A shock of sorts jolted through Marie's body as he spoke that single word to her. A single word that filled her empty heart, and made it even over-flow. She didn't realize it until then, that his voice was a lullaby that comforted her. His image captivated her gaze, ever so; she didn't dare look away, for fear of losing him again.
"Hi." She exhaled out softly. Trying to regain her breath again as her small hands wrung together.
He briefly caught his breath when he heard her speak. No doubt, no second guessing, he knew, she was the missing piece of his puzzle. His eyes looked over her, completely, before smiling and speaking once more.
"Marie, I…" He trailed off and mentally fought about what would be the next choice of words he would use.
Before he would say anything else, she shook her head, making a few of her curls dance around her face. A bit perplexed by her sudden action, he then grinned. "Please, Willy." She softly said. The sound of his voice coming from her small mouth made him feel like he was above others. Oh, how he longed for her to say it again. It seemed she would bring comfort to this man's life. My, what is happening to me? Willy thought each time Marie appeared in his thoughts or spoken from his mouth.
"If you came, about the factory, I…" Marie paused, the smile she wore slowly fading. "I still can't accept it." She whispered lowly. She finally was able to tear her gaze away from the man's and fixing it upon the orange hue tiles of the candy shop.
Willy looked upon her with a frown now. He cursed the counter that was between them. Just a simple piece of wooden furniture was a great obstacle for him to surpass as he watched her gaze fixate on something else other than him.
"Miss Marie, what is it about p-p-parents?" He mustered the word at the end.
She looked up, almost immediately at the sound of her name. She felt a little lighter and a little brighter in the inside as he spoke her name. Unknowing that Willy asked himself the same question almost every time, she thought of it at that very moment. My, what is happening to me?
"I can't just abandon them. I help my family, because they love me and I love them." She told him sincerely. She sometimes wondered if Willy had any parents at all. "Don't you have any parents?" She mumbled to him.
"Please don't mumble. I can't hear what your voice is trying to say to me." He smiled at her, instantly; a smiled crept onto her peach lips. "My father doesn't care about me." He then said.
"Why don't you go talk to him?" She encouraged the man before her.
"Do you mind if you accompanied me?" He asked her. They way he asked her made him feel silly. He was feeling anxious to what her answer may be. He felt a bit shy, just because he had asked her. He felt excited because he had asked her. Most importantly, he didn't know why, but if she agreed to go with him, he felt it was going to be the beginning of something good.
"Oh?" She was surprised. Should she accept to go with him? Should she apologize and decline him gently? The feeling of small butterflies erupted in the pit of her stomach. A rush of emotion evaded her senses as she felt her smile grow wider. She slipped off the apron and walked around the counter. She stood in front of him wearing a simple blue dress that her mother once owned. "I would love to accompany you."
He blinked, once, twice, and grinned. He grabbed her softly by the hand and began leading her out of the shop while speaking. "Oh, my, this is fantastic, I parked the elevator right over-" But, before he can finish his sentence, he crashed face first into the glass elevator. He fell down as his top hat toppled over to the side. Marie's hands flew to cover her gasp.
"Willy!" She exhaled before she walked over to help him. "You should be careful." She muttered as she grabbed him by the hand to help him up.
"Thank you." He said before he reached over for his hat, which Marie had already beaten him to. He smiled down at her as he reached to retreat it from her small hands, and just so, their fingers grazed each others and for a split second he caressed her thumb with his index finger. And for another split second, he felt her do the same gesture before the hat was completely in his hand. "Shall we?" He allowed her to go in first before following after.
And so, both Marie and Willy stood next to each other in the glass elevator. Looking down, Marie suddenly felt heat slowly crawl over her cheeks. Willy smiling about looked down at her, just in time to see the blush.
"Is everything alright?" He asked her. The blush on her milky complexion reminded him of cherry syrup over a lovely scoop of vanilla ice cream; mouth watery and just delightful.
"I'm not wearing the appropriate attire for the elevator." She spoke, keeping her gaze down; her cheeks flushing even more.
"Oh, my." He spoke, and shook his head. "Do not worry my dear. Everything is well." He reassured her; then he caught himself to what he had called her. He called her 'dear'. He looked over at him, almost as if a sharp glare was going to be burying themselves into his sockets; but, on the contrary. He saw that soft, dazzlingly smile she always held, almost as if that smile was just made for him.
A pet name? Marie was feeling like a little girl. So innocent that such a word could make her twirl. "I trust you, Willy." She looked over at him. He grinned at her, that grinned that made her go into fit of giggles in her mind; a fit of butterflies in the pit of her stomach; and a smile on her lips.
She didn't know whether seconds, minutes, or even hours had past, but from the sullen look Willy now held; they had arrived. Marie looked around the empty, spacious area of pure, well, nothing. Just a solid, single grey-stoned building stood tall in the middle of nothing. Marie furrowed her brows, but shook her head away from thoughts as the doors of the elevator opened and the tapping of Willy's fingers against her shoulder.
"Is he nice?" Marie asked, feeling insecure of her presence.
"Nice?" Willy huffed. "A grouch is nice." He mumbled as he proceeded to walking up the steps of the building. Marie was about to retort to his comment when he began speaking again. "My, we are at the right place." He spoke crustily. As so, a golden plaque was bolted at the side of the door. 'Wilbur Wonka D.D.S.'
They stood at the door for a good five minutes before Marie took hold of his left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She saw him in an unpleasant mood, and didn't like it one bit. Hoping to ease his nerves, gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "We're here already Willy. I'm sure everything is going to go fine." She smiled softly at him as he gave her hand a tender squeeze. Looking back at the door, Willy raised his right hand to knock, but before he got the chance to, the door had already swung open to reveal an elder man with whitening hair and a white lab like coat.
"Do you have an appointment?" The man, who was presuming to be Willy's father, asked.
"Afraid not; but he's overdue." Marie spoke.
Willy's father eyed the couple up and down before nodding and allowing them entrance. Willy was immediately seated into a dentist chair and was reclined back as his father proceeded to check his teeth. Marie watched with a small smile at the scene and forced her eyes away. Along the right side, there was a small table covered in newspaper clippings and pictures. A scrapbook was lay opened to of Willy's inauguration of the chocolate factory. She flipped a page of it and saw another newspaper clipping of Willy and his chocolate factory.
Looking over to the scene of father and son, a small pang of sorrow hit her. Her thoughts going to the man that never watched his son grow; and to the son that lived without his father. A small frown had crept to her lips and she turned once more to the table. Her eyes scanning through the clippings once more before they landed on a picture frame. Curious, she took hold of the bronze colored frame and looked it over; a picture of Willy in his younger years. A smile replaced her frown as she ran a small index finger along the glass that protected the picture. Still holding the picture she witnessed a heartwarming scene as father and son embraced.
Catching Willy's eye, she flushed and turned back around and placed the frame where she had picked it up from. "Marie." The hairs from the back of her neck stood straight up as she got the chills. The way Willy spoke her name made those butterflies flutter faster. Turning, she saw both Willy and Mr. Wonka looking at her. With a nervous smile, she walked a few paces ahead to the both of them.
"Marie, I want you to meet my father." He spoke; and for the first time, happily about his father.
"Pleasure to meet you Mister Wonka." Marie said politely and softly as she brought her right hand up. Willy's father smiled and nodded as he took hold of her hand and shook it gently. Still having hold of her hand, he turned it over so her hand would be palm down. He patted the top of it softly as he looked at her.
"Pleasure in meeting you, Marie." He turned to look at his son as he kept his hands on hers. "You have such a lovely, young lady. Do care for her." He advised him before letting her hand go free.
Marie blushed softly at the words his father spoke. Not only did he compliment her, but he also referred to her as his partner. Her ocean colored orbs fixated themselves on his violent ones and giggled softly as she saw that he, too, had tints of pink on his cheeks.
After an hour or so of conversation with his father, Marie and Willy walked out of the building after embracing Mister Wonka. Down the steps, both noticed it had gotten dark already. Willy apologized for keeping her so late.
"Don't worry. This was very important to you, and I'm happy that you included me." She smiled as both now stood inside the elevator.
"Well, if you won't accept my apology, then I sure hope your parents do." He smiled at her.
"My parents?" She furrowed her brows. She gasped lightly and shook her head. "I've forgotten about them, to be honest." She bit her bottom lip as she tried to hold back laughter.
"What's so funny?" He asked, curiously.
"This can possibly be the first time that I haven't thought about the care my parents, or anything else, for the matter." She smiled and then furrowed her brows again. "Willy…"
"Yes?" He asked, awaiting any news that would make or break his heart.
"While we were in there, talking to your father, I was thinking about your offer." She spoke, at first unsure, but then determined of what she was saying.
"And…?" Oh, boy, was he anxious.
"Well, I accept the offer. That is, if you're still offering it." She smiled softly at him.
Willy beamed down at her. Marie laughed lightly as she saw the happy grin that lit up his face. Willy couldn't stop grinning, because one, this is the best things he's received and second, because her laughter was finer, and enchanting than any melodious thing there was. Her laughter brought out something beautiful about her. Willy stopped grinning, and once so, she stopped laughing. A confused looked dominated her facial features as he held a blank expression. It was silent around them, so she heard the deep breath he took and the soft, funny noise his gloves made as he clenched and unclenched his fists.
"Willy?" She said softy.
Two seconds after his name was called from those peach colored, mouth watering, lips, he took a step closer to her; brought his right hand up to her waist and his left hand to softly hold her jaw; he caressed her bottom lip tenderly with his thumb and felt a smile form. He smiled softly before removing his thumb and bringing his lips down to claim hers.