Caray, Caray!

Before the opening credits is a lengthy preview of the series. It's already summarized here.

We're someplace with breathtaking waterfalls and foliage. A very young woman (LIBIA) frolics in the water with a much older man (BERNARDO), while a pair of cockatiels (Statler and Waldorf) and another tropical bird try not to look. The couple in the water seem to have been together for a while. They snuggle and declare their love to one another.

Meanwhile, at the REYES BROTHERS BAKERY, a big man (JUAN) is kneading some dough. When he's finished, he wipes his sweaty face with the back of his hand. In what looks like a different room (I hope so, for sanitation reasons), he washes his 'do-rag in a bucket, splashes water all over himself, and shakes himself off like a dog, with sweaty water flying everywhere. Then, smiling, he pours the whole bucket over his face.

Juan's brother FRANCO is trying to read a book when OSCAR (easy to remember - he's the grouchy brother) is trying to say something about their sister Libia. Oscar impatiently grabs Franco by the ankles and drags him off the bed to get him to pay attention. Franco scoffs and thinks Oscar is full of baloney as usual, but Oscar insists that their sister is seeing someone and he's afraid she'll do something foolish - if she hasn't already.

Now Libia and Bernardo are naked in a haystack someplace. From the contented looks on their faces, it appears that they found the needle they were looking for.

Juan is taking some yummy-looking buns out of the oven. No pun intended. Even though they're apparently too hot to hold, he takes a cautious bite. "¡Delicioso!", he exclaims approvingly.

At the ELIZONDO HACIENDA, SOFÍA is eating one of the very same buns and enjoying it as much as Juan. "¡Delicioso!", she exclaims approvingly as she sits at the table with her sisters, JIMENA and SARITA, and her grandfather, AGUSTÍN. Grandfather takes the basket of goodies and jokingly scolds that no one will want a bunch of fat shut-ins (?).

Sofía's husband FERNANDO comes in and says that even though his wife is fat (this is Adela Noriega, just in case anyone's curious as to what this dirtbag considers fat), he still loves her just as much as ever. An uncomfortable silence falls over the group as he crouches on the floor next to her chair and pulls her hand to his mouth to take a bite out of the bun. EVA, the housekeeper, frowns. Sofi looks nauseous as he lets go of her hand.

Here is a character in desperate need of a nickname, because I think it will pain all of us to refer to this man as "Fernando."

Juan is kneading like crazy again, grunting and grimacing like a man possessed as he works his next project. There's a photo of a three-tier cake with pink and white frosting on the table. He tells his brothers, who have just entered the room, that he's going to prepare a giant cake for their sister's birthday. He looks up and notices his brothers' grim faces. Franco starts to say something about Libia, but chickens out and makes Oscar do it. "You should know that Libia has a lover!" Oscar declares. Juan is deeply offended that Oscar would say such a thing about their innocent sister. Franco steps in and tells Juan to listen. Juan says he'll forgive Oscar for saying that, but just this once.

Still in the haystack, Libia tells Bernardo she doesn't want to deceive her brothers. He tells her not to be afraid or have doubts. Whatever happens, she must never distrust him.

On the hacienda lawn, servants are setting up for a big party. Inside the house, Jimena is complaining to her sisters, grandfather and Eva that she's not a homebody - at least not on purpose! It's just that their mother keeps them locked up in that place and there's a shortage of men! (She spins her grandfather around and around in his wheelchair, until he complains that he's dizzy.) Sarita defends their mother, saying she's just trying to protect them. Jimena says they can't even stick their noses out into the street. "Nor anything else!" Grampa adds, laughing. Sofi starts to say something in Jimena's defense, but Grampa tells them not to be silly - there's a big party tonight, and they should get ready. He starts teasing them that they should sneak out in disguises, or something - it doesn't matter, because their mother, GABRIELA, appears at the top of the stairs. Grampa warns them to hush. Another uncomfortable silence settles over the group like a black rubber sheet as Gabriela scowls at them.

Juan puts another batch of yummybuns in the oven. Oscar tries again to tell Juan about their sister; Juan desperately does not want to hear it. Oscar says she'd been hiding something, and today it became clear. Franco asks Oscar if he's sure - talk is cheap. Oscar grabs Franco by the face and they look as if they're about to share a hot angry hate kiss. Oscar asks if Franco thinks he's capable of making up such things about his own sister. He says they can't see what's going on under their own noses, with Juan holed up in the bakery all day and Franco loafing at the cantina.

Juan is kneading again and seems to be ignoring them. Franco warns Oscar to be careful about these shameful things he's saying. Oscar insists that Juan speak to their sister (or complains that he hasn't yet?). Juan furiously knocks the heavy kneading table over and hollers at him to shut up. "I warned you!" He shoves both of his brothers. Soon, the three of them are arguing loudly and brawling. Oscar says he has proof. (Note to Oscar: next time, mention the proof earlier in the conversation.)

Just then, Libia comes bounding in, all happy and innocent-looking in a sweet pink dress. Juan says she's just in time to clear up some wild accusations. Oscar says there have been rumors about her all over town. Juan is shocked when she begins to cry instead of denying it. He asks if she doesn't love and trust them. She takes Franco's and Oscar's hands and says says they've been everything to her ever since their parents died. Of course she loves them... "but with him it's different." She loves him with all her heart! With her soul! She begs Juan not to do anything, to promise on their parents' name.

"Our parents?" Juan growls, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth, but he agrees. She says it's true, she's been seeing a man, and he loves her - he's sworn it a hundred times, and she believes him.

Now at the bottom of the long, miscarriage-inducing flight of stairs, Gabriela asks her father if he has no decency. He tells her that what he lacks is her bitterness, and he rolls away. Gabriela asks Eva how she can allow him to speak that way in front of her daughters. "You know how he is," Eva replies. Gabriela says he's a crazy old man who's no longer right in the head. (Grampa smirks near the elevator.) She should send him to an asylum so they can live in peace, she says.

Everyone else stands around awkwardly. Finally Gabriela tells Eva, "well, go on, I don't need you." Eva leaves, and Sofi tells Gabriela she's too rough on Eva, who only lives to serve her. Sofi also starts to say something about her grandfather, but Gabi cuts her off and tells her to shut up, never forget that they are the daughters of Gabriela Elizondo, an irreproachable woman, thank God, and not some cheap loser.

Jimena tells her mother that they're locked up there like prisoners. They're young, and they want to have fun - what's wrong with that? "You were young once, you had fun, you met my father!" Gabriela replies with a slap. "Don't compare yourself with me." Sofi is horrified. Undeterred, Jime asks why she treats her own daughters that way. "Precisely because you are my daughters. It's my responsibility to care for you." It's a heavy task, she says.

"Well if it's so heavy, then don't care for us!" Jime replies. Gabriela lifts her hand to strike again, but Sofi pulls Jime away. "Please, Mother!" Gabi says Sofi should be the last one to say anything. "If your sisters are locked up here, it's because of what happened to you." Sofi says that wasn't her fault - she was raped! Can't Gabi imagine the shame, rage, and helplessness she felt? How she was trembling all over when she was brought back to the house? Gabi wasn't there for her - wasn't the mother she needed so badly. Was she too embarrassed to be the mother of a woman who was raped? Is that why?

Sarita and Jimena hold their sister, while Gabi stands there like the special and irreproachable woman she thinks she is. Then she pushes Sarita out of the way and hugs her sobbing daughter.

Speaking of sobbing, Libia is still crying and swearing that her boyfriend is a wonderful man. Juan wants to know his name. He reaches for her to grab and shake - Franco and Oscar pull them apart. Libia is afraid that if she gives the man's name, Juan will kill him just for loving her. She runs off to her room. Juan knocks some more stuff over, ranting and raving that they have to find out who he is. He's probably some oaf who's just toying with her - Juan will kill him.

If the guy who plays Franco were a better actor, he'd give Oscar an "I told you so" look instead of that blank face. Oscar replies to this non-look with a "yeah, you did tell me so, I'm such an idiot" face.

The Elizondo sisters are talking in a bedroom. Jimena says it was painful to hear Sofi speak of "what happened" to her. "That I was raped," Sofi says matter-of-factly. She says she had to say something, because the silence was killing her. Silence is like death. Sarita, who is apparently their mother's advocate, says it's lucky their mother supported Fernando in his efforts to win her heart. "Mother forced him on me," Sofi explains. Gabi was afraid everyone would find out what happened, and no one would want to marry her. (Jime and Sarita gape in surprise.) Fernando knew about it when he married her. He was the one who found her after she was attacked, and brought her home. Sarita says this explains why their mother likes Fernando so much - he's a great man!

In a nightclub dressing room, a pretty woman (ROSARIO) sits in front of a lighted vanity and weeps at a photo we don't get to see. She hides it in a drawer when Fernando bursts in, yelling at her for having locked the door. She says she doesn't love him, and please leave her alone. He grabs her by the hair and says he'll leave her alone when he gets tired of her. Meanwhile, she must do everything he asks, because she's his property and he can do whatever he wants. He pulls off her robe, shoves her into a chair, and starts to undress.

Hmm. I wonder if Sofía ever saw her rapist's face? Sometimes the simplest explanation really is the best...

Sofi says sure, lots of people think Fernando is a great guy, but he's practically a stranger to her. She's never loved him, and they've never had relations. Because of what happened, she can't stand for a man to touch her, or even be near her. Jimena doesn't understand why she doesn't divorce Fernando. Sofi says he won't agree to it, and he says she'll eventually grow to love him. Sofi's not optimistic about that, and thinks she's destined to live without love.

Juan alternately begs and screams for his sister to come out of her room so they can talk. Oscar tells him she needs their support - or else what, is he going to hit her? Juan says they have to talk. Oscar says okay, but calmly! Franco suggests that Juan do some work instead. (How about you do some work, Franco - I heard you were lazy.) Juan says not until they talk.

Evening falls. He is still kicking at the door as Libia sobs in her darkened room. Oscar and Juan wonder if she wouldn't rather speak to Franco, but he's at the cantina... where Rosario is the headlining act. Now scantily clad, she does a song-and dance number about a man who's a yummy chewy insatiable married bonbon. She throws a wink at Franco, who is drooling happily at the sight of her. (Actually he's only smirking slightly, but half an hour into this show I can already see that we're going to need our imaginations to fill in some of the blanks with this guy.) She accepts a rose from him and thought-bubbles that he's been coming here to see her ever since she started singing there... the way he looks at her... like a tender young boy who hasn't known love. (He continues to smirk, but let's pretend it's a shy smile.)

Ah! She's not thought-bubbling, she's talking to an assistant in her dressing room. She says it's obvious that he likes her, "but you know my story," she tells the assistant. She takes out the white-framed photo again and says she'd give anything for him (or it?), but no, she can't take the risk.

There's a party at the hacienda with a band, ice sculptures, and a chocolate fountain. People are asking Gabriela where her husband is - she says he couldn't come. She privately complains to a priest that her husband is late for his own anniversary party. Then Fernando shows up with Sofi. He gets on his knees and kisses the priest's ring (I'm pretty sure he's only a priest - Gabi called him "padre"?). He pours on the charm, saying he's married to a woman as beautiful as Gabriela.

Sofi looks ready to barf, but recovers when she sees her father - Bernardo, the haystack-inspector. Gabriela announces her husband to the crowd, and they all stand and applaud. She glares into his eyes as she gives him a dry, barely-puckered kiss. She takes him aside and chides him for his lateness. She tells him to put on a smile so the whole world doesn't think he was forced to come to the party. Fernando comes up behind them and congratulates Bernardo for having "such a wife" as Gabriela. (Wow, this guy just never quits, does he?) Fernando, the suegra-lover, says there's no better woman. None!

It's getting late. Juan is finally sitting down. He's still yelling, but his shouts have taken on a wheedling tone and he doesn't sound as scary as he did before. Finally Libi lets him in. He remarks on how pretty she's become and says she's grown to become quite the woman - it's happened so fast. She was so small when their parents died. He was afraid to take care of her because he was so big and klutzy, and she was so fragile. He was afraid he'd break her. He'd comb her hair and put it into ponytails. They're both crying. He used to carry her to bed and sing her to sleep (the Gaviota song, perhaps?) and say her prayers and stay with her when she was scared at night.

She remembers all of it. That's why she's so ashamed and couldn't tell him. He wants to know why she didn't tell him she was in love. She says her brothers and Bernardo are all she has in the world. She feels content and safe when she's with him, but then she got scared that they wouldn't like it.

She tries to kneel at his feet and he angrily tells her not to - she's his little sister, she can't kneel at him!

At the party, the sisters are all hugging their daddy. He tells them they're the best part of the party, the joy of the house, the joy of his life. Gabi drags him away, saying he has to go with her to greet their other guests. He says that if he can't spend time with his girls at the house, then he doesn't want to see anyone else! And he stomps away.

Juan gives Libi their mother's necklace. It's the only thing she had to leave them. He's been waiting for the right moment to give it to her, and he thinks that moment has arrived. She says he's the best brother in the world, and she thanks Virgencita every day because he's her mother and father and friend too. She begs forgiveness for letting him down. He says he wants her to be happy, but the man who loves her must deserve her. He wants to meet him before anything else happens.

Bernardo looks at a photo of Libi hidden in a book. He strokes her hair in the photo and murmurs lovingly. (There's an inscription on the back which will surely raise all kinds of hell when Gabi finds it!) Meanwhile, back home, Libi is combing her hair and looks down at the pregnancy test perched on the edge of the sink. She's pregnant! She dreads telling her brothers, and prays to Virgencita and her mother for help, but is delighted to be carrying Bernardo's child.

Eva comes up the Staircase of Future Hopefully Not Dashed Hopes to tell Bernardo that she was worried and wanted to know if he needed anything. He's dressed up to leave and says no thanks, but if Gabi asks, to say she didn't see him. She enthusiastically agrees and is excessively thrilled to receive a kiss on the cheek. (Peeping out of his room, Grampa sees this and shakes his head in exasperation.)

At the party, Sofi tells her mother that maybe her father's not feeling well, and she eagerly volunteers to go check on him. Fernando wants her to stay with him instead, and Gabi agrees with him - she should be with her husband. Fernando says Gabi runs the house. Gabi beams.

(I'd really like to nickname this guy Eddie Haskell, because the only time he's polite is in front of Gabi's mother. Unfortunately, I think it's too confusing to give a character a nickname that sounds like a real name. How about Slimy? Or is that too straightforward?)

So, where is Bernardo going on the night of his anniversary party? Why, he's gone to see his young girlfriend! She nervously introduces him to her brothers, who are bien impactados. Oscar says this fool is old enough to be her father, if not her grandfather. Bernardo says he may be an older man, but he's not an old fool. He tells Lib he's not afraid of them or anyone. He says he really wants to get to know them, even if the circumstances aren't the best. Franco accuses him of seducing young girls. Oscar says he made her sneak around, but if he were a decent man, he would have respected her. Bernardo says he wants to make everything right and share his life with her - not out of obligation or fear, but because it's what he wants most in the world; she is his future, his life. If he's done something wrong, he'll right it.

Oscar wants to beat him up. Juan says no no, we promised our sister; but he doesn't approve either. None of them do. Bernardo and Libi are mushy as anything, saying it was love at first sight. She says she didn't mean to deceive them. Bern says that was his fault. Franco protests against the relationship. Bern insists that it's not impossible for two people like them to be in love. She's the loveliest girl he's ever met, and he'll do anything for her. All they need is her brothers' agreement to be happy, but he'll let them have the last word.

At the party, Gab is angry to see Eva pushing Grampa around in his wheelchair and scolds her for letting him out of the house. He replies that he doesn't like the way she tries to keep him away from people. She tells him to shut up! He asks if she's embarrassed by her old invalid of a dad in a wheelchair. He tells her to that she can't hide an old guy like him away. Gabi is mortified.

Later, in the bedroom, Slimy begs Sofía to come to bed with him. He says she has to love him, and she will. He grabs her and says she'll love him in the end, no matter what! She begs him not to start that again - they made a deal that she would only marry him if he didn't touch her. He asks how much longer he has to wait - they haven't had one moment of intimacy since they got married. He asks if she still hasn't forgotten what happened? (Duh? That, plus isn't that the night they met, plus his attitude is not contributing to the healing process!) She says she can't forget it, especially with him reminding her at every moment!

The Reyes Bros. step outside the bakery to confer about Libi and Bernardo. Oscar thinks they should let them marry, since he's classy and probably has money. Franco disagrees with Oscar's attitude. Oscar mocks him and says maybe he'd like Bern to be more like himself - a lazy dreamer.

They can't believe this old man will be their BIL. On the other hand, Franco asks, how can they hit a guy who could almost be their father. Juan doesn't care about his age, but he's worried that he's not right for their sister. Oscar says sure he is, if he has money. He reminds his shocked brothers that if Libi keeps getting sick, she'll die if they can't afford the damn medicine! So if it's not for the money, it's for her welfare. The old man can give her what they can't. (I'm not 100% sure I got this part right - help!)

Juan is still worried. All they know about that man is his name. For all they know, he could be quite married, and simply be making a fool of their sister.

---

Martes
When the Reyes Bros. find out about their sister's little blessing, Juan looks ready to send her to a safehouse in Garbancillo.

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