ALEC & SUSAN

The Gate Closed Behind Me

An hour later, I finally made it home and immediately sent a text to Alec, assuring him I’d made it home safely:

“Hey! I’m home. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a great night.”

Before I could even enter my room, his reply lit up my screen—it was as if he’d been waiting with his phone in his hand.

“Glad you made it safe. I had a great time tonight. I love you, sweet dreams.”

Seeing ‘I love you’ flash on my screen always makes my heart flutter,

“I love you too,” I replied.

That feeling is quickly followed by guilt. Alec works far too hard to be buying my dinner every single night; I truly need to find a way to balance the scale.

That night, I was caught between the warmth of the time I’d spent with Alec and the cold knot of anxiety in my stomach. I felt guilty about how much he was spending on me, but that insecurity was eclipsed by the terror of meeting his parents.

After the disastrous, awkward encounter with his sister, I couldn’t help but fear the worst—that they would hate me, or worse, tell me to stop seeing him. I tossed and turned, chasing sleep as my thoughts raced until the sun began to threaten the horizon.

I was a total wreck sprinting to catch the train, my thoughts running faster than my feet. A suffocating fog of worry had taken over, leaving me trapped in a downward spiral I couldn’t escape. The looming ultimatum—giving Alec an answer about meeting his parents—was eating me alive.,

I’m spinning in circles trying to figure out what to tell him, and I know I need to talk to the girls to help me get a grip on this decision before I completely unravel.

The moment I arrived at work, the heavy weight of my anxiety vanished, instantly replaced by a sense of peace the second I looked at Jessica's sweet face. Her radiant smile made my morning entirely with it. I scooped her up, spinning her around in a dizzying embrace that made her giggle, prompting her to squeal,

“Again, again!” she shouted.

Laughing, I couldn’t resist spinning her around once more.

After meeting up with Katie in the elevator, we shared a quiet walk to the park to meet the rest of the group. Once we’d settled into a comfortable spot, I poured out my dilemma with them. Ava immediately voiced her skepticism about meeting Alec’s parents, citing his sister’s hostile behavior towards me, but the others seemed to think it was a good idea—a chance to finally meet the future ‘in-laws, as they so politely called them. While the others gently encouraged me to make a good impression, Katie stayed silent, an observant ghost throughout the entire conversation.

Throughout the day, Alec continued to text me, expressing how much he missed me and his excitement about our plans that evening. Yet, with every message, my anxiety bubbled up, transforming into tight knots in my stomach and a throbbing headache that made me physically ill.

After leaving the park and arriving at our building, I turned to Katie, sensing her unease.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine," she whispered.

When I asked for her advice regarding Alec’s parents, she simply replied,

“No, I do not. It can go either way. The only way you will find out is by accepting the invitation and seeing what happens.”

A permanent smile settled on my face; you were right, and I’d decided to tell Alec tonight that I was finally ready to meet his parents. The rest of the afternoon drifted by in a blurred haze of anticipation until, finally, it was time to leave. There he was, waiting in the lobby as usual—effortlessly handsome and leaning against the wall.

I still found it hard to grasp that this gorgeous specimen of a man was actually mine. A girl like me, from a humble background in Trinidad, ending up with someone like Alec? If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be in love with him, I’d have called you crazy. Yet, here I am.

His face lit up the moment he saw me, a joy I instantly mirrored. My heart hammered against my chest—a frantic rhythm I hoped wouldn’t last forever. Hand in hand, we stepped out into the air, the initial bliss suddenly overshadowed by a thought I needed to confront.

“I need to talk to you,” I said, my voice dropping, causing him to look down at me with a puzzled frown. I stopped, forcing him to turn towards me.

“Walk me to the train station, I whispered.

He froze immediately. All the color drained from his face, his eyes widening as his jaw went slack. When the shock finally subsided, he mumbled,

“Why? I wanted to spend some time with you.”

“We can do that while you walk me to the train,” I offered.

“That is not enough time,” he murmured, a strange edge to his voice.

We began walking again, the silence stretching taut until I finally broke it.

“I’ve decided. I’ll meet your parents.”

I swear he lost whatever color he had left. Panic flashed across his face, and I immediately recoiled, thinking I had forced his hand.

“If you’ve changed your mind, it's fine. We don’t have to go,” I blurted out.

“No, no, I didn't change my mind,” he said too quickly, perhaps a little too desperately.

We walked in a suddenly heavy silence for a while, the air thick with unspoken nerves, until he finally spoke up.

“We can go this weekend, if you have no plans.”

“That would be great!” I smiled, trying to break the tension. I want to make a good impression. Would you help me pick an outfit?”

“After work tomorrow, we can swing by Ann Taylor,” I suggested to Alec, hoping he could help me pick something appropriate.

“You could wear jeans, and they’d still love you,” he shrugged, dismissing my anxiety.

“Maybe, but first impressions are everything,” I insisted. He finally gave in with a smile,

“Okay, we’ll go shopping tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much,” I breathed, relieved to have a plan.

When we arrived at the train station, the bustling crowd seemed to disappear, leaving only Alec's desperate plea for me to stay for dinner. I refused, despite the ache in my chest. I couldn’t watch him treat money like it grew on the trees in his backyard; he needed to be saving for the future , not wasting it on fleeting luxuries.

Growing up with nothing teaches you to count every penny—a habit that meant our bills were paid first, leaving no room for entertainment. My childhood was a constant struggle just to put food on the table. With a final kiss, I paid my fare and walked to the platform, leaving him behind, knowing I was doing what was right.

Leaving Alec felt like my heart was breaking into a million pieces. By the time I got home, the sleepless night before had caught up with me, leaving me utterly exhausted. I skipped dinner entirely, opting for a quick shower and collapsing into bed, finally waking up refreshed the next day.

When Alec arrived on time to pick me up, the rest of the day felt uneventful until we walked three blocks to Ann Taylor. After browsing for thirty minutes, a pale blue A-line dress immediately caught my eye. It was simple, featuring a boat neck that ran horizontally across the collarbone, elegant ¾ sleeves, and a skirt that flared gently to hit just below the knee. I knew I had to try it on, and when I stepped out, Alec agreed it was perfect.

Before I knew it, Friday had arrived.

“Tomorrow is the day,” I kept telling myself.

I went to bed early, aiming to meet Alec in the city at 9:30 a.m. I arrived at 9:00 a.m., but Alec was already waiting.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he said, engulfing me in a hug and giving me a passionate kiss.

“Thank you,” you don’t look too shabby yourself.

We made small talk and a few moments later, a sleek black car pulled up, and a chauffeur stepped out, bowing slightly as he opened the door for us and addressed Alec as ‘young master.’ Though a puzzled look must have crossed my face, I stayed quiet, assuming Alec had simply hired a car for the trip to his parents’ place.

During the drive, Alec seemed preoccupied, though he did introduce me to the driver, a sweet, middle-aged man named Lance. About an hour later, we pulled up to a humongous gate, where a guard let us through. As we drove up to a literal mansion, I stared, having never seen a house this large and grand. Looking at Alec in total shock, mouth agape, I asked,

“You live here?”

“No, I don’t,” Alec replied with a faint smile. “My parents do.”

Lance parked the car and hurried around to open my door, leaving me awestruck. I felt like I had just stepped into a high-end, television-drama lifestyle. Alec’s hand pressed gently against the small of my back, guiding me inside, where my jaw dropped all over again. The foyer was straight out of a magazine—a breathtaking chandelier hanging from above, a sweeping staircase, and curated sculptures in every corner. The living room boasted pristine, untouched white sofa and walls covered in art. The house was so gigantic, I felt entirely swallowed by its splendor.

“Have a seat,” Alec said, gesturing towards the plus sofa. “Let me go find my parents.”

I hesitated, looking at him with uncertainty. “Are you sure?”

He simply smiled, nodded, and disappeared down the hallway. Not two minutes later, a sharp, rhythmic clicking echoed behind me. Someone was descending the staircase, likely his mother. I’ll just wait until the noise gets closer before I turn around, I whispered to myself, trying to calm my nerves.

When I finally turned, I was greeted by a striking, elegant blonde woman. She was impeccable in a white dress that clung to her upper body before flaring out, looking absolutely gorgeous. I stood up, clearing my throat to compose myself, and walked over to introduce myself.

I extended my hand, but the words died in my throat as she snapped,

“What are you doing in my house? Sitting on my sofa? You’ve tainted it.”

Before I could process her venom, I took my hand and brushed off the spot where I had been sitting, adding,

“Never mind, I’ll have it cleaned tomorrow. We are not hiring, and the maid’s entrance is in the back.”

“I came here with—” I began, only to be cut off again.

“Get out of my house,” she shouted.

Fear seized me, my stomach doing flips while a huge lump caught in my throat and my anxiety level was high.

Trembling, I backed away before running towards the front door, tears streaming down my face. I passed a man I presumed was Lance, who was wiping down the car. He looked up, saying,

“Are you okay? Can I drive you-”

“Don’t you dare put her in my car,” her voice shrieked from behind me.

I bolted towards the gate, not looking back. The guard let me out, and I just kept running.