When 17-year-old Rune returns to Blossom Grove, he’s desperate to know why Poppy—the girl he loved and who promised to wait—suddenly stopped talking to him. Her silence broke his heart. But when he finally learns the truth, Rune realizes the pain he’s felt is nothing compared to what’s coming next. What secret could hurt more than goodbye?
He kissed my hair. “All my girls, back on home ground.” I knew he meant Poppy too, who was waiting for us in the Blossom Grove. Months ago, those words would have broken me. Now? They were perfection. “Let’s get you home,” Mama said, and Daddy went and collected my luggage. I smiled as the…
I must go now. I am becoming too tired. But remember, I love you more than all the stars in the sky. All my love forever, Your very proud big sister, Poppy I couldn’t see the final sentence for the tears pouring from my eyes. Cael’s chest was moving up and down in fast motions,…
“I’m doing my very best”. People believe that it helps reassure those we love that we are okay, even if we are not, and helps them pass onto the afterworld and the next part of their journey.” Cael was stiff as a board beside me. It was the hardest part of everything for him, letting…
“You’re here,” I whispered, still in shock. Rune’s eyes softened and a hint of sadness flickered in their depths for a few seconds. “I never miss the cherry blossoms, Sav.” He touched his camera. “I still have to show my girl.” The pictures on Poppy’s grave. Every year at the end of the cherry blossom…
I nudged him and said, “My Rune.” Rune choked on his laugh, and a tear spilled over the crease in his eye. “Your Rune,” he echoed. “He’s a hockey player from just outside of Boston,” I said. “Boston, hey?” he said, clearly referring to my future at Harvard. “He was meant to go to Harvard…
“Tomorrow,” Leo said as we gathered in the hotel’s rec room they had booked out just for us, “will be the culmination of all this trip has taught.” Nerves ran up and down my body like electricity. Mia and Leo hadn’t told us what was going to happen. But I knew it must have been…
“Before you, you will see a stack of plates. I would ask you all to take one.” We all did as she asked, then stepped back to await further instruction. Savannah looked at me and shrugged. She had no idea what this was either. Aika looked like an artist, and her studio could be for…
Aika took the two largest pieces of the plate and coated one side with the gold liquid. “This is the Japanese art of kintsugi,” she said, never taking her eyes off what she was doing. “I am using a gold lacquer like a glue to repair the plate. To put the broken pieces of the…
A hand landed on my shoulder. Aika stood beside me. “I want to give you all a kit to take with you. For you to practice at home.” She smiled, and her brown eyes were filled with kindness. “For when you feel life cannot be beautiful again.” “Thank you,” I whispered and clutched on to…
I wanted to break down this final barrier. And I wanted to do this with Cael by my side. I leaned in and kissed him. Then I rose from the table and Cael came too. “You sure?” he asked. “I’ve never been surer.” Cael led us outside, and to Leo, who would be accompanying us.…