She never wanted to see Ugly Phyllis again. How could Mama Becky ask her to go back? "I don't want to go," Molly said.
"Now sweetie, if you want to be treated like a big girl you have to act like one. That means forgiving people, even after they've been mean to you." Mama Becky tousled Molly's curls. "I'm sure if you go over there, Phyllis will feel badly about what she said yesterday."
"I don't like her. She's mean."
"You march over to the pantry right now and fetch me a jar of preserves. And no dawdling. Understand?"
"Yes Mama," Molly said. She slunk out the door and started towards the pantry. Why didn't Mama Becky understand Ugly Phyllis would always be mean?
Molly kicked the snow in front of the pantry door and then knocked. No one answered. She waited a minute before knocking again, this time as hard as she could. Still no one answered. Ugly Phyllis must be gone. Good.
Molly pushed open the door and looked around the room. She saw only wooden shelves with jars of preserves and vegetables scattered about. She stretched out to grab a jar of preserves, but couldn't reach. Behind the counter near the stairs for the cellar she found the stool where Phyllis usually sat.
Before she could drag the stool over to get the preserves, she heard giggling coming from the cellar. She waited a moment and then heard a low moan. What was going on down there?
Molly crept down the stairs to the dark cellar. "That's nice," Hateful Helena said. "No, don't stop. Keep going."
"I thought I heard something," a boy's voice said.
"It's probably the wind. Come on, you're almost there."
Hateful Helena moaned again. Molly reached the bottom of the stairs and ducked behind a barrel. She peered over the top and saw Hateful Helena naked on a table with her legs spread far apart. John stood between Helena's legs. Molly gasped at what she saw before clapping a hand to her mouth.
But it was too late. Helena and John turned in her direction. "Who is that? Phyllis is that you? You pervert, I said I wanted to be alone," Hateful Helena said. Molly ducked behind the barrel again, quaking with fear. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew it was something bad.
"You said no one would see," John hissed.
"It's just Phyllis. She isn't going to tell." Molly could hear their voices getting closer. She had to get out of here and find Mama Becky.
Molly bolted for the stairs, scampering up as fast as she could. She heard footsteps charging behind her. She reached the top, daylight from the doorway striking her face. She came within a yard of the door before she was yanked back violently by the hair. She tried to scream, but a hand was pressed over her mouth. "You little brat, what are you doing here?" Hateful Helena said. "Take her downstairs."