CHAPTER 19

Meanwhile,

Marianna, Isabella, Alejandro, and Horacio meet. They are meeting at an apartment Alejandro owns. Isabella says that they should come up with a plan that will ensure the breakups are for good. Marianna asks her if they are to drug Antonio and Hector and then pretend to have slept with them, and send pictures to Gina and Adrianna. Isabella says that is not only very common, but it also leaves a window for reconciliation and it is not foolproof. Alejandro asks her what she is planning. Isabella says the one way they can tie Antonio and Hector down and ensure Gina and Adrianna don't forgive them, is to get pregnant.

Isabella has an innocent look on, when Marianna, Alejandro, and Horacio look at her like she has gone completely crazy. Isabella looks around and asks them why they are being so dramatic. She asks Alejandro what else they can think of, that will ensure, Antonio and Hector are tied down to her and Marianna thus leaving Gina and Adrianna free for them. Marianna tells isabella that she sees her point but asks her if she has thought the plan through very well. Isabella says she has. Horacio says that the plan might tie-down and Antonio and Hector but it will tie them down as well because they will be responsible for the children for the next nearly 22 years.

Alejandro asks her if it is a whim or she is serious because people plan to have children they don't have them on whims. He adds that she is reducing the sanctity of pregnancy. Isabella looks at all of them and then shakes her head. She then says that they sound like a bunch of old emotional prudes. Isabella reminds them that they all have a common goal of breaking up Antonio and Gina, and Hector and Adrianna. She says that they have to go for the big one. Horacio asks her for more details of her outrageous plan. Isabella says Horacio, will get her pregnant, and Alejandro will get Marianna pregnant, and then they will blame them on Antonio and Hector. Marianna tells her that she has lost her mind.

Meanwhile, Gina looks at Aranza and Hector as they come in. Martin, Antonio, and Aurelio follow them. They are becoming very close, so close; she cannot help but feel jealous. She and Hector are twins. Gina wonders if Hector will love Aranza more than he loves her. Gina asks to speak to Martin alone. Once they are alone, she asks him what will happen once his mother gets there. Martin tells her not to worry because he is sure, she has that sorted.

Later, they all leave to go to Clara's hotel room. Ramon is still weak, but he is conscious.

Meanwhile, Anna Patricia arrives in the city. Martin goes with Emma to get her. Emma is scared of meeting Martin's mother, but he assures her that his mother is a nice person.

Anna Patricia greets her warmly, as they take her to his house. Martin lives in a one bedroomed house near where Gina, Hector, and Aurelio live. It is a temporary measure before she gets her accommodation sorted out. It is a small flat, but adequate for him to live in.

Meanwhile, Clara asks Gina where Martin is. Gina looks down but does not answer. Clara asks her again, (she uses her nickname for Gina, princess, and asks her where her aunt is.) Antonio watches Gina struggle to come up with something to tell her grandmother and smiles. Clara is a tough woman, but he can tell she loves her grandchildren especially Gina. Finally, Gina says he went to pick up his mother, (whom Gina and Hector call Aunt Anna just as Aurelio does). Clara laments about how no one listens to her, and how Anna Patricia was always a stubborn child, then goes and sits down.

Later, out of the blue, she tells Gina, Aurelio, and Hector that they should not accompany her to the hospital the next day. Hector looks at her surprised and asks her why. Clara says that they are young, and they should not come to visit every day, they should do whatever it was they were planning to do before Ramon fell sick. Aurelio assures her that it is not a bother. Clara says she has to come because he is her husband, whom she loves and she is fulfilling the vows she made in church, to stick with him in sickness and in health. As the children watch her still shocked, Clara sticks to her guns but assures them she will update them, in case of anything.

Aurelio calls Aranza aside, and they call their mutual friends. They put back on their plans to go out with their friends for the weekend. Aurelio comes out and tells them that he and Aranza are going to a mutual friend's house. Clara is happy and looks at Hector, who avoids her eyes. She tells Gina and Hector that they could learn from the children. Adrianna tells Aranza that she will take her home to pick up a few things.

Meanwhile, Armando and Luisa call to check up on Ramon.

Elsewhere, Isabella assures Marianna, Alejandro, and Horacio, that she is sane. She asks them again if they have anything better. She says plans like faking sleeping with Hector and Antonio are likely to wear off quickly, and though they are likely to lead to breakups, they will not tie down Antonio and Hector, who could still get back with Gina and Adrianna, thus threatening their (Horacio and Alejandro's) plans. Alejandro says Isabella's plans are crazy but pure genius. Horacio agrees with him and agrees to the plans as well. Marianna is the most hesitant but is eventually convinced. Isabella tells herself that Antonio is hers and no one will take him away.

Sometime later,

Hector and Adrianna are in the Ortiz's house. Aurelio and Aranza have already gone to their friend's house. Antonio and Gina are outside. He asks her what she is doing the next day. Gina says she is probably going to go to Martin's or Emma's since Clara made it clear; she wants none of them there. Antonio tells her that she could go with him, to the house he told her about, the one he had just finished paying for. He adds that he'd like her to see his house and for them to spend time there together. Gina looks at him, like he is mad, and starts to walk off, but he puts his arms around her. Antonio says he misses her, and they need some privacy, and they can't go to either the mansion or her house.

He says things are likely to be awkward as they figure things out. She knows he has a point and becomes less defensive. She tells him to remove his hands around her because they are outside. Antonio does and smiles at her. Gina says that she can't miss mass. Antonio says that's no problem because there is a church a few kilometers from the house, and they can go for the 11 am service. Gina looks at him surprised. Antonio looks a little hurt. She asks him what's wrong. He says he knows he has a certain reputation, but he does believe in God and goes to church as often as possible. Gina assures him, she has not judged him and loves him just as he is.

Elsewhere, Emma goes back to her flat as Martin gets ready to spend the weekend with his mother. Hector calls him and updates him on what Clara said. Martin tells his mother what his grandmother said. Anna Patricia is not surprised and says so.

Meanwhile, Antonio and Gina go back to the house. He informs Hector and Adrianna that they will be going out and will come back tomorrow evening. Gina says she has to pack a few things.

Meanwhile, at the mental institution, John has a panic attack. He starts screaming about his children, and has to be restrained, and is given an injection to calm his nerves.

Back at Hector and Gina's house,

Gina and Antonio leave. Adrianna says she will call a cab to get her since her car is at home. Hector puts one arm on her and tells her not to leave. Adrianna says he does not have to feel pressured to ask her to stay because Antonio asked Gina. He says he is doing it because he wants to. Hector looks at his phone and smiles. Adrianna asks him who it was, and he says it was Gina. He adds that Gina said that she (Adrianna) can borrow her things, but that he (Hector) should leave her (Gina's) things alone. Hector smiles mischievously and then adds that when they were children he used to play tricks on his cousin. Adrianna tells herself that he is so much like Aranza.

Meanwhile, Antonio and Gina have arrived at the apartment. Gina says it is beautiful. He says he occasionally needs time alone and has plans of moving out by next year when he turns 25.

Meanwhile, Hector and Adrianna are cooking supper. He asks her what she wants for supper. She says she will see what is in the fridge first. They eventually settle on rice and beef stew. They start cooking.

Elsewhere back at Antonio's house,

They had already started cooking. They eventually decided on rice and chicken stew. Antonio tells her to rest as the food cooks. She says, that Luisa taught her it is better to multitask and clean up, what one can, as the food cooks, so that somebody isn't faced with a dirty full sink when they are done eating. Antonio says those are wise words because he gets tired when he sees a full sink. Gina asks him if he gets people to come and clean on weekends.

Antonio says that he hasn't had the place for long, and only bought it recently, so he is still working out the details. Gina stares at him. She says she thought he meant, he had finalized paying the deposit on a rental when he said he was getting his own place. Antonio says, at his age, he needs his own place and privacy and he is going to get married in two or three years. As he says this he smiles and looks at her. Gina shyly looks away and nervously fidgets, pretending to be busy, until he comes and kisses her.

Sometime later,

Hector and Adrianna have finished eating, and have cleaned up. Adrianna says she is going to shower and change into sleeping clothes. She leaves Hector reading sports news in a newspaper.

Meanwhile, Gina and Antonio are cleaning up, after eating.

As this is going on, Aranza, Aurelio, and their friends are discussing sleeping arrangements. Aurelio makes sure Aranza is safe and comfortable before going off. The other girls comment on how caring he is towards her and say that she is so lucky to have someone that good-looking pay attention to her.

One girl asks Aranza if she finds Aurelio attractive, and she says yes. Another tells Aranza that if she is not interested; many girls at the university are willing. Aranza rolls her eyes, and says to herself that Aurelio is hers; he just doesn't know it yet. The girls get ready for the next round of the party.