Willy and Andreas showed Charlie around the factory all afternoon. Andreas watched as Charlie and Willy slowly grew more comfortable around each other.
At the end of the day, the three of them headed for the glass elevator. Willy was walking ahead of Charlie and Andreas, who were talking together. "What do you think of the factory, Charlie?" Andreas asked.
"I love it," Charlie said, smiling. "You were right when you said it was an incredible and magical place."
"You haven't seen half of it," Andreas said. Then he shrugged and admitted, "Neither have I."
"But you've seen more than I have," Charlie pointed out.
"True," Andreas said, "And what I've seen is just as wild, crazy, fun, and magical as what Willy and I showed you today. I don't care that some people would say everything in this place is pointless. I love it here."
"Me too," Charlie said. He smiled and added, "Candy doesn't have to have a point. That's why it's candy."
"The point of candy is to have fun," Andreas agreed.
Neither boy noticed Willy look over his shoulder at them and grin at their comments. Neither did they notice that Willy had stopped until they collided with him and caused him to fall forwards and smack into the doors of the Great Glass Elevator.
"Sorry, Mr. Wonka," Charlie was the first to climb off the pile up.
Andreas got up next. "Are you all right, Willy?" he asked.
Willy got to his feet and dusted himself off. "I'm fine," he said.
Andreas couldn't wait any more. "Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" Willy asked, knowing what Andreas meant.
Charlie looked confusedly between Willy and Andreas, wondering what was going on. Andreas caught his eye and quickly looked away. "Andreas?" Charlie asked.
Andreas sighed and looked back at his friend. "There was another reason why I invited you to come over, Charlie. It wasn't just that I wanted you to see the factory and meet Willy. I mean, I did, but that wasn't why Willy agreed to let you come." Andreas looked down, embarrassed. "The truth is that Willy felt like he had to approve of you and our being friends."
"I did not say that!" Willy interrupted. "I just said I wanted to make sure he wasn't rotten or a brat like those other four who took the tour with you that day!"
"It's the same thing, Willy," Andreas said. Willy ignored Andreas' comment.
"So is it okay that Andreas and I are friends?" Charlie asked.
Willy suddenly grinned and clapped Charlie heartily on the back. "You bet it is!" he said. "I'm absolutely thrilled and delighted that the two of you are friends! I couldn't have found a better friend for Andreas if I tried!"
"Willy, you're babbling," Andreas said, stifling a snicker.
Willy then reached out and pressed the button to open the elevator doors. "Come on, you two," he said.
"Where are we going?" Andreas asked, following him into the glass elevator.
"We're taking Charlie home," Willy replied. He looked at Andreas, "Isn't that what p-p-p-..."
"Parents?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah, them," Willy said. "Isn't that what we're supposed to do for friends of our kids? Take them home after they visit?"
"I guess," Andreas said, smiling up at Willy. Willy grinned down at Andreas and then, with a wink, pressed the 'up and out' button."
"'Up and out'?" Charlie asked. "What kind of room is that?"
Andreas smiled. "You'll see," he said.
"Hold on," Willy said at the same time.
The elevator went up, gaining speed as it went. Andreas suddenly nudged Charlie and, when he had his friend's attention, looked upwards.
Charlie followed his friend's gaze and found he was gazing out through a skylight. His eyes widened in realization as he turned to Willy. "Do you really mean..." he started to ask.
Willy grinned at Charlie. "Yeah, I do!"
"But it'll break!" Charlie exclaimed.
"No it won't," Andreas said. "Willy has done this before. It'll be okay, you'll see."
CRASH!
The elevator burst through the skylight and flew up into the sky. Then, suddenly, it started to fall. Willy moved his hand so it was in front of the button to stop the free fall, hesitated, and then pulled back, turning to Andreas with a grin. "Press it, Andreas," he said. Andreas grinned back and pressed the button, causing the rockets to fire.
Andreas laughed. "What a rush!" he said.
"Fun, huh?" Willy said.
"That was scary," Charlie said, looking a little paler than usual. He turned to Andreas, "Weren't you scared?"
"Not this time," Andreas admitted, "but the first time I went up and out I was terrified. I thought for sure we'd all be killed."
"Where do you live, Charlie?" Willy asked.
Charlie looked outside and pointed. "Over there," he said. "That little house."
The house Charlie pointed to was a little rundown, tipped over, wooden shack with a large hole in the roof.
Willy flew the elevator closer and then landed it just outside the front gate. He pressed the button to open the doors and Charlie ran out. At the door, he turned around and waved. "Bye, Andreas, Mr. Wonka! Thank you!" he called.
"See you in school tomorrow, Charlie," Andreas called out to his friend, waving back.