Caray, Caray!

Friday’s leftovers, cold from the fridge: Lorenza and Muñeca have come to dine at Emiliano and Fedra’s. Marianela’s not expected, so of course for Fedra and Kristel, it’s open season on Marianela, and they fire away with merry insults. Emanuel comes in and calls them hypocrites. They don’t seem at all hypocritical to me… they sure are candid with their insults. Anyway, Muñeca seems horrified by their comments.


******

Oh, this is what Emanuel means when he says they’re hypocrites: He accuses Kristel of having set up this so-called welcome dinner so that they could talk about Marianela like she was a circus freak. He tells them she’s where she belongs, at her Tia Netty’s.

Bernardo has hold of Delicia in his room, scaring her. Her cap is awry and somebody is knocking, telling her to get down and start serving dinner. She swears she’ll never come into Bernardo’s room again. He turns her loose and slaps her and menaces her some more. She runs out.

Emiliano tells Emanuel that Marianela shouldn’t have been taken from the house without his permission. Emanuel points out that Netty is her tia, and for sure nobody there is going to throw fake welcome parties just to humiliate her. Kristel fake cries that she just wanted to help her get over her traumas, to which Emanuel says like the trauma of getting her drunk in the club to make a fool of her? Kristel simpers.

Emiliano tells him to go fetch her home. Emanuel refuses, saying he took her downtown today and doesn’t want to even talk about what happened to her there. He tells his father it’s the first time in his life that he’s refusing to obey, and he’s sorry, but that’s the way it is.

Marianela is telling Netty she feels out of place – she had wanted to return to her home, but with her mother. Netty wants to know if they’re mistreating her, and Marianela says that she just dropped into their household, and they’re not used to her. She feels bad about it. Netty tells her she’s the dueña of that house, and dueñas don’t go around feeling sorry, they insist on what’s theirs.

Marianela doesn’t think she has the nerve. Netty shows her a picture of her mother Eva and tells her to get brave and fulfill her last wishes. Marianela says she feels so alone, but Netty says she’ll go into battle at her side. Then she tells her she’ll show her what they do in her house to chase away loneliness, and gives her a big hug.

Emiliano has gone to give his son a talking to. He says that’s no way to resolve family problems.
Emanuel: Well, you’ve seen what’s going on, and you haven’t done anything.
Emiliano: You think I can actually change Fedra and Kristel’s personalities?
Emanuel: That’d be too much to expect, but I’m sure as hell not going to stand by and do nothing, and just watch them destroy my cousin.
Emiliano: Nobody’s going to destroy anybody here. What really hurts is that you, my greatest pride and joy, would deal me such a blow.
Emanuel: It hurts me too, but it hurts me to know that I come from this kind of family.

Meantime, Fedra is downstairs in the living room pouring her poison in Muñeca and Lorenzo’s ears. She tells them they haven’t had a moment’s peace since Marianela showed up, and look at that – her own son has turned against her. Muñeca says that he mentioned something about treating her badly….?

Muñeca is our little canary in the mine, and we know what usually happens to those canaries, so it’s worrisome. Back to our story..

Muñeca decides she’ll go see her padrino, and she leaves, inadvertently casting an unguarded look of worried disapproval. After she’s gone, Fedra skitches over closer to Lorenzo and seductively tells him she doesn’t know how he puts up with Muñeca. Me either, he says and they leer at each other.

Letty hauls Marianela into the living room where the music is blasting, the hanging plants are gushing, and some of our group of residents are dancing. See? she tells Marianela, in this house there’s no room for sadness and certainly not for loneliness. Oliver grabs Netty and starts dancing with her, and Brandon overcomes Marianela’s protests and gets her out and dancing.

Emiliano is giving it another try. He goes into Emanuel’s room to reason with him and says Marianela can’t stay at Netty’s – it’s not a good environment. Emanuel snorts And this zoo is? Emiliano points out that it’s her house, to which Emanuel counters that it shouldn’t be her prison. She should be the one to decide.

His father wants to know how Emanuel knows she likes it better at Netty’s – did she say so? Nope, but her eyes sparkled at the prospect of more time there, and Netty received her with open arms. Marianela needs to decide, and we need to respect her decision.

At Netty’s, the fast dance number is over and a slow one starts up. She feels shy, but Brandon talks her into dancing this one with him too. He rocks her back and forth, prom-dance style and she closes her eyes dreamily. Pretty soon it’s Emanuel she dreams she’s dancing with. Ay, Emanuel! she sighs and Brandon steps back, startled. She denies she said anything, but Brandon kindly asks her if she likes that guy. She fiddles with her glasses nervously.

Muñeca’s padrino is the old general, and he’s upset to hear that Marianela is at Netty’s. Why, she’s an actress! She must lead a scandalous life. He likes Netty actually, but the world of theater – whooheee. Who knows what kind of riff raff she must be living with! Muñeca defends her, but he tells her to go snatch Marianela right now from that den of iniquity.

Kristel and Mauricio are necking in a lounger out by the pool. Kristel has on skin-tight leather pants which for sure will protect her against the night mosquitoes and maybe against Mauricio. Emiliano hollers for her, and Mauricio dives for the bushes.

Emiliano is furious about the drunk pumpkin revelation. He tells her that if she bugs Marianela again, there will be consequences. Kirstel pokes her lower lip out.

Marianela protests that she didn’t say anything about Emanuel, but Brandon sees through her. He’s has a policeman’s nose for sniffing things out, he tells her, and he can tell she’s in love. She looks stunned.

Ilitia is draped on Emanuel’s bed when he comes in and is startled, but not unhappy. She sulks that he hasn’t spent much time with her, and that she needs lot of hugs and kisses. He says in a bit, he has to get dressed. She tells him here she’s going through the worst time of her life and he’s not there for her. He’s laughs about the worst time of her life. She says you don’t know what happened – you’re always taken up with the gordita.

Brandon is telling Marianela he can just tell – he sees it in her eyes. Marianela is having a little asthma attack and denying it all. He’s my cousin! My friend! He has a girlfriend! He’s in love with her! And look at me! I’m fat.

Brandon starts to be alarmed by her asthma attack.

Muñeca rejoins the dinner group, who are still having cocktails. She wants to go find Ilitia, but Emiliano tells her she’s gone up to readjust Emanuel’s mood. She says the general is a little agitated, and it’s her fault, since she told him Marianela is at Netty’s.

Fedra looks at the two of them talking and says to Lorenzo that they were made for each other. Lorenzo brings up that they were once engaged. Fedra takes a sip of her champagne and wonders if he’s going to get all jealous. He tells her he knows very well how to keep his emotions in hand. He asks how long since she’s seen her fashion designer (modisto). She gives a throaty chuckle and makes eyes at him. She says maybe he’ll make her a dress – form fitting?

Now everybody at Netty’s is scared by Marianela’s asthma. She says she needs to go home. Did she forget her inhaler? She faints.

Ilitia is giving Emanuel a disjointed account of what happened at the airport. She was taken hostage! Well, maybe not her, but this policeman trapped her in there and somebody took photos and now it’s in all the magazines and all over the internet. Emanuel can’t figure out why a policeman would do that or why it cost her her modeling contract. She tells him they’re saying she was raped in a men’s room.

Fedra is griping about the stupid dinner for Marianela. Emiliano is annoyed and asks her if Marianela even knew about it. Fedra says she didn’t need to ask her – she lives here, doesn’t she?

Muñeca asks Fedra if she’s having a problem with Emiliano – they look upset. Fedra waves it off as just being a little something about Marianela’s dinner. Muñeca observes that it’s hard to keep a man happy. Fedra happily pounces on that and asks if she’s having a problem with Lorenzo. Muñeca says she can tell her - she feels like he doesn’t love her any more. Fedra simpers in fake sympathy.

Emanuel suddenly gets it that the policeman at the club is the same one from the airport men’s room. Why didn’t you tell me? I would have pounded him flat! He shouldn’t be working as a policeman! Oooooo, says Ilitia, you’re hot when you get all wound up like that. She goes over and starts kissing on him, and he resists, but it’s futile. They end up on the bed.

But Emanuel bounces up and says not right now. Ilitia kisses him some more, but he’s not in the mood. Not right now, he says again. She’s crushed and says he doesn’t kiss her like before, doesn’t he love her any more? He says of course I do, I just don’t feel good right now.

She sulks that her career just evaporated and now her boyfriend doesn’t love her any more. He tells her to act more grown up. She says that ever since that cousin of his showed up, he just interested in her. Is he in love with la gorda?


Outside Netty’s, Brandon is trying to hold up unconscious Marianela while Oliver goes for the car. Everyone is anxiously fanning her. They tell the little boy to go help Brandon hold her up, and Oliver drives up and jumps out. He tries to help too, but over she goes on top of Brandon.

They’ve gotten Marianela vertical, but she tips forward and Oliver is crushed between her dead weight and the car. Oliver thinks she isn’t breathing. Netty panics and falls to her knees, calling on the saints.

Now, here are two guys who dress up like Darth Vader and eliminate whole gangs of baddies, but they are immobilized by one roly poly girl? Well anyway, here comes a doctor, black bag and nerdy glasses and all, to the rescue.

Emanuel thinks the idea of his being in love with Marianela is a hoot. Ilitia confesses she was a little jealous. He laughs some more and she relaxes and says it would be stupid of him to fall in love with somebody such a big ball of fat. She carries on in that vein a little and, with a look of distaste, he tells her to dial it down. Don’t you realize she’s one big ball of love? Ilitia frowns. She’s my cousin! he laughs.

He smilingly tells her to get herself to some other part of the house. Suddenly she’s furious and she stomps out, saying she’ll never forgive him for this.

Kristel and Marucio are getting it on hot and heavy on a lounger out in the garden. She makes him swear he’ll never run off with anybody else. He swears, and wants to go up to her room, but she’s afraid of him being caught there again, and says they’re better off where they are. Behind a tree, we see Benigno the groundsman. Marucio spots him and tries to pull her away. Oh, it’s you two, says Benigno, who’s holding a bucket. I thought it was a couple of dogs and I was going to throw this on them.

Emanuel has dressed and is coming down to join everyone, just as Ilitia is fleeing crying into her daddy’s arms. Her daddy wants to know what he did to her. She tells everyone – he threw me out of his room! I just wanted to be with him and tell him all the horrible things that have happened to me, and he threw me out.

Fedra reproaches him – first that scene a few minutes ago and now this. What’s up with him? What’s up with me? he says. Okay. Lorenzo, your daughter is spoiled. She’s used to getting her way on every little thing. If she doesn’t shape up and grow up, it’s over.

Back to Kristel and Mauricio, who wants to know what Benigno is doing there. Benigno said he wanted to take some fresh air, and it looks like they did too because they look hot. They say it’s not what it looks like. He tells them just not to trample his plants. Oh, and look out for Fedra.

Fedra tries to calm Emanuel, who is already very calm. Ilitia claims that he has somebody else, which Emanuel of course denies. Muñeca tells her daughter to believe her novio. Ilitia stamps her foot and says Muñeca’s taking his side. Her daddy defends her though, and Emanuel tells everyone look, I’ve had a very bad day, that’s all.

Fedra hisses at him that he’s engaged to her and he’s going to keep his promise. Emiliano asks them all to calm down. Let’s just go have dinner. Suddenly Fedra realizes Kristel and Maricio aren’t there.

Outside, Kristel thinks Mauricio was silly to be worried about the gardener. Still, maybe he’d tell. They’re both worried somebody will catch them, but Mauricio wants to start necking again.

Marianela is out cold, probably sleeping, on a bed at Letty’s. Letty fidgets that she totally forgot about Marianela’s asthma. The doctor tells her that he’s given Marianela something to open up her airways, and something to sleep, so she’ll be fine. Poor thing! Says Letty. Nearsighted, orphaned, fat, and on top of all that, asthmatic. What’s next? A rabid dog biting her?

The doctor tells her when Mama Dolores came for him, he was scared something had happened to Netty but she says naw, she tougher than hate. He notices the sling and she raves about Marianela doing that. She takes her arm out and I’m surprised to see she has a cast. Did Marianela set her arm? Holy cow. Anyway, she tells the doctor she’d like to have the darned thing off, and without asking how long it’d been on there, he says it looks like it can come off. Looks like he’s going to do it on the spot. He tells her she’s fine, the only thing that needs healing is her heart.

Finally everyone is seated at the dinner table. Everyone, that is except Kristel. The maid says they’ve looked everywhere. Emiliano rises, about to go look for her, when here she comes, her hair in disarray, saying she had just gone up to her room to fix her hair. She pets it and realizes it’s sticking up. Everyone looks at her doubtfully.

And where is Maurcio? She fakes that she left him there with them, so where could he be? He comes sauntering in, apologizing. Muñeca tries to resuscitate the evening by proposing a toast to friendship. Lorenzo agrees, saying he’s sure Emanuel and Ilitia will sort out their problems very shortly. Ilitia smiles and leans on Emanuel, and everyone toasts. Gretel says she wants to toast to someone special too. Fedra is taken aback.

Doris is telling Brandon off for telling Marianela not to fall in love with her cousin. (Did that scene end up on the cutting room floor?) He says he doesn’t want to see her get her heart broken; a guy like that would never fall for her. Doris disagrees saying that Emanuel is a great guy. Oliver agrees and says anyway Marianela should find a fat guy. That makes Doris furious – why can’t Marianela take up with any guy, why does it have to be a fat guy? She calls them a couple of animals and stomps off.

Fedra doesn’t want Gretel to toast, but Emiliano says let her. Gretel toasts the lady of the house, Fedra, the most dignified and honest woman she knows. Fedra stares at her, and everyone looks a little uncomfortable.

Benigno is with the general, defending Marianela being with Senorita Letty. Senora, corrects the general. You can’t be an actress and be a senora. Beningo says he thought they’d joined forces. Yes, says the general, the enemy of his enemy is his friend.

Beningo tells him about Kristel and Maricio in the garden, trampling his gladiolas. The general thinks Kristel’s the same as her mother, and that her mother’s days are numbered. Beningo is doubtful –Fedra is gaining more power in the house, not losing it, and he thinks Marianela is too nice to take on Fedra. The general stands and declares that she’s a Ruiz ye de Teresa, and has the stuff it takes.

The dinner party is over, and Emiliano tells Emanuel he’s glad it’s over. He’s never been at such a downer of an evening. Emanuel is sorry to hear it. Emiliano says that Ilitia’s right – Emanuel seems to have changed. Axel walks in and says his brother the one who was doing the right thing. Nobody asked your opinion, says Emiliano. Emanuel puts his hand on his brother’s shoulder and says he should be listened to, he’s not a child anymore.

All I know, says Emiliano, is that I don’t want a repeat of this evening. Emiliano protests that all he did was defend Marianela. His father tells him to go get Marianela tomorrow, and no arguments, got it?

Netty is calling to lawyer to see if she can find out about Marianela’s inheritance and her rights. She makes an appointment. Meantime, Doris is making up Consuelo, who holds up a mirror, impressed. She’s been made up as an old lady. Doris dreams of doing makeup for TV. Her mother sure would prefer that to her making up dead folks.

Marianela is up, feeling good it looks like. She apologizes for the trouble and Netty waves that off.

Emanuel is about to set off on his motorcycle when Benigno runs up, and is glad to hear Marianel’s coming, the general will be happy. Emanuel says if it were left to him, he’d let Marianela stay with Letty.

Marianela says she needs to get on home, she’s worried Emiliano will be upset with her for leaving without permission. Brandon offers to drive her home. On the way, he asks her why she wants to go live there with such awful people. She says it’s her home. Brandon says he knows she feels something for her cousin, and she’s going to get hurt. He just can’t keep his mouth shut about it when that’s what he feels.

He also can’t keep his eyes on the road, and doesn’t see Emanuel on his motorcycle and CRASH.

Avances: Netty sees the lawyer. Fedra says something about a fortune to Bernardo and Emiliano overhears and wants to know what she’s talking about. Emanuel is out cold on the pavement.

Labels: llena