Page 22 of Love Unlocked

‘You need to give us back the house key.’ There’s a slight tremble in his voice and Al’s not sure if it’s nerves or anger.

Us. Give us back the key. Walter is doubling down on it, not backing away.

A rage-filled mist clouds Al’s retinas. ‘I already gave my key back, Walter.’ His voice is strangely calm.

Walter sniffs and scratches his nose. ‘So you have a spare key. Obviously. We’ll need that back too.’

Al sits back. ‘Will you both?’ He smiles. ‘I don’t think I do have a spare key. We gave that one to you when you moved in with us, so you have the spare key, Walter. You were the spare person, the invited guest.’

Walter kind of smiles. ‘That’s where we see things differently. I’ve paid my fair share of the mortgage, you didn’t do me any favours, Al. I wasn’t there for free.’

‘You paid us rent. I paid the mortgage,’ Al says, leaning forward and prodding the desk. ‘It was never your house.’

‘No, but it was my home,’ he says softly. ‘And I know it’s hard to take but it’s not your house anymore.’ He sighs, ‘I lie in bed—’

Al doesn’t want to know what Walter does when he lies in bed. He doesn’t want to think of Walter and beds. ‘Get the fuck out of my office,’ Al says, standing up. He will do it, he will rip the phone from his desk and wrap the wire around Walter’s neck multiple times until he turns blue. If he doesn’t leave in ten, nine, eight, seven, six …

‘We’re telling people this weekend,’ Walter says. ‘We’ve given you more than enough time to come to terms with it. Seeing as you’ve started telling people here.’

He glances at Natasha. She must have told someone.

‘Come to terms with it?’ Al asks, feeling winded. ‘That will never happen. I don’t even know who you are. I don’t recognise you anymore. My best friend, my whole life. You’re a Judas.’

Walter has the decency to look ashamed, and like he wants to stay for a further conversation, but it won’t be happening.

‘Nice shirt by the way.’

Walter’s face darkens. ‘Give me the key.’

‘If I find one, I’ll make sure to drop it by your office.’

Which he does. Later, as he’s leaving for the evening. He marches towards Walter’s office. Walter’s on the phone and looks at Al, charging at him, afraid. Al doesn’t really know what he’s going to do, just that he has Alanis Morissette’s ‘You Oughta Know’ ringing in his ears. The anger of a wronged woman. Vengeful lyrics, blended with anger and passion, spiteful, seething, pain. An anthem for men and women.

Once inside Walter’s office he doesn’t quite know what to do. Walter is blocking the phone as if he can protect the person on the other end from what’s about to happen.

What would Alanis do?

He drops the key in Walter’s mug of coffee, then leaves.

Sweetest heart, I love you so much I would love to be able to tell you how much I love you but of course I can’t – but you know so much more than words could tell you, don’t you? I know now much better how you love me. Dearest Grace you have made me so happy baby darling so much happier than I was before the last few days oh I miss you every minute of the day and night. I want so much to be with you close to you to talk to you kiss you love you all the time. I want to put my arms round you and my head on your breast and to feel that you are mine and I am yours to do what you like with and that nothing can ever separate us.

Letter from Joseph Mary Plunkett to Grace Gifford telling her how much he loves her.

31 January 1916, ninety-four days before he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol.

10

Melody

‘Thanks for getting on the call so early,’ Ed says, seeming unusually hyped.

Ed, Prunella and Melody are on Zoom at the behest of Ed to speak as early as they can.

‘As you can probably tell from your own social media accounts, the reaction to the trailers that we dropped for this week’s episode has caught fire,’ Ed explains. ‘Your love lock conspiracy theory has gone viral.’

Both are stunned, Melody a little frightened as it’s her in the video doing all the talking and not at all Prunella. Melody’s followers have bumped up and the figure is moving up as they speak. Prunella is silent on the Zoom.

‘Look at all the comments,’ Ed says. ‘They’re coming in from all around the world.’