Beautiful things - jaylor story (peace book 4)

something is wrong

-Taylors pov- 

We get all three kids in bed and tuck them in before joe and I get some alone time downstairs. I know that joe have been thinking about something this afternoon because I can see it on his face that he is bursting to tell me something. 

"so, what's wrong joe" I ask as we sit down on the couch. 

"honestly, I don't know for sure. But Kenzie told me something that worried me today. I know how we have thought something is going on with Ellie, but I think we have been blind to something" he says, and I get really nervous and wait for him to continue "i don't know for sure. But Kenzie said that she is throwing out her lunch every day. And then I think about it, how she is picking at her food and going to the bathroom if she eats something. I think... something is up with her, and I don't like where this is going" 

My jaw drops, why the fuck haven't I connected the dots. Could she really have an eating disorder. "Well, this we need to figure out asap because if it's true we need to help her before it escalates. But you're right. I just thought that she went quickly up to her room because she is annoyed by us, that what she says, but it makes sense that it might be an issue" 

We decide that I should go up and talk to her, she is reading a book like she always does before she goes to bed so I make my way to her room and knock softly before entering. 

She is lying in bed reading a harry potter book that I've just gotten her hooked on. "Sweetie, I wanted to talk to you about something" I say and sit down on the edge of her bed. 

"Your sister said something today that concerned us, and I wanted to make sure that you're okay. Why have you been throwing out your lunch? And why do you run upstairs if we see you eating something? Are you okay Elliana" I ask her honestly. I could probably beat around the bush, but I want to get straight to the point. 

She shifts uncomfortably "well she is lying. I'm fine. I don't skip food, I'm fine. I run upstairs because I'm 12, hanging around with baby sisters and parents isn't fun" she says and cross her arms defensively. "it's late, I want to go to sleep" she says and turn of her nightlight. 

I turn it back on "Elliana, its' okay if you're not okay honey. You can tell me anything. There is nothing you could tell me that I wouldn't want to talk to you about, know that I'm always here" I tell her, and she turns out the lamp again "goodnight" 

**

Joe has taken the girls to school and I'm pacing around the living room trying to figure out what to do next. This morning Ellie didn't even bother eating anything, she just sits there and stared out into nothing. She might know that we are onto her, and I don't know what to do. I used to be the person in her position, and I feel stupid that I didn't spot this sooner. I should have known better, after all I know all the tricks she could be using. 

With a deep breath I go upstairs to investigate her room. She is going to be pissed when she figures that out, but I don't really have a choice when she is refusing to talk to me or joe. If she can't talk about it, we need to figure it out on our own and then figure out what to do about it as a family. 

Going into her room it doesn't seem like the room of someone struggling. Its tidy and everything seems to be in the same place as always. She has always been a perfectionist and needed everything to be a certain way or she would panic. We hoped that would get better as she has gotten older but sadly it hasn't, maybe that was yet another sign we didn't see. 

I go through her drawers and make sure to look under the clothes. That's where I find those fiber one 70 calorie bars, 100calorie bars, laxative tablets and those quick packages of caffeine for your drink to give you energy. where she has gotten ahold of all this, I have no idea. She doesn't go to the shops on her own so she must have gotten someone to get it for her and I'm going to find out who that person is.