Six Months Later: Plushie Revenge and Baseball Seduction
Brenda's Plan for Revenge
Six months had passed since John’s narrow election loss to Zack Hample, and while John had tried to move on by drowning his sorrows in more plushie acquisitions, Brenda had not. She stewed over Zack’s victory daily, convinced that his smug grin at the final debate was the root cause of her sleepless nights. One morning, over a plate of pancakes shaped like plushie animals, she declared her new mission.
"I'm going to bring Zack Hample down," Brenda said with the intensity of a soap opera villain.
I sighed, sipping my coffee. "Brenda, it’s been six months. Zack’s already forgotten about you and John. Let it go."
She slammed a plushie-shaped butter knife onto the table. "Never. I have a plan, and I need you to help me execute it."
I put down my coffee cautiously. "What… plan?"
Brenda smirked, a glint of madness in her eye. "I’m going to seduce Zack Hample and humiliate him. He’ll never recover!"
I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Brenda, he’s a professional baseball collector. I don’t think ‘seduction’ is a part of his world. Also, he’s probably not into—"
She cut me off, raising her hand dramatically. "He’s not going to see it coming. That’s the genius of it. You’ll be my wingman. You’ll distract him while I work my magic."
I groaned. "This is a terrible idea."
Meanwhile, John Digs Deeper
While Brenda schemed, John had spiraled further into his plushie obsession. He had maxed out three new credit cards in just two months, buying limited-edition plushies from international sellers. One evening, I found him surrounded by packages, each containing a new, overpriced plush.
"John," I said, stepping over the mountain of cardboard boxes. "You can’t keep doing this. You’re already in debt from the campaign. How are you paying for all this?"
He shrugged, cradling a life-sized plushie unicorn. "I took out a loan. It’s fine. Plushies are an investment."
"An investment?!" I pointed to a plushie of a giraffe wearing sunglasses. "You’re not flipping stocks. These are toys!"
He looked at me like I was the crazy one. "They’re
art."
I threw my hands up. "You’re going to bankrupt yourself!"
John shrugged. "If I’m going down, at least I’ll be surrounded by my friends."
The "Seduction"
Brenda’s plot reached its climax one Thursday evening. She had somehow tracked down Zack Hample at a book signing event for his new memoir,
Balls of Glory.
"Are you sure about this?" I whispered as Brenda adjusted her leopard-print dress in the rearview mirror.
"Positive," she said, puckering her lips in the mirror. "Zack won’t know what hit him."
As we entered the event, Zack was busy signing books and talking to fans. Brenda sauntered over, batting her eyelashes so aggressively I was worried she might sprain something.
"Zack Hample," she purred, leaning over the table. "I’m your
biggest fan."
Zack looked up, confused but polite. "Uh, thanks! Who should I make this out to?"
"Brenda," she said, sliding a hotel key card across the table instead of a book. "But I’d rather you sign… this."
Zack froze, staring at the card like it was a foreign object. "Uh, ma’am, this is a family event—"
"I’ve got a
real banger of an idea for how we can work together," Brenda said, leaning closer.
Security escorted her out before she could finish her sentence.
The Debt Collector's Call
Back at home, John’s plushie empire was beginning to crumble. Debt collectors had started calling relentlessly. One afternoon, as I tried to enjoy a quiet moment, John ran into the living room holding his phone.
"Tell them I’m not here!" he hissed, tossing the phone to me.
I answered reluctantly.
"Hello, this is Debt Recovery Services. We’re calling regarding Mr. John Price’s account. He’s currently delinquent on a $15,000 loan."
"Fifteen thousand?!" I exclaimed, glaring at John.
John mouthed, "Limited-edition dragon plushies," as if that explained everything.
I hung up and turned to him. "John, this has to stop. You need help."
He nodded solemnly, then pulled out his laptop. "You’re right. I need to get that rare panda plushie before they sell out."
I buried my face in my hands.
The Aftermath
Brenda’s failed seduction attempt and John’s mounting debt left the household in chaos. Brenda was banned from all future Zack Hample events, and John was one bad financial decision away from losing his apartment.
As for me, I was starting to wonder if this was my life now—mediating plushie-related disasters and trying to keep Brenda from enacting her next harebrained scheme.
But knowing Brenda and John, it was only a matter of time before things spiraled further out of control.
And I had a sinking feeling I’d be dragged along for the ride.