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“Las Aparicio” recap: Episodes 39-42

Rafaela

Rafaela’s storyline still involves dipping her toes into everyone else’s business, while being as subtle about it as possible. In some cases it means not being subtle at all. As long as she knows what all her daughters are up to, she’s happy. She’s even happier when she’s involved in some way. She’s also very busy trying to hide evidence and paperwork from Leonardo.Alma

Alma breaks up with Leonardo because she finds pictures of herself in his desk. The truth, of course, is that Leonardo had someone following her to discover whether or not she was involved in Maximo’s death, but he tells her he had her followed because he was jealous and wanted to make sure she wasn’t cheating on him. Well, either way, Alma’s pissed.

Mercedes

Mercedes and Claudio have finally stopped pretending they’re not attracted to one another. Mercedes doesn’t trust Claudio so she keeps him at arms length, though she has trouble resisting him at the same time. This will probably go on for a while…

Julia/Mariana (and those other people)

We kick off episode 39 with a slumbering Julia who wakes up to find a naked Armando in bed with her. And she’s all, “Aaahh!” And we’re all, “Aaah!!” and Armando’s all, “I am dead sexy and nekkid Let’s get it on.” But Julia points out that Mariana is there.

Armando promises they won’t make noise. In fact, she probably won’t feel a thing and it’ll be over in fifteen seconds, give or take. He leans in to kiss her and she starts to let him but then she comes to her senses and pushes him away. Then she wakes up for real and turns around to find only Mariana in bed with her.

Moving swiftly away from the ickiness of it all, we pick things up again at breakfast, where Mercedes joyfully announces that Rodo (that homophobic jerk that hit Mariana) has been arrested. Everyone starts to clap.

And while everyone is super happy about the announcement, Mercedes does tell them that if Rodo makes bail then he’ll likely be out in a few days. But that either way, he’ll have gotten a taste of prison and next time he’ll think twice before being a homophobic jerk.

Unfortunately, optimism has no place in a soap opera…

Mariana and Rafaela are on their way home from a day spent shopping when Rodo, having spent about as long in prison as Julia did in Spain, poofs out of the nether to cackle evilly and make it known that his guest spot on this show is not yet over. He openly threatens them while wearing his Powder Blue Hoodie of Doom.

Rafaela’s all, “Bitch, please.”

Rafaela: “You know what happens to the individuals that mess with my family? They die from a gun shot.”

Good thing Leonardo isn’t around to hear her say that or he’d know for sure that Rafaela killed Maximo and then he’d be forced to shout, “MY NAME IS LEONARDO VILLEGAS. YOU KILLED MY ADOPTIVE FATHER — PREPARE TO DIE!” But that storyline isn’t going away quite yet, so there’s no sword-wielding Leonardo popping out of the nothing. Sadness.

Since Rodo knows he’s protected from harm by the Powder Blue Hoodie of Doom, he only laughs and then tells them, “Tonight I’m going to be at the amphitheater place beating up some gays. Here’s the address and the time I will be doing illegal things. And here’s my phone number in case you want to text me the exact time you and the authorities will be there to catch me in the act. Okay? Cool. Later, lesbos.”

Mariana and Julia then go to Mercedes’ office to tell her that Rodo is out of jail and already making threats.

Mercedes and Claudio exchange legal terminology until they land on one that will actually help them bring these jerks to justice. As Mercedes points out, it’s one thing for one person to harass another, it’s another for a group of individuals to join forces in order to harass a minority group.

A little later, Claudio tells them that he’s told the authorities to keep an eye on Rodo and that they’ll catch him if he tries anything. But Julia points out that it will only work if Rodo actually tries to do something and that he’ll likely keep to himself until he knows the watchdogs are gone. Mercedes says that at least he won’t try threatening Mariana again because he knows he’s being watched, but Mariana is worried about Gaby.

So, Mariana goes to Gaby’s apartment and insists on staying with her for protection. I’m not sure how much protection Mariana thinks she can offer against a giant group of macho thugs in pastel colored hoodies, but it’s sexy anyway.

Raise your hand if you wouldn’t mind Mariana showing up at your door offering to protect you from the evils of the world. Okay, now, keep your hand raised, and use it to slap some sense into Gaby. She’s all, “You can’t stay here. How will I explain that to my father?” Mariana tells her that she’ll think of something, but that she can’t leave Gaby alone and not know if she’s safe.

 

Gaby pretty much swoons and melts into a puddle. And the two of them brainstorm some excuses as to why Gaby should have a friend over. Apparently, having a friend over automatically makes you a raving lesbian. Quick, someone send out that memo!

Gaby’s father is under the belief that Mariana is a marine biologist so he sets out to ask her all sorts of scientific questions during dinner. Mariana goes on to b.s. her way through the answers while Gaby nods her head and smiles no matter what nonsensical thing Mariana thinks up to say. Thankfully, Gaby’s father doesn’t suspect anything since he knows about as much as Mariana does about the human genome. And so dinner ends well enough.

Meanwhile, Armando, calls the Aparicio home to blabber more nonsense about Julia. At the end of the conversation, Rafaela tells Mercedes that Julia has it rough because no matter what they may think about Armando, he really loves Julia. Like really really.

Which basically means: We are never getting rid of Armando. Ever. Ever. He is going to appear naked in our dreams every night, going, “Let’s get it on.” For all eternity.

But anyway, Julia and Alma are getting ready for Operation: Catch A Homophobe. During dinner they decided that something has to be done about Rodo his Band of Merry Men. Since these guys know they’re being watched they’ll likely not try anything obvious while the police are on their tail. But Julia and Alma plan to go out in full lesbian regalia and draw out these nefarious beings. You see, while the homophobes might be able to control their evil tendencies around other, lesser gays, Alma’s and Julia’s combined Powers of Sapphistication should be enough to lure them out of hiding.

But first, Julia whines some more about the fact that she can’t decide between Armando and Mariana and tells Alma about her dream, which leads them to a conversation about how monogamy is lame and people should be more open-minded about love and relationships because Julia wants it all and she can’t have it all and that sucks, dammit

And then they run off to catch themselves some baddies.

To finish off the ensemble, Julia throws on some Glasses of Undeniable Gayness, because otherwise she might’ve not been believable as a lesbian. And then the two of them parade down the street trying to pass themselves off as a lesbian couple.

Meanwhile, Gaby and Mariana talk about coming out and how Gaby knows she can’t tell her father because he’s going to take it terribly and that it’s beyond her control. Then she asks Mariana how she came out and Mariana goes on to tell her coming out story.

Mariana: It was a long time ago, honestly. But on that day I finally had the certainty of knowing who I was and I looked in the mirror … I must’ve been like thirteen or fourteen…? It’s weird I don’t remember my age but I remember the precise moment. I looked in the mirror and I said, “You’re gay.” I took advantage one day that my mom was in her garden watering the plants. She’d always go alone. And … well, I had the whole monologue planned and I was ready to tell her everything I wanted to tell her, but when I looked into her eyes the only thing that came out was, “Mom, I’m gay.”

Gaby: How did she react?

Mariana: Well, I think her maternal instinct came out because she hugged me and told me everything would be okay. The problem was really when she told my stepfather.

Gaby: He wasn’t as understanding?

Mariana: No. Not really. One day I came home from school and the two of them were sitting down and Frank, the conservative American, told me, “In this house we live by my rules and if you want to keep living here you have to stop being gay.”

Gaby: Stop being gay. Like that’s possible.

Mariana: That day I lost my mom.

Gaby: Because of that jerk?

Mariana: No, because of her. Because she wanted things to be all good with her husband … so, she abandoned her daughter, no?

Gaby: And your biological father? How do you think he’d react?

Mariana: That’s the least of my concerns. That guy doesn’t exist to me. All I know is he left to go to some malaria convention in South America and I’m sure he’s still there … with some female doctor.

Smells like foreshadowing… or maybe garlic. I think one of my neighbors is cooking something. Or repelling vampires. One of the two.

But back to the Super Lesbians. Alma and Julia wander around trying to grope each other publicly while trying to remember that they’re half-sisters. They decide to venture into the dark, lonely areas, away from the crowds, where surely the hooded baddies await. And, sure enough, there they are!

But not for long, because as soon as Rodo makes a move on Julia, Alma shouts, “POLICE!” And the Mexican police officers, who are everywhere you want them to be when you want them to be there, hop out of the bushes and apprehend the baddies. And the kingdom was free of homophobia forever. The end.

But the fairytale continues in episode 40, where we pick up at the police station. Rodo and his Band of Merry Men have been arrested and are going away for a very, very long time because there is nothing and no one Mercedes can’t put away forever. For serious.

Afterwards, Mariana goes with Gaby to her apartment and is all happy and bouncy and celebratory about having justice on her side. And she goes to kiss Gaby but Gaby’s like, “Whoaaaa, there. Not so fast. I’m still a closet case, remember?” And Mariana’s like, “I just wanted to kiss you.” And Gaby’s like, “MY FATHER IS HOME.” And Mariana’s like, “Whatever.” And then Gaby’s dad comes out of wherever he was and Gaby adopts her I Am Straight voice to welcome her father and Mariana’s like, “I’m out. In more ways than one. Peace.” And leaves.

Over at Casa Aparicio, Julia is looking in the mirror and wondering, “Who are you, Julia?” Because she’s not wearing the Glasses of Undeniable Gayness anymore so we’re back to being confused. She decides this is a good time to call Armando.

Spain has turned Armando into a lovesick poet and while Julia’s all, “Uh… hi … uhh…” Armando’s all, “Your voice… your eyes … your lips … I miss you so much.” And Julia’s like, “Uh uh uh… let’s talk about the time and the weather.” And Armando’s like, “I want you to know that they have me training all the time so I haven’t been partying or sleeping around … too much … and I’m trying to behave … so I’ve only slept with four or five women today. And all for you, my love, because I love you and miss you so much.” Julia’s like, “Oh I’m sorry, I thought you were having a great time.” But no, it’s very rough over there for Armando. So rough. He asks about Mariana and she evades the question and then tries to get off the phone by telling him a half-hearted goodbye and he’s all, “I think of you all the time … when I score … all my goals are for you, Julia. I love you.” And so she’s like, “Yeah … metooIhavetogonowbye.”

Rafaela appears just then to share her wisdom.

Julia: I’m so screwed. I don’t know what I’m going to do.

Rafaela: No, no, don’t say that. Listen to what you feel. Listen to yourself. And dare yourself. That way you won’t betray Armando or Mariana or yourself.

And by that she means, “Come out of the closet already, for the love of God.”

Over at Mariana’s, another hooded fellow is stalking her.

Oh, dear, who could that be?

At the gallery cafe, Ileana advices Julia to think about herself instead of thinking about Mariana and Armando. So they try an exercise during which Ileana asks Julia to tell her a childhood memory that made her happy. Julia digs deep and shares a memory about her father standing up to her mother. She says that even though he died immediately after that, the memory makes her really happy because it was the first time she’d heard her father stand up to her mom.

Ileana looks at her like, “Dude, you have issues.”

Speaking of issues and fathers, Gaby is having lunch with her dad and he tells her that he doesn’t like Mariana and that he doesn’t want her hanging out with her anymore. Oh, okay, Daddy. Whatever you say, Daddy.

So because Gaby has zero backbone, she goes on to break up with Mariana. “Daddy forbid me to see you again” I think scores high on the list of Lamest Reasons Ever to Break Up With Someone When You’re An Adult. Mariana thinks so, too, which is why when Gaby suggests that maybe they can try again some time in the distant, distant future, when they’re old and gray, Mariana’s like, “Ummm… suuure. NOT.”

On the plus side, now Mariana is free to pine over Julia again. And with Gaby out of the picture, we now get this:

Julia tells Mariana that she talked to Armando and that it doesn’t sound like he’s doing very well. Mariana couldn’t care less about poor Armando, so she changes the subject and asks Julia how she’s doing. Julia, who never knows how’s she’s doing, changes the subject and asks Mariana how she’s doing, what with the Gaby thing.

Mariana: I don’t know. I’m a little sad, to tell you the truth. It’s weird. It’s not like … she’s not the love of my life but it’s not the story I was expecting when I was at the beach. I don’t know. I’m disappointed. It’s mostly that. I thought that at some point she’d tell her father.

Julia: But, try to understand her. There’s a lot of things that are difficult to say out loud.

What ever could you mean, Julia?

While this is happening, the hooded fellow from earlier is now sneaking into Mariana’s apartment.

He walks all around. He looks at photographs. He looks through her mail. He kisses a picture of Mariana and Dany. And he finds Mariana’s passport. Not at all creepy behavior. No.

But back in Julia’s room, Mariana is still playing with Julia’s hair.

Jokingly, Mariana asks Julia, “Why weren’t you a girl?” This is funny because back in episode one, just before their drunken make-out session, Julia asks Mariana why she wasn’t a boy. The question now makes both of them crack up and Julia smacks Mariana’s arm playfully, but I guess she hits her harder than intended because Mariana cries out and tell her not to be so rough. Julia instantly apologizes and starts kissing Mariana’s arm until their faces are inches apart. Julia goes to kiss her in the mouth, but Mariana moves away.

Mariana: Oh, no, Julia no. No. I’m not going to let your confusion steal another kiss from me. Honestly … you throw me off-balance. You’re going to drive me insane.

Julia: I’m not confused. Seriously, Mariana, I’m sure. I love you.

And then, well…

But as wonderful as this moment is, Aurelia doesn’t let us enjoy it for very long because her closing narration warns us about new confusions arising.

But we’ll ignore that for a few more seconds and just enjoy this:

Enjoy that view because when we pick up in episode 41, our lovely ladies are looking like this:

Begin Lesbian Processing (Part 1 of Many).

Mariana: Now what?

Julia: Now what? The one that didn’t want to was you.

Mariana: Wait. It’s just not that easy, Julia.

Julia: Well, I know. I know it’s not easy. But we’re already here, Mariana.

Mariana: Here where? Where are we? I don’t know where I am. I’m more lost than ever.

Julia: We are where we want to be.

Mariana: Yeah, but you know what happens sometimes? People think they want to be somewhere and when they get to that place they realize that it’s not the place they wanted to be, and they turn around and leave that place behind like they were never there at all.

Julia: I told you I loved you. And I kissed you. What part of that wasn’t clear?

Mariana: I think neither part. The only thing that was clear to me is that you called Armando beforehand. Don’t you realize there’s a lot to lose, Julia? Your friendship is the most important thing in my life.

Julia: But Armando isn’t here, Mariana. He’s in Spain.

Mariana: Then why do I feel like he’s sitting here between us?

Because he’s never going away, ever. Ever. This conversation goes on until finally Mariana says she’s going to go home because everything is uncomfortable now. Julia tells her she can’t leave because it’s still not safe. She says if she has to she’ll leave Mariana the bed and go sleep in the tub and they can act like nothing happened.

Mariana: We act like nothing happened…

Julia: Well, yeah. We’ll act like nothing happened.

Mariana: Well, if you think that’s possible…here’s your pillow. Enjoy the tub.

Julia: You’re an idiot. You’re not going to let me sleep with you?

Mariana just shakes her head and we’re left with Julia begging.

The next day, we find Julia and Mariana in the kitchen. Julia’s excited about the fish she’s preparing.

Julia: I love fish.

Mariana: Oh really? You love it? I thought I was the only one who loved fish?

Julia: No, I’ve always loved it.

Mariana: Oh yeah? How interesting…

Julia finally catches on that Mariana is trying to make a joke and laughs while calling her crude. Then she yells at her because she’s not dressed for cooking and her hair isn’t up. But Mariana instead says that she wants Julia to let her go home because she has things she wants to check on and she misses her bed. Julia isn’t happy about it but she says yes.

Julia: Just promise me one thing: When you get home and you see that everything’s fine, call me. Before you go to sleep, you call me. And in the morning, when you wake up, you drop me a line so I know that everything’s okay.

Mariana: Okay, Doña Rafaela, whatever you think is best.

Julia replies by throwing food at her. And then Mariana goes to kiss her goodbye but they have an awkward moment of not knowing where exactly to be kissing. Julia goes for the lips and Mariana goes for the cheek and then they laugh nervously.

Over at her apartment, Mariana finds an envelope addressed to her. During the opening credits, we see the man that was in her apartment tape it to the TV. In the envelope, Mariana finds a picture of herself when she was a baby. On the back is a phone number. She stares at it in confusion.

Later, she tries calling her mother but doesn’t reach her. So she decides to dial the number on the back of the picture only she changes her mind and hangs up.

Meanwhile, Julia hangs out with her family and paints her nails with her sisters. She tells them that Mariana doesn’t even want to see her, which I guess is how she interprets Mariana wanting to go back to her apartment. Alma and Mercedes both gasp, “No!” But melodramatic Julia is melodramatic.

Mariana has bigger issues on her plate, though, than whether to see Julia or not. The man who left her the envelope shows up again. And he’s got a little confession to make…

Man: I’m Hernan. I’m your father.

*Insert dramatic music*

*Cue the credits*

And we’re off to episode 42…

We pick things up again with Mariana and Hernan. Mariana is, unsurprisingly, not happy to see her biological father. She tells him the picture of her as a baby didn’t work so what next? He tells her he wants to know a few things, like what her mother gave as an excuse for his departure. Mariana says that her mother said he’d left to a medical convention about Malaria and that he kept extending his stay until one day a woman showed up in his life and he vanished. He tries to tell her that that was not the reason he left and that he tried to contact her and keep in touch. Mariana doesn’t care to listen and asks him what he wants from her.

Julia, meanwhile, is now waxing her legs with her sisters, while they all discuss Alma’s love life.

Back at Mariana’s, Hernan tries to win Mariana over by offering her some coconut treats she used to like as a little girl, but she says she doesn’t remember that and doesn’t remember him. He asks if she has a boyfriend and she says no. Hernan says he just wants her to listen to his version of things.

Mariana tells him that she’s got no interest in listening to him give excuses for having abandoned her for twenty years. And asks him to leave her house.

At Casa Aparicio, the Aparicio sisters are now putting on face masks and talking about Juila’s love life.

Alma: But you and Mariana kissed, no?

Julia: Yes. And that’s what I’m saying. That now the only logical next step is for us to sleep together so I can figure out if I’m gay.

Alma: But you just know those things, Julia.

Mercedes: Not necessarily. There’s people that are 40-years-old and still don’t know they’re gay. I just think you’re confused, Julia.

Alma: Or, you’re bisexual. Because you’re not going to tell me that your sexual attraction for Armando was just you acting.

Julia: Of course not.

Alma: Well, there you go.

Julia: No, I really, really like Armando. In fact, whenever I see him, I want him. I do like men. It’s just that this thing with Mariana is different. It’s more like … how do I explain it … it’s like a spiritual attraction. Intellectual. Like an emotional inclination. Do you understand? Only, I’m not going to deny that the other day when we were kissing if she hadn’t stopped me I would’ve kept going because I was really liking it. Is that bad?

Mercedes: No. At least you’re honest with yourself. Now, why did Mariana stop it?

Julia: Well, because she said she’s tired of me always doing the same thing. And she doesn’t want to get hurt and she’s worried that I’m going to say yes and then I’m going to say no.

Mercedes: What did Rafaela used to say? “If you’re not happy, then do something about it.”

Mariana is certainly not happy. Hernan hasn’t left yet and tells her he doesn’t have the funds to even get him to a hotel and asks if she has some money she can lend him. Asking for money is totally the way to win over the daughter you abandoned for twenty years. Thumbs up, Hernan. But Mariana has a lot of complex feelings and part of those complex feelings involve wanting him there, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, so she tells him he can crash on the couch.

The next day, over breakfast, Hernan tries to break the ice by opening up about himself but Mariana cuts him short and tells him she doesn’t have time for that and that she’s going to go shower. She tries to soften the blow by offering to leave him a towel in the bathroom.

While Mariana is in the shower, Rafaela calls and leaves a message on the answering machine, which Hernan overhears. “This is Rafaela Aparicio,” Rafaela says, in case Mariana has suffered some kind of blunt force trauma to the head and can’t recognize familiar voices anymore. And because Mexico is the size of a pea, apparently, it turns out that Hernan and Rafaela know each other. Recognizing the name, he picks up the phone. It so happens that the two of them knew each other when they were kids. How serendipitous! Hernan tells Rafaela that he’s Mariana’s father and that he’s having a really hard time getting Mariana to listen to him, what with her still being upset about him abandoning her and everything. Rafaela decides to do what Rafaela knows how to do best: meddle. So she invites Hernan and Mariana over for lunch.

Mariana is pretty upset when Hernan tells her that Rafaela invited them both over but of course Mariana would never dream of being rude to Rafaela, especially with how much Rafaela has done for her, so she ends up going.

Over at the Aparicio kitchen, Rafaela is practically glowing about this sudden turn of events. Julia seems to be the only one that thinks that Hernan coming back is a bad thing and that they’re being really insensitive to Mariana for being happy that he’s returned. But Aurelia and Rafaela are tickled by the fact that the little boy they knew as kids is Mariana’s father. And though Julia protests their meddling, Rafaela thinks that he should get the chance to explain himself before everyone crucifies him.

When Mariana and Hernan arrive, Julia excuses herself and takes Mariana with her to the kitchen where the two of them proceed to rant about Hernan coming back. Julia is completely on Mariana’s side on the matter. Mariana admits that she’s got a billion questions for her father but that she doesn’t want to hear any of the answers.

Lunch turns out to be a huge disaster, what with Mariana and Julia shooting off sarcastic comments at Hernan and Rafaela telling them to stop being rude and Hernan trying to smile through it all. In the end, Mariana ends up exploding and telling Hernan to please disappear from her life. Mariana leaves and Julia goes after her. Rafaela tells Hernan to give her time.

Over at Mariana’s, Julia looks at the baby picture Hernan left.

Julia: I do have to agree with Hernan on one thing…

Mariana: What?

Julia: That you look just as strong and free and beautiful. Look! Look how beautiful!

And despite all the drama, we end on a high note:

I’m not sure how they got from acting like nothing had happened, to Mariana not wanting to see Julia, to kissing and snuggling on the terrace, but I’m not going to complain, either. Nope.

Ingrid Díaz is the author of Alix & Valerie, a professional blogger and non-recovering coffee addict. In her college days, she was a purple-haired LGBT rights activist. These days, she aims to change the world one lesbian love story at a time. You can read some of her work at www.midnightisland.com.

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