As they came back into the dining room, SarahBeth paused and looked around the room. Perry saw Sam, David and Sarah Little sitting in one booth with Tammy Nelson, and Jan Sleet and Marshall were sitting with Vicki and Pat in another, but SarahBeth motioned to an empty table.
Perry took the food off of the tray, and then looked up to see Sarah Little coming over across the room. He tried to signal SarahBeth, to let her know who was approaching behind her, but SarahBeth just nodded in resignation. Either she'd seen her former lover walking toward them, or she just assumed that some sort of confrontation was inevitable.
"Nicky," Sarah said, leaning over to kiss SarahBeth very lightly on the cheek, "I'm just so glad you're okay. That's what's important, baby, and I was very worried about you. Take care of yourself," she said, turning away to return to her family after giving Perry a rather strange look.
There was a moment's silence and then SarahBeth started to lose the battle to keep a straight face.
"She seems to be taking it well," Perry said dubiously.
"Well, obviously she's decided that everything is your fault."
"What? What do you mean?"
She smiled. "You saw how she snubbed you. She's obviously decided that it's your fault. You seduced me away from her."
"But..." he protested, trying to keep his voice down but wanting to sputter in protest. "I didn't... You moved into my house! I tried to get you to go back to her!"
She shrugged. "And aren't you glad you're not very persuasive?"
"That's not the point," he said, realizing already that there was no way he was going win this. "Of course I'm glad, but–"
"You are older than I am," she pointed out. "As an adult, you have to take some responsibility."
He sighed. "Are you going to tell her the truth, the facts?"
SarahBeth looked pensive. "No, I don't think so." She smiled. "At least not right now. Maybe when I write my autobiography."
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