Caray, Caray!

Finally the big night begins. Here are the segments provided by the five recappers. Melinama, Julie, Jardinera, Beckster and CherylNewMex. I also suggested that each person add parting words or a last shot (either of tequila or of pithy words.) An hour before the big event started my VCR had a fatal shudder and stopped forever. Hope everyone else had better luck [This evening's editor, CNM.]
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Part I by Melinama

Rod fingers Gav's picture, scotchtaped to his cell wall (who gave him scotch tape?). "I hope she'll forgive me for saying I don't love her." Nitwit.

In the nice clean empty prison cafeteria (they couldn't afford extras for this scene) Patricio apologizes. Rod thanks him for coming through at the 11th hour, they agree they will stay in touch. Patricio gets 6 years, but he can get out in 3 if he's well behaved. His girlfriend Lluvia is exonerated completely.

I enjoyed seeing Aaron on his fancy plane, in his fancy linen vacation clothes, drinking his fancy booze, saying into a currently operational cellphone: "I have plans, Oñate, lots of plans." Well, he disembarks and the fancy good life comes to an abrupt end- a red car roars up and he is taken at gunpoint by big Interpol guys. Heh. They throw him in a dark cell with Oñate. "Traitor!"

Turns out homicide gets the death sentence in Tuvaloo, and Aaron is convicted of causing the death of hundreds of Tuvaluvians who drank his adulterated liquor.

Rod gets out of jail. He's gotten a shave. He embraces his sisters, and James, and says, "Let's go save the hacienda!"

He asks about Gaviota. She's on an important trip to Eastern Europe. "With Blandie?" "No, with Olavarria, she'll be back the end of next week." "OK, then, let's go see Granny!" He gets the bad news about Grannie's coma.

At the hospital, the grave doctor says he doubts Pilar will last the night. Pilar goes, yes, she goes, yes, she goes towards the white light. [My favorite aunt, in her last days, was visited by a hospice worker who kept telling her to go towards the light. My aunt summoned her last bits of strength to cuss that worker out and tell her to stuff it.] She imagines her own funeral! Everybody is crying. Elvis is wearing an inappropriate yellow t-shirt!

Then she sees Don Amador in a cloud of white. He says, nah, this isn't your time. (She had mascara on in this scene, who's doing her makeup when she's in a coma?)

Pilar wakes up. Everybody piles in. There's a teary love fest. James is so emotional he drips fluids into his awful moustache.

Fedra runs in sobbing - Aaron has been arrested on the "Island of Savages." Minerva runs in crying also - the penalty for his crimes is death.

Oh, the Doctor says, a miraculous recovery. All credit Elvis for his devoted attention and Pilar muses that it took this disaster for her to realize Elvis has a heart of gold.

Isa is teaching her class about Greek architecture (Corinthian columns etc.) and I am in agreement that her male students will have a lot of trouble taking in the information she provides.

Rod discovers there's bad news and good news. On the one hand, the agave is destroyed and the hacienda has been dismantled by the bankers, but on the other hand, Isa has signed the divorce papers and he will soon be free.

Out in the bush, Roman is bitten by a rattlesnake while hunting rabbits. He rips hisself a tourniquet from his pants and drags hisself home. Ofelia and SanJuana are horrified when he staggers in, shivering. SanJuana calls the doctor, who won't be back for a couple hours. (Ofelia, by the way, still doesn't believe the baby is Hilario's. Since Carmelo keeps giving SanJuana presents, Ofelia suggests suspiciously that Carmelo is perhaps the real dad. SanJuana says they'll all know when the baby is born.)

Ofelia calls Hilario, who is lifting weights, all male-model-looking, in an icy-blue gym: "Come home."

SanJuana says, "Roman, don't die without knowing your grandchild." This starts to convince Ofelia that maybe the baby IS Hilario's.

Fedra, Bruno, Minerva, and Rodrigo are all outside Aaron's cell, there on the Island of Savages. Only one can go in to see him - Aaron chooses Rodrigo!

Rod enters the dark cell where Aaron sits barefoot on the floor. Rod: "I appreciate your seeing me, the others have more of a right." "I don't want them to see me like this, you won't believe it but I still have my dignity." "I'm sorry about everything that happened. What a long journey! Remember our families together at the hacienda? I'd always be so excited to see you, to play with my only friend, my brother! We grew up together, then we shared an apartment in London, we helped each other ...[Here I think Rod is being carried away by the moment - I don't recall seeing any helping going on in that apartment -- Ed.] ... When did things change?" Aaron: "When grandfather condemned us to war with his will. Why does it matter?" "It's important to me - to forget would be to lose half our lives." "You are a good guy. Be an example to my son, take care of him."

Rod says they'll appeal, they'll get him out, but Aaron says it's too late, his destiny is decided, he can't live in asquerosos
mazmorras (revolting dungeons).

Pilar suspects something is wrong because Aaron's not at the hospital (or maybe she saw him in her dream, with red flames licking around him). I think Sofia shows poor judgment in telling granny the truth. She and Dani look at the time and realize this is when Aaron is getting his lethal injection. "He did so much damage, but this is a sad end."

Fedra announces to us that the death of a child is the cruelest punishment a mother can endure. She must be trying to ward off off a more drastic cosmic punishment, like falling off that angel statue in Mexico City.

Aaron passes the assembled family on his way to the execution room. "Don't forget my charge," he says to Minerva. She sobs and grabs him. They are just great together. "Calm yourself, my love," he says. I'm leaving loving you." "Don't go!" "Tell my son his father made a lot of mistakes but he was never a coward." She collapses screaming and hugs Rodrigo.

A dentist's chair, upholstered in black. Hypodermic needles. Aaron's gone. Less than two days from arrest to execution. Dang, that's fast.
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Part II by Julie:

At the hospital, Dani and Sofia talk about how devastated Minerva and Fedra must be over Aaron's death. Sofia says they will need to look after their poor uncle Bruno. Dani says she's most worried about their grandmother, and how she will react when she finds out.

In sleep, Abuela is beautiful and almost lifelike. Her breathing becomes agitated, and she wakes up calling for Aaron. "I heard Aaron saying goodbye to me! He was very sad... where is he? You know! Tell me!" Dani tries to convince her it was just a dream, but Pilar demands an answer. Sofie gently informs her that Aaron got bit by a possum with rabies, so he had to be put to sleep. Now he's in a better place where he can romp in a field with lots of other puppies.

Actually, she tells her grandmother the stark truth that he sold poisoned tequila that killed lots of people, tried to flee, and was caught. Dani adds that he was executed for it. Call me crazy, but I'm not sure that this was what Pilar should have woken up to. On the other hand, she already half-knew anyway. Pilar cries through a half-paralyzed mouth, but her heart doesn't flip out or anything.

A bell tolls. It's nighttime.

Hilario is at the hacienda, reassuring Ofelia that the worst of Roman's ordeal is past, and the doctor said that in a few days, he'll be good as new.

Ofelia asks if he needs to leave soon. He says he'll stay until Roman's okay. He says he was surprised to find SJ there. Ofelia tells Hili how angry Roman's been with him for dumping SJ. She asks if he really spent any time with SJ in the city. He admits they had some drinks together, and you know... (He watches the rest in a flashback while Ofelia waits patiently.) Ofelia says she's had problems with Roman and with SJ because she thought it was just SJ's talk that the baby was his; but when Roman was doing so badly, SJ was very worried that he'd die without seeing his grandchild, and she was sincere. Ofelia tells Hilario that SJ has changed very much, and she's studying dressmaking, and James gave her a sewing machine, and she's been making clothes for the baby.

SJ is sewing happily at this very moment. Then she remembers when Hilario called her a liar said "I don't feel anything for you. Wait, I do feel one thing - disgust!" And he laughed and said she had to get him senseless drunk so he'd go to bed with her.
(Poor victim Hilario!) SJ cries.

Hilario tells Ofelia he's not in love with SJ. (DUH) Ofelia asks if he's still in love with Isadora. Hiliario says no, all that's left of that affair is heavy remorse for having betrayed his patrón, Rodrigo.

(Somewhere in the DF, Isadora is grading student papers. She yawns and rubs her stiff neck, but smiles at the baby in his crib.)

Ofelia says it doesn't seem real that Hilario is there. Roman stirs and asks for her. She tells him that Hilario's here to see him. Hili tells him to get better soon so they can go ride horses. Roman takes his hand and calls him a city person who's surely
forgotten how to ride. They'd hoped to have a country boy who'd enjoy simple farm life with the animals, but that wasn't enough for him. (It's hard to tell whether he's must making a statement, or being bitter.) Hili replies that the happiest moments of his life happened here at the hacienda, and he'd like to be a farmhand again.

Roman says the horses and agaves have been replaced by misfortune; the agaves were killed by plagues; the bank took the rest of the hacienda's output; Pilar went to the hospital; Rod just got out of jail. Ofelia says that Montelveña is in ruin.

"But what would you care of our problems?" Roman asks, now alert enough to be grumpy again. Hilario offers to help out financially with his savings, but Roman says they don't need his money; if he really wants to help, he should claim his child. To deny one's child is not what a good man does. Hilario answers that he doesn't doesn't love SJ. Roman interrupts and says they can't make him do something he doesn't want to, but Roman will do what he can for his grandchild, and Carmelo's willing to give the child his name.

One week later: Rod visits Bruno at the Corporativo. Rod tells him about the empty fields, dead agaves, and ransacked hacienda of Montalveña. Bruno wishes he could help, but he has his hands full with the corporativo.

More updates:
- With the loss of Aaron, Fedra lost her zest for life.
- Minnie went to Spain to be with her great-aunt. (Rod suggests that Fedra go with her so they can keep each other company. Bruno seems to like this idea.)
- Granny is recovering. Sofia, Dani, and Elvis are helping with her therapy.
- The CRT is going to let Montalvocorp start producing again.
- Rod's going to ask for some sort of agricultural grant so he can plant new agaves and other crops.
- Rod heard that Mariana is getting back (to London) from a tour of eastern Europe. Bruno says he hopes they work things out.
- Rod says he will have faith in what will be.

Rod leaves. Bruno hugs a photo of Aaron and cries.

James, Roman (recovered from his snakebite), Ofelia, SJ, Hilario, and Crispin are blowing hot air (no new information) around the breakfast table. Hili's parents talk about how happy they are to have him back. Hili teasingly asks SJ what she thinks. She
says she couldn't care less. Hili fumes silently. Crispin observes that Hilario has fallen in SJ's esteem. Hili fumes some more.

Carmelo shows up with a bassinet. SJ tells him he shouldn't have; from the look in Hilario's eyes, it's clear that Hilario REALLY thinks Carmelo shouldn't have. Carmelo kisses the bassinet and leaves. SJ throws Hil a shrewd glance and says that Carmelo is
winning her over with these gifts. Hil angrily gets up and announces that he's full and will go do his work. James and the others have a hearty laugh over Hil's obvious jealousy.

And now we must be in London because they're playing "Careless Whisper," which will be the official national anthem of England just as soon as George Michael becomes king. Gavi's boss is telling Dorothy the assistant that the tour of Eastern Europe was great. Then he reminds Gavi she's going on vacation tomorrow, so she'd better prepare her report for Av*.

Gavi gets her messages. There's one from Dr. Blandie, and one from Dani. Dorothy says she told Dani she was
out of town but coming back today; she had also asked for Gavi's home number, but Dorothy wouldn't give it to her. "Good job," Gavi says. Back in Mexico, Rod calls Gavi. Impactada, Gavi stands up angrily and says they have nothing to discuss. He protests, and she answers "Are you deaf or what? You're dead to me. Don't bother me."

Dorothy walks in innocently holding a folder and Gavi jumps down her throat, telling her not to give her another phone call from Rodrigo, even if he says he's having a heart attack. Dorothy politely replies that she just wanted to give her something to review. Gavi is slightly embarrassed.

Back in Mexico, Rod tells Dani, who places a call of her own. Gavi refuses it and tells Dot NO calls from ANY Montalvos.

Rod and Dani discuss their options. Dani suggests calling Av* and having him MAKE Gavi speak to them. Rod rejects this and says Gavi has had plenty of time to hate him and now he's lost her. Dani wishes they could call Clarita, etc. Rod doesn't want Gavi to know he went to jail for her if it will only guilt her into going back to him. He tells Dani to leave her alone. But she won't let him give up. She tells him to find her. That's what she (Dani) would do, anyway.

Gavi sits at her desk and marvels at the nerve he must have to dare to call her. (She doesn't wonder hard enough to ask herself what he wanted.)

Dr. Blandie shows up. Oh joy. He's been invited to an
annual coffee expo taking place in Thailand. He tells her all about it, and manages to make it sound much duller than anything could possibly be. It'll be eight days, during which (he claims) there will not be a single dull moment.

But wait - there's more! The invitation is for TWO! (Don't worry, it's in separate rooms.)

Gavi is so thrilled, she can barely meet his eyes or crack a smile. Just to make sure we're all clear on this, he says he'd like her to go with him. "No pressure," he says, but the flight leaves at 2 tomorrow, so he needs to know tonight.

Gavi's face clearly says "KILL ME NOW" and she's unable to speak coherently. I'm not exaggerating. This is how you tell a good actor from a bad one. I bet it would have taken most people ten days to shoot this scene because they would never stop laughing.

He says he'll understand if she doesn't want to go, but... "It's just that I have to prepare this report for Av*," she tells him. "It's okay," he murmurs glumly, slinking out with his tail between his legs...

He turns at the door for another attempt. "If you come with me, I guarantee it will be an unforgettable trip." She won't have a moment to think about the things that are bothering her. It'd be a true break for her, and it would make HIM very happy.

Still no reaction from Gavi.

You know what would make it unforgettable trip? Killing someone with a demitasse spoon to make the boredom stop.

In the vecindad, Isa (wearing a leopard print) tells Jose that she's going to call Videgaray and tell him Rodrigo can see the baby any time he wants to. Jose says that's great, because her grandson needs to be near HIS FATHER. Her subtlety is not lost on Isa, who says Rodrigo has earned that right.

At home, Gavi is telling Clarita she's sure that Dr. Blandie will be a total gentleman if she goes with him. She doesn't actually sound interested until she starts talking about Thailand itself, which she'd like to see; but she doesn't want to leave her mother alone again.

Clarita tells Gavi not to worry about that; she coyly admits that spending time with Mr. Thomas isn't half-bad. Gavi excitedly asks if they're an item. Clarita says no, no, they just went out a few times. He took her out for roast beef, but she didn't like
it because the meat was tough and bloody.

Getting back to the matter at hand, Clarita feels that if Gavi agrees to take the trip with Dr. Blandie, it'd be like agreeing to have a relationship with him, even if they slept in separate rooms. It'd be a lousy way to treat a man who adores her.
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Part III by Jardinera

It's a week or so that's past. Elvis is helping feed Grammy P her soup and the poor thing is paralyzed on the left side of her face. (Not a bad punishment from the novela gods for her arrogance throughout.) He leaves with the tray of dishes and she tells Dani that it's taken her numerous family misfortunes to finally figure out that Elvis is not such a bad sort, really. (Note: he's clearing the table and the maid is nowhere to be found. What does that tell us? Let's just be kind and say hard times have befallen the household. As Dani smiles at these kind words from Pilar, Sofia comes in. (Thank gawd she has a tray in her hands, too. Close call here.) She tells them she's heard that Rod was supposed to get in that morning and head straight to the hacienda. Dani says she's got some great news for the two of them, but she'll wait till Elvis comes back. (We never get to hear what the news is, though!)
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In Gavi's posh pad in London she and Alonso are on the phone together. Gavi tells him that she's not really ready to consider taking a trip with him and wonders just what he's expecting from it. "If you're hoping that...." "--Oh. I suppose you're still in love with Rod." "--No. It's just that I'm not sure I'm ready to fall in love again right now. I don't want to end up hurting you." "That will be my problem. Just let me have a vit of your time and I promise you that you will enjoy yourself and won't have a minute to think about the past." (Yeah, at a coffee conference in Thailand. Yawn. Good gawd, man. Stop begging already! Okokay. He's been 5 long years without. I suppose we should give him some slack.) Gavi gives in. "Great. I'll make the reservations right now and see you at noon tomorrow!" They hang up.
Clarita comes in then and asks if Gave is going with him or not. Gavi tells her yes. Rod's call disturbed her and brought back so many painful old memories she's just got to get away and try to forget it all. Alonso knows the rules and she's willing to take a chance with him and see.
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The next day as the secretary leaves we see Rod get out of the elevator. He calls out to Gavi who turns around and tells him that they have nothing to say to each other. He wants her to listen to him. She gives him one minute. The big dope doesn't give her any explanation as to why he just appears out of nowhere. He simply tells her he's come to see what she feels for him now. She says she feels lots: contempt, disappointment, hate. (Rod, honey, like you expected she'd jump for joy after the humiliating send off you gave her?) Just then Alonso arrives with his suitcase and says, "Are we going?"
Rod sees his suitcase and then looks down and see Gavi's suitcase and pretty much knows the score. The phone rings and Alonso leaves to answer it in the adjoining office. "So, you're going to go with him?" "Yes." Rod looks away, accepts the situation for what it is and leaves.
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Alonso is on the phone. It was Avellaneda trying to reach Gaviota with Dani's explanation. Alonso tries to find Gavi for him, but she's gone and says she must have left with Rod. Avellaneda tells him that if for some reason Rod hasn't been able to give Gaviota an explanation, then Alonso must make sure she hears the truth from him. "So now you'll be familiar with the Hell that Rodrigo Montalvo has lived through.
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Gavi goes after Rod. "What were you expecting from me? That I'd wait for you my whole life?" "No. Of course not. Why don't you get back to Santoveña? You'll be leaving him alone." "--I have no intention of doing that. He's been there for me when I needed someone the most. He never played the knid of dirty trick you played on me. I've tired of your indecision and your immaturity. What were you hoping for? That I'd jump into your arms and give thanks that's you'd come after the way you told me to go to hell?" "--No." "--You're lying! I'm not the same stupid girl I always was.....I've made my decision now leave me in peace!"
Rod turns away and enters the elevator. As the elevator doors close Gavi wipes away her tears and reenters the office. Alonso asks her where Rod's gone and she figures to his old apartment there in London, but doesn't really know. "Let's go, Doctor. I'll get my bag." He struggles with telling her what Avellaneda has just asked him to, but he is such the Dudley Do-right, he cannot stop hmself and sits her down. "I have something to tell you."
"When you and Rod returned from your trip he got two very bad bits of news that day. The plague had destroyed the agave crop and the bankers confiscated everything else. Then a scandal blew up concerning at the corporation over illegal tequila shipments that occurred while you and Rod were heading the company. When Aaron was caled in by the authorities to explain he washed his hands of it all and blamed the two of you. Rod knew they wer going to call you both in but he didn't want you to have your career cut short so he avoided it and declared himseld the guilty party and sacrificed his freedom so that you could leave the countyr. He took the blame and ended up in jail for a crime he didn't commit."
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Meanwhile Clarita and Thomas are chatting at each other instead of with each other . They end up doing the tango since dog-tired is not a concept she can convey, and since tango is the dance of luhhvv.... well, you get the picture.
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Alonso continues that afte Rod was freed he found out Pilar had had a stroke, then needed to travel to some island where his cousin, Aaron, had been arrested for causing hundreds of deaths from the adulterated liqour he'd marketed there and was later executed there for it. Of course Gavi wonders why he didn't tell her. Alonso says that he probably figured it was no use when he saw the two of them getting ready to go off together. So, Gavi says she must get back to Mexico and find him now. She has Alonso and Thomas explain to her mother, the two of them promise to stay good friends and she flies off to Mexico after Rodrigo.
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Rod is getting sauced on tequila again and on the phone with Dani. He explains it was a waste in London and that he came back empty handed since she was getting ready to go off with Dr. Santoveñia. She wonders why the heck he didn't explain the situation to her since that was the whole point of the trip. Rod says he figured what for considering what he saw and he only wanted to see if she still felt anything for him. Anyway, he didn't want her to come back to him just because he'd gone to jail in order to save her from having to also. (He's got a point there, convoluted, but valid.) He hangs up in frustration and Dani tells Sofia and Pilar that Gavi and he didn't get back together after all. Just then the doorbell rings. Dani opens it and it is Gavi. She's come to find Rod and to ask his forgiveness.
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Back at Montalveña it's lunchtime. The whole gang is there. Hilario has made the decision to stick around. He even offers to help financially with getting the hacienda up and running again. Carmelo comes in with a crib for San Juana then. Hilario gets a bit jealous at this. James is wondering why Rod got back from London so quickly and they're all wondering why Rod and Gavi's love affair has taken another turn for the worse. Rod's now locked in his room in another blue funk and won't answer S.J's knock. Crispin has the answer to cheering up the "ex-millioinario, imbibing, hacienda-owner." ¡FIESTA!
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At Pilar's, Dani doesn't want to listen to anything Gavi has to say after the rotten way she treated Rod. Gavi says she deserves to be listened to considering the hideous way he dumped her. So, they let her talk. Gavi says Pilar may want to draw and quarter her, but nobody knew the horrible way Rod treated her that last time and then when he came to London she humiliated him, but he didn't try to explain, never once opened his mouth about what had happened and how was she supposed to guess?
Dani says he came to see whether she still felt anything for him and if she had shown him that she did he would have explained, but it was obvious she had other plans when he got there. Gavi admits that she did, but only after receiving their two calls. "Understand, please! I had waited my whole life for him and suffered one disappointment after another. I was afraid to fall again and had to get far, far away!" She looks straight at Dani. "And you! If we were such good friends how come you never said a word about what was happening? You know I'd never have abandoned him, let alone allowed him to stay in jail!" Dani looks at the floor, ashamed.
Gavi turns to Pilar. She says she cannot go until she has forgiven Gavi and gives her blessing to go after her grandson. Pilar gives it to her. Sofia apologises then and they hug. Dani says she simply wants to be certain that Gavi isn't going after Rod out of a sense of duty for what he did for her. Gavi tells her that could never happen.
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The boys have all gone into town. They're drinking what else but tequila. It's a tequila festival it seems. James cheers the group up telling them that the bankers have agreed to give them a loan to get the hacienda back on its feet again. Rod whines about having lost Gavi forever and again refuses to have them mention her name. He says without her he feels like the living dead.
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Part IV - by Beckster

First a big fine shout out to all the people who read the recaps and commented. This tale of love, betrayal, lies, angst and thinking the world is a dark unforgiving place has a redeeming message that should never be forgotten. That is “Take your Tequila Straight-Up” and make mine a doble. That is the lesson I have learned from this tale.
Now I begin at the part where Rod is drinking himself into yet another Tequila stupor. He comes out to join the family (well family of Roman and so on so forth). He says Gavi is in London, never to return he has lost her forever. SanWanna, has a look of Plllleeeezzze, that is so yesterday, I’m pregnant and guess what I know who the father is. Well there is some kind of fiesta in Tequila and nothing gets the taste of spurned love out of your mouth than going to a fiesta and drinking even more Tequila.
Meanwhile back in DF, Sofie, Dani & Pilar are sitting around. There is a knock at the door. Dani answers it and she has a look of complete surprise on her face. For a moment I am hoping it is the ghost of Aaron Past. No, it is Gavi. Dani isn’t playing the cunada game. She is a bit cold to Gavi. Gavi comes right on in and talks extremely fast, but makes her case. Look your AssHat brother humiliated me, dumped me, and kicked my ass to the curb. How was I to know he was in jail etc..I gotta see him, I gotta make things right. Dani hangs back. She asks Pilar for her blessing. Pilar or at least the half that isn’t paralyzed gives her the blessing and tells her to go find Rod. Sofie, does the I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused you. Sofie has now found people like to blame someone and being that Sofie has always had a bit of a problem getting people to like her, well she now takes the blame for everything.

---Be aware viewers Sofie will appear on C-Span next week for congressional hearings, rumor has it she will cop to falsifying WMD evidence, yes thus leading to invasion of Iraq. Don’t miss it---

Gavi is gracious with Sofie far more than I would be. I don’t think I could ever address her other than, “Bitch”, but hey that’s just me. Dani finally says, go find him.

“Him” is at the big fiesta, James, Hil, Crispin, Roman & Rod are drinking…what? Yes you guessed it Tequila. Rod says someone else will have to pay as he is broke. It’s okay that brings a big round of laughter since everyone is drunk. They all tell Rod to cheer up and the banks will come through. Sounds like a sub-prime loan..eeeeekkkk. Rod further laments how he has lost the love of his life. Meanwhile there is a parade of girls dressed as Agave plants and indeed it looks like a couple of Frankies “Twofer” babes are riding in a truck. We see dancing Indians, babes on floats, bands and so on and so forth. Hil & James get up and dance in the street. Yes, I have been to the local regional drunk fests in Mexico and yes men do that. Thank Gawd my husband doesn’t dance, but he would be one of the drinkers egging the other idiots on, yes if you ever see a picture, that is me in the background with the Sofie snarl on my face. Now they are all in the streets and seriously drunk and stumbling. Miss Agave 2007 is passing by on her float, the ninos say Miss Agave is hawt. Rod disagrees no one is as hawt as his Gavi, so he kinda leaps, falls down on the float. He has his cassette of many tears. Of course there is a cassette player on the float, these third world countries don’t have fine technology like we do…alas no cd player.
Meanwhile, Houston we have a problem…The Gavi has landed. She has arrived in the same decrepit school bus she rode when departing Tequila those four plus years ago.

---Seriously folks I hate to lecture, but should you ever be on jeopardy and the category “Outmoded Forms of Transportation in Third World Countries” comes up, they actually have normal buses that run between DF & little out of the way places. Granted they stop at every little town along the way, but they have air conditioning. Tequila is not a small town. The place I was had maybe 500 total on a good day.---

Anyhow Gavi calls the ranch, Ofelia tells her Rod is in town. Gavi will find him. She stops off at a stand and buys a dress & some sandals. The dress is pretty form fitting and you can she she doesn’t wear a belly ring as you can see her navel through the dress. Gavi looks okay in a kinda getting back to my roots kinda of way.
Now back to Miss Agave, Rod is pulled off the ride and law enforcement gather. (by law enforcement, I mean a mall somewhere was missing the dayshift of rent-a-cops). Normally Federallis or the Mexican Federal Police patrol these big festivals, they carry large guns and maintain crowd control. The boys drag Rod off. By this time Rod has decided it would be a good idea to go to the rodeo. Hil see Carmelo and splits off from the group of ninos. Hil tells Carmelo, no mas presents for SanWanna & the baby. Hil says it is his baby. Carmelo says well I offered her a name for the kid as you didn’t step up. Hil wants him to back off, but Carmelo says we will let SanWanna decided. Oh Carmelo, you little dreamer.

Gavi runs into Hil on the street and he tells her Rod is at the Rodeo, off they go.
Now Rod and the rest of the gang are in the Rodeo, we see fast-forwarded bull riding. An announcement is made, “Who will ride the bull of the six lives?” Who? Who? Why BadBigHeadedRod, that is who. His friends try to stop him, but fueled by six galleons of Tequila, Rod knows no fear. He is in the shoot being tied to the bull or whatever. Gavi has arrived…no no no..

Rod can’t hear her.

Rod leaves the shoot, he holds on briefly, but is thrown, OH NO..Rod lies motionless on the dirt and other things commonly found in a bullring. Gavi runs into the ring and cradles his big head..Oh Rod, forgive me, forgive me, I love you…and so on. Rod has been playing possum “This is the best part he says” They kiss, at last they are united…
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Part V by CherylNewMex

Oh, teehee, I get the wedding scene! Soooooo, someone shouts out, "The Bridegroom!" And here comes our handsome Rodrigo in the fanciest Mariachi suit ever on an enormous well decorated horse, I can't decide which of them was better looking. So much beauty, so little time. He greets the guests and gets lots of "finally it really is your wedding" comments. Clarita does the cross and kiss blessing to a child for him and Dani presents him with a surprise. Here comes José with bighead Ricky. Rod cuddles the chubby one and proclaims his joy. Isadora sent best wishes and thought his son should be with him on this important day. I spot Lluvia alone, everyone else seems to be with their main squeeze. Rodrigo disappears into the church to avoid jinxing the moment by seeing the bride too soon. Well, even he has had enough of these jinxes in his life.

The shouts start again, "Here comes the bride!" and Gaviota enters in a huge splendid carriage. Her white horse wears a huge white blanket and indeed Gaviota is totally in white. Every fallen (not really a virgin anymore) woman's dream... all that white to suggest purity of thought and deed. This time, Clarita meets her with a "como asi, m'hija" like what else would she say. She adds, "You shine like the saints" And, here comes Mr.Thomas from behind a wall who flew with her from London. Thomas assures Gaviota that he couldn't let Clarita come alone. Wow, lots of friends. Nancy hugs her. José and bighead Ricky come forth again to surprise her. Avellaneda, steps forward and says he is sorry she won't be with the CRT but surely she will carry on as a consultant for them. She agrees. The priest calls them in to start the ceremony. Avellaneda then takes her arm and is her escort down the aisle. I nice paternal touch for these two who have been through so much together. The sisters welcome her to the family [I'm between yelling, run Gavi run and being a teary eyed spectator] The Mariachi band softly plays the wedding march and down the aisle they come. Her dress is a bit fussy for my taste with lots of material including a long train, but lordy, this woman deserves to wear all the white lace in Sevilla if she wants to. She is pleased with it and that's all that counts. At the traditional hand off, Avellaneda says to Rod that Gaviota is like a daughter to him. Pilar speaks for Rodrigo and assures Gaviota she is getting the real descendent of Amador. The ceremony is pretty traditional with the addition of lots of thought bubbles from the pews. All good wishes of course. When Rodrigo and Gaviota first kneel at the altar, they have a common thought bubble murmuring of the first time they met, they were kneeling at that altar when Rod returned for Amador's funeral.

Cut to poolside in Thailand, a very pretty, bikini-clad woman sits down next to Alonso. And it's such a parallel universe, she is reading the exact same book and orders the exact same special coffee from the waiter. What a sunny smile we get from Alonso for the first time in ages. Could this be his soulmate come to life??

Back at the altar, the besotted couple kiss the rings before putting them on each other's hand and say sweet vows. The scene includes the tradition of groom pouring coins into the hands of bride and the sister's entwine the couple with the long boa of white roses. Hilario looks on with a wistful sigh, Pilar thought bubbles hope that they have finally overcome all their obstacles. [boy, you and me both, sister], Elvis thinks this has ended in a great triumph and James and Sofie pledge love to each other [now just stop it! all of you, no sneering or snarking out there, I am one of the few viewers who really likes old James of the good heart, and Sofia has cleaned up her act quite well] Rodrigo wants to consecrate his life to making Gavi happy. The beaming faces continue thoughts, and my what beautiful teeth they all have, grandmother! Gaviota kisses Rod early the priest teases her then they are declared married and kiss a bunch more.

8 years later we hear a child singing "Aye, Gaviota", and see a precious curly haired moppet in the dirt near the agave fields. Rodrigo approaches and startles her into giggles. He grabs her up on his shoulder and takes her off to meet an old friend of the family. As we enter the house, the long mantle displays pictures of all the dead and then all the married family members so we see proof of Sofie and James, then Dani and Elvis end up in wedding garb. Thank you thank you, I like weddings but not that many. A crowd of children scramble down the stairs to surround Alonso, his beautiful bride and Gaviota. They include Ricky whose head looks nicely proportioned to his body now, Pili who must be named Pilar with long flowing golden locks, smart naming by Minerva no doubt to get back on granny's good side. Hilario and SJ's awfully cute son. We learn that James and Sofie have twins and they are working at the school at the Mirasoles home, the little Gaviota is a precocious child, later at a wonderful outdoor meal and fiesta we are treated to music and all the family looking happy and hale. Elvis and Dani dangle a beautiful toddler between them. Clarita is living there with Thomas as her husband and the kids call him Grandpa. Fedra looks almost sweet (maybe it's just grateful) with Bruno, Grandma Pilar has gotten her smile back if not her groove. Lluvia is there with Patricio. We learn that the new agaves are now six years old and ready for making more tequila. It all seems happy and prosperous [unless you are Aarón, Acacia, Frankie or....]
A final scene later that evening we see Rodrigo and Gaviota in her sundress and barefoot gliding out to the agave field to the base of that dreamy tree for another reenactment of their original love scene. They repeat their te amos, adoros, idolatros, veneros, Ohhh that tree.... The sunset pales as we fade to FIN.
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LAST WORDS:

Melinama's Parting Shot: - What do I have to say in conclusion? I'm glad Gaviota stopped flipping her hair; I'm mad she never appeared as the Celery Queen, I've been waiting all these months; Rodrigo did not have very many brain cells for a person his size. Aaron and Minerva were the fire of this show. And finally, when will the producers realize that extending these novelas does not improve them?

Julie's Parting Shot - It has truly been a pleasure doing these recaps, and I'm sorry it's ended so soon, with so many loose
ends. But hey, that means we're free to make stuff up, right? I'll be taking a break from recapping for a while, but I'll see you in the comments for Pasion and/or whatever else is coming up that looks good. Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful support and fun I've had here at ¡Caray, Caray!

Jardinera's Parting Shot - My thoughts are: that we have been living with this group of characters as intimately as anyone for the last 8 months. That's long enough to have a baby, for heaven's sake! So, this is a bitter-sweet good-bye, but good-bye and good-riddence it is! A shame that Rod never knew Isa cheated on him with Hil. Nobody learned Frankie got french-fried. We have no idea what ever happened to Acacia that finally allowed Sofia and James to get married, or did we and I was too sozzled on reposado to notice? Lovely wedding however.........nice to see them end up under the tree where it all started, too. Nice touch.

Beckster's Parting Shot(s) - The twisted part of me kinda wishes…the bull would run out and trample them both. We could then have a commentary from the ghost of Aaron with a Ghost Babe on his arm, bourbon in his hand and a smoke in the other hand. Aaron could say they were given every chance, but they were simply to stupid to live and tempted the Gods one time too many. The moral could be make hay while the sun shines, for tomorrow the bull tramples you. Thanks again…I will miss these people, Tune into tomorrow as Pasion begins with “Yes more people acting badly” Signing off under the big tree.

Cheryl's Parting Shot - Kind of a gushy end but I cried anyway. Nice to see so much prettiness after the struggles, deaths, and generally ugly snarkiness in many parts of this passion play. This has been a great linguistic journey since last January when I saw the beginning in Mexico and I love Caray Caray and all my new cyberbuds. And ohhh that tree, I want to go find it so I can take my own pictures of it.
-Adios amigos.

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