Lidia calls Queta from her house in Queretaro to get news of Luis and Victoria. Nothing new, but they agree it's not fair for poor Luis, after all he's been through, what with losing his first wife and the trouble with Maru. After she hangs up, Lidia prays to God not to take Victoria.
At the hospital, Esteban tries to get Luis to get some rest, but nothing doing. Esteban thinks this is a good time to literally add insult to injury and presses Luis to back off his relationship with Victoria. Basically he's not good enough for her, Esteban says. (Jerk!) Luis tells him he's heard this all before, and even if as a firefighter he hardly has two cents to rub together, he feels sure Alfredo would have approved.
Luis tries to drop the subject, wanting to concentrate all his thoughts on Victoria's health, but Esteban won't stop gnawing at him. You know, Sergio's not going to give up that easy. He's going to try hard to get her back! (What is WITH Esteban? Did you notice yesterday that he seemed pleased to tell Mauricio that Luis, Andres and Sergio all three were going to converge on the hospital together? It seemed to be the development that kept him from blowing up at Mauricio for spilling the beans.) Anyway, right about then, Sergio rushes in, very concerned and frantic for information. After that conversation with Esteban, Luis is even less happy to see Sergio than usual, if possible. Luis looks daggers at him from the corners of his narrowed eyes. Sergio goes in to see Victoria, and there's been no change. He is terribly upset and crying and simply asks God to please save her.
Meanwhile, back in Queretaro, churchbells are chiming and Fernando is just coming into his office and checking his answering machine. Surprisingly, there's a message from Sergio. Fernando is fixated on the answering machine, listening, fascinated. Sergio explains about going to Guadalajara and also that he's not sure why he's calling, but he can't forget their relationship and that he loves him. Fernando whispers Sergio's name to himself. He sure misses him.
Chaquira and Toni are both at the club, looking glum, and decide to go somewhere quieter to talk. Victoria's unexpected tragedy has got them really thoughtful about the meaning of life, etc. It can pass in a second! Toni tells Chaquira he's made a decision and since she's his best friend, wants to reveal his real self to her. Life is too short for living lies to each other or onesself. I thought she already knew he was a transvestite, so I don't know what they're getting at with this.
Back at the Rivera's, Andres really wants to know what Valentina thinks of him flying off to visit Victoria in the hospital. She surprises him by rising to the occasion. I just want to say one thing; I can easily understand how terrible it is for someone so young to die. It was the same with David. So, quite honestly, it just makes me sad. I can't see it any other way. She's seated across from Andres and he walks to her and draws her close to him to rest her head on his side.
In their Guadalajara hotel room, Julia and Lolita unpack the clothes provided for them by the Rivera store through Esteban. They are so grateful and call him a real gentleman for helping them out and for the love he has shown to Victoria. Lolita suggests Julia should maybe take a sleeping pill, but Julia relies on her prayer book to ease her mind and has been saying one after the other constantly.
Andres calls Chiripas and relates the surprising conversation with Valentina. He's gone downstairs to keep Valentina from hearing, and keeps checking to make sure he's not overheard. Chiripas asks if he told her how he feels about Victoria, and he says no. Chiripas, hopeful, thinks that Valentina is sounding more like the woman Andres fell in love with. He never gives up trying to patch them back together, bless his heart.
Andres hangs up with his friend and goes upstairs to talk to Valentina. She's staring at the restaurant photograph again, and when he comes in, she puts it back in the book. (The book is "Of Love and Shadows.") He picks up the book and looks at it, but doesn't see the picture. We all know he is going to see the picture one day, though! Anyway, she is still in a very generous mood and happy to talk to him.
In the hospital waiting room, incredibly, Esteban is still harping to Luis on how Sergio is meant to marry Victoria, and how his uncle forced him to break it off with her. Luis says he met Fernando, handling Maru's inheritance, and Esteban tries to strike fear in Luis over this terrible, ambitious uncle. Luis is not afraid, though, and flatly states that Sergio getting Victoria back is just not going to happen. Right about then, Sergio comes back out from Victoria's cubicle. Esteban goes to sit down and the two young men are face to face. Sergio is still crying and so moved by the tragedy that he admits to Luis that the only thing he wants if Victoria makes it is for her to be happy! And that means being with you. Yes, it's the truth. I know that Victoria loves you and should be with you. Luis is staring at him, mouth slightly agape, hardly believing his ears. He offers Sergio his hand, and the two men embrace. Esteban, overhearing this, looks pensive and foiled.
Over at Jose Joaquin's, he and Sandra are having a few celebratory drinks (that Sandra can really soak it up), and patting themselves on the back that their evil plans are coming to fruition. Jose Joaquin is entertaining himself and Sandra, imagining that the Riveras must be fighting like cats and dogs right about now.
To the contrary, up in the bedroom, on the loveseat, Valentina and Andres are sharing a good laugh over some funny memory. They get a little more serious, and he starts to confess all about Victoria, but she stops him. She's feeling rather good at the moment, and she doesn't want to spoil it. She feels positive and hopeful and confident. It's as though someone were putting words in her mouth, someone like David. Andres had been enjoying Valentina's surprisingly reasonable mood, but now you can tell he's feeling the creepy crawlies return. He starts to leave, but she lulls him into spending the night with her -- just to sleep, she assures. Or we can talk if you want -- even about Victoria. As your wife, I have a responsibility to understand things that are important to you.
During the night she wakes up and sneaks out to David's bedroom and has a nice talk with his bedside picture. Thank you for helping me out, there! she says. Don't worry, your dad won't leave. It will always be the three of us, and maybe if Andres let's me get close to him, it will be four. (Twilight Zone theme plays here.) In the morning when Andres flies off to Guadalajara again, Valentina's not too worried, because she knows she has David on her side to help her.
At the hospital, Luis and Sergio continue their talk, and by now Esteban appears to be nodding off, taking a nap sitting in a waiting room chair. Sergio confirms in various ways that he's sure Victoria loves Luis -- for one, she told him herself. They talk about Victoria's suspicions about the ruin and death of her father, and both of them want to find and punish the culprit. Sergio thinks his uncle still loves him and hopes he can get back with Fernando, because he has a lot of contacts. Sergio and Luis feel sure Fernando could find something out about Alfredo's business dealings. During this conversation Esteban has come full awake, and the camera has been cutting back and forth, showing him evesdropping intently. Esteban eventually thinks to get in on the conversation and insists there's nothing to find out and that they should concentrate on Victoria getting well.
At Laura's apartment, she and Beatriz are discussing first Victoria's situation and then Laura's new job that she will start in the morning. The patient has an emotional problem, not a physical one. The most important thing that happens, though, is that Beatriz admits she's been feeling very down lately, like she felt when she tried to jump off the building. Laura is very concerned. Next morning, she goes to the Riveras, and Dr. Reyes introduces her to a very amenable Valentina.
Lidia comes into Maru's room and finds the child sitting on her bed crying about Victoria. Finally! I don't know what that look was supposed to have conveyed yesterday, but today apparently Maru has had second thoughts and feels terrible. Lidia tries to comfort her when she cries that it's her fault Victoria might die! Lidia says if she wants, they can go to Guadalajara right now and see her dad and Victoria in the hospital.
Don Abel and Pan Dulce are at the cafe again, and now he's threatening to do what's "necessary" if she doesn't quit bugging him. If she can't collect the higher rents, then she'll have to make up the difference. She's ticked off because he makes so much more than she does. He gives us another reminder that the "higher ups" would do what's "necessary," and so can he.
At the hospital, Julia has let her grief get away from her, and Luis is comforting her while she cries about how nice things always were in Queretaro, and why did all this bad luck have to happen? Why, oh why? Right about then, Andres walks in, saying Good morning, and all eyes turn and look at him accusingly. Luis even gives him a hard time about being there, like he should be too busy to bother. Andres defends his concern for Victoria and goes off to talk with Esteban, leaving the rest of them there. Lolita upbraids Luis for accosting Andres, but oddly enough, Julia steps in and defends Luis. Julia tells him one of these days she's going to have to have a long talk with Andres Rivera. Luis assures her not to worry, that he will defend Victoria against all comers.
Finally, while Andres and Esteban are off trying to squeeze some news out of the doctor, the nurse who's with Victoria notices her hand move a little bit! She goes out to the waiting room and informs Luis and Julia that the patient is awakening, but that the medical team have to see her first. Julia and Luis are ecstatic and hug each other, so relieved. Julia runs off to the chapel to express her gratitude to the Virgin, and Luis just sits there, tears streaming down his face. He's sitting like that when suddenly little Maru runs over to him, calling Daddy, why are you crying?? Did Victoria die? Oh, please forgive me, forgive me! A gratifying solution to this problem, wouldn't you say? I was crying my eyes out. Well, that was a good ending, but I'm still going to program the VCR for tomorrow morning, in case something even better happens.