Caray, Caray!

We begin with Remedios trying to tell Jacinta that there is nothing between her and that guy Octavio. Their conversations are pointless, but it is about the only dialogue Remedios gets tonight, during the remainder of the show she is either ignored or interrupted.

At the Don Jose pad Josefina, she of the tight face, is teaching Veronica how to paint like a first grader. This scene must have been excruciating for the artists in the audience.

Andres is dining at Teodoro's with Baldo and Juanita. The kids are dissing crabby old Jacinta but Teo sticks up for her. After all, she lost her son and only has her granddaughter left, and don't forget she is regarded as the most generous woman in Santa Margarita (or is it Santa Maria?).

Cut to the Valladolid hacienda. There is a stranger in the foyer, he turns, it is Jacinta's brother Sergio. Remember him? The deadbeat who borrowed money from Pancho? Jacinta enters and is suspicious, why has he shown up after all this time? He says he saw Valeria's graduation announcement in the society pages next to a picture of Valeria and Jacinta, so here he is.

The two town gossips arrive with a gift for Valeria. They are delighted to meet Sergio and fawn all over him, no doubt assuming he is as loaded as Jacinta. They worm their way into dinner with the family. Valeria asks why nobody ever told her she had a great-uncle.

At Gustavo's hacienda Manola is trying to get the sister/nurse to take a break but sister won't leave Gustavo's side. Manola thinks, "How can I take care of Gustavo with this busybody hanging around. If he comes to and talks I'm screwed."

Jacaranda is boozing it up with Raphael. They are toasting the millions she is going to get in the morning. "Our millions," corrects Raphael. She can't wait to marry Nicolas. "Nicolas doesn't make false steps." Says Raphael, "Before he leaves his wife he'll want to make sure you are a millionaire." Raphael promises he won't be jealous as long as he and Jacaranda can "get together" from time to time, nudge nudge wink wink. Ick.

Rodrigo is in dad's office shuffling papers in an official manner. He tells Manola that he plans to take care of the family business. She says "You can't even pass your classes, what makes you think you are capable of managing these affairs?" It's not a kind thing to say but she certainly has a point. She announces that she, with the help of Nicolas, will manage Gustavo's business affairs. She will make the decisions, not Rodrigo.

At the Valladolid dinner table Sergio decides to tell the guests about his and Jacinta's childhood. Their dad bought and sold vegetables; they lived in the truck and visited many towns including Santa Margarita. Jacinta was the intelligent one but neither of them was allowed to go to school. Their mother taught them to read on the road. As a young girl Jacinta fell in love with Pedro Valladolid. They would see him ride by on his horse. For Jacinta it was love at first sight. Jacinta shuts him up and tells him to stop saying foolish things. Sergio accuses her of being ashamed of her past. Valeria and Federico tell her that hearing the story only makes them admire her more. Jacinta is not pleased as Sergio toasts "diamonds in the rough" (he and Jacinta) that eventually sparkle brilliantly. Everybody toasts except Jacinta and Federico; they scowl.

Victor, Maite and Veronica have had a lovely dinner at Don Jose's. Don Jose tells Maite he loved meeting her. He doesn't know why, but after meeting her he would have loved to have a daughter like her. (Oh brother.) She says she would have loved to have a dad like him, not the father she really had, the one who so easily abandoned and forgot her mother and her. Don Jose says there are people like that, people with no values. I say again, Oh Brother!

Nutria and Daniel are packing, she faints, Daniel decides to maker her lunch. Unibrow says she can't hide the truth from the boys forever. That's Unibrow's scene for the night.

Sergio, still flirting with the gossips, is angling for some after-dinner cognac when Jacinta interrupts the conversation and announces she and Sergio have much to discuss...NOW. (I absolutely love they way Jacinta cuts through the crap.) After they leave Valeria tells the others she's happy to find out about her new uncle. Federico rolls his eyes; this guy could be an interloper to the Valladolid fortune.

Jacinta asks Sergio why he has suddenly shown up and by the way, she doesn't appreciate him blabbing about her past. He uses the "our poor dead mother" maneuver to try to move into Jacinta's house. She says he can stay there,"but only for tonight," she adds as she walks out. He smirks and lights a cigarette, "Only tonight? And then some."

Manola is filling a syringe, "Yes Gustavo, with this nobody can save you."

It is The Reading Of The Will and Jacaranda is wearing an upside down starched doily on her head. Raphael is there claiming to be her legal counsel. The lawyers waste no time in saying she won't get a cent of her husband's fortune. They tell her the children were able to show just cause why they should be the only beneficiaries. They insert the video of her smooching with Nicolas. Also, they have more evidence. There is her staff's testimony of her flagrant behavior plus pictures of her in the society page with this same guy Nicolas Linares. Since all this would be cause for divorce she doesn't get a cent. She can go back for her personal belongings but nothing more. Raphael is pissed. Jacaranda pouts.

Manola convinces the sister to run along for a quick bite of enchiladas de mole. Poor Gustavo can't talk but he is allowed one thought bubble, "no sister, please don't leave." Manola whips out the syringe and looks Gustavo in the eyes, "you know what I’m about to do, don't you my love? I can't let your recovery send me to jail. Here's your ticket to the afterlife. Goodbye forever, may you burn in hell, my love." But Federico has snuck in behind her and grabs her hand. At last his suspicions are confirmed, he knew she was behind Gustavo's accident. He won't allow her to kill him, in fact, maybe it is she who should die. He gives her neck a little poke with the syringe. Does Gustavo manage a tiny nod of satisfaction?

After the World Cup commercial we find out Federico has played a little game on Manola. "Ha ha, just kidding, I only meant that it's not convenient to kill him NOW," he says. Manola wants to finish what she started but Fede says no way. They bicker back and forth about who will lose the most should Gustavo recover. Federico says Gustavo "should also know that I was your lover since before you were engaged to Adolfo, and when you were left at the altar because of Maite you took advantage of Gustavo because he was rich enough for you to marry, because your parents were on the brink of financial ruin and you were expecting my son." Manola is particularly nasty today, "What, you think I should have married you? I wasn't going to tie myself to a no-name nobody like you." Now they are leaning over Gustavo and arguing. "It's always the same with you. I was the outsider. You despised me for being a Mr. Nobody, but according to you Gustavo couldn't satisfy you as a woman." Poor Gustavo's heart rate monitor is speeding up, beep beep beep beep. "You kept running to me like a bitch in heat!" BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!! "But the fact that Rodrigo is my son, that's also something you hid from me all these years. Really, Gustavo and I are equal, we're both your victims and you can't deny it." Manola calls him Stupid and asks Federico does he really think he can take Gustavo's side against her. "You know, that's not a bad idea, it would be a good way of getting back at you for all you've done." Federico goes on to say even though Gustavo knows Rodrigo isn't his own blood he would still treat him as his own. He loves him and doesn't want to lose him. And Gustavo has always treated Federico very well. The sister returns. Federico pats Gustavo's hand and tells him not to worry. He takes Manola outside to talk some more. Gustavo looks very worried, guess he doesn't believe Federico.

Outside Federico tells Manola that it's really a miracle Gustavo has been saved. Manola asks Federico what he wants; he wants money, right? Federico doesn't want money, he wants to manage Gustavo's business. Manola calls him Stupid again and pokes, pokes, pokes him in the head, "No! My father and I are going to run the business!" Federico disagrees, saying that he and Rodrigo will manage things. He reminds her that he caught her trying to assasinate her husband. He's going to hold that over her and could send her to jail, now it's his turn to poke, poke, poke her in the head before he leaves. She does a massive uber-pout and thinks "You have me now but I'll take care of you!"

Andres and Valeria are making out under their waterfall. They swear they won't let Jacinta's disapproval separate them. Uh oh, all of a sudden they're in their bathing suits and in a clinch. I think we know where this is going.

The next morning Sergio is walking around looking at the Valladolid portraits. Stopping under Don Pedro's he says, "Our parents always considered it a mistake that they used their money to convince Don Pedro to let you marry his son. It's because Don Pedro was having economic problems, otherwise you never would have married Pedro." Sergio has a flashback, he is in the bank with his parents who are receiving a wad of cash. Don Pedro is in the next room getting bad news about his finances from the bank manager, "It hurts me to say this, Don Pedro, but your financial situation is difficult. If you don't pay your debts soon the bank will take your hacienda." Don Pedro only wants a little more time, he's sure he can get the money. Later, outside the bank, Jacinta's parents are talking about something with a man. A young Sergio (I think) tells a young Jacinta (I think) that their parents are in negotiations with that man, Don Pedro Valladolid. The young Jacinta perks up, "Don Pedro Valladolid???"

At the Valladolid hacienda Federico and Jacinta are yelling at the foremen for letting one of the bulls hurt itself. This is all a big act so Sergio can be impressed by how severe and implacable his little sister has become. After demonstrating that she is able to scold the peons who aren't allowed to defend themselves she tells Sergio she must now supervise the veterinarian in the feeding of the cattle.

Nicolas demands to know how Federico came to find out the whole story of Gustavo's accident. Manola says it's because he's the kind of guy who listens at doorways. Nicolas says the reality is that their fate is now in Federico's hands. If Nicolas is mad now just wait until he finds out his millionaire mistress has been thrown out into the street.

Tivo ended this episode here.

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