The morning after the robbery the entire street felt really quiet.
Normally by 7 a.m. traders would have already be shouting prices , buses would be on the road , children would be running around getting ready for school, but that particular morning was different.
Everyone stood in groups talking in low voices, Amaka stood outside her provision shop staring at the padlock hanging from the door, She looked very sad.
She sighed deeply, "I still can't believe this happened."
Then Diana walked over carrying two cups of hot tea, "I brought this for you " she said.
Amaka forced a smile, "Thank you " she said.
Diana handed her a cup. "You didn't sleep did you?"
Amaka laughed weakly. "Sleep? After everything that happened last night?"
Before Diana could reply Kola arrived on his motorcycle and parked beside them, " Morning " he said.
Neither of them answered immediately, Kola looked at the damaged shop
"These thieves really dealt with this street " he said.
Amaka nodded. "They cleared everything " she said.
Diana shook her head.
"To think NEPA took the light barely thirty minutes before it happened " she said.
Kola folded his arms "They planned it " he said.
The three of them stood quietly for a while, the silence felt heavy.
Finally Amaka spoke, "You know what pains me the most?" she asked.
"What?" Diana asked.
"I kept postponing installing CCTV because I said business wasn't doing well " Amaka said.
Kola sighed.
"Nobody expects something like this " he said.
Amaka looked at him. "But I should have prepared " she said.
"You could not have known " Kola said.
"I know " Amaka said.
Around them other shop owners were also looking at the damage, some had lost cash others had lost goods, One man kept shaking his head without saying a word.
The entire street looked like it had lost its joy overnight, Diana looked at Amaka. "So... What happens now?" she asked.
Amaka smiled sadly. "I honestly don't know " she said.
"You will reopen " Diana said.
"With what goods?" Amaka asked.
There was another silence, then Kola suddenly spoke.
"I have an idea" he said.
Both women looked at him,
"What idea?" Amaka asked.
"What if everybody on this street contributes something?" Kola said.
Amaka frowned. "Contributes?" she asked.
"Yes " Kola said. "We all know one another here, If everyone gives something we can help those who lost the most to restart " he said.
Diana's face lit up. "That actually makes sense " she said.
Amaka looked unconvinced. "You people don't have to do that " she said.
Kola smiled. "Who said we are helping because we have to?" he asked.
"We are helping because tomorrow it could be any of us " he said.
Those words stayed in the air for a moment, Diana nodded slowly. "He is right " she said.
Without wasting time Diana pulled out her phone.
"I'm creating a WhatsApp group now " she said.
Kola laughed. "You don't waste time " he said.
" Of Course not " Diana said.
Within an hour every shop owner on the street had joined, Some offered money, some promised cartons of noodles, drinks, rice and other goods.
Even people who were not affected insisted on contributing, One elderly woman typed in the group
"Nobody should fight this battle alone."
Reading that message almost brought Amaka to tears, by afternoon people started arriving with supplies.
Someone brought bags of rice ,another person brought cartons of beverages, someone else offered to repair damaged shop doors free of charge,Even customers who heard what had happened came to support them.
Amaka could not believe what she was seeing, She looked at Diana. "I thought everything was over " she said.
Diana smiled. "Sometimes people surprise you " she said.
Kola arrived carrying another carton. "Where should I drop this?" he asked.
Amaka laughed for the time that day. "Inside " she said.
As they arranged the goods on the shelves , the shop slowly began to look alive again, It wasn't completely full not yet.. It was enough to start over.
That evening the three friends sat outside the shop watching the sunset. Amaka smiled.
"You know... Yesterday night I thought I had lost everything " she said.
Kola looked at her. "You lost goods " he said.
Diana added with a smile " You discovered something more valuable."
Amaka raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked.
"The people around you " Diana said.
Amaka looked up, she saw neighbours laughing together as they swept the street clean, She smiled. The robbery had taken things..
The morning after, reminded everyone that a strong community is sometimes worth more, than anything money can buy, somehow that gave them all the courage to begin again.
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