Caray, Caray!

Rod, conscience-stricken, consents to Isa's wish that they sleep in the same bedroom from here on out. After showering, Rod loses himself in thought momentarily while combing his hair and Isa asks him sweetly what he's thinking about. He says nothing. Sitting expectantly in her little black negligee (pardon the pun about the bun), she smiles pertly and says she doesn't belieeeeeve him.

Rod jumps onto the bed. It seems he figures he's going to be a real papa now, he might as well play the part. So trying to be a real grown-up, Rod tells the little woman, "Look, the only thing that is important to me now is my child. Yep. My child.....and.....you!" "--Ah, I've never heard you talk that way before. That is lovely! Oh, I'll love you all my life," Isa magnanimously responds, hugging him. "Oh, I do love you." Then she turns to kiss him really trying to be as sensuous as possible. (Uh-oh. She didn't bother to turn the lights off.)

While Rod is trying to get into the proper mood, Gavi is tossing and turning in bed, sleepless and grumbling because all she can think of is him in his wife's embrace. In between rolls and pillow punches, "Damn you, Rodrigo! What a nitwit I am. You already let me down once! It's not right for you to keep me awake with memories of you. --Hmph! All cuddled up with your wife! Ay!" More pillow punches. "You're not worth it."

Rod, still in a contortional lip-lock with Isa, is trying to oblige...still trying...still trying..... Finally Isa comes up for air a second and whispers the magic words, "Kiss me, lover. Make me yours!" and the spell is broken. He bolts upright. "--No! It's not right. It's not right! You are going to have to give me time." "--Oh. Ok. Take all the time you need," Isa consoles him. (Just as well, since she is just as relieved as he is, 'cause she'd rather be with Frankie anyway.) "It's enough for now that you're here with me..... and our child." (Maybe try it with the lights off next time, Burly Bear, 'cause it seems the only way you are gonna get this deed done is in the dark, filled with thoughts of La Gaviota flitting about.)

Although there is no reason for a post coital nicotine break at this point Isa's thoughts start to wander anyway; and it hits her: "Say, would you be upset if it weren't a boy....I mean because of that business of the inheritance and all your grandfather's wishes?" "--No. I would love to have a daughter, too. It is only important that my child should be born healthy and be very happy." (Echh! Yawn....)

Morning mercifully dawns once more in the mescal fields. Down at the Dry Gulch, Acacia's dissolute, degenerate, and debilitated Uncle Meliton demands she call the doctor for him. She refuses and scolds him about his liver giving out on him because of all his drinking. She offers to mix him a special medicinal brew for his belly. He insists he wants a doctor! She tells him while walking out the door, that if he wants one so badly then he can get up and go get him himself.

James has returned to the hacienda and runs into Rod on the stairs on his way to his room. He explains to Rod that Acacia refuses to leave the place despite the danger in remaining under the same roof with her uncle, but he's going back for a final answer later on. Rod seems to think he should just drag her away caveman style, er... rather, cowboy-style like a galloping gaucho. (Ha! I can just imagine James trying that!) James laughs and then asks about Rod and Isa.

Rod explains that he has reconciled with Isadora for the sake of the child. He tells how he begged her forgiveness and how she relented and returned to the ranch with him. Now, the only thing that remains is to throw himself into the marriage, since that is how he plans to forget Gaviota. Even James has a hard time believing this. He doesn't look any more convinced of it than Rod does.

As Gavi is walking out of the apartment building on her way to work, the kid who washed windows at their last apartment house rides past her on his bike and yells out a flirtatious remark. Suddenly she looks up and he realizes it was Mariana. He stops to apologize and they chat a second or two about how she is living there now when Liliana told everybody she'd gone off for parts unknown.

Rod and James continue commiserating with each other. Rod talks about how he's going to turn over a new leaf in hopes of making a decent home for his wife and child. He regrets though that his marriage is a loveless one. Isadora is a great lady and deserves better (yawn, u-huh). James suggests that perhaps in time he will come to love Isadora like she loves him.

Rod sadly says he thinks that that emotion is buried for him now that he's figuratively killed off Gavi. James, worldly and wise beyond measure, suggests that a baby could rekindle hope of life and love for Rod. Rod chuckles and kids his buddy then about hurrying up and marrying Acacia so their kids can play together. (I am afraid the writers have been watching too many Geico caveman commercials on American t.v.).

Acacia returns with a concoction of herbs for Meliton to drink. As soon as she leaves he takes a whiff and throws it at the wall mumbling about how she wants to put a spell on him. Meanwhile, Acacia returns to her room and finds James' hat he'd left there by accident the night before. Hugging it, she cries at the memory of James begging her to leave with him and allow time to erase all memory of her uncle's abusive behavior.

Just then Meliton enters and sees Acacia holding onto it. Meliton is enraged and threatens to break James apart if he ever comes back there. "Tell him you already have an owner!" He takes his belt off and begins to strap her with it. Panicked and in pain she screams for her uncle to stop.

Gavi continues trying to set appointments for the days ahead. Potential customers are breaking their appointments because of their so-called endless meetings. Secretaries continue hanging up on her. In a tip of the hat to all of us who at one time or another have sat on her side of that telephone receiver, and who are painfully reliving those bittersweet events of yesteryear --or those who currently are earning their spurs-- we now cheer.

We see Gavi boldly, and sooo satisfyingly, venture forth with what so many of us familiar with cold calling wished we could, but may never dare to, ask: "So tell me, if he's always in so many meetings, when does your boss find the time to actually work?" The line goes dead on the other end with a definitive click. (Anonymity does have its advantages at times, you know?)

Dani, Sofia and Grammy P are eating breakfast that same morning, in another scene where the writers' summer interns take over during a cigarette break for the A-Team. Sofia mentions that Frankie is supposed to come around after his job interview with a hotel chain is finished. Right then Rod calls to speak with Daniel. "Hey there. It's your brother in exile speaking." "--Oh, you mean they finally allowed you to call and talk?" Pilar and Sofia warn Dani off telling her brother anything about what they've learned about La Gaviota.

Rod says she supposedly wanted to speak to him and he wants to know why. Miffed, and uncharacteristically curt, she mouths the niceties about his reconciliation with his self-sacrificing wife as well as the upcoming honeymoon they plan to take. "I hear voices. Whose?" "--Just Grammy and Sofia." "--You sound strange. Something going on there?" "Naw, just the delirium of your reconciliation. Don't be so paranoid." She cuts the call short and hangs up. Rod ruminates. (We know this because?) he knits his brows together and says to himself, "Hmmm. Daniel is hiding something." (Uh, can somebody there please turn his dimmer switch up a bit for him?)

"--Satisfied?" Dani sniffs at the two biddies still shooting daggers from their eyes at her from across the table and complains about how they're making her keep quiet. "We agreed --" Sofia reminds her. "--No, WE didn't agree about anything. As soon as I find the place Gaviota is staying, I am telling Rod the truth! He needs to know."

Elvis arrives then with a gift for Dani. He refuses to enter the dining room and she must go out to the parlor. Grammy P takes the opportunity to gripe to Sofia about how that boy should be out looking for work instead of bothering them so early in the morning (like Frivolous Frankie supposedly is).

Elvis has brought Dani some fish and an aquarium. Grammy runs out to scold him and is cold when Elvis tries to kiss her good-morning on the cheek. Dani scolds her and complains that she's playing favorites with Frankie, but Grammy denies it just as the Golden Boy appears in the entrance way to pick up Sofia. Grammy does the kiss-kiss on both cheeks with Frankie. "You dear boy! Go into the dining room and have breakfast."

"Hey there, beautiful," Wheezy-Sleazy, Gavi's sales manager, comes in trying again to get her to meet with him for dinner to discuss those "sales" techniques of his. She slyly puts him off with a white lie about a late dinner appointment with a customer who afterwards wants her to visit the sainted sickly mother of a friend with him. The boss is free to join them of course, Gavi says. She'll give him a ring when she gets the rest of the details about time and place. He leaves and she is relieved for the moment.

Back again at the hacienda, Rodrigo walks in on Isa while she's purring over her successful reconciliation to her mother. The instant he walks in her cat's meow mutates into mewling. On cue, Isa changes her tone and pretends to be discussing her father's terrible plight and the horrid, humiliating conditions at the prison. "Tell him I'll be there on Sunday and I'll be taking the last flight out to see him. Don't worry, mommie." (Pause the video. I have got to gag. -- Here, kitty, kitty. Now, where did I leave that dish of poisoned cream?) Rod is pained at his wife's whimpers over her father's predicament. He gets down on his knees.

Isa hesitates. She again plays her husband like a well-tuned Stradivarius, for all she's [hoping he'll be] worth. (She and Frankie truly are soul-mates.) "Your sister shouldn't have told you! I told her not to!" "--Hey, I'm your husband. I had to find out." Rod, insists this situation is too risky for her in her condition and promises to do whatever it takes to get Ricardo out of jail. "--You would have to meet with his lawyer."

Rod then suggests Isa should arrange the meeting with the creditors and Ricardo's lawyer. She is surprised. Oh, no, he couldn't do that for her! "--Nobody has ever done anything that nice for me before. Oh, I don't deserve you!" She gives him a hug, smugly smiling to herself. The Cheshire Cat has nothin' on this glamour-puss.

James cannot get the memory of Acacia screaming at him to kill her uncle and show his love for her. "Could her hate really be that strong?" (Duh. Try switching places with her for a month or three and then get back to me.)

Acacia, after fleeing from her beating, hides somewhere in the hay. Drunk and sick and mad as a hatter, Meliton staggers into the barn. He yells out to her that he knows she is in there. When he finds her crouched in the corner he tells her that she's like the beasts in the barnyard who only learn by being beaten. Then he tells her he sold the animals and so they'll be leaving early the next day for good, high-tailing it for parts unknown. At that point Meliton rushes towards her.

Acacia, frightened to death, sees the pitchfork near her and grabs for it. Her uncle lunges forward and trips, accidentally falling onto it. In a last moment of fear she decides; she finishes him off with it. His lifeless, bloody body rolls over onto her and she jumps up, pushing it out of the away. She begins screaming and crying, feeling simultaneously horrified and relieved.

Back at Montalveña, Isa insists she doesn't want Rod feeling obligated simply because she's having his child. However, the only thing that will take care of her father's problem is to cover the debt with the creditors before her daddy's trial takes place. Once more he imagines himself man of the manse and explains that he promised himself when they moved back in together he would assume responsibility for "his family". Neither does he want Isadora to think he suspects her of using her pregnancy as a way of getting her father out of jail, he gallantly adds.

Rod, who seriously needs a trip to Oz to ask the wizard for a brain, feels the only thing left to resolve the situation is to back her father financially and to finance his debt, despite the huge amount involved. So he will agree to guarantee her father's debts.

At Grammy's Frankie is telling somebody on the phone about the beauty he met the night before named Jennifer. He tells the person she is not wealthy, seems to be maybe a secretary or a teacher who lives in some no-account apartment building near the old 'hood. He goes on about how he used the old palm-reading line of his and she went for it hook, line and sinker. Just then Sofia enters the room and asks who is on the phone. "Oh, just Sr. Hofman. I have a business appointment with him at dinner tonight." He talks her out of joining them and changes the subject by suggesting they go somewhere more "edifying". Sofia giggles knowingly.

Ricardo is literally going crazy being inside "the joint." He's screaming through the glass in the visitation room to Nuria about how his "Princesa" promised him! "She promised me that she would get Rod to agree to back me and get me out of here! Why is it taking so long?" He screams frantically that it is simply too much for him being stuck in this place and he doesn't know how much longer he can stand it.

Mommy Dearest is shocked and desperate at the change in her husband. She tries to explain to him that he needs to be a bit more patient as Isa has only just gotten back together with Rodrigo. "This is a delicate situation and Isa will need a bit more time to work on him." "--What do you mean, calm down. I can't calm down! I can't! I can't!" (Somebody better take Daddy's belt and put the guy on suicide watch.)

Rod is at the tequila tasting academy, reading Mariana's notes about how much of an investment this project will take. "What a squeeze (literally a climbing vine) that woman was," he thinks. He begins to daydream about her. In walks a female vision of beauty worthy of a 1940's style detective novel. She's dressed to the nines in fur. It's Gaviota strutting in to complain: "I asked your cousin for 10 million pesos to keep me away from you, but I only managed to get 5 million from the tightwad." Rod comes to his senses and bangs the desk in frustration.

Back at Montalvo Corp., Bruno and Patricio are worried because it seems the FDA refused to release their shipments of tequila into the States at a number of the various points of entry for reasons of suspicion of bio-terrorism. This stands to cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue, and in particular, in law suits from their customers for not filling their contracts for delivery of the purchased product. Patricio laments that it is a shame, but it is totally out of their hands.

During this discussion, a contrite Minnie pays a visit to her father-in-law. Bruno called her in to give her his support and to tell her he disapproves of the actions of his son. He and Patricio both offer her their continued support and say for them she will always be considered family and always will be Aaron's wife. (That is definitely large coming from Patricio, considering the humiliating way Minnie treated him and Lluvia at the Christmas party.)

Minnie thanks them and says they're all the family she has. Bruno hopes Aaron will think better of it all and return to her. She finds out then that Aaron already left for Miami and laments he didn't even call to say good-bye. She cries and says she must get used to the idea of being without him but that's hard as he's been her entire life.

Meanwhile, Aaron arrives back at the house in Miami and Pammy greets him with earnest kisses. She asks how things are going with the divorce, but Aaron doesn't quite know how to answer her. Aaron then gets a text message about the hold up of tequila continuing at the US border. He assures her finally that the lawyer says he shortly should be free to marry her. All he can truly say is that for now his wife has been pacified a bit. "Well, does she still have some hope of reconciling, or what?" "--We're just waiting for the audience with the judge to give the divorce decree." "What are you afraid of, then?" "--Nothing. I just don't like the idea of confronting Minerva is all."

Bruno calls in Oñate and asks him to get him all the information pertaining to the halted shipments and to get hold of both the Tequila Regulatory Commission and the FDA officials. This is costing them a bundle. Bruno calls Rod at the hacienda and tells him about the embargo of the tequila shipments from Mexico by the US and explains that Rod will have to suspend purchase of any more agave product till the US cancels the embargo. He then begs Rod to consider returning to the corporate office to head it up as he has to return to the New York office soon.

Rod says he's sorry, but that he is unwilling to return under any circumstances. After he hangs up Rod tells himself he cannot return to the place he re-encountered Gaviota, particularly after discovering she was not the woman he'd once loved.

As for Gavi, if it weren't for bad luck she'd be having no luck at all. She has just had another prospect tell his secretary to get rid of her somehow. As she's leaving the building she runs into Eduardo Zaldivar, her Christmas Eve date to the Tequila Guild's Dinner-Dance. He's overjoyed to see her again, but she's a bit uncomfortable at running into him.

Eduardo asks what's she's doing these days and she explains she's in sales, but no, things are not quite as she'd thought they'd be selling encyclopedias. She explains she really had no other options. Nervously then, she says good-bye. Eduardo asks her to stay and chat. "I really can't."
"--Aw. Don't you have a few minutes to chat?" "--Well, there's no reason....." "--Come on, let's chat."

Josefina and Clarita gripe about all the rotten things that have happened to Gavi since she got involved with the Montalvos. Jose curses Rodrigo in particular for the rotten way he dealt with her. Clarita would love the chance to tell him what she thinks of him!

That afternoon Isa tells Rod that the creditors have accepted to see him the following day back in Mexico City. Rod says fine, then he'll make arrangements to go, but while there he plans to visit the Tequila Manufacturers' Guild as he needs to discuss things with them regarding problems they're having with their tequila shipments. Isa wants to return to the city with him since it has to do with her father. Since the doctor told her she could continue her life normally he agrees. He calls Elvira to make the travel arrangements.

Gavi and Eduardo sit down and talk over coffee. She apologizes saying he must think the worst of her once he realized she was running around with Rodrigo Montalvo, a married man. "That is over and done with, though, and in the worst way possible." Eddy is refreshingly sympathetic and Gavi warms to him. He replies that he's the last person to judge her about how she conducts her personal life.

Eddy suggests that she is unaware of what's been happening recently. "What exactly?" He answers "Things like the nasty way both Minerva and Fedra Montalvo have been running you down to the Guild members and warning them away from you." "--Oh, I could just imagine, but tell me." "--Well, they called us to advise us and the whole Guild about your dismissal and --" "--Lets see. Lets see here. What are those people saying was the reason?" "--They've been telling everyone how they uncovered your mismanagement of company finances." Gavi is amazed when she hears this. "You mean to tell me they're accusing me of being a thief??"

Labels: Destilando

(Tobias del Valle y Campo, circa 1821)

[recapper’s note: Thanks to everyone who said such lovely things about my sub recap last week! I wasn’t able to answer you, or participate in other recaps because my browser was fritzing – sometimes it just won’t load the comments page, which is incredibly frustrating. Thanks again!]

The last moments of the muy impactado scene from Thursday night. Esme and Comandante Sara Kali embrace as the partygoers, who don’t seem to notice Zorro in their midst, look on. Then Esme slowly approaches the Queen with a gentle expression, introduces herself to her second cousin, and…starts talking about her VENGEANCE!!! In front of the crowd she accuses Montero of imprisoning her, stealing her baby, and attempting to murder her. The Queen knows Montero couldn’t have been the only one behind these acts; and in addition to Fernando, likely had an even more powerful ally. She orders the new Gobernador to arrest Montero. Evidently, Alejandro believed he could simply pose in front of Montero and arrest him, but Montero socks him, and in the confusion as soldiers rush to Alej’s aid, Montero grabs the Queen and holds her hostage with a gun to her throat. Everyone has a new reason to be muy impactado.

At Mangle’s house, she and Olmos continue their struggle. He wants affection before he leaves for Spain; she’d prefer to not be raped. She manages to push him to the ground and grabs an oil lamp that she throws at him. It breaks and sets him aflame. Olmos [not yet having the benefit of those “Stop! Drop! And Rolllllll Around PSAs from a 150 years later] wails in pain. She answers his plea for help by stabbing him with a piece of the cut glass from the lamp.

Agapito is mooching off Tobias and Cata’s food when he hears a noise and prepares to defend himself (ulcer #1)…but it’s only Tobiasina, needing his help to deal with his gunshot graze from Pizarro, but Agapito better get out of the open, since Pizarro is chasing him. Tobiasina, evidently having been passed the VENGEANCE card by Esme, swears that he will get Pizarro even if he dies in the attempt.

Montero has cover from his soldiers as he begins to make his way out of the Palace with the captive Queen. The Duke says “Wait! Take me with you!” and at last the Queen knows for sure what a traitor he is – she had suspected for a while. Zorro advances and Montero orders the soldiers to kill the masked (male) bandit, but Xenameralda knocks the soldier’s gun and the shot fires to the ceiling. Chaos #1 breaks out, and the Gypsies and Padre Tomas lend a hand, a gun butt, and whatever’s available. The whole crowd runs out of the party screaming. Cata, outside waiting against her will for Pizarro, wonders what’s going on. Montero dissembles for the Queen’s armed guards at her coach and tells them that someone has tried to kill her. Her coach drives off with Montero yelling for the soldiers to shoot at will.

[The verbally-challenged super trio, for foreign language, muteness, and sometimes slurred wine speech]Kamba, Bernardo, and Garcia rush in from an alley and join Chaos #2 outside. Kamba impedes a cannon directed at the place from hitting its intended target by wheeling it around and it strikes the wall. In the entryway, Esmeralda assures Zorro she’ll be fine, and he should go after the Queen. She and the Gypsies then scramble to find a suitable hiding place for Sara Kali. Shortly after their exit, Almudena tells Padre Tomas she doesn’t want to leave Alejandro (ulcer #2), but the good Padre insists that she accompany him to the church for safety.

Kamba is gut-checked by a soldier lighting the fuse for a second cannon shot – then the soldier is struck by an arrow out of nowhere….

AMAZONS!!!!!!!

The Los Angeles Women Warriors Association arrives and wars with Montero’s soldiers. In the confusion, Catalina takes the opportunity to run away. Esmeralda is impactada to see her dear friends, trainers [and rawhide/buffalo pelt lingerie models]. Dania and her sister salute the grateful Esme.

CUE AMOR GITANO – OPENING CREDITS

Alejandro has followed Duke Jacobo to the rafters? inside balcony? of the palace and they exchange words about treason, restoring the rightful Queen to the throne, and which one of their dead bodies the other will have to step over to get what he wants. Not satisfied with the edge weapons, Alejandro sheaths his sword in its scabbard and nonverbally challenges Jacobo to a straight fight by raising his boxing fists. Um, not so much, seems to be the Duke’s feeling, though he does manage to get a couple of good punches in before deciding to jump down to the floor – which looks like it has to be at least a good 15 feet below. Alejandro helps out with a shove, and the Duke lands on a table. Alejandro jumps down after him, landing on both feet. Alejandro places Duke Jacobo under arrest and orders his “soldiers” to take him to the prison.

Dania tells Esmeralda that she still owed her one and her sister [whose name I forget] agreed. She notes that there’s something different about Esme, who confirms that she’s got back her baby, her mother, and her man. Does this mean Esme won’t be returning to the tribe? No, she tells Dania ruefully, and they have a group hug. It’s best if the Amazons leave now – things could get dangerous (ulcer #3).

Catalina runs after Pizarro, wanting to know what’s going on. He also wants to know what happened at the party after he fled, having failed to murder Montero. They exchange information: he was stabbed by a degenerate guy dressed as a woman; and she saw Montero take the Queen hostage – AND Esmeralda’s alive. Pizarro is impactado – and perdido. He’s sunk (ulcer #4). But wait! He has an idea, and pulls Catalina along (subtract ulcer #4). She implores him to let her go if he really loves her, because she doesn’t want to go with him. His response is to pull a gun on her and tell her it’s too late for her to choose.

Mangle, still a little shaken from her barbeque with Olmos, encounters Santiago in another room in her house. He’s brought the baby, after running through an obstacle course of nannies, soldiers, and hacienda men. Distracted, she complains that he has brought the child to the first place los de la Vega will look. He needs to take him somewhere else. She goes to get his money. Santiago commiserates with Alejandrito about his mother. Hearing someone enter off screen, he looks up and his expression changes to mild horror.

Bernardo intercepts Dololes’ and Amelia’s coach – the two women are devastated (ulcers 4 and 5, possibly gastroenteritis), and fill him in on Santiago’s kidnapping of Alejandrito. Bernardo rushes to tell Diego (ulcer #6).

Esme and Sara Kali [not quite as pressed about finding a hiding place, as they are still in the street] compare the suffering they experienced when they each thought the other was dead, and the way they missed each other, even before they “met.” Esmeralda promises her mother that they will be together from now on.

Zorro approaches El Callao and dispatches each soldier one by one. The petite Cifuentes runs at the masked (male) bandit with an early, Western version of the rebel yell, but stops dead in his tracks in front of the hero. Just don’t kill me, he says, as he offers Z his sword. All Zorro wants is to know where Montero is, and where he might have taken the Queen, but Cifuentes doesn’t know anything. Reinforcements arrive, but Cifuentes holds them off from attacking our hero.

Esme and Sara Kali, now trying to hide, are found by Renzo. He lets them know that Hermes is safe, and Jonas and Azucena are waiting for them around the corner. “Princess?” he hopefully addresses Esme [and her expression suggests she could write the For Men version of the book He’s Just Not That Into You]. She reluctantly hears his words of happiness, barely meeting his eyes. While he talks about being happy to see HER, and to know SHE’s alive, she says how much she missed all of THEM, and wanted to be back with her PEOPLE again…but first she had to take care of her VENGEANCE! They leave for safety.

We see what Santiago has made the fish face at: Olmos [looking like the “Massive Head Wound Harry” character from Dana Carvey’s years on Saturday Night Live] begs him to tell the authorities that the person who murdered him was Mariangel Sanchez de Moncada. Santiago smells a rat [and burnt flesh]. Olmos must’ve done something to Mangle to warrant that act, but Olmos denies it. The woman destroys everything she touches. In fact, she doesn’t even love the child Santiago now holds – she’s just using him to get money from Diego de la Vega. Santiago is impactado. He tells himself what a huge mistake he’s made (ulcer #7). From behind, Mangle has returned with his “payment,” which consists of a dagger swipe to his right arm. Santiago accuses her of tricking him, but she says no, I just used you [which is one level above lying to him, but two levels below betraying him]. Evidently the dagger wound is pretty debilitating, as it prevents the 6-foot-plus Santiago from preventing the 5-4 or less Mangle from taking the baby from his arms. She curses at SM and Olmos as she leaves.

Montero arrives with the captive Queen at Chez Incarceration, newly staffed after the massacre of Leroy and the other “hombres de confianza” by Pizarro at the weapons drop. He sends the men out to kill the Queen’s driver. Montero blames Fernando for the imprisonment of SK, but the Queen spits back at him that no one else probably ordered him to do the things he did to Esmeralda. Won’t you please just sit down, make yourself comfortable, and shut up, he asks the Queen. When Montero is found, the Queen will order him to be killed [Montero would like a method that doesn’t require a hood – can’t touch the hair] Montero, tired of hearing from another nagging woman besides Mangle, forgoes the seat and makes the Queen go into the special Comandante Suite in the basement.

Bernardo finds Diegorro and tells him that Santiago kidnapped the baby – Diegorro suspects SM took the babe to Mangle (ulcer #8).

Santiago’s expression as he helps Olmos rise from the ground and sit in a chair resembles that of Mariangel when she woke up from the potion. Olmos fills him in on Mangle’s lamp-glass attack, leaving out little details like the incident that let up to it. He further informs Santiago [and as Cathy would say, the rest of the viewing audience, especially those folks tuning in for the last two weeks of the novela] that the baby Mangle stole isn’t even hers, but Diego’s and Esmeralda’s, born during her imprisonment by Montero. Mangle’s baby was born dead, and he switched the babies, etc, etc, etc. Olmos wants SM’s help to flee the city, but Santiago determines that he must find Mariangle. Olmos yells that only he knows where she is, and Santiago relents.

Gerardo, Olmos’ “hombre de confianza” opens the door despite Pizza not using the secret knock this time. Pizza wants to know where the hell Olmos is. He orders a soldier to find Olmos and bring him there ASAP. Pizza is tense, as are his associates and captives, G, Cata, and Laisha (ulcers 9, 10, and 11).

Alejandro is planning the search for Monte and the Reina, and dispatches his men. Almudena arrives, having escaped Padre Tomas’ evil protective clutches. Alejandro is relieved to see her, but wants Dena to go back to the hacienda. No way, JosAlej – she needs to see Esme. She confirms that she knew Esme was alive, but had promised to keep the secret. Amelia and Dololes rush in with the horrible news of the baby-napping. Into this anguished scene, Esme arrives with SK and Dena runs to hug her surrogate daughter. Esme feels the need to introduce Dena to SK [wouldn’t these ladies have met in Spain?], and Esme’s two mothers embrace warmly. Unfortunately, Alejandro has to break the news that his grandson has been kidnapped. Esmeralda is quite a bit more than impactada.

Santiago begs Olmos to help him find Alejandrito. Olmos agrees, but only if SM will allow him to punish Mangle afterward. It’s a deal. Pizza’s soldier interrupts the plotters , and he stares in horror at Olmos Kruger.

Mangle’s arrival at Chez Incarceration wakes up the snoring Montero –and she’s brought the baby. [In an improbably sweet and unexpected scene] Montero gets all gushy to finally meet “his” son. Montero lets Mangle know that their world is turned upside down – Esmeralda is alive AND Sara Kali is alive AND Pizarro betrayed him AND he had to kidnap the Queen to escape and now she’s in the basement. This starts a fight, and Montero picks up and soothes the crying baby, disturbed by his shouting caregivers.

Pizarro wants to leave ASAP, and signs don’t point to Olmos’ arrival. He instructs Gerardo that if Olmos isn’t there an hour before the express ship to Spain sails, they’re leaving without him. He then proceeds to yell at Catalina to stop crying. Laisha observes this sadly.

As Mangle predicted, folks arrive at her house to search for the baby. Esme finds blood on the floor, and a baby bonnet/blanket [?] Diegorro arrives; Bernardo told him about the napping, and he reassures Esme that Mangle won’t harm the baby – they need to use him for money. Does Esme remember at all where she was incarcerated? Yes, in hard-to-find cabin, which turns out to be a site Diego had visited, but didn’t return to, thinking Montero wouldn’t use it again after Zorro discovered it. They’ll go investigate the cabin, but they have to be veeeeeerrrrry careful – Montero may have set a trap.

Montero plans his escape with his men while Mangle listens, uninterested and annoyed. Like a dutiful father, Montero asks her if it isn’t time for her to feed their son, and she snaps at him that she’s not a cow – find an Indian woman to take care of that! Turning back to business, Montero instructs his man Macario to prepare the gunpowder, which they’ll set up to get rid of anyone who comes to Chez Incarceration searching for him. After the men take off, he returns with a huge smile to play with his son [once again, Montero is truly enchanted with this kid! He probably just sees him as an extension of himself, tho’]

Evidently, Pizarro’s man managed to take off with Santiago and Olmos, but SM manages to disarm him. SM and Olmos take off on their original mission to find Mangle and the baby. The soldier comes to and conveniently mutters out loud – so a following Tobiasina can overhear him – that he’s going back to Pizarro empty-handed. Tobiasina promises that tonight Pizarro will see that “la muerte se presentara vestida de mujer.” (Death will show up dressed as a woman)

Sara Kali is doing planning of her own, with help from Jonas and Renzo. Renzo notes Ana Camila off to the side, quiet. What is it? She feels silly telling him this, but she thought she noticed something about the way he looked at Esmeralda, his great love, returned from the dead [Hmmmm… feeling silly? Does that warrant an ulcer? Sure – ulcer #12]. There’s nothing to fear about him and Esme – he loves Ana Camila. When the Second Annual Gypsy Queen Quest is over, they’ll discuss this in-depth, and she accepts that.

Pizarro is doing reassuring of his own, for Catalina [in his own gruff, against-the-woman’s-will sort of way]. His soldier bursts in with the news that he was attacked by Olmos’ associate on the way back to this barn/cabin. That’s it! Pizarro wants to leave NOW! But then, Tobiasina bursts in – with 19th century wig cap, and black evening gown - there’s no way you’re taking my woman, Pizarro! Tobiasina is there to get his VENGEANCE!!! Catalina looks ready to swoon in happiness at this romantic, dashing, suicidal gesture by her man; Pizza looks bemused or annoyed [as interpreted by his moving his eyes side to side and shifting his head a little].

The masked (female) bandit suits up. Garcia is worried about this next mission (ulcer #13), but Esme isn’t going alone – she’ll be with Zorro. Because they’re tracking Montero, it’s not safe for Garcia to be seen. She also has to be careful to protect Zorro’s identity. Garcia’s ears prick up - does la senora know the true identity of Zorro? She asks him to not ask any more questions, but softens the blow by thanking him for supporting her quest to find her son – his grandson. They share a tender moment as she reminds him that he is her son’s grandson and always will be.

Montero, Mangle, and his Not-So-Merry Men camp out in the forest for the night before they head to the coast in the morning. Montero corrects Mangle that they are actually more safe because they have the Queen in their possession than they would be without her. Mangle finally sees the humor in the situation – the supreme military authority of Los Angeles is now a fugitive. He reminds her that she is, too, and now they have their son with them. Montero wishes he could have seen Diego de la Vega’s face when he learned the child wasn’t his…oh,well. Mangle still doesn’t believe they can shake Diego that easily, after all, he is Zorro. Well, Montero snarks, if he goes looking for us at Chez Incarceration, he’ll get an explosive surprise…

Meanwhile, back at said shack…

The Man and Woman in Black case the joint. They suspect the captives are in the basement. Before they go in, Diegorro tells Esmeralda that if something happens, she is to get away as far as possible with the baby – he’ll “cover” her escape. He pulls down her train robber bandanna and they kiss passionately yet tenderly. When they pull back from the kiss, they hear a voice from the foliage. “Don’t move.” Esme re-masks and with Diego turns to face Santiago Michelena, who has a firm expression and an even firmer grasp on the pistol he points at them…

END OF EPISODE
Ulcer count: 13
The official last ep of the show will be Monday, July 23rd!

Labels: Zorro

Your temporary fill-in recapper here. I love Yo Amo a Juan Querendon, the first Mexican farce I've ever seen!

• We start with the cute jammies-only birthday party for Nidia; the scores of candles on her cake go up like a torch (I did this once, I put 50 or 60 candles on a cake, I don't recommend it). Juan's happy voiceover: "This is what keeps me with them... Doña Nidia's a little concerned about getting older but she should enjoy every one of her years." They decide they'll have a 'little' party that night.
  
  
• Chelo, the maid at CL and Monika's house, picks up the fainted wife. Monika thinks she's anemic - then the Doctor muses that she's under way too much stress and a heart attack at her age is likely to be fatal! But of course it turns out she's pregnant. "How could that happen, no puede ser, I'm so careful, there's no room in my plans for children."
  
  The maid dishes out one Public Service Announcement after another about the joy of having children, the miracle of life inside you etc., and that maybe this is best, the missus has been jetting around way too much, leaving the massah on his own too often, and that is, uh, not so good for marriage. A kid is just the ticket. And besides, a couple as gorgeous as Monica and CL should have a dozen children.
  
  
• Pastor wakes up, wrapped in red satin sheets, still wearing his apron and satin shirt, way hungover. He immediately calls Juan (interrupted just as he's about to dive for a piece of birthday cake): "Juanito, I feel terrible, in fact fatal, there are birdies flying around my head, help me, I never drank so much (cries), nothing went as I'd planned, I don't even remember what happened." Juan, very relieved to hear this, assures him everything last night went great.
  
  "Juanito, please come get me right away." "NOW???!!" "Please don't shout." Juan says he can be there in half an hour; he lies to the ladies that he's needed for a big important problem at work.
  
  At Pastor's borrowed flat (where the Silver Fox used to boink Yvonne) Juan whips up a hangover remedy. Pastor morosely apologizes for complaining when Juan's been "such a prince." He attacks him from behind to deliver "an embrace of appreciation." Juan says, "Aw it's nothing, it's what friends do for each other," then says he can't be Pastor's date that night since he has to attend his aunt's birthday party. Pastor wrings from him a promise that they'll be together the next day.
  
  Juan drives Pastor home; Pastor half-heartedly proposes that Juan come in to say hi to Mommy Dearest. Juan is about to slip off, afraid to face "The Panther," when her rasping screech is heard. "This is some hour to be arriving home, decent people never sleep away from their own houses and especially not with mulletheads like HIM. Pastor, go wait in your room, I'll deal with you later, right now I'll talk to this monkey."
  
  To Juan: "I'm fed up with this to the crown of my head. Look here, boy, don't you hurt my idiot drunken son. I'll have to scrape him up off the sidewalk with a spatula, he falls in love with any old hairball, even that Fernando [Juan begins to smile in dazed appreciation that he'll have this hitherto-secret tidbit to blackmail Fernando with], they were friends for just a few months then Fernando jilted him. Don't you dare treat my boy badly, ok now to change the subject, would you like to stay and eat?" Juan, startled: "Oh, no, no, I can't, I..." "Just as well, I didn't want you anyway, I was only being polite." "Well, next time..."
  
  "I hope," she concludes sternly, "there won't be a next time."
  
  
• In their cute little yellow shirts and caps the seminar participants in Tasco are engaging in bonding activities - e.g., a scavenger hunt. Paula cheerfully participates but Cesar wanders around by himself and doesn't even try. Paula visits him on the greensward, does some industrial-strength flirting, shows him how to hold his compass. "You're not even trying, after all these years of owning a corporation you've never learned how to be part of a team?" He says teamwork and cooperation aren't part of his style.
  
  
• Yvonne calls Ana (Paula's mother) yet again and says: "You might want to warn Paula, who's messing with a married man, that his wife is on the way to Tasco and would not like to find her husband in bed with your daughter." Ana tries calling Paula but they don't connect.
  
  
• Parafan yells at the flower vendor that the flowers are too expensive, it's robbery, "You've just lost a first-rate customer."
  
  He arrives at Nidia's with a huge bunch of luridly died carnations which Yadira judges to be third-rate: "He's so putadisimo with you, ma!" (I think that means cheap or like a son of a bitch.)
  
  In a moment of weakness Nidia asks Yadira timidly: "Do you think Alirio and I would make a good couple?" "Do you love him?" "I, uh, esteem him, he does whatever I want and I don't meet many men like that..." "But do you love him?" "With time, maybe I could learn to love him..."
  
  Nidia's eye starts to twitch like Lety's and as she equivocates and finally admits she doesn't love him, Yadira gives a resounding thumbs down. "Ma, a good man needs to have: money, eyes, mouth, hands, ("chomi, chomi"), he has to move well and not be a pest, and Alirio flunks all these criteria so forget him!"
  
  Juan primps in his boudoir mirror, debating whether to tie his hair back like a horse's tail, "But that would hide my highlights!" He lets it free and flips it as Gaviota does. "I'll wrap myself up like a present for them!" He sashays out the door in an ecstasy of self-approbation and runs into Marely in her black minidress. "Oh, the next world beauty queen, I need a pretty girl to take to the party." She says he looks elegant and he modestly replies, "One does one's best."
  
  Nidia descends the stairs a la Marilyn Monroe, to extended applause: feather boa, elbow-length gloves, spangles on her eyelids, an inverted silver cone on her hair. Alirio presents the beautiful birthday girl to the assembled multitude, then asks how she likes the flowers. She doesn't - they're cheap carnations - he should have at least coughed up for roses!
  
  As the party progresses, Juan is in a corner trying unsuccessfully to get Fernando to back off with Yadira because Enrique really loves her (while Fern's only known her for a week)...
  
  Suddenly that selfsame recently discarded fiancee shows up uninvited. He has a present for Nidia and makes a pretty speech, and after the third or fourth compliment Nidia invites him to stay, ignoring Yadira's furious signals. He and Fernando glower at each other.
  
  Yadira drags Ma into another room to yell about Kike's presence; she says she (heh) doesn't have room in her life for a pathetic chauffeur (Enrique). (Remember, she thinks Fernando is a rich impresario.)
  
  Nidia says Kike has been a member of the family since long before he was Yadira's BF and that Samuel (the dead husband) liked him. My closed captions weren't working so I'm not sure, but it's possible she said Samuel started that way too and Kike is following the same road. Yadira = unmoved. She says blood's gonna run in the street.
  
  
• I reluctantly end this recap with a brief summary of all the nauseating, boring Paula vs. the Silver Fox scenes. All are performed with goo-goo aka bedroom eyes, half opened mouths with little bits of saliva dripping discreetly down both chins.
  
  Paula, with a soupçon of coy candor, breathes: "Mom says I'm an innocent gazelle and you are an implacable predator seeking another trophy for your collection." She says she's going to bed early, he begs her not to, she leaves, she soon returns, having removed her little shawl to reveal her deliciously protuberant breast implants squeezed out over the top of her scarlet minidress.
  
  To the tiresome sound of a thousand undeserved cymbal crashes and some idiotic "sweet nothings," Paula squeezes out of Cesar Luis the confession that he's wanted to carry her off to bed since the first moment he first saw her... but now... he wants... (more drool)... to make love with her. And this is quite clearly what she's been angling for, as well.
  
  Therefore I decree: Paula, joining Juan on the list of those who are causing their own downfalls by their own actions, now deserves everything that may happen to her. Let the blood run in the streets.

Labels: Juan

Dimwit is pouring out her tale of miseries to Granny M, Gaby, Fidiota, and Sylvie. "But that's not important. How did the trial go?" Little Doormat says she was declared innocent. Now Dimwit starts in with how if it wasn't for Maxito, she would have no reason to live. She wants to die so she can be together with Max. The only reason she's carrying on is because of her son.

Princess Fi is bending Octopus' ear about Max. Princess Fi wants to talk to Dimwit to see if Maxi-Moron mentioned her (Princess Fi's) name even once. Who cares?

More of Dimwit mourning over Max and the gaggle saying they can count on her. Dimwit needs to be strong for Maxito.

Princess Fi has gone back to Pasta's Palace and is now helping herself to another drink. What is she going to do without Max? What if Pasta makes her move? Woe is Princess Fi!

Emili-Oh, Roddy, and Sylvita are mourning over Max as well. "Max was like a brother to me," says Emili-Oh. Suddenly Sylvie starts hitting on Roddy. Roddy says he's engaged to Fidiota. Sylvie isn't about to be deterred; if he's ever available, she is more than willing to fill Fidiota's shoes.

Back to Dimwit and her posse. She's never going to get over the loss of Max!

Mid-drink at Pasta's Palace, there's a knock at the door. It's Cousin Eddie begging Princess Fi to take him back. She says he's probably pretty happy to hear about Max's death. "As a matter of fact, no I'm not. I'm not that kind of guy." He keeps begging for a second chance. Princess Fi seems to be contemplating it, since she's out of money and may soon be out on the streets.

Back to the Dimwit Entourage. They want Dimwit to move home. Dimwit would rather stay at Emili-Oh's place and sort things out. Fidiota then suggests she come back to Perfumes 'R Us, since the manicomio is gone. Dimwit wants to look for another job as a nurse. Looks like Fidiota is 0 for 3. Fidiota then tells Dimwit Peyote is Pasta's daughter.

Princess Fi makes up her mind. She never is going to go back to Cousin Eddie. She simply doesn't love him. Now she needs to figure out what to do when she gets evicted from Pasta's. "There is only one person who can help me. My friend, Ismael, the fisherman!!" How nice and tidy is that?

Ismael is offering to teach Max how to fish, when the phone rings. It's Princess Fi, his long-lost friend. He's all smiles, until she says she needs his help and wants to come visit right now. Suddenly, he looks impactada! Commercial.

I'm not really sure, but this is what I think is going on. . .Princess Fi really needs money and a place to stay. Ishy would really like to help his buddy, but he's really broke; the fish have not made him rich and he has just enough money to survive. Princess Fi says she's about to be evicted and wants to know if she can just stay with him for a few days or weeks. That seems to be OK.

Dimwit is still with her entourage when Isabel walks in with a tray of coffee. Everyone but Dimwit gets coffee. Dimwit gets magic tea. Fidiota asks the obvious about Isabel working for Dimwit, after Dimwit's sister shot Isabel's beloved nephew. They then point out Gaby was found innocent. Isabel calmly replies that if the courts found Little Doormat innocent, that's good enough for her. After Isabel leaves, Fidiota tells Dimwit to keep a close eye on Isabel. Orchestra of Doom.

Ishy tells Max he has an old friend coming to visit, but Max is leaving for Atlanta with his "grandfather." After escaping death, he's become a new man. A man bent on vengeance. He thanks Ishy for Ishy's kindness and promises to pay back the hospitality.

Dimwit gets another stomach cramp following the magic tea. Fidiota wants to call a doctor. After Fidiota runs out Dimwit has a heart-to-heart with Little Doormat. Little Doormat shouldn't let Luscious get away. L.D. replies she's not as strong as Dimwit and is afraid to confront Mommie Dearest and Kick Me. Meanwhile, Fidiota is in the other room with Sylvie, Roddy, Emili-Oh, Granny M, and Isabel. Fidiota wants to call a doctor. Isabel talks her out of it saying it's probably something Dimwit ate. With the aspirin, her fever should go down in a couple of hours. Roddy backs up Isabel's plan and Sylvie pipes up saying Isabel is a nurse and knows about these things. It's been decided, they'll wait two hours.

Marfil is telling Diablo she is just leaving for his house and will be there in a half hour. We see her getting into her little white Mercedes and fumble for the keys. Uh oh, this must be foreshadowing. Sure enough, we see a close-up of a gun between the car seats, and a hand reaching for it. Wait a minute, it's the little (now) red-headed weasel! As Marfil is driving by, LRW shoots and Marfil slumps over the wheel.

More discussion amongst the living room brigade about Dimwit's condition. Suddenly the doorbell rings; it's Princess Fi. Princess Fi needs to talk to Dimwit – it's very important. Fidiota says now isn't the time, but Princess Fi is persistent.

Luscious comes to visit the comatose Peyote. He pours out his tail of woe; Peyote is in a coma, Max is dead, Gaby won't fight for their relationship, Rene just left Yolanda to go to Germany, Pasta is divorcing Octopus. Apparently it's a bad time to be an Irascible; so much bad karma!

Kick Me has on his tight swimming trunks, when Little Doormat walks in. He tells her to change into her little bikini and accompany him to the pool. When she says she doesn't feel like it, he grabs her by the hair and threatens her. He says he won't take Larry's appearance at court out on her THIS time, since it's clear she had no control over "The Imbecile" showing up, but if he ever catches them together. . .Kick Me heads out to the pool telling Gaby to change quickly so she can rub suntan lotion on his back. Pobre de Gaby.

Princess Fi asks Dimwit if Max ever mentioned her (Princess Fi's) name at the asylum. Alas, he didn't. Princess Fi acknowledges that she and Dimwit didn't get off to a very good start, but now that Maxi-Mundane is gone, perhaps they can share their grief and become best friends.

Debora is gloating about finally paying Marfil back for all the years of misery Marfil caused Debora. All of a sudden we see police cars following Debora and the chase is on. We don't get to see much of a chase, since suddenly we cut to police cars rolling up to Marfil's Mercedes. The cops converge on Marfil with guns drawn. The one cop walks up and checks Marfil's pulse. "She's alive!" They then supposedly wake her up. She tells them she heard two shots, but doesn't know what happened. The cop asks if she knows of anyone who would want to kill her.

Mighty Max and Pedro say their good-byes to Ishy and Ishy's little girl. Max promises to get her a doll house. Pedro wants to steal a car like in his old days.

The chase continues and now Debora is running into a vacant house with the cops in hot pursuit.

The police tell Marfil she needs to accompany them to the sheriff's department, even if she doesn't know who shot at her.

Dimwit is delirious and calling for Maxi-Moron. Fidiota comes running in and tells Roddy to call 911. Isabel tries to stop them, but Fidiota will have none of that. Isabel stalled them two hours ago and now Dimwit is even worse! Isabel goes running out into the living room and Emili-Oh asks where she thinks she's going. As she's running to the front door, Isabel tells Emili-Oh that Fidiota no longer needs her services. Suddenly Emili-Oh gets worried and runs into Dimwit's room. Sylvie tries to stop Isabel, without success.

Meanwhile, Debora is holed up at the construction site, clutching her gun. They'll never take her alive! Finally, a gun battle breaks out.

Apparently Maxi-Moron and Pedro have stolen a mini-van. It's a trip down memory lane for Pedro, who was apparently a rebellion in his youth. All is fun and games until Maxi-Morose starts thinking about Dimwit and how she allegedly "cheated" on him with Diablo. Now she's going to be really sorry!

Fidiota and Roddy show up at the hospital. Yolanda and Pasta want to know why Roddy and Fidiota are so agitated. Roddy tells them Dimwit is gravely ill. As Fidiota heads to the ER, they run into Octopus. O--"What are you doing here? Stay away from my daughter!" Fidiota says "I have no intention of seeing Peyote; Dimwit is seriously ill." Octopus tells Fidiota she hopes Dimwit dies. Brrrrrr! I could all but see the ice crystals form on the TV screen. Roddy has to hold Fidiota back from attacking Octopus! Insults are then exchanged until Fidiota remembers she has a daughter to tend to; it's not always about fighting with Octopus. Octopus then mutters she hopes Fidiota has to suffer as much as she does, following the death of Max.

The standoff continues. Finally a cop gets Debora in his gun sights.

DoK tells Dulce, and later Fidiota and Roddy, that Dimwit was poisoned. At first he thinks Dimwit was trying to kill herself, but Fidiota says there's no way Dimwit would do anything like that. Finally a light bulb goes on over Fidiota's head. "It's that nurse!" DoK says they need to report this to the police.

The shoot-out continues. She'll never be taken alive!!! Finally she points her gun at a copy and he shoots her smack dab in the middle of her forehead. As she looks surprised, she gets shot in the back by another cop. Guess the show must be winding down, since we see our Little Red-headed Weasel fall from about three stories up and land in a pit. We see a close-up of her bullet wounds, so it will be hard to see her recover from this one; apparently her nine lives have finally run out.

Isabel is frantically packing to make a quick getaway. Now that Dimwit is in the hospital, everyone will know Dimwit was poisoned. From there, they will put two and two together and get Isabel. Isabel is going to go to New Orleans and stay with her friend Petra until things calm down. Just as she's leaving, who should be at her front door but Fidiota, Roddy, and the men in blue! As they take her into custody, Isabel is claiming she didn't poison anyone. She cries and denies her activities as they are hauling her away. Buh bye! Another loose end nicely tied up; you can tell the show is winding down.

Marfil finally shows up at Diablo's Dungeon, six hours late. He starts yipping at her, so she tells him what happened and how she was detained by the police. She has no idea who tried to kill her.

Granny M is visiting Dimwit and bringing her up to speed about what happened. Dimwit thought Isabel was nice; why would she do such a thing? Granny M wants Dimwit to get better so she can be reunited with Mini-Max. Dimwit is still mooning over Maxi-Moron. Cousin Eddie is whining to Doc Evil about losing Princess Fi. Iggy tells him to get over it. "I will never love another woman. . . Unless it is Dimwit!" Iggy is appalled. I'm appalled. "Dimwit is special." I could just barf. Iggy looks like he wants to barf.

Marfil is not in the mood. She's had a long day. She gets a call from the police to go to the morgue and identify Debora. Marfil says it can't be Debora, Debora died in a fire awhile ago. She hangs up, muy impactada!

The next morning she and Diablo are at the morgue. She tells the attendant it couldn't possibly be her dead twin sister. Pobre de Marfil, that's exactly who it is! She then tells the attendant it was obviously Debora who tried to kill her the day before. We then see Debora with a fake-looking scar, unlike any burn I've ever seen, and singed "red" hair. Hmmm. Wasn't Debora also a blonde? I don't have time to contemplate this as the

Credits roll.

Labels: acorralada

Aaron and his mom are chatting at a restaurant and he mentions that Isa’s baby might be the result of, well… Fedra asks, You mean, you doubt that the baby is Rod’s? They have a good laugh.

Bruno joins them and admonishes Aaron for just walking away from Minerva. She’s a good wife and he thinks Aaron’s getting all caught up in having an heir and chasing the Montalvo inheritance. And if Rod’s baby inherits, the business would still be in the family, right?

Pilar calls Bruno and tells him that she needs all of them to come to her place right away. It’s more important than Aaron’s business trip. She wants to talk to them now. They wonder what it could possibly be.

Rod calls the hacienda, asks after James, and instructs Roman to make preparations for him and Isa. They’re planning to come back to the hacienda.

It’s night and James tiptoes up to the front door at Rancho Arroyo Seco. He turns back toward his car. “Mister James!” It’s Acacia. James asks about Meliton’s whereabouts. She says Meliton’s sick, his liver is letting him down.

Gaviota is drinking alone at the Malquerida, despondent. She thinks to herself, why did you have to trick me again, Rod? And make a joke out of my love?

A lonely businessman approaches Gavi at the bar and asks her why she’s all alone. She tells him bluntly to get lost. She’s not looking for company. He persists, sits down, and starts to order her a drink. He tells her he likes angry women! Just then, Frankie approaches, so earnest, and apologizes to Gavi, “Jennifer,” for being late to meet her. He tells the businessman to get lost, because he and his girlfriend want some privacy.

Gavi says to Frankie, who are you? I don’t know you! Get out of here! Are you deaf or what? Frankie tells her he only wants to know one thing, why she hates men. He doesn’t like men, either! He likes women so much better. Gavi scoffs at him.

Frankie says that God made women to show men beauty, love and sensibility. Just like you! Men are so much less stable. A man chases one woman, then goes after the next conquest. A man will always telling the woman he meets that she’s the only one for him, he’s having a problem with his wife, he’ll leave his wife for her. That gets Gavi’s attention.

But Gavi confronts Frankie. What are you talking about? You’re a man! Yes, Frankie says, but he’s not like the others, he’s loyal. He’s looking for a queen to share his life with. He wants to dedicate his life to making one woman happy, forever.

Frankie asks, are you single, married, widowed or separated? Gav says, none of those! She’s a committed to remain single, the best state for a woman to be. She asks Frankie, are you married or engaged? He says no, of course not. Or I wouldn’t be here. She tells him he looks like he is. He says it’s because he spent the day working on taxes.

Aaron, Fedra and Bruno join Pilar, Sophie and Daniela at Pilar’s place. Aaron wants to get started, so he can leave for Miami. Dani tells him that they need to wait for Rod, because Rod will be especially interested in the information that Aaron will provide them. Dani instructs Sophie to go call Rod to track him down. Sophie reports that the line is busy and Rod’s cell is off.

Since Rod is not reachable, Dani decides to get down to business. She asks Aaron, What did you do with Mariana Franco’s liquidation check for 5 million pesos, the one you said you gave to her to leave my brother alone? You said she left happy with the check, but it was never cashed and she left the company humiliated. Dani has proof about the check!

Aaron shouts at Dani, you listen to me! Dani confronts him, No you listen to me! I want you to retract your words and apologize. Bruno wants to end the charade if what Dani says is true.

Aaron admits that things didn’t happen exactly like he told them. Yes, Mariana did leave. Aaron knows what kind of a woman she is: that’s what’s important! She was going to go after Rod. Aaron did what he had to for the family. Aaron told them all the version that he did because he did not want to drag the family into issues of this nature.

Fedra chimes in that Mariana had her eye on Aaron as soon as she started work with him – that’s the reason for Aaron’s divorce with Minnie. Dani calls Fedra on her lie: the real reason that Aaron is divorcing Minerva is that she can’t bear him an heir!

Dani tells them that Videgarray considers Mariana to be a woman of integrity. Aaron interrupts her, That woman is a danger to Rod! Bruno says that Rod’s old enough to make up his own mind and take care of himself. Aaron is angry that they doubt his word. He said what he did was for the good of the family. Period! And that’s all he’s going to say!!

Aaron gets up to leave, and Pilar calls after him to wait. He storms out. Fedra gets up and tells them to let Aaron go, her son acted in good faith. Bruno is flustered and doesn’t know what to think. He follows Fedra out. Dani has tears in her eyes and is angry that Bruno and Fedra are not getting involved. Pilar is distraught and is sure the family will break apart.

Minerva is at home, seated on the floor, crying. She can’t imagine her life without Aaron. He is everything to her!

Rod gets word that the taxi is ready to take Isa and him to the airport. The phone rings again and Isa tells him not to answer it or they’ll be late. He picks up the phone and tells Sophie that he can’t come to Pilar’s now. He and Isa are leaving. Isa decided to forgive him. Rod paces around the couch, sighing. They’re going back to the hacienda to make the marriage work and to plan the honeymoon that they never took. Rod wonders why Sophia is not happier for them. She congratulates him weakly and hangs up.

At the bar, Gavi prepares to leave. Frankie asks her why she is at the bar, drinking by herself. It must be for spite. Gavi looks vulnerable. Frankie tells her that the eyes always tell the tale. Her eyes do. He knows how to read people and he waves his hands in front of her face. She plays along and pretends to be surprised.

Frankie says, a man came into your life and hurt you. If I’m lying, you can leave. If you stay, you’ll let me buy you a drink so we can talk about your past, your present, and your future. Gavi gets up to leave, but turns around. Are you some kind of a sorcerer?

Frankie’s got her interest now. He tells her he has special power from a Tibetan monk that he must share. Gavi stays, but she’ll pay for her own drink. She wants to know more. They gaze at each other for a moment, and he pretends to blow magic dust off his palm toward her. She smiles and nods, pretending to be impressed.

At the ranch, Acacia lets James inside. He tells her he’s found a house for them in town. They can see Father Cosme tomorrow about getting married. But Acacia’s not leaving. She’s told him, this is her ranch and soon it will be his, too! James doesn’t understand how she can stay in this hell with her uncle. He sees the rifle on the table. Acacia picks it up and tells him that the rifle makes her feel safer, especially since Meliton is blaming her for everything. Here, she says to James, you take the rifle!

Acacia runs down the hall to peer at Meliton, asleep on his bed. She mentions that Meliton told her that many people have died cleaning their guns. And that can happen to Meliton, too. James lets go of the rifle like it is contagious. Acacia! They kiss in the doorway.

Frankie tells Gavi he has a sense of her past by her eyes. But for the future, you have to look at the hands. She plays along and asks him to read her palm. He does an incantation and says her hand shows that she’s smart, talented, etc. He sees her happy in the future, in a place with flowers. But not with the man who betrayed her. Gavi is disappointed.

Acacia breaks away from James and he runs after her. She can’t possibly stay here, Meliton will continue to abuse her. That makes James want to kill him! Acacia agrees that Meliton will continue to abuse her – unless James does something about it. James wants her to leave, but she won’t. She says, Kill him! If you really love me, kill him!

James horrified. He aims the rifle, thinks about it for a second, and refuses. You’re not serious! He tries to get her to leave. Again she refuses. She’s staying. James tells her he knows how much she hates Meliton, but killing him is not the solution! James pleads with her to leave. He’ll come back tomorrow for her answer. She shows him the door and tells him he knows what her terms are. She leans away as he tries to kiss her goodbye.

At the hacienda, San Juana skips into the kitchen and tries to get Hilario’s attention. She asks after James. Hilario chides her for her interest in Elvis, Francisco, and now James. James is getting married! San Juana’s not so sure. Hilario tells San Juana that he doesn’t want anything with her. She counters that she knows what Hilario wants. Just then, Roman comes in to tell them to get ready for Rod and Isa’s return. San Juana turns to Hilario to taunt him, Good news for you!

Sophia tells Dani and Pilar that Rod has reconciled with Isa and they are returning to the hacienda. Dani can’t believe it. Sophie couldn’t tell Rod the news about Aaron sending Gaviota away, Rod is so happy about his child now. Dani says she’ll tell Rod the news! Pilar tells her not to call him. Rod won’t handle the news at all. Sophie agrees.

Sophia says, maybe Mariana wasn’t so bad after all. Pilar says, maybe Mariana isn’t really a saint. But at any rate, she’s gone and no one can find her. There’s no point in telling Rod now, there’s no chance for him to reconcile with Gaviota. And the news could turn him against the family, Isa, and his child. He could be capable of killing Aaron!

Gavi says to Frankie, so I’ll live my life as an old maid, but happy! No, no. He sees someone in her future, someone very special: loyal, sincere, noble. He can’t see what the man looks like. And this is all too much for Frankie! Why? Well, Frankie doesn’t want to brag, but the man he sees in Gavi’s future is a lot like him. Gavi’s ready to end the consultation.

She gets up to leave and Frankie follows her. He wants to know her name, seriously. She tells him it’s Jennifer. He wants her number, but she refuses. At least she can let him walk her to her car or give her a ride home. It’s dangerous out there!

Dani calls Elvis and gives him the news about the confrontation with Aaron. It goes against her principles not to tell Rod what happened. Elvis tells her to try to see things from Pilar’s point of view, she’s trying to keep the family together.

Gavi thanks Frankie for the ride. He wants to see her again and tells her about great places they can go, dancing. He sings a little reggaeton song to her about how he hopes he didn’t offend her. He wants her number. She tells him it’s in the book, under Jennifer! She leaves. Francisco strikes out!

Gavi comes home and wakes her mom. Clarita confronts her about drinking. Gavi smiles. But I met a charming guy who read my palm and told me my future. Clarita gets interested. Will we be poor? Get I get married? Win the lottery? Gavi says, no, no. It was just a game to get to know me. But he seemed like an OK guy. She tells Clarita she listened to what he had to say. And she stills feels like she’ll be betrayed again.

Rod and Isa walk into the hacienda foyer, holding hands. Isa pulls him aside and whispers that she wants them to sleep in the same room. Rod manages a smile and agrees. Isa will need some special provisions. She gets Rod to tell the staff the news: My wife is pregnant.

Clarita badgers Gavi into praying to the saints. Gavi prays for protection from the Montalvos. She has a laundry list of requests. And she wants to break Rod’s face, too. Clarita is angry at her and starts to pray again. Gavi’s not going to forgive Rod, but she prays that nothing bad will happen to him.

Rod wants to hire someone to help Isa with everything. Isa knows the perfect person for the job, San Juana. San Juana is thrilled!

Hilario looks ill. Rod and Isa approach the stairs, hand in hand. Isa stops in front of Hilario, Aren’t you going to congratulate me?

Gavi can’t sleep and remembers how Rod told her he wanted them to return to Tequila when they got married. A lie! She hears Francisco’s words about men again. Gavi says, if Rod wants to be with his wife, I hope he’s happy!

Isa is sitting in bed. I thought it was over, but I won. I won, Gaviota! Now Rod is mine. Rod strides out of the bathroom. He brushes his hair and pauses suddenly. Isa asks, what are you thinking about? Nothing, he says. She smiles sweetly. I don’t believe you!

Rod sits next to her. Look, the most important thing in my life is my child. My child… my child and…. you. Isa brightens up. I’ve never heard you talk like that before! What beautiful words. She leans over and says, I’ll always love you. Rod looks resigned and sad. Isa kisses him and he doesn’t break away from her.

Advances for Friday:
- Isa and Rod kiss
- Isa gloats
- Dani finally reaches Rod on the phone, but will the truth be revealed?

Labels: Destilando

At poolside, Cesar Luis kisses Paula's hand and then moves in for the mouth kiss. She's willing but he pulls back, he doesn't wish to commit a grave error. Paula runs off and leaves CL stunned but also smiling.

Pastor, wearing his cute little apron, tells Juan he will wait for him but Juan had better not stand him up. "Again the burro goes to the wheat," Juan responds (again with the same old crap). Pastor hangs up on him and Juan plays the big exec in front of Marely and Yadira.

Juan, Fernando, Yadira and Marely go down to the garage. Who should be lurking there with a scowl on his face? Enrique!

Yadira and Fernando are driving in "his" car. She's in a snit because she recognized Ivonne from the disco. She picks a fight with Fernando giving him a taste of her spoiled, bitchy personality. When he snarls back she makes up and they kiss.

Marely and Juan are in the other car. Why aren't they all in one car? Don't they know about carpooling? Marely mentions she heard Juan studied with Fernando in college. Juan nearly crashes the car because this is the first he's heard about it. He tells her he studied economics of course. They chat some more and she eventually asks him what he wants (out of life?). He thought bubbles that he wants her to feel butterflies inside her sublime chest whenever he is at her side. Cut to Pastor fuming over his shrimp cocktail.

Pastor phones Ivonne to find out what time Juan left the office. She advises him to stop looking at his watch and have a copita of something before he ruins this date like he does all his others. Pastor vows that if that guy doesn't show up he'll kill himself.

Juan, Fernando and the girls are enjoying lunch in a nice restaurant. Yadira and Fernando are disgustingly goopy with each other. Marely interrupts, she hates to be a wet blanket but can they talk about her job? She looks at Fernando hopefully until Juan butts in and says it's already arranged. Marely's ecstatic, when can she start? Fernando mumbles something incoherent and Juan pipes up "this week!" Juan broadly grins at Marely's joy but oh dear, his lies are becoming very complicated and they involve way too many people. Fernando looks like he's about to choke.

Alirio is at the bank about to cash a big check. While he waits for his money he dreams of Nidia..."Ah Nidia, now you won't be able to say No to me, I already have the dead guy's dough."

Taxco, Guerrero: Paula gazes out her window and asks herself what's happening to her. Meanwhile CL lies on his bed watching a hot chick on an exercise show. He visualizes it's Paula. "Why is that woman driving me crazy?" he wonders.

Alirio shows up at Nidia's door and says he has the perfect cure for her previous wrath at him. She haughtily allows him to enter. He proudly states, "In this moment I am in front of the sole legitimate heir of Don Samuel's fortune!" Nidia's mouth goes into a perfect "O" before she erupts in joy..."No puede ser, no puede ser!"

Alirio assures her he's absolutely serious. It wasn't easy but he falsified Sam's will so she would inherit everything. He explains to her how he arranged this with the utmost discretion to benefit her. She vows her lips are sealed.

After the foursome return from lunch Enrique accosts them in the garage. He yells at Juan and Yadira for betraying him. Fernando comes to Yadira's defense. Kike calls him a cadaver and dares him to fight but Juan breaks them up. Kike elbows Juan in the stomach and mocks the "wonderful Juan Dominguez" who is a liar, a pig, an opportunist and an egoist. Furthermore he borrowed all of Kike's money and used it to help steal Yadira from him.

Kike really works himself into a lather. Juan tries to calm him but he only pisses Kike off more. He turns on Yadira again and Fernando leaps over to try to punch him but Juan holds him back. Poor Kike yells "bring it on" to Fernando but he looks like he's in tears.

Nidia asks Alirio if he's sure his "funny" documents won't get her into trouble. He skirts the question sufficiently enough for her to go into spasms again, "It's all for me, all all all all!" She wants to know when she'll get the check. He reminds her that he took care of his part of the bargain, he got her the money, now it's her turn to make good on her part. She holds her head and pretends she doesn't know what he's talking about. "Darling Nidia," he reminds her, "I was going to get you the deceased's money and in return you were going to marry me." Nidia's mouth goes into a perfect "O" again.

Poor Pastor, he's sitting alone, waiting for Juan, with shots of tequila lined up on the little bar. He pounds the shots and refills the glasses until the bottle is emptied. He opens another bottle.

Juan arrives back in the office and Ivonne scolds him for not meeting Pastor. Now he will be responsible for the suicide of the Chief of Personnel. Juan pats his pockets and makes up one of his stories, he lost the address, does she have it? Ivonne tells him to be careful with Pastor, he's very sensitive and easily disillusioned. Juan thought bubbles, "Bah, he's a regular Madame Butterfly. Santo Niño de Atocha have pity on me and this opera that I'm in."

As Juan walks away Ivonne totally checks out his stupendous aft end and wonders what's going on with Pastor and Juan.

Nidia becomes very sweet to Alirio. She tells him she's still in mourning and is concerned that they not rush things, they need to follow social protocol. Fine, answers Alirio, just so she knows they WILL get married. He starts drooling over her and begins to chase her around the coffee table. He warns her not to make him too crazy because he could, in a moment of insanity, reveal their plot to Ana and Paula Davila. Nidia gets huffy and replies that she might, in a moment of insanity, reveal that the honorable licenciado Alirio Preafan Rocha de Francisco falsified official documents. He counters that jail would be a fiesta compared to not spending the rest of his life with her. Round and round the table they go.

Nidia suggests that they could be novios without matrimony, couldn't they? "I require the complete package," Alirio firmly responds, "and now I'll leave while you consider your decision. Don't rush, but if you don't decide neither will you get your money. Farewell my Egyptian princess." She hisses like an asp after he departs.

(And now we introduce the magnificent comedic team of Juan and Pastor.) Pastor is three sheets to the wind when Juan finally arrives. Juan has to hold Pastor up he's staggering so badly. Pastor grabs Juan's wine and blubbers insults at Juan. He cries that Juan is an egoist who ripped his heart apart. Who does Juan think he is, Juan Camaney? (sorry, I don't know who Juan Camaney is. Juan is as clueless as I...) "No, Dominguez," answers Juan, "and all I want is a little respect."

Pastor replies that Juan and the rest of the world insult and disrespect him, well he's had enough, he's going to change and he wants Juan to get far away from him. Juan goes through a series of amusing facial expressions and thought bubbles "Ay ay ay, who woke the sleeping lion? Don Pastor is worse than Lupe D'Alessio." Pastor concludes his train of thought by stating he may have drunk too much.

Juan calls Ivonne. He says Pastor did something crazy. "Is he alive?" she gasps. Pastor staggers into the room, mutters "I'm dead" and falls face down onto the bed. Ivonne tells Juan not to leave Pastor alone and to take him to the emergency room if he gets worse. Pastor becomes sloppy, he begs Juan to forgive him. All the while Juan is flopping Pastor around like a bloated fish, trying to get him face up on the bed. Pastor yells at Juan to use the "tu" form with him before he (Pastor) dies and to tell him that he (Juan) feels something for him. "To tell you the truth," Juan answers, "at this moment I only feel shame for you/usted."

It's a beautiful night in Taxco. CL and Paula are at the Seminar of Strategic Thinking (Planning Strategy?) which has just concluded. The seminar leader is pleased to see CL and tries to chat him up but CL can't wait to follow Paula who has left the building.

Pastor's world is spinning so Juan tries the old trick of putting one foot on the ground. Unfortunately Pastor's leg is too short and his foot doesn't reach the floor no matter how hard Juan pulls. Pastor begs for one word of love and Juan flips him over in disgust. Juan silently comments to the Santo Niño that only God knows the twisted ways of love.

CL finds Paula in a cafe listening to Fur Elise. He invites her to a meal with the seminar participants but she says she wants to go to bed early. He tells her he's been thinking of their conversation from that afternoon. Did she never consider marriage and children? Yes and no she answers. So far she has been busy with her studies, plus her own family situation was kind of negative. He admits that from the start he has felt a certain aloofness from her. She says maybe it is deliberate, her way of protecting herself from...(sleazy music)...because she's starting to feel...(more sleazy music and hopeful looks from CL).

Commercial break to Paula in a bikini followed by scenes from El Gran Final of Duelo de Pasiones. The music is very suspenseful but I don't see any sign of The Cofre.

Paula thanks CL for the conversation but she's tired. He tries to get her to stay but she cuts him off and splits.

Juan burns his fingers on a hot plate he takes out of the oven. No reason to let Pastor's delicious meal go to waste just because Pastor has passed out. He digs into his steak with gusto and thinks that at least there is no question that Pastor is a very good cook. After he eats he rolls Pastor around some more so he can get him under the blankets, all the while babbling to himself about poor Pastor. It must be difficult to live life running in the wrong direction. In some ways Pastor has been nicer to him than many of his other friends.

CL drinks his wine with a smug grin on his face. He recalls Paula's words that she was beginning to feel something. He jumps up and dashes out of the cafe.

Juan sits in his car and thinks about Paula, "Ay Paula, do you know how much I think of you? Not because I want to but because I can't get you out of my head. You are there no matter where you go. Good night my sugar dove."

Paula calls Ana to tell her goodnight and that everything is going fine. Paula looks over at the door that adjoins her room to CL's.

CL approaches Paula's door, starts to knock, turns away, then turns back to her door but stops before he knocks and says "caught in my own trap, the hunter becomes the hunted."

Paula promises her mother that she will be careful, then she reclines on her bed with the look of love on her face.

Next morning: Monica tells the maid she felt nauseous all night. (Uh oh!!! Pregnancy alert!) She can't bear the thought of breakfast but going to visit Cesar in Taxco will surely make her feel better. She tells the maid that if Cesar calls don't tell him she's on her way because she wants it to be A Surprise. (Again with the surprise.) She faints on her way to the door.

The second day of the seminar begins. Paula and CL are wearing their seminar uniforms of yellow polo shirts and caps. He whispers to her that it wasn't easy to sleep knowing they were separated by just a door. She tells him to take sleeping pills...but if it makes him feel any better she couldn't sleep either. It looks like she just made him feel better.

Whoopeee!! A treat for the ladies, Juan is in his cute little jammie bottoms doing pushups. He grunts "one, two, three" and flops onto the floor, muttering that the good life is taking a toll on him. Someone knocks on the door. When Marely enters he enthusiastically resumes his pushups counting out loud "five hundred sixty-seven, five hundred sixty-eight." Can Marely speak with him for a moment? She beckons and he follows her out on his knees. He's almost as tall as she is. My gawd he is a complete hunk.

They sneak into the dining room where Yadira awaits. They are obviously plotting something as there is much whispering and giggling. Marely kisses a photo of Samuel. Nidia walks in and is greeted by music and a cake covered with burning candles. In fact it's a veritable inferno. Happy Birthday Nidia! Juan picks her up and twirls her. They all happily blow out the candles. Juan puts his big arms around them all and thought bubbles that they feel like his own family..."In spite of everything what it would happen to us later, this was the only family that I had ever really had."

Any appearance to reality is pure coincidence.

Advance - Ivonne makes another anonymous call to Ana, a doctor tells Monica that she's expecting a baby.

dejar a plantado alguien = to stand somebody up
soy una tumba = my lips are sealed (lit. I'm a tomb)

Labels: Juan