Challen and Addy

Chapter 28 (Challen): Glimpse After Glimpse

Copyright © 2025 by GroveltoHEA

"Good morning, Addy." I greeted my wife from the doorway to her room.

Her door had been open, but I hadn't wanted to walk in and startle her without first making my presence known. Addy was wearing her headphones, but I knew she could hear if I called out to her loudly enough.

It was the morning after the Pizza and Piano night, and I'd decided to try my luck with getting Addy to join me on an outing after I'd promised I'd fix it for us the previous night. My wife looked over at me from where she was sitting in front of her electronic keyboard, her fingers moving on the keys. 

"Good morning," she said, and her look was curious but not unwelcoming.

"Was wondering if you were up for a drive today."

"Where to?"

That made me grin because I was anticipating her response to my answer. "I was thinking we could get on the highway and see where we end up."

Her response didn't disappoint.

"That sounds very unlike you and your love of planning every last detail."

"It does sound unlike me and that's not such a bad thing, I'm thinking. What do you say?"

"Sure. I'd love to get out of here."

Did it say something that I was excited about being the lesser of two evils? Being in my company was preferable to spending a beautiful Saturday inside the walls of the Worthington Center. As victories went, it wasn't even a battle won, more like a skirmish, but I was looking for the positive wherever I could find it. 

"Give me five minutes and I'll meet you in the common room."

I was waiting by the reception desk for Addy and she came out of her room about the same time Grady came rolling into the common room. 

"We going somewhere?" Grady asked, coming up to us.

"Addy and I are going for a drive." I had to be straight with him since subtleties didn't work.

Since I could see he was disappointed and was about to ask if he could go with us, I deflected. 

"When I get back with Addy, I'll take you for a drive. There's something I'd like to talk with you about."

"OK. I'll either be in my room or in here."

"I'll come find you when we get back."

"Sounds good," Grady said and wheeled himself away.

"He could have come with," Addy said once we were outside.

"No. I wanted to have some time with you by ourselves."

Addy put the brakes on her chair once she reached my SUV, and I opened the door for her, standing next to her while she got into the seat. Then I folded up her chair and put it in the back of the vehicle before I got in.

"North, south, east or west?" I asked my wife.

"I didn't think you were serious!" she laughed. "OK, let's head...west."

"West it is," I said pulling out of the parking lot. "I brought you a mocha latte with an espresso shot and a croissant, thinking we could stop somewhere for an early lunch when we find a place that sounds likely."

"Thank you," she said, and she didn't speak as she ate her croissant and drank her latte.

Guiding the car onto the highway taking us west, I heard Addy crinkle the paper bag the croissant had been in, signaling she was done with the treat.