Disclaimer: I don't own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, or the song "O Sole Mio" They belong to the creative people who have more money than me.
When Willy Wonka had told Charlie he was naming him as his heir, it was with the expectation that he would be moving into the factory, along with his family. He was only a child after all, and it was obvious how close they all were, so the family would be coming with him.
But he hadn't known just how big the Bucket family was.
All the other children (little monsters) had been flaunted all over every T.V channel, radio station, and newspaper there was, so there was really no mystery about them or their home lives. Charlie, however, had only found his ticket the night before the big day, and so his arrival at the gates the was the first the world had seen of him.
Wonka was extremely happy to find that the boy came from a family of honest, loving individuals (with, maybe the exception of his Grandpa Joe. Willy was still trying to figure that fellow out).
His grandmothers were sweet, quite ladies that honestly didn't do much beside sit in bed. His second grandfather, Grandpa George, was a gruff man with a sour expression, but always had his family's best interest at heart (and who, incidentally, also didn't do much besides sit in bed). With the majority of the elder Buckets all sorted and labeled, Wonka turned his attention to Charlie's mother and where she fit into things.
Mrs. Bucket, though in her fifties and sporting the face of someone who had known many hardships, was a doting, caring mother. It was quickly concluded that this was where Charlie's better qualities had come from.
After she had agreed to make the move to the family's new wing in the factory, Mrs. Bucket had quit her job as the laundry lady and made ready to settle into a calm and peaceful life (or as calm and peaceful as a life in Willy Wonka's candy factory could be), and Wonka had come to the conclusion that there would be no problems from the Bucket family.
That was until he learned that Charlie had a sister.
Rebecca Bucket, as it turned out, was seventeen years older than Charlie and the family's main bread winner so to speak. She had been working when Wonka had made his first visit to the household, and in the commotion it slipped from everyones mind to mention her (there was, apparently, a lot of commotion when she got home that night).
Even though Rebecca was well into adulthood she would be coming with family, as it had been her job that had payed the rent in the past years since Charlie was born (a job that she insisted on keeping, thank you very much) and it seemed the buckets moved in groups.
The Oompalompas readied another room, and Willy Wonka waited to see how she would fit into his existing categories.
_
"And this where Veruca Salt fell down into the incinerator!" Charlie proclaimed excitedly, throwing his arms wide as if to show how grand the incinerator was. His sister looked a little horrified.
"She wasn't hurt was she?" Rebecca asked, her brow furrowing.
"Nah, she just landed in two weeks worth of bad eggs. She might have been a little squished when her dad fell on her though. He was a big guy."
"Charlie!" she scolded, but couldn't contain her smile.
From where he had just entered through the doorway, Willy Wonka used the moment to covertly scrutinize her once again.
Rebecca Bucket was a hard egg to crack.
She wore her hair in a tight, no nonsense bun, and her first day in the factory she looked at everything as if it might attack her (though, he supposed, he really couldn't blame her for that, after the account the other ticket winners had given to the papers). She was polite, but never spoke to Wonka unless he asked something first (something he wasn't often inclined to do, so they really hadn't talked all that much).
He would start to file her away in one of the categories in his mind, but then would catch a glimpse of her when she didn't know he was watching and be startled by the change in her appearance. It seemed without him around Rebecca Bucket was a much different person.
"Mr. Wonka!" Charlie's voice brought him out of his musings.
"Want to join us for the tour?" His apprentice skirted around various machines as he dashed a crossed the room. Behind him Rebecca followed at a more sedate pace, expression once more reserved.
"Hello Charlie! And what tour shall I be joining you for?" Charlie skidded to a stop in front of him.
"Rebecca's! She didn't get to come with the others yesterday, because she was working again."
"Ah," His eyes flickered to meet her calculating gaze.
"The workmen's day is never done," turning back to Charlie with a conspiratory whisper "And because of that they have no fun!"
This earned a snicker from Charlie, but a slight narrowing of the eyes from the aforementioned "Workman".
Straightening up with a devious spark in his eye (One Charlie was just beginning to recognize), Wonka gave Rebecca a smile full of mischief.
"My Dear lady, it appears I have greatly wronged you! Please, allow me to make it up to you, and give you a personal tour of my factory by the two men most knowledgeable about it's works." he set his hands on Charlies shoulders. "I assure you it will be unforgettable!"
Rebecca's eyes widened in alarm.
"Oh no, Mr. Wonka, there's no need to trouble yourself! Charlie has been doing a wonderful job!"
Charlie seemed to realize some great scheme was afoot, and so did his part to keep it moving.
"Aw come on Rebecca, this will be much better! I had to find a Golden Ticket to get a personal tour, you wouldn't want to pass this up!"
Jugging by her expression she very much would.
The twin grins on the conspirators faces couldn't be helping matters either.
"I'm sure Mr. Wonka has many important things to do, and I wouldn't want to keep him from them-"
"Nonsense! What could be more important than showing Charlie's beloved sister around!" at this they each grabbed a startled Rebecca's arm's and begin towing her forward.
Realizing she was outnumbered, Rebecca craned her neck to look down at her brother.
"I'm counting on you not to get me killed."
The responding laughter was hardly reassuring.
"Let's take the Wonkamobile!"
"The what?!"
Wonka looked at his heir delightedly. "Brilliant idea Charlie! Why see the world by bus or trolly, when your travel can be much more jolly! To the Wonkamobile!"
They both let go of their captive and clambered abroad.
"Come on Becky! The seats are filling up fast!" Charlie patted the seat next to him invitingly. Perhaps too invitingly to be reassuring.
Rebecca hesitated, eyeing the contraption with a disturbed kind of fascination.
"Um, Charlie..."
"Just get up here, you'll be fine!" Charlie reached down and pulled her into the front seat next to him.
Wonka smirked from his seat at the wheel. How was a boy like Charlie related to such a stick in the mud?
"Che bella cosa na jurnata' e'sole?" He began to sing, "N'aria serena doppo na tempesta'"From her seat, Rebecca turned to looked back at him bewildered, while Charlie looked at the pipe in front of them with anticipation.
Wonka gave her a wicked grin and fired up the mobile.
"Pe'll'aria fresca pare gia na festa, Che bella cosa junata'e"Foam started spilling out of the machine and all over the two front passengers. Rebecca didn't notice it until it started dripping down the back of her shirt, at which point she leapt out of her seat with a squeal.
"Ah, if passengers will please stay seated until the ride is over! Thank you. Ma ntatu sole cchiu' bello, oi ne," "
"Gah!" Rebecca yelled as foam started spewing out of the pipe in front of her.
"O sole mio sta nfrontea teeeeeeee!" Wonka finished his song grandly and looked proudly at his handiwork.
Then through the grinding and popping noises, and Charlie's howls of delight, came the unmistakable sound of laughter.
Curious, Wonka wiped away a layer of foam to see Rebecca cackling like mad, before throwing a glob of foam at Charlie's head. This resulted in an all out war with the both of them flinging sudds at each other.
Well what do you know? Perhaps they are related after all.
Listening to the pairs combined laughter, Wonka resigned himself to farther investigating the strange case of Rebecca Bucket.
He watched as Rebecca gave her brother a bubbly noogie. Then shaking his head dumped a load of foam on the both of them.
_
Wallaby notes: Thoughts?