Page 60 of To Hell With It

Your spare key is in the shop.

I could see it in my head, Blu-tacked securely behind the whiteboard, hidden for emergencies. Emergencies like locking myself in my porch semi-naked or leaving my bathroom window open when I was on the other side of the world.

Yes please…

I typed quickly.

I’ll go over now.

Niall?

Yes?

There are a few things I need you to do first.

OK, what?

I tried to list them in my head in the order I needed him to do it all.

Please take your shoes off before you go in.

OK.

And leave them outside.

Outside?

Yes. If it’s raining, there’s a plastic bag in the porch.

Why can’t I just leave them in the porch?

Because you can’t.

But why not?

Niall, I haven’t got long I’m about to board my flight.

OK, I’ll leave them outside. Have a safe trip.

That’s not all…

What do you mean?

There are a few more things.

Like what?

There’s sanitiser on the windowsill.

OK.

Please use it.

Why do I need to use sanitiser?

For your hands.

But my hands are clean.