Caray, Caray!

That's #296 by Univision's count; 295.5 hours of semi-unrequited love.

Inspired by his mother's miraculous recovery and his reconciliation with his father, Luigi suddenly sees Lety's inner beauty and decides to integrate the Lety and Aurora sides of her personality through the use of Apple technology and a brand of haircolor that is also sold in the US. The result does not, in my opinion, do justice to Lety, Aurora, or Angelica Vale; plus, I see a wide belt, and I think we agreed that we don't like those. But we know Lety's New-New-New Look is going to knock everybody's socks off, so let's just go with it. Luigi is quite pleased with himself. Waxing philosophical, he challenges Lety to live up to her new look. Lety looks unsure.

Meanwhile, in Acapulco, the restaurant guy wonders aloud why Aldo isn't happier about recuperating his restaurant. Aldo says that in order to be truly happy, he needs his woman. Just then, Aldo's favorite person, Fernando, shows up. Ah, so that's where he was last night... traveling to Acapulco. I, for one, would have felt much better if I could have seen him sitting in his airplane seat, or car, or whatever, making the trip. What, don't tell me I'm the only person who would enjoy watching him sit and read for half an hour? Just to make sure he gets there safely. Doesn't get bitten by a snake or anything.

Apparently, unlike us, Aldo wasn't worried about Fern at all and is not delighted to see him. No matter. Fern says he's here to talk about Lety. Aldo says that Fernando is the last person who should be intervening in his relationship with Lety. Fern interrupts and says Aldo can bore him with his moral superiority later. He wants to explain the story of Aurora that annoyed Aldo so much. It was motivated entirely by the love that Lety feels for Aldo.

Aldo disagrees and thinks that Lety disguised herself for the sole intention of being with Fern. She's in love with Fern. Fern admits that he loves her, but he and Lety were working together strictly as friends to solve the company's problems. He explains that Lety did the Aurora thing to teach Omar a lesson, and then to do the TV show to make the money needed to set herself and Aldo free. Therefore, Fern concludes, Aldo's gotten upset with Lety for no good reason.

Aldo wants to know why Fern is telling him this. Fern says he wanted to keep Aldo away from her and try to win her back for himself.

"Don't choke or strangle me," Fern says, eliciting a reluctant smile from Aldo as he proceeds with the saddest part of his tale. He had found out that Carmina lied when she told Lety that she was going to move in with Aldo. (Aldo scowls when he hears of Carmina's treachery.) Fern admits that he kept this information from Lety so she'd continue being mad at Aldo; and then he proposed marriage to her, but she refused. (Aldo smiles to himself triumphantly.) Fern says that the only thing he wants is for Lety to be happy.

Aldo says he can see that Fern's very much in love with Lety. Fern says yes, but the only way Lety can be happy is to be at Aldo's side. Aldo thanks him and says the Flavor of Life restaurant is reopening tonight... and it'd be a great honor if Fern would be the godfather (I guess he means "guest of honor"). Fern smiles and happily agrees. Thus is the strange phenomenon of male bonding.

In the Vortex of Stupidity

Luigi fans out his jacket to hide Lety standing behind him. He greets the cuartel as lovely arampaguilas (not in my dictionary) and makes a little announcement about the new Leticia Padilla Solis. He stands aside to let them see. The cuartel exclaims happily at what, I believe, is the fourth incarnation of Lety. (Regular Lety, the scary green New Lety, Aurora, and now this one makes four.) Ah, her hair color looks better in this light. She answers them in her regular Lety voice.

Luigi beams with pride. Caro rushes over with admiration and hugs. Omar awkwardly indicates his approval as well.

In the Delta of Doom

Alibubis is on the phone with Papi in Tomas's office. She says she's got a conflict: she can get rich in the open-and-close of an eye (funny, there's a Spanish word for "blink," but she doesn't use it), but... she's not sure. (She doesn't mention that grand larceny is involved.) She pauses, then happily agrees that these opportunities aren't frequent and she should take advantage. She makes kissy noises at the phone and tells her father that she loves him and misses him. She hangs up and sits at Tomas's computer. She wonders which account she should transfer the money to. She thinks maybe the Swiss bank account her ex set up for her years ago. He left her without a penny, but he never canceled the account. She says to herself, Ay Mauricio Birmann, for the first time in your life you did something good. She's going to buy herself an airplane... that is, a ticket... before she can do the transfer, so how's she going to pay for the ticket? (I guess she's saying she needs to be in Switzerland in order to do the transfer, because she only just now decided which account to put it in, and she doesn't do any typing in this scene.)

She needs a credit card, so she looks through Tomas's wallet (praising his generosity all the while, of course), where she finds and admires more photos of herself. She finds the card she wants, but Tomas comes back before she has a chance to carry out her plan. She hurriedly stuffs the card into her dress and claims that she's thinking, as she sometimes does, from time to time. She asks if he ever feels like thinking. She asks him for the phone and says she's going to the doctor, and that she'll see Tomas at home tonight.

Tomas gets up and excitedly offers to go to the doctor with her. She hurries out, saying, nope, sorry, no can do, bye! He calls after her to take care of their little baby.

Who invited all these people to my house??

Julieta answers the door and a big parade comes in: Marcia, Luigi, Caro, Omar, the cuartel... RoboPop wants to know what they're all doing there. Luigi says they've brought a big surprise. RoboPop, the big grouch, says he doesn't know what Luigi's talking about; better yet, why don't they leave and take their surprise with them.

Jeez! What is up with RoboPop! This is way grouchy even for him. They tell him he's going to regret it, and that it's a very pretty surprise. Lety steps forward and says she's the surprise. RoboPop approves! Julieta approves! Then RoboPop says she'd better not be playing with this look, the way she did as Aurora. She says nope, this is how she's going to be forever. She feels good about herself, inside and outside. She understands now that everyone can attain their beauty.

Everyone (including Lety and her parents) claps. Luigi leads them in a cheer. Wheeee, there's Celso! Now my evening is complete. :-) Lety puts her hand to her lips and giggles.

Lety and Julieta go to Lety's room to chat. Before they can say anything of importance, RoboPop joins in, wanting an explanation. (Moty comes in too, but doesn't cause any trouble.) Lety says that she's going to tell her mom some of the things she's learned about herself. "Woman things," she elaborates, showing him to the door. Julieta giggles.

Now that Erasmo's gone and the door's closed, Lety admits that that's not really what she had in mind. She whips out her makeup kit and waves some tweezers at her mother. She says her mom's going to stop being a "cejijunta" (unibrow) and bigotona (whiskered lady). "Me?" Julieta asks, perplexed.

After a long wait, RoboPop gets impatient and asks what they're up to. Lety tells him to close his eyes. He resists; Lety tells him that if he doesn't, Mom won't come downstairs. He complies, and Mom comes down. Lety tells him to look. He doesn't seem thrilled.

"I told you he'd be upset," Julieta says. He doesn't say much, but he doesn't seem happy. She is wearing some makeup and her eyebrows are plucked and her hair is different; it's actually the absence of the glasses that surprises me the most. RoboPop takes her hands and says that he married the most beautiful woman in existence. He then invites her for a second honeymoon. Julieta seems tempted, but wonders about their daughter. Lety assures them that she's grown up now. Erasmo agrees that Lety is a woman "hecha y derecha" (made and right, i.e. grown up right). Lety says it's a good chance for them to go to Acapulco. He tells Julieta they can go whenever she wants. She wants to start planning right now.

Lety tells herself she just needs Aldo to be happy, truly happy.

At the Love Shack

Alicia is telling someone on the phone that she needs a plane to Switzerland tomorrow... yes, she agrees with the travel agent, she needs a ticket. She needs to deposit a lot of money into her account in a hurry. (Yeah, I'm sure that doesn't sound suspicious to the airline people at all.) She tells the travel agent that she just wants one ticket. In first class, of course.

She reaches for a pen and drops the phone. (Ad-libbing, she asks the person on the phone if he's okay.) She writes down the particulars of her flight and promises to be there tomorrow to get her airplane... yes, she agrees with the travel agent, her ticket. She says she'll pay with her husband's credit card.

Later, she is packing her things to go to Switzerland and be rich and free. She won't need anyone. She's just going to bring the important things (which evidently includes her lucky red nightgown); everything else, she'll buy new.

Tomas gets home, and why not; he lives there. He wants to know what the doctor said. "Nothing," she says, which doesn't exactly distract him. He notices the suitcase. Thinking fast, she says she's going on a trip, for her "treatment." Because her doctor moved to Culican.

Even Tomas doesn't fall for this one. He says that's absurd, and begins unpacking her bag. He says they'll find another doctor. She starts repacking and says this doctor is very good, and anyway, she'll definitely come back, so don't worry.

He asks when she's leaving. In a sudden fit of what appears to be cold feet, she sadly says it's tomorrow afternoon. He wants to go with her, but he's got too much work, has to prepare for the Big Meeting. (Yikes, I just realized it's been six months!) He sits at her feet and says he'll miss her. "Ay, Tomy, how tender you are," she says sadly as he snuggles against her legs.

"Poor thing," she thought-bubbles, "you're going to be left without a million dollars and will never see me again."

Struck by inspiration, she asks if he'd like to sleep together. He jumps to his feet and asks if she's serious. He eagerly begins kissing up her arm, but stops when he reaches her face. "Better not," he says. "We want to have a baby, remember? We can't disregard the treatment like we did last time. I love you, and I'm going to go on sacrificing myself for our family...

"Although...," he adds, looking at her thoughtfully.

He jumps on top of her. She looks up at him with an expression of... what.. Fear?

Excitement?

Dare I say... anticipation?

Tomas kisses her other arm and runs out of the room. "See you tomorrow, chiquita."

Staring at the closed door, Alicia seems strangely ambivalent.

Flavor of Life, Take Two

It's the grand reopening of The Flavor of Life. Ah, I see what the "godfather" does at a restaurant launch... Fern's holding a pair of scissors and is standing in front of a big ribbon at the restaurant entrance. Fern charms the crowd just by being himself, cuts the ribbon, makes a tiny speech about wanting the place to be a success, then opens a champagne bottle. Just as he is about to call out the chef by name, Aldo interrupts - probably worried about being called "Domensolin" or worse - and Fern asks him not to cut off his inspiration. Fern says "The Flavor of Life - that's not too pretentious of a name." (This didn't sound snotty when Fern said it.) He pours out the champagne and leads them in a toast.

Last words

Fernando is in bed with his diary and saying that he's only thinking about Lety's happiness; he doesn't matter. But he feels so lost. He's sad that he and Lety will never write their love story in the diary together. He says it was dumb of him that day to let Lety be free to sort out her feelings, to find out whether she was in love with him or with Aldo. He would have sworn that he and Lety would have ended up together, but it went the opposite way. She truly loves Aldo, and Fern believes that Aldo deserves her love.

He closes the diary. (If he had a pen, I didn't see it; maybe it's one of those magic diaries that write when you speak to them.) Tears roll neatly down his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Aldo is still at the restaurant, recalling Fern's wish that Lety be happy at Aldo's side. Aldo says the final word hasn't been said yet.

No, there's still no official word as to when the gran finale will be, nor whether it will be in a three-hour block or six half-hours or three full hours or what. I promise we'll post something as soon as we know.

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