A Quandary in Quarantine

Chapter Sixteen

“Libby, are you up for meeting me at the library today? I wanted to get the Teen’s Take-and-Make kits put together, and I thought maybe we could do it together. I think, if we set up the tables in the conference room, we can do it assembly-line style and keep our distance. Masks and gloves, of course! And, that will give us a chance to catch up… wasn’t your date with Drew this weekend?”

“It was…” I hedged, but of course I would share every last detail with her as soon as we were in the same room. That’s just how it worked.

Monday morning again, though every day was blending in with the others, and I had to double check what day it actually was before making any assumptions.

I had joking relabeled the days’ name in my planner. First, there was ‘today,’ then I had ‘yesterday,’ then ‘nextday,’ followed by ‘thisday,’ ‘and of course thatday,’ ‘otherday,’ and ‘someday.’

I was pretty proud of myself, until I realized no one would see it.

“So, will you meet me at the library? I could really use your help,” Luce asked.

“Yeah, of course, Luce! That sounds great. What are we making?”

“Oh, I have found so many ideas!” Luce gushed through the phone line. “But, I want to start easy. For this month’s project, we’re going to provide the teens with the materials to make Crewmate felted keychains.”

“Wait, wait, wait - what in the world is a Crewmate?” I said, feeling very out of the loop.

“Oh, oops.” Luce said. “That’s what they call the little astronaut characters you play as in the mobile game Among Us. It’s become so insanely popular, so Carson and I are working on a teen and adult event series built around the game - this is our first step!”

“Alright, I’ll have to take your word on that,” I smiled.

We planned to meet at the library after lunch, and cleared it with Maggie. She was thrilled with the new and innovative approaches everyone was coming up with to keep our patrons engaged and entertained, she agreed to nearly everything. I could get used to this. Maggie’s only request was that we be safe, and make sure we stayed masked up and maintained a safe distance.

Shortly before one o’clock, I pulled into a parking place near the staff entrance to the library. I saw Luce’s car was also there, so I went inside to meet her.

Out of habit, I dropped my coat, hat, mittens and scarf by my desk before heading over to the conference room. I had brought my cell phone with me, since we told Maggie we would check in again before we left. I also wanted it on me incase Drew called. We had chatted twice the previous day, and were still basking in first-date afterglow.

Luce had already pulled out a couple of the tables we used for programs, and was making careful piles on each with all the supplies we would need to put together the take-and-make kits. I saw she had also printed out directions for the craft, so I grabbed one of those so I knew what we were supposed to be including.

“Hi, Libby!” Luce said when she noticed I had come in.

“Hey, lady,” I replied.

“So, work first, or …” I knew she wanted the details.

“Or…” I smiled, it was a bit mean, I’ll concede - but I didn’t want to kiss and tell.

“Libby!” Luce squealed. I gave in. Oh, who was I kidding? Yes, I did want to tell!

“Well, it was actually quite wonderful,” I started. “He somehow arranged for flowers to be delivered and timed the drop off of our meals perfectly. We had already planned to be in a private teleconferencing room, so by the time I made it back to the table, he was there waiting for me. We talked, we ate, we laughed, we drank wine - and best part, there was no uncomfortable will-we-won’t-we talk at the end of the date, because we were both stuck at home.”



“Silver lining…” Luce said, dryly.

I laughed, “Yeah, okay, you’re right.”

“So, when are you seeing him again?”



“I’m not sure yet, we did talk on the phone yesterday, but it’s so hard to make definite plans other than just a repeat of what we just did Saturday - not that that would be all that bad,” I mused.

“How about a movie date? You could both queue up something on the movie streaming database from the library, and have a video call going on mute so you could see each other and talk if you wanted to.”



“That would be a pretty unique idea.”

“Gotta get creative in these unusual times!”

“Well, I will suggest it and see what Drew thinks. Hey, this craft is pretty cool!” I motioned to the array of supplies Luce had laid out on the tables.

“Thanks, you and I can each make one to practice if you want. Actually, if we have time, you can record me making mine - and I can use that to make the video.”

“Sure, of course, Luce. I would be happy to help. Honestly, it is nice just being in the library with you. Even if we are wearing masks and gloves and standing half a room apart. It’s still almost normal.”

“I know what you mean, Libby. I feel the same way.” She smiled at me, and then went back to cutting out the Crewmate paper dolls she’d decided to add to the kits.

“So, what does this program look like? I understand the take-and-make portion, I think, but is there a non-passive part to this program?”

Luce understood the vernacular I was using, of course. Passive programming or ‘self-directed’ programming is what we librarians called interaction with a curated thing in the library space - a craft, a book display, an ‘I Spy’ window display. The key was, the patron participating wouldn’t require oversight from a library staff member to complete the activity. These grab-and-go or take-and-make kits were the next logical iteration. Now the passive program could go home with the patron!

“Well, I thought about setting up a chat room using our teleconferencing software, and then start a private Among Us game. I can share the entrance code with the folks who have signed up to attend the program through the meeting.”

“That’s a great idea, Luce!” I said.

We worked in amicable silence for a while, and then I heard something out the main section of the library. It sounded like someone rummaging around at the circulation desk.

But that was impossible. We were the only people in the library.

Or, at least, we should be the only people in the library.


I glanced at Luce, and her wide eyed look confirmed to me that I hadn’t just been hearing things. There was most definitely someone in the library.

I motioned to Luce that she should stay there, and that I would go and check it out. I assumed that perhaps Maggie had come in to do some work, or something, and just forgot to mention it to us.

I hoped that was the case, at least.

I waved the cell phone in my hand, so Luce knew that I was going out there ‘armed’ with a way to communicate, if nothing else.

I quietly crept out of the conference room, and back up the hallway that connected the space to the Children’s and Teen area of the library.

All appeared still.

From my vantage point, as I neared the children’s department’s service desk, I couldn’t quite see to the centralized circulation desk, as it was set just slightly less deep into the library.

I took a deep breath, before I finally rounded the corner, so that I would have a clear view through the main atrium.

I saw no sign there was anyone there.

I took another deep breath, and attempted to calm my racing heart. I pulled out my cell and sent a quick text to Luce that I didn’t find anyone, but that I was going to sweep the library anyway just to be safe.

The DING indicating I’d gotten a response back sounded almost immediately. The sound seemed abnormally loud in the quiet, deserted space. I saw Luce had sent me a thumbs-up emoji and a smily face.

I began to walk around the perimeter of the atrium, starting with the side nearest to the Children’s and Teen spaces. I noticed a cart of books that belonged in the Local History Room. They must have been left the last time we were open. I decided I’d come back and grab them after completing my sweep, and push the cart over to the Reference Department at least, so they’d be closer to where they belonged.


I finished walking the perimeter on the first side of the library, and headed back towards the atrium to collect the cart.

Once I’d grabbed it, I wheeled it slowly along next to the circulation desk, and finally into the reference department.

I still hadn’t noticed any sign that we weren’t alone. Not that I really expected to, but the I knew both Luce and I had definitely heard SOMEthing out here.

As I entered the Reference Department, my blood ran cold in my veins. 

There, seated at the Reference Desk... at MY desk, was Eliisa.

“Eliisa,” I called, my voice wavering, though I tried to mask that uncertainty as best I could with the sound of the book cart.

“What are you doing in the library? I am sure you’re aware, we are actually closed to the public right now. I’m just here - “


“Yes, I’m aware,” she said, cutting me off as bluntly as she usually did. “I came to pick up some materials from my collection.”

Her collection. She must be referring to the Local Flora Collection she’d donated to the Local History Collection.

“But,” she continued, “the room is locked. Do you have your keys on you?”

“I do, of course, Eliisa,” I said, and paused to indicate the lanyard around my neck that held keys not only to the Local History Room, but also to Irene’s office, and to the staff entrance door. “I would be happy to unlock the room for you. If you need to take anything with you though, I would like to check it out properly. You know we set the records so we could override the status and check them out to folks like you who knew what they were doing - even though we won’t check them out to the general population.”


“Yes, of course I know all of that - I wrote the policy myself.”

Well, that was not exactly accurate, but I wasn’t about to argue with someone I thought to be a killer.

Maybe this was my opportunity to get Eliisa talking.

We both headed towards the Local History Room, and I unlocked the door. I pushed the cart of books inside, so it would seem like I had a reason to stay in there with her.

Once I was inside, Eliisa also entered the room. I pushed the cart to the shelving unit on the far side of the room, as she casually browsed the collection.

Finally, she selected two bound volumes of the Finnish Worker and took them to the table that was closest to the only door in or out of the room.