Please make sure you have read “Plain Jane No More” Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 before reading this.
Warning – this chapter contains adult content.
The patient lay on the operating table; the neurosurgeon stood back and declared, “Well, we’ve done our best. That was one of the largest growths I’ve ever seen in someone so young, but we’ve got it. Whether we were in time or not will remain to be seen, and whether there is any peripheral brain damage done or not will also remain to be seen. We can only hope. Thank you team – all of you.” Then it came up on the screen with, “End of Part One”, and a commercial came on for Sofa World, “Where the Sale NEVER Ends!”
“Why do I watch that stuff?” Jane said out loud to herself. It just made her feel worse. She had been with her mother at the eye hospital that afternoon for a consultation, was told that there was a possibility she might have a brain tumour, had an appointment with the family optician the next day to get fitted for bifocals, and finally after phoning Dr Spencer back, had an appointment for a CT scan at the General Hospital on Friday. This was a roller coaster she wanted to get off. Oh….. and she missed Linda like hell.
Linda had joined a Business Management Module course at a local college 3 weeks after it had started, and with the initial settling in and studying hard to catch up, she hadn’t seen Jane for some time. And Linda missed Jane like hell. This week she was determined to do something about it, and she had invited Jane to her house on Thursday night. She had a little surprise for her too. When Jane got the invite by text on her phone, her heart leapt. She was aching to see Linda again – it was actual physical pain. She never thought anyone could do that to someone. It was weird, horrible, disturbing, and totally exciting in the anticipation of what was to come. She had to admit it – she was in love – completely, absolutely, wondrously, head-over-heels in love. She would get through this week if she held onto that thought.
Jane had taken the week off work to get all of her problems sorted out, she hoped. The following morning she went to Mr Forest, the family optician on her own as her mother couldn’t go with her. Mr Forest had got an e-mail back from the hospital that morning, and he was quite sombre. He normally had a morose personality anyway, and Jane was sure he was well past retirement age, but he knew the family well, and had been their optician for donkey’s years. “I have the report back on your consultation yesterday, Jane my dear,” he said. “We have to get you fitted with bifocals right away, and once you get used to them you can maybe progress to varifocals if you so desire.” Jane didn’t so desire – she dearly wanted bifocals in normal basic lenses so they were as thick as possible. He never mentioned the other possibility of a brain tumour. Mr Forest had already done her test the previous week, so all that was left to do was choose frames, measure up the lenses and place the order. They were to be ready in 24 hours. Mr Forest invited her to browse the frames on show. “I don’t want to appear rude Mr Forest, but I tend to think that your selection of frames is perhaps more suited to the older generation. I’m sorry, but I don’t see anything I like,” Jane said. “That’s OK my dear, no offence taken. But you are, of course, free to take your prescription to any store you want to, and buy your glasses there. But before you do, let me just show you a new range that I just got in yesterday.” He opened a briefcase, and took out a selection of frames, including the most exquisite pair of glasses Jane had ever seen in a slim tortoise shell frame, with combined gold and plastic legs. “Oh, these are gorgeous,” she whooped in delight. “Well, my dear, they are quite slim, and you would need the more expensive high index lenses with these. If you were to fit the standard lenses, they would protrude quite a bit on the front and the back – quite unsightly.” Unsightly? UNSIGHTLY? Not to Jane! This was exactly what she wanted. “I’ll take them,” she said with no hesitation. “And with the standard lenses please.” Mr Forest raised his eyebrows, “Really? Are you sure?” “I’ve never been so sure of anything. Yes, I’m positive.” “Well, OK, it’s a very unusual request, but if you’re sure, they’ll be ready at the same time tomorrow.” Mr Forest had already explained to Jane that she would do fine with distance and reading, but bifocals weren’t very suitable for computer work. On the plus side, they had less peripheral distortion than varifocals. Jane had a brilliant idea to overcome this. She would still wear a pair of her old glasses around her neck for computer work, and as most of her work was on computer, she would still be the “2 pairs of glasses girl”!
The following day she went to Mr Forest’s for her glasses, and they were ready. She couldn’t hide her excitement as Karen the receptionist, who was his daughter, tried them on her. She looked in the mirror – beautiful! Karen said, “I think there is just a slight adjustment needed,” and she took the glasses and put the legs under the heat gun one at a time while gently bending them. “Now try them,” she said. “Walk about, but be careful not to look down.” Jane walked about the shop and everything was crystal clear, and of course she did look down! It was like telling a child not to do something! “Wow! The floor’s coming up to meet me!” she exclaimed. “You must learn NEVER to look down while walking,” Karen said, “especially when going down stairs.” She went up to a mirror and looked at herself close up through the reading sections by tilting her head back. Immediately she could see the thickness of the lenses protruding past the frame on the front and the back. The bifocal lines were very noticeable, and she could see the big change in the lens strength between each section when she caught sight of the edge of her cheek through them and saw the cut-out. This was a huge turn-on for her, and she was sure she was almost wetting herself in excitement! Then Karen asked her to try reading, and handed her the test card. Perfect! She could read right down to the smallest print. As she left the shop with her old glasses in her bag and proudly wearing the new ones, she could only think of one thing – seeing Linda tonight and showing her the new glasses – even letting her try them on. She quivered at the thought, and felt a warm glow through her. She was almost out the door, when Karen called, “Oh Jane?” “Yes?” “Good luck with the scan.”
Linda’s mother answered the door at the second ring of the doorbell. She had the phone to her ear and said, “Just a second, Belle, someone at the door,” and she ushered Jane upstairs with a whisper – “Lindy’s in her room, just go up,” and then she returned to her phone call. Jane went up, and tapped on Linda’s bedroom door. “Come in,” she heard Linda shout. She went in, closed the door behind her, and saw Linda was texting on her phone. She just stood there, and then Linda looked up at her. “Oh woweeee!” she squeaked, “look at you! These are just gorgeous! Beautiful! Oh, and just look at these lenses – oh wow again! You lucky, lucky devil! You are gorgeous my lovely Janey!” And then Linda went behind her and locked the door. “Come here,” and she took her in her arms and gave her a big kiss. Then she removed her own glasses, and still holding them, gave Jane a much, much better kiss – meaningful, sensual, and full of the passion she felt right at that moment. Jane responded with no hesitation, “I’ve missed you Lindy, missed you oh so much. I wanted you so much this week, wanted you at the hospital, wanted you at the optician, wanted you while I was sleeping. Lindy darling, I’m totally and helplessly in love with you. There, I’ve said it. Oh, come here….. closer.” Linda’s face was beaming. She couldn’t let Jane go. They kissed and kissed, rubbed together, laughed, ran their fingers through each others hair, felt each others faces, felt each other. After the very warm welcome, they sat on the bed and Linda asked Jane to tell her everything while she tried Jane’s glasses on. She said she loved them, and quickly handed them back to her when she saw that she was squinting badly. Jane told her about the consultation, the possibility of a tumour, the optician visit, and finally about the scan which was taking place the next day. Linda was visibly upset, and started crying. She held Jane tight and said, “Oh my poor thing, my poor Janey, you must feel awful. And all this happening when we’ve just ‘found’ each other.” She stroked her forehead, pushing a bit of stray hair aside. “I’m not planning on going anywhere just yet!” Jane replied indignantly. “Oh no, my darling, no, I didn’t mean anything like that. I just meant it’s something you don’t need right now.” “But I know what I do need right now,” Jane said, “you.” Linda reached over to her and carefully took Jane’s glasses off, then removed her own and put them on the bedside cabinet. “Does that mean what I think it means?” Jane queried. “What do you think it means?” Linda asked next. “This,” Jane continued, as she started to remove Linda’s sweater. “Oh, I see,” Linda said, “I think I like this game. My turn now. I’ll see you a sweater, and raise you a bra.” “Ha ha!” Jane laughed. “Strip poker, eh? I’m not a gambling girl – I only like a sure thing.” “Well, there are two sure things in here tonight – us!” And with that, they both scrambled to pull each others clothes off, then jumped on the bed scattering the books, phone and other stuff that was lying there. They kissed, cuddled, fondled, felt, told each other they loved each other a million times, and then made beautiful love. After an hour, they lay together whispering nonsense to each other, caressing each other gently, and then Jane said, “Lindy, my darling, it’s a lot to ask, but would you come with me tomorrow for the scan?” “Of course, my love, I was going to suggest it myself, but I thought you’d want to go with your mother.” “Lindy, I love my mother, but right now I love you more, and I don’t think that will ever change. Can I ask you something?” “Ask away.” “Are we an item?” “I would definitely, unquestionably, indisputably say that we are well and truly an item, my lovely, lovely Janey. I love you so very much my darling.” Jane didn’t say anything, but just gave Linda a beautiful smile. She felt at peace with the world. They got close again and started to pleasure each other. Then there was a knock on Linda’s door. They both froze. Linda shouted “Yes?” “What are you doing, girls? Do you want some supper?” “Jane’s just helping me with some college work Mummy. Thanks – we’ll be down in a few minutes.”
They hurriedly got dressed and went downstairs. Jane told Linda’s mum all about her hospital visit and the impending scan tomorrow. She said Linda was going to go with her. Linda’s mum said, “Aw, that’s nice. That’s a lovely thing to do. I love how you two both get on so well together. Having a best friend is the best thing in the world. And I do love your new glasses Jane. It’s such a pity that you need bifocals being so young!”
When it was time for Jane to go, Linda said to her at the front door, “I almost forgot, my lovely girl, I have a little present for you,” and she took a little box out of her jeans pocket and handed it to Jane. Jane opened it, and inside was a little silver heart on a chain. “Open it,” Linda said. Jane carefully clicked it open, and there inside was a miniature photo of Linda smiling at her. She got completely choked and couldn’t talk, and then she started crying. “It’s….. just….. beautiful,” she sobbed. “Lovely, thank you so much, I love you so much.” Linda put her fingers up to her mouth and went “Shhhh. Mum’s just in there.” “OK, sorry, I better go now before I flood out your house! I’ll see you tomorrow, and Lindy, thanks so very much,” and she blew her a kiss.
She was going to get her diagnosis tomorrow.
To be continued.
https://vision-and-spex.com/plain-jane-no-more-part-5-bifocals-pg-t562.html