Chapter Two

Myka had maintained hope that Helena would protect her from Pete and Claudia's excitement over their little 'outing'. After all, what was the good of having a genius for a girlfriend if she wouldn't come to your rescue and save you from over excited children who were smart enough to know how to annoy her on a daily basis? Helena, unfortunately, had agreed with them wholeheartedly.

"He is right, darling," she had said smoothly, running her fingers over the soft skin near Myka's eyes. "You truly are starting to get little lines from all that squinting you have been doing."

Myka gaped at her, she had thought Pete was just teasing. She pouted stubbornly, "I am not."

Helena chuckled, her dancing fingers tapping her lip softly. "It's true, my love. And while I do so adore watching the look of concentration on your face that brings them out, I am worried for your health." She laughed again, "Not to mention the health of all of us all when those headaches of yours set in."

Myka sighed and let her head fall back into her pillow. She had been getting niggling headaches. Not bad enough for concern but enough to be noticed. She had not been aware, however, that she had been squinting over her reading, nor that everyone else seemed to be aware of it. But with her last chance for salvation now gone, she squared herself for the examination to come.

She had descended the stairs to breakfast with all the enthusiasm of a man walking to the gallows. It wasn't the thought of new glasses that truly bothered her, nor even the thought of having to sit through an eye examination. No, it was more the knowledge that her friends would enjoy the process a little too much. Pete and Claudia had already informed her that they would be accompanying her to assist in the choosing of her new specs ("to stop you from picking something geeky, Mykes, I mean really..."). If she had her way she'd just replace the lenses in her own frames but they had refused and Helena, enjoying her discomfort entirely too much, had merely pushed her out their bedroom door with a laugh.

Univille being Univille the closest they had to an optometrist was the sun glasses stand at the local pharmacy and so it was that the outing was extended to a drive into the nearest town, a good forty minutes away, with Claudia behind the wheel. Her eyesight may have been questionable, but now, after being subjected to the disharmonious tones the pair created, her ears too were begging for some special attention. As such, it was with no small degree of pleasure that Myka excited the car, regretting her call of shotgun, as all it had provided her with was surround sound.

The optometrist's office was unremarkable, not unlike any other optometrist Myka had ever stepped into. But the hundred or so pairs of spectacles adorning the wall caught the glean of the overhead light and made then shine. Myka could practically hear the hum of constrained energy radiating out from Pete as he held his hands in tight fists. Claudia smirked at her as he led Pete over to a rickety plastic seat, far from the glasses he was dying to touch.

"Off you go, Myka," she said. "I'll keep Agent Sticky Fingers here occupied while you go do your thang."

Myka grinned as she saw Claudia push Pete none too gracefully onto the seat and joined him, pulling her oversized bag onto her lap. From within she pulled a fistful of comic books and a bag of tiny cookies. It struck Myka, yet again, that Claudia really was the only adult in the group.

The doctor had no difficulties accessing her previous records from Colorado and gave them a quick going over before turning to her. The examination chair was bulky and uncomfortable, lenses resting encased in cold metal across her cheek. She had suggested to Artie that perhaps Doctor Calder had a more 'efficient' means of conducting the test but she had been vetoed quickly with a sharp reminder than artefacts where NOT playthings. Of course, the matter had not been helped by Pete running up behind her to place Timothy Leary's glasses on her face as she was stating her case. It was difficult to make a convincing argument to a walrus.

All in all the test did not take very long, the doctor leap frogging the lenses in front of her eyes so fast she could barely focus on the small black letters swimming in front of her. She tried her upmost best to complete the examination honestly, but it was difficult to do so when in possession of a photographic memory. Still she focused best she could on the clarity and form of the letters and breathed a sigh of relief when the heavy framework was lifted up and away from her head.

In the waiting room, Pete had grown tired of his comics and even Claudia's skill and guile had been able to keep him from the frames lining the wall. He was wearing (and grinning inanely into a mirror) a pair of bright green cats-eye glasses while Claudia frantically rushed behind him, returning all the discarded glasses back to their holders. The doctor gave him an odd look. He was certainly used to this behaviour, but it was the first time an adult had left such a wake.

"Pete," Myka intoned.

"Hi Mykes, what did the test say, you need new eyes? Cause I'm pretty sure we've got some pretty cool glass ones back at the war-work, at work," He glared at Claudia and rubbed his ribs where she had elbowed him. Hard. Clearly she was spending too much time Myka.

The doctor gave them an odd look for their antics before turning back to Myka, "Your eyesight has definitely weakened, Ms. Berring. But not by a great deal - I would surmise from your readings that you routinely strain your eyes, perhaps over reading or fine detail work."

"Oh Myka is all about the details," Claudia agreed.

"And the reading," Pete agreed with a nod. "She's like a big walking, talking, detail consuming bookworm."

Myka looked at her feet, avoiding the doctor's eyes. Helena knew exactly what she was doing when she refused to accompany her. And she would pay dearly.

"Yes... well," the doctor continued, clearly not knowing what to make of his patient's friends. "Like I said, your eyesight has weakened, but we should be able to maintain it at this level with some new lenses. If you'd like to pick out some frames, I can have them made up for you and ready to be picked up by the end of the week."

Myka had barely let out a 'thank you' when she felt herself being dragged over to the glasses wall by Pete and Claudia. Perhaps wisely, the doctor walked away, leaving Myka to deal with the parade of glasses being presented before her.

They returned to the B&B to find Helena and Leena enjoying a quiet moment in the sun room. Quiet moments came rare when living in a house with five adults, but were rarer still when one of those 'adults' was Pete Lattimer. The pair had retired with tea and a good book to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the stillness of the room. Still, to their credit, they had managed not to look too disappointed when their relaxation was interrupted by their friends' return.

Leena rose, ever the hostess despite their attempts to break her off this habit, to retrieve another tea cup for Myka and something cold for Pete and Claudia. She called over her shoulder as she left the room, "And how did it all go, Myka?"

Myka opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Pete's enthusiastic response.

"SHE GOT GLASSES!"

Helena smothered her grin as she caught Myka's eye. She had an experience with children that the others did not have, and she had known full well that, after his wheedling had been validated, Pete's exuberance would be insurmountable. She herself had intended to give Myka until the end of the week to realise that she was in need of seeing a doctor, but since she had not come to that decision on her own, choosing instead to ignore her health, Helena thought it only fair that Myka endure Pete at his 'best'. She was all too aware that this was a decision she would pay for later... but had come to realise that with Myka, payback truly was a fair game.