He awoke in the morning to the sound of a crash. "God damn it!" Veronica roared. "They're gone! How could you let this happen? You were supposed to watch them!"
"I'm sorry," Molly said. "I don't know what happened."
"I ought to throw you in there after them." Joey heard another crash. "And you, how could you let them fall in? Why didn't you stop them?"
"I tried," a man's voice growled. "It was too late."
"This is just great," Veronica said. "All the planning and work to make this happen and they're gone."
"Isn't that what you wanted?" the man said.
"Not like that! I could have kept the charade going for years. I could have kept her like that forever. Now it's ruined thanks to you two." Joey heard pots and pans crash to the floor. He caught a glimpse of Veronica stomping across the room, kicking something into the hearth. "And the worst part is now the fountain is useless. What is that red stuff?"
"I don't know," the man said. "Some kind of algae."
"We have to find a way to get rid of it."
"How?" Molly asked.
"I don't know. David and I will think of something. You stay here and look after the other one. If you can manage that without fucking up."
"I'm sorry," Molly said. "I won't let you down again."
"You better not," Veronica said. The door slammed shut. Joey curled up beneath his blankets and cried. Mommy, where are you? he wondered.