Save a Soul Mishalecki Chapter 3
Moose didn't show up for his community service Tuesday or Wednesday. The other boys had no clue where he could be. Misha pushed down the guilt that bubbled up inside him, knowing he was the reason for Jared's absence.
Thursday morning brought with it a rainstorm. The center was full of homeless taking advantage of the warm dry lobby. Jenny helped Molly in the kitchen, planning for an extra large group for lunch. Dicky and Sebbie mingled with the crowd, bringing dry clothes and coffee to the cold patrons huddled and shy as they trickled through the front doors. AJ manned the coffee station, filling cups and keeping the sugar and creamers full. Berg corralled a group of children and led a rousing game of Simon Says to keep the little one's minds off the thunder booming outside. Misha looked around his center, pride welling up in his chest as he watched the rag tag group of men helping out the community. His eyes trailed to a tall drenched man walking through the front door. Misha fought the urge to run to the newcomer and throw his arms around him.
"Moose!" Sebbie yelled from a couch next to a dirty looking old woman. "Thought you ditched us, darling! Glad to see your back."
Moose teetered to the coffee pot, grabbing a styrofoam cup from AJ and fumbling for the packets of sugar. AJ backed away from the tall man, a look of concern painting his face.
"What?" Moose yelled, feeling the eyes staring at him from around the room. "Can't a man have a cup of coffee?"
Misha strolled over to Moose, trying to look casual as he grabbed his arm and pulled him to a chair next to his office door. "Just happy to see you. Come sit down." His voice lowered, a tone of disappointment swallowing his words. "Are you drunk?"
"I've had a bad week okay?" Moose sneered at the dark haired man.
"Get in my office!" Misha pointed at the door and pushed Moose inside.
Misha stood outside his office for a few moments, catching his breath before he joined the tall intoxicated man.
Bobby lumbered in and threw himself on an empty chair by the door. Dicky greeted him with a cup of coffee and a dry blanket. "Hey Bob. Guess all the baddies floated away huh?"
"Are you an idjit? Of course not! They're all plotting against us right now." He pulled his ball cap farther down over his face. "It's okay though, I've got the in." He pulled an old beat up wallet out of his pocket and flipped it opened to show off his old expired driver's license.
Dicky scrunched his nose in confusion. "That's the in? It says your names Jim. I thought you were Bobby."
"Don't believe everything you read boy!" Bobby snapped the wallet shut and grumbled under his breath. "Kids don't understand. . .stupid idjits! Vamps and werewolves."
Misha stepped inside his office to join Moose. The tall man straddled a chair, legs taking up half the floor. "Am I in trouble?"
Misha shut the door and stretched his neck to ease the tension. "Where have you been?"
"My mom's house." Moose hung his head. "She needed some help."
"Help? Help what? Cleaning out the liquor cabinet?" Misha raised his voice.
Moose kicked at the tiled floor. "None of your damn business!"
Misha caught his breath, blood filling his suddenly heated cheeks. "You're right. None of my business. Why don't you go help Jenny and Molly in the kitchen."
"Whatever." Moose shuffled out of the office, heading toward the dining hall.
Misha stood in his office, fighting the urge to tear after Moose and hold him. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden slam of the front door. "I'm looking for Misha Collins. I need to speak to Misha Collins." A woman's voice screamed across the lobby.
Misha peaked out of his office. "Ma'am, I'm Misha, can I help you?"
"You!" The woman marched toward him, fire burning in her eyes. "What did you do to my boy?"
"Miss, just come into my office and. . . "
"He's here isn't he?" She yelled. "Jared? Jared?"
"Come on into my office." Misha led the woman through the door, shutting it behind him for privacy. 'Mrs. Padalecki, I don't know what has happened to Jared, but we are here to help."
"You happened to Jared. You molested him in your office."
"I. . . Jared is an adult and what happened between us is our personal business." Misha brushed a hand through his hair.
"Jared isn't gay." Mrs. Padalecki slammed her fist down on Misha's desk.
Misha fidgeted under her gaze. "Well, then I apologize."
"Apologize? My son told his sister, that he LIKED kissing you. He wants to do it again. He thinks he's a homo now." She hollered at the surprised man.
"I assume that means he was gay before. He may not have realized it." Misha explained.
"My son is not a fag!"
Misha sat in his chair with a thud. "Please, I understand, you didn't expect this, but Jared is still Jared, regardless of who he falls in love with." He began the spew he had learned years before.
Mrs. Padalecki didn't seem to hear Misha. "My husband went to prison to protect us from this kind of evil."
"Evil?"
She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves. "Two men, a couple I suppose, moved into our neighborhood. Invited children over to help pick vegetables in their garden." Misha listened, suddenly remembering the story in the paper. "Offered to pay my son to mow their lawn. My husband talked to them. Tried to get them to leave the neighborhood but they wouldn't go."
"Your husband killed one of them. He hit him with a base ball bat across the head and cracked open his skull." Misha finished.
"They wouldn't leave." She responded.
"They didn't have to. They bought a house. Paid taxes. And deserved to live there just like you." Misha's voice rose in anger.
She spoke softly, hands wringing in her lap. "Find my son. We're going home."
"You can leave. But Jared has community service he has to finish." Misha pointed toward the office door. "When he's done, he's more then welcome to leave and never come back."
"This isn't the last you've heard from me Mr. Collins." The woman slammed the door behind her, leaving Misha alone.
Molly joined him ten minutes later, eyes sad and worried. "Moose is laying on one of the cots. What happened to that boy Mr. Misha?"
Misha exhaled loudly, then followed Molly out of the office to the room where Jared rested. "I think I finally understand what's going on with him." He shoved open the door and searched for the long form sprawled out across one of the cots. "Jared."
"Leave me alone!" Misha could hear the tears that flooded the younger man's voice.
Misha knelt at the side of his cot, hand hesitant as it grazed the soft golden hair.
"I can't be this guy Misha! I can't like you." His sobs racked his chest. "My family."
"Shhh, it's gonna be okay. You're an adult. It's okay." Misha cradled Jared's head in his arms. "They just don't understand. They think somethings is wrong with you, but there isn't." Misha rubbed his face across Jared's hair, dotting small kisses along his temple. "You're perfect." He whispered, mouth traveling down to the stubble of Jared's jaw line.
Jared swallowed gulps of air, trying to calm the crying. "He's so angry! She, she does whatever he wants, believes whatever he says. I knew." The sadness took over, sending him into a new fit of sobs. He sniffed them back and nuzzled into Misha's touch. "I knew way back in middle school. I thought, if I just wish really hard, it'd go away."
Misha pulled Jared up, settling down next to him on the cot, arms still holding him for support. "Jared, you aren't alone now. You've got me and the guys. . ."
"No, the guys, I can't tell the guys. I'm like, the leader and, no, I can't." Jared shook his head adamantly, finger's clutching on to Misha's knee.
"I know it's hard, but you have to accept who you are before anyone else can." Misha's cheek danced across the taller man's shoulder. "I've been where you are."
"Did your dad want to kill you?" Jared spat.
Tears met Misha's blue eyes, feeling the pain radiating out of the other man. "You, went and told him."
Jared nodded, wrapping his arms around Misha and pulling him close.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Misha whispered as Jared tipped his head back and pressed their lips together.
Lightning crashed behind Misha's closed lids as their mouths slid past each other in half open desire. He felt the dance of fingers explore his shoulders, torso and finally hips. His mouth begged for further entrance into the slick wet cave of Jared's mouth. Jared sucked in Misha's tongue attacking it with his own as it slid past his lips. Misha's hands finally joined the party, grazing along the muscular expanse of Jared's back and hips. He struggled to pull the taller man closer, longing to feel every inch of him along his own quivering body. Misha opened his mouth, devouring more of the man at his side, tasting the salt of tears that streamed down his face. They continued, lost in the excitement of the each other, until a small voice shattered their desire. "Moose? Ya okay? We were worried about ya man?" Dicky's form was nothing but a shadow in the doorway.
Jared gathered his thoughts, willing his heartbeat to slow down as he answered. "Yeah, Dick, I'll be fine." He stared at Misha for a moment before he added. "I think maybe we should talk."
Misha found a quiet room for the six men to gather in. He stood at the door, waiting for an invitation or an evil glare to leave, neither came. Jared wiped his face with his hand and stared at all his friends. "I need to tell you guys something. And I don't know if you're gonna like it." He focused on Misha, then back at the others. "I'm not who you think I am." He shook his head, hoping it sounded better outside then in his mind. "I'm Jared, or Moose, but, I'm something else too. I'm gay."
Silence filled the room. The men blinking at Jared. "Tell us something we don't know love?" Sebbie quipped from his chair. "I mean, really? You didn't think we knew? You told the Hooter's waitress she should add a nice jacket to her ensemble last week. It's not really a well kept secret I'm afraid."
Misha stifled a giggle. AJ cleared his throat and laced his finger's with Berg's. "Berg and I have been dating for a year." He shouted uncomfortable before he lost his nerve.
Jared chuckled, suddenly overwhelmed with love for his group of friends. "So, you don't care?"
"Nope. We don't care." Jen smiled up at him. "Still gonna be your best bud. You're not getting rid of me that easy."
"I don't wanna break up the love fest." Dicky scratched his head. "But, isn't this gonna be an issue with your mother? I mean, don't you live there since the arrest?"
Jared hung his head. "Not anymore. I'm gonna stay here, until I can get a place. I have a job interview Friday."
Misha smiled at him, his blue eyes twinkling with pride. "We'll talk about the living arrangements later. For now, you boys have work to do. The lobby is a mess."
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Thursday morning brought with it a rainstorm. The center was full of homeless taking advantage of the warm dry lobby. Jenny helped Molly in the kitchen, planning for an extra large group for lunch. Dicky and Sebbie mingled with the crowd, bringing dry clothes and coffee to the cold patrons huddled and shy as they trickled through the front doors. AJ manned the coffee station, filling cups and keeping the sugar and creamers full. Berg corralled a group of children and led a rousing game of Simon Says to keep the little one's minds off the thunder booming outside. Misha looked around his center, pride welling up in his chest as he watched the rag tag group of men helping out the community. His eyes trailed to a tall drenched man walking through the front door. Misha fought the urge to run to the newcomer and throw his arms around him.
"Moose!" Sebbie yelled from a couch next to a dirty looking old woman. "Thought you ditched us, darling! Glad to see your back."
Moose teetered to the coffee pot, grabbing a styrofoam cup from AJ and fumbling for the packets of sugar. AJ backed away from the tall man, a look of concern painting his face.
"What?" Moose yelled, feeling the eyes staring at him from around the room. "Can't a man have a cup of coffee?"
Misha strolled over to Moose, trying to look casual as he grabbed his arm and pulled him to a chair next to his office door. "Just happy to see you. Come sit down." His voice lowered, a tone of disappointment swallowing his words. "Are you drunk?"
"I've had a bad week okay?" Moose sneered at the dark haired man.
"Get in my office!" Misha pointed at the door and pushed Moose inside.
Misha stood outside his office for a few moments, catching his breath before he joined the tall intoxicated man.
Bobby lumbered in and threw himself on an empty chair by the door. Dicky greeted him with a cup of coffee and a dry blanket. "Hey Bob. Guess all the baddies floated away huh?"
"Are you an idjit? Of course not! They're all plotting against us right now." He pulled his ball cap farther down over his face. "It's okay though, I've got the in." He pulled an old beat up wallet out of his pocket and flipped it opened to show off his old expired driver's license.
Dicky scrunched his nose in confusion. "That's the in? It says your names Jim. I thought you were Bobby."
"Don't believe everything you read boy!" Bobby snapped the wallet shut and grumbled under his breath. "Kids don't understand. . .stupid idjits! Vamps and werewolves."
Misha stepped inside his office to join Moose. The tall man straddled a chair, legs taking up half the floor. "Am I in trouble?"
Misha shut the door and stretched his neck to ease the tension. "Where have you been?"
"My mom's house." Moose hung his head. "She needed some help."
"Help? Help what? Cleaning out the liquor cabinet?" Misha raised his voice.
Moose kicked at the tiled floor. "None of your damn business!"
Misha caught his breath, blood filling his suddenly heated cheeks. "You're right. None of my business. Why don't you go help Jenny and Molly in the kitchen."
"Whatever." Moose shuffled out of the office, heading toward the dining hall.
Misha stood in his office, fighting the urge to tear after Moose and hold him. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden slam of the front door. "I'm looking for Misha Collins. I need to speak to Misha Collins." A woman's voice screamed across the lobby.
Misha peaked out of his office. "Ma'am, I'm Misha, can I help you?"
"You!" The woman marched toward him, fire burning in her eyes. "What did you do to my boy?"
"Miss, just come into my office and. . . "
"He's here isn't he?" She yelled. "Jared? Jared?"
"Come on into my office." Misha led the woman through the door, shutting it behind him for privacy. 'Mrs. Padalecki, I don't know what has happened to Jared, but we are here to help."
"You happened to Jared. You molested him in your office."
"I. . . Jared is an adult and what happened between us is our personal business." Misha brushed a hand through his hair.
"Jared isn't gay." Mrs. Padalecki slammed her fist down on Misha's desk.
Misha fidgeted under her gaze. "Well, then I apologize."
"Apologize? My son told his sister, that he LIKED kissing you. He wants to do it again. He thinks he's a homo now." She hollered at the surprised man.
"I assume that means he was gay before. He may not have realized it." Misha explained.
"My son is not a fag!"
Misha sat in his chair with a thud. "Please, I understand, you didn't expect this, but Jared is still Jared, regardless of who he falls in love with." He began the spew he had learned years before.
Mrs. Padalecki didn't seem to hear Misha. "My husband went to prison to protect us from this kind of evil."
"Evil?"
She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves. "Two men, a couple I suppose, moved into our neighborhood. Invited children over to help pick vegetables in their garden." Misha listened, suddenly remembering the story in the paper. "Offered to pay my son to mow their lawn. My husband talked to them. Tried to get them to leave the neighborhood but they wouldn't go."
"Your husband killed one of them. He hit him with a base ball bat across the head and cracked open his skull." Misha finished.
"They wouldn't leave." She responded.
"They didn't have to. They bought a house. Paid taxes. And deserved to live there just like you." Misha's voice rose in anger.
She spoke softly, hands wringing in her lap. "Find my son. We're going home."
"You can leave. But Jared has community service he has to finish." Misha pointed toward the office door. "When he's done, he's more then welcome to leave and never come back."
"This isn't the last you've heard from me Mr. Collins." The woman slammed the door behind her, leaving Misha alone.
Molly joined him ten minutes later, eyes sad and worried. "Moose is laying on one of the cots. What happened to that boy Mr. Misha?"
Misha exhaled loudly, then followed Molly out of the office to the room where Jared rested. "I think I finally understand what's going on with him." He shoved open the door and searched for the long form sprawled out across one of the cots. "Jared."
"Leave me alone!" Misha could hear the tears that flooded the younger man's voice.
Misha knelt at the side of his cot, hand hesitant as it grazed the soft golden hair.
"I can't be this guy Misha! I can't like you." His sobs racked his chest. "My family."
"Shhh, it's gonna be okay. You're an adult. It's okay." Misha cradled Jared's head in his arms. "They just don't understand. They think somethings is wrong with you, but there isn't." Misha rubbed his face across Jared's hair, dotting small kisses along his temple. "You're perfect." He whispered, mouth traveling down to the stubble of Jared's jaw line.
Jared swallowed gulps of air, trying to calm the crying. "He's so angry! She, she does whatever he wants, believes whatever he says. I knew." The sadness took over, sending him into a new fit of sobs. He sniffed them back and nuzzled into Misha's touch. "I knew way back in middle school. I thought, if I just wish really hard, it'd go away."
Misha pulled Jared up, settling down next to him on the cot, arms still holding him for support. "Jared, you aren't alone now. You've got me and the guys. . ."
"No, the guys, I can't tell the guys. I'm like, the leader and, no, I can't." Jared shook his head adamantly, finger's clutching on to Misha's knee.
"I know it's hard, but you have to accept who you are before anyone else can." Misha's cheek danced across the taller man's shoulder. "I've been where you are."
"Did your dad want to kill you?" Jared spat.
Tears met Misha's blue eyes, feeling the pain radiating out of the other man. "You, went and told him."
Jared nodded, wrapping his arms around Misha and pulling him close.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Misha whispered as Jared tipped his head back and pressed their lips together.
Lightning crashed behind Misha's closed lids as their mouths slid past each other in half open desire. He felt the dance of fingers explore his shoulders, torso and finally hips. His mouth begged for further entrance into the slick wet cave of Jared's mouth. Jared sucked in Misha's tongue attacking it with his own as it slid past his lips. Misha's hands finally joined the party, grazing along the muscular expanse of Jared's back and hips. He struggled to pull the taller man closer, longing to feel every inch of him along his own quivering body. Misha opened his mouth, devouring more of the man at his side, tasting the salt of tears that streamed down his face. They continued, lost in the excitement of the each other, until a small voice shattered their desire. "Moose? Ya okay? We were worried about ya man?" Dicky's form was nothing but a shadow in the doorway.
Jared gathered his thoughts, willing his heartbeat to slow down as he answered. "Yeah, Dick, I'll be fine." He stared at Misha for a moment before he added. "I think maybe we should talk."
Misha found a quiet room for the six men to gather in. He stood at the door, waiting for an invitation or an evil glare to leave, neither came. Jared wiped his face with his hand and stared at all his friends. "I need to tell you guys something. And I don't know if you're gonna like it." He focused on Misha, then back at the others. "I'm not who you think I am." He shook his head, hoping it sounded better outside then in his mind. "I'm Jared, or Moose, but, I'm something else too. I'm gay."
Silence filled the room. The men blinking at Jared. "Tell us something we don't know love?" Sebbie quipped from his chair. "I mean, really? You didn't think we knew? You told the Hooter's waitress she should add a nice jacket to her ensemble last week. It's not really a well kept secret I'm afraid."
Misha stifled a giggle. AJ cleared his throat and laced his finger's with Berg's. "Berg and I have been dating for a year." He shouted uncomfortable before he lost his nerve.
Jared chuckled, suddenly overwhelmed with love for his group of friends. "So, you don't care?"
"Nope. We don't care." Jen smiled up at him. "Still gonna be your best bud. You're not getting rid of me that easy."
"I don't wanna break up the love fest." Dicky scratched his head. "But, isn't this gonna be an issue with your mother? I mean, don't you live there since the arrest?"
Jared hung his head. "Not anymore. I'm gonna stay here, until I can get a place. I have a job interview Friday."
Misha smiled at him, his blue eyes twinkling with pride. "We'll talk about the living arrangements later. For now, you boys have work to do. The lobby is a mess."
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