Caray, Caray!

Here is my version of the title suggested by Doris with a tip of the sombrero.

Sorry for the delay, I was in attendance at a reception at the Mexican Consulate in Albuquerque to honor a number of Mexican artists who live in Abq. last night. Poetry, singing, mariachi's, paintings and ceramic figures. Funny how the women always know exactly who Fernando Colunga is when he pops into all my conversations in Spanish these days. The men don't always know but who cares....

This episode can be seen on Youtube as capitulo 23.

But on to the important stuff, how about that wedding last night? We return to the scene of the crime about to occur at the altar. Franco/Eduardo appears walking down the aisle as the Bishop conducts the ceremony. Jacinto drinks and cries at home cursing the disgraceful Hiena and cursing his own cowardice, Fernanda wonders why the handsome stranger has appeared. The facial expressions on all the perps is priceless. Fr/Ed tries to send telepathic thoughts to Nanda that it is he Eduardo who has loved her since he was a boy. Why doesn't she realize it is he and only she could give the word that would save him from the hell he has fallen into. Oddly, he is sitting right up front next to La Hiena/BOW, but in the end Nanda ends the suspense ends by saying, acepto (I do) nearly drowned out by the male chorus intoning in minor key while crashing cymbals and prescient drum beats warn of dastardly days to come. BarbaraOW and Fernanda show us what Mom always said: good girls can wear incredibly goopy black eye make up if they keep it only on the top of the eye but if you draw the dark liner under the eye it is a sure sign of slatternly morals. Errika cries with dark smeared tears, a sure sign of being dumped and not able to hide it in public. I might add here that the rings on the pillow look like clunky washers they picked out of the plumbers tool kit. The photography was stupendous throughout, I particularly liked the detail of framing Barbara's head between the kissing novios. Eduardo looks devastated, the stylin' couple lead the procession out of the bower and we see another set of who's glad and who's sad. And who is that cutey with Damian's Mom. Is it possible Damian has one friend or cousin? Hope we see more of him. Our poor Eduardo stands alone near the altar, gee what I wouldn't give to wrap him in a comsoling embrace.

But, on to the gala party!! The carriage pulls away while fire crackers startle Cleopatra. CamilHo and Natasha pull aside while she opines that it may not be such a good idea for her to attend the fiesta. CamilHo assures her that he doesn't give a cacahuate (yep, peanut, oh you potty mouth!) And just then the noble Cleopatra tears off across the impeccably groomed lawn. As any hero would react, CamilHo shows his commanding horsey skill and jumps off the horse to chase this long legged yegua (mare) on foot but even this quick thinking remedy isn't enough to soften the fall from grace. She doesn't know it but she just got a lucky free pass out of the most hellish wedding bash on Univision. Lucio conveniently shows up to witness the fall, the only other person nearby.

So let's look at the lovely food displays to calm ourselves down. Yummmmy, dig in, my personal favorite, the chocolate dripping off the dipped strawberries... a real PSA promoting the happiness of choosing the right catering services. The champagne flows and Papa Gonzo offers a cheery toast to the novios, no one seems to notice that CamilHo and his new Ho are missing, even Errika is smiling for the moment. Damian's mom approaches gushing about the emotivo ceremonia (touching ceremony) and how precious the tortolitos (Tórtolo = turtle doves) Now, we can all see the lipstick stain on the collar, but Nanda only asks him where is my Nana are you sure that you have seen her? while Barbara scowls while Damian says sure I saw her, she had to be off to one side. Nanda sweeps through the crowd as though looking for her, passes the flute clinking guests smiling, greeting and finally comes upon Fr/Ed. They exchange pleasant oh it's you, yes the same, I don't think this is a coincidence, no, he agrees it is not. Now she wants to know who he is at last. [Ed. note, I'd probably forget all about my groom if this Adonis walked into my wedding reception and so would you, admit it, ladies!]

Next we see the paramedics rolling the gurney down to place the impeccably clean lookng fallen Natasha into the ambulance. Only the neck brace hits at the severity of the fall, even her boots are spotless. Lucio adds all too obvious commentary about the ambulance intruding on the party to get to the hospital, CamilHo tells him to shut up. Fernanda continues to totally flirt with the handsome stranger while Anibal approaches saying, Franco. Have you met my sister. Ah at last a name. Mucho gusto, Franco Santoro. He gallantly tells Anibal that he has not had the pleasure of meeting her before while suddenly Damian and Gonzo approach and Nanda is told this impressive specimen, I mean gentleman, is their newest business associate. Fr/Ed tells Damian that if he had arrived one week early, their would not have been a wedding but rather a duelo (duel). It's a broma (joke) he quickly adds while congratulating Damian and all of them. Nanda gets the PowerMilk information.

Errika whines at a table with Priscila, Santi and Aurora that she hates CamilHo with all her soul. She is assured that CamilHo will never change so she should just move on (he's just not that into you, girlee). Slurping more champagne, Errika is just glad her parents didn't come to witness such shame. But let's drink up and not ruin Nanda's big party, they all toast.

Damian announces that he and Nanda will dance their first dance as husband an wife. Fr/Ed ever the silent witness watches them approach the dance platform. What should be sheer joy abruptly jars Nanda when the song turns out to be Alejandro Fernandez singing the title song, "Mañana es para siempre", she pulls away from Damien, asking, who chose THIS song? Damian as usual is clueless so we are treated to flashbacks of the prepubescent love dance and enchanted flirting of Eduardo and Fernanda throughout the grounds of the hacienda All those happy memories flooding back. Back to the wedding dance floor and Nanda pulls away holding her stomach saying she feels uncomfortable like un mareo (dizzy). Damian signals the musicians to stop and this confusing break allows the maid to approach with a bouquet of flowers with a note saying the deliverer specified that she should read it en voz alta (out loud). While Nanda asks Damian if this was him, she opens the auspicious envelope. CamilHo crosses the dance floor and tells Anibal that what has happened (oblique reference to the horse accident not the flowers, I guess oddly edited) is all Jacinto's fault and he is going to pay. Back to Nanda, Papa Gonzolo sees the unbelieving look on her face and says darling, what does this note say? She is speechless so Santi takes the note and begins to read while Fr/Ed adjusts his sunglasses: From my tomb, resting in the peace of the Lord. I hope to forget about you, like you have forgotten about me. Nanda, adds while turning to look toward Barbara, "Soledad Cruz!" Barbara squirms. Where is my Nana, then back at Damian, AND mi nana?? Good time for a break...

Nana, Nana wails the panic stricken Nanda. She asks Barbara what has happened to her Nana, you must know where she is. Barbara tries to urge her with dulcet tones that everything is changing, let's be discrete. Gonzo looks totally stupified, Great wedding dance in front of all the guests, no? Nanda isn't having it and asks Damian where is Gardenia, she went this morning to busca (look for) Nana this morning, and where is Lucio, Lucio... Isnt' anybody going to say anything? Yes, Barbara has a word: Musica!! The show must go on. Even Gonzo knows only Barbara has a clue, Barbara what happened. All chaos ensues as Fernanda storms off with train following to seek Nana. Barbara gets a look at the black rimmed note printed as read with Soledad Cruz at the bottom. Gonzo, keeps asking what has happened to Soledad, Damian's mom keeps asking who died, who died. Just then CamilHo show up with the patch of leather with tacks in it accusing Jacinto of sabotoging the horse which threw Natasha. CamilHo says by a miracle she didn't die and has been taken off to the hospital in an ambulance there will be hell to pay.

Jacinto, Jacinto is tossing back tall shots of tequila while weeping in his lonely cottage.

Aurora catches up with Santiago yelling for him to let her come with him to help. She wants to know who the woman is who died. He says he hopes they will find out that no one died. Then we pick up scenes of Fernanda running ahead of Santi and Aurora as she begins to shed her train and then her veil but unlike getting to see her in her underwear like Cande on Tontas No Van, we just get to see her get into her yellow SUV. Santi arrives in time to drive with Aurora in the backseat and Nanda riding shotgun. Back to the gala event. Damian is trying to assure his Mama who doesn't like what is happening at all, that actually nothing important is happening. Mama isn't even close to stupid and wants to know who is Soledad, why isn't his bride with him, why does Barbara treat him like she owns him and she doesn't like this Barbara and her rude manners one bit, she doesn't act like a normal mother-in-law. As Damian sputters, Mama catches sight of the lipstick mancha (stain) as she says don't treat me like I am stupid. Damian dismisses the stain but Mama says this is from women with muy baja condición (very low social position). WHO was it? She says it is the place of mothers to protect their children, but I think she is way, way too late.

Let the dancing resume, and off to the side Barbara starts to beguile the witless Gonzo with, and doesn't she cry effectively. This bad joke with the flowers and note and Natasha's accident were perpetrated by someone to ruin Fernanda's perfect wedding and were an act against her, Barbara. In the background, but close enough to hear all, Fr/Ed drinks coffee and smiles.

In the SUV, Nanda is telling Santi that the last she heard about Nana was that she was sick but she didn't go see for herself now did she. She was told that Nana was recooperating. Aurora asks if this woman is a family member, no says Santi she is our Nana. Nanda adds that for her she is like a mother.

Back to BOW telling Gonzo that she is just sure that Jacinto is behind all of this. Gonzo can't believe it of Jacinto. There has to be another explanation, he has known Jacinto since he was a boy, he just isn't capable of doing something so espantoso (ghastly). Barbara notices Fr/Ed watching and makes Gonzo promises not to freak out but she believes that Jacinto and Gardenia are responsible for the death of Soledad. You mean that Soledad really is dead? says mister not-a-clue? Yes, it is the truth, Soledad is dead. Cute dancers break the flow of lies, Fr/Ed curses the assasin and her blaming others, and she moves in to vanquish Gonzo's doubt but she just wanted to keep him calm and tranquil, so she didn't want to ruin the pretty party. Fr/Ed moves in to say is something wrong, the guests are missing the bride.

Santi and Nanda bang on Soledad's closed up house. Ursula nags at Damian about this stained shirt. She adds that a woman can forgive her husbands slips but not if he lacks delicacy. The struggle continues at Soledad's until that she must be at Jacinto's house with Gardenia. So off they go agian. Jacinto tops off his buzz and lurches out of the door. Back to the dance floor and the gala event. Gonzo is explaining to Franco that he was a poor (viudo) widower with five children and Barbara has not failed him in one single day to aid him in everything. Five children, exclaims Franco. He asks innocently enough for the list, he knows two. Santi is explained as the artist. Anibal shows up to hear Gonzo repeat Santi the aritst. And the fifth would be? Oh her, the oldest girl, shrugs Gonzo, she doesn't live with us anymore [Hey Jack, she barely gets to live at all...] Then Gonzo excuses himself to go find his wife because without her he feels like a boy who lost his mother in the supermarket. Priscilla shows up to be introduced and calls Anibal her Specimen. Hohoho.

Lucio is eyeballing a girlie magazine when Barbara approaches looking for Nanda and checking on Lucio. She wants to be sure that no one saw him put the tacky patch under Natasha's saddle. No one saw him he waxes jocular. But Camilho found the patch, says Barbara, Lucio assures her that the blame will go elsewhere.

CamilHo whines in loud voice to Anibal where is my Papa. Anibal reminds him that this isn't a football game. Fr/Ed hangs in to gather information and charms CamilHo that since he is an expert horseman, when he arrived he asked around to find the most expert rider i town and was told it is CamilHo Elizardo hands down.

Lucio warms to his real subject when Barbara tells him that CamilHo blamed Jacinto for the accident already and she wants him to make sure this doesn't change. He is to take directions from no one but her before he does anything. Don't worry, I won't fail you, my lady. All your secrets are well guarded, you understand me, don't you. Well up and down, here and there, I have seen a lot of secrets. Like what have you seen. Well like you and Damian in the car the other night. We are treated to a replay of the torrid sex in a convertible just to be sure we remember too.

Back at Jacinto's Santi states the obvious, no one is here either. They hug and discuss where Jacinto, Margarita and Gardenia could have gone and if Soledad really is dead, there is only one place to verify it, the cemetary. [Note, how Santi isn't surprised that Soledad isn't in the family graveyard.]

Lucio picks up his own shovel so to speak, Don't worry my lady, I won't fail you and your secrets are safe. Especially from your husband. Barbara wonders if he is going to guard the secret, what is it that he will want. Surely it isn't going to be free. He laughs, surely you are going to continue being generous with me. I am completely sure I can count on your fidelity she says through lips of steel. He begins to describe a house on the hill with land and she adds I imagine you would also want some cattle and sufficient money to live in tranquility. [Watch out Lucio, her idea of perfect tranquility exists only six feet under that precious terrain she is going to give you.] He adds a SUV to the wish list and she tells him she hopes he is not as stupid as he makes out to be because she can be very generous to those who are completely loyal to her but she doesn't like anyone to give her conditions....

Next : Errika is drunk and spouting insults about CamilHo, Fr/Ed is smiling and enjoying all, Barbara is in full blown tears accusing Jacinto, Margarita and Garenia of knowing about the death of Soledad and perpetrating all the trouble to ruin Fernanda's happiness and poor little Nanda magically finds the simple cross of her Nana and kneels on the ground to caress cross marking her lost protector.

Labels: manana