Caray, Caray!

Lisette and Maura are in the White Palace discussing why Maura is willing to pay so much to Erik for dirt on Bruno. It seems to boil down to her thinking she might get some grain of information that will help her get Alex back. As they are talking Erik calls and says he has some important news for her related to Bruno and Alex. He refuses to spill the dirt before he sees the money, and they arrange to meet at her house later.

Alex and Fer are trying to find a way to catch up to Bruno and the judge, but the agency has no one available to accompany them. Alex and Fer spin a tale about the 3 of them (Alex, Fer and Bruno) traveling around the world together, and if they don’t meet up with Bruno they’ll have to go on to Haiti and leave him behind. (What the heck kind of a tale is that??!?!?But Alex is obviously having to make it up on the spur of the moment, so the feebleness is understandable I guess.) Can’t she please help them? The travel agent is going to try and figure something out, and will call them the following afternoon to tell them what she has arranged. Despite Alex’s sigh of frustration, good looks and Gatsby-like beanie, they can’t get Senora Maya at the travel agency to move things along any faster.

Erik comes to the pink heart of the Maura’s white palace and they settle on a price of 700,000 pesos for the information he has for her. That’s about $55,000 – a chunk o’ change for dirt. Erik then tells Maura how Bruno got MariaJose to fall in love with him and married her using Alejandro’s name, though she didn’t know of his deceit.

Hernán and Victoria are out on a boating date, he looking like a chef in his white guayabera and chubby tummy and she looking wistful and is no doubt thinking of the distinctly un-chubby Fer. Hernán wonders why Alex left when the important trial date was coming up, and Victoria asks if he will support them by testifying that her husband was indeed in his right mind when he made his will. He assures he will because 1) it is true and 2) there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He kisses her hand and gazes significantly into her eyes but she merely looks ill at ease (and it’s not seasickness). They toast with champagne. I’ve been following the Fer/Vicki/hernan love triangle discussion from last week and I have to agree that I don’t feel any chemistry between Fer and Vicki, perhaps because she is so solidly MATRONLY in her behaviour and the way she dresses – it’s hard to get past that. But the thing with Hernán is just gross, frankly. There’s something gucky about the idea of making love with him, or the idea of seeing the two of them locked in a passionate embrace.

In the meantime Ulises and Raquel are walking in lockstep through the apartment she has provided him with, their adorable matching ponytails practically bouncing in unison. He is assuring her that of course he is going to marry he. I almost (almost) manage to feel sorry for the poor girl; she must be so desperate if she can’t see the connection between the money and his promises. He nudges her out the door with the excuse that he has to make a business call. She agrees to go so that he won’t accuse her of being a harpy (“un martirio que está atrás de ti todo el tiempo), but leaves him with the charming threat that he better not let her down again or he can forget todo esto (pointing to their love nest). He reasserts that she is the only one he loves, practically shoves her out the door, heaves a big sigh and makes a call to Elena, Sandra's mother. We see that his t-shirt says “Killer Look” in big bold letters. Is this a message t-shirt, or simply a wardrobe choice?

He asks Elena if she’s had any news of Sandra, and she replies that she calls her from time to time but that Sandra doesn’t always answer. She can’t go see Sandra anytime soon because Jorge, her husband, is busy developing some new drugs. Ulises offers to go with her if she pays for the trip but she prefers to wait until Jorge can go with her, as he’s the only one who could convince Sandra to come back with her. Ulises says with a cocky grin that he would be able to convince her but Elena still turns down his offer. He asks after Don Porfirio and sends his regards, but Elena refuses to pass them along seeing as the two of them (Ulises and Porfirio) have never gotten along (nunca fuiste santo de su devoción). When he hangs up he curses her for not letting him get anywhere near Sandra, and says he has to find some way of separating Raquel and her money (estafarme de Raquel I think he says).

Erik is explaining to Maura that the reason MariaJose didn’t say anything about the fraudulent wedding is because Bruno threatened to have her father sent to prison due to his crooked business dealings. Maura wonders if Alex is aware of Pedro’s goings on and Erik says yes but – expressive shrug – he fell in love. Maura looks both pained and disgusted. Maura says she suspected there was something wrong there, and Erik offers her another equally interesting tidbit for a mere 100, 000 pesos (about $7800) more. She bites and he tells her that Alex went to find the judge who agreed to perform the fake marriage, with Bruno going after him to stop him – she can imagine why, right? (Does anyone else wonder why Erik continues to work with Bruno given all the money he is making on the side? With the money he made off of Gabriel, and now this he could set up his own little market stand and get out from under Bruno’s thumb.)

In the Dominican Republic, Alex wonders about renting a jeep and going on their own but Fer is not so sure it’s a good idea. They don’t know the roads, and Bruno’s got a big jump on them. They decide to spend their time wisely while they are waiting and visit the “Alcazar de Colón” In another QTF moment, Fer informs Alex this the first Gothic Renaissance structure in America, and off they go. QTF!?!?!? Where did that scene come from?

Back in Merida, Katia runs (yes runs) up to the chalet to find Roberto, hoping he will take her clubbing, and comes across a semi-drunk Raquel instead. They get into a spat, with Raquel telling Katia stop annoying her husband and Katia calling Raquel a bitter hag. The spat ends in a tie, with Raquel tossing the remains of her drink in Katia’s face, and Katia wiping it off and splashing it back onto Raquel.

Maura is telling Roberto what Erik has told her, which she acknowledges is basically a confirmation of what Raquel already told them. She says that she is confiding in him because she needs to talk about it and that, although Ulises is a good guy (Maura, I thought you were smarter than that. Evil,yes, but smart.) she doesn’t trust him. Roberto sums up the situation nicely: they are all in the Dominican republic, Bruno to kill the judge and Alex to stop him. Roberto wants to know why Maura is working so hard to get this information and says he doesn’t think Alex will leave MariaJose for her, especially not now that MJ is pregnant. She says she loves Alex and doesn’t want anything to happen to him, and acknowledges that Roberto is right when he says that she wants Alex’s thanks and hopes that he will go back to her some day. Roberto gives her his cell phone and tells her to call Alex and let him know what is going on.

In a restaurant Alex and Fer are stewing over how Bruno could have gotten to the DR ahead of them and wondering who could have told him. Could MariaJose have told Paula? Alex doesn’t think so. Alex’s cell phone rings. It’s Roberto, wondering how things are in the DR. Is there anyone who doesn’t know about their trip?!?! Roberto passes the phone to Maura, who tells him that Bruno is in the DR, but her attempt to ingratiate herself with Alex falls flat and he tells her he already knows. She sends him a kiss and hangs up, and it’s clever Roberto who once again stumbles across the truth – he thinks it must be Katia, who may have overheard a conversation between her brother and Alex, who told Bruno that Alex and Fer were going to the DR. Maura can hardly believe what a snake she is, but of course it takes a snake to recognize a snake.

Alas, I was hoping we would be spared a tour of the Alcazar but we’re obliged to sit through it. Isn’t William with his shirt off socially redeeming in and of itself? Do they have to subject us to this cultural tour? At least they keep it short.

Señora Maya has found a solution to Alex and Fer’s problems. There are no more tours at the agency this week and so she herself can accompany them. They will leave in a few hours but, as Fer reminds Alex, Bruno is a whole day ahead of them.

MariaJose and Victoria are sharing a girly girl talk in the office and MJ asks why Victoria doesn’t go for it with Fer. She says it’s because her position and social prestige depend on what people say and that people judge very harshly when an older woman has an affair with a younger man. Given all that’s going on with the trial and the revelations about her affair with Antonio while she was married to Samuel, news about an affair would be the straw that broke the camels back (la gota que termina derramando el vaso ie, the drop of water that causes the glass to overflow). All their stockholders and acquaintances would be against her.

Katia interrupts their chat, complaining that there is no one to take her out. Victoria won’t let her go alone and says that she doesn’t want to have to tell her brother that something happened to her. Katria snottily accuses her of only worrying because she wants to get in good with Fer and asks her if she’s not embarrassed to be going out with a younger man (or is it, she asks her, in an alarming image, that you like “fresh meat”). Victoria angrily asks her to have a little decency and Katia tells her before stalking out that if only decent people lived in the house it would be empty.

MariaJose goes after Katia to try and talk some sense into her (as if that’s likely- Katia and Bruno are tal para cual – two of a kind - and there’s no reasoning with either one of those monstrous egos). Back in the office the phone rings and it’s Fernando. A gasp and worry from Victoria, who chats with Fer while Katia is accusing MJ of offering her charms to Alex to get at his money. Paula charges up and tells her to leave her sister alone. (Yeah Paula. Sometimes her energy is a little misplaced but here she is right on. I love seeing those sisters defend each other in spite of all their arguing and disagreements.) Katia insults Paula in her turn, accusing her of living off of her impostor of a sister, and they get into a hair pulling match. In the fray MariaJose gets knocked aside but neither Paula nor Katia notice. Poor Ezequiel tries to separate them and is completely outclassed in this flyweight category; they push him to the side and continue the battle. Finally Felipa separates them by giving them both a slap, which I think was unfair to Paula. (Katia needs much more than the slap that feeble Felipa was able to give. She needs someone to crazy glue her mouth shut.)

Upstairs in the bedroom Hernán is pompously informing MariaJose that she really has to avoid situations like this one and think of the baby she’s expecting. As if she could have avoided the crazed Katia. Really, if Victoria ends up with Hernán it will be so annoying. Later, Victoria is walking Hernán out and he asks what is going on. She says she agreed to keep an eye on Katia for Fernando, but Katia is pretty rebellious and it’s harder than she thought. Hernán asks jealously why Fer is dragging her into his problems, but she cuts him right off. Hernán gets the hint and changes the subject to Alex and the upcoming trial: he is glad it’s being pushed back due to Alex’s absence because the delay will allow Victoria time to prepare for the coming brouhaha that will result from the trial

In the DR Alex has, thank God, changed the beanie for a straw panama hat and Fer is going hatless. Pretty bold of that blondie under all that sun. The Bobsey Twins and Señora Maya get into a van, Fer driving. I’ve gotten confused about the timing of this because it looked like the afternoon when Alex said they were going to leave in a few hours. It was nighttime when Fer called, at which point they still hadn’t left, and now it looks like day again when they get into the van. Have I missed something?

Various filler scenes of Mari giving a complaining Katia some work, Tomás helping Paula into the car to bring her to school, and Chucho singing in their market stall as Gabriel weaves and MariaJose paints pottery. Life goes on even when the boys are gone.

Bruno is berating the driver yet again about how long it’s taking to catch up to the judge. The driver says he reckons they can catch up to him at a nearby waterfall. Cut to the van that the Dynamic Duo and their sidekick Señora Maya are traveling in, and we discover via a phone call by Señora Maya to her office that they are now only a few hours behind Bruno and his driver, who have had to stop and rest. Madame Maya thinks they may be able to catch the group before they all get on the boat to the island. Alex comments that he can’t get any cell phone coverage and hasn’t been able to talk to his wife in days. Again I’m confused by the timing – wasn’t Fer just able to get through to Victoria the evening before?

MJ and Victoria comment that they haven’t heard from Alex for several days, and Vic says it must be due to poor cell phone coverage.

Bruno and his driver are pulling up to the dock as Alex and company are breaking down. Fer says he knows about floor mechanics, not car mechanics, and when Fer asks Alex if he knows about cars Alex gives him a what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about-hombre look. Back at Bruno’s point of departure Bruno asks why the tour stops there and his driver tells him it’s because there is beautiful scenery and a spectacular waterfall. Significant music plays and Bruno gets a look in his eye as he repeats, “waterfall?" and asks "How do I get there?” He runs off in the direction of the waterfall. Back with the Bobseys, Maya proposes that they "all" push the van until they find a town where someone might be mechanically inclined or they might find a mechanics shop. How far? Not far – 3-4 kilometers only. She hops in and they “all” begin to push which means that Lady Maya steers and urges the boys to push harder.

Someone we can only assume to be the judge is taking pictures of the water just above the falls and commenting to Bruno how great it was that he could come to see the beautiful sight. He turns and recognizes Bruno and has only time to sputter “no, no” before Bruno pushes him into the water; we see a body going over the falls. Bruno runs back into the jungle and we see a shot of the judge floating face up in the water, spread eagle with his eyes are closed. He doesn’t look merely stunned by the unexpected trip over the falls - he looks dead.

The driver of the tour bus finds Bruno shopping in the market and asks him if he’s seen Señor Romero. Bruno tells him that he looked and looked but wasn’t able to find him. The driver instructs everyone to go back to the bus. Thy are all sitting waiting when men come back with the news that Señor Romero has tragically fallen over the falls and died– a big surprise since it’s never happened before in such a safe place.

**Sorry - I may have missed a scene here.**

Victoria and Felipa are commenting on still not being able to get in touch with Alex when Cuco quivers and cowers: it's Raquel, and he senses the presence of great evil. Raquel says she hasn’t been around because of the presence of the two cats at the table, and I’m confused again. Cuco has fur like a Siamese but is clearly not a cat. Is Raquel referring to her sister in law and Felipa as cats? Why would she do this? Is this a big insult in Mexico? Anyway, she, like everyone else, wants to know where Alex and Bruno are but her mother puts her off with the standard line ‘Alex is in NY, I don’t know where Bruno is.” Raquel informs her mother that Bruno is no longer staying at the hotel, but nobody knows where he is living. Vicki asks Felipa to leave so that she can talk to Raquel alone. She then asks Raquel how serious her relationship with Ulises is, and Raquel tells her that they love each other. Victoria wonders what her young man does and Raquel tells her he is a businessman, but says she doesn’t get into his business and ask him what kind. Victoria says she should ask and Raquel raises a very good point: she knew what Roberto did, and he had a lot of money, but he ran through it all and now lives off of her. If she’s maintaining Ulises, well, at least it’s he loves her (Raquel, you poor deluded thing) and makes her happy, whereas Roberto doesn’t. As soon as the whole mess with the company is done with she’s going to divorce Robert and marry Ulises.

Roberto is clearly trying to hook up with two sisters in a bar. He is indeed a liberal fellow. Ulises comes up and asks if they can talk, and they walk off to the side. Ulises doesn’t like that Roberto is still angry with him, but Roberto insists that he’s not angry; he understands that that’s just how Ulises is. But still, Roberto has his limits: he knows Ulises needs the money but he shouldn’t have chosen Roberto's wife to become parasitically attached to when there are so many others around – like that one in Madrid, who has a lot more money than Raquel. Ulises acknowledges that yes, she's a possibility, but she’s a mess (es un relajo de chava) even though she is madly in love with him (I guess she’d have to be a mess to be madly in love with him). Roberto seems to see Ulises and the girl as a potentially perfect couple: why doesn’t Ulises go get her, bring her back, marry her and live happily ever after on her money. Ulises says it’s not that easy – he doesn’t have the money for the plane ticket to go get her, her mother doesn’t like him, and her grandfather, who holds the purses strings, can’t stand him. Roberto asks if Ulises will share her money with him if he, Roberto, pays for the plane ticket, and U says why not – they can share both the money and the woman. Roberto looks pensive rather than revolted. There is something so repellant and attractive about his character – he’s level-headed, recognizes he’s a parasite and tries to stay out of trouble – but also is willing to accept anything and EVERYTHING – nothing seems to shock his sensibilities. Is he really any worse than Ulises? Is this the modern metrosexual - so modern he can understand anything?

Maura refuses to pay “Mario Aguirre” a red cent (un cuerno) for his silence when he calls, and suggests that he get in touch with Alex. Mario immediately calls the Lombardo compound and when Ezequiel picks up he asks to talk to Alex or MariaJose. Always alert to trouble Ezequiel says they’re both gone but refuses to give any more information, though he does offer to take a message for them. Mario says he’ll think about it and hangs up, but Ezequiel gets his callback number from the phone. He swears that he’ll get him!

MariaJose is failing yet again to get in touch with Alex when Paula knocks on her door. MJ lies and tells Paula that she has in fact just talked to Alex and that he’ll back in about a week or so. She changes the subject by getting Paula to hold some yarn while she re-winds it into a ball (isn’t there a name for that activity?). Paula recounts all her frustrations to MJ: she’s getting bored just going back and forth from school to the house and wants to go out. She’d even be willing to go out with that snot (sangrona) Katia but Victoria won’t let them, and she doesn’t want anything to do with Don Pedro or Chucho, who are old, or with Gabriela or Meche, who are not only poverty stricken but also almost landed her in prison. She gets so worked up that by the end of the scene the yarn is wrapped around her neck in a tangled mess. MariaJose points out that she and Paula are no different from Gabriel and Meche - they did what they had to in order to survive.

Pedro and Chucho are commenting on how well the business is going and Meche wonders why Paula never comes by. Chucho comments she’s kind of a spoiled brat (engreída - similar to sangrona but not so slangy) and Gabriel, who is also winding up a ball of yarn, says he would like to meet her so that he and Meche can apologize for the problems they caused her.

A shirtless Alex and Fer are pushing the van along when Lady Maya waggles her hand out the window and says there’s an emergency - she has to go pee (useful vocab: hacer chis). As she is getting back in the van a car rolls up and the driver stops to help them. While the guys are looking manfully at the engine a truck comes by and also stops to help them. One of the passengers gets out because she wants a picture taken with the Alex, the shirtless wonder, and the bus driver gets out a tool kit. A spontaneous party forms and there is an impromptu street dance which looks like a heck of a lot of fun; they also manage to get the van started.

In the meantime, back at the dock, the authorities have given the tour group the OK to leave. Bruno says he’ll take the bus back to Santo Domingo rather than go on with the group.

Victoria is asking Ezequiel if he is sure it was Mario Aguirre on the phone, and he says that Mario himself gave his name. Felipa thinks this is really odd given that Bruno is nowhere around and they are all confounded at what is going on. Victoria proposes calling Mario, telling him that Alex wants to see him, and then going in Alex’s place. Felipa points out that this is madness (“uuy santa del dia de hoy” accompanied by a heavy sigh and a glance raised to the heavens), but Ezequiel offers to go along and take care of her. Felipa smirks and gives Ezquiel a little poke, which causes him to lose his balance; it’s clear he’s not up to protecting his lady. Felipa proposes that Victoria ask Roberto to accompany her, and Victoria looks quite taken with the idea, but before they can discuss it more Paula and MJ come down to join them for dinner and the idea is dropped.

As they go to dinner Victoria says that Alex has been subpoenaed to appear in court that week at the trial contesting the will, and everything will be delayed until he shows up. MariaJose manages to get through to him on the phone and tells him that the subpoenas are piling up and he needs to get back. She asks about Bruno and he tells her they don’t know what’s going on with him – he’s probably hiding out someplace behind his lawyers – but that he and Fer think they’ll be able to see the judge tomorrow. (When Fer asks why he lied about Bruno Alex says he doesn’t want to worry her.) Alex tells MJ that he hopes to get back in time for the trial but that he probably won’t be able to be in touch from the island and so she shouldn’t worry if she doesn’t hear from him. This, of course, is almost as fatal as saying “nothing can ever separate us, and in fact in the scenes for tomorrow we see Alex and Fer leaping from a burning boat, and Ezquiel telling Maura that they haven’t been able to track down Alex.

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