Then she read the Decree:

“WHEREAS it has come to Our Attention that a new Product has recently been made available for sale and use within the Hive, and,

WHEREAS the Product in question, Amalgamated Paper Spoons, manufactured and distributed by the Amalgamated Paper Spoon Company, has been shown to bee Toxic and present a significant danger to the well-beeing of the Hive or anybody residing within a 200-Kilometre Radius of these Paper Spoons, and,

WHEREAS it is Our Priority to assure the safety and well-beeing of the Hive,

I HEREBY DECREE that, effective immediately, any and all Product(s) manufactured and/or distributed by the Amalgamated Paper Spoon Company are HEREBY BANNED, and that any Product(s) from the Aforementioned Company shall bee promptly disposed of in a Safe and Proper Manner, as described in Hive Environmental Safety Directives 119352 and 119387.

This Decree is final and may not bee appealed.

Signed,
Her Royal Highness
Queen Bee”

After she read the Decree everybody just kinda looked at each other and started buzzing, “What can this mean??”
(Narville Snark just looked upset and didn’t say anything.)

The Judge banged her gavel again and said, “Quiet in the Royal Court! Beecause it appears the product that lies at the Root of this Case has been deemed to bee Contraband, I hereby rule that the Snark Brothers and their Subsidiary Companies no longer have standing in this Case. Case dismissed!”

Then I heard her say, “I need a Nectartini,” and she left.

And so did everybody else.

So now, I’m back home, trying to figure out how to dispose of all those Amalgamated Paper Spoons I have in storage.

I’ll probably hafta put a call into Biohazards ‘R Us and arrange to have them deal with all those things.

So I’m gonna go do that.

Okay then. I hope everybody has a sparklingly sublime weekend!

I’ll see ya’ on Monday!

Weirdly enough, S.O.Bee’s Confidential Private Secretary just hung around the whole time in the office doorway, listening to everything. I asked her if she planned to stay for the whole Consultation and she said, “Of course. I am the Confidential Private Secretary for Mr. O.Bee…wan’ to know, bee, anything Confidential that transpires so I can better Organise things for you. I’m here to help, probably.”

Anyway.

After S.O.Bee made me show him the receipt proving that I’d paid half of everything I own for his Retainer, he told me to sit down.

“Sit down,” he said. So I did that.

“I have looked over the details of your case, and recommend that you plead guilty. You absolutely fit the profile of somebody who would commit a Breach of Contract, so I think we can all save ourselves a lot of time and honey if you just Cop to a Plea.”

“Cop to a Plea?” I asked.

“Yes. And despite the fact,” he continued, “that you clearly suffered Extenuating Circumstances - those being the unfortunate outcome of your Plastic Surgery - and ignoring for a moment the fact that a clause in the Contract you signed accommodates for a full release of your Contractual Obligations under the Contract due to the aforementioned Extenuating Circumstances, it could bee argued that you did not, in fact, commit a Breach of Contract.”

“Well that’s good,” I said. “So I wanna plead NOT GUILTY.” He seemed to ignore me and kept talking.

“But, in my experience, despite the Facts of the Case, the Royal Court would still find you Guilty,” S.O.Bee said.

“Why?!? You said yourself I’m NOT Guilty!” I protested.

“That’s what they all say,” he said. “Unfortunately, you fit the Profile. So I am just going to suggest again , as your lawyer, that you Cop to a Plea. You’ll probably have to do some Community Service, pay some Fines and Fees, make Full Restitution to the Snark Brothers and the Amalgamated Paper Spoon Company, and you’ll most likely bee on Probation for a few years, and, of course, you’ll have a record, but I think that’s the way we should go with this.”

“Can’t we just have the case dismissed?” I had to know.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I’ve already cut a Deal on your beehalf with the Royal Court Clerk and the Snark Brothers. pertaining to your case.”

“A Deal? What Deal?” I asked.

“If the Snark Brothers can provide Videotaped Evidence proving your Innocence, then perhaps the Case will bee dismissed. But that’s not gonna happen. So, you should just plead Guilty and we can all collect our fees and bee done with the whole thing.”

Something just didn’t sound right to me about all this, so I said, “NO! I won’t DO IT! I won’t plead Guilty when I’m Innocent - and you’re supposed to defend me. You’re my lawyer!!”

“Yes I am, which is why I’m recommending you plead Guilty.”

“But…” I started to say, but S.O.Bee interrupted me.

“So bee in Royal Court promptly at 9:00 a.m., on Tuesday, June 3, 2047, for your Preliminary Hearing.”

“2047?” I asked. “But that’s 31 years from now. I hafta wait that long?”

“Unfortunately, yes. The Royal Courts are very buzzy these days.”

Geeeeeeeeze.

I’m gonna hafta sit down and do some thinking here. Do I really want a lawyer who thinks I’m Guilty? I just dunno about this.

Well, I hope everybody has a marginally miraculous day!

I’ll see ya’ later!

“Oh dear,” Gee Gee said, looking the piece of wing.

“Then they go on to say, ‘Don’t bee givin us a hard time on dis matter. Consider da enclosed memento a warning, bee.’”

Geeeeeeeeeze. The Snark Brothers are gonna start mailing me pieces of other bee’s wings if I don’t cooperate?

“I think perhaps you should consider hiring some legal representation, dear,” Gee Gee said. “I’d call my team, but they’re very buzzy right now dealing with the Franchise Deals for my Royal Honeychew Krsip Cookies. My goodness, I would never have thought they’d bee so popular.”

So I’m gonna do that: I’m gonna hire S.O.Bee to help protect me against the Snarks. My appointment is scheduled for 18 minutes from now, so I need to get ready to go. I was told by S.O.Bee’s new Confidential Secretary, Violet LeBlanc, that I should bring half of whatever I have to cover S.O.Bee’s retainer.

So I’m gonna go do that.

I hope everybody has a ridiculously sublime day!

I’ll see ya’ later!

Geeeeeeeeze. I couldn’t imagine what I might have done wrong.

“WHAT??” I asked.
Without even looking at me, she said, “You forgot, didn’t you?”
“Forgot?” I said, trying to think really fast, beecause I’m pretty sure I forgot something but I couldn’t remember what it would bee.
“No, I didn’t forget!” I said in a really nice voice. “I totally remembered.”
“No, you did not,” ButterCup said.
“Sure I did! I was just coming over to the Hive to cook you some Pollen Flake Biscuits for a Romantic Monday Morning Brunch, just like I promised,” I said.

“No, you weren’t,” she said. “I’m very hurt that you completely forgot my birthday,” she said and then she got kind of a pouty face and wouldn’t look at me.

“No, no! I didn’t forget! Don’t you remember?” I tried to sound convincing,”that I’d promised to come over and bake your some special Birthday Pollen Flake Biscuits! Don’t you remember?”

I hoped she would, beecause I didn’t. I also hope she didn’t notice that I didn’t have any Pollen Flake Biscuit Mix or spoons or bowls with me, either.

“Today is not my Birthday, Georgie. My birthday was last Thursday. That was four days ago. You’re a terrible liar,” she said.
“Last Thursday? Are you sure?” I said.
“Yes, I’m sure. My Birthday was last Thursday, you didn’t remember, and no, you never promised to bake me special Birthday Pollen Flake Biscuits. Beesides,” she continued, “you know very well that I despise Pollen Flake Biscuits, so your whole … thing … here that you’re trying to pull just isn’t working.”

Geeeeeeeeeeze. What was I supposed to say?

So I tried to explain to her in the most highly convincing manner possible. I knew I was a bee whose intentions were good, and for sure didn’t wanna bee misunderstood.

“I just lost track of time! I got a flat on the way home from buying a new calendar beecause I forgot what day it was! I thought Thursday was Tuesday and that Tuesday - which is tomorrow I now realise - wasn’t until next week! I don’t even remember Thursday! Then, when I was walking to Tyres’R’Us for a Spare Tire, I was attacked and found myself trapped in a rusty tin can by a roving band of Killer Bees and I couldn’t escape! No! No! That’s not what happened!!!” I finally remembered. “I was recovering my Plastic Surgery Reversal! I wasn’t a well bee!! I haven’t been myself lately! I’M SORRY!”

ButterCup finally unfolded her wings and put them on her hips, then said, “FINE. I suppose one of those excuses is beelievable, but you still missed my Birthday and you still have to make it up to me - BIG TIME.”
“How?” I asked.
“First, by taking me to lunch. Then we’ll take it from there.”
“Fine,” I said. “When?”
“Now,” she said.

So, now I’m changing into something more Brunch-Worthy, then I’m gonna go do that.

(I wonder what ButterCup wants beesides Brunch…?)

Anyway.

I hope everybody has a intriguingly luminescent day!

I’ll see ya’ later!