Page 56 of Break

She cocks her head to the side. “What do you meantaught?”

Waving a hand around the room, I explain. “I’m assuming that this is what your mom did while you were growing up? Taking care of the home?” I know this topic could bring up her home life, and I’m not entirely against that, but I don’t want to just ask outright. She and I haven’t had much of a chance to just sit and talk. Just asking ‘Did your father abuse you?’ wouldn’t be the best way to get her to open up to me.

“I suppose. But it makes me feel good when I do it,” she admits.

“Explain. Why does it make you feel good?” My mom had this book calledThe Five Love Languagesat home when I was growing up, and I remember her talking with my dad about it. He complained about having to read it, but they discussed it for a while. I couldn’t help but pick up a few things. I’m not an expert in relationships, but Idoknow how to read people and recognize why they do the things they do because of those dinner conversations years ago.

She relaxes into her chair and looks away, not really focusing on anything in particular as she explains what she means. “Like, if they come home to a nice meal and enjoy the flavors and the effort that I put into it, seeing the happiness over something that I’ve made not only makes me feel full here.” She taps her chest with the duster. “But it also lets me know that I’m appreciated.”

Her answer warms me.Damn, she really is a sweetheart.“What if you don’t get the response you were hoping for?”

“Then I try again.” Her answer is simple and straight to the point.

Leaning forward, I brace my arms on my thighs and thread my fingers together. Nodding my head in her direction, I tell her, “It’s your love language. It’s how you show someone you care.”

“I guess so,” she shrugs, maybe a little uncomfortable with me pointing it out.

Giving her my full smile, I try to put her at ease by letting her in on a little piece of me. “Mine is physical touch. I love getting and giving affection. Hugs, kisses, that kind of stuff. Ethan is an acts of service guy and I’m fairly certain that Max is words of affirmation, but I’m not positive.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She shifts in her seat, setting the duster on her lap and threading her own fingers together.

“There’s a book all about it. My mom had it when I was growing up. You don’t know about the five love languages?”

She shakes her head no to my question.

“So, there are five of them. Acts of service, words of affirmation, gift giving, physical touch, and I think the last one is quality time, like spending time together.” I hold a finger up as I list each one. I also make a mental note to call my mom and brag about the fact that I remembered all of them. It’s the little things that count, in my opinion.

She looks nervous when I mention all of our languages, but also intrigued. “I think I’d like the quality time,” she admits. She seems embarrassed by that, and I don’t want that.

“A lot of people have two of them, languages I mean.” Leaning back and settling into the couch, I cross my leg, resting my ankle on the opposite knee. Thinking over all the new facts we’ve learned since Mina arrived, I try my luck at learning a little more about her. “Do you think acts of service was what your mom’s love language was? Or your dad’s? Like when you were growing up, did your mom work around the house because she loved your dad?”

She had her eyes on me when I started speaking, but once I mentioned her parents, they fell to her lap. “I’m not sure. I think it was more of what was expected, maybe?” Scoffing, she looks to the side. “It certainly wasn’t t-touch.” She stumbles over the word like it’s painful to say out loud.

“Why don’t you think it was touch?” I already know the answer, but maybe if she says it, she’ll allow me to ask more questions.

Mina seems embarrassed as she answers. “My parents weren’t affectionate, I guess. They didn’t hug or kiss each other, or me, for that matter. It was always doing something for one another that was important.”

“So, they didn’t hug you and cuddle you when you were a kid?” My heart breaks for the child version of Mina when I ask and she shakes her head no.Who doesn’t hug their kid? Especially one as sweet as her?“How did they show you they loved you?”

She blinks at me, stunned by my question. Hesitantly, she answers, “I’m… umm… I’m not really sure. They fed me and clothed me. I suppose that counts.”

I want to growl out that it absolutelydoesn’tcount. That was their job as the people who gave her life. That’s not what a parentis,though. “What about Danny, if you don’t mind me asking? What do you think his love language was?”

Her fingers twitch in her lap as she debates how to answer me. “P-Probably physical touch…” Her voice trails off and I feel like an ass for even asking.

Leaning forward to catch her eyes, I wait until they meet mine. I feel awful at the look on her face, understanding what kind of ‘touch’ she’s referring to. “You know what I think should be a love language?”

Letting out a small breath, she shakes her head that she doesn’t know the answer.

She keeps her eyes on me when I say, “I think apology should be a love language. Maybe it goes along with words of affirmation, but I think it should be one on its own. Being able to admit when you’ve done something wrong and apologize for it. Whether or not it’s accepted, making it known that you’re sorry for something you’ve done is so vital to any kind of relationship.”

There’s a slight softening in her eyes when I finish talking, but I don’t think she understands why I’m saying this. “I’ve never thought of it that way,” she admits quietly. “Apologizing always seems like such a hard thing to do.”

I nod in agreement. “Itishard. But sometimes it’s the only way to show someone you care. And sometimes, it’s the only way to make things right.” Taking a breath, I push forward. “Mina, I oweyouan apology. For being such an ass as a kid. I was thoughtless and self-absorbed. I didn’t notice things I should have and stood on the sidelines when Ididsee things that weren’t right. For not speaking up when I knew that you and Danny shouldn’t get married. God.” I hang my head for a moment, then look back at her. “I treated you horribly, and I feel awful about that.”

Mina stares at me, her eyes wide with surprise, as though she never thought that I’d be sitting here apologizing to her. Like she’s never evenreceivedan apology before. For a moment, neither of us speak. I watch her as I will my heart to stop pounding in my chest, wondering if I’ve made a mistake by bringing up our past.Christ, I was such a dick to her, but it’s time to make things right.

“Th-Thank you.” She bites her lip and looks embarrassed when she says, “You were quite horrible.”

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