Louie the Bee: The Insects Prevail.

by Dave Corrick

  Chapter 18

  The Big Day. Louie and Lulu are married.

  It is now the evening before the wedding.

  The Hotel Babbleon has been completed for some three weeks now. The wedding guests have all arrived with most staying at the new hotel.

  The Nest Café is humming; Basil is extremely pleased with the renovations and the addition of the new Builtmore Bar. It is 6.00 p.m. and the Nest Café person birds are rushed off their feet to cater for all the additional guests. The hotel is completely booked out for the big day tomorrow.

  Louie is at home, nervous as a bee can be. Lulu is staying the night with Pearl Baker-Moth. Louie won’t see Lulu until tomorrow morning at 11.00 a.m. The wedding time had been arranged reasonably early so that Louie and Lulu would have time to get away on their honeymoon. The get away time was to be about mid-afternoon, after speeches had been made and the guests had lunched.

  During the day Louie, to keep his mind off being nervous, had flown twice down to the tunnel entrance to make sure it was securely locked and that everything was secure at the Reserve Bank. Now back at home Louie was pacing up and down reciting his speech to himself and practicing the vows that he would say to Lulu tomorrow. The nervousness didn’t relate so much to the wedding itself but to that old alone feeling he had without Lulu being there. It had brought about a feeling of lack of confidence. This worried Louie as he felt he might let Lulu down by saying something stupid in the nervousness of the moment at the wedding. Well that is what he thought but we all know that no matter what Louie did, Lulu would still love him!

  Yes Louie did have that desperate feeling of loneliness without having Lulu with him. It really did take him back to the days when he lived alone. However the situation wasn’t too bad. He wasn’t completely alone; Import (ant) had been chosen as Louie’s best man and was staying the night to keep Louie company.

  Lulu felt the same as Louie, she missed him but all would change tomorrow, besides Pearl was wonderful company and she reassured Lulu that all would be well.

  Lulu had made her own spider silk wedding dress. It was hanging up on the wall in Pearl’s apartment. The pair admired the dress and kept adjusting and fiddling with the train to make it ready for the next day. At Louie’s request Lulu was to wear a pink ribbon around her head. He hadn’t forgotten the terrible day of the car accident when her pink ribbon was lost, blown away in the wind down the road. The pink ribbon was very special to Louie.

  Before Lulu had left home for Pearl’s she had carefully laid out Louie’s clothes for him. He was to wear a new pair of white spider silk shorts, a natty little black waistcoat that Lulu had made and a black top hat to match the waist coat. Lulu instructed Louie what to do before she had left. She had tears in her eyes as she reminded him not to get the shorts creased or dirty and told him where he could find things. She hated being apart from him and she knew that he could be a forgetful bee at times.

  Louie and Import filled in the evening watching Fly TV. Louie hardly took anything in; his mind was on the next day.

  The next day, the day of the wedding, dawned beautifully fine not a cloud in the sky. Louie and Lulu felt relieved that the big day had finally arrived. They would soon be together again.

  By 10.30 a.m., the guests had assembled at Virgil’s hangar and they cheered as Louie and Import arrived. Louie raised his top hat to all his friends and associates that were there. Louie, with Import at his side, headed into the hangar to wait for Lulu and Pearl to arrive.

  Red wine and honey nectar flowed freely. The Nest Café had done an excellent job of catering. Louie and Import felt a bit more relaxed after the consumption of some red wine and honey nectar and joined in the chatter for awhile before waiting at the alter.

  Pearl and Lulu by this time had dressed for the wedding in a room set aside for them at the Hotel Babbleon. Lulu was ready and looked magnificent.

  Pearl had arranged it so that Duck Paddle Cruises would take them to Virgil’s hangar. It was a very clever and thoughtful thing Pearl had done. Today the M.V. Penelope (a duck named Penelope, Mallard Variety) covered in a mass of spring flowers formed a float that was to move slowly upstream with Pearl and Lulu standing proudly in the middle.

  Pearl and Lulu walked the short distance down from the Hotel Babbleon to Duck Paddle Cruises. Lulu had bundled up her long train and Pearl walked to one side helping her carry it. A few well-wishers were there to wish Lulu the best for her wedding. Lulu gasped when she saw the vessel alongside waiting for them, it was magnificent. The M.V. Penelope had been covered in a mass of daisies and roses. A line of pink roses delicately touched the water around the water line. The rest of the M.V. Penelope was covered in Elfin Daisies of all colours, yellow, pinks, reds, blues and violet. The duck wore a coronet of Louie’s favourite daisies that had been picked from the water’s edge by their house on the stream.

  Towed behind the vessel was a water lily that had only just opened. On the satin crème petals of the lily had been carefully written the words ‘Louie’ and ‘Lulu’ with the shape of a heart between the two names. The words had been written in bright red berry juice. Pearl and Duck Cruises, together with some assistance from the Ten Ants, had done and incredible job.

  Pearl had even arranged for Sparrow Construction to make a special ramp leading from the wharf up onto the magnificent vessel. Entwined in the ramp were masses of freshly cut Jasmine flowers.

  Lulu and Pearl walked gracefully up the ramp onto the upper deck of the M.V. Penelope. Pearl spread Lulu’s train out over the flowers behind where the pair stood. On a signal from Pearl the powerful twin screw M.V. Penelope moved slowly away and on up the stream. The well-wishers on the wharf cheered.

  As soon as Pearl and Lulu commenced the journey, a truly remarkable thing happened. Sir Cada had arranged it so that many hundreds of his relatives lined the banks of the stream between the hotel and Virgil’s hangar. Immediately they broke into song. It was an unbelievably magic moment. The constant shrill of the cicadas moved both Lulu and Pearl to tears. Pearl and Lulu waved to well-wishers lining stream banks. It was a fairytale scene, trees and fern fronds with fresh spring growth hung over them. The smell of flowers filled the air.

  The M.V. Penelope stopped alongside the stream bank at Virgil’s hangar. Lulu and Pearl alighted. Nine of the Ten Ants were there to assist them to disembark.

  Lulu, now standing ready to move to the altar, looked exceptionally beautiful in her exquisite wedding dress with the long train. The ants moved to take up their positions, four each side and one at the rear to carry Lulu’s train. Of course around Lulu’s head was the pink ribbon, behind which had been inserted some of Louie’s favourite daisies; again taken from the stream bank by their home.

  At the point of disembarking, Pearl had again arranged something very special.

  A couple of weeks before the wedding Pearl had been onto Twitter. What Pearl had done was to arrange for two young thrushes to be at each side of the point where they alighted. On a signal from Pearl the two birds emerged from the bush either side of them. They too were dressed for the occasion with red rose petals and a coronet of small flowers.

  When in position the two thrushes broke into the most beautiful bird song anyone had ever heard. A hush went through the guests as they listened to the exceptional performance. When the thrushes had finished, all the guests clapped and cheered. What a happy occasion and what an incredible event!

  The guests formed a line either side of Lulu and Pearl as they moved towards the hangar. Lulu and Pearl smiled and waved.

  Ahead of Lulu and Pearl in the Hangar the jazz band from the Nest Café was playing.

  The band was led by a cool dude by the name of Bluie Armstrong who played sax. Bluie was a middle aged Blue Bottle fly and looked quite the part in sunglasses that he wore even if there wasn’t any sun. His father was believed to have been a weightlifter, possibly explaining the name Armstrong.

  Accompanying, Bluie was Beetle Harris on base together with five cic
adas on clarinet and flute. There was also a vocalist - some fella Fitzgerald. The band was playing some really cool romantic music that all added to the marvellously happy occasion.

  As Lulu and Pearl entered the hangar, Bluie raised his arms and the band played the Wedding March. Louie turned and saw his beloved Lulu, it was going to happen at last, they were about to be married. Lulu looked stunning.

  Lulu moved to Louie’s side at the altar and reached out and touched him. Pearl stood in front of them and called for everybody’s attention.

  The Wedding March stopped playing, the guests were absolutely silent. Pearl Baker-Moth by her very presence had everyone in awe and under her control.

  Pearl’s voice was heard strongly and clearly through the hangar as she went through the ceremony. Her diction and authority were as though a greater power had taken over. Pearl was indeed the Queen of the insect community.

  Louie and Lulu spoke their vows to one another in such a manner as to be pleading to be together for ever.

  Import stood close to Louie and had the ring ready for the right moment. The ring originally belonged to Louie’s mother whom he loved dearly. Something sad had happened in Louie’s life that he never talked about; his mother was no longer alive.

  Louie slipped the precious ring onto Lulu’s tiny finger. Louie knew that this was the right place for his mother’s ring to be; he knew that his mother would have been oh so proud to have Lulu as a daughter in law.

  Finally Pearl paused and smiled then said ‘I pronounce you to be husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride’.

  Everybody cheered, the band started playing again and Lulu jumped for joy. Just the most wonderful wedding ever!!

  Before joining the guests for lunch and speeches, it was now time for wedding photographs. Louie and Lulu were whisked out a rear door in the hangar. Pearl and the Ten Ants went with them.

  Virgil had arranged to do the photography and was on top of the hangar ready with his camera to take some shots of the happy couple.

  Virgil was very interested in this photography stuff. He had originally bought the camera because it was supposed to be good for aerial shots. However the only aerial in the area was Mr McFarland’s television aerial so the camera hadn’t been used much.

  Close by to the hangar was a Rhododendron bush in full flower. Louie, Lulu and Pearl had alighted on a flower on the bush. The Ten Ants had climbed on top of an Elfin Daisy. Everybody was in place for Virgil to proceed.

  Virgil was lining up the camera. It was a FONY flash model, well fairly flash, and was of the fidgetal type. Yes it took Virgil a lot of fidgeting and fiddling to get the dam thing to work.

  For the photographic experts, Virgil had read in the camera manual that the camera had something like ten Megapixies (it was some word like this anyway). Virgil thought that if there were this many pixies making the picture it must be good!

  The real advantage of using a FONY camera was of course as we have learnt before, all concerned could view the images via the smellular net work at a later date.

  Well the wedding photos were finally taken. Louie, Lulu and Pearl on the Rhododendron bush looked just splendid. The Ten Ants on the Elfin Daisy made a great shot as they waved and smiled at Virgil taking the pictures.

  It was then back to the guests in the hangar. The guests were by this time seated at tables that the Ten Ants had spent many weeks painstakingly weaving and forming out of dried grass. The tables were decorated with masses of spring flowers. Oh it was so beautiful.

  Louie squeezed Lulu’s hand for a moment and said. ‘Look what the Ten Ants have done for us, we are so lucky to have them’. Lulu just sighed with pleasure and looked up at Louie.

  Pearl was seated at the head of the main table, Louie and Lulu on her right and the Ten Ants on the left.

  Sir Cada and Lady Bird sat next to Louie along with other dignitaries that had been invited.

  Pearl called for a toast to the Bride and Groom. The band played a delightfully soft medley of ‘toasting’ type music.

  Louie gave quite a long speech for a bee who was generally a bee of few words. Louie was however just completely overwhelmed, as was Lulu, with what their friends had done to make this day special for them.

  Particular thanks went to Pearl for the float she had arranged, the thrush song and for the many other things she had organised. A very very special thanks went out to the Ten Ants who had been so supportive and had worked tirelessly for the past months to make the occasion such a success. Then of course there was Sir Cada and his thoughtfulness in organising the chorus of cicadas

  Of course the wedding couldn’t have taken place if it wasn’t for Virgil and Virginia making the hangar available for the occasion. There were just so many friends to thank who had contributed to the success of the occasion. As Louie spoke, his voice was faltering with emotion.

  After Louie sat down, Import as best man told a few stories about Mr Louie and a few things that had happened over the years at the Factory! The guests laughed with affection for Louie. Louie’s yellow stripes turned a little pink. At the end of Import’s speech Import turned to Louie with genuine affection and told him what a fine person the Ten Ants thought he was and how they all loved Louie and Lulu very much.

  Everybody relaxed and had a marvellous lunch. Louie and Lulu stayed and talked to their friends until 3.00 p.m. It was then time to say goodbye to everyone.

  The pair got changed at Virgil’s hangar. Louie hugged Pearl and thanked her. Louie and Lulu made a special effort to get the Ten Ants together. Lulu gave them all a hug and Louie shook hands.

  It would have been nice to stay but the pair wanted to get to the cave before dark.

  Pearl took Louie in one hand and Lulu in the other and walked the happy couple to outside the hangar. ‘You two are very very special to me’, said Pearl. ‘We have all got some wonderful times ahead, take care won’t you’. Pearl hugged them both.

  The pair launched themselves into the air and waved goodbye. Louie and Lulu circled overhead. Pearl waved to the pair with a tear in her eye.

  After circling overhead a few times Louie and Lulu flew off up the stream. It was almost like Peter Pan and Wendy. Everybody cheered.

  The cheering faded as Louie and Lulu moved away from the hangar and off on their honeymoon. They glanced at each other as they flew close, side by side. It had happened; they were together now, forever.

  The pair flew in silence for awhile, thinking about what had happened and what the wonderful Pearl Baker-Moth and others had done for them. On they flew, up the stream, turning right at the fork and on to the falls.

  At the falls they landed and rested on the rock where Virgil had taken Louie two years or more ago. There was still some warmth in the afternoon sun. The pair, although they had such a good time at the ceremony, felt so good to be alone together. The transition from the tension of the wedding to being alone and free again took a little getting used too.

  The pair looked around at the beauty of the falls. Lulu had only been this far before and then it was when they were on the other side of the quartz.

  The Kauri tree Louie and Lulu had made grow larger and then smaller was still there. So was the clump of buttercups. A lot of things had happened since that time.

  Louie explained what they would be doing next and to stay close behind him when they went through the tunnels. ‘First of all’, Louie explained. ‘Follow me to the top of the falls; we go into a cave there. In the cave we need to circle around to get our eyes used to the lack of light….’. Louie stopped here; Lulu wasn’t taking a blind bit of notice of what Louie was saying!

  ‘Are you listening to me?’ said Louie.

  ‘No I’m not’, said Lulu moving over to Louie and stroking him. ‘You have told me a million times already you loveable bee!’

  ‘Oh have I?’ said Louie not really remembering.

  Lulu gave Louie an affectionate slap for forgetting that he had already told her then ran off in an enticing manner, not
too fast, just so Louie could catch her again and hold Lulu close. ‘I love you Lulu’, said Louie. ‘You’re just a big tease!’ and gave her an affectionate slap back.

  Lulu squealed and ran off again. ‘Come here Lulu’, said Louie. ‘Your ribbon is all crooked now, let me fix it’.

  Lulu raced back to Louie and held him at arm’s length looking straight at him. ‘Yes Louie, please fix my ribbon’.

  Louie’s soft touch, as he adjusted Lulu’s ribbon, made her tingle and her wings quivered with delight.

  ‘There’, said Louie. ‘That’s better’.

  Most of the flowers that had been tucked in behind Lulu’s ribbon had now gone. Louie carefully adjusted the remaining flowers. As Louie had thought when he first met Lulu, she was indeed a very very pretty bee.

  The sound of the falls had a mesmerising affect on the couple as they lay side by side on the rock, basking in the remaining warmth of the sun.

  ‘Well my beautiful bride’, said Louie finding it hard to consider moving. ‘We had better move on before it gets too dark’.

  Lulu followed Louie to the top of the falls. Then it was on through the tunnels to the cave.

  Lulu gasped at the beauty of the glow worms lining the tunnel walls. She glanced at Louie as they flew side by side, she loved him very much. How truly wonderful she thought, for him to have thought to bring her here.

  When they arrived in the cave, the sun was setting and shining straight in from across the sea that was far below. It gave the interior of the cave a reddish yellow hue.

  ‘Oh Louie’, said Lulu. ‘It’s even more wonderful than I imagined!’

  Lulu cast her eyes around. The rainwater pool looked so cool and inviting. The seagull’s nest was still there. The view out of the mouth of the cave over the sea had Lulu dumbstruck for a moment. She too had never seen the sea before.

  ‘What is that out there?’ asked Lulu.

  ‘It’s the sea’, said Louie. ‘I don’t really know what it is either. Virgil told us that he has flown out over it but said it seems to go on forever’.

  Lulu turned to Louie and reflected. ‘We are so small aren’t we Louie’.

  Louie held Lulu for a few moments then said. ‘Yes we are very small Lulu, it scares me sometimes’.

  Lulu let Louie go and danced around the cave with mischievous delight. ‘I don’t feel scared’ said Lulu full of confidence. ‘I’ve got you Louie’.

  Louie laughed. No he wasn’t really scared either, he had Lulu.

  ‘Tomorrow’, said Louie excitedly and grabbing Lulu around the waist as she frolicked past. ‘We can lie in as late as we like. Then we can go for a swim in the pool and have breakfast! We can swim and sunbathe the rest of the day if you like or go back through the tunnels and explore. It’s going to be so wonderful Lulu’.

  Lulu rolled over on her back on the soft sand, panting from the effort of dancing around and let out a long. ‘Oh Wow!’

  Virgil had made sure they had plenty of supplies including some of Louie’s Beehive Matches to light a fire.

  Louie turned to Lulu and grabbed her hand to get attention.

  ‘What I want you to do Lulu’, said Louie, ‘is for you to sit in the last of the sun while I get the fire ready for us to sit in front of tonight. I will get a meal ready for us too’.

  Lulu kissed Louie then went and sat near the entrance to the cave and watched the sun go down. Louie busied himself getting wood from the seagull’s nest. Every so often Louie stopped what he was doing and looked at Lulu sitting at the cave entrance. How he loved that bee.

  When the sun was just about gone, Louie lit the fire.

  Some chocolate cake and red wine relaxed the pair. Later they had a meal of one of Louie’s favourites. Honey fritters that they toasted by holding them over the fire with pointed sticks from the seagull’s nest.

  They laughed and teased each other until tiredness overtook them.

  The fire died and two happy little creatures lay on the sand in front of the remaining embers, clutching each other tightly. It was off to dreamland after a big, big day!

  Outside the cave the stars shone brightly, there was a full moon. Louie and Lulu didn’t notice it but I am sure the man in the moon had a smile on his face!