My mother-in-law told me to get up at 4 a.m. to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her 30 guests. My husband added, “This time, remember to make everything really perfect!” I smiled and replied, “Of course.” At 3 a.m., I took my suitcase to the airport. – usnews 0/2

I crept closer to listen.

“Hudson, it’s your mother. I know it’s early, but I couldn’t sleep. I’m so worried about tomorrow.”

Even through the phone, I could hear the anxiety in Vivien’s voice.

“Mom, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“I just keep thinking about the Sanders boy’s allergy. What if Isabella doesn’t properly handle the cross-contamination issue? What if something happens to that child in our home? The liability alone…”

My hands clenched into fists. She was calling at 3:00 a.m. to worry about my competence, not about the impossible task she’d assigned me or whether I might need support.

“She’ll handle it, Mom. She always does. Isabella’s great with this stuff.”

“But what if she’s not careful enough? What if she’s overwhelmed? Thirty-two people is quite a lot, even for someone as capable as Isabella.”