I’m Hanna Stone, and I want to share a wild story from this past weekend. What was supposed to be a family fishing trip to reconnect turned into a weekend of revenge plotting and my husband spending the time alone.
A few weeks ago, my husband Jack and I planned a family fishing trip. With our youngest being a 5-month-old breastfed baby, we needed quality family time. Jack’s demanding job means we rarely see him, so this trip was supposed to be special.
We set out on Friday morning, eager to get to our camp. About 40 minutes into the drive, Jack received a call and said things like, “Yeah, I will be there soon” and “What did you bring?” When he hung up, I asked who it was.
“It was Heath,” he replied casually.
“Who’s Heath?” I inquired.
“He’s a coworker,” Jack answered.
A knot formed in my stomach. “You invited him to our family trip without telling me?”
Jack shrugged. “Yeah, I didn’t think it would matter. Heath wanted to see the boat and hang out.”
I couldn’t believe it. “Jack, this trip was supposed to be for us to reconnect as a family. I don’t want to spend the weekend nursing our baby and watching the kids around a stranger while you socialize with your buddy.”
Jack tried to reassure me, “It won’t be like that. I told Heath this trip was for the kids, and I’d be spending time with them. He’s just tagging along.”
“No, Jack. Did he bring beer?” I asked, suspecting the worst.
“Yeah, but it’s just a few beers,” Jack admitted.
“Turn the car around. Take us back home,” I insisted.
Reluctantly, Jack turned the car around. He was visibly upset, but I didn’t care. This trip was supposed to be about our family, not his coworker.
When we got home, Jack was still fuming. “I can’t believe you’re making such a big deal out of this, Hanna. It was just Heath.”
“Jack, we talked about this trip in detail. It was meant for our family to reconnect. How could you think inviting a coworker would be okay?” I glared at him.
“I see Heath every day at work. I just thought it would be nice to hang out outside the office,” Jack explained.
“And you didn’t think about how awkward it would be for me? Nursing our baby in front of a stranger, watching over all the kids while you guys have fun? No, Jack. This was a family trip, not a social hour.”
Jack tried to defend himself. “Heath knows the trip is for the kids. He wouldn’t get in the way.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You said he brought beer. I know exactly how this would go. You two would be hanging out while I did all the work,” I countered.
Jack sighed. “Fine, what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to go on this trip by yourself. I’m taking the kids somewhere else,” I said with a smile.
Jack was speechless but left for the trip with Heath. I packed up the kids, rented an Airbnb, and left a text for Jack: “Taking the kids on our own trip for the weekend. We’ll be at the lake. No cell reception, so don’t worry if you can’t reach us.”
The Airbnb was perfect—a cozy cabin by the water. The kids were excited, and I felt relieved. We spent the weekend fishing, swimming, and visiting a nearby amusement park. It was a blast, and I enjoyed every moment with them, free from the stress of dealing with an unexpected guest.
When we got home on Sunday, Jack was waiting, looking furious. “Where have you been?” he demanded.
“I told you, Jack. We went to the lake for the weekend. I sent you a text,” I calmly replied.
“I came back Friday evening to spend the weekend with you, but you were gone! I couldn’t contact you at all!” Jack fumed.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you had stuck to the original plan, Jack. You made this trip about you and Heath, not about our family,” I said firmly.
Jack sighed. “So you just took off without giving me a chance to fix it?”
“I did what I had to do for our kids and myself. We had a great weekend,” I said. “Jack, you need to understand how important our family time is. You can’t just spring things like this on me and expect me to be okay with it. We need to communicate better and respect each other’s feelings.”
Jack nodded slowly. “I get it, Hanna. I messed up. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not looking for an apology. I just want us to be on the same page when it comes to our family. Can we do that?” I asked.
Jack agreed, and we both promised to work on our communication. It wasn’t an easy weekend, but it was a lesson learned for both of us. Do you think I was wrong for changing our plans so drastically?
