Challen and Addy

Chapter 22 (Challen): The Daisies

Copyright © 2025 by GroveltoHEA

"I'll need to talk to Addy about a weekend drive," I told Grady after he asked me point blank about the outing. If Addy wanted to go, we'd go, but if she didn't and I accepted, she'd kill me.

"Grady, would you mind giving me a few minutes with Challen?" Addy asked him. "We can finish the movie later."

"No problem," Grady said and left her room.

"I didn't know Grady was going to ask you about the drive," she said apologetically. "He's been mentioning wanting to go for one since the weather's gotten so nice. I can just tell him you're busy."

"Addy, I don't mind. I'm fine taking you both for a long drive if you want to get out. Since you're both using wheelchairs now, I don't know what, if any, rules there are about that, but if the Center doesn't have a problem with it, I'll make the arrangements."

"We'd have to check," Addy said, then she got quiet for a minute. "This is hard, Challen. I hate asking you for anything."

"You didn't ask. Grady did," I said. "But you could have asked."

Her laugh was more like a disbelieving snort. "I learned my lesson about asking you for anything a while ago, so are you really surprised that I don't want to ask you for something now? It's not that easy."

"It's just that easy," I argued. "Because this doesn't mean anything other than you're in rehab following a long stay in the hospital, and you'd like to get away from the Center, open the windows in the car and enjoy seeing something other than this place. I'm just the driver for the day trip. That's it."

I pulled her keyboard to me, unplugged the headphones and played a riff she knew well because my mother had made me play the song Everybody's Talkin' for her every time she and dad came over to our house. I shot her quick smile to try to lighten the mood and make this easier for her.

"Addy, would you like to go," I said and then shifted to singing, "where the sun keeps shining, through the pouring rain, going where the weather suits my clothes, banking off of the northeast winds, sailing on a summer breeze and skipping over the ocean like a stone."

I finished it with a ridiculous glissando with my right hand that made her mouth quirk up on one side.

"Your mom and dad always danced to that when they came over," she said, surprising me. I hadn't thought she'd say anything.

"Yeah, they did," I said and moved the keyboard away from me and back in place for her. 

She looked thoughtful for a minute. "I just realized you haven't played in a long time."

Very true. 

"I stopped doing a lot of things after Dad died. Number one of which was being a good husband to you," I said brusquely. "Let me know what you decide about the drive this weekend. I'm happy to do it."

"I'll let you know," she said. "Thank you again for the piano."

"Hope it helps, Addy."

Two days later, I got a text from my wife: Grady and I would like to go for a drive this weekend, if you're still willing.

Absolutely. I'll talk to the Center director and make the arrangements. Saturday morning good?

Yes, but after ten, please.

I'll be in touch on Friday with the arrangements.

So, I hadn't lied, I thought as I walked into the Worthington Center on Friday morning. I was getting in touch with Addy about the arrangements. It was just in person.

Phyllis absolutely beamed at me when I walked in and pressed a hand to her chest in mock surprise.

"For me? Oh, you shouldn't have!"

She might be right. Maybe I shouldn't have. Addy might not like the flowers at all. Phyllis, however, looked delighted, especially when I lifted up a smaller vase with mixed flowers and put it on top of the reception counter.

"This is to say thank you for your help when you were delivering packages to Addy," I said.

Phyllis smiled at me, fussed at the flowers for a minute and then thanked me as I went off to Addy's room. She called for me to come in after I knocked on her door.

"Am I interrupting?" I asked when she turned her surprised face to me.

"No. I don't have therapy for another half hour," she said. I noticed she was sitting in front of the piano, the headphones around her neck as if she'd just pulled them down.

"How's that going?" I asked, nodding to the piano as I set the vase of daisies down on the table.

"OK. Slow. I think I expected to be able to play a song right away, but I'm still trying to figure out how to place the fingers of both hands on the keys and make them work together. I guess it's kind of like therapy...you have to walk before you can run. That old saying may be tired, but it's true."

"It takes a while, and I'd be happy to help if you want. I swear I spent a year on fingering alone when I was learning."

Addy's mouth twitched and she held up a hand. "Sorry. It just sounded...funny."

"That it does," I said, liking that she was amused. "I'm only glad I learned it way before I knew it had any other meaning or I wouldn't have survived my lessons with Mrs. Chanson otherwise."

"Are you sure you don't mind taking us tomorrow?"

"Not at all. I've contacted the Center director and she said it's fine. She suggested being gone no more than four hours for your first outing."

"Both of us can use our legs, but it's just easier to get around right now in a wheelchair, so you won't have to lift us in or out of the car or anything. We can both manage that, I think, but we might need you right there to help."

"Not a problem. I researched some different places to go, all four of them about an hour away so we'll drive two hours roundtrip and then stop to eat or something, go for a walk if you want or just stay in one place. All of the places I looked up have wide, paved, flat paths so it won't be hard to get around in your chairs if we decide to walk."

"Oh --"

"Unless you already have some place in mind that you'd like to go to? These places I looked up are just suggestions."

"No. I didn't think that far ahead, and I don't know if Grady has a particular destination in mind, but I doubt it because he hasn't mentioned anything other than getting out of here."

"OK, so why don't you decide where to go? There are three lakes and one botanical garden to choose from. Lake Albert has a nice boardwalk all the way around it and a really elaborate pier with shops and restaurants. Lake Ellery has a boardwalk, too, but no pier and it's known for its street performers and musicians. And Lake Hatchet has a path all around it but it's known for its elaborate landscaping. It's the biggest lake around and it has a boat tour that can accommodate wheelchairs. And the botanical garden has over five miles of paths running through it and two nice on-site restaurants."

"All the options sound great, but I think I'd like to try Lake Hatchet," she said decisively.

"Lake Hatchet it is," I said. "I'll get more information on the boat tour and figure out which restaurants would be best."

"Thanks," she said. "This will really make Grady happy."

I hope it makes you happy, Addy.

"Good. We should have really nice weather. I'll see you tomorrow at ten-thirty. Have a good day, Addy."

"You, too."

I'd made it to the door before I heard her add softly, "Thank you for the daisies."

I wondered if she remembered they were the very first flowers I'd ever given her.