Caray, Caray!

Can not type today. It keeps saying Hidden.Please did you guys like 'Mi Verdad Oculta?
 

Victoria.. I liked it in the beginning , but it got too dark , grim, and violent for me.
Susan
 

TAN CERCA DE TI, NACE EL AMOR #1
(So near to you, love is born)

Notes from the Couch Page 1

Please feel free to add anything I left out.

You might want to bookmark my initial post to help keep characters' names straight. There are more coming! Correction: I think that the priest Nicolás is Consuelo's brother NOT Aurelio's.

It turns out that Verónica writes a women's interest column at a magazine and is very successful. She has a million subscribers! She wants to get beyond romance advice and into social justice topics affecting women like female empowerment. She has even gone undercover at a factory where female workers are being exploited. Her boss says sorry: romance is what sells.

Susana calls Verónica who refuses to meet with her. Carmen interrupts to remind Susana that they need a new employee. Verónica begs Susana and she finally gives in to meet at a time and place of Valeria's choosing.

The Miranda's are having a cookout at their house. Joaquín, who is Luis' good friend (like a brother) and business partner, and his girlfriend Fernanda attend. Diego is there with his girlfriend Claudia. Valeria's godfather is Joaquín and she is happy to see him. Luis is overjoyed to see him, reminds him that they all are HIS family, too, and if anything were to happen to him, he knows what he would have to do. Joaquín repeats that he would take care of them all as if they were his own. That was the promise he made when he became Valeria's godfather and that promise would now apply to all of his children. He teases Luis saying that he better not put him to the test because he isn't sure he would have the patience. Valeria notices her mother is upset about something. Susana just says how much she loves her.

Verónica tells her aunt Consuelo that she and Susana are going to meet tomorrow.

Joaquín tells his girlfriend Fernanda that after seeing her at the Miranda's and how she wants a family of her own, he needs to make it clear that he is not the marrying kind and it is not fair that he keep her from getting what she wants out of life. She doesn't take the news well.

Joaquín ends up late at the office preparing for a very important meeting in Miami. It could be the best deal they have gotten in years. His long-time personal assistant Kassandra is there to congratulate him and quickly finds out that he will not be going out to celebrate with his novia because they have broken up. (She is far too happy hearing that!!) He refuses an invitation to celebrate the Miami deal with her and goes home to his bunker to drink alone and play his piano.

Verónica has a nightmare where she is giving birth. The next day she tells her aunt Consuelo that she had the same nightmare. Consuelo thinks that with the help of the virgin and her meeting with Susana, Verónica will get back that part of her life was was snatched away from her.

Marco is playing kissy face with his wife Romina at the office on her birthday when Kassandra shoos him back to his job. Romina tells her that Joaquín's novia is is waiting for him in his office. Kassandra makes sure that Romina knows Fernanda is his EX novia. Kassandra tells Fernanda she can leave since she is now the EX. Fernanda makes sure Kassandra knows that she knows that Kassandra is in love with Joaquín and wants to be his wife. They exchange insults about who is more pathetic and slap each other. Kassandra threatens to call security. Fernanda leaves.

Joaquín and Luis are trying out a new rider for their Motocross team.
 

Victoria, I agree with Susan. It was a bit dark. But the acting was excellent.
 

TAN CERCA DE TI Page 2

Valeria is angry that Hugo let the new guy win the race. Hugo reminds her it wasn't a race. It was only a tryout for the new guy. She tells him he knows SHE should be the second rider on the team. He reminds her that neither her father nor Joaquín would allow it. He adds that the new guy isn't so bad. She then makes it clear that she didn't find the guy that good having to show off wherever he could. This is Motocross not an exhibition. He says she sounds like her dad who is telling the new rider that this is a competition not an exhibition. He and Joaquín end up welcoming him as a rider on their team. The new rider Eleazar gloats to Hugo that he is the new rider on the Navarro team. Hugo reminds him that his position is only that of an alternate rider. Valeria appears and Eleazar has to introduce himself. She smiles. Hugo notices and doesn't like what he sees. Then it turns out that Valeria is best friends with Eleazar's sister Claudia whois her brother's novia. They remember seeing each other throughout the years. Nice to see each other again . . . etc. Hugo is not a happy camper.

Verónica meets with Susana and remembers asking her dying mother, only a few months earlier, where her daughter went. All her mother could tell her was that her name was Valeria and the convent she was taken to. She tells Susana how she became a journalist so she could search for her daughter. She wants to meet her daughter and get to know her. Susana refuses since the convent said she abandoned her baby. Verónica explains that was not the truth. She was hidden away by her family while she was pregnant and her father took the baby away from her soon as it was born. He said it was for her and the baby's own good. She was only 15 so legally she could do NOTHING not even name her baby. It destroyed her.

Susana explains that she couldn't get pregnant so she and Luis decided to adopt Valeria. Then like magic she got pregnant and had three children. Valeria has always been their miracle daughter. That gives Verónica a sense of peace knowing that her daughter was so wanted. Finally, Susana gives in and says she will have to talk to her husband about Valeria meeting her and also Valeria herself. Verónica is willing to wait. Susana is emotional when she gets home wanting to hug Valeria and all of her kids.

There is a birthday dinner being held for Romina. It is her first birthday without her mother. Aurelio, Verónica's and Romina's father is also there along with Nicolás, Marcos and the kids.Consuelo reminds them that in spite of her sister's death, they are all present and together! Verónica does her best to avoid and ignore her father. He is clearly annoyed. They get into talking about Susana Miranda being such a traditional wife. It is wonderful! She takes care of the home and the kids as well as supports her husband. Marco thinks that is the best way for things to be. Aurelio agrees. It was much easier to be happier back then. Sarcastically, Verónica asks him if he really believes that. Clearly angry, he answers HE SURE DOES!! He storms out. Romina criticizes Verónica for how she treats him. Verónica ruins everything including her birthday.

Luis tells Joaquín they have a problem because the dinner for the Motorcycle Association is going to be while Joaquín is in Miami. Luis would rather go himself to sign the contract in Miami and make it into a romantic getaway for him and Susana. Joaquín tells him to go and have the good time they deserve.
Luis hopes the trip does his wife some good. She is worried about something and he doesn't know what.

Luisa and Susana are leaving for Miami and Carmen is complaining to them about hiring a new employee. Luis says they will only be away four days! Luis gives Diego the old "Since I am away, you are the man of the house" talk. He is to take care of his sisters!
 

TAN CERCA DE TI Page 3

Kassandra goes to check on the private jet for the Miami trip. The pilot assures her that the mechanic just checked the plane. She sees the "mechanic" and seems to be wondering who it is. We see fluid dripping from the plane.

Verónica refuses to lose her daughter again so she doesn't know if she can wait for Susana to talk to her husband. She has decided to go talk to Luis in person and knows just where to find him. Consuelo seeing she cannot talk her out of it, gives her a medal of the Virgin she got from her grandmother for good luck.

The Motorcycle Association dinner is on! Joaquín and Kassandra are greeting everyone. Joaquín runs into Facundo Cervera who looks SHOCKED to see him since he heard that he was going to Miami . . . Joaquín says there was a change of plans! His partner went instead. Facundo forces a smile as Joaquín says it is so good to see him. It turns out that Facundo is Eleazar's father!! He asks why he didn't let him know his son was trying out. Facundo says he wasn't looking for any favors. It is a matter of pride for him and his son. Joaquín says his son is an excellent rider. Facundo anwers that he reminds him of Joaquín back in the day. Kassandra remarks that he looks familiar. Facundo says he just arrived in Mexico City. Joaquín makes it clear that Kassandra is his personal assistant and a long time great "friend". Joaquín says that Facundo is known as the "Mozart of the motors." He always could just listen to a motor and know what was wrong. Kassandra concludes that he is a mechanic. He corrects her. He is a mechanical engineer and now he is more like Beethoven. He points to a heariing aid and says he is deaf. No big deal! Facundo is soon on his own looking concerned.

Verónica checks in as a member of the press. She removes the medal from her neck and places it in her press pass. She soon finds out that Luis is not there but his associate Joaquín is. She calls Susana but is directed to voice mail. She wanders around and literally bumps into Joaquín. Her press pass with the medal falls to the floor and she doesn't notice. Joaquín retrieves it but can't find whoever it might belong to.

FIN
 

TAN CERCA

Fun first episode.

I think I will have a hard time keeping my Valerias and Verónicas straight. Why do the writers do this?? : ) From now on they will be Val and Vero.

Looks like we will be spending plenty of time at the race track with young love on the line.

This does have a summer novela feel to it. More later.
 

TAN CERCA

Jarifa, thank you for your insightful and clarifying recap. It was a marvelous start to an action packed, fast moving initial episode.

So many characters! So many children! Your listing was a blessing as without it, I would have been completely confused as to who was who. I was able to figure out some of the players but there are a few (including the girl with the multicolored hair) that I will have to ID at a later date. 😊

Luis and Susana are such a nice couple, but the sad writing appears already to be on the wall. Oka is touching and believable and I look forward to her developing a relationship with her daughter. Alexis Ayala is his usual neanderthal, loathsome self, a very good baddie. I'm not warming to David's Joaquin. Yet. Alfredo Gatica is handsome as ever but is far too shorn for my taste 😊.

"Joaquín runs into Facundo Cervera who looks SHOCKED to see him since he heard that he was going to Miami . . . Joaquín says there was a change of plans! His partner went instead". Uh oh. Facundo did look extremely guilty. This does not bode well...

A promising start.

Diana