Raquel continues to review her investigation. She remembers that when she arrived in San Juan she had received the bad news that Ángel had died. Then she met Ángela and another stage of her investigation had begun. It had been necessary to take Ángela to Mexico to meet don Fernando, which required Some encounters with her family-first with her aunts and uncles and then with her grandmother in San Germán. Her grandmother had given Ángela a wedding goblet that had belonged to Rosario.
Raquel also met Jorge, Ángela's boyfriend and a professor of theater at the University of Puerto Rico.
She didn't like him much because he seemed to be a womanizer, but it was evident that Ángela liked him a
lot. At this point Raquel decides that she shouldn't involve herself in other people's business.
Episode 27: The Rescue
Raquel and Ángela fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Mexico City and rent a car in order to travel to an archeological dig to find Roberto, Ángela's brother. The women have received the news that there had been a cave-in at the site.
En route to the excavation site Raquel thinks about her investigation for don Fernando. She traveled to Sevilla and Madrid to look for Sra. Teresa Suárez who wrote to don Fernando, telling him that he had a son from his first marriage to Rosario, a Spanish woman whom he thought had died in the Spanish Civil War. Sra. Suárez explained that Rosario and her son Ángel had moved to a ranch near Buenos Aires.
There Raquel found Rosario's other Son, Arturo, who informed her of the death of his mother and of Ángel's departure from Buenos Aires. They began a search and ended up falling in love. A sailor in Buenos Aires gave them Ángel's address in San Juan and Raquel continued her search. She learned there that Ángel had died and that he had two children, Ángela and Roberto. Ángela is going to Mexico to meet her grandfather and her unde Arturo.
On the way to the site Ángela admits that she has always been a bit envious of her brother. At the hospital she learns that Roberto is still trapped.
Arturo arrives at a hotel in Mexico, knowing nothing of the cave-in nor of Raquel's whereabouts. He leaves a message at Pedro's house.
Cultural information:
Geography of the Caribbean and Mexico
Episode 28: Trapped
In a Mexico City clinic don Fernando's doctor advises Mercedes and Ramón that their father is seriously ill and must see a specialist. He recommends a doctor in Guadalajara.
Mercedes and her Uncle Pedro lament the fact that all their problems seem to appear at once: don Fernando's illness, Juan and Pati's marital strife, and financial difficulties in the Miami office of Castillo Saavedra, S.A. Carlos manages the office but has mentioned nothing about any problems. Pedro received Arturo's message but it was too late to return his call.
Meanwhile, Raquel, Ángela, and a local priest, Father Rodrigo, rush to the site of the excavation to find out what is happening. The priest discovers that Roberto is, indeed, one of the people still trapped, but they know that he is alive. The rescue efforts continue as Raquel worries about her inability to communicate with Pedro or Arturo.
Arturo continues to wait in his Mexico City hotel, unable to make contact with Raquel or Pedro. On the TV news in his room there is a story about the accident, but by this time he has fallen asleep.
Cultural information:
The geographical variety of Mexico: the Pacific and Gulf coasts; the mountain ranges--the eastern, western and southern sections of the Sierra Madre; the active volcanoes; the desert in the north and the jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula
Mexico City and some other large cities
Episode 29: It Collapsed!
Efforts to rescue the trapped people continue. Workers are successful in pulling out two of the people, Andrés Villa and Alicia Trujillo. The doctor examines them and sends them to the hospital. In the midst of renewed hope another cave-in occurs and Roberto remains trapped. Ángela almost faints upon hearing this news, so the doctor gives her a sedative and orders her to rest. Shortly afterward, Raquel informs her that they think Roberto is all right. Ángela regrets having acted coldly toward Roberto the last time they talked. Father Rodrigo tells Ángela that they have begun to dig again. Ángela finally falls asleep.
At Ramón's house in the capital, Carlitos catches a cold and has to stay in bed and take medicine. He feels a bit better the following day but doesn't want the doctor to come and give him a shot Gloria also seems mysteriously uncomfortable when the others mention her absence the day before.
Don Fernando is still in the clinic. Arturo continues to wait for contact with either Raquel or Pedro.
Cultural information:
The traditional and modern in Mexico: the Ballet Folclórico; large cities with their skyscrapers and pollution; small towns
Religion in Mexico: the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of the country whose saint's day is the 12th of December
Episode 30: Worries
Still at the excavation site, Ángela awakens after her rest and asks if they are sure that Roberto has plenty of air. Father Rodrigo convinces her that Roberto is still all right and that all they can do is wait until they get him out of the pre-Hispanic tomb that the students were exploring. They all decide to go to the nearby town to try to make contact with the Castillos and with Arturo. A nun, Sister María Teresa, gives them a place to rest and change clothes while they await further developments at the site.
Arturo, who has not yet heard from Raquel, goes shopping in Mexico and isn't in his room when Raquel finally manages to get through to the hotel on the phone. She can only leave him a message explaining what has happened to Roberto. Ángela does manage to speak to her Uncle Jaime in San Juan and gives him the latest news about Roberto.
At Ramón's house various calls are also made. Pati has to speak with her assistant in New York because there are problems with the play they are preparing. Carlos speaks with his secretary in Miami and receives news that bothers him, but which he won't share with his wife, Gloria.
Cultural information:
Mexico, D.F.: downtown, the neighborhoods, the outskirts
The towns: the town square, city hall, the church
The situation in Cuba and that of the Cubans in Miami: Castro, political refugees, Calle Ocho
Episode 31: Drastic Measures
Raquel and Ángela return to the excavation site after bathing and resting awhile.
In Mexico City the problems between Juan and Pati come to a head. They argue about Pati's decision to return to New York to resolve the problems with the opening of the play. Juan won't accept that Pati is a professional; he feels she values her work more than him.
Carlos gets nervous when he hears that Ramón and Pedro plan to talk about the family business s finances. At La Gavia they meet with some auditors who give them bad news about the situation of Castillo Saavedra, S.A. There is a lack of capital and they recommend drastic measures: They must sell La Gavia and dose the Miami office. During this time Lupe goes shopping in town.
In the hospital don Fernando waits to see a specialist so he can return home. He wants to meet his grandchildren.
At the excavation site, Raquel and Ángela wait with growing desperation. They haven't been able to contact Arturo or Pedro but the latter calls Arturo, who informs him of Roberto's accident.
In Los Angeles, Raquel's mother, María, receives an unexpected call from Luis, Raquel's ex-boyfriend.
Cultural information:
Bicultural Mexican Americans in the United States
Episode 32: There Has Been an Accident
Raquel and Ángela still wait at the excavation site. The rescue workers discover that Roberto is definitely alive and a specialist in mining rescues arrives to help. The two women discuss Roberto's studies of pre-Hispanic civilizations.
Luis arrives at Raquel's parents' house and speaks with them. María invites him to accompany them to Mexico to see Raquel, adding that Raquel will be very glad to see him again.
Don Fernando's condition remains unchanged and they have contacted the specialist in Guadalajara. Ramón laments all the problems the family has but tells Consuelo that he is lucky to have her and Maricarmen.
Pedro drops by the hospital to tell everyone what is happening with Roberto. Afterward Pedro meets with Arturo at the hotel. Arturo tells him what he knows of the story of Rosario and the search for Ángel in Buenos Aires and of Raquel's meeting Ángela in San Juan.
A man has been lowered into the excavation and they are about to rescue Roberto.
Cultural information:
Aztec civilization and its empire in central Mexico: Tenochtitlán, Aztlán, the eagle perched on a cactus devouring a serpent-symbol of present-day Mexico
The history of the Spaniard Hernán Cortés, conqueror of Mexico