Caray, Caray!

Diego wants to go in to see Natalia, but Alberto tells him to back off…as lawyer, Alberto's the one she needs right now.  Plus, Nat's pissed at him, sooo….

Vicente accuses Irene of going "against" the family because of her anger.  Irene says it's not about taking sides, it's about justice.  Plus, he can't be changing his mind every five minutes about whether Irene is "a Cacares" or not.  Vicente tells Irene that he made Natalia an offer.

Natalia doesn't want to take Vicente's offer, which she tells Alberto about.  He can tell they planned this out.  Now that Nat knows that Rodrigo is locked up, she's really not going to take it back.

Vicente spins his deal as good for everyone, but Irene is horrified.  "You know I'm capable of anything for my family!"  Yeah, dude, she knows.  You did it to her, too.  Irene bursts his bubble--Diego already knows how Rodrigo ended up in a coma.  Vicente threatens to disinherit Diego, because he missed the memo that the only one of his kids or grandkids that threat will work on is Rodrigo.

Alberto says there's practically no way to prove that Rod attacked Natalia.  He never carried out the rape and she never reported it.  If she gets Andres to show up and testify, he'll be arrested, too.  She can't get out on bail.  And since Rodrigo turned himself in and is trying to claim he's crazy…that's not helping either.  And Irma has disappeared.  Alberto actually advises Natalia to take Vicente's deal.



Dr. Robledo says hell yes, Rodrigo's nuts!  Rod thinks he's being smart and hiding the truth, but Robledo can see that he's a sociopath.  He tells Alonso to go for it…accept Rodrigo's claim of mental illness and get him institutionalized.  It will be much easier to keep an eye on him that way.

Carmen is worried about Natalia and is ignoring Diego and his sad face in favor of checking with Eleazar and anyone else she can about how to get Natalia out.  Um…no…she's busy complaining about Diego being there.  And she turns on Eleazar for defending him.  Alberto tells the assembled worriers that they can't get Natalia out on bail and the only way to get her out is accept Vicente's deal.  Diego's willing to agree to the deal and drop the charges, if it means getting Natalia out of jail.  As for the added stipulation that Natalia stay away from "The Cacares" that is the smartest thing Carmen thinks the old goat has ever said!  "It's the best thing that could happen to the Garcia Pabuenas!"  Diego will agree, but Alberto says that Natalia won't.  Diego wants to talk to her and everyone has to talk Carmen into it.

Diego begs Natalia to look him in the eyes before asking her to take the deal so she can get the hell out.  Natalia holds his hand and asks how the hell they ended up here.  Diego apologizes for not telling her about Rodrigo.  He tells her that yes, he does know about all of the conditions.

Carmen calls Padre Juancho and fills him in.  Padre Juancho doesn't think it's realistic to expect Diego and Natalia to stay away from each other.  He asks her to keep him updated, then mumbles about not telling what he knows. Lupita picks up on it, but he says it's nothing.  He suggests dinner, but Lupita would rather hear what Carmen had to say.  Natalia's not out and PJ suggests praying.

Natalia doesn't like the idea that taking the deal means that Diego has to abandon his chance at making his brother pay.  He's willing to give up on that if it means Natalia will go free…because he's so noble.  Blah, blah, blah, tears, this deal is so unfair…what about you?...no, what about you?

Brigitte goes to Karina and asks for a loan.  She denies having a lover and says she's Rodrigo's girlfriend.  And he's not in a coma.  And she never slept with Diego.

Natalia will agree to the deal, but she'll never love anyone but Diego.  So, there.  Diego apologizes for being an ass and for the part of this that was his fault. Natalia would like him to shut up, already.  Ditto the recapper.  She tells him to send Alberto in.

Karina is lapping up the juicy gossip about Rodrigo and Diego.  Karina doesn't have money to lend Brigitte.  And if she did have it, she wouldn't lend it.  "What kind of friend are you?!"  Brigitte complains.  "One like you," replies Karina.

Diego tells the assembled worriers that Natalia will accept the deal and wants to see Alberto.  Alberto gives Eleazar a bro nod and Eleazar goes to talk to Diego.  Abdul and Paolo have sympathy for Diego, even if Carmen does not.

Gino takes some selfies for Cunchetina and we hear that her pictures didn't include her face.  Mara surprises Gino while he's ogling Cunchetina's pictures with his computer screen facing the door and makes a hasty exit while Gino curses himself.

Eleazar consoles Diego.  And reminds him that this deal is BS and they only have to play along for now.  Seriously, how is Grumps going to enforce them staying away from each other?  You can't drop charges and then re-file them…I don't think.  Anyway, Diego says Natalia already wants nothing to do with him, so it's not like her staying away from him really has anything to do with the deal.  He leaves to go home, after assuring Eleazar that he's not planning on doing anything "stupid" today, just going back to Alonso's place.  Eleazar gets a call from Irene because she heard about the deal. She's pissed that Nat's going to take the deal.

Alberto congratulates Natalia for taking the deal.  Alberto's heard of Fernandez and says he's a bastard.  Nat asks Alberto to send her mom in.

Tad finally visits his doctor.  He hasn't had another nosebleed, but his headaches are getting worse.  He doesn't want to die before he can find Natalia for Irene.

Carmen comforts Natalia.  Everyone knows what's going on except Brigitte.  Nat says there's no reason to tell her…she'll be out soon enough.  Wow…Carmen managed to get through an entire conversation without saying "Los Cacares!"

Morales takes Rodrigo to a cell and then removes his cuffs.  Rodrigo wants to make a call, but Morales says he's already made his call, with the one that Morales made to Vicente.  I don't blame him for gloating a little.  Rodrigo gets nervous that Nat and Diego didn't accept the deal.

Carmen goes out to the boys and sends them to get some dinner.  She calls PJ to tell him Nat accepted the deal.  She's going to stay there in case Natalia needs her.  She reminds PJ to make sure Lupita gets to bed early.  Irene shows up and…well, you can guess how that goes.

Brigitte runs into her landlady outside the apartment building and tells her she was just assaulted and had the cash for the rent stolen.  Since she still has her purse, the landlady doesn't buy her story.  She tells Brigitte she's now going to tack on the 5% daily interest that Brigitte agreed to in the lease, and if Brigitte hasn't paid up by the end of the week, she's out on her barely-covered ass!

Irene denies having anything to do with Natalia being locked up.  "Who do you take me for?"  Carmen finally admits that ok, maybe she was wrong to assume that Irene would take Vicente's side (seriously, Carmen…you've met the man!) but, but, but…Irene is taking "demasiadas atribuciones" with Natalia.  Literally, she's saying "too many rights granted by an official position" in this case, as Natalia's mother.  So, she doesn't like that Irene dares to love Natalia and want to protect her because, damnit, that's Carmen's job and she didn't agree to share!  Yeah, that's terrible that people besides you, who you didn't directly authorize, are looking out for your kid.  Irene refuses to quit loving her.  Carmen slips from anger to sadness as she goes from demanding to begging Irene to help keep Diego away from Natalia.  But, because she loves her, Irene doesn't want Natalia to give up her happiness.  She doesn't think it's fair for Natalia to have to give up the person she loves.  She excuses herself to go see Natalia while Carmen continues to cry and fume.

Alonso tells Diego that the important part is that they're getting Natalia out.  Diego cries that he's lost her.  Alonso gives him his meds and tells him he's got to keep taking them or he'll need to go back to the hospital.  "You lost the battle, but not the war."  He fills him in on Dr. Robledo's suggestion and Diego agrees.  "If he wants to pretend he's crazy, he'll end up crazy."

Irene tells Nat she's sorry they played this dirty trick.  Nat says the price she's paying is too high.  She's said goodbye to Diego and she's prepared to stay away from the entire family.  She sadly agrees that means Irene too.  "It has to be this way."  Irene doesn't want to accept it and insists that there's no power in this world that can keep people who love each other apart.  She knows about the deal, but they can't give Vicente and Rodrigo the satisfaction.  "We'll keep up appearances as long as possible, but I didn't find you just to lose you.  You're much more than a friend to me."

Fernandez tells Alberto his client made the right choice taking the deal, since they wouldn't have been able to fight Team Grumps.  Alberto calls Fernandez unethical and says it's too bad when he knew who was guilty he allowed himself to be bought.  Fernandez takes offense.  "Oh, quit faking with me.  I'm sure you're not going to lose out on this great deal.  Let's just get the paperwork done and out of the way."

Nat signs the paperwork and Big Al says she'll be released sometime that morning.  He barely accepts her thanks, saying this is an injustice, but maybe one day Rodrigo will pay.  Natalia doesn't want to hear about any of the Cacares.  Carmen and Eleazar waited around all night, but they've just gone home to shower (separately…minds out of the gutter!) and will return soon.

Lupita is refusing to go to school.  In which opinion I think she's justified, since these people can't operate without her.  Carmen and El show up and Carmen pulls rank, sending Lupita off to school with Paolo.  El leaves without even a hug.

Apparently the pills Alonso is giving Diego keep him from getting too anxious.  He wants to see Natalia, but if he waits until she gets home, he'll have to deal with Carmen.  Alonso advises him to let things calm down, keep taking his meds, and eat some breakfast.  Diego munches on a very respectable egg sammich on toast while Alonso runs off to work.

Morales and Fernandez show up outside Rodrigo's cell to let him out.  Rodrigo gripes at Fernandez, who congratulates him for "getting his way."  Natalia's not out yet, but what's it to Rodrigo?  Oh, Fernandez…have you learned nothing?

Morales calls Eleazar to tell him that Rodrigo is out.  Kimberly greets him in nothing but (what I assume is) one of his shirts.  She suggests she give him a massage and draw him a bath so he can relax.  3 guesses what I'm mentally doing to his shins.  Ok, there may be multiple correct answers to this one.

Diego calls Irene, who tells him that Natalia is determined to live up to her end of the deal.  Irene says he needs to fight for her and not bow to Vicente's whims.  He thanks her for the encouragement.  When she gets off the phone Tad says she's a romantic, and he likes it.  But he does think it's more complicated than just "fighting for their love."  Vicente's not likely to let them get away with being together and with Rodrigo out, that makes it 2 people who will be against them.  Irene says they've got a lot of people on their side…Tad admits he's one of them, he'll support them, he's just more realistic…but yeah, a romantic too.  Irene smiles at him in a way that finally looks a tiny bit more romantic than before.

Rodrigo visits Natalia in jail, pretending to be Diego, and says nothing can separate them.  Once again the "it's in his kiss" test fails.  She says they've got to fight for their love.  They've got to pretend they're not together while they figure out what Vicente and Rodrigo's next moves are.

Tomorrow:   Diego wants revenge; the twins have a fistfight in front of Grumps.

Labels: te-quiero