Caray, Caray!

Raquel stands next to her packed suitcase and tells us that whatever surprise Ricardo has prepared for her could be dangerous. She doesn't want to risk finding out.

Juan tells Eva that Ruth came by, wanting to be friends with Juan. Juan is willing to let Ruth visit for Eva's sake. Eva is grateful.

"You killed the Reyes' parents," Sofía tells Ricardo. Eavesdropping Ruth is stunned. Ricardo admits to it, but says it was Gabi's fault. She planned the whole thing. If he goes to jail, he'll turn Gabi in, and she'll get locked up too. And if she tells the Reyes about this, he'll tell them the rest of the story, and they'll seek revenge on Gabi too. How would she like it if Juan killed them and rotted away his last days in a prison cell? Sofi runs up the stairs, mortified. Ruth scurries back to her room.

Juan is waiting in Sofía's room. That's way better than the big fat centipede I found in my room a few months ago. He wants to know why she is so upset, but she can't tell him anything. They hug, and she cries on his shoulder.

Ruth is brooding over Sofía's words ("you killed the Reyes' parents") when she hears a horse outside her window. (By the way, it's a full moon, just in case you were wondering.) It's Capricho. She's furious to think that Juan is in Sofía's room, and swears revenge.

Now Gabi is telling Ricardo that he should forgive her for deceiving him about Raquel's baby, since Ruth is the child of both of them. Ricardo says he never would have broken up with her. Gabi scoffs at this, since she was married to Bernardo at the time. Ricardo says he would have killed him. "You loved me that much?" Ricardo kisses her in reply.

They separate hastily as Ruth bursts in to tattle on Sofía for having Juan in her room. Ricardo gives Ruth a funny look as Gabi rushes off to investigate. Gabi breaks up Juan and Sofía's little kissing party and calls Sofía shameless. She tells Juan to round up his three little boogersnot kids and get out.

Juan tells her not to talk that way about his kids. Sofía isn't leaving here until she's married to him. Gabi starts with her "I own this place, I call the shots" speech, and that's when Juan drops his bomb: Abuelo sold him his share of the hacienda. Juan says Sofía can stay, or he can move his entire family in here - it's all legal.

Gabi doesn't take the news well. Juan explains that Abuelo did this to ensure that his granddaughters would be safe. Gabi runs out clutching her forehead in dismay. Sofía beams. Juan then repeats everything he just said in case we or Sofi didn't catch it the first time.

Gabi goes back to her study to tell Ricardo and Ruth what just happened. Juan now has power over a good portion of the house and property. She can't do anything. She curses the irony that her father ended up defeating her, but this means that now she's going to have to kill the Reyes.

Juan tries to get Sofía to agree to move in with him now, so that she'll be safe. She doesn't want to leave her mother behind because she's in danger. Juan thinks this is absurd, but Sofía says she just needs some time put things in order and then she'll be at ease. He doesn't understand what danger Sofia's referring to, and she doesn't explain, but he says he'll be on the lookout. He can't wait till their wedding day to be done with this nightmare forever. She thinks him for being so understanding. Someday she'll be able to tell him why she was so afraid. He tells her to spit it out, but she doesn't. They go back to kissing. Then he leaves to check on Oscar.

Alone, Sofía agonizes over what will happen if she tells anyone about Ricardo murdering Juan's parents.

Back at the cottage, Ruth asks her father what's the big deal - Gabi still owns most of the hacienda, right? Ricardo says Juan owns enough of it to have a say in any decisions.

Ruth hesitantly asks him if he really killed Juan's parents. He tells her to lower her voice - he's afraid Raquel will hear.

Raquel will not hear. She's lugging her suitcase down the road, scampering for her life. Coyote comes along and says he knows she's in trouble; he begs her to let him help. She doesn't waste any time; she hops into his truck. (The way she's walking, it appears that Raquel, like Rosario, did not consider wearing practical shoes for her great escape.)

Ricardo sees that Raquel and her things are gone. He and Ruth ride around on horses to look for her.

Eva and Tio Vicente enjoy hot drinks and she tells him her tale of woe. (Could these two someday be an item?) Ruth is so much like her adoptive father. It pains Eva to admit it, but it's the truth. Tio says Ruth is also a lot like Gabriela when she was younger; she loved hurting the people around her. Tio tells Eva not to cry; someday everything will be fine, and Ricardo Uribe will pay for the cruelty that he instilled in Eva's daughter.

Ricardo angrily gives up the search for Raquel. Ruth thinks she'll be back; she's run away before. Now she wants to finish hearing his explanation about killing Juan's parents. He says yeah, he killed them, but Gabriela drove him to it. She had it all planned out. Ruth is shocked. How could Gabriela possibly have convinced him? He says she did it the way all women do, with the same weapons that work on all men: love, jealousy, passion. Ruth is still aghast that this was enough to turn him into a killer. He says yeah, he's passionate, and when he makes a decision, nothing can stop him. Ruth's pleading eyes beg him to change his story.

Feo complains to Gabi that her father got his own way; the final winning move. Gabi says it won't last long. Feo will have to get rid of the Reyes, or she'll do it herself. Feo advises her to chill out. First, they should play along with Juan so as not to tip him off and make him want to move in. Sofía will be easier to manage, too. And then add a touch of good old blackmail. Sofía will fall in line, because she loves her mommy and doesn't want her to suffer. It'll be better to have Sofía in the hacienda than Juan.

Juan tells his peeps at home that he's not confident about the kids' safety; but if he marries Sofía right away then he can bring them to live here now. Franco asks what's this great danger that Gabriela's supposed to be in; Juan guesses that it has something to do with Feo or Ricardo. Tio warns Juan to be cautious; one false move will get the enemy's attention.

But Oscar says that if Sofía suspects something, then she's probably right, and she's in danger and so are the kids. Juan says that's why they need Oscar to get better, to protect their women and children. Oscar promises that he will. Tio says let's find out what's going on before we do anything.

Gabi calls Sofía into her study. Sofi is expecting to get kicked out of the house; instead, Gabi says she's given up her useless effort to keep Sofía and Juan apart. She'll respect their decision to marry. That's it; Sofía is dismissed.

Sofía says it's nice of Gabi to let them be together since nobody can split them up. But she wants to know if it's true that Gabi made Ricardo kill Juan's parents."

Gabi says that when you're in love with someone the way she was in love with JJ Robles, you'll do anything. "But you should know that better than anyone, with all you've been through with Juan Reyes, right?" Sofía says she'd never make Juan commit a crime. Gabi says that emotion can cause you to surpass your own limits.

Sofi guesses that JJ rejected Gabi, and that's where her hate for him began. Gabi is speechless. Sofía tells her that Ricardo threatened to turn Gabi in if Sofi turns him in.

Gabi seems shocked by this twist, but is ready to use it to her advantage - she explains that this is why she asked Ricardo to stay - because if she displeases him, he'll turn her in. She lays an extra-thick guilt quilt on Sofía, saying that this is her big chance for revenge, for Sofía to show just how much she hates Gabriela. Sofía cries with denial, no I don't hate you, I love you, I'd do anything for you, I'll keep quiet in order to save you, even though my conscience will complain.

Gabriela puts on a stellar display of motherly contrition. "I never thought you could have compassion for me," she says. She takes Sofía's hands, "You're soooo good. The only thing I can do is ask forgiveness for all my offenses. Please forgive me for all the damage I've done." She asks Sofía to please stay at the hacienda until her wedding day.

Sofía tears up and thanks Gabriela. This is all she's ever wanted in her life. Gabriela hugs her and frowns over her shoulder. Ruth interrupts and sarcastically remarks, "What a moving sight, though I don't know who you're trying to fool." She asks Gabriela why she hasn't kicked Sofi out yet. Gabi defends Sofía and says she'll never kick her daughters out of this house. "But you did before - besides, you don't even like Sofía!" Gabi shushes her and tells her to be respectful to Sofía, or else she'll be sent to live int he cottage.

Ruth goes to her room, confused and angry. Feo's waiting for her. She explains that Gabi and Sofía offended her and she hates them both. He wants to know why she's so mad at her now when she admired her so much before. Ruth says Gabi treated her like a dog in order to get in good with Sofía. "You're jealous!" Feo taunts. She asks him to help her make Gabriela feel the way Gabi made Ruth feel. He recommends that they get rid of Gabriela in an "accident." Ruth will inherit everything. But first he'd like Ruth to sign a statement giving him half her fortune. She tells him he's crazy.

Juan contemplates a batch of conchas. They look a little like brains. Maybe these people have conchas for brains. That would explain a lot. He muses that he's got to get Sofía and his kids out of there and protect them.

Franco sneaks into Sarita's room. He wakes her with a kiss. We don't get to see much more, but we know there's more.

Ruth agrees to Feo's deal and asks him for the paper. He says he'll get it later. First they'll seal the deal with some rough sex.

Ricardo is on the prowl, dressed in black with his face covered; definitely the look of a low-tech Darth Vader. He remembers getting shot at by some unseen person (Coyote) and wonders who's this additional enemy he doesn't know about. Could be the person who helped Raquel escape; what wants to kill him, and why does he hate him?

Coyote brings Raquel home to Mom. "This woman is my mother. One more victim of Ricardo Uribe and Gabriela Acevedo." He kisses Mom's hand and she kisses his sweet shiny forehead.

Feo returns to his own room, where Gabriela is already asleep with a book in her hand. (Extraordinary Tales of Edgar Allan Poe - no doubt "The Tell-Tale Heart" is among them.) "Very soon you'll be sleeping forever," he thought-bubbles at her.

Eva dreams of talking to her better fake daughter, Rosario, in a flower garden. She explains that things aren't going well with her real daughter, Ruth, who rejected her. Rosario comforts her with a hug. Eva wakes up, begging Rosario not to leave. This wakes Quintina, who is wearing green socks with toes, and some randomly applied face cream. (Notice that even rumpled from sleep, Eva looks better with her hair down than in the ponytail.) Eva then describes the entire dream to her.

Q says it's a tough break that Rosario didn't turn out to be Eva's real daughter. Rosario was so nice, and Ruth is nasty like trichinosis. Like Ricardo. In fact, just today Quintina caught Ruth trying to gain Pablito's confidence, maybe trying to get some information. She's up to no good.

It turns out that the reason Rosario couldn't hang around with Eva is because she had an appointment to haunt Feo. "Do you remember me? You're going to pay for each and every one of your crimes." "Leave me alone! You're dead!" he cries, waking Gabi. "Get her away from me!" he begs. Gabi looks around, but doesn't see anyone. "Right there!" He points at the wardrobe. "It's Rosario! She's come for me, she wants revenge!" He can still hear her echoing accusations.

Gabriela realizes that Feo killed Rosario and Armando. He admits it, still staring in terror at the haunted wardrobe.

Darth Ricardo skulks around in Pablito's room, looking for that little box. His foot knocks a toy over; Pablito wakes, but pretends to be asleep as Ricardo searches all around his bed.

The boy follows Ricardo into the living room. Darth takes the Robles family crest off the wall and steps on it. He finds Pablito's little box inside Juan's big trunk. "Now I just have to find Raquel," Ricardo thought-bubbles.

But first he will have to get past Pablito, who demands an explanation. Ricardo shushes him, but this is not an obedient child. His screams of fury wake the entire house. He latches onto Ricardo's leg for dear life. Everyone rushes out to help - everyone except Oscar, who fumbles on the floor with his wheelchair and curses himself for being unable to defend the family. Slacker!

The grownups are too late - the masked man is gone. Juan rushes outside and takes a few shots at the departing shadow. At least one shot gets him in the leg. Darth Vader Uribe rides off into the darkness, and nobody knows it was him.

Mexico airdate: 10 de septiembre
Next time: Sofía tells Uncle Vinnie that Ricardo killed the Reyes' parents.

Labels: Fuego

Santa Cachucha! What an episode.
Melquíades is about to come into Meléndez' room through the window when Josefa comes in with a tray. Melquíades starts to go for Josefa with a knife but her screams bring the soldiers in and the opportunity is lost. No one sees Melquíades, apparently.

Santos says that he won't sign this blackmail (chantaje). DB says that she doesn't want to submit to blackmail either but they don't have a choice. Santos says that he's not going to stand around doing nothing while that gringo blackmails them out of what is theirs. He says that the first thing to do is to find a way to get out of this cellar because now Danger knows where they are hidden.

"Everything got messed up," says Marisela to Lucía because of gossip (chisme) by that airhead (cocatúa, a cockatoo), Federica Pernalete, do you know her?" Lucía grimaces and says that she knew Federica at school. "That harpy made up a story that Antonio got her pregnant so that he would marry her. My aunt is so stupid (tan boba) that she let him go. Then when she found out it was a lie, it was too late. She had married my father!" "How ridiculous," says Lucía, "marrying your father when she was in love with Antonio. Why did she do it?" "As if I knew!" says Marisela. "It's very complicated. My aunt is like like that. Good people sometimes complicate things. The thing is that they are very much in love and have been separated by stupidity (bobos) and pride (orgullosos).

Guerrero comes in to the room, determines that Meléndez is alive and asks Josefa what happened. He sends his men for the doctor.

DB tells Santos not to be obstinate. Everything will be all right if he lets her handle it. Santos says that he doesn't know what bothers him more: having her handle this or being blackmailed by that gringo. DB says that one day he will trust her. He signs the document.

Even being in the river doesn't relieve the itching in the private parts of Pajarote and María Nieves. The terneras add insult to injury by running up and stealing their clothes.

At El Miedo, DB is waiting for Melquíades to return. Eustaquia tries to get her to eat but she isn't interested. Eustaquia is worried that DB is going after Meléndez. DB says that Eustaquia was there when Meléndez hit her and threatened her and Santos. She can't permit that to happen. "I will kill him before he touches Santos or me," says DB.

Marisela tells Lucía that her aunt Cecilia married her father but they are like old friends who care a lot about each other. "And Antonio?" asks Lucía. (Cecilia overhears) "Antonio is very good and noble," says Marisela. "He continues to love my aunt, he adores her but he doesn't want anything to do with her. Lucia says that if it had been her, she wouldn't have let her man leave her for anything in the world. Marisela agrees. Lucía says that she would have fought to the end. She says that she likes Marisela a lot. She invites Marisela to visit her and says that she would like to meet Antonio's cousins and his father. Marisela says that she will like them. Lucía leaves. Marisela sees Cecilia and asks if she was listening. Cecilia says yes and Marisela says that she didn't say anything she wouldn't have said in Cecilia's presence. Marisela says that she likes Lucía and Cecilia says that she is very frank and intelligent and then, of course, she has to say that she and Antonio would make a nice couple. Marisela is indignant. "That's the limit!" she says.

Then she says something that I can't translate: "Por qué no le pones un lacito, la envuelves y se la llevas de regalo a Antonio?" "Why don't you put on/become a 'lacito,' wrap it ('la') up and sent it to Antonio as a gift." The adjective lacio means straight as in hair or can mean withered as in plants but it's not a noun, which seems to be how 'lacito' is used here. It's very possible that the titles got 'lacito' wrong but I can't guess what word they meant.

Dr. Arias examines Meléndez and finds that he is fine. He is just sleeping.

Federica starts to put her moves on Guererro who has come looking for Pernalete. Pernalete appears and Guerrero tells him that there is something going on with Colonel Melendez and it's urgent. He and Guerrero leave.

Melquíades returns to El Miedo. He tells DB that he failed her.

Dr. Arias says that Meléndez is under the effects of a powerful narcotic. He sends Josefa out to get some strong coffee for when Meléndez starts to wake up. When she has gone, he looks around the room for how the drug was administered and he finds the dart (dardo) from the blow gun on the floor. Dr. Arias remembers how Orestes Prieto died. He realizes that Orestes was killed by a dart like this just the way someone tried to kill the Colonel.

The rebels agree that they have to leave. Andrés is well enough to travel. Santos says that he knows someone who can help them escape.

DB and Melquíades-
DB: You have never failed me, Melquíades.
M: Mi Doña, I didn't think the woman would return to the room so soon. She started to yell. I was going to take care of Josefa with my knife when the soldiers came in. I couldn't do anything.
DB: Even the best hunter misses sometimes ('Al mejor cazador se le va una liebre,' 'The hare escapes from the best hunter'). We should have done it at night.
M: Day or night, that bastard Meléndez is surrounded by soldiers all the time. If we were going to kill him him, we had to do it once and for all.
DB: I don't want that accursed man to die so easily. I want him to die of fear looking at me like the others. He must suffer. He must suffer, brujeador.
Melquíades asks what she wants him to do now. She tells him to watch Santos. He is likely to do something crazy.
(Now it is clear that the reason Meléndez isn't dead is because DB wanted to be present when he was killed so Melquíades only put him to sleep and intended to bring him back to El Miedo.)

Melquíades goes to the cellar but Santos is gone.

Pernalete comes to Meléndez' room but Dr. Arias tells him that Meléndez is just drugged and there is nothing to be done until he wakes up. They leave Meléndez with Josefa. She makes sure he is really unconsicous and then kneels astride him and slaps him after every insult: "Filth (sucio). Batterer (maltratador). Dog (perro). Disgusting (asqueroso). Bad in bed (mala cama). Above all, bad in bed.

Pajarote and MN come out of the river wearing only their boots and strategically placed hats.

Pajarote asks MN how they can get back at the terneras. MN says that he doesn't want any part of it. He has enough to deal with with the itching (picazón) and the fact that Altagracia doesn't want to have anything to do with him ('no me quiera ver ni en pintura,' literally, 'she doesn't want to se me even in paint).

Juan Primito tells Cecilia and Marisela about what happened at El Miedo with Meléndez and DB. Marisela asks about Santos. JP says that he wasn't there then. JP says, "Don Santos probably was in the hiding place (el escondite) with the hidden-ones (los escondidos) whom no one can know that they are hidden. They are looking for the hidden-ones everywhere even under stones." Santos comes in. He embraces Marisela. He says that he can only stay a minute. He wants to see Lorenzo. While Melquíades listens outside the window, Santos tells Lorenzo about everything that happened at El Miedo and previously at the police station. Lorenzo now understands what Marisela wouldn't tell him. Lorenzo says that Santos has no alternative but to leave. Marisela comes in and says that she wants to go with him. Santos says no and that he will be back soon when things are calmer.

Guerrero voluntarily comes back to see Federica and she takes full advantage of the opportunity.

Pernalete is upset that he was forced to sign the denunciation of Santos. He says that both of them are in the mortuary chapel (capilla ardiente) . When DB finds out, she will flay (desollar) them alive. Pernalete says that he knows what DB does with traitors. Mujiquita says that he doesn't want to die in the jaws (fauces) of the one-eyed (tuerto) crocodile.

Santos tells Marisela that he will leave that night with the guys. He knows the terrain like the back of his hand. Lorenzo says that it is more dangerous for him to stay here. Santos puts Marisela in charge of the hacienda once again. Marisela asks how long he will be gone and Santos says that he doesn't know. He sends Marisela for Antonio.

Pernalete tells Mujiquita that he will tell DB that Melendéz deceived him. "Don't you mean, deceived us?" says Mujiquita and wonders if the excuse will work with DB. Dr. Arias comes in and asks to speak to Pernalete alone.

Santos meets Antonio and asks him to help Santos and the rebels escape. He says that he knows what he is asking is dangerous.

Josefa steals what money Meléndez has. "It's something," she says, "but in reality there isn't enough money that could pay for the grossness of having to sleep with you." Meléndez wakes up and Josefa pretends to be all concern. She tells him what Dr. Arias said happened to him and he concludes that someone tried to kill him.

Dr. Arias says that Orestes Prieto was murdered. Pernalete asks Dr. Arias where he got that idea? OP died of natural causes. That is what is on the death certficiate that Arias signed. Arias says that before he didn't have a logical cause of death but now he does. He asks Pernalete who uses weapons like the dart. "Indians," replies Pernalete. "And who is the only indian who could have projected a dart into OP?" asks Arias and answers his own question, "The only indian who could have launched a poison dart into OP is named, Melquíades." Pernalete asks how Arias knows that OP was hit by a poisoned dart and Arias says that he had a mark on his neck and the symptoms OP displayed were consistent with the poisons used by indians on poisoned darts. "Melquíades Gamarra, alias El Brujeador, is the murderer of Orestes Prieto," declares Arias, "and the intelligence behind it is your comadre, Bárbara Guaimarán." Pernalete tells Arias that they are political enemies but he doesn't want to see Arias with his mouth full of ants or eaten by piranhas. The best thing to do with this information is keep his mouth shut if he wants to keep on living.

Santos works out a plan of escape with Antonio. He asks Antonio if he understands the risk he is taking. Antonio says that in spite of their recent differences, they are brothers, brothers of the heart, which is more important than blood. Cecilia comes up and says that they are crazy to try and escape. She says that Colonel Meléndez soldiers could shoot them out of hand. Santos reassures her that nothing will happen [he is the star of the show after all]. He leaves. Antonio walks away and Cecilia follows.

DB tosses Danger's place looking for something that explains what is so valuable about La Chusmita. She finds some papers.

Cecilia runs up behind Antonio and asks if he is leaving without saying goodbye to her. "Did anyone ever tell you that when you are crying, you look very pretty," says Antonio. "No, no one has told me that," says Cecilia, "I will try and cry more then." He looks at her so tenderly

and asks about the baby. She tells him to be very careful. His child needs him. He asks how she is doing and she spoils it all by mentioning that Lucía was at Altamira and that she is in love with Antonio and asking if he is in love with her. "Cecilia," he says, "Right now I can't love anyone. Do you know why? Because in spite of everything, I can't get you out of my heart." They almost touch each other and I'm yelling at the TV to hold her, kiss her but Antonio says that he has to go get ready for ready for the night's activities and he leaves her standing there crying. Only someone deeply in love would say that crying makes Cecilia pretty because it doesn't.

Guerrero comes back to Meléndez' room from his quickie with Federica. Meléndez asks for a report on Santos' whereabouts but there is no news. Meléndez tells Guerrero that he is sure that DB tried to kill him. He doesn't know how she did it but she didn't succeed. He curses her and says that she won't get out of this.

DB is trying to read the paper she found in Danger's house but it is in English. Since we are English speakers, we see that our speculation that Danger has found oil at La Chusmita is correct. DB is badly educated and doesn't speak English and can't figure out what 'oil' means. Danger comes in and asks if she has brought the papers that she and Santos signed. She shows them to him but she won't give them to him unless Danger tells her what this is all about like the good business partners that they have always been.

Melquíades finds Santos and tells him that he has been following him.

Marisela comes to visit the terneras and asks Gervasia how the baby is doing. Genoveva asks why Marisela is so sad when she is usually as noisy (bulla) as a chattering parrot (cotorra parlanchina).

Gervasia says that Marisela has a lot on her mind and Genoveva tells her not to worry. The Virgin of the Bark will protect her. Someone is watching them through the leaves.

Danger pulls a gun on DB and says that he will take the papers from her dead hand. DB puts them in front of her chest. In his broken Spanish, Danger says that the one-eyed crocodile eats women, too. He knows all her secrets. He knows that she is a murderer.

Pernalete is fooling around with the dart.

He calls DB crafty (zorra) and says that he has no doubt that she killed Apolinar's son with this and used it on Meléndez. Either she kills Meléndez or he kills her. He doesn't understand why she didn't use the poison again. Meléndez comes in silently and asks what Pernalete is looking at so closely.

Melquíades says that he was following Santos on DB's orders. He mentions those with whom Santos spoke ending with the "pollita de Altamira," literally, "the baby chicken of Altamira" referring to Marisela. Santos tell him to be careful with his insinuations. Melquíades says that he doesn't know about insinuations but he is speaking to Santos man to man and if there is a pretty filly without a brand, he would wear out any bit (freno) or rope (reata) to mark her with his brand. Santos tells Melquíades that he is being disrespectful of him and his cousin. Melquíades says that he is talking about life, about how we men are. That even those who are saints (santos) make errors. Santos says he has gone too far. Melquíades apologizes ironically. Melquíades says that he is talking to him as a friend. That's how it will be while he is DB's love interest. The day that he stops being that, all bets are off.

DB laughs and says that she didn't know Danger hated her so much. He must have found a fortune in La Chusmita to have stayed around here hating them for so long. Danger takes her gun.

She asks if he is going to kill her. He says that he will if she wants. She says that it won't do for his documents to be covered in blood. Would he say it was tomato sauce? Because the only way she will give him the documents is if she is dead. She suggests that they could be partners. Danger says that she kills all her young partners. DB says that he doesn't understand. She can't forced to do something ("Con migo por las malas, no").

There is a shot and Danger falls down dead. BP has shot him. DB laughs.

Labels: barbara

Rebeca, frustrated at not seeing PJ/S around the Donoso house anymore, goes to see him at the factory. If he didn't want anyone to know that she had come, it probably didn't make a lot of sense for PJ/S to speak to her on what appears to be the main floor of the factory.

Here we see that PJ/S's vest is blue in the front and red in the back. Pretty cool.

Valeria get an anonymous gift of flowers. She thinks they are from PJ/S, of course, but they are from Simon who believes that Valeria is in love with him.

PJ/S comes to his trysting place to meet Isabel.

They have a glass of wine.

They have sex.

Isabel says that she loves PJ/S more ever day and wants to know about his past, etc. He is uncommunicative.

They are suprised by the unexpected return of Isabel's friend whose apartment this is. PJ/S thinks that this may cause problems for Isabel but Isabel swears that this woman whose name is Inidira, something like that, is a true friend. We know PJ/S is right to be concerned because this Inidira is Andés' lover.

Andrés tells Isabel that he won't stop being jealous of her until he stops loving her and he loves her more every day.

Labels: cuerpo

Rocío stalls Onelia and Balbina and sends them away from Blanca’s room and Viv’s corpse. Balbina encourages Onelia to go to bed, but she’s not having it. She wants to find Viv because she’s sure that she needs her mommy after fighting with Juanmi.

The hoodlums who are attempting to kidnap Marichuy’s baby are running into even more bad luck, first they can’t get the window open, then they have no success entering the room once they’ve broken the window, and now Mari and Cande are back in the room and feeding the baby. Cande notices that the window is broken and when Mica comes in to say good night, Cande sends her off to get the window repaired, because Marichuy is a little freaked out by the broken window and glass all over the floor. Meanwhile, Piraña tells his buddy that they’ll wait on the balcony until the chance to snatch the baby arrives.

Juanmi tries to reach passed Ivette and communicate with Blanca. He’s successful and Blanca is upset that her glasses are missing and she’s disturbed by the clothes she’s wearing. JM tries to break it to her that she’s suffering from multiple personalities. Then Blanca catches sight of Viv and asks if she’s dead. JM tells her yes and Blanca is upset, she repeats that it was her, it was her. No, JM tells her, it was Ivette. JM tells her that she’s a peaceful person, and it is really a rare thing to have another personality take over, but that’s what happened.

Leo comes to the room and checks out the broken window. He tells Mari that it will be fixed first thing in the morning. He then takes a look outside to see if he can see any danger, but the hoodlums are plastered against the side of the hacienda, so they aren’t seen. Still, Leo’s not one to take chances, he orders more guards in the garden and he has some of the handymen come up and board the window closed for the evening. Piraña and friend take off to the barn and Piraña has a hissy fit because he’s been thwarted once again.

JM lays Viv’s body in the bed and covers it with a sheet. Blanca is upset about the (figurative) blood on her hands. JM suggests Rocío take Blanca out of there and get her to rest. Rocío suggests that the police be called and that they tell Onelia what happened to her daughter. Neither one thinks for a minute that Blanca can slip back into Ivette form and once again pose a danger, but as you’ll see later, there isn’t a whole lot of rational thought going on in la casa de San Roman.

After the commercial break, JM has Rocío remove Ivette’s things and hid them in her room. He tells his sister that he’s going to avoid scandal, but that he’ll take care of things. JM leaves the room and asks Rocío to send Onelia to his home office. Once in his office, JM has a few moments of sadness at the manner in which Viv met her demise and then he laments over the baby that she was carrying. Onelia comes in and JM gives her the bad news. No puede ser!!, she cries. She runs out of the room searching for her daughter. JM follows and they run into Rocío and Balbina in the foyer. Rocío sends Balbina to keep Mayita occupied and then she takes Onelia to see Viv. Onelia weeps over her daughter’s body and then runs out of the room screaming : Murderer!! She finds JM and pounds on his chest accusing him of murdering her daughter. Rocío follows and tells JM to tell Onelia what really happened. JM tells Rocío to be quiet, he alone will fix things. Onelia demands to know what happened and why Viv’s body is in that woman’s bed.

Cande talks to Marichuy about finding out more about her parents. MC isn’t receptive to the idea. Cande asks if there is any way that Mari can forgive them and MC says nope. Cande says that Padre Anselmo mentioned that Mari’s mother is really suffering and MC says perhaps that’s the punishment for abandoning her when she was a baby.

Rocío yells at JM for not clearing up what really happened. She warns Juanmi that Onelia will most likely call the police and denounce him as Viv’s murderer. This gets no reaction from JM and Rocío says there is no way that she’s going to let her brother take the blame for what happened and no way she’ll let him go to jail for it. JM says that he’s doing what he has to, because at the base of it all, he’s to blame (stupid man). Rocío (our voice of reason in this episode) tells him he’s being absurd!

Cande suggests to Marichuy that it would be nice to introduce her parents to their grandson. MC isn’t in favor of the idea. Cande suggests that MC sleep on it.

Back in DF—Amador meets with Isa and Stefi. They discuss how the kidnapping is progressing and how soon they can get to the pueblo. Amador says that traveling there is difficult because there are some serious storms in the area. Stefi mentions that Viv is getting anxious to have everything worked out because she’s afraid that JM will end up finding out that he’s got a kid with MC. They end up discussing a test—can I assume that they are going to attempt to pass the baby off as Viv’s? and that these tests are going to be paternity tests that Viv will fix? Anyway, Amador questions if Viv will be successful with whatever their plan is and Stefi says that Viv is a woman who’s capable of getting anything accomplished (not any more).

Marichuy daydreams of happy times with her and JM with their baby. After her fantasy, she flashes back to the last time she saw JM and how he told her to go away.

JM apparently has called Eduardo for some help because he’s arrived at the house first thing in the morning. JM starts to psycho-babble to Ed about defense mechanisms and disassociate disorders. JM ends up telling Ed that he found Viv dead and that it was Ivette, Blanca’s dual personality, standing over her with a bloody dagger.

Stefi goes to the San Roman house and when she asks for Viv, Balbina tells her that there’s no way she can talk to her.

Onelia is back sobbing over Viv’s body and Stefi enters the room. Stefi demands to know what happened and Onelia tells her that JM killed her. Stefi asks if Onelia is sure and Onelia says he admitted it (okaaay???), then she goes on about how she accused him and he didn’t deny it (there is some really skewed logic on this show). Onelia swears that JM will pay for his crime.

JM mentions Viv’s pregnancy to Ed and Ed questions if it were real (thank you!). Ed asks more questions, such as where is the body? What’s going to happen with Mayita? JM asks Ed to take Mayita away for awhile and Ed agrees to have her go visit his aunt in Acapulco. Ed says that this is only a stall tactic, JM’s going to have to fill Mayita in on what happened with her mother. JM then tells Ed that he intends to take the blame for Viv’s death. Ed tells him that’s crazy.

Onelia tells Stefi she’s called the police. They arrive downstairs at that moment and Balbina goes to tell JM. JM meets them in the foyer and they inform JM they got a call from Onelia regarding her daughter’s death and that Onelia’s blamed JM. Juanmi flashes to Ed telling him “that’s crazy”, to Blanca blaming herself, and to Mayita giving him a hug. END OF EPISODE.

alimentar- to feed
apacible- peaceful
colocar- (en lugar) to put or place
desalmado/a- cruel, heartless
manchado/a - stained
sosegar- to calm
tablón- plank
vidrio- glass

Labels: Cuidado

December 29

Santos demands that Meléndez release Marisela or he will shoot. Meléndez says that Santos isn't a killer. Santos replies that he will drill Meléndez full of holes for Marisela. Meléndez asks in what capacity Santos is speaking, as a boyfriend or father? With what right does he come and to speak to Meléndez that way? Santos replies that he has the right to defend a woman from a man like him. Meléndez lets Marisela go and asks what Santos is going to do now - shoot the four of them? If he does so, he will be shot the next day.

DB tells Cecilia that Marisela needs to leave the Arauca to see the world and forget her family - DB, her father. "And Santos," says Cecilia. "Especially Santos," says DB. She tells Cecilia that Santos is the first man to open Marisela's eyes as a woman. She and Cecilia know that the first love isn't the only one or the most important. "You fear her that much," says Cecilia. "That much," replies DB.

Pajarote thinks that María Nieves' desire to learn to read and write and create poems is ridiculous. He should forget about Altagracia and be like Pajarote - a different woman every day. Carmelito comes in and says that he agrees with MN. Further, he will go to school with him. When Pajarote asks why, Carmelito says that doesn't want his son to think he is a dummy (burro). "What's wrong with being a dummy?" says Pajarote.

DB says that she doesn't fear her daughter who is still a child but she fears the woman that she will become. She says that is the problem. Every days she finds Marisela becoming more and more like her and that isn't good. Cecilia says that DB doubts Santos. DB says that even though Santos is the best man in the world, he is still a man. DB says that she doesn't want to start a fight like she had with Luisana. Cecilia accuses DB of having maternal feelings for Marisela. DB says she doesn't know but she doesn't want to hurt her daughter anymore than she already has. DB asks Cecilia if she will help her. Cecilia says that she can speak the absolute truth - for the first time, she would like to help DB but she can't. Only Marisela can command the feelings in her heart.

Meléndez tells Santos that he is condemning himself to death. He has witnesses that Santos threatened him with death. Santos tells Marisela to leave. She doesn't want to but he insists. She starts to leave but Guerrero grabs her. Santos says that if Meléndez will let Marisela go, he will turn himself in. Meléndez won't deal while Santos is pointing the pistol at him so Santos puts it down. At that moment, another guard comes in. Guerrero grabs his gun and points it at Santos. Meléndez orders Santos and Marisela arrested for contempt, kidnapping and attempted murder. Santos is outraged that Meléndez refuses to release Marisela and says that he has no honor. Meléndez says that he doesn't understand what honor is.

DB tells Cecilia that it is strange that they have suceeded in reaching an understanding even though Cecilia detests her. Cecilia says DB has done some detestable things but she doesn't detest her. Cecilia says that something has changed in DB. DB suggests jokingly that Santos' love has turned her into a saint. At this point, Juan Primito bursts in and tells DB that Marisela was arrested and Santos went to town to get her out. DB tells Cecilia not to worry. She will get Santos and Marisela out whatever it takes.

In their jail cell, Santos tells Marisela that this is the result of her not paying attention to what he told her. Marisela asks him to forgive her. Santos says that it isn't a matter of forgiveness. She has to think before acting. He told her not to leave Altamira so that she wouldn't get into problems like this. Santos guesses that she was going to see Gonzalo. She replies that she knows she is stupid but she just wanted to bring food to the guys. She didn't want to cause any problems least of all for him. He holds her and Marisela says that she was terrified they were going to kill him. If anything happened to him, she would die.

Lorenzo asks where Marisela has been all day. Cecilia lies badly. Lorenzo asks what she is hiding from him. Cecilia says that it is nothing. Marisela will be back soon and he should rest.

Meléndez is yelling that Santos threatened him and swears that he will 'disappear' Santos (in Latin America, 'desaparacer' can be used as a transitive verb generally applied to political dissidents.) DB comes in and tells him not to swear in vain. Meléndez says that he has witnesses to the fact that Santos threatened him and held a pistol to his head. DB says that Santos is a man of peace and wouldn't threaten anyone without reason. Meléndez says that Santos and Marisela are in prison and they'll stay there for threatening the authorities and complicity with the rebels. DB tells Pernalete and Mujiquita to leave. Meléndez says that he gives the orders. DB asks if he is afraid to be alone with her or does he prefer that she speak in front of them. Meléndez tells them to leave. DB tells Melendez to let Santos and Marisela go. They had an agrement that he wouldn't mess with what is hers in return for her not going public with his past. Meléndez tells her that she doesn't know who she is dealing with. He has power and knows important people. DB tells him to put it to the test. She says that she suspects that he has a lot of enemies in the government. Meléndez says that he will release Marisela but not Santos. DB won't accept that. She says that Santos and Marisela must be released or she will destroy him.

Evidently, Meléndez blinked because he releases Santos and Marisela but he says that Santos will regret it. Santos tells Meléndez that he can't put on a uniform just to threaten and to abuse the power he is given. Meléndez says that Santos threatened him in front of witnesses. He will be waiting.

Santos asks DB how she got him out of jail. He recognizes that Marisela is a minor but for him, what? DB says that she threatened Meléndez with abuse of a minor. She says that she knows how to deal with people like Meléndez. Once again, Santos asks if DB has something on Meléndez or knew him from before. She doesn't answer but asks to take Marisela back to Altamira so she can talk to her. Santos leaves without a word.

DB starts by scolding Marisela for getting everyone in trouble but backs off when Marisela says that she just wanted to bring a cake to the guys. "You wanted to see Gonzalo?" she asks. Marisela asks DB not to take it wrong or get mad but were she and Meléndez lovers? DB replies that she has only had two loves, not men, which isn't the same. The first was Asdrúbal, a good boy and this one, her grand love, the man of her life, her Santos Luzardo.

Santos comes into the bar in the hotel and sits down with Antonio. Antonio says that he looks like he has a lot of problems and asks if he wants a beer. Santos says no, if he drinks when he is as furious as he is, he will lose his head. He needs to have a clear head. He tells Antonio about what happened with Marisela and Meléndez. Antonio asks how come he isn't in jail. Santos says it was DB. Santos is upset that he went against his principles and used violence. Antonio says that with people like Meléndez and Pernalete, you don't get anywhere by being nice. Santos says that everything is going wrong at the same time: DB only does what she wants to; Marisela is getting in trouble; Lorenzo's health is getting worse every day; the hacienda isn't progressing and there's something he hasn't told Antonio. Santos says that he is sure that DB and Meléndez knew each other in the past. He says that he has to find out the secret that they share.

DB brings Marisela back to Altamira and Cecilia is relieved to see her. Marisela goes to see her father and Cecilia warns her not to say anything to him about what happened. Cecilia thanks DB for what she did. DB asks Cecilia once again to help Marisela forget about Santos. She says that it's a crime that Marisela is waiting around for crumbs of affection from Santos when he will never love her as a woman because the only woman for him is DB.

Santos tells Antonio that he knows that DB loves him. Antonio asks if Santos loves DB. Santos says that he cares about her but he can't believe her because she is lying all the time and hiding part of the truth. It's the lack of faith in her that's killing him. Santos says that sometimes she seems to be monster capable of doing anything to get what she wants and at other times she is fragile, loving and needs affection. Antonio says that Santos knows what he thinks of that woman. He has heard too much to have confidence in her. Danger comes into the bar. He tells Santos that saw him stolling romantically with Dr. Arias last night under the full moon.

The notary that DB left her accusation with is arrested.

DB tells Melquíades that Meléndez has become too dangerous to her and especially to Santos. It would have been better to have more time to plan but they have to play with the bad cards they've been dealt. Melquíades says that she doesn't have to say more. What does she want him to do? DB says that she can't contain Meléndez any more. They will have to act. He should get ready. Melquíades says that Meléndez is always surrounded by a lot of soldiers. They will have to hit him silently so that death comes without him realizing what happened. DB says that she has a plan. Meléndez' hour has come.

Danger tells Santos says that DB has told him not to tell anyone about what he saw and he won't. Santos asks why he is talking about it then. Danger tells him that DB promised to give him La Chusmita. Santos is annoyed. He says that the ownership of La Chusmita has been in litigation since the time of his father. It never belonged to El Miedo. Danger says that if DB can't give it to him then Santos has to.

Marisela tells her father that she is afraid for him, for Santos for the guys, for everything and she doesn't like living with this fear.

Cecilia runs into Lucía and Don Encarnacíon. Lucía mentions that she asked to visit Cecilia. Meanwhile Federica and Josefa see them talking. Federica recognizes Lucía and says that she thought she was dead in the Capital. She says that Lucía was very ill when she was a little girl.

Genoveva decides to take a shower outside because it is so hot. Pajarote is hanging around and he says he has a surprise for her.

Santos returns to El Miedo and yells furiously for DB. He yells at her for promising to give La Chusmita to Danger.

Pajarote dangles a snake in front of Genoveva while she is in the shower. She reacts as you would expect.

DB points out correctly to Santos that Danger knows everything and has them by the short and curlies. She had no choice but to agree to give him La Chusmita. Santos admits that he was wrong [duh]. DB smiles and says that he had a bad day. Santos says that he likes it when she looks at him like that. "Like what?" asks DB. Santos says that she looks tamed (mansa), as if she has been domesticated. She tells him that only he can tame her wild beasts (fieras) and she is eating out of his hand.

Guerrero tells Meléndez that he has good news. They found the notary where DB left her information and detained him. "I've got you, Barbarita," says Meléndez, "I've got you."

In the cellar, Andrés is feeling a lot better. He doesn't know where he is so the other rebels tell him and say that the situation outside is very bad. There are soldiers everywhere searching for them. Gonzalo thinks that they should think about leaving. It's becoming too dangerous. He wonders what is going on outside, why Marisela hasn't come back.

Outside, Melquíades is supervising the movement of a large freezer. Leon and Tigre ask why the Doña needs one and Melquíades tells them not to ask questions.

Santos tells the rebels what happened with him, Marisela, Meléndez and DB. The fact that Santos and his family have been put at such risk makes it clear to the rebels that they have to leave.

DB is relaxing when first Juan Primito and then Melquíades comes to say that Meléndez has come. DB sends Melquíades to warn Santos and cover any trace of the entrance. Meléndez and his soldiers come in. DB says that he who has nothing to hide has nothing to fear. She says that there is nothing at El Miedo but cows and horses. Meléndez says that he doesn't believe her. He orders his men to search the place inch by inch.

In church, Cecilia prays that the soldiers leave forever. She prays to the Virgin for the child she is carrying; to watch over Lorenzo who is so sick. She prays that Santos and Marisela find their way to happienss and she prays for her Antonio. She says that she loves him and even though he isn't for her, she prays that he will be happy and that one day he forgive her. As she leaves the Church, she sees Antonio there with DE and Lucía. When DE and Lucía come out of the church, Federica comes up to Lucía and reminds her that they were in school together in San Fernando. Federica asks why they were with Antonio. When Lucía asks if Federica knows Antonio, Federica replies that he is a bad person. He got her pregnant and left her just like the got the 'vieja' at Altamira pregnant.

Lorenzo says that he wants to talk to Marisela about her birthday.

The soldiers are trashing El Miedo.

Melquíades comes to the cellar and tells Santos and the rebels not to move. The soldiers have come.

Just as Melquíades is covering up the entrance to the cellar, Meléndez and the soldiers come in. Meléndez asks what this room is for. DB says that it for the animal feed. There is only equipment and fodder here. Meléndez says that he doesn't believe her. He tells the soldiers to seach everything. Meléndez tells DB that she is going to lose everything. The notary that she entrusted her papers with has been found. He says that once again she is in his hands.

December 30

In the presence of the searching soldiers, DB yells at Meléndez to kill her just like he did to her father. Meléndez tells her to be quiet.

In the cellar, Santos says that DB might be in danger and he wants to leave the cellar. Gonzalo points out correctly that if he does that, they will all lose, including DB.

DB keeps throwing accusations at Meléndez and then she knees him in the crotch and runs out of the room and back into the main room of the house. She tells her men to be quiet. Meléndez comes in pointing a gun at her. She tells him to hit her just like he and four others did before. Melquíades is watching from outside. Meléndez does hit her.

Marisela tells Lorenzo that she doesn't like her birthday because it brings bad memories of not receiving any gifts when she was a child. Lorenzo says from now on they will celebrate all her birthdays because life has to be celebrated with happiness and hope because it is so beautiful and so short at the same time. He says that this year she will receive many gifts even if DB doesn't fulfill her promise to hand over El Miedo. Marisela says that she doesn't care about that. Lorenzo says that she has to be happy because she will be the mistress of her own life. Marisela asks what that means. Lorenzo says that it means that she she will assume responsibilities and no one can tell her what to do. Marisela says that the only thing she wants is for Lorenzo to be ok. He says that he is ok and is so proud of her.

DB keeps provoking Meléndez. She asks if it makes him feel macho to abuse a woman. She demands that he tell everyone there the story of his being a murderer, thief and rapist. "Tell your men about your great deeds!" says DB. She knees him the crotch again.

Lucía can't believe that Antonio got Federica and Cecilia pregnant. Federica repeats that it is true. She claims that Antonio courted her and they were engaged and he only left her when he found out she was pregnant. Federica tells Lucía to ask around and she will find out that Antonio is a bad guy.

Don Encarnación tells Antonio that Lucía is the most important thing in his life and there is nothing that he wouldn't do for her. When she was little, she was very ill and on the point of death. She needed a kidney transplant and he didn't hesitate to give her one of his. He would give her his heart if she needed it. She is his treasure. DE says that he knows his daughter and that she is interested in Antonio. He doesn't want her to suffer. DE says that he doesn't have any problem if they are a couple because Antonio is a gentlemen but he doesn't want Lucía to be hurt. Antonio tells DE that he isn't in love with Lucía. He offers to resign if that would prevent misunderstandings. Lucía comes up behind him and coldly says that won't be necessary. She admits that she fell in love with him by herself and she will fall out of love the same way.

DB keeps provoking Meléndez and he hits her again.

Danger has some papers drawn up.

The guys in the cellar can tell that the action has moved away from the room with the trap door but Gonzalo tells Santos that they can't leave until they are told it is ok.

Melquíades is about to use his blowgun on Meléndez when DB staggers over and tells him not to do it here.

Again, something was cut because after the credits, we have DB holding a knife to Meléndez' throat and he is holding a gun to Melquíades' head. DB says that they were looking for rebels and they didn't find any so they should leave her hacienda. Meléndez orders that the hacienda be sealed off. No one may leave or enter. They are looking for Santos who is accused of making death threats on Meléndez. Meléndez and his men leave.

Danger tells BP that everything is going well and he asks BP to drink with him.

Meléndez returns to the police station and tells Pernalete that DB and Melquíades tried to kill him. He tells Guererro that he wants 24 hour security at the hotel. Meléndez sends Pernalete for Mujiquita and says to himself that he can't do it in public. He needs to get DB alone like before. He says that Santos and she are going to pay him with their lives.

Eustaquia is cleaning up DB. She asks why DB provoked Meléndez. DB replies that it was the only way to prevent the rebels from being discovered. Eustaquia says that they owe her their lives. DB says that she will make Meléndez regret that he was born. Melquíades comes in. He says that there are soldiers all around the hacienda. DB tells him to wait until after dark and bring food to the rebels but not let Santos out of the basement. She doesn't want him to see her like this. DB asks Eustaquia to leave and she knows what that means. She begs DB not to mess with that man.

Meléndez makes Mujiquita sign the accusation against Santos. To himelf, Mujiquita says that he is a Judas who is betraying his friend in the worst way.

The soldiers come looking for Santos at Altamira but Cecilia tells them that he isn't there. Marisela is snarky with Guerrero but Lorenzo comes down, apologizes for the impetuousity of his daughter and says he will do what he can to help them.

Santos comes out of the cellar and sees that DB has been beaten up. He guesses that it was Meléndez and is all agitated and grabs DB's gun.

Guerrero reports to Meléndez that Santos has disappeared. Meléndez is angry and tells Guerrero that Santos must be with the rebels. He says that Santos threatened his life but he isn't that easy to kill. They will die first.

Santos says that he will kill Meléndez but DB tells him to leave it. Does he want to be killed? She would be left defenseless if he is taken. She says that if Meléndez kills him, everything she did will be for nothing. "You provoked him, right?" asks Santos. DB says that it was the only alternative she had. They were about to discover the hidden door. She tells Santos that he has to be more civilized than ever. He can't go crazy because she needs him. Santos calls her his woman of iron, his courageous woman and a wild beast.

Mujiquita is drowning his sorrows in drink with Antonio. He says that Santos will never forgive him. He is the worst thing in Progresso. He says that he is worse than Judas Iscariot who sold our Lord for 3o pieces of silver. He points at Josefa who is fooling around with Meléndez at the bar and Antonio tries to quiet him down. Josefa leads a drunk Meléndez out of the bar and says it is time for them to relax. We see that Melquíades is in the bar. I guess he knows how to get out of El Miedo without being seen.

The next morning Santos and DB are in bed. He asks if she realizes that he will have to leave with the rebels. He is a danger to her and everyone. DB says that he can never leave her. They will be together until the end of the world.

The terneras are doing the laundry by beating it on rocks in the river! The general sentiment is that Pajarote and the snake was a joke and Genoveva shouldn't be so offended. She, however, wants revenge. Marisela is nearby and the terneras ask her for an idea to make Pajarote look foolish. She suggests rubbing his clothes with the Pica Pica plant that grows near their house. (Wikipedia says that the term Pica Pica is used commonly to refer to various plants that cause skin irritation.)

Marisela tells Cecilia that she is worried about Santos. Meléndez is very dangerous. Cecilia reassures Marisela that Santos is smarter than Meléndez and he's a lawyer, too. Marisela says that of course Santos can defend himself with words but what about against bullets? Marisela tells Cecilia that she is also worried about her father. He has been very nice to her almost as if he were saying goodbye. She asks Cecilia if Lorenzo is going to die. Cecilia tells her not to think about such things. She has been very tense and stressed out with all that has happened. Lucía drops in for a visit.

The terneras put the Pica Pica plan into operation with Pajarote and María Nieves' underwear.

Lucías tries to get Cecilia to talk about Antonio but she refuses to gossip.

Pajarote and MN put on their clothes including the treated shorts. Pajarote thinks that learning to read and write is useless in getting women. Women like their men to be animals.

Danger brings the property transfer document to DB. She says that it is very well prepared. Danger refuses to tell her who wrote it. She says that her signature on the document is worthless since the property has been disputed in court for years. Danger asks if she will get Santos to sign it. DB asks what he wants with the property. There is only quicksand and weeds there. Danger says first that he wants it for sentimental reasons but DB isn't buying. Danger says that he will invest some money in the place and sell it. He is only interested in money. He reminds her that the gift of the property is to buy his silence for what he saw. DB says that she will keep the papers and get Santos to sign. Tomorrow, La Chusmita will be his.

The Pica Pica has the desired effect on Pajarote and María Nieves much to the amusement of the terneras.

DB sends for BP and she tells him that Danger came and told her that it was he who was interested in getting the reward for betraying Santos. BP swears that he would never betray her and DB says that she believes him and that he is incabable of betraying her. (The actor who plays BP is so good.) She asks if anything unusual has been happening at La Chusmita. BP says that Danger was there with some gringos. DB asks what they were saying and BP says that he doesn't know. They were talking gringo. When they left, Danger was very happy and said things like 'I am rich.' BP says that he was too happy.

Mujiquita is terribly hung over in the bar of the hotel when Josefa comes down and starts ordering the staff around. Mujiquita protests but Josefa says that she is the Colonel's woman now - the 'Coronela.' Meanwhile Melquíades, who I guess has been standing in the bar all night, slips out.

Lucía takes her leave of Cecilia. Marisela offers to show her out. She tells Lucía that she knows this wasn't a courtesy visit. If Lucía wants information, she can ask Marisela. Lucía says ok and asks Marisela what is the relationship between Antonio Sandoval and Cecilia.

DB comes into the basement where Gonzalo is pacing like a caged lion. She needs to talk to Santos. She says that Danger brought this document to Santos and he has to sign it. She says that it is a false sale ('venta falsa') of the land around La Chusmita. She says Danger gave her an ultimatum. Either sign or he will tell Meléndez what he saw.

Meléndez wakes up hung over. He calls for Josefa. Melquíades is outside the window with his blowgun. He shoots a dart at Meléndez. [Let's hope that Dr. Arias is as clueless about what is wrong with Meléndez as he was about Orestes Prieto and the Meléndez has a long horrible death.]

Labels: barbara

Melquíades alerts DB to the fact that Meléndez has come into room. She lowers her hand from Marisela's cheek. DB tells Melquíades to take Marisela back to Altamira. Marisela says that she doesn't want to go without her friends. DB tells her to leave that to her. She will make sure that they all return to Altamira right away. DB asks Marisela to remember what she said. They have to keep Santos out of trouble. Marisela nods and leaves with Melquíades.

Santos tells the rebels that Dr. Arias has risked a lot in coming to see Andrés. Dr. Arias says that Andrés is having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic but he can treat that.

Danger finds the entrance to the tunnel. He says that DB is crazy for Santos but this is a secret that he is going to keep. He will get paid for it later.

Lucía asks Antonio what is going on. He says that this isn't going to happen. He has had enough of spoiled and flighty girls like her. Lucía says that it was just a kiss. She couldn't help herself. Antonio tells her to find someone else because she isn't going to play with him. Lucía asks who is the other 'crazy woman' he referred to. She guesses that it is Cecilia.

DB tells one of Pernalete's men that if the drunk soldiers haven't been arrested, the Altamira folk should be released. Meléndez comes in and says that he has conducted an investigation and the Altamira folk should be released because the soldiers were drunk.
"Barbarita," says Meléndez, "I saw you with your daughter. Tender (tierno)!, Very tender. And I'm thinking which one is better, the mother or the daughter. Or should I take both ('me quedo con las dos')? DB turns to leave. "You forgot to thank me," says Meléndez.

DB leaves without a world. "Both of you will pay ('Las cobro')," says Meléndez.

Dr. Arias says that Andrés has responded very well to his treatment and he will be ok. The doctor has to go back to town.

Cecilia gives Lorenzo a glass of something and tells me that he is tired and should go to bed. "This is how it should always have been ('Así debió haber sido siempre')," says Lorenzo.

Antonio reluctantly confirms that Cecilia was the woman who destroyed his life and love. He says that it is over between them. Lucía replies that if it is really over between him and Cecilia, why can't he find a new love or is he still in love with Cecilia? Antonio denies that he is in love with anyone. He offers her his friendship but right now, he doesn't want anything to do with love. He leaves and Lucía says that something happened with that woman and she is going to find out what it was.

Cecilia sits down with Marisela and asks what is going on and why Melquíades brought her home. She tells Cecilia about how they got into a fight with the drunken soldiers and everyone was arrested except her because DB got her away.

Santos returns to El Miedo after taking Dr. Arias back to town. He ask Eustaquia where DB is. She tries to lie but he guesses that DB went to town against his orders. He is angry.

Marisela tells Cecilia that there's more. "La Doña was very strange. She took me by the hands and seemed worried about me. She sent Melquíades with me to watch out for me on the road."
"Bárbara Gjualmarán is an enigma," says Cecilia, "A woman who is appears to be very evil but once in a while, when one least expects it, does something good."
"Yes," says Marisela, "I also felt that she was two people. I saw in her eyes that she was really worried about me. She asked me to watch out for this disgusting guy, because she said... she said that this Meléndez is disgusting. She doesn't trust him, Aunt. This has to stay between us, only between us, ok?" Cecilia agrees. "She thinks that this pig has bad intentions towards me. She said that he was her enemy and I had to watch out for him." Cecilia says since she has been warned, she should be very careful. "This time," says Cecilia, "you should do what your mother says."

Meléndez comes into his room at the hotel and finds Josefa in his bed. He first tells her to leave but she flatters him about how good it was the last time (while she makes a face behind his back)

and this time it will be better. She can also continue to talk about DB.

DB comes back to El Miedo and Santos angrily asks where she was. She says that she couldn't stand around and do nothing while Meléndez could grab him. That was why she followed him to town. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I did. I should have done what you told me but I couldn't.
"'Sorry,' 'should have,'" says Santos, " You always find a way to justify what you do but you never do what you promise." "Please," says DB, "understand that I am not a woman who sits around quietly. I am used to moving around, finding solutions. If you are annoyed with me, you are completely correct and I make my apologies. But in the final analysis, what I did behind your back helped you a lot. I found my daughter in town involved in a big problem."
Santos urgently asks what happened to Marisela. "Marisela matters to you, doesn't she?" says DB, "she matters more to you that I do." [That's pure jealousy talking. Santos knows DB is all right.]
[Something got skipped here. After the commercial, it started with DB in mid sentence.] DB seems to be justifying what she did for Marisela. Santos asks how they got involved with the soldiers. Are they crazy? Then DB tells him that she got all the Altamira folks released from prison. "So in the end, it wasn't such a bad thing ('no fue en balde,' I'm guessing here. Literally, it means, 'it wasn't in a bucket') that I went to town. Santos apologizes for getting all worked up but he says that she keeps getting carried away by anger, by jealousy. DB says that it is true, she has behaved like a crazy person but she says she went to town because she was afraid. If something happens to him, she says that she will die. They kiss.

The next morning DB wakes up and speaks to the sleeping Santos. "What is happening to me?" she says, "I didn't know love would be this way." In his dream, Santos says his name for Marisela, 'my sunshine.' DB curses the fact that Santos says Marisela's name but she notes that although he is dreaming of Marisela, he is doing it in her bed, with her.

Marisela brings Lorenzo's breakfast to his bed. She asks why he didn't come down and eat with them as he usually does. Is he ok? Lorenzo say that he woke up a little lazy and wants to spend the day in bed reading and writing. Marisela asks if she is sure that is all. He tells her not to look at him with such concern. The only thing he has is a little fatigue. He tells her that he isn't going to die - at least not right now.

DB and Eustaquia-
DB: Santos is dreaming of Marisela, vieja.
E: Are you sure?
DB: Completely. He called her name in his dreams and he's done it before. I'm dying of jealousy.
E: She's your daughter. That man loves you. He is with you. He left everything to love you. What more do you want to be secure? You don't have any reason to be jealous of a dream.
DB: I know that I don't but I can't avoid it. I'm jealous of my daughter. What is happening to me, vieja? Why am I so insecure with Santos Luzardo?
E: Because you've never really loved before, mi hija.
DB: Yes, I am so afraid of losing him, vieja.

Danger comes in. He says that he has to talk to DB.

Eustaquia brings the rebels their breakfast. They tell her that Gonzalo had another attack of claustrophobia and went outside. We see Gonzalo narrowly miss being seen by soldiers patrolling the riverbank.

Danger tells DB that last night he saw Santos and Dr. Arias disappear by the kapok tree. He can put two and two together and he has figured out that DB and Santos are harboring the rebels. DB denies it and Danger accuses her of lying. He says that he is her friend and they have watched each other's backs. He says that he has come to tell her that Santos is being watched and that there is a reward for anyone who can prove that Santos is hiding the students. Danger tells her that BP and her men (Tigre and Leon) think that there is something very suspicious going on at El Miedo. DB asks why he is telling her this if BP is living at his house. She asks what he wants. Danger says that he does want something - La Chusmita. He says that DB owes him La Chusmita. [Interesting. We recall that La Chusmita is the hut where DB sent Lorenzo and Marisela to live when she threw them out of El Miedo. We know from Novelera's posting on the novel that the ownership of La Chusmita has been disputed between Altamira and La Barquereña since the time of Santos' and Lorenzo's fathers and that an argument about a cow stuck in quicksand there resulted in Santos' father killing Lorenzo's father.]

Santos sure likes to scold people. He is chewing Gonzalo out for risking everything by leaving the cellar. Gonzalo says that being locked up in the cellar is driving him crazy. He is a man of action. Santos asks Gonzalo if he remembers a José Martí that he liked so much. Gonzalo isn't sure and Santos quotes poetry: (my attempt at a literal translation) "In silence he had to be. Because there are things, to achieve them, they had to be hidden." ("En silencio ha tenido que ser. Porque hay cosas que, para lograrlas, han de estar ocultas." For more information on José Martí, the Cuban poet and revolutionary, see the Wikipedia entry.) Gonzalo says that he remembers. Santos says that being in hiding doesn't mean he is less courageous. "This country doesn't need more martyrs," says Santos, "We want you alive and healthy."

Meléndez gets a progress report from his lieutenant, Guerrero. Guerrero says that there is no news on the seach for the notary and that it seems like the earth has swallowed up the rebels. Meléndez suddenly remembers that during the revolution, many landowners in this area dug cellars to store arms and jewelry. He is sure that the rebels are hiding in a cellar. Guerrero asks if Meléndez thinks that the rebels could be in a cellar at Altamira. "Or at El Miedo," replies Meléndez.

Marisela is making a banana cake ('pastel de plátano') to bring to El Miedo. Casilda is suspicious about why Marisela is making such a large cake and asks what mischief she is getting into, now. Marisela says that she wants everyone to know that she is a good cook. Casilda replies that she thinks that Marisela is up to something.

Now Santos is scolding the terneras and the Altamira vaqueros for going to town and getting into trouble. He forbids them to go to Progresso when the soldiers are there. "Even to visit the whorehouse?" asks Pajarote. "No way," replies Santos. He asks who started the fight and they all answer that it was Marisela. Santos asks where Marisela is but nobody knows. She didn't come to go to school with them.

Marisela is at an army checkpoint on her way to bringing the cake to El Miedo. Marisela is snarky. The soldiers order her to get out of the truck.

DB lays into Tigre and Léon. She calls them a bunch of rustlers (cuatreros), cowards (cobardes) and cheats (tramposos). She says that she knows everything and will never forget. She turns her back and what do they do? They scheme (confabularse) with BP against her. She says that they owe their freedom to her. If it weren't for her, they would be rotting in jail. And this is how they repay her. Léon claims what she was told is a lie. DB grabs him and says that if he betrays her, he will pay with his life. Léon says that there are rumors around. "But Balbino Paiba said it, not me," says Léon, "that Doctor Santos Luzardo is the ringleader (cabecilla) of the rebels and they have to watch him. That if we catch him redhanded ('con las manos en la masa', literally, 'with his hands in the dough'), we will get a reward. DB goes back to cursing them: dimwits (torpes), girly men ('poco hombre'), vermin (sabandijas). "I'm going to kill you, Balbina Paiba," says DB, "I'm going to make you eat your own entrails."

The soldiers find and confiscate (incautar) Marisela's cake claiming that they are checking to see if contains any prohibited items and finally they arrest her. The ubiquitous Juan Primito sees this.

Altagracia reads her essay in class. It appears to be a poetic description of a horse. María Nieves is listening outside and remembering Altagracia asking why he doesn't write her a poem.

BP is harassing an animal, probably a jaguar, in a cage at Danger's house when DB comes up behind him and puts a knife to his throat.

She says that with one movement of her hand she will send him to the other world if it exists. She tells him not to mess with her man if he doesn't want to wake up with a mouth full ants. She says that killing him is the least of what he deserves. "You know," says DB, "that Melquíades is an expert in castrating bulls to make them into steers (buey), right? Do you want to be a steer?" She suggests that he forget Santos and the reward that has been offered. If not, he will find out about what happens to the little bull (torito).

Santos is looking for Marisela and Casilda says that she went out. Casilda says that she is worried about Lorenzo. He hasn't gotten out of bed and seems to be in a bad way. Santos says that he will go to see Lorenzo when JP bursts in with the news that Marisela has been arrested.

María Nieves comes to see Cecilia. After first thinking that he has been sent by Casilda, she manages to get out of him that he wants to be a poet. He says that he wants to read nicely (bonito), speak and write nicely.

Marisela is put in a chair outside her cell with Meléndez, Guerrero, Pernalete, Mujiquita and some other guards present.

Guerrero says that they found her prowling around El Meido.
"I wasn't prowling around anywhere," says Marisela, "That's my mother's house. I was bringing her a banana cake but these abusers ate the whole thing!" Guerrero says that they were only checking to see if the cake contained any foreign matter. When Marisela yells that it only had bananas in it, Guerrero says that she is arrogant and she broke the head of one of his soldiers. Mujiquita steps up and says, "With regard to Señorita Marisela, here present, she posesses the complete right to circulate in the environs of the houses of her relatives. In other words, judicially, it is not appropriate to keep her detained here in the jail." (I have translated this in the same kind of formal legal language that Mujiquita used.) Pernalete expresses himself more casually, "If it was just a cake, where the harm in that?" Meléndez says that he is one who decides. He orders his lieutenant to make everyone leave. He will interogate Marisela alone.

Meléndez: Why don't you want to stay with me? Are you afraid of me? Too bad, because on the contrary, I like you a lot. You have very fresh skin, very beautiful eyes. You are very beautiful. You've cast a spell on me with the same spirit as your mother.
Marisela: Ask me what you want.
Meléndez: I want you to tell me why you were bringing a cake to your mother. As far I know, you hate each other, or not?

Cecilia says that she will help María Nieves to 'talk pretty'. DB comes to the schoolhouse and says that she has to talk to Cecilia. Cecilia says that she isn't sure she wants to talk to DB but DB says that it is about something very important for the good of everyone.

Meléndez tells Marisela that he knows that DB threw her out and made her live in a hut with her drunken father so why is she bringing her a cake. Marisela says that isn't any of his business. Meléndez says that he wants her to tell the truth. He asks what she was doing at El Miedo. When Marisela doesn't answer, he grabs he hair and pulls her head back.

He asks who Gonzalo Zuloaga is and if Marisela knows him. Marisela asks him to let go of her hair and Meléndez makes her say please. Then Marisela denies ever meeting Gonzalo.

Mujiquita whispers to Pernalete that what is going on here isn't right. It's an abuse. Pernalete asks him to stop whispering so that they won't look like conspirators to Guerrero. Santos comes in demanding to see Marisela and when Guerrero does not respond, Santos grabs Guerrero's gun and asks if he is listening now.

DB says that Marisela loves and respects Cecilia. Everything that Cecilia says is holy writ (palabra santa) for her. DB says that she came to ask Cecilia to try and convince her daughter that her best option for happiness is with Gonzalo Zuloaga.

Marisela continue to deny that she knows Gonzalo or that Santos ever spoke of him. Meléndez grabs Marisela by the hair again and holds her against the bars of the cell.

He says that she shouldn't play with him. He can do her harm. At this point Santos bursts in with Guerrero, Pernalete and Mujiquita at gunpoint. He tells Meléndez to release Marisela or the one doing harm will be him.

Labels: barbara