Caray, Caray!

I wanted to apologize to everyone who follows this show and to the blog in general. I am disgusted with myself because I managed to air-headedly forget about my new blog schedule between this morning (when I was reminded of it) and this evening.

I am truly sorry and I am committed to never making this mistake again! I was hoping someone more diligent than I could drop some details about tonight's major plot points, and I will be eternally grateful!

-Ezra

--see comments for a better explanation of what actually happened in novela land tonight, where heroes like la paloma are helping us out!--

Labels: por-ella

1. Rosalena and Connie trot off to the neurologist. Rosalena for a “resonancia magnetica” (MRI) to see if there's a medical reason for her manic behavior one minute, her deep depression the next, and overall, her lack of connection with “reality”. Her cardiologist, blabbing to Connie in the waiting room, says for sure Rosa “tiene algo”. That's why he recommended more studies.
2. Max enlists Oscar's help for a coverup of Rosa's misdeeds: to wit, that she gave away a newborn almost 20 years ago, and they can't let the news get out. Otherwise her reputation, the family's reputation and the firm's reputation will suffer (oh the loss in market value! oh the ire of the shareholders! oh the financial losses!) Oscar pledges his unconditional support but Oscar doesn't tell him who the real father is or let him talk to Rosalena to get more details.
3. The boys are happily selling tacos de canasta, flirting with the various maids and servant girls who buy their wares. Lorenzo catches the eye of a comely lass toting a small dog named “Perdon mi Amor”, a squabble make-up gift that no longer appeals to its recipient. She tells Lorenzo to ''cambiarse con el cambio” (keep the change) and his buddy teases him about the new conquest. They also learn that dog-walking pays well. (expansion of street business for our boys?)
4. Rosalena continues barring Boris from the house, in spite of his gigantic Disculpame Bouquet.
   No one else in the family thinks it was that bad. (but I have to tell you, if that had happened in my house when I was a teenager, MY mother would have thrown a similar fit.)
5. Rod continues storming around like an idiot. Tears up his bed where he bagged Gala (or she bagged him, depending on your point of view); marches out of the office when Frick and Frack, his two office buddies tease him about Gala; slinks out of the therapy pool after hearing that Pato is highly motivated to get better so he can go see Luciana again; and sulks when Pato, at home, admonishes him for getting back into Gala's clutches. His final surly pout of the evening is when Melissa, at the family lunch, snipes that if his mom is getting checked for neurological problems, maybe HE should get his heart checked. Zinger!!!!
   

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Labels: refugio

Silvia Navarro is Camila Monterde: a beautiful woman without prejudice who always says what she feels and thinks - brave, passionate, a free spirit, modern, romantic. She doubts she will encounter love after losing her first love. She's a veterinarian, independent and intelligent. She comes to live at La Malquerida (Bad Love Ranch?) after suffering a traumatic accident in which her bridegroom died. She falls into a two-year depression but Alonso draws her out and conquers her with compliments and attention.

Olivia Bucio is Agustina Santos: widow of Humberto Monterde and ex-wife of José Julián Díaz. Camila was the child of her first marriage, and Ximena is of the second. She is old-fashioned; what people say matters to her. She always wanted a comfortable life for her children. She is easy to manipulate and weak of character. Don Daniel gives his unconditional support, she is in love with him despite his being the husband of her cousin Ampara. When he is widowed she thinks she has a chance with him, but he can't forget Ágatha. When Dionisio Ferrer declares his love for her, she believes he is sincere and accepts, though it's only a strategy to control her and get at Camila.

Flavio Medina is Alonso Lazcano: an attractive [??] young [??] man of strong character, bossy and arrogant, ambitious and obsessive. He acts for his mother Isadora and Dionisio Ferrer. He is an astute hypocrite and gains the affections and confidence of don Daniel Monterde, becoming his manager.

Cristian de la Fuente is Daniel Díaz Acosta: son of Ágatha Acosta and José Julián Díaz, though everyone (even he) thinks he's the illegitimate son of Daniel Monterde. He's a systems engineer in Chile until he loses his job due to bad economic times. He's intelligent, honest, and a fighter. He's married to Miriam, a rich woman of Jewish heritage. When he is named heir of Daniel Monterde, he's slandered and goes to jail accused of killing his wife. He manages to flee and heads for Mexico. He meets Camila and falls in love with her.

Rogelio Guerra is Daniel Monterde: A decisive man, honest, direct, responsible, a hard worker; owns the Malquerida ranch, where bulls are raised. He was married to Amparo, a good woman who was never able to provide him an heir, but he fell in love with Ágatha Acosta, a Chilean, the love of his life. Being depressed and having a heart condition, he leaves all the running of the ranch to Alonso Lazcano, who becomes the cause of all his misfortunes.

César Évora is Dionisio Ferrer: an ambitious and unscrupulous man who cares about nothing but himself. He is sinister and vengeful, with a seductive personality, he knows woman, and he uses Isadora and Agustina.

Leticia Calderón is Isadora: A distinguished, high-class, beautiful woman, Alonso's mother. She is an ambitious, unscrupulous hypocrite. She works with Dionisio, they are doing tourist development in the lands of La Malquerida; that's why she urges her son to conquer and marry Camila and then grab the property.

Labels: bravio, synopsis-cast

Where's my nerfazo order? I was having TdA flashbacks tonight. A whole lot of garbled speech and a whole lot of nothin' happening.

Gab visits his buddy Horacio in the hoosegow and Horacio threatens to spill his guts about Gab. Gab makes lewd hints about the lonely Lolita. Padre arrives and Horacio sings like a bird...at least about the Blanca business. It doesn't matter how much Padre thinks Carmina had something to do with Augusto's death, Horacio ain't talking about that. He wants to protect Lolita...and he's terrified of Carmina.

Doc Ernesto of La Que No Podia Amar fame has an evil twin and he works in the DF! He's also that friend of Paolo's who was going to help them out...for a price. Turns out this Doc is going to help Flor fake ultrasounds throughout her pregnancy. He will just use a DVD from women who are really pregnant . Even better, he has a friend in the business of botargas (basically stuffing...a fake baby bump) and this friend can hook Flor up with one every time she goes to the doctor. Dam will totally fall for the ruse! She needs to be fitted, though. She'll use wedding dress shopping as an excuse to get away.

Uh oh! Dam has other plans. He doesn't want a big Alfonsina production church wedding. He wants to get married at the registro civil TODAY! Flor thinks fast and tells him she wants to buy a new dress and get him a suit. Whew! Bullet dodged and botarga fitting is a go!! While she gets fitted, Dam gets a second opinion. Since he's carrying around an ultrasound picture from a real pregnant lady, the pregnancy is confirmed and Dam is a believer.

Elisa and Lucio make plans to finish up the paperwork in regards to the money "Augusto" left her. Lucio warns Elisa not to talk to Carmina about it. Elisa and Carmina later discuss the "sale" of Cielo Abierto. The check is no where to be found and there is no record of a deposit. If the money shows up, Carmina says she'll be in charge of it. Elisa suggests perhaps Gab never even handed over a check.

Carmina confronts Gab and is pithed he had Horacio thrown in jail. Horacio could turn them in! Gab wonders what Horacio has on HER! Carmina changes the subject to the check. Gab shows her the contract with "Augusto's" signature and tells her to come up with the money. He threatens to reveal everything to Elisa. He summarizes the episodes leading up to Augusto's death..

Elisa and Lucio are glad Elisa can get the Alfonsina monkey off her back. Lucio confirms that Gab can only get half of Cielo Abierto.

Dam and Flor stand before the justice of the peace(?) She totally says "Acepto." Dam pauses dramatically.

Other happenings

• Fina visits Padre and finds out Dam cancelled the church wedding. She remembers when Lupe always supported her. He remembers when she wasn't such a beyotch.
• Elisa visits witch mountain and wants to know why Ramona told her that her life was going to change completely on the exact day her dad died. Ramona says she never expected Augie to die and Elisa wants to know what Ramona meant. Since Ramona has sworn not to tell the truth until the ultimas semanas, she says nothing to Elisa. Elisa leave the now repaired amulet on the table.
• Padre Lupe is getting transferred muy lejos de La Ermita. 

Labels: abismo

August 10 is the last day of no podia amar - Monday August 13 begins Amor Bravio. Which of the no-podia recappers are staying on for Amor Bravio? (You get first dibs.) Let me know. Here's the teaser plot:

This is the love story of Camila (Silvia Navarro) and Daniel (Cristian de la Fuente), who meet under adverse conditions but despite distrust, rancor, and the thirst for vengeance, they will emerge triumphant over all obstackes with their valiant love (amor bravío).

Camila suffers a terrible accident that marks her life. In consequence, Agustina (Olivia Bucio) decides to accept the help and protection of her brother-in-law Daniel (Rogelio Guerra), and the two of them move to 'La Malquerida' ranch.

Camila and her uncle Daniel love animals and the countryside; she works as vet on his farm, which is admistered by Alonso (Flavio Medina), a not-nice young man with a high and mighty attitude. He's intelligent and has noticed the affection Daniel has for his niece. He assumes Camila will eventually inherit everything. Thus he decides to seduce her slowly and strategically. She falls in love with him.

Alonso lives with his dominating, ambitious, high-born mother Isadora (Leticia Calderón) who wants to recuperate her former prestige and social standing.

Don Daniel finds out that Ágatha, with whom he had a love affair in his youth, has died in Chile, that she divorced her husband months after she and Daniel separated, and that she had a son, Daniel, who appears to be a chip off the old block. Don D. gets excited about this possibly being his son.

Daniel Díaz Acosta, a computer technology expert, lives in Chile with his wife Miriam (Lisset). They're a happy couple and just found out they are going to be parents. The anvil hovers over his head.

Labels: bravio, no-podia, recappers-needed, synopsis-cast

Antonio is getting ready for her new job at GI and in the hall sees Rebeca (wearing a strapless black satin dress, nice work attire). Adriano suggests his sis share an office with Rebe. Rebe goes to Pluto's office and snarls - "do something about it!"

Mutt and Jeff stare at the Playa M. project cd, which JC has broken into shards because he doesn't want to betray Helena. "I'm not going to break the heart of the woman I love," JC says for the first time in his life, "This is the first time it's mattered to me." They say he'll never be able to tell her who he really is.

Helena reviews her project with the Canadian dude. He asks her to go to Playa Majagua on his nickel. She calls JC and wants to see him before she leaves, but he demurs (to her dismay).

Onesimo mocks Pluto: "Hah hah, your wife and your lover sharing an office." He's brought Pluto a list of many women JC has had his way with. "JC is my hero," Onesimo says.

Antonia is astonished, then indignant that dozens of gorgeous women in skin-tight outfits languidly stroll the halls at G.I., it's hours of gossip and manicures. Rebe says "Image is Everything." Evidently these girls are going to go hang out in Acapulco in their bikinis and drink booze. She insincerely invites Antonia.

Adriano meets the extremely young Paola at a restaurant - she bounds up and hugs him but he says "not in public." He says she can't have a job at G.I., she says ok, he can't believe he doesn't get reamed out. Then some other bimbo of his comes up saying "When you have time call me and we'll escape somewhere." Again, Paola doesn't freak out. Adriano's so relieved/impressed he says she can have a job at G.I. after all.

JC's mom has perhaps gotten a theater role for the first time in a long time. He watches her lovingly as she gets arty. She sees he's upset and knows it's about Helena. "I'm in love with her," he stammers, "but I haven't been honest with her and if I am she'll be hurt." "You always hurt women, all you care about is having fun." She gently counsels him to break it off so Helena won't get more hurt.

Helena's dad is furious and silent, eventually growling: "If you stick with this guy and he dumps you like the first one, forget you ever had a father."

JC writes checks to Mutt and Jeff which embarrases them. Mutt's wife is the receptionist - he whispers to her, please give me money for lunch again, he writhes with mortification. Antonia observes that this receptionist seems to be the only one in the company who works.

Jeff reassures his fiance on the phone: "Of course I want to marry you!" But he's going to have to ask for money from his parents. She screetches at him about the honeymoon.

Helena's friend chats with her ? who she calls Porky. She suggests Helena take JC to the beach. Meanwhile JC broods in his house - his dad had said "she'll end up hating you." And his mom said "Let her go to her own happiness, give this up."

He calls Helena to break up with her, but she proposes he come with her to the beach. He says he'll meet her at the airport. Tortured soul!

Pluto has dinner with a bimbo whose heart was broken by JC. The bimbo hates JC with a burning hatred and will do anything to destroy him.

Antonia tells her brother there should be a restructuring, G.I. can't afford all these useless bimbos. Adriano and Pluto blow her off and won't listen to her great ideas about Playa M.

JC meets Helena at the airport, he's sad, he hasn't brought a suitcase. "I'm going to Miami on an urgent trip, it's better that we separate forever." She's horrified: "Can't we find a solution?" "A long distance relationship isn't worth it. I'm sure you'll find the man you deserve. I'm not the man you think I am. Goodbye." She calls her girlfriend in tears. "Sublimate, Helena! Keep your project going forward!"

Rebe is trying to kill poor diabetic Antonia by constantly offering her chocolate. Antonia is mad that her brother is ignoring her input. Rebe is furious to find out that Pluto has already taken the stolen project to Adriano.

JC and his buddies can't find a new project. JC's gastritis hits again. Mutt and Jeff say "Going out on the town, kissing babes, and imbibing will prove restorative."

Rebe yells at Pluto for shutting her out of the beach project after she fed him the info. He says he has a secret for her, he'll be the hero of GI, and "Let's go to your apt with the ol' jacuzzi and champagne." Rebe howls wolfish approval and leaves.

Pluto deploys Felix, his hacker: "Put the contents of this cd on JC's computer and make it look like the documents have been there for a long time."

JC comes in just then and asks a favor. Pluto sneers but JC valiantly swallows his pride to beg: "In the remote case that I get fired, please take on Mutt and Jeff as part of your project, none of this was their fault. They're great workers."

Labels: por-ella

We start back with the BIG REVEAL. Paz has just told Claudio that his daughter is alive and that she’s Luciana! Claudio can’t believe it. He saw the remains of his child with his own eyes; and Rosalena T. is his witness. Paz is practically foaming at the mouth hearing that witch’s name.
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Labels: refugio

Capítulo 74
Totally Tuqueue
The secret is out and practically everyone knows Ricky is really Tuqueue's daddy. Too bad Ricky has no heart. He continues to refuse to help. Ricky gets into a fight with Lala (who throws him out) and Moncho (who vows that if Willy isn't compatible, he will make Ricky give up a kidney.)

To make matters worse, the foundation will only pay 30% of the hospital costs. Willy will try to sell his car, but the Lala has the bright idea to ask Hoity Toity Horty for a loan. Hoity Horty agrees, but when she finds out Willy is to be the organ donor, she tells Willy she won't pay if he's the donor. It's too dangerous.

HH at HS
After Manny accuses HH of not loving  her, the two ladies head to 'Nando's office. HH announces she's handing over all plenos poderes (full powers) to Manny to act as her representative. Manny is thrilled, but Horty warns her not to get cocky and not make any decisions without her say so. 'Nando assures Isa that Manny will NOT be Isa's boss

Gimmie and Leo
Gimmie is pithed. Not only is Leo alive, he's staying with Sarita. Gimmie and her lawyer get a  court order to have "custody" of Leo given to Gimmie. They go to Isa's and take Leo.

Other Developments

• Knuckles has concocted this plan to keep away for awhile but leave clues about Marisol in his room so when Dad begins to worry, he'll call Marisol. The plan being once Marisol finds out that Knuckles has been gone a few days, she'll worry. She does and she calls Knuckles. Jaibo answers the phone and says he found it in a ditch.
• Ceci tells Zoe he still loves her.
• Mayela continues to irk me. She took money that was supposed to be for water then she grifted Beba telling her that they needed stuff for the house, but Lucia would get mad if they took money from Beba. I think Beba is about to become Mayela's personal cash cow.
• Isa runs into Rubén in a restaurant. HE'S A DAD!!! HE'S FINE!! THERE'S NO CURSE!! (Then why are there so many episodes left?)
• Beba receives a reply to her online dating profile. He's a fan of poetry and wants a poem and a picture.

Labels: Amorcito

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Labels: abismo

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Labels: refugio

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Labels: abismo, Alborada, familia, Pasion, salvaje, telenovelas, weekend

I’m your substitute recapper tonight, and I’m going to start with a brief summary of what happened Thursday, for those who missed it.

Eduardo comes home early, and Lalo helps sneak Juan out of the house. Helena gives him her project. At the office, Fernando and Santiago (Mutt & Jeff) are eager to see it. But Helena calls, and then he can’t bring himself to show them. “No puedo. Es una canallada.” Mutt & Jeff still haven’t been paid, so they beg JC to turn in Helena’s project.

Lucía is upset because of her sweetheart Sebastian. After she slept with him the first time, he got out of bed, went out the door, and disappeared from her life.

Eduardo finds Juan’s shirt and interrogates Sylvia. She dodges so he pressures Lalo. “If your mama has a boyfriend, he'll separate you from your mother. He’ll seem nice but hurt you when she's not looking, and she won't believe you.” Later Sylvia tells Lalo that Juan is good, and if anyone tries to hurt him, his mother will protect him.

Juan brings a bus tour to Viajes Moreno. Helena agrees to take Juan on a private tour of the city.

Plutarco and Rebeca are half naked, lying on the desk, and Antonia is just about to enter the office.

---

Now, Friday's episode.

The Surprise Behind Door No. 1
Antonia walks in and is shocked to see sweaty bodies groping on the desk. Alas, it’s her brother and his bimbo, not her husband and his bimbo. In the other GI lust-nest, Rebeca and Plutarco are getting dressed. She promises she’ll never again be unfaithful, and by the way, she’d like to take a taxi to the tourism bureau instead of going with her driver (Plutarco’s spy). Fat chance!

Guess Who's Coming to Work?
Antonia tells Adriano and Plutarco her wonderful news: she’s decided to work full time at the office. Plutarco warns that she she’ll be bored (in contrast to sitting at home watching telenovelas?), but she can’t be dissuaded and she’s eager to spend more time with him. He does not share her enthusiasm.

True Confessions
Helena takes Juan to an old convent, her favorite spot to relax and contemplate. He magically produces a romantic picnic lunch. He asks about other boyfriends, and she says she’s been unattached because men think a single woman is desperate and will tolerate anything. She asks about his past. Who was his first love? He answers, “Would you believe me if I said you’re my first love? I’ve never felt like this with anyone before.” She confesses that when she met him, she thought he only wanted to take advantage of her, but now she knows he could never hurt anyone. Juan suggests that for their next picnic, they should bring Lalo. His suggestion activates her love button. Juan urges her to present him to her parents, so he can clear the air with her father, especially now that they’re novios. But she’s worried about her dad’s health, and she wants to wait until her project succeeds and she can move out.

The Best Moment of the Show
Juan takes Helena home and watches from behind a tree as Eduardo comes out and yells at her, calling her a cualquiera and saying she brought a man home to “revolcarse” (roll in the hay). But when he manhandles her and calls her a streetwalker, Juan can’t take it anymore. He tells Eduardo that he’s Helena’s novia, and being her father doesn’t give him the right to mistreat/abuse the woman Juan loves (querer). Juan is appalled that a man could humiliate his own daughter like that and not appreciate what a treasure she is. Ed says that when Juan gets what he wants from her, he’ll throw her in the trash. Juan swears that he’ll never hurt her. Ed replies that Helena is an adult and if she gets hurt, that’s her problem, but if Juan hurts Lalito he’d better watch out.

Two Styles of Exchanging Ideas
Once inside, Lalo asks his mom, “If you marry Juan, will you still love me?” She assures him that everyone, even Juan, knows that her son will always come first. He likes that. Silvia tells Ed that Helena has a right to find love. Ed tells Silvia she hasn’t got a brain in her head, and I think he smacks her.

Not Everybody Loves Juan
Plutarco tattles to Adriano that he thinks JC diverted GI bus tours to another travel agency. Then he calls the bank to set up an account for his “mother,” but it’s really in the name of JC’s mother.

Later Pluto asks Adriano to approve his project, but Adriano will wait until he sees the final version. He warns JC that unless he turns in his project ASAP, Adriano will have to accept Plutarco’s proposal for PlayaM. He asks about the diverted bus tours, and JC denies any knowledge of them.

Where's Hippy Ed When You Need Him?
JC looks for a way to use Helena’s project without hurting her. Mutt & Jeff accuse him of falling in love. Mutt reminds him that if he wants to keep Helena instead of stealing her project, he’ll also have to explain to her that he’s not Argentinean, and he’s really the Juan Carlos that fired her. So JC asks his father how to fix his problem and not hurt Helena. Dad says women don’t understand reason, and things will go better for him if he uses the project. He should use Helena until he’s tired of her, then pay her off and forget about her.

Time to Hitch Up Your Chones
In the morning, Mutt & Jeff give JC a pair of tacones (high heeled shoes) because he said, “The day I suffer for a woman is the day I wear a skirt and tacones.” In response, JC demonstrates that he has decided which side he’ll play for. He shreds the PlayaM project CD.

Labels: por-ella

Greetings from Maine! While I eat lobsters and watch gorgeous sunsets, all hell is breaking loose on our novelas. Hombre is keeping us up to date on the increasingly violent world of Pablo Escobar while watchers of Corazón Valiente eagerly await the ramifications of the disclosure that Fernanda de Castillo, known to us as the Reptile, has murdered half the cast. Novelera and Deb are handling these developments while I am away. Finally, Shallowgal is providing some updates on Rosa Diamante. Take it away, commenters!

Labels: diamante, pablo, rostro, telemundo, valiente

Memorandum

To: the writers of the Pit

From: Novelamaven

Cap’n Sylvia went to sea / In a beautiful pea green boat / She took her honey and plenty of money / And asked me to give you this note:*

“When I return in two weeks I expect to find these folks alive and kicking: Don Lucio, Dolores, Padre, Ramona, Maru, Braulio, Enrique, Doc Tovar, Paloma and Gael.

Feel free to smite and blight as you see fit any of the following: Gabino Mendoza, Paolo “the momzer” Landucci, Alfabitch, OmegaBitch (aka the Killer Orange) and Chente.

Use these characters however you wish to keep the story moving along: Elisa, Damián, Flor, Guido, Begoña, Toña, Sabrina and the old lady** who was whispering “Hush mah mouth – I bet I can squeeze that old Arango broad for enough pesos so I can ditch the asilo and retire in St. Tropez.”

Love,

Sylvia

*With apologies to The Owl and the Pussycat and **Goodnight Moon.

Tonight:

Dolores stares, incredulous, as Horacio is taken away in a squad car. A wanted criminal – this is the man she chose as her life partner? Gabino watches the show. From his expression, you’d think he was at a cockfight and he’d put his bet on the winner. (Are those bloody feathers on his chin? Nah.)

Outside the bank in Mérida, Don Lucio kvetches that Dam is forcing him to lie. He’ll have to go along with the story that before he died, Augusto set up an account for Elisa. Although both men suspect Gabino pocketed the Cielo Abierto money, proving that will take time. Right now, Elisa needs cash to pay off her loan to Alfie. Otherwise Alfie will seize the greenhouse and the harvest.

Doc Tovar’s office

Elisa stops by to ask Paloma to attend tonight’s mass for Augusto. Why does Paloma seem so distant? Elisa needs her more than ever right now. Paloma starts to say she has her own tsuris but then, remembering who the protagonista is, apologizes.

Paloma’s not buying Flor’s pregnancy story and thinks Dam has his doubts as well, official blood test or no.

The Killer Orange is seen deftly driving a pickup truck down the highway and thought-bubbling: “Gabino’s got the Horacio problem covered. Now I’ll dispose of that bastard Guadalupe.”

[Audible gasps from the Lupe table.]

Braulio comes upon the desolate Dolores, and offers a shoulder to cry on when he hears about Horacio.

[The Braulio and Lolita tables edge closer together on the patio.]

Hacienda Harango: AlfaBitch, her fan (I mean abanico, not fanático, and Flor.

Flor announces she is going to Mexico to pick up her wedding gown. Alone. AlfaBitch really wants to go along. She would handcuff herself to Flor if she could, but she is handicapped by the need to flick and fan at dramatic moments.

Enter Dam. He -- and he alone -- will accompany Flor. ”¿Sabes qué?” he says brightly. “Creo que también podríamos aprovechar para ver a un ginocólogo. Quiero ver el primer ultrasonido de mi bebé.” (You know what? I think we could take advantage of the occasion to see a gynecologist. I want to see my baby’s first ultrasound!)

Alfie fans, smiles approvingly. Flor looks haunted. (Oh honey, this is just the opening salvo.)

Knock knock. Who’s there? Gweedo. Gweedo who? Gweedon’t think you’re innocent. Gwee just dropped the charges ‘cause gwee don’t want a scandal in the family.

Gweedo maintains he is innocent – it’s that rotten creep Gabino that Alfie should be accusing. Dam is in his corner. Alfie sighs and fans.

[Some at Gweedo’s table begin to take heart. Maybe, just maybe ...]

Hacienda Beltran -- where a deal is a deal

Smarmy Gabino is no more. This is rabid stick-waving, frothing at the mouth Gabino. And he has no intention of letting the señora cancel the sale of the hacienda just because Alfonsina Arango has outbid him.

“¡Ahora me viene con el domingo siete, ruca!” (I’m pretty sure she’s not pregnant so here our familiar idiom means: Now you’re springing this on me, old lady!) He orders her to vacate his property.

She tries to give him back his check. He tears it up and grabs her from behind, pressing his forearm up against her fragile throat. “Now you have no check, no hacienda, nothing!” She gasps and then goes limp. Is she ... ? Yes, she is dead. And Gabino – with no remorse, with no sign of panic -- digs her grave and buries her body. She won’t have to leave her hacienda after all.

At Casa Bien Castigado, Elisa assures Lucio that they can speak freely. The aunt is out, she took the truck somewhere ...

And the aunt has trucked right on into an audience with the Bishop – she has something very grave to tell him about Padre Guadalupe Mondragón!

[On the patio, there are murmurs of dismay: How much weight will the words of a Godless Orange carry?]

Elsewhere in the big city, Dolores visits Horacio in jail. She wants a divorce and an annulment. Horacio will not oppose her. Braulio (sort of the anti-Gabino, no?) waits outside. He hugs her reassuringly.

He loved me. He really loved me.

Back at Casa Castigado, Lucio tells Elisa about the account her father set up for her (¡sí, me querías!) and explains she can use the money to save the greenhouse. She may have to cede half of Cielo Abierto to Gabino though.

Honey, I’m home! Gabino strides into the Blue House, and thwapppp – he slams Irritating in the kisser. “That’s for telling that bastard Gael that I beat you – now you have something to complain about for real. Get out!”

But Ing’s not leaving without her money – and didn’t he say he loooved her?

Love? Hah! “¡Eres un premio de consolación!”

“If I leave”, says Ing, “I go straight to Alfie and I tell all – how you defrauded the ProCe, how you covered for Carmina all these years.”

“Now” leers bandanahand, “I can’t let you out of this house – alone or ... alive.”

[Someone on the Patio hisses: “Do it, Gabino. You’re already going to hell ... JudyB looks sternly at her tablemate and silence is restored.]

Ing keeps braying, alternately taunting and wheedling, claiming she was just playing on Gael’s sympathies. Gael is the key to the Arango fortune. Their only obstacle is Alfonsina. (Dam would give Gael his share, she is sure.) Would Gabino have the guts (agallas) to kill that woman?

At Hacienda Arango, “that woman” affects surprise at Gweedo’s vigorous defense of his dignity and innocence. He’ll be living in the hotel in town, he says, not in the hacienda. And he, in turn is amazed at how vigorously Alfie defends a momzer like Gabino Mendoza. Nor is Gweedo any too happy about Flor and Dam getting married.

“But Gweedo” counters AlfaBitch, “Flor is knocked-up! We’re gonna be abuelos!”

In the Blue House of Shame, Ing presses on, calling Gab a coward, all bark and no bite (perro que ladra no muerde). He’s never bloodied his own hands with murder.

Has she? She doesn’t answer.

Then she asks what some on the Patio have wondered: If Ing is the runner-up, is Alfonsina herself the Grand Prize? Not at all, answers Gab. “Alfonsina Arango is the most despicable woman (la mujer más despreciable) in the world”.

Ingrid thinks he should take that thought and run with it ...

Carmina gets back home just as Lucio and Elisa are leaving for the special mass. Would the aunt like to join them? Nah. The rotten orange has no use for churches and souls or eternal life.

Elisa and Carmina agree to talk later about the check that Gabino supposedly gave Augusto as an anticipo for Cielo Abierto. It must be somewhere in the hacienda because it’s not in Augusto’s bank account.

At Hacienda Harango, Gweedo asks if Dam is marrying Flor only because she is pregnant. Or does he love her?

Dam does some awkward tap-dancing around the question. He truly cares for Flor, he says, and he promises to be a good husband and father.

Gweedo notices Dam is wearing black. “Why are you in mourning? Who died?” Dam explains that he is going to a funeral mass for Elisa’s father, Augusto.

Rural Health and Organ Transplant Center

Toña is feeling well enough to nag at Braulio for spending time with Dolores. “You never stopped loving her, did you?”

Braulio says he never regretted his marriage until he found out how Toña had deceived him.

[Some on the Patio whisper that Braulio is fibbing here, but no one seems to hold it against him.]

But now Toña hits him back with a big fat whopper of a lie: She never told him about Gabino because ... sniff sniff snivel ... Gabino abused her ... he took her by force! If Braulio doesn’t believe her, ask Alfonsina!

And right on cue – there is the black widow herself. “Tu mujer está diciendo la verdad” she lies.

In the vestry we see Dolores, Elisa and Lupe. Each is weighted by grief. All mourn Augusto. But Dolores has also lost her dream of marital happiness. And Padre? He looks more despairing than we have ever seen him. Of course he will help Lolita with the annulment. “But what crimes exactly was Horacio accused of? Anything here, in La Ermita? “No, padre” answers Lolita.

Avances: Alfonsina and Florencia put on their little black dresses and go crash a funeral mass. Elisa is not amused.

Labels: abismo