Caray, Caray!

Aloha everybody! First of all, thanks again to Chris for recapping last week's episode for me and thanks to the rest of you for recapping during the holidays. I was up quite late last night catching up on all the antics in Heridasville. Chris, I loved your detail about the chocolate "adult" party favors, nice touch!

Lead in from last night: Liliana crashes Alejandro's freedom fiesta at the very moment he and Miranda are about to kiss and make up. Miranda gives Liliana the stink eye.

Miranda thanks Liliana for all her hard work but tells her that her services will no longer be needed. Lil says "No no no, there is still a lot more work to do with Cesar and Bertha regarding Gonzalo's death...right Alejandro???" He squirms and more or less agrees with her, saying it would be imprudent to change lawyers at this stage of the game. Lil gloats behind her glass of bubbly. Miranda crosses her arms and says "OK Sure Fine but as of now Liliana will report only and exclusively to ME." She wants to see Al alone in the library.

The small victory has made Liliana bold and imprudent. She asks Al if Miranda is always this domineering, then proceeds to comment that Miranda lives in a crystal bubble, not the real world. Miranda should try earning her own living for just one day instead of being such a queen. Al finally sticks up for his wife. He says Lil is wrong, Miranda has worked the earth (in a clean, white gauze dress and espadrilles) with her own (perfectly manicured) hands; she has fought not only for her family but for the families of her hacienda. To him Miranda IS a queen and Lil should watch what she says.

Miranda fumes in the library and asks Al how long she has to put up with that cheeky lawyer. Now Al is on Lil's side and says without her he would never have been exonerated. They have a stupid argument. Miranda's phone rings, she answers and is suddenly very sweet, "Why hello, you need something? Oh wonderful, I'd love to, just tell me where and when. Big kiss to you too."

Al is jealous. Miranda says it was someone special but won't tell him who. She's all smiles and ushers him back to the celebration. He sighs, resigned to the fact that he's stuck between Bitch Rock and Bitch Hard Place.

Aha! Apparently it was Sofia who called Miranda. Miranda tells Fern in private that Sofia wants Miranda to attend the mini olympics at her school and Al is competing with her. She doesn't know what to think about Al playing the role of father with Sofia. Fernanda says it's a bad idea but she has no doubt that Al loves Miranda. Miranda says she only knows one thing, if Al can't make a decision about what he wants then she, Miranda, will make it.

I guess the boring lovebirds made up because now the entire family is laughing while Lil sulks in the corner. Fern approaches her and they exchange a few sarcastic words. Fern asks Lil what she would do to ensure her daughter's happiness. Lil says she'd take on the whole world of course. Fern says how wonderful that they understand each other because at the moment they are in a celebration that is 100 percent family and she doesn't want to see her daughter unhappy, got it abogada? Lil flips her hair and spins, clickety click click click, she sashays out on her spiky high heels. Say what you will about Lil, she's got that move mastered.

Amparo doesn't want Raul to go to Spain even though it's only for two years. It makes no sense to me but I think Amparo tells Carola that she (Amparo) wishes she (Carola) would go with Raul. At least Carola has a head on her shoulders (?!?!?!), not like that dimwit (points to Raul). I think Amparo's been chugging the vanilla extract. Francisco says he'll also miss Raul but the boy must have his own life. He points out that Amparo will probably eventually leave with Roman anyway. Amparo wails some more and asks what will Francisco do if she marries. He says he'll booze it up and hang out with the ladies, ha ha just kidding sis.

Huh? In the short time we visited with the Jimenez family Al and Miranda are mad again. Al asks Fern what's up with Miranda, she's locked in her room. He thinks Lil and Miranda are behaving like a couple of adolescents. Miranda is really pissing him off and why did Fernanda kick his lawyer out of the house? Au contraire, Fernanda says she "explained" that it was a family occasion and Liliana "understood" and left on her own.

Al tells Fern that he needs her to be a "margin of objectivity" between him and Miranda. Fern reminds him that Miranda is her daughter. He counters by telling her not to forget that Miranda is his wife. I fail to see the logic of how these could possibly be mutually exclusive but OK.

Pamela and Andrea arrive. Fern wants Pam to talk to Al.

Marisol, corruptress of young children, picks the young child Sofia up from school. Sofia is worried that her mom will be angry with her for calling Miranda. Marisol reassures Sofia that she did the right thing and if Sofia admits what she did to mommy then mommy might not let her see Al. Sofia says she wants Al to be her daddy. Marisol says it will be so; she's going to help her friend with this pesky Miranda business.

Have you noticed that this stupid episode is about nothing but Miranda's self-centered angst over that bitch Liliana, naughty Sofia, and her gigantic wimp of a husband?

Pam is at Miranda's door: "Let me in!"
Miranda: "I'm paralyzed with grief, I need to be alone!" Sniff, sniff.

Sanson calls Cesar and tells him his building is being watched. He keeps rubbing his neck, probably to signify that he's already got HIV-induced swollen lymph glands, or perhaps Cesar had the dog collar on just a bit too tightly.

Pam says her honeymoon was a dream come true. I guess there weren't any babes around for Luciano the horndog to pant over. Fern wishes her daughters could be as happy as Pam. Fat chance.

Pamela enters the library as Al hangs up his phone (someone wants to meet him). Pam asks Al how he is. He says nothing has changed except that he was found innocent. She asks why he and Miranda aren't celebrating this most important day. She advises him to dump Lil to save his marriage, she now has the wisdom of a married woman. Als says she's right, he's going to fix things right now, thanks Pamela. What in the hell just happened?

Oh goodie, Renata is talking to herself in the mirror. That usually means crazy things are going to happen. Blurry Mean Mirror Renata says Juan will never accept Cesar's baby. Non-Blurry Renata says the baby isn't Cesar's, it's hers and Juan's. Blurry snickers and tries to put doubt in Non-Blurry's heart. Fast Forward through Renata's flashback of doing the nasty with Cesar. Juan enters and asks what's the matter. "Will you love me forever? My baby too?" she asks. He reassures her that he will love her and her child forever. Kiss kiss.

Fernanda checks Julio's pulse and announces he needs a pacemaker. Wow, she's good.

Miranda, no longer paralyzed with grief, tells Pam she has a suspicion that is killing her. She's sure Sofia isn't taking Al to the mini olympics as her friend or uncle but rather as her father. However, raised as a motherless child she understands all too well how Sofia feels having only one parent. She lived it and understands Sofia better than Lil does.

Al is at Lil's house. He's an idiot. She is in a fit about Miranda and Fernanda ganging up on her. Marisol, holding Sofia in front of her, eavesdrops. Al says Lil is right, it's got to stop. "Great," says Lil, "we'll confront them and tell them we intend to continue working together." Al corrects her, when he said the situation had to stop he meant her employment, this will be the last time they see each other. Sofia runs out, hugs him and begs him not to leave them.

Sofia asks Al doesn't he love them anymore? He explains the nature of his and mommy's relationship as Lil sniffles off to the side. Sofia is distraught and says the mini olympics is for fathers only. Lil answers in that case she doesn't have to go to school. Sofia tells Al he's bad and she runs to her room. Lil says "Excuse me but I must go and reconstruct my daughter's shattered world." I'm not a parent but I suspect the grownups are handling this situation very badly.

Raul tries to comfort Amparo. Carola announces that she has thought things over and she's going to accompany Raul to Spain. Oh boy, a whole new country full of people to whom she can brag about her past as a whore!

Juan tells Renata that early tomorrow he'll take her in for a gynecological exam. "What for? she asks. He says he wants their child to have the best care that is offered. Renata seems suspicious, "Are you sure that's the only reason?" Juan asks what other reason could there be? He asks if she wants to go to Raul's goodbye thingie with him. She glances momentarily at her talking mirror of self doubt...then agrees to go.

Julio and Fernanda talk about his pacemaker operation. He wants to make arrangements to take care of Rebecca and sons in case, in case... Fabricio enters with little Enrique and immediately hands the baby to Rebecca. Julio gives him the news about his heart. Rebecca believes his deteriorated condition is due to Cesar and Bertha.

Fab says the time has come to denounce Cesar and Bertha. Fern says they are trying but so far they don't have enough hard evidence against them. Fab says he will denounce them himself...they were accomplices in his kidnapping!

"No puede ser!" cries Rebecca. Uh oh, somebody grab the baby. "I gave Cesar all my jewels for your ransom," she wails as she starts to teeter. Fab tells her that Cesar deliberately robbed her and she must denounce him too. Rebecca is impactada and falls onto the sofa before she can drop the baby.

Previews for tomorrow show Al and Sofia competing in (and probably winning) the mini olympics. Bad witches Liliana and Marisol look happy, Good Witches Miranda and Pamela look angry.

Labels: heridas

Anyone know what kind of bird that is at the end of the opening credits?

Mexico City: The "Who's On First" 1-Player Drinking Game

Here's how it works: Say something stupid, then take a drink. Or take a drink, and then say something stupid. After you repeat it a few times, the order doesn't matter much.

After Marcia says "I feel sorry for you," Fern gets in his car, revs the engine, rolls forward only a few feet, and begins to cry. "Lety, Lety," he moans. Then he yells, "Leeeeeeeeeeetttyyyyyyyyyy!!" His voice echoes all the way over to the inside of Lety's head in Acapulco. More on that later.

He goes back into the same bar - it's called the Blue Dragon, just in case you ever need to know while playing La Fea Más Bella Trivial Pursuit - and is greeted by a different bartender, whose shift is just beginning. Fern orders two more whiskeys and complains that the music is too cheerful. Pedro, the bartender, gets the music turned off but gives him only one drink. Fern says give me both whiskeys, or I won't give you a tip. Pedro says he shouldn't be drinking. Fern thinks this is outrageous, and demands his second drink. Pedro tells Fern he should really go home. He's already had eight.

Fern asks Pedro to look him in the eye. "Do I look like a clown? Do I have a little red ball on my nose too? Or the face of a fool?" Pedro politely responds in the negative. Fern says, "if you are going to call me 'patrón,' I would like it if you'd fill my orders, please. As a patron, I give an order and you fill it." By now he's finished the first (or ninth) whiskey.

Pedro reaches for the now-empty glass and begins refilling it, mumbling that Fern is going to leave there like a fumigated spider. Fern says, "People obey me, right? And they talk down to you, right?" Pedro denies the latter as Fern pulls Pedro's hand to his lips for a sympathetic kiss. "It's just that today isn't my day," Fern continues. "I'm no longer the president of Conceptos. I left the business with many problems. All the world hates me... you don't hate me," he adds. Pedrito agrees, "How can I hate you? You give me the best tips."

"But all the world hates me," Fern goes on. "Because I am trash. The lowest kind of trash. You know what, Pedrito? Pedrito what?" (Pedrito answers that his last name is Torres, like the little bald guy on a reality show .) "You know what's the worst, Pedrito? I lost the woman I loved and canceled my wedding."

Pedrito is confused. Fern drunkenly tries to clarify. "I'm not going to marry the one I love, that's the other one, Pedrito. I lost everything." Evidently, either this story or the fumes from Fern's breath have impaired Pedrito's judgment, so he asks for further explanation and pours Fern another drink. (That's #3 since the beginning of Pedito's shift.)

"You don't listen," Fern complains. "I wasn't going to marry the woman I love. The woman I love is the other one. But I have a little problem. Well, it's not a problem, it's a marvelous woman. Divine. But she has a defect."

Pedrito interrupts. "Which one are you talking about? The usual one or the other one? Because you have so many 'old ladies' that I can't tell."

"You're not getting it, Pedrito. I'm not going to give you a tip. You're not paying attention." He explains that "the other" is the one he was going to marry. (That's wrong, but he's drunk and fortunately Pedrito doesn't get confused.) Everyone thinks she's great, but Fern thinks she's neurotic. But that's not why he won't marry her. It's because he doesn't love her.

Pedro thinks "the other" must be one of Fern's conquests - perhaps a table dancer. Fernando gets scowly and warns him not to be disrespectful. Then he laughs. He was just joking. Fern says no, she's a marvelous woman, enchanting. "She must be," Pedro says agreeably.

"Do you want to meet her?" Fern asks, suddenly inspired. "What? I am just a humble server," Pedro answers. Fern nearly falls off his barstool getting the photo ("the bar pushed me," he explains). He takes an extra-long look at the picture. "She abandoned me," he says to his wallet. Finally he takes the photo out of his wallet and kisses it, then lets lucky Pedro see.

"Divine? Or no?" Pedrito is more polite than the bartender at the hotel last night - he doesn't turn have to rotate it multiple times to figure out which way it goes - but he makes a face ugly enough to rival Lety's sulkiest. "Yes, she looks very special." "How special?" Fern says impatiently and snatches it back, accusing Pedro of trying to steal it. Fern asks him to repeat after him, "She's divine!" Pedro repeats without eye contact or enthusiasm.

Fern wants another drink. Pedro offers a token protest, but still serves him. (#4 at least.) Fern resumes staring at the photo in his wallet with a silly grin on his face.

There is more talking, but less substance. Pedro encourages Fern to go home but also lets him have another drink. (This is at least #5 on top of the previous 8 and whatever he drank at the hotel.) He sneaks another peek at Lety's photo and winces as Fern mumbles "Lety... my Lety" at it.

Pedro tells Fern it's closing time. Fern says okay, close up, I'll stay here. Pedro has a coworker call Fern a taxi. Fern tells Pedro that there are only two people he gets along with - Saimon and Pedro.

Just then, Monica Agudelo shows up. You remember her. She's the Spanish woman who bothered Fern and Lety when they went to that restaurant, then called Marcia the next day to gossip about how Lety seemed to be getting affectionate with him. Fern introduces Monica as Marcia's gossipy friend and makes a sloppy pun about her being sharp like a razor ("agudo" means sharp). As Fern hugs Monica, Pedro frantically gestures to Monica something about a telephone. I'm not sure exactly what he's trying to say but I think it means "please please please get him out of here."

Monica wants to know why he's alone. He says he's not alone, he's drinking here with his friend Pedro. He asks for another whiskey, and Pedro says sorry, I can't sell any more liquor at this hour, and a taxi is on its way to pick you up. Fern says he doesn't want to leave his car here.

Monica wants to know where is Marcia. Jeez, for a gossip, she sure doesn't know much, does she? He says she was here a while ago, but he thinks she went home. He says something I don't get about stabbing (probably another agudo pun) the photo. (Pedro winces again.) Monica has no idea what he's talking about, but Fern is laughing too hard at his own joke to care.

(I missed some of the next scene. I took some notes and corrected the recording error during the next commercial break, but I've probably missed a few things.)

Monica leaves. Fern tells Pedro again that Monica is a gossip.

The taxi arrives. Fern is barely conscious. Pedro struggles to get him to the door. Fern is looking again at the picture in his wallet and mumbling things like "I have lost everything. She was my girlfriend forever. The woman I loved. I lost my love, my business. I can't afford to lose my car and have it stolen out of the street. Do you have valet parking?" He closes his wallet and dings Pedro's nose. "Who's your favorite barman? I love you sooooo much."

(Recording resumes.)

Fern is still babbling as the driver (of taxi #L24695; there will be a quiz later) helps him to the car. He is going on and on about how great "Peter" (Pedro) is and how he's going to have his own bar.

Fern wants to drive. The driver won't let him. Fern kisses his own car like it's Lety, then kisses the driver's hat. "I am ex-Fernando Mendiola, ex-president of Conceptos, ex-shareholder, ex-boyfriend of Marcia Villaroel, and ex-lover of Leticia Padilla Solis. She abandoned me." The driver says "OK, Don Fernando." Touched that the driver has addressed him so respectfully, Fern bawls on the driver's shoulder. His eye twitches like Lety's.

The driver leans Fern against the car while he opens the door. Fern falls over. Cabbie helps him up and carefully packs him into the car like a jack-in-the-box. He asks Fern where he wants to go. "Take me to whatever place is not my house," Fern answers. "Because at home, I'm alone. I am a very bored guy." (His head momentarily disappears as he flops down in the backseat.) "I don't want to be in my house." (All we can see is his hand waving around.) "Call them at your house and tell them you're not coming home today. So they won't be waiting for you," Fern says. "Nobody's waiting for me."

Fern sits up again. "They'll wait for me, but at the committee meeting, because the woman I love turned me in. She gave my head to the committee and said she loved me, can you believe it?"

Ah, well, that's women, the cab driver says as Fern disappears out of sight again. His hand pops up holding his phone/Blackberry/newfangled communications gizmo with alphabetic keyboard and screen. That fisheye lens photo of Lety is staring the driver right in the face. Fern gets up and tells Lety on his screen saver, "I am not going to sleep. If you don't appear, I won't sleep."

Fern begins to snore. The cabbie wakes him up. Fern says he needs to get some gel for his hair and suggests going to a 24-hour drugstore. Off they go!

---

Acapulco: Mr. Mellow Mellows Out

The all-star beach party continues. Caro is dancing with Alex; Lety is dancing with Aldo. Lety dances even worse with only one arm than with two. Now it's crazy and lopsided. There's a lot of fist-action and she is also shaking her booty spastically. Aldo chuckles gently and Lety seems to be having a good time, not freaking out with self-consciousness or anything like that.

Unfortunately, back home, Fern yells "Leeeeeeeeeeetttyyyyyyyyyy!!" His voice echoes in Lety's head. She stops dancing and looks confused for a moment. Then she runs away from the party. Everything and everyone else freezes motionless, except Aldo, who rushes to her side. They are soon joined by Carolina, who guesses that it has something to do with Fernando. Lety admits that she can't stop thinking about him. Aldo says don't worry - if you want to think about him, then think about him; if you want to cry, then do that.

He asks Lety if she wants to be alone. She says yes, and excuses herself. Caro does not approve, but Aldo says he doesn't want to be pushy. As Aldo and Caro return to the party, Lety comes rushing back to apologize to Aldo. (I guess Caro is chopped liver these days. On the other hand, it is Aldo's party.) She says she changed her mind, and she wants to dance with Aldo some more, if he's not too mad at her. He says of course not, and the party is for her. Lety says no man has ever treated her so unselfishly.

Lety and Aldo join the band on the stage, and the singer's words are "your love was like the water that I shouldn't have drunk, I loved you with all my heart, and you made fun of my feelings, I cried a thousand nights not to forget, I lost my dreams, my dignity, etc." (Is anyone else hankering for a song about surfing or a boy named Sue just about now?) The bellezas form a gauntlet, and Lety and Aldo pass through. (That's a double-line of people who form a sort of hallway and then you have to walk past all of them. I'm sure there's a square-dancing term for it, but I know it as a gauntlet.) Then there's line-dancing; then Aldo starts dancing a little like Lety. (Just a little.)

Caro makes a speech thanking the band, Caña Real, and Aldo for making an unforgettable night. She tells the bellezas it's time to go to sleep. Lety tells Caro she'd like to sleep too. Caro says she has to go, but Lety doesn't. Aldo awkwardly says that it's no problem, they can leave whenever they want, and he hopes Lety enjoyed her party.

Ouch.

While Aldo goes off to thank the band, Caro accuses Lety of being rude for not sticking around with Aldo. Lety says she really wants to sleep. And, in her defense, how much sleep can she have gotten lately, given her state of mind? But Lety admits that she's not sure if she wants to be left alone with him. (I guess it feels different at night.) Caro urges her to enjoy the life that's around her. Aldo gave them a great party, and Lety should at least give him a chat by the ocean at night.

Aldo comes back to say goodnight. Carolina tells him she's still leaving, but Lety wants to stay and chat. Lety begins to protest, but when she sees the big smile flash across his face, she changes her tune. She happily agrees to accompany him for a beachside chat. She lingers behind for just a moment to breathlessly tell Carolina, "I don't know if I've said it enough, but in every way... thank you sooooo much."

A little while later, Aldo is talking about how beautiful everything is. They are all part of this harmony. Lety says she's falling asleep. Aldo thinks she's bored. She says no, she doesn't want him to be confused that this closeness between them is anything more than friendship. She can't stand anyone making fun of her. He says the moment has arrived for them to speak seriously. He's not thinking about seducing her.

She retorts that everything he's told her was very pretty, but it's very strange that he has been talking that way with her.

Aldo says something about talking to the fire and not wanting to have a relationship with her. Huh? Lety apologizes and says she's very insecure, and after what happened with Fernando, her heart doubts everyone and everything.

Aldo says, "But out here there is no money, nor business How could I use you the way Fernando did?" Lety replies that for all she knows, maybe he made a bet with someone that he'd sleep with a fea.

Aldo looks bewildered. He gently caresses her face. "How many hurts have you endured?" After a moment she realizes that he's touching her, and she frowns. He backs off and spins around in frustration. "Nothing would please me better than to be able to be loved by a woman like you, Leticia." She musters a shy smile. "That kind of love has never been in my heart," he says.

Lety is surprised to hear this. "I too was hurting," he says. "Hurting very much. So much that I couldn't pull myself together. So much that I still don't know if someday I will be able to do it."

He tells the story of the wrecked minivan:

They had been happily married for four years. He was deeply in love with her, and thought she felt the same way. One day Leonora told him she was going out to eat with some girlfriends. A little while later, he got a call. They told him she had suffered an accident.

Cue the flashback music. It's the same scene. It's raining. He approaches the smashed-up minivan. It's totally destroyed; she's dead. He takes her face in his hands; for a moment I think he's going to suck the blood from her neck, but that's a different genre. He cradles her head on his shoulder.

The driver is slumped over, his head cushioned by the airbag, but it obviously wasn't enough to save his life. Aldo pushes him back from the bag and makes two stunning discoveries: the man is his best friend, and he and Leonora had been holding hands. Their hands are still clasped. They were lovers!

He gapes, disbelieving, as the rain pours all over him and his face slowly turns to stone.

That was two years ago, he tells Lety. He decided to go to Acapulco to get away from all of that, but living in solitude has hurt him.

Lety asks if Leonora was cheating on him for the whole four years they were married. He says he doesn't know, but

(DAMN! At this point, the recording stops due to my being an idiot. I took some notes and corrected the recording error during the next commercial break, but I've probably missed a few things.)

Aldo says to Lety, "Thanks for how you are. Thanks for who you are." She gets nervous and says good night.

(Recording resumes.)

Lety runs into Frederico, Fern's "uncle" (friend of his father's, I'm pretty sure, not a blood uncle), and is mortified to see him. She says she wishes she'd never met either him or Fernando. He kindly asks her what Fernando did to her. She says, "He lied to me, he deceived me, he made fun of me and made me feel like trash." Fred tells her that being human means never being trash. The more you suffer, there is always a chance to be reborn. She says she would like to be reborn. He says happiness is the only thing she should encounter in life. If his nephew did those things to Lety, he (Fred) is very sorry, and he cares very much for her. More than for his nephew.

Lety asks why. He says he doesn't know - it's something that he ??? (nace - doesn't make sense?). He asks permission to give her a hug, and she grants it. This peaceful moment lasts about a nanosecond before she realizes that he might blab to Fern. He promises not to reveal that he even saw her, and gives her a blessing. She says she wishes she could have met and got to know him at some other time.

Then she cheerfully tells him that he reminds her of Fernando. (Not sure how great of a compliment that is, considering all the bad things she just told him about his nephew.) She says Fern looks more like Fred than his own father. (Now, if THAT doesn't make you go hmmm....)

(It's probably an in-joke. Thanks to Cathy for discovering that this actor is Jaime Camil's real-life father.)

They part ways. Lety goes to her room and remembers Aldo saying how perfect everything was. She reminds me of the time Marcia Brady came home with a crush on a boy. She floats happily into her bathroom, smiles at herself in the mirror, and then is rudely interrupted by the image of herself kissing Fernando in her office. She yells "Leave me in peace."

She sits on the bed and remembers Aldo saying "Thank you for being the way you are and thanks for being who you are." She strokes her cheek where he had touched her face, and smiles.

A while later, she is sitting on her bed in some flowered red flannel pajamas. There is a loud knock. It's Aldo, asking her to open up please.

She opens the door and he takes her hand. They stand very close.
They almost kiss.
They sorta kiss.
They totally kiss.

She backs off and says no. Then she goes in for more.

She wakes up, moaning no, no, no. Why can't I forget Aldo, now that he's showing up in my dreams? (This is at the same time that Fernando is telling his cell phone that he's not going to sleep until she shows up.)

Neither can I forget Fernando, she says to herself. He's in her dreams too.

Next day

There's a knock on Lety's door. Lety answers paranoidly, but it's Carolina. Caro wants to know who she thought it was, to answer so nervously. Lety claims she had a nightmare that someone was in her room last night. (Heh, I wish I could have a "nightmare" like that.)

Caro wants to know how it went last night. Lety says it was okay, but Caro says she doesn't sound very enthusiastic and asks how long they stayed out on the beach. Lety defensively answers that it was just a short time. Caro says it's just that Aldo has been so content lately - she's never seen him like that, and she's glad Lety agreed to hang out with him.

Lety says she didn't do it because she wanted to, but because Caro pressured her. (Give me a break, Lety!) Caro says that's not what she intended. Lety says she felt like Caro was pushing her to have a fling with him.

Carolina admits that she would have liked that. Lety says she considers him a friend. (She is playing with her ring; she was playing with it last night when she was doing her Marcia Brady thing too.) Even though they have a good time together, neither of them should be having a love affair at the moment.

Caro says she agrees that maybe it's not the best time for Lety, but how about Aldo? Lety says the same goes for Aldo - he told her so. Caro seems intrigued by Lety's vehemence and tells her that in affairs of the heart, or in other matters, you shouldn't make decisions with words like "always" or "never." You should give yourself time.

Lety says no, not now, not ever. She asks if Caro thinks Aldo is interested in her. Caro thinks it's obvious that he's enchanted with her, and she seems to be getting less uncomfortable with him.

Lety says it's not a matter of comfort - she's being realistic. Anyway, does Caro think Lety can seduce someone?

Fortunately, the phone rings, ending this horrible conversation. Is it home? No, it's Aldo. She tells him she can't go out for a run because she spent the night listening to the sea, had insomnia, couldn't get up, etc. etc.

Caro describes the day she expects to have with the bellezas and tells Lety that beauty depends on attitude. (Lety gazes down at her red flannel jammies.) I think there is more to this conversation than I'm getting, but Caro tells Lety to take the morning off. Lety acts like she doesn't want to, so Caro orders her to take the morning off and reminds Lety that this "job" was all about getting Lety out of the city to recuperate. And these days with Aldo haven't been so bad for her either. (Lety is still holding the phone and doesn't want Aldo to hear this.)

Lety tells herself (please tell me if I got this wrong), "I was feeling better about Fernando when I was already happy with him." (Me sentaba mejor la de Don Fernando cuando yo todavia era feliz con el.")

---

Wednesday:
Fern buys hair gel. What brand will it be, and will we get to hear about its many virtues?
Tomas gives a rose to Alicia. Can you get tetanus from a thorn?

Labels: fea

EPISODE 65 - Jan. 2, 2007:
* Dr. examines feverish and sick Leo in bed; Dr. tells Candy and MA diagnosis and treatment. MA and Candy promise to take extra-diligent care of Leo and no complication for Leo.

* Jossie walks into bedroom and sees Gabriel packing to leave palace. MA calls - Jossie leaves room - MA tells Gabriel about Leo being sick and she needs to help care for him. Gabriel says if she needs anything, he will be at the condo. Jossie eavesdrops on the phone conversation from the doorway.

* in the living room, Jossie stops Mayeya to give her an order. Mayeya leaves to comply.

* At apartment, JC is depressed. Pau asks if she should fix some dinner - he says he isn't hungry and leaves the room.

* At the dinner table, Gabriel, David, Luisito, Rogelio and Miriam sit and talk. Jossie offers to get wine for Gabriel and herself. She pours two glasses - and puts poison in one, which she serves to Gabriel. They all clink the glasses and drink.

* JC sits depressed and staring at the crib in the nursery. Pau enters wanting to talk with him. He isn't ready to talk. She proclaims her pain and guilt over losing their baby. He mentions the hug she saw between him and Karen. Pau explains her feelings and thoughts at the time, he has every right to hate her. He turns to her. She begs his forgiveness for her jealousy and craziness. He says he needs to apologize to her also. They cry together. He still loves her so much. They kiss and hug.

* at the dinner table, Gabriel starts to feel sick. Miriam and Luisito notice and ask him. Jossie says it must be that cold or flu bug going around and he should go up and sleep. Rogelio agrees and says he will be glad to drive him to the condo if he wants. Luisito and Rogelio help Gabriel upstairs. Miriam and Jossie exchange looks - Jossie says tonight is the night.

* Elsa finishes her dancing on stage. In audience, Candy is desperate and tells Elsa that Leo is very ill and is asking for her. Elsa is moved and starts to leave with Candy. The manager stops her, saying she still has work to do.

* Leo with fever calls out message for Elsa - MA listens as he also calls out to MA not to leave him. She starts to panic as Leo starts to shake violently and breath heavily. She calls Gabriel at the condo - no answer. Leo starts to cough loudly and roughly. MA puts a warm cloth on his forehead.

* Gabriel is in bed, hallucinating that MA is entering the room. It's really Jossie who climbs in bed with him and starts to kiss him.

* MA continues to diligently care for Leo. Candy enters followed by Elsa. Elsa sees MA by Leo's bedside and is offended and disgusted. Elsa leaves - MA follows her into the main room. MA spouts her opinions against MA and blames MA for her brother's illness. Sylvester, Shorty, Mayeya and another taxi driver are seated around the table listening to the argument.

* Jossie starts to get up - she leans over the now sleeping Gabriel and tells him that this is just the beginning.

* MA sits beside Leo as Candy sits in the nearby chair in the bedroom. MA feels Leo's forehead. The fever's broken. MA and Candy are relieved.

* Next morning, Candy sits with Leo. MA brings her some coffee as Leo starts to wake up. MA tells him that she and everyone have been there all night, including Elsa. Candy goes out to get Elsa. Leo thanks MA for caring.

* Gabriel wakes up with a huge hangover and vague recollection of last night (he thinks MA was there in his bed but he isn't sure what happened).

* Leo is happy to see Elsa. They have a brother-sister conversation. She's a bit irritated - he tells her no matter what he is her brother and he will always worry about her. As soon as he mentions MA's name, Elsa becomes furious, spouts her opinions against MA and blames her for his illness - she refuses to return home again if MA is there. Leo is sad.

* Jossie brings coffee to Gabriel in his bedroom. He says it's weird but he doesn't remember what happened last night. She is happy he can't remember.

* Sylvester, Shorty, Mayeya and the other taxi driver sit and talk with Candy and MA - Leo is much better this morning.

* Club manager finds Elsa being jumped and bothered by two men in the street - they are looking to even the score with Coyote's organization. Manager tries to help Elsa but she tells him to leave her alone and walks away.

* Jossie is in living room - has brief conversation with Gabriel as he leaves for work.

* Miriam is at the office asking Demian for money - he refuses. She tries to convince him. He still refuses. She says he's changed. He says it's for his wife, Regina. She tries to seduce him. He rejects her - the only woman he loves and respects is Regina.

* Dolores and Regina meet with Nick in Nick's office. They discuss how best to help Pau and JC with their loss. Tiberio enters the office to discuss business. Dolores asks him to join their discussion. Tiberio gets nervous and leaves.

* MA meets with Otilia at the store office. Otilia tells her comments about the new designs. They discuss the style show. Otilia asks MA to review the designs for her comments and starts to leave. The phone rings - MA answers it. It is Gabriel asking her about last night. MA tells him about Leo and that she tried calling him but he didn't answer at the condo. Gabriel explains he slept at the palace last night. MA hangs up as Otilia returns. Otilia notices the rosy glow in MA's face and asks if she's in love. MA doesn't deny it - she's in love with Gabriel Cervantes Bravo.

* Miriam meets with the lawyer executor of Clemente's estate to discuss Jossie's inheritance and how she can sell her shares. The lawyer also tells Miriam that Jossie and MA have equal ownership interest in the business. Miriam is fascinated by this fact.

* Otilia continues working on the style show.

* Jossie waits in her mom's office - she thinks about Gabriel last night. Miriam returns upset over her meeting with the lawyer (hasn't been able to garner financing to save her troubled business). Jossie hands Miriam some papers in folders - Otilia is having a style show and has invited them. Miriam has no interest in attending. Jossie is offended that her mom would even suggest she sell her jewelry to help save the business.

* At the restaurant, Nick and Dolores talk. Nick tells her that he loves her. Dolores is shocked. Nick says he understands. Dolores says that between her stay in prison and her dream of reuniting with her son, she can't think about loving anyone right now. Nick is patient and understands, he just wanted to let her know his feelings.

* Gabriel, the boys, MA, Pau and JC have breakfast together. Pau wants to go back to work tomorrow. Gabriel has no problem with it, and is happy to see them still together and in love. Gabriel tells them all that soon he and MA will be married. They all clink glasses and toast the news.

* Tiberio calls Jossie - he needs to meet with her at the bar.

* JC, Pau and Gabriel stop by with MA to check on Leo and Candy. Leo is sitting in the easy chair in the main room. As MA walks JC, Pau and Gabriel outside, Leo is sad and tells Candy why - he's still heartbroken over MA. Candy advises him that maybe in the future his dream will come true. He still hurts now and can't think of the future.

* Sylvester and Elsa have another arguement on the street. He is worred about her. She says don't be, and she walks away.

* MA helps Leo back into bed. He thanks her again for caring about him throughout the night. He is still hurting. She tells him that she will always care about him and that her wedding to Gabriel will be in two months. He wishes her the best.

* Tiberio and Jossie meet at the bar. He is joking around and making small talk - Jossie isn't interested and wants him to get to the point of the meeting. He gets serious and peeks her interest when he asks if she is interested in doing something a dangerous?

* The bullies find Sylvester at the taxi stand. One punches him in the stomach and drags him away, as the other threatens him to leave their business interests alone.

* Tiberio shows Jossie his idea for her.

Labels: mundo

Fern thanks Omar profusely for arranging a date with Lety. He picks him up and hugs him. Fern even tells Omar that he is officially forgiven for his stupidity. Fern rushes out of the office like a kid running after an ice cream truck. Once alone, Omar says that Fern is going to kill him when he finds out his date is not with Lety, but with Omar’s little pay-for-play friend, Paulina. He remarks that his life relies on whether Paulina is able to make Fern happy.

Mama T gives Marcia advice on her love life. Marcia is distraught about the chemistry that must have brought Fern and Lety together. Mama T actually agrees that there must have been chemistry between the two, but adds that love is not just physical attraction; there must also be solidarity. Case in point: Lety betrayed Fern and disappeared, which does not show solidarity. Marcia says that she understands why Lety would do that, since she must be very hurt over what Fern did to her. Besides, she thinks that when Lety shows up to sign the papers, she will not just sign and then disappear. Fern would not let that happen, he will try to win her back. Likewise, she thinks Lety may try to win Fern back. In any case, Mama T tells Marcia not to give up and to fight for her man.

On the beach Aldo tells Lety he had problems with his dad because he wanted to be an engineer, but Aldo wanted to be a chef. He was basically disinherited, and says that’s ok because money is overrated. His mom died when he was a teenager, but he attributed his kitchen skills to her. Lety admires him for going after his dreams. She says she could never erase her parents form her life the way he has done with his dad. She encourages him to seek his dad out. She asks if that has something to do with Aldo’s reaction over the smashed minivan. Aldo flashes back to the woman lying dead in the passenger side. He tells Lety that’s a story for another day. He wants to go find Carolina so they can have some fun.

Fern goes to the bar Omar sent him to. He looks around for Lety. He tells the bartender he is looking for a very pretty woman, a short one with a braid, braces, and a dress that goes from here to there (he moves his hand from his chin to his feet to indicate the length of her dress). He is very giddy and stumbles over his words. He shows the bartender Lety’s picture, he pull back bug-eyed. Fern sneers and says the picture was taken with a fish-eye camera. Paulina is watching him from a couch and talks to Omar on the phone. She says Fern is a bon-bon (marshmallow). She says she will pretend to meet Fern accidentally. Paulina goes over to Fern and invites him to have a drink with her. Fern is not interested. He’s waiting for someone important. She cuddles up to him and purrs like a kitten but he is very uncomfortable with her proximity and pushes her away. Obviously he very concerned that Lety will walk in at any moment and see him with the cuddle-puss. She says they can go to a dark corner and the bartender can let them know if his date shows up.

Alicia goes into Marcia’s office for the gossip. Marcia explains why Tomas came to the board meeting in Lety’s place. Alicia is excited at the thought of Tomas squirming in the hot seat. She is disgusted that he had the nerve to show up.

It’s evening somewhere on the Acapulco hotel grounds, and Caro and Alex tell the bellezas that they have the evening off. The girls are very excited.


In the bar, Fern is talking Paulina’s ear off, telling her all about Lety, even showing her how Lety laughs. Paulina says she will die of boredom. He says she disappeared but luckily, his friend Omar… Suddenly, he realizes that this is a set-up. He asks Pau if she happens to know Omar Carvajal. She raises her eyebrows in a “who, me?” fashion.

Caro and the bellezas are trying to decide what to do with their night off. Lety runs up to Caro. Carolina apologizes to Carolina for being pushy. Lety tells Carolina that she appreciates everything she did to help her. Lety tells Caro that the lynch mob… that is, the board over at Conceptos have demanded that she return immediately, however, Lety has decided not to go. Aldo runs up and tells them that they, bellezas and all, are invited to a big party on the beach. He whistles, and instantaneously, lights go on on the beach, and a band starts playing. Caro can’t believe this is the same Aldo she knows. As they walk toward the beach, Alex pulls Aldo back and says that he was able to arrange everything for the beach party just as Aldo asked, but he says the shindig cost a pretty penny. Aldo does not seem worried.

Pau admits that Omar set up their meeting, and she says she knows that he hasn’t been with a woman in a long time. Fern is surprised that this complete stranger knows this about him. Pau says she is a specialist in afflictions of love and can cure what ails him. She continues with the cuddle–puss act.

Aldo and Caro go for a walk, and he tells her that he wants to help Lety. Besides, he has a great time with her. He says he cares about her (he says “quiero” which could mean “want” or “love” or “care about”… in this case, it sounds like he means the latter). Caro approves, and says he’s in charge of making sure Lety has a good time at this party.

Fern is taking many shots of whiskey to deal with his encounter with Pau. She tells him he needs to slow down. She puckers up for a kiss. He says ok, but take out his picture of Lety and hold it behind Pau’s shoulder. He asks her to really, really pucker up (the way Lety does). He lets Pau kiss him, though he’s not really kissing back, he’s just looking at the picture of Lety. He makes uncomfortable faces reminiscent of the ones he made when he first kissed Lety.

Tomas bids Julieta goodnight and leaves. Julieta prays to St Jude (patron, saint of lost causes) to help Lety. She asks “Lety, what did you get yourself into?”

Lety tells Aldo she’s embarrassed to dance, even though she loves music.

Marcia asks Alicia if Fern is still in his office. She says he left long ago. Marcia needs to go find him to talk. Alicia wants a lift. Marcia gives her cab money instead. She says she is not in the mood for any of Alicia’s pep talks.

At the beach, Aldo and Lety have a glass of wine. They watch the bonfire. Aldo says that the fire speaks to him. Lety agrees; since fire has tongues, then it must talk! A really great band plays and the bellezas dance.

Pau sees that Fern is looking at Lety’s picture while she kisses him. She calls Lety a little gargoyle and Fern explodes. They argue and she takes off. He says that Pau needs to look in a mirror to see a little gargoyle.

Omar is relaxing at home with a girl in his bathrobe. He talks about marriage but as soon as she asks “really?” he backs down. Pau calls him and tells him about Fern and his picture. She hangs up on him. He’s not sure whether to laugh or cry.

Fernando goes back to another bar. He runs into Marcia. She wants to know what will happen if Lety doesn’t come back, or if she comes back and doesn’t want Fern back.

Lety asks what love means to him. He says love is when you love someone, not just for their virtues, but also for their defects and quirks.

Cut to Marcia asking what it takes for Fern to fall in love with a woman.

Cut to Aldo telling Lety, “I don’t need anything special, I just need he to be a woman like you.”

Cut to Marcia telling Fern “because, frankly, I don’t understand your feelings for Lety, and not just physically.”


Aldo says people think they fall in love with physical beauty, but the truth is that one falls in love with what is projected by a look, by a smile. And real love is given without expecting anything back. He goes on but what I really noticed is how beautiful his Argentine accent comes across here. Lety begins to look at him dreamily. She asks him if everything he is saying is what the fire is telling him. He says yes.

Marcia asks what he expects from Lety, who pretends to be fragile and goody-goody, but is willing to get involved with her boss who is about to be married to someone else. She goes on to list how Lety betrayed him in front of the board, how she handed over all her Carvajalmarks to Marcia, and how she has now sent Tomas in her place. Fern defends Lety exactly the way Marcia defended Lety to Mama T earlier; Lety did it because she is hurt. Marcia says that unlike her, Lety is not willing to stick with him through good and bad. Boy, sign this girl up for a self-esteem class.

Aldo tells Lety that he doesn’t know how she could be in love with Fernando. He says Fernando does not deserve her love. Also looks pensive for a second, then smiles and changes the subject. She invites Aldo to dance. Also smiles back.

Marcia says she never would have betrayed him the way Lety did. She adds, “Me compadezco de ti” (I feel sorry for you) and leaves.


Happy new year, fellow fea-watchers! Have a wonderful "007"!

Labels: fea

Cesar is still screaming about Luis Alberto having stolen every dime of his as Liliana rushes into Alejandro's office and interrupts Alejendro's conversation with Fernanda. She lets him know that the judgment is now ready as they've moved his cased up. He asks if this means he will be free of all charges regarding Gonzalo's murder. She says yes. He wonders if they will need Charo's testimony and she answers they will for the countersuit regarding Cesar and Berta's involvement in his death. Therefore she insists they not let Charo go out by herself even in the street for anything to insure nothing happens to her.

Fabricio is on Florencia's bed holding the baby and telling him how his mother gave all the strength she possessed to make sure he would be born. At that minute there is a bright light in the doorway and Florencia appears in it like the Lady of Fatima. She tells him that she will always be there for the baby and him, but he should rest. While he takes a quick nap with the baby in his arms the apparition of Florencia takes the baby and puts him into the bassinet. As she walks out the door he asks her to stay and then wonders if he was dreaming.--Ok. I admit I had to break with reality here and shift into a miracle mode to appreciate this whole scene. So Fab, the baby was on the bed and now it is in the bassinet, and you didn't sleepwalk, so what do you to think? --He sniffs the air and her perfume is heavy and lingering apparently. He asks God to give him a sign that she was really there. At that moment Charo knocks and enters and starts sniffing. She tells him the room really smells like Florencia's perfume. He tells himself, “I knew it. I knew it.”

Alejandro leaves for a couple of files and Lilliana tries to start a friendly conversation with Fernanda. (Big mistake!) Fernanda doesn't even turn around to acknowledge her. She simply answers back that Lilliana's work is finished now. Since she was hired for the murder trial only, she is sure Miranda will not want her continuing on the case. Lilliana cannot understand why Miranda's mother is treating her this way. “What have I done to you to get this treatment?” (Ah, come on, Lilliana. You aren't that dense, are you? I could expect this from Marisol, but even I was as blown away by that idiotic question as Fernanda.) Fernanda tells her that she's seen the pictures of her kissing her daughter's husband and when her daughters are involved that sort of thing tends to become a problem for her. Instead of being humble and apologizing for a complete lack of judgment or saying he forced himself on her Lilliana gets obnoxious. “Ah, now I know where Miranda gets it from, Fernanda.” Fernanda shoots her down darn quick and reminds her that she is Doctor to her and her daughter is to be referred to as La Señora Luque when she's in her presence. (Hot damn.)

Sansone is calling everywhere but cannot locate the hotel Luis Alberto is hiding in. He gets sick and wants to use Cesar's bathroom but Cesar sends him to find one outside, somewhere else. Berta comes in just then and Cesar assures her that he is going to get every centavo back from Luis Alberto before killing him. It will be nasty and he will let her watch what happens to Nuria when he gets hold of her, too. Her eyes light up like Christmas trees. She says let El Guapo do it because he really knows how to squeeze out the last drop of fear. Then he tells her to get ready to flee the country. She wants to know where and worries about Lucas for a second and then where they're going. Cesar says he won't tell her till they're ready to leave because he doesn't want her betraying him also. He grabs her and threatens that if she does, he will be harder on her than with anybody else.

Renata and Juan argue over her possible pregnancy. (They both sort of forgot to take precautions in Valle de Bravo.) She lies saying she 's not pregnant, but finally she admits that what bugs her is that if it is Cesar's it will separate the two of them forever. Juan says it will be no different for him than it was for Gonzalo and Florencia. The child will be loved no matter what. Renata wants to get a DNA test to be sure but Juan refuses. (Hey, once the kid is born you'll know who the daddy is pretty darn soon just by looking at it. Who are we kidding here?)

Charo is thinking she will testify to make sure Tomasa and Gonzalo's souls can be at rest. At that instant Bertha surprises Charo in the kitchen by coming in the backdoor. She tells Charo she looks like she has just seen the Devil. Charo answers, “Close enough!” and Bertha slaps her around for being insolent. She continues to pull on Charo's hair and to pinch her. She threatens her not to say anything against her in court. Veronica walks in behind Bertha silently and witness this but signals to Charo not to say a word or to let Bertha know she's in there watching the abuse and the threats.

Veronica returns to the living room to get Renata since she had called her to come by. Juan wants to go with her, but Renata tells him to check in on Fabricio and the baby. Veronica will be there with her and Renata has a thing or two to say to Tía Bertha.

Juan goes and chats with Fabricio. As soon as he enters the room he comments that Fabricio had a good idea putting some of Florencia's perfume around the room to remind Enrique of his mother's scent and to calm him. Fabricio says he didn't and tries to get Juan to believe that her spirit was just there; that she visited and spoke to the baby and him. Juan tries to convince him it was just a dream, but Fabricio says he isn't able to account for her scent everywhere. Even Charo commented how strong the perfume was.

Renata comes into the kitchen and confronts her aunt. She tells Bertha the back door or the kitchen is the only place for a person like her to be received. Bertha pretends to be the victimized and mistreated aunt again. Renata tells her to take her mask off. She demands Bertha tell her why she had Veronica get her involved with drugs and asks her why she tried to drive her crazy and convince her she needed treatment for cleptomania. Bertha finally admits she did it to hurt Gonzalo and even more, to hurt Fernanda. Renata asks how she could have since she loved her like a mother and had always wished she could have been. Renata gets really angry then and calls her aunt a murderer because she killed her sister and she can prove it. About then Bertha starts nervously rubbing her forehead again and swears she can't have proof. She tries the “but I adore you, how can you treat me this way” routine to divert Renata's train of thought. Renata answers that Bertha doesn't love anybody and doesn't know how to love anyone. She tells her aunt that the next time the two of them will see each other again is when Bertha is behind bars listening to Renata's statement to the court against her. Charo and Veronica are watching from behind the door in the hallway just in case Bertha tries something deadly.

Fabricio suddenly gets it into his head that Florencia's visit was to let him know she was giving him the go-ahead to marry Miranda once she is divorced. After all, Miranda is great with Enrique and would be a terrific mother. Juan wonders if he's forgotten his great love for his dead wife so soon. Fabricio explains he never stopped loving her. He loves them both but in very different ways. Juan isn't so sure and wishes he'd give it a rest.

Veronica enters the kitchen. Charo is afraid something horrible will happen and they'll get hurt. Bertha warns Renata against trusting Veronica because she's always hated and envied her. Veronica tells her she already has confessed that to Renata. Bertha gives up and starts to go but Renata calls her back and demands she hand her the house keys. Bertha throws them at her. As she leaves she tells her niece that she is no different from her. When she thinks about her she can think of the baby in her belly, knowing it will be Cesar's and not her husband's. (The witch always knows just where to drive the knife in somebody.) Renata is definitely wounded by this remark.

Roman tells Nuria and Luis Alberto that they cannot continue hiding like this any longer. LA has him try to call Cesar to pester him again, but Cesar doesn't answer (considering he threw his cell against the wall and broke it). So Luis Alberto decides he will now confess everything to Alejandro and he wants Roman to set up a meeting. Nuria wants to give all the money away to charitable causes to get Cesar's goat. (Earth to Nuria. It isn't yours to give. It is Miranda's company's money and needs to be returned to her.)

Miranda finally arrives home and is surprised to see all the furniture and artworks back in the house. Renata comes in with Veronica from the kitchen and admits that it was Alejandro who managed it by selling his own house but that he didn't want them to tell her. She is thrilled and promises not to let him know her sister told on him. Juan and Fabricio come in. Miranda takes the baby. Miranda mentions finally to Renata that she brought the bottles of Florencia's medications that she had been hiding back with her. Juan wonders what in the world Renata was hiding them for. She just looks sheepishly back at him.

Julio is at Rebeca's house complaining about Cesar's trying to get him to resign his position and his bossing him around like a regular employee. Rebeca makes excuses for Cesar and says it was the way she used to treat him when his father got mad. She always felt badly and told him to pay no attention to his dad (the authority figure here). Julio gets on a roll and tells her the trouble with young people these days is precisely due to their upbringing, and Rebeca is a perfect example of the wrong way to do it. Once a punishment is dealt , the child has to know that it was due to breaking the rules. (Good public service message here for once, however, I would say that Julio is the last person to gripe about how children are being brought up. He raised a couple of doozies himself.) He continues along that Rebeca's treatment of Cesar caused him to end up wicked person. “What?” she asks. He yells at her, "Wicked! Wicked!" Then, speak of the Devil and who should appear? Cesar walks in just in time to hear that.

Raul tells Carola that he's gotten a scholarship to study business in Spain. He doesn't want to leave his parents in the lurch like Juan almost did. Carola explains that Juan didn't leave to do something worthwhile like take a scholarship in a foreign country. He was attempting to go illegally into another foreign country (the States) as a “wetback”/mojado. He is very upset and wants her to come with him to enter a University over there in Spain also. Just then his dad and aunt walk in and she doesn't give him an answer. (Uh, don't tell me the kid brother is now thinking of getting serious with Carola, too. After what he told Erica, this is the last female he should be getting serious with.)

Cesar begins blaming Julio for their losing all their biggest and best investors. Julio, who is rubbing his arm more and more during this argument, reminds him that those high-risk clients were LA's responsibility and he'd warned against it, but Cesar wouldn't listen. In fact Cesar, he continues, used his and his two son's money to start the company and is acting like it is his alone. All Cesar really does is stay away and play --and mostly with Bertha! She walks in at that moment and tells them she is tired of being blamed for everything wrong there.

Fernanda walks up to Miranda who is holding Enrique and suggests it is time now to give Alejandro another chance. She actually agrees. Alejandro comes walking in with a huge smile on his face right then and tells everybody he has been cleared of the murder charge completely. He and Miranda embrace. He tells her that he'd told her he did not kill Gonzalo and she replies, smiling, that she never doubted him. He is about to kiss her when Lilliana comes running in with a big bottle of champagne yelling to Alejandro about how they've won and should offer a toast to his freedom. (Darn! How did this brilliant woman ever become so successful? She apparently is so socially tone deaf.) She seems totally ignorant of what is going on around her and the scene she has just made. As for Miranda, if looks could kill, Lovely Lilliana would be pushing up daisies at this point.

Labels: heridas

Beckster will be back next week. Meanwhile...

• Demian and Regina take a bubble bath.
  
  
• Paulina frets: JC hasn't come to bed. She puts on her robe, gets up (against everybody's orders), and skulks out to the balcony. She overhears Karen talking to JC in the hallway below and giving him a "comradely" embrace. She faints and falls down the stairs. And of course miscarries the baby.
  
  Every time you see somebody with her in the rest of the hour, she is having conversation #1, to wit: "It's my fault." "No, it was a delicate pregnancy, you'll have another chance to be a mother." (This, by the way, is an extremely poor line to use on somebody who has lost a child.) "I'm not happy. It's my fault."
  
  She decides she and JC should go back to their own apartment. JC: "Maybe we can get back our broken dreams and put our life back together."
  
  Karen concentrates on consoling JC, by giving lots more hugs and saying, "you can count on me." Demian also consoles JC, with booze. JC, meanwhile, has a hard time looking Pau in the eye. He's pretty angry she disobeyed the doctor, and when he realizes she'd been "spying" (his word) on him out of jealousy, he's furious.
  
  Luisito is seen for only 1.5 seconds tonight - he comes back from the movies with his little pal, Jos (who is dressed for a night at the opera) and Gabe. They get the news about the baby and Gabe lunges up the stairs and has conversation #1, see above.
  
  
• At the pole-dancing club, Elsa is tussling with a guy whose line is: "I have lots of money. I'll dominate you. I paid a lot!" Sil wrestles her away and puts her in a cab. She is completely ungrateful.
  
  The next day he asks her how long she's going to live this way. "Till my face and my body don't bring in enough money. Nothing else matters." Not dignity? "No, I'll have all the luxuries I ever wanted."
  
  
• Gabriel proposes to MA: "Let's get married in a couple months." She accepts. "No, you'll never marry," thought-bubbles the eavesdropping Joselyn, who then rushes to mother. Mother Miriam is adjusting her makeup and planning the sale of construction shares that will, with Demian's help, "get us out of trouble."
  
  Jos is not interested in business. "Mom, I can't stand the thought of Them being happy, I don't want Them to have one moment of peace." "We have to separate Them forever," counsels mother Miriam.
  
  
• The Liza Minelli look-alike who runs the fashion house gives MA an opportunity to design, and loves what she comes up with, especially the wedding dress. "You won't be sewing any more, you'll be designing for me. Draw your dreams! What a natural you are!"
  
  This must be Mariangela's 1.5 seconds of happiness. She then tells Cande she's worried about telling Leo she's engaged. Cande counsels, "Just do it."
  
  
• Leo is mooning over MA in the hospital when a bunch of wounded people arrive. He dashes back and forth in the rain. He skitters from place to place nobly saving lives. Lightning, thunder! More bodies!
  
  He staggers home, coughing. As you know, anyone who coughs in a telenovela ends up at death's door. Leo coughs, then staggers out to the taxi stand where he coughs on his fellow workers and also coughs on the customers. He should know better. Friend: "In the blacksmith's house, a wooden mattock." "In the doctor's house, a stethoscope of lies" parries Leo. Maybe that makes sense or maybe he's just loony with fever. (Yes, Beckster, he's a tool.)
  
  After a few more scenes like this, he is so sick he tells his mom to "inject" him. Next thing we know, the doctor is saying he's very delicate and his life is in danger. See how bad it is to cough?
  
  Cande and the guilt-stricken Mariangela promise to stay at Leo's bedside to nurse him. MA calls Gabe and says she won't be home. Jos, overhearing as usual, says: "I'll act this very night!"
  
  
• Nicolas tells Miriam Jos can't sell the construction shares, because Clemente's will specifies that both beneficiaries must be in accord; they must get MA to sell, too, or no dice. She complains to Demian; he says he'll take care of it, and that Miriam will continue owing him a favor.
  
  
• Gabe shows the divorce papers to Rogelio and says he's taken it upon himself to liquidate some of Rogelio's shares to provide a chunk of money for Diana. Rog is impactado. Gabe gives the check to Diana, who doesn't want to take it at first, but acquiesces reluctantly.
  
  
• Rog visits Demian and agrees to buy second-hand materials for Demian under his own name. Demian: "I'll pay you a fine commission. Since I hear a goodly number of your shares have been sold for Diana, I expect the money will come in handy." "OK, I'll be your borrowed name (prestenombre.)" "No, that sounds ugly, let's call you my assistant." "I know it's risky to palm off used material as new, but I don't care about anything but the money." "Don't fail me! If you betray me, I'll be pitiless in getting vengeance."
  
  
• Rogelio bumps into Diana in the hall; he grabs her and takes her off for a discussion. He tells her to give back every cent. She pulls out the check from Gabe and hands it back to Rog - then threatens to tell Gabe that Rog's new business is a strip club: "I don't have anything to lose, but you do." Rog gives her back the check. She gives him back her wedding ring.
  
  
• JC and Paulina go back to their apartment, which is festooned with baby toys in blister packs. He says coldly - "we can't evade the truth, we must accept it."
  
  Pau locks herself in the bedroom and, devoid of makeup, cradles a blanket in her arms, sitting in a dark corner and crooning: "My child! I'll never see your arms extended toward me, hear your laugh, have you sit in my regazo. I won't hear you call my name. I failed you." It was creepy and upsetting.
  
  Regina warns JC not to let his grand love of Paulina be broken over this. "Don't judge her - she isn't seeing clearly." He looks unmoved and stalks off to work.
  
  Editor's note: the telenovelaland inhabitants promise each other eternal, undying love at the drop of a hat, but when the chips are down this is what usually happens.
  
  
• Cortito is joking with Mayeya in the kitchen. He wants to read her the poem he's written for his "beloved." Mayeya doesn't want to hear it but he blares it out anyway. He thought-bubbles: "If Mayeya only knew - I invented this sweetheart so she'd be jealous. I want her to be interested in me!"

Labels: mundo

EPISODE 16 (Jan. 1, 2007 - The Last Episode!):
The standoff between Boss and Angelita and Casimiro continues - Boss threatens to eliminate them both. Rodo, Rosita and Ludovico are still out cold on the floor. Angelita tries to convince him to let the three go. Boss has his own agenda and won't listen. Casimiro tries to step forward but Angelita stops him.

In Blanca's room, Blanca and Berenice explain what happened Jacinto. Jacinto starts to look around; Berenice wants to call the police; Jacinto and Blanca convince her not to do so.

Angelita eventually convinces Boss to let Rodo, Rosita and Ludovico go - the three wake up and start to leave. On the way out, Ludovico turns and talks with Boss about next stage of the plan. Casimiro yells at Ludovico for being a traitor. Ludovico laughs and exits.

Outside in the reception area, Rodo and Rosita ask Ludovico which side he is on and Ludovico says the angels side. Rosita gives him a hug. Jacinto walks over and tells Rodo about the theft of Blanca's pearl necklace.

Ernesto and Nico are in their room discussing their gift for Jacinto. Ernesto asks Nico about his girlfriend and his car; Nico reveals that he lied; Ernesto is surprised and asks for more details. Nico reveals his ultimate wish.

The standoff continues in Angelita's office - Boss is still intent on killing Angelita - Angelita and Casimiro are intent on stopping him with discussion and words. Angelita is weak again and lays down on her sofa. Casimiro defends her - Boss tells Casimiro that what he wants is something no mortal can ever receive. Angelita confirms this statement.

Consuela plays with Gabriel in front of the Christmas tree in the activity room - Julieta finds her and asks her if she wants to go outside or play somewhere else. Consuela points to the other side of the room - Julieta asks who told her? She points to the bear.

Ludovico reenters the office and acts very supportive of everything Boss says. Angelita and Casimiro listen in. Boss laughs at his upcoming treachery and tricks. Angelita tells Casimiro not to lose faith. Boss hears this and looks at them and spouts off again - Angelita pleads for the salvation of the people. Boss laughs and refuses.

In the workshop, Tonita is helping Consuela and the other children get ready for the Christmas pageant. Rodo walks in - Tonita is relieved to see him - they have a problem with the Three Wise Men and she needs his help. He can't right now, he tells her, because Angelita is sick. Rodo then asks Consuela to give him Gabriel for awhile.

In the reception area, Boss is talking with Rosita and Blanca. Rosita is upset and disgusted with Boss' business. Rosita leaves. Blanca listens to Boss' request for investment money - Blanca is shocked and says she can't give it. Nico and Ernesto enter and talk about the piano gift fund. Boss laughs and looks at Blanca.

Berenice and Jacinto are in Nico and Ernesto's room searching for the necklace - Jacinto looks under one of the beds and is very disappointed to find it. He calls a halt to the search; he thinks his grandson Ernesto stole it.

Ernesto, Tonita, Nico and everyone rearrange the furniture in the activity room - they set up the grand piano right next to the door and are excited to see Jacinto's reaction to their gift. Nico brings Jacinto in with his eyes closed. When Jacinto opens his eyes, his reaction is not what they expected - he is disgusted and refuses to accept gifts from thieves. He then scolds Ernesto for being one and leaves. They are stunned and hurt.

Berenice enters the reception office. Blanca finishes talking with Boss and tells Berenice that she wants to leave - she is very disillusioned with the place and leaves for her room. Boss talks with Berenice.

Rodo and Ludovico are in the office with Angelita and Casimiro. Casimiro is furious with Boss. Rodo tries to calm him down, but he is too angry. Boss enters and with a flick of his magic cane, Casimiro is stuck to the upper reaches of the wall like a spiderweb. Boss swipes bear and laughs at them to think they can stop him with a child's teddy bear. He laughs and talks with Ludovico about what he plans next. Then he releases the magic grip on Casimiro and he falls "SPLAT" on the floor. Boss acts touched as he watches Angelita on the floor checking on Casimiro.

Ernesto tells Tonita how upset and hurt he is that Jacinto thinks he's a thief. Tonita and Nico try to cheer him up. Ernesto is so upset all he can think about is finding the real culprit.

Angelita and Rodo kneel beside Casimiro's lifeless body. Boss talks with Ludovico and sends him out of the office. Angelita is upset about Casimiro. Boss is happy and excited over his success to come. Rodo continues to console Angelita as she cries about the dreams that will be lost. Boss tells them it is no use, and dares Rodo to go see for himself. Rodo leaves focused and determined.

In the activity room, Blanca scolds Jacinto for losing faith in him and for having a thief in his family and walks over to Berenice who agrees with her. Julieta and Consuela are with the other kids, who start to taunt them. Nico, Tonita and Ernesto argue. Rodo and Ludovico are standing at the side of the room disappointed with all the fighting and lousy attitudes. As everyone continues to argue with each other, Nico walks over to the stage area and blows a whistle. Silence ensues. Nico starts to scold everyone for their nasty attitudes. He walks around and tells them everyone has problem and then goes over to Ernesto and tells Jacinto loud and clear that neither Ernesto or he are the culprits. Nico then calls on Tonita to start the Christmas play. Rodo and Ludovico smile as everyone takes a seat and the children go backstage. The play begins - Tonita is the narrator; Consuela and a boy are Mary and Joseph.

The standoff continues in the office: Boss still has Gabriel in his hand. He laughs at the thought of the destruction. Angelita tries to convince him to stop trying to destroy her and her work. He laughs and refuses. She tells him she doesn't have as much power as he thinks. He doesn't believe her. He puts Gabriel on the desk, sits down and pulls out his knife - he wonders what is inside as he pulls the bear's sweater up with his knife. She continues to argue about her mission. He dares her to show him the value in it.

The play continues in the activity room. As Tonita waves the children to come out as the three wise men, everyone is mesmerized with the images of the stars and the three wise men floating along the walls around the center.

Rodo and Ludovico have returned to the office to help Angelita. Boss is angry for all the defiance. Rodo, Angelita and Ludovico watch as Boss picks up Gabriel and holds his knife to the little bear. At that moment, the door swings open. A phantom spirit and the images of the three wise men float inside and corner Boss against the door on the opposite side of the office. Boss drops the bear and is totally petrified and screaming for help.

In the activity room, everyone in the audience applauds as Tonita and the children take their final bows. Nico and Ernesto ask Tonita about the Three Wise Men images - she was as surprised as they were. Jacinto apologizes to Ernesto and Nico. They encourage him to play his piano. Julieta compliments Consuela for her participation in the play. Consuela walks over to Jacinto at the piano bench and watches him play. Blanca walks over to the piano also.

In the office, Rodo checks on the shell-shocked and stone-silent Boss seated on the floor. As Rodo, Rosita and Ludovico are about to leave, Ludovico asks Angelita what he is to do now. Angelita gives him some advice.

In the reception area, Rodo leaves. Rosita asks Ludovico if he wants to be her boyfriend - he is surprised and humbled and agrees. They hug.

In Blanca's bedroom, Berenice shows Teresa inside. Teresa asks Blanca about the scandalous article in the newspaper; Teresa is disgusted by it. Blanca says she is disgusted by her whole family and especially Teresa and her son. Blanca tells Teresa that she is taking back control of her life, her finances and the business (she is kicking Teresa and her son to the curb). Teresa is stunned and leaves.

In the activity room, everyone enjoyes Jacinto's piano playing. Rodo pats Jacinto on the shoulder and leaves. Angelita has a short conversation with Julieta about her work with Consuela, then Angelita leaves. Jacinto finishes the song and stands up. Then "nes gadol haya pay, a great miracle happens here!" - Consuela sings! Jacinto is surprised, and sits down and sings and plays the piano with her. Consuela then runs over to Julieta and tells her she loves her and thanks her for caring for her.

In the greenhouse, Rodo and Angelita have a short conversation, then Rodo leaves. Angel Casimiro appears in a white spotlight. He has returned to talk with Angelita about how love never ends and then he kisses her hand and says goodbye. He disappears and, as the theme music starts, Angelita smiles as she remembers all of her and Rodo's adventures throughout the novela (starting with meeting Pedro on the highway).

EL FIN

Labels: navidad

Miranda gets Cesar to back off by biting his lip, or tongue, or something. I guess the “but but but I’m just trying to help you” Cesar is gone, he has shown his true colors. He says “are you crazy?” Uh hello dude you were raping her. She says if she yells Gabino will come in and kill him. He whines about why does it have to be this way? He has loved her since they were kids. She says he doesn’t know love. He says Al stole her love with his money and he (Cesar) can offer her a different world. She says thank you, but she’s not interested, get out. If he feels anything for her, he’ll get out. He has the nerve to even sniffle and try to be a sympathetic figure. He says it’s the last time they’ll see each other, then he hits her and knocks her down. He starts choking her and says that if he can’t have her, nobody can. Finally she appears to have stopped breathing and he lets go of her neck. He tells her body “sorry.”
Miranda says “I’m telling you to leave” and Cesar wakes up from his fantasy. He again says something stupid about what a great life he could give her. Whatever. You’re a loser. Get out. By the way, Miranda’s dress is waaay ugly. Cesar leaves and Gabino then runs in to see if Miranda is ok.

Babe Lawyer is telling her daughter that Al can’t come to her mini-olympics or whatever. Evil friend says “no I can’t go” as bitch as possible. Then daughter doesn’t want to go to school. Daughter claims to not have friends, she says kids don’t like her because she doesn’t have a dad, then says she doesn’t love her (B.L.) and she’s bad, daughter runs off to her room. Evil friend has nothing better to offer as advice than “well then you have to get Alejandro.”

Francisco and Amparito are talking about Roman, she thinks he has some secret. Married? Nonono, something else. Francisco teases her. Juan and Carola come in with Raul, Juan says Renata and family got all their furniture back. Carola pulls Juan aside and pretends to hate to have to tell him, but Renata might be pregnant, who is the father, you or Cesar? Juan runs off, Carola still pretends like she didn’t enjoy delivering that news. She tries to justify to the rest of them that she had to tell him. They are all appalled and leave the room, leaving her there alone. She deserves it.

Al is working and Renata comes to visit him. They discuss Al and Miranda’s relationship a bit. They rehash how he doesn’t want to have kids due to the hereditary heart condition. Renata says it’s in his head. He says “what if it isn’t?”

Miranda does some business with another plantation owner. They make some sort of chocolate agreement. Now she’s happy, she should be on the phone filing an assault charge against Cesar. Ha my wife explained to me that the guy has a chocolate business for wedding showers and things, so he’s going to use her chocolate to make little chocolate bachelorette candies, little penises or whatever.

Al gets Renata some coffee. She says he’s killing Miranda, he says Miranda can go marry someone else and have a family, he’ll fix up the company like he owes them, then he’ll go back to Italy. Renata says the only thing he owes Miranda is to make her happy. She thanks him for getting all their stuff back, how did he do it? He sold his house, but he better not tell Miranda. She is overcome with gratitude and Al smiles.

Miranda is now crying, sitting at her desk. She opens the letter from Florencia, finally. Flor says if she divorces Al, she should consider getting back with Fabricio. Big shocker there. She also begs Miranda to take care of Enrique, the baby. Flor will be at peace, because of Miranda, Flor was happy at the end. She then goes on to tell Miranda to fight for her relationship with Al, nobody will lover her like he does. Also, there is a little tray of chocolates on her desk, they look like little dog droppings or something. Not very pleasant. Miranda declares her love for Al to the empty room.

Al tells someone on the phone that he needs the reports on his desk first thing in the morning. He’s going to make some investments in the morning when the Tokyo market opens. Vicente arrives. Al gets another phone call, he starts telling the person on the phone about this awesome woman at this hacienda who makes chocolate, etc. Babe Lawyer is at the door and hears the whole thing. When he gets off the phone, Vicente says “how much you love Miranda.” Al says with all his soul. Babe Lawyer comes in and says she needs to speak with Al alone for a moment so Vicente tells Al everything is ready, ok see ya, bye. B.L. says she has two things – first, his verdict will arrive next week. Second – she doesn’t know how to ask, Al thinks it’s money, he’ll deposit something into her account, she says no no….. She wants to ask him a personal favor. She tearfully tells about the mini-olympics, it’s just for kids and their fathers, Sophia doesn’t have a father, etc etc. Al gives her a hug, wife and I both say “somebody will come in now” but it doesn’t happen. She apologizes and goes to leave, Al says wait, he will go to her little school event. Al thinks to himself that it’s not the girl’s fault what happens between adults. This will come back to bite Al, I’m sure, Miranda will see it as proof that he’s sleeping with B.L. or something.

Babe lawyer is back at home with Evil friend, she feels bad for manipulating Al that way. B.L. says Al said he would go, Evil friend almost rubs her hands together like evil masterminds do, she is pleased that her plan is coming along. Evil friend tells B.L. that when she and Al make their relationship formal, Al will tell her not to see Evil friend any more. B.L. doesn’t know what to make of this, so she goes to make dinner. Daughter comes down, Evil friend starts brainwashing her. “you want Al to be your daddy right?” She tells daughter that one day before the mini-olympics, take mom’s cell phone and call Miranda San Llorente. Tell her to come to your school the next day because you have a surprise for her. If she says no, cry to get her to say ok. Daughter says she can do this. Evil friend thinks to herself “I’m going to marry Liliana to a millionaire and I will be a beneficiary of that.”

One month later –
Fern and Juan are at the police station. They are filing a complaint about Cesar and Bertha. Juan shows all the blood evidence. A mini public service message about how the police are here to protect. They say however, that they should have come in right away, not months later, the proof doesn’t stand up as well that way. The blood samples could have come from anywhere. Juan says it isn’t fair that the police won’t act, the cop says “what if it were two other people coming in here and denouncing you without enough proof?” Juan says he understands. The police say that they will open an investigation. The proof Juan and Fern brought is circumstantial, but enough to start an investigation.

Slutty says “are you sure Renata?” Renata says yes, she took three tests, they all said yes. She’s pregnant. What are you going to say to Juan? Slutty blames herself for letting the Renata/Cesar news leak, not Juan is suspicious. Slutty turns her thoughts to Enrique, who Renata is holding, and coos over him. Slutty says “what will your baby look like?” Renata says like his dad. Slutty says “oooh imagine Juan’s skin color and eyes, how handsome!” Renata says “I said like HIS DAD.” Oooops, guess who she thinks is the father. She is sure, she tells Slutty. You didn’t take precautions? No. Slutty tells her how stupid she is for not using protection. Coming from the AIDS victim, this is true. “Are you mental?” Slutty tells her to beg God that she is only pregnant, not infected. Renata asks her to come with her to get HIV and pregnancy tests at the doctor. So why is she so sure it’s Cesar? She says she was with Cesar in New York, a week later with Juan. But she’s sure it’s Cesar’s. Of course it won’t be, I think. She says that in truth, though, she doesn’t want to be a mother.

Miranda and the Gabinos come in the house, Miranda says finally the moment they have been waiting for! Tim to unleash their chocolate on the world. Nati comes in too, they are all happy, Miranda says Nati is the one who made it all possible. The Gabinos declare their love for Miranda. She thanks them all for their loyalty. Nati gives Miranda something for Renata, something will happen to her and she needs them. Miranda can’t eat any of it, it is all for the one with the sky eyes. Miranda leaves, Nati talks to Gonzalo and tells him he’ll be at peace soon.

B.L. and daughter are eating breakfast. She wants to go to work with mom after school to remind Al that tomorrow is the thing at her school. B.L. says we’ll see.

There is another commercial at Carola’s grocery store. “is this store a Mexican owned company?” “yes of course!” And on and on.

Cesar and Sanson are at Cesar’s place. Cesar says LA can’t be allowed to disappear. Sanson says he can’t find him. He talked to the airline, no luck. Their friend at the airport will call them with any news. Cesar thinks maybe they drove to the U.S. instead of flying, but Sanson thinks they are hiding in a hotel here in Mexico City. Cesar says yes, that’s it! He tells Sanson to look in all the hotels. No, better, look for their licence plate on cars. Sanson is sweating and Cesar becomes suspicious. Sanson says it’s just hot. Cesar says no, he’s lying about something. Cesar says he looks skinny. Sanson says he hasn’t been sleeping well. Cesar says if he has some stinky disease he’s going to fire him. Cesar calls somebody on the phone and gives his name and a password. He wants to transfer some money. “What? That can’t be. He gives another number. He repeats it, yelling. You’re crazy! It can’t be! My balance can’t be zero! I’m yelling because you are an imbecile! Hello? Hello?” He tells Sanson to look everywhere for that infeliz, he’s going to kill him. He took all his money. I assume he’s referring to Luis Alberto.

Slutty tries to cheer up Renata, “you’re going to have a baby!” Guess who overhears the conversation? Juan. “Is it true, are you pregnant?” Renata just cries. Juan has a strange look that is kind of smiling or something, I’m not sure what.

Al tells Vicente on the phone that everything is in order, Vicente has the proof they needed, etc. Fern comes in and tells about the visit to the police station. Al says not to worry because Vicente has all the financial proof. Babe Lawyer runs in and interrupts. She says that he needs to go see the judge right away because the verdict is ready. Al smiles like she told him he is innocent but she doesn’t have that kind of news, he’s awfully confident.

Labels: heridas

So they say over at telenovela-world.

We could use one or two more recappers for Duelo. Email me if you're interested.

Blogmom Melinama

Labels: duelo, heridas

Demian tells Miriam that in exchange for having killed Freddy he wants Jos to sell him all the shares from the construction company that she inherited from Clemente. Jos eventually says go ahead not just because they need the money, but because Demian will then have majority ownership of Gabe's construction company.

Gabe is at work and tickled pink at his prowess from last night's much anticipated trial run in the sheets with his hot trophy, Mariangela. (Mariangela must have a father fetish because now we have a May/December thing--sorry Cesar—going on here. Although, the way I see it, Mariangela appears more like a March and Gabe is an early to Mid-November......) He is feeling just like a kid again and calls her while she's in the middle of teaching her class of home-school students. Mariangela is feeling giddy as well. He asks her to marry him right away because he just cannot stand their being separated any longer.

A bit after hanging up, Nic comes in to discuss a couple things. but first Gabe tells him, “Congratulate me! Mariangela and I are getting married! Joselyn and she are not sisters so nothing is stopping us now.” Hugs and back pats for the boss come first and then Nic tells Gabe that he is investigating Freddy's death in prison. Freddy wasn't one for fighting and a brawl doesn't seem to fit particularly the description of the way things occurred. Gabe asks him, “You suspect Jos and Miriam had something to do with this?” Nic will have to continue his investigation. Then Nic tells him that Rogelio has received Diana's divorce papers. As for the divorce, Gabe tells Nic he feels Diana has every right to start her life over.

Mariangela is so excited over Gabe's proposal that she visits Candy to catch her up on all the news including the down and dirty. (Note: Mariangela doesn't run to tell a close girlfriend like Paulina, somebody her own age, all the intimate details of her first time at bat. Naw. She runs to mother-figure, sainted Candy, whom we all have seen handle Elsa's sexploits so well, and outs with the nitty-gritty.) Since they've decided to get married Candy formally gives it her blessing.

Leo takes flowers to his dead wife's grave and apologizes with tears running down his cheeks for trying to start his love-life over with another woman who is just like Viviana, being jealous every time he sees her with the other man and so upset that she is breaking his heart by not being able to respond. (Leo, another doctor in training who in med school missed out on the class in healthy psyches and recognizing those which aren't, i.e., his own. In his whole life he has obsessed on two women and, just how long ago did his wife become wormfood, anyway?)

When Nic leaves Gabe has Rogelio come in for a chat. Gabe first tells his son he's getting married to Mariangela. He knows Rogelio doesn't care for the idea one bit, but he has been a good father and now deserves a little whoopy. Surely after a while Mariangela's sweetness will soften Rogelio up just like it has him. Then Gabe gets to the next topic: he's found out Diana has petitioned for a divorce. Rogelio starts squirming like a little boy whose hand has been caught in the cookie jar. He immediately pretends to have tried to get her to change her mind and to reconcile. Gabe tells Rogelio that he does not intend to leave her without financial support. He says they'll give her a chunk of Rogelio's shares in the construction company to insure she has a monthly income, and then, pretty much, not to let the door slam on his rear end on the way out. Rogelio, looking like a done-in Wylie Coyote after the Road Runner has just clunked him, has steam coming out of his ears and stands there speechless.

Mariangela is next on her way to work at Otilia's budding fashion house. While walking down the street to Otilia's, Mariangela runs into Jos walking towards her from the opposite direction, that is to say, the competition: Miriam's House of Designer Fashion. Jos's eyes light up and she gets on a roll: Mariangela is a shameless hussy from the wrong side of the tracks and she had better not think she's going to get everything her own way. She stole away Jos' inheritance, her son prefers her over his own mother-- and on and on. Mariangela isn't buying what Jos is selling. “Don't pretend the victim with me! Clemente wasn't your father and you knew it; and I didn't ask for anything. Unlike you I earned everything by my own hands..... You on the other hand, only got yours by holding out your hand and if you couldn't get it that way you poisoned everything around you. You don't know how to love a child.....” and we know the rest of this little number. About this time Dolores and Otilia come down the street to hear what is taking place and they chase off Jos before she might come to fisty-cuffs with Mariangela. Jos takes offense and tells them they will all pay for their rudeness. Otilia tells her to scram and get back to mommie's tiny shop to cause scandals. So, Jos struts angrily back the way she came.

Juan Cristobal tries to be kind and understanding to a bitchy, pregnant Paulina. He tells her there is no reason to be jealous of him because he hasn't the desire to look at another woman, least wise Karen.

Later on in Otilia's office, Dolores, Otilia and Mariangela are discussing Freddy's untimely death. They accuse Jos and Miriam of being involved in both Freddy and Edgar's deaths. The women all compare notes and Mariangela tells them that she feels Jos may also have had something to do with her mother, Aurora's, death. Karen walks in with some more of Saroya's designs. Otilia remarks they are not quite right and then asks Mariangela for her opinion. Karen snidely breaks in and asks Otilia why bother asking her, since she's just a seamstress from the poor side of town, aka, the “vecindad”/neighborhood. She couldn't have any sense of fashion or style. Dolores interrupts her and says a person doesn't have to come from money to have talent. Mariangela then offers some great color ideas which Otilia feels makes perfect sense. As Karen is dismissed she asks Mariangela to become one of her designers instead of just her seamstress.

Candy pays a visit to Miriam to complain to her about having asked Leo to coffee and then presuming to call him “son.” That wasn't part of their earlier agreement. Candy warns her once more about trying to steal Leo from her because she gave up all parental rights the minute she abandoned her baby boy. Miriam tells her he and she are both unimportant to her even though she is his mother and has the right to call him “son.” Miriam then explains to her that she feels no motherly ties to Jos or Karen either. They are just like her, too, she adds. Candy tells her then that the three of them are no better than wild hienas. Miriam eventually shoos Candy out. Once she leaves, Miriam has to tell herself again and again that she really does not have any motherly instincts, doesn't need them and doesn't want them.

Regina comes up to advise Paulina that she has been acting unreasonable recently. She has to control her jealousy. Regina covers all of JC's virtues ad nauseum and assures her that she has no reason to ever be jealous of him. Pau accuses her of sticking her nose in because he came to her to complain about their private business. She denies this and says her words have hurt her terribly but she will continue to love her and treat her like the mother she never had. (Nice way to throw Pau's words back in her face, Regina.) Paulina won't listen to reason and shoos her out of her bedroom and sulks some more. Delores comes up a bit later as well, with the same admonition, and tells Pau she hurt Regina deeply with her remarks. When Paulina accuses JC of having gossiped to his mother Dolores corrects her saying it was she who'd told JC's mother. She asks her to have patience with Karen.

Delores pays a visit to Demian's office to question him over Miriam's unusual visit the other day. She thinks it strange since Miriam in all this time has never come to Demian's house uninvited before. Demian says they were discussing a bit of business. She accuses him of returning to his double standard concerning women. He tells her she's mistaken. Well, she says he better be careful that this great change of heart he has done so much to display better be permanent because she's going to be watching him.

Miriam and Nic discuss how long it might be before he hands over Jos's trust fund. Nic politely reminds her it is Jos and Mariangela's money and as such she is not to get a dime of it. He then explains that Clemente's will stipulated the two young women would only get monthly payments rather than a lump sum all at once. Miriam is angry and totally frustrated because she says they need all that money now to keep the fashion house financially sound. Nic says that's too bad, but it is what it is and leaves.

At dinner that evening at the manse Rogelio, Gabe, JC, Mariangela and the little boys are eating. The maid says Jos is going to be late coming in to dinner. Rogelio takes advantage of the uncomfortable silence to mention he's heard Mariangela and his dad are planning to get married. Mariangela says it is not the time or place to discuss it. Jos comes strolling in then with movie tickets for that night for the new children's movie. She expects to go with Gabe and the boys (to make nice-nice) but she only bought four tickets. She doesn't have one for Mariangela. Hmm. Gabe looks at Mariangela and says he's not going anywhere with her, period. (Jos doesn't realize how far their relationship has progressed; she really thinks this is going to change Gabe's attitude toward her?) Mariangela selflessly smiles back at Gabe and insists he go ahead with Jos and the boys. He gives in and eventually does. Jos is glad to have the old “family unit” (no pun intended, Gabe) back in tow again. In fact, she hangs up on Ti when he calls just as she is coming down the stairs and asks her if she's coming to the bar that evening. “Wrong number.” Click. The foursome walk out the door and Gabe keeps looking wistfully over his shoulder at Mariangela as she smiles, wanting them all to have the best time. (Yeah, there is something disturbing about people who are just too nice.)

At Demian's that evening the old cur distracts Regina by surprising her with a bubble bath in that huge bathtub of theirs, complete with champagne, candles and rose petals in the shape of a heart, and it's bye-bye to those wet dreams of Mariangela--at least, for now.

Cortito fakes answering a call from a girlfriend, right as Mayeya returns to the kitchen, wanting to get her jealous. (Darn, these guys from the “vecindad” really are hard up!) She lies and says she isn't jealous and we have another slapstick comedy session as she pours a pot of water all over him and walks off angry at being jealous after all.

JC goes down to eat and promises to come back to work upstairs in the bedroom rather than the office on the first floor, in order to keep Paulina company. She gets depressed and frustrated later on when JC hasn't returned soon enough after supper. She decides to walk downstairs to find him, suspicious of seeing exactly what she does see: Karen and him embracing near the stairway. Of course, it is an innocent, familial hug on his part and as always, a subterfuge on Karen's, but Pau sees it through jealous eyes. She is so upset she loses her balance and rolls all the way down the stairs to the bottom and lays unconscious as JC runs to her side in panic.

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