How do Jonas parents respond when he asks them if they love him?

From the text:

"Do you love me?"

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle. Jonas. You, of all people. Precision of language, please!"

"What do you mean?" Jonas asked. Amusement was not at all what he had anticipated.

"Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete," his
mother explained carefully.

Jonas stared at them. Meaningless? He had never before felt anything as meaningful as the memory.