Caray, Caray!

On Friday, Angel took off from the Puebla house on a mission to find Alina since he was the only one of the La rinconda refugees who knew that she was alive. And he wanted it to stay that way. First stop was Elias’s house. After he tells Elias that he knows she’s alive, Elias tells him she’s not there.

Meanwhile, Thelma dresses up in a white silk nightie and tries to jump the sleeping Emilio. I guess she figures that if she could get knocked up while she was unconscious and get him to marry her while he was unconscious, she might as well try to win back his love while he is asleep too. It doesn’t work. Emilio awakes with a start and tells her to cut it out. He doesn’t love her. She whines and tries to win him over but Emilio flips her over…and ges up and walks out. Thelma is ticked.

Back to Elias and Angel—Elias tells him she’s at Coral’s with her mom. Elias is worried about giving out her address since nobody is supposed to know she’s alive. Angel begs him to tell him where she is and that he will not tell anyone. Especially not Emilio.
Rodrigo is all dressed up in a suit and tie sitting on a horrible floral patterned couch in Aida’s apartment. He is telling her about this girl he met. She is so pretty and sweet—she reminds him so much of his dead wife, Elena. [Chris, maybe this is where the Elena confusion came in?] Aida asks him if Alina is married or has a boyfriend or…has a lover? Rodrigo says no, she’s a serious girl. But really he doesn’t know too much about her since she hasn’t told him her life story. And his uncle hasn’t given him any explanation as to why he has to protect her. “But, (his eyes light up) I hope that soon win her confidence.” Aida smiles broadly and says she hopes the same thing about her new patient. He’s a classic case of celotipia. Then she launches into a description of how “strong” and attractive DL is. She admits he has a problem with trust. Rodrigo warns her to be careful. “What happened to Mauricio?” he asks. Aida looks sad for a moment. “He’s with his fiancée. That’s not going to change.” Rodrigo’s got to go. He adds, “I hope that tonight’s a good night.” She wishes him luck.

Back at Casa Valtierra, Thelma and her aunt are sitting on the couch and Thelma is complaining about how Emilio still isn’t interested in her. “Whatever happened to the saying, when the dog is dead, so are the rabies?” The SA counsels patience—Alina’s been dead last than a week and Emilio was smitten with her. Thelma looks at her accusingly. “You, too think that I can’t win back the love of Emilio?” SA says no, she’s not saying give up. “Just wait—men are weak, he’ll come around.”

Elsewhere in the house, Emilio is looking in on mijito who is very cute. Holding him, Emilio tells him that only because of him has he stuck with Thelma. Thelma doesn’t deserve his love. But he, mijito, doesn’t have any of the blame. Thelma comes in, all smiles. “Emilito still isn’t asleep?” she asks. Emilio professes surprise at the name (and frankly we all are at this point). Thelma says that’s what she chose to call him. “Don’t you like it? She asks innocently. Emilio says he likes it, but he never thought about naming the baby after himself. “And what else could we call the fruit of our love?” says Thelma silkily, sitting down next to him on the bed. Emilio jumps up from the bed with the baby like Thelma has cooties. He puts the baby in the crib. “I’m going to go find Angel he announces.” Thelma says he’s gone out and she doesn’t know where he went.” Emilio acts all worried and says he’s leaving to go find him. When he’s out of
earshot. Thelma goes over to the crib and tells the baby that he’s going to help her win him over.

Over at casa Coral, Alina is dressing up to go out with Rodrigo. She’s wearing a loose fitting and low cut spangley dress with an asymmetrical bias cut skirt in a shade of light purple. Maybe Soledad recut one of Coral’s outfits. Soledad is there oohing over her pretty daughter. She asks her mom if she’s doing the right thing going out with Rodrigo. Soledad says she is, and Rodrigo seems like a perfect gentleman. Alina thinks back to their first meeting and the spilled drink and she remarks that when she first met him he seemed like a jerk. The doorbell rings in the background. “But that’s just because he suffered a lot.” Soledad asks why. “He still hasn’t recovered from the death of his wife.” Adela bursts in excitedly. “Captain Ochoa has arrived! “ she announces breathlessly. Alina kisses mom and rushes out to the clucking of Soledad and Adela. Soledad confesses that she wishes that Alina would find some happiness. She knows that Alina is still in love with Emilio. Adela, whose advice is nearly always 100% wrong tells her that Alina is young and she’ll love again. The two women go off to have coffee.


Luba is in her cave, praying to the Virgincita to protect Gaspar, who has run off to find his little cub. Luba thinks about who might be able to tell her where Emilio lives. She takes out a stash of cash and ponders this, stuffing it in her blouse. She figures out that her best bet is Rosita.


In Mexico City, Mariana has been learning to write again. She writes thank you notes to Malena and Ricardo. Ricardo complements her on being such a fine patient. Malena counters, “Just a patient?” Ricardo says she’s the love of his life. Mariana writes, “ I love you too, Ricardo!” Ricardo sits next to her and asks her if she still wants to marry him. She answers him aloud—“Yes.” They kiss.


Back to SE, There’s a standoff in the kitchen of La Riconada. Vera and Jaime are insisting that Luba murdered Flor and that she should pay. All the mountain people think so. Ifigenio agrees with them and Rosita is the only one who is defending Luba. She tells them that Luba always protected Flor. Vera says she has the evidence that Luba poisoned Flor, the bottle! Rosita continues to insist and Santos injects himself into the conversation to suggest that if Vera has proof, she should show it. Jaime says that that very day, they will go to look for her and her son.


Meanwhile, in Puebla, Alina comes out to join her date. In the background the doorbell rings again. Rodrigo smiles and tells her she looks beautiful. In the next instant, Angel comes into the room. This feels a little rushed, like he rang the doorbell once and then finding the door open, came inside. Adela isn’t there, she’s off having coffee with Soledad. Strange. Anyway, as Chris pointed out, this scene has a really awkward vibe, like Angel is Alina’s ex-boyfriend. Rodrigo picks up on it.

[A commercial for Tropico—THAT is the Galan? The guy looks old enough to be the girl’s grandfather. What is it about these old guys? Cesar Evora was an OK match for Victoria Ruffo, but way too old for the ladies in Fieras. Dreadful. At least Evora has “the voice.” This guy looks like an old hippie.]

Angel smiles but he is clearly nervous. Alina asks Rodrigo to go to the other room for a minute. After telling her she’s beautiful, Angel immediately launches into “where are you going? Who is that guy? ” Alina tells him there are a thousand things she needs to tell him but she can’t right now because she is going out. She asks him to come back on another day. She also asks him how Emilio is. Angel tells her that Emilio’s fine. “He’s still in Sierra Escondida?” asks Alina. “No, says Angel, he’s here in Puebla. Alina is impactada.

Meanwhile, Emilio, dressed like an urban cowboy runs around his house looking for Angel. Apparently he doesn’t even believe the smallest piece of information, if it is delivered by Thelma. I’d say right on, except that in this case, Angel really did go out.


Angel and Alina finish up their discussion with Angel promising not to tell Emilio that he saw her. Alina tells him that it’s for the best. He has his own life and she has to try to make hers. Rodrigo barges in and gives her his arm. She bids Angel adieu and then they are gone.

Back in SE, Rosita is lighting a candle in front of the Virgincita statue. She murmurs something about Santos and Dona Carmen going back to San Mateo and being able to visit with her Dad, who as I imagine it, is still in the local jail. There is a furious knock on the door. Rosita goes to answer it and Luba bursts in. After checking to see if Rosita is alone, she begs her to help her. Rosita chides her for walking alone in the mountains at night. Luba dismisses her concern by saying that she came with Tonkey. Luba asks her if she has the address of the Valtierras in Puebla. Rosita has it and promises to give it to her. Rosita tells her that the mountain people are forming a posse to come after her for the death of Flor. Luba stuns her with the news that Flor is alive and well and living in Puebla.

Back in Puebla, Coral walks into a room where Soledad is arranging flowers and listening to some stuffy Opera music. Coral can’t believe her ears. She tells Soledad that she likes Rumbas and Salsas. (She does a couple of shimmies for effect.) She asks Soledad if she’s ever been to a nightclub. Soledad stammers something like, not in a long time. (Given her background, I’d be surprised if ever. Recall that her male family members kept her locked up so that she had to elope with DL. Then DL held the keys). Coral wheedles her into going out with her—she has a cab all lined up, who will drop them off and pick them up. Soledad looks stiff as a board and nervous.

Back to Luba and Rosita. Rosita asks Luba to explain to her what she means by Flor being alive. Luba tells her not to tell anyone, including that (pa’guanto?) boyfriend of hers, Santos. Rosita goes back to telling her that she’s got to run, that people think she killed Flor. Luba doesn’t care what people think but she is worried when she realizes that they are going to go after her. Rosita excuses herself for a minute to get the address and Luba bounces around the room, worried about the posse and happy about Flor being alive. She yells at Rosita to hurry up.

In Puebla, Alina and Rodrigo have made it to the restaurant. She thanks him for asking her out. He mentions that she got really quiet and sad when Angel visited. Rod asks if she is feeling ill. Alina tells him, no. He asks her if Angel is someone from her past? An old flame? Alina says no, he’s a friend…and the brother of someone very special to her. Rodrigo looks disgruntled. This is getting complicated.

Cut over to Angel who apparently has decided to go on a sightseeing trip. He stops in front of a fountain and laments that Alina will never return his love. She’s been gone about a week and she’s already found some other guy. He says he can’t be mad at her. She’s always been in love with Emilio and now that she can’t be with him, she’s trying to move on. Angel thinks about how he can’t tell his brother that she’s alive. He needs to move on too.

Coral has taken Soledad to, where else? The Devil’s Cave. She comes in and her friend, whose name escapes me, the one who hangs with Luka, appears to be the manageress tonight because she busies about getting a table, chairs and booze for the ladies. Coral wants a bottle of Tequila. The bottle arrives and Coral starts dispensing it. She hands Soledad a shot and insists that she down it. Soledad does but with a face that says it wasn’t exactly the smooth, top shelf stuff.

Finally, we’ve made it over to the jail, where Don Loco has made himself king. He and his gang run into the hapless ex-Police Chief of San Mateo. After very little provocation DL punches him in the stomach. Then, he gets his guys to beat him up while he lights a cigarette.
Over at the Devil’s cave there’s music and merriment. Coral is asked to dance, so she gets up does a little turn and then sits down. Soledad, is getting into the dancing now that she’s had a few under her belt.

At SE, things are heating up, literally. The peasants have their torches and Jaime is whipping them up to find Luba and Gaspar. And I always thought he was a nice guy, if dumb. It turns out that the people already feel guilty about Flor, that nobody did anything to help her while her father was around. When Jaimie tells that she was murdered by Luba, a cry goes up. They are buying it.

Back at Coral’s Alina and Rodrigo are sittin onf the couch. Alina is worried about her Mom not being home yet. Coral and Soledad come bustling in. Soledad is roaring drunk. Coral is less so. Soledad is embarrassed and excuses herself. Coral tells Alina that she was just letting her hair down. Rodrigo smiles when Alina apologizes.

Back at Casa Valtierra, Emilio is pondering, once again, the loss of Alina an how she was his one, his only true love. Angel comes in and Emilio immediately wants to know where he went.
Over to the peasants with pitchforks. Vera is crazed and screams about revenge for Florecita. Only one woman speaks up about how Luba cured her. The crowd is now in an angry frenzy and they go marching off to look for Luba. The arrive at her cave and find her gone. They move on.

Luba, meanwhile, is on her way to San Mateo with Tonkey. She vows to tell Emilio that Gaspar is the child’s father, because no matter what Gaspar says, they won’t believe him. She gets up and moves on.

Emilio and Angel are having a discussion about where Angel was. Angel is trying to blow him off. Emilio says that he was worried about him, that he’s still sick. Besides, he didn’t think that Angel liked going out at night anyway. Angel tries to wriggle out of this conversation by insisting athat he wanted to change his habits. Emilio says, “OK, next time, lets go out together…” Angel tries one more time, I’m just trying to get a little bit independent and enjoy life.
Emilio goes off to bed and Angel thought bubbles that he’s going to spend every afternoon with Alina until he dies. That will give him a happy death.

Back to the hungover Soledad, who is getting tucked in, in bed by a snickering Adela. Alina comes in and Soledad tell her that as much as she loves Coral, she’s never going nightclubbing with her again. She asks Alina how her dinner was and Alina tells her that she’ll tell her tomorrow. Right now she has to go to bed because tomorrow begins early, with a visit to General Ochoa.

And early it is—with a brief transition, we see Alina in General Ochoa’s office together wth Rodrigo and Elias. She tells the General that she wants to accuse Orlando of rape. Ochoa tells her that she’ll have to have some medical tests to prove the accusation. Alina agrees and they commend her for her bravery.

At casa Valtierra, Thelma, SA and Angel are eating breakfast like one big happy, dysfunctional family. SA made the food. Angel says he’s going back to the doctor, to see if anything can be done to improve his condition. Thelma makes some caustic comment and Emilio criticizes her but Angel says that he didn’t have the strength to go on. Now he does. Emilio is in uniform and gets up saying he’s headed in to see General Ochoa. Thelma begs him to kiss her. He gives her a small peck on the top of her head. Thelma is displeased.

Meanwhile, Luba is negotiating with the driver of a hay truck to take her to Puebla. They agree on a price. Tonkey jumps up and rides in back with the hay. Luba says a quick prayer to the Virgincita. She asks her to protect Gaspar but interestingly she also asks her to protect THE BOX, which she calls the “spiritual life and death of Alvaro Montellano.” She then jumps up into the truck, Puebla bound. At the same time, we see Gaspar wandering around the Market Square begging for money to get to Puebla to see his little cub.

Mom missed the meeting with General Ochoa . Alina fills her in. Mom promises to be there for the tests.

Over to the Puebla Jail again, Max and DL’s lawyer are there to visit him. Max goes to hug him and the guards prevent him. It’s an odd moment and I’m not sure if they are working as his body guards or if he isn’t allowed to touch people for fear that they’ll pass him a weapon or a file. DL looks worried, but the lawyer and Max quickly clarify that Max is there to get ready to testify on DL’s behalf since Emilio kicked him to the curb.

A shot of Luba and Tonkey, walking on the streets of Puebla. The approach a big house with a front gate, rather than a front door. She marvels at how big and grand the house is. Luba asks the muchacha cleaning the floor who opens the door, if a big tall handsome guy has been by to ask about the Lady of the House. The girl is stunned by Luba’s appearance and the big dog and says no, and brushes her off.

Inside, Thelma is carrying Emilito around . He’s wearing a little white hat which is very cute. The maid comes in and tells Thelma about the incident with the strange lady downstairs. The miaid thinks the lady had the wrong house. Thelma is worried that it is someone from SE. She holds the baby tighter.

Emilio is in General Ochoa’s office. He wants him to undergo physical therapy for the wound he received and then go back to work. Ochoa tells him that Orlando is in jail. Emilio laments that Orlando deceived him. He deceived everybody says Ochoa. Just then, there’s a knock at the door. It’s a summons for Emilio to appear in Court next week, for the first court hearing in the Trial of Alvaro Montellano.

Back to Casa Valtierra—Thelma is in high gear explaining to the SA that she’s already had a visitor. She didn’t see who it was but she’s pretty sure it was Luba. Nevertheless, as she turns it over in her mind, she doubt’s it’s Luba, Luba can’t leave SE. She dismisses the thought as crazy.

Alina is walking ith Angel, she puts her arm aournd him. She asks about Emilio and Angel tells her that he’s decided to start a new life, like her. She smiles as if this pleases her. Angel asks her about her evening out. Alina tells him she wanted to tell him that Rodrigo…Angel stops her and tells her that she doesn’t have to worry about him. Alina insists that Rodrigo is just a friend and that he’s under orders from General Ocha to protect her. Alina smiles and tells him that she’s really glad to see him. Angel promises to visit her every afternoon.

Dra. Aida Loca is visiting Don Loco in jail. At first he’s calm but when she mentions that she wants to conduct some tests on him, he blows up. He’s "no lab rat." Aida tells him, it doesn’t matter what he wants, it’s about what he needs and what the truth is. In addition, it will help him with his case. She’s not there to ask him , only to inform him. He reluctantly shakes her hand and she leaves.

Finally, we make it over to Veracruz. Hugo and Alfonsina are plotting their next move.

Over at Elias’ he’s been subpoenaed to testify. The doorbell rings. It’s DL’s lawyer who has come to threaten him against testifying. He tells him that if he testifies, his life will be in danger. Elias is ticked and orders the lawyer out of his house.

In the advance for next time, we see Alvaro face his accusers, including Soledad.

Labels: duelo