World Men à la Mode

Chapter Sixty-one - Girl Koala

~IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE - Voting for the next story has begun! Voting options are in the Author's Note at the end!~

        "Who's ready for a fun and relaxing day?!" Jett asked after the group had been situated on the bus.

        "We are!" you all responded, cheering in excitement.

        "Fantastic! Alfred, mate, take it away!"

        "Right on! So, we're starting off at the Featherdale Wildlife Park."

        "Which I said is where my mum works, meaning you might get to meet her."

        "Then we have free time for lunch before heading to Manly Beach via a ferry ride."

        "I can teach you Sheilas how to surf if you'd like!"

        "Jett, dude, shush."

        "Sorry! Sorry!"

        "Anyway... We have dinner reservations at a restaurant at Darling Harbour, then you're free to have drinks at the Opera Bar and wander about for the rest of the evening. We'll meet outside the bar by ten to go back to the hotel. Tomorrow we ship out to Canada."

        "Isn't it going to be a lot colder there?" Lily whined out.

        "Cooler but not super cold like way up north. You guys should be okay with light sweaters and maybe jeans. It really depends on how easily you get cold."

        "Okay because I didn't pack my parka."

        "Would you really need a parka if it's only summer?" Valerie questioned.

        "Like I said," Alfred answered, "only if we're going way north, which we're not. So no, you won't need the parka."

        The bus fell silent as the conversation died off. You could see Wallace peaking over Jett's shoulder, staring intently at you. You smiled at the koala before he ducked back down to settle into Jett's lap. Humming softly, you turned your attention out the window to watch the city fly by. Featherdale Wildlife was only a half hour drive from the hotel, so it didn't feel too terribly long of a ride, which you were grateful for. You couldn't count on both of your hands the amount of times you were bored out of your mind on long bus rides during the trip, but your time cooped up was well worth it in the end.

        Exiting off the bus, the group was handed tickets by Alfred and instructed to follow Jett towards the entry gate. A kind faced woman in the ticket office greeted everyone and took their tickets, tearing off the smaller stub and handing the larger portion back to each person. You then pushed through the turnstile-like gate to get into the park. Jett handed out maps and pointed out exhibitions that would be worth waiting to see or get into. You split off from your group and walked around aimlessly until your reached the koala exhibit. Jett was standing at the observation window, watching people as they went in and out, petting koalas as zookeepers held them.

        "Look at 'em all. So cute and cuddly," Jett mused.

        You smiled and nodded in agreement, more so to yourself than to him. "They really are. Are any of those ladies your mother?"

        "Yeah! The one furthest away in the lab coat. She must be doing some recon on the lady friend we've been trying to get for Wallace."

        "Oh! Did she arrive?"

        "Mhm! She's the one with the pink bow headband being held by the guy towards the front. She just got in last night from another zoo."

        "Do the zookeepers often put clothing on the koalas?"