Caray, Caray!

Well, actually, none of our three couples, Jaime/Julieta, Marco/Carmela and Rafa/Alejandra have scored yet. But two out of three look very promising. I may have a hard time getting to sleep tonight, and not just because I stayed up late writing this.

So, let's get down to it. The first 45 minutes will have to be guess-work. The Univision transmission was breaking up ever two seconds and it was impossible to follow the dialogue or action. So here's what I THINK happened. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Medina, in a jealous rage, punches out Guillermo and finally ends up throwing him in the jacuzzi love pool outside the room. Guillermo calls security and has Rafa thrown in jail over Alejandra's protests. Rafa, in his jail cell, tries to negotiate his cell phone from the guard who cracks wise when he hears about his worries over his sister off on a trip with her novio.

Jaime, in spite of Rafa's worries, is trying to toe the straight and narrow. Gamely having a go at chopping an enormous hunk of wood, while Julieta distracts him, turns off his cellphone and pleads with him to come in the freezing cabin and "warm her up". Will our nervous novio resist temption? Well, he tries.

Meanwhile, the parade of Auto Siglo personnel to the Queen's chamber continues. The General wants time off to be part of a big government protest planned for the weekend. Queen confides that she took part in such junkets in her youth but found out work and getting ahead in life was a lot more satisfying. And given the huge number of people expected to be there, would anybody notice if the General made a brief appearance and then came back to work? No. So use your head, girl, and sell sell sell! Save your shouting for the shower.

Meanwhile, Alejandra is pleading Rafa's case with Guillermo and he relents and goes off to get his release.

Worries over there. But not with Rosaura. One by one, all her so-called friends turn down her request for a place to stay. And when the General puts her case before the Auto Siglo group, one by one they turn her down as well. Well, except for Marino, who grabs her in a close grip and says he could pay her rent if..... Just as glad I couldn't hear the dialogue. Ditto for Pepeto whose murky offer is turned down out of hand. Finally she ends up with the General, even though the latter warns her she lives in a dangerous neighborhood and there's no elevator. How do you get your packages and orders sent up then? gasps Rosaura as she finally wheezes in and collapses in a chair. We're our own slaves, snaps the General. Certainly this relationship is going to be a Learning Experience for our formerly pampered Rosaura. A bit worrying.

And lots of worries with Marcos. As he blurts out to Chavez, this Carmela doesn't want to seduce me, she wants to rape me. And you know the performance problems I've been having lately. Sure enough, as Carlos predicted, the little green pill bottle comes out. But only one this time Marcos. And just 10 minutes before action, please!

The final scene at AutoSiglo is Ramirez firmly rejecting Marino's final lame attempt at reconciliation. I thought I could be a friend you could really count on but you're incapable of being interested in anyone but yourself, our former toady declares. Can't decide if Marino looks perplexed, thoughtful or just constipated. Can we even imagine redemption for this pig? Well maybe. If so, this confrontation with Ramirez is the first stepping stone in the long road to maturity. Stay tuned.

Marcos is still twisting in the wind. Worried about Alejandra, equally worried about Carmela (and he should be!) Decides to call Rosario to check up on Ale's whereabouts. No help there. She's out of town, at a conference, in Cocowhatever. With an old friend. And yes, Rosario knows they've broken up, but don't worry. Surely when Ale's had some time to think, relax, all will be well again. And no, she's certainly not with Medina! She assured us of that.

More grist for the mill. Marcos figures she's lying to her family and COULD be with Rafa. Now to try and track him down. Or better yet...just have Chavez "take care of him". Well we won't worry about that. Pata has assured us there'll be no killings in this one. Right?

Well, how about some romance then? Julieta's coaxing Jaime back into the house and next thing you know they're seated in front of a roaring fire (could the inept Jaime really have chopped all that wood?) and gosh, he's acting strange but that's probably because he's tired. Off to bed then! Our upright Jaime insists on honoring the separate bed agreement. She pretends to acquiesce. As he tosses and turns in his nice big bed, suddenly in creeps a little imp in pink jammies, needing warmth and comfort. Hasty retreat ending with him sliding off the bed and Julieta landing on top of him. Okay folks. He's done for. That's it. Lots of kisses, laughter and rolling around on the bed now. And here we draw a veil.

Because there's a much more interesting development elsewhere. Alejandra is waiting on the steps of the police department and here comes her guy. And how. There's the Look. The Hug. The Kiss. More kisses. Open-lipped one. Nibbles first on one lip then the other. Then some real smashers. Amarte a la Antigua plays in the background and suddenly a placard appears saying Alejandra and Rafa are Novios. GOL!!!!!!!!

Okay then. Have a drink on me. Sit back and remember the most torrid romance of your life. The time when all the waiting and wondering and yearning and longing culminated in a dream of romance and passion. And don't blame me if you can't sleep tonight. Use your time wisely.

Because our novios certainly are. Heck, they can't keep their hands off each other. They're embracing as they walk into a nearby cafe. They're hugging and kissing while Rafa orders two coffees (no "piquete" alcohol with them) to warm up his "novia". Alejandra likes that so much she makes him repeat it. He calls home to reassure his mom and she's kissing him during the call, while he wraps his arm around her. I love it. No wonder Mexico is crazy for this couple.

As all lovers do, they're delighted to just talk about each other and their mutual rapture (with a little jealousy thrown in). The only tense moment came when she asks him about what client he blew off in order to come chase after her. He looks like he's worried the mention of Marian Celeste will ruin the moment but it doesn't. They're soon back to billing and cooing, even though they both agree, closing the deal business-wise is important.

Somehow, in between kisses and hugs and sweet nothings, Alejandra learns Rafa came up here by bus and he'll have to hurry to catch the last one back to Mexico City, while she stays behind with Guillermo.

Oh no! Don't worry. But the writers tease us by flipping us back to Marcos and Chavez. Times a wastin'. Carmela's been waiting in the restaurant and is steamed. Chavez gives Marcos his marching orders. Si se puede. Si se puede. And as Marcos limps out the door, Chavez wonders "Podra?" (will he be able to?) Doesn't look good ,does it.

Back to the bus stop. Our lovers are still kissing and hugging and "te amo-ing" while the bus waits. They can't bear to be apart for even one night. More kisses. And Rafa tells Alejandra to keep his jacket on (it's cold, folks), he'll get it tomorrow. He climbs on. Goes to his seat. We have another scene change but let's compress this. Next thing he knows, Alejandra gets on the bus too. Gives the driver a big bill and says keep the change. Falls into his arms and they both tumble into a guy's lap, in a rapture of kisses. Applause from the passengers. Ain't love grand?

Well, not so much. Not with Carmela and Marcos anyway. He's off to a bad start. Arrived late. Called her Doña Carmela. Is accused of being....gay...perhaps? Nope. He has a fiancée. But of course he can't give her real name and Carmela is on to the subterfuge. And coming on strong. So much so that the lady at the next table is staring. Poor Marcos!

And poor lovers! Now that they're on the bus, what are they going to do? They hop off at the next stop, still wrapped in each others arms, call for a room with the help of a bemused front desk lady, who promises Rafa she will make the room romantic. Ale calls Guillermo and tells him not to wait up. She's spending the night with her "savage delinquent". Laughter and more kisses. What's not to like?

Well, Carmela for one thing. She's putting the screws to Marcos money-wise and he can't come up with it. (Does this bode well for the rest of the evening?) Well, he'd better come through with the other part of the bargain, snarls Carmela and suddenly she goes ballistic. She's fed up. Thought he was a man. But he's not. She hates him, abhors him. She....but he saves the day, calms her down, snaps his fingers for the check, grimaces as he peels off the bills, and off they go, with Carmela leering at his backside and chewing her fingers in anticipation. Si se puede? Podra? I'm feeling almost as nervous as poor Marcos. Sure wouldn't want to disappoint this virago.

Mientras tanto, we're in complete lala land with our lovers. They're remembering every encounter, every moment when they first realized they were in love. Rafa maintains it happened that first night. The night of the accident. Never had he seen such a beautiful woman. Then they both admit that the evening in Huchitepec, where they sang the duet, both felt happier than they ever had before. It was then Ale realized she didn't love Marcos. And the almost kiss in the car? Was she really asleep? Well maybe not. But she was certainly drunk. And then the romance at the beach. The jealousy with the flirtatious cousin. The kisses which she claimed were fake but Rafa thought were authentic. Forgive me, she murmurs, I just couldn't accept it then. Together they remembered and laughed about naming the lobsters and setting them free.

And then their names are called. Los esposos Medina, Rm 2004. He lifts her up in his arms and carries her over the threshold into a magic dwelling place of glowing candles, scarlet roses and tender romance. She had wanted time to think but he hadn't let her. And now Rafa wants her more than ever. After this night he can die tomorrow in peace. Ah no, she cautions, because we are going to have many many more nights like this. Nights of bliss and love. An infinity of nights like this.

Ya think? Well, we know this can't last. But goshdarnit, I sure hope it does for at least a few more episodes.

Previews:
Who cares. Let's just enjoy the moment without looking ahead.

Vocabulary:
Who cares? An evening like this is about romance and remembrance, not language learning.

Dicho of the Day:

Poderos caballero is don dinero. Money makes the world go 'round.

And we say no! Love makes the world go round. (But maybe money makes the world go round for Marcos and Chavez. And Carmela.)

Labels: dinero

Marisa sashays in to the bedroom in one of her her broccoli band dresses and breezily asks if Lucas has any message for Jade. She tells him that Jade just got back from Morocco and Marisa is having dinner at Said's house. She is out the door before Lucas' slow wits react.

Alej is showing Nati fighting moves or tango dips when Marisa comes in. She says that she can't stand seeing Nati wasting her time with someone who is useless to her. Then two bad things happen: Nati goes after Marisa and gives her the opportunity to spew a lot more hatred and Alej leaves. You shouldn't let you girl be abused like that, Alej!!

Alicia gets Escobar to give her a ride home. They are leaving the building when up drives Clara. Alicia invites Clara to come to the lab sometime and they can have coffee. 'Don't hold your breath,' says Clara, (espera sentada, o pronto te cansarás, wait sitting down or soon you'll get tired.) Clara collects her husband and drives off.

Marisa arrives at Said's house and they make small talk and exchange looks of burning passion. Rania is jealous that Jade is dining with the guest and Jadiya makes sure that Rania knows that the first wife has more privileges. Privileges that Jade would gladly give up when Said orders her to dance for him and Marisa. At first she refuses, but finally agrees.

Jade appears in a jade green outfit and instead of dancing the sensuous way she did for Lucas, she does something more like an exotic dancer (i.e., erotic dancer without any subtletly). Obviously, Said doesn't like it because he stops Jade and tells her to go to her room, then follows her. It's not clear if anyone got any dinner.

Luisa finally flips out on Alicia when she finds her organizing Albieri's desk for him.

Julio and Albieri are in a taxi talking about the Alicia/Luisa problem. Albieri wants to get Alicia another job while Julio replies that the clinic is running much more efficiently with Alicia in charge. When the cab stops at a light, Daniel sees Albieri. Albieri doesn't see him and the cab drives off before Daniel can do anything.

Luisa throws Alicia out of her room. Alicia says that no one treats her like that.

Alej tells Pablo that he won't take Nati's calls and he won't go to her house again and be insulted. Pablo says that if thing are that bad (así de gruesas) he should break it off. Alej replies that he probably should be he can't. When Pablo suggests that Alej get a place where he can live with Nati, Alej asks if Pablo has seen the mansion when Nati lives. He can't afford a place like that. Pablo replies that Nati has to love him with or without money or it won't work.

Nati is packing up her stuff. She tells Rosa that she is going to live with Alej because she can't take any more.

Rosa tells Lucas that Nati left the house after a fight with her mother. Then Leo comes in and without even asking how Lucas is feeling, he tells Lucas about Said's purchase of the available shares of the company. Then Leo tells Lucas about his fear that Lucas would sell Said his shares of the company to get a divorce for Jade. Lucas replies that he would never be so irresponsible. Just to protect you from yourself, says Leo, I'm having the lawyers see about my taking control of the shares. Nothing like having your dear old dad for whom you've worked for 20 years treat you like a kindergartner.

Mohamed refuses to let the Naz and Zamira go to the gym in spite of the Naz's arguments that the prophet favored exercise.

Nati shows up at Andrea's house and asks to stay telling Roberto and Lucia that she can't live in her house anymore.

Lucas approves of the fact that Nati has the guts to do what he could never do.

Marisa tells Rosa that she is the only person in the house who cares about Nati. She says that Nati doesn't love Alej. She has an inferiority complex and feels secure with the guy. She wants to speak to Nati to make her feel more inferior than ever but Rosa tells her that Nati has left the house.

Nati tells Lucia and Roberto that she wants to live with Alej or marry him. She doesn't want them to tells her parents where she is. Lucia advises Roberto to agree to what Nati asks so that they know she is safe and then they can tell her parents.

Alej is not taking Nati's calls. Gloria tells him to stop mooning around and get job.

Daniel tells Osvaldo that he saw Albieri and that he will never consider anyone else his father. Osvaldo tells Dora and Estela that he is upset that Daniel has rejected him having just gotten used to being called, 'Dad.' When Dora asks how Daniel dared to tell Osvaldo that Albieri was his real father, Daniel says that it is Dora's fault. She never told him who his father was and everyone has the right to know where they came from. He says that he has nothing against Osvaldo but he will never see or love him like a father.

Alicia is brooding about her revenge. She decides to call Escobar. Foolish Escobar takes the call and tells Clara that he has to over to Albieri's house and console Alicia because she had a fight with Luisa and is crying. If you go, says Alicia, I won't be here when you get back. Escobar leaves anyway, followed by Clara. [It's not clear to me how breaking up Clara's marriage hurts Luisa.]

Nati tells Andrea that if she loses Alej because of her mother, she will never speak to her again. She hopes that Lucas divorces Marisa quickly and leaves her in the street without a penny.

The Naz and Zamira show up at the gym. Pablo is happy to see them. He starts leading an excercise class. The Naz is shocked by the half-naked exhibitionist odalisques pushing themselves on her suitor. Poor Zamira is embarrassed by the Naz and by looking different than everyone else. Zamira asks for help.
Alá, mira el oso que estoy haciendo. ¡Ayudame!
Allah, look at the fool I am making of myself (literally, making the bear). Help me!

Mohamed comes home and asks where the Naz is. Latifa says that she is out shopping with Zamira. Mohamed rants about the sinfulness of the gym. Presumably Latifa knows or guesses where Nariza and Zamira are because she is praying, too.

Prince Amin sees Karla heading home. He asks Mohamed if he can go to Hilda's house to try and sell her some veils (and, ulterior motive, see Karla in her underwear). He gets an eyeful but uses the wrong compliment - he calls them 'hens' (gallinas) and they throw him out.

Jade wants Jadiya to ask Said to see Latifa. She replies that she already did and she is going after lunch.

Rania is dancing for Said but all he can think about is Jade doing the sword dance for him.

Abdul brings Amina to say farewell to Ali before she goes to the US. Afterward, Zoraida tells Ali that she doesn't want Mohamed to be pressured to take a second wife. While Ali doesn't appreciate Abdul's interference, he has faith in Mohamed's judgment about whether and who to choose as a second wife. Zoraida doesn't want to leave such things to chance and asks Ali to let her go to the US to see how Jade is. They haven't heard from her directly. Ali considers this idea.

The credit roll.

Labels: clon

It's sunny out, the sky is blue
Last night we had a barbecue
With dogs and burgers on the grill
We ate until we had our fill

Today we shopped, hit every store
We walked until our feet were sore
So now it's time to rest our bones
Put up our feet, shut off the phones

We'll sip a cool refreshing drink
Relax our brains, not even think
Of course we still can go online
To see if our friends are feeling fine

So how was your vacation, folks?
Heard any new corny jokes?
How's it going? ¿Como estás?
Tell us todo, then tell us más!

Tell us how the time has gone.
Here in Club Gancho Corazon.

Labels: gancho

Hola a todos! Hello everyone on Caray Caray!

During my recent vacation I flew to New York City for the People en espa~ol Mas Bello 2010
fiesta on May 20. As the blog's unofficial photographer, I was permitted to enter and
stand in the corner with the other photographers in the press room at the event.

Here is the link to see the photos I took both outside the venue and in the press room:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/locococonut/sets/72157624315803300


Jody

Labels: clon, Cuidado, dinero, entertainment-news, gavilanes, heridas, manana, mundo, pecado, sortilegio

Ep. 71

The associates are waiting for Juan Aldama de la Cruz. In pops Juan. Hey, I’m Juan Aldama de la Cruz or you can call me Juan San Roman Montes de Oca or just Juan del Diablo for short. Woody is stunned. It can’t be. You are a big fat nobody. I know, you believe that. Raul is still not getting it. Juan explains that he was adopted by Juan Aldama and he gave Juan his name and his fortune. He is the son of Maria Del Rosario and Juan de Dios. The same night I was born I was abandoned in the jungle like an animal. For this I have returned to seek vengeance. Juan explains that at first he was just going to kill Rod and get it over with but instead he thought it would be much more fun to ruin him. Yep. Much more fun. Woody is stunned and you know Twitchy over there is thinking whew! I’m glad he’s not my enemy. He continues. My father told me to go back and look for Rodrigo Montes de Oca and take care of his happy ass. And here I am. Woody is finally figuring out that everything that has happened to him was on purpose. He has a hissy fit. Juan takes his leave.

Regina wants to know what secret Rosenda is referring to. Leo butts in and dismisses Rosenda. Regina again tries to find out what the secret is. Leo blows her off and says she and Rosenda were talking about the food they are going to have to announce the marriage of her and Fed. Regina doesn’t want to make a big deal about it. It’s just going to be the family. What a great sacrifice you are making for your father. Gag! He needs you now more than ever. It is the only reason that I’ve accepted marriage with Fed. Because I really think he’s a creepy little toad. Leo keeps trying to convince her. He comes from a good family. He has a respected name.

Woody is still whining in Noel’s office. The damn bastard. He found a way to get his vengeance. Uh, yeah. And he did it rather artfully I think. Noel, ever the optimist, hey, look on the bright side. He was going to kill you. But instead he just made you look like a LOSER. (I think he should have to wear a big red L right in the middle of his forehead.) It’s your own fault. You did it to yourself. Shut up! At least Leo still likes me. Noel points out that it is more like love.

Regina begs Leo not to lie to her. It’s an obligation. Leo says that she is always so insolent. She tells Regina the story about being in love with another man that was in love with her sister. Do you want to know who that is? With much pleasure I will tell you who that man was. That man was your father. Ewww! That is just too much info.

Woody wants to know what Noel is referring to. You know that Leo has always been in love with you. It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault. She is the most upstanding woman in Veracruz. With that Woody leaves. Finally. De Marin is over there in shock. Noel apologizes that he had to be a witness to all the terrible confessions. Nothing you have heard is a lie. Mostly Raul is worried about the Association. Noel tells him not to worry about it.

Rod still thinking he’s a big wig, rushes his sniveling little butt over to the Sheriff. He is trying to convince the Sheriff to bring Juan in on something. Sheriff says have patience. We are investigating. I want him to rot in the same cell as his father. Sheriff doesn’t understand why Rod is so bothered by this guy. He tells him who Juan really is. Dun, dun, dun.

Juan is getting a big hug by Curly who is really happy to see him as are all the fisher folk. They want to know how the vengeance is coming along. Well, it’s over. Rod knows the truth and he’s pretty upset about it. Great! We have a surprise for you. For me? Yes.

Rod arrives at the mansion and contemplates his fate.

MdR is rocking her baby. She remembers moments with JDD. FF>>

Rod is thinking that Regina just has to marry Fed to get his butt out of the fire. I say it’s too late for you because you are such a LOSER.

Juan gets to see his surprise. It is a hut with the sign that says “Juan de Dios Fisherman’s Union.” Juan is honored that they named it after his father. Group hug.

Rod tells the maid she has to go because he can’t afford to pay her any more. She is devastated and begs him not to throw her out on the street. As she is leaving some men arrive (from the bank?) and tell His Lordship that he has many debts and they are here to take the house and all the stuff in it. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. He just stands there as some peasants begin removing all the furniture. Ha, sucks to be you! What goes around comes around I say.

Aimee is acting like a spoiled, snot-nosed, little heifer. Nana comes in with a tray of food. Her Royal Majesty isn’t hungry. She can starve for all I care. She only wants to be left in peace. Clemencia is worried about her. Aimee mocks her. She only cares about her passion for Juan. Clemencia is stunned. I don’t know why. Regina has been telling her this all along. Clem reminds her that she is married to a good man. Aimee doesn’t care. Don’t you understand, I can’t do this any more. This passion is choking me. I want to tell the whole world that I love Juan. Nana is shocked. Again, I don’t know why. Why did you accept Renato’s proposal when you knew Regina was in love with him? Because she’s a selfish, shallow, spiteful, little bitch. She wanted the fortune of Renato and the passion of Juan. Clem tries to get her to see reason. Not happening unfortunately.

Renato is in his office when he gets a visit from Juan. Renato is glad to see him. Where did you go? Why was it such a secret? It’s a long story. That’s ok. My dad told me the whole story. I want you to return to the finca. Don’t you get it? The finca and the money of Montes de Oca is not important to me. It is to me because half of this finca is yours. Just forget about it. No. I can’t. You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’m capable of. It doesn’t matter. Renato thinks he’s a cool dude and Juan always accomplishes his dreams. For this he needs to be a part of the finca. Renato says ok, I’ll let it go for now. Tonight I want you to come to dinner at the finca. Are you crazy? You know I’m not welcome. You are a Montes de Oca and the whole world needs to accept that. What about your mom? She’ll just have to get over it.

Leo is still discussing the dinner plans with Clemencia. Who really cares anyway? She also wants her to keep an eye on Rosenda. She fears that Rosenda might have the ways of her mother Magda who by the way is Madame Marlene.

Meanwhile, Rosenda is in the dungeons looking for the jewels. She runs into Orca. He reminds her nicely that she is not to be in the basement. She knows but she’s a little ticked off at Leo and soon everyone will know the secret. Orca perks up at that bit of info. Ah yes, there is a Montes De Oca bastard running around.

Rod gathers his stuff and leaves the mansion. FF>>

Juan is visiting Noel at his office. Awesome vengeance dude. Yeah, but that’s not why I’m here. He wants to make a Will to leave everything to Gabe, Curly and the fishermen. Noel is very proud of him. FF>>

Doctorcito is telling Madame that she needs to just chill. Everything will be fine. She is worried about her daughter. Oh, by the way I ran into your daughter in the street. She fainted. But don’t worry everything is ok. FF>>

Rosenda and Clemencia are in the kitchen preparing food for the special dinner. Rosenda gets nauseous and lightheaded (we all know what that means). Clem is worried about her. Rosenda runs out of the room and barfs. Clem thinks Rosenda could be preggers with Rod’s baby. Ya think?

Speak of the devil, Rod has come slinking back to the finca with his tail between his legs prepared to eat crow and ask Renato for help. Leo is overjoyed that he is there. My dear Leonarda, I am here because I am the biggest, fatest LOSER ever. Don’t say that. I have lost everything. I don’t even have a place to live. She’s sure that once Regina marries Fed he will regain his fortune and everything will be back to normal. Rod is not so sure. The bastard has returned. Juan Aldama de la Cruz, our majority shareholder in the business is the person who ruined me.

Rod and Arcadio are having a meeting. This can’t be good. Orca says that for many years they have not had any conversations. Rod says they have had nothing to talk about. Orca says but you are wrong. Then lay it on the line for me. Do you remember the doctor who lost his life the same night that he attended to MdR? He had an accident on your orders. How do you think Dr. Miranda would like it if he found out that you had his uncle killed? So what do you want? I want you to remember that some day you owe me a big favor.

MdR and Mirta are hanging out in their cell. MdR pulls out the letter and tells Mirta that this letter is very important and they need to hide it. It accuses Leo of killing Constanza.

The men are gathered talking about Rod coming back to the finca. Leo announces it is time for the special dinner announcing the engagement of Fed and Regina. Noel is surprised. He didn’t know this little tidbit. Regina doesn’t love Fed. What changed her mind. Rod says she realized it was the thing to do. You need to listen to me. You know very well that Regina does not love Fed. It’s sure funny that all of a sudden she accepts when you are in ruin. Regina inherits a big fortune when she marries. Pardon me, but I’m going to speak frankly Rodrigo. What you are doing is selling your daughter. Well, uh, duh!

MdR is rocking her baby. Orca shows up drunk as a skunk. Since he’s not getting any nookie from Leo he has decided that maybe he can get a little something, something from her sister. I think we all know where this is going. He throws her around and she smacks her head on the wall. She’s out cold. Oops.

Leo is chattering at the table. Noel butts in and asks Regina is this was her decision. A decision that she made freely. Fed opens his big mouth but nobody really cares especially not Viewerville. Regina tries to assure Noel that it was her decision. He flat out tells her that he doesn’t believe her and neither do we. Rod interrupts but Noel say she doesn’t want to hear anything more. You go Noel! Leo proposes a toast about uniting the family and Renato butts in and says oh but not all the family is here. Aimee wants to know what he’s talking about. Everybody is here. He gets up and heads towards the door. I’m sorry but there is one family member who is not here. And now for my favorite show, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” And we all know who it is don’t we?

Labels: salvaje

Don't adjust your computer screens. Yes, this really is the recap for last week's MA, which was also our season finale, sadly. Apparently they showed a Season 1 rerun this week, but my TV did not record it for some reason. Well, we're promised Season 3 "soon." In the meantime...

Tonight, Patricia Reyes Spindola is "Tita Garza, Estafadora" (Tita Garza, con artist).

An older woman struggles her way down a flight of stairs, but almost immediately loses her balance and tumbles to the ground. A gardener shouts out "Doña Carmen" and yells to someone that she fell.

Aw, yeah, Gloria, let's get bloody for the last time. I'll miss you babe.

A bevy of broads play cards, including the soon to be fallen Carmen, and Tita. Carmen wins this hand. Tita gets a call on her cell phone from "Beto" and asks him when he needs her to "resolver" (resolve or settle…settle a debt, maybe?) she calls him her "angel de la guarda" (guardian angel) and says she'll do it, of course. Meanwhile the ladies motion to her to get off the phone and back to the game.

A guy in a suit tries to get hold of Tita, but leaves his fifth message, as the line is busy. He yells at a woman who walks in about needing to talk to Tita and ends up telling her that when Tita gets back, she needs to tell her that he's waiting for her.

Tita starts talking to the ladies about some fabulous investment that they've got to get in on tonight, if at all. She's apparently made money for them in the past and they debate among themselves whether they want to invest in whatever new scheme she has or not. Tita lays out some bull about a woman they know who made a ton of money. Two of the women say they'll give her a check, but Carmen isn't into it. Tita agrees to let her know for the next time. Carmen deals the next hand.

Tita finally makes it home and the maid tells her that her husband is furious and wants to talk to her. After she leaves the kitchen, the maid picks up Tita's discarded cigarette and starts smoking it.

The husband, Antonio, gripes at her for being out and is upset when she says she was gambling at Carmen's. She just stays annoyingly calm and asks what he's so upset about. Apparently, he gave her four million pesos to invest because she swore she could double it. Well, he hasn't gotten it back yet and it was supposed to be untouchable company money to pay the workers with. Now he's got no money, he was planning to sell the factory at a more-or-less reasonable price, and instead it's all falling apart now. He's worried about going to jail, but she says no one's going to jail in that same annoying "what a tiresome little man you are" tone of voice. She blames his lack of management skills on the problems with the factory and reminds him she's going to give him back a ton of money. She practically runs into the bathroom and locks herself in to get away from him. He starts asking if she invested all the money. She takes a pill and doesn't answer. He whines that he wrote some checks and they're going to get returned for insufficient funds. Tita starts taking off her makeup and looks a little desperate.

The next day, I guess, Carmen has changed her mind and is willing to invest $60k. In dollars, mind you. Partly in cash and partly by check. Tita doesn't even blink at signing an IOU for the money. She congratulates Carmen as a fellow investor.

Carmen talks to her daughter (who for some reason isn't listed on IMDB, but isn't that Diana Golden?) about what a great investment it is and that it's practically guaranteed. The daughter is having a little problem with the "practically" as opposed to an actual guarantee. Daughter chokes on her orange juice when she finds out mom invested sixty mil…dollars, that is. "That's everything you've got!" Carmen sighs that she's going to get all the money back next week, plus interest. Daughter remains unconvinced.

Daughter visits Det. Capellan, presumably after Carmen's death. She and the man with her are of the opinion that there was some kind of fraud going on. It's too much of a coincidence that all three women handed over money. They've spoken to the families of the other two women, who said the same thing happened, there's no record of the money or where it went. Capellan informs them that if they want to make a case for Carmen being murdered, they're going to have to autopsy the body. The daughter agrees and Capellan tells Aranda to get to work on it.

Tita is observed by a security camera as she walks into an office building and asks to see someone on the 9th floor. The security guard says there isn't anyone on the 9th floor--they and all their furniture left last night. She insists on seeing and he tells her to go ahead. Before she leaves she asks him if the guy left any kind of forwarding address. The guard says he didn't and she's not the only one to come looking for him. Tita starts getting nervous. Right then the guard gets a call from the guy, Alberto, and Tita snatches the phone away to talk to him. She's furiously asking why he up and moved offices and insisting that no, she will not calm down! He hangs up on her.

Tita spends some quality time smoking and watching the ants in her garden eat up a beetle. Matilde, the maid, comes running out with her cell phone. It's Chata, one of the ladies from the card game, asking how Tita could have taken money from Carmen when neither she nor Nena have seen any return on their investment yet. She complains that Tita told them ten days and it's now been a month. She insists that she needs her money back, like, now. She doesn't even care about the interest, she just needs her original investment back. Tita makes excuses. Chata reminds her that she has an IOU that Tita signed for the money. Tita complains that this is the first time she's been late and Chata acts like…. Chata has had enough. She asks if she should come by for the money herself or send a lawyer. Meanwhile, the maid also asks Tita if she should poison the ants.

Tita visits Chata. She's brought some freshly made butter-poison-cookies (or so I suspect) and she gives Chata two checks--one is the original investment and the other is the interest. She tells her she can cash the checks first thing in the morning and agrees that it's ok for Chata not to give her back her IOU until after she's cashed the checks.

At home, Antonio offers Tita a drink, but she declines. She lights up a cig as Antonio says that his dad always said a drink dulled the pain. Tita complains that she had a friend die, just like that, and how does he think she feels? He figures it feels about the same as when the interest on a debt is drowning you even though you're throwing a lot of money at it. She tells him to quit talking about money. He says he'd like to, but the little bit of money she gave him isn't enough. They're going to lose everything if he doesn't pay off the rest. She says he said things were getting better, so what more does he want her to do?

Matilde brings Tita some tea. She hesitates, but tells her that "they" came for her watch and Antonio gave it to them. Tita thought he was going to sell off some of her jewelry, but Matilde reminds her how he's always saying that the market goes up and down, so he didn't. Um, and also Nena called three times and said it was urgent. Tita just wants to be left alone.

Nena comes over to visit Tita. They talk about Chata's untimely death. Tita reminds Nena that they always call high blood pressure "the silent killer." Nena laments that Chata had even pre-paid part of her vacation. Well, that's life, says Tita. Matilde comes in and the ladies leave her to finish preparing the tea pot for them.

Nena begs for her money back. It's her life savings. Tita says the money's got to be put to work. Nena reminds her that the time period for the investment has already passed. Tita promises she'll have the money back next week. She says she'll go see her "executive" and get him to pull the money out of the investment. Nena is grateful. She has to leave, but Tita asks her to wait a moment. She comes back with cookies and tea for Nena to take home.

The phone rings in the middle of the night and Antonio answers it. He just says "yes" a bunch and then "don't worry." He turns on the light to tell Tita that Nena was feeling bad. She called the doctor, but wants Tita to be with her. She refuses Antonio's offer to come with her, saying Nena is shy and will be embarrassed about him being there. She says she'll take a taxi.

Nena coughs up a storm. The doc writes her a prescription for antibiotics to be taken every six hours, and advises she drink lots of water. Tita blames it on street food. She goes to walk to doctor out. Nena struggles to breathe. Tita prepares some tea and brings it in to Nena. The doorbell rings. It's paramedics running in to take care of Nena. One says she has no pulse and the other says there's nothing more they can do. Tita looks horrified.

Carmen asks her maid to hurry up and answer the door. Tita comes in asking what happened. Carmen says with what happened to Chata and Nena, she's very upset and she is also sick of waiting for her money back, she wants it now. Tita assures her she'll have it back today. She offers to go get the tea and asks if Carmen wants sugar. Tita brings the two cups of tea back into the living room and hands Carmen one of the cups. She tells Carmen to drink up while she goes to the bank and she'll be right back.

Forense Gerardo confirms that Carmen died of poisoning. They don't know how or with what, but the labs will at least tell them the "what." Capellan asks Aranda to order the exhumations of the other two women. I would think that after the embalming, they're not going to be able to run blood tests and whatnot, but who knows.

Capellan breaks it to Carmen's daughter that she was poisoned. Carmen's daughter insists that Tita must have done it, but Capellan says all they can do for now is investigate. They have no evidence that Tita did anything. Capellan asks where the IOU is, but daughter doesn't know.

Tita and hubby come to Carmen's funeral. Carmen's daughter is there, with her husband. She points out Tita to him as a friend of her mom's. Tita comes over to offer her condolences to the daughter. She introduces her to her husband and finally the daughter gives her name as "Diana Alvarado" (which character is listed on IMDB, but is not played by Diana Golden, but by Lourdes Reyes). Tita excuses herself while Antonio continues to talk to Diana and her husband.

She hightails it upstairs and looks in the nightstand for the key to a jewelry box, in which is her IOU. She grabs a picture off the nightstand just as Diana walks in. She pretends to have been up there mourning solo. "I saw her days ago and she was just perfect!" Diana says she'd rather Tita not be up there. Tita agrees to leave, but asks if she can keep the picture. Diana agrees and asks if later, she and Tita can meet to discuss business. "Oh, you want to invest some money?" Uh, no, she'd just like her mom's money back. Tita claims not to have any of her mother's money. She says she returned it all. She writes Diana's insistence off as being upset over her mother's death. Diana reminds her about the IOU. She calls her a con artist in front of the other funeral guests as Tita goes to grab Antonio and drag him out of there.

Diana and Capellan just look at each other, presumably after Diana told her the story.

Antonio asks for an explanation. Tita blames it on Diana's hurt and "nervousness." Antonio is having trouble understanding some things. Tita gives him a look and a gesture as if to say, "Well, that's cause you're stupid." He walks out of their kitchen. Tita pulls out the IOU from her purse and says "you'll have a lot more" (trouble understanding things, or things to not understand).

Antonio and Tita sit down to breakfast. Tita gripes at him for tucking his napkin into his shirt. He takes it out, but kind of huffs as he does it. She asks if they're ever going to be ok with each other again, but he doesn't think so. Too much baggage. She reminds him she's always been there, lending him a shoulder, making up for his debts and his lack of ambition. He tells her to shut it. He doesn't like easy money. She says he doesn't like difficult money either and he comes back with "Well, what have you ever done, besides lose millions!" The doorbell rings. Antonio tucks his napkin back into his collar. The maid announces that the cops are there to see her. Antonio, troubled, gets up to see what's up while Tita lights a cigarette. The DIEM team is in her foyer. Aranda asks Tita to come with her. Antonio insists on seeing the warrant, but Tita grabs it out of his hands. She then hands it to him saying there must be some mistake and tells the maid to bring her purse and her jacket. She obligingly lifts her hair out of the way as the maid lays her jacket over her shoulders. She then grandly waves the DIEM team out of her way with the hand holding the cigarette as she walks out the door. Antonio follows her. Aranda instructs two of the team to start searching. The woman asks the maid to open some locked doors in the sideboard. Meanwhile, the man has found the package of ant poison and plenty of live ants. The maid is escorted back into the kitchen as another guy finds a package of either cookies or tea. After being asked, the maid says she's worked there for six years.

Moran brings the report to Gerardo that all three women were poisoned with cyanide.

The very nervous maid talks to Aranda. She says Tita liked to make the food for get-together's herself. What she made depended on whether it was for breakfast, or dinner…or a game. Aranda asks what that menu would have been like. Cookies, French-style canapés, "brochetas" (skewers or kebabs), and coffee or tea. She says she always helped with the cooking.

The DIEM team continues their search at the houses of the deceased ladies. The find cookies at two houses at least.

Capellan tells Antonio that she has evidence that the financial problems were caused by Tita. He defends her, saying she's an investor and the market is unstable. "Mhm, right. What about the four million that you owe your workers?" Capellan says the money was removed from the company account by his wife. Antonio says she invested it in a "fund" so they could get back on their feet, but it looks like she lost it. He was not in agreement with the withdrawal, but she did it without his knowledge.

Moran and Gerardo fill Capellan in on the cyanide/ant poison.

Tita coldly and un-shockedly, says it's horrible that the families of her friends are trying to get some advantage out of their deaths. Capellan says there's no proof that Tita gave them back their money. Tita shows the IOUs and says she gave back all their money, plus interest. Capellan says all three of her investors are dead. Tita says they all died of natural causes, and, hey, they were older. "I'm already being accused of theft, now they want to accuse me of murder?" Capellan says neither the money nor the interest were deposited anywhere, so how did Tita get the IOU's back. Tita says her dad's an ambassador, she doesn't need to steal to live, she's an educated woman incapable of killing an ant. Capellan says what she knows is that Tita was defrauded by Alberto, her husband's business was in trouble, and the only way she could find to get back her IOU's was to kill her friends. "Prove it," says Tita. Oh, you asked for it bitch!

Capellan puts up the fingerprints and picture of Chata on a screen. "She liked butter cookies, right?"

Flashback to Chata eating the cookie and starting to get dizzy and have trouble breathing almost right away. Tita holds her arm s Chata dies. She picks up the IOU and walks out.

"You say you can't kill an ant, but you are capable of killing women with the same poison to solve your problems. One after the next." She puts up the fingerprints and picture of Nena.

Flashback to Tita smoking away in Nena's kitchen while she waits for water to boil. She puts the water in the teacup and adds a spoonful of ant poison. She spoons the tea into Nena's mouth. Nena's breathing gets more and more difficult. Tita tells Nena to calm down as Nena gasps for air. She smiles slightly after Nena dies.

Tita accuses Capellan of having an overactive imagination. She says she's an investigator. "Let's get back to the subject at hand. What happened to Carmen?" Tita blames it on Carmen's heart and Carmen's lack of self-care.

Flashback to Tita asking Carmen if she wants sugar in her tea. She forgot to ask about the ant poison, but she thoughtfully adds it anyway. We see Carmen rolling down the stairs again. The maid goes running to answer the gat as Tita comes running in, calling Carmen's name. She goes in the house to call the doctor and an ambulance. She goes frantically searching through Carmen's room for the IOU and finally realizes it must be in the jewelry box. She finds the key and opens it, but before she can take the IOU she hears the maid running in and puts everything back. She grabs the phone and starts yelling "How am I supposed to know what's wrong with here, hurry!" They both run outside. Carmen is foaming at the mouth as the gardener says she's still breathing and why is it taking the ambulance so long to get there?

Tita finishes, "and that's how it was. Are we done?" Capellan says she never called the ambulance and she didn't help Nena or Chata. "The evidence is against you. There are no coincidences, but there are coincidences (as in things coinciding) in the way her friends died. Killed by the cookies, tea, and canapés poisoned with the same pesticide she used on her plants. Capellan calls her an "arriesgada" (daring woman). Tita says those are Capellan's conclusions, but she doesn't have any way of proving anything. Capellan says Tita overlooked one thing. Matilde already testified against her.

Flashback to Matilde coming into the kitchen as Tita mixes cookie batter (while having a cigarette hanging out her mouth, cause we all know poisoners don't give a crap about getting cigarette ashes in your food) and adds some of the ant poison. Tita and Matilde look at each other.

Tita tells Capellan she didn't kill them. "I made them earn money and I won too."

Flashback to Tita standing over Carmen's body as the maid and the gardener keep trying to revieve her. She looks directly into the camera and smiles.

"Ernestina 'Tita' Garza was found guilty of three charges of first-degree murder and condemned to 50 years in prison for each one. She always denied having killed her friends and instead insisted she had exerted herself to increase their wealth. Matilde Sanchez was condemned to five years for criminal conspiracy. Antonio unsuccessfully cares for Tita's plants, infested with ants."

Some specialty legal vocab:

Homicido calificado--first-degree murder, meaning it was premeditated
Asociación delictuosa--criminal conspiracy

Labels: asesinas

Quintana turns the charm on for Rosario, who melts for his kind words. He thinks he has Rosario in the palm of his hand.

Jaime gives his nightmare bride a heads up that Rafa is on his way to break up with her. In a burst of perfect timing, Rafa knocks on the door. Vicky refuses to answer it and clutches her ears like a child when Rafa tries to talk to her. “La, la, la! I can’t hear you!” She hides in her room to avoid him.

Rafa tells Don Gaston and the hermanos about Vicky’s misconduct involving Rafa’s job. “I work hard with several important clients. She calls nonstop! I have reached the limit. My boss could throw me out for this.” The hermanos want to rip Rafa’s head off regardless but Don Gaston sides with Rafa. Eavesdropping Vicky is horrified. Gaston understands Rafa’s frustration and tells Rafa he will handle Vicky. “She won’t bother you again.” Rafa is surprised how well this talk went, considering he is leaving without any knife wounds or significant appendages missing.

Rosario coxes a confession out of Ale: her relationship with Marco is over. Rosario immediately thinks it’s because of Rafa and hits the roof. A fiesta photo falls off the nightstand but Ale quickly stashes it away before Rosario can ask too many questions.

Marco is in a bad way when Chavez pays a visit. Ale dumped him and he’s been nursing the whisky ever since. Marco vows to kill Rafa. He cries that he loves Ale and can’t live without her. Chavez says it’s the whisky talking but Marco swears he does love Ale and can’t stand to lose her. Chavez rallies behind Marco to give him the courage to steal Ale back from Rafa.

Both Rafa and Ale fall asleep with images of tender kisses and heart monitors in their heads. Rafa calls the next morning but Ale hangs up and goes back to sleep. Rafa lays the law down for Julieta about the rules for her trip. Julieta promises to behave and asks how things went with VVV. He relays Vicky’s hysterics and has no doubt he did the right thing by breaking up with her.

Gaston and hermanos are angry Vicky is too busy moping around the house to make breakfast. Her padre lays into her. “Young lady, you have to learn to listen and to respect others.” Vicky refuses to believe she and Rafa broke up because “she never heard it”. VVV is sure her family is just making it up. Her pajarito would never break up with her, understand?! (The girl is steps away from needing a strait jacket.)

Trapito asks Doña Arcadia for the opportunity to become a salesman. She tells him to ask Beltran but he never takes Trapito seriously. She’ll think about putting a word in with Beltran for him. Trapito leaves happily but Arcadia is a bit frustrated with having to be a psychologist for all the employees.

Ale decides to skip breakfast in favor of going to the beauty salon. She needs to look her best for a business trip to Cocoyoc. Jorge doesn’t want her to go alone and demands Marco go with her. Rosario covers for Ale and promises to call him.

Meanwhile, Marco’s pity party is going fabulously. Chavez tells him to snap out of it so he can earn the hacienda and the woman back.

Rafa is concerned when Ale still hasn’t showed up for work but Susana assures him everything is fine. The Siglo is a pit of tension when Ramirez arrives late because of a doctor’s appointment to check out his eye. The daily business meeting kicks off without Ale; she is currently at a very regal estate in Estado de Morelos.

Ramirez promises to make up for his poor sales despite his handicap. Rosaura falls apart during the meeting because she has separated from her husband. She has no money and no place to live. Don Bebe comforts Rosaura and Rafa excuses her from the meeting. Rafa strikes up the Siglo anthem to boost everyone's morale.

Vicky stops by Rafa’s house to talk to Leonor, who VVV insists on calling ‘suegra’ (mother-in-law). Leonor is obviously uncomfortable but Vicky needs to pout to someone about her troubles. She takes off in a jealous snit when she finds out Jaime went on a trip with Julieta.

Unsuspecting Jaime and Julieta arrive at the cabin in the woods and get a key from the gatekeeper. Jaime asks when her classmates are arriving but Julieta admits no one else is coming. She wanted some privacy with her novio for once. Jaime is mortified what would happen if Rafa found out but Julieta just squeezes closer to him.

Marian gives the Siglo a call for Rafa. She wants to finish what they started the day before (and probably not just the business contract by the smirk on her face). Susana avoids telling Rafa why Ale won’t be at work but eventually lets him know Ale is in Cocoyoc. Rafa looks less than pleased by this news and Susana sees him sneak out of the office a little later.

The General pulls Rosaura aside for a little girl talk. Pepeto boasts he is the reason Rosaura broke up with her husband and Bebe scolds him for being so shameless. Rosaura is embarrassed that a woman of her stature could have kissed a poor guy like Pepeto. She feels unfaithful and undependable and bemoans her lack of money. Rosaura calls her mother for help but she obviously offers no sympathy. “You are more a mother for Gabriel than your own daughter.”

Don Bebe admires Doña Aracdia’s office and gets along quite well with her. He regrets having to ask for a raise but he badly needs it. He wants 50% but leaves with only a 3% increase.

Ale gets a warm bear hug from an attractive guy named Guillermo ‘Memo’ Soler. They have lunch together and we find out he is a salesman from Pittsburgh. He was sent back to Mexico by his company for business. They flirt and chat lightheartedly. Ale tells him about her turbulent relationship with Marco and all the problems with the hacienda. Guillermo thinks the poor guy must be distraught without Ale. He asks if there is anyone else in her life. He claims to see it in her eyes. “Who is the victim?” Ale says she is the only victim in the relationship.

Ramriez is greeted by none other than Zetina, our human kickball. He is desperate for work and, under the impression that Marino is the boss, grovels to him for a job. Marino bites his head off but gets served a slice of humble pie when Ramirez says he is through handling all of Marino’s women and children. It’s his problem now.

Zetina turns to Susana for help because he wants to plead his case to Ale but she is, of course, out of town. Zetina can’t ever catch a break, pobre hombre.

If we thought Ale was demanding at work, she looks harmless compared to Carmela. She chews out an associate and shouts at her assistant. Chavez and Marco are next but Marco is hesitant. As soon as Carmela catches a glimpse of Marco, you can almost see the little valentine hearts floating above her head. She invites Marco to sit, slowly so she can admire the goods.

Carmela, who likes referring to herself in the third person, is already wise to Marco’s problem: the creditors won’t let him take over the hacienda and they have too much debt to fight it. Now they’ve come to Carmela to sort everything out. It’s a good thing the Alvarez del Castillo family doesn’t know what they’ve done or else they would be prisoners in a heartbeat. Carmela places Marco’s hand on her thigh while he looks terrified.

Later, Marco is outraged Carmela is asking for 10% as payment but she is shrewd as they come. “How much do you value your freedom and your prestige?” Carmela is thrilled to hear Marco is single and promises he will stay a free man as long as he does what she advises. She threatens to up the percentage to 15 and call the papers about the scam Chavez and Marco have been running if they don’t accept.

Carmela, however, gives them one other option. She makes Chavez leave the room and offers to lower her rate to 5%, if Marco will pay the difference in other ways. Cougar Carmela whispers in Marco’s ear. Whatever she said was dirty enough to nearly knock Marco off his feet.

Marian gives Rafa a call. “Is it just me or are you standing me up?” Rafa apologizes but he has some important business out of town. Marian, ever direct, asks if he is avoiding her proposition. “I thought you were a gentleman but now I see you aren’t. Should I cancel our proposition?” Of course Rafa doesn’t want that and promises to make a date with her soon to seal the deal.

Jaime and Julieta sit on the cabin porch and are interrupted by a call from Vicky. Jamie, ever the whipping boy, answers the call to Julieta’s frustration. Vicky lays the guilt on thick. “How could you disappear with Julieta and leave me and your child alone? Come back this minute. I need you. We need you.” *boo hoo, boo hoo* Julieta grabs the phone away from Jaime and forces him to hang up.

Rafa is overjoyed to find Ale’s car out front of the hotel. An employee stops him but Rafa talks his way inside. The first thing he sees is Ale sitting with Guillermo. Meanwhile, Guillermo has pulled more information out of Ale about Rafa. “He is a hard worker and has a nose for business.” Guillermo doesn’t seem very impressed when Ale starts listing some of Rafa's low class tastes. He invites Ale to stay the night in his room and she readily agrees. Rafa watches Ale hug Guillermo and finds out her luggage is being taken into the guy’s room.

Ale heads into the bathroom while Guillermo lounges on the bed. Rafa barges into the room, ready to clock Guillermo when Ale walks out. “Medina, qué hace aquí?!”

Avances: Marco seethes about Rafa and Ale. Rafa pushes Guillermo into the pool.

Labels: dinero

Albieri explains to Estela that the identity of sperm donors is confidential. Estela does not let on that Daniel is back in town but tells Albieri that Daniel does not feel like part of their family and that must come from the father's genes.

[The writers seem to vacillate between suggesting that Daniel doesn't feel that he belongs in Dora's family because he not related genetically to them or because he is a clone. If the former, why did he feel at home with Albieri? Are they are suggesting that an adopted child would not feel part of his/her adopted family? Or, are they suggesting that Daniel does not feel at home in Dora's family because it was different from the way Lucas was brought up - with Albieri in his life and with lots of expensive toys. In other words, are they suggesting that Lucas' life experience somehow got into his genes? I think this is where we are going and a later scene provides more evidence that this is the case.]

Here we see that Albieri has an Apple iMac with the logo covered up.
After she leaves, Estela wonders if a doctor should examine Daniel.

Alicia calls Luisa to tell her that she isn't needed at the clinic.

Dora is overprotective with Daniel but he assures her that he will be fine.

In a post coital chat, Marisa tells Said that Lucas is planning to divorce her. Said says that he might not want to do that after the news Said has for him.

Ali warns Jade that she will reap what she has sown with Said.

Lucas tells Rosa that he will pay any price to be with Jade. He also tells her that at first Nati's relationship with Alej caused him concern but if Nati loves Alej, he wants her have the experience. He doesn't want to do to his daughter what Leo did to him. Rosa agrees and in a surprising turnaround, Rosa, who only the other day said that Jade was the cause of all the misfortune that had befallen the family, now tells Lucas that she should have helped him marry Jade. She doesn't think he would have been happy with her,
pero por lo menos no estarías diciendo que tu vida habria sido diferente al lado de ella.
but at least you wouldn't be saying that your life would have been different at her side.
Si pudiera regresarme 20 años... sería diferente, sería otro Lucas.
If I could go back 20 years, says Lucas, I would be different, I would be another Lucas.
So we are setting us up for the appearance of the 20 year old clone of Lucas who will be able to be a different Lucas.

The Naz is in pursuit of Pablo and she finds out where he gives aerobics classes. Zamira tells her that they need special clothing to go to exercise class. Reluctantly, Latifa lets them go shopping but insists that they can't go to the gym without Mohamed's permission.

Estela suggests to Dora that Daniel go to a doctor, presumably for a DNA test, to see why he is different from them.

Cristina is drowning her sorrows about Leo in ice cream.

Amalia fishes for info on Cristina from Clara but as a new hire she doesn't know anything.

Said shows up at the office without any advance notice. He tells Leo et al that he is now their associate. It transpires that he has bought up all the available stock of Leo's company. Leo is still the majority stockholder but that wouldn't be the case if Lucas sell the shares that he owns. Enrique tells Carolina about his concern that Lucas would sell his stock to get Jade back.

Leo has no confidence in Lucas' judgment when it comes to Jade. He tells Roberto to set up a meeting with his lawyers to see if there is a way to get the stock back from Lucas.

Nati tells Andrea that her house is like a caja de gatos (box of cats) with everyone fighting. Andrea one ups her by describing how Lucia made Roberto record videos of all the staff at the office explaining that the woman she heard at the office had nothing to do with Roberto.

Lucia is not sure she can believe the videos.

Jade, Rania and Jadiya leave for the States.

Karla with a K comes to shake Osvaldo down and meets Daniel.

Latifa is shocked at Zamira's exercise outfit and horrified by what the Naz chose. This made me laugh out loud. Way to go, Naz!

Jade, Rania and Jadiya arrive in Miami and go to Said's new house. Jade is pretty pleased with herself until she finds out that the phones in the house can't make outgoing calls and that the security detail won't let her leave the house. There's trouble brewing on the 2nd wife front, too. Rania thinks that Jade's room is nicer than hers and that Jade has more gold than she does.

Said goes to see Latifa. Latifa asks why he didn't bring Jade. Said, who has this sort of self-satisfied demeanor that indicates he has gone to the dark side, replies that Jade has things to do in the house and Latifa will see her later. Latifa hasn't listened to Zoraida's advice. She pitches a fit when told that Amina is arriving next week and says that the Naz is trying to push Amina on Mohamed as a second wife and she won't accept that. Said takes this as a criticism of Nazira and the brothers close ranks, as usual, to defend the Naz. Latifa leaves in a huff and Said says that more and more Latifa resembles Ali's bitchy wife, Duina.

Daniel is strangely attracted to Estela's jade ring so it's pretty clear that the writers want us to believe that Lucas' feelings for Jade are in his genes and that the clone got them, too.

Jade clutches her pendant and remembers Zoriada's 'two rivers meeting' prophecy. She says that her destiny is written and no one can change what Allah has decreed.

Clara leaves work early to try and catch Escobar and Alicia red handed.

Alicia provides further demonstration about why Luisa is no longer needed at the clinic. Luisa suggests that Albieri get Alicia a different job but he replies that she has become indispensable to the clinic.

For about the millionth time, Ali tell Zoraida how worried he is about what will happen with Jade. If Jade misbehaves, Rania will report it to her family and Ali won't be able to protect her and Nariza will be able to get Mohamed to take a 2nd wife. Zoraida asks if Ali would take Jade back if Said divorces her. Ali says that he won't, la tiro al viento, he will throw her to the wind.

Rania asks Jade why she only had one daughter. Jade replies that is all that Allah gave her. Rania expresses her wish to have lots of sons for Said. Jade asks Rania if she would like to be Said's first wife. She won't go into details yet. Said comes home. Jade demands to know why she is locked up like a prisoner. Said asks if she is sad that she hasn't been able to find out anything about Lucas. Then he tells her that Marisa is coming to dinner and Jade can ask her anything she wants about Lucas. Jade is impactada.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Episode 70

Martyr Regina kneels in front of la virgensita in church, praying for her deliberation from hell in form of bad marriage. Damn you Rodrigo. She tells the virgensita she leaves it all up to her. Dr Miranda comes into church and he notices she is yet again sad. Regina imparts the tragic news.

Federico Martin del Campo is supposed to make some type of weapons delivery with Servando but it looks like things went out of wack. The ruffians try to steal the merchandise, Servando starts throwing knifes and chaos ensues. Is it too much to hope Fed will die like this? Oh please, please novela virgensita, hear my prayer too.

Dr Miranda adds 2 plus 2 after Regina yet again declares she is in love with someone taken and asks her if she loves Renato. She turns around and sadly confirms this. Surprisingly Dr. Hottie starts advising her not to give up. Isn’t Regina’s dress the same dress she is wearing in the credits when she is with Juan all kissy kissy in Luzbel? He proposes to marry her and take her far way. Take it Regina and RUN! That is so romantic!

But no, she says she already gave her word and that her dear old dad’s health is in risk. Snap out of it Regina!

Servando decides he wants to keep the money from the botched delivery. Some poor nameless dude that came with them steps up for "honesty" and gets stabbed in the back with a humongous knife courtesy of scary Ser. He takes a look at Fed and asks him if he’s with him or against him. Um, -raises hand and bounces on seat- I know the answer to that . They split the “winnings”

Santos runs into Jacinta and he grumbles about how she hasn’t visited her. She says she has also been busy. He claims he heard she already has a bf. She denies this. He starts asking her if she can please finally tell him yes and be his girlfriend. “Please come on I’m a hard working man…” “Yes!” “And I will do whatever it takes for our kids…” “Yes!” “What? Yes?” He causes some collateral damage as he lifts her off the ground. Let’s all say awwwww.

Dr. Miranda depressedly resigns himself to never finding love when alas, Rosenda, who seems to always be around the church, has a fainting spell right in front of him. He grabs her before she falls, lucky her. Is someone expecting a bundle of lust? He insists on “checking her” and her boobs over but she asserts she is fine and runs off unsteadily. Dumbass.

Griselda finds Servando being all mysterious and yet again they have an argument about how he never gives her any money anymore. She threatens to take Jimena far far away and Servando huffs away. Smiling evilly, She plans on pitting Branco against Servando very soon

Selfish disgusting Rodrigo is asking for Murderous pathetic Leonarda’s help in planning his "darling" daughter’s wedding. She bats her eyes and I puke a little in my mouth. He declares her to be wonderful etc. Yeah, only when she is of use to you, huh?

So, no wonder Rosenda was in the vicinity of the church, for she never actually goes in. She has come to pay her loooover a little visit. Too bad it was a one night stand he doesn’t want her anymore. Wait, he is that much of a whore and after a few sultry looks he is about to kiss her when OH SHISNET! Leonarda came back for something she forgot or whatever and catches Rosenda in his company. Rod tries to smooth it over but it’s still... awkward.

“Oh, you hadn’t told me that Rosenda often comes here to ask you if there’s anything you need…”

“Oh please, like that little servant girl could awaken anything in me?”

Yes, we do.

He proceeds to tell her that Madame Marlene is Rosenda’s mother. Hadn’t she just paid him quiet well to keep his big fat mouth shut?

Meanwhile in the casino Lulu is telling Madame Marlene about Remigio and she doesn’t approve. "You lied to him and no decent, honest man will want to take someone like us," MM says. “Once we took this path, there is no way out.” Boy am I glad we are in the 21st century o_O. Also you are really cheering up Lulu MM, great mom you are!

Lulu seems to still be determined. How will she try to deceive Remigio? No relationship in this show stands a chance, other than in the world created in this novella l0l.

Remigio tells all his Pescadores friends that he now has a giiiilllfriend. They talk about girls and marriage and kid around. Pedro sadly muses that he is all alone. Aww, someone get him a girlfriend too.

Talking about not having love, Clemencia lets us know in her thoughts that she has never found love and how hard it must be. I'm thorn between pitting her and telling her to run and hide from any man in a 10 foot radius.

Leonarda runs into Aimee and bluntly blurts out and tells her Regina is getting married very soon to Fed. "Her wedding won't be anything like yours of course but it shalln't be shabby either." Favoritism much? Aimee is ecstatic, but only because finally her good twin sister will stop bothering her. Does her selfishness have no bounds?

Juan after one or two days in el Penon del Diablo decides to return AGAIN. Raise your hand if you saw this coming.

Gabriel and De Marin are finishing up their labor day. Marin compliments Gabriel on his work -and I sigh over his beautiful eyes. “I need a favor from you. As you’ve probably noticed, Mariella is often sad and down in the dumps. A little fun would do her well. Maybe a lady in waiting that could entertain her.”

Gabriel smiles and mentions he does know someone…but it’s a gipsy girl. Oh Gabriel, Gabriel you are either very smart, or very dumb, l0l. I can’t wait for all the ironic “Oh I wish you were my daughter/mother” moments that will now ensue haha.

Night befalls the gypsy camp and Branco hands over Jimena a new set of clothes. Jimena looks sad.

Fulgencio’s secret office: Servando and Fed let him know how the delivery went wrong and that “Samuel” is dead. Servando is all dramatic about it but they didn’t count with the fact that Fulgencio is BAT crazy. He wants to start some type of weapons war now. He yells at them that now that they are in they are IN, like the mafia I guess? Ser and Fed are screweeeed. Suckers!

Jimena is beautifully dressed while Griselda asks her if she’s seen Servando. Goodness woman, you are taking far too long to find out what he is up to.

At the Casino, Fed sits with Woody bellyaches about how he is going to let Don aldama de la cruz know what a jackass Juan is. Ha, ha, ha. Let me know how that goes.

Party at the gypsy camp! “My girl, I swear I will make you the happiest girl in the whole world,” Branco swears. Jimena receives his little wilted flower with a little smile and they proceed to dance together. Gabriel wanders in, and alas sees them sensually moving against each other. Poor guy walks in at the worst moments. He doesn’t look too happy.

Griselda asks him what he is up to and he tells her about the lady in waiting job. She immediately tells him she accepts, like she is Jimena’s voice now. Griselda sweeps away and poor dear Gabriel gazes at the dancing couple with hard, sad eyes. Everyone say awwwww :(

Imperviously, Leo summons Clemencia and the other housekeeper to ask them about Rosenda and her little visits to her Woody. The other girl says she thinks its probably a pretext to go visit some guy at the Puerto, since she’s been receiving mysterious gifts. Leo looks surprised and asks them if they know who is sending these gifts. Clemencia shoots her a hard look and says we don’t know, we don’t know a thing.

Holy mother of God, how can you even sit down in that thing! Mariella is wearing the ugliest dress I’ve ever seen, it looks like they used all the fabric in the store to fluff up the butt. She morosely sighs and looks out a window as she is wont to do. Her parents walk in and sadly tell her they need to tell her they need to talk.

“You know we have done everything possible to try to find your daughter but we don’t want you to keep going on false hopes. We think it might be time that we all start accepting she might be… dead.”

She goes a bit nuts and screams no! no! no! “I need to be alone, please.” And basically kicks them out of the room. Poor lady.

At that exact moment Gabriel brings Jimena to introduce her. They gaze at each other. She tells Jimena she is very beautiful and that this explains a lot. Gabriel grins and blushes, leaving them alone to talk. Lol. They sit down and Mariella asks her to tell her more about herself. Mariella asks her to read her hand... And if she will ever find her daughter.

Jimena's hand trembles hovering over her mom. She panics a bit because she cannot read her hand. "It's so strange, for the fist time I can't get a reading." Mom assures her its okay and then she mentions Gabriel and how she knows that she likes him. Are they also sitting on a tree? Jimena cries a bit.

“I love Gabriel but our love is impossible because we belong to two different worlds.” :( -sighs- Really Jimena? You're going to continue to harp on this till when?

-slaps!- Leonarda smacks Rosenda like a ho that didn’t pay her, screaming at her that she is out of here. Rosenda complains, no you can’t I know your secret!

“What secret? Everyone will know about the bastard soon so ha ha.”

Leo is carting her out the room while Rosenda is still hollering. Regina, with her new, um, interesting hairdo stands at the door, impactada. What secret are they talking about?

Griselda is informing Branco that Jimena is now working as a lady in waiting. Branco wonders why she has to work, if he can give her what she needs -nudge nudge, wink wink. She says that it’s not at simple as she is an old, sick lady that also needs to be taken care of and, big reveal, Servando no longer helps her out. Step 1 in Gris’ plan to make Branco not like Ser. Branco wonders, y is Ser being such an asshole?

She tells Branco that as her niece, Jimena is obligated to take care of her or a maldicion could strike down on her! Branco gets a bit big-eyed and says that he can take care of Jimena but he doesn’t know about Gris. This is amusing.

“My tonics and medications are so expensive.” Lol!

She assures Branco the job is very decent and worthy.

In the meantime mother and daughter are commiserating about missing each other without knowing. “From now on, I will protect you. I don’t know why but I felt a special feeling for you ever since I laid eyes on you.” "I felt the same," says Jimena.

Oh lord, I called it. Let's see how long they can stretch this. They hug. Awww

Noel Vidal’s office. Rod and Marin are there also, impatiently waiting for Aldama de la Cruz. Juan walks in, semi-formally dressed. I like it when he wears a formal coat but lets the shirt unbuttoned so we can stare at his broad chest... ahem anyway...

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Woody yells out. “We are waiting for Don Aldama de la Cruz?”

Don what? Oh Aldama de la Cruz. Say again? –rolls eyes- Everyone stares at Juan. Oh ladileda.

So as for upcoming scenes I’m going to list them and tell you which have already happened.

-Gabriel running and tripping holding some flowers –happened
-Juan grabbing Woody’s coat and holding up a knife in the finca –not happened yet
-Jimena and Branco kiss –happened
-Renato throws a file to a door in a fit of rage –not happened yet
-Its dark, Regina wears a veil and a male hand is wiping away a tear from her face (most likely Renato)- not happened yet
-Juan and Aimee kissing passionately –happened, unfortunately
-Renato pointing a gun -not happened yet
-Aimee kneeling kissing a man’s hand –happened when she groveled to Renato
-Apparent face off between Renato and Juan- not happened yet

Labels: salvaje

No subtitles for me tonight, so wish me luck! Feel free to add anything I missed or correct anything I got wrong.

Dora introduces Danny Boy. Danny just scowls and doesn’t look at Osvaldo. Ozzie asks, are you happy to meet me? Daniel stammers, “It‘s strange, to meet a person I’ve never met, and the first thing he says is that he’s my father.” Danny accepts Ozzie’s offer to spend some time with him. Ozzie introduces him to Miguel, who points out the obvious differences between father and son. Ozzie insists that they are exactly the same.

Leo takes one look at Cristina in his office, and he runs and hides behind his door. What a man! She has an extended rant, screaming at the door, while Roberto tries to call Lucia. Lucia concludes that if a woman is pitching a rant next to her husband, she is obviously his lover. Leo hustles Amalia into the conference room so she can’t hear Cris’s tantrum. The scandal also causes Clara to fret about her husband and Alicia. Leo gives Amalia some excuse that the scandalosa is the wife of a terminated employee. Cris discovers that her purse strap broke and it’s all Leo’s fault since he made her throw a giant temper tantrum. Enrique says Leo will pay for it, and Cris says it’s $3,000. And she wants cash, not a check. He writes her a check, and Cris puts a new twist on an old dicho, “Take the money and stay!” She says they can’t get rid of her for a miserable $3,000.

Dora reports to Vicky that Daniel showed up. She tells Vicki their rendition of Daniel’s paternity story. She says she never wants to see Albi ever again. As we all know, in a novela a sentence like that summons him, so he shows up at their door at that moment. Extended stares that are supposed to be profound. Dora says she hasn’t heard from Daniel in a long time. Albi insists on her address and phone number. She claims she doesn’t have a phone. He asks, “What have I done? Why did you take Daniel away and hide from me?” Dora answers, “Because you’re a creepy old man who tried to take MY child away from me, and if you try to contact MY son ever again, I’ll call Cousin Guido to convince you otherwise.” Then we hear spooky music, the TV image shimmers and wavers, and we realize we were having a fantasy / illusion like TN characters have all the time. Albi’s tune changes from whining feelings of betrayal, to ranting that she would have the nerve to do such a despicable act. He says that no one can love Daniel as much as he does. That gets up Dora’s dander. “Even more than me?” she demands. Too bad Estella’s not here. Albi would be ducking a frying pan to the face right now. Albi thinks to himself, “She acts like she owns Daniel. If I told her that he’s Lucas’s clone, she wouldn’t feel like she owns him anymore.” Dora says, “You helped me have a child, but you did it for you, not for me. That’s why I left.” She tells him to leave.

At the bar, Dan asks Ozzie if he knows Albi. Dan says Albi is important to him; he considers him like a father. Ozzie takes offense at this, and says that HE is Dan’s only father. I think the shoot Dan’s close-ups through a green filter.

Albi complains to Luisa about how Dora treated him after all he’s done for her. Don’t get me started. Albi is determined to find Danny. I still think Dora should call Cousin Guido.

At the office, Julio asks for some files from last year. Luisa reaches for the file drawer, but Alicia has transferred all the records to the computer. Well bless her heart. Imagine how easy it will be to retrieve any file. Or corrupt it with bogus data. Or destroy it. With just a few keystrokes.

Leo calls Enrique from the conference room and tells him to get rid of Cristina. He makes up some other excuse for Amalia. She answers, “You’re so sexy when you lie to me,” and she starts sucking his face. Isn’t that just precious?

Rania asks Jade what the West is like. Jade says you’ll love it. There is so much more freedom, the beach, the tourists, and people from all over the world. Rania says she wants to be Jade’s best friend, and Jade is delighted. Said is leaving for the airport, and he comes in to say goodbye to his wives. Rania is responsive and Jade is Jade. When he leaves, Jade tells Rania that she has decided to give Rania all her nights with Said for the first month, so they can get to know each other better. Ali counsels Said that he’s a good guy, but his suffering has made him do things that go against his nature. He warns Said that vengeance turns people bitter. Said claims that Ali knew that Jade betrayed him, but Ali denies it. Said doesn’t believe him. Ali says he will not accuse anyone of anything without four witnesses. Said leaves and Ali tells Zoraida that he’s sure Jade will suffer.

Estella tries to talk to Daniel, and he asks her about Albi. She says that he needs to forget about Albi and focus on his family. She says he seems like he’s not connected to the family. Dan says he feels the same way, as if he doesn’t belong here. The only person he feels a connection to is Albi.

Leo goes to Lucas’s room and says that since the contract with Said is so important to their business, Lucas must renounce all ties to Jade. Lucas flatly refuses. Leo says that if they don’t get that contract from Said, the company will go bankrupt. Many people depend on the company, and if it fails it will all be Lucas’s fault. Gee, I wonder if all Leo’s payments to Cris had any effect on the Profit and Loss statement. Leo continues, “Quit being so selfish. Do it my way” (o algo así).

Nariza asks Ramon about Pablo. Pablo says he’s in aerobics classes. Then Mohammed orders her back into the house.

Dora gets home and is upset that Daniel left. Estella insists that Dora tell her where Albi lives. Dora refuses but then says he works at the clinic. She marches into the clinic and demands to speak to Albi. She asks him, point blank, who is Daniel’s father.

At home, Rosa tells Lucas about the differences between him and Diego. Lucas wishes he were more like his brother. He always worries about looking foolish. Marisa comes in and flaunts the fact that she’s going to meet Said intimately. Leo asks Marisa to convince Lucas to not get divorced. She meets Said at the hotel, he gives her jewelry, they both glory in how much they are going to hurt their spouses, and they start breeding like dogs on the front lawn.

Labels: clon

We start where we left last night. We know Vicky has completely flipped her lid because she threatens our Big Blustery Boss-man Beltran. She’ll reveal what she saw him doing in his office with the mini-skirted one last night during the Siglo party, if he doesn’t tell her where Rafa is and with whom. Beltran can’t believe his ears or her gall. He tells her she’s crazier than a fox- “Mas loca que una cabra” (crazier than a goat). He hangs up on her.

Back at Marian’s “little” Country Casa in Cuernavaca, Marian’s wondering what exactly Ale thinks won’t work in the current deal Rafa was about to present her. Ale brings up a lot of issues like the trade in of the old Celeste trucks, and the immediate availability of the trucks Marian’s company is buying from Siglo. Marian sees no problem with making adjustments to the contract based on these issues and agreeing to them. She’s looking at Ale like, “That was it?”

Beltran calls just then on Ale’s phone (because Rafa’s is off) and wants to talk to Rafa about that crazy girlfriend of his. Rafa gets up from the table to continue the conversation and leaves Marian and Ale alone (duhn, duhn, duhn). Once he’s gone, our two tigresses wearing fur coats circle each other. Marian doesn’t think that anything Ale brought up couldn’t have been worked out between her and Rafa, you know, ALONE. She wonders if Ale always tags along on Rafa’s sales and accuses Ale of trying to circumvent his power. Ale denies. Well, then you don’t trust him, Marian counters. Ale denies again and says she only gets involved when she’s looking out for Rafa and sees that there’s danger of business and intimacy mixing (ahem…). Marian knows exactly what Ale’s implying and asks Ale directly if she thinks she’s trying to seduce Rafa. Ale’s taken aback by this directness, and realizes she may be wrecking the deal. She decides to retreat and denies that that is what she thought.

Clueless Rafa returns to the table after being reamed out by Beltran about Vicky (“It will never happen again.” “It better not!”), and calling up Vicky to ream her out. Marian announces that she wants to put the whole deal in Ale’s hands, so that there will be no doubt of her intentions. Rafa doesn’t know what the heck is going on. Ale is so embarrassed that she tries to excuse herself, making apologies as she takes off her borrowed fur coat and gathers her things. Just as she stands up and starts to go she nearly faints. Rafa is there to catch her, and he and Marian try to convince Ale to sit down, have some water and catch her breath. Our stubborn, and mortified, Ale refuses and starts to stumble to her car. Rafa won’t let her leave alone and starts to make his apologies to Marian, thinking the deal is shot. Marian looks disappointed, but she understands Rafa’s concern and that he has to accompany Ale. She tells him not to worry, because the deal is still on. He runs after Ale, and Marian looks pensive.

Ale has somehow managed to stumble into her car. (My God! She’s going to drive!) But Rafa jumps in front of her car and forces her to let him in. She won’t, however, give over the wheel. Ale begins to drive down the road from Cuernavaca while simultaneously having a dizzy spell and a jealousy fit. She also manages to maintain her sarcastic sense of humor and begins to list all of Marian’s charms that she knows Rafa appreciates. Rafa takes offense, but is far more concerned with staying alive, which is becoming less likely as Ale weaves across the road. Ale and Rafa continue to argue about the whole Marian affair, when they come to the fateful spot along the road that originally brought them together. Suddenly, Ale starts having flashbacks to the accident, blacks out, and nearly plows them into a passing truck!

They luckily stop safely along the side of the road and Rafa freaks out when he sees a passed out Ale slumped in her seat. He immediately gets out , just like he did during the first accident, checks her pulse (and for a bit thinks she’s dead because of her weak pulse), just like before, puts his coat gently over her, carries her to the passenger side, buckles her in, and speeds her to the emergency room- all just as before. During this whole time Rafa keeps begging Ale not to leave him because they have so much yet to experience together.

Meanwhile, an anxious Marco is desperately trying to reach Ale. He calls Siglo and Susana gleefully lets him know that Ale is out seeing a client in Cuernavaca, with Medina. Marco loses it and Susana hangs up on him (I guess she’s had enough of crazy novios/as for the day). Chavez then adds fuel to Marco’s crazy fire by saying that Rafa will probably ask for Ale’s hand in marriage before Marco gets around to it. He calls Ale’s phone as Rafa is rushing her to the hospital, and is of course ignored by Rafa. Chavez, who seems to love being an instigator, says that either Ale doesn’t want to take his call, or Rafa is preventing her from taking it. Marco’s crazy meter inches up some more.

Rafa screeches up to the emergency room, as before, gently carries Ale in and lays her on a stretcher, covering her legs modestly as he did the first time. He’s beside himself, not wanting to leave her as the doctors try to take her away for examination. He gives her a sweet kiss on the forehead and tries to caress some warmth into her, like he did the first time. He lets the doctor know that she’s hypertensive. When asked by the intake nurse (the same nurse as the first time) if Ale is his wife, he does not lie like he did before. Instead he says he wishes she were. He has also learned from the last experience and rushes out to retrieve the car and park it in a proper space before it gets towed.

At Siglo, both Ramirez and Marino have gone to pay their respects to the Queen. Dona Arcadia drives home the point that there will be no vacations or time off for the Siglo crew while sales are so dismal. So if Ramirez needs to go to the doctor to see about his injuries, then he needs to do so after work, or better yet go at 4 am so that he will be first in line when the clinic opens at 7 am, and done in time for work. She tells him the reason why she’s set up her office there (looks like those of you who thought she’s at Siglo somewhere were right) is so that she can keep a close eye on her little business that has been faltering lately. Her other businesses are doing fine, it seems. When she meets with Marino she tells him to get rid of the toothpick and to stop with the women and kids already. Marino says he can’t until he’s found the ideal woman to give him a daughter. Plus, he’s a red blooded Mexican man from Michoacán and that’s how they roll. Dona Arcadia’s not buying it and tells him he needs to focus more on selling cars and less on spreading his seeds. She tells him she’ll gift him a bitch (a dog, people), so that he can learn the meaning of loyalty.

At the end of the day the crew all get ready to leave. Pepeto wants to talk about “us” with Rosaura. As far as she’s concerned, the only “us” in her life is her and her husband, and what happened with Pepeto was a mistake. She walks off, and our player Pepeto looks crushed. Ramirez is headed to the clinic, but Claudia stops him because she does not want him to walk alone after what happened. She rallies the troops. Although they are all supportive of accompanying Ramirez, most of them have a former engagement after work and can’t go. Only sweet little Bebe is ready and willing to kick some butt as Ramirez’s body guard. Needless to say, Claudia thinks additional backup is needed and shames Marino into offering to accompany his friend. Claudia says that if he were a good friend he would go to the clinic with Ramirez. Marino gets defensive and says he’ll go, but Ramirez refuses his offer, saying “Edgar Marino no es amigo de nadie.” (He’s no one’s friend.) “No thanks. I’m sober and in my full senses (“tengo mis cinco sentidos”- five senses). I don’t need you.” Ouch!

Back at the hospital, Rafa is in the waiting room, clutching Ale’s purse and biting his nails with worry. The doctor comes out and says that Ale suffered a surmenage.

OK. I was so confused when they kept saying this word and really wished I used captions at this point so I could see how it was spelled. Luckily, I speak some French and knew it sounded like a French word. In fact sur=over and menage=work. Guess what Ale is suffering from? It is a word taken directly from French and used in Spanish. Everything always sounds so elegant in French. It can mean: overwork; stress; mental fatigue; and a nervous breakdown. All apply to Ale, so take your pick.

The doc continues that this is a symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which Ale apparently has. He wants to know if Ale has stress in her life. Boy, howdy! Rafa begins to rattle off all Ale’s stressors. The doc gets the picture and warns about the damage to the heart, brain and other organs that this could cause. Susana calls Rafa looking for Ale and he stammers out what happened. (Meanwhile, Dandy is randomly crawling and contorting himself across Susana’s desk, and she seems unfazed by this. That’s love for you!) Rafa swears he will stay with Ale and not leave her side until Susana arrives.

Unfortunately, Susana informs Marco. Fortunately, Ale and Rafa have some alone time before he descends on them in the hospital. Ale wakes up in her hospital room and the first word on her lips is Medina. He’s immediately at her side and begins to tell her why she blacked out and details some of the stressors in her life that she needs to avoid. At each one she playfully acts horrified, when Rafa mentions himself as one of the stressors, she pretends to faint again. But there’s a smile on her face. Rafa indignantly and teasingly asks if she thinks all her stress would go away if he went away. She says yes! They continue the playful banter and he says he doesn’t believe her. He thinks it was her jealousy in Cuernavaca that put her over the top. She calls him a womanizer. He says we were talking about you, not me. He tells her that her jealousy of Marian is making her ill. But he can’t help but be glad about it, because his wish each day is that she feel something for him. She says she feels nothing.

Rafa starts to lean in close and her heart monitor starts to beep. He tells her that he also wishes he could be close to her like this (he leans in closer); hold her hand like this (he does); to kiss you like this (that sly Rafa leans down for the kiss and Ale very willingly kisses back). Her heart monitor starts beeping with more urgency, but Ale lies again and says she feels nothing. Oh, yeah? How about now? Another kiss. (ooh, this is getting good) How about now? A long, deep kiss. Ale’s heart monitor starts going crazy and sounding a loud alarm. They smile at each other and say that crazy machine must be broken. They go in for another kiss. The patient in the next bed looks like she wishes she was receiving this type of therapy. Finally, a crowd of nurses and doctors rush in, push Rafa aside, slap an oxygen mask on Ale, and look like they’re about to pull out the paddles and give Ale a good shock before she and Rafa convince them that she is fine.

The doctors and nurses leave, and Ale and Rafa look like they're about to give the heart monitor another workout, when loco Marco arrives. He finds Rafa leaning over Ale, but not kissing her, thank goodness. This does not stop him from going ballistic on Rafa, accusing him of causing Ale’s illness. Ale tries to get Marco to calm down, sweetly asks Rafa to leave while clutching his arm, and it immediately becomes clear to Ale that Marco is the chief cause of her illness. He remains clueless, however, and tries to push having that little talk they have pending. Ale looks at him sadly, takes off her engagement ring and hands it to him, and says they have nothing to talk about. Marco is impactado. “Are you saying that we’re over?” (terminamos?) Ale sighs like a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders and confirms this. He blames it all on Medina and goes ballistic. He wonders how Ale could do this after ALL he has done for her and her family. Ale’s roommate starts calling for the nurse who comes in and asks Marco to go. He goes in a huff, but Ale looks like she's at peace with her decision.

When Susana arrives to take her home, she tells her what happened with Rafa and that she broke up with Marco. Susana can barely contain her glee. She tells Susana about the heart monitor going crazy when she and Rafa kissed and that she can’t deny that she feels something for him. But this does not mean that they are going to get into a relationship with each other. It’s too complicated. Plus she made that promise to her dad and aunt. And she wants to just be alone for a while.

At Casa Medina, Julieta has hatched a devious little plan to con Rafa into approving an overnight field trip to a ranch for her, Jaime and supposedly some of her college friends. In reality, this is a trip to cheer Jaime up, and I don’t believe any others will be coming along…

Rafa heads to his room to call Susana and check in on Ale. Jaime follows him and gets the scoop on the kisses at the hospital. Jaime is shocked. He almost goes into cardiac arrest when Rafa announces that he’s going over to Vicky’s to break up with her tonight! No, not just because of what happened with Ale, but because of the stunt Vicky pulled calling the entire office, calling Beltran and threatening him. That was the last straw and he can’t take any more. Ale has her boyfriend, her family obligations, and Rafa made that promise to her father. But before he could even think of having anything with Ale, he needs to end things with Vicky. He leaves a panicked Jamie having nightmare fantasies of a very pregnant Vicky, a very threatening Brothers and Padre Grimm, and a very angry Rafa, Leonor and Julieta, at his shotgun (or knifepoint) wedding to Vicky. He calls Vicky up to warn her that Rafa’s coming over right now to break up with her. Vicky is impactada.

Ale arrives home to find Tia Rosario, Quintana and Jorge snoring up a storm between them. Ale doesn’t tell them what happened to her, but gets her dad to agree to go to bed. Jorge complies, but before he does he asks Asucena to take over his post as guard dog over Rosario (Quintana is definitely worming his way into her good graces). He also asks about Marco’s whereabouts and says he wants to see him tomorrow ‘cause they have things to discuss. Ale realizes that it’s going to be harder than she thought to break the news of the breakup to her family.

Tomorrow: Ale tells Tia about the breakup. Marco is in a bad way (you can tell by the crazy hair). The Brothers Grimm circle Rafa.

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