Caray, Caray!

Ale has just asked Marco the million dollar question, and the clock is ticking. “What do you have to do with Carmela?”

We’ll have to wait a bit more for his answer as we zip over to the casa of Jaime, who is also caught in a sticky situation. Vicky has interrupted his ardent studying and barged into his house. She wants him to help her get Rafa back since it’s his fault she lost him. He gets in her face to let her know he will do no such thing. I applaud his forceful rejection of Vicky’s latest scheme. Unfortunately for Jamie, his proximity to Vicky Veil looks a bit compromising to Julieta who has just appeared in his doorway. Jaime asks the inevitable, “que haces aqui?” Julieta, through angry tears, tells him how her mother and brother convinced her to give him another chance and forgive him. Jaime tries to explain why Vicky is there, but Julieta won’t listen. She tells him that she will NOT allow herself to be so stupid again, slaps him hard across the face (how his glasses have survived all these knock is beyond me), and dashes out the door. Vicky is unconcerned and calls Julieta “una niña insignificante” (an insignificant child). In Vicky’s world, the only person of importance is Vicky, and the only relationship worth saving is hers.

In the time it took for Jaime’s world to fall apart, Marco has finally come up with an answer to Ale’s question. Of course he has something to do with Carmela. Hacienda business of course! “Who told you that I had something going on with her?” Ale tells him it was Susana, who heard it from Dandy, who said it seems that Marco and Carmela have “un arreglo” (an arrangement). (Why are you ratting out Susana and Dandy Ale?) Marco feigns offense. “I’m your husband, you should trust me.”

This emboldens the little audience that had been witness to this interrogation, Jorge and Rosaura. They quickly take Marco’s side, scold Ale for not trusting her husband, and make her apologize to Marco. Ale relents, for now, and reluctantly gives Marco a hug and kiss.

Marco’s off the hook, but poor Jamie is not. Vicky refuses to leave until he agrees to help her get Rafa back. Yells, pleas, and threats do nothing to crack her calm demeanor. Jaime, meanwhile, is looking more and more disheveled by the moment. “If you don’t help me, I will tell my brothers to tear you in two.” Jaime bravely tells her that he doesn’t care if they tear him in 2, 3 or 4. “Oh yeah!?” Vicky calls his bluff and begins to walk towards the door. Jaime folds. He asks her what she wants. She doesn’t know yet, but she has him on retainer for when she does. (Why Jaime, why?) She calmly saunters out, leaving a distraught Jaime.

But nothing can top the level of distraught Julieta has reached by the time she arrives home to Casa Medina. Rafa wants to know what Jaime did to her. Julieta is hysterical and tells Rafa and Leonor that Jaime was with Vicky in his house. She runs off to her room, and Big Brother Rafa looks teed-off.

Ramirez and his mama have also arrived home from the fiesta. Mama Ramirez calls the women her son works with “prostitutas, locas, y zorras” (prostitutes, crazies and whores, among other insults). Ramirez is offended and tries to defend his compañeras, but Mama isn’t hearing it. She’s just glad he hasn’t succumbed to the temptation these loose women pose. In fact, she knows just the perfect decent woman to introduce him to- Milagros Escandon. She won’t take no for an answer. Ramirez (our undercover Romeo) knows that if she’s a friend of his mother’s, she’s NOT the woman for him.

Jimenez’s wife also has something to say about the women of Siglo. Actually, one in particular. She’s seen enough telenovelas to know, and her sixth sense tells her, that there is something going on between the Generala and Jimenez. Jimenez denies it and Elvira makes the universal sign for what she’ll do to him if he’s lying- the slow gesture of the cutting of the throat. Ay, Dios Mio!

It’s finally bed time, and Ale sits alone in the dark remembering her encounters with Rafa that day. She says to herself that she can’t live this way. She can’t be with a man she doesn’t love. Marco, meanwhile, has no such concerns keeping him awake. In fact, he’s snoring loudly on the couch in a deep sleep when Jorge creeps in and wakes him up. Jorge can’t sleep. He wants to know why Marco and Ale aren’t sharing a bed. “Is there a problem?” Marco denies it and says they are just waiting to do things properly, waiting till after the religious ceremony. Jorge doesn’t seem to buy this, but accepts Marco’s sweet offer to make him some warm milk to help him sleep. This reminds Jorge of his mama who used to do that for him long ago. When he thanks Marco he has trouble calling him Marco instead of mama. (Very sweet and sad at the same time actually.)

The rooster crows, the sun rises, and it’s a brand new day. Rafa and Ale both look at their phones wistfully, remembering when they used to serve as each other’s wake up ritual. At breakfast, Julieta wants to know if Rafa would prefer she stop working for Marian after his altercation with Daniel. Rafa thinks she should continue to work with Marian. He asks her how she feels about Jaime. No need to ask really. We can tell how she feels by the redness of her eyes and face. That’s the face of a girl who’s been crying all night. Rafa says he’s going to talk to Jaime 'cause he owes him an explanation.

Another brother and sister duo is also sharing breakfast. The topic of conversation for Jorge and Rosario is Ale, however. Jaime thinks it’s strange that Ale and Marco aren’t sleeping together, and doesn’t believe this excuse about awaiting the church wedding. He thinks the problem is the difficulty for the couple to be intimate in such close quarters with dad and aunt around. He thinks they should buy another apartment for Jorge to spend his last days in (Rosario will soon be marrying and moving in with Quintana after all) and a bigger place for Ale and Marco. They will need to sell the hacienda, give over the money to Ale and Marco, and buy the apartments. In the background, Marco who has been listening in does a happy dance.

Ale arrives to her office at Siglo and Susana wants to know how things went with “el hombrecito” (the little man- I find this funny since wives are often called the little woman). Neither of them realizes Rafa is in his office listening intently to their conversation. Ale tells Susana Marco’s seemingly valid excuses for meeting with Carmela. With no proof, she can’t do anything. Susana says she will ask Dandy for more information. In the meantime, Susana wants to know how things are going with the lack of marriage bed intimacy. They both take a quick look in Rafa’s office to make sure no one is there, and to our surprise no one is there. That’s because Rafa has had the good sense to hide in the corner behind a large potted plant. Unfortunately, he is incapable of containing his exuberant joy upon hearing that Ale and Marco have not, and will not, have any post marital relations. Ale and Susana are alarmed by the rustle of the plant leaves and get up to go investigate in Rafa’s office. Uh oh!

We’ll just have to bite our nails and hope for the best for Rafa not being discovered, because we are whisked to Marians’ office. She is joined by her BFF Montserat and they talk about what fun the fiesta was. Montserat points out that Marian has always been transparent and can’t hide her feelings. Something else was making her so happy during the party. Marian admits it was Rafa who was making her so happy. Until that brother of hers, Daniel showed up. Speak of the (handsome) devil! In walks the man, the myth, the legend (in his own mind), himself. He wants to talk to Marian alone, about something “muy, muy serio” (very, very serious). Like all well practiced little sisters, Montserat listens in at the door after she departs. Marian wants to make sure he’s not going to bring up this marriage silliness again. He says no. He’s dying. Qué?!

Now you have to bite your nails wondering what’s happening with Daniel as we head back to learn the fate of Rafael Medina and the Potted Plant. Ale and Susana are just about to cross the threshold into Rafa’s office when….Beltran interrupts them. Time and money’s a wastin’! He wants to get the sales meeting started, pronto! Yes, he means right this second. A very relieved and joyous Rafa does an extended version of his happy dance.

Back to the fate of Dying Daniel. Marian is beside herself with worry. What does he have? What did the doctors say? Daniel states again that it’s a guarantee that he’s going to die…well, we all are going to die…someday. Marian gives him an exasperated swat, and Montserat rushes in scolding him for causing her to cry on the other side of the door. Yeah, she was eavesdropping. What of it? Marian calls him a tonto and brushes some lingering tears of concern away.

Chavez is continuing to play both sides of the fence. He’s having drinks in our favorite bar with Quintana and his sidekick. Quintana wants his cut of the cash. Chavez feigns that he can’t collect cash from the hacienda since the headless horseman has him too scared to go there. Quintana doesn’t see what this has to do with him getting his money. Chavez changes tactics and tells Quintana that Marco is selling the hacienda and already has a buyer. The very shrewd Quintana assumes the buyer is a fake and is really Chavez. Chavez denies it. The Alvarez del Castillo family already know his name. No way could they get away with that. He lies that he has no idea who Marco would use for this purpose, and then accepts a call from his (estranged) other half. Chavez informs Quintana and Co. that Marco is on his way to the bar in a few minutes. Quintana then points out that it’s Chavez that has the most to lose from Marco seeing them together, not him (this is so much like an affair). He then goes to the bathroom to wash off the Chavez germs.

When Marco shows up, he seems almost as jealous of seeing Chavez having drinks with Quintana’s toady as he is when he sees Ale and Rafa together. Chavez lies that he’s just a old friend, and then tells said old friend to tell his “brother” “Enrique” that “hay pajaritos en el alambre” (there are birds on the wire), and sends him away. He then distracts Marco’s attention from the fact that there are three glasses of drinks at the table and asks about the Swiss account. No, Jorge hasn’t remembered the account info yet, and his memory is just getting worse each day. Chavez counsels Marco to get as much info out of Jorge as possible before his memory is totally gone. In the background, Quintana is reluctantly being hustled out of the bar by his toady, and Zetina is in their way. He finally manages to sit down at his usual table with a perfect view of Marco’s dirty dealings, but no ability to hear them. He takes out his camera and gives it another try. I doubt he’ll see Chavez and Marco lock lips (well, who knows with those two), but seeing the two of them canoodling should raise eyebrows.

At the sales meeting most of the team is hung-over, especially the General whom they all tease about her overindulgence with the tequila. She’s not amused, but everyone else is in a good mood. Dandy especially, who thinks the world is bright and beautiful and full of possibilities. (Ah, love!) Rafa is in total happy agreement with him. They both think it’s time to gather the posse because there is much to tell (they are worse than a bunch of 13 year old girls). Ale looks back and forth between these grinning fools and tells Rafa that she does not want him wasting the time of the salesmen. Rafa smiles at her adoringly and tells her she’s beautiful when she’s angry. Ale is nonplussed and obviously flattered. She leaves quickly when Dandy returns with the rest of La Liga de Justicia (the Justice League), sporting crossed arms and puffed out chests. She departs telling them that they look like children. And she’s right. All they lack are their Spiderman and Batman Underoos.

Once she leaves, the macho crossed arms and puffed chests dissolve into goofiness, giggles, and gossip. How did Dandy get Susana to forgive him? Why’s Rafa so happy? Tell us the juicy details. Dandy lets them know Susana is on their side and can be an ally for them in their fight for all that is good. She is so in the League. Rafa reports that his damsel in distress is not having intimate relations with the evil baddie. And for that reason he is felíz, felíz, felíz! “Although she’s married, she can still be mine.”

Marian is still trying to talk some sense into Daniel. She does love him, but just as a friend. She certainly doesn’t hate him, although he can be insufferable. He asks what does Rafa have that he doesn’t? Marian is happy to list the qualities. Rafa is good, noble, hard working…He tries to help everyone. And, he’s not presumptuous (ahem). Montserat interjects that she thinks Marian is only so interested in Rafa because he’s hard to get (Marian protests a bit too much). Monstserat thinks Marian should give Daniel a chance, and she’s not just saying that because he’s her brother. Daniel asks what it will take for her to give him a chance. Marian’s response is that he needs to be more humble (humilde), and less arrogant (soberbia). Daniel doesn’t think he’s arrogant, it’s just that he’s so damn close to perfection. (Lol!) Montserat gives him a swat and Marian groans.

Marco’s happiness over Jorge’s plan to sell the hacienda didn’t last long, and now he’s grumpy. Chavez wants to know what’s up with him. It’s the whole situation with Ale. It’s all Medina’s fault. Chavez corrects him. Nope, it’s Marco’s fault. And if he doesn’t snap out of it Ale will get sexually frustrated and look elsewhere to fulfill her needs (Chavez looks like he’d like to be that "somewhere else"). Marco starts to freak out about this so Chavez changes the subject. He wants to talk about the sale of the hacienda. Is Marco going to tell Carmela they have a fake buyer? Nope. Not now. How about Quintana? What will happen when he finds out that you’re selling the hacienda? Marco is unconcerned.

He would be concerned, if he heard the conversation between Ale and Susana. She tells Susana how being with Rafa just now made her feel. Susana gives her a piece of her mind again about her having married a man she doesn’t love like a niña caprichosa (impulsive child). Tell her Susana! Ale admits that she can’t go on like this. Then it’s time to do something, Susana tells her. Ale decides. “I’m going to ask for a divorce!”

Tomorrow: Marco and Vicky see their shrinks.

Labels: dinero