🍒 Chapter 30: Cherry à la Mode

In the series finale, Cece reflects on grief, loss, and meaning after the deaths of Zoie, her Nana, and later her Papaw. She describes Native American traditions around death, the symbolic meaning of owls in her family, and how repeated losses shaped her perspective on life.

The chapter becomes a collection of hard-earned wisdom: trusting your gut, setting boundaries, practicing empathy, avoiding judgment, and refusing to let trauma define your future. Cece speaks candidly about being a former “welcome mat,” learning to demand respect, and finding balance between kindness and self-protection.

She weaves in personal symbols — especially the sentimental necklace she wears daily — as a reminder of faith, resilience, and memory. She also shares her plan to create a charm bracelet representing each chapter of her story.

Cece closes by reframing her past as fuel rather than burden: using both “floods and fires” of her life to create something meaningful, hopeful, and authentically hers — turning lemons into lemonade and cherries into cherry à la mode.

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

• Death of loved ones • Grief and bereavement • Cultural discussions of death • Chronic illness reflection

No graphic sexual content is included.