Sana's Road Trip

"Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee right now. Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee," Sana sang to herself as she tapped on the steering wheel of her little hydrogen powered Mazda while she drove down the lonely desert highway on her way to her best friend's wedding.

"Gotta pee, people," frustrated Sana said out loud, "I really need a rest area."

The desert highway seemed to be totally devoid of vehicles, except for her own. Yet Sana just didn't want to take the chance that another vehicle may come along and drive by seeing her by the roadside exposed taking a leak. She just needed a rest area, fuel station or something with a lavatory to pop up along the way here, except there wasn't anything in sight.

"Why didn't you just take an air-shuttle," she asked herself. "No. You had to drive across the country, see the sights, take a road-trip, check out tourist traps. Well at the moment, you need to pee, and there's nothing in sight but miles of highway ahead of you, a few tumbleweeds... dust, dirt and sand."

Sana was frustrated with herself and her current situation. For the most part she had been enjoying her road-trip, stopping to see the sights, trying out local foods and doing a little shopping. But this was ridiculous. They really didn't expect people to drive across the desert without needing a bathroom, did they?

Finally, Sana spotted something coming up in the distance. Sana slowed down. As she got closer she could see it was a sign. When she got close enough, she read: DESERT OASIS MALL AND CONSORTIUM. Malls have restrooms. She could go to the bathroom, stretch her legs and grab a bite to eat.

A mall was perfect. There was a large arrow at the bottom of the sign pointing the way. It was a dirt road, but Sana didn't care. She turned off the highway and down the dirt road in the direction the arrow pointed. She didn't see the sign fold flat to the ground behind her.

There was soon another sign that informed her the mall was 40.5 kilometers ahead. She'ld be there in only a few minutes. Hopefully, her bladder would hold out that long. She didn't see the second sign fold flat to the ground behind her after she passed it.

The narrow dirt road passed through what appeared to be two of the highest sand dunes of all time. Then the mall was there before her. It seemed completely surrounded by mountainous sand dunes. The parking lot was fairly sand covered. There weren't many vehicles in the parking lot. Most mall parking lots are jam-packed. There was a travel home and several other vehicles of various makes and models. All were dusty as if they had been sitting there a very long time. The mall building itself was a two story brown-stone structure with a large darkly tinted glass dome on top in its middle. Other than that, there was nothing remarkable about it. No other windows, no identifying marks, and only one set of visible double doors to enter and exit through that she could see. There were no store names anywhere to be seen, not even the name of the mall itself.

Sana parked her car, grabbed her lucky water bottle and got out. "Lock up," she commanded her car and it did. She stood there for a moment in the oppressive desert heat as she stared at the uninviting brown-stone building. She really didn't want to go inside. She pulled her phone from her left hip pocket of her faded pair of favorite blue jeans, but she still had no service. She hadn't had service to her phone for quite some time, way over an hour at least. She sighed as she tucked her phone back in her pocket and headed for the double doors.

Sana paused at the double doors for a moment. The glass was tinted black and she was unable to see inside. She pushed through the double doors and found herself in an elevator sized area in front of a second set of double doors whose glass was also tinted black. It suddenly felt like she was going down. She pushed to go through the second set of double doors, but they seemed to be stuck.

"Oh, screw this," Sana said to herself, deciding she was just going to pee on the ground by her car. She didn't care if anyone saw her anymore. She turned to go back out, but the doors she had just come through wouldn't budge.

"This is just great," Sana said to herself. "I'm stuck in between the entry doors ready to pee my pants."

She leaned back against the second set of double doors and they suddenly opened, letting her fall back on her butt.

"Son of a puppy," Sana said angrily, but careful not to swear encase there were children close enough to hear her. She quickly popped back up embarrassed and looked around.

She was standing in a wide hall lined with small shops. Their names were generic in nature: SHOES, BABY CLOTHES, PERFUME, SOFT PRETZES. There were people walking calmly off in the distance, more than she expected to see. There was a directory about ten meters ahead of her. Sana stepped up to it and located the nearest lady's restroom which was just around the corner up ahead.

Sana tried not to run. But she walked as fast as she could which was nearly running. She rushed into the ladies' room and straight for the very first stall. Sana barely had her pants down and was barely sitting on the toilet when her bladder let go. But she made it.

Sana sighed with relief as her over full bladder emptied itself. The washer woman she rushed passed without saying hello probably thinks she's rude, she thought to herself.

Sana's bladder was finally blissfully empty. As she stepped out of the stall, she took a good look around the ladies' room. It was different from any mall ladies' room she had ever been in before. It was more of a locker room with lockers and individual shower stalls with pastel colored shower curtains. Plus, it was immaculately clean.

"Hi," Sana greeted the washer woman, "I'm sorry for being so rude, but I really needed to pee." She began to wash her hands.

"No need for concern," responded the woman, "I am not offended. I am to provide a clean environment and assist in any way I can. Welcome to the mall."

There was something odd about the woman that Sana couldn't put her finger on as she dried her hands under a blower. "Thanks ah..." but there was no name on the woman's name tag. The tag simple said: ATTENDANT. So Sana introduced herself, "I'm Sana. What's your name?"

"I am the attendant of this female waste relief and hygiene room," the woman answered. "The lockers are free if you have anything you'ld like to store and I will ensure their safe keeping. There are washers and dryers if you need to wash soiled garment. Towels are located there for the showers if you would like to take one. Hygiene products are located in the Shower Bath and Hygiene shop."

Sana didn't know what to make of the woman. She was pleasant enough. Perhaps she was mentally challenged in some way. Sana simply said, "Ookay, thanks," as she grabbed her lucky water bottle from the sink and headed out of the ladies' room.

"Enjoy your stay at the mall," the attendant called to Sana.

Sana didn't reply because she didn't know how to reply. It was a mall, not an inn. You stopped by a mall and did some shopping, but you didn't stay. Sana decided to find the food court. She hadn't eaten since very early that morning. As she walked along she noted the names of the different stores: Sporting Goods, Exercise Emporium, Lady's Athletic Shoes, Men's Sleepwear. The name simply described the contents of the store. There were no store names you would usually find in a mall. Sana merely shook her head as she sought out the food court. This mall was way out in the middle of nowhere so she supposed it made sense that there were no major chains. But apparently the owners of these little independent shops weren't very creative with naming their stores. She passed Furniture and exchanged heys in greeting with a couple that passed her

Sana found the food court. Her choices were: Vegetarian, Steak, Asian, Hamburgers and Fries, Pizza and Chicken. "Wow," Sana said to herself unenthusiastically. She decided on chicken and ordered a meal. The cashier smiled brightly, a little too brightly, and happily filled Sana's lucky water bottle with ice water for her. Sana took her meal over to a table and sat down. There was no one else sitting and eating except for a pretty petite woman sitting at the table next to hers. She was absently eating fries and appeared to be studying.

Sana pushed her fingers through her mousy brown hair. She knew she was reasonably cute, but she wasn't pretty like the woman studying.

The woman looked up and made eye-contact with Sana. As she pushed her glasses in place with a finger, she said, "You're new to the mall. What's your name?"

"Sana, Sana Coles."

The woman jotted something in her digital notebook, "I'm Adena, Adena Goldmen. May I join you?"

"Sure," answered Sana with a shrug, "I've been driving for hours. I could use some conversation. I was due to call my parents and check in a while ago, but I can't get a signal. And I have yet to spot a payphone in this place."

Adena now sitting down across from Sana informed her, "There aren't any phones here."

"Shit," said Sana softly. Then she apologized, "I'm sorry. I'm working on my potty mouth."

"Don't worry about it," Adena responded casually, "I'm not easily offended. So, where were you headed?"

"I'm on my way to my best friend, Carra's wedding in Altadena, California. She and her Mr. Right are getting married. Me? I'm still looking for my Mr. Right."

"Does it have to be a Mr. Right," asked Adena, "Could it be a Ms. Right?"

Sana shrugged, "Yeah, I guess."

"You're very cute," Adena complimented with a smile, "Have you ever dated another woman?"

Sana blushed. That was a very personal question for a stranger to ask. But she supposed she was never going to see this woman again, so she answered, "I kind of dated this girl during college," admitted Sana.

"What happened," asked Adena.

"She broke my heart," admitted Sana. "Told me some BS about being a 'free spirit' and belonging to everyone after I came home to the apartment we shared and caught her in the middle of a threesome... I never told anyone about it before, not even Carra. Everyone just thinks we were roommates."

"Why did you keep it a secret," asked Adena.

Sana shrugs again, "Partly because she made me feel stupid. I was about to tell everyone about us, tell them we were in love when I caught her in the threesome with another girl and a guy. I just decided I would never tell anyone. I didn't want anyone giving me that look that's a combination of concern, sadness and pity with just a hint of 'How could you be so foolish.'"

"Makes sense to me," responded Adena. "Still, it had to be hard sometimes not talking about it with anybody."

"Yeah," Sana nodded confirmingly.

"Was that the only time you got your heart broken," asked Adena.

"No," answered Sana, "It was a man. I met him at a house warming party for some friends of mine that had finally tied the knot after having three kids. He was the husband's best buddy from work.

He really swept me off my feet. I really believed I'd found Mr. Wonderful. He wasn't the best looking guy, but I'm no beauty queen either.

Anyhow, after a year of seeing each other, he proposed and I said yes. His family adored me and my family loved him. The date had been set and plans were being made and set into motion. Then I got a call from the husband of the friends I met him through. His wife had left her journal out, when she usually kept it locked up tight. He picked it up out of curiosity expecting to read how he's pissed her off about this, that and the other, and how the kids got on her nerves. Instead, he discovered she'd been having an affair with his best buddy from work, the man I was about to marry. She had written about how stupid we were and how nobody suspected a thing. Turns out, I was just cover for their affair. He never cared for me. I didn't mean anything to him. Every time we'd made love, he felt nothing. Apparently, she was more adventurous in the bedroom than I was. I was way too tame for him."

"So you obviously didn't marry him," responded Adena. "Did your friends get a divorce?"

"No," answered Sana, "not that I would say they've worked things out. Their marriage is just a piece of paper now. She continues to cheat on him with other men behind his back, and he's drunk all the time now."

"Do you ever speak to your ex-fiancée," asked Adena.

Sana shook her head, "No. His family calls me once in a while to see how I am. His mother always asks if I'm seeing anyone. His family would still like to see us get married. His sister tells me how he's had bad luck with women ever since, but says that's his own fault because he wants a woman who's a total freak in the bed. Problem with that she tells me is they're a freak in the bed with anybody, anytime. But he's never tried to call me and apologize. He won't even admit to his family that he was wrong."

"He's obviously a male of inferior intelligence," said Adena, "because he was obviously wrong. He'll never find anyone as wonderful as you again."

Sana half smiled. Several years had passed, but it still hurt. It was a wound that just refused to heal completely. "It was a long time ago now," said Sana. "My parents insist that my Mr. Right is out there somewhere. But he better be looking for me, because after that, I'm sure not looking for him."

Sana began to dump her tray, "It was nice to meet you, Adena. But I need to get going. Thanks for talking with me."

"It's getting dark," Adena told Sana, "and the nearest hotel is still hours away. Why don't you spend the night at my place?"

"Your place," questioned Sana. "Really, I can't impose on you like that."

"It's not an imposition," insisted Adena. "I live right here in the mall. Come on, I'll show you."

Sana followed Adena. She noticed a few people staring at them, but didn't think much of it. They cut through the jewelry store. At the back of the jewelry store's storage room was a door. She watched Adena scan her hand to open the door and it was as if they stepped into a two story home. The place was very neat and orderly and homey. Except, there were no windows, yet the place was spacious and nicely decorated.

"Do you have a phone," asked Sana hopefully.

"Sorry," Adena apologized, "no phone. But I have a big screen TV."

"My parents are going to be so worried," said Sana.

"They'll get over it eventually," Adena told her.

Sana furrowed her brow. She didn't like to worry her parents. Then she noticed someone peeking at them from one of the upstairs rooms. "Who's that?"

The door shut fast and hard.

"That's just Donna," answered Adena, "my roommate. She's kind of shy."

"Oh," said Sana. She'd never seen anyone that shy before.

"I'll show you around," offered Adena. "This of course is the living room, kitchen's here, feel free to help yourself, dining and den. This door is my private office and study, and there's a bathroom here. Upstairs there are four bedrooms."

Sana followed her upstairs.

"Donna's room shares a bathroom with this bedroom," explained Adena. "Another bathroom, this small bedroom is our workout room, and this is my bedroom, the master bedroom with its own bath."

"Nice," complimented Sana. Adena had a large comfortable bed with satin sheets. The room was nicely and comfortably decorated. "But there are no widows anywhere," Sana shared her observation with Adena.

"The lights are UV emitting," replied Adena, "Like light therapy lights."

"I don't want to make Donna uncomfortable," Sana told Adena.

"Don't worry about Donna," Adena told her, "She's fine, and we have plenty of room."

"Are you sure I wouldn't be imposing," asked Sana.

"I'm sure," said Adena stepping up to Sana. Then she took Sana's face in her hands and kissed her.