© Roald Dahl

With a song, they were gone, off into a forbidden factory - her little boy and father-in-law. She and her husband walked home arm in arm, back to their remaining bedridden parents and tiny home.

Of course she was happy for Charlie, all she ever wanted was his happiness. But she also didn't want his heart broken. He almost idolized Wonka because of Grandpa Joe's stories, almost as much as she knew many children did. But what if the chocolatier didn't meet Charlie's standards?

Her husband kissed her cheek and was off to find work while she cleaned and cooked and took care of their parents. After the excitement of Charlie's finding the Golden Ticket, the three remaining grandparents were asleep when she returned.

Silently, she began her work, knowing Charlie and Grandpa Joe would be home later that day with stories and goodies and so much excitement that everyone would become cheerful. That's what the Bucket family was, cheerful.

There was a knock at the door, and she quickly moved to answer it. One of Charlie's friends, Matilda, was outside.

"Hello Mrs. Bucket!" she said happily. "Is Charlie in? I wanted to congratulate him on finding his Golden Ticket."

She smiled. "Sorry Matilda, you just missed him. But thank you very much. I'm sure Charlie will be happy to tell you all about his adventure when he gets home."

"Thank you Mrs. Bucket. Have a nice day!" Matilda said, smiling cheerfully.

"Have a good day Matilda, and say hello to your parents for me, would you?" she asked.

"I will! Good bye!" The young girl ran off to find other children to play with. She smiled, closed the door against the cold and returned to her chores.

Her husband came home some time later, grinning from ear to ear. "There was a job opening at the television factory nearby. I start tomorrow," he said, and she hugged him.

"That's amazing news Ted!" He hugged his wife again, and then began to help her start on dinner while she took care of their parents.

"Natalie," Grandma Georgina called to her.

"How are you feeling, mom?" she asked, adjusting her mother's pillows and blankets.

"Fine, fine. Where are Charlie, and Joe?"

She smiled. "They're at Wonka's Chocolate Factory, remember?"

The older woman smiled. "Ah, yes. I do remember that. Thank you, dear."

She rejoined her husband at the stove and took the wooden spoon from him. "How is she?" he asked quietly, as the three grandparents were falling asleep again.

"Her memory is still going," she replied, stirring the pot of soup absently. "She remembered when I told her, but who knows how long that will last…" The couple was silent for a moment.

"I wonder how Charlie and dad are making out," Ted said softly.

She smiled. "Knowing those two, they'll be having a wonderful time and making up new Wonka stories with everything they see. They'll also undoubtedly be very excited about that lifetime supply of chocolate."

"What'll we do with a lifetime supply of chocolate?" he asked. "Obviously we'll eat it, but what about the rest? Sell it?"

She stopped stirring and put a mismatched lid on the pot. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, dear." She kissed her husband on the cheek and crossed to the window to shut it. The cold was beginning to creep in as night fell. Ted lit some candles as she made efforts to keep the house warm.

Just before supper, a familiar laugh graced their ears. She smiled and waited for Charlie and his grandfather to come in.

Charlie burst through the door, a bigger smile than any of them had ever seen on his face. Grandpa Joe followed him, a spring in his step and grinning ear to ear.

"How was your day?" she asked her son, and he hugged her tight.

"Mom! You'll never believe it! Mr. Wonka gave me his factory! I'm the new owner of his factory, mom!" He began to recount his tale, his grandfather jumping in at all the right moments, and when they finished, the whole family clapped.

"Congratulations, Charlie! That's wonderful news," Ted said, ruffling his son's hair.

"Mr. Wonka wants us all to live at the factory, he wants to meet us all tonight!" Charlie said, smiling and laughing.

She smiled. It warmed her heart to see her son so happy.

"Let's have some supper first, then we'll head out to Mr. Wonka's factory," Ted said.

Grandpa Joe tutted. "Charlie's factory now!"

They all laughed, and she served up soup. Each time she handed Charlie a bowl, he smiled happily. "Thank you mom," he would say.

Once they'd all finished their soup, she cleaned up while Charlie, Ted, and Joe helped get the other grandparents ready for the walk. Wrapped in shawls and overcoats, they bundled up and left the house.

"This way! This way!" Charlie bounced up and down with excitement. She smiled and continued to support her mother.

"Natalie, dear, where are we going?" Georgina asked her as they walked along the snowy streets.

"Mr. Wonka wanted to meet us all mom, he's giving Charlie his factory," she told her.

"Ah, I see. When I get there, I'll be ready for a nice, long nap," her mother said, smiling.

Her husband smiled at her as they approached the gates, which swung open silently when Charlie came near them. "There was an Oompa Loompa waiting to open the gates for us," he explained as the gates closed behind them.

"A what?" Grandpa George asked, but Charlie just smiled.

"You'll see!"

Once inside, small people wearing pristine white overalls greeted them. They took the arms of Grandpa George, Grandma Georgina and Grandma Josephina while Charlie explained. "These are Oompa Loompas, they're from Loompa Land."

Ted took his wife's arm and they followed Charlie down a hall and into a large room. At the other end, a man stood beside the desk. He was tall, wiry, and wore a top hat and tails of the same mauve colour. He spun around when they entered, and then he smiled.

She was instantly wary of the man. He looked a little eccentric, crazy even, but his smile seemed warm enough.

"Charlie! And guests, welcome!" he said. Charlie ran to stand beside the man, obviously proud to be so well known.

Ted gave her a quick hug and went to help the grandparents take a seat.

Wonka greeted everyone individually, her last. He held out a hand, and kissed the back of it gently, as he had done with the other women.

"Mrs. Bucket, a great pleasure," Wonka said, smiling. "Or…?"

"Natalie is fine," she said.

"Natalie, lovely name. And what a lovely young boy you have, I must say. He is a delight. He will do very well with the factory," Wonka said, looking around absently. "Things to do, see to places – stop, reverse that. Would you like a tour of the factory?"

"I think that we should maybe get our parents settled, they're not well and need rest," Ted said as Wonka swept around the office.

"True, very true, Charlie, I showed you where you and your family could stay, didn't I? Lovely, will you take them there? I'd like a quick word with your mother," Wonka said cheerfully. The Bucket family left with the Oompa Loompas, chatting happily.

"Mr. Wonka?" she asked.

"Sit, please sit," he said, and the light and cheerful tone was gone from his voice. "Natalie, I know you're a sensible woman, and I know that you don't quite trust me. You probably see me as an-"

"An eccentric candy maker that could be giving my son false hopes and dreams. I'm well aware of what you really are, but I'm also well aware of what you can do, Mr. Wonka, and what you can do is ruin my son," she said, cutting of Wonka and standing abruptly. Her regular cheer and kindness was gone, replaced by the motherly instinct to protect her child. "Charlie wants this, and I want what's best for him, but Mr. Wonka, do not hurt my son."

"Willy."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Call me Willy. And I understand your concerns, Natalie, I'd be concerned if you weren't concerned." Wonka smiled. "I just wanted you to know that I have full intentions on helping make Charlie's dreams come true with this factory."

She nodded curtly and made her way to the door. With a hand on the doorknob, she turned. "Mr. Wonka-"

"Willy," he corrected her. She ignored his remark.

"Take care of my son."

With that, she left the office to find her family and to celebrate like the Bucket family always did, with happiness in their hearts and smiles on their faces.

A/N: My inner Mrs. Bucket just made an appearance.

Anyway, I've wanted to do this sort of thing for a while now. My school is putting on Willy Wonka and I'm Mrs. Bucket, and I just kinda channeled her onto the page. I was trying to think of how she thinks, and how she'd react so I could better portray her, and this came out of it.

Also, I just made up Mr. and Mrs. Bucket's names, 'cause I have no idea what they are. ;)

I hope you enjoyed it, even if it was just my ramblings.

~nerdy