Over at Alma's, they're at the dinner table, and Manuel is insisting Alma get a wedding date out of Roberto. He's enthusing about the big wedding Roberto's going to throw for them. Then the vecinos will see just exactly who they've been living with! Manuel gets a bit of a shock when Rosario fills him in about wedding protocol; i.e., that the bride's father pays. He wants Alma to ask Roberto to pay anyway, but she's not having that. Go get a loan! He notes that the bank on the corner has low rates, but I don't think Manuel's credit is very good.
Sergio's already in his jammies in his hotel room, reading the paper and ready to go to bed, when he gets an urgent phone call from Mauricio. Come over to my hotel right away! Mauricio sounds really drunk again.
Valentina is in David's room, to get some more advice, but she's very anxious. Sure enough, David's really upset she's lied to his dad. He even yells at her about lying to everybody. You're not pregnant! You're not expecting a child, Mom! She weakly admits she's not. But it's the only way to hold onto Andres, she whines. I'm not, but he thinks I am. As she's leaving she tells David not to worry, she'll always love him best.
Esteban lets himself into his office. He looks tired and sits down on the sofa, removing his toupee, all the while remembering the whoppers he told Andres and Victoria about each other. He starts to smile and then laugh. Ah, Andres and Victoria, what a couple of dopes! he says. Suddenly his cell phone rings, and he checks his pockets for it. He finds it, but there's nobody on the other end, and he disgustedly hangs up; but in his jacket side pocket was Abel's tape. Esteban takes the tape out and looks at it, saying This is what caused Mauricio to leave! and tosses the tape angrily to the other end of the sofa. (Ooh, watch out, Abel!)
Abel comes into a restaurant and sits down with Encarna, who's already at a table. She wants to know about the money. He's got it and looks happy. I haven't counted it, but it's a lot! Enough to get far away from here. Pan Dulce agrees, it's a lot, but what's happened to your ambition? It's not going to last you forever. You should get all you can while the getting is good! Abel says, Are you kidding? That could get me killed! But Encarna wants to help him, and he's looking thoughtful. She's dying to know the patron's name, since she's already seen him. What's his name, what's his name?!?
And in a clever segue to the next scene, Mauricio in his hotel room answers, "His name is Esteban Aguirre!" to Sergio. Sergio is really upset with Mauricio because he's drunk again and thinks he's not making any sense at all. What's Victoria's godfather got to do with anything? He threatens to leave, and Mauricio relents and alludes to Esteban's relationship with him. He's my friend and protector. You can see the comprehension dawning in Sergio's eyes, and he's furious with denial. Mauricio insists it's true and says the situation has something to do with he himself, too. Then Sergio's really upset and starts jerking Mauricio around, demanding the truth.
It's bedtime at Victoria's, and Julia sits at the foot of Victoria's bed, trying to find out what Esteban told her. But he swore Victoria to secrecy, and so she doesn't utter a peep about it, which gets Julia a little ticked off. Then upstairs at his place, Luis is lying in a dark room, in bed wearing his blue jammies like usual (and a t-shirt under them), thinking scentillating thoughts of his dear Victoria. He's reliving the previous moments on the patio when she tells him she loves him and how fate brought them together. Suddenly, about 60 pounds of screaming little girl bursts through the door and jumps onto his bed. This is a really cute scene. Luis and Maru laugh and yell and carry on. He teases her. I couldn't get that word that she mispronounced, but Luis was having a fine time at her expense. Turns out Maru couldn't sleep, and sneaked a peak out the window at Luis and Victoria on the patio bench, and she gives him a ribbing about kissing Victoria on the mouth. Maru doesn't mind. She likes the idea, because it means the two of them are in love. This pleases Luis. But then Maru continues with that notion she got earlier, wondering what it would be like if she had a boyfriend kiss her on the lips! Now, this does NOT please Luis. He is so NOT ready for this! He dumps Maru out of his bed and sends her back to her own, yelling at her the whole time. Adorable. (No ticking bedside clock in this scene, though.)
In Queretaro, Camilo comes home after an evening with friends. Ines is sick as a dog with some cold or flu and couldn't go, so he fills her in. Word is that Sergio's contest of Fernando's will is going pretty well. They seem to feel like the last will was just an impulse and will be overturned. Also people seem to be wondering about the strange circumstances of Alfredo's death. But Camilo doesn't credit Victoria's suspicions. He thinks the idea is crazy, and may have emerged because she became a penniless orphan overnight, and the stress was too much. Ines is strangely hopeful that Camilo thinks Victoria was temporarily out of her mind -- I guess, because she'll never stop trying to get Victoria married off to Sergio. But Camilo laughs and says "crazy" was only a figure of speech.
Abel's lying on his stomach behind his sofa, stashing his new money into the baseboard hideout. As he counts all of his stacks, he's remembering Encarna's words about his lagging ambition and how much more he could have. (Abel's thinking of giving the cosmos an opportunity to pay him back for Fernando's murder, if you ask me.)
Back at Mauricio's hotel room, Sergio's trying to sober Mauricio up so he can have some chance at believing what he says. He's got him to shower and gulp down some coffee, but the story isn't changing any, to Sergio's horror. I'm going to get a breath of fresh air, Sergio says, and when I get back I want to hear all the facts!
At the Rivera's up in their bedroom, it's nighttime, and Andres has apparently come back to the master suite to sleep. But Valentina is sitting up, looking catatonic as she replays David's voice in her head. You're not pregnant! She wakes from her reverie and leans over to nudge Andres. Do you want to make love to me? she asks. Poor Andres is sound asleep, but this rouses him, and he gets up and goes down to his office instead. I have a lot to think about, he says. Once he gets down there, he writes a letter describing all his feelings. He doesn't want the child, which is a shame, since it's innocent. He still loves Victoria, no matter what's happened. And then he tears the letter up into four big pieces and leaves it on the desk. (Will Valentina find it?) Andres comes back upstairs and Valentina's still awake. She braces him with the fact that he doesn't want the child, does he? He won't answer directly, just says that the situation is absurd! He asks her to forgive him and help him. She wants to.
Constantin drives Elena and Toni home from the club. Elena kisses Constantin on the cheek saying godnight, and after she's gone, he touches the spot and smiles, like he can still feel it. I think he's got a thing for la Chaquira. Once inside her apartment, Toni notices a letter slid under the door. It's for Elena from Jovita. Jovita and Matias got an apointment with Jaqueline Andere the next day, and they will pick her up in the morning! Please wear something CONSERVATIVE, Jovita entreats. This gives Elena and Toni a chuckle. But suddenly Elena's worried Jacqueline may object to her somehow. Toni points out that for a volunteer position, one only needs a big heart, which you have!
When Sergio comes back into Mauricio's room, Mauricio has been hitting the whiskey bottle again. You're a hopeless case! Sergio exclaims. But Mauricio needed the false courage, because he couldn't tell Sergio otherwise. He finally grits out, Your uncle's death wasn't an accident! He didn't just fall down the stairs -- he was murdered! He knew too much! Sergio is astounded and doesn't know what to think. You're drunk! I don't believe you! You're drunk and crazy, besides! Poor Mauricio starts crying, because he's told everything and not been believed. Sergio can't handle this and runs out, leaving Mauricio behind, calling him a liar. Mauricio sinks down on the bed in a pitiful, whimpering heap. Sergio only gets to the other side of the door and collapses against it, crying and replaying Mauricio's horrifying words over and over in his head.
Rosario looks out the kitchen window, worried about Alma being out so late. Manuel comes in and grouses about her sleepwalking and insists there's nothing to worry about, but Rosario's not reassured. Meanwhile out in the street, Roberto's dropping Alma off, and she thinks to ask him about the wedding date. He tries to hedge a little but finally says he'll talk to her parents next week. She's ecstatic and truly looks happy to be marrying him. (I'm wondering if he knows he's leaving town next week.) Anyway, Alma goes in and Rosario braces her with her increasingly unseemly behavior, but Alma puts her fears to rest when she tells her the news. They're both happy, however temporarily.
At Valentina's, she's gathered all the foundation members in her living room to make an announcement. She's stepping down as president of the foundation, because she's going to have a baby! They're all taken aback, but finally come around and hesitantly congratulate her. Old Jose Joaquin really hits the jackpot, because Valentina decides to make him the new president after he offers to do the job in the interim. Now he's in charge of foundation funds -- great. (If Valentina was thinking, she'd realize he'd be glad to get her pregnant, too. Please excuse me for the gross thought.)
At Julia's, she, Lidia, Victoria and Luis are having dinner. Luis pulls Victoria aside for a mysterious little chat. She's wondering what he's up to when he produces a well-worn envelope full of cash and gives it to her. It's for the wedding, and he wants her to have whatever she wants. I know you're used to having things! She insists it's not necessary. I was used to having things -- past tense -- but now I am and will always be a happy woman, because I'll be with you! She tells him she loves him. Victoria has to mention, though, that her godfather wants to give her her dress. This makes Luis a little sad. But she can use the money for a veil and other things. I think this tarnished Luis's happy feeling. But they end with a kiss anyway, and I'll always take that.
In three very short scenes: Andres goes to see Dr. Reyes ostensibly to get his blood pressure checked, but they both know it's to ask about Valentina. Dr. Reyes doesn't spill the beans when Andres asks how far along the pregnancy is. Then Lidia, Victoria and Julia set off for the bridal shop; and Toni, Matias, Jovita and Elena go and meet Jacqueline Andere. Probably more on this stuff tomorrow.
While the ladies are gone to the bridal shop, a very haggard-looking Sergio shows up to see Victoria, but only Queta is around. She recognizes him as Victoria's old boyfriend, and he asks her to give Victoria his hotel-room phone number. Ask her to call me, please. It's extremely important! (Oh, I hope nothing awful happens to Sergio before he can talk to Victoria. This will open that whole can of worms again, though. I hope she and Luis can just get the wedding over at least.)
And finally, Andres goes to see Raul at his trailer. He tells Raul about his strange visit with Dr. Reyes. He said he felt like the doctor wasn't leveling with him somehow. Raul just sticks with his standard procedure, defending marriage and Valentina. Hopefully this pregnancy will bring her out of her depression and make her a normal wife again! (Andres is thinking, Oh, fantastic.) Roll Televisa logo, music up and tune in tomorrow!