Caray, Caray!

Episode 124. Marta's Big Vacation

Luci is determined to tell David to his face how she feels about him. Leon, who is possibly even drunker than Luci, is supportive at first. Sonia has difficulty speaking, and following her own train of thought, but she says it's not a good idea. (Sonia calls Luciana "cuñada." Adorable!) Leon agrees with Sonia, but has to ask why. Sonia reminds them that David is with someone else now. This provokes another burst of grief from Luci.

David tries to tell Marta that he's not firing her. He just wants her to take a vacation because she's tired and he's worried about her. Grace backs him up on this, of course. Marta accuses her of plotting with her mother. Grace says all they've ever done is support Marta. Marta scoffs, but grudgingly agrees to take a couple of weeks off. She hobbles away, and Dave tells Grace he's never seen Marta like this. Grace says Marta will be better after she's rested and then she can be with the kids again.

Juan tells Perla they're in financial trouble. He doesn't think they can find new clients. "We" need to get back into the immigration business, he says. Perla is disgusted.

DELETED: Marta comes home crying. She tells Ramon that their big mean boss is forcing her to take an unwanted vacation. Ramon doesn't think that sounds so bad. She can't bear to be away from her kids. Lilian made her tire herself out with chores to get her out of the way. Ramon proposes that Marta get a good night's sleep and think about it tomorrow. "Tomorrow is another day," he says.

Grace tells Lil that she's managed to get rid of Marta, as promised. Lil is astonished and speechless with gratitude. Grace chides Lil for not having trusted her. "I've done my part of the deal," Grace says. Big mother/daughter hug.


Morning. Luci has a wicked hangover. Marta tells her that David is making her take vacation because Grace told him to, to get Marta away from the kids. Luci says David's now doing whatever it takes to make Grace happy.

DELETED: Juan is on the phone with someone, making a deal to pick up some immigrants. He tells the person that he previously worked with El Coyote. When he gets off the phone, he finds Perla giving him the stink eye. Perla says they should take a few days to come up with some other ideas. She'll even take a job. They can cut expenses. He won't have any of this. He needs lots of money to finish David.

DELETED: Luci and her mother complain some more about "those women." Luci says she can't even talk to David because he's so wrapped up in Graciela. The last time she spoke to him, things went so badly that she said from now on they can discuss only work. Every time she sees him, it hurts more. Big mother/daughter hug.

DELETED: Sonia also has a wicked hangover, but Lilian is as happy as a grandchild on Christmas morning. She informs Sonia that today she'll be doing all of Marta's chores as well as her own, because David has put Marta on a "vacation" of indefinite duration. He realized that Marta isn't needed in this house any more. And the house is so peaceful without her!

DELETED: Sonia says she can't do everything. Lil says she can use Carito or find some other solution, and no complaining, or else she'll find herself on an indefinite vacation too. She tells Sonia to work without whining so that Lil can enjoy one of the best days she's ever had in her life. She leaves, and Sonia contemplates her now-flat Alka-Seltzer drink.

DELETED: Leon should feel as lousy and Sonia and Luci, but he seems quite chipper. He, Ramon, Tano, Carito, and Luci surround Marta and say supportive things, while Marta continues saying more of the same. Nothing new here; move along.

DELETED: Fer and Bo-bee watch TV with Lil and Grace. Fer says it's strange that Marta hasn't come by. Lil and Grace says that David gave Marta a vacation, no big deal. Boby thinks it's odd that Marta didn't say anything about it to them. Lil brushes this off, and Grace turns their attention back to the TV. I see that Boby has popcorn. (That's the "hit" version. The original, IMO better version is here.)

David and Adolfo stroll in David's vineyard. Adolfo is doing a little better now. Focusing on the vineyard has helped. David says he regrets having let everything slide in the years after Lisa's death. (And if not for Luciana, he'd probably still be sitting in a darkened room while Juan stuffed all their valuables into his pockets.) He admires Adolfo's strength. Adolfo wants to talk about Luciana. He doesn't want to cause problems between Luci and David. David says, YOU'RE not the problem. LUCIANA has to figure out her priorities, he says. Adolfo says he really needs her to help save his vineyard.

Adolfo tells David he thinks Luciana can do her job at LA as well as at SB. David says she's been neglecting her responsibilities. Adolfo's vineyard is having lots of troubles. David says his is, too. Adolfo asks Dave not to be so harsh with Luciana. David says that Luci will have to decide. Adolfo says he's sorry David has had trouble with Luci because of him. (Adolfo very nicely doesn't call attention to the fact that his troubles, including a dead daughter, are side-effects of David's own problems, some of which might have been avoided if David had fired Juan much earlier.) David says he hopes that when Adolfo's problems are over, Adolfo will be able to tell her that he doesn't need her any more. Adolfo says his vineyard will always be open for her.

Marta and Sonia. Marta says more of same. Sonia promises to make sure Marta can see the kids. She'll let her know when the coast is clear to come into the house. Sonia breaks the bad news to Carito that she'll be doing Marta's work in addition to her own, per Lilian, though Sonia will help when she can. Carito confesses that she doesn't like Lilian! Marta says she'll teach Carito to do things the right way so she stays out of trouble.



Luci, Tano, and Leon walk around in the vineyard (I hope they don't run into Mr. Grouchypants). It looks windy and cold.


Luci is telling them they need to move the soil around so the sulfate doesn't dry it out. But the good news is, they've averted the plague. Tano tries to cheer Luciana with the thought that Fernanda and Bobby seem happy with their father and Graciela. She's not sure if she can stand being here.

Lil goes to the employee kitchen to gloat to Marta that she got her thrown out. Marta says it's just a few days' vacation, but Lil says "I'll make sure you never come back." (LONG STARE) Marta hopes David soon realizes what Lil and Grace have done to him. Lil counters that Marta could only do so much for the children with her many years of "love," while Grace accomplished much more, very quickly. Marta says the kids will figure it out even if their father doesn't, and eventually Lil and Grace will get booted out of there.

David and Cesar drink some wine. Wouldn't you think these Sonoma people would enjoy a beer once in a while? Oh well, David tells Cesar that he's with Grace, the kids are happy, and the house is in order. Cesar asks, what about you? David brushes this off. Luciana didn't take it well, but he cares about her and wanted her to hear it from him. "She has feelings, she's pretty and free, and she won't wait forever," Cesar says.

David knows Luci won't wait forever, and it would break his heart, but he wants to have a happy family. Then it will all have been worth it. "Even if the price is your unhappiness?" Cesar asks. David thinks that in time he'll come to care for Grace. (He says this in the same tone that one would say "perhaps in time, we can cure the common cold with cigarettes.") Cesar warns that this might be the biggest mistake of David's life, de verdad (really).

OMG! We're seeing another part of Adolfo's house! Weren't we just discussing this on the Patio a couple of days ago? It's very nice.


Adolfo informs Miguel that David's really uptight. He was nice enough, but he said it was up to Luci if she wanted to help Adolfo and Miguel, and Adolfo could tell that David didn't like it. But Adolfo told David that Luci would be welcome at his vineyard, because she helped them when no one else would. Adolfo tells Miguel he would like Luci to stay there.

DELETED: Miguel's not sure Luci would accept. But Adolfo says it appears that things are pretty bad for her at Bodega Los Angeles right now. He asks Miguel to try to get Luci to join them at Santa Barbara.

Grace catches up to Luci in the vineyard. Grace is wearing a dark blue mullet dress which should be hosed down with that sulfate stuff and then burned.



Grace invites Luci to congratulate her for being with David. Luci calmly tells Grace not to waste her time while she's working. Grace lets Luci know that they're all very happy, especially the kids. Luci warns her not to hurt them, and says when David finds out what a hypocrite she is, he'll dump her. "You lost, and David is with me now," Grace snarls. Luci points out that David doesn't love Grace, and is with her only because he thinks she cares for the children. When he finds out otherwise, it'll be over.

DELETED: Grace insists that she's done everything for her niece and nephew. Luci says she's used and manipulated them. Grace says David doesn't need Luci anymore as a woman or as an employee.

DELETED: I can't get all of this without captions, but I think Fernanda is asking Cesar if she can have the day off from her community service at the Association so that she can be with her wonderful father and aunt.

DELETED: Evening. Susan is out in the vineyard, inspecting grapevines and taking notes. Luci approaches to talk about work. HA! PSYCH!! Just kidding... she's here to complain to Susan about Grace taunting her. She's running out of strength. Susan says that sooner or later, David will realize he misses Luci. This makes Luci feel better.

DELETED: Lilian tells Grace she's proud of her, but not to get too overconfident. She advises Grace to take advantage of Bobby finding her in David's bed, say it gave the kids a bad example, and use it to get Dave to formalize things with her. Get the kids to help.

DELETED: Luci tells Marta about her meeting with Grace. (It's dark outside, but it's still fairly bright outside the windows. It's a miracle!) Marta tells her not to take the bait. She tells Luci about Lil's threat to not let her return for "vacation." The vitches are vinning! I mean winning. Luci is bummed to think that someday David will find out what they're up to, and then he'll be really sorry.

DELETED: Lil and Grace put on a little show for Bobby to convince him that his wonderful old family life is just within reach if only Daddy had a wife. Not that they're planning to get married, but dreams can come true, and Daddy deserves to be happy with a woman who can love him and his children.

David and Susan inspect the soil. It's not dried out yet. Luci, who is standing near enough for David to hear her, asks Susan, "did you tell him we've already looked at the grapevines?" Susan tells David they don't have the plague yet, but as long as the infected rose bushes are in place, there's still a threat.

David asks Susan to ask Luciana if the larvae can grow even with the sulfate. Luci tells Susan to tell David that the larvae can grow over there and then come over here. Ramon suggests upping the dose, but Luci says that will dry out the soil. "Then what are we going to do?" asks Susan, and I have a suggestion: take David's head in one hand, Luci's in the other, and knock them together.

Luci says they have to get the police to remove those rosebushes from Juan's property. David says he'll do it with his own hands. (Wear gloves, David.) "You can't do that!" Luci replies. At least they're speaking to one another now. She says he's being belligerent like he was before (when he was depressed). David doesn't care if Juan sues him. He's going to destroy the plague.

Susan tries to calm David and Luciana. Ramon says there are too many rose bushes for David to take out by himself. David doesn't care. He takes off. Luci wants to follow him, but Susan and Ramon persuade her to leave him alone. She says again that he's acting like "before."

Fernanda has sketched a butterfly. Grace is impressed. They hold a mutual admiration society meeting. Grace lets slip that she and David have "plans." Not marriage... YET... actually it doesn't sound like they have any "plans" as such, but Grace would like something more formal with David.


Fernanda would be happy for Grace and Dave to get married - if they're in love. Grace is like, yeah sure. She says Fer can help plan the wedding. Grace and Fer agree that David looks happy (that word must mean something different in Sonoma). Fernanda is grateful to Grace. Grace lets Fer know how happy she would be as David's wife.

DELETED: Juan tells Perla that if she wants to stay with him, she'd better quit whining. She asks him to be careful. "If anything happened to you, I'd die," she says, which is ironic, because if something DOESN'T happen to him she'll probably die even sooner.

DELETED: David is walking towards Juan's property with a pickaxe and a shovel. He is wearing a v-neck t-shirt and no vest. Leon, Ramon, and Tano catch up. They want to help.

DELETED: Lil visits the sheriff's office. (Pity the sheriff's office.) She tells Gut that her family's happy, and her daughter is happy in love. Lil wants to be happy the same way. She asks him out for tonight. He says he's busy. Not even time for dinner. Offended, Lil says that his place is by her side.

DELETED: Perla rushes into the apartment with the news that David is at the Olive Garden. Juan decides to do nothing right now; he doesn't want to get his hands dirty. Instead, he'll sue for trespassing.

David, Ramon, Tano, and Leon return from Juan's property. They're surprised that Juan didn't come to chase them away. David says that cowards always hide when confronted. Leon hopes they don't get sued; David says he's prepared for that. He tells the guys to take the rest of the day off. David says they've taken care of the problem, but an ominous chord sounds.

Mig visits Luci in the distillery to tell her that Adolfo asked David not to be so rough on Luci for helping them out. Luci hasn't been to Adolfo's in a few days. Things have been "complicated," she says. She tells Mig that David and Grace are a couple, and now they're both unbearable. David broke her heart. Mig hugs her.

Note the balled fist!

Miguel says that if she's not happy here, Santa Barbara would welcome her with open arms, and they would really value her.


Episode 125. When There's a Will, There's a Wine

DELETED: Sonia has arranged for Marta to meet with Bobby. Marta explains that she's having a stay-cation at the employee house because his father wanted her to "rest." Bobby says he's happy being with his father and his aunt, but he's sad that Marta isn't around.


DELETED: David, Tano, Leon, and Ramon return to the distillery with their dirty clothes and their implements of destruction. David tells Miguel and Luci that they took out the rosebushes on Juan's property. Mig wishes he could have helped. David says he doesn't want Mig to get into any more problems. David thanks the guys for helping him and tells them to take the rest of the day off (again). Then Grace shows up and makes a big fuss over David looking all dirty and disheveled. It's so nauseating, Luci can't even look. Grace shoots her a triumphant look as she ushers David out of there.

DELETED: Marta makes Bobby a sandwich and asks how things are going at fútbol school. (Observation: Marta does cut off the crusts.) Things are going well at school, he likes the sandwich, and best of all, he's glad to be chatting with Marta. She tells him, "no matter what happens, I will always love you very much." She's crying. Bobby says they'll always, always, always be together. "I hope so," she says. Say - shouldn't David be marrying Marta?

DELETED: Juan comes home in a good mood. He's going to sue David. He thinks David can't sue him over the plague because it was an "accident of nature."

DELETED: Mig thanks Luci for helping with the plague at Santa Barbara. He tells her again to think about their offer.

Martha is walking around downtown Sonoma when Gut sees her. He asks why she looks so sad. She says she's tired. He knows there's more. She says Lilian got her kicked out of the house and away from the kids. "How could she?" Gut asks rhetorically. How indeed. (He's known Lil for how long and he asks how could she?)

DELETED: Marta tells Gut about Lil and the forced vacation. He takes her hand and says he wants to help. She pulls her hand away. He says he can talk to Lilian. Marta blinks and says sometimes she forgets that they're together. (How can she possibly forget that?) She tells him to forget about it. She'll be okay and thanks anyway.

Miguel and Adolfo talk about how much they hope Luciana will decide to join them. Adolfo mentions that Gut advised him to press changes against Juan for property damage. Mig thinks that's the least Juan deserves. Adolfo will do that, but he won't accuse Juan of involuntary homicide. He wants Erika to rest in peace. In fact, she was apparently ready to die. After she got sick (a few weeks ago), she drew up a will. Mig will inherit part of this land.

DELETED: Mig and Adolfo argue over whether Mig should take the land. Adolfo says it was the will of Erika. Mig doesn't want it to look like he was with Erika "por interés." Adolfo doesn't want him to think of it that way. He tells Mig to think about it. Mig is overwrought.

Evening. Susan tells Luci that Grace did "all of that" to make Luci jealous. Why? Because she can. Luci shouldn't let it bother her. Luci tells Susan about the Santa B job offer. She can't take it - her family and her life are here. Susan tells her to think about it. Everything here is hurting her. But Luci wants to stay, just in case David realizes what Grace is up to and changes his mind.

Grace has fed David. (Sandwiches, crickets, blood, I don't know what.) He's waiting for Juan's reaction. She gropes him, helps him off with his shirt, kisses him, my eyes are burning.

Luci is still saying that he might realize at any moment that Grace doesn't make him happy. Susan thinks that if David took so much time to get together with Grace, it's because he was making sure she was the right one. Luci disagrees. Susan asks, if David were to dump Grace, would Luci get back together with him? Luci answers without hesitation, Yes. She still loves him.

Morning. Lil is still high on life. She congratulates David on solving the plague problem and tells the kids that things are getting to be like they were "before," when Daddy did everything by himself. It reminds Lil of Lisa. "Thank you very much," David replies in English (I don't know why). Bobby asks David if he's truly happy. "Yes," David says, forcing an awkward smile.


Luci and Leon talk in the vineyard. She asks Leon not to do to Sonia what David did to her. Leon says he realized that night at the bar that he loves Sonia and wants to be with her forever. He wants to formalize things with her, but he wants to save up some money first. Luci is happy for him.

DELETED: Ramon has given Marta a rose. (I hope it didn't come from the Olive Garden.) She tells him about visiting with Bobby. He tries to comfort her.

David's on the phone with the sheriff, comes into the distillery office, says "I'll see what I can do," slams the door, and slams his phone down on the desk. Susan and Luci sense that something is wrong. After some discussion, Luciana opens the door, shoves Susan in, and tells her to ask David what's wrong. David gets up and says that Juan is suing them. "I told you so," Luci says, "but you never listen to what I say."


DELETED: Fernanda tells Lilian that she needs the sheriff to sign off on her community service for her college application. Lil will ask Gut to do it. Fernanda says something about a surprise, but I can't understand it. Lil is happy that they're chatting like this and says it's as if Lisa's spirit has returned to their home.

DELETED: David loudly tells Susan to ask Luci to show him the expenses for the pesticides. Susan takes two steps to the doorway to ask Luci for the report. Luci loudly replies that David should ask Graciela for it. David wants Susan to tell Luciana that it's her job and her responsibility. Lu says she'll do it later. David says she'd better not go to the other vineyard. He somewhat sheepishly adds that he would like it if she spent more time here. Susan smiles. "Tell her!" he bellows. Luci almost cracks a smile, but stomps off. David stomps off in the opposite direction. Poor Susan!

Lilian is telling Fernanda more nonsense about what Lisa would have wanted, and how happy she would be to see them all together. Then Lil says it would be a real shame if certain kinds of people started saying bad things about Grace living with Dad while they're having a relationship. They're an "important" family and Lil doesn't want the kids to be hurt by mean-spirited gossip. The only way to avoid this would be for David to marry Grace, and then they'd be a "respectable" family.

Grace finds David in the vineyard, on his way back to the house, and is laying a big kiss on him when Juan comes along, clapping his hands. Juan says that he doesn't need to destroy David after all; David is destroying himself. "You don't know who you're dealing with" Juan says, indicating Grace. Juan looks forward to the day when David finds out. David looks at Grace, who tries to look innocent.

DELETED: Juan continues to taunt Grace and David. "If you love him some much, why don't you be honest with him?" he asks Grace. He tells David that he's turning him and his employees in to the police for damaging his property. (Are you kidding? David should send him a bill for pulling those plants up.) David says it's Juan's faut that Erika died. "We'll resolve this in court," David vows. Juan says he'll wait for Grace to [something I can't make out]. Grace tells him to shut up. Juan leaves. David gives Grace a hard look.


David grills Grace. What is it that Juan knows about Grace that David doesn't? Grace swears that David is the only man she's ever been totally honest with. Don't listen to Juan, he just wants to hurt us like he did with the plague.

Lil is still working on Fernanda, saying what if one of Bobby's classmates' parents were to say something bad. But Lil says she doesn't know how committed David is to Grace and doesn't want to be nosy. Fernanda says maybe it's a little early in the relationship, but they'll talk about it later. Lil lays it on thick about the happy family, the woman who cares for them, and Dad will be allllll alone when Fernanda and Bobby grow up and move away. Lil says it's just a dream, but hopefully it can come true.

In the distillery, Luci is trying to finish the report for the pesticide expenses. Susan wants Luci to end her feud with David. Luci can't even look him in the eye. It hurts her, but she can't talk to him. Susan says that for the welfare of the vineyard, this cannot go on.

Miguel and Adolfo have a real problem: they can't keep up with the demand for the Fronteras wine. Adolfo says that Luciana would know what to do. Adolfo asks Miguel to tutear. He asks Mig what he plans to do with the land that Erika left him. Mig says he can't accept it. He wanted to have a family with Erika and work those lands with her, and now that she's gone, all the land in the world won't make up for it. Adolfo tells Mig to think of all the wine he can produce on that land as a product of their love. Erika's memory will live on in everyone who drinks their wine. Mig agrees.

DELETED: Lil is on her way out to see Gut when Grace comes in, upset. She tells Lil about Juan's confrontation. I don't understand all of this, but Lil says that the past catches up with people. She and Grace now have more to lose. They'll need to step up their efforts to get Grace married.

DELETED: More Adolfo and Miguel. Adolfo will make him co-owner of the vineyard.

DELETED: Grace drags the kids into David's office to tell them that Juan is suing David. Grace suggests that they do something together as a fammmmily to show their support. The kids suggest dinner and a movie. David says he's the happiest man in the world. Group hug.

DELETED: Marta praises Carito's cooking. I think she says Carito reminds her of herself when she was younger. She thinks Carita is hiding something. Not necessarily something bad. She tells Carito not to plan on doing this kind of work forever, because look at Marta, she thought she'd be with those kids for the rest of their lives.

DELETED: Lil visits Gut. He says, "we have to talk about Marta." He wants Lil to stop messing with Marta. He'll never be able to forget about her. "Why?" Lil asks. "What does she have that I don't?" "A heart," Gut replies. "Kindness, compassion - something that's not in you." "She's not better than I am," Lil declares. "Oh Lillian, I think she is," Gut says. Lil warns that Marta won't take him back, even if he did save her daughter. Gut reminds Lil that he didn't know that her family was the one Lil told him to deport. He knows Marta is with another man, and he doesn't care. "What I want is to get rid of you," he says. "This is the worst mistake of your life," she promises. "I don't care. Good-bye, Lilian." "You will regret this!" GOOD GRAVY, WHY DID THEY DELETE THIS??

DELETED: Juan comes home and tells Perla that he's suing David, plus David is with Grace, which will pay for everything that David's ever done to him. Perla doesn't understand why Grace shouldn't be the perfect mate for David. Juan says, just give her time.

Leon turns down a beer invitation from Tano because he's saving up for a ring for Sonia. Tano congratulates him. Leon is worried that he doesn't have much to offer Sonia. Tano tells him to work hard at the business. The things we do for love are the most worthwhile, Tano says.

Luci visits with Adolfo and Miguel. She has great news! The plague is over. They are overjoyed. She says she did it for Erika's memory. Now they need to worry about sales of their wine.

DELETED: Night. Fer and Grace chat after the family outing. I don't get most of this. Hopefully nothing important is said.

DELETED: Luci finishes up that report on the pesticide expenses. Susan urges her to speak to David.

David is working in his home office. Grace tries to get him to come to bed. He says he's not done yet. He's worried about the kids walking in on them. Grace locks the door (which is mostly glass, shrouded with very sheer curtains).

In the distillery office, Luci places a folder on David's desk. It's probably the pesticide expense report, but I hope it also includes a letter that says "take this job and shove it."

DELETED: Lilian comes home and throws a tantrum in her bedroom, knocking things over. She slaps herself in the face (I'm not quick enough to get a screen capture). I can't make out what she says, because she's blubbering.

David and Grace are gettin' raunchy in the home office when the doorknob rattles and then there's a rapping at the door. Grace hurriedly dresses and opens the door. "Oh Luciana, you learned how to knock." Luci hands him the folder as Grace fans herself to make sure Luci knows what theywere up to. Luci says, "here's what you asked me for." She was going to leave it in the office, but wanted to bring it in person.

She starts to leave. Grace smirks, but her face changes as David follows Luciana.



Luci tells David that it's clear he's closed all the doors to her, including the doors to his heart. She won't look for him again. She tells him to be happy, and she leaves. Grace is smirking again in the background, and I wish David would turn around really fast and catch her. But he doesn't. At least not tonight.

Labels: vino