“The surprise is super cool, and this is going to be a blast, but there’s a chance we could get into some trouble.”
“Even better,” said Daniel. “Danger will only add to the intrigue.”
Sandy was thrilled that Ethan had made a new friend and readily agreed for him to stay over. She called Daniel’s mother who was only too happy to give permission.
The boys had a lot to talk about that night. Daniel was stunned with amazement when Ethan told him about what had occurred at Miss Green’s house earlier that day. They debated whether or not Ethan should tell someone about the body in the cellar and finally decided to leave that up to Miss Satterfield, assuming she hadn’t already notified the authorities. When it came time to discuss the plan to surprise Cynthia, Ethan put on an old Elvis record, and the boy’s whispered, not to be overheard by Sandy who was watching TV in the living room. They would have to convince Simon Green to be an accomplice to make it all work. Once they had perfected their plans, they talked, laughed, and joked about whatever came to mind until they drifted off to sleep to the sound of the frog bands playing their night songs beneath the moonlight that shone through the open window.
The next morning Ethan made an amazing discovery. Waking up early, as he often did when he didn’t have to, he put on a pair of shorts and a tie-die t-shirt, and made some coffee. Daniel was still sound asleep, and Sandy had already left for work. He was sitting in peaceful solitude on the front porch steps when something caught his eye, nearly causing him to drop his coffee cup. There were bees swarming around his bee boxes. How did that happen; where did they come from? Sitting the coffee cup on the porch, he walked barefoot, stepping carefully around a few sharp rocks scattered about the yard, towards the beehives, careful not to get too close. Confirming that, yes, bees were now occupying the hives, he ran excitedly back to his bedroom and shook Daniel awake.
“What’s going on, Man?” said Daniel, rubbing his eyes.
“Wake up, you ain’t going to believe this.”
“You need to calm down,” said Daniel. “It’s too early in the morning for all this foolishness.”
“I’ve got some news you won’t believe.”
“You’ve got more news than Walter Cronkite here lately,” said Daniel, sitting up on the side of the bed.
“I know,” said Ethan, smiling broadly. “Ain’t it great? Get dressed and come on outside. I’ve got something to show you.”
In a few minutes Daniel joined Ethan on the porch.
“You see over there?” said Ethan, pointing to the hives.
“When’d you get bees? I thought the boxes were empty yesterday.”
“They were empty,” said Ethan. “The bees found it on their own, I guess. I can’t believe it.”
“That’s pretty cool,” said Daniel. “I figured you’d have to buy the bees somewhere. I didn’t know they could just find it.”
“I didn’t know that either. I guess my mom’s going to be pissed off when she sees them. She wasn’t thrilled about the beehives to start with.”
“That works out perfect for you,” said Daniel. “Now you don’t have to wait for her permission.”
“I hope she lets me keep them.”
“If she says you can’t, tell her you’ll need her help getting rid of them because you can’t do it by yourself.”
“That’ll do it,” said Ethan laughing. “I guarantee she won’t go anywhere near them.”
“It looks like you’re going to have to find you one of those bee suits, though.”
“Yeah, maybe,” said Ethan, “maybe not.”
“You’re crazy if you don’t get a bee suit,” said Daniel. “Those things could sting you to death.”
“I think bees kind of like me.”
“If you say so,” said Daniel, unconvinced.
“Anyway,” said Ethan, “let’s go fix a bite of breakfast and then head to town and find old Simon. He’ll know what to do about the bees, and we need to see if he’s willing to help us with Cynthia’s surprise.”
Ethan found a note from Sandy on the kitchen table saying they needed to discuss the beehives. He laughed to himself thinking what his mom must have thought when she looked over and saw the bees swarming the hives. The boys ate bacon and scrambled eggs then grabbed their bikes and headed to town.
Ethan couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw Simon sitting on his seat in front of Square Deal. “I’ve got bees,” he said, still sitting on his bike.
“Bees?” asked Simon.
“Yeah, they came sometime last night, or maybe early this morning, just showed up on their own.
Simon seemed to think deeply about this for a moment then he took a puff from a pipe and said, “I’ve heard of things like that happening before, but I’ve never actually witnessed it.”
“Like bees just showing up?” asked Ethan.
“No, there’s more to it than that, I believe. Those bees just didn’t show up out of nowhere. Son, those were Miss Green’s bees.
“Whoa, are you serious? Do you really think so?”
“You said Miss Green’s bees had left, flown away, didn’t you? And now you got bees. It don’t sound like a coincidence to me. Sounds like those bees took a shine to you. Now they got a new home.”
“Wow, I just can’t believe it,” said Ethan. “That’s amazing.”
“That is amazing,” said Daniel.
“Who’s your friend?” asked Simon.
“This is Daniel Foster.”
“Oh, you stopped by here the other day asking about Flintridge,” said Simon.
“That’s me, Sir,” said Daniel.
“Now just call me Simon, if you will. Sir makes me feel old. Just because I’m ancient don’t mean you have to make me feel old.”
“Yes, Sir, I mean, Simon.”
“I’d like to see those bees if you got time,” said Simon.
“Of course,” said Ethan. “That’s why we came.”
“Well, Y’all throw your bikes in the back of my truck over yonder, and we’ll head on over.”
At the sight of the bees, Simon Green took his cap off and stood speechless.
“So what do you think?” asked Ethan. “Do you think those are Miss Green’s bees?”
“I sure do,” said Simon, “We are witnessing a miracle of nature. I mean, old Miss Green’s bees disappear, and now you got bees out of nowhere. Yes, Sir, I’d put money on it.
“I’ve got two beekeeper suits behind the truck seat I’ve been aiming to show you. I’ll put one of them on, and the two of you can take turns wearing the other one, though it might fit a little too big. We’ll take a closer look at those bees.”
“If it’s all the same to you,” said Ethan, “I’ll do without the suit. I think the bees like me. Daniel can wear the suit.”
“Boy, you’re crazy.”
“They flew all over me at Miss Green’s one day and didn’t sting me, not once.”
“Well, do what you want,” said Simon, slipping his legs into a white bee suit, “but if you get stung a hundred times, my ass is driving off in the truck and acting like I’ve never heard of you before. I don’t want people blaming me for it.”
Ethan laughed and said, “They won’t sting me, promise.”
“Well, just the same.”
Simon finished suiting up and helped Daniel into the other suit. Lastly, they covered their heads with the veil and slipped on the gloves. Together the three approached the hives and took a closer look at them. A few of the bees landed on Ethan and crawled around, causing him to laugh a little as their tiny legs tickled his skin. He wasn’t afraid this time, and none of them stung him. He was a true beekeeper now. Miss Green, he felt, had somehow passed that on to him.
“Wait a minute,” said Simon. “I almost forgot about the smoker. Luckily, I brought it along too. I’ve been aiming to give it to you, Ethan. I’ve got an extra one.”
“Thanks,” said Ethan. “What’s the smoker do?”
Simon retrieved the
smoker from the truck, handed it to Ethan, and said, “You use it to calm the bees. I like to burn untreated burlap in mine, but some people use wood shavings. You get it to smoking good and then use the pump in the back to blow smoke into the hives. The bees will leave you alone then, so you can get a look inside.”
“Kind of looks like a watering pitcher that uses smoke,” said Ethan. “I can’t wait to see inside the hives.”
Using a Zippo lighter to light the burlap, Simon opened the lid to one of the bee boxes and pumped smoke into it. “It’s got five of these frames,” he said, pulling one of them out. “They build the honey combs on these frames. When theses frame get filled, we can come along and collect the honey. See there, they’re already starting to go to work on it.” He gave the boys a closer look at the frame, then returned it to the box and closed the lid.
“I’ll let you keep half the honey if you’ll help me collect it,” said Ethan.
“Just as long as you don’t try to give me goldenrod honey. The bees produce that in the fall, and it smells like someone’s rotten socks. I’ve heard of people burning their hive because they stunk so bad that they thought something was wrong with them. Some people like to eat goldenrod honey because it helps their allergies, but I’ve rather have the allergies, myself.”
“What makes it goldenrod honey?” asked Ethan.
“That’s a flower that blooms in the fields around here late in the year; the bees love it. I’ll teach you what I know about your different types of honey later.
“I can’t wait,” said Ethan.
“You’ve got a real miracle here,” said Simon, removing his veil and gloves. “I still can’t believe Miss Green’s bees found your hives, but I know that’s what happened. You and Miss Green must have shared a certain bond that the bees somehow picked up on. That may sound crazy to most people, but I’m a firm believer that everything in life has a purpose and a meaning, that everything happens for a reason. You only have to watch and study bees to learn that much. Bees can’t have a very big brain, but they somehow seem to know more about life than us people do.”
“I think you’re right,” said Ethan. “I think everything does happen for a reason.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Simon. “Bees have got it all figured out. They just follow the plan of life to perfection. It’s us humans who mess everything up by not doing what we know is right, by following our own paths to destruction.”
“It all makes total sense to me, what you’re saying,” said Ethan. “I think we all know the right things to do in life, but half the time we do the wrong things anyway. Whereas, the bees get it right every time.”
“Well,” said Simon, “I’d like to take credit for such wisdom, but I’m just repeating what my mamma used to tell me. It was her who taught me all about life. She was a wise woman. I couldn’t have picked a better one.”
“And now you’re passing that wisdom on to us,” added Daniel.
“But I guess I better head on home soon,” said Simon, removing the remainder of the bee suit and placing it behind the truck seat along with the suit Daniel had worn.
“There’s one thing I wanted to ask you before you leave,” said Ethan. He explained his plot to surprise Cynthia.
When he had finished explaining his plans, Simon said, “You boys are trying to get me in a whole heap of trouble, yes sir. They’ll turn you boys loose for your mommas to deal with, and I’ll be sitting in the county jail like an old fool.”
“So you won’t do it?” asked Ethan, disappointed.
“Now I didn’t say I wasn’t going to do it. I’m just saying it’s a stupid idea. The only reason I’m going to help you out is because I was young and in love once too. Besides, I used to do a lot of crazy things in my day, might make me feel young again.”
“You’re the coolest,” said Ethan.
“Yep,” said Simon putting his cap back on, “going to have me locked up, is what y’all are going to do. Just let me know when, so I can be ready for it.” He climbed into the truck and shut the door.
“How about eleven o’clock tomorrow night?” Ethan asked.
“Better make it twelve,” said Simon. “I want to make sure people are asleep.”
“Sounds perfect,” said Ethan.
“I’ll swing by here at twelve then, so you two better be ready to load that thing on the back of the truck, or I’ll keep on driving.”
“I haven’t picked it up yet,” said Ethan. “Do you mind helping me pick it up tomorrow? We can just leave it on your truck until tomorrow night.”
“You don’t ask for much,” said Simon. “Come by Square Deal tomorrow. I’ll be at my usual spot.” With that he drove away.
“He sure is a cool guy, even if he is old,” said Daniel.
“You got that right,” said Ethan, watching in admiration as the old truck rattled down the road.
Chapter 23
The following day Ethan woke up early, excited but also nervous, about his plan to surprise Cynthia. He was almost certain that she would love him for it, but the thought that she might also think him weird was starting to creep in. Eating a blueberry Pop-Tart and sipping on a glass of milk, he imagined all kinds of ways that the whole scheme could turn into a disaster. In the worst-case scenario, he would become the laughing stock of the whole town. On top of that, Cynthia would likely tell all the kids at school about what an idiot he was. He’d begin his eighth grade career as a total outcast, hardly able to focus on his schoolwork for all the snickering going on behind his back. He concluded, finally, to call the whole thing off, but by the time he’d finished eating, he had changed his mind again.
At the appointed time that night, Ethan and Daniel snuck out of the bedroom window, walked silently down the road a piece, and hopped into the back of Simon Green’s truck. Simon had brought his nephew Alfred along, introducing him to the boys. Simon complained the whole time, saying repeatedly that they were going to wind up in a big heap of trouble. Ethan felt increasingly guilty about asking Simon to help, but he felt sure the punishment if caught wouldn’t be all that serious. He would take the blame for everything and keep Simon, Alfred, and Daniel clean of the matter. Thankfully, they weren’t arrested for trespassing or for any other crime they were possibly committing. The whole scheme went off perfectly, at least the execution of it did. Cynthia’s opinion of it all still remained to be seen.
The next morning Ethan dressed quickly, checked on his bees, and road his bike to town, skipping breakfast. He didn’t think his nervous stomach could handle food at the moment. He found Simon at his spot in front of Square Deal.
“So how did you-know-what go?” asked Simon.
“Oh, I haven’t seen her yet. I’m starting to have doubts about the whole thing.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Simon. “These women love a good surprise. She’ll think you’re Romeo for sure. Just keep my name out of it. You can take my involvement to the grave with you.”
“You don’t have to ever worry about that.”
“We better hush now,” said Simon. “Look who’s riding her bike up the street.”
Ethan’s heart skipped a beat, and he nervously ran his hand through his hair like his fingers where a big clumsy comb. He wanted to look his best.
“How’s it going, Ethan?” Cynthia said, as she slowed to a stop.
“Okay,” he replied, feeling lost for words.
“Well, you don’t sound very excited.”
“Oh, sorry, everything’s great. So what have you been up to? You haven’t been around the last few days.”
“Been to my mom’s house, just got back this morning. She lives in Bowling Green. I kind of go back and forth during the summer.”
“Glad you’re back.”
“I wasn’t gone all that long,” said Cynthia. “You act like I went to China, or something.”
“Sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry about it. I’m just glad you missed me, I guess.”
“Cynthia…”
>
“Yes.”
Ethan couldn’t get the words out.
“Well?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I forgot what I was going to say.”
“You’re acting kind of weird today,” said Cynthia.
Great, thought Ethan, just the word he didn’t want to hear—weird. He wanted to hop on his bike and ride away; that would be so much easier. She’d soon discover his gift on her own. Maybe it would be better that way. He wouldn’t even have to tell her it was from him if she thought it was stupid. He could agree with her about how idiotic it was for someone to do that. Simon, Alfred, and Daniel were the only other people who knew about it, and they would keep his secret. “Sorry,” he said finally. “I just have a lot on my mind today.”
“I just hope I haven’t made you mad or something.”
“No,” said Ethan. “It’s not that at all. You’d have to shoot me to make me mad.”
Cynthia laughed and said, “I’ll have to remember not to shoot you then.
“Anyway,” she continued. “I was kind of hoping you’d want to go bike riding. I need some exercise.”
“Sounds great,” said Ethan. “Where’d you want to ride to?”
“I thought we might ride out to the cave, maybe. The Cave’s nice and cool, a great place to be on a hot day like this.”
Ethan felt his face flush, and he heard his heart beating in his ears.
“Are you okay?” asked Cynthia. “You don’t look so well.”
“I’m fine. I guess I haven’t felt the best lately, or something.”
“Well, we can go another day if you don’t feel like it today.”
“No, I do want to go. I’m perfectly fine now.”
“Wonderful,” said Cynthia. “Let’s go then.” She peddled her bike away, and Ethan followed at a safe distance behind her. He didn’t want her to see how nervous he was, almost shaky.
After the two had reached the farm and parked their bikes, Ethan felt almost as though he were walking to his execution. Would Cynthia hate him once he revealed his surprise? If she didn’t hate him, she might at least not want to hang out with him anymore. What normal person would do such a thing?
A Million Doorways Page 24