Caray, Caray!

EPISODE #44:
* Ceci leaves the limo and walks along the street.

* Steffie talks with Padre as they leave the church.

* Ceci in the rectory hall, talks with the cleaning lady who tells her that Padre and a lady just left.

* Isa finds Padre, Steffie and Martirio outside and puts on a dramatic act to get Padre to leave for help. He leaves. Isa then tells Steffie and Martirio about Ceci going inside the church.

* Gabe sits with Lety and tells her that her suspicions are true - that Gus is indeed having an affair, and the lady he is having it with is none other than Viviana. Lety is impactado.

* Padre brings a doctor over to Isa on the sidewalk. Steffie runs off for some medication.

* Amador and Chuy talk at a elegant glass table about the restaurant party tonight. Amador says that she will be the envy of everyone there.

* Video sequence: Chuy riding her bike in the city, Chuy kayaking, Chuy and Cuate painting her room at Pat and Ceci's house, etc.

* Lety is hyperventilating as Gabe tells her about Viv's plan to get her out of the picture and to steal Gus away from Lety. Lety faints. Viv appears in the room, acts really concerned. Gabe doesn't buy the act and tells her to get out now, that Viv's now enemy of the whole family. Viv refuses to leave. Gabe actually has to grab her and throw her out of the room.

* Viv thought bubbles to self in the hallway.

* Gabe returns to check on Lety who has regained consciousness.

* Chuy visits Cande at the laundromat/apartment. Cande is excited; she dances and sings around the apartment when Chuy explains her acting job and the paycheck she will be receiving. Chuy presents Cande with a large bag - surprise gifts! Cande is impactado and smiling as she takes out her new blanket and then her new sparkling skirt with matching skirt. Chuy then explains her own new dress, and the press photo op and the dinner she will be attending tonight.

* Beatris meets with JM and Ed in JM's office. JM explains to Ed that Beatris is pregnant. Beatris says that she will be keeping her baby. JM agrees to treat Beatris; after the session tonight, they will go out to dinner (and JM includes Steffie in this plan).

* In the entry, Viv meets with Gus. Gus tells her to leave the house immediately and not to return. Viv tries to seduce him into a deal. He grimaces.

* As Isa and Steffie sit on the sofa, Ceci tells Pat about her day - all the visits she made today, except for Padre who wasn't at the church. Isa chokes. Steffie receives a phone call - it's JM inviting her to dinner. She excitedly accepts and then happily announces it to Pat, Ceci and Isa.

* Amador and Purita enter the apartment. Cande gives him the lecture about how to treat Chuy. Chuy then comes out - all dressed up with curls in her hair, earrings, the dress and heels. Amador admires her beauty (like a wolf about to drool over dinner).

* Gus yells at Viv and blames her for Lety's health condition. Viv tries to threaten him. He isn't scared - he's more concerned about his wife and won't hesitate to report to the police how Viv tried to kill Lety with the medicine. Viv skulks away.

* Chuy talks about her perfume and lets Amador sniff behind her ear. Cande is disgusted and sits down as Chuy and Amador leave. Alone, Cande and Purita talk, laugh, dance and sing.

* Ed, Beatris and JM wait in the entry for Steffie. Steffie comes out - they leave for the restaurant.

* Viv thought bubbles to herself about Gus' threat and how on earth can she save herself and avoid jail time. (She obviously wore out her welcome.)

* Mayita is lonely and goes to visit Granny in fantasyland. Granny talks about Mayita needs to go to bed. Mayita convinces Granny to sing to her. As Granny sings, Mayita starts to yawn. Granny takes Mayita back to bed. Mayita falls asleep; Granny disappears; Mayita has sweet dreams.

* Amador and Chuy arrive at the restaurant. Chuy clomps her way to the table, and they sit down. Ladies at another table start to gossip about Alejandra Robles - Amador's new discovery. As the press move towards the table, Amador and Chuy have to stand up. Just then, Steffie, JM, Ed and Beatris arrive inside the restaurant. Steffie can't help herself and blurts out to JM about Amador and Chuy being there. Steffie stares daggers in Amador and Chuy's direction. JM is impactado and speechless. JM, Steffie, Ed and Beatris are seated at their table. JM continues to stare at Chuy and Amador posing for photos. Chuy looks over at JM.

* In the local park, Purita and Adrian talk. He's really sad and frustrated by Chuy. Purita tries to cheer him up. Adrian is excited and asks if she talked with Chuy yet about what he asked her to do. She's impactado.

* Steffie, annoyed by JM's staring at Chuy, asks JM if they should go somewhere else. JM says no; he now knows that Chuy is with Amador and is Amador's problem to deal with.

* At the table, opposite side of the room, Amador and Chuy talk about JM being their with his old fiance Steffie. Chuy gets annoyed with Amador over the topic of JM and wants to stand and leave. Amador reminds her of all the press at the restaurant. Chuy sits down and scoffs. JM has been staring at them the entire time.

* Adrian urges Purita to tell him what Chuy said. Purita finally blurts out that Chuy doesn't love him. He's impactado.

* At the hospital, Vicente wheeled himself to Rocio's bedside. She's still bandaged and upset over their accident. They promise to visit each other as often as possible. He's upset and thinks he will never walk again. She tries to cheer him up about his operation and that he will walk again.

* Chuy is uncomfortable at the table. Amador gives her encouragement on her NEW life as an actress.

* Steffie and Beatris talk about Chuy and Amador together. Steffie makes a toast with Ed and Beatris. JM is in his own little thought bubble, as he stares at Chuy and Amador.

* Gus talks with Lety in the bedroom. She's really upset and disgusted. He has to explain to her that the affair with Viv meant nothing to him. He loves her. She doesn't believe him. He gets on his hands and knees to beg, grovel and apologize.

* Flamenco dancers on the stage at the restaurant. Amador and Chuy toast to their successful evening.

* At his table, JM continues to stare at Chuy. Steffie, quite annoyed, asks if he's going to stare at Chuy all night long. JM says no, and asks her to dance. Steffie accepts. JM and Steffie go to the dance floor. Ed talk with Beatris about Amador.

* Chuy stares at JM and Steffie dancing. Amador notices and takes Chuy to the dance floor. The two couples are slow dancing in close proximity to each other; with Chuy and JM staring at each other, Steffie glaring, and Amador grinning like the wolf he is.

* Purita and Adrian continue their talk about Chuy. Purita reveals that Chuy only thinks about Adrian as her brother; that she only loves one man and that isn't Adrian. Adrian is impactado. Purita apologizes for being blunt and leaves.

* JM and Chuy continue to flirt with their eyes as they dance with their respective partners. As Chuy and Amador get too close, JM becomes jealous, stops dancing with Steffie and grabs Chuy to break her away from Amador the wolf king. JM tries to pull her away; she tries to get away from him. JM wants her to leave with him now. Amador comes over to defend his date -- and keep a scandal from ruining the evening.

* Rocio reminds Vicente about their past promises. She feels so depressed over her scars and the accident. Vicente has to console her and leans over to kiss her. She asks him to leave. He says he wants to stay, to comfort her and wait until she falls asleep. She lays down and closes her eyes.

* Lety cries about her hurt and disgust over Gus and Viv's affair. He apologizes to her, says it was his moment of weakness. She's disgusted that he would use his being a man as his excuse. He continues to apologize and wants to make it up to her. Lety listens. He gets on his knees. She believes his sincerity and will give him another chance.

* Amador and JM have a brief staredown; then Amador tactfully allows JM to have some time with Chuy. Chuy asks Amador what to do. Amador says your Alejandra the actress now, so act the part. Amador takes Steffie back to the dance floor, as JM starts to slow dance with Chuy.

ADVANCE: JM had enough and drags Chuy from the restaurant. Outside, She fights and bites his knuckles. JM plants a long, passionate kiss on her lips and she seems to melt.

Labels: Cuidado

*sniff* my final QE recap – I’ll be taking over Fridays starting next week with Tontas. QE has turned into a very fun show in the second half of its run, so I’m sorry to see it go. I hope Tontas is a worthy follow-up.

Sara screams at Lorena that she’ll get even, even as she’s being led away in handcuffs. Lorena says whatever. Sara screeches at the cops to let her go, she starts kicking them and everything. I expected them to ‘accidently’ bump her head on the door when they put her in, but no. She screams at Lorena as the car drives away. She is completely off her rocker.

Hort apologizes to Santiago for running him off that day he ran into her before, perhaps she could have warned him about Sara. Santiago says no matter, Fafy died as he lived, perhaps it was destiny. Oh what’s this – is Santiago hitting on Hort? And is she liking it? He asks to see her and she says that so long as Fafy isn’t the subject of the entire conversation, she’d be glad to. Whoa didn’t see THAT coming.

Felipe finds Paty crying over an onion, she tells him that Vasco dumped her. Felipe wastes no time in complimenting how smart, noble, and pretty she is. Well, that wraps it up for those two.

Sara is brought into the police station with news cameras crowding around her. She acts nuts, that won’t help her out later. Omar watches on TV in his lonely room and says “finally!”

Ernesto shows up at the police station with about 20 people with him, all of the regular cast members, he wants to put the video he took as evidence against Sara. Somehow they all arrived before Sara, even though she was in a car with lights and siren blaring. How did that happen? Did they use the flue network? (Sorry Harry Potter nerd digression there) Hort says she wants that video to also be evidence in a different case, the charge of attempted murder because she tried to kill Hort herself. Sara is now brought through the main room (which would never ever happen in real life) and issues threats and general ranting. Elfin lawyer Joel tells the investigator “See? See how she is?” The investigator nods solemnly. Lorena tells Sara to keep talking, it will make convicting her that much easier. Sara swears to get out of jail. The guards leave her alone in the cell area with the meanest female guard ever, for the first time ever Sara is actually scared. I like this guard.

Over dinner, Zulema and extended family hope Sara will be found guilty of everything so she never gets out of jail. Vasco and Diana announce that they are together again, and for forever this time. The phone rings, it’s Omar, she hands the phone off to Lorena. Omar thought for a minute Zulema would talk to him, but no. He saw everything on TV and wanted to talk about it.

In the other room, Hort tells Zulema that she must still love Omar. Here we go – another “Love solves everything” speech. If only that were true. Oh well on TV I guess it’s true. Zulema says yes but that doesn’t mean she should forgive him. Hort wants Zulema to take him back, Zulema isn’t convinced. Hort says to start over from the beginning. Zulema now looks like she might think about it. Hort begs. Somehow she seems to convince her.

Hort and Zulema sing a song to Lorena, but it isn’t her birthday. I don’t quite catch what they tell her, is it the anniversary of her finding out that she is really Zulema’s daughter, or what? Somebody help me out please, thanks. Anyway, Lorena makes a wish and blows out the candles, and the sound of her doing that makes me think she spit all over the cake. Gross.

Sara rots in jail. She still has fresh makeup and hair, but at the lesser house it is the next morning already. She daydreams about Alonso. She swears vengeance against Lorena. Yes, again.

Oh I guess today is Lorena’s REAL birthday, not the birthday she got at the orphanage, which was the day she was dropped off. They discuss a party.

Rosy and Maruja set the table and are arguing about something, but I’m not sure what. Lorena calls and invites them over for the party later. Rosy wants to know who is invited, meaning Ern and Alonso of course. Lorena says just family. Rosy says she knows what she’s bringing, and calls Ern. Julian overhears, then he runs to Jaime to explain the whole thing. He wants to tell Alonso about Ern, so Ern doesn’t have an unfair advantage.

Ern tells the kids he’s going to Lorena’s pueblo to get something. They celebrate at the mere mention of her name.

Alonso thanks Julian for the news and invitation. Jeez these meddling relatives. Toribio is excited about the party and starts rambling on and on about stuff.

Zulema, Lorena, Diana, and Hort enjoy some champurrado. Lorena smells it and correctly guesses the secret ingredient. Turns out she has figured out all of Zulema’s secrets. The conversation of course turns to which guy she will pick, they analyze each guy’s zodiac sign.

Sara thinks the jail food is horrible. The public defender shows up to talk to her, she acts like a total bitch to him (yeah I know, what’s new, right?). He wants to know the truth about everything so he knows how to defend her. She needs to also be ready to plead guilty or not guilty. She wants him to leave, but he says they need to talk.

Zulema instructs her helper on what to buy and set up for the party later. Helper leaves. The doorbell rings, Zulema thinks it’s helper of course, but also of course, it’s Omar. She doesn’t welcome him. She says Lorena isn’t home, she’s at work. Omar wants to talk to Zulema. Zulema doesn’t want to listen. He isn’t here to ask for forgiveness, he wants to offer something. He wants to register Lorena with her true name and with the true names of her parents. Then Omar says he won’t fool himself any longer, it’s obvious Zulema won’t ever forgive him, so maybe the best thing to do is get divorced. I see what he’s doing here – he’s going to put the pressure on Zulema now. She either asks him to come back, or they get divorced. She invites him in to wait. Omar asks if he can see Saulito, Zulema says sure, she’ll go get him.

At the company’s kitchen, they all celebrate Lorena’s birthday and drink out of orange and yellow plastic cups. Classy.

The guard takes off Sara’s cuffs and puts her back into her cell. The lawyer says that he can’t get her out of the charges, all he can do is try and minimize the damage. Sara cusses at him and tells him to leave. She says to herself that she has to get out of jail somehow.

Omar enjoys a little visit with Saulito. Zulema is emotional watching them together. The helper returns, in record time. She’s been gone for five minutes.

Toribio discusses the plan for later with Paula, Bettina, and Raimundo. Will Alonso propose later? Toribio says Alonso should just ask her and if it spoils the party, whatever. It’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Raimundo says in that case – he plants a big kiss on Paula – he is going to marry Paula and won’t take no for an answer.

Arturo plays solitaire on his computer. His mami gives him some nasty brain drink, he doesn’t want it. Now he has a new idea, movies! He’s going to sell movies. Bootleg movies. On the street corner. And the money to start? He’s going to sell the house.

Toribio tries to backtrack from what he said, but doesn’t succeed very well. Paula doesn’t get a chance to answer, finally Rai gets down on a knee and proposes properly. Paula says yes and the whole family looks really happy. Must be Ultimos Capitulos, with nobody looking regretful, worried, or conniving.

Mami is not happy about Arturo selling the house, to which he says “what you have no confidence in me?” WHY SHOULD SHE? She won’t back down on the house, so he threatens to leave. Of course she caves and agrees to sell the house. Wow these are the two stupidest people on earth. As he thanks her, they share an inappropriate and very creepy hug. How did this guy ever land Valeria. It’s a crime against humanity. Speaking of, where is Valeria? It’s a conspiracy to keep her out of my episodes, I’m sure of it. Maybe it’s for the best, otherwise I might spend a few paragraphs writing love notes to her and that’s probably not a good idea. Let’s move on.

The ladies set up the party at the lesser house. Lorena shows up and accepts whistles and cheers for her dress. It is a nice dress, but looks like something a middle aged woman should wear, it has zero sex appeal. Zulema gives her a present of a necklace with a picture of the virgin on it. Some others show up, Felipe, Barbara, the sous chef from work. They give her presents. Vasco says wait wait, I have something! He brings in a plant, some ecological message I’m sure. Paty shows up too with a gift. Everyone is here except for the dueling galans. Omar walks in and silences the room. Lorena gives him a hug, Zulema actually invites him in this time. Together they give Lorena her new birth certificate, with her real name, Lorena Armendariz Ruiz. Hortensia is overcome and starts crying. It actually is quite emotional.

Alonso and family drive towards the house. Toribio is preparing his speech to ask for Lorena’s hand, at this Alonso pulls over and tells him no way. They proceed.

Omar says he’s going to leave now, Lorena begs Zulema to let him stay. Zulema says he doesn’t need her permission, this is his house. She can’t stay mad any more, she loves him, she wants to start over. Diana and Julian each welcome him back in turn, there are lots of tears. I’m sure a lot of you discovered your TV rooms getting a bit dusty as well.

Now we see ANOTHER car, this is Team Ern on their way to Lorena’s house.

Julian/Jaime and then Rosy/Maruja each worry that their chosen galan won’t show. Alonso arrives first, with family in tow. Julian is excited, Rosy rolls her eyes. Alonso gives her a cookbook. Jaime asks Julian to put on some music, then criticizes his choice of mariachi music. Julian says it isn’t him, the music is outside! Of course this is Team Ern, arriving just in time to c*ckblock Alonso. Now Rosy lords over Julian. What a way to ruin a birthday. They are all so concerned that their chosen galan wins that they are willing to set up a duel in the middle of the party.

Valeria! She is sitting in Alonso’s office, she picks up his coat and sniffs it. Oh Valeria, don’t break my heart. She remembers Alonso telling her how great she is when he was at her house. Boss lady comes into the office and Valeria hurriedly puts the coat back on the coatrack. Boss lady tells her about some special course at some other hospital in town, but Valeria thinks handling the kids will prevent her from going. Boss lady says she needs to figure something out, to think about her future.

Lorena looks very 1970s now. I see what Ern went to get, he brought at least one of the nuns. Zulema and Omar talk happily in the kitchen. She asks him one thing – to love her. Bettina runs into Ivan and they get snippy at each other. Felipe and Paty dance together, turns out they both love dancing, he tries to suggest going out dancing. Lorena and Ern start to dance. Lorena’s 70s hair is really bugging me. Toribio tells Alonso to get over and get Lorena’s attention himself! The little nun says don’t worry, I’ll take care of this – she goes to dance with Alonso herself. I guess the nun prefers Ern. Toribio turns down the music and wants to say something – Alonso manages to stop him. Lorena instead thanks everyone for coming and says how happy she is. For the first time ever, she has everything. Ivan with Ern, and Bettina with Alonso, keep trying to prompt the galans into proposing. Toribio chickens out of his speech and the music starts up again. Lorena is an idiot for thinking these two guys will just happily co-exist like this.

Sara in jail talks to the empty room and swears vengeance on Lorena again.

Lorena says goodbye to Team Ern and they all leave. She then thanks Team Alonso for coming. Alonso stops on the way out, but then just smiles and leaves. Lorena follows him outside. Alonso asks if she knew Alonso got invited, she says no. He says he thought maybe Julian calling him was a sign that she was ready to move forward with him. Ern walks up and says he thought the same thing about him. The pissing match ensues. The guys puff their chests out and mildly insult each other, Alonso accuses Ern of using the kids as a ‘good guy’ front. Lorena says “hellooo I’m right here!” She says if they are going to act like this, she won’t get together with either one of them. So basically she is just admitting that there is an open competition. Is she keeping it up to inflate her ego, or what?

Mean prison guard cuffs Sara again, the lawyer says she’s getting moved to another location or something. I didn’t catch why. Then the most ridiculous thing in the world happens – she is in the back of a cop car, next to a detective who has his gun tucked into his pants, right there next to Sara. Of course he’s staring out the window. She grabs the gun and shoots the guy, then shoots the driver. Wow she really is crazy. The car careens off the road and ends up upside down on the hill off the side of the road.

At the lesser house, Lorena discusses with the nuns how Sara is now locked up and can’t do any more harm. Yeah right.

The back window of the upside down cop car breaks out (another bit of ridiculousness, those windows are bulletproof) and Sara’s hands reach out – she’s alive!

Preview – Sara somehow finds a car, some clothes, some makeup, and keeps the cop’s gun and waits outside Lorena’s house to start shooting people.

Labels: enemiga

Here's my quick recap of this episode. Since most of it consisted of "watching" Marichuy’s performance in Pygmalion and everyone's reactions, there wasn't a whole lot of new plot development..... (If I missed anything important, please add it to the comments. Thanks.)

Marichuy’s watching the show with the people from the barrio, as bowls of popcorn are being passed around, the Televisa opening appears and the opening credits run.....starring Alejandra Robles. Juan Miguel shows up during the beginning of the show; Marichuy demands to know why he’s there and he says to see her. She says she’s busy, but he says he’ll wait. Much to Adrian’s frustration, MC agrees to step outside to talk to him. Juanmi says he's there to find out from Marichuy what exactly was the nature of her relationship with Amador. He can only conclude that it was rehearsal and not something developing romantically between them. Marichuy, still hurt, does not answer the question. Juanmi says perhaps he was mistaken and this sets MC off. Yeah, he’s mistaken…her words make it sound like what Juanmi suspsected orginally was true, but her tone says the opposite---there's nothing going on with Amador. She spouts out words in her rapid-fire way about how she denounced him to the judge to help Onelia take away Mayita and about her being a lowlife, shameless crook, etc. She leaves him with this and he’s very frustrated. He sits down on the filthy steps, at a loss for words, not knowing now how to proceed and not being too quick to pick up on the loaded sarcasm and bitterness in Marichuy's tone.

The show continues on and the reactions from everyone are as expected……Ceci was impressed with Marichuy’s talent, as was Patricio. Stefi and Isa acted as if they weren’t impressed, but they were. Stefi’s jealousy was palatable. Isa says that really MC's just being herself, not acting at all, it is just the fancy outfit she’s wearing. Beatriz watches as she wanders the streets, lamenting over the demon seed she carries inside---how MC took Amador and now her child will be fatherless (not MC’s fault, I might add, but so often women don’t place blame where it is due-the men who stray). Mayita and Balbina watch together, and both enjoy the performance. Cuate, too enjoys, as he barks his excitement at 'watching' MC on TV. The barrio crowd is pleased to see one of their own doing so well and Adrian is left speechless. Purita could tell by his reaction that her chances with him are nil as long has he continues to be hung up on Marichuy. Padre Anselmo tells MC that he did not know she had such hidden talents. They light off fireworks and a party begins—food, music, and dancing. Cande even gets PA to dance.

Juanmi arrives home to find Stefi waiting for him. She asks where he was and he just answers out. She wants to know if he caught the performance and he says he saw from the middle to the end. He admits he was impressed; MC is a born actress he adds. This obviously bugs Stefi.

Marichuy takes off on her own and spends some quiet time alone. It doesn’t last long, because Amador shows up to puff up his ego some more about how he “made” Marichuy. He hugs her roughly and goes on about how she’s his. He pleads with MC to not abandon him and she questions this. He says that other directors and producers will want to work with her, but they are a team. There is no stopping them, her the great actress and him the great director. He tells Mari that tomorrow the ratings will come out and they’ll find out how well they did. MC rolls her eyes and finally gets him to leave.


The next day, Stefi pours over the newspaper reviews of MC’s acting debut. Israel shows up at the table and gives her a flower and a little gift. Stefi questions the gift and he says it is something for her to look at and remember him. Before she can open up the gift, Ceci shows up at the outdoor breakfast table. Stefi hides the flower and gift and acts as if nothing’s going on with her and the chauffer. Ceci tells Israel to get the car ready and she tells Stefi she’s going to run some errands, including a stop at the orphanage to meet Padre Anselmo. Stefi is concerned and watches as they drive awa. Isa meets Stefi out on the front patio and Stefi tells her aunt that their jig may very well indeed be up.


Amador (petting his wolf dog—who’s at his office) finds out that the ratings were high and he’s ecstatic. Juanmi shows up at Amador’s office and wants to know what’s going on with MC (if he didn't get a straight enough answer from MC, what makes him think that Amador is going to set him straight?). Is Amador interested in MC as an actress or as a woman? Amador answers that he’s interested in her as both. JM pushes for more info--- that encounter he witnessed between them was just rehearsal, right? Amador blathers on about how the line between acting is blurred, great actresses become one with their character, blah, blah. He then points to the papers and what a raging success Marichuy is and he emphasizes that he was one one who created that. Juanmi says that he’s not going to allow Amador to hurt MC. Amador mentions that Juanmi’s already done that. JM gets even more ticked off and shoves the newspapers off of Amador’s desk. JM says he won’t allow Amador to follow his whims and then end up abandoning MC like he did with Beatriz. Amador says that MC is a free woman and successful because of him. JM reminds him that MC is still his wife and then he leaves.

Stefi gets to the orphanage before Ceci and she arranges to get PA to leave under the pretext that her aunt is outside and not feeling well and needs some assistance. Ceci arrives and is disappointed to hear PA left. Without any idea of how long he’ll be gone, Ceci decides to leave.

PA gets a doctor to take a look at Isa and Stef stalls him some more by taking the prescription to get filled and leaving PA with Isa. They return back to the church and Stefi sees that Ceci left. She smiles in her success.

Amador and Marichuy wander around the Televisa corridors. He tells her that for publicity purposes, they will be hitting the town that evening. He gives her a wad of money and tells her that she’ll need some new clothes for their evening out. MC is astonished at the amount and has flashbacks to when she gave money to the kids at the orphanage. Amador insists she spend the money on clothes and he reminds her that it is only an advance; she’ll have more money coming. They go shopping.

Over in Spain, Leticia is taken to her bed and she lashes out at her children and her husband. Gustavo decides that she needs to learn the truth and Gabriel says it is best if she hear it from him. He goes and tells his sister-in-law that Viviana’s been pursuing Gustavo, but nothing’s happened between them. Leticia’s upset to realize the betrayal of her friend and she faints. END OF EPISODE

Vocabulario
agasajar- to smother with attention
disfraz-costume, fancy outfit
disparate-nonsense
entrometido-meddling
espuma-foam
grifo-faucet
nato/a- born
palomitas- popcorn
papel- role, part (in cinema or theatre)
pertenecer-to belong to someone or something
quincena- two weeks, a fortnight, a pay period
tómbola-charity raffle, game like bingo

Labels: Cuidado

DB tells the bound and gagged Chepo that she is going to kill him by impaling him and he will die slowly begging her for mercy, etc. etc.

Santos and Gonzalo have a beer in a bar. Gonzalo is sorry for the mess he's gotten Santos into. He asks how Santos got released so quickly. Santos mentions Luisana and Gonzalo understands. Gonzalo says that sooner or later they will find out that he and Santos are old friends. Santos says he hasn't done anything that they can accuse him of. Gonzalo says that Santos is naive.

Antonio goes after Cecilia and Lorenzo. After he has gone, Marisela tells the three Altamira vaqueros that this is all the fault of "that pig face" (la cara de marrana esa). The three vaqueros hastily make excuses to leave the table and Marisela watches them go curiously.

As they wait to board the boat to San Fernando, Lorenzo has doubts about marrying Cecilia. He is concerned that Marisela is so opposed to the marriage and that Cecilia really loves Antonio. Cecilia says that Marisela will come around and although she does love Antonio, she loves the baby inside her even more and she needs to give the baby a stable home with a good father. Lorenzo points out that he hasn't been a good father and is not likely to live until the baby is born. Cecilia says that they will see what happens. She says that she does love Lorenzo in lots of ways other than sexually. Lorenzo says that it is up to her if she wants to go ahead with this. Cecilia says that she does want to do it but she looks wistful as the boat heads away from the riverbank.

Santos tells Gonzalo that if he continues to fight against the government here, all that will happen is that he and his comrades will be killed. He advises Gonzalo to flee while he still can. He can come to Altamira and Santos will help him get over the border. Gonzalo refuses. Santos says that violence isn't the right way to effect change. "What is the right way?" asks Gonzalo.

With the terneras and Melesio, Marisela considers the possibility that her aunt will now be her stepmother. She doesn't think this will end well.

Melendez has found out that Santos and Gonzalo were at school together. He wants Chepo to go to the hotel and get information but his lieutenant says that Chepo hasn't shown up. Melendez tells him to find Chepo.

Melquiades and DB transport Chepo out of the rooming house in a large box. Melquiades loads the box into a truck. As he is about to leave to go back to El Miedo, the secret police arrive looking for Chepo. DB and Melquiades leave without being observed. However, DB and Melquiades have made themselves conspicuous in the place and the other residents describe them to the police.

DB goes shopping.

Santos is meeting with an engineer in a restaurant about having a study done to see what would be involved with building a highway to Progresso. In comes DB and from the very beginning, she embarrasses Santos. She uses inappropriate language. She speaks too loudly, is too affectionate. Then bad goes to worse when Luisana and two friends come into the same restaurant. It turns out this restaurant was a favorite of Santos and Luisana when they were together. DB is annoyed that Luisana is looking at their table and wants to confront her. Santos tells her not to.

The secret police raid the 'safe' bar when Gonzalo met Santos and arrest the members of the group there including the bartender who knows all about where the group meets.

Melendez keeps hearing about a beautiful woman who was at Chepo's rooming house and was with Santos. He can't believe it could be DB since Chepo told him she was dead. "It can't be," he says, "I'm sure it's not her."

In the restaurant, Luisana sends a bottle of champagne to Santos' table. When Santos won't let her send it back. DB takes the bottle, opens it and pours it on Luisana. Santos comes over and says to DB, "Aren't you tired of making me look ridiculous?" Luisana asks Santos to control his savage peasant woman (campesina salvaje). Santos has to physically restrain DB. Santos and DB are asked to leave the restaurant. "He's mine, he's mine!" yells DB as Santos apologizes for her and hustles her out.

Santos takes DB back to the hotel and leaves her there. He is furious and wants to be alone to think. She sees Melendez' men stake out the hotel.

Antonio almost kills his horse trying to get to San Fernando.

DB sees Melendez and his men arrive at the hotel. She says that she has to flee. She is too late to go down the stairs and runs back to her room.

Cecilia and Lorenzo are in a judge's office and he starts the ceremony. Cecilia fantisizes that Antonio is with her.

Gonzalo and his two remaining rebels decide that it's time to leave the country. They will reunite in a city close to the border and start the fight again.

The judge declares Lorenzo and Cecilia to be husband and wife. As Cecilia signs the register, Antonio appears. "How could you?" he says.

Santos is at the hospital. The doctor tells him that DB ran out of there without signing any papers. He says she was very agitated. Santos agrees that she has a strong personality. The doctor gives Santos a prescription for medicines for DB's anemia and information that she had asked him for on how to get pregnant. [the doctor uses the verb 'quedar' which means, among other things, to remain or stay. But I don't think DB is pregnant so I assume that it means 'to become' in this case.] Santos is impactado. "Barbara pregnant?" he says. (He didn't believe her when she said that she wanted to have Santos' baby when they made love in the hotel?)

DB is hiding on the balcony of her hotel room as the secret police search the room. Melendez is opening the door of the balcony as the credits roll.

Labels: barbara

Dear readers/commenters: this is my last regular recap, as I’m stepping down and JudyB will do the Gran Final on Friday, for which I thank her from the bottom of my heart. Also, I thank Maricruz from the bottom of my heart and everyone else who subbed for me and made it possible for me to recap at all this past year and a half. I’ll keep watching and commenting because you all are my peeps and appreciate you so much! Thanks for your reading and commenting!

The party is in full swing at Zulema’s house with everyone in the D.F. attending except Omar and Alonslow. Ern and Lore chitchat, and Zulema gets their attention to thank them for everything for several minutes, especially being reunited with her family, which she’s dreamed of since she came out of the coma. Today the dream has come true. She’s prepared lots for the party, so chow down. Rossy, Julian, Barb and Diana dive in but Ern wants everyone to listen up a minute. He has something this needs to do. Ernesto reaches into his pocket –we assume for the ring he bought earlier—or maybe the one he gave her last time they were engaged. He’s still trying to make his announcement as the doorbell rings, Lorena tells him to hang on, answers, and – surprise! - Alonslow bursts in with the sad news (NOT) that Bruno has been poisoned by Sara, and so sorry to interrupt. The boys eye each other with irritation and Alonslow gives them the scoop, guaranteed to put a damper on the party mood. As Alonslow continues his story about Bruno’s confession, Ernesto takes the ring out of his pocket, and looks at it while sad music plays—it ain’t happenin’ tonight, folks. Alonslow tells them it was about Fafy’s estate. Lorena asks about Bruno’s status. Alonslow tells them it’s not hopeful, and depends on him stabilizing the vital kidney functions. It’s pretty serious.

Patty is clueless even if she isn’t blonde and she’s ready to party but Vasco says they have to talk. (Didn’t we all have a discussion early on about how this phrase is the kiss of death?) She protests that they’ll be late and Vasco tells her this thing they have isn’t working out and it would be better if they broke up. Patty doesn’t look nearly as surprised as we might expect.

Alonslow continues the tale of Bruno at the lesser house, arms crossed, addressing only Lorena. Bruno arrived in bad shape but was able to record his confession. Alonslow seems to think Lorena is the only one in the room who cares. He supposes that Bruno wanted to nail Sara. He had Dra. Serrano and Val as witnesses, too. Hortensia wants to know what that b*****d said. Slow turns and tells her that Sara poisoned Bruno with the same stuff that he and Sara had planned to use to kill Fafy but he died on his own, before they could kill him. Ern is impactado. The autopsy results were right, then. Alonslow confirms that Bruno and Sara brought down the Armendáriz Empire. Lore asks about the recording and Slow tells her it’s at the Public Minister’s office, since it involves a matter of homicide. At the end of the day, Sara’s toast. Impactados looks all around, mixed with tentative relief and some wariness—Zulema looks to heaven.

Patty pleads her case with Vasco. She tells him about all she’s done to make it work. Nope, she doesn’t tell him—make that she whines at him. Vasco appreciates it. But, his body language is what any woman in her right mind would read as “you’ve lost this war, honey.” They continue on this path for a while…and she tells him that her only passion is him. She’d do about anything for him. Thanks, but that’s not what his heart is telling him to do. Hablablablabla. If he can’t love her, don’t be telling her someone else will. She brings up Diana and doesn’t want to be a consolation prize. He tries to deny it. She wants to know if he’s talked to Diana. He hasn’t, and don’t ask him to. He cares about Patty, but….”But you don’t love me.” Patty turns away and the emotion overtakes her. She knows he can’t love her because he loves Diana. He tells her not to get like that. Vasco tells her the last thing he wants to do is hurt Patty. She whines that if he hasn’t talked to Diana, why is he causing her this pain? He tells her it’s not good to think about waking up with someone who isn’t appropriate (wake up with someone who isn’t what you consider the most important part of your life). Patty wonders why, if he can’t talk to Diana, WHY can’t he get it together with her? She’ll wait and hope he’ll love her. She just wants the opportunity. Vasco sighs, weighing how to deal with it.

Julian is irritated with Alonslow for turning over the recording to the authorities and Slow justifies himself—it’s part of a homicide investigation. Lorena intervenes—she can’t imagine that Sara is falling like this. Hortensia wonders how come they don’t have champagne to drink to that. Rossy chimes in and Maruja tells her not to be frivolous (because she didn’t dare tell Snortensia not to be frivolous). But Maru asks her mother-in-law’s pardon, she’s indignant. Lots of opinions coming fast and furiously but Diana stops them all cold---Bruno is the father of her child, after all. They’re saved by the bell as Slow gets a call. It’s Valeria with more news (sorry, Ferro, no shots of Val, just Slow’s voice telling us it’s her). Rossy asks why he has that look. Bruno has died. Impactados looks all around, and Diana looks like she might faint.

Vasco tries to convince Patty not to make this difficult. She asks how she’s supposed to take this—she thought he was the love of her life! (Only a little guilt here). He protests—“try to understand me!” and she grabs him and lays a big kiss on him, crying. Vasco tells her no, please, and pries her loose. He’d like to be able to reciprocate, but the truth is he can’t. She wants to know how he thinks she can live without him. She walks away, and Vasco tells her he’ll go with her. Patty tells him no. She’ll have to get used to going it alone. And she does. Leaving Vasco frustrated and sighing.

Zulema notices that the party is going up in smoke and weakly encourages everyone to eat—with all the excitement she can muster upon learning that the father of her first grandchild has just died due to deliberate poisoning. Julian tosses off a remark about losing their appetites and Lorena suddenly remembers that Ernesto was about to make a great pronouncement. He tells her it was really important but this isn’t exactly the right time for it. Slow looks mildly alarmed. (He saw Ern buy a ring, right?) He jumps in—there’s something more Slow wants to tell them. Bruno confessed one more thing. Barb, who has become truly astute in her old age, asks if it has to do with Chalo. Nope, it was before Sara disappeared—she did one more thing against us. “US?” Lorena is impactada. Yep, she did it to hurt both you and me, Slow tells Lorena. Sara never forgave me for getting those DNA results. She told him to mess with the anesthesia for Zulema’s procedure. Zulema comes to face Alonslow. He tells Zulema that Bruno and Sara were guilty of putting her into a coma. Diana is crushed, and Lorena damns them and wonders why they did that. Ernesto comes to comfort her and Zulema. Slow gives his best professional opinion—Sara’s sick. There’s no other explanation. Julian and Ern comment on Sara—so diabolical—she needs to be in a nuthouse. Into this happy scene pops Vasco, all smiles for his family. “Ready to eat?” Since he’s astute Barb’s offspring, he realizes all is not well here very quickly. In fact, it’s like a wake. Lore informs him Bruno died. Sara poisoned him. Vasco wants to know if Diana’s aware. They point him in the direction of her bedroom and he takes the cue. A dirge plays.

Vasco comes to comfort Diana and she tells him the Rest of the Story—Bruno was responsible for Zulema’s coma. Diana knew he was bad news, but never dreamed he’d go to those lengths. What will she tell her son when he asks about his father? Vasco tries to give her comfort—tell him his Papi was a doctor and he’s not with us any more. Hortensia comes to ask if she’ll be all right. Diana waves a hand to indicate she will. Hortensia tells them everyone decided to call it a night and go. Hortensia herself will be in her room if they need anything from her. Vasco thanks her and she goes, leaving Diana in tears, impactada from the sadness of it all. A very respectable 3 on the Ugly Crying Scale—she could be a lot worse with all this trauma.

The partygoers bid each other goodbye in front of Zulema’s house. Zulema tells Alonslow it’s a sad end for Bruno. Betrayed, and a victim of his own ambition. Slow tells her he’s worried about Diana. They talk about the next steps, with the recording in the hands of the authorities and the witnesses’ statements. Slow says he’ll go back to the hospital and find out how it all ended up. He’ll let them know.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Ernesto is standing more than an arm’s length from Lorena and saying his farewell. Both of them have their hands in their pockets, a sure sign that they’re resisting the huge temptation to grab and paw each other. Instead, they talk about how it stands with Sara now that Bruno is dead. Ern thinks justice might happen. Lorena wants it to happen quickly; she wants this chapter of her life done and to try to be completely happy. She smiles endearingly at Ernesto. He smiles just as endearingly back. Sigh. Lore changes the subject—she wants to talk to him about Ximena. Ern’s already aware of Ximena’s nonsense. Before they can get very far with this revelation, Slow shows up to interrupt the happy tryst. He’s going, and gives her a little kiss on the cheek. [Ed. Note: So GO already.] Lorena gives him a discreet half-hug, which in no way resembles a full-body press—it’s mostly at arms length. I’m just saying. She thanks him for everything. Lorena assures Slow that she NEVER thought he was responsible for what happened to her mother and she’s pleased to have the new info. Ern looks anxious and slightly irritated in Slow’s direction over her shoulder. Then Ern interrupts—he’s going. [Ed. Note: Both of our galáns are in light-colored shirts, and she’s in black. Is there some symbolism I’m missing here?] Lore turns back to Ern, so now Slow’s behind her. But, she’s jerked back around when Slow wishes Ern Godspeed. With a sincere smile. “What, aren’t you going?” Ern wants to know! Slow squares his jaw a second and confirms he’s going, too. Lorena turns back and forth, watching the ping-pong match. Then she gets discreet cheek kisses first from Slow and then from Ern. She tells them both to take care of themselves. They face off with muted glares while Lorena smiles a little and looks back and forth nervously. [Ed. Note: I wouldn’t want to be between those two; I’d be about six feet away.] More goodbyes from one, then the other—“I’ll call you if I find out more” and “we’ll talk tomorrow.” Lore gets increasingly nervous, hands in and out of pockets. The boys, however, have hands out, ready to punch if necessary. I’m just saying. They inch off to their cars. Ern’s SUV pulls away, and Lore watches. Alonslow’s sedan, the second in line, pulls away and then stops abruptly in front of her. He’s forgotten something and jumps out. She wants to know what’s up and he mutters something inane about having been thinking about coming over since a while ago (early), then puts his hand into his pocket. He hyperventilates and looks intently into her eyes…..and she smiles a little, waiting…..for the commercial….

Alonslow earnestly tells Lorena how hard this is, but he can’t stand it any more and she looks totally confused, but Zulema interrupts—ringus interruptus. Diana is having a nervous breakdown and they need him. He grabs his black bag out of the trunk and they all flood into Diana’s room where she’s hyperventilating—“can’t breathe!” Hortensia and Vasco are giving their best medical advice to no avail. Slow, extraordinary doc that he is, diagnoses that Diana is hyperventilating and sends his assistant (who usually is an assistant chef, but tonight is a medical assistant) for a high tech device to help Diana quit hyperventilating. Lorena runs for the paper bag the bread came in. Diana knows immediately how to use it on Slow’s instructions, and breathes herself back to normal.

Meanwhile, at the Dark Castle, Sara would really like to know if Bruno has gone on to a better life. But, if she calls around, that might trip her hand. So, she’ll just wait until morning and report him missing. With any luck, they’ll toss him in a community grave. She smiles at her wit.

Alonslow has made it back to the hospital, where Val has waited. They come into his office and he apologizes for making her wait so long, but Diana had a bad spell. No problem. Well, sure, with the news you gave her. Slow asks her about what the Public Minister did with all of the info. They took the body to check for the poison. Incredibly, he actually managed to sign his confession before he died! What? The Public Minister insisted on talking with Bruno. He verified everything he recorded. He laid all the blame on Sara. Slow is impactado. Val thinks it’s sad they couldn’t do anything for Bruno. Slow notes that Bruno thought they could save him—but Val points out is was a bad game of fate—Bruno had sold off all the antidote that would have saved him. The time they needed to get hold of it made the difference. Slow thinks Lorena needs to know all this and calls. He plays with the ring, taking it out of the box, as he calls. Val sadly lets herself out of the office while his attention is totally absorbed.

And at home in his living room, Ernesto examines the ring he’s got for Lorena, while he reminisces about the lovely picnic day full of passion. We get teased by the view of his lovely naked upper torso as they….uh…..begin to enjoy the afternoon… (Sigh) Then he’s reminiscing of time with Lorena in a restaurant, forcing a bite of chocolate cake down her and asking if she’s awestruck (moved) to find the ring in her mouth. Nope, her teeth hurt from biting down. OF COURSE she’s moved! She adores him and YES, she wants to marry him! The flashback ends, but Ern is still hopeful. It’s just a matter of time. When everything’s resolved, he’s going after her again. I can’t lose you, he tells Lorena as he talks to himself.

Morning comes in the House of Zulema and with it comes Patty. Hortensia is Not Thrilled to see her. Patty wants to chat with Diana, but Hortensia asks what she wants. Hortensia goes into Mother Lioness mode. Don’t think Di feels well, better come back later. Patty insists and Hortensia sends Matilde to fetch Diana. Diana is almost as terse as Hortensia. “What can I do for you, Patty?” Patty wants to talk woman to woman about Vasco. Diana tells Patty that she has nothing to say about him. She realizes that Patty and Vasco are sweethearts and Diana respects that. Patty sadly tells Diana that she and Vasco broke up last night. Diana is a little impactada. Why? Vasco told me he doesn’t love me and it’s clear he loves you. What, he told you that? Not in so many words, no, but it’s true. He also told me that you never loved him enough. Diana gets hot—that’s not true! If I’ve been feigning that all this time, it’s because I didn’t want to interfere with you two. Patty begs her to love Vasco. He loves Diana with all his heart. And maybe he’s never dared to tell her that. Diana thanks Patty—it surely had to be very difficult for her to do all this. Patty looks sadly resigned, and Diana looks hopeful.

Ickturo can’t understand why the person on the phone is telling him Valeria doesn’t work there. Catalina looks on with a bit of anxiety about this conversation at their dining room table. What? She’s gone back to the D.F.? Cat rubs her hands and grins in glee at the idea. Icky asks if they know the work number. Apparently not, because his excitement dims. He thanks the person on the phone. Cat is so thrilled to think her grandkids are close by. It’s a blessing! Icky thinks Val might have gone back to the Clinic. But if not, surely someone there will know something about her. Cat urges him to go look for her. She’s in alt to see the babies—how they must have grown! Icky tells her he’ll go find Val right after his Mami gives him breakfast. He beams at the thought. So does his Mami. [Ed. Note: What? Did we hear an echo of Oedipus?] Ickturo smiles a smug smile.

Bimbo Colchones get another prominent placement on Valeria’s breakfast table as she serves them to Anelis, along with bunches of stuff from the panadería. Apparently Val herself never eats this stuff, or she’d be a blimp. As she serves, she also holds a cordless phone on her shoulder and talks to Slow. They exchanges domestic chitchat—she tells him not to worry, she thought he’d be talking late with Lorena and she left. He tells her not to do that to him as he eats his breakfast with Toribio. If she had wanted, he’d wait for her. Val wouldn’t want to bother him. He tells her not to say that. And should he drop by for her? No, Val will get to work on her own—the Nanny hasn’t shown up. She doesn’t want to make Slow late. He chides her a little. She asks when he thinks he’ll give Lore the ring. Slow tells her he was about to do it the night before, but the moment wasn’t right. He’ll have another chance, and hopes it’s soon. Valeria decides it’s time to sign off and doesn’t even give him time to say goodbye. She strokes Anelis’ back while the niña eats her balanced breakfast of pastries and Bimbo Colchones. (Who are those guys, anyway?)

Toribio harasses Slow about not getting the job done with the ring. Slow tells his Papi when it all gets resolved, he’ll have an opportunity to do it. (They wrote one basic line for Ern and Slow? Shouldn’t their pay get docked?)

The kidlets are ready for school and Gina runs to hug Uncle Ern. Gina earnestly tells Ernesto that she’d like it way better if he took them. Ern explains why it’s important to use the school bus—it makes less traffic, better for the environment. Alej chimes in that it’s less pollution, too. The little ones go off for the bus with Fanny supervising. Ivan comes to make a pitch for the car he wants. Ern points out he’s not even old enough to drive. Ivan changes the subject—has Uncle secured a stepmom for them? Nope. Ivan laments that he’s awfully slow. Ern says things got complicated. Ivan thinks the plan might fail and Ern assures him it won’t happen—right before he rushes Ivan out the door, sighing.

Hortensia, Lorena and Zulema gossip in Zulema’s living room. Hortensia gripes that she can’t understand why Patty is talking so long with Diana and about what. She hopes it’s not what she’s thinking it might be. Lorena remarks that Patty is her friend, but really she would love to see Diana end up with Vasco. Zulema agrees—Vasco is irreproachable. Hortensia thinks they just need to give the kids a little nudge. Zulema wonders if while she’s at it, shouldn’t she be giving her granddaughter a little nudge, too? Lorena pretends to be miffed. “Between us, I have a favorite.” Hortensia looks at Lorena, who says “OH? You haven’t told me that, Grandma.” Turns out, the favorite will give her lovely great-grandchildren and possibly one will be a doctor like Daddy. So she prefers Alonslow? Sure, for obvious reasons—he saved Vasco’s life, brought about the knowledge that Lorena is Hortensia’s granddaughter, and is helping with Sara’s fall from grace. Diana overhears and asks if they’re talking about Sara. Zulema says no, they’re talking about the hunks who are competing for Lorena. So, Diana voices her opinion—Ern’s the one, the looker, the mature one, there’s no doubt in her mind. He’s never failed Lorena. Lore says he’s not perfect, but yeah, he has his good points. Hortensia seizes on it—then she prefers Alonslow? Nope. Lorena wasn’t saying that. Then it’s Zulema’s turn to opine. Well, she’d be happy to have them both. Chuckles all around. Zulema tries to get Lore to tell them her decision but Lorena refuses because she knows they’re all blabbermouths and within five minutes after she tells them, it’ll be all over the place. They all feign being insulted. Lorena chuckles happily at them.

Valeria arrives at work only to be accosted by Ickturo, and qué the H*** is he doing here? He’s come to see her, of course. They have nothing to discuss. They have two children. She’s indignant since it’s been more than a year since he checked on the kiddies. He hangs his head; she’s right. What reason did he have to abandon his children? None. He tells her not to scold him; he’s come in peace. Also to ask for a loan. She scoffs at giving him a loan. He’s exhausted all her money and he’s the last person she’ll give even one cent to. He does his “I swear I’ll pay you back” number, and tells her about his marvelous business opportunity. Same old, same old. She scoffs at him again and tells him to ask his Mami for the loan. He tells her not to mess with his Mami and manhandles her. She tells at him to let her go. Our not-quite-hero, Alonslow, is on the scene and confronts Icky, who tells him not to meddle. Icky thought she was such a saint, so is this her new lover? Slow is incensed and tells Icky not to insult Valeria. Slow not only meddles, he belts Ickturo so Icky bleeds. Good one, Slow!

With Valeria shouting at him that it’s not worth the trouble, Slow beats on Icky. All Slow’s pent up anger at Sara and Ernesto and whoever centers on Icky’s smug mug. Val finally gets between him and Alonslow, pushing Slow away even though Slow is ready for more. He’s points at Icky and yells that he’s going to show Icky how to respect her! Icky, all wild-eyed, points at Slow and accuses them of being lovers. As Slow tries to move Val out of the way so he can go after Icky, Icky runs and a police siren sounds. Slow wants to know what this idiot did to Val and hugs her close in comfort, telling her not to cry. Val looks after Icky—he isn’t going to leave her in peace. They talk about the wretch—Slow thinks he won’t come back. Look, he saw the police patrol and took off running. It’s his guilty conscience. Val tells Slow Ickturo had the nerve to ask her for a loan for this grand company he wants to set up. He used the excuse of the children. Slow hugs her again and tells her to calm down. Val looks anxiously over his shoulder off where Icky disappeared, not quite able to enjoy how close she is to Slow.

Omar is calling around to look for work he found in the want ads. He has a degree in Business Administration—what? My age? 58, he tells the person at the other end of the line, and I have lots of experience. They hung on me, he muses. There’s a knock at the door as he puts the phone down in resignation. It’s Lorena and he’s delighted to see her. He offers her coffee.

At Zulema’s, Vasco appears asking after Diana. Zulema tells him that the sedative that Alonslow gave Diana helped after she got the terrible news. Vasco thinks that deep down she never stopped loving Bruno. If that was true, Zulema wants to know, would it bother him? He has a girlfriend. Vasco tells Zulema he’s broken up with Patty. Why? She’s a good girl. He tells Zulema that’s true but he didn’t love Patty. He couldn’t fool her or himself. Diana overhears as she comes out of her room. Zulema continues to tell him she’s always admired his maturity. Vasco confesses that the maturity everyone talks about all the time caused him to lose his life. Why? Because while he was being noble, good, understanding he put aside many things. He’s talking specifically about Diana. He should have fought for her until he wore out, and not let her go with Bruno. He lacked the strength and the maturity and lost her. Diana has heard enough and comes out to talk to him. She tells him not to blame himself; the same thing happened to her. She was thinking about what was the “right thing” and didn’t listen to hear heart. Zulema thinks it’s time to excuse herself and leaves them looking tentatively at each other.

Lorena hesitantly tells Omar that lots of things have happened in the past several days that she wants to let him know about. Omar cheers up a bit, and tells her she has no idea what it means to him that she’s thought of him. She nails him on calling the house and staying quiet. He admits he did. It was the only thing that occurred to him so he could hear her mother’s voice. He asks if they had a party. Lorena confirms they did. Omar is excited that Zulema cooked and invited all the family, not resentful that he was left out. Lorena gets serious. They didn’t feel like partying after they got bad news from Alonso. Sara poisoned Bruno and he died. Omar worries about Diana’s reaction and Lorena fills him in. Omar notes that Hortensia told him Sara and Bruno were responsible for bringing down the company with the poisoning. Yes, and last night we heard about the worst of their acts—Bruno added something to the anesthesia when Mami had her operation and she went into a coma. He intended to kill her. Omar damns Sara and Bruno. Why against Zulema? To hit me where it would hurt me most, Lorena tells him. Sara couldn’t resist making sure she couldn’t have her mother and enjoy her family. She wanted to destroy it. Omar utters another curse. Lorena continues that Alonso had nothing to do with it and Sara tried to destroy his career. Omar wonders how she could dare to do that much harm. Sara should pay like Bruno did with his life. Lorena is just sad.

Diana and Vasco continue their discussion of their relationship. She never would have dared to love him like he deserved. She also had this notion that Saulito needed to be with his father. Vasco points out she rejected him every which way. She asks him to forgive her—she did it because she was just plain afraid. Vasco wonders why she never told him. She was ashamed. By the time she finished her therapy, Patty was on the scene. Vasco had been thinking Diana just didn’t love him enough. He thought even up to last night she was still hooked on Bruto. Nope, all this time she’s been hooked on Vasco. He’s the only man who has ever made her quiver with just a look. He tells her to say it again. Diana takes a breath and blurts out that he’s the love of her life. But she doesn’t want him to just hear it, she wants him to feel it. Oooh, lovely, long, tender kissing….

Apparently, cold cloths won’t do for Ickturo’s black eye. Nothing but top sirloin here. Cat ministers to his wounds as they discuss the next steps. He’s going back to look for Valeria, and Cat always did think there was something suspicious in Val’s “friendship” with that doctor. “He hit me awful hard, Mommy.” The doc can’t be there as Val’s bodyguard 24/7, though. He’ll get the money out of her. Cat thinks it’s not a good idea for Icky to go again, and she ought to go to find Val. Ickturo vetoes that; she shouldn’t humiliate herself in front of Val. Cat wants to try—she misses the grandkids, anyway, and they need the $$. Icky tells her no way again. She slaps the steak back onto his eye and his face screws up, ready to cry. Pobrecito.

Val and Alonslow are enjoying a cup of coffee in the office, interrupted by a phone conversation she’s having with the nanny. She directs the nanny not to open the door to anyone for any reason, even if he says he’s the children’s father. She hangs up and tells Slow that she’s also advised the school. Slow is furious to see her having to deal with this. Val tells him she knows Icky—he’s totally capable of grabbing the kids. Slow urges her to ask Dra. Serrano to go be with the kids and he’ll find someone to cover for her. Val is touched-he’d do that for her? She’s really nervous about this. She knows she shouldn’t let this bas***d bother her, but she can’t let anything happen. Slow earnestly tells her that sometimes he sees her as so fragile and suddenly she transforms into Wonder Woman (okay, I loosely interpreted here). He looks intently into her eyes and tells her he loves these contrasts in her. Val looks intently back, a lovely fond smile on her face, and blindly moves to set the coffee cup back onto the desk at her left without looking where she’s putting it. It goes onto the floor and breaks, splashing coffee all over. “What a fool I am!” Slow jumps in to the rescue, taking a cloth from heaven knows where, and sponging up coffee that has splashed onto her lovely, shapely ankle and leg -- in three inch heels. He holds her ankle in place and wipes her ankle and up her leg, suddenly stilling a little and looking up abruptly into her face. Val is equally startled and stares back intently into his eyes. Slow might not be as slow as we think. He smiles nervously and stands; she thanks him and rushes out to see the boss. Slow is left with the memory of the ankle, the leg, and Wonder Woman. No, folks, he’s not flexing his pecs—that’s his heart thumping erratically you’re seeing under that well-fitted shirt.

Lorena tells Granny about her Papi’s indignation at Sara’s betrayal and what Bruno did to Zulema. Hortensia wants to know if he said anything about Zulema. No, but he really wants to come home. Hortensia doesn’t see a happy ending here; she thinks they’ll never reconciliate. Lore’s worried about Omar—he’s very lonely and can’t find work. Hortensia gives a PSA about how awful it is that when folks get to be a certain age, no one wants to hire them any more even if they have the most experience and maturity. Too bad they can’t really bring him into the Cooperative. She gives Lorena a tentative look as she mentions this. Lorena thinks that Zulema won’t forgive him, and it’d be difficult. The bell rings—it’s Ern with some pastries he’s brought to them now that he’s not being followed by the detective any more, and he’s making up for lost time. He guesses the nuns taught Lorena manners and she’ll invite him in for chocolate? Of course she will. He greets Hortensia, who basically disses him and excuses herself. Ern wonders if she’s jealous, or just doesn’t like me much? Lore blows it off—that’s her and I’ve learned to love her as she is. Ern’s phone rings. It’s a lawyer who wants him over at Fafy’s house. Okay, if that’s what Fafy requested. Lorena wants to know what’s up. The lawyer wants me at Fafy’s for the reading of the will. What, did he leave you something? Ern chuckles—he doubts it. They barely knew each other so it must be something else. He gets a serious look. Lorena’s phone rings. It’s Alonslow, which makes Ern grimace. Slow has more news about the Public Minister and what’s going to happen with Sara. Really? It’s a done deal? We can see why she might doubt, since all along Joel has told them there’s no proof of anything solid against Sara.

Slimy Jorge accosts Bettina on her way home. She doesn’t want to talk to him, she’s told him that. He wants to tell her something about Ivan, it’ll be worth her while. Why? Because he HATES to see her suffering on Ivan’s account. Ivan erased Bettina from his contacts. Bettina wants to know how Jorge knows. Jorge was there and saw him do it. He goads her about proving to Ivan she isn’t such a baby. If he just told her everything Ivan thinks about her….Bettina storms off and Jorge exults that he’s got her number. He nailed it.

Slimy Ickturo accosts Val at her front door (what’s this about not opening to anyone?) She tries to slam it on his foot and he yells at her, so she lets him in. She demands to know why the h*** he’s here and who gave him her address. He got it by going back to the clinic. So much for confidentiality. He paces and scans her apartment, and demands to know if her little doctor is there. He doesn’t want to be caught unprepared. She retorts that he shouldn’t be involving Alonso in this, since he’s just a friend. They get to the point—she’s the only one who can help him. Nope, she’s the last person to help him, she declares. He tells her it’ll be worth her while (he and Jorge have the same lines here). Icky will make her his associate. For the kiddies, you know, so they’ll have an inheritance. “Did your Mommy give you permission?” Ickturo looks abashed and gulps.

Toribio and Paula, who seem to have lots of time on their hands during the day, talk over the situation with Ickturo and Valeria, which clearly Alonslow has mentioned to them. Toribio thinks Icky won’t leave Val in peace. He also wonders if Cat’s come back. Paula wonders if it’s important to him. (does she still move your heart?) Well, no, but he would like to know why she disappeared. Paula thinks if this woman raised a slime ball like Ickturo, she’s a witch and it’s best not to hang out with her. Bettina storms in and Paula wants to know how everything’s going with her baby. Bettina snaps “don’t call me your baby!” Paula wants to know what’s up and Toribio calls Bettina back to scold her—“what am I, chopped liver (a painting)?” Bettina asks them to excuse her and greets Granddad. She’s furious because of that scumbag Jorge and his nonsense. Toribio gives his opinion—he does NOT like Jorge. Paula thinks she should ignore Jorge, not get mad and don’t fall into his little game. Toribio agrees; the one who gets mad, loses. Bettina tells them that Ivan erased her from his contacts. Toribio teases her gently about getting dumped from the email contacts being the worst thing that can happen in the internet age and she tells him not to mock her. Toribio thinks Bettina should send him an email virus, which brings a chuckle to her lips and Paula’s.

Ickturo continues to present his case for a loan to Valeria. He reminds her his Mami has always helped them. “At what price?” Usurping my authority in front of my kids? Making me out to be the worst wife? She doesn’t want to argue with him now as if they had something. He makes the case that there’s a sacred link of the children between them. It won’t be broken easily, not even in 100 years. He begs for help again. She’ll have lots of profits. She tells him to take his tales to some other idiot. He tries to stroke her face and she slaps his hand. He argues that they were always really happy. (I must have been watching some other program). He says he’s learned the lesson. She wonders what he’s willing to do. Whatever she asks, he tells her. Okay, send your mother to Alaska. “Alaska?” Ickturo is dumbfounded. Valeria chuckles and opens the door to wave him out, telling him to go ask one of those bimbos (not related to colchones) he hangs with. They’ve wasted less on him than she has. He tells her she’s missing a golden opportunity. She makes a snide remark about his businesses and tells him to go already. Ickturo looks like a chastised child and Val closes the door behind him with a sigh.

Sara yells to the doorman to open the door already at the sound of the doorbell at the big house. In marches Santiago, ready for battle. She demands to know what the h*** he’s doing here since she’s told him she doesn’t want to see him. He tells her she wouldn’t dare. She scolds him for insulting her, which he thinks she deserves. She’s a b**** and a murderer! Even if everyone says the opposite. Look, decrepit old man, she tells him—I’m not wasting my time on you. She’s got a very important matter to attend to. But why is she explaining to him? She tells him to get lost. He’s not moving from this spot. Sara lunges at him, and he catches her hands and pushes her back. Santiago is not one to hit a woman. But, he’s here for the very same thing she is. The reading of Fafy’s will. “You?” Yep. How come, she wants to know. It’s what Fafy wanted. Sara doesn’t give a rip what Fafy wanted. The lawyer, Ortíz, comes in the open door. The lawyer thinks it’s what should matter to her the most. Sara looks at him defiantly. Ortíz tells her he called Santiago. Santiago looks back and forth between them. Sara puts on her cooperative face—can they start now? Nope, they’re waiting for one more person. In strolls Ern. Sara wonders why Ernesto’s here. He has no idea. He’s come with some amazement—but if Fafy left him something, he’ll treat her to a bottle of champagne. Sara is impactada.

Bettina starts to write to Ivan on email but decides against it. Jorge’s instant message pops in, and she doesn’t want to respond (“what part of disappear don’t you get?”) but he cajoles her into responding and putting on her webcam. There he is, with a big sign that says “I invite you to dance.” The sign disappears and Jorge’s face tells her to give him a chance. Silly girl, she actually smiles at him.

The attorney begins the reading of the last will and testament of Sr. Fernando Rafael Federico the third Cuenca and Espinoza of the Monteros (hunters), aka Fafy. Santiago and Sara sit in the front row with the lawyer behind the desk in the study, and Ern in the peanut gallery. The lawyer will begin with a letter from the deceased to Srta. Sara de la Cruz. She sobs gently for effect, looking constipated. (Wasn’t that supposed to be Alonslow?) He starts: “Sara—Kitten.” Sara sobs again—“that’s what he always called me fondly.” We hear Fafy’s voice reading the letter to us.

Fafy’s voice: I don’t know when death surprised me, but from this moment I want to leave this declaration/token (testimonio, one definition is token) as my main bequest to you, because I know perfectly well how much you loved me.

(Sara sobs into her hankie, UCS 9, really fake).

Fafy’s voice: My money never interested you, and your greatest happiness was in the long hours of pleasure that we had together.

Sara, through her tears: He was always so affectionate. That’s why I loved him so. And I still love him.

Santiago: My poor friend, to die like this, so betrayed.

(Sara gives him the stink eye).

Fafy’s voice: I loved you in my own way, you know that. You won my heart, and with it, my eternal gratitude. I hope you’ll like this video as much as I liked it.

(Sara sobs again.) The lawyer turns the laptop that has been sitting on the desk so Sara, Santiago and Ernesto can see the video that Fafy’s letter mentioned. How about that, it’s the one in the company office that Ern recorded with the hidden camera where Sara and Bruno spilled their guts about the poisonings, etc. We see them ‘fessing up in living black and white. Sara’s face goes through multiple contortions, none of them contrite. Santiago looks thoroughly nauseated as Sara kisses Bruto onscreen. Sara begins to hyperventilate and Ern smirks a little. Sara is muy, pero muy, commercial impactidísima.

Sara jumps up and shouts in the lawyer’s face. What is this bull****? (Okay I paraphrased here). Santiago, behind her, says it’s the confirmation of her dirty tricks. When he sees that doctor, he’ll show him how to be a man! (Santiago, you’re a day late and a dollar short). Sara demands to know if Santiago did this (the video). No, he spits back, but it would have delighted him to be the one to do it. She accuses Ernesto—is was you, you b*****d! She yells at them both to get out of her house. Ortiz tells her the one who has to leave is her. She yells that she’s the sole heir, she’s seen Fafy’s will. Ortiz tells her that he had time to see it – the same day he saw the video. (Hooray for all of us who figured this out! Hooray for Fafy!) Ortiz reads the revised will to them all:

“In full use of my faculties, I leave my fortune to establish a trust that will be used to build an old folks’ home. I want it to be administered by my friend Santiago Arredondo, who was the only person I could really trust. Santiago vows that he will take it upon himself to follow through with Fafy’s wishes. Sara is rabid—“NO! So much for nothing! I let him use me!” She pivots and points at Ernesto—“You d*** bas***d! I will kill you!” She tells him he’ll regret the day he crossed her path (it was a good hour that you crossed my path). He tells her it was a bad day that she crossed Lorena’s path. She sputters at him not to mention Lorena and he tells her he did it for Lorena—he’s pleased to have unmasked Sara in time. She tells him she hates him. Ernesto, totally calm and collected, tells her to say what she likes, but they’ve beat her. He didn’t really expect to leave her in ruins, but she deserves that and more. Santiago tells her she’s going back to the streets where she belongs. “Never!” She’s going to challenge and break the will. Sara begins to storm out and suddenly Hortensia’s joining the party in her old study. Sara demands to know why she’s here Hortensia’s come to tell her a tale that Sara told her when Hortensia was bedfast--about someone who stole her friend’s inheritance, all the while calling her sister. Sara screams for the d****d old woman to shut up and tries to run. Ern grabs her arms to stop her. Sara screams to be let go and suddenly Alonslow joins the festivities. “You’re not going anywhere, murderer.” Sara quiets down and tries to appeal to the one she thinks should love her. “You don’t have any reason to call me a murderer, please, Alonso.” She notes there is proof that Fafy died of natural causes. “But not Bruno,” Alonso tells her. “You killed him.” He continues that she never counted on Bruno having enough time to talk. His final words were to ask Alonso to bring her down. “No, this isn’t possible—I’m going crazy!” Hortensia pipes in that a plea of insanity won’t save her. She’s going to pay for all she’s done. Sara breaks away and runs, Ernesto dashing after her. The rest follow.

Sara only gets as far as the entry, where Vasco, Barb and Jaime are waiting. Vasco reminds Sara he told her once that she would be gone from there eventually, and today it’s definite. Sara calls him an imbecile and tells him he should be dead, too. She tells Jaime the accident with the cut brake line was intended for him—he should have been dead. Barbara lunges at her, furious that Sara can be such a cynic about trying to kill her ex and put her son into a coma. “And guess who helped me?” Sara spits the truth out at Barbara—it was your lover, Chalo. He cut the brake line! Jaime confronts Sara about what she did to his son, but Sara says there’s no proof of anything, since she was more intelligent than all of them. There were no witnesses, it was all perfect! Including the death of MY Chalo! Barbara is muy impactada. Sara insists Chalo was hers, not Barbara’s. Vasco can barely hold Barbara back from attacking Sara. He bitterly asks if Chalo’s fate was the same as Bruno’s. Alonso asks if he would have been the next one—dying like the rest of her lovers. Sara runs to him to try to hug him. She never would have tried to harm him—her only love. He pushes her back—her love was the worst nightmare of his life. Sara hits out at him and yells that he should have loved her, not that imbecile, Lorena.

Speaking of the Queen of Rome, Lorena, Zulema, Diana and Julian come in the open front door. If we had Omar, we’d have a full deck. And the joker is Sara. Sara puts on her best pitiful face and runs to Lorena. “Lorena, they want to hurt me! Help me! You have always cared about me!” Sara whines and hugs Lorena, who reluctantly holds her an instant, looking sad and wise beyond her years over Sara’s head. Zulema stands totally unmoved by this display behind Lorena. Sara backs away from Lorena, but they hold hands while Lorena looks sadly into the face of the one she called “sister.” Zulema, Julian and Diana watch soberly, arms crossed.

A cop comes rushing in and puts the shiny matching bracelets with the lovely chain connecting them on Sara’s slender wrists (oh, how satisfactory it is to this recapper to see this!). Sara looks at them desperately. It’s all over. Or, is it?

Monday: who knows? We’re in Últimas Horas here, even if they don’t advertise it that way. Plus they only tell us about the Gran Final next Friday.

Jeanne

Labels: enemiga

[Note: My request from last week still stands. Thanks. –ed.]

Both Fernando and Gabi are getting antsy being married to each other and both, it seems, are in for a big surprise…….. Feo meets with the attorney in Puebla City who did Gabi’s will, and tells him he’s there for “his wife” to get a copy of her will. The lawyer tells him that apparently Feo wasn’t kept in the loop: Gabi expunged him from her will, so All-Fer Nando is back to being None-Fer Nando.

Gabi, meanwhile, has had Rosendo drive her into town on bidnez. Rosendo gives her a telegram from Root that Ricardo Uribe has recovered. She crabs to Rosendo over not giving her the telegram sooner. Crabi gets out of the SUV and walks absent-mindedly into the street. Feo’s pea-brained posse has been following her in their truck ‘cause Feo’s put a hit on her. (Query: Why are there three guys in that truck when only one needs to slam down the gas pedal and go for it?) The driver revs the engine and races the truck into the middle of the street in their attempt to run her over.

At the same time, Augie’s gone to visit Bernie’s attorney. The lawyer tells him that Gabi and Fer were there ages ago and found out that Sofia’s defunct daddy left her the whole Elizondo enchilada, provided she was divorced from Fernando and had the first kid with a man she really loved. “They were very troubled because of it.” “—Ah, yes?”

Rosendo sees the truck racing towards Crabi and yells a heads up to her. She panics and can’t move. As Viewerville cheers on the bad guys, El Coyote sees what’s about to happen and races over just in time to push Crabi out of the way.

Back in Puebla City, Fer is now trying to wheedle out of Gabi’s attorney which of the daughters her money’s now going to AND why nobody ever bothered to tell him about it; but the lawyer refuses to discuss it and courteously kicks Feo’s devious derriere out of his office.

Again in Cd. Serdán, Coyote wants to take Crabi to a doctor to check out her hurt foot. All the while the poor guy can’t seem to take his eyes off her.

Across town Oscar and Franco pay a visit to Jimena and Sarita at the Trinkets R Us while a shirtless Juan treats us to another beefcake bucket-bath and wonders if his and Sofia’s love could be stronger than the painful memory of his parents’ murder at the hands of Bernardo Elizondo, the father of the love of his life. “Lots has happened since I returned from the jungle. I recovered my daughter and kept my promise, and I returned her to her mother.” Juan thinks to himself that he swore to avenge his parents’ death but figures it is going to be a bit difficult, since the guy who’s guilty, the one who destroyed his entire life and all his hopes, is already dead. (You’re hittin’ on about all cylinders so far, Juan. Well, almost.)

Across the way in her bedroom of the Double-E (Hacienda de las Elizondo y del Escandon) Sofia pets that same old angora baby sweater and is suddenly all smiles again because she is remembering the GREAT time she and Juan had when they went looking for baby clothes together. (Note: Sofia is officially no longer in “luto” (mourning) cuz she has exchanged the Gaudy in Gothic for Pretty in Pink.) “Juan gave me back my daughter and kept his promise like he always does.” A bit later she tinkles on that bell collection of hers and considers how fate continues to separate them from each other. A bit later, she tearfully admits to herself that Mama has succeeded in finally separating her daughters from the Reyes’. Oh, the pain, the shame, the grief! ~~~~~

Back at Trinkets, Franco and Oscar tell Jimena and Sarita the reason that Juan and Sofia have ended it a-gain. Sarita and Jimena refuse to believe their father was capable of murder, or that Mama could have concocted such a story if it weren’t true. (Say, what?) They’re hoping it’s all a misunderstanding or some sort of mistake. (Oh.) They have to break up, but first the two couples have to talk it out separately. In particular, Jimena and Oscar have to discuss what to do because of the little girls they’ve just adopted.

Back in town, wonders never cease as Gabi actually thanks El Coyote for saving her life. In fact, she tells him he can dispense with the “Doña” --and that he’s actually a nice guy when you come to think of it! Viewerville gags as Coyote tells her he IS a nice guy, but only where she is concerned, and that “nothing would be the same without her.” She refuses to see a doctor. He tells her to remember she can always count on him for whatever, anything out of the ordinary, even. He also warns her to be careful of those around her because what just happened to her to his way of thinking was done on purpose. (Gasp!)

Feo drives home in a snit. He thinks to himself that yeah, he is with Gabriela because she excites him, but her money excites him a whole lot more. His new plan is going to be to seduce her all over and convince her to make him her sole heir again. First he’s got to call off the hit or some other lucky S.O.B. will end up with her money instead of him.

Sofia asks the virgencita if Juan might ever be able to forgive and forget.

Juan visits the bank. His loan is finally paid off and his family’s hacienda is theirs free and clear once again.

Oscar tells Jimena he still loves her even if she doesn’t love him anymore, but she needs to grow up and understand he’s talking about the love between a man and a woman, not a pre-teen or a high school fling. (Go for it, Oscar! Yowza!) He’s not moving back in with her just for the sake of the little girls they adopted. If that’s all she wants, then it’s up to Sofia and Juan to take up the slack and forget the rest of it. Juan and Sofia have a responsibility to get married themselves if they want to hang onto those little girls.

A little while later Sofia is playing with the three little girls when Juan trots by on Capricho. He overhears her saying she wants to forget all her pain and sorrow. He jumps off and asks if she will manage to forget him too. Sofia says she’ll never be able to forget him. He says he can’t get her out of his mind. He’s conflicted. All he has to do is to look at her and he wants to run to her, to hug her, kiss her and touch her, to make love to her; but he just can’t.

Back at Trinkets meanwhile, Franco tells Sarita he doesn’t blame her for what her daddy did, and he still loves her with all his might, but they’d never be happy together because of IT. Sarita agrees and says the worst of it is that it’s happened just when they were actually finally getting along. So, it’s “Adios para siempre” and Franco exits stage left.

That night Augie explains to Sofia how she fits into Bernardo’s will as the sole heir to everything and how he doesn’t doubt Gabi got rid of her daughter so she wouldn’t lose control of the hacienda or the Elizondo fortune. Sofia is impactada and still refuses to believe that Mama could be guilty of all the horrible things that have happened to the family. Anyway, the only thing that matters to her is the three little girls. Augie can’t believe she wouldn’t want the inheritance but she says it’s stained with blood, so no go.

Sofia and Augie get frustrated with each other and go round and round. He insists that Gabi is lying and that Bernardo didn’t murder anyone. She insists that Mama isn’t lying and has no reason to; and despite everything, no, she can’t believe Daddy did such dastardly deeds either, but everything her mother told Juan fits perfectly with his memories. How could she have known so much if her father hadn’t been there and told her about it? Somebody had to have told her, and it very well could be her father. (I’m getting a headache.) Augie insists that somebody else told her, and that that somebody else was right there: “That somebody else was the true murderer of the Reyes’ parents and that somebody else was not your father!”

Augie tells Sofia that as far as the inheritance is concerned, he refuses to let Fernando get his mitts on a single centavo. Even if she’s not interested in it she owes it to herself, to her sisters, and to her daughters to fight for it, and he’s going to make sure that she does.

Speaking of Mama, Gabi is sitting in her bed nursing her foot and thinking about what El Coyote said to her earlier in the day when he saved her life when None-Fer Nando comes in faking concern about her nearly getting run over. He wonders why the family isn’t in there slobbering all over her because of it. Gabi says she never bothered to tell them about it. Then she throws El Coyote in his face and says that Coyote has been more attentive to her than he, her own husband, has. None-Fer swears he loves her more than anything in the world, so how could she continue to insult and to hurt him like that? She says good to know he loves her so much because she just changed her will and he’s no longer her sole heir.

Just then Augie comes rolling into the bedroom with Sofia to let them both know the jig is up. Even if Gabi would not have changed her will, she knows darned well she doesn’t have a right to any of the Elizondo fortune because Sofia is the sole heir since she had a daughter --exactly as Bernardo’s will stipulated!!

Across the way at the Double R (Hacienda de los Robles-Reyes) Juan and his brothers are backslapping each other because the mortgage to the hacienda is paid off in full and Juan has kept his promise to their parents. Oscar tells Juan then that he’s decided that even though he doesn’t want to, he’s bringing Jimena and the little girls they’ve adopted to live with them. Juan refuses to have Oscar live with the daughter of their parents’ murderer. He says they’ll find another solution to the problem with the little girls. He doesn’t know exactly what yet, but one thing is certain and that is that he will not let the little girls be taken away from them.

Back at the Double E, Gabi puts on another show for Snowfia. Gabi tries to play dumb but Augie says he’s been to see the attorney and the attorney told him himself that Gabi and Feo were there to see him a long time ago getting the 411 on that will. He wouldn’t put it past Fernandito that he convinced Gabi to get rid of Sofia’s daughter so that Gabi could arrange to keep the fortune for herself AND him.

Gabi plays another sympathy card, and for the umpteenth time--and Sofia falls for it for the umpteenth time. No, of course Sofia doesn’t believe Mama would go to such lengths, but Fernando is another story. She doesn’t trust him in the slightest. Gabi whines that she’s tired of all these accusations and says that she didn’t want to tell her before so as not to frighten her, but she was nearly run over in the street that morning. “Oh, Mamita!”

Mamita says she’s fine and just needs to rest. Augie’s not interested and tells her to give it and everybody else in the family a rest--just nix the nasty ‘tude and tricks. Fer warns Augie that although he’s been patient up to now, if Augie doesn’t stop harassing him and “his wife” he will sue him. Augie, he says, persists in trying to wreck their lives despite the fact that it was already proven that Armando was the one who kidnapped Sofia’s baby. Augie says wasn’t it convenient the way Armando and Rosario died like they did and suggests Fer is in this up to his neck. So, he’s not giving Fer the pleasure of leaving him alone for an instant; and he’s going to be keeping a close eye on Fer from now on. Augie says he doesn’t believe him and neither does Juan, who really will turn the two of them in to the police.

“Turn us in! Juan Reyes turn us in?” ¡Qué horror! So Fer snorts, “With what evidence?” Gabi ramps it up and deflects. “Oh, Sofia! Stop listening to your crazy abuelo and all those crazy accusations of his!” Oh, oh! It’s inconceivable that her own father, the crazy coot, would dare accuse her of such horrendous things. Sure, she and Sofia have had their disagreements but she never ever has acted against her! “Look me in the eyes, Sofia! You DO believe me, DON’T you?” Sofia first looks at Augie who’s rolling his eyes. She looks back at Mama and says no, of course not. --Viewerville wants to pull its hair out as it watches in amazement, also for the umpteenth time, Sofia showing her naively misplaced support for mendacious Mamita with another mother-daughter hug fest. (¡Caray! ¡Caray!)

Meanwhile, Fer’s two not-so-blood-thirsty chumps, happy as hell that when the rubber literally hit the road they didn’t actually manage to splat flat and smear Doña Gabriela all over the pavement after all, decide they’d better skip town and hop the next bus to Anywhere.

Across town, Padre Tadeo and Juan have a heated discussion about what can be done legally with the little girls since Jimena and Oscar don’t live together anymore. Juan warns Tadeo that one way or the other he will never let those little girls be given back to the orphanage.

Back at the Double E, Gabi’s pity party continues. Gabi concedes Sofia is now full owner of the hacienda. Fernando selflessly declares he will remain with “his wife as she is”, without expecting anything in exchange because what keeps him there is “only the love that we share.” Gabi adds it’s woe is she, having now lost everything that she had, and after expending all that effort fighting tooth and nail alongside Bernardo, and for what? For him to not only betray her love with a younger woman but to snatch away everything that was once hers.

Ok. She and Fer will leave whenever Sofia says, right now if she wants. Augie makes a quick save for Sofia, saving her from herself before she falls into another one of her Mamita’s traps. He takes over: “Very well done, Gabriela! Brilliant acting job! Sofia will think things over first, and later, after she decides she’ll let you know. Now let’s go, Sofia.” “Ok, Abuelo.” She rolls him out of the room and it’s score one for the home team –-the real home team.

Once they’re alone, Feo wants to know what Gabi’s planning to do now. She tells him she’ll let him know when she’s ready and kicks him out of their bedroom. Alone, Gabi swears to herself that “Sofia will never ever get what’s mine! Never!” (¡Qué melodramática! Y’all understand that, right?)

Across the hall Augie immediately calls a meet in Sofia’s room with her and her sisters to tell them about Bernardo’s last will and that he recently discovered their father named Sofia as his sole heir. Sofia says not to worry, that she plans to divide everything equally among her sisters and Mama. Augie says not so fast. Does she really want Feo to end up with her mother’s share? He’s got a better idea, even though it may take a while. Sarita is all ears. So Augie explains that for now they’ll keep the will the way it is and that will help stop Gabi from manipulating them the way she has. At the same time they’ll give Mama a taste of her own medicine. In the long run, the important thing is to protect Gabi from Fernando. (Only a parent could love a child like that…) Now that she has nothing, it’s certain he’ll show his true colors. “What a coincidence that somebody tried to run her over, huh?” “—But that was an accident!” says Sofia. Augie says baloney! Sarita and Jimena ask if he really means that somebody tried killing Mama? Augie says yeah, “Fernando! Fernando! Who else!” Coming from Augie, this accusation leaves all three sisters muy impactadas. (Yes. Hope springs eternal in the Mudville of Mexico. http://benpac.blogspot.com/2007/10/theres-no-joy-in-mudville.html )

Feo, meanwhile, is planning ahead himself and races into his old room to get the cash and Libia’s medallion out of his safe so he can stash them somewhere else. He thinks back to the time Bernardo threatened to let the others know about him and how the argument led to Bernie falling off his horse and fatally hitting his head on a rock. “You are a fool, Bernardo. The best thing to come out of all this is that now the Reyes’ believe that you killed their parents without suspecting that their parents’ real murderer will be arriving in town real soon.”

A while later Juan makes another midnight visit to Sofia’s room. She tells him that she didn’t expect to see him there like that again. He says he’s always got the…er… urge to see her. The reason he’s there though, is to let her know that he went to see Padre Tadeo over what could be done about the social worker taking the little girls away from them. He wants her to know that if the social worker tries anything, he’ll kidnap the little girls himself to keep her from getting them. He’ll let Sofia know where and when she can find them so she can see them whenever she wants. He won’t let anyone dare to ever take her children from her again.

Sofia is so grateful that she tries to hug Juan, but he backs away and starts to leave, but then he gives in and comes back. He hugs her tightly. “How I wish I didn’t remember a thing, to be able to hug you, to touch you and to hold you like this!” He moves in for THE KISS, but as soon as he tries to kiss her the memories of his parents’ murder, the visions of the snake belt, and the ugly laughter as Juanjo is being shot in front of his face, all flood his brain and he stops cold. “I can’t! I can’t! Dammit all!! I can’t get this damned memory of the murder of my parents out of my mind! Forgive me, Sofia! Forgive me!” He races back out through the balcony. Sofia is literally left panting (as only a true melodrama queen like AN can), “My Love! My Love!”

Labels: Fuego

Luisana, looking good with her two studly bodyguards, tells DB how bad she looks. DB comes back with, "Santos is mine, mine, mine." Lusisana suggests that Santos is with DB for pity; the same reason he almost married her. Luisana gives back the curse that DB put on her and brags on her riches and power. Melquiades tries to get into the room to tell DB that Santos has been arrested by what they refer to as the "political police." Once Luisana hears that, she rushes of there to use her influence to get Santos released.

Meanwhile Santos is getting beat up by Melendez and his henchman when he won't confess to being part of the rebel group. All of a sudden, Melendez gets order from above to let Santos go.

DB is crazy with worry about Santos. She leaves the hospital against medical advice and heads to the building where Santos is being held to get him released herself.

Santos is sent to an office where he finds Luisana. Santos apologizes to her for the way he treated her. She tells him that she made the right decision to marry the super rich Tony. She tells him that he should leave DB before it's too late and that DB is a killer and evil. Luisana says that she had wanted to spit in Santos' face when she saw him again but not anymore. She says goodbye to him forever.

DB is out of her area of influence and is making a futile effort to bribe the guard in front of the building where Santos is being held. Melquiades tries to get her to leave before Chepo or Melendez sees her. Luisana breezes out and insults DB's pathetic efforts. Then Santos appears. He is upset that she left the hospital and wants to know how she found out he had been arrested. DB evades answering.

Back at Altamira, Cecilia and Lorenzo decide to go to San Fernando and get married right away. Marisela makes a futile effort to convince them that this is a mistake and says that she won't participate in the ceremony. Then she goes to tell Antonio what is happening.

Meanwhile, Maria Nieves has a quickie and gets the warning from Federica. Casilda sees MN coming out of Federica's house and passes this information on to Marisela.

DB and Santos make love. DB says that she isn't looking for vengeance on Chepo. DB also tells Santos that she wants to have his baby. She says that maybe this time she will be a good mother.

Melquiades kidnaps Chepo.

The next day Santos has a business meeting that will last all day. DB says that she will go out shopping and even promises to get a nice gift for Marisela to try and heal their relationship. Where she actually goes, however, is to where Melquiades is holding Chepo and promises him a long agonizing death.

Gonzalo finds Santos coming out of the hotel.

Melendez receives a report on Santos. He is interesed in the woman with whom Santos is staying at the hotel. He wants to send Chepo to check her out but he is told that Chepo has shown up for work yet.

Labels: barbara