Jacob and Jonah looked at each other over the rim of the cup that held their morning tea. Frost had left webs of crystallized ice in the corners of the windows.

.

"Jacob," asked the boy, "is my being in the bakery a burden to everybody?"

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"Who among us is not sometimes a burden to others?" answered Jacob.

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"Even you, Jacob?"

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"Even me," said Jacob.

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~Jacob's Ladder (Noah BenShea)~