Adeline runs a boarding house that is owned by her boyfriend Joe and his brother Louis. A formerly enslaved person, she is a savvy business owner whose home is full with guests most days of the year.

When the epidemic hits, Adeline finds herself in a precarious business situation, as the cancellations roll in. She is unable to evacuate with Joe to the Northshore, and with him gone, and her business empty, the days can be long.