His mom smiled softly. “You have a big heart, Kevin. Just remember, some people aren’t ready for help, even when they need it.”
Her words lingered, but Kevin still felt that Mrs. Kimbly was just lonely. He was determined to make her Halloween special.
The next day, Kevin gathered every decoration he could find—twinkling lights, plastic spiders, and his favorite carved pumpkin. It was special to him, but if it could bring a smile to Mrs. Kimbly’s face, he was willing to part with it.
He loaded everything into a wagon and headed back to her house. Working quickly, Kevin hung lights and arranged pumpkins on her porch. The house began to sparkle with Halloween spirit. Just as he placed the last pumpkin, the door burst open.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mrs. Kimbly stormed out, her face red with anger. “I told you not to decorate my house!”
Kevin froze, his heart pounding. “I just wanted to help,” he said softly. “It’s Halloween…”
Before he could explain further, Mrs. Kimbly grabbed the nearest pumpkin—the one he had spent hours carving—and smashed it on the ground. It shattered into pieces.
Blinking back tears, Kevin stared at the ruined pumpkin. He had worked so hard, and now it was gone. Without a word, he turned and ran home.
That night, dressed as a vampire, Kevin struggled to enjoy Halloween. While trick-or-treating with his friends, he couldn’t shake thoughts of Mrs. Kimbly’s dark house. He knew the other kids might target her home for pranks, and he didn’t want that to happen.
Determined to prevent any trouble, Kevin returned to her house. He sat on her porch, handing out candy from his own bag to passing trick-or-treaters, explaining, “Mrs. Kimbly’s not home.” He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there when the front door opened.
Startled, Kevin looked up to see Mrs. Kimbly standing in the doorway. Her face no longer showed anger. “What are you doing here, Kevin?” she asked softly.
“I didn’t want anyone to mess with your house,” he explained. “I thought maybe I could help.”
Mrs. Kimbly sighed and sat beside him. “I’m sorry for earlier,” she said quietly. “Halloween is hard for me. I don’t have any family, and seeing everyone else celebrate just makes me feel… alone.”
Kevin’s heart ached. “You don’t have to be alone,” he said. “You can celebrate with us. We’d love for you to join in.”
A small smile crept across Mrs. Kimbly’s face. “You’re a kind boy, Kevin. Thank you for what you did. And I’m sorry about your pumpkin.”
“It’s okay,” Kevin replied, smiling back. “I have another one at home. We can carve it together if you’d like.”
Mrs. Kimbly chuckled softly. As Kevin dashed home to retrieve the pumpkin, she felt something she hadn’t in years—the warmth of Halloween spirit, all thanks to a boy who refused to give up.
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