"But people isn't what you look like, it's who you are," the child protested.  "You think and you feel and you worry and you hope.  Just like everyone else."   She let go when he pushed her away, but she was obviously upset by the rejection.  "There's all sorts of different kinds.  Why shouldn't you be a person too?!"  Was that really such a strange thing to think?

The question of what she was doing made Amuné frown.  "You don't know what a hug is?" she asked, gaping.  "But...but...everyone knows about hugs, right?"  She glanced at Norman for confirmation.  How did you even explain something like that?  "Hugging, it's...a way of saying I care about you and I'm glad to see you.  Glad to have you here."  She looked thoughtful.  "It can be other things too -- a hug can comfort or reassure, it can encourage and give strength...."

She trailed off, looking a little uncertain.  "It's hard to explain, I guess?  But I was scared because you were hurt -- you /were/ hurt, not just damaged!  And you're okay after all, and that makes me happy and I hugged you to say all of that.  Daddy says touching says things without speaking."  The girl scuffed a shoe on the floor, one hand wrapping around the other wrist.  "You pushing me away like that, I don't like it.  That hurt.  I wanted you to hug me back."

Amuné was paying a lot of attention to her attempt to explain such basic things to Cecil, and she didn't notice right away when the others entered.  Upon spotting Ethan, however, she pushed away from the sturdy table she'd been leaning on and made her way over to him.  "Ethan!  You're okay, you're back!"  She was careful of any visible injuries, like his arm, but the hug she gave him was on the tight side of gentle.