Heather stood in the middle of the produce aisle, looking at the pile of vegetables before her. The vibrant colors and unfamiliar shapes made her feel a little out of her element.
What even is this?She thought, staring at the mysterious red vegetable. She picked one up, turning it in her hands, as if it might reveal its secrets. Taking a deep breath, she reluctantly pulled out her phone and dialed Alejandro.
"Hello?" His voice rang through the receiver.
"Heads up," Heather said, her tone sharp. "I'm at the grocery store, and I'm about to lose my mind."
Alejandro's laugh came through clear, making her eyes narrow. "How do you not know what a radish is? Have you been living under a rock or something?"
Heather blinked. "It's... red, and it's... a vegetable? What am I supposed to do with this?" She waved it dramatically in front of the phone, as if he could somehow see it.
Alejandro groaned, half-amused, half-exasperated. "It's not that hard, Heather. It's a radish. You slice it, you throw it in a salad, maybe a taco. You've had them before!"
"I haven't!" Heather snapped, rolling her eyes. "Look, do you want me to come back with food or just—what is this?" She pointed to a bunch of green leaves with little white bulbs hanging at the end. She was practically pulling her hair out at this point.
"Those are turnips. Are you seriously telling me you don't know the difference between a radish and a turnip?" Alejandro asked, a mix of disbelief and amusement in his voice.
Heather sighed dramatically. "I didn't exactly go grocery shopping growing up, okay? I had people for that."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Alejandro spoke again, softer this time. "Alright, alright. I'm sending you a list. Just stay by your phone, and I'll guide you through it. You're not going to ruin this, I promise."
"That's what you said about that souffle last year," Heather muttered under her breath.
A small chuckle escaped Alejandro. "We both know that wasn'tentirelymy fault."
Heather crossed her arms, leaning against a shelf as she scrolled through the list. "Fine. I'll trust you... but don't expect me to be happy about it."
"Don't worry," Alejandro replied with a wink she couldn't see but could definitely hear in his voice. "I'm always happy to help... even when it'sthis much of a challenge."