Caray, Caray!

Sure enough, the gossipy maid tells Lorenza that Virginia is following in Pablo's footsteps and the entire populace of La Barranca is going to invade.  Lorenza interrupts Virginia at the piano to forbid her from seeing Centavito.  (Mr. 5ft: "No problem!  I can't see.")

Pablo interrupts his father at work to tell him that…kids grow up and form their own ideas…and he's in love with Esmeralda…and it doesn't matter what her current last name is, because Pablo's going to make her a Martinez Negrete.  He wants to marry her ASAP since she won't take any money from him without being married to him.

Virginia, once again, overhears a nasty argument from her room upstairs and heads out to see what's going on.  Even Lorenza can hear him screaming at Pablo that he chose the "right" woman… one with money…and no, he wasn't "lucky" to fall in love with her, he just chose a woman who was at his level.  In the foyer, Lorenza waves the cook back to the kitchen and stands by Virginia.  Mr. Lorenza refuses to help Pablo find a job and doesn't want to hear another word out of him unless it's to tell him that he's getting married to Monica or some other twit who comes from money.



In the foyer, Lorenza demands an explanation, but Pablo leaves that to Agustin.  Meanwhile, he and Virginia head upstairs.  Agustin tells Lorenza that Pablo wants to get a job and marry Esmeralda ASAP.  Lorenza thinks they should send him to New York to study and get him away from Esme.

Esme has been provided a blue dress like all the other phone girls.  She's a little clumsy, but doing just fine.  Her supervisor doesn't think she'll last, but she's vague about why, just saying that *she* is the only one who's been there for years, not any of the pretty young things they keep brining in for her to train.  Boss man wants to talk to Esmeralda…personally…in person.  His secretary makes a face.

Lorenza tells Pablo to pack a bag for 3-4 days at the ranch.  To entertain Monica and pacify Agustin.  Pablo agrees, but he says he's not going to change his mind.  Of course, Lorenza thinks it will help them all get back to "normal."  Whatever that means.

Boss man wanted to ask Esme how she's doing and whether she's planning to head home right after work so he can drive her home.

Lorenza BS-es Monica about how Pablo's totally into her, he's just shy.  She'll have to help him out.

Boss man and his secretary have veiled words when she finds out he's driving Esmeralda home.  When they walk out, the secretary calls his wife.

Monica promises Lorenza she'll do what she can to snag Pablo.

Esme makes it to the hillside unharmed, at least.  Pablo tells her he has to go away on vacation with his family.  She's jealous because she knows Monica is going and asks him to stay.  She knows Monica is in love with him and Mariano told her that Pablo and Monica were dating.  Pablo is shocked.  Shocked, I say!

Mariano is all packed for the trip and tells Lorenza that he thinks the trip will do Pablo some good.  He beats around the bush before making her promise she wont tell Pablo that he told her…but some crazy Italian dude who's in love with La Gata came around with a gun and threatened Pablo to stay away from her.

Esme tells Pablo about Mariano's "joke."   She says they both know Monica is into him.  Pablo says he's going to win his mother over to his side on this trip.  Pablo's jealous of Esme's job; Esme's jealous of Monica.  And Doña Rita's cards don't foretell an Esme-Pablo marriage, which gives Esme a baaaaad feeling about all of this.  Pablo tells her not to pay attention to Rita…that only ignorant people like her are such superstitions liars.

Lorenza is upset that Mariano didn't tell her sooner so she could have the Meatball locked up.  Mariano tells her he knew she'd get upset.  And she should have seen the way Esmeralda defended Pablo.  She's not a bad person…she's naïve, innocent….  "Are you in love with her too?"  Yep, Eau de Protagonista: brings all the boys to the yard faster than a milkshake.  Before he can answer, Pablo walks in and starts a fight with Mariano for telling Esme that Pablo and Monica were dating.  "Dude, it was a joke!"  He finally admits he was telling her to see if she loves him as much as Pablo loves her.  Pablo doesn't need tests for that.  Lorenza calls Esme a tramp and says she hates her.  That woman's turning these two brothers who were always so united against each other!

Gata comes home and tells Centavito she's grumpy because Pablo is going on vacation.  Centavito is on the way to see his Pretty Lady (squee!) and give her a necklace.

Fela wanders over to the pizza place and shoplifts a slice to feed her baby doll.  She doesn't run away with it though, instead telling the customers she needs to feed her baby and shushing them.  Don Italiano comes over to ask her QTH she's doing and she turns into Esmeralda in front of his pervy eyes.  Either he's obsessed or this is just our sign that Fela's her mother, but either way it's gross.

Carrrrrlos is pleased to find his Pretty Lady at home and gives her the necklace with a crystal heart.  She tells him she's happy to see him and not to be surprised that she says she can see him…"The blind have a lot of different ways to see."  She wishes she could tell him to come visit her every day.

Fela tells the baby doll "they're trying to hurt us again" and tells Don Italiano that he's mean, just like "the other man."  She walks off.  Don Italiano tells Lupe that Gata is driving him crazy.  This woman's eyes reminded him of Gata's eyes.

The nosy maid runs to go tell Lorenza that Virginia is outside talking to "that boy," and Lorenza calls the cops.  I kick them both in the shins.

The secretary finally gets hold of Boss Man's wife, "Mrs. Cantu" and tells her to watch out…her hubby's got a new Pretty Young Thing at work and he even drove her home…"I wouldn't be surprised if he's home late tonight."  Well, Mrs. Cantu tells her that Boss Man is already home (which we knew, since Esme was off with Pablo), but she'll keep an eye out.  Just like she did when the secretary was the one sleeping with him.  Dun, dun, dun!  That's right, that saying about the wife being the last to know?  Not true for Mrs. C.  And by the way, that affair ended on orders of Mrs. C.

The kids declare their undying friendship, but when Virginia hears the police sirens, she tells him to go.  Her mother said she'd hurt him.

Pablo and Esme, at their respective windows, ponder their love for each other.  Principe ponders mice and tuna.  Hm…Principe needs a lady friend.

I tune out the parents as they babble the next morning about this stupid trip and the miraculous effects it's supposed to have on Pablo.

Silencioso is summoned to the director's office…Fernando de la Santa Cruz has been sent a letter informing him that the government has accepted his pardon paperwork.  Before, they had always rejected his requests, but now that they've accepted it, it's just a matter of processing the request.  It's a done deal, except for the waiting.  The director warns him that the enemy he hasn't forgotten in all this time hasn't forgotten him either.  He found out that the lawyer who accused him has been blocking all the previous requests.  Well, Silencioso has been spoiling for a fight, so as far as he's concerned, Agustin better bring it!

Mrs. Cantu spies on Esme as she gets to work.  She finds it odd that Esme took the bus.  If Boss Man ever cheats on her again, he and his tramp will pay!

As Esme gets into work, the secretary warns her that she'd better watch out for Mr. Cantu…and his wife.  Esme says he only gave her a ride home, but he was respectful…unlike other people.  The supervisor asks why Esme's not in uniform yet and what's going on with her.  She says she doesn't think anyone likes her.  At least, Alicia, the secretary, doesn't like her.  The supervisor warns her not to get into Mr. Cantu's car.  "Tell me the truth.  Is he not as nice as he seems?"  She says he's not a bad man, but he always gets what he wants and it's clear that Esme isn't very experienced.  She warns her again not to get in his car, and to be careful if she's summoned to his office again.  "You should find another job."  Esme thinks of Pablo as she tries to hold back tears.  She wonders if she's destined for nothing but tears.

Meanwhile Pablo takes a cable car ride with Monica.  Monica shops.

Esme is getting better at the phone work.  Her supervisor gives her an encouraging smile, a wink, and a thumbs up.  Alicia, the secretary, comes down to tell Esme's supervisor that from now on Mr. Cantu wants Esme to deliver his messages in the afternoon, and if there are no messages, he wants to see her anyway.  Esme's supervisor tells Alicia that Alicia is the "personal secretary" so she can take the messages herself.  "Come on, we both know that's not how this works."  Supervisor tells Alicia to tell Mr. Cantu that Esme will start delivering his messages tomorrow, because she's in a hurry to get out of the office today (and all the other phone girls are leaving).  Alicia mocks the supervisor for saying she's "advised" Esme and goes to tell Mr. Cantu what she said.  Esme is worried that her supervisor is going to get fired.  "Meh.  They'd owe me a hell of a severance!"  But Esme needs the job.  "Well, he won't get the chance to fire you today if you get out of here now!  It's already past quitting time."  The supervisor tells her to hurry up, change, and go, so she's not alone in the office.

Pablo has apparently been waiting for Monica at an outdoor café, half asleep.  She shows off her loot.

Mrs. Cantu spies on Esme again, walking out alone.  Mrs. C thinks maybe Alicia is messing with her…or maybe Alicia is having an affair with Mr. C again?  She watches her husband follow Esme to the bus stop and thinks Alicia was telling the truth.  But then Esme gets on the bus and her husband buys a pack of cigarettes from the newsstand.  She doesn't think he would have come downstairs just for cigarettes.  She thinks he must be after Esme.

Pablo dances with Monica at a club while Mariano watches.  Monica tries to get him to dance closer, and then she tries to get him to kiss her.  As Esme wonders what Pablo is doing, he seems to feel the disturbance in the Force and pushes Monica away.  He walks outside and Monica and Mariano give each other QTH looks, because in their universe there's something horribly wrong if a guy doesn't just automatically succumb to the magnetic pull of any woman's lips within 2 feet of his.  Mariano waves to her to go outside after Pablo.  Monica seriously tries to tell him that they're adults, on vacation, and "what happens on vacation…."  Pablo doesn't buy that as a reason to have meaningless vacation smoochies with her, but he does let her wheedle him into staying at the club longer.

The next morning, Esme is just getting to her desk when the cleaning lady is emptying out the trash.  She advises her to look through it, 'cause there's lots of cool stuff in the trash.  Alicia comes down to snootily summon Esme to Mr. Cantu's office.  Esme tells him it's not right for them to be alone in his car together since she's a nice girl and he's married.  He warns her not to forget that he's the president of the company.  He insists he'll give her a ride home today and they'll talk.  He'll even pick her up a few blocks away so no one sees them.  "Do you want a job or not?  Then you should know what's good for you.  After your shift, we'll talk, and you can tell me if you want to keep your job."

Esme talks to her supervisor, Ms. Arencibia, about how she wants this job.  She was hoping she could buy a chair so that Pablo could come visit her and sit down without getting poked by a spring. Ms. A thinks if Pablo loves her, he'll understand.  Esme wants the job, but not if accepting Mr. Cantu's advances is part of the deal.  "Then quit.  If you don't do what he wants, he's going to fire you today."

Monica complained to Lorenza that Pablo was boring at the club.  "I told her she could stay.  She could have danced with Mariano or anyone else."  "But she wanted to dance with you!"  "And I didn't want to dance with her or anyone else!"  Monica calls down from the balcony and Lorenza leaves so the two of them can be alone. Monica tells Pablo she had a sleepless night.

Esme tells Ms. A she can't imagine being without Pablo, 'cause she luuuuuuurves him.  Ms. A says Mr. Cantu doesn't have the right to put Esme in this position.  He said he was waiting for her answer, so her answer needs to be firm and leave no doubt.  Alicia comes down to summon Ms. A to Mr. Cantu's office.

Pablo tells Monica that just because his mother has decided the two of them are supposed to be together, but he's just not cut out to play along like that.  He likes Monica as a friend, and he thinks she deserves someone who's not faking.  "You deserve a better man than me.  One who loves you, who thinks you're worth it, one who's worth it.  I can't love you because I'm in love with Esmeralda.  I love her with all my heart, and I don't care that she's poor."

Tomorrow: Pablo declares; Lorenza schemes; Agustin tricks.
Previous: Episode 8
Next: Episode 10

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