Caray, Caray!

A.MAR #24 Parte 1 Notes from the Couch . . .

Sergio Worms his Way into Estrella's Life
Sergio Tells Estrella he got a message form his daughter and he is there to find out what she wants. Estrella assures him that she doesn't expect anything from him. Not everybody is like him. She makes it clear that nobody is asking him to be a father to Azul. Azul only wanted to know where she came from . Sergio says he does want to handle this the right way and wants to be a part of his daughter's life. He wants to meet her the next day. Estrella ens up agreeing. She tells Erika she is afraid that Azul will get her hopes up and Sergio will end up hurting her since he abandoned them once. Erika says that was so long ago that she needs to give him a chance.

Estrella brings an excited Azul to Erika's restaurant the next day where the meeting with Sergio takes place. Father and daughter look at each other and smile. What they don't know is that Erika has introduced herself before their arrival and told Sergio that she was the one who called him in the first place so he could make contact with Azul.

Teresita tells Erika that she did a bad thing when she contacted Sergio about his daughter on without asking Estrella. Erika answers that she wanted to do it for Azul because she knows what it is to grow up without a father. Teresita calls her on her lie. She knows that Erika wants Sergio to get back with Estrella so she leaves town with him and opens the road back to Fabián. Teresita demands that either Erika tells Estrella about the call to Sergio or she will. Erika agrees but adds that she needs some time first.

Gabriel and Marina
Gabriel looks worried and takes a document out of an envelope kept in a nightstand next to his bed. It looks like a birth certificate where he is listed as Iker's father: Gabriel Neira and Iker's mother is listed as Fabiola Salgado.

Gabriel, Marina and Iker are supposed to go to the city and visit the publisher of the book with the "Paloma" drawing. it looks like he got sick and ended up at home instead because Marina is there to give him some cough medicine. When she goes to get it out of Gabriel's bed stand, she notices that Gabriel never did throw the letter in the bottle in the sea like Iker asked him to do. Iker asks Marina if she thinks that his mother or the spirit of his mother will read the letter that he sent her. She answers that of course he will.

Yazmín Levels with her Father and Spreads Granny's Ashes at Sea
Yazmín is still being rude to her father. She gets all bent out of shape when he serves her some supposed spanich ravioli and they end up having meat in them. Doesn't he knows she is a pescatarian?

Yazmín looks at a photo of her mother and tells her how much she misses her. She calls Sergio who ignores her call because he is busy making out with a fellow med student.

(They cut a lot of this) Yazmín runs into Oliver on the beach. She is carrying her granny's ashes and wants to spread them at sea like they spread her mother's ashes. Oliver takes her out and once they find the right spot, She spreads the ashes. Oliver asks what is bother ing her. She tells him all about Fabián and her problem with him. He tells her that he wishes he knew who his father was since he grew up without knowing.

Yazmín goes home and apologizes to her father Fabián for being like she has been to him after he has offered her so much but the fact of the matter is when he caused her mother's death and left her with her granny for five years, something broke inside of her and it cannot be fixed. So, she is telling him that she doesn't love him but she doesn't hate him either. She feels nothing for him. She is grateful for the room but doesn't want or need anything else from him.
The less they see of each other the better. Fabián looks like his heart has been broken.
 

A.MAR Parte 2

Brisa: the Woman with a Plan
Brisa doesn't miss a beat when she runs into Gabriel on the beach and asks how Marina is doing. If she needs anything. Gabriel cannot understand why she would be concerned about her.

Brisa puts posters all around the city that have a photo of Marina on them asking if anyone knows this woman. (Got to give he credit for thinking of this non-tech easy peasy way of doing things. Funny nobody else thought of doing it.)

Everything Else
Pascual finally gets on the bus after warning Valentín for the umpteenth time not to mix the white clothing in with the colored.

When Perla hears from Oliver that Pascual has left town because of her, she goes to see how Valentín is doing. He is changing a light bulb but ahving problems. He ends up electrocuting himself and falls to the floor where he suffers in pain.

After seeing Marina and Gabriel kissing at the restaurant, Teresita advises her to watch what she is doing because of Brisa. If you play with fire . . .

Gonzalo comes by Meche's seafood stand and helps her out. She admits that she feels like she has lost direction in her life with the death of Ulises. She asks Gonzalo for advice. He tells her that the time has come for her to take control of her own life.
 

A.MAR

Could they have played any more commercials than they did tonight? Unbelievable. Anyway . . .

Major questions from me:
Why was Gabriel so concerend looking at what looked like a birth certificate for Iker?

Why was Marina so concerned seeing the letter in the bottle in the nightstand drawer?

Things are starting to percolate.
 

A.MAR

Jarifa, your sharp and perceptive recap was marvelous. Thank you for explaining much that I missed, both aired and not aired. You always clarify and explain things in such a clear and concise manner.

"(Got to give her credit for thinking of this non-tech easy peasy way of doing things" was perfect! Brisa's determined to find out who Marina is and she is clever and resourceful. If only she would put that effort into finding a meaningful career!

A mystery swirls and gathers heat and intensity, swirling in a storm. We finally have a name, "Fabiola Salgado". Gabriel was very concerned and it appeared worried when he scanned the document. Why indeed Jarifa? My first and immediate (speculative not spoiler) thought was wondering if Iker's mother is not dead but alive! Marina seeing the letter in the bottle did not air in what I saw so appreciate your including this!

Yaz has been through much but the greatest form of cruelty is indifference. Poor Fabian; what will it take for her to come to her senses?

I had to smile in that Teresita eavesdrops just as well as Erika.

Parting was such sweet sorrow for Pascual and Valentin! 😊 I have a feeling they will not be separated for long...

I really like Gonzalo's "courting" of Meche. Showing up unexpectedly in a helpful, breezy manner, dispensing good advice as well as doning an apron and pitching in. He's a keeper!

Jarifa, I also thought there were more commercials than usual which is really annoying considering scenes were cut. Thank you for this gem of a recap...

Diana
 

Juegos # 66 part 1

Memo is shocked to learn about his paternity, though having Enrique for a father is much better than Mateo. Mariana explains how her father wanted her to have an abortion. When she refused he forced her to marry Mateo. I think she was also dating him at the time. Francisco has treated memo horribly all his life and he needs to pay. He gets his gun but Mariana calls Enrique who calms him down. He'll see him later.

Victoria traps Joachin into divulging some truths when she tells him they are reopening the death case of Dr Brown to homicide. She hints that Brita has talked. So he is willing to talk now.

Francisco is back home, Ines brought him. She doesn't stick around though. He calls his guy and sets something up. Turns out it is a hit on Luci. When Enrique shows up at Francisco's they talk about memo and other things. Enrique is cutting him loose, he is no good for his campaign. Francisco tells him he is going to kill who he loves most, Luci.

Meanwhile Luci learns that Adrian has been approved to go to rehab. She shares the news with Pato and Chofi. As she leaves her house and gets ready to get in her car a guy color forms her and stuffs her in his trunk, but Roberto pulls up just in time and saves her. Looks like he may have managed to shoot the guy in the shoulder, though he kept running.

Meanwhile back at Francisco's place, Frank has pulled a gun on Enrique. Enrique manages to wrestle it from him and kills him. Memo shows up. I almost feel sorry for Memo. What a messed up life he has had. At any rate, Enrique says we have to dispose of him....

Adrian gets a visit from Alex. He asks for her forgiveness. He's sorry he didn't do as she told the night of the accident.

Dani talks to the dean. He has been offered a scholarship in Barcelona. He accepts ( this will be good for him I think).



 

Juegos #66 part 2

Enrique explains to Memo how Francisco was killed. He forced my mother to have an abortion which killed her and made it look like suicide. Memo says like what he tried to do to my mother. Enrique says yes, but your mother is a queen and refused and kept you safe. He tries to kill me but I got the gun from him and killed him. Memo is all happy. I'm just like you. We are the same. Enrique agrees. ( This was actually funny to watch).

Omar and Elena are necking in the kitchen when Dani comes home to give them his good news. Elena asks to you want to go to learn or forget. He says both. They understand. He leaves in two weeks.

Memo is willing to get rid of Francisco, except there is the issue of the ankle bracelet... Enrique is going to disable the security cameras and bring his car around. ( Not sure what they are doing about the tracker. I can almost see memo cutting off his leg.)

Roberto really wants to catch Ferrar. He needs to protect Gaby and Luci. He can't lose either of them like he lost his sister.

Roberto is trying to get in Francisco's house. He wonders if he has fainted. Q tells him to wait and not enter.

Victoria is with Luci telling her all the info she got from Joachin. Francisco ordering Fabiola to have her memory erased at the clinic. How Memo dated her before her disappearance, that she gave Berta the video from the night of the accident, etc..
Enrique arrives glad to see she is ok.

Adrian has agreed to see Ines. She tells him that she always needed to protect him since he was born premature and in the incubator. She devoted her life to him. He says you failed me. This is the last time I'll see you. Enjoy your life of power as first lady.

Roberto is peering in windows. He finds the blood and broken glass in the room of the murder. He calls Q to give the news.
 

Karsu

Novelera – you sound like you’re having a ton of fun! So glad you could post a comment!

I think there were no books on the shelves because the shop was being “remodeled.” Oh, and I miss the older henchman too. I hope he comes back.

Kat – Oh! A musical evening for the HOA. This we gotta see. I’m wondering how the HOA has so much money that they can afford an office. Or maybe they just have a rec room and the office is in it. And I too loved Irmak’s take-down of the suegra at the department store. What an old biddy.

What had me wondering is why, in a show that has us all exclaiming about the wonderful, complex characters, did Irmak have no discernable personality? She just stared. Her husband loves her, but why? Yes, she’s lovely to behold, but is there anybody home in there? Turns out in this episode that she has backbone. Look at her tell Reha off, saying she’s not like her mother and Karsu, I guess not compliant. And she actually interacted with Deniz with normal smiles and kid-talk. Plus she’s sure determined to hang on there at her mom’s despite being completely frozen by her and Karzu. That takes backbone too.

Reha is just such a loser. So boorish in the bar and then he later thinks Filiz’s rich ex really likes him. Him telling Tilsin that he didn’t cheat, and then asking her to spy for him! Jerk.

What’s Atila going to do now that the step-dad has arrived? It looks like it’s not gonna be good. Also, I’ve been wondering why Attila doesn’t just off Reha. Maybe because he doesn’t want to kill the kids’ father?


 

A.MAR

Thanks, Diana. Perfect: "A mystery swirls and gathers heat and intensity, swirling in a storm." I wonder, too, if Fabiola is still alive. Why wouldn't Gabriel just thrown Iker's letter in a bottle in the ocean? That should have been no big deal.

Yes, Gonzalo looks like he could be a keeper. He is nice and low key; supporting but not overpowering Meche.

Wasn't Sergio at his smarmy best? Víctor González sure knows how to bring the character's creepiness into this role.

I do admit that I had to laugh at Pascual's repeated laundry instructions for Valentín but as for the rest of the long goodbye, not so much. Looks like Perla is in luck and will have to tend to Valentín. Will those two get together while Pascual is with his mother?

Now we have to wait until Wednesday! Oh, well, a day off.
 

A.MAR

Jarifa, great point in that Valentin's "electrocution" could be the perfect opportunity for Brisa to nurse him back to health :)

Sergio was indeed "at his smarmy best"!! I'll always remember him as Calixto in El Amor as a stomach churning and frankly, very frightening character. His nefariousness isn't quite as overt here but he certainly is cringeworthy as you noted.

"Why wouldn't Gabriel just thrown Iker's letter in a bottle in the ocean? That should have been no big deal" mirrored my thoughts too. What is he hiding?

Diana
 

Karsu

Maggie, I was cheering Irmak on also when she lit into Reha. I think she has just been quiet up to that point to not make waves and keep a low profile. She hopes her persistence will pay off and they will let her back in. Karsu demonstrated she could forgive when she moved back home. I'm seeing a resolution for the sisters and especially with Feliz. If that happens there money woes should be lessened. Since Adnan is a multimillionaire I'm thinking that is where Feliz gets her money. I'm sure he is paying alimony.

So the lady that lost the job as the HOA administrator is moving out. Best on who moves in? Will it be Reha ( not if his sister keeps letting him live at her place) Karsu and the kids, or the adoptive dad whose name I've forgotten.

I have a problem with the late notice given, via Feliz, about a school presentation (on a Saturday, no less) by the whole family of Deniz. So Reha wasn't informed and Deniz other dad, whose name I've forgotten and I don't have my cheat sheet of names with me currently) is going instead. Now Reha does have the right to be angry about that

Adnan didn't really look at fault in the accident, and I don't think the cars even collided. Adnan apologizing and saying he usually has a chauffeur was rather funny.

What a thoughtful gift Atilla gave Deniz. He will make good use of the art set.

It's just a matter of time before lake learns Atilla is a neighbor to Karsu since Tilsim is now spying and reporting to dad. Reha won't keep names from his sister as he rants about his ex.

So Reha is walking away from his life in the other city and restarting in Istanbul. How does that make sense. Lake says there is an empty office in her building. From a fabric mill to a highrise seems strange.
 

A.Mar

Thanks Jarifa, for the great recap and filling us in on everything we might have missed. Mysteries are popping up everywhere. I feel like we have two missing women, Marina and Fabiola. I wonder who they both are. I had decided Iker’s. mom was alive a few episodes ago, when Marina was questioning why he won’t talk about her. And it was strange he didn’t just throw the bottle in the sea.

Brisa will not give up easily. She and Erika really should become friends, they can discuss how to make a man love you when he’s told you he doesn’t!

I can’t see Erika telling Estrella the truth about what she did. She’s actually hiding a lot from Estrella and when all is discovered the friendship will end.

Gonzalo is a sweet man. But it hasn’t been that long since Meche was widowed. But they do make a cute couple.

Liz
 

Juegos

Thanks Kat, that was excellent. Francisco is something else. I feel like he ordered Luciana killed just to hurt Enrique.

Memo trying to bond with Enrique was almost cringeworthy. I don’t think Enrique has any feelings for Memo. But Memo is a ticking time bomb, he most have inherited most of his personality from his grandfather.

Things are heading towards the conclusion. I like how they’re tying up pieces one by one.

Liz
 

Karsu

I can’t believe how much I’m enjoying this story. I almost didn’t watch it.

I loved Irmak telling off Reha! But once his mouth gets going he doesn’t shut up.
Then he’s so nasty to Adnan until he discovers who he is. Then he can’t leave him alone. He seems to think they are best buddies now. I can picture Irmak and Adnan talking and rolling eyes about their nasty brother-in-law. And I loved how Felix’s sister had to agree with her niece about Reha.

The woman with the two children that spoke to Atilla was interesting. I’m sure he did help her and wondered if he’s some kind of Robin Hood by day, helping women in distress to make up for his night job!

Liz
 

Karsu

I’m also concerned about the intersection of Deniz’s father figures: Reha, Ozan, and Atilla!
I agree Reha should have been notified, but I can also understand why he wasn’t!

The interaction with Adnan was funny. I loved the chauffeur comment! Reha became obsequious once he found out who he was. Adnan seems level-headed and kind. It’s hard for me to understand him leaving his wife for her daughter, such an unforgivable sin. I agree he pays alimony.

Atilla’s kindness to that woman with the two kids was notable. I feel like we have seen her before, but I can’t remember.

Last week was very busy, but I really look forward to my stories, especially this one! I agree that it’s really well done! The actors are outstanding! The mixture of good and less-desirable qualities in everyone makes them all more like real life!

Babachita
 

Karsu

I’m loving the wonderful comments!

Kat – it hadn’t occurred to me that one of our characters would move into the empty unit. That’s a nice complex and I’m sure stepdad couldn’t afford it. But yeah, Reha apparently could. I too don’t understand what Reha’s going to do for work now that his factory has burned down. What does he need an office for? How can he just up stakes and start all over in another city? He’ll have insurance money and they had a nice house that will probably sell for a pretty penny. But then what?

Liz – I had completely forgotten about the lady saying thank you in the street. I wonder what kindness he did her. How funny that he’s picked this suburb to hide in but all these other characters have showed up there, and now that lady!

Babachita – I liked how you put it, “father figures.” Deniz has managed to melt the hearts of everyone and ours too!


 

A.MAR

Thanks, Liz. Thanks for the humor relating to Bris "She and Erika really should become friends, they can discuss how to make a man love you when he’s told you he doesn’t!" I could see it! ITA that Erika is never going to say anything to Estrella unless she is forced to and it is waaaaay too early for that"últimos capítulos" move. It does seem a bit early for Meche to get romantically involved with Gonzalo. It doesn't seem that much time has gone by at all since the beginning of the novela.

Diana, funny how these actors get pigeon holed. I would dare say that Victor Gonzalez could have made it as a galán. He is a good looking guy but seems to have been relegated to the villain contingent.