Caray, Caray!

Friday: All the kids have arrived at home, including Axel who is drunk and announces he’s going to tell everyone his Big Wonking Secret that he’s been hiding deep deep deep inside him.

******

Netty wants to know what the silver lily means. Angela in her trance tells her that she needs to find it three times: once for herself, once for her home and once for what’s awaiting. Of course, says Netty, for whom I guess such enigmatic messages are a common occurrence. But where is the silver lily? Angela cracks her eyes halfway and tells her she has to find it. Oops, seems like spirit Eva has evaporated into the Great Beyond. Netty is frantic. Angela tells her she’ll have to find out for herself what it is.

Emiliano tells Axel to go take a nice cold shower. Axel insists he wants to tell why he drank up every bit of tequila at the club – toasting to them. Because they’re the perfect parents and they have four perfect kids. Being perfect is so important! I don’t want to study medicine! I don’t wanna be a doctor!

Netty tells Bladiola about her session with Angela. Bladiola is creeped out by that kind of stuff and thinks the dead should stay dead and not go lurking about people’s houses. Netty protests that Eva’s the one who sought her out. She thinks the silver lily is the key to saving Marianela. Bladiola says they should go to Taxco – plenty of silver there. They could get something! Netty has an epiphany. The brooch Eva gave Marianela the day she died!

Fedra tells Axel she wants an MD diploma, and he’s going to provide it. Axel turns to Gretel and says Tell her! Snarling Fedra has to be held back and Emiliano finally tells her basta.

Great family reunion! says Kristel. We need to do this more often.

Emiliano tells them all that Marianela is going to get her inheritance tomorrow night and everyone is required to be there. Fedra steams.

Doris is telling Brandon about Marianela planning to participate in the beauty contest and Brandon is taking a fit. It’s going to be all hot babes, and Marianela isn’t ummm, hot. Doris rolls her eyes and says Marianela is very pretty, and pretty inside is what really matters. Brandon says the contest is all about hot bods, and he’s not going to let her enter.

Why so interested in Netty’s niece all of a sudden? Doris wants to know. Brandon blusters.

Marianela says it’s okay if the others don’t want to come to her inheritance party, or whatever it’s called. Emiliano says they’re a family and it’s important they all be there. Kristel wonders what Marianela could be inheriting from her mother, since Eva drank up all her assets. Marianela retorts that Eva recovered, and she’s not here to defend herself, but by golly Marianela sure is. Axel suggests Marianela run Kristel out of her house for being so stuck up. Fedra snipes too, and Emiliano tells them all to shut up.

In his room, Bernardo is executing the popular telenovela table sweep. He raves that it’s come to this, just for trying to comply with Fedra’s wishes. If only he’d abandoned her after he’d saved her life! That’s what you would have done, Capitan, and if you were alive, you would have condemned me for all of this. But it’s your fault, Capitan, he says, picking up a small sailing ship from the shelf and rocking it over imaginary waves, you never knew who she was!

Whoa, that was intensely weird.

We get to flash back to the groovy burning ship, which okay, doesn’t have masts like I thought it did, but still looks like burning scaffolding, and we hear Bernardo calling out to his Capitan. Somebody says Jump! Save your skins! The Capitan yells Bernardo, help! Where are you? calls out Bernardo’s voice.

That was your punishment, thoughtbubbles Bernardo, to go down with your burning ship. I not only saved her, I gave her a name and invented her anew. I can’t leave her! Bernardo angrily mangles and crunches the ship in his hands, then throws it to the floor.

Bladiola and Netty are going through papers – probably the ones Emiliano gave her - and they wonder about the lily. Maybe it was a protective amulet? They find a simple line drawing of a boat, maybe a large yacht, signed Luis Felipe. They gasp to see that the name on the ship is Lirio de Plata. Bingo! says Netty.

Ilitia is talking on the phone to some journalist – she’s thrilled that the article will come out tomorrow. He tells her a good scandal is always news. She figures she’ll get rid of that policeman.

Brandon is telling Oliver about the beauty contest. He’s going to make sure Marianela doesn’t enter. All he has to do is tell Netty, and then she’ll put a stop to it. Oliver says maybe she’ll win; she has such a pretty face. Brandon bristles and Oliver laughs that he’s jealous.

Marianela and Emanuel put Axel to bed. Axel says she’s the best, and Emanuel kisses her hand and agrees. Axel suddenly gets tearful and says he doesn’t want to go back to the university. Emanuel puts an arm around him and tells him he loves him.

Netty and Bladiola wonder what the boat means. Netty wonders if it means Marianela is supposed to take an ocean voyage. They puzzle some more. Bladiola says Eva should come back and fill in the blanks, but Netty says you can’t just dial up a spirit and have them answer.

Muñeca and Lorenzo are home and they’re having a huge blowup. She knows that lady was his lover, and he says her throwing scenes like that is what’s wrecking their marriage – it’s all her fault. And off he stomps.

Fedra is leaning hard against the door, trying to keep Emiliano from coming into their bedroom, but he shoves his way in. They argue and he wants to know why they’re always yelling. She says he’s not defending her against La Gorda and her aunt, who insulted her. Instead of worrying about them, he should be worrying about his kids. What’s wrong with them? Are you saying I haven’t been a good father to them?

Look at Axel, she says, he’s about to throw a scandal. The phone rings and it’s her “stylist” a.k.a. Lorenzo. She pretends he’s talking about a fashion show. Emiliano throws up his hands and leaves, and Lorenzo tells her Muñeca’s impossible, and he’s going to spend the night in his passion pit apartment. Wanna come? She says she can’t, she doesn’t have a good cover story. Aw, you can think of one, sez Lorenzo. Fedra tells him she’ll try, but don’t hold his breath.

Emanuel and Marianela leave Axel’s room, leaving Gretel alone with him. She asks him what’s wrong. He tells her his mother is right, he’s useless. He was born under a bad star. Gretel tenderly tells him that he’s wonderful, and it’s their mother who’s weird. He blubbers that they’re going to kill him when they find out he got thrown out of school.

I won’t let them, says Gretel. Know that I’m on your side, and I’ll never abandon you.

Emanuel tells Marianela he doesn’t want her to go back to the club ever. She says it’s weird there, everyone is so strange and superficial. Exactly, says Emanuel, and I don’t want you entering that contest. He tries to tell her she’s not the physical type, but kind of flops at it. Finally he tells her they’re just interested in bodies, but she’s truly beautiful inside. She glows. He goes on that when he looks in her eyes, she has a genuine beauty, the kind that lasts. She glows even more.

But not everybody sees you as I do, so don’t enter that contest. Please. She flashes back on Mauricio’s threat to blab. She tells Emanuel she needs to go to bed. She tells him te quiero, and he says it back and they hug.

Uh oh, here comes Fedra slithering down the stairs. What kind of telenovela is this? she says. You’re just like your mother and Netty, a tramp. That’s why you wanted to come live here, isn’t it? To seduce my son. (Speaking of tramps, note that Fedra is in her off-the-shoulder leopard outfit and 3” do-me strappy heels)

She slings some insults while both Marianela and Emanuel protest that they are cousins. She scares Marianela so badly that Marianela pulls out a chocolate bar and starts chewing on it. Fedra takes it from her. No more cousinly hugs!

Emanuel asks her where she’s going that time of night. Fedra is surprised, and takes a bite off the chocolate bar. She says she was just going down to find a book, but she gives herself a quick look and realizes she has her purse. It’s an encyclopedia and weighs a lot, she says, sashaying off.

Emanuel apologizes for his mother and gives Marianela a kiss on the forehead. He goes on up to bed and she exults that he said te quiero.

Netty tells her housemates that she’s going to pawn her jewels. They are impactadas.

Kitchen scene: Marianela is chopping vegetables and Paula tells her that she ought to lose a little, so she can get a novio. The maids come in and fuss at each other, and then the topic turns to Marianela’s inheritance. Delicia says with that money, she’d buy clothes and gifts, and Paula says she’d love to take a trip. Marianela tells them she’ll make their wishes come true. She asks Nereida what she wants, but Nereida says she’s not a beggar, like some people. Marianela tells Benigno she’ll get him a nice suit so he can take that lady he met at the club out. Beningo tells her she needs to get some nice outfits herself, and not run around in maternity clothes.

Maricio is trying to melt Kristel, who’s still mad, as his prank last night was so not cool. He says it got out of hand because her brother showed up and went all superhero on them. What can he do to get in her good graces? Make me queen of the club, she says. Done! sez he.

Marianela offers to help make breakfast for Emanuel, and all the kitchen folks buzz about it. Nereida says these things happen even in the best of families. Begnino silences them by saying they’re cousins who are fond of each other, that’s all.

Fedra wakes Axel by yanking the covers off him and throwing a glass of water in his face. Then she paces around, telling him off about coming home drunk. Why can’t I? he says, which earns him a slap. She tells him as long as he lives under her roof, he follows her rules…until he can show her he’s a man. Having a medical degree in his hand will prove it. She tells him to go shower before school.

Then she gets all weird and comes in close and starts petting him and plaintively wheedling that he used to be so studious, and he started his medical studies when he was 16. What happened? Does he want to throw all that away?

I’m sick of being your puppet, he says. She yells at him not to talk to her like that or he’ll be sorry. Gretel is listening at the door.

Emiliano talks to his lawyer on the phone – Marianela’s paperwork is all in order. Gretel comes up and tells him Axel needs him, he’s going through hell. Emiliano is startled. Gretel tells him it’s so bad, even Axel himself doesn’t know what to do. Please don’t judge him. Sometimes you don’t stand up for us, and do whatever our mother wants. Emiliano is concerned and wants to know if he’s having trouble at the university. Where he is isn’t important, it’s what bothering him inside, says Gretel. He needs your love and understanding.

He’s always been reserved, says Emiliano, it’s who he is. Or is there something else? Gretel tells him he’s the father – he should have been the first to realize.

It’s the music thing isn’t it? says Emiliano, suddenly angry. I won’t let him leave medicine and go running around with a guitar slung over his shoulder. I won’t! And you shouldn’t support him. If he leaves the university, then he leaves this house!

That heavy thud you hear is Emiliano’s viewerville stock falling to rock bottom.

Marianela is carrying a tray to Emanuel, telling herself out loud how much she loves him and that he’s starting to feel the same way. Mercifully nobody overhears. She walks out onto the porch and drops the tray. There’s Emanuel taking photos of Ilitia in a bathing suit, then kissing her. Emanuel hopes she’s okay, and Ilitia says haven’t you ever seen lovers kissing before? Marianela picks up the tray, saying it was an accident, and then just stares at them. She retreats back into the house. Emanuel wants to follow her, but Ilita grabs his arm.

Marianela runs through the house and slams into Fedra, who is furious. She grabs Marianela by the wrist and demands to know what she’s crying about this time. She just wants to make everybody feel sorry for her, doesn’t she? Marianela tells her to let go, But Fedra says she won’t until she finds out. Marianela yells at her to let go, and Fedra says nobody talks to her like that in her house.

Well, I’m going to talk to you however I want, and cry whenever I want, and I’m going to eat all the chocolate I want because guess what, this is MY house.

Ilitia doesn’t see why Emanuel’s worried about Marianela – if she’s going to get upset whenever she sees them kiss, she’s going to end up in the hospital. Emanuel explains that she was raised by nuns. Ilitia wonders if she’s never been kissed. Emanuel runs out of patience and heads off to see her.

Yesss! a very gratifying verbal laser-sword fight between Fedra and Marianela. Fedra tells her don’t even think she can get away with talking to her like that, so rude! You’re the rude one, says Marianela. You want to make everybody miserable, but you’re not going to succeed with me. They spar a while, and Marianela says if Fedra keeps it up, she’ll have to ask her to leave the house.

Marianela starts up the stairs, and Fedra races up after her, grabs her hand, and traps her near the landing, shoving her head forward over the rail, and grasping her hair. I’ll show you who’s head of this house! She brings up the money Eva supposedly owes her. I’ll repay it, says Marianela. You sure will, says Fedra, and in the way I want you to.

Oliver is mentioning “his” Gretel, and Brandon is razzing him about it. Oliver says it’s happened before where a high society gal falls for somebody like him. Dream on, laughs Brandon, only in novelas. Oliver wishes he could go with Netty tonight, just to get a glimpse of Gretel.

They’re about to head out to work, and the little boy comes running in, telling Brandon he’s in TV y Novelas. Sure enough, he’s on the cover with Ilitia, facing off. The splash says Policeman Brandon Moreno suspended from force for abuse of authority and mistreatment of international model. Who believes this stuff? Brandon says, slapping the cover dismissively.

Fedra still has Marianela in some sort of lock. Look around, she says, the furniture, the pictures, the piano, I bought it all. I’ll pay for it, says Marianela, let me go! You’re going to pay for it with this house, snarls Fedra. Marianela breaks away and says The house is mine because my father left it to me, and you have no right to take away what is mine! She runs off, leaving Fedra agape.

Netty and Doris are at the mall. Netty is counting cash and complaining that the guy didn’t give her enough for her jewelry, but no matter, she doesn’t want Marianela wearing those maternity clothes any more. This would be a pleasant conversation if it weren’t for the fact that Bernardo is shadowing them.

They step into an elevator where there’s another couple and Bernardo steps in too. Netty asks him to press the down button. He does, sets down a bag and steps back out, then disappears into a door marked No Entry. The bag starts smoldering, but nobody seems to notice it, they just wonder what that smell is.

Marianela is on her bed with her diary, lamenting that Emanuel told her she was the prettiest girl in the world, but he lied. He’s just interested in skinny girls who are pretty on the outside, but ugly within. There’s a knock at the door and it’s Emanuel outside who tries to get her to open up. Is something wrong? You can tell me – we’re friends, remember?

Marienela thoughtbubbles that he doesn’t mean it. Then she’s worried that he’ll see she’s upset and he’ll realize she’s in love with him that she’s dying inside. He can’t ever know! (Suggested strategy: Tell him yeah, I’m crying, and it’s because your insane maniac of a mother just went all Al- Qaeda on me.)

She gets up her nerve and opens the door, and he smiles tenderly.


Avances: Gas fills the elevator, and all four people inside pass out. Emiliano lays next to Marianela on the bed and strokes her face. Ilitia comes in and sees.

Labels: llena