Caray, Caray!

We left Alina/Flor, hovering by Emilioooo's bedside, she's stroking his hair and weeping. After she gets up and leaves the room Emilio murmurs "I am going to fight for you. I'm going to live for you."

The soldiers sans Orlando are sitting with Don Maximo in his living room. One of them (I can never keep them straight, except for Orlando and Frank, who was the cutest but now has a messed up face thanks to Don Loco) asks, where the hell are the authorities? They should have been here by now to pick up Don Alvaro. Don Max says he sent a peon to San Mateo to notify the authorities. They discuss Santos' supposed participation and that Don Alvaro could have gotten Santos to keep that from happening. Don Max slaps his head, "Why didn't I think of that?!" Frank says they should take care of Santos themselves and notify their general in Puebla about the incident. Max gets up, pours himself one from the lead crystal decanter and says, no boys, don't worry, I'll take care of it. Frank thanks him and says his head just isn't in the game today, after what happened. Orlando comes in and asked "what happened? Did something happen to Emilio during the night?" (Geez, guy, curb your enthusiasm!) Frank tells him, "no but something big is going to happen today—Thelma won. Padre Cristobal agreed to let her marry Emilio, under the legal provision for deathbed marriages. " Orlando smiles one of his snarky smiles and looks shifty-eyed.

Back to Emilio on his supposed deathbed. He murmurs "Flor—Flor" just as the doctor is walking in and smiles. "My God, he spoke!" He calls out that Emilio is waking up. Thelma and her Aunt Rebeca run into the room. Thelma is desperate and runs to the bed asking the doctor what happened. The doctor explains that Emilio just said a few words—he mentioned Flor's name. Thelma is impactado.

Over at Don Loco's hacienda, Adela is brushing Soledad's amazing Hollywood hair. Soledad is full of anxiety that she has heard nothing about her daughter, the wedding and Don Loco is also missing. Adela tries to reassure her that it's probably because everything went as it was supposed to (No news is good news) and Alina and Emilio are now very far away on their honeymoon. Soledad doesn't buy it. If everything had gone well, she knows that Alina would have sent her a message, something, to let her know everything was all right (Yeah, like wasn't she supposed to get let out of prison and have Don Loco arrested for kidnapping after revealing the big secret?). Soledad thanks Adela for her efforts but jumps up and says she's leaving, she's going to escape. Adela freaks out and tries to talk her out of it but Soledad is on a mission. Like this has never happened before…

Max and Loco are sitting in the storage room doubling as a holding cell for Don Loco at la Rinconada. Don Loco is still tied to a chair and gagged from yesterday's escape attempt. Max is ticked and Don Loco unable to speak gives him a baleful look. Don Max says, hey don't blame me! It's all your woman's fault, Soledad's. (Huh? Oh yeah. Soledad drove him so crazy with her alleged infidelity that not only does he take it out on the child he thought was his daughter but tries to murder her intended. What, is he afraid of inheritance claims?) He launches into a discussion of how Don Loco was the richest, handsomest guy in the town and how he could have had any woman, but he picked Soledad. "And then she cuckolds you…" After working himself through this story, Max jumps up from his chair and decides that he is going to let Alvaro get his revenge. For the second time, he agrees to free Don Loco, "so that he can unleash all his rage at Soledad." (This logic escapes me—maybe there's a reason that bottle on the table is half empty.) Don Loco thanks Don Max and tells him he appreciates him running down Soledad, his words have strengthened his resolve to get his revenge.

Thelma and the Doctor are talking about Emilio. Thelma wants to know if she can expect him to talk some more. The Doctor says no, that she mustn't get her hopes up. Thelma carefully asks him not to tell the others that he spoke, so as "not to get their hopes up" either. The Doctor says he's leaving for Puebla to get some medicine that he thinks should help Emilio. When he leaves the room, Thelma leans over Emilio and kisses him. Vera comes in and Thelma advises her to tell everyone to prepare for a wedding, she's going to marry Emilio both by the church and civilly TODAY, as soon as the judge shows up! (She's gotta act fast, before he wakes up!) Vera can't quite believe it and Thelma tells her to hurry up! When Vera leaves, Thelma leans over Emilio's bed and kisses his hand with a cat that ate the canary smile.

Orlando is walking outside and finds that the other soldiers are saddling up for a ride to San Mateo to make the formal accusations themselves, since Santos has allegedly thwarted the previous attempt, according to Don Max. At just that moment, Santos arrives on horseback with Rosita and Orlando says "Look—it's Don Alvaro's accomplice!"

Inside la Rinconada, Aunt Rebeca is talking to Alina/Flor. In the most sugary of terms, she gets her to agree to be a witness to Emilio's wedding to Thelma, since she's the one responsible for making it happen.

Back outside the soldiers immediately tear into Santos, dragging him off his horse, with Rosita screaming. Santos and Rosita have no idea what is going on. The soldiers would have beaten Santos to a pulp if it hadn't been for Padre Cristobal who shows up in the nick of time. He tell them they are making an already tragic situation worse. Orlando gets all chesty and yells at Padre Cristobal saying, "Stay out of this Padre, it doesn't concern you." Padre Cristobal doesn't back down and stops the soldiers. And anyway, there is a wedding about to take place. Frank wants to stay behind to "guard the prisoner" but Padre Cristobal stops him too, saying he knows Santos, he knows where he lives and that he will vouch for him. The guys leave to follow Padre Cristobal. Santos returns to Rosita and tells her to calm down. Rosita wants to know who Emilio is marrying on his deathbed. Is it Flor?

In Emilio's bedroom All the soldiers, Orlando, Thelma, Rebeca and Flor are there with the Judge and the Priest. Thelma quickly gives her consent and the judge asks for Orlando's consent as the witness for Emilio for the civil ceremony. Padre Cristobal then asks Emilio for his consent.( Just before he answers, someone slams a door. I guess they were afraid of running out of film and couldn't do a retake) Emilio croaks out "Yes I accept to be married to….Flor." Everybody is impactado including Flor.

Rosita and Santos are in the kitchen discussing what just took place. Rosita is munching on a cookie. They speculate again on how Emilio could be getting married and why the soldiers went after Santos. Rosita says, "we've got to find out why the Patron's friends are angry with you." Santos actually turns to look in the distance and says "it's almost as if someone told them something to turn them against me" "But who? Who?"

As if in answer, the scene cuts to Don Maximo who is with the wedding party in Emilio's bedroom. "And so," says Don Max, a wry smile on his face "They can't marry…" The judge says "the situation is that this could be disputed by la Senorita Flor. We need to clarify this right now." Thelma protests that it's clear Emilio is delirious. "Understand that we can't go over what Emilio has said" says Padre Cristobal. "It wouldn't be right." Orlando chimes in, "Emilio could say anything in the state he's in. I'm the proxy. I'm the one who has to respond. (If that's true, then why are they all crammed into Emilio's bedroom?) Padre Cristobal says, it's Flor who has the say in this matter. "Flor?!" says Thelma with a sour expression. Everyone looks at Flor. Padre Cristobal asks her if she really wants to go through this or not.

Back at Hacienda Don Loco, Soledad is hanging off a tiny wrought iron balcony while Adela is begging her to come inside. She's trying to make it to the roof of a shorter building.

Back to the wedding. Padre Cristobal is pushing Flor a wee bit. Are you sure that you are stepping down from the place that Emilio gave you as his fiancée and ceding it to Thelma Castillo? Even after what you just heard? Thelma protests. The padre is giving Flor too much time to think about it. Flor has a flashback of Thelma telling her she's pregnant. Flor says in a small but clear voice that Of course Emilio was not conscious. He didn't know what he was saying. Of course she wants the ceremony to go forward. "I am sure that if Srta. Castillo could have spoken to him earlier, Emilio would have agreed to marry her. The camera shows Thelma's face which expresses the certain knowledge that this is a complete lie. (How low can she go but to marry a guy on his deathbed against his will. She's only getting him because he's completely incapacitated.) Orlando thanks Flor for her sincerity and tells the judge that Emilio has always been a man of honor and well, you know judge, what I told you before, ahem…he would have done the right thing. The Judge says that he's satisfied that Flor isn't fighting the wedding, and they can continue.

Back to Soledad's escape attempt. Her hand slips and (dun dun DUN!) She falls into a pile of what looks like hay. The hay must have had rocks beneath it because Soledad is knocked out cold.

At the wedding--As soon as the words were pronounced, Flor runs out of the room looking like she is going to burst into tears. The rest of the participants go to sign the judge's book. Flor runs into the kitchen crying. Rosita asks her what's wrong. She tells her that Thelma married Emilio. Rosita is impactada. Flor weeps that she had wanted to tell Emilio who she really was. Rosita says something like God works in mysterious ways. "Maybe Don Emilio wouldn't have believed you when you told him." "Still it was the only hope I had," says Flor. Rosita spits out some angry words for Thelma, that it's all her fault. Flor says not to blame her. Rosita can't believe it that Flor is defending Thelma.

Sergio is there and standing over Soledad in the pile of hay. "Why didn't you call out?" Sergio asks Adela. "Well, because the Lady was escaping…" Adela tries to wake her.

Finally a scene with Angel and Nurse Susi. Angel is freaking out again over the lack of information afforded him in his little cabin away from the hacienda. Susi tells him she'll go and try to find out what's happening. After she leaves the room he tries to get up but he's too weak. He hits the bed in frustration. "I wish I were stronger so that I could protect you Flor."

Back to Soledad, still out cold but now on her bed, with Adela bending over her to listen to her breathing. Sergio asks if she's dead. No says Adela after listening. But her breathing is weak. Sergio is concerned about what the Patron will think. Adela urges him to keep quiet about the escape attempt. "Why should I?" says Sergio. Adela offers to help him get what he wants. Sergio mentions that what he'd really like is to get Nora the maid to go out with him. If she can make that happen, he'll keep quiet about what happened, this time.

At la Rinconada, Don Max and Don Loco are chatting again in the store room. Don Max is getting worried that Emilio's friends are itching to do something about getting the authorities involved. Don Loco says, "You have to help me." Max says, he will but he's trying to find a way to do it. Don Loco really wants to get out so he can see what Soledad is up to. Don Max says that it must be awful to be alone with his thoughts. You have no idea, says Don Loco, "When I think of what she did to me, my blood boils and my hands (sting? Se me pungen los manos). One day I won't be able to control myself and I will end up killing her. Don Max says he understands. "She really went beyond the pale when she got a dress for Alina." Don Loco agrees. "It's the same dress that Soledad wore to our wedding. She did that on purpose to make fun of me." "The next time I see her face to face, she'll pay. This I will never forgive."

Adela is trying to wake Soledad. And she's coming out of it. She says she's feeling OK, not to get a doctor. Adela hopes that this has taken away her urge to escape. Soledad says no. That she will be free and Don Loco will pay for making her suffer. (I am thinking that maybe death might be the kind of freedom she might be getting.)

Back to Don Loco and Don Max. Don Loco is still going on about how he is going to make Soledad suffer. He's going to really make her suffer this time. Don Loco looks excited. You are going to kill her? Don Loco says (yet again) that death would be too easy for her. He has plans but first he has to be free. Don Max says he'll take care of it. He has a plan. He unties Don Max from the chair.

Rosita and Flor are in the kitchen. Rosita has a bunch of what looks like Chamomile in a jar and she's picking off the flowers, I assume, to make chamomile tea. They are still talking about why Flor let Thelma marry Emilio. Flor will only say that Emilio knew Thelma a lot longer than her. Even longer than she knew him as Alina.

Who come strolling in at that moment but Don Max, who is practically drooling over the sight of the two girls in the kitchen. He says he needs to talk to Flor and leads her to his office.

Coral and Orlando are deep in discussion about Emilio. Coral is crying over Emilio as Orlando is describing him as being at death's door. Orlando is putting on a good act, choking back the tears himself. Orlando tells Coral that Thelma married Emilio. (Maybe he is still trying to get her to leave?) "We're all praying for him." Says Orlando. "Only a miracle can save him." "It will be as God wishes" says Coral. Now I have to go to work at the Meson de Edelmira. I want to be near Emilio and I cannot, cannot fail his wife. (I wasn't clear on this last bit. I thought Thelma didn't even know she was there and would start another cat fight if she did).

In Don Max's office, Max says he can help Flor find her way out of her predicament. Flor says, well why doesn't he help by telling her father that he has been wrong about her and her mother. Don Max disagrees. Her father is so deep into his revenge he wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. He says that she could prove that she's related to him supporting his being able to leave the hacienda. She only has to convince Thelma it seems. After all, she convinced Padre Cristobal to let the wedding go forward. Flor may be a little ditsy sometimes but she's smart enough to see through that plan. "Why should I let him go? So that he can torture me some more?" She refuses and leaves and Don Max is clearly ticked off. Flor was smarter than he thought. He will have to come up with another plan.

The odious Thelma and her auntie are drinking what looks like cognac out of cut crystal snifters and having a great old time. Ifigenio shows up with her suitcases which had been forgotten in all the rush. After he leaves, Thelma jumps up from the couch and goes ballistic. The red dress! She has to dispose of it! She pulls it out of the suitcase and balls it up, giving it to her aunt to throw away in the trash.

Coral is at the meson wearing short shorts and a little sleeveless hoodie, practicing her dance with the band. As she does a shimmy, backing into a corner, an old drunk parks himself in a chair near her rear end and gives her a quick feel. She turns around enraged and slaps him, knocks him on the floor and starts kicking him. The club manager (Edelmira?) comes over to her and tells her to stop. Coral says she's done practicing and tells the band to quit.

Back at Don Loco's hacienda, Adela and Nora are talking. Adela broaches the subject of Sergio and whether she'd go out with him. No, says Nora, "you know who I really like? Gaspar!" Adela is flabbergasted," the mental retard?" Nora gets all dreamy about how "big" and "handsome" he is and how he has a good heart. (Yep, that's our Gaspar, a hunk a burnin' love.)

Back to Max who has made indecent proposal #1, was rejected and is now going for indecent proposal #2. Rather than asking Flor to intercede with Thelma to let Don Loco go. He has decided to ask Thelma directly to let him go. Thelma can't see why until Don Max explains to her Don Loco's mania with Flor and how if Don Loco is in jail, Flor will be able to wander around freely. If Emilio ever wakes up he may want to pick up where he left off with her even being married to Thelma. If Don Loco is free, he'll be able to keep Flor away from la Rinconada and make sure that she has no boyfriends or fiancees. Thelma considers this and agrees to the plan.

In the next scene, Thelma asks Vera to tell all the servants that Flor is no longer welcome at la Rinconada. Vera looks flustered, and asks for clarification. Thelma tells her to follow her orders. Vera suggests that everybody owes Flor a great deal and that she would have trouble carrying out this order. Thelma can see the resistance in Vera's eyes and gets nasty. She grabs her by the arm and tells her to do as she's bidden. She doesn't owe that dirty girl anything. And she is La senora Valtierra and everybody must obey her.

Rosita and Flor are talking outside. It's hard to hear. I think Flor is telling Rosita that in spite of everything, she's still in love with Emilio and is eager to see the doctor return so that he can help him get better.

Back in the kitchen the servants are angrily going over the orders of the new Senora Valtierra. Vera is saying that she doesn't know how she will tell Flor, just as Flor walks in. When it is explained to her that Thelma wants her to go, she asks," What did I do?" "Rosita tearfully says, this is how you are paid for your kindness!" Vera's husband, whose name I forget, and Santos start making plans about telling all of the other servants and peones so that they can effectively flout Thelma's orders. Flor tells them to stop, she will go. Rosita cries on Santo's Shoulder. The other servants stew.

Adela is talking to Soledad who is still lying down and speaking like she's a little light headed. Soledad is still wondering about Alina. Adela keeps feeding her lines about how Alina must be far away by now. Adela also says she wants to get a doctor but Soledad says no. Adela offers to go to Luba's cave and see what she can find out about Alina. And Soledad seems to relax a bit.

At the meson Coral is talking to Granillo and the manager. Granillo is doing the "you go girl" thing. The other woman is not sure. Jeramias is just a harmless old drunk. "He's done that to me before" she says. Coral goes all defiant. "Well, he went too far with me," she says.

Don Max and the soldiers, including Orlando are having a discussion when Thelma walks in. Orlando asks her to weigh in on the discussion. They are talking about whether they should let Don Loco go. She agrees with Don Max that he should be let go. After all, she says, this could get turned around. He could accuse us of kidnapping him. Let him go back to his hacienda and the authorities will know where to look for him. We have enough problems with Emilio in danger of death "Let him go." Frank doesn't like this. "And if Emilio dies?" Don Loco says, "I will make sure he pays for his crime." "Me too" says Orlando.

Flor is back in the cave with Tonki, she starts crying.

Back at la Rinconada, Doctor Vasquez is finally back from Puebla. He has just finished looking at Emilio and is in conversation with Thelma. "I don't understand it" he says. "when I left, he was in so much better shape. " " I had high hopes." "I don't know what could have happened in the intervening time to worsen his condition." Orlando sails in and tells the doctor he can tell him what happened while he was gone. Thelma looks uncomfortable. Orlando tells the doc that Emilio married Thelma on his deathbed. Doctor Vasquez shakes his head in disbelief. "That's unforgivable," he said. Thelma acts all shocked. "What's wrong? He was in danger of death, he was unconscious so I married him." Vasquez says, "he was unconscious, how would you know what he wanted?" At that precisely that moment, Emilio murmurs, "I accept Flor, as my wife" as if repeating his wedding vows. The doctor leans over him to check his pulse and says, one should never countermand the wishes of someone who is injured, not even someone on their deathbed." Thelma tries to defend her actions by saying that Emilio is confused because of his injury. The doctor replied archly that "if there had been no second wedding, there would be no confusion, Srta. Castillo." Thelma shoots back that he should call her Senora Valtierra, because she's the wife of Emilio Valtierra. The doc counters that he is no longer responsible for Emilio's life. Thelma looks a little worried.

Don Max comes in to see Don Loco at the storage room-jail. He tells him, he's fixed it. Don Loco is free to go. He throws a bundle of white cloth stained with blood on the table. It's the wedding dress. He offers it to Don Loco to "return it to Soledad." They make plans for Don Loco's departure but first, Don Loco wants to say thanks to Thelma. Don Max says, what about me? and they have a little mutual admiration society going for awhile. Finally they take off to see Thelma.

We return for only the second time this episode to Angel and Nurse Susi. Angel's tired of waiting. He wants to see his brother. Susi tries to dissuade him but this time he's really going. Susi goes to pack a few things. Angel has another coughing fit.

Thelma and Don Loco are seated in the living room talking. Actually, Thelma is doing most of the talking. She explains that Flor is the one who convinced Don Cristobal to wed her and Emilio. But now she wants Flor as far away from her husband as possible. Don Loco gets it immediately, what with all the cheating spouses and all. Thelma is curious to know what Don Loco's motivation is, that he'd rather kill Flor than let her be with Emilio. She tosses out that maybe Don Loco is in love with Flor. Don Loco is impactado.

Flor and Luba are talking in the cave. Luba says in her cynical way, "So that's how the lady repays you? By throwing you out in the street?!" Flor sobs, "but what could I do?" "If I can't take care of him, If I can't be near him. He's a married man." Luba says, "you were the one who left him!" Flor's response is "Enough! Don't you know I am already suffering terribly?." Luba says, and don't you think I am also?"(No, not really Luba, unless Emilio was the love of your life too.)

Back in the big Sala, Don Loco and Thelma are still talking. Don Loco is reacting Thelma's charge that he is in love with Alina. She says, "what's the big deal? Rich Landowners often fall in love with Servants." Don Loco protests that she's not a servant. Thelma then turns to explore Don Loco's reaction. "when her name is merely mentioned, it's like you lose all reason." Don Loco responds, "I lost my reason a long time ago." He gives up on the discussion, thanks her and leaves, taking the bloody dress in a black garbage bag.

Back to Flor and Luba. Luba tells her she should eat something but Flor demurs. She asks about Gaspar. Luba says he's always wondering around even though she told him not to go near la Rinconada. Luba is worried that Don Loco is going to show up.

Don Max is bidding Don Loco goodbye, FINALLY! Before he does to the Hacienda, he has an errand to run. He trots off.

Santos comes out to talk to Don Max. Don Max starts accusing him of helping Don Alvaro escape (kind of like what just happened a few seconds ago?) and uses the opportunity to fire him. Santos is impactado.

Luba is praying, asking for help for Flor and for strength for herself, for her next confrontation with Don Loco. Flor protests that she shouldn't be asking for her, that she'll be OK.

Just then the voice of Don Loco comes from outside the cave. LUBA! The camera focuses on Luba's scared face.

And that is where my Tivo stopped recording.