Caray, Caray!

Déja vu: Padre Anselmo can’t tell JM, who thinks AJ is his only ally in matters Mari, that AJ is evil dressed up in tight jeans. Darn those secrets of the confessional, he thinks to himself. Rafael tells Mari he’s found just the physical therapy school where she can study which accepts blind people. She’s stoked. Pat and Ceci come in and hear about it. Pat's worried about how she will get there, but Rafael says they can take the guide dog – time for her to get out in the world on her own. Pat says okay. New: And off they go down the driveway, Mari tapping with her cane, and Rafael walking with Guero the Guidedog who is pulling way too much. It’s the blind leading the blind. The gate closes behind them and there they go down a long road, walking in the middle of the lane. This seems really ill-advised. Mari is really enjoying herself, but she says it’s weird to be out walking without holding onto Cande. (How did they know the road curved?) Rafa takes her cane and gives her Guero and she is startled and unsure. As well she should be, as the dog is pulling ahead and to the side, looking at ground squirrels or something. They’ve made it to the suburbs, and then they’re hanging on the straps in a bus in the city. Next they’re in a park and Rafa suggests they sit down and listen to the music playing. Mari says she always loved parks when she could see and Rafa says you’ll enjoy them even more now because you can see them with your soul. He takes her by the hand. The mystical magical Rafa makes a beeline for a bench and they sit. There is a little carnival going on. A huge bunch of flowers is growing conveniently right by the bench and he plucks one for her. He tells her to think of the wooden horses on the carrousel and to imagine the other rides. Mari says you remember those from when you could see? Rafa says I’ve never seen them. I was born blind. The captions say musica triste. AJ is still standing in the San Romans’ foyer with Mayita leaning against her, and Onelia explains to Mayita that AJ is a bad person who likes to hurt others, and she doesn’t want AJ to hurt her. Onelia orders Balbina to take Mayita up to her room. Mayita protests and whines and AJ calls after her “I love you!” Onelia orders AJ to stay away from Mayita and for emphasis whomps her a few times with the big stuffed lion AJ had brought Mayita. AJ deflects the soft hits calmly, like Superman deflecting bullets. Up in Mayita’s bedroom, she’s bawling and Balbina tries to comfort her. Mayita says why is everybody so mean to AJ, what if she never comes back? Onelia has given AJ the stuffed lion back and is shoving her out. AJ stops to thoughtbubble for our benefit in case we were too thick to get what she’s up to. She thinks to herself that now she’s made Onelia look bad to Mayita, so her visit wasn’t wasted. She smiles to herself. While she’s thoughtbubbling, Onelia waits angrily behind her and (what timing!) exactly when AJ’s done, she gives her a final shove and tells her OUT! Mari tells Rafa how sad – she at least can remember how things look. He says no, he has his world and everything is exactly the way he imagines it, which is great. Fantasy is always prettier than reality. Mari says how can you do that? (Maybe she’s trying to imagine a prettier JM and can’t do it. Me either.) How can you imagine the sky, the sea? Rafa says one person describes the stars as tiny points of light in the night sky, another says that they have five points, books describe them differently. So see? Everyone’s vision of them is different. (In case you hadn’t noticed, Rafa is Deep.) He reaches for the flower, touching her hand. He tells her how he imagines the shape, the color. Mari asks how he sees the stars. He smiles and says they are like tender kisses floating everywhere. He describes the night too, and it gets dark in Mari’s imagination. When he’s done, it snaps back to being day. Mari tells him his world is much more beautiful than reality. She clasps his hand. With all this handholding and the flower, can it be that JM is about to come to the park and see? JM is meeting AJ in a restaurant. He says I came as soon as you called. AJ tells him that she tried to talk to Mari but Mari is the same – she reacts badly when she hears his name. JM says he’s getting discouraged. AJ says she told her he’s back and that Mari said if he tries to show up, she’s the one that will leave the country this time. No puede ser! says JM. AJ says yes, and it seems that Rafael has family who know where she can go stay. AJ says she’s sad. JM says why? Mari asks Rafa how she looks to him in his imagination. She tells him he can feel her face. He does slowly and with wonder, and it looks like he’s tempted to lean in for a kiss. Commercial break! He doesn’t kiss her, but he does say Ah! She says What? He says I don’t need to touch your face to know that you are beautiful – you have a beautiful soul. Maybe I see more than people who aren’t blind. The judge tells Ceci that it’s obvious that Rafa has fallen in love with Mari. Ceci says and you’re against it, right? He says I’m not a monster - I’m not against her falling in love, I’m just against her being with San Ramon. AJ tells JM she’s sad because of what happened with Mayita. She says she brought her a present and Onelia told her nobody gives Mayita presents except her. And that Onelia was yelling and Mayita was crying and oh, it was so terrible. JM is astonished. AJ says maybe Onelia never got over the death of her daughter and she’s losing it. Mayita is visiting Granny, This time they are sitting in the clouds. Mayita tells about the AJ happenings and that she’s very unhappy. Granny says you should listen to Grandma Onelia. Mayita says I have fun with AJ and we don’t do anything bad. Granny says maybe so, but you still need to listen to your grandmother. Parents and grandparents look out for kids so nothing bad happens and we don’t know exactly who AJ is or what her background is. Granny says I don’t like that she’s stirring up trouble in the family. Mayita is a bit mad at her and Granny gets stern and says maybe she’s not the good person you think she is. They end up glaring in opposite directions. Mari and Rafa are part of a long line of blind people filing into the school. Mari is very excited about this new chapter in her life. JM and AJ show up at castle San Ramon. Onelia comes down the stairs and says to JM I have to talk to you. JM says AJ has come to visit Mayita – go on up, AJ. AJ walks by Onelia, gloating. It’s breaktime at school and everyone is relaxing on the lawn, including Mari and Rafa. Mari says she feels so at home there. She says she has things to be grateful for. For one, getting to know him because he brought her to this school. The other is that she has come to see things with her heart so she doesn’t feel so down about being blinded, that she can have a new life, and that she’s not thinking about vengeance anymore. Rafa is happy and said he’d thought he’d never hear her talk like that. Rafa says you have so much love in your life – Cande, your parents, your friends, and me too. Mari says it’s not the same. Rafa says I know, you miss the love of Juan Miguel San Ramon. Mari says you remember his name! Rafa says things that touch the heart are hard to forget. AJ is up in Mayita’s room. Mayita is holding the stuffed lion and is ecstatic to see AJ. She gives AJ a big hug and AJ thoughtbubbles You’re going to strangle me, you little monster. To Mayita she says I love you. Mayita says let’s baptize the lion and then we can be not just friends, but comadres! AJ thoughtbubbles to herself that when she lands JM she’s going to send Mayita away to school. Mayita says I’ll go get my cooking playthings and we can make dinner for the lion. She runs off and AJ drops the lion in disgust and flops in the chair and puts her feet up on it. Outside Onelia is listening at the door and thinks to herself that AJ isn’t even good at pretending that she likes the child. Onelia knows what she’s up to, and she’s not giving up on exposing her. AJ may have won this battle, but just wait for the end of the war. JM is in the living room thinking that he’s surprised that Onelia has unsheathed her claws again, and why against AJ, who he needs so much to keep his connection to Mari? Mari tells Rafa that he’s a wonderful guy, but the topic of JM is forbidden. She doesn’t want anybody to talk to her about him. She says let’s change the subject – let’s go find out about one of the professors. JM sighs about Mari and says he can’t stop thinking of her. Flashback of kissing her. How he wishes he could spend his life at her side, caressing her face and her beautiful black hair. Back at Casa Velarde, Mari tells Daniel that he has swiped her best friend, meaning Rocio. How come she never comes around? Daniel goofs around and avoids the question. Rafa comes in and Mari says it’s her first day of classes. They leave. JM is leaving his house too, Onelia notes that he’s all dressed up now that he’s an ophthalmologist. He is more reserved than before with her, but tells her he’s going to give his services where they’re most needed – he’s going to the National Association for the Blind. Rafa and Mari are near their school, when Rafa stops and says they’re a bit early. He tells her how the minutes and hours fly when he’s with her and he enjoys his time with her. Mari gasps – we see JM’s car speeding up the road which maybe is the one they just came along. She says whew, my heart! It must be from going uphill. Rafa looks hopeful. Mari gives him a peck on the cheek. What’s that for? he says. She says it for all the things you’ve taught me, for helping me find emotions that I’d buried, so I can be happy now. He said I just taught you what you need to live as a blind person. Mari says no, you’ve taught me more – how to try, to fail, to succeed, to not give up. And to know that someone was at my side, and, it was you. Rafa kisses her hand. Rafa says thank you. Mari says the thanks go to you. You taught me how to be happy living as a blind person. They head towards the school. JM’s car is driving right up the same entry! He thinks to himself that today is the start of a new life for him. He doesn’t see Rafa and Mari, and needless to say, they don’t see him. Onelia is having coffee in the living room with Rocio. Onelia is telling her you should have seen AJ’s hypocritical attitude when she was here with JM, as if she didn’t even know me. I should have given her another whack with that stuffed animal. Rocio says I hope JM realizes soon. Onelia says speaking of him, he was looking super handsome this morning. Rocio says all he does is think of Mari, but somehow he can’t reach her or talk to her. It’s as if something, or someone, is getting between them. AJ bops into a room where Daniel is reading and having coffee. She comes over and asks why he’s all alone. He says Ceci’s outside and he has to get to the university. He picks up his cup for a sip and AJ takes it away from him and takes a swig. Now I know all your secrets, she says. He said my life is an open book anyway. I only know one page, she flirts. He’s says here’s more information: I teach at the university and I’m in a love with all my heart with Rocio. AJ says lucky Rocio. I’m a love orphan – maybe I’ll try one of the internet dating sites and see if anyone answers back. AJ says look at me – do you think it would hard for someone to fall for me? Could you? Gotta run! says Daniel. Con permiso. AJ says to herself so you reject me – who cares? The one I’m really interested in is JM. Good thing Mari’s off at school – this gives me a clear field to cause trouble. I didn’t realize that physical therapy was such an attractive field for blind people, but apparently it is, as the classroom is full. Professor Diaz, who is blind himself comes in and introduces himself and tells them what they are undertaking isn’t easy. Poor Mari drops her cane, then when she retrieves it, misses her chair when she tries to sit down again. Professor Diaz says let’s introduce ourselves and we’ll start with you. Mari introduces herself and then says I just dropped my cane. The students laugh understandingly. JM comes into the office of an administrator at the institute. He introduces himself and she says oh, we’ve heard of you! And of your surgeries that have helped in cases thought to be helpless. JM says yes, the artificial retinas are curing even people who are born blind. (Ah HA! Maybe Rafa won’t get the girl, but he’ll get his sight back. I hope he’s not too disappointed in the stars.) JM says I’ve come to offer my services. The administrator lady says she wishes she could accept, but their budget won’t permit it – his rates must be very high. JM says no charge. Mari and Rafa and the students seem to be leaving school. Where is Guero? Mari says she is excited and she really liked the professor. Rafa says see what you can do when you believe in yourself? Rafa says we need to go see the administrator, Senora Riquelme. Mari presses her hand to her chest and says she has a premonition. Is the administrator mad about something? Rafa says of course not! She’s very nice. Mari is still pressing her chest. She says she feels something funny in her heart – it’s a bad premonition. Rafa makes a little joke. The administrator is overjoyed to have JM on board. JM is happy for the opportunity to help others. She’s going to go tell the board and she bets they will want to meet him a.s.a.p. JM says he’d like to look around the institute. She says of course, the students should be just leaving class about now. Mari tells Rafa that they sure have a lot of homework. She’s going to ask Rocio to help her. Rafa says why Rocio? I can help you. Mari says it’s a pretext to get her to come visit me. They start to head off and just then, behind them JM and the administrator come out of a big entry door. JM and the administrator head one way and Mari and Rafa another, and they don’t notice each other. Rafa and Mari are in the school cafeteria. He brings them coffees and asks if she feels any better. We hear heartbeats in the background and she says not really. Seeing with your soul can give you some surprises, apparently, she observes. I have some weird feeling like something bad is going to happen. Rafa says sometimes bad things happen to good people and if anything bad happened to you, I would die of grief. JM is touring the school. The blind students are studying, doing crafts. JM and the administrator help the students stack the chairs in the classroom where Mari had been. JM thoughtbubbles that he wishes that one of the students were Mari – how he’d love to help her, but he knows that miracle would never happen. In the hallway behind JM we see Rafa and Mari coming. Mari stops, looking like she has the vapors. She says she felt something like this before. Suddenly she remembers that time she was putting her hand in the holy water and some other hand helped her. She smiles. She says do you remember you told me to be alert to my four senses? It’s the same smell as that day in church. Rafa offers to take her outside for fresh air. She says she feels like she wants to cry. He takes her out and they sit on the lawn. She feels better and says she loves the sun on her face. The dog has reappeared and lies there next to them. Somebody calls Rafa away and he tells her don’t move while I’m away. JM and the administrator pass by and JM glimpses Mari – he turns to get a better look, then stares. She is sitting on the lawn with her face turned up to the sun. Avances: I couldn’t understand it all, but I think the only new part is that JM tells the administrator that he wants to go talk to Mari.

Labels: Cuidado