What did you say Crane?" Abbie yelled from the kitchen.

"Nothing, Lieutenant," Crane yelled back.

Abbie returned to the living room with two mugs of tea in each hand.

"Don't start getting weird on me, Crane."

Her eyebrows raised as she set her eyes on him.

"Never crossed my mind, Lieutenant."

He smiled back at Abbie as she reached with his hands to take his mug. Skimming his long  fingers across her hand when he took it. Abbie gasped and pulled her hand away quickly not expecting the tingling feelings running up and down her arms.  Abbie opened and closed her hand, shaking it out to make the tingle go away. Crane smirked at Abbie's reaction as he turned away to look back at her IPad now prompt upon her book holder. He leaned forward.

"I found an old sailors retirement home here in Sleepy Hollow. It is two blocks from Tarrytown."

"Figures." Abbie giggled and shrugged. She took her place again in front of her iPad and looked to where Crane was pointing with his long finger. Her eyes stared at his long thin finger. She Remembered how rough his hands felt on her skin. She could stills feel the calloused bumps he's earned through the years when he took the mug. She closed her eyes and took in a breath.

"Is everything all right, Lieutenant?"

Abbie let out her breath and raised her eyes to meet Crane's.

"Yes, I'm fine. What is it again?"

He caught the annoying tone in her voice and stared down at her.

"Terrytown? The sailors Retirement home can be found two blocks from Terrytown."

"Oh, oh right right."

Abbie shook her head. What was the matter with her? Staring at Cranes fingers and hands, remembering the way his callused hands felt against her hand.  She has to get a hold of herself. Abbie blinked and nodded. She looked at the screen.

"I get it now. I think I better give them a call before we pay them a  visit."

"Yes, Lieutenant."

She ran her hand down her face and yawned. God she was so tired. She only was able to get maybe four hours of sleep last night. Abbie only had two more days to get rid of these stupid Parrots of hers and she was fantasizing about Crane's hands. Mother of God! Her breath shuddered and she scooped up her cell phone from the desk in her hand. Pressing  it against her ear.

"I shall leave you to your task, Lieutenant."

Crane gave Abbie a quick nod turned and walked away. An hour later Ichabod found Abbie still on the phone.

"They don't swear that much, I promise. No, I didn't teach them to curse. My sister did while I was away on.... Look, it's a long story. Will you take them?"

Abbie clutched her hand tightly around her phone and shut her eyes.. She reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"No, I don't have an old boyfriend to give them too! And no, my sister doesn't have one either!"

Abbie slammed her hand hard against her desk. The sound was loud and sharp like a crack of a whip. Making Ichabod flinch. His eyes shifted to a rustling sound followed by a soft curse coming from the covered cage.

"Right. Your right. I'm sorry." I didn't mean to shout. I apologize for my outburst Sister Angelica."

Ichabod's eyebrows raised. Abbie lifted her eyes to meet his and shrugged her shoulders. She smiled.

"You are right, nothing gets accomplished with shouting and yelling. You are right a calmer voice prevails, Sister."

Abbie sighed and rolled her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. Abbie lifted her eyes to meet Crane suddenly close to her. Very close. Staring down at her. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smirk. He lowered his hand, wrapping it around hers to take the phone. Abbie opened her mouth to protest but her phone was already in his hand.

A loud squawk came again from the covered cage and then movement. Bright, red, gold and green feathers began to fall from the bottom of the cage collecting again at her wooden floor.

"Damn it."

Abbie flew out of her chair and raced to the cage.

"I love you Crane. I love you Abbie."The parrots squawked. They moved around in the cage as more feathers fell on the floor and upon Abbie's bare feet.

"Shut up you two and go to sleep!"

Abbie pulled up her gray sweat pants, one size too big for her. They were Daniels Reynolds and he'd left them at her house when they spilt up.

  Abbie pulled up the thin strap of her dark blue tank top. She turned around to Crane relieved  that his back was turned to her and still talking on the phone. He had not heard the parrots.

Abbie sighed a breath of relief and left the living room to get a broom.

"Yes, you are perfectly right Sister Angelica, my wife and her sister should refrain from teaching our pets profanity."

Ichabod turned to the cage to find Abbie gone. He looked around the room to see she was no longer in  the room. Ichabod released a breath in relief. Abbie didn't hear him call her his wife just now.

"No, you are perfectly right. It is not nice."

He nodded his head and smiled when Abbie retuned. She held the broom by the end, with the long wooden pole out like a samurai sword ready for battle.  He watched her sweep and noticed how her small body moved under her clothing. Her body moved gracefully under her toned muscles like a panther. The sunlight from outside making her brown skin glow radiant.

"I love you Abbie. I love you Crane."

He  had heard the birds yell and his hand tightly clutched the small phone.

"I love you Crane."

They squawked once again.

"Quiet!" Go to Sleep."

Ichabod smiled. He covered a laugh with a cough into his fist.

"Yes! Sister Angelica. I'm still present. My apologies."

The threat seem to have worked. All became  silent once again inside the cage. Abbie leaned in to speak to her Parrots.

"And stay that way," she whispered and stomped out of  the room with the broom.

Abbie soon returned and deposited herself back in her chair.

"Yes. My wife most assuredly knows profanity is a sin! And yes, my sister in law as well."

She  crossed her arms and frowned at Ichabod. Ichabod turned to face Abbie. His eyes grew wide his mouth open in surprise at her suddenly appearing in front of him and quickly turned back to face the huge couch behind him. But not before Abbie saw his face turn a bright red.

Abbie giggled. She mouthed "Wife?" To herself as her eyes rested again to read her iPad. A small smile played on her lips.

"Yes, I assure you that they will be profanity free whence delivered to your fine establishment. In fact my my Ahhh sister- in -law has also taught our Parrots endearments beside profanity." 

A pause.

"Oh, ah endearments, such as love and kiss," he explained.

Silence. Crane listened. Abbie lifted her eyes and noticed how his eyes danced about the room not focusing on anything. Not even her.  

"You have my word, Madam as a retired military officer, myself. No, I was not navy, I was a Captain in a Field artillery officer. Yes. In the field."

Silence. Abbie lowered her eyes back to her IPad and took a deep breath.

"Yes. Thank you, Sister Angelica. My wife and I are most appreciative. We will be there first thing Monday morning. Good day to you too, God be with you too, Sister Angelica."

Crane quickly turned around to face Abbie with his arm stretched out triumphant.  Abbie  lifted her eyes to meet Cranes eyes. Her mouth was opened wide. Her eyes huge as she snatched the phone from his hand.

"You are my hero! A miracle worker!"

Abbie jumped out of her chair straight into Crane's arms making him unsteady. She took his breath away as she held him tightly against her. She squealed and quickly pecked the corner of his mouth.  Abbie pulled away and stepped back to look up at him. A proud smile on her lips.

"How did you do it? How did you convince her?"

A slight smile played on her lips. She lifted her hand and wiped the lipstick stain she left at the corner of his mouth with her thumb.

She felt her heart flutter. She hoped she wasn't  blushing like a damn kid. Why did she do it? She thought. She had no idea. It was an impulse. In the moment. That's all.

He stared down at her. A huge smile formed on his lips. He had an urge to just sweep her tiny body against his and really kiss her properly. To taste those luscious lips of hers. He could see the deep, sensual kiss they would share in his minds eye. But he knew she would run away if he did.

"Crane?"

Abbie sucked in a breath and swallowed hard. She shouldn't have kissed him. Damn it.

Crane blinked down at Abbie.

"Oh right! Ahhhh,  I only explained to the Sister what our dilemma was and why we had to rid ourselves of those troublesome birds."

Abbie's eyebrow raised. Her mouth pursed.

"And the wife thing?"

Crane instantly became as red as a lobster once again. He lowered his eyes and bowed his head.

"Yes. I heard it. Your voice is loud it carries in this room, Crane. No carpets to deaden noise."

Crane moaned and closed his eyes.

"I I I didn't know what to say or how to explain our not being espoused and living together to a Sister of the Catholic faith, Lieutenant. It just slipped out."

"It's ok, Crane," Abbie chuckled. She reached out to grab his outstretched arms. Crane lifted his eyes to meet hers.  She let out a breath of relief. .

"Well, at least we are finally rid of them, Lieutenant."

Abbie shook her head.

"Yes. That is true! Only."

The two lines appeared again in the middle of her forehead when she frowned.

"Only what, Lieutenant?"

"Only why would a Nun want to work at a sailors retirement home, in the first place, Crane?"

"I mean she must hear a lot of cursing 24/7 with all those soldiers, there?"

"She explained to me that it was to keep them in line, Lieutenant. Her presence there calms the men down to not become so angry and in need to curse."

Abbie nodded her head.

"Sounds about right!"

"And the sailors there are already hard of hearing and or deaf from their sea battles."

  Abbie slid her eyes back to meet Crane's face. A smile on his lips as he nodded.

Abbie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Come on, Crane. Really?"

"Yes.Lieutenant. I'm telling the truth. Straight from the Sister Angelica's mouth. I would never lie to you, Lieutenant. I will always tell you the truth."

"Even when you lie?"

Abbie smirked. She crossed her arms. An eyebrow lifted.

Ichabod frowned.

"I beg your pardon?"

Abbie waved her hands.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just another movie we should watch out of the dozens."

"I can see mixing a truth with a lie, Lieutenant. But how is one to know if it is the truth?"

"Forget it, Crane! I told you it's just a line in a movie. Nothing more."

"It is an interesting concept though."

Abbie sighed and closed her eyes. She rubbed the heel of her small hand hard against her forehead. She could feel the beginning throb of a headache coming on and needed some aspirin. Fast.

"I said forget it Crane," she groaned.

His face lit up and he stuck a finger in the air.

"Here we go," Abbie growled.

"How do you know the truth is a lie or visa versa. There is no way really to find out. Only the one telling the tale knows for certain."

Maybe there was a bottle of aspirin in the apothecary cabinet in the water closet? Abbie thought shutting her eyes tightly and moaned. Oh, God. She was now talking like Crane.

"Even an intelligent officer of the law such as yourself wouldn't know the difference." 

"lie detector test machine, Crane," Abbie sighed.

Abbie then walked out of the living room.

Ichabod followed. His long finger still stuck in the air. His red lips pursed in thought.

"But even those machines are not admissible in court any longer, Lieutenant. You've told me this before." 

"Drop it Crane!"

"I love you Crane. I love you Abbie."

The Parrots insisted.