by Dave Corrick
Chapter 8
Lulu meets Pearl and a Happy Occasion.
A few weeks have passed. Louie has dropped in at Pearl’s apartment to check out what the situation was with the construction of the tunnel to the back of the bank. It was due to be started within a week and Louie wondered if he should be doing anything.
‘Louie’, said Pearl. ‘I have noticed that there is something different about you, you are always humming to yourself, you are more absent minded than usual, yet you seem to have loads of confidence, what’s up?’
Louie went a little bashful and explained to Pearl about Lulu.
‘Louie that is just wonderful for you’, Pearl responded. ‘You really are a dark horse, you loveable bee. I am just so happy for you and Lulu’.
Pearl Baker-Moth gave Louie a hug of approval. Pearl had known all along that Louie was a lonely, shy bee who lacked confidence. The change she could see now was phenomenal. It would do him a great deal of good to have a partner that he could love and cherish.
‘Pearl I love her so much, I would love to bring her to meet you’, said Louie with an imploring look on his face.
‘Oh Louie’, said Pearl. ‘I am dying to meet her, why don’t you go and get her now?’
‘Could I really!’ said Louie getting quite excited.
‘Of course you can’, said Pearl excited about the prospect of meeting Lulu. ‘In fact bring her back here and we can all talk about the tunnel project as well’.
Louie whose heart was bursting with pride said. ‘You will love her Pearl; I will go and get her now’.
Louie was off. He powered up his wings and headed down to the stream. On the way down he did a couple of loop the loops and yelled to himself. ‘Yippee!!’
Louie rushed into the Factory, waved to the Ten Ants and went on into the office where Lulu sat. Louie grabbed Lulu and hugged her. Lulu was a bit overcome by all this but of course didn’t really mind at all!
Louie lifted Lulu into the air and held her in front of him. Lulu was a very cute smallish bee and easy for Louie to lift.
‘Pearl Baker-Moth wants to meet you now’, said Louie all excited.
‘Pearl Baker-Moth! But, but I haven’t got my best ribbon on and my best clothes you silly bee’, said Lulu, protesting and laughing at the same time.
‘No I mean it!’ said Louie.
‘Oh Louie’, said Lulu.
‘Just wait and let me make myself look nice, p-l-e-a-se!’ Lulu pleaded.
‘Alright’, said Louie. ‘I won’t stop you but you look just beautiful the way you are. I’ll wait in the office for you’.
Lulu was back shortly and smiled coyly at Louie, took his arm and said. ‘I am ready to go my master!’
Louie spoke briefly to Import before they left for Pearl’s place and let him know where they would be.
The Ten Ants were really pleased for Louie and Lulu. They were especially pleased now that Louie, for some reason, seemed to have forgotten all about time sheets and other things that occasionally got the Ten Ants into a bit of bother!
Louie smiled at Lulu, took her hand and off they flew together out the portal of the Factory and on up to Pearl’s apartment.
Lulu was quite taken aback by just how strikingly beautiful Pearl Baker-Moth was, and instinctively curtseyed in a shy and humble way.
Pearl smiled at Lulu and said. ‘Hello Lulu I am just so glad to meet you, Louie hasn’t been able to stop talking about you!’
Pearl embraced Lulu and whispered in her ear. ‘Louie is a wonderful loving bee I know you two will be very happy’.
Lulu looked directly up at Pearl and said. ‘Oh thank you Mam, I do love him’.
‘Please call me Pearl’, said Pearl softly.
Turning to Louie Pearl said. ‘Come out onto the deck you two, this is a very special occasion and I think a little red wine would be quite in order!’
Lulu uttered a couple of ooo’s of coy delight. Louie put his arm around Lulu’s waist and ushered her out onto the deck where the trio relaxed in the sun. The conversation bubbled with the happiness of the occasion.
Pearl raised her glass of red wine and pronounced. ‘My best wishes to you both’.
‘Thanks so much Pearl’, said Louie.
Lulu’s eyes misted up with emotion before she uttered. ‘Thank you, Thank you Pearl; it is such a privilege to know you’.
Pearl smiled, what a lovely bee she thought to herself. She should make Louie very happy.
‘Right’, said Pearl. ‘On with the business at hand, the commencement of the tunnel project’.
Pearl picked up some notes she had then went on to say. ‘Today week, that’s next Monday, White Ant Excavators will be on site ready to commence the tunnel. Part of the contract states that they receive progress payments in advance each week. Louie can it be arranged that the appropriate payments are made available each Monday until the project is finished?’
Louie was about to say something like ‘ah er yes I don’t think that would be a problem’ when Lulu spoke up and said. ‘Yes it is all arranged with Arnold to make the payments every Monday until the project is finished. I have arranged it so that Arnold forwards the documentation to me for checking and approval, Louie authorises it and the payment is then made’.
Louie squeezed Lulu’s hand, what a great team they would make together. Louie had been a bit reticent lately and had forgotten to do things. His beloved Lulu had saved the day!
‘That’s just great’, said Pearl. ‘You two are certainly on the ball’. Louie squeezed Lulu’s hand again.
Pearl went on to say that there would be a brief meeting at the Country Club three weeks from today to discuss progress and ensure the stakeholders are happy.
‘I think you should both attend with me’, said Pearl knowing that Louie’s new found confidence depended on a certain person being with him!
Louie was quite excited about this; there would be nothing better than to have Lulu there with him by his side this time. He felt so proud of her.
‘Well’, said Pearl. ‘Having now met Lulu, why don’t you two do what you have to for the rest of the morning and we will meet for lunch, say at 1.00 p.m. down at the Nest Café’.
‘Wonderful’, said Louie. ‘Let’s do that’.
Louie and Lulu headed back in the direction of the Factory. Half way there Lulu said to Louie. ‘Louie, can we stop of at your place just for a moment before we get back to the Factory?’
‘Sure anything for you Lulu’, said Louie wondering what Lulu had in mind.
The pair stopped at Louie’s house and they stood together outside on the deck. It was peaceful and quiet. There was just the gentle sound of the stream below. Lulu held Louie tightly and looked up into his eyes and said, ‘Louie I just wanted a private moment with you before we get back to the Factory, just to tell you what a wonderful person you are to take me to see Pearl Baker-Moth. I just feel so honoured. My family was never very well off and I have never known anything like this. I don’t really know how I can deserve to be so happy?’
‘Oh Lulu’, said Louie, gently stroking Lulu and looking into her eyes. ‘You are so beautiful and I love you so much. I really wonder what I have done to deserve someone like you. I have tried so hard during my life but I have never been a particularly clever bee. Maybe it’s you that deserves better?’
‘Oh no Louie’, said Lulu. ‘It’s not cleverness, qualifications, wealth or any of those things that really matter. It’s being sensitive about others and being kind. That is what you are Louie’.
Louie held Lulu tightly and stroked her again gently for a moment. He then held Lulu at arm’s length and looked at Lulu straight in the face. Louie was strong, calm and collected. Louie spoke softly. ‘Lulu would you marry me?’
Lulu’s eyes filled with tears, Lulu sobbed uncontrollably.
‘Yes, yes oh yes Louie’, she replied.
What a magic moment. Time passed, an hour or more passed unnoticed.
Louie suddenly realised w
hat the time was. ‘Lulu it’s just about one o’clock and we are meeting Pearl. Let me dry your eyes. Let’s let Pearl know we are engaged to be married, let’s do it!’
Lulu smiled up at Louie. ‘Yes my husband’, she said mischievously. ‘Let’s go and tell Pearl’.
The truly happy pair flew off to the Nest Café to meet Pearl. They told Pearl what had happened. Of course Pearl asked the question. ‘When will the wedding be?’
‘We haven’t decided yet’, said Louie.
Louie looked at Lulu and said. ‘How about spring?’
‘Yes’, said Lulu. ‘Oh yes that would be just wonderful’.
‘Well’, said Pearl. ‘If there is anything I can do to help you two just let me know’.
After a marvellous and happy lunch, Pearl flew back to her apartment. Louie and Lulu headed back to the Factory to complete the tasks for the day.
Lulu continued with the tax return while Louie had a meeting with the Ten Ants to discuss production issues. The main purpose of the meeting was however to inform the Ten Ants that he would be marrying Lulu.
The Ten Ants cheered. ‘Hooray for Mr Louie and Lulu!’
Then addressing the Ten Ants, Louie said. ‘Organise your working bees to carry on with the work then come back in my office and we will break out the chocolate cake and honey. I have got some of my honey nectar for you too!’
The Ten Ants were elated and rushed off to get things organised. They were back in a flash.
From mid afternoon onwards there was quite a little party in Louie’s office. Lulu joined Louie of course. Louie relaxed and mingled with the Ten Ants as did Lulu. They were a great team and really got on so well together.
About 6-00 p.m., the worker bees had left for the day; the Ten Ants wished Louie and Lulu the best for the future and headed off to their home in the floor of the shed.
Louie and Lulu tidied up the office and prepared to leave for the night.
Louie held Lulu close to him and said. ‘Well my wife to be, you are coming home with me!’
‘Oh yes’, said Lulu. ‘Let’s go Louie’.
The happy pair flew out the shed portal into the cool evening air; the sun was low in the west.
Against the golden glow of the setting sun could be seen the silhouette of two happy bees, flying close together to Louie’s home. A home that was now Lulu’s as well.
Thus ends a very special day in the life of Louie the bee.
