A true Cinderella Story

Joyce’s story,

BANG, the door slamming made Joyce jump. Her drunken father (Don) was home. Whenever he came home drunk he always found something that Marty, her step mother, didn’t do or do. Joyce ran to her bedroom to get away from the yelling, and wished she could go back to her mothers, even though she just got there. She and her older sister (Katie) go to their fathers’ house every other weekend during school and then stay two weeks every month during the summer.

Joyce parents split up when she was only three. So having 2 homes was normal to her. But her normal wasn’t really normal. Her parents always fought about who got her and her sister for the holidays or birthdays. It really put Joyce in a terrible state of mind. She just wanted peace and everyone to be happy. Joyce was the baby to her father until her step mother had a baby girl Rae. As soon as Rae was born Rae was spoiled to death! Joyce was never spoiled she was always picked on and teased. Her mom was so busy so neither parent gave Joyce the love or time she needed. She was left with her siblings to bully her. Both siblings always told her she was fat and ugly. When Joyce started hitting puberty she grew hair on her upper lip and her step brother always told her it was ugly and she had a caterpillar on her lip. Everyone thought it was funny but to Joyce each time they picked and teased the more she hated herself. It got to the point that she didn’t think a single person loved her. And it gave her a huge complex about herself. She begun to believe she was fat and ugly and no one would love her.

Joyce began to space out a lot. Everyone began to make fun of her for it. They’d tease her and told her she was in dreamland. But she enjoyed spacing out, imagining a world with peace and beauty. She would daydream all day if she could, anything to get away from reality where everyone seemed to ignore, tease or destroy her inner self. She just wanted to be happy, and have a happy family with everyone getting along. She’d day dreamed so much that one of Marty’s friends called her a flat liner. Which everyone thought was hilarious, and that became her nickname. Joyce was a little taken aback, it was a weird nickname, but everyone laughed so she was happy everyone was happy. But Joyce didn’t even know what it meant until she got a little older…. She was livid once she found out what it meant, they pretty much was calling her a dead person. But she did nothing about it because her heart is too soft and all she wanted was for everyone to be happy. She hates conflict. She would do anything to make anyone happy no matter how unhappy she was. But no matter how hard she tried no one seemed to appreciate anything she did.

Joyce always got yelled at for something stupid when she was little, for things she didn’t even do. Like one time her step brother took apart a special pen and broke it, when his mother found out he blamed it on Joyce.

“But I didn’t do it, He did…..” Joyce lifter her hand to point at her step brother.

Smacking her hand down Marty yelled “You little liar stop blaming others for what you did and just admit you did it.”

“But….”

“No buts go clean the dishes!”

Joyce's step mother had a part time job so she wasn’t always home to clean so she made her kids do the job. It got to the point where Marty became very lazy and had her kids or step daughters do most the work. Her son had chores too but he would hardly do them. Joyce's big sister did some but it would always be put on Joyce. She did as she was always told to try and keep the peace. She was only 10. Life didn’t get any easier for her either. Her heart was so soft and tender; little did she know doing as they pleased would soon make them know they could use her. As Joyce grew up more and more Marty would begin to use her more and more.

Joyce heart was so tender that little things would hurt her now but she learned to toughen up and hide all the feelings, cause she learnt no one was there to even care. As time went on Joyce just stepped so far into imagination that she never made any friends. She tried to be friends with her older sister but her sister just pushed her away every time Joyce tried. One day Kate even told Joyce that she hated her. Joyce was devastated cause she tired so hard to make her sister laugh and tried so hard to become best friends. The only thing that kept her from falling apart was her songs. But even then tears would still come through.

“It’s a bubbling, it’s a bubbling, it’s a bubbling in my soul, I’m singing and I’m shouting since Jesus he made me whole. Some people don’t understand me, but there’s one thing that I know! It’s a bubbling, a bubbling, a bubbling! It’s a bubbling in my soul!” She loved that song ever since her Sunday school teacher taught it to her class.

Joyce had a puppy, she would play with from time to time. When she had to take him out to go poddy she would run with him and play catch. Then after she was done she’d tie him up so he wouldn’t run away. Everyone would be in the house doing who knows what and Joyce took the time to play on the swing set to sing her heart out.

The swing set was far from the house so she felt like no one would hear her so she would sing her emotions out. She loved the song so much that when she was told to take her little sister out to play she sang it to her little sister. She would teach her little sister all the songs that she loved hoping she would share the love in the future. Rae was only 3 but Joyce hoped Rae would be her friend.

The time her father used her,

“You need to stop going out to the bar and drinking, you come home drunker than a skunk!” Marty yelled.

“Yah, yah, you tell me this all the time! I don’t get drunk anyways!” Don was getting angrier by the moment. “I drink to help settle down for the day I enjoy the taste! I don’t get drunk!” (They fight even without him being “Drunk”)

“Whatever! You get mean when you come home so you’re drunk!” Marty was getting fed up.

“Whatever, I’m gonna go to Bryans and I'm gonna take Joyce with me and have some father daughter time.” (knowing his full intent to go to the bar) He walked away from Marty and went to get Joyce from her room. “You want to spend time with your daddy today? I am going over to Bryans first then we will go out to eat.”

“Would I ever! Yes I would love too!” Joyce got excited she hadn’t spent one on one time with her dad in ages! She got ready to go and they both headed out the door. They left in style, with her daddy’s smoken hot car.

Marty yelled after him “You better not come home drunk!”

Little did Joyce know what her father was really up to. They went to Bryans and his little girl was home. Joyce tried to play with her but Joyce was just shy and didn’t know what to play. Joyce just enjoyed being with her father. She felt like she was being spoiled. She could eat any snack she wanted or any drink. Joyce did notice that they did have beer cans in their hands. But what would a beer can hurt at least it wasn’t a bar….

“Shon is working tonight.” Bryan was saying.

“Oh that’s no fun! We should go pay him a visit!” Don seemed like he was a bit giddy about it.

“What about your daughter?” Bryan asked

“Oh she’ll be fine they have touch screens to keep her busy.” Don asked for Joyce to come here just then.

“Yes, daddy?” she gave him a hug.

“Are you having fun?” Don hugged her back.

“As long as I am with you I am.” Joyce smiled as happy as could be.

“You want to go out to eat now? But where I take you, you can’t tell anyone else! It will be our little secret.” Don smiled.

Joyce got excited a secret can be fun if it’s somewhere special! “I won’t tell anyone!” She grinned ear to ear, thinking it’s her and her daddy’s little secret!

They show up to the place and order some food. After they finished he told her she could go play on the screen in the corner. It was rare to do so Joyce got even more excited. “Will you play checkers with me?” Joyce asked her daddy.

“Sure honey, sure in a bit.” Don turned to his friends once Joyce was occupied with the touch screen in the corner. “I’ll have another beer.” He rose his glass to his bar tender friend.

Time passed, Joyce started to get tired and was bored of the games on the touch screen. Her father didn't come over to play checkers with her either. she turn around to look for her father, when she didn't see him right away she began to get scared. She looked harder then she saw him, he was up front with the man who just gave him another drink. As Joyce got closer to her daddy, she realized her daddy wasn’t sober anymore. It hit her when she took a look around and saw signs of “BAR” all around. How she missed that earlier, was probably because she was excited about eating out with just her daddy. What she thought was a daddy, daughter day out turned into a nightmare. She finally got to her dad “Daddy, I’m ready to go, I’m tired.”

“Okay, let me finish this.” Don was already as drunk as could get.

Shon looked at Joyce and back at Don, “Look man you better go and take your little girl home.” He grabbed Don's drink since don didn't have a hold of it.

“Hey, I can finish that!” Don slurred his words a bit.

Shon looked at Joyce and Shon saw that Joyce was beginning to look scared. Joyce knew what he was drinking and she shook her head to her father’s friend. Shon took that as his answer and he didn’t give Don back his drink. “I think you had enough, You need to get your daughter home. How did you get here?” Shon asked.

“Bryan brought us” Don said with a bit of a tone

“How are you getting home?” Shon was genuinely concerned.

“We can walk to Bryan's and pick up my car.” Don said while turning away from the table.

Shon wasn’t happy with that so he clocked out and made sure they got home.

As they walked up to the house her father hissed. “Don’t you dare say a word where we went.”

As soon as they stepped inside, Marty was waiting, “where were you?”

“Out, can’t a father have fun with his daughter?” Don hissed.

“Were you drinking?” Marty’s voice was beginning to rise.

Joyce was about to run and hide when her older sister and step brother stopped her. “Where did you all go?” They whispered but had a bit of a hiss to it.

“Joyce did you tell them?” Her father yelled.

“She didn’t have to! You rank like beer!” Marty raised her voice even more.

Her siblings hissed at her even more. “Where did you all go?!?”

“We, we... went.... to ….the.... bbbaarrrr.” She drug out the words as much as she could. Joyce shivered a little she was scared and frightened everyone was yelling. She just wanted to disappear. Tears started to well up in her eyes. They started to blame her, as if she knew that’s where they were planning to go. And why she didn’t try to stop him. Joyce ran to her room. And she was happy to be alone so she can cry and let out her feelings. Soon she fell asleep.

Joyce getting older,

A few years later, her father found a house closer to where her mom lived. He used to live about an hour and a half away. So he decided it was time to move closer to his girls. This is where Joyce’s life becomes even more of a disaster, and she began to feel like Cinderella. After the move Marty ended up not getting another job so she was home all the time. In about half a year to a year later Don fond out his sister and her husband had been mentally and sexually abusing their six children. Child services took them away and Don had the option of taking a few of the children. He took 4 in right away and Marty had to step up as a mother to 4 more little kids ages 13, 7, 3, and 2. She wasn’t ready for this and it was a surprise for us all. Marty must have had a small hatred for Joyce because every time Joyce was over she would put her to work. Every time a diaper was dirty or they were hungry Marty had Joyce clean them up and make them food while she sat and watched her show. Joyce simply obeyed and Marty enjoyed it.

“DO the laundry!" She would say. "Do the dishes, get them something to eat, change that diaper. Get them something to wear. GO take them to the park. Do this, and do that." Joyce began to get over whelmed, She felt like a mother at the age of 13. To top it off even more she still had her Sister and step brother tease her and bully her. Her heart was on the verge of giving up. Even if she wanted to she couldn’t just go back to her mom’s. Her dad would through a cow, and yell at her mom because it’s his week or weekend! Joyce didn't want that conflict again. But she would call her mother to pick her up when Marty and her dad get into huge fights, and yell and scream. Joyce absolutely hated it and just wanted to get away. Her father would get physical sometimes and Joyce couldn't handle it.

Joyce couldn’t wait for Sunday and have her mother pick her up for church. Church was her refuge, her get away card, her peace. The only space Joyce did get was when she was at her mom’s or church. Living with her mom was a little less demanding but even then her mom needed help. She was raising 4 kids alone. Joyce’s brothers where too little to lift anything heavy, and Katie wouldn’t lift a finger so Joyce stepped in. Joyce’s mother had surgery to where she couldn’t lift anything more than 5 pounds for years.

Joyce just didn’t have the time to grow up and understand herself. She didn’t even know who she was anymore. She never opened up to anyone because she didn’t trust a soul. Her wall just kept getting higher and higher, thicker and thicker. She was about to give up. Even though her mother’s house was better than her dads she still didn’t get the love she needed because her mother (Susan) didn’t know Joyce was seriously struggling. At church she did make a few friends, all for laughs and fun she still didn’t open up to anyone. All Joyce wanted was love and no one was giving it to her. At the age of 15 she started searching for someone to love her. She was so depressed at this time that if she didn’t find what she was looking for, she just wanted to give up completely. She wanted to get away from her old life and have a prince charming caring for her.

Susan always told Joyce that life wasn't a bed of roses because she felt like Joyce daydreamed to much and thought that life was pink and rosy with sunshine and rainbows. But Joyce knew, she knew life wasn't all dreams and rainbows. Her life from the start was all chaos. But she did hope that she would find someone to sweep her off her feet and make everything go away. Was she dreaming to hard in this life of chaos? She hoped not because she needed a Knight in shining armor to save her from this lonely world she lived. She hoped he would save her soon before she couldn't handle it anymore.

Joyce’s knight and shining armor,

Joyce liked a few guys but none made a move. She was too shy to say anything besides she was only 15. Joyce Liked 2 guys at her mom’s church (Allen & Larry) she was waiting for one of them to make the move. She thought for sure they liked her too. But then again she felt like she really didn’t know what love even was. Allen ended up dating a girl so Joyce got over him fast. She wanted a boyfriend so bad, just to have someone love her and to be treated like a Queen or at least have someone give her attention. But it seemed like the more she wanted a boyfriend the more the chance was slipping through her fingers.

The year she turned 16, her mom’s church took the youth group to a camp meeting. That year she thought for sure Larry was going to ask her out soon. They talked so much in a few days’ time at that camp. He flirted with her and she flirted with him. He even let Joyce use his jacket when she got cold. She was head over heels for him. Joyce thought he was the one. After they got back from that camp meeting she told her mom she liked him. Then she waited, and waited but the day never came when he asked for her to go out on a date. When she thought her world was coming together it fell apart.

Joyce was in the boy crazy stage she couldn’t wait forever for Larry. She let him go for a little bit and focused a little on school. She still had a huge crush on him but she was waiting for him to make the move. But then one day that same year she met another guy.

One day her father took her to a bomb fire at her uncles and one of her father’s friends was there with his son (James.) He was hot and tall, he caught her attention. They gave each other there numbers and started talking. To get to know each other better they played the game 20 questions. They hit it off right away. Joyce was very giddy, she tried to hide the fact she liked him but once they saw each other more and more and talked He ended up asking if she had a crush on anyone. He wanted to help her out and text her crush. But he ended up figuring out that it was him. He had a girlfriend at that time so it was ignored. One day he asked if she wanted to go to a baseball game and she jumped at the chance. His dad had 4 tickets and James got to invite a friend and he choose Joyce. She went with her father’s help; he covered it up because Joyce’s mom didn’t like the idea of her and James.

During the ride there Joyce found out his ex-girlfriend and him broke up she tried her best to get him to be interested in her. But nothing happened. Joyce was head over heels for him but he didn’t want to be boyfriend and girlfriend. He later told her he don’t do long distance relationships. His parents were split up as well and he lived with his mom who lives an hour away. Even though he told Joyce that she still tried to do anything to get him to be her boyfriend. She had a dream that she hoped would come true. She dreamed one night that he told her to meet him at a park and when she showed up music was playing and he took her by the hand. He pulled her close and asked her to be his girlfriend… If only that be true... But sadly that never came true. They hanged out a few times and text a lot. Soon he began to slowly back away. Soon James stopped replying to her except here and there. He got another girlfriend after girlfriend but never wanted her. Her heart was put at a stop. She still didn’t want to give him up. Her heart was in the beginnings of breaking. She still had a crush on Larry so instead of Allen and Larry it was now Larry and James. She started to get deeper and deeper into depression.

It is now a year later and the same camp meeting is happening again. But this time Larry’s not going. So Joyce made up her mind she wasn’t going either. But her friends talked her into going. She had it all in her mind that nothing was going to change. But was she very wrong!?

She met another guy, his name is Jared. He changed her whole world. He rode in the same bus as her and they talked and talked. There was just something about him that made her heart stop, or rather skip a beat. She completely forgot about the other two crushes she had. They never crossed her mind she just wanted to get to know this new guy. She stalked him at the camp and hanged out with him, talked, and played games. She was in love. But the weekend was coming to an end. She was worried they would lose touch forever. He lived three hours away from where she lived and he never asked for her phone number. When they finally reached the church and everyone was picked up. Joyce was torn apart, he didn’t even have Facebook! His brother did so she friended him, but she still didn’t hear anything from Jared. The camp did change her she felt more free but losing all contact from Jared tore her into pieces. She was head over heels for this guy and she lost all contact with him. Then about a week later Jared got Facebook and messaged Joyce right away! He wanted her number and to get to know her.

His whole family came down that year for a church meeting her church was having. And the relationship grew. They had a few minor problems along the way of their relationship but nothing stood a chance they both were in love and nothing could hold them back. By Christmas that year they were officially dating. Joyce’s mother was trying to take control of her relationship because church people were trying to guide her to guide Joyce. She wasn’t allowed to text or call him but on her mother’s phone till she was 18. Because men will be men and things are very tempting and she just turned 17. She didn’t want her second daughter to go the route of her oldest daughter so she tried to protect her as best as she could. And for Joyce’s mother trying to control her dating Jared, it created a small resentment Joyce had towards her mother. But love will be love, so they secretly texted each other no matter how hard Susan tried to keep it to a minimum. But Jared didn’t want Joyce to get into continuously huge trouble so he broke up with her. The longest they ever broke up was about a month, after that it got shorter and shorter. They couldn’t stay away from each other.

Jared made Joyce's world much better. He helped Joyce tear down her walls she built when she was little. When he would visit he would hold her close when he knew something was bothering her until Joyce would open up to him. He treated her like a queen and wanted her to feel free. He took loads off her that she kept building up inside. Jared helped Joyce discover the true Joyce inside. When Joyce turned 19 they got happily married. She forgave her mother for trying to control her relationship; she understood she was just trying to protect her. So mother and Daughter became best of friends!

He may not be a prince with a huge castle but he sure did treat her like a queen! Being married to Jared changed her world completely. He hasn’t once raised his voice at her and they been married for four happy years now. That it’s self is a blessing. Joyce is overwhelmed at how much he cares for her. Maybe dreams do come true, because forever Joyce had dreamed of this moment of a happy home and a happy marriage, with a peaceful life in a peaceful town. She still struggles with the control her father’s side wants but her husband is there for her to help her be strong for herself and to let no one ever use her again. Jared is her Knight in shining armor!