Paros reached up and gently touched the little fruit resting atop his head, his voice tinged with unease. "Terry… why am I sleeping here? Where did big sister go?"
Terry's soft, velvety voice drifted down from above. "Daddy, don't you remember? Mommy's partners came. She's with them right now."
"…Partners?"
Paros frowned. The usual languid dominance on his face had vanished, replaced instead with unmistakable grievance.
"Aren't I also big sister's partner? Then why is she with them… and not me?"
If they were all the same to her, why was he the one left behind?
Terry answered without hesitation, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Isn't that obvious? The other daddies must be better at making Mommy happy than you are."
"That's why Mommy lets them stay with her—and not you."
…Was that really it?
The thought struck him harder than any blow. Paros's eyes reddened faintly, his voice growing softer, edged with something fragile.
