Sebastian's body shuddered in spasm jolting him awake. He sat upright and reached for the carafe à eau de nuit on the nightstand, only to find it empty. The digital clock on the bureau read 3:33. Headache nearly split his head in half, so he gingerly got out of bed to go downstairs for some water from the refrigerator. As he descended the stairs there was a loud crack of thunder and the strange odor of ozone seemed to fill the house. Sunlight was beaming from the kitchen and he heard voices.
"Honey, I think Sammy has a crush on you."
"Sean, you think everyone has a crush on me. You're sweet, but Sammy is just a kid."
"Never mind that, Sebastian, he would have gladly saved us the trouble of lugging this bags ourselves just for a chance to be in your house."
"Sean, that's enough. What do you take me for? Some pedophile pervert? Sammy doesn't interest me in the least, not even for free delivery of groceries. Besides, anyone who would leer lustfully at a child like that makes me sick."
"Where do you get off being so judgemental, Sebastian? Who died and made you Pope for fuck sake, huh? I was only teasing. The kid idolizes you is all. Why do you have to take everything and make it into some mortal sin or something? You wanna know who sickens me? People like you who can't appreciate what gifts children are; who think their feelings are what? Too immature to matter? Sammy's got feelings and he has a right to have those feelings acknowledged even from some high and mighty-tight-ass judgemental sonofabitch like you!"
"Sean, why are you --? Oh, never mind. There's the phone."
Sebastian reached for the wall phone in the kitchen, but Sean snatched it away. "I'll get that!" he barked. "Yeah, hello." There was a pause. "Oh, hello, Brother Phillip."
Sebastian realized the caller must be from the abbey to which Sean's uncle had retired. An unexpected call from there could only mean something had happened to the Monsignor. Finally, he heard Sean say, "Of course, Brother Phillip. I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll see if there is a flight tonight. I'll call you about my arrival time. It's kind of you to meet me at the airport. Thanks for your call. Yes, I'll see you soon. Please tell the old man I'm on my way."
"Do you want me to see if I can books us on a flight, Sean?"
"Us? I don't think so. I'm going alone, so I'll book my own flight. The Monsignor's had a major heart attack. This is a family matter, Sebastian. You understand. Besides --"
Sebastian didn't know how it was that he was witnessing this scene. Never before had he realized what set Sean off so suddenly. Now in the context of Sean's death, the circumstances of the pedophile priest investigation surrounding it that surprisingly enough involved Sean, everything became clear.
Another clap of thunder heralded some kind of electrical storm. Sebastian's headache had gone away, along with the smell of ozone. He was standing in the dark.
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