Hope couldn't believe what he just said. This was her long lost relative? She had just found out about him less than twenty four hours ago, and now he just shows up on her doorstep? What was really strange was the fact that he just showed up out of the blue, and wants her to call him Uncle Mike, as if he had always been a part of her life.

"Um, hello." She replied, as she reluctantly shook his hand. He looked at her and continued to smile.

"Please forgive me." He said. "I suppose you have a lot of questions. You probably have no idea who I am. I doubt you would remember me. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl, barely two in fact. But I had kept tabs on you, and your family over the years. My guess is that this seems very odd to you."

"Well, to be honest, yes." She told him. "I didn't even know that you even existed until my father's lawyer told me yesterday, and that was only because he gave me something that belonged to them. I guess it was something they bought while traveling with you to Morocco."

"Oh my God." He said with a shocked look upon his face. "Well I probably just made a bad first impression. True, your parents, and I hadn't spoken in years. And I don't know what the lawyer knows, or what he wold have told you. But I never dreamed that either Greg, or Lois would have completely disavowed any knowledge of my existence."

"Well." She replied. "He said you had a falling out over the bottle, and-"

"That damn bottle!" He growled. "It's been nothing but trouble. It changed them, they weren't the same two people after we all discovered it."

"Discovered it?' She asked as she was now completely confused by everything that he was saying.

"Look." He said. "I'm really sorry, this is not what I had in mind when I decided to visit you today. I know you don't remember me, but I remember you. When you were born, I was so excited for my sister and Greg. I don't recall any two parent that loved their daughter more than they loved you. Lois, and I were so close growing up. I was the first one to visit her, and Greg, in the hospital the day you were born. They even let me hold you, even though I was so nervous about it. I was afraid that you might break. But you were the first baby that I ever held in my arms, and you were such a beautiful girl. And now here you stand before me a beautiful woman. And I never got to see you grow up. Plus I haven't seen my sister in sixteen years. and now she's gone. It's too late, all be cause of that damn bottle!"

As she looked at the anger on his face, she began to cry. He was talking about a couple, that loved their daughter more than anything in the world. But that didn't sound like the people that raised her. Not only that, but he talked about how much he loved her as a niece. He was describing a family that she never had, but one that she had always wanted.

"I'm sorry." She cried. "You'll have to forgive me. That last couple of days have been a whirlwind for me. Would you like to come in?"

"Please, you probably don't want to let the flies in." He replied as he walked inside the house. "And please don't apologize for being upset. After everything that's happened, it's more than understandable."

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked.

"No thank you." He replied as he looked around. "This is a beautiful home."

"Why are you here?" She asked abruptly. He looked at her, and sighed.

"I suppose that's a fair question." He told her. "Your probably wondering why I would just show up the day after their memorial service, out of the blue, after not being a part of their lives for sixteen years."

"Well, yes." she replied. "I don't mean to sound distrustful. But it is odd that you would show up now. I can't help but wonder if you want something. I mean my parents were very wealthy."

"I totally understand how you feel." He told her. "If I were in your shoes, I would feel the same way. Listen, I don't want to go into too many details about what went down between your parents, and myself. It caused a lot of hurt, and mistrust between us. But that's all I'm going to say about it. See I was angry at them, and if they didn't even remind you that I even existed, I'm guessing they were angry at me too. I wanted nothing to do with them after our disagreement sixteen years ago."

"Which brings me back to my questions." She stated. "Why are you here now?"

"A friend of mine, who was helping me keep tabs on your family, informed me about their plane crash." He explained. "Even though I was angry at them, I still cared a lot about you. I wanted to know how you were doing. I know I should have come yesterday, but I figured that you would be too busy dealing with their memorial. I knew you would be overwhelmed, and I didn't to make it worse for you. I loved your parents very much, but after we found that bottle, they had changed. They became cold, and superficial. And I was afraid that they would not be the same loving parents towards you. I know that they shipped you off to boarding schools, and summer camps. I was right to be afraid, wasn't I?"

"Yes." She cried. She completely lost it, as she burst into tears. With a look of genuine sympathy in his eyes, he wrapped his arms around her in a caring embrace. For the first time in her life, it felt as though someone cared about her. As she leaned into his chest, and cried on his shoulder. Then she remembered that this man was a complete stranger, and quickly released herself from his hold.

"Wait." She said. "I don't even know you." He looked at her with slight regret, in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." He said. "That was very forward of me. I keep forgetting that you don't know who I am. And even though a beautiful young woman stands before me, I still think of you as that innocent baby girl that I held in my arms the day you were born. To me you will always be my little niece, and I guess I felt the need to comfort you."

"It's alright." She told him. "I guess I just needed to feel loved, I shouldn't be using you as a substitute parent." he cupped her chin looked at her and smiled.

"Despite the many years that have separated us, we are still family." He told her. "It's too late to save my relationship with your parents, but that doesn't mean we can't have familial relationship. I would like to make up for lost time. Perhaps, you could have dinner with me tonight? I know a great little Italian restaurant, on the west side of town, called Antonios. They have amazing food."

"Um sure." She replied as he made her smile. "I would love that."

"Great." He told her. "Um, I have to get going. Why don't you meet me there at eight?"

"Eight it is." She told.

"See you then." He replied with a smile. "I'm really glad I got to see you today, I would very much like us to be a family."

"I would like that too, Uncle Mike." She told him, as she couldn't help but return his smile. He then leaned in, and gave her a light peck on the cheek.

"See you later, Hope." He said as he made his way out the front door.

"Later." She replied as she waved. As soon as he left, she couldn't help but continue to smile. Maybe for the first time in her life, she could feel like she was a part of a family. He seemed really nice, but she couldn't believe how handsome he was. She almost had to remind herself that he was a blood relative. At that monument, the phone rang.

"Hello!" She answered as she picked up the phone.

"Hello, Hope." The male voice said on the other end. "It's John Beckmann, how are you doing this morning?"

"Oh, great!" She replied.

Speaking of handsome men!

"Well, I'm glad to hear it!" He replied. "Listen, I have some paper work I need to go over with you. I was hoping we could get together for dinner this evening, maybe eight?'"

"Um, I already have plans." She told him. "Can we make it tomorrow night?"

"Sure." He replied. "What, do you—do you have a date?"

"Kind of." She replied. "My Uncle Mike showed up, and I'm meeting him at Antonio's at eight."

"Oh." He said with very little enthusiasm. "I wasn't aware he was around."

"Oh, do you know him?" She asked.

"Umm—no, not really." He replied. "Just mostly what your parents told me. Well, umm, you two have a good time. And I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight."

"Okay, great!" She told him. "I'll see you then, bye."

"Bye, Hope." He replied.

As she hung up the phone, she couldn't help but feel elated. Tonight she was going to reconnect with a long lost family member. And a gorgeous successful lawyer was taking her to dinner tomorrow night. For once in her life, things seemed to be working out for her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As John hung up the phone, he became angry.

What the hell is he doing here? He then picked up the phone, and called an associate of his.

"Hello?" The man asked as he picked up the phone.

"Hello, Rick, it's John. I need you to do me a favor. I need you to gather all the information you can on one Michael Davenshire. See what he's been up too in the last sixteen years."

"Sure thing boss", Rick replied. With that John let out a frustrated sigh as he slowly hung up the phone. He then stood up, walked over to the window, and stared out into the busy city streets below.

Why are you here? He thought as he seethed with rage. Why now? What do you want? Humf! I know hat you want, it's the same thing I want! Well forget it! She's mine! She belongs to me! And she and I are going to be very happy! and if you get in my way, it won't end good for you! There just may be the need for another—accident!