The Perfect Marriage (16 page)

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1. At the beginning of the novel we see Denise and Derrek at a meeting for people who have problems with drug abuse. Considering
   the level of their drug use at the start of the story, do you think this meeting was necessary for them, or was it an overreaction?
   Why? 
   
2. We often hear people refer to
   social
   smokers or
   social
   drinkers, meaning they only use nicotine or alcohol in a social atmosphere. Do you believe there is such a thing as a
   social drug user
   ? What about prescription drugs? If a woman lends her friend a prescription pill to help her sleep or calm her nerves during
   an especially stressful event, is that drug abuse? 
   
3. Denise and Derrek keep some pretty big secrets from one another, but it didn’t start out that way. At first they only keep
   what they consider small secrets. Is it ever okay to keep a secret from your spouse? Or is keeping a secret of any kind harmful
   to a marriage? 
   
4. We learn that Derrek and his brother, Dixon, had had a fight over money, and this is what had kept them apart. Do you think
   the issue was that Dixon didn’t repay Derrek the money he borrowed, or that Derrek didn’t approve of how Dixon spent the money?
   When a person gives another person a loan, do they have the right to judge how that money is spent? 
   
5. Denise holds herself to very high standards—something she learned to do during her childhood. While the pressure she put on
   herself ultimately led to her problems, it also helped her to achieve a high level of success. How can someone balance striving
   to achieve her full potential and protecting herself from unrealistic expectations? As a parent, how can someone encourage
   her child to succeed without making her afraid to fail? 
   
6. Both of Derrek’s parents and his brother struggled with drug addiction. Do you think a propensity to become addicted to drugs
   is hereditary? If so, does that make Derrek’s drug use more excusable (it was inevitable that he would use drugs) or does
   it make his behavior more irresponsible (knowing his family history he should have been more careful)? 
   
7. When someone is struggling with addiction, what do we expect of the people around them? For example, should Denise’s friend
   Michelle have noticed her odd behavior and questioned it more? Should Derrek’s boss have spoken up sooner and encouraged him
   to get treatment rather than fire him? Or does the responsibility to change belong solely to the addict? 
   
8. Denise and Derrek turn to drugs as a form of stress release. What are other, healthier ways they could have managed their
   stress? 
   
9. Denise’s mother, Wilma, is another character who keeps secrets from the people she loves. Why do you think Wilma keeps the
   truth about her marriage secret? Fear? Shame? Denial? How do you think her behavior impacted Densie? 
   
10. Mackenzie was so desperate to save her family that she took dramatic—and dangerous—action. What might you have counseled her
    to do instead? And what advice would you offer her while she’s healing, both physically and emotionally, from all she’s been
    through? 
    
11. It’s not only drugs, alcohol, or gambling that people can become addicted to. People can develop addictions to food, shopping,
    the Internet—anything. Can an addiction ever be harmless? What advice would you give to someone battling an addiction? 
    
12. Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage? What qualities must a marriage have to be described as perfect? 
    

The Reverend’s Wife

Love, Honor, and Betray

Be Careful What You Pray For

The Best of Everything

Sin No More

Love & Lies

The Best-Kept Secret

Too Much of a Good Thing

Casting the First Stone

Secret Obsession

A Deep Dark Secret

One in a Million

Changing Faces

A Taste of Reality

It’s a Thin Line

Here & Now

Behind Closed Doors