Caray, Caray!

Repeat from yesterday: Paloma doesn’t find it all suspicious that her evil auntie orders her to stay away from her ex-beloved ex-priest, who has been acquitted of murder and whose only crime was to not announce his engagement to her mother when he was still in the process of leaving the ministry. After all, his relationship with Natalia shows how vile he is.

Rufi tells Carlota she thinks they should just get all the secrets out in the open. Carloca says it is the will of god that Paloma and Cris be separated. I put “god” in lower case on purpose because I’m pretty sure La Loca is referring to herself, not any officially recognized deity.

Today: Paloma packs her suitcase and reminisces about hugging Emiliano at the jubilant moment when Cris and Nat were declared innocent. She thinks she’s got to get out of this place and away from him.

At the same moment, Emiliano is also packing and reminiscing about the same moment.

Cris pays an unfriendly visit to Misery Manor and asks Cruel if she was behind the whole murder accusation. She, of course, coolly declares that she loves him and would never hurt him. “Do you think I’m an idiot?” he asks. Cruel says she did this to help him; now that he isn’t a priest they are totally free to get it on. Isn’t that why he’s here? Cris looks stonefacedly sick as Carlota slimes herself into his personal space. Just then Paloma walks up behind Crueloca and is way impactada. Cruel smirks.

Eugenio tells Gabriel that the birthday gift Gabe is giving Paloma is perfect; it will let them keep in touch. Fatalistic Gabriel says he’s saying goodbye to her para siempre after the party. That would be for the best. Eugenio says that he will be with him until the very last moment. They hug and cry. I might possibly sniffle a little myself.

Carlota stages a big scene, claiming that Cris was trying to force his way into the house to talk to Paloma. She’s all simpery sweet in her protective auntie character. Paloma says she isn’t going to listen to him anyway; she’s tired of all the lies. Then he really does push his way into the house and says he hasn’t deceived her. He loved her mother and he loves her, too. Paloma yells that Mac didn’t tell her what was going on and she’ll never forgive them. I am not sure what makes her think she was entitled to know everything. If she ever spent 30 seconds on analytical thought, she would realize that a) the engagement happened very suddenly, and Mac died immediately afterward, and b) it was a very delicate situation, as Cris had not yet told the world at large that he was leaving the priesthood. But Paloma throws a snitfit at Cris and stomps away…heh, that’s how you can tell they really are father and teenage daughter. Carloca grins smarmily at Cris and he shoots death glares at her.

Orlando and Camila are happily honeymooning (the only kind of mooning Emo doesn’t know how to do) when Emo finally reaches them with the news that Cris and Nat are free. They are delighted. Well, now that Orly has spent three seconds thinking about his best friend, it’s back to the recreation. He puts his cell phone in Camila’s beach bag, which they abandon while they trek off to check out marine life.

Ol’ Crazy Cow tells Cris that now there is nothing stopping them from getting together. He says it’s amazing that she’s so stuck up that she can’t see that he is not in love with her. What’s even better, Carloca continues, she has saved herself for him! Never been with another man! He is neither surprised nor impressed. Virginity doesn’t make a woman more valuable, he says, good character and morals do. She says if he loves her (or just fakes like he does), she can guarantee that Paloma will love him and consider him a father again. “Estás loca. Absolutamente loca, de verdad!” he says, as he barely pulls back his fingers to avoid strangling her and walks out. Le sigh, says the purple one, I don’t want to get rid of anyone, but they leave me no choice!

Over breakfast, Romememena demands that Paloma convince Emiliano to return home and not divorce her. Paloma declines to get involved. Your husband, your problem, she says. Romi can’t believe she won’t help her dear friend. “You knew he didn’t love you when you married,” says Paloma.

Rafael is doing research about adoption and tells Luz it would be much easier for them to adopt Xochi together. She doesn’t want to; she wants to adopt all by herself. He asks why she’s so afraid to commit to him. After all, she is the one who is always telling him to take risks and go after what he wants. Luz is not shining brightly today, she’s just kind of whiny and stubborn, so Rafa leaves. She tells him not to be mad, which is always a surefire way to keep someone from being mad.

Romina whines that she just wants her baby to have a father. I’m surprised she still remembers she has a baby. Paloma finally blows her top. She is sick of Romi’s lies and manipulations! She didn’t have to force Emo to marry her for him to be a father to the baby, and she told all those lies just to hurt Paloma! Romina weakly volleys that Paloma deceived her, too. Paloma says it’s not the same. All she did was fall in love with Emo, and he wasn’t dating Romina at the time.

Emiliano breakfasts at the hotel with Anamar. He may not be having an affair, but he’s certainly feeding the gossip mill. She thinks he should move to Houston to run the new deal or whatever there. And, bonus, that way they could spend more time together! Eh? Oh, total coincidence; she’s planning to go to Houston to study! And he could get away from Romina! Emo doesn’t want to leave the baby, but he looks thoughtful.

Romina cranks up the waterworks. Please, please, I desperately need your help, Paloma! What can I do for my marriage? Give up, says Paloma. Let Emiliano go. Toodle-oo. She leaves and Romina flings dishes all over the floor.

Cris calls Rufi and asks her to come see him ASAP. Carlota is in the room, so Rufi goes on and on pretending she’s talking to Padre Benito and he wants her tamale recipe. Cris rolls his eyes a bit. I love that he is not hiding his snarky thoughts so much now that he isn’t a priest. Rufi finally hangs up and tells Carlota she’s going to the church to give PB a recipe. “Yes, I heard you a thousand times,” says Carlota. She doesn’t want Rufi getting any uppity ideas that she can just leave her work whenever she wants. “I know you already think very little of me, buh-bye,” says Rufi, and they have a snippy exchange over whether she is calling Carlota “señora” or “señorita” as she leaves.

Padre Benito is talking to someone who might be the bishop and they agree that Cris should be reinstated as a priest. The bishop (?) says it’s like the parable of the prodigal son. {Except completely not; did this bishop even read the Bible?}

Romina tries to call Camila, gets voice mail, and flings the phone. Not quite Sendel style, but she’s working on it.

Eric makes a ten-second appearance to mock Germán until Carloca and the other lawyer arrive. Thanks for trekking all the way down to the studio for that, Eric.

Romina leaves an urgent message on Orlando’s voicemail for them to call her immediately.

Carlota very formally tells Germy he is no longer her lawyer, nor a trustworthy man. Germán protests his dismissal and maintains that he did everything Carlota asked. Cris and Nat were declared innocent like she wanted, weren’t they? (The other lawyer is still in the room, and should be wondering what Carlota has to do with that case). Anyway, he’s still fired. She says she’s sorry, with a big grin.

Cris rushes Rufi inside and begs her to help him with Paloma. “I don’t know; she’s really stubborn,” says Rufi. Cris says he knows that Mac is Paloma’s mother, and he knows who the father is. In fact, he has met him, and it’s painful to think that Mac was intimate with that nasty dude. “Ehhh…sit down,” says Rufi. She tells him that Crueloca lied to them. That man is not Paloma’s father.

Cris asks Rufi if she’s saying that Paloma is his daughter. No, no, she clarifies, she is not saying that directly, because she promised she wouldn’t say. She is only VERY STRONGLY SUGGESTING that he investigate the matter himself and find out for sure.

Orlando finally checks his messages. They call Romina, and she cries that Emo has abandoned her and begs them to come home. Cami tries telling her to calm down, but she just gets more red and hysterical, then hangs up after demanding that they come immediately. Camila tells Orly that Emo left Romina. “Oh, yeah, he said he was going to divorce her,” Orlando remarks casually. “WHAT?! YOU KNEW?! AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME?!” There is trouble in paradise.

Cris tries to figure out how he can get a DNA test. Eugenio arrives.

Rafa and his lawyer wait at the family court building for Diana to arrive to sign the divorce papers. Diana is still at home, frantically trying to call Samuel. He finally answers, and says he’s about to be able to give her the life of a queen, like she deserves. She squeals with glee and rushes out for her divorce.

Samuel and some other guy wear suits and talk shady business deals.

Germy and Carloca take their bickering into the street. His chasing her and whining does not help his case. So he threatens her with exposing her dirty deeds regarding Paloma’s inheritance. “Do I have to explain things to you with apples and sticks?” she asks. He’s just as guilty as she is, and would be judged more harshly for his unprofessional dealings. “So don’t try to blackmail me. Stay out of it, or you will suffer VERY serious consequences.”

Cris thanks Eugenio profusely for freeing him and Nat. Eugenio says it was Madeleine who got him to take the case. He asks Cris to try to make amends with her. Cris is reluctant, but he agrees to at least talk with her after Eugenio says it’s not just for her sake, but for his own peace of mind. He’ll just have regrets later if he doesn’t at least try while he still can. Then Cris asks Eugenio to help him find a certain man, although he doesn’t even know whether the name is his real one.

Doctor B packs up his office. He finds the engagement ring he gave Mac and decides to re-gift it to Paloma (not as an engagement ring).

Rufi tells Mac’s picture that she didn’t break her promise. She didn’t actually tell Cris that Paloma is his daughter, even though that would have been so much easier (yeah, Rufi, tell us about it).

Gabriel goes to Paloma’s house and gives her a birthday gift. It is a laptop computer. She tries to protest that it is too expensive, but he insists that she needs it for her studies. She says he’s the best teacher and she hopes to be close to him for the rest of her life, to keep learning from him. He says he also wants to be with her…for whatever time they spend together. He snuggles up close to show her how to use the computer, and they look into each other’s eyes, hovering inches apart, and…end credits.

Avances: Cris and Eugenio plot to unmask Carlota. Gabriel maybe kisses Paloma. Anamar definitely kisses Emiliano, and because he is an idiot galán, he has no powers of resistance.

Labels: amor