Page 2 of Must Love Bees
“This is Scorpio.” Nova held out her stuffed star-shaped toy. A star with arms and legs and a very happy expression on its star face. “Scorpio says your store is nice.”
Halley sighed, shook her head and rolled her eyes—something Tansy would have done.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Halley, NovaandScorpio. And I agree with Scorpio. I’m rather fond of our shop.” Astrid couldn’t help but like them right away. “What brings you into town?”
“Charlie has to work.” Halley shrugged. “He told us to occupy ourselves.”
“He works lots.” Nova nodded in earnest. “Lots and lots and lots.”
“That’s a lot of lots.” Astrid grinned at the little girl.Absolutely adorable.
“Charlie is our stepdad,” Halley explained.
Astrid nodded. She knew all about Rebecca’s nephew, Charlie. Mr. Charlie Adam Driver, to be exact. Rebecca had painted him as quite the gentleman. He’d sent weekly letters without fail. While Rebecca had doted on her only nephew, he’d ruffled more than a few feathers since his arrival in Honey. Astrid had yet to meet him but she’d heard plenty about the man. Mainly, that he was not very...neighborly.
Rude. Abrupt. Short. Dismissive. Those were the most frequently used descriptors. Having so recently lost his aunt, and his wife not long before that, Astrid couldn’t think ill of him. He was dealing with grief. The poor man probably wanted to be left in peace. Rebecca had mentioned on more than one occasion that her Charlie was slow to warm up to people. It was likely that he simply needed time to do just that.
“Is your stepdad with you?” Astrid peered out the window. She’d like to meet him and offer her condolences.
Halley looked panicked as she gazed over her shoulder. “Uh...no. I rode Charlie’s bike. It has a seat on it for Nova. She can’t ride without training wheels yet.” Halley glanced at Nova. “We’re working on that, though.” Nova’s nod was determined. “Charlie says the exercise will do us some good. Staying fit and healthy is important.” It sounded like she was repeating something she’d heard more than once.
“Don’t wanna get fatorlazy,” Nova added, shaking her head. “That isbadfor your body.” She patted her stomach.
“Oh.” Astrid wasn’t sure what the appropriate response was for that. Neither girl had any extra meat on them and, even if they had, that seemed a tad harsh. More troubling was the idea of these two riding along the county road into town. Exercise was good—but not when it put two children in the path of a speeding vehicle or 18-wheeler.
“Charlie likes it when we essercise.” Nova was peering around the shop with wide eyes.
“Exercise,” Halley murmured.
“Me and Scorpio do sit-ups and push-ups and eatallour vegetables. Sometimes Charlie even smiles some.” Nova rocked up and down on her toes.
“Oh.” Astrid repeated. Smiling was a rarity? This didn’t sound a thing like the man who’d written weekly, albeit dry, letters to Rebecca.
“What’s this?” Halley asked, cautiously holding up a frame grip.
“It’s a beekeeper’s tool.” Astrid showed Halley how to use the handle to release the pincher-like tool. “A frame grip. When you open a beehive to check on the bees and honey, you use this to very gently grip the edge of a frame and pull it free from the hive box to inspect the bees and...” She got the feeling they had no idea what she was talking about. “Everything.”
Both girls were frowning at the slightly ominous-looking tool.
“You don’t have to use it, though. Your hands work just fine—as long as you’re careful.” This eased their alarmed expressions somewhat. She tended to get excited and chatter away over bees. Working here, she’d learned it was best to presume a person knew nothing about beekeeping or bees in the beginning. If they did have some knowledge, a refresher couldn’t hurt them. If they didn’t, then they might learn something new. Of course, there were those that wanted to come in, put on the beekeeper’s netted hat for a few pictures and leave, but Astrid never missed an opportunity to be a bee ambassador. “Have you ever seen a beehive?”
Both girls shook their heads.
Bee novices were her favorite. It meant she had the chance to turn them into bee lovers—something the world needed more of. She accepted that just because she was ridiculously enthusiastic about her love of bees didn’t mean others would feel the same way. “Would you like to? Do you have any interest in bees?”
“Bee’s sting.” Nova hugged her slightly dingy star toy close. “That hurts.”
“I don’t know.” Halley shrugged, eyeing one of the long L hive tools hanging on the rack with open skepticism. “Some of this stuff looks like it could be in a scary movie.”
“Halley likes hairy movies.” Nova lowered her voice and leaned closer.
“Scary and horror,” Halley translated.
Which makes perfect sense.
Nova kept going. “I watched one, too.” She held up one finger. “I wasn’t supposed to but I hid. It was so icky.” She hugged her toy closer. “I don’t like those hairy movies.”
“I admit, I’ve only seen one or two myself.” Astrid couldn’t stop smiling. “The tools all have a practical use. And none of them are scary, I promise.” She thought she saw a glimmer of interest on Nova’s face. “What if I told you I could show you a beehiveandbees without you getting stung?” Astrid waited, hoping they’d say yes.
