CALLEA woke up to the shouting voices reverberate inside the house. She slept well the other night after she took her medicine. She thought she was dreaming at first because she was not used to noise at Villa Celesta. They seldom had visitors at the mansion and they don't definitely shout like there was a protest rally.
With a throbbing head, she went outside her room to check on the commotion. From the door of the slits of the second floors' railings, she could see around twenty-five people convening at the living room. "What is your right to blotter our kids? Don't you know me? I am a town counselor here. I have a brother who is a general in Camp Crame. I can have you arrested. Our kids are still minors. They are still our baby."
Callea rolled her eyes. It was Counsellor Lira Marcelo who was leading the protest. She visited the mansion once when her grandfather visited her because she wanted to buy their land to turn it into a subdivision but her grandfather refused. She was also Lindsye's mother. Such a shame. They were a family of no good-doer. They were bullies and they thought they were above the law. She also saw Lindsye behind her mother. The family of the other bullies might have joined them.
"Counselor Lira, your children were caught doing violations," said the barangay captain. "We have witnesses. There was ten of them but they hurt two women and a cat who couldn't fight back. They might be minors but the law doesn't excuse them from violating it. They must take responsibility. They hurt others. They were even rushed at the hospital."
So, Deive made a move and reported the bullies at the police. And now the parents were protesting as if they were the victims. "Thick faced! And now they are playing the victim?"
She felt Marina standing at her back. "Señorita, why did you get up? Señorito Deive will get mad if he knows you are here."
"Shhh!" Callea shushed her. "I will just stay here. They won't see me. Are you okay?"
"Yes. I am not that hurt. I am more worried about you. Your head…"
She tapped her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I am just pissed off with these people. They think they are privileged and above the law."
She wanted to face their unwelcome visitor but she thought Deive could handle them better. But she was not sure about Deive's stand now since he was close to Lindsye. She was nervous about that. Whom would he choose Lindsye over her?
"Do you think we would file a blotter if your kids were well-behaved? Of course, they committed several violations. Until now, Callea was not allowed by the doctor to move much. We asked them to be examined for more evidence and her CT scan result will be released later. What if there is a damage in her nerves because of the gash on her head?" She could view Deive's sideways profile but she could see his eyebrows almost connect and his lips were pressed together when he lifted the rock that was used by Winston to bash her. It was put inside a plastic container and would serve as evidence. "Can you see this? Do you think a kind kid would have no qualms throwing this to an innocent woman? Only a bully or someone evil would do that. And who in their right mind would tie up a cat up on the tree and ask a hunchback to save it? I am sure the animal rights group would love to have fun cutting your sons into ribbons once they find out what they did."
"Deive, the cat and the hunchback are hideous. Why should you bother with them? And Callea won't get hurt if she didn't protect her hunchback friend," Lindsye argued. "What happened with Callea was not intentional."
Deive gave the woman a deadly stare. "What happened to respecting other people or animal no matter what they look like, Lindsye? They also have rights like everyone. Callea protected their rights. And your brother and his friends violated it."
Counsellor Lira hit the coffee table with her open palm. "You are diverting the issue, Mr. Hontiveros. How could you defend those ugly creatures while the bright future of our sons are in ruins. We will be sending Winston to the US. And I will run for the next election as mayor. You are ruining our reputation."
"Ma'am, if your son has a basic education, it won't come to this. You should teach your children some manner and compassion before you put the blame on me," Deive said with a tremor in his voice while his fist curled. "You are a government official. You should be apologizing to the victims instead of intimidating us. And don't use that guilt trip on me. You are ruining your reputation because of your family's action. You should be thankful that this hasn't reached social media yet. If you will keep on intimidating me, I could ruin you so don't test my patience."
Counsellor Lira suddenly shut her mouth in shame. She wanted to clap but she feared she might be discovered.
The counselor's husband spoke up. "Why don't you discipline your son? You spoiled him too much. He always brings trouble. Maybe we should just let him go to jail so he will learn his lesson."
"Stop blaming me. He became rebellious because of your womanizing ways!" the counselor retorted. "This is all your fault. You are the one who ruined our family."
"Ma, Pa, stop it! Can you just fight at home? We are not in our own house," Lindsye reprimanded her parents and maybe she wanted to bury head under the sand in shame. "Deive, how could my brother and his friends make it up to you? If it's about the money…"
"We don't need your money. I want those kids to apologize to Callea, Marina and Luna," Deive cut her off.
There were murmurs of protest from the parents. While Callea smiled because Deive was on the right track. The best way to make sure that those kids would change is to make them realize that they committed a mistake.
"You mean, they will apologize even to the hunchback and the ugly cat?" asked Lindsye in a high-pitched tone.
"Of course. They were violated so a sincere apology is a must. I want a public apology here. And I want them to post it in social media as well and confess their sins so others may learn a lesson from them. If you have a problem with your pride that you can't let those kids apologize properly, I will bring this to the media. I have powerful connections. They hurt my fiancee and her friends. And have you forgotten that Calllea's family helped your mother win the election and helped your father with his business. I will wait for the personal apology and the social media apology until tomorrow at lunchtime. And I want them to serve at an animal welfare group for a month and go counseling so they would realize the error in their ways. Until tomorrow."
Callea felt chills down her spine. Deive was scarier than any monster she had created. She reminded herself not to cross with him because he knew how to crush his opponents. She didn't want to be his enemy.