Jane the Virgin recap: 'Chapter 72'

It’s been seven weeks since Rafael allowed himself to be swept up in a moment with Jane. Choosing to be brave, he threw all caution to the wind and leaned in for an epic kiss with his one and only. And just like that, all the ride or die Michael fans considered shifting allegiance by introducing the Jafael hashtag into their social media. (It’s time, people.)

Chapter 72 begins when that romantic moment is cut short by Mateo shouting for his parents. They unlock lips just in time before their adorable kid walks into the kitchen, unnerved by his pending first day of kindergarten. Jane quickly defuses the situation by scooting her boy back into his room. Rafael watches them with a look of complete and utter satisfaction. We see Jane tucking Mateo in his bed with a look of complete and utter concern.

Yes, she just got out of a relationship where her heart was broken, and yes, through an unfortunate chain of events her baby’s daddy lives in her home, but COME ON JANE. Let’s bask in this glory for a sec. Rafael…just…kissed…you. Replay that biz in your head for a few minutes, at least.

Petra jolts Rafael out of his goofy haze, as she always does, to inform him that she is in trouble. Shocker. Remember Anezka faked her own death so she could figure out who loves her? Seems on point with Anezka, right? Petra finds out, Anezka attacks her, and Anezka falls off the balcony, resulting in her actual, probably not-coming-back-from-this death.

Rafael wisely advises her to get a lawyer, as Petra sticks to her guns with a casual, “It was self defense.” She has nothing to hide. Except the fact that she told Anezka she was going to expose her sister and mother’s devious plans to Luisa. Unfortunately Anezka beat her to the punch and divulged that it was Petra and Rafael who conjured up Carl to make Luisa think she was going crazy. Hence, the attack and another Marbella death in the books. What’s worse? Krishna drove to the mental hospital, only to find that Luisa checked herself out.

It looks like Petra does need a lawyer. A good one.

Back at the Villanueva house, Rafael asks Jane if she wants to talk. She visibly becomes nervous thinking about “the kiss,” but Rafael wants to discuss Mateo lying about his address. In order for Mateo to go to his new school, he must claim to live at Xo and Rogelio’s home. Not to worry. Jane is on her way to stock her parents’ house with Mateo’s toys, family pictures, and even set up a room for him. Just in case.

When Jane arrives, it doesn’t take her long to blurt out to her mother that Rafael kissed her the night before. Ironically, Rafael is admitting the same thing to Alba at the same time. He gushes that it felt like he was coming home. Fireworks, stars aligning, the definition of “meant to be.” Alba is over the moon at the news.

You know who isn’t over the moon? Jane. Her version is that the kiss wasn’t good.

I’m sorry, WHAT? Did you hit your head on something sharp recently, Jane? Would you like to answer that again, because I think you are straight up C-R-A-Z-Y. This is Rafael we are talking about. Even if it’s bad, it has to be good, right?

Later that day, Jane and Rafael watch as Mateo settles into his new school. Rafael hugs Jane, a little too long for it to be normal, and asks if they can talk later. By the looks of his gorgeous smile and smoldering eyes, we all know exactly what that means. (Recap continues on next page)

Across town, Xo and Rogelio engage in their first round of couples counseling. Xo is annoyed to learn that Ro has been secretly tweeting about how bored he is in therapy as she has been pouring her heart out. He does not want to discuss his past with Xo, so the therapist suggests they discuss his past with his own mother. The floodgates open and Rogelio emotes all the feels he’s been holding in since he was a kid. It’s both sad and awesome.

After a drunken night of childhood trauma stories, Xo realizes that she feels the same way about her father as Rogelio feels about his mother. Even though her father loved the family, he was always absent working several jobs. She admits this new discovery to Alba who freaks out that Xo would besmirch the memory of her husband. And Rogelio realizes he wants to be in his daughter’s life, so he passes on the sequel to his movie before handing over the acting baton to Esteban.

Speaking of therapy, Petra may need to spend some time on the couch soon. The lawyer Krishna tracks down, hilariously named Jane (played by Rosario Dawson), meticulously spells out everything that will happen to Petra based on her sketchy past. Petra laughs, assuming the lawyer just wants her money. Lawyer Jane calmly explains that Petra is most definitely a person of interest and should expect subpoenas, interrogations, and lots of complications. Then she leaves in a huff. It turns out that the attorney is right. Once the authorities waltz through her office door, Krishna is back on the phone begging Lawyer Jane to return.

Rafael is on the pleading train, too. That night, he pitches Jane all the reasons why they should try and make their relationship work. He even has a list of counters typed up for Jane’s multiple arguments. He prioritizes co-parenting and taking it slow, noting that Jane can’t ignore the epic kiss they shared.

Jane straight up tells Rafael that the kiss wasn’t great. I love how Rafael immediately doesn’t question his kissing technique. He blames Jane’s head not being in the game. Again, I’ve always been Team Michael, but now that he’s gone, Rafael’s defense does make a lot of sense. KISS HER AGAIN!

Rafael apologizes the next day for catching Jane off guard, although he holds strong that his kissing abilities are not to blame here. Mateo runs up to greet his parents after his first day of school and asks if a friend can come over to play. Rafael immediately answers in the affirmative, forgetting that “their” house is actually Xo and Rogelio’s house. Not wanting to be rude, and desperate for Mateo to make friends, Jane agrees as Rafael races over to put up all the loving family paraphernalia.

Jane pulls into the driveway and suggests that she and Mateo play a game called “Pretend We Live Here!” Mateo is on board when he learns there is a prize at the end if he wins. Of course, chaos ensues. With Darci’s breast milk in the refrigerator and some boudoir shots of Xo and Ro in the bathroom of all places, Jane is content with the parents thinking this is a hippy dippy household.

Mateo’s new friend’s parents quickly figure out that Rafael and Jane do not live there. Clearly, the house belongs to porn stars (LOL), but they promise not to tell anyone at the school. Jane and Rafael’s relief is short-lived when Mateo enthusiastically asks if he should keep on lying so he can get rewards. Uh oh. Jane comes clean to her son and Mateo’s lip trembles as he worries what to do if he forgets to tell someone he live here. His parents look heartbroken.

So Rafael tells Jane that he is moving out. Earlier he learned that Petra had known that Luisa was in the mental hospital under false pretenses for a week. He can no longer live in layers of lies, therefore he rented a small apartment in Xo and Ro’s neighborhood so they don’t have to lie about their address anymore. Rafael feels like he’s letting go of something really big and it’s just killing him. Besides, part of the reason he was staying is because of the possibility of something big happening with Jane.

Which brings us back around to chemistry. Does Jane really think they don’t have any? Jane being Jane suggests Rafael kiss her again so she can decide once and for all. Rafael moves in close, looks Jane deep in her eyes, and asks her to think about what he would do AFTER the kiss. Then he whispers a couple of suggestions in her ear. Smooth. Jane’s head is definitely in the game now.

Jane and Rafael begin making out and the chemistry jumps off the screen. Jane clearly feels the electricity because our narrator compares the kiss to a telenovela. Of course Mateo comes bouncing in the room, but he catches his parents mid-smooch, exclaiming, “You kissed! Does that mean you’re going to get married now?”

Too soon, Mateo. I need this to slow burn for a few more episodes. Excuse me while I go rewind that couch scene again.