Christian and Cleo’s first Thanksgiving as a couple included other milestones.
It was Christian’s first without his family. And it was Cleo’s first Thanksgiving, period. She is not American.
Given how the night shaped up on 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days Season 6, Episode 14 …
… This Thanksgiving might also be Cleo’s last.
Christian and Cleo
It’s time to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. Christian admits that he has no real idea of how to prepare most of the dishes, even though he’s the only actual American in the mix. So Cleo has to walk him through some of the basics. And listen to Christian’s mildly sexual jokes while he rubs the teeny tiny turkey breast. Meanwhile, Cleo feels relieved that the random American woman whom Christian invited to Thanksgiving isn’t coming. It’s not personal, but his tendency to chat up random gals makes her feel insecure.
But Thanksgiving won’t be just the two of them
Christian’s random American run-in can’t make it, but Cleo’s friend Jane is coming. Christian feels a little leery, as he didn’t make a great first impression. His worry is that he needs to either impress Jane now or Jane will discourage Cleo from remaining in this relationship.
Jane arrives with an open mind
“The first time I met Christian, my impression was quite hostile, a little bit controlling, maybe a little bit aggressive. He tends to convince Cleo of his beliefs…. He just wants to be right and he just wants the last word,” Jane tells the camera. But, she emphasizes, her goal is give Christian a chance to make a better impression.
“Did you meet any guys at the bar”
While discussing how small this Thanksgiving gathering is, Christian describes his encounter with the American woman. She returned to Belgium and so could not attend this … deeply random, televised get-together. He doesn’t seem to think much of it. But Jane immediately asks a very smart question: “Did you meet any guys at the bar?” She’s not asking if he’s into dudes, since he is not. Jane is observing that Christian seems to talk to women pretty freely.
Cleo has entered the chat
“I’ve only seen him start conversations with girls,” Cleo then admits. Christian does make the fair point that women are nearly half of the planet. So he says that it’s a coincidence, but Cleo clearly feels bothered. Christian feels like Cleo has thrown him under the bus and made him “look like a bad person.” He feels defensive, and doesn’t like it.
Christian feels that it’s normal
Again emphasizing that it’s only a coincidence that he’s always striking up conversations with women he doesn’t know, Christian explains. To him, it’s like the desire to converse with total strangers and insert himself into their conversations swells up. Until he can no longer ignore it.
To be clear
Cleo emphasizes that it’s not that she has an issue with him having friends who are women. That would be weird and toxic. Instead, what’s getting her is the random women in bars. If they end up remaining in a long-term relationship, that would cause insecurities. Obviously.
Jane takes her leave
Outside, she tells the cameras that she can see that Christian is once again being defensive. He clearly feels that Cleo is “attacking” him and his character when she’s telling him how she feels. Jane is spot on.
Inside, Christian is not happy
He tells Cleo that this was the most uncomfortable Thanksgiving of his life. He resents feeling like she’s accusing him of being a bad person. Because he feels that he has done nothing wrong. That’s not the point that Cleo was trying to make, but it’s how it felt to him. And he dislikes that all of this went down in front of Jane, even though it came up very organically. (Because he invited a total stranger to Thanksgiving)
Cleo walks up
She apologizes, telling him that she feels like anything that she says now will only make him feel worse. But Cleo also seems to just feel overwhelmed by this conflict and confrontation. Meanwhile, Christian — already resentful of the topic of discussion — asks the cameras if he can really be in a relationship where he feels that he cannot express himself.