Caray, Caray!

Well, Maripaz isn't happy about getting no action on her wedding afternoon. Pobre de David is left alone on that fabulous balcony while Maripaz goes down to the bar to get her drink on. David cries. Ouch!

Juan Jaime bitches about the crappy chilaquiles. Estela doesn't want to talk about that, though…"I was thinking…" Bad start, he mocks her for saying she was thinking. She wants to fix up David's room for when he comes home with his bride. JJ doesn't want to pay for it. And if Maripaz was stupid enough to marry David, well, she can just live in his little boy bedroom. At least he doesn't have a racecar bed. JJ is determined that David will prove he's a man by knocking Maripaz up and giving him a grandchild. But he doesn't discount the possibility that David is just trying to put one over on all of them. Anyway, he's not spending any money on "estupideces" (stupid shit). Estela needs to get it into her head, says JJ.

The next day, Maripaz flirts with guys at the pool on her way to meet David for breakfast. He let her sleep in and asks if she wants breakfast. Maripaz calls a waiter over and orders breakfast for herself. David says he'll have the same. This is the second time we've seen them have a meal together and both times, she orders something and he says he'll have the same. Seems like a red flag to me. Maripaz doesn't want to discuss the night before, or to go back early to cause gossip. She decrees that they'll stay for the days they planned , which will seem eternal. She refuses his offer to try again. As a matter of fact, she wants him to get his own room. She'll keep her mouth shut when they get home, but then she's asking for a divorce. And what does he respond? "Como tu digas" (whatever you say). Ouch.

Back in town, the ranchers are convening for a meeting to see what can be done to help them all with their tough agricultural times. JJ sends Lucrezia Borgia into the board room to wait with the others while he checks with his secretary to see if everyone has arrived yet. She tells him Saul is in his office dealing with an email that just arrived from…dun, dun, dun…McGuire Import/Export. JJ goes to check it out.

Saul doesn't really care about checking them out further, he's ready to dive right in. McGuire wants to come to the area and do business. They want to have the farmers form a co-op and export crops to the US! They have contracts with supermarkets! They're going to offer credit! And they're going to buy a packing plant! And Saul wants to sell them the Mondragon's old crappy falling apart one. "Yeah, and why would they want it?" Good point JJ.

In the meeting, everyone is excited about McGuire coming to town. They're all asking very good questions--why? What? One asks "What if they screw us over?" ("fregarnos," "screw us over") JJ sagely points out that they can't get more screwed than they already are. He informs the assemblage that it's the "mero meros" (big bosses) themselves who are coming to check things out--Anthony McGuire and Ivan McGuire. "Oh," says one of the guys, "that sounds good." 10 gallon hats nod all around and no one hears the anvil. They wonder what McGuire wants in exchange for their loans. Some kind of guarantees, perhaps, but what kind, wonders Lucrezia. JJ doesn't know, but he calls her "mi reina" (my queen) when he answers her.

Later, Lucrezia reminds him not to do that in public. She wants to know what he really thinks of a deal with McGuire. JJ is cautiously optimistic. He says he's been thinking, since there was no dowry for Maripaz, maybe she could rent him some land. When the gringos show up, he's sure to get preference as president of the association, and she'll be raking in the big bucks!

Carlota opines that it's JJ who will get the big bucks and he'll pass on as little as possible to Lucrezia. She thinks so too and knows she can't trust JJ. Carlota asks what the names of those guys were again…"Anthony and Ivan." Ivan's name catches Carlota's attention, but Lucrezia thinks it's just a coincidence. There are lots of Ivans in the world. Carlota thinks she should tell them her problems. "After all, being a woman on your own, with an ancient mother…." Carlota thinks she might get more help from them. And she can always offer the house as a guaranty. Lucrezia is shocked. "If it goes really badly, you can even give them the ranch house!" Lucrezia thinks the ranch house is a "pocilga" (crap shack), but Carlota thinks it's more of a fixer-upper. She and Teodoro used to live there quite happily. "If they're good people," says Carlota, "they'll help us out." But Lucrezia is doubtful. And worried. Maripaz hasn't called. Carlota thinks it's because she's having a great time. Pobre de Carlota when she finds out the truth!

Pobre de David, watching his wife hanging out and meeting people. She asks if he got the room yet. "Yeah, I told them I'm an insomniac." Maripaz whines about not having any money. David is happy to get her some, as long as she doesn't hang out with other people and make him look bad when everyone knows they're married. Maripaz doesn't care what the hotel staff think. David warns her not to provoke him. "Don't you provoke me either! Or do you want me to tell everyone I married a gay by mistake?"

In LA, at McGuire Mansion (does that make it a McMansion?) Ivan comes home to find Tony reading in the living room. Ivan's actually home early. "I got an answer from Alamos. They're interested. Saul Mondragon sent it to me, on behalf of his father. They're happy to meet us and talk to us. It was a very friendly email. They even offered to make our hotel reservations. If it's ok with you, we'll go this weekend." Tony agrees.

Lucrezia is getting her paperwork in order for the ranch, in case the McGuires want to see it. Lucia comes home from a long day of actual work. She ran into Saul outside the university and he's all excited about the Americans coming. Saul told her they're going to help the neediest farmers to improve their crops and export them. "Is that true?" Lucrezia says that's why she's reviewing the paperwork, just in case they ask for it. Carlota reminds Lucrezia that they still need to get a new administrator. Lucrezia says both theirs and JJ's turned out to be "rateros" (theives). Lucia suggests asking Gerry, but Lucrezia says he's no good at it and he's got his own job. "Yeah, but it's not going too well." Too bad, says Lucrezia. Carlota points out that Lucia teaches all morning, takes classes all afternoon, and maybe has a little bit of a lunch…"Aren't you starving?" Lucia says she could eat "una vaca entera!" (a whole cow). Carlota takes her to the kitchen to rustle up some grub.

Ivan is nervous about going home. He has so many expectations and has so many memories. He was mostly happy there, except the last few days. He wants to see how his godparents' family is doing. He remembers how Carmen cried when he left. Tony thinks he'll find them all just as he left them. Ivan hopes they're all alive and well. Camilo should have graduated, maybe he's even married. Ivan doesn't know why he never answered his letters. Well, Tony says, this weekend all Ivan's doubts will be cleared up.

JJ talks to Estela and Judith about the Americans (the Americans are coming, the Americans are coming!). Judith wonders if they're older or younger, but JJ doesn't care. Saul comes running in to announce that they're coming on Saturday. JJ orders Saul to reserve the rooms and hopes they don't expect JJ to pay for them. Saul gets verbally kicked for asking which rooms he should reserve. "Good ones! Do I have to think of everything myself?" JJ says he'll call David to come home, honeymoon be damned, it's business that's important! David puts up a token resistance, but JJ demands they be home tomorrow at the latest and hangs up before David can say another word. He goes back to the table while Estela looks worried.

David goes over to "Maripaz's room" because she wasn't answering her cell. He asks where she was all day. First off, she says, the battery in her old crappy phone, which he should have replaced, died. David tells her not to bother answering the question, "Just pack your bags because tomorrow we're going home." Maripaz has a brief moment of humanity, wondering if everyone in her family are ok. David says they're fine, but some Americans are coming to do business. "What's that got to do with me?" Well, honey, since you screwed one of them…. David says his dad wants him there and no, she can't stay and hang out, she's his wife! Maripaz asks if he's planning to drag her out of there through the lobby and shove her in a taxi. She gives him a shove and the music gets dramatic before we go to commercial.

David comes home. Alone. I predict no fewer than 3 bleepings when his father finds out. Estela is happy to see him. JJ accepts the excuse that since it's vacation season, he could only get one ticket home. He tells David to get his ass over to the association HQ cause they've got to plan for the arrival of the gringos. He leaves and Estela asks David how things went. We don't really hear his answer.

Ivan and Tony are back in Mexico. They get a taxi from the airport and stop at the scenic overlook (aka, Makeout Point) and Ivan points out all the landmarks to Tony. The square, the places he and Maripaz used to go together. He doesn't really want to drive around town, he wants to see Maripaz face to face. She's got a lot of 'splaining to do!

The taxi takes them to the hotel. Ivan never thought he'd be staying there. The clerk informs them they have 2 suites and she has Saul's card. He asked that they call when they arrive. Ivan looks at the card and notices it's Juan Jaime's card with Saul's handwritten numbers on the back.

JJ hopes they speak Spanish, because his English sucks. Saul supposes so, since the emails were in Spanish. "Yeah, well, a secretary could have written them." David offers to go with him, since his English is good. JJ turns him down and I am completely confused…what the fuck did he ask him to interrupt his honeymoon for if he thinks he's so useless?! JJ plans to bring the McGuire's home for dinner to make them feel welcome. He summons Estela and tells her the gringos are coming to dinner, so she'd better make some tasty food. The guys assume those gringos probably can't handle spicy food, so they tell Estela to make something, uh, elegant. What a classy pair JJ and Saul are. And uneducated. Everyone knows gringos LOVE spicy food! He tells her they don't want to look like a bunch of "indios" who eat nothing but beans. And yes, that's "indians," which has been synonymous with being low-class since Cortéz and his boys showed up. But hey, I'm not bitter. JJ tells David to get his wife back home, even if it's on a burro. That would be a sight! JJ gets a call from Ivan, who kisses his ass. He remembers the good old days, back when he'd first met his sperm donor. JJ sucks up some more and Ivan puts him on hold for a sec to ask Tony if he wants to have dinner at the Mondragon's. JJ also says he's going over to meet them personally at the hotel. JJ gets off the phone and tells them he now knows the McGuires are a father and son and the son sounds like he's about Saul's age. "Become his friend. Take him to parties, and that kind of thing." JJ orders his wife into the kitchen. He tells Saul to invite Ivan out tomorrow, not at dinner, so they can keep it among the young people.

David calls Maripaz, who whines that she doesn't want to go home, while some dude who she thinks she'll get tired of banging in about, hmmm, 3 days, strokes her arm with a flower. He tells her the room's only paid up through that evening, so if she doesn't come home she's on her own to pay the bill. He hangs up and wonders what he's going to do with her. Well, I only had the one suggestion and since that part of the equation doesn't seem to be working out…. Estela comes in to ask David what happened with the honeymoon. He tells her he wasn't up to his manly duty. "But you were so sure! You explained, right? Didn't you try it again?" (Moooooooom!) But David doesn't seem to mind having this conversation with her. He tells her she didn't want to. He really wants Maripaz, bitchy and insensitive as she is. His mom is furious and says a woman should make her husband feel good about himself, damnit! Well, I don't disagree, but I think she's expecting a lot, considering it's Maripaz. David is tired of having this "problem" and wants to consult anyone who can help. He doesn't care about what his dad says, he's going to get things taken care of! OK, maybe I'm oversimplifying, but, couldn't he just pop over a few towns and pick up some Viagra at the drugstore? Hell, couldn't he mail order it? Who's gonna know?

Tony wonders how Ivan is going to behave with the Mondragons. Ivan says like a normal person, with manners. Speaking of which, Tony would prefer that Ivan address him as "tu." Ivan refuses, out of respect, but not to put distance between them. JJ comes up to them and introduces himself. He doesn't recognize Ivan at all. The guys sit down and they all order tequila. Tony fills JJ in on his mother coming from Alamos and then asks about Ivan. "I'm Mexican. From Tampico." JJ looks surprised until Tony says that Ivan is his adopted son. "He handles all my business dealings. As you see, he's a very intelligent man." JJ says he's lucky, his sons are worthless. The tequilas arrive and JJ is rude to the waiter. "Ya era hora" (it's about time). They toast and drink their shots, though Ivan appears to abstain.

When JJ leaves, Ivan and Tony talk. Tony thought he was friendly. Ivan says he didn't feel anything towards him, just indifference. But he still holds him responsible for his mother's death. "Indifference can be more dangerous than hate." Ivan does know the sons. He remembers Saul always riding around in nice cars. Saul was a womanizer, he remembers. Tony is going to go rest. Ivan says he'll go for a walk, but they need to rent a car tomorrow.

Lucia whines to Saul. She doesn't want to go to dinner. Ivan spies on them talking and goes into some alternate universe where Lucia is crying and he kisses her.

Carlota looks at a photo album. Lucia comes home and looks at the pictures, noticing that her "grandpa" looks a lot like Ivan.

Ivan wanders through Alamos and eventually makes it to Camilo's house. He finds out from a woman passing by that Celia does still live there, but since no one's answering the door, she must be out.

Lucrezia comes home and finds Lucia and Carlota looking at the pictures. Lucia got out of class early because her prof didn't show up. She's annoyed that she's going to miss class tomorrow because she's going out with Saul and the younger McGuire. Lucrezia is pleased and wants Lucia to look pretty, be nice, and pretend to like him even if he's a jerk. Lucrezia gets offended by Lucia's attitude and storms out. Lucia comments to Carlota that the only thing the matters to her mother is money. Carlota advises her to ignore her mother. Plus, she thinks Lucia doesn't need to do anything special for anyone to like her. Of course not, she's a grandma! "You think affection blinds me?" Lucia laughs over a picture of someone in a bathing suit at a beach.

JJ invites the McGuires into his house and introduces Estela and his kids. Judith seems to recognize Ivan. JJ invites them to sit down while he serves tequilas. He reminds Saul to make friends with Ivan. Judith asks about their house in LA, which Tony calls "comfortable." Tony gives Ivan a significant look when everyone has their tequilas in hand. JJ, the consummate ass, says he hopes dinner is "decent" since his cook is lousy and his wife can't cook either. Estela says she did the best she could and Tony is gracious, saying he's sure dinner will be wonderful. Ivan agrees with David that it's a beautiful, historic city. He makes a face when Saul mentions the "anthros" (clubs). JJ rolls his eyes.

Camilo heads home just as Antolín is rolling up. He's been out looking for work. Antolín, on the other hand has been looking for a party. He gives Camilo the gossip that Maripaz got married. He invites Camilo out for a beer, but Camilo says he has to get up early. He gives in and gets in the car, asking who Maripaz married.

Antolín asks how Camilo is doing since "the divorce." Ooh, who did he marry? Camilo says he's been broke since they ran him off the ranch. Antolín asks what happened to his ex. "She went back home, but she wants alimony!" And he's got no income. Antolín is doing well, or so he says. They go back to talking about Maripaz marrying David. Antolín says everyone thought he was "medio rarito" (half strange; i.e. gay--I think we can safely assume at this point that anytime someone talks about David while smirking, sneering, or getting bleeped, they probably used some phrase that means "gay"). And then to marry Maripaz, who's a "reventada" (party-er; "reventon" is a "blowout"). Well, opines Antolin, "nunca falta un roto para un descosido" (there's someone for everyone; literally, there is never lacking a broken one for an unstitched one). They toast to David and Maripaz.

Ivan leaves the hotel, leaving a note for Tony at the front desk. He asks if they have a car rental agency and the desk clerk gives him a card.

Ivan goes to visit his mother's grave. He asks the attendant who brought the flowers and finds out it was a man, he visits regularly, and he tips the attendant to keep the grave looking nice. Ivan asks for the man's name, but doesn't get an answer before the show ends.

Labels: Fuerza