Caray, Caray!

Thursday night: Latin Grammies. More Lichita on Friday.

There was some question yesterday as to the meaning of "flor de quilombo" as Valeriana was warning Luciana that she would be creating a "flor de quilombo" if she were to keep going after Alicia. "Flor de quilombo" is Argentine slang (Lunfardo) for a big mess/enormous problem. Great job by the writers trying to include some Argentine vocab with the Argentine characters.

Now on to tonight . . .

Back we go to Alicia being told the way things are by Augusto. She will marry Alex or else she and her whole family will suffer economically. He knows all about them and their precarious financial position. Augusto wants her to act as a "tapadora" "front/cover" for Alex. She can save Alex's career and her own. She asks Augusto what if she does not want to get married? Augusto tells her he does not threaten (is he channeling Catalina Creel from "Cuna de Lobos"?) and gives her ONE day to decide. Does she want to lose it all or gain a lot more? Augusto motions her to leave, closes the door and laughs.

Elsa and Nacho are discussing with the municipal government representatives who have come to shut down their business. Nacho tells them he got all of the permits that were needed so how can they shut them down? Seems that for starters they do not have their "derecho de reventa" "resale right" (resellers license?) That is followed by picayune problems that these representatives have detailed. Elsa is convinced that somebody must have invented these complaints just to drive them out of business. Nacho says they will be going down to the the municipal government office to sort it all out. The government workers have them vacate the premises and have seals to officially close the business.


At the orphanage poor Mateo is being given the third degree by Marta. She wants to know all about him, his dad and going to the beach. He says he would like to become acquainted with the sea with his dad. Marta asks if he would like to do the same with her. He says yes, with her, too. She hugs him. Creepy.

At Icónika, Alicia and Elías are on the swings. He tells her she doesn't look good and wants to know what is going on with her. Alicia is fed up with putting forth her best effort but to achieve what she wants she then has to play games of how it all "looks". Elías says welcome to the real world where the same thing happens as it does in the world of advertising. They never tell the whole truth. Elsa calls Alicia.

Chuchette is in her office when Luciana comes in to harass her calling a rat that lives in the sewers and a traitor. Chuchette defends herself saying she just does what she is ordered to do. Luciana says Chuchette used to love to do evil things with her but no more. Luciana will not be an "amigui" of her "enemiguis". To add insult to injury, Luciana (Luciferrr) will call Chuchette "Jesusa" from now on.

Now it is off to Augusto's office where he is having a heart to heart with his son Alex as he shadow boxes around him. Alex does not flinch. Alex wants to know why Augusto had Roberto investigate what had happened to him. He did not know if Alex could handle it. Alex want to get down to what he knows his father wants to talk about. His father brings up him being gay. Alex has wanted to discuss it with him but the right opportunity never presented itself. It turns out Augusto figured it  out shortly before he returned from the USA.

At the municipal offices, Elsa, Nacho and Alicia are getting more of the bureaucratic run around with talk of the signage, reseller license and then there is their tax declaration but Alicia reminds them that they haven't made a cent yet so how would they have a tax declaration. It just goes around and around. Alicia cuts through the crappola and says that there is someone behind the scenes who has something against her parents. She thinks to herself that she knows who it is, too.

Back to sparring Augusto. Alex wants to know how he found out since he has been very discrete about his lifestyle. Augusto has his methods. Alex was a bachelor of a certain age, attractive, a millionaire, and not a girlfriend here or in the USA. So he added two and two and BINGO! He grabs Alex's shoulders and tells his son he could not care less about his sexuality as long as he keeps up appearances (he slaps him lightly on the face). Alex sees that as the old double standard. Augusto says call it what you want but he has an impeccable image to retain. Alex will be the next president of API. He can do what he wants inside but outside in the world he needs to be what people expect: a man. Alex is not too sure he can do that: go against his own nature and sacrifice himself.

Luciana is making a tour of the offices and stops off to annoy Roberto next wanting some attention. He gives her some work to do and the topic turns to Alicia. She wants to know what kind of a relationship he has with Alicia. A "work relationship" is his answer. Luciana keeps pushing for more info and asks if he fell in love with Alicia. He finally tells her yes, he did fall in love with Alicia.

Augusto has a suggestion for Alex: why doesn't he just go out and yell "I am gay". He demonstrates adding " I like men" right in Alex's ear. Augusto now asks how his saintly mother would feel knowing that. Alex says she will know someday. Augusto tells him to think about his family, their good name and being more united than ever. His secret could separate them, ruin it all, destroy his mother. Alex just wants to be accepted for who he is. He is reminded that just one image could ruin it all. Alex asks if he is referring to the photo Roberto must have shown him that was used for the blackmail. Blackmail?  Augusto says no, he was referring to the photo of Alex in the gay bar. He wants to know now if there is another photo more compromising than that one out there. (Whoopsie!)

Luciana is so upset she has grabbed a phone and insists on talking to Roberto at a distance through the glass of the office wall. She goes on about her hatred for Alicia, asks if Alicia and Roberto are lovers. He says no but he does love her. She shows him the photos she took and threatens to show them around and drag Alicia's reputation down. He wants Luciana to erase the photos. The most she will do is not tell her uncle it is Roberto in the photos. She still feels things for Roberto and wants to make peace and wants to help him.

At the Vidal household, Marta is having an episode and is all upset about her "little angel" going with that "so and so" of a criminal. Ángel tries to talk some sense into her but has no luck. She is over the edge. She finally admits she has been investigating Roberto a little bit. Ángel asks why does she do things like that when they agreed she wasn't to do anything behind his back. One more time he explains to her they cannot do things that legally could hurt them. He won't play dirty. She does not care. He reminds her that the boy's name is "Mateo". She wants her little angel no matter how or what she has to do.

Roberto is the next to be called to Augusto's office. Augusto holds him by his lapels nice and close as he talks to him. Augusto tells him he does not think he has understood how delicate this whole issue is. Roberto assures him that he does but one thing that has Roberto puzzled is that Alex is lying to Alicia about his sexuality and that is not fair to her. Augusto gives him a lecture about society loving the "lie" and appearances becoming reality. Doesn't make sense to Roberto. Augusto asks if it has seemed or has not seemed that Alicia knew that Alex was gay. Roberto says it seems she knew.  According to Augusto, that is it: Alicia is the "cover/front" for Alex. Roberto gets it but doesn't like it. Alicia wouldn't do that. Augusto reminds him that this is all about selling an image. Alicia knows how to play the game and is obviously looking for something in return.

Luciana stops by to offer Chuchette (not Jesusa) a way to get back in good with her. She wants Chuchette to get her a lot of publicity about her and her "novio" Roberto. Chuchette doesn't say no.

Luciana next disturbs Roberto and Augusto storming in to ask about the kissing photos. Augusto does not like mysteries or her barging into his office. He dismisses Roberto telling him to concentrate on the Alex campaign.Then he makes Luciana go back out and knock before he lets her back into his office. She will never enter his office again without knocking. Augusto just laughs.

In Sandra's office, she and Elías are going over the video Alicia did for Marcelo. They like it. Shampoo "Formula 12" saw the video and wants a commercial done in the same style. Alicia says she did it on her own independently. She is quickly reminded by both Sandra and Elías that as long as she is employed by Icónika nothing she does or thinks is independent of Icónika. It all belongs to Icónika. Yes, they have to repeat that reality to Alicia. Alicia is disillusioned but will get the new account. They both seem to have a lot of confidence in her and her future.

Luciana is telling Augusto about how Alicia is cheating on Alex and how much effort she put into tracking her down. She wants her fired. Augusto tells her he has his own ways of dealing with things. He also tells her not to pressure him ever. Well, Alicia says since he is supporting publicly Alex's romance with Alicia, she wants him to back her romance with Roberto. He is left with his mouth hanging open.

Alicia is in her office looking at her new product when Roberto storms in to confront her about the Alex situation. He is really upset SHE would do something like that: be Alex's fiancée knowing he was gay so that she could get a promotion. She does not take his criticism laying down and throws what he did with Luciana at Icónika right in his face. Of course he thinks his case is different. What is more is that Alicia thinks that he is being critical of her just because she is a woman. If she were a man there wouldn't be a problem. To Roberto him she is just a social climber/gold digger. He leaves with his final smart remark: she sold herself.

At Augusto's mansion, Alex wants to tell his mother Beatriz the truth about his life. Dafne comes in with her laptop and stays awhile. She asks about Alicia. Dafne is looking at all of the photos of her brother and Alicia on the internet. She stops to look at one in particular with disgust, but it turns out to be just one with Alex and Luciana. Alex breathes a sigh of relief. Alex asks Dafne to leave so he can talk to his mom. He tries to broach the subject of his homosexuality with his mother but she will not have it. She would rather not know about some things. She only wants him to know that one should be what one should be before God and humanity. One must comply with appearances, norms. He asks if it is for those reasons she accepts his engagement with Alicia. She is not the girl she would have picked, but yes.

Gumaro at the apartment is giving Roberto some advice: don't be a "macho". Didn't he do exactly the same thing as Alicia? Roberto insists that with him it is different because he has a son. Gumaro does not agree. Did Roberto not take advantage of Alicia to get a job at Icónika? Did he not lie about a disabled brother? Did he not get involved with Luciana to get a promotion? It is all the same. He suggests that Roberto talk with Alicia and tell her the truth about everything. If she loves him, she will forgive him. He needs to stop being afraid of the truth.

At Alicia's house, the topic of discussion is the closed coffee shop with Magos having the grand and persistent idea that Alicia should get help from the owners of Icónika or Roberto to solve their parents' coffee shop problems. Elsa and Nacho do not agree.

Augusto and Sandra are in bed and the topic of Alicia comes up. Sandra has to admit she has not done too bad. Augusto wants to know why Alicia bothers her so much. Sandra sees her as a hypocrite who used her relationship with Alex to get her new job. That is what burns her because she Sandra got to where she is by her own effort. (As Augusto is kissing her neck)

The next scene is back at Icónika where Sandra, Elías, Alicia and Néstor are all gathered together in an office ready to meet the "face" of "Product 12" shampoo and have a meeting. Sandra announces "Marlene Garbo" but she does not turn around. So she tries it again but still no reaction. After a third time Marlene still has not turned around. Sandra introduces all of them to the back of Marlene's head which finally does turn when she hears Alicia's name and calls her the creative one; a artist like herself. Marlene recognizes her from the video she did for Marcelo. She only wants a meeting of "artists": that means Alicia and her. Everyone else has to leave.

At the reception desk, Magos gives a hard time to Luis' girlfriend Vanessa whom she finds out is really his fiancée.

Marlene and Alicia are talking about exotic locals for the campaign and then Alicia telle Marlene she cannot believe she just got divorced after just getting married. Marlene says marriage is not such a big deal, just a piece of lousy paper that you can use to get other things: fame, power, money, or even when you go to the bathroom . . . Alicia says she was taught differently. Marlene says they have fooled us with the Walt Disney fairy tales where they always lived happily ever after. Nobody lives happily ever after. Alicia tells us she agrees with Marlene: marriage shouldn't be such a big deal. Right? She wonders. Roberto comes to urgently talk to Alicia and takes her out of the meeting. He takes her to the swings and asks what she feels for him. He is sure she loves him. Luciana and Chuchette arrive on the scene. Next there is a reporter already to interview Roberto and Luciana about their reconciliation and announcement that they are "novios" again. Alicia leaves. Roberto has no control over the situation. Luciana talks about Robeto's handicapped brother and sweet nephew to the reporter. He just looks sick.

Alicia tracks down Augusto who is outside on the grounds of Icónika. She has made her decision. Yes, she will marry Alex but with one condition: she wants to be the general creative director of Icónika. Augusto gets a good laugh out of that.

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Next: Episode 43

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