S01.E15: Chapter Fifteen

[Tara Ariano]

News about the baby's health has Jane and Rafael reconsidering their living arrangements. Meanwhile, Jane's favorite author stays at the Marbella, prompting Jane to take action about her own book; and Alba dispenses relationship advice to Jane and Xo.

[Primetimer]

And...does it have to be either?

Read the story

[blugirlami21]

I missed this show.  I loved Jane's excitement about meeting her favorite author.  And the massage scene had me in stitches. 

 

I didn't think that I liked Michael all that much but him being the nice guy who got Jane made me remember why I liked him before Rafael came along.  Jane and Michael did and still have a wonderful connection.  I felt so bad for Rafael the whole episode.  It's clear he feels so much more for Jane than she does for him.  And it was hard to see his overtures rejected over and over.  Despite appearances, I think that Rafael is a real teddy bear and I want him to be with someone who is sure.  Jane and Rafael got together too fast and right now he can't compete with a year worth of Jane being absolutely sure that she was supposed to be with Michael.

 

Hearing that the creators of the show want to keep the love triangle going for as long as possible disappoints me.  I hate love triangles, I don' think that anyone comes out well in the end.  We will see how long they decide to drag it out.

 

I thought that Jane was a little harsh with Xo but I'm glad it gave her a push into being a little more independent.  I'm not sure how Alba is going to feel about Xo moving out though.

 

I don't understand what is going on with Zaz and the usb.  It feels like it's part of another show.

[jjjmoss]

Mmm, I don't feel it's at all "dragged out" yet. Dragged out is the likes of Passions (which was a flop - as Ro said) which made tired old storylines go around in circles for years and years. 

 

Given where Jane's at in her life and how her relationships with the men have gone, it makes complete sense that she wouldn't be ready to totally commit to marrying Raf yet.

[Irlandesa]

I felt so bad for Rafael the whole episode.  It's clear he feels so much more for Jane than she does for him. 

I'm not sure it's a question of being more in love but rather more willing to take a risk.  Jane was sure about Michael but then she wasn't.  She wants to throw caution to the wind with Rafael and yet she can't convince herself to do it.  This isn't the first time she has tested him or brought up a quiz as a reason she doesn't think they will work.  And yet they do keep working. 

 

Rafael is going with his gut and his heart.  Jane may have faith in God but Rafael's faith is with them as a couple.

 

But speaking of tests, I thought both Jane's and Xiomara's were pretty awful.  A right answer for Jane would be her future life partner telling her that she, as a grown adult woman, is wrong for a career/parenting choice she wants to make?  And what did Xio want from Rogelio?  Happiness at an unplanned pregnancy?   I suspect he'd step up and even be happy about it eventually but he has the right to prefer it not happen that way.  The accusation about thinking she was on the pill was a low blow, however.  You don't want a baby?  Wrap it up, dude.  Remembering that pill can be a pain at times.

 

Hearing that the creators of the show want to keep the love triangle going for as long as possible disappoints me.

They do?  That would be...disappointing.  The person in the middle never comes off well.

 

I don't understand what is going on with Zaz and the usb.  It feels like it's part of another show.

Are we supposed to think this is Roman?  Or is Aaron not as innocent as he appears?  Didn't he say that he hadn't spoken to his brother in years?  And yet he seemed to know so much of his life.  I suspect the USB has to do with Sin Rostro. 

 

I did like the subplot of Petra and Rafael working together and that he didn't use the sex tape. 

[Bouffe]

Jane's excitement at meeting the author and the massage she gave her were laugh out loud worthy moments. So. Good.

 

I don't like Petra working with Rafael. Petra admitting that she needs Rafael to run the hotel properly made me think of a "we work better together" admission, and I don't want Rafael to get together with Petra again, damn it!

 

Poor Lochlan is caught in the Petra and Rafael's net again. 

 

Rogelio's half ass attempt at delivering his lines on the telenovela had me rolling!

 

I agree with Irlandesa about Xo's and Jane's tests for their men. It was mean spirited. Especially Xo's. The poor man has the right to react however he wants to react! It's what he does after that matters.

 

While I am on Team Rafael, sad Michael makes my heart ache. And Rafael broke my heart tonight, too. While I fully admit it's better not to get married if you are not sure... Rafael's heart was stomped on tonight and it was painful to watch! I once again agree with Irlandesa about Rafael being more willing to take risks than Jane is.

 

WTF, Aaron/Zaz?

[natyxg]

I liked that they acknowledged that Jane and Michael were a good couple at some point. The lack of that was bothering me. But I don't like that a boring love triangle is on the horizon again. It was to be expected, I guess.

 

Xo and Jane's tests were pretty bad and cringey. But it bothered me a lot that the whole thing was all on Xo when Rogelio can/should wear condoms too. Also, I didn't find Rogelio's reaction believable. This was the guy who was so excited about Jane. I know Jane was grown up, but Rogelio is so narcissistic that he would LOVE the idea of a mini me running around.

 

The moment I saw the employees watching it, I just KNEW that Petra had released the sex tape herself so Lachlan would have no power over her. I loved it! And I was glad to see that Rafael didn't go along with Lachlan's gross plan. However, much like the acknowledgement of  Jane and Michael's past, Rafael and Petra working together smells like love triangle? Square?

 

And Aaron freaks me out. Can they just reveal already that he's Roman or something?

[Dejana]

Exactly what does Aaron do for food, protein shakes?

 

Jane should have just said something like, "One thing at a time," and pointed out that they were both in other long-term relationships, not very long ago. It didn't have to involve any stupid "tests". If she really wanted to marry him she wouldn't have been wavering.

[kirinan]

First, Show, I missed you. So happy you're back with me. This was another good episode. 

 

Second, I realized last night, that while I like Rafael very much, I do believe I'm Team Michael. I can't even say why, I just am. Michael and Jane seem good together. I'm also thisclose to being Team Lachlan, just because I'm almost feeling sorry for the guy, he gets outmaneuvered so much. 

 

Third, I'm very glad they didn't go there with Xo being pregnant. And as much as I do believe Rogelio loves her, I have to wonder how they're going to portray a relationship with a man who's so self-centered (I love Ro, but how tiring would it be to always be competing with your lover for your lover? And yes, I know this isn't exactly a realistic show; I'm just curious). 

 

And last, I loved the scene with Jane and Xo teasing Alba about the outdated test. The relationship those three women share is just wonderful. 

[peachmangosteen]

I honestly don't know if I can keep watching. I really do love most of it, but I just have so much hate for Rafael and Jane/Rafael which is really ruining the experience for me. 

 

I thought I was over shipping Jane/Michael, but damn this ep made me love them again. They just have the kind of chemistry I'm drawn to. They are so sweet without going overboard, which is what I see with Jane/Rafael.

 

I love Xo so much.

 

I'm pissed Petra, my fave, is working with Rafael now because every time he's on screen I wanna punch him in the face and now he's gonna ruin Petra scenes for me. Dammit!

Edited March 10, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[Bouffe]

 However, much like the acknowledgement of  Jane and Michael's past, Rafael and Petra working together smells like love triangle? Square?

 

That's how I saw it too. Do not want!

[Eolivet]

I don't buy it. I have absolutely zero spoilers whatsoever, but this show is doing nothing to make me think Michael will be here past the first season. The "And he believed that until the day he died" voiceover from a few episodes ago, showing Michael's dream of Jane and Michael married and with kids in pictures and now, all of this nostalgia and reconnection scenes with Jane? Plus, the whole cast in various media articles being "Team Michael" seems like a giant ruse to me to throw viewers off the scent -- I've never seen a love triangle that one-sided in terms of actor support in all my years of watching TV. I also haven't forgotten that Sin Ros(e)tro and secretly evil!Aaron/undead! Zaz are lurking -- to say nothing of Petra's ex with the anger management issues and shady/now desperate Lachlan...and Michael is a cop in a place crawling with criminal activity.

 

To me, all the narrative is pointing to Michael's eventual (season finale?) demise or departure -- I don't see how the narrative progresses if it doesn't happen. There will be other obstacles and problems in Jane's future, and maybe even other love interests, but I feel like Michael's story is mostly done. Especially since every scene Michael had this past episode was about reminiscing with Jane about things that happened in the past.

 

If they start hanging out and discussing the future, that's a different story. But as of now, the baby (not necessarily Rafael) is Jane's only future, and the show has done nothing to make me believe Michael will be a part of it.

[mrsbagnet]

I don't get the logic behind Lachlan's plan with the sex tape. He is on the recording with her, no? So why should it embarrass her and not him? Also, didn't he record it secretly? So, he's the jerk in the scenario, not Petra. She could claim to be the innocent victim of a vindictive ex.

 

I was really bothered by Rafael saying that "Life is too short" as a reason to rush into marriage. That's an excuse people use to do reckless, ill-advised things. Life is also too short to spend time committed to someone you're not sure about.

 

The food truck scene and the massage scene were delightfully cringeworthy!

 

I felt bad for Alba when they were teasing her about the quiz. She was so proud of having found it. Times have changed so much, but her advise was sound. Speaking of Alba, when are they bringing back Cheech?

[Bouffe]

I was really bothered by Rafael saying that "Life is too short" as a reason to rush into marriage. That's an excuse people use to do reckless, ill-advised things. Life is also too short to spend time committed to someone you're not sure about.

 

I thought it was perfectly in character for Rafael, given that he's a cancer survivor. People who go through these kinds of things tend to make big decisions quicker than others, in my experience.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

The massage scene was hilarious!  Gina R. is so wonderful... she was lucky that the author was a well-groomed woman with pretty good skin.  Can you imaging having to massage someone with a hairy back, moles, etc.  Auggh.  How do people do it?

 

Her dancing earlier in the episode was precious as well.  Super cute.

 

The proposal was AMAZING.  I love Raphael, so I think I would have said yes, and then if I had doubts later, I would have dealt with the doubts at that time.

 

On a costume design note, I loved Jane's striped, form-fitting maternity dress, and I also enjoy seeing what Petra wears. 

[hogwash]

Jane's Type A personality was in full force this episode.

 

I like Jane and Rafael together, but I was still yelling "Don’t you DARE agree to marry him, Jane!!" during all their scenes after the proposal. I know it would make things easier but absolutely not! NO! I could definitely see Rafael's perspective though. Even without his rich playboy/cancer past, a plan to get married when they already love each other and have a baby on the way seems ridiculous. But he really doesn't know Jane all that well. It's not ridiculous to her.

 

If Michael is doomed, I completely trust this show to handle it well. But if he makes it out of this season alive, I still don't really see any future for him and Jane. I think this episode really showed why/how Jane and Michael's relationship worked and that Michael genuinely loves Jane and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. But I don't see any reason for Jane to want to get back together  with Michael--no matter how fast she moved on to Rafael and how well the show has "rehabilitated" Michael's character. Barring any unforeseeable mishaps, Jane is having the baby. And the show hasn't done anything to bring Michael back into that storyline after the breakup. What he did wasn't irredeemable, but they were still pretty big red flags (trying to get Jane to quit her job/telling her her valid suspicions about Petra were just pregnancy hormones/withholding info because he didn't want to raise the baby with Jane). None of that is resolved or erased. Especially to Jane who freaking loves the baby now.

[natyxg]

The proposal was AMAZING.  I love Raphael, so I think I would have said yes, and then if I had doubts later, I would have dealt with the doubts at that time.

 

It was! Best tv proposal I have seen . I would have said yes too, but to save him the embarrassment in front of all those people.

[Soobs]

I haven't been invested at all in this love triangle until this episode and now suddenly I'm Team Michael. When the grandmother asked "does he know you to your core?" it's just obvious that Michael gets her in a way that Rafael may never quite understand. Michael just seems cooler to me. Maybe it's just my bias against wealthy people kicking in.

[BoogieBurns]

I'm a huge book nerd, and if someone proposed to me via my favorite author... they better do it AFTER the author reads a chapter from her book. I'd be so mad that they interrupted! 

[peachmangosteen]

I'm a huge book nerd, and if someone proposed to me via my favorite author... they better do it AFTER the author reads a chapter from her book. I'd be so mad that they interrupted! 

 

This. Also, public proposals are gross.

 

I'm also still 100% sure Michael is gonna die. Which honestly will probably make me even more likely to stop watching. Sigh. I really love this show, but I can't watch one more show where I hate the #1 ship. It's just not good for my health!

[LADreamr]

I think the main difference between Jane and Michael, and Jane and Rafael, is that Jane and Michael actually seem to be good friends and relaxed with each other, and Jane and Rafael seem to be trying to live up to a romantic ideal, and what they think they should feel. They both seem to mean well, and want good things for each other. But they don't seem to actually know each other very well.

[Irlandesa]

That's how I saw it too. Do not want!

 

I would be somewhat surprised if they went with Petra and Rafael.  All I think that was about is Rafael, rightly, not feeling cool with the idea of publicly slut shaming his ex-wife.  It's one thing to divorce her over her infidelity, it's another thing to put a sex tape online.   That, and Lachlan was a nuisance to them both.

I don't get the logic behind Lachlan's plan with the sex tape. He is on the recording with her, no? So why should it embarrass her and not him? Also, didn't he record it secretly? So, he's the jerk in the scenario, not Petra. She could claim to be the innocent victim of a vindictive ex.

The long and the short of it is that she's a woman.  Lachlan isn't.

 

It doesn't matter if it was an epic violation of her consent and privacy.  To certain factions, especially based on the way they described the board, bitches gotta keep their legs closed, yo. Just look at the way many people reacted to the celeb hacking scandal.  The board wouldn't be so crass but they'd say some stuff about outside perceptions and reputation....blah blah blah.  It's unlikely that Lachlan would be held to a similar standard. 

 

I was really bothered by Rafael saying that "Life is too short" as a reason to rush into marriage. That's an excuse people use to do reckless, ill-advised things.

I don't think it's ill advised from his perspective.  He's older.  He faced death. He probably has a better sense of exactly what he wants.  He has always championed how well he thinks he and Jane work together even if they don't know every single detail of each other's lives.   They're in love.  They're having a baby. 

 

 it's just obvious that Michael gets her in a way that Rafael may never quite understand.

I think what they've shown is that Michal knows things about Jane more.  But these are "things" or knowledge gained through being with one another for 2-3 years.  Rafael is behind Michael in that department but I do think he has learned.  If Michael truly knew Jane to her core, he wouldn't have pulled some of the crap he did in regards to the baby because he knew how she'd feel about it.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Irlandesa

[jjj]

(1) What happened to the actual masseuse?  I expected her to show up and surreptitiously take over for Jane.  (Anyone flash back to "Friends" and Ross giving a massage with wooden spoons?  Just me?  Okay.)  And I know that actress/author, but can't place her.  ???

 

(2) We are Team Michael because he really loves Jane and they are so comfortable together, plus have a shared history.  I am also unspoiled, but that anvil "until the day he died" is still hanging there.   

[LADreamr]

(1) What happened to the actual masseuse? I expected her to show up and surreptitiously take over for Jane. (Anyone flash back to "Friends" and Ross giving a massage with wooden spoons? Just me? Okay.) And I know that actress/author, but can't place her. ???

No, I went to Friends with that massage, too. I kept waiting for Jane to pull out the Tonka trucks. The author was Kathleen York. She played Toby's ex-wife Andie on The West Wing. That's where I know her from, anyway.

[galax-arena]

Unfortunately, this episode had two of my pet peeves: public proposals and unsolicited manuscripts.

 

I hate how a woman who turns down a public proposal is usually demonized as being a bitch. At least the show stayed away from that (i.e. we didn't see anyone castigating Jane, the author seemed more bemused than anything else), but I think I was supposed to feel sorry for Rafael in that moment and I didn't. Screw the idea that a woman should say yes in public to spare the guy's feelings. I feel like anyone who publicly proposes without being 150% sure that not only does the other person want to get married, but that they're the type to actually want a public proposal, deserves to be told NO very firmly and loudly, IDGAF. 

Edited March 11, 2015 by galax-arena

[jjj]

No, I went to Friends with that massage, too. I kept waiting for Jane to pull out the Tonka trucks. The author was Kathleen York. She played Toby's ex-wife Andie on The West Wing. That's where I know her from, anyway.

Yes, that's where I know her from, also!  Thank you very much! 

[LaJefaza]

I think what they've shown is that Micheal knows things about Jane more.  But these are "things" or knowledged gained through being with one another for 2-3 years.  Rafael is behind Michael in that department but I do think he has learned.  If Michael truly knew Jane to her core, he wouldn't have pulled some of the crap he did in regards to the baby because he knew how she'd feel about it.

 

But I don't see any reason for Jane to want to get back together  with Michael--no matter how fast she moved on to Rafael and how well the show has "rehabilitated" Michael's character. Barring any unforeseeable mishaps, Jane is having the baby. And the show hasn't done anything to bring Michael back into that storyline after the breakup. What he did wasn't irredeemable, but they were still pretty big red flags (trying to get Jane to quit her job/telling her her valid suspicions about Petra were just pregnancy hormones/withholding info because he didn't want to raise the baby with Jane). None of that is resolved or erased. Especially to Jane who freaking loves the baby now.

 

THIS. THIS ENTIRE THING. And this is exactly why I just CAN'T support Jane with Michael.

 

I understood in the beginning that the news of Jane being pregnant with another man's baby would have been hard for him. I felt for him and to be honest I think he handled it well. At first. But then when he started gaslighting her and scheming behind her back to trick her into giving up her baby into an unstable situation (Rafael and Petra, who was cheating on him) knowing how deeply she felt about it, it revealed an incredibly selfish, dishonest and conniving side to him. Worse yet when he teamed up with Petra who blatantly and vocally didn't give one damn about the baby but gave many damns about Rafael's money, he couldn't care less about the truth. It just showed that while he did love Jane, Michael's priority was MICHAEL. Period. This baby was going to get in the way of the blissful life he had pictured for himself, and he was determined to get rid of it, no matter the cost, no matter what situation the child ended up in, and no matter what it did to his fiancee. He seemed to forget that while the baby wasn't his, it IS hers. And to me that proves that he isn't the self-sacrificing love of Jane's life that the show is claiming he could be. As sweet as he was to Jane when things were going his way in the relationship, when it came down to it, he placed his happiness above hers, the woman he claims to care about. That's the biggest possible red flag.

 

Thing is, no one was going to force him to raise another man's child. Everyone involved would have understood. He was well within his rights to walk away from a situation he knew he couldn't handle. Would he have looked like a jerk? Maybe, but it would have better to look like a jerk than to stay in a situation in which he would probably grown resentful and bitter. Jane was never going to be able to give up that baby, whether Rafael and Petra stayed married or not. Had Michael been forthright and walked away it would have come across a LOT more respectable than what he did. It would have hurt like hell, but it would have been a lot more honorable than the awful things he did. Right now I think he misses Jane tremendously and would tell her anything she wanted to hear in order to get her back, but I haven't seen any indication that Michael's changed, no matter how hangdog he looks when he sees her. That's STILL Rafael's baby she's carrying. That's still the child of the wealthy playboy Michael hates. If I were Jane I would think long and hard about how he would treat that child as he/she grows up, especially if they go on to have kids of their own. Not saying he would be abusive or anything of the sort, but I could see coldness and harshness being the most he had to offer. He DID want the baby sent packing.

 

However, much like the acknowledgement of  Jane and Michael's past, Rafael and Petra working together smells like love triangle? Square?

 

GAG. Ugh! I'm so bored of these love shapes! I know this is a Telenovela, but JEEZ. This triangle/square doesn't even make sense because I don't know how Jane could ever trust Michael again, nor do I understand why Rafael would get within 50 feet of Petra, who LIED about him physically abusing her. Because it's cute to accuse your ex (who had the gall to divorce you for cheating on him with his best friend) of domestic violence when he won't give you the money you think you deserve. 

[tennisgurl]

So happy to have this show back!

 

I really love Jane so much. Her enthusiasm at meeting the author was so sweet, and then her reactions to finding out she had to massage her! 

 

I actually like Raphael and Michael, and I like them both with Jane. Its a real conundrum. 

 

"Its easy to go all Carrie Bradshaw..."

 

I really don't want Michael to die. 

[Indi]

As sweet as he was to Jane when things were going his way in the relationship, when it came down to it, he placed his happiness above hers, the woman he claims to care about. That's the biggest possible red flag.

 

Exactly!

 

Whenever a conversation about Team Michael or Team Rafael comes up, I'm like... Why isn't anyone Team Jane? Personally, I don't find Rafael that interesting or attractive with or without Jane. Michael however? I think he is a great flawed character. The actor is also much better and I admit he has better chemistry with Gina, maybe not the romantic type, but I definitely enjoy their scenes together. It's not like I don't like the Jane/Rafael scenes, but I can't help but notice Baldoni is the weak link and he does nothing for me. However, Michael's actions forbid me to see him as more than a good friend to Jane, because they didn't come from healthy love. He strikes me as obsessive and possessive. I can't imagine them being a couple again without cringing. 

 

I think Jane loved Michael, but I'm not sure she was in love with him. That's why she jumped into a relationship with Rafael, the one who made her heart glow, so quickly. She wants the kind of passionate love she's experiencing with him and I don't think she should settle for less. Yet.

 

 

I really don't want Michael to die.

 

Neither do I. I love the character and I'm loving his cop plot as well.

[Lady Calypso]

Oddly enough, it's taken me fifteen chapters to get to really being attached to Rafael/Jane. I think it's Justin Baldoni's smile that really gets to me; he sells me on his deep love for Jane. Gina Rodriguez hasn't sold me quite yet on her undying love for Rafael, but somehow I still really find the couple cute. Yet, I'm still attached to Michael/Jane as well, and I think it's because they have such an easy going chemistry and I also buy Michael's love for Jane. All of his actions after the break up have made me feel like it's been solely on his hurt for Jane. What he did to her obviously wasn't right, but I find that I want to forgive him for them. He eventually did accept the baby and he did eventually want the child in his life as well. It took him a few weeks, but he got there. Was he being selfish? Absolutely. Did he hurt Jane? Totally, which is why I accepted their breakup. But do they still work? Yes, I do believe so. He apologized, he made amends, and he's been ok thus far, his treatment toward Rafael aside. He can't go back and change his actions, but I think he's been working on moving past them and changing. 

 

I don't mind Jane turning down Rafael's proposal. It is way too quick to get engaged; they've known each other for about four-five months, probably have been dating for three months or less, and just because they're having a baby, it doesn't mean they should rush through their relationship just for the sake of their child. It took Michael and Jane two years to get engaged and look how that turned out. I think that it's mostly because Jane is pregnant that her and Rafael got together, so their circumstances are different, even with their chemistry and attraction for one another. I also understand Rafael's "life is short" speech. He's survived cancer, which means he looks at life differently than Jane. He knows how short time can be and that taking risks is sometimes a really good thing. Jane hasn't experienced something like that, so it's understandable that she may not fully understand the rush.

 

I laughed really hard at Alba reading the question "does he know you down to the core?" and then cutting to Rafael's abs with the word "core" and an arrow pointing to them. That was hilariously timed. But the tests? Yeah, not cool. I would think Rogelio would love to have a potential mini me running around, as well as wanting to have a second chance to do things right with an actual baby. But maybe he doesn't feel like it's the right time, with him losing his show. As for Jane's test, I see why she did it, but I can see why Rafael would be hurt. Besides, Michael got to know her down to her core over two years. Rafael's only have a few months. As much as I love Michael/Jane, of course he knows her better. Jane needs to give Rafael time, which is why waiting for marriage is the best. She's already rushed into a hasty relationship with Rafael after an end of not only a relationship, but an engagement. They need to slow their relationship down, not continue to speed it up.

 

That being said, cute proposal, and thoughtful. I would hate it because I feel like public proposals are kinda manipulative. If you don't want to say yes, you feel obligated to, or else you look like that bitch who said no. But I liked how Jane just said they needed to talk about it. And all the power to the people who like public proposals. I think just for people like me, who get anxiety with public stuff, and Jane, who is clearly very much Type A and likes to stick to plans, public proposals aren't exactly good. 

 

I actually loved the last time Petra and Rafael teamed up, before they got divorced, so I'm ok with them doing it now. 

Edited September 3, 2015 by Lady Calypso

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I loooooooooved the ridiculous hair that both Jane and Rafael had in the telenovela segments. Hilarious!

 

Initially, I thought that Xiomara saying it was joke was her way of letting him off the hook because he looked so terrified, but then it turned into A Test, which I hated. There is nothing wrong with him being relieved that she wasn't pregnant. I mean, let's be honest - when she finally got her period and knew that she wasn't pregnant, wasn't she relieved too? I thought it was very sweet that even though he was clearly freaking out when she initially told him, he was trying to say the right things and be supportive. To me, that's more telling than his relief that she wasn't pregnant.

 

I also hated Jane's test, first of all because it was more calculated than Xiomara's (which seemed more spur of the moment due to Rogelio's sheer terror). But I also hated it because it's not like Rafael said anything terribly offensive. He just said she should do whatever makes her happy, which was leaving the decision to her instead of trying to influence her one way or another. One of the things I like about Rafael is that he usually doesn't try to pressure her into doing things. He seems to leave her decisions to her, not out of disinterest but because he respects her and wants her to do what she wants to do.

 

I totally get Rogelio and Xiomara keeping things from each other this week. Although it would be better for them to always be honest, at least their motivation was rooted in not wanting the other person to feel bad (as opposed to just being selfish liars who are trying to get away with something). I actually found it funny that Jane and Rafael have been gushing "I love you" to each other lately yet Rogelio and Xiomara are still at the "I have strong feelings for you" stage in their relationship.

 

I was totally with Jane when she yelled at Xiomara about getting pregnant again. Just a few episodes ago, she was accusing Rafael of not being good enough for Jane because he used to be an ass and she doesn't think that people don't change. Well, good job proving that's true, Xo. Twenty three years later and you're possibly getting pregnant unintentionally again. She is 39 years old living with her mother and teaching dance classes in her living room. How did she think she could afford to raise ANOTHER kid? And then her whining to Jane about how things are changing with Jane as her motivation to "accidentally" forget her daily pill, ugh.

 

I am glad that Jane turned down Rafael's proposal. I know I will sound like an old lady, but what is the rush to get married? And I'm not just talking about Jane and Rafael but in general. You are making a lifelong commitment, so why not wait a little while to make sure that this is the person who you want to spend every day with for the rest of your life? If you love each other now, then you'll still love each other, say, in six months or a year. It's great if you get engaged 41 days after you meet someone and it ends up working out, but just think about every person you have dated for less than a year. What if you had married all of them while you were in the throes of initial attraction?

 

I am not a fan of public proposals. They just seem so tacky and attention whorish. Like you can't just propose, but you have to make a huge spectacle in front of strangers. One of my friends was proposed to in public (not quite as elaborately as Jane's) after just under a year of dating and her boyfriend had arranged for her friends and family to be there to see it. There was a huge thing that said, "Jennifer, will you marry me?" She said that her first reaction was, "I hope there's another Jennifer here." She ended up saying yes because she felt like she had to. After everyone applauded, she said, "We need to talk in private," and they left. She told him that she wasn't ready to get married but that if he agreed to be engaged for at least a year, then they could get married.

 

While I think that Rafael's gesture was sweet, I was glad that Jane told him that she wasn't ready to marry him yet. There's no need to jump into marriage just because you're having a kid together. If I were in Jane's position, I would at least want to wait until after the baby was born just to make sure that it wasn't pregnancy hormones making me think I was in love with a guy I had only been dating for a few months.

 

I was really bothered by Rafael saying that "Life is too short" as a reason to rush into marriage. That's an excuse people use to do reckless, ill-advised things. Life is also too short to spend time committed to someone you're not sure about.

I thought it was perfectly in character for Rafael, given that he's a cancer survivor. People who go through these kinds of things tend to make big decisions quicker than others, in my experience.

I totally agree with both of these things. "Life's short" should not be an excuse to do whatever you want, consequences be damned. But I also see how Rafael having cancer would make him more apt to want to do things now rather than wait. A friend of mine had cancer and once he was in remission, there were so many things he wanted to do, including getting married. Never mind that he wasn't even dating anyone at the time. He just knew that he wanted to get married and start a family sooner rather than later. Less than a year later, he got engaged to a very nice girl.

 

Hee, I was cracking up at the author talking about how she wanted her massage to be deep. I'm the same way so it's super annoying when someone is pussyfooting around. On the plus side, I haven't had a Tonka truck massage since I was a little kid when my sister and I used to drive our trucks over each other's arms.