Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story except for the mere idea of it. Thanks for your understanding.

Chapter Ten

"Well, I have done it," Willy Wonka said excitedly at the dinner table that night as everybody sat down.

"What have you done this time, dear Mr. Wonka?" Mrs. Bucket asked fondly. She loved the dear man who never had a real family before they came along and was happy that they could make him feel more attuned to the world.

"Yesterday morning I had some trusty deliverers take four letters to each of the former golden ticket holders inviting them here for a reunion on the twenty-fourth of this month," Wonka said excitedly.

"Oh, how wonderful!" exclaimed Grandma Georgina. "It would nice to see everybody again, wouldn't it, Charlie?"

Charlie looked down at his plate, his face burning. He had been avoiding Wonka ever since he had made the proposition and now that he had done it, Charlie felt a resignation rise with him, however reluctant. But he didn't want to tell everybody that he was reluctant to have the ticket holders over. Only his mother knew about his dilemma.

Mrs. Bucket glanced at her son. She knew how much this had all tormented him the past few days. Desperately she had wanted to comfort him, give him some advice. But he was twenty years old now and she had to let him go his own way.

Charlie heaved a great sigh. "Possibly. They might have changed after all, you never know."

Grandpa George clapped his grandson on the back. "That's the spirit. Always see the best in everybody, that's what I've always said."

"Oh, and what can you say for yourself, old man, when you crack at every person who you think's a snot?" Grandma Josephine retorted.

Grandpa George smiled sheepishly. "Well, we can't all be perfect, can we?"

Willy Wonka cleared his throat loudly. "What I've been meaning to ask you is what we should do when they all come 'round? I haven't the slightest idea."

"Show them around the factory, I'm sure they'd like that," Mr. Bucket put it.

"Ah, they've already been around the factory, let them have a big party in that one big room with that chocolate river of yours," Grandpa George said.

"But we must be sensitive of Augustus' feelings…" Grandpa Joe butted in.

As everybody was arguing, Charlie quietly finished his dinner and snuck away out of the room. He didn't feel like arguing at the moment. Walking down the chocolate river that was his constant companion in the big factory.

A small figure came up suddenly beside the young boy and looked up expectantly at him. Charlie looked down and smiled at the Oompa Loompa. They were quite nice, these Oompa Loompas.

"Is the Master Charlie wanting anything?" the Oompa Loompa asked.

Charlie shook his head. "No, I'm just thinking about everything that's going all, is all."

"That's what Master Charlie seems to be doing a lot of lately."

"Yes, because I have a lot on my mind. I have nowhere else to put it but through my head to get more room into it," Charlie laughed.

The Oompa Loompa nodded. "It's about Willy Wonka, isn't it?"

Charlie stopped short. How did these small beings get to be so smart about everything? He wished he knew.

As if reading his mind, the Oompa Loompa added, "We hear things while we go about our business, Charlie. We're not dumb and stupid."

"Of course not. I'll just have to mind what I say from now on, won't I?" Charlie asked jokingly.

The Oompa Loompa just shrugged. "What are you going to do when the others come?"

Charlie knew what he meant by the others. The other golden ticket holders. In fact, Charlie didn't know what to do. He couldn't be rude and go off to another part of the factory, yet he didn't want to spend a whole day in their presence.

"To be truthful, I don't know. It was Willy Wonka's idea and not mine," Charlie stated.

"You don't really want to see them, do you?" he asked.

Charlie shook his head. "No, but I guess if Mr. Wonka wants to see them again, he can do that."

"It's about what you want as well, Charlie," the Oompa Loompa said seriously.

"Look, I don't mind them coming for a day. I can suffer through it and then I won't ever have to see them again. No one ever said that it was completely impossible and intolerable," Charlie said fiercely.

"Except you," the Oompa Loompa said pointedly.

Charlie glared at the Oompa Loompa furiously, his mouth twitching furiously. The Oompa Loompa sat back, satisfied. He had gotten to the core of it all and it was a tad bit hilarious to watch Charlie shift around uncomfortably and try to find the words to retort back. He really was great fun at times.

"If you'll excuse me, Master Oompa Loompa, I've got some other things to oversee, if you don't mind," Charlie stated.

"Of course, sir," the Ooompa Loompa exclaimed, watching Charlie disappear through a door in the hallway. All he hoped was that the boy would make the right choice.

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Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been kind of busy and rejuvenating my brain and all that wonderful stuff. Hopefully I'll be able to make a comeback during the summer and continue with my stories. If you haven't noticed, I've deleted quite a few stories from my account from the lack of enthusiasm from my part and everybody else's. If you really want to see a story that I've deleted come back to life, please send me a message about which one and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks for being patient and for those who have reviewed, they really are a lifesaver.