Caray, Caray!

Anita, here, substituting for Alfredo, so he can have the night off. I apologize for the lack of detail, but my heart is in it. Some short scenes have been combined. Ok, here  we go---

Lo de Ayer
Laustela tries to convince Mr. Everwood of the real reason for the mass shooting at the Foundation. He refuses to believe that it’s all about the gangs trying to re-establish lost territory by frightening the citizens of Riverside into looking to the gangs for protection. That and then recruiting new gang members, even from the Foundation. Estela is there to warn him. He still doesn’t believe her and points out that the home invasion at Estela’s proves the action was taken against her specifically and not by throwing blame for the danger to the neighborhood on others. She knows that El Caravelas, a gang member is involved. Everwood is still not convinced as he’s the nephew of Bettina, who is very helpful to the foundation. He thinks Estela is the one responsible and trying to blame others.

Meanwhile, at the La Furia offices, after the reading of the will, Ryan is trying to calm a very agitated Mercy saying he will never abandon her or leave her unprotected. That’s not what she’s worried about. She’s worried about Ryan and what will happen to La Furia in the hands of that buffoon—as she points to Danilo. Ryan is calm. He says what’s written is written and he plans to follow his father’s wishes.

Danilo says he’s good with that. They’ll work it out among the three of them. Mercy is quick to point out that Ryan is ahead since he’s already produced a child, so the shares are now 60/40 in favor of Ryan. Danilo looks blank.

Lo de Hoy – Still at Everwood
Mr. Everwood is hedging, thinking Estela wants to somehow come back. She tells him she has no intention of returning. She just hopes the warning doesn’t come too late for the children.

Luisa, “dressed” as a reporter comes back into the picture, hassling Laustela about her past and specifically about the song she was singing during the shooting spree. She can’t find it anywhere. Is it hers? Did she write it? Laustela shuts her mouth for two seconds. Then she hurries away with Luisa following. She won’t let the reporter take a picture. She has to go. Agustín is waiting for her to go back to the office.

La Furia Offices
Ryan urges Mercy to apologize to Danilo. She sort of does and suggests they come to an equitable agreement. Danilo is all ears and all smiles—that’s more like it, he declares. Mercy’s equitable agreement is for Danilo to sell them his shares for an exceptionally tantalizing sum of money. Dan-boy rolls up close to her in his wheelchair, looking as if he might take her up on her offer, and smiling just as broadly, turns her down. His daddy didn’t want it that way.

Alone with Ryan, Mercy decries that everything is stacked against her. Ryan’s father is making her so angry from beyond the grave—added to all their current problems. Ryan accepts the blame for the latter with his arrest and all. The talk then turns to the musical group that was supposed to be in the Jaripeo Festival is no longer one of theirs, despite Estela’s confirming they would be appearing. Mercy goes on to note how much Ryan has changed in his attitude towards her, especially now that Estela has returned. She accepts the blame partially, by not getting to know Estela (supposedly the love of Ryan’s life) the way she ought to and treating her like dung. She just can’t get it out of her head that she up and left and left Ryan with a broken heart. But, she doesn’t hate her, how could she hate the mother of his child. (Ryan tries not to swallow hard.)

Ryan notes that now Mercy has had a change of attitude towards Estela. Mercy replies, well, does he want her to keep hating her, since reasons for doing so are not lacking. He mustn’t judge her. Ryan forgave Estela and not just out of gratitude for testifying in his favor, maybe for his daughter? Ryan reminds her Mercy always said family was the most important thing. So, Mercy continues, it’s logical then, for the two of them to stay together, for the good of the child. She urges a vote of confidence. Ryan reminds her that trust is not something that can be regained easily, especially when the people one loves turns into strangers.

Chicano Motel
Morgana and all her Assets are ready to partay—to celebrate Dan-boy’s good fortune. Champagne and nookie top her list. He retells Mercy’s reaction to turning down her offer to buy his shares. Morgana and all her Assets want now to be formally introduced to his bro. Danilo takes her glass away. Whoa, wait a minute, he knows that look on her face. She asks, jealous? No, that’s not why. He’s pissed at Ryan for already having a kid. Morgana thinks he should be satisfied with what he got (and that miserable ranch to boot). No, he thinks they should do what they should have done awhile ago: have a kid of their own. Morgana reacts as if someone had just made her gain forty pounds. What—and ruin this beautiful body for a kid? She tells Danilo he’s crazy.

A bit later we see the partay’s not over, but they aren’t having as much fun. Morgana thinks everything will be ok if he buys a new RV and new suits for the guys. (I think Morgana sees some advantage to staying with La Furia, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Sorry.)

La Furia Lobby
Laustela and Agustín get back to the office, not knowing the will has been read. She’s curious about Ryan and asks Agust if Ryan has always been so serious. He says yes, but also was a “cool dude” in the past, but the last three years he was sad alternating with angry. Now that Ryan and she are back together again, he sees Ryan as happy—a different person.

Ryan’s Office Before All Hell Breaks Loose
The D.A. (or prosecutor/fiscal) has come to see Ryan, who’s surprised since the case is closed. Well, the D.A. still has his investigator gum-shoes on, tracking down some stuff. He wants to know how Estela is—just as she walks through the door. Ryan jumps up and runs around to greet his beloved girlfriend, while behind the D.A.’s back he gives Laustela a high sign and they quickly turn into a loving couple, including a very chaste kiss. They convince the D.A. they are happily back together. He asks one last question before departing—where is their daughter? Almost in unison they answer she’s with Ryan’s mother, of course. That’s all he wanted to know.

Ryan’s Office After All Hell Breaks Loose
Ryan points out that what just transpired is a good reason to continue staying together. He wants to know why she’s so late—she went back to Riverside, didn’t she? Laustela kinda shrugs, yes. Ryan and Laustela argue about her carelessness in going about on her own. Ryan says Agust is not at her beck and call; he has other obligations. Estela retorts that therefore, she needs a way of getting around. Ryan puts his foot down. If she needs to go somewhere, Agust will accompany her. It’s for her security. So, Estela yells, she has to have a watch dog day and night? Ryan moves close to her—he only wants to protect her he says. Laustela is left speechless.

La Furia Lobby
Asdrúbal (why do I want to call him Assurbanipal—shades of Library School, I think) is on the phone talking to someone important. He says he’s waiting for Dan-boy to come tell him what was in the Will. Suddenly he sees the D.A. crossing the lobby and Asbal keeps his eyes riveted on his disappearing back.

Joe’s Office
Joe agrees with Mercy that Estela and Ryan should stay together and register the child as Ryan’s as soon as possible. When she has a slip of the tongue regarding the robbery of the money from Estela and Joe catches her, she denies having had anything to do with it, but it certainly worked in her favor. It instilled some mistrust in Ryan. Joe still suspects her because she doesn’t normally deal in cash and would have had someone besides a new employee pick it up. Mercy brushes it off—sooner or later that woman is going to cause problems for Ryan. Still, Joe feels sorry for Estela. Mercy certainly doesn’t. The most important thing now is to get that child recognized officially and later on they can figure out how to get her out of the family. Joe wonders if she’ll be able to pull of such a radical change of attitude. She looks at him coyly—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s had to pretend to feel something for someone when she didn’t, as she touches his cheek and kisses the other cheek. Joe looks down (ashamed, maybe?) as he catches a glimpse of the picture on his desk of his wife and family.

Ryan’s Office, Explosion Over, Almost
The two play one-upmanship. Ryan is not trusting her—he only knows her name. Laustela says ha, she coulda, woulda, shoulda left him in jail. Ryan counters that he has some other exculpating evidence that would clear him. She thinks he’s bluffing. Ryan indicates he has plenty of reasons not to trust her. He’d like her to answer his questions: 1) Why can’t she go back to Mexico, which she purports to love so well; 2) Why is she so afraid; 3) Is Paloma’s father threatening her? Laustela gets up to leave without answering. She doesn’t have to listen to him.

Ryan jumps up, hopping mad. He wants an answer, just one or his mistrust in her will only grow. She won’t give him an answer. He mistakenly calls her Laura and she yells back to never call her that again, for all their sakes. He agrees—eyes blazing. He declares she will never measure up to the real Estela, she is merely a poor copy and she will never fill up her space. (Ouch) Laustela has the last word. Though she uses that name, that space will remain empty, like him. Out she goes and Ryan is left standing there, frustrated.

Beauty Rest Interruptus
Rita disturbs Mercy during her siesta with an envelope that just arrived. It might be important. She shoos Rita away and gets up to read the single sheet of paper. Given the face Mercy makes on reading it, it is. She immediately calls Joe for a meet-up.

Asdrúbal’s Lair
That giant snifter full of money is enticing—I digress. Danilo has come, as promised, to report on the inheritance. Asbal think 40% isn’t bad. Danilo tells him he’s come to resign, he won’t be needing El Dorado’s help any more. He’s disposed to pay ED for the RV, the new suits and ta—done. He learns from Asbal that once in, he can never leave—until ED decides and right now, ED needs him to be the means to launder money through La Furia. Danilo doesn’t look very happy any more.

Mercy’s Mansion
Laustela is telling Paloma all about school. When she goes, she’ll learn new stuff and have lots of friends. She asks her if she’d like that? Paloma says no, she doesn’t want to go to school. (Will parents ever learn not to ask a question you might not get the answer you want, then what?) Actually, Chayo comes to the rescue, they won’t be separated, it’s only for a few hours a day and she’ll learn to be strong and valiant. Paloma is ok with that scenario. She goes outside to look for butterflies and Chayo gets caught up on what went on between Laustela and Ryan. The result is that neither believe in nor trust each other.

Laustela surmises that whoever planned that daylight robbery did it with the intention of creating mistrust in Ryan—but who could it be? (Oy, think girl, think.) Laustela just wants to live like a normal person again, while Chayo reminds her they’ve never had normal lives. Laustela insists it’s possible—she wants to live in peace, like before all this. Chayo and Laustela are being entertained by Paloma when Danilo comes hobbling in on his crutches. He and Estela introduce each other. She introduces Chayo and tells him the cutie pie is her daughter. He introduces himself to Paloma—using a long string of occupations. She in turn introduces herself to him, with her occupations, among them a singer, like her mother. Danilo is impressed. Still talking to Paloma he says maybe they can get her mother to sing with the group some time. Maybe Paloma could ask her daddy to promote a career for her. Paloma answers quite definitely that she has no daddy. Danilo looks up at Estela.

After an awkward moment, Chayo takes Paloma out of the atrium and Estela explains that this is all too new for Paloma, too confusing and they haven’t told her yet. She asks him not to say anything in front of her. He asks if Ryan has recognized Paloma legally. Estela says they haven’t gotten that far yet. Hmmm, muses Dan-boy, it would seem to him it would be a priority, given the inheritance and all that. Estela is taken aback, but before they can continue that line of conversation, Rita interrupts with some “housekeeping” question that leaves no doubt that Estela and Ryan aren’t sleeping in the same room. That’s how Danilo learns the two are “separated.” He offers a friendly ear if she ever needs to talk to anyone.

Ryan’s Office
Genesis comes in with an envelope. It contains a flash drive. Ryan plugs it in. Holy Macaroni! It’s, it’s, it’s Cesar E---er, Ryan’s dad Walter on the screen with a message. Tears welling up, Ryan watches his father’s image, transfixed. He admits never being the father Ryan deserved. But the essence of the little post-demise talk is to ask him to give Danilo a chance to be family, to be brothers.

Ryan has called a buddy to share how he felt seeing his dad’s face and hearing his voice. Meanwhile, he keeps coming back to who IS Laura Oviedo. He’s obsessed with finding out what it is she’s not telling him.

Bar None
Mercy and Joe have a no-holds bar-r’d talk. She’s working on a pink martini and he’s drinking something on the rocks. The letter she got was from the dead Walter, intentionally delivered after the will was read. Mercy is furious because Walter said he cut her out and cut his bastard son in on the inheritance to take vengeance on her for having a lover. She proclaims he has a lot of nerve after he bedded every female he could put his hands on and tried out every new secretary at La Furia. And he charges HER with infidelity? She only did it ONCE, looking at Joe.

Joe wonders if Wally knew all along about them. Mercy doesn’t think so, or he wouldn’t have been kept on at La Furia. Joe then wonders when he might have found out. Mercy hasn’t touched her drink, but she’s loose lipped and her speech is getting a little slurred. How would she know. Perhaps he was about to find out and died. Joe laughs at the thought and then wonders if Ryan knows about her infidelity—for surely Walter sent other notes. Mercy! Mercy hopes it’s not true. But she’s going to have to investigate. She gets up and marches out.

Chicano Hotel Pool
Morgana and all her Assets are taking a dip when Danilo returns. He’s late because he stopped by his dad’s house after the trip to see El Dorado—whom he didn’t get to see. She’s in a hurry to find out what came down. He’ll tell her later. There’s no hurry if it’s bad news. He *told* her it was a bad idea allying with El Dorado, but they have to live with it for now. He’s already thinking of Plan B—the fact that the little girl hasn’t been registered as Ryan’s daughter works in their favor.

Mercy Mansion
Mercy has been waiting up for Ryan. He says he worked late. He lets her know he has to fly to New York the next day. She starts to talk about Estela again—and registering the child. Ryan can see through her. Ryan tells her everything is copacetic for now—he and Danilo are on equal footing 40/40. He asks Mercy not to say anything to Estela about the terms of the Will (kiddo, you are a peso short and a minuto late). He doesn’t want her to feel inconsequential. Mercy, in return, asks him not to say anything to Danilo about the little girl not being registered yet (oh, no, you, too?). They agree.

Paloma and Chayo’s Palatial Guest Room
Chayo teases Laustela about Danilo’s attentions. Laustela thinks she’s seeing thing that aren’t there. Laustela catches Chayo up on what went down at Everwood and that lady reporter. There was something about her that wasn’t right. Chayo thinks she’s imagining danger everywhere she looks, but she gives Laustela the benefit of the doubt after all she went through, back when, but she needs to stop being so fearful. Ryan knocks and enters and asks to talk to Estela. She tells him she’ll see him later in his bedroom.

While Laustela takes Paloma off for her bath, Ryan gets chummy with Chayo and tricks her into telling him where Laura was from—Michoacán.

Blind Man’s Bluff and Bluster
Mr. Blake is raging that Luisa couldn’t find out anything definite about Laura Oviedo. Luisa insists the girl is Estela Carrillo and the daughter of a criminal. He screams that she is Laura Oviedo. She could have changed her name, gotten false papers. He knows she wrote that song. He wants Luisa to get out, she’s useless.

Ryan’s Bedroom, but not Sleeping Room
Ryan tells Laustela he’s tired of the farce that they are a couple. People are finding out they are on the outs and don’t sleep together. Laustela tells him Danilo already knows. He’s pissed, but ni modo, he will still hold up his end of the bargain and turn her and Paloma into legal residents. Laustela says she doesn’t really care anymore about her status. She just wants to keep her job, pay them back everything she owes them and get out of there. End of conversation. Ryan does one more thing. He gives her a new cell phone with her old number. He leaves the room. Mercy sees him leaving and asks if they are still mad at each other. Ryan says yes and doesn’t think there will be a reconciliation. Mercy doesn’t care about a reconciliation. She only cares that the child is made officially Ryan’s daughter. They must find a way to convince Estela. Mercy rubs her thumb and fingers together. Ryan is offended that she would pay her off and he stalks away.

La Furia Conference Room Next Day
Mercy is holding a meeting in regard to the Jaripeo Festival music groups they still need. She ignores Estela’s suggestions, not useful. Estela learns they stand to lose a lot of money if they don’t have Don Chayo. Estela volunteers to go see him personally. Mercy scoffs at the idea and puts her down, as if Mercy herself hadn’t already tried. Estela negotiates. If she can get Don Chayo, their earnings go over $50,000 and thus her debt should be considered paid in full. Mercy accuses her of underhanded dealings. Estela says no, she wants to do it just to do it.

New York City--Michoacán
Ryan is not in NYC. He calls his bud to let him know he’ll be nosing around this place for a couple of days. He starts asking around about Laura Oviedo and finds three ladies who won’t tell him anything but direct him to the church and talk to Padre Otero. He knows everything about everybody.

Chicano Motel
Morgana and all her Assets are sitting on the bed, behind Danilo and ask him sweetly if he wouldn’t consider getting an apartment just for the two of them. He tells her no. For now he needs to continue living in the Mercy Mansion. She wants to know why, what is he planning? Does it have something to do with Ryan’s daughter? Danilo says he’s just stacking the deck (quiero bajar la mora a mi hermano) [HELP—I think that’s what he said, but don’t know the exact translation. In context I would say he wants to take Estela away from Ryan.] Whatever, it earns him a BIG slap across the cheek. Morgana is spitting mad. Danilo talks her down and tells her softly that everything he does he does for the two of them.

Labels: Estela