The Keeper's Snake // Sebastian Sallow

Christmas

"You wains must be hungry!" Claire addressed the children after they had left their bags in their rooms.

"I'm starving." Sean answered.

"Please tell me you made bangers and mash." Fiona whined.

"I am hungry. Thank you Mrs. Moriarty!" Anne replied.

"I would be much appreciative of a meal, thank you." Sebastian answered, trying to be polite.

"Anne and Sebastian. Listen here. You two have been through enough pain to last a life time. You are our guests for a week, and you are spending a rather important holiday with us. All formalities should be forgotten. You are to call me Claire and my husband Conor."

Sebastian and Anne nodded, both overcome with a sense of belonging and welcoming. They both fought back tears.

"Sebastian you may very well become a member of this family one day. Our home is your own." Conor added.

"Da!" Fiona wheezed, surprised by his words.

Her face turned red in embarrassment. Her and Sebastian had just started courting, and her father was already talking about marriage. She wasn't even 17 yet! Conor simply gave her a cheeky wink.

"Sebastian, Anne, I'll show you the dining room." Sean offered, sparing Fiona further embarrassment.

The Sallow twins took off with Sean, while Fiona stayed behind in the sitting room to scold her parents.

"We really like Sebastian, Fi. He seems like a good lad." Conor said.

"And to imagine being under care of that monster." Claire added.

"Yes I know. But can you please not make jokes about marriage?" Fiona requested quietly.

"Fi, what did you think the point of courting is?" Claire asked.

Fiona rolled her eyes.

"I know what the point of courting is. But we have only been courting for 2 weeks, so can you two please minimize the marriage talk. You are going to freak him out!"

"You may only be courting just two weeks, but that lad has loved you longer. I saw the way he looked at you after Halloween in Derry." Conor replied.

"Ugh! Just forget it! I'm going to the dinning room." Fiona huffed as she walked away from her parents.

She entered the dining room and sat down next to Sebastian. Sean and Anne were sitting across from them. The group heard the door bell ring. They heard Conor and Claire opening the door and greeting the guests. Just a second later Fiona's brother Michael entered the dining room with his boyfriend Damien. Fiona got up from her seat to engulf the two in a hug.

"Micky! Damien! How lovely to see you both again!" She broke their hug and turned to the table.

"You remember Sebastian Sallow. Across from him is his twin sister Anne."

Sebastian stood up to shake their hands. Anne also got up to introduce herself. Michael winked at Sebastian as he took his hand. After exchanging pleasantries, everyone returned to their seats. Michael and Damien were sitting next to Fiona and Sebastian.

"So Sebastian, I've heard you've managed to woo my baby sister." Michael joked.

Before Sebastian could respond, two figures apparated into the home. Fiona once again got out of her chair and ran to the two men, engulfing them in a hug.

"Cillian! Colm! I've missed you two!"

Fiona ended her hug with the twins and turned to the table. Before she could speak, Cillian spoke.