Chapter 10 - Family is The Most Important Thing

Willy led us down the stairs and out of the television room as the Oompa-Loompas shut down the computers. Charlie put the chocolate bar down on the each and he held onto my hand as we exited the room. "There's still so much left to see," Willy said and turned to look at us after he took off his glasses. "Now, how many children are left?"

Charlie and I looked at each other and smiled. I took off my glasses and looked at Willy, "Willy, Charlie's the only one left." Charlie looked at him and nodded in agreement. Willy's eyes widened as he looked at Charlie, "You mean you're the only one?" Charlie nodded in response and whispered, "Yes, sir."

"What happened to the others?" Willy asked, looking back and forth between the both of us. Charlie and I just looked at Willy until the realization hit him. Willy's face broke out into a huge smile and he started shaking Willy's hand super fast, "Oh my dear boy. Well that means, you've won. Oh, I do congratulate you, I really do. I am absolutely delighted. I had a hunch, you know, right from the beginning. Well done. Now we mustn't dilly or dally. Because we have an enormous number of things to do before the day's out. But luckily for us, we have the great glass elevator to speed things alo-"

I gasped and cringed as Willy smacked into the glass doors of the elevator. I went to go help him up, "Willy, are you okay?" He got up and looked at me, "-Speed things along. I'm fine." He pressed the button to open the elevator doors and walked inside. Charlie and I followed him into the elevator after we disposed of our glasses. I stood in between Willy and Charlie, as Willy pressed the button that said "up and out".

"Up and out?" Charlie asked. "What kind of room is that?" Willy looked down at Charlie, "Hold on." Then the elevator started shooting upwards. I held onto Willy's arm, nervousness starting to settle in me. "Oh my goodness," Willy said and looked up, "We're going to need to go much faster. Otherwise, we'll just never break through." My head snapped up to look at him as Charlie asked, "Break through what?"

Willy looked at us and smiled, "I've been longing to press that button for years. Well, here we go. Up and out." I furrowed my eyebrows at him, "You don't really mean...?" Willy nodded, "Yeah, I do." "But it's made of glass," I shook my head. "It'll smash into a million pieces." Willy just giggled in response. I grabbed Charlie and held him tightly, as I also buried my head into Willy's shoulder, not really wanting to witness our death.

Then the elevator broke through the ceiling. We continued going up and I let out a shriek. Then the elevator started falling back down. I closed my eyes tight, "Willy!" He then pressed a button and we stopped falling. I let out a breath as I looked up from Willy's shoulder. I looked at him and said, "You're absolutely mad." He only smiled in return as we looked down at the ground. The others were just now exiting the factory. 

"Where do you live?" Willy asked, grabbing onto my hand. I looked out the elevator and immediately spotted our house. "Right over there, that little house," I pointed to it. Next thing I knew, we were crashing down through our elevator. I let out a shriek and had my head buried in Willy's shoulder again. "Hi mom!" Charlie said, and he ran out of the elevator. "Lexi, its okay now," Willy whispered in my ear.

I looked up and let out a sigh of relief. I ran out and immediately hugged my parents. "Mom, dad, we're back!" Charlie exclaimed. "Alex, Charlie," Mom and Dad said, and hugged the both of us. Willy came to stand in front of us. "Mom, Dad, this is Willy Wonka," I smiled, looking at him. "He gave us a ride home," Charlie added as Willy awkwardly stood there. "I see that," Mom said, looking up at the ceiling. 

"You must be their p-" Willy struggled to say the word parents again just like this morning. "Parents?" Dad finished for him. "Yeah, that." Willy answered. "He says that Charlie won something," I smiled, looking at my parents. Willy looked around our tiny home, "Not just some something. the most something something of any something that's ever been. I'm gonna give this little boy my entire factory."

I let out a shocked laugh, "Willy, are you sure?" "You must be joking," Grandpa Joe added. "No, really. It's true, cause you see, a few months ago, I was having my semi-annual haircut, and I had the strangest revelation," Willy said, he went on to tell us that he found a silver hair. "In that one silver hair, I saw reflected my life's work, my factory, my beloved Oompa-Loompas. Who would watch over them after I was gone? I realized in that moment I must find an heir. And I did, Charlie. You."

Willy's smile dropped off his face when he saw my grandparents' bed in the middle of the house. "That's why you sent out the golden tickets," Charlie smiled. "Uh-huh," Willy said, and looked around the house some more. "I invited five children to the factory, and the one who was least rotten would be the winner." I smiled down at Charlie, "That's you." 

"So what do you say? Are you ready to leave this all behind and come live with me at the factory?" Willy asked. "Sure, of course," Charlie smiled. "I mean, it's all right for my family to come, too." We all smiled at Willy. "Oh, my dear boy, of course they can't," Willy said with a smile. My smile dropped off my face as I said, "What?"

"You can't run a chocolate factory with a family hanging over you like an old dead goose. No offense," Willy said to my grandparents, and I felt the tears well up in my eyes. "None taken. Jerk," Grandpa George said, making Willy glare at him in the corner of his eye. "A chocolatier has to run free and solo. He has to follow his dreams, gosh darn the consequences," Willy explained. "Look at me. I had no family, and I'm a giant success."

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down as my hands fell off of Charlie's shoulders. "So, if I got with you to the factory, I won't see my family ever again?" He asked. "Yeah," Willy said. "Consider that a bonus." I let out a dry chuckle and shook my head in response to that. Charlie took a step forward, "Then I'm not going. I wouldn't give up my family for anything. Not for all the chocolate in the world." Willy furrowed his eyebrows in response, "Oh, I see. That's weird. There's other candy too, besides chocolate." 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wonka," Charlie said. "I'm staying here." Willy frowned in response, "Wow. Well, that's just unexpected and... weird." Willy then stepped inside his elevator again, "Well, I suppose in that case, I'll just... Goodbye then." The tears by now had started falling down my face. Willy looked at Charlie and said, "Sure you won't change your mind?" Charlie nodded his head, "I'm sure."

"Lexi?" Willy looked at me. "I think it's time for you to leave, Mr. Wonka," I said, my voice breaking at every word. Willy furrowed his eyebrows more and frowned, "Okay, bye." Willy pressed a button in his elevator and he left the house. I took a breath and ran upstairs to my room, collapsing on my bed and sobbing into my pillow. I heard Grandma Georgina say, "Things are going to get much better." I've only known him for a day, but I'm sure that Willy Wonka just broke my heart.

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Things did actually get better. Grandpa Joe was out of bed more often, Dad got a new job repairing the toothpaste machine that took his old job, Charlie got a job shining shoes for extra spending money, and I got promoted to supervisor at the candy store. Well actually got to eat other food, rather than cabbage soup all the time. The Bucket family weren't doing too bad. Willy Wonka, on the other hand, was a different story. The new candy he was putting out was absolutely horrible. Even though I'm still angry with him, part of me can't help but to wonder if he was alright.

*Third Person P.O.V.*

Charlie was now shining the shoes of a customer, who was hiding behind a newspaper. "Pity about that  chocolate fella Wendell. Uh, Walter," The customer said. "Willy Wonka," Charlie corrected him. "That's the one. Says here in the papers his new candies aren't selling very well. But I suppose maybe he's just a rotten egg who deserves it," The voice continued. Charlie by now had figured out who the customer was, "Yep."

"Oh, really?" The voice said blandly. "You ever meet him?" Charlie continued shining his shoes, "I did. I thought he was great at first, but then he didn't turn out so nice. He also had a funny hair cut." Willy Wonka then shoved the newspaper out of his face and frowned, "I do not." Charlie stood up to look at him, "What are you doing here?"

"I don't feel so hot," Willy answered. "What makes you feel better when you feel terrible?" Charlie immediately responded, "My family." Willy looked away in disgust and said, "Ew." Charlie looked at the chocolatier, "What do you have against my family, that includes Alex?" Willy looked back at Charlie, "It's not just your family, it's the whole idea of p... pa..."

Willy let out a groan of frustration, "You know, they're always telling you what to do, what not to do, and it's not conducive to a creative atmosphere." "Usually they're just trying to protect you, because they love you," Charlie explained, and Willy let out a sigh. "If you don't believe me, you should ask."

"Ask who, my father?" Willy scoffed and shook his head. "No way. At least not by myself." "You want me to go with you?" Charlie offered. Willy looked at Charlie and smiled, "Hey, hey what a good idea. Yeah!" Willy got up and started walking, "And you know what? I've got transport-" Willy collided with the glass elevator doors again and fell. He groaned and got up, "I have to be more careful where I park this thing."

"Hold on," Charlie said as Willy got into the elevator. "What?" Willy looked at him. "We should go get Alex," Charlie looked back at him. "I have a feeling you're going to want her there." Willy sighed, "Do you think she would want to see me?" Charlie shrugged, "You never know if you don't try."

*Alex's P.O.V.*

I checked my watch, waiting for Charlie to come in like he always does around this time. Right on cue, Charlie comes running in, "Hi Alex!" I smiled at him and put my coat on, "Hey kiddo, ready to go home?" Charlie grabbed my hand and led me outside, "Actually, I have a surprise for you." I let out a laugh, "What is it, Charlie?"

My smile dropped off my face as I saw Willy Wonka standing in front of me. He took a step forward, clearly nervous to see me again., "Hi Lexi." "Hello, Mr. Wonka," I cleared my throat, crossing my arms. "What are you doing here?" He took in a shaky breath, "I wanted to come make things right."

"You were going to take my little brother away, with no thought of what it would do to me and our family. I don't think there is making that right," I scoffed, making Willy flinch at my harsh tone. "Lexi, I never meant to hurt you." I ignored him and looked at Charlie, "Why did you bring him here, Charlie?"

"He wants us to go with him to see his father again," Charlie answered. "That is neither of our concern," I raised our eyebrows. "Mr. Wonka is a grown man, he can do it himself." Willy then grabbed my hand and looked at me, "Please, Lexi. I need you." I let out a sigh and nodded, "Fine, just this once."

~ ~ ~ ~

When we landed, there was a single house in the middle of nowhere. I hugged my coat to me as there was a blizzard currently going on. We walked up the steps as Willy said, "I think we've got the wrong house." I stopped and read the address sign, "Dr. Wilbur Wonka, DDS." I gave Willy a smirk as he sighed in defeat. Charlie buzzed the doorbell, and an older gentlemen opened the door, "Do you have an appointment?" Willy squeezed my hand as I said, "No, but he's overdue."

Willy sat back in the chair as his father took a look at his teeth. Charlie and I stood in the back as we watched. I took a look at all of the newspaper clipping Dr. Wonka had framed on his wall. I was expecting them all to be about his accomplishments, but I was wrong. They were all about Willy's accomplishments over the years. I turned to look at the two Wonkas. 

"Open," Dr. Wonka said. Willy opened his mouth, not taking his eyes off his father. Dr. Wonka put the dental tools into Willy's mouth, "Let's see what the damage is, shall we?" Dr. Wonka continued looking at Willy's teeth as I pulled Charlie close to me. "Heavens," Dr. Wonka mumbled. "I haven't seen bicuspids like these since... since..." Dr. Wonka trailed off as the realization hit him. He backed up and looked at Willy. 

Dr. Wonka put the tools down as he said, "Willy?" He looked at his dad, "Hi dad." Willy sat up as the two looked at each other. "All these years, and you haven't flossed," Dr. Wonka said, easing the tension. "Not once," Willy shook his head. Dr. Wonka smiled at Willy and went to hug him, but hesitated. Then the two hugged each other. Charlie and I smiled at the two, and hugged each other.

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Mom and I were preparing dinner when Charlie and Willy came inside. "Sorry we're late. We were brainstorming," Charlie said. "Thought I heard thunder," Grandpa George said. "Are you and Alex staying for dinner, Willy?" Dad asked, placing an extra stool at the table for Willy. "Oh yes, please," Willy said, him and Charlie shrugging off their coats. "I'll shuffle the plates," Grandpa Joe said. 

Willy came around the table and hugged me. "Hello darling," I smiled at him, and he pressed a kiss on my lips. "Hello darling," He smiled then bent down. "Hello to you too, my little chocolatier." He put his hands on my very pregnant belly and placed a kiss on it. He stood back up and asked, "How are my two girls today?" "We're good," I smiled. We all then gathered around the table, ready for dinner. 

"Did you and Charlie check on Cocoa before coming over?" I looked at Willy, wondering about our eight month old chocolate Labrador. "He's fine Lexi," Willy smiled at me, as he sat down beside Grandma Georgina and Grandma Josephine. I sat next to Charlie and in front of Willy. "You smell like peanuts," Grandma Georgina smiled at Willy. "I love peanuts."

"Oh, thank you," Willy smiled at her. "You smell like.. old people and soap. I like it." Grandma Georgina let out a squeal of happiness and hugged Willy. Willy hugged her back as Mom set out the plates. I smiled and winked at Willy as Grandma Georgina let him go. "Elbows off the table Charlie," Grandma Josephine reminded him. 

"How do you feel about little raspberry kites?" Willy asked Charlie. "With licorice instead of string," Charlie answered. "Boys, no business talk at the table," I reminded the two, rubbing my stomach as my daughter kicked. "Sorry Alex," Charlie looked at me. "I think you're onto something though, Charlie," Willy said, and hissed when I kicked his shin under the table. I gave him a pointed look as he said, "Sorry Lexi."

In the end, Charlie won the chocolate factory, I won a chocolatier, and Willy won a family. And one thing was absolutely certain; this was definitely a sweet ending. 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Y'all I might actually cry. I started this story back in September of 2016. Now, nearly a whole three years later, it's complete. I still have some ideas for extra chapters in this story that I might publish, but until then, Sweet Endings has now ended. 

Thank you so much to every one who has stuck by this story for the whole three years, especially in the two years I just wasn't into writing this anymore. I got the motivation again thanks to you guys, I definitely couldn't have done it without you guys. I love you all. Until next time, fellow chocolatiers.