Caray, Caray!

Marichuy buys ten jugs of milk and a big box of assorted cookies for the orphans. She puts the change in her wallet, but we don’t see her try to stash it in her tight skimpy clothes. As she hauls away the heavy bags, the store clerk calls to her, “Tu vas a sombrita!” Does anyone know what this means? “Sombra” can be slang for jail, so is he saying she’s headed to the clinker, like this is some joke between them? I don’t know.

Juan Miguel reminisces on the times when he was less tragic-looking and smiled more, because he and Marichuy were in lurve. Those were happier times for us all, I think. He is elated to have found out that she lied to the judge so he could keep his daughter (although, not really. She just told the judge that JM didn’t hurt her and nothing big happened, which is true even though she was scared and had nightmares) and muses that he would love to find her again, even though she said she’s over him. He tells himself out loud that he can’t help being jealous that she’s marrying someone else, because he still loves her. “I love you,” he says to his empty study, as tears and snot run down his face.

Marichuy hauls the snack into the orphanage kitchen and the noisy kids crowd around like they haven’t eaten in days. The nuns praise Mari’s generosity and say that even when she was there as a child, she would always give some of her food to someone who was hungrier. Marichuy says she’ll keep bringing them things; she would never forget about them because this was her first home. She tells the kids that life doesn’t get easier when you leave the orphanage, so they should study hard now.

In the courtroom, Onerylia is telling everyone that Blanca seemed timid and reserved, but obviously that was just a mask because really she is a murderous flirt. The defense attorney says that Ivette killed Viv, not Blanca, and Onelia snarls at him to stop trying to sell that ridiculous story. “What was Viv doing in Blanca’s room?,” asks the attorney. That slows Onelia down. Blanca looks sad.

Olga is still trying to figure out what’s going on with Purita. Purita follows the Lorena School of Communication method (as hilariously described by Ferro; see Querida Enemiga recaps) and goes on and on, thusly: “I have decided what to do. You are going to be very surprised. It is not the usual thing to do. I don’t know whether you will support me. It sort of has to do with Adrian. Do you really want to know what it is? Okay, I will tell you. If you really really insist, I will tell you what I am going to do.” Finally, the angelic music starts up, and, like the musical cues to boot Oscar winners offstage, this finally prompts Purita to wrap up and tell her mother she has decided to become a nun. Mom is muy impactada.

Over at the orphanage, the Marichuy lovefest continues. The nuns marvel that she brings them food when she can’t have very much money herself. She says she does what she can because she remembers what it’s like, always to be in need of something, and soon she’ll be able to give them lots more. She says she has to leave, and the girls beg her to stay. She gets them all to dance as she exits. They should sing “It’s a Hard Knock Life” and do flips.

Onelia tells the court that Viv was searching Blanca’s room because she thought there was something strange going on. Blanca would come and go at odd hours and hide in the dark, and other witnesses will testify that she was with Juan Miguel in a bar and in her apartment. Viv caught them together one night. Again, the defense maintains that it wasn’t Blanca, it was the other personality, and Onelia gets fed up. “There is no double personality! It’s a hoax (patraña)!” Onelia starts yelling at everyone that it’s all a lie; Juan Miguel hated his wife and got Blanca to kill her and then invented the double personality as a cover. Various lawyers and court personnel roll their eyes. Onelia tells them to find another doctor who is NOT Juan Miguel to confirm that Blanca is ill. Umm, yeah. Why have they been listening to Onelia for so long? Everyone has agreed that Blanca or at least Blanca’s body killed Viviana; the only issue at question here is whether Blanca is mentally ill. Get rid of the raving lunatic mother and get some qualified expert witnesses, by which I of course do NOT mean Juan Miguel. Onelia senses that she’s gone too far with the yelling, and begs the judge to forgive her because she is just a grieving mother who wants justice. “Do you really want justice, or just revenge?,” asks the defense attorney (is that Villar? Losada? I can’t keep them all straight.)

Juan Miguel explains the insanity defense to Rocío in kindergarten terms. Rocío looks at him like, “I know! Just because I wear childish outfits and hair accessories doesn’t mean I’m stupid!”

More of the same from Onelia. Then Mr. Defense Lawyer says he’s going to prove that Blanca is ill, not a murderer. So do it already. Mostly I spend these scenes trying to figure out where I’ve seen the actor who plays the judge before. The court takes a break and Onelia and her henchman lawyer say more of the same old same old in the hallway over coffee. The lawyer doesn’t think the insanity defense will work.

Beatriz and Elsa sit on the lawn to gossip. Elsa says the same thing happened to Rocío that happened to her; she fell in love then was disillusioned because Vicente turned out to be weak. Beatriz thinks it’s too bad, because they seemed so in love. Elsa, now the expert on relationships, says that love is strong in some things and weak in others, and if Vicente had tried to recuperate Rocío would have admired that.

Vicente, looking rosy of complexion and fluffy of hair despite it all, thinks back to happy days with Rocío. Then he remembers the fateful motorcycle ride and gets all agitated, then angry. He blames the motorcycle for everything. We get a few close-ups of his trembling feet while he clenches his teeth, so I suspect one of these days his anger will propel him to walk again.

Beatriz asks Elsa whether she still loves Nelson. Elsa does not care to examine her feelings on the matter. In another word, no. She says she will be loyal to him until the end. “Then what?,” asks Beatriz. “Do you still want Eduardo?” Elsa doesn’t grasp that Beatriz just wants to be with Ed without feeling like she’s betraying Elsa somehow. Beatriz says she just wants Elsa to be happy, with whatever man would be best for her. Perhaps it would be more tactful to wait until her current husband actually dies to say that.

Amador hands Marichuy a script and she looks it over as they walk down the street. It’s something about a delicate girl who dreams of a world of glass where she is in control and can break all the figurines in her hand or some such. Amador says it’s very romantic. He wants her to have blond hair and wear see-through clothes. She’s not too keen, but he says it will be very spiritual. Is that what the kids are calling it? Anyway, this is not for television, it’s in the theater, and will help her to improve. He is going to make her a big star. She agrees to take the part.

Juan Miguel visits Blanca and tells her that the petition to have her judged insane and moved to a psychiatric place for treatment has been rejected. Things are going to remain bad for her.

Vicente is doing his exercises with the physical therapist, and says it hurts him much less now. He asks the therapist to help him: he is going to try to stand.

Juan Miguel tells Blanca that he’s going to get one of his colleagues to examine her and find out exactly what’s wrong with her, so she should be very honest and not hide anything even if the questions are embarrassing or shameful. She agrees.

The therapist gives in and tries to help Vicente stand up, even though he thinks it’s too soon. Vicente hangs from his shoulders with his legs buckled under him. It looks ridiculous.

Blanca asks JM if he still wants to marry her. “Why do you ask that?,” he stalls as he thinks back over the possibility that Marichuy doesn’t hate him. Blanca thinks he’s given up on her being freed. He says no, things are complicated but he’s going to get her out and cure her. “And then we’ll get married?,” she asks again. “Um, yeah, for sure,” he mutters as he looks shifty-eyed and fidgety. She beams.

Rocío visits Elsa and Nelson and reminds them of when they were all laughing and joking all the time. “Well, those days are past. Now life has brought suffering and bitterness,” says killjoy Elsa. Nelson looks annoyed to be labeled that way, but he can’t exactly deny it. “Life brought it, or we brought it on ourselves?,” he asks. He says they chose their paths, and now he’s at the end of his. Rocío looks like she wishes she’d picked someone else to visit.

Vicente manages to stand briefly. Then he falls to the floor (like a sack of potatoes, says the therapist, which is exactly what my mother used to tell me I sat like when we rode horses. It was not complimentary), but he is elated because now he knows he can be cured. Now he’ll be able to walk to find Rocío!!!!!

Juan Miguel arrives home as Rocío is coming down the stairs and tells her that she has to go to the tribunal tomorrow to testify. You’d think the lawyer or someone from the court would have officially requested her presence, rather than relying on her flaky brother to remember to give her the short notice. He assures her that all she has to do is tell the truth, though as he says it he looks her up and down like she might also consider putting on some appropriate clothes for once.

Oh no! If I’m not mistaken, the psych consult guy is slimy Ickturo from QE, looking greasier than ever! This doesn’t bode well. At any rate, he’s a better shrink than JM, because he starts asking Blanca logical questions and listening to her answers and taking notes. He gets about ten questions in, regarding her sister who died, before he switches over to JM’s “tell me your secret! Tell me tell me tell me!” method of shrinking. Blanca looks stressed. He stands up and hovers over her, asking if she was jealous of her sister, if she loved the same man, if she killed her own sister. Blanca denies it, crying and screaming. Shrinkturo is yelling at her angrily now: “You killed your sister, didn’t you!” Ah, he is more clever than JM; he’s deliberately trying to stress Blanca into switching personalities.

Purita tells Adrian that she can’t be his novia any longer. He thinks she doesn’t like him, or is in love with someone else, but she gets to the point a little faster this time and tells him she’s going to be a nun. He thinks she’s joking but she assures him she’s not. Forever?!?!!, he asks, like she was just thinking of going to nun summer camp. Purita walks away while he stands there stunned.

Shrinkturo switches to good cop mode. See, he can have two personalities also. He tells Blanca he’s just trying to help her, and he’s sure the double personality has something to do with her sister, because she feels responsible for her death. Blanca shrieks and tries to get away from him. She begs the guard to take her back to her cell.

Shrinkturo, whose name here is apparently Raúl, drops by Castle San Roman to report to JM that he wasn’t able to finish the examination, so he can’t certify that Blanca has a double personality, but he will recommend that she be placed under observation. He warns JM to be careful because she could be very dangerous, which, DUH, but JM seems surprised by that. Certainly it never occurred to him when he left her under his little sister’s care with his wife’s dead body in the house. JM is looking good in his striped shirt, but the lip-rubbing gesture is getting tiresome.

Marichuy rides her bike down the fancy apartment building hallway to the elevator.

Rocío gets sworn in as a witness. She has worn Capri pants rather than a miniskirt, but otherwise her attire is as usual. Blah, blah, blah, more rehashing of the case and who she is. Rocío takes control of the discussion and the prosecutor looks annoyed.

JM sits in his car at a stoplight and wonders whether he is doing the right thing, marrying Blanca when he doesn’t love her. His reasoning is that only a shrink can help her, and Mayita needs a mother. Someone needs to go back to remedial logic class. I can’t believe he got through shrink school with these reasoning skills. Marichuy pulls up beside his car on her bike. They see each other and gape.

Rocío tells the court that Mayita needed a governess because she (R) was in the hospital, Onelia was a totally toxic presence in the household (they look like they believe that), and Viviana had faked her own death and only recently returned. The old guys are suddenly looking more alert and interested in the case.

Through a weird editing choice, we see Marichuy pull up alongside JM again. They both look astonished again. Marichuy looks happy; JM looks like he’s going to cry. He clutches his chest.

Avances: Juan Miguel still loves Marichuy.

Labels: Cuidado