I know.

[It hurts to swallow. A painful lump in their throat. Heat prickling at their eyes.

No. Don't cry. That's practically their knee-jerk reaction by now, and they need to stop doing that, especially in front of adults. Crying's just a way to get adults to stop and listen, and it's deceptive and stupid and wrong and they need to stop doing it.

So they swallow again, and stop.]

I just - would like to have that again. Someday, if that's...if you can see any kind of, of future with, with me in it.