Caray, Caray!

Boy, the action was fast and furious this afternoon, even if Roberta committing suicide was all a Franco wet dream.  We see her inserting the pistol into her mouth, and suddenly Franco wakes up with a start.  He's been chastely cuddling with Alba, she under the sheets, he on top (of the sheets! what were you thinking?) and realizes the suicide was just a nightmare.  He does a double check to make sure the café door is securely locked, and then comes back for more chaste, reassuring snuggle time.

Home Sweet Home

Meanwhile Roberta and Mauro, both awake back at the house, are having a contentious papa-daughter chat.  She KNOWS Franco is not working late as he claims.  For sure he's with that Alba bitch. Mauro defends her as a "pobre muchacha" which ticks Bertie off big time.  So, you love her more than me!? (Well Alba did save his life, whereas Bertie tried to take it.  Sooo.....)
Mauro wishes Bertie had married Tiziano like he suggested, but she's adamant Franco is the man for her.  And always will be.  She'll love him till the bitter end, just like her poor mama loved her perfidious hubby.  Papi does not want to revisit that sad story, and goes on to reassure Bertie that she's his daughter, and too strong to kill herself for a lost love. Bert, yawning from her crazy pills, goes up to bed.  So when Franco calls, Mauro can reassure him that all is well. Later, when he goes in to check on Roberta, he muses sadly, "I'd give anything to see you happy.  How could I have known that you were hiding there, seeing everything."

Well, there's the rub.  What did Roberta actually see?  We still don't know if Mauro is innocent or guilty in his wife's death.  But he sure doesn't want to keep hearing about it.

Cozy Café

Back at the café our middle-aged sweethearts wake up all giggling and huggy-poo as Franco promises to sort out things with Gabe.  In passing, he sees a picture of Alba with her mother (Mauro's lover?) and notes that she's as beautiful as Alba herself.

Bufete

Natalia and her wheelchair swain have rolled into the office to tell Gael that they're "going to the chapel baby, gonna get married" and he's all chuffed and happy for them.  Julián overhears the happy news, offers to be "the padrino de lazos" and manages a gritted teeth smile. But later he hisses to Nat that there's no way she's ever going to marry Paolo.  No way at all! After he corners her in his office, she threatens to scream if he doesn't get out of her way.  So the big guns roll out: "Your dad is doing everything he can to find the culprit.  What do you think you're pulling?  You're as crazy as your mom. And if you marry him, I'll spill the beans."

Alba and Franco in the Car

As usual, Franco intones "tranquilizate" and "calma, calma" a gazillion times, but the upshot is while Alba wants to set Ingrid's hair on fire, he has another, more effective plan.  He will show Gabe the proof that it was tia Ingrid, not Alba, that ratted out poor Julieta, and all with be well again. (Well, maybe not for Julieta.)

Mauro and Tiziano in Conference

Big Daddy wants to know what Tiz thinks of the law office situation.  Well, it's all pretty good except for that Alba Castillo case.  Clearly Tiz is the only one fabulous enough to win it.  Mauro agrees.  But alas, Alba only trusts Franco.

After School Special

Franco meets Gabe.  Shows him the proof that it was Ingrid who made the phone call.  Gabe is all Qué!? and horrified thinking how cruelly he talked to his mom.

Tiz and Bertie in Conference

Bertie has a new game plan.  If Tiziano will oppose Franco in his courtroom defense of Alba--and totally humiliate him, she'll reward Tiz with another romp in the sheets. Well, the answer is NO.  He doesn't want Bertie for just one night, but rather for a lifetime of drama, we presume. Yep, that's the deal.  As much as he'd like to, only if Bert divorces Franco will he play ball.  Think about it, muchacha. (Okay, clearly Tiziano is as nuts as Roberta and Ingrid.  And a few others in this demented story as well.)

Cozy Café

Nat's perched at a table boo-hooing because Julián was nasty about her wedding plans.  After a little nudging she confides in her new best friend Alba that she was the one who hit Paolo and cowardly left him for dead.  That pretty much trumps Alba's sad story about her son. Nat goes on to explain that she was driving while arguing on the phone with Julian, and also that she was drugged, but still..."And yes, Juls persuaded me to leave the scene.  But then I met Paolo, didn't realize he was the one I hit, and I fell in love with him.  God is punishing me." -"Maybe God is giving you a second chance," counters Alba. 

Gabe arrives, begs his mother's forgiveness, gets it in a nano-second, and they wrap it up in a big, snugalicious hug.

The Urzúa Mansion

Franco is back at home, strutting his stuff for having saved Alba's bacon, and snuggling with his dearest daughter.  The doorbell rings and it's Paolo bearing a humongous bouquet of roses, not for Natalia but for his future mother-in-law.  Here's how that went.

"Roses? sneers Bertie.  "If they're not red, they're bad luck.  Hope you don't mind if I throw them in the trash."

Nat lovingly scoops them up and says she'll take them then.  And let's break out the champagne.  Bertie's having none of it, and wants her blandengue of a husband to speak up and oppose this horrid match.  But if not, here's her take on things:

The person who hit you should have run over you twice, rather than leaving you to live as a miserable cripple and an object of pity.  I mean absolutely, they should have run over you twice, just like you would a dog lying in the street.  Hit 'em again and put 'em out of their misery.

Well, that puts a bit of a damper on the celebration.  Nat runs off to her room to weep over her plush bed toys.  Franco calls Bertie a heartless monster.  Paolo simply smiles wickedly as if Roberta has no sway over him at all.  Methinks our bi-polar, borderline harridan has finally met her match.  But she doesn't give up.  She sneers at his lack of knowledge about caviar, figuring he's a sausage and taco kind of guy.  More wicked smiles and a so what? look from Paolo.  He's clearly holding his own.

Hot Lovin' Interruptus at the Aqua House

Mauro intercepts Gabe after his Mommy Reconciliation and offers to take him home.  It will give him a chance to check in on his lovely Ingrid.  Alas, Ingrid is having a very noisy interlude with Julian in her bedroom.  Since Mauro is old but not deaf, he overhears.  Gabe tries to smooth it over by pretending he gave the keys to the house for his buddy and girlfriend, but the Old Fox isn't fooled.  He's already spotted Julián's briefcase on the settee.  But he plays it cool.  Scolds Gabe for desecrating his aunt's respectable home and bids adieu, promising to call Ingrid later. 

Back at the Bufete

The repercussions are swift.  Julian is kicked out of his office.  Henceforth it's Tiziano's.  If Juls doesn't like it, he can quit. Here's the door, kid.  Because no way am I going to let you take my woman.  Maybe later, when I tire of her, you can get her back.  But not before, pipsqueak.  And if you ever try this again, I'll put two bullets in your....legs. (I'm pretty sure Mauro meant some other body parts.  I'm pretty sure Julian knew that too.)


Paolo's Apartment

Soggy Natalia has come a-calling.  Dante is on his way out so she wanders up the twisting staircase (how can Paolo ever get up those stairs!?) to muse on Alba's advice to listen to the voice of her conscience.  Evidently her conscience is telling her to confess.  Just not in person.  She'll do a little video selfie of the awful truth. Here's how it goes:

I love you Paolo.  I love you and want to be with you like I never have wanted to be with anyone.  Never have I felt such a desire.  You're so good.  You're the image of all that I don't deserve.  But I'm your worst nightmare.  When you know the truth you'll hate me.  God has punished me though for doing what I did to you.  I love you.  But I'm going to lose you and that will be my worst punishment imaginable.  

I'm the guilty one who wiped off your smile and shattered your dreams.  I'm the one who hit you.

Paolo, in the meantime, has wheeled in and overhears her last words.

Yowza what an ending!  Stay tuned Patio.  Things are heating up. 

Labels: culpable