17 What Made Him Tenth On His First? (1/2)
It is time to give peace to one another according to the order of the mass. I gave peace to my side and my back, and when Professor Diwa turned back to give peace to me, I felt stunned all of a sudden. I could have sat beside him. If it were finally time to sing the ”Our Father”, I would have held his gentle hand for a short moment as I feel the Lord's Spirit come upon me. Still, calmly, he gives his peace with grace. I do not flinch with his peace. Instead, I said it back and kept a straight face though I was stunned.
After the mass, I decided to the suspected one. I believe he is the most suspicious of them all. I decided to walk right up to him and say my words.
”Good morning, Attorney,” I say kindly to the young lawyer.
”Ah, Mistress Aguinaldo,” he says in the same manner. ”How are you? Where is Mister Macedo?”
”He is, well, uh. . .” I cannot find the lie to tell him. Why can I not conceive a lie to cover the fact that he is drugged and in a coma? This is hopeless. I decided to tell him the truth. ”To be honest, he is in the ICU because he was drugged and he is in a coma.”
I expect him to be aghast, but he does not even flinch. It was as if he hears a man be drugged into a coma every day. It is as if he is a cancer doctor himself who diagnoses cancer every day.
”When did this happen?” he asks bluntly. ”Can you name a person you suspect?”
”It happened a few days ago,” I say.
”Please be specific, Rosanna,” he says coldly.
”It happened last Friday,” I say specifically enough. ”My former professor told me that the name of the lady that drugged us was Ysabel Javier. He seems to be of an acquaintance to him and as far as we have investigated, she is also the mastermind of the mafia.”
”And where is this professor?” he asks. ”Can you tell me his name?”
”Professor Diwa of Ferrydell University,” I say confidently enough.
”Diwa?” he asks. ”Arthur Diwa?”
”No, his name is David Diwa,” I correct him. ”Although the man you call Arthur might be related to him.”
”Listen, Rosanna,” he says. ”The Diwas are part of the elite through their political influence. Their silent life began with Arthur Diwa twenty-two years ago. They have not become involved with secret affairs, but the very surname still has its effect. And this David Diwa might be their child in their silent life. Now, it seems that this professor has begun taking part in the affairs of the elite after twenty-two years of silence.”
”But Professor Diwa is in his late twenties,” I say in his defense. ”He is probably in his early thirties. He can't be the son of a Diwa that has been silent for twenty-two years.”
”I do not know much about the family either,” he says. ”But, I tell you this. Lerine Concepcion, the wife of the CEO of the RSC, is the running mate of Arthur Diwa as this city's vice-mayor, with Lerine as the mayor. She was still known as Lerine Suarez back then before she married Raphael. As if by the sudden change, Arthur quit running for vice-mayor. Instead, he lived a rather quiet life with his wife, Catherine. That was twenty-three years ago. After she won as mayor on the mid-elections, she married Raphael and had a daughter with him a year later.”
Still, I cannot understand what this young lawyer means. ”And what does that mean?” I inquire for his point.
”Everything, Rosanna,” he says. ”If the Diwas are beginning to rise again through their revived interest in the business of elite, surely they plan to return to ruling the city and possibly, our region.”
I do not understand his worries. Professor Diwa shows no signs of craving power. In fact, he somehow has a passion for teaching. I doubt he will replace his job for a position in the government. He may come from the formerly powerful Diwa family, but that does not make him like his father.
”Oh, please, Attorney,” I say in a carefree manner. ”What can a lowly university professor do? I do not think he is planning something.”
”No, but as a professor of a school centered for the elite, there can be no doubt of his influence on his students,” he says seriously. ”He might have influenced you, Rosanna. You just do not know it.”
As a lawyer, he sees things in a much different perspective than a journalist. I see through him as a person. He sees through him through his actions and background. In his personality, I do not see a power-hungry individual that seeks the return of his political dynasty. No, I only see a passionate teacher willing to guide his students in the right. There's no convincing this young lawyer that Professor Diwa is just a regular teacher.