The Miracle Baby

Chapter 3: The Evening of the Birth

- - Poplar, Late Autumn 1967 - -

After the Sisters arrived, they sent Timothy out to retrieve Angela. Then they helped Shelagh upstairs to their bedroom while Patrick bathed his son.

Baby was sleepy, to begin with, and had completely nodded off by the time Patrick wrapped him in a towel and sat on the settee. He had been instructed to wait downstairs until told his wife was ready for visitors. He had no doubt, the Sisters were giving her a brief sponge-down before settling her in bed in a clean, dry nightgown.

He hadn't been seated long when Sister Mary Cynthia returned. She bent over him and smiled at the baby. "He's perfect," she said.

Patrick nodded.

"Mrs. Turner is ready for visitors," she said, grinning at her own formality.

He stood and started upstairs, but paused when he realized Sister Mary Cynthia had begun tidying the room. "You needn't do that, Sister. I can attend to it shortly."

She smiled kindly. "I wouldn't dream of allowing you to do that. After all, it is expected the new mother's Sisters help around the house after a baby is born."

Patrick chuckled. "Thank you." He continued upstairs to find Shelagh settled in the center of their bed in one of her flannel nightgowns. They had chosen one that had several buttons down the center. Easier access to breastfeed, he supposed. He, of course, was not surprised, today may be Shelagh's first day as a birthmother, but everyone in the house had ample experience with labor, delivery, and newborn care.

Sister Julienne was sitting on the side of the bed, holding Shelagh's hands. They were praying together.

"We beseech thee, Saint Bride, protect and care for the newest member of our family in Christ, Baby Turner," Sister Julienne prayed in a quiet voice. "Saint Joseph, guide Patrick so that he may raise his child as you raised the child of God. And Blessed Mary, Holy Mother, intercede on the behalf of our dear Shelagh, that she have your patience and strength in raising all her children. That this house be filled with joy and love."

There was silence for a brief moment, before the two women started praying the Hail Mary. Patrick moved his lips along with the words, saying them silently. When the prayer ended, Shelagh opened her eyes and saw him standing in the doorway. She released Sister Julienne's hands and reached out to Patrick.

"What's he like?" she breathed through tears.

Asking her to close her eyes would've made him feel ridiculous. Instead, he sat on the side of the bed, opposite Sister Julienne. He carefully handed their son to Shelagh. "Here's your Mummy," he said quietly.

Tears streamed down both Shelagh and Sister Julienne's faces. Sister Julienne ran her index finger over the shell of Baby's ear. "Oh, Sister, he is a miracle."

Shelagh tore her eyes away from the infant long enough to meet Sister Julienne's gaze, then Patrick's. "Our miracle baby."

"Can I see him!?" Patrick heard Angela's excited voice from the living room.

Sister Mary Cynthia must've agreed because Patrick then heard the six year old thunder up the stairs. "Angela! Wait!" Timothy called out.

He looked to the doorway to see her hopping back and forth, waiting for Timothy. His elder son appeared a second later and took Angela's hand, and led her into the room.

Sister Julienne moved off the bed, leaving room for the children. Timothy set Angela on the bed, next to Shelagh.

Angela leaned forward and looked into the face of her baby brother. "What do we call him, Mummy," Angela asked.

"Gabriel." Shelagh smiled. "Gabriel Patrick."

Timothy groaned. "G.P. Turner?" he asked. "Mum, did you even think about the name before you chose it?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Patrick said. "Shelagh, the boy's right, we can't name him that. What about after your father?"

Shelagh frowned for a moment, pursing her lips. "But I already like it." She looked at the infant in her arms. "Our miracle baby. Gabriel delivered the news of the miracle birth of Christ."

Angela seemed to ponder the name for a moment. "I like it," she said. "This way we can match. Because Gabriel is an angel, like my name."

Patrick leaned across Shelagh's legs and kissed the top of Angela's head. "That's right, Love. Mummy and I want all our children's names to match."

Angela looked up at Timothy. "Was Timothy a famous angel?"

Timothy chuckled. "No, Angela. But Saint Paul wrote to his friend Timothy about Jesus, and those letters were so important they were put in the Bible."

This seemed an acceptable answer to Angela. "Good," she said, finalizing the issue. "I want people to know we're related. They might not be able to tell, because we don't look alike."

Later that evening, after Patrick laid Gabriel down in his cot and had climbed into bed with his wife, he pulled Shelagh close to him. He was debating on whether or not to tell her.

"What is it?" she asked, sleep evident in her voice. Had she fallen asleep when he dressed and laid down Gabriel?

He didn't answer.

She turned in his arm, and touched his jaw. "Patrick," she implored him.

He absent mindedly rubbed her back. "I'm relieved he's a boy."

Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

Patrick tried to think of the correct words. "I didn't want Angela to think we replaced her with a real baby."

Her tone changed, now full of sympathy, "Patrick."

"I know," he shook his head. "But the fact of the matter is that we are not her birth parents. Gabriel is going to be demanding a lot of our time and attention and I didn't want her to think that we replaced her with a real baby. I didn't want her to feel left out because Gabriel and Timothy are my blood. This way we can tell her that she's our only daughter and not even a needy baby can change that."

"I'm Timothy's stepmother," she argued.

Patrick smirked. "Have you ever heard Timothy talk to Angela about that?"

Shelagh shook her head.

"That boy is fully aware that you didn't just choose me, you chose both of us. If you birthed a dozen children, he would never doubt how much you love him, because you chose him."

She laughed softly and let her eyes drift closed. "I did choose him." After a moment she opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Gabriel was the only one I didn't choose."

"But you gave birth to him. So all our children will know how loved they are."

- - END - -