Caray, Caray!

Folks, it's been a bad week and a sad evening for me. And for the characters in Juan Querendon, life has been tough as well. Here are the highlights...or low points, if you wish, of tonight's show.

We start out with a rehash of Cesar Luis and Paula, discussing whether or not their marriage can be saved. She says 'no', he says 'yes'. He blames all their troubles on Juan, including his rageful attack on her after the miscarriage. She says their marriage was doomed from the beginning.

He asks her to put herself in his place. She won't and can't. He asks her to be honest and admit that her affection for Juan has something to do with the decision to not go back to him. He assures her she'll be ashamed to have that third-rate chauffeur, that oranguatan Juan for a husband. What will you talk about together?--mechanics? You'll ruin your life if you go with him! That's not your problem, she replies. Body language very closed. Her arms are crossed, her face is tight. I can't believe this is happening to ME, Cesar Luis laments.

In the meantime, our beloved naco-oranguatan is at the warehouse trying to get together the money to buy Monica's shares in the business. Things are sounding good as Herbierto talks to his papi Don Aldemar on the phone, but when Juan actually hears what little money Aldemar has deposited in the account, he pushes Herbierto asides and shouts "I couldn't even buy a used car with that much money".

There's a brief scene with Yvonne and Pastor. She tried to get into Marely's computer to find him the data he needs to firm up the Campeoni deal but couldn't access it...and what's worse, was caught trying to do so. Pastor frets that he HAS to pull this one off for Cesar Luis.

Since Angarita is loath to invest in the Farrell stock, Juan calls Fernando to find out if the company is in good shape, with Kike coaching the questions as he talks. We switch to the school where Juanito is getting pelted with spit balls and generally enjoying a miserable day. Now back to the warehouse where Fernando has arrived and wants to know what's up. When he finally realizes that Juan has a chance to buy Monica's shares in the company he tells him to go for it...it's a great deal...in fact he can't believe she's ready to sell the goose that lays the golden eggs ("gallina de huevos de oro"). Angarita still won't invest but if Juan gives him his shares of the anturio venture, he'll have enough for the down payment on Monica's deal. Juan makes him promise that Angarita will keep on Molondron and Don Aldemar as "socios" partners. Angarita makes a face but then agrees. General rejoicing and jumping around followed by a trip to the bank to get the money and firm things up with Monica.

Monica is cuddling with the ever-patient Gustavo on the couch...promising him that after she wraps up a few things, she'll be ready to leave tomorrow. Thanks for arriving in my life and awakening what I thought was dead, she adds. Looks like there's a happy ending for at least two folks here, friends, but there's more drama ahead for the rest of the cast.

Dona Ana is doing the mother thing with Paula. Are you sure of what you're doing? Is this about Juan? The usual. Paula assures her that she's doing it for herself, in order to heal her wounds...away from Cesar Luis. She admits she should have listened to her mom in church and never even married the guy. And now, all she needs from mom is her unconditional support. And Ana promises to give her just that.

Cesar Luis doesn't have a mom to qvetch to (probably never had!) but Pastor Gaytan is doing the honors, as usual. She wants a divorce, Cesar laments. Pastor opines that love forgives all, even a nasty temper like CL's. But then, maybe she never loved you, he guesses. But no...she'd have to..an intelligent, successful, charming....Don't suck up, Pastor, CL fires back.

Pastor takes a new tack. All right, divorce. You're young, you can find someone else. Things turn sinister here. Cesar says quietly that he'll never give her a divorce so she can run to that oranguatan Juan. If she tries, she signs her death sentence. If she thinks she can do this, she doesn't know Cesar Luis. Very menacing in an understated way. His cold anger is even more unsettling than his rages.

Juan is closing the deal with Monica. Laura is upset she missed him. Monica protests that he showed up unexpectedly and her cousin says she could have at least alerted her on her cell phone! Did he ask for me? she adds hopefully. Monica douses that hope quickly...and moves to douse another hope by calling Cesar to say she won't be in today either (and thanks for asking how I am...he didn't) and how are you, Bad, he replies, but he perks up when she invites him to dinner...and at the apartment no less. Hope springs eternal with an ego like his.

Juan arrives at the school to pick up Juanito and in typical obtuse parent style manages to ignore all Juanito's signals that he's miserable in the new school and never wants to return. It ends with Juan hoping to make everything better by giving Juanito something to eat. Poor little guy...hope the school nightmare doesn't last too long. The adults have brought about their own troubles and misfortunes, but poor little Juanito has just had this pesadillo thrust upon him.

Monica and Cesar are finishing up a lovely meal...white tablecloth, flowers, candles, the works. He's doing his flirty charming bit with her and that's when she tells him she's leaving. He laughs. Doesn't get it. For how long? Forever I'm going away far from here...far FROM YOU. It's beginning to sink in. Cesar turns the focus back on himself. You can't leave ME. What can I do to change your mind? How can I lose the two women I have loved in one day? What did I do wrong?

Monica is more than happy to answer. First of all, she assures him it took him more than one day to lose them and he did it by playing dirty with both of them. But he doesn't have to feel codemned...he can learn from his mistakes. Be wiser in the future. Learn! Cesar feels he's done all he could to save the marriage. Your ego is so big, you think anything you do is great, replies Monica. But I hope you'll be happy one day. Cesar starts to move in for a clinch but she stops him with a firm hand on his chest. He acquieces and settles for taking her hands in his. Her face is conflicted...there's firmness of purpose but also pain. His face is closed. She looks on the brink of tears, but holds steady. And he leaves.

While this is going on, Paula and Juan have been talking and Juan has been doing a bunch of talking to himself, berating himself for not saying enough, saying too much, saying dumb things, the whole enchilada. But what comes out of all this is that Paula is not going back to Cesar Luis and she intends to divorce him. Juan babbles that this is a serious step, not easy...painful (shut up Juan!) but God never sends more trouble than we can handle. After the storm comes the calm, adds Paula and so it goes.

Dona Ana gets her oar in (as Nidia will do later, but in a much more dramatic fasion). Out of earshot of Paula, she thanks Juan for being her daughter's guardian angel (in boots) and lets him know she's aware that he's still in love with Paula. Then goes on to warn him that her child is not ready for a new relationship yet...she needs time to work through the divorce, get her feet back on the ground. It's a process. Juan says he understands but thought bubbles that yeah, he understands, but does he like it? no! He promises to do what's best for Paula.

Now the drama and divorce mode switches to casa Cachon. Yadira storms into Marely's room, complaining about Kike showing up anytime he damn well pleases without letting her know his whereabouts...what does he think this is, a hotel!?, hiding her own hurt under stormy anger as usual. The creepy professor Topete is hanging around outside the house like a hormonal teenager, throwing rocks at the window and finally going all modern by using his cell phone. I have to see you, he begs Yadira...if only for a minute or two. Are you crazy, she shrieks, in full Yadira mode. Topete doesn't seem to notice that his sweet student is becoming more strident with him every day. He keeps begging (gag) and she finally agrees to come down for a quickie (rapidito) meeting. After more cajoling she finally agrees to a tight-lipped peck of a kiss which is doused with a pail of water by Dona Nidia (alerted by Juanito who eavesdropped on the phone).

Now our two fiery Cachon women get down to a verbal slugfest. You have no right to interfere in my life. I'm not going to let you ruin your life and engage in a quickie adultery...not while you're living in my house. That's what mothers are for...to protect their children...and you're acting like an adolescent. Enrique arrives. The fight escalates. Yadira says she's tired of pretending and they both tell Nidia that the one thing they agree upon in their contentious relationship is that they should divorce. Nidia goes into a faint, crying that this is the worst news she's ever heard. Marely points out that there's more...and Yadira finally admits that she plans to go live with Nacho Topete (can you believe that name?!)

We get a brief respite from this with scenes of Paula with mom and Paula with Juan. In the first, Ana is cautioning that Cesar is not used to being defeated and will fight the divorce. Paula assures her she's made it clear and if he won't listen to her, he'll have to listen to her lawyer...whom she promises to contact quickly. And later, talking with Juan, she invites him to breakfast the next day, promising chilaquiles Davila, but he has to bow out, knowing he has a business meeting. As she closes the door, she smiles dreamily and wonders, What's that crazy up to now? (And as we see from the previews, she's going to find out tomorrow)

Lots more painful scenes at Casa Cachon. Nidia is begging Yadira to stay married for the sake of the little one. Her daughter downgrades Kike as mediocre and uneducated. (And Yadira is brainy!!!???, please!) Nidia reminds her a little girl doesn't need a philospher for a daddy, just someone who loves her. Don't tell me what's right and wrong, fires back Yadira, you're hardly an example! Elsewhere, Kike is pouring out his heart to our ever sympathetic Marely, explaining that Yadira always saw him as "less" and he put up with it. Accept her as she is, counters Marely. Accept her infatution with Topete!? I'm tired of trying, tired of fighting. If divorce is what she wants, so be it.

He goes into the bedroom to get his things, says a tearful farewell to little Nidia Michaela. Yadira looks miserable, drenched from the dousing and struggling between grief and anger, but alas, anger as always wins out. While Nidia and Marely try to talk Kike into staying, she tells him to go. And when he comes back to visit the baby, try and do it when she's not around! Marely just shakes her head sadly. As do we.

Poor little Juanito has gone outside to intercept Juan and tell him of the big fight inside...no, not between Nidia and Perafan this time...but between Kike and Yadira. What craziness is this, where are you going with your suitcase asks Juan. Then he and little Juanite encircle Kike, Juanito gently stroking Kike's paunch in
consolation.

And therin ends a very painful episode for most of the characters...and for us! Tomorrow it looks like more drama at Farrell.

Labels: Juan