Caray, Caray!

From last time: Andrea sobs as she tells Grandma Meanie that F-No is married to another woman. A rich woman. Meanie browbeats Andrea about how stupid she is. She should take her kids and move out.

F-No tells Gonzo that he's been outed as a bigamist. But not to worry. Isabel is dumb and in love with me. All is well.

Isabel watches her wedding pictures burn in the fireplace. Her ring is in the fire too. We don't get to see the phony thing melt.

The new: It's morning. Eugenia's casket is lowered into the grave. The family, including Osvaldo, tosses white roses onto the casket. Arturo kneels, clutches Aranza close to himself, and in front of the sobbing and grief-stricken group, slowly drops a handful of soil into the grave. The priest sprinkles Holy Water on the casket. Arturo and Aranza remember their last happy night with Eugenia. Dirt falls on the casket. Aranza weeps silently. More dirt falls. Osvaldo shakes his head. Sonia keeps her eyes on the prize. This she-dog is just getting started.

Back at the house after the funeral Aranza clings to her papa. She doesn't want to let him go, she misses her mama so much. Sonia tells Aranza she needs to change her clothes since the dress she has on will always remind her of her mother's funeral. You don't want to remember this sad day. You want to think happy thoughts about your Mama. Sonia convinces Aranza to go upstairs with Lucha and Gabino. Sonia's wasting no time putting her plan into motion. She turns to Arturo, "I know how Aranza feels. You remember that I lost my mother at a young age too. I think I can help her." He thanks her for understanding and offering to help. They hug.

Sonia heads upstairs and stops next to Aranza's bedroom door. Lucha is talking to Aranza and reassuring her; reminding her of her family and all the love she has around her. When she mentions Sonia Aranza thinks back to the backyard camp-out and Sonia's wandering hands. "I miss my Mom. Can you and Gabino take me to live in your hometown? I don't want to live here without my Mama."

Sonia has heard enough and turns in disgust, "I don't want you here either you meddlesome brat."

Arturo is placing all his wedding photos and mementos in a box. He looks at Eugenia's wedding band, his own larger band surrounding it. "Why did you leave me Eugenia? Why?" He places both rings in a small cloth bag, kisses it, puts it in the box and closes the lid. "You'll live forever in my memories, my love."

  Next day: Gabi comes into the office cheerfully waving a folder. "I'm here to help you get your mind off your sadness and your troubles, Amiga! What you need is a trip! Acapulco, Puerto Azul, Cancun! Sun and beaches!" Well if Isabel won't go then I'm with you girlfriend. It's been freezing here and a warm beach sounds so fine. But no, Isabel won't go. Her work is her escape. She looks at her watch. "I'm going to be late!" She asks Gabi to come along with her on some unfinished business.

They go to Andrea's house. The kids are snacking on popcorn. Forgive me, but should the little one be eating popcorn? I remember giving my little sister popcorn when she was about the same age and she almost choked on it. My mother slapped the snot out of me for giving her popcorn. Estaban introduces himself then takes Angelito to play in the other room. Isabel tells Andrea, "We're here to help you and your hijos. " Andrea looks skeptical. Isabel thanks her for opening her eyes to that rat-bastard F-No. "We want to offer you a job and a scholarship to a good school for Esteban."

Sonia & Arturo face each other on the couch. Sonia, determined to get her catch, dangles the bait. "Aranza needs someone feminine around to guide her through this difficult time. I think I've come up with something that will help all of us. If it's alright with you, I could move in and look after her." "No, Sonia. I can't ask you to do that. It would be hard on you." Now she tugs on the line. "For me the most important thing in my life is that you are okay. All three of us are suffering. Aranza has lost her mama, you've lost your wife, I've lost someone who was more than a cousin to me, she was the only person who shares my blood. Eugenia and I were like sisters, we grew up together, shared our secrets, our adventures. Please don't blame me for wanting to stay with my only family." "But this would be difficult for you. You have your own life. I can't be selfish and ask you to do something like this." Sonia sets the hook. "The only selfish thing would be to not allow me to be here with the only family I have left." Arturo gives in. Sonia reels him in and embraces him tightly. Her face is positively orgasmic. It's creepy weird.

Sonia has attached herself to Arturo's arm as she is leaving. It's settled. She will bring her things tomorrow.

Gabino tells Lucha that the last few days have shown him how short life can be. "We aren't eternal. We have to settle things while we are here."
"I know what you want. You want me to forgive him. I can't. I won't."
"He's our son, our only son."
"He's our son, but Dante kept hanging out with that Gonzalo. He didn't care about what he did, that you almost went to prison, that we nearly lost the roof over our heads.."
"He was young."
"He was young, but I can't forgive him. If we are dead to him, then he is dead to me."

The women sit at the table. Isabel faces Andrea and takes her hand. "I know how you feel. You still love Fernando. He is the father of your children."
Gabi is aghast, "You still love him?"
Isabel turns and gives her the stink-eye. "Yes. I should hate him, curse him. But I can't."
She turns back to Andrea, "We are both his victims. But if we work together we can help each other heal." She pulls some papers from a folder. "Here are the papers for Esteban's school. You need to contact them to set up a date for the admission test." Andrea looks truly moved by Isabel's offer. "I can't believe you would help Fernando's family." Isabel tells her this is not charity. Gabi says, "We have a job for you. You'll earn your keep."
"My mother says all I'm good for is cleaning."
"What were you good at in high school?"
"Math. I got A's. I could do problems in my head before the other's could write them down."
"Perfect, you'll be Mauricio's accounting assistant!"
"No, I don't think I could do that."
Gabi jumps up from the table, "Then I guess we're done here." She picks up her purse and heads for the door. Isabel grabs Gabi's arm and laughs. "Gabi's my best friend, but she's a pain."
Gabi sits back down and looks at Andrea, "Forgive me for saying this but you and your kids have no future if you keep on working as a cleaning woman. This is a great opportunity."
"That's true. I'll do it! I'll work very hard and learn everything you have to teach me."

Isabel takes a deep breath, "Fernando still has to pay for what he's done to us. I am going to sue Fernando. But I need you to help me and provide your sons' birth certificates." Andrea hesitates. "He'll be angry... but yes, I'll do it."

Lucha and Gabino are putting food in the cupboards. Lucha wonders aloud why Sonia hasn't shown up yet. Since Senora Eugenia died Sonia has been doing things that are inappropriate; things that are not her place to do. But at least she's not moving in. Arturo comes in and confirms her worst fears. Sonia is coming to live in the house to look after Aranza. Please get her room ready. Arturo leaves and Lucha says, "What did I tell you? She's more clever than all of us."

F-No arrives at Andrea's building in a taxi. He notices Isabel's car is parked at the curb. As the three women approach he hides behind a telephone pole. None of them notice his fat head behind the pole. He listens as they say their good-byes.

Back inside Andrea tells Esteban the good news about her new job. There's a knock at the door. Maybe the ladies forgot something. Andrea opens the door and stares in disbelief.

Arturo and Aranza are headed to a basketball game on the playground. "Are you okay? Is school okay?" He tells her he knows how hard it is now that her Mama is gone. "You need to be strong." Arturo tells her that Sonia is moving in. Aranza looks sick.

"Hola, mi amor." F-No smiles wickedly and grabs Andrea. He pulls he outside and shoves her down the step. He puts the padlock over the door latch. "So you're gossiping with the ladies?" F-No grabs Andrea's hair and pushes her to her knees. "Please Fernando. Think of the boys."
"What do I care about them?"
Esteban looks out the window and sees F-No assaulting his mother and starts to yell. Angelito is screaming and crying.
"Please let me go. You're hurting me."
"Shut up! Shut up!"
Agatha has heard the screaming. Grandma Meanie is hobbling up the sidewalk and hears the kids screaming and crying. She swears by God that she will shut those brats up. She turns into the courtyard and sees Andrea on her knees with Fernando's hands around her throat. Meanie breaks into a dead run.

Agatha has come out and hits F-No on the head with a frying pan. Grandma Meanie grabs the pan and whacks him twice. "You bastard! I'll kill you!"

Why she doesn't actually kill him is beyond me. But I have to admit I am surprised by her coming to Andrea's defense in the first place.

The fracas has attracted a small crowd of neighbors who are standing behind Andrea, Meanie and Agatha. F-No grabs the frying pan away from Meanie. She screams at him to get out or she'll kill him. F-No decides not to press his luck and throws the pan down at her feet and walks away. Everyone is gasping for breath. The kids are still screaming. Suddenly Meanie remembers the pain in her leg.

Back at the playground Aranza's head is not in the basketball game. The coach benches her, Ileana and Dafne. Dafne asks, "What's wrong with you? They're going to win the game." Aranza tells her friends that her Aunt Sonia is moving in with them. Dafne says, "Ahhh. So you're getting a stepmother." Aranza thinks back on how Sonia's hand wandered around Arturo's leg, how she hugged him, leaned over him. Suddenly her stomach hurts really bad. Aranza collapses to the ground.

Esteban wants to know who that bad guy was. Meanie tells him, "Your papa, Esteban. That bad man is your papa." "Is it true, Mama?" Andrea cries, the baby is still screaming. Agatha looks at Meanie with disgust.

Sonia has arrived at Arturo's house with a magic clown car. Instead of clowns, this tiny car is filled with several very large and heavy suitcases. It looks like Sonia is here to stay.

Agatha offers Andrea a cup of tea. Meanie screams, "What about me? Nothing for me?" She berates her daughter and her neighbor.

Gabino is trying to get Sonia's suitcases up the stairs. He pulls hard but the suitcase doesn't budge. He can't manage this load by himself. Lucha offers to help after she answers the phone. Tita has called to check on Arturo and Aranza. Lucha tells her, "Sonia is moving in to take care of my girl Aranza." Tita is stunned. She throws the phone down. "I don't like this. I don't like Sonia. I don't like anything about this."

Arturo races over and picks Aranza off the ground. He sets her on the bench, the coach and girls gather around her as Arturo calls the doctor.

Agatha says heard the kids screaming. She wants Andrea to tell her what happened. Meanie asks why she opened the door. "Did you think Fernando was here to pick you up and take you to your new house? If you are that stupid you deserve what you get."
Andrea explains that Isabel and Gabi had visited her. They offered her a job.
Meanie snorts, "Ha! Do they want you to clean their toilets?"
"No it's an administrative job. And they are giving Esteban a chance to go to a good school."
"Ah, they must be crazy. Please. Why would she help her lover's wife?"
Agatha scolds, "Stop bullying your daughter. I want to hear what she has to say."
Andrea tells them she thought the women had come back because they'd forgotten something. She opened the door and it was F-No. He grabbed her and pulled her outside and locked the door. Meanie is angry and her leg is hurting her again. It's Andrea's fault. Agatha can't believe what she is hearing and shakes her head.

Arturo and the doctor talk. Aranza is lying on the exam table in the doctor's office. She's feeling better now. Dafne tells Aranza if Sonia moves in, she'll marry your dad. That's how it happens. You'll have a stepmother. Stepmothers are mean, horrible witches like those in the storybooks. Dafne has a stepmother so she knows.

Advances: Sonia makes Cinderella's stepmother look like Mary Poppins.

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