Caray, Caray!

Eagerly awaiting the news bulletins, because I only caught the end where Dim and Fina were nekkers en la cama and then she was crying in the bathroom. ?!?!

But muchos kudos for making even a useless error message into and entertaining read. Good luck with the cable, emphasis not on able, tomorrow.
 

Amigos!

Tell us what happened, will you?

I am dying to know how JL handled Montserrat's little peccadillo.

I am not a happy Comcast customer right now. So sorry that I could not give you a recap.

Kind Regards to All,

Elna June
 

Elna June,

No worries Amiga. It happens to the best of us, and with all this bad weather to boot, it's a miracle any of us can do a recap. I will give you some of what I saw.

JL gets Monse home, he's enraged by her attitude, he attempts to rape her, but Dimi comes and saves the day. JL fights with Dimi and chokes him, but Mac comes with a gun and threatens JL with it. Dimi is let go. Rosy is there too and wants to stay with Monse, he allows her to, but makes everyone leave, that would be Mac, Dimi, Fina.

Ale and Vic argue about going over there, but Vic tries to tell him that JL is enraged because of what he saw Ale and Monse do, and that JL is her hubby. Ale thinks back to the night he raped Monse. Vic talks him out of going over there.

Monse and JL eventually talk, he isn't letting her go, she says she hates JL and the only one she will ever love is Ale. Deal with it. He thought this was his time, with her. He's just very sad and refuses to let her go.

Later, Rosy and Monse agree that they are both at fault for what has transpired. With the secret meetings with Ale and Monse that is. Lolo is staying with Dominga and Mac.

Fofito discovers what BM did. He finds the dress, the wig, I don't know about the gun. She'd rather have Ale dead than without her. As a matter of fact she has a hit list, she is gonna take care of all of those that betrayed her, starting with Graceless, EZ, Monse and Ale, I think. Fofito is actually horrified.

Fina brings Dimi home to tend to his wounds and the next thing ya know, they are doing the deed, afterwards Dimi thinks it was a big mistake and poor Fina has to agree, but you can tell she doesn't. She cries alone in the bathroom.

JL and Monica meet up, he tells her about Ale being in Aguazul and she goes with him.

Ale and Vic are eating breakfast when Monica, Refug, the cops, the Navy and JL show up to arrest Ale. End of capitulo.
 

That's about all I can remember, there was more probably, this epi was so emotion filled, I must confess I had to look away from some of it. I hope someone can tell more about the scene with Monse and JL cause it was very hard to watch. Right now, unless he gets a grip, even though I really like this character, JL is dead to me y punto.
 

Actually one correction Alec's flashback he didn't rape her. Univision edit that scene when it first aired . What happen was he was aggressive yes but it didn't take long before Montse return the kiss very enthusiastically. And she woke up the next morning with a big smile on her face.
 

Hmm so sorry to hear that,Elna June i could possibly make a recap if its necccesary,and yes the episode was quite hard to watch..Oh and im Demetrios by the way i just renamed my account because it was too confusing..
 

So sorry to hear about your cable woes, Elna June. We haven't been able to get a number of channels, including Univision, for weeks, but I've had interesting conversations with folks in India and the Philippines. who alas are unable to fix it.

Sounds like things were ugly and sad last night.

Belated Feliz Cumpeaños to Oxnard. I say one is never too old for cake, so I hope somebody made you one. With your favorite frosting.

Elna June..Better days are coming. We might even get our cable fixed Saturday, but I'm not holding my breath.
 

This telenova is on Hulu, for those with Cable woes at the moment....
 

After all your stress lately EJ, so sorry to hear that you had to deal with the &#*$?&##($ cable box too. We appreciate you thinking of our little group while dealing with the madness.

I missed last night and have to catch it today, and this sounds like an episode worth seeing (Dim saving the day and Fina---must see),so can't help too much on the details. Like Judy, we've had some technology issues in our dear abode too from laptops to TV to phones. I'm blaming all those blasted solar flares. Sun needs to just get a grip and calm down.

Hang in there my friend!

Daisynjay
 

Maria has a hit list of all those who have wronged Papi chulo Ale, this way she can finally prove to him that she really loves him. That's her reasoning and she's leaving Montserrat for the end.
 

Maria has a hit list of all those who have wronged Papi chulo Ale, this way she can finally prove to him that she really loves him. That's her reasoning and she's leaving Montserrat for the end.
 

ElnaJune,
Sorry to hear about your cable problems.

Madelaine covered everything that happened. And thank you for the quick recap.

It was a very emotional epi. JL acted like a jerk, but then it seems like ge reacts to himself and snaps out of it. One moment he acts crazy, the next he realizes what an a** he is being and calms down. I wonder if he has a multiple personality disorder.

Even though it might be hard to watch for some, I would recommend watching this capitulo. You've come this far, might as well watch. Especially if you are a Dimi/Fina fan.

BTW, Adolfo did find BM's gun. It was in the drawer with the wig and dress.

Also, Monica is too by the book. She is rubbing me the wrong way right now.

Must sleep...hasta pronto
 

Maria is utter insanity,by now i guess even Carlos lost faith in her,there is no redemption she can achieve in the human world anymore,its either manicomio where should be in the first place or death.

JL is just acting plain wrong and nothing excuses attempted rape,nothing, it doesnt mean a damn if you have personal issues or confused ,this sort of behaviour shouldnt be tolerated. And Macario and Dim were so badass !!

 

Elna June, so sorry about your cable. But like Julia, enjoyed what you wrote, turning lemons into fragrant lemonade. I hope things are fixed this morning.

Last night's episode was very difficult to watch. Madelaine, thank you for providing the details in your always fine fashion. You make even the most unpleasant events palatable.

Watching the flashback of Monse's rape was beyond upsetting.

JL is no longer teetering on the edge of insanity, he is clearly there. Watching him trying to rape Monse (mercifully unsuccessfully) was sickening. He appears to be lucid one moment yet gripped in madness in the next. Madelaine, I have to agree, unless a miracle occurs, JL is dead to me as well.

The one event that should have been happy (Dim and Fina) fell completely flat by his ridiculous assertion that it was a mistake. Good grief man, get a grip. Fina is your destiny. Besides denying her love, do you think there is any chance the straightlaced Monica will forgive your betrayal of trust? I'm speaking of knowing Ale was alive and well. She would likely forgive you being with Fina before she would ever forgive your lies regarding Ale.

"Fofito is actually horrified". Yes, Madelaine, the fact that Adolfo, an avowed killer is rattled by Maria and what she has done speaks volumes. I believe she and Adolfo will be victims of Pedro's wrath in due time.

I hope after last night, we have now hit rock bottom. We may stay there a while but I really can't see how things could get much worse. Please let me be right on this.

Diana
 

Elna June..sorry that you are having cable woes.

I agree that this episode was violent and disturbing.. As I remember, Mony tells JL that she is going to check on Lauro. Shevfinds a note in his room from Rosario who has taken him to Macario and Dominga's. Mony lies down on his bed. JL comes into the room , and Mony leaves to go to her room. Jl follows her . She tries to close her bedroom door, but he pushes in. He tries to rape her , but she scratches his face , and he let's her go. instead of running out of the room , she sits down and yells at him. When she tries to leave, he gets her on the bed again and is lying on top of her when Dim arrives and stops him. (Fina went to Dim's and asked him to go to Mony's with her. Monica did not seem very happy about dim going with Fina.) JL was choking Dim in the foyer when Macario and Rosario arrive. Macario holds a gun on JL and he let's Dim go and sits down. Then, he picks up a gun that just happens to be on the chair , and he and Macario have a Mexican standoff...HA. Mony stands between the two and tells everyone to leave. Rosario says that she will stay, but the rest leave. I couldn't believe that they left Mony and Rosario alone with that nutcase. Jl is unraveling. And no one hems the chief if police...que?

There were a lot of navy guys with JL and Monica to arrest Ale.

It was sad that Dim told Fin it was a mistake after they made love because be us the one who came on to her as she was tending to his battered face in her bedroom. Fin looked devastated. Do we see another pregnancy ?

I think Fofo is starting to realize that Maria has gone around the bend. Will he do anything to stop her now that he knows she is gunning for just about everyone in town? He seems to feel like he is her protector. At the beginning of their scene, she is upset and telling him about Ale not giving her a night of bliss because be us at a hotel blessing his wife. He takes her to her bedroom and puts her in her bed . I think that he was looking for her nighty even he found the wig. He could have been a good guy if he could have stayed out if Pedro's clutches. In Amor Real, this character never became a killer. He was just a grifter and wastrel . He helped the hero, was redeemed, and had a happy ending.
 

with all the gun violence and school shootings, i was disappointed that JL had a gun hidden in the sofa cushions..which is where he retrieved the gun to fend of Macario. This is very negligent on his part..given that he has a young step son in the house. Any # of mishaps could happen with an unlocked, loaded gun lying around with curious kids in the house. But then again, we know that this is TN world and it was on there to advance the plot..thank goodness.
 

Cable problems are definitely a pain. It always feels like an eternity before they're resolved. At least you have us!

JL is definitely over the edge. During that shot when he was sitting on the bed and the gun was on the floor where Dimitrio had left it (I think he probably should have taken it with him) I wondered whether he was going to off himself. This could be an omen; most cops who commit suicide do it with firearms.

When he grabbed Dimitrio around the neck I was afraid he was going to twist his head and end it right there.

Rosario still hasn't told Monserrat that it was Maria who tipped off JL. This is not good.

Adolfo has finally realized that Maria is a complete psycho. He needs to watch himself around her. I think he also needs to warn Monserrat. I'm guessing that tonight Maria will ask him to dispose of her disguise and the gun. If he does I will be more than disgusted with him.
 

Elna June, last night's episode was so raw and packed with emotion, I feel both sorry that I wasn't able read your usual masterful recap and a little glad that you didn't have to do it. I didn't know last night whose night it was to recap, but I remember thinking that this one would have been a bear to do.

This cast ensemble is truly amazing and, for the most part, the writing has been pretty good. Last night was gut-wrenching. It would be easy to ask why Montse wouldn't just leave JL when he is being such a fruitcake. The answer lies in the fact that the scenes were far more true to life than we would like to admit.

This was all about domestic violence and similar scenes are played out all over the world every day in real life. JL shows all the signs of an abuser. Montse was very convincing to me in the final scenes with JL.

I could very easily see Montse threatening to JL to leave (were this a real life situation) and him saying, "Fine. You can leave, but if you do I'll shoot you and your car full of holes."

The episode was just grim. I was on the receiving end of such domestic violence almost 40 years ago. We weren't married, I didn't have any kids, but it was still hard to leave for a variety of reasons including the fact that there were no womens' shelters then and he would also take the spare set of keys to (my) car every day. When I say that I had to escape, I mean that quite literally. I was terrified that he would find me and beat me to death.

But anyway,, that is a very long story and very long ago in the past. I didn't think JL was over the top in terms of the actor's protrayal.

Alejandro was just annoying last night. I still don't think he deserves Montse. Dimi and Finita were just sad. I think that Dimi was just trying to convince himself that they made a mistake because they both have someone else.

Maria....oooo.....I just want to punch her in the face. Did I her say that she wanted something (drugs I thought) so that she wouldn't have to feel anything? She was so freaked out about betraying Alejandro in a very ambivalent way.

Was glad that Rosario had the presence of mind to get Laurito out of the house. It's bad enough to see the portrayal of the trauma of little Victoria but Peddy is such a looney tunes that it's not quite as real life. On the other hand, had Laurito been in the house and witnessed the whole Mexican Stand-off (hahahah, Susanlynn I LOVE IT), and the following brutalization of his mother, it would have been too much to bear. My pillow and my face would been covered with tears and snot (I'm an ugly crier, lol).

Excellent episode. And you would have done a phenomenal recap, EJ.
 

Elna June, sorry to hear about the cable outage.

Great episode!

I was disappointed that Montse and Josefina just let JL choke the heck out of Dimitrio. I remember how Montse hit Pedro in the head when he went psycho, so why didn't she do the same here? She had witnesses. Well, I guess we had to have Macario come in and save the day.

You got the feeling that this part of the episode with the final conversation between JL and Montse where she tells him she wants him to hate her went on most of the night. In the previous scene with Montse and Rosario you could hear the early birds that chirp just before dawn. Excellent touch.

Adolfo now knows that crazy BM is a loose cannon and a risk to almost everyone. He needs to take care of that.

Such a very sad interlude with Dimitrio and Josefina with each of them clearly having more to say about how they really feel about each other but neither willing to risk losing face by doing so. It didn't matter what Dimitrio said, it was the look on his face.

Then there was crazy Fabiola waking up in Montse's room talking to and threatening Montse's photo. Probably a result of the alcohol having worn off. Another goof on the loose.

I wonder who the next casualty will be?

Jarifa




 

Jarifa, do you think Adolfo will ultimately put Maria out of her misery?

He knows her secrets and he knows that it was Gracie who poisoned Benjamin (with help from Juventino). If he does this, I'd call it his redemption.
 

No Urban i bet Adolfo will remain her lapdog until he goes to jail or he ends up dead.
 

Jarifa's, YES When BSC JL had Dim in that chokehold for such an agonizingly long time, I yelled "Get something and bash him on the head. don't just stand there !"
 

Anita,must have been especially hard for you to watch. bless you and so glad you are safe and able to share with us now.

The more I read, the more I feel it really is necessary to watch this episode as it seems to be such a turning point for everyone. I find I'm especially worried about how Adolfo handles Maria. He's the one who helped remove her from the facility before she was really ready--let's hope he realizes what a mistake that was and takes the ownership to at least get her more help or stop her somehow. If not, lord help us, she will have more blood on her hands if she acts on that list than any of the villains in this piece. Is that intentional by the writers I wonder?

I'm appalled about the issue with the gun in the sofa! So glad for the heads' up because otherwise I may have broken something important throwing things at my TV. I know it will be so hard on him, but Lolo needs to be as far away from JL as possible and out of that house. I still worry for those two children if they will be used in a violent manner as pawns by anyone. Couldn't take that.

Daisynjay
 

elna june, I am so sorry that we didn't get to read another fantastic recap from you, but we know there are more to come! Not to worry, amiga. :)) You have more than enough on your very full plate right now.

As we all know, this TN is on Hulu Plus (not Hulu, just to be clear). It is/was a very powerful episode on every level. I think it is worth watching (yes, coming from me, no less!) in that it was a pivotal turning point in the TN.

The actors were excellent. Sometimes, I'm never so sure of these TN actors as not all of them are really very good, but this cast works very well as an ensemble. I can only imagine that they were horribly drained after this episode.

I cannot believe that I, who had to walk away from this some time ago, actually sat through it. Mind you, I had to turn away a few times, but this episode had a good flow that had genuine content and not filler.

When JL tried to rape Montserrat the first time, I'm almost sure she bit him on the lip so that she could break free. The second time, it was Dimitrio banging at the door that stopped that encounter.

JL lost his true self in those 7 years in prison. He has gone off the deep end and is an emotional and now a physical abuser. We have seen his emotional and threats of physical abuse ramping up. Two episodes ago, Montserrat finally showed her fear when he tried to physically block her from going up the stairs.

Even when Montserrat stood between Macario and JL's guns, JL was still raving that she would never leave his house.

Adolfo displayed a range of emotions when he had discovered what Maria had done when he found the wig and the dress. I was mesmerized by his acting in that scene. Maria is manicomio worthy. She has a definite plan to kill. I only hope that Adolfo does something to stop her as she is the most dangerous of the loose cannons right now.

I knew the minute Dimitrio put the moves on Fina that his relationship had a very questionable future.

Monica is on a quest and that quest is to find Alejandro and jail him. She irked me to no end last night. I think that she and JL would make the perfect couple.

Lastly, the avances show that JL arrives at Fina's with a SWAT team to bring down Alejandro. He was disgusting in that scene and even more disgusting when he told Montserrat that Alejandro would rot in jail for the rest of his life.

You all know me. You know my weakness. I still cannot believe I watched this.

Fatima
 

Daisynjay, I see we were cross posting, but both agree that this was a pivotal episode! :)

Fatima
 

Some other thoughts and a question:

--I thought it VERY brave of Montserrat to almost taunt JL with the possibility that the baby she is carrying is Alejandro's and not his. I thought for a moment there that he would go off again and possibly try to harm her.

--When he tried to rape her the first time, did I hear correctly that JL kept yelling at her that she wouldn't make love to him, but couldn't stop making love to Alejandro? (he used a more appropriate word in Spanish). I need to find this on Hulu Plus to rewind and see what he said, but if someone remembers, please let me know.

IF that is what JL was saying, maybe the marriage was never consummated in Miami and the child is not JL's.

Gosh, thoughts are coming as I am writing, but I thought it was great when Montserrat made it very clear to JL that she had "liked" him (she used the past tense), but NEVER loved him.

I only wish that when he asked her (JL) why she married him, that she had added a bit more to her response other than she was under the impression that Alejandro was dead. That point we get, but I think there were other reasons she married him. She should have given him the bullet point list just to shut him up.

I HATE his vocal tics. I hate them. I don't know if the actor does this in real life, but I hate hearing them.

Fatima
 

Anita, I am sending you a virtual hug and saying a prayer for you today. Bless you...

Diana
 

anita, I'm sure this was very hard for you to see. I am so glad that you are safe now. What a brave woman you are.

I fully understand the nightmare it was for you.

Fatima
 

(((Anita)))..You make a good point about abusive spouses. So sorry you experienced that, but I am glad that you were able to leave that situation. These telenovelas can be over the top, but they do often imitate life. Our daughter's husband started slipping down a slippery slope with many different types of bad behavior, and he was getting increasingly abusive , mostly verbally but with some physical threatening behavior. We had no idea that he had big problems. He was ten years older . She finally kicked him out, but she flip flopped back and forth for awhile . I do not know what she and her two young children would have done without support. Finally, after two years, the divorce is almost final, and her self esteem is returning and she is starting to be the person she used to be. He really had her convinced that everything was her fault. The whole, nasty, scary, upsetting two year journey has taught me that when you love someone, you just have to stand by them and never give up on them. I was glad to see the people who love Mony show up. Everyone needs a convoy of people to help them through the rough spots in life.
 

Susanlynn, your daughter is so incredibly fortunate to have you as her mother. I'm sure this has been so hard for you to see her suffer, but she will always be grateful to you for your support. What a wonderful mother you are. :))

Fatima
 

Daisynjay, thanks for reminding us that Adolfo was the one that did get that crazy BM out of the mental health/rehab facility early, so he does bear some moral responsibilty for her acts.

UA, ITA it could be Adolfo's redemption but I do not think he will kill her. Now that could all change if Pedro gets involved.

Jarifa
 

Good morning everyone, and I'm sorry that EJ and Judyb had cable problems last night. It was indeed a must-see-episode, because like Daisynjay indicated, it shows a turning point for a lot of the characters. I was on the edge of my seat the whole hour.

Whatever little hope I had for JL was dashed last night. He was truly frightening. One minute he is raging, trying to rape Montse, almost choking Dim, and having the stand-off with Mac, then he seems to feel remorse, cries about it being his chance with Montse, and then back to telling her he won't allow her to leave.

Anita, thanks for sharing your experience with us, and glad you are no longer in such a situation. I too was very young, still in college when I saw myself heading in that direction with an ex. Luckily, I had some good people around me that guided and helped me get out before it escalated. But certainly watching last night was pretty hard.

One good thing about last night was Dim and Fina. It was great to see them back together, although I don't know if it was the censors or Univision's rush to cut to commercials, that they cut like 5 seconds. We just see their feet and the phone ringing, and hear Dim say it's Monica, but we didn't get to hear him say, "let it ring" and them kissing under the sheets. The cut was too abrupt so I had to search it online ;-)

Jarifa, you were spot on with your description of the scene:

"Such a very sad interlude with Dimitrio and Josefina with each of them clearly having more to say about how they really feel about each other but neither willing to risk losing face by doing so. It didn't matter what Dimitrio said, it was the look on his face."

Yes, I thought it was just my wishful thinking, but the look on his face was saying more than just his words. Maybe they both felt bad because they are supposed to be in a relationship with others, plus neither wants to let out their real feelings for fear of being hurt again.

I hope Dim realizes soon, it's always been Fina for him. I can't stand Monica anymore. She's too ready to jump the gun and arrest Ale, even though she knows he was part of Montse, Laurito, and Dim's family and Dim has told her he was innocent.

Maricruz
 

Susanlynn, I too echo Fatima's comments on how lucky your daughter is to have you to lean on, and I'm glad she and your grand-daughters are safe.

Fatima, I think the word JL kept repeating was "revolcarte" which means to roll around with. He wouldn't stop using it as a way to demean Montse. And they did consumate the marriage. What he told her was that he wanted to have sex with her because they hadn't been together since they returned from the honeymoon. So perhaps it could be possible that the baby is Ale's as she told him?

Maricruz
 

Dear Elna June,

So sorry to hear about your cable problems, but I do hope everything else in your new home is wonderful. and you are settling in and ready to enjoy your first summer there.

Anita: I was very moved by your story. You are an amazingly strong woman, and I thank you for sharing with us.

Susanlynn: I was also moved by what you said about your daughter. I am glad she is now out of that situation and so happy to hear she had you as a support.

Maricruz: It was good you were supported and were able to recognize an abusive situation when you were young. Thanks for sharing, too.

Fatima: Regarding what J-L said to Montse, I'm pretty sure that what he said was that she hadn't slept with them SINCE their honeymoon. During that scene, my daughter came in to ask me something, so I missed some of it , but I think I heard him complain about this.

My best to you all for a great weekend! The weather is supposed to be beautiful here, and I hope it is wherever you might be, too.
Julia R.
 

EJ- I really hope that the cable company comes and fixes everything today, as promised. Thank you for putting up a place for discussion.

anita- Thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you were able to rise from that situation stronger than before.

Susanlynn- I have been in awe of what a wonderful mom you are for a long time. Your family is so lucky to have you. :) (I left a link for you late in yesterday’s comments.)

I switched to PBS when this episode started, and only came back to see Fina and Dim post-lovemaking. Whoa! I will watch the recording of the episode this weekend. It does sound very powerful and pivotal.

What does it say about Monse that she was unable to leave her first abusive husband (now reformed), and almost a decade later she’s again incapable of leaving another abusive husband? I hope that now that JL has arrested Ale, she will feel no need to stay with JL a minute longer.

 

Maricruz and Julia R, thank you so much for the clarification as to what JL was saying. I was torn between wanting to hear and watch and then wanting to turn away when he was yelling at Montserrat.

Maricruz, I think "revolcarte" is so wonderfully descriptive. I love the sound of the word. Thank you!

Fatima
 

Vivi in DC, excellent observation about Montserrat's difficulty in leaving abusive men. I attribute a part of that to the conditioning she has had as a child and as a young woman by dealing with the likes of Graciela. As a daughter, she had no other place to turn. Her father, Lauro, seemed in his own world when it came to dealing with Graciela. Carlota, well, was Carlota.

The one thing abusive people have in common is their ability to be toxic manipulators. It can be hard to break away from these types of people because they always manage to throw in that little something that makes you fall for their baloney hook, line, and sinker.

Fatima
 

Susanlynn: You are indeed a wonderful mother as Vivi noted. A pillar of strength.

Maricruz, I feared Dim was a dead man and the calvary arrived not a moment too soon. Sadly, Dimitrio was instrumental in JL's imprisonment for the murder he himself (inadvertently) committed. I felt as though JL remembered this and more, palpable fury coarsing through his brain, contributing to the loud, evil voices in his head.

Diana
 

You are welcome Fatima and yes indeed, revolcarte" is a wonderfully descriptive" word. Besides just rolling around with, it takes on the meaning of getting dirty or tainted in the way JL uses it. As kids I remember our parents or other family members telling us "no se revuelquen en el piso porque se ensucian" (don't roll around on the floor or you will get dirty). Montse came back from rolling around with Ale, and to him it was maddening but at the same time he wanted to have her as well. Go figure !
Maricruz
 

The thing that has Ale going crazy is that he still doesn't think he did anything wrong way back when he forced himself on Montse. He remembers that it was right after he had found out (or so he thought) that Montse had been secretly meeting JL at that shack and doing the do - he figured since she was so willing to do it with her ex, she should be happy to oblige him, her HUSBAND, as well, so he aggressively ripped his clothes off, threw her on the bed, and the rest is history. Sadly, she liked it and that was the turning point of her feelings for him.

Now JL has just discovered her infidelity, dragged her home, is legitimately her husband, and in Ale's warped caveman mind, has every right to do the same. The real JL would never react this way, but we've seen that this unstable, demented pseudo-Ale clone did exactly what Ale feared he would do. Luckily for her she was saved in time. Plus, she's a grown woman now and deeply in love with her first husband, not an impressionable teenager with a mind filled with "romantic" nonsense.

While everyone is telling Ale how much JL loves Montse and how he would never hurt her, it doesn't penetrate his thick skull, because he doesn't consider a husband's right to take what is "his" to be wrong. So, no, he's not worried about her being hurt, he's freaked out about the possibility of her having to fulfill her "obligations" to her husband ... and possibly falling for him (JL) again. Pobrecito caveman.
 

Yep, they 'added back' those 3 seconds they removed months ago. It was a hot scene imo.
 

So was the flashback Ale had the 1st rape, or the 2nd time when it started as rape, but then Monse got into it and it turned into lovemaking? And folks, just because she got into it the second time doesn't change the fact that he did it the first time, and had every intention of doing it again (but lucky for Monse, by that point they both wanted each other and had developed feelings for each other).
 

No I disagree, Alejandro is worry about his wife getting hurt by Jose Luis not because she would have sex with him. And he did acknowledge he was wrong with what he did in the past because right after it happen Alec apologize, and apologize later too.

It has nothing to do with him being a caveman.
 

You're remembering another tn if you remember him apologizing right after he raped her that first time. I remember him getting out of bed immediately after, looking at her tearful face and huddled body in the bed, and then slinking off shamed face to his bedroom. The second time, when it turned to lovemaking, when she woke up smiling in the morning he was gone (which made it seem like wham, bam, thank you mam), no flowers, no note, no nothing. MUCH later, when they made peace, he made a very weak apology, but never really said out loud what he did.
 

Fatima, I think J.L. is referring to the past when he's yelling about her screwing Alex. Remember, she would not betray her marriage to Alex, even though she claimed to love J.L.. He wanted to make love to her, but she had principles about having sex with him. Also, she was trying to save her family from financial ruin at the time. I think J.L. is yelling that she wouldn't do anything with him, but she goes into heat when Alex shows up. Cynderella
 

Not only was the content difficult to watch but my cable provider (COX)may have had problems with both the Spanish and English Caps. The Spanish Caps were sporadic; nothing on the English (CC3) ones at all no matter what combination of settings I tried. (The TN's before and after Robo were fine both for the Spanish and English, so I guess I could blame Univision.) And periodically under the Spanish Caps settings, miraculously the English translation would appear for a few lines before switching back to Spanish.
That said, JL had a nervous breakdown and Dimitrio should press assault charges against the JL. Then he could land up in the cell next to Ale and Monse could both of them.
Does Maria still have the Will?
 

Thank you, thank you, Caray community, for filling us in on last night's events. What an episode to have missed!

EJ

 

The equivalent scenes in Amor Real were worse in my opinion. Those came from a man who promised to make sex beautiful and who also was a doctor. Mathilde was more defenseless in many ways than Monserrat.

I am now convinced that she was named that because of how Daniela Castro pronounces it.

Women like Monserrat often can't win in the real world. They are emotionally abused by nasty mothers who don't love them, which sets them up to look for unattainable men. That provokes even more verbal abuse from the mother who made her that way in the first place.

Cutting off mama is usually the best way to begin growing out of that.


 

Susanlynn,

"I couldn't believe that they left Mony and Rosario alone with that nutcase."

Yes, that was my thought exactly. I was appalled. As Diana so aptly put it:

"JL is no longer teetering on the edge of insanity, he is clearly there."

Yes, María is CRAZY... BSC if you must... this is a fact that I conceded a very long time ago. However, for me, she is still far and away the most fascinating character in this TN. I make no apologies.

I was delighted to see that much like Maricruz of CI and KoKo of Mikado she has a little list. And as KoKo said about his list... most of those on it won't be missed.

Carlos
 

Vivi, once again your sustainable for Alex has clouded your memory. I don't remember the 1st time, but I will watch the scene again so that we can all be informed. One second occasion, when we discovered that Monse likes to be manhandled, he found out that J.L. and that floosie Angelica was in the love shack down by the river. She was throwing herself at J.L., so she yeah. As I recall, on that night Alex may have accidentally-on purpose burned down the love shack....moving on. Anyways, he feels really bad about "jumping to conclusions" and runs home and apologizes sincerely. Also, Monse had enjoyed their encounter so much that she was about to tell him that J.L. was actually the gardener. The apology stopped her because she didn't want him to stop hitting that spot like he had the night before.
 

The fascinating aspect of this TN is that as crazy as we all get over the plot and how the characters are acting, it's becoming more and more apparent that every person in this TN who remains is a "broken" human being. Something or someone has affected their life in such a way, there is no cut and dry good guy/bad guys in the traditional sense.Characters act out in unpredictable ways and the "smart" people can seem to do some really stupid behaviors. (Still going crazy noone tried to get Nadia/Victoria out of that house while Pedro is away.)I've never seen so many characters reacting out of fear, mostly sub-conscious fear.

And I am becoming hard pressed to be able to figure out who will remain standing in the end, except for maybe Monse, Ale and Laurito. At this point, I have a sick feeling that all bets are off for everyone else.

Doesn't make for pleasant viewing, but as we've all realized reading some wonderfully truthful and insightful comments today, this can all too much mirror real life. Think I'll make sure to brace myself with a nice tall glass of the vine for the next few weeks of viewing.

Daisynjay
 

I hate auto-correct. I hate it.
 

Yeah the next few weeks will be utterly insane i can assure you that:) And yes i agree Daisy a lot of the male characters have issues that they have to deal with by themselves so far the only man with non issues is Victor,JL and Ale both have anger issues,Dim used to be a snob and Adolfo is now a killer.

I also seen Marias " threat" as an actual foreshadowing for her to be the final villian,the writers wouldnt just have her saying she will kill all the Bad People off the Earth without a purpose. In the end she will most likely end in a manicomio or dead.
 

Cynderella, Novia de??? Gracias, amiga for your take on things. There was so much happening last night that it was hard to keep track of things.

Daisynjay, EXCELLENT observations about the broken people in this TN. Maybe the ultra rigid Captain Monica will make it through unscathed. She is a tad too Stepford for me.

Fatima
 

Daisynjay- I am also amazed that these grown, healthy (meaning, able to kick some a**) young men have left Nadia and Victoria in the hands of a madman, and left Monse in the house with a madman after they found him attempting to rape her. Say what?! If either of those women were my sister or friend, things would get pretty nasty pretty quick between me and these dudes, and I wouldn't rest until I found some way of getting her out of there-- either by dragging her out myself, calling in all the biggest/baddest dudes I know to back me up, or being sneaky/crafty about it.
 

Daisy, I share your frustration that Nadia and Victoria have not been moved to safety. I can only think that there is a fear he would find them (as he did before) and retribution would be terrible.

Ale raped Monse. There are no ifs, ands or buts. It occurred.

Diana
 

Vivi in DC, I agree. I was stunned they left Montserrat with JL. What, in all honesty, could Rosario have done if things had gone from bad to worse?

He would have shot her and then what?!

Diana, also in total agreement with the fact that Alejandro raped Montserrat. That part is really hard to forget.

Imagine, we have a story where two men have either raped or wanted to rape the woman they claimed to love.

All in the name of love...

Fatima
 

Vivi in DC, I agree. I was stunned they left Montserrat with JL. What, in all honesty, could Rosario have done if things had gone from bad to worse?

He would have shot her and then what?!

Diana, also in total agreement with the fact that Alejandro raped Montserrat. That part is really hard to forget.

Imagine, we have a story where two men have either raped or wanted to rape the woman they claimed to love.

All in the name of love...

Fatima
 

All:
Thank you, generous members of the Caray Caray family. Your comments today are so poignant. How wonderful that this group of souls can make meaning our of melodrama and touch one another with home truths and stories from our own experiences.

Anita, friend, thank you for being so vulnerable as to share your experience with us. Many years ago I, too, found myself in a violent relationship. I felt like it was a terrible dream but it was all too real.

Some time after I escaped the dangerous situation, I came to work in the shelter world in the early days (1982+++) of the battered women's movement. I was program director for La Casa de las Madres, San Francisco's first battered women's shelter. Sadly, we came to have 59 beds and virtually 100% occupancy.

It is probably no accident that the shelter was formed by bi-cultural (Latina) and bi-lingual women. Domestic violence permeates every culture but I have noticed a particular resilience and willingness to form support systems, i.e. families of choice, in the women of the Latin cultures of Mexico, Central and South America. These support systems make all the difference in helping women and their children escape the destructive and self-perpetuating cycle of domestic abuse.

If all things happen for a reason, perhaps I was not meant to see last night's episode. Montserrat's experience as described by all of you is all too familiar, including the abuser's act of hiding a deadly weapon in a place where a (beloved) child might find it and be harmed.

I would like to think that the writers have some good intentions (PSA) in graphically depicting Montserrat's plight. We see Montserrat escape with the help of her friends and family, that is a fine thing. But the writers in this show have not hesitated to use domestic abuse as a dramatic device with Pedro and Esmeralda and Pedro received no comeuppance for his filthy acts of violence toward Esme. It seems that the beatings he administered to Esme have just been added to his list of hideous crimes, and he will not receive specific punishment for those acts. We know there will be a reckoning but it cannot come too soon for me.

The character of JL has now gone round the bend and I expect he will have no redemption. Perhaps he will throw himself in front of a bus to save Laurito or Montse, but that will not be enough to redeem him in my eyes.

Anita, I am so glad you are safe and wiser. Susanlynn, your daughter and grandchildren are so lucky to have you in their lives.

Who would believe we could have such a serious conversation while recapping a Mexican telenovela?

Elna June

Elna June

Although I still have been unable to view the episode, it sounds as though the writers
 

Wow, what an epi!! I thought it was so funny when Dimi tells Fina that he liked her better when she had only one eyebrow. I suppose its because he obviously only has one brow too. So sorry to hear bad things have happened to some of you. You are right, support is everything when you become a victim. Leticia
 

Diana, Daisy and Fatima:

ITA. Ale raped Montse. Y punto.

I hate when the writers try to obfuscate the facts of a story that were clearly put before us the first time around.

Remember Ale's little conversation with Jose Luis? How ironic that all seems after last night's events.

EJ


 

My comment I just posted comes across without a hint of the heavy heart and how sad it made me feel to read. I would have never guessed such happy and funny people have suffered those terrible things. Your human spirit shines bright and Is very encouraging to anyone currectly suffering at the hands of abusers from parents or partners. Sending a hug and lots of love. God bless you all.
 

Boy, Vivi, I am with you. If I had walked into a home and saw my sister or friend being treated the way Monse, I don't care how much she pleaded, my fingers would have been dialing silent 911 so they could listen in and anything that wasn't bolted down would have been a handy instrument to knock the idiot out cold. No in this case, well hello, the cretin is the chief of police himself, but should have been easy enough for Dim and Mac to go back to the barracks and get a few recruits to go back and beat the crap out of JL and get the women out of there.

However, maybe the sad fact is this is what happens more often than not. Everyone thinking the guy is sorry and was just acting out and things will be "ok" and so they leave. And the woman stays out of her own level of fear. That is the true PSA - - " Hey viewers. See how serious this was and this is NOT how the situation should have been handled".

I'd say Adolfo is having that same light bulb moment of "I really screwed up". The signs were always there with Maria--actually to everyone. Heck, we could go all the way back to Ale and blame him for where everyone is right now with this woman. Ignorance is not always bliss.

Daisynjay
 

I know that this is the Robo Blog but I must respond to the comment yesterday by Carvivlie. There have been very few movies or tv shows that I have turned off or walked out on. Even if I don't like the show or story, I usually still try to find some good points in it---something. I admit that CI was poorly written and had many loose ends and questionable moments---but there were good things too. The basic story was appealing. Poor girl meets rich boy, they marry then separate. Poor girl becomes rich girl but looses it all. EX husband
only had one brain cell that worked but even though a lot of bad decisions were made, deep down inside they still loved each other. There were great locations, great ranchos, beautiful dresses but most of all, the leads had great chemistry
Even when they were fighting they had great chemistry together. Carlos asked me why I liked such a poorly developed show? Well those were some of the reasons. Also we don't know what pressure the writers were under to stretch out the story or change the script
Just because the writers didn't do a good job on Corazon Indomable doesn't mean that they will strike out on the next one. Maite says that she likes La Gata and that's good enough for me---besides, it's another Cinderella story, how can I pass it up?
the gringo
 

Now a Robo question---Is Montserrat going to be accused of the murder that took place two days ago? There was a blonde wig worn by the killer.
the gringo
 

Anita and Elna June:

I am so sad about what happened to the both of you, and that you had the courage to get out of those relationships and be as strong and wonderful as you are today. God Bless You Both!

My take last night, is a bit different. These writers are very clever, I must say. Remember in the first half of this TN, they hit us over the head with how bad of a cretin Ale was, and in some respects still is, while showing us the noble and fair JL. Now, in this second half, they are turning it around with the cretinous JL and the somewhat noble Ale. They are also showing how caddish both men were with Monse. They are also showing us a more feisty Monse, than she used to be. I still think JL will revert to his former nobleness, there are a lot of pent up anger issues with him from what went on before. I think really, he will work through them, and be more like he was before. He still needs a lot of work, as does Ale. I want to see both men grow out of this stupid venganza/ disregard for what Monse thinks and does and finally be noble men both.
 

Mads- The writers absolutely just flipped the earlier story for the second half of the tn- reversing Ale and JL's roles in almost every way. But it seems to me that they definitely have marked JL for death, even if it comes while he's saving someone else. There is no way that JL and Ale can be co-parents. This is not a blended family that will work.

Other than Amor Bravio (and comedy tns), which dramatic tns have left the protagonist's baby-mama or baby-daddy alive to co-parent with protagonist and their one-true-love?
 

Great episode last night.

Very convincing fight scene between Dimi and JL. Dimi's face turned so beet red I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head.

I can't wait to see the look on Monica's face when La Fenómena and Dimi stumble out of the house.

BTW...Thanks for all of the birthday wishes. My first SS check is in the pipeline.
 

Now that we know that Monserrat barely did the deed with JL since coming home from Miami perhaps her baby is Alejandro's. Also, doctors have been mistaken about conception dates.

As much as I hate her and want her to see the nastiest Karmageddon possible I'd like to see Maria take out Pedro at this point. What a supreme humiliation that would be for him to be offed by a woman he abused.

Adolfo and Victor's failure to rescue Nadia and Victoria is likely due to the number of guards Pedro must have around the house. They would also need to rescue the maid or she would end up getting offed as well.

I think Monserrat might end up getting accused of that murder because Fabiola hates her almost as much as Maria does.
 

Mads:

Smile. I love your optimism!

I agree that the writers are making the male leads into carbon copies of one another. Not much to choose between them.

But I ask myself, "Why"?

We come back to Novela Maven's idea, some time ago, that this novela is subversive. In short, there is nothing and no one 'clean' or innocent in this tale of abuse of power an greed. Everything has a taint of...decay.

Could this be A point to be taken from the novela? Note that I am not stating that this is THE point of the show, because it could just be the monkey writers giving us extension indigestion.

But arguably, the business of drug trafficking and the political collusion that accompanies it does (subtly and not so) corrode the fabric of a stable civil society.

¿No?

JudyB, you always offer us a powerful ethical perspective. What do you think?

EJ
 

Oxnard:

I wasn't able to comment yesterday, but Happy Belated Birthday to You!


I don't think Monse will be accused of Sandho's murder.

1. Graceless called Peddy to fix it.

2. JL is not going to put Monse in a cell next to Ale.

3. Fofito already cleaned the place.

4. No body to be found.

5. Fabs is a known drunk. People will think she had an hallucination.
 

Elna June: I am consistently touched by the true life journies experienced by our little community. You and others have battled such adversity with grace, integrity and determination. Having such strength of spirit where the flames of kindness, love and empathy continue to burn brightly is beyond admirable. It appears there are some whose spirit can truly never be broken or vanquished.

Diana
 

Vivi:

We crossed posted and said almost the same thing about the two male leads. Great minds??? Hee hee hee.

You are so right about JL and Ale not being able to co-parent. I think you are also right the the writers will not leave JL alive to have the chance.

EJ
 

Diana:

I am touched by your words.

Tell the truth,now—no modesty allowed.

Are you really an angelic being? I am pretty sure that is the case. Abrazo.

EJ


 

Gringo: I stayed with CI to the bitter end but I felt very cheated by the writers for letting it go so off course. turning the characters into idiots and then having the stupidest, most nonsensical last couple of months.

The actors have to say they are enjoying the show. Sheesh, La Gata hasn't even started yet so the actors careers are on the line. They aren't going to bad mouth their own show until after it is complete and then not even then because they still have to find work.

But I wish you luck.
 

Oxnard! I missed commenting yesterday and did not know it was your Happy Birthday. Congratulations and may you have many more Happy Birthdays!

You have added a delightfully wry and witty voice to the Blog. So glad you are here.

EJ
 

Gringo:

So nice to see you!

EJ
 

Last night's episode was so difficult to watch. I kept yelling at JL to snap out of his psychosis but to no avail.

I wonder if Montse went to prison too, for Sandro's crime, if that would give JL the distance away from her to come back to himself.

But more than likely he will stay like this until the end, when he does something heroic, realizes his wrongs, asks for forgiveness before dying in Montse's arms. Leaving everyone feeling bad. Just like writers to manipulate us like that!
 

UA,

"I'd like to see Maria take out Pedro at this point. What a supreme humiliation that would be for him to be offed by a woman he abused."

Well, he's on her list.

Carlos
 

He's on everyone's list. The difference is that Maria isn't concerned about taking him down legally like the others are.
 

Yes, how could everyone leave Mony and Rosario with BSC JL. No use calling the police since JL is the police chief, but Mony and Rosario should have been taken out of that house. JL's BSCiness was fueled by those swigs of alcohol he was taking, Abusive people and alcohol or drugs make a bad combination.

Thanks for all the supportive comments. The one who is truly strong and a wonderful parent is hub. He is 6ft tall and 200 lbs. , and we all marvel at the way he kept his cool and did not beat Crazy silly. Hub has been the rock throughout this two year nightmare that our whole family has gone through. He has always been calm and polite when dealing with him. Personally, I just had to stay away from him for fear I would open my mouth. I tried talking to him once. He was not receptive or polite.
I happened to meet a woman last summer at the shore who started talking about her own nightmare of an ex. She said that he was bipolar and abusive. Her dad was a cop , and she was afraid one of them would kill the other. It cost her $26,000.00 to get a divorce. And we think telenovelas are far out.

Abuse can happen at all socioecomc levels. Our daughter was valedictorian of her high school. She got a college scholarship and other grants to study all over the world Italy, Scotland, Spain, England, Japan. She has a good job and is respected in her field. She was raised in a close extended family on both sides. Hub and I have a very good marriage. However, she just happened to meet the wrong guy who did an excellent job of hiding his flaws for a long time.

We know Ale's background..poor, raised by his grandfather until he died when Ale was young. However, we do not know anything about JL' s background except that he was on the navy and had one close friend. How did he and Mony meet ? How much older than Mony is he ? JL's past is a mystery .
 

$26,000??? The mind boggles.
 

Good call on the mystery of JL's past, Susanlynn. I bet our Vivi will be able to recall what ever we HAVE been told. Vivi is the QUEEN of continuity.

Does he have an Aunt somewhere? That idea rattles around in my brain...

EJ


 

They never really said much of anything about JL's past. When he and Monse were planning to run away together, they were planning to run to Veracruz, where he's from, and supposedly still had contacts. But there was never any mention of family.
 

In AR this character came from a small farm. I think his parents were still alive at the beginning, but since we didn't see any relatives of JL's in this one I suspect he doesn't have parents or siblings left.
 

As Vivi mentioned JL is originally form Veracruz. It was mentioned in passing that he lost his parents at a young age, he even mentioned that to Angie. He has no family, but did have friends in Veracruz. He had nothing and so joined the Navy as a career and to better himself.
 

Angelique Boyer's mom died this week...sad 😢
 

Her mom was so young, younger than her last boyfriend that she just broke up with. Tragic
 

Thanks, Mads. I didn't remember hearing that, but did notice that there was nobody "from his side of the family" at his wedding to Angelica except for his comrades in arms.

We were never told his age. However, for him to have been a corporal in his 30s (which would have made him the same age as Alejandro) shows a lack of leadership ability and/or ambition.
 

Fofito is such an expert cleaner not even a spot ! Also while Maria is chilling around,Peddy Claus( The drugs are actually toys for the children) will come by the sled,deliver the presents and take the Bad People this year ( Adolfo,Maria,Ezequel) to the North pole this year with his sled! Man Peddy Claus is so generous ,abusing people just for the sake of some toys:)
 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show where a good person goes BSC simply because a girlfriend no longer wants him. JL has squandered the beautiful love (not to mention the money) that Angélica gave him. I hope they do explore what got JL BSC cause it’s got to be more than just “Monse don’t love me no more.” ITA with all who say JL going to prison for seven years is his own stupid fault. But I’m still holding out for him to find redemption. I hope Refugio, Esme, and Amelia stand up to him and make him go to a shrink.

Anita and Elna June – So brave to share your stories. Last night’s depiction of domestic violence was the most realistic I’ve seen since the “The Burning Bed.” I had a childhood friend whose parents had awful violent episodes and JL’s moves and switch from anger to sad and back again reminded me too much of the real thing. I guess kudos go to Angelique Boyer and Luis Roberto Guzmán for that.

On a lighter note, it’s about damn time that Ale got arrested. He’s been flitting all over Agua Azul with no more disguise than a baseball cap. Really, a tall, good-looking, blond guy whose escape and “death” is the biggest scandal Agua Azul has known can openly hang out in the patio of his ex-wife’s bake shop?
 

Alejandro doesn't deserve to be arrested. He didn't commit any crime. JL knows this and this arrest is all about his own revenge.


 

Ale should have at least gotten a lawyer, before the arrest.
 

Urban, you are right that Ale doesn't deserve to be arrested but I agree with Niecie that he should have been caught long ago. Has to be one of the worst "hiding out" missions ever. He should have borrowed Maria's skills at securing wigs and trashy outfits.
 

Josefina needs to find a lawyer for Alejandro and a better hiding place for Victor. I don't want this series to have a sacrificial lamb.
 

JL has always seemed a bit unhinged when it comes to Montserrat. I can believe a man so obsessed to get a woman that he dares to hide a corpse and take his place would eventually descend to madness with just the right push.

Besides, we saw him force a kiss on Monserrat when Alejandro was in jail. This is not the first time he has allowed his impulses to take him over. The difference is that now he has experienced heaven and hell with having spent time in prison and his honeymoon with Monserrat. He experienced happiness after being so miserable for so long and now that happiness didn't just slip away, she chose to leave him.

 

Once again we have a great discussion going on here-without the trash talking you see on other sites. Best. Group. Ever.

Maria fascinates me. I'm looking forward to her quest for revenge.

When I read that everyone left Mons and Ros alone with JL, I thought of Dorothy Stratten (ex-Playboy Bunny and newbie actress) who went to visit her estranged husband and he raped and shot her and then himself.

This storyline is almost too intense.

I hate what the writers have done to the JL character, but kudos to the actor for scaring the crap out of me.

Nanette
 

I only caught a little bit of it last night. Can't remember. Had JL been drinking?
 

Susanlynn: I hadn't read all the comments before posting re: JL drinking. It certainly aggravates an already out-of-control JL.
 

On JL and Refugio's burial of Alvarez, it wasn't portrayed as them hiding his body. It was portayed as them giving him a burial. Yes, JL did not report the murder to the proper authorities, but at the time it was stated that Alvarez had no wife or kids so they didn't think there was somebody back home crying for the murdered man. As it turned out, Alvarez had a sister, and I thought she would eventually show up and give the marineros a hard time, but that never happened.
 

That was Olivares; Alvarez is JL's name.
 

Except for the episode where Ale found out a J.L.'s real identity at the hacienda and throwing Monse out, this one of the most crucial episodes of all. I couldn’t stop shaking throughout the whole 1st half with the Monse/J.L. scenes. Does everyone agree that Boyer’s acting throughout this episode was tremendously moving and believable?

Now that we know that Ale will go to jail, I can’t seem to figure out where the storyline will go from here? How will he prove his innocence? Will Gracie, in the end, be the “saving grace” doing what is in the best interests of her beloved children?

I see no redemption for J.L. He has gone completely off the deep end and will do ANYTHING to keep Monse. He really doesn’t get the fact that she does not love him, he could care less. All he thinks about is that she was his in the beginning and therefore no one else has rights to what he believes is his. He doesn't see the sacrifices or forfeitures of anyone but himself (7 years in prision which he agreed to do on his own, no one pushed him into doing the time).

 

I've reviewed episode 16 and I concede that Montserrat may not have wanted to have sex THE first time. However, Alex was remorseful and begged for her forgiveness later on that day.
 

Thanks for the clarification on Episode #16. I know alot of you think in this episode Ale raped Monse, but I didn't see it that way. She just looked resigned to the fact that they were going to have sex and she happy about it, but never did anything to stop him. Not like with crazy, maniac, J.L.
 

JL has gone completely off the rails. He is as obsessed with Monse as Maria is with Alejandro. That's not going to lead anywhere good.