Caray, Caray!

Friday: Fedra tries to fire Benigno, and turns on the waterworks when Emil won’t let her.

Alone now, Eman and Benigno wonder if somebody forced Maximo to change his will, namely Fedra. Eman has a plan to make sure that the money goes to Mari when she comes back.

Mauricio and Underworld Guy Dandy are plotting illegal business in some warehouse. Dandy has brought some guns just in case.

Maximo is still in LaLa Land, but Eman tries to talk to him, telling him to try real hard – they need him. Then he thanks Max for making him his sole heir. Max, wide-eyed, stares into the mid-distance and addresses (imaginary) Emil, saying he doesn’t trust that woman and if he marries her, she’ll make his life hell. He should marry Muñeca!

Max seems to suddenly notice Eman but doesn’t know who he is. Still, he tells Eman to be careful and to keep his eyes peeled.

It’s nighttime and the SWAT team, led by the comisario, is outside a building, forming up. Mano takes some flash photos which you would think would blow their cover of darkness, but heck, the light bar on the police car is going full blast, so what the hey.

Paula is trying to hand-feed soup to Maximo who is spouting militaristic bromides. When he finally takes a spoonful, he complains that it tastes weird, and if she makes stuff like that for the troops, they’re lost. Paula tearfully begs him to get his marbles back. He tells her not to cry, that she looks so lovely pregnant.

He goes on about the girl he knows they are expecting, and how he will stand up to everybody and marry her. Paula cries that they never married, Carlota has died, and so has the baby. He declares their daughter isn’t dead, and tells Paula to go fetch her. Our Gretel is alive!

Mauricio looks over some invoices and declares them in order, so now all they have to do is to wait for their buyers. What they don’t see, but we do, is someone all in black, the Lirio, sneak in and snatch their briefcase and run away. Mauricio and Dandy hear a sound and run to the briefcase, but find it’s gone. Their guns were in it! They look around, spooked.

The SWAT team are on them in a second. Mano is taking photos, but sees the Lirio running behind some shelves. He cries out and points and the team give chase, but they lose him.

At the pension, MariVicky is regaling the ladies, who are all aflutter, with the story of her encounter with the Lirio, and how she felt he wouldn’t hurt her. The ladies want to know if the Lirio had a sexy voice and MariVicky tells them it was deep and whispery and she was sure he was disguising it. She had some feeling he was connected to the Ruiz y de Teresa. They all wonder at that, MariVicky included.

Paula tells Benigno about Max saying that Gretel is their child. They both sadly agree that he’s gone completely bats and that they’ve lost him.

Mauricio tells the police they have no right to come barging in, that they have a legitimate business. The comisario says he’s sure all their stock is stolen, and if not, let’s see the papers. Mauricio counters by saying he wants to see the orders for this search. No problem, says the Comisario, it’s down at the station so let’s all go together and have a look-see.

Mauricio wants to know who that guy is snapping photos and Mano defiantly says he’s the press. We see the shadow of a hooded figure and all heads swivel around. The comisario notices that Oliver and Brandon are missing.

The ladies laugh and lust some more after the dashing bandit. MariVicky says that the lirios that the Lirio hands out are just like the one Marianela has and that’s why she thinks there’s some connection with the R y de T.

MariVicky tells them she’s been invited to the R y de T’s for dinner.

At his bachelor pad, Lorenzo is pouring liquor into the two models who are still dressed, but one is on his lap. After they’ve smooched his cheeks a little, it dawns on him to actually ask their names. One is Alondra and the other… Christian. Lo jumps up and away from them, and, fighting tears, says “Christian!”

Fedra is asking Emil about a client at the agency whose name is Christian and who is causing some kind of money trouble. Emil has no idea what she’s talking about and the next thing we know, they’re in a squabble over his having kept her from putting Netty out of her home. Then he tells her MariVicky is coming to dinner. Ilitia, coming down the stairs hears this and is shocked that they’d invite that Spanish lady who is flirting with Eman.

Mano comes around a corner in the warehouse and sees the Lirio, peering around another corner at him. Mano flashes some photos which the Lirio holds still for. Then the Lirio slides a lirio across the floor to Mano.

Next Mano finds Oliver all tied up. He releases him just as the comisario shows up demanding to know what’s going on. Oliver says he was following Brandon, who disappeared and just then the Lirio surprised him and tied him up. Mauricio and Dandy yuck it up at the police’s expense.

Emil tells Ilitia and Fedra that MariVicky is the best artistic director the agency has ever had, making us wonder how they’ve stayed in business all these years, and he tells them they better behave at dinner, or else.

The phone rings – it’s MariVicky on her cell in a taxi, saying to Fedra that she’s the voice of Fedra’s past come to haunt her – she’s Marianela. You killed Tia Carlota, murderer! About now, the taxi driver must be thinking it’s a more interesting night than usual. Or maybe he hears this kind of stuff all the time. Anyway, Fedra snarls back at her, which makes Emil and Ilitia pop up out of their comfy chairs and come closer to find out what’s happening. Mari goes on: You and your son couldn’t kill me, and I’ve come back to make you pay for all you’ve done to me and my family. Listen, you tub, says Fedra, you’re not going to do anything… Hello? Hello? You can’t threaten me, Gorda, she snarls at the phone. Ilitia guesses who it was.

What’s this? We see Fidel and Eman in a bar, toasting their successful business partnership. Eman wants to make sure their customers are satisfied and Fidel swears he’d chop his hands off before he let them be unhappy. (Let’s pause to think about that. If you chop, say, the right one off, what are you going to chop the left one off with? Just asking...) Eman wants to be sure they have enough stock, and that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands like before. No problem, smiles Fidel. We can use the factory ovens and it’ll all be melted down by the end of the night.

Eman tells Fidel he’s the perfect guy for this job. Fidel says he can just work in his off hours, and he wants to be sure Muñeca and Lo never find out that he works for him. Eman clasps his hand, and tell him he’s his partner, his friend, not his employee.

Outside the warehouse, handcuffed Mauricio complains that it’s all illegal. He and the comisario snipe at one another while Mano shoots photos, then tells Mauricio he’s going to be the star of the Internet tomorrow. Brandon shows up and the comisario grumbles about his not having been around.

Fedra whines that Marianela is calling her and threatening her, trying to drive her crazy. Eman walks in just then and lights up that it’s maybe Mari, and Kristel comes in too and blathers, then Axel appears on the stairs to listen. Ilitia, who is none to pleased, asks Fedra’s if she’s sure that was Mari. Fedra’s sure, and she said she wants to destroy Fedra, boo hoo.

Just then MariVicky walzes in and asks if she can go down to see the general for a second first, because she has a message for him from Marianela. From whom? says Fedra, fluttering her eyelids.

While they load Mauricio and Dandy into the police jeep, the comisario again demands that Brandon tell him where he was. Brandon manages to waffle, and Mano says he got photos and look! He hands over the lirio he got. Unique guy, this Lirio, says the comisario. Brandon says he saw him running off and Oliver wonders why he didn’t call for backup.

MariVicky’s down with the general who looks at her wild-eyed and says she’s the angel of his dreams, come to save them from the plague. MariVicky is creeped out and turns to ask Benigno how long he’s been this way – he was fine the last time she saw him. She drops her purse and Benigno picks it up, fortunately too much of a gentleman to look up her micro micro mini of a skirt. Benigno explains that he just suddenly got that way – lost his mind and his money too. MariVicky asks about that and Benigno explains the will, and how it leaves everything to Eman.

Paula comes in and thanks MariVicky for helping Gretel and wants to see her. MariVicky says Paula, I just can’t right now, but I’ll send her a kiss. Paula wonders how MariVicky knew her name and MV says Gretel told her. Whew! Close one! Paula tells her to tell Gretel that she loves her like she was her own – in fact, Max in his craziness even thinks she is.

MariVicky tells Paula that Mari wanted her to look for something in her room, but she doesn’t want the others to see her going upstairs. Paula says she can use the service elevator.

Ilitia and Fedra are vocal about wondering why MariVicky had to be invited. Emil says it’s because she’s Marianela’s friend and because as head of the household, he says so. Eman asks Ilitia why she’s so jealous. Axel comments that MariVicky is good-looking, but Kristel assures him it’s all makeup.

The doorbell rings and this time it’s the police, namely the comisario and Brandon, wanting to talk to Kristel since her boyfriend just got picked up for trafficking in illegal goods. Kristel’s lower lip trembles.

MariVicky sits on the bed in her old bedroom? Eman’s room? and rants about what they did to Maximo. She picks up a photo of La Gorda and says she’s not her anymore, she’s here to wreak justice on Fedra and Eman. Eman shows up at the door and asks her what’s she’s doing there.

Nereida is dragging Delicia by the arm, Delicia protesting that she doesn’t feel good. Nereida tells her she’s a servant and doesn’t have the luxury of being sick, it’s an important dinner and to get to work. Delicia starts polishing the flatware when in comes Bernardo who comes into the kitchen and grabs her from behind and starts slobbering on her.

Brandon tries to politely say why they want to question Kristel, but Emil protests that they’re talking about Mauricio as if he was already found guilty. Kristel babbles foolishly, and Ilitia pulls her aside and tells her to cooperate with Brandon – he can help. Kristel wonders why she’s on his side when she hated him so much before.

Kristel goes back into the living room and tells the police they have no right to ruin her baby’s reputation. Brandon tells her she can help clear him then.

MariVicky says she just walking by and saw Mari’s photo. Eman snatches it from her and tells her not to touch Mari’s holy stuff, that she has no idea how sacred Mari is to him, and how he never did anything but love her. MariVicky says that’s not what she heard, that he was after her money. Eman protests that she knew what the plan was, that he was just trying to find out who was trying to hurt her.

MariVicky says she hopes his wife finds out what kind of creep he is. He grabs her by the shoulders and asks her what her problem is, what is it she wants, anyway? They are within kissing distance, but glaring at one another.

Bernardo is still struggling with Delicia. She grabs a chef’s knife, but he pushes her hand away and struggles with her some more, saying she’s always tantalizing him. Some more struggle and suddenly he looks stunned, then she does too. Excellent.

Suelteme! MariVicky says, shoving Eman away. More protests of his great love for Mari, then MariVicky asking him why he married Ilitia. He’s amazed she’s asking – he explained at the orphanage. MariVicky accuses him of deceiving Ilitia, and he furiously tells her he was honest with Ilitia who knows very well that he can’t ever love her like he did Mari. MariVicky spits at him that he’s using Ilitia like he did Mari.

Eman insists she respect others’ feelings. MariVicky counters that he didn’t respect Mari’s, that she had to flee because of him. Eman says one day he’s going to see Mari face to face and he’ll be able to tell her everything he feels. If she listens, says MariVicky, who is now inches from his lips. She will, he says, when I’m impassioned, I always succeed. (Well, not really. He flopped pretty spectacularly before.)

Suddenly he kisses her forcefully and she struggles a bit, then they both get into some big sloppy open-mouthed kissing, which reminds us that kissing is more fun to do than to watch sometimes.

Bernardo is clutching his bleeding side and there’s Delicia with the knife in her bloody hand, blood all over her apron. We know this is not going to look good. Delicia says she didn’t mean to, but he attacked her. She calls for help and Nereida comes running. Bernardo points at Delicia saying that he just came to the kitchen for a few things and she jumped him with a knife.

More kissing, and Eman notices that MariVicky is trembling. She shoves him away. He says she’s been wanting him since they met, he’s seen it in her eyes. and he’s going to show her that he can make a woman happy, even a cold one like her, hardly the sort of thing we want to hear from the lead galan. It almost sounds like a page of Mauricio script got mixed in the Emanuel pages for the day. Anyway, there’s more kissing.

Kristel, chin jutting defiantly and tears running down her cheeks, tells Brandon and the comisario in a shaky voice that they are picking on her baby. They are very gentle with her, saying nobody’s been convicted of anything yet. The comisario offers to leave the room so she doesn’t feel ganged up on.

Kristel tells Brandon he’s just jealous because her baby is a businessman and he’s just a poor naco. He tells her not to be insulting. One day they’ll go have some nice barbeque but today, he says, suddenly stern and angry, she needs to tell him about Mauricio’s illegal doings. She asserts everything he does is legal, then she gets confused and hysterical, and he pursues her around the table, telling her she better drop Mauricio because he’s involved in all kinds of illegal stuff. She squeals and runs from the room.

Kristel runs into her mother’s arms where she gains a little courage. Emil asks Brandon if he found out what he wanted, and Brandon tells him it looks like she’s covering up if she knows. They all square off a little, but then there are cries from the kitchen, and everyone runs to see.

Like it, huh? says newly creepy Eman. MariVicky says he’s the last man on the planet she’d end up in the sack with. You say no, he says, but your body, your eyes, your skin all say yes. Actually, her body is saying suelteme as she tries to shove him away, but he says he feels how she is trembling for him. It’s stronger than he is, he says, he just can’t help himself.

Great. It seems like all the guys in the show turn all rapey on us. Is noble Fidel next? Oliver? Emil? No, no, please not sweet little Benigno! I think lawyer Pacheco would only attack a pastry, thank goodness. Anyway, they kiss when suddenly we hear Ilitia calling him. They jump away from each other.

Delicia tells Fedra and Emil that Bernardo came in and was molesting her. Nereida, holding Bernardo, says she came in and saw Delicia attacking him. Delicia swears it’s not true. Brandon kindly tells her he has to take her down to the station. Axel asks her why she did it and she glares at him and says she wasn’t ever again going to let a man make her do something she didn’t want to do. Upside: all this discussion gives more time for Bernardo to leak blood because of course nobody has called the paramedics.

Back at the station, Mano is furious that the Lirio tied Oliver up. And why didn’t Oliver defend himself? Oliver says he was awfully deft and quick. Mano reminds him that the comisario said that the Lirio might be a policeman. Oliver disappeared just when the Lirio appeared. Could he be the Lirio?

Ilitia hollers that Eman better open the door, or she’ll kick it down. (Did Eman lock when he came in?) MariVicky smiles and tells Eman to let his wife see what kind of guy he is. He goes to open the door and Ilitia and MariVicky give each other the High Noon stare. The sound and picture get all goofy, so I can’t understand exactly what Ilitia’s saying, but suffice it to say she’s plenty pissed off.

MariVicky says ask your husband what he was doing. Okay, says Eman. I was kissing Vicky (and rats, I couldn’t catch the rest of the line!).

Avances: Ilitia denounces Eman in front of his family and then later, out on the lawn, tells him it’s time for a divorce.

Labels: llena