Caray, Caray!

 Hey, JudyB, it looks like early spring/late winter weather is continuing on the patio. We have the heat lamps out tonight to go with our oversupply of Cadbury eggs and carrot cake. Hot chocolate is on tonight! Keep cozy!

1. Natalia leaves Chente speechless as she comes down in her formal blue dress.  A smiling Ben watches  them from  under a coffee table. She tells him he looks exceptionally handsome as she fingers his shirt.His suit and shirt suit him so very well. She also loves the cologne he used but nothing can compare to his smile. He thinks she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life.   She thanks him for being a gentleman. He thanks her. They leave arm in arm.  Ben prays  that his father and Natalia get together. 

2. As Mario and Connie are still bickering about the shop and rooming house and Mario's "attack of compassion."  Connie asks if he thinks handing over the property to Tavo will get him into heaven? He doesn't think so. She agrees. Regina and Connie come in telling Connie there is a change of plans. They have to take the surprise party to Natalia's place. Connie does not look pleased. 

3. Natalia and Chente arrive at the restaurant. Natalia seems to be wondering why they are at that particular restaurant.  She and Chente start the evening  off with a champagne toast to Natalia and to many more years of happiness and prosperity for her and especially peace with her family. He wishes her a happy birthday. She suspects that Ben was the one who told him. Chente is just happy that he found out and that he could be among the first to send her good wishes on her birthday. He asks if he can give her a hug. She says she would never forgive him if he didn't. They hug.  

4. Back at the boarding house, Claudio is  sipping from his handy dandy flask telling Tavo that  he doesn't work for free and reminds him that they can get a whole lot more out of Connie. Tavo isn't interested. He only needed his shop to start over as well as the boarding house.  Chole comes out and she and Tavo kiss. Claudio thinks it is time to celebrate that the property is out of Connie's greedy claws. Chole agrees and sends Olga to the store to get some snacks. JuanGa arrives and Olga commandeers him to run  the errand with her.  Claudio is going  to run back home to get more liquor they can celebrate with. Chole tells Tavo she cannot wait until their kid is running all over the patio. Tavo is silent. 

5. Back at the restaurant, Natalia thanks Chente for the invitation and tells him he has no idea how he saved the day for her. He loves to see her smile. Natalia say she still cannot believe that her mother and daughters forgot her birthday. There is nothing worse. He asks if she is sure that they forgot the date. She honestly doesn't  know. People forget things with so many problems going on but that doesn't make it less painful. She tells him not to worry because she finally got that off her chest. She wants them to enjoy tonight like they deserve to. Chente agrees. Natalia says it is because today she is leaving the past behind and starting anew. She is free, done with the pain and ready to feel alive. Chente initiates a toast to that!

6. Natalia's house is dark as her daughters, mother and sister come in. They turn on the lights and frighten Claudio who is busy picking out  liquor to bring over to Chole's. Tere asks him what he is doing with it. He lies and says he thought they were planning a party and wanted to be prepared. Regina goes to get her mother only to find out from Granny Magos that she went somewhere with Chente. 

7. When the waiter brings two of Natalia's favorite appetizers (octopus carpaccio and tomato and basil bruschetta) she has to ask him who he has been talking to. He admits that  he talked to a few people who are close to her so that he could please her. A song (the theme song) starts playing. Natalia thinks it is lovely. Chente says he asked them to play it because it says things he would like to say to her but doesn't have the words for. She looks around wondering if there is room enough . . . to dance. He insists there is and they dance and kiss. 

8. Andrea wonders what is wrong with her mother that she would be out with one of the "hermaNACOs."Regina doesn't think it is a bad thing since he was the one who remembered her birthday. Connie wonders how he found out. Mario arrives next smiling with a big bouquet of flowers. Connie tells him it is too late for that since Natalia went out with . . . Chente. Mario's smile disappears.

9. Natalia and Chente keep dancing and kissing. They take a break and he asks her if he can ask her an indiscrete question. She says he can ask but she isn't promising him an answer. He wants to know why she went running from him after they kissed back at the country house. She says she did it out of fear; not fear of him but fear of making a mistake. She knows now that what she feels for him is not an error and she is not running again. They kiss. 

10. Seeing Mario with flowers, Connie remarks that she didn't know that Mario was interested in her sister. Mario denies it and says it was just a little something for her birthday. Andrea keeps going on about  how horrible what her mother is doing is. Connie agrees that she is making a BIG mistake. Regina insists she isn't committing a crime. Teresa says enough and asks what are they going to do with all of the food. Connie decides she is leaving and Andrea goes with her. Claudio isn't about to give up the  idea of partying and tells Regina, Mario and Tere that  he has a Plan B. 

11. Back at the table, Natalia asks Chente why he organized all of this for her. He explains he is a simple, basic kind of guy sometimes a little "naco" (poorly educated and low class). Natalia disagrees on the "naco" descriptor. Chente thinks that a woman like her deserves the best so that is what he is trying to give her. He would like to become a better man, a better father, a better person. Natalia tells him he is that already. He explains he wants to make himself better for a woman at her level who is so perfect and distinguished as she is. Natalia thanks him for having that idea of her but he is already a very special man. All he has to do is continue to be himself. She  explains how she lived for many years in a world of appearances but after meeting him, his family and the people in the neighborhood, she finally has realized what is really important in life. He laughs asking if he doesn't have to impress her anymore. She wants him to impress her because he does it in his own special way. She thanks him from the bottom of her heart. She has never felt so flattered. Chente grabs her had and admits he is in love with her. She smiles and starts to talk but he tells her she doesn't have to say anything but he had to just get it out. He would never expect her to feel the same. Natalia says but she does feel the same. She cannot hide it. She is really in love with him. They kiss some more at the table. 

12. Claudio arrives at Chole's with his relatives, booze and food! They were going to have a surprise birthday party for Natalia but she disappeared into parts unknown. Chole cordially greets them all. Tavo asks how is it that Natalia disappeared.  Claudio starts talking about today being Natalia's birthday. Tere warns him not to start any gossip.  He insists that what he is going to say isn't gossip. Natalia and Chente went out to celebrate and still are not back. Mario and Olga both look aggravated.

13. Chente suggests that the time has come for them to start to call each other "tú." She agrees but doesn't know if she can get used to it.  He asks if she would like him to sing "Las mañanitas" to her.  Just the  sight of him singing that to her with the guitar is something she would keep in her heart. Chente tells her he loves her. She loves him, too. He kisses her hands.

14. Olga is clearly angry and goes storming out. JuanGa follows her and presumes that she is upset about his brother going out with Natalia. She denies that but wants to call it a night. JuanGa  asks if she is really with him or is she still pining after Chente???  Olga says that she is there with him, isn't she?  He thinks her body is there but not her soul. She tries to "gently" tell him that she is only tired and needs to sleep. He doesn't believe her and tells her to sleep on it and let him know what her heart feels. He refuses to be second fiddle to anyone. 

15. Regina talks to 2XJosé about her mom and Chente getting together.  He cannot lie. His brother has it bad for her mother but he doesn't know what her mother feels for him. The conversation devolves into him thinking that her mother could never love a person from "their neighborhood"just like she could never love him. He goes to leave. Regina grabs his arm and pulls him towards her. She hugs and holds him. 

16. Regina explains to 2XJosé that she has never been concerned about social classes. She recognizes that when everything was going so bad that he was there for her and made her  smile again.  He tells he that he is in love with her. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her. She smiles. She makes it clear that she cannot deal with "the rest of her life" part after seeing what happened when  her father abandoned them. He agrees to take it slow because he wants to show her that love is lovely and eternal.  Love really exists. She sadly adds "until it ends." 

17. Chente thinks they can't go back to what they had good or bad. They can only move on ahead. Natalia asks "together?'  He says ALWAYS together. He humbly is offering her his heart and everything he is. He cannot tell her what will happen with them but she will always have his admiration and respect for the great woman she is. He hopes that a lot happens between them and that it lasts for a lifetime. He puts her hand on his heart and tells her that his love will be the proof of everything.  He promises her. They kiss some more. 

18. Mario is depressed in  his room when Vale comes in asking if he is down because somebody else took the woman of his dreams out to celebrate. He accuses her of  being a fortune teller. She says she doesn't need to be a fortune teller to know why he is like he is. Mario says he always makes the same mistakes. Vale knows that must be falling in love with a woman who doesn't love him back. Well, she is a woman right in front of him who would die just to make him happy. He needs to let himself be with  a woman who adores him and not keep hitting his head against a wall. He wishes he could do that. She asks him to give her a chance. Will he be her novio? 

19. Chente and Natalia arrive home in his truck and she asks him how does he do it. She felt so sad and he made her smile. She thanks him for the supper. It was an incredible time. He says they need to talk before they go in.  She agrees. The evening was so perfect. He agrees but says he has  concerns now because everything changed between them tonight. She asks if he is concerned about what the family will say, that they are from different worlds, that they live in the same house??? He says all of that. Natalia explains that she  is making her decisions conscious of the  ramifications they can have for them and their families. He asks what if the families are not in agreement. Natalia insists that  as long as she and Chente  are convinced about what they want and how they feel, nothing else matters. Nothing. Chente smiles. He asks if they are pushing ahead. She says that is the only way to go. Today she buried her past and her heart indicated that he is her future. They kiss. 

20. Mario explains to Vale that a woman has never told him that she loved him first. He asks her if she really wants him to be her novio knowing that he isn't in love with her. She wants the chance to win his heart. She explains that some loves have to be sown and cared for so that they  they flower. Mario tells her that he isn't for her.  She is very pretty and can have any man that she wants. She informs him she always puts up a good fight for what she wants. He thanks her for her affection but tells her that he doesn't know if he will ever be able to feel anything that strong for her. She insists that she is going to show him that she is unforgettable. Mario smiles. She is confident  after what she has been through in her life.  She knows what she is worth and what she can share and provide for her man. Mario doesn't know what to say.  She asks what about them spending the night together?  Mario coughs nndisbelief. She tells him she was just kidding around but dreaming doesn't cost a thing, right? As Mario tries to get his head around that, she tells him the time has come to stop being sad and drags him back to the party with the others.

21. Tere announces to everyone that Chente and Natalia have just arrived. She saw his truck in front of the house. Claudio wants to move the party back to Chente's. Chole asks if that might not be the smartest thing to do . . . Regina says she is all for going. They pick up the cake and start to move everything over to Chente's. Olga suddenly isn't tired any more and wants to go and wish Natalia a happy birthday. 

22. Natalia finds the house decorated and a note from Regina saying they wanted to give her a surprise party but she surprised them instead. The whole family wishes her a happy birthday. She starts to get upset and Chente asks what 's wrong. She explain about the surprise party and now feels guilty. Chente says it was a misunderstanding and they will understand. He doesn't want her to feel bad about it. They kiss and she is smiling again. 

23. The door suddenly opens and the whole group of friends and family are there singing "Las mañanitas" and catching Chente and Natalia kissing in each other's arms. Suddenly it is silent. 

24. JuanGa is arguing about Olga wanting to go to Natalia's party when she dislikes her so much. Olga comes up with an excuse: she just wants to make sure Natalia knows that she has no bad feelings towards her. He cannot believe that she really wants to make peace with her. He doesn't want her embarrassing him. 

25. Tavo brings life back to the group wishing Natalia a happy birthday.  Olga arrives loudly wishing her a happy birthday and asks her if she is now fifty. JuanGa grabs Olga and drags her away from Natalia. Chetne goes to the kitchen to get some alcohol for them to toast Natalia with. Natalia tells them all she really thought they had  forgotten her birthday. Olga tells her that she wonders how Chente found out. He is great at giving gifts to all of his women. He was especially like that with his late wife Lucía who will be dead for a whole four months in a few days.  Chole intercedes again to shut her up. Chente comes back in wondering what happened to all of the alcohol he knew was there but is now gone. Claudio claims to have seen some white wine in the kitchen. Tere and Regina go to find it. 

26. In the kitchen, Regina tells her grandmother that it looked like her mother and Chente were kissing. After finding the wine, Tere says she doesn't know what they were doing because she couldn't see that well.  Regina likes Chente and all but she cannot picture her mother with anyone right now. Tere  informs her that her mother can build a new life with Chente or with anyone she decides to. Regina asks what if she is doing it because she is confused or out of desperations. Tere makes it clear that it doesn't matter because her mother also has the right to make a mistake. Regina doesn't want to see her hurt again like  she was hurt by Adrián Cantú. Tere tells her not to compare them because Chente is a good man. Furthermore, they need to respect her mother's decisions just like they would want her to respect theirs. 

27. Tere brings Chente the wine. Chente asks JuanGa if he is stealing his liquor from him. He took a new suit of his and now the liquor!  JuanGa swears he didn't take it and doesn't want to gossip but Claudio brought a couple of bottles over to Chole's that were just like the ones that Chente had. Chente gives Claudio the look. 

28. Olga goes over to talk to Natalia asking her how her celebration is going. Natalia says it is going very well. She has some advice for Natalia. They say that when a man is widowed the first woman he goes out with,  isn't the  "good one". Natalia asks if she knows about that from personal experience.  Olga says the first woman a widower goes to with is like the one who readies the land for the next one who will be the "good one."  She also tells her that if she were her,  she wouldn't have a lot of hope for anything with Chente. Truth be told, he doesn't have much of  a future. Chente arrives with wine for Natalia and Olga snatches it away instead. She wants to toast to Natalia. She leads a toast to her health and Chente shares his wine with Natalia.

29. Andrea tells Connie she cannot stop thinking about her mother and Chente. What if they get married?She would just die. Connie has a couple of ideas to make sure that doesn't happen. She sends Andrea to bed with a  smile on her face. 

30. Olga is standing watching Natalia and criticizing everything about her to Vale. Vale thinks Natalia is very pretty, educated, and awesome.  She admires her. Olga tells her to look at how Mario is watching Natalia. He cannot take his eyes off of her. Olga wants Vale to help her think  of how to get rid of Natalia. Vale reminds Olga that she already has a cool novio and all she wants to do is play around. She needs to understand that Chente will never look at her again.  Olga tells Vale that she needs to understand that she has invested the best years of her life in getting Chente and she will not allow Natalia to just arrive on the  scene and take him away. Vale tells her it is always the same old thing with her. She is evil. Olga says no the evil one is Natalia. She has no idea what she is capable of doing to get back what is hers. 

31. Connie tells Andrea that they need to attack Natalia's relationship with Chente on several fronts. First, Andrea needs to talk to Adrián to let him know what is going on.  Connie is convinced that he can still get Natalia to forgive him and Andrea can help by using the family, her pregnancy, etc. as a reason.  Connie isn't sure but there must be a thousand ways Andrea can help out. If that doesn't work, Connie says they will change strategy. Connie thinks there should be a woman that they could get to seduce Chente so Natalia would be reminded how miserable men are. Olga comes to Andrea's mind immediately. Connie is confident they will find a way to prevent her mother from marrying that lousy guy. 

32. As Natalia is working in the kitchen, Mario comes in. She thanks him for helping her daughters with the surprise party. She asks him what's up. Mario warns  her that people out there are talking behind her back again with speculations about Chente and her. Mario thinks that she and Chente should make a public declaration tonight that they have nothing but a friendship between them. Chente  comes in asking what Mario is doing in THEIR  kitchen. Natalia says he was helping her. They all grab a platter with food and bring it out. 

33. Natalia nods to Chente and she asks for everyone's attention.  First, she thanks everyone for coming over to help celebrate her birthday. Today turned out to be one of the happiest in her life. She wants to use this opportunity to clarify a situation that Mario brought to her attention just a moment ago. A smug Mario smiles and nods. Natalia continues saying that there seems to be some uneasiness about what is going on. She turns and reaches for Chente's hand saying that she and Chente have decided to be together. Chente is all smiles. They are going to take another chance on love with each other.  Almost  everyone applauds and cheers except for Olga, Mario and Regina. 

FIN

Labels: fortuna

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