Caray, Caray!

I'm sorry this is late--once again, life intervenes. I salute the recappers who can do their recaps at night. Every time I start to do it, I fall asleep (like last night). Then today, I had a meeting all morning.

Cross-cultural excursion, right here in NYC. About an hour ago, I went down to the Korean deli to get a snack. It was time for the various Mexican counter clerks to have their lunch, and I asked one of them what they were eating (it looked like a very interesting meat and vegetable stew), and why they didn't offer it for the patrons. He said it was too spicy! (Mexicans and Koreans both eat very spicy food.) Anyway, he then began to ask his compadres (in Spanish) if they wanted some food, and they each replied yes or no or whatever (and I was so proud of my comprehension!). Then he started joking with his friends in that singsong accent just like Chamuco. It was so funny how he could turn it on and off at will.

Now, back to our story.

Well, last night's ending brought a big surprise. Floreeenda is stalking the baby . . . or is she? This plot twist is one big gaping black hole. When we last saw Florencia, she was going off to that big Disneyland in the sky with her newly restored love, Rigoberto. Now she's back, if they ever left, and there's no satisfactory explanation of why. Moreover, Thuggy-Bear has developed a really mean streak. Welcome to the Twilight Zone, better known as Guapos, ultimos capitulos, T minus 3 and counting, when all plots must be resolved.

So Florencia popped out of the bushes to cuddle the baby. Why in the world would they leave a baby untended for even a second? Then back at her apartment, Rigoberto punches her viciously.

Now the "real" family is assembled at the little house. Rocky and Val have no room, so they are going to a hotel. Nestor toasts Al and tells how happy is that Al finally called him papa. Luci looks on tearfully. Val tells Mili how much she loves her and how happy she is that Mili will be happy. Here's another bit of exposition that got lost, I think--all of a sudden Val and Mili are openly acknowledging their sisterhood, but I think we missed the scene where that would have been discussed between the two of them. Oh, well. (At one point the captions had Mili calling Val "Andrea," but the voice said "Valeria." I had to rewind to make sure.)
(Previous night: Wasn't it funny when Braulio went into the kitchen to tell everyone that Rosario was still alive--impactada looks from Socorro, Horacio and Gloria--but then he adds that Connie is Mili's father, and Gloria says, oh, yeah, I knew that . . .)

Dingdong. Who's calling? Why, it's Preppy Hugo. He sees Rosario for the first time and smiles in recognition when he realizes she looks like the painting that he psycho-slashed. All is explained, Hugo is happy for Mili, and his Norman Bates act is forgotten by all.

Back to the apartment, where Rigoberto continues to treat Flor like a punching bag. What were you doing with that infeliz Alejandro? She says he should get out and leave her in peace. No, and more punches. Rigoberto is completely delusional and wants to return to the wonderful relationship they had, but Flor says he can't possibly think things were ever good. (They've actually made me feel sorry for Florencia.) He reminds her that her father was an obstacle between them and now Alex is a new one. He has to stop it. It's not clear if he is saying he was involved in killing her father. Anyone? Rigoberto wants to get the baby back and run away so they can be a happy threesome.

Back to the little house. Hugo meets Rosario, and he says that Connie and Damian were always talking about her, because they thought Al was involved with her. He tells everyone that Connie and Damian had a fight--Damian ran away with Andrea and the money. No one knows where he is. Someone says good riddance to Andrea. Mili says Hugo should try to be happy, he deserves it. He will be, he tells her. Hugs all around.

Quickie setup scene in which Mili and Al lay in bed together (so cozy). But Mili is worried about Connie. She is going to go over there and make sure he's okay. Al doesn't want her to go alone, but she insists.

Preppy Hugo comes to talk to Karla at the club. Macaroni spots him and gives him the once-over. She never forgets a cute guy.

There's a slumber party over at Lina and Bobby's. Soco, Horacio, Gloria and Chamuco have all been ousted from the mansion, so they have dragged their Mexican shopping bags to the apartment (Braulio has gone to stay with his sister). No worries: Lina and Bobby will find room for them. Socorro is sad about Karla, but Lina still can't tell her the whole story.

Back at the bar, Sylvester is singing. Karla spots Preppy Hugo. He wants to talk about the baby. He wants them to all be together.

Comic relief segment: Connie tries to cook, but he can't even light the stove.

Hugo is still wooing Karla with a surefire line that every girl wants to hear: "It doesn't matter whose baby it is--I want to be its father." (Remember, we still don't know if this baby is Hugo's or Damian's.) Karla is not buying it: why are you doing this? she asks. Finally, she turns him down. She says she used to want money and a big house and jewelry, etc., and now she realizes she doesn't. She says she found someone else. Preppy Hugo asks if he knows the suitor, and she says no. She says he's tender, kind, and more attractive than Preppy Hugo. He's a good soul. She and her child do not need the prepster.

After Karla walks away, Hugo exults: She rejected me! Hey, this is just like "The Shop Around the Corner" (or "You've Got Mail," for younger viewers). Hugo hugs Sylvester gleefully.

Back at the office of the Three Stooges, Flo shows up. Everyone freezes, and Al asks who punched her. She tells the whole story (except the part where she explains where they've been all these months). She says the baby is in danger. Cut to a scene with the two grandmas (Ros and Luci) and Val walking the baby in a stroller in the park. Rigoberto comes up and praises the cuteness of the baby. I guess none of them knows him, 'cause they are unfazed. Luci's cell phone rings, and Al warns Luci to get home right away. She pulls away, but none realizes how close they were to danger. Whew!

DRUMROLL:
At the mansion, suddenly Mili arrives: Connie greets her enthusiastically. "Mili, I knew you would come back." He promises her the world if she would just move back in. Mili stops : I need to talk to you . . . "papa." (Whoa, what just happened? Yes, you heard correctly. Rewind and rewatch. Rewatch again. This is the climax of the entire telenovela. Everything was leading up to this moment. Pause while we take a deep breath and do it justice. Now we know that the writers left Mili to do the dirty work, 'cause this late in the story Connie still couldn't do it. Wow.)

Now we have the money scene, the one that's going to clinch these two the premios: Both turn on the Niagara Falls.

Yes, I called you Papa. Mili begins to tutear. Why did you never tell me anything? she asks. You never gave me a name, a birthday present, a Christmas present. I kept giving you opportunities to tell the truth and explain why you had abandoned me and my mother. But no. I never thought I'd say it to your face, but now, papa, I am here to ask you one thing--let me be happy with Alejandro.

Cut for commercial.

Now Mili says she'll go back to "usted" form and call him Don Constancio, since he's obviously more comfortable with that. Now it's an exchange: Why didn't you tell me? No, why didn't YOU? he asks. She calls him a coward. Only his political position and career were important. He cries that he has changed. Now he wants the chance to show it. Mili demurs. Just don't hurt Alejandro, she says, and let us live in peace.

Al is meanwhile trying to get the truth out of Flor. How did she find them? She says her sister told them where their new office was. Her life is a hell. Rigoberto hits her and insults her all the time. At first she thought she could handle it, but she couldn't (I suppose she didn't see the fourteen Lifetime Movie Network specials on abusive spouses). She didn't tell Marisela, because she "didn't want to bother her."

Back to our reunited father and daughter. Connie is blubbering helplessly, because he remembers how his mother suffered not knowing about Mili. He feels very guilty.
Mili reveals that Regina died happy. Mili had told her the truth and showed her the necklace with Connie's initials. Her only regret was that she couldn't see Rosario. She asked me and Alejandro to keep looking. She died happy. Connie breaks down, sounding like a little boy crying for his mommy. He caused Regina so much pain, and he can't ask for forgiveness. Mili says that Regina did forgive him, and her last words for that she loved Constancio and forgave him. Mili reaches toward him behind his back but draws away.

Connie begs Mili to come and live with him, he needs her. No, Mili says. She will live where she belongs, with Alex and her daughter. But Alex is cheating on her, Connie says, astonished. No, Mili says: Rosella Dillano is only a business associate. But she bought 60 percent of the company, Connie says. She wants to destroy me. No, she bought the shares for me, she says. She is a friend. Mili is going to give the shares back to Connie. She doesn't want to hurt him. All she wants is that he let her and Alex be. If you hurt him, she says, you'll hear from me. Mili leaves.

Karla looks for Homeless Hugo in the park. She finds out he went to the club.

Lina finally tells Socorro the truth about Karla. Socorro can't believe it. Lina says Karla is like a new person, she has a new face when she's with Homeless Hugo. Socorro hopes the "joven" will really love her daughter. Lina says he does. While the gang is sitting around, the maid is dusting feverishly. Finally, she sits down and says, about Hugo, "What a cute boy!" Lina says "Look, she speaks."

Florencia refuses to stay in a safe place with Al and company and goes home alone. How could they let her do it? Rigoberto asks where she was. To show how menacing he is, he flicks a cigarette lighter.

Karla meets Hugo in the park. She tells him she has arranged for him to sing at the club, but maybe he should clean up a little (just don't hide those arms!). He wants to be with her always. She invites him for tacos, and she says she will name her baby Mauricio, after him. (I thought Homeless Hugo's name was Pandroso?)

Bobby and Rocky come to the little house and make sure the baby is safe. Mili walks in and learns that Florencia has returned. She is panicked, thinking Flor wants to take her baby. No, she is assured--she is trying to protect the baby.

Back at the apartment, Flor is receiving yet another beating. Al comes in and punches Rigoberto (yay!) and tells Flor to get her suitcase. Then he tells Rigoberto to stay away if he knows what's good for him. But he doesn't call the police . . .

I'll just weigh in for my last recap that this show has been great. I like most of the way they have resolved things, but I think this story about Florencia was out of left field. Are we supposed to believe that Rigoberto was a psycho all along, and Florencia's father was right? I suppose so (he did have that weird smile when we first saw him). If that's all they're going to give us, we have to accept it.

As for Connie and Mili, the "papa" scene was just another in a whole series of very well-acted interactions. These have never failed to touch me. I accept Connie, warts and all. This was a magnificent scene.

It's really been fun recapping this story and seeing everyone's reactions.

Labels: guapos