Made of Steel

12. Keeping a promise

Adriano Di Lauro

I smile when I hear his call. The fish has taken the bait.

"Dad?". My fiancée goes stiff as a board next to me. That's why I have to hold her and practically drag her to her parents.

"What does this mean, Cassandra?"

Mr. Reid is clearly not at all pleased with news.

"I...", she stammers, still lost in thought, alternating her gaze between both parents. "What are you doing here?"

"That's not important..."

"Is not it?", the doctor questions quite upset.

Although they argue, they do it quietly. However, that does not prevent us from being guests's center of attention.

"Didn't you want to get our attention?", his father challenges her. 'Well, you've already done it. Now stop this madness."

"I don't...

"I finally have the pleasure of meeting you". I decide to intervene before situation gets out of control. "Mr. Reid, I'm Adriano DiLauro."

"I know perfectly well who you are", he indicates with arrogance.

'Apparently he doesn't'

"Why don't we go into the house and find a more...private place?", I propose.

They don't even respond, they just refer to following my steps.

"What have you done, Adriano?", my future wife asks in a whisper.

"Keeping my word"

We get into my office in complete silence and we stay that way for several minutes until Mr. Reid approached his daughter in a dangerous way.

Anticipating his intentions, I walk over to him and stop his hand just in time to hit the doctor's face.

"Be careful, Mr. Reid", I use an icy tone as I tighten my grip on his wrist to contain the sudden anger. "Don't you go doing something you might regret later."

"You do not intervene, Di Lauro."

We stand staring at each other, locked in a silent but important battle. It's a display of courage, manhood... and power.

"Adriano". I turn my eyes towards my newly released girlfriend. "Leave him... please”, she adds when she sees that I don't abandon my position.

I walk away, but not before giving the old man one last threatening look, until I am sitting in front of my desk, showing who is in control of the situation.

"What have you done?", Gibson decides to break the ice. "What do you want with all this? You've made a fool of us once again! How long will you continue with your childishness, Cassandra Reid?"

"Two years", it is all she responds, "Two years without seeing each other, without speaking... Two years ignoring my existence and this is what you have to tell me."

"And what did you expect?", He questions while his wife remains silent. I begin to wonder if Juliette Reid is mute. "Applaud your feat...? Or maybe I should ran after you..."

"You have, from a distance, but yet you haven't stopped chasing me. Do you think that by closing me the doors I would return?". I am glad to see my future wife not being intimidated. I have no doubts about her strength and ability to be the Man of Steel's wife. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Dad, but I will always choose to escape through the window rather than live under your archaic regime from the last century."