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It was the hottest day of the year in Kembleford and with the heat brought alot of problems.
For Brenda and Isabel, who were in the Presbytery kitchen with constant cold water over themselves, keeping cool was going to be a struggle.
No matter how many windows they opened, it just seemed to make it warmer. They had resulted in propping open the back door to try and get the heat to escape that way.
"I don't think I can take this blazing heat anymore, Mrs S" Brenda stated as she slumped over the table.
"I know, I dont know how Father Brown can cope in that cassock, I'm struggling in this dress".
"I don't think this can get worse, can it?" Brenda said and Isabel nodded.
But what they didnt realise was an open door was the perfect way for uninvited guests to enter. And with the flowers that were currently on the table and the windowsill it was inevitable.
As Brenda reached for her water, she heard something.
Buzz
"What was that?" She asked suddenly.
Isabel looked up from the dishes she had started doing in the sink.
"What?"
"That noise" Brenda said.
Buzz
"What noise, I dont hear anything".
The buzzing stopped as soon as it started and it was hard to pinpoint what it was.
Buzz
"There's it is again, its a buzzing noise".
Before Isabel had the chance to turn round and look for herself, she heard Brenda let out the loudest scream. It made her jump out of her skin.
"Brenda!!!!!" She reacted, her heart pounding at the suddnen noise. "What!?!?!"
"THERE'S A BEE!!!" Brenda shouted back, pointing and leaping out of her chair.
Isabel then saw it and backed into the counter.
"Oh no"
Buzz
Buzz
Buzz
The weather didn't only bring stiffingly hot heat, but also insects. And lots of them.
The bee was flying frantically around the kitchen, unsure of which flowers it wanted to go to first.
"Quick, we need to get it out before any more come in" Isabel said, grabbing a magazine to try and waft it away from a distance.
Brenda on the other hand was no help, she was scared of bees and currently hiding on the floor as the bee flew back and forth above her.
The bee was very interested in the flowers on the table, circling them, and no matter how much Isabel swatted to try and get it out of the door, it wasn't budging. And she desperately didn't want to get stung.
"What do we do?" Brenda said, "because neither of us want to get near to that".
Buzz
Buzzzzz
Buzz
The buzzing was getting louder as the large bee went to the windowsill flowers, causing Isabel to duck out of the way.
"I don't know. Maybe we should just go outside".
"In this heat?" Brenda said, "No way, maybe we should wait for Father Brown to get back and see if he will try and catch it".
"We need, Edgar, he doens't mind catching the spiders in our house".
"Bees are differnet though" Brenda said, "Its the buzzing that gets me" she shivered looking up trying to huddle in the corner away.
The two women, who had no idea what to do just stood as still as they could as the bee buzzed back and forth between the flowers.
Just then, there was a noise from the back door.
"Oh Mushroom, there you are!" Brenda said as the cat came in and jumped up on the table.
He purred at her expectantly.
"I'm sorry Mushroom, but there will be no food till be can get this bee out of here".
Buzz
Buzzzzz
As she said that, Mushrooms eye caught the insect. And he was suddenly locked onto it. His head followed the bee as it flew and he lowered himself to the table.
"Oh we know Mushroom, we are scared too" Isabel said to him.
But without warning them, he suddenly jumped up in the bees direction and caught it in between his paws.
Brenda stood suddenly and looked towards his paws on the table.
"Oh well done Mushroom!! You caught it for us.
The cat looked at her and then grabbed the bee in his mouth, turning and jumping off of the table and taking it outside.
"How on earth did he just do that?" Isabel asked, impressed.
"He's got excellent eyesight".
Mushroom then returned through the door and Brenda quickly closed it. He jumped back up on the table and purred.
"Nothing gets in the way of your lunch does it, Mushroom?" Brenda said laughing while filling up his bowl.
No windows or doors would be opened for the rest of the day.
And if they heard a buzz, Brenda would make sure to find a Mushroom, Official Pest Control, as quick as she could.