The Willow Creek Summer Festival countdown had officially entered single digits, and the town square had transformed into something that looked like it belonged on a postcard. Bright banners fluttered in the light breeze, fairy lights were fully strung and tested, and the scent of fresh paint mixed with the earthy smell of damp grass after last night’s rain. Volunteers had doubled in number, turning the prep days into lively community events that felt both comforting and suffocating at the same time.
I arrived with Amina and Elias just after lunch on a rare sunny afternoon. Amina was buzzing with energy, her graphic design internship giving her plenty of opinions on the final color scheme for the kids’ zone. Lena had already claimed the face-painting station and was testing glittery desig
