“Since we’re all here…” she began—then waited. Anna was still texting. “Anna?”

Anna lifted one finger to indicate wait one minute. She finished her text, then lifted her head, alert. “I’ll all ears, boss.”

“I’m glad we’re all here, but before we begin, Anna, could you put on your mask?”

“But we all live here. Doesn’t that make us a pod?” She looked at John. “Well, not you. But still.”

“But still,” John said, then pointed to his mask, “I’m wearing a mask.”

“Why are you even here?” Anna asked him. “You don’t live here.” She looked at Linnea, a question burning in her eyes.

“Hope and John have this hide-and-seek game going on, and we spend a lot of time together in Emmi’s garden. I thought it was a good idea for us all to be on the same page for rules regarding Covid. And, Anna, I thought we’d discussed this.” She looked meaningfully at Hope.

“Fine.” Anna rose and went to her room.

“Where’d she go?” asked Hope.

“To get her mask,” Linnea said. “In fact, Hope, when we are all together inside, I want you to wear your mask too. Especially since you might be catching a cold. Can you get it, please?”

“Okay.” Hope climbed to her feet and scampered off to her room.

Linnea looked to John and asked in a soft, strained voice, “What’s the big deal?”

John just shrugged, then looked over his shoulder as Anna returned wearing a mask in a camo design. She plopped back into her chair, then pointed with both hands to her mask in a gesture of okay now? In contrast, Hope reappeared wearing a pink polka-dot mask, one of many adorable masks Cara had delivered, and settled back on the floor, happy to be included in the group of grown-ups.

Linnea strove for the positive. “I know these are strange times and we’re all trying to learn how to deal with the new normal, but I want us to think how we can make this time special. Unique. I’m not trying to be a Pollyanna, but it seems to me we can either see this time as an opportunity to do things we wouldn’t otherwise have had time to do. Or”—she shrugged—“we moan about it and feel miserable. I vote for the former.”

“Sounds like a plan,” John said.

Anna huffed a short laugh. “Sorry, but it still sounds a bit Pollyanna to me.”

Linnea groaned inwardly and hoped again she hadn’t made a mistake inviting Annabelle, Anna, or whatever name she chose to use, to move in. What was going on with her? She’d seemed so eager to move in. Sometimes Anna could be negative, but she had shown she could be supportive if she chose. She’d been a real ally at the aquarium, standing by her when Linnea initiated new programs. Linnea had hoped this would be a time for bonding. But now…

“Thank you,” Linnea said in a chilly tone.

Anna shook her head. “Hey, I’m joking. I’m all for being positive.” She mock power-punched the sky. “Woo-hoo.”