And I realized that Lily's favorite game had become something larger than anyone originally imagined.
A few weeks later, Eli asked whether he could see a picture of Lily.
The question came unexpectedly.
They were sitting beside his bed, and Wade had just finished telling a story about Lily insisting that the red car needed a garage made from a shoebox.
Eli smiled.
"Was she funny?"
Wade nodded.
"Very."
"Funnier than me?"
The biker laughed.
"That's a tough competition."
My son looked pleased.
Then he asked, "What did she look like?"
Wade became quiet.
He glanced toward me.
I gave him a small smile.
"Only if you want to show him."
The biker reached into his wallet.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he removed a small photograph.
Its corners were worn from years of being carried.
He held it where Eli could see without needing to move.
The little girl in the picture had bright eyes and a wide smile. She was wearing a pink sweater and holding a little red toy car in both hands.
Her hair was gathered into two uneven pigtails.
She looked proud of something.
Perhaps the car.
Perhaps the person taking the photograph.
Perhaps simply being six years old on a good day.
Eli stared.
"That's Lily?"
Wade nodded.
"That's my girl."
My son smiled.
"She's pretty."
The biker swallowed.
"Yeah."
Eli pointed toward the car.
"That's Ruby."
Wade laughed softly.
"Sure is."
My son studied the photograph again.
Then he looked up.
"She looks happy."
The biker's eyes filled.
"She was."
Eli nodded.
Then he asked, "Can I draw her?"
Wade looked surprised.
"Draw her?"
My son nodded.
"With cars."
The biker smiled.
"I think she'd like that."
That afternoon, with my help, Eli made a picture.
It showed three cars crossing a finish line.
Blue.
Green.
Red.
Above them were three stick figures.
One was small and bald.
One was enormous, with a beard drawn as a series of black scribbles.
The third had two pigtails.
Eli pointed toward the figures as he explained.
"Me. Wade. Lily."
I looked at the drawing.
Then at him.
"What are you all doing?"
He smiled.
"Winning."
I laughed.
"All three of you?"
He nodded.
"Yep."
When Wade saw the drawing the following morning, he stared for a long time.
Then he asked whether he could keep it.
Eli looked surprised.
"Of course."
The biker took it carefully.
He held it against his chest.
"Thank you, champion."
My son smiled.
"You're welcome."
Wade didn't say anything else.
But later, I learned that he had framed the picture and placed it beside Lily's photograph at home.