After a long day, Natalie checked the Clock above her. Finally it was time to leave. She said Goodbye to her boss and put her apron on the hook. She was so happy to leave. Don't get me wrong, working at Fathingham's Candy Store was a fantastic job but at the end of the day Natalie just wanted to get home to her family. As she walked the snowy pathways of Cherry street, she wrapped her tattered scarf a little tighter abound her neck. God bless her grandmother for knitting it for her. The night air was settling in so she quickly walked through the snow and up to the tiny crooked house where she and her family lived.

"Sorry I'm late." she said putting her bag on the chair.

"That's alright darling how was work?" her mother, Mrs. Bucket, asked from the kitchen.

"Same as usual. but there was some extra inventory so Jimmy let me work in the kitchen. I brought home something for after dinner." replied Natalie. She walked over to the table where her younger brother was doing his homework. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a hug.

"Hey Charlie, how was school?" she asked.

"Alright." he replied. Natalie walked over to the large bed in the middle of the room, where her grandparents were. She said hello to each of them and gave them a kiss before helping her mother in the kitchen with dinner. A few moments later their father came home from work.

"Evening Bucket's." he said from the doorway.

"Evening" replied the adults.

"Hi Dad." said the kids. Mr. Bucket walked over and gave his wife and daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"I don't suppose there's anything to add to dinner?" asked Mrs. Bucket subtly. Mr. Bucket shook his head before walking over and sitting at the table with his son.

"Charlie. I think I have something you might like." he said, pulling a couple of deformed toothpaste caps out of his pocket.

"It's just what I needed!" exclaimed Charlie. He raced over to a cupboard and pulled out his Wonka's Chocolate Factory model.

"Dad found it…the missing piece. A head for Willy Wonka." he said happily, showing it to his grandparents.

"It's quite a likeness." complemented Grandpa Joe.

"You really think so?" asked Charlie.

"He should know he used to work for him" said Natalie.

"You worked for Willy Wonka Grandpa?" asked Charlie. He couldn't believe that his own Grandfather had met and worked for his hero.

"I did. About 20 years ago. I remember you sister was about 4. " said Grandpa Joe. He told Charlie about the good old days when Willy Wonka started in a single candy store on Cherry Street.

"That's near where you work." said Charlie to Natalie.

"Not just near. I work in the exact same store. Jimmy bought the shop from Mr. Wonka just after the factory was opened." said Natalie.

"Tell them about the Indian Prince, they'd like to hear that." said Grandma Josephine.

"You mean Prince Pondicherry?" asked Grandpa Joe.

"Yeah Grandpa I love that one!" said Natalie as she and her mother brought the bowls of soup around.

So Grandpa told the Story of the prince who asked Mr. Wonka to build him a palace mad entirely out of chocolate and how after that Mr. Wonka faced a terrible problem.

"All the other candy makers grew extremely jealous of Mr. Wonka's success. So they started to send in spies to steal his secret Recipes. In time, word leaked out and everyone had a new invention. Mr. Wonka was forced to send all his workers home, telling them that he had to close his factory forever." said Grandpa Joe.

"But the factory didn't close forever. It's open right now." said Charlie.

"Ah yes, but sometimes Charlie, when grown ups say "forever," they mean, "a very long time." explained Mrs. Bucket.

"Such as I feel as though I've eaten nothing but cabbage soup forever." said Grandpa George.

"Grandpa." warned Natalie.

"The factory did close, Charlie, and it seemed like it was going to stay closed forever. Then one day, we saw smoke rising from the chimneys. The factory was back in business!" said Grandpa Joe.

"Did you get your job back?" asked Charlie.

"No. Nobody did." said Grandpa Joe. Natalie got up and walked over to where she put her bag. She pulled out a tin.

"Here everyone." she opened the lid to show little chocolate-covered marshmallows. She handed one to each of them.

"If Mr. Wonka ever tried this Nat he should look you up and hire you." Said Mr. Bucket.

"But there must be people working there...at the factory." said Charlie.

"Think about it, Charlie. Have you ever seen a single person going into that factory? Or coming out of it?" asked Grandma Josephine.

"No. the gates are always closed. But then who's running the machines?" asked Charlie.

"Nobody knows." said Mrs. Bucket.

"It's a mystery and always will be a mystery!" snapped Grandpa George. "That little model of your's Charlie is the closest any of us are ever gonna get. Anything else is impossible."

"Come on kids. I think we better let your grandparent's rest." said Mrs. Bucket.

The two said goodnight to the parents and grandparents. When Charlie got around to Grandma Georgina, she whispered something to Charlie.

"Nothing's impossible my dear boy." she said. Charlie smiled; he hugged his sister and climbed up the ladder to his bed.

A little while later Natalie went up to the room that she shared with Charlie. However she noticed that his bed was empty. She walked over to the tiny hole in the wall and saw Charlie sitting on the balcony that their father had built. She grabbed a blanket and sat next to him.

"What are you still doing up?" she asked as she wrapped the blanket around their shoulders.

"Can't sleep." said Charlie. They gazed out at the view of Wonka's Chocolate factory. Natalie held her brother close.

"Don't worry Charlie. We'll get there someday." she reassured him.

"Nat, you remember that song you used to sing to me when I was little?" asked Charlie.

"yeah." she replied.

"Can you sing it now?" wondered Charlie.

"Sure."

"Somewhere over the rainbow way up high. there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow sky's are blue and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday ill wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops a way upon the chimney tops that's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow. Blue birds fly birds fly over the rainbow why then oh why cant I."

Nat looked down to find Charlie asleep on her lap. She smiled and carried him to his bed before going to her own to read. About an hour later, when she turned off the light she sat and thought to herself.

"If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow why oh why cant I?"