The Bakery
By Elizabeth Smith The Pensive editor's note: This story is the final episode in the Classified series . The baby screamed. Jade unplugged the curling iron and dropped it onto the bathroom counter before rushing down the hall to the children’s room. Her son sat on the carpet and sobbed, his face turned to the ceiling, his eyes shut, a small scratch on his nose bleeding slightly. Her stepdaughter hid in the corner behind the rocking chair. Jade sighed. She cradled the boy while she retrieved a bandage from the bathroom cupboard and dressed the wound with a kiss. Then they returned to the battleground. “Annabel?” Jade addressed the lump underneath a floral comforter. “Care to tell me what happened?” Her stepdaughter whimpered some muffled words. Jade squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. “What was that?” Annabel pushed the blanket off of her face. “Leif broke it!” “Broke what now?” Annabel whined and pointed to a book on the edge of her bed. As Jade handled th
