Caray, Caray!

Orlando is at the dipsensario, where Padre Chris is finding something to do. He laments to Orlando that his duties have been cut, which means his mind strays unerringly to Macarena. Orlando says it’s a good time to feel around inside of himself and see if he can locate what he really wants. Chris says he feels divided, guilty, relieved Mac is alive, still in love with her, you name it. And then there’s his calling, which saved him.

Orlando says maybe he should give up the cloth. Chris says he was supposed to resist all temptations. He feels like just running away like he did before.

Camila is at Mac’s. Mac is ironing and Camila is telling her about Romina being so mad at her about not telling her that her father had sent some letters. Mac understands, and Camila says she does too, but she doesn’t trust Samuel as he’s likely to just appear and then evaporate again. Mac counsels her to discuss these worries with Romina.

Camila feels she’s messed up with Romina and now with Orlando and Rafa too. Mac is all ears.

Rufi is talking to the canaries and pigeons in their cages about Edmundo offering marriage after 50 years of her not having seen him. He wants her to go to U.S. and she doesn’t know any English words other than “yes.” His kids might resent her, plus she can’t leave Mac and Paloma at this pivotal moment. She appeals to God to tell her what to do, but He’s not talking through the pigeons today apparently. At least they don’t poop on her idea, which may be a sign in itself. She decides to ask Edmundo for more time to think.

The guy Samuel is mooching off of has had enough. He wants to know where his rent money is, plus the money he loaned Samuel, and why the heck Samuel doesn’t have a job. Samuel fumbles an excuse and the guy says cut the lies. You have 10 minutes to pack and get out.

Camila can’t pick between Rafa and Orlando. They’re both terrific guys and hard workers. She’s confundida. Mac says you’re only allowed one guy. Camila says I’ve been alone so long and now that I’m trying to make a new life, I don’t want to mess up. Mac suggests going out with both just as friends and then decide. Camila protests that Rafa isn’t divorced. Mac says wait then, and let your heart decide.

Padre Chris is heading out, but Padre Mateo stops him and wants to know where he’s going. Chris says to check on the soccer team guys. Padre M says that’s a great program, but right now you need to be focusing on other things. Chris says I need some distraction from thinking all the time. Padre M says I know you spent time with Paloma today.

Chris says she’s setting up an art activity for girls. He tries to leave, but Padre M blocks his way again. Padre M tells him that he needs to avoid all contact with Mac’s family, including Paloma.

Another block by Padre M (he should play soccer). He tells Chris that he has to suspend all his priestly activities, including working with the youth. Wow, looks like he’s under church arrest. Padre M tells him needs to observe silence and be penitent. Chris says I can’t – there are too many things that need doing. Padre M says I’ll take care of them, and you’ll go into seclusion until your mind is enlightened.

Carlota is picking up the paste ring. She thinks it’s great and the thanks the jeweler for getting in done ahead of time. She can’t tell it from the real one.

Paloma has gone to Liliana’s home but the maid tells her Lili’s out. Paloma is agitated and leaves her phone number for Lili to call.

Romina and Em are at that pretty patio café. Romina explains that she was all upset about that thing with her father when she was so snotty at Em’s office. Em understands, but says it was no excuse to be abusive with Vero and Angelica. She makes a cute pouty face and begs for forgiveness.

Romina says if my mother lied about those letters, what other lies has she told me about my father? Em says don’t get carried away, talk to her, ask her about it. Romina says she doesn’t trust her any more. Em says don’t be so hard on her. Romina rubs his hand and says she’ll talk to Camila just because he wants her to.

Em’s cell rings. It’s Angelica and he smiles and says he’ll be right there. Un beso. Romina is taken aback and says what’s with you and her? Are you seeing one another? Em just rolls his eyes and asks for the check. He says he has to get back.

She says You care what happens to me, don’t you? He gets her drift and says There are things that just didn’t work in our relationship. Romina says but they could work! Em says no. You’re a wonderful girl and you know I wish you every happiness. He pays and leaves. Romina has struck out.

Paloma goes by Inez’s to find Angelica, but finds Aaron instead. He tells her that Angelica works at the Plateria now and he’s surprised Paloma didn’t know. Paloma seems a little shaken that nobody told her, and he says you know she and Em seem to have formed a grand friendship.

He asks what’s up and Paloma starts to say she wanted to ask about a girlfriend who… but she decides not to tell him. It’s girl stuff, she says.

Inez comes in and greets her enthusiastically. She offers Paloma a coffee, and Paloma demurs, but Inez prattles on – how is Mac? She was in the hospital, wasn’t she? Paloma is stuck, looks like.

Angelica’s ex-guy Dario takes her by surprise in the street. ¿Qué haces aquí? I have to work! Dario says he offered her work. Oh, thanks, she says, in the office of your brother-in-law. He says I admit you were a great help, but the book was just a pretext. What I miss are you kisses. He takes her face and kisses her, but she fights and slaps him. She says don’t you go kissing me – I’ve forgotten you. No you haven’t he says. You could have a brilliant future with me.

Liliana’s maid gives her Paloma’s phone number. Weird, thinks Lili, dialing. Paloma’s not home and Lili leaves a message with whoever answered. She thoughtbubbles that maybe Paloma figured out that Romina had something going with German. She hopes Paloma will see through Romina.

It seems like it’s evening, or maybe it’s just that Rafa and Joel are in a dark restaurant, having drinks. Rafa says to Joel that he seems very distracted lately. Is it love? Joel says find me a girl and I’ll give it a try. Rafa says did you ever get over Sofia? Joel says I don’t want to talk about her. Okay, says the always-accommodating Rafa. They clink glasses.

Joel says have another drink. Rafa says he has to go, he’ll see him tomorrow. He takes off and Joel stares disconsolately into his glass. A gorgeous blonde with cascading hair approaches his table and says Buy me a drink? It’s Sofia.

It’s nighttime and Carlota comes home. Rufi is surprised to see her earlier than they expected. How were the tests? Rufi asks. Tests? says Carlota. Oh those! Fine. Where is Mac? She heads off to see her.

Good old Rufi hollers up the stairs Macarena, la Senorita Carlota is eager to talk to you. Carlota says what are you yelling about? Upstairs Mac, warned, looks like a combination of gulp and drat.

Carlota comes primly smiling into Mac’s room and says Macarena! Any news? Plenty, says Mac and she gives her a good hearty slap across the chops. Bofetada, say the captions. It’s over, says Mac. Those of us with tiny withered hearts (and I count myself among that number) exalt, even though yes, it is a human being getting hit. That was great. Perdoname.

Carlota says have you lost your mind? Get a grip! Mac says I found out about all your lies. Chris is alive and has come to Real del Monte and now I know that he never abandoned me, he never died like you said and that you told him that I’d killed myself over him. Lies! All these years!

It’s Carlota’s turn to look like gulp.

We cut back to the darkened restaurant where the conversation is much quieter, but just as charged. Joel tells Sofia that it’s been a long time. She hurt him terribly by leaving him and marrying another. Things like that can’t be healed so easily. They can be if you try, she says. Joel wants to know why she didn’t fight for their love. Her marriage must have taken place a number of months ago now, he calculates.

Sofia says I had to take the time to think. Joel says I never could have given you the sort of life you were accustomed to. She says maybe not right now, but I know you’ll succeed in the future and then we can have that life. She gives him a kiss, but he doesn’t seem into it.

Over coffee, Padre M is trying to talk Chris into this seclusion idea. Chris says I already did a time in seclusion when I was becoming a priest. Padre M says but now you have a temptation to deal with. Chris says there must be a reason God sent me to Real del Monte. Padre M says maybe it was to clear up the Carlota problem, but I get the feeling from you that it’s the man inside of you who needs answers.

Of course! says Chris. I can’t separate the man from the priest. He leans on a chair and looks tragic. Padre M takes him kindly by the shoulders and says time and distance, that’s what you need.

Mac is still telling Carlota off. You tried to separate us forever! But God wanted us together. I didn’t do anything to separate you, says Carlota in a stunning defense that leaves jaws dropping in viewerdom across the continent, but not Mac’s, thank goodness. God brought us together, says Mac. How dare you tell me that he’d died! How dare you tell him that I’d committed suicide? You’re a monster!

I’m not a monster, spits back Carlota. I did it for your own good. He was such a loser. He just wanted you for your position and class. He never loved you.

He’s not full of venom like you, says Mac. He loved me just as much as I love him. He even tried to remake his life, and to remarry, but he couldn’t because he still loved me.

All lies, says Carlota, don’t be such a sucker. No, says Mac, you’re the liar. He was going to get married to Natalia. Carlota is surprised. Small world, huh? says Mac. That was the wedding Sagrario and Javier were to attend when they were killed. Chris never stopped loving me, even when he thought I was dead!

Carlota grabs Mac by the arms and says why after all these years? What did you do to make him come back? Mac says I didn’t do anything. It was God.

Oh, so God sent Chris back to you so you could be his lover? Don’t make the same mistake you did last time. Mac says our love was never a mistake and God put us together. And there’s not a damned thing you can do about it.

Rufi has a big candle in her hands and she’s praying fervently to the Virgin, begging her to not let anything bad happen in the house and to give Mac strength to face up to her sister. Protect her! She holds up the candle in supplication.

Carlota says God knows that what I did was in the name of love (En Nombre del Amor, in case you missed being clobbered over the head by that) that I have for all of you. Mac says all that that so-called love caused was pain and suffering.

Carlota says I did it to keep the family together. What would you and Paloma have done without me? Mac says probably we would have been happy. Your self-centeredness, your egotism, your arrogance were overpowering. You weren’t happy and you wouldn’t let anybody else be.

Carlota says I have to talk to him. He’ll have to say all that to my face if he dares. Mac says oh, he’ll dare all right, but I’m not going to tell you where he is. If you had the power to kill him, you’ll have to have the power to find him and bring him back to life. And believe me, you’re in for a big surprise when you see him.

Carlota stomps off. Only now does Mac break down and cry.

Chris is praying and Padre M stands in the background and silently prays Enlighten him, Lord. By which I think he means Enlighten him to make the decision I want him to make.

Carlota slams into her room and violently throws her purse in a corner. I think she says why did he love her and not me? I have to talk to him. She grabs the phone and jabs at the buttons. A tape comes on saying I’m out right now. She throws the phone, then leans into the bed and clutches at the bedspread. Where are you Cristobal? Why did you come back for her and not for me? Why not for me? she sobs. Sollozo, say the captions even though the hard of hearing can see she’s completely unhinged and bawling.

Camila is at home thinking hard. Rafa is in his apartment, pacing and thinking. Orlando is having a swig and thinking. For a bit we see the two men in split screen, the way they are appearing in Camila’s mind.

Rufi has brought Mac a cup of tea and hopes she’s okay since she’s a bit frail. Mac says I’m stronger than you think, and you wouldn’t believe how good it felt to say all those things to Carlota’s face. Rufi says I never thought I’d see this moment.

Mac wonders where Paloma is and Rufi explains about her being over at Inez’s, looking for Angelica. Mac is glad she didn’t come during her fight with Carlota, she wouldn’t know how to explain it. Rufi is tearful with relief and says the Lord was watching over us.

Mac says it isn’t over. It’s like knitting – you pull out the first thread, and then everything unravels. Rufi says God is living here with us to protect us.

Rafa has the divorce papers in hand and is at his old house talking to Diana. He says it’s too late for them. Maybe not, she says hopefully. We could move to Monterrey and Em’s padrino would give you a job. Rafa says my factory is here; my son is here. We didn’t want to do that when Emiliano was in school, so why would we now?

Diana says I couldn’t move away from you and Emiliano. Rafa says I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. Let’s finish this up and each of us get on with our lives. He hands her a pen. She flips through the pages, trying not to cry. She throws him a reproachful look, sighs, and starts to sign. Suddenly she stands up, and rips up the papers. There will be no divorce! You can do with your life whatever you want, but I will always be the wife of Rafael Saenz! Always!

Angelica has finished up some paperwork with Orlando and goes to leave his office, and he looks after her, while we hear a little soft piano music. She notices his look and says Is there anything else? Orlando says I was just wondering what a woman like you is doing in Real del Monte. Angie says A woman like me? Orlando says beautiful, attractive, intelligent. A psychologist and a writer. You must have left some broken hearts in the DF. Angie says I might say the same about you.

I’m not a writer, says he. Not yet, says she. Oh, the banter!

Inez invites Paloma for dinner. Even though Paloma doesn’t look real willing, Inez hands her the phone to call to get permission. Paloma sighs a tiny sigh and dials.

Mac picks up. She reports that Romina and Liliana have both called. Excited, Paloma says did she leave her number? Nope. Paloma has a flashback of Romina kissing German in front of her house. She hangs up. Inez fusses with dinner, and Aaron asks Paloma if she’s okay – she looks like she got a shock. I’m fine, she lies.

Carlota paces furiously in her darkened room. Control freak that she is, she seems to have smoothed the bedspread back in place. She slams out of the room and heads down to the kitchen where she gives Rufi a fright by yelling You must know! Where is he?

Rufi says I can’t tell you, that’s for Mac to say. Carlota says How dare you? You are a servant in this house and you take orders. Either tell me or get out right now. Fine, says Rufi, I’m outta here, and I’m not going to tell you anything. Carlota says pack your things and get out. Mac comes in and says What’s going on?

Em has called German to ask him to go out for a drink. German fudges that it’s been a long day and he’s just that pooped. He sniffs some brightly-colored underlovely that Romina has left behind. He asks Em how he is. Em says fine. But how can I say fine – you know how it is when someone absorbs all your thoughts? German looks sad and has another sniff.

Just as Paloma is helping to set the table, Aaron gets a call on his cell. It’s Romina demanding that he meet her in the park. He says he can’t, Paloma’s there. She says Paloma is always getting in her way. She wants to know if he’s found out if there’s anything going on between Angelica and Emiliano. He doesn’t know yet, and she says well, find out!

Inez and Paloma are at the table, and Inez says they were waiting for Angelica, but she’s not come home.

Mac tells Rufi she’ll do something. Rufi says don’t get in a fight for me. Maybe the timing with Edmundo was a sign. I talked to him today and he doesn’t just want to get married, he wants to take me to the U.S. I wanted to think about it, but maybe I should go with him if I don’t have work here, whether I really want to or not. Mac says no, don’t do that.

Mac says if you want to go with him, you should. But you shouldn’t do it just because you have nowhere else to go. Rufi says don’t have a blowup over me. Mac says blowups happen no matter what. I’m going to sort this out. She heads off to confront Carlota.

Carlota is doing some frenetic praying in her room, nervously drumming her fingers. Mac storms in and says Rufi’s not leaving. Carlota says she refused to follows orders. Mac says you just can’t stand that you didn’t get what you wanted. I’m boss here just as much as you and she stays. We have a lot to talk about.

Carlota says well talk now! Mac says no, we’ll talk when I feel like it. There’s a lot that needs saying. Right now I don’t want to risk my health or my heart.

Rufi and Mac embrace in the hall. Rufi says thank you. Mac says thank you for all you’ve done for me and my daughter.

Angelica arrives home and Paloma rushes to greet her but uh oh, she spots Em right behind her. Aaron says well well, Angelica, we didn’t expect you to be so well-accompanied. I know what great friends you are. Angelica looks uncomfortable, and so does Paloma, who is crushed. Em says he was just on his way to have a drink with German. Inez gushes over what a fine fellow German is, so handsome! Does he have a girlfriend?

Em leaves. Now that the mood is totally squashed, they all sit down to tamales.

Romina comes home and Camila says I’ve been calling your cell all evening. Romina says I didn’t want to talk to you. Camila says we have to talk, but Romina says I don’t want to and flounces up the stairs.

Paloma finally escapes Inez’s house. She tells Angelica she’d like to talk to her tomorrow.

Camila is talking to Orlando. He says why didn’t you tell me? She says I didn’t want to bother you. He says you are my priority – I’m always looking forward to when I can see you, hear your voice. Please think of me as someone you can turn to.

Paloma comes home to find Mac and Rufi looking gloomy in the living room. They tell her that Carlota is home, and Paloma says, oh that’s why I feel tension in the house. I’ll go say hello to her. Mac says she’s in a bad mood, maybe from the trip. She’s probably gone to bed. Paloma says too bad the relaxed times are over.

Carlota is looking at the paper with Chris’s information and says the church? Why a church?

Avances: Carlota goes to the church and sees Chris in his priest’s outfit from a distance. She is impactada.

Labels: amor