"Ah, excellent. Dr. Christian has finally arrived," Aunt Miranda announced. Her voice instantly rose to a pitch of triumphant, almost theatrical arrogance as she gestured grandly toward the newcomer. The low murmur of the string quartet playing from the concealed acoustic speakers seemed to fade into the background, eclipsed by the sudden shift in the room's center of gravity.
Miranda stood up slightly from her velvet-cushioned chair, the heavy emerald satin of her gown rustling loudly. "Father, since the traditional neuro-specialists and geriatric physicians from the city hospital have proven utterly useless in managing your declining condition, I have taken the liberty of using my own private funds to seek out the absolute best. Dr. Christian is a premier molecular pharmacologist, train
