Caray, Caray!

DB is ecstatic that Santos has come to her. She says that she has dreamed of this day and always knew that he would come back to her side. Santos says that the didn't come for her. He has come because of their baby, to see if she ok or needs anything. DB won't believe this. She tells Santos not to deceive himself - he came because he loves her, because he misses her, because he needs her. "Barbara," says Santos, "I don't need you anymore nor do I love you but that doesn't mean that I don't care about my child." He gives her the book from his mother as his first gift to his child. DB continues to talk about her love for Santos and her certainty that he loves her in return. Santos says that he didn't come to talk about love and if she continues, he'll leave. She begs him not to leave. At that moment, Melquíades appears and asks if DB needs anything. DB actually seem to be annoyed at his intrusion.

Gonzalo tells Marisela not to let this opportunity for happiness escape. He needs a woman by his side, a woman like Marisela. He tells Marisela that he fell in love with her the first day that he met her and has thought about her every day since and now he has found her again and she agreed to work with him again. Marisela says that if having her nearby affects him so much, maybe she should leave. Gonzalo says no. If she leaves, Santos will follow her and harass her. Gonzalo recommends that she say here and think about what he has said.

DB asks Melquíades wants he wants and he asks if she needs anything. DB sends him to sit with Eustaquia. DB tells Santos that Eustaquia is very ill and soon DB will be alone with her soul lost in the llanos and without anyone to help her give birth. Santos says that he will be there for her. His child will not lack for anything. DB asks if he promises to do this for love and Santos replies that he is doing it for their child. Santos tells DB that he came to tell her that she can count on him for everything to do with child and that is all. Now that he has said it, he will leave and he does. DB tells herself that he will return.

On the way out, Santos runs into Melquíades who wants to have a few words with him.

Genoveva and Marisela discuss her options. Being with Gonzalo keeps Santos away and if she leaves, he will follow and harass her again. Marisela says that she doesn't care about Gonzalo but she will stay and see what happens. Maybe she will realize that her destiny is to be with Gonzalo.

Melquíades tells Santos that there was no need for him to come and tell DB that he would take of her. Melquíades tells Santos that he should know that DB isn't alone. She has him. He has always been faithful to her. He says that he will take care of DB and be with her until he dies. Santos asks if Melquíades is in love with DB and Melquíades replies that is his business. Santos says that he doesn't care about Melquíades' personal life or DB's but no one is going to prevent him from coming to see how DB's pregnancy is coming along. Santos leaves. Melquíades says to himself, "You are alive thanks to her, doctor."

Carmelito tells Pajarote that Genoveva has left for San Fernando with Marisela. Carmelito says that no one knows why she left but she was very angry.

Marisela shows Genoveva how to use a computer. Gonzalo comes in and orders that Marisela go to lunch with him.

The doctor tells Lucía that if she wants to have her child, she can't leave her hospital bed. Antonio says that he will make sure she follow the doctor's orders.

Eustaquia asks DB why her cheeks are so rosy and DB tells her that Santos came into her room the previous night. She puts a little better spin on what Santos said than the truth. She shows Eustaquia the book Santos gave her and says that she is sure that Santos enthusiasm for their baby will bring him back to her.

Nestor compliments Andrés on his newspaper and suggests that they link their work ('trabajamos en mancuerna,' a mancuerna is a cufflink or a dumbell). Nestor will tell Andrés what is going on in San Fernando and vice versa. (I guess they'll have to send telegrams to each other or get together personally since no one in Progresso appears to have a phone, much less email.) Nestor points out Sapo to Andrés and says that he is a millionaire who just moved to town and no one knows where his money comes from. Then they see Gonzalo and Marisela arrive.

Sapo is annoyed that Gonzalo brought Marisela with them. He pulls out a wad of cash and tells her to go buy expensive trinkets (chucherías) that women like as if she were a prostitute.
Marisela is furious, throws the money back at him and tells Sapo off. Gonzalo does not defend her. She walks out. Andrés and Nestor are interested in why Gonzalo is meeting Sapo.

Sapo tells Gonzalo that he shouldn't have brought such a rude girl with him. Gonzalo replies that Marisela is his future wife and Sapo should treat her with more respect. Sapo mentions that Gonzalo is getting Marisela on the rebound from Santos Luzardo. Gonzalo tells Sapo that Santos is interested in Sapo and before their friendship ended, Santos asked Gonzalo to get information on Sapo. Sapo says that Santos is a little dangerous and maybe Sapo should get rid of him once and for all. Gonzalos asks why. What has Santos done to Sapo?

María Nieves comes to Santos for help with the housing problem that is preventing him from marrying Altagracia. They count up all the people living at Melesio's house and Santos says that at the rate the terneras are reproducing, there is an overpopulation (superpoblada) there and something had better be done quickly.

Sapo says that Santos has not done anything to him but he doesn't like anyone invading his private life. He tells Gonzalo that, "he who isn't my friend, is my enemy." But Sapo tells Gonzalo that they have gotten together to discuss business, not enemies. Gonzalo asks what Sapo is proposing in detail. Gonzalo tells Sapo that he knows that he is being fattened up (cebando) to be tempted. He tells Sapo that he is all ears. Sapo says that he wants to finance Gonzalo's political campaign in return for a big favor. As Gonzalo and Sapo lean closer together to talk, Nestor takes photo of them.

Nestor tells Andrés that an image is worth a 1000 words and if his intiution is right, he has a bombshell (notición). Nestor tells Andrés that his intuition tells him that the relationship between Gonzalo and Sapo stinks. He smells something fishy going on ('me huele a gato encerrado,' literally, 'a locked-up cat'). Andrés asks what Nestor is going to do the photographs. "Stir up a hornet's nest ('alborotar el avispero')" replies Nestor, "This town is too quiet. If the news doesn't come out by itself, it's our job as journalists to produce it."

Gonzalo tells Marisela that she was very rude to Sapo. When she replies that the offered her money like she was a prostitute, he says that she misinterpreted the gesture. Marisela says that Sapo looked like a mafia guy with all his rings and jewelry. Gonzalo replies that bad taste doesn't indicate character. "Are you blind or what?" Marisela asks him, "That guy is bad, Gonzalo. I don't like the way he looks at me, how he smells or how he looks. He has the smile of an old sadist. I don't like this gentlemen, as you call him, at all." Gonzalo tells her not to judge by appearences. Returning to work, Gonzalo gives Marisela some payment orders for Antonio to sign and Marisela offers to take them to him at the hospital. Antonio signs the orders and when Marisela and Genoveva have left, Lucía tells Antonio that she is surprised that Antonio would sign them without even looking at the amounts or who they were for. Foolish Antonio tells her that if Gonzalo authorized the expenditure, it must be all right.

Santos arranges an intervention with Melesio, MN and some of the ternera husbands.

MN says that he wants to do right by Altagracia but he doesn't have anywhere to take her to live. Santos says that he will give MN some land, help him buy the materials and provide the labor to build a little house and this applies to all the married guys. MN tells Santos that he doesn't know what to say and Melesio doesn't lose sight of the matter at hand tells him that all he has to say is the date of the wedding. Santos tells Pajaorte that he has to stay in the bunkhouse until he settles on one woman.

Leonicia tells Celeste that her brothers are going to beat her up for going to town on her own. Celeste says that she isn't a little girl. She says that her brothers want her to be left on the shelf ('me quede para vestir santos,' literally, 'stay to dess saints') and she doesn't want that. Leon and Tigre come in and grab Celeste saying that they won't let her become a slut. DB comes in and tells them to let Celeste go. They say that Celeste is behaving like a mare in heat but DB tells them not to treat her that way. Pernalete and Mujica arrive. They try to demonstrate their loyalty to DB by bringing her a case of the whisky that Sapo gave them. They show her the note from Sapo.

Marisela and Genoveva are having a gloomy ice cream when the alcaraván starts calling.

Geno confesses to Marisela that Pajarote has burst all her balloons. Geno says that she gave Pajarote her virginity, her love and lots of balloons and he started chasing after other skirts as if nothing had happened. She tells Marisela that the worst thing is that she is in love with Pajarote.

DB pretends to be very pleased with Pernalete and Mujica and asks them to let keep her informed on what is going on with Sapo. They leave. Melquíades says that this is good news. DB says that a storm is coming.

Not even the accomplished Federica can get Pajarote's bird to fly. He gets another scolding from the vision of Genoveva and when he tells Geno to leave him alone, Federica thinks he is talking to her, takes offense and leaves.

Santos has a long series of flashbacks to his various encounters with Marisela.

Sapo is furious about the article and picture of him with Gonzalo. Facundo says that it may interfere with their plans. Sapo orders that Nestor be brought to him so that he can be made to swallow every paper that was sold in San Fernando.

Andrés shows Santos the picture of Sapo and Gonzalo. Santos says that he finally can put a face to the name of Fidel Castell. Santos tells Andrés that he doesn't know this Fidel Castell but he has heard a lot about him. Santos excuses himself and says that he has to do something. Andrés says to himself the Néstor was right. There is something fishy going on here.

Néstor is brought by force to Sapo. Sapo asks if it isn't an abuse that Néstor took a photograph of him without his permission. Néstor says that it is his obligation as a journalist to take whatever photographs he believes would be of interest to the community. Sapo asks what interest there is in photos of him with the Commissioner. "I don't know," replies Néstor, "You tell me." Néstor asks who Sapo really is. Sapo says that if the problem is that Néstor doesn't know him, he tells Facundo to give Néstor his business card. Facundo punches him. "Now you know me," Sapo tells Néstor. Sapo tells Facundo that before Néstor leaves, he has to eat the newspaper, page by page so that he doesn't get the desire to take photos of Sapo again.

Altagracia finds out that she isn't pregnant. Gervasio says that the alcaraván must have been wrong because since Genoveva left, it hasn't called any more. "¡Genoveva!" say all the terneras in unison.

Back in San Fernando, Genoveva tells Marisela that she still hasn't gotten her period and she is very afraid. The alcaraván starts calling again and Geno says that she must be really, really pregnant because the bird hasn't stopped calling. Marisela wonders if the bird might be calling for her.

Santos comes into where DB is having breakfast at El Miedo. He says that he wants to know something and he doesn't want her to lie to him. He puts the newspaper with Néstor's photo on the table and says, "The man in the picture is Sapo, right?"

Labels: barbara