Sally pushed her bread into the toaster and watched it moodily as it crisped. Anna looked at her and decided to risk starting a conversation.

"Long night last night?"

Sally nodded, grunted, and finally answered. "Yeah," she said, her voice creaky. She shifted towards the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle of orange juice.

"People from work?" asked Anna casually. She didn't really like Sally's work crowd, but she didn't want to put her on the defensive.

"Umm, yeah." Sally frowned, fumbling for a glass in the cupboard. "I didn't really drink that much." That was true, at least by her standards. "We were just out really late. I mean, I'm not hung-over, just tired."

"I know the feeling," said Anna, although looking at Sally she really didn't think she did. But she didn't want to be accusatory -- after all, it was none of her business.

The toaster sprung and Sally pulled out a slice with the tips of her fingers. "Did you guys do anything?"

"Nothing much," said Anna. "Ted was out with Meredith, and I didn't feel like going out by myself so I just watched TV."

"You should have come with us," said Sally, cradeling the toast in the palm of one hand and haphazardly buttering it with the other. "If I'd known you were interested I would have called." Not completely true. Sally would have been happy to hang out with Anna normally, but wouldn't have wanted her around that particular night. She didn't think Anna would understand.

"Thanks, but it's okay, I was kind of tired and didn't really feel like going out." Not completely true, but Anna thought she would have enjoyed barhopping with Sally and her friends even less than she had enjoyed lying on the sofa all night watching bad sitcoms. She dumped the remainder of her milk in the sink and started rinsing out her cereal bowl. "I wonder who that was at the door," she said, searching for a change of subject. A ring at the doorbell, someone coming to visit, who knew what that could bring.

"I dunno, Ted's been out there for a while, maybe you should go see," said Sally, eager to get Anna out of the kitchen. "Mmm," said Anna. She wandered towards the living room, trying not to look like she just didn't feel like talking to Sally any more.