cop had found the green gym bag. Inside was the stolen money, the photos Kevin had taken, and the cassette of Marv planning the crime. Kevin watched as Marv and Harry were handcuffed and read their rights.
"You guys should have started a little earlier today," one of the cops said as he pushed them toward the squad car. "The prisoners have already exchanged gifts."
"We would've started earlier," Marv started to explain. "But we had to hide out until the store closed."
"Why don't you just shut up?" Harry shouted, and kicked Marv in the leg. "Didn't the cop just say we got the right to remain silent?"
The cop shoved Harry into the back of the squad car. As Marv bent down to follow him into the car, he turned to the cop.
"My partner's still a little cranky," Marv explained. "We just broke out of jail a few days ago."
The cop pushed Marv in beside Harry. Suddenly there was a loud thumping sound and Marv yelped in pain. Then the door slammed.
From his perch on a nearby rock, Kevin smiled. Operation Ho! Ho! Ho! was a complete success. He was just about to thank the police when he remembered that he was still wanted for credit card fraud. Maybe it was better if he just slipped away into the dark.
Christmas Eve
The Plaza Hotel
11:15 P.M.
In the extra large suite at the Plaza, Kate sat by the window, staring out into the dark New York night, wondering where her little boy was and if he was all right. Her other children were sprawled asleep on the bed and floor around her. Peter was slumped in a chair, snoring lightly. Unable to sleep, Kate sighed and looked down at the complimentary hotel magazine on her lap. It was almost midnight and she felt helpless and very, very sad.
Not far away, Kevin wandered along the dark cold empty streets feeling the same way. For a while he'd felt really good about helping to capture the bad guys and returning the money meant for the Children's Hospital. But as the hour grew late he once again felt like a lost kid in New York with no place to go and no one to be with. He was glad he'd done his good deed, but it seemed as if it still wasn't enough to erase all the bad ones that had preceded it.
Outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, he stopped and looked up at the tall spires as the bells rang in Christmas. From inside he could hear the choir singing "Joy to the World." But there was no joy in Kevin's world tonight. He bent his head down and kept walking.
In the hotel room, Kate turned another page of the magazine and stared down at a full-page photo of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, adorned with lights, tinsel, and decorations. She'd always wanted Kevin to see it.
Then, suddenly, she had the oddest feeling . . .
Kevin also had an odd feeling . . . as if he were being drawn somewhere. He crossed Fifth Avenue, went around a corner, and found himself staring up at the biggest, most beautiful Christmas tree he'd ever seen. Kevin looked at it in awe. Somehow he sensed that it was no accident that he'd found his way to this place. And yet, when he looked around, he saw that he was still alone.
"Maybe I don't deserve a Christmas even if I did do a good deed," he said, gazing sadly at the huge five-pointed gold star at the top of the tree. "But if I can get anything, I don't want any presents. All I want is to take back every mean thing I ever said to my family. Even if they don't take back the things they said to me. I don't care. I love all of them. Even Buzz."
Kevin took a deep breath and watched the vapor leave his lips. As the church bells rang in the distance, he knew there was more he wanted to say: "Listen, if it isn't possible to see all of them, could I just see my mother? I swear I'll never want another thing as long as I live. I just want my mother. I know I won't see her tonight, but just promise me I can see her again sometime . . . anytime. Even if it's just once for only a couple of minutes. Because I need to tell her I'm sorry."
Kevin waited for a moment, as if hoping that
"You guys should have started a little earlier today," one of the cops said as he pushed them toward the squad car. "The prisoners have already exchanged gifts."
"We would've started earlier," Marv started to explain. "But we had to hide out until the store closed."
"Why don't you just shut up?" Harry shouted, and kicked Marv in the leg. "Didn't the cop just say we got the right to remain silent?"
The cop shoved Harry into the back of the squad car. As Marv bent down to follow him into the car, he turned to the cop.
"My partner's still a little cranky," Marv explained. "We just broke out of jail a few days ago."
The cop pushed Marv in beside Harry. Suddenly there was a loud thumping sound and Marv yelped in pain. Then the door slammed.
From his perch on a nearby rock, Kevin smiled. Operation Ho! Ho! Ho! was a complete success. He was just about to thank the police when he remembered that he was still wanted for credit card fraud. Maybe it was better if he just slipped away into the dark.
Christmas Eve
The Plaza Hotel
11:15 P.M.
In the extra large suite at the Plaza, Kate sat by the window, staring out into the dark New York night, wondering where her little boy was and if he was all right. Her other children were sprawled asleep on the bed and floor around her. Peter was slumped in a chair, snoring lightly. Unable to sleep, Kate sighed and looked down at the complimentary hotel magazine on her lap. It was almost midnight and she felt helpless and very, very sad.
Not far away, Kevin wandered along the dark cold empty streets feeling the same way. For a while he'd felt really good about helping to capture the bad guys and returning the money meant for the Children's Hospital. But as the hour grew late he once again felt like a lost kid in New York with no place to go and no one to be with. He was glad he'd done his good deed, but it seemed as if it still wasn't enough to erase all the bad ones that had preceded it.
Outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, he stopped and looked up at the tall spires as the bells rang in Christmas. From inside he could hear the choir singing "Joy to the World." But there was no joy in Kevin's world tonight. He bent his head down and kept walking.
In the hotel room, Kate turned another page of the magazine and stared down at a full-page photo of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, adorned with lights, tinsel, and decorations. She'd always wanted Kevin to see it.
Then, suddenly, she had the oddest feeling . . .
Kevin also had an odd feeling . . . as if he were being drawn somewhere. He crossed Fifth Avenue, went around a corner, and found himself staring up at the biggest, most beautiful Christmas tree he'd ever seen. Kevin looked at it in awe. Somehow he sensed that it was no accident that he'd found his way to this place. And yet, when he looked around, he saw that he was still alone.
"Maybe I don't deserve a Christmas even if I did do a good deed," he said, gazing sadly at the huge five-pointed gold star at the top of the tree. "But if I can get anything, I don't want any presents. All I want is to take back every mean thing I ever said to my family. Even if they don't take back the things they said to me. I don't care. I love all of them. Even Buzz."
Kevin took a deep breath and watched the vapor leave his lips. As the church bells rang in the distance, he knew there was more he wanted to say: "Listen, if it isn't possible to see all of them, could I just see my mother? I swear I'll never want another thing as long as I live. I just want my mother. I know I won't see her tonight, but just promise me I can see her again sometime . . . anytime. Even if it's just once for only a couple of minutes. Because I need to tell her I'm sorry."
Kevin waited for a moment, as if hoping that
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