Chapter 11 - Happy

Soundtrack: Landslide - Oh Wonder

"HAAAAAAPY BIIIIIRRRRTHDAAAAY TOOOOO… YOUUUUUUU!" Belted out Henry, Delilah, and several strangers paid to do so as an animatedly irritated, but ultimately bemused Sheliah sat across from them, the bellows of celebration filling the dimly, but warmly lit steakhouse around them as random families and parties clapped.

"I thought I told you guys no!" She laughed at them.

"Aaaand, we didn't listen." Henry rang back across the table, "besides… free cake." he said sliding the plate closer to her, the lone Candle on top of it still lit.

"Yay." She said sarcastically, a grin creeping across her deadpan expression.

"Ah, you know you love the attention." Delilah said leaning back in her chair.

"Oooooh you're lucky you're right." Sheliah snipped back drawing grins from both her and Delilah.

"Always am, it's a curse honestly." Delilah chuckled back.

"Ohohoho that's rich." Henry chimed in drawing a laugh from Sheliah and a melodramatic scoff from Delilah.

"Oh get a room already, oh wait, you already have one." Sheliah teased.

"Hey!" They both shouted back in unison.

"You sang, it's only natural I get to call you two 'lovebirds', fair trade right? Wait a second, why does it even need to be fair, it's my birthday?" Sheliah shrugged, grinning at the defeated looks on Henry and Delilah's faces. "Hey look at that, I win." She chuckled.

"No fair, you win by default because it's your birthday!" Delilah said firmly placing her hand on the table.

"Hey, hey, hey, let's not make the birthday girl cry this time D." Henry chuckled.

"This time?" Sheliah asked quizzically.

"Long story." Henry and Delilah sighed back in unison.

"Jesus, it is scary watching you two." Sheliah giggled back.

"Hey. Shut up." Delilah deadpanned back.

"Oh, well now I'm gonna cry." Sheliah sarcastically rang to laughter around the table.

"Well," Henry said motioning to the cake, candle still flickering, "it is your birthday, you gonna take your wish or what?"

"Hmm," Sheliah said raising a finger to her lip, " I wish… for you two to get a room already." She quickly concluded, and blew out the candle.

"Goddammit Sheliah!"

She laughed, "You know what? I feel like 35 might just be the best one yet."

Well… holy shit. Hi. It's been, a while. Sorry about that, if you're still here that is. Life was hectic. College was crazy, and a bevvy of mental health challenges, and family drama kept me away from creating things on the internet for a long while. As weird as it is though I, kinda never stopped working in this story. Just kept it in my hip pocket and never felt like it was right to release it yet. I have a few other chapters as well but at least wanted to get this one out to start. Let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by.

See you space cowboy,

Equinox.