Two new chapters. :) Brace yourselves. :/

The too-long work day made Abbie antsy. She was impatient with pushing chairs in and shelving books and wiping tables. She wasn't able to speak to or kiss or touch Crane like she wanted to, but when he appeared in the doorway, she hurried to him and did just that. Finally. She moaned into his mouth and felt his hair with her fingers. He couldn't have held her any tighter. He kissed her bottomlessly.

"If we carry on this way, Miss Mills, I'm afraid we will never get to dinner."

She didn't care to eat, though she pulled away from him anyway. "There's some food in the basket. You hungry?"

"I'm starving."

She tugged his hand. "Come on then."

They ate in the desks and smiled at each other between bites of chicken salad sandwiches and salty potato chips she packed for them.

"Do you have a favorite musician, Leftenant?" Crane said.

"I love Nina Simone. Mama played her records while she baked. Her and my dad liked to dance around the living room to her songs." She smiled. "I miss watching that."

"What is your favorite song by Miss Simone?"

"'Feeling Good.' It's a classic. What about you?"

"I don't think I have a particular favorite artist. My parents didn't play much recent music in our home. The most I've listened to was Beethoven."

"We really have to get you caught up. There's so many amazing singers: The Supremes, Nat King Cole, Etta James, The Isley Brothers."

"You'll have to introduce me to their music one day."

She promised that she would.

"Do you like to dance, Miss Mills, like your parents?"

"Maybe." She blushed.

He presented his hand to her, which she accepted. In the middle of the classroom, they swayed to nothing. She laid her head on his chest.

"I missed you," Crane said.

"I missed you, too."

"I wanted to speak with you today. It saddened me that I couldn't because of—."

It drove her crazy, too, but they weren't in the world right now.

She shook head. "Don't do that, Crane. Be present with me."

And that's how he kissed her: presently. His quick tongue filled her mouth; his fingers coiled around her curly hair. She inhaled his sighs for herself. How long she drifted in his lips or how long they danced to the dust in the room, she didn't know. It didn't matter because she felt good as the song said.

"Unfortunately, this is goodnight, Miss Mills."

They loitered outside her apartment building.

"If things were different, I'd invite you to stay, but—"

"I believe it is your turn to be present with me, Leftenant."

She smiled down. "You're right."

He touched her cheek and leaned toward her lips.

"Crane…"

"Pardon me." He dropped his hand, put space between them.

"I know this is my neighborhood, but …"

She still wanted them to be on their guard.

"I understand."

"I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize. Would you permit me to call you tomorrow? It is the weekend after all. We won't see each other for two days."

"I'll call you."

His eyes questioned her.

"Jenny. She may answer the phone thinking it's Corbin."

He stared away from her. "Very well."

"Tell me what's wrong, Crane. Be honest."

"We can't even enjoy the simple luxuries, like a telephone call, without worrying about the discomfort and disproval of others. It is frustrating to say the least. Please do not think I am blaming you, Abbie. I am not in the slightest."

"I get it. I want to tell Jenny, but I'm scared. Our relationship is already strained as it is. If she knew we were seeing each other, I don't know what would happen."

"Do you feel like you would completely lose your sister because of me?"

She nodded. "Yes. My parents are gone. Jenny's literally all the family I have."

"Do you think she would eventually come around to me and to the idea of us?"

"I don't know. After what she's been through, what she saw our parents go through, it's really hard to tell. I don't want us to trigger her any further." She sighed. "I really, really like you though, Ichabod."

To her, it felt as though she had to pick Jenny or Crane. That was a decision she didn't want to be forced to make at the end of the day. She wanted both of them in her life.

"However, you have Miss Jenny to consider."

She nodded. "As far as revealing us, give me time. I know you're not asking me to do this, but I do want to be honest with her. She's my sister."

"If you are truly comfortable with this, Abbie, then I will stand beside you. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you, Crane. Goodnight."

He bowed. "Goodnight, Leftenant."

She looked forward to calling him this weekend.

Abbie was slightly distracted in class today. Her students said as much. They said she blushed at odd moments, got one of those dazy looks that women get when they're in love. Some of them even outright asked if she had a lover. They wanted to know everything: his name, his occupation, his height, his age. Of course, Abbie wasn't about to answer their nagging questions. She was glad to finally dismiss class.

When she returned from the schoolroom, Jenny wasn't there. She didn't know when she'd be back, so she quickly dialed Crane's number while she was alone.

"Good afternoon, this is Ichabod Crane speaking."

"You're still formal even over the phone." She laughed.

"It is out of habit, Miss Mills. I was looking forward to your call. I'm pleased to hear from you. How are you faring today?"

"Good. Just got done with class."

"Ah. How was it? I know it hasn't been easy, since..."

"Yeah." She paused. "Class went well. We still really miss Stella, but we're hanging in as a group."

"I'm happy to hear it. Again, I am so sorry for your loss."

"Thanks, Crane."

"Did you teach your students any new defense techniques?"

"No, not today. Probably next Saturday. They did ask me a ton of questions though."

"Such as?"

She told him what they said.

He cleared his throat. "They refer to me as your lover, you say?"

"Are blushing, Crane?" She giggled.

"Perhaps, Miss Mills."

"It's something to think about, I know."

"Indeed."

She hadn't quite given them a name, didn't really know what they are yet. Hell, she didn't even know if she was in love with him.

"We're definitely more than friends," she said. "I'm not too sure about lovers quite yet."

The word sounded light to her. Just what would it be like for him to be between her legs, to be hers?

"I'd have to agree, though I'd be more than happy to be your lover, Miss Mills. I would not mind in the slightest."

She was glad he's not able to see her skin warm. Was that an invitation? She bit her lip. "Maybe one day you will."

She jumped when she heard the door open. "Hey, my sister just returned. I have to go."

"Will you be able to call me later this evening or tonight?"

"Yes."

"I shall wait by the phone."

She smiled, wanted to call him cheesy. "I'll talk to you later."

"Goodbye, Miss Mills."

"Bye."

She hung up and tried to calm herself with a deep breath.

"Was that Corbin?" Jenny put her empty knapsack on the table and refilled it with wrapped cookies and muffins to sell to the neighbors.

"No."

"Who was it? That lady who wanted those lessons earlier this week?"

"What lady?"

Jenny raised her eyebrow. "Remember when you came home late and I was all freaked out? You told me you were teaching a lady that night. She told you she wanted lessons from you that morning."

How could she forget her own alibi? She'd have to be quick on her feet next time. "Oh, her. No, it was another student."

"I didn't think you forgot your students. Seems odd for you to do." She resumed her task. "They're important to you, right?"

Shit. Jenny's trying to catch her in a lie.

"They're very important. I've just had a lot on my mind this week."

"Like what?" She hung her bag on the chair and sat at the table.

Abbie joined her. "We've hardly spoken, Jenny, since Corbin's shop. You're still pissed at me about Crane. It's silly."

"I don't want to talk about this." She picked at her nail. "You already know I don't want you to be friends with him. What if something happens to you, huh? What am I supposed to do without my sister?"

This would have been the time where Abbie would have told her everything, but the phone rang. Jenny answered.

"Hold on, Corbin." She blocked the speaker with her hand. "Are we done?"

Abbie nodded and went to her room, flopped on her bed. How was she going to tell Jenny?

"We're such teenagers right now." Abbie kept her voice and giggles as low as possible. It was close to midnight. Once she knew Jenny was asleep, she crept back in the kitchen and called Crane. Luckily, her sister was a heavy sleeper.

"It is exciting though, I'll have to admit. I've never spoken to anyone this late at night, especially a woman."

"I've never done this before either. It's nice. Had a good day?"

"Indeed. I literally waited by the phone all day."

She chuckled. "Liar."

"It is true. I could hardly go the bathroom because I was afraid I'd miss your call."

"How sweet." She chuckled.

"How was your day?"

"It was fine, except I talked to Jenny today."

She recapped their conversation, then said, "She's not ready, Crane."

"Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like it."

"I don't know how to warm up to the subject without her getting angry. There's no way around it."

"I wish this was easier on you, Abbie. I would even tell her myself, but that would be the worse strategy to use."

She doesn't want to talk about this anymore. "Can we change the subject? Can we be present?"

"Of course."

"Tell me a funny story."

She listened to how he peed in his pants once because he was so nervous to perform a poem in grade school. He shared his most embarrassing childhood and teenage moments with her. Abbie never laughed so much. She had to remind him to go easy on her or else she'd wake up Jenny. And she listened to him laugh, too. Her own stories about the mischief her and Jenny got into when they were younger nearly made him choke. It was full and loud and crept under her breastbone, where it made her fuzzy. She wanted to remember them like this: drunk on laughter and delirious from 2am stars. That's how she went to sleep at 4am. And when Sunday came around, they did the same thing, except they went to bed a lot earlier.