“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.
Cinderella reminded her of the first night she laughed after Elena died.
The party reminded her of her grandfather.
The hundreds of donated dolls reminded her of the people who had helped strangers.
When Sophie turned sixteen, she asked Gideon something.
“Do you remember the first princess?”
“Cinderella.”
“No.”
Gideon looked confused.
“The first one you bought.”
He smiled.
“I remember.”
Sophie nodded.
“Do you still have it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gideon shrugged.
“Because you asked me to buy it.”
She smiled.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you buy all of them?”
Gideon looked at her.
“Because you stopped asking for things.”
She became quiet.