EPISODE 175

 

Elsewhere,

At Hernan and Adrianna's house,

Aranza is in the kitchen with her father. Gabriel starts to clutch his chest and he seems short of breath. Aranza quickly moves to his side. She asks him if he is fine. Gabriel starts to wave her away. He is trying to assure her that he is fine. Just then Martin and Aurelio enter the kitchen. When they see what's happening, they rush to Gabriel's side. Gabriel manages to frown and tells Aranza, Martin, and Aurelio that they are all overreacting. Martin tells Aranza and Aurelio that they should take him (Gabriel) to the sitting room. Gabriel says that he is just a little tired but agrees to go to the sitting room.

Back to the abandoned house,

Gisela tells Hernan that the room is locked. Hernan sighs. Just then, a scream catches the attention of both Hernan and Gisela. It is Hannibal. He is a few feet from Gabriela who is moving in and out of consciousness. Helena has managed to stand up, even though she is weak and bleeding. She is holding onto Hannibal. Her face full of hate, she looks at Hernan and while stammering, tells him that as she said, he, his sister, and the children will never be happy. She adds that she will make sure of that even if it's the last thing she does.

Still stammering she tells him that the place is rigged with explosives. Hernan is shocked and afraid. Hannibal struggles to move away from Helena. She is weak and doesn't have the energy to hold onto him for long. Hannibal turns and bites her arm. Helena winces in pain and Hannibal runs to Hernan. Helena tries to go near Gabriela, and Hernan sees that. He shoots her twice again before she gets to his sister. He then runs to Gabriela. Hernan tells the children to search Helena and look for a phone, so they can get help. The children quickly begin doing that.

Sometime later,

At the hospital,

Anna Patricia is with, Aranza, Aurelio, and Antonio waiting for updates on Gabriel's health. After what seems like forever, the doctor comes to speak to them. Aranza asks how her father is. The doctor says that he is fine. He adds that his blood pressure rose, probably because he is worried about the safety of his children and grandchildren. The doctor continues and says that it is, however, better that they keep him for at least two days just so they can run more tests and monitor his health. Anna Patricia says that's fine.

Elsewhere,

Martin is walking through the hospital hallways when his phone rings. He removes it. The phone number is not familiar. He ignores it and continues walking. The caller, however, calls again. Martin says that the person is insistent. He looks at the phone again. He sighs and answers by saying hello. He is shocked to hear Hernan's panicked voice replying hello. Before Martin can say anything, Hernan tells him that they need help. He adds that Helena tried to shoot Gisela but Gabriela took the bullets instead. He also adds that they are doing all they can but Gabriela is losing blood and needs treatment quickly. He adds that they are in some kind of a large open room.

Martin asks Hernan if he knows where they were. Hernan tells him the name of the place he and Gabriela left his car. He then says that after that, they were brought, blindfolded, and tied up to where they are locked up by Helena's henchmen. He then adds that according to Helena's henchmen and Helena herself, the place is rigged with some kind of timed explosives. Martin runs a hand through his hair. He tells Hernan to do all he can to keep Gabriela alive. He says that he is going to inform the police so that they can send a nearby team of officers and medics. Hernan says it's fine.

A short while later,

Hernan and the children are near Gabriela. He tells the children, to find anything they can use to break the door. He adds that they also need to find anything they can use to keep Gabriela's wound from bleeding or getting infected. However much they try, they find no way of breaking the door. Hannibal, however, finds some bottled water. Hernan removes his t-shirt and they do all they can, to stabilize Gabriela, with what they have (cloth and water).

Less than two hours later, there is hope. They hear voices. At first, they panic, thinking that Helena's cronies have come back to kill them. Hernan picks up one gun. He gives another to Hannibal and tells them that they need to be ready in case Helena's criminals have come back. He then tells Hannibal to stay behind him. Hannibal nods and follows his uncle's cue. Hernan without looking back, tells Gisela to take care of her aunt. After a few minutes, the door is broken down.

Meanwhile,

Back in the hospital,

Anna Patricia is in Gabriel's room. He asks her if there is any news about his children and grandchildren. Anna Patricia remains silent. Gabriel looks at her suspiciously. He asks her to tell him of any developments in the search for the children. Just then there is a knock on the door and the doctor enters. He asks Gabriel how he feels. Gabriel says that he feels fine except for a mild headache. He then asks the doctor if the test results revealed anything. The doctor says that the test results were negative. He then tells Gabriel that he can leave the next day.

Gabriel frowns. He asks the doctor why he can't leave immediately if he is well. The doctor looks at Anna Patricia then at Gabriel. He then tells Gabriel that he needs to be monitored. Gabriel says that he doesn't need to be monitored. He says that he needs news on his children and grandchildren. Anna Patricia looks at the doctor nervously. Gabriel tells the doctor that for the time being, if he could at least allow his (Gabriel's) wife to update him on what happened to his children and grandchildren. The doctor tells Gabriel that what he needs to do is to relax and rest.

Gabriel asks the doctor if he has children. The doctor says that he has two sons and a daughter. Gabriel asks him if he would be calm and relaxed if his children were in danger. The doctor says that he would be worried and he would do everything he could until they were safe. Gabriel says that he too wants to know how his children are. The doctor relents. He looks at Anna Patricia and tells her that she can tell Gabriel the truth. He adds that she can call for a nurse, in case of anything. Anna Patricia thanks him and says that she will.

Back at the hideout,

Hernan stares at the police cautiously. One of the officers tells them that they are the police and that they are not with Helena. Hernan releases a deep breath. He then tells Hannibal to drop his gun and go to his mother and cousin. Hannibal does as he is told. Hernan looks at the police once more, then drops his gun. He tells them to hurry with the medical team because his sister is injured. The police team rushes to where Gabriela and the children are. One of them checks Gabriela's pulse and the other checks Helena's pulse. Just then people come in with a stretcher.

It is a medical team from the nearby hospital. The officer checking Gabriela's pulse says that her pulse is weak but it is still there. The one checking Helena's pulse says that she too has a weak pulse. Hernan says that both Helena and the escaped gunmen mentioned that there were bombs and explosives, so they should get out as soon as they can just in case it is true. One of the medical team members says that they will take Gabriela out first and then come with an extra stretcher to get Helena. The officer, who was in charge of the operation, says that it's time to go.

Back in the hospital room,

Anna Patricia tells Gabriel that Hernan managed to call Martin which made it easier for the police to find where the twins and the children were. Gabriel asks her if Hernan told Martin anything else. Anna Patricia says that it seems that Helena took the twins and the children to some kind of an open room. She adds that Helena tried to shoot Gisela but Gabriela took both the bullets meant for her niece. Gabriel asks if Hernan and the children are fine. He adds that as far as they know they are. He adds that they tried calling the number again but they couldn't get through. She says that maybe it ran out of charge. Gabriel sighs. He silently prays to God to protect his daughter.

A little while later,

Back at the hideout,

Hernan, Gabriela, and the children are out of the building. Hannibal starts to cry and asks Hernan if his mother will be fine. Hernan hugs his nephew and tells him that God will be there to protect her and take care of her. Hernan hugs both children. They then turn and look at Gabriela who is receiving first aid. Once that begins, two emergency medical technicians remove a stretcher from the ambulance and start to go back for Helena. Before they get into the building it explodes. The two EMTs are hit with flying debris on the face.

The next day (on Sunday),

The previous night had been a tense night as Gabriela's health was monitored. The whole family was there, anxiously waiting for news about her. Just then, Gabriel comes in. Everyone is a little surprised. Aranza reminds her father that he was supposed to be in his hospital room. Gabriel frowns. He says that even the doctors' admitted that he was fine. He says that the worry of not knowing about Gabriela's health, is worse for his health, than being released from the hospital a few hours early.

Antonio stands and tells Gabriel to sit down. Gabriel sits down. Shortly after, the doctor comes out. Antonio asks how his wife is. The doctor says that Gabriela went into a coma after the emergency surgery that she underwent overnight and her pulse was still weak. He adds that there has been very little improvement in the morning. Claudia puts an arm on his shoulder. Everyone is scared and devastated. The doctor excuses himself. Claudia tells Antonio to follow her to the hospital chapel. Quietly, he does.

One week passes, during which Gabriela slowly recovers from her injuries, however, she remains in a coma. She receives a restricted number of visitors including, Antonio, Hernan, her father, and Aranza. 

Also during this time, the police investigators ask Gabriel what should be done to Helena's remains. He asks for a few days to think about it. Hernan asks his father what should be done. He says that he has no idea and that Aranza is his first priority. He adds that as evil as Helena was, she was still Aranza's mother. Gabriel also adds that the issue needs to be handled with sensitivity because of Aranza. He says that there is one person he will ask and do whatever she says. Hernan says grandma (Clara). Gabriel says yes he will ask her but that he has talk to Aranza first as well. Meanwhile, Hannibal and Gisela begin seeing a pediatric counselor to help them deal with the severe trauma they experienced during their ordeal.

Gabriel meets with Aranza and Clara. Aranza is still pretty shaken with the realization of just how vile and ruthless her mother was. Aranza says that she is fine with whatever grandma Clara decides should be done. Clara suggests that Helena should be buried in a public cemetery as soon as the body is released to them. Aranza and Gabriel both agree.

Another week passes during which Helena's remains are released and quickly buried in a ceremony attended by many of their family and friends. Antonio who stayed with Gabriela in the hospital and his grandmother who stayed to assist him, and Anna Patricia, Luisa and Marianna who stayed with all the kids at the Montes De Alba mansion, were the only ones who didn't go. Hannibal and Gisela Paulina were still too traumatised from what Helena put them through, as it had only been less that a month, since they had been rescued from their traumatic kidnapping and it was decided that they shouldn't be at their kidnappers funeral, even if she was their grandmother. Ricardo and Dianna wanted to remain with their friends. 

The funeral was a solemn matter of fact affair. There was no tears or sadness. They all came to show Aranza that they were with her and they loved her. No emotion was shown, not even from Gabriel or Aranza. It was more like a sigh of relief. Everyone attended to close a painful chapter of suffering and pain. They wanted to move on with the future, a future they hoped would be brighter and full of love.