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He glanced at Jake, and his brother just shrugged. Jerald sighed, "We're catching the first flight back to New York City tomorrow morning. Jake and I are going home with Berezira."

A heavy silence fell over everything. Ixora looked at Cherry, and Cherry looked back at Ixora. Both lowered their eyes to the ground, trying to conceal the pain that flashed in their eyes simultaneously. Cherry succeeded; Ixora didn't.

"Well, it's not like it's a surprise or anything. I've been expecting it for a few days," Cherry shrugged, trying to keep her voice light and reluctant.

It was true; she had anticipated this. She always knew they were living on borrowed time. But, it still hurt to hear that Jake would be leaving her. Days of preparing herself for the news didn't make the pain any easier.

"I should have known today was odd. All the fun, the laughter... God, I should have known it had a bombshell like this attached to it," Ixora said in a low tone as the news hit her repeatedly.

Jerald is leavi