Caray, Caray!

Gerardo LIES to Ivan and says he had nothing to do with his mother's death or the disappearance of his son. He does admit to knowing how Alicia died, but says he didn't talk to Alicia much about anything but Ivan. Ivan says the graveyard caretaker has filled him in on the mystery man who was bringing flowers to his mother's grave. "From the description, it sounds like it could be you." Gerry says there's lots of guys who look like him, but it's not him. "Why do you suspect me, Ivan? Do you think I'm the kind of person who would get a woman pregnant and leave her to her fate?" Ivan accuses him of having left his own grandson to his fate.

Gordo visits his cousin out in the boonies. He says he's got a business proposition for her. "I need a kid, about 10 years old or so. Not for anything bad…on the contrary, it would be really good for him and his family." Gordo's an idiot.

Gerry says he only found out the truth about the "kidnapping" recently and there was nothing to do. Lucia told him. "How old is your son," Ivan asks. He's 10. "So, you met your second wife after your divorce? I'm thinking that if you got married after your divorce, your kid should be younger, no?" Gerry now says that Alex is his second wife's son by another man, who he adopted. "Please don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want him to find out and get hurt. He thinks I'm his real dad and he's happy thinking that." The waiter comes back and Gerry says he's lost his appetite and he needs to get back to the offices. He wants to finish up and turn the office over to Ivan tomorrow. I don't know if Ivan bought any of what Gerry was selling or not. He asks for the check and looks suspicious.

Celia yells at Camilo to quit poking around. Camilo says that Ivan has every right to know who got his mom pregnant…uh, the second time, that is. He notices that Celia is really upset and accuses her of being upset because she knows something. Celia says it's just time for Ivan to bury the past and Camilo should be helping him to do it. "No, if I were him, I'd also want to know who was the jerk who screwed up my mom's life." "What for?" "For whatever! And don't change the subject! What do you know that's gotten you so furious?" Celia says she's done with the conversation and she doesn't want to talk about it ever again in this house! Camilo asks her if she really thinks that the man who got her "comadre" (co-mother; as Ivan's godmother, she shares mothering duties with Alicia; also sometimes used to mean "BFF", since who else would you trust with the job of being your child's godparent?) pregnant and then left her to be killed getting a back-alley abortion really deserves for her to protect him? Celia repeats that she doesn't know anything and she wouldn't tell him if she did. "I made a promise." She sticks to her story, but Camilo doesn't believe her. He even asks if maybe it was Antolín. This really gets Celia riled up and she asks how he could dare say such a thing about his brother! Um, because it's Antolín, duh.

Lucrezia is actually convinced that Maripaz is behind the extortion plot. But even if it's a real extortion plot, she's willing to let Ivan take care of it. Carlota says Ivan doesn't really care if the whole world knows he had a kid with Maripaz…and besides, men can get away with everything! Maripaz shows up, hung over, swearing she cancelled her party, but Lucrezia can smell the alcohol on her. She gripes her out for making up this stupid plot. Maripaz swears she didn't. "Well if Ivan doesn't pay, don't expect any help from us!" She's not moved by Maripaz's whining that "everyone" will be talking about her…they're already talking about her for being a lazy drunk. She says that having Maripaz announce that it's a "love nest" isn't scoring her any points either. "I only did it to piss off Lucia!" Well, Lucrezia doesn't care. She wants Maripaz to move out of the apartment and back into the house like a decent woman! Damn you, Lucrezia…if you keep making the jokes for me, what the hell am I supposed to put in the recaps? Maripaz won't move back home since she's finally become (okay, swallow any liquids now) independent (see, I told you). Lucrezia's not buying that. She tells Maripaz she got the apartment with lies and threats, so if she's such a smarty-pants, she can take care of the extortion on her own too. Lucrezia won't give her a penny. Maripaz tries to threaten her grandmother, but that isn't going to fly! Carlota won't forgive her for "ruining" Lucia's life. "She ruined my life first, by getting between Ivan and I!" Well, we all know that's a lie. Carlota says if the truth about her having a baby 10 years ago comes out, then Maripaz can just deal with it. Maripaz says this is their fault for being stupid and giving Ivan part of the ranch. If they hadn't done that, she says, they could have sold it off and used the money to pay off the dumbass extortionists. Carlota says it was an act of justice and, between clenched teeth, wishes Maripaz luck. Maripaz says it's impossible that her own family has turned their backs on her! Well, no, dear, empirically it's not.

Saul meets Lucia on her way out of school and invites her out for a sandwich. Seriously? A sandwich? You've got no game, Saul. No game at all. Since she turns down his generous offer, he asks if it's because she's gotten back together with Ivan. Since that's not the case, he wants to whine to her about how badly Ivan and his daddy have treated him and all the other farmers. Lucia's not interested.

Ivan goes to visit Toni in the hospital and tell him about the blackmail. His logic is that if someone's calling to try to get money out of him and no one knows about the kid except Maripaz's family and Celia's family…and since he trusts Celia's family…. Toni asks what about Antolín. Ivan says he doesn't think Antolín knows, unless he recently got told by Celia or Camilo. Ivan says regardless, he can't let any stone remain unturned. Toni agrees he has the right to that. Ivan didn't really believe Gerry when he said he didn't know anything about Ivan's mom or his son. Toni changes the subject and lets Ivan know that David told him that Torres, the subdirector of Agricultural Affairs for the area, sent a letter about the "complaints" he's received and he wants to talk to Toni. Ivan is sure that JJ complained. Toni thinks JJ is going to cause trouble. He agrees to Ivan taking the meeting for him and then changes the subject and asks when he's getting out of the hospital. In a few days. Well, that's good news to Toni's ears. He won't settle for just one piece of good news, though, he'd love another…like that Ivan and Lucia are back together. Unfortunately, Ivan says she won't talk to him or return his e-mails. Toni says he's going to talk to her, but Ivan doesn't want him to. "Fine, I'll talk to Carlota, then, which is practically the same thing, but you can't forbid it!" Ivan can't argue with that one.

Ivan meets Camilo in the waiting room and tells him it will be a few days before Toni gets out. In the meantime he wants Camilo to finish furnishing the house, get his sister to coordinate with the maids the agency is sending over, get Benito to start landscaping…basically, get the house ready for Toni. Camilo tells Ivan that after careful interrogation of his mother, he's sure she knows something because she said she swore she wouldn't tell. He thinks maybe if Ivan does the asking, he can get Celia to spill the beans. Ivan asks if Antolín knew about the baby he had with Maripaz, but Camilo doesn't think so.

Antolín is hanging out at Carolina's house with her and Alex. Alex is happy because Gerry has promised that if he gets the prize for math, he'll take him to see the ocean. Alex asks if Antolín has a girlfriend and Antolín says he doesn't, but he returns the question. Alex says he does have a girlfriend, which is news to Carolina. "Her name is Elisabeta and she's the prettiest girl in the school." Antolín thought that Alex went to an all-boys school, but no, it's co-ed. "And what do you like better…your girlfriend or fútbol?" Well, fútbol, por supuesto! Antolín laughs that we'll see if he says the same thing in a few years. Carolina sends him off to go do his homework and brush his teeth. Antolín comments on Alex liking math and fútbol. Carolina just smiles and asks Antolín what's been going on with him lately while he looks at her suspiciously.

Gordo comments that Antolín wasn't about to get any info out of "the blind chick," and gets threatened never to call her that again. "Her name is Carolina!" Antolín says he has a likely candidate for Ivan's kid and he knows where the kid goes to school. He figures the school will have the info that was on the kid's birth certificate and once they figure out how to get their hands on it, they can probably draw a few conclusions from that. Gordo has his own plan, though…they'll just buy a kid off a woman who has too many. Antolín asks if Gordo has ever heard about DNA, duh! "Besides, around here, we do what I say…so are you with me or not?" Gordo says he was just trying to help and he and Antolín drive off in the pimpmobile.

Gerry and Carolina are talking to Lucia. She tells them that Ivan has sent her emails, but she hasn't talked to him. Gerry tells them that Ivan asked him point-blank what he knew and he lied. He doesn't know if Ivan believed him or not. Carolina says he can suspect all he wants, he doesn't have any proof. Um, you mean the "proof" you keep telling to brush his teeth? Gerry feels guilty, like a traitor, but Carolina says that betrayal would be giving Alex up. She thinks that if Lucia marries Ivan that will solve all their problems. Ivan could be around his son after all.

Lucia actually tells Carlota this and Carlota says that's not a valid reason for her to marry him! "But you married my grandpa while you were carrying another man's child!" Well, yes, but Teodoro knew that. She encourages Lucia to tell Ivan the truth and maybe he'll be understanding enough to let Gerry keep raising him while he sticks around as Tio Ivan. "But if you lie to him, he'll only end up hating you." I think Carlota's right. Lucia goes to check her email for the millionth time. Carlota says Lucia is old enough to make her own decisions, but she will tell her this…well, I didn't quite get all the words, but basically she says Lucia shouldn't pay for other people's mistakes. Lucia reads Ivan's email, "I would have liked to talk to you first so what I'm going to do won't take you by surprise, but understand me--I'll do whatever it takes to find out the truth. Regardless, my love for you is still the same." Lucia wonders what Ivan is going to do.

Benito meets the women the agency sent over--Soledad and Agustina. Camilo comes over with Carmen, who immediately starts laying down the law. Camilo pulls her aside and tells her she's just as much an employee as the rest of them and being a bitch is only going to get her fired. He doesn't buy her logic of having to show them who's boss. Carmen relents and goes back over to say they should all go inside and she can explain their duties to them…but she heads for the wrong entrance and Camilo has to point her in the right direction. Benito and Camilo exchange a look.

Camilo goes into the office area, where Gerry is directing the rest of the move-in process. Gerry and Camilo go to see if the truck is done being unloaded and while Gerry is reassuring Camilo that everything appears to be in order, but he'll come back around if any additional work is needed…Ivan walks up with the caretaker from the graveyard who confirms that, yep, the older man standing there is indeed the one. Ivan, I hereby dub thee the most intelligent galán since Alex on Sortilegio! Ivan comes up and Gerry keeps trying to hold up his lie, but the caretaker will NOT budge. He remembers talking to Gerry a few times, too, and he noticed Gerry stopped showing up after Ivan got there. Gerry tries to take off, saying the old man is confused. Ivan grabs him and accuses him of knocking his mom up and being responsible for her death. He tells Gerry to be a man and own up to it and quit swearing since they both know he's lying. Gerry pulls himself together…and walks off. Ivan tells Camilo to let Gerry go. He asks him to drive the caretaker back to the graveyard. The caretaker is confused about why Gerry would pretend not to know him. He remembers that Camilo's dad is buried in Lot 3. For the benefit of those of us who had any lingering doubts about the reliability of the caretaker's memory.

Lucia reads over Ivan's e-mail again, still wondering what it means. She takes a call from Maripaz, who has apparently already turned her posh apartment into a craphole by leaving clothes strewn all over and drinks on the table. I bet she doesn't even use coasters, the bitch! She wants to talk to Lucia, but not over the phone. Lucia is busy, but she caves and agrees to a meeting.

The landlady/superintendent person comes over to Maripaz's and Maripaz starts whining about needing a maid STAT! The super says none of the applicants have had references and she won't hire from an agency because it costs too much money. Maripaz says she doesn't care what it costs and she's accustomed to having people wait on her! If that's the way it is, says the super, she'll call an agency right away. Maripaz rudely dismisses her.

Ivan goes over to visit Celia. "I talked to Camilo about my mom yesterday. I already know who it was--Gerardo Lomeli. There's no reason to keep hiding it. One of the caretakers at the cemetery recognized him and we confronted him. Please, godmother, tell me everything!" Celia says his mom asked her not to tell him ever. "You didn't tell me. I found out. Please, I'm begging you, tell me how it happened. Why did he abandon her?" "He never knew. She didn't dare tell him she was pregnant." "Why?"

Gerry goes home and tells Carolina that Ivan knows about Alicia from the caretaker at the cemetery. Carolina didn't know he was leaving flowers at her grave. She says he's made a serious mistake and panics, thinking that just like he found out about his mother, Ivan will find out about Alex. She says he never should have told Lucia. "We have to leave here! To another town, anywhere!" She starts crying, saying they can't take Alex away from her, she couldn't handle it!

Ivan goes back to the hospital. He tells Toni what Celia told him. Toni believes what Celia said about Alicia not ever telling Gerry because she didn't want to screw things up for him. Ivan wonders what he's supposed to do now with his quest for justice. Toni says that's life. When his wife and son died, he wanted the other driver thrown in jail, but then they found out his son had had a few drinks and was the one who caused the accident. Ivan says he's really sorry, but this is different. "What if it's not true? What if she did tell him and he blew her off?" Toni says if when she was dying that's what she told his godmother, then it must be true. Besides, Gerry took flowers to her grave every week and only a man in love would do that. Ivan agrees, but now he doesn't know what they're there for. Toni says it's to get rid of Ivan's ghosts. They now know about his mother, so it's time to see what they can find out about his son. He advises Ivan to go talk to Gerry. "Do you think Lucia knew about my mother?" Toni tells him to ask her.

JJ goes to ask Lucrezia about her loan. She got 10 million pesos from the McGuires, which JJ says is a pittance and not nearly as much as they need. Lucrezia says the McGuires also sent Camilo to help run the ranch. JJ says he's just some loser friend of Ivan's, which Lucrezia agrees with. JJ wants her to give back the money. He says most of the farmers haven't accepted the handout. He's talked to the director of Agricultural affairs, who's a good friend of his (*snort*) and he intends to make the gringos pay double, and then they'll really be able to make the land productive. Where the hell does this guy get off? How about those gringos just leave and you keep struggling? He tells her they have to remain united and if she lets him run her ranch, he can do what her husband and her thieving overseers never could, it will be the ranch it was back in her father's day. Lucrezia seems willing, but technically the ranch belongs to her mother. JJ basically says "screw her, she's old," and asks if Lucrezia always has to ask her mother for permission to spend money on the ranch, to buy seeds and whatnot. Lucrezia tells him she has authority for that, and has for years. JJ says to just take out the money in case. He thinks there's no risk. Since they came to do business, if no one will cooperate and no one is growing any crops, they won't have anything to process at the plant. Lucrezia looks like she's considering it.

Ivan sits in the Ag director's office and says things aren't as JJ has said. He's brought David with him…this catches the director's attention and he seems impressed that David is JJ's son but he's working with Ivan. David has all the info on the size of the ranches, their crops, and the amount being offered to each rancher. David hands over a disk of info, which the director says he'll review and then set up a meeting with JJ. He goes to ask his assistant to draw up a receipt. David tells Ivan that his dad won't let up. Even if Torres, the director, sides with them, JJ will just play dirty. He'll pressure and threaten the ranchers and turn them against Ivan. Ivan says he can deal with it. "Did I tell you that Maripaz and I already signed the divorce papers?" "And? Did it hurt?" "No. I even feel relieved." "Good." "And you. Are you still with Lucia?" "No." "Why?" "I've got a lot of problems, David. Personal problems." "Well, if you need help, you know you can count on me." Torres comes back in with the receipt for them.

Carmen clashes with the decorator when she tries to direct the furniture delivery.

Lucia comes over to the Crap Shack. Maripaz tells her, first off, that she lied about Ivan giving her the apartment. It's old news to Lucia. Now Maripaz brings up the blackmail. "They want to destroy my reputation, Lucia!" She whines that Ivan said he'd pay, but now she's not sure he will. "So talk to Ivan about it." Maripaz whines that Ivan won't take her calls. "Even though I've been the crappiest sister EVER, you've gotta come through for me Lucia." Maripaz wants Lucia to ask Ivan to pay the blackmailers off. "My mom and my grandma both think this is all a plot of yours to get money." Maripaz swears to God and the Virgen that it's not true. She tells Lucia that it was Lucrezia's idea to ask Ivan to pay it off, since Lucrezia and Carlota refuse to help her. Lucia says she's done with Ivan and she isn't concerned about the "dishonor" to the family. Maripaz tries to use her twisted logic on Lucia. It amounts to "Everyone will think I'm a big 'ol ho for sleeping with Ivan and since you're my sister they'd think you slept with him too." Lucia has had enough and leaves. Maripaz calls Ivan and asks him if he's going to pay up or not. "If they tell me where he is, I'll give them more than they asked for." And if they don't know? Then he won't give them a penny. Maripaz asks if he doesn't care about dragging Lucia into this. "If that guy doesn't get his money, he's going to tell everyone we had a kid and I'm going to look like a slut. And so is my sister! My own sister, going after my baby daddy. Juicy story, isn't it?" Ivan hangs up on her.

Carmen and the decorator keep arguing about where the furniture should go. Camilo tells her to let the "architect" do his job. Ivan comes in and Camilo introduces el arquitecto Cisneros, who is in charge of the decorating. Oh. That answers that question. Cisneros says that Toni picked out all the furniture, except for the paintings and the carpets, but if they want to make changes, they can. Carmen says it all looks too serious. They all ignore her and Cisneros says he'll bring the bedroom furniture in the afternoon, then the "cristalería" (glassware) and the "vajilla" (dishes; dinner service) tomorrow. He brought catalogs for the bedding, but Ivan tells him to choose. Cisneros says the house would be ready for move-in day after tomorrow. Carmen whines that she can pick the bedding, but Ivan says Cisneros already knows his father's taste. Cisneros thanks him for the vote of confidence and Carmen poutily does the same and stomps off. Camilo asks to speak to Ivan alone and Cisneros goes outside. Camilo tells Ivan they have a meeting first thing tomorrow with the Ag Association's accountant. Even though Ivan knows that JJ had nothing to do with his mother's death, he still thinks he needs to go down for all the crimes he's committed. Camilo warns that JJ has already turned a lot of the ranchers against them. Ivan says what they need to do is take away the power JJ has over them, and they can do it by showing he's been dishonest. Camilo asks what about Gerry. Ivan says he talked to Celia and she told him everything. It seems that Gerry really didn't know about Alicia being pregnant. But Ivan is still pissed that Gerry was married and seeing his mom on the side. "And if he did it 'for love' then why didn't he divorce Lucrezia and give my mother her place?" Camilo supposes it was because she was a servant. "Exactly! Good enough to take to bed, but not good enough to be Mrs. Lomeli!" Ay, yi, yi…they both severely overestimate Gerry's backbone.

Ivan accosts Lucia after school. He demands she answer a question. Lucia says she's got one first and asks what he meant by his e-mail--what is it that he did? "I found out who got my mother pregnant. Did you know about what was going on between my mother and your father?" Dude, I'm ok with the question, but the grabbing her by the arms and shaking? That is behavior unbecoming a galán.

Tomorrow: Lucia goes running to Camilo; Camilo has a thing for Lucia.

Labels: Fuerza