In "1994", Bob and Janice have been married for 10 years and have a 9-year old, Michalea. They live next door to Marnie and Carl. Michalea and Sophie (10) are very close. Maureen (the mother) lives with Marnie and Carl and has retired. Carl is dying of AIDS (from a lab accident). A retired doctor friend of Carl's (Jim) arrives from Kenya where he has been working in an AIDS clinic and corresponding with Maureen. He moves in to provide hospice care for Carl, and a romance between him and Maureen ensues. Meanwhile, Bob has had a midlife crisis and is having an affair (not consummated) with Christine, an evangelical Christian he knows from church. Christine convinces him that his New Age wife (Janice) is dangerously satanic and he should leave her and ask for custody of Michalea. This threatens everyone's happiness...