I’m Hanna Stone, and I need to share what happened this past weekend. My husband, Jack, and I planned a family fishing trip to reconnect. Jack works a lot, and our youngest is a 5-month-old baby. The goal was to spend quality time together as a family.

We set out Friday morning, but 40 minutes into the drive, Jack got a call from his coworker, Heath, who he had invited without telling me. I was furious. “This trip was supposed to be about us,” I said. Jack insisted it wouldn’t be a problem, but I disagreed and demanded we go back home.

Once back, I decided to rent an Airbnb by the lake for the weekend with the kids. Jack was stunned but left for the trip with Heath. I packed up the kids and texted Jack about our plans.

The Airbnb was perfect. We spent the weekend fishing, swimming, and visiting an amusement park. We made wonderful memories, free from stress.

When we got home Sunday, Jack was waiting, furious. “Where have you been?” he demanded. I explained, and he was upset I left without giving him a chance to fix things.

I stood firm. “This trip was supposed to be about us. You made it uncomfortable.”

Jack sighed. “I get it, Hanna. I messed up. I’m sorry.”

I softened. “I just want us to be on the same page about our family. Can we do that?”

Jack agreed, promising to work on our communication. It wasn’t an easy weekend, but it was a lesson learned for both of us.