Caray, Caray!

(I skipped the one repeated scene; also, several scenes are combined.)

The Prado Castelo Mansion (outskirts of Mexico City).  Salma returns with Malena’s shawl and, as expected, Botel doesn’t get a chance to show Malena the picture of young Vero.  Jorge comes and informs them that the chauffeur is ready to take them back to their hotel.  After they leave, Jorge tells Salma that he likes Botel’s directness, which is good for business.  He also really liked Malena, and there were moments when she reminded him of someone, but he can’t quite figure out who.  (Veronica perhaps?!)

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  As Martin continues to delight the ladies of the Patio with his bare torso, he and Vero are having a surprisingly calm moment chatting in bed, with him telling her that aunt Salma should have helped her overcome her mother’s absence.  Vero rationalizes Salma’s behavior, saying it couldn’t happen because Salma had a preference for Vsnake, plus she sent her to a boarding school overseas so she could study to become a proper society girl.  Martin wonders if she was ever sad there.  Vero laughs in a sad way and says she sometimes cried while she showered, and if any friends noticed her red eyes she would just say she got shampoo in her eyes.  They both smile and for a moment we almost forget that all he wants to do is destroy her.

Driving on the Streets of Mexico City.  As they head back to their hotel, Botel admits to Malena that the photo of young Veronica he saw reminded him of her daughter.  She wishes she had actually seen the photo because photos of little girls always remind her of her own Veronica.  It still hurts that her drunken husband Aaron burned down their house and she did not have an opportunity to even save a single photo of her daughter.

Lame Nightclub in Mexico City.  Vsnake makes a half-assed attempt to get Emi to stop drinking.  He refuses and insists they all join in on his one-man drinking party.  Nicolas (ah, yes, that’s his name – good old Nick) tries to get Emi to stop drinking, but he says he will only stop if Vero asks him to do it.  Drunken Emi also tries to get Mariana to go fetch Vero at Mina Escondida, since she already knows how to get there.

The Alvarez Dungeon Home in Pueblo Nuevo.  As Ana Perla quietly watches nearby, Crescencio whimpers and prays to sweet Jesus on bended knee to “show him the way” – should he keep fighting for his grandson’s freedom or keep him locked up so he’ll learn his lesson?  (Crescencio, if sweet Jesus doesn’t respond, I’m happy to provide free guidance – keep him locked up and throw away the key.)  He admits he has made mistakes granting Manuel’s every wish, but he just can’t help it because he and Ana Perla are all he has left of his dearly departed daughter.  Ana Perla starts quietly crying too, then walks up to him and tells him not to cry.  Crescencio refuses to admit the obvious, reminding her that men don’t cry.  She says she is also sad, because even though her brother doesn’t love her, she doesn’t want him to spend half his life in prison.  (OMG – side comment – I was trying to turn off my dog’s bark control collar right after I wrote this paragraph and the thing zapped me.  Probably serves me right for using Jesus’s name in jest.  Ouch.) 

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  Martin laughs and proposes that they take advantage of their time together (together and not fighting is what he means, I’m sure).  Vero smiles with a naughty look in her eyes and asks what he could possibly mean.  In a gravelly voice he suggests they do something fun and entertaining.  He’s got a naughty look in his eyes too when he says “jugar al gato” (“playing the cat”) – ooooh, that does sound naughty and fun.  But then Vero smiles and asks if he is serious and informs him no one can beat her at it.  (Wait, what?!  Sorry, peeps, it’s a no-go on the wedding night, as we soon find out that “jugar al gato” simply means “tic tac toe”.)  Naughty Martin suggests they play “strip” tic tac toe, but she reminds him he is already half-naked.  He suggests he can remove one leaf at a time instead.  (I wonder what NanC would think of such naughtiness.)……The next morning, they are both cuddled in bed, clearly exhausted from their frenzied night of passion tic-tac-toeing.  She is still asleep, but he is awake and thought-bubbling:  “I love you, Veronica.  My love for you is so great that I am willing to forgive you.  But it would be unforgiveable to betray my brother’s memory.  What do I do?  I don’t want to lose you.  I hate myself for hurting you that way.”  She starts to stir and completely wakes up as he kisses her forehead.  She kisses his chest, wonders if he had a difficult night, promises to prepare him a delicious breakfast, gives him a gentle kiss, and heads out to perform her wifely duties in the kitchen as promised.  The crazy dude is clearly befuddled and miserable.

Pueblo Nuevo.  Ana Perla (with Julio in tow) runs into Pablo and tells him she had a restless night thinking about her brother.  Pablo tells her that he spoke with Vero but is not sure what she and her husband will decide.  She begs him to take her to see Vero so she can convince her, then calls him a “prince charming” for helping her.  Pablo says he’s no prince charming, “just a man in love with someone special”.  (He is either non-committal or picking up on NanC’s annoying habit of speaking in the third person, because he could have just said “I’m in love with you,” but no…..)

Mexico City.  Botel tells Malena he did not like having to lie to Jorge about the mine’s condition (as Martin requested) just so Jorge wouldn’t inadvertently reveal the truth to Vero that the mine is just fine.  Botel plans to go to a hospital to visit a certain Dr. Victor Del Rio, and Malena remembers that Botel took her to that doctor’s clinic when “everything” happened.  But now she can’t wait to visit the P.I. that Jorge recommended so they can begin their search for her long-lost daughter.  She has a feeling that they are very close to finding her.

Prado Castelo Mansion.  Jorge overhears Emi thanking Vsnake for not letting him drink more, because if he had gotten any more drunk he might have crashed his car.  He tells her he actually had a good time the previous night.  (Well, of course, it was fun for him; he engaged in his favorite pastime – getting drunk.)  But Vsnake is not at all pleased when Emi next tells her that he has to meet up with Claudia to go over some unfinished paperwork….Later, when she is alone, Vsnake calls Dr. Feelgood, who screams that she better not lie to him because he is sure that she went out with Emi the night before.  She admits that she went out with a group that included Emi, but reminds Dr. Feelgood that he has to calm down because they agreed that he would control himself, and she needs to carry out “their” plan before something happens that can ruin it.  He tells her he is on his way there and practically orders her to wait there for him.  When she hangs up, she tells herself that he is becoming an obstacle for her, and if it weren’t for the fact that she needs her medical exams and fake pills…..she trails off, leaving his future anvil up to the imagination of the Patio peeps.

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  I don’t recall Manuel’s knife paralyzing Martin, but you would think he is paralyzed now, because he is lying in bed completely motionless while Vero dutifully spoon feeds him like a baby.  NanC casually walks in on this tender mother/son wife/husband moment with what is likely a fresh batch of miraculous cure-all leaves.  Martin immediately asks her to wait for him to finish having breakfast.  NanC appears to be in a trance, mumbling:  “Nanciyaga feels strange forces.  Something is changing.”  She gets upset, turns quickly around, and leaves while still mumbling:  “Changes.  Many changes.”  Vero sighs and Martin asks if she takes NanC seriously.  Well, she doesn’t take what she says lightly because she is from a wise indigenous group, unsullied by city life, which must mean NanC is never wrong.  Martin points out NanC is from a tribe that is not even officially recognized, which leads Vero to suggest that Emi the anthropologist sure would love to study them.  (Uhm, how many hints have we had by now that Emi and NanC will eventually meet?  We get it.)  Martin then brings up Manuel and Vero asks him if he has made a decision about Manuel’s fate.

Prado Castelo Mansion.  Later, Mariana shows up in a rush and miraculously all members of the Prado Castelo clan come to the living room simultaneously to greet her.  She shows them all a fax she received from Pablo informing her that Martin got stabbed.  Everyone is worried except Vsnake, who is sure Martin is already well, because if he had died they would have already heard about it.  Mariana tells them the worst part is that the town’s doctor is not there.  Jorge knows she is referring to Botel.  It suddenly dawns on Vsnake that if Martin dies Vero will return, so she suddenly gets upset and insists they must do something so Martin won’t die.  Jorge takes action, telling Emi to inform Botel and asking Salma to figure out what doctor they can send to Mina Escondida.  (Uhm, what other doctor could possibly be an option?!  A certain cardiologist, perhaps?  His specialty is no impediment, since we all know TN doctors can practice any specialty at the drop of a hat.)  Everyone but Emi scurries off, and he is left telling himself that he hopes Martin will die so Vero can be his.  Later, everyone returns at once just as Emi is finishing up a call to Botel.  He wants to call Claudia next, but Vsnake is sure that Claudia already knows.  Next Emi insists on going to Mina Escondida to make sure Vero is ok, but Jorge will have none of it.  Jorge thinks he is the one that should go, and Emi should take his place on an upcoming trip to Europe.  Even Matilde wants to go see her niña Vero.  Then Vsnake pipes up and says she has an idea.  (This can’t be good.) 

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  Martin doesn’t know what to do about Manuel.  He understands Vero’s viewpoint but doesn’t think it’s a good thing to set him free.  NanC comes in and announces that the young man with “grass-colored eyes” is there looking for Vero.  Vero goes out to greet Pablo, and Martin uses this opportunity to ask NanC if her people’s wisdom can help him figure out what to do about Manuel.  NanC tells him that Manuel has a black soul, but trapped in there is also a scared little boy, and if no one helps him to change then his heart will rot.  Maybe if patron does something good for Manuel, he just may touch his good side.  Or maybe not.

Mountainside Cell in Mina Escondida.  Manuel paces back and forth trying to figure out how to get out of there.  And he swears that once he does, everyone will pay, starting with his own grandfather.

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  Pablo introduces Ana Perla to Vero.  Ana Perla apologizes for meeting her under those circumstances, but she is there to beg them to forgive Manuel.  Vero tells them she already spoke with Martin about it, but he hasn’t made up his mind, and they shouldn’t take personally whatever decision he makes.  Ana Perla understands.  She knows her brother.  But she is there begging because she also knows that the sadness will kill her grandfather.  Vero promises she will inform Pablo as soon as Martin makes a decision.  She just wishes things were different because she would like to become friends with Ana Perla.  Ana Perla would like to become her friend too.  Now NanC comes out and informs Vero that Martin wants to speak with her.

Mexico City.  Botel is indecisive about what to do next.  Malena suggests he return to Mina Escondida and leave her in Mexico City so she can make headway in her search for her daughter.  But Botel will have none of it because he doesn’t want to risk having Malena’s husband see her and hurt her.  (Yeah, because it’s so easy to run into people accidentally in this tiny city with a mere twenty million inhabitants.)

Prado Castelo Mansion.  Vsnake’s big idea is that she is willing to sacrifice herself and go provide Vero some moral support.  Dr. Feelgood shows up and Vsnake begs him to accompany her to Mina Escondida so he can attend to Martin, who is gravely injured…..Jorge asks Dr. Feelgood to sit so he can explain the situation to him…..The Prado Castelos convince Dr. Feelgood to make the trek to Mina Escondida, promising to pay all his travel expenses and compensate him handsomely for all the time he has to spend in Mina Escondida attending to Martin.  For a doctor who lacks enough wealthy clients (Vsnake’s gripe about him) this has to be the perfect money-making opportunity for Dr. Feelgood, so he apparently is all for it.  He just needs to inform his hospital and prepare equipment and medicine to take with him. (And before any Patio doctors say it is sheer nonsense that a doctor would travel so far to attend to a patient, I happen to be friends with the wife of a cardiologist who works for a world-class hospital in my area and who routinely travels to the middle east to personally attend to a very wealthy arab sheik.)  Jorge promises to charter a plane for him, though he warns him he’ll have to travel by river for the final stretch of his trip.  Unfortunately for Dr. Feelgood, he agreed thinking his “patient in bed” Vsnake would be traveling with him, but Salma and Jorge quickly nixed that part of the plan, reminding him that as her doctor he should know the trip would be too dangerous for Vsnake’s health.  Besides, it’s the perfect opportunity for Jorge to personally take her to see another cardiologist for a second opinion.

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  Vero helps Martin get dressed.  He wants to go to Pueblo Nuevo to handle the Manuel issue, but Vero convinces him that he should stay and rest, while she and Padre Juan go together to handle it themselves.  She asks him if he is sure of his decision.  Yes, he says, but you need to be aware that the decision we are making could have consequences….Martin has decided not to file charges, but he wants to speak with Manuel himself and warn him not to come near them ever again.  He is also going to speak with Crescencio to set some conditions…..Later, Vero explains the game plan to Pablo and he offers to accompany her to go get Padre Juan.  Pablo steps out to wait for her, and at that moment Vero asks NanC if she convinced Martin to forgive Manuel.  NanC tells her she saw in her shells that that family could bring trouble.  Vero tells her they already knew that without the shells, to which NanC responded:  “White woman should believe more, because her future is not so full of light either.”  Ouch.  Vero asks what she is talking about.  NanC points to Vero’s face and says she sees many tears there, leaving Vero a little impactada.

Library in Prado Castelo Mansion.  Vsnake and Dr. Feelgood are going at it again.  (No, they are not having sex.  They are arguing.)  Dr. Feelgood is none too pleased that Vsnake manipulated things to commit him to make the trip.  Vsnake is only concerned about making sure he gives her something to take that will convince the other doctor that she is, in fact, ill.  He’s still not happy, but she reminds him that it’s not a bad thing to get loads of money from her uncle for the effort, as well as to ingratiate himself with her uncle, so he can be on his good side when they finally announce their relationship to her family.  (She really does think he is an idiot.  Otherwise, how could he possibly believe they will ever announce their relationship to the family when their game plan calls for Vsnake to marry Emi, the heir to the family fortune.)  Dr. Feelgood tells her he is no Demetrio, and he won’t allow her to send him to the green hell and then forget about him….She swears to him that Demetrio was just her puppet, and she feels differently about him.  Besides, they can’t afford to have Martin die because it would mean Veronica would return and ruin their well-laid plans for Vsnake to ensnare Emi.  She easily wraps Dr. Feelgood around her little finger and he finally agrees to go, but warns her she better find a way to marry Emi quickly and divorce him even faster once she has his money.

Martin’s Construction Company Office in Mexico City.  Claudia is going insane because she has tried and failed several times to get through to the French hotel in Pueblo Nuevo.  Alberto tells her to calm down.  There’s nothing they can do, and besides the Prado Castelos are already sending a doctor.  He tries to convince her she has plenty to do there with him to keep Martin’s company afloat.

Mina Escondida Church.  Vero explains to Padre Juan that she needs him to go talk to Crescencio and ask him to go to her house to speak with Martin.  She says there will obviously be conditions imposed, but she truly hopes that Manuel has learned his lesson.  (Ever optimistic Vero; is it any wonder she sticks around for Martin as well, hopeful that he too will learn his lesson?)  Father Juan then says he can’t understand how Martin can forgive some things, but not others.  Vero asks if he is referring to that “vengeance” matter again.  The priest realizes he stuck his foot in it, so he laughs weakly and tells her to just ignore his comment.

A Restaurant in Mexico City.  Botel is on the phone with Jorge; when he hangs up he informs Malena that they are already going to send another doctor to Mina Escondida.  They are then joined by the P.I. recommended by Jorge and Malena explains that they need his help to find her missing daughter.

Claudia In a Mexico City Church.  Now this scene makes absolutely no sense and is pure fantasy.  Then again, most of Claudia’s scenes make no sense.  She arrives in a church dressed very inappropriately, kneels and begins crying.  She begs the virgencita to listen to her pleas.  She knows she has not always acted right (that’s an understatement), but she implores her to save Martin.

Prado Castelo Mansion.  Jorge gives Dr. Feelgood documents with information concerning his chartered flight.  He asks him to please contact him as soon as he arrives at his destination.  He promises to do so, then turns to Vsnake and tells her to take good care of her rotten heart.

A Restaurant in Mexico City.  Botel explains to the P.I. how lucky it was that the maid called him when Malena’s husband started beating her again.  Malena tells him he almost killed her, beating her endlessly and tossing her against a wall.  Botel continues telling him that the maid let him in through the back.  He found Malena unconscious, bleeding seriously, and he had to hospitalize her.  (We get sepia flashbacks of Botel performing CPR on Malena.  She reacts and as Botel is about to carry her off for treatment, her drunken husband comes out, breaks a bottle, and tries to attack Botel with it.  Botel punches him and knocks him down, then takes that opportunity to carry out Malena.  As he starts screaming after them, little Vero comes running to the living room.  She wants to go with her mom, but the brute grabs her by the arm and tosses her on a sofa chair.  He yells at her that her mother ran off with another man and she will never see her again.  She sits there cowering and crying.  He grabs a bottle and pours the alcohol on the furniture, then sets a fire just feet away from little Vero.)  Malena explains that when she returned home she discovered it was burned down.  Botel adds that Malena did not want to eat or live, thinking her daughter was dead, but fortunately they found the maid, who told them that Malena’s husband left with their daughter before the house burned down completely.  The maid told them Malena’s husband swore he would kill Malena if he ever saw her again.

Martin’s Construction Company Office in Mexico City.  Claudia is back in the office and takes a call from Vsnake.  Claudia laments that Alfredo wants her to stick around and actually work, when all she can think about is Martin.  Vsnake says it’s because he is a man, and they are not as sensitive as the two of them, but she definitely thinks Claudia should go to Mina Escondida, and she will lend Claudia whatever money she needs to make the trip.  In fact, she is going to call her doctor and tell him to wait at the airport for Claudia so the two of them can travel together.  All she asks is that Claudia not tell anyone she helped her.  Vsnake hangs up and says to herself that Claudia better stay in Mina Escondida for a long time, away from Emi.

The San Telmo Mansion Hovel (Mina Escondida).  Martin is making an effort to sit on their little sofa, and Vero tells him he should not have gotten out of bed.  NanC starts burning copal and spreading the fumes all over, telling them that copal cleanses “negative forces” (which means she should just hover over Martincito’s head for a good hour, at least).  Father Juan and a rather meek Crescencio pay them a visit.  Martin tells Crescencio he has decided to forgive his grandson and not file charges.  But first Martin wants Crescencio to sign a paper promising that Manuel will never again carry a weapon.  He shows him the knife Manuel used to stab him and tells him there were many witnesses to the crime.  (Really?  That’s not how I remember it.)  Manuel is forbidden to come anywhere near them, and if anything happens to either one of them, he will blame Manuel and settle scores himself.  Cara impactada of a very nervous Crescencio.

Preview:  Vero informs Martin that Demetrio Silveira is dead, then realizes he already knew it.  Martin asks if she really cares what happened to Demetrio.  Of course, she says.   Martin demands that Vero admit she was Demetrio’s lover.  She screams at him to shut up and tells him there is no point in her continuing to be there with him.