Uélton approached the group, his curiosity piqued by the emotional scene. “Hey, guys! Did I miss a party or something?”
“Josias recovered some of his belongings from his old house,” Romualdo explained as he put a hand on Josias’s shoulder.
“No way! How did you pull that off without the loan shark spotting you?”
Teodoro took the floor. “I went myself. Josias gave me the address. I only ran into one neighbor, but the man thought I was just another looter. He even bragged that everyone else is doing the same! Apparently, a guy named Mathias already walked off with the iron for his wife.”
“I know exactly who that is. And I’m not even surprised,” Josias said, finally pulling away from the hug and wiping the last of the tears from his face.
“Congratulations, Josias,” Romualdo cheered. “I ho
