by E. L. Todd
“Kyle is in the hospital,” I said flatly. “He was just jumped. He has a broken arm and a lot of damage. He’s in the ICU.”
There was a long pause of silence.
“Dad?”
“I told you this would happen. He can’t choose this lifestyle and expect to be accepted by society.” He almost sounded bored.
My chest started to expand drastically and my palms were sweaty. Anger flushed through me with the power to move mountains. “So, you’re saying he deserves this?” I almost couldn’t say the words.
“Of course, not,” he said. “I’m just saying…it was the risk he took.”
I couldn’t hold back my anger. “What does it matter? He’s your son and he needs you.” My eyes started to water again. “Kyle is a good person and you should love him no matter what.”
“When he comes to his senses, we’ll talk.”
I couldn’t believe this was real. I couldn’t believe these soulless people. How could someone turn their back on their son like this? “When your day comes, and you’re sitting in a hospital bed alone, do not expect me to come and wait by your side. When they put you in the ground, don’t expect me to show up and say goodbye.” I hung up then tried to choke back the tears. But it was too hard. It was too painful.
Harper moved into my lap then wrapped her arms around my neck. I buried myself in her embrace and held on, clinging to the one thing I could always count on.
10
Harper
Whenever I was hurt, I could deal with it. There was nothing I couldn’t overcome, and I never wanted someone to feel bad for me. But when the person I loved was broken and in agony, it felt a million times worse.
Troy was distraught over his brother’s condition. I knew the cause of the affliction was worse than the affliction itself, and in a complicated way, Troy blamed himself. But I knew his parents’ abandonment was the main cause of his grief. Like he said before, my parents weren’t that warm toward me. But no matter what, they would come if something terrible happened to me. They would hold my hand and tell me they loved me, whether I was single or not.
Troy was never openly weak with me, but now he was. He didn’t hide anything from me, not even his tears. The week apart had been agonizing, and when he called so late in the evening, I didn’t think twice about taking the call.
And I’m so glad I did.
There were no words I could say to make him better. All I could do was sit beside him and remind him I was always there, that he didn’t suffer alone. I rubbed his back and ran my fingers through his hair to keep him calm. Eventually, he leaned back and fell asleep.
Mark hadn’t closed his eyes other than when he blinked. The tears would come then they would disappear again.
I stared at Troy’s face and watched him sleep. I wanted to take all his pain onto myself so he wouldn’t have to experience a single moment of it. But that simply wasn’t possible.
But then an idea came to me.
It had a slim chance of success but I had to try. If I could accomplish it, then I would repair so much damage for Troy’s family. I knew it would make Troy happy, take the burden off his shoulders as the sole guardian of his brother.
I slowly left his arms without waking him then turned to Mark. “If he wakes up, tell him I’ll be right back.”
He nodded his understanding.
It was morning when I left the hospital, and I called Aspen once I was on the sidewalk.
She answered in a raspy voice. “Why the hell are you calling me at this hour? You better be dead or something.”
“I need to speak to Rhett. It’s an emergency.”
“He’s asleep.”
“Did you not hear what I said?” I hissed. “It’s an emergency.”
“Fine.” She put the phone down then woke up Rhett. “Harper wants to talk to you.”
“About what?” he mumbled.
“I don’t know,” Aspen said. “But it’s important.”
“Give me the phone.” Rhett’s voice came loud into the receiver. “Harper?”
“I need Troy’s parents’ address. Do you have it?”
“Why?”
“Just give it to me. I don’t have time to explain.”
Rhett seemed hesitant.
“You can trust me.”
He sighed then gave it to me. “If Troy gets mad at me, this is on you.”
“He won’t.” I hung up.
I arrived at their apartment and knocked. I wasn’t sure what they did for a living so I hoped they hadn’t left for work already. It would be terrible if they went about their day like normal when the eldest son was lying in a hospital bed.
But his mother answered the door. She wore flannel pajamas and her hair was in disarray. It was clear she just woke up. “I’ve never gotten solicitors this early in the morning, honey.” Her tone and style of voice implied she came from wealth. There was a snooty aspect to her I didn’t like at all. She kinda reminded me of my mom, actually.
“My name is Harper and I’m…Troy’s girlfriend.” I couldn’t explain it better than that, even if it wasn’t true.
His mother visibly stiffened at the revelation, and now she looked at me a different way, examining me like she was trying to commit my face to memory. “You’re very beautiful, Harper.”
She seemed decently nice. “Thank you…”
“I’ve been worried about Troy for awhile now. It didn’t seem like there would be anyone else after Alexia.”
I hated her name. I wasn’t sure if it was from jealousy or protectiveness but I hated her all the same.
“What can I do for you?”
“Troy already told you Kyle is in the hospital. His injuries can be fixed and he will be what he once was but that’s not the point. He experienced a traumatic event, and when he wakes up, he needs to see you and your husband there.”
Her eyes narrowed in disapproval. Whatever support I had from her a moment ago was gone. “You’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“With all due respect, ma’am, I love Troy and I will do whatever it takes to make him happy. He’s really hurt by the way you’ve turned your back on Kyle, and honestly, I’m just as appalled. It shouldn’t matter who Kyle loves or what he does in the privacy of his home. As parents, it’s your responsibility to love him unconditionally. That love can’t change just because he does something you don’t approve of. You really should reexamine your priorities.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You have a lot of nerve, dear.” Her voice was ice-cold.
“I know. And I know you’ll probably never like me now. But I couldn’t care less, honestly. Please go to your son and hold his hand. Do you realize that this could have gone completely different? Kyle could have died. Or would you still not care?”
A small reaction happened in her eyes. It was slight and almost unnoticeable.
“I know you care,” I said with a voice full of emotion. “I know you love him. Please let this go. If Kyle hasn’t changed his mind by now, he never will. Just let him be who he wants to be.”
His mother stared at me sternly, hiding her thoughts.
“Life is too short, Mrs. Sexton. You’ve already lost Kyle but are you ready to lose Troy too? I can promise you he’ll never speak to you again if you don’t go down there and make amends. And I won’t blame him for that.”
Mr. Sexton came up behind her. Judging the look on his face, he overheard everything.
“Please…I know you both love Kyle. Please.”
She turned to her husband and had a silent conversation with her eyes.
He stared back, reading her mind.
I couldn’t go back to that hospital without them. I had to make this right for Troy. I knew it really got him, right to the bone. Troy had helped me with my family. I wanted to help him in return. “Please don’t make me go back there without you…”
Mrs. Sexton turned to me. “Do you think…Kyle even wants to see us?”
“Yes,�
� I said without hesitation. “Absolutely.”
She turned back to her husband. “I want to go.”
He nodded. “I do too.”
When I walked into the room, Troy was leaning forward with his hand over Kyle’s. He took deep breaths like he was barely keeping himself together. I stopped and stared at him, grateful that I was about to change his life.
Troy noticed me then stood up. “Where were you?” He sounded hurt, like being apart from me was too unbearable, even though we weren’t apart very long.
“I had to get something.”
“What?” He came closer to me. There was a look in his eyes I’d see before. It told me he wanted to pick me up and hold me in his arms. And never let go.
His parents came into the room, and they immediately looked at Kyle, who lay like a corpse on the bed.
“Oh god…” Mrs. Sexton covered her mouth and gasped. “My boy.”
Troy looked at them then did a double take. He could hardly believe they were there. “Mom? Dad?”
Tears emerged in his mother’s eyes, and she didn’t hide the emotion. She came to Troy then touched him affectionately on the arm. “I’m sorry we’re late.”
Troy’s eyes shined with gratitude, and he finally seemed somewhat happy.
His mom went to the bedside and held Kyle’s hand. “Honey…” She stroked his hand. “Mom is here.”
“So is Dad,” Mr. Sexton said.
Mark watched them and smiled.
They both glanced at him hesitantly then ignored him.
The reunion wasn’t perfect but at least they were here.
Troy turned his gaze on me. “How did you…? I’ve been trying to get them to work it out for years…”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly.
He looked at me with new eyes. Like a man who’d been living in a cave his whole life, he looked at me like I was his first glimpse of the sun. His eyes took me in like he’d never really looked at me before. Adoration, affection, and something else shined deep within. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it again without saying a word. A thousand thoughts and emotions went through his mind, and there was too much to process.
Troy came close to me then wrapped his arms around me. “You are…the most amazing woman I’ve ever known.”
I looked into his eyes and tried not to cry. It was obvious how much I loved him. It surprised me, and I almost didn’t believe what lengths I would go just to make him happy. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was. “I’m your best friend. I’d do anything for you.”
“No, you’re not my friend, Harper.” He cupped my face then stroked my cheek. “I don’t know what you are, but you’re so much more than that.” He leaned in and kissed me gently, not caring about his parents and Mark. They could be watching us and it wouldn’t matter. All that mattered was he and I.
11
Troy
I couldn’t believe my parents were there.
The last time my parents and Kyle had been in the same room together was…I couldn’t even remember. But it’d been many years. When Kyle and I were growing up, I knew there was something different about him. In high school, he had a friend over and I caught them doing things in his room. I never told my parents and kept the knowledge to myself. When he finally came out and confessed his sexual orientation to the world, I felt like he was saying something everyone already knew.
Apparently, my parents were oblivious to all of it.
Ever since then, our family had been awkward. I was forced to spend the holidays with Kyle for half the time, and then my parents for the other half. And my parents pretended that was totally normal.
If they were here now, then maybe things would change.
And Harper made all of this happen. I don’t know what she did or said to convince them they were being dicks, but she said something. I already cared about her and had the highest opinion of her but now…I didn’t know what I felt. But I did feel something else.
I grabbed her hand and held it in mine firmly. “Thank you so much.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
I kissed her again, so grateful that my lips were pressed to hers. Being without her was torture, and I wasn’t sure what we were now but I wouldn’t let her go again. She was too precious to me.
Kyle finally started to stir and his eyes fluttered open. He took in the room around him, and when his eyes landed on our parents he blinked several times then looked away, like he thought he was making all of it up. “Mark?” His voice came out raspy.
“I’m here.” Mark squeezed his hand.
“How hideous am I?” Kyle asked.
“You’re beautiful, like you’ve always been,” Mark said as he patted his hand.
“You look like shit,” I said with a smile.
Kyle smiled when he heard my voice. “Go to hell, jackass.”
Mom stroked his hair from his face. “You’re one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen—no matter how many bruises cover your face.”
Kyle turned his head toward her and his eyes narrowed on her face. “Mom? You’re really here.”
Her eyes watered. “Yes, sweetheart.”
“I thought…I was imagining it.”
That made Mom cry. “I’m so sorry, Kyle. We both are.” She kissed his forehead. “We’re so glad you’re okay.”
“We are, son.” Dad patted his shoulder.
“You don’t hate me?” Kyle asked.
“We never hated you,” Dad said firmly.
“So…you’re okay with who I am?” Kyle said. “Because I’m never going to change. I hope you understand that.”
“We do,” Mom said. “We do.”
Kyle’s eyes watered and he tried to hide it. “I’ve wanted this for so long…”
“I’m sorry it took us forever to come around,” Mom said. “But we’re here now.”
“And we aren’t going anywhere,” Dad said.
Kyle cried for a moment then wiped the tears away quickly. For being gay, he wasn’t very emotional often. He saw crying as being weak, as he told me countless times. “That means a lot to me.”
Dad patted his shoulder.
“Where’s my brother?” Kyle asked. “I want to see him.”
I stood up then came around the bed. “I’m here, man.”
Kyle’s eyes lit up when he looked at me, and he extended his arm for a hug.
I leaned over and held him for a long time.
“I know you had something to do with this. Thank you.”
“Actually, Harper did.”
“That girl you told me about?”
“Yeah,” I answered.
He pulled away and smiled at me. “She’s here?”
“Hi.” Harper waved awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances…”
Kyle looked at her then turned to me. That smile was still on his lips. “Troy, she’s way out of your league, man.”
“Shut the hell up.” I laughed because I knew he was teasing me.
“She’s really cute. And that’s saying something since I like men.”
“I know she’s cute,” I said. “Why do you think she’s my girlfriend?” I didn’t realize what I said until I already said it. It came out on its own and I couldn’t rectify the words.
Kyle’s grin stretched wider. “Girlfriend, huh?”
I shrugged and didn’t try to fight it.
Kyle pushed me away playfully. “I want to meet my potential sister-in-law. Get over here.”
She smiled then came to his side. “It’s nice to meet you, Kyle. I’m sorry about what happened.”
He shrugged. “You have to stand up for what you believe in. And I have no regrets. Now hug me.” He extended his arm that wasn’t in a cast and hugged her. “Thank you for being patient with my brother. He really is a sweet guy, underneath all that bullshit he dishes out.”
I rolled my eyes and refrained from punching him.
“He’s one of
the sweetest and most compassionate men I’ve ever known. I’m very lucky to have him.”
Kyle turned to me. “Don’t let this one go, alright?”
“I’ll try not to.”
“And right off the bat, she’s a million times better than that bitch, Alexia.”
I didn’t like hearing her name—ever. “I could have told you that.”
“So there’s no reason to…compare them.” He gave me a meaningful look.
I didn’t respond and let the comment go.
Harper came to my side and moved underneath my arm, her rightful place.
“Mom, Dad,” Kyle said. “I’d like to introduce my boyfriend Mark. He and I have been together for a long time and we live together.” Kyle didn’t show any embarrassment or worry. He didn’t seem like he cared about anyone’s opinion but his own.
Mom nodded to him, awkwardly.
Dad shrugged and didn’t say anything.
“Don’t take it offensively,” I said to Mark. “Let’s just take things slow. Every beginning takes some time.”
“I’m not offended,” Mark said immediately. “I’m just glad you’re here—whether you’re glad I’m here or not.”
My brother was discharged a few days later, and he went home with some painkillers and a cast. His arm would be back to normal in a few weeks, and I was grateful he walked away from the scene without something worse.
I was pissed off my brother was jumped to begin with, but Kyle couldn’t remember any details of their faces and he didn’t have any leads. It was a cold case from the beginning. But Kyle didn’t seem bothered by that knowledge anyway. Knowing my parents were back in his life seemed to null out the pain from the trauma.
I finally went home and showered, and of course, Harper came with me. I got in the shower and she joined me. The warm water ran down our bodies and relaxed our aching muscles. Sleeping in a hospital chair wasn’t exactly comfortable.
I stared at her perfect body and felt myself grow hard. She had a tiny waist and luscious tits. Her ass was perky and hard, and I wanted to take a bite out of it. When her wet hair stuck to her neck, she looked even sexier.