Caray, Caray!

Thank you all for your nice comments on my previous recaps. I appreciate it so much!

Friday's episode was a condensed version of everything that's happened up to now. Univision showed its love for those of us on the west coast by airing it at 2am Pacific Time! Yeaaah, we love you too, Uni!

Refritos:
Sonia and Arturo talk about the punishment Aranza should get for fighting at school.
Grandma Meanie slaps Esteban for questioning her opinion.
Isabel cries over her memories of Fernando.

The New Stuff:
Sonia and Aranza are talking about the punishment Arturo has given Aranza for the fight she had with Dafne at school. Sonia sits at the tea table, but Aranza quickly pulls her up from the chair. "That's my Mama's seat." Sonia goes and sits on the bed. She says Arturo is wrong and he shouldn't punish Aranza for defending Esteban. "I'm on your side, Aranza. I love you." Aranza is eating her words like candy. Still, there's one more thing that's bothering her - Dafne told her Sonia would be her step-mother. "Oh, please," Sonia laughs, "I'm not your step-mother, I'm your aunt. And your friend isn't really a friend. She's telling you things that just aren't true. I'm your friend. I'll always be on your side."

Time passes. F-no is taken from the local jail to prison. At Tita's, the remodeling work is well underway. Gonzalo is busted at his dirty apartment and is taken away in handcuffs. At school, Dafne jealously watches as Esteban and Aranza grow closer. And at Arturo's the bond between Aranza and Sonia gets stronger.

Three months later:
Isabel isn't at work, Gabi wonders where she could be. Tere said she hasn't called, nobody has heard from her or has a clue where she is.

Isabel has gone to the prison to visit F-No. He's sure she's seen the error of her ways and he gloats, "Well, after 3 months you've finally come to visit. You've come to apologize, but it's okay. I've already forgiven you."
Isabel says she doesn't understand why he treated her the way he did. But she does understand that he deserves the punishment he's getting and more. And as for forgiveness, there is none. "You're dead to me."
This doesn't sit well with F-No. He leans over and gets in her face. "You'd better pray to God I don't get out of here. I'll get my revenge on you."
"You don't scare me with your threats."
"It's not a threat. It's a promise." He runs his eyes over her body. "You are very beautiful. And I will have my revenge."
Isabel walks out. F-No yells at her back, "I will have my revenge."

Sonia sits in the little chair and tells Aranza about the great idea she's cooked up. Your Dad is taking a trip. While he's gone why don't you go to your Grandfather's house? After all, why would you want to stay in this house if your Dad's not here? When he finds out you've left the house he'll come right back here to be with you. Aranza, you can't tell anyone about this. Not Lucha, not Gabino, not your Grandfather. It will be our little secret. They pinky swear and hug.

Isabel has finally arrived at work. She tells Gabi about her visit to F-No. Gabi is horrified and asks why she went. "Nobody understands my pain, my frustration, my anger. I had to go and tell him what I thought of him. I had to get it out of my system. I needed to close this dark chapter of my life. I had to finish it and say adios para siempre." She turns to Gabi, "I think it's time to take that trip."

Arturo tells Bruno that things between Aranza and Sonia are much better. He had his doubts at first, but things are going so well that he thinks he can go on that trip for work. The new hotel they'll be working on is in Puerto Azul.

Isabel and Gabi tell Mauricio that they are going on a vacation to Puerto Azul. Gabi is hoping they can be gone at least a week, she hopes it may be longer. Isabel says, "Five days. That's all. We can't leave the business longer than that."

At Tita's, Isabel and Gabi explain about their quick vacation. They promise her that the remodeling work on her house will continue on schedule. Tita apologizes, "I don't really know what I want done on the second floor. Someone I loved very much passed away recently and I haven't thought much about the house."

Arturo is leaving for his work trip. He hugs Aranza. "I'll miss you." He gives Gabino a card with his contact information. Sonia assures him that everything will be fine. She hugs Aranza to her, "We'll have a great time."

Isabel and Gabi are heading for the airport. Gabi is very excited, but Isabel is doing a good impression of a stick-in-the-mud. Is it me, or are they are dressed really conservatively for a vacation to the beach?

At the baggage claim Isabel reaches for her bag. Another hand closes over hers. "Excuse me, Miss. I think that's my bag."
"No, it's mine." She looks up and meets Arturo's gaze. They stare at each other.
Gabi suggests they check the name tag. She is introducing herself and Isabel as Bruno walks up. What a happy coincidence! Arturo, these are the designers who are doing the work on my mother's house. He introduces Arturo to the women. Isabel and Arturo shake hands and their eyes lock again.

Andrea cannot endure her mother's behavior any longer. "She doesn't talk to me anymore. She hates me. She tells me to take my kids and get out." Mauricio offers to take her to see the apartments the firm is working on; that way she'll have some idea of what she wants when she's ready to move. He takes her hand.

Sonia is packing a very large suitcase. F-No is on the phone, "You haven't come to see me. You haven't done what you said you would."
"I'm on it. I'm trying. It's taking longer than I thought it would."
F-No threatens her, "You better not cross me." He hangs up. She flings the phone down onto the bed.
"Idiot! I'm going to the beach."

Aranza and Esteban sit on a bench together. Aranza is sad that her Dad has gone on a trip. She misses him. Esteban comforts her, "I'm your friend. I love you."

Mauricio cannot believe that Grandma Meanie is collecting rent from Andrea. "She makes you pay for shelter?"
"She did support us at times."
"Still, it's not fair the way she treats you and your kids. You need to get your own place."

Across town, Grandma Meanie is telling Agatha all her woes. "Andrea won't talk to me anymore. She's got a good job now and she and her kids are still here."
"You're abusive and demeaning to her. What did you expect? She was just defending her son."
"You're always taking her side."
"You're nuts! And you're taking her money. If she moves out she'll take her kids and her money and you'll be alone with no one to even give you a glass of water."

Isabel and Gabi arrive at the hotel and just in their wake are Bruno and Arturo. "You're staying here!?" Gabi gushes happily. "We're here on vacation. Are you on vacation too?" Bruno answers, "No. We're here for work. But we won't be working all the time. Maybe we could meet for dinner?"
Gabi's enthusiastic "We'd love too" is interrupted by Isabel's flat "No, I'm tired. I just want to rest."

As they enter the hotel the doorman offers an iced drink to "the ladies and their husbands". Isabel squashes his misconception like a bug. "We're not married." The desk clerk makes the same mistake, "Mr. and Mrs. de la Riva?"
Isabel stomps that "husband" bug even harder, "We are not married. He is not my husband. I am here..." she gestures toward Gabi, "with my amiga." She points to Arturo, "He is here with his co-worker." The manager apologizes for the mix-up and offers to upgrade their rooms to the two best suites in the hotel. Gabi quickly accepts, "They make a mistake and we win!" Isabel is tired and heads to the suite. Gabi lingers behind long enough to accept a dinner invitation from Bruno.

Grandma Meanie shows up at Casa Arte. She asks for Andrea. Andrea rushes out alarmed by the fact that her mother has come to her workplace. "Is something wrong?"

Grandma Meanie gets weepy, "I was mean to you. Forgive me. I swear I won't talk to you like that ever again. I love you. You're my daughter. Forgive me." Andrea cannot believe what she is hearing and neither can we. Meanie is dumping a whole load of fertilizer. "I am so, so sorry. I want you and the kids to stay. I don't want to be alone. I love you." She hugs the sobbing Andrea. "We'll stay. I love you Mama." Meanie's tight smile of satisfaction says it all. The idiot believes me.

Sonia picks Aranza up at school. She overhears Dafne tell Ileana "She has a step-mother's face." This doesn't sit well with Sonia. "I want you to stop filling Aranza's head with all your nonsense. Stop it or you'll have to deal with me. Got it? " Dafne runs away.

Meanie says she will let Andrea get back to work. But before she goes she gives Andrea a blessing. Meanie hobbles out and crosses the lobby assessing the trendy artwork and furnishings as she goes. "There is lots of money here. Lots of money. I have to watch my mouth. I don't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg." (I didn't catch the actual phrase used here.)

Tita watches sadly as the workers peel wallpaper from the walls. "I feel like they are taking my memories along with the paper." Zenaida reminds her that memories are stored in the heart and the head and that she will always have them.

Aranza wants to call her Grandfather. Because Arturo is gone, she doesn't want to stay at home alone. She wants to go to Grandpa's house to stay.
Lucha isn't happy about this. "You're not alone. We're here with you. Does your father know about this?"
Sonia smiles, "She has my permission." She takes Aranza into the den and dials the phone. "May I speak to Osvaldo de la Riva?"
"Who is calling please?"
"Tell him his granddaughter Aranza would like to speak to him."
She hands the phone to Aranza.
"Grandpa, my dad has gone on a trip for work. I would like to come and stay at your house." Osvaldo is thrilled at the idea and tells Aranza to pack enough clothes for a few days. He'll come and pick her up in an hour.

Gabi wonders why Isabel isn't thrilled by the fact that there are two handsome, intelligent men who would like their company? "We don't know them. I don't want to have dinner with strangers."
Gabi counters, "I know Bruno."

They are interrupted by a knock at the door. A waiter has arrived with a basket containing a bottle of wine surrounded by white roses. There is a card which Gabi grabs from Isabel. "Let me see who sent it!" The basket is from Arturo. "It says he apologizes for the confusion earlier. But..." Gabi pulls her arm back and launches an imaginary Cupid's arrow at Isabel. "...Maybe he has fallen for you."

Advances:
A romantic dinner for four is invaded by an unexpected pest guest.

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