"I know you're after him. You're not going to get him. Tony and I are good together. And nobody, especially you, is going to get in the way. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Angela, believe me, I had no idea you two were involved. I wouldn't have done anything if I knew he was seeing anyone."

Angela blinked. She was not standing in Washington, D.C. She was sitting in Fairfield, Connecticut. In fact, she was sitting at her own kitchen table, and the blonde woman a decade her junior was not a sophisticated senator's aide with a mobile phone but a slightly bohemian waitress.

"Did he tell you about last night? Or did you just guess when he got home late?"

Was this a dream or had Angela somehow traveled back in time a year to the morning when everything changed? Even if it was just a dream, she had to say something, although back then she hadn't even known what had happened the night before, let alone all that she now knew of the year that would follow. But that year wasn't going to happen now, was it?

"I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"It's OK," Angela said hesitantly. "No, Tony didn't say anything. But I had a sense of what happened. And, no, we don't have an official commitment. But I've realized now that that this can't go on like it has."

"So it's a wake-up call." Kathleen sounded understandably bitter.

Angela felt a spasm of pity for Kathleen. At the time, Angela was too hurt to have any sympathy for Kathleen. And anyway, Kathleen had "won." She got Tony in bed not just that first night but many times afterwards. In fact, there was a point when it seemed they might even get married, although Kathleen was definitely less direct than Frankie had been. But now, knowing that Kathleen would be another woman passing through Tony's life, admittedly one who lingered longer than most, Angela could feel a little sorry for her. After all, Kathleen hadn't set out to steal Tony from Angela.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Kathleen shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"In a way it is," Angela said. "I should have talked to him a long time ago."

"OK. Are you mad at me?"

"No, not at all. If it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else."

"That makes me feel just great."

"I'm sorry." She almost wanted to give Kathleen a hug, but they were almost strangers, especially that early on.

"I should go. Please make my excuses to the study group."

The study group. That's right, Angela had invited Tony's Art History group over to study, to make up for kicking them out the night before, while she entertained clients. This meant that the other girl and the two guys— Angela had forgotten their names after a year— would be here soon. And Tony. He would be returning. He'd be walking into the living room any moment.

"All right. Um, you should probably leave the back way. So you don't run into Tony."

"Oh, right." Angela wondered what was going through Kathleen's head. Kathleen probably had hoped this was going to be more than a one-night stand. After all, she'd looked at and spoken to Tony as if she was very fond of him, in that parallel morning of a year ago, or was it now? But this was better for her, really, in the long run, no matter how much it hurt right now. Then Kathleen stood up and gathered her books. She turned to go and then turned back to ask, "Why did you have to say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like an accusation. Like you thought I was some schemer. Like this was some sort of soap opera. That's not who I am. I like Tony and, yes, I slept with him, maybe before I should've, but I did want to get to know him. And it had nothing to do with you."

"I'm sorry. I, I thought you were someone else. I mean a different kind of person."

"Well, I guess we both need to become better judges of character." Kathleen went through the kitchen door and outside.

Angela wondered how long this dream, or whatever it was, would go on. Would the entire year be replayed, but with the difference that Kathleen wouldn't be a part of it? Angela didn't even have to have the talk with Tony. It was enough for the moment that Kathleen was gone. Tony would probably be surprised but relieved that he wouldn't have to "explore that option." He wouldn't feel any less guilty of course, but that wasn't Angela's fault.

What would happen the next time Tony and Kathleen met? Would she tell him about her talk with Angela? Would he be surprised to hear about Angela staking her claim? And how would he feel about that?

Well, there wasn't much time to speculate. Tony would be returning any moment. And the others, the two guys and the other girl, were on their way. Angela had to pull herself together and go greet Tony. Well, if the rest of the study group arrived when they did "one year ago," then Angela would have a few minutes to talk to Tony alone. She remembered that painful conversation in the kitchen, when she'd said maybe she was crazy, and then it turned out she wasn't. Now she wasn't so sure. This was crazy, whatever it was.

Should she pretend to know nothing, wait till Tony confessed? What if he didn't? Angela knew that her mother knew. Mother had admitted it to her later, when this was all over, weeks after Kathleen had left, not because Angela confronted her but because Tony had told Kathleen that school "and other things" were getting in the way of their relationship. When it didn't hurt as much. Mother had said, "Yes, Dear, I knew, as soon as I saw him that morning." She said it gently, as she sometimes could, the kind mother that was usually hidden under the insults and teasing.

But would it be a kindness to Tony to just let this go? To pretend it never happened? Or was it part of their journey for Tony to confess to his all-nighter? And how would Angela react? How should she react, knowing what she knew now?

Before she could decide on anything, Tony came into the kitchen and guiltily said, "Oh, hi."