Caray, Caray!

Recap by J Desde NYC

¡Prospero Año Nuevo 2014 a Todos!

First, a Glossary of Abbreviations I use to make this recap sensible to any newbies reading.

Feo-Fernando
Sucia-Sonia
Ara-Aranza
Isa-Isabel
Art-Arturo
Gabi-Gabriela, Isa's best friend/confidante
Mau-Mauricio, the accountant at Isa's business and Isa's close friend
Andy-Andrea, Feo's soon-to-be ex-wife/first victim; works at Isa's business; Mau's love interest
Grandma/Abuela Meanie/Minnie/MeanMin-Minerva, Andrea's mother, Esteban and Angelito's grandmother and faker extraordinaire
Aggie-Agatha, Andy and Minnie's neighbor
Este-Esteban, Andy's oldest son
Ozzie-Osvaldo, Art's father; Ara's grandfather; Tita's love interest
As usual, scenes were combined so I don't go crazy. There were a lot of details in this capítulo and I had to recap everything since it was all important.

Our diabolical twins in villany, Feo and Sucia, decide to get revenge against our fair protags Art and Isa, after Sucia lets Feo know that the Art/Isa romance is serious since Art has introduced Isa to Ara.

Art and Ara get home from the doctor's due to her tragically scabbed knee (I'm guessing Art has a low co-payment to be making ridiculous visits to the doctor). As they get out the car and walk up the stairs toward the house, Art notices Ara's knee has miraculously healed.  "The doctor is really good," Ara says and she tries to run off to play with her dog Greña.  Before she does so Art asks if she like Isa.  She says Isa is so-so and fine with her--just as Sucia said she should answer--and runs off to play with the dog.

At MeanieMin's we get an Angelito sighting--he's crying as per usual--as Aggie wheels him in with Esteban.  MeanieMin greets them warmly, kissing Esteban and letting him know she made his favorite meatballs. As Este runs to change to get ready for dinner, Aggie dons her skeptical hat and asks MeanieMin when she's going to drop the caring and understanding mother and grandmother act (Cuando se te cae el teatrito).  Minnie swears she isn't faking (fingiendo=fingir) and tells Aggie God will strike her down for thinking she's a faker.  Aggie: "If I didn't know you I'd say you weren't faking but I've known you too long and I know you haven't changed so suddenly, especially at your age."  Minnie: "I'm not that old" (that I can't change).  Aggie's face in response says she's still wearing her skeptical hat.

At Isa's apartment, Gabi, Mau and lawyer Edgar show up to see Isa's ransacked apartment (departamento).  Isa tells them that ungrateful (malagredecida) Gema robbed her blind with her boyfriend Dante Hidalgo.  The idiot was in such a rush he forgot to get his ID from the security guards, which is why she knows his name, Isa says. Isa shows Edgar the ID and he recognizes Dante as the one he saw with Gema in the fancy restaurant in a brown sleeveless dress.  Isa gets her dress and the lawyer confirms that it was the exact dress he saw Gema in.  Gabi is righteously angry, mad that they not only stole from Isa, but even wore her clothes, too. Edgar suggests Isa files charges against Gema and Dante.  Isa heartily agrees, saying she's tired of people thinking she's some idiot (tengo cara de estupida) and taking advantage of her (pasar de listos).  After lawyer Edgar suggests they not touch anything else to contaminate the scene so the forensic team will be able to get Dante and Gema's prints in the apartment, Isa tells Edgar that Gema and Dante ends up in jail because she won't allow everyone to humiliate her and walk all over her (pisotear).

Gema shows up at Agatha's saying she got fired from her job and has no where to go.  She says "Me corrieron de mi chamba" (chamba=slang for job), even though she's the one who fled when she realized Dante was a scammer/robber.  God help me! says Aggie sympathetically.

At the police department, Isa, Gabi, Mau and Edgar discuss the state of affairs of all the cases against Feo.  The trial is ongoing and they'll soon give sentence on him, Edgar says.  Mau pipes up that Edgar was suggesting that they should make a deal with Feo in exchange for him giving up the female accomplice.  Isa says absolutely not to any deal.  Gabi tells Isa that Feo sent someone to harass (acosar) Andrea.  Edgar and Mau reassure Isa that they're on that case, as well.  They will get a list of Feo's visitors to find out who's Andy's assailant. "When will this nightmare end?" exclaims Isa.

Ozzie calls Art to ask about why Ara ran away.  We arged and she had a tantrum, Art says.  "You can't allow her to have tantrums (arrancas).  If you don't tamp down on it now, what will you do when she's 18?" Art wisely says. "I thought you callled to find out how we're dong," says Art,"not to scold me for how I'm rearing my daughter."  "Forgive me," says Ozzie. "I know I'm severe and rude. Tita has told me all about myself since she doesn't bite her tongue (no tiene pelos en la lengua) when she's telling people the truth. I always feel like an idiot when she upbraids me." Ozzie doesn't sound upset about Tita calling him out, though.  Art agrees about Tita not being a puppet agreeing just to agree (no se deja titere con cabeza).  Ozzie asks Art if Ara can come back over his place for dinner.  " I don't think Ara's in the mood to come back to your place.  How about you come over our place this weekend?" Ozzie heartily agrees to come over for dinner Saturday and smiles brightly.

Happy times continue at MeanieMin's  as Andy and Mau come home with the tacos Minnie asked them to bring home for Esteban. They set the table and chat and then Este asks if Mau is Andy's boyfriend. (The direct approach--I like it.  Ara should try it more often with Art). Minnie says, no Mau isn't Andy's boyfriend, just her boss and a friend.  "Besides,"  Andy adds, "I can't have a boyfriend; I'm not divorced from your father yet!" "So?" says Este, " Dafne's father was still married when he made his secretary his girlfriend!" I can totally see where Dafne gets her trust isses!  Anywho, Minnie wisely says, "That man was wrong; your mother is right.  When one is married you can't have a boyfriend. But thank God your mother won't be married to your father for very long."  "I'll explain later," Andy says to change the topic. 
Mau then asks Esteban if he likes soccer and his favorite team. When Este says Club America, Mau high-fives him.  Mau also promises Este to take him to a soccer game if he gets great grades.  Este tells Mau to buy those tickets because he's very studious and gets great grades! Andy sneaks away from the boys to talk to Minnie and tells her she's going out on a date with Mau since he asked her out.  She promises to come home quickly but Minnie says to stay out as long as she wants; Mau is a man from a good class and is the type of man she should be with, not a poor scumbag like Feo. (One thing I notice in this scene is that Minnie and Andy are dressed in the same peach/black color scheme, which seems like the writers are saying Minnie and Andy have the same goals re Mau, but for different reasons, just like xltperuvian said.  Seems like Minne wants to make sure Andy ends up with Mau so she isn't stuck raising Este and Angelito if something happens to Andy.)

As Andy and Mau leave Minnie's to go on their date, they encounter Gema coming home to Aggie's with groceries. "Gema?" Mau exclaims.  Andy asks Mau how he knows Aggie's goddaughter and Mau explains that Gema was the one who robbed Isa's apartment with Dante.  Gema swears that she didn't rob Isa's apartment but was fooled by Dante into believing he wanted a relationship with her but robbed the apartment instead without her knowledge or complicity. Mau tells Gema she needs to go to Isa's and explain but she's scared to go alone.  Andy offers she and Mau's moral support to go and talk to Isa--the sooner the better because Isa pressed charges against you, says Mau.

At Isa's place we see Isa telling Art about the robbery.  She says she feels violated (ultrajada--this is another word for rape I learned from La Patrona) as if robbers are all around watching her.  Art asks why Isa didn't tell him right away about the robbery.  Isa says he was busy with Ara and she usually tells Mau and Gaby about her problems.  Art says from now on he hopes Isa will tell him her problems too.  He not only wants to be her partner (pareja), he also wants to protect and support her in everything.  Art then says he'll send security people over to Isa's the following morning for them to put in security cameras and a security system so she won't be robbed again. And then Art loses his detallista points when he offers Isa the chance to stay at his house until she no longer feels scared.  Isa gains his caring, practical points when she says that's not the right thing to do in front of Isa; the only reason she met Ara so soon was because Ara asked but she and Art shouldn't move so fast in front of Ara.  (Yes, Isa is definitely the brains of this outfit.) Art agrees but says it didn't hurt to ask since he wanted to see if she'd fall into his trap. (This was said affectionately, not in a dangerous/tricking way).

Mau and Andy show up at Isa's and Isa introduces Art to them as her boyfriend, which garners a girlish squeal of delight and happiness from Andy. Mau and Andy get serious and tell Isa that Gema is there with them to explain herself.  Isa shoots daggers at Gema and asks how dare she show up after robbing her. Mau and Andy tell Isa to let Gema explain herself and after she does Mau says she was a victim too.  " Yes,"  Isa says harshly, " but that doesn't excuse Gema bring the guy into my house."  "But will you drop the charges?" Mau asks.  Isa concedes she will, but only after Mau, Andy and Art shoot bullets masked as looks at her.  If they weren't there, she probably would have said no. (I can see why Susanna Gonzalez got bad girls roles in previous tns; She does mad convincingly). Gema asks if she's still fired and Isa looks at her and says yes, I can't trust you. When Gema leaves right after, Isa asks why people take advantage of other people's kindness.

Bruno and Gaby show up at Tita's before their date; Gaby balks at meeting Bruno's mother since it's a symbol of them being committed and she said she wanted to date without a commitment. As they eat dinner Tita asks Gaby about her family--Bruno mentions she hasn't said anything to him about her family--and Gaby tells them that her family is from Torreón (it's the largest city in Coahuila State which is in Northeast Mexico) and her father is a retired doctor who's a partner in a clinic.  We get our 12th "Caigamos en oración" as Tita declares it's always good to have a doctor in the family. Gabi's cold feet reach sub-zero as she complains she doesn't feel well, as if she's coming down with a cold and asks Bruno to take her home. After he drops Gaby home, Bruno comes back and Tita says she'll host a dinner this weekend and invite all her friends--Art, Ara, Ozzie and Gabi.  Bruno asks if his mother is rushing for him to get married and Tita says yes since she doesn't mind being a young grandmother.  Bruno tells Tita not to mention of this to Gaby since she's is very commitment phobic. "I'll act like the most discrete mother-in-law in the world," says Tita.

At Sucia's Don Hilberto shows up to castigate her for being friends with a criminal like Feo.  Sucia tries to play off knowing Feo is a criminal, but her padrastro wisely says that if she is getting a lawyer for Feo, she's either already involved in his crimes or close to being so.  So, he forbids her from going back to see Feo.  Sucia shows her true colors by saying Hilberto shouldn't come to her place to chastise and punish her like a child since he's not even her father! Hilberto's facial expression at this insult shows how hurt and angry he is. " So, I'm only your father when you need me to monetarily support your whims (caprichos) and things you  want? Right?"  Sucia tries to backpedal but it's too late.  "Forget about me and all the support I give you."  Hilberto leaves with a brusque "Good night" and Sucia whispers "Idiot" to herself about Hilberto as her stepfather walks out.

At Mansion Arturo, Ara is in the kitchen with Lucha and Gabino and they talk about Isa. Lucha asks if Isa is pretty.  Yes, Ara says.  Gabino asks if she's a good person. No she isn't, Ara says. Lucha and Gabino tell Ara that Art has the right to have a girlfriend and fall in love again but Ara's gets all upset "My father is only supposed to love my mother and no one else."  Lucha follows behind her and promises Ara that if she opens up and tells her what's wrong, she won't tell her father or anyone else what she reveals. Ara reveals that she doesn't like Isa because she was her father's lover before her mom died; and her mother finding about Isa is what killed her. Lucha reminds Ara that her mother was sick for a long time. Ara says but the knowledge of Isa as Art's lover broke her heart and brought on the stroke. Lucha hugs Ara and tells her that Dafne must have told her this because she's always making up stories.  Ara says Dafne didn't tell her this.  Luchas prods "then who told you that? Because I don't think it's true and your father can tell you the truth." Ara runs off to the bathroom crying that no one believes her.

Downstairs Lucha tells Gabino about Ara's theory that Isa and Art were lovers before Eugenia died and she was trying to find out who told her something like that.  Lucha adds, "Do you think it's true, though?" Gabino says no since Art adored Eugenia.  "But what if Ara is right?" Lucha says. "Isa was Art's lover and we didn't realize it." Gabino shakes his head no, but then his facial expression changes as if to say that the Isa/Art amantes pre-Eugenia dying theory is plausible. Farmer Sucia sows more fruit!

Feo is found guilty of his crimes-bigamy and fraud-and is sentenced to 20 years in jail without possibility of parole.  Isa and Art are there at the sentencing and Feo threatens both of them in front of the judge after the sentence is read. "You'll never be free from me whether I'm here 20, 30, or 40 years.  I will make you suffer like you've never imagined.  You' ll never be free of me," Feo declares.

Gema goes home to Aggie and tells her she's leaving town since she has no recommendation letter to get a job in D.F.

Gonzo comes home in a hurry to get his stuff to leave town since the police tied him to Dante through Feo from Feo's visitor list.  He tells Dante they have to leave before the cops find them.

Isa tells Gaby that she's going to try her best to win over Ara at the dinner at Art's house because she knows the only way she and Art will get along well is by winning over Ara. Good luck, girl! You're gonna need it.

Dafne passes a note to Ara in class and is busted by the teacher before Ara can even read it.  The teacher reads it to herself and asks Dafne if she wants to talk to the school psychiatrist.  "Oh, no. I'm fine," says Dafne.  "It would do you a lot of good,"  the teacher insists as she gently but firmly leads Dafne to the school psych's office; and I hum, "They're Going to Take Me Away, Ha! Ha!" since this scene is so hilarious.
Ara turns to Esteban and Liliana and they ask what was in the note.  Ara says she didn't get to read it. Liliana says Dafne told her that Ara's father was having a baby with his new wife.  Ara looks sad and confused.

Sucia visits Feo before he's transferred to the maximum security jail for his sentence and tells him she has to stop visiting him so the cops won't associate her with Feo and so her father will change his mind about financially supporting her. Feo tells Sucia she still has to help him survive his sentence and to look up a guy named Efrain Gomez who'll help her help him even though he isn't trustworthy. He does various businesses, has a lot of money--you know how to how to find him, he insists.

Back at Ara's school there's a carnival with games, cotton candy etc and a booth where kids can symbolically get married.  I saw this setup in a "Rosa de Guadelupe" episode in a laundromat once while I was doing laundry and it was weird then, and it's weird (but sweet since it's Esteban and Ara) in this too.  Esteban steps up and offers to get married to Ara.  He signs the contract, as does Ara; they exchange rings; the teacher pronounces them man and wife; They take a wedding picture and as Esteban declares he wants Ara to be his wife forever, Ara promptly gives back her ring to a disappointed Esteban, saying it was just a game. I'm betting Esteban is gonna keep that ring and try to court Ara and remind her of it later after the time skip.

Avances:
Lucha tells Tita that Ara told her Isa and Art were lovers before Eugenia died; Tita gives her first angry "Caigamos en oración" in response.

Mau and Andy kiss. Minnie is glad that Andy and Mau are boyfriend and girlfriend; Andy looks shocked by Minnie's reaction.

Isa visits Art's and Ara tells Isa she doesn't like her.

Tita wants to know who told Ara Isa and Art were lovers before her mother died.

Feo fends off some burly looking fellow-prisoners.

Ara tells Isa about her having a baby with Art.

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