Caray, Caray!

These episodes are flying by, aren't they? 5 and 6 already!

Will use this chance to mention that if anybody out there would like to join the recapping team, Sneaky two shoes, Jardinera and I would love some company, even if you would like to recap once every other week or so. Please comment and let us know!

With that, on to our intriguing and fascinating episode(s)...



We start out with a mysterious woman, living in Remedios's hostel. The woman has suffered a lot and does not like to be with people. So Remedios brings her dinner upstairs. (The woman is Asuncion from Alborada, if anyone watched that!) Woman gets up to look at the picture...and cut! Anybody would like to venture a guess as to who she turns out to be?

Ana Lucia is trying to convince Soledad to let her attend the show. She pleads nicely and seems to have met with success. What can possibly happen in a day, asks Ana Lucia? Well...let's just wait two hours and see. It will turn out plenty! Soledad takes her as far as bus station, wishes her to dance pretty and hands her over to Orlando with instructions to take good care of her. Ana Lu happily skips away.

Having dispatched Ana Lucia, Soledad is taking coffee with Chana, who pries into her relationship with Isidro. Soledad doesn't even dignify the subject with a sentence. Chana entertains herself by doing a reading on Soledad's coffee grounds and promises Soledad a trip in the future. I gotta say I like that the town 'bruja' in this TN does not have the usual cliched cape, torn dirty clothes and greasy hair. Chana will do quite nicely!

Ramiro is remembering his talk with Evaristo - grandfather of his ex-fiance Gina. The grandfather tells him Gina had a hard life, her mother died and she was left with two siblings. She missed her mother, got in with the wrong crowd (man), spent time in jail, but when she got out, she was determined to change her life. She really loves Ramiro, otherwise she wouldn't have hidden her past from him. Marcelo told Evaristo about the noble nature of Ramiro and that's why Ev came to tell that Gina really loves him. Ramiro blows a gasket and looks like he is ready to pass out at various points in this conversation. Finally he declares that the lie of this magnitude cannot be forgiven. Knowing he was ready to walk out anyway, sounds a little hypocritical... Of course he was probably also trying to prove to himself that it was not him who was breaking Gina's heart, but she was the one who was at fault.

After he was done reminiscing, he ventured into town to ask about Sofia Hernandez. He gets information about Soledad, and while he is waiting for it, he conveniently turns away from the bus he was staring at, right as Ana Lucia exits and pauses to look around. 'Tis ok, we knew it's not telenovela time for reunions quite yet. Ramiro, though, is two for two: yesterday he passed right by Marcelo, and, if you believe it, his day is about to get much much worse yet.

He goes to the last known residence of Soledad Hernandez and finds there... Evaristo. They share a cup of water, Ramiro tries telling him he regrets not forgiving Gina. Evaristo looks like he couldn't care less and offers a toast. He is much more intrigued by the fact the Ramiro is looking for one Soledad Hernandez, and no - he never met her in his life, though he is living in her old house. He offers to ask his landlords and takes Ramiro's hotel information, and then helpfully offers for Ramiro to ask around, perhaps neighbors remember her. After Ramiro leaves, Ev calls Soledad to let her know the past is repeating itself - there is a man asking for her and her daughter.

Ramiro gets back to hotel room, calls Ana Laura, who asks him a million questions. He doesn't have answers, but he does tell her he called last night and Ana Leticia said Ana Laura was asleep. They verify it wasn't true, but Ana Laura wants to let this go.

In the meantime Santi is helping out Anibal with his car. Car needs repair and Anibal needs transport to Santa Cecilia, where he has been invited to a show. That's right - same Santa Cecilia where Ana Lu has gone with her crew, and same show that Ana Lu will participate in. What an interesting coincidence, isn't it! Anibal asks for Santi to drive him and he complies.

So everybody ends up at the same show. Santiago and Anibal walk in and take a seat, and who would sit right behind them, but Ramiro, evidently having decided to take a break from the life of a detective. So now they are just mocking us - these two sit separated by a foot, and that's right - you guessed it, they don't see each other. The group performs, Ana Lu is a star and all eyes are on her.

After the performance the group is getting together for a small celebration, and Anibal is invited. He introduces the teacher to Santiago and expresses interest in the lead performer - Ana Lucia - to be hired into his own group, which apparently is famous in the dancing circles. Teacher walks over to introduce them to Ana Lucia. Ana Lucia and Santiago see each other, she yells his name, he calls her 'mi amor' and before we know it they are kissing. Maestra and Anibal are just as surprised as we are, especially a moment later, when Santiago tells Ana Lu he didn't know she was a dancer. Anibal calls Santi his chauffeur and Ana Lu didn't know he was a taxi driver either. It becomes clear they are very "well" acquainted!

While Ana Lu and Santi hug, Orlando sees them and is ready to pounce. Maribel tells him to go outside and she will get Santiago to come out, so Orlando can beat him up. Ana Lu, Anibal and Santi are sitting down and Anibal offers Ana Lu a job in his group in Mexico. Ana Lu needs to think, she needs to learn more, she isn't ready. Anibal wants to convince her. Maribel shows up, pulls Ana Lu away and tells her Orlando is waiting for Santi outside to clock him, so she better take Santi away. Ana Lu happily complies, and in the meantime Maribel takes a seat next to Anibal, introduces herself and lets him know there isn't anything she wouldn't do for this job. She is better than Ana Lu, too, because Ana Lu is late, disorganized and a conflict personality! Remind me again - Maribel is supposed to be the BEST friend? Jeez. Anibal says convince Ana Lu to join and I will hire you both.

Outside Ramiro exits the theater and is accosted by two men. They knock him to the ground and proceed to beat him up pretty good. I would have thought he would be able to defend a little better, but then again - I've never been in a fight against two scrawny dudes, so I don't judge. He is unconscious and, in a surprise revelation, we see that the mastermind was the stalker Orlando, who thought his friends were beating up Santi. I was totally blaming Evaristo when this brawl started! Orlando realizes the mistake and scrambles away. Ramiro is left on the ground.

Meanwhile, Santi and Ana Lu are sitting by the lake talking about him dreaming her face, whether or not it's really her he is dreaming about, and whether he is really married. He ventures a guess that even if he was married, his wife by now has probably moved on. In the middle of the romantic moment, Ana Lu remembers the bus is departing at ten, and she must go. They decide they will meet as agreed in the previous note Santi left and she swiftly departs.

At the bus stop everybody is anxiously awaiting her and maestra is ready to leave. Orlando offers to stay behind and escort Ana Lu back to San Nicholas. Maribel offers to keep him company, but is declined. She hisses that Ana Lu might not appear until the morning, why wait. Orlando says it's not good for a girl that pretty to be so jealous. First sensible thing this character said. Maribel is becoming aggravating. Just as the bus is departing, Ana Lu appears, they board the bus and she tells Orlando she was with her boyfriend. He is shocked.

Ok, so that was for the main plot and now on to supporting storyline.

Ana Laura is invited by her piano teacher to perform at a concert. She agonizes whether she should, because everybody will be looking at her prosthetic leg and not listening to her play. She is ultimately convinced by abuela and performs beautifully. There is actually a nice parallel of her playing the piece and Ana Lu performing in the show. As Ana Laura concludes, the audience is clapping and we see a nice looking young man appear quite taken by her. The teacher introduces Ana Laura and extends his hand asking her to get up. Of course she trips, falls, gets up and runs away in tears.

Ana Laura is then consoled by her grandmother, but is not having any of it. Ana Leticia asks for a shot at calming her, and her rude tactics actually work. Not sure how Ana Laura does not see through her. A calmer Ana Laura asks Ana Leticia to explain why she didn't let her talk to Ramiro the night before. Ana Leticia explains that she is protecting her sister, as Ramiro is only interested in her money, and Ana Laura is an heiress. Both of them are. Ana Laura corrects her - there are three of them. Ana Leticia doesn't believe their sister is alive.

Ana Laura gets ready to sleep and calls Ramiro, who finally got himself back to hotel after pulling himself off the ground in the back yard of a local theater. Ramiro is in the shower and doesn't pick up. Ana Laura is full of doubts again. Later Ramiro, with great intent, scribbles Soledad's name onto Marcelo's map. All of his stuff goes back in his backpack and early morning he is on the road to San Nicholas. He gets to a hotel, asks to check in, and by the time he and attendant return for luggage, his car was broken into and the backpack, along with computer, photos and all his detective info, are missing. Ramiro is incredulous that he just cannot catch a break. What will become of his investigation he laments... Somehow, I am hopeful he'll fare well - he just needs to start looking around himself more, especially in these two towns. Interesting faces to be seen.

Elsewhere throughout the show Ana Leticia and Inaki are providing comic relief. They are off to their first real estate sale appointment. Inaki is hoping to catch a cab, and while he is pondering that, Ana Leticia jumps in her convertible, asks him if he knows the address and not to be late. Off she is, leaving him running behind her. They do, however, both arrive there on time, in case you were on the edge of your seat with this one! Inaki is hoping to wow prospective buyers with his knowledge of the house and house's history, but Ana Leticia doesn't even let him talk and goes on and on about how beautiful this vintage house is. The buyers are charmed with Ana Leticia and want to buy the house. In a debrief with Mariano, Inaki says they got lucky, and he couldn't offload any important house information, because Ana Leticia didn't let him talk. She is shocked with this blatant case of tattle-tale. Mariano thinks she has a thing for Inaki, but he tells her to also concentrate and succeed. She will meet millions of Inakis on her way, and this business will one day be hers. Ana Leticia thinks Inaki doesn't stand a chance. Inaki runs into Santi on his way out and tells him the whole story. Santi laughs that Inaki seems taken by Ana Leticia anyway, but Inaki, in turn, thinks it is him who will triumph.

We end on Evaristo's visit to Soledad. He came to remind he is always there for her and has done a ton to protect her in the past. He comes with two grandsons and Ramiro's backpack in tow. Soledad worries about thievery, but Ev wants to show her what's inside. Just as they lay it all out, Ana Lu bursts in, as she forgot her purse. She wants to know who those people are and what they are looking at. Tomorrow should be interesing!!

Did I miss anything? Please fill in!

Labels: ana