Caray, Caray!

Capítulo 144: It’s a boy!
Es un varoncito for Rania and Said. Andrea gets closer to Pablo. Cristina and Leo are together again. Fernando is playing Clara. Zein is either playing Malicia or being played by her. And Alej has an unexpected partner in Operation Rescue Natalia.

No one has seen Daniel. Dora fears that if he has gone to the desert, he will never come back. Rosa stands in the nearly empty Diego shrine wringing her hands. And Leo orders Roberto to track him down, no matter what it takes.

Lucas wants Roberto to disregard Leo’s instructions. Roberto isn’t willing to defy the boss but he agrees to keep Lucas in the loop.

Enrique accuses Lucas of avoiding a meeting with Daniel for fear of confronting his own past. It’s not that, says Lucas. Whether or not this boy Daniel is a clone, he is a separate and distinct person. As a twin, Lucas struggled to establish his own identity. This lack of identity made him weak. And because of that weakness he lost Jade.

Jade and Zumaya return from the medina to Ali’s house in Fez to be greeted with the news that Rania is about to give birth. This happiness could have been yours, says Ali. And Zoraida adds that she never saw a love greater than that of Said for Jade. Love? Or obsession? answers Jade.

At Said’s house in Miami, the menfolk -- Said, Mohamed and Amin wait downstairs. Samira and Jadiya are just outside the birthing room and peek in on the proceedings. Rania is a very noisy parturient. Amina is at her head, Latifa attends her bottom, and the Naz is shouting unhelpful things in the background. Rania gives one final push and the baby is delivered into Latifa’s arms. The men come running upstairs when they hear an infant wailing. ¡Es un varoncito, Said! (It’s a little boy, Said!)
Jadiya’s face is a tear-streaked mask of tragedy and Latifa tries to comfort her. Said cries with joy. And of course Rania, Amina and the Naz are thrilled.

Alejandro is frantically searching his apartment for money or things he can sell while the odious Paula watches, boots on the table. He comes up with $100 and the television. Why don’t you get the money from Natalia’s rich parents? she asks.

Pablo is at a café with Andrea and Diana. Diana continues in her self-appointed role of Cupid for her friends. She begs off attending the victory celebration at Gloria’s, saying she is not feeling well (estoy indispuesta), leaving Andrea and Pablo to set off together.

At a pawnshop, Alej gets $100 for his watch and tv. He’s still $400 short.

Pablo and Andrea arrive at Gloria’s and discover that the guest of honor has gone off to get Natalia and has not come back. Says Andrea:
¿Será que Natalia tuvo una recaída? (I wonder if Natalia had a relapse)
While they are waiting for Alej, Pablo gets a call from his ‘novia’ and Andrea strains to hear the conversation.

Malicia is surprised when she opens the door to ‘her’ apartment and finds the Chump relaxing on the couch. He is there so they can solve their problems as a couple, he explains earnestly.

Clara and Caro discuss the Chump, how much Malicia has managed to squeeze out of him. Caro wishes she could find herself an Escobar. [Oye, Caro, you already have an Enrique. Isn’t that enough tsuris for a lifetime?]

Albieri and Luisa are at home discussing Dra Silvia’s stated intention to denounce him before the Florida Medical Board. He understands that she feels he betrayed her trust; Luisa, however, is outraged and insists that the betrayal is on Silvia’s part. Luisa can’t excuse Silvia’s disloyalty to Albieri. But Albieri admits that deep down, he wants Silvia to make what he has done public. He is willing to face losing his license, his clinic, even going to jail. But he demands recognition for his great accomplishment: cloning a human being.

Cristina is in her apartment with Vicki. She has decided to take a long trip and rethink her life. Quiero ser feliz sola, sin la necesidad de tener un hombre a mi lado. (I want to be happy alone, without needing a man at my side.) These must be magic words because no sooner has she uttered them than Leo appears at her door. I have to talk to you, he says, and I’m not leaving until you listen to me.

Alej is so desperate, he seeks help at Casa Ferrer. He comes looking for Lucas, but it’s Marisa who is home. She and Rosa want to know what’s wrong. It’s Natalia, he tells them: La tienen secuestrada en un lugar dónde se venden drogas. (They’re holding her hostage in a place where they sell drugs.) If they don’t get $600 by night, they’ll hurt her. He has only been able to come up with $200.

Rosa runs upstairs for money and comes back with $500. He only needs $400, he says, but she insists he take the full sum, just in case.

Lucia has been present, sitting just out of earshot of the conversation. It is clear to her that there is a crisis. As Marisa’s friend, she wants to help. Marisa breaks down and tells her what is going on.

Marisa, for once in her life, acts bravely and selflessly (if a little recklessly). She insists on accompanying Alejandro to rescue Natalia. He is dubious, especially given that she is wearing one of her typically provocative dresses, today a blue Marilyn Monroe number. But she dismisses his doubts, rejects the idea of being driven by the chauffeur and she and Alej set out together in a taxi.

Back at Cristina’s apartment, Leo thanks her for bringing Daniel to him. He knows Daniel isn’t Diego, but somehow, with his arrival, his own heart, which had been closed off for so many years, opened up again and he started to feel alive. The unjustifiable resentment (ese rencor injustificado) that I harbored against you all these years is gone, he tells her. Te vengo a pedir perdón. Perdóname Cristina. (I’m here to ask your forgiveness. Forgive me, Cristina.) In answer, she takes him in her arms. [So much for the Eat Pray Love plans. Cut directly to Love.]

Ramón has been calling Alej’s cell and there’s still no answer. Gloria is exasperated and Pablo is sick of waiting. He has made plans to see Malicia, but he will take Andrea home first. In answer to Andrea’s question, he admits he isn’t exactly in love with Malicia. Tal vez después... (Maybe later on...)

At Salamandra, Malicia is telling Zein: ¡Estoy muy enamorada de Pablo! (I’m so in love with Pablo). She always had a thing for Pablo, she admits, but he was off limits when he was Cris's boyfriend. And why did Cris and Pablo break up? asks Zein with seeming innocence. Because of Sr Ferrer, says the Malicious One. Zein is surprised – he thought he was the reason. He kissed Cristina and some gossipy employee told Pablo about it.

I’m surprised to hear you say you’re so in love with Pablo, adds Zein. I saw how you were looking at Rogelio last night. And why not? He’s divorced, handsome – you’d make a nice couple. [ok, is this conversation for real? Is Zein onto her or is he another gullible fool?]

Escobar boasts to Julio about how he confronted his problems with Malicia head-on by showing up at the apartment. And he should have done it long ago.

Clara is doing a little gentle boasting of her own. She tells her friend Caro how well Fernando is doing. He is back in the band and off drugs. She’ll just give him a call.

Fernando is rifling through all the drawers in Clara’s house when the phone rings. He listens to his mother tell him how proud she is of the changes he has made. He cuts the conversation short because he has a rehearsal with the band. The doorbell rings. It’s Paula making a home delivery of drugs. She plops down on Clara’s couch and very casually mentions that the dealers have Natalia: if Alej doesn’t pay her drug debt by tonight, they are going to kill her.

The taxi carrying Marisa and Alej arrives at the drug house. He asks her to wait while he goes inside, first entreating the driver to take care of the lady for him: (Me cuida la señora.) Alej approaches the gang and hands over the $600 they demanded. It’s not enough. Now they are asking for $700 to pay interest. Alej gives them the extra $100 that Rosa had pressed on him. They take him to Natalia and we see him with his arm around her, ready to lead her to freedom.

Credits roll.

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