A LITTLE TIT FOR TAT

Tonio acts coldly towards Raquel the next day, refusing to talk to her when she bids him good morning, to her distress. He confides in Oscar, angry she was still fooling around with Max after she’d told him she no longer loved him after discovering he’d lied to her and just when he was about to give her a present with all sincerity instead of obligation, like he’d been doing.

 Raquel finds her purse empty and accuses Martha of stealing her money, which she denied, the lying thief.





At the party, Maura openly flirts with Tonio, to Raquel’s disgust. Carla deliberately leads Raquel away to met some people, to give Maura a chance to be with Tonio alone. Max forcibly insists she leaves with him but, reluctant, she goes off to find Tonio and sees him talking with Maura. Jealous and hurt, she finally leaves with Max and a reluctant Martha. Tonio soon notices Raquel is missing and goes home but she isn’t there, nor her family. The guards tell him Max had left with a suitcase and much later Don Daniel with a small bag. Raquel and Martha’s things were still in their closets.
The four fugitives are at a hotel in Mexico City. Raquel and Martha quarrel when the former insisted Tonio only wanted her around to bother Max, then later sleep with her.

In disgust at her sister’s greed, Raquel leaves to have a bath. Martha in the meantime, calls Information for Tonio’s phone number...

Raquel confesses

Tonio and Raquel forge a  tentative friendship as the days go by during their trip, Raquel telling him stories about her youth and wanted Tonio to do the same, but Tonio was more inteterested in knowing more about her. Back in Acapulco, Maura persuades a broody/nervous Max to seduce Raquel away from Tonio when they return. Tonio gives Raquel money to go shopping, (in spite of her protests) and goes to the apartment building she had described and the manger confirms there had been an Antonio Lombardo living there months back, but went on business trips often.

Don Daniel is invited back to stay with them for a while and is put up in one of the guest bungalows Seriously, Money is good o!
Tonio assures a relieved Victoria that he and Raquel have ‘made up'. Camilla and Maura notice Raquel leading her father to the bungalow; Camilla makes a derogatory remark about it to Victoria, overhead by Raquel who brushes past Tonio in tears.

 Tonio forcibly takes his sister upstairs and forces her to apologise to his wife, which she sulkily does. Considering how she and that loser husband of hers is so reliant on Tonio, that bitch needed to keep her trap shut more often. 

 Martha is delighted to see her father, finding him breathing the fresh air on the beach.

Tonio tells Oscar, his father’s old friend and family doctor that he  initially thought Daniel had been the one to make Raquel do what she was doing but found him to be a sentimental and humble man.

Evil Max angrily asked Raquel what Tonio had done in Guadalajara  and if he did some investigating, when he finds her alone in the room. She said she didn’t know if he he did; Tonio's reason for the trip had been for business, at least that's what he told her.  She is furious when Max  demanded to know if she slept with  Tonio.  She asked what right did he have to ask her such a question, but he doesn't back down. 

 ‘What if I did? He’s a thousand times better than you!’ Then why haven't you told Tonio the truth yet, girl? 

Max threatened to tell Tonio everything and damn the consequences if she dared go to bed with him- actually pointing a finger at her in a ridiculously childish manner-  and is furious to see Daniel walk in. Tonio sees Max and Raquel leave the room to talk in private, he allows Daniel to entertain him and Martha with anecdotes. Max swears to Raquel that he hadn’t caused Tonio’s accident but she still doesn’t believe him.

The family go in to dinner as Raquel comes in, alone. She shyly shows off the fabulous long dress she has on to Tonio, asking if he liked it, feeling ashamed for spending all the money he’d given her but he assures her it was okay and the dress was pretty. He notices Max entering, then grabs a surprised Raquel and kisses her, to Max’s fury and refuses to join them for dinner. Later on, Max again tries to convince Raquel and Martha to leave Acapulco with him but Raquel refuses and stormed back into the house with Max and Martha close behind; Tonio is still in the room and barked: ‘who is chasing who?’

Raquel nervously said she was going to bed, Tonio ordered both girls to bed, but makes Max stay behind and confronts him finally. Max denies everything and called him crazy, then in a moment of intense anger when Tonio grabs hold of him and accused him of trying to kill him shouted, ‘I wish I did! Nothing could make me happier than to see you dead!’ 

WOW... talking about letting your mouth run off in the heat of the moment!

Mummy Victoria suddenly appears and is told but Max still angrily said Tonio was insane and goes upstairs. Tonio consoles Victoria then goes upstairs to Raquel’s room, guessing correctly that Max had been there earlier to warn her, probing her with questions, in particular if she and Max knew each other before.  Feeling pressured, Raquel ran out of the room, with Tonio chasing her, catching up with her in the living room, demanding to know what she was hiding. Bursting into tears, Raquel finally cracks  and told him Max had introduced himself as Antonio Lombardo when they met.  Consoling her, Tonio led her to his study, where Raquel told him the whole story; adding what she found out after Max came to her room after the memorial service and why she had left the following morning, Max coming to fetch her back after threatening her again. 

Tonio asked her if Max still loved her. Raquel replied he said so, but she didn't believe him, no man in love would do what he did. When asked if she still loved Max, she tearfully shook her head, her love for him was gone forever. 

Tonio then asked if she and Max had slept together, (as if it was any of his business). Raquel murmured no and Tonio sharply asked her to look at him. Raquel faced him and said no again, firmly this time. 

She pleaded with him not to send her or her family to jail, or at least let her take the whole blame for the lies. Tonio consoled her, urged her not to tell anyone about their conversation and sent her to bed. As the door closed behind her, Tonio's face wore a pensive look. 

The following morning,  Victoria suggests Max should go on an extended vacation.

 Maura’s younger sister, Carla, pays a visit to the house, curious to see how Tonio’s wife looked like and is introduced to Martha and Daniel. She invites Raquel to a party Maura is throwing, showing scorn when Raquel said she would have to ask Tonio first.

Carla urged her to come as she didn’t need her husband’s permission all the time. Martha and Daniel leave with Carla who gives them a lift to town. Max angrily grabs Raquel to find out what had happened the previous night but  Mummy Victoria comes in, giving her a chance to escape. 

Max sulkily  said he only wanted Raquel to go on a boat ride with him; Victoria scolded  him for asking Raquel of all people,  Tonio’s wife, such a thing. Tonio makes more inquiries, with Pablo’s help.

Mummy Victoria and Raquel talk about Tonio and Max; she advises her to ignore Max if he bothered her again. Easier said than done, Vicky.

Tonio returns from work and takes Raquel to the study to confab on the next line of action, Raquel tells Tonio Max asked her to run away with him, after Tonio tells her Max requested money to go on a long vacation.  Raquel nods resignedly when Tonio pointed out that while she was coerced, what she did, not telling him or Victoria immediately, was a punishable crime, but still hopes Tonio will not send her and her family to prison. She wanted to go home and leave the damned incident behind.

  Max comes in with some papers and asks where Tonio was. Victoria gets angry when he also asks her about Raquel, ‘why are you always asking about her?’ she demands. Max marched to the study, ignoring his mother's protests.

Max interrupts their discussion, for Tonio to sign a check. Raquel feels like a pawn between them after Tonio asks her to say goodbye to Max. She warns Tonio she won’t let him take advantage of her, as she was not like Maura or any of his other lovers, which makes him wonder if she was jealous.
Max annoys Raquel during lunch, which makes her leave the table in anger but Tonio follows her up to console her and takes her out to dinner again, where he admits he was sexually attracted to her but at the same time liked and respected her enough NOT to take advantage of her like she feared. Max and Maura come up with a plan.

Tonio and Raquel return home hand in hand and warmly bid each other goodnight, after Tonio told her someone was coming over the next day to bring her a dress for Maura's party; one for Martha as well.
 To Raquel’s horror, Max enters her room through the open French windows and manipulates her not to trust Tonio (not realising she had told on him).

In his study, Tonio opens a box and brings out a fabulous sparkling  diamond bracelet from a box. From the goofy smile on his face, we guess he's thinking about the beautiful lady he just left. Is this love already, Tonio? 

 Eagerly, he goes upstairs to present it to Raquel, but alas, sees Max leaving her room!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

                 

        

          

SO VERY, VERY SORRY folks for the long break in transmission; I’ve been very busy; being a
teacher is demanding work and I’m currently working on another book; by the Grace of Allah,
will be my first for older readers. From now on I’ll do my best to publish my posts more often.
This month is special to me since this blog was created on the 10th of May, 2007; the first post
being AND THEN THERE WAS THREE .'MY FAVORITE THINGS' is a year old and I thank the Almighty God for keeping this blog on for so long; in the beginning when there had been no visitors, I’d considered deleting it but my love for writing prevailed. Many thanks to the visitors, most especially fellow blogger, Mrs. Philomena Ojukutu and those who had left comments, I only pray this blog gets more interested readers before its second anniversary.

Now to business… where I stopped.

Tonio didn’t confide in Maura when she confronted him; reminding her that their relationship had
been more physical than loving. I don't see what he saw in the plump piggy  to begin with. Raquel enters and the women coolly exchange greetings. 

Tonio goes to Raquel's room, assuring her he won't force her to do anything she's against, she'll get her divorce if she wanted. But he found her beautiful and wanted to explore the good qualities she had. Taking her hand,  he gently pulls  her to him. Raquel moves towards him  in spite of herself. 

But the initial first kiss is cut short by Max, who tells him the family doctor, Oscar, was here to see him.  Outside, Tonio remarks about Max being  so concerned about him all a sudden, that he would just barge into his wife's room to get him.  After he goes downstairs, Max grabs Raquel by the shoulders, demanding to know what they were about to do and she defiantly told him it was none of his business. 

Tonio tells Oscar he doesn't remember Raquel or her family, not even the wedding itself. Oscar feels he was still suffering from  lingering effects from the accident. Pablo calls to tell him  the investigators who checked the plane found signs of sabotage. Tonio feels Raquel was a con artist who decided to pass herself as his widow which was the reason for her strange behaviour.  Oscar disagreed with him. 

Raquel and Martha are introduced to Oscar. After Martha goes upstairs, Tonio offers Raquel  the phone when she  said she wanted to call  her father, brushing off her concern it was long distance.  However,  there's no answer. 

Tonio gets more frustrated when Raquel gives more vague answers to his questions, in particular why she went back to Guadalajara without Martha and how Max convinced her to return. Max comes in to intervene, which in my opinion was  just asking for trouble. Tonio angrily told  him to piss off. 

Raquel stormed upstairs to her room to pack. Tonio follows her in, locks the French windows before locking her in, over her protests. Downstairs, Max listens as Tonio tells the guards over the phone Raquel is not  to be  allowed to leave the estate. Max snidely asks why Tonio wanted to keep a woman who didn't love him. 

Vicky is astonished to find Raquel locked up and goes to find Tonio to demand why he's holding her against her will. Tonio replied  that he was  certain Raquel was not his wife and he had never seen her before. He had checked his schedule, no trips to Guadalajara at all. Vicky is shocked when he also told her the crash was no accident. Vicky feels he was mistaken and urged him to reconsider, since all their friends believe Raquel is his wife. Tonio makes her promise  not to tell any one of his suspicions.

Martha is not happy at the idea of leaving the mansion when Max tells her to get ready, they were leaving by boat that night. 

Tono instructs  Vicky to order a new wardrobe for Raquel and Martha gives her Raquel's dress and shoe size. He then apologises to Raquel, excusing his initial harshness and doubts  about her due to his amnesia. He didn't feel anything but he did know he wouldn't marry a woman if he didn't love her. As she's his wife, he wants her to help him remember. Raquel tearfully accepts his aplogy, feeling bad for him and filled with guilt. She tells him she would give up half her life so prevent what happened. Tonio asks what she meant by that, but she's unable to reply. 

Taking her hand, Tonio asks her out to dinner but she's reluctant. Tonio assures her he won't fight her if she still wants a divorce but they should at least part as friends, gently asking her to grant  this special favour to him. Raquel nods, giving him a faint smile. 

 Their lunch is then  brought in by a maid. 

Martha felt her sister was being a fool, when Raquel is very reluctant to accept the array of new clothes. 

   

Tonio is told by Vicky  about Raquel's hesitance to accept the clothes. She urges him to be nicer to his wife who was obviously not a gold digger. 

That night, Tonio takes in the sight of Raquel in a white dress trimmed with pale blue, and warmly  compliments her.  Raquel shyly thanked him for the new dress and entire wardrobe. However, when he offers her a pearl necklace to go with it, she firmly refused. 

 Max is furious to hear from Martha that Tonio took Raquel out. He knew very well Raquel couldn't hold her liquor after one glass. Martha didn't dare let him know  that she didn't tell Raquel they were to leave that night. 

At the fancy restaurant, Raquel gradually loosens up around Tonio; smiling and laughing for the first time and they swap anecdotes about their personal preferences. 

Tonio spied Max hovering not far away and leaves Raquel to find out what was going on.  Max sullenly makes an excuse about meeting some friends and leaves, planning on taking Raquel and Martha away that night once she got  back. On getting back home, Tonio offers Raquel the  pearl necklace he’d offered her before but again she refuses it. He moves in for the kill and kissed  her for the first time but Raquel, though drunk, doesn’t allow it to go further. 

However, Martha had seen them go into the room together and mischievously told Max her sister was with Antonio. Max is furious as he had already rented the boat for their escape.

 Max tries to enter Raquel’s room but it’s locked on both sides and she was fast asleep.

The following morning, Tonio’s lazy brother-in-law, Claudio, sees Max furiously shaking Raquel by the shoulders, beside the swimming pool. He suspects they must have already known each before, especially by the way Max angrily brushes him off. He  tells Camilla, who then tells Maura over the phone. 

Raquel again makes a phone call to Guadalajara but her father still doesn't answer. Camilla makes snide comments about the simple dress Raquel was wearing. Raquel coldly tell her the clothes she wears were obtained through honest work, which we viewers know that Camilla doesn't have a clue about. 

However, when Camilla goes  too far, Raquel slaps her! 

Tonio is more and more suspicious of Raquel. He abruptly takes Raquel to Guadalajara and gets acquainted with Don Daniel, who is nervous around him.