Spring has sprung, and with it, smiley faces. When yellow crocuses bloom all over town in the shape of an emoji during April’s first warm days, reporter Nero Storm is sent out to discover their meaning and origin.<br><br>Nero has little to smile about himself, what with dysfunctional family drama and a tragic love life. The previous fall, it seemed as if he might have finally met the man of his dreams in dog daddy, ride share operator, and charity organizer Z. Though the two spent but ten morning and evening car rides together, sparks flew. Unfortunately, at the end of that time, Nero witnessed a crime, and Z disappeared.<br><br>Now, as the rest of the world looks forward to a new beginning promised by spring, Nero is left to wonder. Are the smiley face flowers a message for him, and will he ever see Z’s smile again for real?

21 Smiles

Carmen and I were meeting at the station, to go out and get footage, just like last time. When I pulled into the WTWN studio parking lot, I was thinking less about spray painted sad faces and more about the yellow crocus happy ones. I recalled how they had just appeared one day, too. A surprise, like out of nowhere.


Turning to look out my window at the car parked right beside me, I thought for a moment I was seeing things, hearing things, hallucinating, as it happened again. It was early. The lot was mostly empty. My Ford, the Saturn, and just one or two more. In the time I took trying to convince myself it wasn’t Z’s car I was looking at, he was out of it and at my door.


He looked the same, the same dark, rich friendly eyes, the same expressive brows, the same hair, the same beard I wanted to touch with both hands while I kissed him. Still, I wasn’t sure I recognized anything, even my own name.


Chapter 39