"My friend was ready to do some drinking and amazingly enough after all we go through I could tell there was a green light from the wife to have a bit of a party night."
I've been through this scenario too many times, and now I know better. My BF is the first person to tell me flat out that I'm an alcoholic, and almost leave me completely over it...only to suggest later that I kick back and enjoy myself.
I've came to realize that he just doesn't understand how difficult it is to "have a couple." In my mind there isn't such a thing. A couple turns into 10 or more. It's like a switch is turned on and there isn't an off button.
I've used this "green light" to make an excuse to drink before, and it's never worked out in my favor...or his, for that matter. Yet, he always seems to forget how bad it was at times. Just keep your awareness up. Some people have a really hard time grasping alcoholism and think that just because you've "been good" that you can start drinking again.
Two years ago, I blacked out at a fancy business Christmas party in front of my BF's boss at the time, made a fool of myself, said (slurred) many awful things that I don't remember and looked like a complete jack@**, embarrassing him, my friends, and his co-workers that didn't even know me. You'd think after that he wouldn't want me to drink again. Wrong. He still doesn't grasp the gravity of my addiction, even after that.