SECRET LIFE SECRETS REVEALED

TRIPLE THREAT

In this wrap up we come across the parent's of the Secret Life children, and how they are dealing with all the mess their kids have grown into.

THE SHAME I BARE

In the chapter we begin with Shaker and Margaret who get into an argument over Ricky, after he tells them that his paternity suit is over.  He let's them both know that he will use this opportunity to get back with Amy, and hope their kids and the holidays will be enough to get her to forgive him.  Even though Margaret is happy to hear this Shaker who is now a retired surgeon is not very happy about the situation.  He believes that Ricky should first ask himself whether or not he wants to be with Amy otherwise this situation could happen again.  Margaret tries to argue against something like that, but Sanjay is insistent that Ricky do this.  Margaret and Shaker then argue about why he is hesitant to support Ricky's decision.   He finally reveals a guilty conscience he held for twelve years about Ricky's behavior.

He has always been ashamed of how Ricky acted when he was a teenager, and of how he treated women.  He also believes that Ricky is the cause of many of the problems that were caused so many years ago.  Margaret defends Ricky, by once again reminding Shaker of the abuse he suffered under Bob, but Shaker argues what Ricky did to Amy, Adrian, Grace, and so many other's was just as bad, if not worse because Ricky caused pain, and embarrassment to far more people.  Margaret tries to defend that Ricky never raped anyone, they chose to sleep with him.  But Shaker argues that Ricky is not the only one he is ashamed of he is also ashamed of both of them for not acting and stopping him from his activity.  He believes they should have began punishing Ricky for the things he did. and not allow him to do it more.  Margaret argues that when Ricky was 16 they had no control over what he did or who he did it with when he moved out.

Shaker shows he is even more ashamed of that, he believes they should have never let Ricky live on his own, and is also angry at Leo Boykewich for  interfering in their lives.  He also is happy that Leo's troubles have surmounted and that he and his son are no longer talking.  Margaret (who never really liked Ben she thought of him selfish, spoiled, rich, and entitled growing up alone compared to other's like herself who grew up in big families with little money, and had to work hard for everything they had)  tries to claim that Leo was a good man, and Ben was just an ungrateful son.  This anger's Shaker who unlike Margaret was very thankful for all Ben did to fix his son's many mistakes.  He even tell's Margaret this, which anger's her that he would see Ben in a better light than he saw their son.  She claims Ben just interfered or stuck his nose where it didn't belong.  But, he reminds her that the troubles caused by their son were only made easier because of Ben's interference.  He reminds her that Ricky did nothing to fix anything, and if anything he made things worse with his actions.  He reminds her that John lived because of Ben not Ricky, and John doesn't know any of this.  She argues that it would be wrong of them to tell John the truth because it would hurt his relationship with Ricky.  Shaker argues that none of them seemed to mind how their son's actions destroyed Ben's relationship with his father.

Margaret tries to once again defend Ricky by reminding him of the job, Ricky had with Leo and all he had done to change.  Shaker reminds her that he only got the job because of Ben's interference, and he also reminds her of the problems they were facing now.  He flatly states that once again Ben is the one doing all the work while their son get's the praise.  Margaret tries to claim that Ben was spoiled, and he needed to grow up.  Shaker reminds her of all the things that were gained by Amy, and Ricky from the job with Leo to the home they live in.  He counters that if anyone were spoiled it was their children.  He let's her know that he talked with George who informed him of all he had learned from Leo, and Chloe of what Ben had been through.  He is ashamed that they would force him to go through all of that after all he had already been through.  Margaret tries to argue that anything Ben had been through was his own fault and he deserved it.