Delilah Recovered **2017 Watty Winner**

Chapter Nineteen

Delilah knew anxiety. It was an old friend. Depression was a new friend that joined the party. Soon, the three of them became fast friends. It found her the day after she gave her life over to her coven and transitioned her mother, Maria. She felt as though she was living in a dense fog that held her down no matter how hard she tried to break through it. She couldn't. Eventually, she stopped trying.

Faye became her self appointed body man. Her job was to babysit Delilah, to not only guard her against the Hunters but to protect her from herself. Together they camped out in Delilah's vintage one-bedroom apartment watching classic black and white movies eating chips and Twizzlers. Her apartment wasn't much, but it was cozy. And it was all hers. A big cozy security blanket to wrap herself in and pretend the last few weeks didn't happen.

She had invested in a nice couch from a pricey furniture store. The salesperson called it a "chesterfield." It was the rich peacock color that caught her eye and the fact that it was velvet and had deep-set cushions was also a bonus. To set off the couch, she painted the walls a dreamy sky blue.

Parked on the floor, on a furry bean bag scrolling through the channels, sat Faye. Lounging in a pair of joggers, an over-sized Rage Against the Machine t-shirt, and a pair of rainbow-striped socks, she asked: "Hey, you want to order Chinese?"

Delilah shrugged, "Sure," and tossed Faye her phone. "Use the app and order whatever you want." When she stood up to stretch, she caught wind of a smell, a mix of cat litter and stinky cheese. Showering was for people that had lives that they had some control over. Delilah couldn't remember the last time she changed her depression uniform, pair of Yoga pants, and a garbage ready tee with holes in the armpits and sky blue paint stains.

Leaning over Faye, "Do I smell?"

Faye took a whiff, "Yeah, but I've smelled worse."

"Maybe I should light a candle or something?" Delilah asked as she dug through a drawer in the end table. It was full of old batteries, a pair of broken sunglasses, and extension cords. Looking inside the drawer made her tired, so she slammed it shut.

"I just ordered us a ton of food. Check out what's on," she said, pointing to the TV.

"Rebecca, it's one of my all-time favorites."

Delilah grabbed the blanket, crumbled in a ball on the floor, and fluffed her pillow to settle in when the buzzer rang.

Faye looked at her wrist, even though she didn't wear a watch. "That was fast," she said, popping up to buzz the delivery person.

Delilah slowly got up. "I'll get us plates and some sodas," she said, walking into the kitchen.

When she returned to the living room, Faye was on Samuel's back with his neck in a chokehold.

Samuel implored, "Please, for the love of God and everything holy, call off your bloody fairy."

Setting the plates and sodas down, she nodded at Faye. Before jumping off his back, Faye gave his neck a final squeeze, "It wasn't the delivery person."

"I came to check on you."

"She's doing just peachy," Faye replied, pulling on his arm leading him to the door.

Samuel gave Delilah a look that sent a wave of heat through her body. For the first time in days, she felt something other than like she was drowning in pain.

"Faye, can you give us a moment?" Delilah asked, not taking her eyes off Samuel.

Shaking her head, "No can do Boss. I'm here to protect you and that includes bad decisions too."