Broken Boulder and i haven't sold me

of course he is too small to understand how his words might, in fact, be hurtful themselves -- all he knows is the situation is strange and wrong. papa's i love you sounds like another goodbye, only oke just had the perfect idea, so why is everyone still tense and sad? with a whine he winds himself around his dandelion-puff sister, looking between mama and papa with solemn green eyes. 

"stay, papa," he echoes himself and mama, "oke love papa!"