Hearing Sara's words, Richard quickly put two and two together about the gift. He figured she was probably hesitant to give him homemade cookies at the party, maybe worrying they weren't good enough. Smiling to himself, Richard thought it was pretty sweet of her to go through that trouble.
Turning to Sara, he said in a low, reassuring voice, "Hey, no sweat about the gift. The thought counts more than anything. I'm sure I'll love whatever you've prepared."
Sara looked relieved, giving him a small, thankful smile.
Richard then shifted his attention to the others. "Alright, folks, how about we raise our glasses? To us, to survive, and to whatever comes next," he proposed, lifting his beer.
Everyone joined in, clinking their glasses together in a cheer. The party continued, with the mood remaining light and jovial. Sara, displaying a surprising tolerance, handled her fifth bottle of beer with ease, still coherent and enjoying the evening.
