Caray, Caray!

We start where we left yesterday. Rafa is chatting with Jaime, as they go over the documents Marco prepared. He’s wondering if it wouldn’t be better to NOT pay off the debt now, since it doesn’t resolve the risk of his mom being thrown in jail AND it would mean that he won’t get to see Ale anymore. He needs more time (just like Scotty in Star Trek). Jaime needs a paper bag to hyperventilate in.

Susana’s also questioning Ale’s logic. She’s leaving without a letter of recommendation. Without job prospects. Without a plan for the money she’s getting. With no experience working on a hacienda. And with no plan. Susana is sure Ale’s fleeing Autos Siglo is more about pride (orgullo and soberbia), and this isn’t the time for pride. Plus, the planets aren’t exactly aligned in her favor at the moment. “Los astros no estan conmigo?” (The stars aren’t with me?) Susana offers to give her a tarot card reading- using a website (even psychics are high tech these days).

As she and Ale eagerly look at the results of Ale’s reading on her computer, Susanna sees that Pluto is in the cards for Ale. Pluto is the planet of DEATH. “You mean I’m going to die?!” Susana explains that it’s just a symbol of bad things to come, if she goes to the hacienda. But, if she stays at Autos Siglo, her life will be better. Ale starts to wonder if the con artist here is really Rafa or is it Susana. “You’re just trying to keep me here.” Susana gives one of her impish smiles and can’t deny she wants Ale to stay, but the cards also don’t lie. “Should I stay here, in torment?” Ale begins to cry, thinking about how hard it is to be so near the man she loves each day, knowing (erroneously) that his love for her was all a lie.

Marco’s also in torment. Although the whiskey he’s downing at the bar with Chavez should be enough to dull the pain. He’s got to find a way to put a stop to Ale going to the hacienda and thinks Rosario is his last hope. He catches Chavez up on the latest gossip about Rosario marrying that rat Quintana. He’s not too worried about that though, since he thinks they’ll go live in a land far, far away. He calls Rosario and cons her once again. Of course the only reason he doesn’t want Ale to go to the hacienda is because he’s worried about her. Of course Rosario is too. And of course she will take on her auntly duties to stop Ale from doing such a crazy thing. (This is the only victory Marco will have tonight.)

Rafa on the other hand, has a few small victories tonight. Marian calls him just as he arrives at Siglo. Well, it is now “tomorrow”, the day he promised to have a buyer for all of Marian’s old trucks- for sale for the low, low price of 4.6 million pesos. Rafa tells her he will have an answer for her in 5 minutes (really???). He comes into Ale’s office and catches her crying. She claims she has a cold and wants to sign the documents, claim the cash, and be on her way. Rafa begins to sign, but then stops to ask if she’s got someone to go to the bank with her. Of course, but she’s not going to deposit it all today. She’s got to pay off some debt on her father’s house. She’s sure that Rafa’s eager to pay off all his debt to her so that he doesn’t have to see her again. Rafa disagrees. In fact, he thinks they should become partners (socios).

“Socios de que?!” Ale wants to know. And this is when Rafa explains his crazy but brilliant plan. They will buy Marian’s trucks together with the debt money. Once they sell the trucks, there will be enough to not only pay off the debt, but also to make them both a profit (ganancias). Ale’s obviously intrigued, but she accuses Rafa of just trying to get out of paying her. Rafa points out that if they go their separate ways, they both lose out. Plus, he doesn’t want her to leave. He needs her. (Awwww!) Ale’s about to melt into a big gooey mess and is saved by the bell. Rafa leaves her to answer the phone and to think about his proposal. On the other end of the phone Tia Rosario encounters a very malleable Ale. “Stop this crazy plan of going to the hacienda!” “Ok. Sure.” (Rosario should be suspicious of how easy that was.) Ale informs her that not only is she not going to the hacienda, she’s also not leaving Siglo. Oh, and Rafa didn’t pay her back. But, he’ll continue with his monthly payments. “What are you up to Ale?” “Don’t worry about it Tia.” (click)

Ale puts the sack full of money back in Rafa’s bag, does the sign of the cross over herself and the bag, and heads out to find Rafa. He’s been praying earnestly in the meeting room, and knows his prayers have been answered when he sees Ale approaching him with the bag of money. She tells him that she doesn’t know why she’s trusting him again. He gives her his word, and promises that he will not tell anyone that she’s his partner in the deal. Marco and her family would kill her if they knew. She will leave it all in his hands. “Are you staying at Autos Siglo?” “Yes”. Ale says with a sweet smile we have not seen for a while, and leaves. Rafa is so happy he is grinning from ear to ear, sending up thanks to the big guy upstairs, and doing a mini version of his happy Rafa pose. (Goal!!!!!!)

Ale meanwhile is updating Susana. Susana frets a bit about the money safely making it to Marian (Join the club. All of Caray Caray is worried about that money.). Ale points out that is was her planets that led her down this path. Susana assures her the planets are not wrong and that with Rafa, she’s not in danger. “Ale, are you happy?” Another smiley yes from Ale.

Roario calls Marco back to report the good news (she’s not going to the hacienda), and the bad news (she’s staying at Siglo, with Medina). After he hangs up, Chavez questions why the change in Ale’s plans for the hacienda and Rafa’s plans for the debt repayment. Poor Marco is in shock and can only say, “No se. No se.” (I don’t know.)

He calls Ale and berates her for staying at Siglo with that criminal. Is she crazy? (Crazy in love? Yep.) Ale puts him in his place. He has no right to speak to her this way. Plus, wasn’t he the one who wanted her to listen to that woman Carmela and not go to the hacienda? “Leave me to do things my way.” With his tail between his legs, Marco says he won’t bug her anymore and hangs up. He then whines to Chavez that he’s going to lose her again (La voy a perder.). But then he becomes determined that Rafa is not going to take Ale away from him again. (Too late Marco.)

We next have a series of phone calls (this would be a very different novela if everyone didn’t have a cell phone):

Rafa calls Marian. The deal is on. I have 4.5 million in cash and I’ll find the other 100,000. I’ll deposit it all in my bank account and give you a certified check. (Click)

Marco calls Rafa. I have your mother in my hands. Oh yeah? Well, I have the licenciada (Ale) in my hands. Are you threatening me?! Well, are YOU threatening me?! (Click)

Carmela calls Marco. Time to pay up bonbon. Meet me today, at 3pm, at the motel. Or, you and your buddy Chavez will rot in jail for 20 years. (Click) Chavez has a plan to help Marco out with his performance anxiety. No, it doesn’t involve pills, but it does involve some sort of sessions.

Rafa calls Zepina. Uh…I mean Zetina. He’s followed Marco all day. The only two spots Marco’s been are his apartment, and then the bar (where he headed at 9 am). He’s been with that strange looking guy all day. Oh! Here they are now, leaving the bar and getting into a cab. (Click) Follow that cab!

Rafa calls Jaime. Jaime’s dressed as his best impression of a real lawyer and is waiting for the bus that will take him to Carmela’s office. Rafa updates him on the latest with the money and that he’s now the proud owner of a boatload of used trucks. “Que!!!” And Ale’s my partner and she’s not leaving Siglo. “Que!!!” The bus is here. Gotta go. (Click)

Marian calls Rafa. She’s changed her mind. She’ll accept the money in cash. If she waits for the check, it will just take more time (not sure if she’s eager to seal the deal, or eager to see Rafa again). Rafa must meet her tonight to close the deal at the El Gran Canyon Restaurant. (Click)

Beltran is happy when Rafa tells him the deal is sealed (money, money, money). Since this isn’t Siglo's usual business, he wants Rafa to draw up a contract between himself and Siglo. Rafa lets him know that his silent partner is just the best ever. The only thing he’s worried about is walking around with all that cash. Beltran offers to send along some protection with Rafa to the restaurant.

Dandy and Pepeto are so impressed that Rafa’s meeting with the gorgeous Marian Celeste that they have begun to speak in unison. “Uyy, hermano! Que delicia de mujer!” He begs them to stop such talk. There’s nothing going on between him and Marian. Plus that kind of talk only drives Ale crazy with jealousy. He begs them not to mention anything about Marian to Ale, ‘cause he doesn’t want any trouble. As for Vicky, he’s planning on getting that bank loan so that he can pay her family back as soon as possible.

At Casa Jorge, Asucena has answered the door to a messenger. There’s a letter from the secretariat regarding the house for Jorge. Asucena is sure it’s more bad news (no!), so she decides not to give it to Jorge and will wait to give it to Ale instead. (How many bets on Marco getting his hands on it first?)

Back at Siglo, the boys club is meeting without its leader (Rafa). Pepeto, Dandy and Jimenez are enjoying some guy talk about the mamacita Rafa is meeting at the restaurant. Just then Ale, who is looking for Rafa, has heard this last tidbit. She is impactada and seething with jealousy.

Tomorrow: Ale decides to get a little revenge on that womanizing Rafa by telling Vicky where he is and that he’s with a woman. She heads to the restaurant herself and becomes part of the brawl that ensues with Rafa, Marian, Vicky and the Brothers Grimm. Sounds like a good time to me!

Labels: dinero