Caray, Caray!

* Rod and Mari argue (over her missing appointment planner/his memo) - she leaves his office - he's enchanted. (cue theme songs and opening credits)

* Rod on cell in outer office talking with Isa. Hilario is impatiently waiting and trying to get Elvira to find Rod, it's urgent. Rod approaches and is overjoyed to see Hilario again. Hilario is feeling very guilty and needs to talk in private with Rod.

* Larry the snake updates Aaron on the plans for the shipment to Hawaii and the shipment to Europe. All this is being done behind Rod and Mari's backs.

* Hilario gives Rod the paperwork that Roman sent from the ranch. Hilario then gives his oral resignation to Rod - Rod is shocked and outraged at resignation and the timing of it. Rod demands an explanation - Hilario stands and says he's failed in his duties and has to leave. Rod won't accept the resignation and gives reasons for Hilario to remain working. Rod makes Hilario a very generous offer, of which Hilario will only accept on one condition no one knows of his salary. Rod agrees - they shake and bang knuckles. Hilario leaves. Rod laughs about Hilario.

* Gavi spies out her office door and watches Hilario leave Rod's office - she's in panic mode as he walks passed.

* Rod stuffs Gavi's appointment planner in his jacket pocket, picks up some folders and papers, looks around and leaves his office.

* Meanwhile in Miami, Florida, at the mansion, Minnie enters the home office and asks Aaron if he will take her to the airport. He's busy and says the chauffeur is ready and can help her. The phone rings - she makes an effort to ask him if he will wish her luck at her doctor's appointment at least - he takes the business call and tells her of course, in a minute, he goes back to talking in english on the phone. She's frustrated and disappointed and leaves. (maybe it's me, or maybe I'm starting to channel Clarita, but for some strange reason that mansion looks very similar to the mansion used in "Inocente de ti").

* Rod knocks and enters Mari's office. Gavi asks him about why Hilario was there. Rod is baffled and tells her he had some paperwork from the ranch for his to sign. Gavi is in full-throttle panic mode and asks if they talked at all about her in anyway - Rod assures her they didn't. Gavi needs more assurance and Rod to promise to keep her secret from everyone. He promises and is very enchanted because she said his name "Rodrigoooo". He touches her cheek - she pulls back and goes back into formal Mr. Montalvo/Ms. Franco work mode. She returns to her desk. He acts like a bumbling idiot and knocks papers over on her desk as he tries to cover replacing her appointment book back under the stack of folders. He makes his excuse for falling on her desk and leaves. She digs out the planner and shakes her head, realizing he had it all along.

* Aaron "Bichie" and Pamela have a long-distance video internet chat via Esmas.com. They arrange a brief romantic weekend together while Aaron is in Miami.

* Rod and Gavi at their cars in the parking lot. They argue over whether Rod will drive them both in his car, or if Gavi will take her own car and leave when she wants to. Rod makes his full argument - Gavi reluctantly gives in and gets in his car.

* As Rod and Gavi drive away, Elvira walks down the front walk and tries to spy on them over the front bushes. Larry the snake approaches Elvira. He starts to talk with Elvira, who is waiting for a taxi to go home - he offers to share a taxi with her (he will pay for the full fare of course). He asks if she's married, she says she's a widow and lives alone. He offers to take her to dinner and they walk arm in arm to the street.

* Rod and Gavi on drive to the corporate tequila event. She talks about business and the event. At the mention of tequila, Rod starts off on a tangent about when he dies he wants to have very close side-by-side tombs. Gavi says that when she dies, she want to be alone - or to be able to rest in peace for eternity. Rod, making fun of the peace remark, starts to "UMMM!" - Gavi looks at him like he's rude and obnoxious. He explains how he likes to meditate, listening to music, he pops in a cassette - his favorite to meditate to - Gavi realizes it's her cassette - he says she may want to forget but he loves to remember how they were when they met - he starts to karaoke sing to her voice (brief flashbacks).

* Clara finishes sewing. Liliana stops by - Clara hands her the two towels she made - Liliana is very impressed and says thank you. Clara asks Liliana to help find references for more sewing work. Liliana comes up with a better idea; asks Clara to come to the hospital and work as a volunteer patient aide. Clara loves the idea.

* Rod and "Mari" enter the restaurant. As Mari says hello to Eduardo, Artemio and other men, Rod paces back and forth in background (his jealousy starts to percolate). Eduardo asks Mari a question about tequila, Mari prefers he ask Sr. Montalvo and pulls Rod into the circle and introduces him to the group. As Rod shakes hands, Artemio pulls Mari aside to ask her about his tequila shipment.
- As Rod starts to pull himself away from the circle, Patricio stops him in mid-stride. They doe-see-doe and Patricio asks him about life in the corporate world, and especially what's happening at the corporate headquarters. As Patricio tries to introduce Rod to Lluvia, Rod cuts the conversation off and he tries to catch up with Mari.
- Mari is at home in the center of Eduardo and his circle of associates. They are talking about the tequila business. Rod can't take it any more and interrupts and pulls Mari aside for a private conversation - she's frustrated by his attitude at the event; he's jealous and wants to know who she wrote the love letter about in her appointment book - he asks if it was one of the men, perhaps Eduardo. She's offended by the insinuation, tells him off and walks away. He's baffled and frustrated and runs after her (calls her "Gav-Mariana").
- He catches up to her outside and asks if the letter was written about her still loving him, he needs to know, begs her to tell him - he still loves her so much. Again she tells him off, she reminds him he's married and he should be focusing on his marriage, his wife and starting a family with her not looking to have an affair with her or any other woman around. She stomps back inside - he takes a deep breath and follows her.

* Dani and her friends are out having beers at the local hang-out cafe. Someone draws a chalk/colored pencil portrait of Dani and hands it to her. She is impressed and says thank you.

* At the restaurant, the formal tequila tasting portion begins - Mari and Rod stand together and watch. (cue Mexico en La Piel by Luis Miguel)

* Mari finishes talking with a couple. Rod approaches and tries to continue talk with Mari. She's annoyed and tries to walk away, he stops her, he's frustrated and angry and says fine she can have her life back, see whomever she wants, he doesn't care. She's shocked as he walks away - Artemio brings over some tequila for to share a toast with her - Rod goes to the tequila serving table, slams his hand down and gulps one whole glass down in one swallow. Mari tries to refuse the tequila, but Art won't take no for an answer. The other guys gather around her again.

* Patricio finds his cousin at the table with the empty glass and a second full glass in his hand; this time Rod can't escape, Patricio introduces him to Lluvia and her two friends as the executive director of Montalvo Corp. He laughs and says he's not the executive director, he's only the chauffeur for Lic. Mariana Franco. (Clearly he's drunk on what one glass of tequila - that must be strong stuff or he just can't hold his liquor.) Gavi glances over at him, laughing and pointing. They ask him about his studies in London - he laughs and makes something up. Mari interrupts and scolds Rod. She is leaving now. He makes jokes; she's annoyed, tells him to stay with his new girlfriends and leaves. He stutters "Gav-Mariana" again and follows her outside.

* At the front door, Gavi is calling for a taxi. Rod yells "Gavi - Mariana!" They starts to argue like schoolchildren about his drinking and his new girlfriends. He tries to get her to let him drive her home; he refuses and gets in the taxi. He swipes her purse and starts to play keep away with it. She gets really frustrated and annoyed by the childish game; she tells him to give it back or she will disappear from his life forever. He's upset, sad, and she takes back her purse and the taxi drives away. Frustrated, he yells, "Mariana! Mariana Franco!"

* (here's an "Ugly Betty" reference in case you didn't catch it) Clarita is sitting on the sofa intensely watching her soap opera (starring Laura Leon and Carlos Benevides). The phone rings - Clara turns down the sound and answers it. Gavi is calling to say she's on her way home. Clara wants to know all the details of the evening and will wait up for Gavi. Clara hints to Gavi that she has some good news of her own to share. They hang up. Clara talks to herself about her excitement in telling Gavi of her new volunteer job at the hospital. Clara puts the phone on the receiver and returns to watching her soap opera.

* Isa in bed, reading. Rod returns home. Isa asks him about his evening with Mariana. Rod only answers in short words and phrases and he gets his pajamas on. she asks if he talked with Hilario; Rod is surprised and tells her he wanted to resign from ranch work. Isa is shocked by the resignation; she wonders why and if Rod offered him something for him to stay on; Rod mentions the new job offer at the ranch and the condition Hilario requested be included. Isa is muy impactada. Rod climbs under the covers, turns out the light and says good night. Isa turns out her light, and tries to cuddle with him. As she touchs his back, he requests that she not touch him or he will sleep in the other room. She curls up with her pillow and stares at him.

* Mama Clara is so excited telling Gavi about her volunteer job. Gavi is excited for her mom. Clara will start tomorrow as soon as she finishes up her last sewing project. Clara doesn't waste any time in prodding Gavi to give her details about her evening business event with Rod. Gavi says nothing much to tell, it's always the same thing - they end up fighting like schoolchildren. Clara says that's just like in that soap, 'Amores Juventud' where Pilarcita and Carlos always fought and fought, when later they discovered they really loved each other. Gavi tries to say her situation isn't anything like the telenovela - Clara argues that Gavi's situation is very similar. Gavi changes the subject and goes to look through the mail -- bills, bills, and a letter from Benvenutto, her friend in Paris. Gavi is excited and reads it to mama. They discuss everything he did for Gavi while she was in Paris and London. This brings Gavi back to her disgusted thought of the Montalvo inheritance contest. (NOTE: I think the actor playing Benvenutto is Archie LaFranco, who played Rodrigo in Alborada.)

* Aaron brings Pamela to the Miama mansion. She's impressed and walks to the piano and he talks with the female servant. The servant leaves. Aaron welcomes Pamela to the house with a kiss and hug. He takes her to the pool and surprises her with tea candles lit all round the pool, and tequila chilling nearby. He toasts to her being the godmother for his turquoise tequila enterprise - she toast to their love. They realize they are alone - he puts the glasses down and she starts to get comfortable. (Oo-la-la).

* Several days later: Mariana is busy typing at her office computer. Artemio storms into her office and scolds her for the contaminated shipment they just sent him in Hawaii. He's madder than a hornet's nest and wants what was promised and agreed to - she stammers and stutters - he's not interested in excuses or explanations. He's fuming. Mari is muy impactado.

* Isa escorts Rod out to the hallway - Rod is leaving for work. Isa tells Rod that she's really bored and tired of staying home all alone - Rod says she can go shopping or whatever she wants. She asks to have dinner with him - Rod agrees. He gets on the elevator as neighbor stud Francisco walks off the elevator. Francisco says hello. Isa, covering up her breasts with her robe, says hello and goes back inside her penthouse. Francisco smiles as he approaches his own penthouse door. (hey, a new boytoy for Isa)

* In Mariana's office, Mari has Larry the snake try to explain and reason with Artemio - Larry shows Artemio the shipping invoice - Artemio isn't interested in the lame explanations or the shipping invoice - he knows what the shipment was that he received and he wants it corrected immediately! Larry leaves quietly and quickly. Artemio turns back to Mariana and yells at her again.

* Lluvia runs into Patricio's office and shows him the memo from corporate about Artemio's shipment and says that he is demanding action be taken at once to get him the correct shipment. Patricio is very baffled and bewildered (and impactado) with the news - how could this have happened? what went wrong with the shipment?

* At the mansion in Miami, Aaron wakes to his cell phone ringing - it's Larry the snake giving him a brief update on the Hawaii shipment plan worked to perfection. Aaron is happy and will call back later. He hangs up as Pamela starts to stir and call out "Bichie". Aaron returns to cuddle mode.

* Mariana and Rod meet in Rod's office with the still fuming mad Artemio. He thinks Rod pulled a double-cross dirty trick on him - Rod defends himself - Mariana tries to step in and direct the blame to Aaron and herself - Artemio won't accept it and calls Rod a coward for hiding behind Mariana's skirts. Rod is offended and defends himself and takes the scolding. Artemio says he is going to sue Rod to the full extent of the law for this fiasco. (AY CARAY CARAY!) Rod yells back his disgust for the remark, and says if he does sue it will be on his conscience. Mariana pipes in and comes up with a compromise to diffuse the situation - Artemio accepts it temporarily, but if it backfires, he will sue. Artemio leaves. Rod takes a breath and sits down - he can't understand what happened to the shipment and surprises Mariana by thanking her for helping defend him just now with Artemio. She accepts humbly. He runs the idea of calling Aaron for his advice on resolving the situation with Artemio.

* Pamela and Aaron are eating their breakfast in bed (or she's eating, he's just sipping some fruit juice). They are watching television - when Aaron's turquoise tequila infomercial comes on, Pamela turns up the sound - she's very interested to watch. Servant knocks on the door - important private phone call from Rodrigo for Aaron. Aaron leaves. Pamela sits and watches the infomercial and becomes even more enchanted by Aaron - she loves him so much, it is so intense and passionate, it has to be real and last.

* In his Miami home office, Aaron is on the phone with Rod. Rod thinks they need to do something to show good faith with Artemio. Aaron is more of the "Scrooge Bah Humbug" approach to business. Aaron hangs up with Rod. He immediately uses his cell phone to call Larry the snake to tell him to do something so Rod calms down (and doesn't get suspicious). Larry assures his partner-in-grime not to worry, he has everything covered.

* Rod enters Mariana's office. Mari shows Rod the document about the contaminated shipment that was sent to Hawaii. Rod can't believe it, they discuss how to proceed with Artemio and correcting the problem. Don Placinto enters and puts a bouquet of flowers on Mari's desk. Rod is impactado and disgusted. Mari is disgusted and reads the card out loud. She scolds Rod for sending it. Rod tells her they must be from one of her multiple admirers, they aren't from him. He leaves. (WHOA!) She's muy impactado.

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