The Art of Racing in the Rain: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

At first, Enzo resents how Eve changes his and Denny's lives, particularly the attention Denny pays to her body. She is everything Enzo isn't—human, well-groomed (she keeps her hair colored, while Enzo goes weeks without a bath), and she keeps her nails a very certain shape and size. Her attention to detail extends to her personality as well. She is organized and always making lists, especially honey-do lists for Denny and Enzo. Their weekends are spent at Home Depot or at the recycling center, or at home fixing and washing things. Enzo doesn't like this, but Denny apparently does, since the longer the list, the more quickly he works to complete it and collect his reward. Enzo notes that the reward often means a lot of nuzzling and stroking.

Not long after Eve moves in with Denny and Enzo, she and Denny are married in a small ceremony that Enzo gets to attend. Eve's immediate family comes, while Denny's doesn't, but Denny says simply that they don't travel well.

After the family returns from the wedding, Enzo notices that Eve is much bolder in her moving and replacing of household things. Enzo, while unhappy with her for the change she’s brought about, is unable to experience real anger. He believes this was because she is pregnant. He says there is something about how she'd exert so much effort to take off her shirt and bra to lay down and rest, and that her breasts remind Enzo of his own mother.

Enzo resents the attention Eve pays to the unborn baby, but in retrospect, he realizes that he never gave her a reason to treat him the way she treated the baby. Enzo muses that maybe this is his one regret, that he loved how Eve was when she was pregnant, but knew he couldn't be the source of her affection because he couldn't be her child.

Enzo describes how Eve interacts with the baby before it is born, touching it through her skin, dancing to the stereo. She drinks orange juice to feel the baby kick. Once she asks Enzo if he wants to feel, and holds his face against her belly to feel the kick. Enzo knows that Eve and Denny made what was inside of her, and at the time, Enzo wished the baby would look like him.

On the day the baby arrives, Enzo is two years old. Denny is in Daytona for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race. Enzo explains that endurance racing consists of four drivers each spending six hours driving, and this particular race is broadcast on television. The coincidence that Denny got this opportunity the same year he became a father changes depending on who's doing the interpreting. Eve is put off by the unfortunate timing, while Denny believes he's getting everything he could ever want.

Regardless, the timing is wrong according to Enzo. On race day, a week before she is due, Eve feels contractions and calls her midwives. They assume Denny is driving and winning as Eve gives birth. Her midwives help her into bed and give her the baby, who begins to nurse. Eve asks for a minute alone, and the midwives move to take Enzo out of the room with them. Eve stops them and says that Enzo can stay. He watches the baby nurse, and after a few minutes notices that Eve is crying. He wonders why.

Eve puts a hand down and lets it dangle. Enzo doesn't want to assume she is calling him, but catches her eye and knows she is. Sobbing, Eve says to Enzo that she knows she told Denny to go, but she wishes he were here with her. Eve asks Enzo if he'll promise to always protect the baby. Enzo knows that she's actually asking the question of Denny, and that he's only a surrogate for Denny in this situation. Enzo says that he did, however, feel the obligation, and realizes that although he can't interact with humans the way he really wants to, he can comfort Eve and protect the baby.

Denny returns from Daytona the next day, unhappy. His mood changes when he holds the baby, whom they name Zoë after Eve's grandmother. Denny asks Enzo if he sees his little angel, to which Enzo mentally replies that he practically birthed Zoë.

Eve's parents, Trish and Maxwell, had been in the apartment since Zoë's birth to care for her and Eve. Enzo begins calling them “the Twins” because they dress exactly the same and both smell of chemicals. Since their arrival, they'd been giving Eve a hard time for having Zoë at home, as they believe that it's irresponsible to give birth outside of a hospital. However, once Denny returns home, they shift their negative attention to him. Maxwell gloats, saying that it's a lot of bad luck, and Trish only wants to know if Denny will get any of his money back.

Enzo isn't sure what's going on. Denny is distraught, and later when Mike comes over for a beer, Enzo learns why. Denny was supposed to take the third stint in the car. Everything was going well, the team was in second, but just before Denny was set to take over the second driver ran the car into the wall. The driver was unhurt, but Denny's opportunity of a lifetime disappeared. When Mike confirms that Denny doesn't get any money back, Denny says he doesn't care; he should've been home. Mike counters that you can't predict when babies are going to come early, and toasts Zoë. Denny joins, and Enzo toasts mentally and vows to always protect Zoë.