Pizza Kills 7:

I woke that morning and showered. It was weird knowing I worked for Mr. Wonka…Willy now. Would he still want me to call him Willy? I sighed. I was soon standing in my closet now full of clothes deciding what to wear for my first workday. I chose a blue pants suit and a light blue butterfly collar shirt. I chose a pair of matching blue Mary Jane heels. I wore my still reddish hair down.

I looked at the clock. It read 4:30am. I wanted to get a jump-start on the day. I packed a purse with my phones and a few other things. I packed my computer bag and put some CD's and DVD in for down time. I looked over and saw Candy there ready for the day. I closed my eyes and then opened them. Still there.

"What is it with you and hats!" I said.

"You…you don't like the hats?" she asked sadly.

"It's…it's not that," I sighed.

"Then why…why wont you wear it?" she asked looking up at me.

"Mr. Wonka might take offense to it. He wears them and might think I'm mocking him," I said hoping that would end it.

Then she did it. She opened the door and walked over to his room as he was just coming out. He looked up at me.

"Morning star shine, the earth says hello!" He said smiling.

He then saw Candy…with the hat.

"Sorry but I don't think that's my size," He said and laughed.

"It's for Cheryl to wear on her first day," said Candy

"Wow! You're gonna look super duper today!" He said.

"So…you don't mind her wearing it?" Candy asked him.

"I think it'll make her look so…" he tilted his head to the side. "SPECTACULAR!"

Candy handed me the hat with an I told you so look. I put it on and he clapped like he'd just won the lottery. He then held out his arm to me.

"May I escort you to your office you sweet sexy thang you?" he said.

"I though you didn't like to be touched?" I asked looking at myself in my compact.

"I'm working on that aaaaand…I asked you instead of you just grabbing me. Soooo…let's go. Kay!"

I took his arm. I gave it a squeeze, which startled him. He'd been working out. We took the glass elevator the three of us. When we got to my office it was amazing…and that was just the doors. They were huge and ebony colored with two white C's back to back I smiled at him and he opened the doors. Inside on a platform was a dark Victorian ebony desk trimmed in blue. The chair was huge and had steps up to it. Candy set up my computer on it. The room was in blue and black with the two C's theme all around. I took a deep breath.

"Thank you Mr. Wonka," I said looking at him.

"No need. I'll let you get to work." he said and turned to go. He stopped at the door and turned back to look at me. "And it's Willy," with that he was gone.

I spent most of the morning working and taste testing the cakes, pies, cookies, and breads. There was such a wide variety. I only ate enough to test. I didn't want to get sick. It was hard but it was fun learning how to buy supplies and such. I ordered another laptop and desktop. I didn't want to have games on my work computer. It was soon lunchtime but I was still hard at work.

"Music time," I said and put in Prince's when doves cry.

I started singing along with it. I even got up and did my own dance to it. I was dancing around the room when I bumped into something solid…and laughing. I looked up and saw a grinning Willy.

"I like your moves there Cher!" he said.

"Tell anyone…and I'll…cook your hat," I said.

He made a squeaking noise and held onto his hat.

"I promise!" he said.

"I'm just joking…I'd never hurt your hat…although I might highjack it," I said.

"You like my hat?" he asked.

"It's…it's you," I said.

He smiled and we stood there looking at each other.

"Did you want something?" I asked.

He blinked, "OH!" he said.

"Can you turn down the volume on that?" I asked.

"Sorry," he said and giggled. "Mrs. Bucket wanted you to join us for lunch."

"I think I'll stay here and work," I said.

He took me by the hand and marched me off. I guess he didn't know the meaning of the word no. Soon we were in the Bucket home.

"I had to make her come Mrs. Bucket," he said removing his hat and then mine. "Doesn't she have a nifty hat!"

"Who let the weirdo in?" asked grandpa George.

"Be nice grandpa George. He has the young lady with him." Said Mrs. Bucket.

"He's not a weirdo," I said.

"See…he's drugged her," Said grandpa George.

"Be nice," I said giving him a sexy look biting my bottom lip slightly.

"Okay," he said then got elbowed by grandma Georgina for staring.

We sat down and had lunch. Not to big as we had to get back to work. When lunch was over I took out a cigarette. I was hooked on Camels and had bought more than a few cartons in London. I lit it and then looked around.

"I'm sorry I should've asked first," I said looking for somewhere to put it out.

"Can I have one?" asked grandpa George. I handed him one.

"Smoking is bad for you," said Willy.

"So are a lot of things. It's the one thing I allow myself." I said. "Maybe you should make chocolate cigarettes or chocolate patches so people can stop smoking."

He looked at me.

"What a great idea! I'll get right on it!" he said standing and went over to put on his hat. "Oh! By the way…no smoking in the factory! Kay. Don't want the chocolate smelling like smoke now do we?"

He was gone before I could answer. We all smoked and then sprayed air freshener. I went back to work thinking nothing of the idea. With my luck he'd use the to back-to-back C's on the front of the pack. I drew the design on my computer as I played: Be With You by Beyonce on my cd player. It was a blue pack with the C's in white. Just for fun I emailed it to him.

I was working on that when Charlie came in. He sat in a chair in front of my desk waiting for me to finish up. I looked up after closing my laptop. We looked at each other for a while.

"So?" I said.

"Oh, mum wants to know if you're coming to dinner." He smiled.

"Um…sure," I said. "Have to eat." I laughed nervously.

"Mum says not to worry about grandpa George perving on you. She set him straight." He laughed.

"That's good to know," I said. "Tell her I'm going to go change and then I'll come down."

"Sure," he said and walked out.

I took my laptop to my room leaving behind my back up disk for when my new computers arrived. Candy was going to set them up for me. I went in my room and showered and changed. I didn't feel like dressing up. I put on a pair of blue jeans and an off the shoulders blue blouse. I threw on matching blue heels. I put my hair back and clipped it with a C clip. I freshened up my make up which wasn't much and grabbing my purse heeded to the Bucket home.

"Hi everyone," I said entering.

"Have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a bit," said Mrs. Bucket.

I sat in a chair and crossed my legs. Grandpa George was trying not to eye me. Grandpa Joe got a kick out of it. Grandpa Joe talked about how he used to work for Mr. Wonka. Everyone else but me rolled their eyes. They had heard it before. When the story ended dinner was ready. They waited but soon had to start without Willy. I volunteered to take him his food. Charlie told me where to find him. He was hard at work. I cleared my throat.

"What are you doing in here!" he said looking up.

"Dinner," I said flatly and set it on the table. "Be sure to eat it," I said and headed for the door.

"Wait!" he said. "I didn't mean it like that…old habits die hard."

"I understand," I said. "Enjoy your dinner," I said and walked out.

I went back to my room and was chatting on my computer when an IM came up. It was…my best friend Michelle. She said that they had gotten a letter saying I was in England and that I wouldn't be coming back. I told her it was true. She said to call my parents. I said I'd think about it. She asked me was I happy. I said yes. She wished me luck and said I owed her $20.00 and to send it now. I said I'd send her a late birthday present. Mine was coming up. I'd be 29. I used my credit card and ordered her something nice…and I sent her the money.

I changed for bed and then just lay there under the covers. There was soon a knock on the door. I knew it wasn't Candy because she'd just barge in. I'd have to talk to her about that not that she'd listen to a word I said.

"Come in," I said.

Willy stuck his head in, his eyes closed. "Are you decent?"

"No but you can come in anyway," I said laughing.

"Okay!" he said walking in.

He looked around and then at me smiling. He was dressed for bed too.

"You wanted something?" I asked.

"Oh! I've got a few prototypes on the cigarettes and patches. I made them in different flavors!" he said smiling.

"Was that all?" I asked.

He frowned a little, "Are you…are you going home?" he asked.

"I am home…I hope."

"Yeah…you're home," he said. "I just…I don't want to lose another friend." He said looking down.

"You'll always be my buddy," I said.

We then started singing the my buddy doll song.

"Is this real?" I asked.

He…pinched me…and I screamed.

"It's real!" he said laughing.

"I didn't say pinch me! You are so dead Willy!" I said getting out of bed.

He was fast for a man of his age. I turned out the lights laughing. He was fun. I'd call my parents in the morning when I was sure they'd be up. I lowered my mask that night knowing it was all real. I had the most wonderful dream that night but I'm not telling you.