for yourself?”
Mara thought about it for a moment and then said; “Well, could I ask a favor for a friend of mine?”
“If there is anything that I am able to for you or your friend, I would be glad to do it” said President Morgan.
Mara told the president her request; “My friend, Tony, is one of the best violinists that I have ever heard. You may remember him in the article about the four hundred year old violin. Tony doesn’t realize just how good he really is.”
“I think that he would be honored, a little scared, perhaps, but honored, to play his violin in the White House at one of your formal dinner parties. Do you think that would be possible?”
“Not only is it possible”, said President Morgan, “but, consider it done. It will be sometime in November. Are there any other guests that you would like to invite to the dinner?”
“Well”, said Mara, “Besides Tony’s family, I’d like to invite Scott and his family, me and my family, Jason and Ryan Davis, and a list of special guests that I will give to you later.”
When Mara mentioned Jason and Ryan, Betsy got excited, and Scott just rolled his eyes.
The president agreed to the guest list and Mara asked that he not tell Tony that he will be performing. “Just tell him that you are interested in seeing the priceless violin,” said Mara.
When Scott’s mom picked up Mara and Scott, Scott told her about Mara’s latest solved mystery and about the upcoming VIP dinner. When Mara got home, she told her parents the good news as well.
A week later, after Tony read the invitation to his mother, he asked her, “Do you think this for real?”
His mom looked at the formal invitation and said, “It looks official. But, why would we be invited to the White House?”
“I think I know why”, said Tony as he held up the front page of the newspaper.
There, was a photo of Mara Louis and two other kids, standing with the President of the United States. The headline read, ‘Twelve year old girl makes historical discovery in hidden room of the White House.’
“I’m guessing that Mara had something to do with this invitation,” said Tony and then he smiled as recalled their time they spent in Philadelphia.
“Now, now, don’t be upset with Mara.” said Mrs. Giovanni. I’m sure she did it because she is your friend.”
“I’m not angry,” he said. “I am so thrilled, that I could kiss her. I, Tony Giovanni, am going to have dinner with the most powerful man in the world.
Later, that week, the Giovanni family got a phone call to verify arrangements for the White House dinner, as well as arranging for them to be screened for a security check.
The secretary told them that they would be contacted two days before the dinner, to go over White House protocol, so that they would feel more comfortable and at ease during the dinner.
The Giovanni family reserved four hotel rooms in Washington D.C., for the night before the dinner. Tony and his grandfather would stay in one room, his parents in the second room and the other two rooms were for Tony’s brothers and sister, who were able to get away from college for a few days.
The day of the White House dinner, finally arrived. Tony and his family went sightseeing around the city in the morning and at three p.m., they returned to the hotel to get ready for the dinner.
This was Tony’s first time wearing a tuxedo. He felt rather uncomfortable in it, until he saw himself in the mirror. He thought that he looked cool and grown up.
At four o’clock that afternoon, they arrived at the White House in a limousine that picked them up from their hotel, courtesy of the president.
Tony was starting to get nervous. While they were waiting for the president to arrive, Tony and his family sat and talked.
When they heard the door start to open, they quickly stood up, thinking it was the president. The door opened and there stood Mara and her parents.
“Hi, Tony” said Mara. “It’s about time you got here.”
“I knew that you were behind this invitation.” He said and he gave Mara a hug.
When Tony noticed that his family was watching, he quickly let go of Mara and introduced her and her parents to his two brothers and his sister.
It took Tony a few seconds to notice that Mara looked different from the last time he saw her. In Philadelphia, she had worn a t-shirt and blue jeans, and her hair was in a ponytail.
Now, she was in a long beautiful dress and her hair was down. Tony was stunned by how pretty she looked. “You look great, Mara”.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” she replied. “Did you bring your violin?”
“It’s on the table by the door,” he said. “Thanks for getting us invited to the White House, Mara. This is so cool.”
While Tony went to talk with his mother, Mara quickly talked to Tony’s grandfather. She told him that Tony would be asked to play his violin at dinner and that Mara needed his grandfather to help encourage him. Mr. Giovanni said that he would do whatever it took.
A moment later, President and Mrs. Morgan entered the room and greeted the Giovanni family.
After introductions were made, and they had all shaken hands with the president and the first lady, the president walked over to Tony and asked him for a favor.
“Mara tells me that you are a gifted musician and you play a mean violin. Would you mind playing something at dinner, for us and our guests?”
“I don’t know if I can, Sir,” said Tony.
Tony’s grandfather excused himself and Tony, and they went into the corner of the room, away from everyone else.
“Tony, I know that you must be terrified of performing for the president”, said his grandfather, “but, it will turn out just fine. Trust me.”
“But, what if I make a mistake?” said Tony.
“So what, who cares?” said his grandfather. “Do you want to look back on today, as the day you said no to the President of the United States?”
Tony thought about it for a minute and said, “No, I don’t.”
Then, he walked over to the president and said, “Mr. President, it would be an honor to perform for you and your guests.”
While the dinner guests arrived and were being seated, Tony, Mara, and their families waited in the library and talked.
Tony was starting to get hungry. “I wonder what we are having for dinner,” he said. “I’m starving.”
“Well” said Mara, “the adults are having duck, and trout, but the younger guests are having a special treat made just for us.”
Scott Wilson and his parents walked in, along with Betsy Morgan and Mara introduced them to The Giovanni family.
After introductions were made, it was time for them to go into the dining room. The adults were seated at three larger tables, while Mara, Tony, Scott and Betsy were seated at a smaller table, off to the side, where two special guests that Mara had also invited, Jason and Ryan Davis were already seated.
Jason and Ryan both stood up when the other’s approached the table and remained standing, until Tony and Scott had seated Mara and Betsy. Jason and Ryan thanked Mara for including them at the White House dinner and Mara introduced everyone.
Both Betsy and Mara were excited to see the Davis twins. Tony and Scott were a bit jealous at first, but once they all started talking, the six of them became good friends.
After the president said grace, the dinner was brought out. The first course was wild mushroom and rice soup, followed by a spinach salad. Then, while the adults were served trout, duck and asparagus, the younger guests, were served deep-dish pizza, along with breadsticks and root beer.
Tony began to feel more relaxed, as he ate pizza and chatted with Mara and the others at their table.
After everybody was finishing their desert, lemon gelato, and the adults were being served coffee, President Morgan stood up and a
ddressed his dinner guests.
“You may have read about a young man from Philadelphia, named Tony Giovanni, who with the help of a friend located a family heirloom that was missing for seventy five years. The heirloom is an ‘Amati’ violin that is around four hundred fifty years old. Well, Tony is here tonight and he has brought his violin with him. I have asked Tony to play something for us, and he has graciously agreed. So, let’s give a warm welcome to Tony Giovanni.”
As the dinner guests started applauding, Tony walked up to a small platform in front of the room and opened up his violin case. The platform had a chair, music stand and a microphone.
Tony pulled some sheet music out of a folder, and as he was setting it on the music stand, he looked out at the guests, and he got the shock of his life. He recognized many of the guests. They were the top classical musicians in the world.
Tony saw Yo-Yo- Ma, one of the best cellists in the world, and several of the world’s greatest violinists, including Joshua Bell, Isaac Stern, Zino Francescatti, David Ostrich, Nathan Milstein, David Juritz and Itzak Pearlman, to name just a few.
Tony was a little bit nervous before, but now, he was a lot more nervous. Mara saw that he looked like he was having a panic attack, so she walked over to him and quietly spoke to him.
“Tony, you are as good as any of these musicians here. You know it and I know it. I believe in you and so does your family. Now, just believe in yourself.”
Then, Mara leaned over and kissed Tony on the cheek, and returned to her seat.
The room got very