"I like your smile." I blurted it out when he smiled at me, but I really didn't feel embarrassed by it. "Its really nice." I wanted to tell him that he should smile more, but I knew well enough how hard it could be to work up a smile when all I really wanted to do was frown. I knew how exhausting it could be to keep up a smile once I finally managed to find one and plaster it on my face. I would not tell him to smile more and put that pressure on him to make me happy. I just hoped that Rhoa would find a reason to keep smiling like that because he deserved it.

"Not the way I've missed you."

"Huh?" My head tilted and I stared at Rhoa, my confusion shining bright in my eyes. "How many ways are there to miss someone?" I asked, genuinely confused because I honestly didn't know. I just knew that I genuinely cared about everyone in the Throat (that I met) and I missed them when they were gone and longed for them to return, just like I missed and longed for Ros when she was away. It was the same way that I longed for and missed my mother, father, and my brother. 

When he finally answered my question about returning to the Throat it wasn't one that boasted of promise. It was doubtful and hesitant and I looked down at my sand covered hooves to try to keep Rhoa from seeing my disappointment. "Oh." Was all I said even though I wanted to tell him "But I want you to come home with me." It was not my place to force Rhoa back to the Throat, especially if it was a place that he didn't want to be.

"I'm sure you understand."

"I do." I admitted, which was exactly why I wasn't going to tell Rhoa that I wanted him back in the Throat though I wanted him there. If he wasn't going to be happy, if he wasn't going to smile then why try to force my wants on him? It would be exactly like me living in the Falls and having a constant reminder every morning when I opened my eyes of what had been there that I'd lost and couldn't have back. I wouldn't even ask him if he'd visit because I didn't want to force him to make a promise to visit a place that he wasn't sure he wanted to live in.

"How've you been?" I asked and I lifted my head to meet Rhoa's gaze again. "Where'd you go? Did you see anything interesting?" Meet anyone? But I didn't voice that last question. I didn't know where it had come from or why it mattered, so I stood with my ears tilted toward Rhoa as I waited for him to answer the questions I continuously bombarded him with.

"."

Mother, make me
Make me a big tall tree
So I can shed my leaves and let it blow through me