Luis picks the bouquet up off the sidewalk and gives it back to Victoria. She makes up to Luis for dropping it, though, by blowing Sergio off. No way will she see him tonight. They'll have to meet tomorrow. She's got firm plans with her boyfriend. Luis gets a big, confident smile on his face, even feels generous enough to offer to shake with Sergio, but Sergio's steamed and won't touch him. With a pointed look, Victoria takes Luis's proffered hand and they walk off arm-in-arm, leaving Sergio alone in front of the store.
At the boss's trailer at the circus, Andres's friend is quizzing him about whether what he feels for Victoria is love. Andres' equivocates a while about what love is. I thought I loved Valentina, too, and now look what's happened to that. Finally, he relents and says he's asked himself the same question about Victoria. His friend posits that what he feels for Victoria is not love, but just a novel intrigue. Andres starts to object that he's not some kid, but his friend wants to add that also, Andres's marriage is in trouble and what's more, Victoria's a challenge! She's the only one stands up to you. Meanwhile, back at home, Valentina has called looking for Andres and found out that he's back in Mexico. Surprised and worried, she wonders whether he'll come home to her or go to Victoria.
With the romantic "Desencuentro" theme song playing quietly in the background, at a cozy table in a restaurant Luis and Victoria talk about their love. Victoria assures him that even though Sergio was her boyfriend, that's completely over and they are just friends -- as far as she's concerned anyway. Luis, unconvinced, says his granny told him you never know when friendship can catch fire into love, and this makes Victoria laugh. She reminds him of how wonderful it was when she and Luis met, and how different she felt. No, he's her only true love, she's sure; there's no contest. This makes Luis feel really good, and he kisses her hand. But then he brings up how Sergio keeps chasing her around! Well, she says, this is for a completely different reason (HA, so she thinks). Victoria explains a little more about her dad's tragic situation and what she wants to do, that Sergio's involved. Luis still feels unsure, somehow uneasy to have this rich guy trying to compete with him. Victoria earnestly and gladly explains that to have Luis makes her the richest woman in the world! Finally, this gets through, and Luis's voice starts to crack when he tells her he loves her so much.
Luis and Victoria are coming back to Julia's apartment, and as soon as they cross the threshold, the lights pop on and everybody shouts a big surprise! The little mariachi quartet starts up with a nice tune, and everybody sings. Victoria is truly taken aback and happy, and Luis is glad to see her like that. She says she's never had such a party in her life! Julia says everybody helped her. The only fly in the ointment is Maru, who runs out when Victoria comes in and back to her own apartment. Dona Lydia follows close behind, and then Luis. Upstairs, Maru is bawling pitifully, reducing grandma Lydia to a puddle of pity, hugging and petting her granddaughter. Luis has about had enough of this baloney and is exclaiming about how ridiculous this situation is. Lydia's buying into all the tears, though, and Luis pleads with her in exasperation to help him, not back Maru up. Lydia's crooning first sympathetic noises to the whining Maru and then accusing Luis that he isn't a good father. He throws his arms up and plunks down beside them on the sofa, agreeing facetiously, right, I'm not a good father!
In what can be only called desperation, Valentina has called Joaquin to come over and keep her company at her apartment. She explains briefly why, and he loses no time reminding her that if Andres would rather spend time with Victoria, he himself would rather spend time with her. The camera focuses closely on the glass of champaigne he's handing her, and you get the idea he's planning to get her snookered.
Back at the party, Rufino is giving Julia the real obvious eye and is about to ask her to dance, when Luis comes in and Julia makes a quick getaway to talk to him. Rufino looks crestfallen and then asks the nurse to dance. Julia wants an update, and a very disheartened and frustrated Luis explains he adores his daughter, but he's not giving up Victoria's love. He's miserable and for the love of God, doesn't know what he's going to do.
In an old part of town, the circus owner and Andres go walking again through the warehouse where their childhood friend died, where they used to hang out as street kids. His friend feels very uneasy there, very sad, but Andres says he goes there often -- whenever he needs strength. Remembering what happened to them as kids renews his spirit to go on fighting to make a life for himself. Their awful childhood is what drives him to be focused and ruthless in business, to work for himself and nobody else, because heaven knows, nobody ever gave him anything. Back at the trailer, Andres tells him Valentina doesn't know he's back yet.
At a nightclub somewhere, Roberto and Alma are dancing very close and talking. Alma has her hair down around her face and looks pretty. He asks if she's been in love, and she says yes, but not with much luck. He's never been in love before and just waiting for the right woman (wink, wink). It's all in your hands. This pleases Alma, I guess, that somebody finally thinks so much of her, and she leans her head on his shoulder, smiling. He was smiling pleasantly at her, too, but as soon as her head bent, Roberto's face turned into a calculating study. I don't know what his game is, but it's beginning to look like Roberto enjoys corrupting innocent girls. I don't think he really has marriage in mind somehow.
At the party Chaquira/Elena and Toni are dancing the night away, depressing the heck out of poor Beatriz. Lolita and the nurse try to console her, the nurse promising a tarot card reading first thing in the morning, but Beatriz is downhearted and ready to give up on Toni. Luis and Victoria are also dancing, but when Dona Lydia returns from upstairs, Luis goes to talk to her, while Victoria watches from the other room. (It's a neat bit of photography: Luis and Lydia stand in a doorway, half turned toward each other, and the only other person you can see well is Victoria across the room -- right between them in the shot, the same way she's coming between them in life.) Lydia tells Luis that Maru's so upset she won't go to sleep. She criticizes his behavior with Victoria. For the love of God! he says. Nobody will ever take your daughter's place. She was the most important person in my life. But I'm a young man, Lydia! And Alicia is gone. She isn't here. Life goes on. Here Lydia objects, earnestly avowing that for her, she's as sad as the day her daughter died! Lydia's pain moves poor Luis, and he takes her hand and agrees that a mother's love is different than any other in life. But he has needs, too, and wants her to help him with this absurd situation. When Lydia accuses him of being self-centered about Victoria, he straightens up and calls it something else -- No, not at all. It's love! Lydia rushes out, and Victoria joins him. She makes him feel better, reminding him that they say with love, all things are possible. She thinks this situation is indeed absurd and -- for that reason -- can't last and that Maru will accept her in time.
That gigolo, Joaquin, is putting on a CD of sweet, romantic music (the credits say it's from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker"). Well, Valentina looks tipsy alright, and he's snuggling down with her on the sofa, since she looks about done to a turn. He manages to kiss her, and she's letting him, being in the mood, but ultimately she thinks it's Andres. She must be drunk or nuts! Joaquin wants her to know it's him, though, and tells her sweet-nothing lies. But she can't stand him and wants to go home. When they get there, she rushes in, warning him not to tell anybody about what happened. She slams the door in his face once again, but this time Joaquin looks rather pleased with the latest developments. Valentina rushes upstairs, and when she gets to David's room, halts and decides to go in. She walks to the bed and slowly pulls up the coverlet and hugs it to herself. Reaching out, she takes David's framed portrait from the bedside table and gazes at it.
Outside the vecinidad, Roberto is driving up with Alma, but she's so depressed about Victoria's party that she suggests they go for a drive instead. Next day, Alma's mom and dad are eating alone (Alma didn't get in till 3:00 a.m.), and her dad doesn't look too good. But he tells her mom that Roberto is a gentleman and Alma is a good girl, not to worry. Mom doesn't seem totally convinced, but dad is just looking forward to the day when Alma can be married to a lawyer.
Next morning, Julia, Lolita and Victoria go to the basilica. Julia counsels Victoria to let go of this poisonous vengeance, and let God take care of punishing evil. Lolita agrees, but Victoria gets adamant and will not be swayed. She has to know who hurt her father. Coincidentally, Andres and his old friend have been visiting the plaza outside the basilica, reminiscing about boyhood times when they used to make a living selling toys there to passersby. Suddenly Andres spots Victoria with Julia and Lolita coming out of the gate, and his friend has a heck of a time preventing Andres running over to Victoria. Don't forget, you're married! What would you have to offer her? Andres sees the women standing at the bus stop with working class families, looking so out of place, and I wasn't sure what we were supposed to think.
In Don Matias's apartment, he is counseling Elena that actually it's her who the circus owner was interested in. She gets all giggly and embarrassed, but he insists that someone young like her has to have a job and she should talk to him.
At Luis's, he is all chipper and trying to jolly Lydia and Maru up with big stacks of hotcakes, the specialty of the house. Lydia's feeling sorry for Luis when Maru keeps giving him the cold shoulder and tries to get the girl to be nice, but right then Luis has had it. He tosses his fork down, wipes his hands and declares that if what his daughter wants is to go live in Queretaro, then her dad will just have to sacrifice. He jumps up and stalks out of the apartment. Both Lydia and Maru are startled, and Maru's worried he means it. Lydia chases after him. She says he's so hard for her to understand! First he doesn't want Maru to go and now he does. He says the only thing he wants in this life is for his daughter to be happy! He's standing on the walkway upstairs, and over the railing he can see Sergio in the patio, looking for Victoria. They spy each other, looking like two bulldogs, and Sergio yells up, insisting they should talk.
I don't know where they are, but it looks like a restaurant, except nobody but the two young men are there. They've both got chips on their shoulders, and are on the prod. Luis needles Sergio about his rotten behavior when Victoria's dad died, and Sergio claims they were a couple for a long time, though, and could be again. Luis is just incredulous at Sergio's wild imagination and tells him he's truly nuts. Sergio, looking down his nose, explains not at all, that it's natural for he and Victoria to be together, since they're from the same world. Sergio's smoking cigarettes like a factory, he is so tense. Luis sneers at this last comment, calling Sergio a rotten rich kid. Sergio goes dangerously on, concluding that Victoria must have picked out a type like Luis just to punish him! That's it for Luis. After all the guff he's taken lately from Maru and Lydia, Luis growls and bounds out of his chair and busts Sergio one!
And finally, Valentina must be desperate to invite Esteban over to talk about Victoria and her husband. Esteban assures her that Victoria's character is such that she would never do what Valentina's thinking, especially with a married man. He tells her if she doesn't trust Andres, he can't help her. It's her problem. She says Esteban's her last hope and drifts out the door, motioning him to come, saying "he's back, he's back." She leads him upstairs to David's room, opens the door, and we can see David there, working on a school assignment. Music up, credits roll, and set your VCR for tomorrow morning!
I hope you all have a great time on your days off with your family and friends! I may not get tomorrow's summary done until Sunday or possibly even Monday, but it will be before the next episode.