by Suzie Carr
“You didn’t tell me her parents got divorced.”
“I didn’t think it mattered.” Sophie pulled up on the case’s handle and wheeled off toward the school’s entrance, shouting over her shoulder, “Thanks for the ride.”
Chapter Six
Jacky spent the week working overtime with the clients she had previously scheduled for that Saturday’s training sessions. Nothing would keep her from driving Sophie to her tour.
Sophie would adore Brooke, and of course Bee and all her crazed perplexities. Already impregnated with the premature cravings of creating a shared memory, Jacky survived the late nights of catering to her demanding clientele.
Sophie needed a good experience. Their relationship strained to the point of breakage. One more pull on that rope could fray it into an unrecognizable fiber, the offspring of which could dismantle the core integrity of their future. They needed a break from the everyday stressed melody that echoed its constant reminder of their dread.
Sophie needed to get away from her bedroom and start exploring life again like she used to do. Under her current constraints, she wilted. She either spent her time with Ashley, went to cheerleading practice, or closed herself in her bedroom alone.
Sophie loved adventure. She had dreams of climbing Mount Everest one day, of parasailing, and of skydiving. The promise of heart-jolting activities used to drive her to get out of bed and wake up the house in an energetic attempt to rouse everyone from the warmth of their blankets. She needed that fire to start again. She needed a moment that would supply her with a new sound, a bold flavor, an intense arousal to the senses to get her off the current trajectory and onto a new one not littered with frayed ends.
Brooke offered to show her such a time. The woman may have been afraid of walking her dog, but underneath that coating of fear lived someone who grabbed onto the esoteric force of nature. She walked like a breeze, smooth and flowing. She smelled like a spring day and emitted an aura of mystery and connectedness. Her spirit reminded Jacky an awful lot of Sophie two years prior when she shined with the promise of delight at every breath.
If nothing else, she hoped to have something new to talk about with Sophie. Preferably not a bee sting, of course.
They arrived at the apiary on Saturday morning, with five minutes to spare. The trees began to sprout green buds, drizzling the early morning with a delight that brought a sense of joy to the already exciting time ahead.
Bee began her barking tirade from the bay window. “She’s not going to be happy when I tell her that window is off limits from now on.”
“Who’s not going to be happy? The dog or the beekeeper?” Sophie asked.
“I suppose both,” Jacky said on a nod, then climbed out of the car and breathed in the ripened warmth and sunshine of the day.
~ ~
Brooke emerged from the backyard door and circled around the side. Jacky and her daughter walked toward her. The young girl wore her hair pinned back in a tight bun at her nape and dressed in long yoga pants, her socks already pulled up over them. She looked around, squinting and cupping a hand over her eyes. Jacky on the other hand, wore cargo shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt. Her blonde hair splayed out in fun directions, dancing with the morning breeze.
As they neared, Brooke caught a whiff of Jacky’s citrus scent. The honeybees would certainly like it as much as she did.
They welcomed each other with a smile, meanwhile Bee barked frantically in the background.
Brooke offered her hand to the girl. “I’m Brooke.” She scanned her tucked yoga pants. “I see you’ve done your homework.”
The girl’s face beamed. “I’m Sophie, and yes, I prepared.” Her cheeks turned rosy and shined in the morning sunlight. “This place is so pretty.” Sophie twirled toward the trees. “Are those cicadas I hear?”
“Oh yeah. They’ve just started to sing all day long.”
“I love cicadas.” Her hazelnut-colored eyes twinkled. “I can’t wait for their next invasion.”
“You’re the only person besides my grandfather who I’ve ever heard say that.”
“I would’ve loved to have seen them during their last invasion.”
The girl had a sing-song chime to her voice, like hearing the beauty when one’s finger slid across the edge of a flute glass.
“Did they really sound super loud back in two thousand three?”
“Oh, you’re aging me,” Brooke teased. “Yes, I do remember that year. You couldn’t walk outside without getting pummeled. I couldn’t hear much of anything else aside from their high frequency pitch, but I didn’t mind at all. I actually missed them once they all died off for the season.”
“Only another five years to go until they come back.” Sophie placed her hands on her small hips, looking ready to tackle whatever the day tossed at her. “I was too young to remember, but my mother told me I used to play with them. I’d line them up on the sidewalk and pretend I was a nurse tending to them.” She shrugged. “My mother adored cicadas too.” Sophie’s voice trailed off.
“She doesn’t anymore?” Brooke asked, winking at Jacky.
Sophie just kept exploring, ignoring her question.
Jacky pulled in her lower lip. “Um, so,” Jacky started. “Sophie is really excited to learn about bees. As I mentioned on the phone when I called, she’s doing a school project on them. Your honey is what piqued her interest.”
She sounded so business-like.
Sophie rolled her eyes.
Jacky flinched when she saw the eye roll.
Brooke’s curiosity rose.
Silence gripped the air, strangling the life out of it.
Okay, then. Time to segue. “Tell me Sophie, have you ever been around hundreds of thousands of them before?”
“Never.” She bloomed to life. “But, I’ve always wanted to.”
“Well today’s your lucky day.”
“I’ve read a lot so far, but I can’t wait to see for myself.” She bent down and fidgeted with her sock and yoga pants. “When did you first experience bees?”
Brooke enjoyed her inquisitive nature. “My grandparents probably carried me out here the day I was born.” She laughed. “For as long as I can remember I’ve been around them. I’ve been a curious worker bee since the day I took my first steps, I’m sure.”
“Can we see them?”
“Of course.”
Jacky rubbed the back of her neck, and red blotches rose on her face.
Where did my fearless trainer go?
“They’re very active today,” Brooke continued. “I went down to the hives earlier to clean up around them. We’ve got these runaway vines that take over the backyard. The bees love them. They’re full of nectar. They cling to everything in their path, including the hives. So, a little snip here and there and some redirection keeps everyone happy.” Brooke placed her hand on Jacky’s arm. “Did you bring any long pants with you?”
“I should’ve done my own homework, too.” She twisted her mouth and looked to Sophie.
Sophie snapped away from Jacky and focused on the cicada buzzing trees.
An unease separated them, and Brooke wanted to know why.
“I can hook you up,” Brooke said, monitoring the growing tension between the mother and daughter.
Sophie already began walking down the path to the apiary.
“We’re going to suit up in that green house by the gazebo,” Brooke called after her, then she turned back to Jacky. “So, yes? Hook you up?”
Jacky laughed. “As fun as that sounds, I’ll just take Bee for a walk while you show Sophie around the hives. I’ll catch the next tour.”
Brooke angled her head, hanging on the edge of curiosity. Does she fear the bees?
“I love how you let the weeds grow back here,” Sophie called out over her shoulder. “The wildflowers are so beautiful.” She breathed in the air in a dramatic pause. “Oh look, a bee is dancing on this blue flower.” Sophie braced on her tiptoes to get a closer look. “I read somewhere how a honeybee visi
ts 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.” Her words spun out in front of her like a ball of yarn, flowing and artful. “Is it true? Do they do that?”
“They do,” Brooke said, releasing the prying question from her mind and focusing back on the girl. “And did you know that the average worker bee produces about one-twelfth a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime?”
“That’s so cool.” Sophie breathed in again. She leaned over another patch of flowers. “I also read that as soon as a bee approaches a flower, it changes it to a positive charge.”
Oh, this is going to be fun.
Brooke turned back to Jacky. “The leash is hanging on the back of the door, which is unlocked. And her new harness is hanging up by the leash.”
Jacky nodded, gazing at Sophie with a bittersweet smile.
Hello! Anyone home? “New harness,” Brooke said.
Jacky snapped back to the present. “Okay have fun.”
Right. Okay then.
Brooke backed away and walked toward Sophie, dusting off the desire to keep poking and prodding.
~ ~
Sophie had read at least five books on beekeeping before stepping foot in the apiary. All those words she’d read never could’ve prepared her for the rush of being in the company of thousands of honeybees.
She stood in front of the hive boxes with a ball of excitement in the pit of her stomach, waiting on Brooke to lift the cover to one of them. Brooke used a metal hive tool to inch it up.
“Each stack of these boxes contain about forty-thousand bees.” Brooke opened the cover and tapped it so the bees fell down into the vertical trays inside.
Sophie counted ten trays.
“Most of these top trays will be half full of bees because a lot of them are in the lower boxes filling those honeycombs until they can cap them. The queen is typically much lower in the boxes too, along with her court.”
Bees began to swarm around Sophie’s head, tickling her senses as they investigated. A few landed on her netted hat and watched her. “What do you mean court?”
“Oh, the court is something to see. Dedicated bees surround her, matching her pace, doting on her, cleaning her, treating her like the royalty that she is.” Brooke pointed to the half-filled honeycombs. “They’ve got a lot of work to do, yet. The field bees are out foraging right now and will come back before dark. The worker bees will then deposit their nectar in these combs.”
Sophie leaned in closer to the box. “It looks like there are more bees on the middle trays. Can I see one of those?”
Brooke moved slowly. “Absolutely.” She placed the tray back in and dug out one of the middle ones.
“Wow, that’s a lot of bees on one small area.” Sophie’s heart zoomed.
“Want to hold it?”
“Really?”
Brooke handed it to her. “Just be careful as you place your fingers on the edges. Go slowly and they’ll move out of your way.”
Sophie did as instructed, fingering the edge of the hive so she didn’t squish a bee. The tray weighed more than she imagined.
She eased into the peace, enjoying the buzz and letting nothing else tamper with the moment. For the first time in a very long two years, she stepped into a new arena, one filled with lovable creatures, as gentle as puppies, and at her feet, purple, pink and red flowers growing in tandem with the wild grasses.
She leaned in closer to the tray. The bees created a breeze that passed through her netted hat. It kissed her cheeks, filling her with love as she observed their peaceful world.
Sophie’s breath flowed, dissolving all traces of negative energy and taking her on a journey where every muscle relaxed, every nerve retreated.
She inhaled, taking on the full pleasure of the buzzing. Despite the hundreds of bees moving around her fingers and arms, she knew with certainty they wouldn’t harm her. She also knew that as long as she continued to remain in awe of their magnificent presence, they would welcome her into their domain. She read that, and now understood.
Sophie enjoyed every tiny flutter.
She met Brooke’s sparkling eyes.
“I have no fear.”
“No reason to. It’s one of the most peaceful places on the planet.”
The sun shone its pristine rays on the honeycomb tray, highlighting the subtle golden hue on the backs of the busy bees who were working with intense focus. She embraced the magical moment, existing in perfect harmony with the bees. She slipped into their domain, a space full of charm, and surrendered to the wonders of their friendship.
Brooke tapped her shoulder and pointed at larvae in some of the cells.
“Incredible,” Sophie whispered.
They continued to marvel at the honeybees for the next hour. Brooke showed her new trays with more larvae, nursing bees, and capped honeycomb.
She buzzed along with them. In such a short amount of time, they welcomed her in and trusted her, revealing their hidden doorway into their home. She handed Brooke back a tray.
She eased it into the hive box, then sealed the lid.
“I had no idea,” Sophie whispered as they both stared at a few foragers returning, bustling their way in through the hive’s bottom. Overcome with gratitude, tears spilled down her cheeks.
“What you just experienced is called bee time, that special moment when nothing else in the world matters but the beauty of the present moment.”
Sophie’s heart swelled with a love she didn’t quite know how to explain. Their wholesome and pure hearts blanketed her in a peace she’d never want to live without now that she’d experienced it.
Brooke led her from the bee hives back up the trail to where ordinary life continued to play out, a life that dulled by comparison.
~ ~
Jacky sat on Brooke’s patio, feeding Bee water from the hose. Bee lapped it up and splattered it all over the place. Suddenly, Jacky heard Brooke and Sophie in the greenhouse. Sophie had wanted her space that day, that much she hinted. Solo time with Brooke at the hives paid off. Because Sophie’s giggle drifted up the hill, curling in the air like a feather, wispy and joyful.
Jacky relaxed back and enjoyed the sound of her happiness. It had been so long since she heard her laugh.
Bee pulled on the leash and whined.
“Alright.” Jacky stood. “You win. Let’s go see them.”
Bee trotted alongside Jacky’s wide stride, wagging her tail.
When Bee arrived at the entrance to the greenhouse, she ignored Sophie and ran over to Brooke, nudging between her knees for a good pat. Sophie stayed calm and focused on folding the bee outfit in her hands.
“How is she not jumping all over you, Sophie?” Brooke asked.
“Probably because I’m not afraid.” Sophie shook off the compliment. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her shirt sleeve, then squatted down to pet Bee. “Hey pretty girl.”
Dogs adored Sophie.
“So, it turns out Sophie knows more about bees than me.” Brooke kissed the top of Bee’s head. When she looked up, she brushed a piece of curly hair away from her flushed face. Her whole being lit up, stealing the breath right out of Jacky’s chest.
In the time-lapsed moments that followed, a discernable exchange occurred between them; one that blurred everything and pulled at every nook and cranny of her being. Then poof, the moment disappeared as mysteriously as it swept in.
In her peripheral, she caught Sophie’s stare.
Jacky fought for focus, and when it returned she noticed that Sophie had already cued out, fanning herself and untying her bun. Her long, thick, healthy golden hair hung in perfect tendrils down her back.
Returning to the conversation, Jacky said. “So, Sophie being a bee whiz doesn’t surprise me. She’s a smart kid.”
“Yep. Just like my mother,” she stated.
“Oh, that is so sweet.” Brooke projected an innocent sigh. “Your mother sure is smart. She’s tamed the inner beast in Bee in no time.”
“Oh, she’s talking about her mother Dre
w,” Jacky admitted, steadying to break into her painful admission.
Brooke tilted her head.
“Drew passed away two years ago,” Jacky explained.
Brooke cupped her hands around her face and peered up at her with shock. “I’m so sorry.”
An uncomfortable mist filled the space between them.
Jacky nodded her customary thank you.
Brooke dropped her hands and exposed her tears and quivering chin. “That’s just terrible. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you both.”
And just like it did every time she told someone new about Drew, the dreaded void of words now permeated the air, sucking the life right out of it. Jacky still didn’t know how to traverse the terrain even though she’d spent more than enough time on it. Drew always navigated those circumstances better, pulling them out of awkward conversations with her wit and grace. Jacky lacked such dignified characteristics. She didn’t need that ability with dogs. They didn’t ask questions.
“She would’ve loved this place,” Sophie said, looking around at the colors popping to life. “She loved gardens and flowers and green trees.”
A lump formed in Jacky’s throat. She gritted her teeth to stave off the trickle of emotions.
Brooke hugged herself, furrowing her eyebrows as though in pain herself. “I’m so sorry.”
Sophie fidgeted with the strings to the netted hat.
Eager to change the vibe, Jacky clapped her hands. “So, how was it?” Her question rolled out with a desperate force.
“Well,” Sophie said with a joyful ring. “I felt alive, just like all of the books said I would.” She lifted her gaze to Brooke. “I did my due diligence by reading Mark Winston’s book Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive as soon as Jacky told me about your apiary.”
“Maybe you’re a beekeeper in the making.” Brooke exhaled and eased her arms down to her sides. She stepped forward, opening up the perfect pathway for the sun to shine its brilliance on her chocolate-colored curls. They beamed, creating a halo effect around her head. “You know. I could always use an extra set of hands around here, if you’re interested.”