"She's Parissss! And she's my twin sister!" Egypt chimed in brightly, jumping into the conversation without missing a beat.
"She's older than me by thirty minutes, so she's my big sister! Hehe."
I couldn't help but wince at how eagerly Egypt was behaving. This child was being far too friendly—and far too talkative—for my comfort right now.
I noticed Alpheus drift into thought for a moment, his gaze growing distant. Then, just a few seconds later, his expression lit up, as if something had suddenly clicked.
"Haha, I see… Paris and Egypt..." he said with a small smile, shooting me a knowing look.
"Ahm… you know, your names are really unique—and beautiful," he added, still smiling. "I'm guessing your mommy has a thing for naming her daughters after places? I actually have a friend who's named after a country too."
Though he addressed the girls, his eyes remained fixed on me, like he was trying to get a reaction.
"Reallyyy? What's your friend's name?" Egypt asked eagerly, her eyes shining with curiosity.
Alpheus chuckled softly.
He was just about to open his mouth—undoubtedly ready to say the name I never wanted the kids to hear—but I immediately shot him a dangerous, warning glare.
He caught it instantly and quickly looked away, the playful smile slipping from his face in an instant.
"A-h-haha...his name doesn't matter."
"H-Hey, mister... my name isn't a country... it's the capital of France." Paris quietly chimed in, her voice calm.
Alpheus paused for a moment before smiling softly, yet meaningfully. His eyes lingered on her, a flicker of amusement in his gaze.
"Yeah—you're right, it's not a country," he said with a gentle chuckle. "But Paris is a truly stunning place. I've been there multiple times, and just like you… it's absolutely beautiful."
Paris glanced at him, her cheeks coloring with the faintest blush before she quickly looked away, retreating shyly behind me.
"Me! How about me?!" Egypt piped up, bouncing into the conversation with wide, eager eyes.
"Just like you, Egypt is also a beautiful place," Alpheus said warmly. "I've been there once too, and I have to say—your name suits you perfectly. Maybe your mom really put a lot of thought into your names."
My eyes narrowed even more at that. What was that supposed to mean? Was he being sincere… or sarcastic?
"And you know what?" he added, flashing a playful grin. "Aside from Egypt and Paris… there's actually one more place that's my favorite."
He turned to me deliberately as he said it, flashing a smile—almost teasing.
I glared at him, already guessing where this was going.
"Oooh! What place is it?" Egypt asked, bouncing on her toes, unable to hold back her curiosity.
"Rome."
Alpheus replied, flashing a wide grin—but this time, it was directed only at the two girls. He didn't dare look at me again. He knew I was practically throwing daggers at him with my stare.
"Huh? Rome? What's that?" Egypt asked, blinking in confusion as her brows knit together.
Alpheus was about to respond—probably ready to explain—when I suddenly let out a loud, deliberate cough.
A clear warning ' Say another word and you're dead'
He froze for a split second, caught the message loud and clear, then closed his mouth.
Instead of answering, he simply offered the girls a harmless grin—one that looked far too charming.
The twins, naturally, were delighted. Their eyes sparkled, and I could already see Paris easing up around him, her usual guarded demeanor beginning to melt.
I couldn't help but grimace.
And Egypt? That little traitor had already made herself comfortable around Alpheus—stretching her arms up, practically demanding to be carried like some long-lost niece or clingy kitten.
"Egypt! Seriously?" I snapped.
"That's so embarrassing! You're way too heavy to just ask someone to pick you up like that!"
She only gave me a pout in return—complete with quivering lips and teary puppy-dog eyes. Honestly, that girl had weaponized cuteness in a way no one could resist.
"It's okay," Alpheus said, waving off my concern with a relaxed smile. "She's not that heavy anyway."
And just like that—before I could protest or stop him—he lifted Egypt into the air like she weighed nothing. My breath caught in my throat.
Then he tossed her upward just enough to make my heart leap.
Egypt squealed midair, eyes wide with surprise, but Alpheus caught her effortlessly.
I stood frozen, horrified, imagining all the ways this could've gone wrong.
But Egypt? She was thrilled. The moment her feet touched the ground again, she burst into laughter so loud it echoed, her cheeks flushed from the rush.
"Hey, Mr. Alpheus! Do it again!" she cheered, practically bouncing in his arms with excitement.
I groaned and slapped a hand to my forehead, already feeling the headache coming on.
This child was going to be the end of me.
I felt a gentle tug at my side—the subtle tightening of my eldest daughter's grip on my arm.
I glanced down and saw Paris looking intently at Alpheus and Egypt. Her eyes followed them as Egypt giggled uncontrollably, thrilled each time Alpheus tossed her into the air and caught her.
Paris didn't say a word, but I could tell just by the way she watched them—quiet, reserved, and holding back—that she wanted to try it too. She just didn't want to admit it while standing next to me.
I let out a quiet sigh as I continued watching Alpheus play with Egypt, the younger twin clearly enjoying every second of it.
Then, I looked at Paris again. She hadn't taken her eyes off them.
"Do you want to try it too?" I asked gently. "Want to be tossed in the air like your sister?"
Paris flinched slightly at my question, her shoulders tensing as she immediately lowered her gaze in shy embarrassment. She didn't answer.
Alpheus and Egypt must have overheard, because their laughter had quieted.
When I looked up again, I saw Alpheus already watching Paris, a soft expression on his face.
"Hey… Paris," he said gently as he approached us. "Do you want me to toss you in the air too? Just like I did with your sister? I promise I'll catch you."
Paris didn't lift her head. But after a long moment, she gave the faintest little nod.
Alpheus smiled warmly at her—the kind of smile that somehow put you at ease.
"Come here" he said, holding out his arms.
Slowly and hesitantly, Paris took a small step forward, then another. Her face was still pink from embarrassment, but I could see it—that faint sparkle of excitement beginning to shine through.
"Yeah! Try it too, Paris! It's super duper fun!" Egypt chimed in, beaming as she bounced in place.
At that, Paris's expression softened just a little more. She finally raised both of her arms toward Alpheus—a silent request to be picked up and be part of the fun.