Episode 47: In Seven Days

Clarita tonite helped in no small way to shapen and sharpen our perspectives of great changes that are in store, and which would radically alter the destinies of many characters in this telenovela. All things are almost ready for her modest wedding to Ceasar. The few things remaining are her wedding gown and losing weight (I love her rotund shape as it is). She said to herself with unbelievable joy: "... In seven days time, I'm going to be married to my darling Ceasar!"

That seven days would turn around so many situations and circumtances, it would turn the tables against many a schemer in this soap opera.

Carlos Eduardo remained unbelieveably calm at gun point. L.A. screamed at him saying: "... this would be the last time you would ever hate me, Carlos Eduardo!" Carlos marched forward with boldness to embrace death. At close range he told L.A: "... shoot me, go ahead bastard, shoot me!" What a courage! L.A. seem undecided by the unusual boldness of Carlos. In the midst of his indecision, two security guards at the hospital emerged from the blues, with their guns pointed at Luis Alejandro, shouting at him to drop his gun.

L.A. quickly changed the subject, telling them that Carlos was his step-son, and he had come to have a family chat with him. Carlos denied him, saying he did not know him, that the man wanted to rob him. L.A. was disarmed and arrested and was taken to the police station. Carlos was invited also to give a statement. At the station, L.A. insisted that he was just having a domestic arguement with his step-son; while Carlos denied any relationship with him, but insisting that he must be charged with attempted robbery. L.A. told the policemen that he was a lawyer and they can't do this to him. He threatened Carlos with reprisals saying: "... Carlos Eduardo buddy boy, you'd pay for this..."

Andreina was surprised that Leopoldo was waiting for her as she disembarked from a taxi. Leo pleaded with her not to go back to L.A. nor live with him. He warned her that there is no guarantee that L.A would not hit her again. She however told him that L.A. is going to divorce Marissa and that was dream come true for her. She has ever been waiting for that to happen, now that it is about to happen, is the best time to stick with L.A. because she truly loved him.

Worried Andreina continued to wonder why L.A. never picked her calls nor came to sleep at 'home' last nite. Could he be in trouble? Has he gone back to reconcile with Marissa? In the midst of her troubled thoughts, 'never-say-die' Leopoldo came again to meet her at home. She shared her fears with him, and he helped her to jump into conclusion that L.A. must have gone back to Marissa, to plead for reconcilliation because he can never forgo the pleasures and perks that Marissa's fortune gave to him.

At the suggestion of Leopoldo, the two agreed to go for a short vacation in Cancun. For the first time she surrendered to be kissed affectionately by Leo. She hurriedly packed her luggage and called to notify Jenny of her Cancun trip. Jenny was happy with the newes, for her, it was a good riddance, so she hid the information that L.A. was detained in police custody from Andreina. as much as she could Jenny does not want to be implicated in the Andreina-L.A-Marissa tango, she doesn't want to incur Marissa's wrath.

Luisa Fernanda got two rude shocks that jolted her naiveity. First when she was leaving the mental hospital, the 'professional' Psychiatrist (Alfredo), gave her an unexpected warm peck on her cheek to bid her bye. Second, in the evening while chatting with Vanessa, the 'dedicated professional' re-appeared in Luisa's house (my husband asked me where and how did this fella got Luisa's house address:- from the mental hospital file of Pedro, I guess), with flower in hand to invite L.F. to dinner. She smartly declined, on the reason that the next day would be her first day at work in a huge hardware store and needed to be mentally prepared for it.

Marissa seem to be unconsciously falling in love with Pedro and she did not know it! She is always eager, happy and at home in Pedro's company, whether in the garden or at the hospital. In Pedro's company, she is downright blunt with open heart, revealing her secret hurts and fears to a confidant and friend with a big heart to empathise with her. I don't know how some people manage their heart. Mine is a treasure, it is impossible for me to 'unconsciously' fall in love without my heart noticing the change in tenderness towards a person. There is thin line that divides, sympathy, empathy and fondness. It would be a cupid danger not to recognize those divisions.

During the hearty chat with Pedro, she revealed that she was in a similar situation as Pedro because, her hubby L.A, has cheated on her and does not love her as she loved him and having thrown him out, she is now near a mentally depressed state. Pedro in his satate of near-insanity made the most sensible statement of truth to her saying: "... you know what, Mrs. Marissa? ... If he cheated on you, he doesn't deserve you." Marissa nodded her acknowledgement of this truth, but for how long would she stand her ground?

Lupe was in a mourning mood with sorrowful tears on the loss of her only begotten son, Ceasar, to a common housemaid called Clarita. She sees the marriage of her university undergraduate son to a house servant, as an unmitigated faliure. Lic Ordonez tried without success to convince her that Ceasar's choice was a wise one, saying: "... Lupe don't be so narrow-minded, the lady is beautiful and very intelligent and ambitious, she would not remain a maid of Marissa for life... though, we cared and spend resources to train up our children, it is not right for us to think that we have a right to their lives..."

Consuela, the consumate evil architect of this telenovela surfaced at her father's steel factory and demanded that Heriberto find a solution by stealing, to raise the blackmail ransome from the vault of the company's cash reserve. Virginia entered the office fondly calling Heriberto "honey", unaware that it was Consu that was sitting in the visitor's seat. When she realised it, she stammered her apology, but Consu mama told her not to worry and became exceptionally warm and friendly with Virgy. After asking and knowing from Virgy that she had put in 10 years of service in the company's employment. She asked her to continue her report to her boss, Heriberto.

Virgy told Heriberto that the payroll for workers was ready, for his signature. At that point, Consu asked her where the money was kept and she replied that it was in the safe and only three people have knowledge of the combination that opens the safe: They are Don Fernando, Heriberto and herself (Virginia). The next day Don insisted on following Heriberto to the office to oversee the preparation for the 30th anniversary celebration of the steel company. On arrival at the office, they saw many detectives roving about, when challenged, Virginia said she was the one that invited them, because the workers money has disappeared (stolen), from the safe.

Luisa Fernanda finally got a job as a clerk at a huge hardware store. When she resumed work the next day, her boss, Mr. Molina lured her to go into the dark recess of the store for stock-taking of the inventory. On getting there together, the new boss pounced on her and began to ravage her body in an amorous drive. She screamed for help! ...Wait till next episode to know if Molina mauled our princess or she escaped.

A big row broke out between Marissa and Carlos when she learnt of the detention by police of L.A. She said: "... the fact that I threw Luis Alejandro out doesn't mean that I have stopped loving him..." She pleaded with Carlos to withdraw the homicide charges he was pressing against him. she said it would cause a big scandal when the newspapers carried banal headlines about the husband of a banking rxecutive arrested for attempted homicide by police. Carlos was so furious by the blindness of his mom. He said that "... he (L.A) pulled his gun on me and all you are concerned about is a scandal." Marissa's delusion worries me now, I wonder what she would have felt or be saying now, if her estranged husband had shot her only son to death.