Caroline awoke Wednesday morning, barely able to think. She was so excited about her trip with Dr. Clarke that she nearly forgot she had an exam that day. She quickly showered, dressed, and headed down to breakfast. After finishing her meal she went back up to her room to look over her notes. She quickly reviewed the important material then headed off to her last exam of the semester.
As she had expected the exam was easy. It was mostly multiple choice and essays. Caroline finished quickly -- she was the first to be done -- checked her work and departed the classroom. As she walked across the university courtyard she pulled out her phone and dialed her mom.
"Hey mom!" she said.
"Hi, honey," her mom replied. "How's school? Are exams going well?"
"I just finished my last exam, which was a piece of cake. Is dad there? I wanted to talk to both of you about Christmas."
"We're both here," her mom replied. "We don't have any exams to give today. You're on speaker phone."
"Hey, dad," Caroline said.
"Someone sounds awfully excited," her dad said. "What's up, Kitty?"
"Well, remember how I told you one of my profs this year was Dr. Emma Clarke?" Caroline asked.
"Yes," her parents replied.
"Well, there's a UN symposium on global warming in Sydney over the holiday, and Dr. Clarke has invited me to join her for the symposium. I know it's over Christmas, but..."
"Wow, you must've really made an impression!" her mother said.
"That's fantastic!" her dad said. "Of course you should go! This would look amazing on any resume, and we can have Christmas when you get back."
"Are you sure?" Caroline asked.
"Of course, dear," her mother said. "Have a wonderful time!"
"Thank you both so much!" Caroline said. "I love you guys! I'll call you Christmas Day!"
"We love you, too, kiddo," her dad said.
The call ended. Despite it only being Wednesday, Caroline went back to her room to do laundry and start packing. Her phone dinged; it was an email from Dr. Clarke. The email contained a PDF of the itinerary along with Emma's guidelines for attire during the symposium. Emma also mentioned that, as it was summer in the Southern Hemisphere, to bring a swimsuit. Caroline knew exactly which swimsuit to bring.
The next couple of days seems to take forever to pass. As her friends finished their exams and headed home the dorms became emptier Caroline said goodbye to her friends, wishing them happy holidays and that she'd see them next semester. Thursday night only a handful of students remained. There was only one exam on Friday morning. Caroline and the remaining students sat together eating dinner. They talked about their semester and remembered some funny moments from the year. Caroline went to bed that night, knowing that in twenty-four hours she'd be on a private jet bound for Sydney.
Friday seemed to drag on. Caroline was already packed and ready. It was just a matter of waiting until it was time to leave for the airport. No matter what she did to pass the time it seemed to slow down. Finally it was time. She grabbed her bags and headed out onto Amsterdam Avenue. She hailed a cab and told the driver to take her to JFK Airport.
She arrived half an hour later. She checked her phone to see where she was to meet Emma. She followed the signs and soon saw Emma standing with a concierge. Caroline walked quickly over. She and Emma gave each other a quick hug, and the concierge explained the process. The concierge gave them their luggage tags then led them through security. Once through security they were driven by car to a private area of the airfield where government and private aircraft were kept.
They boarded the aircraft, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X. Caroline was impressed with how spacious the cabin seemed, despite the jet's size. On one side of the aisle were two long couches; on the other was a small conference table with four chairs. The pilot showed them where the lavatories were as well as the small, well-stocked pantry. There were ready-to-eat sandwiches, salads, and desserts, along with cold drinks and snacks. The captain informed them per their itinerary they'd be flying to Tokyo and spending the night before flying on to Sydney. The flight would take about twelve hours.
Emma and Caroline took their seats and buckled in. Their heads turned when two more passengers boarded. It was an older woman and gentleman, both appeared to be in their fifties and were of Japanese descent.
"Doctor and Mrs. Sato, I didn't know you were coming!" Dr. Clarke said with surprise.
"We were invited at the last minute as Dr. Gupta couldn't attend," Dr. Sato said. "It's an honor to see you again, Dr. Clarke."
"Likewise, both of you," Dr. Clarke said. "May I introduce Caroline Johnson. She's a senior at Columbia University. She's studying education and sociology, and she's also my TA for the year. She's a brilliant young woman. I've incorporated one of her papers into part of my address for the conference."
"You must be a very impressive young lady," Mrs. Sato commented.
"Thank you," Caroline blushed.
Dr. and Mrs. Sato buckled in to their seats on the opposite side of the conference table. Soon the Falcon's engines roared to life and the aircraft rolled from it's parking area. Caroline felt the acceleration as the aircraft rolled down the runway. She watched out the window as the aircraft lifted off the runway and into the evening sky.
They reached cruising altitude within minutes. The captain announced over the intercom that they'd reached altitude and could unbuckle. Caroline asked if anyone was hungry. Dr. and Mrs. Sato had eaten before the flight; Dr. Clarke had not. Caroline went to the pantry, grabbed a couple sandwiches and drinks and returned to her seat. She and Dr. Clarke ate their sandwiches and chatted with the Japanese couple. Caroline listened as Dr. Sato told Dr. Clarke about his work; Caroline found it mildly interesting.
"Well, I think we should try to get some rest," Mrs. Sato said after a few hours of talking.
The long couches on the opposite side of the aisle were sectioned off into four separate sections. Each of the passengers selected a section and got comfortable. Caroline and Emma lay so they could face each other. Caroline and Emma smiled at each other lovingly and began to slowly doze off.
Caroline awoke a few hours later. They must've crossed the International Date Line because the sky was no longer dark; the sun was setting. She got up and used the lavatory then went to the pantry to get a drink. As she was deciding on what to drink, Emma woke up. She got up and, seeing Dr. and Mrs. Sato still asleep, went to Caroline.
"Hi, Kitty," Emma smiled, stroking Caroline's cheek.
"Hi, Emma," Caroline said.
