Free Home Alone by Todd Strasser, John Hughes

her?"
    Kevin shook his head slowly. Old man Marley seemed awful friendly for a snow-shovel murderer.
    "I know you," Marley said. "Live across the street from me, right?"
    Kevin nodded. He was still trembling a little.
    "You don't have to be so scared," Marley chuckled. "All that stuff you hear about me . . . none of it's true. Just the product of someone's overactive imagination. . . . So, have you been a good boy this year?"
    "I . . . I think so," Kevin stammered.
    Marley gave him a look. "You just think so?"
    Kevin had to shake his head.
    "I had a feeling," Marley said. "This is the place to be when you're feeling bad about yourself."
    "It is?" Kevin had never thought of church that way. "Are you feeling bad about yourself?"
    Marley looked surprised. "No, I came to hear my granddaughter sing."
    They both paused to listen to the choir.
    "The truth is, I've been kind of a pain lately," Kevin admitted. "I said things I shouldn't have said and did some stuff, too. It's bothering me because I really like my family even though sometimes I say I don't . . . and sometimes I even think I don't. Do you know what I mean?"
    "Yup," said Marley. "How you feel about your family is a complicated thing."
    "Especially when you have four older brothers and sisters," Kevin said.
    "Deep down you always love them," Marley said. "But sometimes you forget and then you hurt them and they hurt you."
    "Maybe it's because I'm a kid," Kevin said.
    "Oh, no, I don't think so," said Marley. "Actually, it's the reason I'm here right now, too."
    "It is?" Kevin was surprised.
    "I have to see my granddaughter here because I can't go to her house," Marley said.
    "Why not?" Kevin asked.
    "A few years back I had an argument with my son," Marley said. "He's a grown-up, mind you, but just the same we both lost our tempers and said we never wanted to see each other again. . . . Unfortunately, we've both stuck to it."
    "Why don't you call him?" Kevin asked.
    "Well, I think about it," Marley said, "But I'm afraid he won't talk to me."
    Kevin stared up at his old wrinkled face. "Aren't you too old to be afraid?"
    "You can never be too old to be afraid, son," Marley said.
    Kevin thought for a moment. "I was always afraid of our basement," Kevin said. "It's dark and there's weird stuff down there and it smells funny. But I made myself go down and do some laundry. If you turn on the lights, it's no big deal."
    Marley squinted at him. "Are you trying to tell me something?"
    "Maybe you should call your son," Kevin said.
    "What if he won't talk to me?" Marley asked.
    "At least you'll know and you won't have to be afraid anymore," Kevin said.
    "I don't know," Marley said, but it seemed to Kevin he was considering it.
    "Maybe you should do it for your granddaughter," Kevin said. "I bet she misses you."
    "I sure miss her," Marley sighed. Then he put his hand on Kevin's shoulder. Kevin thought it would feel terrible, but it felt good. "You know, son, it's been nice talking to you."
    "It's been nice talking to you, too," Kevin said. Suddenly he remembered the Crooks.
    "Well, merry Christmas," Kevin said.
    "Merry Christmas to you," said Marley.
    Kevin turned and hurried out of the church. He had a house to defend.

December 24

    Detroit Metropolitan

    Airport

    8 P.M.
    "I'm sorry, Mrs. McCallister," the ticket agent in Detroit was saying, "but you can see for yourself. The weather's horrible. Every flight to Chicago is cancelled."
    Kate stared out the plate glass windows of the terminal. It was snowing so hard she could barely see the planes, A few minutes earlier she had staggered off the much-delayed 747 and went straight to the counter and begged the agent to find her a flight to Chicago. She was practically ready to send herself by Federal Express.
    "I'll get you a hotel room for the night," the agent said. "I'm sure there'll be an opening on a flight tomorrow afternoon."
    "I can't wait that long," Kate said.
    "I'm terribly sorry," the ticket agent said. "But I've done