Caray, Caray!

Today’s excitement is momentarily postponed while Diego berates Diana for everything he’d promised to forgive if she’d only marry him, and which he’s thrown in her face ever since. Even Marfil’s vicious plants fail to spice up the tirade. Fortunately, we move on to Emilio’s Homeless Shelter. Bruna’s tidying up the bedroom when Marfil (in a halter top Octavia left behind) storms in. She fumes about Max and Diana, then tells Bruna that she plans to have Our Intrepid Heroine kidnapped. This makes no sense. Marfil doesn’t trust Bruna. But perhaps Marfil is just a little giddy from the excitement of her new hobby.

On the Good Ship Lollipop, Caramelo is crying at the bar again. First Mate Jorge and Karaoke Queen Gaviota listen sympathetically as she snuffles and moans about Pancho’s deceit. He never loved her, never respected her, never valued her. Pobre de Caramelo.

Back at Emilio’s, Marfil is elaborating on her scheme to make Our Heroine disappear. In her slightly raspy voice, cool and sinuous as a snake, Bruna once more questions Marfil’s identity. I don’t know why she is so unsure about this. Marfil has completely forgotten that she’s supposed to be Debora. No doubt it’s tiring to impersonate a one-woman barnyard, right down to the fox in the henhouse, but Marfil has done a really half-assed job. Ni modo. Cooing, hissing, insinuating, Bruna voices her suspicions: This is how Marfil, not Debora, would plan a kidnapping. Strike up the Orchestra of Doom. Marfil gets indignant, then changes her mind. And what if she is Marfil? She’s just taking her rightful place, etc. Bruna has no objection to that, but what has she done with her sister? Bruna’s afraid they’ll end up…“Killing each other?” Marfil suggests. She smiles, oddly pleased by this notion, and turns away, adding, “Anything’s possible.” Bruna follows her every move with unblinking, black-ringed eyes. She could have stepped off the set of Ed Wood, Jr.; it wouldn’t surprise me to see Johnny Depp walk in, clad in tweed slacks and angora sweater. He doesn’t. Oh, well. Bruna insists on knowing the truth: Is she Marfil or Debora? Marfil goes into Fiera mode, turns on her, and snarls, “I’m the Devil in the shape of a woman! Now go!” Impactada, Bruna goes. Marfil gets a close-up as she informs us that she will get rid of Diana and Debora at the same time. The Orchestra of Doom rises to a crescendo.

Meanwhile, Caramelo is still sobbing away. Jorge gets a close-up because he is young and good-looking. It certainly isn’t because he’s conveying any kind of emotion about Caramelo’s plight. Gaviota says all the usual things about getting mixed up with the Irascibles, then advises her to forget that heel she married and move on. It’s good advice, but Caramelo sobs on like a five-year-old. She wants/loves Pancholóóóóóóóón, boo-hoo-hoo-hoo….

We return to Emilio’s. Andrés calls Marfil on her cell phone, wanting to know what she’s done with Debora. Now’s not the time; Dr. Evil will talk to him tomorrow and give him the details of their plan. Andrés is not happy about this.

It’s moving day at Casa Irascible. Nancy unloads the last of the suitcases from the minivan. Pan to Gaviota, in yet another shiny red and black ensemble. Diego is beside her, sitting in his wheelchair and scowling. Next to him is the Queen Mum, dressed for Ascot. Oops, my mistake, it’s Granny M under that blue chiffon cartwheel hat, tilted at a rakish angle. I don’t know what the hell Diana is wearing. It appears to be a suede shrug lined with wool. Is she planning on herding reindeer in Lappland? Are there matching moccasins to give her the Pocahontas look? This might be the most puzzling garment Our Heroine has worn to date. Compared to her sister, Gaby looks a little overdressed in the burgundy shirt-dress that she borrowed from Marcia Villaroel. En fin, Gaviota brightly remarks that they can all be happy here. Ever the wet blanket, Diego expresses his doubts. Granny M expresses amazement at the amount of luggage. Diana tries to cheer up Little Doormat, who looks as if she’s about to be sold into white slavery and knows it. Enter Max, very serious, with Granny S on his arm. Doña Santa has a happy smile on her face. We get a series of close-ups, from Gaby to Gaviota. No one is happy. No one smiles back. Pobre de Granny.

We leave Granny S with her playmates old and new to head over to the TeleMiami jail. Luscious Larry appears to be in the same quiet, roomy cell-with-a-view that Faux Marfil had. A guard enters to announce that he’s free; the charges against him have been dropped. Larry’s on his way out when who should appear but Kique. The Orchestra of Doom tells us that we’re about to witness a Confrontation. Lunkhead informs Our Evil Studmuffin that he’s going to find Gaby and explain how it was all one of Kique’s dirty tricks. (Evidently the Little I.Q. That Could was chuggin’ away all night.) “And she’ll believe you?” taunts Kique with a dastardly snicker. (He could be related to Bruna, he does that so well.) Close-up of Larry, trying to appear less like Bambi and more like a fiera. Close-up of Kique, snickering back. Then he stops abruptly, with an expression of hatred settling over his face as he watches Larry walk away.

Paco and Octavia are once again wearing matching white outfits as they stroll hand-in-hand around Key West. She is showing off her abs and he is showing off…well, he’s showing off his tan. Okay, so they’re a couple of love-struck teenagers again, and Paco makes one of Octavia’s wildest dreams come true. (Hint: Feeding Gaviota to the sharks piece by piece will have to wait.) Yes, Paco asks Octavia/Alicia to marry him. Octavia literally jumps for joy, crowing with delight. She and Paco shower each other with kisses.

We now return to TeleMiami General. Lala and Paola come out of Pancho’s room. They appear to be quite chummy and in good spirits. Caramel comes down the hall in the outfit that’s de rigueur for every telenovela sex kitten, the mini-skirt and pushup bra combo. We know, however, that she is a Good Sex Kitten, because she is also wearing a blouse. It may be unbuttoned and tied at the waist, and June may be bustin’ out all over, but she’s no puta. No. Those shoulders are covered. Bueno, Good Sex Kitten Caramelo sneaks into Pancho’s room. Close-up of Pancho looking up from his magazine as if he has something deliciously evil in store for her.

Back at Psycho Mansion, Granny S is just delighted to see her Dianita again. She, too, got a share of the treasure trove Octavia left behind, in this case a purple leopard print scarf wrapped around her wig. She’s just the cutest thing in shoe leather, that Granny Santa. Nancy beams. Diego glowers and begins his shabby little “I Am the Man” charade, which everyone tries to ignore. Max and Granny Santa exchange fond farewells. Granny S asks Diana why she doesn’t invite Max to live with them. Diana changes the subject by asking if she remembers Diego. Doña Santa does; is he going to give her piano lessons? (Aw, she thinks Diego is man enough to quit sulking and get a job. Isn’t she just precious?) Granny M rolls her eyes and heaves a sigh. The Queen Mum shoes are killing her. Can’t they break for lunch and finish this later? No, first Diana has to explain that Diego is now her husband. Granny S is impactada. She asks if Our Heroine has stopped loving Max already. Diana starts to realize that inviting Granny S to join the happy family wasn’t such a good idea after all. Diego continues to glower.

Key West. Octavia wants to know when they’re going to tie the knot. As soon as they get back, Paco answers. He wants her to meet his daughter, and someone very special to him. This is a Piano Moment, and Octavia shrewdly recognizes it as such. Did Paco love this woman? Yes, but she did not return his love. So why tell her they’re getting married? Does she still mean something to him? “No, my love, of course not,” is Paco’s gallant reply. So much for his promise to wait for Gaviota. Well, this is Alicia, his dream woman, the one he’s mooned over for twenty years. Fate has restored her to him, and in remarkably good condition, too. Age cannot wither her, nor passion stir her Botox’d countenance. She asks him not to tell Gaviota, not even talk to her. Paco happily notes that Octavia’s jealous. Yes. When one loves, one gets jealous. (Stop tape. Reflect on this profound insight into the human condition. Restart tape.) Lady O sweetly pleads for a secret wedding. Mystified but charmed by milady’s whims, Paco agrees.

Bruno is resentfully jabbing a swiffer around the living room when Yolanda comes in. She comments rather tartly that it’s nice to see Bruna doing her share. (Funny, I haven’t seen Yolanda wielding a duster or making a bed.) Bruno gets uppity on her. She’s a studly woman, not to be intimidated by society cream-puffs like Yolanda. Their squabble is cut short by the doorbell. It’s Larry. Yolanda is alarmed. Bruno stares. One would think he’d just crawled out of a swamp, or an auto wreck. Come on, this is Luscious Larry, he’s just adorably disheveled from a night in the slammer. Honestly. In true telenovela style, Larry explains that he was arrested, but doesn’t have time to go into detail now. He has to get all prettied up to see Little Doormat. Yolanda and Bruno are left impactados.

Out by the pool, Diego is brooding things over. He does not notice the stealthy approach of a sinister figure in a hooded black sweatshirt with a giant anaconda wrapped around his shoulders. The sinister figure raises a black-gloved hand. On his index and middle fingers are two long, sharply pointed, silver cones. He plunges these “fangs” into Diego’s neck. Diego struggles, but the venom takes effect almost instantly. After Diego slumps forward, the sinister figure puts the anaconda on a chair and vanishes into the bushes.

Oh. No. Sorry. Just wishful thinking on my part. That actually happened on La Estrambótica Anastasia. They’ve gone from the Spectral Duck of Death to more mundane agents of retribution. No, Acorralada was completely different.

It’s Diana who approaches, and she’s not wearing live reptiles. (She is, however, wearing moccasin boots.) She thought-bubbles Diego a confused series of questions as she rounds the pool. Why couldn’t she love him as he deserves? Why didn’t Max love her like Diego? Why does she long for Max’s kisses and not Diego’s? Aloud, she tells Diego that she’s instructed Nancy to bring out his easel and palette so he can work on Study in Pessimism #42 while enjoying the beauty of the pool, the garden, and the thoroughfare behind the Mansion. She’s going car shopping. Diego shows his appreciation by asking if she and Emilio talk about Max when they’re alone together. I would not blame Diana in the least if she dumped him into the pool, wheelchair and all, but she keeps her cool. After she goes, Diego says, “She left without even giving me a kiss goodbye.” Yes, Diego, it’s really quite staggering, isn’t it? You’re always telling her what a lying, conniving whore she is, but you mean it in a kind, caring way. You’re just Love on Wheels, you are. Enter Nancy. She’s being very formal, calling him “Señor Diego” but he insists on keeping it casual, as before. He does a chorus of “Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me.” Nancy listens patiently, then tells him that he and Diana fell in love with the wrong people. (Newsflash for you, Nancy: All three of you did.) Close-up of Diego, impactado by this revelation. Commercial.

Back at the hospital, Caramelo does an increasingly tearful rendition of “You Belong to Me.” Pancho bemoans the dilemma of being “in love” with two fieras at once. Despite all the blubbering Caramelo did earlier about Pancho’s inability to love and respect her, she holds him in no way accountable for his actions. Instead she focuses her rage on Paola. She vows to fight for him, blah, blah, blah. Enter Lala. Caramelo repeats her vows for Lala’s benefit, kisses Pancho goodbye, and leaves. Pancho’s capacity for self-pity is beginning to equal Diego’s. He feels like the most miserable man in the world, he sighs. Mamá is not particularly sympathetic. I’m with Lala on this one.

We return to the mansion. Diana is out front now, wondering where her cab is. A white van pulls up and two masked men with guns jump out. Our Heroine thinks it’s a robbery and cries out that she has no money. They force her into the back of the van, then jump in the front and drive away.

Our old buddy René is hanging out at Emilio’s when Max comes in. René leaps up and gives him an effusive welcome. Max recounts his trip to the mansion and how seeing Diana with her husband affected him. He remembers to keep his brow furrowed and sprinkles his narrative with the usual absolutes: Always, never, everything, nothing, and so on. He waxes romantic over Our Heroine: Nurse, fiera, angel, executive; fallen Madonna and femme fatale. She’s so bewitchingly multifaceted. But she is always his Diana. Nothing new here.

Over at the Little House in the Barrio, silent witness to much of the Sturm und Drang that has kept us on the edge of our seats, Luscious Larry knocks anxiously at the door. He calls for Gaby to open up. He wants to explain what really happened. In fact, he was so anxious to explain that he forgot to shower and change. All he did was swap his tie for a necklace and put his jacket back on. After getting no response, he tries the door, which of course is open. The house is dark and there are dust-covers on the furniture. The Little I.Q. That Could kicks in again. “They’ve moved to the Mansion.”

Meanwhile, Our Heroine has arrived at her destination. She is dragged into a gloomy, dusty beach house with barred windows. Diana struggles and shrieks like a true fiera, but to no avail. They take her watch, shove her into a cell, and lock the door behind her. Diana is too hysterical to notice that she has a cell-mate. It’s Debora, of course. The Miss Kitty garb has been replaced by jacket, pants, and boots. All she needs for a commando raid is an assault rifle, a cartridge belt, and a couple of hand grenades. Her mocking welcome is punctuated by a toss of her long, blonde hair and a peal of evil laughter. Close-up of Diana, impactada. “Marfil?” Close-up of Debora, with a malignant smile.

Speaking of Marfil, here she is, in the bedroom, talking to Bruna. She’s muy nerviosa about Diana’s abduction but refuses the tranquilizer Bruna offers. The suspense doesn’t last more than a second or two, anyway. Dr. Evil calls. He still has the ski mask on, but seriously, we know it’s him. He tells her “Mission accomplished.” Perfecto; and Diana has no idea who the kidnappers are? None. At this point Dr. Evil removes his ski mask to reveal…Ignacio Montiel, a.k.a. Dr. Evil! Why they gave this a build-up is anyone’s guess. We knew this yesterday.

Larry has just arrived at Psycho Mansion. Nancy shows him in and he asks to see Gaby. Nancy doesn’t make it out of the room, however. Fedora comes down the stairs. She tells Luscious Larry that he’s not welcome here. Close-up of Gaviota. She means business. Close-up of Larry. He’s not sure whether to get mad or cry.

Chez Emilio again. Yolanda comes out with a nice glass of orange juice for René. For a shy, retiring woman-of-a-certain-age, that is one low-cut dress. Ofelia Cano really should have protested, but maybe she remembered the chartreuse fringe party atrocity and decided this blue number wasn’t so bad. En fin, René and Yolanda chat a bit about the hole los Irazabal are in. Have they heard from Doña Octavia? Yes. She’s in hiding. If the police issue an arrest warrant, she’s far away. (129 miles, according to Wikipedia.) The conversation turns to Paola. René hasn’t seen her since the wedding. Yolanda wonders how Pancho’s treating her, if he respects her, makes her happy.

At the Little House on the Beach, Debora tells Our Heroine they’re here for a “super vacation.”
She’s over the whole kidnapping-hysteria thing. Now she’s just irritable, bored, and waiting for her next opportunity. Diana flips out again. Debora tells her to give it a rest; she spent days doing the same and it did her no good. No one’s going to get them out. No one. Diana slides to the floor, groaning and sobbing that she needs to know who did this, and why.

Back at Emilio’s, Yolanda asks René to find out Paola’s address. He agrees and she tells him that he’s a good boy, very special. He responds with his dimpled “Aw, shucks” number. He then develops a sudden case of Aldoitis and tells Yolanda his Philosophy of Life. “You have to smile. It’s free, so why save it?” Yolanda is encantada.

Vengeance Manor again. Fedora/Gaviota isn’t quite done telling pobre de Larry how unwelcome he is in her mansion. While she rehashes Larry’s crimes against Gaby, I wonder what other hats Fedora could have been named after. Stetson, Bowler, and Pillbox are out. Turban and Cloche don’t really work, either. Panama, maybe, or Balaclava. But enough of that. Larry’s vacating the premises. Fediota takes a breath, gives a little toss of the head, and exhales. This is followed by the pre-commercial clip where she takes a breath, gives a little toss of the head, and exhales.

Upstairs at the Manor, Little Doormat is lying on her bed, muy desanimada. Enter Fediota. It’s such a lovely day, she should be out enjoying it. Gaby’s not in the mood for any of activities Fedora proposes. She’s not in the mood for anything. She thanks Fediota for her good wishes, but nothing will make her forget Larry. Pobre de Gaby.

We return once more to Emilio’s. This time Max is in the living room. He’s on the phone, confirming a job interview. Bruna comes out of the bedroom. She tells Our Hero that she hopes this is the first step towards recovering the family fortunes, to going back to what they were before, to Max loving Marfil again. She goes too far, however, when she starts hissing about that nurse and how she’d give all she has to...The retaliation Bruna has in mind remains a mystery, unfortunately, because Max cuts her off with a brusque “¡Cállate!” I’d really like to know, but now Bruna is explaining that she hates Diana for stealing his love from her niña Marfil. Max is now suspicious. There’s something going on here. Bruna freezes as he circles round her. She and Marfil do not have the usual employer/employee relationship. The protectiveness that Bruna exhibits is more like that of a mother. Bruna utters a tight-lipped “Excuse me” and hurries off. Close-up of Our Hero, sucking on the Invisible Lemon of Deep Thought.

Time to check in on the captive half of Max’s harem. Diana insists that Debora knows something. Our Little Blonde Weasel off-handedly replies that she has her sister to thank. As for Diana’s abduction, she doesn’t know and she doesn’t care. Dr. Evil remembers to disguise his voice to tell them they’re keeping him awake. Diana immediately begins pounding on the door, screaming, “Let me go! Let me go!” Debora rolls her eyes in disgust.

Back to the mansion we go. Little Doormat is downstairs. Kique’s here, holding something behind his back. It’s a bouquet of pink roses with baby’s breath, only $9.99 with his Safeway Club card. Gaby is charmed. Kique tells her how pretty she is. Close-up of Kique. He doesn’t exactly look sincere, but he doesn’t look as if he’s lying, either. Nothing would make him happier than to have Little Doormat be his girlfriend. Close-up of Gaby. She is both frightened and flattered. She is Torn. She also has very strong eyelids; they actually flutter with emotion, despite the weight of her thickly-caked mascara.

Meanwhile, Lunkhead Larry is back at Emilio’s, telling Max what a fracaso Wedding #2 with Gaby was. Pobre de Larry. He’s a three-time loser. Max loses his patience. Larry’s just too stupid to be wandering about unattended. Running off to get married without telling anyone! It’s Vegas all over again! (Well, not quite. I don’t think Gaby could do a layback spin or a nifty step sequence down the middle of the ice rink in the wedding dress Larry bought this time around.) More rehash from Larry. Max looks muy serio as the Orchestra of Doom gets louder. Diana and Gaby are becoming more distant every day. Close-up of Larry, grimly nodding his pretty head in agreement.

Fedora is on the phone. She’s leaving yet another message which Octavia will probably erase. She mentions the possibility of running down to Key West for a visit, but she doesn’t know where Paco is staying. (Oh, come on, like there’s really more than one hotel in Key West.)

Back to our cell-mates. Diana won’t let up with the questions, most of which are redundant. Debora’s getting dangerously close to Chihuahua on crack mode. She can’t stand it any more and tells Our Heroine that she’s not Marfil, she’s Marfil’s twin Debora. Dueling close-ups that end with Diana, impactadísima. Commercial.

We come back from commercial to find Debora elaborating on her identity because Diana still isn’t getting it. Our Heroine is obviously suffering from some kind of cognitive bipolar disorder: Hotshot Vicepresidenta one day, babbling idiot the next. “I’m Marfil’s sister, De-bo-ra.” To emphasize her point, Debora smacks the wobbly lamp hanging above her. She’s not interested in telling Diana anything else, however. This triggers a meltdown which ends with Our Heroine sitting on the floor, wailing that she wants to see her child, the baby needs her, etc. Debora sits on the bed, tapping her foot and wishing Diana would just shut up already. Close-up of Diana in agony.

Over at the mansion, Little Doormat is hedging. They hardly know each other. Kique lays it on pretty thick, then asks, “Don’t you like me?” Gaby admits that he’s a handsome guy but falls back on the marriage excuse. What's that worth if Larry never loved her? “That’s true,” says Little Doormat, and Kique gets the wedding story. Serves him right. En fin, Kique’s going to love her like she deserves. Close-up of Little Doormat, wracked with fear and guilt.

At Emilio’s, we go from an external shot of the building to a close-up of Bruna. She wonders aloud how the little nurse is doing in confinement. Pan down to a close-up of Marfil. The Synthesizer of Doom plays eerie music in the background. “Her Calvary is just beginning, and it’ll be long -- long and torturous. She’ll suffer so much that she’ll be begging, screaming to die.” Bruna leans down and says that once Diana is dead, Max will have to forget her. And when Sra. Marfil decides to occupy her place in the house, she’ll be able to find happiness with her husband again. “Maybe, maybe not,” is the short version of Marfil’s reply. Either way, Max’s love for Diana has caused a serious rupture in the marriage and even if the nurse dies, he won’t love Marfil again. Once again Bruna demands to know if she’s Marfil or Debora. Marfil giggles wickedly, but doesn’t give her a straight answer. Such a tease! Once again Bruna demands to know where her twin sister is.

At the Little House on the Beach, Diana is still sitting on the floor. She’s quiet, but that probably won’t last long. Sure enough, Diana begins to sob about Max Jr. Debora remains unmoved until Diana starts asking questions again. Then she gets exasperated and calls Our Heroine a “filthy nurse.” “And how did you know I’m a nurse?” That opens the floodgates for yet more questions, mostly about Debora’s stint as Faux Marfil. Debora refuses to give her an answer beyond, “We don’t know what our end is going to be, all we can do is wait. Whatever!” Diana gets up and crosses the room, she’s so indignant. They go back and forth, with Diana carrying on like Amelia Sedley to Debora’s Becky Sharp. "Why such evil, such cruelty, why?" "Oh, get real."

That’s our cue to see how things are going with Marfil and Bruna. Marfil suggests that Debora went back to New York to resume her criminal career. Bruna doesn’t believe it. She wants Marfil to swear that Debora’s okay. Cue the String Quartet of Doom.
M: “And why do we interest you so much?”
B: “I see you as my daughters.”
M: “Oh, please! Even if we weren’t born rich, neither are we the children of a servant like you.”
Ouch. The music becomes faster, more threatening. Bruna looks down as she says, “I’m a servant, that’s true.” Then she raises those black-ringed eyes. “But even servants know how to love.” Marfil is decidedly uncomfortable under the intensity of Bruna’s fiera glare. She is forced to look away. “I’ve always loved you and your sister like a mother!” Bruna turns on her heel and storms out. After the door bangs shut, Marfil smiles as if to say “Ha-ha, made you cry!” She vows that Debora and Diana will never get out. They’ll be buried alive. Commercial.

Back at Vengeance Manor, Little Doormat promises to give Kique an answer soon. He in turn promises a love that is pure and beautiful. He wants to make her happy, as Larry never did. He kisses her on the cheek, and then the hand, before he leaves. ¡Qué galán! Fedora comes down the stairs. Either she never got the full story on the Kique-Pilar-Larry triangle, or her memory is as faulty as her daughters’. She encourages this budding romance, giving Little Doormat all kinds of reasons why she ought to give it a go with Kique. Gaby needs to forget about Larry, etc. Little Doormat is still conflicted.

This brings us to Emilio’s, where Larry, Yolanda, and Max are sitting on the couch. Everyone looks desanimado here. Joven Larry presses his hand to his brow as he moans that Gaviota and Diana won’t let him get near Gaby. (Actually, Larry, it's down to just Fediota now.) Yolanda can’t believe that Kique went so far. Larry rehashes his rivalry with Kique, and Max puts his two cents in. Luscious Larry vows that he won’t stand idly by and let Kique get away with it.

We return to the Mansion. Nancy has just brought Gaby a glass of water. She asks if Little Doormat is going to make the mistake of dating Kique. (All right, Nancy! Call 'em as you see 'em!) Gaby doesn’t know. Nancy points out that she doesn’t love him. No, but she could grow to love him. (Yes, that worked out so well for your sister and brother-in-law.) Don’t kid yourself, you’re in love with your husband. Little Doormat insists that she must forget him. Wedding story again. Nancy tries to tell Gaby that going out with Kique will only result in more suffering. But Gaby refuses to listen. It’s decided. She will accept Kique.

And back we go to Emilio’s. Marfil is still in the bedroom. She calls Dr. Evil. Cut to the Little House on the Beach. Andrés and Ignacio are sitting with their feet propped up on the table. They’re casually reading the newspapers. Andrés picks up the phone to see who’s calling, then tosses it to Dr. Evil. Marfil asks how it’s going. Great, couldn’t be better. Marfil’s going to visit the prisoners. She wants to laugh at their fate in person. Ignacio asks if she minds them knowing she’s behind everything. Not at all. They’ll never get out of captivity alive.

Roll credits

Labels: acorralada

As expected, Mangle’s big news for Montero is that Esme is preggers with Diego’s baby. Montero tells Mangle that Esme already told him this and they have an agreement that she won’t tell anyone. Ever resourceful, Mangle then tells Montero that Esme & Diego had a conversation alone and afterwards Esme looked very happy. As she hoped, this gets Montero jealous and he hurries off saying that he will put a stop to Diego and Esme’s relationship. Mangle wanted to tell him something else but it’s too late – he’s gone.

Diego and Esme are across the room from each other and there is music and conversation but each is only aware of the other. Then Montero comes in and tells everyone that he is going to make an announcement. Esme is nervous. She asks Montero what he is up to and he answers that it is something that she provoked.

Cut to Fernando (FS) and Maria Pia (MP) who are having a conversation away from the main party. FS tell MP how beautiful she is, etc. etc. He then says that he is about to close a deal that will bring him a large fortune (this must be Mercedes’ inheritance) and he has the brass ones to say that this fortune would be meaningful if he could share it with MP. [‘Meaning’ that he wants to share the fortune that he has stolen from his wife whom he had locked up in an iron mask for 20 years with his supposed true love whom he has lured away from being a nun by pretending that he did not in fact kill her sister in law when he did kill her and many other innocent women and children.] MP starts down this bad path by kissing FS.

Montero announces that his marriage will be filled with joy in about 9 months when Esme has his child. Everyone applauds and Esme and Diego look stricken. Montero asks Esme to say something and she faints. Montero carries her out and Diego tries to follow saying that this can’t be true and he needs an explanation. Alejandro stops him saying that this is not the time for explanations – Esme is Montero’s wife and by the way, Diego’s wife is right here. Diego doesn’t follow Montero but he leaves the reception and goes upstairs. Mangle looks really annoyed.

Almudena asks Montero to accompany Esme but he refuses saying that he can take care of his wife. Almudena asks how he could have made such an announcement and calls Montero unflattering names. Montero grabs Almudena and says that on the contrary, he is a gentleman saving the reputation of his wife who is pregnant by another man. Montero wants to leave with Pizarro but Pizarro wants to stay and see who the Maestro identifies as being Zorro. Montero agrees.

Alejandro goes up to Diego’s room and of course he isn’t there. He’s gone to the bat cave. Bernardo plays dumb to Alejandro’s questions about where Diego is. Al leaves and Bernardo scoots down to the cave where Diego is suiting up as Zorro. He tells Bernardo that Zorro has always fought for justice for the people of LA but this time it’s personal! He tells Bernardo that he won’t let Esme stay a minute longer with Montero. He will steal Esme. Bernardo’s expression indicates that he doesn’t think much of this plan but Zorro rides off.

MP pulls out of the lip clinch with FS and tells him that she isn’t going to let her desire run amok. She has matured and wants everything to be perfect when she gives herself to FS. ‘Let’s get married then,’ says FS, who obviously hasn’t matured at all. MP tells him that she needs time – hours or days to let her heart calm down. They start kissing again.

Alejandro is alone with Almudena [the skirt of her wedding dress looks like those shirred curtains some people have.] Al’s initial take is that Esme lied. She hasn’t been married to Montero long enough to know that she is pregnant. Almudena tells him the whole story.

Meanwhile Zorro is riding across the countryside where it is very light for the middle of the night.

We have comic relief with Tobias and the Maestro. Pizarro pressures Tobias to get the Maestro to make an identification because the Viceroy wants Zorro. Tobias is flattered that the Viceroy is in town. Meanwhile Catalina is trying to get the Maestro to stop eating and id Zorro. After scanning the crowd, the Maestro ids Tobias as Zorro. Tobias is impactado.

The Viceroy is in his office. [He has a really bad wig.] He orders his aide to have the soldiers be extra vigilant so as not to be surprised by an attack by Zorro. The aide reports no success in finding Mercedes. The Viceroy says that he knows she is here because the Marquesa told him there was a woman in the prison here. The aide asks what should he do when he finds her – bring her to the Viceroy? ‘No,’ says the Viceroy, ‘kill her immediately and then kill all the witnesses.

In the rat hole, Hermes has no success in taking Mercedes mask off. He suggests hitting it but that might kill her. Mercedes says that she is used to the mask. Hermes says that the gypsies will be able to get it off when they rescue her. Mercedes says that the gypsies and her daughter are the only things keeping her alive. Hermes asks if she will try to claim the throne of Spain when she escapes. Mercedes says that she only wants to be with her daughter far away. Hermes says that he hopes she won’t forget him. Mercedes answers that he will come with her. He is her dearest friend who saved her from insanity. Hermes shakes his head indicating, I think, that he thinks she is already insane.

Montero and Esme are in a carriage with an escort of about 15 soldiers. They are being shadowed by Zorro. Esme wakes up and yells at Montero. He tells her that she made it happen by talking to Diego alone. They are interrupted by cries of, ‘Zorro!’ While Esme looks on lovingly, Zorro defeats all the soldiers in the escort who conveniently attack him one at a time and don’t use firearms.

Pizarro arrests Tobias as Zorro. Alejandro tells everyone that the reception is over. Catalina asks Mangle for help from her father for her husband. Mangle blows her off by saying that it is a military matter and that if he is innocent, he will be released. ‘Some friend you are,’ says Catalina.

With no more guards to defend him, Montero and Zorro start to fight with swords.

The guests bid farewell to Alejandro and Mangle. Al asks Mangle if she thinks Tobias is really Zorro. She answers that she met Zorro once and Tobias isn’t Zorro anymore than Diego is Zorro. FS and MP saunter in laughing. Al asks where they’ve been for the whole party. MP says they’ve been talking about old times. FS barely acknowledges Mangle. He only has eyes for MP. Al says that FS is a changed man.

Zorro dis-swords [not a real word] Montero. Montero expects to be killed but Zorro says that he won’t do that so that Montero can always remember that Zorro spared his life this evening. Zorro then uses his handy smoke bomb to escape with Esme. [Was he carrying the smoke bombs around with the fuses lit? How did he light the fuses? Matches hadn’t been invented yet.]

FS takes his leave of MP saying that he has important business in town with the Viceroy. He then tell MP in a nice bit of irony that she has the dignity and bearing of a queen and that she will change him into a new man. He will await her decision.

Pizarro is questioning Tobias. Tobias admits that the Maestro is a senile fool who eats all the time and is incapable of identifying Zorro. Pizarro points out the similarities between Tobias and Zorro in complexion and height. He tells Tobias to consider himself the chief suspect. Pizarro and his men will search Tobias’ house and if they find evidence that Tobias is Zorro, he will hang.

Catalina comes to see Pizarro and says that Tobias is not man enough [no tendrias suficiente pantalones – ‘ he doesn’t wear enough pants’] to be Zorro. Pizarro says that they should not talk here. Catalina asks Pizarro to come to her house later and they can talk. ‘Only talk?’ says Pizarro with a hint of an expression on his face, ‘That’s boring. I’m not coming.’ ‘Whatever you want,’ says Catalina desperately, ‘just come.’

Back at the hacienda, Dolores tells Al and Almudena that Diego has disappeared. ‘Maybe he went off somewhere to deal with what Montero told him,’ suggests Dolores. Al agrees that this is possible. Al recaps the Tobias incident for Almudena and apologizes that the reception was such a disaster.

In the bat cave, Diego says that he has serious questions for Esme.

Alone on her wedding night, Mangle is annoyed that she told Montero about Esme & Diego because Montero’s announcement upset Diego. She promises that with the help of chemistry Diego will be all hers.

Almudena is worried that MP might get back together with FS. Al swears that he will not let MP get back together with FS.

FS gets out a box and rummages around in it but what he is looking for isn’t there. The key to the iron mask is gone! Who could have taken it? Cut to Olmos who is giving the key to his henchman, Gerardo, and telling him to guard it with his life. It is the only key that can open the iron mask. When Sara Kali escapes, Gerardo must bring the key so that the mask can be opened.

Esme is concerned that by abducting her, Montero will guess Zorro's identity. Diego says not to worry about that and asks Esme why Montero said that she was expecting a baby?

The credits roll.

Labels: Zorro

Castulo has followed Jaime to Flor's hideout. "You won't escape me now," he mutters. Jaime and Flor take off on Jaime's horse with Castulo in hot pursuit.

Castulo catches up with them and orders Jaime off his horse at gunpoint. Jaime grabs Castulo's horse while Flor escapes. Jaime's lucky, Castulo merely bonks him on the head with his gun instead of shooting him in the chest like he did that other guy. Castulo gallops after Flor. I wish Castulo weren't the rapist because I'm thinking he looks mighty fine on that horse of his, not to mention the camera keeps doing long butt shots of him. Ah well, he's bad, he'll probably get worse before the night's out, and he'll eventually get killed so I might as well look elsewhere.

Thelma, fwapping her riding crop, congratulates herself in front of Orlando for her plan to trap Flor. Divide and conquer, she says, is the way to get the servants to accuse each other of betrayal. They'll try to save Flor and Castulo will know what to do.

Santos tells Rosa he's going to talk to Soledad. Rosita is to keep Tonki with her.

Vera and Ifigenia figure out that Thelma and Castulo set a trap to find Flor through Jaime. Vera sends Ifigenia off to find Jaime.

Thelma brandishes her riding crop and congratulates herself in front of the Singing Aunt. Thelma says her greatest wish is that when Emilio returns Flor will be dead. Auntie looks more than a little concerned, "And what's going to happen with Orlando?" Thelma says the estupido has her in his hands. Her eyes dart around the room like a viper's.

Cañaveral Montellano - Don Loco interrogates a couple of the workers about Genaro, the guy who tried to rob and kill him. They say they saw Genaro talking to Señor Hugo in the cantina. There was something going on between them because they spoke in low voices.

Santos finds Jaime sprawled on the ground. Jaime tells him what happened and Santos rides off after Flor and Castulo. I'm starting to get confused, not to mention exhausted, with all this running and riding around.

Don Loco races through the cane fields on his horse and says that Hugo has some explaining to do. A commenter mentioned that when this guy rides he keeps yanking the horse's head up. Not being a rider I never noticed it but it's true, he keeps yanking, yanking, yanking. If I were the horse I'd wipe that jerk off on the nearest branch.

Ciudad de Puebla - Emilio and Angel are in the specialist Doctor's office. The new doctor guarantees that by means of "high tech methods" they have deciphered the nature of the virus that affects Angel's lungs. The Valtierra brothers are skeptical. It's not that they don't believe the good Dr., it's just that they don't want to get their hopes up. None of that, the doc says, they must have faith that they'll find a cure, but Angel must keep a positive attitude for good measure. "Hear that?" says Emilio, "We'll cure you and you can get married to the woman who still loves me and doesn't have a clue that we are arranging her future for her." Maybe not those exact words.

Some young guy whom we haven't seen before says to an old guy "You're getting married uncle? At your age? I'm worried that you're marrying an opportunist who only wants your money." OK, so the old dude is Celso, Coral's sugar daddy. Celso asks Dario (the nephew) since when has he cared about his welfare? He only visits him once a year if that. Celso suggests that Dario himself is only interested in the inheritance. Dario acts deeply offended.

Coral arrives and "Don Celso" kisses her and introduces her as his future wife. Dario's mouth does funny things; I can't tell if he hates Coral, if he's thinking "I want me some of that sweet thang" or both.

Santos rides around aimlessly looking for Castulo and Flor.

Adela visits Luba in the cave. She tells Luba to be careful of Sergio, he's that one that shot the engineer. Luba gets her mean look on and says, "If that killer shows up I know how to frighten him."

Whoa...cut to a close up of Alphonsina's bulging breasticles. She pokes 'em out in front of Don Loco as he rides by, but Don Loco says he has some business with Hugo and can't talk. After he rides off she mumbles, "The devil take you. What happened? How has Hugo not managed to kill you?"

Thelma looks at her stomach in the mirror, "The more I grow the worse I look." More like the crazier and meaner she gets the worse she looks. Also, notice how even Orlando, who used to sniff around Thelma ad nauseum, can hardly stand the skank?

Don Loco bursts into Hugo's office. It always cracks me up, that split second when his head is right there next to the life size portrait of himself. He takes out the account books and starts looking through them.

Castulo and Flor are riding on his horse. She manages to struggle free but he jumps on her and pins her to the ground. He says he'd like nothing better than to spend a little time with her, heh heh.

Castulo doesn't get far during the commercial break. Flor yells "Let me go let me go!" Suddenly a rope is thrown around Castulo and he is dragged off of Flor. Can it be???

Yes, it's Santos the wimp! He knows how to lasso! He's on his white horse and he drags Castulo around behind him. But wait, what the??? He actually allows Castulo to stand up and get free. Santos you magnificent dumbass, you complete and utter asshat! You're a wimp and now Castulo's going to kick your skinny behind.

They grapple while Flor whimpers. Of course Castulo immediately knocks Santos out, practically with his pinkie. Castulo grabs Flor and threatens "Do you want to go with me or shall I kill him right now?"

Emilio and Angel are back at their place and encouraged by the good news. For some reason Emilio plans to write a letter to Thelma. Angel says "Tell her to take care of Flor." Oh, the bitch is taking care of Flor all right.

Mexico City - At the hospital Dr. Love tickles Mariana's tootsies with a little brush. He's testing her reflexes, or torturing her, or satistying his foot fetish. Who knows? Mariana moves her foot! Dr. Love is thrilled. OK, foot fetish it is. He says if she keeps exercising she'll be the old Mariana in no time. Would that be the old Mariana who loved Jose? Or maybe the old suicidal Mariana? Her eyes bulge out and a large tear rolls down her face.

Santos wakes up, "Flor, Flor! Damn that Castulo." He ineffectually staggers off into the woods.

Hugo walks into his office to find Don Loco rummaging through the account books. Don Loco says he's looking for the list of peons on the payroll. Where in the devil is it?

Castulo hauls Flor into the great room of La Rinconada where Thelma and her riding crop await. Flor says Thelma has no right to keep her there by force. Don Maximo arrives, sees Flor and smiles, "so you came back, eh?" "Not voluntarily," she snaps, hands on hips. Don Max shrugs and walks off. He's not going to get involved with these crazy women.

Flor tells Thelma not to blame Jaime or anyone else, she escaped on her own. Thelma tries to slap Flor but Flor grabs Thelma's arm. Nice one Flor! She yells "Don't even think of hitting me!" Thelma scowls and backs down.

Angel and Emilio have a stupid conversation about Emilio's relationship with Coral. Emilio wants to convince Angel that he feels nothing for Alina, but since Emilio is completely expressionless throughout the conversation who knows what he thinks?

Thelma calls all the servants out to the great room so she can accuse them of betrayal. Flor again insists she left on her own with nobody's help. "This is how I treat the treasonous," Thelma yells and THWAK!! hits Jaime across the face with her crop, leaving a big gash on his face. Vera, Jaime and Flor are triple impactada.

Well, Thelma has caused quite the uproar. Flor grabs the crop and tells Thelma not to hit others when it's Flor she wants to beat. Doesn't Thelma have the guts to deal with her directly? "Why," Thelma taunts, "so you can play the victim and run to Emilio's arms?" Castulo arrives and says the truck that Thelma ordered is ready. Castulo and Thelma grab Flor and rush out. Singing Auntie stands, hand over her mouth, horrified at the wretched behavior of her niece.

Adela brings a tray of food to Soledad while Sergio is on guard. The two women speak loudly and clearly while Sergio eavesdrops from behind the door. "DID YOU SEE LUBA?" enunciates Soledad. "YES, EVERYTHING IS FINE," answers Adela slowly, with perfect diction. Soledad clears her throat, "AHEM, AND HOW IS...?" Adela shooshes Soledad but it's too late. Sergio mutters "Aha, that witch has something to do with the enginer."

Castulo and Thelma drag Flor to El Meson de Edelmira.

Hugo asks Don Loco why didn't he just ask to see the payroll instead of messing up his office? He whips it out of a filing cabinet. Loco peruses it and sees the name he's looking for. He asks Hugo why he lied about firing the drunk who tried to kill him. His name is still on the last day's payroll.

Hugo makes up some lame excuse about not wanting Don Loco to know he loaned the poor sap money. No problem, says Loco, he'll recoup the sum from Hugo's salary, but what he wants to know is were they friends? And don't lie because the truth always comes out! Oh silly Don Loco, you wouldn't know the truth if you captured it and locked it in a bedroom and a barn for the past three years.

Thelma tells Flor she'll stay at El Meson or she (Thelma) will take it out on the servants who are Flor's friends. Thelma goes through the list of why she hates Flor. Same old same old.

Gaspar sits by the river. Nora walks by with a bucket. She's still mad at Gaspar and makes some crack that as long as there are worms (Gaspar?) in the water she's not going in. Gaspar jumps up, happy to see her. He asks her if she's going swimming and tries to kiss her. She says after he put the horns on her? No way! She rushes off while Gaspar stands there with chicken butt lips and closed eyes. "You're not even going to invite me to have some of your delicious little tamales? Nora? Nora?" But Nora has gone. Gaspar kicks the dirt and exclaims at his bad luck. (I got the feeling this conversation was full of double-entendres but I couldn't understand it well enough to say for sure.)

Thelma waits in Edelmira's office. She goes through Ed's jewelry and is surprised that it's real gold. I'll bet she's the kind of guest who would go through your medicine cabinet too.

Hugo tells Don Loco he'll tell him the truth about Genaro, but Loco's not going to like it. His wife Soledad got Genaro to agree to kill Don Loco. Hugo says Genaro was a friend of Jose Gomez, that's how Soledad was able to put Genaro up to killing Don Loco. Loco is impactado. This lie is really going to set Don Loco off.

Luba tries to wake Elias but when he opens his eyes she looks all fuzzy. Sergio storms into the cave looking for "the engineer." Luba turns around slowly, hands on hips, and glares at Sergio like if he says anything to piss her off she'll turn him into a wart on a toad's backside.

While they wait outside for Thelma, Castulo tells Flor he'll help her escape if she'll "be obliging" to him. She slaps him and he scowls. Bluto in a cowboy hat.

Edelmira tells Thelma no thanks, Flor was nothing but trouble before. Most of the guys respected Flor too much to try to manhandle her. Thelma says Flor could be Ed's maid, that would make Don Loco very happy. Edelmira pooches her lips and boobs out at Thelma and says "OK, I know how to take care of her."

Sergio tries to pull Elias off the bed. Luba grabs her big old knife and finally does something besides stick it into her table. She holds it to Sergio's throat and threatens, "There are nights of pains, day of bitterness, the demons are loose and will snatch your soul." Ooh, good one Luba.

But Sergio breaks free and pushes Luba out of the way. She hits her head and falls to the ground. Where are Tonki and Gaspar when we need them?

Dr. Love excitedly tells another cute Dr. about Mariana's reaction. The cute Dr. advises Dr. Love not to get prematurely excited. It could have been an involuntary spasm that means nothing. Dr. Love is muy impactado. Also, he probably already told Mariana she is on her way to a full recovery which would be yet another lie from his worthless lips.

Sergio drags a groaning Elias out of bed. Gaspar arrives! He sees Sergio with Elias, sees Luba, does a quick suss-up, beats Sergio up and throws him out. Poor Elias has reeled and toppled, but Gaspar runs to Luba, "Mama! Mama!"

Loco tells Hugo never to keep any secrets from him ever again, even to protect him. Oh, and tell Alfonsina to get ready because they're leaving in the morning. Hugo asks "She agreed to go with you that easily? I thought she would be more pig-headed about leaving." I didn't understand what Don Loco said to Hugo, something about Alfonsina making him smile and tickling him? (Soy risueño y me hacen cosquillas.) Well, whatever, it made Hugo scowl and give the scary Gasca face.

Gaspar wants to go right out and get Sergio, but Luba tells him to calm down. Sergio will return to get Elias so all they have to do is wait. She pulls out a brown bottle and says "He'll wish he were dead rather than this." Wow, Luba is fantastic tonight.

Flor tells Edelmira that she'll escape and Ed can't stop her. Edelmira tells Flor this time she's not there for the customers, but to be Ed's maid.

Castulo comes into Don Max's room to apologize for messing with Rosita, he didn't mean anything personal against the patron. Max punches Castulo in the face and calls him an imbecil. He says Castulo incurred a big debt with him and he still wants to marry that girl even though she's used goods. "However I won't maintain your child," Don Max commands, "I want you to be in charge of Rosita losing your kid." Holy crap, what a jerk!

Vera is in the kitchen tending to the wounded servants. Thelma bursts in with her crop. If they try to help Flor she'll have them arrested for stealing. They'd better do as she says or they'll pay dearly. Close up of Jaime's gigantic face welts.

Don Loco tells Alfonsina to get ready. They have to leave because he needs to see his sister in Mexico City. Alfonsina tries to stall for time but Loco has made up his mind. Sex first, then pack the bags!

Thelma lies to Orlando, she says she has no idea where Flor is. Nobody knows. Auntie offers him a drink and a song to calm his nerves. "No thanks!" he says, getting rid of her. He looks around and we can see his cogs and sprockets working overtime. Bless him for that.

Emilio and his military buddies toast Angel's upcoming marriage to Alina and their eventual return to Sierra Escondida. Alina, of course, still has no idea that this marriage is in the works.

Cut to Alina crying (what else) in her old bedroom at El Meson. Granillo comes in and says he will look after her.

Orlando eavesdrops at Thelma's bedroom door, open of course, while Thelma tells her auntie of her plans of vengeance against Flor. "What vengeance would that be?" asks Orlando. Thelma manages to convince him she really doesn't know where Flor is. Maybe in San Mateo? She urges him to look for Flor there.

Rosita, tired of waiting in a safe place with Tonki, decides to go to La Rinconada, home of her supposed rapist, to ask Vera about Flor and Santos.

Things start to speed up about now:

Closeup of Alfonsina's naked back. Of course Don Loco is fully dressed so we know they just had sex. He takes a puff of his cigar...

...Cut to Macario cackling wildly and throwing stuff into his fire, "Nagual salt of the shade, this is your night, drag yourself to the white woman's dreams and mess with her tranquility. Insert yourself in her thoughts (cut to Thelma's anguished sleep), give her fears, suffering and sadness. Ha ha ha!" He throws more incendiary stuff on the fire for a big flare-up.

Thelma cries in her sleep, her auntie wakes her up but she can still hear Macario's curses and cackling. She looks down at herself, touches her humid zones and pulls her hand up. It's covered in blood!

Cut back to Thelma alone in bed. "It was another nightmare," she gasps. "What's happening to me? I'm going crazy, I've got to get out of here!"

Rosita stands on the edge of a cliff. Castulo rides up behind her. Tonki, why aren't you barking?? Castulo frightens Rosita and pushes her off the cliff. She rolls down the hill and hits her stomach on a rock. She weeps in pain as Castulo sits astride his horse high above her in the darkness. Tonki leaps down the hill and tries to wake her.

Castulo, may you go straight to hell and may your nether regions be food for the coyotes for all eternity!

Que mala pata = what bad luck
rejego/a = pigheaded
hacer cosquillas = to tickle

Labels: duelo

* Night time at the ranch - Gavi is standing outside the door of her little cabin, talking to herself about her thoughts of Rod.

* The next morning, Rod is having his coffee at the dining room table. Roman comes in wearing his rain poncho. He reports to Rod about the workers having the day off due to the storm. Rod asks about Gavi - Roman tells him and then leaves.

* Hilario and the guys sit under the fieldworkers shelter talking, Roman joins them - Roman and Hilario convince a reluctant Gavi to sing her mariachi songs - the band starts and she sings "Gaviota" for them.

* Her singing is so loud that Isa hears it and wakes up in her bedroom. Isa walks to the window and looks out through the rainstreaks - Rosalia (?) enters - Isa asks who's singing - Rosa tells her Gavi, the fieldworker, is. Isa asks where Rod is - Rosa says in the dining hall and leaves. Isa wonders what the name of the jimadora is that Rod is rumored to have had the affair with.

* Gavi's singing continues. Isa enters the dining hall and finds Rod there. The phone rings - Isa takes the call and leaves for the hallway to talk. Rod watches and then leaves. In the hallway, Isa asks Fidelia for the name of the jimadora in the rumors.

* Gavi, Hilario and others are at the shelter - Gavi is still singing her mariachi songs. Rod gets soaking wet as he walks toward the shelter - he enters and stands to watch Gavi and the guys.


* Isa gets dressed and is talking with Minnie on the phone. Isa tells Minnie all about the rumors of Rod and his love affair with the fieldworker. Minnie is shocked - Isa is upset and can't stand the fact that her husband had an affair with someone else.

* The guys applaud Gavi when she finishes her song. Rod shouts and they all turn to see him standing there. Rod asks to talk with Gavi in private. The guys return to the tables. Gavi and Rod walk to a quiet corner. Rod needs to explain his side of the story from the past year - about seeing her accident but before he could discover it was her on the pavement, he received the call from his uncle about his parents' deaths and had to return to Mexico, he explains how he heard the rumor about her and her mother dealing with the the photographer and his uncovering her sensual photos at the vacated studio - he was hurt, disillusioned and angry - he explained that he married Isa only to try and forget Gavi and the pain he felt. Gavi is angry and hurt listening to his explanation - he begs her for another chance, for understanding - she is still disillusioned and bitter over his marriage to Isa, the saint - he tries to bribe her with money, house, whatever - she rejects his gifts outright, her love can't be bought and sold, she has her dignity and self-respect. He begs - she tries to leave - he grabs her - she pushes him away and then throws her heartache over her baby's death in his face.

* Isa puts on her make-up and continues to confide in Minnie on the phone.

* Gavi confides her heartache and struggles in London when her baby died and afterwards. Rod sits and listens, with tears in his eyes.

* Isa finds Roman in the kitchen, she asks where Rod is, Roman says he went to the fieldworker shelter. Isa leaves to find him.

* Rod wants to hold Gavi and love her. Gavi's heart has hardened and she's much wiser than before - she won't make the same mistakes again - Rod says "Gaviota" and then kiss. Gavi breaks away and says she went to Europe for love, she returned and found disillusionment - now he's married and until he gets a divorce they can never be together again. She walks away into the rain.

* Isa arrives at the shelter and finds Rod - she asks where the workers are - he says they have the day off - Rod walks to the car in the rain.

* Gavi runs to the cabin - Clara wraps a towel around Gavi inside the cabin. Gavi tells her mom about her conversation with Rod. Gavi recalls her meeting with Benvenutti in Paris and how kind and helpful he was towards her. Gavi says she has no more interest in Rod - Clara is shocked; Gavi says that she and Rod kissed and it meant nothing to her; Clara is sad; Gavi says the kiss was a "good-bye" kiss.

* At the main house, Rod and Isa dry off. Isa leaves for the other room - Rod calls James, he needs to see him, Rod hangs up, has a tequila shot, and thinks of a plan to win back Gavi.

* In Mexico City, Aaron and Minnie are walking downstairs of their condo as Minnie informs Aaron about the rumors of Rod's affair with the fieldworker. Aaron is surprised. Aaron is determined not to let the rumor stop him from winning the inheritance and Minnie assures him that she is on his side. In fact, she went to the doctor and he has given her a clean bill of health - she can get pregnant at any time. Aaron is happy and they kiss.

* Rod and James discuss how he plans to win back Gavi - how to prove that there isn't anything between Rod and Isa, he wants to divorce Isa soon to help prove his devotion to Gavi - he wants to be with Gavi forever.

* Gavi wakes up during the night as her mom sleeps. As Gavi starts to make a loud racket packing her stuff, mom Clara wakes up. Gavi says that she is getting ready to leave the ranch forever.

* The rooster crows - on the sofa, Rod wakes to the sunlight streaming in and hitting his face. Isa is awake and laying in the bed. Rod slowly wanders by the bed, looks over to check on Isa and then leaves the room. Isa is quietly fuming with jealousy.

* Gavi and Clara are carrying their stuff through the agave field. Gavi tells her mom about how Rod offered her money, clothes, a house -- all to make her be his mistress -- and that she had to reject it for her dignity and self-respect. Clara understands and stands by her daughter. Roman finds them in the field and asks where they are going - Gavi says far away. Roman gives them their paychecks. They accept the checks. Roman offers to drive them to town - they decline the offer - they prefer to walk and carry their own things. Gavi and Clara walk down the path, away from Roman.

* Rod goes down to the living room - Isa shouts for him to stop and asks him where he's going - He is leaving to work in the fields - The phone rings - Rod leaves - Isa answers it, it is Fidelia to tell Isa to be careful with Rod's lover, and what else she had uncovered about Gaviota, that she went to Europe to become a call girl.

* Rod meets with Roman in the field - Rod asks where Gavi is - Roman says that she and her mom have left the ranch.

* Isa shouts for Hilario and demands directions to Gavi's house.

* Rod is baffled by why Gavi and Clara left the ranch. As Rod walks towards his truck, Isa appears and is steaming mad. She yells at Rod to tell her what is going on between him and the fieldworker whore - Rod is aghast - Isa says she's his wife and demands an explanation - Rod doesn't have time to talk right now and climbs into his truck and takes off. Isa runs to Roman get some answers.

* Gavi and Clara are in town, they get their stuff ready to board the bus. As Rod arrives in town, yelling and searching for Gavi, Gavi and Clara board the bus and sit in the back - and they hide behind the chicken cages and other luggage to keep from being spotted by Rod. Rod sees Gavi in the window as the bus starts to pull away. Rod runs up to the bus and bangs on the window. The bus stops - Gavi and Clara are frozen in panic - Rod begs the driver to allow him aboard to search for Gavi. Rod boards the bus and looks back and forth at all the seats - Gavi and Clara cover themselves really well with a large blanket and Rod doesn't take the time to look underneath - he can't believe it, he thinks he is mistaken and that he's lost Gavi forever. He gets off the bus, baffled and bewildered. The bus drives away, Gavi and Clara take off the blanket; they cry, hug and Gavi tells her mom that yes, indeed, she still loves Rod.

* Isa is crying to Minnie about her husband blowing her off when she went to confront him about the rumors. Isa is angry and bitter and more determined than ever to get an explanation and to be Rodrigo's wife in more than name only.

* Rod meets with James and Crispin in the town plaza; they discuss Rod's desire to find Gavi and Clara and get them back in his life, he can't live without her. Crispin offers his help and then leaves. James asks what Rod plans to do about his current wife, Isa; Rod says he wants a divorce as soon as possible.

* On the bus, Clara and Gavi discuss Gavi's plan to live in Mexico City.

* Isa is furious and scolds Rod as soon as he walks in the door. Rod tells Isa all about his promise with Gavi to return in one year and marry her. Isa is shocked - Rod continues to explain Gavi left because of his marriage to her - Isa is extremely upset - Rod then demands that he wants a divorce - Isa is furious and says that she will never permit that to happen.

Labels: Destilando

Monday's episode begins at psycho mansion where Gaby is telling Nancy that maybe she should agree to be Kike's girlfriend, because Kike is good and maybe he will help her get over the sadness she feels. Nancy (who is obviously the only intelligent person on this crazy show) tells Gaby that no good will come of a relationship with Kike. Gaby decides - she will accept Kike.

From Emilio's homeless shelter, Marfil calls Ignacio to see how the abduction went. He reports that it couldn't have gone better. Marfil responds that neither Diana nor Deborah will escape from captivity.

Max tells Emilio that he thinks he's found a job working for Alfonso Rivas at another perfume factory - Brisas del Mar. Fedora overhears the conversation and asks Beatriz to get Sr. Rivas on the phone. As Beatriz goes to look up the number, Fedora tells herself that she will close all doors for Maximilliano - until she sees him die of hunger! "You will pay for all of the pain you've caused Diana, I swear it."

Jump to Granny DS and Granny Soriano, who are walking arm and arm near the marina. These two are quite a pair! Granny Soriano looks like she's just come from Easter mass, with her pale green suit and matching hat. Granny DS is wearing a huge purple bow on her head to match her purple jacket. Granny DS is happy to have a friend of her own age, and Granny Soriano promises that from today on, they'll always be together, and they can help take care of Diana's baby. Granny DS wants to see Diana with Max and Gaby with Larry, but Granny Soriano doesn't think it's possible. She says it's like asking that the sun doesn't come out every day.

Back to the perfume factory, where Fedora the former convict-turned-executive calls in a favor with Alfonso Rivas, asking him not to hire Max. She's the picture of professionalism in her red satin blouse and black skirt.

We're transported to the beach house where Diana and Debora are being kept. Diana is screeching about her baby - she's starting to go into Debora's chihuahua on crack mode. Debora is even annoyed.

At Emilo's apartment, Max is on the phone with Alfonsa Rivas. Yolanda, who's taken up knitting now that she's on her way to being a MDH, asks if there's a problem, and learns that he didn't get the job at Brisas del Mar.

Jump to Key West, where Paco and Octavia are discussing their upcoming nuptials. Paco wants their children to be at the ceremony, but Octavia wants it to be only them.
Octavia: By the way, Paco, you should know that my name is not Alicia. Remember, when we met, I was a married woman with children. I was afraid and I had to take care of myself.
Paco: Okay, I understand. So, tell me, what's your real name?

Back to the factory, where Fedora is surprised to hear from Emilio that Diana is not there yet, and is not shopping for a car. She calls Diana's cell and leaves a message for her to return the call. Thumping heartbeat music tells us that all is not well.

We're transported to the beach house, where Marfil has come to see the captives. Diana is shocked to see that Marfil and Deborah look exactly alike.
Diana: "It was you who brought us here? It was you?"

Jump to Key West, where Octavia tells Paco that her real name is Octavia Irazabal. Paco is impactado!

Paola is surprised to get a visit from Yolanda and Larry at her new home. Larry says how strange it is to see her living at Lala's after living at the mansion. She says that she was never important to her mother, and Larry informs her that Octavia is not living with them because she's hiding from the police. Besides, Pancho is not going to make her happy. He's doesn't work, he's lazy, he's involved in dirty business. Por eso, she should come back to live with her family at Emilio's homeless shelter.

Back to the beach house, where Diana is telling Marfil that she can't keep them there like animals. Marfil says they will stay there until the day they die, and they will never see the sun! Marfil tells Diana the sordid story of Debora the imposter. Cut to commercial.

Paco is shocked to learn that Alicia is Octavia, Fedora's enemy. She wants to explain, but he's not hearing any of it. She says that he's listened to Fedora's side of the story, and now he should listen to hers. He says he won't believe a word of it, and storms off.

Paola tells Yolanda and Larry that she's staying with her husband. Lala has given her the love than her own mother never could. She has found a real family in this humble house. Now she has to go, she has to go to the hospital to see Pancho. Larry reminds her that he and Max are her brothers, and that Pancho better not hurt her. **Isn't Lucsious Larry sexy when he's tough?**

Octavia tries to convince Paco that her husband was to blame for the murder and for Fedora's incarceration. She didn't stop him because he was the father of her children and she couldn't go against him. She was a victim of her husband! A victim of circumstance! **She's so convincing here as she swears that she loves him. It would be even more believable if she could actually move her face.**

Fedora is on the horn telling someone that Octavia has left the city. It's obvious that she's afraid to go to prison for killing Reynosa. Emilio enters the room and she tells him that she knows Octavia killed Reynosa, but no evidence has been found. Emilio is impactado.

Back to the beach house, where Diana is screaming that Marfil can't keep her there, her baby needs her. Debora tells Marfil that sooner or later the police will find them, which doesn't concern Marfil because she knows they won't suspect her. She brings her point home by giving Debora a punch in the nose. This society gal can really pack a punch! Cut to commercial.

We return to the shack after the commercial break, where Marfil tells Diana that she's rotten inside, and Marfil responds that she's justified, she's just defending what's hers. Then she and her bodyguards leave the room. **I love that Andres is wearing the same clothes and necklace that he always wears, but Diana doesn't recognize him. **

After they've locked Diana and Debora up, Ignacio asks Marfil how long they'll keep them. Marfil responds "forever." She says they will be able to eat, to bathe, and change their clothes every once in a while, but they must never again see the sun.

Granny DS and Granny and Granny Soriano are walking along arm in arm, and are interrupted by Diego, who reports that he can't find Diana. Granny DS hopes that nothing bad has happened to her!

Max tells Bruna that he didn't get the job, and Larry and Yolanda are also without jobs. He doesn't want to be a burden to Emilio... she says it's all the nurse's fault. Since she crossed their path, everying went bad. He responds that it's not Diana's fault, it's his mother's. He feels like going out and crashing his car, it would be a perfect ending to all of this. Bruna pleads with him not to say that, he needs to fix things with Marfil. Enter Marfil, who says she went out for a while, she doesn't like being stuck inside. Max responds that he didn't ask her for an explanation.

Back in Key West, Octavia is swearing that she was innocent. Paco doesn't know what to do, both women are important to him, and this changes everything. He needs to talk to Gaviota about this. She says he can't talk to Gaviota, because Gaviota hates her and will turn him against her. He asks her if she killed Reynosa. Impending doom music ends the scene.

We return to the mansion, where Fedora arrives and learns that Diana isn't there. Diego is worried.

Meanwhile, Diana and Debora are arguing over what to do. Diana thinks they should do something, but Debora thinks she's stupid. Enter Andres with sandwiches and drinks, which Debora is quick to throw at him. This really catches him off guard! The weight of the heavy sandwiches causes him to crash against the wall. Diana pleads with him to tell them why he's doing this. Andres says that he has his reasons.

Lala and Paola are waiting on Pancho, hand feeding him his fruit. Paola is telling him of her plans to decorate their bedroom, and he also needs to get a job - a serious job. She adores him - he's the best man, and no other man exists for her. Pobre de Paola! She doesn't know that Caramelo is in the hallway! Lala tries to stop her, but she says that he's her husband, her marriage is valid!
Next we return to Key West, where Octavia denies killing Reynosa. She swears on the life of her children that she didn't do it!

Meanwhile, Diana the nurse discovers that Debora has a fever. She begs her captors to open the door. They need a doctor! Instead they open the door and throw a bucket of water on Debora. Diana tells them that Debora has a fever, and could die! Debora is shivering uncontrollably on the cot. Andres tells them that he's not going to do anything to reduce her fever, if she dies, it's her problem. Diana tells her to be strong.

Back at Psycho mansion, Fedora is on the phone telling Emilio to call her if Diana arrives. Diego is afraid that she was in a car accident, but Fedora says that can't be it, Diana left in a taxi. **Can't a taxi have an accident?**

Caramelo is arguing with Lala about whether she can see Pancho. Lala doesn't want trouble... she's trying to talk her out of it. Caramelo wants to know why he's humiliated her like this, why does he value her so little? Nothing new here.

Lala, Yolanda, and Max are discussing Paola. Larry and Max want her to leave Pancho, but Yolanda is happy to finally see her happy. Max says he's going to find Paola and bring her back, but Larry says that if Pancho makes her happy, there's nothing they can do.

In Key West, Octavia is still trying to convince Paco that she's not a murderer, but he doesn't know if he should believe her. She swears before God that she's innocent, but she knows that he doesn't believe her, so they shouldn't see each other. Adios para siempre, Paco.

Back at the beach house, Diana is screaming that they need a doctor. Debora has now been reduced to a sweating, shivering mess. Will she make it? Tune in on Tuesday to find out!

Labels: acorralada

Who else agrees that it's time for the Acapulco entrada to go buh-bye? All this happiness, and then we have to watch Alpo in the opening credits. Blech.

Fernando and Celso say their good-byes. I'm agreeing with K here, Celso looks very sexy today. Before Fernando gets into his car, Lety comes sprinting out of the building. She cries out, "Don Fernando!" Fernando turns and approaches her. After weeks of coldness and "Sr. Fernando's", Mr. Mendiola cannot believe his ears. He asks Lety if she really called him "Don Fernando." She shakes her head, acknowledging that she did. Fernando leans in and...swallows Lety's face! The kiss improves as they go, as they remember what it was like before.

Just a quick note, I know you're all eager about the re-cap. A while back, when Lety and Fernando made love for the second time, I mentioned how I liked the fact that they used Besáme over the scene because it was a nice tribute. I told you guys I would let you know later why I said that. Well, remember the scene with Tiziano Ferro? In the original, Betty la Fea, the singer was Ricardo Montaner (I think that's his name) and the song that he sang to Betty per Armando's request was "Besáme."

Okay, back to the re-cap! Lety pulls away and once again calls him Don Fernando. Fernando's only response is "my Lety." (My heart melts every time...every time) He says that they should leave this place. She agrees. He leads her to his car and they drive away, but not before sharing one more kiss. Strangely, Celso has disappeared.

Inside Conceptos, Sara's putting forward her best effort at winning the bitch of the day contest. She accuses Irmita of causing Lety to run after Don Fernando. Sara notices that Lety ran after him like a crazy woman and has not returned. Irmita calmly replies that she hopes Lety and he left together, she thinks it would be best for the two of them. Juana agrees. She thinks that, finally, Lety will be happy. PM for once sounds like the most reasonable of them all. It moved her to see it, but it also scared her a little. She hopes that Fernando doesn't hurt Lety again. Irmita is sure this won't happen because she knows that Don Fernando is truly in love with Lety.

Saimon rushes into the Vortex with open arms and a smile on his face. He tells the cuartel that he has a story for them. He goes on for a moment about how incredible his news is; it's a scandal. In the background, Alicia looks at a folder and listens in to the conversation. Saimon announces that Lety left with Fernando. On top of that, they kissed! It was like a kiss seen in movies! Alicia buts in and says that it would be a horror film. She complains about the men of the company going around kissing frogs. All of a sudden, Sara decides to defend Lety. She orders Alicia not to meddle and to return to her work. Some traditional insults are shared between Alicia and the cuartel. Nothing new here, except she calls Sara an ostrich instead of a giraffe. Martha announces to Alicia that Lety is no longer resigning. Alicia wants to know when the cuartel found out that Lety wasn't leaving the company. Juana says it's been about three hours. Alicia thinks Marcia should know about this.

Outside of the D.F., Fernando and Lety rapidly drive away from the city. Fernando can't believe that Marcia came to Lety and said what she did. Fernando tells Lety that he loves her. She tells him that she never stopped loving him, not even for a moment. Lety wants to know where they're going. Fernando says they can go wherever she wants. His life is in her hands, just like it always has been. Lety asks for his cell phone to make a call. She left hers in the office. Fernando states at Lety with admiration.

Lety calls her home, and Julieta is the first to answer. Julieta asks Lety how she is. Lety nervously giggles and replies, "If only you knew, Mom." Fernando laughs. Lety tells her mom that she (Lety) left the office early and is not returning. She's with Fernando. At first, Julieta's worried. She wants to know what happened and why Lety is with him. Julieta also wants to know about Aldo. Lety says they can talk about all of this later. She just wanted to call that she's going to be late coming home. Lety says she doesn't know what time she'll return, since she and Fernando have a lot to chat about. Fernando leans in toward the phone and says, "Greetings, mother-in-law." Lety quietly shushes him. Julieta tells Lety that she's aware Lety is in love, but to be careful. Her mother doesn't want her to suffer nor does she want Aldo or Fernando to suffer. Lety assures Julieta that before she makes any decisions, Don Fernando and Lety are going to analyze everything. Neither of them want anyone to suffer. Julieta agrees to tell Erasmo. She also tells Lety that her only hope is for Lety to be happy. They tell each other, "I love you," and then hang up. Lety leans over to Fernando and kisses him. She leans her head on his shoulder, and they continue on there way.

At the Padilla house, Erasmo enters the room and asks Julieta why she was crying. Julieta wipes her eyes and says that she was mincing the onions. She excuses herself to the kitchen to wash her hands. Erasmo suspiciously watches her.

In the green room, Alicia announces that she has something to tell Marcia and it's horrible. Marcia says that nothing could be worse than losing Fernando. Nothing could be worse then going to Leticia and having that talk. Marcia tells Alicia that she told Lety that Fernando really loves her. Alicia sits; she grasps her chest and says that this information is going to give her a heart attack. Alicia asks Marcia when did she have the talk. Marcia says it's been about a half hour. Alicia wants to know why Marcia would do such a crazy thing. Marcia replies that she wanted to save the company. She wanted to make sure Lety didn't resign. Uh-oh. You did a whole lot more than that, Marcia Villaroel. Alicia announces to Marcia that everyone at Conceptos has known for three hours that Lety changed her mind about resigning. Three hours! Marcia's pissed. Lety didn't say anything to her. (Yah, because you kept interrupting her when she tried.) Alicia announces that Lety left with Fernando. Marcia wants to know where. Where do you think? Alicia replies.

Aldo's still hanging out at his house in Acapulco. He calls PM and asks to speak with Lety. PM doesn't know what to say. Aldo starts to lose patience. PM begins to tell him that Lety left, but Irmita grabs the phone and tells PM not to say anything to Aldo about Lety leaving with Fernando. Lety needs to tell Aldo. PM tells Aldo that Lety left, but she didn't say where. Aldo asks if PM gave Lety his message. She confirms. He tells PM to have Lety call his cell phone. PM says she will tell Lety he called when she sees Lety.

Tomas walks through the vortex and overhears PM saying that she could not tell Aldo that Lety left with Don Fernando. It would break Aldo's heart. Tomas turns on his heel and stares at PM. Tomas wants to know what do they mean Lety left with Fernando. Where did they go? Nobody needs to answer him. Tomas thinks this will really hurt Aldo. Irmita says this is why
they shouldn't say anything at all to Aldo. Tomas agrees.

Lety and Fernando sit on a wall at what I guess is a resort. Lety thinks it's a beautiful location. Fernando thinks it's beautiful that they're there together. She caresses his face. She says that she thinks she's dreaming. Fernando negates and says that this is all real. She can't know how many times he imagined this moment. Lety says that she had stopped dreaming about being with him. Fernando just wants her to say that she'll be with him. That they'll live together. That she'll accept him again. Lety says that first the need to reacquaint themselves, and she doesn't know if it will be easy. They need to discuss and get rid of everything that separated them. I love this line "Su piel y la mia tambien tienen que reencontrarse." (Your skin and mine also have to meet again.) She thinks that all of this is going to take time. Fernando thinks the opposite. He doesn't need time; he just needs her. She's in his skin; she's in his mind; she's in his heart, in his spirit. F-"Leticia, I need you with me already and for forever." They smile at each other.

Still in the green room, Marcia wants to know why Alicia didn't come to her immediately. Alicia says she came as soon as she heard. Marcia can't believe that she did the stupidest thing she's ever done in her life. She brought Fernando to Lety. Alicia says that none of this is her fault. It's Marcia's fault for not knowing what's going on in the company. Alicia wants to know the about the conversation between Marcia and Lety. Marcia can't believe that Alicia wants to gossip at this moment. Marcia throws Alicia out of the office. She cries, not believing what she just did.

Fernando and Lety walk around the resort. Fernando tells Lety that if she hadn't detained him he would have left that night for Rio de Janeiro. Lety can't believe that he would leave everything, even his family, behind. Fernando says yes, he planned to completely disappear for a pair of years...decades. L-"For my fault." F-"More like for your love." He tells her that he promised to leave her in peace, but if he stayed he wouldn't have been able.

Aldo hangs out around a fire in Acapulco. He drinks some wine and thinks about Lety and the morning they watched the sunrise together. He laughs when he thinks about how his life with Lety will be pure joy. They'll love each other forever, together with the ocean.

It's night now. Fernando and Lety continue to talk. Fernando says that he's not worried about anyone suffering. He's sure Marcia will be okay since she is the one who told Lety that he really loves her. Lety is sure that Marcia suffers. Fernando thinks they shouldn't worry about this now that they have another opportunity. All the suffering they experience while separated should not be in vain. She starts to protest, but he grasps her hand. He asks her if she recognizes his caresses, his skin. Lety says she's not only worried about Marcia's suffering. She also worries about Aldo Domensain. Fernando uses this opportunity to ask if Lety and Aldo...well...you know. Lety confirms that there was something. She and Aldo kissed. Fernando is impactado.

Marcia goes to the Mendiola house and speaks with Teresita. Marcia recounts what happened. Lety and Fernando left and nobody knows to where. Bozo uses tough love. She says that Fernando never belonged to Marcia. Marcia can't believe this. She says that Teresita always thought Marcia and Fernando where the ideal pair. Teresita admits her mistake. She saw something that wasn't real. Teresita says that Marcia needs to resign herself to acceptance. Marcia doesn't want to do this. She only spoke with Lety to save the company. Teresita replies that Marcia had to know that the most likely thing to happen would be a reconciliation. Marcia refuses to lose Fernando. She feels like she's going to die. Teresita is infuriated. Marcia should not say this. She should be proud that she saved the company. Marcia confirms she saved the company, but now she wants to know who will save her. The women hug.

Fernando's a little shocked by Lety's revelation. He asks if this means that Lety had "relations" with Aldo. It's Lety's turn to be impactada. She angrily replies that of course she did not! She and Aldo only kissed twice. The impactado ball volleys to Fernando. Besides, both of the kisses were in Acapulco, not in Mexico. Fernando says that it doesn't make him feel better, it sucks. Lety turns from him. Fernando tries to gain control of himself. Fernando asks if Lety feels
anything for Aldo. She turns away again. Lety tells Fernando that she loves Aldo, but it's not the same as the love she feels for Fernando. Lety tells the story about Aldo saving her from the ocean. If she's with Fernando now, it's thanks to Aldo. Fernando says the next time he sees Aldo he'll give him a thankful hug. Lety continues with the virtues of Aldo. He taught her to value herself.

Fernando is obviously uncomfortable with the conversation topic. He doesn't know anything about philosophy. He only knows that he loves Lety. Lety replies that she loves Fernando as well, but she needs him to know why she loves Aldo so much. She respects Aldo. Fernando understands. He'll try. Lety says that after everything that happened, she wanted to die. Aldo saved her. Fernando admits that he knows that if she was in Aldo's arms, it was Fernando's own fault. This hurt him. L-"Don Fernando, are you jealous?" F-"Lety, you know me. You know that I'm jealous, neurotic, and it's hard to believe, but I'm very jealous, very neurotic and crazy." Lety sweetly and sarcastically keeps saying "no", like she can't believe that Fernando is any of those things. She says that she wants him...just as he is. Fernando whips out his tag line. "Only God knows how much I love you." Lety wants to talk about the napkin. Fernando wants to do something else now that her skin recognized his. He's ready for some fea-lovin. Lety starts to protest again, but Fernando silences her with those oh-so-sexy kisses of his. Lety pulls away again, but this time she runs away from Fernando. He calls after her. Where's she going? What happened? All of this is a little strong for her. Fernando says it is a little strong for him as well, but it is. He touches her face and then pulls her toward him. They silently embrace.

Julieta and Erasmo talk at the dinner table. Julieta lies and says that Lety is at the office and she's going to be very late. Erasmo wants to know if Lety stayed at the office alone. Julieta lies again. She stayed with Tomas. The door bell rings. Geez, I wonder who it could be. Guess what? It's Tomas! Erasmo demands to know Lety's whereabouts. Tomas tells Erasmo that Lety left with Fernando Mandiola. Julieta stands behind Erasmo and gives Tomas signals. Tomas recants his statement and says that Lety's at the office. Erasmo wants to know why Tomas didn't stay with her. Erasmo turns to Julieta. She says that Tomas came for some flat cakes for he and Lety. Tomas confirms. Julieta rushes Erasmo to bed. Julieta sits at the table and scolds Tomas.

A now homeless Aldo sleeps on the beach. He dreams of the ocean and the day he realized he loved Lety. (Warning: the scary shorts are back!) He has another dream. He sees Lety in the ocean, with her arms open. He runs to hear, but she disappears before he can hug her. Aldo wakes from his dream and calls Lety "My Leticia."

Fernando says he can't find any. "Find any what?" Lety wants to know. (Is he planning on having his way with her in the bushes? This isn't Destilando you know, Fernando.) Really he just wants a place to leave a footprint of their love. He finds a cactus. He wants to write her name and his name on the cactus. With his finger he magically writes their names. She asks if he can write their names in the sky and on the moon. He replies that he can't write it on the moon because the space is too small. He agrees to write it in the sky. The moon is the point. She asks him to write it on her forehead. He writes, "Lety, I love you." She writes "I love you" on his head as well. They mush their foreheads together. Fernando thinks it's a good idea to smack the cactus. Guess what? It was a bad idea. Lety helps him pick out the spines. They
share another romantic moment.

Marcia enters the bedroom she shared with Fernando. She lays, alone, on the bed they shared for many years. Her only company is a pillow. She cries out Fernando's name.

Fernando's still with Lety. They're back on the wall. Lety wants to know how long they've been there. He says maybe a few minutes. He doesn't really know, because with Lety time doesn't exist. Lety says it's been longer than a few minutes. The sun has risen, and it was amazing to share it. Fernando agrees. His tone suddenly changes and he says that he feels something strange. He tries to explain himself, but neither Lety nor he (me either!) exactly understand his words. It's like it's the daybreak of their lives. Lety agrees. Fernando strokes her cheek. He pauses and looks at her like he's just seen something new. F-"We're going to get married. Do you want to marry me, Lety." Lety smiles and begins to cry. Lety says she can't believe what's happening. Fernando just wants an answer. Will she marry him? She asks if he's asking for real. She never thought anybody ask her something like this. F-"I'm not asking you Lety; I'm begging you, Lety." Lety doesn't answer but says that this is the second most happy day of her life. The first was the day of her last birthday. He encourages her to say yes. L-"In my life, this is what I desired the most. I'm alive only for this." They cry and kiss.

It's morning and Marcia's still crying. She's still alone. She's still crying. I actually feel bad for her.

Erasmo wants to know why Lety didn't wait for him. Julieta says that Lety was in a rush. Erasmo wants to know what time Lety got home last night. He wants to know what's going on at Conceptos. Julieta says she's sure that it's good news. Erasmo wants to know how Julieta is so sure. Aldo thinks there's something fishy. Julieta guilt trips Erasmo. Lety’s working hard, and Erasmo doubts her. Erasmo thinks Julieta has reason.

Outside of the Padilla house, Lety and Fernando sit in his car. She's still worried about Aldo. She needs to talk to him. Fernando asks how much time she wants to talk to Aldo. He thinks that a half hour should be sufficient, maybe thirty-two minutes. Then they can go and get married. Lety laughs at his jealousy. Lety reminds Fernando that they have to prepare their respective parents for the news. Fernando kisses Lety's hand and says that he doesn't want to lose her for any reason. He doesn't want anyone to separate them. Lety says they will get married as soon as possible. Fernando says nobody and nothing will separate them. He has Lety, now he's going to get something else back. He's going to get back the dignity and honor that lost, Conceptos. Together, they're going to pay the debt and recover the company. It's going to belong to the Mendiola-Padilla family. F-"Does this sound good Mrs. Leticia Padilla de Mendiola?" Lety says yes. They kiss again.

Aldo's still swimming. He finds a Miniature Ladyparts Seashell of Doom. He thinks this would be a good gift for Lety. He throws it in the air. Aldo walks into the office of the judge. Aldo tells the judge that he, Aldo wants to pay Conceptos' debt. (It's now our turn to be impactados!)

Vocab! Hay Gato Encerrado - Something's fishy.

Tomorrow: I'm guessing that Lety and Aldo didn't have that talk yet.

Labels: fea

We begin with Sergio threatening Soledad that if Don Loco finds out that Elias tried to break Soledad out of her barn-jail; he’d have no mercy, “It’s certain that he’d kill him, Senora.”


At the Sugarcane plantation, Alfonsina and Don Loco are laying on a bed in Alfonsina’s place, Don Loco fully clothed, smoking a post sex cigarette and Alfonsina wearing nothing but the sheet. She’s complementing him on his prowess in the sack. DL asks her whether in all this time (since their last fling) if she’s had another lover. She says no, and DL says, a bit sarcastically I think “So you've stayed faithful to me until now?” Alfonsina rolls her eyes and says, “Yeah, well who with?” as if nobody is better in the sack than Don Loco. Apparently Don Loco buys THIS flattering explanation and starts asking her if she’d like to move to Sierra Escondida with him, when suddenly someone jiggles the door handle to Alfonsina’s bedroom. DL puts his cigarette down and looks at her suspiciously “Who could be visiting you at this hour?” Don Loco shouts out and opens the door with his pistol loaded. A figure ducks behind a wardrobe. As soon as Don Loco and Alfonsina go back to the bedroom, Hugo comes out of hiding and carefully lets himself out of the apartment.


In Puebla, at the Devil’s Cave Cabaret, Coral is surprised to see Emilio.


Back at la Rinconada, Thelma is rounding up the entire household and staff. Ifigenio, Castulo, Don Max, the SA, Vera and Orlando. Thelma accuses Ifigenio of not having said anything. “You’re always hanging around outside!” Ifigenio has an alibi, he’s just come back from dropping off Emilio and Angel, in San Mateo with the carriage. Don Max backs him up. Jaime comes in at that moment and Thelma accuses him. Jaime explains he was out dumping trash. Thelma doesn’t buy it. “At this time of night?, what a coincidence!” Jaime tries to act innocent and asks what happened. SA says “Flor escaped from the house.” Don Max chimes in repeating Thelma’s contention that it is a strange coincidence that he went to dump trash at the same time Flor was escaping. Jaime looks uncomfortable.


Back in Puebla, Emilio tells Coral that he made a promise and he can’t go back on it. Coral tells him that principles can’t control what the heart feels. Emilio explains that he’s going to just make sure that Alina is protected and then he’s going to set up his brother with her. For himself, he’s going to dedicated himself body and soul to his child. “And Thelma? asks Coral. Emilio gives her a look and takes a swig of his booze. Coral says “Boy, you are in trouble.”
Gaspar has been left in charge of the wounded Elias in Luba’s cave. Elias is moaning and starting to move around. Gaspar complains aloud that he doesn’t know what to do and his mother is gone. He remembers that she went to the Hacienda Montellano to check on Soledad. He runs out of the Cave.


Luba has already left Soledad and is with the witch Macario. Macario is explaining to her why the curses haven’t worked on Thelma yet. “That woman’s heart is rotten. She is hollow like a doll (muñeco—pretty close to muñequita, I’d say. Gaspar was right all along!!) . That’s why it’s hard to put a curse on her. Luba isn’t satisfied. She asks him to remember all the stuff he taught her and find a curse that will work on Thelma. This woman is bad bad! She has to leave the Hacienda! Macario is doubtful. “Maybe this woman with the white skin won’t be frightened with curses.” They have a discussion on what to do next. Luba waves a black wax candle around. At the conclusion they decide to throw an even more dreadful curse on Thelma, one that may drive her crazy. Luba says “Crazy!” and blows the candle out for emphasis. [I am sorry but what is the deal with these curse ideas of Luba? First she wants to put a curse on Thelma to make her go away from the Hacienda when she’s already leaving. (And then she can’t leave) Now she’s putting a curse on Thelma to make her crazy, when she’s already crazy. Ay Luba!]


Speaking of Thelma, we are back in the great room at La Rinconada where Jaime has been doing a poor job of lying to save his skin. He reminds Don Max that it was Don Max who opened the gate for him and that he even mentioned that he was doing it alone because Vera’s back hurt. Don Maximo agrees that he remembers that discussion. SA helpfully says that she believes Jaime. Thelma relents. She changes tactics. She orders all the servants to organize to go out, find Flor and drag her back to the hacienda. The servants scatter. Don Max leaves after complaining about how Alvaro is going to be pissed if he finds out that Flor escaped. SA twitters and flutters her fan. Orlando is angry at Thelma and blames her for threatening Flor and making her decide to escape. He announces that he’s going to make the most of this opportunity “to make Flor mine.” He leaves Thelma alone to complain about how Flor is going to pay for all she’s done to her.


Luba and Macario are working on the super curse back at Macario’s cave. She stands behind a forked branch or horn like an antenna as if to direct her hatred better in Thelma’s direction. Macario agrees that he’ll do the spell tomorrow night. Why can’t he just do it now? Maybe he has to run to the store to get the ingredients?


At the Montellano sugarcane planation, Don Loco is putting on his leather coat. Alfonsina is still dressed in her sheet. She complains that she was hoping that DL would spend the night with her. DL says he wants to take a walk. Alfonsina asks him “aren’t you afraid to walk around at this hour?”. DL answers macho-ly that anyone outside at night should be afraid of HIM. Moreover, the only ones who should be afraid of him, are those who try to be dishonest with him (jugar chueco=to play crooked, dishonest). He grabs her by the hair and asks her if she’s being dishonest with him. “No, Patron! How could you think that.” DL tells her to pack her stuff, that she’s going with him to Sierra Escondida in the morning. Alfonsina starts to object, saying that his wife is there. DL gets angry at the mere mention of Soledad and yells at her, once again the stupid …[help me out here. It sounded like “otra vez, la burra en trigo” the donkey in the wheat? Sounds like he was insulting her, no matter what he said, for resisting his demand that she come with him to SE). Still grabbing her by the hair, he shuts her up and demands that she get ready to leave tomorrow. He goes out and Alfonsina looks around disgruntled. If she and Hugo have a plan, they may have to move it up.


Alina is in her new hiding place, the empty cave, with Tonkey. Santos stands outside guarding with a shotgun. He hears something and yells “who’s there!” Thank God it’s Rosita because the only thing Santos would have had on his side was stealth. Rosita runs into the cave and greets Alina. Santos follows and they have a little kissy face session. Alina remarks that it’s good to see them together again. She still hopes that she and Emilio can be lovey-dovey like them someday.


Back in Puebla, the raven haired Coral and Emilio are still talking and drinking at the Devil’s Cave. Coral is consoling him over his woes and she tells him that she will always be there to help him, however she can. “And my life is about to change!” Emilio looks surprised. Coral gives a big grin. “I’m about to marry…a rich man…of the upper class!” Emilio does actually look somewhat impactado, although there is no impactado music or camera work.


At la Rinconada, Thelma is storming into her spacious room, trailed by the SA. She’s still carrying around her new best friend, the whip and hitting things at random with it. She’s fuming that she must get Flor back. SA asks her why she doesn’t just let Flor go, as far away as possible so that she’ll be long gone by the time Emilio gets back. Thelma angrily insists that she wants Flor under her thumb while Emilio is gone so that she can express all this rage and hatred she has for her. She rants that she has to get her back anyway because Orlando wants her and Orlando has too much over her.


Now we are over to Soledad locked in the barn at Hacienda de Loco. She’s pacing around in the dark. Not only has Adela not been able to do her hair, apparently she hasn’t had a change of clothes or a shower since Don Loco left. Her white sweater looks like she rubbed a burned stick all over it. She picks up a crowbar and tries to pry off the door, to no avail. She complains aloud that she’s going to go crazy trapped in there. (Yeah, Lady well you should have thought of that when you were skipping out to visit Elias every other day.) She prays to God to help her.


DL is going through some old clothes while packing to leave the Sugar Cane plantation. He comes across an electric blue evening dress of Soledad’s and he remembers a happier time when they were rolling around in bed. (Again, he’s fully clothed and she’s the one wrapped only in a sheet. What’s the deal, does he have a chicken chest or something he doesn’t want us to see?) They are laughing. Back to the present and DL has a tear rolling down his cheek. Of course his sadness is replaced quickly by rage and he vows to make Soledad suffer the way he suffered when he found out she cheated on him. (I guess that’s the plan with Alfonsina. ) As usual, he finishes up by ripping the nice dress to shreds.



Luba is rushing back to the cave, with Gaspar trailing behind her. She is scolding him for having left Elias alone. Gaspar isn’t taking this scolding lying down. He tells her he knows she’s lying. She wasn’t coming from the Hacienda. She was coming from Macario the witch’s cave. He wants to know why. Luba looks menacing.


Out in the night, all the servants of la Rinconada and apparently some workers too, are running around with lit tree branches, as Chris pointed out, like the villagers looking for Frankenstein’s monster. These branches must have some special property since they only burn at the tip and never consume the wood, as if they had their own fuel supply inside. Dopey Jaime immediately confesses to Ifigenio that he knows where Flor is, she’s hiding in a cave. Ifigenio is shocked, shocked to find out that Jaime was involved in the escape. Just then, Castulo finds the cave. J&I decide that they have to figure a way to stall them from finding her.


Back in Luba’s cave, Gaspar is still confronting his Mama over being at Macario’s. Luba is defiant. “Yeah Yeah, I went to see Macario. “ Gaspar shifts from foot to foot uneasily. “But Macario is bad!” Luba fibs that she went to see Macario to consult him over how to treat Elias. She checks on Elias. She worries about what will happen if Elias dies, that she’ll be blamed again just like with the chief’s son. She has an orange flashback to the chief screaming to a bunch of villagers with lit branches that she killed his son with her herbs and that she’ll end up killing all their children. They have to BURN her! I guess that explains the lit torches in broad daylight. In this flashback, Luba is lurking around the perimeter of the group, unnoticed. She turns and runs away saying “Gaspar, we have to leave! We have to escape from here.” Back to the present, She’s panicking and tells Gaspar to bring water.


At Alina’s cave, Santos is concerned that Rosita will be missed at la Rinconada. He goes to get water. Alina tells Rosita she’s worried about her mother and wonders why she hasn’t to visit her. (Recall that Soledad made a big pretense of being OK so that Alina wouldn’t try to rescue her again). Rosita, ever optimist about other people’s problems says “Oh, I’m sure she’s fine. When you see her you can ask her.” Rosita asks her if she will go look for Emilio. Alina shakes her head no. “If you could have seen how he treated me the last time I saw him….Emilio doesn’t love me anymore.”


In Pueblo, Angel is in the hotel room, crunched up on the couch, looking like the Unibomber in his hoodie when Emilio comes in from a night at the Devil’s cave. Angel says he couldn’t sleep and he’s surprised to see Emilio coming in so late. Emilio explains that he met with Coral, who is so entertaining…Emilio goes off to bed. Angel thought bubbles that if Emilio was with Coral, this means that he really has forgotten Alina. Yup. Keep telling yourself that, Angel.


Back in SE, the villagers, I mean the servants and workers out hunting for Alina have found the cave and are starting to gather around it. Jaime , the dope tells Ifigenio aloud that that is the cave that he hid Flor in. Meanwhile, Santos takes note of all the torches heading his way. He runs inside the cave with the two women and Tonkey and makes like he’s going to defend it like the Alamo with his shotgun. Alina kicks out the flame from the campfire. She urges the trigger happy Santos not to shoot anyone. If he does, he’ll be in trouble with the law and Alina doesn’t want that. Castulo is leading the search party toward the cave when Ifigenio stops him, telling him to be careful, that there are coyotes and other wild animals that shelter in the caves at night. If he “goes blundering in there, he’ll be torn limb from limb.” Castulo looks skeptical. He wants to see what’s in the cave.


Now we pop over to the canefields where Hugo is drowning his sorrows alone with tequila at whatever the dive is that is located in that area. If we ever knew it, the name escapes me. He thought bubbles how his blood is boiling with rage at Don Loco for trying to steal his lady, Alfonsina. He thinks of DL and Alfonsina kissing and his face is contorted with rage. He takes another hit of tequila. A worker named Genaro comes up to him and asks him for a loan. He’ll pay Hugo back in work or whatever. Hugo pulls out a thick wad of cash and asks Genaro if he wants to make a bunch of money. Genaro looks wide eyed at the money and is interested. Hugo tells him to sit down. “What are you willing to do for this money?” “Are you willing to kill?” (Please, THIS IS THE PLAN? Asking an amateur who just needs the cash to pull off an assassination? It will be a miracle if Hugo doesn’t get killed instead when this guy wimps out and finks on him). DL is one bad, crazy dude. If you can’t go pro, Hugo, don’t even think about it).


In his hotel room, Emilio is looking out the window at the moonlight. “Alina if you only know how hard it is for me to give you up” he says clutching the heart necklace again. “My one, my only love.” If he really wants to forget her, not carrying around that necklace everyplace he goes might be a good first step. Of course he doesn’t really want to forget her. He orange flashbacks the first time he asked her to marry him, next to the river. Back when he was only marrying her to try to avoid marrying Thelma. He urges himself to forget her again and puts the heart necklace in the bedside table, slamming the drawer shut.


Speaking of Alina, Castulo has remembered that he has a gun with him so why should he be afraid of the wild animals Ifigenio is trying to scare him with? He’s going in. Jaime chimes in that there’s no way that Flor came all the way up here…and if she did…poor Flor! He makes like she was eaten by these same wild animals that Ifigenio was talking about. Castulo loses his excitement for exploring the caves and turns around to announce that they’re giving up the search for the night and heading back to the house. Castulo looks grim about the prospect of telling Thelma they failed to find Flor.


Sure enough Thelma is ticked. Castulo suggests that they will have better luck in the morning. She dismisses all the servants except for Castulo. She tells him she wants to set a trap for the servants, whom she is sure are lying. Castulo makes like he’ll be glad to do it, with some advance payment. When he leans over to kiss her, she pushes him away, reminding him that she knows that he raped Rosita. (What about all of her crimes? What a nitwit Castulo is. Apparently his brains are in his pants.) Thelma tells him her plan, first, she wants Castulo to announce tomorrow morning that he’s captured Flor and is bringing her back to the Hacienda….



In Puebla, Angel has arranged to see his doctor that afternoon. Emilio in his dress blues is going to the base to talk to General Ochoa.


Back in SE, Alina is waking up in the cave. Santos who seems to have taken caffeine pills to stay awake all night rushes in and scares her. While they are still doing this chitchat, Jaime shows up and tells Santos that he can relieve him from guard duty. He’s told Vera to tell everyone that he’s gone to San Mateo for provisions. Rather than sleeping, the jacked up Santos wants to move from this cave or better still, spring Soledad. Alina is worried and tells him to be careful of Sergio, who is “very dangerous.” She tells him to go find Elias, that he will be able to help him.


(Speaking of dangerous Sergio!) Soledad and Adela are having one of their now infrequent conversations in the barn. Soledad is filling her in on how Sergio didn’t kill Elias, that Luba and Gaspar found him and Luba’s fixing him up. Soledad easily convinces Adela to go to Luba’s cave to find out how Elias is doing.


At Luba’s cave, Luba is changing the bandages on Elias’ wound. Luba sticks some moss on it. Gaspar isn’t buying the explanation that Luba gave him about going to Macario for advice. She knows more than Macario about curing people. Luba tells him to stop bugging her and let her work on Elias.


Near the canefields, Don Loco is leaning over the edge of a pine bluff. It is apparently the same bluff where DL’s daddy committed suicide. It looks steep but apparently Papa Loco died from road rash as he rolled down the less steep part of the cliff. Ugly way to go. Who should pop up but Genaro. (Does anyone recognize this actor? I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before. ) Geraro points his gun in the general direction of Don Loco.


At La Rinconada, in the kitchen Vera is helping Rosita pack some food for Flor in a basket. Vera exclaims that she hopes Flor can leave the cave soon. She doesn’t like it that she has to stay there. Just then, Thelma storms into the kitchen and demands to know who the food basket is for. She’s certain it’s for Flor. For some reason, Rosita just freezes and says nothing, looking pretty darn guilty. Vera tries to cover for her by saying the food is for Rosita’s dad, Don Braulio. Thelma grabs the basket and decides to accuse her of stealing food instead. She threatens to throw them out if she finds out that they are stealing from the kitchen again. Thelma tells Vera she wants to see all the servants again in the great hall. Vera tells her that Jaime is in town getting provisions. Thelma says, then when he arrives, tell hm to come. She huffs off.


Back at the pine bluff, Genaro pulls the trigger….and MISSES! Of course he has stepped out into the open to fire so when DL wheels and draws he is a sitting duck. DL is a much better marksman than he is and he plugs Genaro with one shot. Another shot and he’s on death’s door. Hugo runs up and Don Loco is shaking the unfortunate Genaro trying to get him to tell him who paid him to do this. Hugo has panic in his eyes. Fortunately for him, Genaro dies before spilling the beans. DL is enraged and vows to find out who is behind this attempted murder.


Hugo tries to convince DL that there was no plot. Genaro was a drunk who needed money. “ He wanted to rob you, that’s all there was to it.” Hugo tells Don Loco that he had no family, that they all left this area many years ago. DL says he’s sure he’ll be able to argue self-defense but that he’ll have to go to the local police/Justicia to make his declaration. Hugo says not to worry, he can put the body in the river and then it will be investigated wherever it ends up. DL agrees that handling that way would be less trouble for him and he tells Hugo to take care of it. (Wow, a narrow escape for Hugo! Maybe he’s learned his lesson, like Bob Vila always says, go with a pro for the more important jobs). Hugo grabs the unfortunate Genaro by the belt and makes for the river.


Emilio is with General Ochoa, of the deep booming voice. Ochoa is complimenting Emilio on his decision to wed Thelma. “This speaks well of your honor.” Emilio tells him he’s set on starting a family. He briefs him on the highway construction. He says it’s almost done, Orlando is in charge of the wrap up. General Ochoa says that he has a special mission in mind for him but it’s too early to tell him about it yet. He tells him to go back to his work. As Emilio is walking out of the General’s office, he runs into Frank. Frank asks him where Orlando is. Emilio tells him that Orlando is overseeing the last stage of the highway construction. He’s going to stay there until the work is done. Frank asks “Until the work is done or until he gets what he wants.” Emilio is puzzled. Frank fills Emilio in on Orlando’s grand plan to get into Flor’s pants, one way or another. Emilio looks pissed.


Flor and Jaime are sitting in the cave. Alina is worried that Jaime is going to get in trouble because of her. Jaime tells her that all of them got into this mission to help Flor of their own free will. She gives him a hug. Just then a Jaguar (?) shows up and Tonkey starts barking his head off.


At the construction site Santos runs up to one of the Engineers who is surprised to see him. He tells him that Elias has disappeared too. Santos is puzzled but tells this engineer that he will look for Elias and that he will report back to him if he finds out anything. Santos scratches his head. “Where could he be?” “I’ve got to get Senora Soledad. Jaime will have to help me.”Emilio and Frank are still having their conversation outside Gen. Ochoa’s office. Emilio has explained that Angel is going to marry Floralina and Orlando knows it. Frank is doubtful that Orlando means well, “I know he’s your friend and all that.” says Frank. “I don’t think he’s going to be content just giving up what he wants.” Emilio insists that Orlando gave him his word that he would not pursue Flor. Frank says “whatever, if that’s what you want to believe.” Let’s get back to work. He leaves quickly. Emilio stands there, hat in hand looking troubled. He follows.


The jaguar approaches the opening of the cave. Jaime tells Alina to go to the back of the cave. He’ll shoot the jaguar. But NOOO the gun is JAMMED! Good think they haven’t needed it yet. Then a shot comes from somewhere else. It’s Ifigenio and Rosita with the food. He asks if they are OK.

While Luba is treating Elias, Orlando comes storming into the cave looking for Flor. Gaspar goes out to meet him and holds a knife to his throat. Gaspar tells him that Flor isn’t there. When he wants to look around, Gaspar complains that he shot at him so no coming into the cave! Orlando backs away, hand on holster. He leaves. Luba asks who it was, Gaspar tells her it was a bad guy. Luba finds it odd that he would be looking for Flor. “Could it be that she escaped from La Rinconada?” Gaspar shrugs his shoulders. She returns to treating Elias. Jaime is thanking Ifigenio for saving them from the Jaguar. Ifigenio brings the message that Jaime must go back to la Rincondada. Thelma is calling another Hacienda-wide meeting. The two men leave, with the shotgun and the two girls remain with the picnic basket. Yeah that is a good idea. Maybe they can attract some more animals into the cave.


Thelma is pacing around with her whip. She’s unhappy that the workers have not yet assembled in the Sala. Orlando comes in, also angry that he hasn’t found Flor. Thelma tells him she has a plan and to come down to the Sala with her to see her execute it. Back at Flor’s cave, she and Rosita are stewing about how much danger they are in in this cave. Santos comes in and gives her the bad news, her godfather Elias has disappeared. In spite of the danger she was just talking about, Floralina bolts from the cave and makes like she is going to search the whole valley personally to find him. Rosita screams, Santos runs after Floralina. When he catches up to her, Santos asks Alina what she thinks she’s doing. She can’t be seen. She has to hide. Flor insists that she has to find Elias. Santos convinces her to go back to the cave after promising to help find him and liberating her mother.


Thelma is organizing her big meeting. Vera tells her that all the men are present. Thelma says that they all have to go out again to look for Flor. Castulo announces that Thelma has no worries, he knows where the girl is.


At the sugarcane plantation, Hugo and Alfonsina are having a row. Alfonsina is wearing a dress so tight, and low cut it looks basically like it was painted on. Hugo is berating her for allowing DL to brow beat her into coming to Sierra Escondida. He complains that what she should have done is convince him to stay at the canefields. .Alfonsina tells him she didn’t have a choice, “he’s very stubborn when he gets an idea.” She tries to convince Hugo that she can do more to further their plans by staying close to him. Alfonsina tells him to be patient and calls him her only love. Hugo kisses and squeezes her and it looks for a moment like her gigantic breasts are going to pop right out of that extremely tight fitting dress. There’s a noise outside, it’s Don Loco. Hugo pretends that he is just telling Alfonsina about the murder attempt against Don Loco. DL asks Hugo about the body and Hugo tells him he did just as he said. Threw the body in the river and then called the police. “The police!” says DL, displeased. Hugo explains that if they didn’t call the police when a body washes up on the river on their land, they are going to look guilty. That is what an innocent landowner would do. DL agrees. DL asks Alfonsina to wait for him at his house. As soon as he leaves. Alfonsina turns to Hugo and murmurs something about Hugo’s dark side. Hugo gives a creepy smile.


At la Rinconada, Don Max is swilling brandy and plotting revenge against Castulo for raping Rosita.


Thelma is asking Castulo how he knows where Flor is, since he just announced he knows. Castulo claims that he paid someone a bunch of money and they told him. He refuses to give up his “source.” Thelma tells Ifigenio to prepare the carriage that they’ll leave in a half hour. She tells the rest of the servants to scram. When they all leave, Thelma shoots Orlando a look of triumph. Orlando doesn’t look convinced yet.


In Puebla, Emilio is shining his shoes and contemplating Frank’s words about Orlando not wanting to give up on his desire to make Flor his. Emilio is troubled by this but announces to no one in particular that Orlando can’t betray him, he just CAN’T! He remembers Orlando promising him. Tries to calm himself.


Back at La Rinconada, Thelma’s plot seems to be working. Jaime and Vera are back in their quarters yelling at eachother about who could have given Flor up. Jaime decides that it must be Ifigenio. Hapless Ifigenio walks in to try to alert Jaime to the fact that something isn’t adding up about the supposed bribed servant who revealed Flor’s location. Jaime doesn’t listen to him and just tries to throttle him. Doofus Jaime tells Ifigenio to stay put that HE will go check on Flor. Jaime goes out on horseback and a few lengths behind him is Castulo, trailing him to lead him to Flor. Jaime goes to the cave. Castulo sees where Flor is hidden.


Next time: Castulo decides to get paid in advance by trying to rape Flor. Is there any woman under 30 in SE safe from Castulo?

Labels: duelo