Maya told Emma what had happened years earlier.
After her accident, she had stopped leaving the rehabilitation center. She hated being treated like something fragile. Daniel was the first person who refused to pity her.
Instead, he asked a strange question.
“If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?”
“The mountains,” Maya had answered.
“Then we'll figure out how.”
Daniel began designing the sidecar motorcycle.
He worked at night.
He tested ramps, restraints, steering modifications, and emergency controls.
But before the project was complete, Daniel became seriously ill.
Maya had assumed he had forgotten her.
Emma shook her head.
“He never forgot you.”
Maya wiped her eyes.
“I know that now.”
Jack placed a small key in Emma's hand.
“Your father left one final instruction.”
“What?”
“Take Maya to the mountains.”
Emma looked at the key.
“And the coffin?”
Jack smiled sadly.
“That isn't a coffin.”
He turned to Maya.
“It's a traveling memorial box. Your father called it the 'last mile box.' He wanted it carried on the first trip.”
Emma finally understood.
Her father hadn't brought death to her birthday.
He had brought a promise that had survived death.
Chapter Five — The First Ride
Two days later, the motorcycle was ready.
Emma drove.
Jack followed behind on his own bike.
Maya sat in the sidecar.
The memorial box was secured behind them.
As they left town, Emma could barely hear anything over the roar of the engine and the pounding of her heart.
For the first hour, nobody spoke.
Then Maya laughed.
It was a loud, free laugh.