"Shawn? Are you all right?"

"Hmph."

"Shawn, seriously. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You don't look very happy."

"Why should I be?"

"Because—"

"Because I'm at my father's wedding? I'm happy, Jules. Really."

She sighs, sitting down next to him. Her date will just have to wait—she can see him over by the punch bowl, conversing with Lassiter. (Oh, crap. He's talking to Lassiter…)

"Can't you at least pretend?"

"I am pretending." Then he tilts his head back, cocking it to one side to glance at her and smirk. "Maybe you're just the only one who can read me that well."

She rolls her eyes. "What are you going to say when your dad comes over here?"

"I'm going to tell him I'm happy for him and Sarah."

"Susan."

"Whoops."

"Come on, psychic. You knew her name."

"You do read me well."

"If you try something like that when your dad gets over here—"

His chuckle is mirthless. "I'm not that stupid, Jules."

"I never said you were!"

He doesn't respond, and they sit in silence for a while. She wonders whether she should leave—and casts another nervous glance at her date, still talking earnestly with Lassiter.

"Why aren't you happy for him?"

She sees exasperation in his expression, as if he's tried to answer this question many times before.

"I don't know, Juliet. I just don't know. It just seems…wrong. Shallow. But I…I don't know why it feels that way to me. Susan's fine, I guess. She's nice enough. She doesn't seem like the motherly type, though."

"She doesn't need to be. You aren't a child anymore."

Something clicked into place—she could see it. In a moment, she suddenly understood as well.

"You want a mother. A real one."

He opens his mouth to say something, then closes it with a sigh. "Are you a psychic now?" he asks, attempting to smile. She tries too, for his sake. Neither smile looks completely sincere.
"Shawn—"

"You might want to save your date. I think he just said something to Lassiter."

Her attention is momentarily diverted—'Mike the stockbroker' is indeed backing slowly away from her partner, clutching a glass of punch in his hand with a frightened look on his face. Carlton looks livid.

When she looks back to the metal folding chair beside her, it's empty.