When Elli and Doctor Holiday finally arrived at the dining hall, they were disappointment to discover the many occupied seats around the table. Luckily, another couple managed to keep their word as they waved their hands wildly towards the incoming diners. The two of them then trudged forth to meet the happy pair. They were even more fortunate to have their seats positioned right across from them.

"Nice to see you again!" Gavin cried as he reacquainted himself with Elli.

"You too! And thank you for saving some seats!" Elli replied.

Celia immediately had her attention on the "stranger" at her new friend's side with a pleasant smile. "I see you found someone to join you for dinner."

Elli blinked. It took her a little while to remember the "date" she required. She quickly turned her head to see the well-dressed Doctor for a brief moment, only to turn back with a slight blush.

"Ah! Right… right. Actually, he's a good friend of mine and a colleague in my field of work. He's Doctor Tim Holiday…" Elli introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Holiday, sir." Gavin greeted as the two of them shook hands across the table.

"Thank you. You may also call me "Doctor" if you wish. Many seem to prefer addressing me that way." Doctor Holiday replied.

Both of them finally released their handshakes and returned their hands to their sides.

"So… since you're the Doctor, does this make you Elli's boss?" Gavin asked.

"Actually, I would prefer to think of us as partners. I must say, Elli's been a very reliable partner to me since the beginning." Doctor Holiday replied.

Elli's cheeks flushed upon hearing this.

"Really, Doctor? I never knew you felt that way about me.." Elli said bashfully.

"What? I'm serious. You're a very capable nurse, Elli. Most likely one of the best, too. Why, there have been a number of times that I felt I would've been lost without your help." He assured proudly.

The Doctor's praise started becoming too much for the humble nurse. With the romantic implications she started feeling behind it, Elli felt like her innocent heart was about to explode.

Celia giggled. "I see. It's clear to me that you appreciate your assistant a lot." She interjected pleasantly.

"Very much so." Doctor Holiday confirmed confidently. "With the way things have been with her around, I honestly think it would be hard to imagine how I could run the Clinic without her."

The Doctor ended up saying that with partial redness on his own face.

Elli glanced briefly at this with great disbelief.

"No way… might he actually… like me back?" she thought to herself.

Her heart suddenly raced with this possibility in mind.

"Oh… that would be so wonderful if that were true!" she thought excitedly.

"You know… it's pretty interesting that we're all able to meet together like this. Getting to see Elli's co-worker here was certainly a surprise!" Gavin confessed. "This is one heck of a coincidence, don't you think?"

"Perhaps not. Maybe we were all actually meant to meet here for a special reason." Doctor Holiday proposed.

"And I believe that reason is so we could get to know each other and enjoy it together." Celia added.

Elli nodded. "I agree."

Before long, the sound of a glass being tapped rang far and wide across the dinner table. Standing by the far end was Sebastian in his usual dignified posture holding the cup and spoon. Once every voice in the vicinity quelled completely, the experienced butler laid down his dining ware and cleared his throat.

"Honorable Guests, Welcome One and All to tonight's special dinner!" he announced.

Everyone at the table applauded in response.

"Now that everyone is here, and the food is prepared, may I now present to you the holder of this special occasion, Mistress Romana!"

Once again, the guests applauded. Elli and company attempted to search the area to find the woman of the hour, but apparently, she's been with them the entire time has Sebastian stepped back and bowed, showing a hand towards a spot next to them. With the many guests surrounding them, the four could not witness Romana , who was already seated at the far end. Unfortunately, none of them could not also find Lumina.

After the guests stopped clapping, the Mistress of the Villa began speaking herself.

"Thank you, Sebastian. Now, as I'm sure you all found out in your invitations, my darling Granddaughter Lumina has recently come of age. Of course, she is not yet legally ready to pursue the full experience of adulthood yet, but "Sweet Sixteen" will be start of many great responsibilities for her. I sincerely apologize for not inviting my esteemed guests to the actual birthday celebration itself. You see, it was a "personal family tradition" that we keep that sort of thing within the family."

For a brief moment, everyone muttered amongst themselves in understanding.

"With that said, I hope that tonight's performance will more than make up for missed time. Young Lumina here has shown great promise as a pianist in her early childhood, and I have since then overlooked her development in her talent. The training was quite rough and consistent, but I have seen her progress over the years, and I am confident that she will perform splendidly tonight!"

Again, the attendants applauded. Most of them averted their attention towards an area to Romana's right. Elli tried to do the same, but to no avail. Luckily, her friend Doctor Holiday had just the right height to get a good view.

"Doctor? Are you able to see what's there?" Elli asked in a hushed voice.

"Barely. I can make out the head of a young lady with a yellow hair band, but that's about it." Doctor Holiday replied.

"Oh. That must be Lumina! I wonder what she's wearing?" Elli thought to herself.

The applause ceased once more. Afterwards, a younger voice spoke up.

"I feel privileged to meet all of you again. I hope my playing will be to everyone's satisfaction." Lumina announced humbly.

Romana chuckled. "Don't worry, dear. You've worked very hard up to this point." She assured her granddaughter.

"Anyway, without further ado, dinner shall now be served!" Romana announced.

Sebastian then proceeded to roll out a salad cart and distributed a fine Caesar Salad.

"Of course, most of the dishes tonight have been excellently prepared by my talented butler, Sebastian. He takes great pride in his experience as a cook, and he never fails to please. But for this night, I've decided to help out personally for the dessert course! Please look forward to it!" Romana added.

This announcement garnered a curious response from the guests. Everyone seemed amazed, some even excited, of the news concerning Romana's contribution.

Immediatley, an elderly man in fine grey clothing nudged Elli with an elbow. She faced the young maiden with a wide grin.

"So, Miss… are you familiar with Ms. Romana's reputation in her cooking?" he asked with a wheeze in his voice.

"No, sir… I'm afraid not." Elli replied.

The elderly man clicked his tongue. "It's pretty interesting, actually. They say the lady discovered a lot of fascinating recipes back in the day, when she used to be a renowned traveler. Each day was like an adventure to the old Ms. Romana, and she would actually pick up a few exotic cooking tips in order to cope with her environment and avoid starvation. Now, you might think foraging for a meal always means "roughin' it" in any wild place, being able to gather foods from far-off locations is pretty much like helping yourself to an exotic buffet! Yup, having the opportunity to try Ms. Romana's cooking after she nearly stopped ages ago is a big treat!"

"Oh, really? I never Auntie Romana was cook as well! Now I'm really looking forward to dessert!" Elli cheered.

The elderly man scratched his head. "Eh? Did I hear you right with "Auntie Romana"?" he asked.

Elli nodded. "Yes. I happen to be Lumina's cousin, so she's My Great Aunt." She explained.

The elderly man laughed heartily. "Is that so? Well then, you must be this "Miss Elli" everyone's talking about. They say you're supposed to be like a "regular Cinderella"."

Elli flushed upon hearing that "Cinderella" comment again. "Ah… r-really, I'm---"

"You should be flattered, Miss Elli. You're such an adorable girl, and it seems you already have your Prince with you!" the man cried heartily.

Upon hearing this, Doctor Holiday coughed a little.

"Now listen up, young man! I want you to take care of this lady with your life! You understand?" he ordered.

Doctor Holiday sat upright and had a solemn expression on his face, but his eyes were slightly diverted from facing the elderly man.

"Yes, sir!" he answered seriously.

The elderly man then reached over Elli's head and pat the Doctor's shoulder.

"Ha ha ha! You're a good man, you know that?" he cried with pleasure.

"…Thank you, sir." Doctor Holiday uttered softly.

A few minutes later, everyone finally received their portion of Caesar Salad and dug in. The careful preparation of chicken, dressing, and vegetables blended perfectly into the mouths of those who ate it. Even Gavin gave a nod of approval, as he admitted that he wasn't much of a salad man despite his recent run of crop work. Doctor Holiday swiftly responded with the importance of healthy dieting with salads, which Elli and Celia agreed with wholeheartedly.

With a small portion of salad polished off, everyone was then served with a hearty bowl of steaming New England Clam Chowder. It proved to be a convenient choice, as a portion of the attendants considered it a personal forward and helped themselves gleefully with this familiar dish. Considering Sebastian's skills, they were once again left with satisfaction in their mouths.

After that, Sebastian finally rolled down the big carts holding the main entrees. Smells of various zesty meats filled the air, and a few anticipating guests wafted in the savory scent. Once the encased entrée plates were finally passed out, the nearest dinners opened them up to reveal a various array of splendid dishes. They all ranged from golden brown duck, to freshly baked ham, to well-roasted venison, and even roasted big Yamame. Each entrée had its own personal flavor and appeal. Most of the guests took a great liking to the venison. Meanwhile, Elli and Celia enjoyed the meats equally, while the Doctor preferred the Yamame due to the health benefits of fish. Gavin, however, partaked far more in the duck, but later confessed some guilt over owning a duck of his own back at the farm.

As dinner passed, many a stomach was nearly satisfied, but the dinners were still ready for a good dessert. Good Sebastian accepted the used plates of the many guests before replacing them with plates filled with fine dessert. An exciting mix of the exotic and traditional made up the palette as the contents consisted of slices of Raspberry Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie along with a miniature bowl of Mango Cream Pudding, a piece of a nut and berry cake, and a few cocoanut-glazed doughnut holes.

The guests were simply mesmerized by the tantalizing sweet flavors of each dessert. The lesser-known especially impressed, as they received high praise from across the table. Because of her recent success, a beaming Romana was glad to know that she could still cook when it mattered.

Gavin seemed to favor the Mango Pudding, while enjoyed the nut and berry cake a little more. Elli, having an uncanny sweet tooth, exercised extreme self-control over herself while savoring each delectable dessert. The Doctor merely kept a careful eye on his nurse while slowly tasting his own helpings.

Eventually, dinner came to an end. The guests quickly emptied dining room and headed towards the receiving hall, which just had chairs set up, where the recital was to begin. Fortunately for Elli's company, they were able to seat themselves closer to the front. After a long while, all the attendants finally filled up the seats. A few more moments of anticipation set in as they all chattered amongst themselves about the lady of the hour.

"Lady Lumina… they say she was supposed to be a genuine prodigy since her early years…"

"Perhaps, but you know how people like to brag sometimes. Maybe the old lady's just putting on a show herself."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've heard many a wonderful performance from some her age. It doesn't sound unreasonable."

"So then, I suppose the matter of this situation is if she could stand out among others of "exceptional" skill."

"Can the girl really play classical so well? Could she do Mozart? Beethoven? How about Bach?"

"Frankly, I wouldn't care if she was playing Jazz for that matter. At least it's better than that "rap" stuff most modern kids listen to this day. It's absolutely dreadful! Ugh!"

Elli was surprised to hear some of the conversations she was able to pick up. "Wow… I didn't know they'd actually have all these expectations for her. Now I know why Lumina was so nervous before. But… she was so confident the last time I saw her. She should be just fine… I hope…" she thought to herself.

Minutes later, the chatter started dying down.

Romana materialized from the dining hall, only to turn around to face someone behind her.

"Now dear, you've worked on this peace for so long, and you've gotten very well at the piece, but you've always had those written notes right in front of you. At this point, I'm expecting that the song itself should be etched into your mind. To make this a true test, I will be withholding the music sheet for this performance. Do you think you can handle it?" she explained.

"…I see… well than, I guess I'll have to try harder then." A soft voice said.

"Good. At least you have the drive not to back out. I can't wait to see how far you've come in your playing." Romana grinned.

Finally, Romana stepped into the receiving hall herself and stood close to piano.

Following right behind her was Sebastian with his usual grin, with an anxious Lumina at her side.

She happened to be wearing her trademark yellow hair band as usual; however, she was clearly dressed for the occasion. She also wore a luxurious goldenrod gown with loose short sleeves, along with a pair of stunning diamond earrings. Although the rest of the crowd wasn't quite amazed, Elli, Celia, and Gavin were simply stunned at how ladylike Lumina looked for the night.

"I don't understand how she could ever doubt herself. Lumina's definitely a woman in her own right." Gavin uttered in awe.

"She most certainly is." Celia added.

"…all this time she got all worked up over how I looked in this dress, and now I get to see what it was she chose for herself. She shouldn't be so jealous of me… that dress looks perfect on her." Elli said.

Gavin looked at Elli curiously for a brief moment before he lowered his head.

"So… Lumina's even self-conscious in front her cousin, huh? Man… I can't get rid of the feeling that I'm responsible for it, somehow…" he thought to himself.

Upon reaching the piano, Sebastian carefully pulled back the comfortable rest for her the young lady.

"I believe in you, Miss Lumina. You'll do just fine." Sebastian assured her with unwavering confidence.

"Thank you, Sebastian." Lumina replied softly.

Lumina then seated herself by the black piano that she had worked on for the majority of her life. She exhaled one long anxious breath before positioning her curled hands upon the keys. For a moment, she glared intently at the spot devoid of the music sheet that usually aided her before closing her eyes.

"No sheet… I guess I'll also have to concentrate carefully just to remember the music." She thought to herself anxiously.

She then raised her hands and prepared to play her song until something caught the corner of her eyes.

She gasped. Watching her right now were her close friends, waiting to hear her and support her at her finest hour.

"Elli… everyone… thank you. This performance is for all of you dear to me." She thought to herself.

Again, she faced forward and closed her eyes while lowering her head slightly. She raised her hands once more with curled fingers. She took in every emotion she felt would bring out the right tone in her music, and let them flow through those same fingers.

She felt the song play out clearly in her mind, and carefully went over each note.

Then, at last, the music began. It started off as a pleasantly soft melody, with Lumina's heart embracing all the happy memories she had. The fun times she shared with her faithful butler Sebastian, her loving Grandma, and even her "favorite" cousin all came to her as she played. Suddenly, she found herself picturing her fond memories with Gavin. Her heart soared, and the tempo increased ever so slightly.

For awhile, her mind raced with the times that he always came over with his sincere smile and helpful attitude. Eventually, however, her mind wandered from joy to sorrow as she recalled her envy of all the times he with Celia, and an enigmatic red-haired traveler. Her mind seemed to skip back and forth between Celia and the traveler until it began to focus primarily on Gavin and Celia being happy together. The melody then gradually increased in volume as it started to slow down and take on a more melancholy feel. This emphasis increased even further as the pianist started reflecting on the deaths of her parents. Miraculously, she managed to hold on to this melancholy while retaining a rational state in her playing.

Afterwards, her mind skipped into the more recent moments that she spent with Elli. The music steadily grew louder again, but it switched once more into a soft, blissful feel. Her fingers pressed lightly and playfully as she thought of the fun she had in training Elli, then pressed and held notes as she became contemplative along with her.

Suddenly, she found herself lost in her playing as she continued to do so without restraint. It was like she was caught up in a dream, and she welcomed anyone in the audience willing to join her. The music flowed loosely, yet beautifully as it carried out her colorful river of dreams.

As she found herself nearing the apparent climax of her song, Lumina recalled her conscious thought once more. She felt herself suddenly in the middle of one of her usual sessions with her Grandma; however, something felt different. Instead of Romana picking apart her playing like usual, she was joined by her friends, who watched patiently at the side to hear her play. Reality soon dawned on her, as she subtly glanced once more where Elli and company sat. She smiled warmly as she recalled the support of her friends, but when the music started slowing down, another painful thought crossed her mind.

…How long will these happy times last for me?

With the last few measures, Lumina played them softly, yet intensely, with a bittersweet feeling in her hard. She held the final note, which echoed through the receiving room for a very long time.

Finally, the note became silent. The audience watched on as Lumina removed her hands from the piano and slowly got off her seating. Once she stood up completely, she turned towards the guests bowed respectfully.

The eerie silence prevailed throughout the room until it was abruptly broken by a single clapping noise. The single clapping was soon followed up by more applause, and quickly escalated into heavy applause.

Lumina stared in shock. It was a standing ovation!

Her heart raced again upon receiving this positive feedback.

"Is this true?" she thought to herself.

Despite her doubt, the applause was still there. Lumina carefully scanned the audience to see every single one of them standing. But it was the warm smiles of her dear friends that stood out most to her.

Lumina nodded to herself in confirmation. A small tear ran down her cheek, which she immediately wiped with a single finger. She even faced her friends with a warm smile of her own.

"My friends… I'm so grateful for every one of you…"