Caray, Caray!

Note to my East Coast buddies. I feel your pain, but not today. In Minneapolis, it was in the upper 70s and Sunny. The A/C actually clicked on.
----------------------------------------------------------------

We open with Don Loco bursting into Luba’s cave full of fury that she’s been taking care of Elias. Luba explains that “another guy came and took him this afternoon.” Don Loco whacks her across the face yelling at her because she let the guy take him. Luba feigns complete ignorance of the significance of this and Don Loco tells her that it’s no business of hers to know what the significance is. Poor Luba is bleeding from a cut near her mouth. Don Loco leaves in a huff. Luba gets THE CHEST from it’s resting place and vows that when Don Loco finds out what’s inside it, he’ll go even crazier than he is now. Luba watches him ride away from the mouth of the cave, then gives a sign for Adela to come back with Elias, who is hobbling along , wrapped in a blanket. “He’s not going to look for you here now” says Luba.


In Puebla, Emilio and Angel are back at their digs in the city. Emilio asks Angel how the test went. Angel says. “Great! Now I feel like I can marry Alina!” Emilio walks away. Angel asks him what’s wrong---Nada is the reply. Angel confronts him. “I know what’s wrong.” (Then why did you ask, dummy?) We zip back to Sierra Escondida and the Hacienda Montillano.


Soledad is having a typically one-sided conversation with poor quadriplegic, mute, Mariana. “Elias loves me,” says Soledad. “But not the way Alvaro thinks.” “Elias only loves me as a friend. And, anyway, that’s the only way that I can see him.” She walks away nervously as if she really doesn’t even believe that line herself. Soledad reflects that she misses Alvaro, his kisses, his caresses. “But he threw everything away.” “You can’t imagine how we have suffered, my daughter and I.” She then goes on to announce that she’s going to try to get Alvaro to punish only her and not Alina. “Someday, all of this will get cleared up.” Poor Mariana has been making little noises and crying but suddenly she is able to clench her hand, which distracts Soledad. Soledad, tells her “You’re going to get better!” “Have Faith!” Poor Mariana looks desperate.


Back in Puebla, Emilio and Angel are continuing their discussion. Emilio announces that he’s tired, that’s all. Angel thinks he’s sad, not tired. Emilio asks whether he thinks happiness exists. Angel points out that the problem is that he doesn’t love Thelma. “You’ve never been happy with her at your side.” Emilio sticks his chin out and reminds him that Thelma is carrying his baby. “And when the baby’s born, this baby that I want so much, I will love Thelma.” (Sounds more like he’s trying to convince himself).


In Mexico City, Dr. Love (I’ll call him Ricardo from now on since he seems to be a stand up guy. Maybe he’s just geeky, not creepy. Besides, I once dated a geeky guy named Ricardo so the name fits easily for me. ) comes to visit Malena for directions to Sierra Escondida. Malena says she can get him in the vicinity and then he will have to ask for directions. She begs him not to reveal that Mariana had a daughter. Ricardo says, don’t worry, I will protect her.

Back in SE, Edelmira is lecturing Floralina who has been resting in her room, from being worked to death on no food. “I hope you’ve had enough rest. I don’t maintain vagrants, says Edelmira. ” At that moment, Thelma comes in the room. “I’ve come to take Flor, she says. Edelmira asks why, “She’s been doing great here!” Thelma says that she has the authorization of Don Loco. At that name, Edelmira backs down and beats a hasty retreat. Thelma waits until Edelmira is gone and then sits down on the bed and acts like she wants to have a heart to heart with Floralina. Although she’s suspicious, Floralina sits down too. To her surprise, Thelma asks for forgiveness for “everything that I’ve done to you.”


Back in Puebla, Angel is coughing. Emilio shows up in his PJs and tells him that he wants him to get along with Thelma. “She took care of you when you were sick.” Angel undoubtedly is thinking of how she tried to kill him by scaring him into thinking that Emilio had murdered Alina. Or did he dream it when he was in a coma? We know the truth. Angel relents and says he only wants to see his brother happy. Cough Cough. Emilio says he wants the same for Angel.

Alina isn’t buying Thelma’s request for forgiveness. Thelma tells her that she’s prayed a lot. She has asked God to forgive her. “Oh, so you know God…” says Alina somewhat derisively. “Yes! Yes! Says Thelma with tears in her eyes. “I’ve prayed a lot and begged God for forgiveness!” “Orlando is the one who made me see how unjust I have been with you.” Floralina arches an eyebrow (Ludwicka is quite good at this). “The Lieutenant?” “Yes,” says Thelma. “Orlando made me see that I was wrong, and that I’d been corrupted by Emilio.” Floralina looks confused.


At Macario’s cave, Luba and Macario are having a consult. Macario apparently has given up on the spells. He hands Luba what looks like a jar of mud and tells her that Thelma (The woman with the white skin) should drink this; “it’ll kill her with fear.” Luba holds the jar and vows that she’ll get Thelma to drink it “to the last drop.”


Back to Floralina and Thelma. Thelma spins the story that it was Emilio who told her to treat her (Floralina) badly. “He didn’t even want to see you before he left.” “Yes! That’s right!” says Floralina. (OMG! Not again! Why is it that these two, Alina and Emilio are supposed to be so in love yet anybody, ANYBODY with the very LEAST credibility, with the most OBVIOUS ulterior motives tells them some lie about the other and they BUY it, hook line and sinker. You know what? They don’t DESERVE to be happy! Sorry, end of rant. ) Thelma goes in for the kill. “Tell me, what would you like me to do so that you believe me?” Thelma tells her she can come back to la Rinconada and she’ll be treated with respect. Floralina makes a face and says, no, she won’t go back there. But, if it makes Thelma feel better, she’ll forgive her. Thelma acts all grateful and promises that they will get along nicely and she’ll (Floralina will) feel happier from this day forward.

We get a “days later” caption and sure enough, Floralina is at la Rinconada, on a nice walk in the woods with Orlando and Thelma. Luba spies on them from the bushes. (We get a really cool, up-tempo Latin Jazz rendition of the theme song as background to this jump in time.) Over at Hacienda de Loco, time is passing too, with scenes of Sergio nervously guarding the place, while Alina sneaks past him to visit her Mama. Another scene shows Santos and Rosita going for a horseback ride, Castulo still stalking them, a few paces back. Back at la Rinconada, Thelma reads something from a magazine to Alina while Singing Aunt looks on from the staircase. Her expression is worried and perplexed. Finally, back to Luba in her cave, before her shrine of The Virgin of Peace, holding the bottle of green crap (that she dealt death to the cacique’s son with) and the jar of mud that Macario gave her for getting rid of Thelma. She holds up one, then the other, almost as if she is trying to decide which one to use and asking the Virgin to help her decide! Next we see Elias, who has made a full recovery, reuniting with his fellow engineers and workers on the highway construction. Santos and Orlando are also there and there are smiles all around. While the music is still playing we get an update on Emilio and Angel during this time. Yep, Emilio is STILL carrying around Floralina’s silver heart, gazing at it and looking sad. Angel is progressing with his treatment as his Doctor shows by presenting an x-ray to him and pointing out the areas that need improvement. Soledad has been working with Mariana, trying to get her to squeeze a ball. And in Puebla, Coral marries her sugar daddy, Don Celso while her friends from la Cueva look on happily and Dario, Don Celso’s nephew looks like he’d like to kill them both right now.


End music and end speed up in time.


Back at Hacienda de Loco, Soledad is helping Adela hang some sheets to dry. Soledad tells Adela that she thinks that Mariana is sadder every day and seems to have less will to live. Adela concurs that she feels so sorry for her. Adela also mentions about how she hates having Alfonsina there in the house, and how it’s such a lack of respect to Soledad. Soledad says she really doesn’t care about that. The only thing that she feels sorry about is that she and Alvaro would end up like this after so many years of being together. Right now, the only thing that she really cares about is her daughter. She’s desperate to get some news of her. She doesn’t even know where she is. Just then, Elias comes hopping by. IS HE NUTS? He just recovered from being shot for trying to rescue Soledad and now he just ambles into the hacienda? Oh well.


Don Loco is otherwise occupied with Dr. Zavala who has just seen Mariana. Don Loco asks if there is any hope of her getting better. Dr. Zavala says she needs physical therapy, which he can’t provide her with out here in SE. “The only thing I can do here is maintain her in her current state.” Just then Sergio rushes in yelling and chasing… Ricardo! Ricardo is wearing the same outfit we saw him wearing in Mexico City even though it has been “days later.” Yes, he is even still wearing his bow tie, which must look even more out of place, here in the countryside. Gotta hand it to the guy. It probably takes some balls to wear a bow tie here in Machoville. Also now we know how gutsy Sergio is if he can’t even stop a geek like Ricardo at the door. DL says, “What is this man doing here?!” Ricardo says that he’s come to take Mariana back to Mexico City.

Over in Puebla, Emilio and Angel are in the waiting room of Angel’s doctor. Angel tells Emilio to wait outside for once, while Angel consults with his doctor privately. Emilio wants to come in, but Angel tells him he’ll fill him in on what the doctor said. Why does this pretty much telegraph that we are about to get bad news? And yes, it is bad. Although they’ve figured out what virus has been attacking Angel’s lungs. “It’s too late.” Says the doctor. His lung capacity has already been diminished by 30% and the damage that’s been done is irreversible. “How long do I have?” asks Angel. “6 months to a year” says the doctor. “Six months!” repeats Angel, impactado.


Alina is helping Rosita make a bed somewhere in La Rinconada. Alina is recounting how Thelma has really changed, thanks to Orlando’s efforts. Rosita inquires if Orlando is in love with her. “Oh, no, says Alina. Awhile ago he asked me to marry him but that’s over. Now we are just good friends.” (Oh yeah, right.) Rosita looks thoughtful. “When does Emilio get back?” Alina’s look darkens. “I don’t know, but when he does, I am going to have to leave.” “Leave?! Says Rosita. “where?” Alina says she’s going to ask Orlando to help her escape with her Mother far away. “So far that we’ll be out of the reach of Alvaro Montellano. “ Rosita looks worried. Thelma is bursting into her bedroom suite elsewhere in La Rinconda, followed by Orlando.


Thelma has had enough of this being nice to Flor. She’s done. She tells Orlando that he’d better get into Flor’s pants by this afternoon or she’s done. Orlando looks annoyed. Maybe he was planning on taking a bath instead.Orlando tells Thelma, no way, it’s too soon. Thelma is enraged. She hates telling Flor she’s her friend, that she looks nice, etc. Orlando says, “but she is so young, so pretty!” which just enrages Thelma more. Orlando further needles Thelma by telling her that all this anger is going to hurt the baby and he reaches out to touch her belly. Thelma slaps his hand away and tells him not to touch her. At that moment, Flor is knocking on the door. Thelma grimaces and says, “It’s her! She comes every afternoon to talk to me!” Thelma begs Orlando to put her off somehow, she’s had it with pretending!” Orlando tells her he’s going to let her in and that she’d better put her smiley face on.


Back to the confrontation over at Hacienda de Loco between Ricardo, DL and Sergio. DL gives Ricardo the “You don’t know who I am” speech, trying to get him to understand that he’s the law in these here parts. Ricardo, being from the city, doesn’t quite catch on and says that he can’t believe that DL is a killer. DL laughs at him and says he’s in for a surprise. Sergio smiles evilly and cocks his shotgun. Ricardo’s face hardens as if it’s starting to sink in that DL is in fact, Loco. Maybe he’s silently diagnosing him with celotipia. There are no thought bubbles so we’ll just have to guess what he’s thinking.


Speaking of Doctors, back in Puebla, Angel is still in conference with his lung specialist. Angel decides on the spot (between coughs) that the best course of action is that he go ahead and marry Alina. Then she can inherit his money and have a comfortable life for herself. He knows that Emilio will be opposed to this plan so he asks his doctor to keep his condition confidential. “Don’t tell him I’m going to die.” Emilio is outside pacing in the waiting room, with a glass of water in his hand. Emilio thought bubbles a recap of his feelings about this whole picture. He muses that Angel is probably finding out that he’s making a full recovery and that he can go back to SE and ask for Alina’s hand in marriage. Then, “I’ve got to go back to SE too, and try to be happy with Thelma.”

Over at La Rinconada, Flor is now sitting with Thelma and Orlando in Thelma’s room. Thelma is claiming that she isn’t feeling so hot. Flor asks her if she wants her to call Dr. Zavala. Thelma says no, that, all she needs is a rest. “Why don’t you go for a walk with Orlando?” Orlando nods and Flor agrees and goes to change. Thelma takes Orlando aside and tells him that she’s just handed him Flor on a silver platter so he’d better make the most of it. Soledad is with Elias while Adela goes to look out for Alvaro. Soledad tells him he shouldn’t have come. “If Alvaro knew you were here…” Elias tells her that he had gone many weeks without seeing her and that he could have died without seeing her again. While he is telling her this, he takes something small and presses it into the dirt of a nearby potted plant. Soledad doesn’t see this; she’s protesting that he shouldn’t talk this way. Elias tells he loves her. Regardless of what she feels, that is what he feels in his heart. He goes to kiss her.

Elsewhere in Hacienda de Loco, Ricardo is also professing his love for Mariana. He tells DL that he has to bring Mariana back to Mexico City so that she can continue her rehabilitation. DL brushes him off saying that it’s nearly impossible that she will ever be able to move again. Dr. Zavala interposes himself at this point. He tells DL that he thinks that even if the chance is small that she will recover all her abilities, Mariana has a right to physical therapy and rehabilitation. “At least give her the chance to see a specialist” he concludes. DL says yeah, well, this guy (Ricardo) has another specialty. Ricardo admits that he’s an oncologist but ever since Mariana became ill, he’s been studying rehabilitation. DL then makes the charge that for all he knows, Ricardo might be responsible for Mariana’s condition, since he knows that she got this way by trying to commit suicide. (I had no idea he was so well informed, apart from not knowing about Marianita!) This accusation has Ricardo recalling Malena’s words, that he must not, under any circumstances, reveal that Mariana had had a daughter.


Soledad is rebuffing Elias in the other part of Hacienda de Loco. Elias smiles and says that he understands that she’s been hurt and that the last thing she wants is for some other guy to speak to her of love. Soledad interrupts him and warns him that he’s GOT TO GO, that it is VERY DANGEROUS for him to be there. It’s not just that he’s a guy hanging around Soledad, Alvaro already THINKS that they are lovers and is out for his hide. There is impactado music but I can’t believe Elias would be surprised by this.


In Puebla, Angel and his doctor are wrapping up their discussion. The Doctor proposes that there is an experimental treatment he’d like Angel to try. Even if it does nothing to lengthen his life, it should improve the quality of his life in the time remaining. Angel agrees and the new therapy will start tomorrow. Then he can return to Sierra Escondida.Back to Soledad and Elias. Elias is saying that he knows that Soledad can’t return his love. But he’s not afraid of dying either. He loves her and begs her to let him try to help her. Soledad paces around nervously. She tells him that she will continue to be his friend but she doesn’t want anything to happen to him and he must leave RIGHT NOW. Elias says he will do anything to set her free. At this moment “I am capable even of KILLING him. Soledad is impactada.


DL is still busy trying to kick Ricardo out. He’s hit on this idea that Ricardo is to blame for Mariana’s suicide attempt. Ricardo argues that he’s only trying to help Mariana get better. Sergio interjects asking DL if he should throw Ricardo out. DL agrees. “And make sure he doesn’t get back in.” As he goes, Dr. Zavala tries to argue with DL that Mariana really needs therapy and that this guy could help her. DL argues that Ricardo is a con man, who only wants her money and a piece of the hacienda. Ricardo overhears and comes back shouting. He says that he met Mariana “in a tough situation” before he knew anything else about her and whether she had any money. He loves her and he wants to to be with her, regardless. Don Loco has Sergio chase him out. Dr. Zavala shakes his head.


At La Rinconada, Flor is waiting for Orlando, with Tonqui. She’s dressed for a walk, in Jeans a blouse and sweater. She wonders what’s keeping Orlando. She tells Tonqui that she’s still afraid that “her Father or one of his people will show up and say that she’s not being mistreated enough .”

Soledad is still trying to get Elias to beat it. She tells him that she has no wish for his death. Alvaro is crazy and Elias, no matter how much he wants her to be free will not be able to fight a crazy person and win. Elias apologizes that he got carried away. Soledad makes him promise that he will not try to kill DL. Not only is it dangerous but even if he succeeded, Soledad is worried about Elias winding up in Jail let alone having to carry a murder on his conscience. Soledad tells him to just let sleeping dogs lie. She’s only concerned for her daughter anyway. Elias tells her that Alina is back at la Rinconda but that the servants there are under orders not to let anyone visit her.


Adela is outside looking out for Don Loco when who should happen by but Alfonsina, wearing yet another tight fitting dress, this time in flame orange. Adela stops her and asks where she is going. Alfonsina takes offense and tells Adela that she’s “the Patron’s woman” and as such, doesn’t have to ask permission from anybody to go anywhere. Adela counters that she’s not his “woman” she’s his mistress (querida) and thus deserves no respect. Alfonsina complains that she’s going to tell Don Alvaro that Adela’s been disrespecting her. She continues on her way.


Meanwhile, at La Rinconada, Orlando and Thelma have been arguing. Orlando isn’t really interested in raping Flor. He wants to seduce her. For that reason, he went along with Thelma’s plan to bring her back to La Rinconada from Edelmira’s. He wanted her to feel happy, safe and protected, so that then he could make a better case. Thelma throws cold water on this idea. She tells him (insulting him, really) that there’s no way that Flor would fall in love with him, even if he were a superhero. Orlando argues that what he wants is for Flor to love him the way she loves Emilio. Thelma tells him that he’d better give up on that idea and just take her already. He can’t compete with Emilio in the womanizer department. Orlando leaves miffed, telling her that “You are nobody to be telling me what to do.” Thelma gets a pouty look and says “Stupid! I’m surrounded by stupid people!” As if to confirm her pronouncement, Orlando shuts the door on leaving and it bounces open. What is it with cheap doors on Telenovelas?


Over at Hacienda de Loco, Alfonsina is spying around the sheets and overhears Soledad talking. She’s now wearing the same dress as in the commercial break where she gets drenched, holding a machete so we can only hope that that is coming up soon. Alfonsina tears down the sheet and confronts Soledad who is talking to…Nora. Elias must have taken off already! She rudely interrupts their conversation and Soledad tells her to mind her own business. Alfonsina jeers that she can go where she likes while Soledad is a prisoner in her own house. Soledad walks away and Alfonsina shrugs her shoulders to Nora.

In Puebla, Coral is by Don Celso’s bedside. He’s not doing so hot. Coral asks him if there’s anything she can do. He tells her to stop calling him Don Celso, since they are husband and wife. Coral says she’d like to see him get better. Celso says there’s no getting around the fact that he’s dying. He’s in the final stages of his illness. Coral cries.

Back at Hacienda de Loco, DL is upbraiding Sergio for letting Ricardo in. Sergio points out that Ricardo arrived with the Police. (I guess we didn’t see this). DL is not impressed. He says that he’s the real authority here, not even the beggars obey the police. He asked Sergio if he noted who they were. He’ll tell Maximo tomorrow to make sure they get fired. Sergio promises that this won’t happen again. “It better not, says DL.” “Eventually, I’ll make sure that Doctor pays.” First, I have to make sure that Mariana forgets him forever. “ As for Elias, “I have to make sure that he was the guy who tried to help Soledad. “ Sergio is confused. DL tells him that it’s not his fight (No es contigo el pleito). He asks Sergio to ready a horse for him, he’s going out. Sergio asks if he wants him to accompany him. Don Loco says no, he’s going to see the witch. He speaks aloud to himself that he’s got to find out who this guy is who (va presumiendo) is close to Soledad. [Note: I am unfamiliar with this usage of presumir, if someone can shed some light on this, I’d be much obliged. Also, I am uncertain as to why Don Loco is confused since he knows that Elias and Soledad have been close for years. Unless he is thinking that there is another guy involved with the plot to kill him in the Canefield.]Angel and Emilio are toasting Angel’s “good news” (since he lied about his meeting with the doctor). Angel reiterates that he’s going to ask Alina to marry him as soon as he gets back to SE. Emilio agrees.


Orlando and Alina are riding on horseback through the sierra. Orlando asks her to ask him anything. Alina asks him to help her find a way to visit her mother tonight. When Orlando actually accepts, Alina smiles broadly and says “Oh you’re so good to me.” Orlando squirms in his saddle.In the cave, Gaspar is looking at the jar of Macario’s evil mud destined for Thelma. He opens it, sniffs it and pulls back disgusted by the smell. He shows it to Luba who is shocked that he found it and got into it.


Back in Puebla again, Emilio comes in with two letters from Sierra Escondida. One is a letter from Alina to Angel. Emilio hands it over with a dark look on his face. Angel gives a little smile.Luba is upbraids Gaspar for getting into her bag o’tricks and messing with the potion. She gets so angry that after she leaves, Gaspar is suspicious and decides to try to find out what the mystery flask contains.

Back in Puebla, Coral is making Celso more comfortable in bed by tucking him in. As she turns to leave the room, Dario with the same homicidal look on his face comes into the room unbidden. “Is he dead yet?” He asks in a conversational voice. Coral shushes him and tells him that his uncle is asleep. Dario makes another threat about getting back from her what belonged to him (his inheritance). Coral is disgusted and leaves. Dario looks over at his sleeping Uncle Celso.Don


Loco has arrived at Luba’s cave. Nobody’s there. As he’s about to leave he spies THE CHEST hanging on the wall. He picks it up recalling in an orange flashback that Luba once told him that it contained secrets pertaining to him. He shakes the chest and muses that it may contain something valuable. Don Loco says “I don’t like it when people keep secrets.” He walks out of the cave holding THE CHEST, unopened.

Luba is heading over to La Rinconada. She tries to persuade Vera to let her add the evil mud to Thelma’s evening meal. Vera says no and chases her off. Gaspar is following Luba to try to figure out what she is up to with the mysterious jar of smelly mud.

Braulio is fixing his hat in his cabin when Santos and Rosita come bursting in. Santos announces that they will be getting married shortly. Tonight, he’ll drive into San Mateo and inform his mom. Rosita looks worried. She has a right to be opposed to trips taken at night in Sierra Escondida. Santos says, it’ll be no big deal. He’ll take the new highway and the trip will go much faster. He’ll be back in no time!In Don Max’s office at La Rinconada,

Don Max is yelling at Castulo. He wants to know why Castulo hasn’t whacked Santos yet. Castulo complains that Santos is always with Rosita and he doesn’t want to run the risk of killing both of them. Don Max tells him that he’d better make sure to kill him this week, or else!

Emilio and Angel are looking over their letters from SE. Emilio reads his, from Thelma, first. In it, Thelma paints a rosy picture about how she has taken good care of Alina and how they are now good friends. Emilio tells Angel that this proves that Thelma has changed. Angel is doubtful so Emilio urges him to read his letter from Alina. He reads from Alina that things are just peachy, Thelma’s been great, Orlando’s been so nice. (At the mention of Orlando’s attentions Emilio crunches up Thelma’s letter in his hand. Apparently Frank’s words must have sunk in).


Meanwhile, Alina and Orlando are still out riding in the Sierra. Orlando points out the beautiful landscape while Alina remembers Emilio asking her to marry him on the banks of the river. When he asks her what she’s thinking about, she lies and says she’s still worried about her mother. Orlando repeats his promise to help her see her mother tonight. “And by the way, where’s Tonqui?” Orlando is getting impatient and decides to make his move. He tells her he wants to be more than friends and that he wants to marry her, to protect her, etc. She looks away and is obviously not pleased with the turn of the conversation. In the next episode we see Orlando locking himself in a room with the unsuspecting Flor. Not good, not good at all.

Labels: duelo