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.