Lion Head Mesa blade

no singular word meant one thing to her. not yet. what toula heard was a babies babble, too. it was why she mimicked, but her mother talked back, as if all these things made perfect sense. and in a way, they did! they two did what they could for one another, to share these precious moments. to make sense of it. to express their love.
again toula mimicked, voice light and lilting. ujesf... koooo-la, she poorly parroted, but she nodded as she said it, putting emphasis on some words like she heard her mother and tavina sometimes do.
she looked rapt as her mother spoke on, and toula gasped theatrically at new sounding words that she did quite enjoy. ...ike!!! paaaay! end!! ike p-ay, she looked to her mother, encouraging her to go on by shifting nearer and looking up at her with wide eyes.