Chapter 4 — The Community Center Visit

Amara Bennett

The warm scent of cinnamon and freshly baked bread embraced Amara as she pushed open the glass doors of the Community Center. A surge of nostalgia swept over her so strongly that she paused just inside the entrance, her breath catching in her throat. The familiar chaos unfolded before her: children’s laughter echoed from a playroom down the hall, the rhythmic hum of sewing machines came from a workshop in one corner, and the lively chatter of volunteers filled the air as they set up tables for what appeared to be a fundraiser.