***
Molly couldn't sleep in her own bed. The mattress was much more comfortable than the floor of the pantry cellar or the straw pallet in the girl's dormitory, but try as she might, she couldn't fall asleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Becky falling into the Fountain of Youth, one hand clawing at Molly, who only stood there and watched. Molly dressed in her nightgown, surrounded herself with her dollies, and pulled the covers over her head, but still couldn't fall asleep. Why hadn't she saved Becky?
She finally kicked off the covers and rolled out of bed. She crept into Becky's bedroom, clutching brave Sir Francis to her chest. Aunt Samantha dozed on a chair; she stirred a moment when Molly came in, mumbled something unintelligible, and then fell asleep again. Molly slipped past her and burrowed under the covers of Becky's bed.
Molly snuggled up against the chubby little body inhabiting the bed, so much like Mama Becky's. Becky, utilizing some kind of motherly sonar, had always put an arm around Molly and pulled her close without opening her eyes. "You're safe now, sweetie," she would say.
This body she snuggled against now rolled away from her, turning its back on her. This isn't Mama Becky, she thought. This is Veronica, her friend. Her friend who had pushed Becky into the fountain. She didn't mean to, Molly thought. She was in shock after what had happened to her, going from an old lady to a baby in minutes. It wasn't her fault. It was my fault. I should have saved her.
She pressed herself closer to Veronica, hoping the familiar feel of her body would have the same effect as Becky's during all those stormy nights. This time Veronica rolled over to face Molly, her eyes opening in surprise. "Molly? Why aren't you in your own bed?" she asked.
"I couldn't sleep," she said. "I'll go back now."
Veronica reached out to stroke Molly's hair. "No, it's all right. You can stay. I don't mind." She twirled one of Molly's curls around her finger and then smiled. "I know things are different now, but I promise I'll take care of you. Nothing bad is ever going to happen to us again."
***
Samantha woke up the next day as a mother to two little girls. She warmed a kettle of water to take down to the stream and give each girl a bath. As Becky and Molly splashed in the water, Samantha noticed how Becky's skin looked tanner than before. When wet tresses of nearly-black hair fell over Becky's face, Samantha shivered with déjà vu. She shook it away as the girls bolted from the water to towel off.