Caray, Caray!

[Warning: Passion ahead! Carnal caution advised! This is not a night for the kiddies.] As we return to the mad, mad, mad, mad world of one of early Mexico’s finest finca families, Dr. Pablo comes to check on the scheming Leonarda who really needs a shrink instead. Rosenda helps feed the lie per her “madrina’s” orders. Renato is forced to dutifully listen as Mama kvetches about being ignored by her son and treated like yesterday’s news. Meanwhile, Juan enters Maria del Rosario’s new and improved dungeon digs and sees a new and improved MdR literally decked out and dressed in white --like an ailing Mexican version of Dickens’ Miss Havisham. Juan calls to her and asks if she recognizes him. She focuses on the rosary beads around his neck and thinks it’s JD Sr. come back for her as promised. She begs him to take her with him far away from there and then promptly falls into a drugged sleep, courtesy of one of Leonarda’s mighty fine Micky Finn’s. At the same time, upstairs, Clemencia begs Regina to never ever mention Juan’s real name, Juan de Dios, to anybody, especially to anyone in the family. Regi can’t imagine why it needs to be kept a big secret, but eventually she promises to keep mum for the bum.

Arcadio asks Juan why “his wife” would be asking Juan to carry her off with him. (Excuse me? She’s been locked in a dark, dank, basement dungeon for twenty-five years with only Mirta the Mute and his ugly mug for company. I’d beg to be taken as far the hell away from there as possible too!) Juan admits he doesn’t understand it either. The only thing he can think is that she must be confusing him with somebody else, but he wouldn’t know who. Orca then complains that the one thing he understands is that Juan entered everyone’s life there under the strangest of circumstances; and first he takes his job and now he wants to take “his wife” from him. Juan tells him to can it. (Cue the harps and cherubs.) “Whatever feelings the woman has awakened in me,” says Juan, “it’s much deeper than your thoughts go and is something I’ve never felt before. It’s something maternal.” (It’s the call of the blood, fool!)

Arcadio continues the charade and pretends to be worn down by “his wife’s” constant lamentations and demands for the cadaver of their dead child; he’s been suffering lo these many damnable years to the point of nearly going crazy himself. Only his love for her has given him strength to carry on. (Damned if the Orca doesn’t rate a major Premio for this acting job!) “Despite my rudeness, I love my wife deeply.” (Sob, sob, sniffle!) He gets on his knees, lets loose with a flood of crocodile tears, and begs for Juan to intercede with Sr. Renato, not for him, but for his kindly, invalided wife. Juan falls for the ruse and says he’ll do it for her sake, not his. Juan then wants some time alone with her. Mirta and the Orca leave Juan alone with MdR. Juan is so moved by pity for her that he takes her hand and gently kisses and caresses it.

Back upstairs, Dr. Pablo has finished examining Leonarda. He tells Renato that she’s not serious, only suffering from overwrought nerves. He recommends rest and avoiding anything upsetting. Ren thanks him and sends him on his way. Aimee comes in to the hall and asks Renato why he’s not left for Paradise yet. He explains he had to see about his mother’s fainting spells first. Aimee promises to look after her while he’s gone. Ren agrees and heads out. Aimee giggles mischievously to herself that she will take advantage of his absence to spend time with Juan.

Clemencia waits for Juan in the garden to tell him that she has a bad feeling about everything that’s going on there. She’s afraid that if he doesn’t leave right away everything will come to light and there’ll be trouble. He says fine. Better that way. She wants to know why he took the job as administrator of the finca--if it was just for a better chance to get even with Ren and Aimee for what they did to him, he’d have done that by now. She suspects there’s something else at work here. Juan confesses to Clemencia, as Aimee passes by them on her way out, that he hasn’t left the finca because of the passionate desire that continues to torment him “-- And it’s killing me!” It was the passion that at one time made him think that there could be a world filled with love rather than hate, of pardon rather than vengeance. (We luhhv this poetic mush, don’t we? Admit it!) Well, he blew it and now he’s paying the price for it. Clem says he’s a fool for not taking Regina’s advice and leaving well enough alone. She begs him to leave before another misfortune happens to the Montes de Oca family. He stubbornly refuses, saying his fate was forged in this damnable family although they rejected him twice before: once when he was newly born and the second time when he was hired by Renato. He’s not leaving before they pay for that!

Upstairs again, Rosenda keeps Leona company. Leona says self-confidently that her plan has worked and that Renato will think twice before going against her wishes. She’s sure that little by little he’ll listen to her and get rid of that miserable wretch of an administrator. Rosenda smiles and agrees with her. “He’ll have to choose between your health and the new administrator.”

A bit later, Juan arrives back at the love cave. Aimee has purposely left the mat they used to lay on during their love-making sessions out in the middle of the entrance for him to see. Juan spies it and thinks sadly back to their steamy, X-rated lovemaking, his confessions of love for her and Aimee’s XXX-rated passionate promises to be his and only his. (Hot Damn! --And I do mean H.O.T.!) Juan looks up and finds Aimee standing there. (Nothing like a bit of 1870’s style sexual harassment to keep the juices flowing.) “I knew you’d be coming here. We’re tied to this place, you and I. We’re tied to… the passion that makes us…burn.” She takes off her shawl provocatively. Juan laughs and walks away. She tells him he might deny it, but she’s always on his mind. “I am inside your head and in your heart, Savage.” She kisses him passionately and Juan, poor boy, still suffers from a weak spirit and a very willing body as the steam factor rises. He pulls away and gripes at her for seducing and bewitching him again, then kisses her a bit more, then pushes her away for good. No. He just doesn’t desire her as much as before. (Sure had me fooled!) She laughs and says she doesn’t believe him because his eyes give him away [delatar]. “They shout just the opposite to me.” She giggles seductively again and mocks him. “You and I are twin souls, Juan. You know it. I am yours because you are mine.” He finally gets some traction and tells her a woman who sleeps in another man’s bed isn’t his. “You are Renato’s. He is your owner, your master! He and only he!” He leaves her there and walks out. She laughs to herself that he almost fell this time. “It’s only a question of insistence and being patient.”

That night Rosenda has been sent by Leona to ask the Orca how the business that day went. She wants to know what Leona is talking about. He tells her it’s between him and the Sra. and none of her beeswax. “Just tell her that things turned out better than we hoped and all is fine. She can rest assured now.”

Upstairs in her bedroom, conniving Aimee preens in front of the mirror and spritzes half a bottle of perfume on herself while thinking of the passionate encounter she and Juan shared earlier in the love cave. Just then Clemencia comes crying to her in her room about leaving Juan alone. In the second Premio-worthy performance of the evening, Aimee swears three ways from sundown that Juan’s yesterday’s news and she hasn’t gone near him. Why, if anybody’s messing around with Juan it’s Regina! Clem cannot believe that because Regi isn’t capable of something like that. Aimee swears she is. Clem says she sees how Aimee acts around him. Aimee says there’s nothing wrong being polite to the servants. (Tell it to the hand!) Then she turns on the fake waterworks and whines that Regi’s been lying about her and it’s just so cruel and unfair. She cannot understand it at all! Boo-hoo! “How could you doubt me, Nana? I couldn’t be so merciless as to toy with two men’s hearts!” (Viewerville chokes back a gag.) No, judge her if she wants, but gee whiz, why doesn’t anyone ever believe her? “It’s Regina! With her supposed gentleness and prudish ways! She a lying hypocrite!! Nana, I’m not deceiving you! I’m not! It’s Regina!!” Clem, after this grand performance, is left not knowing who or what to believe anymore.

On the lighter side, we beam over to the casino for more can-can’t and Lulu, still ever the working girl, tells her dancing partner that tonight he definitely can—if he’s willing to pay extra for private lessons. On the other side of the dance floor, Philippe gets carried away with the crowd and the music and dances a bit with Mme. Marlene. FF>>

Back at the finca, Aimee congratulates herself on the progress of her plan to destroy her sister’s rep and figures Clemencia is now full of doubts about Regi. She heads upstairs to gossip a little with Leonarda and sprinkle a few well …er…fertilized seeds of doubt in her MIL’s mind as well about sugary sweet Sis. (Will somebody slap that sh!t-eating grin off Aimee’s face, puh-leeeese?)

Up in Leona’s lair, Rosenda gives Leona Orca’s message and gets permission to “go to church” (to worship at the golden altar of Almighty Rodrigo) in town the next day. Aimee walks in at that point and greets her. She asks why Rosenda’s not wearing the medallion. Rosenda says she’d rather not cause any more problems with Sr. Renato because of it. Good thinking, says Aimee. You’re always looking out for “the family.” (Wink, wink.) Once Rosenda leaves, Leona gripes about Ren’s defiance since hiring the new administrator. Aimee commiserates and says it irks her too the way he’s always defending that rude savage. He’s tearing the family apart! Even her father left because he couldn’t stand the guy! Ren simply won’t listen to her, and Regina even less. Leona asks what Regina has to do with all of this. “She’s always defending him too, as if she’s interested in him or something!”

Outside, thunder and lightning hit and drenching rains begin to fall, emphasizing Leona’s new-found concerns. (Cue the narrator.) Juan enters the tack room to get out of the rain and feed the horses. The narrator tells us that Juan’s blood is boiling with passion for the woman who now belongs to another man, a man who has all rights to her, a man to whom all has been handed (on the proverbial silver platter) from the day he was born, even the woman who awoke Juan’s savage heart….. Just then Regi races in to wait out the rain. She asks him what’s wrong. He says nothing’s wrong. She says she can see it in his face. He gets snarky with her and asks what’s wrong with his face? Perhaps his face doesn’t have the same handsome features that Renato’s does? (Milking for sympathy are we here, Juan?) Regi refuses to be insulted and starts to leave. Juan stops her and tells her not to be a fool. She’ll get wet. “What’s the matter? My presence is so odious you can’t spend a few moments out of the pouring rain with me?” She warns him off her. “You’re just as much a fool as I, Juan del Diablo –or should I call you Juan de Dios?” (Oops!) Juan is dagger-stare impactado.

Aimee continues with her tall tales about Regi’s strange behavior and stubborn defense with everything concerning the new administrator. Leona asks if she’s insinuating that Regina would be romantically inclined towards him. No, says Aimee, she’s not exactly saying Regi is interested in him, but her melancholy, her nervous outbursts, everything sure points in that direction….. Leona can’t believe that of Regi. Aimee says Regi puts on a good front for everyone, but… Leona starts to wonder if it could be true, though she says it’s just too hard for her to believe something like that about her. Aimee says that perhaps she’s been misjudging Regi. “God forgive me for thinking ill of my sister.” (Viewerville can’t deny itself a snide “Amen to that!”)

Back in the tack room, Juan demands to know why Regi called him that. She tells him not to worry because she promised Clem she wouldn’t tell anyone he’s Juan de Dios. He asks if Clemencia told her and she says she cannot reveal who told her. “Don’t call me that!” “—Why? It sounds better than Juan del Diablo.” He smiles evilly at her and she asks why. He says he’s smiling like the Devil at her because he has realized that she is just as deceptive as her sister. He’s angry as hell and ready to give people sh!t. “Go ahead and unsult me! Right now I am sure you’d like a lightning bolt to strike me, right?” She tells him to cut it out already and tries to leave again. He prevents her and says she’ll get wet because it’s obviously pouring buckets out there [a cántaros = literally pitchers’ full]. “—Oh, since when does what happens to me worry you? Such a gentleman…you…you—“ “—Go ahead, insult me! I’m a savage, an animal, a wild beast, right? You never stop insulting me! I’m a devil and not a gentleman only because I choose not to be one. Don’t forget that. I’m used to doing whatever I have a mind to, so I’m a wild man, just like you say.” She tries to apologize and he tells her she shouldn’t be sorry. He needs her scorn so that he won’t regret what he does. So, he’s still going to carry out his villainous plans, she says, and warns him again not to think about carrying her sister off with him.

Juan insists that it’s Aimee who’s hot to be trotted away. Regi refuses to believe it. He says yes and at least with him she’s an honest woman. “--With everyone else she’s a lying cheat! [embustera] Ask her yourself. She will tell you that I am hounding her, that I’m pursuing her, all to avoid admitting that now she begs for what she ridiculed before! Don’t mistake it. She is in love with her Juan del Diablo!” Regi insists he’s wrong. It’s impossible for Aimee to be like that! --No, he says. She’s a flesh and blood woman, unlike you, who are made from the cake of heaven. “--You have no right to talk about me that way!” “—Of course not! You’re irreproachable! So perfect! So noble! So good! Such a pity you’ve set your sights on the wrong man!” The taunt hits home and he pushes the advantage. “A-hah! The truth hurts, doesn’t it? Well, don’t worry. I don’t care at all about your agony. Renato is the one you fell in love with, right?” She yells at him to shut up. “I’m only pointing out you’ve got a glass house [tejado = literally, roof] too. So don’t be throwing stones.”

She warns him that Ren would kill him if he tries taking Aimee. He taunts her again. “Ah, so you think Renato loves Aimee so much that he would threaten to kill me?” He takes her by the hands and he tells her that she is very beautiful and probably capable of something naughty herself for all her purity [manos tan limpias]; for that he receives a right nice slap in the face. “Don’t touch me!! I warned you!!” He fingers his red cheek. Uni --to placate a few crass commercial interests of the sponsors—breaks in the middle of what appears to have been a subconscious and muy intense attempt at foreplay.

After Viewerville returns with a fresh bucket of ice to cool off with, it's back to the casino where a lovesick and confused Gabe overhears Fulgencio inviting Rodrigo and the rest of his friends to his home for Eloisa’s birthday bash. (That's sure to be a snore-bore.)

Once again in the tack room, Regi tries to leave. Juan grabs her and says, on second thought [viéndola bien] she seems to be a much more interesting person now. “You are quite beautiful when you’re angry.” (That one’s as old as the hills. Don’t tell me that old saw got started here with him!) “—because your eyes shine somehow!” “—Don’t ever speak like that to me again!” Juan laughs at her as she finally races away into the downpour. “Hot diggity! She does have a personality!”

Back at the casino, Philippe finds Gabe mooning around and chats him up. Gabe’s bummed because he hasn’t received another letter from his beloved Estrella who is gravely ill. Frenchy, still carried away with all the hubbub and gaiety, slips up and says something about Jimena being slow off the mark but the letter’s sure to come. Gabe asks suspiciously how he knows Jimena brings him her letters. After stumbling a bit, Frenchy says it’s because she’s friends with the working girls there and he’s overheard her chitchats with them. Even so, says Gabe, why would she tell them something so personal. (Get a grip, Gabe!) You are one sheltered shlub not to realize women go gaga over love, says Frenchy. “Jimena is no exception on that score.” Frenchy the fey says he’s spent long enough with women to be an expert in this area and Gabe should just accept that they are an indecipherable mystery. “Just loving them is enough.” Gabe says well, she’s at least lucky to have some friends to vent with. I, on the other hand, am sadder and more exhausted by it every day.” He leaves the casino in a funk.

Speaking of Jimena, Tia Grizzly Bear starts browbeating Mena for not bringing in the money she used to. Mena explains she can’t get anyone to let her read their palms because ever since the kidnapping of that little girl they don’t trust the gypsies anymore. “Everyone says now that we gypsies are child-stealers!” Grizzy says wash of hogs! “They just don’t like us, but we still need money [parné] to survive.” She orders her to beg money from Gabriel or Juan. Jimena wishes that Griz would treat her better. “Why are you so mean to me? It’s as if you’re not really my aunt at all; and that you’re not really my family!” “—Oh stop playing the victim!” Grizzy says since Servando won’t share his take with them, if Jimena doesn’t produce they will have to leave for some other place. Jimena begs them not to leave and promises to do her best. She heads out and Grizzy ponders the possibilities if Jimena (duhn-dun-duhn-duhnnnn!) ever finds out that her real mother’s family lives in Puebla and that she kidnapped her when she was a very little girl.

Speaking of Jimena’s real family, her abuelo tells her real mother that the private investigator still has had no luck, but he’ll continue to look in Veracruz because that’s where she was last seen. Mena’s mother has another crying fit thinking she’ll die before she ever sees her daughter again. Her grandparents tell her mother that surely once “Angela” is found she’ll be right as rain. In fact, the abuelo has a friend there named Raul de Marin with numerous contacts, and surely if they ask him to he will help them look for her. Mena’s mama shrieks “¡Ojalá! God willing!” in ear-shattering angst.

It’s dinnertime at the finca now, but Leonarda is “too ill” to eat with the rest of the family. (Yeah, spare me!) Noel tells Ren and Aimee that he’ll go up after dinner to chat with her before he leaves for the casino. Aimee is shocked that he would be going to that den of iniquities. Noel says he wants a chance to see Rodrigo and talk him into changing his mind about things. Aimee doesn’t think there’s a chance in hades he’ll succeed in getting him to return to the finca. Celestina comes in to tell them dinner’s ready at that point. They decide to wait for Regi to come down first. Aimee says nobody knows where she’s gone off to “so mysteriously.” Just then Regi comes in and she’s soaked to the bone. She explains she got caught by the downpour and had to wait for it to die down a bit first. Aimee asks if she was alone or not. Regi says no, that the new administrator kept her company. The three of them are aghast. Ren exclaims, “Juan? Juan kept you company???” Regi says yes, “--and he can even be quite nice and witty when he’s a mind to.” She goes up to change. Aimee races over to Ren and says she told him so! “Regina and Juan are involved!” [entenderse = slang for having a sexual relationship]

In her tent at the gypsy camp, Jimena says she cannot bear to stop seeing Gabe. Even though he doesn’t give a whit about her, she loves him with all her heart. She thinks back to their fun times together and the way his kisses sweep her off her feet. She thinks to herself that it’s high time she sees Philippe again for another stellar Estrella letter-writing session.

Gabe, meanwhile, returns home and asks Juan for permission to leave and start his own business. Juan wants to know if he’s not paying him enough or has mistreated him somehow. Gabe says no, he just has aspirations and doesn’t want to lose the chance to do something on his own. Juan is sad to see him leave the nest, but wishes him well. Although, he does worry what’s really behind this sudden need for independence. Juan says he sees in Gabe’s eyes that there’s something else the matter. Could it have to do with “Estrella”? Gabe says he does miss her. Juan suggests it’s just something he’s hiding behind because he’s noticed how interested he is in Jimena these days. Gabe admits his interest, but insists that Estrella is like him whereas Jimena is totally different. “Good golly!” says Juan. Gabe says they are from different worlds. He will not and has no intention of loving a gypsie! Juan tells him he’s disappointed to hear him say something like that. He thought he was trying to be an independent thinker. Juan admits that right now he’s not the best advisor to the lovelorn considering the all-consuming passion he himself has been dealing with lately. However, Gabe not only is consumed with love like him, but remains blind to it. Gabe had better decide soon or he will lose Jimena. “Haven’t you noticed what has happened to me? I lost Aimee thinking she was a sure thing and now she’s married to Renato!”