It was almost funny.
He drove to the other location.
The doll was waiting.
The employee handed it to him.
“Cinderella?”
“Yes.”
“Last one.”
Gideon looked at the box.
He smiled.
“This is the one.”
He paid.
Then he drove home.
But he did not know that Sophie was waiting.
And she had no idea what was coming.
When Gideon arrived home, Sophie was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework.
She looked up.
“You're late.”
“I know.”
“Where were you?”
“Shopping.”
“For what?”
Gideon smiled.
“Nothing important.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes.
“You're lying.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Gideon laughed.
“Finish your homework.”
Sophie sighed.
Later that evening, Gideon told her to close her eyes.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“Grandpa.”
“Trust me.”
Sophie closed her eyes.
Gideon opened the garage door.
The dolls were everywhere.
Boxes lined the walls.
Princess castles.
Princess cars.
Princess bedrooms.
Princess accessories.
And, in the center, an enormous castle playset Gideon had secretly ordered online.
Sophie opened her eyes.
She froze.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Gideon waited.
Then she whispered:
“Are those…”
“Yes.”
“All of them?”
“Every princess I could find.”
Sophie walked forward.
She touched one box.
Then another.
Then another.
“Grandpa…”
She turned.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Gideon immediately worried.
“What's wrong?”
Sophie ran toward him.
She wrapped both arms around his waist.
Gideon froze.
Then he hugged her.
“You said I could have all of them.”
“I know.”
“You remembered.”
“Of course.”
She cried into his shirt.
Gideon held her.
“I miss Mommy.”
“I know.”
“I wish she could see this.”
Gideon closed his eyes.
“So do I.”
Sophie pulled away.
“She would love them.”
“Yes.”
“She would say there are too many.”
Gideon laughed.
“She probably would.”
Sophie smiled through her tears.
Then she noticed the castle.
“What's that?”
Gideon pointed.
“That's your castle.”
She stared.
“Mine?”
“Yours.”
She ran toward it.
For the first time in months, Gideon heard something he had almost forgotten.
Sophie laughing.
Not a polite laugh.
Not a forced laugh.
A real laugh.
A child's laugh.
Gideon stood in the doorway.
His eyes filled with tears.
He had wanted to give her every princess.
Instead, he had given her a reason to smile.
That night, Sophie asked Gideon to stay.
“Can you tell me about Mommy?”
“Of course.”
They sat beside the castle.
Sophie held Cinderella.
“Tell me something I don't know.”
Gideon smiled.
“Your mother once stole my motorcycle.”
Sophie laughed.
“She did not.”
“She absolutely did.”
“When?”
“She was nineteen.”
“What happened?”
“She took it without asking.”
“Why?”
“She wanted to impress a boy.”
“Did it work?”
Gideon smiled.
“Very well.”
“Who was the boy?”
Gideon looked at her.
“Your father.”
Sophie smiled.
“Tell me more.”
So Gideon did.
He told her stories about Elena as a teenager.
He told her how she used to sing badly.
How she once dyed her hair bright red.
How she hated spiders.
How she loved chocolate.
How she danced whenever she heard old music.
How she could make everyone laugh.
Sophie listened.
Then she asked:
“Was she brave?”
Gideon nodded.
“Very.”
“More brave than you?”
Gideon smiled.
“Much more.”
Sophie laughed.
“Grandpa.”
“It's true.”
Then Gideon reached into his wallet.
He pulled out an old photograph.
Elena stood beside her motorcycle.
She was young.
Smiling.
Happy.
Sophie stared.
“She looks pretty.”
“She was.”
“She looks like me.”
“She does.”
Sophie touched the photograph.
“I wish I remembered her like this.”
Gideon shook his head.
“You don't have to remember everything.”
“Why?”
“Because I remember too.”
He placed the photograph beside her.
“When you forget something, I'll tell you.”
Sophie looked at him.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She smiled.
Then she placed the photograph beside the princess castle.
For the first time, Gideon realized something.
He had not been replacing Elena.
He had been helping Sophie build a bridge back to her.
A week later, Sophie came home from school with an idea.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“Can we have a princess party?”
Gideon looked around the room.