The Claddagh Ring

Dr. Rhiannon Weller goes to a movie matinee to escape the tedium of her life. During the trailers she falls in love with the young actor she sees on the screen. Those few seconds of film set her on a course to meet him. Michael Richman is twenty-five years her junior. From his home in London, Michael is working to shed the stigma of being a former child star. He has been acting since he was nine, but the reviewers and paparazzi lie in wait for him to fail. He is already wealthy, but he wants nothing more than to be taken seriously in his profession. He is constantly pursued by screaming teenage fans and anorexic models and longs for freedom from his very public life. Rhiannon and Michael’s lives intersect at a fan event. He is immediately attracted to her, physically and intellectually and drops her autograph book to delay her departure. He signs her book and gives her his highly protected telephone number. After a series of secret Sunday telephone calls, they agree to meet along the Oregon coast. Rhiannon desires Michael, but she tells herself she is content to be his friend. The freedom Michael experiences with Rhiannon liberates him, and he kisses her. Their desire erupts into a night of unbridled passion. Michael returns to London intent on seeing Rhiannon again as soon as possible. With the reluctant help of his personal assistant, he makes arrangements for them to spend the holidays in London. His assistant warns Michael that it will be difficult to keep the paparazzi away and that a bad personal decision could sink his career. When Rhiannon arrives in London she finds herself cast into a different world. Michael’s fame provides them with amenities beyond her wildest dreams, but it comes with a price. She sees firsthand the mask Michael must wear in public to keep from being recognized. Their days are filled with sightseeing and theater performances, but they are always under the watchful eye of Michael’s bodyguard. On New Year’s Eve, Michael takes Rhiannon shopping. In a private salon, Michael asks Rhiannon to marry him. Rhiannon is horrified. Her life, her practice, her daughters, and grandchild are in Seattle. She will not leave them to join his entourage. The life she has built for herself is hers, and she will not give it up for him. Michael is deeply hurt and to assuage his disappointment, Rhiannon allows him to buy her a claddagh ring. The ring, a symbol of fidelity and love, resides on her left hand for the next twenty five years. Rhiannon and Michael continue their long distance love affair traveling to remote and beautiful places in the world. Michael’s wealth ensures that they can travel in luxury while avoiding the paparazzi. Rhiannon’s zest for life carries them from high Peruvian mountains to the crystal waters of the Indian Ocean. The Claddagh Ring is a story of two exceptional people who create a storybook romance under extraordinary odds. Against the wishes of family and friends and co-workers, Rhiannon and Michael live and love unconditionally. They overcome many complications during their years together but the one obstacle they can never overcome is the relentless passage of time.