t saying anything ugly. I was only stating the truth, right Eva?”

  Eva couldn’t believe the gall of this woman. She wasn’t worth the energy it would take to fight with her though as far as Eva was concerned. She just rolled her eyes and said,

  “Let’s go back to the cabin. We got up really early this morning. I’d like to take a nap.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like a great idea,” Marshall said. The drive back was quiet until they pulled into the complex and Eva said,

  “I’m going to go in the office and see if they have any available rooms.”

  “Why?” Marshall said, “There are two beds in our cabin.”

  Simone and Eva both looked at him like he was crazy then. Eva spoke first saying, “I think it would be better for the two of you to have some privacy.” Marshall looked like he was going to say something but Simone interrupted him by saying,

  “That’s real nice of you, Eva. Thank you.” Marshall left it alone then, likely just glad they had found at least one thing to agree on.

  * * *

  Eva was able to get a cabin for the night. It was at the end of the same row that she and Marshall’s cabin had been in. She went with Marshall and Simone into “their” cabin to pick up her things. As Eva gathered her stuff up she heard Simone say,

  “Kind of roughing it, huh? You may as well have just pitched a tent.”

  “We still could, if you’d like. There are a lot of sporting goods stores around here….we could run to town and get some equipment before it gets dark,” Marshall told her.

  Simone laughed as if she thought Marshall was making a great joke. Eva was wishing now more than ever that they would have camped out. Maybe then, Simone wouldn’t have been able to find them at all.

  Marshall helped her carry her suitcases to her new cabin. Once inside he sat the suitcase down and said, “Are you sure about this? I don’t like you way down here all by yourself.”

  She smiled, no matter how annoyed she was with his girlfriend; she still loved her best friend.

  “I’m a big girl, Marshall. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay,” he relented, “What are we doing tonight?”

  “I think Simone has designs on you taking her out to a club or something.”

  “I know that’s not really your thing though. What do you want to do tonight?”

  “I think I’d just like to stay around here and relax. There are a few nice trails I saw in the brochures. I think I’ll get up early and take a hike before we leave for Tennessee.”

  “At the risk of sounding like Simone, that sounds hideously boring,” he told her with a smile.

  Eva grinned and said, “Lucky then, that I’m not Simone. It sounds restful and enticing to me.”

  Marshall opened up his arms and out of habit and need, Eva folded herself into them. He hugged her for a few seconds and then kissed her on top of her head. “We’re probably going to take a nap before we go out. Call us if you change your mind.”

  “I will,” she told him. She wasn’t going to change her mind. The thought of spending an evening watching Simone get drunk and climb all over Marshall in public made her a little bit sick to her stomach.

  After Marshall left her alone, Eva took out her phone and pulled up her Facebook. Helen had left her another message, it said:

  “How was the Biltmore?”

  “It was amazing.” Eva responded back.

  “Great, any pictures?”

  “I took a few outside the house, and Simone insisted I take some of her and Marshall. I’ll post them soon.”

  “How’s it going with Simone?”

  “Not great. I have such a hard time tolerating her. I want to go home to be honest.”

  “Oh dear. Please don’t do that. Henry would be so disappointed.”

  “I know it’s the only thing that’s keeping me going.”

  “Hang in there, sweetie. Don’t let her steal your thunder.”

  That was another one of Henry’s favorite sayings. Eva smiled and replied back,

  “I’m trying. Thank you, Helen. Talking to you helps me deal with not having Henry to talk to anymore. I’m afraid I’m going to be lost without his advice.”

  “He was so proud of you, Eva. He told me that you were one of the smartest, most capable women he’d ever known.”

  “Really?”

  “Really, honey. Promise me you’ll hang in there for as long as you can.”

  “I promise,” Eva told her. After she finished her conversation with Helen, she posted the pictures of Marshall and Simone. Marshall was so handsome and Simone so beautiful, they looked great together, like models out of a magazine or something. It made Eva even more depressed. She put the phone down and curling up into a fetal position on the bed, she cried herself to sleep.

  Chapter 10

  Eva passed Marshall’s cabin on her way to the visitor’s center first thing the next morning. She wasn’t sure if he and Simone had gone out the night before or not. She’d fallen asleep after her cry and woke up sometime after dark. She’d wandered down to the little café and gotten herself a sandwich and after eating it, she’d lain in bed watching television until she fell asleep again. She couldn’t see the parking lot from their side of the cabins and she hadn’t heard from Marshall, so she didn’t know what they had ended up doing. The truth was she hadn’t wanted to think about it anyways.

  When she got to the visitor’s center she asked for a hiking brochure. She was given several and on her way back to her room she stopped in front of Marshall and Simone’s door. She thought about inviting them along on her hike. She went so far as to raise her hand to knock but stopped herself. She was pretty sure that Simone wouldn’t find hiking appealing, but she might go along just because Marshall was and before their long drive to Dollywood today Eva was going to need a break from her.

  She went back to her room and packed up her backpack with some bottled waters and snacks that she’d gotten from the vending machine. After making sure she had her phone for taking pictures and everything else she needed she started out.

  She found out from the brochures that they were staying right near one of the finest public gardens in the Southern Appalachians. The landscape architect that had designed the grounds at the Biltmore Estate had begun building the public gardens and today it existed as a 434-Acre Arboretum. It had nine trails that wound through it and as Eva stood looking at the map, trying to discern which one she wanted to take she heard a familiar voice say,

  “Pardon me, but this is a very nice way to go.”

  Eva turned towards Marshall with a smile. He was so amazing. He had not only shown up, but he had shown up as the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. She tried to don a Dorothy look as she said,

  “Did you say something? Of course you didn’t, you’re a scarecrow.”

  “Or that way might be better,” he said, pointing the other way.

  “You did say something! But how’s that possible? Scarecrows can’t talk.”

  Marshall hesitated and then he at last grinned and said, “Sorry, Dorothy. I forgot the rest of my lines.”

  Eva laughed and said, “That’s because you don’t have a brain. You should come with me to see the wizard.” Marshall hooked his arm through hers and said,

  “Off to see the wizard?”

  Eva laughed again, “You’re a nut. What are you doing up so early and where is your girlfriend?”

  “I woke up early to go on a hike with you, and my “girlfriend” is still asleep. I offered her the chance to come along, but she said some very unladylike things when I woke her.”

  Eva laughed again. She was thrilled both that Marshall had shown up and that Eva hadn’t. They walked along the trail until they came to the Bonsai Exhibition Garden where there were over a hundred specimens on display. It smelled amazing and the Japanese maple and Chin
ese elm trees were amongst the prettiest trees that Eva had ever seen. As they exited the Bonsai garden they were suddenly surrounded by Eastern white pines that towered over them and formed a cool, natural umbrella.

  They walked the trail talking and laughing for at least an hour, switching trails twice and finding more natural beauty to admire with every turn. Eva had almost let herself forget Simone would be waiting for them when they got back until Marshall said,

  “I hope Simone is up when we get back. I’m starving and we should be pulling out soon, I guess.”

  Eva said, “Yeah, we should if we’re going to do Dollywood today. I’m excited about that,” she told him. “So what did you two do last night?”

  “We went into town, to one of the clubs that Simone wanted to go to,” he said, flatly.

  “You don’t sound very enthusiastic,” she said.

  “Can I tell you something? Please don’t say anything in front of Simone about it….”

  “Of course you can, silly. This is me.”

  “I don’t know if it’s Granddad’s passing, or if it’s that I’m just finally starting to grow up….but going out to clubs and hanging out with a bunch of pretentious, barely out of their teens princes and princesses just doesn’t do it for me anymore.”

  “Not that I would, but why would mentioning that in front of Simone be a bad thing?”

  He shrugged and said, “She says that we’re young and we should enjoy ourselves and do things like that before we get too old.”

  “There are other ways to enjoy your time together,” Eva said.

  “I know, like this. I love this. You and me and nature, it’s so cool, like the balloon ride and even the Biltmore. Simone just doesn’t find the kind of pleasure in things like this like I do, and like you do.”

  “Can I tell you something, and you won’t get mad?”

  “I won’t get mad,” he said, “I brought it up.”

  “Maybe you need to be with someone who likes the same things as you do, and finds pleasure in the simple things….like you do. I know you’re comfortable with Simone and I can see why you would want her…..but looks don’t last forever you know.” It was the first time Eva had come right out and told him that she thought he’d be better off moving on. Marshall didn’t respond right away. He seemed to be processing what she’d said.

  As he did, they were coming to the end of the trail. Eva looked towards the clearing and she could see Simone already standing there, waiting for them. Just before they reached Simone it was as if Marshall suddenly remembered what Eva had said. He looked at her and then in a whisper he said,

  “I did, but I made her my best friend instead.” Eva stopped in her tracks and watched as he walked over to Simone and draped his arm around her. Simone shot Eva one of her evil glares before cozying into Marshall’s side. Eva didn’t know what to make of what Marshall had just said. Was he trying to tell her that he had feelings for her? Damn him! If he did have feelings for her, then why didn’t he just come out and say it already? What was the arm candy about?

  “Men!” Eva said, following the two of them towards the cabin.

  * * *

  After the trio had breakfast, they loaded their things up and checked out of the cabins. Once on the highway Marshall said,

  “So, navigator, which way do I go?”

  “Take the I-40W. We’re going to be on it for about sixty-six miles before we exit off. Just stay west young man, go west,” Eva told him.

  “There is health in the country, and room away from our crowds of idlers and imbeciles,” Marshall said with a grin. It was a game they played, like Dorothy and the scarecrow. One of them began a quote and the other tried to finish it. Eva usually won; she was impressed with Marshall for getting that one right. Simone however, was not. With a heavy sigh, she folded her arms and dropped back into her seat.

  “You two are ridiculous. I’m going to take a nap.” She closed her eyes and Marshall’s eyes caught Eva’s in the mirror. He smiled. Eva smiled back. The one thing that kept her from being insanely jealous of Simone was the fact that she and Marshall still shared a connection that she was sure even the evil Simone couldn’t break.

  They listened to music and Eva dozed off and on for the hour and a half it took them to get to Dollywood. Eva was excited again like a little girl as they drove through the gates of the country-music themed park. She could see the giant roller coasters flying along the skinny rails that looked like they were barely hanging on….she couldn’t wait to get on one.

  The park was crowded but they used the map they’d gotten at the front gate and Eva took the lead. She led them to the Wild Eagle. It was a unique roller coaster where the seats extend outside the top of the track.

  “We’re really going to spend all day riding rollercoasters?” Simone complained.

  “Not all day,” Eva said. “They have a really cool birds of prey show I hear and lots of concerts and entertainment too.”

  “Oh joy!” Simone said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Eva ignored her and noticed that Marshall was too. He looked as excited as she was about riding the coaster. The line was long and it took them almost an hour to make it to the front. By that time, Simone had decided that a fun activity while they waited would be rubbing her body all over Marshall’s. Eva would like to think Marshall was as disgusted by it as she was, but she’d only be kidding herself. She breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the front of the line. Eva stepped on first and as Marshall started to step on behind her, Simone interjected herself in between them. Eva didn’t care; she was just thrilled to be going on the ride.

  The ride was everything they said it would be…and more. Eva felt like she was truly flying as the wind whipped through her hair and caused the skin on her face to press back against her ears. She heard Simone scream several times but…..fortunately, she wasn’t flying off the ride and hurtling through the air only to land on the front end of an RV that was headed to the East coast. That would have been awful, Eva thought with a grin.

  When they got off the Wild Eagle, they headed to the next one on Eva’s list. It was a wooden coaster called Thunderhead. It was fun, not as exciting as the Wild Eagle but Eva liked it and it made Simone scream, so it was worth it.

  When they got off that one, Marshall said his stomach felt like it had turned on itself he was so hungry. They went to a restaurant called, “Aunt Granny’s.” Eva found out while they were there that it was named for what Dolly Parton’s nieces and nephews called her. The food was great; Eva and Marshall both had the fried chicken and all the trimmings. Simone was disappointed that everything on the menu seemed to be laden with calories. She finally settled on the side salad. When it was served the cook had the audacity to put green cabbage in it instead of red. Eva thought Simone might cry over it.

  “Are you allergic to green cabbage?”

  “No!” Simone snapped at her.

  “I’m sorry; I’m just wondering why it’s such a big deal.”

  “If you cared anything about your own body, you would know that the red has ten times more vitamin A and double the iron.”

  “Simone, you don’t have to be so nasty about it,” Marshall told her.

  With a look that said she wasn’t sorry in the least she told Eva, “I’m sorry, Eva. I didn’t mean to snap.”

  “It’s fine Simone,” Eva said, “You’re right, I don’t pay much attention to what’s in my food. If it tastes good, I eat it.”

  “I earn my living with my body,” Simone told her, “I don’t have the luxury of not caring how I look.”

  Eva could tell that Marshall didn’t like that remark. She didn’t want him to say something to defend her that he was going to have to apologize for later though so she quickly said,

  “Oh look, glass blowing. After we eat lunch, we should go watch.”

  They finished their lunches and Simone seemed to have her forked tongue in check for the time being. Afterwards, they walked over and watched the glass blower for a while
. Marshall bought Simone a red heart. He asked the man to put an “S” on top of it. Simone smiled and kissed him when he gave it to her, but she didn’t look as thrilled with it as she had the diamond earrings he’d bought for her at Biltmore. Eva bought a pretty little multi-colored glass box for her mother. She could use it for her discarded wedding rings, Eva thought.

  They went to the “Winged Wonders” show which Marshall seemed to like the best of anything they had done thus far. The last thing they did was take in Randy Parton’s show. It was a variety show based on the history of country music. Even Simone seemed to enjoy that one. The sun was going down as they left the park, all tired and hungry.

  “Should we find a hotel here in Pigeon Forge?” Marshall asked.

  “That name just kills me,” Simone said, “You think people would have more self-respect than to name a town something that sounds so ridiculous.”

  Marshall and Eva let that one go. Eva wondered though, and not for the first time, how a girl who didn’t grow up with much more money or social status than she did got to be such a snob. It must have something to do with her looks. Eva knew that she wasn’t ugly, but compared to Simone, she could see how she might be considered a little “plain.” Simone had hair as black as a raven that hung to her waist. It was always shiny and buoyant. Her skin was a light olive color and her eyes were the greenest shade of green that Eva had ever seen. When they were in high school Eva used to wonder if they were contact lenses. She had high cheekbones and a petite, dancer’s body with a lot of lean muscle. Her breasts were large for such a small frame and Eva had also found herself wondering if she’d had those enhanced as well. It didn’t really matter; because the overall picture was literally drop-dead gorgeous and men practically dropped at her tiny little perfectly pedicured feet. All of that had to be where the high-fluting ideas came from.

  Once back in the car they discussed where to eat dinner and Eva started looking up hotels. She found a Motel 6 which Simone nixed right away saying that they were known for their “bed bugs,” and a Comfort Inn that Simone crinkled her nose at, but didn’t voice any strong objections. Unfortunately they were both full for the night. Eva went through the entire list of hotels in the city and eventually found one that had a vacancy. It was one of the higher end hotel chains and it was a very expensive penthouse suite. Marshall said that it didn’t matter, they’d take it. He was too tired to drive on to their next destination. Eva booked it, not having the nerve to tell either of her car mates that it had only one Queen sized bed. Besides, she thought it would be more amusing to wait and see the looks on their faces when they got there.