Caray, Caray!

There is a sign on the wall in the courtroom: "SILENCIO." I only mention it because I don't think any of these characters read it.

In court, on the witness stand, Rogelio testifies that Vero began mistreating Valentina a few months ago. One morning she tried to hit her, but Rog prevented it. However, yesterday was worst of all. She hit Valentina and locked her up in her room without supper. (Does that make Rogelio a stool pigeon?)

Vero flips out and physically takes a swipe at Rogelio, at the same time denying that she ever hit Valentina. The judge calls an end to the session and says she'll talk to Valentina herself. "Great!" Vero snarls. "Let her tell you how much I love her."

After the judge leaves, Vero accuses Chucho of trying to take Valentina away from her. He says that's not what he's trying to do. I think Vero says that Valentina lies and/or exaggerates to get his sympathy. She also says Rogelio lied to get her in trouble.

"Don't you know how my princess is suffering?" Chucho asks. "I don't think you care. She's told me for months about your bad moods and mistreatment. What would you have me do? Just sit and watch it happen? I think not."

Vero threatens Rogelio again with that long-ago recording from Nick Donovan's hotel room. He replies, "Do what you want. I'm tired of your threats."

Vero tells Cinthia they will all pay. Cinthia too! "If I lose Valentina, I will tear you to shreds, you incompetent idiot!"

The judge meets privately with Valentina and is impressed that Vale remembers her name. Vale says she's sad she only gets to see Papa J on weekends. She'd like to see him every day. In fact, she'd like to live with him, but then what will happen to Mommy? Will she be alone?

The judge says, "a little bird told me your mother hit you." Valentina replies, "Yes, and Mommy said she was tired of me. She's my mommy and I love her. She used to play with me and tell me stories, but now I'm afraid of her." The judge says now she'll be able to live with her Papa Jesus.

Marisela takes Paty to a community counseling center. "Know what time it is? Time to put yourself in the hands of someone who can help."

Evening. Chucho comes home with flowers for Chatita. He tells Alma that everything went okay at the office today, but doesn't mention the custody hearing. (??) They and Alma go gaga over the baby for a while and Chucho changes her diaper. Rogelio brings a gift for the baby, a one-piece that's way too big. He wants to have a private word with Chucho. (Did I miss the episode where he stopped hating Chucho? Did he eat more of that magic ice cream or something?)

Xochi is frustrated that she's not pregnant yet. Maybe she can't. Fernando says he'll love her no matter what. She's still worried she won't be a good mother. Fortunately, this TN set the bar really low for parenting skills.

Paty and Mari have dinner together and Mari says she's worried about Ric, especially now that he's been fired ("but I woulda quit anyway if you hadn't fired me," he told Cardenas yesterday). He's throwing his life away and losing all of his friends.

Rogelio tells the Secretario, it's not easy for me to ask you this, but I need your help - to ask Paty to marry me!

It's 5:00 AM. Time for a feeding. This baby can giggle even with its mouth full.

Back to court. The judge says that, due to the physical and emotional harm Vero has done to Valentina, she's granting custody to Chucho. Vero has weekend visitation, and the judge says more that I don't understand and would love to know what.

Vero cries silently, which is way scarier than when she cries loudly.

Rog wants to meet Paty at a hotel tonight. She says he'd better not be expecting any hanky-panky from her. He says no, that's not what this date is for. He has to leave early to prepare. She is intrigued.

Is it evening already? Chucho goes to pick up Valentina. He doesn't want to go into Rogelio's house and see Vero, but Valentina asks him nicely.

Paty goes to Rogelio's hotel room. There are rose petals on the floor. Rogelio is dressed like a pigeon. It suits him.

Chucho and Valentina go to Vero's room. Vale touches her belly and cries and says I'm going, I love you. Vero doesn't say anything. Privately, Vero tells Chucho they backed her into a corner and she's desperate and she'll have revenge on all of them, especially him. He won't see it coming. Chucho: "That's what you get for using your child as a weapon. Couples have kids and then break up all the time. What'd I ever do to you?"

Very says Chucho smashed her dreams and her will to live. He reminds her of all the bad decisions she's made, from the very start when she didn't let him know of his daughter's existence, to breaking up with Elias and moving in with Rogelio. These were all her decisions, and now she can live with the consequences.

Now Paty is wearing a bird outfit too, she's a duck, and she's supposed to pick an "egg" out of a great big nest. She correctly guesses that Chucho helped Rog set this up. She caws and sits on the nest. One of the eggs pops in a puff of smoke (or powder). Gee, this sounds kind of... dangerous.

Valentina is sad. Chucho says she can see her mother every weekend and whenever she asks, and can call her on the phone or computer whenever she wants. Vale says goodbye to Domitila and Sanson II. Domi and the doggie cry.

Ric and Vicki are back at Ric's place after a date. He didn't want to come home, but he was drunk so she had to drive him. He calls her "Marisela" by mistake. He makes fun of her being named after one of the United States. He calls her "Michigan." He doesn't want to go to the bedroom, because he's dizzy. "I'm very tired, but the room is spinning, Marisela."

The next egg Paty opens is a confetti-bomb, but the third has a note in it: "Do you want to marry me?" He hands (wings?) her a great big ring. She says "No, I mean, yes!!!" They try to kiss, but their beaks get in the way. Soon, bird costumes and eggshells fly everywhere. (Do we ever get to see what was in the fourth egg? Was it dinner? Would that be stale breadcrumbs?)

Bedtime, Valentina wants to sleep with Chucho and Alma. She's still sad. Alma says she can call Mommy tomorrow and tell her how much she loves her. (I'm not sure I want to see how that will go.)

Meanwhile, at Rogelio's house, Vero flings pillows around Valentina's room and flips furniture and vows revenge on everyone. She makes angry noogiefists! (As opposed to the tepid noogiefists Alma made when she was mad at Paty.)

In the morning, Minerva is happily reunited with Valentina. Chucho tells Alma about Vero's threats.

Vero is angry because Rogelio never came home last night. Surely he was with that "golfa" Paty. ("Golfa" is "..." in the captions now. I used to see it spelled out. I don't understand the logic here. Anyway...)

Paty will be late to work. She doesn't wake Rog, but Vero does with a phone call. "You have to take me to the gynecologist. It's the least you can do after not coming home last night."

Picking up the clothes on the floor, Xochi finds a note in Fernando's pants: "Alicia" and a phone number. (Whatever you do, Xochi, don't come right out and ask him about it. Instead, snoop, jump to conclusions, and assume the worst!)

Cardenas tells Chucho he had to fire Ricardo. Xochi won't be able to handle all of Ric's work, but Julio will take on the rest. Julio and Cardenas tell Chucho their friend needs help. And he's dating Vicky from Orion. Chucho is impactado. He tells them to get her number and have her come to the office. (Do these writers have any idea how offices work? You can't call an assistant at a rival company and tell her to come to your office unless you're offering her a job.)

Ric asks Vicky if she's only with him for his money. She says she likes him, but that's all. She asks, was he expecting her to fall in love with him? She thought he was just looking for a good time. Besides, he talked about Marisela all night.

Vero gets an ultrasound. She tells Rogelio to look at the baby. Rogelio looks. It's a boy! Rogelio cannot stifle his big smile.

On the phone at the office, Paty tells Alma about Rogelio's fowl proposal. Now here's Rog and Vero coming off the elevator. Hey! Her baby bump doubled in size overnight! "She's way too pregnant for my tastes," Paty confides to Alma. She's also miffed because Rog didn't say hello.

"Why are you following me?" Rog asks Vero in his office. Vero gloats about how excited he was. He says sure, but the baby isn't the problem, his mother is. Vero dares him to say that he loves his son. He says of course he loves his son. She looks like the cat that just ate the canary.

Panfilo visits Chatita with flowers. (Well, a sunflower.) She asks if he's come for the trash. She doesn't remember dating him, but she's glad for the flowers.

Fernando is on the phone with someone named Alicia. He hadn't heard from her in a while. Xochi walks in on him and he hurriedly ends the call. "Who were you talking to, Fernando?"

Mari tells Chucho she misses Ricardo. Chucho says she worked too hard for her relationship with Ric; she should fight for him. Oh, now Vicky is here. The suspense is killing me.

In the lobby, Paty asks Vero what she's being so smug about. "Rog admitted he loves his son." "Oh really? Well, I'm happy too. He asked me to marry him!" And Paty brandishes her ring at Vero.

Next time:
Paty is attacked in the parking lot. I suspect fowl play!

Labels: Manda