Caray, Caray!

Bouffy tells Jorge that Ric is being held prisoner till he reveals where Cami is being kept. He says according to the law the authorities have the right to hold him till he talks. Jorge thinks it’s a bit extreme to hold him in jail. Al suggests they can allow him visitors and wait for him to send a message to one of his people and follow them to wherever Cami is hiding out. He tells Jorge that it is the opportune moment to get rid of Ric and avoid him giving them away as the ones attacking the money caravans, not to mention the future business deal they’ve just put together with Foreman. It seems Ric has most of it figured out already. The two of them speculate that Foreman must have told him about it.

Jorge asks what Bouffy has planned and he says he’ll get a brawl started in the jail with one of the guards. The guy, being excitable, will get into it with the guard and the guard can then kill him. Jorge isn’t very convinced because Ric’s death inside of the prison could prove very suspicious especially to Ric’s well-placed connections. People will start to talk because it’s not like a clean, fair fight in the middle of the street or something. Inside the jail there are other witnesses besides the guards themselves.

Al says this is more important than even getting back Lis’ money. Ric is unarmed, but if the reverse happens and he manages to kill the guard instead, then they can accuse him of murder. Jorge still refuses to agree to the plan. Alberto gets upset. “-- But something has to be done!” (Think about this, Al, before your megalomania turns obsessive, or perhaps it already has.) Jorge now looks resigned and nods.

Alberto later goes down to speak with the jailer and tells him that Ric is to be treated with deference. Any food he gets will not be common prison rations but will come from Al’s own household. The only thing he will not be permitted is visitors.
=============

Clothilde is now at LaFont’s working for Lis and Fran again. Slavishly she promises to keep her eyes and ears open for them and come running as soon as she finds anything of interest to tell them and leaves. Fran says she is still worried that Ric might take the inheritance thing out on her. Clothilde comes back in to say Al is in the living room and wants to speak to Lis in private. Fran and Lis suspect it has something positive to do with the case so Clothilde takes Lis out to speak to Bouffy.

Alone, Al explains Ric’s situation to Lis. She gets upset when she hears he’s been jailed. He says if she wants to get her money back Ric’s got to be held hostage until Cami returns. She smirks and says Ric will die before he’s forced into telling them anything about Cami. Bouffy, who is more than a little jealous by now, suspiciously asks Lis point blank if she is in love with Ric. Lis quickly denies it, saying the one who should be imprisoned is Cami.

Bouffy tells her not to worry, Ric will be let loose soon; but it does worry him a bit that she should get so anxious about a guy who supposedly came to help her and deceived her instead. She makes excuses about Cami having snared Ric in her net. LaFont puts his hand over Lis’ now, rubs it slowly and says in a sad attempt at being romantic, “My Queen, Ric is no naïve youngster. He’s his own man and if he got involved with Camila it was because he thought about it long and hard first.” He moves in close and begins to kiss said hand, then Lis’ ear and then her neck. With each progressive nibble Lis’s eyes bug out bigger and her skin crawls more and more (--along with mine out here in televiewer land. Gawd, give me a shower!) Lis obiously didn’t count on this little …er…complication.

Across town Mannie is at evening prayers. She turns around to notice that Ascanio, back from his trip with a huge (and nasty looking) 5:00 shadow, has come to the service also and is sitting a few rows behind. She smiles at him; he looks a bit sheepishly at her. The service ends and they take a walk together with Agata uncomfortably forced to chaperone. He asks Manuela if she’s upset her father is marrying Lis or if she’s treated Mannie badly. Mannie says she scarcely has seen Lis, but she doesn’t like the way Lis is going after Cami taking her to court. As far as she’s concerned, if her father chose to give his money to Cami, then that’s that.

Mannie tells Ascanio she’s glad she thought to ask him to become her friend. He says it’s dangerous for her and worries that her father will take it out on her. He asks if Al hits her. She answers what fathers don’t hit their kids, and he says that doesn’t excuse it. Well, he doesn’t hit her, but he might lock her away in some dark place as punishment and adds she really is afraid of the dark. He wants to know what she really wants from him, friends yes, but.... Mannie smiles at him and says whatever God might want is what they’ll be. Ascanio says more likely The Devil instead. She replies that this is not the Devil’s work and he kisses her hand at that. He says the whole thing frightens him because of the danger to her, but she smiles back at him and says it fills her with joy.

Al has the Captain of the Guard, Carrasco, come to his home and he explains his plan regarding Ric. Since Ric is a gentleman he is to be treated like one he says. The next day he is to be taken briefly to the outdoor garden and cleaned up. Being that Ric is a meticulously neat person he won’t refuse the offer. Carrasco asks if Don Jorge has agreed to this and Al loses it again. “Of course Don Jorge agrees!” So Carrasco apologizes and leaves. Bouffy grumbles to himself about everyone always asking him if Jorge agrees. “Doesn’t my word count for anything??”

Just then Manuela arrives home late and makes some excuse to her father. She asks what the news is with Uriel and he informs her that Uriel is now going to marry Ursula. She tells Agata the news and Agata says that it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s going to be allowed to marry Ascanio, either, but Mannie says dreamily that she believes in miracles.

Across town Ines gets after Santi for refusing to intercede with Jorge to keep his pal, Ascanio, or Cami from what’s coming. She gets so angry at him and says if it’s because he’s still angry at Cami for marrying somebody else perhaps he should consider she might have done it in order to try to forget him. He says tough. Cami has a husband and it should be his job to protect her then limps self-righteously home.

GRita greets Santi (yeah, that was all he needed just then) and she asks for the details about what’s been happening to her sister. He tells her in short that she’s got to give back her inheritance but doesn’t have it all because of helping others out with it. He adds that it’s all Vasco’s fault for doing something rotten and cowardly to Cami in the first place.

GRita says it was more likely Cami’s fault for greedily marrying some old man for his money, like she did afterward with Ric. Everybody, she whines, wants to put Cami on a pedestal for no good reason, and so their life is turned upside down and they don’t sleep in the same bed even anymore. Because of her they argue all the time and …yadda, yadda, yadda. Santi gets angry and says Cami didn’t do any such thing and to stop griping already. In particular he doesn’t want to hear anything more about Ric-the-wretch and stomps off leaving GRita with nobody to b!tch to but the baby. (Poor baby, first curdled milk and now this kvetching from her mom all the time.)
========================

It’s late in the afternoon and Jesus and the other pirate are becoming worried that Ric hasn’t returned from the court proceedings. They go into town to try to find him.

Inside the dungeon the jailer carries a basket with food to Ric that was sent over from LaFont’s house. Ric wisely suspects something and, deciding not to eat it, he asks for water to drink.

At the beach hideaway Cami tells Jime she’s afraid something will happen to Ric. She knows he’s impulsive, but Jime says if he were that kind of impulsive he’d have killed both Bouffy and Jorge long ago and been done with it.

Back at Frankenstein Manor Fran tries to calm Lis down about Ric being held hostage. She is telling her that surely they have jailed Ric in order to force Cami’s return to San Fernando so she will be forced to hand herself over to the authorities. Then they’ll surely let him go. Lis is feeling remorse for listening to Fran and definitely for ever having asked barfwad Bouffy’s help. Fran says, but you’ve got your money back now, don’t you? Lis argues it was necessary to jail Ric and she complains that now Ric is going to hate her for sure. (I thought she knew this going in.) Lis can’t stand it anymore and says she HATES, HATES, HATES Alberto and she should never have agreed to marry him. Fran and she end up griping again about who’s to blame and who approached him for help first. (Yawn.)
=================

Ursula tells Fortunata that she wants to try Uriel out in bed before the marriage. This scandalizes Fortunata who is worried what would happen if Uriel should tell all this to her father. “Then he’s no gentleman. Besides, better a whore than a dried up old prune like you and my mother!!”

At the tavern Uriel tells Matteo he can’t take the time to go speak with Romeo Castillo yet. He’s got to woo Ursula. Matteo is anxious to get the new business rolling because he will need the cash coming in. He’s not going to be as well-fixed as Uriel now that Uriel is marrying Ursula. Uriel laughs (Woah! Try saying those two names together 10 times fast!) and promises to give him over the store once he’s married and has deep pockets.
=================

Across the plaza Carrasco tells Jesus that Ric’s been jailed and no, they cannot see him. Jesus and the other pirate wonder who they can talk to about this and figure someone from the family could help, but they don’t know who would be part of the family. Just then they spot Ines and figure she visited so she must be either a friend or a relative of some kind. Jesus introduces himself and they tell her Ric is in jail. Now Ines is impactada with the shocking news.

At the prison, Bouffy is ticked when he hears that Ric refused to eat the food in the basket and he tells Carrasco to try again and leaves. Carrasco hides his disgust till after Bouffy’s gone then goes to see Ric with the basket. Ric says sorry, but he hasn’t had an appetite.

Ines tells Ric’s men she hasn’t the slightest idea why he’s been jailed, but Justo might be able to find out. Then she sees Bouffy in the plaza and runs over to ask why Ric’s in jail. He explains and says as soon as Cami appears they will let Ric out. Then, Bouffy takes a step towards Ines and caresses her forehead and cheek in another skin-crawling move of intimidation (and/or lust –hard to tell with him) while he asks her if perhaps she knows where Ric has Cami hidden. Ines pulls away and says nobody knows. He wouldn’t tell any of them either. Bouffy walks off and she goes over to explain to Jesus that once Cami returns they’ll let Ric go free.

Ines goes home then looking for help from Santi but Ofelia says he has gone to some fair to meet with some other businessmen and won’t be back for a few days. Ines tells her Ric is in jail. Ofelia is impactada and wants to know why.
========================

Captain Carrasco tells Bouffy that Ric has now refused the second basket of food and they agree he must think it is poisoned. (Perish the thought!) So Al tells Carrasco to try something else, to take him out of his cell with a few of the other convicts and make up the excuse that the cells have got to be disinfected for lice and flees and whatnot.

Down in the dungeon Ric asks the jailer to get word to his men since they’ll be worried that he never returned home the night before. He’s willing to pay him. The jailer tells him he has orders that he is not allowed any visitors. This enrages Ric who says every prisoner has that right, but the jailer admits not everyone. The truth is, he explains, Don Alberto put him there and he’s afraid to cross him. In the end he agrees to take a message to Justo but he’ll have to wait till his shift ends to avoid suspicions.

A while later, Carrasco with the jailer nearby, makes up a story for Ric saying that they must go out to the courtyard because they must clean the jail cells to prevent epidemics. Ric and the jailer both think this is pretty strange since they know it to be generally unheard of, but Ric has no other option but to go along with it. He and three other prisoners are tied up and taken out of their cells.

Back at Ric’s Jesus and the other pirate decide that Mario needs to know what’s happened. Jesus tells the other guy to stick around there while he goes to find Mario and the others. Mario will decide what to do then.
==================

Ines and Ofelia find Justo and tell him what’s happened and what they know. He decides to find Sofia and discuss it with her since none of them knows (and Ric had the foresight not to tell them) where Cami is hiding out.

Ursula is telling Uriel that she wants to go riding with him sometime soon as Justo arrives and is let inside to see Sofia. He explains what has happened and tells Sofia that Ric never told them where he sent Cami.

Sofia tells Ursula on her way out that Ric’s been jailed and she’s going to the prison. Once Justo and she have gone Fortunata, Ursula and Uriel consider it is probably because he killed somebody. Uriel tells them about how he nearly killed Gonzalo that night in the tarverna. Ursula thinks probably not, because her father would have hung him already. She says provocatively then thatshe would like to know some real pirates because they aren’t subject to laws and rules and regulations. Uriel says that’s because they are criminals who rob, rape and murder everyone (another guy who conveniently forgets what he’s been party too all this time). Ursula laughs and asks what high and mighty gentleman hasn’t done exactly the same? Uriel puffs and pouts self-righteously indignant.
==============

Back in Jorge’s office at the city hall, Marcelino pleads Cami’s case to Jorge. He says this wouldn’t be right, particularly since Justo is a pillar of the community. Eustaquio again says the law is the law and if they back down with her then others will expect the same response tomorrow and the day after. Just then Sofia arrives with Justo, interrupts the meeting and says she’s waiting for Jorge to give her an explanation. Jorge says there’s not much to explain. The law is the law. Sofia answers that around there he makes the laws.

Jorge denies this and adds that once Cami returns her husband can pay the remainder of the debt off and that is that. Justo says the problem is that Ric’s money and belongings were stolen from the last caravan heist and he doesn’t have the money now to pay. This comes as a surprise to Sofia and Jorge plays dumb.

The prisoners are led to the free area inside the dungeon where there is a basin of water. The guards want to force Ric to approach the basin to get a bowlful of water splashed on him. He resists them, starting a brawl. The guards kick him and beat him with huge rocks. The jailer arrives a few minutes later and tries to calm them all down then advises the guards that Doña Sofia is outside and demands to see Ric.

Justo and Sofia wait for Ric who is helped by two guards to walk since he is almost doubled over because of the beating he got. The captain of the guard tells Sofia that there was a quarrel among the prisoners. Sofia doesn’t believe him and orders the guards to go for a doctor. The captain is worried and says that he has his orders and tries to justify himself. She says to get out of her sight. He says it’s against the law and Don Alberto has given him his orders. She says her husband is the law around there. She wants to forget his position and to order them to kill him (Al or Carrasco, I’m not sure). Sofia says she doesn’t give a whit for Alberto and he should tell him so; and if Alberto has the stones he should come and complain to her.

Carrasco delivers the news and Sofia’s message to Al and says Doña Sofia didn’t leave him any other option. Al says he has Jorge’s support in this but Carrasco says she’s Jorge’s wife. Al says for all the excited demands a wife makes she must bend when her husband demands it. Carrasco is too frightened to refuse Jorge’s wife and explains that when somebody that powerful puts themselves in the way, you have to bow to their will. Bouffy angrily screams that only cowards do that and he should have held strong.

Carrasco tells him nervously that Sofia says if he still disagrees then he should speak with her about it. Al, who by now has the red-eyed, wild Dr. Zorba look from old Ben Casey days going for him, blows his stack and yells, “Did you tell her I had something to do with this?” Carrasco stutters back no, excuses himself and scurries away. Bouffy is beside himself. “Stupid clod!” he grumbles and we are left to wonder if he meant Carrasco or himself.

Labels: Pasion

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 10:28 AM 43 comments

About the burro, this one isn't stubborn, he's too loaded down to move. Jethro's life looks pretty lujo compared to this.

Tonight there won't be many revels in the name of Santo Patricio here in el mundo de Juan. The quick and dirty of last Friday's ending scenes. Mareli's wedding is ruined, she is crying in the garden. Fernando's unearned dreams are dashed, he's crying at home. Juan arrives at Campeoni to come face to face with Paula, neither of them is crying for sure, but big smiles for both.

Alirio is assuring Nidia that the clouds from her beautiful eyes are clearing in nebulous Alirio style. We are saved from a boring Alirioism by Juanito trotting down the stairs with the news that Marely is NOT in her room. Across town, Cesar Luis and Paula again receive congratulations on her pregnancy followed by the news that there is no fiesta inside rather a wake (velorio), there was no wedding. Alirio conjures up visions of the horrors of a damsel alone in wicked Mexico City, Nidia adds her own bit of melodrama pointing out that she is not only alone but has no money with her. Well, with that décolletage, wherever was she going to hide pesos? Paula calls Nidia's house where Alirio grabs the phone, shouts at her that Marely is not there and hangs up without ever noticing who called. Paula speaks of her hatred of Perafan.

At casa Cachon, the assembled members pace and wring hands, when Juan returns from tucking in Fernando he reports him as destroyed as he receives the news of Marely's disappearance. He joins the pacers. Meantime, Marely is in a taxi and on getting out because she has no money, she tries to give the engagement diamond as payment but the taxista has a good heart and won't accept such an excessive payment. She cries down the street, replaying the wretched moments of Nidia's and then Fern's confessions. Back to the pacers all taking turns around the room. Finally when Yadira is on the verge of calling the police to report her, Marely knocks (guess there wasn't even room for a key in that dress). Nidia starts to carry on but Marely cuts her short with Don't touch me! She stomps up the stairs

Fern looking pale green in his jammy bottoms, sobs over a phone and lies on the couch, still telling himself there is something he can do to fix this.

Up in Marely's room, Juan comes in to comfort her but in explaining how he counseled Fern to come clean to her about his past, Marely suddenly clicks that Juan knew, she begins to scream that she was the only stupid one and everyone else knew, Get out of my room, leave me in peace. Juan tries to make himself small and gets out the door. Both are collapsed on the floor on either side of the door, Juan suffers for his little rose garden.

Kike, suddenly the knowledgeable one explains to Yadira for a change that Juan tried to get Fern and Nidia to tell Marely the truth. Yadira says even though her mother is slightly nuts (cascas ligeras) the men in this case are all cowards, most of all Fer but also Juan and also Kike. She shrieks that he is underhanded (solapador) and kicks him out of the bedroom. Kike stumbles into the hall way toward Juan. They commiserate. Meantime bedroom number 3 is heating up with Alirio wanting to pontificate and Nidia kicking him out. Moments later the three rejected, dejected ones share a couch each hugging their pillows. [ed note: not sure why Juan didn't go to Juanito's room].

Next morning, Gaytan greets Ivonne with his good news. She has an atrocious hangover (cruda atroz) and eyes him with complete ill humor. She can't even get excited about the failed wedding which Gaytan gayly calls the sunken canoe (hundio la chalupon). Yadira is yelling at her mother now that she finally understands the trickery (muela) of Nidia and Fern having been "novios". Alirio shows up trying to get in on the confidences, assumes that Yadira is wasing the dirty laundry and making confessions to her mother. He almost gets it but never quite. So he goes on to complain of being cuckolded and mostly about his stiff neck. (tortícolis).

Upstairs, Juan x 2 are dressing, drenching themselves in manly perfumes and discussing why Juan can't just make Marely happy by being novios right away. Juan explains to -ito that Marely needs a little vacation from love. They all assemble downstairs, an armored Marely, tells them she plans to move out. Juanito answers the phone, its for Alirio, Kike is going to see Anga on his way to work.

Juan actually is the one meeting with Angarita, they plan their assault to get Campeoni. Anga is ready to fight to a Knockout! Anga adds that they have new challenges and mentions Paula and tells Juan he is the new operations advisor since he can't go to the meeting, he smiles mysteriously.

Nidia brings a breakfast tray of peace to Marely's bedroom but she rejects all forays. Kike is actually with Fern. Commiserating that he is lucky he didn't get married, his own marriage is on the rocks and he looks at Fern's life as peaceful. His marriage to Yadira has hit bad times.

Juan and Juanito are enjoying a sunny day in a park they come upon a large stone statue that Juan tries to bluff his way through explaining as a woman (not), solidly built (macizo) but is probably representing the tortilla! A friendly voice calls out no, no that is Tlaloc . The handsome couple turns out to be none other than our Pomposos. Profe continues on how Tlaloc is the god of rain and fertility. Juan regales them with a recap of how well the contest went, how well the ladies are, the pearls he adds and Sra. Pomposa smiles her approval. Juan asks advice for schools for Juanito. Pomposo reveals that he is actually a primary school teacher and can recommend a good school. Juan thought bubbles over Juanito's crest fallen face that his will hit Juanito like a bomb but he has to go back to school. But not today, the two finish the day with a boat ride and endearments at bedtime.

Next morning, Juan is striding up the stairs to Campeoni's headquarters admiring the legs of a lovely young woman, then admiring the waist and figure and ....oh my it's Paula standing at the desk inside. They turn to each other with the two happiest grins we have seen in many days. After the break, Juan says he is representing Angarita but not in all his dreams did he expect to see her. They melt into you look goods, no you look really good, he says he is looking for Anga's new financial advisor, she grins that it is her [now we know why Anga had such a crafty grin on his face.] Well this gives Juan a blast of pleasure (chorro de gusto).

Fernando arrives at the office in dark glasses, Ivonne rather than rushing up with sympathy chides him as looking all washed up, exhausted (deja agotado). Monica is looking for him, he steps into her office and apologizes for being so late, she brushes it off and tells him she only needs him to prepare a cd of the materials for the proposal to buy Campeoni. Moments later Gustavo steps into Monica's office. His news is that he is going back to Miami.

The presentation at Campeoni is going great, Juan is so proud of how brilliant Paula is, everyone watches the beauty with great attention.

But back to this astounding development in Monica's office. He talks rapidly of having his real business in Miami and his house and all. She is stunned and wonders if he is just going to abandon his contract with Farell. He has only final reports to give and is essentially finished. He tells her he just decided last night and she is the first person to know. He asks her to come with him to Miami and then gets up to go. She has only until tomorrow morning to decide.

Monica strides into CL's office with the cd, papers and busily updates him on the preparation for the proposal presentation. Then hits him with the news that she won't be going to the meeting with him. He gasps, she says simply she has many things to do, she has to define some things in her life. This is more important to her than going to the meeting. When he gasps more, she reminds him that he has always done this closing of the deal (estocada) alone other times. He'll be great, she smiles and shoves off while he stands there.

Another morning and Nidia is trying to make amends. In fact she is cooking [ed note: who knew she could]. She tells Juanito that she is making "hotcakes" with nuts which is Marely's favorite breakfast. Marely swings through the kitchen, looks indignant at the latest peace offering and picks up an apple saying this is good as she leaves just as swiftly. Juanito tries his usual cheery condolences saying Nidia shouldn't be so sad, he will eat all of it. [What a sweet boy.] Nidia asks him, sniffling, to go watch TV while she makes some juice. Outside Yadira is leaving and runs into Profesor Topete who is off his motorbike and wanting to talk to her alone, not go into the house but walk along so they can talk privately. Juanito comes back in looking puzzled, he can't find the TV set. Nidia says it is in her bedroom where it always is, this is impossible it is huge, and didn't get feet and walk away. She goes with him to look.

Yadira faces Profe Paco who takes off his glasses while he tells her their friendship has reached another stage and he wants a personal and intimate relationship. She jokes, giggles and suggests he is exaggerating. He ups the ante by telling her he is lost in love with her and his life functions on hers. They can say to the devil with everything and go off to live happy.

Nidia is meantime trying to figure out what caged cat (mystery) or two footed rat is behind this TV disappearance. It couldn't have been thieves in the night could it? We hear intermittently about Nidia's worry that the grand cinema of Mexico will be lost to her and she will miss if the TV can't be found. [Kind of like the storms and problems some of us have had lately, it's horrible, just horrible].

Profe continues his declaration of love, he wants to be so much more than just her teacher, he want to have her at his side his whole life to see her grow and succeed. She is dazed, but catches sight of Kike approaching in his truck.

Juan and Kike appear and engage in the discussion of the mystery about the TV. Kike has shown up to see his daughter and goes up to see her. Yadira is amazingly sitting calmly on the bed near the baby's crib. She launches in about wanting to finish the divorce papers and hurry up, she doesn't want to be his wife.

Alirio jumps out of his chair in his office accusing Nidia of trying to give him an infarct when she comes in yelling about her missing TV. He tells a story of some friend down on his luck needing the TV and he will replace it with a plasma. But he is also yammering about his pride and cuckolding so one wonders if this is some oblique revenge [only Alirio can be this oblique]. Nidia yells about him for bringing his buddy Topete around all the time and this is endangering Yadira and Kike's marriage which is in crisis, CRISIS.

Yadira taunts Kike saying she can't stand him another minute, she is going to live with Professor Topete. Kike takes no prisoners either and says he too is more than tired of this marriage. But, there is one condition, he will sign the papers for divorce only if he gets custody of the baby. She says don't threaten me, but he says if he doesn't get his daughter he will not sign the papers and he will not agree to the separation.

Laura and Monica are discussing Gustavo's appearance in Monica's office and his proposal that she go to Miami with him. Laura takes the sensible lead that Gustavo has always adored her, there is nothing more for her here now, why not go out to a new life and a chance at happiness. Monica expresses fear of going off with someone she barely knows, and how she would miss certain things she loves like the company, and ... Laura finishes "and CL???" well yeah, Monica meekly admits, well sort of. Laura holds firm for Monica to take on this new life and not live to regret that she didn't grab her chance to be happy and to be a complete woman.

Nidia and Alirio are arguing again, this time something said about Paula, Marely is listening to the screams outside the door and bursts in demanding to know what about Paula. What new secret??. Alirio leaves, and Marely tells her mother she's waiting for an answer. Nidia tries to wiggle out by saying Marely's heart is too clean and white to hear such ugly things. She is filled with shame. Well, do you promise to forgive me ahead of time if I tell you? Marely says no, but tell me.

Paula and Juan emerge from the presentation in triumph bubbling to each other that this success could lead to them getting the company. Cesar Luis appears asking what Paula is doing with this guy (fulano). Juan's look of irony is punctuated with the reminder of any resemblance of reality being a coincidence. Perhaps, or perhaps not. More showdowns to follow.

Labels: Juan

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

In the kitchen, Horacio flirts with Socorrito. Mili, dressed in pink, comes into the kitchen, and since she’s spent the night in Al’s room, she missed the memo that today’s uniform color is blue. Karla hassles her about not sleeping in the dormitory last night and Mili insists that she didn’t do anything bad. Karla just wants everyone to know that she’s not the only servant not sleeping in her own bed and then leaves. Socorrito diverts the attention off of Mili by scolding Lina and Gloria about the tainted lemonade making Rocky and Bobby sick. Speaking of Bobby, Horacio tells Lina that before Bobby can go out with her, he needs to come and speak with Horacio first. Horacio then tells Socorrito that it is cloudy outside, so could she please come walk with him through the garden and give his flowers a little sunshine. They leave and Lina and Gloria pump Mili for more info about what happened. She tells them that nothing went on, except that she and Al slept in each others arms. The girls sigh.

Hugo crosses Al’s path in the hallway and wants to know if it is true. Al answers, that Mili and I slept together?, yes it is. Hugo is impactado.

Snotty Spice orders Morcky to not speak poorly of her fiancé. He tells her that Sergio isn’t sincere. She says you are just saying that because you are hoping that I’ll notice you, but it’s not going to happen.

Mili goes to Regina and asks for some time off because there is a rematch planned for the soccer team and Padre Manuel has asked her to play. Regina agrees to the time off, but says that since she needs some fresh air and she'll go watch the game.

Hugo sulks. Andrea visits his room. She admits that she’s not pregnant> Hugo wonders why she did that and she says she lied to trap Al, but now she needs Hugo’s help to get Al and Mili separated. Hugo agrees (rather quickly for someone who doesn't know the plan---what if she wanted him to be a sperm donor!!).

In the church, Mili prays to win the game. Padre Manuel tells her to not bother God with these things. Once Mili is gone, PM offers up his own prayer for a winning game.

Snotty Spice tries on wedding dresses. Morcky is in awe at seeing her in a bridal gown. He begs her not to get married. She asks him to practice dancing with her. They twirl around a couple times and Damien arrives and cuts in. He sends Morcky away and starts to tell Val he’s got a gift for her and Sergio. He has been offered a free dinner for two at a fancy restaurant for that evening and since he’s dateless at the moment, he thinks Val and Sergio will make better use of it. Val says that Sergio has to go out of town, so they can’t. Damien suggests that Sergio give it to her parents as a gift. Val likes the idea. Later we see Val and Sergio trying to talk Connie and Luci into going. Luci says her leg is bothering her and Connie really isn’t all that interested in going. It is mentioned that Sergio is going out of town, Val says to see his parents. Luci talks about meeting them before the wedding and Sergio says he’ll arrange that. Val ends up getting her parents to agree to go on the dinner date that night.

Mili scores two goals and ties the game. She ends up getting a penalty kick and successful lands it into the goal to win the game.

Damien meets up with Francois (who is wearing a purple baseball cap). He tells Frenchie that now is the time for him to take his revenge. He gives the crazy man a gun and asks if he knows how to use it. Frenchie says yes (he’s crazy, would you believe him? Better yet, would you hand a crazy man a gun). Damien tells him that he’s only going to have one chance, so he better get in a good shot to muerte a Constancio. The phrase is repeated several times in this scene.

Hugo tells Andrea he’s unsure about the plan, but she nags him into doing it. She gives him a bag of fake blood and tells him she’s relying on him.

Horacio and Rocky rehash Val’s cheating fiancé. Horacio says that if Sergio’s been so careless with keeping his dalliances on the down low, perhaps he’s got even bigger things to hide.

So we are then treated to Sergio meeting up with his wife and kid. She wants to know when she can move to DF and be with him. He avoids answering.

Mili is back home, icing her leg after the game. Hugo comes to get her, telling her that he’s got something to show her and he needs her right at that moment. Mili agrees to go. They run into Andrea on the stairs and she starts calling Mili names and grabs for her. Mili pulls back to get out of Andrea’s grasp and Andrea plummets down the stairs to the floor below (that’s right, a novela isn’t a true novela until someone falls down the stairs). She starts writhing in pain, curls up into a ball and Hugo runs down to “help” her. He pulls out the blood and the next thing you know, she looks like a bloody mess. Mili is frozen on the stairs and Hugo turns to her and says “what did you do.” Al arrives to see Andrea on the ground and the blood all over her nightgown. He asks what happened and then says “my baby”. Hugo tells him that he saw Mili push Andrea down the stairs. Al wants Andrea to go to the hospital, but she doesn’t want to go. She asks Hugo to help her and he carries her away from the scene of the “accident”. Al turns to Mili and she says that she swears she didn’t push Andrea. Al says nothing and runs after Hugo and Andrea. In the midst of this chaos, Snotty Spice arrives and she verbally abuses Mili.

Frenchie arrives at the restaurant (without the purple cap) and calls out “Luciana” across the crowd. Now that he’s gotten everyone’s attention, he pulls out the gun and says death to Constancio. Poor fella, he doesn’t have a chance because the police protecting Connie shoot him. Later, Luci is upset and approaches Francois’s body. Connie doesn’t want to call any more attention to having any sort of relationship with Francois. He insists they leave. Damien arrives and lurks in the background, he sees his plan failed.

Mili fills the girls in on what happened. They are supportive and say that Andrea started it and that it was an accident. Mili says she’s afraid, not for herself, but for the baby. They try to assure her that the baby could be OK, but Mili says there was a lot of blood. Karla shows up in the dormitory and makes a comment about Mili destroying families. Lina lights into Karla, but Mili says she’s right, she is a bad person.

In the kitchen, Socorrito, Horacio and Morcky rehash what’s happening with the upstairs crowd.

Connie and Luci return home and Snotty fills them in. Connie is concerned about Mili, no one but the audience notices this. Luci flips out and calls Mili a killer and her being in the house is unbearable. She reminds Connie that Mili hurt his daughter-in-law and most likely killed their grandchild. Connie says Andrea isn’t his daughter-in-law and besides he’s way to young to be a grandfather. Connie actually has a bit of smirk on his face, like he’s way impressed that Andrea’s been able to pull this whole thing off.

Andrea goes over what happened with Hugo and Hugo seems bothered by the whole chain of events (guilty conscience, that's why you shouldn't agree to things before knowing what all is envolved). Andrea fills him in on the next part of the plan. Hugo’s to tell everyone that he took her to the hospital and she lost the baby. He’s also to tell them that she’s distraught and unable to have visitors. She wants to toast to their success, but Hugo wants no part in that.

Connie recounts the evenings events to Regina---Francois’s attempt to kill Connie and Andrea’s fall down the stairs.

Luci cries over Frenchie. She asks for his forgiveness. Al arrives and thinks her tears are for Andrea and the baby. Luci tells Al that he needs to find out what’s going on with Andrea and his baby. Since the world revolves around Luci, she says this is all her fault. She should have insisted that Mili’s gotta go. She needs to be fired and since Connie refuses to get Regina to kick her to the curb, Luci tells Al that he’s got to go talk to his abuela and convince her that Mili’s being there is no good. Do it for me, she adds.

Hugo tells Mili that Andrea lost the baby. Mili goes to Al’s room to give him the news. She says she feels bad and he says “me to” and shuts the door with her on the other side (OK, loss of a baby aside, I would think Al would be thanking his lucky stars that he's no longer tied to Andrea---although jumping for joy would seem rather callous at this point, I hope he's at least mentally jumping for joy, but that's not the way things play out in novela land).

Damien's bummed that his plan went awry. He arrives home home to find Karla waiting in his room. She fills the self-pitying Damien in on what’s happened in the house.

Regina talks to Luci about Francois. Luci says it is her fault (again with it all being about her). Regina says he was crazy. She advises Luci that when Al finds out the truth, that she tell him his father is dead, but to leave out his being crazy part. Luci doesn’t like the idea of Al ever finding out that Connie’s not his daddy. Regina says to Luci that she’s sorry because she knows that Luci really did love Frenchie. Luci agrees emphatically, she loved him with all her soul.

Hugo gives Andrea the reaction to the “loss of the baby” from everyone in the house. Al’s not speaking to Mili and Mili is really very sad.

Luci has a flashback to Francois visiting her when Al was a tiny tot. Luci’s hair is just terrible----a very bad ‘80s hairdo. Anyway, they discuss getting married. Luci’s dad arrives and tells Francois there’s no way he’s going to marry Luci. Papa orders Frenchie out. He leaves. Papa asks Luci if she’s so desperate to marry because he knows Francois is not Al’s father (What?). Back in current time, Luci says she knows that she ruined Francois’s life. Then, Braulio arrives and tells Luci that Andrea’s back (and here I was hoping she’d stay “distraught” for at least a couple of episodes).

Mili and Regina talk over what happened. Regina assures Mili that as long as she’s alive, no one will fire Mili. The two declare their mutual love for one and other. It is a very sweet scene, especially since we know that Mili is really her granddaughter.

Andrea lays it on thick, about how everyone is concerned for her now, but couldn’t have cared less before. Mili enters the room and offers up an apology and her condolences. Andrea is aghast to see Mili’s still in the house. What is she doing here when she killed my baby. Mili takes off before things get worse.

Later, Luci and Snotty Spice are tossing clothes at Mili in the kitchen and they are telling her to take her stuff and leave. Snotty says don’t even think of running to my granny, ‘cuz you are so outta here. Braulio says that Mili’s not going anywhere! Luci puts on airs-“you dare to contradict me?”. Braulio says Mili’s not going anywhere (pause) without him. If they toss her out, he’s going too. The rest of the downstairs staff join in solidarity---if Mili goes, they all go (of course Karla hesitated to join in, but then realized that if she was the only staff to stay, she’d have a lot of work to do). So my friends, we end the episode with a standoff between Luci & Snotty versus the entire staff.

Labels: guapos

This novela sure keeps you guessing! We open with Los Burque trying to explain to Boris, Marina and Soledad what they are doing in the Hacienda Montenegro dressed up in the former owners' clothes. They babble something about being pursued by Arturo and Dr. Max. Soledad doesn't understand the Dr. Max part. I guess he hypnotized her into thinking he is a peace-loving guy. Soledad suggests that Los Burque take care of the Hacienda. With considerable reservations and dire threats made to Los Burque if they steal anything, Boris agrees. Talk about leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse! However, a few minutes after enjoying drinks on the balcony, our diminutive duo are off after the even more diminutive Enrico and the promise of treasure.

As predicted, Ester was furious that Soledad gave away the Hacienda Montenegro. Lucas breezes in with the news that Aunt Antonia is arriving today. Lucas and Ester go off to fetch her from the train. Ursula is jealous that someone else will be around to take care of Soledad but Soledad reassures that they will always be best friends and sisters. Ursula is still concerned that the arrivial of Antonia will change everything.

How right she is! Antonia is bad news. Upon hearing the story of what happened with Soledad, she declares that a sin has been committed and she wastes no time telling Soledad this. Lucas tries to convince her to be nicer to Soledad and Antonia appears to agree but when she's alone, Antonia says that Soledad can't keep her baby since it will bring disgrace on the family and that she herself will take it from Soledad's arms.

The treasure clue from the seashell turns out to be a magic spell that brings Jeremias back from the dead or at least he so appears to Enrico. Jeremias tells Enrico that he must help him earn his way to heaven and then he can have the treasure. The first step is for Enrico to protect Soledad and her daughter. Enrico asks why Jeremias is so interested in Soledad but he won't say. We can guess, can't we? Those who suggested that Jeremias is really Soledad's father are probably correct and I'll go further and suggest that Antonia is her real mother. Antonia sees herself in Soledad as a woman pregnant from sinful behavior. I have certainly been wrong before so we shall see.

Arturo gets released from prison much to Inspector's Duarte's disgust. Arturo wastes no time in putting the moves on Eloisa but she pretends to be offended. Later, Arturo tells his mother that Eloisa will be his but he is not sure he wants her as a wife. She is too 'fiera' (wild).

Rebeca and Herclue-less are broke.

Unfortunately, it appears that Marina is not 'de fiar' (trustworthy). First , she persuades Boris not to tell Hugo about lending the money to Soledad to pay Alcides' debts and then she gets Boris to stop on the way back to where Hugo is for some nookie. As we shall see, once again Hugo is in trouble and Boris isn't there. In a post coital cuddle, Marina has a thought bubble that she needs to separate Boris from Hugo and they should go far away with the money they can get from selling the Hacienda. This would seem to mean that Marina doesn't want Boris to tell Hugo that Soledad gave him the Hacienda and not just that he lent Soledad the money for Alcides' debts. Boris tells Marina not to let Hugo see the ring that Soledad gave her because Hugo needs to forget Soledad. This would indicate that Hugo would recognize the ring as Soledad's and that he may have given it to her.

Finally, back at the hospital, Beatriz' act and the doctor convince Hugo that he should marry Beatriz as her last wish. Fortunately, before this takes place, Fabio shows up and kidnaps Beatriz and leaves Hugo a note. Hugo goes off on his own (of course) to deal with the situation. Fabio has Beatriz dangling over a cliff on the other side of a river. While Hugo is taking this in, Fabio sneaks up behind him, whacks him on the head and pushes him into the river.

In the scenes from tomorrow's episode, we see the doctor performing heart massage on Hugo with as little success as he had with Beatriz and nobody is there to do Oriental foot massage on Hugo. Presumably Hugo has had an catalepsy attack. Only a miracle will save him!

Labels: la traicion

I'm back after being gone for a while, thank you all for your well wishes. In happy news, my son won that calendar contest I was pushing a while back. When we go to the award lunch, he might possibly get into a national calendar! Thank you all for your votes.

Friday's Pasion, in a nutshell (I'm sorry to not give it the full treatment like usual) -

Ricardo finds out that Camila would have to appear in person before the judge, which would likely get her put in jail, so he goes to visit her on the beach, boink her, and then leave, telling Jimena to make sure Camila doesn't do anything stupid before Mario arrives with the boat to take them away.

Paco cries until Ines takes him to visit Vasco. Before they go, Ursula visits Vasco. Vasco tells her it's over, she demands the keys back. She's super pissed. (without the keys, how will Ric get into the palace? Oh - maybe Santiago will help someday). Of course as she is leaving Ines comes with Paco and sees her. Inside Vasco and Paco cry a lot, finally Vasco tells Ines that he's done with Ursula, she screams at him "AND WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU?" Great question!

Uriel shaved off his moustache to please Ursula, he still looks kind of funny. Also, he visited Santiago to ask about selling the lanterns in his store, Santiago says no way, you were one who came and stole Camila away that night, go to hell. Uriel actually has the balls to say "yeah but time passes." Not for Santiago.

Nothing from Rita this episode, which was nice. Except that nobody had the opportunity to slap her.

Alberto seems to have forgotten that Jorge is the boss, not him, Jorge holds a knife to his shoulder to remind him who's who around these parts. Alberto seems to be losing it a bit, he's getting out of control. He has taken on Lis's psychotic need for revenge against Camila/Ricardo.

There was a mention at the beach that Claudio is safe in New Orleans. Also, while Ric and Camila are doing the nasty, Jimena sits in her room eating alone and mooning over Mario.

The pressure gradually increases on Santiago to take his place as Jorge's son, to help the families.

Ascanio and Manuela manage to have another conversation about nothing while desperately wanting to jump each other.

Lis decides, even though it's waaaay too late, that she doesn't want to marry Alberto after all.

LaFont has had a bunch of soldiers brought to town 'to protect against a pirate attack.'

Ending of the show - at another court date, Ric and his cronies show up with all their money, maybe it's the beginning of a payment plan. Alberto confronts him and says he knows he is El Antillano, Ric replies with "I know you rob the caravans and sell the Crown's gold to Foreman!" Alberto looks like he crapped his pants. That was a bit more than he was ready for I think.

Labels: Pasion

Disclaimer: I am totally, completely and thoroughly responsible for typos and grammatical errors

As we found out yesterday, Tweedle Dumb is not nearly so dumb as we had previously thought since he’s figured out how to cajole Juan into taking him along by guilting Juanito. T1/aka Herbierto Chávez happily gathers his Gateway Computer suitcase into the cab with the Juans and they sail off to find Tweedle a new home so Juan and Juanito can get on with their life.

Paula’s still whining that she doesn’t fit her scanty outfits so well now that she’s three months along. The men in our audience are devastated, while we with the schoolmarm bent are relieved. Maybe we’ll have a few months where the story line takes top billing over the décolletage? Or, is that too much to hope? CL stands in the corner, actually delighted looking at the thought of his little wife expanding expectantly. He comes and cuddles her, complimenting how lovely she’s really looking now that she’s pregnant. That lasts about a second until they get back to business—which is actually competition for the same humongous account. CL’s just been looking for the right moment to tell her she’s not going to make ANY offer for Campeony. Paula doesn’t THINK so. And she’s pretty much as good as he is at the stare-down. Okay, we’ll be allies in love and enemies in biz. [Ed. Note: Well, one out of two right isn’t bad, CL.] We’ll see.

Juan negotiates a good deal for himself with the hostel operator—Tweedle’s paying all his own costs. Tweedle protests; he didn’t bring much cash. Your problem, buddy. Don’t spend unnecessarily. They try to tell Herbierto goodbye and he wavers—this place gives him a bad feeling. [Ed. Note: for someone so clueless, he must have one or two good sense neurons that kick in from time to time.] Juan asks if Tweedle wants to look for another place. Tweedle jumps on it and Juan disabuses him—fine, you’re welcome to go look on your own. The desk clerk, closed into his little cubicle behind glass for reasons known only to the clientele, gets Tweedle’s attention and T1 finds himself on his own.

Nidia paces her living room as the door slams and the bride and matron of honor [for lack of a better term] return from their makeup from the inferno session. Marely, the blonde Garish Geisha, faces off with Mami, who confronts her and asks what’s Marely thinking, shameless/brazen one (descocada)? Marely tries to explain away the makeup and the hairstyle (peinado) like a pineapple (piña), those were Yadi’s ideas. But that’s not it—when did you plan to let me know about your wedding to Fernando? Marely is so busted. And SO garish. Nidia continues to scold—Marely has made decisions under pressure, will be involved in a mess, and the last straw is she’s done it behind her mother’s back. Marely makes a weak protest that she wouldn’t understand. Nidia keeps yelling, of course she won’t especially since Marely’s marrying someone she doesn’t love. Marely points out she didn’t marry for love, either, and Nidia tells Marely for Pete’s sake, we aren’t talking about me. Yadi steps in and tries to improve on it here, reminding Nidia she’s no one to be giving advice. Marely wants to get married and Nidia should be supporting her. Nope! Marrying Fernando would be the worst stupidity of her life. Marely jumps up and retorts that she’s old enough to make her own decisions for her life. Nidia can get with the program or not, whether she likes it or not, Marely’s marrying Fern because he adores her. Nidia yells back—Marely says she cares about him and that’s enough. Nidia doesn’t think that will be enough. [Ed. Note: Neither do we, knowing what we know about Fern and Nidia.] Marely just doesn’t get why Nidia can’t go with the flow here. Nidia collapses in a Drama Queen Scene, they’ll hurry her to her grave. Is that what they want? Kill her by a massive coronary? She’ll leap out a window (voy a saltar de ventana, captioned incorrectly as ventaja, advantage). Nidia staggers around the living room in “anguish” and no one bothers to point out they’re on the ground floor, but two daughters rolling eyes with their hands on their hips says it all. Nidia laments that they’ve shown her the red card (me sarcaron la tarjeta roja) [a penalty in sports that according to Wikipedia, doesn’t warrant sending someone off to be punished, but Nidia sure seems to think she’s being sent off for punishment]. She swoons on the sofa, still whining—I love you a lot, children. Marely is thoroughly disgusted. Mama, this isn’t going to work. Delirio has finally come out of his stupor…er, office and wonders qué the heck is happening. How dare they disturb the peace in the house? Nidia claims she has to have a drink to forget a mother’s misfortune. She wants Yadi to hand her the bottle so she can erase this cassette completely, forget her pain. By now, Kike has joined the happy throng. What’s this scene about? Yadi chimes in that they know this scene. Nidia hops up, puts her cap on which was lost during her drama, and firmly advises marely that if she has to guard the door full-time, she’ll do it so Marely can’t go marry Fern. Did Marely hear? Over nidia’s dead body! She stalks off to the study. Marely’s distress is at high pitch. Delirio glares at Marely and Yadi looks sympathetic. That must be a first.

Last night, Sylvia speculated that Tweedle Dumb would rush out to find a pool hall; in fact, she was taking bets. Well, Tweedle is definitely cruising his new ‘hood, but he goes for his second favorite activity [could be third, if you count getting drunk separately from playing pool] and goes to find grub. He encounters strange sights and sounds on his little stroll. However, we can surmise his nose knows how to find food. On his stroll, we note a car slow and the driver/occupant giving Tweedle the once over. Nope, it’s the twice over. The driver likes what he sees. Heaven help us, it’s Pastor, also cruising the ‘hood. Except that it’s not his ‘hood. Apparently, it’s not only happening in Albany with high-priced chicas. Tweedle stands on a corner, apparently counting on his fingers and letting his nose do the directing. Pastor oohs and aahs over this vision of machismo before him. What say? Here’s another diamond in the rough country boor—er, boy, just itching for a makeover at the hands of the master. What a dream of a man! Tweedle makes a right turn and strides on in search of food [which we know because we watched while we were on the treadmill before we started to recap]. Pastor whips a right to follow slowly…..

At the Casa Cachón, all is not peaceful. There is pandemonium, in fact. Everyone’s screaming now except the baby, and for all we know she is too, but no one downstairs would be paying attention. Yadi screams for her mother to cease and desist; it’s Marely’s life. Nidia’s not budging. Marely yells for her to stand aside, and Nidia refuses. Delirio tries to get her to calm down in his own hysteria-inciting way, accusing her of being hysterical. She smacks him and he turns to the kids for help, protesting that she slapped him (me da soplamocos) in righteous indignation. He just wanted to help, he protests to Nidia, who accuses him of being a traitor because he’s not with her in opposing Marely’s wedding. Yadi screams that she has no right to spoil Marely’s wedding because she’s jealous of Fern. Nidia spreads her arms in front of the door—“that’s a lie!” “A lie? Don’t deny it! You want him for yourself!” Delirio shakes his finger at Nidia, getting a bit of the drift finally. “You’re talking about a betrayal???” Nidia turns it all around—her whole family is against her when she most needs them; they turn their backs on her. She rushes upstairs with everyone yelling about betrayals and such. Delirio and Kike are left downstairs. Delirio tries to get it out of Kike- what does he know about it? What’s this about marely getting married and Nidia is jealous because of Fern? Kike’s eyes get big—that’s what he’s asking, how can she be getting married? Well, the only thing Kike knows is Fern mentioned it, but he didn’t know Fern meant….today. Delirio is impactado and Kike sees his moment to run like crazy as there is a knock on the door.

It’s Juan and Juanito, home to the beloved family. Kike is ecstatic to see them, and Delirio yells that this is all they needed just now. Now this house is a total nuthouse (manicomio). Delirio goes upstairs, leaving the cuckoo clock chiming and Juan/ito wondering qué the heck is happening here. What’s the drama? Did someone die? Kike tries to explain- if only it was that someone had died. Marely is marrying Fern. Today. Juan/ito are impactados.

Well, Tweedle’s nose for food is infallible and he’s found good grub cheap. He orders, keeps calling the waitress back and adding things, delighted that there are foods he recognizes on the menu—how funny, just like his abuela used to make in Achichipico. [No Taco Bell in this neighborhood of the D. F., Herbierto.] Pastor has found his way into a seat at the next table and lights up when he hears the name of that magical place. He gives Tweedle a third time over, now close up.

Juan leans his arm on the mantel so we can see the reclining relief body behind him on the wall. He urges Kike close so he can get the scoop. Did Fern TELL Marely? What? Kike looks carefully over his shoulder at Juanito, who is content to play with a toy. Juan looks exasperated. You KNOW what. He leans over and whispers to Kike, who asks, “you mean what happened in the past?” Yes, yes. Juan is trying to get him on the right track and get him to shut up at the same time. Juanito’s little ears are all perked up; he knows something’s up. Kike assures Juan marely knows nothing of that little thing. Juan says when she finds out it’s going to begin WW III. Juanito holds up his index finger for a turn to talk. He’s clearly been in school long enough to know the rules. What? Juanito announces he’s on Nidia’s side. Why? Because Marely can’t love Fernando because she still loves you. [Ah, isn’t a child’s totally logical wisdom refreshing in a world of people who tap-dance around topics?] Juan is impactado bemused and a little pleased while Kike is just pleased and gives us a “I told you so” shrug with a giant smile.

Delirio has decided to go after Nidia. He’s declaring that falling in love with a beardless youth (wet behind the ears is how we’d say it in English) who on top of that is your daughter’s BF is nervy beyond the boundaries of good sense. She points out she never fell in love with him and he chased her. She wasn’t interested in him. Not now, or in a prior time. The nerve of HIM to take up with her daughter after she gave him a brush off. Delirio can’t believe his ears. This guy’s intention must be to use Marely to get vengeance on you because you didn’t give in to his passionate advances! Nidia sees an out here for herself. She hadn’t thought about it that way. [Ed. Note: d*** right you hadn’t, since you were all hot to trot and you’re feeling guilty as the devil here.] Delirio babbles on about so much perversion in this boy. But, as the man of the house, Delirio can’t permit such a travesty. Nidia wants to know where he’s going? To do his duty, Delirio tells her. Nidia is a little impactada. And wary.

Marely scrubs the Garish Geisha Garb off her face while Yadi paces and complains about the situation. They both agree that Nidia’s nuts and trying to ruin the wedding over some whim about Fern. She tries to re-make the make-up disaster and Marely retorts that there’s no point if they’re not letting her leave. They fuss and there’s a knock at the door. “Who?” Yadi screams at the door. Of course, we know it’s Juan, but Marely and Yadi are impactadas and run to the door at the sound of his voice. What’s he doing here? He’s just bouncing back in. He’s found out what’s going on and he’s come to save Marely. Marely just glares at him as the finale of a great opera plays.

Kike gets Jito settled into Juan/ito’s room. Juanito, still spouting wisdom, reckons they’ve arrived just in time to prevent Marely from marrying Fernando. He’s all smiles. Kike thinks they better not have too high hopes of it, because the women of the house are just a few bricks short of a load and one never knows with them what’s going to happen. The cuckoo chimes. Juanito is adamant that Marely loves his papa, so why isn’t anyone believing him? Kike believes him and shares his thoughts, but….Juanito continues—he’s equally adamant that his Papi loves Marely. [Ah, the sweet dreams of children. Juanito knows what a good Mama Marely will be.] Kike tries to counsel Jito. Yes, they care about each other, but who knows if it’s in the same way. But, thinking about it a little more, Kike concludes Juanito might be right. Juanito looks a little smug. Maybe not all is lost for Marely and Juan?! Juanito nods in agreement.

A big chest and two heavy lions on top of it now guard the front door. [Question: where’s the other fire exit in this house?] Delirio is sitting, face to face with the Lion Guards, and Yadi is face to face with Delirio, yelling about why he’s interred them with the door blocked like this. He retorts that he’s not letting anyone set foot into this sacrosanct home. He growls, lunges up from his chair a bit, and yells some more pontifications at Yadi, but appears to be stuck to his chair as she charges off, p***ed as heck.

Upstairs, Juan is having a heart to heart with Marely. He tries to talk her out of a marriage in which she won’t be happy. If anyone deserves the skies and the stars, it’s her. He takes her hand, beseeching her, kissing her hand. Marely’s face clouds up with sadness. Juan tells her she’s a treasure, a jewel that can’t be given to just anyone. She can’t marry Fern, and he thinks that she knows it deep down. She tells him yes, she does love Fern. He’s earned her affection. She turns away a little as Juan touches her chin—“but not your love.” Juan continues. “You know something? To love and to care are not the same thing. José José said that, and it’s the real truth.” [José José, El Príncipe de la Canción (The Prince of Song). AKA Don Erasmo Padilla of La Fea fame.] Marely is quiet and somber. Juan wants to save her from a marriage without love. It’d be okay at first, but as time passes, it’d end up in ruins. She accuses him of saying that because of his own impossible love. Juan retorts gently that he says it because of that love and all the others. There is just one way to love, and she doesn’t love Fernando in that way. He begs her not to continue because one day, she will find the real love she wants and she’ll fall in love. She says that day already happened a while ago and it couldn’t be. She stands up, beginning to cry. He asks if that was on account of him. Marely turns on him, angry – it wasn’t him, it was someone else. The world doesn’t revolve around Juan. Does he think he can suddenly show up and tell her not to marry? He’s very wrong. Juan tries to explain again and Marely cuts him off. He just wants to meddle in her life like all the others and he has no right. Juan asks her if her love for Fern is enough to pardon WHATEVER things he’s done in the past? Whatever shortcomings he has in the future (whatever mistakes he makes)? Marely shakes her head. I don’t know what you’re trying to say. (What you’re referring to).

Tweedle eats and studies the check. Pastor greets him, “Good morning, sir. Pardon me for approaching you in this way, but I couldn’t help but overhear you mention Achichipico; I wondered if I had mis-heard you?” Tweedle, who looked at him warily, brightens up little at the mention of his beloved hometown. Nope, Pastor heard correctly. Pastor waxes eloquent about how incredible it is. Tweedle, who is not nearly so dumb as we have thought, realizes this may not be a Good Thing. He looks askance at Pastor’s monologue. Pastor continues; who would have thought that Fate would put two men in the same place who know about Achichipico. Tweedle utters a “Qué” in a voice about two octaves above usual and in three short stutters. Nothing unnerves our Tweedle, and here he is, totally unnerved. [Ed. Note: Here’s a twist your recapper never expected, but welcomes. Herbierto has always been the annoying and unwelcome pursuer of the muchachas, and now it’s his turn to be the pur-sooo-ey. For those of you who’ve never hung around farms in the Heartland, those last two syllables are very meaningful and describe how we might call Herbierto at mealtime.] Pastor taps his fingertips together coyly and continues that he means that one of their possibly mutual acquaintances is from Achichipico. Herbierto’s eyes get big. Pastor asks if maybe the gentleman knows this mutual friend? Tweedle doesn’t even want to hear who it is, he doesn’t THINK so. He jumps up to pay his bill and get the heck out. Pastor keeps trying; he didn’t want to be a bother but just wanted to chat and perhaps buy Herbierto a beer. Herbierto has apparently gone stone cold sober. NO, THANKS! Our dear Tweedle drops the cash on the table, all complaining about the cost driven totally out of his mind, and bids Pastor farewell as efficiently as possible—see ya, chaparrito (Shorty, but more like “super-Shorty” from my Mexican Slang plus Graffiti), leaving Pastor to gaze longingly after him. “Chaparrito! How sweet!”

Marely is still defending her marriage to Fernando. He’s been a total gentleman with me; he’s been sincere, honest and respectful. Juan gazes to the ceiling, looking for inspiration on how to convey what he wants her to hear and not really SAY it. “Well, maybe not as much as you think he has.” She screams at him to butt out of her life. And he shouldn’t be thinking of bad-mouthing Fern to her face like that. She throws him out of her room. Juan tells Marely he only wants her to listen to him. She yells at him to just get out already. Juan stands outside, tempted to knock again and sighs. Kike comes along to announce that they’re all settled in. Juan sarcastically remarks that Marely’s left him all settled in, all right. She threw him right out. Kike wants to know if she’s still going through with it (still mounted on her burro?) The worst of it is that the more he tried to convince her, the more she dug in (aferrarse- cling, hang on, dig in). He was this far from spilling the beans, but that’s not his job. It’s someone else’s. Kike points out Fern had his opportunity and didn’t want to do it. He even told Kike he didn’t want to lose Marely for anything in the world. Juan isn’t talking about Fern. He nods toward the door of Nidia’s room and Kike’s eyes follow, very bug-eyed impactado. Juan nods firmly. Yep.

Next thing we know, Juan is making the rounds of the Cachón ladies bedrooms and is comforting Nidia. She’s thanking God he’s shown up at just the right moment. There’s no doubt that he’s the angel God has assigned to this family to help them overcome the most difficult times. He’s so glad she sees it like this because he’s here for a while and brought Juanito. Perfect, what we’re lacking in this house is Real Men. She supposes he’s heard about Marely’s situation. (Her latest joke). He has to talk to her and stop this mistake (desatino). Juan can’t do that. He tried, but couldn’t. She should at least tried to get Marely to understand. Nidia laments that she won’t listen to reason, just like her father. Juan points out it could be just like her mother. Nidia whines that he just got here and already begins to scold her. She tries to get him to hug her again, but he’s not interested. You’re telling me she won’t listen to reason. I’m asking you, Doña Nidia, does Marely KNOW the reasons? Nidia hedges….not everything. But it’s not that. She doesn’t love him. Juan looks firmly at her. “Doña Nidia.” She tries to minimize what happened with her and Fernando, but he reminds her that he knows perfectly well what happened and how far it went. If marely knew this, perhaps she’d understand the reasons. Nidia is afraid Marely will lose all respect for her. Marely will reproach her the rest of Nidia’s life, and especially because she didn’t say something sooner. Juan asks if she’d rather have her daughter’s respect, or her daughter happiness? Nidia is impactada at the thought.

Pastor can’t WAIT to tell Ivonne about his fabulous news. She’s all ears for gossip. He sighs with pleasure and describes the uncommon man he’s found: a rancher, rough, uncultured, a real Neanderthal. [Ed. Note: Actually, that pretty much described how we view Herbierto, too. For us, though, it’s not a compliment.] In just a word, the perfect man. Ivonne wants to know if anything happened. He wants her to guess about this marvel, where he’s from. Where? Achichipico. She can’t believe it, Juan’s town? Pastor chortles gleefully. Imagine! This place must be a real paradise full of gods. But, his fantasies are all in vain. [Ed. Note: Herbierto would be in full agreement here.] Well, Ivonne points out, they’re both single again. Why don’t they go to the movies? Nope, sorry, Pastor has a commitment. What? Some friends are getting married. She looks at him suspiciously. He has no friends, except her. Who’s getting married? She wheedles out of him that Fernando and Marely and Fern are marrying. Ivonne is impactidíssima.

Juanito has had a bright idea and skipped on upstairs to talk to Marely. Apparently, he’s learned how to bedroom-hop from his Papi though for much more age-appropriate reasons. Marely greets him warmly. Could he talk to her, Juanito wants to know? Sure, but he needs to greet her first. He gives her a little kiss on her cheek and she brings him in. Okay, Juanito, what do you want to tell me? They sit on the edge of her bed, his big eyes innocently watching her face. He only came to tell her that he and his Daddy are going to stay there, and she’ll see, she and Juanito’s Papi will end up as sweethearts. Marely is impactada at this bold declaration. Juanito continues that if she marries Fernando, that can’t happen. His little face is so sad and regretful. She thanks him with a smile and tells him that his Papi and she care about each other in a different way, like friends. She’s going to marry Fern because he’s very good, and she wants to be his wife with all her heart. But, Juanito laments….Marely breaks in that he’ll understand some day. She’s made the decision and isn’t going to change. Okay? He sighs and reluctantly nods.

Pastor is trying to coax Ivonne out of her pique. He just learned about he wedding and it was very bad form of Fern to let them know last minute. But he swears he knew nothing before today. But then, why didn’t he call her immediately? He knew perfectly well her feelings about Fern and that this would break her up. He should have told her anyway, Ivonne protests, and she never wants to see him again. He begs her not to get like that. Ivonne breaks his grip on her and hurries off, crying.

Nidia thinks about Juan’s last words to her as she cries on her bed. What’s more important to you: your daughter’s respect or her happiness? The car that will take Marely to the wedding pulls up outside the Casa Cachón. Marely sees it, the concern and trepidation clear on her face. The dress isn’t nearly so bad as we expected after Yadi took charge. It’s got décolletage, but we’ve seen worse since June. Yadi takes charge again, exhorting Marely to get on down. “Whoever wants to come, can come, and if not, then not.” Yadi laughs to break the tension. What if Perafán won’t let me leave? Yadi tells her well, then, he’ll have to tangle with the Cachón sisters. Marely smiles gratefully and they hug.

The Lion Guards roar and so does Delirio, still semi-glued to his chair. [Ed. Note: What’s up with that?] Juan and Kike try to argue him out of sitting in front of the blocked door. Delirio’s Not Moving from Here. Juan protests that they have to help Marely while Kike looks at his watch. Delirio repeats his refusal and Juan craftily tells Kike he’s totally within his right (not to move himself from there). Juan moves Juanito out of the way, and Kike and he saunter over to Delirio’s sides. Juan decries acts of violence, and the boys pick Delirio up and move him away from the door, kicking and screaming.

Fern is running late and rushing like crazy to get himself to the church—uh, reception hall—on time. He grabs a few things and hurries to open the door to….Ivonne. What is SHE doing here. She closes the door and leans back on it, begging him not to marry.

Yadi is bemoaning that the wedding isn’t at church, but Marely says later, when everyone can accept it. Yadi gets the veil on and Marely looks like death warmed over for all her make-up. Her pineapple hairdo is now a freefall hairdo, thank heaven. Yadi beams—ready? Nidia come in, asking for a moment alone. Yadi begins to threaten—if she begins again with her plan….Nidia says she won’t prevent Marely from leaving the house if that’s what she wants. After she’s heard what Nidia has to say. Marely gets up and tells Yadi to advise the chauffeur that she won’t be long coming down. Yadi, sparkly lime green dress all glittering and swingy, stalks past her mother, closing the door smartly. Nidia wrings her hands and begins; I told you I don’t believe in your marriage to Fernando because you don’t love him. I swear on my life, that’s true. But, it’s more than that. There are other reasons you can’t, shouldn’t get married. Fernando was my lover. Marely is IMPACTIDÍSSIMA.

Nidia tearily continues that it happened before Marely was his girlfriend. Marely grits her teeth and spits back at her mother that she never thought her mother could be capable of something so low and despicable. Nidia tries to explain that these are things that happen and leave one ashamed. Marely continues that she never dreamed her mother would be able to invent something so odious (disgusting). Nidia protests that she’s telling the truth. Marely wants to know why Nidia can’t just let her get on with the wedding, and why she can’t help like Marely has helped her. Nidia tries to reach out to her daughter and Marely pushes her away. Nidia swears she’s not lying. Marely retorts that she doesn’t believe a single word. Nidia has never been more honest, though. Fernando fell in love with her. Marely scoffs—all that’s missing is that he asked you to marry him, huh? No, but he wanted me to leave Alirio and have something more formal with me. Mother, for pity’s sake, I don’t want to end up hating you! Nidia tells Marely to hate, but don’t commit the worst mistake of her life. Don’t marry without love! She reaches out again and Marely tells at her. “Don’t TOUCH me!” She picks up her bouquet and storms by her mother with Nidia trailing, calling her. “Don’t get married! You have to listen to me!” Yadi runs up the stairs and Kike looks terribly worried. He tries to comfort Nidia because there is nothing more to be done. Nidia goes to Juan, crying. “I lost my daughter, Juan, I lost her.” Juan hugs Nidia and comforts her, very somber.

Ivonne begs Fernando not to marry Marely. Fern tells her to move aside, please, but Ivonne tells him he’s committing a foolish mistake. She loves him still. Fern yells that she lost her opportunity, so get away from the door. He’ll be late. Ivonne’s not moving from there. Fern rushes her and pushes her aside. She calls after him not to go and weeps against the closed door, inside his apartment.

Delirio has figured out how to unlock the study door and finds that he’s boxed into the study with a Lion Guard sitting on top of the chest. [Apparently no one has paid close attention—there’s crawl space under that chest]. He growls about being hemmed in and yells at the abusive ones to show their faces.

Kike, Yadi, Juan and Jito have taken the elegant red and white pickup limo on the way to the wedding. Yadi can’t believe her sis took off without her. Juan commiserates with Marely—she hasn’t deserved what’s happening here. Yadi worries that if she cries too much, she’ll ruin her make-up. [We, however, would be thrilled if some of it washed off.] Yadi babbles on about the wedding, what a shame, and Kike responds from time to time. Juan looks as somber as we’ve ever seen him. Juanito, with a child’s faith, sits with his eyes shut and fingers crossed, no doubt petitioning the Blessed Child of Atocha. My bets are all on Juanito’s prayer. Juan thought bubbles about the wedding, and how he tried to tell his little rose garden and she refused to believe Nidia. But, the doubts were planted. It’ll grow. Juanito looks around as if he’s wondering if anyone can hear his silent prayer. Juan sighs.

Fern blasts into the valet parking at the reception hall. He jumps out, throws the keys at the valet, and runs…into Marely who is outside on the walkway around the hall. He rushes to excuse himself for being late, and she’ll never guess what happened. He notices her dismal look and gets tender—what’s happened? Fern holds her chin in his hands. She begs him to please take her far, far way because she doesn’t want to be here. They can get married any place. Please! Fern wants to know why’s she in such a state. Well, Marely tells him, you’ll never believe what my mother tried to do so I wouldn’t become your wife. It was the WORST! Fern wants to know, but she doesn’t want to repeat it. Fern is terrified and asks her to tell him, please. She said you and she have been lovers. Fern lets out a breath in fear and resignation.

Delirio listens to Nidia, on her bed crying again. She only wanted Marely to be happy. It can’t happen with Fern. Delirio, still clueless, points out Marely chose him and she’s our daughter, so we have to support her. It was inevitable. He tells Nidia he’ll be there for her, helping get that marriage on the right road. Nidia protests that her girls never have seen him as a father, and never will. Well, he grumbles, that’s why they commit this foolishness, because they never let him counsel them or guide them through life, which isn’t as easy as they think. Nidia yells at him to shut up already. He makes her SICK. Delirio pacifies her (his little cotton candy) and gets up to go. Just rest. But, no, there’s one last question. At any time did That Man make any indecorous propositions to her? She yells at him to get the heck out and starts throwing things at him.

Marely talks a mile a minute now that she’s blurted out her mother’s allegation. They better get to the salon, since the guests will surely be there already. She fans herself to calm down and cool off. Fern, as serious as we’ve ever seen HIM, starts to speak. “Marely, Marely…what your Mami told you….is true.” He shudders as he says it. Marely looks up in utter shock, speechless.

The red and white pickup limo has arrived in grand style. The valet points the little group in the right direction and they rush off to the wedding…Not. Instead, they find Marely rushing toward them, away from the wedding. What’s wrong, Yadi wants to know. Marely tells them not to bother going in, because there is no wedding. Yadi tries to ask what’s happening and Marely hails a taxi. Juan tries to find out what she’s doing as Marely hops into the taxi and urges him to get far away fast. She doesn’t want to talk to ANYONE. Juanito and Kike look on in concern. Marely needs to be alone, and urges the driver on. Juanito, wise one that he is, asks “then, Marely isn’t getting married?” He grins up at his Papi, who isn’t paying attention. Juan watches the cab and stammers that she’s not getting married. Juanito does his “yeeeessss” dance. He’s probably thanking the Blessed Child of Atocha, too. Papi and Yadi glance down in shock at his beaming little face and Juan looks back at the disappearing taxi.

Ivonne has found her way out of Fern’s apartment to a restaurant where Erika of the prostate diagnosis infamy is coming to meet her. Ivonne thanks her for coming. “How could I not come? What IS going on with you?” Ivonne’s voice squeaks with the tears coming down freely. She’s definitely lost Fern. He’s getting married as we speak.

It’s probably rude to speak of the King of Rome when he is so miserable. Fern is practically in fetal position, curled up on the ground by an iron railing on a walkway outside the reception hall, also in tears. Juan and the others find him here and ask what happened, reporting that they just ran into Marely running the other direction. Yadi wants to know what he said to her. Fern speaks through his tears; he told her the truth. He lost her. Lost her forever. Yadi wants to know what truth and Kike puts his hand on her shoulder to restrain her. Juan tells Fern it’s good he faced up to it before they were married. Yadi wants to know what faced up to. Juan gives her a Look and gives Kike a look beseeching him to shut her up. Fern cries harder; Marely isn’t going to give him a second chance and won’t ever forgive him. Never. Yadi keeps trying to find out what’s happening, and Juanito is concerned, too. Kike tells Yadi, please, let it be. Yadi fusses that it’s about her sister. Fern cries that Marely doesn’t care about him any more, and was never in love with him, and he loves her more than anything in the world. Resignation, Juan tells him, resignation. [Ed. Note: Juan’s never going to be a counselor. This is so not the right thing to say in this situation.] Fern continues to cry—what is he going to do without her? Pastor comes beaming up. Juan, what a surprise! I didn’t know you’d come back to the city! Juan tells Pastor he’s just arrived. [Ed. Note: One would think Pastor would note this sad scene, what with Fern curled up on the ground and leaning against a pillar, crying—all 6’6” or so of him—Juan crouched down and holding Fern’s hand, and the others hovering around protectively. But no, Pastor is out catting around and finding Juan, he’s happy as a hog in slop.] Finally, Pastor gets with the program. What’s up here? Don’t tell me Marely’s flown the coop? The judge is asking about the couple, he’s in a hurry. And the guests are hungry. Sheesh. Yadi quietly tells him there won’t be a wedding. It’s cancelled. Pastor feigns a wide-eyed impactado. What barbarity. You want me to tell the judge he can go? Please, Don Pastor, Juan tells him. And the guests? Also them, please. Oh, how rude. The whole banquet is paid for, and the menu looks delicious. They aren’t at fault, and they’ve been inconvenienced. Fernando quietly pipes in; they can eat if they want. And you don’t want to explain to them what’s happening, Fernando? Fern tells Pastor no, he doesn’t want to. He just wants to get far away. He begs Juan to take him out of there. Kike and Juan rush to help him up while Pastor finally has the good sense to look a little concerned. Fern collapses crying against Juan, who hugs him and pats his back while Kike also comforts from behind Fern.

A very borracha Ivonne slurs that she deserved this. Does Erika know why? Because of her stupidity, Ivonne declares. She would have preferred César Luis Farell, the egotist, the wretch, in place of Fernando. Fern is a good boy, decent, Ivonne laments. He offered her the entire world and she gave him the brush-off. And now he’s going to be the husband of this insipid Marely! And me, I’ll be an old maid, without a boyfriend, without even a dog to bark at me. Erika strokes her cheek to comfort Ivonne. It’s not fair! Erika tries to reason with her, but to no avail. Ivonne celebrates her pity party with another double shot of tequila.

Juan tells the others that he’s taking Fern home and he’ll be back. He jumps in the driver seat and Fern gets into the passenger side as the others watch sadly. Kike tells Yadi and Juanito that Fern looks very, very bad off.

Paula fusses at CL about how late they are—they won’t arrive on time for the wedding. He fusses back—does she think he can turn the car into a ‘copter? He tells her that it’s her fault since she tried on every dress in the closet first. She retorts that if he’s going to be snotty (pesado – annoying, tedious, stodgy, but let’s just translate this loosely for now), she’d rather they stay silent. Perfect, he tells her, and babbles on about how she’ll need the quiet to plot (urdir) stuff against him about her work on that big account that Farell really needs. Is he going to begin with this AGAIN? It’s better if they don’t bring up work because they always end up arguing. He accuses her of robbing his ideas and taking them to Anga. She retorts that she didn’t have to rob a thing; these are her own ideas. He spits back that she really needs to give up this job, stay home, and take care of her pregnancy. Listen to the most macho of all the machos in Mexico! The little woman, at home, tending to her chores! That would suit CL just fine.

Juan’s brought Fern a little cup of tea, telling him he’ll sleep like a groundhog (marmota-marmot or groundhog if it’s la marmota de America). Fern pushes it away—he doesn’t want it. He needs to see her and begs Juan to help him. What he had with Nidia was fleeting and he has to explain to Marely how sorry he is. Juan can talk to her. Juan tells Fern she’s likely to be hurting badly for a while and it’ll take time. Fern begs Juan to go on his behalf, please, and talk to her. Explain to her. [Ed. Note: Apparently he hasn’t read enough US History. The guy who went and spoke for another (John Alden for Miles Standish) ended up with the girl (Priscilla Mullins). It’s a good strategy in theory, but pragmatically, it’ll work just as well in this situation as it did for old Miles.] Fern babbles on sadly. She’ll never forgive him. What’s he going to do? Juan tells him again to give it time, and cheer up. Fern groans, sobs a little and begs Juan again to speak to Marely for him. Juan knows better how to do it than Fern. Make her see her that Fern loves her, adores her. Juan promises to do it. Fern wants him to call her on the phone right now. Juan puts him off about calling Marely, and tries to calm him. Fern is not alone.

Juanito rushes into the house, calling for Marely. Yadi can’t understand this kid, he seems happy that there was no wedding. Kike chuckles to himself. He tells Yadi he’s going up to see his Princess. Yadi hisses at him to bring his okole right on back here. What was all that about? She didn’t insist on the ride home because of Juanito, but she wants to know what came down between Fern and Marely. What happened with what? What did he confess to my sister, and I’m not going to sleep until I get answers. Kike looks distinctly uncomfortable. Well, it’ll have to wait, because Delirio heard the voices [Ed. Note: I could be really rude here, but I guess I won’t.] Why aren’t you at the fiesta? Kike stutters around with a fake smile. The wedding was cancelled. Delirio is delirious. This girl came to her senses! She’s listened to the wise counsel of her Mami. I am SO happy! I’m going to tell her right now that Marely cancelled the wedding! Nidia’s almost downstairs, in time to hear this. What did you say, Alirio? That my daughter didn’t get married??? He waxes eloquent with a totally unrelated compliment that’s worthy of some Really Bad Poet. Nidia is thoroughly relieved; she didn’t get married, thanks be to God! Juanito bounds down the stairs—Marely is not in her room! Yadi is impactada—how strange. We thought she came here. Nidia is impactada, too.

Pastor, the self-proclaimed Official Greeter and Bearer of Bad News, stops Paula and CL in the hallway at the reception hall. He hasn’t had the opportunity but congratulates her on her pregnancy. Thanks, but the reception is there, right? She points. Pastor acknowledges that it is, but he recommends they don’t go. It’s not really like a party, more like a wake. Paula is impactada and CL is taken aback, too. Almost no one is there and the atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. Huh? Have the newlyweds (novios) left? It’s not that late. Pastor takes great pains to inform them that the couple (novios, another definition) didn’t do the deed (acto-ceremony) in the salon--there was No Wedding. More impactados.

Delirio paints a his usual gloomy picture—this girl could be in serious trouble in the dark and stormy streets of the D. F. [okay, it wasn’t stormy, I added that for effect]. Yadi jumps up, not willing to think of her sister’s peril. Nidia laments that Marely is all broken up and broke, they have to go look for her immediately! Kike, with a cooler head, wants them to wait there until Marely comes home. The phone rings. Paula wants to know if Marely is in. Delirio yells that she’s Not There. Paula wants to know if they know how to find Marely. NO. He slams the phone down. CL wants to know why she didn’t ask what happened. She retorts that it seemed the better point of wisdom to say nothing. Especially to that odious Perafán. CL actually agrees with her. If Perafán answered, she did the right thing.

The residents of the Casa Cachón sit, pace and stand around, worried sick until the door closes. The all rush to find Juan coming in, worn and tired. Juan tells them he left Fern half asleep. The poor guy, he’s destroyed. He’s never seen him so distressed. Nidia breaks in that he deserved it. It’s his fault all this happened. [Ed. Note: not to put too fine a point on it, but it isn’t ALL his fault, Nidia.] It’s his fault her Marely is going through who knows what kinds of dangers. Juan is impactada. Marely? Kike hesitantly tells Juan that she’s never returned. They’re all extremely worried. Juan thought bubbles to his Blessed Child of Atocha not to let this happen to Juan. Don’t do anything stupid, please! [Ed. Note: was he talking to Marely or telling the Blessed Child not to do anything stupid?]

Well, any similarity to reality is purely coincidental. It just seemed awfully real tonight, that’s all.

Monday: Will Marely come home? Will Juan and Paula be able to concentrate on business?

Vocabulary

Descocada - shameless/brazen one
Me sarcaron la tarjeta roja - they’ve shown me the red card, sidelined or suspended me from the game or imposed a penalty (that doesn’t involve sending a player in an athletic game off permanently)
Me da soplamocos - she slapped me
Chaparrito/Chaparro- Shorty (super-shorty), from the Mexican Slang plus Graffiti book
Montada en su burro – going through with it (mounted on her burro)
Aferrarse- cling, hang on, dig in
Desatino – mistake, blunder
Urdir – plot
Acto - ceremony

Jeanne

Labels: Juan