Chapter Ten
Cherie was in the kitchen melting some chocolate when Willy walked in and looked amused at her.
"And what are you doing?" he asked walking over to her and dipping a finger into the chocolate and tasting it; yes he had removed his glove on that hand.
"Melting some of your chocolate, what does it look like?" she asked slapping his hand before it dipped back in.
"But why?" he asked looking at all the ingredients on the counter.
"I'm making a chocolate cake. I just had this craving for some and decided to try my hand at baking," she said turning the stove off and pouring the chocolate into the batter.
"Will I get some of this cake when you are done?" he asked placing the greased backing pans next to her and she poured the batter in.
"Yes you will, if you stop bugging me," she said as she scraped down the mixing bowl of all the batter then putting the pans into the oven.
"Will there be frosting involved?"
"Willy, you are bugging me," she said as she started cleaning up the ingredients from the cake and pulling some out for frosting.
"Right, well, I'll be going then," he said before leaving. Cherie shook her head at him and continued on with her baking.
Things at the factory were going just fine. Everything had been adjusted for the oompa loompas and more and more candy were being made a sold that was making their future look just fine once more. Cherie was head taste tester and in charge of all the paper work since the last time Willy tried to handle the paperwork one time and things became very complicate and a few sheets went missing so Cherie demanded that she took over.
Cherie still wasn't so sure she wanted this to be her future for the rest of her life but for now it would do. At least she still had her best friend.
"Ta da!" she said placing the four layer chocolate cake complete with chocolate frosting in front of Willy.
"Wow, this looks delicious, who knew you could bake?" he asked looking at his and licking his lips. He was holding a fork in his left hand and a knife in his right hand ready to go to town on a huge feast instead of a small cake.
"I use to back a lot with my mum, just haven't done much of it recently. And yes I used only the best Wonka chocolate for this," she said putting some plates on the table.
"Well I would hope so," said Willy. Cherie grabbed a knife to cut a piece when she saw a fork just dig in a take a piece.
"Willy!" she exclaimed as she looked at him as he chewed the bite.
"What?" he asked feigning innocence.
"I was just about to cut you a piece, couldn't you have waited?"
"No, I was right this was delicious," he said digging his fork back in and holding it out to Cherie, "you know you want to."
"Of course I want to eat my cake but couldn't it be done in a more civilized manner?" she asked sitting down next to him.
"Nope. I feel all cakes should be eaten just like this," he said then moved the fork closer to her. She sighed and opened her mouth. He fed her the bite and she smiled and licked her lips free of chocolate frosting.
"Mmm," she said as she chewed and Willy took another forkful of the cake, "that is what I have been craving."
"Good," he said smiling and picking up a fork and handing it to her. She smiled and dug into the cake as well. Together they both managed to finish the entire cake and Cherie was leaning back in her chair rubbing her stomach and Willy was looking amused at her.
"Oh that was really good but now I am so full," she said.
"Is it safe to say that we will be skipping dinner tonight?" he asked.
"And breakfast tomorrow. I think I have a food baby," she said looking down at her stomach and seeing it was slightly bigger than usual. Willy smiled and placed a hand on her stomach.
"It kicked!" he joked and she glared at him.
"Shut up," she said getting up and putting the dirty dishes in the sink, "Hey Willy."
"Hmm?" he asked picking up pieces of cake that were on the table and flicking them to the other side of the table.
"Have you ever thought about your future?"
"My future?" he asked still engrossed in his new activity.
"Yeah, like are you just going to run this factory till the day you die? Are you going to do anything else?"
"I don't know, I like to make candy, and I'm good at it so probably just run this factory. Why? Don't you want to stay here?" he finally sat up and looked at her.
"I don't know," she said sighing and placing a plate in the dishwasher, "I like it here don't get me wrong but I feel like I should be doing more now then just hanging around with my best friend and doing odd jobs in his factory. I feel like something is missing."
"Like what? I'll put the TV back in here if you want," he asked worried. Cherie finished loading up the dishwasher and turned it on before sitting next to Willy at the table and looking at him.
"Thanks, but no that wasn't what I was referring to," she said laughing, "I mean like, don't you feel like something is missing?"
"Hmm…" he paused before shaking his head, "nope."
"I can't help but feel like something is missing," she said sighing.
"But you don't know what it is, so how can that be helpful?"
"I don't know. But for now, I'm happy to be here. Good night, Willy," she said getting up and leaving. Willy went back to flicking crumbs and sighed.
"Am I missing something?" he asked himself.
That night Cherie had a restless night. She kept dreaming about her parents. They weren't unpleasant dreams, per say, but the phrase 'what am I missing' kept being repeated in her head. She tossed and turned as visions of happy times with her family was played in her mind all night long. When she woke up she did not feel rested and was feeling very tired but she had work to do so she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed some fruit and yogurt and was heating up a pot of water for some tea when Willy walked in ready to go.
"You look horrible," he said bluntly as he walked over to her and pulled out another mug and put a tea bag in his mug and placed it next to hers.
"Thanks, I didn't sleep very well," she said rubbing her eyes.
"I can see that, but why?" he asked going to sit at the table and biting into an apple that he grabbed from the fruit bowl.
"I don't know, I just kept dreaming about different times I spent with my parents and that stupid phrase was kept being repeated," she said running hand through her hair when she suddenly realized something. "That's it," she said straightening up and looking at Willy shocked.
"What's it?" he asked looking at his apple than taking another bite.
"I know what I am missing," she said.
"What's that?"
"Family," she said and Willy looked at her.
"You mean like, p-par-" he started.
"Parents? I don't know. Just family in general. I mean you were technically my guardian but now you aren't and even then you were still my best friend. What I am missing is a family of my own, but I don't have anyone," she said becoming slightly sad and leaning against the counter.
"Oh," said Willy getting a little uncomfortable at where the comversation. Cherie just tried to think of what kind of family she could have and how she can improve it but she couldn't.
"But I guess the best I have is you, Willy. You're my only family now," she sighed and looked up at him. He looked back at her and they just stared at each other until the shrill from the tea kettle broke the silence and made Cherie jump. She poured the water into the tea and brought the mugs to the table. Willy kept staring at her as she ate her breakfast but she ignored it for the most part until she couldn't take it anymore.
"Look you have to stop staring at me," she said putting her mug down and looking at him, "what is wrong?"
"I like you!" he blurted out.
"Excuse me?" asked Cherie confused.
"Sorry, that was on my mind and I just blurted that out," he said becoming slightly sheepish, "you said you wanted a family and then I was the only family and the only way I could be your family was if we got together but then I didn't know if I liked you like that or as just my friend and there was so much pressure."
"Willy, what pressure?"
"The, er, I guess that was in my mind wasn't it?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.
"You're a bit crazy aren't you?"
"No, just a genius, there is a fine line but I never cross it," he said holding a finger up. Cherie stood up and put her mug in the sink before walking over the kitchen door before turning around.
"By the way, Willy, I like you too," she said smiling and leaving the room. Willy blinked then smiled, see he wasn't crazy.
A/n: so I'm going to be doing some character development before getting into the movie anymore just in case you are wondering.
Also I meant to say this but forgot to, and a reviewer asked, my Willy is a combination of the book and the Johnny Depp version. Because I like the description of Willy's looks in the book but the portrayal done by Depp. If you are curious about the looks I kind of imagined long, thin hair in a low ponytail and then Jack Sparrow moustache a beard without the braids. If that helps any of you.
Thank you for reading and reviews are welcomed.