MBA Siri Question Responding on HomePod and Not MBA

I have my MBA-M2 in my home office running 15.2 with A.I. enabled. When I verbally ask Siri a question instead of responding on the MBA it responds almost always on a HomePod located in another room and not on the MBA. Rarely does it respond on the MBA and if it does it also responds on the HomePod. Happens with the MBA's BT on or off, if that matters. Yes, they are all on the same wi-fi SSID.

Siri cannot "hear" me on that HomePod in the other room if I disable the MBA Siri in A.I. and speak the same questions at the same level.

Any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong or is this a known bug? Thank you.