Caray, Caray!

• Luciana told Miguel that nothing improper happened at the river. “I'd never have anything to do with him. First, he's the boss. Second, he's crazy.” Miguel asked whether she knew what had happened to Lisa and she did, saying she would never have provoked this on purpose. Miguel reminded her of Lillian's reaction; she didn't care what that vitch thought. “But she will take it out on your mother.”
  
  
• Sonia and Perla gossiped in the kitchen, attributing ulterior motives on Luciana's part for what had happened that afternoon and calling her vile names. Lillian entered on the tail end of this, telling them she doesn't want to hear any gossip, especially about David. She sent Perla out and Sonia apologized, but excused it on the grounds of what Lillian had told her about Luciana. Lillian excused her but told her that she was to win over the nietos because she wanted to get rid of Marta.
• Bobby found Fernanda sneaking in and told her that Marta was looking for her. Marta came up from behind and Fernanda told her she had been hanging out with her friends. Marta reminded her she wasn't supposed to go anywhere without telling anyone. She didn't want David to find out, then she became afraid. As Marta began escorting them to their rooms Lillian arrived and called her name. Fernanda said she was tired and going to her room and quickly escaped. Lillian refused to allow Bobby to say goodnight to his father, saying David didn't want to be disturbed. He went to his room. Lillian then insinuated that something improper happened at the river that afternoon and made a threat.
• Juan went into David's study wanting to know the details, but David didn't want to talk about it. Juan kept trying and David finally said he was worried about Luciana. He told Juan to find a job for her. Juan agreed to it, then tried to hand him the purchase proposal again. David told him to forget it.
• Marta went to the employees' quarters to address the issue with Luciana, who was annoyed because she had only gone for a swim. Marta reminded her she was to be on her best behavior but Luciana felt like she was being sentenced without a hearing. She left the room.
• Perla and Carito had another trash-talk fest, referring to Luciana as a “golfa” because of what they imagined happened at the river. Lillian is furious and they decided to make Luciana's life a living hell to get rid of her. [What dull little lives these little vitches must lead.]
• Miguel and León talked about this. Miguel was actually jealous because his feelings for Luciana are much stronger than he thought. León didn't understand Miguel's feelings for Luciana due to the long separation.
• Luciana went to the main house to see David, who was staring at a picture of Lisa. She went to return his jacket. He scolded her about entering the house and she tried to tell him that Lisa would not have wanted him to wallow in grief. He reproached her for this, saying “You weren't here when she died. Nothing is sadder than losing the love of your life. The desperation, the inability to save her.” He then caught himself talking about his feelings and ordered her to leave. She started to, then turned around saying “Yes, it can be that I don't know what it is to lose the love of my life, but I know how it is to lose someone one loves with all one's heart. My father lived his whole life trying to keep me from feeling the absence of my mother and brother. He always took care of and protected me. And believe me I felt desperate when he was dying and I couldn't do anything to save him. I could be bitter now, too, but I decided to move forward. And you can get rid of these ways in your house and see that reality is different.” “I would want to do that but this is my reality and I don't want to change,” was his reply. “Very well, don't worry. I won't bother you again.” She walked out.
• The next day Fernanda sought Carlos out and wanted to give him some chocolate for what he did the day before. He refused to accept it in case other people got the wrong ideas about them. He didn't want to lose his job over this, so he said to forget about it because “I don't want any problems with your father.” Fernanda looked as though she didn't take any of this seriously. He said he didn't want to complicate things and she said “Don't forget who's in charge here.” She walked away and Susan arrived. She asked what was wrong and he said it was not her business.
• Sonia barged into the employees' dining hall to interrupt their meal, as usual. She went on about them not keeping their hours. Miguel said that they worked the required number of hours, as usual, but that wasn't good enough for this reincarnated Victorian schoolmistress [who must have worked in Lowood in a previous life]. Luciana came down the stairs, saying “Good morning.” Marta barely said “Good morning, Princess” before Sonia yelled “Marta, your daughter can't stay here! She'll have to find work and pay rent!” [Someone give this woman a Valium with a Zoloft chaser!] Luciana faced her down and asked “Are you the boss around here?” Sonia said she wasn't but she was in charge of the big house and the employees' quarters (the latter said in a manner indicating distaste). She won't have anyone freeloading there. Miguel defended Luciana, saying she had every right to be there because she worked with them. He said she was the new supervisor of [???] Marta seemed to believe this, Sonia did a take, and the two little vitches were shocked. They immediately became petulant about this, accusing Miguel of influencing this situation. Luciana wasn't taking this. She told them she has a degree in agricultural engineering. Ramón stepped in to stop what certainly would have become uglier. Sonia said “We'll see what Señor David has to say about this.” She walked out. Luciana asked Miguel why he did that; he tried to assure her and Marta that he would take care of this. Carito and Erika got bitchy again and left Marta alone with León and Ramón.
• Juan and Lillian vitched about Luciana in his office with Lillian accusing Luciana of going to the river to get David's attention. Again she came out with the “z” word, accusing Luciana of pursuing David for his dinero. “She's exactly like her mother,” she went on. [How is it nobody calls her out on this obvious delusion?] Juan asked how she knew and she answered “I know. People can't hide their true natures.” [Since we haven't seen her looking in a mirror we have to wonder whether she even has a reflection.] Juan told her he couldn't get any details because David was in a foul mood. [At the current rate he'll find out nothing.]
• César arrived and talked to Susan, who was concerned about the condition of the wine and the low production. At his disclosure about the proposed sale of the lands she said that it couldn't be because this was the best land for a vineyard. Some age-appropriate flirtation ensued. Susan said she loved her work and could lose it due to Juan's efforts at getting the land sold.
• Luciana and Miguel took a walk and she continued about not wanting him to lose his job over what just happened. He's not too concerned about that. She said she'd find work and lodgings elsewhere, but he reminded her she needed documents. She doesn't want to owe anyone any favors. He professed his love for her since they were children and they ran through the fields as they did when they were children. She ran to the main house and through the open front door which – as predicted – provoked David's usual ire. He made a comment about her not having been taught to knock on a door. She went on about knocking being for closed doors, etc., [which must be irritating most viewers by now] until Miguel interrupted her and led her just outside. He told David that he had hired Luciana to supervise [???]
• David was angry. He got on Luciana's case about her behavior and disrespect. [Lillian must be possessing him.] She would not allow Miguel to speak for her, insisting to David that she would like to help, that she has a degree in agricultural engineering with a specialty in oenology. When he tried to insult her education she reminded him that she had learned from her father who had also taught her to love this land. He took her on but not as a supervisor, then ordered them to talk to Juan. Miguel quickly led her out to avoid any more confrontational words.
• Perla went into Juan's office to ask a favor: not to allow Luciana to work in the vineyard. After pulling down the shades on the glass wall and another iteration of the “g” word later she told him he was not to go near her. Juan told her that jealousy was a weakness he didn't tolerate. He then told her to go back to work. She left the office, obviously disappointed at the lost opportunity to use sex to manipulate Juan.
• One more time Luciana tried to tell Miguel she could do this herself, but he didn't argue. Instead he told her to see Juan and tell him she had just spoken to David. Luciana was determined to do better than her best. Miguel went back to work and Luciana saw Bobby. She introduced herself but he didn't seem very interested. She guessed that he had had differences with someone at school and won. She talked to him about his games and other things Marta had told her about him. He went to get his soccer ball. This looked like the beginning of winning him over.
• David stared at Lisa's picture and remembered her distress at the separation of Marcos and Luciana from Marta and León. César came in and David told him he had hired Luciana. César thought this was a good thing and that her knowledge will help him solve his problems. David was beginning to lean toward selling the vineyard, being caught between the love for it and the memories on it. César started seeing evidence of change and told him how much better he will feel when he gets in touch with his lands again. Juan arrived during the tail end of this and David told him Luciana was hired on trial. “If all goes well I want her papers completed within three months.” Juan tried to talk him out of it but failed. David told him that Luciana would be on her way to his office. Juan left.
• David hung up his jacket, the one Lisa had given him for his birthday. He thought about her, then about Luciana. Luciana was outside playing soccer with Bobby who kicked the ball hard enough for it to go through the door and knock Lisa's photo off the desk. The glass shattered and David's ire came up. He yelled for Sonia who blamed Luciana for this. Lillian had seen the boy kick the ball, but blamed Luciana in front of David. Bobby tried to tell the truth but Luciana was willing to take the blame to protect him. David was not out of the darkness yet, yelling at her that she was there to work and not play. She said something about just having been hired and David said she could just as easily be dismissed. Lillian and Sonia were enjoying this. Luciana finally said she couldn't work for anyone who changed his mind as he did and that she could find work anywhere. Lillian directed Sonia to take Bobby inside and offered to take charge. Luciana told her off, saying she had no authority over someone who didn't work there, then told David “It's one thing to be bitter and another to be unfair.” Then she walked away.
• León came into the kitchen in the main house to find Carito bitchin' and moanin' as she cleaned up. She told him that things aren't going well for her with Miguel and blamed Luciana. More accusations against Luciana of manipulative behavior by her including that of taking advantage of his friendship with Miguel.
• Bobby refused to allow Sonia to play with him. She told him he would have to obey her and get used to it because certainly Marta would be leaving with her daughter. “So then I'll go with them,” he said. Marta came in and said she'd take care of things. Sonia retreated, tripping on the way out of the room. Bobby told Marta he got into a fight in school, but also that his father fired Luciana. She got him to sit down and explain it in detail. She told him that he should tell his father the truth. He will be proud of the boy's courage and also see he was being unfair.
• David returned to the study and started picking up the photo and the broken glass. Sonia came in to help and he ordered her not to touch anything of Lisa's. He took the ball out of the room and she stood there, confused and [we hope] embarrassed.
• Luciana vented to Miguel without going into the details of what happened that afternoon. She decided she didn't want to work there anymore. He tried to make her change her mind. He was obviously flirting with her but it wasn't obvious how she felt about it. He probably didn't notice that part.
• Carlos began confiding in León that he has the hots for Susan but doesn't feel worthy of her. León pointed out that he fights with Carito and Miguel with Luciana. They are trying to understand women but feel like they can't. [We have to wonder if they really want to.]
• Lillian threatened Marta again with dismissal.
• Juan entered the employees' building – without knocking – and found Luciana. He said he was expecting her at his office but she told him it was unnecessary as she had been fired. “Let's just say it was a last-minute decision” she said. He offered to speak to David for her “in honor of your father and everything he did for us”, touching her arms as he said this. She pulled away and said “You should of thought of that before they deported him. You can go back to your work. I'll make it on my own.” “Well, if you need help, my door is open, guapa.” [I don't like the sound of this.]
• David took the soccer ball and the photo of Lisa to his room and put them on the bed. He took out another photo and the video of the birthday party where he gave the ball to Bobby. He smiled for the first time in two years.
• Luciana and Marta talked about what just happened. Luciana told her she can't deal with these people. She told her mother she could have done the same work in Mexico and probably gotten better pay. At least they would have been together. Things seem even worse now. Marta told her that things aren't as bad as they look. “So this is all my fault?” Luciana asked her. “No,” but she also told her that it might be better if she didn't stay.

Labels: vino

Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist @ 11:48 PM