Flying the Coop Read Online Free PDF

been leaning across the bench with her fingers crossed, registered what her mother was trying to say. The girl’s face immediately crumpled and she turned away to stare out of the kitchen window, her body language speaking volumes. Chris stared at her in amazement. She could understand Michael getting all excited, but Grace? It had never occurred to her that she might be keen on the whole idea – in fact, she would have thought the opposite would be more likely. Surely world domination would be more difficult from a rural setting?
    â€˜Mrs Beggs – Christin, are you there?’
    â€˜Yes! Yes, of course!’ Chris dragged her eyes away from her daughter and forced herself to concentrate. ‘I’m sorry, I got distracted.’
    â€˜Oh, I thought you must have been too excited to speak!’
    â€˜Too – too excited to speak?’ repeated Chris hesitantly, as everything around her suddenly moved into slow, exaggerated motion – Michael’s dance decelerating into a series of jerky movements, and Grace, turning ever so gradually away from the window and looking towards her mother with her mouth slowly opening, and the kitchen clock emitting an extraordinarily loud tick – tick – tick , and Chris’s heart plummeting leisurely down towards her cramped toes as she forced herselfto ask the necessary question. ‘Um, why would I be too excited to speak?’
    â€˜Because they’ll take it!’ said Frank enthusiastically, his voice echoing metallically in Chris’s left ear. ‘And you’re about to become a bona fide poultry farmer! Congratulations! Mrs Beggs? . . . Christin? Are you there?’
    From: Christin Beggs
    Date: Saturday, 15th July 2006. 9.56PM
    To : Jenny Parker
    Subject: You’re not going to believe this!
    You’re not going to believe what I did today. It was our annual ‘family day’ – you know, when Garth and I are supposed to present a united, friendly front for the kids. So this year we went to Healesville Sanctuary, had a picnic, saw all the wildlife, and I bought a chook farm. True. Call it temporary insanity. Can you see me knee deep in chickens? The only good news is that you get a cooling off period on purchases here, so tomorrow Grace and I are heading down there, having a quick look at it (did I mention I haven’t actually seen it yet?) – and then I’m cancelling the whole thing! The real bugger is that the kids are excited – and I feel like a total idiot. Actually, I think I’m having a nervous breakdown.
    Love, Chris.
    PS Isn’t it your anniversary tomorrow? What are you planning?
    From: Jenny Parker
    Date: Saturday, 15th July 2006. 10.16PM
    To: Chris Beggs
    Subject: Re: You’re not going to believe this!
    You’d have to be a total idiot, wouldn’t you? This is one of your best efforts yet. I just told Lauren and she’s inhysterics. Oh well, look on the bright side – maybe you’ll soon be able to answer that age-old question of what came first – the chicken or the egg.
    Love from Jenny
    PS Re my anniversary, it will have to wait as Stuart’s just off to Bundaberg for this huge job that’s going to keep him busy for a few months. I must admit I was feeling a bit depressed but now you’ve cheered me up.
    PPS Still laughing . . .

CHAPTER THREE
    S unday morning found Chris driving down the Maroondah Highway towards Healesville once more. The main difference between today and yesterday was that Grace had barely stopped talking since they got in the car. And, of course, the fact that yesterday she didn’t have a vested interest in a few rural acres covered with chooks. It was these few acres that they were now heading toward, having arranged to meet the real estate agent there at 11 am. Chris’s plan was fairly simple. Do a tour of the property, pat a few hens politely, and then find some excuse to withdraw from the sale. Not that she really