Take My Hand

22 I Long For Your Embrace

"Through the school yard, one block, take the path through the trees in the dog park, one more block..." I was reciting my directions and watching for the sign that told me I was where I was supposed to be.

There it was. This was the street. I stared down at the quiet neighbourhood. No cars were moving. I walked down the street with the contentment of thinking that this was probably the same street he had walked before.

I was tired, I was sore, but I was almost there. I smiled. Once I checked the numbers on the houses, I knew it was just a matter of steps. There, just ahead on the left. That was his house.

I was pretty proud of myself as I stood out front with a grin and a bag of food in my hands. It was quiet, without a single soul stirring inside that I could see. I knew it was still pretty early in the morning.

I walked up to the door and considered whether or not I should ring the bell. It was still pretty cold and I had the food, so I excused my rudeness. I pressed my finger to the door bell ringer.

It was nerve wracking to stand there in the cold. An old man finally answered the door, looking at me suspiciously. I cleared my throat and nodded politely to him. I held up the bag from the restaurant.

"Is Sasha... Is this the Petrykin residence?" I fumbled. The old man just glared at me for a second.

"Sasha! DOOR!" The old man bellowed. I flinched. The man gestured to come in and shut the door behind me. I heard steps on the stairs next to the entry and looked up. It was him. It was him.

"Sasha! I brought food." I held up the bag triumphantly as he came down the stairs with wide eyes.

"'Tchyo za ga'lima?" I didn't understand what he was saying, but I was ecstatic to see him in the flesh. "Lukas, what the fuck are you doing here?"

"I didn't get to say goodbye... and you didn't give me your phone number... so I came to find you." I said crestfallen. Wasn't he happy to see me? I felt tears start in my eyes. Then I was wrapped in his warm embrace and everything else was gone.

I took a deep breath of his scent, that musky manly smell that made me want to lick him. I burrowed into his arms, completely forgetting about the food or the ordeal it took to get there.

"Eto piiiiz'dets, stupid kid. Are you trying to get me into more trouble?" He grabbed my hair and pulled me back to look at me, but I just stared him down defiantly.

"No... I just wanted to see you." I whined pitifully. He grunted and smooshed me back into his chest. I didn't care that he was throwing me around, I was just happy to be back in his arms.

"I am calling your parents, and I am taking you back." He said with a grim voice. I pulled back and protested, but he pointed his finger at me sternly. "No. You are not legal age to be leaving like this. Twenty push-ups for running away from home."

"But Sasha!" I complained, he shook his head and snapped his fingers. I passed his food to him and pouted. He pulled me into the family room with him and pointed to the floor.

While he was opening the container on the coffee table and looking at the breakfast I brought him from the restaurant, I was getting in position for push-ups. This was so unfair.

The old man was watching from a big overstuffed chair as I counted out five. I was having a hard time. My arms were shaking and I was flinching when my ankles bent and rubbed. I laid on the hardwood floor panting and not moving.

"Why did he stop?" The old man asked, pointing at me.

"I don't know, Nana. Why did you stop?" Sasha asked me with his cheek stuffed with eggs. I rolled my head to look at him.