Caray, Caray!

-LatinaInMD

Note:  some scenes are combined.

We begin with Octavio losing his shirt…..figuratively.  (Sorry ladies, no dice.  We are still waiting for THAT big reveal!!!!)  He and MariAle lock eyes. (If her looks could kill!!!)  She tells him she has the feeling that he is a gambling addict, otherwise she can’t explain to herself what he just did.  He tells her he did it on purpose, “for her”, to be able to “approach her” (“abordarla” – a bit of a double entendre, as it also means “to climb aboard”).  “You don’t say,” she replies with a slight laugh, but continuing to glare at him.  “I’m very drawn by your presence.  I want to observe you at all times…..until I convince myself.”  “Convince yourself of what?” “That you are Maricruz.”  She replies quickly and firmly:  “My name is Maria Alejandra.”  “Oh, so you ARE Maria Alejandra?” “Yes sir!!  When have I denied it?”  He tells her he saw her at Toluca airport and called her by her name, but she did not respond.  She says maybe she didn’t hear him, but he doesn’t believe that.  Well, she says, its also not enjoyable having a total stranger screaming to get your attention.  “Because that is what you are to me, a total stranger.”  She reminds him he knows her name, but she doesn’t know his.  “My name is Octavio….Octavio Narvaez.”  A slight hint of the tell-tale dimples appears on MariAle’s face, but she remains cool as a cucumber as she continues to stare him down.  “That name doesn’t tell you anything?”  She takes a deep breath, smiles broadly, and responds: “Nothing.”

Carola tells Raiza that MariAle would be a great acquisition for the casino as a hook, but as a spy she could be very dangerous.  Raiza tells her she’s not good for her as a hook, as a spy, or as a client, as she clearly doesn’t have money since she only wears cheap custom jewelry.  Carola says they can’t deny that MariAle is a beautiful woman.  Raiza flings her mop of yellow hair, laughs and says “not so much”.  Carola insists:  “Of course she is.”  Then she breaks it to Raiza that Tony just informed her by phone that MariAle has “hypnotized” her galan, the pilot.  Raiza is not pleased.

MariAle apologizes to Octavio and tells him she can’t continue speaking with him, as she must move about the casino.  He asks if she will be working there and she says “perhaps, I don’t know.”  He informs her that he will return to Mexico the next day; she wishes him a good trip.  He asks if he can see her later that day, when they arrive back on land.  She says no, she will be too tired and she has a busy day ahead of her tomorrow.  She then bids him goodnight, adding:  “I think I gave you bad luck.  Try now that I won’t be here.  Perhaps you will have better luck.”  She’s about to walk away but suddenly turns back and, putting her hand to her mouth briefly (as if saying “oopsie”), she adds:  “I forgot that you had no money left.”  She smirks and walks away.

Back on deck, Octavio informs Ed that he played at roulette and lost.  With his two brain cells firing at full blast, Octavio keenly notes: “We men are stupid.  All we need is for a woman to draw our attention for her to easily dominate us and make us commit idiocies.”  (Uh, no Chulito, you can do that just fine on your own!!)  Silly Eduardo guesses he’s talking about Raiza. (really Ed?)  Octavio says “No.  Maricruz…well, the one who looks like Maricruz.  She’s a fascinating woman, with a level of self-control that she will not let you get one millimeter within her comfort zone.”  Ed says what they need are obstacles, because when things come easily to them they have no interest in them. 

MariAle informs Carola and Raiza that she had a good first night at the casino.  She says she learned quite a bit, and the truth is nothing further from the information they gave Alejandro Mendoza, as she could see the casino is doing great.  Carola asks how many days she plans to be there; MariAle says two or three more days, as that is probably all she needs “to fix whatever could be wrong”.  (Of course, she’s superwoman after all.)

Still on deck, Octavio and Ed notice Teo passing by them.  Ed tells Octavio he is going to go try to speak with Araceli.  Ed leaves and Octavio notices MariAle and Tony chatting as they walk along the deck towards him.  Once closer, MariAle notices Octavio, glances briefly at him, and continues on her way with Tony.….. Octavio continues on deck, telling himself he can’t deny that “in this woman” he just sees the sweet and good MC, as he would have wanted MC to be.

Araceli is awakened by Ed’s knocking on her window.  She lets him in but tells him to go away because Teo could see him.  Ed says he needs to speak with her and refuses to go….. Araceli admits she is afraid of what Teo could do to Ed; Ed reminds her Teo is nothing to her and insists on her meeting him elsewhere so they can “get to know each other better.”  After some prodding, she agrees to meet with him at a beach the following Sunday.

Alone on deck, MariAle thought bubbles how ironic it is that the man who betrayed her and was so cruel to her was just at her side and for so long, attentive towards her (“pendiente de mi”) and at her beck and call (“a mi voluntad”).  She says to herself:  “How I detest him.  How I wish I could have been again the savage he knew, and scratched his eyes out.”  Then with puppy dog eyes and a tone of longing in her voice she asks herself:  “Will I see him again?”  She sighs.  (And we sigh too, seeing how the mere thought of our galan is like kryptonite, turning this superwoman into mush.)…..Still alone on deck, MariAle is now thinking how skillfully she seduced Octavio.  She tells herself:  “I had the courage to smile at him, to interact with him, and to seduce him…..and how.”  Then she thought bubbles:  “Of course, it’s no great effort for me, since I’ve loved him so much, and I still feel so attracted to him, so much.....that I would kill him.  Yes, I would kill him, but killing myself at the same time.”

The next morning, Raiza stares into her mirror, pretending Teo lied when he pointed out the crow’s feet around her eyes.  She wonders what piece of jewelry she will put on, unlocks the drawer where she keeps her jewelry box, and immediately notices the empty box.  She runs to the phone and calls Carola to inform her, telling her the thief left a handwritten note saying “Affectionate greetings from El Zorrillo.”….Shortly after, Carola goes to Teo and informs him of the theft, telling him this may be the last one, as El Zorrillo left an important clue that may lead to his capture.

Dressed in full uniform, Octavio and Ed are about to leave their hotel and head for the airport.  Ed says “I slept very little last night” and Octavio one-ups him with:  “I haven’t closed an eye.”  (Yikes!!!!  Don’t tell that to the passengers on their planes!!!!  Could this be why Televisa didn’t get any real airlines to promote themselves on this novela?)  Octavio admits he stayed up thinking about the “living portrait” of Maricruz, while Ed informs him he made real progress in his goal of conquering Araceli.

MariAle sits in her hotel room typing away on her laptop.  (She’s typing pretty fast too.  Any guesses on words per minute?)  Back at the mansion, Don Ale reads the email out loud to Tobias; in it MariAle tells him what she has found out so far but notes she will have to be “very astute” to discover whatever fraud there may be.  She will not permit anyone to fool him.  Both men are clearly impressed.

Carola informs Raiza that the ship will not assume responsibility for the loss of her jewelry, since she failed to use security boxes.  She also informs her an international VIP has arrived on the island, an Arabian oil magnate named Sultan Karim.  Raiza perks up and wonders if she might be of interest to him.  (Dream on, Raiza!!!)  Carola assures her he is “fascinated” by women like her.  Raiza hopes that’s how she can get new jewelry.  Carola says no doubt, but warns her to make sure he sees her first, “before that other woman bewitches him.”

The writers (or the editors) did a poor job of showing us the passage of time, as only later do we realize that it is now “the following Sunday” - the appointed day for Ed and Araceli’s rendezvous on a beach.  Thus, viewerville may be confused by the fact that, just two scenes after the scene in which they discuss MC’s impressive email, we now see Don Ale and Tobias out on the mansion’s back lawn discussing the fact that there have been “no news” lately from MC.  Don Ale suggests MC is too young to handle the Canseco sisters.  He tells Tobias he thinks the best solution to Carola’s possible fraud is to just sell the whole casino to her. (Really writers?!  We can handle a two-brain-celled galan but, come on, the Voice deserves a few more brain cells.)

Carola, Raiza and MariAle, along with several casino employees, form a receiving line along the deck of the ship, now lined with a red carpet.  Carola announces that the Emir has arrived, then speaks directly to MariAle, reminding her that the Emir is a VIP, as if saying “I hope you know the drill”.  Dressed in tux and sunglasses, the whitest-looking Arab we have laid eyes upon comes on deck and slowly walks the red carpet, as each person he passes in the receiving line curtsies or bows down to him.  Without glancing at her, he pauses in front of Carola, who curtsies and bids him welcome.  He does the same with Raiza, who also curtsies.  He takes another step and stops in front of MariAle, who merely stares at his profile and does nothing.  He turns towards her and removes his sunglasses, revealing a pair of steely blue eyes that are now locked in a staring contest with MariAle’s own steely green eyes.

Teo tells Araceli a VIP is arriving that day on the ship, so he must be watchful over the employees.  (How is that different from any other day?)  Anyway, he tells her to lock herself inside and not let anyone in.  Araceli agrees, but as soon as Teo leaves she drops what she is doing and gets ready to leave too.

MariAle and the Emir are still having their staring contest.  Finally, he gives in, hands his glasses to one of his men, and walks off.  MariAle looks in his direction and smirks.  Behind her, Carola asks her why she didn’t at least curtsy to him.  MariAle turns to her and says:  “Because I’m not a woman from his harem.”  (Score one for MariAle!!!!)  Carola glowers at her, then takes off after the Emir. 

On another deck, we now can see the Emir is wearing the most ill-fitting tux a rich and powerful man could possibly wear.  Carola catches up with him.  He asks “who is she?”  Carola feigns ignorance, asking “who?”  “The lady who denied me her greeting.”  “Oh her.”  Carola asks him to forgive her, noting she’s just a new member of the casino staff and not familiar with appropriate protocol.  In a commanding tone he says “I want to meet her” and walks away.

Raiza tells MariAle that she is very daring and made a very grave error with the Emir.  MariAle responds:  “I don’t think like you do, Raiza.”  Raiza reminds her that if she is there as an employee, then she should be more “complacent” with clients, especially one like Karim.  MariAle agrees that she “could be amiable, perhaps, but submissive NEVER.”  (Score again!!!!)  Raiza tells her that place is not made for her.  MariAle merely smiles and turns away.  Just then Carola returns and informs MariAle that the Emir wants to meet her.  MariAle smirks again, with clear self-satisfaction.  (Score again!!!!)  (Cut briefly to Araceli, who is now racing out the door.)  MariAle tells Carola to give the Emir her regrets, but at that moment she does not wish to be introduced to anyone.  Carola tries to treat her as an employee, but MariAle reminds her she is there as the owner’s representative, not as her employee.  Carola gives up and says she will have to go apologize to the Emir on MariAle’s behalf, but MariAle insists that she tell him the truth, “that we are in a democratic country and at this moment it does not please me to chat with any symbol of royalty.”  Carola calls her a “stupid woman” and walks off.  MariAle smirks again.  (Carola teletransports to the casino’s main salon and informs the Emir that MariAle does not wish to be introduced to him.)  Raiza tells MariAle that Carola is right, she is a stupid woman because she doesn’t realize that the Emir could make her rich overnight.  As Raiza walks away, MariAle thought bubbles:  “Rich overnight.  Rich.  Which is the same as powerful.  Yes, perhaps I’m a stupid woman.  Perhaps.”

The Emir practically orders Carola to arrange for MariAle to be at his side that evening.  He gets up and heads to the roulette table, completely ignoring Raiza as she is about to greet him again.  Carola grabs Raiza by the arm and tells her “don’t bother trying anymore” (“no insistas”).  She tells her the Emir is obsessed with “La Mendoza” (there it is – MariAle’s new title!!!) and it’s not surprising, since MariAle has everything, beauty, youth, etc.  She tells Raiza they must convince MariAle to attend to the Emir, as it is convenient for them too.

Back in her hotel room, MariAle writes another email to Don Ale, informing him that the casino earns more each day, and his business partner is “very corrupt”.  But she has promised herself to unmask her.  She will defend his interests with teeth and nails.  She adds:  “Don’t fear for me.  Life made me weak, but thanks to you I have turned into steel.”  (Yup, she did indeed call herself a “woman of steel”.  Coincidence?!  I think not!!)

Araceli and Eduardo meet at the beach.  He immediately turns the charm on, telling her he is falling in love with her.  He asks if she wants to be his girlfriend.  She says she knows pilots are like sailors, with a girl at every port.  Besides, she still doesn’t know him.  And she is very conservative, so the day she has a BOYFRIEND it has to be FOREVER.  Yikes!!!  He agrees marriage should be the goal, but not right away.  All goes well for Ed, until his wandering eyes betray him, as two girls dressed in binikis walk by and his eyes follow right behind them.  Araceli gets furious and storms off.

Octavio arrives at TOHOID (“the only hotel on Isla Dorada”) just as MariAle is leaving.  She sees him and says:  “You again?!  It seems I’m condemned to run into you with every step I take.”  He says it’s logical, since they are on a small island and staying at the same hotel.  He also informs her that his airline added several flights to this island.  MariAle laments that she will keep seeing him around there.  Octavio says she will if she plans to remain here.  “No, I don’t plan to.”  “Don’t you work at the casino?”  “That’s right.”  “Then how am I to understand that you don’t plan to remain on the island?”  “Don’t try to understand it,” she recommends to him.  (That’s right, Chulito, that might be too much of a strain for your two brain cells.)  He asks if she wishes for him to accompany her where she is going.  She responds:  “What do you take me for?  Don’t you think that each time you behave with more and more audacity?”  Surprised at her reaction, he apologizes and says that is not his intention.  “Well, you better not make a mistake about me.  Good day.”  She takes off, leaving him standing there in awe of her.

Teo hums and holds a creepy chat with his flowers, just as MariAle arrives in a taxi.  She gets out of the taxi and walks towards him.  (btw, she’s wearing a VERY short rose-colored dress with bell-shaped sleeves that looks like it was designed by the same person who designed MC’s favorite raggedy white dress.)  She greets Teo and he immediately compliments her on her beauty.  She asks for his sincere opinion about Carola.

Sitting in the cockpit of their plane, Eduardo (who apparently got demoted into becoming Octavio’s copilot) brags to his buddy that all the begging paid off because Araceli is now his girlfriend.  Octavio, on the other hand, feels like he had a bucket of cold water poured over his head that morning.  Ed asks by whom.  “By the beauty from the casino.”  “Maricruz the 3^rd, the 4^th, the 5th, or which one of them all?” jokes Ed.  “Eduardo, she was so rude that I think I will never speak to her again.”  (Somehow we know Oblivio will forget that promise before the plane takes off.)  Ed tells him if she is that aggressive with him it’s probably because she likes him.  (I guess we are back in middle school, kids!!!)….Octavio tells Ed he is not getting his hopes up, because he is convinced “that woman” does not like him.  He tells him:  “That woman has an attitude as if no one deserves her.  She is grating, sarcastic, conceited.” 

Teo tells MariAle that he will not give her his opinion about Carola, but he will give her some advice.  “Don’t let yourself get fooled by appearances nor by the words of the Canseco sisters.  Neither one of them.”  (Doesn’t that pretty much reveal his “opinion”?  Duh.)  Before she leaves, Teo asks MariAle if she will allow him to give her a flower.  She smiles broadly, and sounding and looking a bit like the old MC, she says:  “No one has ever given me a flower.”  She tells him she not only will allow it; she will be grateful for it.  He cuts it and hands it to her.  As she walks away, he says to himself:  “What a woman.  She makes me shudder (“me estremece”) from head to foot.  I have to change my face.  I need it.”  (Really, Teo?!!  Beyond his deformities, just consider that she is the SAME AGE as Araceli.  Eeewww.)

MariAle arrives at Carola’s office (no sign of the lovely rose she just received, so either she crammed it into her clutch purse or she tossed it into the sea) and Carola informs her that she asked her to go see her so they could clarify some things…..MariAle’s rose is now sitting on Carola’s desk.  (Better continuity please, Mrs. Mejia.)  Carola informs MariAle that her attitude toward Emir Karim was most inconvenient and she reminds her that she went there “to collaborate” in the business, not to act against it.  Carola tells her it’s not easy for a man like Emir Karim to become interested in a woman just like that, no matter how beautiful she is.  MariAle laughs and asks “so what does that have to do with me?” (As if she doesn’t know!!!) Carola points out that if Karim goes to gamble every night just to see MariAle, then they will all gain, including Alejandro.  MariAle agrees to do what she can, but warns Carola to remember:  “I don’t have a price.  I am not for sale.  There is no fortune that can purchase me.”

In his opulent mansion, the Emir orders his assistant Muhammed to find out where MariAle lives and send her something – they don’t say what.  Muhammed points out that the lady is too conceited.  The Emir says it’s because she knows she’s beautiful.  They both agree that she is playing hard to get (“dandose a desear”) as a tactic, but the Emir is sure that she will eventually give in:  “What woman has not fallen into the arms of Karim?” he asks.  Muhammed says “this one” could be the first, but the Emir assures him that won’t happen.

Carola asks MariAle if she is really that sure of herself.  Yes siree, says MariAle.  Carola asks if she is there to inspect things (“fiscalizar”).  MariAle admits she is partly there to do that.  Carola then asks how far MariAle’s inspections will lead her.  “All the way to the books, MI ESTIMADA” replies MariAle, who somehow has learned how to use a simple term of endearment like “mi estimada” as a putdown, a la “mommy dearest”.  Carola assures her all the books are in order, and at her disposal whenever she wishes.  MariAle is glad to hear it, but also points out she can make calculations at first glance about the casino’s general direction.  Carola tells her she doesn’t like dealing with distrustful people and MariAle retorts that she will have to make an exception with her.

Back in her hotel room, MariAle has a rather pitiful looking bouquet of flowers delivered to her with a note from Emir Karim saying “For the most beautiful woman that my eyes have seen.”  (We cut to a blindingly pale Emir Karim sitting in his Jacuzzi, drinking champagne, and basking in some much needed sunlight.  Muhammed informs him his gift has been delivered to MariAle, and Karim seems oddly surprised when Muhammed tells him that she is a guest at THE hotel of Isla Dorada – TOHOID.)  Back to MariAle, who tells herself life is so ironic.  “Wretched Maricruz Olivarez, the savage peasant, receiving flowers from an Arab Emir.”  No sir, she says, grabbing the flowers and tossing them in the trash.  She admires the one rose she received from Teo, saying it’s worth more than all the flowers that could be bought with gold, exploitation and shamelessness.  (Gotta wonder how she would feel about that rose if she only saw how Teo “shuddered” for her as she walked away with it.)  She then calls the front desk and gives them clear orders not to receive any more gifts on her behalf.  She hangs up and says to herself:  “You’ve made a mistake with me, powerful Emir.  Being deceived by one man is more than enough for me.  Octavio was able to hurt me by pretending to love me.  Octavio Narvaez, deceiver of women.  You behaved with me like a scoundrel.”  (Now we get flashbacks to her happy and sad moments back at Ranch Hell.)  “But you can’t imagine how you are going to pay me back.”

Carola informs Teo that she is leaving him in charge of the casino while she goes to Mexico to personally explain to Alejandro Mendoza the casino’s current situation.  She notes she didn’t appreciate him sending her a “little miss know it all” to investigate her.  Teo says he knows who that is, “a woman who can light a fire in the heart of any man.”  Carola laughs and agrees, saying it looks like she lit Alejandro’s fire.  Teo laughs but is not amused. 

Later that night, Teo stands guard in the casino when MariAle walks in wearing yet another new, light gray-colored evening gown.  (How many wardrobe changes has she had in this one episode?  She must spend all her free time shopping for clothes now, then giving them away after one use, because she repeats nothing.  This must be her way of dealing with the trauma of wearing just three raggedy dresses as wretched Maricruz.)  Teo informs MariAle that Carola left for Mexico City to speak with Don Alejandro.  MariAle is not the least bit concerned, as she is sure this time Carola won’t get her way.

Carola arrives at the mansion and Tobias allows her to promptly head up, unannounced, to Don Ale’s bedroom where he is resting..…Don Ale explains that he’d been wondering why that casino was doing so badly.  Carola tells him he now knows why – that thief had them whipped.  He hasn’t been trapped, but at least he stopped robbing the casino’s clients.  Nothing had been heard from him, until he stole all of Raiza’s jewelry.  Don Ale tells Carola to help Raiza, to raise her salary.  Carola refuses, saying even if she’s her sister, she is not about to diminish their earnings by giving her a raise.”

Back at the casino, Raiza tries unsuccessfully to get MariAle to spill the details about her relationship with Don Alejandro.  She asks how she managed to insert herself into his life.  “With intelligence and astuteness,” points out MariAle.  “You’re an enigma, Mendoza.”  “Perhaps it just seems that way, Raiza.”  Tony comes over and informs Raiza that the Emir is about to begin gambling.  Raiza insists that MariAle go with her to greet the Emir.  They both head his way, with MariAle a few steps behind Raiza.  Raiza arrives first at the Emir’s side and greets him.  The Emir turns towards them just as MariAle arrives and, completely ignoring Raiza, he points to MariAle and wishes her Allah’s blessings.  Raiza informs him that the two of them “will be doing the honors for him” that night.  (Now what exactly did she mean by “doing the honors”?  Only Allah knows!!!!) The Emir asserts no man on earth was ever better attended to, then points at MariAle and says “but I have enough with her.”  He waives Raiza away dismissively and tells her to go attend to his guests.  (Ouch!!!!)  The Emir requests MariAle to accompany him.  MariAle says with pleasure and graciously asks for his arm.  Shocked reaction from his entourage!!!  MariAle asks what’s wrong and the Emir responds:  “In my land, women don’t hang onto men’s arms.  They follow us.”  MariAle informs him that if he doesn’t give her his arm, she will not accompany him, adding:  “I DON’T FOLLOW ANY MAN!!!”  (On behalf of all women, thank you, MariAle!!!!)…..The Emir smiles and says that he’s not in his own land, so he doesn’t have to refuse to follow a local custom there on the island.  He offers MariAle his arm and she says that’s much better.  She asks if he wasn’t about to start gambling, but he happily states that for the moment he wants to chat with her.  A triumphant MariAle smiles, says “very well, let’s go”, takes his arm and leaves with him.  Raiza is left behind, fuming…..MariAle and the Emir sit on some cozy sofas and she promptly asks:  “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Previews:  Sorry, I saw this online and didn’t get any previews.  Feel free to mention them in the comments.

-LatinaInMD