Chapter 10 - I'm Sorry

It had been a few weeks since Willy came back from India. The factory was going well and all the workers seemed to be very happy. The day he came back he called Emily but she went back to work full time at the newspaper shop down the street and he couldn't find any time to go see her.

He would leave messages asking her if she could come to the factory one night or that they could go out for dinner but she would always cancel saying she wasn't feeling well. Willy missed her company more and more. He missed her smile and bright green eyes. But at the moment he was worrying about more important things.

For strange reasons his sales had been going down since he came back and other candy shops had been doing well all of a sudden. All three candy shops had been selling the same candies has his factory and Willy couldn't understand why.

Everyday Willy would think up new ideas for candies and make them that very night to be put up on shelves for the next day. But when that day came those same candy shops had already started selling the same candy the night before. He would get so frustrated and think up more ideas.

"This is outrageous! This is silly!" he yelled. "How can they be selling more than me? I have the biggest factory in the world with the most workers."

At that very moment it just hit him. There were spies in the factory. Willy would walk around the workers to catch the one who kept on stealing his secret recipes and bringing them outside the factory walls but he never did.

The thievery just became worst and worst. Before long Willy couldn't think of any new candy ideas. Willy thought it over many times before coming to the conclusion and there was no turning back. He had no choice but to close his factory.

The next day when the workers were coming in to do their day of work he stopped them. Willy couldn't bring himself to telling his workers about the bad news but he took a deep breathe and raised the mega phone that was in his hands.

"I am closing my factory forever. I'm sorry."

Emily heard about the news in one of the newspapers and she immediately took her break. There were crowds of people in front of the factory gates and she could see Willy standing on the steps in front of the main doors. She pushed her way through the crowd to reach the front gates but everyone was pushing her away. She looked over the people to see him turn away and start walking towards the doors.

"William." She screamed.

The workers started to head in different directions and it was easier to reach the metal gates. She screamed his name again and saw him hesitate before walking into his factory.

"William!"

Emily reached the gates but they were locked. She screamed his name and tried to open the gates. It was no hope; the huge metal locks weren't going to open ever again. She would never see him again.

Her father walked up to her as she started to cry. He used to work in the factory since his sweet shop closed a couple of years ago. Willy had given him the job since they needed the money.

"It's alright Emily."

"Papa, how can I be alright? I don't even know if I will see him again," she wiped her tears.

"You will see him again. I know you will."

Emily gave a half smile and took a few deeps breaths. Her father always had a way to cheer her up. He did the same when Willy left for Europe all those years ago. He told her the same thing and he came back to her. She was hoping that it would happen again.

They walked home together as the snow crumbled under their feet and as the flakes fell on their warm skin. February weather wasn't always the best but soon spring would come and the flowers would start to grow.

Emily knew deep down inside that she would be seeing him again. They were connected in every way possible and soon their longing for each other will bring another meeting. She knew this but she just had to be patient about it.

She looked at the chocolate factory before helping her father back inside the house. There was no more smoke coming out of the stakes or any lights on. The factory was actually closed. Emily smiled softly as she walked back inside.