THE BOOMERANG OF LOVE

Do you believe that Pepa will and can fall in love again? Was the love between Pepa and Silvia so strong and unique that it would be better if A. Pepa never loved again, or B. Pepa had died with Silvia.

This debate about the future of Pepa and her love life, is a valid one. It asks the question: is there a second chance at love? Do you have the right, after death, divorce or a break up, to fall in love again? And if you fall in love again, does that then negate the earlier relationship?

Here at Pepsi University, people know two things about me (and yes, some know even more!): I am a romantic and a major fan of Silvia Castro. The death of Silvia was devastating to me and even the knowledge that she was a fictional character, did not diminish the pain. I, like so many others, believed that Pepa and Silvia would be together forever. The idea of either woman being involved with someone else was absolutely ridiculous to me.

It has been six months since Silvia's death and it is appropriate to wonder about Pepa's future. She obviously needs to grieve her tremendous loss and to seek revenge. What happens when El Gordo and his evil army are taken care of? Pepa goes back to work, she sits on a bar stool, and then what? Do we want her to lead a sad, empty and possibly angry life? Or do we want to see the smile that lit up our hearts and the city of Madrid?

I believe in love. I believe in being in love. I believe that falling in love is one of the best feelings in the world. To find someone who loves you as much as you love them, is a wonderful gift.

To have moments when not a word is spoken, and yet all is understood. To hold the hand of the woman you love, and truly believe that all is well in the world. And to be part of a couple...sharing the jokes, comforting each other, kissing a thousand sweet kisses, and then to know that at the end of the day you will be in each other's arms...that is love.

How can we deny Pepa another chance at love? The second relationship will not be like the first--mainly because the partners have changed. Pepa is a little older and hopefully, a little wiser. Just because Pepa moves on, does not mean she has forgotten Silvia . It is because of Silvia that she loves again. She knows the power of love and she aches to have it again. She will fall in love because she will not be able to resist the unstoppable force. I don't know when it will happen, but it will happen.

Imagine this scene...Pepa is at Cachi's and is sitting at the bar, drinking her first beer of the night. A woman walks in who Pepa has never seen before. Pepa feels something and she is not sure what it is. Something comes over her body..an intake of breath, a fluttering in her heart, or her knees go weak...something stirs in Pepa and she knows one thing for sure: she has to meet this woman. The woman sits at a table by herself and Pepa has no idea if she is waiting for someone. All the boldness and bravado of being Pepa has escaped and she just sits on the bar stool...waiting. The woman is looking through her purse and she drops her keys. Before the woman has a chance of pick them up, Pepa is there. She picks up the keys and puts out her hand and says "Hola".

The Pepa we know is back. She is stepping away from sadness, fear and anger. It has begun.