She hadn't meant to upset her brother with her tears, but she couldn't stop them from flowing. When he embraced her, Rose's arms wrapped around his middle as she sobbed into his shirt. Hearing his promise to behave, she gave him a squeeze and tried to take deep breaths to calm down, which caused her to hiccup. The hiccuping burned her chest which tighten painfully at each one.
"Please stop patting my back," she wheezed, pulling away. Her hand went to her chest and applied pressure to the tightness. Only when she was able to stop hiccuping and crying did the tightness lessen. Rose took several more deep breaths before retreating back to the chair she sat in earlier.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't think I'll be able to help much more with dinner."