The next few weeks went by without any big problems. Doctor Schmidt came by regularly to check up on Tino who's pregnancy began to take its toll on him.
Every morning Berwald would wake up to Tino being violently sick in the bathroom. He would pretend to still be sleeping and when Tino crawled back into bed Berwald lay awake listening to Tinos heartbreaking sobs that wrecked his weak and thin little body.
It came to a point were Berwald was worried for his wife's mental stability and health. He called Doctor Schmidt and asked her to check on Tino and the triplets.
When she arrived Berwald led her to the couch where Tino already sat staring at nothing in particular. After Doctor Schmidt had set up her medical equipment she gladly accepted the coffee offered to her by Berwald.
Then she looked at Tino smiling and said "You know the drill Tino. Do you want to find out the genders of your babies today?" Tino looked at Berwald with a questioning look and Berwalds eyes lit up at the thought of finally knowing what genders were and not having to refer to the children as it or them.
Tino looked back at Doctor Schmidt, nodded and lifted his shirt to reveal his obvious baby bump which had grown quite a bit in two months.
As always Tino flinched a bit when the cold gel was applied onto his stomach. And then Tino and Berwald heard the thumping of tiny yet distinguishable heartbeats that belonged to their babies.
Doctor Schmidt paused her moving of the wand to look at Tino and Berwald and said "In a few seconds I'll be able to tell what genders the babies are. Are you positive you want me to continue." "Yes. That way we'll know how to decorate their room and what colour clothes we should get." Berwald said in a determined voice.
"Alrighty then. Here we go. Here you can see the first child and if we move down we can if its a boy or a girl." Doctor Schmidt looked at the screen intensely and the silence was deafening until Doctor Schmidt smiled and said. "Congratulations. You have at least one girl. Let's continue to the second. Here it is." Again the silence and intense looking. Then "And your little girl has a brother." "I'm really curious as to what gender our last baby is now." Tino managed to smile at his husbands words, tears (for the first time of happiness) streaming down his face. In a quivering voice he managed to answer "Let's cross our fingers then."
Doctor Schmidt, who in the meantime had found the last baby and already finished her intense looking at the screen, smiled and said "Well it seems your little girl won't have it easy with three brothers."
Hadn't Tino been laying on the couch already he would've fallen where he stood. "I can't believe it. I have to get Peter this instant. He needs to know." said Tino quietly and with his husbands help hoisted himself off the couch holding his bump.
Berwald smiled and watched his wife waddling upstairs to their son. However he was ripped from his trance by Doctor Schmidt who said "I need to discuss something of great importance with you concerning your wife. While he eats healthily and rests enough I have noticed his depression. Due to your current difficulties it doesn't surprise me that Tino has something called Antenatal depressions most likely caused by your situation. I'll give you some antidepressants that won't harm your babies. If that doesn't work then call me and we'll find out something else. Ok?"
"Of course. And thank you again for your help. We really really appreciate it." "It is Ludwig you have to thank because without his asking me I wouldn't be here with you."
As soon as Doctor Schmidt left Berwald went upstairs to Peters room and found Tino sitting on their sons bed and Peter resting his head on his mothers stomach beaming.
When he realised his father was there he jumped up, careful not to hit his mothers abdomen, and ran to his father yelling "THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH FOR GIVING ME TWO LITTLE BROTHERS AND A LITTLE SISTER. I'LL PROMISE THAT I WILL BE THE BEST BIG BROTHER EVER." "Not so loud sweetheart. You're waking up your siblings." Tino said taking Berwalds and Peters hands as placing them over the new lives that were developing inside him.
Berwald couldn't be any happier than he was right then and there and took his wife and son into their arms and said "Should I tell the other nations or should I wait?" "Wait a bit. And Ber. I love you." "I love you too." Berwald said putting Tinos head on his chest and breathing in his beautiful wife's scent.
Berwald stopped ehen he felt Tino starting to shake like a leaf his arms. "What's wrong Mama?" Peter asked feeling the distressed tension in his room. "It's nothing. I just don't know how to feel riknow now and if I should cry or laugh. And to be honest these hormones aren't helping in the slightest." Tino answered in a quivering voice. "It's nothing that we can't handle right?" Peter said enthusiastically and his parents just laughed and scuffled their son on his bed until the entire family fell asleep.
I really really hope you've enjoyed this chapter so far. Antenatal depression is like postpartum depressions only it rarer and occurs during pregnancy. There are different causes but in Tinos case it's the financial problems linked with the typical 'Can I even care properly for my children' and other factors.
If you have any questions or ideas/suggestions PM me. I read every message that gets sent to me. C :