CHRYSANTHEMUM (symb. pain)

**CHRYSANTHEMUM (symb. pain)** is the second episode of the first season of *The House of Flowers*, and the second episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

Virginia reads Roberta's letter. Paulina struggles to hide the funeral from her mother and siblings. Ernesto breaks the news to young daughter Micaela.

## Plot

**SPOILERS AHEAD**
*Virginia reads Roberta’s letter.  Paulina struggles to hide the funeral from her mother and siblings.  Ernesto breaks the news to young daughter Micaela.*

Roberta, the omniscient narrator, begins explaining that Virginia does not know that “they” have their own House of Flowers.  Inside the cabaret a drag queen sings as Claudio arrives to announce that his mother, Roberta, died that day.  Ernesto and Paulina arrive as Claudio declares that they will cry her death but celebrate her life.  When Paulina asks if this will be low profile Ernesto points out that it will be a party.  Paulina reminds him that they have to be careful and discrete because her mother cannot find out.  Ernesto and Paulina hug the performers while Roberta comments that someone other than Ernesto needs to take over management of the cabaret.

Claudio withdraws 50,000 pesos from the cabaret safe to cover funeral expenses.  When he tells Paulina to count the money, she says that it is not necessary.  Ernesto tells Claudio that he is here for whatever he needs and that Claudio is the son that he never had.  Paulina reminds Ernesto that he needs to tell Micaela what happened.

At the big house, Micaela tells Elena that she cannot find her mother or father.  Paulina walks into the flower shop as Delia tries to sneak into the letter Roberta left for Virginia.   Delia comments that she is uncomfortable hiding that they are sending flowers for Roberta’s funeral, which Paulina dismisses as she gives Delia the address.  Delia is shocked to learn the name of the cabaret and comments that if Virginia finds out she’ll hang Delia.

Ernesto returns and apologizes to Virginia, to which she responds that if you want to leave a man you should investigate him but otherwise don’t look because you’ll certainly find something. When Ernesto insists that he was a good father, Virginia points out that he’s the reason Roberta hung herself.  She concludes that he chose a crazy woman as a lover and she chose a stupid man for a husband.  He reminds her that they both know why she chose him and that he has never complained. Ernesto offers to leave the house for a time, but she disagrees since the flower shop’s anniversary is coming up and Virginia does not want to loose any customers due to his indiscretion.  However when Ernesto brings up Micaela, Virginia does not agree to allow her to stay in the big house despite Ernesto’s previous generosity.  When Virginia asks Ernesto what he saw in Roberta, he confesses to Virginia’s disdain that she knew how to dance.

Downstairs Micaela joyfully greets Paulina to the other siblings surprise.  Paulina informs Micaela that Ernesto is looking for her and sends Bruno with her.  Julian gripes that Paulina is friendlier to Micaela than him at which Paulina admonishes him for being infantil.  When Julian accuses her of being hypocritical and having two families just like their father, she points out that he has two relationships. Julian responds by removing Paulina from the family group chat.

Outside Ernesto asks Paulina to take Micaela back to Roberta’s apartment to change for the funeral.  He admits that he has not yet told Micaela what happened to her mother, but asks Paulina to take her since Virginia is annoyed. Paulina points out that her mother feels betrayed which is far more dangerous.  Inside Elena insists that she wants to go to Roberta’s funeral despite Paulina’s objections that it will be a small event.  Paulina points out that it is not appropriate for the big house to attend the funeral but Elena dismisses this since clearly Paulina plans to attend.

In the kitchen Delia works Roberta’s letter over a steaming pot to unseal the envelope.  Triumphant yet shocked by the contents she takes the letter up to Virginia with her breakfast.  In her room, Virginia asks Delia if she thinks that Virginia is a bad dancer.  Delia claims ignorance and informs Virginia that she has received a letter from Roberta.   To her horror, they contain family secrets.

Meanwhile Julian is with Lucia and shares that he’s been fighting with Paulina who called him a hypocrite.  Lucia bashes Paulina and accuses her of bossing everyone and treating them like children.  She suggests that they attend Macbeth as a distraction to which Julian comments that they already saw it and he hates Shakespeare.  Lucia points out that they haven’t gone to the theater so clearly he didn’t go with her.

At the morgue Paulina is found by Carmela but tries to explain that the location relaxes her.  When the morgue administrator appears asking for Roberta Sanchez’s family and stating that the costs will be 48,500 pesos, Paulina pretends that she is organizing the funeral as charity work for a deceased who cannot afford their funeral.

Meanwhile Dominique and Elena have taken Micaela to the park.  Paulina calls asking them to get her changed for the funeral, but admits that Ernesto has likely not told her what has taken place.  At Roberta’s apartment Dominque suggests that they announce their wedding next year to which Elena disagrees since her student visa expires in four months.  Paulina arrives and Elena shows her one of Roberta’s photos with Paulina in it and accuses her of being part of the small house but Paulina blames it on her father.  Micaela appears with a jean jacket, black print t-shirt, lilac skirt, and maroon leggings to Paulina’s horror.  When Elena asks Paulina what Roberta did, Paulina indicates that Roberta was an accountant.  Elena decides to go to the funeral for Micaela’s sake so Paulina mentions that it will be a short funeral at Camino al Cielo.

Ernest and Claudio take Micaela to lunch and awkwardly tell her that her mother is gone.  Micaela misunderstands so Ernesto must clarify that Roberta died the previous day.

At Camino al Cielo Paulina asks Bruno if anybody has asked about the cabaret.  When he confirms that they have not, she tells that that he must learn how to lie.  They find a chapel with an almost finished reception so Paulina instructs Bruno to replace the photograph with Roberta’s portrait and tell anybody who asks that they are preparing for the next reception.  Elena and Dominique arrive and Paulina tells them that they just missed the reception.  When they inquire about the flowers previously in the car Paulina lies that they went straight to the burial plot.

At the flower shop Virginia burns Roberta’s letter demands that Delia tell her where the funeral is taking place.  When Delia feigns ignorance, Virginia points out that the chrysanthemums are gone but that no orders were placed.

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