Week 9: Weekend Review

I had called the week that just ended, a week of unfolding secrets..., but AIT made it a week of aborted secrets. Three episodes of the Gardener's Daughter out of the expected five shown, saliently pointed in that direction.

Luisa Fernanda was the epicenter of all the secrets. Pedro, Consuelo, Luis Alejandro, Andreina, Jennifer, and Joaquina were the custodians of the different parts of a 20-year secret that has caused untold clamities in the life of Luisa Fernanda and Marissa Gomez.

Some of those secrets have begun to unfold in the three episodes that was shown during the week, but they were aborted when AIT refused to come out of a deep slumber from Thursday night. A 'gardener' from Kano, Nigeria, precisely a Professor from Bayero University, Kano, wrote my husband to let us know that the Nigerian entertainment Tse-tse fly had bitten the AIT too. He said it was not only over La hija del Jardinero (The Gardener's daughter), but also over another telenovela called "Lorenzo's wife" (La Mujer de Lorenzo), which, he said have entered repeated reverse gear of 'sleeping sickness' for the past 5 weeks on AIT.

So much for home television entertainment, as championed by the AIT. The heart of this telenovela is 'control of secrets'. Those who have knowledge over the secrets control and manipulate those who were ignorant of the secrets. The duration of this telenovela is determined by when the Full secrets would be revealed either by the custodians, or when the desperate seekers of the secrets are able to strike the truth.

Pedro was not really mental as people around him thought. It was the secret that he haboured for too long and refused to let go when it was over-due, that was tormenting him, and, I'm afraid his case would continue to deteriorate until he divulges the secret, which he does not have any moral rights over again, but to le let go. I am convinced that even if L.F knows about the truth that L.A is her father, she would not jump on the neck of that villain and kiss him. Why then should a Pedro not have a deep re-think over the matter. The obvious reason is because he felt guilty fo having witheld the secrets of Luisa Fernanda's paternity for too long, particularly after Amelia's death.

Consuela drew the ire of many righteous lovers of the Mexican Telenovela during the week, with her evil tricks. Lovers can't wait long enough for her divine punishment, for the turmoils she wrought in the life of her father, Rigo, L.F. and others.

It was also a week of agony for Marissa and Carlos Eduardo. Luisa Fernanda's heart rending declaration was the climax of his agony, and I am sure many of us empathise with Carlos. He has confessed that he missed it. He wanted two women in his life, one to massage his ego and manhood, while the other, to emotionally stir him with her innocence and true love. With his decision to forgo Jenny, I just pray that Luisa Fernanda would not 'over-react' and blow her opportunity for true re-union with Carlos.

Marissa's agony was the realisation of a 20-year fraud, whom she called a loving husband. It was much burden for her to bear when she finally realised that her hubby was an adulterer, a con-lover of two decades.

I am not comfortable with this Dr. Alfredo Anzola. He is too opportunistic, presumtious and restless for my liking. If Luisa falls for him in preference to Carlos, it would be tragic. His ambition is written all over his acts and his face. Was it a girlfriend that brought him here or the critical case of a patient? It is too sudden and aggressive for him to insinuate friendship and informalism with Luisa.

Snippets of Episodes 42 to 49

I bring you Snippets of eight episodes of La Hija del Jardinero, (The Gardener's Daughter) telenovela, in the midst of the obstinacy of AIT to continue from Episode 42 tonite, Friday 20th october, 2006. These snippets were gleaned from many sites Telenovela World forum, Mexican TV Azteca and Columbian Caracol TV. I did my best to understand and comprehend the hard sentences of the 'jaw-breaking' Spanish-to-English translations. We hope by Monday next week, AIT would have restored the full movie story by continuing from Episode 42.

Enjoy your weekend... and keep gardening...

Episode 42:
With the incriminating evidence gathered by detective Guitertez, Marissa was heart broken with the proofs that L.A and Andreina were secret lovers. Lic Ordonez comforted her. After she recovered her poise, she went home and she launched a war to 'destroy' L.A. She sent him out and siezed all his clothes and belongings. She humiliated and threw him out of her house, even in the presence of the house servants.

Pedro resisted his transfer into a psychiatric hospital but he was eventually transfered. Carlos became suspicious and jealous because of the closeness and friendliness, growing between Dr. Alfredo Anzola, the Psychiatrist, and Luisa Fernanda. In fact Carlos found Luisa in Alfredo arms on one of his visit to the mental hospital.

Jennifer met and warned Andreina that Marissa has hired a detective to trail L.A. and her, and that she already has the evidence in her hand. Andreina was concerned and became afraid, so she decided to travel out of town until the charged atmosphere calms down. Leopoldo intercepted her trip and forced her to confess the truth of her amorous infidelity with L.A. telling him also that Marissa is after her for vengeance.

Don Fernanda Alcantara has disappeared again from the house, and Consuela was worried because the new Will, prepared by L.A, is ready for his signature, but he is nowhere to be found. Don re-appeared in his steel factory and went straight to his old office, only to meet Heriberto and Virginia in a hot romantic pose, but he did not recognise any of them because of his amnesia. He chased them out of the factory, but Don was brought back home again.

Episode 43:
Consuela quickly made Don to sign the new Will which transfered all the fortune of Don to her. Carlos Eduardo had to call Alfredo aside and told him that Luisa Fernanda was his girlfriend and that they had misunderstandings, that was the reason for the current strains in their relationship. He wishes that Alfredo would not tresspass.

Vanessa offered the job of an auxilliary nurse to take care of Don Fernando, to Luisa Fernanda. She was hesitant to take the offer, but she needed money for Pedro's treatment and for her own survival. She didn't want to take any money from Carlos. Vanessa never knew that her best friend, Luisa Fernanda, was the much sought-for and unknown grand daughter, that Don originally willed his fortune to.

As soon as power changed hands in favour of Consuela, she threw Heriberto out of the house, accusing him of infidelity with Virginia, his secretary and office mistress. Don Fernando surpported Consuela's action, because he too was a witness. Upon realising that Luisa Fernanda was the daughter of Amelia, Consuela felt threatened and sought to sack her from the job of taking care of Don, but not before Rigoberto, with her native intelligence, put Luisa's name and face together with other evidences to discover that she was the supposedly 'dead' grand daughter that Consuelo lied to her about in the past.

The plot thickens..., as Jennifer desperately went to tell Dr. Alfredo not to believe Carlos Eduardo, because she was the only fiancee of Carlos, accepted by Carlos' mother. She also told Alfredo not to allow Carlos disuade him from his love for Luisa Fernanda.

L.A moved into the apartment he rented for Andreina, going from there to his office. But Marissa was not done yet with him, Marissa came to his office to eject him from there, because she was the one that rented and paid for his office accomodation. L.A. warned Jenny not to obey Marissa's instruction that she should sack Andreina from the beauty academy.

Episode 44:
As the ultimatum given by Solozano expired, Consuela and Heriberto diverted the salaries of workers to pay the blackmail money, demanded by Solozano. Marissa began divorce proceedings against L.A, the divorce process was a dramatic scenario as Marisa would be expected to pay a huge some as compensation to L.A. if the divorce went through, so, Lic Ordonez came to tell Carlos that the suit and settlement may leave him with nothing if L.A. wins the divorce suit.

Time for truth, Alfredo confronted Luisa with the revelation of Jennifer. She confirmed it to Alfredo, but said no more affair between them. Alfredo went to Carlos for the second time, to enquire from him the depth of his affection for Luisa Fernanda, before he (Alfredo) makes his marriage proposal to Luisa Fernanda. Carlos paid the hospital bill of Pedro when he discovered that Luisa was desperate and had no money to pay. Luisa was reluctant but could not prevent Carlos from paying the bill.

Marissa learnt that L.A. is now living in Andreina's apartment, she became so jealous again that she destroyed all the clothes of L.A which she siezed and sent the destroyed clothes to Andreina's apartment for him. Leopoldo too found out that L.A. has moved-in to Andreina's apartment. He drew the battle line for the love of Andreina.

Episode 45:
Andreina left Mexico with Leopoldo for a vacation from the high-wired intrigues of Mexico. L.A was angry because Andreina left him in the cold for Leopoldo. He began to plot the downfall of Leopoldo.

Luisa Fernanda eventually accepted to work for stipends by taking care of Don. Fernando. She went to the mansion to inspect where she would now be working to take care of her unknown grandfather.

The battle line is drawn between Alfredo and Carlos for the love of Luisa Fernanda. Alfredo proposed to marry Luisa, telling her that he has fallen in love with her. Luisa told him to hold it and not stampede her into decision, saying she is just recovering from a betrayal by a man, and is not prepared to rush into another love relationship. Pedro surpported Alfredo's ambition and warned him not to let Carlos come to the Psychiatric hospital to visit him again, and should not allow Carlos to come close to Luisa Fernanda again. What an illegal licence!

Carlos got to know that Jenny had come to lie to Alfredo about she being his fiancee. When he got home, he found his mother and Jennifer in a druken stupor solidarity of jilted lovers. Next day, Marissa further dug the battle trenches, She instructed the bank to cancel the credit cards carried by L.A. When L.A. went shopping for new clothes, he was shocked and humiliated to discover that all his credit cards 'bounced', because Marissa had cancelled them.

Episode 46:
L.A. got a miraculous break when Don called him to take over as the legal adviser of his steel company. Carlos learnt that Luisa Fernanda has started work as auxilliary nurse that takes care of Don Fernando at home. He went there to plead with her to forgive him again, she shut him out, saying no more relationship. He forced her to kiss him, to convince her that he still loves her. He pleaded with Don Fernando to help him convince Luisa to forgive his for his past emotional error and to marry him.

Consuela is broke and became worried since she could only take over the fortune after Don's death. She began to scheme to kill Don, so that she can inherit the fortune soon.

Pedro confesses the truth to Alfredo that he is not the real father of Luisa Fernanda. Alfredo began to suspect L.A. of being the biological father. Ceasar and Clarita went on in planning for their wedding to the chargrin of Lupe. He told her not to worry as he would be living under the roof of Marissa with his new wife-to-be after their wedding.

Carlos began to suspect 'foul-play' as the health of Don was not improving. Don complaint to him that the drug that Consuelo has giving him has not improved his memory or attention span.

Episode 47:
Desperate Jennifer went to reveal to Vanessa that Luisa Fernanda, her best friend, was the secret girlfriend of Carlos Eduardo. Luisa had to leave and find work elsewhere in a hardware store, when Vanessa's animosity became unbearable, because of Jenny's revelation.

Luis Alejandro incriminated Leopoldo as a revenge for taking Andreina from him. Luis Alejandro planned to kill Pedro with a gun on his visit to the mental hospital. He was disarmed by the hospital security when Alfredo exposed him that he was carrying a gun. L.A was arrested, taken to the police station and charged for assault..., When Carlos told Marissa of the ordeal of L.A. she was afraid of the scandal that the news of her estranged husband's imprisonment could cause for the image of the bank. Also because she was still gullibly in love with this con-man, she intervened to bail him from police custody. What a foolish mistake!

When Andreina learnt that Marissa has reconciled with L.A. and he was no longer interested in her. She was saddened and quickly aligned with Leopoldo and they went on another vacation in Cancun.

From frying pan to fire, On her first day at work at the hardware store, her new boss found Luisa Fernanda very irresistible and he tried to sexually abuse her. She escaped from his amorous hands and ran away, that was her last day at that work-place.

Episode 48:
The chicken has come home to roost, Police investigation pointed to Heriberto and his mistress (Virginia), as accomplice in the theft and disappearance of workers salary in the steel company. Don Fernando prevented Virginia from being arrested by the police. Heriberto threatened to expose Consuela as the real thief if, she tries to disown him or worry Virginia.

Vanessa and Jennifer are now allies because of the undying love of Carlos for Luisa Fernanda. They are now plotting how to prevent Carlos and Luisa Fernanda from marrying each other. Rigoberto overheard Consuela planning to kill Luisa Fernanda, because she (Luisa) , remains a threat to her inheritance.

Carlos was angry because Marissa reconciled with L.A. Suspicion drove Lic Ordonez to investigate why L.A. was interested in killing Pedro.


Episode 49:
Lic Ordóñez found out through Solozano the reason why L.A. was interested in Amelia and later, Pedro. Don tried to persuade L.F. to reconsider and give Carlos a second chance. Carlos was heart-broken and disappointed with his mom for re-uniting with L.A. Jennifer was on hand to pacify him, she seduced him again to amorous affairs. Vanessa found out, and she was disappointed that Jenny betrayed their alliance by going behind her to seduce Carlos. She went to confess all these to Luisa Fernanda.

When Alfredo heard about this, he was happy, because he thought this would improve his chances of winning the love of Luisa Fernanda, in the absence of Carlos, who was now thought to have reconciled with Jennifer de la Vega.