Where did Bernadette go

About the novel: That night, while we were having dinner, I sat between Dad and Mom's phrases: "We are very proud of you" and "She is smart," until silence prevailed. "Do you know what this means?" I said, "The big thing it means." Dad and Mom frowned, and each of them threw question marks at the other. "Don't you remember?" I said, "When I started school at Gailer Street, you said that if I got perfect grades in all subjects throughout the study period, I could get anything I wanted as a graduation gift." "I remember," said Mom. "That was to distract you from the dowry issue." "The dowry is what I wanted when I was little; I want something different now. Aren't you curious to know?" I said. "I'm not sure," Dad replied, "Are we curious?" "A family trip to the South Pole!" I pulled out the brochure I was sitting on. It’s a brochure from a tourism company organizing sea trips to distant places. I opened it to the page about the South Pole and stretched it across the table. "We should travel during Christmas if we’re going." "This Christmas?!" Mom asked, "In a month?" Then she got up and started stuffing the empty ready-made food containers into the bags she had brought. Dad was engrossed in reading the brochure. "It's summer there," he said, "and it's the only time to go." "The calves are cute," Mom said, sealing the bags' mouths. "What do you think?" Dad looked at Mom. "Isn't the timing bad for you because of work?" she asked him. "We are studying the South Pole," I said, "I read the explorers' diaries every day, and I will give a presentation about Shackleton." I started squirming in my seat and then said: "I can't believe this! Neither of you said: No!"