Prologue:

"Everyone, please fasten your seatbelts.  We will be landing in Hong Kong in fifteen minutes."

Charmaine turned from the window to look at her mother.  She was still asleep, her head resting on Charmaine's shoulder.  Touching her mother's face gently, she whispered, "Mom, wake up.  We're landing."

Mary's eyes fluttered slowly open as she straightened up in her seat.  Taking a quick glance out the window she smiled but the smile seemed forced and unnatural on her tired face.  "Everything will be alright for us from now on," she told Charmaine with a positive smile.

Charmaine didn't believe that.  Nothing will ever be alright with her father gone.  His death was too sudden and even now, three months later, Charmaine was still unable to cope with it.  Each night she envisioned her father coming home and telling them it had all been a joke.  He didn't die in that fire and the charcoal body they saw wearing his wedding band wasn't his.  Some thief had stolen his ring earlier that morning and it was the thief's body that burned in the fire.  Not his.  Any day now, he would return and they would have the perfect, loving family they once shared.  It was this hope, regardless of how naïve it was, that pushed her through each day.

"Are you alright?" Mary asked gently, bringing Charmaine back to reality.

Charmaine nodded in response but thoughts of her deceased father remained in her head.

Mary had an inkling to what her daughter was thinking about.  Picking up Charmaine's hand, she assured softly, "I know it's going to be tough for us at the beginning but we'll adjust.  We have to.  Your father would want us to."

Charmaine looked at her mother and on her face reflected Charmaine's own uneasiness for the future.  She wasn't sure if they could do anything without her father.  He had been the rock in their family, the root that held them all together.  Life just won't be the same without him.  Nevertheless, seeing the fatigue and anxiety on her mother's face, Charmaine didn't want to make it any harder on her by constantly reminding them of their loss.  So for the benefit of her mother, she put on a smile and said, "Tell me more about Uncle Lam and Auntie Lam."

The mention of them brought a genuine smile on Mary's face.  "Your father and Uncle Lam met over thirty-five years ago at a construction site.  They became fast friends and had remained friends all these years.  You only met Uncle Lam and Auntie Lam once.  It was on your fifth birthday.  Since then, we immigrated to London and barely kept in touch."

"Do they have children?"

"Yes.  They have a son and a daughter, both around your age.  Their daughter is away on studies now but their son can help with your job search.  Your Auntie Lam tells me that he's a lawyer in some big prestigious law firm that's has worldwide offices."

"Sounds good," Charmaine said feeling for the first time since her father's death that things may actually turn out alright for her and her mom.  "I'm not familiar with Hong Kong and need someone to show me around."  After a pause, she asked, "By the way, what is their son's name?"

"His name is Raymond."