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Due to Josuke’s work schedule, he couldn’t always be present to pick your son up from preschool, not that your son minded much. He was always extremely excited for “Daddy to come home and give me a big hug” when Josuke got off of work. Sometimes, you swore that Josuke held the gas pedal all the way down in order to make it home as soon as possible after work. Since he couldn’t be there to pick up your son, he always felt like he was missing something. When your son would tell you of something new that he learned or discovered, Josuke's eyes would fall just a bit, having not been there to witness it himself. You’d told him that it was just a part of being a parent. Kids learn new things every single day. It was a part of life. Insisting that he wanted to have at least one day a week where he could be there with you to pick up your son from school, he demanded that his job offer him some flexibility. They hardly put up a fight when their best nurse, whose hands were like magic when it came to fixing up patients (literally), demanded just one afternoon of availability so he could pick his son up from school. Hell, the hospital ended up giving Josuke three. He went from almost never being there for after school pick up to being there three days a week. He loved the way your son’s eyes would go wide with surprise whenever Josuke came with you.
This afternoon is no different. Josuke is still dressed in his scrubs from his morning shift as you both walk into your son’s classroom. You and Josuke always play a game to try and guess how long it would take your son to realize that you’re there. Sometimes, it takes him a while since he’s playing with his classmates, but you don’t mind. You get to observe the way he plays with other children. As you and Josuke stand there, your fingers still laced together, you watch your son play with a little boy and a girl about his age. You can’t hear what he’s saying, but you know your son is trying to send his doctor doll into space with a toy spaceship. You think the other two kids might be telling him about some kind of space mission where Earth has to send their best doctor into space to save the aliens from the chickenpox. Oh no! If the aliens get the chickenpox, they’ll turn into chickens! You find yourself getting a bit…invested in their made up game as you stand there watching. Something about the thought of your son wanting to save others, even in a make believe situation makes your heart swell. He reminds you so much of his father. Your son is just about to launch into outer space when he turns to see you standing by the door. He immediately drops everything and runs towards you with a smile. Josuke squats down and holds his arms wide open as your son runs towards you at full speed.
“Mommy! Daddy!” he yells as Josuke catches him and lifts him in his arms.
“Hey buddy!” Josuke says as your son hugs the both of you.
“You came with Mommy to pick me up!” he cheers as he snuggles into Josuke’s neck.
“Were you surprised?”
“Yeah, Daddy. I love when you come with Mommy to pick me up!” he says as he kisses you on the cheek.
You can’t stop the “aww” that leaves your mouth as your son gives Josuke a tight hug. Josuke places a quick kiss on your son’s cheek before he sets him down on his own two feet.
“Go get your things and say bye to your friends so we can go home, Bean. We’re having spaghetti tonight,”
“Yayyyy! I love spaghetti!” He yells as he runs to gather his things.
“Mr. and Mrs. Higashikata? Hi!” you hear someone call.
You turn to see your son’s teacher walking toward you with a smile.
“Oh! Hi, Ms. Bruno! How are you?”
“I'm doing fine. Can I speak with you both for a moment?”
“Uh sure. Is everything okay?” Josuke asks.
“Yes everything is fine! There’s no need to worry!” She says with a smile as your son comes back with his things in hand. “I just wanted to show you something really quickly if you have the time.”
“Sure.”
She bends down so she’s eye level with your son.
“You can go finish sending Dr. Cookie to space while I talk to your mommy and daddy for a little bit, okay?”
“Okay Ms. Bruno!” your son agrees before scurrying back to the other corner of the classroom.
“Sorry, I typically meet with parents in the meeting room. You guys will have to join me in the crafts corner since all of the other kids haven’t been picked up yet,” she tells you as she leads you over to a small, rounded table that is still in view of the few kids left in the classroom.
It’s almost comical how large a six foot something Josuke looks in a chair that is clearly designed for kids no taller than four feet. He tries not to fidget too much to spare Ms. Bruno the cost of having to buy a new chair. Josuke blushes at how Ms. Bruno is biting her lip to resist laughing at him. Remnants of a chuckle slip through when you clear your throat to get Ms. Bruno’s attention.
“Mr. and Mrs. Higashikata, I wanted to see you so we could discuss one of your son’s in-class assignments.”
Your mind begins running rampant with theories of what she'll say next. Did something happen? Your son has never had any trouble in school. Was this going to the one instance where he may be falling behind?
“Is something wrong? He’s way ahead of his grade level for reading and we always help him with his homework. Did something happen?” Josuke asks.
“No! No! Nothing bad! Your son is one of our top students. He’s actually been nominated for Student of the Month…again,” she says with a big smile. “I wanted to talk to you about an assignment that everyone was given to identify the difference between short vowels and long vowels,” she continues as she pulls out a manilla folder.
She pulls out one single sheet of paper and hands it over to you.
“One of the words that the kids were given to identify as long ‘a’ was ‘safe’. All of the other kids drew a safe that you typically find at the bank or in one’s home. This is what your son drew.”
As soon as your hands are on the drawing, you begin to tear up. It’s as neat of a drawing that a four year old can muster, but it’s easy for you to make out what it is. There are three smiling stick figures laying in bed under a blanket, the smallest of the three in the middle. The smiling stick figure on the right with the black scribbled ball on top of its head is obviously Josuke. Your son drew a picture of the three of you in your bed (like the three of you typically are on the weekend) as a picture of the word ‘safe’. Your son has his own bed in his room that he sleeps in, but on Friday nights, after a long week of sleeping alone, he likes to sleep between you and Josuke. Now you know why. You make him feel safe.
When you look over at Josuke, he’s pressing a shaky hand to the bridge of his nose to keep from crying. You and him….make your son feel safe. He has to keep repeating it to himself in his head. His son feels safe when he’s with both of you. That’s a different form of love. Josuke is trying his best to keep it together in front of you and Ms. Bruno, but he’s having such a hard time. Josuke has been through so much. His life has been on the line numerous times. There are things that he’s barely survived. Though things got pretty quiet in his life as he got older, he still had a lingering fear of something, anything happening to his family. The fear has kept him awake many nights; something he’s never told you. Happy doesn’t begin to explain how he feels about his family. Sometimes, he is so overcome with love and immense joy that he needs to pinch himself just to make sure that this is real. When the three of you are at Tomoko’s playing freeze tag with her in the backyard (letting your son win, of course), he can’t think of anywhere he’d rather be or anything he’d rather be doing. He holds his family so close to his heart. He’d fight tooth and nail to protect it. Your son’s last factile had named Tomoko as his favorite person (something Josuke jokingly pouted about for two days) and it moved her to tears. This time it’s your turn to cry. Josuke has goosebumps. God, did he love his son. He loved his son and made him feel safe. Your home served as a safe haven for you and Josuke. You could be the most vulnerable versions of yourselves there. You’re so happy to know that your son feels the same way.
When you hand the drawing to Josuke, he begins to laugh as tears roll down his cheeks. You imagine Josuke’s mind is racing, thinking of all the ways he loves your son. How did you guys get so lucky? Your son had such a sweet and loving nature, often reminding you of his father in a sense. He had inherited Josuke’s compassionate heart. Josuke, being that father that he is, only encourages your son to care for others and love out loud. Just when you think your little one can’t get any sweeter, he does something like this; something that leaves you and Josuke crying tears of happiness.
When he looks at you, you mouth ‘I love you’ which only makes him cry even more. He takes a moment to look back at the drawing. Josuke wipes his tears and laughs.
“This kid,” he chuckles.
Josuke quickly apologizes to Ms. Bruno as he laces his fingers through yours.
“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to—”
“It’s quite alright, Mr. and Mrs. Higashikata. I imagine you have some things to talk to your son about. I’ll let you guys get home.”
“Thank you for showing this to us. You don’t know how much it means to us,” you tell her as you wipe your tears.
“No problem. Take the drawing home.”
You’re not sure if there is space left on the fridge for this drawing, but you have a feeling that this one might go into a frame and onto the art wall in your living room.Your son rushes up to you and grabs your free hand.
“Mommy? Daddy? I sent Mr. Cookie into space. He’ll come back tomorrow to tell me about the aliens. Can we go home now?”
Your son pauses as he sees both of your faces full of tears.
“Happy tears?” he questions.
Your son is no stranger to you and Josuke being moved to tears. You remember the talk that you had with him about people being so happy that they cry. He didn't understand until you told him that you were taking him to Disney World for the first time. Now, whenever he sees you crying, he'll ask whether you're crying happy tears or sad tears.
Josuke laughs a bit as he gets on his knees to be eye level with your son.
“Bean, your mommy and I make you feel safe when you sleep in our bed?”
Your son's lips quirk up into a smile.
“Yeah! That's the safest place in the whole wide world,” he says as if it's so absurd that Josuke would even ask that.
“The whole world?” Josuke asks, his voice shaking.
“The whole world, Daddy,” your son declares.
Josuke brings your son into a big bear hug. Your heart is beating ten to the dozen.
“I love you, buddy,” he says as he lifts your son and picks up his backpack.
Your son uses the pads of his thumbs to wipe Josuke's tears.
“I love you too. Are you going to be okay, mommy and daddy?”
“Yes! We're going to be great! We love you so much!” you answer as you wipe the last of your tears.
You and Josuke both smile as you place a soft kiss on the little boy’s cheek.
“Yeah, let’s go home. The spaghetti’s waiting!” Josuke hails as he lifts your son and picks up his backpack.
“Spaghetti!”