Stand by Me
Kai stood in the elevator contemplating the words Kendrick had just spoken to him. The doors opened once again, and Kendrick stepped on the lift with him. The two men stood in complete silence for several seconds. Suddenly, the elevator began to move. It headed down to the first floor.
“You took my husband, and now you’re leaving him, Kendrick said as he stared straight ahead.
Kai uttered, “It’s not for the reason you think. I can live with him being deaf.”
“Then why are you leaving?”
“Guilt. Thomas did that to him. He’s my ex-boyfriend,” Kai confessed.
Kendrick finally turned and looked at Kai, “Did you cheat on him with Peyton?”
Kai looked at him, “Yes. We tried to stay away from one another. I tried to respect your marriage, but my heart wanted him.”
Kendrick slowly nodded his head, “The heart never does what the mind tells it to.”
“How can I look him in the eyes and not feel like shit? I never thought Thomas would do something like this. I can’t forgive myself.”
“The only person who matters right now is Peyton,” Kendrick reminded him.
“That’s why you’re the better person for him. I can’t do this. As much as I love him, I can never forgive myself,” he said.
The elevator doors opened, and Kai quickly ran off the elevator. Kendrick knew what he needed to do. He had to be there for Peyton. It was going to be a long road ahead of them, but he knew he needed to be there for Peyton.
Kendrick slowly walked down the hall. Despite everything that had happened between him and Peyton, there was still so much love there. Peyton was the reason he was half the man he was. They had been through a series of tests in their life together. He thought that Peyton was his forever.
He stood in front of the door. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. He stepped into the room. Peyton was balled up in a fetal position, bawling his eyes out. He slowly moved over towards him. He wanted to be careful not to frighten him.
Upon reaching the bed, Kendrick lightly placed a hand on Peyton’s shoulder. Peyton looked up at him. He had bags under his eyes. Peyton handed him the letter. Kendrick quickly scanned it over. It was a breakup letter from Kai. He had outlined his guilt and confessed that Thomas was his ex-boyfriend. Kendrick placed the letter down and wrapped his arms around Peyton. He held him tightly and let him cry on his shoulders all night long. He knew through all those tears that Peyton what was saying. He was saying: Stand By Me.
Hours went by. Peyton had finally fallen asleep. The door opened, and the nurse walked in. The sight of the man caught Kendrick off guard. He hadn’t expected him to be so beautiful. He had a muscular build and wore glasses. He was clearly Middle Eastern.
“I’m Peyton’s nurse tonight. I’m Gentry. Are you the husband or boyfriend? No judgment.” He said it all with this smoothness that had to be admired.
“I’m Kendrick. The husband,” Kendrick smiled.
“Too bad you aren’t the ex-husband.”
Kendrick looked at Peyton, “I’m not the love of his life. So, I guess I should accept that I am the soon-to-be ex-husband.”
Gentry nodded and said, “Well, I should apologize. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“No, you aren’t,” Kendrick told him.
“I’m not.”
Gentry walked toward the bed. With each step he took, his appendage swung back and forth between his legs. His blue scrubs did nothing to hide what was happening between his legs. Kendrick tried to keep his eyes on Gentry’s eyes. He found it difficult.
“It’s okay. You can look.”
Kendrick chuckled, “You’re forward. I like it.”
***
The Chicago heatwave should have deterred Kai. It didn’t. It only seemed to push him harder. He had been angry for days. The onset of heat only made his blood boil more. He stepped inside the restaurant and scanned the room. He found him sitting in the back with a group of people.
Kai’s feet took over. He moved swiftly and with purpose. Their eyes met from across the room. Thomas stood up. He had this cocky grin on his face. Kai stormed over and, without any warning, he drew his fist back and swung with all the force of a god. His fist connected with Thomas’s face. Thomas went flying backwards and landed on the table. Everyone responded with shock.
“You son of a bitch,” Kai yelled at him.
He had never hit anyone before. His hand throbbed instantly, but he didn’t care. The punch felt good. One of the guys jumped up and pushed Kai back. He didn’t resist or fight back. He knew his actions were inappropriate, but it felt great. Thomas deserved that plus more.
“FUCK! Damnit, man,” Thomas shouted.
Kai shouted, “Fuck you! You couldn’t handle a breakup, so you had to go and assault him. You dirty fucker!”
Thomas slid off the table. He stood up with his hand up to his face. He was angry, but at the same time, he knew he deserved what he had just gotten.
“You know there’s more to the story than you think, Kai,” Thomas informed him.
“Yeah, well, I hope whatever the full story is was worth possibly catching an assault charge.”
TWO MONTHS LATER…
Peyton opened his eyes. He was breathing hard, and sweat poured from his forehead. Another dream of the night he was assaulted. The sun shone into the bedroom, which helped to calm him down. The world looked bold and bright. He climbed out of the bed and walked to the window. He pressed his head against the glass and stared at the two red birds in the tree. He was reminded of the silence. His eyes watered! Every day, he woke up hoping it was the day he would finally be awakened from the nightmare that was his reality.
Hours later, Peyton found himself sitting across from his ASL instructor. The man was desperately trying to get Peyton to learn some phrases. It was important for him to start adjusting to his new normal. The longer they sat at the table, the more it angered Peyton. He didn’t want to do anything. The instructor wrote on the board: Peyton, you need to learn. How else are you going to process your trauma?
Peyton snatched the board from the man and tossed it across the room. He knocked the documents off the table. Papers lay scattered across the floor. He got up and stormed away. The instructor called after him, pointlessly. Peyton couldn’t hear a word. He walked out of the house. Peyton stepped out and was suddenly in the quietest outside world he had ever been in before.
He walked down the street blissfully unaware of what was happening around him. He could see it all, but nothing had sound. The world felt dull and void of color without sound. He wondered how people born without hearing found joy. Then it occurred to him that they couldn’t necessarily miss what they never had.
He started to run. His legs moved faster and faster. He ran into the quiet streets. The wind began to blow through him, and for the first time in two months, he felt something other than misery. For some reason, he turned around and was nearly run off the road. He dived off to the side and rolled over into a ditch. A car had been speeding and was honking at him, but he couldn’t hear it.
“AAGH,” he yelled to the top of his lungs.
He sat there in the ditch for hours and let it all out. Everything that he had bottled up inside came out. He had lost so much in the name of love. In the end, he had fallen, and though Kendrick caught him, things were never the same. They were two different people who wanted different things with their lives.
***
The dinner had gone better than expected. Kendrick was full and content. He watched Gentry from the living room as he put away the dishes. He got up and walked around the apartment. He looked at the photos of Gentry on display. Gentry really was a beautiful person inside and outside. His conversations and support had made the last two months easy.
“If And” by Valerie June started to play in the apartment. Gentry came out and took Kendrick by the hand. He pulled him close, and the two of them began to dance together. Kendrick felt like he was floating with Gentry. Things felt easy and natural. He didn’t think anyone could ever make him feel special after Peyton broke his heart. Gentry had come along and managed to do just that, plus more.
“I was thinking,” Gentry began.
Kendrick raised his eyebrow and asked, “About?”
“Two months and I’ve enjoyed all the dates and tender moments, but I think it’s time we turn the heat up,” he said as he stepped back from Kendrick. He pulled his shirt off. “I really want you, Kendrick. I hope you want me.”
Kendrick took in Gentry’s body. His chest had a layer of dark hair. You could still see his fully developed muscled chest. The sight of him sent a charge to Kendrick’s lower region. He wanted him badly. He pulled Gentry close, and their lips pressed against one another for a sweet and electric kiss.
“I want you as well, Gentry,” Kendrick told him.
Suddenly, they were naked and in the bedroom. Inch by inch, Kendrick filled his insides with a solid warmth Gentry had never felt before. He began to move his cock in and out of that tight hole. His thickness stretched Gentry out.
He leaned in over his body and began to pick up the pace in which he was fucking Gentry. He moved hard, fast, and deep. The man grabbed his cock and began to stroke it to Kendrick stroke game. He pushed those legs open wider and pounded into him deep. Kendrick unleashed two months of pent-up energy on Gentry.
“Take my fuckin cock. Take it like a man”, he groaned.
Gentry tried to look away. Kendrick’s stare was so intense, but he grabbed his face and made me stare into his eyes. Gentry’s body was wrecked with all types of feelings and desires. Kendrick’s cock reached deep into Gentry’s stomach. His long dick glided in and out him with ease. He fucked him so hard his body was bouncing. Gentry needed something to hold onto. Kendrick tried to bury his rod deeper in Gentry’s hairy ass. Gentry grabbed hold of Kendrick’s tight and firm ass. That made Kendrick smile and fuck him faster and harder.
“Fuck me,” Gentry tossed his head from side to side. “Fuck man!”
Kendrick flipped them. It caught Gentry by surprise. He found himself bouncing up and down on Kendrick incredible fat cock. He laid there on his back, looking up at Gentry. The man looked down at him with a smile on his face as his hole was turned into a wet gaping mess.
“Ride my dick, sexy. Show me how much you want to be my baby,” he said as he slapped Gentry’s ass cheek.
Gentry started moving back and forth faster and faster on his cock. His hard dick moved back and forth across Kendrick’s tight stomach. Kendrick wrapped his hand around the throbbing member and began to stroke it. Gentry worked his hips round and round on him. He slowed down, and then Kendrick took those juicy booty cheeks in his hands and massaged them as Gentry moved up and down.
Gentry bounced faster, as Kendrick played with the head of his dick. “Fuck me, Kendrick. Fuck me harder and deeper,” he begged like a good bottom.
He kept fucking him. His ass felt good, and it was throbbing from the pounding Kendrick gave him. Gentry stroked his thick cock faster and harder. Kendrick’s dick swelled in his ass, and he let out a loud growl. Hot cum filled that stretched ass. He kept pounding Gentry and pushing his cum deep into that hole. Gentry let out a loud cry of pleasure, and cum shot out of his cock and coated his hairy chest and stomach.
***
Peyton finally made it back home. He opened the door, and he could see them both exhale. It was as if they had been holding their breaths for years and were finally breathing again. Kendrick and Lillian ran over to him. They both went for a hug, but Peyton pushed past them.
His mother grabbed hold of his arm. He snapped his head in her direction and frowned. He yanked his arm away and walked away. Tears formed in her eyes. In her 75 years of life, she had never once felt so disregarded as in that moment. Peyton was her only child. She had him late in her life after years of suffering miscarriage after miscarriage. Then, at fifty years old, she was with child. Her miracle child was born, and she wanted nothing but the best for him.
Kendrick and Lillian both flinched from the sound of the bedroom door slamming. They glanced at one another. Kendrick didn’t take it personally. He knew Peyton was having problems with his mother. He just didn’t know to what degree.
“I want my son back,” she said. “I need him to hear again. The silence and darkness is too much for him.”
“I don’t think it’s the hearing. It plays a role, but this is about Kai,” Kendrick told her.
“Please,” she argued! “I thought you’d be happy with him gone. This gives you to chance to win Peyton back over.”
Kendrick chuckled, “Win him over? Have you ever seen the way they look at one another? I did, and I can tell you Peyton has never looked at anyone the way he looked at Kai. He painted a whole damn picture of him.”
“And look where we are. Kai isn’t here now is he? You are,” she said confidently in her observation.
“Because Kai can’t take the guilt. He loves Peyton. He just feels guilty about everything.”
“We all love Peyton,” she said loudly.
“Not the way Kai does,” Kendrick corrected her. “That’s why his guilt is so bad.”
She asked, “What guilt could he possibly have?” Lillian was prepared to argue any point Kendrick would make about Kai.
Kendrick yelled, “His boyfriend did this to Peyton.”
Her eyes widened, “What?”
“Thomas did this. Peyton told us. He doesn’t want to press charges because he doesn’t want to hurt Kai,” he informed her.
“Are you sure it was, Thomas?”
“Pretty sure. Peyton made me do that whole “promise to stand by me” thing. I can only support him.
“I need a drink,” she said as she walked over to the bar and poured a stiff one. The entire time, she looked like she was hiding something. It wasn’t lost on Kendrick. He was a good attorney after all.
“What aren’t you telling me, Lillian?”
She took a sip of her drink, “I’ve only ever wanted what was best for my son. I didn’t want him with that boy.”
“No offense, but you didn’t want me with him. You’ve never liked anyone Peyton brought around. I just refused to care what you thought of me. It’s obvious that you’re hiding something by the way you’re holding that glass, and the color has completely drained from your face. What is going on?”
She shook her head, “He was supposed to scare him away.”
“Sacre who?” He started to ask. He paused his question as he connected the dots together. “Oh God. OH GOD!”
“Don’t you dare judge me,” she whispered. “I did what I thought was best.”
“How’d you think this was best? He beat him. He could have killed him, and now he’s deaf.”
“I KNOW,” she yelled as tears rolled down her face. “I didn’t know he did it. I thought he never showed up.”
“Did you pay him?” He asked her.
“Yes. I paid him and encouraged him to scare him away.”
“So, just so we’re clear, you paid Thomas to scare Peyton away from Kai?”
“Or Kai away from Peyton,” she said. “I never told him to hurt anyone, let alone my son.”
“What did you think he’d do? He beat Peyton, and it scared Kai away. Kai is the only person who can reach Peyton and pull him out of this dark place he’s in.”
“What do you want me to do, Kendrick?”
“I want you to fix it. Go find Kai the same way you found Thomas. Come clean and beg for forgiveness.”
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” she said once again.
“The right thing, Kendrick blew up. “The right thing would have been to let Peyton figure out his life and be with whoever he wanted to be with. No, you couldn’t do that. So, here we are. I’m an officer of the court. I should be reporting you.”
“This family has suffered enough, Kendrick. So, please spare me your righteous indignation.” Lillian sounded like a woman with regret but also who refused to be made a villain.
Kendrick blew, “You know, maybe it isn’t that other people are wrong for Peyton. Maybe it’s you. I’m gonna go check on your son, and you should go find his soul mate.”
Kendrick walked away. Lillian stood there with tears streaming down her face. Her entire world had come apart in a matter of seconds, and she could only do two things: hope and pray. Hope and pray that Kai could be found and that Peyton would eventually forgive her. Forgive her and stand by her as she would have to learn to stand by him.
© Grayson Rose 2025. All rights reserved.
