Michelle knows something is wrong when she sees how Arthur looks at Mathew during breakfast. She figures out what it is when Mathew refuses to look at Arthur, keeping his head guiltily ducked down. Mathew isn't the type to get angry often, but that only makes it worse when he does, and she can imagine what sort of things Mathew said to Arthur.

She's not really sure what exactly happened, but she's knows that Mathew went away without telling her, only Lucille, and came back alone, and that Arthur and Alfred were there the next morning. She can guess what happed, and she's sure that Mathew went to yell at their dad, and that Arthur felt guilty and came after. She knows the kind of people they both are.

When Mathew excuses himself to slip away to the kitchen, Michelle tries to ignore it, but her instincts tell her that her brother is upset, so she pushed out her chair to follow him. When she sees him washing his dishes at the sink, she hesitates, and thinks maybe t she was wrong. Then the soapy dish falls from his hands and Mathew sinks into a crouch, head to his knees, looking quite nauseated.

Michelle moves timidly.

"Matthew?'"

Mathew's lips are moving but no words are coming out, and he claps a wet hand over his mouth as though he's about to vomit. Michelle begins to feel afraid.

"Mathew?"

She calls again, a little louder, but more concern in her voice. Mathew doesn't react, and it feels like he's in a soundproof bubble and Michelle's voice can't get through to him. On the third call, now full of worry, Antonio appears in the doorway, balancing a pile of dishes and looking concerned.

"What's wrong, NinĂ¢?"

Michelle finds Antonio's sudden presence comforting, and communicates the issue while pointing to Mathew.

"I think he's sick. He can't hear me."

Antonio's face goes a shade lighter and he kneels down next to Mathew, calling to him. A moment later he slips an arm under Matthew's and hauls him to his feet, murmuring words Michelle can't quite hear in Matthew's ears.

The commotion draws attention, and Arthur and Gilbert shoot to their feet as Antonio hauls Mathew through the dinning area.

"What happened?"

Arthur's voice is tense, and Michelle becomes certain something happened between the two. Antonio look like he wants to say something, then glances sideways at Michelle before his speaks.

"He's a little sick."

Michelle knows that Antonio is hiding something from her, and it doesn't help that Alfred looks terrified as he vaults over a chair to support Matthew's other side. She doesn't even realize she's tailed them to the bathroom until Lucille grabs her arm and hauls her into her arms, forcibly covering her ears as Mathew starts to retch. Gilbert pushes his way into the Bathroom, and Michelle wonders if it's more than just an upsetting stomach that has her whole family in a mess.

Lucille pulls her back to the table, where Arthur is already starting to clean up with almost mechanical movements, looking stiff and tight himself. Michelle is flustered, confused and a little scared, and she can tell she's not the only one.

So she does what only the youngest could do.

She slips out of Lucille grip and grabs Arthur around the waist, squeezing so hard he grunts.

"Thanks for coming Dad."

She means the words with all her heart, but Arthur stiffens in her arms, and when use looks at his face, he looks somewhat guilty.

"I should have come sooner."

He speaks in the same tone he always did after he started a meaningless fight with Francis, or says something he doesn't mean. Michelle holds him tighter, and Lucille cuts in.

"It's enough that you're 'ere now."

Arthur doesn't look convinced, but awkwardly returns the hug Michelle gives him.

When the freshly-showered Mathew reappears, his eyes are bright and there's a smile pulling at the edges of his lips, and Michelle thinks she was wrong, it was only an upset stomach, nothing more. She's glad, because now she's doesn't have to feel guilty when she pulls her older brother aside to scold him. Mathew accepts her scoldings about hiding his sickness sheepishly, and she accepts his apology with exasperation, but that isn't the only apology Michelle wants from Mathew.

"What did you say to Dad?

Mathew flushes and looks away as he mumbles his response, and Michelle is filled with a righteous anger. She doesn't understand why her whole family is like that, not talking about their feelings until they explode and say something hurtful. Not Just Mathew, but Artur, Francis, even Alfred and Lucille. She just wants them to learn to communicate, but even she is struggling to find out how to communicate this to Mathew.

Mathew misreads her expression and promises to fix it, somewhat awkwardly, heading for the garden where they both know Arthur will be. Michelle watches him go both hopefully and apprehensively.

She hopes she didn't make things worse.