Caray, Caray!

At the church portal, Julieta offers beautiful bride Gabriela the bouquet and her blessing; while Gabriela explains Leonardo's presence there after Mario expresses his bittersweet wish to have been giving Gabriela away.

Presently, to Lohengrin's Bridal Chorus, "Faithfully Guided" ("Truelich Gefürt"), Leonardo faithfully guides Gabriela down the aisle past friends and family -- Alejandra and Bertha fast on their heels to the side, not-so fashionably late. At the altar, a beaming David only has eyes for his bride.

A moment even later, the Ávilas stroll right up the middle, with Carlos glaring at the bridal couple's clasped hands -- and Juan José bending forward to glare at the Ávilas. Meanwhile, at Santiago's, he bitterly weeps over family keepsakes in an ancient, worn box.



David and Gabriela joyfully exchange vows and rings, Yolanda murmuring to the dour Carlos -- and Bertha casting a coy look over her shoulder to Adolfo, who smiles in assent. Maid of honor Julieta provides coins symbolizing family prosperity; and Gabriela accepts them from David, both clasping them sweetly together in a solemn vow.



At home alone Santiago holds his wedding portrait with Márta over his heart and sobs in pain. In the church, Mario muses on Gabriela; and Juan José sends a sly look Alejandra's way, who gleams back. Asunción sneaks a peak through the tulips at Dora, flanked by Abelardo; and Leonardo dwells on the bride.

Abelardo looks concerned at Mario's sudden wince of pain -- and Julieta and matron of honor Dora place the wedding lasso around the couple; while the priest pronounces them married, and David plants a solid one on Gabriela.

Across town, Susana noshes snacks in bed when there's a knock, and it's dark-glasses, trench-coated Roberto with his nose stuck in the newspaper classified section. Inquiring about the truck for rent brings Marcos, who doesn't want to lease it without driving it himself; but for triple the fee, he's convinced.



Roberto claims he's picking up plastic toys that night in Veracruz for an orphanage; Susana thinks she's seen him before, but he gives his name as Antonio Castillo. At Mario's estate, we see Dora has quickly put together a beautifully appointed affair for the bridal couple, who appear and kiss to energetic applause.

Mario embraces them, and Gabriela greets Juan José, introducing him to Leonardo; and when Leonardo narrows his eyes and wonders if he doesn't work for the hotel, Juan José proclaims he bought the hotel! He casts an approving glance Alejandra's way and then an ugly one when the Ávilas appear, which Leonardo seems to notice.

As Juan José departs toward Alejandra, we see Leonardo has Julieta on his arm; then Asunción peels off, leaving Juan José to greet Alejandra alone, who is very pleased to see him. Not so pleased is Carlos, who tries hard to prevent him sitting with them; but Bertha greets him warmly.

Yolanda finally must reign in Carlos's protests, but he nearly spills Juan José's full name being introduced to Adolfo. Those two measure each other for a moment before reseating. Adolfo turns his tender ministrations to Bertha, and Alejandra discusses with Juan José her business visit to his apartment.

Elsa did not inform him of it, but he indulgently tells Alejandra she can do whatever she would like with his house; and she blushes at his husky, whispered compliments. They decide to talk elsewhere, and she laughs when he declares he'd follow her to the ends of the earth.

After they exit, Carlos objects to Bertha about her sister supposedly playing around on Roberto, making Bertha recoil at the ridiculous notion. Roberto's an idiot, she says; and when Bertha invites Carlos to explain why to curious Adolfo, Adolfo takes the occasion for another gratuitous fatherly insult -- not caring what Carlos would think.

It's an old, well worn hurt; and miffed Carlos ventures off for more hard liquor. On his way out, uneasy Yolanda begs him to take her home, saying she has a headache. In a quiet corner, when Alejandra asks about Elsa, Juan José explains their relationship, including Caramelo.

She guesses it was he who bought the hotel instead of "Mr. Limonta" and is astounded to learn it was just a very expensive whim. He admits, laughing, that he bought it because it holds a lot of meaning for him -- not because he knows anything about managing hotels.

Mario exits for his office; Carlos is just heading out again for another whiskey as Alejandra and Juan José return, whereupon Adolfo is apprised by Alejandra's conversation that he has a hotel competitor in the midst. They both agree they're fierce adversaries and eye each other once again.

When Adolfo remarks he's never heard of him heretofore, Juan José answers significantly that he's been -- abroad -- for eleven years. Across the way, Asunción traipses behind a harried Dora, as they pass Gabriela and Julieta noting Santiago has not yet arrived. On her way to the house to check, Gabriela's stopped by a congratulatory Yolanda, who notes the same thing about Santiago.

Nearby Bertha yucks it up with Adolfo, when Yolanda prods him again about leaving, irritating Adolfo. Yolanda points out that the police are there, indicating Leonardo; but Adolfo doesn't care. Carlos also looks in that direction, instead spying David; and suddenly Carlos gets a wild hair to kiss the bride.

Adolfo greets Mario exiting the house and conversationally pumps him about his plans, where he learns that he's traveling alone with only the chauffeur. He immediately calls Roberto to inform him and that it will be about 10 or 11 p.m. Roberto's startled when Adolfo warns him not to fail because everybody thinks he's useless and hangs up.

Bertha, in her cups and carrying two more, finds Adolfo; and when she asks if he doesn't want to toast the happy couple, he delights her by teasing, asking if they are already a couple! He gently pushes down her rudely pointing finger when she asks about the good looking guy in the wedding party, and it's Leonardo. Bertha's excited to learn he's a policeman, friend of the family, since she's never known a policeman.



Across the way, Leonardo congratulates Julieta on catching the bouquet, and they are just thanking Gabriela, about to leave, when a whiskey powered Carlos spins Gabriela around and tries a brutal embrace. Leonardo pulls him off just as David arrives and delivers a roundhouse to Carlos's head, and he goes down.

Screams everywhere, Carlos reappears and circles with David, blocked by Leonardo; Carlos threatens Leonardo and Juan José appears to hold off David -- when Adolfo arrives with Yolanda and angrily carts Carlos off, who's shouting threats.

Party over, Mario calls David and Gabriela to his office before they leave. Juan José encounters Asunción, far gone; and then Alejandra, who tells him how pleased she was he was there. They agree to meet again, and Juan José flatters her so sincerely and effusively that she kisses him on the cheek before departing. He closes his eyes in a state of ecstasy that every female viewer wishes she had created.



Poor Dora must endure Asunción's drunken professions of adoration until Juan José pulls him off. In Mario's office he tells Gabriela how much he cares about her and how happy he is to have met her. David tearfully embraces his father, as then does Gabriela, choking the weeping Mario up beyond words.



He counsels them to both help each other to have no problems with the Ávilas, since their business pact has such a short time to go. Mario becomes very emotional with what only he knows is their final goodbye. At the condo, Adolfo is furious Carlos crossed swords with a police commander! And what's with this macho stuff!

Carlos can't fathom why Adolfo cares about either now, but Adolfo does for his own reasons. He doesn't want people to think they and their business partners have problems (...in case one of them turns up dead, say). Carlos won't brook interference in his personal life, and when Adolfo threatens to kick him out, Carlos agrees -- if he gets his cut!

He's been working for Adolfo for years and the business does spectacularly because of him, but Adolfo denies he has any right to part of the business. So Carlos insists Adolfo will have to put up with him and won't leave. Adolfo's furious and threatens to chuck his things into the street, which then makes Yolanda furious.

She's livid because she blames Adolfo for Carlos's problems. He's his son! But Adolfo can't stand him. Of course he can't -- because he's heartless! she shouts. Whatever Carlos is, it's Adolfo's fault! Adolfo's! And that evil Márta! she cries. Adolfo's head jerks around, and he stares at her in shock.

At Mario's, Bertha is just gossiping to Alejandra that if Carlos is fighting over Gabriela, there must really be something between them, when Mario exits his office looking exhausted. Alejandra tries to get him to postpone his trip; but everything is ready, and he is saying goodbye to them.

Mario wants them to be good to Gabriela and not worry; they won't want for anything. Most of all, he begs them not to reveal David's origin to him. They are just promising when Abelardo enters with word that all is ready; and Alejandra is moved to embrace Mario, while Bertha can barely stand an affectionate poink on the nose. At his exit, Bertha wonders annoyed why everybody's acting like it's a funeral!

In Mario's office, it's Abelardo's turn to say goodbye, and he's already weeping. After so many years, the two men hardly have words and fall into an embrace, with Abelardo fretting tearfully what he will do without him. Mario bids him stay behind to make sure everything goes like it should with David and Santiago, and Abelardo vows to do everything possible to complete his plans.



Abelardo hopes the Swiss doctors can help him; but he's so distraught that Mario lets him stay behind in the office to avoid arousing the girls' suspicions and exits alone. Bertha laughs, mystified, why Ajelandra rushed upstairs weeping after Mario embraced her and thanked her, Bertha being in the dark about their arrangement.

When Dora alone accompanies Mario outside to the car, she hands him a letter to be read later; but when he decides to open it then and there, he is astonished to find out that she admitted to being David's mother!

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