Caray, Caray!

The scene is set, and like any good murder mystery, (almost) all the players are gathered in a luxurious mansion. Alejandra, wearing a femme fatale worthy dress, is seated next to the mysterious and intriguing stranger Juan Ocampo (aka Juan Jose Victoria Ocampo). Next to them sits Don Mario, the generous millionaire, who is at the center of many mysteries, and his trusty right hand man Abelardo. They await the appearance of the (sort of) happy young couple David and Gabi, and the bitter and jealous niece Bertha. In walks the loyal maid Dora, carrying a tray of refreshments, with a contented smile on her face, because today they all celebrate the marriage of her “hijo de alma” (son of her soul/heart), who just might be the son of her very own flesh and blood. She spots our mysterious stranger and that smile immediately disappears into a look of shock and amazement (cara impactada) that tells us, and our hero JJ, that she recognizes who he is. He shifts uncomfortably under her gaze, but neither one of them lets on to the other players that they recognize each other. And here begins our story tonight.

Dora silently puts the tray on the table and walks away. Ale introduces Mr. Ocampo (JJ) as the man who bought the property next door that she is renovating. Mario is jovial and takes great interest. But if he recognizes who JJ really is, he does not let on. In strolls pouty Bertha to spoil the party, wanting to know why David is taking so long. Happy Mario is not surprised that he’s a bit late considering he has to pick Gabi up at her house, and she would want to take a little extra time to get gussied up for such a special occasion. As she can serve no constructive purpose in the conversation, Bertha decides to go elsewhere to pester other people with her uselessness. Namely, the servants, to check on how the preparations are coming. She passes David, Gabi and Juli, who are just arriving, and everyone in the living room stands to greet them. Ale introduces everyone to Juan, starting first with Gabi. As soon as she introduces them, Gabi and JJ flash back to their first meetings in the market and on the bus, when he was JJ Victoria- Version 1.0 (the scruffy edition). Gabi, like Dora, decides to stay silent about it for the moment. When David cheerfully greets him, Juan’s response is tepid. They all head in to the dining room.

We leave our mystery dinner party for a smaller gathering over brews between Carlos and Roberto. Carlos is still shell shocked that David actually married Gabi. She’s pretty and all…but to marry a waitress! He wants to know if Roberto knew this was in the works, but the master manipulator feigns total ignorance. (How is he keeping all the lies and half truths he is telling Carlos, Adolfo, David, Bertha, Juli and his father straight?) Carlos thinks the best way to mess things up for David and Gabi will be to tell David “the truth” (which is really a big fat lie) about what happened between him and Gabi at the beach house. But for now, he’s thinking of finding some amusement elsewhere, and Elsa fits the bill. He’ll go visit her this evening. Roberto thinks that’s a good idea since “un clavo saca otro clavo” (one nail gets rid of another/a new love interest makes you forget the last one).

We next see Leo and his partner Ramon. They have been staking out Elsa’s apartment building, waiting for Marcos to make an appearance. But neither he nor Elsa has been spotted since they spoke to her the other day. Leo drinks his coffee with a weary, far away look. Ramon asks him what’s wrong as he’s noticed he’s looked a bit sad of late. Leo admits it. He went to visit his daughter in Durango, and each time he leaves her and home he gets a bit nostalgic and homesick. Ramon thinks there might also be more, but Leo doesn’t admit to it. They get back to talking about Elsa and how strange it is that she just disappeared after they spoke to her. They decide to continue to question the neighbors.

Back at Mystery Manor, the champaign cork has been popped, nearly hitting Juan in his handsome face, and the festivities have begun. Ale thinks Juan has good luck (which we all know is true), but he thinks the only good luck he has is being there, with her, right at this moment. Mario is excited for the young couple to go on honeymoon, perhaps in Europe. He wants Gabi to get to know all the wonderful European cities—Barcelona, Paris, etc. He turns to Juan, knowing that as a man of the world, Juan must have travelled through these cities. “Sure, sure. I’m like the Count of Monte Cristo. I’ve travelled to places like…France! Yeah, that’s it. France.” Mario lets him off the hook by agreeing with him that France is indeed lovely, but doesn’t press for details. Gabi humbly chimes in that she would love to travel abroad, and has wanted to visit these places, but she’s only had the opportunity to get to know many places in Mexico, due to her father constantly changing jobs and moving them. Oh and she and her sister had that wonderful trip to L.A. recently!

Mario tells her all that’s changed now. She will get to travel! He addresses her as hija, and when she politely addresses him back as Señor and in the formal Usted form, he asks her to call him Mario. He’s her father in-law now, and will almost be like a second father to her. He can’t hide his excitement thinking of the day of the religious wedding ceremony, how beautiful everything will be, and above all how beautiful Gabi will be. David gives her a loving kiss in agreement with his father, and Ale questions what he thinks of all this since he hasn’t really said a word all evening. He answers that anything Gabi wants is what he wants, and Bitter Bertha fumes silently.

Mario stands to make the first toast (brindar) for the happiness of his child (children), and for Gabi to encounter a second family with their family. Both Gabi and David beam happily and stand to toast with his (their) father. Everyone else also stands to toast with them. Abelardo then suggest that, as Dora is as much a part of the family as he is, she should be with them to make the toasts. Mario agrees and speaks glowingly of Dora to Juan, as one of the maids goes off to find Dora. Juan looks a bit uncomfortable at the mention of Dora, but is saved from another uncomfortable encounter with her when a maid brings word that Dora isn’t feeling well and prefers to stay in the kitchen. Abelardo makes a nice toast, and then boorish Juan decides to jump in. He stands and makes a toast to life- that although not always happy, at least we can hope for justice (justicia) at its end. He gives Mario a hard significant look as he says these words. Everyone else looks a bit taken aback by such a strange toast for newlyweds, but Mario seems determined NOT to let anything or anyone rain on his parade this special day. He toasts with Juan, but David looks concerned. Ale wonders out loud at the toast since it doesn’t seem like life has been unfair to Mr. Ocampo. He lies that it hasn’t, and especially not now that he’s sitting here next to her. He struggles back and forth with using the formal or informal address (usted/tu) with her. They share a goofy grin and privately toast their combined luck. David and Gabi share an intertwined toast and kiss. Mario chuckles in delight at all the young love in the air. Bitter Bertha pouts and sulks.

Roberto meanwhile is having his second encounter with an Avila man this evening. Adolfo is not letting him off as easily as Carlos did, however. Adolfo is roughing him up and shaking him by his lapels after hearing Roberto has been barred from entering the Genoves house. “What did you do?! Something stupid right?!” Roberto swears he did nothing. That Mario somehow got it into his head that he was influencing David to do some idiotic thing (tonteria)- a sham wedding (boda falsa).

At the mansion, after-dinner drinks are being served in the living room. Gabi and the men are the only ones present at the moment and Gabi and David hang back canoodling near the bar. Mario calls David over to speak with him on the couch, and Juan finds his moment to move in and chat with Gabi. She eyes him suspiciously as he approaches. “Isn’t your name Juan Jose Victoria?” He asks her not to say anything and that he’ll explain later. Their conversation is cut short by David’s return.

At Elsa’s, Carlos has come looking for some distraction and is pounding on her door calling her name. Viewerville is very happy at this point that JJ made her move to the hotel. We are even happier when our favorite hero of the show, Leo, comes walking up behind Carlos, wondering what his business is there. He recognizes Carlos as the owner of Club Sagittarius and reveals they are conducting an investigation that involves Elsa’s brother. If Carlos sees his “friend” Elsa, have her get in contact with them. He and Ramon leave a bewildered and annoyed Carlos standing at Elsa’s door.

We cut to a very worried Fausto who is calling home and can’t reach his daughters, who should be home at this hour. We then see one of them, Gabi, strolling by the Genoves pool with her new husband David. She wonders why he’s been so quiet the whole evening and asks if he still thinks something happened between her and Carlos. If he still doubts her, she thinks they should just end things now before they go further (religious ceremony, living together, starting a family, etc.). Since he’s looking at her lovely face at the moment, no rival is present, and no little devil (Roberto) is whispering in his ear, he tells her how much he loves and adores her and wants to be with her. He kisses her passionately.

At the front door of the house, Ale is bidding Juan good night. Neither seems to want the evening to end and they make plans to see each other tomorrow, about the construction of the house of course. “Hatsa mañana.” She closes the door, but then leans against it, grinning from ear to ear.

Mario and Juli are in the living room, having a drink and a chat. He wants her to also think of this house as hers, and she thanks him. He wonders if she plans to still work at the club, and then offers her a good position at one of his other hotels anytime she wants one. (Do it Juli!) She thanks him enthusiastically. Mario tells her he will have Abelardo take her home, who is at that moment in the kitchen asking Dora how she is. She begs off, saying that she’s not really sick but mainly tired. Plus, she didn’t feel it was her place to be there making the toast with the family. Abelardo thinks this is nonsense considering how loved she is by David and Mario. Dora is agitated, refuses to listen, and begins to head to bed. Ever the gentleman, Abelardo tells her how wonderful the dinner and the preparations were, and thanks her. She smiles and walks away happy. He leaves to take Juli home, and Mario wanders off to bed with a spring in his step and a song on his lips. It has been a very happy day for him.

In his bedroom (recamera) upstairs, David finally looks like he’s enjoying the day. He excitedly tells Gabi that they can keep this room as theirs or they can take a bigger one in the house. Gabi doesn’t understand why they would need a bigger room, when this one is already larger than her whole apartment! The talk of bedrooms seems to have made David frisky. He wraps his arms around Gabi from behind and kisses her neck. She, a bit nervously, tells him how important this all is for her. There has never been another man (implies sexually) in her life, and he is the first man she has ever fallen in love with. He leads her to the bed and assures her that he understands this perfectly. She looks him directly in the eyes and tells him that he’s extremely important and significant to her. (Note this David. She is saying she is not messing around here. This is serious for her. So get it together!) He tells her that she’s also important to him. (Actions, not words, David.) If he’s acted like an idiot, it’s because of jealousy (celos) and because he love her so much. She wants them to leave all resentments (rencores) and the bad moments behind them. (Are you listening , David?) He agrees. They exchange sweet nothings (tu eres mi vida, te adoro, etc.), and begin to suck face. We go to commercial and I begin to wonder if they are not going to wait till after the religious ceremony to consummate the marriage afterall.

We’ll have to wait and see how far things go with David and Gabi. First we head to a couple that’s in dysfunction mode at the moment. Juan returns to the hotel after his evening at Mystery Manor with the lovely Alejandra, to find pouty Elsa who has fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him. She needs to talk to him. He tries to head off an argument by saying he was with some guys doing business (he’s got that cheating spouse thing down pretty well). She’s not interested in that and asks him to sit and talk. The head games begin. He sits next to her, gives her an appreciative look and tells her she looks very pretty. He wants to know if she happy and likes the place. She tells him she is and does, but she wants to go back to her own apartment and space. It’s where she lives, and she thinks it’s best that way. Juan brings up the trouble Marcos could cause for her, plus he just doesn’t like her living by herself. Especially with all those guys sniffing around her like that architect (Medina) and Carlos. She tries to reason with him once again. She’s a decent woman, and if she goes out with someone or someone visits her, there’s nothing bad in it. Juan’s answer: “NO ME GUSTA!” (I don’t like it.) Wrong answer buddy.

Elsa is ticked off (rightfully so). He can come and go as he pleases, but she has to follow his rules and do things as he wants her to? Hell no! She gets up in frustration and tells him he has no business trying to impose his will (voluntad) on her. She leaves the room in disgust.

It’s the next morning and Mario is waking up feeling a bit weak after all of yesterday’s excitement- tricking his children into marrying each other; straightening out his hardheaded son; soothing his daughter; physically throwing a scoundrel out of his house; and planning and hosting a celebratory dinner (that’s a lot for a guy on death’s door). He tells Abelardo how happy, excited and filled with emotion he was. They laugh at how confused, jealous and silly David has been, but Mario is sure they will be happy together. He wants Abelardo to send for the lawyer (notario) so that he can change his will and leave half to David and half to Gabi. (What about Ale and Bertha?). Abelardo wants to know when Mario’s going to talk to the two of them about their parentage (David being his adopted child and Gabi being his natural child), but Mario begs off until Santiago/Fausto returns and they can see about continuing with their plan. Abelardo wonders in Faustiago will follow through. Mario doesn’t know, but it’s the only way to save his fortune for David AND Gabi. This way, they won’t have to break the news to Gabi that Faustiago is not her father, but Mario gets to be close to her and leave her his fortune. It’s a win-win for everyone. (Surely, Faustiago will see it that way. Right?)

David enters and greets his father with a kiss. Mario, ever the proud papa, comments on how handsome he looks, and David inquires about his health. Mario says he’s just tired, but he’ll be up and about soon. He’s surprised that David isn’t still in bed (ahem)… David smiles and tells him not to go imaging things. Last night he took Gabi home a bit late, but only because they were talking (so, that’s what the kids are calling it these days). Mario hopes it wasn’t so late that Gabi can’t come over to have a meal with them that day. David assures Mario that he’ll speak to Gabi about coming over and have the chauffer pick her up. Mario wants her to come over a bit early so that he’ll have the opportunity to sit and chat with her a while. He just enjoys her company so much! (Jealous David should be getting a bit worried right now about his dad’s interest in his wife, but I guess he knows his dad is not the type.) After David leaves, Mario says to Abelardo what a good boy he is, and this is the first time he’s seen him truly in love. He was just lead astray for a bit by that shameless (sinverguenza) Roberto.

Bertha tries to stop David on his way out, wondering why he’s acting like this sham marriage is real. Roberto told her everything and she will not take that woman living here (as if it’s her house). David tells her that Roberto is an idiot and Gabi is his wife and will live in this house. Bertha, knowing the right buttons to push, wonders if it’s not important to him that Gabi and Carlos went away together to that solitary beach house. David turns into the Hulk and approaches her menacingly telling her to butt out of what’s not her business. And she better not dare mention it again!

Limon and Juan celebrate their purchase of the hotel. Limon tells Juan that Mario doesn’t seem like a bad guy. He treated him really well and seems to be a nice, simple guy who doesn’t put on airs. Juan agrees that he does appear that way, but thinks it must all be an act. He thinks Mario is two faced- acts nice to your face, then plunges the knife in your back when you turn around. He wonders if Limon thinks that what Mario did to him was so nice. Mario declared to the police that he saw him speaking to the maid. He wonders if that should have been enough justification for them to throw him in prison. (Hello JJ! He DID see you speaking with the girl. And it was Adolfo’s accusation, a bad lawyer, and the police who put you in prison. Not Mario’s truthful statement. Oh, whatever. Continue with your revenge rant.) Limon tries to get him to see that what’s done is done (ya pasó), but Juan won’t listen. He spent eleven years, ELEVEN YEARS, locked up for a crime he didn’t commit. Eleven years of suffering for his mother. Eleven years of not being able to be with her. He’ll never forget, NEVER! This rant is interrupted by Caramelo, who’s looking for Elsa. Seems she’s packed her bags and left when they were all sleeping. Juan is sure she’s returned to her apartment and leaves to bring her back.

Yolanda has once again, and unwillingly, returned to the Guillens’ apartment to find out if the girls are indeed selling Adolfo’s diamonds. She rings the bell and while waiting for an answer, drops her purse and is helped by gallant Leo, who’s on his way out. Knowing who he is, she gets nervous and flustered but is saved from further interaction with him when Gabi comes out. Leo, as always, gets a wistful look on his face when he greets Gabi, and asks if her father has returned. He then excuses himself, with a parting smile for Gabi. Yolanda asks Gabi if Leo lives in the building and Gabi confirms it. They head inside for some girl talk. Yolanda has heard the gossip that she’s getting married and has left her job, at least that’s what she heard from Adolfo. Gabi confirms this and that she is in fact already married, as of yesterday. Yolanda feigns surprise and asks for the details. She continues to act surprised when she finds out the groom is David Genoves. She then asks after Juli, and when Gabi tells her Juli went out to buy a few things, Yolanda fishes around to see if they’ve been spending diamond money. Gabi telling her that they have to buy things like the wedding dress on credit at the small neighborhood stores; that she does not intend to buy her father and sister a fancy condo and does not consider David’s money to be her money; and that she and David intend to live with Mario, does not fit with Adolfo’s picture of money grabbing jewel thieves. (Give it up already. They don’t have the diamonds!)

Leo enters his office, looking a bit depressed and distracted. Ramon shortly follows. He got information from one of Elsa’s neighbors about where she works. They’ll head there next. Ramon brings up another case they’ve been working on—diamonds that were reported stolen in L.A. (what a coincidence). One of the diamonds showed up here in Mexico, and the description of the guy who sold it matches with the description of Marcos. Leo is now more determined to find him, but once again seems distracted. He finally tells Ramon about Gabi marrying David, and Ramon’s answer is “I told you so.” Women care about money (la lana). You should have told her that you’re rich too. (These guys just don’t get it.)

Another guy who just doesn’t get it, Adolfo, is having a smoke and a coffee, when Yolanda enters saying her own version of “I told you so.” He was wrong. Those girls don’t have two dimes to rub together. They’re still living their poor lives, buying cheap clothes on credit. Adolfo is still not convinced. They’re just clever (listas), pretending in order to throw them off their scent. Yolanda insists and Adolfo glowers. Meanwhile, the real jewel interceptor and seller, Marcos, has just happily bought his trailer truck (camión) with some of his diamond money.

At Genoves Manor, Mario is so eager for Gabi’s arrival that he is waiting outside to open the car door for her and usher her in. Gabi as usual, looks a bit bemused by his attentions, but she treats him amiably. They head to the living room as he tells her she is now the owner/woman (dueña) of this house. He explains that his nieces also live there, but he hopes that Gabi won’t mind and that it won’t be inconvenient for her. Anyway, one day the girls will get married and move out. He wants them all to get along with each other. Gabi assures him she doesn’t mind at all, and that she’ll do her part to make sure they get along. He can’t contain his glee and tells her what a great affection he’s already developed for her. She says she feels the same for him. They smile at each other.

The one niece we know will do her part to make sure Gabi’s home life is not a happy one, has arrived at Roberto’s apartment hopping mad. Bertha wants to know why Roberto told her David and Gabi’s marriage was a sham. He says he didn’t know. His fake judge was ready to do the fake marriage. He thinks Mario intervened and brought the real judge. Bertha is once again amazed that good guy David was going to go through with a sham marriage, but is even more confused about why he’s now going along with the real marriage. The door bell rings, and it’s Adolfo. He’s VERY pleased to see Bertha and knows exactly who she is. She excuses herself and leaves, but Adolfo is left speechless and impactado. “Vaya. Vaya.” (Well, well.) He obviously likes what he saw. He wants to know if she’s a friend of Roberto’s and tells Roberto to invite her to the club that evening. (Dirty old man.) Now back to business. Adolfo wants to know how plans for killing Mario are coming along. Roberto admits it’s more difficult to plan now that he’s banned from the house, but Adolfo urges him to figure it out. He’s in a hurry (me urge) for Mario to disappear. Roberto better follow through if he doesn’t want problems with Adolfo. Uh oh!

David is seeing Gabi home to her door and she’s gushing about how wonderful and caring his father is. “And me? What about me?” She rewards him with a kiss and by telling him he’s the most marvelous man in the world. They are in the middle of sucking face in front of her open apartment door, when a shocked, scandalized and angry Fausto arrives. “GABRIELA!!!!” Uh oh!

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