Monday, February 22, 2016
El Hotel de los Secretos #20, 2/22/16 Monday: The mystery head-bonker is revealed.
Brother and sister are reunited. "Cristina! You're alive! You're alive!"
Isabel catches up, at first seeming a little unhappy to see her boyfriend hugging and kissing some woman - until she recognizes Cristina.
Back at the hotel, there's pandemonium in the kitchen. Lupe is a nervous wreck. Is it nervousness over today's guest of honor? Or is something else on his mind?
On the ground, Garrido is beginning to stir. Cristina has to hide. Julio has to go with her. Isabel tells them to go on ahead and promises to tell no one.
Mati meets Andres in the kitchen and they compare notes: Isabel followed Julio to the police station. Mati says everyone is looking for Isabel.
Diego paces in his cage. "12 minutes," he calls. "Your witness isn't very punctual." Ayala grits his teeth.
Isabel returns to the hotel looking stunned. Andres excitedly leads her to the dining room, where they're all having cocktails. (Oddly enough, Felipe doesn't appear to have a drink. He's slouching in his seat.) Alfredo introduces Don Javier Gongola.
Don Javier makes his big announcement: The centennial of Mexico's freedom is coming up. This hotel will be the regional center of festivities, and Alfredo will be in charge of the regional celebration. Teresa is sooooo proud and names Alfredo director of the hotel! Sofia is on cloud nine. Everyone cheers and raises a glass, except for Elisa, who looks like she has a broomstick up her butt.
Cristina and Julio go to the carpentry shop. "I thought you were dead." He never did write to mom - he didn't want her to worry even more. (Okay, I see where he's coming from, but now she's probably worrying about him, too.) At the hotel, everyone thinks Cris is dead. "It's best they keep thinking that," Cristina says.
Cristina explains: She found something that could end the hotel or end her.
The first months at the hotel were the hardest. She worked every day, Sundays, no rest. Belen scolded her for putting money aside for her family. "You should keep it for yourself. Nobody's helping you." Angela chided Cristina for her hifalutin' plans to save up for a European trip. Apparently she's also funding Julio's schooling. (Thanks Vivi!)
Cristina continues: After Dad died, Mom kept asking for more and more money. Then Cris stumbled into an agreement to provide swag from the hotel to Genaro. She was just grabbing odds and ends around the place and selling them to him: perfume, wine, stuff that wouldn't be missed. But she didn't want to risk getting caught.
Then Cris found a less dangerous way to make extra money - or so she thought. She was taking care of Don Romulo. He was very sick. One day, he must have known it was THE day, and he asked her to get a letter out of the top drawer. He told her to hide it away. "Teresa mustn't know."
Back to the present: Cheerful chatter in the dining room. General Machete introduces his daughters to Don Javier. Felipe tries to avoid making eye content with either of them.
Isabel blows through the dining room and tells Mati she can't stay. Mati agrees to cover for her. Mati talks to the doctor in hushed tones, then joins a group of people to be sociable on Isabel's behalf.
"Please tell me you didn't read the letter," Julio pleads with his sister. "You couldn't lie to someone who's dying."
"I didn't read it," Cristina answers. Don Romulo really scared her. In fact, she was so scared, she made a huge mistake and trusted the wrong person. EW!! She sure did. We see in flashbacks that she's in bed with Diego. He's promising to take her on a trip to Mexico City.
Cristina shows Diego the letter and begins reading: "I fear the situation has become unsustainable. I rue the day..." Diego snatches it out of her hand.
"How could you mess with that snake?" Julio asks, incredulous. "Oh, you think a maid can say no to the president of the hotel? I've regretted every day."
Another replay of the flashback where Teresa confronted Cristina: "You have something that belongs to me. You won't leave until you give it back." And Cristina replied, "Everyone in the world will know the truth and you will lose the hotel." Now Cristina recalls: "In that moment, I realized there was only one thing I could do."
(Meanwhile, in a flashback that can't be in Cristina's memory, Teresa tells Diego, "If you want to marry my daughter, give me what belongs to me.")
More double-flashback: It's the night of the electric lights party. Cristina goes to her room to get her stuff and leave - but someone is following her. She hides the key with the letters and the diary. (Does she take something with her?) She sneaks out with the lantern - the electricity isn't on just yet - she runs down the hallway, through the kitchen. Across the gardens. Someone is following; she can't see his face, only his shadow. There's a golden knife. Diego shows up with a gun. She struggles with him over the gun, falls into the pond, bleeding.
Back at the hotel: Alfredo wants to sneak out with Sofia to "celebrate," but Mrs. Limantur wants to chit-chat. Her daughter is coming with some French
Sofia whines to mom, Alfredo wants to get frisky. "Dear, I can't help you with that," Teresa replies. "And after a day like this, he deserves it. Use your imagination! Reclaim what's yours."
Mercedes wants to go for a walk. Felipe doesn't want to.
Isabel is out on the lawn, thinking. Laz catches up. "Matilde thought we should talk," he explains. "I'd like to know your thoughts."
"They're the thoughts of a confused woman," Isa replies. "A woman with grand dreams, yes?" the doctor prompts. "You seem to know me better than anyone," Isabel answers appreciatively.
The doctor talks about his daughter. She would have been about Isa's age. She had the same color hair. Her name was Maria. Her life was claimed by cholera. But she's one of the happiest memories of the doctor's life, and he thanks Isa for reminding him of her. "I beg you to always do what you feel you have to do," he counsels Isabel. "Don't waste time on doubt."
At the jail, Garrido gives the latest bad news to Diego. "They bonked me on the head before I could see who the witness was!" Diego reaches through the bars to throttle Garrido. "Find out who..." I miss what, something about the Vergaras? Wait, was Garrido around for the announcement? Sorry, I'm confused. "If you let me down this time I beg you to stay out of my way or I'll kill you like the mangy dog you are." Again, I don't understand why Diego depends on this boob.
Isa calls Ayala: "Oh hi, your witness isn't coming. But don't do anything! Sorry, that's all I can tell you. I'll try to come by today." Ayala politely thanks her, then smashes the earpiece against the wall. (Is this the historically earliest recorded instance of telephone abuse in a telenovela?)
Julio tells Cristina that Diego is now in jail, accused of the murders. Cristina says they must be wrong - he's not the gold knife killer. Then who? Cristina doesn't know; she only saw him in the shadows for a few seconds. Anyway, Pascual fished Cristina out of the pond and nursed her back to health for nearly a month at the carpentry place. If not for him, she woulda died. He mopped her fevered brow, kissed her, etc.
In Sofia's room, Alfredo is trying to get fresh with Sofia in bed. She's struggling, torn between wanting to and not wanting to risk it. His hand is on her belly. He thinks it's grown bigger! (Thanks Vivi) Relieved, Sofia seems to relax and get into the kissing, but someone is knocking at the door.
It's Victoria. Alfredo wants to slam the door in her face, but Sofia tells him let's not be ungrateful. She urges him to go see his mom and even sends him away with a kiss. Then she runs to the loo to examine her swollen belly... is it the real thing, or is it the prosthetic... she's rubbing it... and smiling... oh dear, I hope she's not losing her marbles.
Outside the kitchen, Lupe is still a basket case. I think he's upset that there are too many leftovers. Angela even tries to cheer him up, but is unsuccessful.
Garrido corners Andres. He wants to know who it as that didn't show up for the meeting this morning. "Nobody, I swear!"
At the cantina, Genaro is beating and choking Melibea. He knows they took Violeta to the hotel. "Bring her back today! I'll kill her!"
Cristina continues her story: Pascual blackmailed Diego and left the bloody uniform to let Diego thnk Cristina was dead. But when Pascual didn't come back with the money, she knew something bad had happened. After Pascual's death she lived in fear, jumping at every noise. The day Isabel came, BONK! (Julio disapproves.) "I didn't know what she was doing in my house," Cristina explains, defensively. Isa's fiance had just killed Pascual; why shouldn't Cristina feel fear? She had to get that letter.
"Where is that letter?"
"I'm not going to tell you. After all I've suffered, you think I'll risk it? If I give it to you, you'll give it to Isabel."
"But I am your brother!"
"And you're in love with Isabel. I'm sorry, but they pushed me to the brink. It's them or me - and I think you're on their side."
Next time: Isabel tells Diego that Cris is alive. Wait, didn't she promise to tell no one? Also: I see a shiny gold knife.
Labels: hotel
- I didn't see exactly how Cristina got wounded.
- I was confused about the letter; did Don Romulo really tell Cristina not to let Teresa see it?
- Did Cristina tell Julio she didn't read the letter, then we see her starting to read it to Diego in bed??
- Did Isabel promise not to tell anyone that Cristina was alive - then tell Diego in the avances for tomorrow???
- What was Mrs Limantur saying about her daughter?
- Why was Lupe so upset?
(I think this recap was supposed to answer more questions than it asked, but I really couldn't keep up with all that was going on!)
Yes, Cris lied to her brother about reading the letter. She and Diego definitely know what it said. And she looked very happy being in bed with Diego, not like a woman being pressured to sleep with the boss. But she obviously learned the other side of Diego since he obviously sold her out to Teresa and then tried to kill her! She was bleeding from the slap he gave her before she fell in the pool. She managed to knock the gun say when they struggled.
The reason that Angela was chiding Cris is that she thought it was haughty to be saving for this Europe dream. Between sending money home (to help with family expenses including Julio's university expenses- this was new info), and saving money away for Europe, she barely had any money for her own expenses. That's why both Angela and Belen thought she was being foolish. Belen thought she was being foolish to send money home. Angela thought she was being foolish and prideful saving money for the Europe pipe dream.
I don't think that was a prosthetic belly. Either Sofia is having a hysterical pregnancy and her body is showing false signs, or she was pregnant with twins and one survived, or both she and Alfredo are imagining that her belly is growing (that's what he felt, not baby movement).
I didn't pay a lot of attention to the talk about the French designer that is coming to the hotel. Just that her new designs for women ditch the corset, which is shocking.
Jacinto is still being rotten to him, which means that Lupe is in a rotten mood, which usually translates to him not being at his best cooking, so he was just really nervous about how his food was being received by the guests for the special occasion.
I agree, Cris looked pretty happy in bed with Diego. Yuck.
I do wonder if the letter is still in that drawer - though you'd think Teresa would have looked there. Torn it apart with her bare hands if she didn't have a key.
''How can a maid say no the Hotel president?'' she asks. Easy, if you were decent and have some dignity, because when she was in bed with Diego, she didnt seem to be a bit bothered. She looked PRE-TTY HA-PPY to me! Effing ho! Pardon my french, but I am getting ready for Pierre/Paulette...
ON the mystery of that "prosthetic belly" -- I too could not believe, given the time period, that a "prosthetic belly" that looked so real could have been technologically possible (but in novella land, yes sure). I think Vivi DC is correct. But the reason for the swelling,not sure. Hysterical pregnancy with bloating, possible. Twins with one dead, well that would be a twist in TN history. My own guess is just as implausible: she can still have children. But no, I don't buy that either. Would like to see where they are going with this.
And Christina is no angel. She stole things form the hotel, she slept with Diego, she tried to blackmail Diego and Teresa, got her boyfriend to do her dirty work, resulting in him being killed, booked Isabel on the head, and now is refusing to cooperate with her brother about the letter. She really is lucky to be alive.
Poor Isabel. What's in store for her once Diego cannot he held for the murder of the very much alive Christina?
So now we learn that Cristina may or may not be truthful in her recount. That will only muddy the waters more in solving these mysteries. I believe the story of her leaving the hotel, that someone confronted her with a knife, obviously he's the killer of the prostitutes, and about her encounter with Diego and the fall into the water, etc. We know she at least read the beginning of the letter, but it's also obvious that they must have read the rest of the letter because Diego tried to kill her. But why would she lie about reading it?
My guess is either she never actually aborted the baby, and not gotten pregnant again. But in order for her to have gotten pregnant again, she wouldn't be showing this soon. I don't think 3 plus months have past since she lost the baby. I agree with Floodgate, a prosthetic belly couldn't look that real in those days.
Sofia with a preg belly?????!!!!! If that is for real, not sure about Lazaro's doctoring abilities.
What is in that letter?
I really don't know what to think about Sofia. I actually did suggest a few weeks ago that she might have been pregnant with twins and lost just one. And she has been having some weird symptoms that she shouldn't still be having. I desperately don't want this to be a hysterical pregnancy - and I would love for Dr. Butcher (Santamaria? Was that his name?) to have been COMPLETELY WRONG in his prognosis for Sofia.
I also don't know what to make of Cristina. She's resourceful, that's for sure. She was somewhat dismissive about her thefts: she said to Julio, "do you know how many dresses Miss Alarcon has?" Then again, Julio was pretty light-fingered in the first episode too. On the other hand, he wasn't stealing for profit, and he didn't even keep the coat he stole. Plus, he hasn't been lying to Cristina, while she has certainly been crafting her tale for him.
She can defend this behavior to herself by saying that he's on the Alarcons' side, but damn, Julio was going to turn himself over to the authorities to get some justice on her behalf. So, boo on Cristina.
So, since I have a soft spot for Sophia, I want to believe it's a twin. Since TN's have that habit of plot duplication, we have Julio and Cris as twins, now we have atwin that also lives to tell their tale? Ok, I'm reaching, but dang it would be great to shove that stupid false baby plot up Teresa's stuck up butt. (sorry, your imagery on Elisa was catching.)
I'm not all in with Cristina. Something is off and when she started on the premise of being forced to sleep with Diego and in actuality was having a gay old time, well, red flags were flying everywhere. And Julio's mother didn't seem like the type to be pushing her daughter for more money. In fact I remember her being sad and worried about her being away from home. Something is rotten in El Hotel. Poor Julio--rock meet hard place.
So Diego knows Teresa's little secret, but short of blackmail it might not suit him to reveal it because he needs that hotel in his grubby paws for some reason too. So I'm back to thinking she may have been poisoning hubby, or she has a dark past of her own that needs to be kept secret. Speaking of the twin plot...I would not be surprised that Andres is Isa's twin and Isa is NOT her real daughter. Ok, I know, I'm stretching again.
Felipe seemed ten sheets to the wind but not fall down drunk. Was not sure what was up with that. I don't mind Mercedes so much, but wish the General would go fight some battles and take his other prissy daughter with him. Worthless characters.
So how the heck Cristina gets around, gets food and Pascual is out of the picture has me head scratching. Someone has to be still helping her.
I also need to go back and look at the hand holding the knife. Heavy or more female? Anyone catch that?
Daisynjay
One strange thing I've noticed is that none of the main characters except for Isabel exclusively wears white outfits. And, so far, I think she has only worn white outfits. I wonder if this means something?
It's all gas. Remember they were having those shrimp tamales with huanzontle and huitlacoche? LOL!
So there were 2 people after Cris, Diego with gun & someone with gold knife? Could it be Diego was trying to protect her?.
Romulo didn't say what to do with the letter except hide it?
I thought Sofia might have twins but they would be both Belen & Violeta's babies.
Here are my post recap/pre comments comments:
One more head bonk by Cris and she's officially be a serial bonker.
Julie: "broomstick up her butt" had me cracking up.
Isa is the worst possible friend. I swear. Poor Mati has been ignored, pushed aside and insulted (by Teresa).
Cris said she couldn't say "no" to the prez? She didn't look like she was having that bad of a time.
Don't you just love Teresa's idea of a mother/daughter talk?
I also wonder why Diego keeps Garrido on the payroll. Maybe he's afraid he'll flip on him.
Glad to know Cris still has the letter.
The way Cris told her story, I had to wonder if Pascual was actually the gold knife killer and changed his mind about Cris when he saw her in the pond. (Some weird impulse to help her because she was wounded instead of alive or dead.) I don't think it makes any sense, though. But it seems odd that he just happened to be there at that time, doesn't it?
It's been nearly a month since the last full moon murder. Can we expect another one soon? (We saw a gold knife in the avances - was that a new scene or the same old flashback? It went by too quick to see if it was broken.)
I also would like to know how exactly "the Alarcons pushed Cristina to the brink and forced her to behave like she has been doing".. isnt that the lamest of all excuses?
And notwithstanding the tales of woe she told Julio last night, her letters home to Mom and Julio sounded pretty upbeat. Last night's Cristina isn't much like the one we met in her letters, is she?
Cristina just seems to be a lame obstacle between Julio and Isabel for the moment, especially with what Isabel says/does in the avance for tonight's episode. I really don't like Cristina right now. I'm hoping there is more to her story because she definitely doesn't seem like a victim to me either.
Sofia's belly really confused me. I find it hard to believe that a realistic fake belly like that existed in 1908... I think the hysterical pregnancy or that she never had a miscarriage are more plausible, but barely. I don't think she's been with Alfredo since the fall so she couldn't have gotten pregnant again, right?
Dr. Lazaro seems to be the type to be snooping around in hopes of getting revenge on someone. I do think he's genuine with the Alarcons, especially with how fatherly he is to Isabel and Sofia, but maybe he thinks Diego did something (like injuring/killing his daughter?)
I'm positive Sofia and Alfie have not had relations since the miscarriage. Wasn't there a conversation where Angela reminded Teresa that she was the one that cleaned up after Sofia's accident and that she there was a fetus? So she had the miscarriage--but maybe there was a twin that survived?
J: I also thought that maybe Diego did something to the doc's daughter and he was out for revenge until he mentioned she died of cholera. However, that could have been a lie.
Cristina is turning out to be not so lily white. She's going to end up coming between Julio and Isa. Julio's loyalties are going to be tested.
About Alfie's father's will, Flaco and I were talking about it and he said he thought during that time that making an inheritance dependent on the son having a male heir was probably a usual thing. I didn't agree.
The Good:
She sent money home to family to help them and to pay for Julio’s school.
She wrote home regularly and is loved dearly by her family.
Andres really likes her and counted her as a friend.
Pascual fell madly in love with her.
She’s independent and has dreams and ambitions of going to Europe and was working towards that.
She took care of Don Romulo while he was sick, and he trusted her enough to give her the letter.
She wasn’t afraid to stand up to Teresa.
The Bad:
She stole (petty) goods from the hotel and sold them to Genaro for Europe money.
She got involved with Diego.
She showed Diego the letter.
She lied to Julio about being pressured to be with Diego (didn’t look that way) and about reading the letter.
She has a THEM (rich people/Alarcons) vs US mentality. (Not different from Julio’s attitude up till now.)
She refuses to give Julio the letter, or to turn it over to anyone who should have it (lawyer, cops, the Alarcon kids).
I'm curious now why Cristina thinks the Alarcons are so awful. Aside from Teresa's general snootery, she doesn't seem to have been suffering or victimized. Mr. Alarcon seems to have respected her. Sofia and Isabel probably didn't pay much attention to her, either bad or good. SHE was stealing from THEM! And seemed to be willingly enjoying Diego Pendejo's yucky attentions. How much of the staff was he boinking?!
Cristina is definitely not the innocent sweet thing Julio thought she was. I'm not sure whether to believe her claim that mama kept asking for more money. Mama didn't seem the demanding type, but maybe she was having a really hard time after her husband was killed. I wonder what Julio was studying and how much of his education he completed.
Maybe whatever Dr. Butcher did has left Sofia with lingering issues that are causing her ongoing symptoms and maybe a lot of swelling? Although wouldn't she still be more sick? I don't know. Maybe she has a tumor. Maybe she's just losing her mind or getting fatter.
I wish Isabel wouldn't neglect Matilde so much. I want Matilde brought into the plot more if she's going to continue hanging around. She's smart and resourceful; I think she could be doing more.
I'm sure I will not be disappointed. I am disappointed in Comcrap, though. In my area, just as Don Javier Congora was giving his speech, the sound went off and all I got was a banner across the screen saying SPANISH over and over for 5 minutes. Duh, I knew it was Spanish, why tell me something I already knew. I missed some of Cristina's story, too.
I'd like to point out that it's only been about a month since Sofia fell down the stairs. So if she's really pregnant, it's the original pregnancy. Not a new one.
I thought we were looking at a prosthetic (a very good one for 1908) mainly because I was under the impression that she had to wear it at all times in order to fool Alfredo in addition to the rest of the world. Would she seriously let Alfredo touch her at all if she wasn't wearing it?
Variopinta--"Could it be Diego was trying to protect her?." I don't think so. He was pointing the gun right at her and when Cris fell in the water, face down, he ran off, he didn't try to save her.
In the scene where Cristina and Diego are in bed (yes, quite happily), the seal on the letter is already obviously broken, but it doesn't seem as though at that moment she knew the contents. If she had, she would never have read it to him, since in it Romulo rues the day Montejo ever came to the hotel.
When Romulo handed the letter to Cristina in bed, it looked as if it had been addressed, but he did keep saying don't let Teresa see it. I think Romulo knew there was something going on between DT and Diego by then. Maybe he suspected one or both were poisoning him. We'll never know.
In the scene where Cristina was telling Genaro she wasn't going to be doing "business" with him any more, he told her she didn't have a choice. She was to continue getting stuff for him, but he would come by the Hotel and she could hand him stuff through her bedroom the window. He must have thought she didn't want to bring him anything more because of the risk of coming to the pueblo. She was telling him it was over and she had a better offer (taking care of Don Romulo).
I'm probably mistaken, but I saw the scene in the kitchen in Cristina's flashback differently. I'll have to do a rewind and listen. They had lined up for their pay--in cash.
Cris was putting a lot aside and only keeping a little for herself. Belen ridiculed her for sending money home to folks who didn't care for her. Cris mentions she has aspirations beyond working in the hotel. At this point Angela steps in with her comment. We know she has Belen's number--she doesn't like her. Maybe she doesn't like Cris either, having gotten ahead so quickly (now we know--sleeping with the boss was the truth), but I thought she was speaking to Cris ABOUT Belen, about being careful about arrogance, especially when it is standing next to you. To me the meaning was clear, don't pay attention to Belen, do what you need to do. I felt Angela approved of Cris helping her family and trying to get ahead.
We shall be enlightened soon enough!
I have to wonder what Christina expected to do in Europe if she had to scrimp and save while working in a hotel. This coming from a woman who whines about how many dresses Isabel has.
So why is Isabel always dressed in white? I don't think that was required of unmarried women and it certainly isn't practical.
Is Victoria getting as annoyed with Elise as we are? Love the line about the broomstick up Elise's butt.
I want more on Maria.
Daisynjay
I think all that white makes her look like a glass of milk, but hey, I have my own wardrobe issues.
What we saw last night also puts Belen's attitude in a slightly different light. I still don't like the way she treats Andres, but it does now appear that Belen's jealousy was perfectly justified after all. As Belen sees it, Cristina slept with the boss and got promoted. Belen slept with the boss and ended up with a bag of rue.
Now, regarding Friday night when Belen was crying alone in her room, I too momentarily thought that she was crying out of sadness over her baby. But then I realized that she was just crying over her lost meal ticket. So much for her big dreams. She's never shown a shred of concern for others.
Well Cristina other than pregnant worse than Belen. Will we also find she was a prostitute on the side?
Bothersome, the two fool boys Pascal and Andres in love with girls that want Diego.
I thought the seal was broken and Cris tana just rereading the letter and may have assumed it was a financial way to her goal and sharing that good fortune with her lover who double crossed her.
We can guess the gender on a good shot of the hand, men generally having the middle finger longest, and women the ring finger longest. Yeah, look at your hands.
I still think that anyone at the hotel could have found a way to get the gold knives if they really wanted to. But who WOULD use such distinctive knives, and specifically kill during the full moon? The full moon thing might make sense in terms of not wanting to carry a lantern and therefore being able to sneak up on people without tripping and running into things in the dark. But the gold knives? I think our serial killer has some sort of grandiosity complex. Otherwise why not just take an ordinary steak knife or kitchen knife that no one would miss? Why the ceremonial special occasion knives?
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