The Whiskey Dance
Alcohol and relationships
Just one more for the road, he says
He sits in his chair, slouched over
His breath reminds me of my father
“It’s my birthday, I can drink more.”
I sit there trying to escape reality
Thoughts of childhood start to flood me
My brain turns to my phone screen
“Can this all just be over?” I ask in silence
“Do you want to dance with me?” he mutters
My heart is in it but my head is flying away
The bottle is just staring him down
Its shiny packaging calls to him loudly
His pain consumes both of us as he drowns it
The words start to flow out easier
I feel every emotion as he laughs and cries
“Dance with me, love,” he starts to get louder
I ignore his calls as his breath becomes stronger
“Do you still love me? Am I not fun enough for you?”
“I’m not in the mood to dance. Can’t we just sit here?”
The room falls silent before it erupts
I feel his anger bubbling as he starts to yell
Dance with me, this one time, so we can have some peace
This bottle of whiskey isn’t consuming me
It’s giving me life and I just need you to be here
I’m not your father, I’m not your exes, love me!
Okay, we will make this slow and short
Pain consumes both of us as we move across the floor
We are both enjoying the moment for different reasons
I finally realize it is okay and I am safe
The whiskey will wear off in the morning
