You’re not doing it.
Esther laughed. She made eye contact with Violette, then threw her head back in the exaggerated way that she does when she wants Violette to know that she has said or done something ridiculous.
I’m not asking you for permission. I was just hoping you would film it for me. I can definitely do it myself.
The two sat outside of the Starbucks in Monroe on highway 74. It was a nice day, cool and the clouds kept the sun from being oppressive. Esther smiled at Violette from under the brim of a big sun hat she wore. Violette was obviously angry.
You can pout if you want to. You know we could use the money. And you know I can get from Monroe to Rock Hill faster than anybody.
She was right. The two lived in the apartment owned by their friend Freda, and they worked for her aunt at a print shop in Rock Hill. Violette was often slow in the mornings preparing for work and Esther would force her into the driver’s seat of their old ‘86 Buick century, and then maneuver the backroads to make it to the SC border faster than they could on highway 74.
Violette didn’t say anything else. She grumbled under her breath and looked past Esther at the cars passing on the highway.
Come with me, we can do it right now. It’ll be done.
Violette didn’t respond.
It is difficult to characterize the nature of Esther and Violette’s relationship. They are definitely best friends, they are almost like sisters, but they share an intimacy that is closer than siblings. They are not lovers, though Esther loves the way Violette caresses her temples when she has a headache, and they often slept in the same bed, and they always kissed each other goodnight and goodbye. But Esther was dating Ray, she had been dating him for years, and they would probably have been married if not for Violette, who did not trust him. Esther never did anything to upset Violette, and though she felt that she loved Ray a lot, she knew that she loved Violette more than anyone, and her relationship with Ray would only progress if Violette was comfortable with it.
Violette had always despised Esther’s obsession with cars, though she never voiced those concerns and smiled and nodded silently when Esther ogled expensive cars in parking lots or when they were on the road. It seemed completely unlike a woman like Esther to like cars so much; she liked to crochet in her free time and the two loved to spend their weekends in museums. But Violette felt that she was being a snob if she objected too loudly to Esther’s automotive interests.
You’re gonna make me do it all by myself? Esther asks. She flicks hair out of Violette’s face that the wind pushes over her eyes.
Of course not.
It is impossible for a person to have secret roads, secret routes; most roads are public roads and very few people have exclusive access to anything. But Esther felt that she had secret roads, secret passage from Monroe to Rock Hill that even Freda didn’t know about and she complained often about driving to Rock Hill to visit family. She was hesitant to get Esther and Violette the job because she thought the commute was ridiculous and rarely did it herself. Esther never told her about her secret route, she was afraid news would get out and roads would become more busy as a result.
When she and Violette reviewed the videos that had been uploaded to the facebook group, Esther was heartened that no one seemed to know about her route and she was confident that the $1000 was hers.
Her secret was the little known towns of Waxhaw and Mineral Springs in southwest Union County. Even people who she saw lived in those towns and uploaded videos for the contest, drove east to Monroe, and then northwest to Charlotte, then south to Rock Hill. She would hate to give away her secret, but the $1000 was a lot of money.
Is it a good idea to do it now? Violette asked. Once you upload it, people will know and they might just drive faster and beat you.
We can make the video now and upload it right before it closes.
Violette followed Esther to the car and she slumped grumpily into the passenger’s side seat.
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