I know people, and not relatives in anyway, that have lung diseases and are on oxygen. I smoke cigarettes. If I smoke a cigarette in their presents, I am endangering their life. The possibility of the tank blowing up. Oh, maybe my life too. (an after thought, because I'm involved, I'm with them.)
I love my wife very dearly. If she is trying to get sober and early in her sobriety and I drink in front of her, knowing she wants to drink, I am endangering her life, she is vulnerable and still weak and there is the possiblity that she might pick up a drink again and die from alcoholism.
I would rather be supportive to anyone that I love, family or friend, and help them, even if it means that I don't drink in front of them. I also wouldn't tease them with stories of drinking occasions.
So it is not so much what the alcoholic may expect of me, but what I would expect of myself if it is someone I love and care about.
This is a disease that is trying to kill us, there isn't any room to play any type of games with something that is life threatening.
In my own honest opinion, and alcohlic early in recovery, vulnerable and weak shouldn't have to expect or even request from a loved one, "not to drink around me and please don't keep alcohol in the house."
Maybe the individual who isn't the alcoholic can use some schooling on the disease of alcoholism.
Just my own honest opinion.
Harry