The Chocolatier's Rose {Willy Wonka}

Aftermath

Rose sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Mrs Mason" She hugged the woman.

"Please, take care of yourself. And when you come back, and I find a ring on your finger, I'm going to be very disappointed, do you understand?"

Rose hesitated. "Yes" And with that, she left the shop, saying her goodbye to her friends as she walked past them. Priscilla came into the kitchen, with a newspaper in hand.

"Is everything alright with Ro?" Priscilla asked.

Mrs Mason sighed and continued on with making a coconut cream pie. "The poor girl is suffering terribly from a broken heart"

Priscilla frowned, feeling very worried for her friend. "She's not going to marry that ghastly Harry boy, is she?"

"Despite everything I told her, I fear she may still be considering going through with it"

"Well, it turns out that Rose isn't the only one suffering from a broken heart" Priscilla dropped the newspaper beside Mrs Mason. The older woman went wide eyed as she read the headline.

Wonka Bars dropping in sales. The once sweet and delicious chocolates, have now turned terribly bitter. Is this the end for the famed chocolatier? What has happened to make his chocolate and candy not so sweet?

"Do you think Rose had anything to do with this?" Priscilla wondered curiously.

"Maybe. I know from experience that a broken heart can affect the things you're most passionate about" Mrs Mason explained. "When my beloved husband died, my pies were absolutely terrible. It took me about a year before my pies were magical again"

******

Rose had cried all the way home. She was about to make a regretful decision, but she didn't see any other choice. Everything Mrs Mason has told her went right out the window.

Rose had run into Harry on her way home. Harry was angry at her for pretending to have the flu. But when Rose had said that she was ready to marry him, today to be exact, his mood had changed to a pleased one.

They were to be wed in two hours. That's why Rose went home. She needed to pick up the wedding dress.

Mr and Mrs Bucket weren't home when she got there. Rose presumed they were out at the market. Grandpa Joe was outside working in their new garden where they grew a new assortment of fresh vegetables. The other grandparents were fast asleep for theirs naps. And she didn't see Charlie anywhere. He must be out at his new job of shining shoes.

Rose opened a cupboard where the wedding dress was being kept. She grabbed the dress and was about to walk out the door when she heard Charlie's voice.

"Rosie? What are you doing?" He asked. His eyes trailed over to the wedding dress in her arm. "You're getting married today?" Charlie sounded disappointed, but at the same time, he knew that this was her decision and he would support it.

"Yes, Charlie. In two hours to be exact" Rose confessed. "Believe me, I've really thought this through, and as much as I'm going to regret it, this is the best thing I can do right now"

Charlie nodded. "Is there anything that can be done to change your mind?"

"Unless Mr Wonka magically crashes the wedding to apologize, then no" Rose pulled Charlie into a hug and kissed him on the top of his head. "I love you, Charlie. You're the best little brother any girl could ever ask for"

"I love you too, Rosie" Charlie said. "You're an amazing sister"

And with that, Rose was out the door and on her way to the church. Where in a matter of two hours, a surprising twist of fate would be taking place.

******

Charlie settled himself in front of another client reading the newspaper. Charlie scrubbed the brush in the polish, and then got to work on the client's shoes.

"Pity about that chocolate fellow, Wendell, er, Walter" the client broke the silence. Charlie thought there was something very familiar about the man's voice.

"Willy Wonka" Charlie corrected.

"That's the one. Says here in the paper his new candies aren't selling very well. But I suppose he's just a rotten egg who deserves it"

"Yep"

"Oh, really? You ever met him, the chocolate maker?"

"I did. I thought he was great at first, but then he didn't turn out so nice" Then Charlie added. "He also has a funny haircut"

The man lowered the paper, revealing himself to be Willy Wonka. "I do not!"

"Why are you here?" Charlie asked him.

"I don't feel so hot" Willy explained. "What makes you feel better when you feel terrible?"

Charlie answered. "My family"

"Ew" Willy cringed, leaning back in his chair.

Charlie stood up. "What do you have against my family?"

"It's not just your family. It's the whole idea of..." Willy swallowed down the word 'family' like it was a lump in his throat. He continued. "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. Willy made a disgusted face. "If you don't believe me, you should ask"

"Ask who?" Willy scoffed. "My father?" He let out a sarcastic laugh. "No way" Willy took a moment to think the idea over. "At least, not by myself"

"You want me to go with you?" Charlie suggested.

Willy smiled for the first time in two weeks. "Hey, what a good idea! Yeah!" Willy got out of the seat.

Charlie then suddenly remembered his sister. The wedding ceremony would be happening very shortly, and it needed to be stopped before she made the biggest mistake of her life. "But we need to stop somewhere first. We need to get Rose"

Willy's stomach fluttered at the mention of her name. Oh, how he's missed her. He would give anything to see her again and apologize to her. "Where is she?"

"At the church. She's about to get married"

Willy's smile dropped, as did his heart. "She's getting...?" He trailed off, not wanting to say the word. Only because he couldn't think of Rose marrying anyone but him.

"Yes, to a man that she doesn't even love. And I'm scared that if she marries him, he won't ever let us see her again" Charlie's voice shook with fear.

Willy couldn't let that happen. He saw how close Charlie and Rose were. She would be miserable if she was to never see her family again. He can't believe he made that mistake himself.

"Well then, we have no time to lose!" Willy said, walking towards the glass elevator. "And you know what? I've got trans—" Willy yet again walked into the elevator and fell to the ground. He quickly got up and collected himself. "I have to be more careful where I park this thing"

Willy and Charlie went into the elevator. Willy pressed a button and the elevator moved. First stop, the church to save Rose.