If it was my choice, I would have taken the whole day off, but I couldn't. Sure, he had told me to that morning, but like I said earlier, we can never be completely off duty. In the middle of a rendezvous of sorts, oompa 903 came rushing through the door. "I'm very sorry to interrupt you, but something has happened. It's not as serious as the chocolate spill last night, but it's something you need to look at."

"Do we have to?"

This shocked me. He usually was very excited to do his job, but not this time. I giggled at the fact that it was me who was making him want to stay back. "Yes, I think we do. Come on, I'll help."

"No, you were up all night fixing a problem. It's my turn now. You stay here, I'll be back later."

"No, don't!" he was already out the door. I didn't want him to go. It felt like he wasn't coming back. Last time he said he'd be right back he was gone for hours. I had better things to do than sit and wait for him. I opened the box of diamonds and gazed at them. That was so sweet of him to do that for me just to apologize! I decided that I would wait for him after all.

After 15 minutes had elapsed, I began to wonder what had happened that was so important. I went and began to search for them. I went to the highest level, where the hatch to my secret ladder was open. I heard voices coming from the rooftop.

"Every ladder leads to something, and I'm going to find it!"

"Yes sir, we want to know what the purpose of it is."

I climbed up, and stood before him. I had to tell him where it led. I was confident. He wouldn't get mad right? I had every part of him on my side, he wouldn't get mad. "I know where it goes, because it's mine."

"What do you mean it's yours?"

"It leads to my secret place. I have anything in there that wouldn't fit in my room, or anything the improper color to be in my room."

"Really? Where is it then?"

I went over and pulled open the hatch of the tunnel. "Down there."

"It is not, you would never go down there."

"Oh I wouldn't? Just watch me." I climbed in and waved him goodbye as I went down. "You can come down if you like!" I yelled.

"Um… yeah I think I will." I could sense nervousness in his voice. A few moments later, he did come down, and landed on his feet just as a person was supposed to when entering.

"Wow, you have everything in here! So this is why you sometimes disappear during the day." He started to wander around like a lost puppy; not wanting to touch anything, or go anywhere he wasn't allowed. He started towards a small room with a little drawing of him on it. I quickly ran over in front of it.

"No, you can't go in there."

"I can't eh? Now why ever not?" He emphasized the h in the word 'why', and blended the now-why together. He knew that always got to me in the past, when he had done it involuntarily. But now he was educated. He knew how to say it just right to get what he wanted from me.

"Well… I just don't really want you in there that's all."

"You are hiding it from your fiancé? For shame." He smiled with every word, and I had to let him take just a little peek. What would it hurt?

"Ok, you can look, but I'm not sure how you will respond. I'll just go stand over there." I went and stood in the corner.

He opened the door and looked in. a second later, he quickly slammed it shut and spun around. "Oh my! Now I see why you have this place separate from the rest. I didn't give you those things, you must have…"

"Had oompa 70 make them, yes. I was planning on showing them to you… sometime later."

"Really? Er... I mean, ok, I will wait. You just have fun with that."

He went back over to the chute and looked up, wondering.

"You have to use this ladder." I pointed to a ladder on the wall.

"Ok, I'll just be going now."