After their second son’s coming, John and Jenny became busy of taking care of their sons. They always waken up by Conor and Patrick’s crying. That deprived their sleep and both of them felt exhausted. They even had to notice Conor because of his early coming. Jenny had to feed Conor often and finally Conor outgrow the condition and caught up on his weight. However, for four long months they were consumed with worry over Conor. Jenny had stress and frustration. The good news was that Jenny never once took out her anxiety on her babies, but the bad news was that she directed her frustration and anger at John and Marley. 

     Marley’s thunder phobia was more intense and irrational each day, even a soft shower would send him panic now. Marley started bite anything in the house, and Jenny was upset about it. John would cover Marley; he would hide the stuff that was destroyed by Marley before Jenny found it. One day, when John back home, he saw Jenny beat Marley with her fist and shouted loudly “Why you wreck everything.” John came to stop her and took Marley out. Jenny asked John let Marley out of here, and she mean it!

     After their walking, John thought Jenny might cool down now. But she still told John “To help Marley find a new house.” John was busy finding a new owner for Marley. Meanwhile, he would train Marley by simple command. By the way, John took Marley back to obedience school. Marley still is wild, but he knew John was his boss this time. And then they did all the commands very well. At the end, they got Marley’s diploma and Marley was rank in 7th in the class. John was proud and happy.

     Marley loves to jump up people in his greet way. John tried to modify it and it worked after the 3rd training. However, Marley still jump on others people except John. So John his coworker Jim to trained Marley with John’s way. Jim was the one who Marley thought he could jump up on without consequence. Eventually, it worked! Marley would not jump up anyone.

     One morning, after Marley abandoned his jumping habit, Jenny was back. Now her stress and frustration were gone. John was so happy his lovely kind wife’s coming.

★It’s a long chapter and describe the whole life after postpartum. I was surprised to read that Jenny beat Marley. Perhaps being a mother has so stressful to get angry easily. I trust she didn’t mean it to let Marley out. She would still love him after her stress gone and good thing for that John did not really send Marley out.

     One night, Jenny called sleeping John to wake up and told him her bad cramps. She predicted their second baby would come early. He called Dr. Sherman and she asked him to take Jenny to hospital right away. After Dr. Sherman examination, she told him “It’s not gas. Your baby wants to come out.”

     Actually, their baby came earlier. The timing was wrong, not half of forty-week gestation period. It’s not safe and not good for Jenny and their baby. So after that, Jenny had to lived in hospital and let nurse took care of her. She had to lie down on her bed and only took a quick shower then went back to bed. As to John, he was very busy during Jenny staying at hospital. He needed to take are of Patrick and Marley. Before work, he had to drop Patrick to Sandy’s house. He needed to go home to make lunch for Jenny in the noon, then went to work. After work, he had to take Patrick home and threw stick with Marley. He rarely had time to play with Marley and of course Marley would feel bored during these days. Finally Jenny could come home, then they go out to have Indian food for dinner and comedy show to celebrate. The next they had Greek food to celebrate and then took their second baby home.

     During Jenny’s hospital days, they found out a lot of TV, news media near the hospital. And a nurse came in to tell him Donald Trump was in the hospital. The next morning, they went home and see no media anymore. He told his second son Conor “You are every bit as special as Tiffany Trump, and you won’t forget it.”

★It was very dangerous for Conor’s coming early, but luckily Jenny and Conor was safe and healthy. By the way, Marly would felt bored during these days, but afterward he could have one more partner to play with him. ^^ 

     It is not safe around John’s community. He saw lots of hookers standing near their parking lot and seemed waiting for someone. Moreover, he saw the police arrested a man who ran into one of their neighbor’s house and ransacked for money. The crime swirling around them made them grateful for Marley’s in their house.

     One night, when John let Marley out to pee, and crawled into bed to sleep, he heard a shrill, piercing noise. He was awake, and Marley too. He asked Jenny to call the police and he went outside with Marley. He saw two men ran up on a lawn, and John was followed them. Then the two men turned back and told him to go back to see the girl who was a victim in this crime. He saw a young and pretty girl who was stabbed in her house. The girl named Lisa, and her mother was a night nurse. She was blooding and shivering. She told John the man came into her room and told her not to scream or he would stab her with knife. However, she still screamed and then was stabbed. John comforted her and waited for the ambulance coming with her.

      Couple of days later, he saw Lisa who back from hospital standing near him. She looked brave and recovered. They talked for a long time in John’s house, and played with Marley. John had a good feeling about Lisa. She was strong and tough. He trusted she would move forward.

 ★ Living in a unsafty community, to have a dog is really good. The dog could protect you and help you scared off the stranger away. In this chapter, I had the same feeling with John. I thought Lisa was so brave and strong. She could move forward.

     Before Jenny’s big day’s, John and Jenny went to the hospital. The hospital provided a comfortable, and luxury birthing suite for women who have babies. However, the nurse told them all the suites are filled. They provided Jenny another birthing suite, but the birthing sutie was not comfortable for Jenny. That’s the only space for them, so they lived there for their first baby coming in. Finally, Jenny and John’s first baby came out, and his name is Patrick.

     After Patrick came back to their home, Marley was settled down another room. He was curious of the new room and new stranger. At first, John and Jenny was afraid of Marley treating Patrick as his pray and hurting him, but after their observation, they could feel Marley was no mean harm and they could be best partner to each other.

     After a couple of days, John and Jenny decided to have six months go get pregnant and 9 more months to deliver. 2 years between new baby and Patrick was good.

★I trust Marley was no mean to harm Patrick, and he was just curious of the new baby’s coming. They could be friends.

     The last miscarriage gave John and Jenny a lesson, so this time they just keep this big secret since D-day. They hide all the chemical stuffs. During Jenny’s pregnancy days, John still trained Marley. And Marley started know some commands, but he was still naughty. Every time they back home and Marley ran to the door to greet them that represented Marley was be good at home all day. If Marley was hide, it represented some bad things he done.

     One day, John bought Jenny an 18-K gold necklace for her birthday. A few hours later, Jenny found out her necklace was gone. They stared at Marley and Marley just began evasive action. Then they found out the necklace was hanging out of his mouth. They tried to coax him to put the necklace out, but Marley ate it at the end. Then John let Marley eat laxative and examined his deposit everyday. Until the 5th day, he finally got the necklace in his poop.

★I just can’t believe it needed to take 5 days to get the necklace.

     One day Jenny was back with two tickets to Ireland. They decided to go there for three weeks. Before their leaving for Ireland, they should dole out their duty-Marley. They asked John’s coworker Kathy to do them a favor. Kathy grew up in the rural Midwest, loved animal and had patient. They thought she was the perfect one to take care of Marley. And Kathy said yes to help them.

     John wrote a list of instructions that includes feeding, vitamins, water, fleas and ticks, ears, walks, basic commands, thunderstorms, poop patrol and off-limits to Kathy. Jenny was angry John made the list, and told him if Kathy saw the instruction and their trip would over. Finally, the list of instruction was canceled. 

     They had a great time in Ireland; they wandered along the coast, stopping to stroll or hop or hike or quaff Guinness or gaze out at the ocean and made love at night. During their trip, Jenny could not stop fretting about Marley and called home to ask Kathy how Marley was. 

     When they were back, Marley ran to the door to greet them. They saw Kathy standing near the doorway and looked tired. They gave her the gift and let her go. “Poor Kathy” they imaged the days of Kathy and Marley living together. 

     Sever days later Jenny called John at the office. She told him “Luck of the Irish!”

★ When you have a pet, you should worry about him/ her before you wanna have a trip. John and Jenny had a great trip this time. However, after this time, perhaps it is hard to find a person to take care of Marley. And in the end of chapter, it seemd they had a baby again. I was happy to read about it. 

     Every dog needs a good veterinarian, so does Marley. His veterinarian is Jy Butan- Dr. Jay. He is young and smart.  On one afternoon, John and Jenny took Marley to have an exam for his deepening neurosis over thunderstorms. Dr. Jay gave them a vial of small yellow pills. Those can take the edge off Marley’s anxiety. In addition, Dr. Jay suggested them to let Marley have him neutered. It will remove all nervous sexual energy and make him a happier, calmer dog.  When they went home, John and Jenny had debate on slicing away Marley’s manhood. Jenny wanted to let Marley cut off his testicle, but John did not. However, inn the end they decided let Marley do the surgery. After the night of surgery, Marley was a changed dog. He was sore from the surgery. His eyes were bloodshot and droopy from the anesthesia.  

★ Lots of veterinarians would suggest owners let their pets neutered. I do not have any pets so I do not if it is a good for pet. However, I can understand why Marley changed after the surgery.

      When Marley was close to six months old, John and Jenny signed him up for obedience classes. They figured out Marley was not like other dogs. So they think maybe he needed professional help. Marley’s veterinarian told them a dog-training club. They have to pay 50 dollars for 8 lessons. At first, the instructor wanted them to pick up one to be trainer. And Jenny loved to be the trainer. The first lesson, instructor taught those dogs some commends, however; Marley just played with other dogs and run to the parking lot, so Jenny had to tug the leash. As class ended, the instructor told them “You really need to get control over that animal.” That made they feel embarrassed.

     The second lesson, John turned to the trainer this time. But every command he made, Marley still did not did it well and played by itself. And then the instructor wanted to show how to train a dog for John, so John gave her the leash. Unfortunately, the instructor did not succeed. Hence, after the second class, the instructor told John Marley was still a little young to train so he was a handful and bring he back in another six or eight months. John was so angry. He trusted he can train Marley well. After that, John started train Marley. They stared with sit command and practice more and more. And Marley could do it well slowly.

     One day, when John arrived home at night, Jenny told him “Go look in the garage.” She seemed upset. John opened the door into the garage and first spotted Marley. His snout and front paws were dark brown. Then the garage was totally messy. Blood on the wall, on his fur and so on. Jenny told him when she back at work, an intense storm moved through. When she arrived home a couple of hours later, Marley standing in the carnage of his desperate escape attempt, was in a complete, panic-stricken lather. And the incident continued. Over dinner, they cleaned the garage up and sponged the blood off his fur.

★Marley seemed young and naughty. John needs more patients to train him.

     The next morning, John woke up and heard Jenny’s crying beside him. He got up and made breakfast for themselves. After breakfast, they decided to walk Marley down to the water for a swim. When they arrived the beach, John picked up a stick in front of Marley. Marley stared the stick as a yummy bone. John threw it away, and asked Marley to get it back. And the second, Marley still stared the stick in that way. “This is why I am the master and you are the beast” John told her. Jenny saw their playing and laughed loudly. Next morning Jenny was softly sobbing. She was pretending brave. John held her tightly.

★ Lossing a baby makes Jenny so sad. John and Marley tried to make Jenny happy. Lovly family~

There are two main points in Chapter 6.

1. John and Jenny lived in one part of Florida. The block they lived was built in the 1940s and 50s. The house across a street to their house holds a horrible story. The owner, an old man was murdered by a nurse he hired to take care of him in his house and his checkbook and forged her name. Their neighborhood seemd to be safe, but there were telltales of its rough edge. The stuff was sometimes gone after John used them. One morning John drove to work, he saw a man lying in the gutter, his hands and face bloody. I parked and went to his side to see how he was. He alcohol and urine hit when he approached him. He called ambulance and waited their coming to save this man. However, the man refused treatment.  And one night, a man knocked their door and asked John to lend him 5 dollar. John offered to call police, and the man mumbled a lame excuse and disappeared.  Because lots of bad man around their house, so they think having Marley with them is great. When Marley faced a stranger eye so warily, gave them the notice.

2. Since Jenny knew she was pregnant, she had done exercise and walked Marley. She prepared healthy meal with fresh vegetable and fruit. In addition, she quit drinking coffee and alcohol to protect her baby. One day, John took off work and took Jenny to hospital. He brought a type for recording their baby’s heartbeat. However, after a doctor saw her, he told them their baby was dead. And of course, the dead baby should be taken out. Jenny and John were so sad to hear that. After the baby took out, they went home. Jenny seemed tired and sad. She lied down and Marley came to her. She touched Marley’s head, and Marley stood beside Jenny and John. They stayed for a long time. Three of them stayed together and shared the sadness and comfort each other.

★ After reading the chapter, I feel so sad Jenny miscarriage. I can feel how disappointed they are. In another, I can see Marley is a sweet dog. He knows their owners’ feeling and comfort them. He did not want to play, no bark, however, just stayed with them to shared the sadness. It’s so touching!