The only obstacle keeping Cassandra from fully enjoying the beauty of this glorious day was her mother's absence. Every Wednesday afternoon, Cam, their golden retriever, joined the Doggy Daycare group for an afternoon in Washington Square Park. During that time, Cassandra and her mother spent time together by seeing a Broadway performance, munching on delicacies from a food truck, or walking through a public park. Afterward, Cassandra waited for five minutes by the fountain, while her mother, Carol, picked up Cam from the dog run. She always took this time to enjoy the beautiful day and watch all of the interesting people. Cassandra's brow furrowed as she looked at her watch. Her mother had departed to retrieve their furry pet over twenty minutes ago, an unprecedented amount of time, even for her mother. Cassandra gazed toward the location of the dog park. If her mother or Cam were in trouble, Cassandra needed to help. She strode toward the area for canines with purposeful, determined steps. The air was cooler under the shade of the park's trees. The closer Cassandra got to the dog park, the louder the barks of the dogs became. One noise rose above the rest as she got closer to the dog run.

How do the events in the first paragraph contribute to the reader's understanding of Cassandra's actions in the next paragraph?