Dear Eric: “Paul,” my brother-in-law, will be having major surgery in the next month or so.
My husband and I plan to fly out to see him while he’s recovering. While I don’t mind visiting Paul in the hospital, I get extremely anxious whenever I’m invited to stay as a guest in another person’s home. I just know he’s going to be disappointed when he learns that we intend to stay at a nearby resort instead.
Paul also has indoor pets and I’ve never been comfortable around animals. If the subject of us staying with him should come up, how do I explain myself without seeming heartless?…