She said them whenever adults looked disappointed on her behalf.
"It's okay," Ellie repeated quietly.
Doc felt his throat tighten.
He looked at the girl, then toward the motorcycle.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Finally, he placed his hands gently on his thighs.
"You're right, ma'am," he told Rachel. "An ordinary ride wouldn't be safe."
Rachel nodded, relieved that he understood.
But Doc wasn't finished.
He looked back toward Ellie.
"That doesn't mean I can't try to find another way."
The girl lifted her eyes.
"What other way?"
Doc glanced toward the Harley.
"I don't know yet."
He smiled faintly.
"But sometimes the first thing you try isn't the answer."
Ellie studied him.
"Are you a mechanic?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"A good one?"
Several people nearby laughed softly.
Doc grinned.
"Well, I like to think so."
Ellie nodded with complete seriousness.
"Then maybe you can make one."
Doc's smile froze.
For a second, he wasn't standing in the Asheville community workshop anymore.
He was back in a smaller garage eight years earlier, listening to his own daughter describe a motorcycle she wanted him to build.
Sophie had asked for a pink seat, a place for her stuffed rabbit, and handlebars that made her feel like a princess riding a dragon.
He had laughed and promised they would figure something out.
But there had never been enough time.
Doc lowered his gaze toward the faded words across his knuckles.
Then he looked at Ellie again.
"Maybe I can," he whispered.
By the time the charity event ended, Rachel had convinced herself that the biker's promise would be forgotten.
It wasn't that she thought Doc was dishonest. In fact, his gentleness with Ellie had surprised her, and she appreciated that he hadn't dismissed the little girl's question. But Rachel had spent years watching well-meaning people offer things they didn't understand.
Someone would hear about Ellie's illness and promise a trip to an amusement park.
Then they would discover that most rides were inaccessible.
Someone would offer to take Ellie horseback riding.
Then the medical limitations would become clear.
Someone would suggest a special bicycle, a sports camp, or an outdoor adventure.
Each offer began with enthusiasm.
Each disappointment ended in the same place.