Short little piece for Christopher Scott's Dec/Jan writing challenge called "Together for the Holidays"
Christmas is for Family
"Christmas is for family, Christmas is for family, Christmas is…"
Mr. Wonka had been pacing the long halls of the factory since morning repeating the phrase. The Oompa-Loompas had done their half day of work and had returned to their living quarters to celebrate Christmas Eve with family and a pile of cacao beans. More than one of them had invited their dear Mr. Wonka to join them, but he had politely refused, saying that he needed to oversee the production of holiday candies.
Mr. Wonka was deep in thought as he wandered through the green and red trimmed holiday room. All around him the machines were continually churning out marvelous confections for the Christmas holiday. On one side there were marshmallows that had a center of foamy hot chocolate. Hot Marshmallows always did good business since people enjoyed the beverage that was now eatable. In a small contained room, there were the Nutcrackers, chocolates shaped like various nuts and when they melted down in the mouth they left a miniature Nutcracker carved out of a nut. The candy stick machine was in the very center of the room and was producing a plethora of flavors including peppermint, wintergreen, cinnamon, butterscotch, and eggnog. Absentmindedly, Mr. Wonka grabbed an orange flavored one, Charlie's favorite.
As he sucked on the sweet candy, he imagined the Bucket family in their cottage sitting down to Christmas Eve dinner, all together, one family. He saw them laughing and jumping with excitement for the next day. He imagined himself with them, sharing their joy.
He shook himself out of his reverie.
"No," he told himself firmly. "Christmas is for family and I am not in their family… right?"
He thought about Mr. Bucket offering to help him repair the machines and come up with new ideas to make them more efficient. He remembered how Mrs. Bucket had stopped by his sleeping quarters last week and asked if he needed any mending done. He even recalled Grandma Georgina asking if she could sample the peanuts for him. And Charlie, dear Charlie, always helping him with the recipes and the new flavors. Maybe, just maybe, they were his family.
"But am I their family, too?" He thought out loud. He stubbed his toe on the welcome mat in front of their door before he realized where he was. Mr. Wonka was about to hurry away when the Mrs. Bucket suddenly stepped out.
"Mr. Wonka, I was about to ask- won't you join the family?" She gestured towards the open door.
He peered in and saw exactly what he had imagined: a warm, loving family.
"Thank you, I-I think I will."
Reviews always welcome.