SPOILERS FOR PERILOUS HUSBAND

Note: This is a companion piece to this fake social media post.

It was a busy Saturday morning at the farmer’s market. The drive to Echo Park was hectic. It took them nearly an hour to make it even with the weekend traffic.

But seeing Kendis with a smile on her face as she walked down the busy market was well worth it. Tony smiled when he noticed that she was wearing her special new earbuds that he had designed for her. The earbuds could strip out ambient chaos by running a reverse-wave null cycle. It automatically filters out background noise and prioritizes voices.

It was something that, in theory, was so simple, but getting the calibrations just right was a pain in the ass.

He remembered when he gave Kendis the earbuds and how she tried to tell him it was too much and she didn’t need them, but he knew it would help her cut down on getting overstimulated.

It was November, a week before Thanksgiving. But you couldn’t tell by all the shorts and flip-flops people were wearing or the temperatures, which were a tepid 70 degrees. He was already sweating in his gray Pantera T-shirt, jeans, and boots.

He glanced around the crowd to see if anyone recognized them, but the notice me not spell was working. And since they found a workaround to make magic and tech coexist peacefully together. He didn’t have to worry about both of them being ambushed by fans.

Tony took her hand and they laced their fingers together as they walked down the street. With her free hand, she held Alke’s leash as the dog excitedly trotted down the busy walkway.

The market seemed to have everything under the sun. There was a stand full of eggs. The eggs were blue, yellow, and brown, and across from it was a stand selling wine. Tony sniffed the air, and in the distance, he could vaguely smell roasting chicken.

Kendis stopped at the stand full of mushrooms, and she picked one up and examined it. Tony couldn’t tell the difference between the two, but she picked up a few, and the seller weighed them and put them in a bag.

She took out her wallet and handed the seller money.

Tony playfully knocked her wallet away. “We had this conversation, Kendis. If you are cooking it, I am paying for it.”

Kendis rolled her eyes. “Okay, big spender, but I’m paying for lunch.”

Tony opened his mouth to argue, but she laughed and gave him the hand. his face with a laugh and walked to the next stand. He looked down at Alke in amazement.

“Why is your mama so mean to me?”

Alke just gave him a clueless doggy grin, her tail wagging. There was a cough, and Tony took out his wallet. He usually didn’t use cash, but Pepper had been wonderful and gotten money out for him the day before.

Sometimes it felt like his spouse and his personal assistant were Incahoots together. With a put-upon sigh, Tony handed the man a few bills, which he knew were more than the actual price, but Tony had zero problem enthusiastically supporting a small business.

Tony looked over to see that Kendis and Alke had wandered a few stalls down, and now she was carefully examining a turkey. The dog whined, but Kendis pointedly ignored her. He walked up to her and kissed the side of her head. “Find anything good?”

Kendis walked around until she paused and pointed to the one at the very end. “Can I have that one?” She politely asked the seller.

The seller was a mature woman, probably in her fifties, with salt and pepper hair, wearing a fantastic Grateful Dead t-shirt. “The thirty-pounder?” The woman gave them a dubious look. “You sure?”

“We’re having a friendsgiving, and our friends have big appetites,” Kendis shrugged. “I’ll probably take two more of your biggest turkeys.”

The seller shook her head as she wrapped the turkeys, and Tony quickly paid and snatched one of the turkeys from Kendis. He swore under his breath as he staggered under the weight. ‘Note to self: I need to fire my personal trainer.’

Tony dropped the turkey into the cart.

“Feeling okay, old man?”

“Old man?” Tony snorted, “I’m only 33.”

Kendis laughed as Tony grabbed the other two, and then Tony handed Kendis his wallet so he could pay. She rolled her eyes but pulled out some money and handed it to the woman. They continued to walk and stop along the stalls, picking up what she needed.

Kendis had insisted on cooking a traditional Thanksgiving for their Friendsgiving celebration, which they were hosting at the Malibu mansion. Because the new house they were building wasn’t quite ready yet.

Tony suggested a potluck or paying for catering, but Kendis wasn’t having it. Actually, she had been offended that he would even suggest it.

“Tony, this is like my Super Bowl.” Kendis patiently tried to explain. “I waited for this all year.”

So, Tony walked dutifully beside her as she shopped for ingredients, and he pulled the cart down the busy walkway.

He spotted a flower stand and handed Kendis the cart. “Wait here!”

“Tony, what?!” Kendis called out as Tony jogged over to the stall. Tony saw a bunch of red and yellow chrysanthemums in a vase. “Can I take  a dozen of these?”

“You are terribly sweet,” the old man said as he wrapped the bouquet and handed it to him. “Take it from someone who has been married for 30 years. Never stop buying your wife flowers.”

“Spouse,” Tony absentmindedly corrected as he took out his wallet and handed him double the amount for the flowers.

“That’s more–” The man spluttered.

“For the good advice,” Tony said, with a wink as he took the bouquet and jogged back to her.

“Tony,” Kendis gave a soft smile. Tony felt his cheeks flush and shoved them in her arms. “Um, for your centerpiece.”

“Thank you,” Kendis shook her head ruefully and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re not fooling anyone, you old softie.”

Tony coughed and looked away. He was turning into a sap, but with Kendis, he couldn’t help it. It was just something about Kendis that turned him into a mushy fool.

“Come on, I need to pick up some collard greens, and then we can have lunch. You haven’t lived until you’ve had Buñuelos.”

With cart and dog in hand, the couple walked through the market as a quiet happiness brewed between them.