I do not own anything from Charlie and the Chocolate factory. All rights and likenesses belong to Roald Dahl, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. No profit is being garnered from this work. Sorry about the delay updating – I needed to make a deposit in the reality bank to ensure my check wouldn't bounce. This'll be a short chapter to wind me up for another series of chapters to be cranked out (but very significant for the rest of the tale)– Stealth Phoenix
Chapter 40
It was late afternoon when Willy and Charlie caught up with Veronica. She was in one of the factory rooms dedicated toward packaging. Stacks of boxes and wrapping material were piled to the rafters. Loud music boomed from one of the many hand-held portable stereos that the Oompa Loompa liked to listen to while they worked. "Lady Marmalade" was on.
"5...6…7...8…Twist, turn walk…walk, turn kick kick…slide!" L.A. called, clapping her hands to the beat. The Oompa Loompas provided support as back-up dancers as Veronica did what could only be called a prowl as she strode with long strong legs ending in 4 inch stiletto heels, head tall, shoulders back. She strode down an imaginary walkway, sneered at the imaginary audience and then twirled to stroll back to her starting position. Only upon the return trip did one slight wobble mar her progress.
L.A. cut the music, "Good! No falls this time and only one slight wobble. Progress made!"
Willy and Charlie exchanged a glance before breaking into wild applause.
"Encore! Encore!" Charlie cheered.
"Ben cotto! Siete così bello fate la luna piangere con invidia!" Willy said, clapping enthusiastically.
Veronica blushed and pushed some strands that had escaped the braid back behind her ear, "Thank you – for whatever you just said. It was good, right?"
"Hi Won-Ka. Your lady has been making good progress. She's a natural," L.A. explained.
"Redhead? Well, yes, I know – but it's considered polite not to discuss," Willy said, ignoring L.A. furious blush to grasp Veronica's hands and kiss her lightly.
"Willy," she said warningly, her blush continuing to crawl across her face and doing her best not to look at Charlie's face.
"Okay – awkward moment here," Charlie said, edging toward the door.
"No! Wait. I need to talk to both of you actually." Veronica said.
L.A. took the hint and clapped her hands, "Okay boys. Let's leave the pale folk to their conspiring. I think we've picked up some great moves to show to Neville. Veronica, let me know when you're ready for the next step."
The workers and their tall counterpart walked out and made sure the door closed behind them. Veronica sagged to sit on one stack of boxes, gleefully kicking off the shoes, "God. To think women actually want to wear these bloody torture devices?"
"I dunno, I kind of like them," Willy said, following the long line of her legs up to her face with a slow smile creeping across his face.
"Willy, are you trying to tell me something else?" Charlie shattered his mentor's lecherous thoughts. This was payback for the redhead remark, he thought gleefully. "Would you like to track down a pair in your size?"
"What? No….ew!" Willy grimaced at him and Charlie and Veronica laughed.
"It's part of my master plan," She confessed, sitting cross-legged on the box. "I've got an idea to get rid of Victor once and for all, get the media off your back and help both our businesses respectively."
"You're getting all that from Lady Marmalade?" Charlie asked, taking a seat.
"Not exactly. I'm not quite sure how to start, so if things sound muddled, please forgive me." Veronica hesitated. "Willy – you've been out of the public eye for quite a while now. I understand why you avoid the media if that was just a taste of what you've been going through."
"Veronica, what's on your mind?" Willy asked suspiciously, he fiddled with the head of his cane, getting a sinking feeling.
"Victor is after me because he thinks I've stolen his spotlight. I propose to challenge him for the right to it."
"Huh?" both men said in unison.
"My plan is to start undertaking some good public works of charity – donating some of my work to charity events with fundraising opportunities to use the press to bring attention to their causes as well as with us. If I get the media attention and with your permission to talk about our collaboration for the candy globes, I intend to push Victor to confront me. From there, I plan to challenge him to rematch in the same arena as before – the Food Network Confectionary Competition. He won't be able to back out without losing face, but there's nothing he can do but lose to me in the kitchen," she said triumphantly.
Willy was aghast at her mad plan, "Are you out of your mind?"
"He doesn't dare confront me in public – think about it, everything he's done is underhanded and done in such a way to make him look like the good guy. I'm tearing down that façade and making him choke on it," she said viciously.
"Actually – I think it's a good idea. I want to help," Charlie said thoughtfully.
"Charlie! Not you too! It's madness – they'll eat you alive," Willy yelped, regarding his apprentice with mounting horror.
"Willy, I've done nothing but hide since winning the golden ticket. If I'm to ever take over running the factory, I need to learn to deal with the hyenas. I'll stand in for you as the public face of Wonka Inc. at these events, Ms. Carmichael," Charlie said, sounding far older than his 15 years.
"Charlie, what will your parents say?" Willy said, trying to sound reasonable, but the edge of panic in his voice offset the impression.
"They've been saying I needed to get out for a while and that this was the right thing to do."
She offered him a bright smile, "Any guy escorting me to these dog-and-pony shows that L.A. has in mind gets to call me Veronica. Thank you Charlie."
"I think you're both nuts," Willy said disgruntled.
Veronica launched herself to her feet, getting angry with him, "Oh really? So when I faced up to my fears with your help, was that nuts too? When I want to do the same for you, you call me insane? That's rich."
"Jumping from a moving car in the middle of traffic is nuts too – and that's the level of danger you're putting yourself into. Victor's a dangerous man, what makes you think he'll jump at the chance to humiliate himself in public?" Willy snarled, pacing back and forth angrily.
"Because I'm going to tempt him with the biggest plum in the universe," she shot back.
"What's that - your life? I love you too much to let you throw yourself away like this."
"That's what I'm counting on."
Willy paused, looking over his shoulder with a puzzled expression on his face," I beg your pardon?"
"Victor doesn't want me – never has. He wants you," Veronica sighed, sagging back to lean against the boxes, "Victor will meet my challenge for the opportunity to work for you."
"But I'd never hire him. He's a fool," Willy said, still looking confused.
"But he doesn't know that," Charlie explained, seeing where Veronica was going. "He thinks that you and Veronica are just business associates – or that she's just using you to get ahead."
She nodded, "So, If I claim to terminate my contract if I lose and give him the job, there's no way he can resist."
Confusion clearing, Willy was still aghast, but also mildly impressed with the boldness of her plan.
"What if you lose?" he asked in a small voice. "I'm not giving you up, no matter what that idiot thinks."
Veronica tentatively approached him, sensing that her argument was winning, "I would never leave you either. There are few things in life that anyone can know for certain. Things I know as absolutes are
taxes, death, our love, and the fact that I can kick Victor's fanny from here to New Mexico in any spun sugar competition in the world."
She slipped her arms around him to embrace him from behind, breathing in his peanut brittle musk.
"Please. Don't push me away now that I finally have the strength to stand up to this monster. I love you Willy – but I'm going through with this."
She felt his hands come up to cup her own and he leaned his head back with eyes closed against hers. For a long moment they just stood there. Charlie held his breath, afraid to break the mood.
Willy struggled with his heart and mind. His brain could see that this was an elegant solution to their problems, but his heart was screaming at him with fear for her and Charlie – at going out in the world and being devoured – leaving him in his fortress of solitude once again.
If this was just a fraction of the fear that Veronica had dealt with during her panic attacks, maybe he was underestimating her.
What if now that she was finished with the project and went out into the world, she met someone else and abandoned him?
What if Victor found a way to kill her?
What if…
…trust your heart, said an echo of Sherman's voice.
"Alright. But I want to know what's going on every step of the way. Wonka Inc. will be your official sponsor for the competition when we get to that point. I'm terrified for you – both of you- but I have faith in your abilities," Willy said at long last.
He clutched her hands suddenly and whispered in a lost tone, "Please…just be safe and come back to me."
"I'm not going anywhere," Veronica murmured into his back, using her body to project how much she loved him and appreciated him taking this huge step to face his fears.
"So I need to start taking lessons with L.A. as well then?" asked Charlie.
"Afraid so Kiddo. Don't worry, I don't think she'll be too bad," Willy sighed heavily and released Veronica's hands to turn to face his heir.
"Just pray she doesn't make you wear heels too."