Caray, Caray!

Déjà vu: Mari has the newspaper photo of JM in her bedroom. Steph comes in, demands it back and slaps her. Mari gets her down on the bed for a good old girlfight.

And on to the new: Mari says nobody touches my face, least of all you.

The noise carries to the rest of the house and Ceci and Isa come running. The prim and icy assistant Martirio tells them that the girls are in a big fight.

Mari bites Stef on the wrist and says why did you call me a rat? Stef says ‘cause you are one. Now Mari has Stef down on the floor and they are really going at it and here come Ceci and Isa. Isa pulls Mari off and they hold her while she jumps around trying to get free.

Ceci says stop, and Mari says okay if you say so. Stef falls sobbing into Ceci’s arms. Isa looks daggers at Mari.

Meantime, JM is on the treadmill at a gym in Seattle. He’s not burning a lot of calories because it’s set to like 1 mile per hour. As he strolls on it, he’s talking on his cell to Rocio back home. They discuss his having appeared in the paper and Rocio said he looked real handsome in the photo. He asks after Mayita and Rocio says she misses her dad big time. Then he asks after Onelia and they laugh about how she’s cranky and not liable to change. JM says she must be glad Marichuy is out of the house and Rocio says she sure is. Then he asks after Marichuy. Eduardo, who is on a faster treadmill right next to him laughs and whaps him with a towel.

Now we see how Marichuy is, namely in big trouble. She is looking defiant and Stef says she shoved me! She bit me! Mari says why don’t you say what you did first? Stef whines I didn’t do anything, I just asked for the photo of JM that you took. Mari says tell the truth, liar!

Isa says she’s the devil. Mari says if you want to see the devil, just look in the mirror. The photo is mine. Stef says see how she is? Ceci says why did you come looking for that photo? You could have bought another copy of the paper, for heaven’s sake. And you, Mari, there’s no reason to have a fight over something like that.


Back at the gym JM is asking Rocio if Mari is happy. Rocio says not completely, but we got along great. JM says how are they treating her at Casa Velarde? Rocio says seems like good, are you going to call her? JM says it’s not necessary, but asks Rocio to keep taking care of her. He doesn’t know yet when he’ll be back. Just as Rocio is sending kisses down the wire, Onelia walks up.

Back at the gym, Eduardo throws a towel and JM and laughs.

Ceci says to Mari what happened? and Mari stares at the floor and says, nothing. Ceci says let’s keep this to ourselves. If the judge found out, he’d be furious. Martirio says my lips are sealed. Ceci says to Mari – okay? Mari keeps looking down and Isa yells at her to look up, the lady of the house is speaking to her. Ceci waves her off.

Everybody leaves except Mari and Isa. They glare at one another.

Onelia is asking Rocio what that playboy wanted. Rocio says he asked after Mayita, you and me. Onelia says did you tell him Malvina got a call from my dead daughter? No, says Rocio. Ah ha, says Onelia.

Now the guys are walking by the gym pool, shirtless, natch. Eduardo is ribbing JM and JM goes on and on about Mari’s eyes, her voice, how he can’t stop thinking of her.

Cut to Mari who is having a glaredown still with Isa. Isa makes a mean remark about her low class, and Mari sarcastically calls her a fine lady. Isa says you should kiss the ground I walk on. They trade more insults and finally Mari says Ceci is the lady, not you. Don’t mess with me or you’ll see who you’re messing with. Ha! says Isa. Your mother dumped you in an orphanage! Mari makes fists, and Isa, seeing she’s scored a bullseye, smiles smugly and leaves. Mari plops on the bed and Cuate wags. (Yeah, wag Cuate! You were supposed to fang Stef and Mari had to do it herself.)

Now the guys are in the hot tub. Eduardo says JM will have to make some sort of decision about Mari.

Mari finds the now wrinkled photo of JM and tells Cuate that nobody is going to steal her photo of him.

Isa is talking with Ceci while Martirio stands to one side, arms folded, listening to everything. Isa says Mari’s a danger. Ceci says yes she shouldn’t have acted like that, but she’s impulsive. Stef is sitting over to the side, we now see, and Ceci takes her hand and says you’ve had the advantage of a good upbringing, you need to understand Mari and you have to forgive her. Yes Mama says Stef unsmilingly. Ceci says you have to make sure nothing like that happens again, for your father’s sake. I promise says Stef. Ceci tells Martirio again that the judge shouldn’t hear about this and Martirio says yes madam, but her eyes shift around.

Ceci and Martirio leave and Stef says to Isa did you hear that? Understand her? I’m going to destroy her. Isa pats her.

Now Ceci, with Martirio at her side is asking the nice young maid Dora if she heard about what happened. Dora says you could hear it all over the house. Ceci tells her that she and her coworkers mustn’t say anything to the judge, she doesn’t want him telling Mari off and criticizing her to JM.

As we’ve come to expect, the minute JM is mentioned, he appears onscreen. And there he is, pacing in his hotel room, his brow knitted. He is thinking back to talking with Mari while she was doing wash in the barrio and she was scared because she thought he was dead. No puede ser, he says, and sits down to his laptop.

Stef is visiting Rocio and checking out Castle San Ramon. Mayita comes down the stairs and Stef twinkles and says she has a present for her and she should close her eyes. It’s chocolate and Mayita uses Mari’s slang to thank for them. Rocio laughs. Here comes Onelia down the stairs. Introductions are made and then Rocio leaves with Mayita to help her with her homework. Onelia tells Stef to come into the sitting room.

Onelia says the room was decorated by Viv and Stef looks properly sad for about 2 seconds then says when it JM coming back? I need to set the date for my party. Onelia says what does JM have to do with you?

Rocio is helping Mayita when Mari calls and says can you come over? Something really bad happened here and I need someone to talk to. If JM were here, he’d understand. Rocio says she’ll come.

Stef tells Onelia that she’s seen JM around a lot and he’s on the guest list of invited males. Onelia rolls her eyes. Stef says Onelia’s invited too. She says she’s never had a party because she’s lived outside Mexico. She wants to know if it’s okay if he is her escort for the night, considering that he just got widowed. Onelia says most people wouldn’t bother asking her, so it’s okay. Stef slides to her knees and takes Onelia’s hand and says she’s so glad to have met her. Onelia looks her up and down with a small smile.

Mari is in the Minicooper with Rocio who seems to have abandoned her visitor and her niece. Mari tells her Stef slapped her. Rocio says now be honest – why? Mari hesitates, then plunges in and tells about the photo, followed by a lively account of the ensuing fight and Ceci’s arrival to stop it. Rocio says did you say she slapped your first? Mari says no. Ceci says why not and Mari said Ceci was saying all kinds of things and I just zipped my lip.

Rocio says you should have told her! Where is the photo? Mari is happy and says I have it and nobody’s going to get it. Rocio says you really like JM? Mari doesn’t say anything.

Stef is getting a manicure and haircut at a fancy salon and she’s loving it. She tells her aunt, whose manicure is drying, about her visit with Onelia and how Onelia started out very cold about JM attending her party and how she (Stef) charmed her and now it’s okay that JM is her escort. Isa approvingly says you’re maybe even worse than I am. They high-five. Stef says she’ll work on her so that the day she finds out Stef is marrying her son-in-law, she’ll be happy. They both decide that they deserve a salon like this.

Mari tells Rocio that JM has helped her, understood her, supported her. How could she not like him? Rocio says let’s call him but Mari says no, I don’t want to bother him. I’d be so embarrassed. Rocio says how about we go to an internet café and Mari says what’s that? Rocio explains that they can e-mail him. She’ll show Mari how.

We see JM at his laptop, but he can’t concentrate.

At the internet café, Rocio is encouraging the doubtful Mari, who doesn’t know what to write. She wants to Rocio to do it. Rocio hands her a piece of paper and says here, why don’t you write it down and I’ll type it? Mari says she makes too many mistakes and her handwriting is very bad. Rocio says he’ll love whatever she sends, it’s the thought. She says write, and we’ll scan it, but Mari doesn’t know what that is. She draws a big heart.

JM’s got mail! And there is the big heart and under it in very primitive scrawl, misspelled, is I miss you a lot. Don’t forget me. JM is charmed. He smiles at the screen and says Marichuy, you love me too.

Mari asks Rocio how they send it and Rocio says it’s already there. Mari says but I didn’t hear a voice or anything. Rocio explains a bit how e-mail works and Mari is amazed. Rocio shows her how to type her name in, and Mari says she’s more scared than she was of the canoes the other day. Rocio says you need to learn to use the computer. Mari is amazed when she sees her name typed.

Eduardo comes up to JM and says why are you smiling? JM tries to close his laptop, but Eduardo opens it and looks. JM laughs that he’s been trying to forget her and here she wants him to remember her. Eduardo thinks the e-mail shows a lot of depth. The handwriting and spelling pretty much suck, he thinks, but the sentiment is lovely. They figure that Rocio helped. Eduardo wonders what message Mari is actually sending. JM says that she loves me like I love her.

Riding home in Rocio’s car, Mari thinks to herself that the idea of JM gives her butterflies.

Now JM says to Eduardo that probably it’s just that Mari has had so little kindness in her life. Eduardo says that could turn into love. JM says they are quite different and the circles he moves in are very different. Eduardo says think of Pygmalian and how JM could convert her into a lady. JM says forget it. Eduardo says wait until Mari makes it clear that she’s in love with you. JM laughs happily.

It’s evening and Ceci is sitting on the couch with Patricio begging him not to be so stern with Mari. She says that guy the other night surprised Mari. Pat tells her she’s gullible. Ceci says you didn’t give Mari a chance to talk. Pat says I don’t believe a thing now that I’ve caught her lying.

Martirio comes in and says there’s a man to see Marichuy. Pat says see? Let him in. And go get Mari. Ceci says she’s not here, and Pat is shocked. Ceci says it’s not late and she’s with JM’s sister.

It’s Adrian at the door and Pat remembers him from the police station. Adrian says JM said he could visit at JM’s place and so he’s thinking maybe he could visit Mari here. Pat says if JM said so, then okay. Ceci comes in and is much friendlier to Adrian than Pat was. Ooops – here comes Mari in the door. Pat tells them they can visit outside and asks Martirio to take them out.

Outside, Mari has to chase off Martirio who is shadowing them. She jumps into a swing and Adrian asks how she’s doing. She says she’s fine here. He notes that the judge seems very strict and then says I told him I am your novio. Mari stops swinging and looks at him. Mari pictures JM. Then she says I don’t think we’re novios. Adrian says that’s because they don’t let me see you. JM must’ve sent you here because it would save him trouble, eh? Mari says no, because it would be better for me here. She gets mad and says don’t talk bad about JM! Adrian asks what she feels for this guy who abandoned her.

She swings harder. He asks again. She says I feel thankful. Adrian says and what do you feel for me? She says it’s very different and she stalks back to the house.

Adrian runs after. Mari passes Stef in the hall and they exchange warnings, then Mari takes off and Adrian appears. Stef says hello and asks who he is. Mari’s novio, he tells her. Stef smiles and says oh, I didn’t know she had a boyfriend! and she adds it doesn’t look like Mari knows either. Adrian runs after Mari.

Padre Anselmo is repairing something and Adrian comes in. He says he saw Marichuy and they fought because he said JM had abandoned her. He wants the padre to convince her to marry him. The padre says that’s between you two, plus she doesn’t want to marry anybody. Adrian says why? and the padre says I can’t tell you because nobody knows. Dramatic closeup on the padre’s face and he intones It’s a secret.

Ceci and Stef are having breakfast outside in the garden. Stef gushes that she can’t wait for JM to come back and Ceci notes she’s pretty enthusiastic about him. Stef says she’s in love. Ceci turns serious and says but what if he doesn’t love you back? Have you thought of that? Stef looks serious. Ceci says you’re very beautiful but love isn’t about looks, it’s about understanding, etc. etc. It’s not just the physical. Stef smiles and says thank you, but I’m sure I can win his heart. Ceci says I’m glad you’re so sure. You must have inherited that from your father.

Ceci’s thoughts turn to having given up her daughter. She says to Stef are you sure you forgive me? Stef says yes, mama. Ceci says if Marichuy were my daughter, she’d feel very differently.

Mari is making her bed, letting the sheets billow. She loves her room, and she’s happy happy happy, she tells Cuate. Could it be the exuberance and resiliency of youth, we wonder, but we are wrong. She tells Cuate it’s because she’s in love.

Stef asks Ceci why she mentioned Mari. Ceci says because Mari told her a mother who would abandon her child is worse than an animal. Ceci is still shook up thinking about that and she feels ashamed. Stef comforts her and asks if she told Mari what happened with her. Ceci says no. Just then Mari comes running.

She has Cuate her arms and the poor dog looks like he’s sure rather be off sniffing trees now that he’s finally outside. Mari says she wants to talk to Ceci without “that one” there. Ceci says you can talk freely in front of my daughter. I think Mari says she wants permission to put some personal touches in her room and that Ceci says whatever you like.

Stef all sugary says she wants to fix things up with Mari. She gets up and goes over and tries to give Mari a hug, but Mari sways away. Stef is all bright smiles and says see? we’re all made up. Ceci tells Mari not to be stubborn holding a grudge. Stef aims a kiss at Mari’s forehead and smiles blindingly at Ceci. Ceci says she’s happy they’ve reconciled. Stef puts an arm around Mari’s shoulder and pets Cuate. Mari looks frozen.

Montage of Mari and Rocio checking out a fun gift shop. Mari asks if an item is expensive and Rocio says don’t worry, JM told me to take you wherever you want to go. Mari says he’s so good, how can I not like him? They exit smiling with shopping bags.

Just then Vicente the artist is driving by on his motorcycle and calls out to her and stops. She explains to Rocio that he’s a good friend who’s helped her out. He says where have you been? Are you under house arrest? How are you going to repay that psychologist, hmm? Mari indicates he should shush and introduces JM’s sister, ahem.

He wants to know if they are waiting for a taxi, and Mari pats Rocio’s Minicooper. Vicente whistles appreciatively. He wants to know when Mari is going to come pose so he can finish his painting of her. Mari says sometime and he says remember mi casa es tu casa and we are your friends. And when you come, bring your little friend. He winks at Rocio and she looks pleased. Smiles all around. Vincente drives off and Mari gives Rocio a little teasing shove.

Dora is mopping and Ceci wants to know where Mari is. Dora says she came in with packages and headed to her room.

Mari has hung some of her colorful shop findings on the walls and she is busy painting one alcove a strong green. Ceci comes in and looks a bit taken aback, but assures Mari that it’s her room. Mari says she needs some pictures on the walls. Ceci says she has some extras, but Mari politely says no thank you, not if they’re like the other boring ones in the house, she’d like to find some of her own. Ceci tells her she’ll take her to get some. Mari hands her the brush and runs off to get ready. Ceci looks around again and then seems a bit amused.

We see Mari happily romping through an outdoor art market. (Where is Ceci? I thought she was coming along.) Mari runs to Vicente’s place and knocks. Amador is trying to sleep on the couch and ignores the knocks. Mari calls out “Vicente?” and he recognizes her voice and shoots up. He’s in shorts and a T-shirt and holy cow, we see that he is a big solid block of muscles. Our little Mari doesn’t stand a chance. She has sat on the stairs to wait and Amador opens the door, grabs her and drags her in.

She tries to fight him off, but he says we’re alone now and you can’t get away. She runs across the room. He yanks off his T-shirt and says we’re going to make love now. She throws things at him. He grabs her and says I’m going to make you happy, you’re never going to forget me. She struggles frantically.

Avances: looks like Mari has shoved Amador and he’s hit his head and is out cold, or maybe dead. Vicente comes in and says what have you done, Marichuy??

Labels: Cuidado