Caray, Caray!

After lying to Rodrigo ("You've reached the International House of Chicken Soup") Gav hangs up and gasps a bit. Maybe the huge number of lies she's been telling lately are starting to tell on her. Her mom Clarita is indignant, Gav shouldn't have called. Gav promises, if he's not free I'll bury my longing. "While you're at it, bury the phone so you aren't tempted to call again," sez ma.

Rod works up the farm production balance sheet. He writes to his Granny - he has to talk out loud while he writes, his tongue hangs out a little, maybe he's using a crayon - saying he doesn't have the nerve to face her and the rest of the family since he's sure they're preparing to ream him out. And in fact he's going to abandon the farm and the land he loves...

Well in stomps Granny, she's come to visit. He cries yet again. "I'm not a coward, but I've defrauded you, I've committed error after error, I'm in a dark hole and I can't get out," etc. She says he's her most loved grandchild. They have the usual conversation (her: "Stay with Isa your wife," him: "I only love Gaviota").

It turns out Isadora is standing right outside the door waiting to give him another chance.

Granny Pilar and Sofia rush right back into their private jet so they'll get back to the city in time for the big meeting. Isa and Rod kinda make up, his lame offer being: "You know I love another, but if you stay I'll do the best I can, and maybe things will get better day by day." This is good enough for her.

Lying in bed she calls her mom and gloats, "I won't be coming to NYC with you, I'll be here at the hacienda with my hubby." Sigh.

There are a couple scenes of her coming on to him in bed. She gives him kisses but when she looks away he sulks and wipes them off. [I think the creators of this show honestly believe this dead straight polyester white hair is a turn-on, but how wrong they are. --Ed.]

Gav nags her computer professor mercilessly, she made him stay up all night to help her and she's mad that the numbers aren't all crunched, but then ok, finally the report is ready.

I suppose in return he gets a hair flip and a perky smile -- not enough in my book.

In his office, Aaron is throwing things and clenching his jaw and gnashing his teeth about Mariana Franco, Spy. She's late coming in, and Elvira gloats because when she calls the home phone number Mariana gave them, Mariana doesn't live there! Aaron's mad at Mariana but that doesn't make him dislike Elvira any less.

Mariana/Gav arrives! With an armful of notebooks! Aaron calls her a vile imposter and tears up one of her notebooks and throws it on the floor in a rage. She gathers it up and gives him the 2-minute precis of her study of the feasibility of Turquoise Tequila.

In the meeting room, Minerva is gloating: Aaron is at that very moment, no doubt, reaming out that foul Industrial Spy. Some around the table think Minerva's seen too many espionage movies.

They all gossip a bit about Rod's reconciliation with Isa while they wait for Aaron's arrival. Some are happy and gloating at the news: "No doubt there'll be an announcement of a new little Montalvo varon soon!" Others sulk and gnash. Elvira brings little treats and cheerily says "Aaron is killing his secretary, he'll be here soon."

Aaron and Gav emerge from his office; he asks Gav to call the hacienda and get Rod on the horn.

Unfortunately, Isa answers! Gav: "It's the corporation for Señor Montalvo." Isa: "Mi amorrrrr! Phone!"

Of course Gav is muy impactada. She hands the phone to Aaron and while she eavesdrops avidly, Aaron snidely snickers to his cousin: "Oh, you slept better, did you? Must be that HEH HEH marital reconciliation of yours HEH HEH." Gav has to go off and drop a few picturesque tears.

To sum up the boardroom scene: Minerva's hoped-for bloodbath does not occur. Aaron introduces Mariana/Gav and she passes out her notebooks. ("My wife and my mother don't need copies," he says.)

She gives a talk about marketing Turquoise Tequila, which will cost $2,000 a bottle (said bottle being encrusted with silver and turquoise). All are impressed. Aaron sticks it to Minerva: "And Minerva, yes, as you requested I'm putting Mariana in her place. As of now she's not my secretary." Pause for Minerva to gloat and Gaviota to look surprised/indignant. "With this new initiative, I'll be out of the country and traveling a lot, so I'll need somebody here to take my place. Mariana will be the Assistant Director."

Minerva flounces out, furious. The others congratulate Gav for work well done. On the way out, Granny asks: "Which branch of the Francos are you with? Who's your dad?" Gav has to trot out some more lies. They'll do for now. Granny, to all: "We can trust Mariana, she comes from a very good family."

Rod shows Isa the tequila factory, boy does she think that's really great. "Really? I thought you wouldn't be interested." "Well, frankly, I used to think it was boring, but now it fascinates me."

Then he takes her out to the fields. Hilario is not so happy to see her and she says: "Hilario doesn't seem that happy to see me." "I am but a humble worker on this farm and you are the wife of the owner." She and Rod leave, arm in arm, as Hilario glowers at the retreating backside of the woman he wanted even before he chowed down some of that gol-darned love potion and boinked her.

Minerva calls Isa to yell about Mariana. Isa: "Minerva, I'll give you the same counsel you gave me: be patient!" "NO!" "Be calm, for the baby's sake." "If it weren't for the baby, I think Aaron would divorce me."

Later that night Aaron is sulking in bed. "Are you still mad at me?" "I'm tired of your sick jealousy, your paranoia." "Don't yell at me, the baby doesn't like it." He stuffs a pillow between the two of them and sulks in the dark.

Meanwhile, his redheaded squeeze Pamela is dreamily remembering their illicit weekend. Her mom asks who she went with. "You really want to know? You aren't going to like it." They rehash: Pamela had disappeared from Aaron's life but then decided to reappear, he's married and his wife is pregnant. The mom then mysteriously says, "Because of your Condition you act impulsively. Don't add ANOTHER complication to your life." "I won't see him ever again."

Isa, again, strokes Rod in his sleep. He grunts unwelcomingly. "I want him to have the same passion for me that he has for the odious farmworker."

Gav tells her mom about Pilar's genealogical inquiries and decides the only way to cover her tracks is to change her name legally to Mariana Franco: "Gaviota and Teresa will be buried in oblivion."

Later, brooding and sulking in her jammies, she calls herself a taruga (blockhead) for pining over Rodrigo, who has obviously betrayed her by sleeping with his wife.

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