Cruel Cruel World

Chapter 12: The Only One

In a world so cynical you came in and changed the ball from black to white and made me right.

This is all one else has had the time to read the signs.

A month passed. Kelly hadn't seen much of Matthew. She talked to him on the phone here and there, but for the most part, she went off living her life. She stayed in France for two weeks since she currently wasn't working. It felt great to spend time with her children.

When she returned to NY, she decided to go pay Matthew a visit, and see how he was doing. The last she had spoken to him was right before she had left for France. He claimed he hadn't had a single drink since that night he had slept with Maria, but Kelly wasn't sure she believed him. She didn't know how long it would take to start trusting him again. She guessed when he gave her reason to.

Anyway, she went home first to drop her bags off, and take Oliver for a walk. She always missed him when she was in France.

Then, she headed out to Matthew's apartment. Along the way, she contemplated on whether or not she should ask him out to dinner. She didn't want to give him any false hope of getting back together, but she really missed him. In the end, she decided to ask him. After all, people who were just friends could go out to dinner, couldn't they?

When she arrived at his apartment complex, she started to get a little worried. What if she didn't find him in a good state? What if she found him drunk, or worse, in bed with Maria? Maybe she should have called first.

She paused, contemplating heading back home. She could order a pizza for dinner, then take a warm bubble bath before hopping into bed with a good book.

No, she thought. I'm here now, I might as well go see how he's doing. If he was in bed with Maria, then hopefully he wouldn't answer the door at least.

She headed outside of his apartment, then paused. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out before knocking on his door. Almost immediately, she heard footsteps. Then, the door opened. Only it wasn't Matthew standing there. It was his ex-wife, Naama.

"Hello, Kelly," Naama said. "What brings you here?"

Kelly was a little confused why Naama was answering the door, but she did her best to hide her confusion. "Hello, Naama. I was just here to visit Matthew, and see how he's doing. It's been a while since I've last seen him."

Naama raised an eyebrow. "He didn't tell you? I'm surprised. I thought you two were so close."

"Tell me what?" Kelly asked. She suddenly felt the dread for him her stomach. She wondered if Naama was about to tell her something she didn't want to hear.

"Matthew's in rehab. He checked himself in a month ago. He's got an alcohol problem. He said you were the one who made him realize he has a problem. So, I'm really surprised you didn't know he was in rehab."

"I talked to him since then on the phone, but he never said anything to me about it. I've been in France these past two weeks, and haven't seen him in person in a month," Kelly said, a little in shock.

"I'm just here because I promised to check in on his apartment once in a while. Also, Aven left a toy of hers here that she wants." Naama explained. "You can come in if you'd like, but all I have to offer you is water. Since he didn't know when he'd be back, he didn't leave his fridge very well stocked."

Kelly shook her head. "No, that's okay. Thank you though. Hey, what rehab center is he staying in? Do you know if they allow visitors?"

Naama nodded. "I brought Aven to visit him yesterday. Here." She walked into the room, and went over to the table. She grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen, and leaned over the table to write something down. She then headed back over to Kelly, and handed her the paper. "This is the name and address. I'm not sure of the center's number, but he does have his cell phone with him if you wanted to call him ahead of time."

Kelly took the paper, and looked over it. It was only about ten minutes from there. She then looked back up at Naama. "Thank you, Naama! I appreciate it. It was good seeing you again even though briefly."

Naama nodded. "Anytime, and you too."

Aven came running over then, a little stuffed rabbit in her hand. She saw Kelly, and smiled. "Hi, Kelly!"

Kelly grinned, and knelt down to her height. "Well, hello, Aven! What do you got there?" She nodded toward the bunny.

Aven grinned, and held the bunny out to show her. "He's my favorite," she said.

She sleeps with him every night," Naama explained.

"Well, he's as adorable as you are!" Kelly said to Aven.

Aven grinned.

"What do you say?" Naama asked.

"Thank you," Aven said to Kelly.

Kelly smiled. "You're very welcome! Well, I have to go now, but I'll see you later, all right?"

"Okay. Bye, Kelly!" Aven said.

"Bye, Sweetie!" Kelly said, giving her a peck on the cheek, and gently stroking her hair.

Kelly stood back up. "Goodbye, Naama," she said with a wave. "Thanks again for the address!"

"Goodbye, Kelly. Anytime!" Naama called back as Kelly made her way out of the apartment complex.

Kelly hailed a cab as soon as she got back outside. She was eager to see Matthew, and even more eager to find out why on earth he hadn't told her he was in rehab. His excuse should be interesting, she knew. In fact, she could hardly wait to hear it.

You are the only one. No one else can keep me from the danger of myself.

You keep me stronger. You are the only one.

And now I love you even more than I did before.

Kelly arrived at the rehab clinic and signed in.

"Excuse me, but can you please tell me where to go to visit Matthew Settle?" Kelly asked the man behind the front desk.

"He's in room 520, which is just down the hall. And your name is?" the man asked.

"Kelly Rutherford." Kelly was still surprised when people didn't know who she was. It was humbling to say the least.

He typed something into his computer. "And your relation to the patient?"

"A good friend." Kelly felt a twinge of sadness at not being able to say she was Matthew's girlfriend. She could handle being his good friend though. It was better than nothing.

"And you're just here for a visit?" the guy asked next.

"Yes!" Kelly said with a smile.

"I'm going to have to take your picture for your visitor's ID. Look right here at the camera." He moved the small camera that was built into the computer so that it was facing her.

Kelly smiled, and it took her picture.

The guy turned the camera back around, then printed out a picture ID name tag sticker, and handed it to her. "Again, that's room 520, right down the hall."

Kelly smiled as she took the name tag from him. "Thank you."

She put the name tag above her right breast, then headed down the hall to see Matthew.

His door was only partially closed, so she knocked on it, but pushed her way through before waiting for his response. "Knock, knock," she said as she came in.

Matthew was sitting on a recliner chair, watching TV. He looked over at her, and his expression went from one of shock to embarrassment in all but two seconds. "Kelly! What are you doing here?"

Kelly placed her right hand over her hip. "Well, hello to you too! Do you want to tell me why you didn't mention to me that you were here even though we've talked twice since you came here?" She sat down on the arm of the recliner Matthew was sitting in.

Matthew looked up at her, then back to the TV. He clicked it off, then set the remote down, and looked at Kelly again. "I didn't want you to think I was doing it just for show. I wanted to get sober, and then be able to tell you that I went through rehab, and was sober. I wanted to surprise you."

Not really thinking, Kelly reached out, and gently stroked his hair. "Well, I'm proud of you for doing this. It's a really good start! And I'm still surprised."

"How did you find out?" Matthew asked her.

Kelly continued to stroke his hair, unable to stop herself. She loved the feel of his hair. It was always so soft. "I stopped by your house for a visit after I got back from France. Naama was there, checking on the apartment for you, and getting one of Aven's favorite toys she had left there. I told her I came to visit you, and she told me where you were. She was surprised you didn't tell me already since you told her I was the one who made you realize you have a problem."

Matthew shrugged. "Well, like I said, I didn't want you to think I came here just to make things look good."

Kelly shook her head, and took his right hand in her hands. "I'd never think that."

Matthew smiled weakly at her. "I know this isn't going to cure me. Alcoholics don't get cured. I'm still going to be tempted to take a drink, and every day might be a struggle. But this at least helps me to not want to drink. Well, I'll still want to, but it will help me not to."

Kelly rubbed his hand. "I'm really proud of you, Matthew. You're being very mature, and very wise right now."

"Well, they say the older you get, the wiser you get, right?" Matthew joked.

Kelly groaned. "You're not old!" She smiled, then gently stroked his cheek. "All I see when I look at you is an incredibly sexy, hot, delicious man, who is a kind, sweet, amazing guy. You're a wonderful father, and you're a good man. You just had a little problem with drinking. But who doesn't have problems? We all have our demons, and drinking just happens to be yours. And Maria."

"Hey, be nice," Matthew said. A smile played at the corner of his lips nonetheless.

"Okay, so she's not a demon. She is an enabler though. And, she came between you and I, which to me, is just as bad as a demon." Kelly looked away. She knew she probably shouldn't have admitted that. After all, wasn't she the one who didn't want to give Matthew false hope? Even so, it was how she felt.

"Hey," Matthew said gently. He carefully moved her face toward his, and looked her in the eyes. "I'm getting better, and when I get out of here, I fully intend on getting you back. I don't care how hard I have to beg you, or how hard I have to fight for you. I'm going to make you mine again, and we will be together. I won't take no for an answer."

Kelly smiled weakly. "Now you're starting to sound like a stalker."

Matthew bit his bottom lip, apparently not knowing what to say to that.

Kelly broke into a grin. "But, since it's you, you can stalk me anytime, Baby."

Matthew broke into a grin too, looking incredibly relieved. He squeezed her hands. "So, you'll be willing to take me back once I get out of here?"

Kelly kissed his cheek. "Let's just take this one day at a time, okay?"

Matthew nodded, the grin still on his face. "Now, one day at a time, I can take!"

Kelly matched his grin.

I've got such a jealous side.

Reaching out, I try to hide my infant stride.

And in my mind, this is all so prototype. Make it wrong to make it feel right.

Don't deny it.

It had been a nice a visit. Matthew had asked her about the kids and France, and Kelly had told him about her visit. Her appeal was set to take place in three months, and he gave her encouragement on it. They also talked about Aven, and how fast she was growing. Kelly assured him Helena was growing just as fast.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Naama was slipping her Miracle Grow in her food!" Matthew joked about Aven.

Kelly laughed. "That's actually something Daniel would do to my kids," she joked in return.

They both had a good laugh. They talked and joked a little more, then watched a movie together. Then, visiting hours were over.

Kelly had to leave, but she promised to visit Matthew again the next day.

"Maybe we can do lunch together? The cafeteria doesn't have the greatest food in the world, but it's not really that bad for cafeteria food," Matthew said to her.

Kelly took his hand and smiled. "Sure. I'd love to." She kissed his hand.

Then, he lifted her chin, and kissed her softly on the lips. "It's a date then."

Kelly looked into his eyes, getting lost in them. She had told herself she wasn't going to get back together with him. At least not yet. But he truly was getting the help he needed. Besides, what harm could one lunch date do? She had been planning to do dinner with him before she knew he was in rehab anyway. As for the kiss, well, what harm could one little kiss do? Or two?

She pulled him into another soft kiss. "It's a date," she agreed, her tone quiet.

They smiled at each other, then Kelly got up, and grabbed her purse. "What time is lunch here anyway?"

"Noon!" Matthew said with a grin. "Though, visiting hours don't start until twelve-thirty. But the cafeteria is open until nine at night, and I don't have any meetings until two, and so..."

Kelly laughed. "Twelve-thirty it is then! I'll be looking forward to it."

"Me too. You have no idea, Kel," Matthew told her.

Kelly grinned, then blew him a kiss. "See you tomorrow, my Darling!"

"See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams of me!" he called after her as she left.

She laughed as she headed down the hall, knowing he'd be able to hear her laughter. She hoped it brought a smile to his face, and visions of her to his dreams.

She sighed. She supposed it had been stupid to think she could resist getting back together with him.

She grinned. She should have known by now, her not having Matthew as her lover just wasn't an option anymore now that she had gotten a taste of it. Or rather, him.

She was still grinning as she signed out, and left the rehab center.

'Cause you are the only one.

No one can keep me from the danger I possess.

You keep me stronger.

You are the only one, and now I love you even more than I did before.

The next day at twelve thirty sharp, she arrived at Matthew's rehab room.

He grinned at her. "You look breathtakingly beautiful, as usual!" He winked at her.

Kelly smiled. "I'm not even dressed up!" She was wearing her medium wash blue skinny jeans, and a white cowl neck Cashmere sweater. She wore grey knee high boots over her jeans. She had left her hair down.

"You still look great. Those boots on you are so sexy!" Matthew pulled her close, and kissed her.

Kelly kissing him back, hungrily. My how she had missed this.

He broke the kiss. "Why don't we skip lunch in the cafeteria and just have each other right here instead?"

Kelly grinned. "Sounds good, but we're taking it slow, remember?"

He pouted. "All right, all right."

She pulled him in for a hug then. "You look good too." He was wearing a bright blue sweater with the collar of his white dress shirt showing over his sweater's collar. He wore khaki pants with it. On his feet were brown loafers with no socks.

"I tried to dress up a bit for you," he said with a proud grin in return.

"Well, you look great except for one thing," she said.

"What's that?" Matthew asked.

Kelly ran her hand through Matthew's neatly combed hair, and messed it up a bit. "There. That's better." She brushed her lips against his right ear. "You look so much sexier with messy hair."

He licked his lips, his eyes lowering with love for her. "I'll have to keep that in mind." He pulled her in for another kiss.

Kelly sighed contently, and kissed him back for a minute, then she broke the kiss, or rather, kisses. "All right, let's go get some lunch before this turns into anything but taking it slow."

Matthew grinned. "That's exactly what I was hoping it would turn into." He wriggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Kelly rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. She latched onto his arm, and kissed his cheek. "Come on, let's go eat. Then maybe you can show me around?"

"You've already seen the only room that needs to be seen—my bedroom," he said as he stepped out into the hallway with her, and shut his door behind them.

Kelly laughed. "Come, on Casanova."

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he said with a shrug as they walked down the hall, arm-in-arm.

And when they make the call for one last drink,

when my self-esteem seems below,

and when no one knows it,

when the colors all collide inside,

Well, I can barely hide.

"Do you like my new glasses?" Matthew asked, holding up two onion rings to his eyes, and looking at Kelly through them.

Kelly laughed. "Oh yes, my Darling! They are very becoming of you!"

Matthew grinned, then popped one into his mouth. She chewed it and swallowed it, then offered the other one to Kelly. "Want it? It's the last one..." He dangled it in front of her.

Kelly shook her head. "No thanks. I never liked onion rings for some reason."

Matthew shrugged. "Suit yourself!" He finished his onion ring, which was also the last of his lunch. He had had a cheeseburger to go with it. "It's a good thing they have a gym here."

Kelly smirked. "I'll say, the way you seem to be eating here!"

He shrugged. "Hey, it's not my fault they don't serve many healthy things here." Then he grinned. "Who am I kidding? Even if they did. I'd still choose the junk!"

Kelly laughed. "I know you would." She finished her turkey sandwich and chips, then pulled her cherry-topped cheesecake in front of her. "When you have a healthier lunch, you don't have to feel so bad when splurging on dessert!" She winked and smiled at him, then took her first bite. "Mm! Delicious! Wanna try a bite?"

Matthew licked his lips and nodded. He then opened his mouth as she fed him a bite. "Mm, that is good! You're right!" he said.

"Want another bite?" she asked with a smile.

Matthew grinned. "You know it!"

Kelly smiled even wider, and fed him another bite.

Suddenly, a guy walked by and whistled. He looked to be in his mid thirties maybe. "Come on, Matthew! You're having the poor lady feed you? Just because you're in rehab for alcoholism doesn't mean you have to get people to feed you. You're not in here because you broke your arms! Stop being lazy!"

Matthew grinned. "Haha, Jack. Very funny!"

"Well, I can't say I blame you." Jack nodded at Kelly. "She's smokin' hot!"

Kelly blushed.

Matthew smirked, and shook his head. "Yeah, well, she's my 'smokin' hot' girlfriend, not yours, so down, Boy!"

Jack took Kelly's hand, and kissed it. "Mon Chérie, you are beautiful!"

"Hey!" Matthew play warned.

"It doesn't hurt to look!" Jake said.

"You're touching!" Matthew stated, all in good fun.

"It's okay, he's handsome!" Kelly joked. She winked at Jack. "So, you're a friend of Matthew's I take it?"

Jack nodded. "We're across the hall roomies."

"He and I like to watch movies together before bed sometimes," Matthew chimed in.

Jack looked at Matthew. "Dude, when you put it that way, it sounds so gay."

Matthew laughed. "Don't worry, you're not my type."

Jack made a funny face at Matthew.

Kelly laughed.

"Seriously though, he's a good man. He showed me around, and helped to not feel so weird and lonely here when I first got here," Matthew told her.

"I was his first friend here," Jack said playfully, a hand over his heart as he jokingly looked at Matthew with love.

"And now my best!" Matthew said with a nod of agreement.

"And you're mine. I love you, Man!" Jack said.

"Right back at you, Bro!" Matthew said, standing up.

They hugged, patting each other's backs.

Kelly smirked. Even though they were joking around, she knew they meant their words. They were just using the joking tone to prevent any overload of girly mush. It was sweet.

"Well, I'm off to my first meeting. You're lucky you were never on drugs. You get this extra free time!" Jack said to Matthew.

"It will be over in a few months," Matthew assured him.

"Yes! Then I can break free of this hell hole. Not that it's a terrible place to be, but who really wants to live in a rehab center when you could be out living your life, you know?" Jack asked.

Matthew nodded. "But sometimes, you gotta do what you got to do."

"Exactly, Man!" Jack pat his back affectionately. "See you later, Man." He raised an eyebrow. "That's My Boy tonight?" he asked, referring to their movie.

"Actually, I thought we'd watch Brokeback Mountain instead," Matthew teased.

"Dude, I'm out of here!" Jack said with a laugh. He playfully pushed Matthew. He then headed over to Kelly, and kissed her hand again. "It has been a pleasure. And hey, if you get tired of him, you know where to find me!" he said, nodding at Matthew when he said the word, "him." He winked at her, and clicked his tongue suggestively.

Kelly giggled. "Have a good night, Jack."

"It would be better with you!" Jack said.

"All right, get out of here!" Matthew said with a laugh, gently pushing Jack away from their table.

Jack laughed, and headed off. "See you tonight for That's My Boy!" he called out before leaving the cafeteria.

Matthew rolled his eyes. "He's quite a character, but he's a great guy."

Kelly smiled. "Yeah, he seems nice. I like him."

"Not too much, I hope!" Matthew said.

"Don't worry." Kelly took his hands in her own, and kissed them. "You're the only man for me. You always have been."

"And you the only woman for me, and always have been!" he said, kissing her hands in return.

They smiled at each other.

Matthew then started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Kelly asked.

"To get some cherry cheesecake of my own! That stuff is good!" Matthew said.

Kelly laughed, and watched Matthew go to get his dessert. She then sighed contently. He was so adorable. Oh how she loved him!

You are the only one. No one else can keep me from the danger of myself.

You keep me stronger. You are the only one.

After their lunch, Matthew showered her around the place. It seemed nice enough. They had a gym and rec hall. They had a little non-denominational chapel for people who wanted to go to church. They even had a mini bowling ally, and a mini theater.

"Sheesh!" Kelly said as they headed outside hand-in-hand. "For some people, this would be better than living in the outside world!"

Matthew nodded. "I know, right? I was fortunate enough to get into a nice one like this.

"So, Jack is also in here for drugs?" Kelly asked.

Matthew nodded. "He got involved in the wrong crowd, and got hooked on crystal meth. A good friend of his accidentally ODed on the stuff, which made him want to get clean of both the drugs and the alcohol. He didn't want his friend to have died in vain."

"That's terrible that his friend died, but at least some good came out of it," Kelly said.

Matthew nodded. "Exactly!"

They headed through an ivy-covered stone archway, and into a beautiful garden. There were metal benches for relaxing, a fountain, and even a tree swing.

"That looks fun! I always wanted to swing on one of those!" Kelly said.

Matthew smiled. Then he nodded at it. "Go ahead!"

Kelly laughed. "I couldn't. The thing would probably break on me!"

"Nonsense! A lot of the female patients—some twice your size—have swung on that swing. It's a pretty strong tree. They wouldn't have put the swing there if it wasn't," Matthew assured her.

"Well, if you're sure..." Kelly trailed off.

Matthew nodded towards it. "Go on. Sit on it, and I'll push you!"

Kelly smiled shyly. "All right." So, she went over and sat on the swing.

Matthew headed behind Kelly, and began to push her.

Kelly laughed as she pumped her legs, and let the swing take her high into the air. "This is fun!" she said.

Matthew pushed her higher.

Kelly laughed and laughed, feeling like a kid again.

Matthew let her swing for a couple of minutes, then he stopped her swing.

She looked back, and he kissed her softly on the lips. "You are so beautiful."

She blushed. "And you're so handsome."

They kissed some more, then she got off the swing, and they walked around the garden for a bit, hand-in-hand.

After a bit, Matthew sighed. He stopped her, and turned her toward him, taking her hands in his own. "I hate to say goodbye, but I have a meeting to get to now. In these meetings, they don't allow outsiders unfortunately."

Kelly gently stroked his left cheek. "It's all right. "I have a few errands to run anyway."

They kissed.

"I'll come back tomorrow, and every day after that until you're finally out of here. I promise!" She smiled at him, and continued to stroke his cheek.

"Just knowing that is going to make rehab a whole lot easier," he said.

They kissed some more.

"Have a good night. Don't be getting frisky with Jack now!" She winked and giggled.

Matthew laughed. "You're sick!" He pulled her in for a more passionate kiss.

Kelly moaned into the kiss.

"You're the only one I plan on getting frisky with!" he told her upon breaking the kiss.

"As soon as you're out of here, we'll talk about it," she said, slightly out of breath from the kiss.

"Less talk, more action!" he said.

She smirked. "Goodbye, Matthew."

He grinned. "See you tomorrow same time?"

She kissed him sweetly on the lips. "You know it!"

He pulled her in for a more passionate kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said. She kissed him yet again, then left, thinking how she could hardly wait until he was out of rehab so that she could finally reward him in a way they both so clearly wanted.

And now I love you even more.

There is no other.

Kelly had kept her promise to visit him very day in rehab, and two months later, the day for Matthew to get out of rehab finally arrived. Kelly was so happy! She could hardly wait to take Matthew in her arms, and show him how much she missed him. Not to mention how proud of him she was.

She had asked him if he could just take a cab to her place. He seemed a little thrown by it, but agreed to it.

She hadn't wanted to pick him up because she wanted to surprise him at the door in nothing but her new black lace underwear and bra set. There was a nude underlay underneath the lace. She also wore black heels, and red lipstick. She hoped he liked it.

When he arrived at her door, she opened the door, posing with her right hand on the door frame.

His mouth dropped open, and he dropped his bag right there in the hallway.

"Welcome back, my Darling." She raised her eyebrow at his bag. "You didn't drop that back at your place first?"

He shook his head, and licked his lips, his eyes on her breasts. "Didn't want to waste a moment before seeing you." He nodded at her attire. Or lack thereof. "Is this why you didn't pick me up?"

Kelly nodded. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Surprise me you did! Along with arouse me." He licked his lips, his eyes still on her chest.

She giggled. "Bring your bag in, then get in my arms."

"How about getting in your bed?" he asked, bringing his bag in, and setting it back down.

Kelly shut and locked the door behind them. "That works too. But first..." She pulled him close, and they kissed gently, yet lovingly and passionately. "Welcome back, my Darling."

Matthew's eyes lowered. "It's so good to be back in your arms! So, am I officially forgiven?" He raised an eyebrow.

Kelly nodded. "You have been for a while now."

"And you're taking me back?" he asked.

"How could I not when you're the only man for me, and I'm the only woman for you?" she asked.

"You make a good point," he said.

"Now, no more talk. Make love to me, Matthew. Please?" she pleaded "It's been far too long."

Matthew's eyes lowered with love for her. "You know you never have to beg me, Kel." He picked her up in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom.

He sat her down onto the bed, and they slowly undressed each other. Then, he lay her down, and they made love. It wasn't rough or dirty. It was gentle, yet satisfying, and so full of love.

Kelly was glad. She hadn't wanted it to be unromantic. She wanted it to be romantic and perfect, and she knew that Matthew knew that, and wanted the same thing. He knew her so well, and she knew him so well. They truly were soul mates.

No one else I place above you.

They lay in each other's arms after their lovemaking, both so satisfied and in love.

Matthew kissed her left shoulder. "I love you so much. Everyone else turned their back on me, but you stood by me. You made me get the help I needed even when I didn't want to hear it. I'll be eternally grateful to you for that."

Kelly smiled at him, and gently brushed some hair out of his eyes. "I love you, Matthew. I'd do anything for you. I'd never let anything bad happen to you. I saw you going down a bad path, and I protected you from it. I know you'd do the same for me."

Matthew nodded. "I would. I really would."

Kelly kissed him. "I love you more than life."

He kissed her in return. "As I love you more than life."

They kissed some more.

"Promise me you'll never leave me?" he asked her.

She fluffed his hair with her fingertips. "I promise to never leave you, Matthew. I love you too much to ever leave you. Promise to never leave me?"

His eyes lowered with love for her. "My heart would never let me. I love you far too much to leave you. You're my soulmate, Kelly. You alway have been, and you always will be."

"Oh, Matthew!" Kelly whispered.

Their eyes lowered with love for each other, and they kissed again, then made love all over again.

Kelly sighed with contentment. She truly had met her soulmate in Matthew. And, now that they had both had finally given into their feelings for each other, she was never going to let him go, just as she new that he would never let her go. And that was really all she needed to know.

You are the only one, and now I love you even more than I did before.