Author’s Note: Before reading this story, I want to make this perfectly clear in these notes that this is not going to romanticize the issue of stalking. I have decided to make this a very strong T-Rated story, but I will advise younger people or those who are really sensitive about certain issues to either not read this, or do so with discretion. While there is some optimism later on in this story between the two main protagonists (Willy and Tamara), the overall feel is a bit darker than some of my other Wonka stories. At the same instance, Willy Wonka will never be presented as a stalker, and I find the whole idea of him stalking anyone to be a pretty preposterous notion.

Some of my antagonists here are downright creepy. Having gone through a breakup that sort of correlated with some of the fears that these characters experience, I am sort of drawing back into my own issues as a way to bring this story to you. If this gives you the chills while reading it, imagine what it did to me while I was writing it. Along those same lines, I really have to give a shout out to Ajestice with my thanks for helping with the title of this piece, but also supporting me along with writing it. The emails and the brainstorming sessions really did help.

This is a Wilder Wonka story, it is multi-chaptered and will no doubt be a longer story like ‘The Everlasting Gobstopper’ and ‘The World Beyond’. If there are similarities to Depp’s portrayal then that is purely coincidental. Wilder Wonka is for me, the more reassuring of the two characterizations, so his is the one that I generally tend to use. Please don’t ask me what Wonka I’m writing, check my profile and the story synopsis, it’s generally there.

If you decide to delve into this story, please keep in mind that this story does has a little romance, a lot of friendship, a ton of angst and a little bit of suspense moments as well. While many of my Wonka stories have elements of romance, they are not entirely romance stories. I don’t ever really write strictly romance here. I do think that it will not be more intense (as far as violence and scary imagery) than what people see on primetime television shows, so it should be OK.

If you decide to read it, please review.

Chapter edited on April 14, 2008.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

By: Yva J.

Prologue: A New Life

Tamara Jenkins was twenty-four-when she left her parents home to move into her own place. Because times were tough and money was tight, she would soon discover that living on her own would not reap the financial stability that she wished for. Soon after she had found herself settled in this new apartment, she discovered that it would be imperative for her to have a roommate, someone who could share the expenses and help her with the issues of running a household.

Tamara was shorter than most women her age; in fact, she was only a meter and a half tall, which made her look much younger than she actually was. After moving to this town, she discovered that her stature had made it close to impossible for her to get a good-paying job in the field that she was trained in.

Since she had also recently broken up with her boyfriend, things had been rather trying for her. Neil Kirkwood had not taken this news particularly well and instead of accepting her choice, he flew into a jealous rage. He even went so far as to ask her how many men she had slept with and what sort of activities had she partaken in when they had been dating.

Needless to say, the breakup had been one of the less pleasant experiences in her life. Neil was a good three years her senior and after it happened, he had started to follow her around town. He would call her family, and even make anonymous threats at her workplace. It seemed more than clear that she was beginning to feel very insecure in her own skin. The incessant fears caused her undue stress as well as forced her to incessantly look over her shoulder. What eventually made the decision to leave Somerdale once and for all, was being fired from her job.

Regardless of what other people had told her, she knew deep down inside that she would never forget what her ex-boyfriend’s parting words had been. If she were to even try and get into another relationship, then he would ‘bury her’. These threats had been real and instead of continuing to live with that form of uncertainty, she relocated to a place where no one knew her name and viewed her as just another face in the crowd.

After having moved, she discovered that the town she had relocated to had high unemployment, yet it felt as though it were a safe enough option. It was also the same town where the famed Wonka Chocolate Factory was located.

In town, Tamara managed to secure a part-time job at Bill’s Candy Shop. Although, her financial situation was an overt rationale for getting a roommate, she also felt increasingly unsafe living on her own.

Although logic argued that Neil would never think to look for her here, her nervousness was still evident. These uncertainties had reached the point that she had contemplated going and signing up for self-defense classes as well as seeking counsel from the local women’s center.

Even after having done that, there was nothing that she could do to conceal the emotional fears that she still had about her ex-boyfriend lurking around the next corner and waiting to spring on her. His behavior bordered on psycho-terror and thus left her feeling afraid of her own shadow.

All of these components left Tamara to begin her search for a new roommate among a crop full of strangers. She was determined to find another woman who was about her age and remotely normal. She did not like the idea of choosing someone she did not know, but this was ultimately her only option.

After the ad was placed, she found herself filtering through a small stack of names and phone numbers in the hopes of finding the person who would fit the bill.

Her search eventually led her to a twenty-eight-year-old woman named Belinda Hutchinson. Belinda was fresh out of college with a degree in interior design. To Tamara, it seemed almost ironic that the other woman had managed to secure a job in her field, but that was precisely what had happened. Thinking that this was someone Tamara could share an apartment with, she soon agreed and Belinda moved in.

At first, the older of the two women seemed nice enough, she was neat and orderly and always seemed willing to give Tamara a helping hand with various tasks around the house. It was starting to look as though she had found the most perfect roommate that anyone could have asked for. Of course, she would ultimately discover that a neat living room and a pristine kitchen were nothing compared to what Belinda had been doing behind closed doors.

For about two months, everything seemed to go along like clockwork; the two women hit it off and were compatible with one another. Belinda was often away, only to come home at night, and Tamara had sporadic hours at the candy store.

Although Bill could not pay as much as he would have liked, the job was the most fun and she enjoyed every minute that she spent there. The candy seller looked to be several years older than she was, and always seemed to be in a positive mood. His overall stance emanated an undying cheerfulness, even in the wake of things having gone completely wrong.

After only a short time working there, Tamara soon discovered that contrary to the pay not being the best, there existed far more to the job than how much money she made. She absolutely loved working at the old-fashioned candy store, and her love of sweets grew by leaps and bounds as a result. In fact, she was always ready and willing to try every kind of candy that there was.

Bill actually let her try the new flavors so that she could act as an advisor to their customers. “You have a great sense of taste, Tamara, and in this business, that will take you far,” Bill had often told her. She loved that feeling of optimism and soon discovered that her sense of taste did somehow coordinate itself with all of the candy trends there in town.

Aside from her enjoying the time at the shop, she came to discover that Bill was the ideal boss; he was patient and kind, his overall good nature somehow making him seem more like a friend than an employer. The shop had a wonderful sense of family to it and that soon became the greatest rationale for her staying.

One of the things that she loved about the place was that it generally closed well before it got dark outside. This would grant Tamara the chance to get home without having to wander the dark streets of the town all by herself.

En route to her home from the shop, she would pass by the tall gates of the Wonka Chocolate Factory. It was a large and rather intimidating looking place, the smokestacks somehow hovering over the town. Often, she would stare up at the black letters that spelled out the name ‘Wonka’, which stretched from one side of the gate to the other.

She, like many people in this town, had heard all the stories about Willy Wonka that filtered about the community. He was something of an urban legend of the town; tall, mysterious, and highly intelligent. Tamara did not know very much about him because she was not native to the town, but Bill was, and he told her about the reclusive chocolatier and how he was considered to be the greatest candy maker in the entire world.

Bill spoke so highly and often of this man that it made Tamara feel as though she knew him as well. She never asked Bill if he had known Willy Wonka, but that seemed not to matter. There was this overwhelming feeling that the candy seller did actually know the man of whom he was speaking.

The stories and legends reached Tamara’s ears and that left her feeling a silent sort of respect for him. She regarded the factory in silent contemplation, her questions about the secluded confectioner unanswered. Yet, through it all, the fascination lurked and although she had never actually seen him, he somehow represented a sort of mystery reminiscent of those stories about shadows or phantoms. The impact he left only seemed present in the candy that was meticulously delivered to Bill’s shop each week.

In the back of her mind, Tamara pondered if any of the faces she had seen while walking through the town could have actually matched his. Thinking about that made her smile as she realized how her world had somehow become perfect…

…Until that night.

During the days that would follow, Tamara would be forced to accept that the perfect living arrangement that she shared was far from perfect. In fact, this would lead her into the most terrifying emotional rollercoaster ride that she had ever been on.

Yet through it all, this courageous, young woman who had never really gloated about her triumphs would, through an ironic twist of fate, discover that she was far more lucky than she could have anticipated.

The night that Tamara Jenkins would make this frightening discovery would ultimately bring her world and that of Willy Wonka crashing together in a way that would transform both of their lives, forever.