Saturday, January 28, 2012

Una Familia Con Suerte #99-100 Fri 1/27/12 Comedy Takes a Holiday

Or, "Una Familia Sin Suerte"

Part One: A Time to Laugh

Ana slaps Fraud. It is good.

In a montage:
  • Fraud goes home crying to Pina, who dabs his wounded face with a hanky.
  • Pancho gives Rebeca a necklace.
  • Moni and Mommy bond.
  • Alex meets with a priest about the boda.
  • Temo gives Meli a big balloon while Ramona stands there awkwardly, poor kid.
  • Pancho is measured for his father-of-the-bride outfit.
  • Ado catches Pina daydreaming about her seduction of Vice, but looking sad.
  • The Lopez family looks at samples for the wedding.
"Weeks later," the whole gang (including Ado, Meli, and Ramona) attend an Alejandra Guzman concert. AG tells a Televisa reporter that she's resuming her tour with renewed energy and taking better care of herself. Oh what a surprise, she's being called back for an encore, so she re-sings the Día de Suerte song accompanied by the children in the audience. Then the Lopez party joins her on the stage, and let me tell you, someone in that group can NOT sing. While AG is still singing, she thanks Pancho for helping her out.

Next day, Pancho tells Lupita how much everyone will miss her but she'll always be his little girl. She says it's not like they're moving to Africa - they'll be living very close by.

Pancho says it seems like it was just yesterday when she was born and she got sick and he gave her this medallion and the Virgen de Guadalupe saved her life. And now she's going away. But he wants her to be happy. Pancho Lopez will always be by her side when she needs him. He says she reminds him of her mother and this place where they are is where he kissed her mom for the first time. Lupita's sad her mother can't be at the wedding. But she's also happy to see him happy with Rebeca.

Fernanda's detective meets with her doctor and tells him that a nun came forward with some new information about the medallion. The doctor thinks that the possibility of finding her child will renew Fernanda's will to live.

Wedding day:

Alex admits to Fraud that he's a little nervous about the wedding. As for his parents, they can't stay very long, in fact they're going to leave directly from the church. Then Fraud whines to Alex about his problems with Ana. At least these two are friends again. They even hug!

Bridesmaids Ana, Candy, Moni, and Chela try on their gowns. That's an awesome color on all of then. Kind of a bold turquoise. Ana lets slip that she's been seeing Fred. Mónica is taken aback by this news. But another concern emerges: they realize nobody invited Elena. She's gonna be mad!

Adoración appears to Fraud in an ill-fitting purple gown with fluorescent yellow wrap. Fraud asks her what's going on with his mother, who's been acting weird lately.

Right now Pina is upstairs with her friend Kathi. She says K is the only person she trusts even a little. She wants to tell her about something that hasn't happened to her in a long time.

Tomás pays Alex a pre-boda visit. He looks even more rumpled than usual. He warns Alex that if he hurts Lupita, if she sheds so much as a single tear because of him, it'll never end for him. If Alex lets Lupita down, Tom will win her back.

Pina and Kathi are waiting two minutes to see two lines on a stick. The two lines dutifully appear. Pina is preggers!

This is shaping up to be the greatest day EVER.

Lupita is ready for the wedding. Pancho gives her a final pre-wedding pep talk full of sweet words and advice, such as the importance of respect, communication, and love; never go to bed angry; and don't forget your own happiness. He gives her a blessing and now it's time to go.

Rebeca meets them outside the house and gives Lupita her wedding present: a trip to Hawaii!

At the Irabiéns', Temo awaits Meli, who is herself a vision in white. (With a bustle!) The dogs are dressed up for the wedding as well. Upstairs, Pina happily anticipates telling Vice the good news about her stick with the two lines on it. Fraud comes in to say hello/goodbye, is once again surprised and a bit concerned to notice her unusual mood, but has to take off for the wedding. (Fraud calls Kathi "Tía" but I don't think she's his actual aunt, just the kind of aunt who's your friend's mother.)

Vice, looking crazy handsome in jeans and a flannel shirt (later I think it looks like madras, in any case it's plaid and it looks good on him), runs into Candy and kisses her in public. He says he doesn't care if anyone sees them. He can't stand Pina and he's going to ask her for a divorce. He doesn't care if it means he loses everything. Anyway, he's got some company shares, some connections, and some power. He wants to be happy with Candy forever; doesn't she want that too? Candy is worried that it will be her fault that Pina will suffer. Vice says it's their life to live and their love to fight for.

Pancho drives Lupita to the wedding, using La Burra's loudspeaker to announce to everyone on the street that he's with the most beautiful bride in the world. This is what every young girl dreams of: to be chauffered to her wedding in a braying vegetable truck with Big Mix ads all over it. Fortunately, Lupita loves his jokes. She asks if he's going to marry Rebeca. He's not sure, what with some of the detractors in their family.

Pina goes to the doctor with Kathi and it's confirmed: she's four weeks along. She's the happiest woman in the world!

La Burra gets to the church, and suddenly someone gets cold feet. Is it Lupita? No, it's Pancho! He wants Lupita to take off with him to the beach.

Ana and Chela worry about Candy's non-arrival. Pepe and Fraud exchange half-hearted insults. Elena makes sour faces. Chacho drools over Chela, who takes no notice. Candy breaks a heel rushing to the church. Nobody thinks it's particularly odd that she's such a nervous wreck.

Temo and Meli take Lupe's train and the music begins. Pancho and Lupe enter the church. Almost everyone, including Alex's parents, comment on Lupe's beauty. A few notable exceptions are Chela, who chooses this time to grill Candy about her whereabouts and then shuts her down when she tries to tell her what Vince said to her; and Elena, who scowls and tells Tom that Lupe doesn't look good at all. Ah, what a delight it would have been to have her in the bridal party; I keep thinking it would have been funny if Lupita had made all her bridesmaids wear fingerless gloves in Elena's honor since she's the one who went online as Lupe and made the original fateful date with Alex who was online posing as Fraud. But I digress.

Pancho delivers Lupe to the altar. "Alex, I'm giving you part of my heart. Love and respect her."

At home, Vice tells Enzo that if he really wants to see Chela, why doesn't he just go to the wedding? Sure, people love it when their mortal enemies crash their wedding. (Now I'm thinking that's oxford, not madras or flannel.) Vice asks what he sees in her. Enzo says she's not as curvy as Candy, but she has her own charm. She's deep, intelligent, pretty, determined. Vice retorts that Candy's smart too; it's just not apparent. Heh.

And, Vice says, he's made a decision. He looks around carefully to make sure no one is listening, and spits for good measure. Enzo, who I guess is not bothered by spray-spit, leans in to hear the secret: "I'm going to divorce Pina."

Pina and Kathi have already made a couple dozen purchases, each in a different bag. One of the items looks suspiciously like a stuffed version of the cartoon Pancho from the show's closing credits.

Vice insists that he doesn't care if he loses everything. He was never this much in love before, even when he met Pina. Enzo points out that he's been in love with money. True, but Vice isn't giving up money! He dreads going home every day because he knows what he's going to hear. But everything's great now. He twirls happily.

Enzo's visit is cut short by a call from Violeta, who wants to meet.

The ceremony goes on, with Pancho weeping, Chacho drooling, Candy daydreaming about Vince, and Chela reading the "love is patient, love is kind" Bible verse. Ana and Fraud look at one another. Ado and Chato look at one another. Alex and Lupita look at one another.

Violeta tells Enzo that these few weeks have been the happiest of her life, but she wants to stop lying to Mónica. She wants to tell her the truth.

Alex and Lupita have just been pronounced husband and wife. Alex is kissing the bride. (Tomás stomps out in a huff; nobody cares.) The crowd cheers. Confetti is thrown. There's more kissing.

Part Two: A Time to Weep

Alex pulls away from the kiss. Is he coming up for air? No, he's clutching his chest and sinking to the ground, his face twisted in agony. Panicked friends and family flock around. The children are confused and frightened.

Meanwhile, Enzo and Violeta argue. (It's becoming clearer that Violeta is a generally nice and seemingly sane person 98% of the time. The only person she has a problem with is Enzo, but it's a very large and ugly problem.) She can't look into her daughter's eyes and continue to tell her lies. "Well this is a fine time for you to remember she's your daughter, 20 years later." She only came when he told her Moni was looking for her. In any case, Violeta says, she's met her and she likes her. Enzo gets really rough with her. She complains that he's hurting her. He says if she talks to Moni, he'll hurt her even more. She asks, who will she meet? Enzo Rinaldi? Or Facundo Contreras? (Wasn't his last name Jimenez? Well, now it's Contreras. Or maybe it's both.)

Lupita joins Alex in the ambulance, followed by Alex's parents. Everyone is crying, even Fraud. The only exception is Elena, whose face is hard to read. (Actually, it's not that hard to read, I just can't believe what I think I'm seeing. It looks like she's not worried, but that she's hoping for something... like Alex's death. Is that really what I'm seeing?)

Enzo doesn't want Moni to know the truth because it will hurt her. Violeta says it's BECAUSE she loves Moni she thinks she should know. Enzo resents the implication that he doesn't love Mónica, after all those nights he was the one who stayed up caring for her, taking her to the hospital when she was sick, because she was all he had and her mother didn't care. Enzo begs V to keep the secret, in the name of the love they once shared and the unconditional love he has for Moni.

Evening. Pina is looking forward to tonight's dinner, when she'll give Vice her big news. Vice, who has recently buttoned his shirt, has no idea why she's so excited, but they are interrupted by a tearful call from Fraud asking them to come to the hospital.

Alex's parents weep at his bedside. (This is probably the most time they've spent with him in the last ten years; it's a shame that he has to be unconscious for it.) Lupita watches through the glass. Fraud puts his hand on her shoulder, and suddenly I get a funny feeling about those two, but now's not the time. Alex's father nods her in, and he and his wife back off.

Lupita begs Alex to open his eyes and wake up so they can go to Hawaii and be happy together forever and have their kids and grow old together.

Vice and Pina show up and console Fraud. They converge for a rare family hug and he cries on their shoulders.

The doctor tells the Lopez/Irabién party that he's just spoken to Alex's parents. They said Alex has a congenital heart defect. Moni asks if he will live. The doctor doesn't say anything. (In fact, nobody is doing anything for Alex at all. Perhaps there really isn't anything they can do, but I'd feel better if I saw a lot more equipment and activity.)

Fraud joins Lupita in Alex's room. Alex wakes up and starts talking to Lupita. She's the most beautiful wife in the world and he loves her. He asks for Fraud's hand. "You were always like a brother to me." Lupita insists that he will get better. He thanks her for making him the happiest man on earth, happier, she's like an angel. "I love you." He strains forward to give her a final kiss, but slumps away at the last millimeter with such an air of finality that the heart monitor's flatline and long beeeeeeeep seem superfluous. (And useless too, since I don't hear the expected approach of rushing footsteps and crash carts.)

Lupita steals a final kiss while Alex's lips are still warm. His last flickers of thought are a montage of his song with images from their courtship. Lupita wails disconsolately, Fraud pats her shoulder awkwardly, and for once I'm grateful for a commercial break.

Next, the funeral. Alex is buried on a hill overlooking a pretty valley. Everyone in the world is there, crying, except I don't see Elena. (Tom is there, wearing a T-shirt that looks like a black dress shirt and tie. I'll cut him some slack for this because I sincerely believe it's the best he can do.) Ana tells Fraud she's sorry. Lupita puts the first rose on Alex's coffin.

(That's as much of that as I can take. Death scenes can be tough and wakes are no picnic either, but I really can't deal with burials. If anyone wants to add what the priest said, please feel free, you won't hurt my feelings.)

At home that night, Lupita shares the big comfy chair with Pancho and bitterly muses that she was married and widowed in the same day. Tomás, still wearing that stupid shirt, tells her he's sorry and she can count on him and he wishes he could take all of her pain on himself. (In the background, Temo is really overdoing the crying.) Everyone in the family promises their support. Rebeca says she's sure Lupita will find the strength to move on. Lupita stares vacantly.

Fred cries to Pina and says Alex was one of the few people who accepted him the way he was - annoying, selfish, arrogant. He was so different, so serious, always criticizing him. How can someone die so young? Fred wonders if Alex knew that he could die at any moment. He admits that he's sad for Lupita too. Pina encourages him to let it all out.

Violeta meets with Mónica and looks like she wants to tell her the big secret, but Moni is getting ready to go to school. Then Violeta remembers Enzo's begging/warning, thinks better of it, and leaves, saying they'll talk later.

Enzo goes to work and tells Arnold he's having trouble with Moni's mother. There's a big secret that Monica doesn't even suspect. It's something horrible.

Fraud looks miserable at breakfast. Meli asks if he's still sad about his friend. Ramona asks what happened to his friend; Meli says "I'll tell you later." She has a big smile on her face, not because Alex's death was so hilarious, but because Adoración is dancing around on a cloud. She's never been so happy in her life. She's in love. Pina hints around about the romantic dinner she's still planning to have with Vice. Vice gets another well-timed phone call, which he claims is from Enzo, but he takes it in another room. Pina follows him to listen.

It's actually Candy, asking how Fraud is doing and wanting to continue their conversation from the other day. She suggests that they meet for dinner tonight. Vice excitedly accepts. He spins around happily until he sees Pina. I don't think she overheard anything. She claims to be looking for her Flores de Bach. She leaves, and he finishes making his plans with Candy. He hangs up the phone by jabbing it repeatedly with gusto.

Lupita takes her rings off and lets them clatter to the floor. She shreds her veil with scissors. (She does not give herself a stunning haircut like Lucero did in STuD.) Pancho comes in to talk to her. "Why do I always lose the people I love, Papa?" He reminds her of the kids that count on her at the daycare, and her family, all of whom adore her. Rebeca offers her unconditional support and friendship. Chela stands in the doorway and looks depressed to see Lupita and Pancho huddling together with Rebeca instead of her.

Vice is looking for his phone. Pina has already found it, and reads the text on its screen: "I'm waiting for you on the corner Vicente, what's up?" He finds his phone and she plays dumb. But she very much doubts he's going to meet Rinaldi. She follows him.

The Chamigos encourage Pancho to have a drink, but not too much. They talk about Chato's love life. He's in love with Adoración; she's the other half of his orange. And Chucha? "She's my half-watermelon!" Hahahahaha. Better not let her hear you say that.

Vice picks up Candy and they share a big kiss on the sidewalk before she gets into his car. Pina sees the whole thing.

We're now on our second round of mezcal and Chato says he's thinking of asking Ado to marry him. Blah blah blah. Pancho says he's grateful to have friends who cheer him up but he's worried about Lupita. And Chato's kids are definitely going to be ugly.

Pina is crying at home. No Flores de Bach will relieve this pain. Vice and that horrible nasty disgusting woman Candy, who else? How could she be so stupid? And to think Sandra tried to warn her. She had to see it with her own eyes to believe it. Hugging and kissing.

Moni tells Pepe about that strange meeting with her mother this morning. She asks if he'd mind if she went to see Fraud. He says he's okay with it, though his face says something else after she leaves.

Enzo goes to the Lopez house and is met at the door by a very surprised Mónica. He says he's come to pay his respects to the family, especially Pancho. She is skeptical. She asks what's up with her mother, she's acting strange, but he has no comment.

Vice tells Candy that with Fraud in pieces over his best friend's death, it's a bad time to ask his mother for a divorce. Candy agrees. And she's still uncomfortable with being a homewrecker. He assures her that it his marriage was already a wreck; has been for a long time. This would have happened sooner or later. She thinks she should have stayed out of it. They agree to carry on in secret. What Pina doesn't see won't hurt her.

If only there were some way Pina could un-see. Ado lets slip that she knew. Pina is furious. This is the worst moment of her life, Ado is the only person she can talk to, and she begs her not to lie. But Ado is saved by the doorbell.

Lupita is crying in her room, surrounded by tissues and photos of herself and Alex. Tomás offers support again and she says thanks, but she doesn't feel like talking. He says they don't have to talk about anything. She says she doesn't understand God. He gives her Alex, makes them fall in love, they get married right in front of him, and then he takes Alex away. Why? Tom says it's a test; that's what they say. No one can comprehend; or maybe she'll understand someday.

"Tomás, I don't feel like living."

Next time:
No idea. The avances were cut off. But at least we're back to one hour again now.

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La Que No Podía Amar #21-22 Friday 1/27/12 The Ruse Continues -- P.1. Destination: Resignation and Misunderstanding Landing!! All Aboard!! & P.2. Gus Sings the She Done Me Wrong Song While Tia Rosie Cashes In


Cap. 21, P.1.  Destination: Resignation and Misunderstanding Landing!! All Aboard!! 
[Apologies for not knowing exactly where this one was supposed to start and where the last one exactly was supposed to end.  I was still busy bringing home the proverbial bacon.  The recorder started at its usual time, which was long after where Uni decidedly did.  Uni, your arbitrary editing SUCKS!!  So, I’ve begun at the beginning, where Kat’s stopped. –ed.]
Lo del pasado: Gustavo returns to Ana Paula’s empty house and finds El Maximo showing it to somebody else.  “--Where is she?”  “--She’s gone, the slut!”  Gus defends his one twu luv’s honor.  “--Don’t insult my girlfriend like that!”   Maximo says if she’s his fiancée then he must have arrived at the right price cuz Ol’ Maxi sure didn’t!  **!!??**!!## Slam! Whap! Slap! Crash! Bang!  Gus wants to know where she is.  Max answers, well, if she’s his girlfriend, shouldn’t he know?
Back at Mercedes', Rocio comes to pay her respects and ask how Little Bro is.  Hug, hug.  Kiss, kiss.  No residual damage to liver or kidneys.  (A little Rn professional talk to impress us and increase our viewing pleasure.)  Whew!  That’s a relief!  Rocio spies the letter AP slipped under the door and hands it over to Mersnottys.  Ugh!  She confesses she purposely kept AP from seeing Gus cuz she thinks he’s dead rather than Papa, and that way the whore-slut-b!tch will stop coming around.  Little Bro doesn’t believe she’s been two-timing him, unfortunately.    Rocio says she thinks it might be better if he knew this --but maybe she should at least read the letter and see if it wouldn’t clear up a few things?  (Methinks maybe Rocio should be head RN and not Mersnottys…..)  Naw, says Mersnottys, it’s got to be completely full of lies.  I’d rather just tear it up.  Gus walks in the door just then and that’s exactly what his big sis does with the letter.
Big Sis and Rocio ask whether Gus found his GF and cleared things up.  No!  She’s left and nobody can tell him where she’s gone!  At least, though, he gave her pervy old ex-landlord a good one in the choppers for badmouthing her to him! 
Back in Michael’s hospital room, Tia Rosaura guilts Pau into sticking with her deal to marry RoHell. By reminding her that Gus, poor boy, is now fertilizing daisies and feeding fly larvae; on the other hand, Sr. Montero has gotten them out of so many financial jams recently.  “--Resign yourself to marrying Rogellio Montero.  Think of your brother.  He’s our number one priority right now.   And, don’t think of this marriage as a sacrifice.  Think of it as an opportunity.  Show him gratitude.  Not all men would be as generous as he has been.”  Yes, that’s a given for Pau, she tells MentiaRosa.  She’ll be grateful to RM her entire life, but, she still has a hard time understanding why he wants to marry her.
Rocio and Sissy insist that if Paula's old landlord was trash-talking her, he probably knew what he was talking about!  Gus should have enough sense to believe them then.  No way!  Gus insists there’s been a big misunderstanding and he’s going to get to the bottom of it come hell or high water!  Mercedes insists just as strongly that she saw her in media mouth-meld with another man!  So get with the program, Fool!  “--I’m your sister and I’m only looking out for you!”  Rocio changes the subject and mentions (I think, cuz my recorder missed this part and have had to go online and stream it sans/er…sin CC) that his friend Esteban came by.  Yeah, the guy from your old work, says Big Sis. He’s been a big help to me while you were gone missing.  “OMG!” Gus remembers he was supposed to go to the interview, courtesy of Esteban, but missed out on going when he got attacked and left for dead.
Across town, in Big Dave’s office, RoHell is giving Gus’s replacement the who to and what for:  Big Dave’s hotel project goes nowhere without RoHell’s big bucks to back it, so nothing happens unless Replacement Dude tells RoHell all about it, the bad news as well as the good news, first.  Got it?  Sure do, says Replacement Dude.
Big Dave and Sin are riding together.  She loves the “bonita” palomino she’s been riding.  Dave buys “Bonita” for her right then and there to replace Paloma.  While the two are out riding, Efrain has climbed into her bedroom and moons over his ivory-skinned lover.  She’s the only woman in the world for him.  More’s the pity…..
Meanwhile, our sacrificial Cupcake, AP, comes by to chat with RoHell.  He informs her that Bruno’s doing his best to get and to keep him out on bail, at least while the legal paperwork continues its way through the courts. (The SOB, Viewerville grumbles to itself, could have her brother out in no time by simply withdrawing the charges!)     RoHell actually looks a bit sheepishly at her when he hears this, but this goes unnoticed.
At Hell-Fuerte Margarito catches Effer climbing down the vines below Sin’s balcony and calls him on it.  Mind yer own beeswax, sonny.  What’s it to you, anyway? “—Nothin’ to me, but, it’s a little strange, doncha think?”  “-- Keep your mouth shut and get back to your chores, brat!  And remember, I’ll be watching you!”
At the hospital in Tuxtla, Bruno has a message from MerSnotty’s and he tells the nurse at the desk.  Oh, she’s not there today, says the nurse.  Her daddy died—Bruno stops her.     Her daddy died--not her brother?  Yes, continues the nurse.  They had the same name. (Gus, as we guessed, was a Jr.)  The wheels start turning in Bruno’s brain. When he sees Pau a few seconds afterwards, he tells her he’s learned poor Gus was buried in El Arel (?), thus letting her continue to believe his competition is compost.  He promises to take her there reeeeeeally soon.
Back at Gus and Mercedes’, he tells Rocio and Big Sis he’s determined to find Pau.  How will he find her, they ask him.  He’ll go back to David’s worksite where her kid brother works and ask him.
AP and Bruno are now discussing how long it will be before RoHell returns to Hell-Fuerte.  All of a sudden, who should fly in on her broomstick doing a peel-a-wheelie but ol’ Vainessa, herse’f.  “—You tell me right this minute just exactly what you’re intentions are with RoHellio!”  Paula looks up and a harsh (for Paula) snarling sneer takes the place of her darling dimples. “—What the heck are you talking about??” “—FYI, ditzy, RoHell is my property!  We’re getting married!  Got it?  We. Are. Getting. Married. To. Each. Other!!”  “—W-what??!!”  “—Just what you heard.  He’s never stopped loving me.  So I don’t know what you’re intentions are, but I’m going speak to him so he’ll stop helping you!”  Pau tells her she has no right to speak to her like that.  It’s obvious though, that the only one here who’s intending to harm Sr. Montero is Vainie, herself!  Hmmmph! 
Bruno separates the two of them.  “—Ladies, calm down.  Quiet down, remember we’re in a hospital.” Vainessa grabs the rebounder and runs with it. “—Sure, sure we are-- thanks to RoHellio’s money  I have no desire to see RoHell keep giving you support, especially for a murderer like your brother!” Pau starts pawing and clawing for Vainie.    “—My brother is NOT a MURDERER!”  Bruno manages to block her just as RoHellio comes rolling around the corner. “—What the hell is going on around here!!???” (Gawd, that SOB must be in hog heaven.  He knows damn well what’s happened--and why!!  What an ego boost for the wheelchair-bound brute! GRRRR!!)  Vainie runs over to him, dripping with “Mi Amores” to ask what he’s doing helping her after the skank of a nurse abandoned him like she did!!  RoHell chases his enfermera off to her brother’s room before she can spill the beans.  Pau storms off.  He speaks with Nessa in private. 
Ro turns to Nessa and asks why she isn’t off in Europe or somewhere buying her trousseau.  Oh, or are you jealous?  Not a chance with that drubby excuse for a ….. Nessa says it’s just that as soon as Sin told her he’d been helping this gal out she had to return and stop him from being taken advantage of.  “—Nobody is going to take advantage of me.  Nobody.”  (Word up, Nessa, honey.)  Neither, will anybody question me!  Agreed?  The veiled threat in the dude’s tone of voice is not lost on her.  (As those of us in Viewerville know, there’s generally a good reason when a guy wears a black 10 gallon sombrero.)
Mikey, meanwhile, tells Bruno thanks and that his sis tells him they’re going to get him out on bail.  Bruno looks over at Pau like the both of them know that’s not exactly the way things will go down at all.  He tells him to get better and leave the rest to him.
Back at the nurse’s station, Nessa whines in a perfect feminine CYA that she just doesn’t understand how Rog could be helping that woman out like he has after everything.  RoHell tells Nessa that like it or not, Pau’s coming back as his nurse and she’d better get used to the idea and to treating her nicely.  Anyway, everybody deserves a second chance.  Look at the two of them, right?  Nessa pulls out all the stops and smothers his hands with wheedlesome kisses. She says it’s only natural that she wouldn’t want that other woman around. (Yeah, just look at those…er… dimples, not to mention the ones you don’t see.)  He’s not changing his mind. RoHellio continues to play hardball. There’s still time to back out of the marriage if she wants, he tells her.  (What?  Give up all that wealth and power and social prestige?  Are you NUTZ?)
At the same time, Gus is ready to look for Mikey and to look for work.  Esteban’s at the door as he starts out.  Gus brings him inside and all thank him for helping Big Sis out while he was missing.  Shucks, it was only what anybody would do, right?  Rocio forces an introduction.  (Sorry, but Rocio is one awkward looking female, IMNSHO.)  It’s obvious that she’s interested.  Mercedes talks Gus into staying a while since his buddy just got there, right?
RoHell rubs a bit more salt into Nessa’s wounded pride.  “—It wouldn’t be the first time you backed out on marrying me, now would it?”  “—You wound me to the core, Rogelio.”  (Cue the violins.)  Just how long are you going to continue punishing me for what I did?”  He suddenly shows remorse and pulls her towards him.  Now he starts to cajole and caress her.  Paula takes such good care of him and he’s sure Nessa doesn’t want to be bothered with these sorts of “uncomfortably awkward” sorts of things, now does she?  Kissy, kissy.  “--Okayyyy.  As long as she remembers her place.”  Rog looks up and away for just a telling moment before kissing Nessa’s forehead.  “—and that’s what she’s going to do.” 
Lo del nuevo:
Esteban and Gus discuss the fallout from Esteban’s divorce.  He feels like such a dumbsh!t after all these years thinking he rocked the center of Nessa’s universe.  Next topic.  Where was Gus headed when he arrived?  Out to look for work?  He didn’t exactly make it to the interview.  Esteban offers to explain cuz they’re still needing [engineers] at that place.  Wow!  Really?  Gus says thanks, but he’d rather explain in person. 
At the hospital, Cupcake's frosting is a bit lopsided over the verbal smack-down with Vainessa.  How could he continue to have anything to do with her?  Bruno explains that despite her spoiled brat behavior and her selfish, wheedling ways, RoHell’s got it bad for her.  He’s in wuv.  May be, but no way I’m going to let my brother get stuck in that jail all because of her!  Fine, says Bruno.  The paperwork’s making its way, assures Bruno, but the cash has got to come from RoHell.  RoHell rolls up and tells Bruno to vamoose.  He wants a private word with AP now.  Bruno turns around and gives him the evil eye before leaving. Lot’s of roiling and boiling in that scowl of Bruno’s.  Yep, Mister Mouthpiece looks damned pissed at being ordered around like a trained monkey, but he says nothing and just walks away down the hall. 
Pau wants to know why that woman said she was going to marry him.
In another part of the hospital, Nessa spies Bruno and is just as pissed.  Want to know what he’s doing, aside from taking that gal’s side?  He’s taking her back to the hacienda to work for him!  “—Really?  I wasn’t aware.  But it doesn’t surprise me.”  “—Yeah, but that broad’s going to pay for it.   I’m going to be the lady of the house, the owner’s wife, and I’ll see to it that Rogellio stops helping her brother and that he runs her off the place!  Just fires her ass!”  Bruno stares back and looks as if he definitely wants a ringside seat for that mud wrestling spectacular.   
RoHellio swears it didn’t mean a thing.  Oh no?  Cupcake’s frosting is even more lopsided than before.  “—You said you were marrying me and she up and starts in about how you’ve never stopped loving her and the two of you are getting married!”  “--Oh?  Vainessa really said she’d marry me? Really?  Are you really jealous?”  (Nay, not jealous, per say, but we females aren’t exactly eager to share a claim to staked-out territory once it’s been marked, Roggie, any more than some hairy-legged, brow-beating brute—er, sound like anybody here we might know?)  . Not at all, says Cupcake, smoothing out her frosting, but she did hurt you once, and we had a deal.  You were supposed to help me.”  “--Yes, yes, but I don’t want you speaking to Vainessa. She’s one of those women-- (couldn’t catch the rest…something about thinking all the competition’s nothing more than would-be hookers?)  Cupcake wrinkles up her nose and frowns.  “—What are you worried I’d changed my plans?”  “—Of course!  Not just because of my brother, but…that woman is not nice.  And… I don’t want her hurting you.  IN fact, I was so angry at her that I was about to tell her she wasn’t going to marry you because you were marrying ME!” 
RoHellio nearly has heart failure at that!  “--NOOOOOOO!!! You can’t!  It’s part of the agreement and it’s forbidden.  You do that and I’ll renege on my part!.  But, as you’ll see, I’m straight with people.  Here’s the contract for you to sign.”  She lets out a major sigh.  He asks if she’s having second thoughts.  Nope.  She takes the contract and asks where to sign.  He tells her to sign at the bottom of each page and at the bottom of the last, next to her name.   Ana Paula quickly signs them all without reading a word, and then hands the notebook back to him.   He looks her straight in the eye, trying to read her expression. (Visions--or rather--revisions of Faustus, anyone?)  She looks back and simply shrugs, the picture of naiveté and pure innocence on display for him.
Rosaura is scandalized when she finds out that Gustavo is still alive.  Bruno says it’s true, cuz one of the nurses told him so!  It was Gus’s daddy, not him, that died.  Mersnotty’s may work at the hospital, but the fact his sister hates Pau is in their favor.  Rosie and he agree that no way in the world can they allow Gus and AP run into each other. 
At dinner that night, Big Dave mentions to RoHell that since Sin is headed back to Hell Fuerte to prepare for the wedding that he’d take her there himself cuz he’s on his way back to the hotel construction site at Boca del Cielo and it’s essentially on the way.  Bro-Hell says no thank you.  Why, asks Sin.  “--Don’t you trust me?  I’m not some little girl any more who needs your protection.”  Bro-Hell replies that he doesn’t trust his own shadow, let alone a couple who are involved with each other.  (He may not be wise to Sin’s sins, but he’s definitely got Big Dave pegged.)  No, Kid Sis will return to the hacienda alone.  Hugo wheels him out and Sin goes BSC she’s so tired of his overbearing brutish behavior!!!  She takes a shot of tequila.  What can Dave do for her?  Anything?  She wants to be able to forget everything to do with BroHellio!  No problema, answers Big Dave with a mischievous grin on his face.
Pau tells Tia Rosie about the catfight at the hospital with RoHellio Montero’s ex-fiancee that afternoon.  Rosie wonders if she explained about their deal, but Pau says no because she’s not allowed to talk about it.  However, he’s not changed his mind.  He even had her sign the contract today afterwards.  Well, what was in it, asks Rosie.  AP didn’t get a copy, but he promised to give her one; and, she admits, she didn’t read it very well, only the stuff in bold-faced type [en negrito/as] but all the basics were there, marriage for a year and he’ll try getting Mikey out of jail.  MentiRosa is fit to be tied because AP didn’t bother to read any of the details, let alone ask for a copy of the contract she signed!  (Did I mention Cupcake’s utter ‘naivete’?  Well, yes.  Excuse me while I share a moment of utter incredulity and the need to pull my hair out with dear MentiaRosie: Pau, YOU ARE ONE FRIGGIN’ NAÏVE NITWIT!!!!  ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!  LORD HA’ MERCY, GIRL!!!!!) 
==================
That night Sinthia and Big Dave go clubbing.  Sin gets drunk as a skunk. Sin tells Big Dave how much she hates being under Bro-Hellio’s brotherly thumb.  Dave says it doesn’t have to be that way.  She can just marry him.  Oh?  Sin takes an extra minute to process this through the alcoholic haze she’s enveloped in. She says that before she accepts, he should help her get back her part of her inheritance.  Dave says she won’t need it if she marries him.  That’s not the point, dope!  It’s hers and she’s not leaving it go!  Anyway, wouldn’t it be nice to combine his and her fortunes together?  Sure, okay, says Dave, but why doesn’t she show some independence?  Why does she let Bro-Hell order her around like that?  Sin starts into a drunken depression which is not going to get Dave what he’s really after.  He says he’s got something in mind to get her really into a good mood…..
In a very different kind of drinking establishment, Bruno and his ex-con associate are swilling down Tequila together.  Bruno says something about after seeing the cat fight that afternoon, he feels that all is not lost.  They do have that little problem with the fact that Gus is still alive and kicking.  However, as long as he can’t recognize him and he’s got no proof of anything, they’re just fine and it may be to Bruno’s advantage that Gus is still around.  Exxy just better follow everything to the letter this time around, got it?  No foul-ups.
The next morning Sin wakes up with the hangover of the century and wishing for all she’s worth she could skip the morning after the night before.   Suddenly she hears a Big Snort from the other side of the bed, sits up and looks over, eyes-saucer-sized-impactada,  Ruh-Rohhhhh!!!!!  “--OMG!!  What did I do?????”
At Elenas, Rosie’s been filling Elena in.  She’s getting AP down back to that hacienda ASAPP!  Before her ex-BF and she run into each other and blow the whole effin’ deal.  Yeah, but then there’s the ex-fiancee of RM’s to worry about too.  Rosie wonders what’s up with that, especially since her ninny niece didn’t get a copy of the contract she signed, let alone READ it!!    In the meantime she plans on squeezing as much cash as she can from Mr. Deep Pockets.  Now, what about giving her back one of those rings, Elena……
At the hotel, Sin is putting the pieces together.  Hmmm.  Sin finally had her Big Chance to do a test ride with Big Dave in bed but she was so drunk she missed the Big Event. No worry.  “—Mi amorrrrrr!!!”  Big Dave is up and ready to ramrod this cattle drive back down the pike all over again.  Was it as good for her as it was for him?  S-s-sure it was…… Just then Bro-Hell momentarily interrupts with an inopportune phone call. “--Where in blazes are you?” Sin’s literally thinking on her feet. “--R-r-r-riding [montar= lit. mounting/ montar a caballo = riding horseback, so I hope you catch the *TACKY* humor in this exchange] w-w-with David.”  (Big Dave’s definitely been giving her saddle sores.)  Bro Hell tells her to give the phone over to him, then.  
Ro-Hell screams at Dave for not remembering they agreed to meet at the office that morning.  Big Dave says they agreed to meet, but Rog never gave him an exact time.  Anyway, since he’s out …er…riding, it will take him a bit to drive back into Tuxtla, but he’ll get there as soon as he can.  Click.  Big Dave’s not in a Big Rush.  “—since we…er… told your Big Brother we’re riding outside of town that means we’ve still got time.”  Dave takes Sin down for another dumpster dive under the sheets.
Once Dave gets to the office he gives Ro-Hell some song and dance that he’s been there for a while, but they told him he’d left already.  Apparently not.  Ro-Hell is pissed cuz they went somewhere without permission and he didn’t know where Kid Sis was.  That’s a Big No-No in RoHell’s book.  Big Dave tells Big Bro-Hell to chill.  Sin’s not a kid anymore and he’s already told him he’s serious about her.  They’ll be getting married, yeah, and ONLY when they’re married will RoHell stopped making Sin’s life Big Bro-Hell.  Got it?
Meanwhile, Sin is on the phone with Nessa, telling her the disappointing news.  Sinthia says there’s not going to be a boda; she couldn’t stand another boring bedroom bummer with Dave.  Marriage with him is definitely out of the picture for her.  Nessa reminds her he’s her ticket out of that hacienda she’s been locked away in.  Yeah, says sin, but back there’s Eff—er her half of the inheritance. And, says Nessa, he’ll help you win it back. Don’t tell me you’re still stuck on Bruno!  No, stutters Sin.  That’s long over, she says.   Well, offers Nessa, Dave’s the one.  “--Suck it up, girlfriend. Sometimes we women are stuck with this dilemma [disyuntiva], Sin.  We at times marry for love and, at other times, we must marry simply because it suits us [nos conviene.].”  
Back in Big Dave’s office, RoHell is telling Bruno that Vainessa heard from Sin that he was helping out Paula’s brother.  He doesn’t want any more gossip like that between them. Bruno assures him he can count on his discretion.  "--I’d better be able to, cuz if not, you’re useless to me."  Well, says Bruno, he realized a while back that he was in love still with Vainessa.  Of course, Bruno adds, he also realizes that although he still loves Nessa, Paula’s not exactly an irrelevance for him.  But, that’s not his problem, either, he adds.  “--Just deliver the paperwork and afterwards, get back to the hospital to check on Michael.”
Somewhere in Mexico or Europe, Elsa and Vainessa are buying a wedding gown.  Well, even tho’ she didn’t get married in a church to Esteban, remembers Elsie La Vaca, that was a social event to remember!  Nessa says she didn’t marry in the Church cuz she was never sure about the marriage, but this one she is!  Mama laments that the gown she’s got on is too beautiful a dress to be wasted on a small town wedding.  But it’s at Hacienda del Fuerte, Mama!  Yeah, out in the boonies, says Mama.  We’ll see how many find their way there for it.
Back in Tuxtla, Rosie, Dani and Pau are also looking at wedding dresses. Rosie tells Dani she’s got to do her best to encourage Paula [echarle porras] to cheer up and realize Ro-Hellio isn’t such an ogre after all.  Pau comes out and loves the dress, but then she falls into a funk when the salesgirl hands her a heart on a silver chain to wear with it.  The heart makes Pau think of Gus.  It should have been him she was buying the dress for and not RoHellio Mont-ogro!!  Woe is she!! Pau starts crying. “Give me it.  It’s the only heart I’ve got now.  My own heart is dead!!” 
Fin, parte 1
=======================


Cap.22
Gus Sings the She Done Me Wrong Song While Tia Rosie Cashes In

Rosaura loses it and starts screeching back at Ana Paula and Dani who’s just suggested there’s still time to pull out of this marriage owing to the fact that she’s not in love with Sr. Montero and that marriage should be for love.  “—¡BASTA!”  She stops, catches herself and readjusts her mask.   Having regained control of herself, MentiRosa drops a few crocodile tears and tells AP that she’s distraught seeing her suffer so, but now there’s just no other way.  Gus has died and it’s up to her alone to sacrifice for the family. “--See it as an opportunity, a reason for hope!  He’s invested so much in us already.” (Literally, lady!  Literally!)  Her brother’s freedom—not to mention her BFF’s happiness--now depends on her carrying through with that contract she signed.  This seems to knock AP out of her funk and she snaps to it like a brave little girl.

At the TOHIT, Mercedes is checking on patients’ still in the hospital and learns that AP’s brother is still there, waiting to be transferred to prison once he’s improved enough.  This gives the gal another chance to snort her disgust for the slut who’s still got her baby brother’s heart in a vice grip.  As for Gus, he comes running onto the hospital floor to tell her that he just hooked a first rate job with the Water Commission.  Wonderful!  They’ve already got him working and he’s still trying to get hold of Mikey to find out what’s happened to Ana Paula.

Across town, Rogelio arrives at Federico’s office and is surprised to see that Dani works there.  Fed and RM discuss the prenuptial.  By all means it will be community property, not separate.  If they divorce, this time it goes 50-50 straight down the middle, unlike Papa Montero’s choice back then.  It’ll be Rogelio’s choice.  Feddie’s surprised Dani and Rog seem to know each other.  Before Dani can muck up things Rog quickly inserts that she’s a friend of his nurse’s.  On the way out he warns her that he doesn’t like mixing business with personal matters; so he hopes she has enough sense to keep quiet.

AP visits Mikey and tells him she’s going to ask permission to take a couple of days first to visit El Arenel (to visit Gus’s supposed grave site).

As for our dimpled duo, when AP arrives Ro-Hell immediately tries strategizing to get Dani out of Federico’s office a few days (to buy time?) under the guise of caring for him since the two of them are going back to the hacienda the following day.  Pau’s secretly pissed that that means she won’t have time to sneak off to Gus’s grave.  Ro-Hell tells her they’ve got commitments towards each other and they need to keep on track.  She agrees.  He asks if she’s bought her dress.  Yes, thanks for giving her aunt the money to buy it with.  Uhhmmm.  He reminds her then to remember to take the legal documents for the judge so they can marry once they get to San Gabriel.  She nods.

That evening, tho’ Mersnottys tries avoiding him, Ernesto forces the issue.  He reminds her of the good old days and suggests the two of them need to talk.  It’s absurd for her to keep avoiding him like this all things considered.  Just then Glorious Gloria appears at the end of the hall.  Ernie is forced to introduce the two women in his life.  Gloria makes a big show about how happy she and her hubby are once she realizes it’s Ernie’s ex-girlfriend she’s just shaken hands with.  (Viewerville happily notes the cootie concern on Gloria’s face.)  That was years ago, says Mer.  Yes, but he’s all mine now….right, sweetie?  How many years?  Fifteen.  (“Way too many” reads the expression on Ernie’s face.)

Back in Mike’s room, Pau says she’s got a date now and it’s this weekend.  He snipes what a shame he can’t be there for her great sacrifice. He’s on one mellofahellofa guilt trip that Big Sis has to marry a man she doesn’t love all on his account.  (Well, not all of us are privileged enough to have a dumbsh!t for brains brother like you, Mikey!)   Dani will be there as one of her only two guests—for moral support we assume.  Dani mentions then that her boss and RM know each other.  He struck her as really a decent sort.  He’s the type of guy that does all sorts of nice things for others but wants to stay anonymous, you know?  Mikey throws cold water on that observation immediately!  “—Or more like [mas bien = or rather] he’s the type who you gotta wonder why he’s hiding things!” 

Back in the hallway on Mercedes’ floor, Gloria lights into Ernie.  How dare he pretend?  He introduced her as “the Head of Nursing”!  He didn’t even want to mention her name!  Yeah, says Ernie, to avoid a jealous scene just like this!  Well, it make her think there’s got to be something going on between them again.  He denies it.  She doesn’t buy it.  She has good reason to gripe at him and then some!  Yeah, well what is she there for?  She’d wanted to go out to eat with him, but not now!  She turns on her heel and stomps off.  (It’s all for the best, Ernie.  You are such a worthless mess for a man!)

Bruno brings Rosie a soft drink and mentions he’s surprised to hear that RoHell’s returning to Hell-Fuerte the next day.  Better for everyone concerned, says Rosie—especially her and Bruno.  Get her niece hidden away at that hacienda far, far away from that dis-Gusting little boyfriend of hers.  Bruno figures now he won’t have to worry about taking AP to El Arenel.  Don’t count on it, says Rosie.  Ana Paula, once she gets something in mind, she doesn’t let go of it.  However, I’ve got a way to take care of that!

The next morning RoHell hands MentiRosa the keys to her new pad.  He’s complying with his end of things.  So will they, says Rosie.  AP’s more than ready to go.   However, there are still a number of things to get, like shoes, the mantilla [tocado], and so on.  She wangles another check out of him—and a warning not to abuse his generosity.   

Outside, on the street, Rosie’s in hog heaven.  She waves down a taxi but who should get out of it but Gustavo himself!  Rosie’s expression goes flat!  He hugs her hello and she lets him have it right between the eyes.  How dare he abandon all of them, her niece, especially on such an important night?  Gus tries explaining how he was beaten and left for dead.  Then suffered through the illness and eventual death of his father.  Sorry to hear it, says Rosie.  Life’s rough.  She walks off but he grabs her arm.  He’s even going to the police and file a report because he managed to see one of the attackers had an identifying worm like scar on his neck.  Ruh-Rohhhh! MentiRosa just lays it on even thicker.  Her niece was sooo disappointed and well, they went through a major crisis afterwords; and AP found a man she could really depend on!  She’s got him now, so Gus can drop dead now for all they care [literally, this time, right Rosie?]  “--W-w-w-what?  She’s got another boyfriend now?”  (All together now, class….)  ”—No puede ser!!!!”

At the same time back at Elena’s, Pau is packing up.  She drops a book accidentally and doesn’t notice the picture of her mother with a very young man (Federico ?) hugging her that Rosie had placed there a few days before.  Elena gabs on about being as young as she is she’ll soon fall in love again.  No she won’t, insists Pau.  Gus was it—the only gusto in her life.  Love is no longer in her vernacular. 

Yes, but at least in a few days Pau will be the new Sra. Montero, says Elena, trying to cheer and encourage her.  Hey, look on the bright side, Babe!  There are sacrifices, and there are sacrifices.  He could be old, have a disgusting paunch and B.O At least he’s handsome and rich and you’re not living in a hovel, devoid of the littlest luxuries, are you!  .  She’s got a man who’s taken care of all her money woes and will make her his Sra. Without even demanding that she sleep with him.  What more could she ask for?  (I note that ol’ Ellie’s much better at this than dopey Dani.  Ellie, you’re my kind ‘o gal.)  AP admits she’s got a point (quite a few of them, in fact) but also admits to being frightened to death he’ll ruin things somehow.  Of course, she knows better; and he is fulfilling his end of the bargain so far.  Ellie says there’s no pressure so they can enjoy just being friends.  Pau says that makes sense and so she can relax and concentrate instead on trying to improve his personality.   Ellie nods.  “—That’s the attitude to take!” 

A bit later that day, Dani comes in crying.  The police will be taking Mikey back to jail unless he’s found innocent or they come up with the bail money.  That will be his death sentence! 

Back in Big Dave’s office, Cynthia is complaining to Bro-Hellio about his forcing her back to Hell-Fuerte.  He doesn’t think it’ll matter cuz long-distance relationships never last.  In walks Dave and offers his opinion.  Heck, it’s not like they live in China or something.  Rog takes a phone call and Big Dave takes a moment to say he'll meet up with Sin at the hacienda for a few more “riding” lessons, wink-wink.  Sin finally gets the picture and pretends to like the idea.  Dave tries to lay a few smoochies on her much to Rog’s chagrin—and her embarrassment.  He eventually leaves, saying he’ll see her at the wedding. 

Gus demands to know what kind of problems they had—and Rosie spares nothing. Gus says he’d have sold all he owned to save them all.  “--You’re a good little boy but you couldn’t have done nearly anything compared to him.  He took care of all the problems we suffered through.  He gave her what you cannot! --But they love each other, insists Gus.  (Yeah, that and a dime’ll get you a cup a coffee--somewhere.  Love don’t conquer all, little man.  Money do!) “--Don’t you plan on going after her!  You leave us in peace!”  Gus keeps begging her to tell him where Ana Paula is so he can explain things to her.   MentiRosa races off in the taxi. 

Gus is so totally screwed.  (Viewerville feels his pain.)  He finally has sense enough to call the old workplace and ask for Mikey.  He learns that Mikey’s in jail for supposedly robbing a company truck.  His head is swimming. 

Back at Big Dave’s office, Bro-Hell is totally disgusted with Dave’s oafish behavior and gives Sin a lecture about it.  Next topic.  Sin wants to know when they’re leaving.  Rog says whatever time Paula says.  Uh, excuse me?  Sin can’t believe it.  Of all the nurses in Mexico or wherever, why is he so stuck on this one?  Vainessa isn’t exactly pleased he’s got her coming back to the hacienda with them, either.  Rog agrees and says, thinking better of it, why doesn’t Sin go back and organize things instead.  Maybe it’s not such a good idea having Pau around the hacienda right now after all.  Sin’s smile spreads from ear to ear.

Back in M.C., D.F., Elsie wonders why there’s still no engagement ring.  Things were too rushed, offers Nessa.  “--Think I’ll give him a call right now.” He answers and she’s telling him excitedly how she wants to make sure the press and all of society’s there for the big day.  He’d rather it be a simpler affair, especially since they’ve been through this once before.  No way, she says.  Also, there’s a bachelor and bachelorette party they’ll be attending.  What fun!  He gives up and tells her whatever.  It’s all the same to him.  He gets back to the details of the wedding with Sin and they’re interrupted unexpectedly by Pau.  She tells them she was under the impression “it” would be much simpler.  Sin has a heart-attack to think the wealthiest and most eligible bachelor in the entire state of Chiapas this century would dare to have a simple affair for a wedding!  Rog shoos Sin out of the office as quickly as possible before the cat’s out of the bag.  Sin sniffs at Pau on her way out. 

Pau explains why she’s there.  They take her brother back to prison tomorrow. She can’t leave tomorrow if that happens, she weeps.  We knew that might be a possibility, he tells her.  “--But those ruffians who beat him up last time will kill him if he goes back there!”  Tears roll down her dimpled cheeks.  RoHell’s shell begins to crack.  You can see sympathy seeping out from every pore.  (Oh, those beautiful dark brown eyes of his!)  He’s so totally transformed into such. a. puppy-dog.  Even his dimples start drooping.   

Mikey, in the meantime, has a major melt-down in front of Dani.  He screams at her he’ll die for sure if they send him back again!

Gus finally storms in the door.  He throws his keys on the floor and a cup against the wall, breaking it.  Big Sis comes running out to see what’s happened to him.  “—You must be happy as all get out!  You were right!  I was a total idiot.  The whole time you told me she was cheating on me but I wouldn’t believe you!”  How did he find out for sure?  He ran into her aunt who told him everything!  All that time he was half dead and fighting to get back to her and she was getting involved with someone else!  Mersnottys knows she’s done wrong by her little bro, and admits it tearfully to herself—sort of.  She only wanted him to be happy, really she did…..

Meanwhile, Bruno makes points with Paula by pretending a buddy gave him the directions to Gus’s grave.  AP is definitely a damsel distressed and he allows himself a sly and secretive smile of self-satisfaction.  MentiaRosie walks up to them at that point and rolls her eyes at Pau’s depressed state.  Bruno lets her in on what’s just transpired and leaves the two of them to talk it out.  Tia’s words of advice?  Cry it out.  Get it out of your system—alone.   

Back at Gus’s, Big Sis advises him to get over Paula and move on with his life.  Gus still has a hard time believing such a sweet girl like AP could be guilty of such a thing, but he’ll try.  His face is full of angry tears.

Once again at the hospital, Rosie finds Bruno and manages to fill him in on seeing Gus back in Tuxtla, what she told him about Bruno and AP being a real couple, and how he needs to warn his thugs that Gus got a good view of one of them and noted that scar on his neck, so the police will be sure to be after them. 

In another part of the hospital, Pau pushes RoHell’s chair as he explains how he got Mikey’s doc to extend the time allotted for rehabilitation of his hand.  At least he won’t go back without it’s being healed and it buys them time with the courts.  She is totally grateful and doesn’t know how to thank him.  Her brother had to be sedated he was so frightened of going back to jail!  Sure, says Rog, he was about to lose his hand.  Well, says Pau, it’s just that the expense of the hospital stay keeps getting greater and greater!  I’m so embarrassed over it all—.  Rog assures her that these are included in their contract.  She doesn’t have to worry herself over them anymore.  She smiles and then he smiles and the screen is enveloped in dimples and smiling dark eyes, cuz the guy has finally made her happy and he’s happy that she’s happy…. (Viewerville is happy, cuz we get a gander at Jorge honey’s gorgeous mug.  Sigh!)  They visit Mike and Dani to give them the good news.  Rog looks on and is moved by the happy sight he sees.   RoHellio is now RoJello.

That evening, while Mercedes is setting out the supper dishes for their guests Gus weeps again over his rotten luck.  He’d hoped to have AP sitting there listening to his explanation and getting a chance to clear things up with her.  But yep, he was a fool.  (Yeah, but not because of AP, only her scheming aunt).  He’s got no interest in mingling with Esteban tonight.  She can do it alone and hopefully forget about Ernie while she’s at it.  Suddenly her cell starts to ring.  She won’t answer it cuz it’s Ernie.  Ernie’s forced to leave her a message.  He apologizes for the scene with his wife earlier and wants to talk.  Please call?

There’s a knock on Ernie’s door.  It’s his daughter come to give him grief and take up for Mama.  He explains it’s all a misunderstanding and eventually Marcela calms down and gives Daddy a big hug. Great, then why not take Mama someplace nice for a day or two and patch things up?  When he balks and says he’s way too busy, Marcela turns icy brat again and threatens never to forgive him if he leaves Mama in a lurch.  FF>>

A bit later, Dani and Pau take a walk down the hallway of the hospital.  Dani is convinced Rog isn’t half bad.  Ana Paula isn’t so sure and starts to complain about him when Rog rolls up and overhears her start to describe him.  “—No, he’s very….”  “—Very what?”  “—Er…you have a very intense personality [fuerte = strong, forceful].”

Marcela demands that her daddy never divorces her mama.  Not to worry, says Ernie very sadly.  It’ll never happen.  FF>>

Back in the lounge area, RoHell says he doesn’t believe Paula one bit.  He knows that from the first time they met she considered him a savage brute.  True, says Pau, but since then she’s seen his generosity and the way he stood by her.  She’s come to know a very different Rogelio Montero, she says, and smiles over at him.  He smiles back at her.  The dimpled duo are genuinely happy she’s noticed the change.

Esteban arrives at Gus and Mercedes’ place for diin-din.  He turns around to greet Gus and asks where his girlfriend is.  Didn’t he find her yet?  Gus doesn’t understand.  How does he know Ana?  Before Mersnotty’s can change the subject or stop Esteban, he explains that she came by the office wanting to know if he had any news about him.  “--She was totally distraught when she couldn’t find you!  She was thrilled, though, and cried she was so excited when she found out you were alive.”  Gus looks over at Big Sis with the biggest WTF? expression…..


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El Mundo de Telemundo, week of Jan. 30: Discuss Amongst Yourselves

¡Hola a todos!

This past week we said goodbye to the La casa de al lado and welcomed a new novela, Relaciones peligrosas. It looks like a few folks here will be following this one. Not me though. At this point, nothing in the Telemundo line-up has seduced me. That could change any time – I’m easy :)

Hombre and Novelera, thanks for keeping the ball rolling with your excellent, yet succinct recaps of the evening novelas. Maybe I’ll see you over at El Talismán.

Your turn.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Una Familia Con Suerte #97-98 Thu 1/26/12 Cupid’s on a bender.

The short of it:

Tomás continues to be a waste of pretty packaging.
Mónica meets her mama.
Pancho and Rebeca take their romance on the road, pedal to the metal, no brakes.
Alfredo catches Vicente and Candelaria in flagrante.
Everyone LOVES Alejandra Guzmán.
The long of it:
We’re back in the barrio where Tomás el tomcat is hissing and clawing. He will NOT allow Lupita to marry that…THING! Never! Boo hoo hoo, it is not Tom’s fault he is a poor orphan nobody. Elena tries on the Voice of Reason hat and points out it’s his own fault Lupe dumped him. He storms out.
Pina hystericals to Vins about their beloved little prince dating that naca chica. Vins is unfussed. Ado excitedly reports she saw Sylvia Pinal going into the Lopez house and they think she’s losing her mind.
Sylvia and Alejandra have a long chat…proud of each other, never had much time together, good memories though, love and fortitude, etc.
Lupita comforts Ana and they agree Fraidy Frauddie is an idiot.
Pina yells at Frauddie. Bad boy. No naca girlfriend for you. Fraud tells her it was just a revenge plot and he’s already broken up with Ana.
Pepe and Moni are all lovey-dovey and she mentions she thinks Enzo is in love. They decide to look for an apartment the next day.
Tomcat caterwauls outside the Lopez house and they actually let him in. He wails that without Lupita, he doesn’t want to live. Lupita’s a little taken aback but really doesn’t seem to care much. Pancho drags Tom away for tea and sympathy and Elena follows to gripe that it’s so unfair that hypocrite Lupita gets everything. Pancho reads her the riot act. Tom swears Lupita will not marry. Pancho tells him Alex is a good guy who knows how to treat Lupita well (unlike SOME people), and Tomás needs to move on and start thinking with his upper brain.
The next day in the casa popular, Pepe talks Tomás off his ledge.
Pancho wants Lupita to wait longer to get married, but she’s too in lurve. He says he’s sad, but at the same time happy that she’s happy.
Ana and her band (Sin Ton Ni Son) practice. Ale listens in and digs it. She wants to join them for some rock and roll.
Alex teases Fraidy because he can tell that he really likes Ana and is sad about their breakup.
Pancho asks the Chamigos for advice; he’s having trouble making progress in the hoochy coochy department. Fortunately he thinks of something himself. Later he covers Rebe’s eyes and takes her out to a big RV. They go for a long drive out to the countryside.
Ana and Ale work on a new song and tease Chela about her hot pending romance with Enzo. Chela won’t admit it but she finally opens the gift he left. It’s a fancy cookbook, with a romantic inscription. Chela sneers to Candy that he’s probably the kind of guy who gives a woman an iron for Mothers’ Day.
Violeta goes to Moni’s apartment. Moni is stunned to meet her. She says she had so many questions she wanted to ask, but now that her mother is here in front of her, she has no idea what to say. So she starts with an easy one: Why did you abandon me? Violeta tells her that she was very sick and couldn’t care for a child, and spent years in a psychiatric hospital. Then when she got out, she felt too ashamed and guilty to see her daughter (seems to me that psych place left the job undone). Violeta says Moni is a much better person than she is. Pepe comes over and he and Violeta get along fine.
Enzo tells the other Pesketeers he’s smitten, but won’t name the object of his affections.
Ale offers to tangerine-wedge the guy who broke Ana’s heart, and says a guy who wants to keep a noviazgo a secret isn’t worth crying over. Put the angst into your music.
Pancho surprises Rebe with a lush picnic next to a rural lake. They are serenaded by some young (and I mean young) chica Magaby who apparently was on Pequeños Gigantes, accompanied by guitars. Pancho and Rebe get smoochy.
Out on the lawn at the big house, Lupita peruses wedding magazines and Alex peruses her. He says anviliciously that if it were the last day of his life, he would want to spend it with her. They liplock while Tom miserably watches them and Pina takes in the whole scene. Pina leads Tom away and offers a listening ear. She pep-talks him to look forward, not back, and makes him literally do this.
Chat-em-up flirts oddly with Ado, trying to get her to break plates over his head. I would have done it. She blows him off until he offers to introduce her to Alejandra Guzmán.
Agusto visits Ale and she tells him she’s feeling better but she wants a lighter schedule. And also, she’s discovered a great singer! Agusto says he’s already onto Ana Lopez.
Chatty introduces himself and Ado to Ale, and Ado faints. Because Ale is a BIG STAR, y’all. I don’t know whether you realized. It’s hard to tell when all the characters hold back so much on their fawning all over her.
Vins tells Enzo that Inés had an embolism and might die, thus wiping out his debt to her! Enz gets thrown out abruptly when Candy shows up for a game of tonsil hockey.
Frauddie walks in on them and is AGHAST. Candy slinks out and Frauddie fusses about poor Moms. Vins asks him not to tell Pina. He swears “Nothing” happened with Candy. If that’s what the kids are calling it these days, I guess. Freddie asks him why he stays with Pina if he doesn’t love her anymore. Vins doesn’t exactly answer, but anyway Frauddie is really here to talk about his own love life difficulties. “You’re in love with Ana Lopez,” Vins says. Frauddie grimaces and nods…but she’s so…low-class. Vins says he knows exactly how he feels. Fraud insists it is different because Vins is MARRIED, to MOMS. Vins advises him that if he loves Ana, he should go for it, because true love is hard to find.
Pancho and Rebe get steamy. I hope that little girl is gone. They take things into the Luvmobile, which is conveniently full of flowers and candles. A thunderstorms crackles outside and the music gets choppy, so it must have been steamier than what we saw.
While Pancho and Rebe snoozle, Chela frets and her Spidey-sense tells her something is wrong. Candy calls Pancho and he tells her he won’t make it home for dinner; he’s too tired. Eh?! After he hangs up, though, he isn’t too tired for Round 3. Candy reports to Chela that Pancho says he’s in paradise. Chela despairs.
Tonight’s foray into bizarroland (tighten those beanies): Alejandra goes to the Casa Popular to look for Ana. Instead she is greeted by shirtless Tomás in über-Harlequin Romance mode. Ale drools and introduces herself as Alejandra Guzmán. Well in that case, he slobbers, he’s Luis Miguel. Then he bowls her over with a bodice-ripper kiss. They flirt outrageously and she tells him to tell Ana she stopped by (WHY, when she and Ana are living in the same house elsewhere, is anyone’s guess). He goes for another kiss but gets a playful slap instead. Ale swishes away, and Tomás stares after her, lovestruck. Because, perhaps you hadn’t noticed, she is a BIG STAR and HOT STUFF.
Ado is dressed up to go out, and Pina gives her a hard time. You’re leaving me home all ALONE, sob?! Yep. Pina warns her to be careful, and after she’s gone Pina sits there alone, alone, alone. Did she lose Meli again? Her husband and son come home and she points out the crude note Ado left for Vins on the bar: “Su guiqui está en refri, patrón.”
Enzo comes home and Moni tells him her mother was there. He’s anxious and grills her on what they talked about. Moni asks him what he’s so afraid Violeta told her. Enzo decides he’s exhausted and goes to bed.
Lupita asks Alex why Frauddie dumped Ana. He won’t tell. She thanks him for telling her and swears she won’t say she heard it from him. She runs off to talk to Ana and Alex stands there befuddled. Upstairs, Lupita tells Ana that Frauddie was just toying with her. Meanwhile, Frauddie is in his bedroom moping.
Ado and Chato are watching “Dos Tipos de Cuidado” and Chato eats Ado’s palomitas. She complains that he should have gotten his own. He’s more into slurping all over her than watching the movie.
Late at night, Pancho waltzes into his bedroom and Chela spies from her doorway and cries.
The next day: Chela and Candy go to Zumba, and Enzo and Vins get their cardio workout by ogling them. Vins figures out that Enzo is into Chela.
Pepe notices Pancho’s uppity up demeanor. Pancho’s too much of a gentleman (according to himself) to spill the details (and why does his SON want to know?) but more or less confirms the obvious. In spite of that, though, Pepe thinks Pancho must be a little shellshocked, what with Lupita moving out and…oh by the way, he is moving out as well. To get married? Pancho asks. Well, almost. Moving in with Moni. Pancho’s sad that his family is getting smaller, but Pepe points out it is actually getting bigger, adding Rebe, Alex, and Moni. Plus the puppies. Where did they end up, anyway? Pancho lectures Pepe on responsibility and respect in living with a partner, and have they thought about what if Moni becomes pregnant, etc.? Don’t take it lightly.
Frauddie asks Ana if they can talk. She punches him in the face.
And on that happy note, we end. And the advances had better be a misdirection.

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