Caray, Caray!

Cuernavaca: Arturo looks up to see Mariano & Aida walking up. Hector hadn’t had the chance to tell him and takes him inside. Juana, Aurora, Martin head off to ask Mariano to leave. Meanwhile, Teresa takes this opportunity to be alone with Fernando saying she’d rather not see Mariano just yet. Mariano asks Aida if she’d like to leave. They both agree not to leave. Aurora walks up to Mariano and tells him that when she invited them, she had no idea her father had already invited Art&Tere. Juana and Martin have now joined the conversation and Juana accuses him of wanting to continue to see her goddaughter but doesn’t consider what she may want. Does he want to cause problems for her and her husband? On the contrary, Mariano says, he had no idea they were going to be there. Aida chimes in saying Mariano has no further interest in seeking out Teresa and tells them she and Mariano are now novios, making Aurora uncomfortable.

Elsewhere, Arturo understands Teresa was unkind to Martin when they met and Hector says this is why they were all invited, to begin anew. He asked Aurora to bring Martin but didn’t specifically say who was going to be there and had no idea she had invited Mariano & Aida. He understands the uncomfortable situation with Mariano and he’ll ask him to leave. He also explains Aurora likes him very much and as Director of the hospital he values him as well but he also knows how much he bothers Arturo. Arturo has come the realization that this will continue to happen. Mariano and he seem to have many acquaintances in common, more than he would like.

Teresa is taking a stroll with Fernando saying she’s sorry he had to witness all this. He replies, “that’s what happens to a beautiful woman, more than one man will notice her.” Teresa says it’s more important who the woman chooses. That’s not so simple, he says. All men want to be the chosen one but not all men are willing to lose and Mariano is one of the latter. Teresa likes a man who is willing to fight for her without a care as what he has to do.

Back at the confrontation with Aida & Mariano: Aida doesn’t see what the big deal is. They’re all adults here and can behave. Mariano agrees but says he came with her and will leave with her. Aurora invited them over for a good time but it appears as though that can’t happen now. He thinks they should leave. As Aurora is explaining how sorry she is about all this, Arturo walks up (actually charges up) and tells Mariano he’d like to speak with him.

Fernando and Teresa: Fernando brings up Mariano and how he would do anything for her, even interrupt her wedding. It’s apparent he really doesn’t care about anything else. She tells him not to confuse the issue. It’s true Mariano has committed many locuras for her but the one who really had to fight for her was Arturo. He was the one with the least chance of being with her. He was her professor, and then her employer. They both agree that was a moral dilemma. That’s why, Teresa continues, he was very strict with her and always put a barrier between them. Furthermore, her mother didn’t like him. She was on team Mariano and really pressured her to be with him. Arturo finally won out. Little by little he won her over. He was so thoughtful and before she knew it, she had fallen in love with him. She’s very happy with him but if he continues with this jealousy over Mariano, sob, she just doesn’t know what she’ll do. She takes his hands and begins to cry, she’s very worried. Then she hugs him close and he caresses her back. He has a sincere, concerned look on his face. Her, a knowing tiburoncita smile.

Arturo tells Mariano he seems destined to run into him repeatedly. Mariano agrees they have many acquaintances in common and although Art&Tere may not agree, there are many who appreciate him and he’s going to continue those friendships. Arturo knows and thinks enough is enough, speaking of the scandal Mariano caused at his wedding and the scandal Arturo caused at Mariano’s home. Mariano doesn’t understand why he did that. He’s won Teresa hasn’t he? They both agree they’ll continue to run into each other and don’t feel they should leave whenever that happens. Mariano confesses had he known they would be here, he wouldn’t have come. Not because of Teresa and him, but out of respect for Aida and not wanting to put her through the discomfort. Arturo asks only that he respect his wife and others in the house. Mariano says he honestly has no problem and hopes Arturo feels the same. Arturo hopes they are able to behave in a civil manner toward each other whenever they happen to be in the same place.

Ruh-roh – Fernando looks as though he’s really enjoying that hug. Teresa suddenly pulls away and acts as though nothing is wrong then says playfully that he’s acting like her guardian angel to which he replies he’s many things but nothing like an angel (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). That’s exactly what she thought when first they met. That’s why she warned Luisa about getting involved with him. She sees him as one of those who refuses to lose. He also sees her that way. She’s determined (decidada) and doesn’t allow anyone to get the best of her(no te dejas). She learned that where she was raised, to defend what’s hers and that’s why now she must fight for her marriage. Beginning with getting Arturo to stop worrying about Mariano. Above all, Paloma must leave her husband in peace. Arturo has publicly spurned (despreciado) Mariano and yet he shows too much concern for that woman. Fernando agrees and feels it would be best that they both distance themselves from Paloma. Arturo joins them, asking Teresa to come with him. He announces they’re not leaving and neither is Mariano. Mariano will have to accept that Teresa is his wife and they will be together for-ev-er. They both thank Fernando and walk away. Fernando calls Luisa.

Aida agrees that Mariano and Arturo should treat each other politely. It’s obvious they will continue to run into them and it’s not like they can take Teresa off the face of the earth. She feels it’s the best thing he can do. Then they see Arturo and Teresa walking together. Aida immediately rushes to put her arms around Mariano. Mariano tells her if she feels the least bit uncomfortable, they can leave. Aida refuses, saying that when she thinks of all she suffered at the hands of Teresa with regards to Paolo, she has a little satisfaction knowing it bothers Teresa to see her with Mariano. She kisses him then tells him what Teresa said about Aida picking up her cast offs (deshechos). But she doesn’t care because she’s able to appreciate their value.

Hector is talking to Martin about Aurora’s mother, saying he really has no hope of finding her and that may be best for everyone. Martin doesn’t agree it would be best for Aurora. Hector’s sure that finding Vanessa will only reopen old wounds and he’s hired an attorney to take care of things legally. He asks that Martin be discreet with Juana at least until his legal situation is finalized. He’s grateful Martin was so supportive when Aurora told him of her mother’s abandonment. Martian confesses he’s in love with Aurora and hopes to one day marry her and is counting on Hector’s blessing. Hector agrees but says that the last definitive word is Aurora’s. Martin’s very aware of that and he’s working on it.

We finally leave Cuernavaca and return to la vecindad. Johnny wonders out loud why we sigh. She remembers a dicho that says “a sigh is like a kiss that never was” (un beso que nunca se dio). Very cute. Cutberto then says he’ll always be sighing because…..yeah, yeah, yeah, says Johnny, thanks to your amada. Espe assumes he’s referring to Juana. Cutberto starts in complaining about Juana and Hector and thankfully Johnny wants to change the subject but not before Juana tells him she’s in Cuernavaca for the weekend with other couples. That gets him going again…..FF>>

Cuernavaca: Everyone is poolside and Fernando announces he’s leaving to help Luisa with some work. Hector asks Aurora to organize the sleeping arrangements. Aida jumps in asking where she and Mariano will sleep tonight. Teresa could give herself whiplash with the way she turned to look at Mariano. Aurora puts the kibosh on her plans: The men will sleep in the guest room, the women will sleep in Aurora’s. Then there’s her father’s room and another room for Arturo and Teresa. Arturo has to point out the good thing about being married is that they can sleep in their own room. Juana nervously asks if there is an extra bed in Aurora’s room for her. Hector smiles nervously. Dang it, he’s so cute.

Vecindad: Johnny and Cutberto leave for work. Espy settles down with a baby book as she talks to her baby. She wonders if baby can really hear everything and wishes she could choose what he/she hears. If so, she wouldn’t have wanted baby to hear her argument with Ruben. She apologizes for not going back to his/her father even though she loves him (ugh) and the baby will really need him. But she cannot accept his offer.

Casa Caceres: Eeeewwww! Mayra and Ruben talk about the wonderful time they had last night. She tells him she was so nervous and hopes it was good for him. Ugh She’s so insecure. He proposes that from now on she decides what goes on in bed, and elsewhere. She’s embarrassed and admits she could never see herself with another man. She admits she thought about it but just couldn’t see herself actually doing it. He tells her there’s no need to think about that now that they’re back together and he will never stray again. (I gag). She wants them to be honest and truthful with each other and tell each other everything.

Quick view of poolside in Cuernavaca. Mariano and Aida cavorting by the pool as Teresa keeps an eye on them. She’s sitting next to Arturo who seems to be playing backgammon, oblivious to his wife’s roving eye.

Back to the Caceres: Ruben thinks they should take a vacation. She doesn’t feel right doing that now after all the work she’s done with the accountant and Aida. Poor guy has spent so much time with her. That’s why he pays Madeo (accountant?) She’s determined to continue. He suggests he be the one to teach her/help her. After all, he knows the business. She agrees and he snuggles to her telling her he loves her voice. Aaaaagh!

A Night in Cuernavaca: Art&Tere in their room. She tells him he did the right thing in deciding not to argue every time they see Mariano. He doesn’t want to talk about that right now. In fact, he doesn’t want to talk and they begin canoodling.

Outside, Aida and Mariano are taking a stroll and she tells him her plan was to spend all her time with him but with Hector there that wasn’t possible. She’s sure Martin wanted to spend the night with Aurora. He says they need to respect the rules of the house. She kisses him goodnight. Mariano is alone and begins to think about that first day in Cuernavaca with Teresa. He happens to walk by Art&Tere’s room and can hear their lovemaking, and he’s frustrated. We see Arturo and Teresa in bed and she doesn’t look much happier.

Casa de la Barrera: Fernando arrives, surprising Luisa and offers to help her. As he embraces Luisa, he thought bubbles about that other embrace with Teresa. Now he doesn’t look too happy either. Luisa wonders what’s wrong with him.

Cuernavaca: Art&Tere’s bedroom. She’s redressed and asks if he wants to go back downstairs to play more table games (juegos de mesa). He’d rather stay here with her. As he hugs her, we see that she’d rather be anywhere than here with him. She tells him she’s really thirsty and going for some water.
We next see her talking with Aurora. Aurora doesn’t understand why she’s still so nervous. Everything turned out alright in the end. Teresa insists this shouldn’t have happened to begin with. She shouldn’t be here and neither should Mariano. In reality, they shouldn’t be there at the same time, ever. Aurora understands she doesn’t want to see him and that it brings up bad memories. Whoopsie, Arturo appears in the background without either woman noticing him. Aurora wants to know why Teresa is so adamant that Mariano not be here, specifically in this house. She then asks if this is where she and Mariano had their “first” time. Yes, Teresa confesses. This is where she was with Mariano and then asks that she not repeat that. Too late! Arturo’s heard everything and is muy, muy, pero muy impactado!

Casa de la Barrera: Luisa’s packing up her work and Fernando is still sulking. She asks again what’s the matter. Nothing, he says. By the way, has he told her how beautiful she looks tonight? He sure wishes she could’ve gone with him to Cuernavaca. She talks of all the work she had to get done and still isn’t finished. He’s promised to help her and he will. He gives her a big hug. She asks again what’s up? Nothing, he says again. He missed her. Maybe he’s trying to rub the feel of shark skin off.

Cuernavaca: Tere’s not finished and Arturo is bracing himself to hear more. She knows if Arturo finds out, he’ll kill her. She loves him and intends to put her marriage first before anything. She’s fearful of him finding out. Aurora doesn’t think she’ll ever be happy living like this. Arturo’s heard enough and leaves and walks right into Hector who sees that he is clearly upset. Arturo says he’s not ok and says he’s going to kill Mariano! Hector becomes alarmed wondering what happened. He thought they had straightened everything out. Arturo’s so angry he can barely speak. He tells him he can’t talk about it and really shouldn’t say anything to him at the moment. Hector continues to try to understand what’s wrong. But Arturo won’t say more and apologizes, saying there’s something he needs to determine/make clear (definir). He leaves and Hector goes after him.

Elsewhere in the house, Juana, Aida, and Martin are playing a rousing game of Twister. Mariano walks in and Aida asks why he’s so serious. He should join in the fun. At that moment Arturo comes charging in with Hector trailing behind. Arturo and Mariano stare at each other like two greyback gorillas squaring off for battle. I swear Arturo even flared his nostrils. Mariano gives him the ol’ “what?” Aida tries to pretend nothing is going on and invites them to a nightclub. Arturo says no thanks and leaves. Mariano continues pacing and posturing like any good gorilla would and even makes a move as though he’ll go after Arturo but Aida stops him. Arturo is back in his room, barely able to control himself, saying to himself, “Teresa lied to me!” He walks over to Teresa’s suitcase and flings it across the floor. All the while he’s talking to himself. “¡Maldito! He stood there shamelessly and didn’t answer me truthfully the day I asked him” Kicks the suitcase. “How he must have laughed. ¡Maldito Mariano!” Boom, another soccer kick to the suitcase. Oh, he is really steamed!

Aurora understands how difficult this is but thinks Teresa should talk to Arturo and tell him. Teresa doesn’t think it’s necessary now that there shouldn’t be any further problems between Arturo and Mariano, thanking Aurora and Hector for talking to them both. As Aurora’s telling her things seem to have worked out and Mariano seems very happy with Aida, Juana comes up telling Teresa about Arturo’s appearance in the game room. He seemed very upset and she needs to go check on him.

Arturo is sitting in the darkened bedroom fuming and thought bubbles Teresa’s confession to Aurora about having had sex with Mariano. Teresa walks in and immediately knows something’s wrong. He just glares at her.

Aurora asks dad to no avail. No one seems to know what’s bugging Arturo. Juana figures he’s apparently angry with Mariano, again. The bell goes off in Aurora’s head and I’m sure she’s wondering if he overheard her conversation with Tere. Dad asks if she knows of a problem between the couple, and Aurora hopes there isn’t any.

Teresa begins picking up the battered suitcase and asks what’s wrong. Nothing, he says. She insists, saying his face says something is wrong. He snaps “Estoy que me lleva el Diablo (the devil’s got me). Is that what you want to hear?” He sheds a tear as he thought bubbles again to the moment where Teresa tells Aurora he’d kill her if he found out. She loves him and will put her marriage first, etc. Teresa pleads with him to tell her what’s wrong. He tells her he’s furious and disappointed (defraudado). She’s getting scared and asks who disappointed him. She’s never seen him like this. He’s very angry and says he thought he had everything under control. But as it turn out SOMEONE knew more than he. She’s still trying to understand what’s going on. He needs to solve this himself. He’s the one who got himself into this. She doesn’t understand. She’s gone for five minutes to talk with Aurora and returns to this. What happened? She’s is wife. She wants him to know what happened to him. He says bad things happen when you least expect them. He was so stupid to believe in…….he pauses then says to believe in Saenz’ partner. She’s surprised to see him so upset over the Saenz case and tells him not to be so worried. Everything will be ok. She turns her puppy eyes to him and asks if there’s anything she can do to help him. She doesn’t realize it but that is probably not the best approach at this time. She kisses him but gets no response. He apologizes then leaves. Ooooh, tiburoncita doesn’t know what just happened.

Martin is ready to go to the club and wants Aurora to go with them. She wants to talk to Teresa. Everyone, Martin, Hector, and Juana tells her to let the newlyweds work out their own problems.

La Vecindad (combo scenes): Johnny and Espe chat about her knitting, then about him picking her up later to take her to work, then about bringing her back some churros. Cutberto shows up drunk to look for the pieces of his broken heart that Juana has surely scattered around her apartment. He starts opening drawers and Espe asks Johnny to stop him. Yawn. He’s looking for the homemade card he gave her because he’s realized he means nothing to her. Espe doesn’t understand why they’re each with another when they can be so happy together. Cutberto doesn’t understand why Juana doesn’t love him. He even asked her to marry him and have his children. Is it possible Teresa convinced her not to be with him?

Cuernavaca (combo scenes): They’re in another part of the house now (living room?) and Teresa asks again if he’s ok. Arturo says he’s not but he’ll be ok soon. He doesn’t even turn to look at her. She’s never seen him like this and wonders if Mariano being here has caused this. At the mention of his name, Arturo turns to look at her. She’s telling him they shouldn’t allow him to bother them and she wishes she could erase him from her life. She reaches out to him but he takes both her arms and pushes her aside. He doesn’t think you can erase the past and forget it. Do what you will, your past always catches up with you. Your past marks you forever and makes you into the person you are today. She’s not following him. He wonders if she thinks she can forget what she lived/had with someone from her past. She’s still not getting it and asks if this has to do with Paloma. No, he says he’s speaking generally and brings up her sister. Has she forgotten what they shared before she died? That’s what he’s talking about. The good times and the bad. The times that make their mark on us forever. She reminds him they had agreed to put the past, Paloma and Mariano, behind them,. She reaches out for him again and again he pushes her aside. She asks him to come to bed. He thought bubbles about the conversation he had with Paloma when she was trying to tell him about Mariano and Teresa. Then he says mostly to himself that he needs details. Tere hears him and wonders what details he’s talking about. He lies and says it has to do with the case and announces he’s leaving for D.F. She offers to pack their suitcases and he tells her not to bother, she’s staying here. She protests, saying she’s his wife and she should go with him. He tells her it’s business and besides, she wanted to come here to enjoy herself. Not without him, she says. Mariano and Aida walk by on their way to the club and invite them to join them. No, thanks. Now Juana comes up and Arturo asks her to watch over his tiburoncita since he’s called away on business.

Casa Caceres: Mayra’s come back from a shopping spree and then tells Ruben she’s off on a mysterious errand. Don’t bother to ask cuz she’s not telling him. As soon as she leaves, he pulls out his cell. It rings at Geno’s who refuses to answer. He leaves her a message telling her he’s worried about where Mayra is headed and wants to talk to her about it.

Cuernavaca: Teresa tells Aurora about Arturo’s impromptu trip to D.F. She’s really worried. Aurora’s glad to hear it’s about business. She was afraid he’d heard their conversation about Mariano. Teresa refuses to even think about that possibility.

Casa de la Barrera: Fernando looks at Art&Tere’s wedding picture as Luisa finishes up at the computer. She kisses him again and again he is very distant. She suggests they go out to dinner and share some time together. He begs off, saying he’s really very tired and wants to go home to bed. Luisa’s worried.

La Vecindad: Knock at the door, and Espe assumes it’s Johnny and opens the door without asking who’s there. Mayra swoops in! She’s there to tell her she’s decided to give Ruben another chance. Espe doesn’t understand her purpose in being there. Mayra supposes that in the past she never would have dreamed of coming here but she announces she’s a new woman now. Espe still doesn’t understand what that has to do with her. She’s already promised she’ll leave Ruben alone and never plans to see him again. She tells her of her plan to leave the vecindad, that there’s “someone” else in her life now and it’s because of that person that she’s planning on leaving. Of course Mayra assumes she’s with another man.

Cuernavaca: Juana and Teresa are dressed for bed. Juana doesn’t understand why Teresa is so upset. Tere doesn’t like the way he treated her. She’s sure it’s something to with more than business. Plus, he up and leaves her there! Everyone went out to enjoy themselves. Aurora with Martin, that desgraciada with Mariano. Truthfully, she would have like to go with them. She’s come to the realization that her life is very different from other women her age. Juana tells her she should’ve thought about that before marrying an older man. Tere pouts that he promised he’d always be aware of what she wanted. Juana feels he’s already given in to her many times and she can’t think he’d want to be out there gallivanting around in a nightclub. He’s an important man and it wouldn’t be seemly. Teresa’s working herself into a berrinche now, wondering if she’s supposed to be satisfied with attending charity auctions, dinners, and all those other boring events!

Mariano and Aurora are at the gate, returning from their night out. He wants to know why Arturo was so angry. She tells him it was about business and he’s not satisfied with that answer. He wants to know more. Finally, Aurora has had it. ¡Basta! The world doesn’t revolve around Teresa! He needs to stop worrying and thinking about her or he’ll never be happy. She storms off.

Casa de Paloma: Ruh-roh! There’s a knock at the door and Paloma goes to see who’s come a-calling at this hour. You guessed it. It’s Arturo! He tells her she was right. Teresa deceived him. She goes to hug him and he’s crying. Damn!

Labels: Teresa

Bad Bernie’s where we left her -- in front of the church-sized Cristo in her home, still gnashing her teeth over Victoria's learning the identity of her daughter:
¡Las tengo que separar para siempre!
(I have to separate them forever!)
Bells are ringing and it ain’t the Avon lady.

And the sad conversation between Victoria and María Desamparada by Choice is over. Now, outside the apartment, Victoria wonders if MD will ever be able to forgive her. While inside, MD leans on the door and sinks miserably to the floor and thinks:
Dios mio, no tengo fuerzas para perdonarla.
(My God, I don’t have the strength to forgive her.)
She holds the magical crucifix.

Max gets to the vecindad in time to meet Vic on her way out. She tells him how profoundly unhappy she is, that she is now paying for her arrogance. He wants to know if this has anything to do with María. It does, admits Vic. She is deeply wounded by something that happened but she prefers not to say any more about it. She heads out. And Max goes inside to see María.

I found my mother, María announces flatly. My mother is Victoria Sandoval.

Max is impactado: How do you know that? Who told you?

María tells him how she and Vic got into an argument and went into the apartment to continue scratching each other’s eyes out in private. It was then that Vic caught sight of the magic crucifijo (which -- holy Mejía! -- now twinkles). And she knew.

Max thinks that is just excellent news. María should be, like, happy.

Um. Not exactly. It’s kind of a downer to find out your real mother is an arrogant tyrant, a woman who has made you suffer so much. But Max insists she is being too hard on Vic. After all, he knows first-hand how much she struggled to find her lost daughter. But María isn’t budging. She nurses too many hard feelings, too much resentment, too much hatred. Quite simply, she says: No la quiero.

At home, tragic hunky Dr. Heri reflects on the promise he made to his wife on her deathbed. He swore – but only because she insisted – that when she was gone, he would find another woman to share his life with. He never kept that promise – he never found another woman to take her place. [Is it just me or did anyone else see the number on the bottom of the screen: 1-800-LUV HERI?] And then he thinks about Victoria…

Victoria, now back at Casa Sandoval, can’t stop thinking of María’s harsh words:

Understand once and for all that little María – your little María – is dead!

Osvaldo sees how stricken she looks. She tells him that what she was longing for has happened – she has finally found her daughter. And it’s ... Wait a sec. Set up the echo chamber, Sal. Okay, listo:
María Desamparada! María Desamparada! María Desamparada!

Let’s look in on the happiest couple in the vecindad, Fer and Cruz. They are in bed chatting about his plans to record a disco, his determination to become a vet. Smoochies, a red rose, weird animated hearts. ♪♪ Mi riqueza ♪♪ One thing leads to another. Bottom line: If Fer is not with child, it’s not for lack of trying.

At Casa Sandoval, it’s now Osvaldo’s turn to be impactado. He can’t believe it. María?

Yes, says Vic wretchedly. It's María. The same María who despises me and wants nothing to do with me. And it’s all my fault for treating her so badly. Even so, she tells Os, María’s rejection was the most painful moment of her life, more painful than losing her in the first place. She is sure that María will never forgive her, not after all the harm she’s done to her.

Back to Cruz and Fer, still snuggling in bed now in a smoke ‘em if you got ‘em moment. Fer decides she’ll pay a visit to Dr. Heri’s consultorio tomorrow to find out why she hasn’t gotten pregnant.

Victoria, alone in her bedroom, prays for a second chance with María and hopes the day will come when MD calls her “mamá”.

It’s a new day and María comes to see PJP at the church. She knows Victoria is her mother but it gives her no joy. On the contrary, the knowledge is bitter and painful. Juan Pablo knew. Why didn’t he warn her? He couldn’t, he tells her, because he was bound by the secret of the confessional. But he did try to prepare her. And María knows how much Victoria has suffered…

María doesn’t want to hear it. She doesn’t believe Vic even has feelings. She will never forgive her! Her stony declaration:
Last night Victoria ceased to exist. She is dead to me!

PJP begs her to show some compassion for Vic – it’s her own mother she’s talking about. And it’s not good to hold on to all that hatred. She needs to learn to forgive.

I can’t, says María. And how sad -- if this is my family, I was better off as an orphan.

Doña Bernarda de Iturbide has summoned Guillermo to her office. She has a little job for him:
Quiero desaparecer a Victoria Sandoval y a María Desamparada para siempre.(I want to get rid of Vic and MD forever).
[So Gui, before you sign on with Bernie, you might want to talk to some of her former employees. Oh wait. They’re mostly in hell, aren’t they? (Except for poor Tomasa who is in that pueblito norteño in the sky).]

At Casa Sandoval, Max understands that María’s rejection is very painful to Victoria; and he is sympathetic. But he also reminds her that she brought this on herself. He doesn’t know if María will forgive her; if she does, it won’t come easy. He’ll do what he can to soften María’s heart.

Victoria, remembering MD and Alonso together, tells Max she’ll never forgive herself if, because of her, he and María stop loving each other. That will never happen, he tells her.

Of course poor deluded Alonso thinks differently. And now, alone with María in the vecindad, he tries to help her sort out her feelings toward Vic. He encourages her to let go of her resentment and embrace the chance to be with her mother. He also reminds her of Bernie’s role in the way her life played out. If the Demented One hadn’t kept JP unaware of Vic’s pregnancy, things would have turned out very differently.

María tells Alonso the same thing she told Max and Juan Pablo: She can’t accept Vic as her mother.

I’d give my life to make you happy, Alonso tells her. [And here, some in the viewing audience are shuffling their feet impatiently.] You love me that much? asks María. She allows him to lean in and caress her face but she deflects his kiss to her cheek. I’m so sorry, she says, it’s just that… But Alonso won’t hear apologies. He promised he’d be patient.

But not all that patient. He’s downright grumpy when Max shows up at the door casting a large shadow: Are you here to trash María’s life again? Go away, Max, please, go away!

Fer and Cruz sit in Dr. Heri’s office at CRIT and explain their problem. Still no pregnancy “por más que nos aplicamos” (as hard as we try).
Heri thinks a second operation may help. Fer’s thrilled they have a chance and she’d like the surgery done “lo más pronto que se pueda” (as soon as possible).

Alonso is still trying to get Max to leave. After all, María has made her choice. But Max reminds him that he and María have a child together –

Here Alonso interjects pathetically: Soon little Juan Pablo will have lots of brothers and sisters --

But he grudgingly agrees to step out so María and Max can talk privately, maybe for the last time.

As soon as he is out the door, our lovers fly into one another’s arms. Te amo's. Smoochies.

In the final scene, Doña Bernarda de Iturbide comes to call on Victoria. She has a little disinformation to share: María Desamparada is not your daughter!

But Victoria knows what she knows. Her proof? First, the crucifix. Second, Bernie herself told her --
-- Hey, I lied, says Bernie.
And third her maternal instinct (mi corazón de madre) which drew her to María even when Bernie poisoned Vic against her. [No room for DNA in Victoria’s epistemology]

You no longer have any power over me, says Victoria. But the Demented One isn’t done. She asks her to recall how she lost María in the first place. Some heartless person ran us over, says Vic. Well, says Demente:
Esa persona desalmada fui yo. Yo las atropellé a propósito porque quería verlas muertas... ¡muertas a las dos!
(That heartless person was me. I ran you over deliberately because I wanted to see you dead – both of you dead!)

Say what??

Credits roll

Labels: triunfo

Today's episode is still in the material covered in Melinama's Recap #1 at this link.

If you don't have access to Telefutura, you can see Cap 6 on YouTube. It starts at this link.

Plot developments in Cap 6:

(If you need reminders of who's who, check the Characters Page.)

Francisco orders Hipo back to Panama immediately, for the sake of his reputation.
Asuncion (Sunny?) lets slip to Hipo that Hipo’s father is related to Juana.
Luis and Cristobal try to figure out why Diego wants him dead.
Highwaymen rob Vicente but all they get is a letter.
Martin tells Carmela that in Spain he met Frenchmen who said that all men are equal, lords and lowly.
Juana tells Hipo that no one must know she’s Sunny’s daughter. Juana’s sending her back to Panama. Hipo tells Juana, “You can’t run my life,” and she tells Juana she had a son by the mystery boinker.
Juana considers the problem of Luis having a male heir since Diego doesn’t. She asks Luis if he has a love child anywhere; he says no. Then she implores him to not divorce; he blows her off.
Diego is jealous because Luis and Hipo pay attention to each other. Both men offer her help. Diego tells Juana to get him Hipo as a mistress, to “win” against Luis.
The friar tells the abbess that Catalina has in illegitimate half sister, so she might be expelled.
Perla shows Luis the letter that was stolen from Vicente.

Labels: Alborada

Labels: Teresa

Now this is a new strategy to build an audience – stealth programming! Here’s the episode Loonyvisión (apparently) didn’t want you to see.


Victoria is at María’s apartment to share her newly granted miracle – María Desamparada is her daughter. But alas, the news isn’t having the desired effect on María. She isn’t quite ready to turn the other cheek when she’s still nursing bruises from the last time she was VicSlapped.

Vic tells her that she’s the one who gave Juan Pablo the magic crucifix. She wants María to know the whole story, how she was a helpless (desvalida) girl who, in her loneliness and sadness, sought love with a man who was forbidden to her, a man who had dedicated himself to God.

Hablando del rey de Roma –
PJP prays that MD will forgive Vic and leave her resentment in the past and that the meeting between mother and daughter will be loving and giving. (And what have you been smoking, Padre?)

Padre Jerónimo comes upon PJP and, thinking he’s worrying about his spat with María, reassures him that she’ll come around. It’s more serious than that, JP tells him: Victoria knows the truth and she went to MD’s house to tell her. Jero wonders what Bernie has to say about it. PJP admits she doesn’t know yet but he is hoping she takes the news well, that she repents and leaves her hatred behind. (I ask again. What have you been smoking, Padre?) Jero will pray. Very hard.

Victoria continues: That humble girl, alone in the world, reached out for affection on a night that would end up marking her – And Juan Pablo. And María – forever.

María interrupts her: Please don’t tell me you were a victim!

Yes, says Vic, in a sense she is a victim -- of Bernarda de Iturbide. She’s the one who threatened her, who threw her out of the house. She is the one responsible for all her suffering.

Bernarda de Iturbide is sleeping the sleep of the wicked. She dreams of the flames of hell. She sees the victims of her hideous crimes – Octavio, Tomasa, Mother Superior, the Scorpion guy, Padilla. They remind her of the inferno that awaits her.

Then she dreams of how much she enjoyed holding back the name of Victoria’s daughter. Suddenly she sits up in bed, wide awake, Victoria still in her mind. She resolves that Vic will never know who her daughter is. (Sorry, Demente, that ship has sailed.)

Yeah, Vic knows. But María is no pushover. She knows how to hold a grudge. Victoria tells her that Bernarda hid the fact of her pregnancy from Juan Pablo. And by doing that, she took from them the right to decide what to do with their lives. So she was completely alone when she gave birth to María. She tells the girl: You were born in the street!

You must have despised that infant, says María. No, no, no – Vic hastens to correct her. It was one of the most glorious nights of her life. Once she held her child in her arms, she was no longer alone. She loved that child with all her heart.

María scoffs. You loved me? You abandoned me!

Once again, Vic corrects her and tells how she was run over, was separated from la pequeña María; and from that night never stopped searching for her.

María recalls the nights she spent longing for the love and protection of her mother. Meanwhile Victoria was dreaming of her lost daughter – it was her loss that kept Vic from ever being happy.

Happy, echoes María bitterly as she turns away from Vic. Something you made sure I never was.

But now that Vic knows María is her daughter, she wants her to be happy. María won’t accept what she sees as pity (lastima). Vic is quick to assure her it is love. Yeah, well. Too late, Señora, says María. Now she herself has a child and all her love is for him; he’s not going have a bad mother like she did.

Mala madre! No! Again Vic tries to make her understand: We were victims of circumstance; I was never a bad mother. And I prayed and prayed for a miracle. Your father told me many times that the miracle had been granted but I didn’t see it. You weren’t capable of seeing it, says María. That’s different.

Back at Bernies, PJP comes calling on his ma. With her hair unfettered by the crazy daytime rolls, she looks like a different person. She’s not though.

When JP – ever innocent, ever hopeful – announces that God has finally granted him the miracle he has been praying for, she tries to brush him off: I know you’re a priest and all and miracles are a big deal to you, but can’t it wait until morning?

Afraid not, madre. This miracle has to do with our family:
Gracias a Dios, Victoria ya sabe que María Desamparada es su hija!
(By the grace of God, Vic now knows that MD is her daughter!)

The next scene calls for some audience participation. All together:
No no nooooooooo! The squeamish among you – avert your eyes. Juanjo carries Nati over the threshold and into a balloon-festooned honeymoon bedroom. Ya basta.

Let’s get back to the money scene. Bernarda’s reaction to JP’s miracle – she whacks herself repeatedly in the forehead and mutters “She didn’t deserve to remember it” isn’t exactly what the good padre was hoping for. He reminds her that she’s the one who told Victoria her daughter’s name and sooner or later, she was bound to recall it. And he himself had nothing to do with it. It was God’s work – everything happened when Vic spotted the magic crucifix in MD’s apartment.

Clearly, there’s still some divine work left to be done because, back in the vecindad, María’s not buying what Victoria’s selling. She isn’t Vic’s daughter, she says, and Vic will just have to get used to the idea that she’s never going to find her.

No no no no no. Don’t say that, rejoins Vic. It’s our destiny, it’s a miracle.

Not only did you refuse to see the miracle, replies MD, but you despised me, you humiliated me, you hounded me almost to the point of death –

No, interrupts Vic, I never never wanted you dead –

But María isn’t finished: You made sure I couldn’t get work. If it hadn’t been for Alonso, I’d have been begging in the street. You lost your daughter the moment you caused me harm:
Tengo gradabos en mi alma cada uno de sus insultos, de sus sarcasmos, de sus bofetadas.
(Every one of your insults, every one of your sarcastic remarks, every one of your slaps is etched in my soul.)
And now, she adds, knowing that you are my mother, they hurt a thousand times more.

And all Victoria can do is answer tearfully:
Mi hija, mi pequeña María, perdóname – no sabía lo que había.
(Daughter, my little María, forgive me – I didn’t know what I was doing.)

I’m not your daughter, answers María. I refuse to be.

Let’s check back in with abuelita. Bernie’s got herself good and wound up. She’s hurling curses at Victoria and asking God why he has abandoned her when he should be punishing Victoria. JP is appalled at her blasphemy in praying for another’s punishment. She doesn’t give a rat’s patooty. And for his impertinence in questioning her, she slaps him hard. How dare you, she says. I’m your mother.

Yes, says PJP, precisely. And just look at all the harm you’ve done – You’re on the road to hell!

That observation earns him another hard slap. And then a third! Don’t threaten me with hellfire, she snarls. If that woman hadn’t seduced you, I wouldn’t have been forced to go down this path.

But finally JP seems to be coming out of his 145 episode stupor because he answers: You were already a sinner before I was born.

Here Bernarda covers her face with her hands. Look at me, insists JP:
I know perfectly well what you did to my father and to that woman who died in the flames!

Bernie shakes her crazy head. They had to pay, she says: Your father betrayed me – he seduced me and abandoned me when I had a child on the way. I had no choice.

A small light bulb goes on over JP’s head. Not a halo, friends. Now he gets it – that’s why Demente condemned Victoria and María. They reminded her of herself!

Well now she is beyond his help, or anyone’s. All that is left for her is prayer. And repentance. Set aside the arrogance and accept that you have sinned, he advises. That’s the only path to God’s forgiveness.

Message not received. Sigh. She runs from the room screaming curses. Poor JP sinks to the floor and weeps. He prays.

Back in the balloon room in Acapulco, Nati is Romancing the Stone. Use your imagination. Or not. Pillow talk: He tells Nati that his boss wants him to take a two-month training course out of the city. Will she go with him? To the end of the earth, answers our girl who should be giving seminars in making silk purses out of sows’ ears.

As for the mother-daughter reunion in the vecindad – well, if Victoria is the Titanic, María ya no D is the iceberg. Vic deserves to be rejected, her daughter tells her. Her apologies have come too late.

Vic, frantically rearranging the deck chairs, tries to make María understand how threatened she was by María’s friend, Linda. That woman was trying to destroy Victoria’s marriage, her very life. What would María have done if another woman had tried to destroy her relationship with Max?

Uh oh. Wrong question to ask. Cuz that’s pretty much what Vic has been hell-bent on doing – destroying María’s relationship with Max.

In Casa Sandoval, Max doesn’t understand how Victoria eluded the search party. Why didn’t the troika of Heri, Leonela and Os catch up with her? Os explains that by the time they realized she was gone, she already had a head start on them. Max decides to follow the trail back to the vecindad. Maybe María knows what’s going on.

Meanwhile María has the exquisitely bitter pleasure of spitting Victoria’s own words back in her face:
Yo la tolero pero no la quiero.
(I can tolerate you but I don’t like you)

Victoria begs her to forget the past hurts.

You think it’s so easy to forget? answers María. Have you forgotten Linda?

Anyway, says María, it’s not just one thing. You say Bernarda didn’t let you and my father decide for yourselves. Well you did the same thing to me when you forced Max to marry Ximena.

Again Victoria cries out: My little María, can you forgive me?

María’s reply: Forgive you? Would you forgive my grandmother, Bernarda de Iturbide?

No, never, says Vic. She’s the cause of all my suffering.

And you, rejoins María, are the cause of all mine.

Vic claims it’s different – María is sangre de su sangre. But Bernarda is also sangre de su sangre, María reminds her. And besides, she’s been much more of a mother to her than Vic has. (Ouch!) In her very strange way, she adds. How does Vic have the nerve to come here and expect to make everything better just by saying “I’m your mother”? After all her cruelty?

Vic tries again. She was wrong, confused, her pride as a woman (dignidad de mujer) was wounded.

María is adamant. She tells Vic to leave. She never had a mother, she says, and now she knows she never will.

Now Vic is kneeling at her feet: Is this what you want? she asks. To see me on my knees, pleading for mercy, defeated?

María kneels down and takes Victoria’s hands. Mother and daughter face one another.

At Bernie’s house, the air is filled with blasphemous rants and threats. She shakes her fist at the crucifix on the wall and vows never to forgive that damned Victoria for coming between her and her son. She’ll never let Vic and her daughter be together. They’ll never be happy.
A bell tolls ominously. For whom? For youm, Demente, for youm.

And in the vecindad it’s clear that María’s not in a forgiving frame of mind. Not just yet. Señora, levántese, she says formally. Throwing yourself at my feet accomplishes nothing. You think I’ll forget every blow, every insult, every humiliation? You think I’ll forget how you kept me and Max apart? If our love hadn’t been strong enough, Max wouldn’t be in my life now.

She rejects Victoria’s supplications. Some things can’t be fixed, she says. She wishes her words had moved her but she feels only hatred and scorn:
I don’t love you. You’re a stranger to me – you’ve caused me more suffering than anyone else in my life. You have only one daughter and her name is Fernanda. Your little María is dead. Now leave!

Victoria, stricken, puts her hand on her heart and walks slowly to the door. María turns away and is wracked with sobs.

Instead of sweet William, we get the Alonso mortuary montage. Bummer.

Labels: triunfo

Welcome back, can you believe this is the 33rd episode already. The more lies that are discovered, the more new lies and tricks are made ready.

The Hacienda Bonita won’t be sold and Fina will have her Tumah confirmed for a price. Renata presents the condemning photos of Regina and Gonzo in full dress. Jeronimo tears up the P&S Agreement; Regina defends her innocent relationship to Renata. Renata isn’t embittered for long and explains that Gonzo wants to divorce her mother. Jero hands over a check to cover the penalty of breaking the contract. He respects his hacienda staff too much and Augie will never get La Bonita. Dr. DoLessThanLittle tries to console Augie doggie. Renata says her mother is so upset. Regina tells her that her husband deceived her too 23 years ago so she understands but she would never get in the way of any marriage. She would like to talk to Fina but Renata doesn’t think her mother would be willing.

Outside the lawyers, Jero laughs and tells Lorenzo he will honor the love his brother had for this land and the people.

Gonzo tells Honor and Matias that he is worried about the doctor's report on Fina's tests. So he will wait to see.

Roberta brings tea to Fina and they laugh, Diego interrupts by cell that he has been kicked out by his father so he needs to see her at the club post haste. Fina wants to bathe and will go with Rob to see Diego

Spare Girl says she can see the kind of man Jero is that he will never give in. Augie is irate and sends her to her room with Ezek and swears he will get revenge on Jero.

Lorenzo brings the exciting news to Matilde she now declares that Jeronimo is once again the hermoso. She is going to prepare a mole para chupar los dedos(the most delicious mole ever.)

Carlos and Jero toast, I guess to keeping La Bonita. Might as well enjoy this moment, it won’t come around again soon.

Constanza assures Inez and Regina that Fina is capable of anything and has been a thorn in Gonzo's side and hers too for a long time. Mom enters and wants to know what Gonzo and Regina have to do with anything.

In the garage, Adriana, says to Renata she thinks Regina is an honorable person. Regina is confused by the urge to defend her sainted mother’s honor but still feels so comfortable and useful at the Center but she must honor her mother and her mother’s unholy snit.

Blanca comes for an interview with Honorio. She walks in provocatively with her resume. The camera doesn’t waste much time lingering over her face but goes straight to her more obvious administrative office assets.

Antonio shows up at Regina’s office. Inez and Mama try to say she is off on Centro business. He seems agitated that something is up, Mama knows that sometime or other this Gonzo-Regina combo is going to be trouble.

Honorio says it seems you like a challenge, eh? (retos), Blanca Ocampo loves to learn new languages, is addicted to work and leans over to assure Honorio that he can be familiar (tutear) her anytime too. She wants to work with him but needs to hear soon since she is entertaining other offers. He is pleasured and will tell her by tomorrow needs to consult his associates for a hiring so important.

Conzta and her pretty boy green grocer, Chema, who might be so much more laugh. She asks how went the conquest, he wants to know why she is sounding like his mother, but he doesn’t want to think of her like she is. He is going to make a chocolate cake , which is her favorite. His dream is to one day have his own restaurant perhaps with her. More stakes driven into the heart of this once perfect seeming marriage…

Carlos, thinks even though he was injured he would like to stay on as the administrator of the Hacienda. He thinks that he can bring Renata to romance her and since she will be closer than ever to Rafa, one day she can be persuaded to tell Jero everything that happened between her and Rafa.

The office call to take blood samples Dr. PaidInFull accepts his first check and says he will be sure her husband is totally convinced of her illness.

Diego shows up poolside to demand that Roberta tell him exactly what she wants to assuage his father.

Adriana is accused by Office Goon whose name I can't remember (Daniel, thanks C2 readers) he is so annoying, that he has seen her too close to both Matias and Honorio. He says that Honorio is too enamored of her . She says even so that problem is mine, but he insists it is also his. Presumption thy name is TWIT!

Augie orders Ezek to keep him informed of absolutely everything that happens at La Bonita

The party arrangements are made and Jero answers his phone they talk lovingly and Renata strokes her beautiful stallion (the one in the stall) while she flirts that she misses him he is so handsome. Then she jumps to who is Regina and says that her mother thinks Regina is the cause of her marriage problems.

The troubled husband greets Regina at another restaurant. She wants to clear up she wants no trouble with his family and that they need to declare that they are only friends. He then confesses that actually it is not her fault that he is leaving Fina for separate reasons going way back, but he confesses he is totally in love with her.

She never provoked this he is a married man, she cannot be the cause of his divorce. He starts the cuando me enamor. Besides she defends herself saying she is engaged. While Gonzo soberly asks her if she is truly in love with Antonio. Her big expressive eyes speak volumes.

Regina says the ring she is wearing should be a statement of her intentions. She urges him to clear up all this with his family and assure them she is not trying to break up his marriage. And she also thinks they must not see each other ever again. He wants to help her center and support her. He asks her to have faith in him.

Roberta is patrolling the stairs and tries to sop Renata from going up to see Mama Fina. Renata demands that Roberta give back the R necklace which is the one that is hers, and Oh yes, she slaps her sister silly and demands that she has equal rights to be there and to be concerned about the family.She points out that that the R neclace that is hers has a distinctive chain as she snatches it back.

Honorio tells Matias and Gonzo about the hot job candidate. Gonzo demurs and Matias wonders what is wrong with Papa. Nothing says Gonzo as he replays Regina’s rejection telling him they shouldn’t see each other again in his head, but I just need to be alone.

Roberta screams that Renata has ruined everything and she will take over for Matias, Dad and Renata is going to be left alone loved by no one. You wish nasty sister, you wish. Renata, self assured from how good that slapping felt, stomps up the stairs.

Regina tells Inez that Gonzo confessed his love and she confesses to Inez that she realized at that moment that she feels love for Gonzo too and not Antonio in this same way. It is the first time she has felt like this since Roberto. Oh thank God for girlfriends who let you speak the truth.

Renata knocks and comes into Fina’s room. Fina screeches that Renata is causing trouble by fighting with her sister. She demands that Renata leave the house and leave her in peace she is such a troublemaker in the family. But what happened when you accused Regina of stealing Gonzo? She says she has no responsibility and is not involved with Gonzo like that. Fina is in a fury and when Renata says Jero says she is an honorable woman, Fina is even madder, she doesn’t care a bit what this man said.

Inez and Regina talk about what will she do with Antonio now that she has discovered what she feels with Gonzo.

At La Bonita, Jero hands Carlos an envelope with the letter from la Bonita (Rafa’s misdirected name for Roberta) and puts the R necklace in his hands too. He wants to forget this revenge. He wants to be happy and he is going to go for it.

Augie questions Ezek ‘s wife and learns that all the workers are happy that Jero will keep La Bonita and they will keep their jobs. She asserts sweetly that he is really good people like his brother Rafa, may he rest in peace. Ezek looks worried, Augie looks mad.

He has decided to bet on love (apostar la amor) even though it is difficult, says Jero as he gets in the car with Lorenzo to drive to the airport.

Renata answers the door to get a package, gives the deliveryman a handsome tip and is like a giggling girl even though she has been beaten back by her mother just a short time before. The note says he had the temerity to send this gift and just wait, tonight will be unforgettable. She takes out a lovely slinky evening gown. She thinks it is precious and she loves him so.

Antonio questions Regina about the day, she tells him that she is being blamed by Fina for Gonzo‘s marital problems. He knows well that Gonzo cares too much for her, she wonders what he was feeling about this and why didn’t he tell her of his fears, because he says, he believes in her.

Last licks: Jero visits Rafa’s grave to tell him he loves Renata so much he has decided to leave behind all his resentments (rencores) and He hopes that Rafa will one day forgive her. He loves Rafa so, his little brother.

Fina gets that Dr. PaidWell’s report and reads it with orgasmic glee.

Inez comes home to Andrecito with chocolate and vanilla ice cream. The boys appear with their white hats and shaved heads. How precious and it was a brilliant idea. She is going to do it too. But now the munchkin likes her hair too much and he hands her a white hat to keep them company . She is so proud of them. Don’t cry, remember that around here no one is defeated. . I am not afraid because I have you at my side.

Dinner at the Gonzo house, is interrupted by Diego, whom Mat tries to strangle but all gather to hear why he came. Diego declares that he was the one who acted alone. The Photos were a montage but he alone was responsible. Gonzo calls him a coward which he accepts. He avers he was rejected by Regina and feared he would be by Roberta too, She is worth so much more than her sister, he should have fallen in love with her instead. She sniffs, I gag and Mama Fina gets Gonzo to apologize for doubting the innocent Roberta. Fina declares to Roberta that now she has been cleared of the unjust suspicions and denunciation. Both smile in self love.

Next: Renata and Jero have their lovely and loving date that looks like a proposal. Later Fina digs the knife into Jero that it was Renata who betrayed his brother Rafa. Don’t count on him being smart about who Fina really is.


Vocabulario:
No me importa un bledo – It doesn’t mean anything at all to me. Fina and Augie both use this a lot.

Chupar los dedos – so delicious it’s finger licking good. (My sometime Ecuadorian Spanish professor finds this image utterly distasteful swearing he never licks his fingers).

Penoso – painful, pitiful, embarrassing (Regina describing to Antonio her encounter with Gonzo)

Se rinde – be overcome, be vanquished

Apostar la amor – to bet on love

Rencores - resentments

Labels: Cuando

Today's episode is still in the material covered in Melinama's Recap #1 at this link.

If you don't have access to Telefutura, you can see Cap 5 on YouTube. It starts at this link.

Plot developments in Cap 5.
Juana regrets that she told Diego the secret.
At Martin’s house, Hipo discovers that Luis told her a false name.
Luis attacks Diego and accuses him of trying to kill him (Luis). He tells Cristobal his evidence. Vicente tells Luis that Gasca and Luis left Las Cuencas the same day and both returned the same day.
Isabel tells Luis he should get a mistress. Luis tells Espie he wants an annulment because she’s childless. It’s actually because she’s frigid.
Juana tells Diego that Agustin (father of Espie and Hipo) knows the secret because of a scar from the fire. She says Luis can’t reject Espie; Agustin might turn against them. Diego says “Kill him.” (Luis or Agustin? Not sure.)
Luis wants to break the business partnership with Diego.
Juana accuses Martin and Carmela of telling Luis that Hipo is Asuncion’s illegitimate daughter. Juana claims she’s someone Carlota took in, and she’s delusional.
Luis and Isabel try to figure out who Hipo’s father is. They’re getting warmer.
Hipo goes to see her mother at Las Tunas. Francisco greets her with a hard slap.

Labels: Alborada

For fans of "La Pola" -- Pasofino has written this terrific recap for us. Enjoy! And let us know you are out there!


La Pola - Alejo and LaPola at Guaduas and Life at Rancho Domingo (Guaduas Vecinity)

Alejo asks God to let him die in battle because he isn’t capable of marrying another woman while he knows she exists. Pola tells him that it might have been better if he had continued to think she was dead. But, Alejo, says no because he was miserable and in pain when thinking that and that in death he would have been reunited with her. Pola tells him that that is the most beautiful thing she has ever heard and then she tells him that if it was left up to her to choose the person with whom she could die, it would be him.

They run back to the house and in the moonlight Cata and Gertrudis see them embrace and kiss. Gertrudis is afraid Pola will lose her virtue (virtud), but Cata tells her that Pola was born without virtue. Those two, mocks Cata, are not strangers because they are part of each other.

Pola tells Gertrudis that she was not with a stranger, but with someone she has known from childhood. When the posse catches up, Dear Cata tells them that Pola was with the soldier (militar). So, Pola, the crowd wants to know, have you lost your virtue? When she realizes that it will get her out of a marriage with an idiot (Don Andrés, the mayor) she says yes. Not only that, she is told she has soiled (manchado) her whole family.

Big Bro, the monk, keeps at Pola and slaps her. Being Pola, she slaps him back. He is going to go to the military camp to get Alejo to save her honor. Gertrudis volunteers the letter in which Alejo asked Pola for her hand in marriage. He sets off. But, alas, alack, that little old letter doesn’t impress the captain. Big Bro is worried that he might not get to be a priest because of La Pola. Pola doesn’t understand what the fuss is all about. He can’t even send her to a convent because that’s only for the “pure”.

Pola tells Cata that she didn’t lose her virtue. She just didn’t want to marry the mayor. She thinks Alejo will accept her as she is. Cata, who can’t keep her mouth shut, tells Gertrudis who decides to call in the midwife to settle the question. Pola, being Pola, will not allow her to lift her skirt and take a peek unless they kill her first. Anyway, my honor wasn’t robbed, it was given as a gift, she says.

Finally, they decide to shun her – send her to the stable to live and not let her use the family name. She says that Alejo is worth whatever punishment she has to suffer. Cata places Juliano the slave in charge of looking after her sister.

Pola moves her belongings out to the stable where she will sleep with the slaves and laborers. Domingo is furious with Pola because the mayor has demanded a contribution from him for the king’s cause all because Pola refused him. The Twisted Sister, Cata, feels some remorse at Pola’s having to sleep with naked men (the slaves), but Domingo shuts her up by telling her it would be a waste of money, it would be like putting clothes on horses.

To add to Domingo’s misery, Cata is holding out, she’ll only have sex with him to reproduce, and considers all other relations with him to be a sin.

On Sunday, Pola must remain in the back of the church with the slaves. She comes forward to receive communion, but the priest refuses and tells her that before he will give her communion she must repent. Later she goes to confession but tells the priest that she has nothing to repent. She will marry Alejo. The priest drags her out of the confessional and tells her that he will never marry her and Alejo because Alejo’s father has to consent and that will never happen.

Life heats up at Rancho Domingo. Pola doesn’t understand why there are slaves and why they are being treated like animals. She reminds Cata that their father told them it was wrong. Meanwhile Nicolasa and Juliano have a rendezvous and kiss and caress with Cata spying on them from them from behind a rock. We are reminded that Nicolasa was a princess and that Juliano is just a common man who wants to by his freedom and help Nicolasa escape.

Pola unfortunately runs into Don Andrés (the mayor) who grabs her on the street. He tells her he doesn’t understand why she refuses him when any other woman would have jumped at the chance to get him. She has made him the joke of the town and somehow this will not bode well for her.

Anyway, Cata thinks she has seen sin incarnate in the form of Juliano and Nicolasa coupling. She confesses to the priest, and he tells her she had an accident and didn’t commit a mortal sin.

Cata also tells Pola about the slaves having sex and appearing to enjoy it, not like her and Domingo. She’s determined to get the devils out of her house to the point of selling Nicolasa which brings on a speech from Domingo about how much slaves cost, how scarce they are. He says if they are fornicating, that is good because their numbers will increase. So, they all hatch a plan to evangelize the slaves and make them marry. Only thing, it costs 150 pesos for the priest and church. So what if that takes up Juliano’s stash that he was saving up to buy his freedom.

As if things aren’t bad enough for Pola, Ciro, el capatáz of the slaves, tries to get his hands on her, but Juliano fights him off.

Nicolasa doesn’t want to get married, but she’ll either marry or be sold. And so, Bernarda takes over as Cata’s new slave.

Later, when Cata finds Nic and Juliano kissing again, that does it. She tells Domingo and the rest of the world and Domingo orders them to be whipped. Nicolasa refuses to marry, but when she sees what they are doing to Juliano, she relents and says she will. We later learn that she had made a vow not to marry until she had found her son who had been taken away from her.

Anyway, Cata’s interest in the slaves is becoming an obsession. At the same time La Pola’s interest in the slaves becomes notable as she becomes aware of how badly they are treated. She tells Nic that she thinks there are new laws that should help the slaves and sets out to find about these laws – first by visiting the priest who reminds her that slaves do not have souls and who also sends her to Don Andrés, the mayor. What is it about men in white wigs that is so unattractive? He tells her nothing. Then he asks her if she still thinks the militar will come back for her. No – she says, I don’t think that, I know it.

We have our first wedding in the novela when the priest marries Nicola and Juliano in a Latin ceremony. Fortunately, this was followed by a fiesta around the campfire when we see La Pola dancing with the slaves and the farm laborers.

La Pola - Alejo and Leandro

Back at the military encampment, Leandro tells the lieutenant that Alejo is engaged to a woman from a very wealthy family and that they should go south and ask these people for money for the king’s campaign.

Capt. LLorente then sends Leandro and Alejo south as in immediately and gives Alejo a lecture about chasing women of questionable origin and to concentrate on a decent girl.

Alejo tells Leandro that he doesn’t see why they have to leave tonight. Leandro rants about Pola and the mayor and that the mayor came to the camp looking for him and Pola. Alejo tells him that no one saw them – but, they have orders. Alejo plans to return to Pola and then gets another Leandro lecture about keeping promises and marrying Doña Ignacia. There are meztisos, he says, because other Spaniards felt like you do and went against God and the King. Alejo can’t imagine a life lived with someone he doesn’t love.

Finally Alejo and Leandro arrive in Popayan. Alejo tells Leandro that he will go into that building, Ignacia’s family manse, and call off the engagement. They enter the mansion and are greeted by their parents, Francisco and María Teresa Sabarain, and Don Gaspar and his wife, Eusebia (Ignacia’s parents). Alejo and Leandro tell them they are in Popayan to ask for donations to help save the king and Spain. Don Gaspar reminds Alejo to ask about Ignacia.

They then find out that their parents are living at Don Gaspar’s mansion for charity. Apparently Dear Daddy squandered money he was supposed to have been collecting for taxes and now he has to make restitution. He wants Alejo to marry Ignacia within a week. The man needs the dowry money to save himself. They note that Alejo is a grown man and every bit a militar. Alejo says no, I’m just an Álfarez. (What is that? Can’t find it anywhere.) Don Gaspar plans a welcome party.



La Pola - The Revolutionaries

At Casa Nariño (Santa Fe, Nueva Granada), Don Antonio and Don Jorge Tadeo have it out with Don Antonio knocking Jorge to the ground. I knew that guy would be eating that ruffled shirt of his. He tells the other revolutionaries that he fell. On his ignominious retreat from Casa Nariño, Don Jorge tries to stir up trouble with the two little girls.

Magdalena is now very grateful to Don Antonio for defending her honor. He recognizes that she has been treated like dirt. Magda questions Antonio about the political situation. Also recognizing that she has a working brain, Don A lets her in on his beliefs about equality and about how unjust the Spaniards have been with the creoles – like him. He’s on fire and ready to revolt. But, not with Don Jorge and his company.

Meanwhile the relationship between Don Antonio and Magdalena begins to improve. He realizes that she has been treated badly and she realizes and admits that she was wrong and that she was seduced by Don Jorge who took advantage of her situation. Don Antonio still cannot remove the thought of her being in Don Jorge’s arms. Later he thanks Iñez (Magda’s sister) for helping his family while he was in jail. Iñez tells him to forgive Magda, and the light slowly begins to dawn in his brain.

Magda tells Iñez that Don Jorge wanted her as a trophy. Iñez tells her that Don Antonio still loves her and that he acknowledged her illegitimate children (the two girls) as his own. What more could a girl want?

Well, she wants love, and for just a moment they are a couple until Don Antonio conjures up visions of Magda doing it with Don Jorge. (Meanwhile, the same thing is happening in the parallel universe of Don Jorge’s bedroom. Blech!)

It seems that Don Antonio comes to the conclusion that the bond between him and Magda is broken and that they should make other living arrangements – like she should go live with her sister.

La Pola - The Big Party in Popayan

Alejo is offended by the pomp and obvious expense laid out for the party. He asks Leandro don’t these people realize that we are at war. While they wait for Ignacia, the governor arrives in white wig and satin knickers. Alejo begins a little speech and the governor winces. Alejo is reminded that the Don Godoy he just mentioned as the man who let France into Spain is married to the governor’s sister.

Anyway, the governor is calling for a big town meeting tomorrow to ask the citizens for financial help for the king. Finally, the beautiful Ignacia enters the room. Alejo takes her in. She says she is ready to be his wife.

She then puts on a piano recital for Alejo. She’s been practicing for years just to get it right for him – he is reminded that many years ago when he told her to do something for herself like learn to play an instrument. This was her big surprise for him.

The crowd toasts the two brothers, and Don Gaspar asks Alejo to say a few words – presumably in admiration of Ignacia. Instead, he tells them about the serious situation with the king and that they need money to help save Spain. He refuses to toast and says he must terminate the engagement because of the gravity of the situation. Ignacia faints.

Alejo continues on that he has to face the biggest army in war and that it is not fair for him to marry Ignacia. The Governor thinks Alejo sets an example for all to follow and permits him to break the engagement, but the dowry must be returned. Uh, oh – me thinks it has been spent.

Ignacia is beside herself with grief, but Don Gaspar tells her someone better will come along, and that is not the right answer since only Alejo will do.

The Governor tells everyone to be generous in their donations. He then tells Alejo that his relationship to Godoy will not stop him from doing his duty.

Of course, Leandro has to whisper into Alejo’s ear that the “mestiza” is behind all this. He also tells Alejo that he (Alejo) doesn’t understand anything.

Later, Ignacia has a spell and cuts her wrists – superficially for heaven’s sake. Alejo asks her to forgive him, but she can’t live without him. Don Gaspar tells her she could go to Hell – but she can’t take life without Alejo, a man she doesn’t even know.

Daddy Francisco asks Leandro where did Alejo got all this patriotic fervor. Leandro, being his usual disloyal brotherly self tells Francisco about La Pola.

Meanwhile back at the manse María Teresa packs up because they have to leave and return the dowry. Francisco vows to fix this mess and tells her the meztisa is behind this. He has no political pull here, but Governor Tacón can prevent Alejo from leaving.

La Pola - The After Party

Ignacia hatches her own plot by offering the governor 1,000 pounds (pesos) of gold if he will pull strings to keep Alejo in Popayan. That is the sound of music that the governor understands. Alejo will stay here and perform his official duties, but he reminds her that she will be marrying a soldier of the king.

When Ignacia leaves the guv’s office, Alejo notices her happy face. I’ve just saved your life she tells Alejo. He thinks why do I feel that nothing good can come of this?

To rub it in, the governor tells Alejo that he is just an álfarez, not someone indispensable to the war. More painful, he wants Alejo to become one of his personal troopers. Governor Tacón also warns him about revolutionaries in the Americas, but Alejo insists that their orders were very clear. With 1,000 pounds of gold in mind, the guv tells him that he will write to Capt. San LLorente and have his orders annulled. When Alejo shoots back that all this is because of Ignacia’s capriciousness, the governor reminds him that her family is being very generous to the war effort. You should be very happy because she saved your life, and she is very beautiful. When Alejo says he will not accept, the guv tells him it’s an order – do it, or you’ll be a prisoner.

When the news breaks that Alejo will not be going anywhere, Don Francisco and Doña Eusebia are very happy and start making wedding plans. But, says Alejo, I am not going to marry María Ignacia.

Alejo tells his parents that it is the war – no, says Francisco, it is the girl. Yes, he says, if I live through this war, I will marry La Pola. There are words on both sides – Francisco asks him how dare he speak to him like that. Alejo retorts with how dare you play with my life and if you make me stay I will look for La Pola. Francisco grabs Alejo and says do you think I’m going to authorize this (marriage to LaPola). Ignacia has many fine qualities, but he loves La Pola. His destiny is to go to Spain. Francisco says he doesn’t respect his parents.

Finally, Francisco tells him that they are broke and that if he doesn’t marry Ignacia, he and his mother will live in misery. He also learns that his mother’s family will no longer support them. Francisco now begs – we will die of hunger if you don’t do this.

Alejo finally resigns himself to the situation he is in and agrees to marry Ignacia. Later he meets up with Leandro who is headed out of town. Leandro gives him the family pep talk, but Alejo admits that what he is about to do makes him feel like a miserable coward.

In the end we see Alejo at a cantina in a drunken state calling a dancer Polita. That’s not her name says another soldier. It’s Aurita. And, they toast to those who break their hearts.

[Written by Pasofino]

Labels: LaPola