Caray, Caray!

Reruns: Judge Pat is announcing Stef at her party and everyone applauds. JM takes her by the hand for their dance.

Here come Rocio and Mari, who is looking stunning in her red gown. Stef spots her, stops dancing, and says ¿Que haces aqui? JM spots her too and smiles his one-sided babe-magnet smile. Mari drops her eyes shyly.

New stuff: Mari is nervous, but Rocio tells her she’ll be the belle of the ball. We see Amador with his pipe and a glass of wine, talking to Vicente. He spots Mari and comments that she looks terrific, totally different. He leers and laughs.

Stef is asking JM why Mari, who wasn’t invited, has come with his sister. Clueless JM says he arranged so she could come. Mari and JM look at each other from a distance. Mari notices that others are looking at her too, but Rocio says that’s because she’s so beautiful.

Mari feels like bolting, but Rocio says come on and pulls her into the party. JM tells Stef that he met Mari at the house and she was so sad about the party, like a Cinderella. Stef fake smiles and says he is Mari’s fairy godmother. They sway dance some more.

Meantime, Ceci and Pat are talking to two of their guests, and Ceci says it’s a long story, but they got their daughter back. Apparently none of their other long-time friends seem to think it’s remarkable that they suddenly have a grown daughter. Rocio and Mari arrive at where they are sitting, Rocio cheerfully meeting everyone. Ceci is amazed and uncomfortable. Mari says I hope you’re not mad at me, and Ceci says I hadn’t thought you were coming. Mari tells how she got her dress, and Ceci begins to beam and says isn’t that great, Patricio? He glares.

Mari tells the story of how she got the dress and says to Ceci are you sure you’re not mad? Ceci says no, actually I’m so relieved you’re here, and she gives Mari a hug. Be a good girl tonight, she says, and Mari says I will. Rocio says con permiso and off they go to mingle. The friends say how lovely! and Pat is stony-faced.

Off to the side, Vicente is laughingly telling Amador that when the judge spots him, he’ll toss him out. Amador says he’ll find the right moment to run into Mari, when it won’t cause problems. Vicente says he’s going to go find Rocio.

He finds her with Mari and exclaims over the change in Mari and says looks like somebody touched you with a magic wand. He tells Rocio he was almost thinking she’d stood him up. He asks her to dance, but she says she’s with Mari. Mari says go ahead and off they go to the dance floor. Amador, his hair looking more than usual like the raised hackles on a wolf, eyes the scene, looking for his chance.

Mari plops down and takes off a painful high heel and looks around. Isa is mingling, and suddenly spots Mari and is horrified. What? says Mari and cops a little attitude.

Back to the hospital where Bea, whose lips look really chapped and dry, flutters her eyelids. My friends? she asks the nurse. (Where is this poor girl’s family?) The nurse says there’s just one there, and she goes to get him. Bea croaks Amador, but no such luck, here comes that nice guy from the artist group, Israel, who takes her hand and smiles. She stares off into the middle distance.

We’re at the party again and Isa says is that you Mari? Mari cracks wise a little and says she’s promised Ceci she’ll behave. Isa takes off and Mari massages her sore feet. Isa goes over to Ceci and asks for a word in private. Isa points out that Mari is there. Ceci says isn’t she lovely? Ceci explains about JM and the dress, and says she’s so relieved, as her conscience was killing her.

Isa says Mari is bound to do something bad and wreck the evening. Ceci pooh-poohs her.

The judge wants Stef to meet some friends and he drags her away from JM. JM tells Eduardo now you finally get to meet Mari. Eduardo is with Elsa, who is looking nervous. Mari is still rubbing her foot, but pops up to meet them. JM starts to introduce Elsa, whose eyes are darting around, and Mari says she already knows her. Mari asks is this your boyfriend and Elsa says yes, then quickly asks Eduardo to dance.

Now Mari and JM can talk, and she asks him how he likes her dress. He says she looks amazing all done up, and she gets shy and goofy. He says no, really. She thanks him for making it possible for her to come. A handsome young man approaches them and asks if they’re a couple. JM says no, so the fellow asks Mari to dance. JM says go ahead, and she says don’t you want to dance with me? and JM says I’m Stef’s escort. Mari, disappointed, goes off with the fellow.

The guy wants to know Mari’s name and how come she’s there. She says she lives with the Velardes. He asks her last name and she says not so many questions, let’s just dance. He laughs. The music has picked up a bit, so they don’t have to sway dance. JM is watching and Stef comes up, says she finally got away from the friends, and can they go outside on the terrace and chat? JM is reluctant, and he watches Mari, maybe a little jealous?

We hear the angry-bee sounds and here comes Amador, hair at full attention, and he steps in between Mari and the fellow and gets in close to her face. Mari tells him to get lost. Vicente is watching. Mari tells him to leave her alone, and he says you won’t do anything to cause a scene at the judge’s party. Mari tells him he’s a creep and a liar, faking his blindness to manipulate her. Isa is watching too. Amador says you know you dig me, and Mari says if you don’t keep your hands off me, I’ll leave you blind for real, and paralyzed too. Mari takes off, and Amador laughs. Isa follows after Mari, and finds her at the wine bar, exasperated.

She greets Mari and Mari says just what I need. Isa says but I just wanted to say hello. Mari says you’re just looking for some way to prejudice the judge against me. Isa fake smiles and says here have some champagne, it’s good when you’re thirsty. Mari says you want to put me in a trance! Isa says oh gosh no, a person has to drink about 15 of these to get that way, this is just one. Try it!

Mari tries a sip and likes it. She’s thirsty, so she swigs the whole thing, liking the bubbles. Isa says here, have another and she tells the waiter to fill it to the top. She tells Mari the correct way to drink it is to empty the glass, so Mari does. Mari’s smiling big now. Uh oh.

JM is asking Stef if it bothers her that Mari came. No, she says, why? He says you looked serious when she came in. Stef says I was just surprised, as I didn’t think she was coming. JM says he’s felt sorry for her. Stef says you really like her, huh? JM says it touches me that she needs help and protection, that’s all. Stef says are you in love with her? JM’s eyes shift around.

Looks like Mari is on her third glass. She and Isa are laughing and a nice-looking fellow is watching with amusement, maybe the same one who asked her to dance. Now we see there are 5 glasses set on the counter – did she drink all those? Isa says just one more. Mari says she’s had more than Isa, but Isa says I’m not as thirsty as you. Isa has her charm turned on full blast and she says she can’t drink as much because she’s not young any more like Mari.

It is the same fellow and he asks Mari to dance again. She’s dancing with more movement than the other guests, getting into it, but not out of hand. Her partner looks delighted. She takes off her shoes and ramps up her dancing. She’s really good! We go into slo mo.

JM tells Stef he’s not in love with Mari. Stef says sometimes it looks like it. JM says she’s my ward, that’s all. Thank goodness says Stef. Why? JM wants to know. Stef says because I’d just die of jealousy, of her, and of any other woman you might like. JM says right now there’s no one. She caresses his hand lightly with her acrylics – not even me? He looks ill at ease.

More dancing. Isa looks on, probably waiting for all that champagne to kick in.

JM says Stef, we’ve just met. Stef says don’t you believe in love at first sight? JM says I do, but I’ve never experienced it. Stef says do you find me attractive? JM says of course, it’s just something else. Stef says well I believe in love at first sight, and you are very attractive. She takes his chin and says what’s wrong? Can’t you look at another woman? Are you still in love with your wife?

Mari is starting to lose her balance and bit and Isa laughs. She goes to the bar and asks the waiter to take a glass of champagne to Mari. Mari drinks up. Rocio, who is dancing with Vicente nearby, starts to become alarmed. Mari is spilling champagne and the judge and Ceci notice. Her partner wants to know if she has a boyfriend. No. Why not? She says don’t ask. She’s getting a little loud and the judge’s friends tsk tsk.

JM tells Stef that Viv is in the past and that one day he hopes to build a new life with someone. Stef says I want to be that someone. Stef leans close and closes her eyes for a kiss. JM’s brain jumps into black and white and we see Mari leaning in close to him. He comes to and tells the unkissed Stef that they ought to get back in to the party.

The music is over and Mari runs over and asks JM for the next dance. He tries to beg off, but Mari is tugging on him and Stef, disgusted, gives him a shove out onto the dance floor. It’s a slow dance and JM and Mari are face to face. We go into slo mo again.

Back to normal speed. For some reason, the room has gone dark and only Mari and JM are in a sort of spotlight. They stare into each other’s eyes and sway. Since JM can’t dance worth beans, the camera swings around the couple to give the feeling of romantic swirls on the floor. After way too much of this scene, Isa asks Stef if she sees. They agree that it looks like JM likes Mari and Mari likes him back. Isa thinks they’re about to kiss so Stef heads out to the dance floor.

They almost kiss and Stef cuts in. The lights go up. She dances with JM, staring at him, while he looks away, like shaken. Mari runs off, distressed. Isa pours a couple more glasses of champagne in her.

Amador is talking to his aunt, who says you haven’t said hello to the judge yet. The aunt says she’s going to leave soon, but he can stay. Isn’t he going to dance? Amador says later.

He sees Mari drinking. He states what we’re all thinking: If she keeps drinking like that, she’ll easy meat for him. JM walks by and gives him the stink eye. Amador looks angrily as his retreating back.

Let’s catch up on what’s happening at the hospital. Israel is telling Bea that she’s past the worst, but Bea says she wishes she’d die. Israel tells her she can rebuild her life. She doesn’t want to, and Israel says you have to fight for something you love. She says Amador doesn’t love me. What’s the purpose of living? You’re the only one who’s come. Israel says Becky and Elsa were here, even Amador. Bea perks up. See? says Israel. You’re not alone. He strokes her face. What a sweetheart!

Amador introduces himself to Stef and she is charmed. JM takes her arm and leads her off. He wants to know how come he’s there, he’s the head of the group who have damaged Mari so much. Stef says oh, that Amador! He’s the one that Mari hit the other day and almost left blind. JM says What? Stef says I thought you knew. She went to the artist’s place and she and Amador fought and she hit him and he faked being blind to keep her attention.

Mari and Vicente are dancing pretty wild. Rocio is half smiling, half worried.

Stef tells JM it happened while you were gone. Mari left without permission to see the guy. But don’t worry about it, that’s the sort of things those kinds of people do.

Isa asks Ceci to come with her, and she says just look at Mari. Ceci looks doubtful, but says that’s the way young people dance nowadays. Isa says it’s horrible, people are starting to stare. Indeed, everyone has stopped dancing and is watching.

Amador has a big slug at the bar and that stirs up the angry bees. Here he comes, and he grabs Mari roughly. She tries to beat him off. The spineless guests do nothing. Vicente tries to stop him, but some people hold him back. By now Mari is frantic. Stef hears the brouhaha and tells JM to see what’s up. JM runs in and pulls Amador off Mari and slugs him.

They fight a little. Eduardo holds JM back and people are holding Amador back. Isa says to Ceci I told you so. The judge thunders in and yells at Amador What are you doing here? I told you not to show your face or you’d end up in jail.

The judge turns to Mari and says see what you caused? He reproaches JM but JM says he couldn’t contain himself. The judge tells Mari that her tears aren’t going to get her out of anything. Ceci says what have you done, Mari? Isa says I’ll take her out of here, she’s drunk. Rocio says I’ll take her. Ceci is very shaken and the judge stern.

JM wants to leave and help with Mari, but Stef says don’t you leave. After everything that happened, are you going to make it worse by leaving me here alone? You’re my escort. JM looks torn. Stef begs him and cries.

Rocio is having trouble getting Mari into bed. Mari’s on the floor clinging to the legs of the bed. Rocio takes her shoes off. Mari says tell your brother it wasn’t my fault. Rocio says he already knows. Mari gets giggly. She has wriggled under the bed and Rocio can’t get her to get up and get in bed.

Stef has JM out on the terrace again and she says she’s very honest about what she feels and she’s wondering if her feelings are in sync with his. He looks distracted but says and what are your feelings? JM flashes back on his conversation with Eduardo in which he said he ought to take up with someone else to forget Mari. He says to Stef would you mind if I fell in love with you? Stef says of course not, mi amor! She stares at him blissfully and he just looks away.

Mari has found her way out onto the lawn and she and Cuate romp around a bit. She tells Cuate she’s going to wait until JM gets home, no matter how late.

Ceci is trying to convince the judge to enjoy the rest of the evening. Stef walks up and says she and JM have great news. She smooches his cheek and says they just became novios. She smiles blindingly and he looks like a condemned man. Ceci and the judge hug them. JM apologizes for not asking their permission first. Isa is told and she and Stefi shriek with joy. JM looks like sheesh.

Mari is still waiting in the dark, trying not to fall asleep. Cuate is all waggy. Finally the electric gates swing open. Mari starts walking across the lawn and she sees JM and Stef get out of the car. She waits by the house wall and JM is about to leave when Stef says wait and kisses him. He doesn’t seem to kiss back, but from where Mari is, all she sees is them kissing.

Avances: Nothing new. We see old scenes, and a scene of Stef retelling with relish about the fight over Mari at her party.

Labels: Cuidado