When Vows Are Broken

by Samuel L. Hair

Genres: African American; African American Urban

Synopsis

With her gorgeous coffee-and-cream complexion, long black hair, and a winning smile, April Mitchell-Bradford has the capacity to brighten up any room she enters. Everybody who knows her loves her—except her husband, Daryl. After years of putting on the facade of a happy marriage, April goes outside of her marriage to find the love she's never known but always felt like she deserved. When her sordid affair results in a pregnancy, Darryl wants to kill her, and her husband's girlfriend can't wait to take her place. So who's to blame when April is found murdered in cold blood?

Release date: August 1, 2013

Publisher: Urban Renaissance

Print pages: 288

Sample

Daryl and April had grown up on the same street. They attended the same schools from elementary through high school. They had been girlfriend and boyfriend since fifth grade.

Daryl joined the military immediately after high school, while April continued living with her parents. She took a part-time job at Target and enrolled at Compton Community College, taking classes toward a bachelor’s degree in sociology while patiently and faithfully waiting for her husband-to-be to come home in a few years. The plan was for Daryl to marry her, and work on building a family, a big family. For some reason April had envisioned a large family of four daughters, four sons, and a house full of grandchildren.

Because April and Daryl were madly in love the separation had been difficult for both of them, but keeping their meticulously planned futures in mind and embracing the motto “the best is yet to come,” they were determined to endure the long years of suffering.

They had planned to raise their family in a big, beautiful home, with the money he would receive under the G.I. bill. By then she would have her degree and would be making a decent salary, enabling her to contribute to the household finances and, at the same time, save toward their kids’ future and education. They had carefully covered all bases. The way they saw it, nothing would obstruct them. “Ain’t no stopping us now.”

They wrote love letters to one another practically every night during that separation until Daryl was deployed to the Philippines for a tour of duty. Unfortunately, he couldn’t resist the young, attractive, ready, willing, and able-to-sexually satisfy Philippine women who came in abundance for a cheap and affordable price.

Soldiers were always their best customers. Some soldiers fell in love and even made arrangements to bring women back to the States after their tour of duty; while others, like Daryl, who had girlfriends or wives back at home, were only looking to blow off a little steam to pass time. Out of curiosity and trying to get in where he fit in, his sex-capades triggered him to begin using cocaine and marijuana, and drinking alcohol at a level of self-destruction. He labeled it as fun but the reality and consequence of it was ruin.

During training camp in Okinawa, Japan, Daryl bragged to his friends and brothers back in the barracks that he had met Japanese women who fucked him like a black woman and sucked him like a white girl. He boasted that he’d even gotten his toes sucked and licked for five extra dollars.

These were the women who possessed the ability to have military men calling home to tell their wives they wanted a divorce, or were never coming back home. There were some men who never bothered calling home.

Daryl and his buddies often competed to see who could have sex with the most women, but Daryl had lost count after number 219. Unluckily for him, he had caught STDs on seven separate occasions from seven different women. Doctors had made it clear to him that he was now unfortunately a syphilis carrier, and that the disease would be a part of him, like an arm or a leg, for his rest of his life. That was something he would take to his grave without telling anyone. No way on earth could he ever tell April about that.

Daryl’s letters had obviously slowed down as his transition to becoming a habitual liar, a sex addict, and a disease carrier began.

He was so efficient at whatever he did, in three years he became buck sergeant and was in charge of a squad of eleven men, sharpshooters of various races who literally hated his guts due to his harsh and insensitive way of giving orders.

The times that Daryl had come home on leave, April could not help but notice his dramatically changed attitude. No longer did Daryl open car doors for April or shower her with flowers and chocolates or say nice things to her. And what really devastated her was that the “love by mail” had come to a disappointing halt. His letters were all I had to cling to until he came home, she said to herself.

She noticed that he no longer possessed a sense of humor and actually he barely smiled. His demeanor had transformed to an uncompromising authoritative figure that was equivalent to a deranged lunatic at times. But through all of that, April tried to remain positive. The Army has changed him, she would say to herself. But I still love him with all my heart. He’s my first, my last, my everything. And we’re gonna have a big family, a big, pretty home, and so much love between us, people will be jealous.

Out of love, April overlooked her fiancé’s flaws and embraced the good times they had shared during their school years, as well as their future plans, which was fuel to keep her motivated and sane.

She discovered that she was infected with syphilis after he had returned to his post. Having experienced his new attitude she was reluctant to bring it to his attention, but this was something that had to be discussed, immediately, and not through the form of a letter. She put in an emergency call to his post the following day.

“Shit happens,” he said to her, as if it were nothing. Then he began to justify his actions.

“Listen; I was drunk and let a few Oriental bitches suck my dick for a few bucks, okay? No fuckin’ big deal! You know where my heart is, baby, and if you ever start doubting where it is, then you’ve got a problem. You’re my trophy wife, my queen, my everything, sweetheart. I love you, April, and nothing can ever change that, not even a disease. So get treated; get over it.”

April couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She still loved Daryl with all of her heart and soul. She couldn’t believe he was talking to her like that.

“We’ll put this shit behind us,” Daryl continued. “That is, if you plan to move forward with me! Listen, April; those bitches fucked me and sucked me, I ain’t gonna deny that, but you’re the woman I love and that’s all that matters. Get over it!”

She was beyond hurt but, still, she was determined to have his baby. The failed pregnancy test she’d taken each time he left had only saddened her sensitive heart even more.

She cried continually and did not go to school for three whole weeks until finally receiving a letter. Even though Daryl didn’t have too much to say in the letter, it still gave her a sliver of hope. It read:


She noticed he had never apologized for his actions, but in spite of that, she returned to school the following morning.

When his tour of duty was finally over, Daryl came home and, as planned, he and April were married. They had a big, beautiful ceremony with lots of guests. As time went on, they worked the plan. Daryl had gotten hired on with the Post Office and as time went on he bought them a big house, which they filled with the best things that money could buy.

To friends, family, and just about everybody who knew them, April and Daryl seemed like the happiest couple alive. But behind closed doors, that was far from the truth. When Daryl came home from the Army, his habits of drinking, drugs, and womanizing came home with him. There were many nights when Daryl would stay out all night, if he came home at all. There were days and nights when April sat alone wondering where her husband was and wishing that he would come home. Many a night, she sat by the phone, dialing and redialing Daryl’s cell number. He would never answer and never bothered to return her calls.

When he would finally come home, Daryl was met by an angry and frustrated April with questions. Where have you been? What were you doing? Why couldn’t you answer the phone or return my calls?

But her questions were met by anger and attitude, as if she had no business asking. And if she continued to ask too many questions, the back of Daryl’s hand was the answer April received.

April was enduring a life of occasional physical abuse. There were many days she would go to work wearing sunglasses when makeup alone couldn’t hide the black eye. But more often Daryl’s abuse was verbal. His brand of verbal abuse was cruel and scared her soul. Although Daryl’s verbal abuse didn’t leave black eyes or visible bruises, it was causing serious damage to April’s self-image.

As April began to internalize the criticism and believe it was valid, her self-image sank lower and lower. She started feeling worthless, incompetent, and unlovable. April felt that if Daryl was thinking that she was so worthless and unlovable, then it must be true.

But Daryl was quite sensitive to outsiders finding out about the abuse, and was very careful to save those scenes for the home, or when they were alone. In public, Daryl was a delightful and charming man. He treated April with such respect that people often called them “the perfect couple.”

That’s how it was when they celebrated their anniversary the year before. They hosted a party and invited their parents and a few friends. Naturally, Daryl was on his best behavior, laughing and joking with their guests, and he was so loving to April. She silently wished she was married to that man all the time, not just when company was over.

Daryl was very careful to save his cruelty for a private audience of one: April. And like many women, April would never discuss verbal abuse with anybody. So she suffered alone and in silence.

When it came time to open their gifts, Daryl sat with his arm around April as their friends, Chris and Regina Jenkins, gave them their gift.

“We wanted to get you something that would fit the two of you,” Chris said. He had known Daryl since they went to high school together.

“Something you didn’t already have,” Regina added. Although she couldn’t really explain why, Regina didn’t really like Daryl. She simply put up with him on occasions like this.

Regina handed the gift to April. She smiled and was careful while opening the wrapping paper.

“It’s only paper, April,” Daryl said and laughed a little. Although he didn’t say it, April knew that she was taking too long to open the gift.

She quickly ripped open the paper and opened the box. April removed the contents and showed them to everybody. “They are king and queen of hearts matching lounging shorts,” Regina said.

“Oh, thank you,” April said.

Daryl grabbed his and stood up. “We are gonna be so cute in these, honey,” he said and laughed as he held the outfit up in front of him.

As things quieted down a bit, Daryl’s parents, Felton and Brenda Bradford, stepped up with their gift. “Regina is right. It is so hard to shop for you two, because you got everything,” Brenda said and handed the present to Daryl.

“That’s ’cause my boy knows how to take care of his woman. Just like his old man,” Felton said and Brenda took a playful swing at him.

Daryl opened the gift and quickly handed it to April. “It’s a knife set for cheese lovers; Pottery Barn antique-silver cheese knives,” she said.

“Thanks, Mom, Dad,” Daryl said and kissed April on the cheek.

“Yes, yes, thank you,” April said. “‘Vintage silverware that’s been passed down for generations inspired these heirloom-quality knives,’” she said, reading off the box. “‘Hand crafted of stainless steel with the names of four types of cheese on the handles.’” April got up and gave her mother-in-law a kiss. “Thank you, Brenda.”

“I know how you love your cheese,” she said.

When Daryl heard that his mother had bought the gift mainly for April, his eyes narrowed. “Like a little rat,” he said and then he laughed.

The next gift came from April’s parents, Stanley and Kathy Mitchell. “It’s so big,” April said.

“Not in front of company.” Daryl laughed.

April laughed a little and kept opening her parents’ gift.

“It’s a mirror jewelry organizer,” April said and Daryl rolled his eyes.

“It says it keeps up to three hundred and fifty jewelry items in view while you’re dressing and hides them behind the gently tilting mirror when you’re set to go,” Kathy announced.

The doorbell rang and Daryl got up to answer the door. He opened the door and smiled when he saw it was Anna Sims. Daryl winked at her and stepped aside to let her in. “Hey, everybody, I’m sorry I’m late.”

“Let me take your coat,” Daryl said.

“That’s okay, I can manage,” Anna said.

“Where’s Harvey?” Regina asked.

“It’s just me tonight, Regina. And it will be from now on. Me and Harvey are getting a divorce,” Anna said and quickly glanced at Daryl.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” April said.

“I’m not,” Anna said and handed her gift to April. “It’s nothing big,” she said, looking at the jewelry organizer. “Just a personalized keepsake photo clock.”

“It’s got a ‘forever yours’ picture frame and a clock.”

“To celebrate a love that stands the test of time,” Anna said and she and Daryl exchanged glances. Their affair was in full effect; only April was unaware of it at this time. But Daryl was the reason that Anna and Harvey had broken up.

Maxine Parker saw the way that Anna and Daryl were looking at each other and she didn’t like it. Even though she was married and her husband, Darnell, was sitting right next to her at the time, she was jealous. Unknown to April, she too had been sharing her bed with Daryl. The idea that he was fucking Anna Sims made her want to jump up from her seat and kick her ass, but she knew that she had better keep it to herself. No point in blowing a good thing, she thought. Maxine bit her tongue and picked up the gift that they had got for the Bradfords.

“Natural teak wood salad serving set,” April said and could tell that Daryl was getting angrier that none of the gifts seemed to be for him.

The only person at the party who didn’t have a gift was Tyrone Whitsey. He was a long-time friend of Daryl’s who had recently moved in with the Bradfords when his mother put him out.

He didn’t have a gift to give, mainly because he didn’t have a job, which was one of the reasons why his mother put him out. She hoped that forcing him out into the real world would bring about an acknowledgment that he had to work and become a contributing member of society in order to survive. But all Tyrone did was find someplace else to live free.

Tyrone had only lived with Daryl and April for a short time, but in that time he observed how Daryl mistreated April. He wondered how Daryl could treat her the way he did. Tyrone had always thought that April was beautiful. Now that he lived in the same house with her, he was able to get to know April. He found her to be intelligent and funny. April was kind to him, and considerate, and he enjoyed being with her when Daryl wasn’t around.

Since he didn’t have a gift to give, Tyrone had told April that he wasn’t going to be at the party, that he would find someplace to hang out, and asked if she would call him when the party was over so he could come home. April told him that he didn’t need a gift, that if anybody asked she would tell them that Tyrone had given his gift earlier.

It was things like that that made Tyrone wonder how Daryl could treat such a wonderful, considerate, and beautiful woman like April so badly. The more time he spent with her every day, in every way, Tyrone found that he was falling in love with April.

April Mitchell-Bradford was a gorgeous and energetic coffee-with-cream-complexioned African American woman. She had long black hair and a winning smile, and she had the capacity to brighten up any room that she entered. One thing was certain: everybody who knew her loved her. Everybody but Daryl, she thought. As her husband, he should love her most of all. But that wasn’t the case.

April rubbed her hands over her stomach, anticipating the joy of the first time she would hold her baby in her arms. She paced back and forth, trying to figure out how to tell her husband not only about her affair with his best friend, Tyrone, but also that she was pregnant by him.

After he was kicked out of his mama’s house, she and Daryl allowed Tyrone to move in with them.

At first, with Daryl being gone all the time, she and Tyrone became friends. Tyrone listened to her problems and concerns, unlike her husband. They laughed together, watched movies together; they danced to oldies, and played cards and dominoes. And then one day, it happened. They were talking and all of a sudden there was silence. One second April and Tyrone were looking at each other, and the next they were kissing.

Now April was pregnant with the baby of another man who she was undoubtedly in love with. She wondered how she would tell Daryl. She knew that she had to choose the right time to deliver the news, because Daryl could be violent if you caught him at the wrong time.

Suddenly, Daryl walked through the front door. He stood six foot five, and was controlling and narcissistic. She could deal with that, but Daryl cheated on her relentlessly and not just with one woman. He had been unfaithful for years and with many different women. Now he didn’t even bother to try to hide it.

It was no longer a secret to April or anyone else for that matter that Daryl had been with Anna Sims. She had become his favorite. The two indulged in drugs, alcohol, and hot, freaky sex, which was something he could not convince April to do.

Daryl walked in the house without acknowledging April. He walked right past her and made his way to the bathroom.

Daryl had an attitude, as he usually did when coming home to April after being out with Anna. Sex with her was incredible. Now he was ready to take a long, hot shower and then he wanted to go to sleep. Anna had that effect on him. He could tell by looking at her that April wanted to say something to him, but he didn’t want to hear any of her usual shit; not that night, or any other night for that . . .