Caray, Caray!

That's right - Yazmin finally suffers a disfiguring accident.

Okay, not really. But she does get fired. Irma doesn't have such a great day either.

I am super-exhausted. It's been a long, strange week, and it probably shows in this recap. I'll edit this a little bit over the weekend to clean it up.

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Fernando wears another orange necktie

After reading the Card of the Day, Lety says, "Are you going to tell all the world the things you've written in this card?" He says yes.

"Really, Fernando?"

He says "Yes. Right after the Big Meeting."

"Of course," Lety says, with a touch of bitterness. Fern protests that that's the way it has to be. It's not the right time for everyone to find out what's been happening between them.

Lety recovers her composure, tells him not to worry, and says she likes the card very much. She doesn't want to cause trouble. But they're going to need to coordinate what they tell people about what happened last night. Her story is that Fern tried to force her to work, and Tomas didn't like that.

Fern looks like he wants to talk some more about this, but doesn't get a chance because they are interrupted by the screeching of a love-starved harpy in Fern's office. He paces nervously, not wanting to see her, and not wanting her to see his bruised face. He goes out to see her.

She wants to know what happened to his face. He admits that he was fighting. She says, "Fighting again? Was it another run-in with a taxi driver, or were you so drunk that you can't remember?"

Fern tells her that he was fighting with Lety's boyfriend. (Lety is listening at her door.) Because he went to Irma's house to see how she was, and he ran into Lety, and he wanted her to come back to work because they had things to finish. Yes, even at that hour. There's lots of work to do. He wanted them to finish a report for the Big Meeting. That's all, but the boyfriend didn't like the idea, he defended her and they came to blows.

Marcia stomps into Lety's office, with Fern right behind her trying to do damage control. Lety scrambles to her desk and hides the Card of the Day in a drawer. "Congratulations, Lety - what a marvelous boyfriend you have," Marcia says sarcastically. Fern tries to interrupt, saying he started the fight and it was his fault. Marcia turns on him and says that he must be the one she should congratulate, then. He's made some incredible spectacles. Going around drunk, looking for fights with all kinds of people. One of these days, he could get killed.

Fern tells Marcia not to worry, that's not going to happen, and that's exactly why he's offering apologies to Lety and her boyfriend. Marcia suggests that it'd be even better if he would kneel and beg their pardon. Lety politely says that won't be necessary, because Fern already put his apology in writing!

Marcia turns to Fernando. Fernando is startled. Lety smiles that evil little grin. Babbling, Fern hurriedly explains that he couldn't face Lety so he sent her an inter-office mail, and blah blah blah... Marcia interrupts and says that's sufficient for an apology. She storms out of the fea-cave, and Fern slams the door behind her! He chastises Lety for hinting about the card in front of Marcia.

Lety recalls Psychic Guy's words: "I see those two tangled in a knot of confusion." (Or "knotted in a tangle," if you prefer.) "Of lies, of deceits; that's why you can't understand nor clarify your situation."

Lety denies wanting to show the card to Marcia. How could he think such a thing? She knows that they need a great lie to solve their problem.

Offended, Fern asks if she is calling him a liar who solves his problem with lies. Lety says no, don't worry, she knows perfectly well what he told Marcia to justify his fight with Tomas, although he forgot to say that Lety was the one who punched him.

She apologizes for hitting him and says it was the only way to stop the fight. He says it doesn't matter, because he deserved the punch and more.

Lety says she's about to finish the balance sheet and print it out. He thanks her and leaves.

Lety takes the card out of the drawer and reads where he said he was going to go public with his love for her right after the Big Meeting. "Great," she says sarcastically, glaring hatefully at Fernando's door. She shoves the card into her trashbag. It gets stuck and she punches it back impatiently.

Lety finishes the balance sheet and shows it to Fern. They are joined by Omar. She tells them that the first page is the summary of all the numbers. Fern takes one look and is impactado. "What's this??" he sputters. It's the real numbers. He and Omar panic. "But you were going to make something up!" they protest. "Sure, but first I have to do the real numbers." (She's only told them that a million times.) Fern wants to know when the fake numbers will be ready. She says at night. Fern says that's too late because they need to study the numbers and learn them because they have the Cannes event today. She tells him it won't be possible to finish any sooner. She says she thinks the time has arrived for his parents to learn the truth.

Fern says, "I get it - you want to blackmail, right?" Lety says no, of course not. Omar says Lety is completely right. They should pay her for her work. Lety protests. Fern says he wants her to destroy every copy of the real balance sheet - all the paper, all the disks, everything - it's too dangerous. She says yes, and goes back to her desk.

"The little gargoyle draws her claws," Omar snickers, but he is worried that they still don't have what they want. Fern is more worried about the real balance sheet, showing no profits and filled with debts. They have less than six months to pay debts and lift the liens to save their business from disaster.

Fern's parents walk in. Fern drops the report on the floor and coughs to hide the sound when it hits the floor. Fern says "hey, what are you doing here?" Humberto says he's already reserved the right to visit his own business any time he wishes. He's not happy that Fern never came by the house last night to say hello to them. Fern apologizes and said he had some problems last night. (He and Omar keep staring at the report on the floor.)

Fern says he's nervous talking to his parents on the other side of his desk, and invites them over to his side. Then he changes his mind, realizing they'll see the report. Humberto doesn't seem to notice Fern's nervousness. Teresita seems more suspicious and asks what happened to his face. Fern gives them some cockamamie story about running into Omar with a coffeecup. This satisfies them. They ask about Lety.

Lety comes out to greet them (she was probably listening at the door). They ask her how the business is doing. Her eyes get big. Humberto says "I just asked her to bug her." They all laugh. Well, Lety smiles uncertainly, while Omar and Fern laugh hysterically. Humberto says he knows that with Lety, Conceptos is in good hands.

Ha! Ha! Ha!!

Humberto asks if they're ready for the Big Meeting tomorrow. He wants to go to the boardroom and discuss it. That, and today's Cannes event, and especially the wedding. Fern and Omar nervously point the way to the boardroom, which is funny, since Fern's office was Humberto's office just a few months earlier.

Fern's parents leave. Fern hands the report to Omar and tells him to guard it carefully. Omar passes it to Lety and tells her to guard it carefully.

I wouldn't hire those guys to sell lemonade on a hot day.

Lety goes back to her office and sulks, remembering the Psychic Guy's words again. "You are going to be lost, woman; all that has sustained you thus far will disappear, and then you will begin your true fight to survive." I think that was from her first encounter with him, not the one from this week.

Carolina enters, looking more awesome than usual, which is saying something. She asks Lety if she's spoken with Fern, or told him that she's leaving the company? Lety admits that she hasn't. Caro wants to know what Lety plans to do. She says she's going to leave after the Big Meeting without telling anyone. Caro wants to know where she'll go. Lety says she doesn't know yet.

Caro says that her stint at Conceptos will be done after today's party. After that, she has to travel, because she needs to work on an out-of-town event. Lety should come along. The change of scenery would be good for her, meeting other people, going to the ocean.

Lety says she appreciates it, but she can't afford it. Caro says no, this would be a job for Lety. She needs someone to help out at the event and she'd be paying Lety as a personal assistant and covering all of her expenses. She tells Lety to think about it, but she won't have much time because she needs to make airline reservations.

Weird things happen in the executive lobby

To be fair, some of this was pretty cool.

Marcia tells Alicia she's not interested in hearing about Tomas's adventures. Luigi rushes up and explains that he's late because he was caring for Irmita. He shows off his ugly new yellow wristwatch and Alicia insinuates that it's a counterfeit (I think).

Lola, Sara, and Juana gather around him (nearly touching him!), asking about Irma. He tells them she's doing better - she's bathed, dressed, and had papayas for breakfast. She's alone now and doesn't want a nurse, but one of the cuartel should go look in on her. (Alicia suggests that they all should go.) He tells some goofy joke like "Irma's place should be called 'Irmesia'" which for some reason gets a lot of laughs. Sara playfully shoves him, and Luigi is offended.

With much unwarranted excitement, PM (who is wearing an orange skirt), Juana, Lola, and Sara draw bits of paper out of a cup to decide who will go to Irma's house. Juana wins.

The phone rings. It's Martha. She's got salmonella poisoning.

Meanwhile, Alicia bursts into Marcia's office, wanting to know what Fern told her. Annoyed, Marcia complains that he told her the same thing that Alicia did; he fought with Tomas because he was very drunk. (Marcia hates it when Fernando tells her the truth as much as when he lies; it's quite a time-saver.)

Marcia tries to change the subject, except, not really. She slyly asks if Alicia was visiting Irma. Alicia denies this vigorously. Marcia asks her how she knew about the fight. Alicia says it's firsthand information. Tomas came to her apartment and she tended to his wounds. Marcia asks if she nursed him all night long. Alicia brags about what a good job she did. Grossed out, Marcia says she's not interested in that at all.

Later, Lopez paces around the executive lobby triumphantly in front of Lola, Juana, and Sara. He cannot conceal his glee over Martha's absence - he'll finally get to fire one of the feas of the cuartel. Lola spoils his party by revealing the cause of Martha's absence.

"Salmonella," he spits in disgust - literally. On his hand. Then he wipes it on his jacket. Marcia passes through and asks what's going on. Lola explains. Marcia repeats, "Salmonella?" Lopez scratches his hands, shudders, licks his hands, draws them down the sides of his head and the front of his jacket, shudders again, and gags. (His mannerisms remind me of a housefly.) He does this again, even more elaborately, while the women discuss Irma and Martha's prognoses. Marcia tells Lopez not to bother Martha. He says of course he won't, she should rest and be late any time she needs to. He excuses himself, saying he needs to find a good replacement for Martha. He spits on his hand and sort-of crosses himself while coughing. Then he does the head-squeak thing and scurries away.

And he makes fun of Lety's little facial tics?

Lola tells Marcia what a creep Lopez is, and how he's probably going to try to replace Martha with a 90-60-90 (that's the metric version of 36-24-36) bimbo, etc. PM enters, wanting news of Irma. Marcia looks at PM and says "Relax. I'll take care of Martha's replacement."

(Martha is Lopez's secretary, so this is kind of a big deal.)

They call Irma and tell her that Juana is coming over to hang out with her. Juana gets ready to leave, and PM heads back to her desk. Marcia says "no, Paula Maria - you're coming with me." PM assumes she's in trouble for something. So does everyone else.

Lopez is already interviewing a bimbo for Martha's job. She flirts and wiggles her boobs at him. He tells her that it's a very important, difficult job. She'll have to work very late. If she has a boyfriend or anything like that, she'll have to tell him... but she interrupts, saying she doesn't have a boyfriend. (She must really be desperate for work, because she's still smiling.) He tells her that one of the benefits of working late is that he'll take her home each night. Oh, I get it - she's like a Yazmin Jr.

He gives her some literature to look at, and stands much too close while she reads it. Marcia comes flying through the door (with PM behind her) and Lopez quickly backs away from the bimbo. He happily introduces her ("Susy") to Marcia. Marcia says nope, PM is going to take Martha's job. (I assume they're only talking about a temporary replacement.) Marcia sends Susy home. Susy tells Lopez she'll wait for his call.

Lopez complains to Marcia that they still need a replacement for PM as receptionist. Marcia tells him she'll say who will replace PM, and marches out. Flustered, she closes the door behind her, and PM bumps into it after making a face at Lopez on her way out. Alone in his office, Lopez says something rude about chickens and tacos and roosters.

Marcia tells PM to tell Saimon to take over Reception while Marcia finds someone else to do it. She notices that PM doesn't look enthusiastic, and doesn't understand why. PM tells of her past "encounters" with Lopez. Marcia says she won't tolerate that kind of behavior and goes back to her office.

Omar passes through, and PM suddenly cheers up. (Ugh, is she still thinking about him after the way he treated her??)

Fern's parents step off the elevator. They are warmly welcomed by the cuartel, and Alicia rushes up to greet them more effusively. Then she asks for a chance to tell them about her "situation" if they have a moment. They don't. :-) Teresita says they want to see Fern and take a look at a certain little business report. Alicia offers to call Fern and Marcia, but Fern's parents go directly to Fern's office.

Yazmin mopes around Luigi's office. Luigi scolds her for playing with the costumes and tells her to get to work. She's supposed to be getting trained in the salon (I think) but she complains that it's not a job. He reminds her that her job is whatever he tells her to do. He tells her not to be a lazybones (holgazana) and says he can't do everything himself.

Saimon assures PM that he'll watch out for trouble with Lopez. Lola says that she and Sara can take care of that, but Saimon insists. Whatever. Marcia sees him and tells him to leave PM alone and go cover the receptionist station.

Luigi and Yazmin bring their disagreement into the executive lobby. He is telling her to go away. Yazmin begs him to listen to her. (Why would he want to do that when the only noise she knows how to make is a whine?) Marcia asks what is going on. Luigi explains all the things he needs to do to prepare for the event, and says he has to do them all alone, because this señorita won't help him at all.

Yazmin pouts and claims that this is a lie. She says she was helping him, but he didn't like the way she did it. (She makes the sad face and does the sad voice, but until she learns how to turn on the waterworks, she's not going to fool anyone with a brain.) Luigi is aghast that she called him a liar.

So is Marcia. "Beat it," she tells Yazmin. Yazmin is shocked. "Are you firing me?" (The eavesdropping cuartel cheer silently.) Marcia asks Luigi if he needs Yazmin for anything. He says yes, to strangle her.

"Leave and come back tomorrow for your dismissal," Marcia tells Yazmin. Yazmin begs for mercy, saying "you can't do this to me." Marcia answers, "You won't work, we won't let you work." She and Luigi join hands. Marcia tells Luigi they'll resolve his problem.

"Satisfied?" Yazmin asks Lola. Lola indicates that she has plenty more problems with Yazmin. Yazmin blames Lola for her firing. She says that her precious Flaquito is sick and it's all Lola's fault. Lola scoffs. "Satisfied? Yes. Content - no. I'm HAPPY!" PM is happy too. They look forward to breathing pure, clean air in the office tomorrow.

Yazmin warns that Lola will not believe what Flaquito is going to take from her in the divorce. Lola warns Yazmin not to spend her last paycheck too quickly because Flaquito might need it for the divorce. Yazmin is outraged that Lola thinks she'll get her hands on any of Yazmin's money! (Seriously! This is the woman who wanted El Cheque to sell Lola's house so he could buy Yazmin a new car!)

Alicia sticks her big, uh, nose in. Yazmin tells her she's been fired. Alicia just watches her leave. She tells the cuartel that she can get anyone fired because she is a personal friend of Don Humberto. (That's funny. I think Humberto and Fern were absolutely the only people who were in favor of hiring Lety rather than Alicia.) And the friend of Teresita, and Marcia, and Ariel.

The cuartel share a hearty laugh over this.

In Luigi's office, Marcia urges Luigi to let someone help him with the Cannes event. He says he'd much rather work alone than with bad company, even if it gives him a heart attack.

Caro comes in with her own assessment of the preparations thus far: it's not going well. Marcia thinks they need to tell Fern. Luigi is afraid that Fern will beat him up just like he did to the boyfriend of the platypus. Marcia says she knows about the fight - she's seen Fern's bruises. "Imagine, picking a fight with that woman's boyfriend."

Luigi is only to eager to clear up Marcia's misunderstanding. Those bruises didn't come from the boyfriend, he tells her. The platypus hit him too. He is surprised that Marcia doesn't know this. Lety gave Marcia's boyfriend a tremendous punch.

Marcia is shocked and enraged that Lety dared to slug her boss. Luigi says it was the only way the platypus could keep her boyfriend from getting beaten up. Marcia asks if anyone else saw. Luigi says no, they all covered their eyes. (Marcia gets madder.) He says of course they all saw, the only thing missing was a TV camera.

Caro tries to change the subject back to the Cannes event. She wants to help him, but he wants to worry about Irma. He asks God why did he make him gay if he was just going to end up depending on a woman anyway! He'll die without his Irmita!

Irma's action-packed and highly relevant subplot

Irma is puttering about the living room when the doorbell rings. She wonders who it is and reminds herself not to rush, as she answers the door (doesn't check to see who it is first, or anything like that). She takes one look and staggers backwards in shock, wondering if she's seeing a ghost.

"It's me, Rafael, your husband," he says, although from the look on Irma's face, the introduction wasn't necessary.

Irma can't even look at him. She talks to herself as if he isn't there. "It's not possible," etc. He assures her that he's as real as she is, but she keeps her back turned, as if she thinks he'll disappear if she doesn't look at him. She wanders listlessly around her living room and he slowly follows her. He apologizes for showing up so abruptly without giving notice.

"But then you got sick, and I had to come."

Irma turns sharply to face him and asks how he knew she was sick. He says he saw her last night when she was brought home, and a bunch of people came to visit. Alarmed, backing away, Irma asks if he's been watching her. He says no, but sometimes he comes by. He always leaves soon afterward because he can't get up the nerve to knock.

Irma says he's already dead. He says no, but he's ashamed of his life. Irma reminds him (I think he knows) that he left her more than 30 years ago. As far as she's concerned, he's dead and buried. Why did he come back?

He says he wanted to know how she was doing. (Read the recaps, you jerk!) And he wants to see his (he says "my," not "our") children. To tell them that he's here even though he's not good for anything.

Irma agrees that he's worthless. Absolutely worthless. Rafael repeats that he just wants to know how she was and tell the kids that he's always carried them in his heart. And in spite of how cruel he seemed, he's always dreamed of them. "Please tell them," he begs Irma. (The captions actually say "diselos," but that's not in my dictionary, so I'm assuming it's "dicelos.") "Tell them so I can die in peace."

Irma is taken aback.

"It's okay that you hate me and won't forgive me," Rafael continues. "That I don't deserve your pardon. But please tell them, tell them. How much I need you to pardon me. God can send me to hell if he wants, but I don't want to go without your pardon."

Irma is moved to tears... of pity, or contempt hidden behind a sad smile. "Rafael, deeds are lovers and not good reasons [this must be some idiomatic way of saying "talk is cheap"]. Get out of here. Leave!"

She stands. He begs. "Leave," she says, "and I hope God forgives you, because I can't." He gets up and leaves, disappointed.

Wow. That was excruciating to translate. Damn, there's more. Fortunately it's repetitious and can be summarized.

Irma asks herself why he had to return, just when she had forgotten him. She was getting used to the idea that he had left without saying goodbye and would never come back. Why couldn't he leave her in peace, when to her he was a dead man without a tomb?

The phone rings. It's PM. Irma tells her she's doing well - there's no better healer than time, but there are things even time can't cure. Then she excuses her seemingly cryptic comment by saying that old people talk to themselves. They tell her that Juana will be spending the afternoon with her, but Irma says no, please, she just wants to be alone. She promises to call them again later so they won't worry about her.

Marcia takes the phone and says of course she's worried about her. Marcia says, do me a favor and let Juana visit you. She's finished all her work and if you don't, I'll punish you. (She is smiling as she says this. They all laugh.) Irma tries to protest, but Marcia insists and tells her to wait for Juana. She hangs up.

Irma hangs up too, but doesn't look happy.

Hmm. I guess Rafael didn't leave after all. Maybe he was just in the bathroom when Irma got the phone call. Now he's looking through a photo album. Irma comes out of another room and is just as surprised to see him as I am. "I thought you had left." He says he'll leave, but first he just wanted to look around at the house and see the photos. He asks who the girl is in the photo album. Irma says it's their grandchild, Sarita, daughter of Rebeca.

Raf is impressed. He asks where their children, Rebeca and Jorge, are now. She tells him they left a long time ago, to LA and Boston. They never came back. Rebeca has a family and calls once in a while. Raf says he would have liked to have met them. Irma scoffs. He says it's getting late and he'll leave. He says he feels he's bothered her and although it probably seems ridiculous, he worries about her. She laughs derisively.

He asks her to give everyone a kiss even though he's sure they don't want want him to visit. Boy, this guy is pathetic and I have a hard time with his sentences. I hope he kacks next week before I have to recap him again.

The last word

Marcia goes into Lety's office with steam still shooting out of her ears. She asks Lety to explain why she punched Fernando in front of the world. Lety says it wasn't on purpose. Marcia asks if it was an accident, she raised her little hand and Fern happened to fall on it? Lety tells her that Fern lost control, he was killing Tomas, she didn't have any other way to stop him, and then she too lost control without wanting to.

Marcia says that Lety doesn't do anything she doesn't want to. She always knows perfectly well what she's doing, she's a human calculator in every sense of the word and with just as much nerve. She always knew Lety had a mean streak, but this is incredible. Fernando gave Lety a hand, and she took a foot?? And some more stuff that I don't get... but then she gave him a punch in front of the employees...

Lety says she only wanted to stop the fight. Marcia claims that she could have found another way. Isn't she smart enough? Or doesn't Fernando's shadow care enough about him? She couldn't think of any other way, because she has no class.

This is where the episode ended. Too bad. After all the nasty things Marcia said to her, I was hoping Lety would come back with "yeah, it's funny - in spite of all those things, Fern still doesn't like you anywhere near as much as he likes me."

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Next week
Ariel has some questions about Filmo-Imagen.

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