Kish: Gay Catnip

Today was another semi-Kish day on One Life to Live. Fish was on, but only in the police storyline, and Kyle wasn't present at all. We did pick up right where we'd left off yesterday with Cristian, Layla, Carlotta, and the book, though.

Cristian's mother picked up the book, How to Tell Your Parents You're Gay, and seemed momentarily surprised, saying "You're gay?" to her son. Cristian tried to explain, but Carlotta cut him off, telling him that he didn't need to buy a book to talk to her:

Carlotta: I love you, I'm your mother! I love you as you are! (Carlotta hugs Cristian)

Cristian: Mom, listen, I am not gay.

Carlotta: It's nothing to be ashamed of!

Cristian: I'm not ashamed, I'm just not-

Carlotta: God made you this way!

I know that Cristian is not actually gay, but this was a really great mother/son coming out scene, all the same. Carlotta, as played by Saundra Santiago, is completely awesome.

Layla was watching all of this unfold with an amused smile on her face and jumped in to clarify that Carlotta was okay with having a gay son, noting that some people have a problem with it. Carlotta said she didn't, and just couldn't understand why Cristian felt he had to buy a book to be able to talk to her.

Cris told her that the book wasn't for him, it was for a friend. Carlotta gave the classic, "Yeah, sure, a friend," response and told her son that he didn't have to lie anymore.

Carlotta (smiling as she begins putting the pieces together): And all this time! When you were a little boy, painting me those pretty pictures.

Cristian: Well, that's because I'm an artist, Mom.

Carlotta: Ay, mijo, I'm not blind, okay. I saw the signs.

Layla: You mean, all that time he spends at the gym?

Carlotta: And all the trouble you had with women.

Cristian asked Layla, who was still very amused by all of this, to tell his mother that he wasn't gay. Layla finally relented and told Carlotta that the book was for a friend who hadn't yet come out to his parents.

Carlotta realized her mistake and told Cris that she loved him the way he was and only wanted him to be happy. She was just sorry that it wasn't the same for their friend's parents.

Layla voiced her surprise that Carlotta had been so accepting, pointing out that she attends church every Sunday. Carlotta told Layla that she knows what her religion teaches, but one thing she always taught her children was to think for themselves (and Cristian tries so hard!), and that she does the same.

Layla and Cris returned to their table and Layla wasted no time in returning the conversation to where they'd left off: why can't Cris give Oliver the book himself?

Cristian admitted that he just doesn't know how Fish is going to feel about him buying the book for him. Layla pointed out that Cris had done something many guys wouldn't have felt comfortable doing, for fear of being thought to be gay themselves or, worse, being hit on by other guys.

Cristian admitted that he did get offered two phone numbers and Layla promptly informed him that he was 'gay catnip'. Can't argue much with that!

Layla told Cris that he was a great guy and that Oliver should know that Cris thinks he's a great guy, as well. She summed it all up by saying that the book will mean a lot more to Fish if it comes from Cristian, and Cris finally agreed.

Layla and Cris then shared a laugh over how relieved Carlotta had seemed to find out that Cris was gay, as if it had finally explained to her why he hadn't given her any grandchildren yet.

I really liked that there wasn't any gay panic on Cris's part when someone thought he was gay, and that he took no offense to his mother thinking that it made some sense that he'd been hiding such a secret.

So far, I've been very happy with most of the people in the orbit of the Kish storyline: Roxy, Layla, Cris, Nick, and now Carlotta have all helped make the story that much better. If they could have kept Stacey out of it, I'd have no complaints at all!

Hopefully we'll see much more of Kyle and Nick next week.