I Want Your Grandson. Is That Not Okay?

It all hit the fan today for Brian on As the World Turns. The episode started with Lucinda nursing Brian's bruised face after the 'mugging' he suffered on New Year's Eve. When Luke showed up he apologized to Brian both for the kiss and for Noah punching him, and Brian took responsibility for everything that happened, saying he set it all in motion in the first place by making a pass at Luke. The two men agreed to put everything behind them and shook on it. This was actually a really nice scene between these two and for the first time, you could see that they were both genuinely starting to like each other as people.

That's when Lucinda came back in and asked why it was that she always felt like the two of them were keeping something from her. Lucinda wanted to know exactly what was going on with them, but before she could inquire further they were interrupted by Jade & Lily returning from a shopping trip.

Now, Lucinda has never been able to stand Jade. When Jade first arrived in town claiming to be the daughter of Lily's late twin sister Rose, Lucinda was the only one who saw her as the schemer she was. Even after it came out that Jade really was Rose's daughter (which, in a twist you'd find only on a soap, even Jade herself didn't know) Lucinda never warmed up to her. (I should note that Lily was adopted by Lucinda, so her twin Rose was not Lucinda's daughter and Jade isn't her granddaughter; confusing, I know!)

Anyway, when Jade started raving about all the great clothes that Lily had just bought for her, Lucinda didn't hold back her disapproval, telling Lily that Jade was just a user and Lily was throwing good money away on her. Jade responded in classic Jade fashion:

Jade: Well at least I don't have a gay husband!

Jade was with Noah when the two of them spotted Luke & Brian kissing on New Year's Eve. She immediately tried to back down from her declaration, but Lucinda demanded to know just what she meant. After Jade made a hasty exit and Luke told his Grandmother that she'd have to talk to her husband for answers, Lucinda & Brian found themselves alone.

Brian: I love you, Lucinda. That's all you need to know.
Lucinda: No, it isn't. I need to know everything.
Brian: Okay. I made a pass at your grandson.
Lucinda: What do you exactly mean when you say that?
Brian: I kissed him. ...
The truth is, I've had these feelings all my life. It's part of who I am.
Lucinda: So, you're telling me you're bisexual? You're telling me you're homosexual?
Brian: I don't like to use labels.

Brian asked Lucinda if the two of them could put this behind them, as he and Luke had done.

Lucinda: What are you saying? That I'm supposed to enter into this pact of denial that you have?

Brian: No, I'm not suggesting that at all. In fact, I think it's better if everything is out in the open.

Lucinda: But our marriage is a lie. It's a lie... and all that time that I wanted sex, you were avoiding sex because you told me it wasn't good for my health, for my recovery, and all that while it's because I'm a woman! And you're not physically attracted to me!

Brian: That's not true.

Lucinda: Of course it's true! It's true. So that all the while I was dreaming and thinking about having sex with my new husband, my new husband was thinking about having sex with my grandson!

Brian: It's a lot more complicated that that.

Lucinda: Yes, I bet it is. Well, let's uncomplicated it... Are you, right now, still physically attracted to Luke? Yes or no?

Brian: Yes. I am. ... But it doesn't have to be an either or situation, Lucinda. It doesn't mean that I don't love you. I do. I hope we can get past this.

Lucinda: Not on your life. No. Go upstairs, pack your stuff. Get out. Go.

Another actress might have gone over the top with these lines, shouting and chewing the scenery, but not the incomparable Elizabeth Hubbard. Those final lines were delivered very softly, which was perfect for her otherwise larger than life character in such a painful moment.

Meanwhile, Luke was outside filling his mother in on what had been happening between him and Brian for the last couple of months, including the fact that he got drunk on New Year's Eve and kissed Brian, and that Noah saw it. That's our Luke, other than stealing the occasional election he's honest to a fault!

Lily was shocked, to say the least, but Luke came to Brian's defense:

Lily: How could he do this to her?

Luke: He really cares about her. He helped her through the surgery, he was doing everything he could to help her get well.

Lily: I am just so angry at all the lies he's told us!

Luke: I know. I know. And I was, too. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized that he's really not a bad guy. He's a very good person, it's just when it comes to sexuality, he's really messed up.

After watching Brian pack and turning aside his final protest that in spite of what happened, he feels they are in every way suited for love and companionship with each other, Lucinda confided in Lily that if it had been another woman or even another man in the past, she might have been able to deal with it, but she couldn't ignore that Brian was attracted to her grandson.

I felt really sorry for Brian with all of this coming out, though I thought it was good that he didn't try to lie at all once he'd been outed. Brian has truly proven to be a fascinating character and I wish the show would spend some more time exploring who he is and what happens next with him.

It will be interesting to see what happens between Lucinda & Luke. They never had a scene together after Brian confessed everything, although Luke did tell Jade that he feels like everyone hates him now.

What happens next between Luke & Noah is still completely up in the air, too. It's not clear if they're just having a really bad fight over Luke kissing Brian or if they're officially broken up.

With the Brian storyline seemingly wrapped up, hopefully Luke & Noah's relationship will become the focus.