Caray, Caray!

Recap by HellaShelle

We’re back with Aldie and the Mother Superior. MS gives Aldie the application and asks if her parents know she’s here. Aldie tells her they do, but her father died a long time ago. MS wants her mother’s phone number and Aldie balks. MS gets right down to it: they don’t know you’re here, do they.

Back to Roberta getting the bad news: lung cancer. Roberta rapidly starts to fray at the seams. She accuses Dr. Gonzalo aka Sleazey, of making this all up to get rid of her because of his son, but Dr. G has integrity (apparently he saves it all for work).  He curtly informs her that he’s a doctor and wouldn’t play with something like this. (Humberto must’ve missed that lecture in med school during his ob-gyn rounds). Rob breaks into tears and he gently embraces her in a brief, but kind, hug. She asks if he’s sure and he says he doesn’t have exact elements to confirm, but pretty much yeah. They need to do surgery to find out how bad it is and what the treatment should be. Can they cure it? Dr. G won’t know without further exploration. She doesn’t know if she wants to go through all of that, she needs to think about it. He reminds her that the faster is better. Rob’s set on finding her daughter first.



Back at the apartment, Adelina opens the door for Renato. Cute as he is, she’s already looking over his shoulder and asks if Aldie’s not with him. Nope, he hasn’t seen her since yesterday; he just came to apologize. Adelina quickly explains what’s up and invites him in. She starts to give details, but decides it’s not important and struggles to hold back tears.

B-nun is back, and for a minute she’s not so bad. Since Aldie’s staying, she’s brought her nun-ish robes to wear and needs to take her worldly goods. Aldie’s ok with that, she just needs the pic in her bag. The nun says no friend pics allowed, but Aldie explains it’s her late father and B-nun lets her keep the pic.  B-nun does need her cell phone though. But wait! How will Aldie call her family without it? B-nun informs Aldie that they can only make calls on the weekend. She’ll need to wait until then, just like everyone else.

Poor Adelina’s every inch the anguished mom. Aldie’s her life and if anything happens to her, she’ll die. Renato soothes her. He’ll go check the college. Addie thanks him and asks him to tell Aldie that Addie needs her to come home. As he’s leaving, she stops him to assure him that Aldie’s a good girl, despite her mother. He says he’s already sure of that. Aw, he’s a nice kid.

Cande wants to know why Sev didn’t tell her that Cris agreed to work the hacienda. She thought they were on the same page with this. Sev agrees, but says that even if they’re both working toward the same goal, they can do so separately. For example, what’s she doing on her end? Cande looks a little unsettled that she hasn’t come up with The Master Plan, but recovers: she’s talked to Vale. Sev has been reading the comment section! He’s got Vale’s number and warns Cande that Vale might play naïve, but there’s not an innocent hair on her head. Cande wants to know what he means (Oh Cande. Even I know what he means, and I was waiting to throw my darts). Gringo should sue for copyright, because Sev basically quotes his posts: Vale’s sly and manipulative; that’s probably why she and Cande get along so well. They both have that “butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth” look, but you don’t have to be around them long to realize it’s just a mask. Cande says she could say the same about him. He tells Cande he’s going to San Miguel, but just overnight. She tells him he can stay there to live, for all she cares.

Vale’s looking at wedding dresses with Mary. She wants to go to Houston to get hers. It has to be special. No need for Mary to go too; MOHs can look any old way. Vale’s the one that needs to shine. Fair enough, Mary concedes. Who else will be in the wedding party? Emmanuel? Vale would have him parking cars if she could, but since her dad treats him like he’s really his son, she’ll have to put up with him. Mary thinks he should escort Pru. Vale and all of viewerville scoffs.  Mary wants to know what Vale’s problem is. Vale explains matter-of-factly that Emmanuel’s always been around, invading her space and acting like he owns things that he doesn’t. Doesn’t Vale think she’s exaggerating a bit, Mary asks. He hasn’t taken anything from Vale. Vale teases her that Mary has a crush and Mary protests so unconvincingly that we know she does.

Emmanuel says Cris was right, he is resentful, but he has good reasons to be. Cris agrees, but insists that he’s always treated E like a brother and a friend. Okay, E won’t spew at him again. They shake on it. Sev comes out and E rushes to get his bags for him. Sev tells Cris he’s going to San Miguel to buy some horses. Cris offers to go too, to learn hacienda stuff, but Sev turns him down twice, saying it’s not necessary. As he leaves, Emmanuel tells Cris Sev makes these visits every 15 days (which is randomly specific) and never wants anyone to go with him. Cris and Emm stand with their arms crossed, watching (their?) father drive away. They’ve never looked more alike. Good job on your visual breadcrumbs, Director of Photography.

Rob is walking along. Her side hurts, she coughs…and then she pulls out a freaking cigarette?! Has this woman learned nothing?! She notices that she’s stopped in front of a church. Maybe she has learned something. She stares at the cig with growing horror and flings it to the ground. She turns and enters the church. She barely makes it through the door before she stops to fight back tears. As she looks on the Savior, she’s clearly feeling every inch of judgment she’s ignored all these years. She sits in a pew, rests her head on her hand and cries.

B-nun is taking Aldie through her paces, assigning her to floor scrubbing duty. Wouldn’t this be easier with un trapeador (a mop)? Aldie points out. Of course! But where’s the sacrifice in that? If she’s gonna be a nun, she’s got to get used to much more than this. Aldie assures her she’s in it to win it.

Rob’s exhaustedly coming to the end of a good cry. She begins to cross herself, but seems to have forgotten how. She springs up from the pew. “Is this a punishment?!” she demands of the crucified Christ. Her outburst quickly dies away as she softly wonders aloud “Is this what I deserve?” She lays on the pew and sobs that this is what she deserves.

Cris has gone to PadrJ to confirm that he wants to marry Vale. PadrJ reminds them that there’s a difference between caring about someone and being in love with them, but Cris is convinced that he’s chosen his bride-to-be well. They’re interrupted by the phone. It’s Adelina. She’s checking to see if Aldie’s in Santa Lucia. Cris looks up like a puppy smelling kibble when PadrJ says Aldie’s name. Adelina lets PadrJ know that Aldie’s missing, but refuses to explain further and hangs up abruptly. Gee, way to freak PadrJ out about his only living blood relative, Addie! Cris asks what’s up and PadJ fills him in. Cris dryly points out that it’s not the first time Aldie’s disappeared without a word. PadrJ reminds him that they are talking about his niece. Cris apologizes and leaves.

Someone hurries across the very floor that Adelina’s on her hands and knees scrubbing. It’s a very cheerful novice nun named Bernardita (darn it! Now I must refer to B-nun by her actual name: Sister Socorro). Bernardita just wants Aldie to know what Socorro does this to all newbies as a test. Well, Aldie won’t give Socorro the satisfaction of running her off. Bernie starts to leave, but Aldie stops her to ask if she knows where she can make a phone call. Bernie explains that to make a special phone call, Aldie needs to ask permission but she knows a work around.

Roberta returns home. Adelina lights into her right away, exasperated and angry, assuming she and Dr. G have been…well, “playing doctor” while Aldie’s missing. Rob’s quiet “I’m dying” literally stops Adelina in her tracks, mid-rant. “What?” Adelina kneels in front of her sister and the note of panicked worry goes up half a notch. Roberta confirms it: she has lung cancer.

Rob knows there’s no hope. She explains what happened at the hospital and shares her fear with Adelina: that this is God’s punishment. The worst part, she says, is that she’s going to die without seeing her daughter again.

Lola’s at the tailor shop, standing on a ladder. Abelardo comes in and kicks it. Cuz that’s just the kind of jerk he is. He wants to know what Lola told his mom. Lola replies that it’s nothing Irma doesn’t already know – that he’s a good for nothing louse who hangs in the street with his friends all day. He thinks she’s just jealous. As a poor orphan, saved by two old fogies, she doesn’t have such luxuries, does she.  Irma has just emerged from the backroom and wants to know what he’s doing there. (Really? We’re supposed to believe she’s standing in the tiny space between and behind them, and she didn’t hear him spewing his hatefulness?). Abelardo says he came to tell her he’s looking for a job. He wanted to tell her personally because some people think he’s lazy. He leaves and Irma asks Lola if he was bothering her (Duh!). Lola denies it, but she eyes are shining with unshed tears.

Apparently Bernie’s work around, is to sneak into the MS’s office because that’s where Aldie is. She’s glad when Adelina answers because she’s sure her mom won’t care. She assures Adellina that she’s in the best place in the world and Addie shouldn’t worry. Adelina starts to tell her that Rob’s sick, but Aldie cuts her off saying that she doesn’t want to know anything about her mother. She’s made a decision and Addie should respect it. Oops! She’s been caught!

Rob insists that Adelina shouldn’t tell Aldie what’s up. She doesn’t want her daughter’s pity. Addie argues that Aldonza loves her mom, but Rob doesn’t see why she would. She’d going to do the other tests, but if Aldie calls back, she doesn’t want Adelina to tell her what’s up.

Cande drags Cris onto the couch with Vale and Pru to talk wedding stuff, but he’d rather leave all of that to the ladies. He acknowledges that it’s his wedding too, but still he insists he’d rather leave it up to them. He leaves and Cande says she’ll call him for dinner. Pru asks where Sev is and Cande says he’s in San Miguel for work. Pru notes that whatever else people say about him, Sev’s a hard worker.

Yeah he’s working hard. Surprise, surprise – he’s got a lady love. She’s been waiting and welcomes him with open arms. He gets to “work” right away.

Mother Superior is lecturing Aldie. She just got there and already she’s breaking rules! She didn’t even want to give them her mother’s phone number before, what’s the big rush to call her mom now? Aldie says really she wanted to call her aunt, who lives with her mom, and is more like a mom than her mom really is. She finally admits that she bailed because her mom lives…a life of excesses and she couldn’t take it anymore.

Lola doesn’t want to eat and Abue thinks it’s because she’s in love. Nope; she wants to know exactly how the accident with her parents happened.

Sev’s mistress, Simoneta, wants to know what took him so long. He explains that running a hacienda’s a lot of work. Besides, his son just got home and he’s more important than everyone else, including Sev himself. What about his wife? Well that he lost that lovin’ feelin’ for her a long time ago. He can show Simoneta what he means better without words. They sink into the couch and cheesy sax music sends us to commercial.

Back to Lola. She knows that her parents died in a car accident, but the story always starts and stops there and she wants to know why. Dominga says there’s nothing more to say and it’s hard to talk about. Her grandpa adds that they don’t really know what happened either. They got the call and then went to get her. She’s the most important thing to her abuelos. Her dad was their son, so of course it’s hard to talk about. She understands that, but she wants to know things, like why wasn’t she with her parents in the car? And where are they buried? Why didn’t they bury them in Santa Lucia? Her abues are suspiciously vague – they don’t remember why she was left and it doesn’t matter where they were buried and they didn’t have money to bring the bodies back and why is she asking all of these questions? Isn’t their love enough? Lola surrenders her interrogation. They’re more than enough and she thanks God every night for them. She tells them not to pay her mind, they know she’s a busybody. She heads out and the abues share a significant look. All of Viewerville is left to wonder: Are we sure she’s not Rob’s girl?

Aldie assures her that she’s not just a running away b/c she had a fight with her mom, she really wants to serve God. She asks if she can stay. MS agrees, but she makes Aldie agree to come ask her before she does something that will break the rules. Aldie leaves and B-nun immediately complains that Alsie’s not made for the nun life. MS knows and asks B-nun to bring Aldie’s application.

Vale gets Cris for dinner. She wants to know what he’s thinking about b/c she can tell something’s on his mind. He’s just tired and hungry. Fine, she won’t push further…but she wants him to tell her he loves her. She does, but she wants him to look into her eyes and say it. He does, but when they hug it’s clear she’s not convinced. Yup, Vale knows what’s on his mind, now that he’s back in Santa Lucia…

It’s also dinner time at the banker’s house. Mary shares her day with Vale. She’s never seen her so happy. She and her brother trade barbs. Dad wants to know if Alb’s found work, but he just started looking today. Dad can get him something at the bank, but he’ll have to start at the bottom. No way! Abelardo wasn’t born to be anyone’s gofer, like Lola. He’s nasty about it and Mom won’t have him talking about any woman like that in front of her. He leaves in a huff.

Emmanuel wants to know what’s up with Lola. She’s very quiet, which is just not her. She wants to know if E remembers his mom. No, his mom died when he was born. Lola notes that she’s only seen pics of her dad, none of her mom. E says his mom was single, he has no idea who his dad is. Lola says sometimes she thinks their twin souls.

Adelina comes home to find Roberta smoking, but neither of them wants to put up the same fight. Rob’s got to be in the hospital early tomorrow morning. She wants Adelina to swear that she won’t tell Aldonza how her father died. Addie’s about to brush it off, but Rob’s adament and we learn now why Adelina hasn’t been resentfully slapping Rob this whole time: she thought Sev was the person to actually killed Ray. No, Rob admits. She was the one who killed him!

Lola and E still talking. They note that Aldie also lost her dad and Lola says she might’ve been better off without her mom too. Emmanuel comes to her defense. Her life was hard. Lola agrees. People are cruel and say terrible things. Emmanuel remembers helping Rob home. He only spoke to her that one time, but she was nice. She kissed him (on the forehead) so tenderly. They wonder what happened to them.

Bernardita sneaks into Aldonza’s cell. She also mistakes Ray’s photo for one of a boyfriend, but Aldie clears that up. B seems to think she and Aldonza are already besties: she’s hyped like she’s at a middle school sleepover and wants Aldie to share all of her sins and Bernardita will share hers. Yeah, neither of these girls are meant for the convent.

Rob’s well through confessing her sins. She finishes telling Adelina about how Ray really died. Adelina doesn’t want to hear. Why is Rob even telling her this after all these years? Rob is desperate to get the truth off her chest. She needs to confess before she dies and she won’t do so with a priest or stranger. She begs Adelina to let her get this out. Adelina thaws and they cry together.

Simoneta wants Sev to stay longer, but he wants to spend time with Cris and he doesn’t want guff about it, he gets enough of that at home. She suggests she can move to Santa Lucia, but he says that she’d have nothing to do there. The people in that town can drive you crazy and he’s had enough local flavor for this life and the next. She thinks he just doesn’t want the truth getting out. He says it wouldn’t be good for her either and they start in a fresh round of sheet wrestling.

Rob took her daughter’s father from her. She doesn’t want Aldie to know, she doesn’t want the secret to consume her the way it’s consumed Rob. She hasn’t known peace for a long time. She had it, but she lost it when she fell for Sev.

Sev warns Simoneta that people forgive men their affairs, but not women. That town doesn’t let up on them until they’ve lost everything, including their dignity. It’s kind of a weird way to end the eppy, but the end credits roll anyway.

Avances:
• Rob gets confirmation about the cancer.
• Emmanuel sees Vale and Abelardo kissing (in the town square?! In the middle of the day?!) And threatens to tell Cris!

Labels: sombra