I Knew I Loved You
1969
"She won't stop crying no matter what I do, Mom!" Ann Rutherford said to her mother as she rocked her ten month old daughter Kelly in her arms.
"Have you tried feeding her?" her mother asked.
Ann nodded. "Yes! I fed her, I changed her diaper, I rocked her, I gave her her pacifier. Nothing works!"
"Try giving her her stuffed teddy," her mother suggested.
Ann did as told, but Kelly just cried even harder, and tossed it to the floor.
"Maybe I should take her to the doctor," Ann suggested.
"She doesn't need to go to a doctor. She just needs a nap," Ann's mother stated.
Suddenly, Kelly stopped crying, and began to smile.
"What happened?" Ann asked.
"Darling, don't ask questions, just be happy she finally stopped!" Ann's mother stated.
Ann stared in awe at her daughter who was now giggling, and clapping her hands. "I don't know what just made you so happy, baby, but I'm grateful for whatever it is!" She kissed the top of her daughter's head.
*MK*
Meanwhile, in a hospital in North Carolina, a baby was just born.
"He's so beautiful," Joan Settle said as she held her newborn son for the first time.
Her husband Robert grinned down at his son, and gently stroked his head. "He's as perfect as God allows us to be on earth!"
"So, what are you gonna name him?" the nurse asked with a smile as she watched the happy couple holding their son.
Joan and Robert grinned at each other, then turned to the nurse. "Jeffery," they announced together. "Jeffrey Matthew Settle."
1973
"Oops! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!" Ann Rutherford, now remarried and name Ann Edwards, said as she accidentally crashed her shopping cart into another woman's cart.
The woman smiled. "No harm done! I could have been watching too."
"Thanks." Ann spotted the little boy sitting in the front seat of the woman's cart. "Well, isn't he a little cutie?" She smiled at the little boy. "How old is he?"
The lady smiled. "He just turned four yesterday. His name is Matthew."
"Well, hello there, Matthew!" Ann cooed.
Matthew didn't smile at her; he just stared blankly at her.
His mother blushed. "You can't take it personally. He seems to be in a mood today."
"Oh, it's all right. I have a daughter who turns five in just under two months. I've seen my share of moods, trust me!" Ann said.
The lady laughed, and extended her hand. "Hi. I'm Joan. Joan Settle. It's nice to meet you."
Ann grinned, and shook her hand. "I'm Ann Edwards. Nice to meet you too, Joan."
"Mom, can I get these?" Kelly asked, coming over to her mother then with a container of Oreos.
Ann looked down at the box. "Those might get messy. I don't want you getting crumbs all over the car."
"I'll be careful, Mom, I promise! Please?" Kelly pleaded.
Ann smiled, and stroked her daughter's hair. "Of course you can, Sweetie!"
Kelly smiled at her mother. "Thank you, Mom!" She put the Oreos in the cart, then hugged her mother.
"She's beautiful. What's her name?" Joan asked, smiling at Kelly.
Ann grinned. "Thank you! Her name is Kelly."
"Well, hello there, Kelly! I'm Joan, and this is my son, Matthew," Joan said to Kelly.
Kelly smiled. "Hi." She then walked over to Joan's cart, and peered in at Matthew. "Hi, Matthew, I'm Kelly!"
Matthew instantly smiled, and held his hand out to her.
Kelly grinned, and took his hand.
Once he had Kelly's hand in his own, Matthew kissed it.
Kelly laughed, and kissed his hand in return, which caused Matthew to smile even bigger.
"Wow! It seems someone finally got Matthew out of his mood!" Joan said in awe. "I've never seen him kiss anyone's hand like that before!"
"He's a smart little kid!" Ann said, surprised herself.
"Well, if Kelly ever needs a playmate, maybe she and Matthew can get together!" Joan said.
"Actually, we're just passing through. My husband is driving us to Orlando for a family vacation. We're coming from California. He thought it would be an adventure to have a road trip and see all the sites along the way. Last night, we stayed at a hotel, and now, we just stopped at this store to restock on snacks for the car quick before continuing on our way. Otherwise, that would have been nice!" Ann said.
"Wow! Sounds like it's going to be a fun trip! Well, it was nice meeting you anyway," Joan said.
"I'm sure I will be too. If the people there are as nice as the people here, then it should be extra nice," Ann winked.
"That's our southern hospitality!" Joan said, winking back.
"Goodbye, Matthew!" Ann said to Matthew.
Matthew didn't say anything.
"Goodbye, Matthew!" Kelly said to him.
Matthew smiled. "Bye, Bye, Kelly."
Kelly kissed his cheek, and he smiled even bigger.
Joan and Ann both cooed.
"Bye, Kelly and Ann! It was nice meeting you!" Joan said with a wave.
Kelly and Ann both waved to her. "Bye!" they said in unison.
"I liked him," Kelly said, looking back at Matthew, who was watching her and she and her mother walked off.
Ann smiled. "He liked you too apparently. It's too bad we don't live around here. Maybe you and he could have been friends."
Kelly smiled. "Yeah, too bad."
1981
"Can you believe we have to sit through some church choir? Why do we get stuck with them? We're not even a private school! And why did they come all the way to California from North Carolina?" Jessica, Kelly's best friend, complained to her as they sat in the auditorium, waiting for the Lambs of God (as they called themselves) to come onstage.
Kelly smirked. "Principal Franklin told us that the choir director is her best friend from college. So, each member of the choir raised money to fly out here for a couple days to sing here and see the sites. Remember?"
Jessica shrugged. "I never listen to Principal Franklin. You know that."
Kelly nodded. "Maybe that's why you're always in detention."
"Hey, I have friends in there," Jessica said matter of factly.
Kelly rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. She loved her best friend's crazy antics.
The choir came onto the stage then.
"Finally!" Jessica said loudly.
Kelly giggled, and put her finger to her lips. "Sh! I thought you didn't want to see them anyway."
"I don't. But the sooner they get on, the sooner they can finish!" Jessica said.
The auditorium lights dimmed, and the stage lights brightened.
"Let's give a round of applause for The Lambs of God!" Principal Franklin called out.
The students clapped only halfheartedly, and only half of them clapped, at that.
The choir was all smiling so brightly as they began their songs.
Kelly sighed, and shook the leg that was crossed over her other leg back and forth in boredom. She crossed her arms over her chest and chewed her gum, even though gum wasn't allowed in school.
Her eyes scanned for any cute choir boys. They all seemed to be around her age. She would be thirteen in exactly a month.
She was just about to give up, thinking that maybe church boys weren't as cute as regular boys, when she saw him. He had dark hair, and greenish blue eyes. He was breathtaking. Well, now things are a little more interesting," she thought with a smirk.
She barely paid attention to the songs as she watched the cute boy sing. Their eyes even locked once, and it sent her heart racing.
After the performance, the choir came down to greet whomever wanted to greet them. However, most of the students were already piling out of the auditorium, probably either off to their homeroom, or off to skip the rest of school.
"Come on. Let's blow this joint!" Jessica said, instantly getting out of her seat.
"In a minute. I wanna meet somebody," Kelly said.
Jessica raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Seriously? You want to meet a Lamb of God?" She said the words, "Lamb of God" as if she were talking to a child.
"Mock me all you want. I want to go meet him," Kelly said.
"Meet who?" Jessica asked.
Kelly nodded toward a boy standing off on his own.
Jessica shrugged. "He's okay, but I've seen hotter. Whatever. I'm going to stalk Kyle. See you around."
Kelly shook her head. Kyle had made it clear several times to Jessica that he wasn't interested in her, but Jessica wasn't about to give up. Kelly, on the other hand, never liked to beg any boy for anything! Though, she could see herself begging for this boy.
"Hey," she said coming up to him. She was surprised no one else was crowded around him.
He smiled. "Hey."
"I'm Kelly. I think you'e really cute," she said.
He smiled. "I'm Matthew, and I'm not cute. I just turned twelve. Cute is for kids," he said.
Kelly grinned. "I'm twelve too. At least for another month. You're right though. You're not cute, you're hot."
He smirked. "Thank you. You're hot too."
"Thanks! So, do you have a girlfriend?" she asked him.
He blushed. "No. I've never even kissed a girl before."
Kelly spit her gum in a nearby plant, then turned her attention back to Matthew. "I have a secret for you."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "What's is it?"
She leaned in close, and whispered in his ear. "I've never kissed a boy either, even though all my friends have. But, sh... Don' tell."
He crossed his heart with his right index finger. "I won't tell."
"I have another secret for ya!" Kelly said.
Matthew smiled. "What is it?"
Kelly then wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly on the lips. When she broke the kiss, she grinned at him. "Now we've both kissed someone before."
With a satisfied grin at the look on Matthew's face, Kelly turned on her heel without another word, and left the auditorium to go find Jessica, and stop her from getting herself into trouble.
That kiss had been hot—almost as hot as Matthew was. It was just a shame they lived on two different sides of the US. Otherwise, she might have stayed and seen if she and Matthew could grow closer. Such a shame...
*MK*
Meanwhile, Matthew looked after the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. He touched his lips. Wow. It was too bad she hadn't stuck around. He would have liked a little more of that! Heck, he would have liked a lot more than that—kisses that is. After all, he was only twelve, and barely at that. Still... He knew his mother and father didn't condone bad language, but, even so, he had to admit, Kelly was one hell of a woman!
2001
"She was stacked! You know what I'm saying?"
Matthew was distracted from his friend's ramblings as they passed by a church (slowly, for there were a few cars driving slow in front of them) and he saw the most beautiful bride coming out of it with her new husband. He was in New York City for a weekend trip with his two best guy friends. They were in a cab, on their way to some friend's house that one of the friends he was with knew.
Matthew rolled down the window so that he could get a better view of the bride. She was blonde, and smoking hot. She laughed as people threw rice at her and her new husband.
He grinned. She had a beautiful laugh.
He watched as the bride kissed her husband. He knew it was weird since he didn't know her at all, but he felt a twinge of jealousy. That guy's lucky, he couldn't help but thinking.
Just then, the bride looked up, and their eyes met.
He smiled at her, and she smiled at him.
Then, his cab picked up the pace, and the beautiful bride was gone, just like that.
His heart sank a little.
His friend suddenly nudged him. "What's up with you? You look like you've just lost a hundred dollars or something."
Matthew laughed. "I'm just feeling a little car sick is all," he lied, too embarrassed so say he was sad to no longer be able to see the beautiful bride whom he didn't even know.
"We're almost there," his other friend assured him.
Matthew sighed as he looked out the window. I hope I marry a girl that beautiful one day, he thought to himself.
*MK*
Kelly felt a good feeling in her heart. And not because she just got married. When she had seen that guy smiling at her, something inside her had just melted. He was gorgeous! For a brief moment, she kind of wished she hadn't gotten married. Then she could have pursued that gorgeous piece of man.
She was happy with her husband though. She smirked. Even so, it was too bad she had no way of ever getting into contact with Taxi Boy. It was always good to have a backup plan in case this marriage didn't work out.
She smirked at the thought, then wrapped her arms around her new husband Carlos, and kissed him.
2006
Kelly was nervous as she entered the studio for her first day of filming her new television show, Gossip Girl. She had been acting for years, but still, she always got nervous the first day. It was like starting the first day at a new school.
"Kelly, hi! I want to introduce you to Matthew Settle. He will be playing Rufus," the director greeted her.
Kelly smiled, feeling even more nervous. "All right." She remembered from the script that Rufus was "the other man." Her character Lily had a lover already, but Lily just could't get Rufus out of her system, just like Rufus couldn't get her out of his system.
"Matthew, this is Kelly. Kelly, Matthew."
Kelly looked up. She hadn't even realized they had gotten to Matthew yet. Instantly, her heart did a flip-flop. The man was gorgeous! He had longish dark brown hair, and the most stunning blue green eyes she had ever seen.
Kelly smiled, and extended her hand to him. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Indeed it was! She'd have no trouble kissing him when the time came for their characters to kiss.
"Well, it's nice to know I have a beautiful costar to work with," he said with a wink as he shook her hand, his hand lingering a bit. He kissed her hand.
She blushed. "And it's nice knowing I have such a handsome costar."
They grinned at each other, and Kelly felt her heart pounding harder. It's a shame we're both married, she thought. Cuz I could honestly see myself spending the rest of my life with him.
She wasn't usually a believer in love at first sight, but Matthew had suddenly made her a believer.
*MK*
Matthew could still feel Kelly's touch on his hand once he released her grip. He knew he shouldn't enjoy it so much since he was a married man, and, judging by the ring of her finger, she was a married woman. Still, Kelly was beautiful, and he couldn't help but be attracted to her. It was odd because he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her before somewhere.
"Have I seen you before somewhere?" he asked her.
She smiled, and brushed some hair behind her ears. "I've been on a lot of shows. Melrose Place being my most famous."
Matthew shook his head. "No, I'm talking about in person. I just have this feeling that I've met you somewhere before."
"You know, it's funny! Now that you mention it, I feel I've met you before too. I can't place you though," Kelly said.
"Hm," Matthew said. Well, whomever this Kelly person was, he sure hoped there were a lot of sex scenes between Lily and Rufus!
Little did he know, Kelly felt the same way.
2014
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Matthew and Kelly kissed as the preacher pronounced them husband and wife.
"Finally!" Matthew said after the kiss. "I don't know why, but I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to marry you."
"I hear ya!" Kelly said, pulling him in for another kiss as their friends and family members cheered them on.
They had both been married when they met, and they both had had relationships after their marriages—Matthew's lasting longer than Kelly's. But, finally, they were both free to date, and of course dating made them fall even deeper in love with the other than they already secretly were. Then they were engaged, and now, they were married.
"I love you," Kelly said, stroking Matthew's cheek.
His eyes lowered with love for her. "And I love you. I'm just sorry it took me so long to admit it."
"Well, we have the rest of our lives to make up for it," Kelly told him with a smile.
They grinned at each other and kissed again, then walked hand-in-hand out of the church, both more than ready to start the rest of their lives together.
2039
"I can't believe we've been married for twenty-five years," Kelly said with a grin as she and Matthew sat in bed with a glass of Champaign on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
"Here's to twenty-five more!" Matthew said as he held out his glass to her.
Kelly grinned. "To twenty-five more." She clinked her glass with Matthew's, and they drank up.
Matthew then took their glasses, and set them aside. He then gently stroked her cheek. "You're still as beautiful as the day I met you."
"And you're even sexier than you were the day I met you!" Kelly said to him.
"You always have to top me, don't you?" Matthew asked with a grin.
Kelly smirked. "Actually, you're usually always on top."
Matthew laughed. "You know what I mean!"
"I mean it! I love growing old with you. You've grown more sexy with every day that past." She gently stroked his hair.
"And you're more beautiful with every day that passes," Matthew whispered, moving a little closer to her.
Kelly blushed, and looked away. "I don't know about that."
Matthew took her face, and forced her to look at him. "It's true, and don't you ever think for a second it's not!"
"I love you, Matthew. I have for as long as I can remember," she said, her eyes lowered with love for him.
His eyes lowered. "And I've loved you longer than I remember. I can just feel it!"
Kelly smirked. "Now, who's topping who?"
Matthew grinned. "For one, it's true. For two, I still am."
Kelly laughed as he straddled her, but her laughter was soon cut off by his kisses.
She sighed happily, knowing she was with her soulmate.
Matthew held her close, and kissed her more passionately, so happy knowing that he had the wife he had wanted all his life.