Page 78 of A Thousand Broken Pieces

The smile she gave me in return rivaled the glow of the stars, the moon, and sun itself. “My name,” she said, “Tala, in Tagalog, our language, means ‘bright star.’ I’m named after the goddess of the stars.”

I felt it then. A ripple of destiny shimmer between us. The feel of a soft hand pressed in on my back, and I knew Poppy was beside me. A sense of fate or something like it filled up the room. I knew that Tala’s path and mine were meant to cross. I was meant to meet her and she me.

A knock at the door sounded and Susan popped her head in. “Tala, your family are here to take you home.” The door opened wider, and a young boy and a girl entered, jumping onto Tala’s bed, wrapping her into their small arms.

“You’re coming home, darling!” a man said with an English accent from the doorway, blushing slightly when he saw me beside his daughter. “Oh, sorry to interrupt.”

“It’s no problem,” I said. When I looked to him, I saw Tala’s green eyes staring back at me. I smiled at him and the woman who came through next—her mama.

Rising from the bed, I released Tala’s hand. She smiled at me. “Bye, Savannah.”

“Bye, Tala,” I said, my throat graveled. Because I knew I would never see her again.

She swallowed, then over her sister’s and brother’s heads, said, “I’ll see you from the stars.”

I gave her a watery smile. “I’ll be looking for you,” I managed to say back before leaving the room and walking straight into the private family room to the left. I lifted my head toward the ceiling and let the tears fall in twin rivers from my eyes. I covered my face with my hands and just let all the sorrow for Tala’s situation spill forth.

Tala was so brave, so pure. She was such a beautiful soul and didn’t deserve to die.

“Savannah?” Mia came into the room, followed by Susan, shutting the door behind them.

“I want to do this,” I said, without a single doubt in my heart, my voice thick with emotion. “I want to be a pediatric oncologist. I want to help cure these children who do not deserve to be sick. I want to work so hard that one day, cancer won’t take people away from their loved ones. I want to help so that cancer—all cancer—is curable. I want it. So much.”

With every word spoken, my voice became stronger.Ibecame stronger. I wanted this so badly that I knew I’d be going to Harvard this fall. I’d be pre-med, and I wouldn’t stop until no other family had to lose a Poppy, a Tala. Lose a treasured branch of their family tree.

“I can do this,” I said to Mia. “IknowI can.” I smiled and said, “Because I’ll have Poppy in my heart.”

Mia’s eyes shone and she held me in her arms. “I’m so proud of you, my girl.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

The truth was, I was proud of me too. And I was immeasurably proud of Poppy for making me see this. For her journal, pushing me and holding me through the pages when I didn’t have her arms to embrace me in real life. And I was proud of Tala, for allowing me this gift—of speaking to her, of helping me find my inner strength when I thought it had been lost. I was honored I’d met her.

I left the hospital with a new determination in my step and a sense of purpose in my heart. I would take on whatever came next with gratitude in my heart. Because I had a light I could share with the world. Just like Poppy had. We shared the same blood. What ran through her ran through me.

I would do this for us both.

Thoughtful Gestures and Music Reborn

Savannah

Manila, The Philippines

A few days later

IT WAS OUR LAST NIGHT IN THEPHILIPPINES.THIS HAD BEEN THE MOSTemotional and difficult country on our trip. I was still raw from my talk with Tala, but my determination had held strong. I knew I wouldn’t waver from what I wanted from my life. I was going to be a doctor. I was steadfast in that ambition.

It didn’t mean I wasn’t emotionally rocked by meeting the children who were sick and those who were dying. From talking to Tala about her final days and what came afterward.

I’d meant what I’d said. I would look for her in the stars the same way I did Poppy. And the way I now looked for Cillian.

Tonight, we were in Manila. Tomorrow, we would fly to Japan. Mia and Leo had told us last night where our final country would be. I was breathless when they’d revealed that. Because it was the beginning of spring. And in Japan, that meant one thing—cherry blossoms would be blooming.

Poppy had always wanted to see Japan and the cherry blossoms. It wasn’t lost on me that I would be ending my trip to healing among the flowers she had so loved.

“Are you ready?” I turned my head to the doorway of my hotel room. Cael stood there, in a long-sleeve button-up shirt, the top few buttons undone, and smart black pants. His hair had been styled—free of his beanie. His stubbled cheeks were cleanly shaved, and I could smell his sea-salt and fresh snow scent from where I sat. I swallowed at just how truly handsome he was.

“Cael,” I said. “You look stunning.” I felt my cheeks blaze. That was one thing I knew I would never shed—my easy embarrassment.

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