i have an angel for a mother.

peter drank last night, because mom and I are away on vacation. he arranged for a taxi to pick him up, probably moments after he got home form work, drove to the track, drank, and got driven home. peter, my virtual stepfather and “reformed” alcoholic as i previously termed him, does not drink anymore, and i used to pride myself on that seeing as i cannot say the same for my biological father.

it took mom call after call to finally reach him. of course he denied any wrongdoing. “you will understand in the morning,” mom said to him. “don’t ruin this. don’t ruin all that we have, we could loose everything we have worked so hard for, please peter, please.” this didn’t make much of an impact, though i understand it’s hard to reason with a drunk person. she left him with “be safe, we will talk tomorrow.” i was drawn to tears instantly. i thought he was stronger than this. i had finally started to respect him entirely, and look up to him in a number of ways. nobody wants to admit to themselves that such a father figure of sorts is so susceptible, so fragile, so at the mercy of the bottle. though this is something i’ve had to do with my own father, but i figured he was much worse of an alcoholic. mom explained to me, an addict is an addict. he will always thirst for alcohol even in his extended periods of success and sobriety. “he has a disease,” she says.

it is so disheartening to think that both of my fathers are so sick. thank God i have my mother. thank God she is so strong. thank God she can ensure my safety and take care of me on her own. and thank God she has opted to stay with peter even with his illness. thank God she helps so many people, putting their health and wellbeing before her own. she is an angel.