Chapter 25
Jeremiah shut the door to his daughter's bedroom shaking his head as he made his way back down the hall and down the stairs to the kitchen to his wife.
"You were gone a long time." Camille commented as her husband grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and took a seat at the table. "Good talk with Daniela?"
Jeremiah sighed and shook his before popping the cap on his beer and taking a long swig from it.
"Honestly baby, I have no idea anymore." Jeremiah said. He rubbed at his temples as he spoke. "Danni says that she's fine and with the exception of her skipping meals I can't argue."
"Well she is a teenage girl." Camille said stirring a pot of spaghetti. "It's expected that she be a little sensitive about her weight, especially as a cheerleader and a gymnast."
Jeremiah looked at his wife and frowned.
"She's smart." Camille continued noticing her husband's doubts. "And she knows we're paying attention. She's not going to do anything outrageous."
Jeremiah didn't look overly convinced and took another swig from his beer.
"What else is bothering you?" Camille asked. She covered the pot on the stove and moved to sit beside him.
"Amelia." Jeremiah practically whispered the word. "There's something going on with her too and I have no idea what, but I'm pretty sure whatever it is, she told to Daniela because Danni practically begged me to talk to her about Eric. And when I did, Amelia got upset, started apologizing and just cried herself to sleep."
Now it was Camille's turn to frown. "What?" she asked confused. "You think something happened between Eric and Amelia?"
Jeremiah nodded. "Yeah, but Mia didn't tell me what. She just kept crying and apologizing until she cried herself to sleep."
Camille took a seat at the table across from her husband. "You don't think she's-?"
Jeremiah took another gulp from his beer and shook his head. "No. Danni wouldn't have kept that secret and I already asked to make sure."
Camille nodded relieved. "So what? You thinking that it has something to do with them breaking up?"
Jeremiah shrugged.
"Maybe Eric cheated? She was really starting to like him. If he cheated or if something else happened it could explain why she's been so upset the past couple of days. Maybe she felt bad and was apologizing for having him over when she was supposed to be at school."
Jeremiah's frown deepened. "I don't know, maybe." He wasn't entirely convinced.
Camille stood up and returned her attention to the pot on the stove. "Dinner's about ready. Call Daniela and let Amelia rest?"
Jeremiah sipped his beer and stood.
The three of them ate dinner. Jeremiah observed Daniela the entire dinner, barely adding anything into the conversation between mother and daughter.
Camille had fixed the girl a smaller plate but it still seemed to be too much. Jeremiah noticed that his eldest seemed to be more thirsty than hungry. She had downed over half of the two liter pitcher water already and was pouring herself another glass as she laughed at something her mother was saying concerning her first date with Jeremiah.
Jeremiah looked down at his own plate, it was empty. He glanced across the table at Camille's. She had only a few bites left. Daniela still had half her food still left.
"No honey, that's alright. I'll do the dishes." Camille offered when Jeremiah stood up.
"I got it baby. You and Danni just finish your dinner."
Daniela finished off her plate quickly before finishing the pitcher of water and excusing herself for bed. She had tried to fill up on as much water as possible. She had a meet coming up in three weeks and didn't want to destroy any progress she'd made.
She felt bloated but knew most of it was water weight. She hesitated for a moment before going into the bathroom to purge. Her parents had told her that Amelia was sleeping, but she still locked both doors before standing in front of the toilet and sticking two fingers down her throat.
She hated herself for doing it; and felt even worse about lying to her parents, but she couldn't help it.
Daniela kicked at the French and English textbooks on her bed. She was exhausted.