Juliet was never late. She was the most punctual person Shawn knew besides his father and Gus. She was prompt and, on many occasions, early. Because of her influence, he’d started to make an effort to arrive…well, not on time, but at least closer to the right time.

Shawn nodded slowly at the minister who told him Juliet would be arriving late. It figured that would happen today. He tugged at the sleeves of his suit, leaned into the hand his father placed on his shoulder. The minister came back and gestured to Shawn, who stood at the front of the church, with his father, Gus, and Lassiter lined up beside him.

Finally, finally Juliet came down the aisle, encased in a shiny black casket. He waited patiently for them to situate her, waited for them to lift the lid and reveal his beautiful wife, waited for them to leave, so he could move forward to talk to her. His father, Gus, and Lassiter stepped back with Juliet’s family to give him privacy, and Shawn leaned over the casket.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he whispered, laying his hand on her cold fingers. “You weren’t supposed to leave without me.”