2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Sam’s marriage to Mary Lou is failing. She’s trying hard and he’s going through the motions. We also learn that she did trick him into getting her pregnant (still unknown to him). Who bears the most responsibility for the awful state of their union? Would your opinion differ if she hadn’t orchestrated the pregnancy?

They're both to blame and should never have married. Mary Lou tricked Sam by using the condoms she knew were faulty and getting pregnant. She knew he loved someone else, but let him marry her anyway. She is trying to take care of Hailey, keep a spotless house, put dinner on the table whenever Sam comes home, and not complain. It's not working.

Sam was in love with Alyssa and never should have left her to marry Mary Lou. I think he knew this wouldn't work out from the start. He's tried to make a go of this marriage, but his heart really isn't in it. He's just as responsible for this mess as Mary Lou.

I have zero sympathies for Mary Lou. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it. She tricked Sam into marrying her and she really should not have any expectations of his undying love or respect.

I don't think my opinion of her would change if the pregnancy was an accident. She could easily have refused to marry him, and he would still have provided financial support and loved his daughter.

Sam's attempt at doing the honorable thing has, unsurprisingly, backfired. It seems that his upbringing played a role in his insisting on marrying Mary Lou - stupid but understandable.

I agree with Robin, he is just as responsible.

What a colossal mess! Mary Lou wasn’t in love with Sam…she was love with the idea of marriage to him and what it would mean for her. Her motives were selfish and self serving. Mary Lou knew he was in love with someone else when she married him so she made her own messy bed.

Sam is phoning it in and my only anger with him is that he ever thought marrying Mary Lou could work on any level. She irritated him before they got married. But to continue this farce without making any attempt to develop a relationship with her (can’t blame him). Where did he think this would go? It’s unfair to put this kind of burden on little Haley to be the glue that binds this marriage.

No, even if Mary Lou hadn’t orchestrated the pregnancy, I’d still place the burden on her. It’s just plain stupid to marry a man you know doesn’t love you and is crazy in love with someone else.

I agree with all of you.

I can't feel any sympathy for Mary Lou. There isn't anything in her personality that makes hope she finds happiness.

Sam needed to talk through his decision with a counselor or someone before he married Mary Lou. He didn't like her from the beginning.

They are both to blame but Mary Lou is the most responsible party for starting the deceit in the first place. I wonder how they are going to handle custody in the future.

I don’t even want to think about what this means for poor little Haley.

I disagree that Mary Lou knew about Alissa when she intentionally got pregnant. I don't think she knew. When Sam first hooked up with Mary Lou, he may have known he loved Alyssa, but he was in denial about it because Alyssa had made it pretty clear they weren't ever going to happen.

Mary Lou loved the idea of Sam, SEAL, officer, hero, stable provider. The reality proved to be very different. Both parties are responsible for the failure of this marriage. Sam because he never loved Mary Lou and never would. Mary Lou because she really had no idea who Sam really was to begin with. My opinion would be the same no matter how this all came about.

I’m talking about when she announced she was pregnant. He was very much with Alyssa.

Mary Lou didn't know Sam was involved/in love with Alyssa when she set out to get pregnant. I don't think she would have done it if she had known.

Sam should have told her he was in love with someone else when she announced she was pregnant. It might have made a difference, but I don't think it would have.

I don’t either.