Well I have decided to stop this story because events have taken place which made me stop. The following will show some scenes that would have happened. Leo left Ben his company in an attempt to gain some forgiveness and understanding from Ben since he believes that he allowed Ricky to come between he and Ben. It also showed how he was sorry he never tried to understand how difficult it was for Ben to deal with so much at such a young age.
From being there for Amy after she was pregnant byRicky, to having him take this Ricky under his wing and put him in a place in his life that was almost equal to him, and actually force him to accept each situation without really understanding how difficult that would be. He also had a nightmare where his wife was furious with him for allowing her son to leave and not want to return. This prompted him to want to change the situation, but Ben now being more mature didn't want to alter his life any longer to accommodate anyone including his father.
Ricky on the other hand would have been angry because he wanted to have it all. Leo, Amy, his friendships with Adrian, Grace, Jack, Omar, and Alice and Henry, as well as the company. But unknown to him two people stood in his way and they would never allow him to have the company. Camille, and Chloe who in his will Leo would have left 25 percent of his company.
Despite Leo's attempt to leave Ben the company who knew Ben would refuse so in order to ensure Ben would have to accept his offer, he created a stipulation that stated Ben's wishes to have his entire inheritance turned into a foundation to cater to troubled youths would not be activated until he ran the company for one full year. At which point a new CEO would be named. The money from Ben's stocks in both his magazine, and his father's company would go to continued funding of this organization called THE MERCY FOUNDATION in honor of his little girl.
There would have been drama like an argument between Ben and Ricky regarding Nora whom Ben transferred from being his assistant to the head of the personnel department. Ricky would have questioned Ben about his decision angrily because Leo had his mom as an assistant, but Ben having put up with Ricky's crap in high school and after being the boss in his own magazine doesn't want to be confronted by him.
Here is how the conversation would have gone.
Ricky: Why would you move my mom to a new position she knows this company better than anyone. Ben she helped your Dad for ten years, and you just transfer her like that.
Ben: Ricky, your mom was my Dad's assistant and he did business differently from me. I spoke with Nora already about the situation and she was more than understanding about why I didn't want her as my assistant and more than reasonable about the position I was giving her. Also you should understand that my Dad is no longer the CEO of this company I am. And I will not be questioned about who I have working for me as MY ASSISTANT.
Ricky: I'm just asking Ben why would you not want her as your assistant.
Ben: Ricky that is not your business, and neither is this company. Its mine, so remind yourself of that and never let me have this conversation with you again.
Ricky: You know what Ben its been years and you are still the same kid you were in High School.
Ben: Ricky I stopped being that kid a very long time ago. And if you ever question me again or try to act as my superior I will remind you that you are not my superior in any way. Not in life and especially in this company.
Ricky: Well I must be in some way because Amy and Adrian thought so.
Ben: Yes, they did. But my Dad didn't. Or other wise you would be the one behind this desk and not me.
Ricky: The only reason you are there Ben is because your Dad felt he owed you something.
Ben: No, Ricky he knew unlike you I owe no one nothing. The business I have I started with my own hand just like he started this one, and my Grandfather started the butcher shop, and my uncle started his hotel. I never wanted this company, because unlike how you so wanted, and wished to be his son. I am his son. Boykewich men do for themselves and take responsibility for their own. We are no strangers to hard work or dedication.
Ricky: Yeah, well I guess the work I did with Amy and Adrian was a bit harder than yours.
Ben: Probably, but then again that is the only work you can do well.
Ricky: You are still jealous of me for having John, Amy, and Adrian like I thought.
Ben: Ricky, I am not jealous or envious of you. I pity you. Because I don't have a family, or any children. But I have a clear conscience. My daughter died before she was born, but I was there for her from the very beginning. I didn't have someone else sacrifice or bleed for my child. Nor did I ever deny her to anyone. You did. No matter what you have. I might not have a wife and kids, but what I do have I worked for, and no one else is responsible for helping me get it.
Ricky: Everything I have Ben I worked for too.
Ben: You had me and anyone else do the hard work. Were you the one who stayed by Amy's side while she was pregnant with John or was that me. How long exactly did it take you before you even acknowledge to everyone you were the father, and it was you who got her pregnant. Did you ever tell John how you treated Amy while she was pregnant with him.
Ricky: I made mistakes Ben, I admit that, but I changed to be there for Amy and John.
Ben: (Clapping hands) Bravo Ricky, it only took you screwing up her relationship with me, and fucking half the girls in high school and the surrounding area to do it. I was there for Amy and that was never my child. I did it while Adrian was carrying my child. I did it after my child died, and Adrian was so depressed, I had to stay up for hours while she slept because I was afraid she might hurt herself if I didn't. I did it when both Amy and Adrian said they wanted you and not me. I did it when my two best friends betrayed me, and I almost went to jail for a crime I didn't even commit. I stood my ground when my father lost faith in me, and started grooming you as his new son. I did it when my sister needed me to be there for her,when people found out about her past life. I did it for your little brother when his girlfriend broke up with him.
Ricky: Well give you a medal, Ben but no one ever asked you too do any of that stuff. No one owes you anything for that.
Ben: You're right they didn't so ask yourself, "WHY I DID IT RICKY". Because I had to do it. Because if I didn't do it who else would have. You. Amy had to be pregnant, be in a troubled relationship with me, and you had fuck Adrian, and her head up before you were even there for her. I never did it for a reward Ricky. I did it because unlike you I knew they needed me, and I'm not comfortable sitting in the sidelines watching people suffer, or causing them to suffer.
Ricky: I never made anyone suffer Ben.
Ben: Really? What would you call how Amy cried about her situation being. Or Adrian hurting from the lies, the cheating, and using her for sex? But, let me guess, its not your fault because you were molested.
Ricky: Yes, Ben I was molested and that screwed me up. You don't know how that feels or what that does to you. So don't you dare stand and make judgements about me or what I did.
Ben: Yes, I can. I lost my mom when I was 10. That didn't make me go out and screw every older woman I met. I lost Amy after I slept with Adrian, and that didn't make me do bad things to you or anyone else. I lost my daughter when I was seventeen, and that didn't make me abandon Adrian or anyone else. I lost my marriage when I was eighteen and I didn't blame you or anyone else for that, but me. So grow the fuck up, Ricky. You aren't the first person who's dad touched him, and sadly enough I know from my work you weren't even the last. I know about hundred's to thousands of cases of boys, girls, men, and women who have suffered for years by people like Bob, and worse. That didn't make them hurt others. Chloe was in a worse situation than you and she never once blamed any of her mistakes on her past.
But, you Ricky are just full of excuses. It was not your fault, its Bob's because he touched you. Your dad didn't make you sleep with anyone. Your dad wasn't there that night you slept with Amy without a condom, knowing you could have given her much worse than a pregnancy. He wasn't there any of the times you were with Adrian. He wasn't there any of the times you stood and lied to me claiming to be my friend. You did all of that on your own. Your father was a monster, but you were the one who chose to use what he did to you, as an excuse to hurt and use so many others. Man up and take responsibility for your mistakes.
I accept responsibility for all of my fuck ups. I fucked up my relationship with Amy, when I dated her. Just like I slept with Adrian and got her pregnant. Just like I fucked up my marriage to Adrian, and my relationship with my dad. I can admit that because those are my mistakes. I made them, and I accept the responsibility for them. I don't pass the buck like you Ricky, because I might not be the man Adrian, Amy, or anyone in this God forsaken town wanted, but I am man enough to know why and admit it to myself.
But I accepted that, and I fixed my life without pulling anyone else down with me. I left everything I loved, and knew to start over. I worked to get my life back to a point where I liked myself again. I worked two jobs to go to school, and graduate with a degree in Journalism, and Business with a 3.75 GPA. I made friends with my roommates, that has lasted almost ten years. I wrote every article and online blog that got me noticed by newpapers, and magazines. I applied and worked like a dog for the London Press. I went out and got the stories that other people were not interested in writitng so I could give a voice to kids like me, you, Amy, Adrian, and everyone else.
I started my own magazine with my own hard work and a little bit of money given to me by my uncle Alfredo after he died. So Ricky what have you ever been able to done on your own. Now, get out of my office, and go back to yours Mr. Underwood. Ben said that with emphasis as his hand landed on the name plate on his desk which read "MR. BOYKEWICH". The name plate that Leo kept from his father. He did that to remind Ricky, Boykewich was his last name not Ricky's.
The rest of the story would have Ricky angry that Ben asked Clementine to be his new assistant as well. Ricky believes he did this in an attempt to get the one girl he never had, but Ben only did it to give Clementine a helping hand since she could not find work other than being the manager of a small coffee shop after college. In an odd turn of events Clementine begins to develop feelings for Ben, feelings Ben does not reciprocate. In his office one night she kisses him and Ricky looks on. Ben instead of continuing the kiss breaks off and lets her know he has no romantic feelings for her or anyone. Ben although is successful has grown cold to the ways of romance. Having his heart broken by all of his former friends has kept him distant from everyone including his friends. Eli, Marcus, and Tess.
Through them she learns the only time Ben ever really relaxes is when he celebrates the deaths of his mother and daughter. The reason why they are all so loyal to Ben is because in the darkest times in their life Ben was there to give them comfort just as he did for Amy, Adrian, Ricky, and Chloe. Eli was engaged to a beautiful girl who was killed in a car accident. In his darkest hour he tried to commit suicide until Ben stopped him, and helped him overcome her death by helping him to see that killing himself would not be what his fiancee Claire would have wanted. Like he and Adrian Marcus and Tess lost a child, through miscarriage. But unlike he and Adrian, Ben traveled from Europe to Canada, and used his own money to start his Canada Office in order to help them through that ordeal. He told them of how when he and Adrian lost their child they're friends offered little to know comfort because they were to young, and selfish to handle such an ordeal, but he would not abandon them as his friends did him.
Despite his current emotions toward love, she learned Ben had been involved with other women his first relationship was with Cara Ramirez a raven haired young woman who had a promiscuous nature like Adrian, whom Ben had as a FRIEND WITH BENEFITS relationship which lasted until a few months ago when she met a person whom she wanted to settle down with. When Ben returned to Canada she and he had one last fling, and she asked him if he wanted to be more than friends, Ben not wanting to experience that pain said no. He said goodbye to her and wished her luck, and love in her new romance. She simply said she wished it was with him.
Another relationship was with Felicia, a red haired photographer from New York, Ben met while living in London. They met while working for the same paper, and had a small office romance. Even though they had a lot in common Ben refused her advances as well to be in a full committed relationship. The last and most disappointing relationship was with Raven. A Native-American professor whom Ben met while working on a story about teenagers of the Native America, and how they continued their old traditions of transitioning them from childhood to teen years to adult-hood. Ben wrote about the conditions that their tribe had to live under, and the difficulties many of the kids had to get a proper education. Because of his story the Native American Counsel after 235 years gave the U. S. its first Native American founded University. Called NATU Native American Tribal University.
Raven was a few years older than Ben, but she was very beautiful and was a Dr. of Anthropology, and Cultural History. She and Ben according to Tess were so good together. Unfortunately Raven wanted to be more than friends, and she made that obvious to Ben. However Ben was a man of his word and he ignored her advances as well. She was now engaged and pregnant to one of her colleagues. This made Clementine feel bad for how a great person like Ben, could be so kind and lonely at the same time. She learns that most of the time Ben just has one night stands or useless one week relationships with women. They find it so wrong because Ben knows the name of every woman he slept with and even has all of their contact information. What surprised most was Ben even helped some of them with jobs or bad situations they were in. But all were just meaningless flings for him. Clementine feels bad for Ben, but thanks to her new found friendship with Ben and his friends she begins to develop feelings for Eli and he for her.
Ricky later confronts Clementine about her relationship with Ben, who is offended by his accusations about she and Ben. This incidents gets a prompt slap to the face for Ricky, and angry words from Clementine. She then relates news of Ben to Adrian, Amy, Grace, and Alice, about Ben and his impromptu life. This situation makes all of them guilty about how they all had some part in Ben's emotional shut down. It is in this reasoning that Clementine talks to Ben about his past sexual life and how it came about. Ben then tells her that out of all the women he slept with only three of these women had any signicance. Adrian, Cara, and Alice which shocks Clementine to learn of her and Ben's encounter. She later recants this news to the rest of the group which causes a scene between Alice and Adrian.
Chloe was engaged to her college boyfriend Adam, and invited everyone. Since Leo was gone she asked her brother to give her away at her wedding. During the ceremony Ben gave a toast which made everyone shed a tear since he reminded everyone of how difficult love was to find, have, and also hold onto. He also let them no love was worth having and not letting go of. This made all who really knew Ben understand despite his demeanor of never wanting to be in love again, he truly yearned and desired it. In attendance was Grant/ Lauren married. Madison/ Jason married. Cathy/ David Married. Ethan/Daffney dating. Omar/ Adrian for looks only. Ricky/ Amy married but mad. Jack / Grace Married with child. Henry/ Alice married. Tess/ Martin. Clementine/ Eli dating. Reuben/ Cindy still married. George/ Kathleen Married. Tammy/ Tom married one child. Zoe / Joe dating. Bunny/ her husband. Betty/ her husband. Anne/ Nora dating. Camille/ missing Leo.
During the slow dance Ben danced with Camille who cried because dancing with him reminded her of Leo, and how he missed being able to give Chloe away. However Ben's former guidance counselor Mr. Molina was in attendance was there to give her some comfort. It is during this that Ben left the wedding and drove directly to the cemetery. Because Chloe had deliberately scheduled her wedding on Mercy's birthday in an attempt to relieve Ben of his pain. She wanted to associate the saddest day of her brothers life with a happy one. As he left only one person knew where he would be going and followed.
Ben left his car and walked to the markers of his father, mother, and...daughter. He looked at all three headstones and breathe in the cold air and fell to his knees. He reached out with both arms to touch the cold stone of Sarah and Leo who were separated by Mercy, and leaned his head against Mercy's headstone and cried for not being able to join them in death. As he cried he felt someone touch his back and wrap their arms around him. Ben didn't know who had done this but he didn't care he wanted to let go and miss his family. He then smelled a perfume which took him back to a time when things were not so bad for him, and looked up to see it was Adrian holding him from behind crying for him.