Caray, Caray!

The story opens with Elias and Blanca together with Soledad in her room. Elias is telling Soledad that she can count on their help when Don Loco bursts in accusing Elias of "declaring his love" for Soledad. (Yeah, with his wife right there in the room…)

Back near the river, Emilioooo and Floralina are locked in an embrace, mostly by Emilio. Floralina gets knocked back on the ground and her hand touches something hard. It's Thelma's brooch! The one that Emilio gave her! Recall that night when Thelma went for a midnight horseback ride and Gaspar tried to get her to get off her horse, the brooch fell on the ground. Anyhow, Emilio wants to know what Floralina has in her hand and she innocently shows it to him. He thinks that it's payola—that Thelma bribed Floralina with it, to let her marry him. Like she would be still carrying this around? If it was worth that much, wouldn't she have hocked it? Oh well, back to the story.

Elias and Blanca are facing a hostile Don Loco in Soledad's room. Soledad turns on the crazy again and Don Loco is satisfied that nothing transpired. After she leaves "to go rest." Elias says, Soledad seems to be getting worse (and) strange that she never mentions Alina. Don Loco tells him that "the doctor says that visits are strictly forbidden" Blanca chimes in "we were just leaving." But no, Don Loco wants to talk to Elias in his office. Blanca waits in the great room, while Don Loco and her husband go to talk.

Floralina and Emilio are arguing about the brooch. Floralina tries to suggest that Thelma dropped it but Emilio is sure that Floralina is lying, that she got paid off to convince the padre to let Thelma marry him.

Elias and Don Loco are in Don Loco's hacienda office. Don Loco warns him not to come near Soledad or he'll shoot him. Elias says not to worry, but he'll be sorry someday when he finds out how wrong he is.

Soledad is back in her room, talking to Adela. Soledad is just happy to have gotten some company and Adela remarks that it's been years since anybody visited her. Soledad is so happy, she tells Adela that she's even hungry! She remarks at how Blanca and Elias are her oldest and best friends. Adela says, well what am I, chopped liver? (not exactly, but you get the drift) Soledad recovers nicely—"You are like my sister!" Awww Senito! Says Adela and they hug eachother.

Back at la Rinconada Thelma is searching for the infamous brooch. Rebeca the singing Aunt comes in to tell her that all the soldiers applauded her singing downstairs. Thelma says, they were probably just humoring you. "And besides, how can you mix with those "ladies" of ill repute (meaning Coral and Granillo). Aunt Rebeca says something to the effect that she can mix with anyone and not sully herself, like a bird flying above it all. Thelma is too cross to acknowledge this. She wonders aloud if she dropped the broach when she went to go see Luba.

We have a Jose scene without a Mariana scene, they are really mixing it up now! Jose has been captured again, this time by what look like central American military or paramilitary guys since they have black uniforms. They figure he's a rebel since he just walked out of rebel territory. When he says no, that he was just traveling through the area, they don't believe him. Jose says he's not part of any group, he just wants to get home to his family in Mexico. The leader says then he won't mind telling him what he knows. When Jose protests that he doesn't know anything, the leader has him taken away at gun point, probably to cool his heels and think some more about what he knows.

Oh, a Mariana-Marianita scene! Maybe they are just reversing them. Marianita is in the school yard with the singing boy and the bitchy little girls who are making fun of Marianita, not because she has no hair but because she has no papa. (Shades of the little girl in Heridas…) Just then Mariana walks up with Dr. Fonseca in tow. She runs up to Dr. Fonseca, hugs him and yells Papito! In front of the other little girls. I guess in telenovelaland. Little girls think that a fake Papa is better than none at all. Dr. Fonseca is somewhat impactado. The singing kid turns to the other little girls and says, "See, she has a daddy!"

Back at the river, Emilio is still harassing Floralina and demanding that she tell him what he wants to know, that she was bribed to let Thelma marry him. They continue to fight this way until Emilio insults her by saying she has no last name. Floralina gets mad and slaps him. and Emilio grabs her and kisses her. She calls him "abusive" and he rips the heart necklace off of her neck saying that it belongs to him and that neither it nor the brooch belongs to her. He stalks off, leaving Floralina crying over the loss of her heart (necklace).

Thelma and the singing Aunt are walking in the garden. Actually, Thelma is walking fast and her Aunt is trying to keep up with her. Thelma is ticked that they have to stay at the hacienda with all of this riff raff (gentusa). She thinks that Emilio is staying there on purpose to punish her. Aunt Rebecca suggests that Thelma do as she does, not to show that any of it bothers her. Thelma just gets angrier and tells her Aunt to do whatever she wants. As Rebecca flounces away back the hacienda, Thelma sees some bushes moving at the edge of the garden and yells out for whomever it is to show themselves. Nobody comes out so Thelma backs away, toward the hacienda.

Back at Hacienda Loco, Don Loco enters Soledad's room. She's sitting at the dressing table as usual. Don Loco makes a comment about her being alone and Soledad points to the mirror and says she's not alone. Don Loco then makes some disparaging comments about Elias and Blanca and Soledad pretends not to remember them. Don Loco says, that may well be but woe be tide if she and Elias ever try to get together again. Soledad does her cheerful crazy act and Don Loco leaves. Soledad says, to nobody in particular. "Ay, Alvaro, you are really crazy!

Blanca and Elias are returning to his temporary housing near the construction site. Blanca tells Elias that he can see why Don Loco is jealous. Every time Elias looks at Soledad, it's clear that he's in love with her. Elias protests that he holds her in high esteem but that's all. It's Blanca he's in love with and Blanca he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

Back at la rinconada—apparently Aunt Rebecca's singing was just Act 1 of the Panchanga. (I guess this was the party Emilio was talking about throwing last week? If so, he's a terrible host skipping out to be nasty to Flor). Coral is shaking her knockers in some kind of dance. After which everybody applauds. Grani and Aunt Rebecca chat about the dance and AR confesses to Grani that she can't dance worth a lick. That people actually cry when they see her dance she's so bad. Grani says he's a choreographer and he'll work with her. Next thing you know, Grani and AR are out there cutting the rug in dramatic fashion.

Emilio walks in, still holding the heart necklace. Coral sidles up to him and asks him where he has been. Emilio says that he has just been out getting some air. He looks at the necklace and Coral asks if it is for her. Emilio says no, that it's a special necklace, or something like that.

Thelma bursts into Castulo's room. She's anxious all the time that Gaspar is lurking around. Castulo asks if she's given any more thought to his offer. Thelma says, "Well, if there's no other way.." Castulo begins attacking her like a dog with a piece of meat, while Thelma cringes.

Luba's kicking back smoking a joint while talking to Rosita and Gaspar in the cave. Flor runs in crying. Rosita wants to know what happened. "I saw Emilio and he stole my heart necklace, the one he gave to me." Gaspar offers to try to get it back but Luba shouts "No" at him and Luba says it's better that it's gone, you should be trying to forget him anyway. Flor disagrees. She says that the heart necklace was the only thing she had to remind her of the "good" Emilio. She suddenly decides that she's going to la Rinconada to get it back. Rosita tries to dissuade her. Luba just shakes her head.

Don Loco's been busy. He's on horseback with the foreman trying to convince his workers that the highway is bad news. He argues that the big hacienda will be broken up in to smaller farms and homes and they'll lose their jobs and their homes. Frankly, if I were one of these guys I would be thinking, OK, on the one hand, I'm practically a slave to Don Loco or if the highway comes, on the other hand, I could get a job with the highway construction and then with some new business that locates here…but no, these people are seriously risk averse and, well, the devil you know is always better than the devil you haven't met yet. They raise their pitchforks and machetes and pledge to fight to stop the highway.

Flor is crying and whining that she wants to go to La Rinconada but Luba demands that she stay put. Rosita tries to reason with her that Luba is right. Flor cries that the last time she felt alive was when Emilio gave that heart to her. It's as if he had stolen her real heart. (Cut to Tonki who is looking mighty upset that his mistress is crying). Luba counters that if they discover Flor at la Rinconada they are going to accuse her of stealing. Flor says no, she'll be extra quiet and she'll leave Tonki behind). She takes off before anyone else can say anything. Rosita also turns to go and Luba asks, "Where are you going?" "To pray for Flor" says Rosita. Luba turns around and looks at Gaspar.

At La Rinconada in Thelma's bedroom, Thelma is in the afterglow of knocking boots with Castulo. She remarks to herself that Castulo wasn't so bad, that she had really needed to be in the arms of a real man, after all. In fact, she closed her eyes and imagined that Castulo was Emilio and it was easy. Much easier than she thought.

Back in Mexico City, Mariana is apologizing to Doctor Fonseca that Marianita told the little girls that he was her Daddy. Dr. Fonseca says no problem. Besides, he'd be happy to be her real Daddy someday. The singing kid says that Marianita's mom is angry because she lied to the other little girls about Dr. Fonseca. Marianita doesn't care; she had to get back at those girls. And she thinks it would be great if Dr. Fonseca and her mom got together and got married. SK says, that's not very likely. Marianita says that she's going to work on them to make it happen.

Back in the Cave, Luba is alone with Gaspar. She's worried about Flor. If the patron finds out she's been running around again, he's going to kill me! Gaspar gets up from, his chair and says "If the Patron tries to kill you, I'll kill him!" Luba freaks out and makes him promise not to do that—she is more worried about him than her own life. Gaspar agrees not to go after the Patron and he gives her a kiss on the cheek. Gaspar then says that they are out of candles. Luba goes to fetch one and Gaspar runs out of the cave when her back is turned.

At la Riconada again, Emilio is in his room with the necklace clutched in his hand. He has an orange flashback of when he gave the necklace. He leaves it on the desk and picks up the brooch, heading for Thelma's room.

Near the river, Gaspar is sitting watching the water go by. Castulo sees him and takes out his knife. He's going to cut his throat.

Emilio comes into Thelma's room. She's apparently taken a bath and is in a pink bathrobe. Emilio drops the brooch on a table and says he's returning it to her. Thelma, says, thanks, she lost it somewhere. Emilio says I found it near Luba's cave, by the river. "What were you doing there?"

Speaking of Luba, we cut to her back at the cave. She asks the Virgin to protect Gaspar.

Thelma is yelling. "Why would I visit Luba?" Emilio says he doesn't know she should tell him. He's still sure that Thelma paid Flor off with it. Thelma is impactada. Clearly she hadn't thought of this and will probably weigh her options as to whether this story will help or hurt her with Emilio. It does make Flor look bad.

Castulo has engaged Gaspar. For some reason he has given up the element of surprise and yells and comes at him with his big knife. Gaspar fights him off pretty well but the two of them are fighting right next to a giant waterfall which makes things tricky. Castulo grabs Gaspar's head and holds it under water. He flips Castulo in the water. Castulo heads down the waterfall and shouts for help. He's drowning. Gaspar deliberates on the bank about what to do. "You tried to kill me" he shouts. Then he feels bad and decides to jump in and save him. (What a guy! 1 Gaspar = 10 Emilio's in my book). Gaspar manages to fight against the current and grab Castulo and pull him to safety. Not so stupid, he picks up a big rock and demands to know who sent Castulo to kill him. Castulo gives him a doleful look.

Alina in her little pink skirt and espadrilles is heading for la Riconada. Tonki rushes up and she scolds him for leaving the cave. Just then Orlando rides up on a horse and says he went to go find her. There's a party on at La Riconada and he'd sure like it if she would come.

Castulo tells Gaspar that it's Thelma that has bought his services as an assassin. She hates you Gaspar, you scare her and she wants to get rid of you. You can see all the fight leave Gaspar, he drops the rock and walks away. Castulo says to himself, that Gaspar is crazy but he can't kill him now. He's just saved his life.

Emilio and Thelma are still having their "discussion" about the brooch. Sure enough, Thelma has decided that it's better if Emilio thinks that Flor was bribed. She tells Emilio that Flor herself asked for the brooch as payment. "She's very ambitious" says Thelma. Emilio agrees that Flor seems to like jewels. Thelma goes on to further say that she would have given up everything to marry Emilio, if only to give her kid a name. Thelma tries to give the brooch back but Emilio says no, keep it. She tries to get him to pin it—I am not sure where exactly, on her robe? On her bra? But he doesn't fall for it and he hands her the brooch and leaves.

Tonki is barking at Orlando's horse. Floralina refuses to go to the party with him. What's more, she wants him to try to stop seeing him. She's trying to avoid everybody at la Rinconada right now, so that her Father doesn't do anything else. Orlando tries to sweet talk her but Flor just says to leave her alone and that if he comes near her, she'll sic her dog on him. She walks away. Orlando comments to nobody in particular that he likes Flor's spirit and he's definitely going to try to win her over.

Back at Hacienda Loco, Soledad is still in her room. She wishes she could see Alina. Alvaro walks in and She asks him if she can see her daughter. Alvaro says no and Soledad tries to pretend that she's been having a conversation with the Virgin statue in her room about Alina and the virgin thinks it would be great if she could see Alina. Alvaro doesn't go for it but suddenly, he's a horndog and he tries to get Soledad in the sack. (Very strange music here—like some kind of ominous chanting) . At first she's compliant but then she resists and starts talking about Alina again. Alvaro complains that she's his wife, she has no right to refuse him. He does agree to let her see Alina. But you won't like what I've done with her, he says.

Coral and Emilio are walking arm in arm out of the hacienda. Coral says that she can tell Emilio's in a bad mood, probably because of that wife of his. Emilio asks her to explain. She says she knows when he goes to see Thelma, he always leaves in a bad mood. Besides, Thelma came to her room and threatened her and tried to make her leave. Emilio looks grouchy than impactado again. Coral persuades him to go back inside and join the party.

Don Max has is over at Don Loco's sipping a copita and smoking a cigar on his couch. He says he's come over to check on him plus his nephew has turned the Hacienda into a party house. Don Loco complains that his nephew has brought nothing but trouble with that damn highway. And by the way, the workers are starting a protest against the highway…he's not sure "how to handle it." Don Max says he'd better be careful not to get into another fight with his nephew. Don Loco says he's never had any problems with his nephew. Don Max nearly chokes on his rum or brandy or whatever. Yeah that little shooting thing—"That was just personal" says Don Loco. Whatever.

Flor and Tonki are walking in a Banana grove. She tries to get Tonki to stay and wait for her. She's still going to try to get into la Rinconda to get her heart back.

Don Max is drinking all of Don Loco's booze. Don Loco doesn't seem to care. Don Max is talking about Soledad and about how he understands why Don Loco is still wound up about her cheating on him. Max gets up and says he has to go (no doubt, the booze he likes is gone.)

Thelma and Aunt Rebecca are in her room. Thelma is chortling over the fact that she has gotten Emilio to think Flor is just out for money. She asks AR if the party is still going on. Yes, AR tells her and Emilio is with Coral. Thelma doesn't like this news very much. Now that she's gotten rid of Flor, she needs to work on getting rid of Coral.

Rosita and Vera are in the kitchen chopping stuff and talking. All of the sudden, the drunken Don Max appears and he starts asking Vera to make him some food when he catches sight of Rosita. He then orders Vera to go to the main hall and ask if anyone wants anything so he can be alone with Rosita. Rosita moves away. Don Max keeps after her and tells her she's beautiful and he wants to marry her.

Emilio and Thelma run out into the garden arguing about Coral. Emilio says by what right did you order an invited guest of mine away from the hacienda. Thelma tries to give him the big Mrs. Valtierra act but he doesn't buy it. In the background he sees something fly by. It's Flor. Emilio is distracted from his argument with Thelma.

Don Max the letch grabs Rosita and puts her up on the counter while she is screaming. He tries to rip off her clothes. Just then, Santos rushes in. Don Max at first pretends to let her go then kicks Santos to the floor and resumes raping Rosita. Santos is not down for the count however and grabs a pitcher and smacks Don Max over the head with it. Rosita is hysterical and thinks that Santos killed Don Max. She tells him to flee. Vera comes in and demands to know what happened. Rosita tells her and Vera checks Don Max. She tells Rosita to calm down. Don Max is merely drunk. She tells Rosita to leave. After a few seconds, Don Max gets up shouting that he's going to kill Santos and he runs out brandishing his gun.

Thelma and Emilio are still looking around to see what that flash of pink and white was. Emilio goes a little into the thicket but not enough to see Flor hiding in there. Thelma calls him back and they go back into the house.

Meanwhile, Flor has made it into the servants' quarters and she asks Vera for her help. Vera is doubtful; the Patron is scouring the house looking for intruders (like Santos). Flor begs and Vera agrees to distract Jaime (one of the doofuses who is always trying and failing to guard the hacienda). Flor tells Vera that she is trying to get back her heart. I don't think Vera understands it's her necklace that she's talking about because she looks at her strangely.

Back at the cave, Gaspar is whining to Luba that Thelma doesn't love him. Luba carries the red fire on the wall over to the hearth. She tells him to shut up and sit down. She begins brushing his hair roughly every time he starts whining about how Thelma doesn't love him.

Flor has made it to Emilio's room. She spies the heart and picks it up. Just then Emilio and Thelma enter and turn on the lights. Busted! Emilio accuses her of being a thief. Emilio thinks that she's stolen the brooch but Flor denies it. She never saw the brooch until that day when she found it. Emilio says he wants to see what she has in her hand. Thelma tries to diffuse the situation by saying that Flor should give it back and then she can go free. (And leave). Emilio grabs Flor's hand and then tries to wrest it from her. Just then Angel, who has been MIA this whole episode walks in and takes Flor's side.

Santos is back in his shack at the construction site. His mom, Carmen is there, for some reason. She notices the big bruise on his face and asks him what happened. He tells her he thinks he killed Don Maximo. Carmen is impactada.

In Emilio's room there is still the argument going on with Flor, Angel, Emilio and Thelma over whether Flor is a thief and what she has in her hand. Finally It's the heart necklace. She dares him to report her to the authorities. Flor insists that it belongs to her. Emilio says that it doesn't belong to her. Flor says yes it does. She's the daughter of Don Alvaro Montellano. "Yes, Yes, you are the bastard daughter of Don Alvaro." Says Emilio. "NO" continues Flor. "I am the daughter of Don Alvaro Montellano and his wife, Soledad. You can ask everyone, ask your servants. Everybody knows, I am Alina Montellano." Emilio is impactado.

Labels: duelo

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