Disclaimer: The Bucket Baby is the only thing I own.
A/n: As usual, thank you to all my lovely reviewers! Please keep 'em coming! Flames…do I even have to say it? Also, I just realized that I've never specified which version of CATCF this is based on. Well, you've probably already figured it out, but just in case…it's based on the 2005 version of CATCF. Well, here's Chapter 6!
Chapter 6: Errand Boy
Six months had gone by since Mr. and Mrs. Bucket's big announcement and it was now summertime. This particular summer had been particularly hot and muggy, which was especially hard on Mrs. Bucket. Of course, to make matters worse, the factory was always kept warm because of the Oompa Loompas. Luckily for Mrs. Bucket, the Buckets' house was one of the few places in the factory that had air conditioning! Anyway, one extremely hot day, shortly after breakfast, Mrs. Bucket asked Willy if she could speak with him.
"Willy, I need to ask you a big favor," said Mrs. Bucket. "Yeah?" said Willy. "Well, I need to run some errands in town," said Mrs. Bucket. "So?" Willy asked. "Well, now that I'm six months pregnant, it's getting very hard for me to go out. Plus, the heat isn't good for me, or the baby," said Mrs. Bucket. Willy just looked at her in confusion. "Willy, I was wondering if you could run the errands for me," she blurted out.
"Me, run errands for you, in town, where there's tons of people and germs?" Willy asked. "Well, yes," said Mrs. Bucket. "No way!" Willy exclaimed. "Willy, Mr. Bucket is at work, the grandparents are all too old to run errands, and Charlie is too young to do some of the stuff I need done. Therefore, you're the only one that can do it," explained Mrs. Bucket. "But…but…" Willy spluttered. Mrs. Bucket sighed. She couldn't believe what she was about to resort to. "Willy, if you run the errands for me, I'll let Charlie stay up late to work with you," she said. Willy clapped his hands and giggled happily. He always hated that Mrs. Bucket made Charlie go to bed so early. "Okay, I'll do it!" he said. "Thank you, Willy. Now, here's a list of things I need done," said Mrs. Bucket, handing Willy a list.
A few minutes later, dressed in his black overcoat and sun goggles, Willy bravely headed into town. "Pick up Mr. Bucket's suit at the cleaners," Willy read aloud from the list. Nervously, he headed into the cleaners. "Um, I'm here to pick up a suit for Mr. Bucket," he said timidly. A few minutes later, he gratefully walked out with the suit.
"Pick up the following items from the grocery store," Willy read. Sighing, he went in to the grocery store. After picking up a cart, he looked at the items on the list. The first one was: "Breakfast cereal". "EW! Don't they know what that stuff's made out of!" Willy exclaimed loudly. Several other customers turned and looked at him oddly.
Giggling, Willy decided to ignore the breakfast cereal. As he started collecting the other items on the list, he heard a little girl's voice screaming, "MOMMY, I WANT A WONKA BAR!" "Ugh! Reminds me of that foot-wart girl!" Willy muttered to himself. As he headed into the pasta aisle, he heard the dreaded sound of a baby crying. "Owwie! My poor ears!" moaned Willy as he covered his ears. Apparently, he said that a little too loudly, because the baby's mother turned and glared at him.
Not long after the crying incident, the worst thing that Willy could imagine happening to him happened. A little girl spotted him (not the one that had been yelling for the Wonka Bar earlier). Somehow, she managed to recognize him, even with his coat and goggles on. She ran up to him and gave him a big hug, just like Violet Beauregarde had done. "WILLY WONKA!" she screamed, practically right in the Chocolatier's ear.
Startled, Willy backed away from the girl…and crashed right into a huge display of his own products! Wonka Bars, gobstoppers, and all sorts of other Wonka candy spilled all over the place. Willy's face was as red as a tomato. Just then, the girl's father came up to him. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. You see, my daughter loves Wonka's candies, and has always wanted to meet him. In her excitement, she mistook you for him," he apologized. "Yeah…uh…happens all the time!" Willy lied. Not long after that, Willy finished the grocery shopping.
Never in his life had Willy been so relieved to get back to his factory. "I'm back, Mrs. Bucket," he said. "Thanks, Willy, I really appreciate it," said Mrs. Bucket. "Just, don't make me do it again, 'kay?" said Willy.
A/n: I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!
Chapter 7 preview: Mrs. Bucket and Willy discuss Willy's fears about the baby, and Willy gets himself into some minor trouble in the Chocolate Room!