Caray, Caray!

Hi, everyone. This is Hombre de Misterio, and I've tontosamente (foolishly?) agreed to do the Friday recaps for Tontas. I'm going to tell you a little bit about myself, but not too much, since I'm the Hombre de Misterio.

Actually, I originally posted under the name Por Otro Lado, but I wanted people to know I was a guy, so I had to find a new name. At the time, I was mainly watching FELS, and since my real name is John (oh darn, I let that slip out!), I could have been Juan something, but since the main character in FELS is Juan, I had to go a different direction. Now you know.

I've been learning Spanish for a little less than two years, listening to CD's in the car, watching Destinos, and many other methods, but of course my favorite method is watching telenovelas. I first started watching LFMB and Destilando, both of which were in the middle, and understood very little other than who were the good guys and the bad guys, who was whose hija, etc. Hopefully I've improved a little since then. I didn't find Caray Caray until those other shows were over, but I'm glad I did.

These days I'm interested in everything Spanish and Latino - the tv shows, the music, the food, even the political issues. I especially like the music, because music is my other main hobby. I love opera, bluegrass (I play guitar, banjo, mandolin and a little fiddle), progressive rock, jam band music, techno, and now rock en español, salsa, and even ranchera (spelling corrected now). I also play electric guitar (Jimi Hendrix style!), piano, bass, and recorder, and now that I'm getting into ranchera, I'm thinking of learning the accordion!

Unfortunately I have a normal job, which greatly cuts down the time for my hobbies :)
Looking forward (with some trepidation) to doing my first recap this week!

Labels: recapper-intro, Tontas

For the third time, saco el gordo - I hit the jackpot. Two weeks ago, I got to recap Chapala Kisses (the wind knows). Last week, I got to recap The Circle of Truth. And tonight I hit the jackpot yet again.

Pat discovered Candy’s portrait at Chava’s house, and Chava told him, “That’s my mama.” Pat is impactadisimo squared. Meño walks in and tries to do damage control. If Horatio could hold the bridge, Meño can hold off the likes of Pato. He explains that he adopted Chava and told him Candy was his mama so the poor child would have an image of a mother. Pat is trying to make sense of it, and he’s too stunned to think clearly. Meño just wants to eject Pat ASAP, but Pat doesn’t want to leave without answers. So Meño pulls out the big guns - he starts pawing Pat, telling that his “amigo” will be jealous, and Pat is so handsome… that finally gets Pat out the door. I loved how they played out the scene.

Note, yesterday Candy had a near miss with Pat twice - at the soccer field, and again when Beto advised her that Pat was in the house. When Chava tells Pat that Candy is his mom, that makes three.

Santiago walks into his office and is mauled (in a very hungry mode) by a sexy model. She says, “Ooh, Doctor, you’re just like I always imagined you.” He tells her “Hold that thought” and goes to talk to Hortensia. Horti tells him they’ve been mobbed with women like that all morning. Didn’t he see all the copies of his picture down in the lobby? He runs out of the room in a panic.

Tío Meño gets to play a second fun scene. Candy calls, worried Pat discovered the truth. Meño starts in, “I gave a great performance. I missed my calling. I should’ve been an actor. What will I wear when they present my Oscar? Hollywood is clamoring for me. I’ll do Tootsie II because Dustin Hoffman is too old to play a woman.”

In the lobby, Santiago is trying to get rid of the photos. Marissa calls him a sicko and tells him to get some therapy because she doesn’t want to marry an exhibitionist. A woman asks Santi to autograph her picture, followed by a man.

A tarot card reader tells Alicia, “A dead one who returns. Your husband deceives you. There are children. Again the dead returns. As if the dead are alive.”

The kids talk about Rocío’s dog. Beto wonders how she knows it’s a girl dog. Chava, man of the world that he is, explains to Beto, the Philistine, “Of course she knows! Her father is a doctor.”

Arturo runs (yes, runs) into Pat’s office and tells his son that Mama’s not going to divorce him, she’s buying gifts for their grandson, and they insist on seeing el nieto at once. Pat tells him that’s not possible; Art tells Pat he’ll do what he pleases, with or without Pat’s permission.

At Candy’s house, Santiago is chewing her out for posting that photo. She tells him he did it to impress her, and she wasn’t moved in the slightest. He warns her that in war, nobody wins. They get nose to nose, and both try to pretend that they feel nothing. And is anybody in the market for a bridge? Meño tells her to stop fighting with that hombre. Bust him in the mouth if you want, but do it with kisses. I loved that little scene, for all the things I love about Camil’s acting - the faces, the gestures, the vocal expression, the comedy, the intensity, the movement, the way he never stops moving. It’s all there.

In surgery, thank goodness my CC’s worked this week. Behind the masks, I understand nothing! Santiago says Marissa refuses to go to the investors’ dinner with him because of the photo. Ed says Chayo is mad at him, and he’s afraid someone is putting ideas into her head.

Arturo is still strong-arming Pat to let him meet Beto. “I could die at any moment (work it, Pop!). Let me see my grandson before I die.” This is coming from the man who RAN into Pat’s office.

In a phone conversation of galloping stupid, Alicia is telling Gregoria about what the tarot reader said. Mama tells her, “Your sister is still alive. Oops! In Pat’s heart. She’s still alive. Oops! For him.” Ali gets sick of it (so do I) and hangs up on Mama.

In Candy’s office, Cece notes that the rose must be from someone who likes her very much. Candy says she doesn’t want to be involved with anyone. The music tells us Cece is sad.

Out on the street, Santiago tries to convince Marissa to accompany him to the investors’ dinner, but she’s still mad about the photo. She refuses and catches a taxi instead of riding with him. We see several random actions in this scene. They make a point of looking both ways before crossing the street, probably because people on TV never do. There are three men hanging around a pickup, and Santiago tells her to watch out for the drunks. She hails a taxi, and he says, “What magic! You raise your arm, and instantly a taxi appears! No one else in Guadalajara can find a taxi, only you.” As Marissa rides away, Santiago gets an idea that he is please with. Does anyone else notice that Camil looks thinner in this scene?

Santiago catches Candy leaving the office. He tells her that whatever she earns in the restaurant, he’ll pay her triple if she spends tonight with him. She decks him, and then she worries whether he’s okay. Rubbing his jaw, he explains that he needs her to play the role of his girlfriend for the investors’ dinner tonight since Mar is angry about the photo. She agrees, if he pays for uniforms and equipment for the soccer team. And no hugs, no pushing the limit, no kisses.

Soledad thanks Meño for taking care of Chava tonight.

Santiago is with the investors, waiting for Candy who is quite late, and the guests are getting tired of waiting. Just then she walks in and Santiago lights up. He’s so taken, he can’t even breath, much less talk straight. He introduces her to them as his novia and says, “Soon we will get married and be very happy together. And have many children and a family.”
Now the stars have fallen into Candy’s eyes, and all she sees is Santiago. “A family?”
This is the first open door Santiago has ever found with the woman who has stolen his heart. Damn the torpedoes (and the other guests), full speed ahead. “Are you serious?”
She says, “Don’t forget, you promised the uniforms, and I won’t let you quitarme (stop doing for me) that.”
He says, “You won’t let me quitarte (stop doing for you, or take off of you) the clothing?”
Candy: “Perhaps.”
Santiago: “Then what do you say? Do you want to be my wife?”
The rest of the world has disappeared for Candy. She whispers because Santiago is all she sees; she’s not putting on a show for the investors anymore. “Yes, I want to.”
Big kiss, interrupted by uncomfortable coughs from the investors. Music turns sour, foreshadowing us.

The men compliment Candy, their wives tell them to stop flattering her (echar flores). (What is regalar flores?). Candy tells one investor that he should be flirting with his own wife instead. And what does Santi say? “WAITER!”

Pat comes to see Beto and to bring money for whatever he needs. Soledad says, “Aw shucks, I forgot, he’s spending the night with a friend. But if you don’t have anywhere you have to be.. I was about to make dinner. You can join me si quieres (if you want to). Pat does want to, and he doesn’t waste time on small talk. Nor on dinner. He goes straight for dessert. Soledad will abandon all reason to get a man into her life. Candy will abandon all reason to keep men out. Both are tontas.

Rocío tells Luc she wants to call her mama to thank her for the puppy, but Papa won’t ever let her call. Lucía offers to help get the number so Roc can call. Ruh-roh.

Charly calls Luc after Roc falls asleep. They flirt some, and he asks what she told her mom about him. He tells her he’d like to be her novio, but then he backs off because the last time he said that, she ran away. They hang up, but all this talk of mamas makes Lucía wish she could call hers.

Meño comes down to chat with Charly, who says he was talking to an amiga who he likes. Meño stops himself before admitting that he’s glad his son likes girls, but he gives a PSA for using a condom. Charly admits that he hasn’t had an opportunity to use one yet. Meño is glad to have his son there with him, and Charly likewise.

Santi takes Candy home and scolds her for reverting to “usted.” She says that the play is over and they are back to normal (IOW she’s trying to sweep that proposal under the rug). It’s after midnight and Cinderella needs her sleep. He asks, “If I find your shoe, can I bring it tomorrow to see if it fits?” (Isn’t every novela a Cinderella story?)

Candy encores her favorite song, the one Santiago hates. “You have a girlfriend, and there is nothing between us.” Hey! Santi! Listen up! Maybe if you didn’t have a girlfriend, she wouldn’t sing that song anymore!

Despite all the protests, when they arrive at her door, they get close, make goo-goo eyes, magnets attract, and sparks fly until they both run back to home base with their hands in their pockets.

On the other end of both spectra, Pat is leaving Soledad’s. No warmth, no consolation, no sparks, because neither listened to the voice warning them, “Don’t do it, it’s not right.” Two starving mosquitoes trying to feed off each other and finding nothing. They separate as hungry as they were when they greeted. All that’s left is soledad.

In her kitchen, Candy is strengthening her resolve with a pep talk from Merengue. “I can be anything but a traitor.”

On the other side of the tracks, when Santiago gets home from their date, Isabel needs to talk to him. She’s worried about Lucía visiting websites she shouldn’t, and tells her son it’s time to talk to Luc about sex. Time for Santiago to talk to her. Like every TV dad, he goes into a panic. He says, “I am a doctor so it should be easy, but there are certain words I can’t say in front of my daughters.” He can‘t stand to hear his mother use those words either. Notice he thinks of Lucía as his daughter, not his niece? I know, I know, a 15 year old who hasn’t had “the talk” yet? Sometimes even on Tontas we need those Beanies de Cd. Serdán.

Pato arrives home late, and Ali asks where he’s been. He blows her off.

Candy is getting depressed, trying to answer the letters from her column. She asks Meño why men are so cruel to women. Meño reminds her that women are cruel too, and she should ask, “Why are people so cruel to their partners?”

Candy admits that she’s afraid. She’s feeling things, and she promised herself that she’d never fall in love again.

At breakfast, Candy tells Chava he can’t be friends with Pat. Because I’m the mom, that’s why. Charlie doesn’t think it’s macho to kiss his dad. At her breakfast, Rocío wants to know why she has to finish her breakfast, and why she can’t have a boyfriend.

At the office, Soledad tells Candy that she was with Beto’s dad last night, and it was even better than before. Does anyone else start her work day like that? “Good morning, Boss. Here are you phone messages, you have a 10 o’clock appointment, and last night I had incredible sex.”

Cece brings in coffee. Marissa comes in and introduces Chayo (Ed’s wife), who Marissa just hired because she’s so well qualified. She can do nothing, even better than the rest of them. Marissa notices the rose on Candy’s desk and asks who gave it to her. Cece speaks up and says that it was her. After Mar leaves, Candy thanks Cece for covering, but Soledad is confused - she thought it was Cece.

Does anyone else think that Soledad, Chaya, and Barbara look too much alike to be in the same show? Now that the Institute staff is gathered, keep those cast photos handy, friends. You can’t tell a thing without a program.

In the clinic office, Santiago is beside himself because Ed is touching Santi’s things, especially his computer. Remember his obsessive-compulsive tendencies regarding his sock drawer? He also can’t stand for anyone to touch the things on his desk, especially his computer. He gets nervous when someone takes a green pencil (!) from his desk, and he’s driven to distraction when Hortencia moves his stapler two inches. Some bosses just have a thing about staplers.

He’s also disturbed because he has to talk to Luc about sex. Ed understands - Santi thinks of Luc as his daughter, and he sees her as a child. “SHE IS A CHILD!” Santiago demands. Ed plays psychologist, complete with couch. Santi plays the OC patient, complete with nervous twitches.

On the playground, Rocío asks Chava if they’ll be novios. He’d rather play soccer than have a novia.

Candy tells Meño she knows Pat won’t show up at the soccer game today. Rojiblanca (her persona in chat) made a date with him for today, so he’ll go there instead of soccer.

Raúl comes to see Marissa’s new office, and she basks in his attention. “By the way,” he asks, “where is Candy?” So much for her brother’s attention. He starts to say, “She reminds me of..” but his sister stops him. “Let her rest in peace. You deserve to enjoy your life.”

Candy struts into Santiago’s office and shoves the pink rose in her face. He thanks her, but tells her roses are supposed to be red. She asks him if he is a taco de arrachera. Huh??

Pat taps out an e-mail to Rojiblanca, saying that he has to miss their date because he has an appointment he can’t get out of. So much for Candy’s fool-proof plot.

Pat leaves, and Art sneaks into his office to call Alicia. Then he calls Margarita. He has arranged for Ali to follow Patricio, to keep her away when he and Margarita go find Beto. He uses children’s names for grandparents, Abi and Bubi.

Santiago brings the pink rose back to Candy because he has nothing to do with it.
She asks, “You’re not the one who leaves a rose on my desk every day?”
He turns on his seductor’s voice and answers, “No, but I can if you want me to.” (Secretly leaving detalles on her desk every day? I thought he learned his lesson two years ago!)
On his way out, Santiago gives his business card to Candy’s staff until she walks in and he runs off.

Pat discovers Ali following him at the soccer field. Santiago and Candy were suddenly teleported to the soccer field as well, and the teleporter changed their clothing too. Candy still wonders if it was really Santi who gave her the roses, he still says he can if she wants him to, and she still says she wants nothing from him - no roses, no friendship, not even a greeting. ‘As you wish,’ he starts to leave without saying goodbye because that would be a greeting. Just then Candy sees Pat on the field. Candy lunges for Santiago (you remember, the one she didn’t want anything to do with?) and buries herself under his jacket. She tells him, “It’s an attack of love. So shut up and hug me.” Santiago is perdidamente confused, but always the gentleman, he is more than happy to oblige.

Tuesday: At their engagement dinner, Marissa puts on a puppet show. Guess who the puppet is?

Labels: Tontas

(Note: Not really Mother's Day. Do not adjust your calendar.)

Rerun of Feo confronting Raquel, who gets away from him, and then Juan comes along and punches Feo in the face.

Raquel is lamenting to a smug Gabi that Ruth suddenly doesn't want anything to do with her. "What did you do to her? Surely Ruth must have a reason to treat you that way." Raquel says she'll ask Gabi the same thing: did Gabi tell her "the truth"? Gabi denies it; she would never do anything to upset Ricardo. Raquel warns that if she feels trapped, she'll have nothing to lose, and then she'll tell Ricardo the whole truth herself. Gabi says fine, and then she'll tell Ricardo that Raquel slept with Fernando, too. Raquel denies this and says Gabi has no proof. Gabi reminds her that Feo found the snake belt in their bedroom.

Feo snarls in his room, trying to stanch his bleeding mouth, throwing clothes around, swearing vengeance on Juan and his whole family, etc. Then Rosario's voice warns him that she's going to make him pay for each and every one of his crimes. She sings a few notes of one of her hit songs while images of her flash briefly on the screen.

Padre thanks Nabor for doing a good job and lets him leave for the day. Nabor shows him the mail before he leaves. Padre doesn't tell us what the letter says, but from the look on his face, I am guessing that he won the Publishers' Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. He prays his thanks.

Feo sneaks out of his room and pauses nervously on his way down the stairs. Santa and Abuelo watch discreetly and feel sure that he's being tormented by guilt; he must be afraid of something. They're worried about Sofi and the kids. Abuelo hopes she marries Juan and gets out of there soon.

Sofi and Juan watch Maria Jóse sleep. Sofía doesn't feel that the kids are safe with Feo and Root in the house. This reminds Juan to ask her to marry her. Of course she agrees. They'll have a civil wedding away, then a church wedding as soon as they can get permission. Sofi says then they'll be happy forever! "That's what they say," Juan laughs.

Feo drinks in the parlor and tells himself that he must have imagined Rosario. If he doesn't control himself, he'll be screwed. He resolves not to end up the way Padre Tadeo predicted.

Tio Vicente, dressed in street clothes (I almost didn't recognize him) paces the floor in the kitchen, asking Franco why Oscar would go to see Jimena when she doesn't want to see him. Then the gossip sisters flurry in and flirt desperately with Tio. He twists his mustache at them and admits that he hasn't yet met the mistress of his heart. They hire Franco to do a mystery serenade - they won't tell him who it's for. Tio sings for them while they wait for Franco to change his clothes.

Big surprise, it's the full moon again for the hundredth day in a row. Oscar is in Jimena's room. He challenges her to swear that she doesn't want to see him again.

Franco, blindfolded outside the girls' windows, proceeds to give the serenade, not realizing that the Posibles are there. Oscar hears the ruckus, looks over the balcony, and cannot believe his eyes as he watches the gossip sisters sneak away.

In the next room, Sarita is intrigued and wants to come down for a better look. Oscar wants a better look too. Jimena is not interested in the serenade, but she's afraid Oscar will pick another fight.

It ends up being a double-fight - Franco vs. Gonzalo (who looks familiar) and Oscar vs. Roman. Four men rolling around on the ground, ahhhhh. Get a good look, because it's all downhill after this.

Sarita comes down and begs them to break up. Franco and Oscar aren't doing well. Grandpa's blunderbuss goes off, halting everyone in mid-swing. This time, Santa's doing the shooting. They all scramble, she fires again, the Posibles pick up their jackets and leave. Franco steals a kiss (from Sarita, not Gonzalo) before he and Oscar go away too.

Sarita runs up to Grandpa's room, frantic that they could have killed someone with those shots. Grandpa explains that they're just blanks, same as he used to break up a confrontation between Feo and Sofía. He's no fool - no way is he going to jail for those people!

Next morning, Comisario (who I think has been growing his hair) and his men surround Feo as he walks out of the house. Feo is surprised as anything. He's being arrested for stealing from the Elizondos while he was their manager. Sofía has shown them his account records and so forth that prove his fraud, confirmed by experts.

The specialist at the hospital wakes Sofi and Juan and tells them they can take MJ home. The padre shows up with more good news: he shows them the letter. Sofía's finally been granted her annulment from Feo, and they can get married in a church. Finally, life is smiling at them again; no one can ever separate them! It's the end of all their woes!

Juan doubles over with pain - he's got a bad feeling that something's going to happen. He has to go home and check on his brothers. The padre agrees to stay at the hospital with Sofi.

Back at the ranch, Oscar, Rigo, and Franco are working in the field. Oscar tries to start the tractor, but it won't go. He gets out and stands in front of the tractor - with his back to it - while it's in gear. While he mutters to himself that a yoke team isn't going to be enough, the brake slips, and the tractor rolls forward and hits him square on the butt, knocks him down, and I think steals his wallet.

Fortunately, he's between the tires, so they don't run over him, but then the, um, weighted crossbar thingie made out of logs (excuse the agricultural jargon) squishes him. He cries for help.

Gabi interrupts Feo's arrest. The comisario explains that he's being arrested for fraud. She says she never filed any charges against him; comisario says it was Sofía. She brought the charges and only she can withdraw them. Feo tells Gabi to tell Sofía as he's carted away.

Franco, Rigo, and the freshly arrived Juan (did he fly??) try to lift the weighted crossbar thingie off of Oscar, but it's too heavy, and now Oscar can't feel his legs. Tio shows up on Capricho. They decide they need leverage. They hook something up to Capricho and tell him to pull while they pry the weighted crossbar thingie up. Franco pulls Oscar out from underneath.

Rosendo drives up (apparently by coincidence?) and opens the gate between their pastures. They transfer Oscar to his truck. One of them says "careful with his back," which is pretty funny considering they just pulled him out from under a tractor like a rag doll.

Darth Ricardo gloats from a nearby hiding place, "you're just starting to pay, and where it hurts you the most - your own blood!" His beady eyes sparkle with joy.

I don't know who's driving the truck, which looks exactly like Rosendo's, that's taking Sofía, MJ, and the padre home from the hospital. They hope that whatever worried Juan isn't too bad. She'll find out just as soon as she gets MJ home.

Oscar is being carried into the clinic in a very spine-unfriendly manner (someone is still yelling "careful with his back!"). Oscar is moaning in lots of pain. Franco asks Juan to promise that Oscar will be okay. Juan promises. Hugs in front of the noisy fountain, which is less noisy than usual. Rigo tells them we should never lose faith at the worst of times.

Wearing a cape and a silly bandanna over his face (no telltale snakeskin jacket this time, but no hat either), Darth Ricardo hops through a window at the Robles-Uribe-Reyes hacienda and looks for that mysterious thing he's always hinting about having left there. He pushes a wardrobe away from the wall and knocks a panel loose from the baseboard. He feels around and realizes that the box he hid there is gone. "Who could have it?" he wonders.

Pablito is in the kitchen with Quintina. He doesn't like his new haircut. Q is telling him he was going to look like a girl with all that hair. Now he'll attract girls instead. He says he's already got a girlfriend, Rosita. Q puns that Rosita wouldn't even throw a hair-ribbon (or noose? I think "lacito" could mean either - maybe it's a pun) at him and warns him that love can kill. Pablito asks for a more direct answer, because he doesn't understand her refranes (dichos - sayings - proverbs).

She repeats that love can kill, and insists that he get on with his homework. He says he left some notes in a box that he found in his room, behind the wardrobe. (Evidently, he went back there looking for a dropped pencil.) The box was empty.

Ricardo covers up the baseboard, drags the heavy wardrobe back into place (let's not ponder how Pablito was able to move it by himself), stomps around in his heavy spurred boots, and then stands there for a while thinking to himself that the box had a false bottom underneath which he had hidden some secret papers. Does anyone hear him? No. He puts his hood on and leaves.

Pablito tells Quintina that he's going to hide all of his secrets in that box. She wants to know what his secrets are, but he won't tell. She's not much help with his homework.

Eva tries to charm Ruth again, calling her "hija." Ruth says she'd rather be dead than have Eva as a mother. She would die of shame. "Don't you understand that I despise you? You disgust me! You're just a servant to me.. Get it? I don't want you to come near me. Who knows what I might do? " She grabs Eva by the neck (or shoulders) and shakes her.

Sofía intervenes. Ruth tells her to mind her own business and says Sofía's corny. Sofía is ready to tell Ruth that Eva's her mother, but Eva begs her not to say anything. Ruth, who unbeknownst to them already knows what they're talking about, dares Sofía to have the guts tell her. Sofía resists, "you don't know what you're saying."

"YOU'RE the one who doesn't know," Ruth retorts. Ruth claims to have the upper hand (ventaja). "You want to tell me something I already know, and not only do I know it, I couldn't care less."

Just to show how much she doesn't care, Ruth bursts into tears and tells them that this pathetic, weepy servant is her mother. (Notice that the bump going into the commercial features Bernardo on a horse...) She asks if it's true. Eva says yes, she's Ruth's mother. Ruth crows (tearfully) that she's stronger than Eva because Eva's maternal feelings don't move her at all. "Don't kid yourself - even though you're my mother, don't expect anything from me."

Eeyore sighting outside the dispensario!!
Rigo and the guys wait for news about Oscar and try to be hopeful. They try to figure out how Oscar ended up underneath the tractor.

Dr. Montes is poking at Oscar's toes. He doesn't feel anything in his toes. The guys come in for news, Oscar says he doesn't feel his legs either. (This doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's not unusual for the swelling of a new injury to pinch nerves and cause numbness. I think everyone who's had a really bad bruise knows this? Also, I saw it in a TV show. I figure my TV show doctor is at least as good as Dr. Montes.)

Ruth is a little calmer now, but still hates Eva profoundly. Eva tries to make friends, saying she would give her life for her, but Ruth tells her to drop dead and get out of her life. Sofía punches her in the face. "How dare you touch me?!" cries the overgrown spoiled brat. "Now you'll pay!!"

Eva warns that if Ruth doesn't leave Sofía alone, she'll find out what Eva's capable of! Moody Ruth gets weepy again and says Eva should be defending her, not Sofía.

To make this little tea party even more delightful, how about a fresh serving of Raquel? "Oh look, here comes another self-sacrificing 'mother,'" Ruth declares sarcastically. She says the three of them - Raquel, Sofía, and Eva - are all the same. Ruth says Raq had better shut up, that's enough lying for now, because she's not Ruth's mother, she could never have children, she wasn't even good for that.

Eva hits Ruth and tells her to shut up. "I'm ashamed of you." "No more than I am ashamed of you," Ruth replies, crying again. "I'd rather die than accept you as my mother." (Watching Ruth's mood swings is like watching a lava lamp. A really crazy, loud, bitchy, violent lava lamp that cannot be turned off or unplugged and could burst into flames at any moment.)

Sofía comforts Eva and tells Ruth she'll regret her words. Ruth gets defiant again, she's never regretted anything in her life. Raquel says now that we're telling the truth, she's going to tell Ruth the WHOLE truth.

Dr. Montes takes the guys (except Oscar) into the lobby so that we can hear the fountain better. He's afraid that Oscar has suffered an irreversible spinal injury. There's a good chance he'll be disabled. Juan emotes sadly. I don't want to contradict a make-believe doctor when I don't even have a made-for-TV degree, but I'm still thinking they should try an icepack before ordering a wheelchair.

Raquel's version of the "whole truth" consists of admitting that she "bought" Ruth. "Like a dog," Ruth says. Eva says no, she didn't sell her. Raquel says it's true - Eva didn't sell her, but Gabi made her give Ruth up so she'd have a better life. Gabriela sold Ruth - for land. "Land that turned out to belong to the Reyes brothers," Sofía says.

Ruth tells Sofía to stay out of it. She hates Eva and Raquel. Eva begs forgiveness and touches Ruth's arm. Ruth knocks her to the floor and tells her to leave her alone. (Hmm, if denouncing your mother in a telenovela is an automatic death sentence, does it count if you only THINK she's your mother?)

On top of everything else, Oscar has had a shot for the pain and doesn't feel much anyway, but he's worried that the doctor didn't tell him anything. (What is with this doctor who doesn't tell his own patients when there's something wrong? First Juliana and now Oscar?) Juan stalls, "ah you know how doctors are, they always want to do tests."

Franco says he's going to get better. Oscar is relieved to hear this. Tio agrees and starts to tell him that he's going to have to be very strong, when Juan cuts him off. Oscar gets suspicious and asks for the truth. He has the right to know! But they don't want to tell him. Oscar yells that he can't feel his legs. The doctor comes in and says "it's likely that you'll be disabled." Oscar emotes. Tio tells him to fight. Juan swears on their parents and their sister that Oscar will walk again. "I'll give you my legs if necessary," Franco offers. Rigo tells him to be strong.

"Strong for what? To end up in a wheelchair? So I can't do anything, dance, ride a horse, I'll have to depend on people to wait on me?" (You won't be able to get into stupid fights with a kickboxer, either.) "Without my Jimena..." Lots of crying. Franco grabs Oscar around the neck to hug him, which again I think might not be good for someone with a spinal injury. Just to make sure the injury takes, though, Juan slaps Oscar too for saying he wants to die. The brothers vow to stay united and invincible.

Mexico airdate: 2 de septiembre
Next time: Gabi warns Ricardo that "they" will kill him without pity, like the dog that he is.

Labels: Fuego

EPISODE 63:
* Chuy and Padre are in the stables finishing their discussion. Omar interrupts. Chuy uses her new grammar lesson to properly excuse herself and leaves. Omar asks Padre who is really the father of Chuy's baby?

* Viv doesn't take JM's divorce request well. She's hostile and refuses - He leaves frustrated - she grumbles to herself.

* Next day - Viv goes to talk with JM in the study. He still wants the divorce. She still hasn't change her mind and refuses to give him anything of the kind. He wants the marriage to end so Mayita will live in peace. Viv won't divorce him, she thinks he will just run off to be with some one else - who, the french maiden? - no, she says with Marichuy!

* Omar talks with Chuy about offering her protection, a home and a father for her baby. She's impactado.

* Viv argues about her jealous suspicions regarding JM's love for MC. Rocio interrupts and stops the fight from escalating. Viv tells Rocio about JM's divorce request.

* Omar and Chuy continue to discuss his very caring offer. She has her doubts.

* Viv and Rocio argue - Rocio leaves with JM.

* In the hallway, JM stops and argues with Nellie about his need for a divorce from Viviana. He orders her to talk some sense into Viviana and grant the divorce.

* In the kitchen, Vince talks with Rocio.

* Omar continues to talk with Chuy.

* Nellie and Viv are in the hallway by the stairs - they argue about JM's wanting a divorce. Viv is adamantly opposed and stops talking about it. Nellie follows her upstairs.

* Rocio and Vince continue their conversation - they talk about the promises they made to each other at the hospital. She tries to encourage him to try everything possible to walk again.

* In the room, Nellie tries to convince her daughter to get the divorce from JM. Viv is adamant about not doing so, especially because of Marichuy - and that MC is carrying JM's son. Nellie is impactado.

* Rocio kisses Vince and tells him that she will always be by his side.

* Padre meets with Chuy - they discuss telling JM the truth about her baby or let Omar be there as the father. MC refuses on both accounts - she will be mother and father to HER son. Padre argues from the church's perspective. She thinks about it to herself.

* In the study, JM and Ed meet and discuss Viv's adamant refusal for a divorce. JM is almost certain that she's faking her amnesia and discusses with Ed how to set her up to prove it.

* In the bedroom, MC and Cande discuss Padre's conversation with her as well as Omar's proposal to be with her and be father to her baby. MC also wonders about Amador and if she can return to acting in order to support her baby.

* Amador finds Nelson getting drunk at an outdoor patio. Nelson is distraught and tells his BFF that Elsa has left him.

* Nellie enters the bedroom to see Viv. Viv sends Balbina away. Nellie gives her daughter a message - Viv is still adamant against the divorce and leaves. Nellie is frustrated.

* In the study, Viv enters and starts to talk to JM about her refusal to grant the divorce. JM has her sit down in the chair and starts to swing the pocket watch back and forth (to hypnotize her).

* Amador laughs - Nelson cries and begs and grovels for his BFF to give him money and help him get Elsa back. Amador tells him to get serious; Nelson continues to beg for money and more alcohol. Amador refuses to give Nelson money or drinks.

* JM uses hypnosis to get Viv to relax and let her mind open up, calm down and agree to answer his questions. It starts to work - her eyelids flutter shut. JM flips his hourglass over as Viv sleeps. He tells her twice to open her eyes. She opens them. He asks her for the date. She says it's the day of the plane accident.

* As a harmonica plays a lullaby, MC wakes and starts to walk towards the window in her room. She smiles.

* Viv tells JM that she remembers being in the plane with him as it starts to crash land. She remembers screaming - she starts to scream and thrash her head back and forth and grasp the chair arms and seat cushion hard. JM has her continue to tell him the details of her memory about the accident. He's impactado as she remembers sees him floating on the sea.

* MC looks out the window at Omar playing his harmonica and sitting by a tree below her window.

* JM tells Viv to continue with her memories. She says she remembers being alone on the beach and thinking about her, him and their lives together.

* Omar continues to serenade MC and looks up at MC at the window - she wonders if Omar is really in love with her.

* Viv remembers and cries about how lousy and horrible she felt being married to him lately. JM asks more questions - Viv grimaces.

* Omar finishes his serenade and shouts up to MC. MC goes back to bed - she thought bubbles about Omar being in love with her or not.

* Viv tells JM she remembers having her documents and jewels in her case in her arms and walking along the beach. JM is really upset listening to her talk about celebrating her freedom - her new life completely away from him - JM becomes angry to discover that she planned the whole thing, the amnesia and the accident just to be free from him.

* In the bedroom, Cande and MC discuss whether Omar is in love with MC. Cande thinks it's true.

* Viv tells JM that she took complete advantage of the accident to escape her dull, boring life and routine as his wife, especially since no one found a body and that no one went looking for her. She went travelling to far away places and had fun. JM grumbles, "why did you return?" Viv says she returned because her money ran out and the credit cards were all cancelled, plus she wanted her marriage, life, house, family back. JM is furious.

* Cande and MC discuss MC's dream about JM. Cande reminds her that JM's wife Viv has returned.

* Viv laughs at JM's reaction to her amnesia and her scheming. JM grabs and shakes her really hard. Viv turns scared as JM continues to attack her for being a conniving liar and manipulator.

* Cande talks with MC about JM and reminds her that life with JM will never be the same again. MC cries. Cande advises MC to think about herself and her baby and move on.

* JM continues to attack Viv. Viv cries and curls up into a ball in her chair - acting scared to death.

* Rocio is consoling Blanca in her room - Blanca is scared about Viviana (I think). They hear Viv's loud screams and run out of the room.

* In the study, JM is on top of Viv on the sofa, slapping and shaking her as Viv screams for help. Rocio, Blanca, Balbina and Nellie all enter the study. Viv breaks away from JM's grasp and runs to her mommy. Nellie hugs her daughter and tells the staff to leave - this is a family matter.

* Cande and MC go to sleep. MC lays awake with thought bubbles of - no, not sugarplums - more like Omar, JM and Cande dancing in her head. She wonders what to do next?

* Viv cries to mommy about JM abusing her and wanting to kill her. JM argues that he doesn't want her dead; because of Mayita. Rocio supports her brother; Nellie tries to support her daughter. Viv yells about JM and the divorce and wanting to kill her. Rocio tries to push JM backwards as JM yells about Viv being a liar and a manipulator and admitting the truth to him.

* Elsa is in bed reading a book. She answers the phone. Nelson, on a pay phone, takes a few extra minutes before responding.

* Nellie stands as buffer for her daughter - JM yells at Nellie that everything he is saying is the truth - Viv cries that he's lying. Rocio snaps and tells Viv that she's a rotten example of a mother. Viv snaps back about being mentally ill. JM yells at her about faking it. Viv runs from the room; JM follows her. Rocio stops Nellie, telling her to let them handle this alone.

* In the hallway, Viv yells at JM.

* Nelson begs and pleads for Elsa to return to him. As he begs and whines, Elsa remembers talking with her mom. Elsa hangs up on Nelson. Nelson is impactado.

* Viv and JM continue their shouting match. He yells at her about faking the amnesia and her death. Viv is frustrated and runs upstairs. Nellie comes out to the hallway to try and support her daughter. JM yells at Nellie that Viv is a liar, a manipulator and he will do everything he can to throw her and Nellie out of the castle (and into jail). (UY!)

ADVANCE: JM's still adamant about divorcing permanently from Viv. MC goes into serious labor contractions again (could this be the moment she gives birth?)

Labels: Cuidado

Okay, this is a test, only a test. Sorry I can't making the annoying beeping sound. Trying to make sure I'm ready to go for my first eve recap of FELS next Thursday . . . saved by Santa for this week!

I'd also like to introduce myself to you guys. My name is Melissa, and I've been a lurker for quite awhile now, back to the Alborada days. I usually post after the "fin" of a novela to thank the dilligent and talented recappers for their efforts that make us laugh everyday.

My husband is from Mexico City, we've been married almost five years and speak close to 80 percent Spanish in our house on a daily basis. I rarely watch English-speaking television (although my husband does), with the exception of stuff on the History or National Geographic Channels, and Desperate Housewives - strange mix, I know! Even prior to meeting my husband I had a passion for Mexican history, mostly pre-Columbian, Nahua (Aztec). My family background is a little less straightforward. My father is Italian/Catholic and my mother is Jewish. Needless to say, there are mountains of wonderful food in our houses especially this time of year.

I don't watch novelas with CC's, and don't have any problem understanding what's going on, with the exception of certain cliches, Mexican dichos and the like, that I haven't heard before. So, I'd appreciate any help with those from anyone who wants to add.

Please feel free to give me any suggestions about how to make my recaps better - there's no way in h*ll that my recaps will ever be as good as Beckster's - what an act to follow!! Also, thanks for giving me the chance to do this Melinama - I'd been thinking about volunteering for a while and was always too nervous.

See you next Thursday!

Labels: Fuego, recapper-intro

In her bed, Marichuy questions if love with Leo is possible.

After her strange run in with Blanca, Viviana searches the house for Juan Miguel. Only to be told by Balbina that he’s left for the evening. Viviana fills her mom in on what happened downstairs with Blanca.

Blanca has fled to her room. She rummaging through her suitcase of clothes and when she encounters a pink dress the voice inside her head tells her that she will avenge her sister.

The next we see Blanca, she’s in her Yvette get-up and in the bar with Juanmi. He questions why she’s not married and her reply is that she doesn’t want to be tied to one man, to be his slave (esclavo/a). JM tells her that she’s impulsive and he’d love to know more about her life. Yvette averts this avenue of conversation by saying let’s discuss more pleasant things. JM is tenacious and speculates that there must have been some man she loved, who was he, what’s his name? Yvette doesn’t answer the last question, but tells JM he’s right, there was a man and she destroyed him. It was a love/hate relationship and she left him in ruins, with her venom in his veins, unable to move onto another. JM asks if that’s what she wants to do to him. Although she doesn't admit that to Juanmi, Yvette thinks to herself that JM will be her next victim and she’ll destroy him too.

Viviana tells Rocío that JM is out with another woman.

Leo is combing his horse, but thinking of Yvette. He’s wondering if she’s got her sights set on a new victim.

Mayita goes to her magical space and we get a PSA on the danger of too much sugar and the risks of developing diabetes. Her Abuelita encourages her to make healthy snack choices, perhaps a good piece of fruit rather than chocolate (that's all fine and good for now, but when she's older and has PMS, there is no way a piece of fruit will substitute for chocolate!).

The next morning, Rocío asks JM about what Viv said. He tells her that there is only one woman he’ll ever love, and it’s Marichuy.

Mayita goes into Blanca’s room and finds a pair of earrings (aretes) on her dresser (tocador). She hastily asks to try them on and rushes out of the room to go show her father. Blanca worries into the mirror that JM will recognize them.

Before Mayita finds JM, she runs into Onelia. Mayita fills her in on Blanca lending her the earrings (prestar), and Onelia determines that these outlandish (estrafalario) earrings are inappropriate for a governess (institutriz).

Leo is in the garden thinking of Marichuy/Lirio. MC is in the hammock (hamaca) thinking of the conversation she had with Cande about having Leo be her baby’s daddy. Juanmi is at home, thinking of the last time he saw MC and how he told her to go away. He says aloud that MC is the only woman he’ll love.

Onelia asks Mayita if she took the earring without permission and Mayita starts to explain when Blanca comes down the stairs. Onelia questions her about the earrings and Blanca says that they were for a costume party a while back. Onelia says they look expensive to be a trinket (baratija) and Blanca ignores what Onelia is insinuating. Instead, she just gets the earrings back from Mayita and heads back up the stairs. Onelia tells the girl that it appears, by Blanca’s reaction, that Mayita did not get permission. Mayita yells at her grandmother, insisting that Blanca let her borrow them and Onelia scolds (regañar) her for raising her voice (levantar la voz). Mayita says that’s because Onelia thinks she’s lying and she’s not. Mayita runs off.

Cosme tells Marichuy how Leo worried about her while he was away. Cosme gives MC a bag full of duck feathers (plumas de pato) and tells her that Leo wants to use them to make a little pillow (almohadita) for the baby (OK, this should also be a place for a PSA, baby’s don’t need pillows, in fact they are dangerous for them). Marichuy, instead of telling Cosme how dangerous a pillow can be for a baby, is moved by the idea.

Nelson tells Vicente about Elsa leaving him and how he wants to change, but she’s divorcing him. Vicente says they are a pitiful lot, the two of them. Nelson says at least you have Rocío and she can help you. Vicente throws a pity party and invites Nelson to attend….Rocío has returned to be the same woman as before, but he’s not the same, he’s stuck in the wheelchair, useless (inutil). He goes on about how he’s afraid that she’ll fall for another man and leave him.

Rocío has lunch with Dr. Humberto. He politely asks about Vicente and hopes that he didn’t cause problems between them. He then reminds Rocío that she promised to eat dinner with him once her surgeries were all completed, since that is the case, he's hoping she'll keep her word. She says she’ll fulfill her promise.

Marichuy runs (that’s gotta hurt) to Leo and tells him that she wanted to see him to thank him for the pillow. They have a discussion about the pillow and then it turns to his image. MC says that he appears to have a hard exterior but he’s really a marshmallow inside. He’s got a tenderness (ternura) about him. Leo says that’s not what people think and then he and MC discuss his image a little more. He tells her that people say he’s a womanizer (mujeriego). She asks why, but then says she can understand how he can melt the hearts of many women. He thinks to himself, he’d rather melt the heart of one.

Beatriz visits Ed. They discuss how Elsa’s divorce will be finalized soon. Bea says then Ed and Elsa can marry. The look on Ed’s face indicates he’s not too hip on that plan. Bea extols the virtues of Elsa, how she’s deserving of Ed. Ed reminds her that Elsa left him for another man, but she came back to you Bea adds.

Leo gives MC a speech on the lessons we can learn from leopards. It starts to rain and they head inside before they get wet (mojar).

Rocío accepts Humberto’s invite to go out that evening.

Viv sets out a dress, that Onelia describes as stunning (despampanante). Onelia questions where she’s going and Viv tells her mom that she’s determined to find out about JM’s woman.

Blanca isn’t feeling well and JM suggests she may have the flu (gripe). She mentions that her glands (ganglio) are swollen and JM gives her a professional once over--feeling her neck for the swollen glands. Viv catches them in the act and accuses them of inappropriate behavior. She lets into Blanca , calling her meddling (entrometida) and this upsets Blanca, who runs off. JM tells Viv that her behavior only makes him want to get away from her.

Blanca cries and the voice in her head says that they’ll pay.

Padre Anselmo comes to visit Marichuy.

Viv arranges for a taxi to take her to follow JM when he leaves for the evening.

JM and Yvette dine out on the terrace of a restaurant and Viv shows up. She tells JM to introduce her to his lady friend. JM asks her what she’s doing there.

Humberto picks up Rocío and Onelia is happy to see her going out with someone who’s not riff raff.

Mayita is back in the magic place and she tells her Abuelita all about the earring incident. Abuelita warns her not to enter Blanca’s room or to take her things. She tells the girl that Blanca is dangerous.

Viv takes a seat and again demands an introduction. Yvette says it is a pleasure to meet her. Viv tells her to leave her husband alone. The women verbally spar---Yvette remains calm and Viv gets worked up. Yvette tells her that she did not remove Viv’s husband from the house, it seems Viv is quite capable of causing JM to flee, all on her own. Viv lunges at Yvette and instead of getting a hold of her rival, Yvette gets in a good slap. A cat fight ensues and JM leaps over the table to break it up. Yvette tells Viv that there is no dignity in following your husband around and then she leaves.

Vicente calls the house looking for Rocío. Onelia, who answers, delights in telling him that Rocío’s gone out for the evening with the doctor.

JM and Viv ride home together and argue.

Vicente cries.

Humberto tells Rocío that she shouldn’t worry about Vicente, since he’s the one who was driving recklessly and caused Rocío so much pain. Rocío says she loves Vicente and won’t leave him for anything.

Marichuy tells Padre Anselmo how Leo is teaching her to speak properly.

JM and Viv argue as they come into the house. Mayita (eating a torte---obviously forgetting the diabetes lesson she got earlier in the episode) is upset to hear them argue.

Leo, once alone with Padre Anselmo, asks him for the name of Marichuy’s baby daddy.

Juanmi calms Mayita down and sends her off to bed. He then herds Viv into the study and tells her he wants a divorce. She refuses and he tells her it is really the best thing. She doesn’t see it that way. Well sleep on it (consultarlo con la almohada) he advises. He heads off to bed and Viv thinks that there is no way he’s getting rid of her that easy—death would be the only thing to separate them. END OF EPISODE

Labels: Cuidado

Meléndez tells Santos not to be upset. He was just talking to Santos' girlfriend (novia). "Because I suppose this precious little thing (presciosura) is your girlfriend, or no?" says Meléndez. Santos says that his relationship with Marisela isn't any of Meléndez's business. Meléndez says that everything going on here is his business. He asks Marisela if she is Santos' girlfriend. Marisela says that they are cousins, second cousins. Then Meléndez says, "Entre más primo, más me arrimo," which I guess is a saying about cousins being attracted to one another but I'm not exactly sure how you would translate it. Santos tells Marisela to leave. Meléndez asks about Marisela's mother. Santos asks why he is interested. "If the the child is like that," asks Meléndez, "what would the mother be like? Divine."

DB asks the the doctor if he is sure that she can't get pregnant. He says that it might be possible if she had an in vitro implantation and spent her pregnancy in bed. She can't get pregnant in the normal way. DB says that she had a child 17 years ago. Why can't she have one now? The doctor replies that her uterus is perforated. He says that it is as if she had an accident or something worse. DB denies that that anything happened to her. She says that she will seek another opinion.

Antonio introduces Lucía to Cecilia. Lucía tells Cecilia that she was at school but now she has come back to live on her father's hacienda. She asks to visit Altamira to meet some new people. When thay are gone, Cecilia says that she isn't anything more than Señora Barquero.

Meléndez is still quizzing Santos about his relationship to Marisela and to Lorenzo. Santos replies that he doesn't think his family tree has anything to do with Meléndez's investigation. Santos says that Meléndez is here to search Altamira. He should finish the job and leave because he won't find anything here. After Santos leaves, Meléndez says that he will trap Santos, he is sure that he is hiding something.

Gonzalo comes out of the tunnel under the tree where Juan Primito is sitting. Gonzalo asks JP to get him to Altamira without anyone seeing them.

Marisela tells Lorenzo and Mujiquita that Meléndez gives her the creeps. Santos comes up and both he and Lorenzo tell Marisela not to leave the hacienda while the troops are searching. "Things don't look good, Lorenzo, not good at all (Esto no pinto bien, Lorenzo, nada bien, literally, 'this doesn't paint well')" says Santos. Lorenzo tells Santos not to let them see that he is worried. "Smile in the face of adversity ('al mal tiempo, buena cara,' literally, 'in bad times, good face')," says Lorenzo.

While searching where the vaqueros live, a soldier finds a book of poems. Meléndez's lieutenant says that he has to show the book to his colonel. It means the rebels from the university were hiding here. Pajarote says to María Nieves, "Look buddy, it finally turned up," (to the lieutenant) "That book is mine."
"Oh really," replies the lieutenant, "how about that, a llanero who reads poems." He opens the book and asks Pajarote to read him a poem. "What do you think, lieutenant," says Pajarote, "look at me. I am a macho guy and macho guys with any self respect don't read poetry but they give them to their girlfriends." "You have a girlfriend who reads poetry?" says the lieutentan, "You have to introduce me to her becaue I'm not buying this story ('yo ese cuentico no me lo como,'
literally, I am not eating this little story')."

Santos comes to see Marisela. She tells him that Meléndez is bad, very bad. When he met he, he called her Barbarita. "Do you think the knows my mother?" she asks.

DB prays and says that she needs a child. She asks what else God is going to take from her. Santos?

Meléndez leaves Altamira. He tells Santos that he has been saved this time but Meléndez is watching. Meléndez sees Marisela on the balcony and tells her that she beautiful and they will see each other soon.

Leon and Tigre discuss how strange it is that the students disappeared overnight and they didn't hear anything. They see Eustaquia heading out of the house with food and start to follow when Melquiades tells them not to move.

The lieutenant, accompanied by Pajarote, tells Melesio and the terneras that this is a 'recognition check' ('inspección de reconocimiento'). Melesio says that they have already searched here. The lieutenant asks if a Genoveva lives here. Genoveva identifies herself. The lieutenant gives her the book of poems and says that Pajarote told him that she likes to read poems. He wants her to read one so that he can see if what her boyfriend told him was true.
"My boyfriend?" says Genoveva. "Yes, because this gentleman says that he is your boyfriend, or isn't he?" Pajarote comes over, grabs Genoveva and says that the lieutenent doubts that they like each other so they will remove his doubts. He kisses her.

The soldiers are searching Marisela's wardrobe. She asks if they are looking for a dwarf (enano). The soldiers have no sooner left her room than JP and Gonzalo appear outside her window. Marisela says that Gonzalo is crazy to come to Altamira with the soldiers searching for him everywhere. Gonzalo says that it was urgent that he talk to her. He asks if she will escape with him.

Genoveva reads some of the poem, thanks Pajarote for the book and kisses him on the cheek. "Enough kissing!" says Melesio and asks if the soldiers are satisfied. The lieutenant says he is leaving. When the soldiers have gone, Genoveva slaps Pajarote. The other terneras say that he was protecting the rebels. Genoveva says that she knows that but why did he use her name. Why didn;t he say that the book was for his girlfriend, Federica? Pajarote replies that he dislikes Genoveva so much that her name was on the tip of his tongue. Genoveva slaps him again.

Marisela tells Gonzalo that escaping with him is a crazy idea.

Josefa tries to get Mujiquita to take her back but he refuses. M comes in and Josefa introduces herself to Meléndez.

Casilda tells Santos, Cecilia and Lorenzo that Marisela doesn't want to come down to dinner. Santos goes up to see her and finds her and Gonzalo in the hall. Santos yells at Marisela. He says that she is putting them all at risk and he never thought she would have a man hidden in her room. Marisela goes back into her room. Gonzalo says that it was his fault.

Lucía asks Antonio if he is in love with the woman he introduced her to in the town. Antonio explains who Cecilia is and says that there is nothing between them. Lucía asks if they can be friends. Antonio says sure. DE comes up and says the soldiers just searched Altamira and he expects them to search his hacienda the next day. Antonio asks permission to go to his house and make sure his family is ok.

Santos escorts Gonzalo back to the entrance to the tunnel. Gonzalo explains to Santos that coming to see Marisela was all his idea. His only excuse for taking such a risk is that he is in love with Marisela.

Pernalete and Meléndez are talking about Santos. Meléndez says that he is interested in the woman he goes around with, his cousin. He doesn't believe it. He asks Pernalete if Marisela is really Santos' cousin or his lover. Pernalete asks how Meléndez could even think that Marisela was Santos lover. Meléndez says that the girl is a looker ('bomboncito'). "Santos can't have anything to do with that girl," says Pernalete, "because my comadre would kill him." "Your comadre?" asks Meléndez. "My comadre is Santos' lover," replies Pernalete, "and the mother of Marisela Barquero." Meléndez asks what her name is. "She is the doña," says Pernalete, "Everyone knows her. She is the most powerful person in the Arauca." Meléndez says he doesn't care about that. He wants to know her name. "Bárbara Guaimarán," replies Pernalete and Meléndez is impactado.

Marisela hears about the poetry book incident. She teases Genoveva about liking Pajarote.

Pajarote is asking María Nieves about his progress with Altagracia. What has he said to her? Has he kissed her? MN says that he kissed Altagracia once and she ran away. He hasn't been able to fix things since then. He doesn't know how to speak nicely. Pajarote says that MN doesn't speak well or badly because he is as silent as a stone ('más callado que un palo de escoba,' literally, 'more quiet than a broomstick'). He tells MN that with women you have to ask them and and ask them and ask them (se lo pides) and finally they give you what you want. "What do I ask them?" says MN. "What you want them to give you. You start with little kisses and go from there," replies Pajarote, "Ask, ask, ask and she will give. The same that we gave to Federica."

Federica is telling her baby that it has to look like the father when it is born so he can't deny that he was the father. Josefa comes in and says that Mujiquita is a lost cause. He won't take her back and it is Federica's fault. Federica says that she is the laughingstock of the whole town and that is Josefa's fault. They call each other "churnia," which is obviously an insult but isn't in my dictionary.

Genoveva doesn't want to talk about Pajarote, she wants to talk to Marisela about Gonzalo. Genoveva says that Gonzalo is drooling (babea) for Marisela. "What good does that do if I don't care for him as a boyfriend," replies Marisela, "I swear that if I could, I would fall in love with Gonzalo and go far away with him." (Santos is listening outside the door.) "And Don Santos," asks Genoveva, "are you capable of forgetting him forever?" "I will never be able to forget Santos," says Marisela, "even after a thousand years. I will never stop loving him. The fact is that I can't continue to be near him, seeing how he falls for that woman every day." "But he cares about you," says Genoveva, "I see it in his eyes every time he looks at you." "You're wrong," says Marisela, "He only has eyes for DB and that hurts me. It hurts me to see him groveling in front of that woman. It hurts me to see how she decieves him and uses him. No, I have to leave here. I don't want to see Santos destroyed like my father. Santos will never be happy with that woman because she will never change. She is bad to the bone (lleva lo malo en la sangre, literally, 'carries badness in her blood')." "But she loves him," says Genoveva. "Ok, I don't doubt that she loves him but it's a poisoned love like a snakebite. If I knew that Santos would be happy, I wouldn't care so much but that won't happen and that's what hurts me." "The thing is that men become blind when they are in love," says Genoveva. "Santos isn't blind," says Marisela, "he just doesn't want to see."

Melesio and Antonio-
M: Why the long face, son?
A: It makes me furious that things turned out the way they did between Cecilia and me.
M: You're complicating your life because you want to. (por gusto).
A: I don't want to. She didn't believe in me. She hid her pregnancy from me and at the first opportunity, she married Lorenzo.
M: So what. She made a mistake. You have made many mistakes. But there's a magic word for that - sorry. You have to learn to forgive if you want others to forgive your mistakes.
A: No, forgiveness won't help anything, viejo. It's already over. It's better to forget her already.
M: You two drive me up the wall! You're both pig headed. You are two of a kind - specialists in complicating things, in making things more difficult. Talk to her, tell her everything, the good and the bad. Let all the resentment and all the love you have inside you out and you will see that everything gets cleared up.
A: But she is married, viejo. She is married to another man.
M: God forgive me but it seems to me the marriage with poor Lorenzo was another act of charity
by your woman. Talk to her, son. Talk to her.

María Nieves is driving Altagracia to town. He is trying so hard to follow Pajarote's advice that he nearly runs into a tree. He says that he can't say what he feels, he can only do it and he kisses Altagracia.

Antonio comes to see Cecilia. He asks how her pregnancy is going and she says that it is going well. Cecilia remarks on how pretty and young the woman with him yesterday was. She suggests to Antonio that he bring her to Altamira to meet the terneras and Marisela. Cecilia says that she can see that Lucía likes Antonio, a lot. "That doesn't bother you, that she likes me a lot?" asks Antonio. Cecilia says that it is normal that they are attracted to one another. They are young, good looking... Antonio leaves but comes back in a second. "Cecilia Vergel," he says, "you are the most hypocritical and stubborn woman I have ever known. You are a coward."

DB dreams about her rape and says that Meléndez will pay for what he did.

Eustaqia scolds JP for disobeying DB and taking Gonzalo to Altamira. Meléndez walks into the house. "Look what we have here," he says, "Eustaquia, the Indian. It's a pleasure, Eustaquia. You are exactly the same. How are things?"

Marisela is sweeping the schoolhouse when Santos comes in.
S: Can I come in?
M: That depends. If you are going yell at me or scold me, no.
S: I came to say I am sorry for what I said last night. Gonzalo clarified that you didn't have anything to do with it, that he came on his own.
M: He had to tell you in order for you to believe me? Of course, I am a liar who makes promises and doesn't keep them. I always put my foot in it.
S: Can't we be friends? Can't I sit next to you again and read books or talk nonsense or just laugh like we did before?
M: I don't know. Now you are at El Miedo having conversations with her, talking to her, reading books with her. What do I know.
S: Look Marisela, I don't want to lose you. I don't want to fight anymore or to say unpleasant things. Yes, it's true that I live at El Miedo but I only go to sleep there. As soon as the sun rises, the first thing I do is come to Altamira. Do you know why? Because I miss you. I miss you every moment when I don't see you, I miss your voice, your happiness, your eyes... Those eyes that have shed so many tears because of me.
M: I don't cry for you.
S: Then who are you crying for? For Gonzalo" Are you in love with Gonzalo?
M: If only I could fall in love with him to see if.. if I could forget you.
S: Don't say that.
M: Santos, what do you want? Do you want me to spend my whole life waiting for you, while you are with that woman? Santos, why did you fall in love with her? How can you feel good at the side of such a bad person? I can't understand it.
S: Marisela, let's not talk about Bárbara now, ok? Let's talk about us and our friendship. Listen, I ... I need you. Because if you aren't here it's like the sun goes away and I'm living in shadows. You are the light that illuminates my life. Please, don't stop caring about me.

Labels: barbara

Dear readers/fellow recappers: I'm going to have to take an extended break from recapping now that I have a little one being born any day now, on top of my already busy schedule. I will return! I just don't know when. I'm putting out a call for anyone to take over Fridays for Tontas - if you are interested please say so in the comments, or contact melinama. Thanks!


Santiago tells Candy, by phone, that he’ll never allow her to open her stupid women’s inner beauty clinic.

Charly and Lucia flirt, some talk about boyfriends, then some talk about Charly being her boyfriend, she gets embarrassed and says see you later, Charly plays the game that I first saw in a movie, I think it was “Absolute Power” – Clint Eastwood watches Rene Russo walk away and says if she looks back within ten seconds, she likes him. She looks back. Charly does the same thing, Lucia looks back.

Candy and Marissa sit in the restaurant planning the clinic, Sven and Ole drool over them. Candy says Santiago will help them promote the clinic, and he’ll pose nude in Zocalo (this is some downtown location, my wife tells me). Marissa says no way.

Sven & Ole talk to Meno about finding a girlfriend for him.

Patricio’s father catches up with Pat’s mom – Pat’s mom is the mophead lady from Heridas de Amor and she is just as annoying here in this show. I blamed the character for being annoying in that show, but now I think it’s the actress. Every scene is her acting really annoying. Bleah. Anyway she gets the explanation that the kid is Patricio’s, they just need to keep that a secret from Alicia. Now she is happy to have a grandson, and she is still annoying.

Candy tells Lulu to get the banner ready, plans are in motion, but she won’t tell more.

Santiago tells Chayo that he won’t give her new big boobs, but eventually he promises to talk to Eduardo about it on her behalf. They hug, Hortensia catches them hugging and reproaches Santiago for getting it on with his best friend’s wife.

Sven and Ole, inexplicably, have corralled a group of hot girls for Meno. They appear to have said he is rich or something, no way do these guys get all these hotties to come with them for some creepy setup like this. The girls crowd around Meno, Charly sees and is impressed.

Candy tells Santiago that he is going to help promote the clinic, and pose nude in Zocalo, he says no way, they make a bet.

Patricio’s mom goes nuts about having a grandson, annoyingly.

Candy and her group of women get their promotion plan started, it involves them all wearing a coat. The walls of the office are all a yellow shade (this will become important later).

Charly is serving tequila to all the ladies and his uncle, he is still quite impressed. He asks for ‘one’ – I think he meant a drink, but Meno thinks it’s a girl – and he says “take them all!” then remembers to be macho and says “oh uh no you’re too young.” They all start dancing around the restaurant in a conga line. Isn’t this restaurant ever open?

Santiago’s mom dresses up like Joan Baez for Jaime the pianist, they are going to play a song I guess.

Santiago tells Hortensia that nothing is going on with Chayo, como crees. After, Hortensia says one day the doctor will touch her like she wants and then SHE will ring the bell!

Santiago sees the flyer for Candy’s clinic in the lobby, he laughs, a woman is reading it and he pulls it out of her hand and gives her his business card instead. He goes outside and laughs at the women all standing there. For the press, they all open their coats and are in black underwear (I think) – none of them are showing any midriff, but it appears to be underwear. You ladies will know better than me what this is called. I’m sure it has some froofy French name. For some unknown reason, Santiago tries to stand in front of them and cover their state of undress, I would have expected him to just stand back and enjoy the show. The cameras catch him doing this, then they want to know what he has against inner beauty, he says nothing, he gets tricked into somehow sort of supporting the new clinic. Candy wins the bet.

More annoying chattering from Patricio’s mom.

Santiago and Candy run around and argue in her offices (they are still yellow, it is evening).

Santiago’s mom sings the Joan Baez song, she and Jaime flirt.

Candy goes to Soledad’s house, someone stuck an envelope under the door. It’s a picture of Patricio and Alicia, a message to Soledad that Patricio is TAKEN. Candy sees the picture and can’t believe they got married. I was expecting her to stand up and run off, like she always does, but we go to commercial right away.

Santiago writes a fake e-mail to Rocio, from her mom. Ed comes in, Santiago remembers something and says “you know how to do photoshop, right?” Ed says yes.

Looks like Candy DID just run off, she’s back at home whining. Meno shows up and wants to know what’s up, she tells him. He says he went to see Alicia and her mother. He has Patricio’s business card, which he gives to Candy.

Patricio visits Beto and gives him a soccer ball. I thought he didn’t want anything to do with him, just to provide money? He invites Beto to practice soccer in the morning. Beto wants his friend Chava to come too, Patricio says sure.

Candy creates a fake identity and uses it to send an e-mail to Patricio, asking him if he is happily married, etc. I’m not sure why she is doing this, to be psycho? Meno comes in, sees what she’s doing, and wants no part in it.

Rocio cries while writing an e-mail to her mom, she wants her mama to come visit her, or at least call on the phone.

Candy sends Chava upstairs for bed, telling him “remember to pee!” Outside we hear Santiago say “I already did!” She goes outside, Santiago says since he lost the bet, he posed nude in Zocalo. He gives her a poorly photoshopped picture of his face on a muscular body, wearing nothing but a yellow thong. It’s quite funny. She doesn’t believe him, of course. He decides that he’ll honor the bet now and starts disrobing. As he goes for his pants, Meno shows up and scares him off.

In the morning Chava is in a hurry to go play soccer with Beto at the park. After Beto leaves, Meno asks Candy if she is going to tell Beto the truth about his father. She says he knows that his father is dead, and that’s final. Meno says “yeah, and YOU’RE dead too, and you just wrote him an e-mail!”

Santiago reads Rocio’s sad e-mail, he doesn’t know what to do now.

Candy’s office – now all the walls are orange! The ladies said that last night they remodeled the office for her. One night! Perfect paint job! They couldn’t have started until the evening and here they are all done, dry paint, etc. What a crock. One of the ladies is a little masculine, she wears a vest and necktie, she is going to be sharing Candy’s office. There is a flower on Candy’s desk, Necktie says it must be from someone who admires her greatly – the camera stays on Necktie’s face after she says this, hmmm looks like we have a lesbian secret admirer.

Patricio plays soccer with the kids in the park, this would be a nice scene except for these mothers who let their kids play in the park with unknown men, and Patricio came in a shirt and tie to play soccer. So basically the scene is all wrong.

Candy and the ladies chat some more in the remodeled office. I still have no idea what they are actually going to do there. Does anyone?

Candy goes to Santiago’s office, Hortensia says she isn’t there, in a trembling voice. The other hottie receptionist is there too, no idea what her name is or why Santiago needs two assistants. Candy says whatever, just give him this – and gives her the horrible photo from the night before. Hort and the other one look at it and Hort says she never imagined the doctor like this, the other one sighs and says “I have.”

Candy goes to pick up Chava from the park, sees him with Patricio, and freaks out. She calls Soledad and lies about being too far away to pick up Chava, will she get him? Soledad is right on the other side of the park and sees Candy creeping away, but just agrees to get the boys.

Marissa finds the photo of Santiago on Hort’s desk and tells her she’s fired. Santiago arrives and saves her, saying the photo is a tourist photo thing from downtown, you put your face on this body, funny photo thing heh heh.

Soledad comes to see Candy at the restaurant and asks her why she lied on the phone.

Patricio reads the fake e-mail from Candy on his laptop and is almost busted by Alicia, who never knocks. She wants to know where he has been yesterday and this morning. He tells her to butt out.

Candy tells Soledad the same thing – better you don’t ask.

Patricio brings an America jersey for Beto, they go together to go give a Chivas jersey to Chava.

Rocio gets a puppy from her ‘mama.’ I guess this is how Santiago decided to avoid the visit/phone call from Paulina. She wants to name it Santi, but Santiago says you can’t have the same name as someone who lives there, and the dog is a girl, so she names it Maripa – a combination of Marissa and Paulina, her TWO moms. Santiago gets the “aw crap now what do I do” look again.

Beto runs into Candy as she walks home, he says his friend Patricio is at her house giving Chava a Chivas jersey. She is muy impactada.

Inside, Patricio sees a photo of Candy and wants to know what’s up with that. Chava says it’s his mom. Meno swoops in and sends Chava out of the room, then tells Patricio that Chava is his adopted son, he just uses Candy’s picture to say she is his mom, to make him feel better. Patricio is sure to see Candy any day now, I’m sure of it

Tomorrow – things heat up between Patricio and Soledad, as he continues to prove that he is an absolute dog and has no morals, no matter how nicely he plays with his various illegitimate kids.

Labels: Tontas

Capítulo 161

At the Double R (Hacienda de los Robles-Reyes) Tio Vicente tells Oscar and Franco that he has no doubt now that Gabi Elizondo hates her daughters. Franco says yeah, but she hates a Reyes more and managed to succeed in separating them from her daughters. Oscar is ready to make her start explaining herself. (Not without a couch and a professional he won’t—or maybe a gun, a whip and a chair.) There’s no way he’s going to write off Jimena because of that woman. Franco agrees with Tio V.O. (this guy always reminds me that I need a shot of that stuff to get through this). They’re to blame for ever bothering to listen to Doña Gabriela’s lies. Tio V.O. says well, now there’s such a gulf between the Elizondos and them that if they’re going to win Sarita and Jimena back they’ll have to double their efforts. Otherwise, get used to seeing them as Roman and Gonzalo’s permanent property.

Back at the Double E (Hacienda de las Elizondo y aún del Escandon) Augie manages to squeeze out of Rosendo who the owner of that infamous snake belt really is: Darth Rico! Gabi puts her listening ears on and manages to overhear Rosendo tell this to Augi and Santi (Oh, Lucy-y-y-y! Sorry, but that red hair just screams at me!) through the closed French doors of his bedroom (which might as well be open for all the privacy those things give them). She realizes her lie has been discovered. Ruh-roh! She starts to head over to Bungalow del Bruto to look for Darth and let him know what she just heard and that her father, courtesy of Rosendo, knows the truth about his belt. On her way out of the main house she runs into Fernando. He has to explain his whereabouts: checking on her granddaughter’s delicate condition. She refuses to consider the little girl her granddaughter. They go into the office to talk things over.

Gabi pours them each a couple of brandies. “She doesn’t carry my blood and I’m the only one who knows which of them is Sofia’s real daughter.” Feo wonders why Gabi’s never bothered to tell him which of them it is. He handed the little girl over to her after all. Gabi says it’s her one remaining weapon with which to defend herself and she’s not giving it away to him. She doesn’t want to give Feo anything more that he can use against her. Feo tells her, “The weapons we use to defend ourselves are often the same things that can destroy us.” (Let’s hope he’s being prophetic here.) Just then El Coyote arrives at the office door with an especially big grin for Gabi. Feo gets touchy and asks Coyote just what does he think he’s doing there coming to see HIS wife?

Coyote says he’s got Gabi’s permission. Gabi smiles back just as big and then tells Feo he’s been gone so much that he’s about to get thrown over for somebody else. She’s given Coyote her permission to come by any old time he likes. Coyote sneers over at Feo and asks if he’s got any objections. Feo shakes his head and walks out in a snit. Gabi offers Coyote a drink and Coyote winks at her. (Ewww!)

Across the hall in Augie’s room Santita and Augie discuss their plans for surprising Fernando and they giggle conspiratorially. (I love these two together. What a team!)

Fernando carries a couple of plastic bags into Root’s bedroom and smiles.

Back at the bungalow Darth tells Root he approves of getting back at somebody when they’ve pulled a humiliating fast one on you, but he tells her she’s playing with fire and the last thing he wants is for her to get hurt, especially over somebody like Juan Reyes. Root swears she’s got no intention of getting serious about Juan. It’s all in the plan to separate Sofia from him. Raqui comes back to the bungalow then and says she wants to speak with Root. Root hisses at her not to come near her and that she doesn’t want to ever see or speak to her again. She walks off and of course Raqui, one of the eternally confused, calls after her.

Raqui tells Darth she doesn’t understand why Root is upset with her because she hasn’t done a single thing to her. Darth says obviously Raqui has or the girl wouldn’t be rejecting her this way. She asks him why he’s always taking Root’s side and never supports her, his own wife. She complains to Darth (not a prudent thing to do) that because of the way he’s brought her up and has given her so much free rein that Root’s turned into a veritable monster.

Darth grabs Raqui by the throat and tells her never to talk like that about Root again. If she doesn’t like the way he raised the girl then get out. They don’t need her there. Raqui asks why he treats her this way and says it would seem he didn’t love her. (What was the first clue, Raqui?) Rico sneers, “Ah! Finally it dawns on her! You’re right! I never loved you! I only married you for your money! The only woman I ever loved is Gabriela Elizondo!” Rico picks up his hat. “Happy?” He walks out. Raqui of the double-digit I.Q. stands there drop-jaw impactada.

Root returns to the main house and Gabi introduces her to El Coyote. Root asks why they call him Coyote. “…because we hunt alone and we are always faithful to our mates.” He turns and smiles over at Gabi who mentions that Root is Ricardo Uribe’s daughter. He thinks to himself that Ricardo has finally come back. Gabi notices his interest-or maybe she’s a bit jealous because she seems to be disturbed that he is staring at Root.

Back in Augie’s bedroom, he and Santita are rushing to get some surprise ready for Fernando.

At the same time, Root enters her bedroom and finds a tray of fruit lying in the middle of her bed. Surpri-i-i-se! Fernando grabs Root from the back. We now get gratuitous and boring scenes of what’s supposed to pass for hawt, rough, illicit sex between the two of them while he feeds her grapes and she moans and pants. Yawn. FF>>

Meanwhile, El Coyote exits the main house. He thinks to himself that this must be his lucky day: Ricardo Uribe’s back in town and Root is the daughter that he loves so much. He plans to come back much more often to visit with Gabi. He can kill two birds with one stone. (Oh, Coyote! Why did we ever doubt you? You may be homely as hell, but there’s something sexy about a man with a plan!)

A bit later, Padre Tadeo walks Eva to the main house. He tells her not to force things between her and Root and then leaves. Eva, another one of the eternally confused, is more perplexed than ever, especially after the curious things that he and Raqui have told her. (Query 1: Why does this not surprise us? Query 2: Why does everybody always have to talk in riddles?) Across the way at Bungalow del Bruto, Raqui remembers the despicable way her husband and daughter have just treated her. She tells herself she deserves it for having switched those babies way back when. Her revenge will be that Gabi never will know that Root is really her child.

Eva heads upstairs and decides to stop to speak with Root, and she hopes Root will at least listen to what she has to say. She starts for Root’s room and the door is open. She sees that Root is in her bedroom doorway, in a hawt, passionate lip lock with Fernando. Eva freezes in place. (¡Qué horror!) Eva then hears something down below and realizes that Gabi is about to come up the stairs. She doesn’t know what to do because Gabi is obviously going to discover Root with Fer the minute she gets to the landing. Gabi is thinking to herself that she needs to explain to Root who El Coyote is. (Why???) She starts up the stairs. In a panic Eva suddenly yells down to Gabi that she needs to speak with her about something. Gabi yells back that they’ve got nothing to say to each other, especially since Eva’s there against Gabi’s will and her patience is pretty frayed where Eva’s concerned.

Gabi is just loud enough so that Feo and Root hear her. Eva says she wants to discuss her granddaughter’s condition, but Gabi says the girl isn’t her granddaughter. Eva wonders how she can say that with such certainty, unless perhaps she knows which one of the three really is Sofia’s daughter. (Think fast, Gabi!) Gabi says she put it that way because Sofia refuses to find out for herself who the real daughter is.

Feo is afraid he and Root will be found out so he wants to leave, but Root loves the heightened sense of danger at the possibility of what Gabi will say if she does find out they’ve been together. Feo likes this game and gives in just a bit longer. Gabi is just about to open the bedroom doors when Sofia starts yelling for her downstairs. Sofia and her two sisters demand an explanation about the reason she made up the lie about their dear dead daddy owning that snake belt. They tell her they are now aware that he was not the murderer she’d claimed he was.

Meanwhile, the Posibles, Roman and Gonzalo, are driving into town. Roman says he doesn’t believe Jimena is ever really going to get that divorce from Oscar Reyes. Gonzalo says he suspects Sarita still has the hots for Franco, too. Roman devises a plan to deal with the situation.

Feo finally sneaks out of Root’s room when he’s certain the coast is clear. Root thinks to herself that all men are cowards--all men except her daddy, that is. He’s a man’s man. (Big Ruh-roh! I don’t even want to go there.)

While all of this is taking place, Darth is sneaking around the Double R, even though it’s broad daylight, and trying to find a weak spot to enter the house. (I thought he found one already the night he caught his daughter jumping Juan in the kitchen.) He takes out a giant gutting knife (emphasizing he’s one mean dude) and says he’s determined to get back in and recover what he’s still got hidden in that house.

Back across the way at the Double E, Mama tells Sofia and her two sisters that she didn’t make up anything, but the three hound her about it until she loses patience. “All right! Yes! I did do it--to get you away from the Reyes. Why? Because I hate them!” Sofia asks her if the resentment she felt because of Juanjo Reyes’s rejection was so great that she had to muddy his name and reputation and then that of his sons? Jimena asks Mama if her resentment was so great that she would rather see her daughters miserable. Sarita, master of the obvious, says well if Mama wanted to keep them apart, she succeeded. Mama asks how dare they speak to her this way? Sofia says proudly, because they are Elizondos. The three of them walk out. Gabi gulps her brandy down and mistakenly thinks to herself, “Poor you, Sofia. You’re no Elizondo-- because Bernardo Elizondo was not your father. You’re Ricardo Uribe’s daughter.”

Back at the Double R, Darth decides that he’ll come back there when it’s dark.

In town, Roman and Gonzalo sweet talk the Gossip Sisters into hiring Franco to serenade Jimena and Sarita for them. Apparently Roman’s set certain conditions if Franco agrees to do the serenade. (Practical jokes with the competition. This is definitely #1 of the top ten ways to win friends and influence your would-be fiancés.)

Now Darth spies on Franco, Oscar and Rigo taking a break in the back forty. Oscar and Franco agree that Tio V.O. is right about this whole Elizondo business. It’s gonna be difficult to do without their women. Oscar says he’s going to visit Jimena one more time and ask her if she loves him. If she says no, it’s over, period. He won’t see her again. Franco notices that Rigo’s in a snit too, but Rigo won’t open up to them. The three start back to work and Darth reminds himself that Juan’s weak spot is his brothers.

Root walks into the little girls’ room and begins to play with Sofia’s daughters while Eva waits to ambush Fernando in his and Gabi’s bedroom about what she just witnessed a bit ago. Feo walks in from the dressing room and Eva lights into him. It might be his wife’s house, she crabs, but he has no qualms about kissing her daughter. He plays ignorant but she tells him to stop pretending because she saw the two of them kissing and even had to distract Gabi to stop her from walking in on them. He has no morals, she tells him, and HER daughter is in danger being around a man like him. Feo mocks: “Your daughter!! When she was little you didn’t have a bit of strength to defend her then! Stop dreaming already, Eva! She despises you. Anyway, she’s nothing more than a slut, a minx!” Eva starts to slap him. “I won’t let you talk about her that way!”

Feo grabs Eva by the throat though and starts to choke. “Don’t dare touch me again, because the one who is going to get the worst of it will be your daughter! Understand?” Eva tells him to let her go or she’ll tell Gabi about the two of them. Seems she wins this round because he lets loose of her then.

Meanwhile, Gabi is waiting for DV back at Bungalow del Bruto. She is holding Darth Rico’s picture in her hand and is thinking to herself that there’s still a chance that he and she can find happiness together; that’s why she’s got to warn him that Rosendo told Augie about him being the real owner of that snake belt and that he’s the actual murderer of the Robles-Reyes’. Darth Rico walks into the bungalow and before Gabi can get a word out edgewise he cuts her off. He’s not interested so get out already! Gabi warns him not to treat her like Raquel, because they’re two very different women. “Oh really?” He tries to grab her roughly by the jaw but Gabi’s too quick for him and stares him down. “All right then, I’ll leave without telling you.” “—Now! I’m fed up with both of you! Git!” She hurls his picture onto the floor, storms out, and it smashes to pieces. Darth figures he’ll make up with her later. Right now he’s only interested in getting back what he’s still got hidden at the Double R and then getting back at Juan Reyes where it hurts the most.

Back at the main house Fernando is dragging Eva kicking and screaming over to the top of the stairs. He tries to push her down them a la Augie a few days ago. Sofia runs up to try to stop him and he turns on her. “I’m fed up with you, too, and now you’re going to pay once and for all!” He tries to push Sofia over the railing. Suddenly Jimena and Sarita are racing up the stairs to try to pull Fernando off Sofia. (Four women in this scene and all they can do is pull at his coat??? I’d have been jumping him and biting his neck or bashing him in the back of his head with the back of my arm or the nearest vase!) Gabi walks into the main hall just then and yells at them to tell her what’s going on.

Suddenly there’s a big BOOM! Augie has let loose with a shot from his ancient blunderbuss and knocks a 2 foot hole in a nearby vase. THAT gets their attention! Augie yells at Feo, “The next time you try to attack Sofia I swear I will kill you, Fernando! I swear I will!” Santita calls Feo a coward and tells him his time is coming and fast. Gabi demands an explanation. Feo shrugs in feigned surprise. “They just went mad and attacked me! It was all Eva’s fault. She was in our bedroom insulting me and she attacked me.” Eva denies it and says she was only there to tell him what she thought. Gabi says nothing Eva thinks interests her and she didn’t have the right to go into her bedroom –unless, perhaps, she wanted to sleep with this husband the way she did with Bernardo. Santita raises her eyebrows. Sofia and her two sisters follow Eva back toward the little girls’ room.

Sofia comes in to the girl’s room and sees Root with her daughters. She kicks Root out and tells her she doesn’t want to see her in there ever again. Ever!! Root shrugs her off and leaves. Back on the landing, Feo tells Gabi that Eva just went nuts. Augie says, “So that was why you tried to kill Sofia? To commit another one of your crimes?” Gabi yells at Augie to stop already. She doesn’t want him accusing her husband of being a murderer! Santita says, “Well as always, Gabi, you defend everybody but never your own daughters.” Root walks past and says sorry, but family tiffs like this bore her and make her queasy. She excuses herself and saunters out.

Augie looks downstairs at Root leaving and says the house is filling up with poisonous brutes. So fortunately, he and Santita are getting married and getting the heck away from there. Gabi screams that Augie and she can’t get married. Santi says oh yeah? Watch us! We’re getting married both civilly and by the Church! Gabi says it would be showing disrespect towards her dear dead mother. Santi says, nope. “We’re both widowers now and nobody can stop us.” Gabi tries to lay the old guilt trip on Augie again about killing her mother in that car wreck but Augie yells at her to remember Gabi herself was the one driving that night, not him! Gabi, he says, killed her mother in the same heartless way she would kill her three daughters if she could! Santita’s look hardens but perverted Feo looks over at Gabi with renewed interest and admiration.

Back in Puebla City, Juan is in his daughter’s room “attempting” to rock his little daughter in the giant hospital bed. (Don’t they have hospital cribs around there? The kid looks like she could crawl over that stumpy rail and fall out any minute—if Juan doesn’t shake, rattle and roll her over it first!) He’s all excited and tells Maria Jose that now her parents can get married and she and her little sisters can all live together with them in one big happy family. Juan stops suddenly then and thinks back to what Rosendo told him about the true owner of that snake belt. His constipated brain finally connects the dots and he says to himself that since Gabi was able to describe the murder of his parents exactly the way he remembers seeing it and dreamt about it his entire life, then the real murderer must have been the one to tell her about it. He’s going to make her tell him who that was. He’ll get the truth out of her no matter what. (I vote for the “no matter what” option.)

Back in the little girls’ room at the hacienda, Sofia begs Eva to let her in on whatever it was that caused her to go at it with Feo that way. Eva gives in and says, well, it’s hard because every day she realizes that Root is more headstrong and rebellious than she could have ever imagined. “Uh… er … I discovered her and Fernando kissing each other.” Sofia stands up, drop-jaw impactada. “What???”

Across the hall in their bedroom Crabi gives Feo the third degree over what he and Eva were arguing about. He gripes that Eva is just an old busybody who insists on spying on his every move. Gabi wonders if it’s because he might be hiding something from her. He of course denies it. He says Eva is just so frustrated about wanting to tell Root the truth that she’s capable of anything now. He begins pacing and Crabi wonders what he’s afraid of. He says he’s afraid of Sofia going ahead with her threat to send him to jail. So, if Gabi ever loved him she should avoid any further friction between her and Sofia because it would be to their mutual benefit if she would. He begins to seduce Gabi to make sure she sees things his way.

Eva wants to know what Sofia’s about to do now that she knows. Sofia tells Eva that she’s off to do something she should have done a while ago.

Gabi breaks away from Fernando. She’s flustered and wonders why he’s kissing her like that after everything he’s done. He says because he luuuhhvs her but she stopped believing him, and they’ve both hurt each other, but now it’s to their mutual benefit if they begin to support each other again. “Don’t you realize that we neeeeed each other again?” “—You’re right. I need you and you need me.” “--Together again we’ll be invicible,” he wheedles. She only wishes she could be sure that he really does love her. He says of course he does, and like no other women he’s ever loved –well, others have given him a perverse pleasure, but with HER it’s different. They share the same interests, the same hatred, and the same loves. She swoons and asks weakly if he really does love her like he says. (So what’s Darth, now? Swiss cheese?) “You must not doubt it again!” Gabi continues to swoon. “I’m a strong woman, but I need to be loved.” “--Just like me,” says Feo. “—I need for you all to love me.” “—I love you.” “—I need it so much…” she demures. “—Ye-s-s-s. You must trust me. The only thing that I ask is that you trust me. Don’t lack confidence in me again.” He continues the seduction.

In town the sheriff tells Sofia that she’s making a very serious accusation and he wonders if she really wants to go ahead with things. Sofia says absolutely. “Fernando Escandon has to pay back everything he owes us.”

Meanwhile, Fernando swears he’ll love Gabi his entire life and he leaves her alone to think things over.

Back at the hospital in Puebla City, Juan decides that the only way to deal with things is to confront his enemies. Sofia walks into the hospital room. She tells Juan she’s got a surprise waiting for Fernando and he says that he’s got another one, too, but he’ll tell her about it later. He kisses her good-bye and leaves.

That night, Darth sneaks into the field behind the Double R and cuts the tractor’s brake lines with his giant gutting knife. “The Reyes’ will pay dearly for having messed with me!”

At the Double E, Feo finds Raqui walking into the main house and grabs her. He demands his money but she tells him to back off and leave her alone. She gets loose from him and storms back out again. He shakes his head and apparently is going to think of something better to try with her when Juan shows up in the foyer and calls him out. “I came to warn you not to get into it again with Sofia! Not with her nor with my daughters –and especially not with my brothers! You lied to me, you pig! (Nooo!) You went behind Sofia’s back and claimed it was her decision to let those cattle eat our crops, but it was your idea!” Feo sneers back. “He-yeah! And you fell for it, completely!” “--Yes!” Juan slugs him. Feo snarls from the floor while he clears his head and we wait for the scum bug’s next move.

Labels: Fuego

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