The Unusual Defiance of Refusing to Drink With My Parents

Resisting the pull of functional addiction

Photo by Mishal Ibrahim on Unsplash

I couldn’t have been older than twelve or so. I was sitting on the living room floor, eating canned ravioli over the coffee table and watching Fresh Prince on the TV.

“Nikki,” Mom said, waving her cigarette in the air with one hand, bringing her beer down from her lips…