Gina sat at the breakfast table and gazed across at her lover. She'd had the most fantastic night of her life, and this was even better. He looked happy too, she noted, and very relaxed. And he was indulging her. Her innermost thoughts just wouldn't stay put, and it didn't matter, he loved her honesty.
"I love your glasses" she said, and he smiled.
"Yes, I know" he said "But they are a bit too strong for me to see into the distance, this is just your breakfast table treat, OK?" and he laughed, the laugh of a very happy man. Then he took her hand and said "You'll get your wish soon enough, and it'll be a good thing for both of us, thank you." And he meant it.
They got ready to go out, as he'd said he was going to take her shopping, and at the door, just as he was about to take off his glasses and put them in his pocket she stopped him, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him. She ran her fingers along the metal of the frames, and then took them off for him, folded them and tucked them into his pocket. He took a step back as her face blurred, then laughed to himself and said "let's see if my optom can squeeze me in today".
Sitting in the car Gina had a hard time keeping the smile off her face. Then suddenly she remembered Kevin, her best friend. She had to introduce Tony to Kevin. Then she thought about the other people she would have to introduce him to - her family. Maybe not just yet. Maybe she'd break it to them gently. She wasn't quite sure which was going to bother people the most, the age difference or the fact that he was her boss. She was so lost in her thoughts that Tony noticed, but he didn't say anything. He had a lot on his mind himself.
"Well you've changed your tune" said Tony's optometrist when they got there. "Last time I thought you were going to hit me!" The jovial doctor wrote out the prescription Tony had rejected out of hand previously and then explained it.
"Like I said before, most of your problem is a mental block! You know very well that you've needed glasses for distance too for a long time Tony, in fact you're probably breaking the law when you drive, that's one reason I've been on your back. I do prescriptions like this for people a lot younger than you, so..........." and he stopped and looked at Gina who was beaming.
"She talked me round" said Tony "Last night" and then winked at Gina, who suddenly looked coy.
"Well, like I was saying" the doctor continued "I'm giving you a distance prescription of +1.50, and I'm bumping up your near quite a bit, you'll notice a difference, you wear +3 now, this is a +2.50 add, so it's a total of +4 near, it may take a bit of getting used to, but I think you'll manage." He looked again at the coy Gina who had only heard the word "distance" and then he'd lost her, but she knew what it all meant. It meant her Tony would be wearing glasses all the time. It would take a few days for them to be ready, but her dream was coming true, she could wait.
They left the doctor's office and Tony was being mysterious, not telling her where they were going next, but it was a nearby jeweller.
"I want to buy you something nice, you choose, a necklace, whatever you want. It's a no commitment gift, but I want to do this."
Gina found some earrings she liked better than anything, and Tony delighted her by, quite naturally, putting his glasses on to look at them. He approved. Then SHE noticed the price tag and wondered if HE had too. She freaked inside, just momentarily, could he read that? They did it on purpose of course, keeping the tags tiny. But he didn't ask so...............he just handed over a credit card and seemed unconcerned. Gina was speechless.
They had a late lunch when they'd finished shopping, although most of the time they'd just been wandering hand in hand through the mall chatting. There was a glass dome roof with a "caf�" under it on the upper level, presented with trees and market stalls in a very European style. Tony had obviously enjoyed his time in Europe and was eager to show her his discoveries by encouraging her to order unfamilar food. She was never disappointed. He was a learning experience.
Gina left Tony later in the afternoon to go to her parents' for supper. Gently does it, she thought, we'll have enough time together in future.
Sunday morning, but not too early, she phoned Kevin and told her she was now the proud owner of a $1000 pair of earrings and a proper boyfriend.
"What do you mean? A "proper" boyfriend?"
"As of Wednesday he'll be a full-time glasses wearer, I can't wait. Do you want to meet him?"
"I admit to a soup�on of curiosity. But can I just have a quick ogle, discreetly, prior to the formal introduction?"
"Hmm, well, he comes and goes at odd times at the office, but as he's the only man there it's not like you wouldn't know who he was. If you want to do a Gina and lurk in waiting..... I taught you everything I know."
"Indeed you did. Wednesday you say? Quiet day at the store, I'll close a bit early and hang around outside the office and catch him leaving. Oooh this feels naughty."
"Well be discreet, or when I do introduce you he may remember you as some weirdo in the hallway!"
At work Monday Gina noticed that Tony wore his glasses far more, and didn't just whip them off the moment he was done reading anything. She wasn't sure if he'd just relaxed, was preparing for his new ones, or was doing it for her.....probably, in truth, a mixture of the three, but she liked it anyway, and she liked listening to the comments from the girls in the office who hadn't seen him in glasses before, most of which were very positive. If only they knew, she thought.
She was particularly keen to hear what Hannah thought. Hannah had been a bit cool with her ever since it became obvious to everyone that Gina and Tony were seeing each other outside work, in fact she'd been virtually avoiding Gina. They used to get along well, and Gina didn't like this. So she made a point of talking to Hannah Tuesday afternoon and when it proved to be harder than she thought she very firmly, but quietly, said "Hannah, what is your problem with me suddenly?"
Hannah looked annoyed at first, but then she sighed, and lowered her head.
"I guess I'm just envious really. I thought Tony would tire of you and do the rounds."
"WHAT!"
"Well, I don't know....that's what his type usually do, I thought we'd all get a chance."
Gina was speechless.
"You really believed he was a playboy?"
"Well, they usually are, when they're single at his age."
"What.....so you thought you'd take turns to spend his money?"
"Hell Gina, we didn't mean any harm! Just a bit of fun!"
Gina relaxed. Yes, she could understand it. Hadn't she been the Queen of one-night stands, or to be accurate, the Queen of fantasizing about them. She smiled.
"Hannah, I don't want us to fall out over this. I really like Tony, in fact.....I'm in love with him....yes, I am."
"Well, you're lucky to wim him girl, wow, they don't get any better than that!"
"Yeah I know" said Gina and grinned like the cat that got the cream. She was just dying to ask Hannah what she was thinking, which was "doesn't he look cute in glasses" but she couldn't do it.
Wednesday came at last, like she never thought it would. She wasn't sure what he was going to do, and to her shock and delight, halfway through the morning, he appeared in the doorway with his jacket in his hand, and without a single word he gestured to her to follow him. She was going to go with him! Everyone turned and watched them leave together, and she couldn't resist grinning at them as she went out the door.
At the optometrist they checked his new glasses for fit. He looked great in them she thought, but he didn't look too happy. He smiled politely at the assistant as he paid, but then whispered in Gina's ear "This isn't as easy as it looks, I feel seasick". The assistant had keen hearing and repressed a smile.
"It will take a little while Sir" she said, "You're not driving anywhere right now, are you?"
He assured her he wasn't. She suggested he just take a walk through the mall, slowly.
Gina had never seen Tony unnerved before, but he was doing his best to hide it. They had a bite to eat and then headed back to work. He was quieter than usual, but when they arrived he switched on his boss charisma, or so it seemed to her, and walked in very non-chalantly, gave her a quick peck on the cheek in full-view of all the girls and disappeared into his own office.
The girls were buzzing but they were making a point of doing it out of gina's earshot. Oh, she had a rough idea what they were saying alright.
Tony didn't emerge once. Eventually she could stand it no longer, and with no reason other than she cared about him, she marched to his office, and peeped round the partly open door.
"How's it going?" she asked him, hoping he knew what she meant. He did.
"Well, I knew I'd have to go through this eventually, but right now I'm only doing it for you!" and he pretended to scowl at her, but found himself laughing. He gestured to her to come in and close the door. That was his signal to everyone that he wasn't to be disturbed.
"I think I'll leave early actually, because I have a rotten headache, I kind of expected it.....I know I've just got work through this, but right now I don't want to do it here. I want to go and whine a lot in private. You don't want to hear it either, I'm sure. I'm going to go pester my Mother."
Gina laughed, then leaned across the desk and kissed his forehead.
"OK" she said "Maybe tomorrow will be easier"
Ten minutes later Tony was gone, and she suddenly remembered Kevin, so she phoned, intending to tell him not to bother coming, but he'd already left. In fact he hadn't missed Tony, he'd just arrived seconds before Tony left.
"Well" said Kevin, after Gina explained that Tony was suffering from his new glasses "I've heard that sort of thing before. Some people seem to cope better than others. He's young and......macho.....ooooh....he'll be fine soon, you'll see."
"So you approve?" Gina asked.
"Approve? Oh my dear, he's divine. You are a lucky, lucky girl. Now when do I get to meet him properly?"
"Ah well" she said "I've been thinking about that. At some point I have to tell him my best friend is a gay man, but he seems to really appreciate honesty, I don't think it'll be a problem."
It wasn't. Gina went to see Tony in his office the next morning and he seemed much happier. He said driving had been weird, but not scary, and he fully conceded that he really did need the distance correction. He seemed rather pleased with himself actually, so when Gina said she hoped he might like to meet her best friend, he was already in the right frame of mind.
"His name is Kevin" she said meekly, he's gay, I hope that doesn't bother you, we've been friends since school.
Tony, in his inimitable style didn't flinch, he simply asked
"Does he have a partner, we can all go out for dinner together tomorrow?"
Gina was just stunned at this, and of course very pleased. She called into the music store on the way home and told Kevin, who was so thrilled he bounced.
"I'm surprised you didn't want him to meet your parents first?"
"Yeah, well, one thing at a time."
Her parents. Yeah.
Friday evening Tony collected her, and she almost died. He was breathtaking in a brown leather jacket, and open-necked white shirt. Did he ever know how to dress, she thought. They met Kevin and Paul and headed for the British pub that Tony loved so much. Once or twice during the evening she kicked Kevin under the table for paying too much attention to Tony, but she was actually pleased she was making him envious. He had been getting guys she wanted for years.
They went their separate ways after a really fun evening, Gina thought Paul was just right for Kevin, and she whispered as much to him as they were leaving.
Tony took her home, and she asked him to come and see her place. She'd cleaned it up as best she could, but it was, well, it wasn't much - but it was part of her, and it was time he saw it. To her amazement he loved it.
"This place is great Gina! It's so you!"
She wasn't QUITE sure what that meant, but she understood from his tone that it was a good thing.
Gina made coffee and Tony just watched her. He never stopped smiling. She brought it through and sat down beside him, then something just came over her and she put her hand up on the side of his face - her fingers touched his glasses.
"Thank you" she said, but he shook his head, and held her hand without moving it at all.
"No, thank you" he said "You've done me a huge favor."
"Is it getting any easier?" she asked.
"Actually yes, and it's really nice to be able to see everything, all the time."
Gina smiled.
"You're funny" he said, and she looked dismayed.
"Oh no Gina, I don't mean it as a bad thing! Don't ever change! Just tell me once, and I promise I'll never ask you again, but because I don't understand, what is your....."quirk"...with glasses, what's it all about?"
"Ah, well" she said, sighing deeply "I'm not sure I can answer that. It's just something that's always been there. Even when I tried to push it aside."
She gazed into his eyes and lost herself in his glasses one more time.
"I know what I like about yours" she said at last, "they glow"
He looked at her oddly, but smiled warmly.
"I'm sorry" she said "I would explain it better if I could. All I know is that right now I want you to make love to me with your glasses on."
He didn't have to be asked twice.
