Angela tried to concentrate on the Encanto Records account, but she was just as distracted as she'd been a year ago, although for different reasons. She tried to remember what slogans and visuals had worked last time. She was more knowledgeable about music than she'd been, after the Wilson Phillips mess with Sam and Tony, not to mention Angela's experiences at the local jazz club.

She realized suddenly that, her relationship with Tony aside, she had a whole year's worth of knowledge. Yes, this must be a dream, but while she was in it, it was real. She had financial knowledge of the past year. She could make a killing in the stock market! Or she could bet on the World Series and the Super Bowl. OK, that probably wasn't ethical, but it was tempting. Not that she needed the money, but how could she pretend to not know what she knew? She decided that she would only use her knowledge for good, not to exploit any situation.

Which brought her back to Tony. A year after Tony's first night with Kathleen, Angela wasn't sure if she was ready to, as Mother said, "Show and tell and show again" how she felt about Tony. She'd known for almost four years that she was in love with him, ever since Frankie proposed to him. Even in this day that she found herself in, it had been almost three years. There were moments she'd thought about saying it, but she wanted him to say it first, and she still wasn't sure how he felt.

She'd told Dr. Bellows, "I know he cares. He cares a lot." That was still true. Even though he'd slept with Kathleen, he still cared about and for Angela. It wasn't like when he slept with Trish Baldwin and the others early on. He knew that after what he and Angela had gone through, especially in Jamaica, this was going to hurt her. He'd said, here in this study, "I don't want you to feel badly about anything."

She wasn't sure if it was time to tell Tony she loved him. But maybe it was time to tell him what she'd said to Kathleen. Or would it sound too possessive, too over the line? Maybe, despite his guilt and uncertainty, he wouldn't appreciate her breaking up his relationship with Kathleen. After all, he didn't know the future. She'd have to proceed cautiously, in a different way than the first time they had this conversation.

She knew he would walk through that door any minute. Things were happening enough like they did the last time. Or would he instead call Kathleen and find out why she wasn't at the study session today? Angela had to be prepared for that, too. The truth was, she didn't know the entire future, because changing one element might have a butterfly effect. Maybe even the Gulf War would be affected! Or the recession. She really should call her broker tomorrow, if this dream went on that long.

Someone knocked at the door. She flinched, but it might not even be Tony. It could be Mother or one of the kids. She realized suddenly, the kids didn't know yet! She wasn't sure when or how or what they found out about Tony and Kathleen, but as last summer went on, it was clear that they knew that this wasn't like Tony's past relationships. Angela had always suspected that that was part of the reason that Sam took a summer job as far away as New Mexico. She now wondered if Sam wouldn't go away after all, which would mean that the foolish engagement to Matt would never happen. Tony would be happy about that but, no, of course he couldn't know what Angela had prevented. He'd never know what the year could've been like.

She shook herself. This was just a dream, right? "Come in."

Tony hesitantly entered and said, "Hi. Um, we have to talk."

"Sure. You, you're finished studying?"

"I couldn't concentrate on my book."

"Me either. I mean on the Encanto account."

"Right. The Encanto account. Uh, how's that going?"

"Good so far. Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

He shook his head. "It's, um, about me and Kathleen."
"Yes?" she said faintly.

"I, um, I've been under a lot of pressure and I did something impulsive and, and now it's over."

It was close to what she'd said to him in the kitchen in the parallel conversation where she said maybe she was being silly. She had hoped, a year ago, that he would confirm it, that that was why it had happened and that it was over, but he hadn't. And now he was saying this, unprompted. She felt relieved, but she realized that that couldn't be the reaction she'd show right now.

"You, you spent the night with Kathleen? I mean, not just studying."

He swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. I, I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "You don't owe me an apology, Tony."

"I feel like I do. I know we didn't have any kind of commitment, but we made promises for the future, and I ignored that last night."

"Does Kathleen know it was just one night?"

He shook his head. "I need to talk to her."

Angela suddenly feared Kathleen telling their kitchen conversation. Oh, why had Angela started like this? Why hadn't she gone first and told Tony about claiming him? Or if she wasn't ready for that, she could've said that Kathleen had told her what happened last night. What a mess this was! She blurted out, "She knows!"

"She knows what?"

"I, I mean, she must know. I think that's why she didn't show up today. She told me that things were awkward between you. I, I assumed she meant that you two had had an argument. I mean, I know you and the rest of the study group call her Little Miss I Have a Better Idea." Angela had heard them complaining about Kathleen earlier in the semester.

"Oh, well, yeah. And there is that side to her. But last night we really clicked, connected. Not just, um, in bed. But talking about art and travel and dreams."

"Oh," Angela said quietly.

"But it's nothing like I have with y— had with Marie. It was just enough for me to forget that I thought she was too pushy."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I like her more now, but I just don't see the relationship going anywhere. And maybe she doesn't either, if she said that to you."

"Maybe not." Angela felt guilty for lying, but this was a very tricky situation, more than it had been last year.

"Well, anyway, I should get back to studying. And let you get back to the Encanto account."
"Right. Good luck tomorrow." She wondered if the dream would keep going into tomorrow. If so, then Tony would not only have to take his Art History exam while very distracted, but he'd have to face Kathleen. Of course, that was also true last time.

As if reading her mind, Tony said, "Thanks, I'll need it."

Then the doorbell rang. It would be Peter. He'd invite her out for coffee but this time she would have to say no. Not only was her head more muddled than last time, but she didn't want to lead him on. They would not date, he would not get too serious a couple months down the road. She had to nip this in the bud.

"Excuse me, that'll be Peter. And John."

"Oh, right. The Encanto guys."

"Yes."

"Um, are you going to go to the studio to listen to tapes?"

"No, I'm kind of tired. I think I'll turn in early. I was up late last night."

He nodded and blushed a little. "Yeah." She knew he was thinking Me, too, but he didn't say it.