Music to Life

I Believe
by Diamond Rio

"Every now and then soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again
And it’s like you haven’t been gone a moment from my side,
Like the tears were never cried,
Like the hands of time were pulling you and me."

My eyes open as I swear I can feel a soft warm breath or even a whisper. I blink and shift, sitting up from the couch in the Station. My partner looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey man, you ok?"

I simply nod and look around, noticing that its rather chilly in the room. I close my eyes, touching the white gold wedding ring on my hand. I smile a moment, thinking about my wife and that smile. As I do, I can swear she is right with me, and that she was the breath that woke me. Before I have time to take it in, the alarm sounds. I have to snap out of reality, its time to do what I do best. I zip up my boots and tuck in my shirt, grabbing the gear that I'll need. I rush out of the station, jumping into the passenger side of the Ambulance. Being a paramedic had its pros and cons, mainly on my wife. Each day I regret that I can't spend as much time as I'd like, but at the same time I know she supports me through it all. I can hear the radio and I grab it, telling the dispatcher to tell us where to go and what to expect. The answer comes over, an answer that in my gut tells me its going to be more.

"2345 N. Redding Dr. There's been a shooting due to an intruder. A 23 year old female has been shot", answers the voice of a female dispatcher.

I tell her that we're on our way. I edge my partner to drive alittle faster as the sirens sound. Something in me keeps telling me that I'm being pulled to this call for some reason. I try and shake it, but I seem to not be able to. When we finally arrive on scene, I jump out, putting on the latex gloves as I grab the bag, while my partner gets the gurney. The police, on the scene as well, direct me into the house. When I see the woman on the ground, I can feel my blood drain and my heart stop. Laying on the floor, is my wife. I'm instantly scared, I didn't realize until now that this was my mother in law's house. And now that it was some higher power pulling me to her.

"And with all my heart I’m sure we’re closer than we ever were,
I don’t have to hear or see I’ve got all the proof I need.
There are more than angels watching over me

I believe
Oh I believe"

When my wife sees me, I can see the fear and yet comfort in her eyes as she looks a me. It jolts me into action and I finish the distance between her and I. I kneel down, cutting her shirt. I'm not surprised to see that she wore a bra today. I give her a smile of comfort and I access the wound; Gun shot to the abdomen. I know that a wound like this isn't a good one and I don't even know if the gun severed anything or punctured. Its then that it hits me, there are two wounds, entry and escape. I want to cry, the chances my own wife might not live is scaring me to death, but I know that we're together and now we will be closer than before. I start my work of checking the pulse rate, stopping the bleeding, bandaging them both until we can get her to the hospital. My partner comes in with the gurney and lower it before carefully picking her up and placing her there. As we wheel her out, I can see my children, my son and daughter. They don't need to see this, but I have some comfort in knowing that they know daddy is with mommy. We get her into the ambulance and I'm the one to stay with her, exactly as I wanted it. I hook her up to an E.K.G and place an I.V in her arm, giving her what she'll need to live. The entire time I'm praying for her, hoping that she will live. She turns her head and looks at me, smiling.

"I'm glad you're my hero", she says softly.

I want to cry and I almost do, but a few tears fail me. I hold her hand, kissing it softly as I entwine my fingers with hers. She closes her eyes and I know she's weak and trying to rest. I gently kiss her forehead, my partner knowing full well that this is my wife and letting me be back here with her. I watch her heart and pulse, so far she's doing great. I stay with her, watching her and praying that everything will be ok. When we arrive at the hospital, I have to wipe the tears that seemed to have been shed. I gently wake her up and she looks at me. I smile, letting her know everything is ok or should be. I move and jump out, pulling her out and pushing her into the ER. The nurses and doctors come rushing to meet us. I tell them everything they need to know and they take her from me. I follow her, holding her hand until they have to take her to the O.R.

"I love you" is the last thing I say before she's gone from my sight.

A doctor comes up to me and places his hand on my shoulder.

"You got there at the perfect time and got her here in time. Its got to be hard on you, but from what I've seen, you definitely have more than angels watching over you and your wife".

I Smile and nod, thats amazing news in my opinion. I sigh and walk back to the ambulance to only meet my partner with a stern look.

"What do you think you're doing", he says.

"I have papers to fill out and I'm still on duty", I respond.

"Oh no you don't. I'll worry about the papers, you worry about your wife. And don't worry about it, you will stay", he said with a light chuckle.

I can't help but smile, he really is a great guy and I'm happy to have him as a partner on this job. I look at my bloody self. I breathe and pull out my shirt from being tucked into my pants. I walk to the waiting room, waiting for news. If I didn't believe in angels or anything else, I did now.

"Now when you die and life goes on,
It doesn’t end here
When you’re gone every soul has found a flight
It never ends if I’m right.

Our love can even reach across eternity.

I believe
Oh I believe

Forever you’re a part of me,
Forever in the heart of me,
I will hold you even longer if I can.
Oh the people, who don’t see the most,
See that I believe in ghosts.
If that makes me crazy then I am

Cuz I believe
Oh I believe

There are more than angels watching over me."

I can hear the sound of a flat line. Someone's heart had stopped in a room and as the nurses rushed into the room to try and revive the person, I can't help but think back to growing up and the thought that when you die, life still remains and that its never the end. That every soul will fly to a better place. As the nurses come out, the expression tells me that another soul has taken flight. As I think about that, I can't help but still pray that my wife will be alright and live until we're old and gray. I lean back and close my eyes, thinking of the memories that I share with that beautiful woman that I married. I start to think about when I told her that I'd love for an eternity and that nothing in the world would keep us apart. I smile as I can hear and see her giggle as she told me the same back before kissing me. I can still feel her kisses as I sit here waiting.

After about a few hours a surgeon comes out and finds me. I look at him, worried and hoping for good news. All the surgeon does is give me a soft look and I tense up for a moment.

"Your wife is going to be ok. She is pretty lucky considering and I have to say, that you really are her hero. If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't have survived. She's currently in room A10. You can go see her, but she's weak and she'll be here for quite a while".

With that he leaves and I flash the brightest smile as I thank the angels, etcetera as I run to tell my partner, but find him gone. A nurse gives me a note that says he got the superiors to let me take the rest of the time off and have a small vacation to take care of my wife. I'm going to have to owe him alot for this. I rush as fast as I can to the room that my wife is staying in. I see that its a private room and I smile, glad that I have her to myself. I walk over, smiling at her sleeping form. I make sure she's comfortable and then grab a chair to sit in by her bed. As soon as I sit, I hear a weak, but well cherished voice.

"What makes you think you're not gonna be my pillow".

I look up to see a smiling wife of mine. I chuckle lightly and smile, getting up and taking my boots off before unbuttoning my work shirt, leaving my under shirt on as I move next to her. I wrap my arms around her as she snuggles up next to me. I hold her as she soon falls asleep and I watch her. By now, its night time and I kiss her head softly. I think a moment and cry a few tears of happiness as I know in my heart she means everything to me. She's my soul mate and wife, she's forever in my heart and is always apart of me. As I smile, thankful to have her still in this world and by my side, I look over to see a figure smiling at me. I look closer to see my grandmother, a woman that I loved deeply and who I was sad to lose. She smiles at me before leaving and I can't help but smile to myself, looking up towards the heavens before I close my eyes and fall asleep with my wife in my arms.

"I believe
Oh I believe

Every now and then soft as breath upon my skin,
I feel you come back again
And I believe."

There's a soft breath on my skin and I shift. My eyes slowly open to the sun coming through the window of my house. It seems like an eternity since that evening of almost losing my wife. I feel another breath and I blink, looking to see a smiling woman blowing on my neck. I grin and tickle her as she giggles and laughs before I kiss her, smiling as its returned. I sigh contently, my wife nuzzling up against my chest. Its good to feel her back again and I'm happy to be with her. I believe that there really are more than angels watching over me and my family and I cherish them each and every day. I close my eyes, deciding to sleep some more since its early and my wife has the bright idea. As I drift to sleep, I hear a soft whisper, one that I cherish to hear.

"I love you, my hero husband and angel. Always protecting and watching over me".