Chapter 4

One day, Candace went to the supermarket to do some shopping. When she got to the dairy section, she picked up a carton of milk that had a photo of a missing boy on it. The boy was Billy. Candace remembered the first day she walked into the candy store and gave him a bar of chocolate from off the shelf when he couldn't reach it. Billy was last seen walking home from school and never made it back before dinner. He had disappeared.

Candace started to notice a lot of children were disappearing from town. Just last week, two twin boys named Irwin and Ivan went missing after they went out for a ride on their bikes. The next morning, one of their bikes and a shoe with Ivan's name written on it was discovered by a bridge. The water was searched, but there was no trace of the bodies. Candace had a hunch that a witch had taken them, which may have been the truth.

"I don't understand it", said Walter. He was sitting in his chair, reading a newspaper about the missing children. "The children keep vanishing without a trace."

Candace poured some more coffee for Walter and added, "I know, it's horrible."

Walter folded up the newspaper and placed it on the coffee table. He stood up and started to pace. "How is it possible? There must be a logical explanation for all this", he said. "Maybe they're hiding or playing hooky."

"I don't think so", said Candace. "I believe this is something much more serious."

"What are you saying?" Walter asked her.

Candace couldn't ignore it any longer. He had to know the truth about the existence of witches. "Walter, I have something I need to tell you", said Candace. "Something I should have told you from day one."

"What is it, Candace?"

"Walter, I'm not who you think I am. I'm still the same kind, caring woman you met the first day I came into your candy store, but I thought you should know."

"Know what?"

"I'm not like other women. I'm...different. In every sense of the word, I'm not a normal person. I'm a witch."

Walter thought it was a joke and laughed at her. "Candace, my dear, witches are not real", he said. "They're just something thought up in fairy tales."

"No, Walter, they're real. We're every bit as horrible and despicable as the stories say we are." Candace looked over and pointed to Jelly Bean lounging on the floor. "You believe I can turn Jelly Bean into a pumpkin?"

"What kind of nonsense is that? If I didn't know any better, Candace, I'd say you've gone completely crazy."

Candace sighed disappointedly and told him, "All right, Walter, but remember, I did warn you." Candace turned around and pointed her finger at Jelly Bean. Before Walter could blink, a bright stream of glowing orange light shot out of Candace's finger and aimed straight at the pretty white cat, who vanished into a thick cloud of blue smoke and was transformed into a large, round pumpkin.

Walter's mouth fell open in shock, his eyes were as big as saucer plates. Candace turned back to him and looked at Walter with a guilty expression on her face.

"I...I-I-I d-don't believe it!" Walter exclaimed, falling back into his chair. He probably would have fainted had it not been there to catch him.

"I never wanted to be a witch", said Candace, sitting down on the couch next to the chair. "I know this comes as a shock to you, Walter, but I thought you ought to know the truth about me. And witches, too."

"There are...others like you out there?" Walter asked, nervously.

"There are", Candace admitted, sadly. "Every country in the world has witches, I'm afraid. The most evil and wicked of them all is called The Grand High Witch. She also happens to be my aunt."

"But you can't be a w-w-witch", said Walter. "You're the kindness, most caring woman I've ever met."

"Think about it, Walter. Have you ever seen me without a pair of gloves?"

Walter thought about it, then shook his head and answered, "No."

"Did you ever notice how I wear plain shoes and not pretty or pointed ones? Have you ever noticed the strange purple glow in my eyes?"

Walter sat up in his chair and leaned in to get a closer at Candace's eyes. Indeed, he saw there was a very faint, but very obvious purple tint to her sparkling blue eyes. "Oh, my goodness. I never noticed", he said.

"There's more", said Candace. She reached up and grabbed her blonde wig, taking it off and exposing her bald head. There was a bumpy scalp on the right side of it.

Walter gasped and clamped a hand over his gaping mouth. His eyes grew bigger. He lowered his hand and asked worriedly, "Candace, what happened?"

"This is the way all witches look, Walter", Candace explained. "Worst of all, witches despise children. But I'm not like that at all. I love children! That's why I left home to begin with. My aunt wanted me to be just like her, but I refuse to harm or kill a child. The last time I saw my aunt, I told her, 'Aunt Eva, I'm leaving here and I'm never coming back. If being a witch means being what you are, I'd rather be dead'."

"Why didn't you say anything when we first met?"

"You wouldn't have believed me. And another thing, Walter", said Candace. "My real last name isn't Smith. It's Ernst."

Walter sat there in stunned silence. He had just seen his white cat turn into a pumpkin and now the woman living under his roof just revealed to him that she was a witch. It all seemed like a bad dream.

"Now you know the truth. I didn't ask for this, Walter. I never wanted to be like other witches. I just want to be a good person and be normal and live a normal life, just like everybody else. I understand if you no longer want me living here or working in your candy shop. I'll just go pack my bag and leave town right away and...you'll never have to see my face again. Goodbye, Walter."

Candace placed the blonde wig back on her head and adjusted it as best she could. She stood up and went to head for the stairs, but Walter snapped out of it and got up from his chair and ran after her.

"Candace, wait!" Walter cried. He grabbed hold of her wrist and said, "I don't want you to leave. You don't have to quit your job. You don't even have to leave town. If you say you're not like other witches, I believe you."

"Oh, Walter, please don't pity me." Candace turned away and tried to head up the stairs again, but Walter turned her around and grabbed her by her shoulders.

"It's not pity, my dear, it's love. I love you, Candace, and I don't think I'll ever find another girl like you anywhere else in the world. I don't care if you have magic powers or have to hide your identity. I love you just the way you are. You're not like those evil witches in storybooks people read to their children every night. You're a good witch and you love children. You do love children, don't you, Candace?"

"Of course, I do."

"Then stay here with me and help me run the candy store. What will the children say when I open up tomorrow and tell them the pretty lady is gone? It would break their little hearts. They love you, Candace, and so do I."

"Do you really mean that, Walter?"

"Of course I do. I love you, Candace, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you."

Candace's eyes grew wide and she felt a blush in her cheeks. "You do?"

Walter nodded. "I do. Will you marry me?"

Candace thought about it, then smiled her biggest smile and proclaimed, "I will!"

"Oh, Candace, that's wonderful!" Walter hugged her into a spin and laughed happily with her. He set her down and said, "Oh, Candace, you've made me the happiest man in the world."

"When shall we have our wedding?" Candace asked him.

"As soon as possible", said Walter. "I'll buy you the biggest diamond I can afford."

"Oh, no, Walter. I don't want a diamond. Just a simple gold band will do me fine."

"All right. Anything you say, my dear. Oh, Candace, you'll make an excellent wife."

Candace giggled. "And you shall be the most wonderful and cleverest husband."

"Yes, my love."

"Oh, Walter, before I forget, would you like me to return Jelly Bean back to normal?"

"Oh, dear, I almost forgot. Would you, dearest?"

"Certainly." Candace turned and pointed her finger at the pumpkin, a ray of emerald green light shot at the pumpkin and Jelly Bean turned back into a cat. "There. That's better."

The wedding took place next month in the local church. Once they came back from their honeymoon, Walter scooped up Candace into his arms and carried her into the house, humming a wedding march.

When they reached the bedroom, Walter set his wife down and said to her, "Hello, Mrs. Candace Wonka."

"Oh, Walter", Candace exclaimed. "You've made me the luckiest and happiest woman in the whole world. I love you so much."

"I love you more, dear."

The lovebirds kissed each other, then Candace removed her veil and helped her husband out of his tuxedo. They were in for a long night of romantic enchantment, ready to perform the scared ritual familiar to any couple.