“He’s Uncle Jack.”
“Your uncle?”
Emily shook her head.
“No. Daddy’s friend.”
The nurse leaned closer.
“Your father’s friend?”
Emily nodded and reached under her blanket. She pulled out a folded piece of paper, wrinkled from being handled many times.
“My daddy gave him something before he went away,” Emily said.
The nurse carefully unfolded it.
Inside was a child’s drawing. Two motorcycles. Three stick figures. A little girl holding one of their hands.
At the bottom were three uneven words.
“Take care of her.”
The nurse looked toward the window again.
The biker was still standing there, quietly turning the silver pendant.
Then Emily said something that made the nurse’s chest feel heavy.
“He promised Daddy he would visit me,” the girl said.
“Every day?” the nurse asked softly.
Emily shook her head.
“Only mornings.”
“Why mornings?”
Emily looked toward the window again and whispered.
“Because Daddy used to leave at 8:00 every morning.”
At that moment, the biker outside lowered his head slightly, as if he had somehow heard her.
The nurse stayed beside Emily’s bed for a long time after that.
Eight o’clock wasn’t random.
It was a memory.
“Did your dad ride a motorcycle too?” the nurse asked.
Emily nodded. “A loud one.”
She smiled faintly.
“Mommy said it was too noisy. But Daddy said motorcycles sound like freedom.”
The nurse glanced outside again.
Jack had stepped a little closer to the window. Emily raised her hand again, and he pressed his palm to the glass in return.
“How long has he been coming?” the nurse asked.
“Since Daddy went away.”
“Since he died?”
Emily didn’t use the same words adults did.
“Since Daddy went to the sky,” she said softly.
“And he comes every morning?”
Emily nodded.
“Unless it rains really hard.”
The nurse hesitated.
“Why does he stay outside?”
Emily looked puzzled.
“Because Daddy told him not to scare the nurses.”
The nurse blinked.
“What?”
Emily pointed toward the window.
“Daddy said Uncle Jack looks scary.”
Outside, Jack reached into his vest again and pulled out a photograph. He pressed it against the glass.
Emily leaned forward to see it.
It showed two men on motorcycles, laughing.
Between them stood a small girl wearing a pink helmet that was much too big for her.
“That’s Daddy,” Emily said happily.
The nurse studied the picture, then looked back at the biker.