Caray, Caray!

If this novela were told from Zoraida’s point of view, it would be called: Waiting for Jade. If it were Said’s story, it would be: Where’s Jade? And if it were Jade’s? Maybe: Girls just wanna have fun. Anyway, tonight we learn that in Miami, they’ll steal ANYTHING!

Jade phones Lucas at work and tells him to come to Morocco right away. Her wedding is to take place this weekend. He is to stay in the wedding hotel and they will escape together that very night. Lucas agrees.

I’m going to Jade’s wedding in Morocco, he tells Enrique. As a special guest, I suppose, says Enrique. (What category of guest would that be, Enrique? El tipo con quien Jade le puso los cuernos al primer esposo? (The guy who cuckolded Jade’s first husband?) I’m not familiar with that custom.) No, says Lucas, I’m going to prevent (impedir) the wedding. And don’t say anything to my father about it. El no sabe y no quiero que lo sepa. (He doesn’t know and I don’t want him to know.)

Mohamed tells Latifa and Nazira of Rania’s pregnancy
Said y Rania han sido bendecidos.
Said and Rania have been blessed.
The Naz’s rant about a second, more fertile wife for Mohamed is cut short: the topic is forbidden in this house, he reminds the Naz sternly. Just then, Amin comes home from school complaining that Samira didn’t wait for him. The adults are upset about the danger to poor little Amin left alone in the street and the possible paths of sin Samira is following. Abdul says she should be home learning to cook lamb, and embroider tablecloths and Mohamed is ready to pull her out of school so she can do just that.

Poor Samira is just a few steps behind her brother, telling Carlos she’ll be in Morocco for a week; he’d like her to come to a party tomorrow.

When she enters the house, she is ambushed by her angry family. She says she and Amin missed each other – she would have called, but she doesn’t have a cell phone. Mohamed acknowledges that it would be a good idea for her to have one. Me too, pipes up Amin.

In Cris’s apartment, Vicki continues to be sceptical about Malicia’s good intentions. Well, says Cris, someone has to fill in for me while I’m gone. Why not her?

Then Luisa joins them and announces that she won’t be going to Morocco. She doesn’t have the strength to see what might await her there.

At Empresa Ferrer, Clara and Carolina are admiring the roses Rogelio sent to Clara, when a surly Fernando arrives, hiding behind dark glasses. He is followed by a sweaty, frantic Albi (okay, he's always sweaty and frantic) who rushes into Leo’s office: Perdóname, he begs. I should have asked your permission. And if I could return Diego to you, a Diego the same age as he was when you lost him..
…te molestarías si yo te devolviera a Diego?
... would it bother you/ would you mind if I gave Diego back to you?
Albieri, cries Leo, you promised me you’d see a doctor! He goes next door and tells Enrique that Albieri is going crazy and he should call Luisa. And they think I’m nuts, muses Enrique.

The ever-slippery Albieri has escaped, however, now he shows up at an outdoor café where Daniel is sipping a soda. Q and A time:
Daniel: ¿Quién es mi mamá? (Who is my mother?)
Albi: Tu mamá murió. (Your mother died.)
Daniel: ¿Cuándo? (When?)
Albi: Cuando tu naciste. (When you were born.)
Daniel: ¿Cómo se llamaba? (What was her name?)
Albi: Isabel.

At la Casa Ferrer, Rosa shows an old family picture to the maid:
Doña Isabel murió cuando los gemelos nacieron.
Mrs. Isabel died when the twins were born.
Lucas enters and announces that he is going to Morocco.

Samira is begging her mother for permission to go to the party Carlos has invited her to. Latifa tries to explain that the Naz and Abdul are just looking for ammunition to use against her, how precarious her position would be if Mohamed were to find out about it.

Lucas is trying, without a lot of success, to communicate with Nati. He tells her he’s going to bring Jade back from Morocco, that Jade is a good person and Nati is going to like her. Don’t bother pretending that you are interested in me, sniffs Nati. You didn’t even take the trouble to get to know Alejandro, she says. Ok, says Lucas, I’ll talk with him; but it will have to wait. I have a lot of work to do today and tomorrow I leave for Morocco. When I get back…

And in Fez, Rania is all smiles, so Pretty in Pink. Said kisses her belly appreciatively and gives her an elaborate gold necklace that Jadiya would probably love. Zoraida comes in to say the (sacrificial) lambs are ready. (Let’s hope she is not including Jade in their number). And Said goes out in the Medina to share his blessing by giving food to the people he meets. (This probably goes over better in Fez than it does in Miami).

In the apartment in Miami, Prince Amin overhears Samira telling Jadiya about the party and he threatens to tell his father. Jadiya and Samira's warning to Amin that gossips are doomed to él mármol del infierno is interrupted when Mohamed comes in to tell Jadiya that she is going to have a little brother or sister (hermanito). My mother is expecting a baby? she asks, her face lighting up. No, clarifies Mohamed. Rania is expecting. Jadiya’s face falls.

At home in Fez, Ali receives a surprising call from Albieri. Voy para Marruecos. (I’m going to Morocco), he says. I have something to confess to you. Me pongo en tus manos. (I’m putting myself in your hands.)

In Miami, Luisa asks Cris to bring Albieri back to her. I’ll drag him back if I have to, says Cris. (I’m thinking Cris should have some kind of super hero costume, or at least a cape).

And Marisa is visiting Lucia. The woman are bemoaning the difficulties of parenting. (I suppose Marisa needs a hobby while Said is in Morocco). They try to get Andrea to tell them what is going on with Nati. Andrea says to Marisa:
Tú debes prestar más atención a Natalia.
You have to pay more attencion to Natalia. (Present indicative of ‘deber’, have to)
Deberías aceptar a Alejandro.
You ought to accept Alejandro. (Conditional of ‘deber’, should or ought to)
(Excellent advice, Andrea. Too bad la cabeza de fósforo isn’t listening.)

Nati goes up to Alej at the gym. Hold me, she says. I’m afraid. Do you still want to live with me? he asks her. I have a little place (un lugarcito)…

And Pablo shows up at Gloria’s to pick up Alej’s stuff, much to her displeasure:
¡Cómo que Alejandro te pidió que vinieras por sus cosas! Mal amigo!
What do you mean Alejandro asked you to come for his things! Bad friend!

At Casa Ferrer, Rosa remarks that it’s nice to see Nati looking happy for a change. But where are you going? Nati's not telling.

Osvaldo shows up outside Dora’s house with a used car that may have some unpaid tickets. A police officer approaches and asks for his license and registration, runs them and finds an outstanding arrest warrant for Osvaldo. He failed to show up for the Karla hearing last week. As the cop is leading him away, poor Osvaldo says “I never did anything to Karla.” Who’s Karla? wonders Dora.

Zein and Cris have arrived in Fez and they are walking through the Medina.

Jade thinks Lucas must have arrived too and wants Zoraida to come with her to look for him. An exasperated Zoraida refuses to go along. Said wants to know what they are talking about and Jade tells him she wants to buy a gift for Rania’s baby. Good idea, says Said. You should go with her, Zoraida. (hah!)

In the Medina, Zein catches his first fleeting glimpse of Jade; then she runs off, out of his sight. She finds Lucas and they agree to meet at the ruins. (because no one will ever find them there or even think of looking for them there.)

At Ali’s house, Rania and Amina gloat over their triumph. Do you think Jade is dying of envy? asks Rania.

At the ruins Jade tells Lucas she has brought the needed tickets, passports, and money… Lucas tells her the house is all ready. Yo nunca te voy a renunciar a ti, he promises. (I’ll never give you up – not like some people we know!)

In Miami, Dora goes to the bar to ask Miguel about Karla. He assures her that since Dora and Osvaldo got back together, Karla has been out of the picture. Tell me the truth, says Dora.

And Alejandro shows Nati the new, smaller place which a bar customer loaned him while he is on a trip. Your mother doesn’t like me any more because of what happened the other day, right? asks Nati. (...ya no me quiere, verdad, por lo del otro día?) He tries to reassure her.

Marisa discovers that Natalia has left the family home once again. Rosa offers to go to Gloria’s to look for her, but Marisa tells her not to bother. The policy now is going to be indiferencia total.

Lucia asks Andrea what is really going on with Nati. I’ll just tell you, says Andrea, that she’d be better off with Alejandro. Consuelo, the maid/Secret Skank Agent leaves for the day. Lucia remarks that she is very happy with her work, she even leaves little chocolates on the pillows, like they do in hotels. If you say so, says Andrea, but I think there’s something strange (extraña) about her.

Extraña doesn’t begin to cover it. Consuelo meets up with Hilda and Karla. Mission accomplished she cries as she extracts a baggie (which appears to contain used condoms!) from a manila envelope. Karla looks at it with disgust while the others snicker. Then they hurry to put their treasure in the freezer.

Meanwhile at Empresa Ferrer Roberto is holding forth to Enrique about how women can try to confuse you. (He has no idea. Up to now, he has only dealt with garden-variety neurotics, not sociopaths.) Leo interrupts the boys. He is upset to learn that Lucas has left. Enrique feels personally attacked by Leo’s anger and reaches, as ever, for his flask. Carolina catches him in the act. Finally, she declares: I have had it! (Estoy harta!)

In the Medina, Zoraida stands and waits, as ever, for Jade. She is surprised by Said’s joining her. Where’s Jade? he wants to know. At the goldsmith’s (orfebre) answers Zoraida. I’ll wait for her here with you, offers Said companiably.

Cris and Zein are at a café in Fez and he tells her about the woman he saw: No he podido sacarla de la cabeza. (I haven’t been able to get her out of my head). Tenía un halo de misterio, pasión y rebeldía. (She had an aura of mystery, passion and defiance) Cris recalls the incident with Diego twenty years ago that led to her break up with Leo. She felt the same strong attraction on the opening night of the bar, she saw the same look (when she encountered Daniel in his bedouin robes)

Albieri and Daniel have finally made it to Morocco and are careening along the highway while Albi tells Daniel what wonders await him.

Said and Zoraida are still waiting for Jade. Debe estar muy lejos la tienda (the store must be very far away) he remarks acidly. Just then, Jade breezes up.
¿Conseguiste el regalo que fuiste a comprar?
Did you get the gift you went to buy? he wants to know.

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