Caray, Caray!

Friday: The Jorge has landed. MariVicky tells disappointed Netty that she can meet him later. At the agency, he makes a splash with Ilitia, paying her gallant compliments, and offering her a modeling gig in Paris. He tells Emil and Eman that he’s come to work with MV on some international ad campaign.

Now, let’s see what this week brings!

Netty tells the assembled pension peeps that she completely supports Oliver and Mano, and they all have to too. Brandon gives his whole-hearted support, and Consuelo snipes that he just wants to keep MV around that way. Gladiola says she’s getting used to the idea, it’s just taken her time, and she holds their hands together, gamely but squeamishly.

Consuelo tells MV, as she’s leaving, that she still thinks there’s something fishy about Mano and she warns MV again to keep her hands off Brandon.

Now Jorge is in the meeting room with Ilitia, Eman and Emil, telling them that the big campaign is for a weight-loss group, and it’s going to make the company a bucketload of pesos. Eman says great, bring a proposal and I’ll sign, but Jorge tells him no deal unless he signs with MV herself. Emil and Eman are a bit doubtful about Jorge just signing with MV, but before the discussion can go any further, she swans in, saying she’s all set to work.

Brandon is driving the comisario to someplace, telling him he’s sure the Lirio had an accomplice, and that they’re going to find both accomplice and money wherever it is they’re headed. The comisario is doubtful, but he calls for backup. Poor guy, he may be the boss, but it seems like he’s always bobbing in Brandon’s wake.

Coming down the stairs at their house, Muñeca and Lorenzo are giddy, he calling her Camila and she telling him to always wear the costume, pant, snort. Fidel comes in with a big cardboard box from the Lirio. Lorenzo grabs it and says he better hide it, but Muñeca doesn’t want him to do anything stupid, so she’ll take it, etc., back and forth in a tug of war until Flora runs in with the news that the police are there, then it’s hot potato as they try to shove the box back at the other until Flora says she’ll hide it and up the stairs she goes. Lor and Muñeca quick freeze into a happy couple pose to greet the police.

Surprise! They’ve come to arrest Fidel as the Lirio’s accomplice.

Oliver and Mano are at the big house, confronting Bernardo who assures them Fedra isn’t bringing any charges about last night. Oliver tells him it’s not about that, he’s got a whole laundry list of other issues with him, and Mano says they’ve come to hold him accountable for what he did to Gretel. Bernardo studies Mano quizzically.

Fedra is upstairs, struggling with some vocabulary in a book when in comes Delicia looking cowed. Fedra tells her off for coming to the event after she’d expressly forbidden it, and tells Delicia that her type of people are lower than a burro and should live in unending gratitude for what they are given. Fedra comes up close and adds that no makeup can cover what Delicia is, nor (she sniffs her) any perfume cover that smell.

That’s what I learned last night, says unhappy Delicia, then she hands her a package. Fedra is excited, then horrified when she sees it’s a box of chocolates like Mari used to receive. She flings them and grabs Delicia and holds her down on the desk. You’re the one who put the snake in my bed! You know where Marianela is!

Back to the agency: Jorge gives Mari a hug and Eman and Emil are worried that she’s come back to work too soon. She assures them she’s fine and asks Jorge how he’s been. He confesses that he lost his head after she left, but now he’s okay, and awfully glad to see her. You’re lovely, he says, caressing a strand of her hair.

Whoo-hoo say Eman and Ilita, what’s up? Jorge says she’s so attractive and intelligent, he thought she might be the woman for him, but she proved hard to catch. It worked out, though, because thanks to her he found true love with her best friend and got married. Eman gets nervous and wants to hear more. Yup, he married la gordita divina, says Jorge.

Emil leaps up and gives him a big hug, and Ilita comments what a bonbon Mari landed. Emil asks where Mari is, and Eman butts in that she’s in Mexico and this guy is lying. Jorge feigns surprise and says he brought something she wanted them to give them, which turns out to be a wedding album. Emil hovers over it happily, exclaiming how lovely Mari is. Ilitia proclaims that she looks like a piñata. Emil, astonished, sadly observes that she’s beautiful. Ilitia is sure she put on weight. Jorge glows over his favorite photo of him between his two loves, Vicky and Mari. We get to see the photo, and sure enough, there he is between Mari in a wedding gown and Vicky with her short ‘do.

The air is crowded with thoughtbubbles…
Mari (sadly watching): Eman wasn’t the one who poisoned the chocolates.
Eman: Bernardo was wrong, Mari and Vicky aren’t the same person.
Mari again: Forgive me, my love, I had to keep on with it.

Fedra is holding Delicia down on the desk, insisting that she’s lying, that Mari is in town. She tries to force a chocolate at her, saying she knows they’re poisoned. Delicia squirms and Fedra shakes her hard, bashing her head against the desk, and knocking her out just as Axel comes in and demands to know what Fedra’s doing. Fedra quickly begins to fan Delicia.

Downstairs, Oliver is holding a gun on Bernardo who snarls threats. Benigno runs in exclaiming, and Bernado uses the distraction to try to grab Oliver’s gun. While the two struggle, Mano grabs a handy bottle of cabernet and clobbers Bernardo with it. Oliver looks at her in admiration. She’s his right-hand Mano! He gives her a hug and a big kiss.

Benigno’s eyes widen and he radios the general that a couple of gay guys have just taken down Bernardo.

At the agency again: Emil wants to know if Mari really is in Mexico, but Jorge demurs that he’s not allowed to say, but when she’s ready, she’ll come to see them. Emil says that he’s sure Marianela thinks of them, and the music turns wistful as does MariVicky while Emil asks Jorge to tell Mari he’s sorry he wasn’t able to protect her from Fedra, and that he loves her with all his heart and hopes she’ll come see them soon.

Let’s change the topic, says Ilitia adjusting the spotlight back where it should be, namely on her, and asks if la gorda knows she’s been asked to do the commercial in Paris. This is news to Emil, and Ilitia happily explains how Jorge said she was perfect. But first she has a couple of conditions. First, she doesn’t want to see Mari, as she told her “bye” forever. Second she doesn’t want Mari taking away her contract (I think). No problem, says Jorge, and Ilitia gloats over Paris.

Now the transmission jumps, and I think Mari has told her the agency can’t let her go right now, but I’m not sure.

Delicia has come to, and Axel reproaches his mother that she could have killed her. Fedra scoffs that poor folk are made out of cast iron. Delicia sadly leaves to go back to the kitchen, and Fedra tells Axel she liked him better the way he was before. Oh yes? he says, so you could humiliate and manipulate me as much as you liked? Fedra tells him he’s turned into a pathetic figure, all stupid over a servant. He better give her up, or Fedra will have to get rid of her. I’ll kill her, she adds just to clarify. Axel stomps out.

Back to Muñeca’s where Flora hustles the kids off to the kitchen for some ice cream. Fidel protests to the police that he doesn’t even know the Lirio, and Muñeca backs him up, saying he’s been her chauffeur for years and years. Brandon tells them they’re going to look for the money. Just then the comisario comes down the stairs, carrying the Lirio outfit which he says he found on the master bedroom bed. He wants to know what’s up with that. Muñeca and Lor both look like Ummm.

Down in the basement, Bernardo is out cold on the general’s bed and Mano and Oliver stand at attention in front of Max, while Benigno keeps an eye on Bernardo. Bernardo comes to, and Beningo gives him a good solid whack on the head with the gun. Max demands to know who Oliver and Mano are. Oliver shows his police badge and says Mano is his pareja, which I guess we could translate as boyfriend. He tries to backtrack a little, but Max asks if they know what they did with kissing men in his day. Shoot them? asks Mano, scared, and he rips off his moutache to reveal himself as Gretel. It’s me!

Big hug from Maximo, who then demands to know why Oliver was kissing her. Gretel tells him that’s her boyfriend, and Max glares.

Back at the agency: Ilita vamps a bit in front of Eman, and then kisses him, saying they can have a more private goodbye later. She sashays out. Emil says he understands now why Jorge just wanted to work with Vicky, so as not to upset his wife. That’s not it, says MV, it’s because he knows I’m the best.

Eman has been angrily flipping through the wedding photos and now claps the album shut and says time to get down to work. Jorge politely says that he’s going to meet alone with Vicky. Eman protests that he’s the director, and an officer in the company. Jorge rises to leave with MV, and tells Eman he’ll leave the contract with his secretary so Eman can check out each little comma. Out they go, and Eman explodes to his father that the fellow is insufferable.

Basement again: Benigno is holding Oliver at pistol point while Max exclaims over Gretel’s excellent disguise. Gretel asks him to call off Benigno, but just then Bernardo starts coming to. Benigno slugs him back into unconsciousness with the hand that isn’t holding the gun. What a good little multi-tasking soldier! Max wants to know if Oliver truly loves Gretel, would he give his life for her? Of course, says Oliver, stroking her face while cheery violins frolic in the background.

They all want to give Bernardo a taste of his own medicine, but Max says not the wine cellar. The basement! Gretel thinks he’s giving up his quarters, but Max says there are other rooms in the basement, in fact it’s like a labyrinth under the whole house. Indeed, he opens a door and we see a series of clean brick rooms, some with water heaters, etc.

Back at the agency, Emil is telling Eman that Jorge is the best publicist in all of Spain, and Eman doesn’t have to be his friend, but he does have to respect him. Eman still thinks he’s a jerk. He treated Eman like an office boy, and on top of that, even though he’s married to Mari, he was making eyes at Vicky. Emil thinks Eman’s acting jealous, like he was in love with Vicky.

At a restaurant, Jorge is paying MV too many compliments, making her uneasy. He exclaims over her sexy change – she’s become so feline. Yes, she says, like a lion. He says he’s here to help her however she wants. She assures him she does appreciate how he’s always been such a good friend. Because you won’t let me be anything more, he says. He says he’ll fake being Mari’s husband for a while more and by the way, those photos cost him a fortune to have made. She tells him since she’s been there, she’s getting closer to the truth, and that Fedra is very dangerous. And Eman, asks Jorge, are you still in love with him?

Eman denies being jealous, but Emil guesses it’s either because of Mari or because of Vicky. Eman caves and says both. Look at how Jorge treats Vicky like a lover! Eman imagines that Jorge married unsuspecting innocent Mari, and now her best friend comes to Mexico and the first thing she does is to take over the agency. It’s a plot! Emil looks at him like he’s nuts, then kindly tells him he understands, but Eman needs to accept that Mari has married, and so has Eman. Eman’s lip quivers and he says he knows, but they both made a big mistake, marrying the wrong people.

Emil gives his sad son a loving hug.

Bernardo is tied to a chair in the basement, and somebody tosses water in his face. He comes to, and demands to know where he is. Never mind, says Gretel, who has Manoed up again, you’re going to be here a long time. Bernardo, apparently not any clearer than Fedra on some words, rages that he’s agoraphobic, he has to get out of there.

Back at the restaurant, Jorge says he can tell Mari still is carrying a flame for Eman, and not to forget that he did her a great deal of harm. Mari says she found something out and now she’s not sure about some things. Jorge snarks that she found something out all right, she found out that she’s still in love with Eman.

Talking about me? says Eman who has materialized behind them.

Down at the police station, Lorenzo tells them that he’s not the Lirio, at the time of the robbery he was secluded with his wife in his office, wearing his Lirio outfit. He and Muñeca smile, remembering. Lor doesn’t want to say anymore, so pragmatic Muñeca steps in, saying that married couples sometimes act out little fantasies to rekindle their passion.

Lor points out that the police didn’t find the money, and Muñeca swears that the Lirio hasn’t contacted her. Okay, says the comisario, who amazingly enough has bought their story, but we’re going to put a round-the-clock guard on your house. Lor and Muñeca leave and the comisario picks up the Lirio mask, but Muñeca comes back in and takes it from him and scoops up the rest of the outfit. We need it, she says, it’s helped us a lot. How did this guy get to be comisario? She could be walking out with important evidence. We know Lor didn’t get to do the robbery, but you’d think the comisario would want to scrape some DNA off it, or something.

Back at the restaurant, MV fudges to Eman that she was just telling Jorge about her work experience. Eman, pulling up a chair at their table, is sure she told about their rotten relationship, but Jorge stops him, saying that she said good things about him. That’s right, says MV. She acknowledges that they’ve had their battles at work, but she really respects his talent, and she believes he’s gotten where he is through hard work, not by being the boss’s son. Eman puzzles over why she’s suddenly being so nice to him.

Jorge wonders why Eman tracked them down at the restaurant, and Eman says he has some ideas for the campaign. They invite him to have a coffee and say they’ll hear him out.

Now Fidel is being questioned by Brandon at the station. Brandon notes that he’s very close to Muñeca, and by being her driver, he’s been at all the charities. Every one of them knows who he is. Plus the day of the robbery at the Ruiz y de Teresa wedding even Muñeca was surprised to see him show up. Brandon is sure that he works for the Lirio, and he’s going to find the proof. Better he cooperate than to end up in jail. He’s allowed to go, though.

Fedra has sent Nereida to look for Bernardo, but she can’t find him. Fedra is shaken, and remembers him telling her that he might just up and leave her.

Oliver tightens a handkerchief over Bernardo’s mouth and welcomes him to the 5-star lodgings. Gretel corrects that it’s not a hotel, it’s private rehab. Mmfff says Bernardo. They turn the lights out and leave and we see a few bold rats already sniffing around. They need an exterminator for these little bad boys, and for the rats upstairs too while they’re at it.

Eman is talking about his concept for the campaign against obesity, about how they need to start with the kids, while MV gazes at him and thoughtbubbles how she could lose herself in his voice. She realizes she still loves him, and Jorge can tell they still love each other.

Eman rattles on about good diet, exercise, proper hydration, etc., all stuff everybody knows, except apparently Jorge who says he’s really impressed. Eman says he studied all that stuff two years ago when he and Mari were boyfriend/girlfriend. Jorge knows about that, yes? Jorge presses his lips together.

Mano and Oliver are leaving the house, Oliver worries about leaving Bernardo in the care of crazy Max. Mano is heatedly defending Max’s sanity and integrity when they are spotted by Fedra who wants to know what they’re doing near her house. Myself, I wonder what she’s doing among the garden walks and so far from her decanter. She accuses Mano of spying for his newspaper articles about her. Oliver says they’re looking for Gretel but Fedra assures them Gretel is in the house, and waves them away.

Doris is making up Andre, who is flirting. She resists, but he wants to kiss her and they’re about to go for it when Andre’s girlfriend whatshername, the model, comes in and pitches a fit. Andre laughs and assures her he would never go for someone like Doris. That earns him a slap from Doris for flirting with her and then disparaging her. On hearing about the flirting the girlfriend gives him a healthy slap too.

Mari asks Eman if he studied up on weight loss to get Mari looking better on his arm. Nope, he says, I loved her pudgy self, but I better not talk about that in front of Jorge. Jorge says he realizes Eman was part of her past. Eman says he wanted to be her present and future. Jorge points out that Eman must’ve realized that Ilitia was the love of his life, so he married her. Eman observes that you don’t always marry the person you’ve loved most in your life, and he adds that Jorge knows what he means because he’s noticed how he looks at Vicky. Jorge parries that he could say the same thing about Eman – is he in love with Mari, or with Vicky?

Avances: Lorenzo tries to kiss Kristel who seems to be resisting, and Maricio walks in and sees and lunges for Lorenzo. Axel proposes to Delicia in a dress shop and kisses her, and we see MariVicky in bed with Eman, kissing, but it’s filmed in a red glow, so it is fantasy or reality?

Labels: llena