Caray, Caray!

Whew....the writers didn't disappoint...this was a rip-snortin' gran finale. Lots of action. Symbolic hands (touching, consoling, slapping, slipping on rings, attacking etc.) and the cruel contrast of Sara's harassment and humiliation with Lorena's triumph of love and affection. And the wedding...always awaited, often a dud, this one was great fun with some dynamite dancing. Vive la boda y arriba los novios!

But let's start at the beginning. The first hour Friday was covered in a stellar recap by Julie Wednesday. Check that one if you missed it. And so we start with Lorena and Alonso's sad despedida (good-bye) in his office. She's thanking him for all he did...in particular reuniting her with her family and saving Ernesto's life. He's regretting his errors and promising that if Ernesto doesn't make her happy, he'll have to deal with Alonso!

Alonso is alone now in his office when his dad enters, surprised that he's not in a more celebratory mood, given the success of the operation. Dad thoughtfully consoles him when he learns Lorena is lost to him forever. You won't forget her right away but she's moved on and so will you. At least you know you fought for her to the end. "El corazon no se mande". This is one phrase that every telenovela watcher learns quickly. Literally, the heart can't be ordered around...but I prefer "The heart has its reason which the reason knows not." The scene ends with Toribio gently placing his hand over Alonso's in sympathy.

Out in the corridor, Lorna is signing for Ernesto's effects when a ring box slips out of the bag. While the nurse rolls her eyes in delight, Lorena stares at the box in equal delight. Ring no. 2 and this one is for keeps!

Valeria is now with Alonso, continuing the consolation scene, trying to get him to eat (he hasn't had a thing all day) and agreeing to listen to his tale of woe as she tenderly covers his hand with hers.

Cute scene with Lorena teasing Ernesto about the ring (although I was horrified she sat down on the bed. You never do that with a hospital patient and particularly when they're recovering from from major surgery on a torn liver!) Oh well, they ramble on about how nothing is conventional in their romance....he fell in love with her selling muffins on the street....and she happily accepts his proposal. He slips the ring on her finger. Tah-dah!

Sara, on the other hand (no pun intended) has a pair of handcuffs slipped on...and this time she's cuffed behind her back. No chance of escape. She's limping but otherwise no sign of the gunshot wounds.

Now we have the Alonso/Ernesto farewell. I've noticed writers seem to favor scenes where two men who fought for the same damsel recognize each other's valor and part as gentlemen. More symbolism as Ernesto reaches out his hand and Alonso extends his for a manly handshake. (and here, Julie, I must say....Alonso's is bigger!)

Valeria is crying when Paula calls to see how the surgery went. He's still in love with Lorena, weeps Valeria. ¿ "Y eso a ti qué"? says Paula, although she's figured out by now that Val is a goner for our doc.

Another tender scene in Ernesto's hospital room (he evidently needs no recovery time from this major surgery). Gina, still missing a tooth, wants to know if he's okay with all these tubes hanging out. Hey, he's great and he's been thinking about them all the time. Ivan doesn't believe it but it's true...he doesn't need to think about Lorena because she's "in his heart" and when she enters the room he introduces her as his future wife (and my mom, pipes up Gina) and there's a group hug. Fortunately they don't all jump on Ernesto's bed after that.

The screen shows "a few months later" and we see Ernesto and Lorena walking around what I assume to be Chapultepec Park(thanks for the spelling correction, Cheryl) which he has picked for their wedding. I guess it's the primo spot though with a population like Mexico City I would think you'd need years to get it reserved. Whatever. She's thrilled because every bride wants her wedding day to be unforgettable.

Back to the mundane. Alonso's helping Valeria study for her new certification when one of her kids comes in and complains that the tv is busted. Val promises to look for a new one tomorrow but in the meantime Alonso jumps up to see if he can fix it (an ideal quality in a man, believe me! forget about hand size) Paula arrives in the meantime, looking for a ride home with bro' and notices that Alonso is already acting like "the man of the house" so why doesn't Valeria tell him how much she loves him!?

Whoops....Alonso comes back just in time to hear this. He's standing there stiffly, looking puppet-like, hardly encouraging for our Val, and she asks him to leave. She can't look him in the eye after this...can't bear him looking at her with pity. (Paula has already scooted , forgetting her need for a ride)

Alonso clumps out, lost in thought, remembering all the tender loving things Valeria has said to him in the past. How could I have been so blind? he asks himself. (something we viewers have discussed ad nauseum I might add).

And speaking of blind (and dumb as well) we have a final scene of mamita and Arturo in prison. She's looking down on her luck, kerchief on head ,but has brought him a yummy treat from the old folks home where she works for room and board. He's full of grand ideas for running a betting pool in the prison which will translate into big money to start a betting parlor when he gets out....in 5 years with good behavior. And you are being good aren't you? coos mamita. Oh yeah.

Brief scene with Diana and Vasco. She has news. He doesn't want to be distracted from Julian's debut commenting on a soccer match. She insists. She's pregnant! Joy all around. In fact I could have titled this "They all (but Sara) lived happily ever after in Fertile Valley" because most of our couples are like the Biblical fruitful vines in this ending.

Julian, by the way, is introduced with the nickname "El Genio" and Dad (complete with cap) Zulema and Hortensia are all watching at home. Meanwhile Maruja and Rossy are at their usual affectionate bickering...boy, girl? healthy! etc. when the labor pains strike big-time. Rossy thinks she's peed her pants but actually "se le revento la fuente" (her water has broken).

Julian gets a text message and goes berserk in the middle of the broadcast, announcing that his son is being born as he speaks, then noticing that a goal has been scored and screaming Gol gol gol gol! Guess we can forget about Lamaze coaching for papas in Mexico. There's a happy scene with the whole family in Rossy's room, Julian arrives out of breath, Rossy teases him that it's a girl...then unwraps the little guy to show him the blue blanket. They name the bebito Omar. All is forgiven. Ernesto announces that just seeing the little critter makes him want one and sassy Rossy asks him if he's doing his homework on that. hah hah

A wistful Valeria is looking at a multitude of tv screens while the salesman tries to talk her into an expensive one by offering a credit plan. Suddenly the screens are all filled with Alonso's face! And Lordy, he speaks! lamenting his blindness, telling her he can't imagine life without her and ohmigosh, he's actually standing right behind her! Yowsa. Can you believe it? She's suddenly backtracking...she's divorced, two kids, it's difficult. Alonso reminds her they've practically been living together the past two months, the kids already sometimes call him "papa"...they'll build a life together step by step. Big clinch. Some nice kisses and the deal is done. (Hope you saw this Ferro...Valeria is looking especially fetching.)

We switch now to Paula's apartment where the family is anxiously awaiting Alonso's arrival. He has some big announcement. Can you guess what it is? Sure enough, it's him, Valeria (and strangely only one child....but whatever) and everybody toasts to "LOVE" including Toribio who wants it to come knocking at his door once more...but with careful vetting of the candidate this time. (for you Amalia fans, sorry, evidently our incompetent black widow/con lady is a no-show).

These happy family scenes are cruelly contrasted with Sara's daily reality. Look at our little tv star, sneers an inmate named Olga. She's not so hoity-toity anymore is she!? We'll take her down a peg or two in here (bajarse los humos).


Lousy prison food for Sara ( most of it on her clothes); wonderful bridal shower for Lorena with....heavens to betsy, a sexy bustier and thong given by no less than Hortensia.

Lorena is off to the beauty parlor/spa to get all a spiffy hairdo and more for the wedding. Sara, on the other hand, is spit upon by Olga and then slapped in the head. Just gave you some hairspray honey, Olga sneers. Okay, they're clubbing us over the head with irony here, just like in the opening scenes of this telenovela...but hey, who wants subtlety? This is drama and comeuppance par excellence!

The harassment continues. When Sara walks past Olga and her gang without saying anything. Olga taunts her. Hey didn't your mama teach you any manners (see what I mean about irony?) Say hello when you pass your elders. You're gonna get it now. Ever feisty, Sara punches her but a fellow inmate slips Olga a knife and as they go down, she repeatedly stabs Sara (or seems to...I didn't see any blood). Then mean jailer arrives. Olga accuses Sara of starting it and having a knife to boot, and eventually both of them end up in the same dark punishment cell, ready for the final confrontation. If you want to kill each other, go for it! snaps the jailer.

The writers are really pulling out all the stops now, contrasting the tender mother-daughter scene of Lorena and Zulema with the can-you-believe it? horrifying mother-daughter scene of Sara and Olga. I've got to say, this was a gem. Much better than having Sara simply offed by the police or killed in a car wreck. The writers really know how to wring all the pathos and horror out of this discovery.

Lorena and Zulema exchange tender words of love and joy at finding each other.... thanking God that they'll be united forever. The scene is full of light.

Sara , in the dark and dank of the cell, is also making a discovery. Olga talks of her downward path, beginning in '83 when that bastard of a guy who got her pregnant is kicking her around, even as she's about to give birth to his brat. But she fixed him. Who'd of ever thought she could come by a machete and do him in! But then the pains started really bad, she was in this dumpy little town, San Martin, (What? shrieks Sara.) San Martin, stupid, are you deaf!? And I give birth in pigsty, can you believe it? What did you do with the baby? Threw it in the garbage, what else?!

I'm your daughter!!! I'm what you threw in the garbage! No way, that trash rotted in there! No! the nuns found me and raised me.! I'm your daughter, damn you, screams Sara and begins to strangle a stunned and dazed Olga. Whew! That was exhausting.

We see Lorena leaving the house for the wedding. Must say she looks fabulous as a bride. Julian thinks so too...in fact she's the prettiest bride he's ever seen (don't tell Rossy). We have the lovely wedding vows (with Gina as flower girl), tender looks, radiant smiles....the usual. And then a rip-roaring dance party. A couple of people in the cast can really shake it, including Zulema, Vasco, the nuns doing a fantastic conga and my all-time favorite, Ernesto, pantomiming magical tricks while swiveling his hips in the smoothest manner possible. Ay yi yi....lucky Lorena. Who cares if his hands are much smaller than Alonso's? That man can move his "caderas".

When the bouquet is tossed, who should catch it but Zulema? At last she will have the church wedding she always wanted (after minimal protest by Omar) and Zully looks lovely indeed as a bride.

And now the final wrapup. Ernesto leads a blindfolded Lorena to.....tah dah, her new restaurant which he knows will be a success because every dish she makes will be filled with love. Julian's new career is so successful he can afford an apartment. He and Rossy now have two sons. Gol gol gol!!!!

Diana and Vasco are living happily in their biosphere ecologically correct nature reserve and they too have another son, named Jaime, in addition to her first child.

Hortensia and Santiago are beavering away on charitable works but romance is in the air. He covers her hand with his. She slaps it away. He smiles. (we know he's not discouraged by rejection!)

Similar hand-slapping scene with Patty and Felipe as he steals a kiss. But what is this? as their hands now intertwine, she finds an engagement ring! Kisses and hugs.

Whoa...and who saw this coming? Toribio has also found his "medio naranja" (better half). It's...can you believe it?...Barbara! We focus on their hands holding up wine glasses (catar vinos...tasting wines) and the narration intones that "love has no age". (I'm expecting a product placement for Cialis any minute now).

Bettina and Ivan are still a happy couple, dancing dancing dancing. He's also about to head off to the university and Bettina is planning to be a doctor, just like her uncle.

Alonso has headed back to Quebec to start a clinic with Valeria's help. (good way to avoid granny Catalina). And they've had twins...and fortunately they look just like Valeria. Way to go.

And Sara? Well, Lorena hasn't seen her but she imagines she's still paying for her crimes. (Indeed she is. We have a shot of her hands gripping the prison bars, an anguished look on her face.) Sometimes I miss her, muses Lorena. She was my best friend....or perhaps I should say my beloved enemy "querida enemiga").

And FINALLY...it's picnic time. Ernesto and Ivan are setting up a group shot. (Gina is still missing her front tooth) And we see that Lorena is holding a little baby girl, Marianna, which she plans to take back to San Martin to show her loving nuns. She's surrounded with blessings, she has the family she's always wanted, "her cup runneth over".

And they all lived happily ever after. Aren't you glad?

Labels: enemiga