For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he carefully removed the ribbon.
Ellie studied it.
"Is that a name?"
Doc nodded.
"Sophie."
She smiled.
"That's pretty."
"It is."
"Who's Sophie?"
The garage became quiet again.
Rachel looked toward Doc.
The biker lowered himself onto one knee.
"Sophie was my daughter."
Ellie's eyes widened.
"You have a daughter?"
Doc swallowed.
"I did."
The little girl looked confused.
"Where is she?"
He glanced toward Mark and Rachel.
Neither interrupted.
Doc looked back at Ellie.
"She died a few years ago, sweetheart."
Ellie became very still.
She had heard adults discuss death before, but she had never expected the enormous biker to speak about it so gently.
"Was she sick?"
Doc nodded.
"Yes."
"Like me?"
"Her illness was different."
Ellie looked down at the ribbon.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Then she asked, "Did she like motorcycles?"
Doc smiled through tears.
"More than anything."
Ellie looked toward the beautiful custom machine.
"Did she get to ride one?"
The question hurt more than Doc expected.
He shook his head.
"Not the way we planned."
Ellie looked at his face.
Then she reached toward him.
Doc placed his enormous hand beneath her small fingers.
She held it gently.
"I'm sorry."
The words were barely louder than a whisper.
Doc tried to smile.
"Thank you, Princess."
Ellie studied the ribbon again.
"Did she like pink?"
Doc laughed softly.
"She loved pink."
The little girl looked toward the passenger seat.
"Then she would've liked my motorcycle."
Doc closed his eyes.
"Yeah."
Ellie squeezed his hand.
"I think she would've liked you building it too."
Something inside Doc gave way.
He lowered his head, and tears fell onto his leather vest.
For eight years, he had carried Sophie's memory as though it were a wound he had to hide. He had spent countless nights regretting what he couldn't give her, replaying conversations and imagining ordinary afternoons he would never experience again.
Now a six-year-old girl was holding his hand and speaking about Sophie as though she were someone worth knowing rather than someone whose name made adults uncomfortable.
Doc looked up.
"Thank you, Ellie."
The little girl smiled.
"You're welcome."
Then she pointed toward the motorcycle.
"Can we put her ribbon somewhere she can see it?"
Doc stared at her.
Rachel covered her mouth again.