Caray, Caray!

Capitulo 20, I think.

Repeats: Alonso thinks Carmen’s done a lousy job of parenting. If only he’d been in charge of the op, Iñaki would be on his way back to Spain without the pretty young thing of his dreams, he’d be bitter at his parents forever for not supporting his decisions, and everyone would be properly miserable, as they should be.

Now: Fortunately, Carmen’s incompetent at life ruination. Unfortunately, Carlota’s had a lot more practice. Paloma shows Macarena the information about the boarding school. From the amount of blubbering going on, I’d guess the brochure highlights the 20-foot walls topped with broken glass, meals of bird droppings, and curriculum of sewer cleaning and self-flagellation. I mean, really. Unless Carlota is planning to join Paloma as her roommate, I don’t see how leaving wouldn’t be an improvement. Anyhoo, Mac swears they won’t let Cruel do this. She’ll come up with a plan. Paloma settles down and all three of Mac’s beaten-down brain cells get to work on it.

Rufi hauls her insanely braided and bow-filled hair, plus a tea tray, into Carlota’s office, where Carl is hard at work, presumably comparing prices of whips and listening devices. Rufi tells her someone named Arcadia called, then hangs about expectantly like Carlota is going to tell her what it’s all about. Carlota brusquely dismisses her and dials Arcadia, but is stymied by a busy signal.

Over in the D.F., Natalia and Alonso stand up in their loft arguing over whether Paloma is a no-good gold-digging troll who is taking advantage of dear stupid Iñaki. That’s Alonso’s opinion. Nat says the daughter of her dear friend surely is not like that, and she’s going to go find Paloma and get to know her again. Alonso thinks that’s an idiotic idea. Surprisingly, neither of them pitches the other over the rail.

Back in the house of gloom, Macarena tells Carlota that if she goes through with her plan to lock Paloma up, she will find out what Mac is capable of. Carlota laughs at that threat.

Rafael tells a sympathetic Emiliano that he didn’t get the loan, so things aren’t looking good for the business. Emiliano tells him not to give up; they can think of something. Diana micromanages Juanita’s serving of the dinner. “Ummm…who is this Juanita?,” asks Rafael. He is politely furious when Diana tells him she MUST have a maid because there is just SOOOO much housework, and Diana stomps out in a fit of pique when he says they can’t afford a maid and they should have discussed it. Emiliano stares at her in disbelief.

The next morning, Paloma collects Romina for their walk to school and she’s fed up with Ro’s cold shoulder. Through the sharing of a little gossip about her past few days, she convinces Romina to hug and make up. Romina still looks sad, and neglects to share her own stories.

Emiliano sits patiently at the breakfast table, watching Juanita pour his coffee and wondering why he couldn’t do that himself for free. Diana beams about the advantages of having a servant. After Juanita flees to the kitchen, Emiliano gently suggests that Di try to understand Rafael’s concerns. She’s persistently obtuse, though, so Emiliano gives her some money to pay Juanita’s salary so that Rafael won’t have to. He’s just the sweetest thing, but this wench has been enabled too long already.

Paloma tells Romina that even though things are straightened out with Iñaki, she’s still not home free because now Cruelota wants to send her to prison school. She swears she won’t go; she’ll run away first. Romina is startled and says she hardly recognizes Paloma, and she likes it. Romina says she’d do the same thing, run away with Iñaki and never communicate with anyone in Real del Monte again. Paloma looks at her suspiciously, or maybe she really likes the idea; hard to tell.

Arcadia is shocked to see Iñaki at home eating breakfast. He asks whether she knows anything about the letter-switching. She denies it in the least believable way possible, but he doesn’t dwell on it and shares the joyous news of his impending marriage. She is stricken, or else scared by the sudden surge of menacing music.

Paloma is in Angélica’s office, doing some more gaspy sobbing. The gasping, to me, is wearing thin. Perhaps she should have her diaphragm examined. Anyway, Paloma says she’s going to run away (fugar). Ange says not to worry; they’ll figure something out.

Iñaki shows up for his first day of work at the platería, dressed more casually than he dresses for an ordinary day of bumming around town and playing the sax. Emiliano gives him some papers to read to see what the business is all about. It sounds like Iñaki is going to be the artistic director or some such. Sure, why not. Iñaki says he won’t let them down. Emiliano warns him to treat Paloma well, and Iñaki says she deserves the best. He tells Em that he is quite a guy and surely will find someone as wonderful as Paloma for himself. Then he lays it on thick, telling Emiliano that if he (Iñaki) wasn’t available (or something), the only guy he’d trust Paloma to would be Emiliano himself. Emiliano thinks that’s overkill on the flattery (he uses the word porra, meaning club or bludgeon), but Iñaki swears it’s true. The lovefest is broken up by Romina calling Emiliano, and Iñaki excuses himself.

Romina, calling from the school restroom, yells at Emiliano for not keeping her up to date on the gossip regarding Paloma and Iñaki. He reminds her that she left him a message saying that she was busy and they couldn’t talk. She yells some more that he’s not fulfilling his novio spy duties. He’s (sigh) too polite to point out that he tried to break up with her. Why did he take her back, now? The whining? The begging? As Tontas Patricio would say, no está sexy. Although it worked on him for quite awhile, as well. Emiliano says he’s busy and hangs up.

Romina huffs into class late and finds an envelope on her desk, full of pictures of hot Germy smooching. She gets all riled up and Paloma asks her what’s wrong, but she doesn’t say. A note on the envelope asks her what the photos are worth to her.

Henchwoman Arcadia calls Cruelota to report that Iñaki didn’t actually leave. Arcadia is afraid because he’s asking questions about the letters. Anyway, the upshot is that he and Paloma plan to marry. Carlota turns a deep purple shade of incensed.

Romina brushes Paloma off and rushes home after school. Iñaki is hiding in the bushes, pretending to be a gardener, and calls Paloma over. She tells him about the boarding school threat. He swears it will never happen. He will not let her aunt separate them.

Macarena sobs to Camila that she can’t let Carlota send Paloma away. Camila gets super worked up over the matter, and says Mac must do something. She wonders how Carlota has so much authority in the first place. Mac tells her that she has a secret, and if it came out Carlota would lose her hold over the family, but Mac would lose Paloma’s love and respect. Camila gets a bit frustrated wondering what kind of secret could be worth all this abuse. She tells Mac that there are legal limits to what Cruel can do, and she’s willing to help Mac put an end to this. (Private note to Macarena: If you have a big secret, the surefire best course of action is to tell it to absolutely everyone. Either they won’t believe you, or they’ll think it’s not shameful since you’re so upfront about it. Hiding things makes them a million times worse. Seriously.)

Paloma tells Cruelota that it’s true; she does plan to marry that musician, and nothing will stop them. Cruelota sees that as a challenge. She says she’s in charge of the household, and she says no. Y punto. “Nice try,” says Paloma. “Thanks for all the years of food and shelter, but that doesn’t buy you control of my whole life. As soon as I turn 18 I’m getting married and leaving you in the dust.” “Over my dead body,” says Cruelota. “That would be lovely,” thinks Paloma.

Cruelota stomps to her room and glares menacingly into the camera in closeup. I have to hide behind my computer so she can’t see me. That demon is scary.

Romina paces her room, fretting over the pictures. She tears them up, as if that will help. She sends Emiliano a text message of conniving lurve. He glances at it and goes back to his work.

Iñaki, who doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of work to do, drops by Germán’s office. Germy spills the frijoles about his sordid encounters with Romina. Iñaki is disapproving when he finds out that Romina hasn’t broken up with Emiliano and Germy is planning to ditch Liliana but hasn’t yet done so. He doesn’t think that Germ and Ro’s passion and sneaking around equals love, and it’s not worth betraying a friend. Germy tries to convince himself that it will all be fine and Em won’t care.

Camila convinces Macarena to see a lawyer and put an end to Carlota’s abuse of power. It takes some pep talking, but eventually Mac decides she can’t let Paloma and herself down; it’s high time she stood up to her sister. Indeed.

Carmen arrives at home with her suitcase, having apparently stayed overnight in Mexico City for that fun fight with her ex-husband, and lets Arcadia know that she’s pretty sure she knows who’s responsible for the big mail mixup (Carlota, with an assist from SOMEONE inside Carmen’s house), and she’s going to find proof. Arcadia shakes in her ugly orthopedic shoes and plays dumb.

Paloma uses the new cell phone Iñaki gave her to call Iñaki’s phone, but it’s sitting on Emiliano’s desk and Em answers. Paloma tells him she’s worried Auntie Maim will stop her and Iñaki from marrying, but Emiliano assures her that they won’t let that happen. She thanks him for all his support and says te quiero and he returns the sentiment.

Romina crosses paths with Iñaki by the fountain. He tries to hide and pretend he doesn’t see her, but he doesn’t get away with it. She congratulates him on his engagement. He makes some pointed remarks about love and fidelity. “Why do you say all that?,” she bluffs. “No reason. Just saying.” Romina pretends he’s talking about her kissing him when he was drunk, and says she’s willing to pretend it didn’t happen. “Oh, you’re always thinking of others. But I meant EVERYTHING ELSE that happened that night.” “Quit talking in circles.” “Why? You’re smart. You know exactly what I mean.” “If you weren’t the fiancé of my best friend I would never speak to you.” “If you weren’t the best friend of my fiancée and the novia of my best friend, I would dare to say a whole lot more. See you at your party tomorrow!” Great scene.

Paloma and Emiliano are still on the phone, and Paloma is saying how she wishes she could be more like Romina, with her freedom. Emiliano tells her not to compare herself to anyone. She’s maaaaahhhvelous, dahling, just the way she is.

Carlota gets so furious thinking about Paloma’s insubordination that she flings a glass ball at a mirror and smashes it. Rufi runs in, alarmed, only to get thrown out. Then Carlota finds her trembling in the hall and yells at her to go get a broom.

Macarena meets with the lawyer. He thinks they have a good case but asks whether she’s prepared to face the consequences, as this will be public record. She decides she is.

Romina sashays into Germán’s office and hangs up his comically huge phone in the middle of his business conversation. She’s mad that he dished to Iñaki, but he swears he is a tomb. So she transfers her anger to Iñaki for being such an estupido, and Germy tells her “no te enganches.” Engancharse means to get caught, but it seems like he’s telling her to lay off Iñaki and not blame him for the problems she’s causing herself. They inch closer and closer until Liliana loudly asks whether she’s interrupting. Romina pretends she’s just there to deliver an envelope. Couriers are now apparently requiring saliva samples instead of signatures. Romina tells Germy to clear things up with Iñaki, and she departs.

After she’s gone, Germy tells Liliana they’re over. It’s not her, it’s him. He just has so many things going on in his head…

“No, you only have one thing in your head, and it’s Romina,” says Liliana. She’s all teary but I don’t know why; they were barely dating and I don’t know how she managed to get so attached.

Iñaki is finally back at work, but not working. He and Emiliano have coffee and talk about Paloma. Iñaki calls Paloma and her phone rings. It’s cute how she has the phone lying in bed in the dollhouse. Carlota walks in to give Paloma her packing orders, and the phone continues to vibrate quite audibly behind Paloma’s back as Cruel continues her dictator rant. Carlota amazingly doesn’t seem to notice, but she sits in a chair to make sure the packing happens so there is no phone answering. Iñaki looks concerned.

Joel has coffee with Camila and proposes that she join their business. She’s into the idea, but they agree that Rafael can’t find out that Joel asked.

Rafael meets again with the cold, uncaring business partner. Mr. Partner is unmoved by Rafa’s arguments and says if Rafa can’t buy him out, the factory will close.

Natalia wears terrible pants to mass at Cristóbal’s church. After the mass, she shares the juicy gossip that her stepson is going to marry her friend Sagrario’s daughter. Isn’t it an amazing coincidence? Cris isn’t quite sure what to make of that information.

Macarena tells Carlota that her reign of terror is over. Cruel laughs and says there’s no way Paloma is going to marry that musicocho, which is apparently a denigrating way of saying musician; who knew there was one? Mac says she’s started a legal investigation into Carlota’s abuses. Carlota is speechless.

Avances: Cruel calls the boarding school to tell them to strictly prohibit phone calls and visits for Paloma, as Paloma eavesdrops. Cris tells the boss priest he’ll have to hang up his vestments. Mac finds a note.

Labels: amor