Caray, Caray!

Oh Joy, Juan on the beach, but wouldn't you know the costume people will try to pervert our pleasure by putting our darling boy in swim trunks with pockets and lining hanging down. We repeat from last Friday with Juan admitting to Hector that he can't swim. At least he's improving over his brief risky pharmacy career.

Paula sits in bed while Cesár Luis primps for work. He wants to know what she will do today. She answers that she will visit her mother and look for work. She feels she will be totally crazed in another two days with nothing to do. He smoothly strokes and sweet talks about having other plans, like you and me having a child. He finds her repulsed reaction strange. She complains that they have never even discussed this and it is a decision to share. He says you have the time. When you want to do it we will (talk about it or have a baby?) Paula says they are just starting, he continues to urge her to think about it. She finishes with will he be home really late from work? [I'm thinking control freak here.]

Juan says he respects cats (like they have enough sense not to swim) How can I do this job, I can't do everything so well. Hector promises to teach him to swim.

Nidia at Ana's confesses that she is preggers and it's Ana's FAULT, ¡no puedo ser! Ana is equally amazed. She encouraged Nidia to appease Alirio's base desires. Phone rings and Ana hands it to Nidia, It's your husband. Nidia starts to berate Alirio as an inconsiderate biped..... Ana tells her afterward, you have to tell him.

Juan is in the kiddy pool floundering in fear as Hector pulls him up to knee deep water. The first swimming lesson isn't the triumph we had hoped for, Juan is terrified of water.

Meanwhile at Angarita's store a confrontation develops between Anga and Alirio who has arrived like a good sword tilter to avenge the honor of his wife against this interloper. You think I have the face of an imbecile. You are trying to get my woman. Don't offer her work, she is married. He steams and huffs. Anga asks him if he is joking, no our Alirio is all about seriousness. They begin to struggle and boxes fall, Alirio gets hurled into the fruit bin. Kiki shows up and Anga's other assistant show up to try to break up the fracas, Alirio ends up IN one of the fruit boxes...


Juan is on the phone with Marely, she is pleading, where are you, we miss you so much.we are so worried. He is fine, but asks about Paula. She returned from her honeymoon in Spain and has been here two months. Cesár Luis has become the president again, hablahabla, Juan looks injured while he sends kisses and hugs to all the family. He never tells Marely where he is and suddenly he is gone.

Next scene with Alirio, who is on the couch at home in very bruised condition. If he were a piece of fruit, he wouldn't be fit for making jam. He explains to Nidia that he was attacked by an Orangutan just to defend his honor, manhood, his wife's honor... and so much more. Even wounded Alirio has the capacity to yammer on with such energy. He calls Angarita a mastadon savage who assaulted his good faith, but Alirio declares himself a tiger. Not easily vanquished this one.

Marely and Pastor discuss the phone call from Juan, what did he say, where is he. Marely admits that she didn't get much information from him. That boy is so stubborn says Pastor.

Back to Juan screaming in the kiddy pool. He is almost ready to take on the beach patrol tomorrow. Pray for the swimmers, folks, it's going to be another pharmacy debacle.

Cesár Luis and Pastor now discuss the phone call from Juan. CL is sure that Juan is using Marely as the most direct line to Paula. Juan is no bobo. CL wants Juan Dominguez to be kept as far away as possible from Paula. He doesn't want Juan to appear in his life ever again. BREAK.

Juan and Hecktor hang in the water, while Juan sighs for Paula. My little dove married my rival. But, her name is buried in my chest.

Paula and Ana are arguing about Paula's already lousy marriage. Paula admits that she is worried that a child won't resolve anything. I'm desperate, I have no idea how to deal with this marriage. Paula whines some more and the look in Ana's eyes is so I tried to tell you daughter dear....

CL arrives home early to work to find only Consuelo/Chula, who tells him, no Paula isn't home yet. Does he want her to serve him dinner?? No. [Fool, at least she can cook.]

Back to Paula and Ana advising her that she has to face her husband. Ana thinks she shouldn't rush home every time she has a difficult discussion with her husband. If you don't want to have children, you need to tell him that to his face. I'm not going to mettle in your problems.

Nidia is trying to talk to Alirio and work her way up to telling him what is going on with her but he does carry on with his little bombastic speeches. She gets as far as, you and I are going to.... and Marely bursts in the door with news that Juan called this afternoon at the office.

Paula gets home to see CL sitting at the bar having a drink. What are you doing home so early? Well this is my house. He presses for an answer on the baby thing, She doesn't want to fight. He says you always complain because I arrive so late now I am here early and what?? She is tired of these same arguments. On learning that she was at her mother's CL launches into a paranoid tirade about Paula's Mom hates him, she is to blame for all their problems she mettles in everything. Paula says no she actually insisted that I return home to face you and fix things with you. You are wrong about my mother.

Yadira, Nidia and Kiki are reminiscing about life with Juan, how much a part of the family he was, how they miss him. Nidia thinks he must have wanted to hear Marely's beautiful voice. Kiki sighs so loud that Yadi wonders if she were gone would he miss her as much as he misses Juan.

Juan's on the beach lamenting that Paula has returned to Mexico but he has to stop calling and asking about her, in fact he won't ever call again to ask about her. [Sure, Juanito, Sure.]

CL and Paula getting in bed, CL casually drops that Juan called the office this afternoon. BREAK.

Paula is all over this one, well what did he say? CL says well, he didn't talk directly to me, but I guess he is fine. Then he turns on or to her and says Do you still want him to return? They scramble over this with him continuing to goad her about her feelings for Juan but she maintains, it is the same to me whether he comes back or not.

Paula and Marely talk, what did Juan say when he called. Marely points out that gossip flies. Paula adds that Juan is still a very important person in her life. ??? You just returned from your honey moon.

On the beach, a swimmer, yells for help, everyone looks to Juan to do something heroic as he stands with the floating board, mutters about not being able to swim and then dashes madly toward the water muttering about not having foot flippers. As he dives in rather masterfully, we can tell the distressed swimmer is a shapely woman still yelling. Moments later the scene switches to a Juan coming too on the sand with a beautiful woman waking him up and as he thinks she is kissing him she is actually giving him mouth to mouth. Hector arrives through the crowd that has surrounded Juan and the lovely one to take over and give him mouth to mouth, so poor Juan really comes to and throws off Hector, spews water out of his mouth and is horrified to think he was kissing a man. Oh Juanito. He gets saved by this bare beauty he was supposed to save, but shortly after the Boss is berating him about his endangering guests, but he will give him one more chance. Hector helps out by repeating Juan's earlier boasts that he is an expert barman. Juan looks worried again but trots off behind Hector. BREAK.

Ana is at her table when the door bell rings and it is Cesár Luis looking rather menacing. He needs to ask her a big favor. He launches into a rant about her interfering in his relationship with Paula, Don't meddle!

Nidia arrives at the market to tell off Angarita for attacking her husband. He isn't strong like you he doesn't haul huge bags around. He can't fight like you.

CL carries on about Ana's meddling, Ana tries to get a word in to protest, but CL continues Paula returns home from her house angry, aggressive and unsupportable. Ana holds that it is not her doing, Paula comes to her with problems, CL is fairly yelling now that he and Paula are just trying to have a life together.

Back to Angarita and Nidia [I notice the screenwriters like to juxtapose two fights or uproars making recapping paragraphs really choppy. I'm just reporting what I think I saw folks]. Anga calls Alirio her short, chubby husband (chaparro) who is too cowardly and has to hide behind his wife's skirt. Nidia looks outraged and continues yelling.

Ana accuses CL of starting his own problems with his wife with his egoism, he just wants to blame others. Then she looks at him and asks does Paula even know you are here? [obviously not..] He threatens she act with prudence, she's not backing down from his ridiculous attack, calls him a second rate little man (hombrecillo de segundo) and demands he get out! ¡Vete! ¡Vete! BREAK

One more round with Nidia and Anga and Kiki tries to intervene, they carry on about messing with a married woman and Anga's retort is well if she were a decent woman... Nidia is so worked up she slumps in a faint or feint, [one can never be sure with Nidia] The boys swarm around her get her to a seat.

Once more on the beach, Juan is trying to understand the maddening array of liquor bottles and the drinks he will most likely have to make. He calls on his Santo Niño de Atocha [who probably doesn't know how to mix drinks either] and rolls his eyes while Hector blithely carries on about digestives like anisette.

Kiki wants to take Nidia to the hospital, she refuses and says she is not staying at Anga's to recuperate either, she somehow manages to get herself out of the market unaided. Everyone looks worried.

CL arrives in the garage and as he steps out he asks Fern not to comment to anyone that they made a stop at Ana's house.

Paula and the maid (is it Chelo or Consuelo, they use both) are discussing whether the maid will make dinner, YES [sounds like a good idea to me.]

CL is up talking with Pastor continuing his paranoid fears of Juan. He fears Paula is too interested in Juan still. Pastor says Juan is lost in the ether but Paula will forget him in time. CL says will you forget Juan? No never. CL isn't comforted by this either.

At the bar, Juan is trying to get into the rhythm of his barman job and remembers he has seen barmen toss the bottles like juggling. Juan always one to turn anything into a dance which he can do well, tosses a bottle in the air with enough force to send it over into the pool behind him. This startles guests in the water, and worries Juan.

Monica is telling Marely to get her qualified candidates for an assistant's position [I'm not sure if this is because Marely is to be promoted as promised or another opening.] She wants someone smart with good qualifications like speaking English, being able to work with computers, etc. Chelo calls and tells Monica that Paula is talking very strangely about Juan. Monica smiles that Cheshire Cat smile... what an elaborate scheme she has hatched and so much is working her way.

More bar scene. They discuss popular drinks, Juan continues to look baffled by the whole thing.

Marely enters the garage and asks Fern about his abilities with English and computers. He says yes, yes to all the above. Marely tells him he could be a good candidate for the assistant to Monica. He needs to get his papers and resumé together for tomorrow so she can help him get an interview. He beams hopefully as she goes off.

Ana and Nidia are painting together. Ana's rendition of the vase is intricate with angels on the handles and subtle colors. Nidia's is actually interestingly bold, almost childlike with simple birds substituted for the angels. They are discussing Alirio and how NIdia needs to get the courage to tell him about her pregnancy. She refuses until she has made up her own mind about what she will do, she is not saying anything until the waters calm. [not likely in this show.] Ana tells about CL's blustering visit to blame her for everything wrong in his marriage to Paula.

Juan is making drinks and looking sad and bewildered, so much for life in paradise, no?

Nidia leaves Ana's just as Paula drives up. Her answer to Paula's how are you is "fatal", "fatal". She then tells her that CL had been there to berate her mother and Ana is on the edge of an infarct from his raging.

Next time: everyone is guessing about the mess of a marriage that Cesár Luis and Paula have already fallen to.

Labels: Juan