Caray, Caray!

I was lucky enough to get an episode in which, finally, an end can be seen to all the recent wallowing in despair.

Clarita is proposing that she and Gav go back to the fields; Gav says she won't give in to the Montalvos, that Fedra and Minerva poisoned her reputation and she wants to clear it up, but she doesn't see much hope of that. And of all of the Montalvos, Rod is the worst.

Gav lights a candle for Bruno and hence Clarita hears of Bruno's heart attack - she is muy impactada.

Bruno in his hospital bed (you can buy one just like this at Walmart for $19.95) wrings a reluctant concession from Aaron about paying back at least part of his debt to the corporation since it's in such a liquidity crisis (that's what a business says when it's out of money).

The doctors tell Aaron his dad is stable, so everybody leaves except (1) Aaron, who stays behind to talk with (2) Rodrigo. They do a limp little review: "I'm glad you're coming back to the corporation, where is Isa?" "In the apartment." "She hates the hacienda." "Not any more. And have you reconciled with Minerva?" "No, it's over, I'll be marrying Rubberlips in a couple months, you're invited." Aaron wants to limar asperezas (smooth things over), he says they shouldn't let a bunch of skirts freeze them against each other. Rod says Gav is over, now he just cares about his wife and child. Aaron smiles widely and thoughtbubbles, "that's just what I wanted." Aaron leaves. Rod thoughtbubbles that he will never forgive Aaron for boinking Mariana.

Dani comes in promptly as if she'd been waiting in the wings for Aaron's departure. Rod tells her about Mariana asking Avellaneda (president of the tequilero's organization) for work and that he, Rod, couldn't give Mariana a recommendation because she's such a bad woman.

Dani figures this triggers the end of her promise to keep silent until Mariana shows up again and proceeds to describe to her stupefied brother the many lies the family has been telling. You've heard it already. His forehead creases in befuddlement but eventually he understands her simple sentences...

(Meanwhile, in their only scene, James and Acacia are lying in bed in the austere Dry Gulch honeymoon suite. She is wild-eyed loony, a bit Lady MacBeth-like, shaking in his arms, having just seen the ghost of her rapist uncle. Meester James says he'll change the locks, he'll get her a cellphone in case Meliton shows up in his truck, he won't be happy till Meliton is in jail. Acacia just keeps channeling, "Out, out, damn spot!")

In her luxurious home Minerva, in a pink satin shorty bathrobe, is surprised to hear Aaron knocking brusquely at the door. She throws the cellphone on the sofa, lets him in, then picks up the phone and adlibs a vivacious conversation with a pretend someone with whom she'll be taking the next cruise: "Jamaica is so precious this time of year!" Aaron does his spoiled baby routine, hissing "HANG UP because ***I*** need to talk to you." "Oh," she continues to her imaginary friend, "my ***EX*** husband is here - oh, a jacuzzi with an ocean view, that'll be nice..." He starts throwing things and leaves, slamming the door, as she laughs vivaciously into the phone, "Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Minerva has a hopeful, almost cheery look following Aaron's angry departure and I was certainly rooting for her.

Pamela, in a lacy nightgown (or maybe it's a poolside coverup) in her luxury hotel suite, is fretting: Aaron is so late coming home! Fedra says he's talking to Rod. When Aaron, steam coming out of his ears, finally arrives, Pammie acosts him and he snarls: "You know I hate interrogations, you're just like Minerva!" "No, I'm not jealous, I'm just worried, hey let's go back to Miami, your family won't give me the time of day and your dad is better." "You can go, I have to stay." She pooches her gigantic collagen lips at him. She wants to go out to dinner in her negligee, he just wants a bath and a hamburger and stalks out. Badly played, belleza.

Isa and her mom do a tired review. Dad is in NYC; Rod is being attentive but Isa worries that he'll meet up with Gaviota, she'd feel safer if he were sequestered with her far away in the country. Mom says stop worrying, it's a tempest in a teapot, the baby will solve everything. Isa is a bit worried about all the lies. "Just save all your energy for making him happy." Isa frets, Rod is out SO LATE. "Don't be demanding!" says ma. Isa whines (actually she simply says, expressionlessly, but if she were actually an actress she'd be whining): "If it weren't for that inconvenient damn heart attack, we'd be all cozy-like together at the hacienda."

Gav can't sleep, she's scrunched in a corner of her bed. All the payments she can't cover are coming due. Clara says they'll come whether Gav pulls an all-night vigil or not, so she should sleep. She sleeps but dreams a particularly awful dream about Rodrigo.

Meanwhile, Dani's revelations continue and Rodrigo's brow is still pitifully furrowed. Aaron is in on this? Gav didn't get a cent? You all helped? He decides to leave immediately and kill Aaron. "No, Rodrigo, that would bother Fedra. Anyway, your impulsiveness always gets you in trouble." "Their lies destroyed what was sacred to me." "If you let on to Aaron that you know, he won't rest till Gaviota's in her grave. For now, just try to help her from afar."

Isa, in HER satin shortie, is standing a scant inch away from Frankie in the hallway outside their apartments, asking if he meant all the things he'd told her about loving her etc etc and he says of course he did and she says then what's this farce with Sofia, did your profound sentiments go up in smoke, what kind of man are she and I in love with? and the elevator opens and it's Rodrigo! Brow still furrowed. Frankie leaves. Rod asks, kind of suspiciously, what did Frankie want? Isa tries to distract him: "The baby moved!" "Already?" he asks without interest. She puts his hand on her belly but "I don't feel anything" he coldly grouses. She kisses him, he says he wants a drink of milk, she says she'll get it for him, he wipes her kiss off his kisser. Later, sleepless in bed, he reviews: "I need to remember, all I can do is try to help Gaviota. And..." (gazing at his wife, who's asleep) "...I can't hate the mother of my child!"

After her own sleepless vigil, Gaviota decides to call Avellaneda because the situation is desperate. If he says no, they'll sell their few remaining sticks of furniture and go harvest cacao in Tabasco. "We've never been afraid of work!"

Sleazeball Oñate tells that nice maintenance man at the corporation to clean up Mariana's car real spiffy; he tosses him the key. The maintenance man wonders why.

Avellaneda takes Gav/Mariana's call but says (due to her not having a recommendation, as he'd said the previous day) there are no openings - she says she's desperate - he's saying sorry he can't help but, just then, Rod shows up. "Call me back in ten minutes," he suggests to Mariana. Despondent, she tells Clarita, "That's what they say when they're blowing you off, I remember, I know the tricks. Aww, let's start packing."

But now, astonishingly, Rod has a recommendation for Mariana! Reading it, Avellaneda marvels drily: "It's more like poetry than a reference." Rod decides to tell him the whole inappropriate story of the love affair of Rodrigo and Mariana and the ganging up of the evil Montalvos upon two innocent lovers, concluding: "Don't you, Avellaneda, participate in the injustice too! Mariana would be a very useful employee and you need her!"

Avellaneda worries that, if all the rest of the Montalvos are against Mariana, it would be very problematic for him to hire her. Rod promises there won't be any trouble with him, at least - he's just gonna stay home with his wife and baby, as he promised, and try to save his marriage, there's no longer anything at all between him and Mariana.

The packing is all finished, except for the Virgencita's shrine and the little bits of furniture they hope their friend can sell - Clara urges Gav to make that second call to Avellaneda - Gav doesn't want to, "Why absorb one more humiliation?" - "What difference would one more humiliation make? You'll always wonder!" - Gav calls but Avellaneda is almost out the door - Gav is about to hang up and go harvest cacao - but wait - Avellaneda takes the call -

Labels: Destilando