Caray, Caray!

After over a week of nonstop action and hilarity, it should come as no surprise that we would eventually experience a lull, allowing our friends in DF an opportunity to catch their collective breath. Soooo, naturally it would occur on my night to recap. Hey... no problem. I've had a busy week, what with sick folks and lousy closed captions to attend to, so let's all relax, pour up a fine Tequila (or beet juice, if you are of that persuasion... you know who you are), put up our feet, and enjoy a little Telenovelandia Happy Hour.

We pick up with Thursday's final scenes which were described so well by our Sylvia. So with her permission, let's rewind her recap a bit, and while I hunt for the Tequila, join in progress, in the boardroom, Fedra and Lorenzo:

She’s not sympathetic that his money is gone or that his neck hurts and she’s still on the subject that he won’t kill Vicky to please her. He throws back what has she done for him? She wouldn’t loan money to him, remember? And he’s still mad about her lackey Bernardo beating him up. Fedra gets back to the case in point. Pretty soon Vicky will get rid of all of them and it would be very convenient if she were dead. Ilitia runs behind Brandon for protection and Vicky gasps to Eman to help her. I guess she can’t reach into her own purse. Eman pushes FL aside and runs to Vicky. FL runs to Ilitia and grabs her from behind. Brandon coaches her, remember the kick! A bite on the arm and a kick in the nuts sends Ilitia into Brandon’s arms and FauxLirio driving away in a car that mysteriously showed up out of nowhere. But no matter about that now, the right people are finally hugging!
Brandon is with Ilitia and Eman is with MariVicky.

Thanks Sylvia.

Emiliano is at the police station nibbling on a bit of crow as he apologizes to Oliver. He now realizes that Oliver's intentions toward Gretel were honorable. Manolo looks on adoringly as they shake hands. He solicits Oliver's assistance in locating his daughter and Oliver enthusiastically agrees. Turning his attention to Manolo, Emiliana tells him that he is sure that Axel must have told him all about the situation with Gretel, and expresses his approval of their relationship, asking only that an increasingly fidgety Manolo make his son happy. Manolo requests a few moments alone with Emiliano. A suspicious and jealous Oliver sarcastically queries, "Are you going to ask for Axel's hand or what?"

Emiliano is worried that there is a problem with Axel. Nope, but he has a message from Gretel.

Back in the boardroom, Fedra is administering her own tough love brand of physical therapy to a helpless and hapless Lorenzo. Multitasking, she outlines their mutual threat... Marianela who is back in Mexico, what they must do about it... do away with her, and explains why it must be he that does the deed... to avoid being blackmailed. "OK?" He weakly and meekly agrees. "So when will you do it?" He sighs, "When my neck is well." Not exactly the answer she was hoping for, she gives him a disgusted little shove. "¡Ay, ay!" he whimpers... next!

Ahh, this is much better, we join a playful (but will you please do something with that hair?!) Axel and the effervescent Delicia in the kitchen of Castle Creep. The delightful Dee has dutifully donned the dreary duds of a domestic drudge, but even so, she looks radiant. He reminds her of his invitation to the company bash but she declines, "It just won't work," pointing out that to the entire family, him included, she is just a servant. She reminds him of his uncle Max and Paula. In an effort to prove her wrong, he rolls up a dish towel and ties it around his head (hey kid, that's a good start) and turns to washing dishes. She smiles.

"Do you know where Gretel is? Tell me!" Emiliano exclaims. Easing his father to a lower altitude, Manolo explains that he's been in contact with Gretel (one might say that) and assures him that she is well and when the time is right she will contact him. Feeling guilty for not being there for her, Emiliano soothes his conscience by stuffing a wad of cash into Manolo's hand for him to give to Gretel. ( I'll bet Manolo keeps it for himself.) Gretel peeks out to thank her dad... he doesn't see her and says goodbye to Manolo.

Gretel's tears run down Manolo's cheeks.

Oliver steps in to console the tearful Manolo who takes that as his cue to embrace his pal... just as the Comisario enters.

As Axel washes dishes, Dee explains how he can never know what it's like to be poor. He vows that he will continue with the menial chores until she agrees to attend the party with him. She smiles.

Brandon is holding court in his office, with Ilitia, Vicky, and Manny in attendance. Somehow, he manages to strut even while remaining seated. His less than impressed audience assure him that the bandit they recently encountered was definitely not el LdeP. Brandon has picked up the scent and dismisses the ladies for a private chat with Eman.

Home with her perro fiel, Bernardo, Fedra is in a snit over the abduction of her beloved son Emanuel by the silver-plated lily. She threatens to to kill him. As Bernie tries to calm her they are joined by Nereida who announces that Fedra has a guest. Before Nereida can properly present her, Netty pushes past and confronts Fedra. She is hot over the attempted assassination of her niece, Marianela Ruiz y de Teresa Pavón.

Outside Brandon's office, Ilitia and Vicky do a little lady-bonding, genially exchanging insults, accusations, and threats. Ilitia is especially impressed with Vicky's zinger, "You're dying of fear, Ilitia Porta López, fear is tattooed in your eyes," calling it very poetic. Going gently for Ilitia's pretty throat, Vicky tells her that if Marianela showed an interest, Manny would return to her in an instant sending Ilitia's marriage into the dumpster."

Well this is all very sweet and touching, but let's see what the boy's are up to...

Brandon gets right to the point. He thinks that Emanuel and el Lirio de Plata are one and the
same. Manny scoffs asking Brandon if he got his badge from a box of cereal, then suddenly the conversation takes an odd detour as Brandon pops out of his chair and grabs Eman's lapel, "What were you doing hugging Victoria de la Garza?" Eman counters with, "What were you doing hugging Ilitia, my wife?" Brandon thinks for a moment, one can almost picture the little hamster sprinting to catch up to this line of questioning... "You first."


Our pet, Axel, is still in the kitchen and has turned his efforts to food preparation. With a sprig of cilantro clinched in his teeth he is cutting up vegetables. Dee swats at him with a bouquet of parsley. Careful with that knife there, boy! Oops... too late... he slices off a finger while chopping a tomato. Nope... just a flesh wound... he's had worse. Ahh, it was worth it. Delicia moves in and clutches his hands, "These hands weren't made for washing dishes, nor ironing, much less for cooking, Axel, these hands were made..." He interrupts her in mid-sentence, grasping her face lovingly... "... to caress you, precious girl." Oh Axel, you eloquent devil... Oh crap, here's Nereida, "What are you two up to?"

Netty smiles, telling Fedra that indeed, Mari's back and loaded for bear...er...ah... snake... "She wants revenge... on you, Fedra." Fedra smirks. Netty needles. Fedra smugly sips. Netty prods. Fedra cracks going BSC and lunges at Netty. Bernie restrains and reasons, "Fedra, por favor. Don't waste your time with this woman, she's not wororth the trouble." Fedra regroups, picks up her drink and heads for the stairs ordering Bernie to heel. He obeys, but only after grabbing up a drink for himself. Netty decides that a chat with Max is in order.

Must be happy hour in DF because Super Mau is pouring himself a drink as he congratulates Dandy on a job well, if not perfectly, done. He gives the battered alternate lily a drink. Even though Vicky escaped, he got his money back. Their celebration is interrupted by a knock at the door as the cops come callin', "Open up! Police!"

Max welcomes Netty into his bunker, "Netty Pavón, long time no see." "Yes, two years, don Máximo." They've both sorely missed Marianela. She takes a seat across from his desk and tells him of the attempt to poison Mari, "... here, here in her very own house."

Realizing that the place is probably surrounded, Orangeboy sends Dandy off with the money to hide in the basement. Sadly I shake my head, he's probably right to think that it'll never occur to them to look there. Mau warmly welcomes Comisario Tejada and his boys in but asks that they be quick about it since he is a very busy man. The Comisario informs him that they are there to investigate the robbery at the Ruiz y de Teresa Agency. "The Ruiz y de Teresa and Associates," Mauricio hastens to correct him. The comisario wonders if it is a mere coincidence this time that the amount taken was the same as that taken in el Lirio de Plata's previous robberies. Now, I advise you not to ponder this detail for very long, but let's briefly acknowledge that it's unlikely that Lorenzo would have revealed to the police how much was taken. In any event, he wonders if Fonseca might be involved in this most recent escapade. Comisario, do bears...?... oh, never mind. Mauricio asks him if he really thinks that he, Mauricio Fonseca, as a partner in RydT and Associates, would rob his own company?

Netty and Max both agree that the person most likely responsible for poisoning Mari would be Fedra, but Netty adds that Fedra did not act alone, "Apparently Emanuel was her accomplice." She hurries to add that she has a difficult time believing that such a noble and generous lad would have been involved. Max also has his doubts, but then again, that same contaminated blood of his mother runs through his veins as well. The one thing he knows is that Marianela is the only authentic Ruiz y de Teresa (here again, it helps if one does not examine this statement too closely... what about Kristel? What about Axel? Drink up everyone and let's move on) He asserts that he knows that Marianela will fight tho the last to restore the family honor. Netty nods in agreement.

Fedra is relieved to see her son, Manny, return home safely and greets him with a hug as Ilitia, Emiliano, and Bernardo look on. Fedra's has had a tough day what with the robbery, Eman's kidnapping, and Vicky taking over the company... Though no one is paying attention, Emiliano points out that Vicky is merely representing Marianela. Fedra goes into a rant about that stinking fat woman is worse than the plague. "The only stinking plague here is you, Fedra." Netty has joined the party. Let's pause a moment and savor a word: Hedionda. It means stinking. I think it's one that we all may find useful. Netty goes on to say that not only did Fedra take what is rightfully Mari's, but she also tried to kill her. Emanuel lifts an eyebrow but no one really looks surprised.

Having found that he has more talent for household chores than for music, Axel is trying to mop the floor but Nereida's feet are in the way. She says, "Wait'll your momma finds out that you're doing the maid's chores..." Axel replies that he's a grown man and does what he darn well pleases. Delicia smiles. She urges him on with parsley swats as Lorena interrupts. Does this girl have her own key? Has she taken over the vacant wine cellar? Why is she here?

Netty must have eaten an extra portion of Wheaties today because she is relentlessly scolding Fedra over her attempts on Mari's life. Fedra, with her clever way with words, orders this bataclava (stripper, have I missed an episode? I thought that Fedra was the stripper) back to her own tropical sidewalk (vereda tropical) before she throughs her out. Emiliano tells Fedra that if she touches Netty, he'll throw her out. Uuuuhhh! Eman just wants to hear more about the attempt to kill his gordita. "Do you have proof of what you're saying, Netty?" She tells him of the medical reports from Spain. Half-heartedly, Fedra feebly mails in a weary obligatory look of wounded innocence, hoping more for her son's understanding than his belief.

After a commercial break, Fedra weakly, and without closed captions responds to Netty's charges. Eman, more out of a sense of duty than of doubt demands proof of her accusations. Por favor. Netty doesn't have any... yet. Ilitia smiles in amusement. Doesn't she have the cutest wicked little smile? Emboldened for the moment, Fedra makes the most of a pregnant pause in the action and storms out of Dodge. Netty continues, the captions are back, and both E's protest their innocence. Manny is beginning to understand Vicky's hostility. Netty pleads with Eman to protect Marianela. He vows to protect her with his life. Oops! Now we hear from Ilitia, "You'll protect her with your life? Where does that leave me... Baby?

Delicia smiles. "Yes he loves me, yes he loves me, the little rascal!" She was alone in the kitchen but is joined by Lorena. Who keeps letting this girl in? She tries to rain on Dee's parade but ends up with spaghetti raining down on her head.

Well, this is unexpected. Sitting around the pensión, Oliver, Brandon, and Doris have a hankering for taquitos al pastor and ¡Shazaam! Gladiola springs into action, heads for the kitchen and with the help of a pack of Maggi Sazón de la Callé Pastor, whips up a batch in no time flat and the kids love 'em... next!

Dandy peeks around the corner as a chuckling chucklehead Mau closes the door. "Are the cops gone?" They discuss the day's triumph but Dandy recognizes that he was less than successful in convincing his victims that he is el Lirio de Plata. Next time... what? these idiots are planning a next time?... they will need another Lirio de Plata since if Mau were to disappear right before eLdP appears the police might get suspicious. Gee, you think? The conversation turns to the upcoming nuptials. Gourdguy doesn't want to think about that, he is thinking of Victoria de la Garza. He's obsessed. He must have that bit of prettiness (lindura). Well, that'll be fodder for a few episodes.

Over drinks (Is it still Happy Hour? Linda, honey! I'll have another Tequilita, por favor.) Lorenzo tells Garduño that that he had the money until ths wascally wobber el Lirwio Plato showed up and took it away. He is sure that Muñeca is abetting him. Remember that evening of Maratón with Muñeca, Garduña gets a wistful look in his eyes, "That woman is too smart for you." Lo assures him that he can control his wife. Regaining his composure Garduña reminds him that his life depends on him returning the money and cryptically adds that his marriage is an investment, "...are you following me?" I hope that Lo is because I'm not quite sure that I am.

Up in her room, Mari confesses to Doris that she is really fed up with wearing the wig. It's hot and cramps her style. Doris offers to cut and color her hair to match, but there is a knock at the door... someone actually knocks?... It's Netty. She comes in complaining... boy, she really has a bee up her butt about this poisoning thing. Why wasn't she told? "Ummm... how did you find out?" "Almudena told me, but that doesn't matter." Doris explains, "Victoria didn't want to worry you..." Yeah... that's the ticket, she didn't want you to worry... yeah. It worked. Vicky rejoins the conversation, And it wasn't only Fedra, Emanuel helped her."

Have you ever noticed what big honking clocks everyone, especially the galáns, wear on their wrists in these shows? Lost in thought, Ilitia startles Emanuel. She has a nifty idea, "Lets go to the beach for the weekend." Well why the heck not? Manny observes that they both can relax. It'll be that honeymoon. Ilitia beams, "Baby, you're the most!"

Vicky apprises Letty of the poisoned chocolates that Eman gave to Mari. "For that he deserves to suffer."

And now for the most satisfying scene of the evening. Still wearing his neck brace, Lorenzo arrives home and congratulates Muñeca, who was detained but released by the police, on her convincing performance with eLdP. He thinks it was a plot between the two of them to recover the money and return it to her. He reminds her that he used his influence to spring her. She's not buying what he's selling. She's frosted at him for selling some of her interest in the agency. At that moment, Ilitia comes down the stairs holding little Cristian in her arms. He's delighted to see his two children together, but his joy is short-lived. Fidel and Flora are bringing his bags down the stairs.

"Leave my house, I'm kicking you out of my company, and get out of my life, para siempre."


Hey! Where's the Lovely Linda? What happened with that drink?

Carlos

Labels: llena