1. I feel awful today.

Ohhhhh. I can tell from [your face, your body, your voice]. What happened?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.

What does it mean, if I don't like you? How does that change this? He'd later add, I enjoy working with you, how could I not?

3. I don't feel like being here today.

You don't have to be here if you don't want to. I'll never force you to do something you don't want to do. But what is hard about being here today?