Inca sought me out today with news. She was very excited to tell me that she has reason to believe that she will soon be removed from Theo’s case, for the best possible reason. Theo has been reunited with her family.
At first it seemed that the events of this week would be disastrous. Two days ago, Theo and Cayce were headed out of the subway this afternoon, on their way to do a bit of necessary shopping, when Theo bumped into a young man. It might have been nothing, but for the misfortune that the man had misplaced his wallet earlier in the day, and only noticed it after his encounter with Theo.
“Hey!” he shouted, turning to run after her.
Theo, who is understandably skittish, saw him coming and bolted, running across the square. The young man took after her, followed by his friends and, at more of a distance, Cayce. The procession, as well as Rudy’s barking, attracted no little attention.
Theo ran into an alley at the end of which there is a small fence she has climbed a thousand times. She intended to use it to put some distance between herself and her pursuer, but she was not quick enough. The boy snatched the back of her coat and threw her to the ground, seizing her collar. “You little—”
It was in this moment that Inca arrived. The force of her sudden presence made the boy release Theo and step back. He still stood over her, however, angry enough to throw off Inca’s influence.
“Give me back my wallet, you little bitch,” he said.
Theo sat up, indignant. “I didn’t take your wallet, asshole,” she snapped.
He did not believe her, of course, and he bent to search her pockets, but the combination of Inca’s resistance and Rudy’s sudden arrival drove the boy back. He was still cursing when his friends came charging into the alley.
“What the hell, Chris?” one of them demanded.
“Little thief stole my wallet.”
“Like hell I did!” Theo cried. Inca was feeding her anger to keep her from being afraid.
“Look, I had my wallet, then I bump into you and suddenly I don’t have it,” he said. “You saying that it just disappeared?”
Cayce arrived then, breathing heavily. “Let’s all calm down a second,” she said.
“Shut up, you fat old broad,” Chris snapped.
Outraged, Theo jumped to her feet and shoved him. “What the fuck did you say to her?”
Inca admitted to me in this moment that she regretted building up Theo’s anger—it is a useful tool, she says, but a capricious one.
Fortunately, the altercation between Chris and Theo did not last long, as the police arrived at that moment.
Cayce and Theo had exactly one instant to meet eyes, but a great deal was communicated in that instant. They both knew that in comparison to these well-dressed, well-spoken young men, two homeless women would look very bad, and meeting the police would mean Theo would be shipped back to her family.
They have planned for such eventualities, though. Just as the two policemen approached the alley, Cayce took off along the street, and Theo sprang over the alley fence and vanished.
Theo ran three streets over, then paused long enough to catch her breath so she could continue at a walk, without looking suspicious. She changed direction several times, took two buses and the subway to get far away from the scene of the crime, and finally made her way to the alley where she and Cayce have been staying. There she waited for Cayce to join her, as they have done many times.
But this time, Cayce did not come.
Yesterday Theo spent the entire day going around the city to places where Cayce might be. She checked shelters, asked other friends of Cayce’s, even questioned strangers. She found nothing. And that evening, when she returned to the alley, only Rudy was waiting, dirty, hungry, and very unhappy.
Rudy is Cayce’s dog. He would not have left her unless something very bad has happened.
Theo did not sleep most of the night. She did not know where to turn. But—and these are Inca’s words, not my own—close to dawn she remembered a trace of hope that she hadn’t felt in a long time. And she called her parents.
When her mother picked up the phone, sounding sleepy, Theo could not speak. Her mother, however, was brought to full wakefulness by hope against hope. “Theodora?” she said.
A sob broke from Theo’s throat. She pressed her hand to her mouth.
“Theo, is that you? Honey, where are you? Are you okay?” Inca tells me she could hear noises on the other end of the line, frantic movements and grunts that implied Theo’s mother was shaking her father awake.
Theo lowered her hand. “No,” she said. “I’m not okay. And I’m not going to tell you where I am unless you promise me something.”
“Anything, baby.”
Theo swallowed. “I need your help, Mama.”
Within three hours, Theo’s parents had arrived in Detroit. They listened again to the story she had told them on the phone, about how Cayce had taken Theo in, protected and cared for her. They heard about how the two were separated, and they agreed immediately to help Theo find her.
Theo was surprised by how easy it was. She had expected her parents to take command, to drag her home without looking back, but either losing her has changed them, or they were never quite as overbearing as she felt them to be. In any case, much of her anger with them faded on seeing them talking to policemen about Cayce and setting up veterinarian appointments for Rudy.
Most importantly, Theo is now safely ensconced in a hotel room, warm and clean and under her parents’ protection. Inca is incandescent with joy.
“I owe so much of this to you, Asa’el,” she told me. “Without you, she might never have thought to ask for help from her family. She would have tried to do this all alone, and it may have put her into even greater danger. You were the one who reminded her that she was loved, and I am grateful.” She also told me that I had better write her words into my post, as I must learn to “take praise when it is well-earned.”
I am glad to do so, and proud of my work in this instance. Giving a person safety is different from giving them love. Of course I know which I believe to me more important, but still, knowing that Theo is no longer at risk to her life, that she now may go on to learn and grow and become a force for good in the world—that is a powerful feeling.
Inca will continue to watch over Theo in the coming days, and she will find Cayce, of course, but as long as they are both safe and Theo does not try to run away again, Inca will no longer be needed. I was impressed that there was no regret in Inca’s voice as she spoke of this.
“It would be selfish of me to still wish them to need me,” she said. “For them both to be safe is my fondest dream.”
I have asked her to keep me apprised, and I have also offered to look in on Theo myself. It is my hope that I could help to repair the damage between Theo and her parents. Perhaps even another Cupid might be able to manage it if I cannot, or perhaps a Comforter or Persuasion. I will speak to Danit; surely she will have wisdom to offer.
But even with work still to be done, this is a happy day. My congratulations, Inca—you have done well.