Caray, Caray!

Paloma has a little chat in church with her dapper daddy, as we discussed yesterday. Upon second viewing, I really think Cris recognized the necklace, which is why he was asking Paloma if she’s sure it was a gift from her father. If he’s still wondering whether she’s his daughter, though, he’s keeping that to himself.

Carlota is looking unfortunately healthy in her hospital bed, having only barely missed having a heart attack. The doctor wants to know about the poisoning. Carloca claims she just meant she felt like she was poisoned. Really it must have just been something bad she ate. The doc is all, “I am a doctor. I can tell you’ve been poisoned, duh” but Carlota won’t talk about it, so he gives up and tells her she has to stay in the hospital overnight, as she might yet have a delayed reaction. We should be so lucky.

Paloma tells Padre Cris she’ll probably never return to Real del Monte. He says he’s leaving too, to become a bishop. He takes the necklace and twiddles with it while assuring Paloma he’ll always take care of her as he promised Mac. Lots of flashbacks of Mac and Cris. Paloma tells Cris she’ll take care of him, too. They agree they are inseparable.

Germán has his arms around two trashy-looking dames who were, naturally, attracted by his new babe-magnet toolmobile. Romina comes along and tries to tell him the marriage is going swimmingly, but he doesn’t believe her because Emiliano always looks like he’s at a wake. Romi tries to get him to tell her how pretty and skinny she looks, so he feels her up and tells her she’s getting a bigger belly and has that maternal glow. She gets crabby at that, and he says that’s what happens when girls are pregnant; they lose their cachondería (vulgar way of saying sexy hotness). Romina calls him an imbecile, dumps dead leaves in his new auto, and departs.

Camila and Orlando loiter in some ugly place by the side of a highway in Mexico City killing time before their flight. Camila wants to call Romina, but Orlando thinks she should wait until they get to their hotel in Houston. Why, so it can be more expensive? Right now, he wants her to forget about everything and just pay attention to him, him, him. I think Cami has found herself a replacement Romina. She claims she never thought he was so possessive, because she hasn’t been paying attention.

Joel and Rafael are in the car en route to their conference and petulant Rafa is not a fun road trip buddy, on account of his anger and jealousy over Camila choosing Orlando. They pass a woman getting into her slinky convertible on the side of the road and Joel disrupts Rafa’s griping to admire her fine form. Rafa doesn’t approve since they are both interested in other ladies, and Joel says even if you’re on a diet, you can still look at the menu. Rafael takes a long moment to remember all the time he’s spent with Camila as their theme song plays.

Sandra, friend to Liliana and cousin of Eric, happens upon Gabriel and tells him she wants to take painting lessons from him, even though she is not very good. That goes well, so she invites him to be her date for graduation. He says no at first, but she looks sad so he immediately agrees, and kisses her on the cheek. Well, that was easy.

Emiliano lounges in the office, recounting to Angélica every tedious detail of his great luuuurve for Paloma. Ange is a little jealous.

Dario carries the envelope containing Angélica’s newly-finished pamphlet, “101 Stupid Mistakes and How to Make Them,” and says to himself out loud that he’s going to go straight to the D.F. and read it and not stop until he’s finished.

Germán parks his shiny new car, and Licenciado Rojas happens by, in town for a few days on personal business. Rojas comments on how expensive the new car looks, and Germy claims it was a gift from his proud dad. Rojas asks about Carlota’s papers. Germy says he had to pick them up himself and just delivered them yesterday, and of course he didn’t read them. They agree it’s always tempting to call Carlota a witch to her face.

Rabid mongrel Diana spews nastiness all over Inés, who tries unsuccessfully to convince Diana that she should try to move on from Rafael (who is NOT with Camila, she reminds her) and that she put the cord around her own neck. Diana responds by telling Inés that her new gentleman caller is no good and is trying to separate her from her friends. Behind his angelic face there is a demon.

Obispo Calixto has returned (!) and is wondering why Carlota hasn’t shown up for her appointment. Padre Otherguy gives him the background on the situation (i.e. Carlota says Paloma is Cris’s daughter, but the priests think she’s lying) and says she must have realized she wouldn’t get far with her lies.

Orlando and Camila try to check in at the airport. Holy crow, the airline agent is Gabriela’s hottie escort from Gancho! He has recovered from his fancy-food allergic reaction, but still has the same cheekbone-enhancing facial hair. Camila is denied because her visa has expired. Orlando doesn’t want to go without her, even though it’s supposed to be a business trip for him. She convinces him to go and says she’ll go to the American Embassy for her new visa right away and join him in a few days.

Rafael and Joel have arrived in the lovely Valle de Bravo, Estado de México. Joel thinks he spots the roadside babe in the hotel lobby as they check in.

Paloma and Felipa wonder why Carlota hasn’t returned home. Right at that moment Carlota calls. She claims she had to return to Mexico City to repeat some routine medical tests that got screwed up, and she has to stay overnight to have blood drawn tomorrow. Come on, Paloma, throw a party this time! Carlota remembers her latest grisly snuff. I am amazed that a truck can knock off a laced oxford shoe.

Natalia frets to Ivonne because Alonso hasn’t come home and hasn’t called. They head out to look for him.

The artifact couple stroll down the street carrying random handicrafts and gossip guy tells his wife about the priest going to visit the pretty lady. Don’t priests spend a lot of time visiting with parishioners? What is suspicious about this? Gossip guy fills us in—Nat kissed Cris on the cheek. Artifact lady says people from the city are like that, more forward and cheek-kissy. Gossip guy does not approve of these modern ways.

Camila is driving home. She stops at an intersection, makes a decision, and calls Mónica and tells her to pack a suitcase and meet her in Valle de Bravo.

Ivonne and Natalia ask Paloma if she knows anything about Alonso’s whereabouts. Paloma says no, but it’s weird because Carlota was also missing, but just called to say she’d be gone overnight. Nat and Ivonne say they’ve left lots of messages for Alonso, but he hasn’t called. The only thing left to do is ask the police about accident reports, but Nat doesn’t want to do that until tomorrow because she thinks Alonso will show up and get mad at her for going to the police as if he were a lost little boy.

Some medical types stand next to a covered corpse and say that the guy didn’t have any identification on him, so they’ll need to send photos and prints to all the nearby police delegations.

Samuel is for some reason flirting with a woman who works at the hospital and he reads the form and sees that Carlota is a patient there.

Gabriel goes to Misery Manor, Now With Less Misery (for a limited time only!). He gives Paloma the money from the sale of her paintings. Naturally, Emiliano sees Gabriel there and is muy celoso. Paloma sees Emo and gets all agitated and invites Gabriel in. Gabriel immediately figures out what’s going on, which is how you can tell he hasn’t been in town long.

Natalia and Ivonne go to the church and tell Cris that Alonso is missing and they can’t find him anywhere. Nat is getting very worked up and Cris tries to calm her down, saying that this is a very peaceful town (yeah, all those mysteriously dead people don’t make much noise) and Alonso will probably show up just fine at any moment.

Paloma doesn’t like that Gabriel can read her totally obvious thoughts, and gets all huffy and snippy with him as usual. He tells her she’s not at all sweet and nice like Padre Juan says, and she’s lying when she says there’s nothing between her and Emo anymore. Paloma reneges her parlor invitation and stomps inside. Emo and Gabe do a little competing peacocks routine in the street.

Samuel creeps into Carlota’s room. He tells her their date for Saturday is still on. He steals a flower from another patient’s room and gives it to her, wondering why she’s in the hospital in Pachuca. Carlota thinks to herself that no one can find out she’s in Pachuca. Buh-bye, Samuel? Out in the hallway, Sammy tries to get a nurse to tell him what Carlota’s in for. Unlike every other medical professional in Novelaland, she’s into confidentiality, so Sam slimily tries to flirt it out of her.

Paloma paces the gloomy house, turning off the lights and remembering good times with Mac and Rufi. She does not even try to have any fun with Cruel away. The best she can do is cry and almost make a phone call.

Romina sets up a fancy dinner for two. Emo says he isn’t hungry. He heads off to bed (or, more likely, the balcony).

Gabriel drinks wine and putters around his messy studio with a candle, looking at the sketch he’s been drawing which is apparently supposed to be Paloma.

Rafael has finally decided to buck up and be more pleasant company, owing to the magical charms of Valle de Bravo. He and Joel have drinks in the hotel bar. Camila arrives at the hotel.

Tomorrow: Rufi returns. Carlota wants to leave the hospital. Emiliano is all jealous and possessive, i.e. definitely Orlando’s son.

Labels: amor