The Doorman

The Moment It Broke

After breakfast, Susan and I cleaned up the kitchen, and she went for a shower. While she got dressed, we went to have a chat in my bedroom, and the boys sat in the living room.

"Tell me what happened last night?"

Susan looked at me and said, "He likes me, and said that he would like to see me again. All we did was talk and get to know each other."

"So, tell me about you and John?"

I blushed, "Well, I am not a virgin anymore, and he told me he loves me."

"That is big news," Susan replied.

"What are your plans with Alec today?"

"I don't know."

Let's go see what they want to do today. I walked into the living room and found the boys deep in a discussion. I went to sit on John's lap; instantly, he held me by my waist and kissed me on my lips.

"Babe, Alec wants to take us to play shuffleboard.

"Shuffleboard? I don't know how to play."

"It's okay, It will be fun, I promise," Alec assured us.

"Okay, I answered hesitantly, I'll give it a try."

"How about you, Susan?"

"Sure, I'll go," she replied.

"What should we do in the meantime?"

John said quickly. "I can take you to see my apartment....or we can watch a movie."

I looked over to see him smirking, his brows arched in a comical, up-and-down motion. I instantly blushed, knowing exactly what he wanted to do.

"We can watch a movie," I announced.

John looked at me and smiled. We agreed to watch X-Men. After about almost two hours, the movie was finished, and I just wanted to take a nap.

"I am going to take a nap until later," I told them.

John said," We can, take a nap at my place."

Susan quickly said,"Go ahead, it will give you a chance to see the place. Alec and I will stay here."

Alec answered and said, "Actually, I would like to take you for a bite to eat. If that is okay with you."

"I would love that," Susan responded.

Before leaving. I gave Susan the building door codes and my spare key. John said,

"When do I get a key to your apartment? John whispered, already pulling me towards the door. Let's go make one right now."

Moments later, we were at the hardware store, and soon after, heading to his place. His apartment was on the third floor, and he even had an elevator—talk about lucky! Once the doors opened on the third floor, his place was just the second door on the right. When we reached his door, he handed me a key and said,

"This is for you, go ahead, open it."

I stared at him in disbelief—I couldn't believe he made a copy of his key for me. I didn't hesitate; I kissed him, pouring every ounce of what I was feeling into that single moment. John didn't break the kiss, even as he fumbled with the key to open the door. He walked in backwards, pulling me with him, and I felt the cool wood of the door against my back as he pressed me against it. As she unbuttoned my dress, letting it slip to the floor, a haze of heat settled over us. Moments later, I was bare against his skin. He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping instinctively around his waist.

As he plunged into me, a gasp escaped my lips at the sudden, intense intimacy. Being filled by him was an overwhelming rush of pleasure. With every rhythmic pull back and thrust, he whispered, "I love you," making my heart race. I screamed his name, lost in the sensation, until we both crashed down from the high, collapsing into each other's arms on the floor. "Pure ecstasy," John murmured against my skin.

"We actually did that right here, which is crazy! I hadn't even had a chance to look around your apartment or see your bedroom yet. I was just lying on top of him while he laughed.

Meanwhile, Alec and I left Katie's apartment hand in hand, walking towards a nearby diner. I was immediately taken aback by the 1960s retro vibe. There was chrome everywhere. The floors were black-and-white checkered. A slightly curved counter with a speckled formica top ran down the sides of the diner, lined with eight swivel stools, each featuring heavy chrome pedestals, footrests, and bright red padded seats. Against the windows were rows of leatherette booths—bright red with high backs. The tables had thick chrome edging and pedestals.

The dominant color was a cherry red set against brilliant white, colors that saturated the vinyl upholstery and formica, to create a stark, high-contrast aesthetic. The waitress wore a blue button-down shirtwaist dress with short cuffed sleeves and pointed collars, with large pockets and a crisp waist-apron, tied in a large bow at the back, which was layered over the dress.

"This place was beautiful," I told Alec.

"I thought you'd like it."

We were seated almost immediately upon entering and handed our menus. A few minutes later, our waitress—whose name tag read Dottie—approached with friendly,

"What'll it be, hun?"

"We ordered burgers and fries, paired with a chocolate shake for me and a vanilla for Alec. After a lovely lunch filled with good conversation, we headed to a nearby park for some quality time together. An hour later, we returned to Katie's apartment to see if they had arrived. Walking in on Katie and John making out on the sofa was pretty awkward, mostly because Alec and I hadn't reached that level of comfort yet."

"So how was the apartment?" Susan asked Katie.

"It's really put together, especially for two guys who lived there."

"We're still going out later, right?" Alec asked.

"Yes, we are. Excuse us, Susan and I are just going to pick out our outfit."

We left the boy to catch up while Susan and I went to chat about our day and to get ready. I chose a pair of black high-waisted shorts, boots, and an off-white bare-shoulder top with a black crossover bag. Susan wore black jeans and an off-the-shoulder black blouse. As we finally stepped out of the bedroom, John and Alec both froze, stunned by the sight of us. John was the first to speak, a grin spreading across his face.

"You look absolutely hot babe. All eyes are going to be on you tonight—how am I supposed to fend off all these hungry guys?"

I smiled as he approached, but the playful mood shifted instantly when he tapped my butt and pressed a firm kiss to my lips.

"I can't wait to get these off you," he murmured, his fingers already hooking into the waistline of my shorts.

I gave his shoulders a playful shove, laughing,

"Behave yourself, you animal."

"Break it up, you two, we're leaving," Alec said.

I made sure to lock the door and placed the key in my purse. As we headed downstairs, Alec got a cab for us. Forty-five minutes later, we were pulling up outside the Royal Palms in Brooklyn. Alec paid the fare, and John placed his hand at the small of my back and ushered me inside. This place was unlike anything I've ever seen—filled with huge, active shuffleboard courts and people clearly having fun. I had no idea how to play, but I couldn't wait to grab a cue and join in.

"This looks like fun," said Susan.

"I have reserved a court for us so we will be able to make a fool of ourselves," Alec announced, and we all laughed.

"When did you book this??" John asked, looking at his watch.

"Early bird gets the worm. These courts are packed on weekends, so I grabbed it this morning," I said. "We're on at 10:00 pm."

"Ten? Thats late."

"Better than not playing at all. Come on, let's watch some games, to get a feel for the place."

Saturday morning arrived slow and lazy. I finally stirred around noon, rolling over to pull John closer, only to meet an empty, cold mattress. I blinked against the sunlight, calling his name before the faint sound of the shower reached my ears. Then a delicious scent wafted in, pulling me from bed. I wandered into the kitchen to find John had already made a surprise breakfast.

A month later, John took me to meet his family. I was so nervous. "Would they like me for their son? Am I dressed appropriately? What will we talk about? I'm I going to make a good impression?" All these questions were repeated in my head, my hands started sweating, my heart was racing. When we finally arrived. We were halfway up the steps to the front door when I stopped dead. John turned, his hand still firmly holding mine,

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I couldn't help it. "What if they don't like me? What if they ask you to.....to break up with me?" Before I could spiral further, John pulled me into a hug, whispering against my ear,

"That will never happen. They're going to love you."

John was right—meeting his family was a million times better than I expected. The moment we stepped into the house, his mom swept me into a genuine, warm hug that immediately made my shoulders drop in relief. I was taken aback, but in the best way possible. Within minutes, I wasn't just standing there; I was laughing and chatting up a storm, feeling completely at home.

As we rode the train back home, the crushing weight that had sat on my chest all evening finally evaporated. They actually liked me—maybe even loved me. It's a rare win for any girl meeting the parents for the first time. John reached over, squeezing my hand as he caught my eye.

"You feel better now?"

I took a deep breath, the first easy one I'd had in hours.

"I do, I whispered. "I really do."

Two months later, I finally told Ava that I hadn't been feeling well. She looked at me, dead serious.

"Katie, have you taken a pregnancy test?"

"What? No. Why?"

"You have been with John, right?"

I froze. "Yes, but....oh my god, pregnancy?"

The conversation with Ava lingered in my mind the entire commute, a buzzing anxiety that wouldn't fade. Instead of heading straight home. I detoured to Duane Reade, grabbing two different pregnancy tests from the aisle—like buying a second meant more certainty. It was Wednesday; John was off, but I needed to know before I faced him.

Back in the quiet of my bathroom, I went through the motions, the shower steam doing nothing to calm me. I placed the tests on the edge of the sink, watching the digital countdown, the minute hand on my watch ticking far slowly. Three minutes for the first, five minutes for the second. As the time approached, my heart hammered against my ribs, and my palms felt slick against the cold porcelain sink. I paced the space, paralyzing fear making me look everywhere but at those two little windows.

The results were undeniable: two distinct lines, twice over. My world didn't just tilt; it shattered. I collapsed into the corner of the bathroom, pulling my knees to my chest, trying to make myself small enough to disappear. I wasn't ready. My life wasn't ready. And John? The thought of his reaction felt like a physical weight—he would leave. I knew it. With trembling thumbs, I reached out to the only person I trusted.

"Ava, I took them. Both positive. What do I do? Please, please don't tell anyone."

The reply was instant, cutting through my panic with cold, hard logic.

"You have to tell John. Now."

"What if he....what if he leaves me?"

"It doesn't matter what you're afraid of right now. You have to tell him. Pull yourself together, get off the floor, and go."

I stared at the screen until the light dimmed. She was right. I forced myself up, the movement feeling heavy and mechanical. I splashed freezing water on my face, scrubbing away the salt of the tears until my skin stung. I traded my sweatpants for jeans, held my reflection for a second—pale, terrified, but resolved—and headed out the door toward John's.

I had the key—a symbol of the trust he promised.

"Don't bother announcing yourself," he'd said, a phrase that used to feel like an invitation, but now felt like a trap. I navigated the familiar building, my footsteps echoing too loudly in the hallway. When the elevator doors parted on the third floor, my heart didn't just feel heavy-it sank, pulling my limbs down with it like lead. I walked towards his door, the air thick and hard to breathe. I didn't knock. I opened it.

The scene inside broke me. John was on the sofa, his shirt undone, a stranger's hand trailing over his chest, tracing his face before pulling him into a kiss. He didn't stop her. He didn't move away. He just......accepted it. The gasp that tore from my throat was the only sound in the room until I saw his eyes freeze, shifting from her to me, guilty and cold.

Everything went silent. My breath caught in my throat, hot tears stinging my eyes until they blurred the hallway. I didn't say a word—I just turned and walked out, closing the door on the nightmare. John was right behind me.

"It's not why you think," he pleaded.

I didn't look at him. I pushed the elevator button, shaking, waiting for the doors to offer me escape. When he tried to grab my arm, I flinched.

"Don't touch me."

I ripped his key from my ring, my knuckles white. As the elevator doors opened, I stepped in. he made a move to follow, but I snapped,

"Stop. He froze."

The doors began to slide together. i dropped his key onto the floor between us.

"We're done."