A change in heart:

Dimitri had two children Vasilissa, and Christian and their mother Tasha died in a car accident. He met rose and learned that he didn't love Tasha. He realizes that he didn't just want children and a marriage, he wanted true love. He finds Rose and she changed his life for the better.

I thought I was in love when I met Tasha. After four wonderful years of marriage and two lovely children later my lovely wife died in a car accident where she was trapped in her own car while it was on fire. My children being four and five years old did not fully understand the depression and the break my heart suffered when she was lowered into the ground. Tasha and I were friends since birth; we lived under the same roof for many years before our marriage. After the children were born we moved from our home country, Russia, to America. I miss Russia and my family, a lot. My anger caught up to me after two years of agony and depression slowly consumed me. I turned to mixed martial arts to relieve the pain and stress I was feeling. I turned out to be the most successful fighter in the pioneer valley, the little valley towns I called home. I had sponsors and quit my day job as a P.E. teacher to become a professional fighter, which meant sacrificing almost all the time I spent with my children. My kids hated to see me after matches, they were not like the ones you see on TV I've claimed many broken facial bones, noses, cheek bones, eyebrow, jaw, you name it I've had it broken. But that didn't stop me, what did was my children who were concerned about the time I had lost with them. I hardly ever saw them. After my third regional title I dropped out of fighting and got a job as a Paramedic I worked night shifts and slept while my kids were at school. I was able to see them in the morning before school and after school till around six o'clock. I felt bad about leaving them alone at night; I always left them with dinner and an emergency contact list, but they were still only six and seven years old. Christian, my older son kept his little sister Vasilissa quiet and occupied and since we lived in a duplex the neighbor would check in on then ever few hours for me.

One morning my life yet again changed forever, on my way home from work I witnessed a bad car accident one car's tire blew out causing it to swerve erratically, the car behind it ended up spinning out and landing in a pond on the edge of the road. As I pulled my car over to a stop the first car's driver was out walking around seemingly fine, I looked towards the pond to see the car almost totally submersed and raced towards it. I had to help the second driver I dove in and tried to open the car door, it was locked. I tapped on the window but the driver was unresponsive. Next I chose to kick out the rear window; I crawled inside the car and cut the seatbelt off of the girl. She was slumped against the steering wheel and I feared the worst ad I pulled her from the car and onto the bank. I was able to get a faint pulse and immediately began CPR to get her breathing again. I had just started to get a response when the ambulance arrived and took over, I told them my findings and what happened they nodded and sent me to talk to a police officer who arrived thanks to the first driver's concerned call. I told him the same this I told the other paramedics. Shortly after I got home and sent the kids off to school for the day I got a phone call from the hospital, at first I worried that it was for one of the kids, I picked up. It was Janine and Abe, the girl I pulled out of the car's parents. She wanted to speak with me, luckily I had just enough time to shower briefly and get into some decent clothing before I drove off to the hospital. I was not sure which room she was in so I approached the desk and flashed my paramedic badge\card and they told me which room. I briefly ascended the stairs to the second floor and found the room. I knocked on the door hesitantly and pushed it open.

"Mister Belikov, thank you for coming."I nodded in response; my colleagues must have told them my name when I left her at the ambulance. I fidgeted with my hands anxiously. She must have sensed my nervousness and spoke,

"Mister Belikov, you're not in trouble we wanted to thank you for saving our daughters life. If you hadn't been there she would have been dead. How did you know CPR, thank you so much?" She gushed

"I'm a paramedic we are trained to complete CPR, and extract people from cars, I acted on impulse really. The adrenaline, I had just gotten off a shift anyways." I replied

"Oh, thank you so much, how can we repay you?" Abe, her father said"

"Repayment is not necessary, it's my job." I said

"But you risked your life, you could have died. Can't we just…." I cut her off

"No, it's not necessary." Our voices were not loud but they must not have been quiet either, the girl, Rose, shifted in her bed and tried to sit up fast.

"Don't do that! Lie down please. Sitting up will only make your head hurt worse." I said motioning for her to put her head back down to the pillow. She had gotten a bad cut on her forehead; I hadn't noticed that, probably six or eight stitches to close it up. She looked confused,

"I'm sorry I'm Dimitri, I'm a paramedic who was on the scene of your accident, your mother and father wanted to speak with me. I didn't mean to yell, I was just concerned about you head and neck," She nodded, I took a step back from the bed and turned back to the parents,

"Don't" Rose said, I turned back "I want to know what happened. I don't remember a thing" I nodded and looked at her parents for reassurance, they were apprehensive." I'm going to find out somehow, just let him tell me." Her dad nodded.

"well I was on my way home from work when a tire from the car in front of yours burst causing the car to spin out. You swerved in order to avoid it and ended up in the River, I'm not sure what happened I think your airbag deployed or you hit your head on the window because you were not conscious when I pulled you out. I did have to break your window to get you out, and I cut your seat belt, sorry. Well I pulled you from the car and onto the bank and performed CPR, you were just coming around when the ambulance came, they took over and brought you here. I left once the ambulance left, I'm not sure about your car though. I'm glad you're okay." She nodded

"Thank you." She sat up again and I was about to chastise her when she wrapped her arms around me. I patted her back unsure of what to do. "I could have died, you saved my life, I owe you thank you so much!" I smiled and nodded

"It's my job to help people in need." Had it happened twenty minutes sooner I would have driven the ambulance there myself. "Really, it's no big deal." I said and patted her back again, she had not yet let go.

"No big deal? You save people's lives on a daily basis?" I raised my eyebrow and looked down at the patch on my shirt" Right, I guess you do. But really how can we repay you, you saved our baby girl." Her mother said. I shook my head and muttered a 'no'.

"Do you want money? Gift's, what can we do for you?" her father, Abe said. Again I shook my head and held up my hand

"No I will take no repayment. Being able to save this beautiful young woman is enough." I smiled down at her and she looked awestruck.

"Are you involved with anyone? Perhaps a date would be enough." Her mom said, I looked up at her confused "a night out on the water, my husband and I have a boat we could charter for you. It would be a lovely evening." She smiled, I looked back to the girl who was blushing slightly and she averted her eyes.

"yes, No, I couldn't bother her like that." I said she frowned and looked down to my hand, I did not wear my wedding band anymore, I kept it around my neck on a chain. I reached up and felt it under my shirt, it's been on my neck for longer than I can remember, I never take it off.

"So you are not single. I understand"

"No I am, well it's complicated. But no, that's not necessary. With her injuries she should get as much rest as possible." I argued, I haven't been on a date since before I met Tasha.

"Please it's the least we can do." the mother begged, the father looked at me and nodded his head. Why were they just offering up their daughter to a stranger like me, I hated to accept a payment, if you will, but she was beautiful.

"Fine, on one condition, please, tell me your name."

"Her name is Rosemarie." Her father said

"Rose, please call me Rose." She whispered.

"Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Tell me what time can I expect to see you. If you are feeling better tomorrow."

"How about seven, the marina is about twenty minutes away you can meet at our house, here" she handed me a business card with her information on it, and an address where I would be meeting tomorrow night. "We will have the boat cleaned up and ready to go." I nodded and turned to her father.

"Thank you, but I really must be going, I apologize, but I have obligations." I looked down at my watch and realized I supposed to be at a dentist appointment in ten minutes. I cursed silently.

"Of course, we will see you tomorrow night and thank you again, so much. Really we were so concerned when we heard she was hurt." He smiled and extended his hand to me; I shook it and turned to Rose.

"Get some sleep I assume you will be discharged soon so go home and rest, I will see you tomorrow, Rose. "She smiled, I turned and nodded to Janine and walked out the door. I paused and looked over my shoulder to find her watching me leave. I smiled in return and continued out to my car.