Caray, Caray!

We open this episode with the new improved Teobaldo masquerading as the old deformed and scarred Teobaldo (sorry if this confuses you, I've been paying attention and it makes no sense to me either. Take another sip of your Mezcal and pretend you understand.) paying a visit to Araceli's new  apartment, interrupting what may, or may not, have turned out to be some afternoon delight for Eduardo (without Teo's arrival I was only giving him a bout a 20% chance of scoring anyway). After telling Aaceli he's found work for her back on the Isla, Teo scolds and threatens a bit as he simultaneously gives Eddy that familiar fish eye and twisted smirk that clearly means, "No nookie for you today
."  Serious glaring ensues.

Back at el Rancho Rancid, Ester has decided to explore her benevolent urges by offering to help José Antonio advance his education. He can read and write a little already so... good to go.

"You'll do this for me, señorita?"

"This and much more," as she closes the distance between them.

I think that this is where a lot of my fellow recappers might add... Ruh Roh!

She reminds him that her name is Ester, none of this señorita stuff, and suddenly notices,

"You're very handsome."

He turns to leave but she reels him in and fingers his face,

"Tempting lips..."

Oops, it's Lucia, she looms and she doesn't look pleased,

"¡ESTER! What are you doing?" she screeches.

Oops, Better Hold Up On That Kiss

Later, cowboy.
As Juanita dusts, María Alejandra is about to leave for the casino to have a chat with Carola. Doorbell rings and Juanita goes to get the door.

"It's a very young and very handsome man," she announces and beams.

"You didn't ask his name?"

A familiar face peaks through the door, "Señorita, tell her it's Octavio Narváez."

Hey, I'm With The Jehovah's Witnesses... Got A Minute To Discuss Where You'll Spend Eternity?

Briefly, back inside the ranch house Lucia is not pleased that Ester was flirting with that illiterate farmhand. Ester confirms that she is looking for a little distraction.


Octavio is just there to followup on the matter that he called to warn her of earlier. She is more concerned as to how he learned her address.

Though she didn't tell the governor that it was his daughter insisting that she be expelled from the island by the police or that it was Octavio who told her about it, not to worry, the governor is taking care of the matter for her.

Santa is hanging out clothes to dry as José Antonio tells her of Ester's altruism. He will learn to read and write better so he can send Maricruz a letter telling her of his love and how every beat of his heart repeats her name,

"Maricruz, pom pom, Maricruz..pom... " He actually clutches Santa's hand to his chest as he babbles... I kid you not.

Santa pretty much thinks the whole idea stinks.

Octavio takes advantage of the situation to do a little serious flirting and assure her that he has no interest in Doris. He's not attracted to arrogant women.

"How about humble women," María A needles.

Ester is making a pretty good case for JA. He's strong and manly, not bad looking, although something of a fixer-upper... Lucia thinks that it's bad business to play around with the help. It could result in scandal. Ester thinks a little scandal could be fun.

Octavio asks why she thinks he might not like humble women. She tells him that she was just messing with him. He points out that the governor is assisting her because he's infatuated and would even like for her to be Mrs. Governor. MA thinks that it's not such a bad place to be. He points out that the way things seem to be going, he could end up being her son-in-law.

Cute, but let's wrap this up kids.

He tells her that she is the only woman that interests him.

There, was that so hard?

She takes a moment to flex her dimples.

Squeeze And Hold 1 2 3

Next!

Santa wastes a bit of her time (and ours) trying to warn JA to be careful of Ester. Yes, I'm sure he's listening, dear.

I'm Sorry, I'm Not Listening

I said,  "Next!"  but Octavio is defiant and insists in pursuing his case. He reminds her of the kiss at the emir's shindig and of how he saved her butt. He vows that she can always count on his loyalty...

"I know your loyalty very well, Señor Narváez."

Zing... right over his oblivious head... could all that hair be depriving his brain of oxygen?

She continues that she is very grateful...

Oh. Crap. Juanita just wheeled in the kid. Not now! He wasn't aware that she had a baby and now of course he wants to meet her.

Now most reasonably intelligent men's little hamsters would be scurrying like mad on that tiny wheel trying to process all this information but not Octavio's. His ambles over to the water bottle, laps at a few drops, and then falls over on his back and begins aimlessly scratching his crotch.

Perhaps another day little fellow. Clearly you're all tuckered out from helping him decide what to have for breakfast this morning.

"¡NO!" Maricruz/ María A firmly answers his request with a stern face.

Octavio looks puzzled and confused with a little pain mixed in.

Baby Lupita? She just looks bored.

You See, She's My Mommy, You're My Daddy... Oh Never Mind...

NEXT!

Well, we're back from commercial and the opening credits, which these days are inexplicably positioned after the first commercial break and Octavio just will not go gently into that good day. At least the baby's gone off with Juanita.  The call of the blood must have gone unanswered. He tells her he loves kids... has one of his own though he doesn't know what nor where it is... but by golly he's going to look for it. And before he goes he admits to her that he was a jerk and deserved all that happened.

Something to build on?

Teo, still looking like the old Teo, drops in on Carola. He'd really like his old job back but doesn't want her to fire the new guy. She offers to let him live in his cottage so he can look after his roses. He smiles... I think.

May I At Least Have My Old Room Back?

Criminy, will this guy ever leave? Now he's offering advice. He tells her to be proud of her baby and not try to hide it. She tells him that she is protecting her from being spattered by the mud that surrounds them. He tells her that she should not be ashamed of being a single mother.

"Do you think I'm a single mother?"

"Are you married?"

"Why should you care?"

Well I don't know about the rest of you but I'm glad we all had this little talk.

As he finally leaves (I've got my fingers crossed) she tells him that she genuinely appreciates him warning her that she isn't welcome on the island, but she won't be leaving just because his little girlfriend wants her gone.

"Now may I go?"

"As you wish."

He schlumphs out and for a moment it looks as though we are going to get a vow of vengeance... but... mercifully, not this time.

As our budding student lifts a bale of hay he is visited by his teacher who has picked up a few things to facilitate his studies. She gives him a little sample of what is to come... a bite of pencil. His first lesson... tonight... his place... take a bath.

Driving a van, Miguel dressed in his white work clothes (why doesn't he get to wear a sailor suit like Teo's?) drops Octavio off near the dock. María A is there (did they arrange this meeting while we weren't looking? Neither seems surprised that the other is there.) They exchange smiles as the piano plays.

JA tells Ester that he always bathes after work. She suggests a little shampoo and cologne... not to worry, she gets those for him. He's very appreciative that she has offered to help him improve himself. She explains that all she wants in return is a bit of affection and tenderness and to further explain she moves in for a kiss. He doesn't resist and Lucia doesn't interrupt. This gets a mixed reception here on the Patio.

While a little flirting begins on the dock, the Emir is on the phone at home. He's wanting to buy the casino and will pay double the asking price. I'm not sure he understands that in Mexico a business transaction requires both a willing seller as well as a buyer.

Octavio reminds her of that kiss they shared, that kiss that she asked him to give her. This time he will be the one to offer the kiss, she smiles, he confidently moves in and folks, we have a go. A real kiss right there on the dock. Wow, it's almost as though they may have done this before.

Usually I Bite The Ears Off First

Think Octavio, think, man. Doesn't this all feel familiar? Doesn't she look and taste like Maricruz? And what about the baby? Think.

The Emir is telling Mohamed of his plan to buy the casino. This reminds me of a conversation I covered between Lucia and Ester a couple of weeks ago. Mohamed talks sane... Karim talks crazy. He is certain that MA has a vulnerability and when he finds it...  well, poor MA.

First We Buy Up All The Beanie Babies

Octavio thanks MA for the kiss. She suggests that it might just have been one of many that she's shared with others. He doesn't want to hear that kind of talk.

Ester does a little bonding with Ofelia. She tells her that she beginning to enjoy this country life. As Lucia joins them, Ester rushes off. She's got things to do. Poor Ofelia was already confused and is even more confused when Lucia tells her that she wants Ester gone from the ranch.

Just when he was doing so well, Octavio blows it. Having told MA that he is madly in love with her and not the governor's daughter, she suggests that maybe he thinks that he's in love with her because she reminds him so much of that lost love of his.

Now as has been pointed out before, it's never wise to disparage, criticize, or belittle the ex when attempting to plow new fields. And it's especially not wise if you have the least bit of suspicion that this new field is actually the one you abandoned.

So  we watch on helplessly as he tells her that the one that she reminds him so much of was a whim, a mistake, foolishness. All that goodwill the kiss built up is crushed and as she pulls away from him and turns her back to him we see the pain reflected in her face that those wounding words inflicted... She walks away leaving him wondering if she can ever love him as he loves her.

Back on the boat, MA tells Tony to find Miguel and send him to her office. Dutifully, Miguel appears at her office and she announces that he will be getting a new job... something better, of course.

At the ranch kitchen Lucia explains to Ofelia that she wants Ester gone because like Octavio, she has taken a shin to one of the bumpkins... José Antonio.

MA informs Miguel that he will have a job on the casino floor as something of an observer for her. He will also be allowed (encouraged?) to gamble... with his own money of course. He's confused by her generosity.

"Why are you wanting to help me, Maricruz?"

Wait just a doggone minute... did he just call her Maricruz?

First, however let's see how JA's lesson is proceeding. Looks like the same tank top. Let's hope he bathed. Sitting next to Ester on his little bed, he's struggling with the pencil. She tries to help. He's sweating. Gettin' hot in here. She grabs a cloth and offers to dry him off a bit. He tells her that he bathed and changed clothes. He sniffs his arm pit and announces that he smells like mountain air. (This could be a great spot for a memorable product placement.)

Damn, I Forgot...She Said Bathe

She leans over and inhales a big whiff of that mountain man scent,

"You smell like a working man. I like how you smell. Now see how I smell."

"¡Ave María!"

"Go ahead, smell me."

OK, now I'm sweating right along with him.

He hesitates and for a moment looks as though he'd rather be lifting hay bales.

"Smell me, silly."

She offers her shoulder and drags him in for a close up sniff.

He complies and then gazes at her and swallows hard. She smiles...

But we have unfinished business back in Ma's office.

We heard right and so did she, "¿Maricruz?"

He begins to stammer an explanation, but she interrupts,

"Ya, ya, I've heard it many times..."

She knows there's a woman by that name who looks like her. She goes on to reiterate what the new job entails. He accepts and she gives him the rest of the day off to prepare (what? How? Why?... Who cares?) and dismisses him with a wave of the hand. She doesn't even look up.

And now for a little vow of vengeance once he's out the door...

(I have a little list...)

"And now you will begin to pay for all the harm you've done to me, Miguel Narváez, you and yours. You will shed tears of blood and I will have no pity for you."

Still in the kitchen, Lucia pleads with Ofelia to help her talk some sense into Ester before things go too far with José Antonio...

Who, alone in his room with Ester is becoming more and more enthusiastic about this lernin' stuff. A passionate kiss is followed by a few second thoughts (is that a little voice in his ear? Shut up, Santa), which Ester deftly dismisses with a few choice words,

"You're a man and I'm a woman, we were made for love."

He asks her not to play with him.

"Who's playing? C'mon, kiss me," she demands, dragging him on top of her into his bed.

MA drops in on Carola to announce her promotion of Miguel and not to worry, she'll pay his salary herself. This seems to please Carola on several levels but she can't help but wonder what la Mendoza has up her sleeve.

Octavio and Eddy are in his hotel room and there's a knock at the door. He hopes it's not Doris. Nopis, it's Miguel whose come by to share the news of his new position. He tells them that she will even allow him to gamble at the tables... with his own money, of course. Eddy hopes that Miguel won't be doing that. Heck no, Miguel's not crazy. Octavio wonders if MA is doing this for him. Well of course she is, isn't it all about you, Octavio?

Class is over, kiddies. JA is naked and looks more relaxed. Ester looks satisfied with her pupil's progress as she pulls on her sweater. She gives him a lingering kiss then pats his chest.

Wow! I Don't Remember School Being Like This

"Until soon, Amor."

There, José Antonio, that didn't hurt a bit, now did it?

A disturbed Lucia asks a glowing and grinning Ester where she's been.

Still glowing and grinning Ester replies,

"Can't you guess?"

Well...Yes, I Boinked José Antonio And I'm Glad Glad Glad

We end with MA returning to her office to find that Tony has brought a guy in a suit in. It's Carlos Morgan. He's brought a proposal to purchase the casino for a huge sum of money.

Next!











Carlos

Labels: Indomable