Wow a lot happens this episode and not without tears so let start crying. I mean, let’s get into the recap.
Xo + Rogelio + Baby
Xiomara seems to be doing really well! She is getting her strength up, walked 3 miles no pain, she is ready to tackle chemo and get this handled!
She wants to do cold caps – apparently they help reduce hairs loss but are very painful. She wants it so she’s asking for Rogelio’s help – he seemed concerned, but is willing to do what she needs.
On her first day of chemo Xiomara makes a friend, its Amy Brenneman (The mom “Laurie” in HBO’s the Leftovers) her name is Donna. They seem to be keeping each other laughing which is good. She also warns her, it will get harder.
Cut to – Xiomara is not doing too well, the walks are harder, she looks weak and everyone is just trying to be there, but no one knows how she feels – but Donna does.
Sadly Donna passes away very suddenly, but apparently not uncommon – things are moving so fast in this episode.
Xiomara goes through it after that. Just the thought of Donna being there one minute, then not the next, she realizes this battle is never ending. I just don’t want her to have this mentality, because she has to think positive – but the gravity of it all really sinks in. She said, Donna was fine for 5 years and then got sick and now is gone. She felt she needs to stay positive for everyone else – so not her problem, everyone is in good health to take care of their own happiness, what we need is our Xiomara!! Xo wants to stop the cold caps and Rogelio is there for her no matter what, and doing the cold caps was torture. No matter what the road is tough and Xiomara is hanging on.
In Rogelio news, River Fields wants to change the script again and again, taking away the novelaness – just making it ‘dique’ “normal.” The execs just agree with everything River Fields says of course, I think they can only hear their bank accounts anyways.
Later Rogelio meets a fan in the hospital with Xo. A fan who loves his novelas and all the things about it will not be in the American version! This encounter convinces Ro he has made too many concessions, Xiomara tells him to try talking to River again.
River Fields agrees to restore the script – but it seems too fast, I think she has something up her sleeve.
When Rogelio gets to set, none of the changes have been restored. It turns out River bought the rights to The Passions of Steve! Ro had the rights to Passions of Santos and held that over her, but now – there is nothing he can do about the changes. This Passion of Santos American version is turning into—JAG!
Later we see River storm into Ro and Xo’s house demanding to see Rogelio. Xiomara is resting on the couch when she comes bursting in. She is so mad, she just needs to stress eat and downs one of Xo brownies on the table – weed brownies. After that, Xo is like, you are not going anywhere. She sits River down and has her watch novelas with her, which River has never seen. What a white lady thing to do, sign on to the American version of a telenovela – start changing sh#! and not even watch one minute of a novela. Needless to say she loves it, and the writers do that wonderful clever creative thing they do – make the show amazing. They have River and Xo narrate what is happening in the novela paired with what is happening in real life with Jane and Rafael. So cute. Either way, I am sure this has saved The Passions of Steve and given Xiomara that bit of positivity she needed.
Alba
Jane and Rafael are trying to save up to move into a one bedroom in Rafael’s building. To do this, they are proposing moving into the Villanueva house with Alba for just 3 short weeks and subletting Rafael’s studio apartment. Alba agrees of course, and lays down the law. She won’t let the couple stay in Jane’s room together, because they are not married – no unmarital sex under her roof! Ummm so much sex has happened in this house lol.
Does Jane listen – no. Alba walks in on Jane and Rafael in the act!
Absolutely NO sex in the house after that.
The next day as Rafael and Jane are walking into the kitchen, they see Alba spanking Mateo – ummm seems normal to me…
Rafael gets in Alba’s face, wow he is really upset and Alba is in his face like “Mateo needs to learn rules and if he tries to touch the stove again I will spank him.”
Oh snap, she said “My house, my rules”
Then Rafael and Alba’s relationship gets estranged and Jane steps in to talk to Alba.
It all comes back to Xo. She just needs control over her household, and needs to do it while she can, cuz she’s the one who is supposed to be getting old and sick not Xiomara! – And then I’m crying again.
After the realization, Alba admits to Rafael she is going through a lot and apologizes, she will not spank Mateo again. Watching how this affects Alba shatters my heart, I am still stuck on them all praying together on the living room floor – ugh!
Petra + Lawyer Jane
Good things to come, the case may be closed on the death of Aneshka! Lawyer Jane wants date night to possibly celebrate, but Petra’s got work and picking up the kids. But then she suggests Lawyer Jane pick up the twins. And oh how Lawyer Jane gets uncomfortable after that! She wants to keep boundaries for now when it comes to the kids. Its really intense how much Lawyer Jane does not like kids, I feel like this is a much bigger issue than it seems.
Sadly, the case was not dismissed. Apparently Petra’s mom is saying she was in the bathroom the whole time when Aneshka died. Petra is nervous because her mom is so conniving – but Lawyer Jane says she is gonna get the case dismissed with extreme prejudice – which means forever I guess.
There was one element that wasn’t said before, that Petra shoved Aneshka and broke her heel while doing it. This got Lawyer Jane thinking and brought it to Petra’s attention, apparently there was a divet in the floor where Petra’s mom said. Petra flips out that Lawyer Jane doesn’t trust her and brings her the pair of shoes – not broken. She tells her to leave and brings up not needing her to be soccer mom to the kids but needs her girlfriend to trust her. She went almost straight back to Petra ways, a little too much…
After that, Lawyer Jane comes back the next day saying she got the case dismissed with extreme prejudice because she came clean about the blackmailing. I don’t know how that works, but I believe it. In turn, Lawyer Jane will be disbarred… I don’t know if that was worth it. Lawyer Jane says, it was only a matter of time and her coming clean was needed, with or without Petra’s case. Petra kisses her after saying she was so overwhelmed, while they are hugging, Petra has a certain face….
I don’t know…did she kill Aneshka?
Rafael
So Rafael is on board with saving money to get that one bedroom apartment in his building for him and Jane. He really cuts costs.
Then he gets an offer to come back in on the hotel deal with the guy who cut him out of the real estate deal… seems so sketchy. He’s seriously considering it – since the money troubles. The crazy thing is, Jane is judgy for like one second then doesn’t give her opinion, like it’s his decision… what is going on?? So he really gets a chance to weigh his options and make the best decision.
He takes Jane to the lot in question and the vision is pretty nice actually. The vision that is, the lot is not – it’s crappy. In reality it looks like this is possible, and seeing him owning a hotel again, is like Rafael in his element.
Back at the Villanueva household when Rafael sees Alba spank Mateo, its like he sees red! I mean spanking is normal in my childhood, so I was like WHOA relax. In reality, I’m not a parent but if I was trying to raise my kid without spanking and someone else spanks my kid – welp Rafael’s reaction seems a bit more warranted when I think about it like that. Rafael is out of the Villanueva house after that, and this puts a damper on their savings idea once again.
Now, Rafael is waiting on this deal because he will get paid as soon as they break ground. Sadly the deal is taking much longer than expected and they are getting tired of living with each other through Facetime.
Even when Rafael and Alba makeup, he doesn’t wanna live in Alba’s house – makes sense, he probably wants to be able to have sex… and have privacy. Either way, he ends up taking this timeshare real estate agent job he was offered a while back.
It is literally the opposite of what he wants, but he realized – he has had his dream and now he wants Jane to be able to have hers. AWWW bendito! So with this job he has a salary and great benefits and Jane can take on less shifts to write more, what a partner – I sure hope nothing bad happens next!
Hahahaa – it’s not a novela without the looming danger. Rose calls, saying she has some very important information for Rafael. Dum dum dummmm…
Jane + Everything
Not much happened in the Jane front really. She is all about moving in with Rafael and actually – Rafael is on top of it way more than Jane is. You would think that she would have all the spreadsheets, hitting him up about savings, but really Rafael is the one. It’s just that, her writer’s block is lifted and she is off!! She really feels like this book is going to be her next big thing, she has a hard time pulling away from her computer or even focusing on anything else.
Until there is a glimpse of hope that they could get the upstairs apartment. Apparently, Rafael did it! He saved enough for first months, last months and security, so they take a trip to the apartment open house. Jane is beside herself, imagining a life with Rafael, and Mateo, their little family – even cooking breakfast in the morning.
THEN Mateo breaks a $4000 item at an antique store and now they are paying that off instead of living her fantasy out in that apartment, and also still living with Alba and no sex. Man, that kid does need to learn rules though… not judging or saying spank him, but something. In the end Rafael makes the ultimate sacrifice so Jane can focus on writing, and you know I believe that is the real money maker for them – she can make it!! And I agree with Xiomara and River Fields reaction – she deserves it.
This episode, we really see Jane as caregiver, taking a step back from judgy Jane, working with her mom trying to keep her active and upbeat, and her having those heart to hearts with Alba. It makes you wonder what this book really entails, a new leaf and new beginnings. Okay, I need to stop before I get all cheesy with rainbows and flowers and glowing hearts in my story…
Catch us next time on Jane the new woman.
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