Refugio Para el Amor #15-16 Tue 6/5/12 Hot Rod Gives Luci the Gift of Stalking for Her Special Day

After guessing that Luci is the girl from another class that Rod is talking about, Oscar reminds Rod that he has a fiancé and he better be careful not to hurt Gala or Lucia. Rod thinks the real problem would be hurting Patricio. Oscar begs Rod not to hurt Luci because she is a good girl. Gala comes in to cling all over Rod and pressure him to pin down the wedding date already. Rod looks like he’s been condemned to life in prison.

Meanwhile at the prison, Lastra is flipping his toupee because the judge has thrown his behind behind bars for his lousy attitude. Violeta and the cute bartender arrive to support Luci and testify against Lastra, even if it means they get fired from Club Inferno.

Rod’s bffs (I should learn these guys’ names if I’m going to recap this show regularly) work with Pato. Aldo brags he’s now part of the company too. When Luci returns and checks in on Pato, Pato puts a stop to their man talk about how attractive she is, and now they know why he’s gotten better so quickly.

Vicky is super nervous while doing the nails of her lover’s wife. She barely holds it together when she hears Max is on his way home. She tries to get the heck out of Dodge quickly before Max returns. Too late! She and Max can barely hide their looks of shock as Rosalena introduces them. Vicky leaves, and Rosalena gives Max a suspicious wide-eyed stare.

Paz and Magda wonder what the heck Aquiles wants to come speak to her about. They sure as hell won’t give him Luci’s address. “He may be someone in this town, but outside of here, he’s a Mr. Nobody” (Don Nadie).

Don Aquiles offers Paz the house and land back, and shoots Ariche a comment about following through on his promises. (Remember, Ariche wrote Aquiles a blackmail note—Lucia’s address, after Aquiles gives her family back their property.) Ariche feels guilty and later tells Lorenzo about his bargain with Aquiles, but Lorenzo doesn’t take it seriously.

Melissa and Hannah get the 411 on the outcome of Lucia’s court case from her, much to the annoyance of Frigida (who still has no idea where Luci went that day).

At the dinner table, the family talks about planning and promoting the 20 year anniversary of the Torreslanda biz. Pato will be helping to plan, Gala will be doing the promotion, and even lazy Aldo thinks he’ll have some important role.  Gala announces that she and Rod have finalized a date for the wedding. No one seems happy about it.

Upstairs, Luci reads Pato an article about the 20 year anniversary. He’s proud of his father’s achievement, since the business has always been so important to him, as has the idea of Rod taking it over one day. Luci speaks about her own father and how wonderful he was.  Pato thinks back to when they first met—her father was still alive and he could still walk. Their conversation is interrupted by Gala and Rod. Gala proudly announces that they will get married in a month. Rod once again looks like he’s a dead man walking. Pato is happy for them. Gala tries to gloat at Luci, but Luci has a total poker face and congratulates them.  Rod claims a month is too soon. Gala ignores him and shows Pato the invitation mockups. Luci can’t take it anymore and leaves with tears in her eyes.

Vicky calls and texts her little bear (osito), but Max, who is assuming that she came to his home on purpose, refuses to answer her. Her boss at the salon tells her to think about what she’s doing (seeing a married man). At the house that night, Max takes his anger out on Rosa and tells her not to invite strangers into his home, especially when he’s coming home from a long, hard day at work. He continues his overreacting by taking his pillow and storming out to sleep in the guest room. Rosalena is totally confused.

Violeta brings her wigs and boas to Estela’s apartment to cheer up her granddaughter.

Oscar, bless his soul, takes Conny and Julie out to dinner. Julie flirts inappropriately with Oscar and lays some drunken kisses on him.  Conny and Oscar try to act like they’re at dinner with a normal person.

Rod once again gets in Luci’s personal space in the kitchen, late at night, and asks if she’s mad at him. She gives him her best poker face, tells him no and goodnight (buenas noshes), and leaves.

We see Vicky’s dad’s home. She brings her father lots of brand new shirts (bought in Miami with Max’s money). He is proud of her because he thinks she was able to buy these shirts with her hard work at the salon.

At the office, Aldo asks Max about getting his own office. Max chuckles and informs him that his job is downstairs with Don Jerónimo (who is also Vicky's dad)—the doorman whom Aldo callously left his car with the other day.

Rosa’s whining to the priest again about having to suffer, seeing Luci everyday. She looks like Aurora, the woman who nearly destroyed her marriage!

Gala and Rosa meet about wedding plans.  Rosa still doesn’t look happy about it, or how soon it’s happening. Gala ignores her. Gala warns Rosa that it won’t be so easy to get rid of Luci, even after Pato gets better, because he’ll become too attached to her. Rosa looks pensive.

The physical therapist shows Luci how to help Pato with his exercises. Rod comes in, and the therapist has Pato close his eyes and visualize moving his right hand. As Luci and Rod watch, Pato moves his right index finger, ever so slightly. Luci jumps into Rod’s embrace in her joy. Pato didn’t see or feel his accomplishment. Later that evening, the whole family gathers to watch him do it again. This time, only Luci’s words to him do the trick. “Love, gives you the strength to do anything,” she whispers in his ear. The family thinks it’s a miracle. Pato thanks Luci, using her manner of saying “mushas gracias.” She gets a call on her cell and announces she must leave. Pato sweetly tells her to put on a sweater since the weather is getting nasty.

A bit later, outside at the bus stop Oscar sees Luci waiting for the bus in the rain. She refuses a ride but finally accepts his umbrella. Stalker Rod watches from his car and starts jumping to all kinds of conclusions about Oscar and Luci. He follows her bus in his car. She daydreams about his kiss. He sees when Luci gets off the bus and runs into Lic. Linares’ home.

Luci and Linares discuss her case. Turns out Lastra can still get his way and throw her behind bars if he continues to press his case. However, her witnesses make all the difference. In the pokey, Lastra isn’t happy to hear about the witnesses or to hear that Club Inferno may be shut down (clausurado).

When Luci gets home, Frigida is waiting to make her life miserable. She accuses Luci of going off to see men and stealing that fine umbrella she’s carrying. They take the argument to the kitchen and it’s obvious Luci is fed up. She tells Frigida that she was taught to respect her elders, but if Frigida “keeps looking for her, then she’ll find her!” (In other words, bring it on, bitch!)  Frigida threatens back and tells Luci she doesn’t know what kind of scorpion she’s just stumbled onto. Luci tells her to go to hell! Just as things get really heated, Rod comes in and puts a stop to it. He tells Frigida to shut it, when she tries to lie, and orders her to leave Luci alone and to leave. She shoots them both a dirty look as she leaves the kitchen. Luci apologizes to Rod, but she has had a crap day. He understands and lovingly wraps his coat around her wet shoulders so she won’t get sick. They get within kissing range.

In his library, Max agonizes about his young mistress and finding her in his home.

Rod pulls away from Luci and tells her he won’t disrespect her again (by kissing her). She turns to leave for her room. He tells her how lovely she is and she wishes him a good night. She looks at him all moony eyed, and goes to her room to sniff his jacket and sigh while smiling. What’s a girl to do after such a trying day, and an encounter with her hunky boss? Well, light some candles, take a long, hot shower, and daydream about her hunky boss.  Said boss lurks creepily, with his mug of coffee, outside her bathroom window. He then stands outside her bedroom door, and thinks about opening it for about 100 hours (i.e. TOO LONG!), and then places his hand on the door knob. He walks away. Then he walks back. He’s having way too much trouble deciding if he’s going to be a stalking, rapey snake. Inside, our pure heroine prays to the Virgin, thanks her for Rod helping her, prays for her family, and goes to sleep in her pink jammies. Rod finally lets go of the knob and then thinks of knocking. (Really dude? Is that much better of an idea?!)

We come back from commercial and he actually OPENS the door and walks inside to stare at her as she sleeps, and nearly touches her! He covers her loveliness with the sheet, takes a final look, smiles, and walks out the door.

Papa Max has come to the kitchen for a midnight snack and senses someone else is lurking about. He wonders where Rod is coming from when he comes into the kitchen from the general direction of the servants’ quarters. Max doesn’t believe Rod’s story about just going for a walk in the garden with his coffee. Since when does he drink coffee this late? Max tells him to be careful. “That girl who’s robbing you of sleep is a true temptation.” He leaves Rod with that thought.

Aldo is in the home office whining about the crap job Max gave him to his mom Conny. She’s not having it. He’s been playing her for a fool for too long. It’s time for him to become independent and work, like his sister.

The next morning, Luci’s first call is from Lorenzo wishing her a happy birthday. He tells her everyone is well. She arranges to call the funeral home at noon so that she can speak to everyone.  In the kitchen, Mati wishes her a happy birthday. Luci’s sad to be away from her family on her birthday. Frigida comes in to rain on her birthday parade by rubbing it in her face that she has work on her b-day, like any other day. Frigida threatens to warn Rosa to keep Luci off the phone that day, but Luci will be making her call on her lunch break, in her room.

Lastra continues to freak out in the jail, and won’t listen to his lawyer’s advice. The lawyer tells him that Luci can now accuse him of sexual assault because she has witnesses. He wants to know who these witnesses are.

Lucia works with Pato on his tablet computer on plans for the 20^th anniversary. Max comes in, but then gets a call from Vicky. He excuses himself. Mati brings Luci Ariche’s birthday letter. Pato is surprised to learn it’s her birthday, and for a second is even more surprised to think she has a child. Luci quickly explains that Ariche is her little friend, not her son, and that Pato has met him already. Pato remembers with relief. He says he wishes he could give Luci a birthday hug.

At their apartment, Rod tells the architect to take all the time he needs to finish the renovations. Gala contradicts him, and tells the architect to do the work as quickly as possible. Rod looks like he’s going to be sick.

Linares meets with Lastra’s lawyer in his home office. Lastra’s lawyer is trying to convince them not to press charges against Lastra, and he will convince Lastra to drop his charges against Luci in exchange. Linares calls Luci on the house phone, but Mati answers. The name Torreslanda doesn’t seem to ring a bell with Linares, but Mati is knock-me-over impactada to hear his name.

At Aurora’s gravestone, Rosalena brings flowers and begs Aurora to forgive her, while crying buckets of tears. She tells Aurora she’s sorry for not fulfilling her promise. Linares walks up and kindly places his hands over hers. Rosalena is shocked. He asks her not to cry anymore. Aurora has nothing to forgive her for.

Oscar and Max discuss the invitation list for the event. Oscar has been able to track down most of the company’s old clients and contacts from the early days of the business. The only person he hasn’t found is Claudio Linares, his partner. Max emphasizes that Claudio is his EX partner. He prefers that Oscar NOT mention him again. Claudio got into some accounting trouble. It’s all too painful for Max since Claudio wasn’t just his partner, but also his friend. After Oscar leaves, Max vows that Claudio Linares will NEVER come into his life again. (Never say never Max.)

Meanwhile, at the grave site, kindhearted Linares is thanking Rosa for all she did for his child and his wife in Aurora’s last days.  Rosalena’s face makes it pretty obvious that she wasn’t the angel of mercy that Linares thinks.

Aldo is not adjusting well to his job as messenger boy, especially when he learns he has to drive himself to pick up a package. He seems lost and confused once he gets to the address.

Pato, the physical therapist, and Rod discuss Luci’s 19^th birthday. The therapist is impressed by how young Luci is, given how much responsibility she’s taken on. Pato asks Rod to buy a gift for Luci. Downstairs in her room, Luci tries to call her family, but the call doesn’t go through. Frigida is not happy to learn that Pato has given Luci the rest of the day off. Frigida is going to tattle to Rosa. Luci rolls her eyes at her.

Julie bugs Gala at work, again. Gala still has a bee in her bonnet about Luci. Julie thinks she’s obsessed and exaggerating. Frigida calls Gala and gossips about the events of the night before when Rod put her in her place for insulting Luci. She also gossips that Luci has the day off for her b-day and will likely be spending it with some man.

Rod buys a book for Luci as a present (I guess this is supposed to be from Pato). Then he goes to a jewelry store and buys a heart pendant necklace (his present, I presume).

Luci arrives at Violeta’s and she wants all the gossip about Hot Rod. Luci puts a stop to that talk, because Rod is ENGAGED. On Estela’s phone, Luci talks to Paz and Paz tells her about Don Aquiles all of a sudden offering to give them back their property. Luci tells her not to accept anything or make any deals with that devil. She’ll speak to her lawyer friend and see what can be done legally. Violeta then gets on the phone with her mama.

Estela and Violeta speak about how hard it is to cross over to the States illegally and then find a job where they treat you well. Violeta assures Estela that her daughter Ofelia will call when she can. Marianita asks Luci where her mother is. Luci explains that she’s way up north, and Marianita wonders if she’s in the same place where they say her mother went. She asks if Luci’s mother will come back for her, like her mother plans to for her. The adults try to hide their worry. Later, Lic Linares brings Luci a yummy birthday cake. Yay! They all rejoice.

In the big house, Rosa is upset to learn from Frigida that Pato gave Luci the day off. She complains to Pato, but is silenced when she learns that today is Luci’s 19^th birthday. Duhn, duhn, duhn!

Linares drops Luci off at the house. Rod stops her on the lawn and gives her the presents, just as Gala drives in through the driveway. Gala watches them and dares Rod to hug Luci in her presence through clenched teeth.

Avances:  Max waxes poetic about what a wonderful woman Aurora was, to Rosalena. She spits back accusations of him having a child with Aurora. Luci admits to Linares that she’s in love with Rod. Gala does something spiteful to Luci, and tells her it’s just a taste of what she can do to her.