Caray, Caray!

Marisela says that she isn't 'Barbarita'. Her name is Marisela Barquero. Meléndez says that she is the double of her mother. In a really slimy way, he says that she is pretty (rico). He asks where her mother is. Marisela says that she doesn't have a mother. Then she calls him a disgusting old person ('viejo cochino') and tells him to get out of her way. Marisela leaves the dining room. "It can't be," says Melendez, "It's impossible that there could be two women so alike. It's the daughter."

DB says that she will leave Altamira but she wants Santos to come with her because they have unfinished business to resolve. Santos says that he agrees but he will come later. DB doesn't like that but Santos says that he has to clean up the mess she made with her invasion. When he is finished, he will come to El Miedo.

Lorenzo tells Cecilia that his heart and body is telling him that his time is nearly up. "Look at the gift life gave me in spite of all my errors," he says holding Cecilia's hand. He says that she wants to spend his last moments with her and with his daughter. Cecilia says that he should prepare Marisela but Lorenzo says no. Marisela has enough troubles. At that moment Marisela comes in cursing Meléndez.

Meléndez's assistent (Guerrero) tells him that Marisela lives at Altamira, has come to San Fernando with her family for one night and her room is being paid for by Santos Luzardo. Meléndez remembers Santos as the lawyer and friend of Gonzalo Zuloaga. Meléndez tells his subordinate to get the men ready to go to Progresso the next day.

Santos give Pajarote a telegram to send to Cecilia. Santos asks Antonio to stay and talk. He first asks if Antonio has decided to return and work at Altamira. Antonio repeats that he won't work for Santos. He explains that when he heard about DB's invasion, he came to make sure Melesio and the terneras were ok. Santos tells Antonio about Meléndez's threats against the landowners in San Fernando. He says that Meléndez is convinced that Gonzalo and his friends were responsible for the death of the border guard. "Did they do it?" asks Antonio.

Cósme tells Gonzalo that they can't leave Altamira. The poet is in no condition to travel. Gonzalo tells Cósme that DB is very tempermental. If she breaks up with Santos, they could be in serious trouble. "You won't be left unprotected," says DB coming into the room. "Santos and I have our problems but we always resolve them. I assure you. Don't look at me that way Gonzalo
Zuloaga. Santos' friends are my friends and even though you don't like me, I assure you that you can have confidence in me. I will protect you. You'll see."

DB complains to Eustachia about how Santos threw her out of Altamira in front of everyone. DB says that she never thought that Santos was capable of throwing them out. "You still don't know your man," says Eustaquia, "Look at what happened right in front of your eyes! You can't make Santos do what you want and he's not going to forgive you for this one." DB agrees. She says that he didn't yell but she could tell that Santos was furious. If it weren't for the rebels, he would have left her. "I have to do something," says DB.

Santos tells Antonio that he can't break it off completely with DB when the rebels are at her house since it might harm them. Santos tells Antonio that Meléndez and his hunting dogs ('perros de presa') are coming very soon and will search everywhere. Antonio asks what he is going do to and Santos says that he doesn't know how he can help them.

Lorenzo wakes up and sees Marisela reading. He asks what she is doing still awake. She replies that she couldn't sleep and is reading to not have ugly thoughts ('para no estar pensando en cosas feas'). Lorenzo asks if she is referring to what happened at Altamira. Marisela says that she can't believe what happened - that DB would dare to do that to them and that Santos cares about that woman who treated us so badly. Lorenzo tells Marisela that it isn't good to carry resentment. He drowned his rage in alcohol and look at him. Or look at DB who only lives to get vengeance on those who hurt her. He advices Marisela not to imitate her parents because she is much better than they. Marisela thanks him and says that when he holds her, she gets a warm feeling in her chest. Lorenzo goes on to say how proud he is of Marisela and that she has been the only light in his life. "No matter what happens, my love," he says, "I want you to know that I will always be with you. I love you very much." Marisela says that she loves him too.

Pernalete receives information that Meléndez and a detachment of troops is coming to Progresso to search for the rebels. Pernalete says that this going to cause problems and will only bother decent people.

DE comes to see Antonio. He thanks Antonio for what he did for Lucia. He tells Antonio that he can't imagine what Lucia means to him. Her mother died giving birth to her and she is the only really valuable thing he has in this life. He gives Antonio a hug and thanks him again.

Santos is telling the rebels about Meléndez's immanent visit and they are trying to decide what to do. DB comes in and overhears. "Are you referring to Nicolas Meléndez?" she asks. She asks why Santos didn't tell her about this at Altamira. Santos says that she was invading his house and he had to resolve that first. DB asks if he sure that it is Meléndez. Santos says he is sure. He saw him San Fernando. Meléndez has kept an eye on him since he knows that Santos is friends with Gonzalo and he suspects that Santos is hiding the rebels. Santos asks how DB knows Meléndez' name. Has she met him before? DB says no. She heard his name when the police came to search her hotel room in the capital.

Santos says that he has to take the rebels and try to hide them. DB says that it won't be necessary for them to leave. She shows them a secret basement room that is accesible by a trap door in the room where they keep the hay or by a tunnel that comes out about 300 meters from the house. Only DB, Eustaquia and Melquiades know about the room. DB tells Eustaquia to bring the rebels what they need.

Cósme and Andres tell their terneras that they are leaving and bid them a sad farewell.

Santos tells DB that she is a complicated woman but he thanks her for helping him. DB says that she is his woman and his problems are her problems. She asks Santos to come to bed with her. Santos says that if DB thought that because of what she has done for his friends that everything has been forgotten, she is wrong. After what she did, she isn't his woman and he doesn't want to be with her. DB asks where he is going. Santos says that he is going to look for a bush(?) (mata) where he can lie down. He needs to think and he thinks that she needs time to reflect on what she did. Santos leaves and DB says that this is bad. She says that Santos seems more disillusioned than mad. She thinks that once the danger to the rebels has passed, Santos will leave her. "Oh God, I have to stop him. I have to do something so that he comes back to me... to be mine. Meléndez... He's on his way here. God, what is happening? It seems like everything is going to blow up." She calls Eustaquia and tells her to get a bag ready and to tell Melquiades to meet her outside.

Cecilia reads a telegram from Santos and tells Marisela and Lorenzo that they can return to Altamira. Santos has thrown DB out. Lorenzo thinks that DB will just keep coming back until Santos breaks up with for good. Cecilia says that if Santis breaks it off with DB, DB will go crazy. "Crazier?" says Marisela, "that one is crazy. She should be locked up an asylum."

Tigre comes into the dining room at El Miedo and asks Eustaquia for a cup of coffee. Tigre says that he slept like a baby. Eustaquia says that it is good not to have a conscience, he can sleep without worries. "My grandmother said that 'the bad ones sleep well, the good ones lie awake at night" ('Los malos duermen bien, los que se desvelan son los buenos.') This is too abstract a thought for Tigre who says that he doesn't know what she is talking about. Eustaquia tells him that DB and Melquiades have left El Miedo, the students have left and Santos has gone. There is no one at El Miedo but she, Leon, Tigre and Juan Primito.

When Marisela, Cecilia and Lorenzo are leaving the hotel, Marisela is given a big bunch of flowers. When she finds out they are from Meléndez, she throws them on the floor and stomps on them. Meléndez calls Marisela, "muñequita," the diminutive of "muñeca," a doll.

Melquiades has taken DB to the airport. She is leaving for the capital to avoid seeing Meléndez. Mequiades says that Meléndez knew Eustaquia. DB hopes that so much time has gone by that Meléndez has forgotten Eustaquia. Melquiades asks DB why she doesn't take advantage of Meléndez being so close and let Melquiades give him what he deserves. DB says no. She wants to be there when Meléndez gets what's coming to him. She wants the pleasure of killing him with her own hands.

Santos is at El Miedo looking for DB. Eustaquia tells him that DB has gone and gives him a note from her. Santos is annoyed that she left without telling him. He tells Eustaquia that DB doesn't just do things without a reason. He demands to know why DB went to the capital. Eustaquia tells Santos that DB went to capital to see a doctor about getting pregnant. Eustaquia says that DB thinks that if she has Santos' baby, he will love her more. Santos is annoyed that DB makes decisions without consulting him. Eustaquia says that when DB is with Santos, she is good but she is alone, she gets into trouble. "Look, Eustaquia," says Santos, "loving your mistress is a challenge (reto) that I am beginning to be fed up with. I'm tired of this. A lot. Too much."

Gonzalo gets claustrophobia and he can't stand being in the basement.

Marisela, Lorenzo and Cecilia return to Altamira. Marisela is very cold to Santos. Cecilia has some cramping and ask to be taken into town to see the doctor.

Marisela finds out from the sad terneras that the rebels have left.

Dr. Arias tells Cecilia that everything is ok with her pregnancy.

Mujiquita comes to Altamira to warn Santos that Meléndez is coming to search. Santos isn't there. But while he is talking, the soldiers arrive. They ransack the place, even pat down the vaqueros as if Pajarote could have a rebel hidden in his shorts.

Santos is having memories of good and bad times with DB. "Bárbara," says Santos to himself, "what is going to happen with us?"

In the capital, DB tells herself that without Santos, her life is empty. "Don't leave me, my love," she says, "Don't leave me."

Marisela goes off on the soldiers searching Melesio's house.

Meanwhile, Gonzalo says that he can't stand being in the basement. He tries to escape.

Antonio and Lucia are in town. Antonio buys an ice cream for Lucia. She asks why he won't use the familiar 'tu' with her. Antonio says that as the foreman of her father's ranch, it wouldn't be appropriate. Cecilia comes up to where Antonio and Lucia are standing. She asks to be introduced to his friend.

The doctor tells DB that she can't have children. Her uterus is damaged.

Marisela comes downstairs at Altamira to find Meléndez there. "Muñequita, I'm happy to see you. I imagine that you are happy, too. I will tell you something but don't tell anyone. I've been following you, looking for you. The same body... the same skin..." He reaches out to touch Marisela and she tells him not to touch her. "Don't reject me, Muñequita," says Meléndez. A girl did that once and things went very badly for her. At that time, I was a poor slob. Now I have power, lots of power." Marisela says that she doesn't care about his power. It doesn't make him better. He still is an ugly old man, unpleasant and disgusting. Meléndez grabs Marisela and and says that all of a sudden he likes her and she should try him out. Marisela struggles and at that moment, Santos comes in and tells Meléndez to let Marisela go.

Labels: barbara