Chocolate Coated Love *Charlie and The Chocolate Factory The musical*

Chapter 8. If Your Father Was Here

"Surprise!" We all screamed, starling Charlie awake.

"Happy birthday Charlie!" Mom said,

"Can you tell what it is?" Joe asked happily. "Can you?"

"A Wonka whipple scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight!" Charlie exclaimed jumping up and down.

"That is your favorite isn't it?" I teased.

"Yes!" Charlie yelled, hugging me and mom.

"Well aren't you gonna open it?" Mom asked, nervously.

"Oh what if there' is a golden ticket! Oh I can hardly watch!" Georgina said, covering her eyes.

"I can hardly breath!" Joe said.

"Well?" We all prompted after a bit of silence.

"Is there a ticket Charlie?" I asked.

"No," He replied turning to us.

We all sighed in disappointment.

"Thanks mom!" Charlie said hugging her tightly

"Happy birthday sweetheart," She whispered, clutching him tighter

"Let's share it!" Charlie said, smiling

"No Charlie it's your present," I declined.

"I know. I'll savor it. Last year i made my birthday bar last for six months. Maybe I can make this one last a whole year," He said glumly, sitting in the chair and tucking his feet under him.

I watched grandpa George point at a candle for mom to bring Charlie so he could make a wish.

"I lit the candle? Don't you wanna blow it out?" She asked.

"You blow it out mom,"

"Well don't you wanna make a wish," She laughed.

"I only had one wish," Charlie said, lying his head back down on the arm of the chair.

"Oh Charlie, We never should have let him get his hopes up!" Grandma Josephine said.

"What hopes!" Grandpa George said.

"Its all my fault!" Grandpa Joe said angry at himself.

"Its not your fault Joe! Poor charlie never stood a chance." Mom said as I sat in the chair, snuggling him for comfort. Holding on tighter as he buried his face in my neck and I could feel a tear roll down his cheek.

I looked at Mom, tears welling in my own eyes.

"Speak to them dearie,"i heard Grandma Georgina say.

"Momma I don't know what to say!" Mom said sadly.

"You'll think of something," she said encouragingly.

I pet Charlie's hair as Momma began to speak.

"Oh Charlie, You can't help dreaming it's in the bucket blood." She said coming to kneel beside us.

"If your father were here He would say, that one's Mars He would hang you the moon And then he'd bottle the stars I would say, brush your teeth Is that dirt behind your ear? But you'd be dreaming If your father were here" She took off her coat and draped it over us. "If your father were here You would not be in bed You'd be acting out the stories From the books that you've read He'd be walking the plank Of Anna Bucket, buccaneer You'd be sailing If your father were here."

I stood and maneuver the now drifting Charlie off of my lap and moved to stand beside my mother as she continued.

"And if wishes were horses, We could gallop away And if cabbages were watches, I would know the time all day Ah, but all we can offer you Are dreams in every size. So close your eyes, Charlie Bucket. Close your eyes" Mom said, kissing his head.

I watched as mom began to dance in her own little world like she was dancing with Daddy again, and I felt the tears begin to fall, as I clutched my locket in shaking hands.

"So close your eyes Charlie Bucket close your eyes," She said once she stopped dancing.

She looked at me and pulled me in tightly. She pulled away and cupped my cheek smiling, with misty eyes, placing a kiss on my forehead. She held me out at arm's length and sobbed out a laugh. She held my locket in one hand and smiled sadly at it.

"If your father were here He would banish the cold I can still feel his laughter, And the hand I would hold. As I'm watching you grow, Inch by inch, by inch, by year I would thank him If your father were here." She pulled me into a hug before going to grab the candle and held it out to me.

I looked at Charlie and nodded.

"If you aren't going to make a wish Charlie, We'll make one for you," I said, looking at mom as we both leaned in and blew out the candle.