Caray, Caray!

Alcides presents the divorce decree and renunciation of paternity documents to Soledad. Once she signs them, she is a free woman. Soledad is suspicious. Alcides explains again that he has changed and he wants to demonstrate that. Soledad asks the judge if the documents are legit and the judge says that they are.

Lucas stands there watching the flowers burn and calls on Antonia and Ester to bring water. He sees the plant pyromaniac running away.

Michelle tells Hugo that they found the flower in a garden at Soledad’s house after Antonia recognized the picture in a book. Hugo says that it is amazing the that flower that he has people looking for all over the world is growing right in San Marino. He wants the tests to determine if he and Aurora have the right blood stuff to be done as soon as possible. He says that Soledad will be so happy to find out there might be a cure for Aurora.

The judge stamps the agreements and gives copies to Alcides and Soledad. Her civil marriage has been dissolved. She asks the judge about annulling her church marriage on the grounds that it was never consummated. Alcides acknowledges that is true and the judge says that he will start the paperwork. Soledad says she doesn’t know whether to thank Alcides or… Alcides finishes the sentence - or despise him . She has despised him since he was a boy. He says that he hopes that one day she will appreciate that giving up their marriage was terribly hard for him since that is what he has always wanted but he doesn’t want to force her to do anything.

Boris asks Marina how he can blame Hugo for the death of their baby. Marina says that Hugo pushed her down the stairs. Boris replies that isn’t true. He was there. Marina says that Hugo didn’t reach out to save her. Boris says that she stepped back and fell. It was an accident. “I lose my baby and you defend Hugo,” says Marina bitterly. “You can’t imagine how much I hate you.”

Hugo wants the baby’s blood tested first but Dr. Dan says that it is dangerous. The treatment is risky and has never been tried on babies. Michelle says that they will test Hugo’s blood first and the baby later. Dr. Dan says that they will need the mother’s permission to test the baby. Hugo says that he will speak to Soledad. For his test, Hugo should come in an hour to Dr. Max’s lab (and bring a referral from his primary care physician, oh sorry, wrong period). Dr. Dan says that Dr. Max is away and they are using his lab. “I’ll be there,” says Hugo. Hugo kisses Michelle’s hand and thanks her.

Lucas, Antonia and Ester put out the fire. Ester says that it was no big deal, it didn’t reach the house. Antonia doesn’t understand how it got started. Lucas says that he saw someone set the garden on fire on purpose and he thinks it might have been a woman. Ester and Antonia think that he is crazy. Why would someone burn a garden? Ester thinks that maybe Lucas wanted to burn the house down.

Eloisa returns to her room in Rebeca’s house and says that the flower has been destroyed. Too bad for Hugo and his little baby. Alcides will pay her well for what she has done. Paquito and Rebeca break in and demand to know where she has been and what she has been up to. Paquito says that he knows she has a deal with Alcides.

Reviewing the documents, Soledad concludes that Alcides was honest with her. Ursula tells Soledad that if she hadn’t seen the documents, she wouldn’t believe Alcides had done it. Soledad says that she only needs the annulment of the church wedding and she will be free. Ursula asks if she believes that he has changed. Soledad says that a man who was capable of burying his brother alive doesn’t change overnight. What are you going to do? asks Ursula. Instead of replying, Soledad says, “If only he hadn’t hurt me with that plan of vengeance. It could have been so different. We were so happy when we were together and Aurora is the product of that love and now there is nothing left of it. Ursula tells Soledad that time heals all wounds. Give her heart some time. When the wounds are healed, she can find happiness again. Soledad says that she believes that it’s too late. Ursula says that it isn’t too late. If later Hugo … Soledad says not to mention Hugo to her. Doesn’t she realize that she still loves him?

Sobbing, Boris tells Marina that what happened was an unfortunate accident. He understands her fury and pain because he is suffering inside as well. He says he is very sorry. Hugo appears in the doorway. He knocks and comes in. He kneels by Boris and says that he wants her to know that she has all his support. He wants her to know how sorry he is for what happened. She tells him to get out. Hugo starts to get up and Marina says, “Have you ever had a child taken from your body? No, right? You can’t know how I feel because that is what happened to me. I lost my baby. You killed it.” Hugo says that she is confused. He tried to stop her from falling. “You pushed me down the stairs because you thought I had robbed the investors' money,” says Marina. Boris tells her not to say that. It was his fault. He thought… Marina interrupts, “You don’t think” she says sarcastically, “You’ve spent your whole life obeying your lord and master like a faithful dog. Get out, both of you. Leave me alone.” Hugo helps Boris up and they back away from her and you can see they are both thinking, ‘guys don’t really belong here.’

Ester continues to accuse Lucas of wanting to destroy the house because of the whole Jeremias, father of Soledad thing. Lucas says she is crazy. Antonia tells Ester that she knows perfectly well that Lucas didn’t burn the garden. Antonia says that she told Ester the secret of the flower. Someone wanted to harm Soledad and they succeeded.

Eloisa denies that she has a deal with Alcides. The argument deteriorates into fighting and Eloisa tries to bite Paquito’s ear off. Eloisa decides that she needs to leave Rebeca’s house.

Lucas can’t believe that anyone would destroy a flower garden on purpose. Antonia tells him that Dr. Dan told her that the flower might cure Soledad’s baby of catalepsy. Soledad overhears this and wants to know what she is talking about. They explain it again. Soledad remembers that Enrico told her to take care of the flower because it would save someone’s life. She wants to know where this Dr. Dan is. Antonia says that he is at Dr. Max’s. They all run off and leave Ester behind.

Hugo tells Boris that he doesn’t have words to express what he feels for what happened to Marina. “Believe me,” he says, “I understand your pain.” Boris says that he knows he did everything possible. His wife is young and he is sure they can have more children. Boris points out that it is almost noon. What is Hugo going to do when Arturo and the investors return for their money? Hugo says that he doesn’t know. He doesn’t have that much cash. He doesn’t know what to do.

Arturo, the investors and Los Burque are hanging around at the mine waiting for the time to pass before they go demand the money from Hugo. Manrique says that if there is gold in the mine, there’s no fraud. Guillermo suggests they ask the guy who is in the mine right now. The guy comes out and it turns out he is a mining engineer hired by someone he’s never met to check out the mine. He says that there is no gold in the mine. Arturo says that now they have proof that Hugo defrauded them. It’s time for Hugo to pay for what he had done.

Alcides returns home to find Eloisa there. He says that they aren’t supposed to be seen together. She reassures him that no one followed her. She has come to share her good deeds for the day. Alcides says that everyone was impressed by the slaps she gave him in front of Soledad. “No one can deny that I am a great actress.” She repeats one of her insults but Alcides is not amused since she says exactly what Beatriz would scream at him. She tells him about burning the orchid garden and said that she wants to be paid.

Michelle flashes back to Hugo kissing her hand. She sighs. Dr. Dan says that they say a sigh is air that you lack or someone you miss. He bets he knows who she is missing. She agrees that Hugo seems like a good guy. She notes how he treated his employee whose wife had lost her baby. She can’t understand how he could hurt Soledad so much. Andres comes in and says that they are ready to test Hugo’s blood. Soledad, Antonia and Lucas hurtle in. Dr. Dan introduces himself and Michelle. Michelle says that after what happened at the fiesta, she is an admirer of Soledad. Soledad is very courageous. Soledad says that her aunt told her the flower that was in her garden is the cure for catalepsy. She needs to know if that is true. Michelle asks why she used the past tense in speaking about the flower. Soledad tells them that the flowers got burnt up. There isn’t a single living flower. She asks if there is hope for her daughter.

Arturo and the investors are banging on the door of Hugo’s house (why don’t they just walk in like everyone else?) Boris says it is dangerous to open the door but Hugo says that he has to show his face. He opens the door. Arturo says that it’s noon. Time’s up. Hugo says that he needs more time. Inspector Duarte arrests him for fraud. Hugo orders Boris to stay with Marina. She needs him. He is handcuffed and led away. Arturo says that he hopes he will rot in jail. Boris says to himself that if Hugo is locked up, he will get a catalepsy attack and die. Marina overhears with satisfaction.

Eloisa says the old Alcides would have rejoiced in what she told him. (Eloisa is probably the only person in San Marino who wants the old Alcides back). She says the without the flower, Hugo can’t be cured and he can’t interfere with Alcides’ plans. Alcides tells her not to do anything without telling him. She did a dumb thing by burning the flowers. Eloisa doesn’t understand what the problem is. If Alcides wants Soledad, he needs to get Hugo out of way. Alcides says he wants Soledad but he wants to do it fairly. The flower is important to Soledad because it could help Hugo and her baby. If she suspects that he had anything to do with destroying it, she won’t forgive him. Moving towards Alcides from behind, Eloisa says that she realizes she made a mistake. From now on, she will consult him before doing anything. She reaches under his coat and strokes his leg. (I don’t know if she wants sex or is just looking for more money.) Alcides turns around and coldly tells her that from now on, they will communicate by letter (good idea – leave a written record of what you are doing). They can’t risk being seen together. Eloisa asks who will be the messenger. Alcides replies that she’ll know when she sees him. He pushes her firmly away from him.

Soledad tells Dr. Dan and Michelle that the flowers were burned on purpose. Lucas corroborates by saying that he saw someone running away. Soledad says that whoever did it must know about the healing power of the flower. Michelle sends Andres out into town to investigate. Dr. Dan says first his father was murdered and now this. He jumps to the astonishing conclusion that someone wants to prevent a cure for catalepsy being found. Soledad asks Dr. Dan if there is any other cure for catalepsy and he has to say that unfortunately, there isn’t. One again he explains that it is flower + blood with stuff = cure. Dr. Dan mentions Hugo and Soledad is surprised to hear that he knows about this. (Hugo has catalepsy, too, Soledad). Michelle says that Hugo’s first thought was to help her baby.

Arturo and the judge lock Hugo up in a cell. He tries to tell them that he can’t tolerate being in confined spaces. No one appears to listen. He asks the judge to let Boris bail him out. “No bail,” say the judge, “this is a serious offence.” With a parting, “I hope you rot in here” from Arturo, they leave. Hugo sighs, looks around uneasily and says, “This horrible place is colder than ever.” He tells himself that he has to think about Soledad and his daughter. He can’t suffer a catalepsy attack now.

Los Burque don’t know what to do. They have no money, the job in the gold mine is over, Alcides hates them, Hugo is in prison and Dr. Max has left town. They are all alone.

Andres is at the police station. He asks Hercu-less what is going on. Herc tells him that Hugo has been arrested for defrauding the investors in the gold mine. Hugo passes out in his cell. He says that he can’t give up; he has to fight the catalepsy. I guess he loses the fight because he whispers in his mind, “I’m going to die. I’m going to die.”

Michelle tells Soledad that when she read about her daughter’s illness in the paper, she dropped everything to come to San Marino. Michelle and Dr. Dan are here in San Marino to help her daughter. Soledad thanks her. Soledad muses about how strange it is that the flower was in her garden all the time. She hopes that her daughter’s blood has the right stuff to cure her. Michelle asks where got the flowers. Soledad says that her friend Enrico gave them to her. They should find him and see about getting more. Soledad realizes that she hasn’t seen Enrico around lately. Michelle tells Soledad that she should try and prevent her daughter from getting in situations where she is upset. That could provoke an attack. (How can you keep a baby from being upset?) Soledad responds that the baby had an attack once and Hugo saved her. Michelle says to Soledad that she has reason to be grateful to Hugo in spite of all the harm he did to her. She says that she thinks Soledad still loves Hugo. Soledad says she prefers not to talk about that and after what happened, there isn’t any point.

Back in his cell, Hugo has flashbacks to various bad things that have happened to him. He tries to fight the attack for Soledad and his daughter.

Andres comes back to report that Hugo has been arrested and there’s a lynch mob at the police station. Soledad says that Hugo can’t tolerate being locked up. When he was in jail before, he got very ill. Dr. Dan says that if they wait too long, he could die. Soledad says that they have to help Hugo. Michelle says that her team could get Hugo out but they need some place to hide him where no one would look. Soledad raises her hand, “He can come to my house,” she says. Lucas and Antonia think that is a terrible idea but Soledad says that he is the father of her daughter. Are they going to tell Aurora that they stood around and did nothing? Michelle tells Andres to break out the swords (uh, the police have guns) and Dr. Dan has his Indiana Jones whip. Soledad tells Lucas to go home and get things ready there. (I can just see him telling Ester that Hugo, always one of her favorites, is coming to hide at their house as a fugitive from justice.)

Boris is in Hugo’s cell. He says that Hugo is very cold and is barely breathing. He says that Hugo is about to have a cataleptic episode. He has to get him out of the prison or he might die. We hear Hugo’s mental voice whispering, “I’m dying. Get me out of here.” Boris tries to tell the guard that Hugo is having a catalepsy attack but he doesn’t care. He says Boris’ visit is over and hustles him out. Boris goes back to the station where Arturo and the other investors are milling around. Arturo asks why Boris, Hugo’s known accomplice, isn’t in jail. At this moment, Team Michelle comes in. Boris tells Soledad that Hugo is in bad shape. Boris is called away so he doesn’t get to hear the plan. Soledad will create a diversion so that Michelle, Dr. Dan and Andres can get into the cell block. They’ll get Hugo out the back door.

Eloisa is visiting Marina. Marina says that Boris is off getting Hugo out of jail. Eloisa says that Hugo ought to be in jail for what he did to Marina. Marina says that she fell. Hugo didn’t push her. Eloisa asks her to think a little more about that. She is sure that in a fit of rage, Hugo pushed her down the stairs to kill her and her baby. Since Marina is still weak, Eloisa will send Inspector Duarte to see her. (Once again, Eloisa is using her initiative without consulting Alcides.)

Soledad starts haranguing the crowd about how justice needs to be done after Hugo deceived all the investors. It’s not terribly clear how this makes it possible for Team Michelle to enter the cell block but they do so using ropes. Soledad takes a short break from her harangue to ask God not to let Hugo die. Boris, who is not in on the plan, concludes that Soledad really hates Hugo. Soledad is on her way out of the room when she runs into Alcides. He says that he heard what she said and it left no doubt in his mind that Soledad hates Hugo for what the did to her. Team Michelle, with fencing masks on except for Dr. Dan who has a bandido mask, get into the cell block. Dr. Dan shoots off the lock of Hugo’s cell. Michelle says Hugo is very cold. Dr. Dan hopes it is not too late. Dr. Dan uses his whip to knock the guns out of the hands of the stupid guards who don’t fire and Michelle and Andres incapacitate them with swords and fists. Dr. Dan grabs Hugo who probably weighs more than he does.

Soledad tells Alcides that she has to leave. He tells her that he came to get his brother released. “Even though Hugo doesn’t deserve it,” says Alcides, “I’ll make them release him.” Soledad says, “Fine, do whatever you want. I don’t care.” She leaves and Arturo tells Alcides that his brother isn’t getting out of jail until he pays for his fraud.

Soledad runs out to where Team Michelle have Hugo. She asks how he is. Dr. Dan says that it is bad. They’re losing him. Michelle asks Soledad to speak to Hugo. She begs him to wake up for their daughter, for their love. She asks him to please not die.

Inspector Duarte comes to see Marina. She says that she wants to accuse Hugo of attempted murder. Because of him, she lost her baby.

At Rebeca’s house, Paquito comes to see Eloisa. He asks if she is still mad. The bite she gave him still hurts. She ignores him. He persists. Finally, she says that she wants him go away and leave her alone. “That’s going to be hard,” says Paquito, “We are more connected than ever.” He hands her a note from Alcides. “You are Alcides’ messenger?” she says.

Soledad tells Hugo that he himself told her that love can conquer anything. She begs him to wake up. Dr. Dan says that it’s too late. Michelle says that she knows he can still hear them. He knows that there is nothing they can do. She experienced this. Dr. Dan says that Hugo is not breathing and his heart has completely stopped. Crying, Soledad says, “Please, Hugo, don’t go. I love you, Please don’t go.” “Wait a minute,” says Dr. Dan producing a syringe, “I have some of the flower extract I made this morning.”
“Give it to him!” says Soledad. Dr. Dan says that if Hugo doesn’t have the blood stuff, this will finish him off.” Michelle says, “You yourself said that he was already dead.” Soledad grabs the syringe and says, Hugo is not going to die,” and injects its contents into his chest. The credits roll.

I guess they needed some drama and now that so many people know Hugo has catalepsy, he’s not going to be buried alive again but they just made catalepsy go from a disease that makes you appear to be dead when you aren’t to one that kills you. Hugo has had many catalepsy attacks before; he appears to be dead and eventually he wakes up. Having an attack doesn’t kill him. Why is he in danger of dying now? It doesn’t make any sense. We recall that when Michelle got her shot from Old Dr. Chirac, she lost her memory and ran off into the woods. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to Hugo. The fact that Los Burque are at loose ends is suggestive that they may end up taking care of Hugo. Maybe they can hide at Enrico old place?

Labels: la traicion

Mili meets professor Mat in the parking lot. He's not keen on her boy's costume, and she takes some offense--after all, she wore it to play soccer at recess, and she got five goals!

Al drives up and engages in some possessive head butting with Matt. Al is wearing his striped shirt with the spray of red roses again. Didn't anyone ever tell him that when you want to bust some other guy's chops it might help if you would lose the floral embroidery? Mili tells Al she doesn't need his help. He says if he goes now, it'll be forever (or until an hour from now, whichever comes first). She says please do me a favor! This time maybe you'll keep your promise. Ultimately Mili tells them to stop making a scene in front of the school (do as I say, not as I do?). She tells Al to go with his "Floreeeenda . . ."

Back to Val and Rocky, who are kissing and planning their future . . . just a little house in Tulancingo, with two cows. I don't really know Tulancingo, but I'm guessing it's not Beverly Hills 90210. Still, I give them credit for having their own web site. Will it bother you, Srta. Valeria? No, call me Vale, she says. What will your father say? What father? she says.
He reminds her that if they stay together, her father will throw them out of the house and cut off her car and credit cards. Suddenly, she is back to calling him Morgan . . . But she is torn.

Over at the office, Andrea is telling Connie she's bored. He starts laying it on thick--he promises to dedicate all day Saturday to her. They start kissing, but they are rudely interrupted by Nestor.

He takes Nestor into his office, where Nestor gives him a check for the campaign. Connie asks what he'll owe for that, but Nestor just wants to be able to have a connection, he says. Why don't they celebrate this weekend at Connie's house in Cuernavaca? Connie realizes he can't go because of his promise to Andrea, so he tells Nestor to take Luci there alone! Nestor laughs over how he figures Connie is going to boink the secretary. Connie does not know that Nestor intends to boink his wife.

Mat continues to feed Mili some baloney about her eyes and her laugh. She makes him forget his troubles and how he has no money. Mili goes to class.

Connie tells Luci she's going away with Nestor. She contains her surprise, but we in the audience can detect a little smirk. She asks him where's his jealousy? He says don't worry, she's too old for Nestor. Anyway, they won't be alone--there'll be a servant there.

Rocky tells Horacio about Connie's threats to cut him, but that he's sticking with Vale. Horacio gets the Amarillo Paginas and searches for a funeral home.

Mat tells Mili about a crazy client who's leaving everything to her cat.

Luci calls Nestor and exults over their upcoming weekend of fun. I think if they weren't putting one over on Connie, it wouldn't be as much fun.

Karla comes to Damien's room. She's been missing him. She wants to fool around, but he says he has a game. Since we haven't seen Damien playing soccer or even golf, I suppose he means a poker game.

Mat tells that obnoxious single friend about his potential new love interest: a servant who is getting a fortune from her new adoptive mother. The only catch is that she must be married. His friend warns him that he should see her first--she might be a hot mess (adefasio). Nah, and anyway, meanwhile, he's going to amuse himself with Mili. Even in her boy's getup, she's hot. The other guy says that if he's "hitting" that (clavando), he's nuts (I think because he thinks Mili is nuts). But Mat says it's just a passing thing. She's not the girl he's looking for. I know, says his friend. She's not the heiress to anything . . .

Regina is meeting with the lawyer. He says his grandson is on the way with the papers. Mili comes in and asks if they want hot chocolate. She says that it's just like what she's learning in literature class--warm things warm up the soul. Granny smiles indulgently. Oh, who am I kidding--she's kvelling with all the nakhes her little bubbeleh is bringing her. Translation: she's busting out with pride and wonderful feelings from her little girl. It's like what a Jewish mother feels the day her son graduates from medical school and marries a nice Jewish girl besides!

Over to the church: Yolanda gives Padre M a letter to read. She's too nervous to read it herself. Chamuzo comes over and meets Yolanda, and he learns she's Gloria's mother. Gloria's a real cutie, he tells her. Then his pop comes over. Yolanda seems to know him . . . Uh-oh.

Al goes to visit Floreeeenda, because he's a good boy and does as he's told--and also because he's an idiot! Flor is sitting on the couch in a baby doll nightie and high heels drinking wine by herself. Why is he here? He wants to tell her something important about what her father said. (So nu, the phone isn't good enough?)
He tells her that her father wants to combine their two businesses after the two of them get married, and that his parents are also pushing for it. He says he has been very clear about his intentions, and he doesn't understand why her father doesn't get it. Flor doesn't understand either--after all, she hasn't done anything either. Anyway, she tries to get Al to stay, but he tries to leave. Oops, wouldn't you know it--she spills wine all over that shirt. Now he'll have to take it off. Let's just have a drinky-poo and talk like friends while I wash your shirt. (Or as Robert Benchley says to Ginger Rogers in my favorite movie of all time, "The Major and the Minor," "Why don't you get out of that wet coat and into a dry martini?") Al is not so sure they can be friends. He weighs the dilemma for all of three seconds before slowly beginning to disrobe.

After the commercial, we see Al and Flor sitting by the coffee table drinking wine. Al is shirtless, and you can see only his torso above the level of the table. He is raving about how wonderful Mili is. I don't know, but if I were Mili, I wouldn't be so glad that my boyfriend was sitting around without his shirt drunkenly telling another girl how crazy he was about me. This doesn't bother Flor, though. She pours more wine and goes for the kill: She's sure his family doesn't like Mili. He agrees--all but Granny--she's changed her will. Oh, she shouldn't, says Flor. Mili is just out for money. She was even going to marry Hugo. Al tries to explain that situation. She touches his face and they kiss, but he pushes her away. It's just one night, she says. No, he rejects her and asks for his shirt. No, don't go--make me yours, she pleads. Al tears himself away. Flor asks if he's so sure Mili isn't out with that other guy. He leaves without his shirt. She calls him an imbecile as the door slams.

Back at the mansion, the bell rings. Mili is going to answer, but Braulio gets there first. It's Mat, coming over with the papers. Mili hides behind the door and slams it so Mat won't see her. She scoots out of the room and then tells Braulio to reopen the door.

Lina catches her. Mili tells her she doesn't want Mat to see her, 'cause she lied about being a servant.

Gramps and Mat discuss the papers to be signed. Granny's forboding tinkly music box theme plays. Uh-oh. Well, at least she didn't have an angina attack today. Anyway, the adoption papers are ready and can be signed whenever she wants. The house papers will be ready in a couple of weeks. Granny says she's going to talk to "her daughter." They always pretended she was her grandchild, but now she will have a daughter. Gramps tells Mat to go.

Down in the kitchen Padre and Gamuza are talking to Gloria about her mother. She explains how she is gradually getting to love her. Lina comes in and says the coast is clear--Mat left.

Connie and Andrea have dinner. He tells her about Alex!

Flor laments to Luci about Alex. She'll never get him. Don't worry, Luci says, she won't allow that mugrosa to marry her sonny boy. We have to take down that servant once and for all.

Mili asks Granny what all the lawyers are there for. Granny tells her she has special news for Mili. She has bought the house for her and what's more--she's hired a detective to look for her uncle. Mili is overcome. She dreams of living in the little house in the barrio with her uncle someday. (I don't know, but if Granny's detectives are the same inept boobs who have been looking for her grandchild all these years, I wouldn't put much faith in this outcome.) Granny calls Mili hija. She has another surprise for her--what would she think if Regina were her mama? Will Mili let her adopt her? Mili is truly overcome now.

They tell Padre M and Sister Cachete. Padre and Sor don't seem very happy, because they know all the back story. But they come around and congratulate the happy duo. Mili laughs at the fact that Connie will be her boss--and her brother!

Connie wishes his wife and Nestor a bon voyage. He tells Nestor he knows his wife will be safe, 'cause Nestor likes the young meat--the bebotas, nudge nudge. I can't find bebotas in the regular dictionary, but it's clear that it means hot chicks with big bazoongas, like that girl on Fuego. As soon as the coast is clear, Connie calls Andrea.

Gramps comes over to Mat's frat boy apartment, where Mat is lying in bed. He tells Gramps his noble plan to marry the heiress of their client. Aside from being skeevy in general, it's also a violation of legal ethics, but somehow I think frat boy doesn't care.

In the avances: Luci tells Nestor the news about his new son--Alejandro. Damien manages to overhear. Over at the dream house, everyone is assembled for a toast to Mili. Luci later faints when she gets handed some news.

Labels: guapos

I feel that the kind of enjoyment that we're receiving from this telenovela is the kind that shouldn't go on for too long, or we'll all end up like Grandpa. According to this Wikipedia article, it will be done some time in October. After that, we won't have Feonando and Crabiella to kick around any more.

(Anyone can edit a Wikipedia article, so take it with a grain of salt.)

---

Feonasty searches in vain for his lady love. Is she hiding in the closet? Nope! And her clothes are all gone too!

Furd's apelike face contorts in deep thought. Finally, comprehension dawns: Sofia is not in this room. Perhaps she is in another. He goes to look.

It turns out that instead of running away to join the circus, she has simply run down the hallway to a different room, where she is already unpacking. She says she's asked him for her freedom, and he said no, so she's taking control of her own life from now on. If she can't split up with him, at least she's not going to sleep in the same bed. This is going to be her room from now on, and nobody's going to change her mind.

He grabs her and says he's been patient, but he's at his limit. She's going to sleep with him whether she likes it or not! She puts up a fight, and he tries to drag her back to his room.

Fortunately, Jimena and Sarita interrupt and get him to leave. He pretends to be hurt and bewildered by Sofia's actions, when all he's done is love her more than his own life. They tell him to be patient and give her some time. He says he's given her a year already. He's not a saint, he's a human being, he needs to give and receive love (yuck). Sarita says pressuring Sofia will only make things worse. He's going to have to stay strong.

Furd isn't sure he can. He says she already despises him with all her heart, as if he were responsible for her tragedy (rape). Jimena and Sarita hug him sympathetically. (If you watch carefully, you'll see him leering at Jimena, then when she looks at him he puts on a sad face!)

Juan and Oscar take unconscious Franco to the dispensario - a bare-bones health clinic run by the padre. It doesn't seem to have even one person around with any kind of medical training, but it's clean and roomy and isn't caked in flour and sweat, so it's already an improvement over keeping him at home. The padre is curious as to what happened, but they don't know yet.

While the padre searches for towels, Oscar undresses Franco and Juan swears vengeance on the unknown culprit(s). (I don't know how he has time for baking when he's got so many scores to settle with people.) Oscar feels sure that Rosario knows what happened - he remembers how nervous she was when they questioned her at the club. (They had this very same conversation last night at home while they were waiting for Franco to come home, I believe.)

Juan tells Franco to fight for his life, because they need him. Oscar watches almost-tearfully.

Over at the club, Rosario is still singing the Bonbon song, which was just beginning when they went over there earlier. (I'll charitably assume that this is her second show of the night, but she's still wearing the same outfit too.) After the show, she tells Ofelia she's worried that something happened to Franco. She wants to go look for him. Ofelia warns that Furd could find out. Rosario says she doesn't care about him right now, she has a moral debt to Franco because he loves her and she feels responsible for what could happen.

Sofia sees the rodeo trophy and begins daydreaming about the first time she saw Juan and fell in love with his scruffy self. She caresses the rider on the trophy and thinks to herself that it's an impossibility. (Why? She should just run away with him. I'm serious. He'd take her up on it in two seconds. And just wait till she finds out that he's the guy who makes that bread she loves so much, and that the secret ingredient is the stuff he wipes off of his forehead with the back of his hand. Just try to keep her away from him then. Just try.)

Juan and Oscar clean up their brother. Oscar puts his scapular on Franco (unless he just happens to have an extra with him), and they stay up with him.

(I guess it was an extra, because in a later scene, Oscar still has his. Or maybe it's Franco's, except I didn't notice him wearing one before.)

Feonando stares at a photo of Sofia. Gabi comes in and says she heard everything and wants to know how he's doing. She offers to speak to Sofia right away. He warns her not to overdo it and compromise her health! "You're all I have, my only family," he tells her. She is moved by his calculated words.

He says he tries to understand Sofia, but sometimes she gets upset about what happened to her and he doesn't know what to do or say. He blames it all on that guy who raped her. If he knew who it was, he'd kill him with his own hands.

Gullible Gabi, who has so much ugliness and cynicism inside her that she shouldn't be capable of trusting a mosquito to bite, is soothed by his smarmy words. Even he looks surprised at the relief on her face.

Eva puts Grandpa to bed. He offers to help her find her child. She says she would love that, but she doesn't know how that's possible. Speaking to Gabriela didn't solve anything; she said she'd never reveal what she did with her. Grandpa is indignant that Gabi would deny Eva the right to know her own child. Eve says she appreciates his interest, but she doesn't dare hope.

The padre promises to help the brothers and also mentions God's help. "God?" Juan asks sharply. The padre says yes, and excuses himself.

Juan tells Oscar again that the guy who did this is going to pay. Just then, Rosario totters in wearing her Cruel Shoes. "I want to talk to you," Juan barks at her. "Look what they did to my brother."

"What did they do to you?" she asks Franco, hunkering down by his bed, but then denies knowing anything when Oscar and Juan demand an explanation. Oscar throws her out, but tells Juan he's sure she knows everything. She cries outside the room.

Crabi is painting flowers the color of blood, jabbing at the canvas with her paintbrush the way Don Timoteo used to stab his painting of Ric's dad. Eva comes in to ask if she needs anything. Yes, she does! "A little peace and quiet, but that's impossible in this house." She complains that her daughters are ungrateful for all she's done for them (i.e., locked them up and married one of them off to a rapist who's going to spend the family fortune on gambling debts).

Eva says Crabi has three wonderful daughters, and Eva herself would fight tooth and nail to have just one daughter like that of her own. Crabiela laughs, knowing what Eva is hinting at. She says Eva's child is better off being far away from Eva. Eva disagrees and says she should never have let her take that baby out of her arms. She (Eva) was a coward, and she'll never forgive herself for that. Eva scoffs.

Anyway, Crabi would rather talk about her own kids. "Did you hear how Sofia spoke to me? God won't forgive her," she mutters, looking at her Bible (or some other gilt-edged tome). Eva suggests that Crabi be more affectionate with her kids. Crabi says she doesn't need her advice. She's been the best mother. She accuses Eva of trying to steal her daughters' affection as revenge for stealing her own child. Eva denies this and says no one can make a play a mother's love, the most sacred love one can have in life, as long as she acts like a true mother.

She excuses herself, leaving Crabi looking vexed.

Rosario is still weeping at the dispensario. Juan sees her and reminds her he told her to leave. She says he can banish her from Franco's side, but not from the church. She'll stay until she knows Franco will be okay. She doesn't care what they think or say.

Juan approaches a gigantic, graphic crucifix. He tells it that his mom said Jesus would listen. He begs that Franco not be taken away from him. (Repeat several times, with minor variations.) The padre comes by and says to trust in the Lord. Juan says he has a lot of anger and desperation. Why is this happening?

The padre says God is great and mysterious, and Juan shouldn't give up. Juan says he won't give up, but his brothers are important to him, he doesn't want them to suffer. Padre says let's pray, after which he'd like to talk. He has questions about the family. What happened to their parents? Juan says that's too many questions to answer right now. Padre says okay, but if he wants to talk, to find him, he'll always be there to listen.

Juan says he'd like to tell him his life's story, just not now. The padre tells him to have faith.

Franco is stirring, but not in a good way. He's shivering but also feverish. The padre says he'll find the doctor who usually helps them. He rides out on his little donkey, looking a bit ridiculous but determined, while the brothers mop Franco with cool water.

Later, Franco begins to babble. He's begging his brothers not to let Libia go. Then he starts telling Libia not to go. "We let her down."

Meanwhile, Padre meets with some people along the road. He's asking questions; they don't seem to have any answers. (I wonder if he thought to ask to borrow their cell phones.)

A half-moon hangs in the sky. I mean LITERALLY a half-moon... the stars are shining through the dark side. Amazing!

Franco is doing better now. Juan goes out and stares at Rosario for a while, then shrugs and lets her come in to see him for a minute. She holds Franco's hand and cries, but doesn't say anything.

It's dawn. The padre is sad that he couldn't find a doctor, and prays for help.

The brothers tell Franco they couldn't leave him. They try to wake him up. They can't avenge Libia without him. (Does anyone else think that Libia probably would not approve of their plan??) Oscar says he's been thinking of what Eva said - maybe only the widow is to blame, and the girls had nothing to do with it. Juan says it's too early to decide who's guilty or not - but someone has to pay. Oscar agrees.

At the hacienda, Crabi is complaining that the brick boys haven't arrived yet. She wants to fire them. Sofia reminds her that they came over and worked on Sunday. Crabi is offended that Sofi is taking their side against her!

Sofi apologizes for upsetting her last night. Crabi says she's not upset - she's hurt. Sofi, she says, is worse than a raven who can't wait to pluck out her eyes! Sofi tries to hug her; Crabi pulls away and accuses Sofi of saying things no mother can forgive. Sofi offers to go to Confession; perhaps God will be more understanding! This blasphemy shocks Crabi speechless. (Thank goodness!)

Jimena and Sarita and Grandpa wonder where the brothers are. He teases them and says they must have run across three pretty girls and taken off with them to frolic in a beautiful forest, or somesuch. (Sarita and Jimena do not like this idea.) Sarita says they're just worried because, um, er... because they wouldn't want anything to happen to them. He teases them some more about being interested in the brothers. They try to play it cool. Jimena says their mother says the brothers aren't good enough for them. Grandpa tells them to watch out, because he's going to be watching. He says he's old and crazy, but he isn't sucking his thumb and he knows how this stuff goes. He'll be watching.

Rosario is back, kissing Franco's hand. Juan shows up with some water for washing, and kicks her out. She has no right to be with him, he's sacred and her silence will be the death of him. If she won't say who did this, then he has no use for her. She says he's being unfair. Juan says he has to protect his younger brother, and it's dangerous for Franco to be around her, so scram, don't come back, get out or I'll throw you out.

Juan tells Franco he wants to know who hates him so much as to want to kill him.

Eva asks the Franco-hater if he wants breakfast. No, he wants Sofi. Eva says she went to Confession. Crabi says maybe the padre will talk some sense into her. She also says the workers didn't show up yet, and she's going to fire them. Furd acts outraged as he recalls the beating he gave Franco. Then he says maybe they had something more important to do that's keeping them away.

(Weird graphic transition to next scene)
Grandpa is looking for something in the office. Gabi comes in and scolds him for looking through her papers. She says there's nothing here that he needs. He says he's investigating a complaint, and therefore he has to review the Holy Office of Inquisition's (Santa Inquisición) files and there's a risk of discovering even more horrors that she's committed. Gabi rolls her eyes in disgust at his daffy talk and says she's never hurt anyone. It's everyone else who is hurting her. If he wants to know something, he should ask her directly.

He says no, she'll lie, so he'd rather investigate on his own. (The other night, I was thinking he had a Columbo-like approach with Furd, but I guess he doesn't bother with that when dealing with Gabi.) She says he'll be sorry if he goes poking through her papers.

He says sooner or later the past comes back to get us, and then we have to pay for what we've done. "Like what happened to you, right?" she asks, leaning in with a cruel grin. He tells her not to worry about him; she should worry about how life is going to settle its own scores with her when the time comes. He puts on his deerstalker cap and rolls out.

Sofia shows up at church with some donations for the dispensario and says she has more stuff to bring next time. He notes that she seems odd. She says she has a lot on her mind and would like to give a confession. He says first he needs to look in on someone who took a terrible beating - one of the bricklayers at her house. She asks which one, and even looks slightly relieved when he says it's the youngest! He says he couldn't get the doctor. She wants to go with the padre to see Franco.

Oscar sees them coming and tries to warn Juan, but he's not fast enough. Juan is impactado and suspicious. He says maybe it's not a good idea. Padre says she's really worried about him. Oscar convinces Juan to let her stay and pulls up a chair for her. Padre tells her (again) he couldn't find the doctor anywhere. (No phones?) Sofia sneaks a gratuitous look at Juan. Juan thinks to himself that he's finding it difficult to hate her.

Oscar tells Juan that she seems like a nice person, and he keeps thinking about what Eva said. (We know that, because he's already mentioned it at least once before in this episode.) Oscar says he's also finding it difficult to go through with this vengeance that the girls don't deserve. Juan says they can't fail Libi on their promise to avenge her.

Yeah, I'm sure she's just cackling with glee knowing that they're going to crush three women in her name.

Sofia gives her confession. She says she's overwhelmed by the vows that she swore on her marriage to Feonando; she can't go through with them.

(The padre listens with a faint smirk that I"m 99% sure isn't supposed to be on that character's face; he's not a bad-looking guy but I think he's not a great actor. Through this whole scene I thought he was a bad guy and was half-expecting him to have a cobra tattoo just like Feonando's, like they were twins or in a fraternity together or something.)

The padre says those vows are the foundation of family and children. She says it's greater than she is, she can't explain, she knows Furd loves her in his own way, but she can't give herself over to him. Padre he says it's natural considering what happened to her, but she has to try to forget what happened, or she'll never be happy.

Well, that is great advice. After more than a year of not discussing the rape with anyone, she's supposed to forget about it. I guess now we know where the doctor is. He's hanging out in the village that has the telephones and the rape counselors and the embalmers. That doctor is in no hurry to come back to Backwards Bonbon City because he can feel his brain losing five IQ points every time he crosses the city limits.

Franco wakes up. Juan hugs him so hard and Oscar pummels him so much that I'm afraid they'll kill him. Did they forget he nearly got beaten to death?? He asks what happened. They asks hiim the same thing - who did this to him? Franco grimaces in pain and passes out again.

Confession is over. The confessional is totally open; Furd strolls right up, and Padre nods pleasantly. Furd tells Sofia he knows they've had some bad times, but he wants things to change, to show her how much he loves her. Maybe then she'll change her attitude towards her. His actions will speak more than a thousand words. (He's going to give her a picture?) First he'll give his confession, to prove that he's willing to change.

She tells him again that she doesn't love him. He says he loves her, he worships her. He's going to get the padre's help to find peace and forgiveness in the name of God for the way he has treated her. He grins hopefully and goes to Confession. Sofia lights a candle.

Padre says I can't tell you what she just said, but just be patient. Furd replies, "Padre, I would like to tell you some things I've never told anyone." The padre encourages him to go for it, but Furd says that once the padre hears what he has to say, he's not going to want to help him. Padre says that would never happen - it's his responsibility to lead his flock. Furd says, well okay, if you insist, but it's at your own risk.

The padre says it's no problem - speak with the same confidence as if you were speaking with God. I'm listening.

"Okay, I'm going to start out by saying that I'm the one who raped Sofia."

The words echo like a nightmare in the impactado padre's head, and now I know he doesn't have a cobra tattoo. (Thank goodness for sound effects, or who knows how long I'd suspect him.) "I raped her," Furd repeats.

Labels: Fuego

Soledad comes in after the brothers have reached an agreement to fight for her love. Alcides is annoyed that she found out about the meeting and blames Hugo for not fighting fair. Hugo asks Soledad how she found out that he and Alcidew were meeting. She says that doesn’t matter and launches into her attack. She asks how many times have they teamed up to hurt her? Now they are treating her like a trophy they will compete for. Hugo tries to speak to her but she says that it is her turn to speak. She lets Alcides say that he doesn’t know what she overheard but it’s not what she thinks. Soledad replies that she knows perfectly well that they have agreed to a duel to win her love. “How ironic,” she says, “the two people who have hurt me most in the world.” Hugo says that it would be better if he took her home but she responds that she isn’t going anywhere until they hear what she has to say.

At the frontiers of medical science, Dr. Dan tells Michelle that thanks to the little piece of paper, he now understands everything. Old Dr. Chirac was experimenting on her when he injected her after she was dug up. It could have killed her or cured her. It worked and she is cured. The secret is that the flower plus a special substance in her blood equals a cure for catalepsy.

Boris asks Marina from whom or what is Eloisa protecting her? Eloisa replies for her and says that she is terrified of going to jail as an accomplice of Hugo. She says that they found Marina walking around alone and helpless in a dark alley and brought her to the tavern to calm down. They were trying to convince her to go back to Boris when he came in. Eloisa says that Marina told her that she regrets leaving him because she still loves him in spite of all that has happened. Paquito supports this tissue of lies. Poor stupid Boris asks if she really said that. Eloisa takes Marina aside and pulls out some money from her garter stash and says that Marina can have more but she has to return to Hugo’s house and be her spy. The evil duo leaves Boris and Marina alone.

Soledad says that she won’t allow it. She won’t fall into their traps again. They can both forget about her. To Hugo, she says that between them, there is nothing more to say. She tells Alcides that she isn’t the naïve girl she was before. “Even though the law says that we are man and wife, we never have been and never will be,” she says. Even if he forces her, she will die first. Alcides assures her that he has changed too and he will never force her to do anything against her will. He says that he has told her a thousand times that he has loved her since she was a child. He was stupid. He didn’t know how to win her heart but now it is different. Hugo loudly clears his throat. He says that he doesn’t think this meeting has purpose. Soledad disagrees. She tells Alcides that she doesn’t know who he is and she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care what he does to win her heart because she doesn’t believe a single word he says. Her heart is empty. His brother, Hugo, destroyed what was left of it. Hugo tries again to suggest that he take her home. Soledad responds coldly that she is talking to his brother and asks him to leave her alone with Alcides. (Poor Hugo, you are paying for what you did now.) Alcides winks and gives him the ‘scram’ gesture with his head. (This was funny.) Poor Hugo has no choice but to be sent outside like a naughty child.

Michelle says that she knew it. She knew she was cured. She is thrilled that now they can help Hugo and his daughter. Dr. Dan says that she doesn’t get it. The flower doesn’t work by itself. Only catalepsy sufferers who have the same substance in their blood as Michelle can be cured. (I’m making a prediction here. Aurora will have the mysterious substance in her blood and Hugo won’t. We already know the flower extract nearly killed Hugo and I’ve always believed that Soledad is Hugo’s cure. I believe the flower will cure the baby, though.)

Paquito asks Eloisa where she has been. She won’t tell him and he believes that she is hiding something from him.

Boris says that he found Marina because he wanted a drink and someone told him where she was. Marina says sarcastically that it is nice that his master let him go out. Boris says that she is just angry that he wouldn't let her steal the money in the briefcase that he is in charge of. (Paquito hears this.) Boris asks Marina why she hates Hugo so much. She says that Boris only has time for Hugo and doesn’t care about their child. Boris says that he loves her and he can’t wait for their child to be born. He promises that everything will change. Marina says that he is lying. Boris says that he is faithful to Hugo but he loves her with all his heart and begs her to return to his side. He promises nothing bad will happen to her. Marina hears the voice of Eloisa ordering her to be her spy in Hugo’s house. She agrees to return.

Soledad thanks Alcides for throwing the party in her honor. His arrival was unforgettable. Thanks to him, she found out that Hugo had been impersonating him. Alcides says that he is sorry for what happened. He didn’t want her to suffer. He only wanted to give her a lovely surprise but he realizes that it was a mistake. “Your latest mistake, you meant to say,” responds Soledad sarcastically, “You’ve made so many mistakes, Alcides.” Soledad says that she no longer fears him. Alcides says that he suffered while he was gone. Soledad says that she doesn’t care. She can’t change the disgust she feels for him. Once again, Alcides says that he is going to dedicate every second that remains of his life making her fall in love with him.

Arturo tells a very drunk Hercu-less to have everything ready in the morning to serve the summons on Hugo. He also wants Hercu-less to find out where Alcides is living. Gladis tells Arturo to stop concentrating on getting revenge on Hugo. He should find a nice girl and settle down. Arturo says that his relationship with Eloisa was a disaster. She was a tramp who was only after his money. Gladis repeats that she wants him to marry and produce an heir so she can give him his inheritance and die in peace. Arturo has a memory of Michelle and says, “why not her?”

Michelle asks Dr. Dan what the next step is. He says that they have to examine Hugo and the baby. If they don’t have the stuff in their blood, he can’t cure them.

Soledad asks how Alcides could ask her to believe him after all he has done to her. He manipulated her mother to make her marry him and when they were married, he beat her even though she was pregnant. Alcides tells Soledad not to exaggerate. He only slapped her once. He admits he was a jerk. He couldn’t stand it when he realized that she wouldn’t forget his brother, Hugo. “So that’s why you decided to kill him,” responds Soledad, “Because I know that you let him be buried alive.” ”Is that what Hugo said?” asks Alcides, “and you believed him?”
“Are you going to deny it?” asks Soledad.
“No, I won’t deny it because it is the truth,” responds Alcides, “because I did it for love. I did it for you. I was sick of not having your love. I was wrong, terribly wrong but I swear to you that I have paid for my sins. I was abducted while I was away and savagely tortured.” (He shows her his scar.) He says that he almost died and he suffered the same pain as Hugo suffered when he almost asphyxiated in his coffin. (So now they are even? I don't think that excuse would fly before secular or divine justice.)
Soledad says that if he wants her to feel sorry for him, he’s wasting his time. Alcides responds that he isn’t asking for her sympathy. He wants her to know that he is a new man. He has grown up. He will wait all his life for her. His heart tells him that one day she will love the man that is before her. Soledad says that she doesn’t believe him.

Eloisa plays with money. She will begin lying to Soledad and become her friend. She will have to separate herself from Paquito and Rebeca.

Poor Hugo can’t stand it anymore and he comes back into the cabaña and says that it’s getting dark and he should take Soledad home. She looks at him like a bug and asks what he is doing there. Hugo asks Alcides to leave them alone. Hugo tells her that he was afraid Alcides would hurt her. She replies that she doesn’t need his or anyone’s protection. Hugo says that they made love today. They were together body and soul. If he tells her that she feels nothing for him, he will leave her forever. Soledad says that was an act of weakness. Hugo responds that he doesn’t believe her. “Answer me honestly,” he says, “Don’t you love me?” (Don’t ask questions like that when you don’t know what the answer is going to be, Hugo.)
“You killed my love with your vengeance,” replies Soledad and leaves. Hugo looks up at Alcides who has overheard their conversation and he leaves too.

Michelle, Dr. Dan and Andres are having breakfast. Michelle feels sorry for Soledad. What happened at the fiesta is in all the papers. She also thinks Hugo is a good person in spite of all that has happened. Dr. Dan says that he hopes so since they are going reveal their secret to him. They need to be careful. San Marino is a dangerous town where his father was murdered. Dr. Dan says that he didn’t have a chance to tell Soledad that he is son of Dr. Chirac. Dr. Dan says that Soledad is beautiful and Michelle says that she sees that he likes her.

Hugo is at breakfast. Boris tells him that it was good that Alcides didn’t have him arrested. Hugo says that he would have been better off in jail. Boris doesn’t understand. Being locked up brings on a catalepsy attack. He would die. (This is starting to irritate me. A catalepsy attack won’t kill Hugo. He appears to be dead but eventually he wakes up. The danger is that someone will assume he is dead and bury him. Since lots of people know now that Hugo has catalepsy, that isn’t very likely.) Hugo tells Boris about the bet and that Soledad hates him and won’t see him. He asks about Marina. Boris lies and says that it was just a marital tiff. Hugo goes right back to his own problems and curses the stupid Plan of Vengeance.

Arturo and Hercu-less barge in and serve Hugo with a demand for restitution of their investment. Hugo says sure and sends Boris for the money. Arturo says that he and the investors want more than their investment. They want damages.

In the orchid garden, Soledad tells Ursula that she feels a burden has been lifted from her. She will go out on her own and get a job. Ursula says that Soledad still loves Hugo. Soledad replies that the previous evening she almost told Hugo the truth that he is the only man who will ever be her life. She vows to get him out of her heart. Eloisa slithers up and shows Soledad the newspapers stories about the fiesta. She offers her support to Soledad and says that she can count on her (gag).

Hugo yells at Boris to hurry up with the money. He wants the vermin out of his house. Boris comes back ashen. The money is gone! Hugo is impactado. It’s not possible. Arturo applauds and says that was a great performance. Hugo assures him that he will repay the money. Arturo says that if he and the investors don’t receive the money by noon, he will return and burn the house down. When Arturo is gone, Boris tells Hugo that he thinks Marina took the money.

We see that it was Paquito who took the money. He overheard Boris and Marina and went to Hugo’s house where they leave the doors open and large sums of money in unlocked armoires.

Alcides is making a withdrawal at Treasure R Us. He is doing this in broad daylight and the entrance to the treasure place appears to be right on the side of the house where those careless Obragons have never noticed it. Hauling his bag of treasure out, Alcides encounters Lucas. Lucas tells him to get out. Alcides asks Lucas to forgive his bad acts in the past. Lucas refuses. He sees Soledad in the distance and says how pretty he is. He also sees that Eloisa is at work. Soledad tells Alcides that she was clear that she doesn’t want to see him again. Eloisa pretends to support Soledad and yells at Alcides and gives him a couple of those fake slaps. Alcides says that he came to give Soledad her a summons to go to judge’s office. Soledad is curious. Alcides drives off in Vlad’s old donkey cart (it looks a lot like Enrico’s cart.) Couldn’t he get a better carriage with all his money?

Marina is sweeping at the top of that big flight of stairs into the Hacienda. Boris accuses Marina of taking the money. She insists she didn’t take it. Hugo says that his life depends on returning the money. He steps toward Marina saying, “If you have the money, please return it to me.” Marina steps backward and falls down the stairs. Dr. Dan arrives and takes charge.

Paquito tells Rebeca that he hasn’t seen Eloisa around. He believes that she is hiding something; Rebeca wonders where Alcides got all his money.

Los Burque are broke. Elena says she wants to work in mine but Guillermo says that a woman can’t work in the mine. She might have go back to robbery.

While Dr. Dan treats Marina, Michelle chats with Hugo. Hugo apologizes to Michelle about being rude her the previous day. She tells him who is Dr. Dan is and the story about her cure, the flower, etc. Hugo is excited and happy that there might be a cure for him and his daughter. Michelle tells him that they found the flower, too.

Dr. Dan examines Marina (it looks like he has a much more modern stethoscope than Dr. Max did.)

Eloisa overhears Antonia tell Ester that the orchid can cure catalepsy. (Nice going Antonia. You cause trouble when you speak and when you refuse to speak.)

Boris comes in and tells Hugo that Marina is ok but she lost her baby. Boris is destrozado. He and Hugo cry, hug each other and Hugo tries to comfort Boris. Boris says that Marina needs him and Hugo says to go to her. Hugo tells Michelle that Boris is more than faithful servant to him. He is his brother. Hugo blames himself for not being able to catch Marina before she fell (would have caught Soledad if she had fallen?)

Marina tells Boris that if he hadn’t brought her back to the Hacienda, she wouldn’t have lost her baby. It’s all Hugo’s fault.

Michelle tells Hugo that they found the flower at Soledad’s house. Hugo tells Dr. Dan that he is ready to have any tests that will help cure his daughter of catalepsy.

In a Darth Vader cape, Eloisa sprinkles an accelerant on the flowers and sets them on fire.

At the Judge’s office, Soledad asks why she is here. Alcides gives her a divorce decree and a waiver of the baby’s paternity. She is impactada. Alcides says that from today on, she is free and can follow her heart. The credits roll.

Tomorrow: Hugo’s back in jail and having a catalepsy attack.

Labels: la traicion

A lot happened in the show tonight, so corrections and additions are extra welcome.


We see Flo, squeaky-voiced from crying, telling her sister that she’s going to fight for Alex with everything she’s got.

Back at Casa Belmonte, Braulio is showing the lawyer up to Regina’s room and Alex comes into the foyer and tells Lina he wants to talk to her. He tries to get out of her who that guy was with Mili last night. Lina ducks and weaves and finally tells him she saw the guy but doesn’t know who he was. Lina takes off and Alex does a lot of blinking.

Regina tells the lawyer that she’s thinking that the 25% she had planned to leave Mili is too little and that she wants to make Mili her universal heir. I’m guessing that means Mili gets 100%. Regina says she wants to leave everything to her “daughter” – she wants to adopt Milagros. The lawyer smiles and Regina twinkles.

Mili in her little dress and low heels is in the crowded blacktop schoolyard kicking around a soccer ball with some of the guys. Mat the teacher/guy from Rodeo comes out and greets her warmly. Here comes Mat’s fiancée, Rocio – she gives him a big hug and smooch. He says not at school, but she says he’s such a wonderful fiancé and he spends all this time at this job he gripes about so much.

Now we get a quick bit of his backstory: (Yikes! Somebody help me out here! I don’t think I got all this and it’s important) I think he says that he would rather have worked with his grandfather at the despacho (practice?) but the grandfather insisted he teach. She points out that he started out teaching in a little village and now look where he is. She says the grandfather wanted him to make it on his own. Mat says times have changed, he graduated with honors, he’s a great lawyer, this is not the place for him. Still, he says gazing over her shoulder at Mili, today hasn’t been so bad.

Take me for a coffee, Rocio says. I want to hear how you behaved on your bachelor night out. We went to a restaurant and then to another, he says. Mili is still fooling around kicking the ball in the background. Rocio is thrilled that he’s such a great guy and can you imagine – we’re going to get married in a week! He gives her a little smooch and says he is counting the days! Hours! Minutes!

Regina is explaining herself to the lawyer, how she had lived closed in for all those years and how Mili made her smile again, how Mili loves her. The lawyer says that’s great, but to go as far as adoption? Regina says that way when she’s gone, she can be sure that neither Constancio nor anybody else can mess with Mili’s inheritance. Regina says she wants the will set up so that Mili gets it when she gets married. The lawyer, taken aback, asks why. Regina says because she wants Mili to marry Alex. They love each other! (Oh, noooo Regina, don’t do it! This is the kind of will that causes rivers of tears and untimely deaths in other telenovelas!) Here’s Regina’s plan: When Luci sees that the only way for Alex to get his money is to marry Mili, she’ll support their marriage. Please understand, she tells the lawyer, it’s my only way to give them their day.

Braulio knocks at Connie’s home office. He wants to know if Connie got to see what’s in the box. Connie says no, but what he’s really concerned with right now is Mili’s desire to buy her mother’s childhood home. Braulio points out that Mili’s not in a position to buy anything. Ha! says Connie. You must’ve been born yesterday. All she has to do is tell my mother, and my mother will give it to her as a gift. What I plan to do is to buy it myself before she can. Braulio says the house is just a thing, it’s not what she’s seeking. It’s her history, her family, that you don’t want her to know. I’ll think about it, says Connie.

Braulio leaves and Karla knocks. She vamps in in her little pink maid’s outfit and wants to know if Connie needs…. anything? Like the anything she offered in her room? No, he says brusquely, and certainly not with an employee. Know your place. You may go now. She swishes out. Boy, is that skirt short – plus it has a little ruffle at the bottom.

Braulio is escorting the lawyer down the stairs and Connie comes into the foyer. They exchange some pleasantries and Connie tries to find out why the lawyer is there – is his mother changing her will again? The lawyer mentions client confidentiality and then says he’s following Connie’s political career with interest. Connie says he hopes he can count on his vote. We’ll see, says the lawyer smiling big, and he leaves.

When Braulio comes back from the door, Connie asks him if he knows why the lawyer was there. Braulio says he doesn’t know, Connie’ll have to ask Regina.

Montage of Mili in several classes. She is a big class participant, hand up a lot, apparently running her mouth some too. But she seems to be really going for her studies.

It’s night and Mat and his friend are getting on their motorcycles. Mat wants to know if his pal has the papers he wanted. Was he able to find out the financial situation of Rocio’s parents? It wasn’t easy, they know how to cover their tracks, says the friend. They’re in financial trouble, says the pal, and you are a great deal for them as you stand to inherit your grandfather’s fortune. Mat says, he keeps threatening to cut me off. What are you going to do about Rocio? asks the pal. I don’t think she realizes their situation. I know you love her. I do, with all my heart, says Mat, but I don’t like the idea that she would marry me for money.

Mili is coming out and sees them and exclaims over the motorcycles. She’s not thrilled to see the pal. She says she really liked Mat’s class. He invites her for coffee and tells her to jump on. She’s reluctant at first and then admits she’s always wanted to ride on one.

Regina is in a lovely rich-lady nightgown outfit and Connie is trying to pry out of her why the lawyer was there. I never thought you were paranoid before, she says innocently, showing she can lie like a good Belmonte. Connie then guesses that it’s the house – is she buying it for Mili? I already bought it, says Regina, it’s a gift for her for starting her studies. Connie starts to get mad, but Regina tells him not to talk to her that way. He says he’s fed up with her messing around with Mili’s life – Mili will get used to things that her life can’t provide. That’s the point, says Regina, to get her used to those things that life hasn’t given her. What’s wrong with that? What do you care?

You’ve done it before and wrecked someone’s life, says Connie. You mean Rosario? asks Regina. No, she says, you’re the one who wrecked her life. Connie comes back with you’re the one who filled her head with fantasies of belonging to a world far above her, who gave her the idea that she could marry me. Regina retorts: I didn’t count on your being such a coward. Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t love her.

Let Mili lead her life, and you lead yours, says Connie, and leaves. Uh oh! Looks like Regina’s having chest pains again.

Whew! A nice, relaxing ad. There have been a lot of revelations in this first chunk of our show and it’s time for a refreshing beverage. That’s better.

Oh, good! A Val scene. She is alone in her room, in front of the mirror saying she’d die of shame. No, she wouldn’t, so there. It’s what she wants. She says she’s all nerves, so she’ll just keep her eyes shut. There’s a knock. Come in! Don’t say a word! Besame! she says, but doesn’t sing it. Besame mucho – come si feura esta noche la ultima vez. Ohmygawd, it’s Bobby. Her eyes are still shut and he has her in his arms. I knew you’d return my feelings, says Bobby. Her eyes pop open. Morgan appears at the door. Adulteress! he accuses, and leaves. She shoves Bobby off and calls after Morgan. Bobby says Que?


In the foyer, Connie is on his cell. He’s beaming and telling the person on the other end that they can count on his full support. He ends the call and Alex comes in and Connie berates him for not telling him the news. What news? asks Alex. What do you mean what news, it’s amazingly important! says Connie. Alex says he has no idea what Connie’s talking about. Connie says Flo’s dad Domingo was just on the phone proposing the merger of their two big companies. They could dominate the whole Latin American market. (Power-proud Connie doesn’t seem to consider that he might not be head of anything if his partner is a guy with a gun shoved in his belt.) Alex is stunned, but Luci who has overheard the last bit, is thrilled.

Connie says the whole thing hinges on Alex marrying Flor. Alex says no way. Luci tells him he has to whether he wants to or not. (This is the downside of being a handsome prince – political marriage to gain territories and make alliances.) Think of it says Connie – we could rule the world bwaaahhaaahaaa! But you are sacrificing my life, says Alex. You are sacrificing me!

That’s idiotic says Connie. No it’s not, it’s my life, says Alex. It’s idiotic repeats Connie.

Mili and Mat are in the café, having cake. She is licking her fingers and she asks him why he’s staring at her, ‘cause he’s making her nervous. He says he’s spent the whole time thinking of her – he couldn’t even sleep last night. What a treat it was to have her walk into his class! She says all that wind from riding the motorcycle seems to have blown his brain loose, because he’s supposed to be giving her a pep talk about studying. He says he’s serious, that she’s helped him make a big decision – he’s not going to get married.
Mili pitches and bucks; she doesn’t like where this is going. No, he says, I just want to be friends, I’m not coming on to you. She wants to know why not, is she maybe too ugly?

Mat mentions that professors aren’t supposed to mess in with students. Those are the rules. She says he seems like a type to break rules. Not me, he says, I’m a lawyer. Mili says at the Rodeo he didn’t give the impression of being a professor, much less a lawyer. I work with my grandfather who has a business, he says. Mili tries to fake that she is a business woman who buys and sells… stuff. Import/export, he asks? Something like that she says and then she says how great the cake is.

Back in the foyer the battle still rages. Connie raves about the great future; Alex says they are playing with his life. He asks his mother how she can support such an idea. He says look me in the eyes and tell me that a marriage for money and position can work. She gets his point. I love your father, she says. Alex takes off up the stairs, but he turns and tells his mother that the one thing he can’t stand is hypocrisy. Luci runs after him.

The Val/Bobby/Morgan story tumbles into the foyer where Connie still is. Morgan accuses Val of being in the arms of another man. Bobby and Morgan throw insults at each other. Connie tells them to stop, and what exactly are they up to with his daughter?

At Flo’s apartment, she is thanking her dad for being the very best dad in the whole world because he proposed the merger to Connie. But the dad says I don’t know that Alex is the best guy for you – he told you himself he doesn’t love you. But I love him! says Flo. Alex’s judgment has been clouded by that servant and he’s confused, but sooner or later he’ll realize I’m the perfect gal for him. Her dad sensibly points out to her that this is what happened last time. She got her husband to marry her, and then he cheated on her. Her dad doesn’t want to see her suffer like that again. She says she remembers, but she’s sure this time. I love Alex with todo, TODO mi alma. Dad looks skeptical – he knits his brow and we viewers all knit ours too because this girl is nuts.

Connie has Vale and the two would-be lovers in his office. Vale says she had her eyes closed, and… Connie says there are two guys and you have your eyes shut? Go to your room! Vale leaves. The guys fidget. Connie opens his desk and gets out a box and opens it. There are cigars inside and the guys are relieved – maybe they’ll all have a manly smoke together. Connie gets out a cigar and then some clippers. Do you realize these can be used for other things? I was thinking of rabbis, but Connie says if you guys go anywhere near my daughter, I’ll turn you into sopranos. How? innocent Bobby wants to know. Connie clips a big piece off the cigar. The guys grab their crotches.

Mili is back at the girls’ dorm and her pals are wondering why she got back so late. She says she got invited for coffee. Karla scoffs and says she’s going for a glass of water. Mili tells the pals that it was that guy from the Rodeo – he’s her philosophy prof. The pals tell her how Alex is jealous and is asking who that guy was at the Rodeo.

Regina’s lawyer is talking to none other than Mat, telling him that this lady client wants to adopt her servant, and that it needs to be very discreet. Mat says the family might react very badly. Exactly, says our lawyer. Please get the papers ready for me before your honeymoon. Mat looks serious. Abuelo, he says, I don’t want to get married. I found out her parents are in financial trouble and I have to think of my future. You don’t pay me what I deserve and the pay at school isn’t great. Our lawyer tells him that you have to struggle to get ahead in the world. Why, he himself started out teaching at a school in a poor pueblo and it brought him closer to people.

And that’s why you threaten me with leaving everything to charity? asks Mat. I want to see you grow into a man who does good, says his grandfather. You misjudge me, says Mat. No, I think I see who you are. You find out your fiancée isn’t as solvent as you thought and right away you want to cancel your wedding. It’s not about money, says Mat. Oh please, says the grandfather, I’m older and wiser than you. When we die, we have only what we’re wearing, nothing more. You don’t understand me, says Mat, you never have.

It’s still the same night and Mili is in the kitchen. Alex is there too in his T-shirt. He’s grilling her about that guy at the Rodeo – who was he? She yanks Alex around a bit, but won’t tell him.

Now it’s morning and Mili is sitting with Regina while Regina has her breakfast. Mili has her books on her lap and is doing her homework. They chat about Machiavelli and power. Regina tells her she has a surprise for her later and meantime, did Mili ever look in that box? Mili says no, she wants Regina to look in it with her. For reasons unknown, the box is sitting in Regina’s room. They tote it over to the bed for a better look.

Mat is in an outdoor café talking to his about-to-be ex. She is surprised he would investigate her family’s finances. He asks her if she knew about the problems. She said she knew her dad was having some worries, but she didn’t know it was that bad. Mat says well, then the wedding is off. If you would lie to me about something so important, what can I expect when we’re married?

They made me promise not to tell you. I thought it was temporary, something that would pass. (Hands up everyone who thinks she’s completely in the right on this one.) Mat asks if their family expected that he and his uncle would be responsible for her father’s debt. She says money has nothing to do with it – please don’t do this to me. Mat tells her that he wants to get married, but she’s not at his level and he has to look for a better candidate. You’re destroying me, she says, not even shedding a tear. He tells her he doesn’t want to see her again, then he lays down some money and says it’s for the bill with some left over for a taxi.

Vale wants to go shopping, but Morgan is scared to take her. Connie comes in and Vale asks him what he said last night. He says he was young once, and he understands how foolish young people can be. He will drive her. Bobby comes in and wants to talk to Vale, but Connie fingers the cigar in his breast pocket and Bobby decides he’s looking for Alex and runs off.

Mili and Regina have found some dolls in the box. Regina starts to have chest pains. Mili wants to call the doctor, but Regina says no, but Mili could help her to the bathroom. Braulio comes in, and sees the three dolls on the bed. He is overcome with joy– “our dolls” he exclaims. He calls them by name and holds them to him. Just then Mili and Regina come back into the room. Mili tries to snatch them from him, but he snatches them back. Regina explains that they’re the dolls belonging to Mili’s mother. Braulio hands them over. Aren’t they pretty? asks Mili. Precious, says Braulio.

Next they find some photos. Braulio gets nervous. There’s Mili’s mom as a little girl and they marvel at her brother – so skinny. Braulio is not pleased.

Our lawyer walks in to where Mat is working at a desk. He reproaches him – Rocio’s parents are friends of his. I know who they are says Mat, they are hypocrites. Oh, says the lawyer, the money leaves and the love leaves with it? You’re the hypocrite. You’re just as ambitious as your father. Leave my father out of it, says, Mat, may he rest in peace. You don’t know what you’re doing, says his grandfather. Yes I do, says Mat, I killed our engagement and it was premeditated. This is no time for jokes, says his grandfather.

Vale walks into the foyer and Morgan is so excited to see her he runs into her and she drops the package she’s carrying. Connie is with her and Morgan backs up quick. He apologizes and she fake tells him off and tells him to help her pick up the package. They both bend for it and she slips him a note. She goes off up the stairs, and Connie heads up the other flight, holding up his wrapped cigar to make a point with Morgan who trembles. Morgan uncrumples the note and reads “I’ll meet you in the park nearby in 20 minutes.” He sniffs the note happily.

Regina is walking in the house, trailed by Alex and Luci. Regina says she hopes they don’t mind she’s come down to eat with them. Of course not, says Luci, this house is yours too. Actually, this is my house, says Regina. I’ve gotten used to having company and now Mili is at school. Regina says she doesn’t see why Regina blows her money on educating that stupid girl. What can she learn? Alex says if you gave her the opportunity, you’d see how intelligent she is. I agree with my grandson, says Regina, you should get to know people more, and judge them less. Alex gives them goodbye kisses and the two ladies phony smile at one another.

Mili, dressed in her Carlitos outfit, is in a barrio street, kicking a ball around with the kid Gamuza. They sit down and she shows him the photo of her mother and uncle when they were little. She asks how his father is doing. He says not bad, he’s working, but he complains a lot. Mili tells him that she hasn’t been able to go to the convent to show the Sor the photo and could he run by and tell her to come to the house tonight. He says sure and they say a sweet goodbye.

We’re in the park. Vale is waiting by a tree and here comes Morgan. She calls out to him and they run bounding to each other slow mo, her hair bouncing. Pretty soon he boings up into some branches, and she trips on some dirt, but they end up in each other’s arms doing some slo-mo kissing. Freeze frame.

Avances: Alex is apparently outside of the school, telling Mat to leave Mili alone. She gets mad, he says he’s defending her. She says she doesn’t need it, she has someone to defend her and she takes Mat’s arm. There were some more avances, but I didn’t get what was going on.

Labels: guapos

Ahoy all, as always, please feel free to correct any errors, and there might be many considering my closed caption was bonkers tonight. Thank you.

Review from yesterday: Pastor tells Anga to be firm with Nidia, don't let her off the hook, no way Jose! Nidia gets angry, quits, and hangs up on Anga. CL rants that Paula will pay. Team Paula scowls at Faux-Sandro's flowers.


Paula tells Ivonne and Ana that Juan surprised her by announcing that Sandro is the best candidate and should be hired. She still wonders who Juan's mystery woman is, the one who is making him act unpredictably. Ivonne and Ana wonder too.

Anga tells Pastor he lost Nidia and it's all Pastor's fault! Pastor correctly observes that Anga should see a psychiatrist.

Nidia shares her revelation with Yadi...Anga only hired her so he could keep an eye on her. "Ya think?" asks Yadi, hiding her sarcasm.

Fer visits Ivonne. She asks how the interview went. He reports, and I paraphrase, that Paula busted his balls. He changes the subject to Ivonne. She becomes reflective and says due to her surgery she gained some things, Pau's friendship and his love, but she also lost things. She has an echo-y flashback of her doctor telling her she might never be a mother.

Back in the apartment of double vision CL orders more flowers for Paula, then insultingly commands Sandro to report to Farell the next morning with a good excuse why he sent the flowers. Sandro has an attack of nervous ticks and hopes he doesn't screw things up.

Welcome to a weird and uncomfortable meal at Las Dávila. Paula asks Fer if he's mad at her. Ivonne pipes up he's sulking about the difficult interview. Paula matter-of-factly states she was just doing her job. Then she becomes unnaturally nice and tells Fer he's a good employee with a good future at Farell. This just wasn't his time. She's interrupted by the sound of loud horns and a happy tuba.

Ana looks out the window - a serenade! "From Juan?" asks Paula, possibly hoping for a second visit from Pablo Montero. Surprise, it's Heriberto! Ivonne looks at Fer accusingly. How did Heriberto know she was there? Outside, an excited Heriberto nimbly prances along with the music. Not bad for a heavyweight.

Juan, dressed in his frilly apron, prepares dinner while Marely watches. She's surprised Juan agreed to hire Sandro because she thought Juan was jealous. Juan doth protest too much. She commands he look her in the eyes, does he love Paula? Is he jealous of Sandro? Juan turns away and pretends to fumble in the drawer. She accuses him of making up his mystery woman. Does she or does she not exist?

Juan formulates his response during the commercial. Yes the woman exists, he has been waiting his whole life for her! Marely's face falls but she powers on, "Why won't you tell the name?" Juan goes through a list of excuses and settles on, "She's famous, a big star." "In your dreams," says Marely, stalking out of the kitchen. We see that Juanito has been eavesdropping.

Heriberto is now completely jacked up and dancing next to the tuba. He's one with the tuba. Fer wants to go out and stop the noise but control-freak Paula insists she will go out. She's probably right, Fer would just make things worse. Drowned out by the cacaphony of the band Paula explains to Heriberto that Ivonne is very sick. She has a condition where she cannot listen to loud music or she will experience an allergic reaction that could be fatal! Heriberto stops the music to the relief of all but the band. Paula graciously bids Heriberto and the band adios as Tuba Man squeezes out a few final toots.

Nidia tells Juan she and Lorenzo share a platonic love. "Oh please," he says, disgusted. He scolds her for breaking up a solid marriage. She babbles, lamely excusing her behavior.

Fer rants about Heriberto and claims he will imbed his fist in his mouth. Ivonne cheerfully accuses him of being jealous.

As Juan tucks his son into bed Juanito asks if it's true that Juan is dating a big star. Juan tries to change the subject by scolding Juanito for eavesdropping, but the curious kid has a one track mind. "Is it true or not?" Juanito asks.

Paula verrrrry sweetly tells Fer goodnight and makes a last-ditch effort to find out where Juan goes when he disappears.

Pastor, reading Wuthering Heights and feeling sorry for himself, tells Ivonne (on the phone) that he is doomed to be unlucky in love. Ivonne tells him to have faith, he should go after Heriberto. (Seems like a lost cause to me but maybe she knows something we don't.) She keeps urging Pastor until he says maybe she's right. Heriberto could be lucky number three. After his first two strike-outs of Fer and Juan, "Heri" could be his hit and home run.

Pau continues pressing Fer for the chisme on Juan. She sidles up and sweetly says she's only concerned because Juan is her partner and friend. It's Laura, right? He says he can't tell her something he doesn't know. They make fake nicey-nice faces at each other because they know they are both full of it.

Yadi eavesdrops on Alirio and Nidia arguing about Anga. Nidia works her angle, does Alirio need a secretary at his practice? If he still needs her she'll call Anga first thing in the morning and tell him no thanks but she's going to help her husband. Yadi angrily bursts in.

Pastor finds Anga quietly crying on his bed watching TV. Anga blames his tears on the telenovela but Pastor knows Nidia is the cause. Pastor tries to cheer him up and says it's a genetic thing, they should be more optomistic and less tragic about love.

Yadi scolds Nidia, "For the love of God why would you work for this man?" She and Alirio sneer at each other.

Juan dreams that a lovely Paula knocks on his door. Fer the butler answers, but when he tells Paula that Juan is busy with his Mystery Woman Paula leaves with Sandro who has been waiting on the sidelines. They snuggle as they depart.

Meanwhile, CL recalls his lunch conversation with Paula. He drinks heavily and tells himself "You can't love her! It's hate, only hate you feel for her!" He angrily puffs his cigarette.

The next morning Yadi and Kike arrive at work. They have bad news, Nidia is not coming to work. Anga is stricken.

Next we have a rather Shakespearean scene of confused intent. Heriberto visits Pastor in his office. He gives a little wink and Pastor is hopefully delighted. Heri goes on about how much he looks forward to being close to Pastor. He's grateful that Pastor would be interested in him, a coarse rancher. He wants to become a polished businessman, more delicate like Pastor. Pastor is thrilled, lucky in love at last! Is Heri sure he wants to be with Pastor? They share a lingering handshake. Heriberto says he wasn't sure about the idea at first, but then he realized he wants to be with Pastor, to be near him. Pastor quivers and excitedly pops up and down in his seat. He jumps up and they share an embrace.

Pastor has cried through the commercial. Such happiness, such emotion. Heri has made him the happiest man in the world! "Really," asks Heri, "just by becoming your personal secretary?" Uh oh. "Que?????" asks Pastor, his world crashing down around him, "What are you saying?" The bitter truth reveals itself to Pastor, Heriberto is happy to be Pastor's secretary, nothing more. Heri, cheerfully babbling about his career plans, is oblivious to Pastor's heartache. Pastor can no longer listen, he wants to be alone. After Heri leaves Pastor weeps. "It's the same yet again, oh how lovely my little Fattie is," he sighs longingly.

Ivonne has cabin fever and decides to accompany Paula to work.

Yadi tries to cheer Anga up. What did he expect? He fired Nidia. Anga hoped that Nidia's needs would surpass her pride. Ah well, it's better that she not return.

Yadi has a business idea she wants to propose. Marely told her that ever since CL died Farell has lost many of its suppliers. They could make Farell an offer, thereby securing a lot of their merchandise to a regular client. Anga balks in order to add tension to the plot. Oh, and he doesn't like the idea of doing business with "those people". Yadi reminds him that CL is gone and he would be dealing with Juan. Anga looks interested and Yadi whips out her notes to show him the numbers.

Juan arrives at work, sees Fer, and drags him into his office. A lot of fast talking ensues. Juan has figured out a way to keep his Palomita in line. No, he does not intend to reveal that Laura is the mystery woman, not after seeing Paula's reaction to her. Fer points out that Juan has no other mystery woman lined up. Oh, but Juan says he does. First, he'll make the most of the office gossips because surely the rumor will explode. Today everybody at Farell is going to find out who the mystery woman that Juan Dominguez of Achichipico has at his feet! Hoo hoo! Fer looks sceptical and very worried.

Over at Juanito's school he and the other obedient children have set a trap for Topete. They quickly take their seats as Juanito holds the cord that will trip a bucket which sits above the doorway. He winks at Flor, his ardent admirer. The children pretend to do their schoolwork as they await their victim.

Fer tells Juan he's crazy, his idea won't work. He doesn't even know "that woman" (still a mystery to us). This detail doesn't worry Juan, what's important is that people think it's true. Now will Fer help him or not? Fer reluctantly agrees.

Ivonne arrives at Farell to the surprise of the office lizards. Julia can't figure out why Ivonne looks the same. No uplifted boobs or lipo? Ivonne kicks Julia out of her desk and takes her rightful place. Fer is thrilled to see her and gives her a public kiss.

Back at the school the kiddies are excited. Topete is coming! The Flight of the Bumblebee plays to heighten the anticipation. Topete enters and Juanito pulls the cord. The bright yellow bucket of sand pours over Topete...and the school Principal! Uh oh, cara impactada from Juanito who is in big trouble now.


Bufete = Lawyer's practice
Cumbres Borrascosas = Wuthering Heights
Incrustar = To imbed
Jonrón = Home run
Ni hablar del peluquín = No way Jose (Lit. Nor speak of the toupee)

Labels: Juan

This show is darn easy to recap.

• We start with Juan and Sofia at the Rag Fair (or the Jumble, is that what they call it in England?) touching hands every time she gives him another box of soccer balls to divvy up amongst the poor unfortunates.
  
  Sofia massages Juan's forearm happily, in front of everybody.
  
  A boy tells Juan "You're great, I saw you at the rodeo," and Sofia says, "Wow, see, they want to follow your example. But you left your prize behind." (Meaning that statue or whatever that he got for not falling off his horse or whatever.) Juan retorts subtly: "The prize I want I can never have. Never."
  
  [I want to point out that NUNCA and JAMAS, which each mean NEVER and together mean REALLY REALLY NEVER I MEAN IT, are overused in this novela. I am reminded of Wally Shawm, villain in The Princess Bride, who exclaims after witnessing each of his enemy's many successful parries: "Inconceivable!" Towards the end of the movie Inigo gently muses: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." --Ed.]
  
  
• At the Bad Love Bar, Rosario explains to Franco, using short words and patient repetition, that they can only be friends. He, sulking: "But I feel more than that." He tries to kiss her. She: "I have complications, I don't deserve you, I don't want you to be hurt. You are noble and pure..." [As she says this a goofy smirk spreads over Pablo Montero's face - he can't help it, he's just enjoying the hell out of these compliments. --Ed.]
  
  Rosario says she's not a good woman, he says she is, she yields to his rubbery kisses...
  
  ... and in stalk Furd and Moustache Guy ...
  
  ... and then they stalk out. [Fine work, director. --Ed.]
  
  Furd recognizes the unexpected, unwelcome smoocher as one of those bricklayers who aren't laying bricks for Furd and Sofia's little love-nest back at the hacienda. He tells Moustache to do what needs to be done.
  
  Moustache gets some thugs to beat up Franco. "Tonight marks your destiny forever!"
  
  
• Sarita rocks her poetry book and remembers chanting her favorite romantic poem in unison with with the very guy who is just now giving rubbery kisses to the Bonbon Assassin. Ingenuous Sarita is convinced that when Franco mentioned his Impossible Love, he meant -- her.
  
  
• Oscar shows up at the Trysting Tree; Jimena bounces out from behind it (why does Mommy let her dress this way?) and surprises him.
  
  He figures since he went to the trouble of combing his hair and washing his face she should put out; he suggests they go somewhere more private. She says, "We're fine right here."
  
  She gives him happy smiles and happy kisses. He: "I like you better than my horse!" She: "I like you better than my dog, but then, I don't have a dog." Eventually she realizes what he has in mind and says "I want to be with you but not that way! Adios!" She leaves.
  
  
• In the confessional Mommy confesses insincerely: "I can't stop thinking of that poor girl Libia - I should have helped her, but pain and rage confused me - I'm sure she was lying, he couldn't have deceived me, much less with a low-class girl like that."
  
  "Do you repent having treated her so badly?" She says yes. Father Tadeo, who has a bouffant wavy hairdo we've seen recently in another show, tells her to pray for Libia's soul. Mommy's thought-bubble: "I'll never pray for her, she and Bernardo, blegh, let them rot in hell!"
  
  
• Moustache and his thugs beat up Franco by a roaring fire, howling gleefully. The thugs give Moustache a little napkin to wipe the blood off his fingers. "Make him disappear, I NEVER want to see him again."
  
  All laugh and leave Franco unconscious or dead [which do you think?] by the unattended flames, what a fire hazard!
  
  Moustache barges into Rosario's dressing room. He reveals that he and Furd saw her kissing the hapless bricklayer. "We'll convince him, he'll never come back."
  
  Rosario's aghast: "What did you did?" "Ask Furd when he returns." Moustache locks her in. She begs the Virgin to keep Franco safe.
  
  Moustache comes back. The conversation is repeated. He leaves. Soon Furd comes in and initiates the same conversation as yesterday, threatening her mystery love child.
  
  
• At the Tomb of Constant Over-Acting and Recrimination, Juan (his filthy face indicating, as usual, strong feelings) emotes wildly, snarling with very white teeth while sobbing and explaining to his dead sister that he's profoundly in love with Sofia, etc. etc. "Love is not more important than vengeance! I will bury my heart in a darker, deeper tomb than yours! [A fine low note on the tuba is heard.]
  
  
• Oscar, on his bed, reviews his badly timed slimeball moves on Jimena and thoughtbubbles: "You please me! I feel so strange!" [Way to go, screenwriters.]
  
  
• Father Bouffy kisses Mommy's fingers and thanks her for her charitable work. Furd compliments her too, arriving refreshed from his duties as Thug Supervisor. Eva whispers to Jimena, "Don't think I didn't notice the way you escaped," but Jimena admits nothing.
  
  Eva tells Mommy she wants to stay in town a bit longer, she has errands. Mommy is about to say no, but the girls remind her it's Sunday, Eva's day off! So poor Eva doesn't have to get in the truck. She can do her errands.
  
  Furd, Mommy, and the girls pile in the truck. Furd thoughtbubbles: "Franco will never get near Rosario again." Mommy reminds Furd (and us) that she has decided to give over to him complete control of the hacienda.
  
  
• Back in the bedroom behind Bad Sanitation Bakery, Juan tells Oscar: "I'm late getting home because I went to the tomb and then to church." Oscar is impactado to hear the church part.
  
  They start to wonder where Franco is but assume he's at the Bad Love Bar with Big Boobs: "He says he's in love, and it's true, we don't rule our own hearts."
  
  
• Gramps scolds Furd and exposits with daring frankness. "Let's talk about the punch you landed on Sofia last night. You were always ambitious. After your family was ruined you came weaseling around here and gained Bernardo's confidence, then you went for Sofia - she never wanted you but you were always there - then you got my awful daughter on your side too - you married Sofia when she was in no condition to make such a decision. She doesn't love you, she never did, give her her liberty and do us all a favor, leave forever!"
  
  Gramps is perfectly cheery as he delivers this dangerous speech but behind his back Furd rehearses the simple move which would be required to push him down a staircase.
  
  Furd goes and tattles to Mommy. He suggests they do a surprise intervention and throw Gramps in the loony bin. They agree it's an excellent idea.
  
  
• The silly sisters do a tell-all. "I'm in love with Oscar, and Sarita is in love with Franco, and if you weren't married you'd be in love with Juan!" Sofia reminds them, and us, how repellent she finds Furd -- but "not all men."
  
  
• Eva uses her free evening to go visit the Scuzzy Scone Bakery. She begs the boys to lay aside their plans of vengeance. She repeats, Bernardo wasn't a bad man and he really loved Libia.
  
  They ask what happened, we see the coffin scene again. [I do think Libia could have been a little more politic. --Ed.]
  
  The boys decide Mommy was to blame for Libia's death. Eva repeats, no vengeance please, I'll have to blame myself if anybody gets hurt.
  
  Oscar, reassuringly: "We're not going to kill anybody." Juan: "Not yet." Eva: "What?" Juan: "We can't tell you, it's a super secret secret."
  
  Eva repeats, no vengeance please, Bernardo wasn't a bad man. She leaves. Her pleas have fallen on deaf ears: again with tomb, oath, vengeance. [I've decided to start using cut-and-paste more extensively. --Ed.]
  
  
• Gramps wheels himself into the girls' salon, bringing semi-pornographic postcards to cheer them up. [My TV is small but let's say these are Egyptian ladies dressed in no more than strategically draped cobras. --Ed.] He says these lovelies were his girlfriends and reminisces entertainingly.
  
  All is merriment until Mommy comes in. She glares, grabs the photos, tears them up. She decries the calumny of immorality she has happened upon; she yells: "Dad, you'll rot in hell like Bernardo."
  
  Sofia sticks up for Gramps and also for Libia. Mommy yells how dare you blah blah. Sofia dares, further, to point out: Bernardo wasn't just unfortunate in his dying, he was unfortunate in living such a loveless life. "He was so nervous those last weeks, I think he wanted to tell us about Libia, but he ran out of time."
  
  Furd: "Don't offend dear Mommy with talk of that hussy! That floozy who came to get money and then, when she didn't get any, committed suicide..." [All are impactada and he looks very pleased with himself.] ... that's how girls of her socio-economic class end up."
  
  Sofia is not convinced and suggests perhaps Bernardo did love Libia and maybe it was true that they were going to have a love child - and maybe they could have been happy together!
  
  The other girls stand like dummies. They are mighty glad they have Sofia to be the scapegoat. [I was the scapegoat in my family and my brothers were similarly quiet while I was taking a hit. --Ed.]
  
  Mommy is simply aghast: "You have torn a hole in my heart, you have done the worst possible damage, I have to go lie down." She sinks into bed with a lot of smudgy eye shadow to indicate distress.
  
  Furd: "I hope you rotten girls are happy, if you're trying to kill your dear mother this is just the way to do it." He leaves.
  
  The girls pray for Libia's soul.
  
  Furd sits at Mommy's bedside holding her hand. She: "What would I do without you? I see what you suffer at Sofia's side." He: "I love her blah blah." She: "She doesn't deserve you." He: "Only you understand me." She: "We two, you and I, we're such good people, yet life punishes us." He: "I tolerate Sofia for the good of all..." "Heaven will reward you." They hold hands and stare approvingly into each others' eyes. "Now go rest, dear Ferdinand." "Not until you are better, Mommy."
  
  Sofia enters and asks to speak to Mommy alone but Mommy refuses: "Just go! You do so much damage! I hope God forgives you because I can't!"
  
  Back in the salon, Gramps reassures Sofia: she was right to stand up for herself. The sisters say she's their shining example.
  
  
• Back at Cockroach Cafe, Oscar and Juan get a little more worried, it's not like Franco to be so late. "We gotta go find him." They go to the Bad Love Bar, where Rosario denies having seen him that night. They leave.
  
  Back at Begrimed-Bagels-R-Us, Oscar and Juan get a little more worried, it's not like Franco to be so late. "We gotta go find him." They go out. They don't find him.
  
  Back at Silverfish Central, Oscar and Juan get a little more worried, it's not like Franco to be so late. "We gotta go find him." "I think Rosario was lying. Let's go find him."
  
  The nigh-endless loop is ended by the sound of shattering glass as Franco, bloodied, falls in through the door.
  
  
• Sofia decides to make a big change. She moves out of the bedroom she had been sharing with Furd into her own room.

Tomorrow: more of the same.

Labels: Fuego