Well...This Is New - 68

Last night, I babysat for the children I babysit most frequently. So much so, that Paul knows what time they go to bed, and will call accordingly once they're asleep.
So much so, that all the kids, aged ten, eight, six, and four, all knew his name, and, though I never admitted it, knew I loved him.
But this night was different.
The eight year old, Grace, smiled at me, as it was time to get to bed.
"Can we say hi to Paul?" She asked shyly. "Can you call him?"
I blinked. "Uh..."
"Oh, please?" The two other boys, Greg and Henry, shrieked.
The oldest remained on the bed, nose deep in a book.
"You...wanna say hi to Paul?" I asked. "Are you...sure?"
"YES!"
I texted Paul and told him. He asked how old the kids were, and then called.
"You guys wanna say hi?" I giggled, pulling little Henry onto my lap. He giggled, snuggling close to me.
"Hello!" Paul cried. I put him on speaker.
"Hi, Paul!" All the kids shrieked.
He started singing, badly, on purpose, to make them laugh. It worked.
"You sound like a dead duck!" Grace cried into the phone.
I gasped and then burst into laughter. The other kids joined me.
"Wow, that's mean!" Paul said with horror.
"Sing more!" Henry cried excitedly.
"You guys wanna hear a secret about Emily?" Paul asked softly.
The kids all quieted down, excitement and wonder all over their faces. "Yes!"
"Oh no," I moaned, closing my eyes.
"Well..." Paul began mysteriously. "Every day, when she gets home from school...she sits and eats five whole pounds of chicken in one sitting. She loves that stuff."
The kids burst into giggles.
"I do not!" I cried indignantly.
"You're a liar!" Grace shrieked into the phone.
"No, I'm telling the truth!" Paul said earnestly.
"Sing more!" Little Henry commanded.
The kids laughed as he sang again.
"You sound like a dead cat!" Henry cried.
"You sound like you love her!" Six-year-old Greg yelled.
I gasped. "Gregory!"
Paul didn't act like he heard, and I was glad.
"Sally, are you still there?" He asked after a bit.
I frowned. Sally?
"I'm Facetiming Sally," Paul chuckled. "She can hear you, but you can't hear her."
I stopped smiling. "Oh."
"Emily, tell us a story!" Grace cried.
"Wait, can I tell them a story?" Paul asked.
"NO!" The kids all yelled.
"What, why not?"
"We want Emily to tell it!"
"But I'm such a good story teller!"
"NO!"
Then, Grace grabbed the phone and hung up on him.
"Grace!" I laughed. She giggled.
But all I could think about, as I sat there, waiting for the kids to fall asleep...was him Facetiming Sally...and how jealous I was that it wasn't me.