Esmeralda 56: Two Weddings, Two Outcomes

Jose Armando regretfully returned back to Casa Grande, having lost the opportunity to win back the love of Esmeralda, he went into a sad seclusion and refused to talk with anybody. He did not want to disrupt Esmeralda's wedding plans, and he assumed that Esmeralda would find happiness with Alvaro, so, he steered clear of Mexico city, as he did not want his hanging around to remind him of his sad loss of Esmeralda's love.

Medical doctor Alvaro went on with speed, to organize his wedding ceremony to nurse Esmeralda. Coincidentally, Esmeralda's wedding day was the same as that of Adrian Lucero, with another lady (Aurora - pix above right), whom he loved dearly, after Fatima aborted his love affairs with Graciela, whom she had 'traded' off in marriage to another rich man in Mexico city. A man whom Graciela did not love.

Adrian begged and invited Jose Armando to attend his wedding in Mexico city. Jose Armando reluctantly agreed and came for the wedding. While at the church for Adrian's wedding, he got news that Esmeralda would be marrying at the same time, in another part of Mexico. He could not bear the memory of his only beloved, getting married to his best friend, while he, sitting helplessly as a spectator in another man's wedding ceremony. He rushed out in anger and disillusionment. He climbed his horse and furiously headed for his home in Mexico, to mourn.

In his reckless fury, while riding the horse, he had an accident, a head-on collision with a judge riding a car. He had severe concussion and lost consciousness, he was rushed by a good Samaritan who found him, to the hospital to save his life. The good Samaritan contacted the Peñarreal family in Casa Grande, to break the sad news to them.

Bad news spread like wild-fire, Esmeralda, who was waiting at the civil registry impatiently for the arrival of Alvaro to legally consummate their marriage, received the news of Jose Armando's tragic accident with shock and was instantly depressed. By the time Alvaro arrived, he received a phone call, that the judge also had a fatal accident on his way to the court marriage and had been hospitalized.

That was a big relief for Esmeralda, and she advised Alvaro not to desperately seek for another judge to join them, but rather call off the civil wedding. She assured him that they should work towards the success of the church wedding in a week's time.

Rodolfo rushed to the hospital to see Armando. By the time Jose Armando came out of coma, everything around him was thick darkness, he had lost the use of his eyes and gone blind. This new reality, was crushing for him. To be blind just like Esmeralda was in the past, was too much a burden for Jose Armando. He assumed that it was God that was punishing him for abandoning and divorcing blind Esmeralda, when he doubted the paternity over her pregnancy.

Esmeralda broke down and wept profusely, when she learnt that Jose Armando had gone blind as a result of the accident. Alvaro was troubled by her depression, and was not sure if she would still go ahead with their plans for church wedding next week.

After Armando was discharged, he was led to Casa Grande and was medically advised to consult with an Ophthalmologist to determine if he could gain his sight back, but he refused, willing to serve 'his punishment' to the end.

When Dominga and everybody around Esmeralda saw how she was grieving for Jose Armando, they advised her to discontinue her wedding plans with Alvaro, since she still loved and treasured Jose Armando. They even advised her to visit Armando in Casa Grande with her son Jose Rodolfo, par chance, her visit would bring succor and healing to Armando.

She told them that it would bring rather pain to Armando because she had rejected him. She even told them that her rejection of him is what drove him with rage into that unfortunate accident. She however pleaded to a reluctant Alvaro, being a specialist ophthalmologist, to go felicitate with and examine Armando's eyes, if he would see again.