(Strip Number 958, Original Publication Date, 11 October 1985)
Panel 1: Michael asks Elly if Lawrence and his mom will come back to Milborough. Elly says it's hard to say.
Panel 2: Knowing that she herself misses Connie and yearns for the day she returns home where she belongs, she asks Mike if he misses Lawrence just as much and gets an affirmative response.
Panel 3: She then reminds him that they were on the phone yesterday and asks him why he didn't tell his friend how much he missed him then.
Panel 4: Michael replies that it's hard to say. Elly's response is to look like a gaffed trout.
Summary: Since Elly is a bit of a clod, she doesn't understand that while Mike could probably say the words in theory, in practice, his need to look 'strong' prevents him from using them.