Claire allows ex-husband, Alan, to take their son Neil to visit his Chinese grandparents in Beijing. Alan doesn’t bring his son home after the holiday and tells him that his mother doesn’t want him anymore. Neil blames himself for doing something to upset his Mum.

Claire is heartbroken and travels to Beijing but Alan refuses to reveal where Neil is, only allowing her to speak to him on the phone. If she takes legal action, he threatens to disappear with Neil and she will never see him again.

Back at work in Dublin, Claire rents two rooms in her house to help pay the mortgage and finance her trips to Beijing. But the family still refuse to allow her see or talk to Neil. She meets Jim. They fall deeply in love. But until her son comes home, Clair cannot share her life with anyone.