Caray, Caray!

Lynn is right. Barrera is one long run-on sentence...

After Federico and Manola make sex and she says she may be able to marry him if Gustavo dies, he retorts that if he does marry it won't be to her. Yeah right, Federico, we believe you.

Sergio wants to make a good impression on Jacinta's friends who are coming over for dinner. Bertha, gossip #1, dressed like an over the hill Madonna (singer not saint), shows up early. Sergio kisses "Berthita's" hand and ogles her gigantic ring. She says unfortunately Letitia (gossip #2) is indisposed and cannot make it to dinner.

Valeria is moping in her room and dreaming about Andres. "Andres, you cannot leave me for another, you can't."

Letitia shows up to the dinner and is surprised to see Bertha whom she thought could not make it. Turns out they lied to each other hoping the other wouldn't go to dinner without her "friend." These ladies are bush-league schemers, no wonder they are in very minor roles.

Maite calls Teodoro at the winery. Unibrow answers and immediately recognizes her voice. "Maite, is it you??" Frozen facial expression from Unibrow, then to Maite, back to Uni, then to Maite, back to Uni, then Maite. I'm not kidding, I counted, it was really that many times! The director decides Unibrow's lack of expression will not improve so he gets to speak, telling Maite that it is he, Luis Antonio. She tells him he has confused her with somebody else and hangs up.

The gossips love the meal and compliment Remedios. Oops, social blunder. They are told that Remedios left to marry an old (and how) suitor. Sergio brings up their childhood AGAIN and Jacinta says AGAIN that Pedro senior practically adopted her. All that she is she owes to Don Pedro Valladolid.

Maite tells Victor that Luis Antonio answered the phone at Teodoro's work and they recognized each other's voices. What was he doing there? She'll worry about it tomorrow, now she wants to think of something happier, like going to Valeria's birthday party...where Jacinta can insult her, threaten her in private with her big stick and maybe even poison her again for old time's sake. OK, I added that last part.

Sergio says goodbye to the gossips, and Jacinta tells him "enough flattery (zalamerias) already, let the ladies leave!" When they are alone he thanks her for the wonderful evening, she made him feel right at home. "But it is NOT your home," she reminds him. Tomorrow they will speak of his departure.

Valeria is still moping in her room when Jacinta enters to talk about Valeria's upcoming birthday party. She tells Valeria her party, a socially important one where all the "big names" are invited will be the perfect time to make Rodrigo Zamora her boyfriend and forget about that torero guy. Valeria breaks down into sobs. Nice job cheering up the angst-ridden granddaughter!

Victor reminds Maite that Jacinta terrifies her so how is she going to pull off going to Valeria's birthday party? Her plan is that Veronica will go since she's Valeria’s friend and they, as her parents, will escort her. Victor worries that the people of Santa Maria might recognize her. Maite says they will go straight to the hacienda and not hang around town. She can buy a cap or a hat and some glasses to disguise herself. Victor says "Yes, and a bag to put over your head so nobody will notice." I thought that was kind of funny.

Jacaranda and Veronica are talking. Jacaranda asks her if she wants to be as rich as Valeria. Veronica turns into Vera and Vera says she's going to very very rich, instead of envying Valeria it is Valeria who will be envious. Jacaranda says "you sure you're feeling OK because all of a sudden you seem like somebody else." "No, I like to be like this, and not like that stupid Veronica!" Jacaranda gets the HUH???? face, says Veronica's name and Vera turns back into Veronica who answers Jacaranda's original question (again) saying she doesn't care to be as rich as Valeria, she's very content and money isn’t important. Jaca tells her she just said the opposite a second ago. Veronica panics and dashes out of the room.

Valeria is STILL moping. "Andres my love, you can't stop loving me, you can't deceive me."

Veronica is thrilled when Maite tells her they are going to Valeria's party. Veronica has been concerned about her because Valeria hasn't answered any of her e-mails, it's strange.

Juanita asks lap dog Federico to help her throw Sergio out of the hacienda.

Valeria asks Tio Sergio for love advice. Is it true that women like men in certain professions? Oh yes, men in uniforms attract women. Do older women like younger men? "Yes, when I was young mature women paid me for my company." (Aha, he was a gigolo!!) Valeria is more bummed than ever.

You know how after the commercial they do a little lead-in with still shot of one of the characters? This time it's a close-up of Victor, shirtless, doing a bicep curl. He's got quite a six pack. This, for me, was the high point of the episode.

Pancho can't concentrate on his produce deliveries because he's got Maite on the mind. She doesn't pay attention to him and there is that guy Ulises who keeps patrolling around her, it gets worse every day. Guillermo asks Pancho about Maite's relationship with Victor, were they married? Pancho says they got together to adopt the orphaned Veronica but they aren't a couple. Victor is a special kind of guy. Guillermo gets a pensive, far-off look. Good call Jean.

Veronica sees Jacaranda's strappy gold heels and has a flashback of seeing her mother's feet when she was killed. She tells Victor that Jacaranda's sandals are like the ones her mother was wearing the day she died. But wait a minute, no, she remembers nothing, she's confused. Victor thinks the shrink can help her remember so she can face her demons.

Manola visits Gustavo who is looking slightly less dead since I saw him last week. She holds a mirror up to his face and asks if he still sees the robust man who was always ready to make important decisions. "You are but a shadow of what you were." Dang, she's mean!! He thinks "I'm not going to stay this way forever. One day I'll be what I once was, then you're going to pay." He touches her hand and she freaks. She she must move fast before he regains his faculties.

Manola tells Nicolas that Gustavo moved his hand. They agree that if he recovers and opens his mouth she'll go to jail. She says if it weren't for that stupid Federico not letting her have a second go at him she wouldn't have this problem, what to do what to do? Nicolas says "keep a cool head for now until we come up with a plan." This father and daughter are quite a pair.

Sergio sees Nutria at the doctor's office. She says her new treatment has given her hope.

Juanita is walking along the road with a basket of goodies. Rodrigo drives us, jumps out of his car and asks, "are you going to visit your grandma Little Red Riding Hood (Caperuza)? Better watch out for the hungry wolf!" He grabs her apple and takes a bite, starts fondling her and making racist remarks, "you're not so ugly with a bath to get rid of the fleas." What a creep! Daniel drives up and chases him off, saving Juanita from the big bad wolf.

Andres, Unibrow and Gordo are in the vineyard and Uni wants to know why Andres is limping. Guess he hurt his hamburger. Uni tells Gordo that he experienced something strange, there was a call from a woman, he's sure it was Maite's voice. Gordo says that can't be, it must be the effect of moving back to Santa Maria.

Federico tells Sergio that he has to leave the hacienda without making a fuss. Sergio should gather his things and leave willingly or Federico will have to use force. Sergio runs to the library and tells Jacinta she can't throw him out in his condition. He is condemned to die. He has an incurable disease and has little time to live. She looks like she wishes he were already dead.

A ranch hand has brought Valeria her horse. Suddenly Andres arrives (and nearly knocks her over! Haven't they heard of retakes?) She's angry. He doesn't know why. He should know why. He doesn't know why. The women! What women? The women in the photo and don't try to hide it. It was just a photo, where's the trust? She runs to her horse and rides off in a huff "to think." After all that moping and sobbing all she wants to do is ride away? Young love is so tedious. Andres jumps on the ranch hand's horse in hot pursuit.

Back at the hacienda Jacinta asks Sergio "what kind of cock-and-bull story (patraña) is this illness?" He tells her he has lung cancer. Jacinta, always sensitive, says "of course, I told you since you were a boy what a risk smoking is." Anyway, she ends up believing him.

Daniel drives Juanita home. He can't believe that Rodrigo is Gustavo's son, they are so different. And how about a coffee sometime?

Jacinta says Sergio can stay. Nobody can say that Doña Jacinta Valladolid threw her dying brother out into the street.

Pancho accuses Maite of being more interested in Ulises than him. No, she tells him, she is equally uninterested in them both. She has to concentrate on Veronica's shrink visits. Oh, by the way, she heard the voice of her one true love recently and it brought back a flood of memories, she saw his face in her mind. (Scary thought.) Pancho's ardor is not dampened by this ball-busting revelation and he tells her she can always "look to him" if she needs a friend.

As Valeria gallops toward the hacienda gate it spontaneously closes in front of her horse. She is thrown and lands in a heap in the dirt. Luckily the dashing Andres is right behind her and he jumps off to assist. All of a sudden they hear a menacing snorting and pawing at the ground. It is an angry bull...and so close...whatever will they do?!?!?!

Labels: barrera