No punctuation (Before 8/19/21 and After 8/30/21)

Before

She walked through the front door and found the mess she had been expecting She looked around for her husband but he wasnt there He must be out drinking again she thought He was always drinking A new puppy in the house always a mess and all he could think about was drinking Why the hell had she even married him She couldnt remember anymore He wasnt worth a damn

She grabbed a broom and mop and got to work cleaning up the mess At least the puppy hadnt peed or pooped this time That was a plus There was only one broken vase she had kept her hydrangeas in She would have to replant them later Now to make sure the puppy wasn’t a giant mess herself Maybe she should have checked on her first

What are you doing you little rascal Come here and give me a hug I deserve at least that much after working all day and coming home to your little mess she teased Why dont we get out of here Lets walk over to the ice cream shop and get something yummy

She grabbed the puppys collar and leash and put them on The puppy was so excited at the prospect of leaving the house she had been cooped up in all day that she started wagging her tail and licking the woman

I love you too the woman replied Now what flavor should we get Weve only got four blocks to decide

The puppy tilted her head trying to listen for any words that she knew She knew Sally her name no good potty outside food and walk Sometimes she got potty and outside confused because the woman often said them together She really tried to be good though because good meant yummy food something the woman called tre She couldnt remember how that one goes but shes working on learning it

The woman started telling Sally all about her day and about how tired shed been lately but that it was all worth it now that she had gotten the promotion shed spent the last two years working towards Sally listened patiently but didnt understand the words the woman was saying That was okay though The woman seemed happy and that made Sally happy

When they got to the ice cream shop the woman ordered a vanilla puppy cone for Sally and a chocolate cone for herself She took Sally and the ice cream over to a bench and sat down She gave Sally her vanilla cone and ate hers slowly Then she spent a long time looking into the puppys eyes before standing up and walking home

Later that night the husband came stumbling through the front door He leaned against the wall for support and was trying to remember to walk around the potted plant but it wasnt there tonight Mary must have moved it She moved stuff around a lot when she was cleaning

He ambled up the stairs All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep it off He walked into the bedroom and noticed that Mary wasnt there That was odd She always went to bed early because she woke up so early for work Oh well He didnt have the brain power right now to solve this mystery He didnt even have the energy to change clothes before collapsing into a heap on the bed He would deal with things tomorrow

He opened his eyes and looked around His hangover was mild and he walked into the bathroom to take a couple of aspirin for his headache He washed them down with a glass of water and noticed that Marys toothbrush wasnt there Thats odd he thought Maybe she cleaned more than he thought

He went downstairs hoping that Mary was awake and could make him some french toast That sounded really good this morning He knew she went to the store a few days ago so she should have all the ingredients she needs He walked into the kitchen but Mary wasn’t there Instead he found a note

Dear Max

This has been coming for a long time I dont know how to say this except to just say it Ive left I took Sally and I left I just cant do this anymore I cant be with someone that only wants to drink all the time Yesterday Sally showed me more love than you have in years You can keep the house and everything I left in it I took the car since youre never sober long enough to drive it Ill be sending divorce papers when I get settled into a new place Im sorry it had to end like this

Mary

After

She walked through the front door and found the mess she had been expecting. She looked around for her husband, but he wasn't there. "He must be out drinking again", she thought. He was always drinking. A new puppy in the house, always a mess, and all he could think about was drinking. Why the hell had she even married him? She couldn't remember anymore. He wasn't worth a damn.

She grabbed a broom and mop and got to work cleaning up the mess. At least the puppy hadn't peed or pooped this time. That was a plus. There was only one broken vase she had kept her hydrangeas in. She would have to replant them later. Now to make sure the puppy wasn’t a giant mess herself. Maybe she should have checked on her first.

"What are you doing you little rascal? Come here and give me a hug. I deserve at least that much after working all day and coming home to your little mess", she teased. "Why don't we get out of here? Let's walk over to the ice cream shop and get something yummy".

She grabbed the puppy's collar and leash and put them on. The puppy was so excited at the prospect of leaving the house she had been cooped up in all day that she started wagging her tail and licking the woman.

"I love you too", the woman replied. "Now, what flavor should we get? We've only got four blocks to decide".

The puppy tilted her head trying to listen for any words that she knew. She knew "Sally" (her name), "no", "good", "potty", "outside", "food", and "walk". Sometimes she got "potty" and "outside" confused because the woman often said them together. She really tried to be good though because good meant yummy food; something the woman called "tre--". She couldn't remember how that one goes, but she's working on learning it.

The woman started telling Sally all about her day and about how tired she'd been lately but that it was all worth it now that she had gotten the promotion she'd spent the last two years working towards. Sally listened patiently but didn't understand the words the woman was saying. That was okay though. The woman seemed happy and that made Sally happy.

When they got to the ice cream shop the woman ordered a vanilla puppy cone for Sally and a chocolate cone for herself. She took Sally and the ice cream over to a bench and sat down. She gave Sally her vanilla cone and ate hers slowly. Then she spent a long time looking into the puppy's eyes before standing up and walking home.

---------

Later that night the husband came stumbling through the front door. He leaned against the wall for support and was trying to remember to walk around the potted plant, but it wasn't there tonight. Mary must have moved it. She moved stuff around a lot when she was cleaning.

He ambled up the stairs. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep it off. He walked into the bedroom and noticed that Mary wasn't there. That was odd. She always went to bed early because she woke up so early for work. Oh well. He didn't have the brain power right now to solve this mystery. He didn't even have the energy to change clothes before collapsing into a heap on the bed. He would deal with things tomorrow.

---------

He opened his eyes and looked around. His hangover was mild and he walked into the bathroom to take a couple of aspirin for his headache. He washed them down with a glass of water and noticed that Mary's toothbrush wasn't there. "That's odd", he thought. Maybe she cleaned more than he thought.

He went downstairs hoping that Mary was awake and could make him some french toast. That sounded really good this morning. He knew she went to the store a few days ago so she should have all the ingredients she needs. He walked into the kitchen but Mary wasn’t there. Instead he found a note-

Dear Max,

This has been coming for a long time. I don't know how to say this except to just say it. I've left. I took Sally and I left. I just can't do this anymore. I can't be with someone that only wants to drink all the time. Yesterday Sally showed me more love than you have in years. You can keep the house and everything I left in it. I took the car since you're never sober long enough to drive it. I'll be sending divorce papers when I get settled into a new place. I'm sorry it had to end like this.

-Mary

Side note- Longer than a paragraph, I know. I just couldn’t stop.

For challenge- “Write a paragraph using no punctuation, then come back a week later and guess where the punctuation belongs” by darknight PART 1