Caray, Caray!

We open with the dire music, a choral fantasy which segues into Barber’s Adagio for strings, which is probably the best tearjerker music ever written. Luba is in extremis, hanging bloodied, arms spread out after having been beaten by the caicique and his pal. Gaspar apparently cut her down because the next scene is him crying and kissing her in his arms, screaming to the Virgincita to help her.

Back in his room at la Rinconada, Angel is pensive. He thinks aloud that Emilio’s plan (to get DL) is very dangerous. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Alina. She wants to talk. About Santos.
Back to Luba and Gaspar and Barber’s adagio. He’s brought her back to the cave and is going to try to cure her. He begs her not to die. He waves a bottle in front of her nose and she mumbles. She’s alive although weak. She mumbles some more about the cacique and about THE BOX—Gaspar has to give THE BOX to the patron so that he can know the truth. Then she tells Gaspar not to cry. He rubs his eyes and makes a vain attempt to stop crying.

Over to Emilio at La R. He’s wearing his nice straw sombrero and doing some target practice with a revolver on a row of bottles. He says to himself that he can’t fail. Orlando comes up and asks him what he’s doing. Is he just blowing off steam or is he thinking about killing someone? Emilio wheels and turns the gun on him yelling. “Do you want me to kill you?”

Alina is explaining to Angel, who has started coughing again, that Santos had amnesia and that’s why he threatened him. Angel says he was surprised by the whole thing since he had never done anything to Santos. Alina tells him that “it’s a long story” and she’ll save it for another time. Right now, she has a favor to ask. She wants Angel to give her away at the wedding. Angel agrees.

Back to Emilio and Orlando. They spar again over Alina. Orlando tries to argue that Alina jumped in bed with him “of her own free will.” Emilio clearly peeved points the gun at him while Orlando points a stick at him and leaves laughing. Emilio goes back to picking off booze bottles.
Over at Edelmira’s which is apparently turning into Coral & Grani’s, Coral is organizing the new girls into a show. Even Grani gets into the act and hops on stage to wiggle his tushie. Coral gives him a swat on the behind. The light moment is broken when the 3 murdering hoochies arrive and declare that they are back to settle scores with Coral.

Over to Gaspar and Luba. Luba is now upright but she is weak and blood is still soaking through her shirt. She staggers into Hacienda de Loco to chat with Don Loco, with Gaspar waiting outside, hidden holding THE BOX.

Back to Eddy’s. CATFIGHT! The hoochies and the new bar band, Las Chicas del Barco (“The girls from the boat,” I think that’s what they called themselves) are pulling hair, screaming and kicking and slapping. Coral and Grani try to keep out of it.

Luba makes it into the kitchen of Hacienda de Loco. She runs into Sergio who seems to spend all his free time in there eating, now that Adela is gone. He asks her what she’s doing there. She tells him she has to give something to the Patron. He tells her that he can give it to him. She says no. Sergio drops that the Patron is occupied with “the wedding.” Luba’s eyes widen. “What wedding?” “The wedding of the Lieutenant Orlando with Flor.” Luba is impactada into the commercial.

On the other side of the break, Sergio is still stuffing his face. Luba insists on proceeding to DL. Sergio remarks aloud that Luba is a crazy witch. Luba overhears him and tells him your grandmother was crazy. Sergio smiles and says he was only joking and goes right back to eating.
At Coral & Grani’s, las Chicas have won the fight and have tied the hoochies’ hands behind their backs. Too bad they didn’t gag them too because they start whining. “There were more of you than us!” Uh Huh. And you picked the fight, what does that make you? Grani taunts them that they are going straight to the police and to jail. Now they want a deal. The lead hoochie asks Coral to let them go and they will promise never to come back. Coral says she’s no fool and tells Grani and the Chicas to stick them in a room while she gets the cops.

Luba reconsiders leaving THE BOX with DL. She hurries out and tells Gaspar that they will leave it for another time because Flor needs their help if she’s set to marry Orlando tomorrow.
Elsewhere at La Rinconada, Thelma is cradling the Baby (who still doesn’t have a name) and telling him that she’s always going to take care of him and never going to let that idiot, his father see him. The door is open and the SA walks through, chastising her niece that she should be more careful about talking about the baby’s paternity. The SA moves on to the subject of listening at the door of Maximo’s office. She heard the entire conversation where Thelma made a deal with Max, not to tell Emilio any of her secrets and in turn, she would drag her Aunt back to Puebla as soon as she can get Emilio to leave the construction project. Thelma tries to argue that she’s saving her Aunt from Max, who is “immoral.” (pot, meet kettle) The SA doesn’t buy it. She tells Thelma she already knows that she made the deal only thinking of herself, to protect herself. With tears, the SA tells her that she knows she depends on Thelma but she is upset to see how little her Auntie matters to her. She flounces out of the room. Thelma calls out “How Dramatic!” after her. She says to nobody in particular that once she is through getting what she wants, her Aunt “will be out in the street.” She goes back to cooing at the baby.

Castulo bursts into Jose’s worker’s cottage pistol in hand, screaming. “Santos! Santos! I’m going to kill you.” The place is empty. Castulo complains that when he finds “that imbecile” this time he is really going to kill him.

Luba is back at the cave still grimacing with pain. She tells Gaspar that when night falls she is going to go to La Rinconada to talk to Flor. If it is not her wish to marry the Lieutenant, she will help. And she knows what she has to do. Gaspar looks quizzical.

Over at Hacienda Montillano, Don Loco is giving orders to the police to get his sister back and kill Elias and his accomplice. They have a pretty good idea that the party hasn’t gotten very far.
Soledad is in her room putting a white bag in her wardrobe. She remarks aloud that “Alina will look wonderful in this dress!” DL comes in and she asks him if she can go over to La Rinconada early to help Alina get ready for the wedding. At first, DL says no, he doesn’t want her to “be with other people.” Then he relents and she acts all happy. As he goes to kiss her, Sergio knocks at the door. He announces that Don Maximo is there and wants to see him. DL asks Soledad to accompany him so that Max can see that they are together again.

Cut over to Alfonsina somewhere else in the Hacienda, packing her clothes. Hugo knocks at outside door. He complains that he was waiting for her at the cabana. Alfonsina claims that she has to pack and he should hurry and get back to Veracruz before the Patron sees him. Hugo kisses her neck and says that he thought she might be angry at him. Alfonsina gives him an accusatory look and asks why that would be. Hugo answers, “Because I lost THE BOX” and because you are a (couldn’t make this word out…vinagrilla?) She tells him that the Patron wants her to go back to Veracruz too. Hugo is glad, now they can be together all the time. Alfonsina gives him a look and says now we can look for THE BOX all the time.

When DL and Soledad get downstairs, Don Max is already helping himself to the booze. DL makes a crack about it and Max says “you always say to make myself at home.” DL agrees. Max takes note that DL has patched things up with Soledad. He calls for a toast and goes back to the decanter but the look on his face is one of nervousness.

Dr. Love is testing Mariana’s reflexes in the small hotel in San Mateo, with Elias and Malena looking on. He is pleased with the result. She is getting better. They are all hungry and but afraid that the police are out looking for them. Malena volunteers to go. All smiles, they are are about to send her on her way. She barely crosses the threshold when she turns and goes back in the room. “The police are searching the building!” Malena cries.

At La Rinconada, Emilio is pacing his room. Angel comes in. He’s confirming their appointment with DL in the wee hours of the morning. Emilio asks him to reconsider coming along but Angel is firm.

Alina is up in her room, looking out the window contemplating her future. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Luba. Luba limps in. Alina sees the blood soaking through the shirt. Luba says nothing and whips her hair around to cover it. She tells her she will tell her about it later. Luba spies the green flask on the dresser. Alina apologizes that she took it without meaning to, when she was dragged back to la Rinconada. Luba picks it up and looks at Alina sharply and asks her if she is happy marrying Orlando. Alina tells her, no, she hates him. She’d rather die than be his. Luba looks at the flask and says “To die or not to die. This could be your salvation.” She puts the flask in Alina’s hands.

Alina is confused. Luba tells her she will help her. “Remember the story I told you about the cacique?” Alina continues “The cacique whose son died after you gave him a potion? THIS POTION?” Luba nods. “That’s it.”

Back at the hotel, the police burst in. Dr. Love exclaims that he knows that he’s an adulterer but PLEASE DON’T tell his wife. He’ll pay a bribe. Malena is huddled in bed with the covers up to her eyes. Elias is hiding in the closet with Malena. A cop tells him not to worry, they are looking for two men who kidnapped 2 women. Dr. Love hands him a wad of cash anyway and the police take it happily after promising not to tell “the wife” and leave. He helps Malena and Elias out of the closet.

Max is relaxing with his snifter of booze at Hacienda de Loco. He tells Loco and Soledad (Loco has his arm tight around Soledad’s shoulder as usual when they are in public) that it’s great that he agreed to let the girl marry. “It’s the best way to stop any talk after what happened between her and the lieutenant.” Soledad’s ears prick up, “what happened between them?! She asks. Don Loco tries to shush her, that nothing happened. Don Max says “well, if you say so…” Don Loco then explains that people always talk gossip about novios before a wedding. Soledad jumps up and says she’s tired and wants to go rest. DL kisses her and she leaves. Don Loco asks if Emilio is still lost. Don Max brushes this aside by saying that “You know my nephew, he appears and disappears at will…” “And, by the way, I’m glad to see you are back with Soledad. A woman like that, you can forgive anything…even betrayal.” Don Loco shoots him a nasty look.

Back to Alina and Luba over at La Riconada. Alina refuses to have anything to do with poisoning Orlando. Luba tells her not to worry; she will take care of everything. And besides, the cacique’s son’s death wasn’t her fault. Luba asks Alina if she wants to be married to the Lieutenant again and again, Alina says no, but she’s worried about mom. Luba leaves the potion on the dresser and tells her that if SHE decides to take the potion, she, Luba will be there at the wedding and she’ll be there to take care of her. She’ll be there to take better care with her than with her own life.” She turns to go. “Don’t be afraid. For love she’ll do anything.”

[I think I am starting to see what happened to the Cacique’s son. I will give you a hint what I’m thinking: Juliet].

Emilio and Angel are still plotting for tomorrow’s coup against Don Loco. Again Emilio thinks that Angel shouldn’t go and again Angel insists.

Luba continues down the hall and hears the baby crying from a room with an open door. She spies Thelma holding and rocking the baby. The little cub was born! Luba is beside herself with happiness that she now has a grandson. Her pride turns to tears when she realizes that she can’t tell Gaspar or he will go nuts. She prays to the virgincita.

Don Loco is getting ready for bed, taking his gun off. He thought bubbles Don Max’s words about Soledad who is lying in be, pretending to be asleep. DL says aloud. “Soledad, if I didn’t love you so much, I would be capable…” he trails off.

Elsewhere at Hacienda de Loco, Sergio is thinking about the wedding and his part. “Oh, Lieutenant, if only you knew what awaits you at your wedding. He kisses his gun and puts it aside. He decides to take a nap. He’s on guard duty all night but he wants to be rested for the morning.
At la Rinconada, Alina is lying in bed. Apparently even after everything that’s happened, she still leaves it unlocked. Emilio sneaks in. He thought bubbles a touching little speech about how he will not lose her, even if it means that he has to risk his own life. He leaves and meets Angel outside the door. They go off to the Hacienda Montillano.

Back at the cave, Luba is having an orange flashback of her ordeal at the hands of the cacique and his bud. Particularly the part when he threatens to kill Gaspar in exchange for killing his son. Gaspar is curious about what went down at the Hacienda. She won’t tell him. She just does a little lovey dovey scene with him. She tells him that she will be going to the wedding but not him. She sends him to bed with a little swat. After he goes to bed, she worries outloud about him.

Elias bids Dr. Love, Malena and Mariana goodbye at the bus station. They’re on their way to Mexico City!

Emilio and Angel have made it to Hacienda de Loco. They see Sergio asleep beside his weapon. They pause while deciding what to do. Angel suggests they try another route into the house. Emilio says no, apparently he’s got more than one of those tranquilizer darts. He shoots Sergio who wakes up, only to collapse immediately. Must be strong stuff. They walk past him into the house. You know, even if he is knocked out, I would have secured his weapon. Instead, they leave him right there, asleep, cradling his shotgun.

Back at la Rinconada. Thelma is having a tough time getting the little cub to sleep. He’s wailing and wailing. Orlando comes in, all pissed off that the baby woke him up. Nice PJ’s by the way! The SA rushes in to try to calm the baby too. All of the sudden, Orlando wonders aloud why Emilio isn’t awakened by the baby too. Thelma and Orlando give eachother looks and they rush into Emilio’s room. The bed is perfectly made. Thelma hisses “Where is that jerk?”

With so much going on we need to go back to Coral and Grani’s for a musical interlude from Las Chicas. They are ruminating over the day’s excitement. The girls want to know if there is still going to be a show tonight. Damn straight says Coral, “Music until Dawn!” They start the music. Wearing tight miniskirts and stilettos, fighting and capturing murdering hoochies, singing and dancing: It’s all in a days work for Las Chicas del Barco. And just in case we didn’t notice how hawt they are, when the camera focuses on their curves while they sing and dance. Coral plays the hostess meanwhile and invites the regulars back in for a real show.

Over at La Rinconada, the show is just getting started. Thelma bursts into Alina’s room (again, the room without the door lock) with Orlando in tow, accusing her of knowing where Emilio is. Alina looks sleepy and confused and says she doesn’t know. Thelma grabs her and shakes her screaming all the while. The SA comes in, with her hair in ridiculous rollers. She yells at Thelma to leave with Orlando. “If Emilio had something planned, he would have done it already.” Thelma turns and stalks off. Orlando follows, warning that “nothing is going to stop my wedding.” Alina thanks the SA who says that she has nothing to thank her for. But she does give a valuable piece of advice: You’d BETTER CLOSE YOUR DOOR AND LOCK IT. SA flounces out. Alina is concerned about Emilio. She sees the green flask on the dresser. It has now acquired the creepy music that has previously accompanied THE BOX when it glows. I guess we can call this the witchy music.

Thelma and Orlando are out in the hallway stewing about Emilio’s absence. Orlando starts speculating that Emilio went after DL. If he did, Orlando is certain that Don Alvaro would kill him. Orlando laughs that maybe instead of celebrating a wedding tomorrow, they’ll be attending a wake. Thelma doesn’t think the joke is funny. Thelma demands that he help Emilio. Orlando laughs again. What part of “I hate Emilio intensely” don’t you understand? Thelma tells him that if he doesn’t help Emilio, he’s not going to be able to marry Flor. I don’t understand the logic in this, but maybe Thelma is thinking that she would be able to stop the wedding. Orlando pisses and moans some more about how much he hates Emilio and asks when he will be able to get rid of him.

Back at Alina’s room that is now locked Vera is knocking. Since Vera was idiotic enough let Thelma use her to get into Alina’s room before, Alina intelligently asks this time whether she is alone. Vera says yes and Alina lets her in. She tells her that Emilio is gone. Alina tells her she already knows this. But Vera says that Angel is not in his room either! Alina now looks concerned. Wow, even Vera has now figured out that Angel and Emilio have gone to confront Alvaro Montellano.

And confront he’s doing at this very moment. Emilio is outside the master bedroom. He tells Angel after he shoots to help Soledad while he ties up Alvaro. Alas, Soledad and DL do have door locking skills, it’s just that they didn’t pass them on to their daughter. When Emilio tries to open the door, it’s locked and worse still, it’s noisy. The Locos are light sleepers and DL (who is fully dressed, laying ON TOP OF the covers) sits up immediately as does Soledad. DL starts putting his boots on and goes to investigate. Emilio and Angel discuss what to do. Emilio wants to kick down the door. Angel thinks this is a bad idea, they will wake up the whole house. Emilio helpfully suggests that Angel leave and let him finish the job. Angel convinces him to come with him and hide. Alvaro gets up with his pistol and starts skulking around his house, with his revolver cocked. “Who goes there?” he calls out.

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