CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR – A PAST THAT WILL NOT FADE AWAY

Sunlight streamed through the windows of Happy Paws, casting warm squares on the polished floor. Scarlett, in a new khaki uniform with a "Volunteer" badge gleaming on her chest, stood beside a young girl with bright, curious eyes. "And this," Scarlett announced, gesturing towards a room filled with fluffy bundles of fur, "is kitten central!" Keisha, a wisp of a girl with pigtails bouncing as she skipped closer, gasped. Tiny balls of meows and purrs tumbled over each other in a playful frenzy. A ginger kitten, no bigger than a teacup, batted curiously at a dangling string toy. "Oh my gosh, they're adorable!" Keisha squealed, her voice barely a whisper. Scarlett chuckled. "They are, aren't they? We take in strays and abandoned kitties here. Help them get healthy and find forever homes." Keisha's gaze lingered on the ginger kitten, who was now wrestling playfully with a black and white sibling. "Can I hold one?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "Of course!" Scarlett said, gently s