Telenovela Alborada, #23b (Guest blogger)

Just got in the door from my trip - and here is Jean's recap of Friday. I'm back in business starting Monday. A HUGE thank you to my guest bloggers...

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This is a recap of the Univision telenovela Alborada. In order to read the whole post, you click "read the rest" at the bottom of this summary!

If you are new, please visit the recaps in ORDER - they are listed to the right under a picture of Doña Juana and Modesta. See the bottom of this post for more information.

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Friday, as reported by Jean:

Felipe leads Isabel and Marina to Sara's house. Isabel cannot believe that Juana, a rich, educated woman of good family could be so evil as to have ordered Hipólita killed in the kidnapping. "I know her very well," says Isabel. "She's bad but not that bad."

Isabel asks how Sara can live in this terrible neighborhood surrounded by delinquents. Looking at the furnishings, she says, "Money doesn't seem to be a problem." After an exchange of pleasantries between Isabel, Sara and Victoria, Felipe realizes that Victoria is the pirate queen of the community where Martin died. Victoria says she had nothing to do with it. Isabel pushes Marina forward to greet her mother and meet her grandmother. Sara tells Marina that she and Victoria are good people who have had to fight to survive. They have searched for Marina for so long. She is their hope for the future. Sara asks Marina to call her ‘grandmother' and she does, shyly. Isabel dabs her eyes and Felipe looks like he has sad memories.
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Francisco finds Ramon and Arcádio in a seedy tavern harassing the working girls. He has heard from Perla that they are involved in some business with someone called ‘La Poderosa.' "Who is she and does she have money?" he wants to know. Ramon says that she is loaded and explains how the underworld economy in Cuencas works. Sara fences stolen merchandise and helps the ‘desgraciados' when they need it. For these services, she gets a percentage. "Just like the church collects a tithe [a tenth or diezmo in Spanish] for indulgences in the next world," explains Ramon, "Sara collects a tithe for protection in this world." Francisco wants to know what Sara has to do with the Guevaras. "That's what we're trying to find out," says Ramon. She is paying for information about that family and you know them and can help us. Ramon goes on to says that a few days ago, he saw Isabel meet Sara in the park and they were chatting like old friends.

Hipólita and António are in their house. (António's wig seem to be much better. He doesn't have the awful 60's flip anymore.) He tells Hipólita that at least they have the proof that they are married and she thanks him. She then suggests that they leave Cuencas. António points out that they can't get to Panama because of the political problems and their lack of papers. Besides, he now has property here. Hipólita then suggests that they go to some other town in Mexico and just disappear. "Why," asks António? "For Rafael", says Hipólita, "I'm afraid they will take him away from me". "Jeez", says António, "I don't have that much money. We can't just abandon everything for the kid. What will we live on?" You would think that after unsuccessfully trying to make a living on her own, Hipólita would have some sympathy for this reasoning but she instantly accuses António of hating Rafael. "I don't hate your kid", says António. "I hate his father." "It was you that put him in my bed", responds Hipólita. "Ok, ok", he says, "but tell me this. Have you gone to bed with him since Santa Rita?" [Oops. Looks like António has the moral high ground here.] António demands that Hipólita respond. This is going to be tricky. She says, "Is that what you believe?" He says, "I don't know what to believe, but I pray to God that you haven't." Hipólita flounces out. António asks God if this is part of his penitence.

Hipólita tells Ada that returning to António has just put her back in the same position with threats hanging over Rafael. She has tried everything. Maybe she should accept Luis' proposition. Ada argues against this saying that will make her and Rafael's life a living hell. Hipólita prays that Luis doesn't fail her and gives her the answer.

Back at La Poderosa's place, Sara wants to know what Felipe and Isabel suspect. Felipe says that they think Juana isn't Luis' mother. "Impossible," says Sara. "I was there at Valverde when she gave birth just three weeks after Diego was born." "Why do you think Luis' isn't Juana's child?" asks Sara. Isabel says because Juana appears to hate him, is never affectionate with him and all her attention and love seems to be for Diego. In addition, Diego and maybe Juana have tried to kill Luis twice. Felipe says that they think that maybe Juana's baby died and she substituted another for him. "Why would she do that?" asks Sara. Felipe says that haven't figured that out yet. Sara recalls that up until the fire on the chalana, the babies were unchanged [in appearance, not their diapers ;-)]. Then, Sara tells what we already know. After the fire, she was in the capital for 6 months. When she came back, Juana wouldn't let her near the children and threw her out. Felipe looks thoughtful.

As they leave Sara's, Victoria tells Marina that Andres came to see her. She asks to see Marina the next day to tell her about their conversation. Hinginio appears and says that he has set up the appointment with Gasca. "Be careful," he says, "Gasca wants to find out if La Poderosa is Sara de Oviedo."

At the Palacio Guevara, Juana is supervising preparations for the Cinderfella party for Diego. Modesta says that they need to get some more chamber pots [always the obsession with peeing on this novela] since the guests broke a lot of them at the last party [sounds like it was a fun party.] The entertainment arrives. Mirtha is watching all this from the French doors with Esperanza's wretched little dog.

Isabel and Marina return to the Palacio. Isabel inquires and is told that Luis is alone in his laboratory. Isabel tells Marina to take her cat to the garden so he can do his business and she scurries off to see Luis. Luis is stroking and gazing foolishly at the pendant he bought from Hipólita on the road from Veracruz. [Why hasn't he returned it to her?]. She tells Luis that based on what Adalgisa told her about what happened when Rafael was kidnapped, Juana had not tried to kill Hipólita. Luis isn't convinced. Isabel says that Hipólita wants to talk to Luis about Rafael. It's urgent. Now Luis is interested. It's going to be difficult to arrange though because António has forbidden Luis to enter his house.

Felipe is helping Cristóbal dress for the fiesta. Felipe tells what they learned from Sara. Juana must have substituted another baby for her dead one when Sara was in the capital. "But why," asks Cristóbal?. "For the inheritance of the Manrique family", responds Felipe. He has seen the will. If Juana did not produce an heir, the fortune would return to the Manrique family and she would only get the amount of her dowry back. They agree that this is a pretty good motive. Cristóbal warns Felipe not to say a word about this to Luis. How can they prove it? Felipe tells Cristóbal that Marina is definitely Victoria's daughter. Cristóbal staggers under information overload. Is this the daughter that disappeared after her husband was murdered? Felipe says he doesn't know.

The invitees at the Palacio Lara are leaving for the fiesta. Asunción is all dressed up. Of course, Francisco doesn't say, ‘you look nice' or anything like that. He wants to know if Asunción asked Catalina to buy her a new dress. "No", says Asunción, "she gave it to me." He stomps out and she scurries along behind him. Contrast with the newlyweds. Catalina appears and Cristóbal says that she is incredibly beautiful. He takes her by the hand and tenderly leads her out.

The guests arrive in their carriages for the fiesta. Two women wave the kind of ribbons that they use in rhythmic gymnastics at people as they alight from their carriages. We see the Regidor and his wife, the archbishop [this actor must specialize in playing priests. He is playing a priest on Contra Viento y Marea too] and Fray Alvaro, the Palacio Lara group and finally António and Rodrigo. Cirilo is watching and goes to tell Luis. "You aren't going to the ball?" asks Cirilo. "No", says Luis, "bring me something to eat." Back at the fiesta, the singer performs in a way more suggestive of a modern nightclub than a singer in 1800. The Regidor's wife asks Juana if Luis is coming to the party. "Oh yes," says Juana. The Regidor's wife goes on to say that she has heard Esperanza has lost her baby. Juana acknowledges this misfortune. Fray Alvaro is interested. What does Esperanza's husband say? Juana says that he is very afflicted.

Juana goes to see why Luis isn't at the party. He says he doesn't want to go. "But the Regidor and the archbishop are there. If you don't show up, there will be gossip" says Juana. She mentions that Fray Alvaro has found out that Esperanza lost her baby. Is Luis still planning to divorce Esperanza? "I don't know," says Luis, "she's very weak." "And what about Rafael?" asks Juana. "He's with his mother," responds Luis. "You have the right to have him, too," says Juana. "What is all this interest in Rafael?" asks Luis. "Isn't the point of this party to get Diego a new wife who will give him the next Conde de Guevara?" "And if he only produces girls?" says Juana. "Tough luck", says Luis, "I don't give a damn about the title." Juana leaves in a huff.

Back at António's house, Hipólita asks Ada for details of the rumors about António in Santa Rita. Ada says that the rumors started when António was studying at Portobello and attended a party where there were no women, only boys in leather [can this be right?] and you can guess the rest. "Did António explain or deny anything about what happened at this party,"asks Hipólita. "How would I know?" says Ada. "Why do you want to know?" asks Ada. "No reason," says Hipólita.

Back at the fiesta, Diego is inspecting prospective brides like a cattle dealer. Cristóbal presents Catalina to the archbishop. The archbishop assures him that even the laity can serve God. Some former neighbors of Francisco and Asunción say that it was too bad that they aren't at the hacienda anymore but having Catalina married to Cristóbal more than compensates for the loss of Las Tunas.

Gasca goes off to his appointment with Sara. Cristóbal seeks out Luis in his room. Luis tells him that Hipólita wants to see him. He doesn't know why except that it's about Rafael. The Regidor has told him that he can't put Hipólita's name on the registration of Rafael without making her guilty of adultery. Also, Marcos has told him that Modesta was in her village with a child. What can he do? "About your mother?" says Cristóbal. Luis nods. "What would you do?" he asks. "Nothing," says Cristóbal. "What good will it do to confront her? She is never going to tell you the truth." Luis can't accept this.

At the party, the friar and the archbishop are dozing off . Diego is flirting with a chubby widow who had twin boys. Mirtha is watching the goings on and reports back to Esperanza, who is in bed and appears to be practicing to be a corpse. She says that she wants to go out the next day. She wants to ask forgiveness from God. Mirtha is alarmed.

Gasca arrives at Sara's. He gives up a prodigious quantity of swords and knives to the guards outside. While he waits, inspecting the artwork, Sara is watching him through a peephole. She recognizes him as the man who murdered Victoria's husband and kidnapped Marina. Victoria wants to kill him, right there and then but Sara says no. They don't kill people. "Well," says Victoria, "there's always a first time and I want to kill this guy." "Ok," says Sara, "but not here. Someone might know that he came here." The dwarf tells Gasca that La Poderosa is indisposed and can't see him. Come another day. Gasca curses him and leaves.

Luis arrives at Antonio's and stands up on his horse in a very Zorro-like fashion to get over the wall. He looks in at the room where Rafael is sleeping and then finds Hipólita and asks what she wants with him. She has heard from Antonio that her name cannot be put on the registration without admitting adultery. He says he knows this. "Don't let them take Rafael from me," she begs. Luis says that he will never permit that and that he can take care of his mother. In return, he wants to able to see Rafael. Hipólita says that Antonio won't permit it but Luis says it is his right and he doesn't care about her good-for-nothing (mequetrefe) husband. Hipólita agrees. Luis asks Hipólita why she is torturing herself. "We could just leave here," he says. "No," responds, Hipólita. "I already bear the shame of having sinned and it would hurt our families." "I am desperate," says Luis. "Me too," says Hipólita and they embrace.

I post the new update every Wednesday and Saturday morning. All Alborada recaps are now listed in the sidebar to the right - below the small picture of Modesta and Doña Juana, just above the elephant. Click on the numbers (ONE TWO THREE ... ETC) to find them!

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