Private Lives

Chapter Three: Private Lives All the better to be with you, my dear.

"I wasn't eyef'ng Abigail, Daniel. I don't know what that even means!" Ichabod said.

He stared at Daniel. His eyes narrowed. His large brow wrinkled as he frowned.

Daniel frowned. He waved a long finger at Ichabod.

"Oh, no, no Icky, You know perfectly well what it means. You have lived in the States for most of your life to know exactly what It means to Eye- f' a female," Daniel said. "You were eye'f'ing the ladies in college before you met Katerina."

Daniel answered. Daniel's voice was short and clipped. His gaze focused on Ichabod. Ichabod lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"I was surprised, Daniel at seeing Abbie after so many years. That's all."

Ichabod met Daniel's eyes again and sighed.

"Make sure that is all, Ichabod. I mean until you and Katerina decide on what you guys want to do. And.. And anyway, you're an old man. I mean she's 23 and you're going to be 33 in five days. You're practically middle-aged. We are practically middled-aged!" Daniel laughed. Ichabod glared at him.

"Yes. I know that Daniel. I assure you I have no romantic intentions toward your sister except in being a friend as well as her boss," Ichabod answered. "I love Katerina."

His voice was stern.

Daniel's face lit up in a smile. His eyes crinkled in the corners.

"Technically, Ichabod, You are not her boss," Daniel giggled. "You are Dean of Students, not Professors."

Daniel laughed.

Ichabod sighed and closed his eyes. He nodded.

"Yes Daniel I am aware of that. Then I will act like a second brother and help her get around the University," Ichabod

corrected. Daniel stared at Ichabod for a long minute. Looking deep into his eyes. Daniel's handsome face seriously

examined Ichabod's expression and confession. Then he looked away.  He took in a breath and let out slowly.

"I don't even know why I'm even buggin', Daniel sighed. "It isn't like Abbie's your type anyway."

Ichabod frowned as he watched Daniel turn to sit back on the sofa.

"My type?" he replied. His eyebrow raised. He watched Daniel spread his huge tree trunk legs and sit back. Ichabod raised his eyes and met Daniel's. Daniel slapped his large beefy hands hard on his thick thighs. The sound loud and sharp In the quiet office. The noise made Ichabod flinch and cringe. His nerves were so taut and raw. He felt as if he was a pulled string ready to snap at any minute after he met Grace Abigail Mills again. An extremely beautiful adult Grace Abigail Mills, in fact. An image of Abbie's angelic smile appeared inside Ichabod's minds eye. He took a deep breath. He let it out slowly. He had to relax and calm down.

"Yeah. I've known you long enough to know you date beautiful very tall red heads or Blonde girly- girl types with long hair and short dresses or skirts and lots of make-up. And Abbie isn't any of that. She has a boyfriend, anyway."

Daniel shrugged and laughed.

Snap! The tight string that kept Ichabod together finally broke. He stared at his friend. He swallowed hard. He felt his stomach turn over as a wave of nausea hit him.

"Boyfriend!" Ichabod said. His voice rose. His tongue flicked out and bathed his full lips.

"Yeah. Luke Morales. He's a big jock football Captain gave her a promise ring. He plays all sports not just football. He's a nice polite kid. You would like him, Ichabod." Daniel nodded. He gave Ichabod a toothy smile, showing all his teeth.

"A promise ring? A promise for what?" Ichabod answered. His voice irritated. Ichabod pressed his lips tightly together. His jaw tightly clenched. He frowned.

"A promise to be engaged," Daniel answered."He gave it to Abbie before she left Sleepy Hollow."

Daniel smiled. His words bright and Friendly.

Silence.

Ichabod nodded. He grind his perfect teeth together In his mouth. The soft sound of the scrape reassured him. He cleared his throat.

"Hh... how long have they've been dating?" Ichabod asked. He felt torn between being happy for Abbie that she was in love and happy and angry wanting to plummet the big dumb jock.

"Oh, three maybe four years. I don't know something like that. I forget," Daniel answered. "You'd have to ask Abbie." He shook his head.

Ichabod enfolded his arms against his chest and nodded at Daniel.

"Then you see you have nothing to worry about, Daniel," Ichabod sighed. Though Abigail is a pretty young woman I assure you I do not find myself wanting to Mack on her as you earlier assumed. Instead I'd rather concentrate more on getting back with my wife."

His words came out fast in a rush. His mouth suddenly felt dry. Ichabod licked his dry lips and rapidly blinked. He didn't believe his own words.

"What are your plans with Katerina if she comes?" Daniel asked. His eyebrows raised.

"Talking. We have a lot of talking to do first," Ichabod said. "Then we will see how that goes."

He inhaled a deep breath and walked to his desk. He grabbed his coffee mug he placed there earlier and took a long drink. His thoughts turned to images of Abigail Mills instead of his wife Katerina. Abbie's Amber brown eyes bright as she smiled. Her plump red ripe Cupid bow lips turned up in the corner of her mouth. Ichabod gulped the last of the contents and pitched the empty cup into the wastebasket beside his desk.

"You think it'll work?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know. I just want to hear her side of the story. I want the truth," Ichabod said. He shrugged and perched himself at the corner of his large desk.

"You think you'll get the truth from her?" Daniel asked.

"I hope to," Ichabod answered.

He lifted his hand to scratch his nose only to smell the coconut and vanilla scent of Abbie still on it. He swallowed a low moan. Ichabod shook his head. Enough already. He needed to exorcise Abigail Mills from his mind and think about more important things like saving his marriage. Not how Abbie Mills smelled.

Ichabod cursed their Monday morning meeting. He should cancel it. It was just a meeting to instruct her on how things are done at Columbus University. She could read all of that in her folder. Or Mary can tell her. Ichabod opened his arms wide and let them settle beside him. He licked his lips and tasted the mocha latte he just finished and raised his eyes to meet Daniel's.

"I want to know why she did it, Ichabod answered. Why did she leave for a month to be with her father in England without saying a word to any of us?"

"I believe you, Icky. I wish you guys luck. I really want to see you guys work it out. I really do," Daniel said. He nodded.

"Thank you Daniel."

Silence. But there was something different. The question of Katerina's mysterious disappearance for a month without a

word filled the air. It was palpable, heavy and tense.

"So you think my baby's sister's pretty, huh?" Daniel chuckled. His full lips curved at the corner of his mouth

Ichabod laughed. He recognized Daniels' teasing him. .

"No Daniel, She is quite ugly,"Ichabod said. "Diminutive women who wear no make-up, and wear only trousers are quite repulsive to me."

His voice rose in the room.

A knock came from the office door and opened. Ichabod turned to see Abbie standing in the doorframe her hand on the

doorknob. Ichabod's glance immediately fell on the small diamond ring wrapped around her slender finger. He lifted his

eyes and frowned at Abbie.

"I'm sorry, am I disturbing you guys?"Abbie said. A small smile on her full lips.

To be continued......