Ronald Zien

For the past three years, Shawn McPatrick lived a life he chose for himself, holding an impressive position with one of the largest international banks in the world. He lived in a beautiful old Victorian flat in San Francisco, located high up on one of its hills with a beautiful view of the City. He never worried about whom he would be with on a Saturday night because he regularly entertained a number of very exciting women.

Living in the flat above him were two of the most free-spirited ladies he had ever met. He had become a kind of big brother to them, although being a big brother certainly had it’s challenges, especially when they paraded in front of him in the flimsiest of clothing.

Even so, he was not satisfied. When he was younger he lived by "traveling at Mach 9, with his hair on fire" but now his present job had turned into just day-to-day employment. For anyone else, Shawn’s life would be a dream, but he needed to have his life turn into something more than just being pleasant. Little did he know how quickly he would be drawn into a world of love, passion, mystery, and intrigue?

It all started on a day that was no different than any other working day, while he was sitting on a bench outside the bank where he worked, smoking a cigarette. In the blink of an eye, she appeared. There was an electricity about her that blinded him from everything else around. Another blink and she was gone as quickly as she had appeared. Day after day he sat on that bench to catch a glimpse of her, until finally he decided he had to find out who this woman was.

Shawn thought life should be full of challenges and conquests. He had no idea that all of his expectations and desires would confront him in the form of a 5’2” woman by the name of Casey. Meeting this woman took him on one of the greatest and most mysterious adventures he had ever imagined could happen to him. Every time he thought he knew all there was to know about her, she surprised him once again until he came to except that he would never know who she was until the very end.

But there are no guarantees in life for any of us. We live, we work, we dream and, if we are lucky, we find a companion who is willing to share their life with us. For Shawn and Casey, there was no doubt in either's mind that they were placed on this earth only for each other.

Although love has a marvelous way of triumphing over the greatest of challenges, there is always the unexpected, isn’t there?