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Don Fernando, Before and After

Fernando Gaitán, who wrote Yo soy Betty, la fea, said that Armando fell in love at the hotel. Since (IMHO) Fea is the story of how one falls in love, the question is crucial to the plot. In the Mexican LFMB, I say that you can pinpoint the exact moment he falls. It is when Lety says, "Forgive me for being in love with you." It is the pivotal point. Everything after that point is different from everything before it. In fact, their time from when they arrive at the hotel until they leave is like a mirror image, before and after Fernando falls in love. Everything becomes its opposite. Don't read this table from left to right. Instead, read down the left side and then up the right side, following the actual chronology from arrival to departure.

Before After

In the car, she would always cling to his arm, and he’d claim gangrene. In the car, she leans on him and he finds it sweet. He kisses her forehead and nuzzles just por ganas.

He cringes as he walks around the car to let her out, and he forces himself to "buck up." He smiles to himself contentedly as he walks around the car to the driver's side.

Walking from the car to the room, he never touches her. She clutches him and he even yanks himself away. He never loses contact with her, walking from the room until he carefully puts her into the car. (Except to sign the receipt.)

Walking in, she clings to him for dear life and he essentially ignores her. Walking out, she leads him and he happily follows.

In the elevator, he barely looks at her. He can’t stand to meet her gaze. In the elevator, he can’t keep his eyes off her.

In the room, he cringes as soon as she goes into the bathroom. He positively glows when she comes out of the bathroom, and he looks at her lovingly as they prepare to leave the room.

He sits as far away as possible on the bed. He sleeps with his arm around her (in sharp contrast to Marcia's bed).

When she kisses him, he pulls away and cringes. He holds her face, kisses her, and lingers. He never held her face before.

He says her name, "Le-Ty," sharply. He says her name, "Leehhhty," with a husky voice.

Lety says, "Forgive me for being in love with you."

Before	After
In the car, she would always cling to his arm, and he’d claim gangrene.	In the car, she leans on him and he finds it sweet. He kisses her forehead and nuzzles just por ganas.
He cringes as he walks around the car to let her out, and he forces himself to "buck up."	He smiles to himself contentedly as he walks around the car to the driver's side.
Walking from the car to the room, he never touches her. She clutches him and he even yanks himself away.	He never loses contact with her, walking from the room until he carefully puts her into the car. (Except to sign the receipt.)
Walking in, she clings to him for dear life and he essentially ignores her.	Walking out, she leads him and he happily follows.
In the elevator, he barely looks at her. He can’t stand to meet her gaze.	In the elevator, he can’t keep his eyes off her.
In the room, he cringes as soon as she goes into the bathroom.	He positively glows when she comes out of the bathroom, and he looks at her lovingly as they prepare to leave the room.
He sits as far away as possible on the bed.	He sleeps with his arm around her (in sharp contrast to Marcia's bed).
When she kisses him, he pulls away and cringes.	He holds her face, kisses her, and lingers. He never held her face before.
He says her name, "Le-Ty," sharply.	He says her name, "Leehhhty," with a husky voice.
Lety says, "Forgive me for being in love with you."