Caray, Caray!

Natalia pulls her hood up and walks away unnoticed leaving Diana standing behind Alejandro with her arms around his shoulders. He doesn’t feel ready for a relationship, he says. He needs time and patience. Diana offers him both and he is grateful.

Enrique talks about how hard it is for the addict to live with his frustration, pain and especially, rage. And rage makes him want to consume even more drugs. The therapist points out that:
Viver es lidiar con las emociones.
(Living means coping with one’s emotions.)
But that is precisely what the addict can’t do. So he numbs himself with drugs. But then he is left with a terrible fear.

And so Natalia tries to numb the pain and rage she feels after seeing Alej and Diana together. Pregnant or not, her fifteen minutes of abstinence are over and she is back with her Zombies. And she’s not willing to share with Fernando. After all, they bought the drugs with her money.

At Empresas Ferrer, another piece of Clara’s world is wrenched away when Lucas informs her that she has been demoted: she is now his secretary. But she shouldn’t worry -- someone else has already been chosen to take her place.

In the barrio, Gloria is happy with Ramón’s latest item: Alej and Diana left the gym holding hands.

When Karla hears how Hilda was nearly thrown out by security at Roberto’s office, she wants to forget the whole thing. But Hilda is undeterred. She calls the Del Valle home number, gets Lucia on the phone and announces that Roberto has a son by her daughter. Fortunately, Lucia is sitting on the couch because she, like so many before her in this story, faints dead away. It’s a good thing Consuelo is there to phone for help.

Roberto has rushed home and is now assuring Lucia that:
Esa historia del hijo es lo más vil que puede existir.
(That story about a son is the most despicable thing I ever heard./literally: that can exist.)
He doesn’t even know that impostor (farsante). He thinks he knows who the daughter is, but he never had anything to do with her. Lucia is the only one he loves.

At Casa Ferrer, Cris is showing Vicki her presents from Morocco. Sour Mama Rosa interrupts the smiling friends to ask what they’d like for lunch. Cris has a yen for Cuban food:
...un plato de lechón con arroz, frijoles y maduritos...
(... a serving of suckling pig with rice, beans and plantains).
Rosa informs Cris very prissily that they never eat pork – too much fat and cholesterol! She recites a politically correct list of pastas. Whatever you like, says Cris.

Rosa grouses to Marisa about Cris’s low tastes but Marisa cuts her short, advising her to join forces with Cris (unirse): Así no sufres tanto. That way you won’t suffer so much.

Natalia phones Marisa with the unsettling news: she is pregnant. She hangs up before Marisa can say anything. The nightmare is starting again, Marisa tells Rosa.

Lucas is no happier than Marisa about the pregnancy. He tells Enrique he feels as if he is living Natalia’s life rather than his own. And he wonders, as he feels his life is passing him by, how Jade is... (¿Cómo estará Jade?)

Not so great, it seems. She can’t understand why Allah let the Shadow cross her path just when she had gotten over Lucas. Allah must be testing her, she tells Zoraida.

No me gusta verte así cabizbajo, Dora tells Daniel.
(I don’t like to see you downcast like that)
Daniel is sad to think that Jade prefers the ‘original’ to him. Dora begs him to stop comparing himself to Lucas. She can’t wait for the hearing tomorrow: Finally the 'misunderstanding' will be cleared up. And Daniel is also looking forward to it. He hopes to hear that he is unrelated to Lucas Ferrer.

We see Natalia wearing a white tank top and walking alone. Then she is in black and walks with her Zombies toward the drug house. She is visibly pregnant. (I’m completely confused by the timing because she looks at least 5 or 6 months along.)

¿Quieres acabar con la vida de tu hijo? (Do you want to do away with your child’s life?) asks the desperate Marisa when Natalia shows up at Casa Ferrer. Natalia retreats to her room, chases Rosa away, and once alone she says: Quiero morir. (I want to die.)

While the women – Cris, Marisa and Rosa – are trying to decide what to do, Natalia runs out the door.

Natalia meets up with Paula. I don’t want to use anymore, says Natalia. Okay, I’ll take your share, says Paula. Natalia snatches back her drugs.

At the Del Valle home, Roberto and Andrea are gossiping about Albieri and Amalia when Lucia bursts in. She was so worried when she didn’t find Roberto at work and couldn’t reach him on his cell. Why she almost had a heart attack. But now all is well and she and Roberto are all kissy-face while Andrea giggles and hides behind a pillow. And Consuelo, whose back is turned to them but is always lurking and listening, sticks out her tongue in disgust.

Consuelo reports back to Skank headquarters that she is ready to give up. That woman never lets Roberto out of her sight. You quit and I’ll sue you says the litigious Granny Skank. And Karla con K continues to have misgivings:
¡Yo te dije que lo mejor era no habernos metido con esa gente!
(I told you it would have been better not to mess with those people!)

Albieri has just gotten home from the librería (bookstore), when the doorbell rings. It’s Daniel. He tells Albieri: If you say that I’m a clone in the hearing tomorrow, you’ll never see me again. I don’t want anyone calling me a clone – not even you!

Luisa excuses herself so they can talk. She picks up Albieri’s jacket and notices a paper sticking out of one of the books he just bought. It is a note in Albieri’s writing: Este libro es como tú, con mucho cariño, Albieri. (This book is like you, with much affection, A)

Albieri does his best to convince Daniel that being a clone is nothing shameful any more than being a test-tube baby is shameful. He is a human being like everyone else. And besides, it may not even be necessary to mention cloning tomorrow.

Daniel feels that Albieri doesn’t get it:
A veces me siento tanta rabia por ti. Me gustaría que sintieras lo que yo sufro...
(Sometimes I feel so much rage towards you. I’d like you to feel what I’m suffering…)

And yet…
… al mismo tiempo no puedo alejar de ti.
(… at the same time I can’t stay away from you.)

Albieri created him and he’s the only person that can give him his place in the world.

The Family Council has assembled once again at Mohamed’s house. Said has been tight-lipped about his decision and now everyone listens attentively when Alí says:
Said, tell us, will you marry Jade or cast her to the winds?

¡Me caso! he says smiling. (I’ll marry her). Rania’s face falls. Alí beams and he tells Jade she is fortunate, that Allah has been good to her.

No one is prepared for Jade’s response:
Pues yo no me caso. No me vuelvo a casar con Said.
(Well I’m not getting married. I’m not going to marry Said again.)

Now Rania and Amina exchange smug little smiles while Jadiya’s face is a mask of grief.

Alí is furious. He has done so much to make this marriage possible and now she is throwing it away. He curses her. Jade accepts the curses meekly. But she can’t take any more. She refuses to go on deceiving herself.

Then I don’t want you either, retorts Said bitterly – not in my house and not in my life. I am burying you, Jade, in front of all these witnesses. I’ll never take you back. And I curse the moment I fell in love with you, the jewels I gave you, the silks, all the gifts…

The Naz looks on, her face streaked with tears.

Jade deliberately removes her veil, her rings, her earrings. I’ll give back everything you gave me, she says. And I’ll leave with what I came with: my life.

She holds Jadiya’s tearful face in her hands, strokes her hair and says: Some day, you’ll understand.

Samira comes up to her aunt: Tía, toma esto. (Aunt, take this). She gives her the veil she just received from her father. They embrace warmly. Latifa is weeping.

Jade kisses Jadiya one more time and tells her she loves her.

Rania continues to look smug.

You shouldn’t let her go, Zoraida tells Alí. She doesn’t know anyone in this city. Let her go, says Alí. When she comes back, she’ll be tamer (más mansa). But now, let her go where the wind takes her.

Said watches miserably, smirky Rania clinging to his arm and leaning on his shoulder, as Jade closes the gate behind her and heads out alone into the darkened street.

Daniel is waiting for Albieri in his office. He notices a photo of Lucas and he takes it down and scowls at it.

Albieri, meanwhile, tells Luisa that he bought the book for her. She doesn’t believe him. After all, he already owns that book. She demands reassurance that he loves her and that he’s never been unfaithful to her. She is, she tells him, the only one he can trust and she urges him not to disappoint her. And now, she says, let’s have dinner with Daniel.

But Daniel is gone. And the photo of Lucas is on the floor, torn to pieces.

Daniel sits on some steps outside, in the dark. He is idly tossing a coin over and over.

At Mohamed’s house the postmortem is in progress. Alí feels betrayed by Jade’s ingratitude; Abdul says it was her destiny; Rania is relieved that Jade is gone. Samira is worried about her aunt and so is Amin who points out that she left empty-handed. The Naz says Alí shouldn’t have let her leave with nothing. Jadiya is sad that her mother had to leave her gold; she warns Rania that it will never belong to her. Rania murmurs to Amina that she can’t stand Jadiya. She would say more but Amina restrains her.

At Casa Ferrer, Lucas sits in his bedroom unable to sleep. He is anxious. He has an oppressive sensation in his chest, almost a pain, as if something is about to happen. Marisa, already in bed, thinks he’s nervous about tomorrow’s paternity hearing. He doesn’t think that’s it. He can’t stand the idea of another Lucas wandering about, living his life, taking over moments that belonged to him.

He decides to go for a drive.

Outside in the Miami night, Jade walks up to Daniel, still seated on the steps. She sits down beside him, laughs, takes his arm and kisses him.

Credits roll.

Labels: clon