Page 500 - Enders_Game_Full_Book

Miro's eyes followed. Novinha squeezed Miro's hand. "Did you feel me squeeze your hand?" Miro moaned again.
"Close your mouth for no," said Quim, "and open your mouth for yes."
Miro closed his mouth and said, "Mm."
Novinha could not help herself; despite her encouraging words, this was the most terrible thing that had happened to any of her children. She had thought when Lauro lost his eyes and became Olhado-- she hated the nickname, but now used it herself-- that nothing worse could happen. But Miro, paralyzed, helpless, so he couldn't even feel the touch of her hand, that could not be borne. She had felt one kind of grief when Pipo died, and another kind when Libo died, and a terrible regret at Marc o's death. She even remembered the aching emptiness she felt as she watched them lower her mother and father into the ground. But there was no pain worse than to watch her child suffer and be unable to help.
She stood up to leave. For his sake, she would do her crying silently, and in another room.
"Mm. Mm. Mm."
"He doesn't want you to go," said Quim.
"I'll stay if you want," said Novinha. "But you should sleep again. Navio said that the more you sleep for a while--"
"Mm. Mm. Mm."
"Doesn't want to sleep, either," said Quim.
Novinha stifled her immediate response, to snap at Quim and tell him that she could hear his answers perfectly well for herself. This was no time for quarreling. Besides, it was Quim who had worked out the system that Miro was using to communicate. He had a right to take pride in it, to pretend that he was Miro's voice. It was his way of affirming that he was part of the family. That he was not quitting because of what he learned in the praqa today. It was his way of forgiving her, so she held her tongue.
"Maybe he wants to tell us something," said Olhado. "Mm."
"Or ask a question?" said Quim.
"Ma. Aa."
"That's great," said Quim. "If he can't move his hands, he can't write."