Finally Free

I felt like I could barely breathe as the plane touched down. I had never left the island, been on a plane, or even been without my parents before, and now I was sitting in a jet by myself in a whole new country. The pilot, Randy, came out of the cabin and smiled at me. “You ready, Joselyn,” He said eagerly. I nodded as he let down the plane’s door. Once I exited the plane, I looked around at the scenery. England looked much different than the island I had grown up on. There wasn’t any scolding heat, I didn’t constantly hear the waves, and there weren’t trees everywhere you looked. I looked back at Randy and waved goodbye before walking to the lady waiting for me. She was middle-aged with dark skin, curly hair, and an inviting smile. She greeted me, “You must be Jeanna. I’m Damien’s mom, Rina.” I smiled, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

Damien was my boyfriend, who I met online. It was the first time my parents let me use the internet and we met in a chatroom. I introduced myself as Jeanna because it meant I could be what I always wanted to be, different. To my family, I was Joselyn, but to everyone else I was Jeanna.  Obviously, I later told Damien my real name and what my life was like, and to my surprise he still loved me. He is the reason I’m here, after dating for a year he asked me to come to live with him, and I agreed. He was only eighteen so we’d be staying with his parents for a while, but soon we’d have our own place. He lived in Oxford, England so it was far away from my family, but I didn’t really mind that. 

 The drive to his house was quiet, except for the occasional questions about my life from Rina. “How do your parents feel about this? You’re only nineteen and Damien said they’re pretty protective,” She finally asked. I panicked inside, wondering whether or not I should tell the truth. I settled on telling half of the truth. “They weren’t the biggest fans, but I was planning on moving out soon anyway.” In actuality, they didn’t know I was leaving. They only knew I was gone when they woke up this morning to an empty bed. My parents would’ve never let me leave, especially if they knew about Damien, I’m surprised Randy even helped me. I refused to even look at my phone or turn it on because I knew my whole family was currently blowing it up with text and calls. 

I should probably explain that my family is not what is considered normal. My parents aren’t just your usual overprotective helicopter parents, instead, they are extremists. My dad’s name is Josiah Dakins and he owns a private island that he bought to isolate our family from society. Over the years, he has gained five wives, the first being my biological mother. My nine siblings and I were taught that my father was the holiest man alive and that he was all that we needed. We weren’t even allowed electronics till we turned eighteen. It was through the internet that I learned how wrong my parents were. This was when I finally decided to leave and move in with Damien.

We pulled to a beige two-story house located in the suburbs. A man, who I assumed was Damien’s dad, came out to greet me. I hadn’t brought anything except for a bag of clothes and other essentials, so there wasn’t much to unpack. Suddenly, I see someone running towards me and before I know it I’m in someone’s arms. I look up to see Damien’s smiling face and relax. “I’m so glad that you’re finally here,” he exclaimed. “Me too,” I whisper in reply. He quickly grabs my hand, nearly making me drop my bag, and pulls me into the house. The walls were pale yellow with family pictures decorating the walls. “Let me show my room,” he said, pulling me up the staircase. There were three rooms on the upper level, a bathroom, Damien’s sister’s bedroom, and Damien’s bedroom. Damien’s room looked like it had recently been cleaned, and was mostly empty except for a T.V., bed, and desk. He had a big childlike smile on his face as I looked up and kissed him. “That’s gross,” said a high-pitched voice behind us

“Oh Jeanna, this is my sister, Lorelai,” Damien said, introducing the small girl. “It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled at me and nodded, before running off. 

I spent the rest of the day being with Damien and his family, along with adjusting to everything. This family was much different than mine. There were no strict rules, Damien and Lorelai weren’t scared of their father, and the world wasn’t hidden from them. I felt love in their family, something I didn’t feel in my own. We also went out for dinner, which is where I realized that nothing here was like back home. Everyone seemed so relax, and it looked like I was the only tense person in the restaurant. People were talking during their meals, something I was taught to never do. One thing that I was grateful for was the heating and cooling system every building had. None of the buildings on the island had one, which you can imagine sucked on a tropical island. After dinner, Damien’s family went to bed while he and I sat on the porch. “So, you like it here,” he asked nervously. I smiled, “I love it here.” He stood and reached out his hand, and we went to bed.

The next morning, I woke up in Damien’s arms and it was the first time in a very long time that I felt truly calm. He sleepily opened his eyes and smiled as I moved to get up. He sat up and stretched, then quickly gave me a kiss on the cheek. I smelt bacon and eggs as we headed downstairs. His parents and Lorelai were already sitting at the dinner table. “Morning kids,” His dad chuckled. We sat down and as we ate I finally felt I was where I belonged. This home and this family were so different than my own, but that felt good. I felt happy, which was unusual for me. At that moment, I knew that I had made the right decision to leave and that life here will be better.