Next Chapter. Here is the next part. I don't own The Good Wife.
Alicia and Will were lying in bed the next night when he decided to voice his concerns.
"Leesh?"
"Yeah?"
"I am worried about Grace..."
"Why, babe?"
"I feel like she never eats. I think she is too skinny. She always looks kinda pale and sickish, don't you think? And I am worried. What if she has an eating disorder? I don't know, maybe I am over reacting."
Alicia was quite for several minutes, thinking over what he said. Her daughter couldn't have an eating disorder. She couldn't. She was so beautiful! She was smarter than that. Will must be misinterpreting things. But, he had a point. She was quite thin and, come to think of it, she hadn't seen Grace eating very much, recently. No, she was fine. She was fine, right? She got lost in her thoughts.
When she was quite for so long, Will began to doubt himself. Maybe he shouldn't have brought it up. Maybe she thought he was insulting her parenting by suggesting her daughter had a problem.
"I am sorry Alicia. I don't know if it was my place to bring that up- I have just been so worried-"
Sorry? For being concerned about her daughter and looking out for her? "You never have to be sorry for being concerned for the kids, Will. I was just thinking. I am sure it is nothing, but we have a mother/daughter night out planned this weekend, and I will talk to her. Does that help ease your mind at all?"
Oh, Thank God. Alicia doesn't seem to be too worried, and she was going to talk to Grace.
"Yes, it does. I don't, I have never raised a teenage girl before, and so I have no idea what I'm doing."
"You are doing a great job being a dad. I am so glad I married you. You care about my kids as much as I do and I love that. I know you are worried, and I will talk to Grace. Now, go to sleep. You have a big case in court tomorrow."
He didn't fall asleep for a while, but with Alicia snuggled up next to him he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be. He was glad she was going to talk to Grace. He hoped he was just misreading her actions. He knows that some people lose their appetites when they get stressed, and senior year of high school can be stressful. So maybe a talk with her mom was just what the 17 year old needs. He hoped it was nothing, and he could stop worrying about her so much. He shoved the nagging thoughts to the back of his mind, and fell asleep.
Saturday evening Will was watching the basketball game when Grace and Alicia got home from their mom and daughter date.
"Hey! How are my favorite girls?"
They both responded, "Great!" Alicia continued with, "Grace, honey, do you want to show Will your new clothes?"
"Yes! Will, do you want to see them?"
"Absolutely."
"Great. I will go put on the first outfit." She skipped off to her room, multiple bags in tow.
First outfit? "How many outfits did you guys buy, Leesh?"
She responded with a laugh. "A few. And Grace's favorite part of buying clothes is modeling them when she gets home. She has done it ever since she was little."
"So I am going to watch my own personal fashion show?"
She laughed again. "Yep."
He smiled; being glad Grace was comfortable enough with him to put on a fashion show.
With every outfit Grace emerged in Will had the same thought. Too thin too thin too thin. She is too thin! You can see her bones. He kept that to himself, and simply told her every outfit was beautiful and looked great on her. They did look great on her, but still. Too thin. After she was done trying on all her clothes, she left to go hang out with some of her friends. When she had left, Will started the discussion again.
"So, did you talk to her?"
"Yes. She seemed uncomfortable I was bringing up her weight."
"What did she say?"
"She said she was fine. She promised she was eating, but school was getting stressful, so occasionally she will skip eating in favor of studying. She said she knows how dangerous eating disorders are, and that she isn't stupid. If she had a problem, she knows she can talk to me."
"Do you believe her?"
"I want to believe her."
"But, do you?"
Alicia sighed. "I don't know. I want to think she is fine, but did you see her in those clothes? Her bones stick out!"
"Yeah, I noticed that. What should we do?"
"Keep an eye on her. See if she seems to lose more weight. If she drops anymore weight, I am taking her to the doctor, and told her as much. Will you help me?"
"Of course. I love her too. We will just watch, and see."
Talking to Alicia didn't help Will feel better at all. If she was concerned, and knows her daughter better than he does, then he was really concerned. Grace didn't seem to think she had a problem. How was he supposed to help her, if she didn't want help?
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