Caray, Caray!

After Alejandro finally falls asleep, Miranda talks to Luciano. His part in everything is mentioned, Miranda says he owes her an apology and he gives it, they decide to forget about it and move on. This is the first sensible conversation anyone has had in a long time. They decide to leave Al and Daira alone to sleep, he’s going to give her a ride. Miranda tells him to check out Pamela while he’s out, basically throwing Pamela at Luciano’s feet on her behalf. Luciano likes the idea. This is a very easy idea to like. Miranda says Pamela loves him. He says really? She says if you don’t believe me ask her yourself!

Amparito and Carola have a conversation about what strong independent women they are. Amparito then fills Carola in on all the recent drama in the San Llorente family. Then they talk about people from different classes and Carola thinks Juan and Renata will never last.

Miranda and Renata talk about how disconsolate Al and Daira are. This is the most boring episode ever. So far I don’t think I’ve even seen anyone standing up. Sitting, talking about how sad or dead people are. Booooooring. Charo comes in and says that Carola was there earlier looking for Renata, ooooops she forgot, Charo says it’s ok they spent hours in the kitchen talking. The excitement never stops around here. Renata goes to her room and has a Gollum/Smeagol conversation with herself in the mirror about whether to stick it out with Juan or not. As much as I liked watching Renata acclimate to Juan’s household, that’s how much I hate this whole extension of that story where she keeps thinking about leaving him to go back to the San Llorente house. He’s always at work anyway, just hang out there with Miranda. Jeez. And then, to top it all off, Juan arrives. She doesn’t need to leave him to spend time at the rich house. It’s a very contrived and silly plotline.

Daira comes to Al and they discuss how they dreamed that Lasagna was smiling and happy, maybe that means she’s content in the afterlife. Al begs her to stay in Mexico, but Daira says she can’t. Al begs for forgiveness, Daira says it’s not his fault. She says there isn’t anyone who can stop a girl from becoming a woman and making her own decisions. Something like that. Basically Lasagna messed up and there’s nothing they could have done about it.

Miranda tells Gonzalo that she left Al with Daira, she’ll see them tomorrow. Charo comes in to tell her something about Bertha. She has a message for Bertha from someone that called from Italy. I think it said “The thing about Alejandro is delicate, he’s there but he has important allies, call me when you can.” Miranda thanks Charo for telling her.

Fab’s cell – El Guapo is getting chewed out by Trinidad for what he is doing, his mother would be ashamed. He says he’s just helping someone teach Fab a lesson. Then he comments on how good-looking Fab is. Oh please Guapo let’s not go there. She tells Guapo that she did NOT call Fab’s mother like he begged her to. She tells Guapo also that this is the last time she’ll help him with something like this. He says he has something else for her to do and she disgustedly leaves. Guapo wakes up Fab by pouring water on his head. He tells him that it’s time to go. Where? To your destiny! Guapo calls someone on the cell phone. Bertha, presumably –

Bertha and Cesar are sitting opposite each other at a nice table at Casa San Llorente. Bertha is telling Guapo on the phone “Ok thank you for your work” and hangs up. There’s a knock on the door, Charo enters and gives Bertha the rundown on who is in the house, and that Juan came to be with Renata. Cesar says “Charo..” and she stops but Cesar says never mind and lets her go. Weird. Maybe he was checking her out, he needs a new amante to replace Lasagna after all. Charo has the personality of a child, though, that would be strange and creepy. Bertha is furious that Juan came, Cesar agrees that they need to scare him off and refers to him as “Juanita.” Bertha says, “Renata. That’s all I can think of” and grins at Cesar, who smiles shyly like he just received a present. He says he totally agrees. Bertha has just told him to try and seduce Renata. Or perhaps to take her by force. I’m not sure but Cesar the dog likes the idea. She says she has to be very firm with Fab as well, Cesar says he understands.

Miranda has a bland conversation with Al on the phone, rest up, yeah you too, tomorrow I’m going to the office, yeah great, I’m going to stay home and talk to some people, sounds great, I’ll see you tomorrow I love you, you too.

Juan tells Renata that he’ll be with her wherever, be it at his house or here at the rich house. Pleeeeease tell me that this means the whole thing about leaving Juan and the endless conversations about it are over. This plot needs to die. Bertha interrupts their kissing by barging in. Bertha claims that she thought Renata was alone. Renata starts to make an excuse for Juan being there but Juan talks over her saying that he’s there because Renata is his wife and he has the right. Gonzalo walks in and says “you heard it, Bertha.” Bertha is muy impactada. “uh uh Gonzalo, when did you get here?” Gonzalo doesn’t answer, he just tells her to get out. Awesome. Bertha has bug eyes and we see her bugging out in slow motion leading to the commercial. After the commercial, she asks Renata to defend her to Gonzalo, which Renata half-heartedly does. Bertha goes on a hyper rant about being treated unfairly, how Gonzalo doesn’t treat the women correctly, etc. She was the parent for the girls, not him, not Fernanda, not Tomasa. Juan interrupts and says “whatever Bertha that’s not what we’re talking about here.” Gonzalo agrees. Renata comforts Bertha. I think she is the only one left who is nice to Bertha, she’s losing her grip on this family. Juan says “Renata, aren’t you going to greet your father? He’s waiting.” Renata leaves Bertha to go to Gonzalo and Bertha runs out of the room. Juan for the first time ever changes his facial expression and cracks a smug smile. He knows he’s in control.

Bertha runs into her room and starts ranting to Lucas – “He’ll be sorry!” Juan is now her #1 enemy. She swears vengeance for making her look foolish. Then she uses Lucas as a pillow and lays on the floor. Lucas does not look like he approves of this arrangement and fidgets a lot.

Gonzalo says he’ll leave Miranda to rest and first thing in the morning he’ll call Alejandro. Renata gets up suddenly and says she wants to check on Bertha. Juan looks stunned, or is that just his normal look back again? Gonz tells him that he’ll get this and more dealing with Bertha, Juan agrees and comments that Gonz doesn’t seem to like her any more than he does. But above all, nobody is getting between him and Renata. Gonz tells him that maybe Renata doesn’t love him the same way, many things are different between them. Oh GOD NOT THIS AGAIN I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER. Juan says whatever they love each other, period. Thank you Juan for trying to give this plot the death it deserves. I apologize for mocking your inability to move your mouth. I take all back, please kill this plot. If you do, I will tell everyone how you emote like no other. Please I’m begging you. Juan tries hard – Gonz starts a sentence with “She is my daughter” but Juan cuts him off and says “With all due respect, she is my wife. Please allow me to take my rightful place.” Gonz appears to acquiesce, pats him on the arm, and leaves. Juan heaves a huge sigh, that took some guts.

Bertha is laying on Lucas and whimpering pitifully. Somebody shoot her. Lucas has apparently given up trying to free himself. Bertha starts whining about Juan and Renata says that he came because she wanted him here. Bertha claims that Juan is practically acting like he owns the place. Whatever. Bertha says he’s trying to displace her, he’ll come in here and take over. Everyone treats her like garbage. Waa waa waa, cry cry cry, rant rant rant. She starts rubbing her forehead and tells Renata to order Juan to treat her with respect. Renata nods. Good luck with that Renata, Juan appears to have grown a spine, it won’t be easy. I sense that there will be a fight, and the whole “should I stay or should I go” (darling you’ve got to let me kno-oow, should I stay or should I go – R.I.P. Joe Strummer) plot will live again. Like a bad cold, this will just not go away. I’m going to cry.

Gonz has apparently decided that Miranda doesn’t need to rest after all and he goes to see her. She is happy to see him. He says he had to give her a kiss before going to bed for the night. Gonz is now on a mission. He is going to clear everything up. Starting first thing in the morning. He has said “first thing in the morning” three different times now, does that mean he’s going to die in his sleep before having the chance to do anything? We’ll see. Miranda says she and Al have started to put the puzzle together. Gonz says he’s just missing a couple pieces and they’ll have it all together. They declare their love for each other, Miranda delivers some of her contractually-obligated daily tears. He tells her that she was always closer to him and he’s not supposed to have a favorite daughter, but her happiness means more to him than the others. More hugs, more tears. He tells her to rest, tomorrow is another day. Another reference to tomorrow. Something is going to happen, I’m telling you! Also, Miranda cries some more.

Renata is going to reproach Juan. Thin ice, girl. She says that Bertha can be the worst kind of monster but he has no right to treat her how he does. Does this make sense to anyone else? Ok good thought it was just me. He defends himself admirably, finally she has to say “she’s my family so you have to treat her nice.” He says he’s going to his house, she asks him to stay, she wants to be near him. He says come with me then, to the only place I have to offer you right now. She just asks him to stay again. He tells her, “it doesn’t matter to you that they humiliate me? You want me to stay anyway?” She says yes, he says “screw this man I’m outta here” and opens the door – “tell me, are you going to stay or go?”

The new day has arrived, I wonder how Gonzalo is? First we go to the supermarket where Carola is now training new people. This is basically an extension of the commercial break, it’s a big commercial for the store where she works. Chedragui I believe it’s called. Her boss comes up and tells everyone how great Carola is. Carola talks about how great the store is some more.

Nuria is cleaning Cesar’s apartment. Her apartment too I guess now, right? What a life. “I can give you all this – now clean it.” Cesar laughs at her as he walks into the room. The dumb bimbo thinks he’s smiling at her and is happy. He grunts that he’s got things to do and she says she’s going to church and to see Florencia. He tells her to hurry and be home when he returns. Then something about how she better keep the place clean and he gets a little rough with her, she says fine fine I’ll make sure everything stays clean. He kisses her roughly and bites her lip. She complains that it hurt. He says where there is no pain there is no love, right? She nods. NO SAY IT he tells her so she says “yes.” This guy is a textbook abuser. He sure seems able to find weak women easily. What on earth keeps this woman from just taking off and never coming back? Instead she gets to cleaning like he ordered her. She stops, she sees something, Lasagna’s necklace!

Luciano is complaining that things look worse as he looks on the computer. Al emerges looking good as new. He says talking to Daira helped him feel better. Luciano asks if he’s going to open an investigation of Lasagna’s death, Al says no. Fernanda said it was a natural death, Daira signed off on it, she wouldn’t want to keep things stirred up. So we’ll have to wait for dummy Nuria to tell somebody about the necklace before the investigation starts. Daira walks in to interrupt and tells Luciano that it wasn’t murder so drop it. He apologizes and asks if she has decided what she is going to do. Yes, she’s going back to Italy for some spiritual retreat. Al doesn’t like the idea of her being out of contact. She says she’ll be fine.

Nuria returns to the apartment and Cesar is already there. She says hello and he shushes her. She seems oblivious to his short temper, how can she not have that figured out by now? He tells her that Fabricio is there so she has to be quiet, don’t ask how he rescued him. He tells her that she can tell Fab that she is his wife now, etc. Cesar leaves. Now we see that Nuria is wearing Lasagna’s necklace! She looks at it as Fabricio comes out of the back room. Fab says he’s happy to be back. He isn’t going to see Flor right away because Cesar told him it would kill her from surprise. He asks why Nuria is here, she tells him that she and Cesar are married. He looks stunned by this.

Bertha finds Charo to get the scoop on who had breakfast, where they went, etc. Charo tells her about Gonzalo going to the hacienda to look for proof of something. Bertha wonders what proof that is. Renata comes in looking sad, Juan didn’t stay the night. Bertha tells her something self-serving, “I never did anything blah blah he made me feel bad I don’t like him.” Charo comes in but Renata doesn’t want to eat. This plot will not die and I swear if we weren’t getting near the end of this novela it might be enough to make me stop watching this show.

Miranda is talking to Mophead and telling her to not worry about being such a disaster with Florencia. Cesar walks in and tells his mother that the kidnappers have demanded a million Pesos to not kill Juan. Everyone is impactado.

Also, all the foreshadowing about Gonzalo not seeing the morning appears to have been for nothing.

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