Caray, Caray!

Recap by LatinaInMD

Note:  Several scenes are combined.

Luciafer gleefully spills the beans to Miguel, except for one minor detail – who caused the fire.  Miguel is surprised MC is not a thief; Luciafer tells him MC did not have the intelligence to be a thief.  Miguel asks if she is also responsible for the fire that killed MC’s grandpa.  Luciafer denies it, saying she told him the rest because she wants him to know how she helped him.  Miguel says all his joy at their newfound prosperity is gone.  Now he won’t be able to look at their son without thinking about Maricruz, and it would have been best to have never known the truth.  (Yes, indeed, ignorance is bliss, but only for so long.)

Jose Antonio continues chatting with the police chief about his suspicion that Ewwsebio was in cahoots with Luciafer, but the police chief says suspicion isn’t enough.  He promises to continue investigating until he discovers the truth.  (We’re not holding our collective breath on that promise.)

MariAle tells Tobias with sadness that she had to keep her mouth shut because she realizes that Don Ale feels affection and sympathy for her, but he would not like to have her as his daughter.  She doesn’t know how to tell him the truth.  She also continues to blame Don Ale for not doing more to “rescue her” from her miserable life when her mother took her away….MariAle feels all is lost and that she will have to make her own life IN HER OWN WAY….MariAle also doesn’t want to be responsible for causing Don Ale’s death by telling him the truth.  Tobias tells her Don Ale wants to go to the island, but MariAle worries that could cost him his life and says they must stop him from doing it.  She also adds that she intends to return to the island and make her life there, because that is where she will carry out her vengeance, with or without her father’s help.  (In other words, vengeance comes first, way ahead of telling daddy the truth and spending the last days of his life at his side.  Our girl clearly has issues.)

Carola and Tony discuss Raiza’s trip to Mexico to see Don Ale.  Carola points out that if Raiza doesn’t convince Don Ale to sell, he will be convinced by the next payment of profits he receives.  She also says she still has “a hidden hand” – no hint of what that could be.  Then she orders Tony to inform her as soon as he hears of La Mendoza’s return to the island.

Raiza arrives at the mansion.  She waits in the foyer while Tobias goes to inform Don Ale that she is there to see him.  Raiza is surprised when she sees MariAle coming down the stairs – but she doesn’t show the slightest hint of suspicion that MariAle is pregnant, despite the baby bump being SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than when they left Isla Dorada and flew to Mexico….Raiza asks MariAle what she is doing there.  MariAle informs her that she lives there because she is Don Ale’s daughter, even if she and her sister don’t want to believe it.  Not caring why Raiza is there, MariAle tells her she is going shopping and leaves….Tobias comes down and tells Raiza that Don Ale awaits her.  Raiza heads up and greets Don Ale affectionately, asking how he is doing.  He tells her she can see for herself that he is practically an invalid.  She responds:  “An invalid who has a very beautiful woman for company.”….. Don Ale asks:  “Is that what you think?”  “That’s what I saw,” responds Raiza.  He tells her to believe whatever her imagination considers most romantic.  She says she now understands many things, like why MariAle wants to govern over the casino.  “And to not allow Carola to steal from me,” counters Don Ale.  Raiza says she thinks MariAle expects to have more, and Don Ale says that is human and practical.  Raiza then tells him she is there to advise him to sell the Isla Dorada casino, or he will end up losing it “in the most lamentable way.”  As if justifying Carola’s malfeasance, she points out ANYONE would steal from him if he is not there to attend to his business.  (So she pretty much admitted her sister is a thief!!)  He says it’s curious that the same thing is not happening in his other casinos.  But he agrees that he needs to sell the Isla Dorada casino, precisely because Carola is involved in it…..Raiza tells Don Ale selling is the most sensible thing, and Carola will pay a sensible price.  Don Ale informs her that it won’t be so easy for Carola.  He plans to go to the island and sell the casino to the highest bidder, and if Carola wants it, then she’ll have to match another buyer’s best offer.  Raiza reminds him he has to think first about his health and he can’t travel in that condition to the island.  He says he has to do it, and it is Carola’s fault because his protégé says the casino is doing well. Raiza then tries to tarnish MariAle’s image, telling Don Ale that she behaves like a slut, distracts clients, and demoralizes them.  She tells him they hadn’t wanted to tell him anything because they could tell he had much trust in her.  “Unlimited trust,” says Don Ale.  Raiza then asks him point blank what MariAle means to him.

Octavio is back at the pension, asking Doña Serafina to find out for him where MC 2.0 lives….Serafina tells him it’s not easy for her.  He insists, but she says she just can’t do it.  He tells her he thinks she knows where MC 2.0 is but just doesn’t want to tell him.  He then asks her to please find out where she is, and she promises to try.  (Sorry, I have to say this galan has NO brain cells left at this point, at least not fully-functioning ones.  If he believes she already knows and she is lying, then why ask her still to find out for him?  Big dummy!!!)….Alone in his room, Octavio tells himself that if he finds the first MC, perhaps he can find the other one (…huh???...) and that would give him “a good opportunity to apologize to her.”  (Again, no brain cells left.)

Out on the patio, Miguel recalls Luciafer telling him how MC stuck her face in the mud.  He asks himself if Lucia was capable of that, then what else could she be capable of?  He heads to the stables and asks eternally-drunk Ewwsebio what he knows of the fire that killed MC’s grandpa….Ewwsebio assures Miguel he knows nothing about the fire.  Miguel asks if it was set intentionally, to which Ewwsebio responds with another question:  “What do you suspect?”  Miguel says he suspects nothing and leaves.  Ewwsebio is not the least bit concerned.

Don Ale tells Raiza that MariAle “distracts” him.  She asks how, and he responds that in whatever way she wants to imagine.  (Tssk, tssk, Don Ale, adding to the bad image Raiza already has of MariAle.  Then again, who cares what Raiza thinks.)  Raiza asks if she distracts him, then why send her to the island, wouldn’t it be best for her to remain at his side?  Playing along, Don Ale asks Raiza suggestively if she doesn’t think it would be best for him if MariAle only came to him sporadically.  Raiza appears slightly distressed that he could have gotten “entangled with a woman of that level”, when he could have aspired to a woman who would love him, practically pointing at herself.  He says he can aspire to nothing, as she should be able to see that he is worn out.  She asks if MariAle lives there and he tells her that for the moment she does.  Raiza insists that he not allow “that girl” to return to the island….Don Ale says he can’t prevent MariAle from returning to the island, and perhaps he doesn’t want to prevent it, since she is defending his interests.  Raiza then asks why he allows MariAle to say that she is his daughter.  “Maybe she feels that way, like a daughter.  That is the way I treat her, and not the way you think.  And I’m sorry Raiza, but she will do whatever she thinks is best.  She will return to Isla Dorada at the very moment she decides to do it.”  (Good to know Don Ale understands MariAle’s intentions so well, so nothing should surprise him.)….. Raiza insists that Don Ale not allow MariAle to continue pretending to be his daughter.  She says the last straw would be for him to tell her that he is going to name HER his heiress.  He says no, his daughter will be his only heiress, whether or not she turns up.  Thankfully, Don Ale finally puts an end to the seemingly endless conversation, telling Raiza he is exhausted (so are we, Don Ale, so are we!!!) and it’s been enough for today.  Raiza tells him she will return to see him the next morning before she departs for the island, and pretending she is Svengali she adds:  “…and you will tell me that you will sell the casino to Carola, and you will tell me that you feel better.”  (In your dreams, Raiza, and in Viewerville’s nightmares.  Another conversation like this is more than we could bear.)

That was one MIGHTY LONG conversation between Don Ale and Raiza, so long that MariAle has returned home from shopping and is back in the foyer, in the midst of dealing with some pregnancy pains – (boy, do I remember those pains, and I never spent days on end standing on five-inch stilettos like she does).  Solita’s lab results are hand-delivered to the house (talk about concierge service!!) and Tobias receives them and immediately hands them over to MariAle.  After a quick scan, a very worried MariAle informs Tobias that Solita’s pregnancy is high-risk, that she needs much care, and that on top of the risk that the baby may not be born or born with problems, there’s the risk that Solita could die.  (Now she can interpret lab results too?  Wow!!!  SuperMari never ceases to amaze!!  Doesn’t a doctor normally inform a patient when labs reveal bad news?!) 

MariAle sees Raiza coming down the stairs and tells her she thought she had already left.  Raiza says no, in fact, she plans to return the next day.  MariAle tells her to forget about returning the next day.  She then orders her to return to the island and inform her adored sister that HER FATHER Alejandro Mendoza “is not selling the casino to anyone, not to her and not to anyone else!!”…..Don Ale’s bedroom must be FAR away from the foyer, because these two are now practically screaming at each other, without the least bit concern about who might hear them.  Raiza yells that MariAle is no one in that house and has no right to treat her that way.  MariAle repeats that she is Don Ale’s lost daughter, but Raiza says it’s not true because Don Ale just told her she is not his daughter, he only treats her like one.  MariAle tells Raiza she hasn’t told him the truth because of his illness, but one day she will believe it because she can prove it’s true.  She points out that’s why she dares to defy Carola, adding:  “Whether my father is alive or dead, THAT CASINO IS MINE.”  She then promises she will return soon to the island, adding:  “I will annihilate Carola….and her accomplices.”  (Subtle, isn’t she?!)  Raiza suggests she is offended by MariAle’s insinuation that she is Carola’s accomplice, pointing out that she has always been Alejandro’s friend.  MariAle retorts that Raiza’s only friend is money, so much so that she will betray others for it.  Raiza says it’s Alejandro’s fault that she wasn’t loyal to him, since he always rejected her as a love interest.  (Cry us a river, Raiza.)  Clearly unmoved, MariAle tells her “your ways are your ways, and no one is ever going to change you.”  Then she reminds Raiza that she is NEVER going to bother her father again, and she proceeds to push her practically all the way out the door.

Jose Antonio tells Santa that the police chief wants him to do his job for him to watch Ewwsebio and to make him confess everything he knows.  Santa says the police chief should do his own job, suggesting he should just lock up Ewwsebio and keep him on bread and water only for three days, “after which he will confess even what he doesn’t know” – (I would suggest also leaving an open bottle of alcohol just a little past his reach, for added torture.)  Jose Antonio says that’s illegal, but Santa rightly points out that hasn’t stopped the police before, like when they locked up Maricruz despite her being innocent.  Santa asks Jose Antonio if he thinks he can make Ewwsebio talk, and Jose Antonio says that he is “capable of doing everything” for Maricruz.

Raiza returns quickly to the island and informs Carola that her visit with Alejandro was a total failure.  Carola asks why.  “Because La Mendoza has a lot of power over him.  He seems to trust in her more than in himself.”  Carola says now she is sure they are lovers.  Raiza tells her that though she still has doubts, she thinks that MariAle really is his daughter.  Carola wonders if Alejandro purposely lied to her about his relationship with MariAle, but Raiza tells her he didn’t lie, he just doesn’t know the truth yet.

The next morning, Tobias brings Alejandro his medicine and informs him that Maricruz is in her room, worried because they received Solita’s lab results and found out she has a high-risk pregnancy.  Don Ale says that’s greater reason why Maricruz should stay in Mexico.  He also tells Tobias to excuse him with Raiza if she returns as she said she would, adding:  “Tobias, Tobias, the vultures are flying over the carrion (carroña).”  Tobias asks:  “You are not saying it because of Señora Maricruz?”  “No, of course not, she is still saved by her innocence.  She doesn’t know how to be a vulture, although Raiza has already been telling me…..”  “What did she tell you?”  “That her presence in the casino is inconvenient, that she behaves there like….like a slut.”

Miguel rides through his land again, thinking of all he had to do to save it.  He tells himself that if it weren’t for what Lucia did, he would enjoy this wonderful moment, which now tastes bitter because of the remorse he feels.  He wonders if he could do something for Maricruz, if he could look for her and find her in Mexico.

MariAle goes to Don Ale and tells him she needs to speak with him.  She tells him that she obeyed him when he demanded that she return, but now she is there to demand that he not go to Isla Dorada.  He says he has to go.  She begs him not to go, for his good, her good, and the good of the casino.  He says he intends to liquidate that matter because he doesn’t want to leave any entanglements when he dies.  She tries to insist, but he interrupts her and says that SHE is the one who will not return, and it was madness to let her go there before.  He says he will no longer argue.  He reminds her that she, her sister and their babies will have a home and his protection in that house until his daughter turns up.  MariAle replies somewhat bitterly:  “Yes, and when your daughter turns up…Maricruz, Solita and the kids will be out on the street, right?”  (Now, why argue with your dying father over something you know will NEVER happen, since you are that daughter?  Silly writers.)  Don Ale assures her he will make sure they have what they need, including a good job for her.  She tells him she already has a job, and it’s on Isla Dorada in the casino.  “A job in which you are degrading yourself?!” he asks, or rather asserts.  She assures him only a woman who wants to degrade herself does it, there and anywhere else, adding:  “You believed what Raiza told you, didn’t you?”  “It’s not your fault, Maricruz.  Another woman in your place would have done the same thing.”  A disappointed MariAle asks:  “What do you think your daughter would have done?”  (Excuse me, child, are you trying to kill your father now?!  Geez, what a loaded question.)…. Don Ale says, forgive me, but I am sure that MY daughter would not have gone to that place.  “You are sure?” she asks.  He continues:  “I let you go because you told me you WERE a married woman, so you said.”  (Is he doubting her now?)  “No, no” responds Mari Ale.  “I AM married….to a jerk, but married.  My child has a father….a scoundrel, but legitimate.” He tells her fine, don’t get angry, and she says she isn’t, she is just telling him how things are.  (I would say she was a teensy-weensy angry, even if she denied it!!)  He says he feels her gratitude deeply and understands her good intentions.  He recognizes that she opened his eyes about Carola Canseco, that thanks to her they put a stop to her.  But he cannot allow her to hurt herself to favor him.  She gets down on her knees and begs him to give her the power of attorney she already asked him for.  He says he’s sorry, but he’s not going to give it to her.  “Never, I could never do it.”

Carola tells Raiza she almost couldn’t sleep thinking of what she told her, that La Mendoza could actually be Alejandro’s daughter.  Raiza says she had to believe it, after the way she saw her act in that house, so sure of herself, like the owner and lady of the manor.  Carola doesn’t understand what gives MariAle the power to give orders if Alejandro still doesn’t know the truth.  Raiza suggests they should continue making MariAle’s life more difficult there if she returns, but Carola notes THAT WOMAN has the “character of the devil” and can put up with anything.  (If nothing else, Carola is perceptive, isn’t she?!)  Nevertheless, she says she intends to have the casino all to herself, no matter what it costs her.

Miguel is again riding over his land.  (Is that what he considers work?  It seems to be all he does.)  He tells himself he cannot stand Lucia.  He knows she acted “thinking about everyone’s well-being” (Everyone’s well-being, Miguel?  Tell that to abuelito.)  He tells himself if she had told him what she planned to do, he wouldn’t have allowed it, but even worse is that she organized it behind his back, hid it from him.  He remembers that Maricruz was also going to have a child, his brother’s child, his own blood.  He wonders again what he could do to find Maricruz.  He says both he and Lucia, especially Lucia, will need her forgiveness.

MariAle goes downstairs and informs Tobias that she couldn’t convince her father.  He will not give her the power of attorney, and he is going to go to Isla Dorada.  He tells her at least he already convinced him to delay the trip until the following week.  She doesn’t see what they gain from that.  (Gee, I don’t know, maybe that he’ll live a week longer?)  She is sure that Raiza is back on the island, and that by now Carola is taking all sorts of precautions so she can take over the casino.  She says she has to prevent it, so she will return to the island before her father goes there, even if he has other plans for her.  “I have to prevent Carola Canseco from ruining everything.  I’m going, Tobias.  And from there I am going to send an email to my father telling him the whole truth, that I am his daughter.”…..(Cut to Ewwsebio pretending to work, and speculating that if Miguel does suspect something and finds out the truth, it’s just as well, since Miguel also hurt Maricruz and bears some of the guilt for what happened.)…..MariAle tells Tobias that an email is colder, so it would have less impact than words coming out of her own mouth.  They could have the power of attorney ready, and once her father reads the email and “gets over the emotion”  from the news, then Tobias can give him the POA to sign and then send it to her.  (Oh, sure, that’ll lessen the impact – go far away, put yourself in what your father considers a dangerous lion’s den for you, and only then tell him in writing that you are his daughter.  Brilliant!!)  She says she has no choice:  “My father has no one else but me to defend him.  And I have no one else but him to love me….He is my father, Tobias, and I will turn into a wild beast to defend him.”  (To defend him, or to defend the casino as the intended means to her vengeance?)  She repeats that she will return to the island and begs Tobias to continue caring for Solita in her absence.  He tells her not to worry about her sister, as she will be well taken care of until she returns.

The next morning, MariAle explains to Solita that she has to leave again.  (Oddly, she reverts to MC’s peasant accent and dialogue when speaking with Solita, as if her sister could hear her.)  Solita is very sad about the news, but MariAle tells her not to be sad or worried, because Tobias and the doctor will take good care of her.  As Moctavio grabs on to her arm and then her hair, MariAle promises Solita that she will return or send for her, and that they will always be together because they are sisters who love each other very much.  She promises their children will unite them even more.  The two embrace, as Moctavio tries feebly to be part of the touching moment.

Moments later, we see a VERY pregnant-looking (but still very stylish) MariAle arriving at the airport….

Tobias enters Don Ale’s room with his breakfast and they bid each other good morning.  Don Ale tells Tobias he is feeling much better and was planning to go down to breakfast.  He asks Tobias if Maricruz is already up.  Tobias says yes, and Don Ale figures she already had breakfast, so he will just have his meal there in the room.  He reminds Tobias that the following week he will go deal with the casino, and he asks him to please tell Maricruz that he wants to speak with her…..Tobias freezes and Don Ale asks what’s wrong, if he is going to get Maricruz.  Tobias breaks the news to him that early that morning Maricruz returned to Isla Dorada.

Meanwhile, Miguel is loading a saddle onto his jeep when a VERY drunk Ewwsebio shows up laughing diabolically.  Miguel goes up to him and tells him it’s obvious that he has been drinking – if not by his manner of walking, then by the stench of alcohol on him.  Miguel tells him he doesn’t like him getting drunk, and Ewwsebio responds that Miguel has no power over him, he can’t give him orders, so if he wants to drink, then he will drink.  He then openly challenges Miguel, asking if he thinks he can fire him, just like that.  Miguel says of course he can do it.  Ewwsebio tells him:  “Well, you can’t, Don Miguel.  And you know why?  Because I know many things about all of you, the Narvaez family.”….Miguel grabs him by the collar and demands that he tell him what he is talking about.  “You better let me go, boss, and leave me alone.  Because if I feel like talking, you would come out of it very discredited.”  Miguel pushes him and tells him that he is not about to threaten him and that he is fired.  He tries to force him off his lands, but Ewwsebio declares:  “The Narvaez family is mistaken about me.  You can’t burn me alive the way that was done with the grandfather of that trash Maricruz.”….Ewwsebio continues that they are not going to lock him up like they locked up that trash Maricruz, nor will they do to him everything that was done to her to throw her off the ranch.  “What are you saying?” asks Miguel.  “What the whole world knows, boss.  That the Narvaez family are a bunch of criminals.”  Miguel knocks him to the ground and begins to strangle him, but sadly Jose Antonio arrives just in time to pull Miguel off of Ewwsebio, thus preventing that anvil from coming down on the scumbag.

Don Ale asks Tobias if he knew that Maricruz was going to go back to the island and when he admits it Don Ale asks him why he didn’t tell him about it.  Don Ale says he never thought Maricruz would disobey him that way.  (What happened to him knowing that she would do whatever she wanted to do?)  Tobias assures him she will send him an email explaining to him the reason she left.  Don Ale says the reason is “that environment that has swallowed her up.”  He adds that soon she will be just another woman like Raiza and Carola, “going from arms to arms, until in the end she will want desperately to find a man and a home to stabilize her life.  And all that with a child.”  Tobias thought bubbles:  “Lord, if he only knew.”

Now we see a plane flying in stormy weather.  Octavio and Eduardo discuss what procedures they will follow to stabilize the plane.  Ed worries that the passengers will be alarmed, but Octavio insists that it’s not that big of a deal.  (So reassuring to see the two pilots on the same page during a critical moment.  Not!!!)….Later, one of the flight attendants informs the two pilots that a pregnant passenger is very scared and does not look well at all.  Octavio tells her to move her to another seat….(Move a pregnant woman in a plane during a turbulent flight??!!….Good Lord, the idiocy of this galan is mind-boggling!!!)…Cut to MariAle breathing as if she is IN LABOR!!!  The flight attendant comes and moves her to another seat, away from the windows.  She then tells her she will call one of the pilots to come attend to her!!  (What?!  Isn’t that what flight attendants are for?  So now only one idiot pilot, instead of two, will fly the plane during a moment of distress.  Brilliant!!!)  Thankfully, MariAle passes out and this prompts the flight attendant to finally ask out loud if a doctor is on board that plane.

Previews:  Didn’t see them, but it’s obvious that a little bundle of joy is finally arriving on Tuesday.  Any final guesses….boy or girl?  Suggested names, anyone?

-LatinaInMD