The quote in chapter 11, "It takes honeybee workers ten million foraging trips to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey" portrays the patience and perseverance of honeybees. Similar to honeybees, Lily, Zach, and Neil display patience in their relationships and perseverance in their resolve to connect with the people they care about.

All that work to produce one result. Both the bees and the women  are working hard for a purpose. The women's purpose is to celebrate Mary Day, or the Feast of the Assumption when Mary died and ascended into heaven. The celebration goes for two days and one night with decorations, food, celebration, worship, and even a long awaited proposal that June finally accepted. All that hard work in such a short time. The celebration, much like Communion, resulted in the sharing of honey cakes as the body of the Queen, Mary. June's engagement to Neil and the culmination of Zach's kiss show the fruits of that labor. Zach vows to become somebody and find Lily to be with. This is the crowning promise of the celebration, a hope for a sweet future.