Caray, Caray!

[This is my last Pasion recap--and my last recap for awhile. Thanks for all your splendid comments and help. It's been a wild ride and I have various thoughts on the show which I will post to Cheryl as she requested. On with the show!]

We start way back with La Paisana’s arrival , with the little orphan boy. Paco runs right over to him and gives a ball to the bewildered child. Like any other toddler, he’s already learned his first word—“no!” when they try to get him to give it back. Camila hands the little boy off to Ines, while Paisana gives her Foreman’s logs which contain his dealings with LaFont, which Foreman had promised Ric.

Next we get the dramatic carriage scene with Ric, Mario and LaFont chasing the carriage with Lis, Fran, Clotilde and the baby. LaFont shoots at the carriage and wounds the driver which causes the carriage to careen dangerously. (I agree with Jardinera—it’s amazing that LaFont hit the guy at all). Ric jumps aboard heroically and gets control over the horses and stops the carriage. Al demands that Lis give up the baby but she refuses and Al tells her to never come home then and she’s pretty much OK with that. He demands the papers of Ric and Ric throws them at him. I am not sure if he catches them and drops them or lets them flutter away in the wind. (Either way, seems like he would be wanting to make sure that they were destroyed or at least verify that they were in fact the docs, not just some scrap paper or something.) He rides away like the devil he is. Ric then demands the baby of Lis and she gives him up to him. Mario tends the wounded driver.

Ric holds the whimpering baby while Fran complains that “They wanted to kill us!” “They wanted to kill us!” referring to LaFont, I guess. Ric ignores her and asks Lis simply “why? Why?” Lis explains choking through tears that she thought he was dead and she wanted something to remember him by. And she says that for sure Camila would have gotten rid of him. He asks how she did it and she tells him the whole story—Fran took the money to the midwife, who substituted the baby with a dead one and gave Ric’s baby to the dead baby’s mother to nurse. Then when the baby was 2 months old (weaned?) they brought him to her (Lis). She finishes up that she did it for his sake (the baby’s).

Ric notices the elaborate pearl necklace with a cross around her neck and asks her where she got it. She tells him it was a wedding present from her husband. He says nothing but obviously recognizes it from his collection.

Fran breaks in to make a pitch for letting them go. She says if he denounces them, they’ll go to jail or worse, end up back with evil Al, who will kill them for sure. Ric asks Mario about the condition of the coach and Mario says it’s drivable. Ric tells them to go now. He turns away from the women, to hug his son close. Lis bursts into tears and reaches out for him once last time but he steps away from her and Fran and Mario drag her away from him. She yells that she always loved him, she never meant to harm him and “that woman that you chose is bad! She never loved you. She doesn’t deserve you!” Mario gets her to step up into the carriage. She keeps screaming “I love you, Ricardo!” over and over and Mario taps the carriage door after he puts her inside and gives a sign to the driver that it’s time to hit the road.

Mario turns to Ric after they’ve gone and asks “did you find out…?” Ric kneels to the ground with the baby and sobs: “It’s my son.” His tears turn to joy and he laughs and says to the bewildered baby “You’re OK! You’re OK.” Mario kneels beside him and helps him hold the baby.

Back in San Fernando, Col. Jose Maria Valencia is a man on a mission. He and a group of soldiers stride up to the government house. They meet Ascanio outside his office. The Col. asks him if he is the intendente named by Don Jorge Mancera. Ascanio says that the post was offered to him but he never accepted it. The Col. asks why “pangs of conscience?” Ascanio remains silent. The Col. continues that he’s come to investigate the veracity of some permits for importation. Ascanio ushers him and the men into his office.

Over at Mansion Mancera, the Manceras (Sofia, Jorge, Santiago, Fortunata, Ursula and Tita) are having a nice birthday dinner for Sofia. Jorge is up walking around with a glass of wine and expansively tells his wife that he has her to thank for opening his eyes about Santiago. He says he’s proud of his son and pats him on the shoulder. Santiago looks less than enthusiastic. Jorge next turns to Ursula and says that he’s also proud of her. All of her faults she’s inherited from him but he knows that along with those there are a lot of good qualities within her as well, thanks to her mother. (Sofia smiles proudly.) He tells her she’s free to pick who she wants to marry, only that he be a good father for Tita. Ursula smiles broadly and claps. (Tita looks happy at this news too.) He thanks Fortunata for the fine meal since she apparently organized it. Jorge remarks that it’s been years since they’ve had a family dinner, without guests. Sofia agrees and thanks them for it.

Back at the government house, the col. stands over a crown official wearing a powdered wig who examines the accounts. He pronounces the docs forged. The Col. asks Ascanio if he noticed this and Ascanio says he did. The Col. asks why he didn’t report it and Ascanio says “Report it to whom? Don Jorge?” The Col. nods and announces that they will go arrest Don Jorge Mancera and Alberto LaFont. He leaves. The crown official says he’ll stay and keep on examining the records. Ascanio follows the Col. to LaFont’s house. There he tells Manuela that they are looking to arrest her Dad. She tells him that he’s not there, she doesn’t know where he went. She asks him if he was the one who turned in the documents. He says no, although he is responsible. Manuela tells him not to worry, it had to happen. They embrace. The Col. comes into the room and orders half his men to stay there and the other half to come with him to arrest Don Jorge. Manuela sobs into Ascanio’s shoulder.

The Col. and his men show up mansion Mancera and he announces loudly to the guards at the door that he’s there to arrest Don Jorge Mancera y Ruiz for fraud against the crown. They open up immediately and inside we see the Mancera family still enjoying their meal. Jorge tells them that that very morning he awoke to a good feeling about the day (not just because it was his wife’s birthday) no, he woke up thinking about the new day and the future in front of them. (Fortunata says that sometimes that happens to her too) He tells them to raise their glasses in a toast to the family and he calls them each by their title, wife, daughter, son, niece and granddaughter and they clink glasses. All of the sudden, we hear the magnified sound of his heart beat and see him grimace in pain and clutch his left arm in the unmistakable sign of a telenovela MASSIVE CORONARY. He grabs at the table, pulling the cloth and goes down before his shocked assembled family. Even Santiago cries out “Papa!” and kneels beside him. “His heart isn’t beating!” he says. (Sofia’s look is anguished.) “He’s Dead!” says Santiago unbelievingly. Ursula screams “Papa!” His whole family runs to him, crying and screaming, including Tita. The female servants come in, one drops a tray in surprise and they too begin crying. The male servants, come in and make the sign of the cross. Finally Col. Jose Maria comes in and upon seeing this tragic tableau, doffs his hat out of respect for the dead as does his lieutenant. A flood of tears and wails ends the scene.

Ric finally makes it over to Justo’s house where he is greeted by Paco. Paco tells him that his cousin arrived. Ric says, yes, I’ve brought your cousin. “No,” says Paco. A lady came and brought him and Aunt Camila says he’s my cousin. Ric then says this is also your cousin! Inside, Cami is with Ines bathing baby Mijo—short for “mi hijo” (That’s what LP called him since Ric hadn’t given him a name). He is chatting up a storm, saying “mama.” Camila explains to Ines about his Mother dying in the plague and her intrusting him to Ric. Ines makes appropriate noises. Camila remarks that the baby still seems afraid. (He looks more rambunctious to me.) In any event, he starts to scramble away when they put him on the bed and they have to catch him. She picks him up and gives him to Ines when they hear a knock at the door and Ric says it’s me. Camila is excited and runs to the door—instantly impactada by the sight of baby Pedro in Ric’s arms. “You did it!” She exclaims and takes the baby from him and kisses him. She breathlessly asks if he’s really their son, “if it’s him.” Ric says “Yes, it’s him.” Ric says Lis “told him some things.” “Later,” he says, “he’ll tell her.” The coo and fuss over the baby, while Ines tearfully stands back and watches the happy scene of the reunited family.

Meanwhile, LaFont rides back to his house. While still on horseback in his own courtyard, soldiers, led by the lieutenant, surround him with guns and announce his arrest for fraud. La Font is impactado.

Next we see that Camila has found Conchita and is having a talk with her. She tells her about Ric’s house on the edge of town, that it’s big and if she wants, she can come there to live with them. And Ric is back and he has the baby! Now for the bad news. She asks Conchita if her baby was full term. Conchita says yes and Cami explains to her that the baby they have was premature. She gives her the rest of the story—that Auxi switched babies so that Cami and Ric’s baby would have a wetnurse and so that she could later give the baby to Lis. Conchita isn’t listening or buying any of it. She insists that they are trying to take her baby away from her. She collapses on the ground crying. Camila promises her that they can take care of the baby together but she wanted her to know the truth. She thanks her for taking care of her baby and nursing it. Conchita wails that it’s not true. She says her baby can’t be dead but she sounds like she’s softening up. Camila holds her and tells her she knows what she’s going through.

La Font is now in a jail cell in San Benito prison, propped up on his crutches. He’s also lost his stylin’ eye patch. He claims that He was only following orders—the orders of Don Jorge Mancera. Col. Jose Maria tells him unfortunately for him, Don Jorge isn’t available to corroborate his story. “He passed away.” La Font is impactado—“He’s dead….how?” He asks. Col. explains the heart attack. LaFont laughs sardonically and says “the bastard (maldito) escaped!” The crown official points out that he may have escaped jailtime but not the fiery furnace of hell. LaFont spits in disgust at the official’s religious reference. The Col. asks who else was involved in the fraud besides Uriel, Mateo, Marcellino and himself. LaFont says without hesitation that Santiago knew and covered it up.

Santiago is with Ofelia telling her of Jorge’s death. Santiago remarks that by dying this way, he saved himself and his family the disgrace of being arrested. Ofelia asks after Sofia and Santiago says that she’s inconsolable. He himself came to feel real affection for him. Ofelia says she understands and says at least he was able to make his final days happy.

Ascanio is with Manuela who is upset and wants to know what will happen to her father. Ascanio explains that he’s in prison. She wants to go visit him and he says tomorrow he’ll see what he can find out. Ascanio says he feels guilty but Manuela assures him that it’s not his fault. He says what he really means is that her pain is also his. She says that although LaFont never been a good father and she knows that he deserves what he’s getting; it’s still making her very sad. He tells her to be strong and accept fate. She says “At least I have you.” He tells her that she can always count on him. Always. They kiss.

At Ric’s country estate, Cami and Ric are settling in for the night. Cami asks about Lis and Fran and Ric says that they went on to Veracruz and from there, they will probably sail to Mariana. They won’t lack for money because he saw that they brought their money chests with them. Ric says that tomorrow he must go to San Benito and turn himself in as he promised. Cami says maybe not for long—she shows him the logs that Foreman gave to LaPaisana. Ric looks them over and is pleased. He says it’s his salvation. He says “Thanks John!” There’s a knock at the door. It’s Mario. They start to make out anyway but Mario insists through the door that they come into the great room quickly, there’s something going on. When they get there, Ofelia is there with Vasco and she tells Camila that Don Jorge died and they’ve arrested Santiago. Cami asks why and Ofelia says they don’t know.

Ric and Mario ride again. Ric complains that he’s exhausted. Mario urges him on saying it’s the last swig from the bottle. (jalón)

The visit is to Ric’s padrino, the prelate. Ric explains that Santiago had nothing to do with the criminal activities of his dad. Don Gaspar says it’s a problem that he knew about it. Ric points out that it was his father. Don Gaspar says just relax and wait. They’ll get to the bottom of it. Ric says that there are two anguished families waiting. Don Gaspar asks if he found his son and Ric smiles and says yes. Gaspar is happy to hear this. Ric takes advantage of the moment to hand over Foreman’s log that has details about the stolen silver and the money paid out. Gaspar is excited when he looks at it and exclaims that this is Ric’s ticket to complete freedom. Ric turns the subject back to Santiago and says that although he’s never been a fan of his (santo de su devoción) Santi’s not guilty and it’s not just for him to pay for something he didn’t do. He turns away. Gaspar asks about Lis and Fran. Ric says he let them go. He bids his godfather goodnight and leaves. Gaspar returns to his bedtime reading of Foreman’s log.

Speaking of Lis and Fran, they’ve arrived at an inn in Veracruz, now in the darkness. The carriage driver says that he’ll go find out if can catch a boat for La Mariana tomorrow. Fran urges him to come back soon. She turns to Lis and tells her to stop crying—Ric let them leave, they should be grateful. Fran says that she wants to get out and see if they have room at the inn. Clothilde says she will get out too, she has to pee (desaguar). Lis is left alone and crying. As the women leave the carriage, dark figures lurk around. As soon as they are out of site, A band of cutthroats descend on the carriage. One of the men gets inside and begins to assault Lis while another drives the carriage away. Lis struggles and the rapist ominously tells her not to worry—in a little while, she’ll be dead. In her struggle, she drops her doll which rolls under the wagon wheel. A little while later, Clotilde and Fran come back discover the missing carriage and broken doll. Fran screams frantically for Lisabeta and clutches the broken doll. “Lisabeta—don’t leave me!” she cries. (Boy her face looks scary in the moonlight!)

Ric has returned home and explains the case against Santiago. They’ve accused him of covering up the fraud complicity. Cami says that he’s not guilty of complicity. Ric says there will be a hearing and judgment. They will have to see what happens. Ric asks if she is going to Don Jorge’s funeral. Camila says yes, for Dona Sofia’s sake. Ric says he’d like to go to but he wants to stick around to find out what happens with the hearing. He tells Camila to give his condolences to the family. They agree that what’s happening with Santiago is a great injustice.

The next morning, Santiago is giving his testimony in the hearing. He says that he found out about his Dad’s illegal activities but he believed that his Dad could make it right, (following the parable of the good shepherd, bringing back the lamb that had gone astray.) The Col. points out that his Dad’s sin isn’t a little one but grand theft against the crown. He asks whether Santiago shouldn’t have considered it his responsibility to turn him in instead. Santiago says that it would be hard to turn in somebody who gave him life. The Col. asks whether, if instead of (conveniently) dying, Don Jorge had gone on robbing caravans, if Santiago would have continued to support him. Santiago says he wouldn’t have supported him, because he never had. Gaspar asks if he would have turned him in. Santiago says He doesn’t know but he doesn’t think so.

Jorge’s funeral is an elaborate affair. He’s laid out in full dress on a bier surrounded in flowers. All the townsfolk are there and the padre says that Don Jorge left them and they aren’t there to judge him, only to say goodbye. He’s a member of the human family and they should all pray for his soul. Sofia and Ursula are silently weeping. The padre announces that Don Jorge’s body will rest in the church of San Fernando. (A crypt in the church rather than burial?) More shots of the townsfolk, Ursula, Sofia and Fortunata. The priest says the “Our Father” in Latin. A shot of the Darien extended clan in black, looking sad.

Back at the hearing, LaFont is giving his testimony. He’s standing on crutches but he’s got a rope around his neck. He says that he knows that he is guilty and will be judged but this guy he says, indicating Santiago, is a “sanctimonious hypocrite!” spitting out the words. He relates how after Santiago was recognized as Jorge’s son, he turned to a life of dissipation and vice, just like the rest of us. Jorge escaped judgment through the back door but “this one is as guilty as I am and deserves the same as that wretched pirate!” LaFont is screaming now and claims that the only reason that Ric isn’t going to hang is because he’s Don Gaspar’s godson. (Way to go bouffy! Insult the most powerful guy in the room). The representative of the crown tells him to pipe down. La Font yells that he knows that they are going to kill him but if he has to go, he’s not going down alone. He wants to take Santiago with him, in place of his father (that disgraceful coward!) who should be standing there with him. After this outburst, the Col. commands the guards to take the prisoner away. Even then LaFont continues screaming insults at Santiago and tells him that he’ll be waiting for him in Hell.

Don Gaspar has been pretty much grimacing all the way through this.

Next we turn to the mourning Mancera women. Ursula kneels before her mother and says she knows that she’s never been a good daughter. Sofia says she would have preferred her character to be different—but if she was happy….(being a ramera). Ursula says that she hasn’t been happy either. She would have preferred to have found a man like her Father. Sofia asks “in what sense?” Ursula says somebody refined and educated—who made her feel protected and safe. Fortunata adds that he was always a gentleman. She asks her mother if she loved her father and Sofia says very much, in spite of everything, she loves him still. She tells Ursula that they will have to resign themselves to this disgrace. Ursula asks her mother if she loves her. Sofia replies unhesitatingly that she has loved her since the day she was born. Ursula laughs and cries, as does Sofia and Fortunata.

Santiago is in jail when he gets a visit from his mom, Ofelia. He tells her that she shouldn’t have come, even if it is a great consolation to him. He tells her that he told the truth at his hearing and now must await judgment which he will accept. He did wrong, out of jealousy and pride. And he feels guilty about the death of Camila’s child. Ofelia fills him in on that—they found the baby. It’s the child that he baptized with Lis. Santiago is emotional at this news and drops to his knees to thank God. Now at least he has one weight off his conscience. He adds that he would hate to leave her and his baby daughter but if it’s his destiny to die here, let the will of God be done. Ofelia and Santiago embrace. Tears roll down her cheeks while he sobs on her shoulder.
Next we skip ahead to the charges being read by an official in the town square. Don Jorge and LaFont are guilty of the robbery of the crown’s silver and contraband. Santiago is guilty of the cover-up. Capital punishment is indicated for LaFont and will occur within 3 days. For Santiago, 10 years of breaking rocks at San Benito prison. All of the properties of the LaFont and Mancera families will be confiscated. San Fernando will get a new Lord. The families are stricken. Cami who is there with the baby asks Ric to do something. He says he will.

Candida is out in the crowd and spies her Aunt Clotilde, who is trying to disguise herself with a shawl over her head. Candida asks what happened, she thought she had left town with the ladies and Clotilde explains about the carriage robbery and kidnapping of Lis. Fran went crazy and had no money so Clotilde decided it was time to head back home. She warns her niece not to tell anybody she saw her and sneaks away.

Ric has gone to plead the case of Santiago to his godfather. He complains that they are punishing him for following the commandment about honoring his Father. He asks why the pirates who did plenty of bad stuff could get a pardon, but not Santiago who was trying to do the right thing. Gaspar explains that the pirate pardon was an act of diplomacy—piracy was a problem that affecting a bunch of different countries economies and ending it benefited them all. Ric romantically asks why isn’t the fate of one man as important as the fate of a bunch of economies? And why should Santiago pay (such a heavy price) when plenty of corruption (porquerías) happens all the time today. Don Gaspar tells Ric that he’s right. Ric says “Do something…OR I will.” Don Gaspar gets angry at this and tells him not to dare risk his freedom again. Besides, says Gaspar, this guy was your rival, he persecuted you and tried to steal your woman. Ric says he might have tried to do the same in his shoes and besides, he saved Ric’s life once. Ric begs him to save Santiago from hard labor.

Next we see Don Gaspar in Col. Jose’s office telling him that he’s not in agreement with the sentence on Santiago. He says that he’s sure that LaFont’s motivation was revenge in implicating Santiago. The Col. agrees that , with Jorge being dead, LaFont decided to attack his son. But the law is still the law. Gaspar says that there is a law above the law of man, the law of God, where they weigh virtues like compassion and piety. He thinks it’s wrong for them to use the obviously motivated testimony of a demon like LaFont. Even if Santiago is weak, it’s not right to make him pay such a heavy price. Col. Jose complains why didn’t he speak up during the trial? Don Gaspar says simply that the wise man knows when to go back and fix things.

It’s execution day at the San Benito Prison. In a blowing wind, Manuela, Agata and Ascanio wait for LaFont to come hobbling out. He does and pauses to curse his daughter “and her next 6 generations” of offspring. He hobbles away leaving the women in tears. The soldiers make him kneel before a big tree stump and bind his hands. Manuela screams and tries to run forward but Agata and Ascanio restrain her. LaFont makes muffled screams like some kind of animal. An executioner in full medieval attire (black balaclava) comes forward with a giant axe. He orders two soldiers to pull the ropes binding his hands so that they cross around the stump (to expose his neck). With a mighty chop, LaFont’s head goes flying and blood spurts across his still crossed hands. Manuela wails, “Father!” still held tightly by Ascanio. Ascanio looks stoic.

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Next time: GRAN FINALE!

Labels: Pasion

From last night: We get to see 'Torpete' sit on tacks one more time. Ivonne goes under the knife. Juan is impactado when Paula tells him she's going to Vancouver to see if CL is really dead.

Paula insists that this death thing could just be another of CL's dirty tricks. So far nobody has argued this theory with her. Juan tells her the trip could be perilous, she needs a man to go with her. He offers his services but then quietly recoils when he hears they will go by plane. He thought bubbles he's never been on a plane. Well, it couldn't be more dangerous than the bus, he silently reasons.

Paula calls Marely and tells her Juan will be accompanying her because it's a good idea to have a man along. (Excuse me while I hurl.) "A man...or Juan?" Marely pointedly asks. The result: Marely is out and Juan is in. Again.

La Doctora tells the group (Fernando, Pastor, Juan and Paula) that Ivonne's surgery went well and the next step is chemo. It will be difficult, Ivonne will be moody and she will have her ups and downs. (Not like we could tell a difference or anything.) Fer breathes a sigh of relief and flashes a big smile at the camera.

Juan drags Juanito home because he's in a rush to leave with his palomita. He explains to Nidia and Juanito that it will be a short trip. Juanito will be in good hands with his 'abuela'. "No, with his mama," corrects Nidia. Juanito asks "what about Topete" and Juan tells him to keep letting him know he's not welcome.

At the market, Angarita advises Kike to go out and reconquer Yadira. If he plays the mouse he'll get eaten alive; it's time for him to be the cat, to lie in wait! Kike shakes his head, no offense but he's not convinced that Angarita is the best one to give love advice. Yadira sneaks up behind them and asks if they're talking about her. No no no, they stumble all over themselves, they are talking about chayotes/squash, no squash/chayotes, no chayotes AND squash. Yadi is smug and happy to once again be the center of attention.

Fer and a weepy Pastor are with Ivonne when she wakes up. Fer has a surprise, a huge bundle of balloons from him and Juan! Pastor weeps with renewed vigor.

Paula fretfully waits for Juan at the airport. He finally arrives with a stuffed pack on his back. He's nervous about flying so they cross themselves and run to the plane. They're actually kind of cute in this scene.

Meanwhile, in the Apartment of Perpetual Solitude, Lonely Laura waits yet again while we hear Juan thought-bubbling, "and what was I forgetting, what?" Laura yanks the cloth off the table and sends the placesetting for two flying across the room.

Break to a commercial of Eduardo Yanez doing his signature yell, summing up Laura's sentiments exactly.

Juan and Paula are on the plane and he is a nervous wreck. He is in the middle of talking himself down from hysteria when Paula shrieks his name and sends him reeling. She holds up a newspaper, "Campeoni Bankrupt" shouts the headline. Paula is forced to admit that Juan was right all along. Juan thought bubbles that the only "quebrar" he cares about is the breakdown of Juan and Paula; he's sure they'll never leave the plane alive. He screams in his head as the plane takes off.

Pastor visits Angarita for some brother time. Angarita tells him that since he left he's been down in the dumps. He wants Pastor to move back in. He likes it when Pastor is around. Pastor hugs and hugs his brother. Anga tells Pastor to take it easy or people (what people?) will think they are a couple of "Bleeps". Yes, it was actually bleeped out! Anyway, the brothers are happy again.

Juan, now in a cold sweat, fans himself with his hankie. He insists to Paula he is NOT afraid of flying, he's just a little nervous because he has huge respect for God's earth and skies. Paula compliments his stubborness over the Campeoni deal. He saved their bacon.

Speaking of stubborness, Juan decides to bring up the subject of Casa Cachón. He wants to buy the house and pay off the debt. Paula doesn't like this idea, not one bit. No way will she allow him to go in debt for them. Stubborn Juan has another idea, she can kill two birds with one stone. The house can be in her name and Alirio and Nidia will have to cough up the money and pay a monthly mortgage! He looks mighty pleased with this idea. Paula not so much.

Over at Casa Cachón Nidia hopefully surmises that if Paula and Juan click then maybe Paula will open her heart and they'll get to keep the house, true? In war and love and the conservation of life all is fair. Marely gets testy and says Nidia is only thinking of her own interests and doesn't care about the feelings of others. Once again Marely is left behind, this time by both her sister AND the man of her dreams, and now her meal is ruined too.

In the plane's cockpit Juan the pilot is making out with Paula the co-pilot. No wait, it's Paula the stewardess. (Sexist!) He throws his hat off, but in the next scene it's back on. Bad editing. Back in the cabin Juan sleeps as Paula's head droops onto his shoulder. It seems they are having the same dream. I think it would be more clever if, in Paula's dream, she was the pilot and Juan was the steward but it's not my telenovela, so Paula is stuck being coffee tea or me. In their dream they kiss and kiss and kiss some more. Suddenly they both wake up with a start. Whew, they comment on how hot the cabin is!

The plane lands in beautiful Vancouver Canada. They are on a trolley arguing about Casa Cachón. Juan presses his case. What does she have against them paying her off in monthly installments unless she's taking the house for vengeance alone? Paula admits she's angry. Juan admits he wants to save the house for Las Cachón but he also wants to save Paula from a life of bitterness and vengeance. He says she already has everything, a name, education, career. He flatters her and she acquiesces. He thinks he loves her more than ever.

At the hotel Juan lobbies for a shared room, there could be spiders or wild animals. Paula says not on the fifth floor. Juan has to make do with an awkard goodnight peck on the cheek.

In a split screen he wonders if they share the same dreams. They both lean against their shared door as he considers that only a simple door separates them. He longs for the day when nothing separates them.

The next morning they stand on the dock next to the Fateful Ferry from which CL disappeared. A captain arrives with papers for Paula to sign. He's very sorry but all the reports point to the definite conclusion that CL fell into the water. "Your husband is dead." Juan makes a point to ask if there is a body. (Point taken Juan) The captain says no, but it's certain he's dead. Naturally Paula blames herself! I notice she doesn't whine as much in Canada as she does in Mexico.

Back in Mexico Pastor and Angarita eat breakfast and listen to the news. Flash! Cesar Luis Farell is dead! Pastor is muy impactado.

Paula wants Juan to take her away. I try to pay attention to their conversation but what in the hell is Juan wearing? Is it Paula's coat? It is a coat but it's way too small for him. Oh sorry, back to the discussion. Juan says it could still be one of CL's big jokes and he could be lying on a beach somewhere. Juan and his too-small coat comfort Paula.

The news spreads across the world like wildfire...

Over at Farell the lizards are gathering for gossip and comfort. The girls weep and lament. Pastor insists it must be a mistake.

At the hospital Ivonne and Fer also hear the news on TV. Ivonne becomes agitated.

Miami - Monica gets a call from the luscious Gustavo. CL is in the news again? Now what is he up to? She gasps, he's dead? It can't be!

Marely confirms for Pastor that CL is dead, that's why Paula and Juan went to Vancouver, land of the pines and tamarind trees. Pastor goes loco and snivels that the company is doomed. They'll lose business, contracts will be rescinded! A great man is dead!

Ivonne is in pain and Fer comforts her. She doesn't want his pity. He says what he feels isn't pity and he knows she still likes him because of how she acted when he was going to marry Marely. Even though Marely stood him up it turned out lucky for him. It wouldn't have worked out. He tells her they shouldn't throw to the wind the chance to be a couple, to have a family, to be happy. He kisses her forehead and promises to return after work.

Monica calls Marely for confirmation of CL's death. It's an absurd rumor, correct? She wants Paula to call her as soon as she returns!

The Doctora arrives to speak to Ivonne about a delicate matter. The operation was a success but in order to eradicate the tumor they had to remove one ovary and it turns out the other one was affected as well. The primary objective was to get rid of the cancer, even though the risk is that Ivonne might never be a mother.

It looks like there was no frolicking amongst the pines and tamarinds for Juan and Paula. (Hey, bait and switch!) They are already back in Mexico. Ana tells them that CL's death is all over the news.

Over at Farell, Marely and Julia are doing damage control on the phones, everybody wants to cancel the contracts! Fernando strolls in and sees the pandemonium.

Ivonne weeps in despair, she always wanted a child. The doctora says there is still a chance and she will do everything in her power to make sure Ivonne is back to 100 percent. (Well maybe 98% because she's down one ovary.)

Over at Casa Pomposo Lorenzo is still in a funk and refuses food and sherry. He locks the door and won't allow Pepita to console him. He wants to be alone.

At the school the kiddies are practicing their art on the whiteboard, i.e. drawing various diabolical representations of Topete. He enters and announces there will be a pop math quiz. He mistakenly thinks the class is under control, then he turns and sees the board. Who did it? Nobody? Fine, then the quiz will end five minutes early! He erases the board but finds that the eraser is epoxied to his hand. He demands to see their hands and spies ink on the hands of Flor, Juanito and Ruperto. Off to the the principal's office with the three offenders!

Juan arrives to the bedlam that is Farell. Pastor squeals that the company is going under, they are losing millions by the minute. Fer and Heriberto join the hysterics. Juan strolls to his office and asks for a cup of coffee.

Paula is back in Mexico so she reverts to extreme weep and snivel mode. CL's death is all her fault, wah! Ana comments that it's odd how CL caused Paula so much suffering and anguish and here she is lamenting his death. It's just not right.

The phone rings, it's CL's Notary/Lawyer. He needs to see Paula ASAP to reveal the details of CL's last will and testament.

Juan leads Pastor and Fer in deep breathing and relaxation exercises. It doesn't work. He tells them to throw money at the clients, every dog has his price. Fer says that won't work because they don't have the money, maybe if Paula called them... No No No insists Juan, she needs peace and rest. The phone rings and Juan, thinking it's a customer, answers with confident authority. Uh oh, it's Laura and she is majorly ticked off. She scolds him for not facing her. Gee, he was just about to call her. "Liar!" she yells. She goes through his list of excuses, yells at him for lying, tells him to just forget her, then hangs up on him.

Juan tells Pastor and Fer to get right on it, he wants the names, numbers and details of the customers he needs to call, and he'll call them as soon as he returns from a little errand he needs to run. Their jaws drop, how could he leave in the middle of this crisis?

Paula and Ana visit the Notary to hear CL's last wishes. The notary reads but CL's voice is what we hear: "I, CL, of sound mind and body, in front of Notary #56, Licenciado Melquiades Honrado, leave to my wife Paula Davila 100% of my shares of Farell Industries, and it is my arrangement that all my bank accounts in Mexico and abroad, and my apartment at Avenida Jesus del Monte #300 via Villa Flores #3, remain in the name of Sandro Arenas, whom my wife must locate and thereby deliver these assets."

Paula is muy, pero muy impactada. "Sandro? I don't know any Sandro!!"

Tomorrow: I think we meet Sandro Arenas. Please God, don't let it be CL's twin.


Achicopalado/a = Down in the dumps
Ajustar las cuentas = To settle the score (Lit. to adjust the accounts)
Estar en el acecho = To lie in wait for, to be on the lookout for
Hacer caso a = To pay attention to
Hipoteca = Mortgage
Quebrar = to break, break down, go bankrupt, etc.
Salvar el pellejo = To save one's skin, to save one's bacon

Labels: Juan

[We begin with the final scene from the last episodio, and a darned good one! --ed.]

On his way from the palace, Sancti runs into Ric and they argue. Sancti says “So, they pardoned all your sins.” Ric looks at him. “—God pardons those when you finally face him. But if you’re referring to the amnesty, then yeah, that’s right.” “ --Evidently ruffians have more luck than decent folk,” Sanctiago sneers. Ric jumps off his horse and lets him have it about leaving a woman like Cami. “--So you think yourself decent folk? Have you ever once stopped to reflect back on your life? You had a marvelous woman whom you lost by chance. Instead of searching the world over for her very quickly you found consolation in her sister’s arms.”

Sancti tries to justify that. “I thought she was dead!” Ric hisses at him signaling to shut his trap. “As soon as you saw that wasn’t so, despite her being your sister-in-law, you tried to get her to become your lover.” ”—I was just trying to protect her from getting involved with you roping her in with a false name in order to turn her into your whore!” “—Don’t you call her that again!” The two end up fighting in the dirt like a couple of boys in a playground brawl. All that's missing is the nanny-nannie-boo-boo!

Sancti spits out at Ric, “It’s true! You made Camila change!” Ric screams back, “If you lost her it was because of cowardice—“ “--because you are the spawn of Hell!” Sancti yells and rolls on top, choking Ric. Ric then pulls his knife on Sancti who stops short. “-- I’ve put up with way too much from you, but now I’m fed up,” Ric threatens him. The knife is now only a hairsbreadth from Sancti’s throat. Ric rolls out from under and gets up on his feet. “Perhaps you’ve caused the death of our child and if so you don’t deserve to live.” “—Do it then,” Sancti dares him in a weak attempt to have Ric put him out of his mysery. “Do it so Camila hates you for the rest of your life for killing me.”

Ric (oh so artfully) puts away his knife. “—No, Santiago,” he answers with a righteous shake of his gloriously dark locks. “If you’ve killed our child you will be the one she abhors.” Righteous Ric then gets back onto his horse and looks over at Sanctiago. “One of these days you’re going to have to learn that when you let a woman like her go, you lose!” (What a class act!! Be still my heart!) Ric’s figurative aim with a knife has been just as deadly accurate as the real thing. Sancti, now hyperventilating from a combination of rage, frustration and self-hatred, has been seriously wounded with the truth. Ric rides away as his horse kicks sand at poor Sour Grapes Sanctiago’s sanctimonious backside.

At the same time El Chino, Mario, Pablo, Guerro and Jesus are all escorting their share of the money from the last raid and making their way back along the road to San Fernando. El Chino explains to Mario that while they were in Puerto Paraiso word of the amnesty from the Spanish Crown arrived and they eventually signed the papers. Afterwards, he says, the news reached them that the Camila had sunk so Chino left his encampment to get to La Iguana to find out if El Antillano had survived. Mario replies that he did but is now being held prisoner. Chino says considering the amnesty there is no reason he should be in prison. Pablo then asks Chino if he’d seen his mother and Chino says yes, and that she’s pretty worried about him.
==========

Back in San Fernando at Cami’s former townhouse Lis is frantic, yelling to Fran that Ric is alive after all. Fran reminds her that she told her so but Lis isn’t in the mood. She tells Fran that Ric asked her about Pedro and she’s certain he suspects it’s his son. So, no matter what they’re high-tailing it out of there the very next morning.

Over at Justo’s Ric has just told Cami his plan to hand over to LaFont the incriminating letters in exchange for the baby. Cami is against it because she doesn’t want him to be sent to the gallows because of it, but Ric says he told her before that if he had to die then let it be for a good reason. The return of his son is as good a one as he could want. She says she shouldn’t have to choose between them and he should trust in the courts to get the baby back from Lis. Anyway, she doesn’t trust LaFont. Ric says he doesn’t believe in them even though she might.

At the prison the guards are marching the pirate prisoners to the rock quarry, beating them along the way with their whips just for grins. Mario is asking Pablo for the name of the colonel in charge but he doesn’t know. Just then they come to the top of the quarry. The pirates see them and yell up at them. Mario waves back and tries to signal for them to keep quiet.

Finally Mario arrives at the prison barracks and asks to speak with the colonel in charge but says he doesn't know the man's name. The soldier informs him that the colonel's name is Jose Maria de Valencia. Mario is visibly impactado to hear the colonel’s name. Inside his office the colonel is told a Sr. Mario is there representing Ricardo de Salamanca. He gripes to the captain and says he wonders what lie this one has concocted for him. Mario is taken before Col. De Valencia and realizes he was right. He knows him personally. “How are you, Jose Maria?” The colonel turns around at the sound of his voice and is shocked to see it is his brother. He sends the rest of his men away and Mario and he share a bit of strained small talk with each other.

Mario asks if he’s going to listen or hang him now even though there’s an amnesty in effect. Then he asks about their father and if he ever forgave him. Jose Maria chokes back tears and tells Mario their father died 5 year ago, but he had forgiven him. He puts his hand on Mario’s and Mario also fights back his tears and offers his hand to his brother as well. The two pull back from any further display of emotion and Jose Maria asks for the proof that incriminates LaFont and Mancera in the theft and sale of the crown’s stolen money.

Mario explains that he brought proof, but he will not give it to him until he sees Ric. Jose Maria says he escaped and Mario has a great chuckle at his brother’s expense. Jose Maria tells him that if he was in Puerto Paraiso then his amnesty is canceled. Mario denies knowing anything about Puerto Paraiso and then asks if he plans on arresting him. Jose Maria avoids answering and asks again for the documents he brought. Again Mario refuses until he sees Ric is alive and well. He says he’s leaving then and dares his brother to shoot him in the back for it. As he races out of the office Jose Maria yells after him and the guards start to grab for Mario. Jose Maria stops them and yells to Mario that it would be best for both he and Ric to hand it all over to him now, but Mario turns around and asks if he’s ever heard of something called loyalty and camaraderie. If he has then he should understand why that isn’t going to happen just yet. Then Mario races off as his brother yells uselessly for him to come back.
=================

Sancti walks over to Justo’s after his dust up with Ric to tell him that his father has decided to give him back the concession for the store. They’ve overheard him tell Paco he was fighting and got dirty so Cami asks if it was with Ric and why. (Get real here, Cami. You have got to know the answer already. Is this an ego boost or what?) Sancti, exasperated with such a dumb question refuses to answer and leaves. Cami wonders with her father if the two despite irreconcilable differences might ever become friends.

Mario, El Chino, and company make their way towards San Fernando. They run into Ric on his way to San Benito prison and in a snit. Mario tells him that he did not hand over the letters yet since he’d escaped and Ric says to keep them safe for now. Mario tells him they’ve brought the money with them. He tells him to rent out the same house then they had leased before in San Fernando and rides off in a hurry.

Ric signals his men that he’s back as promised then goes in to the barracks to meet with Don Gaspar. He mentions he’s just had a fight with some fool and Gaspar laughs asking if the fool might actually have been Ric. Don Gaspar tells him that he’s found out what happened to his child. Antillano tells him about the deal he made with LaFont to hand over the letters in exchange for his son. Gaspar gets frustrated and tells him that with these letters he could get an additional pardon from the Crown for his participation at Puerto Paraiso, since the other crimes of piracy have already been pardoned. Ric explains that he’s not willing to risk LaFont warning Lis and the baby and her disappearing. Ric then tells Don Gaspar what he really wants is a pardon for his men who were only following his orders.

After Ric leaves Jose Maria has an afternoon sherry with Don Gaspar. He complains that if they let Ric trade out those papers for the baby they will be left empty-handed and unable to prosecute Lafont and Mancera. The archbishop suggests he should be patient long enough to let Ric work out a solution to the baby problem. Maybe if he searches the Mancera palace something will show up, some servant may decide to talk or something. The colonel says he’s got the permission to examine every corner of it and is certain that before Mancera agreed he probably had already destroyed anything compromising. Gaspar thinks something may still have been left unwittingly around there somewhere.

Gaspar then brings up the business with Ric’s men. He suggests the colonel let them sign the amnesty letter also. The colonel agrees, but as for Ric, Mancera’s daughter told him herself that Ric was seen at Puerto P. Gaspar says that maybe she might retract or say she was mistaken. Jose Maria says he wants to follow the letter of the law. The curate uses the kind of twisted logic only a consummate politician or diplomat could to suggest that if it took months for word of the amnesty to reach those parts that obviously the pirates wouldn’t have known they needed to stop their raiding. He adds that if he doesn’t have any proof they were actually at Puerto Paraiso, then by all means let the men go free and they’ll figure out something for Ric later.
==============

In town Mario sees Jime walking in the plaza and they embrace all smiles and kisses. She goes over with him to say hi to El Chino and then tells Mario about the papers that Ascanio recovered dealing with the contraband. She says she’s not really sure what they’re all about since she can’t read. He gives them over to Chino to have a look at them. Ascanio arrives just then and asks Jime where she got his folio from and what gave her the right. She says that she took them from his room, but she only did it in order to free him from being responsible for having to accuse Manuela’s father directly. After all he took them in order to give Camila anyway, but now has cold feet because of Manuela. She’s not beholding to anybody and what’s done is done. So Chino scans them and recognizes that they are the falsified importation permits that Jorge told him he’d come up with and Ascanio confirms it’s all been done in Marcelino’s own handwriting.

Late that night Antillano arrives and tells Mario he’s decided to exchange the letters with LaFont for the baby. He doesn’t know for sure if it’s his child, but he needs to know. El Chino, who has just told Mario he’s got a wife and two children back in Japan, tells Antillano not to worry, that he can understand and he should go ahead with his plans. They do not tell him about the folio of falsified permits they got from Ascanio though. Ric goes to bed and Chino suggests that since LaFont cannot be trusted and since he’s a pirate captain of equal rank not beholding to Antillano, he’ll hand over the falsified permits himself to the authorities and if Antillano gets mad they can throw the blame on him. Mario thinks it over.

Across town that night Sancti has a heart to heart with Ofelia and says he regrets ever having let Ricardo live, but she says he should never regret any good action he’s taken. She tries to make him see that if he and Cami were meant to be then God wouldn’t have put so many obstacles in their way. She tells him that once and for all he should recognize this and resign himself to the fact. Since he’s young he’s certain to meet somebody else eventually. (Yeah, Sancti. I’d say you’ve just about hit rock bottom. Listen to Mom and get over it!)

The conversation turns to Jorge and Sancti tells his mother about Jorge’s agreeing to return the store concession to Justo. He tells her that he still cannot bring himself to turn his father in to the authorities. All the while he is subconsciously twisting Camila’s old green scarf in his hands and looking as pitiful as all get out.

Meanwhile Cami is crying to Vasco and Ines over how worried she is for Ric exchanging those letters for the baby. On the one hand she wants to get her child back but on the other hand Ric could end up on the gallows if he doesn’t hand over those papers to the authorities and save himself. Vasco tries to console her and tells her he’s certain Don Gaspar will intercede for Ric and things will turn out for the good.

The next day early Lis and Clotilde are leaving LaFont’s house with a single suitcase. Luis asks them if they are going away and Lis says that they are only taking a few things over to her aunt at the other house. She asks about Al and the servant tells her he is feeling better and has decided to put on his peg leg and go for a ride. The two women head over to the other house then and Lis orders Clotilde to hire a comfortable coach for their journey since it will be a long one.

Al is looking for his new peg leg when Luis advises him that Ric is looking to meet with him. Ric shows him the letters and they agree to meet up in an hour at the inn in town in order to make the exchange. Ric leaves and Al asks Luis where Lis is. Luis tells Al that Lis has left and that she was going to see her aunt.

Across town, the men load up the baggage and chests of money onto the hired coach.

Ric goes to Justo’s to see Cami and tells her they’ll have the child in an hour. She is worried but Antillano tells her he’s always trusted in his luck and he trusts in it now. Things will turn out just fine. He won’t allow them not to. They kiss.

Lis gives Candida her severance cash and tells her that she’s not to tell anything to anybody about her leaving or where they’re headed.

Mario and El Chino decide to wait a bit to see if Antillano returns soon, but if he doesn’t Chino says he will go to San Benito with the falsified permits and hand them over. Mario is on edge and doesn’t know what to do. He is really losing it.

The women get into the coach with Pedro and head out. Candida, now with her little bag full of her clothes makes ready to leave the premises just as Al arrives yelling at the gate for Lis or Fran and Clotilde to answer and open up. After Al flogs her across the face with his riding crop, Candida tells him that Lis and the others left for Veracruz and took the baby with them. Enraged, Al gallops after the coach in hopes of catching up to it with poor Luis frantically trying to run on foot behind with Al’s crutches.

Ric sees the commotion and asks Candida what’s happened. She explains. Ric races back to his hacienda and yells to Pablo for his horse. Mario runs out of the house. Ric tells Mario what’s just happened. They ride off together to catch up with Lis and the baby.

Ursula, her daughter and Fortunata have a little birthday breakfast in bed party for Sofia.

El Chino introduces himself to Jose Maria and to Gaspar with the falsified documents. He explains that the permits were false because they were signed in San Fernando and not in Veracruz. Gaspar is happy to hear this because he now can now get that additional pardon for Ric.

Meanwhile down in the palace basement somewhere, Jorge picks through the jewels in the treasure chest that was stolen from Ric. He comes to wish Sofia a happy birthday and gives her her present, the jewel necklace and earrings that he took from Ric’s chest. (Charming, huh?). He apologizes for not having been the husband she always had hoped for but tells her that basically he has always loved her. He seals this loving sentiment with a light kiss and Sofia melts.

La Paisana finally arrives from Coralina Island and hands Camila the little boy Ric adopted during the plague. Pablo is excited to have another child in the family to play with. Pasiana also hands over Foreman’s personal ledgers that he promised and sent for Antillano. She explains it has all the transactions between LaFont and Foreman dealing with the stolen silver he bought from Al and Jorge, specifically how much they sold and what he paid them for it and when.

The coach gets a head start. Al catches up to it and races alongside. (Man, one-eyed, a peg-leg, no depth perception and rotten balance, I’d half expected a guy like that to fall off somewhere along the way!) Al threatens to shoot the coachman if he doesn’t stop. Mario and Ric are racing behind Al and trying to keep him from shooting at the coach. The driver speeds ahead at Lis’s command. The women are frightened. Al shoots at the driver and wounds him in the arm. (Great shot, Al, considering the handicap! What are the odds?) The horses bolt dragging the coach with the women and baby inside at breakneck speed. Ric races his horse ahead and jumps on to the coach, taking the reins from the injured driver and eventually pulling the coach to a halt.

Al demands the baby but Lis refuses. He tells her pretty much never to darken his door again if she doesn't. (Not to worry, Al! I mean, gees, she's already packed her bags and headed out of town....) So he turns to Ric and demands the letters and Ric throws them at him. Al races off with them and I think throws them into some field on the side of the road then gallops away. Ric then turns to the women and demands the baby. Lis admits to buying the baby from Auxiliadora and explains how Fran bribed the woman. Just then Ric sees the necklace Lis is wearing and asks her who gave it to her. She answers it was from her husband on their wedding day. He knows it is part of the jewels stolen from him, but says nothing. Fran begs Ric to let them all go, otherwise they’ll end up in jail or Demon Seed Al will certainly kill them.

Ric agrees, turning his back on them and says they should go and that God might pardon them, cuz it’s plain as day from the look on his face that he’s never going to. He hugs the boy to him pointedly ignoring Liz while she screams and cries hysterically that she only took the boy because she knew its mother would just have gotten rid of him anyway, that he’s chosen the wrong woman and she’s the only woman who ever truly loved and cared about him. Fran finally manages to pull Lis off him and get her into the coach but Lis continues to scream at him through the window about her abiding love for him. Finally, mercifully, the coach pulls away, taking them along with Timoteo’s fortune into the sunset.

Mario asks Ric if he’s found him. Ric can hardly speak for the tears and emotion welling up inside him. (Passing around the box of Kleenex here.) El Antillano, totally overcome with tears of joy and relief gratefully looks to the heavens and says a prayer of thanks. He falls to his knees as exhaustion overtakes him and he marvels at his good fortune. He hugs Pedro and smiles at him. “You’re fine! Yes, you’re fine!” He turns to Mario laughing and smiling and nodding. ‘It’s him! It’s my son! My son!”

Labels: Pasion

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 3:13 AM 84 comments

Laura threatens that Juan will be hers.

Marely tells that she’s not going away for fun it’s for business, they are interested in possibly exporting tamarinds. (Note they are drinking tamarind juice…) Juan thinks that’s interesting that he knows nothing of this as president. Marely says it’s a surprise because she wanted to talk to the execs up there first as Pau felt so bad about the Campeoni deal. Just then Juan gets a buzz and it’s Laura. He walks away from the table and they all comment since when does he take calls in private and Mar shouts since he’s got this new mysterious woman.

Laura wants to know where he is. He realizes he erased his disc completely and forgot her. He apologizes that he had another emergency with a friend, the same as this afternoon. He explains that his friend's boiler blew up and burned the house down, but luckily he is ok. Laura buys it all and tells him not to worry. He promises he’ll see her tomorrow.

Yadi comes into the departmento and Torpete (Nacho Topete) pitches a hissy fit, that she is coming in at the break of dawn, 11:00pm to be exact. He yells at her that she needs to tell him where she goes because he almost called the police and was afraid she was kidnapped or assaulted or worse. He wonders if she was drinking. She wonders what his problem is and says she was looking for work. He doesn’t believe it at this hour, she says she also stopped by to see her Mom and baby. He doesn’t believe she got work but she says she did and starts tomorrow morning. He asks where and then she realizes maybe she doesn’t want to say, but she does, the market.



At the Cachon house, Jito (Juanito) is getting put to bed, but asks Juan if he is going out with a new woman. Juan says just a friend, an acquaintance, why? Jito says, well, you went out with her yesterday, and now were going to again today. Juan assures him that if it was something serious Jito would be the first to know. Jito asks if he noticed how jealous Marely turned, red and swollen up like and apple. Juan remarks that this woman (Laura) fell from out of the sky and has a habit of calling when she leaves the biggest mark, like yesterday when he was with Pau and today with Marely.


Torpete of course says now Yadi’s trying to work with her ex. Yadi says no I’m working in a place where it just so happens my ex works. He prohibits it, but she says she’s a free woman and she’ll do as she wants and if he says anything she’ll acuse him of maltreatment etc.

Alirio is watching baseball. Nid asks if he’s going to turn it off but what he hears is “Come over here and plant one on me big boy.” Didn’t sound like that to me, but sometimes my Spanish isn’t so good. Wink…what follows next is a play by play on the tele and lots of rumbling under the covers. The announcer’s excitement at describing the home run is drowned out by the screams of Nidia as she poorly fights off Alibido. Sounds like he got his home run too.

Outside Juan’s “new” expensive car isn’t starting. Kike says he’ll bring them to the school. At the school Juan is chatting up the kids, he learns they don’t like Torpete either. He wonders if they learned from Lorenzo that injustice is the worst thing they can suffer. He says well, losing Lorenzo is a big injustice and they have done nothing but sit and make guacamole with their butt cheeks. He incites them to riot. They’re kids, of course they seize the moment to learn how they can misbehave.

Torpete shows up to school and Kike sees him go in. He asks the doorman if that was him and can he go in. The guy says no, it’s a school he needs to have a reason. Kike tells him that guy took his wife, so please let him in to talk to him. The guy must sympathize, because next we see Kike rolling up his sleeves and confronting Tope like a school boy in the school yard. He wants to fight him. Torpete says he can’t do this in front of his students etc. but Kike keeps his feet moving ready for a jab. He yells for him to take off his glasses. Tope runs into the rest room, smells something horrible in one stall, and moves to hide in another. Wimp.


Juan goes out and is surprised Kike isn’t waiting outside. Kike tells him why. Juan tells him that guy also took Lorenzo’s job, but he’ll get his, just wait. Kike wonders why Juan hasn’t told him about this mystery woman.

Tope then shows up in the classroom to find the kids chanting that they want Lorenzo back. They won’t shut up despite his screams.


At the office Pau comes back in a lovely new green silk shantung suit. She finds out from Marely that Ivonne went on vacation. She can’t believe what is going on at the business.

Ivy is at the hospital with Fer and she tells him that if everything goes ok with the operation she wants to try things with him again, but if they don’t go ok, she doesn’t want him anywhere near her, because the last thing she wants is him to treat her with pity. He agrees and takes her hand.

Pau goes in to talk to Juan and yell at him that he’s let Ivy back to work only to go on vacation. He tells her she’s actually getting an operation. Pau – on what? Juan – oh her tonsils. Pau goes into a tirade that he’s letting Ivy fib him again and using the company resources and how can he be so stupid, and when she sees him waffle, wonders what is he hiding from her. She continues yelling at him and finally he realizes there is no way out. He finally announces that Ivy has cancer. I think that reaction is the "cat’s ass mouth" look again.

Pau says if she knew she wouldn’t have fired her. Juan tells her he’s tried to tell her she needs to slow down and not rush to emotional reactions so fast. Juan says Ivy needs our support and her benefits. Pau scowls that he doesn’t need to tell her that.

Mutiny in the classroom continues as Torpete runs and tattles to the director, he doesn’t know how to deal with kids, his experience is with university students. Wah wah, the director goes in and threatens the children with expulsion and they eventually cave. The kids behave for a little while then.

Pau wants to know from Pastor where Ivonne is. She bugs him even though he explains that he was sworn to secrecy. She tells him she already knows the whole story and says she has to go apologize.

Yadi is working at the Abastos and that other guy (what’s his name?) is sweet talking her. Kike comes up and gives him a rough warning to leave her alone.

Fer berates Juan up and down for telling Pau about Ivy. Juan pulls rank, but Fer can’t believe that Juan could betray him this way. He really loses it for her. Juan finally tells him he had to spill because Pau wouldn’t leave him alone about Ivonne’s being on vacation and besides she’ll keep her word and not tell anyone. Fer snips back yeah, just like you did.

Heri is at a candy shop buying chocolates. The clerk asks if he wants a card too. Our country boy, today wearing the Master’s jacket and the Mexican version has matching pants I guess; doesn’t know what that is. After the clerk explains it’s to tell of your thoughts, he says ok, and takes it. Back at the office he makes a call because he needs help to write the card, but no one answers.

Pau tells Marely about Ivonne's situation who says Ivonne is a higado (pain in the neck) and provoked everything but certainly doesn’t deserve this. Pau feels bad and wants to apologize. marely thinks maybe she should leave it alone for now, but Pastor apparently agreed to bring Pau as he comes in and asks her if she is ready.

Pau knocks on the hospital door and a bitter Ivonne tries to guess who spilled the beans. Pau says it doesn’t matter, but she confirms not Pastor or Fer. Ivy razzes her that the whole world knows now, and she came on behalf the employees, blah blah. Pau says, nope came on my own and the few of us who know aren’t telling. Ivy cynically kids that surely she’s here because she’s so full of guilt, etc. Pau says yes, so there’s no need to make things harder. At first Ivy gives her lots of guff and tells her she’s strange. Pau says she feels bad and had to come and wish her well, and that they are the same because they both fight for what they want and have committed errors and neither one of them is happy, and it’s a shame they ended up enemies but she does admire Ivonne and she’s sorry, and all this isn’t fair to her and her job will be waiting for her when she is recovered. She proceeds to go out and Ivonne tells her to wait that she’s really afraid. Pau grabs her hand.

Now what I don’t get, is how Fer was at the hospital because it was so important obviously, then he’s back at Farell, only to go back to the hospital again. Juan goes too now that he knows and Mar wishes her well.

Heri reaches for his neurons to try and write words of love in his card.

Ivy tells Pau she’s afraid this operation will be for naught and that she’s going to lose her womanhood and won’t be the same. Pau asks if she believes in God, but Ivy says even if she does she hasn’t been connected for so long she thinks he won’t hear. Pau tells her not to think like that he always listens and that they should pray together because God won’t abandon them. Outside Pastor, snooping, is brought to tears.


Back at Farell the chismes are flying. Julia tells everyone she heard Ivy isn’t on vac, but is getting an operation. She thinks it is her face, her boobs, or her butt, but probably her boobs.

Pastor applauds Pau for her words, that they touched him deeply because he too is a lone warrior. He worries that if something like this were to happen to him that no one would be there for him. Pau hugs him and tells him he has his brother, but he reminds Pau that his brother doesn’t accept him. He says those that feel this sadness need to unite. They have a moment of tenderness. Pau says she spoke from the heart. He says he knows that and that this is what comes out of crisis, but sadly it’s temporary and once the crisis is over everything will go back to the way it was. Pau says that’s interesting, and just then Fer and Juan show up. Ivy gets rolled out. They all give her pep talks that she is going to be ok. Fer offers her a room of flowers, but doc says not permitted anymore. [Allergens?]

Back at school Juanito is pulling the old tacks on the chair trick. I can’t help but think of Road Runner stunts at this point. Profe stalls for a little bit then finally sits and the room erupts in laughing. He call them monsters!!

We see the doc get ready to cut a nice belly. Marely calls to get the scoop and Pau assures her things are ok so far and the trip is still on. Juan overhears and tells her she needs to cancel this trip, now is not the time for a business deal. Pau pulls him aside to talk and tells him, ok, that ‘s not why I’m going. I need to find out if CL is dead. Juan is impactado, huh????

Labels: Juan

Mili and Regina talk about what a great guy Alejandro is, giving those guys their jobs back. Blah, blah, blah.

Luci blames Peralta for Braulio figuring out that she's trying to kill him. Because Braulio couldn't have possibly figured it out himself? Peralta suggests another, uh, contractor, but Luciana calls him off. Braulio comes in to announce dinner…and to warn Peralta that he's also named in Braulio's memoirs. Peralta decides it's time to go.

At dinner, the family talks about Damian's face. Constancio makes veiled threats. Luciana walks in late and also exclaims over Damian's face. Constancio says that rather than forgetting the incident, he should remember it so it doesn't happen again. Luciana announces the super special anniversary dinner. Valeria gushes because she's too vapid to realize both her parents are absolutely miserable in their marriage. Constancio says it's Alejandro who deserves her congratulations for firing those rabble-rousing workers (again). Mili fumes. She makes the most awful fuming faces. She screams at Alejandro for leaving five families out on the street. Constancio talks about "painful decisions" and then Luciana gripes at him for explaining things to the servants. Alejandro says it's not that easy to run the company and Constancio says he can quit any time. Milagros calls him an exploiter and a bloodsucker, then runs off. Luciana complains about her attitude and Constancio blames Luciana for not having Mili attend only to Regina, like she was supposed to do when she was hired. Luciana demands that Alejandro go straighten out the help.

Mili screams at Alejandro when he gets to the kitchen. He can't explain because she's too busy being sarcastic about Mr. Bigshot Businessman of the Year. Then she comes out with, "If you loved me, you wouldn't have fired those people." Well, I guess I've heard stupider things at the end of "If you loved me…." Oh, they're still going. Blah, blah, blah, stupid argument. Milagros runs off. Alejandro chases her into the living room. They scream at each other some more. Alejandro's heartless, etc. Mili says she fell in love with the wrong guy. Alejandro tries to explain himself, but Mili's, again, too busy being sarcastic and weepy. She tells him to forget everything, she'd never marry a guy like him.

Damian talks to Alejandro at the office about a dinner with some Italian businessmen. Alejandro says he'll get them to invest, but he'll do it his way. He asks Damian for the information on the project. After Damian leaves, he calls Braulio and asks to speak to Mili. Mili snots at Alejandro. He apologizes and says he needs her to go with him to his business dinner. Mili says she doesn't speak Italian. He says he wants her to see him in action so he can prove he's not like his daddy. She gets off the phone and grins and smirks to Rocky/Morgan about needing to look good for her fancy dinner. Somehow she's got the idea that she's going to get those workers' jobs back.

Alejandro gets the project info from Damian and tells him he's taking Mili to the dinner. Damian reacts predictably. Then he suggests that Alejandro hire hookers for the Italian businessmen. Alejandro isn't too shocked to hear that that's how Daddy does business, but he doesn't exactly agree. Lulu, Lola, Lili, and Lula (and I swear, I couldn't have made that up if I tried) come in to audition for Italian Businessman Bait. Alejandro looks disgusted, but says for Damian to take one for himself, two others for the Italians, and he'll go alone. Now he's got to ditch Mili. Idiot. Techno skanky porno music plays.

Looks like Alejandro forgot to cancel his date with Mili. She's all excited about going to dinner. Alejandro tells her something came up at the last minute and she can't go because he has to go alone. She looks upset. He could have thrown the thing about hookers in there and he probably would have gotten a better reaction. He tells her it's a meeting with, erm, important people. She thinks he's rejecting her because now he's a big businessman and he doesn't want to be with a girl like her, or marry her either…hey, she's the one who dumped him this morning! She won't let him talk and makes one of her trademark impassioned girl-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks speeches. They both cry and Mili runs off. Damian comes in and tells Alejandro to leave her, they've got a dinner to get to.

Mili cries to Gloria about how she could have fallen in love with a guy like that. She thought he was different, but he's not, etc., etc. She won't chill. Now she's yelling at Gloria, who doesn't deserve it. Mili says Alejandro's going to pay! She says she's decided to be Little Miss Perfect Servant and he doesn't know who he's dealing with.

The next morning, he tries to talk to her and she gives him the wide-eyed innocent act. She won't follow his orders to kiss him, though.

Valeria spies on Rocky/Morgan washing the car shirtless. He's really playing up the "wet shirtless guy" angle. When he notices Valeria watching him, he kicks the bucket of water away, grabs Valeria and kisses her in a shot worthy of a Harlequin romance novel cover…well, except that Rocky/Morgan is a little too skinny. What would they call it, though? "Drive Me Wild"? "Driving Miss Ditzy"? Rocky/Morgan wakes Valeria from her snooze in the backseat. She eyes him suspiciously as she gets out of the car and goes into a shop. She snots at him about waiting outside for her and she forbids him, FORBIDS him to go shirtless in the garden, ok? Rocky/Morgan is confused and thinks it would be better to wait for her outside. Valeria worries about the state of her mental health.

Alejandro is still trying to talk to Mili, but she's acting like the Stepford Servant. His cell phone rings and he tells Andrea he'll call someone back. He asks for Mili to understand him. Blah, blah, Stepford, blah. Andrea is still trying to get hold of Alejandro. Mili congratulates him for being so busy. Alejandro tries to talk about "their" future. More Stepfording. She loses her temper a bit and talks about how she loved him, but now she sees how he treats the workingman. She Stepfords her way out (probably to serve Regina her breakfast).

Valeria comes out of the shop and sees Rocky chatting up some other girl. She is, predictably, jealous, but then unnerved by her jealousy. She gripes at him for not being there to open the car door for her. He apologizes, but then she apologizes to him. He's hilarious the way he keeps messing up and calling her "chiquita" and "mi amor" and having to correct himself. If Mr. 5ft learns no other Spanish, I wish he'd at least learn the terms of endearment. Perhaps we should make a list :) Uh, anyway, Valeria looks like she's going to give in to her base, naco-loving instincts and plant a big one on Rocky/Morgan, but she pulls away at the last minute and gets in the back of the car. She tells him to drive her to a psychologist she just happens to have a card for. Rocky/Morgan offers to do her…I mean, to psychoanalyze her, but she tells him to just shut up and drive. Another possible romance novel title there? If Valeria were a guy, one of her guy friends would probably tell her to just sleep with him and get it out of her system.

Mili comes downstairs with Doña Regina's tray. Constancio asks her to set it down and come have a chat with him. She refuses his offer to sit down. He tells her he's glad to have her in the house. Mili jokes that his face lies and he's not as bad as he looks. Constancio asks for a kiss and Mili obliges. For someone who's even pretending to be concerned about improprieties with the boss' son, she's a little too free with the physical affection for the boss himself. Luciana heard the whole thing from upstairs. She's bitchy. Well, I mean, right at this particular moment, not in general. Not that she isn't, in general, just that she's particularly so right now. Constancio says he's going to go change his shirt, as the collar on this one is too tight. His neck is probably swelling to be able to support his ginormous ego.

Alejandro mopes around the president's office. He and Bobby talk about Alejandro's deep pain for Mili. Bobby tells him to take a break from her and figure out what he wants. Alejandro says he wants to have his cake and eat it too. Bobby tells him his answer is within. Mkay, Master Yoda. Andrea comes in to tell the guys that the fired workers are suing. The burdens of Jefehood are weighing heavy on Alejandro. I'd like to think he wouldn't be doing so badly if Daddy Dearest hadn't paid those guys to give him a hard time.

Constancio and Luciana snark at each other in the bedroom, as per usual. Luciana asks him to join her in a drink. She tells him she knows how to neutralize him and reminds him she took the presidency away from him, and there's still more she can do. Constancio's turned on by her "perversity." Luciana tells him she's become cruel and he's her favorite target. Constancio tells her not to be surprised if his return shot is fatal and leaves the room. Luciana drinks some more and says she's going to hit him with his bastard daughter, she'll get rid of her.

Valeria tells the psychologist about Sergio and her obsession with Rocky/Morgan. She asks if it could be some kind of transference. The psychologist is like, "Um, have you ever considered you might be in love with him?" Valeria scoffs at the suggestion. And scoffs some more. The psychologist wonders why she's getting so nervous if it's not true. He tells her to give in to love. She fires him. And leaves.

Stepford Mili serves tea to Luciana. Luciana makes her stand there and won't dismiss her. Luciana pours tea out of her glass, onto the carpet and tells Mili to clean it up. Lina walks by with a rag and a bucket and Luciana tells her to leave it for Mili, so she can clean up the mess she [Mili] made. Mili mutters and bares her teeth as she rubs the carpet with a wet rag. Ay, Mili--blot, don't rub! I think Luciana broke Stepford Mili. After the commercials, Mili's still rubbing. She finally says she's done, so Luciana pours out more tea. Now Mili's screeching and she tells Luciana to clean it herself. Luciana steps on Mili's hand, so Mili pushes her, then holds her down on the couch. Regina comes in. Sheesh, if they were going to do this, couldn't there at least be some hair pulling?

Constancio rakes Alejandro over the coals for getting sued. Constancio tries to pressure him to quit. Alejandro asks for help to get out of this, but says he won't quit, he'll just think about it.

Rocky/Morgan lets Valeria out of the car at Casa Belmonte. Valeria thought bubbles that she can't be in love with him. She orders him not to look at her, touch her, to stay at least a meter away at all times, not to speak unless spoken to, etc. Then she says there's only one way to know…she orders him to kiss her, but he reminds her he has to break the previous orders in order to do that. Then he says "to hell with it" and plants one on her, but good.

Mili tells Regina what happened in the living room. Regina says Luciana's sick. Mili says things are getting worse. Regina tells Mili that Luciana's trying to run her off. Mili wants Regina to stay out of it, but Regina says she's already in it.

As Socorro, Lina, and Braulio eat snacksin the kitchen, Valeria wanders in, dazed. She wanders back out, dazed. Rocky/Morgan wanders in, dazed. Socorro notices he's wearing lipstick…and probably someone else's. Braulio and Lina giggle.

Luciana crushes up some sleeping pills.

Alejandro and Bobby enjoy beers and pizza at the bachelor pad. Bobby advises Alejandro to quit--he'd be free of the headache of being in charge, and he'd get Mili back. Alejandro won't. Bobby advises him, again, to go on retreat and not come back until he knows what he wants. Alejandro goes off right that minute.

Mili and Karla have words near the staircase. Luciana comes in and tells Karla to give Mili the tea tray she's carrying. After Karla leaves, Luciana tells Mili to bring the sugar. While she's gone Luciana puts the sleeping pills in one of the glasses and pours them both tea. She asks Mili to join her. Luciana offers to bribe her to leave the house on the condition that she never comes back. Mili drinks her tea and says she'll never leave Regina.

Alejandro drives through the night, thinking about Mili and remembering their last argument. He says he doesn't want to think about her and keeps driving.

Luciana watches Mili sleep. She unbuttons a button on Mili's uniform, takes a hairpin out of her hair, and leaves a glass of whiskey on the chair next to her, then sprinkles whiskey on the front of Mili's uniform. Karla, that vicious tart, watches the whole thing, then picks up the tea things and walks out.

Alejandro sits by a pond. He and some other girl both throw a rock in at the same time. He starts making conversation with her. She says she just threw away a life, she ended a relationship. Alejandro welcomes her to the club.

Tomorrow: Mili declares war on Luciana. Regina tells Alejandro if he keeps going the way he's going, she's going to ask him to resign the presidency.

Labels: guapos

Soledad is choking from the smoke in the burning house. She can't get out. (the door is a rattan screen that you could easily kick a hole in but whatever.) Outside, Henchman #1 wants to open the door but Raul, evil chief henchman, says to wait until the house burns down and they won't even have to kill Jose's woman. That will send Jose a message. Soledad calls for help. She coughs. She passes out.

Rebeca returns home to find Paquito waiting. She says she has been to visit Soledad and she got the answer they were searching for. "Jeremias did have an affair with Ester," says Paquito. "Exactly," says Rebeca. "The only question," she continues is whether Enrico knows about this." Paquito says that Enrico lived with Jeremias for a long time so he supposes that he does know and since he is living with Soledad now, she probably knows it too. "If so, we're in serious trouble," says Rebeca. She tells Paquito to find out who knows what but he wants to know what she will give him to do so.

The Cabinet of the Dead Wife doesn't seem to have any magical powers because once Margot sees that the only thing inside it is a dead woman, she is grossed out and slams the door closed. Elena explains what happened to her to Guille and Enrico. She opened the cabinet, saw the dead woman floating there and screamed. Doctor Max came and hypnotized her into being Eva. Dr. Max and Hercu-less are now tied up together. (Hercu-less is not having a good day.) Dr. Max wants them to go find the Cabinet and Enrico agrees saying who knows what Margot has done with it.

Two policemen encounter our diminutive trio and ask what they are doing with the Cabinet. Elena tells the officers that her lover is in the cabinet and if they open it, she'll be in big trouble. Maybe the police just don't want to deal with these three anymore but they let them continue on.

In the Love Nest of Perversion, Beatriz screams at Alcides, "You remembered everything, right. You remembered that damn Soledad?" Soothingly, Alcides says, "I'm Hugo, Hugo, I'm your Hugo. It was just a memory of a woman. It's irrelevant. Come here, let me love you, let me love you Beatriz." "Are you serious?" asks Beatriz. "I'm Hugo," repeats Alcides. "I love you." Beatriz puts down the gun and they embrace.

Eloisa is about to drive off in the carriage when Lupe notices that the hut is on fire. Soledad may be in danger. Eloisa tells her to not even think about going inside. She might make the situation worse. Soledad may have set the place on fire herself to fool those men. Lupe doesn't buy these excuses and to prevent her from returning to the house, Eloisa goes herself. Hugo crashes into the burning house like the hero we know he is. "Is there anyone here?" he calls. He crashes around for a few minutes and eventually finds a woman on the floor, "Senora," he says and turning her over he sees that it is Soledad. He picks her up (with some difficulty, it looks like).

Outside the hut, Hugo is sitting down coughing, holding the unconscious Soledad while Boris and Arturo look on. Eloisa comes running up and asks what happened to Soledad. Hugo sends Boris for Dr. Max. Arturo drags Eloisa off asking what she is doing here. Hugo tells Soledad to wake up. "Try hard," he says, "You have to wake up. Do it for your daughter." Soledad coughs and wakes up. "What happened?" she says. "You were trapped in the hut and it caught fire," responds Hugo. "The little girl that was with me, where is she?" asks Soledad. Eloisa tells her to relax; the child is safe.

Arturo offers Hugo his apologies. He says that his men didn't know that Soledad was inside the hut. Hugo responds that Arturo is only an investor in the mine. He has no right to give orders to Hugo's employees. "You mean I've invested all that money and I don't have any say over these people?" says Arturo angrily. "Don't argue any more," says Soledad choking and at that moment Lupe comes running up saying that the little girl has fainted.

Boris returns to say that Dr. Max is not at home. Hugo decides to take the child to the clinic. Eloisa wants to go along and Arturo tells her no. She responds that his actions today have endangered his investment in the mine and she needs to go along to show that his finacé doesn't have any problems with the Medina family. She jumps in the carriage and an exasperated Arturo calls her a spoiled brat. At the last moment, the little girl's father, Jose, shows up and he gets in the carriage too. They all drive off leaving Arturo alone next to a ruined hut.

At the Obragon house, Ester has discovered that Lucas has a briefcase of money and deeds. She asks if he is giving their money to 'that woman.' Lucas says that he is going to meet with Alcides to invest in the mine (at the suggestion of 'that woman'). Ester asks if he is completely crazy. Antonia is listening at the door.

At the clinic, Hugo comes over to sit with Soledad. He completely ignores Eloisa who is covering her nose and mouth in fear of infection. "How are you feeling?" he asks. "Fine. Thanks to you nothing bad happened."Hugo strokes her cheek and says, "You shouldn't have taken the risk." "I know. I rushed in. I should haved asked for help but the family needed me," she responds. Hugo removes something that was tangled in her hair. She thanks him. "If it hadn't been for you. If you hadn't rescued me, I'd be dead by now. Thank you." She thinks, 'My God, his gaze is just like Hugo's.' Hugo smiles at her (God, we haven't seen Hugo smile like that for so long! So sweet.) "What wrong?" he says. "Something tells me that you are thinking about me," he says. "What is it?" "Uh, about the suffering of a mother," stammers Soledad, "and I'm so thankful about little Aurora." Hugo says, "I spoke to little Aurorita a few days ago and do you know what she told me? She told me that you named our daughter Aurora as a tribute to my brother Hugo. Did you love Hugo that much? That much? Did you really care about my brother Hugo's luck?"
"Why do we always end up talking about the same thing?" says Soledad wearily, "Let's not talk about Hugo. Let's respect his memory."
"Answer me," says Hugo.
"Hugo and I were going to be married. We were engaged, Alcides," responds Soledad.
"Right," says Hugo as if she has just confirmed what he has believed all along, "and you ended up married to me, to Alcides. You lied to my poor brother."
"Shut up," says Soledad desperately, "I won't let you speak to me like that . Respect me. Leave me alone."
'You never loved me,' thinks Hugo, 'never'.

Ester says that Lucas cannot use the little money they have left to invest in the mine. Lucas asks why. Ester says that it is too risky. Lucas says that the proofs show that the gold in the mine is of high purity. Antonia puts her oar in. She agrees with Ester but for different reasons. She thinks Alcides is evil. Too bad, says, Lucas, I'm going to do it anyway. Ester lets him take the money but not the deeds.

At the clinic, Soledad asks the doctor what the child has. The doctor says that the child's fever is down but he's still not sure. He need to do more tests. Several other patients have come today with the same symptions. "Are you saying it is an epidemic?" asks Hugo. At this point, Lupe faints. Soledad wonders if she has the same illness as her daughter. Eloisa manages to look horrified behind the lace handkerchief she holding in front of her face.

In the tavern, Paquito gives a youth a letter he wants put under the door of the Obragon house without anyone seeing. A guy comes into the tavern and announces that there is a terrible illness attacking the city. Many men are already dying in the forest and many are infected with the virus. We have to do something. Paquito gets out his notebook. Is he going to blame this on the Medina family as well?

Hugo sends Boris to Dr. Max's with a blood sample. If Dr. Max isn't there, he has to wait for him. "Is the situation that serious?" asks Boris. "It appears to be an epidemic," says Hugo, "we have to find out where it originated?" (Don't we need to find a cure? or find out what it is?). The nurse announces that 6 more people have arrived with symptoms. The doctor says that they don't have enough beds. Soledad (in her off-the-shoulder frilly pink gown) volunteers to help, so does Hugo and of course Eloisa says she will help too, but the disease is contagious, right? (ha ha)

The doctor says that they will take all necessary precautions. Soledad looks wonderingly at Hugo. She says to herself, 'Alcides has really changed. He seems to be a different person.'Hugo, in a surgical mask, is with little Aurora (who seems to have private room). Naturally, Eloisa is there too. Hugo is giving the kid moral support. The kid asks if she is going to die. Hugo has to take off the mask so the kid can see his cuteness. He says that won't happen. Everything is going to be fine. He promises it. Then he kisses the kid. Hugo leaves Eloisa with the child and says he will be right back. Little Aurora says to Eloisa, "He is a nice man." "Too nice, I'd say," responds Eloisa, "Alcides has changed a lot." "That's not Don Alcides," pipes up the kid, "that's Don Hugo." Out of the mouth of babes. Fortunately, Eloisa thinks the child is delirious and pays no attention.


In the Love Nest of Perversion, Alcides and Beatriz are going at it when Dr. Pablo peeks through the door. "What is going on here?" he asks. (Looks pretty clear to me.)

Marina tells Lucas that Alcides is not at home. Ursula comes down and Lucas asks for Soledad. Ursula says that she isn't home either but Lucas can see his granddaughter while he waits. Marina takes a few steps and keels over.

Ester finds the note put under her door. She opens it and it says, "I know that Soledad is the daughter of Jeremias. If you don't want your husband to find out, put 20 big ones in an envelope and leave it next to the trash on the south side of the square this afternoon." Ester is impactada.

The diminutive trio puts the Cabinet of the Dead Wife back where it belongs at Dr. Max's. They are going back where they left Dr. Max tied up but he bursts in and threatens to kill them. Boris' arrival lets them escape.

Boris gives Dr. Max the blood sample and says that it is from Dr. Ortiz. Dr. Max says that he doesn't do charity work. Boris responds by saying that there is a plague in the city. Alcides/Hugo sent the sample for him to analyze. If Dr. Max discovers what it is, Alcides will reward him. Dr. Max agrees to analyze the sample because Alcides asked him too. He tells Boris to leave. He'll let him know if he has any results.

Hugo and Soledad work side by side helping people at the clinic and mercifully have no dialog. Finally, she sits down to rest. Hugo brings her some tea. Hugo says to Soledad, "You look tired, you should rest a little."
"No," says Soledad, "there are so many people to take care of still."
"It was beautiful to see you helping so many people with love and dedication," says Hugo looking at her lovingly.
"I'd say exactly the same thing about you," laughs Soledad. "I never imagined that I could see you with such a united interest. I never should have stopped doing this. The truth is that there are many people who need help." "You did it before," says Hugo, "you did it with Hugo."
"How do you know that?" asks Soledad. "I used to follow you guys," says Hugo, "I never lost the hope of making you my wife, never."

Ester makes the drop. Paquito is watching. "Very good, madam," he says to himself, "You got the message." He picks up the money and says that now Ester is in his hands.

At the Hacienda, Marina says that she was just dizzy. She feels better. Ursula suggest that Boris take her to the doctor when he returns but Marina insists that she is fine. (is it plague or pregnancy?). Lucas suggests that she not get up so soon but Marina insists. Ursula tells Lucas that Marina is stubborn and does not merit his concern.

At the tavern, the diminutive trio tell each other that they have to keep quiet about what is in the Cabinet otherwise Dr. Max will kill them.

An exultant Dr. Max tells the Cabinet that he has discovered what is causing the epidemic. Now Alcides will owe him and he'll be able to experiment on the baby and find the substance that will bring Eva back to life.

Ester is at Jeremias' grave. She says the horrible lie she made up when they were young has now caught up with her. "Someone discovered that lie. I thought that since you were dead, no one would ever find out what I made you believe when you were alive. Who did you tell that Soledad was your daughter? I was your lover without loving you. I wanted to abandon Lucas. All he did was drink. He was always a loser (still is) which is why I was horrified when I discovered I was pregnant. I needed money and a house, security. Everything a mother needs to raise a child. That's why I told you that you were the father of Soledad. Soledad can't find out about this. I would die if she found out that I had made you believe you were her father for mercenary reasons. (The spanish word she uses is "interés." She used the same word about why Soledad would marry Alcides when Hugo heard her conversation with Manrique at his velorio.) Soledad wouldn't understand and Lucas would never forgive me. I couldn't stand that shame. Someone is blackmailing me. Who did you tell?" Rebeca comes up behind Ester and asks what she is doing at her husband's grave.

At the clinic, Soledad tells Hugo that she wants to go home and take care of her baby. Boris appears and says that he delivered the blood sample to Dr. Max but on the way back he heard people saying that the epidemic was caused by the curse on the Medina family. Hugo says that they will have to wait this out. There is no superstition in the town that isn't related to his family.

Back at the Hacienda, Hugo tells Soledad, "You helped people at the clinic that you had never seen before." "I don't have to know them to want to help them," responds Soledad. "Yes, but you did it with so much love, lots and lots of love. That makes me remember the Soledad that my brother loved. You are special, very special." "You surprised me today also," says Soledad. "You did a great job with all those people. I'm discovering a great person inside of you. Gracias" "You're welcome," says Hugo. They get closer to one another and Soledad takes Hugo's hand and they start caressing each other a little. Hugo says, "Do you know why I've changed? Because now I have a reason to live. You have given me the best gift a woman can give a man. You've given me a daughter." Soledad moves to kiss him but pulls away at that last moment. Hugo keeps her from moving away. She tells him to let her go. "Look at me," he says, "Look me in the eye." She looks, "I don't plan on giving you up," says Hugo. "I'm going to get you back even if it takes an eternity.""I don't like to hear you talk like that", says Soledad, "you sound like Hugo. Please, don't say that."

At this moment, Dr. Max interrupts. He says that he has good news. The epidemic has been controlled. (that was quick!). He discovered that the cause was the water in the river.

Ester tells Rebeca that she came to visit her family's tombs and noticed that Jeremias' tomb was uncared for, without flowers (a dig at you, Rebeca). She wanted to pray a little. Rebeca says that it is true. She hasn't visited her husband's tomb lately. She has found out things in his past that hurt her. He had affairs both before and after they were married. He had an affair with a married woman. Ester tells her not to believe the things that people say. Rebeca asks Ester. "Is something wrong?" "I'm exhausted," says Ester. Rebeca says that she will escort her home.

At the Obragon house, Rebecca presses Ester to tell her what the matter is. Ester says that she has problems and she doesn't know what to do but she isn't going to tell Rebeca about it. She goes to lie down. Rebeca says to herself that Ester's conscience bothering her. Antonia pops up. She has things she wants to talk to Rebeca about. Antonia asks Rebeca how she can come to this house and pretend to be Ester's best friend after all she has done? Rebeca plays innocent. "What are you talking about?"
"You are my brother's lover," responds Antonia. "You are the Mysterious Lady he's been with all this time." Rebeca is impactada. "How dare you accuse me of being your brother's lover," she says, pretending to be outraged."That's what I say", responds Antonia, "and I'd rather not tell my sister in law about it. You know exactly what I am talking about. I warn you. You had better not come back here or there will be serious problems because I will talk."

Ester comes in, "What will you talk about?" she asks. Rebeca takes the offensive. She says that Antonia has accused her of the most horrible things. Things that could only be in the mind of a sick person. "You don't have to tell me," says Ester. "I know this woman. She likes to judge others and she only knows how to talk." Antonia tells Ester not to listen to Rebeca. She has been lying to you the whole time. But Ester says, "I know you Antonia. You see sin everywhere." Antonia tells Rebeca to get out of the house. Ester says that Antonia has no right to say that. The only one who is going to be leaving the house is her! (What irony! Antonia is punished for one of the few times that she tells the truth!)

Hugo, Boris & Dr. Max are in his study. Hugo thanks Dr. Max for all he did at the clinic. Dr. Max says that science is his passion. Hugo says that Dr. Max can study the baby to help find a cure for her disease. Dr. Max thanks him. Hugo puts conditions on what he does, though. There must always be someone present. He says, "Listen to me carefully, there must be nothing, absolutely nothing done behind my back. I want to know everything.""So it will be", says Dr. Max.

Boris asks Dr. Max to look in on Marina. She hasn't been feeling well and he is afraid that it is the disease that has been going around. Dr. Max says he will do it right away. He leaves and is barely out the door when Boris addresses Hugo by name and says that he is ok with Dr. Max treating an adult but does Hugo think it is ok for him to treat his niece? Hugo says, "Soledad is suffering so much that anything we do will make her feel better. You don't know how much I wish Dr. Chirac Jr. were here." (us too!)

Soledad tells Lucas not to worry. She is fine. Alcides has changed. Every day confirms it more. (I guess she has forgotten the Alcides who was at the cemetery.)Lucas say, "Don't be fooled. He's just pretending to gain your trust."Soledad responds, "No, you haven't seen him. Everything he does is with so much love. Really, Dad, it's as if he really cared about people. Sometimes I look at him and I feel like I'm looking at Hugo." Eloisa is outside the door listening to this. (Why is she roaming around the Hacienda?) Dr. Max comes up on Eloisa in the hall and says that he is going inside. She lets him pass.

He enters the room and conveniently leaves the door open behind him for her to hear the conversation. He tells Soledad that her husband has finally permitted him to treat Aurora. Soledad says, "Good. All we are concerned about it the baby's well being."Dr. Max tells her that Hugo put some conditions on what I do that I accepted. He wanted to let her know. He leaves to examine Marina. When he is gone, Lucas tells Soledad that he has come to ask her husband to let him invest in the mine. Soledad thinks that is a bad idea. She doesn't want him to do business with Alcides. Lucas says that it's not that he doesn't care about her opinon but he's made his decision. He thinks it would be an economic help for the baby's illness. (Pathetic attempt to get Soledad on your side, Lucas. Hugo has the financial responsibility and means to take care of the baby's illness.) Soledad says she doesn't want him to have problems in the future. Lucas responds that neither her mother or aunt are in favor of this. Don't make it unanimous. He knows what he's doing.

Dr. Max tells Marina that her symptoms having nothing to do with the epidemic. Marina seems extremely obtuse as to what condition nausea and dizziness might indicate. DM tells her that she is preggers. Marina is impactada.

Lucas leaves. Ursula says that she doesn't understand. First Soledad says that Alcides has changed and then she says that she doesn't want her father to do business with him. Soledad responds that money matters are always complicated. She says that once she heard Alcides talking about revenge. She didn't what he was referring to but she thinks it had something to do with the mine.

At the Love Nest of Perversion, Alcides is chained up again and Beatriz is dressed. Alcides and Beatriz are having a post coital nap together when Dr. Pablo bursts in. "What's going on here?" he asks. Beatriz jumps up and gets her gun. "You have no right to be here." she says. "This is too much," says Dr. Pablo, "I was worried about you thinking that you were with a bad man and here you are with Hugo de Medina." "I'm not Hugo," says Alcides quickly, "I'm Alcides and she has kidnapped me." "What?" Dr. Pablo is confused.

Eloisa goes downstairs. She has a flashback to little Aurora's id of Hugo and Soledad words about how sometimes Alcides looks like Hugo. She has to resolve her doubts right away. She goes into Hugo's study. Eloisa says that Alcides has changed so much. Every day she sees it more. Hugo says that during his recovery he had time to change the things he didn't like about himself. "I'm not so sure about that," says Eloisa. "I don't see the passion in your eyes that the old Alcides had. "I think that Hugo didn't die, that he was rescued and took Alcides' place after the mine collapsed." "And I think that you have a wild imagination," responds Hugo with an amused smile. "You think so? It that's true, show me that it is otherwise," says Eloisa.
"How?" asks Hugo.
"Kiss me, let me feel the fire that drove me crazy from the first moment," demands Eloisa. They kiss passionately. Eloisa say, "It's not the same." Hugo answers, "How so?" Eloisa says, "What really happened to you, Alcides?" Hugo says, "Listen to me. You don't love Arturo. You shouldn't marry him. He will just make you suffer."
"You're worried about me," exults Eloisa. "I love it that you think of me, Alcides." She falls into his arms and he is holding her when Soledad comes in. (What happend to Lucas? Did he get lost? Is he drinking Hugo's liquor somewhere?)

The credits roll. Tomorrow: Hugo and Soledad have a passionate kiss?

Tomorrow's summary will be posted later than usual. I have a class on Thursday nights and I don't get home in time to do the Summary. I have to do most of it during work!

Labels: la traicion