Hope sat in the back of the limo on the way to the church for the memorial service. As she leaned her face against the cold car window, she could see that is was slightly fogging up as her warm breath made contact with the glass. She looked out at the cold, rainy day that just seemed to add the perfect atmosphere to the already somber day. Yet her feelings of sadness had nothing to do the fact that she missed them, it was the fact that she never really knew them.

Most of Hope Chamberlain's eighteen years had been that of a life of privilege. Growing up in Connecticut, she attended the finest private school. Yet she was hardly a blue blood born into upper crust society. Her father was once a plumber, and her mother had at one time worked as a cocktail waitress. For the first two years of Hope's life, the family had apparently struggled paycheck to paycheck.

Then one day, out of a rare twist of fate, her father had won the lottery. He not only won the lottery, but had become the biggest single lottery winner in the world. After winning five hundred million dollars, this blue collar working class family became multimillionaires overnight. Not only did the money change their lives, but their new found fame had as well.

Hope's parents had always thought of her as a burden, long before they had become blessed with good fortune. She knew that she was the reason they had to get married in the first place, they even told her that. Both of them were pro-life, so an abortion was out of the question. So deep down she knew that was the only reason she was born.

Once her parents had received their new found wealth, they had as little to do with her as possible. She spent most of her life at boarding schools, and privileged summer camps. The only time she was ever home was for two weeks at Christmas break, and at even then she hardly saw her parents at all.

They were usually too busy celebrating the social festivities without her. She remembered Christmas being a lonely time surrounded by expensive presents, that most kids dreamed about, but not her. To her all the Christmas gifts she would receive were just cold inanimate things. She would have gladly traded them all in just to feel her parent's love. But now it was too late, they were gone, and this time she knew they were never coming back.

It was early Spring, as Hope had been away at school. She had been studying hard, for an important teat in European History. After all it was her Senior year, her future was a head of her. While she was studying, all of a sudden, there was a knock on her door. It was the house mother, who came to tell her that she had some bad news.

Her parents had gone to Bora Bora for second honeymoon. They had flown from New York to LA, and rented a private jet to take them to the island. However there was a terrible thunderstorm that seemed to come out of nowhere. The plane had gone missing only an hour after take off, and a search and rescue was under way. Hope had felt numb at that point.

On the one hand, nothing was official yet, so the possibility of them being gone didn't feel real to her. Yet she of course was terrified. She had always hoped that she would at least one day her parents would realize how important she really was to them. But if they didn't survive the plane crash, then that dream would never come to fruition.

An hour later a car was sent for which brought her home. It was the first time she remembered ever being home, when it was not the Christmas holiday. But as usual the large house seemed cold, and empty, as always there was never anyone waiting for her. As she had gone to bed that night, she had trouble sleeping.

Dear God! She prayed. Please let them be alright! Please, let me have at least one time in my life, where we can feel like a loving family. Please God! Please give out family a second chance!

Soon after that, she had fallen asleep.

Hope had woken up the next day to the phone ringing at eight o'clock in the morning. It was the FFA calling to tell her that the wreckage had been found off the California coast. Everything was found in the wreckage, except for the pilot and her parents. They regretfully informed her, that search and rescue mission had been changed to that of recovery. Even though no bodies were found, they were presumed dead.

Hope screamed in disbelief, tears poured from her eyes, as she threw her phone across the room. She then fell to her knees aa she continued to sob.

"Why God!" She cried. "Why couldn't we get our second chance?"

So now here she was on the way to the church, to have a memorial service for her likely dead parents. Not really a funeral, since there were no bodies to bury. Everything seemed so surreal, as she walked into the congregation. The church was full of mourners she had never seen before in her entire life.

Hope made her way to the front pew of the church, and sat down. She then looked down at the program for her parent memorial. The way it had described them, you would have thought they would have been a loving family. It failed to mention haw they pretty much had pushed her out of their lives.

As the service began it was as if the scene, that was unfolding before her eyes, was going on without her. Her mind was removed form the entire situation. It was almost as if her mind, and her body were existing on two completely different planes. Even though they had been her parents, she was listening to a eulogy about a couple of people she hardly ever knew.

As the service concluded, the priest made his way over to her. He took her hand, and offered his condolences. Hope just graciously smiled, and thanked him for her parent's service. Not that she had anything to do with any of the planning. It might have been something that would have been therapeutic for her. But even that was something her parents had denied her. Everything had been planed years in advanced.

As she left the pew, and made her way down the aisle, all eyes were on her. Complete strangers quickly offering their condolences as she headed towards the exit. Hope just smiled, nodded, and told them, "Thank you!"

But as she past them she could hear some of the whispers along the way.

"I didn't even know they had a daughter. Imagine, all that money after just turning eighteen. A hot girl, with her wealth, I think I'm in love."

Hope couldn't exit the church fast enough. As soon as she got to the limo, she slammed the door shut even before the driver had a chance to do it for her. With that she burst into tears, she felt so alone. And yet this feeling was anything but new to her, it was all she had ever known.

As the limo pull up to the house, Hope quickly dried her eyes. Her parent's lawyer, had taken care of the arrangement. There was to be a reception afterwards, and the catering service was already there. Hope let out a sarcastic chuckle. Of course the lawyer knew more about her parents wishes than she did.

As the reception was in full swing, Hope had the same feeling that she had at the church. She was alone in a room full of people. The entire event was was filled with fake smiles, and false pleasantries. Both from her, and the people in attendance.

"How are you holding up, Hope?" She heard a man's voice asking her. As she turned around she saw her parent's lawyer, Mr. Beckmann standing next to her.

"As well as could be expected, I guess." She replied. The lawyer, just shook his head, at let out a bashful laugh.

"I'm sorry." He replied. "That was a stupid question, to ask someone who jus lost their loved ones."

"At yet it seems to be standard." She replied with a smile.

"Listen Hope." He began. "If you need anything, not just legal advise. Please don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you, Mr. Beckmann." She replied.

"Please, call me John." He told her.

"If you insist, John." She replied with a smile. She had only met him a few times before, but there was something likable about him. No wonder her parents had put so much trust in him. Plus there was the fact that he was easy on the eyes.

"Listen could we talk somewhere in private?" he asked. "I have something for you. However it is locked in my car, I need to go get it. But it was something your parents insisted that you have."

"Um sure." she replied. "Can you meet me in the study?"

"Of course." he told her. "I'll meet you there in a little bit." This was actually an excuse she was looking for to get away from sea strangers that were surrounding her. She felt relieved as she entered the room, and shut the door behind her. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door.

"Come in John." She said. As he he walked in, he looked at her and smiled.

"I've been in this office so many times." He told her. "Helping your father with his finances."

"Well you probably saw him more time than I did." She said. "You know what I probably shouldn't have said that. What is it that you have for me?"

"As you know, you are the sole beneficiary." He told her. "But I am in charge of your trust until you are twenty one. However, about sixteen years ago your parents came upon rare artifact while traveling to Morocco. This was even before they won the lottery."

"Morocco?" Hope asked. "I don't remember anything about my parents visiting Morocco. And I don't see how they could have afforded it before they won the lottery. They were living paycheck to paycheck at the time."

"Well." he replied. "You were very young, so you probably don't remember. But apparently they had gone with your mother's brother Michael."

"Wait?' She asked. "I have an Uncle Michael?"

"Yes." He replied. "And he was an archeologist. He invited your parents. They were having problems in their marriage at the time. I guess mainly due to financial worries, and he felt that maybe a trip would do them some wonders. It did in more ways then one. It was soon after they returned home, when they won the lottery."

"But I don't understand." She replied. "How do I not know that I have an Uncle Michael?"

"Apparently they had a falling out over this." He told her. He then pulled out a box, and carefully opened it. Inside it had materials to protect whatever the object was. To her surprise he pulled out a beautiful ornate bottle.

"It's beautiful!" She replied feeling astonished by it.

"It's yours" he told her, as he handed it to her. Hope looked at it. She was captivated by it. As she kept staring at it, almost as if she were going into a trance. At that moment, she thought she heard a man's voice inside her head.

"I am for you!"