Caray, Caray!

Friday: The medium tells Fedra that the love of her life, who has a scar on his cheek, (Fedra looks rattled) has come back from the dead. Now we’re in Veracruz with a shot of the seashore and we expect Jose Maria Sevilla to rise dripping from the waves, toothless and ghastly, studded with barnacles and draped with seaweed. But instead we cut to a prison cell, where there he is, warm and dry, a little jowly with the years, and he is getting the news that he is finally being freed.

Awesome. But before we start, it’s Valentine’s Day as I write this and so first a little love note to my astonishingly talented fellow recappers, to the delightful commenters, and to Melinama for setting up this site where we have so much fun and telenovelafellowship. Long may we wave!

Back to our story…

Jose Maria has been in the lockup for 25 years for homicide. Howzit feel? the guard wants to know. JM says he feels like somebody with a death sentence hanging over their head who has suddenly been given a second chance. He tells the guard there’s nobody to call to meet him when he gets out, no family, nothing. But there was a woman, Juana Felipe….

That woman, in her Fedra incarnation, blusters to the medium (Angela, I think her name is) that it’s all lies, but the medium says the cards don’t lie and neither does she, but if Fedra wants to stop there….. Of course Fedra wants to hear more. And there is more, of course. This man from her past is coming back to stir up old embers; he still thinks of Fedra as his woman, and he’s coming for her and his son. Fedra protests that he’s dead. No, says the medium, but (holding up the death card dramatically) that is your fate. (It’s pretty much everyone’s fate; hardly worth paying for that prediction, but I guess here it Means Something More.)

At the big house, Ilitia tells Eman that she’d rather see him dead than in the arms of that other woman. He asks if that’s what she really wants, him not in love with her (Ilitia) while his heart is elsewhere? Ilitia counters that that’s the way it’s always been before, only it was Marianela, who at least was far away. And now instead of falling in love with Ilitia, he falls for somebody else. Tearfully she implores that she wants to stay together, it’s what she’s always dreamed of. He tells her not to hurt herself further, that she deserves somebody who really loves her. She says she’ll change, but he tells her she shouldn’t. Ilitia’s eyes are brimming with tears while she complains that that woman messed things up for them and that she hates her.

Eman tells her that Vicky isn’t the problem; they had problems before and that it was a huge mistake to marry. There will never be love between us, never. Ilitia reminds him how she helped him after his accident, and now he’s the only thing holding her up. Can’t he help her in return? He’s all she’s got. She doesn’t have a family any more – her father had a child with some other woman and Muñeca is not her real mother. He has no idea what it’s like to find out your whole life was a lie.

Yeah, I do, thoughtbubbles Eman. I wonder if Emil or that Jose Maria guy is my father.

The guard wants to know who Juana Felipe was, and JM smiles that she wasn’t his wife, but she was the woman who made his nights sweet and his days a torment. They have a manly laugh, but then the guard makes some comment about her being the type that’s just good for bed, and JM explodes, then finally admits that she wasn’t the type you’d want to parade around wearing a wedding ring. Ah, but she was my biggest vice, he says fondly, her and tequila. I’d give what’s left of my life for just a few minutes with her again.

So why don’t you go look for her? the guard wants to know. JM says She’s no longer among us. She had the best legs in Veracruz, you know. But the sea swallowed her up, her and my most faithful friend, Bernardo. They were my family.

The medium tells Fedra to take the cards’ predictions seriously, and Fedra scoffs extravagantly until the medium mentions fire and water, and tells her they were about to die in a shipwreck, but a faithful servant saved her, and the child she was carrying. Fedra looks sad and reflective, but a sudden wind blows the window open and the gauzy blinds billow out into the room, scaring her. She jumps up and waves her hands around frantically, saying she doesn’t want to hear any more

You are destined to engineer (labrar: to dig, as in to dig your own grave) your own death. This man from your past has come to sentence (sentenciar) you. No, protests Fedra. I kill my enemies, nobody kills me. I will beat that death you see there. Another blast of wind and Fedra clutches her giant purse to her. One thing I like about this show is the women actually carry purses. In other shows, we’ve seen purseless women walking the city streets in skimpy skin-tight outfits where even a folded bill would show, not to mention a coin.

At the police station, Mano is telling Oliver how Bernardo almost carried her/him off. Oliver promises that he’ll protect him/her, and Mano says the one they have to protect is Netty. Mano knows that Netty has been in love with Emil for years, but Fedra has an even worse reason to want to hurt her.

Brandon bursts in, telling them it’s time to work. He waves around a report from the people who are watching Garduño and Mauricio, and says Guess what! Lorenzo is in with them. He figures if they’re all over at Mau’s, they must be planning something. Mano suggests that he might be just the mole to send in. He’s a journalist, so nobody would suspect him. Oliver thinks it would be a bad idea, but Mano/Gretel, who as we know has a stunted sense of self-preservation, thinks he’s just the guy to help nab some baddies.

Bernardo is driving Fedra and trying to calm her down. She tells him the medium recounted her life like she was reading a book. Bernardo doesn’t believe that JM is alive; they both saw the fire and the explosions – nobody could have survived that. Bernardo scoffs and tells her to focus on the here and now, namely that Victoria has called her into a meeting. Fedra thinks he’s too familiar calling her Victoria, it has to be Victoria de la Garza, does he have the hots for her?

Fedra rants about Vicky being the instrument of Marianela and probably Gretel too. No matter, she’s tougher than the three of them put together.

Oliver is having a fit about Mano/Gretel going to Mauricio’s, but she thinks she can pretend to be doing an interview about an up-and-coming entrepreneur. She says that Kristel is about to marry the jerk, and that’s her sister after all, let her do something to save her. Brandon likes the idea and tells Oliver that the two of them can protect her.

Lorenzo comes in, furious, brandishing his cane and saying he came to talk to Brandon.

At Muñeca’s, she is comforting Ilitia who tells her that Eman wants a divorce and has never loved her. What did she do wrong? Muñeca tells her sometimes there are things that are out of our hands, and that she hopes that Ilitia will find a new love.

Ilitia points out that her mother never left Lorenzo. Muñeca says that was for her before, and for Christian now. Ilitia observes that Muñeca never stopped loving Lor, even if she denies it, and it’s the same for her. Anyway, Eman has a lover, she caught them together. Muñeca is shocked, then tells her that Lor has a lover.

After that impactadafest, we join Lor himself, who is telling Brandon that his little jewel Ilitia deserves a man of her own class, not scum like him. Brandon, unruffled, says she did marry just the right guy, but he’s not making her happy, and it’s not his fault she’s chasing him. Lor takes a fit and Brandon tells him to lower his voice, or he’ll yell louder. Oh, yes? yells Lor. YES! yells Brandon. Oh, YES? yells Lor. YES!! yells Brandon, even louder. Lor stops, stunned.

That was like watching water buffalo bulls bellow. Anyway, it’s over and Brandon says he’s not interested in frivolous women. Lor, insulted, comes at him, swinging his cane, but Brandon grabs him by the lapels and tells him he could have truckloads of women like Ilitia, because he’s a good guy and knows how to treat women, not like Some People.

Lorenzo retreats to the door, and tells Brandon he doesn’t want him within 100 feet of his Ilitia, or he and his family will disappear like (he snaps his fingers) that! Like Begoña disappeared? asks Brandon. Lor counters that that was Garduño’s orders, and then look, Brandon let him out of jail!

Brandon scoffs that he’s not buying, and what’s more he knows that Lorenzo is hiding something and that he and Mauricio work for Garduño, so he’s going to threaten back: He’s not going to rest until the three of them are in prison.

Oh, you’re just acting brave because you have that badge on, says Lorenzo, shaken but trying for some bravado. Step careful, says Brandon in warning, and Lorenzo, shaken, leaves.

Carmen, Eman’s secretary, has brought MariVicky some papers and asks MV not to tell, or she’ll get fired. MV promises that her job is secure. She leaves and MV looks at the papers for half a second. Not only she is the artistic director, but apparently she’s a speed-reading business whiz as well, because she tsks that Carmen was right, and what Lorenzo is doing to the agency is pure theft.

She picks up the phone to dial, but Eman lets himself in. She reproaches him for not knocking, then lies that she was talking to Marianela. That clams him up. She pretends to say goodbye and hangs up. Eman sits down and says he had wanted for so long to talk to Marianela, but now he realizes he doesn’t care.

He wants to know if MV told Mari what happened between them. Of course not, says MV, but I bet you blabbed all over the office about your big conquest. Of course not, says Eman, taken aback. What happened between us was pure magic. (How did MV get to be so good in the sack that Eman is talking about magic? She’s slept with a man only twice in her whole life, and it was the same man. I guess some folks have natural talent.)

MV scoffs that he probably says that to all the girls. He says he’s serious, so serious in fact that he asked Ilitia for a divorce.

Now we’re back with said rejected Ilitia and her mama. Ilitia is shocked that Lor has yet another lover. He just had Christian with Begoña not that long ago – is he out to populate the entire planet? Muñeca tells her a medium told her. Ilitia tells her she should have spent the money on a purse instead – they’ve always known her father was a womanizer. Muñeca says she thought things had changed, they had a few wonderful nights, but apparently she’s not enough and never has been.

Leave him! says Ilitia. You leave Eman! says Muñeca. Don’t change the subject, says Ilitia. Muñeca says she wants to stay for Christian like she did for Ilitia and she asks if Ilitia felt she had a happy childhood. Yes, very happy, says Ilitia. Muñeca points out that Ilitia and Eman don’t have children, so that’s not a problem. Ilitia’s not giving up – MV has no idea who she’s dealing with.

Manzanita and Christian come in, and right away Muñeca coos over Christian, not paying attention to Manzanita. But Ilitia does because she has a sudden brainstorm. She calls reluctant Manzanita over and sits her on her lap and pets her, saying Eman adores her.

Eman is still blathering on about his big love for MV and tells her how he never loved Ilitia. Love fled when Marianela left and now it’s returned with her. MV flashes back on drunk Ilitia faking that she and Eman had nights of passion.

Looking at him icily, she tells him that they will never have a future, and to get ready because there’s a meeting soon. Why are you doing this to me? he asks, and, braving the ice storm, he takes her hand and tells her he’s going to bring her to where she can love again. He leaves.

I guess we ought to cut her some slack. She thinks Eman is lying to her about his relationship with Ilitia, she thinks Ilitia needs him to help her recover from rape, and, the knottiest problem of all, she’s cheating on herself. All these things might make a girl testy. Still, I’m struggling to be sympathetic when I see those cold eyes.

Eman runs into Fun Guy Jorge in the hallway. Jorge starts off by telling him the shoot was great, but soon they are posing and preening about who can offer MV more. Jorge tells him to stay away and Eman tells him he’s asked Ilitia for a divorce, so there. Oh yeah? says Jorge. Marinela just asked me for a divorce and I’m going to fight for MV’s love, so the playing field is even. This shuts Eman up. Jorge warns that he’s not un enemigo fathil, which somehow doesn’t come across as threatening. Apologies, Spaniards one and all.

At the pension, Brandon reads a letter from Consuelo telling him she’s gone home with her son. Netty and Gladiola reproach him for leading her on, but he swears he was very clear and honest with her. They tell him that the little boy looked sick with something.

Just then Netty’s manager/lawyer Eugenio walks in the always-open door and announces to all of them that he can prove that Fedra falsified the papers that signed all of Eva’s money over to herself. Jubilation!

Kristel bursts into Lorenzo’s office and his eyes go soft with lust. But too bad, she’s just there to ask him if it’s really true that Mauricio and MV have something going. Lor says he didn’t actually see anything, but the rumors are flying around, and it’s obvious MV has the hots for him. Kristel is furious at MV, and Lor strokes her hair and lightly kisses her neck, telling her it’s not too late to get out of her wedding. Kristel swears that Mau’s the only man she’s ever loved, not just physically, but with her heart and soul, and she wants to be married like a princess to him and live happily ever after until death to them part.

He’s nuzzling her and telling her there are things a man like him could teach her when Fedra comes in and is livid to see them together.

Eugenio tells breathless Netty and Gladiola that he’s a great lawyer, if he says so himself, and he managed to unearth the documents about Mari’s inheritance that were said to be lost at the government offices. In fact, he found out that the judge in Fedra’s pay hid them in his own office, information he was able to discover because the judge’s secretary (a lady) is a friend and ahem, thinks highly of him. Brandon is stoked – this will mean that Mari can get her house, and Fedra can get her jail cell.

At the big house, Paula tells Delicia and Nereida that they have to clean the house top to bottom in preparation for Kristel’s wedding. Nereida is unhappy, but Delicia swoons over the idea of a wedding. Nereida reminds her that Axel dumped her for Lorena, but Delicia just smiles deliciously. Nereida leaves and Paula tells Delicia not to be so transparent. Delicia throws her arms around her and tells her she’s going to marry Axel.

Mano is trying to get his wire into his shirt and Oliver is very worried. Mano says Kristel may not be the greatest human being on the planet, but Mau is a crook and he/she has to save her. Oliver still isn’t convinced.

At the agency, most of the principals are getting ready to go into the meeting room, but Eman is staring gloomily at MV’s door because she’s in there talking to Jorge. Inside, Jorge asks her why she’s crying if Eman has asked for a divorce, and she says she ought to play dirty with Ilitia like Ilitia did with her, but she just can’t bring herself to. Besides, she knows that Ilitia was raped, and also that she stayed by Eman’s side after his accident and where was she? Not there because she was mad due to his mother.

Don’t be so hard on yourself, says Jorge. MV says for her, no matter what Ilitia did, Ilitia is a person who matters to her and she just can’t bring herself to steal Eman from her. I’m so stupid! she tells herself. Jorge tells her that those ideas make her such a splendid exemplar of humanity and that’s why he’s in love with her. He’s at her feet, he wants to make her forget everything in his arms.

Yes, he actually said that stuff. Anyway, he kisses her and just then Eman and Mau, who’s not to happy about Jorge being with her either, come into the room. Jorge and MV look uncomfortable.

Lor and Kristel try to explain to Fedra what was happening, but tells her daughter hands off. In this delightfully comic scene, Kristel puts together an elaborate story about how she tried to convince Lorenzo to break off with Fedra because she was cheating on her daddy. Lorenzo assures Fedra that Kristel couldn’t talk him into it, no way. Kristel continues that she had another idea – to give Fedra the idea that Lor was after her (Kristel) so that Fedra would be so mad, she’d dump him. Neat huh? Fedra looks very skeptical.

Lor asserts that he’s always thought of Kristel as a daughter, nothing else. Steely eyed Fedra tells Kristel that she’s done everything for her happiness, including letting her marry Mau, so why can’t Kristel do the same for her? Kristel says okay, but pretends that it’s just killing her to have her father cheated on. She sweeps dramatically out of the room, while Lorenzo looks after her with a small smile of admiration. Then he turns to face the formidable Fedra.

Back to MV’s office, where both Mau and Eman look outraged. Mau, who I though was one of the shareholders and was going to go to the photo shoot, yes? demands to know who that guy is kissing MV. Boy, is this guy out of the loop. Eman sarcastically introduces him as a man in love with MV but married to Marianela. Mau tells MV she’s really horrible to be messing with the husband of her best friend. Look who’s talking, says MV.

Mau says some more insulting stuff and Eman shoves him out the door, then tells MV that he just told her he’s asked Ilitia for a divorce and here she is kissing on Jorge. MV coolly tells him that she and Jorge have a long history and that doesn’t change overnight. Eman reminds her that she told him she didn’t want to be the other woman, yet here she is being the other woman in Marianela’s marriage. MV gives the weak argument that Eman is cheating himself on Ilitia, but she gives it with her usual cold conviction, then tells him to re-think his divorce because (stop me if you’ve heard this one) there can be absolutely nothing between them.

Outside the meeting room, Mau is annoyed and Kristel, flush with her recent mama-duping victory, arrives. Mau explains that Mari’s husband is there and he’s aggravating. Kristel guesses that he must be a real yucky guy who couldn’t do any better than a fatty, but then she spots him coming down the hall with MV and Eman, and her eyes pop. She sweeps forward to introduce herself as a R y de T, and a top model, but Mau yanks her back.

In the kitchen, Delicia tells Paula she wants her to teach her some really good recipes. Paula is worried that Delicia’s going to be hurt like she was, but Delicia isn’t worried and Axel comes in and puts his arms around her and says he’s going to make her the happiest woman in the world.

Back at the office, Lorenzo’s line about how Fedra has matured so fabulously is working. She wants to get amorous, but ouch! His knee! His back! She wonders what’s wrong with him. She promises him more delights, but the others are at the door for the meeting so they jump apart.

Everyone sits and Lorenzo asks MV why she called this meeting. She goes around handing out copies of something, and calmly said she found out somebody has been stealing quite a lot of money over the past 10 years. Lorenzo, in fact.

Avances: Mau tells MV she’s his. Jorge looks lustfully at the ad footage. Mau tells Jorge to stay off his territory (I think) and Jorge gives him a light thlap on the face, which Mau follows with a slug on the shoulder.

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