Week 8: Weekend Review

The week that just ended was dominated by Marissa and Luis Alejandro Montero. I have always called and discribed Marissa Gomez Ruiz as a woman of nobility. Though she had this inherent weakness of gullibility, therefore susceptible to manipulation by cunning associates and relatives. For one, her gullible disposition did not match the expected shrewdess of a banker, a President of a bank for that matter. If we use the yardstick of her success in running the conglomerate like her Metropolitan Bank for the last 20 years, to measure her failings in romantic and love affairs, then one can conclude that the author of the original and full story of "la Hija del Jardinero", Mariela Romero, left a huge gap in the character of Kenya Gascon a.k.a "Marissa Gomez".

This unbalanced character made me to digg deeper into her role from the beginning, and guess what I found? Marissa's nobility is a recent phenomenon, perhaps because of age, growth and greater responsibilities placed on her shoulders. At the begining, Marissa was a ruthless schemer, in the calibre of Jennifer. I ask myself, what sort of true love would propel a single-parent widow, in her late thirties to 'hoodwink' a boy (University student), of 20 years old into marriage, and never disclose to him before marriage that she had no womb, so, no child-bearing or rearing? That was nothing but a recipe for future matrimonial disaster that would be triggered by adulterous 'flings' by an insecure and unfaithful husband- Luis Alejandro Montero.

If you call that infatuation, I would declare to you that, it is an excuse for 'emotional robbery'. All the adversities that our dear and noble Marissa is facing now, and would still face in this telenovela, were as a result of the youth of Luis Alejandro Montero which she 'stole', some twenty years ago. Luis Alejandro could not be excused as a 'victim' in this drama. My husband even had a little sympathy for him, but not me. Why? because, with his eyes wide open, he surrendered his youth and freedom for a rich woman's body, in the name of love.

He too schemed his way into Marissa's heart. If truly he loved Marissa, he would have sat down with her during courtship to chart out their future matrimony, and naturally, child-bearing issues would have been a pivotal part of that discussion. Had he known that Marissa was wombless and still proceeded with the wedding, then he would naturally have taken the whole blame today. It a case of "cunning man die, cunning woman buried him". Marissa is reaping deception and trauma today because she sowed it first, some twenty years ago.

I am not at home with the cowardly Pedro in every respect. I abhor his methodology of evasive and escapist attitude to fundamental matters of life. The latest example of this attitude was when the revelation by Marissa to him that Luis Alejandro Montero was her cheating husband. What you fail to tackle now would later grow into a monster to torment you. I expected him to have punctured the 20-year hypocritical balloon Luis Alejandro, by telling Marissa that L.A was the man who impregnated Amelia and the product today is Luisa Fernanda. He should have also told Marissa, now that it seems she is 'jelly' for him, that his marriage to Amelia was a complete farce.

Episode 38: Trained To Be Suspicious

Its time to cast your vote: Who is the con queen in this telenovela? Consuela or Jennifer? I am at a quandary on who is the most cunning between the two, given the drama of tonite's episode. Consuela was made to drink a cupful of her own medicine of blackmail tonite as Detective Solozano showed up in her house. She was shaken beyond imagination, but she quickly recovered her lying wits to introduce him to Don as her 'Professor' in her college days.

In their private discussion in Don's study, Solozano told her of his suspicions, saying that: "...isn't it a strange coincidence that your sister Amelia died when you were doing everything possible to cover up investigation by your father to find her?" When Consuela threatened to throw him out he counter-threatened that he would expose her dirty deals to her father. She became afraid, and asked him to name is 'price'. Solozano was happy by her 'smartness' to recognize the game. They fixed appointment for another rendezvous to iron out the details of the 'settlement'.

Jennifer is no friend to anybody but to her selfish and serpentine self. She begged Luisa Fernanda to be her friend and listen to her beacuse she had things in common with her, as both of them, she claimed, were victims of a lying boyfriend. So, they went to the clinic's cafetaria to chat. When Jenny's chat was not meaningful or fruitful, Luisa stood up to go, but Jenny called her back saying she had a question to ask her. Luisa too said she a question to ask her too, saying: "...was it true that you lied about your pregnancy to Carlos?" Jenny broke out into crocodile and pitiable tears, saying she did it in desperation to prevent the only man she ever loved from abandoning her for another woman, on the eve of their wedding plans. She played the perfect role of the victim, evoking sympathy and made Luisa to believe that her relationship, though strained, is still on with Carlos. She wanted Luisa to be her friend, saying, "...can I call you my friend?"

A nurse informed Carlos that Jenny and Luisa were chatting at the cafetaria, he stood up quickly and went there. On getting there, Luisa stood up and left to attend to her father. Carlos asked her what she told Luisa. She said: "...If you think I'm going to say good things for you to your little school-girl, No..., my sense of sacrifice does not go that far."

GuadaLupe has inherited the prejudicial virus of her dead friend Amelia. When Ceasar, for the first time, brought his girlfriend- Clarita, to introduce to his mom and also announce their wedding plans. Lupe was horrified when she discovered that Clarita was "...a common house servant" of Marissa, and she did not hide her opposition and disgust. This offended Clarita and she had to leave abruptly. Ceasar was mad with Lupe and he vowed to go ahead with his marriage plans with Clarita for that was the only woman he ever loved, to think of settling down into a matrimonial relationship. Lupe insisted and decreed that Ceasar must not bring a 'maid' into her house.

Andreina explained away her visit to Marissa as legal consultation to determine whether she could sue her monsterous lover for abuse. After Andreina left with Leopoldo, Marissa looked at the floor and saw the controversial ring on the floor. She picked it and challenged her husband to explain what the ring was doing in his office. He lied that the woman sent an employee to return the ring after he quarrelled with her, demanding for the return of the ring, because his wife did not approve of it.

Marissa wondered saying: "...so, this insignificant woman has an employee?" He faltered and lied again that it was the employee of a courrier service company that she used... Marissa became angry, knowing that he was lying again, she walked out of his office.

Marissa was shocked to learn from Carlos that Pedro was hospitalised because he attempted to comit suicide. She went straight to commiserate with him at the hospital. Pedro confessed to her that he had no purpose for living again after the death of his wife. He told her how he adored Amelia as a godess, despite her unbriddled temperament. Told her how he had never loved any other woman all his life. He also apologized to her for pretending that he never knew Amelia when she introduced her, as her secretary to him. He said that it was Amelia who warned him never to identify with her publicly because she was ashamed of him being a gardener.

Marissa was moved to tears with this testimony of unparalleled love and devotion of Pedro. She came close to him and knelt down by his bedside saying: "...I am moved to envy for your dead wife, how I wish I could find a man that would love and adore me like that" The two of them looked deeply, with unspoken words and with tender into each other's eyes. She told Pedro how, about 20 years earlier she took the risk of falling in love with a much younger man Luis Alejandro, but who today is cheating on her with a younger woman... Pedro was shocked at the mention of L.A's name. He asked he: "...did you say Luis Alejandro?..., Luis Alejandro Gomez?" Marissa said "...No, Luis Alejandro Montero!" Pedro trembled on his bed at the strange coincidence and the fact that it is the same man that is causing him and Marissa traumatic experience.