Caray, Caray!

Friday: Lety and Aldo, Kiss, kiss, kiss, Lety remembers Aurora and Fernando kissing, Lety=shocked, Aldo=confused, Aldo: "What's wrong?"

Today: Lety's answer: "Aldo, I love you." Quite right Lety, that's exactly what's wrong! Aldo: "Me too, I adore you." Kiss, kiss, kiss, hug. As they hug, Lety looks disturbed.

The Cuartel are walking off the elevator and gossiping…nice multitasking, ladies. PM says it's obvious that Aurora is hot for Fernando. The other ladies agree and Aldo and Lety come over in time to hear Sara say that she's sure Fernando has chosen Aurora. Aldo says that's excellent news. Marta says that now Fernando won't take Lety away from Aldo because he and Aurora--Lety starts "no, no, no"-ing. Aldo wants to know what's so bad about it, it's good that Fernando is trying to fall in love again…isn't it? Lety says that, but she doesn't think Aurora se fije (literally, "is fixed"; she means Aurora doesn't notice him or isn't paying attention to him) on him. Lola says that's because Lety didn't see how they kissed. PM says the kiss says it all. Sara says Lety's got to see it. She makes kissy noises in Aldo and Lety's direction and Aldo moves in like he's going to kiss her. Sara is startled back towards the others and everyone laughs. Juana says Lety needs to go see it. Irma doesn't think Lety's interested in it. Lety agrees that she's not interested. Well, she's the president of the company, she ought to be interested in what they're doing! Aldo takes his leave and says he'll see Lety at dinner. The gals gather around Lety, continuing to crow about "the kiss" (and I don't think they mean the one she just got from Aldo). Lety goes off to find Luigi and once she's in the elevator, PM says Lety is bien picada (really offended).

Luigi is talking to Lety about the show. He says Aurora's not that great an actress. "Well, she's not an actress," Lety says, and Luigi agrees. He says that when it came time for The Kiss it looked like Ludwica Paleta and Pablo Montero (I gather, courtesy of Wikipedia, that they are the leads on Duelo, [/shameless plug] which is recapped right here on Caray, Caray). Lety says she didn't realize…about LP and PM. Luigi says "you have to see the ear" (say what?). He says Lety should go rest because she looks pale--if she gets sick, they'll have to suspend filming and they'll get behind. Wait a minute, "Lety" hasn't been around for any of the filming, so what difference would her absence make now? Am I missing something here?

Tomás is still working on his signature, this time on a large piece of poster board. A frantic Lety comes into his office. She sings another round of "If I Keep Being Aurora I'll Make Aldo and Fernando Suffer/I Cannot Go On." She goes into her Aurora voice and says she's found a way that Aurora will never have to show up again…she'll kill her. Tomás is impactado! Closeup on Lety's determined, puckered (and not a little insane) face.

Cut to Omar, who looks like he's in a mall. He's wondering how it is that he can't come up with anything. He says it's easy to give other people advice, but not oneself. He's doing this out loud and interspersing it with "hello"'s to the other shoppers. He considers writing her a card, but he wouldn't know what to write, he's wasted his talent on others. He then considers an algodon de ferias de las rosas (is he talking about pink cotton candy?). No, something sweeter, a charamusca (possibly a caramel-type candy). No, it'll get stuck to her fingers. He decides he has to surprise her, he has to show her that he's dying to be with her again.

Tomás is having a panic attack at the thought of Lety killing off Aurora. Lety wants to know who would care if they said Aurora died. Tomás says that's not the problem, the problem is that they couldn't keep up the lie. Oh, I don't know, they're doing pretty good with the current lie, why not give it a shot? Lety is freaked out at the idea that the press might want to see the body? The coffin? Tomás thinks they will want to. He asks what happens if one day Aurora is forced to return and Lety already killed her. Lety says this farsante (fake, impostor) has already gotten her into enough trouble…and the worst of it is that Fernando thinks he could fall in love with Aurora. Tomás thinks it's funny that Fernando already fell in love with Original Recipe Lety and now he's falling in love with Extra Crispy Lety (only he said "version pirata," pirated version). He thinks this is like a movie, where a person falls in love, first with the other person and then with their esencia (essence), not their apariencia (appearance), but their esencia. Lety says this is serious, she doesn't want Fernando to keep suffering for Aurora and besides, "can you imagine what would happen if Aldo finds out I'm Aurora?" Tomás thinks that would be a great reward for Aldo for falling in love with someone like Lety--to find out that she's like the ugly duckling who turned into a swan. Lety thinks Aldo's going to be really angry because he's an honest person who doesn't like lies and if he finds out she deceived everyone, at best he'd cancel the wedding. (At best? Oh, I can think of better!) Tomás doesn't like that idea because Lety would stay single and since he's married, Lety's got to emparejar (match). Lety is having another brilliant idea. She leans across Tomás' desk and whispers, "What if I tell [JR] that I'm Aurora?" "What for?" asks Tomás. Lety says she doesn't know, but maybe she'll ask him to understand and he'll feel sorry for her and let her off the hook. Tomás doesn't think JR will do that since it's not in his best interest. He's already invested a lot of money in the show. Alicia walks in. She tells Lety she looks great in orange (Lety and I are both confused, as Lety's linebacker jacket is lavender today). She tells Lety that Marcia is in the boardroom waiting for Lety because she has an important message from JR.

In the admin area, Sara is withholding potato chips from Marta. I may be mistaken, but doesn't that violate the Geneva Convention? She's holding the bag behind her back and Lety snags a few on the way to her office. When Sara realizes this, she turns around, which allows Marta to steal the bag back. The gals give Marta a hard time and steal the bag back. Irma says she'll give them back on the condition that Marta goes with her to a "meeting" that night. Marta agrees, with the rest of the Cuartel as witnesses.

Tomás has finally fallen prey to Alicia's little scheme and is signing the check with his new-and-improved, super-sexy signature. Did I mention that it looks kind of like a doughnut with random squiggles across the front. Maybe it just looks like that to me because I was watching Paula's Home Cooking right before this and the Deen boys made doughnuts from canned biscuit dough. They cut out the centers with the top of a soda bottle and then fried them in peanut oil because Paula says it has less of a tendency to burn. But you should always use fresh oil because you wouldn't want to fry up your doughnuts in the same oil you'd just fried fish in. And maybe now I'm procrastinating because watching these scenes with Tomás and Alicia makes me want to toss the two of them in boiling oil. He points out the height of the T, and the masculinity of the A, and the sensuality of the M. He asks again about being let into her bedroom, er, her heart. She says "We'll see" and leaves the office.

Omar has found a jewelry store in the mall and tells the sales guy he's looking for a present for his girlfriend. He says he doesn't know what to get because he's had lots of other, you know, "little friends," but this is different. He asks to see a gargantilla (choker) with pearls and diamonds…and the matching earrings…and the matching ring…and would they happen to have a matching handbag? How about a belt? No, okay, how much for all this? 18,500 (I'm guessing pesos, cause the diamonds aren't that big; that would be $1716.93 today). Without the ring? 15,500 ($1483.51). Without the earrings? 12,000 ($1113.68). What if you don't give me the box? Not an option. Omar's cell rings. It's Sara calling him to come back to the office. He gets that crazy look on his face, you know, the one he used to get when he was nuts about Aurora and was about to come up with some way to turn every event into a way to see her…only this time, he wants to know if Marcia has also asked Caro to come to the meeting. He says he's on his way and sends Sara a kiss.

Back at Conceptos, Marcia, Luigi, Lety, Tomás, and Fernando are in the conference room. Marcia says the press conference is all set up. Fernando thinks it's too soon, they need two days at least to get ready. Marcia says she'll take care of the whole thing and Lety says "Of course, that's not what I'm worried about." Luigi thinks they can't appear like this in front of the media. Fernando agrees, and says they don't have anything to show yet and asks if maybe there's a decent scene from the TV show they could present to them. Luigi says he's not worried about the program! They haven't given him time to go to the salon! He hasn't had time for a haircut or a manicure! He's got to look good for his fans! What will they say if they see him like this?! Marcia tells him to get serious because JR's on his way with the periodistas (journalists). Hey, doesn't she know Luigi is the Vidal Sassoon of Conceptos--if he doesn't look good, they don't look good. Luigi gripes that of course, he's got to take care of everything, as usual, and what would they do without him? He leaves the room. Marcia says she hasn't told them to most complicated part--JR wants Aurora at the press conference. She says this like it's serious news and Lety and Tomás get a bit nervous, but frankly that shouldn't have been much of a surprise to anyone. Tomás says it's going to be difficult and Marcia says mas nos vale (literally, "it's worth more to us"; i.e., better for us to) find her and get her to show up.

PM is on the phone looking for Caro. She leaves a message with someone that they need Caro's help to find Aurora. Alicia is on the phone to Papi whining (as tears run down her face) that her brilliant plan didn't work because Tomás' I'm Too Sexy signature is nothing like his usual signature. The Cuartel are trying to listen in, so Alicia ends the phone call. Tomás wants to know if she's done with the handwriting analysis. She waves the check around as she tells him she's seen more virile signatures and doesn't think he can impregnate her. And, no, he doesn't notice that what she's waving around with his fake signature on it is a check. Tomás whines that he'll have to wait for her "fertile days" and there's some trash talk about it. Lola tells Tomás that Lety wants him at the press conference.

Lety is on the phone with Aldo whining that she didn't know JR was going to throw a press conference at them. Aldo complains that he was planning something special for dinner (we can see that he's at Casa Lety). Lety asks him to come to the press conference and he says it sounds like a fancy shindig, since Aurora's going to be there. Lety says she doesn't know if Aurora will be there since it was all last-minute and they can't find her and besides Aurora's bien sangrona (really really really disagreeable, unpleasant; Lety and Fernando have used this word to describe her before and the way Aurora's behaved you know there need to be about 20 more "really"'s--her picture is in the dictionary next to the word "sangrona"). Aldo says if it's important, he'll come over right away and ends the call. Mama asks if this means they aren't going to dinner. Papa says if Lety called Aldo it must be important and it's no harm to them to eat at home. Mama coquettishly complains that she's got such an antojo (craving) for the tostadas Aldo was talking about. Aldo proposes that they all go to Conceptos for the press thingy and then go out for tostadas afterwards. Mama goes to freshen up and excitedly tells the ironwork by the stairs that she's going to see her beloved Fernando, her ex-yerno (ex-son-in-law).

Reporters are filing in off the elevator as Lety is in the admin area anxiously telling the Cuartel that the situation is critical, they can't find Aurora. (Um, no, the situation is critical because you sound legitimately worried about not being able to find a figment of your imagination, Lety.) The gals want to know if they can help, but Lety says there's probably nothing they can do, so they ought to go home. Irma tells Lety they're not going home. Juanita says they're doing something altruistic. Irma starts to tell her it's to help Marta, but Marta comes up, so they stop talking about it and tell Marta that Lety said they could leave.

Omar is in the screening room hoping that Cara likes his little present and falls into his arms. When Caro arrives, he tells her that when he found out she was coming to the press conference he came running right away…running because he doesn't have a car. Caro flirtily says she doesn't believe him. Omar tells her that when this thing is over he wants to know if she could invite him over to her house. He says the only thing he wants is to relive that lovely moment they had together. Caro is confused and starts to ask him something, but her phone rings. It's Lety, freaking out and asking Caro to come to her office. As Caro is on the phone, Omar is reaching into his jacket for Caro's present, but when Caro gets off the phone, she gives him a dirty look and stalks off without saying anything to him. Omar wonders if he said something wrong. A collective "duh!" rises from the viewing public.

In her office, Lety is freaking out because she doesn't know what to do since everybody's going to ask where Aurora is and she's definitely not showing up. She wonders what will happen if JR gets angry because they can't find Aurora. She thinks things will get ugly. She swears that she's made her decision and Aurora has disappeared forever, no matter what happens, whether Fernando likes her or not. Once again, I'm disturbed because she seems to have fallen prey to the delusion that Aurora is a completely separate person. Caro isn't paying any attention to Lety's rant. When Lety tries to get her attention, Caro says she's figured it out…Omar's not in love with her, the only thing he wants is to sleep with her again! She pounds on the desk for emphasis and Lety shrinks back in her chair.

The Cuartel have taken Marta to a Comedores Compulsivos (Compulsive Eaters) meeting. At the podium, a woman is telling her story: "…and I realized I had a problem with the way I was eating when my family put candados (padlocks) on the refrigerator and on the alacenas (cupboards). The truth is that I was dying of hunger. One day, I ended up in the dog house, eating his croquetas (lit: croquettes; I think they mean "biscuits"). I ate all my dog's food." Marta has been covering her ears during this and storms out, declaring that she's not like that and, besides, she doesn't have a dog…the people who have dogs can stay. Irma approaches the meeting leader and asks for advice.

At the press conference, Lety's dad is complaining about watching another scene with Aurora because either the scenes or Aurora herself, or both, are indecent. Lety's mom is pointing out to Lety that Aurora is kissing Fernando. Lety looks grumpy and pets Moty (yep, he came to the press conference too). The kiss looks even steamier on the big screen than when they filmed it, but maybe that's just me. Aldo, sitting on Lety's other side says that based on the kiss, he thinks Aurora and Fernando are definitely getting along. Fernando, sitting on the other side of Aldo agrees, but Lety once again says that Aurora is not for Fernando. Caro walks out of the press conference and Omar follows her. They walk past JR and the photographer from the gossip show. JR is complaining to Photographer Guy: "I don't think this event is going to show any results. The leading lady didn't even show up. I need to create a big expectation in the public…the public needs to be anxious to see the program…that before it airs they adore Inocencio, Agent Corazon Corazon, Amor." PG says it's easy if they cause a little bit of a scandal and take advantage of Aurora's absence to create some gossip. JR considers this idea with a Lety-esque pursing of the lips.

Later, PG is talking to a couple of other press people, telling them they need to spread the news quick, like real paparazzi. He tells the (video) camera guy to start rolling.

Back at Casa Lety, the whole family's in Mama and Papa's bed, watching the news. PG appears, talking about the press conference at Conceptos. He says they've got some big gossip about the Mujer Misteriosa. He says he's got ugly news for them, Aurora has disappeared mysteriously, just like she lived mysteriously, and "they" fear for her life. Lety faints and Mama and Papa freak out. Lety comes to and says she's fine. They check to see that she's breathing, her heart's still beating, she can see, she can hear, etc. She says she's fine now and happy about the news they just heard. Mama is surprised and Papa chews her out for being happy about someone else's misfortune. Papa says that, at best, the poor woman is sick, but what if something serious happened to her? Lety says nothing happened to her, she knows Aurora is fine, but the news is going to change her life completely and she's really happy. Mama doesn't understand and neither does Papa. Lety tells them to forget it.

Caro and Omar get to her house. Caro is smiling again. She asks Omar if he wants something to drink, but he says he wants to talk to her. He wants to be with her. The other night--Caro interrupts him and says she doesn't think this is going to work because they already know each other. Omar says she doesn't trust him because she thinks he's the same Don Juan as always. Caro gives him a slightly pitying look like "well, yeah." Omar smacks himself on the forehead and says it's better if he leaves. Caro tells an absent Omar that he can't tell her he loves her because he doesn't feel it.

Casa de Mora. In short: Tomás still isn't allowed in the bedroom; Alicia tells him she needs expensive "treatment" according to her gyno; Tomás says if it's going to be that expensive, maybe he doesn't want kids; Alicia says, in that case, he can keep sleeping in the living room.

The next morning, at Casa Compañía de Tres: Marcia announces that coffee's ready and sets it down on the coffee table. She's already dressed for work. Omar comes in in his pj's, complaining that he slept terribly. Marcia thinks it's because of his conscience, but Omar shows her the choker he bought Caro. There's a mix-up where Marcia thinks it's for her and is kind of worried about it, but Omar tells her it's for Caro. Marcia jokingly tells him he's losing his "sex appeal" lately--first Aurora, now Caro. Omar asks her for advice to conquistarla (win her, seduce her). Marcia says she can't help him, but Omar says she's a woman and she knows what women want from a man. Marcia says: "It's really easy, Omar. What we want is for a man to sincerely love us." She doesn't mention that a nice face and a cute butt don't hurt either. Omar says that his feelings are sincere and Marcia says he should tell Caro, but Omar says he can't. He says everyone is telling him the same thing, but isn't there some other way to show that you love someone? Marcia looks pensive. Fernando comes in, also dressed for work, whistling, and gripes at Omar that he's not dressed yet. He asks if, on top of everything else Marcia does--clean, make the beds, cook, make coffee--does Omar want Marcia to dress him too? Isn't Omar going to work? Omar says he's going to work, but not to bug him because he's not in the mood. Marcia sweetly asks Fernando if he'd like coffee and pours him a cup. Fernando opens the paper to the front page and screams "It can't be!" He sits down next to Marcia and we see that the front page headline is "The Diva Disappeared" and under that "And she won't reappear…Aurora is dead and buried." The other front-page news is that the Oscars are a success in Mexico.

At Casa Grande restaurant, Aldo is having lunch (at least I think so, since they're drinking wine) with Stalker Chick (whose name escapes me at the moment). He's looking over something that she's written. He's going to keep the copy he's looking at and get back to her with any comments, etc. He says he'll get back to her tomorrow, but then corrects himself that it probably won't be tomorrow, since he's got to find a yacht. She asks him if he likes to navegar (sail) and Aldo tells her he loves to, he used to have a little yacht, but he sold it. They bond over their love of the sea, blah, blah, blah. It turns out that SC's dad has a yacht in Puerto Vallarta and when she hears that Aldo's looking for a yacht to rent so he can marry "Leticia" on a yacht, she offers to loan Aldo daddy's yacht for the wedding and she won't take no for an answer. Aldo ends up accepting and thanks her. I sincerely hope Aldo and Stalker Chick end up on that yacht together, sailing away over the horizon, never to be heard from again. That is, assuming her daddy actually does have a yacht and she didn't just make that up so that now she's got to go buy or rent a yacht to lend Aldo. Who knows what she's capable of in her pursuit of the Farrah-haired one.

Lety is working in her office when Caro comes in, freaking out, wanting to know if something's wrong with Lety, on account of what was in the papers about Aurora. She was so scared she didn't wait for the elevators and came running up the stairs. And this is where I finally lose my patience with the whole Aurora mess. Poor Caro! When is this going to end? She's genuinely worried that something had happened to Lety. Lety tells her to calm down and now Caro is angry. She thinks Lety started the rumor, but Lety says she was surprised when she saw the news on TV. They don't know who started it, but Lety says the news hit her like anillo al dedo ("a ring to the finger"; i.e., it fit her, it suited her) since now everyone thinks Aurora has disappeared forever.

Lola and Irma are leading a blindfolded Marta out of the ladies' room and to her desk. When they let her take the blindfold off, we see that the gals have laid out a veritable feast for Marta on her desk. Sara says they can't fight the sea and Irma says that if she wants to eat, they support her, she should eat whatever she wants. It looks like the advice Irma got last night was to try a paradoxical approach (popularly referred to as "reverse psychology"). If I'm right, they're going to encourage her to eat until it makes her sick, but I sure hope it doesn't get too graphic. JR and the Photographer Guy come in and ask to see Luigi. Irma leads them into Luigi's office. The music is trying to warn us that something bad is about to happen and the gals have picked up on the vibe. Except for Marta, who's distracted by the task at hand.

The Moras, in Tomás office, the short version: he'll pay for the treatment, he'll give her a check, but he wants to be a good husband and go with her to see the doctor. Oh no. How ever will Alicia get out of this one?

JR is pacing behind Luigi's desk. He wants Luigi to give him a copy of the show. Luigi says it's impossible, the show should be kept top secret, especially now that Aurora has disappeared. Add Luigi to the "genuinely worried" list. PhotoGuy pats Luigi on the shoulder in a rather menacing way and Luigi is starting to hear the warning music too. JR, sitting behind Luigi's desk says they need to raise a lot of polvareda (outcry) around the show so that when it airs, it's a trancazo (according to the dictionary, a "hit" in the sense of "hit on the head"). PhotoGuy earns my eternal enmity by putting his hands on Luigi's shoulders and pushing him down into one of the purple chairs in front of the desk. Luigi nervously asks if they've talked to Fernando already, because if he gets angry, oof! He's like a tarantula con alacrán (scorpion), forget it. PhotoGuy pats Luigi on the shoulders again and JR says, "Luigi, my dear Luigi, I don't think you know who you're dealing with." But the music does, and it sounds really freaked out. JR says he owns everything they've filmed and he gave them the money for the project. PG still has his hands on Luigi's shoulders and when Luigi starts to protest he "pats" him again. Seriously, I started getting sick to my stomach watching this. JR says if Luigi doesn't want to have problems with him, he'd better give JR a copy of the video. Luigi tells him not to be tan hosco (so bad-tempered) and asks why men always have their testosterone a flor de piel (skin deep; does he mean "right on the surface"?). He says they need to be clear that he's going to give them the video because they're really pressuring him. JR says he'll take full responsibility. Luigi carefully leaves his office. PG smirks. JR walks over to him and says "When you have the video [he claps him hard on the shoulder]…you already know." PG says "Don't worry, we're going to start the biggest scandal of the century." Then he tries for an evil laugh, but it comes out weird. Still, overall, that was a nasty scene.

Tomorrow: The press has a feeding frenzy.

Labels: fea