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I am always safe with you...

For the amazing @simplybombshell and @onemoreparadise , inspired by their works (X) (X)

In Cambridge, Massachusetts lived the Thompson-Spencer family.

They were a family who lived quietly and happily, enjoying every moment together.

This home consisted of a male couple, Jonathan Spencer and his husband, Alistair Thompson, and their adopted son, Elliott.

Jonathan worked as a quantitative analyst in a high-technology company in Boston. Efficient and competent, he was considered one of the best people in the company.

Meanwhile, Alistair was an American studies teacher at Harvard University. Recognised for his broad general knowledge and his pedagogy, his students and colleagues appreciated him.

In addition to teaching, he has written articles in academic journals and participated in conferences.

As for Elliott, who was a thirteen years old boy, he studied at the Boston Latin Academy.

He was a sweet boy, dreamy and very bright.

All three shared a close bond and enjoyed their lives together.

But today, Elliott would have liked to be somewhere other than in front of his blank paper. He had only his English essay to do, but he was not inspired.

The boy was annoyed: he had to hand in this essay at the next English class, which was in five days.

The subject didn't seem complicated, though. It was entitled: Feeling Safe.

It was a short subject but not an easy one to tackle.

Elliott felt discouraged: this bloody exercise was wasting his time!

"Elliott! Let's eat!" called his father.

The young boy got up and went downstairs to join his parents.

He sat down at the table and began to eat as his father Alistair asked him:

"So, have you finished your lessons?"

"Almost: I've still got an English essay to do."

"An essay? And what is the subject?" asked Jonathan.

"Feeling safe."

The two men looked at each other, quite surprised.

"Now, that's an interesting topic. There's a lot to say about it. And have you made any progress on your essay?" inquired Jonathan.

"No, that's just it: I can't find the right words."

"Why didn't you come to us for help earlier? I could have given you a hand," replied Alistair.

"I know, but I know you, Dad: you would do my whole paper. And my teacher would suspect something..."

"Eli is right, Alistair: when a subject raises your interest, you cannot help disserting on it as you do with your teaching sessions at university!" chuckled Mr Spencer.

"What can I say? This is professional deformation." smirked his husband before turning to Elliott.

"To answer your question, Eli, let me give you some advice: ask yourself how you feel safe. What makes you believe that nothing can happen to you? Is there anything that comforts you when you feel low? Think about it, and you might find the answer!"

Elliott nodded, his neurons already starting to find ideas for his essay.

"I'll do that. Who knows: it will inspire me?"

"In the meantime, finish your plate: it'll get cold!"

The meal continued in good spirits, and then Elliott returned to his room and wrote down all the ideas that came to mind on paper.

Then, he went to sleep: he would work on this essay tomorrow!

⏰⏰⏰

The next day.

Like yesterday, Elliott sat in front of his desk, ready to write his essay. This time, the young boy knew what to write.

And as he began to write the first lines of his essay, the young boy felt the inspiration coming to him. The more he wrote, the better he felt about his work: he was sure to get a good grade.

When he finished his assignment, the teenager reread his work to ensure he wrote everything correctly and had not missed any spelling mistakes.

Satisfied, he carefully placed his paper in a plastic bag and put it in his bag before tackling his maths exercises.

The teenager looked forward to showing his work to his parents when he received the grade.

Meanwhile, Alistair and Jonathan were in the living room, working: the quantitative analyst wrote a report on his computer while the teacher corrected papers.

Jonathan looked up from his screen and asked his husband:

"Do you have a lot of work to do?"

The teacher sighed:

"Don't mention it! I've got fifty essays to correct on the Gothic novel in Britain and France in 19th century, and I can't see the end of it! I would finish correcting these by Friday, so I don't have to work at the weekend."

Alistair asked:

"What about you? Are you managing to write that report?"

"Yes, but it's a bit tedious. At least once I've done it, I'll be free for the weekend!"

He added with a smile:

"Which gives me an idea..."

"You and your creativity! What do you have planned?" chuckled Alistair.

"Nothing extravagant..."

Jonathan put his arm around his husband's shoulders.

"I was thinking, Friday night, we could order food and have a movie night. A little night with just the three of us. What do you think?"

"It sounds tempting, and it's been a while since we've done anything together," Alistair agreed, resting his head on his partner's shoulder.

The analyst added:

"Besides, it's been a long time since we didn't spend quality time with Elliott. I don't want our son to feel cast away !"

"Eli is a cunning boy: he knows we all have a lot of work. He will love your idea: I can feel it!"

Little did the two men know that Elliott had a surprise planned for Friday night. And he hoped they would like it.

⛅⛅⛅⛅⛅⛅

On Friday, late afternoon.

As he pushed open the door to his house, Elliott had a smile on his face: it was finally the weekend! But it wasn't just the prospect of rest that put the young boy in a good mood: so far, his surprise went just as he had planned.

His enthusiasm didn't escape his fathers.

"Hi, sweetie. How was your day?" asked Alistair.

"It was good, but I wanted to go home."

"Tell me about it!"

"And did you get any grades? Any homework?" requested Jonathan.

"Yes. Remember my Feeling Safe essay? I got the grade today!"

"Ah yes, that famous essay! Verdict?"

Elliott's smile widened.

"I got an A+."

"You did? Well done, my little writer!" the analyst smiled, kissing his son on the forehead.

"This is something to celebrate. What should we order for dinner? Italian or Indian? Unless you want Chinese food?" suggested the teacher.

"Pizza!" the teenager exclaimed, making his parents laugh.

"Go for the pizza !" smiled Alistair as he dialled the local pizzeria to order the menu.

Thirty minutes later, their order arrived, and the family prepared to eat their dinner when Elliott asked:

"Before we eat, do you want to read my essay ?"

"Well, why not? Let's see what you did !"

Elliott picked up his essay and handed it to his parents, who saw the A+ mark written in bright red.

They read the comment from the teacher:

Excellent work, with personal and moving elements. Keep up the good work!

"Well, well: being complimented by Mr Cooper is an achievement!" smirked Jonathan.

"I am the only student in my class to get an A+ on this homework!"

"That is a double achievement !" whistled Alistair.

The two men started to read the essay.

Feeling Safe by Elliott Spencer-Thompson.

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away."

"How cute! He quotes an author, just like his dad !" joked Jonathan.

"Stop teasing me and continue to read !" replied Alistair with a smile.

"Your wish is my command, darling !" replied his husband as he pursued the reading.

In this quote, George Eliot expressed one of the main goals in men's life: feeling safe.

We feel safe when we come home, especially when our loved ones surround us.

This need for safety, whether physical or psychological, is a distant echo of the survival instinct of our prehistoric ancestors. You can't survive for long if you don't find people to count on.

We seek shelter from what might harm us since our first days.

Our innocence makes us believe that nothing can happen to us because we have not yet experienced the disillusionment and cruelty of the world.

I thought I would always be safe because my biological parents were there for me.

I didn't try to understand when my mother asked me to play a game: to close my eyes and count to thirty. My father promised me a surprise if I did it.

I obeyed, and I got my surprise: the surprise of not seeing my parents anymore.

From then on, all my certainties collapsed: not all adults protect you. Sometimes they abandon you.

It is a hard lesson to learn for a four-year-old boy.

It took me a long time to relearn how to feel that sensation of being loved.

Today I can say that I feel safe.

No doubt people will ask me: what does it mean to me to feel safe?

For me, feeling safe is many things at the same time.

I feel safe when my dad Jonathan said he loves me.

I feel safe because my dad Alistair watches over me when I am sick.

I feel safe because they take me in their arms when I'm upset or sad.

I feel safe because when I cried at night, remembering the awful day my biological parents left me alone in a crowd, they rushed to my side, promising to always be there for me.

I feel safe because they teach me so many things. It can go from the behaviour in society to my cultural knowledge.

I feel safe because they taught me to trust and tell them everything.

I feel safe because they helped to become a good man.

I don't forget I have friends I trust and love, but nothing is more important than my parents.

I know some people disapprove that two men could raise a child.

We might not share genes, but we share a love, respect and trust bond.

I don't want any other family than the two men who gave me their last names and added me to their lives.

That's why I am eager to come home after school because, every time I cross the threshold of my house, I immediately feel better.

And it started when I hear their voices saying "Welcome Home".

I hope when I become an adult, I will provide the family I will create the same feeling of safety and love my parents provided me.

To conclude, I would say that feeling safe is an incredible luck I am grateful to have, thanks to my parents. Because with them, I will always feel safe.

Elliott began worrying when he saw tears shining in his fathers' eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Jonathan hastened to answer, wiping his eyes:

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. It's a lot of emotions all at once!"

"How did you write all this?" asked Alistair.

The teenager shrugged, a little embarrassed.

"When I told you I was struggling with this essay, you suggested I ask myself what made me feel safe. I thought about it, and I knew the answer."

Elliott smiled shyly.

"I remembered the day when the social worker told me people wanted to adopt me. I was so scared! Then, I saw you, and something inside me told me I could go with you. I will always be grateful to give a new start!"

"Come here, you !" exclaimed Alistair, who hugged his son, joined by Jonathan.

The family of three enjoyed the hug before parting.

Alistair ran a hand through his son's hair.

"Your essay proved that we did our job as your parents. It is the least we can do for you."

"You changed our lives forever and in the best way. With you, we are a family," added Jonathan as he kissed his son.

"Something we waited for a long time," nodded the teacher as he wiped his tears.

Alistair glanced at the pizzas.

"Oh my! The pizza must be cold now!"

"Because you cried on it!" joked his husband.

"You cried too!"

Elliott laughed at his parents' banter.

It was these moments that makes him feel good, like sharing a relaxing evening with his two dads.