His prayers were answered at last. Gabriel gave the boy the promised money, and stepped outside for a moment to catch some fresh air and try not to faint. Then he was called in to hold the baby boy. Good! He could do that! Hold a baby! Let the doctor do the dirty work! He sat there with the sleeping child, looking down at what he had just been so frightened of, and suddenly quite amazed at how tiny and fragile this little sleeping baby was. He thought it was almost a shame that he had to hand the baby over once the second child had been delivered.

"Thank you, doctor. I'm so happy you showed up... Anything you can do to keep the fever down?"