Caray, Caray!

In her bedroom, Irmita tells the cuartel, Saimon, and Luigi about her daughter Rebeca, who moved to Boston, works as a nurse, married a gringo, and has a daughter. Irma laments that she has never met her granddaughter. But she is happy that both of her kids are fine, even though they are so far away. She’s been on her own for 18 years now, “You’re born into this world alone, and you die alone.” Everyone is sobbing. Luigi says the party is over. They argue over who gets to stay to take care of Irma. PM says she will stay and Saimon says he will stay to take care of PM and Irma. Luigi protests that he knows that as soon Irma nods off, PMS will sneak off to reproduce like rabbits.

In the swiggle-mobile, Tomas is excited about Alicia offering to nurse his wounds. Lety warns him again about taking Alicia seriously, and about giving her money. She also warns him that the story he gave Alicia about a bunch of thugs jumping him will fall apart tomorrow when the whole company hears the gossip about what really happened.

It’s decided; Luigi will stay the night with Irmita, and in the morning the cuartel will do a lottery to decide who will miss work to watch her.

The doorman calls Alicia to tell her Tomas has arrived. She squeals with delight, dances around, and sprays herself and her apartment with about half a bottle of perfume.

Tomas, all beat up, has to drag himself to get to Alicia’s door. He gargles. Remembering he has the Filmo Imagen checkbook, decides he can’t take it into Alicia’s apartment because it will be too tempting. He hides it in under a table right outside Alicia’s door. Alicia lets him in. She gives him and excited "Ay Tommy!" She pretends to be concerned about Tomas’s bloody state and leads him to the couch, but Tomas makes a beeline for the bed. Alicia purrs into Tomas’s ear that she will go get the first aid stuff. As Alicia walks away, Tomas gets comfy on the bed. He takes off his shoes and taps his feet together, and a cloud of talcum powder rises from his socks. Alicia comes back and asks who he got into a fight with. Tomas says that he will tell her the truth, because she is going to find out anyway; it was Fernando Mendiola. Alicia offers a surprised “Aaaaay Tommy!” He goes on to explain that Fern showed up at Irma’s house, where he got into a work-related argument with Lety. Tomas defended her and that's how he got in a fight with Fern. He adds that he almost killed Ferm. Alicia says that Fern almost killed Tommy, too. She stuffs a big piece of cotton up Tommy’s nose. Ich! Tomas puckers up for a kiss. Gross! Alicia moves away. She gives a sympathetic “Ay Tommy! You poor baby… Oh yeah, where’s my money?” Tomas says that he has secured a loan for her. She rewards him by bringing his face to rest on her overstuffed gozangas.

Luigi tucks Irmita in and says he will wake her up when it’s time for her meds. Irmita is on cloud nine. She lies back in bed with the same contented look my kids get when I let them sleep in my room. Luigi sits in a chair and watches her sleep.

Tomas tells Alicia that the loan will be ready maybe next week. Alicia cries that it will be too late. She says this bad news has spoiled the evening. Tomas offers to lend her the money himself. Alicia joyfully accepts and wants the check right now. Tomas says he does have his checkbook. Alicia searches all his pockets and finally accepts that the checkbook is not there.

Lety is home, thanking her mom for the great dinner. She wants to take Moty for a walk. Mom wants to come along. Lety prefers to go alone; she has stuff to think about.

Alicia, realizing there’s no salvation for her car tonight, suddenly feels ill. She wants to be alone. She rushes Tomas out of her apartment, but not before asking if he will get her the check tomorrow. Tomas agrees. He exits the apartment and remarks that his date almost cost him $500,000, and that Alicia’s kisses are very expensive. He pulls the checkbook from its hiding place and tells it that, just as he predicted, it would have been a bad idea to take it with him into Alicia’s place.

Lety is out on the street and carrying Moty [Hey, isn’t the point of walking a dog to let the dog walk?]. She remembers how she slapped Fern and thinks aloud that it’s ironic that, after loving him so much, today she just wanted to strangle him. Suddenly, a there's voice calling her “Woman!” It’s the Psychic Guy! He continues “So because of that you don’t believe you love him anymore?” Lety remembers that this is the same PG who warned her about The Letter. The PG confirms that, yes, it is him. She says the letter told the story of a great treason, and it changed her life. It sent her from heaven to hell in an instant. He says that yes, he already knows that. He raises a single brow for effect and says that they have met again because he has something to tell her. Lety is scared. She starts to walk away, but the PG stops her. He says that she wanted revenge against that man caused her so much pain, but her plan did nothing but intensify that pain. Lety nods yes. PG says he can see the two of them tangled in a web of confusion and lies. That’s why they do not understand each other, and that’s why they have not been able clarify this situation. [Very insightful… He must watch a lot of novelas and Three’s Company] Lety says that everything is clear; He (Fern) is using her to secure his company. PG thinks that that company is the trap that unites them, and at the same time divides them. Lety says that she’s leaving the company. He says "You’re going to lose yourself. Everything that kept you going will disappear, and then your fight to survive will really begin." Lety says “What does it all mean?” PG tells Lety that, throughout the difficult phase that is waiting for her, she must remember that the solution to her problems is within herself, and she will not succeed until she discovers her inner strength. He says that her desperation and “his” are the same, and if they don’t accept that, then they both will always suffer. He promises to see her again “after the storm” and walks away. Lety is left alone, and she asks herself “My desperation is the same as Fern’s? Why?”

Next morning. Fern arrives at work. In the main lobby, Omar wants to know why Fern asked him to come in early. Fern enunciates “CA-TAS-TRO-PHE!” Just then, the elevator opens just in time for the guys to hear Lola, Juana, and Sarah gossiping about the fight. They realize they are busted, and Lola pretends they were talking about a movie. Fern and Omar go into the office for the daily rehash. Omar chastises Fern. Of course Tomas was going to defend Lety against a drunken lunatic. Fern denies that he got into the fight because he was jealous. He says he knows he went overboard, but it felt so good to hit that Tomas that before he could stop himself, he was hitting him over and over. But when Lety slapped him, he froze.

Lety arrives and PM wants the scoop. Lety evades the topic.

Omar says that Fern has officially hit rock-bottom. He offers to murder Lety. Fern sarcastically says that would be great, because then Lety’s family would inherit the company. Omar says Fern must publicly and profusely apologize. He hands Fern a blank card of the day.

Lety makes her way up to the executive lobby, where the cuartel corner her for gossip. Lety says is was a misunderstanding. Juana points out that Lety slapped her boss; doesn’t she remember? Lety causally turns away from them so that they don’t see the GIGANTIC grin that spreads across her face as Juana says this. They want to know what happened. Lety turns back and explains that Fern wanted to go discuss some business stuff, but Tomas took offense because he was waiting for her. She says that things got out of hand because of the alcohol involved. She asks them to be discreet about the whole thing.

Irmita wakes up before Luigi. As he wakes up in his chair, she brings him a cup tea. She wants to shower, he doesn’t let her. She says if she’s going to feel better, she needs to shower and change. He jokingly offers to shower with her.

The cuartel ask Lety how she will face her boss. They think he will fire her. She says if he fires her that’s fine with her.

Fern is done writing in the card but won’t let Omar read it. Omar asks if Fern brought his kneepads.

In the lobby, Fern runs into Alicia. He mockingly thanks her for showing up early. Alicia asks about the bruises on his face. He says he beat up an Oxi last night because she wouldn’t mind her own business. Fern heads for his office.

Marcia arrives, and it takes 5 seconds before Alicia gives her the gossip. Marcia is impactada “Lety’s boyfriend?” Alicia reminds her “He’s my boyfriend too!”

Fern enters Lety’s office. He is so, so sorry. Lety says he has nothing to apologize for. Tomas and her dad are putting together a full accounting of Filmo Imagen’s expenses. Fern says that’s not necessary. Lety says that he thought differently last night. Fern says his behavior was not due to the expenses, but rather to his jealousy. He wants her to please, please believe him and forgive him. Lety says he shouldn’t worry about her, he should worry about the gossip. She asks whether he is willing to announce to everyone that he was jealous because of her or that he's upset about Tomas’s management of Filmo Imagen. Fern says he has a hard time expressing himself and gives Lety the card. Lety reads:

"Don’t fault me for what I did, don’t fault me for what I am, because I don’t even know who I am anymore. I am full of anguish, and it’s because you have rejected me. You don’t seem to hear my desperate scream. My love for you does not move you. Nothing matters to you. But don’t ask me to be indifferent when I see you with him, and don’t ask me to suppress my rage when someone is snatching you away from me. I won’t stand for it. I still consider you mine, despite your detachment. Don’t fault me, because you have thrown me into a dark and deep tunnel and you won’t tell me how to get out. Give me back your kisses. Say that you are mine again. Give me peace. I love you.”

Fernando paces back and forth as she reads. The look on his face is … well, he really needs a hug. Lety’s face is somewhere between unbelieving and hopeful. She asks, “Does this mean you will tell everyone that the fight was due to your jealousy, and that you are in love with me?”

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