Chapter Seven:
Willy started to shake. His father was coming. Today. He hadn't even thought about it. What would his father say? What would he think?
"Oh no," he cried, "what am I going to do!"
Jenni became very tense; after all if he was nervous about something, so was she, for his sake. "Willy, don't panic, it's going to be-"
"No, it's not!" he said in a frustrated tone. "We need to get to the shop, quick! Oh dear, I hope we're not late, please don't let us be late!" He glanced at the clock; it was eight fifty-two. "Oh no! I have to open in eight minutes! Come on, Jenni!"
The two of them dashed out the door, and Jenni hastily started her car and zoomed off to the shop. On the way there, Jenni would occasionally glance at Willy, like last time, and she would always see his frightened expression, his pale face, the near-fainting sort of feeling that he always seemed to have.
When they pulled up, Joe was waiting inside the shop, and he unlocked the door for them. "Where have you guys been!" he said, alarmed.
"Sorry, Joe, but we accidentally slept in," said Willy, not bothering to describe the details of why they had slept in. "Is everything ready?" Joe nodded, and Willy ran to the back room. Jenni stood nervously in the front.
"So..." said Joe, a hint of slyness in his voice, "why did you sleep in?"
"Rough night," said Jenni, but when she spotted the ghost of a smirk on his face, she added, "because had a nightmare."
"Oh," he replied, his face falling a little. "Well, I can tell he's in a bit of a shock. We're going to have to support him wholly in this."
Jenni nodded in agreement. "We can't let him down, or it'll crush him. After all... it's his dad... so... we have to make a good impression. The only thing I'm really worried about isn't whether or not we look like a good business, but the fact that we sell candy. I hope..." she gulped, "I hope that it doesn't make things a bit... rough... between them."
"All we can do is pray that things will go smoothly," he said assuringly. "Let's get ready."
Jenni sighed. If things didn't go smoothly, she didn't know what she'd do. Willy rushed back into the room and looked up at the clock. "It's nine, go ahead and unlock the doors." Jenni glanced at him and gave him a small smile, and he gave a nervous smile in return. She walked slowly up to the front doors and unlocked them.
Now all we can do is wait... she thought to herself. "Did he say exactly when he was coming?" asked Dennis.
Willy shook his head. "I have no idea... he just said... today..."
"Did he tell you in person?"
"Oh, goodness, no!" said Willy, alarmed. "He... he wouldn't do that. He sent me a letter."
Jenni kept glancing up towards the clock. It was a bit unnerving to not know when he was coming. It was like he could just pop up at any given moment. And all sorts of horrible images kept shooting across her mind. Please... please let things be alright... please...
Minutes passed by, then hours, until finally, when Jenni looked up at the clock, it said twelve 'o clock. All of them heard the sound of a car drive up, and Joe looked out the window. A shiny black car had parked outside, and a man stepped out of it, looking at the shop. Joe's heart nearly stopped; it really was Wilbur Wonka, Willy's father. Even though he never knew the whole story, he had a feeling that they never got along.
Jenni let out a small gasp, and Willy started to sweat. He's here... he's here... "Everyone r-ready?" he said nervously. They all nodded.
Soon, he made his way to the door, and Joe held it open for him, bowing slightly. "Good afternoon, sir," he said politely.
Wilbur paid no attention to this greeting and instead walked up to Willy.
Oh, God...
"H-hello, D-dad..." he stuttered.
His father's eyes stared coldly into his. "Hello, Willy," he said without a trace of emotion in his voice. He turned away from him and stared disdainfully around the shop, at all the walls lined with chocolates, bins full of plastic-wrapped lollipops, a pile of Wonka bars, and a box of taffy.
"This is your shop?" he said cooly.
Willy gulped, but nodded.
Keep yourself calm... don't let him get to you again.
"A candy shop?"
He nodded again, more nervous than ever.
Keep calm...
"Even after I told you no son of mine would become a chocolatier?"
Willy flinched. "Y-yes..."
Keep absolute calm...
Jenni could only watch in horror. She had seen this scene unfold in her mind, and her worst fears (and most likely Willy's) were coming true. Why is he being so mean? Can't he just accept it?
Willy and all of the workers watched as he walked around the fairly large room, examining each type of candy.
"This is pathetic," he said in disgust, picking up a lollipop, then throwing it back into the bin. "I am a dentist, and my son... a candy maker?"
No reply. Willy only stared down at the floor.
Just leave him alone, you horrible man... Jenni wanted to shout, anything to make his father go away. Leave this store. You're not welcome here... You're the reason for all his nightmares, his fears, his sadness, his loneliness. And then you come in here and humiliate him in front of all his workers? In his shop? You horrible, horrible, horrible, man...
"Willy, this is completely unacceptable."
No... no...
"You've disappointed me greatly." Wilbur turned on his heel and exited the shop.
Everyone watched as he left the shop, then drove off in his car. Then all the eyes turned to Willy, who was still staring at the spot where his father had been standing moments ago.
"Willy?" said Jenni cautiously, walking slowly towards him.
Willy turned to look at her. His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes were wide in shock.
"J-j..." His eyes began to fill with tears.
"Willy..." Oh no. Not again.
"J-J-Jenni!" he cried, and he collapsed on the floor, falling on his knees.