He could remember the day clearly, it was just another lazy summer afternoon. She had dragged him to the park because "the roses were lovely this time of year", and even though he knew that rose season was spring, he allowed himself to be convinced in the middle of August. He found that he couldn't refuse her most things. They were sitting next to the pond, she had whimsically dipped her toes in the water, squealing if a fish might bite them. He sat next to her, his back supported by a tree. He listened to her chatter, it was one of the most soothing sounds he knew. Just as he knew that his silence was soothing to her. But, this day that he remembered distinctly instead of mixed with the others, she gave him a bright grin and asked:
"Have you ever done it?"
He had started briefly, did she mean what he thought she meant? But seeing her curious eyes, he realized it was accidental, she was more mischievous looking when she was wild.
"Done what?" he remembered asking.
"Told someone that you loved them."
He shook his head slowly, "Have you?"
"No." She sighed flopping onto her back, her eyes closing. "And I never will."
"Why?" She was the self-proclaimed goddess of love, why wouldn't she tell someone that?
She opened one eye and gazed at him speculatively, "I'd say that you wouldn't understand, but you would, wouldn't you?"
He shrugged and she giggled, softer than usual, "I will never tell someone I love them because I'm afraid." She paused, twisting her fingers, "I'm afraid that if I qualify it, define it, the magical feeling will be gone. That I will realize that it was all a hollow sham."
He smiled softly, she was so child like and yet so mature, it was a conundrum he had yet to solve. And part of him never wanted to solve it. He grabbed her hand and put it over his heart, "I think you can say it. Just once, only if you know that it will always be true. Treat those words with respect. You are right, if you throw them around too much, they lose meaning."
He kissed her knuckles and released her hand, returning to his original position. After a while she got up and came close to him. She smelt of violets. Her lips brushed his ear, and so softly he almost didn't hear it, she whispered, "I love you, too."
This one is hard to explain, I always thought that even though she treated her crushes and such so flippantly, that if Mina was ever truly in love, she would have trouble telling them. Yet, she says it at the end, but in all honesty, I don't think she will say them ever again or only on special occassions. Keenan only needed to hear it once to be content and his understanding and willing to initiate physical contact was his small ways of saying "I love you". Mina didn't want to hear it at all because to her actions speak louder than words, and I can imagine her parents saying those empty words to each other over and over, but being cold to each other. Tchh..what do I know?