Nico Follows the Fourth Puff — Under the soft sugar palms, Nico tapped his flagpole on the cake stand. “Four puffs before the song,” he whispered. Read the full story →
Under the soft sugar palms, Nico tapped his flagpole on the cake stand. “Four puffs before the song,” he whispered. Puff one smelled like cocoa. Puff two tickled his nose with cinnamon. Puff three floated past the candy rocks, and Nico chased it, pat-pat, out beyond his cozy sprinkle path.
The fourth puff curled behind the volcano where the frosting felt cool and wobbly. Nico’s hat slipped sideways, and he almost dropped his flag. Then he saw why the puff had run away: it was carrying the first tiny note of the birthday song. Nico brought it back, humming low and warm. Next time you spot his flag, can you imagine that fourth puff hiding right beside it?
