Kish: Steamy Kisses and a Painful Coming Out

Let's start Friday's scenes with the Kyle and Nick action, since their part of the show was incredibly hot! Kyle was alone in his motel room, reading the newspaper story about Fish again, when Nick showed up. Most tellingly, Kyle hid the newspaper under a chair before he answered the door.

Nick came bearing champagne to celebrate his, and I quote, hot boyfriend being admitted to med school. Kyle pointed out that actually he'd been re-admitted, and Nick said that his mom always wanted him to end up with a hot doctor. Nick then pulled Kyle into a hot kiss that looked something like this:

Their kissing continued as Nick unbuttoned Kyle's shirt and then the two of them moved towards the bed. As Nick kissed Kyle's neck, Kyle caught sight of Oliver's picture in the paper, peeking out from under the chair. Kyle pulled back, saying that he couldn't do this.

Nick wondered if it was something he'd said or done, but Kyle assured him that he was great. Why, then, was Kyle pulling away from him? Kyle covered, saying that he was on duty soon at the hospital, explaining that fourth year students are exturns who take medical histories, draw blood, things like that. (I thought he was finishing med school this year? Doesn't that mean seven years? Of course, this is a soap, so he'll be a full fledged doctor performing brain surgery next month!)

Nick pointed out that Kyle was an old hand at all of that, from his work at the lab, and started unbuttoning Kyle's shirt the rest of the way, saying that he should show up for his first day relaxed and focused. Again, very hot. I'd love it if they kept Nick around and paired him up with someone else.

When Kyle still put the brakes on, though, Nick said that there was something Kyle wasn't telling him and asked if this was about Oliver. Kyle insisted that he just couldn't be late to work and suggested that Nick hang out and wait for him, since he wouldn't be that long, and they could go out to dinner when he got back. Nick softened and agreed to stay, but as soon as Kyle was gone he spotted the paper under the chair and looked like he was going to cry. Out in the hall, Kyle looked like he was escaping from something that he just wasn't ready for.

Kyle and Nick aren't even the main couple the show is aiming for, and they've already had scenes that are pretty much hotter than anything we've seen in other gay soap stories, at least in a long while. Imagine how hot it will be when it's Kyle and Fish!

Now, on to the bigger, if far less hot, portion of the Kish story for Friday. We picked up right where we left off, with Fish's father having found the book. Oliver hastily said he could explain but his Dad, glancing at Cristian, said that he thought he understood already.

Fish looked like he'd just seen the light at the end of a very long tunnel as his father, who didn't seem at all upset, said that it wasn't much of a surprise and that they'd pretty much figured it anyway. Oliver looked so relieved and happy as he asked how they'd known, and my heart just hurt for him, knowing that his dad was actually talking about Cris.

George told his son that he wasn't blind and that when you'd been a cop as long as he had, you'd seen it all. Fish said he didn't know what to say and George said he didn't have to say anything, that it was as clear as day that Cristian was a homosexual. I loved the look on Cris's face as he was mistaken for gay in the second time in a few days. It's great that he's not actually bothered by this, I have to say.

Anyway, George said that things finally made sense, like Oliver not wanting them to come and visit. He'd been having a hard time ever since he'd moved in with Cristian.

Cristian: Because I'm gay?

George: Well look, no offense, but it's not as if he has a lock on his bedroom door. Anybody would feel uncomfortable.

Fish: I'm not uncomfortable, Dad.

George: You've been acting strange since you got here. (to Cris) Oliver was not raised that way.

Cris: What way is that?

George: Look, I know it's not politically correct, but I'm not going to apologize for it. Our family does not believe in the homosexual lifestyle.

George went on to tell Cris that he seemed like a good guy and that it was going to be hard to tell his parents that he was a homosexual. Cris wryly responded that some parents were worse than others.

George advised that he think twice before telling them, saying that he was going to break their hearts. Cris told him not to worry, and that his father had died when he was a kid.

George: That explains it.

Cristian: Explains what?!

George: Well, you never had anybody show you how to be a man. It's time to fix that. You know, we have a group at our church, meets every Sunday morning, and I'm sure you could find something like that in Llanview.

Cristian: So I can get fixed?

George: It's a sickness, son.

The pain on Oliver's face as he listened to all of this, especially after having momentarily thought that his father was accepting him for who he was, completely broke my heart. Meanwhile, Cristian's growing anger at George's narrow minded bigotry totally endeared him to me more than ever before. Fish finally jumped in to tell his father that this was none of his business.

George: I'm trying to help your roommate.

Fish: You don't know anything about him!

George: Do you think he enjoys being like this?

Cristian: There's nothing wrong with me, sir! You know, as far as I'm concerned, you're the one with the problem.

George: You like living this lifestyle?

Cristian: It's not a lifestyle! Look, this is who I am, okay? And I'm not going to change for anyone. (turning to look at Fish) No one should have to change.

George replied that that was too bad and then called his wife and son to his side, saying it was time to go. Fish asked where they were going and George said they were finding him a new apartment, that he wasn't staying with 'these people'. Fish protested, saying that he liked these people and George told him that he only thought he did.

Fish informed his dad that he was a grown man who didn't need his father telling him what to think. Cristian suggested that it was George and Barbara who needed to leave.

George: I'm not going anywhere without my son.

Fish: Then stay! Stay, Dad, and let's talk about this.

George: There's nothing to talk about! Your roommate is a degenerate, he's going to hell.

Fish: So am I, then!

George: What?

Fish: Dad, Cris isn't gay. I am.

Fish explained that he'd though he never tell them, but they'd found the book and it wasn't Cristian's. He told his parents how Cris had bought the book for him because he'd seen how scared Fish was of telling his parents the truth.

George told his son that he was a good guy for trying to help his roommate, but that lying wasn't the way to do it.

George: He's got to stand up like a man and he's got to do it himself.

Fish: I'm doing this for myself!

George: What, saying that you're a homosexual?

Fish: I was always afraid to. Cris and Layla are basically the first people that I've ever told. Dad, I'm gay.

George: They know about this?

Fish: Yeah, and they've been trying to help me ever since, even though I don't deserve it. Dad, I hurt so many people pretending to be something that I'm not. But I can't pretend any more.

Layla jumped in to say that after the shock wore off, they'd see that Fish was the same person he'd always been. George informed her that she didn't know anything about his son.

George: Enough! I know who Oliver is.

Fish: No, Dad, you don't. But Mom does.

Barbara had been silent for the entire episode until this point and was in fact standing off to the side, reading the framed front page extolling her son's bravery and courage. From the moment they found the book, it was clear from the look on her face that she, unlike her husband, knew exactly what was going on.

George: What is he talking about, Barbara?

Fish: Tell him, Mom. He won't listen to me, but he'll listen to you. Tell him the truth.

Barbara claimed not to know what Oliver was talking about and Oliver told her that it was okay, that he'd tried to forget, too.

Barbara: There's nothing to forget.

George: What's he talking about Barbara?

Fish: I was a senior in college and you and Dad came up for parents weekend.

George: Yeah, I remember. We got up at five thirty to make the drive.

Fish: You wanted to take a nap at the hotel before my game and I told you I was going to the library to study.

George: What does this have to do with anything?

Fish: Mom forgot her gloves, and when she came back... You walked in on me and Kyle.

George: While I was at the hotel?

Fish (starting to cry): And you looked at me like I was a complete stranger. And then you took off.

George: Barb?

Fish: You know, I broke up with Kyle that day. And ever since, you and me have pretended that it didn't happen. And I can't do that anymore. Can you?

Wow. Knowing that this is the actual reason that Fish broke up with Kyle, that it wasn't just some tenuous worry that someone would find out eventually, completely changes my perception of their past. I can see how something like that would send Fish running more deeply into the closet than ever before.

George insisted that Barbara tell him that this had never happened, while Fish begged her to tell the truth, promising that it would be a relief. Barbara finally admitted that she'd thought it had been a phase that her son would grow out of. Upon hearing this, George left the apartment without saying another word. Barbara followed, telling her son that she was sorry. Fish was left crying in the doorway, his worst fears having been realized.

Poor Fish! Still, they were great scenes and made all the more interesting by the fact that Barbara is being played by Scott Evans' real life mother. Scott himself did a fantastic job.

Once again, I can't wait to see what happens next with this story. Let's not end on a down note, though. How about another picture or two of Nick and Kyle's (Nyle? Kick?) steamy kiss?