The Breaking Point

By Janaya Black

“Hell hath no fury like a broken woman”- Vanessa Jackson is a reporter on assignment at the Wayne County Women's Correctional Facility. Her assignment is to interview Marion Hayes, who was convicted to a life sentence for murdering her husband. At first Vanessa is a little put off about having to do the seemingly mundane interview in the first place, until she researches the case in depth and finds that there is more to the woman’s story than meets the eye.

What kind of woman murders her husband? Almost immediately upon meeting Marion, Vanessa becomes intrigued with the beautiful woman that is presented to her. She becomes mystified to understand how this woman, who exudes such strength and poise, could be capable of murder. No sooner is this question formed in her mind then the tape recorder starts rolling and she is taken deep into the grim existence of a woman who has known nothing but loss, abuse, and heartache all of her life.

You will become enthralled in the story of a woman who has become the prisoner of her mind and emotions and has no other outlet than to tell her story to a complete stranger to expunge her demons. You will feel the heartache of her tremendous loss, the suspense of her trials and tribulations, and the shock of the incident that finally drives her to the point of violence.

Travel with her from childhood with her mother-like love for her younger brother and their experience as they get bounced around as foster children at a young age, to the meeting of her childhood sweetheart who would be her soul mate, her battle with drugs and prostitution, and the many other obstacles that plague her life along the way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janaya Black
• Release date: Jan 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458023995

Janaya Black

Janaya Black is a woman who thrives in the capacity of wearing many hats. A passionate writer at heart, from the silver screen to the stage she seamlessly blends her creative drive and aspirations into the many other facets that make up her impressive resume. Janaya serves as president/CEO of Black-Smith Enterprises, an entertainment infrastructure created to house all of her creative projects. In 2004, Janaya wrote and published her first fiction novel The Breaking Point, followed by her second release in November of 2006, As Told by the Other Woman, and the third and final installment of the “Prison Chronicles” series Beautiful Rage: The Break of Dawn in 2008. With the release of her first book followed the spark that ignited her love for the art of independent filmmaking. After teaming with her husband Rockey Black to create a trailer for The Breaking Point, she then went on to write, direct and produce several short film projects and released her first feature length film, Till Death...Do Us Part, to DVD in 2009. In subsequent years, she went on to complete a plethora of other stage and film productions that include The Breaking Point, Idol, I Am My Sister’s Keeper, Why Do Men Cheat and Loud Pack, and most recently Warrior Pride, which was released in December 2018. Janaya is the proud mother of two beautiful children, a community advocate and in her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, playing sports and reading. For more information about Janaya Black, please visit www.black-smithenterprises.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @janayablack.

Book preview

The Breaking Point

Written by: Janaya Black

Copyright 2004

Cover Design by:

Ken Baker & Tyrone Staples

Edited By:

Patricia Barthwell

Published by:

Black-Smith Enterprises

Smashwords Edition License Notice

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

© 2004 Janaya Black

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All products and brand names mentioned in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademark of their respective owners. Black-Smith Enterprises is not associated with any product, person, place, or vendor mentioned in this book.

Published by: Black-Smith Enterprises 9/2004

ISBN: 0-9762720-0-8

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgements:

First, giving all honor to God from whom all blessings fall, and without whom I am nothing.

Thank you to my loving and devoted husband, Rockey Black, and my two beautiful children, DeShawndre and Makinlee. You guys are my world and I love you all very much. This is for us.

To my parents: Kenneth & Brenda Smith, Colette & Butch Jackson; I love all of you and thank you for being my backbone. You guys made me who I am. Now that I am an adult, you are the smartest people in the world! Thank you for putting up with me and always being there to give me that extra push. I couldn’t ask for better parents! I thank God for all of you.

Jason, JaNiece, Darnell, and Jerret: I love you guys more than life. You are the best brothers and sister a girl could ask for. I am proud of who you have all grown up to be.

To my aunt Lisa Winfrey: you always believed in me (not that no one else did) but you always made me try even when I didn’t want to and didn’t think I could. I love you.

Grandma & Granddaddy Washington: I love you guys! You are the best grandparents in the world.

To all of my loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family and friends thank you all for your continuing support and encouragement.

PROLOGUE

I.D. please, the security guard said dryly as she looked over my paper work.

I slid my driver's license and reporter I.D. through the glass opening, and proceeded through the metal detector. After making it through successfully without setting off the alarm, I was ushered to the holding cell so that I could be escorted into the visiting chambers.

I was on assignment at Wayne County Women's Correctional Facility to interview Marion Hayes, who was sentenced to life in prison after brutally murdering her husband. I had to admit that initially I was a little bitter at the fact I had been given this story, because to be honest, it seemed pretty mundane. But, for some reason the Woman's Lib Magazine, for which I was a reporter, just had to have the story. You hear about women offing their husbands all the time for infidelity and domestic abuse. But the further I dug into this case, the more intriguing it became.

I was very anxious to get in there and start the interview. By the time I had finished going through all of the security procedures and was escorted into the visiting room, Marion was seated at the table with her hands in her lap.

There are no words to describe my astonishment when I beheld the woman sitting in front of me. Even in the prison issued blue jumper she wore, she was a stunningly beautiful woman. At just a glance, you could see that she was a woman of strength and pride just from her posture. Her face held a certain hardness that was very intimidating, and her eyes gleamed with wisdom of life experiences.

I took a deep breath as I approached the table and extended my hand to introduce myself.

Ms. Hayes, I am Vanessa Jackson, I began, and I am very pleased to meet you. I would also like to thank you for granting me this interview.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Jackson, she replied, as she lifted her hands slightly to acknowledge my gesture and to show that she was not able to shake my hand because chain linked handcuffs prevented her from doing so.

Before we begin, I wanted to ask why you granted this interview to Woman's Lib after so long? They have been trying to get to you for a very long time, I asked.

She looked earnestly at me and simply stated, Well, sometimes you just need to get things off your chest, ya know?

Yes, I said, I do know. Well, where shall we begin? I asked, as I laid my tape recorder on the table.

The beginning is always best, she responded sadly.

Chapter 1

And so, my story begins, Marion said.

When I was eleven years old, my brother Chad and I were sent to an orphanage after both of our parents were killed in a car accident. We didn't have any close relatives that were willing to take us in, and our parents moved around so much that they never had a chance to make any friends, who would be willing to step in and take on that type of responsibility. So off to the orphanage we went; it was as simple as that.

My brother was five at that time, and even before the time of my parents passing, he was my sunshine. I loved my brother more than life. We only had each other. Our parents were not the loving or doting parents that some children are lucky to be blessed with. My mother was, you may as well say, a harlot and my father was a flat out drunk. So, I ended up with the responsibility of taking care of my brother all of the time anyway, since they were always partying.

I would be the one to feed him, read him stories, and tuck him in at night. In his eyes our mother was just a figure who passed through to rest everyday. I was his Sissy.

The orphanage in and of itself wasn't really that bad. We ate three square meals a day and had a warm place to sleep at night. Other than the fact I had to whoop a little ass every now and then, to show the other girls that I wasn't just a pretty face, it was ok. Most days me and Chad would keep to ourselves and I would just do my best to keep him entertained.

Then it happened. The Epps' came into the picture and little did we know that our lives would take an unexpected turn for the worse.

Michael and Janelle Epps were not able to have children of their own, so they wanted to be foster parents. They were a great looking couple. He was well over six feet tall with a muscular build and she was about five-foot-seven with shoulder length brown hair.

When they walked in, the head mistress gave them a tour of the facility and all while they were walking through, Mr. Epps had his eye on me the whole time. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me and I tried not to pay him any attention but I was very uncomfortable all of a sudden, so I took Chad to our room to play a board game.

A week or so went by and the head mistress called me into her office and told me to have a seat. I sat down apprehensively, as she closed the door and I tried to figure out what she could possibly want with me. I tried very hard to be invisible because I figured if nobody noticed me, then they would just leave me and my brother alone.

Marion, I have some very good news for you, she began and paused long enough for me to start squirming uncomfortably in my seat. There is a nice couple that wants to take you in.

Why...I mean, that's ok. I'm fine right here, I said nervously.

Why, Marion, don't you want to have parents and a nice home to live in? I thought this would make you happy. Do you know how many kids in this place would love to have this opportunity? she asked.

No, I said, and what about Chad? I ain't going nowhere without my brother.

That goes without saying, Marion. They want to take you and your brother, and I apologize for not being clear about that, she said gently.

I don't want to upset you, I thought you would be happy. Could we at least set up a meeting, and then you can make your decision from there, okay?

I guess, I replied.

Good. I'll set up a meeting for the day after next, how's that? she asked.

Fine, I guess, I said. I was very unsure of myself.

That night I couldn't sleep. I was torn between wanting a storybook family and not wanting to be disappointed. I already had parents and as far as I was concerned, I did just fine without any. At the same time, I wanted a mother for me, and a father for Chad. I could see myself going to the big shopping malls with a mom that lavished me with expensive gifts and a dad who would take Chad to little league games. I guess I owed it to him, to at least give it a shot.

Chapter 2

Today was the big day, and I just lay in the bed dreading the events to come. I rolled over to take a peek at Chad in the next bed and he was still sound asleep. I crept out of the bed and went into the bathroom to wash my face. As I looked into the mirror, I said a quick prayer and asked God to please let this be a good thing, and to please protect me and my little brother. We hadn’t asked for much, so I didn’t think it was an unreasonable request to put in.

After I finished getting dressed, I woke Chad up and made him wash up and get dressed. Once we were both ready, we went downstairs for breakfast. As we sat down at the table to eat, we received numerous glares from the other children, who were jealous that we had potential parents and they didn’t. I didn’t care.

We barely had a chance to finish our food, before Ms. Tinsley came in

Reviews for The Breaking Point

[sunflower38_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I try not to turn away from a book for poor editing, if the story is worth the read, I am elated when I encounter a book that is well written with a great storyline, and near perfect editing. Janya’s book “The Breaking Point” was a definite page-turner for me. At the end of her book, she gives you a taste of the other two in the series and let me tell you I forwent bed to start the next book “As Told By The Other Woman”.
I felt for the women in both books and was engrossed in their stories. I liked how Janaya showed the interviewer (Vanessa’s) excitement/ anticipation each week leading up to visiting each woman. I was right there with her and Janaya didn’t leave the reader hanging on waiting for numerous dragged out sequels. So, far each book has been relevant and concise and I appreciate that.
It’s hard to believe Mrs. Black hasn’t received the recognition, I feel, is deserved. This is great writing and storytelling and I think I can say that being the enthusiastic avid reader that I am. I’ve waded through nightmares, Classics, and Greats….