Friday, May 23, 2014

Lo que la vida me robó, ep. 138, Fri., 5/23/14: The Honeymoon is Over, and the Dirty Secrets are Busting Out All Over


Eating With The Enemy

In a dinner table scene they have surely played many times before, Graciela needles EZ about his dirty money, he reminds her she is free to leave any time, and she reminds him of their deal (Does she mean that she gets to live in the Mendoza-Basurto house until she dies?) He acknowledges the final point with a good-natured smile.  (Maybe he has reason to believe that endpoint will arrive sooner rather than later.)

A Soul in Pain

After her barbed exchange with Ezequiel, Graciela retreats to her bedroom. She is startled by Alejandro's sudden emergence from the shadows, though she rapidly recovers her imperious bearing.  How dare he just materialize out of nowhere like that, like a specter! (como si fueras un alma en pena: as if you were a ghost/a lost soul). 

Alejandro has come to say he is leaving Aguazul.  He has, however, one condition: she is not to tell anyone -- not the police and especially not Pedro Medina -- that she has seen him.  They snarl and circle and show their excellent teeth: he has some nerve making demands on her; she'll be sorry if she opens her mouth.   In the end, she says she'll keep quiet about him, but only because it's in her own interest to do so. 


Weeks Pass

The Honeymoon is Over

Laurito runs into his grandma Rosario's welcoming arms.  He is bubbling over about all the fun he had and all the presents they have brought back for the Bluewater folks.  Montserrat and Rosario greet each other warmly.  When José Luis kisses Rosario's cheek, she stiffens slightly.  He seems to sense that something is different in her attitude.

He asks her quietly if everything is really okay.  She's just excited to see them all again, she says.

Dimitrio, who has also been on hand to welcome the family back, now leaves.  Montse and José Luis kiss, and then she heads off to the café to check in with Macario and Dominga.

Rosario accompanies Laurito to his room so he can show her his treasures.  She is moved to see a framed photo of Alejandro among the gifts chosen by the little boy.  He explains that with this new frame, he is giving his daddy a present too.  

Laurito confides to his grandmother that every time he looks at his daddy's picture, he remembers something a little girl told him.  The thing is, he can't tell his grandma because it's a secret between him and his daddy José Luis.

Rosario assures him it's okay to tell her -- she's his abuelita.  So Laurito describes how he met a girl named Victoria in the town square of Aquazul; and how, when he showed her the photo of his daddy Alejandro, she said she knew him!  She said he was alive and he was her uncle!  But then José Luis told Laurito that the little girl must have made a mistake (se confundió).

"Why did he ask you to keep it secret?" asks Rosario.  Laurito answers:
Para que mi mamá no se pusiera triste en el día de su boda.
(So my mommy wouldn't be sad on her wedding day.)

Rosario tries not to betray her outrage. Somehow she manages a weak smile.

Detox has done wonders for María. 

After three weeks in rehab, she looks a bit pale, but she's calm and well-groomed.  She's pleased that Adolfo has brought her red roses -- no one has ever given her flowers before.  Since she's all better now, it's time for her to leave this place, right?

That's not an option, Adolfo tells her quite firmly.  She is going to complete the treatment program. 

Then he does a little verbal dance.  He has something important to tell her...though maybe it's a mistake to say anything...Oh well, sooner or later she'll find out...  

His sister Nadia is back.  Yes, she's alive!  And she has a daughter, Victoria -- his niece.  

María has been listening intently.  She can't contain her excitement at the implications of what Adolfo has told her.  "How can Nadia be alive?  She was with my Alejandro in that plane!"

That's what Adolfo is trying to get at.  They survived!

María is absolutely suffused with joy.  ¡Alejandro está vivo!

Powerful enough for a macho, simple enough for his hembra

The Toyota Tundra rolls into town.  Look at how easy it is to park -- even a girl in high heels can back it smoothly to the curb.  A girl like, say, Montserrat.  

Montse smiles.  [Somewhere off camera, the Toyota corporate coffers jingle pleasantly.] She checks the rear-view mirror, and starts at the fleeting image of a man in a baseball cap and shades.  Whoa.  She jumps out of the truck and runs down the street trying to catch up with the familiar figure.  But the man she overtakes is a stranger.  She apologizes and walks back to the truck, wobbling just a little in the ridiculous heels.  Alejandro now comes around the corner and watches her retreating figure.  When the coast is clear, he walks up to the Tundra, eyes its Texas plates approvingly, and strokes the back panel.

María wants to know EVERYTHING.  

Adolfo only knows what Nadia told him: Alejandro was in a coma and awakened only recently.  He doesn't know for sure where Ale is now.  Since Pedro suspects that Victor is in Aguazul, it's likely that Alejandro is here as well.

That's all María needs to know.  She is ready to turn Aguazul upside down searching for him.  Now!

Adolfo tells her to get real.  Even if Alejandro is back, he is here for his family -- his wife and his son -- and not for her.  

María, as usual, tunes out what she doesn't want to hear. She's sure Alejandro will come looking for her in the last place he saw her, La Escondida.  She has to go back there.

Adolfo isn't quite finished with his calculated updates.

There's another thing María should know: Montserrat just got married to José Luis Álvarez.  And hey, why not?  She thought Ale was dead and it was time to start over.  

The effect on María is marvelous to behold.  Her face lights up like a menorah on the last night of Hanukkah.  Her rival is out of the way!  She can't waste another minute locked up in this place!

And Finally Adolfo Gets Around to his True Agenda

María could get Alejandro to come looking for her if he knew she still had the original and genuine Almonte will proving he was Benjamín's legitimate heir.  But he's heard she no longer has it.  Is it true that she gave it to Ezequiel?

She answers with a quiet, downcast  .  Adolfo explodes in rage:  "Why the hell did you do that, María?" 

Return to Candyland.  Sweet. 

Macario and Dominga are delighted to have their patroncita back at the café.  Montse almost tells Dominga about the man she saw in her mirror, but thinks better of it. 

José Luis Álvarez is Nesting

Rosario watches him uneasily as he sets himself up in the study.  She notices that he has already taken down all the photos of Alejandro that had been on display in the room.  Is he planning to get rid of every picture of Alejandro in the house?

JL taps a large box on the desk.  The photos are all here, he says.  He'll leave some in the house, just not the ones that show Alejandro and Montserrat together.  It's not his intention to erase Alejandro's memory; but he's not going to let Montserrat cling to the past.

"I hope you're not upset with my grandson," says Rosario. " We both know kids can't keep secrets." JL sighs and asks what Laurito told her. She won't let him feign ignorance. He knows very well what secret she's referring to. 

Though he is apparently short on razors, JL's antiperspirant is working like a charm.  He coolly acknowledges that he knows what Rosario means, and frankly, he was surprised by Laurito's story. They both know it can't be true.  That little girl must be mistaken.

Rosario presses on: 

"It happened on the day of your wedding.  Why did you ask Laurito not to say anything to his mother?"

"Because it was just nonsense (una tontería) and it could have hurt Montserrat."

It's not a tontería to Rosario.  But in the face of JL's pugnacious dismissal and his insistence that Alejandro is dead, she seems to capitulate.  Sí, Alejandro está muerto, she says.

Changing the subject a bit, Rosario wants to know more about the little girl.  "Who is she?  Who was she with?"  "She was with Pedro Medina," he tells her.  And yes, he knows Pedro has no children; maybe she was his niece.  

"Is there anything else?" he asks, beginning to lose his cool with this annoying living reminder of his rival.

There is one more thing, she says: "Please don't remove any more photos, at least until Montserrat says you can.  I know she's your wife, but she has the right to weigh in with her opinion."

As soon as Rosario walks out of the study, JL picks up a framed photo of Alejandro and drops it into the box.  He muses:
¿Sabrá que Alejandro está en coma?
(I wonder if she knows that Alejandro is in a coma.)

For her part, Rosario reflects, as she leaves the study:
JL sabía que mi hijo está vivo, y a pesar de eso, se casó con ella.
(JL knew that my son is alive, and despite that, he married her.)

Adolfo rages on at María's stupidity.  

She must have been out of her skull on dope when she let Ezequiel have the will.  

As María tells her story, the last holdouts abandon EZ's table on The Patio:

After she left La Escondida, she was scraping bottom.  With Alejandro gone, she had nothing to live for.  It was then that Ezequiel Basurto offered to help her.  He was probably after Benjamín's will right from the beginning.  He liked to remind her that he had spared her life.

He was the first to "give her something."  He told her it would make her feel better.  And for a while it did.  It offered sweet oblivion.  While the drugs were in her system, she didn't think about the hacienda or her father or growing up with Alejandro.  But when the effects wore off, all the bad feelings came back and with greater intensity than before.  She needed to dope up again so she could numb those feelings (dejar de sentir).

Ezequiel's 'help' came with a price: sex for drugs.  The disgusting bargain went on for two years.  (During which time, presumably, Ezequiel continued to beam at his naive, zaftig wife over the dinner table and enjoy conjugal romps with her in the bedroom.) 

But eventually he got tired of María.  The drugs had taken their toll on her, and her ravaged body no longer turned him on.  Since she had no currency to pay him with, he cut off her supply.

At this point, she was well and truly addicted.  She was desperate for a fix.  Finally, in response to her pleading, he agreed to give her something -- if she would give him the Almonte will.  And so for a single hit of the drugs she craved, she sold it to him.

An Uplifting Experience at City Hall

The Presidente Municipal has brought the First Lady of Aguazul to his office to share the good news with her.  The docks will be repaired for the fishermen of Aguazul, just as she requested.  Carlota is thrilled.  Oh what a marvelous man she married!  When EZ tells her the restored dock will bear a plaque with her name on it, she lifts the diminutive degenerate right off his feet and swings him around.  Whee!

María continues telling Adolfo the story of her downfall, and reveals her little foray into attempted murder before she got hooked on drugs: 

After exchanging the precious will for one single hit, EZ told her that from then on, she'd have to start paying for her drugs herself.  That's why she started working the streets.

María now begs Adolfo to help her recover the Almonte will.

She says that after EZ got what he wanted, he didn't want to tarnish his respectable image by associating with her. He kept her away from him by threatening to tell Pedro Medina she was alive and or threatening to have her thrown in jail for shooting Montserrat.

Adolfo is taken aback:  ¿Qué dijiste?   "Say what?  You were the one who shot her?"

María has an eye --> mind moment
Adiós para siempre, Montserrat.  BAM BAM

She admits it -- she used the gun Adolfo himself had given her. Later, she was glad Montserrat had survived so she could suffer Alejandro's death, just as she herself was suffering.  It was all Montserrat's fault.  Everything that happened to Alejandro was that woman's fault.

What is Adolfo really up to? 

Whatever game he's playing, he has decided María will be more useful to him on the outside than on the inside.  He agrees to arrange for her discharge from the rehab center on the following day.  She hugs him gratefully.

Graciela's baby is growing up

José Luis tosses a set of keys to Dimitrio.  It seems that Dim has decided it's time to strike out on his own. JL is renting or selling him his old place at a good price.  He'd like to share the place with a certain young lady...
(And the beauty part is that his mother will be able to visit him without having to see all those annoying people he was living with -- Rosario, Montserrat and Laurito.)

Sandro wears fuchsia pants with a pale lavender shirt and still manages to keep a straight face.

He reports to crazy-hair Fabiola that Pedro Medina's goons wouldn't even let him onto the property so he couldn't find out anything about Alejandro. She's not happy about that.  Nadia would be the best source of the truth about Alejandro.  

He thinks they should ask Graciela -- she probably knows something.  Fabiola goes a little nuts at the suggestion.  She "forbids" him to see that woman again.   She doesn't get to tell him what to do, he says.  He has to talk to Graciela.  Alejandro's return could be dangerous for all of them after the way they screwed him out of his inheritance.

Fabiola thinks Pedro Medina would be a more useful source.  He's the one Sandro should be talking to.

Graciela Calls on Amelia in Hopes of Gathering Dirt on Fabiola

Graciela, doing a little fact-finding of her own, pays one of her venomous visits to Amelia.  After some preliminary I told you so's and pro forma schadenfreude ("I told you Pedro would kick you to the curb when Nadia came back..."), she gets down to business:  What is to be done about the Fabiola problem?

She gives her version of how she missed her daughter's wedding because she was held at gunpoint by crazy Fabs.  Montserrat had been close to forgiving her (in your dreams, Gracie) and then that damn Fabiola said hurtful things that torpedoed all her efforts.  And getting Montserrat's forgiveness was the first step towards getting Dimitrio's.

Amelia assumes Graciela is planning some dirty tricks and makes it clear she will not be her accomplice.  

But Graciela is undeterred.  What she wants is, simply, dirt.  What does Amelia know about Fabiola's origins?  Amelia says she knows nothing at all.  Graciela gets so mad, she fingerthumps her in the forehead.  Amelia has been amazingly tolerant up to this point, but now she angrily orders her out of her house.  Graciela, in high dudgeon herself, goes, but not without leaving a te hace falta Jesús in her wake.

At Josefina's House, the Boys from Buenos Aires Compare Notes

Alejandro tells Victor that Montserrat is back from her honeymoon and he got a glimpse of her today.  He is almost sure she saw him too.  But he didn't approach her and talk to her -- it's too soon.

Boozy Fabiola and the gentleman caller.

Boozy Fabs saunters into the salon to greet her visitor. "How was your honeymoon?" she asks, giving the apparently innocent question just the right nasty spin.  Just in case he has missed her intent, she adds:  "Maybe you're here because your wife didn't satisfy you?"

JL grabs Fabiola's arm roughly.  He knows all about the stunt she pulled on his wedding day, how she barged into Montserrat's house and ruined her dress.  He warns her to stay away from his wife.  

Fabiola is excited by his touch.  Just so there is no mistake about his intention, he grabs her throat and holds her down against the back of the sofa.  That doesn't shut her up though.  She's thrilled that Montse actually dared to marry JL wearing a used dress, the very dress she wore for her first wedding to Alejandro.  How did he feel when he saw her walking down the aisle in that dress?

He saw the woman he had been waiting for all his life, he says, the only woman he wants.  Montserrat is his wife and she is going to belong to him forever.

Fabiola is scornful.  Montserrat will never belong to him.  His marriage is hanging by a thread.  All she'd have to do is tell Montserrat what she suspects about Alejandro...that maybe he didn't die...

"What do you know about that?"

Fabiola has hit a nerve.  So perhaps he suspects the same thing she does...  How long before his wife finds out the love of her life may be alive?  A few days?  A few hours?  A few minutes?

Adolfo visits the office of the Municipal President

He says he finally found María -- and now he knows all the crap that EZ did to her.  EZ reaches for the gun in his desk.  But Adolfo is faster.  EZ stops cold and stares at the gun that Adolfo points straight at him.

Rosario gives Laurito permission to tell his mommy the secret.

Rosario explains to Laurito that José Luis was wrong to ask him to keep secrets from his grandma and his mommy.

When Montserrat gets home, Rosario says Laurito has something to tell her.  Laurito nods and smiles.

You should be grateful to me!

Once it is determined that no one is shooting anyone, at least not today (Adolfo may have the upper hand, but he'd never get out of the building alive), EZ and Adolfo exchange divergent opinions on María's relative value and disposability.  

Adolfo accuses EZ of manipulating María just to get Benjamín's will.  EZ thinks Adolfo should thank him for what he did. If burned out María had kept the document, it would have been lost by now.

Adolfo isn't feeling the love.  It was Ezequiel who turned him into a killer; it was Ezequiel who destroyed María's life.

EZ won't accept the blame him for Adolfo's bad decisions.  It was Adolfo's choice to work for Pedro.  As for María, she got herself into trouble when she decided to snoop around the land where the drugs were growing on the hacienda.

Adolfo wants EZ to give him the Almonte will.  EZ refuses -- besides, what use is it to anyone now that Alejandro is dead?

Adolfo looks at EZ with disdain.  "You're in for quite a surprise," he says.  He leaves EZ with something to think about.

The Governor Loves a Good Joke

Since Graciela was unable to get past Pedro's security detail, she has invited him to her home to talk.

"It's about Fabiola Guillen," she says.  "I need you to help me destroy her, Pedro."

Pedro is amused.  All this time and she never even suspected!  Fabiola Guillén could be the daughter she had with Benjamín Almonte!

Avances:
Macario tells Graciela he buried a sack of rocks, not a baby.
María pays a visit to Ezequiel at home.
Montserrat sees Nadia and thinks that if she survived, Alejandro may also be alive.

Labels:


Comments:
Dear Folks,

Wishing the best to you and your families on this special weekend.

I got to thinking about the ages of the actors and how they compared with the characters they were playing, so I put together a list of some of the cast with their actual (or official) ages.

There's quite a range from the youngest -- 22 year old Alejandra García (Nadia) to 83 year old Eric del Castillo (Padre Anselmo).

Daniela Castro (Graciela) is only four years older than Lisset (Fabiola), in real life.

Alejandra García (Nadia), age 22
Angelique Boyer (Montserrat), age 25
Ilithya Manzanilla (Angélica), age 29

Ferdinando Valencia (Adolfo), age 32
Osvaldo Benavides (Dimitrio), age 34
Margarita Magaña (Esmeralda), age 34
Grettel Valdez (María), age 37
Verónica Jaspeado (Fina), age 37
Jessica Mas (Mónica), age 37
Sebastián Rulli (Alejandro), age 38
Carlos de la Mota (Refugio), age 38

Lisset (Fabiola), age 40
Daniela Castro (Graciela), age 44
Alejandra Procuna (Dominga), age 44
Alejandro Ávila (Victor) age 45
Isabella Camil (Amelia), age 45
Sergio Sendel (Pedro) age 47
Luis Roberto Guzmán, age 48
Alexis Ayala (Ezequiel), age 48
Gabriela Rivero (Carlota), age 49
Francisco Gattorno (Sandro), age 49

Ana Bertha Espín, age 55
Juan Carlos Barreto (Macario), age 57

Rogelio Guerra (Lauro), age 77

Eric del Castillo (Padre Anselmo), age 83
 

NovelaMaven, what an enjoyable recap! "Powerful enough for a macho, simple enough for his hembra" sure gave life to that Tundra. It might as well be another character. The listing of the actors and their ages was fascinating. Thanks!

Biggest mistake of the episode: Adolfo taking Maria out of rehab.

Funniest moment #1: Carlota picking Ezequiel up out if joy.

Funniest moment #2: Graciela thumping Amelia in the head. (I thought she was all thumped out but no, the thumper lives on!)

Best action of the episode: JL choking Fabiola.

Jarifa
 

Gracias, NovelaMaven. I was wondering about Luis Roberto Guzman. You missed Natalia Juarez (Virginia), who is only 19.

Truly great stuff, especially the comment about Sandro's wardrobe.

I'm wondering how Pedro could know that possibility about Fabiola. Amelia wasn't likely to tell him any such thing unless he knows it from Benjamin himself. Didn't Amelia also keep this from Joaquin?

Adolfo is still being bone-headed about Maria. That crazy bitch will be his downfall. And possibly EZ's, too, if Carlota is home at the same time. Why has he waited so long to reveal the existence of that will?

As much as I hate Maria, what he did to her was despicable and what he's doing to Carlota is worse.

I love that I'm catching the aftermath of Pedro and Gracie's conversation!

 

Jarifa,

I'm so glad you liked the recap. I was thinking that the Tundra WAS another character in the story.

I chuckled over your rankings. (You might recall that Carlota has picked up little EZ before, though I forget the exact occasion.)

Urban, Thanks for mentioning Virginia. She really was the baby -- if you don't count the actual babies. I didn't include every single actor -- just the adult cast still more or less central to the story. (I left out Juventino and Gaspar too)

I recall an earlier scene in which Pedro put two and two together and guessed that Fabiola might be Graciela's daughter. Remember that he was part of Gracie's scheme to pass off Dimitrio as Ben's son so he could claim half of Alejandro's inheritance. At that point, everyone involved learned that Graciela had, in fact, had a daughter, not a son, by Benjamin.

Did he know that Anastasia was sterile? A few people were privy to that.

He may also have known that Ben was supporting Fabiola all those years. Then he put the pieces together for himself.

While María's story is tragic, she is still a huge menace. She feels no remorse for shooting Montserrat. There's no reason to assume she wouldn't do it again, given the chance.
 

NovelaMaven thanks for your great recap w/chortle worthy title! The ages of the actors/actresses is interesting as well. I too wish everyone a great Memorial Day Holiday.

Though ITA w/Jarifa, that it was fun seeing Carlota spin EZ but I am so sorry for her.

Like UA, I'm horrified about EZ did to Maria. I know we knew he was bad, but this puts him in Pedro territory. Hoping they take one another out so no one has to get their hands dirty.


 

Thanks, Karen!

The only saving grace for Carlota is that it looks like the writers may be planning for her to end up with Admiral Robledo. (Remember the scene in Montserrat's wedding when he told her he was getting divorced?) And she does seem fairly resilient. :)
 

After crafting a lengthy comment quoting many of your wonderfully funny lines, I lost it to a Blogger malfunction while posting.

I doubt I can recreate it, so I'll just say thanks for a smooth and well-styled recap, with the bonus age list.

The revelation of EZ's despicable behavior in the face of his supposed domestic contentment is a good example of the multi-faceted and multi-layers characters in this TN. I give the writers credit for keeping things interesting and suspenseful.
 

That was multi-layered
 

NovelaMaven:

This whole recap is simply fabulous! Thank you so much for the Spanish phrases too.

I too laughed at Lottie spinning EZ around but that man is vile!

I can't believe that Addled told BM all about Monse remarrying, and Ale possibly being alive, why, Addled, why???? He knows darn well what she is capable of.

Had to laugh at Sandho's outfit. Shades of Hernan from Tempestad. The choices of the colors that is.

I too remember a convo with Peddy and someone about the bebe and Gracie and then Peddy put two and two together. He figured this out a long time ago.

I don't like the game that Ale is playing with Monse or JL either. But then again, JL only knows that Ale is in a coma. JL has no idea Ale is alive and well and in Aguazul.

I wonder how Monse will react when she finds out the secret? Will she believe it?

I'm glad that JL got in Fablush's face. Someone needs to. If she is in fact Graceless' child, the apple didn't fall from the tree.

I'm not liking the animosity developing between Rosy and JL. This isn't good either. He senses something just isn't right.

So what is Graceless gonna do if she finds out that Fablush is her daughter? Will she be in cahoots with her, try to take that lana? Such burning questions!

Thanks again NovelaMaven for this splendid recap your second of the week!
 

Oh, it's coming back to me via eye > mind. There was a convo with Sandho and Fab about how Anastasia was her Mama and died in an accident along with her Papa and then her Tio Benny took care of her. Peddy went from there and found out that Anastasia was sterile and couldn't have children and that Fab had been adopted. I forget how Peddy figured out the bebe was Graceless' with Benny. It was during another convo.
 

It was during that conversation with Amelia on the hall in Pedros house,Madelaine .I dont know at what chapter that was though,not too long ago. And EZ is despicable but he is still my favorite character:) . Wish Carlota could sommersault him,learn Karate ,girl!.

And the Governor really likes to joke!

 

Gracie will probably try to fleece Fabiola out of the money. She would have tried that with Monserrat back in the day and probably fleeced her out of the money from the sale of the hacienda.

I'm still scratching my head over that money disappearing in six months. Even if the beachside mansion had needed major repairs it shouldn't have eaten up all the money.
 

They snarl and circle and show their excellent teeth:

What a great sentence, and yes, I'm getting to the point where I'm wondering what life would be like with a set of those incandescent, blindingly white choppers? As I recall though, bless Eric del Castillo, I think he's displayed normal teeth throughout. Just like us real folks here!

Other favorites:
Powerful enough for a macho, simple enough for his hembra.

Return to Candyland. Sweet (you're right, it does look a bit like that child's boardgame)

diminutive degenerate (I DO think Alexis Ayala is a good sport to let that scene play and repeat)

one of her venemous visits

and that marvelous sentence about Sandho's color palette and his ability to keep a straight face.

This is going to be a busy weekend, and I'll be fighting a soccer fan for use of the TV, but look forward to watching this some time.

And meanwhile I have this delicious recap to enjoy. Thanks NovelaMaven! And a Happy Memorial Day to you and all....
 

PS I'm impressed with the actress playing Nadia. To be only 22 and able to play these recent scenes as well as she has...wow..
 

Urban,maybe because all of the Carlotas money were used as financial support for Pedros elections or he used the money to pay off Adolfo.
 

And i dont know why but im not getting any notifications on my Gmail account but i always have the notifications enabled on here..Anyone knows how to resolve this? If it begins working again then nevermind,it must be something on my part.
 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

Alejandra Garcia is nailing it perfectly as Nadia. I continue to be impressed with her performance. She was pure dynamite in the hospital scene with Alejandro Avila and the baby and she continues in those horrific scenes with Sergio Sendel.

Pedro's evil will escalate beyond FeVier's from PSMA. Trust me. His mental and emotional torture of a blind woman and a child will put him over the top.

 

Demetrios:

Thanks about that convo with Amelia. I knew she fit in somewhere with telling Peddy but I couldn't remember when it was. Thanks : )
 

This episode just had to have the able hands of NM giving us a most brilliant, snarky and enlightening recap. Gracias! And a few of those ages surprised me a bit.

I have to say, it was so enjoyable finally seeing that moment of true love we have needed in these last episodes:Ale gently caressing and once again close to the love of his life, his Toyota Tundra. I just had to grab for a Kleenex at that moment.

They sure are ramping up the "ick" factor on JL aren't they? The grab of Fab's throat, the coldness, the threatening. The symbolization of putting that picture in the box as if Monse ISN'T going to be allowed to decide for herself was rather chilling. Makes you wonder what his obsession and possessiveness could lead to. Add to the turning of the keys over to Dim--giving up the last vestige of the goodness in him by turning over the house he had with Angie? This is boding well to me.

So, I'm no fan of Maria, but I had hoped our idea she may come out reformed were officially dashed last night. She still has it out for Monse and wants her Ale back...been there done that. Do not want to watch this AGAIN. Adolfo wants to bring EZ and Pedro down and Maria does hold some vital secrets in that regard. I'm sure he thinks she's worth the risk of letting her out.

As for EZ, guess there's no question anymore which camp he belongs in. But interesting, like a little Mussolini, with Carlotta's guidance he's doing good things in the town. And her picking up her little dude in celebrating just never gets old. It will be sad to see her crushed. But the big arms of the Admiral are ready and waiting in the wings.

And our PSA of today reinforced by the costume depts. of our TN's: pink pants = bad guy. Young ladies, see those on a date, run do not walk to the nearest exit.

Daisynjay
 

And the tablet corrector strikes again...should have said "not boding well".

I need another coffee...

Daisynjay
 

Yeah Madelaine and no problem and still not getting any notifications from my comments or anybody elses comments comments,WTH? All my email notifications are directed at my Gmail account ,i cant believe im not getting anything...
 

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Oh NovelaMaven, your recap was nectar. Pure sweeetness and light. Soaked up every word with delight.

"They snarl and circle and show their excellent teeth", "[Somewhere off camera, the Toyota corporate coffers jingle pleasantly.]", "Sandro wears fuchsia pants with a pale lavender shirt and still manages to keep a straight face. Adolfo isn't feeling the love" were all marvelous. Laughed out loud at "she lifts the diminutive degenerate right off his feet and swings him around. Whee!". That was fun and agree with you Judy that Alexis is showing very good humor to allow himself to be swept up in her embrace and not for the first time either!

That moment of levity aside "It was Ezequiel who turned him into a killer; it was Ezequiel who destroyed María's life". Yes. So true. With a regretful "it might have been different" last glance, I have abandoned EZ's table and am helping to set up a new table for (hopefully) Carlota's next husband, Robledo. daisy, I enjoyed your "...the big arms of the Admiral are ready and waiting in the wings". We must have faith.

The fact that Fab was turned on by JL's physical threats was as nauseating as his man handling of her. And Graciela's failure to realize Fabiola may indeed be her daughter was a colossal one and a mistake she will pay dearly for. Even though she did not raise her, the call of the blood was strong in that daughter sadly mirrors her mother's calculated cruelty. Yes, Madelaine, the apple certainly did not fall far from the tree.

I really appreciate your listing the ages of the actors. I knew Fab and Gracie were close in age but only 4 years! But, the acting makes me believe them. Agree with UA and others who noted Alejandra Garcia is wonderful as Nadia.

Although the depressing events continue, the recaps are enlightening us and sustaining us through the darkness.

We remember all those who sacrificed for us with grateful apppreciation. To those men and women, their families and loved ones, our hearts go out to you. You are not forgotten,.
NovelaMaven, extraordinary and heartfelt. Thank you...

Diana
 

NovelaMaven, lovely, juicy recap with breakfast this morning. Savored every bit of it.

Loved the description of Gracie's and Ales encounter, "They snarl and circle and show their excellent teeth." the Televisa company gives their actors a good dental plan, ya think?

Loved your descriptions of:
Adolfo's little "verbal dance".
Maria's face lighting up like "a menorah on the last night of Hanukkah."
Monse's "wobbling" in those "ridiculous heels." (Personally can't wait for that style to die.)
Lottie, who is "naive" and "zaftig". And strong! I wonder now if EZ has any feelings at all for her. Sad. We certainly know more of the truth about EZ, now.
THANK YOU FOR THE ACTORS AGES! So interesting! I can't believe Grettel is 37, she looks good! Sergio looks very young also, I think!
Uh, we didn't get the exact age of the Tundra!

Daisynjay-EZ a little Mussolini, very good! He's actually starting to put Mussolini to shame.
And, ah, the Toyota Tundra-I choked a little also. And to Carlos from yesterday, if JL drives that Tundra it will just be the final desecration!!

Who woulda thought that pink pants would be a sign of evil! It used to be the black hat!




 

Thanks again NovelaMaven for another truly engrossing recap. I've run out of superlatives to express my appreciation of your work. Some favorite lines:

"...he walks up to the Tundra, eyes its Texas plates approvingly, and strokes the back panel."


"Though he is apparently short on razors, JL's antiperspirant is working like a charm." 


"Adolfo isn't feeling the love."


How great that:

"María is absolutely suffused with joy."

Unfortunately it is because:

"¡Alejandro está vivo!"

I was hoping for a bit more emotional growth.

UA,

Thanks for acknowledging Zeke's despicable treatment of María but then:

"...what he's doing to Carlota is worse."

Seriously? He's treated Carlota like a queen from the very first day. Of course he's also deceived her from day one, but right now, from her perspective, he's been adoring, attentive, and affectionate. Right now she's livin' the dream. Her wake up call will be jarring and tragic emotionally, but I can't see how it can possibly be even close to, much less worse than the damage that he has done to María. Plus, it's not like those around Carlota didn't try to warn her. She should have listened to her sister-in-law.

I've never liked JL so I'll just sit back and enjoy watching him self-destruct.

Carlos
 

Good morning everyone! This WAS a nice juicy episode, wasn't it?

La Paloma,
How aggravating that your original comment got eaten by blogger. Thank you so much for the kind words and for having the patience to post again. I agree completely that the "multi-faceted and multi-layered characters" are keeping us engaged in what continues to be (at least for me) a remarkably accomplished work.

Mads,
Thanks so much, amiga! And thanks to you and Demetrius for filling in the blanks concerning Pedro's guess about Fabiola's origin.

I had the sense that Adolfo had planned every word of his conversation with María, including his decision to take her out of rehab. He is using her to further his agenda: free Nadia, Victoria and Victor by taking down his tormentors, EZ and Pedro. (I don't think he is too worried about Montse and Ale being collateral damage in his scheme.)

Yes, "shades of Hernan"! As Emarie says, lately pink pants for men are the equivalent of black hats!

Demetrios,
Thanks for reminding us of Amelia's conversation with Pedro.

Hope you've been able to take care of your gmail notification problems. FWIW, mine is working fine.

Urban,
The bequest of the hacienda and its subsequent sale is a plot point that the writers simply abandoned. I suspect they'd like us to forget all about it.

JudyB,
Thank you so much for your lovely, writerly comment. I do hope your resident soccer fan yields a little space on the tv schedule so you can watch this episode -- it really is a dandy!

Daisynjay,

You are on fire today!

" it was so enjoyable finally seeing that moment of true love we have needed in these last episodes:Ale gently caressing and once again close to the love of his life, his Toyota Tundra."

EZ "like a little Mussolini"

And this 'PSA': "pink pants = bad guy. Young ladies, see those on a date, run do not walk to the nearest exit."

When I saw the empty house where JL had lived with Angélica, I wondered what he had done with THEIR wedding photos.
 

I walked away from this novela lock, stock, and barrel. I had to decide who was living in a parallel universe: me or the TN. Still no answer, pero ni modo. Oh my, I can hear it now, "Fatima is back with her empathic BS". Alas, you all do know my one true weakness. :))

I have read nothing. I have not seen any episodes. Last night was the first episode I got to see "live" (since My Departure) thanks to the wonderful Hispanic family who has encouraged and supported my learning of Spanish. They had taped the Monday night episode of "The Wedding Reception", so I got to see that as well. Caray, is all I can say on that episode.

How absolutely wonderful to return and find another brilliantly crafted story from the wonderful NovelaMaven! As I watched the action last night, I found myself thinking of our recappers. I know you all hear this so many times, but I remain in awe of your incredible abilities.

Last night's episode was filled with action and revelations with some just casually tossed aside so quickly that we had to ask ourselves if we really did hear what we thought we had heard (Looking at you, mush mouth Pedro). That our recappers catch every little detail and then turn it into the most entertaining reading continues to boggle my mind. A heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you.

Sometimes, these TN can feel all too real. There are characters who remind us of people in real life and it is hard to see (and it is sometimes good to see). It has helped immensely to see the TN from the perspective of this lovely Hispanic family (originally from Mexico and now proud US Citizens). The husband, in particular, has given me insight with his interesting and oftentimes amusing comments. Though, I must say I "shocked" him when I told him that I thought the female protagonist might do very well on her own, thank you very much.

His comment: "We don't see it that way in Mexico".

I have a number of thoughts which will save for later, but NovelaMaven, the choice of "zaftig" to describe the dear Carlota was absolutely, positively, totally PERFECTO!!

I remain, yours truly,

Fatima


 

Before I forget, JudyB, your comment about the incandescent teeth! I had to laugh as it reminded me of a business dinner I recently attended. We were seated at a round table and as dinner was being served, I noticed that EVERYONE at this table had the whitest teeth ever! Normally, I can remember every face, but I still do the ole Mind---->Eye bit and see nothing but LIPS and TEETH!

It was very Stepford, I gotta tell ya.

Fatima
 

Fatima--so glad to know all is well with you. We were fretting a bit, due to your absence.

So EVERYONE at the table had incandescent teeth? You MUST be living in California. I have long believed they deport anybody from that state who isn't just drop dead gorgeous, buffed, bleached and shined to a high gloss. These deportees wash up in the Midwest where we all look quite average.

And laughed at the observation that " We don't see it that way in Mexico." Indeed. This is a strange concept for many people, not just Latinos. However, our youngest daughter tells us all the surveys show that the happiest people in the world, overall, are single women, who are successful in their careers. Points to ponder.
 

Diana,

Thank you for you lovely words and especially, thank you for reminding us why this particular holiday is so important.

As for our story --

"With a regretful "it might have been different" last glance, I have abandoned EZ's table and am helping to set up a new table for (hopefully) Carlota's next husband, Robledo."

I was actually thinking about you, Diana, when EZ's evil nature was unfolding before our eyes. Ah well, Carlota and Robledo do seem to have a lot in common -- cheerful people, not burdened by overthinking, trying to do the right thing and sometimes even doing it!

Emarie,

Thanks for the generous words. And you're right, I should have included the age of the Tundra. It IS one of the romantic leads, after all. :)

Yes, Carlota is strong! Does EZ have real feelings for her? I suspect he does. He would say he is just like any successful business executive: he knows how to compartmentalize.

Pink pants as the new black hats -- ha!

Dear Carlos,

I am immensely flattered to have you as a careful reader. Thank you so much.

Poor María. Her goose was cooked as soon as she was dubbed the official villainess of the novela, la antagónica. I have to agree though -- what Ezequiel did to her was far worse than what he did to Carlota.

I was struck by Adolfo's sanctimonious -- and hypocritical -- reaction when he heard how EZ had destroyed María's life with drugs. In an earlier episode, he told María he sold drugs but didn't use them himself. For him, it's okay to destroy the lives of countless strangers with his product. Just don't make it personal.
 

JudyB, amiga! It is so good to hear from you! I thank you for your very kind words. I will admit that this TN was getting to be a bit much. As you understand my weakness, I know you understand why I had to step back. It was hard to walk away from the recaps and this wonderful community, but I know you understand.

I have missed a great deal, but I put the bits and pieces together (for the most part) on last night's episode. I am going to read everything from this week to get back in the swing of things.

...and, yes, amiga, you have found me out!! I DO live in the land of the buffed, shined, and sparkled (is there such a word?!)! Oftentimes, I feel like a Stranger in a Strange Land. :)) There are pockets of the most buffed, most shiny, and most sparkled here. You would have to see it to believe it! :))

I have feared more times than you can imagine, that I will be deported very soon! ha!

This is such a special weekend. My family always called it "Remembrance Day". We are the luckiest people in the world to live where we live. To those who have sacrificed and who continue to sacrifice for us, may God Bless You.

Fatima
 

My dear Fatima,

I am thrilled to see you back here, and honored that you chose to return on a day that I got to tell the story. But I believe your ears are deceiving you. What people are saying is "Yay! Fatima is back!"

We cherish your empathy here on The Patio; when you are away, we feel your absence keenly.

"We don't see it that way in Mexico." Hahaha. But I can tell you that in my travels I've met quite a few attractive, educated 20ish to 30ish Mexican women who are quite gun-shy about marriage. They have nothing against men, but they don't want to be the victims of machismo.

How great that you're learning about the language and the culture first-hand!

JudyB, I've seen blindingly white, impossibly perfect teeth around here on people who are trying to sell things (like drug reps) or whose product is their own image (like local newscasters and some captains of industry). Unlike Fatima, I've never confronted a whole tableful of such folks. But whenever I see those dazzling, over-whitened teeth, I find it hard not to stare.
 

NovelaMaven, amiga mia! I have tears in my eyes right now from the wonderful comments from you and my amiga JudyB!! You have both made my day!

Yes, this wonderful family has made me feel so comfortable in my learning and practice of Spanish.

I got a HUGE chuckle last night seeing Sebastian Rulli give that Toyota Tundra a loving smile and a little pat and shake of the head! It was hilarious. I was wondering if he was thinking "holy cow, I can't believe that they are making me do this!!"

The Tundra has taken on a life of its own. I can't decide if it is a romantic idee fixe or a sinister character, but I agree that it has almost reached galan status!!

Is it my imagination or is the product placement taking on a life of its own?!

Thank you again, amiga, for another incredibly written recap!!

Fatima
 

Fatima:

I am so very glad you are here. Welcome back! We have missed you so much. I have to confess I have a real empathy for JL. I think it's cause I knew someone like him in real life. Sigh! You are always amongst friends here Fatima, I am so very, very glad you are back Amiga.
 

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Thanks for the recap, Novela Maven.

Ummmm Are we really gonna feel sorry for a chick who shot a defenseless woman because she coveted the woman's husband? She doesn't regret trying to kill Monse. It bought her down a peg. I'm still at the E.Z. table. He's crazy, but he makes his wife happy.
 

I like him because he defends his wife when people attack her. When he attacks his wife, I'll stand up.
 

Madelaine! Amiga! Thank you for your kind words. They are so appreciated.

I was thinking about you last night as my friends were getting me up to speed on the characters. I figured you would know the answer, but here are my quick impressions:

--Monica and Dim are both officers in the Mexican Navy (correct?)
--Monica is Dim's CO (yes?)
--I would say that in real life, Monica and Dim are a) displaying conduct unbecoming of an officer b) would be reprimanded in some way for having this relationship c) Monica would have lost credibility as a commander for violating the known rules d) they would both have been immediately separated and shipped off to other units and e) most importantly, if this were a war time situation, their relationship would have compromised the integrity of the mission and could have even placed it in jeopardy.

I see the relationship as "wrong" on the basis of the above (forget about the emotional and romantic reasons).

What are your thoughts? I know this is HUGE beanie time, but this is one of those frustrating little things about the TN, when they distort reality just a tad too much (like they do with the All Purpose Doctors).

Fatima
 

No i still havent fixed my notification problems.. Ay Gmail tu no tienes del perdon de dios,perdonate te ,te hase falta jesus!!
 

Fatima,

Awwww!

"The Tundra has taken on a life of its own. I can't decide if it is a romantic idee fixe or a sinister character, but I agree that it has almost reached galan status!!

heh heh

I believe it is Carlos who has been relishing the idea of The JL--Tundra--Ale romantic triangle. Will JL TAKE the Tundra just as he has TAKEN the woman and the child? Will it be the last straw for Alejandro?

Cynderella,

I have to say that there are moments when Alexis Ayala makes his character very likeable, and I agree that he is at his most charming when he comes to the defense of his wife.

Demetrios, Let's hope someone with cyber smarts offers you advice. Weird.
 

P.S. why does the truck have T.X. plates? In California, we are cautioned against taking our cars over the border. Which character is from T.X.
 

Why does the Tundra have Texas plates? Nobody knows. It's just another Televisa mystery like:

What happened to the money from the sale of the Mendoza hacienda? (see Urban's comment above)

What happened to Ben's ring?
 

Fatima:

Yes, to everything you said about this relationship with Dimi and Monica. They would be in loads of trouble in real life. They would be transferred immediately if found out. He works directly for her and is his CO. Now, if she was in charge of another unit, and he didn't work directly for her, then it would be okay, just as long as they conducted themselves accordingly. I almost keeled over when they showed Dimi and Monica kissing at work, in uniform, in a previous episode, and Refoolio caught them. So not good! If he had been mean, he could have reported them and one or both would have been transferred, but this being a big ole romance TN I just tightened my beanie : ) It is a big no, no in the military to display PDA in uniform, except for homecomings, then it's okay : )

Diana:

Thanks so much for what you said about Memorial Day. I echo your thoughts for this special day. Thank you.
 

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Hi Cynderella, how good to see you here today... but:

"Are we really gonna feel sorry for a chick who shot a defenseless woman because she coveted the woman's husband?"

Speaking for myself... in a word... Yes. Of all people, I would have thought you would understand after your declared affection for the not so honorable Gabino Mendoza during AdP. As you may recall, such a devotion can get lonely.

Welcome back, Fatima, we've missed you. You do realize that it's been over 7 years since you abandoned us don't you?

Carlos
 

Carlos,

That's different! Gabino was hot! He only killed one person and she shot him first.
 

Carlos, I can argue that what EZ is doing to Carlota is worse that what he did to Maria.

She (Maria) has always known that EZ is bad news, she was not an innocent little thing that was abused by EZ, she did the drugs, she picked that lifestyle with eyes wide open. Carlota on the other had is an innocent who has no reason to believe that her husband is a rat bastard. He has put on such a good show for her that when she finds out the truth she will be crushed.
 

The betrayal will be devastating for Carlotta, but I'm not sure that's worse than what he did to Maria.
 

Eli,

May I remind you that Carlota was warned by everyone she knew that Ezekiel is a rat bastard and yet she picked that lifestyle with eyes wide open (she chose not to see) and I might add... seems to be enjoying it very much... so she'll have fun fun fun until... she finds out the truth and of course then she will be crushed. In the meantime she has acquired a dream house and a luxurious lifestyle not to mention a doting husband who has managed to charm (even after killing at least two people, amputating poor Padre Anselo's hand... or worse, and participating in the poisoning of Maria) almost everyone on The Patio... Poor thing.

Now, allow me to invite you over here to the María table (I'll bet we can find you an empty seat) and let me buy you a cool tall drink and let's compare the virtues of Alejandro and José Luis and discuss the sheer genius that is Montserrat.

Carlos
 

NovelaMaven, another excellent recap, and you had me chuckling at the Tundra, "Powerful enough for a macho, simple enough for his hembra" and Ale "walks up to the Tundra, eyes its Texas plates approvingly, and strokes the back panel." Only thing missing was a single tear rolling down Ale's cheek, from the happiness of being reunited with his truck!

As for Maria's tale, how cruel and terrible those last seven years were, and although I felt bad for her, we can't forget that she attempted to kill Montse while still pregnant, intended to keep the real will hidden until Ale came back to her and shot Montse. Don't know what Adolfo's agenda is, but she is a danger if he puts her back on the street.At least we finally confirmed what a wretch EZ really is.

As for JL, what is with the scruffy look? NM, your line: "Though he is apparently short on razors, JL's antiperspirant is working like a charm" was spot on. But I'm appalled at his treatment of Fabiola. Not defending what she did, but as the new chief of police, manhandling and attempting to choke a woman is not the way to proceed. Perhaps he should have taken her to jail for her stunt as a warning. He continues to show the darkness that Rosario foretold when she confronted him about marrying Montse. Also, if he has started trying to wipe out Alejandro's image from the house, will the next one to go be Rosario?

Add to Televisa mystery list, the eternally absent Arguelles parents. ;-)

Maricruz
 


"The Tundra has taken on a life of its own. I can't decide if it is a romantic idee fixe or a sinister character, but I agree that it has almost reached galan status!!

To me it's more like a specter, a ghost. It shows up in Aguazul's most scenic locations, notoriously and often illegally parked down at the boardwalk.

I assume the Tundra is a late year model, such as 2013 or 2014. This means that in Aguazul they are in the year 2020 or 2021!
 

JL will be worst than Monse's worst nightmare or I haven't watch way too many novelas for the last 30 years. He has gone to the dark side and there is no going back. Monse is in trouble she and us just do not know it yet.
 

I gave up on Nadia's parents a while back. Seven years after and we hear nothing about them? Or is there any possibility that we missed a clue in the early episodes about them being dead before the story began?

Carlota will be devastated, humiliated before the rest of the community, and stony broke when the truth about EZ comes out. If the truth about Gracie is still hidden she will laugh her ass off at Carlota and maybe contribute to her public humiliation. It will be a long time before Carlota trusts her own judgement again and the admirable Admiral Robledo won't have an easy time courting her.

Carlos, I want to know how you can possibly support Maria's attempts on Monserrat's life. You also have to know that she's going to try again as soon as she knows that Alejandro is alive and in Aguazul. As far as I'm concerned, what EZ did to her was the beginning of payback for that.

JL's recent behavior is also disturbing to me. Fabiola doesn't deserve any better than how he treated her but that is conduct unbecoming a police chief. If he tries to put Rosario out of the house Monserrat is going to wonder why.


 

NovelaMaven,

In a word, SUPERB!

My favorite: pro forma schadenfraude.


I'm thinking that it would be nice to see Amelia with a kind, loving spouse, but I don't see any in existence for this lady who has suffered much and is excellent at keeping secrets.

Agree with praise of A. Garcia's acting ability.

With regard to Google, is there a way to post a comment without proving I am not a robot each time?

Thanks to all for the entertaining comments.

 

Eli, Romy, Maricruz, Oxnard Huero, and Floridia:

It's good to see you here!

Eli, I hope that when EZ is finally outed, he has a chance to say to Carlota: I may be a rat bastard in every other aspect of my life, but never doubt that my love for you was real.

If, OTOH, he says: You fool! Do you seriously think I could love someone like you? -- well, then there aren't enough anvils in the Acme Anvil Company Warehouse to take care of him.

Maricruz,

Thanks so much! And yes, I'm with you and Romy about JL. Rosario told us about his dark side, and writers rarely put in that kind of heavy foreboding unless there's a very good reason.

I'm also disturbed by the way he seems to have erased Angélica from his personal history (except when it suits him as a way to arouse the sympathy of others). Montserrat is the ONLY woman he has ever wanted, the ONLY woman he has ever loved.. What a...er...cad he is.

Oxnard Huero
See that's the problem with timeless tales used to hawk precisely dated products. (It was easier when they were selling potato chips on La Tempestad.)

Floridia:

You are incredibly kind. (I'm rather fond of "pro forma schadenfraude" myself) :D

I wish I could return the favor by solving your google problem, but I don't understand it myself. I can tell you that when I use a different browser, I have to prove I'm not a robot; but if I stay signed in on Safari, I'm okay.

Maybe Amelia will end up like Prudencia -- smart, kind, powerful, using her immense wealth for good, living in a gorgeous setting, and not dependent on any man. I can think of worse fates.
 

UA,

"I want to know how you can possibly support Maria's attempts on Monserrat's life.

I don't... never have. I was appalled when she shot Montserrat. She is very disturbed... crazy if you will. I admit I like my beautiful crazy ladies in these TNs. They are far more interesting than the cutesy airheads. I also don't like seeing women (good or bad) mistreated. By the way, she only made one attempt on Montse's life. On that other occasion she merely took a knife to a concert... perhaps with a bad intent but there was never any attempt.

"As far as I'm concerned, what EZ did to her was the beginning of payback..."

If so, then I fail to see why there's any concern with what Zeke is doing to Carlota. He's treating her well and since he only metes out punishment to those who deserve it... then what's the problem?

There's room for you here at the María table as well.

Carlos
 

Madelaine, thank you so much for confirming what I was wondering. I do not know about the military, but I'm glad I was not way off in my line of thinking. I agree that the Monica/Dim arrangement is a huge beanie moment!

Carlos, you are right! It has been 7 years and NONE OF US have aged a bit!! Gracias for your kind words. :)) I was definitely thinking of you last night during that horrible flashback with Maria, Adolfo, and EZ Basura. The man is a sociopath. He has NO soul. He willingly and deliberately tried to destroy the life of another (Maria was already doing a fine job of that on her own, sorry to say). He manipulated and used her and then threw her away like trash. That was the part that bothered me the most. Maria carries a lot of hatred towards others and she acts on that hatred, but no human being deserves to be treated like trash.

I gotta say that I was literally dumbstruck at some of the changes I saw as I came back from my 7 year absence. To wit:

--I nearly gagged when I found out that Amelia had married Pedro!! HOLY COW! My friends explained why, but even then, I was stunned.

--Fofito cleaned up nicely, but his eyes look deader than dead. His haircut looks Absolutely Fabulous on him, but his eyes are dead. I wonder what is in store for him?

--Was so happy to see the little actress that played the little girl in "Mentir Para Vivir". Looks like she has grown up a bit in this TN, but I see they are still having her lie and keep secrets. HOLY COW!

--The kid who plays Laurito is just NOT believable to me as a child that belongs to two incredibly handsome people as Alejandro and Montserrat. Why did they do this and why did they pick this kid?

--While Maria has dished out her hatred and gone through her own private hell, I am dismayed that there is NO emotional growth whatsoever. I think she is going to regress further with her Alejandro Obsession.

I will save my comments on JL/Montserrat/Alejandro for another paragraph.

Fatima


 

One more thing... in one of the early episodes,the admirable Admiral Robledo conspired with Graciela to deny due process to José Luis which led directly to the death of an innocent naval officer.

Carlos
 

Fatima,

for someone who has been away for 7 years you sure are displaying an inordinate degree of insight.

"Maria was already doing a fine job of that on her own, sorry to say."

Sadly, all too true.

Perhaps you'd care to join those of us here at the María table and help us plot her redemption? Maybe we can enjoy some seven year old Bourbon and scrounge up some seven year old potato chips.

Carlos
 

I don't know that Mexico has the same definition of "due process." At any rate, the Admiral made that up to JL when they expunged the record and made him an officer.

I've also wondered exactly how much the Admiral knows about Gracie. I'm betting he doesn't know 20% of what there is to know about her.

Does anyone know how much social responsibility an officer's wife has in the Mexican Navy? In ours Gracie would never have survived.
 

UA,

"At any rate, the Admiral made that up to JL when they expunged the record and made him an officer."

Too bad he couldn't make it up to the dead guy. Oh well... collateral damage.

Carlos

 

Carlos, amigo, you are so kind. :))

You know, for one very brief moment, I looked at Maria during the Adolfo/Maria convo and thought that she had the potential to change. Unfortunately, she hit that same "one note" broken record and I could only imagine what was in store down the road for both Montserrat and Alejandro.

What, dear Carlos, do you see that could possibly lead to redemption? There was a very brief flicker of hope,(and I mean BRIEF as in nanosecond) but it was snuffed out by the Alejandro Obsession.

Fatima
 

Oxnard Huero, I think you've got it right with that Tundra looking like a Grey Ghost. I think there was a movie that featured a frightening 18 wheeler that was chasing down an innocent driver. That Tundra takes on that quality some times!

Fina looks much more secure and sure of herself, but she still has some bumbling attributes. Do I understand correctly that she was instructed to tell Montserrat that Alejandro was alive, but chose not to do so...even in the face of this crazy marriage?

Why in the world did she do that?

Also, at the very end of last night's episode, Sendel mumbled so fast, but I was not sure if I heard him definitively say that Fabiola was Graciela's child by Benjamin or that she COULD BE that child.

I agree with all of you who feel that Pedro might just be putting two and two together here as why would he be in the know on this point? Benjamin was a sociopath. Pedro is a sociopath and probably a psychopath. Why would these two trust each other enough to share a secret like that? It doesn't make sense to me.

Fatima
 

Carlos: "By the way, she only made one attempt on Montse's life. On that other occasion she merely took a knife to a concert..."... LOL!!! Nah, if Adolfo hadn't stopped her, she most likely would have at least attempted to stab her. As Fatima put it, her obsession will only grow more. If she has any chance at redemption she first needs to recognize her obsession and get treatment.

Maybe Adolfo will check her out of rehab and into a psych ward?
Maricruz
 

Urban:

In answer to your question about Admiral's wives. The bases usually only have one Admiral. The wife is in charge of the social calendar so to speak, not only for the Admiral but for all Officer's Wives. These Admiral's wives go to Deployment Seminars for Officer's Wives and Enlisted Wives too, they are in charge of supporting military families under their jurisdiction in time of need, and if the service member dies. She entertains for visiting Dignitaries and their wives. She would be way too busy to do what Gracie has done. These women, basically, don't get much time to themselves. They are as busy as their husbands sort of like an extention of their husbands. Even if an Admiral's wife found some way to have an assignation, she'd be outted in no time. Everyone knows who she is and she wouldn't be able to get away with it.
 

Maricruz,

Adolfo didn't stop her. Montserrat went into labor and started squalling. If María had seriously wanted to stab her, she would have since once she was stabbed, Montse would have started squalling anyway. Adolfo encountered her as she was fleeing, asked her what she was doing, and took the knife.

I will admit that her continued obsession with Alejandro is a bit of a problem right now. So how much worse is her obsession with Alejandro than JL's obsession with Montserrat... and Alejandro?

Won't you join us for a drink here at the María table?

Carlos
 

Please bear with me on another point.

The Monday evening episode (that my friends had recorded, but which I did not see "live") was very, very disturbing to me.

JL gave me the creeps in that episode. For starters, why did they have him with an excessive 5 o'clock shadow at his own wedding? He looked a downright mess. The suit didn't seem to fit right. He seemed to be almost a nervous and desperate man.

...and those vocal noises he was making were driving me crazy! There was nothing attractive about him; nothing. (I know, I'm being picky on the vocal noises, but they were bothering me.)

Yes. The man has suffered. Yes. He has lost many things, but I do not see him as having love for Montserrat. She is an object to him as she once was to Alejandro, but what was really upsetting and what spoke volumes in terms of pathology was when he threw that cake and then smeared his mouth with the cake.

Holy cow. I could barely stand to watch it. It was creepy and I found JL, at that very moment, to be almost frightening.

His sometimes whiny voice has now changed to a controlling and manipulative voice. Sadly, Montserrat, instead of calling a time out on the guy, starts to apologize (I nearly lost it on that point!)!!

The way he spoke to Rosario last night was not good, either. I see this man on the brink of losing it mentally and and having the potential for doing harm to those he claims to love.

Who is going to call "police brutality" on the local police chief? Certainly not Fabiola as she seemed to be excited by the whole deal, but with JL's recent actions in the Monday and Friday episodes, I see the beginning of his end.

I just wish they had written Montserrat as a much stronger person versus the doll figure she is now.

Fatima
 

Fatima, Fina's failure to give Monse the note from Ale at the wedding has NO reasonable explanation.

The reasons given by Fina to Ale on the beach that night were not adequate to justify not letting Monse know the truth. "You no longer are married (because he's not really an Amonte), it's been 7 years..."
I think the Fina character would have told Monse and IMHO this was a failure on the writers part to think of a better way to handle the story.


 

Thanks for the invite Carlos, maybe just one drink. Unlike Pedro and EZ who are downright evil psychos, and although I don't condone any of Maria's actions, I do feel sorry for her.

In the beginning, if Ale had stuck to his "were just friends" position, perhaps she could have gone a different route, but unfortunately for all, he led her on when he kicked Montse out. Add to that whatever bad teachings or even abuse came from Uncle Juvie, and we ended up with this lost and obsessive person.

Maricruz
 

I think it was meant to set up the deception of JL in withholding the fact that Alejandro is alive until after he was married to her.
 

Emarie, I would agree with you that Fina's excuses were pretty darn weak (for not giving the note to Montserrat), but I suspect that Urban is correct as to why it was done.

I think the writers could have provided Fina with more plausible excuses. If I were Alejandro listening to the excuses, I'd probably want to slap Fina upside the head.

Fatima


 

Oh, oh...before I forget (yet again), is there any word on the Padre?

Fatima

P.S. Sometimes, these Robot Word Verifications are creepy! My word is: nfelyz Holy Cow!!
 

Fatima,

"is there any word on the Padre?"

We have heard absolutely nothing about Padre Anselmo. His absence was noted when he couldn't be found to testify about Ben's will. Since then, nada!

"Also, at the very end of last night's episode, Sendel mumbled so fast, but I was not sure if I heard him definitively say that Fabiola was Graciela's child by Benjamin or that she COULD BE that child."

He said she COULD BE. He said pretty much what I wrote in the recap.

"Fina looks much more secure and sure of herself, but she still has some bumbling attributes. Do I understand correctly that she was instructed to tell Montserrat that Alejandro was alive, but chose not to do so...even in the face of this crazy marriage?

Why in the world did she do that?"


Fina was given Alejandro's note for Montserrat AFTER she had already married JL. She decided not to give it to Montserrat because she was afraid it would provoke a tragedy and Alejandro would end up dead or in prison.

It is harder to understand why she didn't tell Montserrat that Alejandro was still alive BEFORE the wedding.

Fina was in a tough spot at that time. When she left Buenos Aires, Alejandro was still in a coma and Victor and Nadia believed that Montserrat was dead. She was in Aguazul to persuade Rosario to bring Laurito to Buenos Aires.

When she got to Aguazul, she left her cellphone on a table at the Mendoza-Basurto house. Graciela pocketed it, intercepted a call from Nadia, and then pretended to have been in communication with Nadia all along.

Without her cellphone, Fina was cut off from Nadia. By the time it occurred to her to insist that Graciela put her in touch with Nadia, Pedro had already taken Nadia and Victoria back to Aguazul and Fina had learned that Montserrat was alive.

Graciela and Pedro set up a call in which Nadia was forced to tell Fina not to say anything to Montserrat. And then Graciela worked on Fina too, telling her not to deny Montse a chance at happiness since Alejandro's situation was hopeless.

Fina didn't seem happy about lying to Montse. She insisted Montserrat had the right to the truth. But then -- sigh -- she gave in and kept silent. But that was BEFORE the wedding and when she thought Alejandro was unlikely to awaken from the coma.

Clear as mud, right? :D
 

Dear NovelaMaven, HUGE thank you for clearing these things up for me re Fina. My friends were explaining it during commercial breaks last night, but it wasn't making sense. Now, I see why it wasn't making sense! How goofy, though, that it took Fina so long to figure out who had her phone!

Re Pedro telling Graciela about Fabiola possibly being her child. DUH! You are right. There it was in your recap clear as day. My apologies, amiga. My brain, for whatever reason, was remembering Pedro's mumbling, but you sure heard what he said clearly. Thank heaven for that!

I'm very sorry that we have had no word on the Padre. I'm just really sorry about this. :(

Fatima
 

¡De nada, Fatima!

Tiny clarification: Fina never did realize that Graciela had taken her phone. She only remembered that Graciela claimed to know Nadia's number so she came looking for it.

And yes, we are all sick about the padre. It's hard to be hopeful after seven years (though I haven't given up on him!)
 

NovelaMaven,
Thanks for writing this most excellent recap. An awesome read, and so many quotable lines.

Fatima, welcome back. I hope you are here to stay. I miss reading your comments.

What stuck out the most to me in this epi was how emotionally charged Montse was when she thought she saw Ale. I can't wait to see her when she reunites with him for real. No spoiler here, we all know and are anxiously waiting for that reunion. I just wonder if Montse will get jealous when she finds out that Ale reunited with his Tundra before reuniting with her.

I am loathing JL more with each capitulo. I didn't like the way he talked to Rosario. I don't think Montse will be happy about taking down all of Ale's photos. She has said time and time again that she wants Laurito to always remember his father. JL is only making it obvious that he is jealous of a "dead" man.

After hearing BM's tragic story I came to the conclusion that I no longer like EZ. But I still don't like BM. And I will probably begin to wish a painful anvil on her once she starts causing problems again. You want to feel sorry for BM, but it's hard to forget all the evil things she has done. I went back and watched some old episodes to refresh my memory. Here's a list:
-She ok'd her tio Juvie to "get rid" of Montse
-She denied helping Montse escape
-She treated Dominga, Rosario and all the hacienda workers like crap.
-She constantly whined to Ale about Montse
-She stole Montse's undies thinking she could seduce Ale. Then planted those undies in the capataz's house to make Montse look even more guilty.
-She got into the shower with Ale, pretending to be Montse, then made it seem as though she was Ale's amante.
-Somewhere along the way, she broke Adolfo's heart.
-She almost attacked a pregnant Montse with a knife.
-She knocked out Carlota.
-She kidnapped baby Lauro.
-She tried to guilt Ale into letting her live with him and Montse.
-She helped Adolfo steal money from Ale, then totally denied it.
-She put on Montse's nighty trying to seduce Ale.
-She was a bad dancer at La Escondida.
-She stole the letter from Padre A that would have cleared Ale.
-She made the Padre think that Adolfo was attacking her in the hospital.
-She shot Montse, with the intent to kill.
-She joined forces with Pedo and agreed to testify against Ale.
-She was getting a paycheck while living at the hacienda, but refused to do any work.
-She would irritate me when she would tell Ale that she didn't have anyone and expect him to take care of her. Get a job and take care of yourself! Montse did. After Ale's "death", Montse moved away from her mother and started her own business.

I know there are more things for the list. Feel free to add more.

off to bed...hasta pronto!


 

Thanks for a wonderful recap. Loved your lines about the Tundra "Look at how easy it is to park-- even a girl in high heels can back it smoothly to the curb." Makes me want to see the that product placement movie "Pom Wonderful presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold." Has anyone seen it?

I also loved the line about Maria's face lighting "up like a menorah on the last night of Hanukkah."AND your description of Lottie as "zaftig"-- a vastly underused word in my opinion.

It was so fun to find out the character's real life ages. I agree with all who are amazed at how well the actress playing Nadia is performing-- especially at just 22!

I cannot understand Adolfo-- although I definitely think he will end up on the right side of things despite his descent into darkness. Does he have feelings for Josefina or Maria? If Maria, why on earth would he have told her about the return of Nadia and the possible return of Alejandro?! He should have left her in that place for the full program like he said he would in the first place!

I wish Carlotta could be wooed by the Admiral before she finds out what a dirt bag she married. Wish she could already be wanting out before his anvil comes, but I'm afraid he would go super Peddy on her if she ever wanted out. Plus, I guess he owns the Mendoza house now, not her...

JL is doomed. Between Laurito,and Rosy, and now worst of all for him Fabi, por supuesto this secret is going to come out and Montse is going to know that HE knew early on!

NM, Maria was dubbed "la antagonica?" where does that leave Graciella?

Finally regarding how Peddy knew about Fabi, don't forget he also was in the room when Dim got "his" DNA test back showing that while the hair tested was from an Almonte, it couldn't have been HIS hair because the hair was a "HER" hair. That didn't hurt in Peddy doing the math.

Gotta run. Looking forward to tomorrow night.


 

AuntyAnn, brava!

There is one slight error which is that the underwear found in Juventino's stuff was stolen by him. There was an episode where he got into her room and stole something and we all questioned why there are no locks on any doors.

However, add that she lied to JL that Pedro was trying to kill Monserrat which caused him to commit the crime of bribery in order to get himself out of the prison. Had anything happened to him Refugio would have been stuck in the slammer and Monserrat would actually have died.

I'm not sure where Adolfo sits on any future harm coming to Monserrat and Alejandro, but he should give a damn. Dimitrio was once his best friend and he loves his sister (I never thought he would) who was also Nadia's best friend. Letting Maria out is a big mistake although I'm not sure how much difference another week or so would make considering her dangerous obsession.
 

One other thing-- I do love that they are starting to go back and fill us in on the happenings during the seven years!
 

Rebecca, you're right about the DNA test. Pedro may have made the logical leap that Benjamin would have left his dinero to a blood relative. I'm not sure how well he actually knew him but he would certainly have known his rep. He may also have known that Anastasia was unable to have her own children. Intra-family adoption is probably fairly common in Mexico, so the equation works.
 

A warm welcome back Fatima!

NovelaMaven, every comment you make is consistently insightful, precise and thought provoking: "hope that when EZ is finally outed, he has a chance to say to Carlota: I may be a rat bastard in every other aspect of my life, but never doubt that my love for you was real". Excellent.

What wonderful comments.

Carlos, I have been laughing this morning at all of your posts. Immense fun. While I cannot join you at Maria's table, please accept a libation of your choice. On me...

My "dark horse" favorites - JL and EZ have pierced my heart and saddened me immeasurably. Adolfo is my remaining favorite mistake. I am hovering between sitting at his table yet preparing to make a hasty retreat as this volatile character continues to intrigue. Can a ruthles murderer who cries tears for his sister and niece be saved? We shall see.

Diana
 

Sorry to beat this one to death, but, to the culture that these TNs are primarily written for, the fact that JL and Monse's Church wedding ceremony had already been performed was a weak reason for Fina not to give the note, considering it wasn't yet consummated.
That is a big deal to this audience. Stopping the honeymoon would have been as good as stopping the wedding.
No importa, as you have all said, this was a needed plot twist for the writer's intent. I'm just complaining a little. I just like it when the writers stay true to the characters THEY have created.
And, I hope along with everyone else the Padre is alive. I have to say the writers are keeping it interesting!!
 

Good morning Auntie Ann,

I always look forward to and enjoy your wise and often amusing observations. Thanks for your comprehensive list of María's various crimes, misdemeanors, and lapses. Perhaps sometime you may want to compile a similar list for some of our other characters... I think that would be interesting and enlightening.

As it turns out, I'm quite aware of María's numerous flaws and shortcomings and have acknowledged them frequently. My concern yesterday was this assertion by UA:

"As much as I hate Maria, what he did to her was despicable and what he's doing to Carlota is worse."

I certainly agreed with the first part of that statement but ask:

Is it really worse to be wooed, pampered, indulged, lavished with gifts and treated like a veritable queen than to be sought out and offered help, then seduced into drug addiction and turned into a sex slave, finally to be tossed aside literally like a used tissue?

I think if offered the choice, I'd probably choose door number one.

Carlota may have been dazzled and bamboozled but she was forewarned and I suspect that deep down she is aware of what Zeke is and is enjoying a pretty good run (over 7 years so far) until the other shoe inevitably drops.

I simply don't see how there is any comparison in the treatment of the two.

Then she doubled down by saying:

"As far as I'm concerned, what EZ did to her was the beginning of payback for that."

Sooo, Maria deserved what Ezekiel has done to her?

I submit that no one, no matter how naughty she's been, deserves that.

Of course... opinions vary.

Carlos
 

I pretty much hope The Padre is alive but considering what he did to BM,i doubt it.But on the other side of the coin,Padre is a powerful TOOL for EZ to use.He is the only living witness who probably knew some of the dirty stuff that was going with Juvie,Gracie,Peddy and Benny.And the Padre is pretty much the only trustworthy person who can save Ale now,Victor,Amelia are useless and JL pretty much wont help Ale at the moment. And with EZ having the testamento now,Maria is useless too. But if EZ has the testamento original,why does he not use it against Peddy? if EZ uses the testamento,all of our dear villians would go to jail.Also Addie as well because of his involment in the death of the Padre and the two/maybe more ruthless murders he did as El Alacran during the 7 year gap of time.
 

Good morning Diana,

"Carlos, I have been laughing this morning at all of your posts."

Then I've succeeded. Thanks for the drink...

Carlos
 

Dear Diana and Aunty Ann,
Thank you so much for the lovely welcome back to our TN "Home". It helps sometimes, to totally walk away from something and then return with a fresh perspective.

I still have so much catching up to do, but some things never seem to change in our little back water BlueWater town.

I've been thinking of the jealousy that seems to engulf both Alejandro and Jose Luis. It feels to me that sometimes this jealousy is painted by the writers in a positive light. That concept is hard for me to grasp as I have found jealousy (disguised as "Love") to be a smothering, strangling, and above all, CONTROLLING feeling.

I had to look up a quote from a famous French writer (1600s) that I studied in a French literature class. I could only vaguely remember it, but I think it applies to JL and Alejandro.

Here 'tis: "Jealousy contains more of self ove than of love:
Francois de la Rochefoucauld

One of these days, I hope Montserrat puts her dainty little foot down (minus those ridiculous tacones!) and tells these men to grow up.

Fatima
 

OY! I butchered my own quote after digging up my old text book!

Otra vez:

"Jealousy contains more of self love than of love"

Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Fatima
 

Fatima, I fully agree with you when you said: "for one very brief moment, I looked at Maria during the Adolfo/Maria convo and thought that she had the potential to change. Unfortunately, she hit that same "one note" broken record". When she was telling her story to Adolfo, I felt sorry for all she had been through, and thought this horrible experience just might bring her back to feel bad for the pain she has inflicted on others. But she remains the same. Oh,BTW, welcome back :-)

AuntyAnn, last night I was only remembering Maria's major offenses, but your list was very detailed and helped refresh all the damage she has done. She needs to be in a mental institution so she can't bring anymore harm to others. Oh, and since my mind is now refreshed, you can add to your list the time Pedro beat her up and she blamed it on JL when Montse arrived.

As for the Padre, one can only hope, but after seeing the flashback with EZ and Maria, and remembering how he let Pedro loose on Esme, shot the narco in cold blood, and also shot at Ale's plane, I fear that the good Father did meet his maker. Hope I'm wrong.

Maricruz
 

Carlos,
I understand your point that noone deserves the treatment that EZ gave to BM. I have to admit that when BM was retelling her story to Fofito, I was like "wow, EZ did those things to you?" BM had my sympathy for millasecond. Even though I don't share your feelings about BM, I don't think that EZ's actions toward Carlota are worse. He has treated Carlota well. That is why we have thought that EZ might truly feel something for Carlota. Of course this could also mean that EZ is worse than Peddy.

Yes, what EZ did to BM was horrible, and what he's doing to his wife is horrible. I just think that the viewers are more accepting of BM's ill fate because she did do many bad things and they see this as part if her anvil. The viewers find it harder to accept EZ deceiving Carlota because she's not evil and therefore doesn't deserve an anvil.

Maybe UA feels this way because BM knew what EZ was doing, while this whole time Carlota has been in the dark (evsn though people warned her).

Good discussion Carlos.

Got to go...hasta pronto!
 

Maricruz
Thanks, I had forgotten about that lie BM told Montse.

Before I forget again.
Thank You to all the women and men of our armed forces. Happy Memorial Day!
 

Thinking further upon EZ Basura, I'd like to bring up NovelaMaven's excellent observations from yesterday in which she said:

"I hope that when EZ is finally outed, he has a chance to say to Carlota: I may be a rat bastard in every other aspect of my life, but never doubt that my love for you was real.

If, OTOH, he says: You fool! Do you seriously think I could love someone like you? -- well, then there aren't enough anvils in the Acme Anvil Company Warehouse to take care of him."


I fear that he is going to choose Door B because he is a sociopath and he is incapable of any feeling. He can smile while he is perpetrating an evil action.

I believe he has smiled and lied to Carlota from the beginning. He has read her like a book and knows her one true weakness and used it to his advantage.

Carlota seems to have never dealt with the real world. I have met one man like EZ in real life. He was a charmer, but you know me and my own one true weakness and on the second meeting I literally felt every inch of his sociopathic self in my gut. I had nausea and I had to leave.

My friends would not believe me ("There you go again!"), but in time, they came to see that I was right.

It is going to take some massive hurtful incident for Carlota to open her eyes. Frankly, I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

I also think that EZ is more dangerous than Pedro. Pedro doesn't have the guts to do his dirty deeds. EZ has absolutely NO qualms about doing his. They are both abusers. Pedro is the emotional abuser. EZ is both, I think. He would frighten me the most (in real life).

Fatima
P.S. Maricruz! Thank you so much! :)
 

The one person who remains somewhat of an enigma to me is Jose Luis. I love analyzing the psychological aspects of characters. I can't seem to help it (well, I could if I tried, but you know...). Henry James is one of my fave authors, so I suppose I am just drawn to these little exercises.

From the very beginning, JL was (to me) an odd duck. I don't know if the writers knew the arc of his story when they started this. Obviously, they had to have known some of it based upon the original story after which this particular TN is fashioned, but I still can't quite put my finger on JL.

I will have to ponder this.

Now, to go wash the car and listen to some 'tunes!!

I am going to pretend that we will all meet on The Patio today at an appointed time. We will have drinks made by Dr. Carlos and the rest of us will bring some wonderful dish. We will laze and daze about in the sun and toast to our friendship!

Salud!!

Fatima
 

Wow. You guys have been thinking hard today.

First off, thanks to AuntyAnn and Rebecca for the kind words!

AuntyAnn, that's quite a list you put together. And apparently people are still adding to it. Our María really has behaved badly, hasn't she? Every tear she sheds is for herself. Even when she grieves Alejandro's death, she is really grieving for herself. Or as Maricruz put it: she hit that same "one note" broken record".

I would add that the note is POOR ME!

So to answer Carlos's challenge -- I would say the only character whose behavior is above reproach is the Toyota Tundra. [well, except maybe for some dubious choice of parking spots, as OH has pointed out.)

Rebecca,

"Maria was dubbed "la antagonica?" where does that leave Graciella?"

Good question. Clearly, Graciela is a villain through and through. But the credits give Grettel/María "Antagónica" status -- maybe for the purpose of award categories?

"I cannot understand Adolfo-- although I definitely think he will end up on the right side of things despite his descent into darkness."

Hmm. I don't know. I can only see Adolfo ending up on the right side of things with a heroic death, maybe rescuing Nadia and/or Victoria from evil Pedro. I was left with the impression that he has killed a lot of people in those seven years up north.

Oh Emarie, you are so right. No matter how you look at it, Josefina's reasons for not speaking up -- both before the wedding ceremony and afterwards -- don't really hold up to scrutiny. As Urban says, it propelled the plot forward (even if it forced Josefina to act somewhat out of character). And I suppose the writers wanted us to see how joyless Montserrat looked on her wedding night and then make the mental comparison to the last time she was with Alejandro, or to JL's wedding night with Angélica.

Diana, you know it's a mutual admiration society, right? :)

Fatima,
Wonderful quote from La Rochefoucauld. Thank you! I'm sure JudyB will enjoy it too.

We go round and round about the jealousy thing here, don't we? In the world of this story (and in most Mexican novelas), we know that jealousy is a sign of love and passion. The tricky thing is knowing when jealousy goes beyond healthy passion and turns into a pathological possessiveness.

I don't know, maybe we should warm up for the novela and get ourselves out of our gringo mindset by listening to tango music for 15 minutes before the show... :D
 

NM, thanks but I was quoting Fatima
Maricruz ;-)
 

Thanks for the clarification, Maricruz. (We're all so scrupulous around here, so careful not to take credit for someone else's thoughts. Wouldn't it be great if real life were like this?)
:)
 

Fatima,

"I also think that EZ is more dangerous than Pedro. Pedro doesn't have the guts to do his dirty deeds."

May I remind you that it was Pedro who (quite literally) beat the snot out of Esmeralda and even more recently back in Argentina as described by Julia Rold:

"Pedro gives Nadia a big golpe in the face, and she falls down, unconscious."

And if it matters to anyone... as Maricruz alluded to above... he beat María to a pulp.

Pedro doesn't seem to mind getting his hands bloody if it involves knocking a woman around.

I also can't see that someone who orders killing is any less dangerous than the one who actually pulls the trigger.

As for jealousy, may I add to that Frenchy's musing that it also involves a large measure of self-doubt.

Carlos
 

Carlos, didn't Pedro kill the doctor who made him a soprano?
 

Since we are celebrating and remembering our military heroes who have passed on, please allow me to mention:

My dad who spent the first two formative years of my life cruising about the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Coast of Europe with the US Navy on a tiny little boat called an LCI.

My beloved Uncle Junior, who received a Purple Heart for an injury he sustained in the first 30 minutes he spent on a sunny beach of Okinawa. What a pleasant memory I have of the Christmas my Aunt Dorothy presented him with a quilted saddle to give him a little bit more comfort when he chased after cows daily.

My good friend from high school Eddie Jablonski who was killed fighting in Viet Nam. He was the best tuba player I've ever heard and he had the simple dream of having his own polka band.

And finally, all the men and women who have served our country so that you and I have the freedom to quarrel here about these silly TNs.

Carlos
 

Amen, Carlos. Beautifully expressed.
 

Happy Memorial Day, everyone. After a long week of summer classes and tutoring, I have been enjoying the patio all say starting with breakfast..moving on to a family picnic,and now I am waiting for my family to bring home sundaes from the ice cream shop up the street.

Thank you, novela Maven, for that excellent as always recap. I also appreciated the age scorecard. Some were younger than I had thought and others older. Amelia has to stop letting Gracie invade her home and tranquility. If someone gave me a forehead thump as I sat on my own sofa, that would be the last time that person entered my home. Gracie is a miserable human being. Her only joy seems to be spreading her toxic waste onto anyone she comes in contact with.

I am hoping that when Carlotta finds out what EZ has done , she gives him one of her signature bear hugs except much tighter and longer than normal. Then, she gives him that spin and ...releases him off the balcony. I feel so sorry for her because he has evidently been acting like a devoted husband all these years. It is amazing how long people can mask their true selves.

Maria ...yikes. As if she wasn't BSC already. Now, Ez, drugs, and prostitution have really taken a toll on her sanity. She is a very damaged human being. ..beyond redemption, I predict.


 

Carlos...That was an excellent message to observe this holiday.

I had uncles who served in the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines. Uncle Art , the Marine, saw the worst action. He, too, was in Okinawa. My mother always said that he never talked about the war and that he came back quite shattered. However, his big family embraced him, and he went on to have a lovely wife, two daughters, a good job, and a nice home. He is 90 now and living in Florida. Uncle Andy was in the Navy . He also never talked about his experiences, but he has gone to some reunions recently and has started telling family some stories from the war. Hub enlisted in the Navy to avoid being drafted. As luck would have it , he stayed in the states at an Air Force base when so many of the guys we graduated with went to Vietnam. The luck of the draw, I guess. I add my thanks to all those who served.
 

Carlos, re Pedro and his dirty deeds. I stand corrected and thanks for clearing that up.

However, EZ is, to me, the more frightening of the two.

Fatima
 

That was a beautiful remembrance Carlos and Susanlynn.

Amen.

Fatima
 

QUESTION:

When Dim was getting the results of the DNA test (when Graciela was trying to pawn him off as an Almonte)and Pedro was in the room hearing those results, did Dim return to Graciela and tell her that the DNA result was that of a female child?

I can't remember and I wonder if the avances are making us think that some big bomb is going to drop on Graciela's lap when she has known this all along.

The question occurred to me as I was washing the car. Now on to step II, the wax job.

Fatima
 

A big salute to all service men and women, past and present.

I also believe that EZ is worse than Pedro. Smarter, too. They both married the "right" women solely for the sake of their career. And who knows why, but both women were in love at the time of their marriage. Pedro, however, chose to act a total scumbag the minute the (sexless) honeymoon was over, guaranteeing that his young wife would eventually grow to hate him and look to someone else. EZ, on the other hand, has been nothing but loving to Carlota and will continue to be that way as long as necessary.
Naima
 

Dim did later demand an explanation and her response was that she didn't realize that the results would disclose that the hair was from a female.

Gracie thought she handed a dead baby to Macario to bury. She is now about to think about whether Fabiolush was that baby.
 

WELCOME BACK, FATIMA!!! We really missed you. I wondered if you had been watching during the time jump. Very interesting stuff.
 

All the key players seem to be in place. Could this be the turning point in the TN?
 

Urban, thanks for jogging my memory. Graciela is smart. I am sure she will very adroitly deflect Pedro's comment, but the wheels will be turning rapidly in her brain. I wonder what she will do next?

Nanette!!Thank you so much for that warm welcome back!! I missed our group so much, but the story was a tad more than I could bear. It took that wonderful family that lets me practice my Spanish with them to bring me back. I left the story totally and did not see it nor did I read the recaps.

When I saw this on Friday, some of it was eye opening to say the least! What does your friend Flaco say about things? What is new in your work as a film historian? Thank you SO much, amiga for your kind words. As you can see, I have been talking non-stop, but I think I am better able to see this story from the perspective of the Mexican audience (thanks to the guidance of my friends here locally).

Fatima :)
 

Susanlynn, Naima and Nanette,

Thanks so much for stopping by to comment.

Susanlynn, I appreciate the kind words. I am delighted by the imaginative end you have devised for EZ. Maybe the writers will take you up on it. :)

Naima, for me, Pedro and EZ are equally monstrous. EZ has some social skills and can pass as a normal, in certain contexts. Pedro seems to be crazy ALL THE TIME. (What does that say about politics that he managed to get himself elected state governor?)

Nanette, good question. "Could this be the turning point?" Maybe, but the path to resolution will have many twists and turns because we still have about 50 episodes to burn through.
 

Why has no one even mentioned the obvious stork in the room this weekend? To me it seems highly probable that for the last two weeks the newlyweds have been going at it like little bunny rabbits. How will a likely JL sponsored pregnancy factor in with all the other intrigue? Is there enough chocolate in Agua Azul to sustain two pregnant ladies?

Carlos


 

Carlos, you said:

"Why has no one even mentioned the obvious stork in the room this weekend? "

...because I, personally, did not even want to think about it. It's just another wrench in the works and there are too many wrenches as it is. JL is really bugging me. His voice; the way he speaks to Rosario, these strange little vocal noises he seems to make all the time, and then we have to see him get excited about a pregnancy?!

Por Dios! I am not ready for it!

Fatima
 

Hi, Fatima. We missed you ! I hope that you stick around to watch the action unfold.

It appears that everyone thinks that there might be another bun in the Barbie EasyBake oven. That could be a very interesting test of Ale's devotion to Cookie. (I wanted to use Cupcake,but that nickname was already used for Ana Brenda in another novela.

By the way, I just saw a promo for La Gata , and it seems to be similar to CI...Daniel A. falls in love with a beautiful though dirtyfaced girl and makes his family unhappy. Wow..Isnt it a little soon to recycle this same storyline ?
 

Fatima...I agree that JL has gotten pretty smarmy lately His mannerisms are starting to remind me of Diego , the villain in Alborada played by the same actor.. He will do whatever he has to do to keep his prize. Mony, Mony whose got the Mony ?

I am watching the Bailando show on Uni. Is anyone else watching ?
 

Susanlynn, thank you so much for your kind words!! I'm going to try to make it to the end of this marathon. :)

"BarbieEasyBakeOven"!! PERFECTO!!

I wish I could see "Bailando", but only catch the TN, etc on Hulu Plus. Maybe they are running it the next day. They have "Sal y Pimienta", but there seems to be no clear date as to when it has been shown. The guy named "Rodner" always has interesting comments.

JL just seems to have turned a very bad corner. Being away from the story made it very startling.

I can't imagine they are doing another CI recyling job and so soon.

Fatima
 

UA & Maricruz

Thanks for your additions to the BM list. When I remembered Juvie with Montse's underwear it grossed me out.
 

NovelaMaven - Thanks for the fab recap. My favorite: they snarl and circle and show their excellent teeth

It must be Ale's smile -- I don't think there's been a genuinely happy smile in the TN for awhile -- but I'm no longer angry at Ale for playing hide and seek. You could see Ale wanted to break into a happy dance when Monse chased his image. I think Ale had to see with his own eyes that Monse is still pining away for him despite marrying JL.

I loved Fab and Rosario sticking it to JL. I like that Fab is so ballsy that she continues torturing JL with the ugly truth (to him) even though he's choking her. Tough broad. I like it.

Along with Ale's photos, JL should remove all the mirrors too so he can't see what a louse he has become. But I still haven't given up on him. At least he's too ashamed/embarrassed(?) to tell his BFF the truth. When Refugio asked JL what's going on, JL said he would not burden him (by telling him the truth about Ale).

ITA that the Tundra has become a character all his own. It would be hilarious if JL tried to drive him and he refused to start up. But I guess the Toyota folks couldn't have that.
 

Has Gaciela ever thumped Pedro in the head? I'd like to see her do this and his reaction.
 

ot yet, but I think we'll see that eventually. And it will be amusing.
 

Hmmm....I think that if Gracie gives Ped a thump , it will be the last thump that she ever thumps.
 

Oh Niecie, I love your whole comment, but especially these lines:

"JL should remove all the mirrors too so he can't see what a louse he has become."

And this speculation about the possible conflict between dramatic demands and commercial considerations:

"It would be hilarious if JL tried to drive [the Tundra] and he refused to start up. But I guess the Toyota folks couldn't have that."

Plus your description of Fabiola as "ballsy" and "tough broad." So on the money!

Gobluefan, Somebody needs to thump Pedro in the head. Graciela may as well be the one to get things rolling, though as Susanlynn says, it may be the last thump she ever thumps.

Carlos
We are all tiptoeing around the stork in the room, hmm. I predict that in the end, Alejandro will show his nobleza by...no, I won't. That's no fun. I refuse to think about it until Montserrat either (a)faints, (b)pukes, (c)doesn't feel well but it's nothing or, unlikeliest of all, (d)misses a period and does a pregancy test.
 

I really hate the idea of Monserrat getting pregnant again, especially as she doesn't love JL as she loves Alejandro. Gracie can't have everything her way anymore.
 

Poor María. When Adolfo showed up with roses she lamented that no one has given her flowers before. She (or perhaps the writers?) must have forgotten that when she broke her ankle Victor showed up with a bouquet of roses and she more or less rejected them and asked about Alejandro instead. I wonder if all those drugs have taken even more of a toll than it appears?

Although I hate to encourage the effort to compile a list of her misdeeds, in a very early episode didn't she intercept a letter meant for Alejandro and burn it? I don't even recall what the letter was about or who it was from.

Carlos
 

I usually don't comment here because this telenovela would make me rant for days but sometimes I read the recaps wich I find highly entertaining. So thank you Novela Maven and the rest of the recapping team and sorry for staying in the shadows lurking.

I just thought to come here because I was travelling this weekend and in one of the towns next to the highway I saw this blue house with white letters that said:

Mueblería "Montserrat"
(No revendemos)

It made me chuckle and think of this telenovela. I wish I had my cellphone in my hands at that moment.

Jarocha
 

Carlos, you're right. Victor did give her flowers and she threw them on the ground in front of him. He dodged a bullet there.

The letter she burned was from Monserrat. It was one she had given Victor for him, but he left it in the study.
 

Carlos,

Yes you are correct about the letter. It was a letter that Rosario encouraged Montse to write to let Ale know her side of the story, regarding JL being at the hacienda. Montse wrote the letter and Rosario went to the beach house to deliver it to Ale, but he was not there. She gave it to Vic to personally hand to Ale. When Vic arrived at the hacienda, Ale and BM had already left and Vic left it in the office. Ale never received the letter and was gone for months. When they finally did come back, the letter was still waiting for him on his desk, but BM got to it first and burned it. To this day, Ale has never known about the letter.
 

Jarocha

It was a pleasure finding your comment here. Thanks for the chuckle.

And seriously, who ever said this was a "No Ranting" zone? That's pretty much all we do on The Patio these days. We'd welcome your particular slant on what is rant-worthy!

:D
 

UA
Sorry, I didn't see your post about the letter until after I had posted mine. I didn't mean to repeat.
 

No prob. I was trying to remember the contents.
 

Carlos, if you are gonna defend someone less than likeable, you don't add to the list of what makes them not likeable. People will take advantage of your observation and use it as a weapon against you and Maria. Don't point out the flaws. Stand strong, my friend. I hate Maria, but I admire your passion and loyalty to your table.
 

"is there any word on the Padre?"

"We have heard absolutely nothing about Padre Anselmo. His absence was noted when he couldn't be found to testify about Ben's will. Since then, nada!"

Padre Anselmo's spirit occupies the Tundra, guiding it all of those beautiful promotional locations in Aguazul.

He keeps it away from evildoers; it's only the Almonte family who can enjoy it. (Or else it turns into the vehicle in Steven King's Christine).

When Alejandro finally climbs into that spacious cabin once again, admires the richly-leathered upholstery and turns the key and beings the engine to life, so then will the Padre return among the living.
 

Simply brilliant, Oxnard Huero!

Writers, are you paying attention?
 

Tonight's is done. Fully cooked and seasoned. It's a bit long but I hope you enjoy it.
 

So...which do you suppose Ale is going to try to turn on first...Cookie (Monyh or the Tunda ?
 





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