You had set up a small puppet show for the dolls at the edge of the playground. Mikey appeared without announcement, grabbing a puppet of his own and setting it in your scene. You told him he didn’t need to join. He didn’t respond; he just mirrored your movements, making the puppet interact in the exact way you did, trying to keep pace with your story.

His eyes never left yours. Every gesture, every tiny expression you made, he noted and copied with careful precision. You didn’t have to speak for him to understand the rules — he would follow your lead, stay close, and make the little show entirely about being with you.