After 3 hours on the highway, Sara pulled up to a gas station. She handed her daughter a ten dollar bill.
"There, take this… you can get yourself a snack or something," she said as she stepped out of the car to the pump. "Oh, don't forget to go to the bathroom before we head out again… it's another three or four hours 'til we get to Vegas," she added. Amber scoffed.
"You can't be serious," she hissed. "Do you know how much bacteria are in those?" she asked, pointing madly to the lavatories. "They can't possibly not have health code violations. Really, mom." Amber said sarcastically.
"Hold it then," Sara suggested. Amber headed into the pantry to get something to eat. She returned moments later, empty-handed.
"All they have are chips and pop," she said, reaching for the door, only to find it was locked. "Mom," Amber said impatiently, "you locked me out!" she laughed nervously. Sara put her hand in her pocket.
"Where are my keys?" She asked herself. Amber bit her lip to prevent her laughing. She pointed to the driver's seat. Then she burst out laughing.
"MOM! You locked both of us out!" Amber exclaimed. Sara suddenly looked terrified. "Mom? Come on… you're a police officer! You break into cars all the time!" Her daughter whispered.
"Yeah, but not my own…and… I might scratch the paint…" Sara said, admiring the candy-apple red finish that shone deliciously. She sadly pawed at the window, wishing it wasn't there.
…..
Amber sat on the island of the gas station, listening to her mother hiss and snap at the car trying to break into it without the alarm going off. She was reading the ingredient list of her Fruitopia her mother insisted she buy. The first four ingredients were sugar. She nervously took a sip, but then spat it back in, disgusted. Shuddering, she headed over to the car to watch exactly what her mother was doing.
"Mom?" Amber said quietly. Sara paused and looked up at her. "Mom, you… should know that my Lysol is in there," Amber pointed to the backseat of the car, "and sooner or later… I'm gonna have to go!" She pointed madly at the washrooms. Sara rolled her eyes at that.
"Stop being such a freak. I'm doing my best!" Sara shushed. Amber went to sit down on the curb again, muttering something about glucose-fructose. Another car pulled up, driven by a farmer-looking-like guy. He offered Sara his help, but she politely declined, just as she got the door unlocked. Cheering like a giddy four year old, she got her purse and went to pay for the gas. Amber tagged along.
"Are you POSITIVE you didn't see any water in there?" Amber begged, waving her rejected Fruitopia around.
"Positive, Amber." She said, a little impatiently. She sighed and opened the door to the pantry and lined up behind the farmer-looking-like guy. "Y'know the world would be so much better without car keys. Wouldn't it?" Sara thought out loud. Amber thought for a second.
"No, no… I think the world would be much much better off without petroleum." Amber replied. The few store occupants whirled around to look at her. She looked at them in amazement. "Oh come on. Don't pretend you don't emit 6 tons of greenhouse gases…every year…something each American is guilty of!" she exclaimed. Blank expressions greeted her. Sara looked nervous. "Hello people? 80 percent of that is from the fuels that power our cars!" She continued. Sara quickly paid for the gas, and grabbed Amber's arm to lead her out. Amber continued still, "it raises sea levels, alters forests, ecosystems… it affects human health!" She shrieked. "We aren't indestructible! And don't look at me like that! You brought it on yourself!" She added, as her mother dragged her out the door.
……
"I said I was sorry!" Amber repeated, once they were on the highway again. "It was probably my immune system crashing after ingesting that syrup!" She accused, pointing to the rejected beverage sitting in the cup holder.
"Amber… one of these days we will have to eat in a restaurant… and you will have to get over this… I don't even know what. It's insane! I'm not even that compulsive, Amber! What has happened to you?" Sara exclaimed, scanning the radio, but getting nothing but white noise.
"Maybe it has something to do with moving every month for God knows why!" Amber shot back. "I'm probably just as insecure as you are. You could be just as compulsive as I am. We're different. It's just that I will never understand why you cringe when the phone rings, or why you never wanted to be a criminalist, and you'll never understand how I can't touch food someone else prepares for me. Especially when it's a little Vietnamese granny in the back room of a fast food joint!" she said. Sara nodded.
"You're probably right," she said. Amber leaned back into the seat, and closed her eyes.
….
"Amber! Amber! Wake up… look!" Sara was shouting about three hours later. Amber woke up, startled.
"What? More desert?" She wondered.
"No, look!" On the horizon, bright lights were shining into the blackness of the night sky above it. "It's Vegas!" Sara declared. Amber squinted with sleep.
"Why are we going to Vegas of all places, mom?" Amber asked groggily.
"Exactly!" Sara answered, which confused her daughter. Amber pondered that for a moment.
"OH! I see how your twisted little plan works now!" She exclaimed. "You're right, mom. They'll never guess it. And we might be able to set a record. Maybe… two months?" Amber said. Sara smiled. The rest of the trip was in silence.