Home for the Holidays Read Online Free PDF Page A

lacrosse, a book of American short stories, a new set of charcoals for drawing and, from Clarence, a paisley necktie.
    “For that Snow Ball thing of yours,” Clarence said. “So you look sharp.”
    Nicky's parents were now standing near the tree smiling as he opened his last present from them. It looked like a CD. Nicky was, honestly, not too excited about that one. His parents had good taste in music and all. It just wasn't
his
taste. As he picked it up and pulled at the paper, his mother said, “Now, your father and I weren't sure you'd really
like
this present, but we hope it's okay.”
    When Nicky saw the logo—a huge dark sun—he said,
“BlackPlanet Two?”
Then he shouted. “No way!”
    “Oh yes wa-ay,” his mother said, laughing.
    “After what happened this summer,” his father said, “we weren't sure you'd still be interested in this.”
    “Are you kidding?” Nicky said. “It's the best!” He leapt to his feet and gave each of his parents a hug.
    It was almost as good watching everyone else open the presents Nicky had bought for them. Uncle Frankie loved the overcoat Nicky and his mother had picked out for him. Grandma Tutti loved the cashmere scarf and said she would wear it to church every day.
    Uncle Frankie laughed when he saw the tracksuit Nicky had bought for his father. “He's gonna turn you back into a goomba,” Frankie said. “Which you might need, if you're gonna stay in business with guys like Van Allen.”
    “Why?” Nicky's father asked. He looked hurt. “What's wrong with him?”
    “Nothin',” Frankie said. “I just got a funny feeling from him. Does he know I'm a cop?”
    “He knows you're an undercover detective,” Nicky's dad said. “I told him. He was impressed.”
    “That's okay, then,” Frankie said. “It just makes some guys nervous.”
    Nicky's mother modeled the new robe and said it was beautiful. And Clarence was delighted by the driving gloves. “You must've seen me looking at these, Nicholas,” he said. “That's a very considerate present.”
    But the biggest present of all came in the late afternoon. Nicky was reading by the fire when the phone rang. A minute later, his mother came into the room and said, “That was your friend Tommy. He's down at the train station. Clarence is pulling the car around. Would you like to go with him?”
    “Yes!” Nicky said.
    Tommy was waiting on the platform, standing with his hands in his pockets and a battered book bag slung over his shoulder. He looked small and cold and lost. Nicky ran up to him, shouting, “Tommy!” and skidded to a stop. Tommy smiled, and stuck his hand out.
    “Hey, pal.”
    “Hey.”
    “So, I made it.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Pretty cold, huh?”
    “Very.”
    “So, you live around here?”
    “About five miles away. Where's your stuff?”
    “This is my stuff,” Tommy said, and showed Nicky his book bag.
    “Uh, great,” Nicky said. “Let's go.”
    Tommy stared out the window as Clarence drove them home. He seemed amazed by everything he saw.
    He pointed at a huge wooden mansion poised atop a rolling hill. “What's that?”
    “That's the country club.”
    He pointed at a set of stately stone buildings surrounded by graceful trees hung with snow. “That another country club?”
    “That's Carrington Prep—my school,” Nicky said.
    “It looks like Buckingham Palace or something.”
    “It's just a school,” Nicky said. “But up here to the left is the skate park. And over there—well, down that road a little way—is the mall where they have indoor laser tag. And the movie theater. We'll go there.”
    “Sounds good.”
    “And this is my street.”
    Clarence had left the main road and was driving down a tree-lined street fronted by broad, sloping lawns, white with snow and watched over by stands of pine, maple and oak trees.
    Clarence pulled into the Borellis' driveway and stopped the Navigator in front of the garage. He got out and went around to open the door to the house.
    Sitting in