We’re still in childhood — but this is the moment everything changes.

This chapter marks the first true turning point in Dried Cherry Juice. What begins as an ordinary afternoon with Nana slowly reveals itself as something devastating — a house engulfed in flames, the loss of a beloved companion, and the shattering of childhood safety in real time.

Told through vivid sensory detail — the smell of leather seats, the smoke-filled air, the chaos of first responders — Cece captures both the immediacy of crisis and the long emotional aftermath that follows.

The episode widens from a single tragedy into deeper questions about family, hidden realities, and the battles people fight behind closed doors. This is the moment the “before” ends — and everything that comes next is shaped by it.

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⚠️ Potential triggers featured in this episode may include, but are not limited to:

No graphic violence is described, but the emotional content is heavy.