I finally was able to upload Chapter Two! Thank you for all who review, and are following the story!


I Never Second Guess Myself
Chapter Two
Bending the Rules

It's almost 6:30. I have no idea how Mr. Wonka makes his candy, because I've never been in the back room, so since I do not know how he makes said candy, I won't have to give that selfish man what he wants, and then, that means I'm not guilty of any kind of betrayal toward Mr. Wonka. And having a guiltless conscious is always a-

Sadie rambled on mentally as the last of the customers in Wonka's candy shop began to quickly file out, as it was getting dark very fast. As the last customer left in the shop left and the door closed, leaving the bell to tinkle quaintly, Sadie slowly moved away from her post and to the door. She then flipped over the open/closed sign so that it read 'closed' to the outside world while it said the opposite to those still inside, well the few that were left.

Sadie sighed, pausing with her hand on the sign, deep in thought, when a hand suddenly came down on her shoulder, making her jump up against it slightly in surprise and fear. She calmed when she realized that the hand was gentle and withered, and not stiff and accusing. Slowly she turned.

"Oh, Mr. Bucket! You startled me!" she gasped, making a show of putting her hand to her racing heart.

The elder man smiled at her sympathetically. "Anything wrong?" he asked. "You seemed a little down."

"Oh, no, I was just thinking about what I was going to do after I leave," Sadie replied, thinking of the little lies she'd spouted hours ago. It shamed her, and she felt her face drop even more.

But Mr. Bucket didn't seem to notice and was satisfied with her quick answer, for he left it at that. "Okay, kiddo, see you tomorrow," he said cheerfully, giving her a quick, parental-like pat on the shoulder. Mr. Bucket walked past her, a little shaky in his old age, and pushed his way out of the shop. Sadie watched him for a moment as he was greeted by his wife a little ways from the shop and they strolled down the sidewalk, hand in hand. They seemed happy together, like the old couples you'd read about in happy, romantic, life story books.

Another voice startled her into attention after Mr. Bucket and his wife disappeared into the darkness down the street.

"Uh, kid! A word?" the voice came from the back of the shop. Sadie looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, there was Mr. Wonka himself, calling her over by motioning for her to come forward with a red gloved hand.

Hesitantly, Sadie walked forward, suspicion in her thoughts so greatly that she wasn't even bothered by the fact that he seemed to have forgotten her name. No doubt Mr. Wonka had come to the conclusion that there was something fishy going on about her and was going to drill her for information. He'd drain her dry of every last bit of intelligence and then dump her in the river, where the ice would close over her and no one would find her until the spring. However impractical, these thoughts fueled her fearful imagination and all sorts of images of her being tied to a chair in a dark room with a too-bright light shining in her face flew across her head. Wonka's laughing, mocking grin glared down at her, his eyes prying into her brain, taking every bit of information she was reluctant to give up – the information she refused to give up. Maybe he'd send her to jail for being a sneaky little spy, though not a very good one if he'd caught her so quickly.

Some sensible part of her mind stopped the flood of thoughts. At the very least, he was going to fire her. But once she got closer, and looked up at him, she noticed that Mr. Wonka was smiling. He was smiling a genuine happy, kind smile, not the terror-bringing, crazed one she had almost expected him to have.

"Would you mind helping me back here? I need to make some ice cream for tomorrow." That was all he said. No threats, just a simple question for help. She calmed with a breath.

None-the-less, Sadie gave him a confused look. It was supposed to snow tomorrow… Why would anyone in the world want ice cream on a snow day when they could just bend down and eat a pile of snow?

"Why would you sell-" Sadie started, but Wonka quickly hushed her.

"All in good time, all in good time," was all he said.

Sadie shook her head and glanced up at Wonka's mischievously smiling face. "Well, Mr. Wonka, you really don't make any sense," she paused and then added, "at all." But none-the-less, she smiled, and took the time to look around the room. She found herself staring at these large, odd lollipops, that honestly looked more like stained glass windows than tasty treats. Mr. Wonka seemed to notice her gaze and walked over to them and pointed.

"I know what you're thinking," he said knowingly. "'These looking like windows, not candy.'"

"Yeah, well, unless you tell me what they are, that's what I'm going to keep on thinking."

Mr. Wonka smiled and took a step toward her. "Candy can be whatever you want it to be. That's why I enjoy it so much."

"I'm so sure you do, Mr. Wonka… now can I go, or did you still want to show me something?"

"Ahh," Wonka said and held up a finger, "I actually want to show you something, or do you have to go home to your aunt?"

Sadie paused, remembering what she had said earlier as a cover up for her phone call, and then shook her head. "She isn't home yet, remember?" she said, referring to her phone call earlier. Wonka nodded then gestured for her to come to the back with him. She followed after him.

"What do you need help with again?" Sadie asked as she eyed the candy canes she was walking by. She pushed the colorful drapes that led into the room where the candy was made.

Wonka was silent for a moment or two. "I actually don't need help now that I-" Wonka paused again. "Well, I might-" He cut himself off again as Sadie looked on in amusement.

"You just said you never second guess yourself, and now look what we have here."

"I'm not! Deciding what I want you to do isn't the same thing," he said with the beginnings of an argument in his voice. Sadie went to argue back, but stopped when she figured there was no point If this grown man wanted to act like a child, she would be the better person. Thus, she watched in silence as Wonka pressed the blue button on a large white machine and then pulled a silver lever, which poured a small amount of ice cream into a little bowl. Wonka continued on as he turned back to face her, "I just need you to taste this, to see if-"

"No," Sadie said sharply, curtly.

"Excuse me?" Wonka asked, a little taken aback at her tone. He set down the bowl of chocolate ice cream and gave her a puzzled expression. No one ever denied an offer to try his candy, especially when it was free.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wonka, but I said 'no,' I don't eat candy, or sweets, or ice cream, or anything like that." Sadie blushed. Of all people he had to choose to test his products, it had to be her. She just wasn't the right person for this. Sadie took her bandana from her hair and twisted it around her hands. "If it's any consolation, I think I'll be-"

"Why are you working here then if you-"

"Because I love candy, even if I can't eat it – won't eat it. I love my teeth, believe it or not, and unless you can make a bunch of candy that won't provoke dental issues and are still as good as the original, then I'd be glad to come back and try them out. But as for-"

"But that's no excuse to-"

"Stop interrupting me, it's-"

"But," Wonka cut in, this time halting her words effectively, "that's no excuse to not try something once and a while. I'm sure some toothpaste and tooth brush will be able to fix whatever damage you think the candy will bring. I mean, look at me, I love candy too, and my teeth are perfect." Wonka flashed her a bright, perfect smile for effect.

"While that it true Mr. Wonka," she paused briefly, eyeing his teeth, wishing hers were just as perfect, "if I even so much as taste it, well, it's really easy for me to get addicted, so I'd rather not risk it…" Sadie sighed, beginning to feel somewhat sorry for herself and the situation she was in. She really didn't like to have such an attitude toward Mr. Wonka, but it would help if he didn't act as if the world revolved around him.

"Well then, what candy, or flavor, can't you resist?" Wonka asked out of the blue, sounding only mildly curious, though Sadie suspected he had an underlying agenda.

"Well, I suppose the flavor would have to be mint; ironically, I love it."

"Ironically," Wonka mumbled under his breath, and then fell silent for some time. Then slowly, in a dreamlike way, he reached for the ice cream, but pulled his hand away at last moment. "I'll if it's just as cold in the morning," he said almost to himself, but then looked up at her. "Meanwhile, I shall begin on what you suggested, uhm, err, Sadie!" He exclaimed her name like it was a prize.

After giving him a queer look, Sadie said, puzzled, "You mean the sugar free candy?" then she jumped topics, "B-but why are you just going to leave your ice cream out like this? It's obviously going to turn into a chocolate puddle before-"

"We ignore the rules of nature here, Sadie. I do it all the time, and you'll learn to too in due time. Why let something so insignificant limit you?" Wonka smiled brightly as Sadie stared, baffled, and then started off to the door to exit the invention room. "By the way," he turned his head back halfway, "why is it that you wear a bandana instead of the other hats all the other workers wear?"

Sadie grimaced. "I can't stand them," she revealed bluntly.

"Fair enough. See you tomorrow afternoon."

He walked away. Once he was gone Said murmured to herself, "If you ignore the rules of nature, then I don't see the harm in ignoring just a few of your rules."