Caray, Caray!

Capítulo # 130

[Thanks to Melinama for filling in for me last week.]

Armando is in Fernando’s office at the Bad Love Bar and celebrating. He has found the combination to Fernando’s personal safe at the Double E (Hacienda de las Elizondo y del Escandon), and is yucking it up with himself, planning to empty out all that stolen cash that Fer’s been stashing away and then heading for the hills when Rosario walks in on him and wants to know what’s up. Armando reveals his plans for revenge to Rosario. He plans to take advantage of the fact that Feo and Gabi will be spending the night away in Puebla City. Rosario decides to go with him. Since she has decided to leave town for good tonight herself, she wants to take a look-see for any evidence that might get Fernando put away in jail and the key thrown down a hole that hits bottom in China.

Meanwhile, Demien is paying a late visit to Augie’s and wants to talk with Sofia. Gramps leaves them alone and Demien tells Sofia he doesn’t want her angry with him for defending Juan. Now that she herself has forgiven the guy there’s no reason to still be angry with him. Sofia agrees but says she and Demien still should stop seeing each other. She knows his intentions but doesn’t feel the same way. He tells her he is a man that fights for what he loves and refuses to give up on her so easily. He loves her and is going to do even the impossible to succeed in getting her to love him. So Demien moves in for The Kiss-s-s-s. Just as Sofia’s about to succumb to Demian’s charms, Juan --no longer a Juan-ted man per say--walks in on them and the jingle-jangle of his spurs breaks the spell. (Poor Demien can’t buy a break.) They look at him; he looks at them.

Back at the Bad Love, Eva and Ofelia are in the dressing room waiting for Rosario. Ofelia tells Eva they plan to leave town and get as far away from the menace of Fernando Escandon as possible. Eva doesn’t want to believe it but Rosario arrives and confirms that they’re leaving that night.

At Aguie’s, Demien tells Juan he plans to convince Sofia to marry him. Juan says thanks for the heads up but he and Sofia’s love affair goes way back and it has managed to avoid all sorts of adversities and it isn’t over yet. They still love each other.

Back at the Bad Love Eva tells Rosario if it’s better that she leaves town then she’ll give her her blessing. The three of them share a tearful good-bye. Rosario tells them then that she has to go out for a bit and will explain later. When she comes back, though, their life will be completely changed and there will be no reason to be afraid any more.

A bit later Armando and Rosario, figuring they have all night, park the SUV in the front drive at Hacienda de Horrores. Upstairs, in the back, Sofia looks dreamily out her bedroom’s balcony doors at the moon but then goes in and closes them behind her. Juan, whose memory loss apparently didn't include the rope he left tied to her balcony, surprises her by suddenly forcing his way in through them just like old times. “What are you doing here?” “—I’m here to tell you I love you and I don’t intend to lose you. You’re mine and I am yours, Sofia. We belong to each other and we cannot be anyone else’s. Nobody else’s!” He grabs and kisses her passionately. She melts in his arms. (I melt in my armchair-–until I see that the camera angle makes it look like she’s chewing his chinstrap.)

Sofia breaks away and tells Juan it’s not right and he needs to leave. He asks why, since all he has to do is look in her eyes to realize she still loves him. “You’re heart isn’t deceiving you.” She says she never said she didn’t love him, but even so, too many things in the past now separate them. They cannot be together. His deception and all the things that took place while he was gone are just too difficult to be erased. With a signature frown he insists this is just one more test of their love to overcome, and all she has to think about is that he loves her and that she loves him. “That’s all that counts here, our love.” (Honestly, I want to stay melted, but I can’t get that silly chinstrap out of my head. That scruff of Juan’s used to hide it, I guess.)

Meanwhile, Rosario (in high-heeled CFM boots that have got to be a real pain to walk in let alone to run in when you’re caught wandering around other people’s houses stealing things) and Armando sneak into the hacienda and up the stairs.

Sofia and Juan are still otherwise occupied. Juan tells Sofia to look into his eyes and ask herself if, loving her the way he does, he could really do anything to hurt her so badly. (OMG. I really do miss the scruff! Must be 'cause I ran out of tequila.) She tells him about their argument before he disappeared and his threat not to be kept from his child. He says he understands then that if he did that, it’s no wonder she doesn’t want him near her. He swears to her that he’ll comb every mountain, village and ranch he passed through while in the jungle to find their daughter. She shows Juan a little baby sweater then and tells him her mother’s instinct tells her their daughter is alive, but he can’t leave to look for her because the sheriff would consider it an attempt to flee. Slowfia has an epiphany at that point and says if Juan really can’t remember anything and really didn’t take their child, then…somebody else must have! Juan has his own epiphany and asks how he is supposed to find the guilty person if he can’t leave town. They decide to talk to Grampa Augie --the only one around for miles, as we now know, with any intelligence other than Mr. Ed and Capricho--because he will surely have an answer for them. (I hope he does 'cause these two couldn't find their way out of a paper bag with holes at each end.)

Rosario starts for Sofia’s room to tell her why they’re there and what they’re planning to do, but Armando stops her. Get the cash and damning evidence first. They change direction and head across the hallway into Fernando’s room to look for the safe. Sofia and Juan come out a few seconds later and head down the stairs to head over to Augie’s cottage, sans Juan’s noisy spurs so as not to disturb her two sisters across the hall.

Once they’re at the cottage, Augie tells Juan and Sofia he’s always suspected somebody else took the child. Now they need to think about who might have had something to gain by getting rid of her little girl. Juan takes a wild guess that it’s somebody who hates them big time. (No duh.) Okiedok, but Slowfia, who hasn’t a suspicious bone in her body except where Juan is concerned despite all the hell she’s gone through with Mama and Feo Nando, says she hasn’t the slightest idea who that might be.

Meanwhile, said “who”, Fernando and Gabriela, have arrived in Puebla City and are entering their hotel room. Gabi is still in panic mode and freaking over the fact that Juan Reyes is alive and now out of jail. She carps at Fer about not coming through for her. She bitches that instead of taking care of her problems he just creates more of them for her! Feo warns her that if she doesn’t cool her jets he’s leaving. Crabi says fine, then git and not to let the hotel-room door hit him where the good lord split him. When she goes into the bathroom a minute later to wash up, Feo decides he’s had enough and leaves. As he goes out the door he tells himself he’ll make Gabi pay for this latest humiliation too.

Back at the cottage, Augie has apparently just suggested the guilty party could be Gabriela (definitely the B team doing the editing here while the A team hightailed it over to the break room for donuts). Sofia, again trying the patience of all of us in Viewerville, naively tells her granddad that even though she and Mama have had their differences, it’s impossible for her to believe her mother would be capable of something like that. Augie says they’ll wait till they are able to get to the bottom of things before considering it seriously. Juan then wants to know about Fernando Escandon since his brothers have told him that Fernando hates him. Augie says Fernando is angry at life and hates everyone around him. He even hates Gabi, but she just hasn’t realized it yet. Sofia says she agrees, he is a black-hearted fiend and sneaky. She wonders what he would have to gain, though, by her daughter’s disappearance. Augie answers perhaps just the pleasure of hurting her for having ridiculed him so much. Juan wonders if that would be a strong enough reason for him to engage in something like that. “It would have to be something powerful, more powerful than just that, wouldn’t it?” Augie thinks a bit and says well, it could be money. (Ding! Ding! Ding!) If it was Fernando then money has to be part of it and if money was involved then Fernando had something to do with it for sure!

In the hotel room, Gabi comes out of the bathroom and sees that Fer really did leave. She begins to whimper over him. Outside Fer is still mumbling to himself about making Gabriela pay for his humiliation and then he realizes he left his bag in the room. He figures he’ll have somebody pick it up tomorrow and in the meantime he’ll sleep at the cantina and wait for Gabi to come and beg him on her knees to come home. If she doesn’t then he figures he won’t go back to her again.

Afterwards, Fer drives back to the Bad Love and goes looking for Rosario. He sees her bags are packed and the dressing room is bare except for something that looks like a voodoo doll the camera pans in on. He realizes she was going to take advantage of his being in Puebla to run away and he starts yelling down the hall for Armando to get his boys together to “teach Rosario a lesson”. He enters his office and sees the mess. He notices the card with the combination is missing and finally puts two and two together. “They decided to rob me and run off together afterward, but they are not going to succeed. No, no, no they aren’t!”

After Juan has left, Augie says it’s obvious the guy still loves Sofia with all his heart. He asks Sofia if she still loves Juan but she doesn’t want to discuss it. Augie tells her to stop denying the obvious. She answers that they will never get back together. Augie asks her if she’s going to give Demien Ferrer a chance then. Sofia ponders the possibilities (note the stare off into space) but doesn’t give him an answer.

Speaking of Demien, he is at home remembering his confrontation with Juan at Don Augustin’s earlier that evening. He starts thinking back to his first encounter with Sofia in the woods, their various times spent together since then and all his failed attempts at romance with her. He says to himself that he refuses to resign himself to losing her (not that you ever had her to begin with, Demi) and will not give up until she tells him herself that she prefers Juan’s love to his. (That’ll be a while, Dem. Sofia likes the attention way too much.)

Sofia finally answers her granddad. She says she won’t ever love again and will refuse both Demien and Juan’s approaches. Until her daughter’s found love is not an option. She’s devoting herself to motherhood. (Hard without a kid to mother, I’d say.) Augie laughs sympathetically at her foolishness. (I feel more like a Gabi-style disgusted sigh myself.) He tells her that as soon as her daughter shows up all her dreams and hopes will return to her and she’ll want to love and to be loved. “Love is much more powerful than pain. Of course you’ll love again, although I don’t know if with Demien or Juan, but it will be one of them, I assure you.”

At the Double R (Hacienda de los Robles-Reyes), Oscar and Franco are getting the merchandise ready for the next day. Franco says both Jimena and Sarita are cheeky dames, but he knows they love him and Oscar the same as they love them. "It’s just they love making you beg." Oscar is frustrated because he can’t understand them. They don’t seem to know what they want, he says, er… but well, they do, but they’ve just turned into blockheads as far as he’s concerned. Juan walks into the kitchen and tells his brothers that he’s had a long talk with Sofia and Don Augustin and that Augie thinks Fernando Escandon kidnapped his daughter. Oscar says he thought the same thing right from the beginning. Franco says he felt the same way for a while, too. Juan gets angry and wonders why they never said anything to him about it. Oscar says it was because they had to go little by little with him because of his memory loss.

Juan tells Oscar he doesn’t understand why Fernando has it in for him, but Don Augustin tells him it was for money. Oscar says no, the guy did it because he hates Juan with a capital “H”. Juan doesn’t understand why he hates him so much and Oscar explains that it’s because Juan stole his wife from him. “Sofia was Fernando’s wife. She fell in love with you and she never loved Fernando." Juan is impactado as he mulls this little revelation over. (Note the frown and puzzled look in the eyes.)

Back in Fer’s bedroom, after a few failed attempts by Armando, Rosario manages to get the combination to work and opens the safe. Armando offers to share the money but Rosario only wants to find evidence that will finish off Fernando for good. So, Armando helps her take out the other things in the safe so she can start looking through them. Outside Fer drives up and sees Armando’s SUV parked in the driveway. Inside Rosario tells Armando she has found Don Bernardo’s letters accusing Fer of stealing from him. Next they find the gold religious medallion with Libia Reyes’ name engraved on the back. They both agree that Fer was not exactly what you’d call a religious devotee. Fernando, meanwhile, sneaks inside the darkened house and creeps up the stairs to spy on them. Rosario’s hunch-mobile has definitely been hitting on all cylinders tonight. Fer cracks the door open and hears Rosario tell Armando that if Fernando has Libia’s medallion then this means he must have killed her! He is a murderer and he murdered the Reyes’ sister!

In the kitchen of the Double R, Juan is back to baking his conchas again. He remembers what Demien told him earlier that evening about wanting to marry Sofia. He says to himself, “Like I’m going to let it happen (not)!” He takes off his apron and rushes out.

Over at the Double E again, Sofia has returned home and is going up to bed when she hears a noise in Fer’s bedroom. Fer sees her and hides. Sofia is about to check out the noise when Sarita and Jimena come out of one of the other bedrooms and talk Sofia into going into her room so they can chat. Jimena says the noise was probably just the wind blowing something so not to worry about it.

Back in Fer’s room, Armando tells Rosario he doesn’t doubt Fer killed the girl (Libia). He says he knows Fer really well and that he’s vicious by nature. They keep dumpster diving through the safe and find a bottle of ether and a handkerchief. Fernando sneaks back to the door, peeks in and hears her tell Armando the ether bottle and handkerchief have to mean that Fernando was the one who raped Sofia.

Demien answers a knock at his door and sees that it’s Juan. Juan tells him they have to talk. Demien says he was expecting him and invites Juan to come in, but Juan prefers to stay outside. Juan tells Demien that folks there say Demian’s a decent guy and so he’s only come to protect what’s his. He is there to repeat what he told Demien earlier; that he and Sofia go way back and that it’s still not over yet between the two of them. Demien says he won’t interfere, provided Sofia wants it that way, but she is going to have to tell him to his face. They agree to let her decide for herself. As Juan starts to walk off, Demien lets him know that he is still welcome there despite their rivalry.

Speaking of Sofia, she tells her sisters about Juan’s coming in through the balcony just like he used to. They want to know if she still loves him and she says she still doesn’t know for sure. Talk turns to what Grampa Augie said about it being Fernando who kidnapped her daughter. They wonder why and Slowfia, who has apparently forgotten Gramps telling her how Fer tricked him into signing over all his bank accounts, says he thought it was for money, but that it didn’t make sense to her since Fernando has all the money he needs now that Mama named him as her sole heir.

Across the hallway in Fer’s room, Armando confesses that he knew Fernando raped Sofia and that he tried to do it again but couldn’t manage it. Rosario says she is taking all of the things they found to prove he’s responsible and to get him thrown in jail right away. The only thing they don’t have proof of is his kidnapping Sofia’s daughter. They don’t even know where he left her. “Where could he have left her?” Rosario is impactada to find out that Armando knows exactly where she is. He then admits he helped Feo do it, but that was because he was forced to and he’s really sorry for it. He will tell her where the little girl is and they can tell Sofia and end her suffering. (This cannot bode well for either of them. The telenovela gods have got to be polishing up a couple pair of angel wings for these two.)

Sofia and her sisters share a group hug then leave. Outside her room Jimena says Sofia is confused but still must love Juan. Sarita says, though it pains her to admit it, she agrees.

Armando and Rosario collect the cash and the other things and get ready to leave. (I guess Armando figured to stuff his pockets ‘cause there’s no bag except Rosario’s and its stuffed with the documents and such.) Rosario tells Armando she’s taking all that she’s found over to the Reyes. Armando tells her she’s better off for the good of her son leaving with him and not getting involved. She says she won’t because it’s her duty to help out Sofia and because somebody has to stop Fernando. Fernando puts a silencer on his gun and sneaks out after them.

Ofelia is getting worried now because Rosario hasn’t returned and it’s getting late. As they start to drive off, Rosario tells Armando that after he lets her out back in town she’s picking up Ofelia and Luisito and then taking the evidence over to Juan’s at the Double R. Then she’s leaving for good and finally Fernando will get what he deserves. Just then another SUV T- bones them on the road. It’s Fernando. He gets out. “Funny finding you two out together. Mighty late for a drive. Where you going?” They both stutter out nonsense at him. Armando says he’s on his way back to the cantina, but Fernando wants to know where they’ve been and why they’re both so nervous. “Rosario, why is your purse so bloated? Let me guess. Could it be you’ve got something there like proof that incriminates me? Something you just finished getting out of my safe? Would that be it?” Armando and Rosario know they’ve been made.

Labels: Fuego

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 12:19 PM 51 comments

Andrés moves into the Donoso house sending Walter into a blizzard of activity and everyone else into deep gloom.

Andrés tries to get Isabel to share a bedroom with him and when she won't he takes her picture of PJ.

Father Jacobo sees the picture of PJ/S in the newspaper. He brings it to Cantalicia and only raises false hopes in her. The priest doesn't know where the picture was taken and tells Cantalicia that she just has to hope that PJ/S comes back. She can't accept that.

PJ/S confronts Antonio. Antonio says that he doesn't mistrust PJ/S; he just doesn't understand so many things about what he is doing at the Donoso house. PJ/S replies that he is here to fix the mistakes the PJ made with those he loved and the more Antonio interferes, the more he is hurting himself.

Vicky tells PJ/S that she has heard strange noises in the basement. PJ/S guesses that it is Walter and he goes to the secret room. He decides to mess with Walter and Rebeca's heads by leaving the safe standing open. While he is in the secret room, he overhears Valeria telling Simón how much she admired and revered PJ.

Isabel continues her schizophrenic relationship with Valeria. She doesn't want Valeria to get involved with Simón or to accept help from Ángela. She wants Valeria to depend on her exclusively and to support her.

Walter is impactado when he finds the safe standing open. He assumes that Rebeca betrayed him.

Later, Walter takes Rebeca up the secret room. PJ/S listens to their conversation from the study. After mutual recriminations, Walter and Rebeca finally conclude that someone else opened the safe and took the jewels.

Isabel comes into the study and is surprised to see PJ/S. She asks why he ignored her request that he go far away and agreed to work for Ángela. PJ/S replies that he wanted to keep his job. Isabel says that if earning money is important to him, she will give him a lot of money to go away. PJ/S says that he doesn't accept money he didn't earn and anyway, there is no way he will abandon Ángela even if the newlyweds in the house don't want him there.

Labels: cuerpo

JM is telling the judge that yes, he loves Mari and he’s going to marry her and not Stef.

The judge says but she’s vulgar, a street rat, and JM says Stef would be the same way if she’d been abandoned and left to grow up at an orphanage.

Viv is preparing her friend Lety’s medicine. One, two, three, four, five drops into water. She remembers Lety’s husband telling her 5 drops only, more will kill her. Viv studies the eyedropper and hovers it over the glass again. Did she put in another drop? I can’t tell.

Anyway, here comes Lety, who should do her own meds if the dosage is so critical. Bottoms up says Viv, and Lety gulps it down then tells Viv she’s still the same great friend as always. Girlfriend hug.

Rocio is hanging out in her room and Balbina tells her she has a phone call from Vicente. She razzes Rocio a little bit about him being her novio. Vicente calls Rocio his muse, his inspiration. She says but you’ve never painted me, and Vicente says I will and it will be a memory for us for years and years to come. They chat a bit and Vicente asks if he can come get her on his motorcycle. Rocio says I’ll be ready, and after he’s hung up, she kisses the phone.

Back to the judge and JM. The judge is saying that even if she had been brought up in an orphanage, Stef wouldn’t have turned out like Mari. He says they took Mari in and look how she repaid them, stealing stuff, causing trouble, and worst of all, getting between JM and Stef. He says she is jealous and wants everything Stef has. JM says don’t blame her, it’s my fault.

Bah, says the judge. You were just a toy in Mari’s hands. You’re worse than just responsible for this, you’re weak, corruptible and immoral. Where is that virtue you go on about? My daughter is going to have to suffer the shame of having been kicked to the curb just days before her wedding. But I’m glad she’s not marrying you - I want her to marry a decent man, and it’s obvious that is not what you are.

(Hey, don’t hold back, Judge! But the judge, being of a certain class, doesn’t take a swing at JM or sic burly henchmen on him, and fastidiously uses Usted while he’s trashing him. Later he will probably feel very smug about this confrontation.)

Anyway, JM tries to speak, but the judge interrupts, saying you’re free to do what you want, but one day you’ll realize what you lost and you’ll be sorry. Under that distinguished-man facade is a weak man, and you deserve the woman you have chosen.

The judge stomps out.

Damien is telling the padre about his confrontation with JM, how he slugged him, how Mari defended him but JM made no move to defend himself. He wonders why, it was almost like JM thought he deserved it. The padre says you don’t understand because you don’t know the whole truth. What truth? says Damien.

Out front of the castle, Rocio runs out to Vicente who is waiting with his motorcycle. She has on jeans and those impossibly high heels she wears. Vicente puts his helmet on her and off they go.

Mari is lying in bed thinking about the kiss with JM. She talks to Cuate, saying she wonders how she loves JM. Like a man? Like a friend? She likes kissing him, feeling him near.

OMG! Padre is telling Adrien the backstory on JM and Mari in the dark forest, and nobody’s told us yet! The padre says JM was drinking, and she ran away and nothing happened that neither should be ashamed of. He was chasing after her to ask her forgiveness, but he never got to. Mari never knew it was him.

Damien says then I should have hit him more than once. The padre says don’t judge, and though it wasn’t a secret of the confession, it’s not for blabbing around, so let’s have it be a secret between you and me.

Stef and Isa are up in their room and Stef is telling her that the judge didn’t get anywhere with JM. Isa thinks he should have forced JM, but Stef says it’s not that easy. She says Mari has no scruples and now she, Stef, is going to be the subject of gossip, how she was dumped just days before her wedding. Isa says don’t be so dramatic, the Velarde’s friends barely know you. You’re just bugged about losing the money JM has and if one day we lose the money we’re getting here…. Stef says hush.

It’s night now Rocio and Vicente are stopped on a mountain road looking out at the city lights. He wants to know how she feels being with him. She says she’s happy and he says he thinks it’s the first time he’s found true happiness. Aw. They kiss. Rocio says she has to thank Mari, because she introduced him. She tells Vicente he’s her first boyfriend. Vicente says and I hope the last. She says I bet you’ve had lots of girlfriends, huh? and he doesn’t answer. She says that’s okay, as long you don’t have them now that I’m here. They te quiero and kiss again. There is thunder in lightening off in the distance.

It’s daytime and Mayita is playing with Cuate in front of the castle. JM comes out of the house, probably on his way to work, and runs into the padre, who says he’s come to see Mari. He asks if JM has spoken to her. JM says he’s talked to her, but not about that night. He’s waiting for the right moment and the courage. The padre seems displeased and goes on in.

Viv’s friend Lety is in bed and her husband Gustavo comes in and kisses her and wonders why she’s not up talking to Viv. Lety says she gave me my medicine, took my blood pressure and went off to bed. Gustavo comments that she’s really enjoying having Viv there and she says a lot. She says they were friends when they were in college in Switzerland – they were the only two Spanish speakers, they were always together. (Wouldn’t she have gotten a death notice if she was in Viv’s address book?)

Gustavo kisses her tenderly and she says not tonight, I’ve been feeling a little tired. Gustavo, prince that he is, understands and says don’t worry, he’ll go to the other room and read.

Will you look at that! There’s JM in his nice suit in the barrio, next to a sign that says Free Counseling. A little family shows up, they all go into a doorway, they emerge again later, JM patting the parents and ruffling the hair of their little son. Whadda guy! He tucks his big sign under his arm and heads off down the street.

An older white car pulls up, three toughs get out, pull on ski masks, whip out guns, look around quickly and run into a bank.

Mari is very happy to see the padre. He asks her if JM talked to her and she says he asked me to marry him. Why? says the padre. Mari gets a little shy and says because he loves me. The padre is smiling, and says so what did you say? Mari says actually I didn’t say anything. The padre says do you love him? Mari says I don’t really know – sometimes I think yes and sometimes I think no. The padre says I have something to tell you. What? says Mari. What?

There’s JM - looks like he’s counseled another family, either that or he’s laying on hands and curing the poor. Anyway, off he goes smiling down the street and uh oh he’s right next to the bank. Right by the entrance we go to slo mo. This cannot be good. He’s parked right in front of the robbers’ white car and he’s got his keys out to put the sign in his trunk.

Here come the robbers streaming out of the bank, security on their heels. JM looks around and finally catches on and drops. The security and the robbers are shooting at one another, the robbers using their car for cover. Sure enough JM takes a bullet to the chest. He looks surprised, then starts to look faint and finally passes out.

The robbers are being put in handcuffs, but JM is being put in an ambulance. A crowd has gathered and the press is already there with their cameras.

The padre seems to be leaving – he and Mari are coming down the stairs. She says what did you come to tell me? He says it was minor and can wait, he wants to know why she’s so undecided about JM. She says she doesn’t know, she’s scared. She remembers her past and gets scared. (We hear the angry bee sound that usually comes with Amador – is that a clue?) Mari says It’s not like it’s JM fault, is it?

The phone rings and even though Balbina has come in, Mari answers it. It’s the news about JM.

Half a planet away, Gustavo is reading his book in his bathrobe. Viv comes in and covers his eyes playfully and say guess who? She sits across from him and notes that he looks worried. He says he’s worried about Lety. Gustavo says she looked pale, and sad. Viv says do you think she’s bored with you? Gustavo looks like he’s giving it some thought.

Mari tells Balbina and the padre that JM is at the Red Cross. We see him being wheeled down the corridor of the hospital. Balbina says nobody is home, Onelia, Rocio and Mayita are all out. Mari says tell them when they get back and she and the padre head off to the hospital. Mari hopes JM doesn’t die.

Gustavo seems to be on to Viv. She says that he must be exaggerating to pretend to play the role of the faithful husband. Gustavo says a husband who wants to be unfaithful is wise to have his affairs very far from home. Viv says I take your meaning, you are saying we should go somewhere far from here? She strokes his cheek and he looks annoyed.

JM is awake and asks a nurse how things are. Apparently he had some bleeding. The nurse wants to know if he would like to be transferred to a different hospital, but he says he’ll stay in their capable hands. Here come Mari and the padre hurrying along the corridor, looking for JM’s room. They find him and Mari is frantic, but then is relieved. JM tells them what happened and Mari says she was afraid he’d die. He says not this time, that he’ll be around for a long time.

Good news doesn’t travel fast, as we know, and back at Castle San Ramon, Balbina is weepily telling Onelia, who has just come home, that JM had been shot.

At the hospital, the padre goes off to see if he can arrange a private room and JM asks Mari if he gave her a fright. She says yes, but her prayers were answered. She doesn’t know what she’d do without him. JM says does that mean you love me? Mari says yes, I love you a lot.

Viv has Gustavo by the lapels but he pushes her off and tells her she’s being inappropriate. She says why do you think so? I’m young, attractive, sexy, sensual (and indeed her sundress is cut down to there). Gustavo says if I were ever to have an affair, it would have to be with some stranger. A wife might forgive such an infidelity, but never one with her supposed dear girlfriend. He stomps off.

Mari asks JM if she can stay with him all the time (I think she may mean in the hospital) and he says of course. He is so happy that she said she loves him. She says she’s been afraid to love since that thing that happened. JM says pretend it never happened. Mari says if only it were that easy. JM says let me help you forget. They stare in each other’s eyes and that lovely Perdon song starts up.

The padre is out in the busy hospital corridor and here comes Onelia who asks a nurse where Dr. San Ramon can be found. The padre overhears and, having never met her, says he’ll take her and he asks who she is.

In JMs hospital room, the Perdon song is still going and he is telling Mari that for every bad moment she remembers, he’ll give her a thousand happy ones. I’ll make you feel pure, respected, loved. Mari says what wonderful things you say! But what if you can’t do it? JM says let me try. I promise that I will never approach you, never touch you, unless it’s what you want. Not a kiss, not a caress, if you don’t want them. Mari says and if I never want those things? JM says then I’ll be happy just having you near me. I want to show you that real love is sweet.

Mari has laid her head on JM’s shoulder when the music turns threatening and in comes Onelia who says ah ha! and rolls her eyes.

Isa is talking to Stef in their room and Martirio is clearing up in the background, all ears. Isa says she has found out one interesting fact – JM adores Mayita and can’t bear to be separated from her, but Isa doesn’t know how to turn that information to good use Martirio is paying close attention. Stef seems to have a brainstorm and dials up Castle San Ramon, where Balbina informs her that Onelia isn’t there, she at the Red Cross where she’s seeing JM who has been shot. Stef’s eyebrows shoot up.

Onelia asks how JM how he is but then fake-smiles that he must be better due to the company (indicating Mari). JM says you’re right, having Mari here makes me feel much better. Onelia says I thought it would be rude of me not to come check on you. JM says you’re such a lady. Onelia says of course, one is born that way, and others who aren’t can’t ever achieve it. Thanks for checking in on me, says JM politely.

Onelia asks when he’s going to transfer to a private clinic, this sort of place isn’t for men of his social position. JM says he’s fine, they’re taking good care of him. Onelia says my, your tastes are changing, like Rocio’s are. She’s taken up with that young man Mari introduced her to. I hope this doesn’t spread to Mayita. Get well soon! she says snottily and leaves.

Isa is telling Stef that she has to be at JM’s side. Stef looks like what? Me?

Mari is looking serious and JM says forget about hate, remember that I was talking about love before she came in. Put hate out of your life. Mari says I feel even more hate for that guy because if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be afraid to love you. JM says we’ll get to that stage one day where you will feel love and forgiveness. Do you want to marry me? Mari, her face right next to his, looks happy but doesn’t say anything

Back in Spain, Gustavo is coming to bed and Lety says I thought I heard you and Viv, were you arguing? Gustavo looks a bit steamed.

Zip we’re in the hospital room and JM says please say yes. Mari says yes, and he kisses her but she turns her face away after a bit. He says I’m sorry, I was just so happy that you said yes.

Spain again: Gustavo says we weren’t arguing, we were talking about you. I was saying you seemed depressed the past few days. Lety says I’m not depressed, just tired. Gustavo says the doctor said if you follow his protocol to the letter, you should get better. Lety says and I will. I’m taking my medicine regularly thanks to Viv. Gustavo says you really like her, huh? Lety says why? Don’t you? Gustavo says I haven’t known her that long to know. Lety says she’s great with the kids and she’s going to be here a few weeks more.

Stef is coming down the hospital hall and gets to JM’s room where Mari is just closing the door. Mari says JM is asleep but Stef says he’s still my novio and she goes in and wakes him up, saying mi amor. He winces when he opens his eyes and sees her.

Martirio is telling the judge and Ceci that JM got shot and is at the Red Cross. Ceci wants to rush off and see him, but the judge says no, we’re not talking to him after what he did to Stef. Ceci says he’s been a friend for years, he’s a human being! The judge says I don’t agree, we’re not going to visit or even ask after him. He doesn’t deserve it. Martirio smiles.

JM tells Stef he’s fine. Stef says she had to see him and she says she’s sorry she got jealous and acted so stupid and told JM to throw Mari out of the house. She says she heard he wanted to break off their engagement, but she didn’t believe it. JM breaks it to Stef that he’s in love with Mari and that she just accepted his proposal and they’re going to get married very soon. Stef slaps him.

Rocio has arrived and gets the latest from Mari, who says JM must be awake now since Stef went in there and must’ve woken him. They ridicule Stef a bit and then Mari tells her that she and JM are going to get married. She and Rocio jump around and hug and the people in the hall stare.

Stef apologizes to JM, saying it was just the stress. JM says he understands, that he has acted badly with her and her family and he hopes one day she will forgive him. She says such irony – you offer me apologies and her marriage. Stef says what do I do? The invitations have been sent, the dress bought, and now, just days before our wedding, you’ve made me into an object of ridicule.

Marry me! says Stef. JM says Mari is the one and only, now and forever one for me. You’re going to regret this, says Stef. You’ll never be happy with her. She leaves.

Out in the hall, Rocio and Mari are still jumping up and down and Rocio is calling Mari sister-in-law. Stef sees this and says you’ll never be happy. You’ll have bad karma because of what you two did to me.

Onelia tells Mayita that it’s a secret, but Mari is the one who shot JM.

The padre comes to see JM, and is the only one so far to greet the other patients in his room. JM is sitting up on the side of the bed looking perky and says that Mari was there all night. He says that taking a bullet sure paid off – Mari got scared, realized she loved him and accepted his proposal. The padre looks very pleased. But then he says did you tell her the truth? JM suddenly turns serious.

Mayita is asking Onelia why Mari would do such a thing, she loves JM. Onelia says to force him to marry her so she can be the woman of this house and take the place of your mama. Mayita says but what about Stef? She’s his novia. Onelia says he dumped her to marry Mari. I don’t like Mari and you mustn’t either. Your mother is up in heaven and she would be very unhappy if you liked Mari.

Mayita says what do I do to make Mama happy? Onelia says be mean to Marichuy, ignore her, don’t answer if she talks to you. Tell your papa that you don’t like Mari and that you like Stefi. Mayita says does Mama like Stef? Onelia says yes.

The padre is telling JM that he can’t marry Mari without telling her the truth. JM says I will afterwards. Before, says the padre. JM says she hates that guy. He says he promised he wouldn’t kiss or touch Mari until she felt safe and loved, and that he would tell her when she felt more secure with him. The padre says you still have to tell her. If you don’t tell her, I will.

Onelia is briefing Mayita before she heads off to school. She reminds her to blow off Mari and tells her to tell her papa not to marry her.

JM says give me time, Padre! Like four to five days. The padre says okay five days, and I’m serious. I won’t permit Mari to get married in a dishonest atmosphere.

Mari runs into the padre in the hall. He says JM has something to tell her. She bounds in and asks JM what it is. JM says that we are going to get married day after tomorrow.

Avances: countdown to the wedding, shots of Onelia, Stef and others who may waylay the plans. Eduardo says something to JM that I can’t understand. JM prays in church.

Labels: Cuidado

UPDATE: JudyB's vocab list posted at end of recap and some errors in the translation were corrected thanks to astute commenters. Thanks everyone!

Friends, after all the brouhaha about saying ass, you'll never believe where I was tonight. I am late posting because I went to a seminar at Stanford entitled "The No Asshole Rule - Building a Civilized Workplace". I kid you not, it's absolutely true. I was going to try to incorporate the no asshole principals into this recap but I got started too late and I'm too tired. However I will touch upon one or two points as they arise. But first a limerick that I recall from the days when I used to play rugby...

I once knew a lovely young lass
Who had an incredible ass.
Not pretty and pink,
as you probably think,
it was grey, had long ears and ate grass.


And now, on with the show...
From last night: Pati gets the jitters and can't cook with Ern on his show. She suggests Lorena who, coincidentally, is waiting in the wings.

Ern is desperate and asks Lor to cook on his show with him, the producer wants the show to feature a cooking couple. She makes a feeble attempt to refuse but he ends up talking her into it. Work it Ernesto.

Jaime scolds Julian for being a weepy little wimp, does he think he's the only person in the world who's lost someone? Julian cries "you're the last person to talk". Jaime agrees but he's in a position to tell Julian how it is, he'll only hurt himself. And what if Zulema wakes up and sees Julian like this? Julian, steeped in self-pity, cries that nobody can help him. Jaime agrees, only Julian can help himself. It looks like Julian finally listens to Jaime and cries into a pillow just a little bit more to prove he can. Jaime delivers criticism and bad news but he does it in a respectful manner, therefore Jaime = not an asshole.

The director seems glad to see Lorena but he requests no screw-ups like when she auditioned, OK? (Looks like they still don't know Sara tampered with her ingredients.) The cameras get ready.

Fafy Cuenca calls Sara and invites his gatita to his penthouse for kisses. She answers coyly. By the way, here is what Fafy Cuenca world renowned playboy looked like in the 70's:


Yes, it's the same guy.

Ernesto plans to make shrimp souffles on today's program. Unfortunately on the day he taught this recipe in class Lorena was busy not telling Ernesto that she found her parents . No matter, she's confident she can wing it. Lorena starts off the program with her own style. Ern wants to beat the eggs with a metal globe whisk. Lorena prefers a traditional one which works perfectly when used with the light touch of a woman. She advises adding a touch of flour to the base. Ern freaks, one never adds flour to a souffle! Lor knows it's not correct but it helps the souffle hold its shape. When Ern tries to correct her she confidently does her own thing. They banter a bit. The fans go crazy and are emailing in that they like it.

They pull the "souffles" which are in muffin tins out of the oven. Ern calls them muffins because they have flour in them. Lor says call them what you want but they'll come out of the pan easier. She proceeds to decapitate the first two muffins. Ern demonstrates how its done and he removes it perfectly. He suggests that maybe they are too hard due to the flour. He tastes it and pronounces it absolutely delicious, flour and all. Lor agrees, and the secret is a touch of flour. They both laugh as the show ends.

Looks like Sara is all dressed up to go do a number on Fafy. She calls Bruto who tells her to go hunt Fafy and not to let him escape.

The fans like Lorena, "The chef is good but the chick adds pepper to the program." The director invites her to be part of the show. More lame refusals from Lor and she finally agrees to think about it to Ern's great joy.

Julian grumpily goes home. Diana is surprised to see him.

Alonso goes to the clinic to see Zulema. La Doctora tells Al she really misses him and now that Bruto left she is short on doctors. Al is surprised to hear Bruto got another job.

Tori and Betina are out getting ice cream when Tori runs into Santiago. I finally figured out who this guy reminds me of, Sean Penn! Does anyone else see it? Santiago recognizes Tori and reminds him they went to prep school together.

Fafy Cuenca drones on about selling buildings and buying hotels, and caresses Sara, he loves her perfume. She can barely squeeze out what an interesting guy he is. He asks about her and she says she's a lonely person. How can that be, he asks, she's more brilliant than the sun! She makes him feel sorry for her because she's an orphan. She smirks when he sighs "pobrecita".

Santi coos over Bettina and tells Tori even though he doesn't have a granddaughter his life is full. He's the lacky of Fafy Cuenca who also went to school with them blah blah blah the same old crap, I don't need to repeat. Tori pretends to barely remember Fafy Cuenca but we soon find out he recalls him well. Tori gives Santi the brushoff and escapes with Bet.

Sara faces Fafy so she can show him her cleavage. She kisses his hand and says his protection would make her so happy. She loves him but she's suffered so much in her life. She's afraid to love him and then he'll leave her all alone, sniff sniff, better to not connect at all.

Tori tells Betina that he remembers Fafy Cuenca and he didn't like him. Fafy stole Tori's girlfriend of two years when they were in school. Betts thinks her gramps is a real lady's man what with all the old gals flocking around. She's sure Tori is way hotter than Fafy Cuenca now.

Fafy offers to take Sara to Australia. He says go ahead and pack your bags. She hugs him and gives the over-the-shoulder-ulterior-motive look.

Diana and Lor girl-talk about her stint on the show. Lor says it felt great cooking at Ern's side but she has her classes, etc. and doesn't have time for the show. Diana, who should be her agent, says screw everything else this is a super opportunity.

Next scene is in a tacky-looking living room. Figures, it's Greta's. Her voice bugs me and her boobs are everywhere. I don't really have a problem with her boobs and I know it's a treat for the guys, but I wish she would shut up. She's sarcastic to Omar, asks how is his new secretary, efficient? Omar says she's as cold as a wall, again did I mention how whipped he is? He says he's only happy when he's with her and he begs her to come back to him. His only happiness will be when she's with him. Regreta looks impactada.

Samuel calls Snorty and reports that Sara rented a room and was visited by a man. "Of course, because she's a..." snips Snorty. Samuel says Sara moved out abruptly and maybe she's with the guy.

Regreta bitches at Omar while wearing her super-low sweater. She'd be hot if she weren't such a bitch. What do they say? No matter how hot a babe is there's some guy somewhere who's tired of her s**t. Anyway, she tells Omar that she refuses to be his lover, the other woman. He begs her to understand, he's not free because Zulema's not dead. She rudely tells him if he wants to cry at the foot of his wife's bed until she dies that's his problem. Conveying bad news but doing so in a disrespectful, demeaning and accusatory way...Greta = asshole.

Rosy cries about Julian to Jaime and Maruja. He went home to his mami's house. She decides to try to call him and announces she's not meant to be a martyr.

Sara and Bruto open champagne, toast, swap bodily fluids and congratulate themselves. She tells him what a great job she did on Fafy by making him feel sorry for the poor little orphan girl. He's taking her away, too bad she has to boink him. But enough talk about Fafy, right now she wants to do it with Bruto, she's never done it with a "gay".

Santi tells Fafy that he ran into Toribio, Fafi doesn't remember Tori. Fafi tells Santi about Sara, she's a real sweetie. Santi says she's astute and probably wants to catch him and marry him. Fafy assures him but there isn't a woman born who can wed Fafy Cuenca.

Lor and Diana worry about where Julian is, he left early and there's no sign of him. Lor tells Diana he hasn't made up with Rosy because Rosy called looking for him. Dad isn't home either. Is he working late? Where are the weak, unreliable men of the household?

Maruja consoles Rosy because Julian is such a stubborn jerk. Maruja advises her to believe in him. Rossy cries some more.

Omar gets home late and is greeting by the accusing stares of his daughters. They complain to him about Julian's behavior, he lost his job and he's turning into an alcoholic. Julian staggers in on cue and whines that he can't go on while his mother is in a living hell, 'no puedo no puedo' is his mantra. His sisters tell him he's turning into an alcoholic. Omar yells and threatens to send him to rehab. Julian looks like he wants to barf.

Omar tells Julian he's ready to deploy intervention if Julian doesn't get his act together. He tells Julian to sleep it off and they'll discuss the subject tomorrow. Omar tells the girls he doesn't want to do it but he can do it if he has to.

Next morning Snorty tells Jaime she feels sick, she could hardly sign the papers for the sale of the house, and then she had to use all the money to pay off the debts and damages (of the food poisoning lawsuit I presume). She has nothing. Jaime tells her to be strong, they say once you've hit the bottom there's nowhere to go but up. Snorty says those people probably never fell from such a height. Snorty before: made people feel demeaned, didn't recognize her own employees, was a tyrant over those less powerful = asshole. Snorty now = reformed asshole.

Sara and Bruto pack their bags and discuss how repugnant the octegenarian is. Bruto reminds her Fafy is loaded. They leave separately so as not to arouse suspicion. After Bruto leaves Sara smiles, "Old lover, new life". Sara and Bruto = undeniable assholes.

Vasco brings flowers to Babs to celebrate her new executive position in the family biz. Pati works for Babs I guess and brings something to her. Pati and Vasco check each other out with stars in their eyes. Vasco nudges Babs until she introduces them. He tells her he works in ecology and she thinks it's nifty.

It's a doleful breakfast at casa pobre. Julian sits down to breakfast and Omar asks if he remembers their conversation from last night. It's enough to put Julian off his breakfast. The family confronts him with all their evidence, he lost his job, he left Rosy's house, he won't admit he has a drinking problem. Fine, he says, he'll give it up, he promises. Omar is confident he'll keep his word.

Snorty says her punishment is to lose her business but the good that's come out of it is her family has forgiven her. Then she says something truly insightful and touching, "They have forgiven me but they don't love me." She bitches about Sara, she'll make Sara pay for everything she did, even if it's the last thing she does in her life. I always get worried when characters use that exact phrase.

Ern tells the producer he knows Lorena won't accept his offer, he knows her well, they used to be novios. "Ah, that explains the chemistry" chuckles the producer. Ern tells him he'd be better off finding someone else. "Now more than ever I want that girl" the producer vows.

He calls Lor and tells her he wants to make her an offer she can't refuse.

Fafy is with Santi and Bruto. Fafy pats himself down and tells him he's making sure of the three "P's" that are necessary for every traveler, pasaporte, plata, y pasajero (passport, money, ticket). Sara arrives and Fafy tells her she's lovely, "Sydney waits for us". She corrects him, with him it's heaven that waits for her. Bruto looks on approvingly and tries to appear gay about it.

Pau and Greta play cards. Paula blabs on about her booming business of selling face cream to metrosexuals but Greta is out of sorts, she's all alone and wants cream to make her invisible. Pau suggests that Greta work with her and when she wins her own car she'll feel a lot better. All Greta wants is Omar and she's lost him forever.

Speaking of, he's weeping again at Zulema's bedside. Blah blah all they built up together and now she has abandoned him. He needs a woman. HIS woman! Asshole.

Back at the cooking show Ernesto is practicing. Celeste and the producer think he needs Lorena to pep things up. When she arrives they butter her up by showing her the fan mail. She tells them she's thought it over and she accepts!

Lorena shows up on set while Ern is practicing his show and gives him a big smile. He figures out she's on board with the show and rewards us with a bigger smile of his own. Que guapo!

Producer says Lorena agreed to be on the show, thank goodness because Ernesto was cooking like a Zombie. She jokes that sometime he is an ogre, ha ha. Producer is sure that Lorena will help make the show a huge success.

Lorena gets home and Julian is moping. She tells him he should be at Rosy's asking saying a thousand sorries. He says he doesn't have the face for it. She grabs his hand and tells him if he acts like a child she'll treat him like one, she's taking him home to Rosy's house.

Al walks along talking to himself, he's about to teach his first class and what if it's a disaster? No, can't think like that, take a deep breath and power on.

Lor tells Rossy that Julian wants to talk to her. He tells Rosy and Maru that he acted like an idiot and he's sorry. Rosy agrees they need to talk and she is very, but very, disillusioned with him.

Al arrives to class and is recognized by a student, he's fearful but the student tells Al he operated on his dad and saved his life. His dad is fine now and he thinks Al is an excellent surgeon. Al comments that he hopes he can be an excellent teacher. He proceeds with confidence to discuss the kidney.

Julian and Rossy make up and he promises to lay off the booze and look for work. Julian, realizing the world doesn't revolve around him = recovering asshole.

Jaime gets home and tells Lor and Maru that he took his ma to a hotel where she's going to live alone, what a shame. Santa Lorena volunteers her own house, golly gee as long as it's OK with dad.

Al instructs the class on the value of the kidneys, how they filter blood and how they eradicate residual chemicals from the body via urine. One weird student asks how many liters of urin does one pass in a day? Two liters, but in order to produce this quantity the kidneys process 200 liters of blood. Wow how fascinating, yawn. Is this supposed to mean something to us? Maybe it will lead to Zulema's cure or something.

Paula is on the phone with Greta, sounds like she's snagged her into the cosmetics business. She's happy and tells Toribio she's about to get promoted, she has more than 20 sellers under her, which is weird because I didn't know Paula knew 20 people. Whatever. They hope Al is as happy in his new career as she is in hers. Tori tells her he's nervous and he feels like he dropped Al off for his first day at kindergarten.

Over at Casa pobre Diana is telling Omar that she didn't have time to visit the clinic. Lor blasts in, she has news and they need to talk. She tells Omar that his ma is moving into a hotel, she thought maybe she could live there. Diana doesn't like the idea, it's one thing to forgive Snorty but another to let her move in with them. Lor thinks the house is too empty with Zuly and Julian gone. Omar replies it's not just his house, he doesn't mind but if Diana doesn't want Snorty there then he respects her opinion. Lorena scampers after him while Diana looks defeated.

Snorty is all packed and ready to go. As Augusta helps her down the stairs she dismally tells herself to be strong, but how can she be strong when faced with this? She earned her solitude, it's the beginning of the end.

Omar enters and tells her he wants her to live in his house with them. Looks like Lorena gets her way again.

Snorty hugs him and looks both sad and happy at the same time.


Vocabulary by JudyB:
panico escenico = stage fright
bloquée = frozen with fright (Patty)
le da el toque = gave it that special touch
cortarlo por lo sano= cut him short for goodness sakes! (Santiago going on and on)
salir ronchitas = breaking out in a rash (what happened to Lorena last time she was on the show
a se le pegó a uno como chicle= he'll stick to you like gum, be a real drag (Toribio talking about Santiago)
dinero mata carita= money overrides good looks( when it comes to women acc. to Toribio)
me fue de espaldas= I was astonished (Diana, talking about seeing Lorena on show)
no seas cabeza dura=don't be stubborn
fria como una pared=totally cold (I think you noted that one)
tengo derecho a darme mi lugar-I have a right to be respected
yo no sirvo para martir=I've no interest in being a martyr (Rossy)
para que le ponga un "hasta aqui"=for him (Omar) to set (Julian) straight
no hay mal que dura cien años= this will all blow over (Maruja comforting Rossy)
y por si acaso no estoy por sermones=just in case, I'm not up for any sermons (Julian to family)mañana cuando estes in tu juicio=tomorrow when you're sober (in your right mind), thinking straight etc.
pisandome los talones=dogging my heels (Hortensia about creditors)
lo de Rossy es asunto aparto= Rossy is another
matterella es mandona=she's bossy, she's a ball breakerme
sacó de orbita=another way of saying
me sacó des casillas=drove me nuts, made me lose it
me gané mi soledad a pulso= I "earned" my loneliness (deserved it...Hortensia)


Mañana - Omar reveals he has another woman. Lorena calls him a traitor. A whole bunch of short scenes flash by and it ends with Lorena at the hospital with both Alonso and Ernesto.

Labels: enemiga

First let me begin with two disclosures:

First: PSA: I was off work today so I watched Muchacitas Como Tu. This is an Teen Novela, you know the four kickin beautiful very European looking Amigas. Anyway Ber from Fuego is making a guest appearance. He is shown holding a box of what appears to be candies. Need I say more? Pa & Ma lock the youngins up. Granted there are no waterfall pools but there are hot tubs aplenty.

Second: In Keeping with the political season…I have decided to add even more annoying adjectives to each person’s name as in my own “Beckster the Slacker”..yes this is a shout-out to formerly “Joe the Plumber”, now “Joe the Foreign Affairs Expert”.

Okay so we begin with Sofie the Suffering, telling Beaver the Clever, their romantic but ill fated history. What a freekin scam, would this not be the greatest thing ever? She tells the beautiful, I gave it up for you in the various locations we did the deed. However, Sofie leaves out the details about the time Juan took the whip beating from Gabi that was intended for Sofie, while four adult women stood there watching. The time Sofie took a midnight stroll through Rape Forest and then tortured Juan for a lengthy time. The time she took a tumble down the Hacienda steps and Juan stayed by her beside for days on end. She left out the breakfast in bed, cooking all the meals for her, the sponge baths, and worst of all moving back into the hacienda where her life had been threatened 452 times prior, while Juan repeatedly begged her to move to the Reyes house. Oh well small details.

Anyhow Juan is thrilled that such a smokin hot pale, wan, whining, bad dressing chica was once his love makin Nina. Juan swoops in for a small (very small Pablitio could do better) kiss. Sofie is secretly please but chastes Juan. He apologizes, like riding his horse and sweating into pan it is instinct.

Meanwhile back at the Hacienda Feo the Frustrated tells Gabi that Juan is free. This sends Gabi always the second best into drinking copious glasses of liquor. What if Juan remembers, what if they find out we nicked the kid, what if we go to jail, what if space aliens come through the roof of the hacienda, what if I run out of depends, what if the Mayans were right and the world does end in 2012. Finally Fer can take no more and tells her to STFU, her rattling on and on is going to give them away. The decide to take off for Pueblo & wait a day and see if Juan remembers anything.

“Sarita the socially conservative spinster” and “Jimena the vacant” run into “Oscar the Night Ranger” & “Franco the Used to Get Lucky”. The boyz tell the sisters that Juan is free. The girls especially Sarita the Nasty Annoying Sanctimonious Harpy, it totally unbelieving. How could Sofie let Juan go? Sarita has dreams of all three sisters living in the cabana, hating men until they die from dehydrated Souls.

Ximena plays hard to get with Oscar. Pleeeeeeeeeezzzzeeee
This is the bimbo that faked catatonia for a healthy period of time and gave it up for a crystal rose from the dollar store. Oscar asks her to go with him and get a civil marriage again. EGADS…Ximena had no idea they were divorced. Oscar tells her the tale of Ma taking her little limp paw and signing the paper. Ximena smacks him. How dare he, he didn’t not believe in their eternal, destined from heaven love. Yeh, beeotch, neither did you two minutes ago when you were playing hard to get. I guess Jimena is all upset cause she had sex with Oscar out of the blessed sanctity of marriage. Oh the sin, yes Jimena you are now destine to eons in purgatory for that sin, thus erasing all the good karma you had accumulated from lying on you ass faking catatonia. She stomps off.

Now then Franco is putting the moves on the sexless and extremely unappealing Sarita. He is all Rico Suave and tries to get her to go and civilly marry again. She retorts that she will never marry him again, thus removing any remaining chance she will ever have for loosing her virginity.

Seriously though only good virgin girls get to have awesome pin the tail on the donkey pinata parties, just think how awesome that next party will be. A huge pinata & at least thirty five candles on a big chocolate cake, not to mention maybe there will be clowns.

This little taming of the shrew scene, leads Franco to grabbing Sarita face, she relaxes and expects him to kiss her, when he doesn’t she asks why. He says he does not want to kiss her. Sarita kicks him in not one shin but both, then makes fun of him cause he says eeeewwww my patitos or little legs. Guess the humour of this raucous scene is lost in the retelling.

Juan runs off to tell “Pad Tad the ineffective” his happy love story. His nina told him their great story. He can hardly wait to find the kid and end Sofie’s suffering &world hunger and create peace in the middle east.
---Oppps sorry I forgot Juan went to talk to the midwife & she told him about the night the kid was born; Juan has come up with some theory about this that will lead to the truth, whatever the hell this was about I missed the details—he relays this nonsense to Tad---He also says the other day, Sofie told him the story. Apparently Juan does not recall the sun has to set and come up again before it is another day. Amnesia is awful disease.

Anyway I am forced to query—at this point if you were Juan the LameAss, wouldn’t you be all shades of pissed that Sofie, Sofie Sisters and so on, never bothered to look for the kid for at least 51 weeks out of 52?

Now over in the “La Tienda de CaCita”, the sisters plus Eva the painfully guilty for all that is bad on this earth, are milling about. Sarita the unwanted, is jumping Sofie’s Ass about freeing Juan. Sofie says she is convinced Juan is guiltless in the baby debacle. Sarita is furious, So what, that doesn’t matter, she just wants vengeance. Sofia is mad and leaves. Jimena tells Sarita to lighten up. They start talking about the boyz. It is like the girls bathroom in seventh grade. These asses are so sorry, like they just really put the boyz down, but hey that is cool cause they know the boyz will be back. Oh that is a given, what with th girls great looks, awesome family connections and all round pleasant personalities.

Demian the boring is sittling at his house thinking about his deep and incredibly, unbelievable misplaced love for Sofie the undeserving. Knock Knock Knock…why it is Gabi. I guess she had some time before vamoosing. She tells Demian that she is still orgasmic over the thought of him hooking up with Sofie. The name of Juan comes up. Demain tells Gabi that Juan seems like a stand-up guy. Gabi can’t believe Demian would say such a thing.

Ros comes in looking for Sofie. Eva tells her that Sofie just left. Ros is all nervous and chewing on her lips. Sarita & Jimena comment on Ros being so nervous and try to get her to talk. No she can’t she has to talk to Sofie. She then goes into a long winded diatribe about how happy she is to have been included in their little sisterly family unit.
(this is heavy handed anvil dropping about Ros’s demise)
They all end up joining hands and Ros once again tells Sarita that Franco loves on Sarita. Blah Blah Blah.

Now later that night, it is the Ginormous Ros show over at the The Bad Love Bar. She comes out and does a solo number, then one with her back up dancers. The horny drunken patrons go wild.
---In Fer’s office Armando is tearing it up looking for something—

In Ros’s room we get a camara wide angle shout, all the little things that mean so much to Ros..more foreshadowing. Ofelia comes in and lays the praise on. Ros & her radioactive hooters are too bid for this one burro town. No Ros must stay for the safety of her little Luisito. Here comes Luisito. Is this the same kid? I don’t think so cause he can actually speak words. Anyway, she loves him so much…The crowd calls for Ros, she doesn’t want to go. The little kid says he loves her. Crash there goes another anvil.

As Ros sings her patented BonBon song, we see Armando finally finding what he is looking for. The combination to Fer’s safe. Yeh Armando plans to steal the money and go somewhere where Fer will never find him.

Juan is home making pan, the two brothers stand on either side like bookends, thus keeping Juan from falling over and hitting his too big head. He tells them of his prior convo with Sofie the Suffering. The boys lament. Oscar says Jimena will never want to see him again.
--Oscar I beg to differ, Jimena likes getting her crystal rose watered, you will be in like Flynn.
Franco laughs that Sarita kicked him in both legs. Oh he likes her rugged behavior.
--Franco, in your way you are a bit of a babe, I would be happy to slap the crab out of you Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays. I really don’t have an inclination in that direction, but Dude if it makes you happy so be it.
Juan turns on his megawatt smile that goes along with his golly gee wide eyes and vows to find the kid & make it all up to Miss Suffering. Of course he does.

Ros comes in Fer’s office and finds Armando drinking. He tells her his plan to steal Fer’s money and run away. She asks him to take her along.
Say now I am rooting for these two crazy kids.

Sofie goes to tell “Gramps the Loco” that she pardoned Juan. Gramps like everyone on else says maybe Juan and Sofie will hook-up again. She denies that it could ever happen.
Demian stops by to beg Sofies love. Gramps leaves. Demian is pleading for her love. Of course Sofie says it can never be. Damn Demian is such a self loathing loser. They lean in for a kiss & Juan walks in.

The end.

Tomorrow Ros & Armando break in to safe, Ros finds Libia’s necklace and says Fer killed Libia.
Fer is downstairs…
ANVILS ANVILS EVERYWHERE

Labels: Fuego

Marisela gets on her horse and rides away from El Miedo oblivious to Lorenzo who has driven there to get her.

DB tells Eustaquia that she is determined to use Marisela to regain Santos. Eustaquia is disgusted and says that DB is crazy.

When Juan Primito tells DB that Marisela left crying, DB realizes that Marisela overheard what she said to Eustaquia.

Santos and Cecilia go to see the woman who accused Antonio of rape, Matilda. He asks why she didn't report the crime earlier (the baby is a year old). The woman is uncooperative.

The Altamira vaqueros go to see Antonio and try to cheer him up with the news that Santos and Cecilia have gone to Pilar to try and help his case. But when Federica shows up, they all beat a hasty retreat.

Maria Nieves has fallen for Altagracia, one of the terneras. He can barely speak in her presence though and the other terneras enlist him to help them move furniture.

DB wonders what she should do when Marisela reveals what she said to Santos. She tells Eustaquia that her only hope is to marry Quitadolores. Eustaquia thinks that is a crazy idea and that Santos won't lift a finger to stop it.

Lorenzo returns to Altamira and tells everyone that Marisela ran away from El Miedo and might be in danger. Everyone agrees to go looking for her.

Meanwhile while riding furiously, Marisela has flashbacks to various evil things her mother did to her. She decides to go to the Virgen de la Corteza [Virgin of the Tree Bark] to ask for help for her and for Santos.

Santos goes to El Miedo to demand that DB tells him what she did to make Marisela run away. DB says that she didn't do anything. Santos says: "If anything happens to Marisela because of some harm you did to her, I swear you will regret it. I will hate you with the hatred that only a Luzardo knows how to do. You think you know my bad side[fiera, literally "wild beast]? You haven't seen anything."

Marisela runs into Don Incarnación. She convinces him that everyone at Altamira knows where she is and has no problem with her being so far from home near nightfall. He puts her on the right road to the Virgen de la Corteza and as she rides off, he says that the Altamira folks are not taking very good care of this girl.

A rattlesnake spooks Marisela's horse and she is thrown off landing face to face with the snake. She manages to grab it before it strikes and throws it away. Even though she has hurt her foot in the fall, she decides to continue to the Virgen. Then it starts to thunder and rain.

One of DB's rapists, Chepo, aka the Illuminado, gets hassled by the authorities in wherever he is and decides to hide out for a while in Progresso with his buddy, Quitadolores. Bad idea.

Don Encarnación comes to Altamira to tell Santos about his encounter with Marisela. The search moves to the site of the Virgen de la Corteza.

Juan Primito brings the news to El Miedo. He causes some confusion by initially reporting that Marisela is with the Virgin, which sounds like she is dead, but then he clarifies that he means she has gone to the Virgen de la Corteza.

Marisela finally finds the shrine where miraculously some candles are burning even though it's pouring rain. She kneels and prays. She says that she is asking for many things: first to help her father, let him laugh again and not go back to drinking. Then she prays that Santos doesn't fall into the hands of that viper [víbora], DB. "Don't let her do the same thing to Santos that she did to my father," she says, "Save him, Virgencita, because that woman is very bad and he is good and.. it's true, you know I love him so much and I don't want anything bad to happen to him. Protect him. Protect my Santitos."

Then she asks the Virgin to make Santos realize that she isn't a child but a woman and not to make her feel so lonely. She says she doesn't want to continue feeling this way.

Finally, she asks for a sign that the Virgin is with her and it arrives - Santos comes out of the fog and finds her. "My sign!" says Marisela.

She and Santos embrace.

DB watches with anger and frustration.

Meanwhile, Pernalete send Josefa to offer Antonio a choice - either he marries Federica or he rots in jail. He replies that he will never marry Federica.

Labels: barbara

Picking up where Judy left off:

Sara shows up at the restaurant lookin' all spiffy. Fafy notices her right away and comments on her beauty. His pal twists all the way around in his chair to take a look and agree with Fafy. (Really, I don't know why he bothers looking... he's going to agree with Fafy anyway.) Bruno's like hey, what a coinkydink, I know her! Fafy wants to know how well he knows her. "Oh, she was completely at my mercy... I gave her an endoscopy! Ahahahaha!" Funny Fafy jokes that if he'd known he only had to become a doctor to meet a chick like that, he'd have saved millions in gifts. Ahahahaha!!! Those scamps! Friend of Fafy (FoF) thinks she's worth a string of pearls. (FF seems good at agreeing with Fafy without really adding anything to the conversation.)

Fafy wants to ask her over for a drink. Bruno acts reluctant. Fafy doesn't understand why, and asks Bruno if he prefers another type - redheads? Asians? Bruno tells Fafy not to eat saturated fats (whatever the appetizer is). Fafy agrees to give up that pleasure for his health, but not "the other" (i.e. dames). He again suggests that Bruno invite Sara over.

Diana tells Lorena she has recurring nightmares about being beaten by Bruno. Lorena offers to help her find a specialist or support group, because she shouldn't have to live in fear or lose Vasco over this.

Bruno tells Sara that their mark is ready for the hook (anzuelo). She'll beg off, saying she's waiting for a friend. FoF suggests that Fafy should approach her himself instead of having Bruno do it, but Fafy wants to wait and see what her "friend," i.e. Fafy's rival, looks like to get a better idea of what she likes. "They all like wallets," FoF suggests. (I wonder how much Fafy pays this guy for his witty wit?)

Fafy offers Bruno a job as his personal physician to accompany him on all his travels. He offers him 20,000 Euros per month (that's US$25,684) plus travel expenses. Bruno accepts. He just wants a few days to settle things at the hospital.

Vasco mopes at home. Barb doesn't get why Diana shot him down. She says she's come to like Diana and Saul, but it's been a whole WEEK now and she thinks that's enough. (Really, Barb? How long has Chalo been dead? Why haven't you replaced him yet? Slacker!) She recites that old dicho about using one nail to drive out another nail. At least give it a try. He says he'll concentrate on work for a while and he'll put on a dopey grin so as to avoid her lectures.

She tells him she's going to get a job with Jaime and Maruja. He reacts with grumpy skepticism.

Sara's friend has not shown up for dinner. (Fafy doesn't know that Sara has no friends.) He can't resist the thrill of the chase and announces to FoF and Bruno that he's going to make his move. He approaches her table and she rebuffs him. "I don't know you." (I think it'd be much funnier if she asked him to get her a glass of water and a clean napkin, but Sara has no sense of humor.) He introduces himself and isn't deterred when she says she's waiting for an amiga. He mentions Bruno and asks her to let them keep her company until her friend shows up. Sara won't even agree to tell Fafy her name.

Watching from a distance, FoF comments that times sure have changed; Fafy used to date movie stars. Bruno gets a call (not sure who from) and excuses himself and calls Sara. He tells her about the deal he made with Fafy and says it's her turn. Sara pretends her friend is canceling their dinner. Fafy says great, it's destiny! Now we can have that drink! She says no, she's leaving. But then she feels woozy; Bruno comes running and says her pulse is fast. (FF asks if she's pregnant!) Now she has no choice but to hang around at the restaurant for a while.

Alonso mopes. Toribio tells him to go out with friends or something. "I don't have any friends." Tori says he should hang out with coworkers; he always got along with Valeria. Slow says she's long gone. Tori suggests calling her - he'll even call her himself, if Slow gives him the number. Slow doesn't want to bother her. Tori says friendship isn't a bother. Alonso ignores this and plods back to bed.

Fafy regales Bruno and Sara with colorful anecdotes from his past. Sara pretends to be impressed. Fafy tells Sara that the secret of success is being in the right place at the right time. (SNORE!) With this, Sara's ready to leave. When she's gone, Fafy asks if Bruno doesn't think she's attractive. Bruno prepares Fafy for a shocking revelation: he's gay! FoF exclaims in surprise. Bruno gives FoF what I would SWEAR is supposed to be a coquettish look. FoF says the word "gay" is a lot nicer than the words they used in his day. (Something tells me he heard those words frequently.)

Bruno says it won't be easy to win Sara over. Fafy says he plays to win.

Lorena tells Diana of a support group for battered wives that she found out about online, and it's a government program so it won't cost anything. They can go early tomorrow, if Diana wants. Diana says she'll go by herself.

Sara and Bruno gloat at home about how well it went tonight. They're particularly delighted with his ingenious idea to be gay, so that Fafy won't see him as a threat when Bruno and Sara travel with him and they can get it on behind his back without him suspecting a thing. He kisses her and she protests, "you don't like girls!" "I only like one." He warns her not to sing victory just yet; the old guy's no fool. She says he can be the madrina at their wedding. Now he's super-horny and eager to explore his strange new sexuality... with Sara.

Rosy is on the phone with Julian. He complains that she's treating him like a child. She tells her mother they'll end up doing their second honeymoon at Alcoholics Anonymous. Lorena, Diana, Jaime, Paty, and Felipe show up for the meeting. Felipe is the guy that Lorena and Rosy met when they applied for jobs at the restaurant, many moons ago. He says he quit the restaurant because Monica's worse than ever, so now he's working for Maruja. Then Barb shows up and offers her services as a PR person. She's got lots of rich friends who will all end up doing their banquets with this new company. (Rosy complains to Paty and Diana and Lorena that she doesn't the idea of her mother working with her new husband's ex-wife.)

Greta shows up at Paula's to whine that she broke up with Omar and quit her job. She admits it was all a game at first, but now she can't live without him. Paula suspects Greta of trying to get Omar to miss her. Greta accuses her of thinking the worst of her. Paula is more sympathetic to Omar's problem with his wife and advises Greta to leave him be. She also offers Greta a job selling makeup.

Toribio went to the university to look for a new job for Alonso. Tori's got lots of contacts there, so the job's practically his. In fact there are two faculty jobs - one in medicine and the other in psychology. Of course, Alonso takes all of this in the worst way possible and says he can't teach classes when he's a total wreck. Tori grows impatient with Alonso's attitude; to get one of these jobs, all he has to do is show up.

Snorty is offended when the lawyer says he couldn't find any proof to accuse Sara of attempted murder and maybe Snorty should just let it be. Snorty replies that it's very easy for him to say that because Sara didn't try to kill him twice! She's lost everything! She says if he can't help her, she'll find someone who can. She tells herself that if the law won't take care of Sara, she'll do it on her own.

Sara takes a call from Fafy at home and says she's not sure she wants to go out with him. (Does she really think she's the first gold-digger to ever play hard-to-get with this guy? It might make him more determined to get her in the sack, but married?) Then she immediately says oh all right, I'll go out with you, but don't send a limo, I'll arrive on my own.

She explains to Bruno she doesn't want him to see where she lives; she is a Lady! He says she's a Lady, and he's a Gay. More kinky Lady-on-Gay sex!

Snorty calls Samuel Armengol. He's all mysterious and shadowy, just a silhouette in front of a window. Evidently they've done business before - he says she's given him the best-paying jobs of his life. It sounds like a few were shady. She's got one more for him. She needs him to hunt down a nasty little snake.

The cooking show has been getting complaints from men whose wives have crushes on Ernesto. They'd like to see Ernesto with a female sidekick so that they can watch the show with their wives. Ern jokingly suggests a star of his own magnitude, such as Salma Hayek or Thalia. Celeste (the floor manager? Whatever her job is) asks about his friend Jimena. Ern says she can't boil water without burning it. The producer wants a girl who's cute but won't take attention away from his cooking. Celeste suggests that they get someone from the cooking school.

The dean of the school is glad that they're not holding the Sara incident against them. She thinks Lorena would be perfect, but given her relationship with Lorena, it might look bad. Instead, she picks Paty. Lorena is excited for her, but Paty's very nervous and begs Lorena to go to the studio with her for moral support.

Omar is feeling guilty about Zulema. He and Diana talk about how it's getting harder to be hopeful.

Julian tells Rosy he quit his job so she no longer has to worry about him getting fired. She's heartbroken that he cares so little about their future together. She scolds him. Then Maruja comes in and scolds him and he storms out. Rosy scolds Maruja for scolding him, which he'll use as an excuse to drink. Maruja tells Jaime she shouldn't have meddled.

Tori tells Paula and Beti that he's hopeful; Alonso washed and dressed this morning. Alonso comes home and says he got accepted for both jobs. I think he says he took them both, so he'll be teaching two classes. Yay, everyone's happy.

Sara shows up for her hot date with Fafy. The restaurant's empty because Fafy reserved the entire place. He gives her a necklace with giant diamonds and apologizes that they're so dull compared with her beauty. She says she can't accept it, but it probably rings false since she can't stop touching the diamonds. He says it's a magical night and anything goes. They eat, drink, dance, and go up to his room. She seems to shudder in dread as she puts down her purse.

He starts groping her, and she pulls away and says this has never happened to her before. Aha, he'll be glad to be her first! She says no, she's not innocent, it's just... no one has ever treated her the way he has! She feels like a princess! He begs forgiveness - he meant to treat her like a queen! He starts kissing her again, and she reminds herself to think about jewels, fancy cars, yachts... we go to commercial and I'm thinking that Fafy's probably finished by the time we come back.

Congratulations, Sara, you're now officially a whore.

Snorty's shadowy friend Sam comes to Snorty's office (no longer in shadows). He's interested in finding "that woman." Snorty says don't just find her - do away with her. All of her recent misfortune is due to one person, and she's going to pay in the worst possible way. Snorty will spend her every last peso and effort on getting even.

Now, the stunner: she tells Sam that 22 years ago, his late father helped her do something terrible. Oh darn, end of scene, I was hoping to hear more! I mean, I know this is about stealing the baby, but I wanted to know what Sam's dad's part in it was.

Admiring the necklace, Bruno asks Sara, "how bad was it?" She's silent for a moment, then says it was unbearable. He reminds her to focus on the money. She complains that Fafy's old and icky. She doesn't know what he was like a long time ago or how many women he's seduced, she doesn't care, it was like making love to a mummy! Worst of all, he thought he was being seductive... yuck... she doesn't want to remember. He tells her she'd better keep faking or all will be shot to hell. She says of course she will, but she was wanting to run away right from the very first kiss. Bruno thinks this guy won't last very long. He thinks Sara has the "experience" to make him go crazy for her.

She's not so sure. He didn't say anything about taking her on a trip or even seeing her again. Bruno thinks the necklace is proof of something. I think he's seen too many romantic comedies about hookers and doesn't realize that Fafy can hand out diamond necklaces the way second-graders can hand out candy rings. Sara suspects the same thing. Bruno says she can't feel defeated when the battle's just beginning. She thinks that's easy for him to say, he's already got his deal for 20K a month. Bruno tells Sara that Fafy's a goldmine and they can't let him get away.

Paty and Lorena go to the studio. Celeste predicts a viewership in the hundreds of thousands - maybe even a million or a little more. This just makes Paty more nervous. Celeste sends Paty in for hair and makeup and says it'll go faster if Lorena doesn't come with.

Rosy throws cold water on Julian and tells him to look for a job. She throws a shirt at him and tells him he's not going to be mooching off of her. He says he's not a mandilón (wuss?) who takes orders from the little woman. She screams at him as he flops on the bed.

Paty is still nervous, and when she gets nervous, apparently she gets hoarse. Ern says they'll make something easy, like the shrimp souffle they made in class. Great - evidently that was her only bad dish in class. Her voice is getting raspy.

Rosy tells Maru and Jaime about Julian going back to bed. Maru goes in to read him the riot act. She calls him a disrespectful slob. He says nothing matters to him since his mother's "gone." Maru says they're all suffering over it, but they can't drown their sorrows in alcohol. This isn't sinking through his thick, sloshy skull, so Julian comes in to talk to him man-to-man. Rosy tells her mother she's running out of patience. She takes off her ring and mentions divorce.

Paty is way too scared to be on the air. She's shaking and her voice is just a terrified thin rasp. Five minutes to air! Paty freaks out and says she can't do it. She thinks Lorena should do it instead. Ernesto thinks that would be a great idea except how are they going to get Lorena over here now? "She's here! She came with me!" Paty squeaks. Ern is stunned. He asks Lorena to do the show. Lorena is stunned.

Mexico airdate: 15 de septiembre
Next time: It looks like Lore and Ern will be makin' bacon, or at least a shrimp souffle, in front of a million people. Will Alonso be one of them?

Labels: enemiga