Free The Swiss Family RobinZOM (Book 4) by Perrin Briar

focus on, to drive him, keep him going. Why?”
    “Women too,” Liz said.
    “Conceded,” Bill said.
    “Just wondering,” Jack said, looking out the window toward the church spire.
    Bill took a deep breath.
    “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you all about,” he said. “Our purpose here on this earth. Some people travel the world and see all sorts of interesting cultures and try all sorts of different types of food. Some things I never even knew people ate.”
    But no one seemed to be paying any attention to him.
    “Like a bull’s testicles,” he said. “And ostrich penises. I can’t imagine it tastes very good, but then I’m not much of a connoisseur on the subject.”
    Still no reply.
    “What’s wrong with you all tonight?” he said, slamming his fork down on the table, making them all jump. “I just handed you a perfectly good morsel to ridicule and I get nothing.”
    “I heard you,” Ernest said. “But so what? Lots of people have travelled the world. The earth’s getting smaller every day. Type ‘ostrich penis’ into a search engine and you’ll get hundreds of videos of people eating it.”
    “I’m not talking about watching it,” Bill said. “I’m talking about trying it ourselves.”
    “You want to eat an ostrich’s penis?” Liz said.
    “What?” Bill said. “Yes. I mean, no. I mean… There are things out there we have never experienced before. Wouldn’t you like to try something new?”
    “I don’t think I’ve ever discussed eating an ostrich’s penis before,” Liz said. “That’s new to me. Does that count?”
    “How would you all feel about moving somewhere far across the world?” Bill said.
    The whole family looked up.
    “What?” Fritz said. He turned to Liz. “Is this something you’ve talked about and decided without consulting us?”
    “No,” Liz said. “This is the first I’m hearing it too.” She turned to Bill. “What are you talking about, Bill? Did something happen today?”
    “No, nothing happened,” Bill said. “I’ve just been thinking a lot lately.”
    “About a new life,” Liz said.
    “About a new life for all of us,” Bill said.
    “I don’t want a new life,” Fritz said. “You can keep your ostrich bits. I have my life here. My friends.”
    “Ernest?” Bill said.
    “I have my school, my studies,” Ernest said.
    “They’ll have schools over there,” Bill said.
    “They won’t be the same,” Ernest said.
    “That’s the whole point,” Bill said.
    “No,” Ernest said, folding his arms.
    Bill turned to Francis.
    “Francis?” he said. “Would you like to go see some wild monkeys? Some giraffes and rhinos?”
    “Don’t try to blackmail him,” Liz said.
    “I’m not,” Bill said. “I’m just trying to tell him about all the wonders out there to be seen. Liz?”
    Liz thought for a moment.
    “I admit, a trip does sound good right about now,” she said. “But only a trip. I’m not so sure I would want to move all the way to the far side of the world.”
    “But that’s where all the most radical differences are!” Bill said. “Come on, you guys. A big adventure. It’d be fun!”
    Bill’s eyes were alive with energy.
    “Where would we go, exactly?” Liz said.
    “Anywhere,” Bill said. “I don’t care. We have some money. We can go travelling for a while.”
    “How long would that last us?”
    Bill frowned.
    “Then I’ll find a job abroad,” he said. “We’ll sell everything we have and go on an adventure.”
    Liz blinked and held up her hands.
    “This is coming out of the blue, Bill,” she said. “We’d need to think about it, all of us. Do we really want to leave everything we know and love behind?”
    “What do we love that’s here besides each other?” Bill said. “I love my country but sometimes you need a break, try something new, something fresh. I’m not saying we need to make a decision right now, only that we’ll consider it. Can you all promise me that you’ll at least