The Trinity Chronicles: The Spear of St. Patrick

Chapter 1

October 31, 1938
A Ring Fort-Ireland

"Seamus, the baby is coming. I don't think I can wait." the woman panted in the backseat of the car.

"Lizzie, lass, it's just a bit up the road, we can make it." Seamus replied with a panicked tone to his voice.

A loud groan was his reply.

Abandoning his plan to drive Lizzie to the doctor's, Seamus opened the back door. There, his wife Elizabeth lay on her back, clutching her belly.

"Seamus, the baby's coming, I can feel it. You have to help me." she moaned.

"Jaysus woman, I've no idea about birthin' babies." he said running his shaking hands through his sweaty hair.

"Grab the picnic blanket, the bread knife and your shoelace. Quickly!" Elizabeth ordered him.

Seamus soon returned and stood in the door way looking lost. "I'm here love, now what?" he asked helplessly.

"This won't take long but I need you to focus on the baby. Help me out of my knickers and push up my dress." Elizabeth directed him.

"Now, I'm going to push, I need you to tell me if you can see the baby's head." she moaned loudly.

"Good Lord, there it is." Seamus whispered in awe.

"Get the blanket ready, I'm going to push out the baby slowly, you need to hold onto it firmly and it'll be slippery. Once it's out put it on the blanket carefully." Elizabeth panted.

Seamus followed her directions in amazement as he watched his child be born.

"Here it comes lass, you're doin' a fine job. One more push and I'll have it." he encouraged her.

With a final moan and push the baby was out. It lay limply on the blanket.

"It's a boy but he's not breathing Lizzie, what do I do?" Seamus asked with rising panic.

"Pick him up gently, hold him upside down and smack him once firmly on the back." she directed.

Holding the baby carefully, Seamus flipped him upside down and gave him a whack on the back causing the infant to gasp suddenly and begin to cry.

"We've done it Lizzie girl! We've had a baby! Good Lord, he's still attached, what do I do?" he asked looking at her startled.

Smiling gently Elizabeth directed him with tying off the umbilical cord and cutting it carefully. Wrapping the baby in the blanket Seamus handed him to his wife proudly and kissed her. "You've made a miracle lass and I'm right proud of yer bravery. Let's get you both into town and to a doctor."

Driving carefully but faster than normal, Seamus got them to town within ten minutes, driving directly to the doctors honking the horn all the way up the driveway.

"Seamus Fitzpatrick what's devil's possessed you man?" Mrs. O'Brien asked him as she ran out of the door to the front yard.

"Elizabeth's just had our baby in the back of the car. I need Dr. O'Brien immediately." he answered, swinging out of the car and opening the back door.

"Well blessed St. Patrick, so she has. I'll get him as he's in the back with a patient; you bring the lass into the parlour." Mrs. O'Brien replied.

"Come on my wee family, let's get you looked at." Seamus smiled down at them as he carefully lifted them both out of the car.

"Forget the parlour, bring her right upstairs to the bedroom, I'll be better able to examine them both there." came the brusque comment from Dr. O'Brien.