Caray, Caray!

Ale invites Marco to join her for a bubble bath but he dawdles so long that Ale gets a peek at the hickey on his neck.

Except…not. Apparently, Ale was asking what Marco was holding in his hand and it’s two glasses of champagne. (Say it with me: Psh.) He flicks the bathroom lights off but Ale protests. Marco fakes a coughing fit and runs out of the room.

Leonor and Julieta are thrilled to see “the Panther” again. Rafa delivers the bad news: it’s being taken away the next day and put up for sale. An all around bummer.

Ale calls for Marco from the bathroom. He makes a show of sneezing to stall for time. An idea pops into Marco’s devious mind: he lights a piece of paper on fire and holds it up to the smoke alarm.

Rafa, Vicky, and Rafa’s family and friends share a bottle of champagne to toast to their last night with the Panther. They get teary-eyed about it, especially Rafa, who feels as though the Panther was a member of the family.

Success for Marco! The alarm in the hotel blares and the sprinklers kick on. Ale climbs out of the tub to find out what’s going on.

Everyone sits in the car one last time and says their tearful goodbyes until only Rafa and Vicky are left. Vicky says the car is special for her because it’s where they first kissed. She throws herself at Rafa and pulls him into the back seat with her. Unfortunately, Vicky’s brothers are nearby looking for their hermana.

Ale, dressed only in a towel, clamors out into the hotel hallway with Marco. This is obviously a “no-tell-motel” in disguise, as all the other guests are just as scantily clad as Ale. No one has any idea what’s going on and they have to scatter down the stairs because the elevators are shut down.

As per usual, Vicky’s hermanos interrupt her alone time with Rafa. They pull her out of the car and carry her home.

Rafa is finally left alone with his beloved Panther. “So many battles, adventures, and romances. I’m going to miss you.” He even sings to it a little but gets too choked up. Rafa raises his glass to the Panther and says a final goodbye.

The next morning, Ale calls Rafa and wants to know about his business deal of epic proportions. He promises to explain when he gets into work. Ale accuses him of being drunk, calls him a killer, you know the drill.

Susana is all ears to hear about Ale’s hot date with Marco. “It was on fire. Literally.” Ale explains what a fiasco the night was because of some pyromaniac in the hotel. But, of course, he comes second to Rafa on Ale’s bad list.

A little boy wanders into the beauty shop and makes a sales pitch to Ovi. Turns out he’s Edgar Marino Junior the III (He’s got the haircut, attitude, and toothpick to prove it). The kid pulls out a suitcase full of cell phone accessories and tries to charm Ovi into buying something. (Yep. Definitely Marino’s spawn.)

Rafa meets with Ale first thing once he gets to the Siglo. He tells her he’s doing business with Refri Transportation. Ale tells Rafa he’s wasting his time because they only deal with “Mountain Trucks”. Rafa again uses animal analogies and says that tigers focus on one specific herd, not the entire species. “But you’re talking about an idiot tiger who’s trying to snare a lion in his jaws!” Rafa is still adamant so Ale tells him to either get a significant deal done that day or forget it.

The Siglo employees are all waiting in the meeting room. They find out Dandy is wearing very strong new cologne and tease him for it. Ale starts the meeting and keeps with the “sweet as apple pie” farce. Ramirez speaks out and begs Ale to stop being so pleasant. “Be so kind as to abuse us again! We’re begging you!”

The other employees aren’t so receptive to the idea. Ramirez is incensed; All this peace and harmony is ruining them! They’re going to be out of the job and on the street if things stay they way they are! Ale assures him, in her best diabetes-causing voice, she won’t be shouting at them anymore.

Chavez stops by Marco’s and wants dirt about the date. Marco reminds Chavez he had to sabotage it because of the hickey Chavez’s vampire amiga gave him. Marco has to start planning for the wedding because he’s determined to get hitched soon.

Ramirez is sure Ale is having them on with her new attitude. (NO?!) She’s given them just enough rope to hang themselves with. When the month is up and the sales are abysmal, they’ll all be fired. Now they’re starting to squirm.

Susana warns Ale that her plan to get the employees kicked out is a very dangerous one. Ale pays no mind and claims it wasn’t really her idea.

Ramirez tells Ramiro they could get by without Ale’s constant insults but they need her advice, her reprimands, and her presence to succeed.

Pepeto arrives at the Siglo to take Rafa’s car. He’s clearly reluctant to give it away because he gives a whole list of how the Panther should be treated by the new owner.

Ale happens to walk by and sees Rafa’s car. She gets nauseous and woozy again and is furious Rafa would bring the car back to the Siglo when she warned him not to. Despite Susana’s advice, Ale storms out to give Rafa a piece of her mind.

Rafa hands over the keys and caresses his car for the last time. Ale, still disoriented, starts her tirade but her malice disappears when she sees how downtrodden Rafa looks. As Pepeto drives away in the Panther, Rafa promises Ale she, nor anyone else, will ever see his car again.

Rafa catches Magda outside where she works to ask her out to a business lunch. Rafa is positive that Zarate is hiding something because of the way he acts. He thinks “Mountain Trucks” is slipping Zarate money under the table. (Did I understand this right?)

Magda tells Rafa to give it a rest. There’s no hope; Zarate is about to close a major deal with Mountain Trucks and it would be nearly impossible to discontinue the arrangement.

Magda repeats that her hands are tied; she’s only receptionist. “Yes, but a mistreated one who knows business very well, loves her company, and knows there’s a huge injustice going on. The regret is going to make it very hard to sleep at night.”

Rafa wants to make an appointment with Lic. Lemaitre, the president of the company. Magda calls it crazy; if Rafa can’t get in to see Zarate, there’s no way he’ll be able to get to Lemaitre. Rafa agrees to leave but gives Magda his card; he wants to know what kind of discount Mountain Trucks offers Refri. She reluctantly takes it and Rafa cheers his good luck.

Ale hangs up with Rosario to chat with Susana. Marco is going to end up paying for the wedding this time around. Ale pokes fun at Rafa’s determination to get his epic sale and even mimics his little pose. She calls Rafa and demands he get back to the office to give her a report. Just then, Magda calls on Rafa’s other line.

Susana admires Dandy’s cologne, which he says is called “Essence of Java” and was made organically. She loves it and can’t wait to find out more. Rosaura and Claudia are impressed Dandy finally got Susana’s attention and ask what the cologne really is. Dandy calls it “a trap for vegetarians”. The others ladies still think it smells awful.

Rafa is out to lunch with Magda. She tells him the Mountain Trucks discount is 2%. Rafa wants to meet with Lemaitre and offer a 4% discount. Magda says no way. Rafa gets another plan: meet with Lemaitre “accidentally” somewhere in public, get to know him a little, and then talk business.

Susana tells Dandy her guide didn’t know anything about “Essence of Java” but said it’s a very intriguing product. She asks to talk to him about it later, if he has time. Dandy agrees almost immediately.

Rafa gets back to the Siglo where Susana greets him. She looks over his report and is worried he’s only seen one client, who’s just a receptionist. Rafa dreads having to present his report to Ale but a miracle call comes through from Magda: Lemaitre and his wife are going to be out for cocktails at the senior executives club at 7 that night. Rafa is ecstatic!

Avances: Lies! Gossip! Grave Consequences! Vague phrases with no real indication of what's going to happen on Monday!

Labels: dinero

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