Caray, Caray!

Episode #132

On the quay, Noel sits alone, endless blue sea and sky behind him, grieving over his son lost off Devil's Rock. He clutches a remnant of Renato's clothing to his heart and remembers the sweet moments he shared of his son's life: as a boy, as a man. "My son...Renato, Renato..." Noel repeats.

Lulu packs her valise at Raúl's, counting it a shame she's leaving things up in the air with Remigio, when Angela rushes in breathless with the news of Juan and Renato's loss at sea. Lulu realizes she can't abandon Remigio, and Angela hopefully wonders if perhaps Lulu will miss her boat?

Leonarda accosts Noel on the quay, crying "No!" He offers her the clothing, explaining it's all they found of their son. She grasps it like a life line, shaking it and declaring that Renato cannot be dead! Suddenly Leonarda looks up at Noel and accuses him of Renato's death, smacking him across the face.

She beats on his chest and screams that he's a murderer; and Noel can only catch her flailing arms, exclaiming "For God's sake!" Leonarda presses the clothing to her face and whimpers that he killed his own son, while Noel looks distant and miserable. A bell tolls, and Noel looks heavenward, speaking his son's name.

Remigio sits on the rocks at the beach, contemplating the loss of his "brother" Juan when suddenly Lulu appears. Rising, he speaks her name and gulps before mentioning he thought she'd already gone. But no; and she says if Remigio asks, she'll remain. She'll stay with him forever, Lulu says.

When he wonders if it could be true, Lulu pulls out her passage ticket and while Remigio watches tears it into small pieces. Lulu opens her hand to let the sea breeze flutter the pieces away, and Remigio clasps it, murmuring "My love." He places a tender kiss on her lips and nuzzling her face wishes she'd stay with him forever.

Gabriel and the boyz visit Regina, recuperating at Dr. Pablo's, where they give her the tragic news. Regina erupts into tearful denial, quoting María del Rosario and the sea's returning power and assuring them her heart knows Juan is alive. Juan is not dead! she insists. But the boyz remain doubtful.

At Fulgencio's, he pays the dressmaker her due; but when he mentions he's grateful despite the fact his wife and her lover escaped, she nevertheless guesses privately that Fulgencio has murdered them both -- and Servando, too. Canny Fulgencio retrieves the coin purse and advises her to keep quiet about any doubts.

He has nothing against her, but she could suffer a terrible accident, Fulgencio warns. The dressmaker shivers imagining it and assures him she doesn't care and with that money he'll never see her again. He returns the purse, she exits and Fulgencio brandishes his cane sword, contemplating the blade.

Captain Breton visits Phillip at the notary office about the coast guard efforts to recover Juan and Renato at Devil's Rock; but Phillip has important news, too: he reports having seen Arcadio back in town being chased by Juan. Breton wants badly to find Arcadio, he says, who knows the whole truth about the Montes de Oca.

Meanwhile at the finca, Arcadio smokes up Renato's cigars and quaffs his cognac, pacing and convincing himself he is going to wind up with everything. At the beach shack, Dr. Pablo has given Jacinta a tranquilizer, and she sleeps while Santos curses Arcadio and tearfully blesses the doctor for saving her from rape in time.

Pablo insists someone must denounce Arcadio so that he be locked up. By now Breton and his troops have reached the finca, and they enter the catacombs, which are dangerously dilapidated. They decide to search upstairs instead; but the noise of falling timbers tipped Arcadio off, and he has escaped when they arrive.

Noel visits Regina at Dr. Pablo's to commiserate over the tragedy; but Regina repeats that Juan is not dead -- neither Juan nor Renato, she says. Noel fiercely encourages Regina to retain her own hope and own faith; but they only found a piece of Renato's clothing -- so for himself, he can't manage it.

Alone in her bedroom, Leonarda clutches Renato's clothing to her heart and agonizes that he's dead; nothing keeps her there, she says. She has her jewels and plans to leave with Arcadio; but first, Leonarda swears bitterly, she's going to even the score with Rodrigo.

Mariela joins Noel at Dr. Pablo's to embrace Regina and express her sympathy. She's there for both of them and understands their sorrow, she says. Mariela suggests that Regina should rest; and before they exit, Noel reminds Regina that she can always count on him, even as she would a father.

That evening everyone gathers at the church, with Regina kneeling at the altar, when Leonarda bursts in and bitterly accuses Regina of sharing in murdering Renato. She doesn't know what weapons Regina mustered to make her son lose his reason, Leonarda begins furiously; she just prays to God that Regina loses her child, too!

With the astounded crowd collectively on its feet, Regina objects, horrified. Noel censures Leonarda for blasphemy and points out roughly that her hatred has brought her nothing but loneliness! When Leonarda tells him to shut up, he demands she explain where would be Rodrigo, her greatest and unconditional ally! Where!

Everyone is riveted on the violent exchange when suddenly a shadow appears in the aisle; then a pair of bare feet. Regina looks as though she has seen a ghost as Noel turns and does, too. Soon everyone's mouths have dropped open as an exhausted figure shuffles inexorably forward. And it's Renato.

When Regina rushes to him and pleads to know where Juan is, he announces loudly that Juan is dead! Regina screams and faints in his arms, dropping to the floor. Juan's friends are frozen in shock. And at that moment out on the beach a fleeing Arcadio has come across a prostrate body that he calls "the bastard."

Before Dr. Pablo carries Regina away, Remigio demands Renato leave her alone, ruefully pronouncing that he used to believe in Renato's goodness and honor and once would have given his life for him. But now may God forgive Renato for the harm he's done to Juan and Regina! Remigio shouts.

Leonarda blubbers endlessly into her son's shoulder and hyperventilates her relief at his safe return while long-suffering Noel must stand back and wait, finally begging for a chance to embrace his son. Renato and Noel joyfully embrace, and Noel expresses gratitude and relief to God and their friends at his son's safe return.

Outside in the plaza all the engaged couples wonder if they should postpone their weddings, but Pedro angrily insists that as sad as Juan's death is, he is with his parents. They should all continue on and think about Juan's baby and Regina, whether she can even make it through this shock.

Later in the notary office, Regina expresses her thoughts in a letter to Juan. Resignedly she realizes everyone thinks he's dead; but her heart says he's alive, that soon he'll return to her. She's writing to tell him how much she loves him and that he's made her the happiest woman in the world, especially now she's having his child.

She wants him to know so there will be no doubt that she never asked for the annulment; that she never stopped loving him. She belongs to him and always will, and she prays that the sea will return him to her so she can go on loving him and being happy -- the three of them, forever.

Arcadio has brought Rodrigo to the catacombs, and Rodrigo is just enthusing over Juan lying dead at the bottom of the sea, when Arcadio points out that's just the reason he's brought him here. Rodrigo doesn't like visiting María del Rosario's old cell again, until he sees who Arcadio has swinging from the rafters.

It's an unconscious Juan. Arcadio explains how he found Juan and that he brought him here so Rodrigo could do as he likes with him. For Rodrigo, it's the best surprise he's had in years, he says. And in his bedroom in town, Renato dreams fitfully that in spite of everything, Juan tried to save his life.

There's a knock at the door, and Leonarda enters to express once again how happy she is he's alive. Renato's the most valuable thing she has, she says; the only thing that makes her happy. She begs him to consider again going far away from there, but Renato can still only think of Regina.

He can't live without her and must have her, he says. He needs her like the air he breathes; without her nothing makes any sense. Leonarda seems to understand, finally relents and agrees if that's his decision, she will respect it and exits.

Back at the catacombs, Rodrigo uses the time while Juan is unconscious to finalize his plans. He heads for the crumbling, dilapidated ruins that nearly fell in on Captain Breton earlier while searching for Arcadio; and the ruins will serve his vengeance plans perfectly, he says.

While Rodrigo is away, Leonarda visits the townhouse on pretense of bringing him a gift. She ingratiates herself with the servant and slips upstairs. Remembering her ire at Rodrigo's unfaithfulness and the death of Brigitte, Leonarda cracks his bedroom safe and empties it of treasure, which she carries off without being seen.

At the finca, Arcadio paces and is so sick of that place! he says. But soon he's going to be rich; immensely rich, he consoles himself. He has to be careful; those two rats, Leonarda and Rodrigo, might betray him any moment. But first, he picks up a pen and paper; after this letter is read, Rodrigo will be locked away forever, he says.

Next morning, Rodrigo splashes a bucket of water on Juan to awaken him. He hopes he's comfortable in his new home, Rodrigo sneers menacingly. When Juan asks why he's been brought there and how Renato is, Rodrigo jeers that Renato wouldn't be the least bit interested in him, so why bother.

What should interest Juan is that he's in the exact same jail cell as his mother all those years, Rodrigo adds. What a small world, eh? So many coincidences life brings. Destiny always works out and so Juan is now in Rodrigo's hands, at his mercy! he says. Nobody will stop him wreaking vengeance for all the humiliation Juan caused!

When Juan points out Rodrigo's such a coward he wouldn't dare try it without Juan chained up, Rodrigo gives him a smack and grabs him by the hair. Juan's going to be begging him on bended knee! he grits out. Never! Juan vows. Well, they'll just see, Rodrigo says, turning to pick up a cat o' nine tails.

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