Caray, Caray!

The episode opens with a replay of poor little Marianita's dying wish that her mami and papi be together.

Next we are back at Santo's and his mom, Carmen's casita in San Mateo where the doctor is with Carmen as she is explaining to the Doctor that she's not really sick. Her fainting spell was to convince Santos not to go back to Sierra Escondida, where he might meet up again with his dad and arch enemy, Don Max. Santos rushes in and asks the doctor how his mom is. The doctor is playing along—he tells Santos that his mother just needs a rest and to basically do whatever she wants—no drama. It would be bad for her. The doctor leaves and Santos is full of solicitous concern. He promises not to leave town.

Back at the church in Sierra Escondida, Padre Cristobal is tending to Elias's wounds from "the fight" (actually, I think Don Loco had him on the ground with about 2 punches). Elias asks the Padre why is so quiet. PC says he's thinking about how Don Loco (who is such a credible source on these matters) told him that Emilio wants Alina to work as a maid at his hacienda. Elias becomes enraged and, still bleeding from a cut lip, pounds on the table and insists that God put him in Sierra Escondida to put a stop to these abuses against Soledad and Alina.

On the way back to La Rinconada, Alina sits across from Emilio who is looking either sulky or pensive I can't tell which. Suddenly Alina, who is bursting out of her blouse, as usual, jumps out of the coach and gets spattered with mud on the ground. Emilio tells the guy to stop. Apparently, there is a driver and his name is Chucho. Emilio immediately reaches Alina and asks why she is trying to get away. Alina says if he really cared about her, he'd let her go. Emilio says, "why, so that they can trap you again?" Emilio confesses his love for her and kisses her, large mouth bass sucky face style as the romantic theme music swells.

We zip over to Mexico City where Arcado is with Jose, outside his little girl's hospital room. Jose is ripping himself saying that he has been a bad father. Arcadio disagrees. He tells him that he tried to provide for his family and he never stopped trying to get back to see them. Malena is there, pacing around in the background.

Dr. Love pops out of Marianita's room. Jose asks, "how is my daughter?" (Wait a minute, I thought she was dead?) Dr. Love says, we've stabilized her. (I thought she was stable as in DEAD!) Jose announces that he's going to Sierra Escondida to get Mariana. Arcadio says he's coming too. Jose urges the doctor to take care of his little girl and leaves. Doctor Love looks over at Malena who is clearly uncomfortable. "I've lost her" he says. "Marianita's father is back!" Malena says, not to worry yet. When Mariana gets back, they should say nothing to her about Jose being there. And hopefully Marianita won't either. Dr. Love says dryly that Marianita is so weak that in a few hours, she won't be able to talk. Nice one doc.

In San Mateo, Mariana is just hanging up the phone. She hasn't been able to reach Malena and is worried that something has happened. Hugo comes up and tells her the bus is leaving. She bids him farewell and tells him to tell her brother that she hopes he can come to the wedding and that Hugo can also be there. With a friendly smile, Hugo sees her off. He then grimaces when she turns away.

Alina and Emilio finish up their kissy face and Alina breaks away and asks him, "What are you going to do with me when we get back the hacienda?"

At Hacienda de Loco, Soledad and Don Loco have arrived. Soledad seems to have grown a spine since the incident at the church. She's yelling at him that she never cheated on him, that he's crazy (He yells at her not to ever call him crazy—hit a nerve there I guess) and that the only reason she went back with him was so that he wouldn't kill Elias and Alina. She continues on a tirade and ends up saying, "maybe in the end it will be me who winds up killing YOU!" She stomps off leaving Alvaro looking a little lost for words for once.

Alina and Emilio are having their post kiss discussion. Alina challenges him saying that her father said that he only wanted her at the hacienda as his maid. Emilio says he knows, and that it's a lie. She goes on to remind him that he's married. Emilio says "but you still love me." Alina says, "what good does it do to tell you how I feel when we can't be together?" Emilio grudgingly accepts her logic, "Your kiss told me everything. I'll be content with that." They both head back to the carriage.

Elias and Padre Cristobal are still in conference at PC's Church office. Elias says he is worried that Soledad has given up trying to go against Don Loco. PC says no, he thinks that Soledad is strong. She'd have to be to put up with all that Don Loco has done to her over the last couple of years. Elias seizes this and exclaims that Soledad is strong, very strong and that she's going to need him to help her again in the near future to finally get out of Alvaro's clutches. PC nods slowly and looks a little uncomfortable.

Emilio and Alina are quiet again on the rest of the ride to La Rinconada. Emilio looks out the window and orange flashbacks that same night on the beach in Cancun when he got to second base with Alina. Alina orange flashbacks right after that, the night of her friend's going away party when they first met and they danced on the terrace. They exchange uncomfortable glances.

In his office, Don Max is pouring brandy or whiskey out of his decanter and is clearly in a good mood about something. He toasts himself saying "Maximo you are the Maximo!" (the best, the top, etc.) Laughing he plops on the couch. Suddenly Emilio enters the room with Alina and Don Max freaks out. Emilio explains that Alina will be staying at the hacienda. Max splutters "What about Alvaro?" Alina butts in and says, "Please Emilio, don't lie. I am here to work as a servant for the Valtierra Family." Emilio looks perplexed as does Don Max.

Gaspar and Luba are in the cave. Luba's worrying about Floralina. Gaspar says he's worried too. Luba asks him to find out if Don Loco got her before she could escape. I think a visit to Hacienda de Loco is what she's suggesting. Not just Gaspar but herself. She looks in her piece of mirror, pinches her cheeks to blush them, fixes a braid and picks up a bunch of chrysanthemums that are in a vase on the table. Out the door they go.

Back at La Rinconada, Don Max is pensive. Emilio insists that she isn't there to work. Alina says she has to have some role, for her own dignity's sake. Max agrees. It would be better to have some distance between the two of them. (Like he is some kind of social arbiter? Give me a break!) He takes Emilio aside and says, look, I've gone along with all your decisions. This time, I am going to agree with her. Alvaro may be crazy but he's not stupid. Don Max runs out of the room yelling for Vera, the housekeeper. Emilio turns to Alina and asks her why she is insisting on this. Alina says she will not accept staying there any other way. Vera comes in and Don Max fills her in. From today on, Alina's going to be a housemaid. Vera is impactada but only for a few seconds. Don Max tells her to take Alina away and give her quarters and tell her her responsibilities. Vera leads Alina out of the room. Emilio says, "Uncle, she can't work here!" Max says "Nephew, sit down, lets have a drink and talk."

Soledad is wandering around her room. She's now dressed in all black, kind of like Don Loco's preferred style. She's complaining that Don Loco has locked her up again (Whaa?! I thought she had finally gotten through to him. Guess not). Soledad sits in front of the statue of the Virgin and prays, once again to save her daughter.

Alina and Vera are paused outside Alina's new room. Alina tells her, it's the best room she's had in a long time (certainly after a cave, a brothel and a barn it must seem like the Ritz! The church room didn't look so bad though.) Vera sighs and says she can't believe Alina being a maid. "Not in my worst nightmare," says Vera. Thelma sidles up in another one of her halter top maternity thingies, this one with sequins around the neck and empire waist. She tells Alina that she's been waiting for her to show up. Alina responds that coming to La Rinconada wasn't her idea. Thelma says she knows, it's just another one of Emilio's whims. Thelma tells Vera to leave the two of them alone. Vera protests telling her that Don Maximo ordered her…Thelma cuts her off and yells "I don't care what Don Maximo ordered, obey me!" Vera slinks off. Thelma tells her that this is her house and that Alina will have to get used to following her orders. Here she will be nothing more than a maid. For effect Thelma rubs a table and complains that it is dirty and for Alina to start cleaning. Next Thelma takes a potted plant off the table and throws it on the floor and insists that she clean that up too. "Obey me!" she yells at Alina who looks stunned. Just then Emilio comes in and says "Alina will not be cleaning anything!"

Thelma tells him to butt out. If Alina is going to be a maid, she's going to have to learn to obey her, and clean! Emilio says no, he's not going to let Thelma treat her like that. Thelma is on a rampage here. She insists that Alina be treated like a maid and what's more, she wants people to call her Flor del Campo not Alina Montellano. Alina speaks up and complains that she knows very well who she is. But Thelma plays her trump card. She accuses her of trying to break up her marriage and tells Emilio that he has to choose between her and the baby and Alina. (Now I know most of us would be saying, "gee, stone cold two faced bitch on the one hand…" but putting the baby in the mix lays a guilt trip on Emilio and Alina and you can guess what happens next.) Emilio gives her a dark look but both he and Alina are stunned into silence.

Luba has made it over to Don Loco's hacienda office. Luba tries to wheedle where Alina is out of him. She pretends that she wants to take care of her again because she can use the money. She hands him the flowers which he throws on his desk. He says she is no longer there so, that's not going to happen. She goes to a shelf and picks up a vase and plops the flowers in them. Don Loco says, "well maybe your vein of gold isn't exhausted yet. I've heard that you can work miracles with your herbs." Luba agrees that she has some skills in that area. Don Loco says he needs her to cure his wife. Luba agrees to come back with her herbs to see if she can cure her. She leaves but before she goes, she manages to polish the whip on Don Loco's desk. (Ana Martin and Sergio Goytri look like they had a blast with that scene).

Back to rampaging Thelma who is now insisting that they speak up. She says that maybe mentioning his child, did the trick. It turns out that Emilio just can't believe his luck that she's asking him to choose between her and Alina. He's about to answer when Alina interjects herself, saying that she doesn't want to be a cause of conflict between them. She says she knows what she's supposed to do and she's going for the broom. She walks off. Thelma turns to Emilio and says, "at least she knows her place in this house. Maybe you do too now." Thelma stalks off and leaves Emilio standing there looking disgruntled.

At Edelmira's, Coral and Grani are working together on some dance choreography. Coral is all bump and grind and Grani wants something more elegant and so the two have an artistic disagreement and Coral stomps off the stage followed closely by Grani. Who should enter the scene but Gaspar! I guess he had a different idea about where to look for Flor. Gaspar is immediately surrounded by several of Edelmira's girls who all seem to want him badly. They ask him to choose between them and then one gets the idea that he could have them all at once! Before it goes any farther, Edelmira shows up and tells them to scram. The guy is retarded and he has no money. (Somehow I think the latter is more important to her than the former.) He asks her about Flor and Edelmira tells him that she hasn't been there in weeks. She kicks him out.

Jaime and Vera are chatting in the kitchen about Alina's new job. She'll make sure that Flor gets some new clothes, has a bath, etc. But she is sure that Thelma is going to make her life impossible. Just then Tonqui comes running into the kitchen and starts nosing the food on the table. Everybody recognizes Tonqui as Floralina's dog. He manages to touch a sausage on the table and Jaime grabs it and runs out the door with it, closely followed by the jumping Tonqui.

It's night. Jose and Arcadio have arrived in San Mateo. They stop at Carmen and Chela's café where Chela waits on them. Santos shows up to work after staying with his mom during the day and Chela asks him to wait on the two men. Santos takes one look and realizes that one of them is Jose Gomez.

In Puebla, General Ochoa is conferring with an officer about the case of Jose Gomez, the fugitive from Central America. He orders the officer to go put out a bulletin for his immediate capture.

Thelma is complaining to Orlando that Emilio is still hanging around Alina. Orlando asks her what Alina is doing. Thelma admits that she is taking her role as a servant seriously and is acting accordingly. "But that could stop at any moment." Orlando tells her to relax, he'll take on the task of separating her from Emilio. He's going to become her only friend at La Rinconada. And what's more she, Thelma, is going to help him. Thelma gives him a dark look and stalks off. Orlando gives her a faint wave and resumes drinking his glass of whatever booze he poured himself out of the decanter.

Emilio deep into an argument with Don Max in Emilio's room. Don Max is yelling that it was a terrible idea to bring Flor to La Rinconada. He knows that "Thelma is a bad, bad woman but she's still your wife." Thelma arrives from her little chat with Orlando just in time to listen at the door to hear herself being called a bad woman by Don Max. Emilio says he wouldn't have chosen Thelma if he could have. "Yes, I know, says Don Max, "you would have chosen Flor." "That woman has driven you crazy." Emilio agrees, that with all the insults and disgust that Alina has hurled his way, with all the complications, he still loves her. Emilio finishes up by saying that Damn Love (Maldita Amor)! Thelma takes that as her cue and comes in smirking and repeating "Maldita Amor." Emilio isn't pleased to see her.

Meanwhile, Flor is sweeping up the plant, wearing a bright yellow huipil (one of those formless shirt dresses that all the maids seem to wear). Who should happen by but Angel and Sexy Nurse Susi. Who is still wearing that white see through blouse and the tight white pants. Angel is stunned to see her cleaning the floor.

Back to the threesome of Don Max, Thelma and Emilio in Emilio's room. Emilio looks like he has a headache from all the argument and now he has to deal with Thelma. Don Max excuses him to go see Castulo and check whether the sow has given birth to her piglets yet. ( Not sure if this is some kind of insult at Thelma or he really has to do that. He gives his regards to Thelma) In any event, he goes and Thelma and Emilio are left alone together. Emilio complains that she was spying on them. Thelma admits it freely and says, in the end, his problems are now hers anyway. Emilio says, "wow, when did you become so understanding?" Thelma tries to work on the guilt angle some more, complaining that everything she did, she did for their child. Emilio complains that she should never have married him while he was unconscious. She complains that he was going to marry Alina to keep her from insisting that they marry. Emilio agrees that he should never have done that. Thelma takes this as a victory.

Flor and Angel walk into the great room. She explains to Angel the whole set up with her being a maid, Thelma trying to humiliate her, and herself trying to keep her distance from Emilio, to try not to become a point of contention between Thelma and Emilio. Angel is amazed that she can keep her smile, her composure while talking about all these bad things that have happened to her. He shows her his painting of her. Flor is impressed. He asks if he can be her friend and if he can paint her again, in a nature scene, with flowers in her hair. Flor agrees and extends her hand. (Wow, she has a hell of a bruise on her forearm. I Wonder if that happened in the big showdown at the Church or when she was kidnapped.)

Back to the hell that is Emilio and Thelma. Thelma is doing the guilt trip again, she offers to get their marriage annulled or whatever to leave the way open for him to marry Flor. But then she'll have to explain to their child why Daddy left Mommy for another woman. Emilio is ticked off at this description, saying that's not what happened. And anyway, Flor won't accept him if he abandons his child. She'll hate him. Thelma is happy just to get him to admit that Flor hates him. Emilio can't take anymore, he's going downstairs for a drink. After he leaves the room, Thelma chuckles to herself that she's gotten Emilio tied to her now, with this argument. Hopefully, someday, it will be for love, she thinks.

Emilio heads downstairs for the drink. Vera comes in and announces a visitor. It's Elias. He's not happy. He tells Emilio that they have unfinished business.

Over at Hacienda de Loco, Don Loco and Hugo are sitting in Don Loco's office. Hugo is reporting that Mariana took the bus back to Mexico City as planned. Don Loco reports that he has Soledad back in her room at the Hacienda. Now he's decided he has to win her back. He wants her to love him again.

Soledad is in her room, with Luba administering Tea to her. Soledad finally fills her in that Alina is at la Rinconada. Luba thinks this is a horrible idea. There she will suffer more, with that terrible woman there. (I think she says Thelma "es como un casco ligeros—I haven't a clue what this is. A lightweight helmet? I think Luba understands that Thelma is sneaky and mean but not stupid).

Back to Elias and Emilio. Elias wants to know about this story he's heard that Emilio just wants Alina as a servant. Emilio says that's not true and by the way, where did he hear that? He's only wanted to help Alina. Elias tells him that Padre Cristobal is the source. Emilio tells him he's sure that he heard that from Don Loco. In any event, Elias doesn't want Alina to have to stay at la Rinconada. As soon as he can get Soledad out of Locolandia, he's going to take both of them out of Sierra Escondida. "And you, he adds, will never see them again" Elias concludes. He leaves.

Emilio swallows hard. He really needs that drink now.

Angel, with Sexy Nurse Susi is, on the other hand, content as he takes his medicine. SNS notes his good mood. Angel really wants to get better now. Alina is going to be around all the time. He wants to be able to walk, to paint. He wants to be able to protect her. SNS, smiles wanly. This isn't going her way. "Protect her from who?" "From Thelma, from everyone who wants to humiliate her." "Besides" says Angel, "I still have hope that Alina will want to marry me." SNS looks like she just tasted something bad.

Back at the café in San Mateo, Jose, Arcadio and Santos are sitting at a table talking. Santos has just dropped the bombshell on Jose that Don Alvaro thought that Jose had an affair with Soledad and that Alina is his daughter. "It's been martyrdom for poor Soledad and for Alina," Santos finishes up. Jose, stands up, "I've got to fix this right away!" Santos asks tentatively, "So Alina isn't your daughter." Jose looks at him like he is loco—"How could you think that?" (I don't think that the math skills in this town are so great. Then again, look at Santos's mom Carmen who must have been 2 years old when she had him.) Alina and Jose could be the same age for that matter. ) Just then, a military officer jumps out of nowhere and arrests Jose and Arcadio. The men protest that they have to get to Sierra Escondida. The military guy hauls them off and Santos is left standing there amazed at the turn of events.

Back in Mexico city, Mariana has arrived. She finds the note Malena left telling her that Marianita is very sick in the hospital. She freaks out. Just then Dr. Love and Malena arrive and Mariana assails him with questions. She asks what happened—she never would have left town if she hadn't thought that the therapy was working. Dr. Love finally decides to tell her the truth—he tells her he lied before, Marianita is terminal. Mariana totally loses it. She runs at him and tries to hit him screaming that he let her go far away, knowing that Marianita could die while she was gone. She tells him that there is no name for what he did to her. She will never forgive him. Never! Mariana runs out of the room into a bedroom and tries to slam the door, but it doesn't quite close. (Like a lot of these cheapo doors in Telenovelaland).

At La Rinconada, Alina is looking in a three way mirror, wearing her colorful huipil. She talks to herself about how much has happened. How she used to be a happy-go-lucky person and now she doesn't know where all that went. (Funny, I thought Angel was just remarking on how happy and serene she seemed…) She touches her lips as if to remind herself of Emilio's kiss.

Emilio is downstairs drinking his copita with Orlando, complaining about what a crappy day he's had. Orlando offers that a lot of it must be due to his decision to bring Alina to la Rincondada. Orlando tries to make Emilio feel guilty for Angel's being in love with Alina, as if her being there tortures him. Emilio sighs, one more worry on his plate. He finds it incredibly hard himself to have her living there, so close and yet they can't be together.

In Mexico city, in Marianita's hospital room, a nurse is frowning over her bedside. Marianita looks like a little alien with her bald head and that plastic bubble over her head. (I guess it is supposed to be an oxygen mask but since her face is completely out of it, I wonder how it is supposed to work.) The nurse adjusts something and leaves. Mariana has arrived and goes to Marianita's bedside. She comforts her little girl who promptly goes back to sleep. Mariana steps away to pray that God not take her yet.

Days later, back at Sierra Escondida, Don Loco is watching Luba give Soledad her tea. Soledad isn't wearing black anymore, more like a plain cotton flowered blouse. Luba hands her something secretly.

Over at La Rinconada, Flor is sweeping the floor and Thelma happens by, eating something. She drops the plate with the food on it and it shatters on the floor. She walks away and laughs.

At the construction site, Elias and his fellow engineer continue to work on the new highway.

On another day, Alina is serving Emilio his morning orange juice on the terrace. He's finally wearing his uniform, like he actually is working again! Their hands touch as she hands him the glass. He looks hopefully at her but she turns and walks away.

Mariana is still at Marianita's bedside.

More highway construction scenes.

Finally, we see poor old long suffering Jose, in jail, with Arcadio. Shouting at the military guard to let him out. His daughter is dying. (I think we might all agree that Jose wins the contest hands down for "It sucks to be you, guy," in this novela.)

Rosita is at the doctor's office. She wants to know what she has. The doctor says, nothing bad! It's good news! You're pregnant! Rosita is quite understandably impactada.

Over at la Rinconada, Thelma is more noticeably pregnant with a loose shirt and belt around her waist. She's pacing around like a caged lioness again, complaining to Orlando, yet again, about how Emilio is still pining for Alina. He doesn't even try to hide it. Orlando can only laugh about how Angel and Emilio are both obsessed with Alina and yet he's going to be the guy to get her in the end.

Alina at this time is posing for Angel by the river with Tonqui. She's wearing a pretty pink dress and laughing. Angel asks her if she has had enough for the day. He puts down his brushes and walks over to her. He tells her she is pretty and he leans forward to kiss her on the cheek. Alina pulls away slightly but before anything else happens, Emilio, arrives wearing his green uniform looking like a thundercloud. He demands that Angel get away from her. Angel tries to explain that he was only going to kiss her on the cheek, that they are just friends now. Emilio doesn't buy it. Angel accuses him of being jealous.

Thelma is still ranting about Floralina with Orlando listening. She swears she will do everything possible to make sure that that dirty girl (esa mugrosa) leaves here. Orlando is having none of it. Having Floralina leave doesn't fit with his plans to seduce her. Thelma concedes that she has to go along with his plan but for him to hurry up already and get her out of there. Emilio probably won't let him. Orlando counters that there is nothing Emilio can do. He's a married man and Floralina is too decent to let him come near her. Besides, Thelma should calm down, she's got Emilio and when the child is born, he will be more tied to her than ever. "Unless" says Orlando "The child is born as retarded as his father." Thelma huffs off angrily. (Maybe the child will be born with birth defects because of all the drinking, whoring and tight clothes she's been wearing?" Don't blame poor Gaspar lady…)

Back to Alina, Angel and Emilio by the river. Emilio insists that he is not jealous. He's just protesting the lack of respect on the part of his brother. Alina insists that no lack of respect took place. "Aha, then you liked it when he kissed you!" accuses Emilio. Angel tells Emilio to calm down, he's upsetting Alina. Alina decides it's better for her to go and despite Angel's protest, she and Tonqui leave. Emilio insists that Angel stay, that the two of them have to talk. Emilio says he's decided to send Angel back to Puebla. Angel says (yet again) nothing doing. He's staying right there at La Rinconada. Emilio accuses him of trying to win over Flor (conquistar—when Orlando says it, I think he means seduce. I think Angel means it in a different way, to win her over, to accepting him, more a difference in approach than anything else). Angel very cleverly says he's not trying to win over Flor—he's trying to win over Alina Montellano. Emilio isn't so much impactado as frustrated by his brother's new found tenacity. I think he's gone a whole day without coughing, even with an argument that should have brought on an attack!

Alina and Tonqui are walking away from the river. They meet up with Rosita, sobbing by a tree. I guess they haven't talked in all this time. Rosita fills her in on Santos's departure and on her getting raped. (deshonrada)

Back in Mexico City, Mariana is coming out of Marianita's room. Malena approaches her and asks how the little girl is. "Muy mal" is the answer. She isn't eating or talking.

Soledad is thinking alone in her room. She thinks that if Jose Gomez would only come back he could explain who the letter was for. She starts crying. Don Loco comes in and tries to convince her that if only she would understand why he did what he did…He says he forgives her betraying him because he loves her. Soledad gives him a cold stare. She says that what he's describing isn't love. He thinks so little of her that she would betray him. Suddenly, Adela's at the door. Hugo is looking for Dn Loco. Don Loco takes off and Adela is left to see Soledad standing there in tears.

At the river, Angel is packing up his stuff. Emilio asks him if he thinks he can make Alina happy. Angel says, "why not, I am as much a man as you are." "But you are still in love with her, aren't you?" says Angel. Emilio frowns and looks evasive.

Next time: Gaspar finds out that Thelma lied about losing the baby. Soledad slaps Sergio. Thelma tells Floralina that she and Emilio are leaving "this horrendous place."