River City Connections—2026-07-09 (Patreon)

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CHECKING THE GATE by Emma Vale

I got home from classes a little while ago, and I wanted to check in before the rest of the day gets away from me.

School is great so far. I still feel like I am walking around with a giant invisible sign that says “new person,” but everybody has been kind, and I am finding my way around better than I expected. I have not gotten lost yet in a way that made me panic, so I am counting that as success.

I also went by the office where I will be working, and that was great too. It makes everything feel more real. Not just “I got hired,” but “this is where I am going to sit, and these are the people I am going to see, and this is the place where I get to learn how working at a college actually works.”

That part makes me nervous and excited at the same time.

Also, the gate is great.

Me and Noah both agree it feels a lot safer already. I know it is not some giant security system or anything, but having something across the driveway makes the house feel less wide open. Before, anybody could just pull in without us knowing until they were already almost at the house. Now there is at least a stopping place.

Noah said we are going to add a driveway sensor soon too, so if somebody comes up to the gate or pulls in, we will know. I like that idea a lot.

And while we are talking about house things, me and Noah decided we are probably going to order a bed and mattress from Amazon.

More on that later, because apparently you can order a whole mattress and it comes in a box.

I do not understand that.

I know people say it works. I have seen pictures. I believe them, sort of. But I still need somebody to explain how a mattress that is supposed to hold two grown adults can be rolled up, boxed up, put in a delivery van, and dropped off at our house like it is a toaster.

Life is strange.

Anyway, that is the update. School is good. The office is good. The gate is good. The bed situation is still mysterious.

But I am feeling thankful today.

See y’all later. Thanks for reading my story!

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