"Yeah, that's the plan. Born at Fenway," she joked. "No better birth story than that."
"Don't make me call your husband," Ash said. "Rob is not on board with that plan."
"Not his vagina, not his plan," she replied.
"Jesus Christ," I muttered.
Linden:What are you doing tonight?
Jasper:I'm not baking anything, if that's what you're asking.
Linden:That's a relief.
Jasper:I'm doing some research. Checking out jobs that might make sense for me.
Linden:Making some lists?
Jasper:You know it.
Linden:Any leads that sound promising?
Jasper:I don't know. There's some get-out-the-vote work that could be really interesting. It's not high profile, it's not glamorous, it's not going to make me rich.
Linden:…but?
Jasper:But it matters, you know? This stuff really matters. It makes a difference.
Linden:Tell me more about it later?
Jasper:All I do is babble out every single thought I've ever had to you so, yeah, I'll tell you more about it.
Linden:I'll hold you to that.
Jasper:You'll also hold me to a tree.
Linden:Any day.
"Maggie, he's still texting,"Ash said. "When was the last time he even replied to one of your texts?"
I wasn't the best with phones. They were all too small for my hands and finicky. As much as I could get away with it, I ignored mine, often leaving it in the kitchen or in my truck. I'd removed all the notifications and alerts. I had to go looking for messages if I wanted them and I liked it that way. Jasper though…talking to her was a different story.
"When I asked if you two wanted me to pick out a Mother's Day gift from all of us," Magnolia replied.
I glanced at her. "Did I ever pay you for that?"
She gave me one of those bright-eyed, stiff-lipped smiles. "Nope."
"Sorry."
"You can make up for it by telling us the true story of your very special friend Jasper," she said. "She's, like, famous. How did you—just, how? That's what I need to know. How did this happen?"
"She's not famous because she wants to be." I studied the field for a moment. "That was a bad situation for her. With that senator."
"I mean, that much is apparent," Ash said. "But you have to recognize the humor in it too. She decimated the guy's chances as a presidential candidate and she did it in three minutes. That's pro-level GOAT status."
"It was incredible," Magnolia said. "It was everything I'd ever wanted to hear about those crusty candidates. They try to come off all polite and principled but they're just dirty old men who sit around smoking in their underwear while their staff tells them everything they need to know."
"Yes, and the way she pulled the curtain back on the truth about candidates who are running but aren't in it with any intention of seeing it through?" Ash said. "I'd always suspected that but she just laid it out in the open." He shook his head like he still couldn't believe it. "What's she doing next? She could start a no-bullshit, underbelly of politics podcast or—"
