Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Doña Bárbara - Tues.,May 12 - Eustaquia leaves DB; Pajarote gets Genoveva a ring

[According the NBC/Telemundo Media Village, DB will have its grand finale next Thursday, May 21.]

DB finds Eustaquia with her wrists slashed but she isn't dead. She begs Eustaquia not to leave her alone.

Sapo and Facundo are on foot and pursued by the remaining Mondragón. When Facundo says that they should leave the area because DB knew they were there, Sapo says that he isn't leaving until he kills DB.

Not too surprisingly, Marisela chooses a life with Santos.

Juan Primito shows up and says that he hid when the bad men came. DB yells at him for hiding while Eustaquia was bleeding to death but Eustaquia tells DB not to blame JP. Eustaquia tells JP to wash his ears or she'll come at night and pull his legs.

Marisela asks Santos how he feels about DB. Santos says that at first he loved her passionately, then he thought he hated her. Now he's not sure. He thinks he might admire her because she's unique but most of the time she bewilders him because he thinks she is crazy. Then Santos tells Marisela what she feels about DB. He says that she wants to hate her but she can't. He says that Marisela can't help but love her mother even after all she has done to her. Marisela agrees and replies that she always wanted a mother's love but she knows that no one will ever fill that void.

It's love in the hammock for Pajarote and Genoveva. He tells her that he has learned from the León episode that taking lives is God's business, not man's. Geno approves of his maturity and says that she will be happy to spend the rest of her life with Juan Palacios.

The two remaining Mondragón give up searching for Sapo and Facundo and return to La Chusmita. Melquíades calls them a worthless pair.

Pernalete and Mujica hole up in the hotel guarded by the police and send the rest to search for Sapo and to shoot him on sight.

Dr. Arias tells DB that he can't do anything for Eustaquia. She only has hours to live. DB is taking it out on the doctor when Eustaquia tells her to stop. She tells DB not to be sad for her.

Mujica and Pernalete tells Antonio, Cecilia and Captain Delgado how they were held hostage by Sapo. They don't tell Antonio that it was they who told Sapo where to find Eustaquia but Federica mentions La Chusmita and Antonio decides to go there.

Pajarote is telling Geno that she smells like freshly cut flowers, May showers, the sun, mountains and ripe pineapple when Juan Primito comes to Altatmira with the news about Eustaquia.

Eustaquia tells DB that she wants to says goodbye to Marisela. DB is jealous but she agrees.

DB plays dumb with Antonio and Captain Delgado about Sapo being around but she does tell them that it was Sapo who slit Eustaquia's wrists. She tells them that she has no idea where Sapo is. She says that she wants to be alone with her 'mother,' the only person who has always been with her, the only one who has never betrayed her and the only one who has loved her in spite of her faults. [I'm sure it is no coincidence that we see Melquíades right behind DB while she is saying this. What is his devotion to her - chopped liver?]

Marisela comes to see Eustaquia. Eustaquia tells Marisela that she hasn't been good to her and wants to ask Marisela's forgiveness. She says that when DB kicked Marisela out of El Miedo, Eustaquia should have gone with her. Marisela was a defenceless 2-year old and needed a mother to protect her. She tells Marisela that she was a coward and has always regretted it. She says that when she sees Marisela so beautiful and strong, she realizes that things happen for a good reason ('no hay mal que por bien no venga') and she asks for Marisela's forgiveness. Marisela says that there's nothing to forgive. It wasn't she who should have been taking care of DB all those years. Eustaquia tells Santos to make Marisela happy because she deservess it. Then she sends tem away.

The remaining Mondragón have decided to take a powder and are ransacking El Miedo for money and valuables. They have heard that DB buried money in the walls of the house and are about to start looking for it when psychic winds blow open the windows and we hear the witchcraft music. Los Mondragón make tracks.

Eustaquia tells DB that when all this is over, she should go back to the river where she can laugh and sing. DB holds Eustaquia and sings to her as she slips away.

Pajarote gives Genoveva a nose ring for an ox as a of the fact that she has tamed him.

Facundo tells Sapo to forget his obsession with DB but he replies that he is in charge. He says that he knows where her can ambush DB.

The Inspector arrives at at the jefetura where Antonio and Captain Delgado are about to go out looking for Sapo. He has Danger's diary [presumably it was found in a search of Sapo's house.] Antonio confirms that the DB mentioned in the diary is Bárbara. The Inspector wants to find her.

DB is at the poza, naked, painted all over and calling on her gods with a pineapple.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Breaking News! Rich Girl Gets Dumped on Honeymoon, Man!

Capitulo 61

Nanda is on her way out to go see Margarita, Santi stops her and she explains that one of the conditions of Santoro’s alliance with Grupo Lactose Intolerance is that she build the community center and it’s her responsibility. Nanda doesn’t want anything to get in the way of Pow-Where Meelk helping out the family business after what her husband has done to them. Santi likes the sound of this. Santi asks if she sure that Damian took the money and Nanda tells him the only thing she can be sure of right now is that her marriage is finished.

Barbie is still in the dark room with Cigarman, Artemio Bravo. He tells her until her work is finished she better continue to obey orders. Angrily and sarcastically she says, Si Senor!

Meanwhile, Esteve impresses us again with his knowledge of the English language. He actually said “Jesus Christ!” when he found Isaac Barrera Newton’s name in the phone book.

Anibal comes back from his morning jog. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but when you have a giant problem on your head, like your company is going down the tubes, your wife who you hate is supposedly pregnant, that same wife is getting suspicious about her money, can you exercise? I’d be curled up in the fetal position in the corner of the bathroom with Lili – but that’s just me. Sorry for the tangent!

Vlad’s phone rings and Dam tells him to answer it right away – must be his Gordita. How cute, Vlad and Pris both have their white terry robes on. She wants to come over and talk, but Vlad’s playin’ hard to get. They make a deal to meet up at noon at his apartment to talk about the new information Vlad has for her about Anibal.

Fr/Ed’s getting ready to make a prank call to Isaac Barrera Newton. He calls and it’s a message that says: Between 4 and 8 Licensiado Isaac Newton will see you. Fr/Ed’s frustrated, Esteve is excited (you can tell by how many times he uses the word “man”). Esteve says that nobody would go to so much trouble to hide something that’s not worth anything, and why doesn’t Fr/Ed see if Lili knows. Esteve goes on to say they’ve got lots of time until 4:00 that afternoon and in the meantime Fr/Ed has to give Barb something to chew on to keep her on the hook. Esteve the Wise Man goes on to tell the story his father told him about how to catch a big fish (analogy for Barb).

Nanda’s driving, thinking back to her wedding and crying. She waits for the sheep and the sheepherder to pass. She looks at the boy and sees Eduardo in him as a young boy. Now she’s cries for Eduardo.

Barbie’s talking to Dr. Dementobregon. She tells him Lili will be staying at the clinic for 3 more months and that he better keep her drugged up in case someone wants to come and visit. The Doc wants to see Barbie in person to give her a little gift – es una chucheria (a useless trinket) he says, but he’s giving it to her with affection. She thinks he’s an idiot and hangs up on him.

Martina is brushing Lilia’s hair when Adolfina comes in with a box holding Ciro’s chess set for Lili.

The Three Stooges, or maybe just Manzanares alone, are spying on Las Animas. Gardenia brings breakfast out to the boys waiting on the patio. Esteve is really excited about the enchiladas because he says “Man” again to Fr/Ed. I think we need to start one of those drinking games – everytime Esteve says “Man”, we all drink a shot of tequila. Can you imagine what Esteve will be like when he and Gardenia finally have sex? Oh Man!!! Oh Man!! Oh Man!, Oh Maa . . . .!!!! LOL Gardenia tells Don Santorito she’s going to the market, she wants to cook tonight for El Gringito. But, Fr/Ed tells her they’re not eating at home tonight.

Esteve goes back to business. He says Fr/Ed can get Barb with some of her own weapons. They discuss the expired milk. Fr/Ed’s going to try to find Barb’s enemies.

Margarita answers the door for Nanda. Jacinto comes out of the bathroom and they explain that Jacinto isn’t working for Santoro anymore.

Denia is sweeping and singing at the top of her lungs. Lucio leers at her.

They explain what happened but leave out the part about it being Cadmilo. Nanda invites Jacinto to come back to work for the Elizaldes. Jacinto says no and when Nanda asks why not, Jacinto goes into a stuttering fit and Margs has to explain that the man who threatened Jacinto was her brother Cadmil-ho! Nanda is shocked. Why?

Gardenia threatens Lucio with the broom. When Jairo comes up from behind with his full Saturday Night Fever Suit and they drag her off kicking and screaming.

Nanda wants to know if Franco knows that it was Camilo that wanted to get inside Las Animas. Jacinto says no, but explains he thinks Camilo was looking for some papers. Nanda can’t believe all the problems she has. Nanda makes them promise they won’t tell Camilo that she knows. Nanda leaves.

Jairo and Lucio drag Gardenia into a house (not sure if it’s Lucio’s/Soledad’s) blindfolded and gagged. Denia is not goin’ down without a fight and she lands a right hook to Lucio’s mouth! The blindfold is off now, but Jairo is out of patience and pulls a gun on them both to get them to stop fighting. Gardenia gets locked in a bedroom, but Jairo has pulled off her gag. Big mistake Jairo – this chick has the biggest mouth south of the Rio Grande! Lucio’s back to shut her up, Denia hits him again and knocks him down, but he picks up a stick and tries to hit her with it. Just then Jairo comes back to stop Lucio. They leave and lock Gardenia in the room again. Apparently we're not the only ones that are tryin' to shut Gardenia up!

Prisci is crying in her cafecito in the dining room, when Santiago comes in. She tells him she’s pregnant and they hug happily. She says she’s thinking if it’s a boy she’ll name him Santiago because he’s the only one of the Elizalde brothers she likes.

Aurora is on a bus to we don’t know where, when exactly at the same time Dominga wakes up with one mother-of-a-hangover, screaming for Aurora. Dominga is looking for her keys, can’t find them and goes and opens up the armoire realizing Aurora’s not there and she’s been tricked and that her money is gone.

Dam and Vlad conspire about Barbie. Dam needs Vlad to make some copies for him, bring back the copies and give Prisci the originals. It takes a while and a little sweet talk to get Vlad to understand.

Lili is teaching Martina how to play chess. Lili’s afraid of the Black Queen and asks Martina for the White King and it’s not there. Lili starts putting 2 and 2 together and realizes that the White King is the road to her freedom.

Vlad’s at the local Kinko’s and while the lady goes off to make his copies, he hears on a TV gossip show something about the millionair-ess Fernanda Elizalde. He’s mesmerized. In the meantime, Dam’s mommy is listening to the same show in her own house and faints when she hears her son stole $3 million. At the same exact moment Erika is watching also and cannot believe what she hears – but sort of has a smirk on her face at the same time. Could it be that our Errorika is smugly happy that the perfect life of Fernanda has fallen apart?

Fr/Ed has come to see Gepetto in the hospital. Gepetto’s wearing a hospital gown and needs to close his legs!!!! Ewwww! I also just realized that Don Silvestre bears quite the resemblance to Jerry Stiller. Dr. Cuteguy comes in to report on Gepetto’s condition. Oh thank goodness, Gepetto wants Fr/Ed to bring him clothes – Fr/Ed’s one step ahead of Gepetto and hands him a bag.

The Three Stooges arrive back at Las Animas to break in and snoop. Manzanares wants Jairo and Lucio to be the lookouts and goes in alone.

Back at Lucio’s Love Shack Gardenia is still screaming and banging on the door for help. She frantically searches for something to use to break the door or window and find nothing and goes back to screaming out the window.

Nanda and Santi are sitting on the patio talking. She tells him about Camilho being at Las Animas. Nanda tells Santi she went to see Franco after she found out what Dam had done.

Vlad comes back to the apartment and breaks the news to Dam about what he heard on TV. Dam is muy impactado!

Nanda tells Santi that she can’t think about anything but Eduardo. She says she thinks Eddie is trying to send her a message. She says she found out the Eduardo was still in love with her until the day he died – Jacinto said so. Santi wants to know what bothers Nanda more, that Eduardo loved her all this time and she didn’t know it, or but that she still loved him also and didn’t realize it.

Vlad and Dam argue over what’s true and what’s not. Vlad explains the police are looking for Dam and Dam heads for the television to see for himself, but there’s nothing. Vlad says maybe he needs to wait for the news to come on. Dam calls his mother who has revived herself – she answers and asks if it’s all true – Dam says, Mama, but then nothing else and hangs up on her.

Santi makes Fernanda realize that if Eduardo was alive now everything would be different.

Erika shows up just in time to break the news to her about Damian and that it’s all over the TV. Apparently, Gonzo hadn’t told her about their conversation with the police. Nanda is impactada!

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Tontas Tuesday May 12, '09 Once More Candy Shows Us Why She's Really A Pill

A couple of the folks were talking at warp speed tonight, in particular Santiago in his boxing dialogue with Lalo, and Chayo when she was trying to drum some sense into Candy. But slow talk or fast talk, nothing worked. Candy still fell back on all her old self-defeating behaviors when it comes to love and romance. Neither wise advice from a friend nor Santiago's efforts were any good. Classic telenovela behavior but darned annoying nevertheless.

But here's the blow by blow. First a brief revisit to the Soledad-Raúl kissing scene. And the kisses got much better after he told her things would work out eventually with Beto because he always wanted a child. (note to guys: loving her kids is better than candy and flowers any day).

Then a less pleasant revisit to the wicked witch's puppet show. Santiago's handling it with calm; Candy is pouting and sulking. Paulina is chortling and smirking and also reminding Rocio to never admit the script was mom's idea because then Santi would run her off. Rocio agrees, but looks conflicted, poor little tyke. Patricio is feeling like Chava needs to live with him for a while. More pouting and sulking from Candy and a few "how could you's" as well. Ack.

During all this, Paulina manages to get access to Candy's computer, stashed in her big red purse, and writes a sadistic e-mail, purportedly from Marissa, claiming that Santiago's child has been adopted by a poor family, unaffectionate and who let the poor baby cry for hours and hours. These kinds of scenes make me literally ill. Pau is making Marissa look almost benign in comparison. Almost....

Once Candy and Chava are home, she attempts to mend fences by promising to be available to do homework with him every afternoon. What a goof! He says he'd much rather play soccer and so she agrees to do both. Much later in the program we have a montage of them doing all those things including several scenes of soccer with mucho Candy cleavage. Looking for that adult male audience share I guess.

Parenthood is not looking so rosy at Patricio's house. He's reaming out his dad for his affiliation with the Mafia and the danger for him, his three boys and Santiago. Arturo doesn't know why Santiago would be involved in this danger but he ends the discussion by assuring Patricio that he'll take care of it. And now you understand what a man will do to take care of his family, Arturo adds. Score one for dad.

We have a poignant little conversation twixt Santiago and Candy. She's still mewling about her problems with Chava and he's reassuring her that she's the best mom in the world. So wonderful that he can't wait to make her a mom of...er, their child! She smiles indulgently, gives him a good-bye peck and after she leaves, he hops around exclaiming how beautiful she is ..."mi vieja es lo maximo" (my old lady is just the best!). Famous last words, Santi. The anvil is about to fall.

That evening, Candy's trying to write her column on single mothers falling in love again but she just can't concentrate. Charley comes in and suggests she asks her readers for help. Great idea Charley. She nixes it at first but after he reminds her that we all have problems and all need help, her included, she's willing to admit her questions and doubts. Interesting that the teenager is showing more mature wisdom that the adult. But then, he needs help with his own problem...loving Lucia, thinking she's better off without him, but then suffering terrible jealousy when he sees her with someone else. Candy advises him to let time sort things out. Not bad advice, but not as brilliant as Charley's either.

Well, to be fair, Candy's not the only one sulking and mewling. Alicia's doing plenty herself. This lady amuses me for some reason. She's so transparent. She admits she's been nice to Patricio, understanding, seductive and even adopted a baby for God's sake....and she's getting no payback. She wants to be treated like a woman not a cleaning lady, damnit! Hardly a case of unconditional love, but at least she's upfront about it. Patricio can't give her the answer she wants. He's not ready to care for anybody but Candy. Even when Alicia reminds him Candy is in love with somebody else. Patricio needs time to heal before he could ever love anybody again...you or whomever, he adds.

And Meño? He's not ready to give Ricardo the answer he wants either. Candy and Gregoria try to butt in and give him romantic advice but he waves them off. Good move, Tio Abuelo.

Alright. Put your heads down. Yucky scene coming up. Paulina and her evil henchwoman Amanda sneak into Santiago's office to steal some prescription pads and a sample of Santi's signature. The resourceful Paulina has already located a forger who will make it all look authentic and then Amanda will present the "proof" to Candy. Amanda is quietly admiring. You know everything, Paulina, she whispers.

Switching from skullduggery to another dose of thwarted love and jealousy. Cece is throwing up more roadblocks to Soledad and Raúl's romance. Sole accuses her of being jealous. Cece phones Candy for advice. Candy agrees...it may be jealousy. Are you in love? Yes, replies Cece. (Mind you, she doesn't say with whom. could it still be Candy? Not a burning question, but a possibility nonetheless.) We break for an ad but don't get an answer afterwards. Besides, who can concentrate with all the brouhaha over that gorgeous Miami priest Padre Cutié?
I happen to have his marital advice book Ama de Verdad, Vive de Verdad, and remember thinking, whoa, with a Father Whaddawaste like that, half the women in Miami must be after him. (And evidently one of them was successful.) But that's a telenovela for another time. Back to our fictional program.

Paulina's venemous programs are bearing fruit. Amanda's dropped the forged photcopied prescriptions on Candy's desk with a "Now I hope you'll help me" exit line. Santiago's been sandbagged by his investigator telling him the ugly e-mail was sent from Candy's computer. Our lovers are dazed and confused.

Ditto for Isabella who's wandering around in a fog wondering if Zamora could actually be the longlost "Frijolito" of Jaime's past. Eventually Donato gets in on the speculation while they both stare at Jaime and Zamora clowning around outside. They're not identical ("dos gotas de agua") but it could be, Donato concedes. But then you could be Laura Flores and I could be Cesar Evora, he concludes in a reasonable imitation of Evora's husky enchanting voice. Only in telenovelas.

Alright. Our confused and troubled lovers meet in Candy's office. (Santiago took the initiative). He defends his honor and his ethics, she claims his private investigator is a waste of money coming up with her computer as the culprit, and they're both angry and disillusioned with each other. Where's the trust? Where's the love? Indeed.

Tell it to the punching bag, Santi. Except poor Lalo is holding the bag and evidently his grip isn't as firm as that of the lovely Hortensia. There's some rapid-fire spouting and punching by Santi but Lalo gets the gist. You love her. She loves you. Yes, but this misunderstanding and distrust hurts. Well, then you're free, exults Lalo. You're free! Hang up the bell again!

The mirror scene is Candy and Chayo discussing the whole mess. Chayo, speaking at the same warp speed as Santiago did, assures Candy that she knows Santi well and he's an ethical, moral, excellent doctor who would never perform the kind of surgery Amanda's accusing him of. And Lalo will back her up on this. Oh, men are like that, they cover up for each other, says Candy dismissively. And Eduardo's lied to you plenty of times anyway. (low blow, lady, low blow). Chayo doesn't fold however. Relax, think this through and make the correct evaluation. (Of course Candy doesn't. When does she ever!? Annoying.)

The last scene before another chunk of ads and some cheeky reporter asking Padre Cutié if he had sex with the woman in question, is a short one between Candy (sulking and mewling again) and Patricio. If he won't give her a divorce she'll take it to trial. Fine. Get your lawyers because I'll have mine, he retorts. I'm going to protect my son, he adds. Exit Candy.

A brief return in memory to the beach scene and lovemaking with Candy. (Did we ever decide why Santi was wearing such a dorky shirt in that scene? That shirt and the banana shirt are real losers.) Anyway, the tenderness of those memories lights up his frontal lobes (and a few other parts I'm sure) and he realizes that anybody with access to that computer could have sent the poison pen e-mail. And it's just the kind of thing Paulina would pull. He goes out to share his insight with the crew. Lalo's trying to hang up the bell again, while Hortensia and the comely assistant grab onto Santi and cop some free snuggles. You go girls! We all think you'd be a better match than Miss Candy!

Armed with that new insight, Santi tries to go see Candy (again taking the initiative) but Lulu's assigned to guard duty and won't let him pass. Instead she hands him a letter. It's a Candy copout. I love you but it's better if we don't see each other or talk for a while. My relationship with Chava is getting worse and I need to work on that.

Tell Candy I read it, says Santiago, stone-faced. And he leaves.

And now we have a shot of Mario, still wearing one of those phony drapey long ties around his neck. He gets pulled into the mobster's car. Basically mobman tells him to get out of Guadalajara pronto because if Gambino gets hold of him, he'll eventually spill the beans that he paid the bodyguard the money and then they'll both be fried. And if Mario won't leave. Well, hey, the bodyguard will kill him himself!

Now we have a little Dear Abby time with Meño. He reminds Candy that she came back from Puerto Vallarta a different woman. And no, he doesn't mean the glamorous hairdo, sexy dresses or enhanced makeup. He means that little "brillito" (glimmer) in her eye that wasn't there before. You can't fool me...I KNOW what happened there. And now you're about to lose it. Don't let Amanda spoil that for you. If you're not ready for Chava to know, then pretend it's high school again and date secretly. And what about the wedding? No answer from Candy but she does grace him with a sparkle from the eyes as he leaves the room.

Switch from there to a little granny confrontation. Gregoria arrives at Pato's house to find Margarita in a regal pose holding the baby. Gogo would like to hold that baby too. And while she's at it, she'd like to ask Margarita's forgiveness. No problem. Margarita laughs and says she was just kidding about being with Arturo. She did that to bug him. Honestly Gregoria can have him....what little there is left! (Gogo looks worried) And when Arturo comes in and sees the two huddled together he naturally assumes they're talking about him...stabbing him with puñaladas de lengua (verbal knives) but no matter. He cares for them both. Yeah, and about 5 or 6 other women, cackles Margarita, after he leaves. But go ahead, Gogo...take him if you want him. Just let me be "madrina de lazo". (sort of like our matron of honor but more complicated).

Next comes the Candy bonding again with Chava montage and then a little sermonette on mommies and daddies getting divorced. When parents' love for each other ends, they still have great tenderness for each other. (If only!) But their love for their children never ends. Hopefully reassuring, if the little moppets are watching this...but I hope they're not. Better off with Run Diego Run sez I. The scene ends with a pinkey promise that even though Candy and Patricio will live in separate houses they'll still be totally available to love, spoil and take care of Mr. Chava.

A series of quick scenes at the end. Gregoria's going nuts ("me tiene hasta la coronilla") with Santiago's numerous phone calls to the house. Which Candy won't answer, obviously. Isabella confronts Mario and tells him to leave Rocio here, even if she is his daughter, and take Paulina off to New York. Candy shows up in Santi's office with a sour look on her face (no little" brillito" in those eyes now, baby) and tries to pull off her engagement ring. She keeps tugging on it and I assume she gets it off, but honestly I couldn't actually see it. The wedding is off! And there we end.

Previews: Santiago's back at the Abandonado's clubhouse, blindfolded with a red brassiere, shaking his bootie (and very well, I might add) with a sexy hired dancer. In walks Candy with a super-sour look on her face. Run Santi run!

Vocabulary:
"yo que tu"....a short form of "If I were you"....
apodo = nickname
casualidad = a "false friend", actually means coincidence
mi vieja es lo maximo = my old woman, my girlfriend, my wife...all possible ...is the best!
me tiene hasta la coronilla = I've had it up to here
madrina de lazo = matron of honor is what the dictionary says but it's more complicated than that. Jarocha gives a good explanation
brillito = little spark
si te dijera you = literally "if I would tell you" what Candy said to Charley when he asked how it was going. A smiliar thing we might say would be "don't ask!"
dos gotas de agua = literally, two drops of water. We might say "two peas in a pod".
puñaladas de lengua = verbal stabbings...we might say verbal digs.
Dicho of the Day:
Lo que no fue en tu año, no fue en tu daño (Lit. what didn't happen in your year, doesn't hurt you.) You have no reason to feel hurt by something that happened before you met your sweetheart, spouse. Word to the wise for Candy. But will she listen?

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Monday, May 11, 2009

MEPS 5/11: $3 million, $3 million, $3 million. How much? $3 million.

We plunge back into the Elizalde's hell. Fer's crying on her little brother's shoulder as he sagely advises they shouldn't jump to conclusions.

At Las Animas, Fr/Ed admits he loves Fer but what to do about it? He's not keen on Esteve's suggestion that he woo her as Franco Santoro. Meanwhile, he has to come up with $3 million dollars pretty fast. We'll hear that figure many times over the course of this episode... His goals: to put the Elizaldes in their place, to get Lily out of the manicomio and get her wits back about her, to make Barbara pay for her crimes, and to find out who was responsible for his mother's misery.

But first, $3 million... Steve says he doesn't have that much in ready cash, but he can ask his dad for it. Fr/Ed wants to manage the problem himself - he can probably distract the family for another day or two but that's it. Fr/Ed asks Gardenia (looking all perky in her sundress) to show Esteve to his room. Surely Esteve is going to fall for her? She calls him Don Gringuito which I think is quite cute.

Camilo and Anibal are loudly blaming Fer for the Milk Group predicament. She claims things are worse for her and promises to do what she can to get the money back. Barbara starts insincerely consoling her, later I felt "blegh" when she stroked Fer's hair in sympathy...

Camilo snidely suggests Fr/Ed may be in need of a wife and Fer now being free... Santi bounds down the stairs and accuses Camilo of selling his sister for $3 million. Camilo snidely mocks him for losing Aurora - "she realized what a disaster you are."

Three guys I don't know are discussing their attempt to find some dirt about Fr/Ed - the investigation has to be finished in two days. They say Gardenia can be used to solve the problem "Tomorrow you'll get what you need." Somebody else fill me in here?

Dominga pulls cash out of her garderobe and stuffs it in her ample bosom, cackling - then goes off to bet it on the game cocks I think - after spurning the dinner Aurora brought her. Aurora cries about Santi, "the best thing that ever happened to me," then sees a piece of paper sticking out of the garderobe. She jimmies the door and sees it's some telegram or something (we don't see what it says).

Later, when Dominga is snoring, Aurora sneaks in, cuts the key off the string around that fat neck, and tiptoes out the front door with her suitcase.

Lily shakes and sobs in her sleep while Martina catches a few winks. Lily dreams about that day, years before, when she got framed for killing her mother. She knows it was Barbara, she heard the phone call... They both wake up and Lily finally tells Martina that in those few moments she was alone with Barbara recently, the Hyena threated to kill her dad if she spilled the beans.

Franco sternly tells Obregon: "I can't trust such a double-crosser." Obregon weakly explains he wanted his dough from Barbara, that's why he called her. "Well, Lily is not leaving here, so kiss your reward goodbye! I'll give you one more chance, Obregon - if Barbara calls say everything is fine - I have eyes and ears everywhere so don't think you can jerk me around...

"... here, read this out loud!" Franco hands him a piece of paper and turns on a little tape recorder. "I, Plutarco Obregon, director of Happy Acres, arbitrarily administered medication to Liliana Elizalde, who arrived her perfectly sane, and I did it on the orders of Barbara Greco."

Damian has taken over Vladimir's apartment and is explaining to him that Pris will call soon, when she realizes it's true that Anibal took her money. "She'll ask where you got the information, but you can't tell her! Leave her in suspense - say you can only tell her in person."

Vlad is like a puppy and says he'd like to give her flowers and take her to a nice restaurant and show her his love. "You're not in love, you're the biggest imbecile in the world! I won't help you! You won't get anywhere by being nice!"

Prisila harangues Anibal about her money but he says he's got no head for missing papers when the company and the family are going down in flames.

After being bleghily consoled by Barbara, Fer admits to herself she doesn't love Damian.

Damian lies in bed brooding about the $3 mil and about Barbara telling him he'll be hunted down so he'd better go to ground (madriguera = a lair). He curses her.

The phone rings, it's Prisila calling Vladimir! Vlad is all happy, and wants to see her immediately (using his info as the pretext) but Damian makes him cool his jets. No, the morning will not be convenient, he has a boxing lesson; no, the afternoon's no good either, he's tied up... "I'll call when I have time."

They hang up and Vlad crows "you were right! She's desperate to see me!" "That proves I am NEVER WRONG." "But I hate to make her suffer!" "You must be firm - say only what I tell you to say - she'll deny you nothing!"

Pops Elizalde drinks alone. Barb (without makeup!) comes in and is infuriated when Pops tells her he promised Fer he wouldn't send Lily out of the country, at least for three months. Barbara goes into her dressing room and brushes her hair very, very fast to work off her frustrated malevolence.

Fr/Ed tries to communicate with Lily. "I believe you, you're innocent, but we need proofs. Barbara said what she said to scare you. We must keep your secret, you can't tell anybody, not even Fer, we can't alert anyone, understand?"

Prisila asks Anibal what's going on with the company, he asks why she's interested all of a sudden. "My child will have a stake so now I care." "Damian fled with $3 mil. Now, without Franco's help, our family has no future." Prisila asks what Fern's doing. "She's in her room, crying, then she'll get ready to fall in love with some other cretin."

"I pray," says Pris, "my baby does not inherit the stupidity of her mother."

Fer broods: could somebody else have stolen the $3 mil? Who? "I'm full of doubt," she soliloquizes. She picks up Eddie's picture, under the moon. "Ah, Eduardo, you are in my thoughts at the happiest and the saddest times."

Fr/Ed plays the Obregon tape for Esteve. Esteve thinks this should be all that's needed; Fr/Ed says no, it would get thrown out in court, but it will serve to "neutralize" Obregon and possibly have some weight against Barbara herself.

In the morning, while Aurora is sneaking out of Dominga's house, Santi is painting her picture, and Barbara is visiting Artemio Bravo, aka Cigarman. They are discussing the desfalco (embezzlement) and the police hunting Damian. "Now, just make sure the Milk Group doesn't get that $3 mil and they'll be broken -" "and my contract with you will be over - my liberty!" "After so many years, what will you do, Rebeca?" "That's not your concern." "You know, evil becomes an addiction." "My destiny could have been different." "That's a past that's dead." "People don't forget their pasts." "But in the meantime you're still mine, so do what I tell you!"

Fr/Ed is under observation, I guess by that trio of guys from earlier in the show. Esteve wakes up after a fine sleep. They mull over the $3 mil. Esteve sees the headless chessman, and they look at Palafox's note about the lion, fox, and Isaac Newton. Esteve gets the idea to look in the phone book and they find, there, a 'Newton, Barrera Isaac.' Gooooaalllllllllll!

Tomorrow: Gardenia gets grabbed.

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Doña Barbara, Mon. May 11 - Santos is off the hook for León's death legally and morally; Sapo goes after Eustaquia

Pajarote explains to Santos how when he found out that León had killed Carmelito, he was consumed with rage. He went to El Miedo to find León but only found Tigre. He knew León would show up for the money so he followed Santos and Tigre. When León ambushed Santos, Pajarote shot him thus saving Santos' life and taking vengeance on León. Pajarote says that he feels bad. This is the first time he has killed someone and killing is wrong. Marisela tells Pajarote that all he did was execute a thief and a murderer. Santos thanks him for saving his life.

Nobody knows what to do with DB pounding on the the door of Pernalete's house. Finally, at Mujica's suggestion, Pernalete stammers out that he is getting dressed and asks DB to wait for him at the jefetura. DB tells Melquíades that is very strange.

Antonio and Capt. Delgado discuss the news that Sapo's body wasn't in the plane. Genoveva says that she is afraid that Sapo will be angry that his friend Gonzalo was put in prison. Capt. Delgado says that narcotrafficers like Sapo don't have friends. They are only interested in money. Another telegram arrives with the news about León's death and María Nieves' recovery. Antonio decides to go to Progresso.

Pajarote asks Santos and Marisela to put themselves in his shoes - he killed another human being. Now that he isn't in Pajarote's shoes anymore, Santos blithely tells Pajarote not to feel bad - León wasn't a human being; he was a beast. He tells Pajarote to stop torturing himself and try to forget what happened.

When Pernalete and Mujica arrive, Marisela keeps Pajarote from speaking. Santos finishes his statement saying that he killed León in self defense.

Gervasia comes to see León's corpse. In a long scene complete with flashbacks, she asks what he had against her and why he destroyed her life twice. She says that she feels that she won because Leon is dead and no one is crying for him while she was happy with Carmelito. Because of the child León fathered in her, she forgives him.


Sapo tells Facundo that tonight they will go to La Chusmita and get revenge on DB by killing Eustaquia.

Melesio comes into where Gervasia is and basically tells her that life goes on. She has to live for her children. When Gervasia asks how she will be happy again, he tells her that moments of happiness are all that exist in life and that when she is old like him, she will look back at them.

In the sweet scenes that we have come to expect right before someone dies, Juan Primito tells Eustaquia that he is fond of her and wishes she would get out of bed and chase him around like she used to. He asks her to make him some jam (jalea).

DB gives her statement to Pernalete. Antonio arrives and tells everyone the news about Sapo still being alive. DB says that she knew it all along and she also knows that he is very close.

La Chusmita is apparently a one-room set so Eustaquia is making jam on a brazier or something on the main table in the room. She says that the jam won't set ('no cuaja') and it tastes terrible. She isn't good for anything any more. JP tells her that she makes the best arepas in the world and Eustaquia remembers when she first met JP.

When the Altamira folks repair to the bar after giving their statements in the jefetura, they find Cecilia and Genoveva there. Santos thanks Pajarote for confessing to killing León. He says that Pajarote has given him his life back, twice. [I guess since Pajarote didn't make a promise to his mother to abjur violence, he wouldn't have the same guilt as Santos when he killed someone. Still, Santos' obvious relief at not being the killer and his expectation that Pajarote's guilt will be satisfied with the excuses that he wouldn't accept when he thought that he had killed León does not reflect well on Santos, in my opinion.]

When DB is alone with Pernalete and Mujica, she asks why they are so nervous. She warns them not to mention to anyone that Eustaquia is at La Chusmita.

Eustaquia asks JP to take care of DB when she is gone. JP says that he will because he loves DB and she loves him and took care of him when Sapo tortured him.

DB gets Marisela alone and appears to revert to her nasty old self. She tells Marisela to get away from Altamira and leave Santos to her. Marisela asks DB why just when it seems like DB loves her, she mistreats her.

DB tells Melquíades that she had to frighten her daughter to make her go away. If she doesn't take the advice, too bad for her. Melquíades that they are armed to the teeth. DB says that they will wait for nightfall to pay a visit. [Of course, they don't know where Sapo is so where are they going to go? And meanwhile they've left the person they know to be in danger alone.]

Sapo ties up and gags everyone in Pernalete's house except the baby. He tells Facundo that he isn't killing them because he needs to come back to the house and doesn't want bodies stinking up the place.

Sapo comes to La Chusmita and knocks Eustaquia down.

DB finally figures out that Pernalete's strange behavior means that Sapo is hiding in his house. She rescues them and heads for La Chusmita.

Genoveva tells Pajarote that even though he is a shameless dummy, she is proud of him. He did what he had to do. He tells her not to leave him alone, he is afraid that the ghost of León will appear to him. He tells Geno that now that he has her, he never wants to sleep alone again.

Santos tells Marisela that she can go through one of two doors. One door is to her life away from him. He knows that she could have a happy and peaceful life. The other door is to life with him. He says that he knows that living with him won't be easy. She needs courage and maturity to enter his life. He can only promise her his love and the desire he has to share his life with her. He says that he won't ask her again.

DB and her armed gang is rushing off to La Chusmita. Facundo tells Sapo that she is on the way. Sapo takes Facundo's switchblade and uses it on Eustaquia.


DB arrives at La Chusmita and finds Eustaquia with her wrists slashed [I think].

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Las tontas no van #110, Mon 5/11, Who Pays the Price?

As Patricio bounces up, Ali asks Santiago, “Wouldn’t you like to have a baby?” Santi’s mouth turns to sawdust. Pat covers while Santi recovers. He says, "Lord willing, I'll find him." He seems less confident as time passes. Always eager to hold Patito, Pat asks Santiago, "Lo puedo cargar?" Cargar can mean to carry, but also to be responsible for. Santi suggests that when he finds his son, maybe the boys can be friends.

What is Alicia’s game here? To gloat? To rub his nose in it and make him miserable? To enjoy the triumph of her trick? To feel the thrill of risking discovery? Or maybe she wants to be discovered because she’s tired of playing mommy and she’s not getting anywhere with Pat.

Moving out of the frying pan and into the fire, Pat notes that Santi and Candy are now novios. Ali couldn’t be happier, but Pat says he’s worried because Chava is so sad about it. Everyone stands there uncomfortably, and Santiago awkwardly observes that he hasn't found his son yet.

Gabino warns Art to play their game or else. Art spouts several platitudes to assert that he’s old but wise, implying that Gabino should pay him more respect. He says Rocky had promised him he’d be able to retire from “the family,” but Rocky also helped him arrange Plan B to fall back on. He pulls out the key to his safe deposit box.

Cuau sends Lulu flowers with a flattering card. He shows up and she gives him the grand tour of the office. He gives her some more flattery and a kiss.

Raúl comes to the institute to pick up Soledad, who now wears pastels instead of harsh colors. When Ceci joins them, Raúl eyes her suspiciously. Ceci says Beto wants to see a movie, so they should all go together. So much for a romantic date!

Jaime goes to the restaurant to see Sven. He feels like Isabel is keeping something from him, and he’s looking for someone to talk to.

Amanda of the botched surgery goes to Candy’s office. Candy says she will believe in her novio until she sees proof to the contrary. I guess when Candy told Santiago, “I love you with all my heart,” that didn’t extend to her trust or confidence in him. Amanda promises to get proof.

Still at the park, Alicia cautiously quizzes Santiago about his efforts to find his son, but he can’t take his eyes off the adorable baby in the stroller. Ali says she honestly hopes Santi finds his son, and she doesn't follow it with an evil sneer. Hmm.

Luc stops by the malt shop to see her friends and Charly. She’s upset because of the picture Paulina e-mailed her. Across the room, she sees Danielle kissing some other guy. Luc tells her off for hurting Charly, but Danielle tells her to get a clue! Luc is the one he wants, according to Danielle. Besides, Danielle has decided to enjoy life instead of lying around depressed, like Charly. This all definitely gets Lucía’s attention. Fred tries to talk to her but Luc blows him off (that’s a step in the right direction). She tries to call Charly, but he just growls at her.

Santiago sits down with his therapist, Donato. His face glows when to talks about Baby Patito. He’s happy for Pat and Ali because a baby is a gift from God. But, voice cracking, he says he worries about his son. Is he well fed? Is he warm at night? Does someone hold him when he’s scared? Santiago knows he bears part of the blame. But he echoes the unanswered cry of everyone who has worked with troubled children, and our voice cracks too. Why should the child pay the price for the sins of the parents? Donato gives the best answer he can, “Don’t lose hope. La vida le va a dar las repuestas. Life will give you answers.”

In telenovelas, baby abductions always have a happy ending. Too bad real life doesn’t usually follow the same script. Occasionally it does. On Friday’s blog we were talking about a happy ending in Philadelphia, and Kris found the news story. It was even made into a movie called Little Girl Lost. Thanks, Kris!

Soledad sets Ceci straight. She asked Ceci to baby-sit Beto, not barge in on her date. Ceci claims she was only trying to help, but Sol says she keeps interfering with her relationship with Raúl. Is Ceci jealous? Ceci goes to her room in a huff and refuses to talk any further.

In his study, Santiago talks to Rocío about her hermanito. They light a candle to call the angels to help find him. Meanwhile in the kitchen, Luc is stressing about Charly not wanting to talk to her.

Pat worries for Chava, who wants his parents back together. Margarita pointedly counsels her son, “Los hijos simpre siguen pagando los platos rotos de las papas” (the children never stop paying the price for their parents’ sins). Margarita knows Pat’s concern is more than just for Chava, and she reminds him to accept that Candy loves somebody else. We can’t have everything we want. Bitter medicine.

Candy calls Santi as he’s getting ready for bed. She says, “I spent the whole day thinking about how much confidence I have in you.” Mucho o poco? No lo sé. She asks, by the way, has he done anything professionally improper? He assures her, nothing whatsoever. She hangs up and concludes that Amanda is a complete liar.

Alicia hides in the bathroom to call Marissa, who has been out shopping. Ali reports that Santi saw the baby, and Mar wants all the juicy details about his reaction. Ali is worried that somehow he’ll find out the truth. All Mar cares about is Santi’s prolonged suffering. She wants him to never stop paying the price.

Luc finds Charly in the park and tries to talk to him, but he tells her to get lost and go back to her boyfriend. He says she lives in her grand palace and she’s never had to fight for anything (except maybe surviving the sudden death of both her parents). He on the other hand is fighting for his life and nothing else matters. Luc refuses to join his pity party

Raúl and Soledad have the big talk. Has he accepted his wife’s death, or is he with Soledad just because he’s lonesome? He confesses that it has been hard, but he thinks he is ready to love again, and Soledad makes him feel again. Soledad implores him, “Don’t fail me. I’ve had too many other failures.” He promises he won’t. She asks him about his “museum,” and you can tell it’s a sensitive subject. But he’s trying to put those things in the past, including the museum. Raúl suggests that Ceci is jealous of him. He also suggests that it’s time to talk to Beto about their relationship.

While Gabino inspects Art’s safe deposit box, his subordinate (I’ll call him Viney) secretly snaps pictures of Pat picking up all three kids at school. Pat notices. Viney follows him to Santiago’s house where Pat drops off Roc and Chava. Suddenly Pat yanks Viney out of the car and demands to know why Gabino is having him followed. Viney says he’s not following Pat, he’s following Santiago’s kid. Pat wants to know what Santi has to do with Gabino, and warns Viney not to mess with him. You gotta’ admit, Pat’s got guts. Maybe no brains, but guts, he’s got.

Like any good boss, Gabino has a “counseling session” with Viney, to impress on him the importance of not getting discovered while he’s spying on people. Viney explains his quick thinking. He told Pat that he was following Santi's kid, so Pat wouldn't know that Viney was actually following Pat and his kids. Gabino says he just doesn’t want Pat snooping around in his business. Meanwhile Pat tries to figure out how best to protect his son, since he thinks Santi is somehow mixed up with Gabino. He knows that if he tells Candy, she’ll think it’s just his jealousy against Santi.

Charly says Luc ditched him because he’s infected and she’s afraid of him. She says that’s nonsense. She ditched him because he cheated on her. (Nice try Luc, but didn’t you split with him before you knew about Danielle?) Getting serious, Charly says he was drunk and he was stupid, but why can’t she forgive him? How long must he keep paying for his offense? He loves her and she doesn’t care. If she’s not afraid of his infection, she’ll kiss him. Lucía overcomes her anxiety and does just that. A good, sweet, meaningful kiss.

Candy talks to Barb and worries some more about the demands of trying to be a super-mama plus work full time. Barb reminds her that she doesn’t need to work, but Candy wants to have it all.

Pau is in charge of Roc and Chava at her house, but she tells them, “You can’t go to a movie, you can’t watch TV, you can’t play on computer.” I would add, DON’T EAT THE GINGERBREAD!!! She suggests that they make a puppet show instead. And guess who will write the script?

In the next scene, Donato is setting up the puppet theater Pau just bought. Santiago asks whose idea that was. “Why, the children’s idea,” Pau quickly interjects. He asks what the story will be, and she claims she has no idea. “Those children are so creative.”

Gabino meets with Art and we finally find out about that safety deposit box. Art has a letter from Rocky to Gabino, saying that Art has solid evidence about the money laundering. Gab threatens that in his business, there is only one place for traitors. Art says he’s not betraying anybody; he’s protecting himself. Gab says he’s not ready to let Art retire, and shows him the photos of Art’s wife, son, and grandsons. "If you talk, they fall." Art knows he has lost. When Art chose his course in life, he never considered that this would be the price.

Raúl wants to tell Beto that they are novios, but Sol wants to wait. He agrees to wait. They seal the deal with an extended kiss, during which Beto walks in and see them. I guess that wait was shorter than expected. Beto runs to his room, upset. Later Sol tries to explain to him that Raúl won’t take the place of his father, but she wants to be happy too. Beto mostly whines. Back in the living room, Raúl tells Sol that it’s understandable that Beto is upset right now. It will take time. Raúl looks forward to getting to know Beto better because he likes children, and he never had any because his wife died while she was still pregnant.

Sven reports to Isabel that Jaime is worried for her. She says she’ll talk to him. Changing the subject, she notes that Sven and Jaime seem to have a special relationship. Sven admits that he’s like the father he never had. He explains that he was raised by the man his mother married, but his actual father was married to somebody else. He loves his stepfather and he owes him a lot. But still sometimes he thinks about his original father, who he hasn’t seen since he was five. “He used to call me Frijolito.” Isabel hides her impactada as best she can.

In the puppet show, the puppets say that they are sad because their parents don’t want to live together, and they want to marry someone else. The Chava-puppet says that his mama doesn’t love him. We all know who the actual puppeteer is. The audience looks uncomfortable. Pat buys into the message, hook, line, and sinker. Santi sees Pau’s fingerprints all over it, and grits his teeth once again, at what he has to put up with for Rocío’s sake. And Candy? Pau hit a bull’s-eye! Candy goes off to cry, Santi tries to talk reason with her (silly Santiago!), and Pat tells her that he thinks it’s time for Chava to live with him.


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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Doña Bárbara - Fri., May 8- Santos disappoints his mother and DB tells him that now they are the same

We open with the standoff in the dark. Guns fire and León falls down, dead. Tigre calls Santos a murderer.

The mysterious person at La Chusmita was DB. She tells Eustaquia that she is sure that Sapo is close by.

Santos tells Tigre that he was just defending himself. Tigre points out that Santos was using him as a shield and calls Santos a murderer again. Santos replies that León killed Carmelito - he is the murderer. Tigre calls him a coward and a murderer and Santos tells him to shut up.

Federica takes care of Mujica and says that he is her hero.

Marsiela tells Altagracia that she isn't sure she should go to Altamira. She needs to think. María Nieves tells her the obvious, "You love him and he loves you. What else do you need to think about?"

Here we see that León has been shot in the side of the head. This becomes significant later.

Cecilia tells Antonio how she got Don Encarnación to forgive her. Antonio tells her how much he loves her and how their suffering has made him appreciate her more.

DB tells Melquíades that she should have gone to Progresso with Santos but when she heard what Juan Primito had told Pernalete, she knew that she had to guard Eustaquia. Melquíades tells her that he heard some shots by the crossroads.

Melquíades finds the scene of the shooting and can tell by his nose that many horses went to Progresso. He deduces that Santos must have won since Los Mondragón would have headed for the forest.

Pernalete is comforting Josefa after Sapo forced her to have sex with him when they all hear Santos yelling outside. Reluctantly, Sapo lets Pernalete and Mujica go deal with the situation but he says that they only have an hour. After that, Sapo says that he will start killing the women and children.

Marisela finally admits to herself that she should be with Santos since they love each other. Then she sees Santos drive through town [what did Melquíades smell then, horsepower?] with Tigre and León's body.

DB tells Eustaquia that she can't sleep. She has a strange feeling that she getting to the end of something [the novela!] and there is fear and joy. She says that she will be free to live and smile again. Eustaquia says that she will be free, too (meaning presumably that she will be free of her body, i.e., dead). DB doesn't want to hear that and asks Eustaquia what she means and Eustaquia lies and says that she didn't mean anything.

Melquíades goes to Progresso to find out what is going on. When Costa tells him that Santos shot León, Melquíades is surprised. He didn't think Santos was a good shot.

Meanwhile Santos is giving his statement to Pernalete and Mujica. Santos says that he killed León. "In self defense ('en defensa própria,')" says Mujica briskly. Santos repeats that he killed a man. Marisela comes into the room. She takes up the self defense mantra but Santos keeps repeating that he is a killer, a murderer. Santos' statement is taken in record time and Pernalete and Mujica hustle everybody out and get home just in time to keep Sapo from killing the women.

Santos and Marisela return to Altamira. Santos tells Marisela that by killing León to save his life, he is just like his father who killed his own son in a rage. He tells Marisela that he wants to be alone.

Santos paces the halls of Altamira and has flashbacks to when his brother was killed and his father killed himself.

It's the next morning and MN doesn't like oatmeal Altagracia is feeding him. [He can't feed himself?] Dr. Arias say that it is a sign that he is getting better. The doctor tells MN and Altagracia about León. MN doesn't believe that his boss killed someone.

Santos is still brooding about being a killer and telling himself that he has failed the promise he gave his mother when DB comes to see him. She says that it is kill or be killed. She asks what is bothering him - killing a thief and murderer or finding out that he isn't as good and holy as he promised his mother he would be.

Pajarote is in church praying. He tells Father Pernia that he wants to confess.

DB tells Santos that he has done what he always criticized in her. "We are the same," she says, "beast that cannot be caged up or threatened because they kill to defend themselves." Santos says that he doesn't want to be like her.

Marisela tells Santos that he couldn't have killed León because he was shot in the temple and Santos was facing León.

DB tells Leóncia and Celeste that León is dead. Leóncia curses DB.

The news about León gets around. Here's a pic of the hunky Captain Delgado. Antonio gets the report that the bodies in the burnt up plane weren't Sapo and Facundo.


Pernalete and Mujica have just convinced Sapo to let them go the jefetura when DB comes knocking at the door. Santos and Marisela come to the jefeturaa to see Pernalete and Acosta is sent to his house to fetch him. Santos and Marisela discuss how strange it is that León could have gotten shot in the temple when he was facing Santos. Pajarote comes in and confesses that it was he who shot León.

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Saturday, May 09, 2009

MEPS 05/08/09: Opportunity Knocks for Eduardo


Capítulo 59

First, a bit of repetitious review.

At Las Animas Eduardo tells Estev, aka, Dewey Duckworth, that he’s fighting a battle against time. He’s got 24 hours to save himself or go belly up.

Meanwhile, Damian the Damned is on the phone with Bitch-Barbie. She is taking perverse pleasure in snidely telling Damn how she screwed him out of the $3 mil, that the transaction was done under his name, and that the Elizalde’s will be pursuing him the rest of his life looking to take it out of his miserable hide.
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A bit later, Dewey and Ed are finishing din-din when there’s an unexpected knock on the door. Ed goes to answer it and finds Fernanda standing there, the perfect damsel in distress.

Back at Grupos Lactos, Bitch-Barbie explains to Damn that she put the $3 mil in an account with his name on it and Gonzo and the others all think he stole it. “So, don’t even think of showing your face around the hacienda or the business again because you’ll end up spending the rest of your life rotting in jail!” Damn is in denial. He stutters that that wasn’t what the two of them had agreed to. BOW sneers. “Just because people agree on something doesn’t mean they have to go through with it. Otherwise you wouldn’t have let yourself be used for the embezzlement scheme, would you have? Find a hole and burrow deep. That’s the best advice for a rat like you!” Click! The Barbot cracks a small smug smile. One down, 4 to go…..

Fr/Ed introduces Estev to Fer. She apologizes for barging in on Fr/Ed like this and asks to speak with him. The two of them go into the study and Estev tells himself he understands why his best bud is head over heels for Nanda. “Whew! She is gorgeous!”

At the same time, Babs walks back into Gonzo’s office and tells him, AB, and Cad that Franco Santoro called to say they authorized the first payout, the $3 million, and that they should have it in their account within 24 hours. The Gullibles are relieved that the sum will cover the gap left by Damian’s theft. Babs tells them that now the partnership is a done deal they can go ahead and report Damian Gallardo to the authorities.

Damn hangs up. “No puedo creerlo!” He starts screaming that he can’t believe what the damned despicable witch did to him; and that she definitely deserves the nickname “La Hiena” cuz that’s exactly what she is. For emphasis, in a fit of temper, he knocks at least a dozen crystal bar glasses of Vlad’s onto the floor and a floor lamp is knocked over. Shards fly everywhere. (Much better than just slamming a cell phone to bits.) Vlad walks into the living room and placidly stares at him. (Excuse me? No cursing? No questions? No “WTF, Damian?”)

Back at Las Animas, Fer races through a harried apology but Fr/Ed tells her not to bother, that there is no reason to apologize. She will always be welcome there. He takes her hand to help her to the couch and asks why she’s trembling. All she can do is instinctively embrace him. He reels from the feel of her body against his. It takes all his strength to control his desire. (Yowza!) She realizes it’s a bit too intimate, considering she’s a married woman, and quickly pulls away from him, totally mortified. He offers a much needed shot of tequila and she accepts.

Back at Vlad’s: Vlad is a bit worried about Damn. (Not a fricking word about the expensive breakage or the mess on the floor? Darn! This guy is gonna make some gal a wonderful Stepford-style house-hubby some day! He cooks, he cleans, and he takes crap off everybody but never complains! Muy peligroso or muy estupido. Maybe just wimpy.) Vlad quietly starts picking up the mess and listens to Damian’s line of bull. Damian screams that Barbara Greco hasn’t got the money she owes him and is making him wait for it. Vlad asks what all this money is for. Damn sidesteps and tells him he’s going to repay Vladimir’s friendship.

Again at Las Animas, Fer slugs down the tequila. Fr/Ed asks what the problem is. He says he thought she’d be on her honeymoon by now. Nanda confesses to Fr/Eddie that her honeymoon is permanently cancelled and, in between sobs, says that the future of her family is now in his hands. (Heavy…..)

At Grupo Lactos, Gonzo calls the police. He leaves word for a Comandante Lozaya to come speak with him personally about an urgent matter. AB screams that he wants Damian to get his just deserts and Cad agrees. Gonzo gets angry at Anyballs and complains that his sons prefer vengeance over regard for their sister, Fernanda’s, feelings. They’re turning the situation into a family duel, he complains. Barbie thinks to herself, “This is nothing compared to the Hell that’s waiting for you, Gonzalo!”

Meanwhile, Fr/Ed feels a bit awkward with what he’s heard and tells Fer that she’s overestimating him. She tells him that it’s obviously only a bit of business for him, but it’s a matter of survival for her and her family now. Nanda says it’s embarrassing for her to have to ask, but she wants to know how long before they will have the payout available and in their account? He tries to get her to explain, but just then he has to take a call on his cell. It's Martina wanting Ed to speak with the matamentes, Dr. Dement-oh! He asks Eddie to come talk with him personally. He says he is definitely breaking off his ties to Barbie (like he had any choice) and says his fate depends on Ed. Ed says not now. Martina gets back on the line and he tells her that he’ll come later, not to worry. She goes back into Lili’s room and tells the sleeping Lili not to worry now, that that dog, Obregon, finally understands who his master is.

Back at the Mud Wrassler’s Cantina, Jairo is sharing a beer with Lucio. He’s happy as a pig in ...mud cuz he thinks that they will be making a nice wad of cash by keeping tabs on Las Animas and helping Rene nab Franco. He’ll love seeing the guy thrown into jail for dealing in illegal narcotics. Suddenly Venus appears at his table and asks for her old job back. She tells him that nobody else will give her a job because of her problems with him. She swears that she isn’t covering up for Martina, either. He says since she caught him in a good mood he will take her back. Kiss, kiss. Hug, hug. FF>>

Fr/Ed finally tells Nanda to stop beating around the bush and come out with what’s bugging her. She says she understands that they scarcely know each other but she has nobody else to turn to. It’s that her husband disappeared. Fr/Eduardo is speechlessly impactado.

Vlad is folding napkins for the evening meal as he and Damn talk. (Is this guy for real? I’ll take two!) Damn tells Vlad that he will make him and Prissy millionaires if they will only help him out. (Uh, isn’t Pris already a million-heiress? Maybe that’s where having the kid fits in.) He plans to sue Barbara Greco for his money, he says, and then he’ll be loaded. He’ll be able to give them a chunk—provided they lend him a hand. Vlad only has to do a few simple things for him: some phone calls, getting him a few documents, and above all, getting Pris to fall in love with him. Vlad wonders how he’s going to sue Barbie if he’s got to hide out in his apartment.

Damn makes up a story that the Barbot threatened him with sending somebody to kill him if he ever tried to sue her. That’s the reason he got a little excitable (a LITTLE?) and he knows that she’ll do it, too. For that reason nobody can know that he’s staying there with him. This gets Vlad’s attention. “The woman is that dangerous?” “—You can’t imagine; that’s why they call her La Hiena!”

Cad tells the comandante that his inexcusably offensive BIL has run off with $3 milion dollars. AB comments that he discovered the embezzlement and that Babs found out it was Damn who did the deed. The comandante says he’ll put out an APB out on him so the proper authorities can keep him from leaving the country. Any Balls wants to give the guy a photo of Damn for the press but Gonzo draws the line at that, thinking about the scandal it would cause for Fer. AB asks him how else he thinks they’re supposed to find him.

Babs sides with Gonzo. “You’ve heard my husband. We don’t want to air this problem publicly.” Lozaya says fine. Gonzo gets ready to fill out the paperwork but Babs stops him and says it would make things worse for Nanda if she knew that her daddy had been the one to report her husband to the authorities. Gonzo should let her be the one to handle it all instead. Gonzo is a bit relieved. “Well, I hadn’t thought of that, so thank you!” Babs smiles sweetly back at him. (What a dear.)

Nanda continues to explain to Fr/Ed what happened earlier in the day. “It wasn’t till this afternoon that we realized that Damian had run off to who knows where. Obviously we think he’s left the country.” “—Is this confirmed?” “—Well, yes, probably because…(choke, sob, sniff)… $3 million dollars was stolen!” Fr/Ed is dumbfounded. Fernanda slugs down the last of the tequila and asks for another. Fr/Ed obliges. “That’s why I’m begging you to firm up this deal as soon as possible. PLEASE! Otherwise, Grupo Lactos inevitably will be ruined financially.” Fr/Eddie is majorly impactado. Fernanda tells him that her brothers blame her for her husband’s defrauding the company. “But then, I suppose, it is my husband who committed the fraud, isn’t it?” She grabs his hand (OMG!) and tells him that only he can help them now. “You have my life in your hands,” she tells him. Ruh-Roh!

Eddie is suffering from a major league conscience-overload at this point. “First, I want you to know I am deeply sorry for what you’re going through. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling. Feeling that we are left alone without those we love is seemingly the worst kind of Hell, especially when it’s the result of a lie.” (Major conscience-overload—and, just in case you weren’t paying attention, the writers have just hit us over the head with the story’s major premise.) Fr/Ed says he is curious about something, but adds she isn’t under any obligation to answer him. Fer says she’s in no condition to answer him, but go ahead. “Do you love your husband?” he asks.

Viewerville must hold its breath for her answer because we are shunted back to Vlad’s apartment where Damn is asking for Vlad’s answer to something. Vlad says what Damn’s just suggested sounds like blackmail and he’s not going to hurt the woman he loves. “Look, Vlad. Do you believe that demonstrating to Priscilla that she is married to a cretin who has been stealing from her for years is harming her? “

As Vlad takes time to process we beam back to Grupo Lactos where Babs finishes filling out the complaint against Dam. The comandante promises to advise them all as soon as Damian is located and he leaves. Gonzo is distraught because he is worried what Fernanda is going to think. Babs rubs his shoulders and commiserates, then pretends that Comandante Lozaya has carried off a favorite pen that Gonzo gave her as a gift. She runs out of the office to catch up to Lozaya in the elevator. Cad, who knows one when he sees one, tells his papi not to worry, that the opportunistic hustler is going to learn that nobody makes fools of the Elizalde’s.

In the study at Las Animas Fer admits to Fr/Eduardo that she’s not sure whether what she feels for Damian at this point is love or hate. Fr/Ed says, “This is now, but what about before he ran off?” “—If I hadn’t loved him I would not have married him.” “—It’s not always that way. The majority of people get married for reasons other than love. Surely though, that isn’t the case for you.” She wonders what he’s getting at. He says that she might be looking for a way to make amends for the harm Damn did to her family, or perhaps she might be looking to protect her husband and says that does make a difference.

Fer insists angrily that of course she’s trying to find a way to repair the damage Damian has done to her family. That’s not good enough for Eduardo, though, and he forces the issue. “You still haven’t answered me! Do you love him or not?” “—I love him, alright? I love him!” Eddie winces. (Well, you asked for it, sucker!) She adds it doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s going to become an accomplice to a criminal act committed against her own father, though. Suddenly his attitude changes and he becomes cool towards her. Fr/Ed says great. “Happy to hear it.” (Like Hell, you are!) He tells her the negotiation between the two companies will go through. However, he doesn’t want a soul to know they’ve met like this. He wouldn’t like her step-mother or Anibal to think he’s overlooking anything. They can thank her for closing the deal for them. Then he summarily dismisses her saying he’s got to get back and entertain the vice president of his company. He won’t even look in her direction. Nanda gets ready to leave.

By the elevator, with no one around, Babs now tells the comandante that Gonzo has just changed his mind and now prefers confronting the social scandal to losing the business he’s dedicated his entire life to. They can’t afford the luxury of a $3 million loss, she explains, and so she wants him to notify all the media and appropriate law enforcement agencies and to put Damian’s photo everywhere possible to ensure his immediate capture.

Dewey tells Eddie that now he understands why he is so in love with Fernanda. (The audio tech in charge of editing the CC has taken a powder here, so the rest is translated without the proverbial safety-net. A-gain!) She’s a beauty, and only a girl like her could win the likes of Eddie over says Estev. Ed’s overcome with the little green monster inside him at this point, and he swears to his BFF that he doesn’t love Fernanda anymore. “--Uh, come again?” Eduardo says he hates her now. He hates her with all his might. (Yeah, right. The guffaws in living rooms throughout Viewerville are, shall we say, loud, long and legion.) Estev says hang on just a minute here. He’s known Eduardo for the last six years, some 2,190 days-- and the entire time he’s heard nothing but how much he loves Fernanda Elizalde; that she was perfect, beautiful, intelligent, honest and just so-o-o fine. All of a sudden he’s telling him he hates her?

Eddie pouts then finally manages to spit out an immature “Well, then I’ve idolized her too much! Now I hate her!” (His beautiful lower lip pooches out.) Estev says, “A-hah! That’s a bit different. Just because you are hating her now doesn’t mean you do hate her. (Doncha just love these male heart-to-heart’s? The logic is so piercing.) Can I ask just what it was, exactly, that makes you hate her now?” “—She loves her husband! I asked her and the cheeky broad confessed it.” “—And why did you ask her?” “—Idiocy.” (Here, here! I mean, just what was she supposed to say? He’s an oaf and a bore who snores in his sleep and belches like a pig after every meal, in addition to being an embezzler, and so she hates the slug and wishes she’d never married him?) Estev just shakes his head in disbelief.

Back in the reception area at Grupo Lactos, Babs thanks Comandante Lozaya who has just pulled out all the stops for her, and he assures he’ll do the impossible to make sure they find Damian Gallardo’s whereabouts. He leaves. The Barbot allows herself a smug smile.

Estev wants to know where this question came from. “Fernanda comes to do business and the best you can do is to come out with a marvelous question like that?” “—Yeah, I know there was no reason to, but I did.” “—so what were you expecting to hear? ‘I married the guy but I hated him’? Who am I speaking to here? Franco Santoro? Do you think she would have answered the same way to Eduardo Juarez?” “--I’ll never know the answer to that.” Duckworth tells him it’s no big news that there’s no difference between love and hate in a situation like this. Ed responds with something sensible finally. “Eduardo loved her, but Franco Santoro cannot love her.” “--Now that’s sensible, and that’s your mistake, Eduardo. Franco Santoro has no emotional tie with her. You’re accusing her because she treats you like a stranger and, really, she has no reason to treat you any other way.”

Ed gets frustrated. “Ok. So what now? Do I reveal my identity after everything that I’ve done to her? Do I tell her I’m really Eduardo?” “—I’m just telling you the way things are, not how they ought to be.” Ed apologizes but is still frustrated. “You’re right, but I cannot take back the lie now.” Estev reasons that there are only two options for Ed: either he follows through to the end and suffers the consequences, or he disappears immediately. “Fernanda could forgive everything you’ve done and you two could be very happy together… if it weren’t for the existence of Barbara Greco.”

Speaking of Barbie, she goes back into Gonzo’s office and lays it on thick now. “I can’t believe that Damian could do something so despicable and to such a wonderful girl like Fernanda.” Gonzo swears he’ll make Damian pay for this for the rest of his life.

Santiago is now back home in his room at Hacienda Elizalde and finishing a preliminary sketch of Aurora on his easel. Nanda walks in for a heart-to-heart with her bro. They hug. He’s like manna from heaven for her right now. The feeling seems to be mutual for the heartbroken Santi. She asks what happened between him and Rory, but he’d rather talk about what’s happened to her and Damn. He’s impactado to hear that Damn left her and took a cool $3 mil while he was at it.

Speaking of the Wretch of Rome, Damn and Vlad are swilling beers and munching manwitches for supper. He tells Vlad that he always behaved like a gentleman around Fernanda. (I’m not sure about all of the rest of this conversation here. The audio tech is still out taking a toke.) Damn says he saw to all the little details and paid attention to all the formal courtesies. He gave her and the family his all. Once he’d married her, though, he realized that he’d made the biggest mistake of his life. He’d scarcely put on the ring when he noticed that he was a total idiot and was being taken advantage of. “You do for them and they take advantage of you!” He starts giving Vlad a bit of advice to the lovelorn then. Damn tells Vlad that he’s got to make Pris a bit jealous. When Vlad disagrees he tells him that’s why women don’t pay attention to Vlad. “You have to make them suffer a bit and the more you hurt them the more in love they become with you.” Vlad considers this.

Back at Las Animas Estev continues with his own advice to the lovelorn Eduardo. “Well, you could say that Fernanda is pretty much a single woman again.” Ed says she’s going to be a shattered woman. Estev says Franco will be there to help her through it. One way is by going ahead with the business deal. Ed says, yeah, by giving her the start-up money… $3 million dollars. Dewey says the other way is to have Franco Santoro woo Fernanda. Eddie takes a minute to masticate on the implications of this tasty tidbit.

Meanwhile, Fer tells Santi that Anibal and Cad blame her for Damian’s deceit and he has a hard time with that. He says he’d rather talk about how she’s feeling right now, how she’s holding up. She says she’s completely shattered by it all. She simply cannot understand how Damian could have deceived her the entire time all for $3 million dollars. (¡Qué ingénua eres, Fernanda! I sure could! What naivte! It’s not like the guy exactly came from money. Ursula is all the proof you need, dearie.) She thinks back to the mariachi serenade, the beautiful meal with a pair of pearl and diamond earrings as dessert, and his telling her that he’d wait for her a lifetime --and three more-- if need be to consummate their marriage vows. (That’s real crap! Who puts off sleeping together on their wedding night, let alone begs off for a full week after? And lest we forget, the dude didn’t make a move without Barbie’s approval. Everything, down to the last detail was all Babs’ doing –not that naïve Nanda could know this, of course.) “Can you imagine how painful it is for me to realize I’ve been tricked, that I’ve been used and how I wish it were only a nightmare?” Santi tells her that although Damn was never one of his favorite people, she shouldn’t jump to conclusions. She must give it all time to play out and just see if he really is to blame. (All right, so Santiago isn’t a total loser.)

Ed tells Estev that there’s no doubt what he feels for Fernanda is love, but the idea that Franco Santoro should make her fall in love with him—well, he’s not sure he’s quite ready for that at the moment. Estev wants to know what he has in mind instead. Ed says right now he wants to put the Elizalde family in their place, to make them understand that they cannot humiliate others the way they do, then to free Lili from that asylum she’s in, and to make sure that Barbara Greco pays for her crimes, but most of all to find out who his mother’s enemy is. Dewey says that all sounds reasonable. “But the problem is that to continue with my plans I need that $3 million by tomorrow morning.” Duckworth chokes. (No help on that end, I guess.)

When the rest of the Elizalde family finally gets home, Fer overhears AB and Cad griping to Gonzo and Babs about her scheming. Cad accuses her of throwing up a smokescreen at them in order to protect her hubby. “Otherwise she wouldn’t be hiding,” says Any Balls. Fer comes out of the shadows on the balcony above and defiantly yells down at them all, “I am NOT hiding!”

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