Kish: Booked!

Thursday's Kish scenes started with Fish reading aloud a point from the book Cris gave him: that he should remind his parents that they'd loved him the day before he came out and that he was still the same person today that he was then. And who, Fish wondered, is that? Poor Fish, imagine not even being sure of who you are!

Layla came home and found Oliver reading the book. She was pleased and asked if that meant he was going to tell his parents. Fish said no and then mentioned a story from the book about a guy whose parents had thrown him a party after he came out. Layla started to suggest that his parents could surprise him the same way, but Oliver said that was more like something Kyle's parents would do.

Layla wondered how Kyle's parents had reacted to his coming out and Fish told her that his parents had actually been the ones to tell him he was gay! He explained that they'd always made a point of inviting their gay friends over when he was growing up to show him how okay they'd be with him being gay. When Kyle still didn't tell them, they finally sat him down and told him that they'd known since he was a kid and had always loved him. Awww! I love that! I wonder if we'll ever meet them?

Layla and Fish both expressed the wish that they'd had Kyle's parents and then Layla asked if Fish had talked to Kyle lately. Oliver told her that Kyle didn't want anything to do with him and was seeing a new guy who took up all his time. Fish said that Kyle was finally getting his life back on track and that he couldn't be happier for him.

Layla suggested that Fish should move on as well, pointing out that it would be really great not to have any secrets from his family any more. Fish agreed that it would be great, but said that just the thought of saying the words was impossible. Layla reminded him that he still had a day to think it over before his parents arrived.

At the Buenos Dias, Cristian was chatting with George and Barbara Fish (great name choices, calling to mind a certain pair of former White House dwellers). When they realized that he was their son's roommate, Barbara said that she should have recognized him from his muscles, since Oliver told her that Cris worked out a lot. The look on Cristian's face was priceless!

George and Babs wanted to go straight to the apartment and Cris tried to give Fish a bit of warning by saying that the place was a mess and that he should call first to warn Oliver to pick up a bit. They insisted on surprising their son, though, and asked Cris to lead the way. Uh, wasn't Cris covering the diner for his mother? Couldn't he have just given them directions, using the very true excuse that he was working, and then called Fish when they were gone? But, I won't quibble too much over the little things, given how fantastic this story is overall. Besides, this is Cris, so he probably just forgot why he was there in the first place.

Back at the apartment, Fish was worrying that Layla had to be sick of hearing about Kyle and his parents and all this 'gay stuff'. He apologized once again for the way he'd treated her and said that he wished he could look her in the eyes without feeling like a complete jackass. Layla told him that she'd forgiven him and was moving on, and that he needed to forgive himself. Not just for what he'd done to her, but for making himself so unhappy for so long. Fish wondered how he was supposed to do that and Layla suggested that he start by doing fewer things to feel guilty about, like hiding the truth from his parents.

At that moment, of course, Cris arrived with the Fishes in tow and Oliver looked more frightened than surprised at their unexpected arrival, though he quickly recovered and greeted them.

His parents said they wanted to take him, Cristian, and Layla out to dinner and wondered when they were going to get to meet her. Fish awkwardly introduced her, to George and Barbara's obvious discomfort. Babs then actually said that they didn't realize that Layla was... you know... black!

Honestly, I'd wondered about that. Fish had described his father as being so old school that he didn't think women should be allowed on the police force, so I had to wonder if they'd be okay with an interracial relationship. Poor Oliver, he really doesn't stand a chance with them.

Fish asked what difference it made that Layla was African American and his parents quickly said that it didn't, just that they were surprised and that their son should have told them more about her.

Fish reminded them of all the great stuff he'd told them about Layla, and Barbara apologized for her reaction, saying that the heart wants what it wants. Layla said that they should have seen her own mother's face the first time she brought home a white guy (earning her a strange look from Cristian, I might add) and then George noted how different things are for kids today than from when he and the wife were growing up.

Barbara started telling Layla that she wanted to know everything- how she'd met Oliver, where she goes to church, how Oliver had asked her to be his girlfriend- and Fish jumped in to declare that Layla wasn't his girlfriend, that they'd broken up.

Fish explained that he would have told his parents sooner, but he just wasn't sure how. George then used the platitude that many parents don't actually mean- You can tell us anything! Cris and Layla tried to make a run for it at that point, but Oliver asked them to stay.

He told his parents that there was a lot he'd been leaving out for a long time, and George asked if there was a reason he couldn't be straight with them. Fish was clearly struggling with what to say, so Layla jumped in to explain that she just wasn't the right person for their son. She and Cris went on to sing Oliver's praises for what an amazing guy he is and how lucky the person he ends up with will be.

Barbara wondered aloud why, if she felt that way, Layla herself wasn't 'the lucky one'. Mr. and Mrs. Fish offered to help with whatever relationship issues the two were having and Oliver finally seemed like he was about to take the biggest step of his life:

Fish: There's a little more to it that Layla didn't say. She left out some stuff to protect me.

Barbara: Protect you? From what?

Fish: I didn't want to tell you what had happened, because I thought that it might change your opinion of me. And that you might not... God, this is really hard.

Barbara: Maybe it would be best if we all sat down.

Fish: Yeah, okay. (they sit) Um, okay, here goes. Mom, Dad, um..

George: Wait, I'm sitting on something.

He was sitting, of course, on How to Tell Your Parent You're Gay and after he and his wife both read the title they looked at their son in... shock? terror? disbelief? Maybe all of the above. Apparently, the best use of the book is to just leave it where your parents will sit on it.