Lottie Morgan decides to use her week's vacation to visit her Uncle Andrew and his family at Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Little did she know that she was about to enter a magical, delectable world and capture the heart of the sweetest of men.

"All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost."

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954

Based on the 2005 Tim Burton film, starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.

When Lottie returned from her walk that morning and strode up into the Bucket cottage, she realized that she was late for breakfast. Gosh, she thought to herself, how long had she been on her walk? Being an early riser, she loved to take walks - but she also didn't want to seem to be slighting her family on the first morning in the factory.

Peeking into the cottage, she saw that breakfast was finished. Aunt Emma was washing the dishes, and the grandparents were sitting around the kitchen table.

"Whoa, look whose back! We thought you got lost, sweetie!" said Grandpa George.

"Hi, grandpa," said Lottie, going to kiss him on the cheek.

"Are you alright, dear?" asked Aunt Emma. "We wondered where you wandered off to!"

"Just taking a little walk, that's all. I'm very sorry I missed breakfast."

"Well, you can have some now, can't you, dear?" smiled Aunt Emma. Lottie got herself some eggs and toast. "Where is everyone?" she asked.

"Well, Charlie's at school, Uncle Andy's at work, and Willy's somewhere in the factory," said her aunt.

"Ah," said Lottie, sitting down to eat, a little disappointed to have missed him at breakfast.

"I love pomegranates!" said Grandma Georgina abruptly.

Lottie looked over to her. "Oh, I forgot to tell grandma 'good morning', too!" said Lottie to her grandfather, running over to give her grandma a kiss.

Grandpa George smiled at them both. "Ya know," he mused, "she seems happier since we've come to the factory, Lottie. Not better - mind you - but definitely happier."

"Mr. Wonka has a wonderful factory," agreed Joe. "I used to work for him, you know, on Cherry Street..."

"Oh, Lottie!" said Aunt Emma suddenly. "I almost forgot. Willy asked me to tell you to meet him at the chocolate waterfall at one o'clock."

Lottie stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth and slightly reddened, her eggs teetering in the air. She had been wondering if he would remember his promise of a tour... she glanced at her grandfather and Joe, and Grandpa George and Joe glanced at each other.

"Oh, thank you, Aunt," said Lottie nervously. She tried to continue to eat.

"Well, isn't that nice of Mr. Wonka," said Grandpa George, giving Lottie a sideways glance across the table, "giving this lady here a proper tour of his factory!"

"Very kind indeed," replied Joe. "Very decent." Both men were grinning at her.

Lottie was mortified. She had to think of a way to change the subject before the two men continued. Couldn't they just watch daytime television and leave her alone? She had a very boring life – really!

"Aunt Emma," said Lottie to her aunt, who was still perched over the counter, "how about we do each other's nails now?"

Emma turned to her, delighted. "What a great idea! Let me finish this pie, and then I'll get the nail kit."

"Here, let me help you finish," said Lottie, going over to her aunt. "Strawberry pie, my favorite!" exclaimed Lottie. Her aunt smiled.

"Aren't strawberries Mr. Wonka's favorite, too?" asked Joe with impish grin.

"I do believe they are, Joe!" said Grandpa George, grinning back at him.

Aunt Emma noticed that Lottie seemed a disconcerted. She turned around to the two men, her hands on her hips.

"Just what are you two laughing about?" Emma exclaimed. She was perplexed and not in a mood for their idle chatter.

"Oh, uh, nothing," said George, looked down at his coffee. He was a little embarrassed, actually. Didn't mean to hurt her, he thought to himself – didn't mean it at all, really.

"Good," said Emma to him, turning on the Oprah show for them to watch.

Turning back to Lottie, she said "Come on, let's work on our nails!"

Willie was walking to the chocolate waterfall after instructing the Oompa Loompas on how to finish up his improved formula for mint cherry fudge. Making sure they understood what to do, he smiled at the little fellow and bent over and crossed his arms across his chest before departing.

Approaching the chocolate room, Willy saw her standing by the waterfall, exactly where he had left her the night before. Walking up to her, he smiled to himself, remembering her early morning waltz in the pine tree glade. He and Charlie, of course, knew why she wasn't at breakfast this morning. In fact, Willy had to kick Charlie under the table at one point to prevent him from revealing his cousin's whereabouts. Willy intuitively understood how important privacy was and thought she should be left in peace to waltz in his glade as much as she pleased.

Lottie heard him approach and turned around to meet him.

"Oh, Mr. Wonka, hello!" she said politely to him. "Thank you so much for your offer of a tour."

He smiled, and was going to reply, when he looked up and perceived her aqua-green eyes. He froze. Her eyes were startling. Like the sea, he thought to himself. How beautiful. Willy thought he could lose himself in those misty eyes.

"Mr. Wonka?" said Lottie, a little alarmed. Was there something on her nose?

Willy snapped out of his reverie. "Oh, yes, um...hello there!" he managed. "How are you today? You look...great!" Willy flinched. Had he really just said that?

Lottie blushed. "Why thank you, Mr. Wonka," she replied.

"Willy," he corrected her.

"Willy."

"What?" asked Willy, looking at her expectedly. He stood looking at her for a moment, wanting to touch her hair so he could examine its color. What would you call that? Walnut? Chestnut? Almond?

"Um...you just asked me to call you 'Willy,'" she replied, faintly amused.

"Yes, of course," he replied, glancing over at the Bucket cottage across the chocolate room. His eyes rested on a window of the cottage. "What are they doing?" he asked suddenly as his eyes narrowed.

Expecting the worst, Lottie apprehensively peeked around, dreading what she might find there. She, in fact, saw her grandfather and Joe plastered against the window of the cottage, peering at them.

"What do you think they want?" Willy asked her in surprise. The two men, noticing Willy's stare, nonchalantly pretended to be washing the windows. Grandpa George squirted some Windex on the glass pane.

"Um, I think they're maybe just a trifle bored. They, um, like to keep busy."

"By doing windows?" asked Willy incredulously, looking at the two men in dismay. How could they be bored in a chocolate factory?

"Um, I suppose so!" she replied, her eyes dancing up to his.

He returned her smile. "So, Lottie," he said, looking down at her. "Are you ready for your tour?"

"Yes, Willy, I am," she said. She loved the way his lavender eyes sparkled.

He suddenly grabbed her by the arm. "Come on, then! There's far too much to see!"

Lottie found herself being dragged toward the exit of the chocolate room by Willy Wonka. She didn't know what was stranger: this odd man pulling her along a room of chocolate, or the two old men giggling in the cottage they were leaving behind.

Actually, Lottie Morgan was the luckiest woman in the world –she just didn't know it yet.