memories, psych [ 1 ]

chapter seventy-nine

Vanessa didn't work on the last few cases that Shawn and Gus had. Things were awkward between her and Shawn for a few days so she put some space between them. She also had a bunch of school functions that her kids were involved in that she had to help out with since she had agreed to it months ago.

Gus and Vanessa are currently sitting in the movie theater, watching the shower scene from Psycho play. Vanessa munches on her popcorn, taking a sip of her soda.

"Is that you?" The two hear a loud whisper. They look over and find Shawn standing at the end of the aisle and motion for him to walk over. Shawn awkwardly shuffles past the other people in the row before sitting next to Vanessa, sticking her between the two.

"Where have you been? You missed the first third of the movie." Gus says.

"Let me guess. Dude has a creepy voice and a mommy complex." Shawn says. Vanessa lightly rolls her eyes, but still slightly smiles. "All I care about is the shower scene." He whispers. "Wait for iiitt..." He quietly sings.

The music starts, everybody but Shawn and Vanessa screaming and jumping as the shower curtain is pulled back, the silhouette of Norman dressed as his mother with a knife showing.

"We've all seen this movie before, right?" Vanessa asks.

+++

"Did you know that Hitchcock appeared in all of his films?" Shawn asks as the trio leave the theater.

"Everyone knows that." Gus says, Vanessa nodding in agreement.

"But did you know that he was also obsessed with women's Japanese household slippers?" Shawn asks. "Wore them everywhere, even to bed."

"That's not true." Gus says.

"No, it's not. It's part of a new bit I'm working on called completely random untrue trivia." Shawn says. "Mary... Lightly." Vanessa looks forward, seeing Mary standing there.

"You guys like pie?" Mary asks.

+++

The four sit at a diner, Vanessa and Mary sitting across from Shawn and Gus.

"When I was nine years old, my mother gave me my first haircut." Mary states.

"You didn't get any hair cut until you were nine?" Vanessa asks.

"Here's your milk, doll face." The waitress places a glass in front of Gus.

"Thank you." Gus smiles at her politely. She smiles and walks away.

"Mary, you seem disturbed. Even more so than usual." Shawn says.

"Well, it is his main personality trait." Vanessa quips, taking a bite of her pie.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but why don't you tell us what's really on your mind?" Shawn asks.

"I'm assuming you've read this." Mary puts Yang's book on the table. Vanessa winces when she sees the woman's face, pain and anger overcoming her as she remembers her children in danger.

"Are you kidding? We're in it." Shawn chuckles. "If I'm not mistaken, and I am paraphrasing here, I am introduced on page 11 as a thick tufted boy genius who ice skates through life on polished blades of snarky eloquence."

"That is an exact quote, Shawn." Mary says.

"Do you remember what I was described as?" Gus asks.

"Laughing on the outside, crying on the inside, the fastidious wrinkle on the brow of Psych." Mary recalls.

"True, but she also said you had skin of pure cocoa velvetiness." Shawn adds.

"She also said she would like to use that skin to make children's dolls." Gus says.