Caray, Caray!

Kimberly demands to know why El waited so long to tell her.  But really, she doesn't care, because she's never going to forgive him and her only consolation is that Carmen doesn't love him and is going to marry Gino.  So there! Cunchetina comes outside and suggests they go see Carmen now or consider themselves defeated.

Gino shows up at Carmen's with flowers, which she gladly accepts, and invites him in to tell him about her day.  She tells him about the anonymous call and going to the hotel and seeing El with another woman, and Paolo about to check into the hotel with Mara.  Gino doesn't think Paolo and Mara having the sex is so bad.  He says the call must have been about Paolo, because why would the anonymous caller think Carmen would care about El?  Why, indeed.

Tad tells Irene they played a mean trick on Natalia.  He gets that she wanted Natalia's happiness and says Nat and Diego will save their love if it's strong enough.  He suggests she back off Natalia for a while instead of trying to "fix" things.

Carmen blah, blah, blahs about how El's a good friend of the family is all.  And he's screwing around with another woman when he's engaged.  Hint, hint.  Carmen asks Gino to imagine if someone saw HIM in the same situation as El…hmmmmm?  Gino takes his leave and promises to have a manly chat with Paolo.  Carmen, having come to the misguided conclusion that she has to end up with SOMEBODY, can't believe she was going to throw Gino over for El.  Silly me, thinking one evaluated each suitor on his own merits.



Mara can't believe Paolo didn't tell his mom the truth.  "Now I look like I'm crazy!"  She's pissed, but she didn't want to make Paolo look like a liar.  Paolo says he'll clear everything up with his mom.

Alberto tells his bros the story Brigitte told him about her "friend" and the apartment.  Something smells fishy to him, and to Alonso.  Diego says nothing, since he's too busy worrying about his own problems: Natalia, his murderous twin, detoxing, his complete and total lack of game.  Alonso doesn't think Alberto should let Brigitte live with him until he's gotten rid of his doubts about her.  No problem there, since she has no intention of moving in with him.  Diego pays attention long enough to ask if Alberto thinks Brigitte is cheating on him.  He does, but he has no proof.  And an early court date tomorrow, so he breaks up the dominoes game early.  Diego and Alonso both think Rodrigo has something to do with Brigitte's behavior.  Well, sure, why not.  He's screwed up everything else.

Abdul and Angela are about to enjoy a dinner on the floor of her apartment when the bottle of mustard prematurely, um, squirts all over Abdul.  No, seriously, I couldn't make that up.  He retaliates with the ketchup bottle.  Mr. 5ft says it's good clean fun, but I know enough about ketchup and mustard to know those stains are NEVER coming out.

Diego remembers how Brigitte was coming on to him before and how she pinned it on him when he told Alberto.  Alonso says she was pretty chummy with Rod while he was impersonating Diego, so….  Tell Alberto?  Diego doesn't think it's a good idea to spring something like that on him.

Natalia remembers snogging Diego in Alonso's office…and him ruining the moment  (see above re: complete and total lack of game).  Carmen remembers her ambiguous flirtations with El…and the definitely non-ambiguous snogging…and thought bubbles that he's a big faker and she's going to marry Gino.  Lupita goes to brush her teeth and Carmen starts interrogating Natalia about her visit with Alonso, but Natalia doesn't want to talk.  She goes off to bed and Eleazar shows up with Cunchetina.  Before Carmen can get too far down the "I can't believe you're cheating on Kimberly and you brought your lover here" path, Cunchetina jumps in and introduces herself as Mrs. Ricci…that's Ricci with no "ex."  Sure, sure, she used to be fat, like Gino said, and while she's lost a few pounds, she certainly hasn't lost a husband.  She and Gino are NOT divorced.

Back at Angela's Palace of Esoteric Pleasure…Abdul is rocking a green sarong while  he de-condimentizes himself.  He thinks instead of going out in the night air to catch a cold (oh, he looks WAY too…healthy…for that to happen!), maybe he should spend the night at Angela's.  I'll take her snogging as an enthusiastic  "yes."  Until Mara and Paolo come in.  Angela runs for her bedroom and Mara follows her while Paolo tries desperately to scold Abdul…but he can't keep from laughing.  Back in Angela's bedroom, she explains to Mara that it's not what she thinks…there was some ketchup and mustard…and a kiss.  The girls squeal and Angela, unfortunately, says they're, like, totally together now and she doesn't even have to ask him because, well, they kissed!  Angela, for your sake, I hope that's true, but I'm not feeling terribly optimistic about it.  Abdul shouts through the door that they're leaving so…is his laundry ready?

Eleazar covers up Lupita's involvement in Cunchetina's presence there.  Carmen talks about her anonymous caller and Cunchetina says SHE'S the one who had a meeting with Gino.  Eleazar advises Carmen not to confront Gino, but she's all fired up, saying no one cheats on her!  Cunchetina begs to differ…if anyone's being cheated on in this situation it's HER!  Lupita realizes Cunchetina is in the house and thinks "it's on now!"  I'll pop the popcorn, kid.  Carmen's going to break up with Gino, Cunchetina's going to drag him back to Sicily.  Cunchetina says Carmen and Eleazar can be together.  "Who says I want him?"  Well, anyway, they need to plan what to do about Gino.

Gino figures that Mara saw the picture on his computer and told Paolo.  He's already preparing how he's going to have to be convincing when he lies to Paolo.  He nervously answers a call from Carmen, who called to wish him a good night and invite him to breakfast.

Lupita tells Natalia she's totally going to get busted now for getting Cunchetina there.  But she did it for their own good!  (I totally believe that, coming from her.)  "How do you know all this?"  Duh, she pays attention!  Nat sends Lupita to bed and then takes a call from Tad, inviting her to breakfast tomorrow.

Paolo and Abdul come home and are introduced to Cunchetina Capone (ha!) Gino's wife.

Rodrigo comes home to Casa Cacares in the morning.  He sasses his Grumps and says he'll be heading to work soon.

Diego gets ready to go out and look for a new job.  He won't go back to Caprico and he doesn't care if they keep his severance.  Alonso tries to convince him to get his severance, since it is rightfully his.

Tad invited Nat to breakfast to plead Irene's case.  Nat says she was disappointed that Irene tricked her like that. "She only wants your happiness."  "No, she wants Diego's happiness."  "Isn't it the same thing?"  Nat's not sure.  She starts listing everyone who's disappointed her and he begs her to stop before she gets to him.  He's not going to push.  Nat mentions her mom's suggestion that she just needs to be rid of all "The Cacares."  Tad jokes about her having inherited her being "tajante" (definitive, making a decision and sticking to it) from her mom.  "Well, yeah, I did.  Even though I'm adopted."  Tad's ears perk up.  Come on, Tad!  We're all counting on you not to drop the ball!

Carmen reassures Paolo that nothing is going to affect his relationship with his father.  Gino shows up, in blue and aqua to coordinate with Carmen's green.

Abdul and Angela are both at work bright and early to open the Fonda.  Angela slips something in Abdul's jacket pocket.

Eleazar joins Carmen, Gino, and Paolo for breakfast, then he introduces his "girlfriend" and Gino recognizes her immediately.

Natalia tells Tad about Padre Juancho and Carmen finding her in the manger in the church at Tuxpan.  He starts to wonder if she could be his daughter.  Nat brags about Padre Juancho and Carmen being such good parents…and then Tad's nose starts bleeding!

Cunchetina and Eleazar gush about how perfect they are for each other and Carmen tries to keep them from smooching.  Cunchetina is wearing a skirt to rival any of Brigitte's in its brevity.  She says she's there to ask Gino for a divorce, but he wants to talk about it and drags Cunchetina into the kitchen.  Carmen tells Eleazar to quit overacting with Cunchetina.  She says they can talk about "them" after Gino and Cunchetina get themselves situated.

Rodrigo visits Tiburcio and Hilda in their room.  He threatens them with his influence in this house and says sure, he promised things when he was "Diego."  "But now I'm Rodrigo and I don't have to keep the promises Diego made."

Cunchetina shows off her assets for Gino, but she quickly tires of him harping on and on about how fat she used to be.  "Eleazar says he would have loved me even with the extra pounds."  Gino lays it on thick about the luuuuuurve they used to have.  Meh, Cunchetina says she's content to leave him with Carmen.

Tad's nosebleed has finally stopped and he says to himself that he has to tell Irene about Natalia.

Cunchetina says Gino's not the man she used to love.  Things are getting steamy and Carmen sends Paolo to his room.  So she and El don't have to share the space as they listen at the door.  As Gino and Cunchetina steam up the kitchen appliances, El and Carmen's fingers intertwine.

Back at their booth, Natalia tells Tad she used to get nosebleeds a lot, too, when she was a kid, but Carmen took her to a doctor who cauterized something, y ya.  Tad can't help thinking she has his eyes and Irene's smile.  But she has Carmen's stubborn nature, and insists that there is absolutely, positively NO reason WHATSOEVER that would justify her being abandoned as a newborn.  Did you get that, Tad?  NONE.

Cunchetina still insists on a quickie divorce and Gino, rather than saying he still has the hots for her, says he…um…doesn't have his papers!  "Besides, you never loved me!"  Gino claims he did love her…except for the weight and the bad temper.  Gino bursts into song when Cunchetina tells him when she lost the weight, she also lost her bad temper and was left with only the passion.  Did we really need this horrible off-key karaoke to the theme song?  And having the original voices still there is…not helping.  Carmen and Eleazar don't care.  They burst into the kitchen so Gino can apologize for his inability to marry Carmen because, well, he's still married to Cunchetina.  Carmen declares that Gino has broken her heart and storms out of the kitchen.  Eleazar asks Cunchetina what about them and Cunchetina winks saucily at him as she tells him it was fun while it lasted but her heart belongs to Gino.  Gino goes to explain things to Paolo, leaving Cunchetina and Eleazar to high-five and give each other double thumbs up.

Instead of backing off, like he said he would earlier, Tad begs Natalia to say she at least understands that Irene just wants her to be happy with Diego and to promise she'll talk to Irene again at some point.  Nat leaves and Tad immediately calls the PI and tells him to investigate Natalia.  I guess the PI doesn't ask for money this time.

Paolo is unhappy, since Gino said he was in love with Carmen.  Gino says she doesn't love him that much…she's in love with Eleazar.  Paolo doesn't believe it.  Gino asks if Paolo would be happy for Carmen and El to be together.

Gino and Paolo emerge from the bedroom and Paolo demands to know whether Carmen and Eleazar are in love with each other.  Eleazar puts on his "O noes!  Don't pin me down!" face.  Shins, Eleazar.  I'm prepared to kick them.  Carmen and Eleazar both deny it.  Carmen asks why she would have gone through four boyfriends waiting for El,  and El throws in the "four different baby daddies" thing, sending Carmen out of the room.  Paolo gives El a disappointed look and says "All you had to say was 'yes.'"  Paolo goes, presumably to talk to Carmen, while Eleazar calls himself an idiot.  Nobody's arguing with you, pal.

In Carmen's room, Paolo comes in and sees her crying.  She says there's no way she could love someone who thinks so badly of her and she hates him.

Tad tells Irene that Natalia agreed to talk to her again, eventually.  As much as he loves seeing her happy, he doesn't think he should tell her about Natalia's history.  He asks how Irene is doing at work.  She's not doing so great at Caprico, what with all the family shenanigans.  He suggests she take advantage of his money and get Eskenda free from Caprico.

Abdul and Angela flirt in the kitchen.

Natalia comes home and gets the story about Cunchetina and El's visit that morning from Paolo.  He asks her if Carmen and El have a thing. Natalia thinks they totally have the hots for each other.

El tells Morales that he was a total idiot.  Morales agrees.  Morales tells him that if Carmen is the woman for him, then he needs to leave Kimberly the hell alone.  He suggests El take Carmen to Chapultepec and serenade her in one of the boats.  Or hang a sign at an overpass.  El rejects both ideas.

Carmen cries to Natalia about what Eleazar said and insists there's no room in her heart for him.

Abdul passes by the new cantina and gets invited to the grand re-opening.  And marked with her lipstick.

Diego shows up and gets scolded as Rodrigo for showing up to work late.  He breaks it to Grumps that not only is he not Rodrigo, he's not there to come back to work.  He's there to get his severance pay.  Once again, Grumps complains that the amount is too high.

Rodrigo comes over to Casa Garcia.  He tells Natalia, with no preamble, that in the process of impersonating his brother, he fell in love with her.  He can't deny it, he's sorry for everything he did, and he wants her to help him be a better person.  Carmen interrupts this reunion and Nat tells her it's Rodrigo, so Carmen can yell at the right brother.  Carmen goes after him with a broom and chases him out of the apartment building.  Natalia tells Carmen what Rodrigo said.  Carmen hopes whacking him around like that discouraged him.

Diego is only asking for a fair amount, but Grumps won't give it too him.  He refuses to negotiate, so Diego says he'll sue for it.  We've been through this before.  Diego pleads his case for the quote he gave Grumps.  On top of just "this is what the law requires" he talks about his accomplishments and how his performance was reflected in the company's profits.  He leaves Grumps to think about it.

Out in the hall, he runs into Brigitte, who assumes he's Rodrigo.  He looks like he's getting prepared to play along when they're interrupted by Irene.  He admits he's really Diego and Brigitte thinks that she nearly told him about the great time they had last night!  Oops!  She scrams.  Diego tells Irene that he was just there to discuss his severance and Irene takes him to her office so they can talk.

Abdul and Toño talk about Jaiba's grand re-opening and Angela overhears Abdul say that Angela is just someone he's messing around with, nothing serious.

Irene agrees with Diego getting his severance and suing for it if he has too.  She's tired of Grumps trying to control everything.  She doesn't want to stay at Caprico and work with Rodrigo.  The trademarks, etc. are in her name, so she can actually take Eskenda with her.  She proposes that they take Diego's severance and put it into Caprico (like they had talked about doing before), get the rest from Tad if they need to, and get the hell outta there!  Diego agrees to the idea.

Natalia calls to talk to Alberto.  Carmen asks how she's doing and Nat says she's thinking with a clear head now.  She has some ideas, but she wants to talk them over with Alberto, first.

Unlike Diego, Rodrigo walks in EVEN later, in an unbuttoned shirt with no jacket and no tie.  Grumps complains about Diego wanting his severance pay and daring to leave.  "But the family is one thing and the company is another."  "No!  The company is a FAMILY company!  Why don't you get that?!"  Grumps says there's an automotive crisis coming and right now Eskenda is what's going to get them through it.  Rod offers to review the numbers and see if he can come up with something.  Grumps reiterates that under no circumstances is Diego to leave Caprico.

Angela takes the card out of Abdul's jacket pocket.  He asks to talk to her, but she says last night was stupid and not going to happen again.  She pretends she was just messing around with him and makes fun of him for thinking it was anything serious.  "Awfully full of yourself, aren't you?" she taunts him.  Abdul gets angry and leaves the kitchen.  Serves you right, you dummy!

Lupita interrogates Carmen about Eleazar.  And starts pleading his case.  Carmen scolds her and Lupita sighs.  "Who understands them?!"

Gino and Cunchetina chatter in his office.  She wants to go home to a new house in Sicily, but Gino doesn't want to lose Paolo.  Cunchetina is planning on taking him with them.  Paolo walks in and Cunchetina asks him to come to Sicily with them.

Abdul fumes at a table and ignores the business.  Carmen comes in with Lupita and Abdul quits.  Carmen asks Angela what's up with Abdul.

Paolo won't leave his mom and siblings, but he'll gladly visit Gino and Cunchetina.  Cunchetina leaves the guys to talk it over.  Gino asks Paolo to forgive him for what happened, but Paolo's cool with it.

Angela admits to Carmen that she overheard Abdul and she lost her temper.  Carmen is actually glad Angela did what she did, so Abdul will learn that you don't mess around with people's feelings.  She figures Abdul will come back with his tail between his legs son enough.

Lupita calls Eleazar to scold him for screwing everything up.  She tells him to figure out how to make Carmen happy with him again, adding "I can't do everything!"  She reminds him that she'd gotten her hopes up.  "Fine, fine, I'll figure it out.  Who loves you?"  Lupita names everyone else, including Chato, giggling to herself for messing with El.

Irene and Diego come back to Tad's and Tad fills Diego in on his conversation with Natalia earlier, telling him he needs to give Natalia time.

Brigitte comes into Rodrigo's office to mack on him.  She tells him she nearly threw herself at Diego earlier, thinking Diego was him.  She whines at him that he needs to take care of the rent so she doesn't have to deal with the landlady, but he tells her not to count on him.  "But last night you said--!"  "That was last night.  Today is today, and I've got financial problems."

Over dinner, Tad, Irene, and Diego talk about Eskenda.  Tad doesn't think Grumps is going too let Eskenda go so easily.  Diego understands that to Grumps, the company is an extension of the family.  The trademarks give them some leverage, but despite Diego's hope that Grumps won't make them resort to lawyers, Tad isn't optimistic.

Brigitte is upset at the way Rodrigo is treating her and threatens to talk.  "Wow.  You're even stupid when it comes to blackmail.  They couldn't keep me in jail…and you think you're going to be able to get me?  Ha!  You're the one who's going to look like a tramp!"  He grabs her by the arm to keep her from hitting him and doesn't let go until he tells her to deal with the rent on her own.  He shudders after she's left and is thrilled to get a call from Natalia, asking to meet him at Café del Bosque in half an hour.  The way he smiles to himself after they hang up is…genuine-looking.  Ew!

Diego talks about writing up a business proposal, having Tad review it, and having Alberto look it over.  Natalia calls Irene's phone and asks for Diego.

Rodrigo shows up for his "date" with a rose and orders an Americano.  Diego shows up and is pissed to see him there.  Natalia walks in with Alberto at her back to explain that they're both there so that they can be informed that Natalia has taken out a restraining order on BOTH of them and if EITHER of them violates it they will BOTH get carted off to jail for it.  Rodrigo mocks her for learning how to set a trap.  Natalia shuts them both up and brings up the previous day, setting Rod to laughing.  Rod and Diego end up arguing with each other, until Nat storms out and Alberto tells them both to leave Nat alone.  Inside, Rod and Diego continue bickering, until Rod tells Diego they have to talk.  Outside, Alberto tells Nat that they can leave now--the twins are arguing amongst themselves.  Alberto thinks they will at least think twice before they approach her again.  Nat asks about her "divorce" and Al says he has an idea that they should go somewhere else to discuss.

Rod gives Diego back his cell phone and wallet as a sign of "good faith."  Rodrigo brushes off all of Diego's complaints and tells him the company needs him.   Diego doesn't see how that's possible when he left everything in good shape.  Rod says they have to join forces to save their inheritance.

Alberto tells Nat that since she dropped charges and told Vicente she wouldn't accuse Rodrigo of any crimes, she can't claim identity theft as the reason for a divorce.  Nat is pissed that she's going to have to beg Rodrigo to agree to divorcing her.  Ah, but Alberto has a plan!  Since Nat married "Diego" then Diego can sign the divorce papers and they won't even have to ask Rod. And he can't complain about it, either, because he has to keep up his end of the agreement they made with Vicente.

Diego asks Rod what the problem with the company is.  Rod explains about the "automotive crisis" and beefing up Eskenda to carry them through.  Rod says again, that they need to join forces.  Diego says he'll think about it.

Tad hopes that they haven't heard from Diego because he's busy making up with Natalia.  Diego comes back to the apartment to tell them about the restraining order against both of them.  Tad admires this move.  Diego thinks he didn't deserve it, but if it's what Nat needs to feel safe, he'll accept it.  He passes on Rod's info about the "automotive crisis" and Caprico's need for Eskenda's profits.  Diego thinks it's a good time to negotiate.  Tad doesn't think Grumps will let the goose that lays the golden eggs go so easily.  They agree to work on the proposal they're going to present to Vicente.

Natalia gets home and tells Carmen about the restraining order, plus Alberto's plan for the divorce.  If Alberto can get Diego to sign the divorce papers, she'll be free of the twins.  Nat asks how it's going with El and Carmen says it's his move.  He'll have to do something to make it up to her.

El comes home to a wrecked and Kimberly-less apartment.

Mama K and Kim haven't given up on El…though Kim has given up more than Mami has.  Kimberly is actually starting to have enough pride not to want to go crawling back to him when HE's the one who screwed up.  And so far, she's sticking to that.

Alonso goes over to Karina's to ask her if Brigitte's cheating on Alberto.  Karina makes up an ex in Tuxpan.  Karina asks herself if she really wants one more lie on her conscience.  She's sure Alonso knows who Brigitte's shagging and doesn't want to tell her, so now she doesn't feel so bad about lying.

Brigitte runs into the landlady again and continues making excuses.  The landlady doesn't care about her excuses…she just wants her money.  Brigitte immediately calls Alberto and says she'll move in with him.  She asks him to come pick her up right away.

Abdul didn't come home for dinner.  Paolo goes out to look for him at the pool hall.

Angela reads over her love letter to Abdul and weeps.  Mara comes home and Angela tells her that Abdul doesn't love her, but she's in love with him.

Jaiba's grand re-opening of the cantina is going well.  Her buddy at the health department helped with the permits.  Abdul shows up and macks on what looks to me more like the side of Jaiba's face.

Tomorrow: Carmen and El get it on; Andres and his lottery money show up to fight for Natalia.

Labels: te-quiero