Caray, Caray!

Friday: Rufi lets German in to see Carlota and wonders to herself why he wants to see her. A slo-mo montage with a mournful churchy choir in the background while we see Chris and Natalia admitted to jail, getting their jail clothes and being sent to the showers.

Sorry, no steamy shower scenes. Who wants to see a morose shower scene, and anyway they’re middle-aged. Padre Juan is more concerned with the state of his soul than the state of his pecs. Cassocks are very forgiving.

Okay, on with tonight’s episode!

German tells Carlota that Chris thinks she’s behind it all. If so, she’ll be in a lot of trouble. She asks if he believes Chris and he says of course not. But as a professional, he has to follow all threads. Carlota admires his attitude and says that a person who has been shamed and brought down can make up all kinds of fantasies to make their lives bearable.

So you deny it all, yes? says German. Of course, says Carlota. How could I fabricate photos of them all affectionate? German politely says Chris says you sent the anonymous letter and took the photos to make them look like lovers because you are in love with him and wanted vengeance.

Me? In love with Padre Juan? pooh-poohs Carlota. Surely you don’t believe that do you? German shrugs. Carlota says how could I have killed Alonso? I’m sorry he wants to point the finger at me. But you know what? I like the way you think. I’m seriously considering dropping Rojas as my lawyer and hiring you.

Really? says German standing up and gulping. Carlota says Rojas is getting old and tired where as you are young (she eyes him up and down) and ambitious.

Let’s get back to Padre Juan says German. Carlota says I think we’re done with that, don’t you agree? German says I agree. A man who is desperate will look for someone to blame. Carlota says too bad he picked me, because I’m not going to stand for it. German says it would be hard to believe of a woman like you with an impeccable reputation.

I’m glad you understand, says Carlota, you’re hired.

Rafa, all smiles, decides to call Luz, but he gets her tape. He hangs up and says What would I say? It’s better to leave it as a beautiful dream. And on cue, we get a series of flashbacks of their happy times at the conference and walking around the conference town, all scenes we’ve never seen before. A migration of Monarch butterflies must’ve come through during filming, because we get lots of scenes of them. Flutter flutter.

Cut to Luz checking her cell messages. She sees the unfamiliar number and dials back. She gets Rafa’s machine, but is happy to find out it was he who called. She guesses that he didn’t know what to say and smiles.

Em is at work, telling Angelica all about Padre Juan. Angie thinks German is very young and doesn’t have enough experience. Em says Orlando says if German is struggling, he’ll find somebody else. Angie wonders if German has the humility to realize when he’s in over his head. Angie thinks they definitely should find somebody with more experience.

A knock at the office door and in comes Diana, all smiles and hair extensions. Her ‘do looks great on her, but typical male Em doesn’t even seem to notice. What he does notice is that she’s there when he’s said he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Angie tactfully says she’s going to run to the bank and evaporates.

Orlando comes into Em’s office and is amazed to see Diana or maybe her extensions. He just stares and says it was nothing important, he’ll check back. Out he goes. Diana giggles. He must’ve been knocked out by my new look, she preens.

Em says I know you’re not going to give up, so let’s talk, but not here. Let’s go to a coffee place. Diana is thrilled and hugs Em’s arm on the way out.

Rafa runs into Camila on the street. She asks him how the convention went and he said great, they made all kinds of useful contacts. He catches sight of the engagement ring on her hand and excuses himself. He starts to leave, then turns and asks if that’s her engagement ring and if so, did she have it on when she visited the conference? She says yes it is and no, Orlando gave it to her later when he got back from Houston.

He wants to know when they’re getting married and she tells him a month. I can’t pretend I’m happy about it, he says, but probably it was the best decision. Good day, Senora Ferrer. I have to get used to calling you that.

He leaves and we can tell Camila’s heart goes lub DUB because she makes sad puppy eyes at his retreating back.

At Gabriel’s studio, he and Paloma lament over Chris’s situation. Gabriel asserts that it’s important that people like them believe in him. As God is my witness, says Paloma, I’m going to do whatever I can. Gabriel likes her passion and says it’s vital for any artist.

Paloma, all fired up, says she wants to paint her outrage. I guess this means no more wimpy charcoal drawings of doves anymore. Gabriel gets all fired up too and says work with it! Use it!

He tells her to close her eyes, breathe, and imagine she can fly, that she is a butterfly that can go wherever it wants.

(I’m not feeling this image. I mean, butterflies are fragile and they just flutter about, they don’t soar, and even if some little chirpy bird doesn’t eat them, they still don’t live very long. How about something really free and high-flying, like a seagull? Oh yeah, I forgot, Gaviota was taken some telenovelas ago… Okay, how about something powerful, like an eagle? Or, even better, a pterodactyl? You soar, girl!)

The doorbells rings and Gabriel leaves her there with her eyes closed. Offscreen we hear him say Luz! and we hear Luz squealing Gabriel! How are you? Paloma opens one eye a slit.

Luz gushes a while and says she just got in town and she plans to stay with him. Paloma regards all this warily. Gabriel, all his art passion deflected for the moment, tells Paloma sorry and says he’ll find something for Luz to eat.

He introduces Paloma to Luz who says don’t go falling in love with this fellow! Paloma says I won’t. Luz jokes Well, you’ve been warned. She kisses Paloma on the cheek and sails out of the room. Paloma looks even more wary and says to Gabriel maybe we should just skip the lesson for today so you can be with your……

Gabriel says no, art comes first. We’ll finish up and then I’ll go with her.

German is coming out of Carlota’s house, thinking, distracted. Across the street, Romina, just coming out of her mother’s house, sees him. She’s in a pretty dress and heels and I’m hoping she’ll have to walk across street to talk to him, as it’s always fun to see her wobble across those cobblestones in heels.

German is talking to himself, waving his arms to punctuate his thoughts. He thinks there’s something odd about Carlota and he thinks it would be dangerous to get on the wrong side of her. He realizes she could open the doors of Real del Monte society to him. (The thrift shop ladies are society?) Across the street, Romina is smiling and wondering at this pantomime. German stabs his finger in the air and declares to himself that with his knowledge of the will and Chris’s information he could have Carlota eating out of his hand.

He figures it’s more to his advantage to be on her side than Padre Juan’s.

He comes up on Romina without realizing it. She says have you gone crazy – since when do you talk to yourself? What were you doing at Paloma’s house? German says he doesn’t want to upset a pregnant lady, he just came to see Carlota, not Paloma, as she’s a client of Lic. Rojas’s. He says that Paloma is off at her art class.

Romina says good, Paloma can get all interested in her art teacher and leave Em alone. German says with Padre Juan in jail, they’re tighter than ever. It’s up to you to control your husband.

Em and his mama are having coffee. He takes her hand and tells her that there are many things that he admires about her, one of them being the way she fights for what she wants. But she goes way overboard sometimes. I do it for you, Diana says, stroking his face.

Em is kind, but says when you hurt others, you’ve gone too far and that’s what I can’t take. Diana says she realizes she’s blown it and that’s why she’s so alone now. I can’t stand it, she says. Em says is that why you chased after Dad at the conference? Diana says you know? Em says yes, don’t you realize how you humiliate yourself by throwing scenes like that?

She says I need to leave your father alone and re-make my life. Em says that’s great, and if you can do that, we can heal our relationship. Diana is hopeful. She throws her arms around him and he hugs her tenderly while she weeps on his shoulder.

Oh goody, a Carlota and Rufi scene. Those are always fun. Rufi says to Carlota that people are saying it’s going to take a long time to sort the whole Padre Juan thing out. She was surprised to hear that Carlota was there when Chris got taken away. Carlota wants to know who told her that. Rufi says Orlando.

Carlota says she’s tired of always feeling judged by Rufi. Look out, she warns. She hopes that Rufi doesn’t get sick again and have to leave the house for good.

Rufi says are you threatening me? Carlota says don’t let your imagination run wild. I just mean that you’re getting tired, and that you’ve forgotten your place in this household. She huffs off.

Chris’s cellmate is talking to him, telling him in jail everybody’s equal. I didn’t kill anybody says Chris. That’s what they all say, says the cellmate. Somebody messed with my wife and nobody does that and lives.

A threatening type comes in and leers at Chris. His cellmate tells him to go away. Then he hands Chris a wooden cross and says pray for me, you have connections up there. If you do, nobody will bother you, I promise.

Dr B and Natalia’s friend Ivonne are walking in a park with little Sagrario, who wants to know where her mama is. Ivonne lies and says she’s off with your dad. Go play.

Ivonne tells Dr B she’d love to come with him, and Natalia had arranged for Sagrario to go to school in Real del Monte, but she’s afraid she’ll learn the truth, so she’s going to keep her here in the DF. Dr B agrees that would be best, but he’ll be coming to the city often and will keep in touch. She gives him the keys to Natalia’s place in Real del Monte.

In the kitchen, Paloma and Rufi are cleaning the birdcage. Rufi comments that she saw Gabriel when Padre Juan was being taken off, and she thought he had a kind face. Why doesn’t Paloma like him? Paloma says he’s very tough, but she doesn’t mind him so much actually. Rufi says that’s good, if you have to spend a lot of time with him.

Gabriel and Luz are eating in a cafe. He’s amazed that she just decided on a whim to come to Real del Monte. He likes that she’s such a free spirit. We’re both the same way she says. She wants to know about Paloma. She’s never seen him with a girlfriend and thinks he ought to have one. Gabriel says he likes Paloma’s talent. But she’s blocked right now.

Luz says you were the same way when your mother died, remember? Suddenly serious, Gabriel looks Thoughtful.

Chris’s cellmate is showing him photos of his kids when someone comes and tells Chris that he has a visitor.

Luz has told Gabriel about Rafa apparently and he wants to meet him. She says he’s like a painting, square, and has a hard time opening up and letting go. She says he’s quite different from her, and that she and Gabriel are so similar there’s no chance for them ever to be a couple. Gabriel laughs and says you never know. Luz hugs him.

Diana walks into the cafe and stops to stare. She realizes that Luz is the one from the conference. What is she doing here with that good-looking young man?

Padre Benito and Padre Manuel are all worked up about Chris’s situation, how the crowd turned on him, and here’s him with such a devoted heart. Padre B. says Chris really needed to be careful about his image.

The phone rings. Padre B gets the news that the bishop found out about Chris’s situation and has decided to come to Real del Monte. They both feel this doesn’t bode well. Padre B wants to know how the bishop could have found out.

Maybe he watches the 5 o’clock news? A priest stoning would make headlines, I’m sure.

Chris comes into the visiting room and suddenly those bassos sing AHHHHHH. It’s Carlota who’s come to see him. She says it’s nice to see him out of his cassock. He wonders how she got in to see him. She says I always get what I want.

She says she can get him out of there, but in order to do it, she’d have to sell her soul. Would he be willing to do the same? Like for instance what? he wants to know.

Carlota says she could offer proof of where he was at the moment they killed Alonso. How would you know that? he wonders. I could say you were with me, she says, tossing photos on the table, the ones of her kissing him when he was drugged.

Eeeew! says Chris, horrified. You are sick sick sick.

Carlota says those photos are your ticket out of here. It could save your life, but it would ruin my reputation.

Em comes home to where Romina is sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine. She wonders why he’s late home from work and he explains about a presentation he had to prepare. She says hey, maybe he’ll get to go to Houston next time and she could come along. He says there’s something else we can do together.

What? She says, transferring to his lap and stroking his hair. He says make decisions about the baby together. I don’t like it that you chose the furniture for the baby’s room without talking to me, and that you gave your father money to purchase it.

Romina is upset that he suspects her father of wanting to steal money. Em says the whole time he’s been in Real del Monte, he hasn’t seem interested in you. Romina is mad and says my mother says the same thing. But he came to Real del Monte just to be near me and I think he’s the only person who accepts me as I am.


Back to the jail visiting room:

Ch: But those weren’t taken that day! They were taken the day you drugged me.
Ca: They won’t know that. We can say we had a secret romance.
Ch: That’d get me thrown out of the church!
Ca: But we can be free! Free to live our love.
Ch: Our love?
Ca: I know you’re not interested in money, but I have enough for us to live for the rest of our days.
Ch: It’s a very tempting offer.
Ca: (hopefully) That means you’ll accept?
Ch: It means that I’d rather rot in jail than to sell my soul to the devil and to you.
Ca: You’re a fool.
Ch: Probably. But I’m telling you not to come visit me until you’re ready to confess because I know you’re behind everything that happened.

Paloma in her jammies is in her room praying for Padre Juan. She knows he’s innocent. It’s not fair. She decides that injustice is the theme she’s going to portray in her art.

And who doesn’t want to hang that on their wall?

Rufi comes in and they chat. Paloma starts taking things from her wardrobe and says they’re clothes she doesn’t want to wear any more. Rufi thinks it’s a good idea – she’s a young woman now, not la niña Paloma. Paloma thinks if she gives it all to the church thrift shop, she can put la niña Paloma behind her. Rufi asks if she can still call her her niña Paloma, since that’s what she’ll always be to her. Paloma says of course and hugs her.

Gabriel is in his studio alone, thinking back on Paloma’s passion for justice. His cell rings. It’s his dad, Don Eugenio. He tells his dad that he thought Real del Monte would be a sleepy little town, but whoo-ee. He briefly tells about what happened to Chris.

Don Eugenio says Luz might be on her way, and Gabriel says she’s already here. His father is glad, so he won’t feel alone in town. Gabriel says he’s fine.

Diana, apparently having forgotten her resolution to behave, has dropped by at Rafa’s. He’s none too pleased. She reports that guess what – she saw that young lady from the conference in town – with a very handsome young man. And she was laughing and hugging him. Rafa doesn’t believe her. He tells her to get out. She says okay. She understands his pain. Oh, and she’s glad he likes her new look.

She leaves and Rafa smiles broadly. Luz came all the way here?

At Gabriel’s, Luz is in a fluffy bathrobe with a towel wrapped around her head. She exclaims that she loves the feeling of a shower. She wants to turn in early to be fresh and rested. Who for? Gabriel asks, laughing. For Rafi, she exclaims. He’ll be so excited.

Angelica in her silky bathrobe settles into her couch to look at the manuscript. Her eyes pop. She flips pages. It’s my book! she says, astonished.

The sun pops up over the roofs of Real del Monte. Daytime!

Carlota has dialed up the church and gotten Padre Manuel. She wants to know how the whole thing with Padre Juan is going. Her niece is very upset. Padre M says things are worse! Somebody is gossiping that Padre Juan had lots of lovers all over town. You don’t say, says Carlota.

Padre M says I really have to go – with Padre Juan gone, there’s just so much to do.

Carlota says to herself This is turning out even better than I had imagined.

Avances:

Romina flings a coat at Em – apparently it’s Paloma’s. One of the schoolgirls says something bad about Padre Juan and Paloma slaps her, then gets into a roll-around girlfight with her. The voiceover says Paloma is no longer the Good Girl.

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