“You have enough princesses for a kingdom.”
“I know.”
“How many people?”
“Everyone.”
“That sounds expensive.”
Sophie smiled.
“Please?”
Gideon sighed dramatically.
“All right.”
The party became bigger than expected.
Gideon invited Sophie's classmates.
Sarah, the neighbor, helped.
Rachel from the toy store came too.
She brought cupcakes.
Gideon's motorcycle club arrived.
Twenty large men in leather vests stood in a backyard decorated with princess banners.
The sight was ridiculous.
And wonderful.
Children ran everywhere.
Some wore crowns.
Others wore princess dresses.
One little boy wore a plastic tiara.
Gideon looked at him.
“Excellent choice.”
The boy grinned.
“Thank you.”
Music played.
Food covered the tables.
The enormous biker who once looked frightening was now carrying a tray of pink cupcakes.
Rachel laughed.
“Never thought I'd see this.”
Gideon shrugged.
“I've done stranger things.”
“Like what?”
“Rebuild a motorcycle in twelve hours.”
She laughed.
Then Sophie appeared.
She wore a blue dress.
She ran toward Gideon.
“Grandpa!”
“Yes?”
“Look!”
“You look beautiful.”
She smiled.
“Mommy would've liked it.”
Gideon nodded.
“She would've loved it.”
Sophie looked around.
“Are you happy?”
Gideon looked at the children.
At the dolls.
At the decorations.
At the people who had come together.
“Yes.”
Sophie hugged him.
“Me too.”
Gideon's motorcycle club had a reputation.
People saw them riding together and assumed trouble.
But they had another side.
They raised money for hospitals.
They collected toys during Christmas.
They helped veterans.
They repaired houses.
And now they had a new mission.
Princesses.
The club's president, Marcus, looked at Gideon.
“You've officially ruined our reputation.”
“How?”
“We're bikers.”
“So?”
“We're not supposed to be buying princess dolls.”
Gideon smiled.
“Why not?”
Marcus looked at the children running through the yard.
He sighed.
“Fair point.”
Another biker walked over.
“Where did you get that crown?”
Marcus looked down.
A pink plastic crown sat on his head.
“I don't know.”
Gideon laughed.
“You're wearing it.”
“Apparently.”
The children cheered.
Marcus shook his head.
“I'm never hearing the end of this.”
“You're not.”
The club eventually created a tradition.
Every Christmas, they would collect dolls and toys for children in need.
They called it The Princess Ride.
Dozens of motorcycles would arrive at stores.
Instead of weapons or alcohol, their saddlebags were filled with toys.
The first year, they collected more than five hundred dolls.
Sophie helped.
She stood at the front wearing a crown.
She thanked every rider.
Gideon watched proudly.
One of the bikers asked:
“When did all this start?”
Gideon looked at Sophie.
“A little girl asked for a castle.”
The biker smiled.
“And now?”
Gideon shrugged.
“Now we've got a kingdom.”
One Christmas, Gideon returned to the same toy store.
Rachel was working there.
She recognized him immediately.
“You're back.”
Gideon smiled.
“Princess Ride.”
Rachel looked behind him.
More than twenty motorcycles were parked outside.
Each one carried boxes.
Rachel laughed.
“You really turned this into a tradition.”
“We did.”
She looked at the boxes.
“How many?”
“Three hundred and forty-two.”
Rachel shook her head.
“That's insane.”
“Probably.”
Then a little girl approached the counter.
She looked nervous.
She was about six years old.
Rachel recognized her.
Her family had been struggling financially.
The little girl stared at a princess doll.
She didn't touch it.
She simply stared.
Gideon noticed.
He walked over.
“Which one?”
The girl looked at him nervously.
“I don't know.”
“You like princesses?”
She nodded.
“Which one is your favorite?”
“Cinderella.”
Gideon smiled.
“Good choice.”
He picked up the doll.
He handed it to her.
The girl looked at her mother.
Her mother shook her head.
“We can't afford it.”
Gideon looked at the mother.
“You don't have to.”
The woman started crying.
The girl held the doll.
“Is it mine?”
Gideon nodded.
“Yes.”
The child hugged the doll.
Then she hugged Gideon's leg.
He looked down.
She was tiny.
He smiled.
“Take care of her.”
“I will.”
Rachel watched.
She remembered the first day Gideon had walked into the store.
A giant biker.
A frightening appearance.
A cart full of princess dolls.
Now she understood.
He had never really been buying dolls.
He had been buying moments.
Years passed.
Sophie grew.
She became taller.
Then taller.
Eventually, the princess dolls moved from the center of her bedroom to shelves.
But she never threw them away.
Each one had a memory.
The castle reminded her of her mother.