Rebecca kneels down beside her, parting Veronica's hair to look into her eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I wish there was, but there isn't. It's not so bad, though, to grow up again. In time you'll get used to it. You can live with Molly and I in our house. You and Molly can share a room. I'll have Wendell make you a bed all your own. And you two can work with me in the bakery. We'll be one big family. You'll see."
"No," Veronica says with a woman's firmness.
"No? I know it's difficult now, sweetheart, but in time-"
"In time? I'm three years old! I have to do everything all over again. Everything!" Veronica's eyes narrow into angry slits. "If you think it's so easy, let's see you do it."
She shoves Rebecca with more strength than Rebecca thinks possible for a toddler to possess. Rebecca stumbles back, teetering on the edge of the fountain. She reaches out to grab Molly's hand, her fingers grazing the edge of Molly's jacket.
Molly reaches out to take Rebecca's hand. She pulls Rebecca away from the edge, the two of them ending up lying on the ground. "I did it," Molly says.
Rebecca looks over at Veronica, whose body quivers beneath the oversized shirt. She lets out a high-pitched scream of rage an instant before she dives onto Molly. Her tiny hands tear at Molly's face like sharpened claws. "Traitor!" Veronica says.
Rebecca grabs Veronica by the shirt, pulling her off Molly. With another scream, Veronica turns her rage onto Rebecca, twisting out of Rebecca's grasp and then kicking her in the back of the leg. Rebecca collapses to the ground with a whimper of pain. Before she can try getting up, Veronica is on top of her, seizing her head with both hands. She snarls like an animal as she bashes Rebecca's head onto the ground over and over again until stars explode in Rebecca's vision. She tries to fight back, but her limbs refuse to obey her commands.
"Veronica, no!" Molly says. "Becky didn't do anything."
"You can't tell me what to do," Veronica says. "I'm not a little baby. I'm not!"
Molly charges forward, bowling her friend off Rebecca. Veronica rolls onto her feet to face Molly. "How can you take her side?" Veronica asks, pointing to Rebecca. "She doesn't care about you like I do. She only cares about herself."
"Becky loves me," Molly says. "She's my mama."
"You little fool. I'm going to put both of you in there." Veronica finds her pants and reaches into one pocket, pulling out a knife almost as long her arm. She grips the knife with both hands like a sword, swinging it at Molly's midsection. Molly hops back out of the way.