Peter doesn't understand why his parents have been behaving so strangely. Both going around, bringing and carrying things; toys and clothes too small for him. They look like they were for a doll; and although he has been explained several times, he can't understand. They say they are for his brother.
"Where is my brother?"
"In Mama's tummy."
"Why?"
"Because... just because..." he answered without turning to look at him.
"Because?"
His father turned to stare at him for a second. Enough to make him understand that he was sending him to play in his room.
Of course, after that there were several attempts to explain the situation to him, but it was so confusing, that he had decided to simply give up. He was just wondering why they had gotten so nervous the time he asked how he had gotten there.
The madness reaches its peak and at the same time finds its end, when Mama looks as if he had eaten a lot sweets.
Peter wakes up one day, only to discover that his parents are nowhere to be found. He leaves his room and goes the living room, finding that who is there is his uncle.
"Good morning, Peter." Lukas greets, after noticing the presence of the child in the door frame.
"My Mama?" He exclaims, forgetting to be polite and return the greeting; while rubbing his eyes to keep sleep from his face.
"Peter!"
Both look back at the place where the voice comes from. Mathias smiles broadly as he walks towards the boy, and Peter extends his arms for his uncle to pick him up. Mathias does, and Peter leans his head on the older man's shoulder, lazily rubbing one eye and feeling a hand pat his back fondly.
"Your parents went to the hospital, they are going to bring your brother" He responds, returning his attention to the television. "They will return soon."
But that 'soon' is much farther than he promise it to be, and in the afternoon of the next day, while Peter is building a castle of blocks on the floor with his uncle, the door opens and his mother enters the house, followed closely by Papa, who carries multiple things in his hands.
Lukas comes out of the kitchen, and he's the first to come out in their meeting, approaching Tino and discovering from the sheets with great care what he has in his arms; observing it for a moment and then muttering something, to which Tino nods with a smile.
"Come here." Peter looks back at Mathias, who smiles as he gets up and helps him do it too. "Let's meet your brother."
Tino and Lukas have moved to the sofa, and Mathias waits for Tino to settle down to sit beside him and sit the child on his lap.
Tino looks at the boy for the first time since he entered the house, and smiles at him.
"Peter, say hi to Erland." He says softly, finally removing the sheet and revealing a...
A...
He has red hair; or at least, the little hair he has is red, his eyes are closed and he also has what seems to be an expression of annoyance marked on his face. And he is so, so small.
Peter stares at him for a few seconds, trying to decipher exactly what he's supposed to do.
"Can I play with him?" Of course, for what else would it be otherwise?
The adults laugh at the question, and Mathias puts a hand on his head to stir his hair. Tino accommodates his little brother on his own lap, and Berwald stands behind him.
"Yes, but I think you'll have to wait a bit for that." Lukas intervenes, sitting next to them. "So what do you think of your new brother?"
Peter looks back at him, tilting his head slightly.
He's not to play yet...
The glances of the others are fixed in him, curious and expectant to his answer.
The child slips from the older man's lap and looks at his parents.
"It's not fun. Are we going to eat now?"