Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2001 14:13:25 EDT
From: AmateurishWriter@aol.com
Subject: From Russia with Bear Hugs - 3

From Russia with Bear Hugs

Warning: Except as noted, the following story is a work of fiction.  It is
a fantasy.  It never happened, except in the author's imagination.  This
story contains sex between teenaged boys and/or between a man and a teenage
boy or boys.  The author does not encourage or condone sex between adults
and little children.  If you are underage, or this is illegal where you
are, you already know what you're supposed to do.  Delete this file and
find something else.  If this kind of story turns you off, delete this file
and find something else.  If you're looking for a story that has someone
having sex in every other sentence, this one is not it.

The author retains the copyright for this story.  Placing this story on a
commercial web site without the author's permission is a violation of that
copyright.

Disclaimer: The author makes no representation that he is any kind of an
authority on the conditions of orphans and the homeless in Russia and
certainly does not mean to imply that those he describes in this story
actually do exist.  He chose the country solely because it goes with the
sound of the boy's name which is, in reality, the name of a once online
friend that the author genuinely cares for deeply.

Comments to AmateurishWriter@aol.com, pro and con and of a constructive
nature, will be gratefully received and acknowledged, if possible.  Flamers
will be ignored.


Near the end of Chapter Two:

I sighed. "Micha, you are always welcome here and if you ever need me I
will always be here for you.  I care about you."

He stared me in the eye, almost in disbelief and then complete relief
flooded his face and he ran into my arms burying his face in my chest and
some of the child came out in his tears of relief.  He was indeed trembling
but now from the lifting of the burden of too many years of utter
aloneness.  I suspected that I had just taken on the biggest responsibility
of my life and, while it scared me to death I welcomed it as I welcomed
him, with open arms.


Chapter Three - More Surprises

I smoothed his already smooth hair with my hand and held him until the
tears passed.  He slowly released his arms from around me and stepped back.
I put my hands on either side of his face and, with my thumbs, wiped away
the tears from under his eyes.

"Come on, let's find a cool face cloth."  He let me wash his face as though
he were a child of five.  I sat on the toilet cover and gently cooled his
forehead with the cool wash cloth.

"Thank you."  He whispered shyly.

"You're welcome Micha.  I'm sorry that you got so upset but I'm not
surprised.  It's been pretty tough for you hasn't it?  Even here in
America."

"Yes," he admitted meekly.

"Come on.  Let's get a pizza and then watch the movie."

We didn't speak about his tears again until the movie had ended.  Somehow,
during the movie, Micha had moved close to me and I had placed my arm
around his shoulders.  His head rested on my chest.

As the credits rolled he asked; "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what Micha?"

"That you love me?  You said you would always be here for me and to me that
sounds like you love me."

"Yes.  It sounds that way to me too.  Yes.  I do mean it.  I do love you."

He lifted his head off my chest and kissed my cheek.  "I love you too.  I
have, almost since I first saw you.  John, I have to tell you somethi ..."

I interrupted him.  Something made me ask; "Saw me?  Don't you mean met
me?"

"No, saw you.  That's what I have to tell you.  I saw you at the golf range
and when I walked past your house those times that I walked the long way
home.  I heard how you talked with people at the range.  You seemed like a
very nice and kind person and, well, I decided I wanted to meet you, to
make friends."

"You mean you were watching me?  Like, well, observing me?"

"No, not really.  I saw you often whenever I was working at the range but
only walked by your house twice before I nearly bumped into you at the
computer store.  I had been wondering if I had the courage to say hi at the
range the next time I saw you and then there you were at the store.  You
were so nice about my helping you with your choice of golf games and then I
really did need a ride so I figured that maybe fate had turned in my favor
and now I know that it has."

"I'm surprised that I didn't see you at the range."

"They make us wear these baggy coveralls.  I look about 10 years old in
them so you probably never noticed me."  He yawned and stretched like a
puppy as, I was beginning to realize, he always did when he was tired.  I
found it so adorable.

"Well my young friend, maybe both our fates are changing but right now I'm
sleepy and so are you.  Come on, I'll show you the guest room.  It has its
own bathroom too.  I want you to make yourself at home.  Mi casa es su
casa."

"Huh?"

"That's Spanish for 'my house is your house'."

"Oh.  Thank you.  That is a nice saying, I will have to remember that."

I locked up and we walked upstairs.  "Your room is here and the bath is
through there.  Feel free to open the windows, use all the towels you want
and there's a radio by the bed if you would like some music.  If you need a
snack or drink during the night don't be afraid to raid the ice box."

"Ice box?  You only have an ice box?  I thought you had a real
refrigerator?"

I laughed and explained that my parents learned to say ice box from their
parents and it rubbed off on me.  I kind of like the old fashioned terms
for some things.

"Oh.  We only had an ice box in Russia but then we were very poor.  My
father spent all his money on vodka."

He looked around the guest room.  "This is a big room and I've never slept
in a room alone that I can remember.  Even here I share with two other
boys.  Where is your room?"

"My room is just here." I pointed across the landing.  "Just give me a
shout if you need anything.  I leave the door open to get a breeze through
the room so I'll hear you."

Micha peeked around the door frame and looked into my room.  "Cool, it's a
mirror image of mine except you have one big bed and mine has two small
ones."

"I put two beds in there because it is more flexible especially for guests
who might not want to sleep together."  He looked up at me with a very
adolescent knowing grin but then he blushed.

"If you notice there" I said pointing to a door to the left of my bed,
"your room has a window where mine has a door.  Take a look out the door."

He walked over, opened the door to the sun deck and stepped outside.  The
deck ran the whole length of the back of the house and had a hot tub that
was situated so that none of the other houses could see it.  "Awesome!"
That was the first time I heard a clearly American teen comment, other than
cool, from Micha and practically accent free too.  "Can I try it some
time?"

"You sure can, bring a swim suit next time you visit.  Now my friend, it's
time to hit the hay."

"That's another old saying but I can figure out where it comes from.
Sleeping in a barn in the hay?"

"Yup."

As he walked past me towards the guest room he stopped and looked up at me.
"Thank you for being so nice and so kind to me."

I got a big lump in my throat and croaked, "You're very welcome Micha.  You
deserve it."  He wrapped his arms around me giving me a very hearty
squeeze, a bear hug.  Then he hurried off to the guest room.  I sensed that
maybe he was near tears again himself.

I resolved that, come Monday, I would go on the Internet and over to the
Library to find as much information as I could on the plight of orphaned
and homeless Russian children, the United States policies in this regard
and what was involved in adoption.  I purposely planned to avoid asking the
home as I didn't want them or Micha to know until I was sure that this is
what I wanted to do and that it could indeed be done.  I didn't want them
letting it slip to him and I didn't want him disappointed if it might not
work out.  But, whatever happened, I knew I could be there for him, at the
very least, as a friend and mentor.

I got all ready for bed and knocked on the door jam of Micha's room.  It
was dark inside and I heard a faint rustle of bed sheets as Micha turned to
look.  "I just wanted to be sure you found everything you needed and were
comfortable Micha."

"Yes, thank you John but could you come over here?"

I walked over and looked down at him.  He raised up one arm as if wanting a
hug so I leaned down but he surprised me by brushing my lips softly with
his and then kissing me on the cheek.  I was stunned for a second and then
he said, "Thank you again."

I gently brushed his hair back.  "I'm glad that you wanted to become
friends.  Thank you and sleep well."

It was so hard to walk away.  I wanted to stay and watch over him, to
protect him, to just be there.  I had a lot to think about and if I slept
at all I knew that I would dream about him and about that soft kiss.  Was
it just bad aim in the dark?  Or was it very good aim in the dark?  What
was I thinking?  He was barely 13, if that!  Oh man, I felt so confused.
There were so many feelings spinning around in my head.

Much to my surprise, morning came in an instant and I had slept like a
baby.  I didn't even remember dreaming.  So, I went about my usual Sunday
morning routine.  I'd always get up early and pay all my bills as the
laundry was churning in the washing machine.  Then, as the clothes toss
around in the dryer, I'd prepare my shopping list for the week.  This
morning I planned to add to the routine.  I shaved, showered and so forth
and headed for the stairs.  I noticed that Micha's door was closed and
smiled.  Kids like their privacy.  After the bills and so on and while I
enjoyed my coffee, I also cooked up a half pound of bacon and readied
English muffins and eggs for cooking.

Finally, after 10am came and went I climbed the stairs to see where my
sleepy headed young guest was.  I quietly knocked on the door ... nothing.
"Micha?  Are you awake?"  I knocked again and opened the door a crack.
"Micha?"  Nothing.  Now I was a bit concerned.  I opened the door all the
way and went in.  He was sound asleep with the sheets and blankets twisted
all around him.  And, he was drenched in sweat.  It was in such total
contrast to the very neat personal appearance that he meticulously
maintained by day that I had a shiver of fear pass through me.

"Micha?"  He groaned softly.  "Are you all right?"

"Oh ... hi, um, good morning."  He was still quite groggy.

"Are you okay?"  I was growing concerned.

"Hmmm? ... Oh, yes, I'm okay.  Ugh, I haven't had a night like that in a
long time."

"A night like what?  What happened?  Please Micha, you're worrying me."

"Oh, I'm sorry.  I guess it was sleeping in a room alone that brought back
the nightmares.  The American doctor in Russia said it was from being
homeless and alone.  He said they would go away once I got settled in some
place and they did.  He also warned me that under certain situations they
might come back.  I thought they might so I closed the door.  I didn't want
to worry you or keep you awake.

"Micha, you should have told me.  We could have figured something out.  I
could have slept in the other bed there.  Are you okay now?  Is there
anything I can do for you?"

"I'm fine.  A hot shower and I'll be as good as ever."

"Well, if you're sure.  Then hop to it because I have a good breakfast
ready to cook as soon as you come down."  I stood there but he didn't move.

"Ah, John?"  Blushing, he made a motion to get up but keeping himself
covered.

"Huh?  Oh."  I grinned at him and headed for the door calling over my
shoulder, "How do you like your eggs?"  I thought to myself; cute, he
sleeps naked but is modest or ... he has a morning erection.

When he came downstairs he was once again the precisely dressed boy I had
grown accustomed to.  I got up and stopped him in his tracks putting a hand
on each shoulder and looking him in those beautiful faded blue denim eyes.
"Micha, you know I care about you so I want you to promise me something.  I
want you to promise me that you will come to me with any problem or worry.
I wont be able to help with everything but I'd like to try or at the very
least, help you find someone who can.  That is what friends do.  Okay?  Can
you promise me that?"

He wrapped his arms around me in another of his Russian bear hugs and
grinned up at me, "I promise.  Now, about those eggs ...?"

"Sorry kid.  The kitchen just closed."  I got a jab in the ribs for my
humor.  It was the nicest jab I'd had in years.

The rest of the day was, as each weekend so often was, dedicated to golf.
The range, the computer game and the weekly match on TV.  I had no idea
what we'd do in the off-season.  After the match I dropped Micha off at the
home and we enjoyed a warm hug just before he went in.  I slowly drove out
the gate and looked back to see him wave.  On the way home I planned out my
Russian research.*

*Author's Note: You can read first hand some of the material that I found
as research for this story.  Just do a web search typing in the words
'Russian orphans' and you will gain access to over 5000 sites concerning
Russian orphans.

Next: Chapter Four - Nightmares and other dreams