Chapter 12

Pacific Vision Institute
San Francisco, CA

Seaver

"They did what?" The doctor looked from Spencer to Sever and back again, shock evident on her face.

Seaver nodded. Spencer's story was horrifying, of course, but it wasn't surprising at all. "Yeah." She said. When they arrived they had introduced themselves as FBI, explained that it was a field injury, that they were concerned that it might be emergent and so on. The people here were very welcoming and willing to help. "I actually transferred out of the BAU...his unit...because the criminals they go after are so...out there."

"Where do you work now?" The doctor asked.

"In Human Trafficking." Seaver replied. The doctor swiveled to give her another of those looks. "It's much less nightmare inducing."

"Really?"

"Manson is considered basic entry level to them."

"I helped interview Manson a few times now." Spencer said. "Did you know he knows how to knit? He made me a hat."

"Got it." The doctor turned and went back to work.

Seaver sat in the corner where she could guard the door and politely didn't listen for a while. After about three-quarters of a magazine the doctor moved away and turned to her notes. "The good news is that I'm not seeing any permanent damage."

"That's great!" Seaver said. Spencer gave her a very relieved smile. "So, if you don't mind, his boss will ask..."

"That's fine." Spencer said, giving the doctor permission while he sat up and settled himself.

The doctor pulled over a plastic model of the eye. "This is the cillary muscle." She pointed to a ring around one of the middle layers. "It's job is to adjust the curve of the lens of the eye to accommodate seeing things clearly at different distances. His is locked in a muscle spasm, in both eyes."

"The technical term is pseudomyopia." Spencer said.

"Ouch." Seaver had dealt with muscle spasms before. A charley horse of the eye could not be comfortable. "Can it be treated?"

"Oh yeah." The doctor made a few more notes. "Medication, new lenses, even some physical therapy. The bad news is that it can take a few months to resolve."

"Can I work?" Spencer asked.

"Maybe. The big thing is to avoid eyestrain while you're being treated."

"Can I read?" Now he sounded worried.

"Yes, with good light and frequent breaks."

"Only one book at a time then." Seaver teased him. He could easily finish between those frequent breaks after all.

"The big thing is to avoid backlit screens. They tend to be the worst for inducing eyestrain." The doctor said. "No more than thirty minutes a day and that in ten minute chunks. And this includes tablets, computers, televisions and movie theaters. If you can work around that then you're golden."

Spencer considered this. "I'll talk to our tech goddess. If there's a work around she'll find it."

"Good."

There was the usual bustle of paperwork, prescriptions and so on, and in due time they were heading to the lab next door. "At least it's not permanent." Seaver said.

"I know." Spencer sounded relived. "Similar injuries have lead to cataracts in the past even when they don't cause scarring on the lens. Good thing I kept my eyes closed."

"Real good thing."

He was quiet for a moment, clearly remembering. "Alice warned me. They hurt her for doing that."

"Hopefully not too badly."

"No, she's recovered."

"I'm glad she took the risk."

They reached the entrance to the showroom where Spencer stopped. "Ummm, speaking of Garcia, she helped me pick out my last three frames..."

Helping Spencer shop for new glasses? Seaver grinned. "Now this I can do."

.

So trufax time. Way back in college (*mumble mumble* decades ago) I had a class with Charles Manson's ex-cell mate who knit his way through our lectures. I knit in lectures as well, and we became friendly before I found out he was an ex-con. He taught me how to knit a short-row, which he claimed he learned from Manson, and gave me a hat pattern he claimed he got from Manson as well. It makes up a very nice hat, I still use it regularly. I also short-row my sock heels. So I guess you could say Charles Manson taught me how to turn a sock heel, once removed.