"Okay," Sparkle said, still just kinda... standing there holding the olive jar. Hadn't occurred to him that he could actually dig out an olive, now. "Okay."

...

"Okay."

Words, Sparkle.

"... He. Um."

Wow. This was going great for him. He pulled in a long, shaking breath. Tried to find a way to put it that didn't make him feel two inches tall. Failed horribly.

Swallowed.

"Hernando called it 'grooming.'"

So.