…because he invited his parents and his sister’s entire family over for a “welcome back” weekend. Apparently, while he was enjoying his spontaneous getaway, he got homesick for my cooking. Without asking me, he promised his family that I would be hosting a massive dinner and cooking all weekend to celebrate his return. I stared at my phone, absolutely speechless. I reminded him about my retreat, the one I’ve been prepping for since last fall, the one that is critical for my promotion. His response? “You can go to the next one. Family comes first, and my mom is already expecting your famous roast. I can’t handle the kids and host them by myself.” I told him absolutely not. He got to take his spontaneous trip, and I am taking my planned career opportunity. I packed my bags, prepped some easy meals for the kids, and left him a list of local takeout places. Just to cover my bases, I also texted my mother-in-law directly to apologize that I’d be missing them due to my mandatory work event, and told her I hope she enjoys whatever food her son decides to order for them. I kissed my kids goodbye this morning and drove off to my retreat. My phone has been blowing up with his texts all day, but my out-of-office is officially on.