Rachel opened the door.
Doc stepped inside, looking slightly uncomfortable.
The enormous biker seemed out of place among the colorful drawings, soft furniture, and children's books stacked beside the television. He ducked instinctively beneath the doorway even though there was plenty of clearance.
Ellie giggled.
"You're too big for our house."
Doc smiled.
"I've been told that before."
She pointed toward his boots.
"Do those weigh a hundred pounds?"
"Not quite."
"Fifty?"
"Less than that."
"Ten?"
"Getting closer."
Ellie nodded seriously.
"I have pink shoes."
Doc looked at her feet.
"I can see that."
"They're faster than yours."
He laughed.
"I bet they are."
Rachel watched from the kitchen entrance.
She had expected the visit to be awkward.
Instead, Ellie immediately began interrogating Doc about motorcycles.
She wanted to know how many he owned, whether they could drive through the mountains, and why some had three wheels while others had two. She asked whether rain could make an engine sneeze and whether his beard ever got caught in his jacket.
Doc answered every question.
When he didn't know what she meant, he asked her to explain.
She seemed delighted by that.
Eventually, Ellie pointed toward her notebook.
"Do you want to see my motorcycle?"
Doc nodded.
"Absolutely."
She asked Mark to place the notebook on her lap and opened it to the drawing she had completed with the larger crayon.
The motorcycle was enormous.
Its wheels were pink.
A brown teddy bear sat beside the passenger seat, and colorful stars surrounded the engine.
Doc studied it.
"That's quite a machine."
Ellie smiled proudly.
"It has five wheels."
"I noticed."
"Because five is safer than two."
Virginia would have laughed if she had heard that.
Doc smiled.
"Well, the number of wheels isn't the whole story, but I like how you're thinking."
Ellie pointed toward the passenger seat.
"That's me."
"I figured."
"And that's Mr. Bumblebee."
Doc looked at the small brown shape.
"Does he know how to ride?"
Ellie gave him an incredulous look.
"He's a bear."
Doc nodded solemnly.
"Of course. Silly question."
She laughed.
Then she asked, "Are you really making one?"
The room became quieter.
Rachel looked toward Doc.
He considered his answer.
"I'm trying to find out whether we can make something that would be safe and comfortable for you."
Ellie frowned.
"That's a lot of words."