Chapter Nineteen

"Are you ok?" Cameron asked when she heard how sad Willy sounded. There was a long pause and for a moment she thought he had hung up or was going to. "Willy?"

On the other line Willy sighed. "I got your package."

"Oh!" Cameron said softly. "It was suppose to be your Christmas present. I'm sorry it came so late." Cameron apologized realizing that it was now March.

"The oompa-loompas told me what happened. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"Don't be. You were upset I'm sure I would have done the same thing if I were you." There was another long pause after Cameron spoke.

Willy opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He wanted so much to ask her to come back but he would feel even more rejected if she didn't want to. He was afraid she would say no not knowing that Cameron was thinking the same thing. She would have asked but she wasn't sure she should make the first move. She didn't want to push him into anything because that would only make the situation worse.

"Well I guess I should let you go. I'm sorry if I woke you." Willy continued sounding defeated. Before Cameron could say anything she heard the dial tone on the other end. Cameron sat frozen in place, the phone still at her ear. She slowly brought the phone down to look at it not believing that Willy had actually hung up on her. Seeing that the call had really ended she slammed the cell phone shut throwing it across the room in a fury. It collided with the wall breaking in half, tiny pieces of metal flying in all directions. She ran her hands through her hair before falling back on the bed, face flushed with anger.

Willy felt bad hanging up on her like he did, but he had nothing more to say. 'Why didn't you just ask her, you sour skittle.' The voice said in his head making him frown. "I am not!" He said loudly to himself. 'Why didn't I ask her? The oompa-loompas wouldn't lie to me.' He thought. He looked back down at the phone debating on calling her back. Finally he picked up the phone dialing her number but there was no sound at all not even a ringing. He hung up and dialed again only to get a message saying the line was no longer working. He frowned before lying the phone back on the night stand. 'Could something be wrong? The line was working just a moment ago.' Willy's brows furrowed in worry. Then it hit him, maybe he should go to her instead of her coming to him. Willy smiled to himself for his clever thinking, of course this time he couldn't take the elevator.

The next morning Cameron rushed downstairs where Jodie was quietly sipping her coffee and reading the paper. Cameron laughed at her friend. "You know Jodie, doing that makes you look old." She said opening the fridge to grab the orange juice pouring herself a cup.

"No I don't!" Jodie protested before laughing.

"Yes you do!" Cameron mocked in a kiddie voice. Jodie stuck her tongue out at her before looking back at the paper.

"Listen to this, 'Willy Wonka finally tying the knot, or is he?'" Jodie read aloud the title of the article.

"You mean it's still in the papers!" Cameron groaned. "It's been weeks. These people are crazy."

"Apparently!" Jodie took a sip of her coffee. "What was that loud noise I heard in your room last night? It sounded like you threw something against the wall."

Cameron blushed as she took a seat next to her friend after grabbing a bagel and picking up a discarded piece of the paper. "I kinda had a tantrum."

"What happened?" Jodie sat down the paper to look at her friend.

"I...uh...threw my cell phone at the wall." Cameron said really fast.

"You what? Why'd you do that?" Jodie asked surprised.

"Willy called."

"Oh." Jodie said calming down. "Well what did he say?"

"Not much. He just hung up on me after saying he was sorry; didn't hardly give me time to talk. He just hung up which really pissed me off." Cameron finally looked up at her friend.

"But he did say he was sorry." Jodie said excitedly.

"Don't get too excited, that doesn't mean he wants me back." Cameron sighed throwing the paper over her shoulder and taking a large bite of her bagel.

"How much damage did you do to the wall?" Jodie laughed.

Cameron paused looking up at her and shrugging. "Not much!" She said quietly.

"Cameron!" Jodie scolded.

"I promise I'll have it fixed, it's only a little dent."

"I'm sure your poor innocent cell phone is in shambles." Jodie laughed.

Cameron shrugged but said nothing as she finished up her bagel before heading to work. When she finally got home she barely had time to eat a quick dinner before she had to go to a night class at a nearby college. As soon as she walked in the house after her class the phone rang.

"Cameron get the phone!" Jodie screamed not even picking it up.

"I know!" Cameron screamed back picking up the phone and answering it.

"Cameron!" Charlie said excitedly.

"Hey Charlie!" Cameron said tiredly.

"What's wrong? You sound tired." He asked concerned.

"I just had a long day with work and everything." Cameron explained grabbing a diet coke from the fridge.

"I tried your cell phone number but it said it wasn't working. What happened? Willy was worried something was wrong." Charlie explained.

Cameron paused from taking a sip of her soda. "Willy was worried?"

"Yes! Why do you sound surprised? He said he called and apologized." Charlie frowned. "He did, didn't he?"

"Yes but he hung up on me after a quick goodbye. He didn't give me time to say much." She explained.

"Oh! There's another problem I needed to ask you about. No one can find Willy anywhere. The last time I saw him was in the invention room yesterday after he had called you and now I can't find him anywhere; no one can."

"Charlie I'm sure he just locked himself in one those hidden rooms in that huge factory of his. He'll show up soon enough." Cameron laughed.

"But not even the oompa-loompas can find him. It's like he just vanished." Charlie said quickly.

Cameron frowned. "Just give him a day or so, I'm sure he'll show up." She heard Charlie sigh in frustration. "I'll call you tomorrow ok Char. If he hasn't been found by then I'll come help you look." She sighed.

"You promise!"

"Yes, of course. But I have to go now Charlie I'm sorry I can't talk longer."

"It's ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye, hugs and kisses." Cameron said before hanging up the phone. Tomorrow was Saturday and Cameron was looking forward to the day off. She lugged herself up the stairs and after taking a long shower climbed into bed.

The next morning both Cameron and Jodie were awoken by a knocking on the door.

"Get the door Jodie!" Cameron yelled to her friend.

"You get it!" Jodie screamed back.

Cameron groaned before making her way downstairs to the front door. She wore a stretchy black tank top, her usual, along with tight black boy shorts. Cameron usually wore baggy shorts to bed but the heat lately had been at an all time high.

"I'm comin! I'm comin!" She yelled as the knocking repeated. She quickly unlocked the door not bothering to look out the small window to see who it was. She opened the door squinting her eyes from the bright sun. "Yeah?" She asked as her eyes adjusted and she looked at the figure in front of her with it's black top hat and pale face. "Ahhhhhh!" She screamed slamming the door shut and leaning up against it breathing hard.