The Bee's Knees

Chapter 7

For the rest of the week, Anna stuck to her grandpa's side like glaze on a doughnut as they prepared the lab's catering order. Not only did they have to bake a bunch of desserts super quickly, but they also had to make sure everything was extra special because this wasn't just any event. One of the lab's most famous scientists was retiring.

Everything had to be perfect.

On the day of the retirement party, all sorts of animals bustled through the Louisiana Institute for Companion Experimentation. Horses galloped across the event hall carrying baskets of last-minute decorations, and monkeys hung streamers where ladders couldn't reach. Seldom-seen species like three-toed sloths with moss-covered fur and California condors with wingspans wider than Anna was tall mixed and mingled with more familiar companions like raccoons and rattlesnakes.

Amidst all the chaos, the caterers set out plenty of food for everyone. Carnivore and herbivore food and water troughs stood on opposite sides of the event hall to prevent any unfortunate incidents, and the scientists had plenty of options for themselves, too. Beef and chicken sizzled at the make-your-own fajita station that provided freshly made tortillas, and a couple interns carried around platters filled with pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs, and other finger foods.

Despite her stomach growling worse than her grandma's coyote did whenever someone blew an easy puzzle on Wheel of Fortune, Anna was too anxious to take advantage of the delicious food surrounding her. Instead, she carefully set out the cookies and pastries she and her grandpa had brought as she watched scientists chatting with each other.

In some ways, they weren't that different from her classmates. Although many of them were at least three times Anna's age, they still stuck together in tight clusters and argued over who should get the last pig in a blanket the same way sixth graders debated each other's claim to the final slice of pizza.

Unlike her classmates, these scientists were involved in experiments Anna could only dream of.

"I swear if I hear those birds tweet "Let it Go" one more time, I'm going to scream!" one scientist said. "At least now we know how well they memorize their owner's favorite songs, but next time I hope the subjects have better taste in music."

"Did you hear Dr. Fontes managed to track down another Spix's macaw? He's going to try to repopulate the species!" another scientist said. His lips twitched into a smirk as his hyena giggled beside him. "Now if he could just find himself a girlfriend..."

"The trial run was a success, but the real question is whether we'll be able to fund a larger training program. If we can find a hospital willing to partner with us, this could revolutionize cancer detection!"

No wonder Taylor had gushed about this place so much. These scientists were brilliant!

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" her grandpa said as he put the finishing touch on their table: a bowl filled with coupons that could each be exchanged for one free cookie from Sweet Surprise.

"I didn't realize there'd be so many people." Anna's voice came out as a hushed whisper as her bees formed a wall between her and the crowd. Presenting a school project was one thing, but how was she supposed to handle so many strangers at once?

"Think of this as practice," he said. "There's more to running a bakery than staying in the kitchen all the time. Someday, you'll need to know how to deal with all sorts of customers, even potential ones."

When he put it like that, the party felt less like an overwhelming experience where she might let her grandpa down and more like an opportunity to prove she could handle Sweet Surprise by herself someday. This was just the first step for her, like how she learned how to make chocolate chip cookies before she could bake anything more complicated.

"Oh thank goodness, you came!" A scientist with blond hair that was as messy as his wrinkled, stain-speckled lab coat jogged to their table as his coworkers darted out of his way. Two pure white rats twitched their whiskers as they eyed the desserts from atop his shoulders. "Please tell me there are some bear claws left. Rowan promised you'd bring a bunch."

"You're the first person to come over, so we still have plenty. Are you Mr. Woods's husband?" Anna carefully wrapped one of the maple-glazed pastries in a napkin before handing it to him. It felt so weird to hear someone call her teacher by his first name.

"Yup! Dr. Caleb Woods, at your service." He took a huge bite of the bear claw, flecks of pastry raining onto his lab coat. "These two are Bellum and Brum. Say hi, guys."

His rats squeaked in unison. Their tiny pink noses twitched as they climbed down Dr. Woods's arms. He shoved the rest of the bear claw into his mouth. "Nah fuh you," he mumbled.

"Hang on, I've got something they might like." Anna popped open one of the treat containers her grandpa had set out for customers' companions, this one filled with sunflower seeds. "Hopefully this will keep them busy."

Bellum and Brum hopped onto the table and started nibbling the seeds. Dr. Woods took the bear claw out of his mouth with a relieved sigh. "Thanks. As much as I love your bear claws, it's nice to avoid having to inhale one."

"Happy to help! We always have a couple snacks on hand so people's companions can have a little something to eat, too." Anna's eyes darted to the rats as a faint grinding noise came from their mouths. "Are they okay?"

"Yup, just bruxing. That's when they grind their teeth together." Swallowing the last of his bear claw, Dr. Woods stroked the rats until their eyes started bugging out of their heads. "And that's boggling. Both mean they're very happy. They're not used to getting treats when we aren't at home, especially not from other people."

Anna knew all too well how that felt. Some people saw her bees as pests to be swatted, not friends to be taken care of. "They'll always be welcome at Sweet Surprise."

"I sure hope so because I have no clue how I'd be able to live without your bear claws!" Dr. Woods slipped one of their free cookie coupons into his coat pocket before dropping a five-dollar bill into their tip jar. "I might just have to come back for seconds or even thirds later if there are any left. They're amazing!"

As Dr. Woods pranced away to go grab an entrée, dozens of hungry scientists turned their attention to Sweet Surprise's table. Anna quickly lost herself in a blur of buttercream as she and her grandpa served a steady stream of customers. A brownie for the jittery field researcher and a cup of crumbs for their equally energetic fire ants. Cinnamon rolls for the pair of ornithologists squabbling alongside a screeching seagull and magpie. A chocolate chunk cookie for the radiologist whose wide-eyed kinkajou clung to her prosthetic arm.

Only after an intern and her tortoise lumbered away with the last of the cupcakes did Anna realize all the scientists were finally settling down for the big retirement ceremony.

"That was some excellent customer service, Cupcake," her grandpa said as they ambled to their seats with their own platefuls of food. Bertrand grunted his agreement before shoving his face into the bowl full of berries they'd given him to reward his good behavior around the other companions.

"Aw shucks," Anna said, "all I did was talk to them and try to help them figure out what they'd like."

"You did much more than that. You listened to them and made sure they felt welcome." He scratched Bertrand behind the ears. "Those aren't easy skills to learn, but you've got a real knack for them."

Anna beamed at her grandpa's praise. What she'd been doing might not have felt like anything special to her, but if it made him proud of her, then she must be doing something right.